Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1867-03-05
West Virginia Correspondence.


ity, remindinga Northerner Of what
is generally experienced in latitude
like Wisconsin, The cold weather
set in early in December, and contin-
/ ued with little abatement until the
| opening Of the present month, but
now, all is sunshine and beauty, Civ
ing the mostunmistakable indications
Of an early spring The most remark
able feature Of the past winter was
our Fine sleighing, and be assured it
was improved ina manner peculiarly
startling to crippled horses and most
satisfactory to Virginia lads and las
ses. There was an unceasing din Of
bells for nearly four weeks, and it
was certainly relief when old Sol
melted, with his rising effulgence,
the uncertain foundation of youthful
mirth and joy. The ground is now
bare of snow, and the weather re-
minds one Of what you do not often
enjoy in the West before April or
May.
1t is most gratifying to note the
the rapid change which has recently
come over this really favored cline.
Since the ending ofthe war, immmi~
grafton has been tending southacard,
and the society is gradually going
through romoddleing process, which
will in the course Of time render this
one Of the most desirable portions of
the American continent. This State
is fast being settled by Yankecs,"
and "Yankee" vim and enterprise is
becoming somewhat popular, even
among the farmer aristocracy Of the
South. The greatest Improvement
in West Virginia is our Common
School system, being nodded after
that system that is peculiar to the
North and West, and which has made
them the intellectual gardens Of
America. And / would say for the
benefit of that class of youth in Wis
consin designing to follow the profess
sion Of teaching, that a wider door
was never opened for them to enter
than that which is presented here -
Last fall teachers were sought tor III
every direction, and an ordinary
adept in this profession readily com.
manded from $40 to $50 per month.
Young ladies will be sought for dur
ing the spring to teach the summer
schools, and will doubtless secure
wages quite satisfactory to this class
of teachers. There are openings here
for all classes ofpeople, and we are
glad that many are fast finding it out
and the country seems alive already
with Northern capital and industry.
Old but valuable farms, containing
from 100 to 500 acres of land equal to
any | have ever seen, either North or
West, are selling for from $50 to $50.
The war left many persons al most
destitute, and having nothing but
tdlad left they are obliged TO sell even
at so great sacrifice. Most Of the
farmers are disposing Of their land at
auction, and our county papers are
filled with this class Of advertise
ments.
Ii | were q farmer, the Shenandoah
Valley would suit as well as any spot
on the earth, and the bargains offer
cd here weekly, should certainly mer-
it the attention Of those who s'till the
soil" There seems to be an increas-
ing spirit Of loyalty all through the
South, and | believe that Northern
abolishionist would be safe almost
anywhere in the Border or Southern
States. People are beginning to open
their eyes to their pecuniary inter
ests, and now see that the only way
TO nationnl prosperity is to open
wide door to northern enterprise.
Since the November elections, the
South has given up in despair, and
freely admit that their only salvation
is in the generosity OF those whom
the people have empowered to re
construct the American nation
Once in q while some Southern edi-
or or disloyal preacher boils over
and threatens to get up war in the
North for the destruction ofthe trump
Congress, but not meeting with any
response from even such virulent
sheets as the Chicago Times or La
Crosse Democrat, they quietly subs
side into sort Of sullenness that in
dicates fixed state of political. des-
peration and despair.
But one feeling reigns and rules
here, and that is, that the voice OF
the great American people must be
obeYed, and that whatever a loyal
Congress ordains, must be submitted
to, without even the forlorn nope Of
a second appeal to military strength
The majority Of the people 0: West
Virginia are opposed to the unwise
policy Of President Johnson, and
look upon his conduct as being in OPP
en- hostility to the great mass Of the
loyal people. Loyal churches and
ministers have suffered considerably
on account Of his persistent efforts to
ANIMAL the will Of the people as we
have had churches closed against Us
on the plea that President Johnson
would sustain our opponents in their
acts Of usurpation aud downright per
secution. We look, however, for a
speedy change, and breath much fire.
u today than we did twelve months
ago. Liberty of speech and press
now prevails, and there will never
come another period in the history Of
our nation when the voice Of the peo-
pie will not be considered as the
voice Of God.
W NJ 0SpDDN