The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-02-01
Immigration.

, OFFICE OF THE DOMESTIC AND EUROPEAN
AGENCIES or IMMIGRATION FOR VIRGINIA.,
RIcnMoSD, VA, January 80, 1868.
Editors of the Richmond Dispatch:
4 Gentlemen,-In the course Of our inter-
course with the people on the subject of
immigration, we have found that the pro-
posed plan of our operation is misunderstood.
We therefore request the liberality of your
columns to explain it. The introduction
of European laborers through the medium
of an arrangement made with New York
emigration associations is not part of our
European and Domestic Agencies of I'M
migration. 1t is only temporary private
undertaking to supply the urgent demand
for labor until our European and Domestic
State Agencies inaugurate their plan of
introducing immigrants directly from
Europe more desirable, and such as are
needed to redeem the State from her
prostration. Mere laborers, such as are
brought from New York, though they are
European emigrants, do not constitute that
class.
Our plan is not to bring or receive here
other immigrants than whole families that
have the means to pay their passage and
purchase lands in lots Of from twenty to
one hundred acres for it is this class of
people that supplies Europe with thrifty,
sturdy, and worthy laborers for hire out of
the surplus of their family labor. This
class of immigrants will bring with them
always some money to revive and increase
our local commerce. They will become
producers on their own farms, and thus
increase the pabulum that feeds and sus-
rtains all other avocations Of the business
life. They will furnish US with reliable
and permanent laborers for hire as they do
in Europe out Of their surplus labor. And
by reason of their being all freeholders
they will identify themselves with us for
all social and political purposes. More
over when these classes Of people come
into our State and settle, foreign capital,
which is always watching where they GO,
will soon follow them and aid us in making
use of our water-power, in development of
our mineral resources, and in building our
railroads which have to connect the transit
through our ports of the northwestern and
our southern products and commodities to
the marts of the world.
These classes Of immigrants, and not the
mere laborers, reared prosperous States
in the northwestern wilderness within the
time Of our recollection. And they only
can help us effectively to lift up Virginia
from her deplorable condition, to retrieve
our ruined fortunes, and to secure the
birth rights Of our race to ourselves and
our children. Those who debark in New
York had determined before they left
Europe TO where they would settle; and
nothing can change their pre-determina-
ton. We must 60 to the hive from which
they come to induce them to immigrate to
our State. Will Virginians help US to
achieve this great enterprise? All that is
wanted to secure its realization is their CO.
operation by responding to the appeal of
the State Board of immigration which We
annex to this communication.
Yours, very respectfully,
j. D. IMBoDEN,
Domestic Agent.
G. Tochman, European Agent.
This "appeal" consists of two resolu-
tions adopted by the board in November
last, which resolve, lst. That they appeal
in said resolution for q subscription of
$4,000 by the people and corporations of
Virginia to aid the European and Domes-
tic Agency of immigration established by
the board. I'd. That the commissioner of
the board, General RICHARDSON, the Eu-
ropean agents, General TocHMAN and Hon.
B. J. BARBOUR, and its domestic agents,
General IMBoDEN and Colonel ROGER J.
PAGE, are authorized to canvass, jointly or
seyerally, the counties and cities, to pro-
cure subscriptions for the object indicated
disclsiming for the State and board any
authority which can make either pecu-
niarily responsible. s
The resolutions are signed by Messrs.
e. B. HAxALL and WiLLIAAH. MAcFAR-!
LAND. General RICHARDSON, commits!
,sioner.l