The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-01-28
LOCAL NEWS.
A Few Words About Immigration.
THE STATE BoARD-wHAT HAS BEEN DONE WHAT
CAN BE DONE.

To every one who has the permanent good
of Virginia really at heart, the subject of i'm.
migration should be one for careful, earnest,
prompt consideration, and vigorous action.
The State Board of immigration, organized
by law, with important duties prescribed to it,
has not dollar of appropriation from the
State to enable it to meet those duties, yet its
organization has been preserved, and its pro-
ceedings will show it has done all that could
be expected under such circumstances to have
been effected by any set of men anywhere.
The local members, Messrs. Il. Barton Haxall
and William II. Macfarland, though largely
engaged in business, have freely and zealously
given their time without regard to their pri-
vate interests or convenience; and Colonel
Thomas j. Randolph, the President, though
living in the county of Albemarle, seventy or
eighty miles distant, has never failed in his
attendance, besides paying his own expenses.
1t may be presumed that the Legislature, in
creating the Board, expected that tue bonus or
capitation which the Board was authorized to
charge upon immigrants, with donations, would
defray the expenses involved in its operation
without tax upon the treasury; but present
pecuniary means being absolutely needful in
the beginning, such expectations, if formed,
were not realized. The competition for immi-
grants in Europe, By many States, had been
active and energetic through agents, who
arrested the stream of immigration at its
source, had to be met by similar measures on
our part before single immigrant could be
secured, and the Board had not single dollar
at command.
The Board, however, did what it could, and
at length through the disinterested zeal of Gen.
G.. Tochman, who visited Europe at bis own
expense, agencies were established on the con-
tinent and some in England, and arrangement
were made for the advantageous settlement of
immigrants upon lands in Virginia, and some
had arrived and been settled here when the
war upon the continent occurred. So long as
that continues few or no immigrants can be ex-
pected thence. And, although, when that war
is over a larger influx may be looked for tn an
at any previous time, tho.e from the continent
may be of little value to us since the war will
have probably deprived them of the means
which most immigrants par ticularly those from
the German States, formerly possessed, of pur,
chasing and cutivating their own lands in
Virginia; but the whole Kingdom of Great
Britain stands open to us no,o, and many there
who have means to purchase and Eettle here in
Virginia, only need reliable information re-
specting its advantages to induce them to do
80. Ii the Board had the means to make
known it3 organization and prospects as
State institution, through which immigrants
might obtain, without cost, advice and a.sis-
lance IN making Advantageous locations and
purchases, we have every reason to expect
from it the best results.
Great Britain has large surplus population
OF healthy working people, both male and
female, most of it of the rural class, which
their government wishes to settle in its own
colonies, with government aid. But this
seems not to be acceptable to either the pre-
posed colonists, or to a large portion of the
British public, as appears by the fact that the
greater advantages of settling them in this
country have been openly set forth and advo-
Gated by intelligent and we'll informed writer's
General William Il. Richardson is the Com
missioner of the Board and renders his servicts s,
(which include most voluminous correspon-
aence with people in this and European coun-
tries), like the other members of the Board,
without fee or reward. The report, of the
Board to the Legislature, es well as those of
the Commissioner to the Board, have been oc-
casionally printed, and show conclusively, we
think, that with little State aid the scheme
of evoking immigration would work well.
The present Legislature could, if it saw fit
most effectually aid immigration from Great
Britain by the appropriation of few thou
sand dollars only, but SO many other matters
engross their attention that they seem to have
given the subject no consideration Yet it is
only by immigration that Virginia is ever to
be made any thing more than she now is-a
harbor for old fogyism.