The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-12-13
evening State saarnal.
nuM.GRArrOy.

The Convention which is holding its
meetings in this city, to forward the IN
erests Of immigration, is largely attended
by representative men OF all classes. It's
discussions, though very loose, have been
animated and illumined by some flashes
of good sense. The mass Of the MEM
bers are profoundly Ignorant of the whole
subject, and unfortunately those who know
the least, have done most of the talking.
There are men in the Convention who have
given, it years Of study, who understand
the needs OF the State nnd the feasible
means Of supplying them, who
seem to be studiously crowded out
by those who have never travelled
beyond the boundaries of the State, and
whose narrow bigotry shows, that their
thinking has been as limited as their
travels. One man wants only Protcstants,
and would introduce the catechism on
shipboard, and have kind of ecclesiastical
quarantine established off New York and
Norfolk. Another would have no Red
Republicans OF lnternationals /; he is afraid
that the laboring people will get too much
power, and tip over the fossilized social
structure Of the Old Dominion.
The great rage last evening seemed to be
to get Englishmen. Nobody could get in
word who was not born in that fortunate
island. We don't complain of this, for, by
a happy accident, we got good English and
good sense combined, as one gentleman
happily expressed it. Among these, the
clear and effective speech Of Mr.. St. An
drew was especially notable. He brought
the matter down from the airy regions Of
talk, to the solid ground Of business, md
very promptly silenced the objections to
negro labot, by declaring it as good as the
English. s5a7 sir- f oeed
Nothing more clearly exhibits the ,mprac-
ticab!e character Of the mon who have thus
far controlled this Convention than the
complete Ignoring of every Northern man
who differs with the majority in politics,
and the forgetfulness of the fact, that
from the North ten dollars Of capital have
come here to one from any other source,
since the war. No speaker has yet noticed
this important fact, and the further fact
which we hs,o,e, that but for the malignant
ranting Of public men, and the social
ostracism in many localities, q hundred
dollars could be obtained from the North,
where one dollar can be got from Europe.
{: How absurd to expect that capitalists are
coming here from abroad, when our own
people Of other States 20 west with their
money $3.50 q .3.ishs' .,.... ,.i =
Foreign capitalists will very naturally
ask, if Virginia is SO attractive for men
with moderate capital, why do not your
Northern neghbors 90 there instead Of the
more distant west ? 1t has suspicious
look Webodly assert, that il IL useless to
attempt to get any considerable body Of for
eiga capitol into Yirgiaia slntu we can get
our own people from The North TO incest
here. Secure that, and cspitalwill flow in
from all qarters. Europe respects the
Northern judgment in matters Of business,
and will follow it. ~. ~
The encouragement OF Immigration must
be largely in cultivating better spirit, in
opening the way for large colonies, and the
the repeal Of obnoxious Laws which now
deprsss the industry Of the State. The
publication Of information ~ to our re-
sources and arrangements by which cor
poraticns can concentrate and resurvey
lands will greatly further this purpose.