Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-05-13
ALEXANDRIA, A.
Letter from Gen. Washington in 1896.
MONDAY, NAY u, 1872.

Letter from Gen. Washington i'm 1896.
We publish to-day copy Of letter written
by Gen. Washington, and addressed to SIR
John Sinclair, Baronet, said to have been
the first President of the British Board Of Agg-
riculture, in answer to letter from the Baro-
net, to Washington, asking his opinion of the
several States of America as they appeared
calculated for the residence of a British emf
grant, in the year 1896, aud published after.
wards in the American Farmer, and now pre-
sented for publication by Green & Wise Real
Estate Agents, of Alexandria, Va:
PHILADELPHIA, 10th December 1896.
Sir: Il will proceed to the information re-
ouired 10 your private letter of the 18th Sep
tember, which [ will give FROM the best know
ledge | possess. and with the candor you have
right to expect from me. The United States
as you we'll know, are very extensive, DC. With
in SO great space you are not to be told that
there is a great variety of climate, and you will
readily suppose to that there are all sorts OF
lands, &C. In the New England States and to
Pennsylvania inclusively, landed property is
more divided than it is in the States south OF
them. The farms are smaller, the buildings
and other improvements generally better, and
of consequence the population is greater. But
then the climate, especially to the eastward Of
the Hudson river, is cold, the winters long
consuming great part of the summers labor
in support of their stock during the winter.
Nevertheless it is country Astounding in grass,
&c. The western parts of Maryland aud Eir
einia to the North Carolina line above tide
water, and more especially above the Blue
Ridge mountains are very similar to those of
PENNSYLVANIA between the Susquehana and
Potomac rivers, in SOIL climate and production,
and in my opinion will be considered, if not
considered already So the Gar3cn Of -1mericn,
inasmuch as it lies between the two extremes Of
hmt and cold, partakipg In degree of the ad-
vantages Of both, without feeling much the IN
convenience of either, and with truth 1t may
said, isamong the most fertile lands in -1mertta
east of the Appalachian mountains. The up
lands of North and South Carolina and Geor-
gia are not dis>imilar in soil, but as they APP
proach the lower ATTITUDES, are less congenlal to
wheat, and arc supposed to be proporlionally
more unhealthy. But what may appear singu-
lar the lands in the parts of which am now
referring to, on and contiguous to tide water
with local exceptious) are in 10 Yer estimation
than those which are above and more remote
from pavigation The causes however, are APP
more healthy; I'd, they are chiefly. if not al
together, in the occupation OF farmers; 4th
from combination of all these purchasers are
attracted, and of consequence, the price rises
in proportion to the demand From what |
have said you will have perceived that the
present prices of land in Pennsylvania and New
England States are higher than they are In
Maryland and Virginia, although they are not
of superior quality. Two reasons have already
been assigned for this, first, in the settled parts
OF it the land is divided into smaller farms and
more improved as consequence, and secondly.
being in a greater degree than any other, the
RECEPTACLE of emgrants, they receive their first
impression 10 Philadelphia, and rarely look
beyond the limits Of the State. But besides
these two other causes, not little operative,
may be added, namely, that until Congress
passed general laws, relative to naturalization
and citizenship, foreigners found it easier to
obtain the privileges announced to them IN that
State than elsewhere, and because there are
laws there for the gradual abolition of slavery,
which neither of the two States above men
toned, Maryland and Virginia, have at present,
but which nothing is more certain than that
they must have, anda period not remote. Not
withstanding these obstacles, and do not hest
tate to pronounce, that the lands on the waters
of the Potomac, will, in few years, be IN great,
er demand and in higher estimation than in
any other part of the United States. But as |
ought not to advance this doctrine without as
signing reasons for it, | will request you to
examine general map of the United States
and the following facts will strike you at first
view: That Maryland and Virginia lie in the
most temperate latitude OF the United States;
that the main river, the Potomac, runs in oil
Il, dad M
crn country, and approximates, nearer to the
principal branches of the Ohio than any other
eastern waters, and of course must become a
great, if not (uuder all circumstances the best
highway into that region; that the upper sea-
port of the Potomac is considerably nearer to a
large portion of the State of Pennsylvania
than that portion is to Philadelphia, besides,
accommodating the settlers thereof with inland
navigation for more than 200 miles; that the
amazing extent of tide navigation afforded by
the bay and rivers ofthe Chesapeake has scarce
ly parallel.
The upper seaport of the Potomac here
spoken of is our own beloved city of Alexan
dria.
These are the opinions and views of Gen.
Washington, made in 1896, and they arc APP
plicable to the present; and we think the day
is fast approaching, and not far distant, when
his prediction will be realized. Slavery having
been abolished our farms are now being divid-
ed into smaller Ones and the tide of immigra-
ton has already begun to turn from the West
towards our State, realizing the fact that the
climate and country is better adapted and much
more like that of their own than any other por-
tons of the U. S. Not only are We receiving
the immigrants direct (nearly every steamer of
Allen line now running into the port of Nor
folk coming in full,) but we are Informed by
Messrs. Green & Wise, Real Estate Agents,
that their sales of farming lands this year,
have been much larger to Western men (who,
having tried the West, and becoming dissatis
fed, sold out, and have located here) than
from the North and their correspondence is
now larger from the West; nearly every day
mail brings them letters from persons asking