The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1875-11-04
Letter From a Virginia Lady.

-Herper's Weekly
Letter From Virginia Lady.
We copy the following from the New York
Weekly Times, as part of the proceedings OF
the meeting of the Farmers Club, of the Amer
lean Institute:
At the last session some one placed On the
the table a bottle of superb cider-vinegar to
show the vast difference there is between the
genuine article and the acetc acid which il
bought and sold in the market for white Vine
gar. DR.. Weaver placed beautiful peach on
the table and requested the variety to which it
belongs to be identified. DIR. Trimble, after
the peach was cut in small pieces, pronounced it
'Stump the World" The Chairman then read
the letter from Ora Langhorn, Lychburg, Va,
OH the subject of
MATTERS AND THINGS IN GENERAL.
The lady wrote as follows -
I fear it may seem very presumptious in such
an obscure person, and withal Il female, to
address you and through you the Farmers
Club 81 t beg that YOU will allow me at
least to introduce myself and explain the OBJ
ject of my writing. 1 have for some years
past read tise proceedings of your institute in
The Times with much interest, and especially
the illusions in several articles to Virginia isn
migration. consider myself qualified to
speak OF the Subjects noted in these articles
because I am VTginian by birth. and | think
tie true interests of my native State are as
dear to me as to any of her citizens. do not,
however, profess to any great knowledge or
talent. except little CT what Mr.. Shclbys
Sam called .'hobseryation," and think my
opportunities for the exercise of that quality
haze been good. in regard to the best location
for the immigrants, possibly all woaaa agree
that the Valley is the finest portion of the
State, as the lands there are extremely pro-
sIuctive and the general coalition of affairs
more favorable for farmers thafs can be found
elsewhere. As it ismy native lasat, Icould sound
Its praises without wcarying, although long
residence in Eastern Virginia has taught me
to prefer its climate and water. In truth,
all sections of the State offer great advantages,
and we doaeed immigration, and that behooves
lis to bring these points to general notice. As
I have no lands to sell, and do not receive
salary Cor putting the possessions of those who
have, lmy special object gust now, is to speak OF
society and subjects likely to interest new
corners to the State, ard particularly to- say
why we do not l,aye the immigration so greatly,
needy and loudly called for. One principal
cause exists, believe in the intense prejudices
of QUE people. especially strong in Eastern Vir-
ginia, which has ketesofore been the land of
pride, prejudice, and oppression, though we
trust the of progress has at last reached our
shores, and that nothing can now stop it's tri
amphal march, At present, 1rc9rct to say, that
unless q Northern man is a Democrat, processes
Southern sympaal,ies. and is willing to worship
Southern heroes, he has little chance though he
were angelic in character, for 4 kindly recep-
ton among Virginians. Public sentiment varies
in this respect III different sections. En- The
Valley and along the sea coast there is much lib
eralty of feeling, while in the interior counties
Il Republican or person holding government
office, whether native or foreign born, is gen.
orally ostracised. could give numerous in
stances to prove this assertion-some absurd,
some melancholy-as showing the excessive
bitterness of our people. There is also a de-
gree of dislike to yankees in different class
cs. The commercial men are most free from
it, and the old men who have no hope of recu-
perating their fortunes, the young men who
have grown up in ignorance during and since
the war, and especially the women of the
State, being most under its influence. This
latter class form a most serious drawback to i'm
migration, and therefore to the prosperity of
the country. because depends upon them, to a
great extent, the solution @2 social questions
Too much blame cannot be given to the Con-
sentative press, which pander to the public taste
by fostering sectional preiudces. AS one in
stance ont OF many, quote the remark OF Nor
folk banker, THAT the press of that city had
injured the place in the last ten years to the
extent uf 81 ,000.000.'' Another cause of the
present PROSTATE condition OF Virginia, is the
utter lack OF wisdom among our public men,
and recalling the glorious names Our statesmen
in the past, one is tempted to eXclaisn, ''Geni,s
itself is among the illustrious dead! !" No
stronger proof of this fact is needed than the i'm
possibility of raising sheep in tie State, because
our legislators are afraid of becoming unpopular
If they pass u dog law ! TO complete my list
OF enemies to immigration. let me add, the land
agents, who have, in most cases. s@indled the
newcomers among u.s. not seldom cheating at
the same time the wretclAed owner of the land,
who's his heartstiings teal as he parts with
hispatrmonial ACRES. But Notwithstanding all
these disadvantages, Virginia is a goodly land.
Her climate is very alaiId and pleasant; her wa
tiers pure aud healthy, her scenery as fine az
any with which the Creator has adorned the
earth; her people, when their prejudiees are
overcome, sare amiable and gentle maaaaefs4ls
her soil is in some portions of the Stale ex-
tremel VI fertile, and everywhere yields kindly
to iudicious AVIATION, and above all has vast
area of uloc6hpied land, much of which is now
under haelnernoal can be bought for a song.
The proM arr acy of Virginia is fast learn
iflgthe ggksa latoreed upon them by the
results pi.tha a, and in our povertxf and sor-
Tow we ca haur sister States s'toep1a and
II q. aSi R eand 81 ([or l amp
- IllrsuaAe neigh
.g0sc6i with III. When
void poltics as much as he
office until it is thrust upon
him, as ~ tile case with Democrats. For
reliable infoi5 haton in regard TO Virginia, let
Inc refer yo6tp the excellent little Journal pub
lishcd by theeolored boys Of Hampton, under
the supervision of General Armstrong; and let
me say, in conclusion, that will be happy to
aliswerany letters addressed to me OH the sub
iects referred to in this epistle, as l should be
very glad to aid any one looking for home in
Virginia.
Since Tile publication OF the above letter Mrs.
Ianghorllhas received number OF letters from
Pennsylvania. Iowa, Kansas, and other States
from which we are pcrrnitted to select the tol-
lowing:
PROVIDENCE LODGE, New Kent, Va.
Mrs, OsrG Langhorn-
M DEAR MADAM If this reaches yol, !!
hope to know avl.o you are, for after years OF
., a