New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-09-19
FITZHUGH LEE ON VIRGINIA.

object of the society. He is reported in
the columns of the New York Herald as
thus explaining the objects and induce
ments of his visit:
Virginia being c. nsidered the mother of
i the country considered it unfair that this
! great people should all wv her to suffer on
account Of past off nses, Those are dead
| issues, and We do rot care to revive them.
| We wish to Ieilyenate the old State, and
we thiHk the best way TO do 1t Is to develop
| her agricultural resources. We can only do
| this by inviting immigration; we propose to
offer to emigrants facilities as good or bet
ter than they ca find in the West.
The reader will note the difference be-
tween this theory and that of the Demo-
cratic leaders OF Louisiana. The latter
insist that change in the federal admin
istration must preccde the restoration of
social prosperity III the South. The visit
Of Fitzhugh Lee is TO Northern farmers
and mechanics. The visit of our White
Leaguers is to the politicians and agitators
at the North. The representations Of
Fitzhugh Lee are of the peace and physical
capacities of Virginia. The report of our
Democratic emiSsary seeks to excite po-
litical pity by magnityins the deplorable
condition of affairs which prevails in our
State and city.
Mr.. Lee testifes to the good feeling
which he finds at the North toward Nir-
ginia:
l must cay that | am agreeably surprised
at the cordial reception of myself and as
socates at the hands Of the people of New
York, and have yet to hear one dissenting
voice in regard to our proposition for the
revival OF the old State. The Northern
people seem to be unanimous IN the opinion
that Virginia should once more take rank
auUDg ,,us .v,.v-s -. .--~-, -
it is our firm intention by honest and fair
means to induce immigrants to settle in our
State, to cultivate our soil, develop our in
terests, and by 60 doing put the State on
the footing which she had before the war.
This grows out of the fact that Virginia
made a manly fight for the construction
of the constitution for that which she
deemed her property, and against enamel
patton. That she accepted the result of
the war, and kept the terms of the capitu-
lation. The people of the United States
know and respect brave people, and are
rejoiced to receive any pledge of their
faith or fidelity, because they are known
to be inviolate. As for Virginia ever
being anything but republican in her
institutions for that grand old mother
of republicans crawling back under kings,
priests and minions, no American ever
expected such thing. Her republicans
of 1898 have left their blood and breed.
Her Republicans that defeated the Fed
eralists in the election of Thomas Jeffer-
son; her Republicans, that under Madison
and Monroe resisted the invasion of Eng
land have bequeathed their heritage to
children worthy of them.
1t is better to re-enter the Union and
reform the errors of bad government than
to seek foreign favor or adopt foreign in
stitutions.
Mr.. Lee thus premises the inducements
offered to immigrants:
Our rulers are as honest and as able to
Quiet reigus throughout the length and
breadth of our section, and new settlers
need have no fear OF being disturbed in
their possessions, or in their pursuit of
wealth and happiness. The moral standard
of our people We consider equal to that of
any people in the land. We are law
abiding; we punish our offenders with the
same rigorous justice that is meted to Offend
ers IN the North. Our cities and towns have
no record of II iii inism beyond what can
be found in the cities and towns of other
States.
Virginia has rulers of her choice. At
the close of the war she accepted the SER
vices of an honorable and able Governor
who had recently served in the federal
army. For this she was greatly con-
demned by those Democrats who voted
for Horace Greeley. But quiet reigns"
throughout the length and breadth of the
State. 1t is this which attracts the immi
grant, and this, we regret to state, is not
believed to exist in some other Southern
States. The Virginians are "a law abid-
ing" people, 1t is wholly useless for the
fire eaters to call them cowardly people
on that account. They have a high
''moral standard" among them. The
saloon Democracy need not ridicule this
respect for a good name. They ''punish
| offenders" and do not tolerate ''ruffian-
ISM" All very absurd, no doubt, in the
estimation of the Shreveport Times and
Vicksburg Herald
But the mass of the civilized world; of
the world that has more men, more
money, more guns and more influence
than the Ku-Klux and White League,
respect all these qualities; respect law;
respect a good name; punish rufians and
suppress rufianism. This is what re-
spectacle immigrants require, and how
ever despicable it may seem to the fire.
eaters, the whole immigration question
turns precisely on this respect for good
men and good actions.
Virginia is not land of intolerance.
Mr.. Lee says:
1t is popular fsllaoy that Northern PEG
ple can not come South and pursue their
legitimate business without being molested.
This is only true of The South in spots,
but these spots are unfortunately misrep-
resented by our enemies and rivals to
cover the larger area of some of our States.
A Red river rough rider, whose whole an
nual labors are not worth the pony he