The Morning herald., 1875-09-07
The Conference of Virginians.

From the New York Herald.
There has been conference in New
York of citizens of Virginia interested in
the progress of that State. Its action will
be looked upon with interest by all who feel
a pride in the growth of the Old Domin-
ion. This conference has been for the pur-
pose of bringing the resources of Virginia
before the country and the world. Its
leaders desire especially oshow the advan-
tages of the State for immigration. AS
contemporary puts it, "They ask ouly that
we should look at their fertile valleys, see
what has been done in supplying schools
and colleges ana churches, ascertain whether
society there consists of bushwhackers
Or respectable, intelligent families, and
then judge for ourselves whether the cheap
farms of Virginia need go begging for pur-
chasers Or be sold by the tax-gatherers."
This is a movement which commands our
whole sympathy. We should rejoice in
nothing more than in the restoration of the
Old Dominion to its once imperial position
as rich and powerful, as we'll as proud
and illustrious, Commonwealth. Virginia
must always he dear to America. Even
hose who lament her attitude in recent
times will find nothing in the deeds of her
sons, Of jackson and Lee, to bring dis
honor to the American name. Any move
ment that looks to the regeneration of Vir-
ginia in commercial and agricultural
sense will meet the earnest support of our
people.
More than all, we believe in these move
ments toward the building up of the older
States. The modern legend, go West"
has lost much of its attractiveness. Wedo
not deprecate the planting of States near
the Rocky Mountains or on the Pacific.
Many great deeds have been accomplished
in the Mississippi Valley. The time may
come, as has been SO often prophesied by
our enthusiastic State builders of the West,
that the seat of empire will be on the banks
Of their great river. But this will hardly
be iu our time. So long as the spirit of
adventure runs in our Saxon blood we shall
have emigratl"ns to California and expedi-
tions to the Black Hills. Theodore Parker
once said that the Anglo-saxon disease was
Gland hunger" We have the symptoms
now and then in proposals. to annex St.
Domingo, conqner Canada and make war
on Mexico; but since the war and since
the extinction of slavery has destroyed
the great propagandizing power of the
Union our wiser men have felt that the way
to build the Union is to consolidate and
strengthen what we have, and especially
the older States. We could find room for
twenty millions more on this side of the
Ohio and not be as populous as many ma
tions Of Europe, who are not above looking
after emigration as means of recruiting
their armies. We have spread too rapidly
in some respects for our own good. Few
Of our Western States are self.supporting.
We pay for their postal service and for
their military defence. We arepaying for
their railroads in the dishonor that has
come upon our credit by the wholesale re-
pudiation Of railway bonds. This cry for
N,boo., y, 49,. o,,o.to t:o,,V ,.,l,:oL 1,,. m 1orv
threatened our politics is only another
name for more help for these outlying
States. While as government We should
do as much for Minnesota as for New York,
we should be careful not to allow all of our
legislation to run into Western interests.
We should listen to the appeals Of Virginia
and the South az we'll.