The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-02-24
From T the s Fredericksburg Star Feb ISL aoa
THE EMANCIPATION CONFERENCE.
Letter from Hon. w. II, H, Stowen to Hon
James B. Sener.

ftEY T ttis ~ ~ ez,F7 80
4 Having asked for blight" on the subject Of
| hon. w. II. II. Stowell's absence from the i'm
migration conference, we deem it but justice
not only to publish his letter addressed to us,
but, also, the following which was sent directly
t Hon. j. b.. Sener It is needless for us to
say we cannot endorse the concluding para.
graph about the social ostracism:h
sax edi . WASHINGTON, D. c.,
l. sa asi 9i,dsa 'us e February IL, 1876.
FRIEND sENER-Your favor is at hand, en-
closing a cony Of The Vwginia, Star with an
article in regard to my abseGcc from the imni-
grafton conference. Many. fllafiks to your
for my absence. The position of the s'Star, =
and also Of the VALLEY VIRGINIAR is SO Just
and sensible, while that OF the Inder.Appeal is
SO bitter and short-sighted, that I feel in the
mood to give you few facts bearing directly
upon this subject. In the first place, i would
be glad, nay over-joyed, to see immigrants
pouring into Virginia in sufficient numbers to-
properly develop her resources, instead Of wifi
Messing, as do, thousands of her emigrants
going to other States, and | ain anxious to
heartily cooperate with sincere and practical
men to secure the desired object.
1t there is any one man more than another
who favors immigration, it is the Northern
born citizen Of Virginia. He wants it, first, for
the same general reasons that prompt the ma
tive born citizens to desire it, and, secondly
he yearns for it because it invariably gives him
a social sympatfizing neghbor.
was not ignorant of the late ''in.nigration
conference" or Of its objects. for the papers
contained frequent notices of it. The commit
tee from the Virginia Legislature were publicly
accorded the privileges Of the floor by the
House Of Representatives. of which am Il
member, and Helped to extend that courtesy
to them. saw many of those gentlemen that
day, az also my colleagues in Congress. but
they one and all, while they politely convcrsed
upon other topics, stndiouslyayoitlcda any refer
ence to tie primary object OF their VISIT or to
the conference Which was to tnke place that
evening. 4 t3l
am informed that the same course was pur
sued towards all other Republicans and North
ern born men. There are hundreds Of Northern
gentlemen OF wealth, education and refinement.
who have settled in Virginia during the last
ten years, and who are we'll aeqlmiutedin the
States from which they came, who were not
invited to the conference, and each one OF
whom could induce a larger immigration to
Virginia than this committee Will ever secure
1t seems to me that the Northern settler in Wiz
ginia W. ud be a good mediator between the
Sou!her,tcitizcn and the proposed immigrant
He could bring his old Northern friends to
ern mel shbors. That the 'simmigration confer
ence'' did not confer with any Republican set
tier, col.clusve!y proves that they want none
but Democratic immigrants. That they did
not confer with any settler. proves that they
do not want any Other Northern settler. The
truth is, they want European immigrants or
ly. They want foreigners-not Americans
The conference wanting foreigners, were
undoubtedly right in not committing Northern
born citizens; but they should modify their pub
lie invitations, instead Of saying VIC want to
cordially invite immigration to Virginia, let
them be manly and sincere, and say, we cord-
ally invite immigration to Virginia we do not
want Northern immigrants. That is their prl-
vate aim. Why not plblicly announce it?
Mr.. OIberg, Scandinavian, who has lived
in Minnesota since his arrival in America, is
now in Washington. lie proposes to establish
an illustrated, paper in New York this spring.
to be published in the Scandinavian language,
and intended By that people to be their repre-
sentative organ. There are two hundred thous-
ard Scandinay ans in Minnesota who have set
tied there since the war ended. They are in
dllstrous, good flrnacrs and most excellent cit
liens. Why could not Virginia have had those
two hundred thousand citizens:
Mr.. Olberg is a representative man among
them, All editor and has done as much, AS his
letter says, if not more than any other man in
America to bring thoseltwo hundred thousand
people to Minnesota. These letters are from
Governor PilsblWy, ex-Governors Davis. Aus
tin and Marshall; Senators Window and Ram
sey; Gen. Aycrill from thu Secretary, Treas
urer, and other State officials; from Messrs.
Wheelock, Blakely, Driscoi and Fisher, all
Minnesota editors, that is from the highest
State officials and the best citizens OF both tile
Democratic and Republican party. lie no iet
the account of the conference" in the daily
papers; it looked favorable in print, and he
thought lie would like to act as agent in Nca
York, and in connection with his paper tsEn
tliis vast tide, already established and flow
ing into New York, towards the State OF
Virginia. The next dag. for some reason best
known To himself, he calted-not Oil the ''lni-
migration CONFERENCE.-The on myself
simply Informed him AS had not been invited
to the meeting, was not presen. and could
give him no information. l cannot say whsth-
er he will seek the head ccntcrs OF the move
ment or not This is not the first northe tenth.
nor probably fine huutlredth time that have
been consulted by practical and influential par
ties in reference to the conferences, clubs, seci-
cites and corporations. who seek through these
various channels to secure immigrants to viz
gina. . sit
IaLwas once cons,,,tedl by the President and
Secretary IA company who represented over
two million dollars capital, who wanted to III
vest in aud tleYeop the coal fields OF Chester
field county: The petty partsans who are so
preiudieed as to exclude l.ortlIenl citizens from
their counsels, are just Rarrow-ninded enough
not to know that northern settlers and capitals
lists will always consult, before they purchase,
those other northern men who have preceded
them. 5 tsr Ga Nsa
TO all these inquiries have said, s'you must
be your own Judge had not the heart to
advise them to plunge into social ostrat Ism.-
Officially, is a representative from Virginia,
could moi odvist, them not to come.
My opinion Is. that practical ext rcis". aft, l.
the settler comes. OF those professions made
before he comes, will sccslrea steady an per
lnanent influx to Virginia, a:ld it never will
come before. The soomer this is compreEcnded
the better for the cause of Immigration.
One point more that forget to insert in its
proper PLACE in this hastily written letter. Mi.
e. Daniels writes an ARTICLE in the ''otal 7" Of
the same date, conveying the impression that
northern people were not osracised met
him this morning, aud Without any premina-
~ conversation. and without stating the object
of the question. asked him in the presence OF
Judge Eomund<. .:hoW many southern ladies
ever called upon his wife during his residence
III ,Rchmond?" His answer was. IN OF one.
Very respectfully,
W. Ii. II. sTowELL.
Congressman Piper, Of California, is said e
own 200 acres within the city Limits OF san |
Francisco He is Of pure Swedish descent,
was u carpenter by trade, and caught the Call-
fornia foyer by reatllngn speech OF DANES
w hstn, III which the future OF San francisco I