New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-02-14
LIFE IN THE OLD DOMINION.
POLITICAL AND SOCIAL ECONOMY.

| AND SUPERSTIIIOSS
| Ivrou A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRTBUNE.l
| ABINGDON, Va. Feb. 1.-Business IN Baltimore IS
very dull The extreme severity OF the winter has
spOiled the fishing and oyster business, and many
| of the merchants say there was too much holiday
| and celebration few months ago, and that the
| extrayagant expenditure at that time was an IN
| jury rather than benefit to the city. But IN
| Norfolk two gigantic steam cotton presses were
busy cOmpressing the great bales into the smallest
possible dimensions while at the wharvcs close by
several foreign ships were filing their holds Win
| this product of Southern fields. They were Loading
| for English ports In this city also new cotton
mill is about ready to start its machinery here' anu
| at Richmond many people say the South is getting
| rich
| Some of these same men, however, boast IN one
| breath of the growing wealth OF the South. ana
especially of the immense resources OF the state oi
Virginia, and in the next Will argue tnat IL Is
| impossible to pay the debt of the State. and that
il is most unreasonable in her creditors to expect
| its payment. There is deal of nonsense talked
| and written here on this subject. Somebody mas
| issued an address TO the Public Creditors OF
virginia." and the newspapers copy it ever where.
The author argues that there is no better settled
principle of common law than that the King can
do no wrong and is therefore not amenable to
law :" that "+hc government Of Virginia succeeded
! the British Government in sovereign authority
here.D and that, " as the State is sovereign she
can't be bound by q contract" He says that
"mlny of the ablest lawyers of Virginia" insist
" that a coupon receivable in payment OF taxes
wien issued by the State carried with 1t the noe
cssary implied qualification, during our sovereign
will and pleasure" Tho rest OF the world would
probably call this simple population. and VOW
that such doctrines would destroy the credit OF
any State and that so long as they are maintained
in Virginia it will be difficult for the State to OBJ
tain money by loans and capital will be shy Of
investment here. The author of tho address con-
cludcs with the exhortatlOn: ABE liberal and
generous to the old Commonwealth Come for
ward Yourselves and offer to take twenty million
debt nOn-taxahle at four per cent interest running
forty years. for the principal OF the present debts
and nun-neTcst bearing treasury notes for all
pastduc interest, with Il one per cent sinking fund,
applicable first to redeem these notes. and next
20 pay oil the principal of the new debt"
After talking with prominent business men
and other citizens in all parts Of the State. and
with the most substantial leaders Of The political
| PARTIES and factions here. have no doubt OF the
| ability of Virginia to pay all she owes; and IL
would certainly be fer her interest and adVari ge
TO do So Northern business men have learned by
experience that it is best to pay their debts; and
however heavy the Indebtedness of Virginia or
any other Southern State may be, it can be paid
of gradually and the determination ana effort to
meet in full all honest obligations, would greatly
enhance the credit and prosperity of the State. l
see 10 reason why sensible people In the North, or
anywhere should feel sympathy for any party
mere that does not stand on this platform OF the
fuI paylucnt of honest debts. whatever may be its
other political professions aims or alliances.
Mr.. Nahone's followers arc very demOnstratve.
They talk of the great Improvement III the con
o:,.lit In. l.,tyi naff
since Malone came into power" They think
him the savior of Virginia, and say he is bound
TO be dictator YETI The principal OF the State
are seriously Interested in its development and
prospcrity and they are doing all they can to pro.
vide for the honest payment Of all debts. But they
are not greatly interested in National politics
They appear to feel slightly concerned or not at
all in regard to the distribution of federal pa
tronagc" and seem convinced that tho new order
of things requires that the SOU hem people should
work hard, economic closely, invest literally for
the development of the resources of their portion
of the country, and depend upon themselves.
| Everywhere the feeling toward tho people of the
Northern States appears to be most kindly. and a
| strong desire is expressed for immigration from
the North The relations between the white people
ma the negroes in this State are generally highly
satisfactory. Pro- ably the most serious element of
| discord Is the competition between white and
black laborcrs. This is likely to boa growing
difficulty. and one that viii require attention after
the PARTISAN political Issues OF the present time are
forgotten. ,
The negroes in the towns and near them live
mich more comfortably. or ut least, according to
| Northern standards, in much more civilized ways,
| than their brethren in the remote farming dis
tricts have been in many OF their houses during
tho past few days They have great deal of pride
IN initiating the methods of living OF the well-tO-
do white people around them. Many OF them, es-
peclally in the larger towns, such rs Norfolk.
Richmond and LynchbuIg. own the houses In
which they live. and have seen few who own
one or two tenement houses which they rent to
others. These houses of the better class which
have visited are kept very neat inside lie
colorcd women are not afraid or ashamed OF work
was in one house to-day where tho labor of carry
ing all the wood and water upstairs is cheerfuUy
undergone and the kitchen is kept on the second
loor i'm order TO main tain the lower room In state
as a paroI | WIS shown with natural pride
woven coverlet which cost ten dollars There Is
in all these houses profusOn OF pictures ana Other
ornaments Oh the walls,a tho taste OF the negro
shows already that lie IS q man and brother
In one house fOund grand SQUARE piano, made III
New-YOrk The two young ladies who use the III
strrmcnt arc graduates Of the Normal and Agrl-
cultural Institute at Hampton, Va, and are en-
gagged in teaching i'll the public schools here. each
receiving salary of thirty-iive dollars per month.
The State Superintendent of Public instruction
informs mo that the graduates OF the Hampton
school are in great uemand rs teachers i'll all parts
of tho State, and that their character and work
are of q high order.
Many curious traits appear in the negro char
actcr under the influence of the new conditions of
his ifc or survive products Of the old order not
vet outgrown. They are exceedingly superstitiOus.
Most OF them have great horror of being
"trickcd' they call it, that is, of having evil