Year: 1875

GEN. FITZ LEE ON VIRGINIA.


Gen. Fi,zhugh Lee was called upon at his
rooms, Barnum's Hotel. New York, by d
Herald reporter, to whom he made the follow
lug statements in regard tothe work OF the Vr-
giuia Emigration Society:


Virginia being considered the mother Of the
country, considered it unfair that this great
people should allow her to suffer 90 account of
do not care to revive them. We wish to re-
juveDate the old State, aud we think the best
way to do it is to develop her agricultural re-
sources We can ouly do this by inviting i'm
migration. We propose to offer to emigrants as
good or better than they can hDd 10 the West.
We have no grasshoppers, no destructive
droughts to destroy our crops. We have thous-
ands OF fertile acres of land that will produce as
much grain to the acre as Gao be found in any
other State, and they can be bought cheap.
And the society proposes to deal directly with
the settler, aud hot through agents. And it
may as we'll be stated here that no officer OF the
society receives one cent of mpensatiou, either
10 the way OF salary or commission. must say
that am agreeably surprised at the cordial re-
ceptOn OF myself and associates at the hands Of
the people of New York, aud | have set to
hear one dissenting voice 10 regard 10 our prop
ositon for the revival of the old State. The
Northern people scctD 10 be UNANIMOUS in
the opinion that Virginia should once more
take her rank amt ng the leading States of
the UnloD, aud 1t Is our hrm intention by honest
aud fair meaus to Oduce immlg grants to settle
10 our State, to cultivate our roll, develop our
interests, and by 80 doing, put the State on
the footing which she had before the war. We
have agenlal climate, with no extremes Of heat
or cold, aud soil the richness of which is equal
to that OF any State ln the Union. lu regard To
our State government We consider 1t as good as
as that OF any other State; our rulers are as
honest aud as able to govern wisely as are
those Of other States. Quiet reigos through
out the length aud breadtn Of our section, and
new settlers need have 90 fear of being dis
turbed 10 their possessions or in their pursuit
of wealth and happiness The moral standard
OF our people We consider eqDal to that of auy
people in the land. We are law abiding; We
punish our offenders with the same rigorous
justice that Is meted to offenders 10 the North.
Our ctlesand towns have no record of rufhanisn,
beyond what Gao be found 10 the cities and
towns of other States.


1t Is popular talscy that Northern peo-
Pile cannot come South and pursue their legti
mate business without being molested. We
are not IN love with carpet baggers, but we are
with people who will come amoug us and help
US to once more put on sound basis the glOr-
lous old State OF Virginia. There is not heart
or hand in the State, but what will be open
and extended to those who will come among us
to buy our lands, help US to make the State
what she should be, and to be our people. We
don't ask man bis nationality; We simply TO-
Ylte him to come, to settle among us, to be a
law abiding citizen and to grow with the State.
The mineral resources of Virginia are leo we'll
known for me to comment oh Nor do | sup
pose that very large ma aiority OF those immi-
grants We trust will come among Us will care to
do more than to cultivate the soil. Our State tax
is light, being only fifty cents Oh the 500, and
the payment of ourState debt we are going to de-
mand shall progress to an honorable and salts
factory end. The society of which | am Presi-
who, as have stated before, will deal directly
with the settlers. desire to lay this fact be
fore the people that they may draw their own
conclusions. We believe that, as our State
progresses the people of the North will feel
the progression aud be benefited We can pay
our debts 1t We succeed, and we can afford to
enter your markets once more and purchase
those commodities from your manufactures
that are hardly available, except among the la
boring classes of the South. Another thing
that recommends our State to immigrants is
our accessibility to the principal markets of the
Union. Oar water and inland facilities for
reaching these markets, it is we'll known are
not surpassed by any Southern State.


In regard to the negroes | consider that
those OF Virginia are as Intelligent and indus
trous as can be found. There is not the least in.
surrectlonary spirit being exhibited, and the ne.
groes deeply deplore the late troubles farther
south. There is friendly spirit existing between
labor aud capital, but we lack as much of the lat
ter as We have surplus of the former. The ne
groes are being educated and are beginning to
comprehend the fact that upon their own exer-
tlons must they depend for their support and
advancement, aud, understanding this fact, they
are at work lndustrlOusly and honestly


In regard to our Tree school system, [ con-
slder 1t quite up TO the standard of the other
States, and We intend to maintain it 40. and
not again to have the cry 60 abroad that ieno
rance Is the baue Of the people of our section of
the South. We desire to place ourselves in
such position that We shall be looked up to
We want good feeling between all sections. and
We are willing to work to promote that feeling
and for the general public good In our desire
to meet with success We are aware of the fact
that We cannot sit with folded hands, but must
work to obtain the precious boon, and this we
are willing to do, and We cordially invite immi-
grants and all others who desire to come and
settle 10 our State. We promise them good
government, hearty reception good free
schools cheap and fertile acres, and climate
Inc tame of whose salubrity is worldwide. We
nave 10 our State some of the finest mineral
springs IN the world. They are easy of access
from any part OF the State, and the extortionate
prices generally found at places of resort by
pleasure seekers or lnvaids are not the ru)e at
auy OF the Virginia springs. | desire particu-
public, for, as stated before, we need eanital
aud capital We must have; and it is in a great
part from them that We expect to oet + r.
, ,ae people will come and see us thew will find
,be ,beSe statements true. and | have no fear but
oa ens1 they will stop. All we ask is that thew
oone and satisfy themselves


WORSTED DRESS FR1NCVS