This Week in Reconstruction, May 15-25, 1868

This Week in Reconstruction, May 15-25, 1868

From May 15 - 25, there is very little local news. The Daily Dispatch is consumed by the Impeachment Trial as it is coming to a close. While there is little news for Virginia, there is an increasing fear of immigrants from overseas and scalawags from the North stealing jobs, and taking Virginia's profit. For example, on May 20, the passage "Capitalists Looking to Virginia - carpetbaggers and scalawags" declares that Virginia is rich in minerals and has the best conditions for working year round due to the mellow winters and summers, and the scalawags from Philadelphia are stealing their minerals to create gravel and granite to sell in Philadelphia. They are allowed to do this due to the Northern controlled Virginia Government. Not shortly before, it seemed as though President Johnson would be impeached, but now there is hope for President Johnson and the Democrats. The Federal Government is also trying to "Drain the South" in an article from May 22. They are raising the taxes on the Southern States in order to create a weak south.

May 15-25, 1868

Joshua Hurlburt

Hurlburt-Week-3