A Card from the Commissioner of Immigration
June 6, 1864
St. Clara Colony, Doddridge Co. W. V.
May 31st, 1864.
Editors Intelligencer:
Dear Sirs: - In the course of your kind and unsolicited remarks upon my labors as Commissioner of Immigration, you were led to express the erroneous supposition that I was still connected with the French Land company that founded this colony. As this may be used by the Immigration Agents of competing States, to cast suspicion upon my integrity and disinterestedness as Commissioner, and result in serious injury to our enterprise, I beg leave to state that I have not, since 1851, been connected with that company, nor with any other for the sale or colonization of lands in Western Virginia. If, however, the contrary were the case, I believe I am sufficiently acquainted with myself to assure the public that the interest of the immigrant, paramount to all other considerations, would be none the less safe in my hands.
Most truly and resptf'y yours,
J. H. Diss Debar,
Commissioner of Immigration.
Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood: May 1864