Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1839-08-15
From the Southern Agriculturalists
EMIGRATION.

There are few Of us who have not relatives or
friends that have emigrated to the west, and whose
aattering accounts Of that region do not render ~
uneasy. NOT TO say unhappy Mt our situation hero
Many OF Us have been there ourselves, and their
deep rich soil. their iuxuriant fields, their bound
less discourse Of hundreds Of thousands and OF mil
lions. have seldom failed To make Us look back with
absolute contempt upon our own barren and spirit-
lees land. With imaginstions fred by the glow
which tests and shines on every thing around, many
purchase OF once, and return home Ia pull up stakes
and abandon all the cndearing associations OF In
fancy, youth, and manhood, for The glorious pros
pcct Of unhoundci wealth In more favored climes.
IL any come beck to look once more upon bis own
fields before he determines to give them ur forever,
and the lapse Of time, the change Of scene, tbs
comforts Of home and friends, wear away his vivid
impression, and deprive him Of the revolution to so
still, in most instances, tho thorn rankles IN his
bosom, and he feels that he has made IN immense
sacrifice to his unfortunate attachments 10 the spot
where an unkind destiny has cast his lot. Most
probably he yet hopes, at some future period, 10
break away, and locks upon the soil and inssitu-
tons Of his father scarely as his own--certainly -
not his childrrn's. invite all such, and all who
from the accounts Of others may be troubled with
This tell spirit Of emigration, 10 follow me In the
calculation I am about TO make, by which ! hope
TO convince them that the difference IL no, 50 gr.tt
AZ perhaps they imsgine. But first, let them look
around and scan more narrowly the cttc"u's'noees
of those whom they so much envy. | do not ask
them to look al men who left US with regulations
impaired, or broken fortunes. To such men, almost
any change is for the better, because il gives new
habits, new enef gies, and above all. new hopes
Their gain Is not to be easily estimsted-it i moral
rather than physical. But lock u those who leit
here we'll to do at home" to better their condi-
ton. Coun, their slaves, count their acres, count
their children. | do not AJAX you 10 count their
friends, or to trace the connections which these chill.
drcn may have formed, or to enumeratc those snd
hours which bear them back to their native land -
But AJAX them how much clear money they have on
hand each year, after all il paid, and chen inquire
how much property they can purchase with y. ~
YOU can perceive no great accession 10 their visible
wealth and comfort, II they number no more slaves,
and have no broader lands bought and paid for,
wha, avaiIs my high imaginary value, which In
conformity with the fashion Of that country, they
may place on what they havcf and how much
sweeter are the bought and barren luxuriss OF . tor
eipn land, because purchased with more money!
Let ME ask them to do one thing moro It y is IN
their power. 10 go aud enquire Of their friends and
relatives. ~ifIsying aside oil sfectuiion, and speak
ing in The honest sincerity Of their hearts, they DO
not wish they had never left their native State
nay, ifthcy do not yet indulge the hope, vague per-
haps. but very comforting. Of one day returning
thitber.