Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-10-30
MISCELLAN Y.
Why Emigrate at all?

The Portland Argus publishes communi-
cation, addressed TO those who contemplate
emigraiing from the State, setting forth the
superior advantages of location in Florida, es-
pecially of East Florida, to one in the interior
States of the west south west and prefaces
it with the following observations on the i'm
policy of 'emigrating at all :
But why emigrate at all, For our own
part, we cannot see its necessity. sthere any
need of being poor in the State of Maine -
Look at the rich and fertile lands yet nncuti-
vated-the mineral riches yet in the bosom of
the sol-the exhaustleSs wealth of the timber
grow,hs-the rivers and railroads which open
highways to our pruductions-the hundreds of
miles of ocean-washed coast, with lis number
less harbors-the increasing commerce and
shp-building Of the State-and the steady and
substantial advance Of the State in wealth and
population.
1t is very trne, that man can sit down,
and with folded arms expect Providence to fill
his dish with food or his purse with gold
He that will not work, neither shall he eat,
is law of nature, just as applicable to the
South and West, as it is 10 the State of Maine.
The primal ordination that man should earn
his bread by the sweat of his brow,' admits of
no exception.
! 1t is also true we have a cold climate but
this very climate tends to make men vigorous,
sturdy and Independent. The free, clear,
braclng air, comes TO US charged with vitality
by the late statistics, it appears that Maine is
classed among the healthiest States of the I'm
/ ion.
The land of the South and West is rich
richer than our own. But we can tell thos e
inclined 10 emigrate, that there is more power
/ ty out of New England than in it. We speak
from personal observation. One of the evils of
rich soil, and soft climate, is, that habit of
Incidence is created. This may not be the re-
suit with parents who locate there in middle or
more advanced life, and have been educated to
work, but it will be so with the children to
greater or less extent
but it comes ladened with miasmatic diseas-
es, with fever and ague, and with DEATH
From Its golden pinions it shakes down upon
the people, suffering in hundred FORMS 1t
may be laden with balm-not the balm of a
thousand flowers'-but rather that of the green
and stagnant waters, and :nnnmerable poisons
that slumber or grow in the primeval forests
But allowing all that may be claimed BY the
advocates ofsoil and climate in the Southwest
and West, there are other considerations Of
high moment to be taken into account. The
loss of society, of educational privieges-such
as are common in the older States-fnds no
adequate compensation in wealth. The far
mer, who plants his children in the wilds Of
the West, away from schools and churches,
may discover, when it is too late to apply the
remedy, that he then committed the great error
of his life. This discovery has already been
made by thousands-and thousands have re-
GREETED the dav when they were induced, BY
golden Visions to leave the land of their birth
the home of their pleasures, and the graves
of their fathers.
Why emigrdte at all ?-we again ask
And we advise those who contemplate such a
movement, to balance well and carefully the
question 1t is matter that affects the whole
life"