The Portland daily press., 1864-06-20
immigration and its contemplated Re-
suits.

The tramp of immigrants across this conti-
nent Is already heard in loud tones, and these
swarms from the old hives OF Europe, are in
creasing in numbers every month. Never be-
fore has there been such q rush to the ports of
Europe to obtain passages to the New World.
The boarding and lodging houses ofLiverpool,
Bremen and other places, are filed to over
flowing, and all these great crowds are anxious
to take passage for homes on this continent
Such picture was never presented before In
the history OF immigration. The packet lines
and passenger vessels are taxed entirely be-
yond their capacity. These great movements
are partly made in anticipation Of peace being
restored to this nation, aud partly from the
known scarcity of manual labor at the West
and other portions Of our land at the present
time. The demand for labor is great, and the
supply now comes up nearly to the demand,
so great is the rush TO our shores. Let them
come. We have room enough and to spare.
The tide of immigration has heretofore set
strongly to the Great West where states have
been hewn out of the forests, and the broad
prairies made TO yield the fruits of high and
free civilization. But the question arises, will
not this tide of humanity flow towards the
South when the footsteps of the slave shall no
longer press that soil? We believe we are
safe ia. asserting that thousands upon thous-
ands of immigrants have heretofore been turn
ed away from the South by slavery, and have
sought homes in lands not thus blackened and
blighted by human bondage.
Ignorant and unlettered as many of these
immigrants may be, the instincts OF humanity
have taught them to abhor tyranny in all its
its forms, and especially in that form which al
lows an oligarchy to buy and sell human
beings and make them chattels. The right to
own, use and sell cattle and horses is based up
on the universal consent of all civilized nations
Such law has solid and reasonable iounda-
ton. But where in this world was ever this
universal consent found to own, use, or sell
human beings? These immigrants understand
this plain distinction, and. human bondage is
abhorrent to their natural instincts and feel
ings. There Is nothing mysterious In all this
Let the South be free from the curse of hu-
man slavery, and hosts OF these immigrants
will congregate on the banks of the Great
Father of waters, and throng the shores OF our
inland seas, and settle upon lands south of the
Ohio river. Are not these lands as fertile as
those north of this river is not the climate as
good and the mineral productions as rich? In
all this territory which has heretofore been
cursed with slavery, many Of the advantages
are superior TO those of the North But immi-
grafton has been turned away from them by
the dark curse of slavery. The fact is as plain
as pike staff, and the world knows IT, These
beautiful regions of the South will yet be free
from such curse. Our brave soldiers in the
feld are fighting for such a freedom, and their
patriotic hearts and strong arms will win II.
And then this column of humanity will roll on
In greater strength, and the rice fields OF Car
olins, the sugar plantations of Louisiana, and
the everglades Of Florida will receive new
life, and become the land Of the brave and the
home OF the free. When this war is over and
finished up in accordance with the will of an
overruling Providence, and slavery be forever
banished from our country, then the old world
will pour its millions of industrious laborers
into the South and all over the country quite
to the foot Of the Rocky Mountains, in such
immense streams as we have scarcely dared to
dream Of These increased inducements to
immigrate will drain many portions of the old
country of its population to a low figure, and
new states will spring up in our great dom.in
and all rejoice and sing the songs of Freedom
and Plenty under the ample folds ofthe "Stars
and Stripes"