Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1865-11-22
Emigrationsand DeBow,s Letter.


The South, atspfesent stands in need o.
working men, .fdFnsrs and mcchaniics-ths
former being particularly wanted. Their
speedy introduction BY organized effort should
engage the attention iof every ,nan~who de.
sires the quick restoration of prosperity, and
the development of the great resources which
nature has bestowed upon US. Much of our
former system ofSorking the soil will have
to be changed, and the scientific farming sys-
TEN, practiced at the North and in the best
cultivated counties of Europe, be substituted.
Should notiour districts Immediately organ
ize emigration associations, which SHOULD up
point agents to proceed to the North, Scot.
land, England, Bslgiami' and Germany, who
should be empowered to offer inducements to
farmers Of good character to come and settle
on the soil of South Carolina? The agents
should be men thoroughly conversant with
the soil and climate, and such as would pos
sess The energy to,yisit the farmers at their
homes, and to sci, before them the great ad
vantage Of on Immediate settlement in the
South. Our. former fcllowcitizen, Mr.. j. D..
B. DcBow, has been writing anrarticle in the
Northern press and addressed to Governor
Perry, favoring emigration to this section.
In the following statement. he exhibits, by
facts taken from the Census of 1850, the
rapid strides of the. North and West as CON-
pared with ethe;S South; (which difference vas
largely owing to emigration. He says:
Itsfollowed that whilst the Northern and
Western. States; from the constant stream Of
hardy and industrious Immigrants who were
poaring in, exhibited miracles of progress
and development, the South, with vast natu-
raj resources for mining; manufactures and
agriculture, advaneed7in but the Slow ratio of
its natural increase and immense dominions,
capable of contributing untold treasures 10
the commerce ofthe world, remained her
metically sealed: ~.
The census Of the, United States was con-
elusive upon this point, and I.quote from The
compendium ofFl s5o, page l 10: gxa'%s
sIHproSed p ct. Val; por aero.
New England. Satoss,s:, .261: $3O2i
Middle States s..;.:. .,.S5 = -. IN 2S0s
Southern States s....,sss.i,..1G - g5yd
Southwestern StatcsS s..10 IS sz.' HGs26
Northwestern StatSssAss13. ,re,l e.;sl 1l.39
Speaking of the policy necessary to be pur-1
Sou alue Of: her irns
mense resources, he remarks that the South
must throw her immense unoultiYated do
main into the market at low price; reduce
the quantity of land held by individual pro-
prietors, and resort to intelligent and vigo-
rous measures at the earliest moment, to in.
duce an influx Of population and capital from
abroad. This is entirely practicable.
That the landed properties of the South
have been, in general, too large, and tha.
great benefit would result to the proprietors
by dispensing, at low rates, of the surplus,
can scarcely be considered open to argumen-
tation. Several years since I caused the re-
turns of the United States census, Of which /
was then in charge, TO be examined upon the
point, and the result for the number of farms,
which were selected at random, wasas follows: