The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-03-04
EXECUTIVE DEpAnrMENT, souTn CAno11NA,

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, South CAROLINA,
COLUMBIA, I'd March, 1866.
Willy Watach, Esq, Secretary of the Ger
man Society Of the city of Ne,o York.
SIR: have received your circular, dated
goth ult., and proceed to give you the in
formation you seek i'll your queries:
l. Nearly the entire population Of this
State, and especially the land owners, ap-
preciate the necessity of obtaining moro
labor, not only to till the soil, but to supply
the very great deficiency of mechanical
labor and, therefore, they are in favor of
foreign Immigration.
2. The General Assembly of this State
meets annually the 4th Monday in Novem-
Der. No special laws have been passed as
yet to encourage foreign immigration, but
it will, doubtless, be done at the next
session. company was incorporated in
December last to promote German immi7
ner, native of Germany, but for many
years citizen of Charleston. was the
active friend OF the bill in the Legislature,
and he can, doubtless, give you much in
formation on the subject There is q pro-
vision in the new Constitution OF this
allows foreign immigrants, who come to this
State, the right of suffrage, full and unre-
stricted, two years after they have declared
their intention of becoming citizens, which
is of course three years earlier than they
can be naturalized under the laws Of Con-
gress. After they become citizens, they
are eligible to all the Offices in the State.
Several Of the present Senators and Repre-
sentatives in the General Assembly are
foreigners-German, Scotch and Irish.
The Legislature will, doubtless, at its next
session, pass some law, exempting foreign
immigrants from the payment of poll and
other taxes, except the school tax, and
perhaps that.
3. 1 have no information, whether the
company incorporated in December to en-
courage immigration, has been organized,
but presume it9las. There are no private
societies or associations for the protection
of immigrants. The small number of i'm
migrants arriving here in the past from
Germany, and the large German popula-
tjsn in Charleston, whose kindly sympa-
thles and Offices were extended to them,
rendered it unnecessary. a company was
formed some seventeen years ago, and
tract of about 10000 acres of land pur-
chased in Pickens District, near the Blue
Ridge mountains, about 290 miles North
west Of Charleston. These lands have been
divided off into small tracts and sold to
Germans, who have improved the lands
and country very materially. They have
| hourishing little town Of some 15OO in
habitants, situated about the centre of the
original purchase. The whole colony will
now number. I presume some 1000 souls
The town is called Walhalla, and DR.. A. E.
Norman is the postmaster. The country
is indebted to the energy and enterprise OF
| Gen. Wagner, of Charleston, for founding
this tiourishing colony.
4. The laws of this State gives the same
protection to the immigrant that is enjoy
p6 NV fhn native After ha
citizen, he can transmit land by deed, will
and Inheritance. Where foreigner pur-
chases land and dies before perfecting his
title, it might be technically liable to
escheat, following the English law in that
respect, but, practically, no such conse-
quence ever results. If the deceased left
kindred, lineal or collateral, the Legisla-
turc has never refused to vest the titles of
such lands in them by special Act. The
laws will, doubtless, be amended, so that
every foreigner, who has declared his in
tention to become citizen, may hold lien
or transmit real property; that right al
ready exists as to personally. The immi-.
/, grant is protected in person like citizen.
and 6. Immigrants are needed in every
rart of the State. Dividing tho State into
line parallel to the coast, rice, long cotton,
and some short cotton have heretofore
been the crops in the first division. Market
gardening, and the production OF many
early garden vegetables for Northern mar
kets, has employed much labor and good
deal of land. Most provisions, except
wheat, are grown in this division. The
second division is the principal short
cotton belt, and most Of it produces all
provisions, including wheat. There is
some water power on the streams, and
profitable employment will certainly follow
the establishment of manufactures and
machine shops. The third division, run
ring up to the mountains, and bounded by
North Carolina and Georgia, produces all
the cereals-beef and pork, and some cot
ton, apples, pears and peaches flourish
well here, and the whole division is ira
versed by water courses, which furnishes
an almost unlimited supply of water power.
The German settlement is within this di-
vision. In the second division, many
years ago, the Districts Of Lexington,
Orangeburg, and part of Newberry, were
originally settled mainly by German i'm
migrants. Their descendants generally
reside there, and constitute large ele-
ment Of the population. Many of the Gus
toms and traditions of ''fader-land" are
still preserved in this section. In Able
vile, the ancestors of most of the present
inhabitants were Protestant Irish. In
Marlboro and Chesterfield, there is large
element of Scotch descent; and, in Abbe-
vile, the descendants Of a French colony.
The labor most required now in this
| State ls mechanical and manufacturing
\ agricultural labor would be well rewarded,
but the two first named can be made emil
nentiy profitable. To illustrator Every
article OF furniture in my parlo,, and most
OF 1t IN the house, was manufactured in
! ,.tr