The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-07-04
Foreign Immigration.


Julius Poppe, Anderson 9. H.
Foreign Immigration.
For the following timely hints on
this subject, we are indebted to the
Charleston Weekly Record:
There are two great prejudices now
cherished in some Southern minds
against white immigration. The first
relates to the introduction Of strangr ;
into our lovely and fruitful count. !;
the other relates to the impracti, -
bility of their residence in the South.
We call them prejuilices, for they
are nothing more, being without a
basis of sound reason.
Who were our grand fathers?
French Protestants, English, Scotch,
irish and Germans. Who are we:
Nothing more nor less than their de-
scendants. Shall we presume to set
mp law of exclusiveness against the
further introduction of the races of
which we are direct descendants?
The attempt is unreasonable, it is
absurd and puerile. We have no
sneers for those who are able to boast
a noble ancestry-albeit we may not
think it of mnch practical value in
this living age of effort and individual
excellence. But we protest against
allowing the question of pedigree to
cripple to us and to our children the
resources of this glorious land, only
now awaiting the development Of in
creased population.
What we are, the children and
grandchildren of these emigrants
will become, with the simple differ
ence that our children have the start
in the race of naturalization, affinity
and conformity to the country. But
we protest on other ground Ii our
country hos any peculiarity now, it is
its accessibility to all order-loving,
industrious and enterprising people,
and to all intelligent and progressive
enterprises. The wisest utterance
that President Johnson has yet given
forth is, "Tbe day Of monopolies is
past and we cannot deny that
slavery was monopoly to Il very
great extent. If the system had any
weakness-considered in the light Of
political economy-it certainly was at
this point it had the stultifying effect
Of monopolies. We argued, it is true,
that its humanizing result in the pro-
lection and elevation Of the African
race was the compensating effect, and
no doubt it was SO to great extent.
But now the whole structure, politi-
cally, morally, commercially, socially
and agriculturally, has dissolved,
s'like the baseless fabric of vision, :"
and the monopoly being removed, as
honest and intelligent men ne are
bound not merely to tolerate, but to
invite, the friction and progress that
is the result of healthy competition
in labor, and it is found for this sec
ton in white immigration alone.
=: The other prejudice is equally base
less. We do not deny but that there
are particular sections, and perhaps
particular employments, or certain
sorts of culture, where the white man
cannot operate; but how many square
miles of rich virgin soil in the South
invite the most delicate race to settle? ?
We dabble too much in theories. We
have too much of the sold fogy."
stubborn spirit that will not be con
vinced. Our fathers came here,
fiourished and were happy before the
African race ever came here, and the
same thing can be repeated
" to the fear that the white man
will not come because the virgin soils
of the West invite him, it is no OBJ
lection at all. When the virgin soil
OF Minnesota and Oregon produces
cotton, and not corn and pumpkins,
then may we entertain the fears we
now cherish on that point.
Our readers must excuse us. but
we expect to say something further
on this subject, for it is the great DO
litical panacea.
The charge against General Kill
patrick, Minister to Chill, referred to
in our kilograms, few davs ago. is
that, by virtue of his position, he
imposed an abandoned woman-a no.
torious Aspasia-upon the best fami-
lies of the city to which he had been
sent, and has made the most open
parade OF his infamous licentious
ness.