Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1867-06-21
ON COLONIZATION IN BRAZIL.
by REV. d. M'SEILL TURNER, u. d.
LETTER 1sT.
ADBEvILLE, S. G., June 16, 1867.


have sought IN expression OF ,..y views with
regard to colonization in Brazil. and Us desire
to interest as many US possible in this impor-
tant subject, allow mo to avail myself of the
kindness of the conductors of tho press IN
making my communications public. PROPOSE
in the course Of few familiar letters, to sub
init various considerations in favor Of COLOMBIA
tion, and to consider the objections that may
be urged against it. Before enter upon this
work, however, Let INC lay before you my PLAN
for colony, as shall have occasion to refer
to this i'll what may have to say in subsequent
, letters.
Lay otf, on piece Of paper, a square figure,
fist inches on the side. At each half inch make
u dot; join the dots on opposite sides by lines
parallel to the sides. This will give YOU n dia-
gram resembling a chess board, and contain.
ing onc hundred small squares. If you allow
aR inch 10 represent mile, each of these
squares will represent quarter section, or one
hundred and sixty acres Of land. Thus, in an
| area of twenty-five square miles, you have am
pie room for one hundred families, allowing
each to have land sufficient for considerable
fnrm On account of the extraordinary fer
tiliiy Of the soil in Brazil, of which shall give
ample evidence hereafter, it would not be ne.
| cessary to clear more than ten acres during tho
first winter, rs ,la: quantity. properly cullivu-
ted. will yield, at moderate culculu, ion, four
hundred bushels Of corn and seven or more
bags OF cotton-cnough surely to meet all the
| expenses Of n family Of cmigrants for one year
One hundred acres might thus be cleared very
q n Si1 in iut,r 81,
sixty acres Of timbcred land, which will be all
sufficient for family of one hundred and sixty.
Let the clearing bc begun at the back side OF
| the farm, and let the dwelling be placcl in the
very midst Of the portion to be reserved for
timber. The woods around the dwelling would
! afford arpic protection against tho mnlarious
influences everywhere, thrown of by dccaying
! trees, and soil newly exposed TO The SUM- From
n disregard Of this precaution, the frs, settlers
/ of New England and of the Western States. as
well as those of the more Southern States, suf-
fcrcd very much from chill and fever, as we'll
as from ohor lnalarious diseases. The forest,
you well know, absorbs those gnscs, which arc
so hurtful To animal life. Although shall ever
feel grateful to you for your professional kind
ness, when my life, some years since, was in
great peril, wish, in my plnn Of colonization,
10 reduce, rs far rs possible, The necessity for
medical aid. Under the most favorable circum-
stances, even in that remarkably healthy re-
gion, "a fact Of which I shall furnish proof
after awhlc,) we cannot dispense with your
professional skill, for our habits are different
from those Of the Portuguese. Suppose, now,
That the one hundred families TINT can be we'll
accommodated in this small District, Of which
you have diagram, were all Of the same de
nomination Of christians, say Baprfsts, like
yourself, or Methodlsts, or Episcopalians. or
l."'hernns, or Presby,eriuns, like myself, be-
sides the means of living. which they can have
in abundance, they must have church and nm
academy. No colony can flourish to any cx-
tent or he competent to accomplish much good,
without the nid Of education and religion. a
liberal support must be provided ut the very
outset, for the school and the church. \ COLI
greghtion of one hundred families, having the
same sentiments, animated by the snme desires,
ana aiming TO accomplish the same great end
The reconstruction Of society, and the establish
! inent Of it upon solid fouudation-would suf-
! flee for this purpose. Let them select thor
oughly educated, pious and jealous pastor, and
teacher of like character, and contribute, in
the beginning, ten dollars to each from each
family, and n great object will be accomplished.
! If the number of pupils afforded by the colony
shonll be too numerous for one instructor, a
small tuition fee would provide for the neccs-
, sary assistant. Let the church building and
the school house be placed at. or very near, the
centre OF the district, and they would be con.
venient TO oil the coloniss. The most distant
would have scarcely more than three miles to
! travel to church or school. By this arrange
ment all the advantages derivatlc from the
! church and the academy would be secured, day
after day. and Sabbath after Sabbath, to every
family. One Of the most serious obstacles to
emigration would thus be removed. Indeed.
greater benefits may be enj joyed under such q
plan than are experienced by many families
here at home. The society would be homoge-
neous, compact md sell. sustaining. The vnr-
Gus members Of such a society would feel as
much at home in Brazil as in South Carolina
Let the Church of Christ be the centre of their
association and the bond of their union. md
they will verify, in a happy experience, the
words Of the blessed Saviour: "Lo, am with
you alway, even TO the end of the world"
Considerate men, who are not members of the
church, would, for the snke of their families.
prefer to be associated with such a COLONY.
They would have good guaranty for the good
moral influence to be thrown around them.
Instead of losing anything by emigration, much
might be gained in the character of the society
thus organized. Bound together by common