Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-07-17
From the Mercury
The I'm migratic a Movement.

From the Mercury.
The Imnigratic Movement.
Merrrs. Editors General Wagner has
been for Some time making speeches-go
where you will, everybody is talking about
the absolute necessity Of foreign immigration.
to. save our State from utter ruin; but will
thank you, Messrs. Editors, to place your
6uger upon the first tangible, decisive step
token by our people in this important matter
The Autumn is rapidly approaching-immi-
grants cannot be brought here in day, or
even month-it is a settled fact thatunless
something is done speedily, the future of our
State IS written in lines of wretchedness and
horror consequently, we need immediate
work. Come, brother planters, quit talking.
aud let us. go to work in this important mat
ter. The pride of you~ race, the. safety Of
T your children, the honor of your State, and
your own material interests, are all involved.
/ have no inclination tc argue the propriety
or improperly of the movement. The argu-
ment of the Commissioner is so full, compre-
hen>ive and convincing that any man, though
he runs, may read and be satisfied.
L. would suggest that tie planters meet
at their respective Court Houses, on the first
Monday in August, or earlier if practicable,
and discuss tic matter fully. At these meet
ipgs, it would be goo1 plan to organize on
executive committee, al each Court House,
who Shall be charged viii the collecting and
forwarding 10 General Wagener, all informa-
ton which they may deem important, and
that they be authorized to receive donations,
or advertisements for sale of lands, and that
they shall report all such, enclosing accom-
palying papers, to The Commissioner at
Charleston. The object is to'assist the Com
missioner in his duties and not to act indie
pendently.
2. woad suggest that the class Of immi-
grants whom We are likely to obtain, and who
are most desirable, are small farmers of fhum-
BILE position in the old world. Ifany one ex
poets them to pay enormous prices for land,
giving i'm mediate wealth to the seller, the
sooner such an one withdraws from the cause,
the better, will it be for the cause itself The
plan I,now propose will enrich the prcsen.
owner. in tew.years, to far greater extent
than 10 kill the goose at once for the egg.
A has one thousand acres of land. Let him
measure around his dwelling, in convenient
shape, 3335 aces. This is as much LAID as
any Of US can again proitably keep. The
balance 4 would divide into lots of eighty and
twenty acres, the first lot of eighty and the
second Of twenty ac,rs, and so on until you
exhaust the remaining portion of your tract.
taking care to keep the eighty acre lots next
to your present neighbor's land. The twenty
acre. lots would give away 10 Immigrants,
who will bind themselves to live upon and
improve them. This arrangement will ena
bic you to settle scren families upon your
1000 acres, leaving you farm Of 3335 acres,
in lots for future sale at very ADVANCED tig-
| ure. Your immigrants iamily will be grow
ing UP. The twenty acre farm will soon be-
come too small, and he will not only be able
but willing, to pay you more for your lot Of
eighty acres adjoining, than you will ever be
able otherwise to realize from the whole. He
will be compelled to d;ch your land in order
to drain his own. Idle members of his fam.
lily can te employed by you: in and aboul
Fyour homestead. These seven families will
build up respectable schools and churches in
your community, giving employment 10 the
educated young men in our midst, adding to
cur military aud political strength, as we! as
developing the vast resources OF our State.
3. In reference to those who have good 10
cations, waller, &C., for mills, factories and
mechanic arts, it seenls practicable to sell. or
lease them for number of years, in prefer
erce 10 letting them remain Improbable.
whiie the State claims SO urgently the use OF
every available means. Every available lo:
cality near nayigable stream, where health
and thrift can be secured and trade carried
on, should be laid off inlargs lets OF five acres,
where the family can till the soil, while the
husband and father is engaged in manulac
turing hats, shoes, &c. | propose to bestow
every alternate lot 10 some hardy white tue-
cbanic, who will bind himself t? remain upon
and improve it. In q few years h remain
ing lots will sell for large advance, and more
than pay for the orc given away. German
mechanics are accustomed to these rural viz
lagos, and would prefer them 10 The cramped
localiues now composing the most oil our coun-
try villages. IL like manner, the depots along
our railroads, In high and healthy, localities,
Can in many Instances be converted to the
purpose of. ural manufacturing villages.
A The greatest obstacle in the way, is tie
fact that large number ofour people are en-
pec,ing TO substitute foreigners Tor freedmen,
thinking thereby to carry on the immense
planting interests q tho South as heretofore,
forgetting tat the inducement,to the foreign
er to leave mis- na;ire country, is the hope Of
obtaining a home for his family, in couu!ry
where The avenues Of wealth aud honor are
open before him. His idea is independence.
S. But 1 suggest that the 1881 acres re
served by the proprietor from every farm Of
1000 acres, proper y manured and cultivated,
is amply sufficient for the employmen: OF eve
ry freedman who will be in the State for the
next twenty years. Foreigners settling upon
the surplus lands will lin no way Interfere
with the present freed laborers, except as c
stimulus TO greater e1ertion to retain the con-
fidence OF their employers and support them
selves creditably. This they will then be
compelled to do. AS long as We can keep
the freedmen In the cultivation of Cotton,
prudence aud policy alike dictate the propri'
ETY. of doing so; but unless We can secure an
imposing competition in the matter OF Ia 'oF,
and q preponder,.ting white influence, the
horrors of Hayti and St. Domingo will
pale into insignticnnce before what is in store
for US.
We then invite our planting interest to
fair, candid and impartial investigation of the
subject. These views are crude, and are on
ly intended to elicit aninterest in the matter
WILLOW CREED.
18th June, 1867.