The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-05-14
COLUMBIA.
Tuesday Morning, May IA, 1867. I
Tho Great Need OF Restoration.


pressing need is strikingly exempli-
fed in the return of the commits
sioners of registration for the month
of April. Five years ago, says the
Times, it was alleged and believed
that he.existence of slavery repelled
strangers from the South. Slavery
no longer exists, yet of more than
$4,000 immigrants landed at New
York last month, only five go to
Arkansas, five to Alabama, one to
Florida, nine to Georgia, thirty eight
to Louisiana, one to Mississippi, two
to North Carolina, ten to South Ca
rolina, one hundred and sixty-three
to Texas, and ffy-fve to Virginia.
All these States get but 277, while
Illinois alone takes 2,625, New Eng
land moro than 1000, and even in
hospitable Canada nearly 200. The
Times adds:
"The South has most urgent need
of this laboring element; she has
land in abundance, and Of the sort,
which, "when tickled with hoe,
will laugh with a harvest;" yet, in
conseqr Hnce of the. unsatisfactory
condition of political and social
affairs, the Drawn and muscle of
Europe turns away to the compare
lively sterile North. 100000 skilled
agriculturalists from Europe or else
where might redeem an empire below
the Ohio River. But 'the situation
deters them, and until the perfect
restoration of order and the COM
plete rehabilitation of the people, no
considerable current of Immigration
will set in that direction.
There is no doubt but that the
Times is right on one point. On the
completion of reconstruction, the
introduction of capital would assured
ly follow; Rut we believe it to be in
error as Y the prompt. immigration
of foreign labor, which is very doubt
full. The suggestioR,' or position. is
not t0nable, and one we think unfor-
tunate, at this time, in its effect upon
the energy and industry of the South
ern people, rs we'll as the laborers
employed in agriculture. 1t is that
perfect restoration will induce foreign
immigration. to the South without
much delay. This years crop must
be worked by the laborers we have
now; next year, the same condition
of affairs will exist, and perhaps for
years yet to come the chief reliance
of the Southern planters will be in
their past laborers, under the new
order of things. We believe that if
they are encouraged and well treated
they will do the needed work.
We have, on more than one occa
sion, expressed our favorable opinion
on the introduction of healthy
immigration; but that favorable OPT
Mon was based chiefly on m idea
which is gaining ground. The day
OF ''large plantations" has passed
away, and these immense tracts of
half cultivated land should be pro-
perly divided and sold or leased to
immigrants and colored laborers.
But, if the position of the Times be
correct. that there will only be rush
of Nero foreign labor, the result
would be disastrous to the people of
the South, both white and black. We
have the freedmen Mt work, and the
reports published in our exchanges
In the South and Southwest say that
this class of labor appreciate their
position, is working well, and that
the fair crops in nearly every locality
prove this. 1t is not reasonable to
suppose that this class would look
with favor on q rush from Germany
and Ireland of mere laborers. Immi-
grants with moderate means to invest,
with energy and industry to guide
them, as well as those skilled as
artisans and mechanics, we would be
very glad to see coming South, and
the South would give them q glad
welcome. We throw out these sug-
gestions to our agricultural friends.
Ihe freedmen are enfranchised-