The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1867-07-24
2ae(i geadiug.
Let us have a Southern Agricul-
tural Convention!

/
It is notorious fact to which Cur peo-
pic cannot and should not shut their eyes,
that the Radical party expects to concer-
trate the entire negro vote. A concen-
tration of the negroes upon the side OF a
party which tramples upon law, and out
RACES the most holy memories OF our peo-
pie, must, of necessity be followed by a
concentration of tho whites in an oppos-
ing party. Here begins the conflict, the
results of which are hidden in the future
With the Military Commanders and their
orderlies aiding and abetting the Radical
party, and using the Bureau as an instru-
ment for the strengthening of party ad-
verse to our interests and sympathes, we
are not surprised to find the negro popu-
ation tending, as if by common consent.
IN one direction. That direction is hos
tilty to the conservatism of established
law, and antipathy to the interests of the
whites. We have endeayored to show
the negro by argument that his fate is
| identical with that of the white. 1t now
becomes necessary to show him by fact
! that, when he throws aside the friendship
of the white Southern man and follows
the teachings of a party which is our
enemy, that he also becomes our enemy,
and is no longer entitled to our sympathy
and assistance. It is true that great
mass Of the negroes care nothing for
parties beyond the desire to use them for
the purpose Of securing the ballot. educa.
ton, and equal rights in the court room
rights of which notSouthern man desires
to deprive them. Yet, the great mass OF
the negroes are being taught BY few of
their race, that the Yankee Republican
party will alone give them justice, and
too many of them are beginning tobelieve
the falsehood.
Itis, therefore, necessary that the plant
ers and landhoders should meet together
for the purpose OF consulting as to some
means by which Immigrants may be
brought into the South, who may sympa-
thize with the white population. We
propose that each Parish or County OF
the States ef South Carolina, Georgia,
Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana (the
States more particularly interested in this
question) send delegates to General Agg- G.
ricutural Convention to be held at Mont
gomery at tssome early day in the fall.
Montgomery is a central point for these
States and can be reached with facility.
Let the Convention debate as to the best
practical method Of securing o population
of. thrifty laborers, upon whom the State
may depend for the preservation of law
and, as against the anarchy OF Radical
doctrines. ~ s.sieS.
A plan which we have heard suggested
by intelligent planters, and which thus
far has met with no opposition, is for the
members of the Convention to sign an
agreement, giving q proportion Of their
land (say one-tourth, or whatever each
one may subscribe) in tracts of forty
acres, to reliable thrifty laborers, who
will agree to build upon, live upon, and
cultivate it, 1t must be apparent to the
planter who owns one thousand acres OF
arabic land, that six or seven neighbors,
cultivatng his gift of ESQ acres, will make
the remaining 750 acres more valuable
than the original one thousand. When
the Convention shall have signed the
agreement, let committees be appointed
in each county to wait upon the planters
and receive contributions Of land TO the
general fund When forty thousand acres
| shall have been subscribed (and this
amount would be subscribed. in Mont
gomery county alone, which contains
550,210 acres,) let an agent be sent to Eu-
rope and bring over one thousand fami-
lies. the association for the county or dis
trict or State however it may be arrang
ed9 giving to each head OF family
fee.simple deed to forty acres of good
land. Some such plan as this would turn
emigration from the West to the South
In the West, lands at one and quarter
dollar per acre, capable of being worked
on account of the climate barely six.
months of the year, could not compete
with lands at the South which cost moth
ing, and which lie under q climate which
permits outdoor work for every member
Of the family for the entire year.
Some such plan as this can be matured,
and be put in practical operation imme-
dately by a General Agricultural Con.
yention. Such a convention, composed of
enlightened, large-hearted, liberal, pro-
gressive men, would have an influence
throughout the Gulf States which would
confirm the intelligent and decide the
doubling.
Will not the journals of tho Gulf States
second our proposition, and join in the
call for this most important Convention
We are now moging along like ship
without compass, apparently at the mer-
CIV Of laborers who have proclaimed their
intention to:rule and tax the white land
owners to their hearts content. If we
remain quiet they may possibly succeed,
but if we set on foot some such plan as
we have suggested, we can procure such
intelligent and friendly labor as will work
with us, prosper with us, and sympathize
with us. Of course this plan is not in
tended to exclude those negroes who are
our friends; but TO protect ourselves
against those who join the Yankee Radi-