Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-01-30
The Great and Important Question.


VIC ar, delighted to notice the manly effort bo-
ing made by the Newspapers Of the South to en-
courage immigration to tho Southern States. The
press is doing its duty in this respect, but tho
people seem unwilling to move. And Why is It,
in Gods name, that tho people Of the South, es-
pecially OF South Csrolina, are so inert, and so
lacking in that foresight, which the most ordina-
ry thrift and business sense ought to furnish
people? The negroes are free, and they sre leav-
Ing :hc country to go further South or ~ess, and
c Their places, as laborers, are not supplied, tho
country nust inevitably 60 to ruin. Is any one
unNiae enough to be still idly piiiosophizins upsn
the probabilities OF tho availablencss Of black Ia
Dor for the future? 1t will certainly be neither
abunGsan: enough nor available enough TO depend
upon. Why, even now, scsrcoly dry passes
over our head that VIC do not hosr of aomc planter
of our acquaintance who has not single lahc-
rer, and i: rot able to sccirc one." In order.
therefore, to provide against the contingency OF
further ilurc Of black labor lot US bcgin bstimes
to provide tho white labor that is within cur
roach. The course of wisdom is to do the very
I
'bl.ck aud white, and at the samc time to make
provision. to obtain ten times as much moro az We
now hars. We shall thus make Our present labor
moro reliable, and add immensely to the woalsh
of the Scate by largely increased smount OF it.
And although ne believe tho State Legislature
should gvo every possible encouragement to i'm
migrants yet the landholdcrz of tho State should
neither wait FOR nor depend wholly upon legisla-
tive action Thoy have auhccnt interests at stake,
md sufficient facilities in their hands, to accom-
plsh the desired results, if they have the energy
and enterprise to act properly and promptly. They
can now enrich themselves ii thsy will. The
choice is presented them OF continuing for years
to come, as they have for years past, tho owners
Of comparatively v.lucless property in fertile but
uncult;ya.cd lands or of raising their lands in a
short time 10 a-high value. If they will combine
together, offer the largo inducements they are
able to of=r 10 immigrants, and send thoir agensS
70 Europa, they can coon harc steamers and eml-
grant ships landing Thousands Of immigrants upon
our shores.
And y; none hare tho energy, public 'pTif'
and ttri,D to purauc sucn course. anu way &c
it that when i. would be ~i,c to give away hall
Of vuy l.adx t, Axvc them ,e;tled, so few seern
wiling tu offer any Inducements to mmig'@n:i
Thore are many In'n, we hsve no doubt, who
rould gladly move in this mst:cr-and earnestly
If they had the energy anu public spirit to got
together, form tho necessary combirations, and
wr,o out their cfcrs for publication. Who then
vii! set the bull in motion? III our last weeks
paper, p..c:iesl citizen Of our District suggest
ed a Voluntary Land Association" and his
.cheme is not without merit. 4 society should be
formed in every District to Invite, a'sat snd on
courage Immigrants from Europs-and even from
the Nortter States-to como to South Carolina
I'd make home, among US. Yos; there ought to
90 such society in every District, snd indiridu-
ais ough, 10 Sct st once and enersoticaly, socio
ties or no sociotie'. Tho Districts in which this
thing is done will hercafer blos6 the mon who
start il: f,- SUCH Districts will get the advantage
Of others iu increase Of population, agriculture,
valuo of lands, and geuorsl uesl;h. lisslo prsc-
teal foresight and little timely energy will do
great things for South Carolina in this direction.