The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-10-05
COLUMBIA.
Saturday Morning, October 5. 1857.
Practical Suggestions.

eAANSo SSeseo AoA ooAO. Vo oSlCo Wall ~
when it says, where this step is taken
with the view to abandon the country
in despair, and in search of better
one, it is much to be deplored.
AS we have often done before, in
the columns of the Phenir, we in
woke our people to remain on their
own soil, bear their own burthens
with fortitude, strive to build up the
waste places, and by prudent line
of conduct endeavor, as far as they
are able, to regain the recognition by
the supreme power, of their right of
local self-government. If they are
true to themselves, it may be that in
time friends, willing and able to as
sist, viii come TO their aid.
Our readers know that, as means
of repop1lating the abandoned plan
tations of the South, we have sug-
gested that owners should offer their
lands in small parcels, to correspond
with the limited means of immi-
grants. A writer on this subject
wisely observes, that land cannot be
sold in large tracts to actual settlers;
and that the true principle is to sell
in small quantities and at low prices.
The profit must not be expected to
come from the first sale, but must
come from the increased value of the
land retained which will rise in value
in the market, in proportion to the
increased density caused by immi-
grafton.
These are correct views, and we
feel assured that, even in this State,
there are but few planters who can
not well afford to sell one or two
hundred acres of land at tempting
price, and still have more than they
can properly cultivate. There are
some of the richest and most valuable
lands in the whole South, lying be-
tween the fork of the junction of the
Congaree and Wateree rivers, that we
know could be parcelled out to immi-
grants at fair prices; and, at the same
time. bring among us population that
would most undoubtedly affect favor
ably our future prosperity and success.
Why this course has not been adopt
ed, is for the landowners to say.
Our own opinion is, that they have
not oven until this time realized the
fact that the natural increase of
slaves, as in old times, would eventu-
ally clear and cultivate these broad
and fertile acres. The sooner this
delusion is dissipated, the better it
will be for the whole South. We
speak for South Carolina alone, and
say that the landowners are the only
persons who can offer the proper in
ducements to the immigrant. If
they follow out our suggestions, and
those of other Southern journals,
they will soon have their neighbor-
hoods settled up, and their property
doubled in value; while those who
will not sell, allow one-half or two
thirds of their land to be altogether
unproductive. Gut up your farms,
keep the prices down, make your
nattral advantage, known, and in,mi-
grafton must come.
And now we come to the system of
colored labor. The effect of confer
ring the elective franchise on the
blacks, we believe to be injurious to
them, and to the whites. It may
give them the numerical ascendancy
in few of the Southern States-but
that is all. This ascendancy will, OF
course, be increased, if the proposed
measures of reconstruction be re-
jected. But if an effective system OF
immigration is set on foot and active
ly carried out by prompt appliances,
the much-dreaded negro ascendancy
will become myth. We would say,
however, that no one should seek to
accomplish this object from motives
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