The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-12-17
The Cry of the South.

from the ". Y. Tribune.
The Georgia Nationalist appeals to the loyal
men of the North to organize four societies to
promote immigration of Northern men into
the South in communities able to protect
themselves. It proposes that the first society
shall comprise the New England States, and
apply itself specially to settling South Caro-
lima, Georgia, and Florida. The second may
include New York, New Jersey, and Pennsyl-
vania, and operate in colOnzing Virginia and
North Carolina. The third may comprise
Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Illinois, and
should work in settling Alabama, Mississippi,
and Louisiana. The fourth society should
labor in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and
Kansas, for the settlement of Arkansas and
Texas. The purpose of these organizations
would be to send trusted agents into the
South to ascertain the opportunities Tor busi-
ness which are now to open there by reason
of the low prices of land and the abundance
of labor. Much of the land, it is said, can
now be had for dollar or two an acre, which
would have sold for twenty dollars before the
Rebellion, and will be worth that price again
as soon as industry shall revive and the
country become productive and peaceful The
failure of many of the efforts to turn emigra-
tiOn Southwark, which were made immedi-
ately after the close of the war, was due to the
delay in settling the Reconstruction question;
to the facts that the settlers scattered too
much, not aiming to keep near enough to-
gether to protect each other; that they bought
property when it was from three to ten times
as high as it is now, running in debt for most
of it, and losing all with its decline;' planted
cotton on falling market, without calculating
on the fall; were inexperienced in Southern
industry, and were set back by two successive
unusually bad seasons. Reconstruction, how
ever, is now settled. Property has fallen to
its lowest possible point. General Grant will
soon give security and peace to all. Emf
grants going in communities will avoid the
risks to person and capital incurred by those
going alone. II is necessary to the stability
and peace of the country that Northern emil
grafton into the South shall be undertaken on
scale as national and imposing as the North
ern invasion OF the South by hostile armies
during the Rebellion. There are in all these
States strongly Republican countissf %si.r 1ni.a
need only few Nort5bssey" rat5bse and % maintain % oysl
ascendancy throughout entire districts which
otherwise must be abandoned to Rebel and
reactiOnary asoendancy. One county in Gsor-
gia, for instance, cast only So votes for Grant,
though il had 1900 colOred voters. There was
but one white Republican in the county, and
he cared not to endure the dangers of a can
vass. A few Northern communities in each
county, sufficient to organize churches and
schools, stores and mills, and to introduce
Northern newspapers, would suffice to sustain
the loyal sentiment in every such county.
We need 1000 Northern voters and workers in
Florida 1000 in South Carolina, 5000 each in
Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, aud Louisi
ana, and 10000 each in Virginia, North Caro-
lima, Georgia, and Texas. If an immigration
like that which pours Westward could flow
into the South for one year only, the Southern
States would be delivered from the nightmare
which now oppresses their politics and indus
try. Who will organize and undertake the
work 1t must be begun from motives of
patriotism as well as profit; must be actually
superintended by men of influence, ability,
and vigor, and must be carried through with
an industry and energy like that with which
itself. Are the right men and women ready
to volunteer for the work II they are, it can
and will be done.