Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-06-29

Enron LEDGER: Much has been said
and written of late about immigration.
l desire to give expression to few ideas
ON this subject, which have incidentally
occurred to my mind while thinking about
the matter. What, Mr.. Editor, gives rise
to this cry for immigrants? Is it be-
cause we have no laborers, or is it not
because those we have will not work. In
the view am taking of this question, l
leave the negro out Of consideration
altogether.
/ think, Mr.. Editor, with due regard
for the opinions of those who are advo-
eating this wholesale and indiscriminate
importation of immigrants into our
Southern country, that far more evil than
good will result from it. greatly fear,
Mr.. Editor, that there is very little
patriotism involved in the matter, and
that the whole scheme has originated in
and grown out Of that inordiuate and un.
holy lust of money, which seems to have
seized hold upon the people, and which
is not the least portentous OF the signs
of the times. If this latter be the moving
cause, am persuaded that the advocates
of the scheme will be greatly disappoint-
ed in their calculations; for l take it to
be reasonably certain that the great good
which it is urged will result to the coun-
try from the successful contamination OF
the measure will never occur within the
life time of the enthusiastic friends of the
idea.
Now, Mr.. Editor, what / desire to know
is this: What effect will the importation
of millions of the odds and ends of hui
mainly have upon the South as regards
her individuality as a people believe
il ia conceded by the authors of this inn
migration scheme that these people, when
they shall have arrived in the country,
contemplate remaining here permanent
". If this be so, the question naturally
recurs, what will be the effect of this con-
glomeratiou of semi-civilized persons
upon the people of the Southern States
as a distinct people. 1t is my humble
belief that the logical result will be that
in century and half the population of
the South will, by amalgamation with
these immigrants, become so completely
and utterly changed as to destroy all
marks of their separate individuality as
a people, aud that the descendants of
the authors of this scheme will, under
the teaching of new scboolmasters, for.
get, if they do not curse, the names OF
those great and good men whom we now
delight to honor.
/ desire here to be understood not as
including within my objections to immi-
grants the men OF the Northern portion of
our country. There is no danger from
them; and everything that can be done
ought to be done to encourage them to
come among US. Better, Mr.. Editor,
populate our country from our own loins;
and though it take longer to rehabilitate
our wasted fields, content ourselves with
the consoliug knowledge that when our
country is populated, it will be by race
of men like our fathers and ourselves. /
have thrown out these crude and imper-
feet thoughts, not with desire to obtrude
obstacles in the way of those who are
trying to rebuild the fortunes of our
country, but solely with view of evoking
that discussion of the matter which it's
magnitude demands, and by which the
truth NAV be arrived at.