Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1869-01-13
immigration.
NASHVILLE, Jan. l, 1869.

NAShNALlhj JdH' i, AoO0.
TO His Ercellency, Gov. .Broionlo,e - -
DEAR SIR ~ beg leave TO draw your at
tention very briefly to the First Annual
Report which / had the honor of transmit
ting to you few days ago. a
In that report dwell upon the fact, that
we have entered upon an era which is in
favor of immigration, and of a development
Of the resources of the State, calculated to
advance its intellectual and spiritual as
well as It's material interests. 1 speak of
the measures of the Board taken to draw
an intelligent and Industrious immigration
to this State; of the steps taken to obtain
special information with regard to the sew
eral counties of the State and of the chan
nels through which that information has
been conveyed to the North aad to Ger
many / refer to the fact, that the results
Of my labors thus far, are to be found in
the number of immigrants actually drawn
here by my instrumentality. In the inter
est | have been enabled to excite On the
subject of immigration among large por-
ton of the people of this State, and of the
Northern States; and in the hopeful char
acter of the extensive correspondence am
carrying ON. With regard TO the general
l.
ton is the true basis of the wealth of ma
ti6sls that by it The State is gamer, not
only by the bone and sinew which the inn
migrants bring along with them, but also
from the fact that in the same measure as
immigration improves the material inter-
ests of State, it also furnishes the means
for the advancement Of its intellectual and
spiritual interests. l also refer to the share
4 l., l..
had in the State Of Tennessee, in making
the lands adjoined to them valuable, and to
the benefits to be derived from the reduc-
ton Of the railroad fare, in the case of pas
sengers who arc known to come to the
State TO settle here, or TO prepare the way
for the settling Of others.
With this brief reference to my Annual
Report, beg leave to connect the follow
ing remarks
In most cases it does not depend on me
TO direct the course of immigration to any
particular point There are instances where
the obtaining of immigration must be prin-
eipally ascribed to the intelligent and per-
sevsring efforts of individuals in certain
counties, while the absence Of immigration
IN others is to be traced TO the fact, that no
Measure has been taken to circulate q
knowledge Of the resources Of those coun-
ties
In cases where / am permitted to direct
the course of immigration, prudence often
requires that l should not give publicity to
the steps am taking, lest there should be
an undue advance in the price of property
offered for sale
Two gentlemen by my advice, lately went
20 Knox county. One bought the Chart
ton farm. In this case the danger just
mentioned did not exist but it did in that
Of the other gentleman Under these cir
cumstanccs it is easy to see that / at times
may have the appearance Of being inactive
with regard to portion of State, while
yet my attention may be directed to it eft
feetually.
In this case, as in every other of like
nature, il is well 70 cultivate spirit, not
Of envy but of generous rivalry. The
Counties which have taken very active
part in circulating an account of their re-
Sources, and which have drawn to them
selves large number of immigrants
brought In to notice the resources of many
other counties of the State. A resident of
Warren county sends me a minute account
of the Northern farmers who of late have
settled there, and carried away apparent
ly by the encouraging characters of her
own statements, he adds that in the year
apon which we are now entering Middle
Tennessee will be flooded with immigrants
If his hopes should be realized to any great
degree, East and West Tennessee viii be
benefited by it. The same holds true with
regard to any considerable immigration
flowing into those sections of the State
In conclusion, allow me 10 say, that while
l gratefully acknowledge the many proofs
of personal regard and kindness which you
have given me for many years, cannot
but dwell with special interest on the conf
deDce you have placed in me since my Off
cial connection with the Board of Immi-
grafton. The measures initiated about a
year ago for the purpose of systematically
advancing tho interests Of immigration will
have their share in marking your admins
tration as the beginning of a better era, and
rs this New Year is now breaking upon Us,
/ tender you my heartfelt wishes that you
may live TO see the growing of the seed
which under your auspices I have been
/ permitted to sow, and that the development
OF the natural resources Of the State may
prove more and moro a firm and lasting
| foundation for the spread Of light, and the
establishment of kindness and good win
throughout the State.
Hermann BoKUN,
Commissioner Of Immigration.