The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-04-15
Flor. the Soldiers Friend. Nev York, Aprl3, 1869
The South and its Open Doors.


The South and its Open Doors.
We recently published an article on the material
interests of the Southern States, and the great at
fractions they offer for capital, labor and enter
prise, and inviting the attention of our readers to
the wide opportunities for securing homes and in
vcsiing capital. We have received among others
the following letter from the editor of an influen-
tial journal in South Carolina, which VIC give as
another of the representative expressions Of the
better convictions and judgment of men of the
South in regard to the practical topics of the time
We assure our friend that if he will conduct his
journal in the same spirit. and thus form and di-
rect the sentiment Of the people, lie will perform
q noble work whose influence can hardly be esti-
mated. The letter says:
"MAncu 20, 1869.
f" Editor of the Soldiers Friend:
"DEAR SIR: Your paper, The Soldiers Friend,
has been received, and have just extracted from
its columns the article headed Southern Attrac-
tions. to accompany silIilar articles from Northern
Journals in my next issue. Presuming that you
will not allow any difference in politics to gauge
your estimate of the writer (who is Democrat OF
the straitest Sect and an eX-confederae soldier,
take the liberty of thanking you for the hand
some alusioI to the great attractions offered by
the Southern country 10 immigrants. Tae day
seems TO be dawning when Northern editors will
cheerfuy admit that there is o cordial and gen
erous spirit toward all who come as friends to
identify themselves with the growing future of the
people This is nothing new to US, but it has
been difficult heretofore to impress the Northern
mind with The belief that the Southern people were
not all barbarians, or Mt eas, only semi-ciylizcd.
Under the manipulations Of place hunting po!lti-
clans, the bent Of intelligence hitherto from this
bcnighted region has been that every man was
dreadful Ku-Klux. bloody desperate, or cut-hroat.
1t gives the people Of this section great satisfaction
to know that these blood-and. thunder stories are
no longer circulated to our injury. and that there
are men willing 10 do justice 10 the prevailing sen
timent for peace, prosperity, and renewed life In
the South. Such al article MS yours will do more
to heal the wounds Of the late 'onpeasantncss,
than all the legislation of Nil the carpet haggers
now seeking to rule the dcstinies of The sunny
South. Thanking you again for the liberal spirit
displayed, and asking for regular exchange,
am," etc.
We assure our correspondent that there is no
sentiment of friendship, sympathy, or patriotism
which can possibly be expressed by the South
which will not be more than responded to BY the
North. Even those who are regarded the poht-
icaE opponents of the South are among her warm
est friends hut having deep and abiding convic-
tions that the former political, Industrial and So
cial dogmas and institutions of the South were
dangerous and opposed to the peace, happiness,
and progress of the country, they could not do
otherwise than resist the propagandsm by which
these anagonistic influences were sought to be
planted in nearly oil the new States and terrific
ries of the Union. Hence the collision which has
given rise to intense feeling in both sections. But
the political action of the Northern people was in
no sense one of hatred or ill-feeling. That is
proved by the universal cordiality and friendship
with which Southern people are received in the
North--in social religious, and political circles.
Has it been the same in the South? Has not the
utmost effort been made by the organization of
clubs and societies, which have publicly pro-
claimed The lay that no intercourse or dealings in
business should be had with Northern men, called
carpet buggers," and even that Southern men who
stood true to the Union also TO be oslracised
rs sympathizers with the Yankees? The frequent
ly published proceedings Of meetings, associations,
and clubs, in the South during the last year cannot
be SC soon forgotten or obliteraed. Under these
circumstances, how could Northern people do 9TH
erwsc than entertain the conviction that there was
bitter hostility of feeling, Which made it COM
mercially and pocally unsafe for them to embark
in Southern enterprise, or identify themselves
with Southern interests?
While We therefore, urge with all our force the
perfect restoration of the oldtme reciprocities OF
the whole Union, we most cordially respond 10 the
kind sentiments of our editorial co-worker, and
while we remind him of the grounds upon which
Northern men base their estimate of Southern SEN
timcn, we chccrfully labor to undeceive both Sec
tions. The interchange of such assurances, by
the journals of the country, will remove the mis-
taken views that may Dc entertained Ivy any ana
We hail the fact that an editorial associate like 'ae
writer of the above pledges himself to- Inc nooie