Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-12-04

which the South can depend for recuper-
ating and standing foremost in the wealth
of nations. First, by improving, educat-
ing and developing the labor of the negro;
the Southern people know that the freed;
men are part and parcel of the State
they are by law and 'the memorable logic
of events" established either as an in
cubus to be carried on the shoulders of
Southern industry, or an element to be
employed for its benefit. Gen. Wade
Hampton, in his recent speech at the
Georgia State Fair, said of the negro:
'"Try to elevate him in the scale of true
manhood, of civilization and of Christi
anity, so that he may be better fitted for
the grave duties and high responsibilities
forced upon him by his new position. In
proportion as you make all labor, other
than compulsory, intelligent you render
it profitable. If this be true, we should
educate the mind, the heart and the soul.
1t is our duty to assist him ia qualifying
himself for his changed condition; time
alone can show whether the change has
been for his benefit
Of course this will be a work of time
and slow progress. 1t will require two or
three generations to develop this improve
ment.
Meanwhile the second great class of la
Dor is to be obtained from the inhoduc-
ton of European emigrants- and
their families of the Caucasian race--a
stream of industrious farmers and steady
citizens, such as has been flowing into the
Northern States since the organization of
the government The only difference be-
tween an American-born citizen and an
immigrant from Europe of equal intelli-
gence and physical ability at given age,
is that one came into the country with
his clothes on, the other with his clothes
Of.
European immigrants with their descend
ants since 1890, constitute more than 15,-
900, 900 of the population of the United
States. The value of this immigration at
the present time is over $1,000 900 per
day. 1t is fairly estimated that our ma
tiOnal wealth during 1868 and 1869 will
be augmented by over $3.50, 900, 900 each
year from this source alone. Nearly all
of this wealth comes in at New York and
flows into the Northwestern and Northern
States. The value of this immigration is
far from being appreciated in the South
The average amount of cash (gOld and
silver brought to New York by these imm-
igTants, estimating for men, women and
children, is more than has been held by
any equal number of people in the State
of Tennessee.
How shall stream of this immigration
be babe to flow into and across the South
ern States? Only by establishing line
of steamships from European ports di-
rectly to the ports of the South.
The Mediterranean and Oriental Steam
Navigation Company, of New York, .
proposes to inaugurate this very desirable
purpose. No ocean steamship line can be
established without some legislative aid
from the States interested The bill now
before the Legislature of this State-a
copy of which is to be also submitted to
to the legislative bodies of all the South
ern States-in behalf CT this company, pre-
sents practicable plan for accomplishing
this work. If the bill shall become a law,
the company will establish a line of
American steamers direct from Norfolk,
Va, to Mediterranean ports of Eu-
rope; and, as further legislation may be
obtained from States further South, and
as soon as the necessary steamers can be
built or obtained, the line will be run by
alternate trips from Port Royal or Bruins
wick
This company has been originally char
tered under the laws of the State of New
York, for sound financial considerations,
but it is essentially Southern mail steam
ship line, inaugurated especially to intro
duce European emigrants into the South
eTn States, and for a direct trade in the
great staple products of the South.
During the last year there were consumed
in the countries bordering on the Medi-
teTTanean over 800, 900 bales of American
cotton, and over $4,000 hOgsheads of
American tobacco. and this mostly shipped
by way of New York.
Within the next four years we hope and
believe the Southern Pacific Railroad,
from Memphis to San Francisco, win be
built. Unless, then, we also establish
one or more ocean steamship lines, from
Norfolk and other Southern ports 10 Eu-
rope, the great trade and advantages Of
the route will be diverted away from Ten
nessee across the Northern States. With
both of these great national enterprises
established, this State lies directly in the
track of one of the grandest highways of
travel and of commerce which will belt
the globe, with Norfolk, Memphis, San
Francisco, Hong Kong, the SueZ Canal
and Marseilles, directly in the route.
E. NJ BARSCM.
M,vyTrrT HoT-Sp Dac 1870