Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1869-01-22
FOR TIE ABBEYILLE PRESS.1
Foreign immigration.

STONY POINT, ABBEvILLE DISTRICT. }
South Carolina, Jan. IA, 1869.
John Gray, Esq.,. Due West:
DEAR SIR In recent convcrsatio,
with you my opinion was requested a
to the inducements presented by ou
District to the foreign immigrant
Assured that they arc multifarious,
will attempt to cnumerate those abou
which an intelligent immigrant woul,
most probably inquire.
First, then, as to Government. Ou1
national Government is theoretically
better, and perhaps practically as goot
as any OF the European Governments
Our State Government is at present
practically somewhat of an anomaly
the Executive officers being aliens, the
Legislature being in the hands Of
negroes, many of whom can neither
read nor write intelligibly, and. the
judiciary so changed, that time alone
can test the wisdom or folly of the
new system. AS the career of those
who are mere adventures will perhaps
be short, and as it is unnatural tor
brute force to govern intelligence, the
day cannot be distant when the State
will revert to the hands Of her bona
.fde citizens, when proper regard for
the taxpayer and property holder will
pervade our statute books, and when
wise and wholesome laws, impartially
executed, will render our Government
all that it can or ought to bc to the
law abiding citizen, foreign OF nativo
born.
Secondly, Religion. No people in
the world, perhaps, have a more un-
questioned privilege to worship God
after the manner Of their own choice
than do the people of the South,
Ignorant of tho union of church and
State, and exempt from all the fanati-
cal issues, which for the past few years
have distracted the North, we are in
my humble Judgment emphatically
a religious people; and I am not
aware that any portion Of the South
~ more dcvout, church going, pious
and exemplary than the citizens of
our own section Ct the State. We
have been charged with lawlessncss Ay
those who do not know MS, but with
Christian magnanimity have survived
that odium, which was attached to MS
in consequence Of the violent aots Of
few dcsperadoes who infested our
District.
You have only to imagine yourself
on the lofty spire of that beautiful
sanctuary in Abhcvillc village, and
letyour minds eye survey the District,
to impress you with the religious
character of our people. Every COM
munity hasits Methodist, Presbyterian,
Associate Reformed, Baptist, or Epis-
copal Church or Chapel, in which
they can at pleasure worship God with
naught to modest ormakc them afraid.
These denominations prevail in the
order in which l have named them.
Thirdly, Education. The obscrvant
foreigner need only visit us to be i'm
pressed with the general educational
advantages of Abbevillc. The uni
form intelligence of her citizens is
sufficient evidence that schools abound,
and that education is appreciated. The
middle Districts of South Carolina arc
remarkable for tho comparative intcll-
gence of their population, and fnrc-
most amongst these stand Abbcville.
The child in this District that cannot
attend school is IN exception, and WHY
should it not be so when we recall tho
scholastic advantages everywhere pre-
sented. In your own beautiful village
tho male and female colleges are alike
ornomcnts to the State and District.
In Cokeshury the same advantages
pre presented by flourishing male and
female schools, while at Greenwood
Nlnety-six, Cedarspings, Wellington.
howndesville, and perhaps at other
points which I do not remember. most
excellent schools are located. These
are scattered through the country,
while at our village, county seat, or
Court House, there are both public and
private schools, where scholars can be
taught all the departments Of learn;no
IN both ancient and modern lanpuaoos
In this enumeration ! should not force
the Lethe School, most praisewortbv
institution, where, by the munifcence
sf' the late De LaHowe, a limited mum.
per Of destitute children are taught to
york assweli al toread. Tuition in
all OF ofthese::schoolsis reasonable, and
ln many of them low.s Board and
!odging can be procured wherever a
seAooi isloeated for as snaalEs MONTHLY
charge. perhaps, as the same fare can
Pe bad br, in any other portion OF the
habitable globe, . - 80
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