The Portland daily press., 1869-10-20
Immigration to the South.

In the Commercial Convention in session
at Louisville, Kentucky, on the 18th inst,
James W. Garley of Virginia, Chairman of
the Committee on Emigration, submitted a
report which was adopted after some discus
sion. The following is synopsis of the re-
port:
1t says that the population of the whole
country was, according to the first census in
II9O, very nearly equally divided between the
North and the South. According to the CEN
sus OF 1860, the population of the two sec
tions was, North, 19,369,1s2; South, 12,O4s.-
l49. This shows that OF the emigrants and
their descendants WHO had come into the
country during the seventy years from 1890
to 1860, and were then living, 7 .321 ,O33 more
mad settled in the North than had settled in
the South. According to estimates made, ev-
cry foreign immigrant who settles in the
country adds 81 800 to the national wealth:
but TO be clearly within the limits, your Com
mlttee will assume it to be $500 per head -
The industrial capital of the North over and
above the South from immigration alone has
thus been increased by this enormous sum-
The North has outstripped the South in
the struggle for mineral wealth. The object
OF your committee is to devise means which
may enable the South to participate in the adj
vantages of immigration. Most, if not all. the
Southern States, since the war have adopted
measures Tor the encouragement of FOREIGN
immigration. These measures have not been
attended with much success. The emigratipc
class OF Europe is wholly uninformed with re.
gard to the Southern States, and Is. from TO-
norance, and in some measure, mis- iuforma-
ton, greatly prejuliced against them. Jono
rance must be dispelled, and the preiudices
removed, and the prejudices of the Southern
States apply with equal force to all. This OBJ
stacle should be removed. AN impression
prevails that the climate of the South is nm
suited to the white man. Europe has heard
OF the parallel of 36 degrees and 30 minutes as
adlvdlng line between black and white labor
in America. Spain, Italy, Barbary, Egypt
and Asia Minor, which lie south of this line.
and are within the same parallels of latitude
which include the Southern States. are in
hablted by races having tanned or black
skins.
From this it is inferred that the climate of
the Southern States is unsuited to the Teuton.
so long as these hurtful prejudices exist. the
emlgrating stream of Germans, Swedes. Nor
M1oi".I'' d. lions, "nd ilanes will never flow
into the Southern States. The removal o W
these prejudices can best be ACCOMPLISHED nv
united effort The plan contemplates Stat
organizations tor the encourae cement of immi
gratlon. The Committee propose that this
convention appoint General Agent of I'm
migration; that the States be requested to an
propriate sum to be placed in the hands of
the General Agent, to be used in preparing.
publishing, translating, and circulating ora.
tultously among the emigrating classes a re-
port showing the physical geography of the
States adopting this plan, their industrial re-
sources, the special advantages which thew
offer the immigrant, and other necessary in
formation. In reference to Coolie labor the
Committee said the importance of Cinnamon
and other Asiatic labor does not require the
means suggested in the report. That could
be accomplished by separate State and private
orsa 1izations. The future may develop the
necessity of using the means in Asia now
suggested in the report; therefore,
RESOLVED, That this Convention concur in
the foregoing report; second, that the great
learning and deservedIy high reputation at
nome and abroad of Commodore Mathew f.
Maury eminently fit him for the discharge of
the duties hereinbetore designated, and that
TINS convention recommend him to the sever
al States for the post of General Agent of I'M
migration; third, that this Convention ear
nestly recommend the foregoing report to the
various States herein represented, ard esne.
cially those of the South and Southwest. for
adoption by their respective Legislatures
fourth, that the President of this Convention
forward to the President of the Senate ana
Speaker of the House of each of the said
States copy of this report and resolutions
Tor such action as to them may seem advisable.