Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-08-04
N IMMIGRATION.
Meeting at the Chamber Of Com
merce Last Night.

lAAC pun ROoC VI COtL1AlCI nix LAlE E4DNfIL
OF Chinese immigration, and hearing
an address upon it from Gen. Gideon
J.. Pillow. About half-past 8 o'clock
meeting was called to order by
Mr.. Cherry, President of the Chamber
ofCommerce, who suggested Nj. APP
person for Chairman, which was unan-
imOusly adopted.
On taking the chair Mr.. Apperson
briefly stated the objects of the meet
ing and invited Gen. Pillow to the
stand.
The gentleman responded, and pro-
eeeded to deliver an address replete
with information, good sense and
practical experience. He sketehed
the growth of Memphis, with which
he has been familiar ever since 1921.
He showed how muchan to what ex-
tent she was indebted to cotton for her
expansion and present grand proper
tons, and assured his hearers that I'M
less we had more labor, and such as
China offered, we stand still and retro
grade as fast or faster than we grew.
As a planter he had felt the want of
such reliable and skilled labor. as it
was proposed to introduce from China.
In testing the experiment of freed la
Dor he had sunk quite 500, 200, and
was satisfied it would not do. He
had personally, patiently, faithfully
and energetically tried his hand at
planting with freedmen, and was
compelled to confess it was a fall
ure. He was, therefore, able to
appreciate this Chinese immi-
grafton movement. The character
of the Chinese was well established
for capacity for instruction. He
wanted to see them here and desired
to see the bankers, wealthy insurance
men and merchants of u city to
take q hand and leading part in bring
ing them to our section. The city Of
Memphis was built up by cotton. If
instead of receiving as nov 100000
bales she could be the recipient Of
100000, q new era would dawn upon
her. Our every interest depended
upon cotton. Had nothing occurred
to man its progress the Mississippi
Valley, at the rate of progress
that characterized it before
the war, would to-day be the
richest portion of, and Memphis the
fifth city in the United States. What
has reduced Memphis, broken up her
interests, lost to her her trade, the
failure of the cotton crop since the war
to reach anything like the figures of
1860. In losing cotton, Memphis lost
the best of her life, the life-giving
elixer. We must have cotton to live,
and we must have the labor TO pro-
duce it. Without labor the country
or the city cannot be built up. Our
| present labor had been tested. We
had reached with it the maximum of
| production Of cotton, and the speaker
believed it would decline unless new,
cheap and intelligent labor was in
| trOduCed. Now not more than half
the cleared land was cultivated, the
balance is growing up in weeds, in
cottonwood and brambles. On the
abandoned plantations the negroes
were c-Ongregated in numbers more by
I three times as many as were needed
to cultivate them; the better looking
women were in the cities and towns,
plying a vicious trade, quickly dying
out, and the river, to the exclusion Of
the Irish and Germans, who once
were exclusively steamboat hands,
takes thousands who once were num-
bered among the most reliable of our
laborers. This is where the negro has
gone and the way he is going. The
manufacturers of New England were
prepared to assist in this solution of
the Chinese labor problem. Mr.. sam.
Morgan, OF Nashville, q gentleman
well known to our people, informed
him that ne had letters of inquiry
upon the subject from northern manu-
facturers, who, feeling the want of
more cotton, were willing to facilitate
our movement for more labor. He
did not think the Government would
oppose this movement. He believed
the President, if properly informed
upon the subject and what
We contemplated, would APP
prove of it and be far from
throwing obstacles in the way, He
believed Grant was a patriot, had
known him in the army and was sat
isied he desired to do right; believed
he would act up to the convictions of
a majority of the intelligence Of the
North. Our treaty with China gives
the Chinese who come here rights Of
citizenship and that they would be
protected. Congressional laws pro-
hibit the introduction of cOolie labor.
not the Independent imHaigrants it is
our design TO help here. One hun
dred thousand such would revolution
iZe the South and induce an unWOnted
prosperity, The General here read q
long and interesting letter from a cor
respondent of the Cincinnati Gazette,
upon the conclusion of which he urged
subscriptions to the immigration Aid
Society projected and set on foot by
the late Chinese Labor Convention.
WeregTet that wecannot, until tO-mor-
row, lay the speech OF the distin-
guished gentleman before u readers,
but pressure upon our columns and
limited space forbid.
Upon the withdrawal of Gen. Pillow
from the stand, DIR. Luke Blackburne
asked permission to speak on the neg
ative side of the question, which he
didat some length but not quite'to the
conviction OF those present to his pc
culiar theories.
Mr.. Cherry then briefly introduced
the following resolutions, which were
unanimously anoptedI
WHEREAS, Erroneous opinions have
been formed as to the objects of the
Chinese immigration and labor move
ment lately inaugurated here, result
ing in opposition to the movement
by many honest, well-meaning per- /.
sons.
Resocled, That it is not the desire
or intention of the people of this sec
ton CT the country in inaugurating
this movement to violate or evade any
Of the existing laws or regulations of
the United States governing immi-
grafton. But that we only desire te3
procure voluntary immigration and
labor suitable for our lands and eli
mate.
Resozred, That in our efforts to pro
cure laborers from China or the East
ern countries, we do not intend to
abate our efforts TO procure and invite
immigrants and laborers from all other
countries, nor do we desire to Cypress
Or wrong in any manner the labOrers
among rs.
ReSolred, That we desire to employ
Ill labor offering, but that with ali our
present resources are notable to culti-
vate more than one-half of the cleared
and of the South, hence this move
ment for Chinese immigrants.
Ex-Governor Harris addressed the
meeting next, and in a few brief
pointed and sensible words, urged that
subscriptions to the capital stock of
he company be taken up. The result
vas that Mr.. Cherry received the
names Of several subscribers for CON
iderable amounts, Gen. Pillow head f,
ng the list. The meeting then adj :