Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-12-13


business Talk Enjoyed.
Board met at o'clock P. NJ, Mr.. Jones
in the chair.
Business was commenced by Secretary
Gentry reading lett received from r. O.
Blitchfeldt, Immigration Agent for the
State Of Alabama. The tenor of Mr. Bitch
feldt's letter was that, owing to some de-
teniion caused by his appointments for
meetings elsewhere, he would not be here
before Wednesday or Thursday Of this
week, but at that time hoped to meet the
Board of Trade and others of Nashville who
felt an Interest in the important subiecs of
foreign immigration into the Southern
States
Mr.. Gentry addressed the meeting, in
which he suggested the propriety, in view
of the expected visit of Mr.. Blitchfeldt, of
having a meeting of our citizens-a mess
meeting-to be held under the auspices of
the Board of Trade, and that a general in
yitation be extended to the members of
the State Legislature, the city authorities,
the various Associations, to the business
men, and to eceryb0dy, to be present and
take part in its deliberations, aud to invite
Col Colyar, Rev. Mr. Strobe, and other
eminent gentlemen to address the meetir Q.
Mr.. Gentry concluded by making a motion
to this effect, which was adopted.
The report of ths Committee on
Immigration was expected TO have been
made at this meeting, but Nd
Roberts from said committee stated that
In view Of the importance of the work
given the committee to do-prepare me
mortal to the Legislature on the subject Of
immigratior-.hey would respectfully ask
further time; he slid it was desirable that
tie matter should be fully canvassed.
weighed, and every point considered, be-
fore it was presented to the Legislature
for their acJIOn, as it was all important
thatthe whole subject should be presented
IN the most practical form; he was glad
mass meeting had been determined upon.
as by this means all the ideas and knogL
edge upon the subject of immigration
would certainly be brought to the surface;
when not only the committee but the Lee
gislature itself would be better prepared to
act advisedly, or inteligently, IN the pre-
misses
Col, Colyar being present, was invited
to address the Board, and give his views
upon the subject. Col. Colyar, thought
as mass meeting was soon 10 be held,
when a full expression Of ideas and plan
would doubtless be offered, it would
probably be best to defer a general discus
sion of the matter until then Yet, the
matter of securing foreign immigration
into Tennessee and the South, was Of such
vast and vital importance TO the uprising
and vitality Of our Commonwealth, that he
felt disposed to say q few words On the
present occasion, touching a few of the
more prominent points of the sub
ject. One of the most effectual
bars to immigration here was the
State debt the debt was SAC, 900, 600, and
the property valuation S272, 900, 600 was
it to be hoped that the tide of immigra-
ton could be turned in this direction with
these figures staring them in the face !?
Learning that the State Of Tennessee was
SO involved, pscuniarily, would it not be
natural, upon mis- arrival in this country.
for the sturdy foreigner to cast his ewes.
for q home, in SONS other direction He
thought SC He said that no substantial
prosperity could attend Us, and nothing
important in the way of the improvement
or development of our boundiess re-
sources, as long as We were entaneled in
the meshes of State debt Something
must be done, some plan must be hit upon,
whereby this liability could be removed,
or at least be very materially decreased,
and he assured the meeting that it was
through this Board and similar bodies,
that this end must be attained The
Board of Trade, for instance, was a body
of intelligent, practical business men, to
whom the science Of business principles
were familiar, and upon them devolved
the responsibility Of leading off in the
matter; from them must come the plans,
up to the State Legislature, whereby the
State might be enabled to disenthral her
self from her liabilities; the Legislature
was willing to act fsvorably upon any plan
to attain this desired result that might be
backed by respectable and practical origi-
majors.
Col Colyar then gave his ideas in regard
to the best plan to be adopted in reducing
the State Indebtedness, which were emf
nently practical, and reasonably within the
bounds of the possibilities of the
case he regarded this TO be en-
phatically the initiatory steptoward putting
upon a successful footing the immigration
scheme, and that now, Just aOr, was the
time for action.
Upon the conclusion of the address of
Col Colyar, the Board invited the Rev
Mr.. Strobe to address the meeting. The rev.
erend gentleman arose and said, that, as
remarked by the last speaker, the forth
coming mass meeting would preclude the
necess ty Of any lengthy discussion on the
subject at the present time, bat he sincerely
hoped that through the Influence of the
Board, something tangible might be eff
fecied in relation to the important matter
of immigration to our State We had
10, 900 square miles Of territory, and yet
all this vast area was sparssly inhabited to
what it might be. He said the opposers
of foreign immigration argued that in case
of an influx of foreigners, vice and i'm
morality, and internal troubles would be
greatly increased, and many incident evils
arise; all of which the speaker considered
idle in the extreme, and had neither weight
nor proof with which to corrobOrate the
argument. As A-proof be pointed to the
| Western and Northwestern States-which
are filed with almost every nationality,
and representing the four quarters of the
; | globe in their population; a less ratio of
crime existed than in most of the older
States where the population was of a
, homogeneous nature, compared 10 the
West and Northwest. We wanted
labor and industry, of the right
kind, aud by inducing immigration was the
only way to obtain it. Immigrants not
only brought first class Labor bat immedi-
ate and prospective wealth to a communi-
, ty, in Support of which he presented sew
eral illustrations, which were as surprising
l as they were conclusive. We must in
2 crease the population of the State, in or
? | der that the iDexhaustible mineral treas
ures might be brought out of the earth,
: and our bourdless agricultural resources
developed This acc )mplished, State
debt would be unhesrd Of and prosperity
! and abundance bless the land. He was
| glad that the distinguished Scandinavian,
| Mr.. Blitchfeldt, was to visit us we could
learn something, ami felt sure we were
ready to profit by knowlsdgeof the subject
Z under consideration. He felt, too, as
though it was every individuals duty to
take upon himself share of the burden.
7 in carrying out plans that might lead to
e the increase CT our population; it was a
duty we owed to these who were to live
after we had passed away-:o at least have
q commenced the development of our nate
, raj wealth, and leave to cur children as
clean state of accounts as possible All
I must move together, with will and de-
termination to carry out what we had IN
{ dertaken, TO q successful consummaiion-
S and with this it would be an easy matter.
The add ssses Of these two eminent gen
e tlemen were listened to with the most pro-
found attention by the Board, and taken
either singly or together, they we're a treat
to listen to.
On motion the Committee on Legisla.
I ton was instructed to invite Col. Colyal
to assist them in drafting a bill, to be pre-.
sented to the Legislature for their consid-
! Grafton.
: 1t was stated that a bill was now pend.
ing in the Legislature looking to the re.
duction Of conventional interest from ten
to six per cent. The Committee on Legis-
lation was accordingly instructed to To-
quire into the matter, and use their infiu.
D ence to prevent its passage, as it wss very
, forcibly and clearly shown by the discus
D sion which followed its mention, that this
bill, if it became a law, world have the