Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1871-02-03
- -
Emigration.

me people OF South Carolina, for the last
half century, have had passion for the
West. Parents instil it into thei., children
that this is an old. worn out country, and tbat
there Is glorious home for them in the "ae,v
countries" The result is that young men
grow up with the idea in their heads that it
will be impossible for them to nuke . iyin,
in South Carolina, and that they must leave
the State as soon as possible. This emigra
t'on mania has produced a multitude of evils.
II has been the primary cause in producing
these ornout hills of which our people com.
plain so much. The theory with our people
has been, cut down the forest lands, plant
them in cotton and run them literally to
DEATH and then, like an Arab, strike tent
anu go to new country! The owner of
these lands acted like covetous renter, who
had an eye to the immediate product Of the
soil and ignored all damages.
Another evil which resulted from this no.
ton of going to the West, is that it has ctfec-
tually prevented the farmers from making
permanent and comfortable improvements.
The homes of many of our wealthy planter,
have little about them to make them attrac-
tive. Every house and fence is built or the
most improved cheap scalc The object ia
view seems to have been that the housing
and fencing might certainly rot down as soon
as the owner could ruin the fields. The con-
temp'ated point was to emigrate, leaving the
tho whole premises an bowling waste-a pla.
teau of gu!lies, studded with tho debris Of
Ill conceived andawkwardly constructed build.
Dgs. When then the owner got ready to
leave, he was forced to sell at any price he
could get There was nothing about the
premises inviting. A still greater evil, re.
sultng from this migratory notion of our peo.
pic, is that it has made land cheap bccause it
has made the inhabitants few
Nov, VIC do not think that South Carolina
is paradise; neither do we pretend to say
thai~it is the hest State in the Union; but
say that there arc as many advantages and as
few disadvantages in South Carolina as in any
spot on the continent. live will, forinstarce,
compare York county. either with the prairies
If the west, or with the Shenandoah valley,
We will find it is possessed of as many, if not
more, natural advantages than either. It may
be that the valley of Virginia, or the prairics,
in point Of rich soil, surpass any part of York
county. This may be true, or it may not
but all of York county enjoys blessings that
are not possessed by Che proircs or the valley
ofVirginia In York county any and every
thing can be produced that is raised on the
pra;rios, and besides, York county is health
full, aud we have good water to drink. We
can raise cotton in York county, aud it can
not be done in the valley of Virginia.
Emigration is, and has been depicting our
county. Every industrious and energetic
young man that leaves the Stnte is a rca! loss.
The very fact that he leaves, has tendency to
place his native State in false light in the
eyes of the world. We need immigration
If VIC had more permanent inhabitants Of the
right sort, in York county, we would soon SEQ
that advantage clamed by other localities is
only imaginary. Several Of the western and
northwestern States have, to great extent,
been settled by South Caroliniars. Had
these individuals remained in the State, their
own condition, in every respect, would have
been as good as it is, and the condition Of the
State would, day, be far better than it ig
at present. They have not bettered themscl-
yes, and they have injured the State. Iork-
vile Enquirer.
HEROIC CoNDUcT OF THE DAUGHTER or
SHER1FF.-Thc Lancaster (S. C) Ledger,
of the 18th, says
Gan attempt was made by some Of the
prisoners confined in the Jail at this place to
break out on Tuesday Of last week. young
man in tho employ of the Sheriff was in the
act of feeding the prisoners. AS he opened
tho outside door (tho prisoners in tho day
time being allowed to walk) he was knocked
down by one of them, who rushed down the
stairs and made good his escape. The boy
who was confined for the murder Of Kirkpat.
rick followed, but tho youngest daughter Of the
Sheriff, hearing the roisc and presuming the
facts, gathered an OK and ran to the foot Of
the stairs in time to meet him just as he was
about to make his exit. Striking him on the
shoulder first, to disable him, she seized hold
of him and held him fast until assistance
came. Bot for tic bravery and GOODNESS Of
the young lady, the murderer would undoubt.
cdly have made his escape"
L .