The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-01-12
THE GERMAN SOCIETY OF SoUrH
C4ROLINA.

CAROLINA.
The annual meeting of this society was held
last evening, at the hall Of the Bruderlicheound'
when the following annual report was read:
PRESIDENTS REPORT.
ent,emen-WhiIss our society as yet has been
| circumscribed In her operations, IL may De seen
| from the special reports that we nave NOT oeen
without good, and that We have had the oppor'
| trymen q real blessing. The German societies OF
| the larger American cities have more extensive
| field and far superior resources. our New IorS
| sister spends her charities upon thousands, ana
Sc ;ses a fund for the lance OF poor imml,
grants but she alss provides for the education OF
| their YOUTH and affords not only her own men,
bers, but all INDECENT German meenanlcs ala Ia Ia,
| borers the facility OF improving their mind and
| refining their taste by means OF an extensive anu
valuable library ard periodical technical and MS
torical lectures towards which objects her numc'
rous prominent and highly educated melnoers
render n willing assistance. In Charleston we
| have only recently begun the noble worH, ana IL
| has been impossible to accomplish much 10 tnls
\ brief period. But what we have done 10 praise
worthy and with the blessings OF proVldence we
will. In q few years. be enabled to more credtably
| follow the example OF our German sister societies
OF other parts OF the world.
1.-THE German character, deservealy, IS praised
| 90 highly and the German name enjoys In every
| sphere In the estimation OF the better and
worthier classes OF mankind, such grateful
| posit,on, it may not be denied that the German
system OF association, which prevails an over the
| globe, is entitled to prominent portion OF the
merit. But OF all associations, surely none are
more truly humanitarian, more venerable or pup
lic.spirited than those that are preemlnenty dls,
tingulshed as "the German Socletles,n WHICH,, ail
| over the world, without the least selhshness or
| speculative intentions, as their main aad only
object, care for the poor German brother, tnat
| without means may be found wandering IN tae
strangerland in search Of employment and shelter,
needing advice aud help or who may be BY slcS. G.:
ness prevented from earning his livelihood by his
own toll. ,,
source OF consolation and pride that their ira
terna hand should be found to greet the poverty
stricken countryman in every cline. ln ol9 ASIA
In burning Africa; IN Australia as IL Ia u, ie RE- re
rope the distressed German will dnd orotner's
grasp. 1t is said that Engand's reveille rescands
at every hour OF the revolution or the eartn.
Germany,s faithful spirit performs the same revo-
lution not with the destroying sword, but as the
messenger Of love, soothing the stricken heart as
the dew OF the morning hour relreshes thirSling
vegetation. Is II not apparent to every rational
understanding how noble must be the character
OF people whose children in all portlons OF our
sphere have founded institutions IN which noverty
NAV find help, iueNoerience ADVICE, distress coli.
ISOLATION and relief aud tne @aemployeG9 y e,sUIs
Is not the bearer OF trivial ceremonies anu MP
pant modes, but OF better civilization, oaseu
upon truthful humanity. Thus we may ne grate
ful TO Cod who has moved The spirit Of our cuun.
trymen everywhere, also In South Carolina, anu
ne are grateful to our German brethren that lhey
have advanced the work OF our German society 70
its near fruition, which was Tor Sontn CaroHaa a a
necessity, and for our German people matter OF
honor Thus we are grateful also to our Ameri-
can fellow citizens who have stndly anu wlllngly
assisted our benevolent institutions. Tne Good
Lord bless all the German societies wherever thelr
homes NAV be located and strengthen our hearts
thar we may never ralter In the gOod work OF un.
dealed charity and German fraternity.
On the lst OF January, 1870: we numbered %, one
two hundred and sixteen, and have therefore IN
creased in the course OF the year eighty-two.
Our receipts during the year 1871 nave
amounted 10 $500, and arrears unpaid ,,o ~
500 in all therefore S639. So3s Co
Our payments have been as follows VIZ:
Printing and advertising g..........SloI %
Books, seal, &c. ......-.......'''ov os
Agents salary. ........................1S eo
Donations To Is persons. ..............oo oo
Arrears as above. ...oo oo-''' %
In treasury now. ow......................sa $3.50 2s
There is now due $s5 ior secretary ys 5 saa- "a
r. and S25 for agents salary, winch re- ~
duces our clear balance to-. S2s3 %
which according to our constitution VIII nave to
be funded.
four persons have made application at our agency
or these forty-s1 have, through the assistance OF
the agent, obtained employment; SIX OF them
have been forwarded to St. Louis at q reduceu
rate OF fare; two were sick and have been furnish
ed pecuniary aid and sent to the hospital, where
one OF them died and the other recovered !
eighteen have been assisted BY pecunary dOna.
half rates, and the others have been furnished In
struc.ons and forwarded into the Interior Of our
| State.
or those for whom we obtained employment In
the city, nine had returned from SewSssry % lot
which place they had been engaged IN New 1oik
| by the agent OF the socalled immigration 80
ciety.n Whilst We may not in every instance
| have faith in the complaints Of such wanderers,
our ocety Will never refrain from 1as e
| cessary. In our German settlement OF Walha!la
| number Of German workiogmen from Newoerry
had also arrived 10 state OF utter destltutlon,
without means and SICK. They were kindly cared
for, thanks to the good people OF our mountains,
| aud especially Of Mr. Blemann, and furnished
medical aid, nursing, and on their recovery, en-
ployment.
It NAV not be denied that the German working
| men should be cautious In the selection Of their
engagements. and In the CONDITIONS OF their con-
tracts. Our sister societies, especially the one IN
| New York, where at present so many lanor agents
| OF the South congregate, should cause such pre-
| cautions to be adopted, that no engagements oe
permitted when the respective agents 10 not pro-
| duce recommendations from their nearest Ger-
| man society. Aud these should be very partlcu.
| lar in giving such Recommendations, only alter
| careful Inquiry. EmIgrant societies are, In many
respects beneficial and desirable institutions for
| employers 8nQ empl0yee'. bus1tneif ooyeee ID
| their own advantage. aud the endaaV0r 10 pro.
mote only their own immediate profit: They mis-.
take their eventual goud Ia their effort TO reduce
| the earninga OF their worEingmen- GOOD ana
| prompt wages, and good and wholesome board.
| with gentle treatment secures good, honest ana
| remunerating service, and generous lnru& OF de-
| slrable labor OF the want Of which the Soutn Is
| now painfully aware. The German societies.
should supervise these matters strictly, not only
as protection and In the ntel est OF the German
laboring class, but In the real interest," OF our
| whole South which, after all, can only reooVe,
her 'ormer prosperity by means OF speedy ano q
enlarzed Immigration. Our agent mas eHnloltea
a pralseworthy effort in his,otfclal duties, and
from time to time gathers such experience as VIII
enable him to be more useful every year, and an
honor to our society. He Is held to keep exact
books one being register to record the appllca'
tons OF the Immigrants, their wants and requests
for assistance or employment, the day OF tht lr ar
rival their name, place OF birth, last place OF resi-
dence, trade or occupation. age and gender; ana
the other record. In which the names, resi-.
dence, occupations, and offered mJloynent ans
wages OF the citizens are noted, who are deslrous
or German employees.
Our treasurer has given us bond OF $4,000
with two ood suretieS, aud an agent q bond ol
$500, with two good sureties, for the faithful per
furmance OF rhelr respective duties, III conse
ouence OF which our financial status Is sattsfacf0
rily secured. At meeting or the board of di
rectors several months ago, the treasurer, Cap