The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-01-22

GM1oRATION.1-Th6 people 02 South
Carolina, for he'iass' half century, have
had a passion for sbe West. Parents
instill it into their children thas this is
an old WORKOUT county. and there is o
glorious home for them In the 'sne,o
countries" The result is that young
men grow up with the idea in their
heads that it will be impossible for them
to make a living in South Carolina,
and that they must leave the State as
soon as possible. This emigration mania
has produced a multitude of evils. It
has been the primary cause in produc-
ing these worn-out hills of which our
people complain 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 thon,
like an Arab, strike tent and so 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
notion of going to the West, is that it
has efectually prevented the farmers
from making permanent and comfortable
improvements. The homes of many of
our wealthy planters have little about
them to make them attractive. Every
house and fence is built on the most i'm
proved cheap scale. The object in view
seems to have been that the housing and
fencing might certainly rot down as soon
as the owner could ruin the fields The
contemplated point wns to emigrate,
leaving the whole premises an bowling
waste-n plateau of gullies studded with
the debris of i'll conceived and awkardly
constructed buildings. When the owner
got ready to leave, lie was forced to sell
at any price he could get. There was
nothing about the premises inviting
A still greater evil, resulting from this
migratory notion of our people, is that
it has made land cheap because it has
made the inhabitants few.
Now we do not think that Sonth
Carolina is paradise; neither do we
pretend to say that it is the best Stute in
the Union; but honestly, and with feel
ings OF pride, we do say that there are
as many advantages and as few disad-
vantages in South Carolina as in any
spot ON the continent. If we will, for
instance, compare York County, either
with the prairies of the West, or with the
Shenandoah Valley, we will find that it
Is possessed of rs many, if not more,
natural advantages rs either. It may be
that the valley of Virginia, or the
prairies, i'll 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 the praries or tho valley
Of Virginia. In York County, any and
everything can be produced that is
raised on the prairics, and besides, York
County is hcathful, and wo have good
water to drink. We can raise cotton in
York County, and it cannot be done in
the valley of Virginia.
Emigration is, and has been depicting
our County. Every industrious and
energetic young man that leaves the
State is real loss. Tho very fact that
he leave", has tendency to plncs his
native State in false light in the eyes
Of the world. We need Immigration.
If we had more permanent Inhabitants
of the right sort. in York County, we
claimed by other localities are only
imaginary. Several Of the Western and
North western States have, to great
extent, been settled by South Carolini
ans. Had these individuals remained in
the State, their own condition, in eyery
respect, would have been as good as it
is, aud the condition Of the State would.
day, be far better than it is at present.
They have not bettered themselves, and
they have injured the State.
IlorkriNe Enquirer.
- .-------
The history Of Ruloff. the murderer,
who was last Friday sentenced to be
hanged ut Binghampton, New York, is
very singular. He is now man Of
sixty five years of age, and. so far rs can
be ascertained, his first step in crime was
taken only twentysi years ago, when he
had almost reached tho age of forty.
He is scholar of unusual attainments,
and, previous to his fall, lie was not only
lawyer, but also physician and me-
chanic, and skilled in all three profess
sions. His wife and child disappeared
twenty-sx years ago, and he WAS put on
trial for abducting them, but escaped.
Then he was tried for the murder of his
child, and was convicted. but, before
sentence was passed, the Judgment was