Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-01-29

| lore we can experience any great neon
venience from density of population;
that we have still q vast unoccupied do
main, neither beneftting the government
nor its citizens. True, nor is it
doing harm, or costing anybody
cent to keep it. In the dis
tant future, how far distant know not,
but I do know, so sure as time con-
tinues, we will arrive at the same
crowded condition that now troubles the
Governments of the old world and 80 in
conveniences their people. Then our de-
scendants q mean foreign and natiye)
will have no unoccupied domain no wild
lands upon which to locate. They will
already be preoccupied by former citizens
of the old world, greatly to the relief of
their respective Governments and peoples.
This condition has been greatly facilitated
by that famous Homestead bill, which
gave popularity, influence and position to
Andrew johnson, while depriving our
citizens, native and foreign, and their de-
scendants, of property justly theirs, and
which at some future period they will
need. l think, my friends, you are advo-
eating policy against your best interests.
You should seek to increase the rewards
of labor. Did competition ever do this
any where or at any time in the history
of the world2 Will it increase the wages
of any human being who lives by the
sweat of the brow (either physical or
mentaD. There is one very intelligent
class, who lead society and control the
public policy of the country Il
of course mean lawyers), who,
as far as know, are universally
the advocates of immigration expecting
thereby to increase the number of their
Chants; doctors, too, advocate 1t, expect
ing to increase the number of their
patients. But; my friends, immigration
will import lawyers and doctors too, in
crease competition, and as certainly, I
think, decrease your fees. If l am mis-
taken in all this, why do you not pull up
stakes and go to population, and not ex-
haust your patience waiting here for it.
do not know but the above arguments
will apply, with equal force, to our
monied capitalists My reading teaches
me that the value of money, like labor, is
decreased by competition; hence it is
cheaper in the old world than in the new
cheaper in New York than in the
sparsely settled country of the South.
l have thus far presented this subject
solely in financial poIEt of view. will
now endeavor to show the effect of
crowded population in a moral point
Here, the aristocratic landlord is equal
ly interested with all other classes and
conditions of society. More than three
I hor ha
where l now liye-the country then new
and sparsely peopled. Hospitality, gener
osity, charity, sociability and integrity
were common virtues, and per consequence
confidence almost universal. These l
esteem great human virtues, which con-
tribute largely to the enjOyments and
well-being of society. At that period
every one esteemed it duty to help his
neighbor when called on; to build his
cabin, his crib, and if need be to shuck
his corn-when his neighbours word was
as good as his bond. Then penitentiaries
nor jails were hardly thought of. True
small log pen, called q Jail, was some
times used, but so rarely that the incar-
ceration of single criminal produced
quite an excitement in the public mind.
All this has changed even here. Now no
man is expected to assist his neighbor to
build bis house or even to shuck his corr;
no mans word is taken-the bond always
demanded. Why this change, and what
has produced it, if not increase of popula-
tionH leave my readers to decide the
case for themselves. In New York, the
great metropolis of the United States, |
think l witnessed scarcity of the viz
tues spoken of; more wealth, yet more
selfishness; more want and greater degra-
dation than could be found in any ten
sparsely populated States of the Union
Population increases competition;
competition reduces GUGgeSj reduction
of GUageS generates rant; aOG,at leads
to degradation and crime.
/ am not accustomed to public speak
ing, nor in the habit of writing for news
paper publication, but st meeting of the
Farmers Club of this county, held in the
city of Nashville on the 14th inst, the
labor question being under discussion,
made some remarks, which, it appears,
greatly excited the Indignation of por-
ton of the foreign population of Nash
vile. An Indignation meeting was held
in the Capitol of the State. In that meet
ing my views were misunderstood or will
fully misrepresentcd. / was advocating
negro in preference TO foreign labor for
the following reasons: First, The negro
was already here and citizen of the
country. We had raised them. They
had been our slaves. We had enjoyed
the fruits of their labor in The past. That
humanity, even common justice demanded
that we, his former owners, should give
them a fair and patient trial. Thatif we cast
them off, they must necessarily, become
paupers, and as a consequence thieves
and robbers, and most dangerous
element in society. Further, without ex-
perience in regard to the value of foreign
labor, except as artisans, l stated, as
my opinion, after many years of expe-
Renee, that the negro from his organiza-
ton, physical and mental, was better
adapted to the drudgery of farm work
than any other race of people; that we
could board them cheaper; that they were
| the most patient, contented and happy
race in their humble position, resulting
from an organization that did not belong
to any other people. Besides, they pos
sessed the capacity of enduring labor
under sun that would be distressing, if
not insupportable to any other race. For
these reasons, and many others, did not
think we would gain by exchanging the
negro for the SCUM of the old world
who were daily landing on our shores.
"iScunp"-this is the little word that
raised the tempest. hope it did not ap-
ply to any in that indignation meeting.
But my foreign friends, what country
has no scum9 You must answer, not one
under the canopy of heaven. Unfor-
| tunately for our race too many here and
everywhere else. Where there are most
people, there you will find most scum.
| Chiefly from this class we must select
laborers to do the farm work. Among
other things fling was made at my Vir
ginis ancestry. My friends, l have spent
much mole time in learning the pedi-
grees of my horses than my own. AS far
as 1 know, my paternal great-great-grand-
father was from England gentleman
of good position. My maternal great
great-grandfather from Germany; of his
history know nothing. He might, for
aught 1 know, have been a SCUM. A
word in reply to the slur and misrepre-
resentation of my remarks on the subject