Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-02-19
IMMIGRATION TO TENNESSEE.
LETTER y.
by REV, ROBERT d. ri


To the Hon. David Richards.
DEAR FRIEND: l am glad that the Leg
islature at Nashville have appointed q
committee to take under their considera
ton the important subject of Immigration
to Tennessee, and hope that they will be
enabled to draw and to pass q liberal bill
TO encourage and aid immigration to this
healthy and wealthy State, this season. l
propose to write several letters on the SUBJ
iect, and address them to you through our
valuable paper the KNOXVILLE CHRoNI-
Gle, hoping thereby that they will be APP
preciated by its numerous and intelligent
readers-made known to the honorable
members of the Committee on Immigra-
tion-and copied by other influential pa
pers, through their kindness. l believe l
can write something on this subject that
will be interesting to the people and bene-
fit the Government
Yourself and brothers Joseph and Will
liam Richards, and others, were the po-
neers of the Welsh Nation to the State of
Tennessee; and L am glad that 1.-The
Knoxville Iron and Coal Company un-
der your wise management, have already
been the means of developing the rich re-
sources of the State, of drawing n great
many Industrious and religious Welshmen
after you hither, of employing q great
many of the working class of all nations,
and of benefiting the State Government.
This is now a well known fact, acknowl-
edged by the most influential men in Ten
nessee. May you live long, and enjoy good
health, TO continue your worthy efforts to
benefit your nation, and the people of Ten
nessee generally.
You know, and / humbly inform the
public, that have studied the subject of
Immigration from Wales to the United
States of america, for the past twenty-five
years, and have published two precious
volumes in the Welsh language to dissem-
mate information to the people, and to fla
cilitate and encourage immigration. The
first was published in Wales in 1854, and
the second in America in 1872. For this
purpose have visited all the Welsh settle
ments in America, and explored many of
the Public, State and Railroad lands, and
correspondent with the most intelligent
men, which took me years of valuable time
and thousands of dollars. Next April l in
tend to visit Wales my native land, to adj
vocate the cause of Immigration. and to
publish my last volume there also. |
would like to get more information about
the State of Tennessee before l leave.
I consider this first letter to you as an
introduction TO what / intend to write in
my following letters on the important sub
ieGt of immigration to Tennessee; and
therefore it will contain but few facts
only on immigration, generally, briefly
stated. / believe that you, and others,
will make the best use of them.
/. The great God has not made the
earth in rain, but has intended it for the
habitation of mankind generally. Every
industrious and loyal man has an original
right in some portion of the soil of the
earth. (Gen. 1-2S. lisa. 45-12, 49, Every
thing within and upon the earth, has been
given by the Creator to man, to make the
best use of them for the benefit of himself,
and Others, and the glory of God.
,. The cultivation of the soil of the
earth, and the study and the employment
of the useful arts and sciences, has been
intended by God, for the happiness of
mankind Every man ought to have
some useful employment. Gen, 2-15.
3. Mankind, soon after the deluge. were
inclined to remain together in the same
place.; and for that purpose they COM
menced to build large city, and a very
high IO1Ucr and thereby went directly
dgui3St the wishes and commandment of
God (Gen. 1--2S) and consequently He
COMPOUNDED their language and COM
DCXed them to imnligTdtC. $50 the Lord
scattered them abroad from thence upon
the face of all the earth" Gen. IL, S.
1t would be wise legislation in every
state to enact laws to compel and assist
all loafeTs, saloon keepers, thieves, and all
incorporate men, that crowd and curse
our large cities, to immigrate to the cO1n-
iTY, to cultivate their own farms or to be
daily employed in some other useful bust
ness. Thereby they would be ten times
healthier and happier, and more useful to
their families and Others.
+. Many of the Governments of Europe
have made great mistake, by dividing
their lands among the arstocracy; and by
= permitting them to enrich themselves by
their sinecures, and to disfranchise and
Cypress the working people by not paying
them proper aCages for their hard labors !;
10y not providing for them and their chill
dren uScftH education, and by depriving
them of every hope of advancing in
knowledge, happiness, liberty and useful
ness
SUCH SLAVERY Is STILL EXISTING,
in many of the European Governments,
TO their great injury and shame; and this
has been, and is now, the great cause of
their poverty, contentious, wars, crimes,
and miseries. Their misrule and oppres-
sion is their inward weakness, and has
cursed their lands and frustrated their
prosperity, No Government can prosper
long in unrighteousness.
>. The Almighty has OCCr-Tuted the
civil and religious oppression of the Euro
pean Governments to incline the working
people to leave their native lands and to
facilitate immigration: and in His kind
Providence has opened an asylum in the
United States of America for all the good,
industrious and religious that are oppress-
ed. This glorious Republican Govern
ment has been, and is STILL q terror to U-
rants. May IL forever stand; and may
righteousness, liberty, peace, and piety eN-
alt it forever. Millions already have inn
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