Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1873-02-13
IMMIGRATION 70 TENNESSEE.
LETTER L.
BY REV, ROBERT d. THOMAS.

81
BY REV, ROBERT d. THOMAS.
To the Hon. David Richards:
DEAR FRIEND: am glad that the Leg
islature at Nashville have appointed 8
committee to take under their considers
/ ton the important subject of immigration
to Tennessee, and hope that they will be
enabled to draw and to pass liberal bill
to encourage and aid immigration to this
healthy and wealthy State, this season. ]
propose to write several letters on the sub.
ject, and address them to you through our
valuable paper the KNOXVILLE CHRONI-
Gle, hoping thereby that they will be APP
preciated b.. 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
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 piO-
neers Of the Welsh Nation to the State
Tennessee and L am glad that ''Tne
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 great
many industrious and religious Welshmen
after you hither, of employing q great
many of the working class of ali nations,
and of benefiting the State Government.
| This is now 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 1 humbly inform the
public, that have studied the subject of
Immigration from Wales to the United
States of 4merica, 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 ia
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 rettie
| ments in America, and ex plOred 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 | in
| tend to visit Wales, my native land, to ad
vocate the cause of immigration, and to
publish my last volume there also. L
would like to get more information about
the State of Tennessee before 1 leave.
| 1 consider this first letter to you as an
introduction to what l intend to write in
my following letters on the important sub
| JeCG Oi W ISHIeSSec, anu
| therefore it will contain but a few facts
only on immigration, genCfa ally, briefly
stated. I believe that you, and others,
| will make the best use of them.
/. The great God has not made the
earth in cain, 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
| II hoe hpn
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.
2. 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.
8. Mankind, soon after the deluge. were
| place.; and for that purpose they COM
menced to build large city, and a very
high IotCer! and thereby went directly
against the wishes and commandment OF
| God (Gen. 1-2S) and consequently He
COMPOUNDED their language" and COM
PEELED them to inlnaigrate: $50 the Lord
scattered them abroad from thence upon
the face of all the EARTH" (Gen. III, s.
1t would be q wise legislation in every
all loafers, saloon keepers, thieves, and all
! Incorporate men, that crowd and curse
our large cities, to immigrate to the cOu,a-
try, to cultivate their own farms or TO be
daily employ ed in some other eful bust
ness. Thereby they would be ten times
healthier and happier, and more useful to
| their families and others.
T. Many of the Governments of Europe
have made great mistake, by dividing
their lands among the aristocracy; and by
permitting them to enrich themselves by
their sinecures, and to disfranchise and
Cypress the working people by not paying
them proper aUdgeS for their hard labors !;
by not providing for them and their chill
dren useful education, and by depriving
them of every hope of advancing in
knowledge, happiness, liberty and useful
ness. ..5s
SUCH SLAVERY Is STILL EXISTING,
in many of the European Governments,
to their great injuIy 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.
5. The Almighty has oUer-ruied the
civil and religious oppression of the Euro
pean Governments to incline tie 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 Cypress
ed. This glorious Republican Govern
ment has been, and is still, terror to IT,
rants. : May it forever stand; and may
righteousness, liberty, peace, and piety ex.
alt it forever Millions already have i'm
| rniurated tn 1T and have been welcomed
by it. They have found "happy homes
4 for themselves and children here, together
with civil and religious liberty. This has
made our Government great, powerful
and prosperous; and no power can crush
it as long as it will reign in righteous ness
immigration is even now but just com