The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-03-19
HoYT 8 CO., Proprietor

aO - - w W. .A -
Gen. Gary's Speech on the Ta1-Payers' Con-
We make the annexed extract from the
speech of Gen. NJ. w. Gary, of Edgeheld,
upon the report of the Committee on Immi-
grafton, in which he discusses the various
modes of relief suggested for the amelioration
of our political condition. His remarks on
the subject of immigration will prove interest
ing to our readers:
The third, and only feasible one, is the ques-
ton of introducing white Immigration into
this State. The facts set forth in the report,
show that there is growing spirit on the part
Of the citizens of this State to offer the greatest
inducements to the immigrant. We have now
thirty-three Counties, ten of which have white
naiorities and there are twelve others that
will soon have white majorities by the intro
duction of white immigrants. And IN this way
we will get control Of the County and then OF
the State Government. believe that South
Carolina is the best State in the Union. I do
not saw SO from any provincial pride, but have
come to this conclusion after visiting most of
the States, We have the best soil and the
finest climate; our people are the descendants
of the Huguenots and Cavaliers, and have no
equal, save in the State of Virginia; and our
market crops are the most remuneratiye that
are known in the commercial world. have
never despaired of the ultimate redemption OF
our State. 1t is unmanly to despair. A coun-
try that has been so blessed by nature can
never continue under the control OF the corrupt
and profigate. The material development OF
this State, even under her present bad govern
ment, is equal to any other State. When the
late panic came, the veralct OF the business
men of South Carolina was the best in the
United States. ..-s-.-~,-.s,.,-..
believe the emancipation of our slaves was
a blessing-iR disguise. I expressed this opln-
ion In iS68 in q speech at Edgefeld Court
House, / then contended that slavery was
constitutional curse to the entire South. At
the commencement of the war the South owned
four miIlion slaves, and at an average value of
five hundred dollars each, they were worth two
billions of dollars. This then was the amount
that we had invested in perishable property.
A generation only lives about thirty years; so
you see that the people of the South, at the
expiration of about every thirty years, boxed
up their national wealth, to the amount of two
billions of dollars, in q pine coffin, painted it
black, and buried 1t six feet beneath the sod.
Such was the short-sighted system of the South,
which was in violation of every maxim OF
Political Economy that looks to national wealth
and prosperity. The people of the free States
invested their capital in real estate, railroads,
shipping. banks, manufactures, and in fact
everything that was not perishabse property.
Hence it Was. before the war, that the inhospi-
table climate and sterile soil of Massachusetts,
had made its citizens richer than the genial
climate and prolific soil of South Carolina.
You already see the effects of the liberation of
capital that arises from the sale of your crops
which was formerly invested in negroes; you
now invest it in improvements upon your real
estate reducing the number of acres cultivated
and increasing the yield of your crops, by the
use of the best fertilizers, and labor saving i'm
plements, and in the adornment and beautify-
ing of your recently desolated homes.
Each immigrant that you Introduce, as COM
puted by political economists, will be worth
one thousand dollars to the State; so II you
are actuated by NO other motive than adding
to the productive wealth OF the State, you must
aid in their introduction.
The chronic discomfort and constant whin-
ing which characterizes q great many OF our
citizens, will never bring back your lost tor,
tunes or relieve the State from its present bad
government. -
sro mourn mischief that is past and gone
Is the next way to draw new mischief on"
Let each citizen set himself seriously and
patiently to work to overcome our difficulties,
and my word for it, we will be bound to succeed.
Quit harping on the past, and only look to the
glorious future.
The completion of the various Railroads
throughout the State, and the projection of
others, is an evidence that the true spirit OF
enterprise and progress has not been extln-
guished. The Air Line Railroad and the Col
umbia and Augusta Railroad perfect the direct
communication betWeen-NeY York and New
Orleans. The projected Road which is to put
Charleston aud Port Royal in direct communl-
cation with Chicago, and other great cities OF
the North West, gill add greatly 70 our mate
rial development. The completion OF the
Railroad from Augusta to Port Royal gives US
the benefit of the best harbor on the Atlantic
deep enough to float the largest ships that
traverse the ocean. And the recent establish
mens of a line of Steamers from Port Royal
to Europe foreshadows the prosperity of this
new city When these various Roads are COM
pleted, our State will be geographically superb
or to any in the Union, for we will have two OF
the largest railroad routes intersecting each
other in this State, and the probability is that
they will be completed in few years.
I do not advocate the introduction of white
Immigrants from aay unkind feeling towards
the negro. remember with a proper sense of
gratitude the many faithful acts they perform
ed during the war, and it is true they have
been misled by the adventurers from the North
and our native scalawags. I am willing TOR
them to remain here, but not as the dominant
or controlling race. This country was discov-
cred BY the white race, it has been settled by
the white race, and there are in the United
States thirty millions of whites to four millions
of negroes. The white mans natural sympa-
thies 90 with his race. 1t is the instinct Of
race that God has placed in the breast Of every
Caucasian. In order to effect the change we
desire, we must have but one idea, the intr0; !2;
duction Of good white immigrants, such as will
make honest and law abiding citizens, such as
will not seek to plunder us under the forms OF
law. The Romans had emblazoned on their