The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1874-05-20
IMMIGRATION.

Ac 1AhuSA SoiA 4sesStss5S 3 y q
an interesting letterIon this snbie ctfrom
the Hon. VIM. n. Trescott, add ressed
to B. F. Crayton, Esq, Commission
of Immigration for that County in
which he suggests what he regards the
best means of securing the end in view,
as we'll as the true principles which
should control the movement. He Is
opposed to making the question politi-
cal one, and disclaims any desire to dis
pense with the present labor by sup
planting O mass of ignorant blacks with
a similar class of whites. He is for CIV
ing the poor of both races the same op-
portunity. to improve their condition
by purchasing lands and applying their
lands to it's cultivation. But conceding
this, and without doing injury to the
rights or Interests of any, there is still
room for large and prosperous .immi-
grafton. 1t is all-important that this
Immigration should bring alike intelli-
Fgence ana capital, and the end will be
better promoted by importing families
than individual laborers. These last
have nothing to attract them in the
habits, mode of life, system of labor,
and food, which arc new to them, and
hence distasteful, and they soon leave.
A few families, on the contrary, will
form the nucleus of a growing popula-
ton and attract other immigrants. On
this point, Mr.. Trescott says:
If you expect to induce immigration,
and not to wait for immigrants to come
of their own accord, you must to some
extent consider the ways and habits OF
those whom you wish to attract. We
are not likely to obtain either English
or Scotch immigrants-the best agricul-
tural Immigrants in the world. Irish
immigration naturally gravitates to the
large cities and the great railroad works;
and think it clear that the general
wish is for German immigration-of all
immigrants those who most hang to-
gether and are governed in their move
ments by social ties and old associations.
The only plan. therefore, which think
will succeed with them is immigration
by colonization. Do not offer to give
lands. "Forty acres and mule" will
not make an independent, hard-work-
ing farmer any sooner than it has made
black one, but ifyou can offer fair land
at fair price, with a reasonable credit,
1 have no doubt that, with our, advan-
tages of soil and climate, we will find
immigrants willing to come. An in
dustrious laborer, with O family of two
sons and daughter, can understand
the advantages Of all offer of one hun
dred acres Of good land, say, at six dol
lars an acre, in a healthy country, where
one of his sons can work on neighbor-
ing farm at $40 a month, or his daughter
can go into service in q respectable fam
lily within short distance, feeling that
by their effort they are aiding in set
tling and securing the family home, so
that with his own labor and his re-
naming son, four years will make them
independent landholders; and the son
and daughter will do their work more
and cheerfully, when they
feel and see the result before them, and
when they are near enough to their
parents to have all the benefit of their
sympathy and counsel. One hundred
such families settled in this County
would soon attract others, and you would
find steady stream of the best sort of
flowing in upon US before
we were conscious that we had dug the
channel. From such q settlement labor
,onld be procured with a knowledge of
its character and some certainty of its
steady employment, These people would
bring with them their knowledge; the
possession of their own small means
would make them more respected and
more respectable; there would be mu-
,hsl interchange between them and
heir neighbors of learning and teach
ng, aud there would be the gradual
Of land and steady appre-
,iation of its value. Such plan would
10 more, do it better, and DO it more
quickly than five times the amount
spent in bringing in individual laborers.