American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-01-30

The following extract from a
speech made by Col. IL. Musgrove
to au Illinois audience contains in
formation of general interest to
the reuder:
Mis-issippi's condition financially
was aouris hing, the State o~in.,,
all told, not to exceed 1900, 600.
Its climate is mild and salubrious,
tho speaker claimed, and had re
stored mis- health aud that of others.
The summers are long and warm,
but rarely reach the extreme heat
so often felt III TIE North and
" est, and the days and nights are
generally made comfortable by Il
lively breeze. The winters are
short aud mild. The soil, too, Is
good and generally unexcelled in
fertility some OF the land, the belt
between the Yazoo and the Missis-
sippi, known as the delta, for ex-
amp!e, were, be thought, the most
pr. ductive he had ever Seen. The
pine lands, too, .therto largely
undeveloped, would prove event.
ually an inexhaustible source of
wealth. Cotton was the great
staple, but unfortunately too much
reliance was placed upon it, and
the old slave style kept up, Of de-
pending wholly upon one kind OF
crop, instead of diversifying them.
By this means, if the cotton crop
failed, and there was no supply
crop, some were disposed to take a
gloomy view of AFFAIRS, and many
of the old Southern planters, dis
Outraged, had emigrated to Texas.
The unsettled condition of political
affairs, as they viewed 1t, had in
duced the emigration of some
Southerners, too, and there was !
moi SO much Immigration as it was
hoped now to induce. 1t was
thought better day was dawning
for Mississippi, and the tide OF EN-
igration might be turned in that |
direction. The West and South
were bound by railroad and water
connections, and the interchange !
OF products betwe The sections |
should bind the people together. |
There was not so much difference !
between them, and they had many
characteristics in common. The |
Southern people were hospit,bie,
aud the Mississippians would wei I
come all from the North VINO came |
TO identity themselves with the in
terests and prosperity of the State
The Colonel invited questions, and
Ia response said tina. land was SO
cheap that good farmers could
make It's prize IN one year, and |
good farmers were wanted. On q
farm OF his he raised two crops
every year, and if turnips and such
three. Blue grass was not raised.
but there was a substitute in Der
IN ida grass clover could be raised
farm labor was cheap,
encing good and the Usage hedge
AZ home. state taxes are limited
% % mills on the 800. There
" As excellent school faciiities, and
shite by law the coiored people
we're entitled to admission to the
.chools and Other public places,
ione took advantage of rights now
hat they were no longer disputed,
md there were no mixed schools
II the State.
There was an abundance of
water and water power. Corn was
Tery productive IN some sections.
There was less misrdle now than
n the years Immediately after the
var, and more disposition to fully
ccept the results Of the war. rhe
peaker, III response to lnterroga-
ories, gave n history Of the Vicks- /,
urg affair, and thought both par
les to tho conflict were cuipable.
he coiored men generally were