The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1876-11-15
LETTER FROM WILLIAM
CENrRAL Texas. Oct. Is. 1876.

4
Editors Clarion This letter is dated
from different point than those of
previous date. circumstances seemed to
favor my removal from East Mississippi
to Texas Before | concluded fully. /
called upon Mr.. Jones and laid those
circumstances before him. He said
:" William, | shall soon be gathered to
my fathers; III the course OF nature you
will linger a few years The circum-
stances which you submit appear to justi
fly your determination, and | pray you
to be guided by your own judgment As
a general rule, men can and will do
better where they were raised than they
can in country new to them. This
State of ours possesses every element Of
prosperity. If you wish to pursue the
calling OF p farmer, you fad a soil fertile
and generous, a climate genial and
pleasant. Markets for your products are
at your door If you are an artisan,
facilities for operation are laylshly fur
nished. You can find water power, going
the circuit from vapor to rivers, from
rivers to vapor, in one eternal sound,
sufficient to turn the machinery of the
world. Timber of all kinds and Of the
very best texture invite the stroke OF
your axe. No part Of the earth can ex
hibit such a wonderful supply ofmaterial
for the shop Of the artisan as does Mis-
sissippi.
Socially, our people are known to be
hospitable and benevolent, and the good
health, securei by geographical position
and mild climate, contributes no little to
the disposition Of our citizens Religion
and education are fostered and main
tanned as the bulwarks Of good order.
POLITICALLY, our people now have the
State government in their own hands,
and there it will most probably remain
for all time. The presence Of our col
ored population secures Us abundant
unskilled labor, and offers opportunity
to our sons and daughters of becoming
both artists and artisans, viewing the
matter in all its aspects, Mississippi offers
more inducements to her citizens to re
main upon her soil than are offered them
elsewhere to move and she extends to
the emigrant everywhere more attractions
than any other land can exhibit Your
case may constitute an exception TO a
proposition ndisputable in its entirety.
| revoIved these statements OF Mr..
Jones in my mind again and again before
| decided to leave Mississippi.
| have seen very little OF this country,
but what | have seen Is not, all things
considered, equal to my old State. The
soil Is equal, perhaps generally more
productive, though not SO easily cult
waited Timber is scarce and very in
ferior In this portion of the State |
doubt the growth Of fruit trees Ger
tainly they do not grow now Cistern
frequently happens that stock suffers from
the drying up OF tanks III the prairies
The population of the country is good,
a great portion being drawn from people
broken down in fortune and hope in the
older States, and brought here by de
sire to recuperate in a new field of oper-
ations. There seems to be more hope
and confidence here, because there is not
so much contrast with happy past.
Life here is rather begun, and all are
looking more to the future the past,
they have put behind them.
Politically, Texas is Democratic-no
doubt about that. Socially, the popula-
ton is not SO homogeneousa with you, and
in the country society is inferior TO yours.
/ have been in but one town, Bryan, and
am happy to say that | have met no
more elegant ladies anywhere. Not only
a few, but the ladies generally are up to
the full standard of Southern women
anywhere Among the most noticeable
differences between country people, here
and there, is the difference in home
attractions and conyeniences. You see
lftla cf thnoa boVa n ,-t,la nf course
there are exceptions to the rule. One
idea exists in Mississippi and Alabama
that must be dismissed-the idea thut it
requires a lower order Of capacity and
qualification to succeed here than is de
manded there. That is a mistake. These
are the shrewdest people in the world, so
far as | have seen. The merchants,
doctors, lawyers, teachers, and every de-
partment of life, are fully up to the
average anywhere. Ordinary men fire.
quently succeed here because there have
been openings for particular professions
not found with you. That time has
passed. All the professions are crowded.
A man, who has no land east of the
river, can get good land here, ana get it
cheap, and can work and pay for it +; but
farmers, who wish to run" large place,
will be troubled about labor
1 have met Gov. Coke and Lieuten-
ant-Governor Hubbard. They are able
men. | heard them address the people
of Bryan on the questions involved in
the present national contest. Governor
Coke is Jeffersonian Democrat of the
old school, Gov. Hubbard is an orator
and genial gentleman. Physically, he
is about as large as Judges Simrall and
Chalmers put together, and about as
tall as Judge Chalmers His weight
must border on 400 pounds, avoirdupois.
Among the ladies l have met is Miss
+. Hunt, the Texan poetess-whose
muse has given to the world Hood
Brigade, by the Sea Side, etc. The
meeting was more pleasant, since Miss
Hunt is cousin of Mr.. Jones accom-
plished friend, Gen. kinloch Falconer of
your city.
l must close with many other things
to say. Twill venture to add one more
item, though seemingly out of place. Ne
groes here are not as good labor
ers as they are there. They are
very prohigate and idle, as rule. They
seem to care nothing for politics. On
Saturday they quit work and throng the
streets. Labor is in such demand that
they are masters of the situation Their
rights are as carefully guarded here as
they are anywhere, or as are the rights
of any other class Of citizens. The dis
trict court has been held since [ have
been here, and the colored man figured
in jurisprudence like he does in Noxubee
and Kinds Circuit Courts.
Goodbye, gentlemen, l may write you
again. Nous gerrons
WILLIAM
p. s Tell Col. Jones Hamilton that
Ahoro q 70 . 0lA conr;rt- -, -, D.,,;4...,