The weekly clarion., 1876-01-19
Vlcksburg Sentinel.
Letter from M. hid. HHfIIyard, Esq.
On Immigration
McCoMB CITY, MISS, Jan. II. 1876


To Hon. f. BGrkSdale:
You close an editorial in the last issue OF
She McComb City InLelIigencer thus: Laws
should also be passed offering attractive
inducements to settlers, and especially
those who will come prepared to purchase
their own homes This suggestion is SO
much in accordance with my own views.
and the necessities of the situation with
reference to immigration, that beg leave
to accord it a very hearty approval.
trust l may receive no Imputation OF
intrusiveness iu so phrasing my agreement
with your views. / have no affectation
about my claims (and hope no arrogance)
in behalf of immigration. Having labored
so asSiduously, and, l trust, infuentially =,
in the direction of immigration, anything in
its interests, may well be supposed to have
my hearty sympathy.
am thoroughly convinced that the State
must utilize the publicity that has been
| given to her attractions, not to do so i'm
plies either ignorance of this publicity, or
indifference TO imm igratiOn. That no one
may be uniformed of, at least, part of the
publicity given this State, or rather the line
of the New Orleans, St. Louis d Chicago
| railroad, | will state that, through my
efforts directly and Indirectly her merits
have been canvassed in over one thousand
news spapers, as | compute in the North and
West, some of hem the most prominent
journals in the country
Can any one fail to see that persons
thinking of emigrating here are not look
ing anxioUsly to see what the State has
done, or will do, or that these inquirer3 are
indifferent to either unconce-n or Il hearty
desire to acoerd wplcomes
What shall be done? / offer some suo-
gestions. Let the Legislature pass law.
Offering to any immigration agent who shall
bring in a bona file immigrant, com pensa-
ton. Let the immigration agent who shall
bring such settler be paid, say FIVE dollars
per cap1F, for each immigrant, provided said
Immigrant shall purchase eighty acres OF
land; ten dollars per capita for one who shall
purchase one hundred and twenty acres
and twenty dollars per captsu to any one who
snail purchase double the latter amount of
land and over. In this way the State only
pays for what she gets. immigration agents
Will be stimulated to advertise the merits
and attractions of the State, and persons
who have lands to sell viii he able to have
a criterion Of the best agents.
Make aprovisiop that no one shall be en- |
titled to this compensation, unless the immi- |
grant whom he shall bring shall pay, at |
least, one-fourth down. This will stimulate
the agent to bring only parties who bring
money, and the vendor will have. at least, so
much money in hand, and the immigrant,
at least the incentive of his investment to
stay and "pu1l through" his other paw
ments.
Let the Legislature protect itsslf against
imposition by requiring the affidavit of the
clerk where the deed is recorded, and Of the
Vender, purchaser, and land-agent, or, in
case one or more refuse to make it, through
improper motives the affidavit of one or
more parties who are cognizant OF the sale,
and are disinterested.
Further, to show the States interest in
immigration, let the Legislature exempt
rom taxation, for three or five years, the
and sold to the bona .fae settler The per-
'onal property they bring would in almest
any case. be double the assessment upon the {
zeal estate purchased, in most cases more
20 that the State would not lose, but a.in
N answer to this, 1t must not be assumed I
hat parties will buy anyIoD and that the {
exemption is so much given. That view is
10Th illiberal and falacous lin many cases. t
{ must be considered that while there is |
great revolution in public opinion about I
he South; that while many desire the BEN
hts Of her climate and resources that they
re carefully canyassing the inducements of
aeh Stare; and, that welcome signalized q
nd emphasized by the Unmistakable voice
{ the State, is far more authoritative than a
ne eulogies of her best informed panegyr-
It's, be they never so eloquent or an d
ounced through the most prominent Jour
ais.
Hoping the Legislature may solemnize as u
were, the desire they feel for immisra-
on' by some emphatic measure, leave the d.
lbject to the advocacy of your able pen la
here it most fifty belongs fo
u. B. HuLYARD. b,