The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-02-19
THE NEW SOUTH.
Interesting Letter from General Sher-
man, III which he Discusses the In
dustrial and Agricultural Resources
of the South.

acceptable letter Of February l.. reached me
here yesterday and l avail myself OF the first
moment OF leisure TO reply.
My opportunities for studying the physical
features of Georgia have been even larger
than you mention. In '33 4 l went from An
gusta to Marietta In n stnge (when Atlanta
had no cXlStcncc) thence to BelfOntc, Alaba.
ma, on horseback, returning afterwards all
the way on horseback to Augusta by q differ
cnt road {; again In 1864, I conducted as all the
world knows, q vast army from chattanooga
to Atlanta and Savannah and just now have
passed over the same district In railway cars.
Considering the history OF this period Of tim
(35 years., acknowledgement OF the coudtry has
been great. but not comparable with Calilor'
Iowa, Wisconsin, or Kansas, in all which
States | have Ind similar chances for observa.
ton. The reason why Georgia has not kept
pace with the States l have named Is beyond
question that emigration would not go where
slavery existed. Now that this cause Is re-
moved there Is no longer any reason why
not rapidly regain her prominence among
the great States Of our union.
KNOW THAT NO SECTION Is MORE FAVOR
ED IN CLIMATE. HEALTH, SOIL,
MINERALS, WATER,
and everything which man needs for his ma.
tcrial wants. and to contribute TO his phySi'
cal and intellectual development. Your rail.
rnads already finished. giving your people
cheap supplies, and the means OF sending In
every section their surplus products is, Of . the &c
beds Of iron and coal, besides i~nexhaustible
quantities Of timber, oak. hickory, beech,
poplar, pine. etc., so necessary In modern fac
or sections Of our busy country. North GeOr.
gia Is peculiarly adapted to fruit orchards to
gardens and small farms and all you need
TO MAKE 1T TEEN WITH PROSPERITY
Is more people from that class Of northern
farmers and manufacturers, that other
class Of European emigrantS. which has con-
vertcd the great northwest from q wilder.
ness into comfortable hoine FOR Its millions
Of c]ontented people. l have crossed this con.
tincnt many times by almost every possible
route and feel certain that at this time
no y G REGION HOLDS L AS STRONG
INDUCEMENTS O INDCsTRI-
U EMIGRANTs
as that from Lynchburg, Virginia, to Hunts
willie, Alabama. right and left, embracing the
pccialIy East Tennessee, North Gcorgin and
Alabama. hope that will not give otTense
In saying that the present population has
not done full Justice to this naturally beautl-
and that two or three millions of people could
he diverted from the great west to his region
with profit and advantage to all concerned
This whole region, though called "southern'
ing country, has q climate In no sense troplc.
nj or southern, but was designed by nature
for small farms and not for large plantations
In the region / have named, North Georgia
forms n most important part, ana your city
Atlanta Is It's natural center or capital. 1t Is
admirably situated, a Thousand feet above the
sea, healthy, with abundance OF the purest
water, and with granite, limestone, sand.
stone. and clay convenient to build q second
London. In 1854 my army, composed of near
q und thousand men, oil accustomed u
northern climate, were grouped about Allan
ta from June to November without tents. and
though they were in Ohio or New York, In.
deed the whole country from the Tennessee to
the Ocmulgce Is
ANGUS FOR IIFALTn, PURE WATER, ADUS.
DANT TIMBER
AMI with 4 large proportion Of good soil. es'
pccialIy In the valleys, all you need Is more
people of the right sort. Therefore / shall be-
lieve and maintain that North Gcorgiais now
in II condition to invite emigration, from the
northern States of our Union and from Eu-
rope and all parties concerned should advcr.
tisc widely the great inducements your re-
gion holds out to the Industrious and frugal
of all lands Agents should be appointed In
New York to advise, and othersat knoxville,
Chattanooga, Rome, Atlanta, etc.. to receive
immigrants n to point out to them OH arri.
val where cheap lands may he had with rea.
sonable credit where companies may open
coal and iron mines: where mills may be
erected to grind wheat and corn, spin cotton,
and to manufacture the thousand and ono
things you now buy from abroad, and more
especially to make known that you are pre-.
pared TO welcome and p%atronize men whOWill
settle In your region and form n part OF your
community. Your growth and development
since the war have been good, very good-bet-
ter than was prepared to see; but compIre
cgon. Lcavenworth, Chicago. st. Louis, or
hundreds of places / could mention. less fl
vorcd In climate mt location than Atlanta.
These cities have been VIGOROUSLY open TO
the whole world, and oil men felt perfectly at
liberty to 60 there.
Personally, / would not like to check the
flow of emigration westward because Of the
vast natural Importance OF that region, but ]
do believe that every patriot should do what
he can to benefit every. part Of our whole
country, and I am sure that good will result
from turning a part Of
THIS GREAT TIDE Of HUMAN LIFE
and energy southwark along the valleys OF
the Allrgany mountains. especially OF East
Tennessee, Northern GeOrgih and Alabama.
and II I can aid you In this work l assure you
that I will do so with Infinite pleasure. lam
satisfied, from my recent visit, that northern
professional men, manufacturers, mechanics
and farmers may come TO Atlanta, Rome md
Chattanooga with q certainty Of fair dealing
and fair encouragement. Though was per.
regarded the bcte-nolr of the late war
In your region. the author Of all your woes,
vet l admit that ! have Just passed over the
very ground desolatcd by the civil war, and
have received everywhere
NOTHING L KIND, COURTEOUS TREAT
"HH
from the highest to the lowest, md l heard OF
no violence to Others for opinions sake.
Union men spoke to me OF social oStra.
cism. but I saw nothing of 1t, and even If It
does exist it must disappear with the present
Our whole framework OF gov
eminent and history IS founded on the pcrso.
and political equality of citizens; and
can only rest oil personal merit and cores
bonding Intelligence, and II any part of Il
clingS to distinctions founded on
past conditions, 1t will grow less and less
with time, and finally disappear. Any at
tempt to build up All nriStocrncy or Il privi-
legged class ut the South, OH the fact that their
fathers or grandinthers once owned slaves,
will rcSultin Il ridiculous failure ana subject
the authors to the laughter OF mankind. !
refer to this subject Incidentally because oti-
crs have argued the case with me, but wheth-
or attempted else where in the South, l am
ccrtain 1t Will not bc attempted In Georgia.
Excuse me If I ask you us an editor to
, ,r TIP soNrwu.T on TIE Hon.
L
ni
only to political aidvcnturcrs, but your. read
san Fra an, L Len En- We h,,,, am Iu lbs, T.. a. %ran;
tive OF the place. All, or SuoStantiaiiy Ill,
nil parts of the World. MANY of them from the
south. Our supreme court, congress, and our
hail from localities OF their own adoption,
OF their birth. Let thc cmigrant 70 Gcor-
GA feel ana realize that MS business anu SO
cial position result rom MS own industry,
his merits and his virtues, ana not form the
accidental place or his birth, ma soon great
advantages OF climate, soil minerals, tllnper,
etc, Will fill up your country, and make AT.
one OF the most prosperous, beautiful
and attractive cities. not alone of the South,