Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-02-21
Gen. sherman on the "New South -

In his recent tour through Georgia, Gen.
| W. I. Sherman visited AtlantI. and while
there met Mr.. Howell, editor of the Atlanta
| Constitution, who was captain in a
Georgia regiment in the war. Impressed
with the broad guage of the General, Capt.
Howell, alter his departure, wrote him
friendly letter thanking him for friendly
suggestions and invoking his aid in bringing
| the State of Georgia into little more
prominence as to the advantages of soil,
| climate and natural resources, and by that
means attracting the attention of those who
! control capital, and also those who direct
the tide of immigration. Gen. Sherman
seized the opportunity to give the Southern
ers some sound advice, and replied in
letter dated at St. Augustine, Fla, Feb. l.
After referring to his observations in former
visits to the State, and to the rapid develop
ment of the country IN the Western States,
Gen. Sherman says;
"Any attempt to buili up an aristocra-
cy or a privileged class at the South, on the
fact that their fathers or grandathers once
owned slaves, will result in ridiculous
failure and subject the authors to the
laughter of mankind. The reason
Georgia has not kept pace with the States
have named, is, beyond question, that immi-
grafton would not 90 where slavery existed.
Now that this cause is removed there is no
reason why Georgia, especially the northern
part, should not regain its prominence among
the great and prosperous States of the Union.
hope | will not give offence in saying that
the present population has not done full
Justice to this naturally beautiful and most
favored region of our country, and that two
or three millions of people could be diverted
from the great West to this region with
profit and advantage to all concerned. This
whole region. though called Southern
is, in fact, Northern viz. it Is a wheat
growing country has a climate in no sense
tropical or southern, but WAS designed by
nature for small farms, and not for large
plantations. | am satisfied that Northern
professional men, manufacturers, mechanics
and farmers may come to Atlanta, Rome
and Chattanooga with certainty OF fair
dealing and fair encouragement. Though l
was personally regarded the tsts HoT of the
late war in your region, the sGthOr Of all
your woes, yet | admit that have Just
passed over the very ground tesOlated by
the civil war. and have received everywhere
rothing but kind and courteous treatment
from the highest to the lowest, ard heard
of no violence to Others for opinions sake.
lie urges the encouragement Ot immigra-
tiOn. by advertising widely the great mate
rial inducements of the region, and recon-
mends the EMPLOY ment Of agents at New
York to set forth the advantages Of farming,
mining, manufacturing. etc and of subOr-
iinate agents at Atlanta, Chattanooga, and
other places of Importance in this central
wheat growing and mineral region of the
South He commends the growth OF
Atlanta since the war, but points the
Georgians to the immensely superior pro-
sress Of Northern and Western cities, "less
favored in cline and location The
reason for the difference, in his opinion, is
in the fact that liberty of opinion and social
acceptance is not offered them in the South.
You must he admonishes, guarantee
The same, not specifically or selfshly. but
with that sincerity and frankness which
larry conviction" And he asks the editor
,f the Constitution to "let up on the
cry reminding him that
while he mag properly apply the term to
political sdventurers, his readers will GER
ainly extend it to all citizens of other ma
ivity. Says Gen. Sherman
81 have resided in San Francisco, Leaven-
worth and St. Louis. and of the men who
rave built up these great cities, assert that
rot one in fifty was a native Of the place.
AL, or substantially all, We're carpet
,aggers, i g, emigrants from all parts of
he world, many OF them frOu the South.
Dur supreme court, Congress, and our most
prominent and intellectual men, now hail
rom localities OF their OVID adoption, not of
heir birth. Let the emigrant to Georgia
eel and realize that his business and social
,asiton result from his own industry, his
merits, and his virtues, and not from the
occidental place of his birth, and soon the
rcat advantages of climate, soil. minerals.
imbeT, ETC., ETC., will fill up your country,
nd make Atlanta one OF the most prosper
us, beautiful and attractive cities, not alone
{ the South, but Of the whole continent, an
nd which desire quite as much as you do.
Nothing could Se sounder and more timely
han this advice If the Georgians will take
!, it will ne worth more to them every year
han all the property that Sherman destroy