Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1880-01-29
SETTLERS
TENNESSEE.

stoneI VI agriculture anu lmmlgra-
ton Mr.. j. A. Killebrew, an official
who throws himslf with much zeal
and enthusiasm into the work of pre-
senting the advantages of the State to
the outside world, and of persuading
Northern people to settle within its
borders. He has published a number
of pamphlets which describe the soil,
productions, climate and mineral re-
sources of Tennessee with thorough
ness that shows careful investigation,
and a desire to avoid the fault of
overstatement so common in works
designed to stimulate immigration.
In his efforts to show that there is no
prejudice against Northern settlers,
however, we think he goes a little
further than the facts warrant. For
instance, in his last pamphlet, speak
of this matter, he says:
"The question is often asked, through
letters and otherwise, how will the
people of Tennessee receive Northern
men and women? As kindly as they
deserve. If they come to stir up
strife between the races, they will not
and should not, be respected. If
they come to live by their wits, and,
by making false representations to
the Government, to secure a fat Office,
they will not, as they should not, be
respected. Ii they came to preach
the unntterable turpitude and sinful
ness Of the former Shareholder, and to
set themselves up as examples Of vir-
tue and ~unstained purity, they will
not, and should not, be respected.
But if they come with earnest hearts,
and willing hands, and cheerful vol
ces, to help build up the prosperity
of the State, be their politics what it
may, be their religion what it will,
they will be received with all the
heartiness and all the civility that it
is possible for a gallant people to ex-
e%rcise. They will be welcomed with
open hands, and encouragement and
sympathy will be given them by
every intelligent man and women in
the State"
This is the report the people all
over the South are eager to give Of
themselves; but the tronbe is that ,ehen
q Northern man goes among them TO lice;
If lie retrains his Republican politics
and insists that freedom Of opinion and
the r1gh to a free ballot ought to Je re-
spected, he is Immediately accused u
I'll ring up strife tetWeen the races, and
is tsoluted from the community By a waA
Of social and business exclusion. What
can be truly said of Tennessee is not
that this sort Of intolerance nowhere
prevails, for some portions Of the
State are as thoroughly Southern in
feeling as the neighboring States of
Alabama and Mississippi, but that in
a very considerable part of its terrific
ry there is a native white Republican
element strong enough to insure
Northern settlers against being trea-
ted like POLITICAL pariahs. The exis-
tence of this element has had,
moreover, the effect Of making the
politics Of the State somewhat liber-
al andtolerant.
While it woua; therefore, be a
grave mistake for a Northern emf
grant to act upon the superstition
that he could settle anywhere in Ten
nessee with the certainty Of finding
friendly surroundings, there is proba-
bly, no Southern State, where he
would be so likely, after a little search,
to discover a locality to suit him.
He would also find in some sections
of the State a climate unsurpassed in
the United States for healthfulness,
and lands that can be had on terms
which r remarkably cheap cansid-
ering their nearness to railroads and
markets, and that are well adapted
for general farming, Embarrassing and
stock-growing."
The above we take from the New
York Tribune. The Tribune's crit
cism Of Mr.. Killebrew's representa-
tions is strictly true as Mr.. Killebrew
knows. That section Of Tennessee
to which the Tribune refers as offer
ing real inducements to Northern
settlers is East Tennessee. And even
here men Of Northern birth are pro
scribed as much as narrow minded
people dare prescribe them and as
public sentiment will tolerate.
Only at the last congressional cleo
ton the Democratic nominee in this
District called upon the people in
every public speech he made to vote
against his competitor, Major Petit
bone, because Pettibone was born in
Ohio and had lived in Michigan.
The fact that Pettibone had lived
in Tennessee fourteen years and
married a Tennessee woman and
owned real estate here accounted for
nothing with this Democratic candi-
date, though his personal character
was unstained. Pettibone was a car
p~et-bagger" because he was not born
in Tennessee and had no right to
hold Office in the estimation of this
Democratic politician and many of
his partizans who offended his filings
at men Of Northern birth. When
such prescription is attempted in loyal
East Tennessee what may not be ex-