Year: 1871

MEssRs. EDITORS: Your views, in re-
cent editorial concerning emigration, are
such as every considerate man will endorse.
We must wake up to this vital issue, or we
are doomed. We are suffering now at a
terrible rate. The trouble is, we are MAX
ing no effort in this direction; none in the
world. Supineness is the crushing weight
that is bearing us down. While other Sec
tions of the Union are eXerting themselves
to acquire emigration, we are waiting for
"something to turn up.' What is the re-
suit? Just what we might expect. Our
State is languishing. Her material inter
ests are dropping. Her lands are not


brought into cultivation. Her agricultu-
raj resources are largely diminished. Stag
| nation and helpless prostratiOn isa portion
of her present inheritance. Instead of be-
| ing the foremost State in the Union, asshe
ought to be, she is tagging in the rear of
nearly all of them. They have shot be-
yond us in the grand race of commercial,
agricultural and educational growth and
prosperity. Do you ask why this is so :?
| answer, because the other States, for the
most part, have been keenly alive to the
work of filling their borders with an active
and go-ahead population, and have
wisely used the means to accom-
plish this end. They have not done
as we have done-thrown themselves
back upon their dignity and said, "we do
not care a groat whether you come or
not


To take broad view of the question,


what is the condition, at the present mo-


ment, of the Southern States ? Are they


not groaning and sinking in consequence
of the absence of a thrifty and enterprising


population Who will deny it? make


no degrading charges against my people


in the South. They have labored and


suffered under many. disadvantages which


they have had no means of controlling.


Still the fact remains uncontradlcted that


they cannot advance towards high and


progressive civilization without the CO.


operative energies of new population.


They must have help. They have mill


lions of acres of unproductive lands. The


taxes on them are enormous. How will


you make them rememeratiye unless you


can get them occupied and cultivated


That is the question of all questions


which Immediately concerns the South


ern people. And the very same


principle applies to our own State with


equal force. There are, in East Tennessee


alone, upwards of a million of acres of


land not yielding copper cent. In their


present condition, they are utterly worth


less. Is it sound policy, therefore, to hold


SO much property in this shape? Ought
not every effort be made to use all availa-


bic means to sell of, at nominal figures,
these lands to immigrants?


Nor am [ particular where they hair


from. That miserable creature who would


snarl and snap because Northern men ol


Germans, or some other races equally OBJ


jectionabie in his estimation, come into


our midst. is a I" fool for the lack of sense.n


I call things by their proper names. was


amused-not provoked-at the remark of


gentleman, the other day, upon this


yerv subject. Said he, "You are


doing wrong in your efforts to bring


the Yankees and the Germans to Ten


nessee. They are every one radicals, and


will break down our partyp' What astute-


ness! What overwhelming logic! Stand


aghast We masters of reason! What reply


could make to such sage conclusion!


In irving to get emigrants to our section,


must we first inquire what their politics


are. or must we first determine whether


thew are honest, high-minded, capable and
Intelligent, and whether they will contri-
bute their muscle, brains and capital to build


up the waste places of our country? Which


ought we to do? Let the fair-minded an


swer. This is free country, and every


one. thank God, can vote as he pleases and
belong to any political party he wants to


without being subjected to socia, ostra-


cism. =. w. CHARLTON. ra