European Immigration [pp. 94-105]

EUROPEAN IMMIGRATION.
Prussia and Bavaria for seven years by emigrants who leftth
countries with official permission, it appears that they carried each
to America an average ainouLnt of 180 dollars in cash. The United
States officials calculate that the immigrants have brought into
the country not less than 400,000,000 dollars in cash, besides the
much superior values represented by their physical, intellectual
and moral powers."
I have already. on a former occasion, referred to the above subject. It strikes me that if any one wouldl only take the trouble
to calculate the amount above mentioned in interest and compound interest, in proportion to the immigration firom 1829 till
now, the extraordinary developments of our Western States might
easily be accounted for. I will not, however, detain you by going
over this ground again, and I should not have mentioned even
this much, were it not necessary to combat again and again the
unwhiolesomne prejudices agffainst the foreigner. I have heard
gentlemen of intelligence ridicule the language of the stranger as
a discordant jabber. Othlers have objected to his uInbecoming
garb or his foreign manners. Others again have averred that a
majority of the foreigners are thriftless and imbecile paupers and
dependents, who are incapable of gaining their subsistence anywhere, or of taking care of it when it is earned. The New York
Commissioners, in their official report in 1855, say: *' It would be
obviously erroneous to measure the effects of immigiration amiong
us by the necessitous or worthless few, and overlook the great
bulk of directly an opposite character. Adopting the latter as
the legitimate test, it might be shown that the vast influx of foreign capital, skill, and labor, through this channel, has been singularly advantageous to this country." I must here ask forgiveness of two gentlemen of our own State, if I mention their names
in connection with this subject. Mrt. Farley plants on one of the
islands near Charleston with near seventy hands, mostly industrious Irishmen, and he is confident that the result of his venture
will compare favorably with the most prosperous. Mr. Kennedy,
of Sumter District, wrote me recently, that some time ago he got
one family and two other men who did not understand a wiSrd of
English; he had much trouble at first, but they have already acquired a most astonishing knowledge of our language. And he
adds: "I wish to say to you, for the encouragement of your great
enterprise, that I find these people the most faithful and cormpetent laborers I have ever had in my employment."
It will be impossible, and it would, perhaps, be tiresome, to
repeat all the arguments that I have already advanced in favor of
immigration, iand not one of which has been controverted. I
commenced to agitate this matter in my published letter to Governor Perry in 1865. MIy speech in the Legislature in 1865, and
my report in 1866, together with my recent address at Florence,
have all been published, and embody nearly all the available information. At Florence I mentioned many muatters which I did not