Democratic Sentinel, Volume 2, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 January 1879 — THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SOUTH. [ARTICLE]

THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SOUTH.

A Convention of Northern Settlers Without Reference to Politics in North Carolina. [Charlotte (N. C.) Cor. New York World.] There met in this city to-day a convention which, from the singularity of its character and from the results expected to flow from it, has attracted a great deal of attention throughout the Southern States, more especially in Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. The convention is composed of Northern gentlemen who have settled in the South since the war. There are living in this county, engaged in farming, mining and mercantile pursuits, about fifty citizens of this description, among whom is Mr. Dumont, a native of Massachusetts, an exFederal soldier, and an officer of the United States signal service. He has prospered in business, established himself in the confidence of the people, ana learned to like them. In view of the frequent and gross misrepresentations of the South on the part of Republican politicians and newspapers, it occurred to him and the other Northern settlers in this section that a convention, composed of the clasp of citizens indicated, called together without distinction of party, religion, or local lines, might put forth an utterance which would go far toward convincing the Northern people of the true situation of affairs in this section of the country. Accordingly, about a month ago, Mr. Dumont, as the prime mover in the matter, put forth a circular letter, of which the following is a copy, directing copies of it to every Northern man in the South of whom he could learn: My Dear Sir; I have consulted with a number of gentlemen who have removed from New York, New Hampshire aud other Northern States and settled iu this State, South Carolina and Georgia since the war, many of them ex-Union soldiers. I myself am from Springfield, Mass. The conclusion we have arrived at is that Northern men who have settled in the South have in their hands the solution of the question as to whether any considerable number of Northern men and active Northern capital can be diverted to the South. Many of the Northern Sapers are giving wrong notions as to how brthern people are received. You know many of our friends will not put much faith in what Southern men or papers say on this head. We who have consulted upon this matter deem it wise to hold a convention of Northern men only who have settled South since the war—good, fair, representative men. Your name has been given as such an one. It is desired in the convention to prepare a statement for publication in Northern papers, setting forth the soil, climate, prices, ease of making a Jiving and social treatment of the individual Northern man. It is not desired to cover any question of politics or extreme views of any kind. In your letter, whether of acceptance or declination, please state if you were in the Federal army, company and regiment.; where you moved from to your present residence, and how long you have resided at your present wherealxmts. As a matter of course, comparatively, few people could be reached directly by this circular; therefore, 800 copies of it were sent out; but the press took hold of it and has been pursuing it with a great deal of energy. This has been especially true of this State, Virginia, South Carolina and Georgia, and by this means the movement has been not only thoroughly advertised in the States named, but there has been built up in its behalf a strong sentiment among the people. It is not to be denied that in the beginning failure stared the project in the face, It is no small matter for a lot of men to quit their business and gather from long distances in convention, the results of which, however fruitful it might be of results, could not redound to any advantage to them in any direct manner, and which offered but little indirectly. But somehow or other the movement struck a popular chord. It was less than a week from the time the call was issued that responses began to pour in. Some of these letters were from Democrats and some from Republicans ; some from those wlio were Federal soldiers and some from those who were not; but the letters came from the Northern settlers until every pigeonhole in Mr. Dumont’s office was full of them.

With four exceptions (and I have examined all the letters) they are of the same general tenor. In more than a hundred of these letters the writers pledge attendance at this convention, and all of them, with the four exceptions noted, declare the entire satisfaction of the writers with their Southern homes; declare that they find the soil more fertile than they had expected, the climate delightful, and their social relations altogether agreeable. They cordially indorse the convention; hope the attendance may be large, and that, through its instrumentality, others may be induced to follow their example and settle in the South. Of the four writers who dissent from the majority, one is Joseph C. Abbott, of New Hanover county, N. C.,a leading Republican politician of the State after the war, and for one term United States Senator; another is A. W. Shaffer, of Raleigh, United States Register in Bankruptcy, a ward politician, and a well-known stirrer-up of strife. It may be here noted that 4he leading Republican newspaper of the State has attacked the convention and its promoters, and this is the full extent of the opposition which the movement has encountered. Between 75 and 100 delegates were present from Virginia, Northand South Georgia and Florida. Mr. Dumont was chosen President, and a Vice President was chosen from each of the other four States. Messrs. Cushing, of North Carolina, and Hoyt, of South Carolina, spoke particularly of the kindness with which they had been treated in their respective homes, and when their speeches were concluded the Committee on Resolutions, appointed in the early stages of the proceedings, submitted its report. It is long, and consists of thirty-one resolutions, mainly upon the prejudice existing in the North against the South. The report says “ that in the portions of the South in which We reside the right of any man, from no matter where, to express! publicly as well as privately his opinion upon any subject and of every nature is nowhere and in no manner restrained; that all laws are well administered and as truly enforced against the ■wrong-doer as in- any part of any State of the Union.” Much is also said about the kindly, social character of the Southern people, and then the committee touched upon the virtues of the soil, the climate, the forests and the mines, and the facilities for manufacturing. The natives are criticized for their thriftless methods of agriculture, their bad roads and their inattention to fruit, grass-growing and sheep husbandry. The twenty-ninth resolution declares

that “We find that no man is ostracized for his opinion or on account of the land of his birth; but, as elsewhere, for his bad acts and dishonest failures to meet his trusts and obligations,” and the thirty-first and last of the findings is as follows: “We find that to the people of the other sections of the United States the South is an unknown land so far as relates to knowledge of its soil, its climate, its healthfulness, and its people. That it is labeled for partisan ends, and we present this"'document, in all conscience and honor, to give honest knowledge ahd to correct wrong reports.’’ These resolutions were passed seriatim and then as a whole. There was not a dissenting voice, and the announcement of the result was hailed with applause. .At the night session, which was held principally for speaking, ex-Federals and Confederates mingled together like their respective flags on the walls of the Opera House, and the best of feeling prevailed. Speeches were made by a number of delegates and prominent citizens, and the convention adjourned at a late hour of the night.