The Hillsborough Recorder

Emigration,—Within a few days past a large number of our fellow citizens from adjoining counties in this State passed through this place, on their way to the South Western States. The following is a statement of the members of one family from Franklin County: whites, 19: blacks, 96: total 115. This will give some idea of the extent of the spirit of emigration which prevails throughout the state. We believe it is not confined to any particular part; but is to be found everywhere. All have heard of the wonderful and exaggerated tales of the golden harvest of the modern land of promise, and many who are detained by circumstances are casting anxious eyes toward it. The imagined happiness and prosperity of these otherwise scenes can be rightly understood till they go for themselves and experience the disadvantages as well as advantages with its, new associations, new habits etc. and new political institutions. Ambitions are necessary to one’s success. Men take up residence in some distant spot, attracted by the descriptions of the richness of the soil and abundance of the produce. Towns of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana, as they did fifty years ago in the Carolinas. These then were the lands of promise—they then possessed the charm of novelty. We doubt if the fair dreams of those who thus described the advantages of the Carolinas were ever realized. This true that they possessed many advantages over the more northern states; but they still had their disadvantages. Things are more equally balanced than most persons suppose. The climate and soil which will yield the cotton in the richest luxuriance, may fail to supply the more important items of bread stuffs. We do not make these remarks with the view of throwing a damper over the spirit of emigrants; or to induce men to migrate before they move. Some doubtless better their condition by change; while with others it is only the beginning of difficulties, disappointments, and regrets.