THE FOREIGNER IN AMERICAN CIVILIZATION. 391 



although for a time in the early part of the century Alabama appears 

 to have been a popular focal point with emigrants both from the 

 older States and from abroad; yet this was one of the richest sections 

 of the country, abounding in natural resources, and would have ordi- 

 narily afforded a livelihood with much less expenditure of energy than 

 would the territory farther to the north. Perhaps the general dis- 

 inclination on the part of natives of the temperate zone to settle in 

 warm climates may have been in slight degree responsible for this 

 state of facts, but there can be little doubt that the institution of 

 slavery was a more serious detriment to the advancement of the 

 South than any other cause. There had begun to grow up there an 

 aristocracy as exclusive and as proud as that of any state in Europe, 

 and which, in fact, dominated the whole section; the agricultural 

 operations were carried on principally by slaves, and the land- 

 owners lived in a kind of feudal state, surrounded by a large body of 

 dusky retainers; the remainder of the white population were poor and 

 ignorant, exercised little more influence than did the negroes, and were 

 looked down upon by both blacks and whites alike. Work was re- 

 garded as degrading and beneath the dignity of a gentleman, and 

 strangers proposing to establish themselves there were looked upon 

 with a jealous eye. All these circumstances were highly unfavorable 

 to the establishmnt of new industries and to its industrial progress. 

 There were no mines and manufactures, because there was no one 

 with sufficient knowledge to conduct the operations. 



We find that early in its history a certain stage of civilization 

 was reached, for a time and in one way in advance of that of the 

 North, due to the creation of a leisured class, but, being reached, 

 there was no further advance, and for nearly half a century no prog- 

 ress was made. The war of secession and the concomitant abolition 

 of slavery brought about in a few short years what it had taken cen- 

 turies in Europe to accomplish : a hereditary servient class was raised 

 to an equality — political and theoretical at least — with a hereditary 

 dominant class which was by the same force rendered almost penni- 

 less. This may have proved the salvation of the South, but for a 

 time a black pall of misery and degradation settled down upon it. 

 There were no industries to revive, there was no all-powerful middle 

 class; the aristocracy had been ruined, and between the two extremes 

 there was no mean. 



About the close of the first quarter of the century we discover that 

 a servient class had also begun to be created in the North, but it was 

 entirely distinct from that of the South; the services of its members, 

 most of whom had sought a new world with the ulterior object of bet- 

 tering their condition, were given voluntarily and for wages. A 

 dominant class in the present condition of society appears to be neces- 



