The Truth About The South

[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 attraoted a great deal of attention thronghout the Southern States, more êspecially in Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. The convention is coinposed of Northern gentlemen who have settledin the South since the war. There are living in this county, engaged in farming, mining and mercantile pursuits, about fifty citizens of this deacription, among whom is Mr. Dumont, a narive of Massachusetts, an exFedeml aoldier, and an officer of the United States signal service. He has prospered in business, established himsclf in the confidence of the people, anti learned to like them. In view of the frequent and gross misrepresentations of the South on the part of Republican politicians and newspapers, it oocurred to him and the other Northern settlers in tms sectiontnaiaconvenuon, composed of the class of citizens indicated, oalled together without distinction of party, religión, or ioeal lines, might put fortli an uttcrance wliieh would go far toward convincing the Northern people of the true situation of affairs in this seotion of the country. Acoordingly, about a month ago, Mr. Duinont, 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 : Mt Dear Sik: I have consulted with a nnmber of gentlemen who have removed f rom New York New Hampshire and other Northern States aud settled in tuis State, South Carolina and Georgia since the war, many oí them ex-Umon soldier. I myself am from Springfiekl, Mass. Tho conclusión we have arrived at is that Northern men whohavo settled in the South liavo in thcir handB the solution of tho qnestion as to whether any considerable number of Northern men and active Northern capital can be uiverted to the Sonth. Many of the Northern papers are giving wrong notiona as to how Northern 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 havo consulted upon this matter deem it wise to hold a convention of Northern men oclv vho have settled South since the war- good, 'air representative men. Your name lias been iven nu such an bne. It is deaired in the conention to prepare a statement for publication n Northern papers, eetting forth the Hoil, elinate, prices, ease of making a living and social j xeatment oí the individual Northern man. It 18 iot desired to cover any question of politica or ixtreme views of any kind. In your letter, ivhether of axeptauce or deelination, please state if you were in the Federal army, company ind regiment; where yon moved fromtoyour present residenco, and how long you have resided at your present whereabuuts. As a matter of course, comparatively Eew people could be reached directly l.y this circTilar; tlierefore, 800 copies oí it ere sent out ; wit tue pret u. uoiu of it and bas been pursuing it -svith a ■reat deal of energy. This has been especially true of this State, Virginia, South Carolina aud Georgia, and by ihis means the movement has been not only thoroughly advertised in the States named, but there has been built tip 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 qnit their business and gather f rom Iodk üstances in convention, the results of which, however fruitful ít 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 cliord. It was less than a week from the time tlie cali was issued that responses began to pour in. Some of these letters were from Democrats and some from Kepublicans ; some from those who were Federal soldiers and some from those who were not ; but the letters carne 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 ftnd the soil more fertile than they had expected, the climate delightfnl, 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 induoed 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 Kepublican 1 iticion of the State after the war, and for one term United States Senator ; i another is A. W. Shaffer, of Raleigh, ! United States Eegister in Bankruptcy, a ward politician, and a well-known stirrer-up of strife. It may be here - noted that the leading Bepublican j newspaper of the State hasattacked the convention and its promotors, and this is the f uil extent of the opposition which the movement has encountered. Between 75 and 100 delegates were present from Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. Mr. Dnmont 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 partieularly of the kindness with which they had been treated in their respective homes, and when their speeches were concluclecl the Committee on Resolntions, appointed in the early stages of the proeeodings, submitted its report. It is long, and consiste of thirty-one resolutions, mainly upoii the prejudice existng 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 opinión upon any subject and of every nature is nowhere and in no manner restrained ; that all laws are well administered and as trulyenforeed against the wrong-doer ns in any part of any State of the Union." Much is also said about the kindly, social characterof the Southern people, and then the committoe touched upon the virtues of the soil, the elimate, the forests and the mines, and the facilities for manufaoturing. The nativos are criticized for their thriftless methods of agriculture, their bad roads and their inattention to fruit, grass-growing and sheep husbandry. The twenty-mnth resolution declares that "We fin'd that no man is ostracized for his opinión or on account of the land of his birth; but,.as elsewhere, for his bad acts and dishonest failuros to meet his trusts and oWigations," 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 climato, its healthfulness, and its people. That it is labeled for partisan ends, and we present this document, in all conscience and hcnor,to givehonest knowleclge and to correct wrong reporte." These resolutions were passed seriatim and then as a whole. There was not a dissenting voice, and the annoiincement 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 respectivo 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.