Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1858-06-17
farmers 9&partment.
From the Cotton Planter and Soil.
OVERSEERS.

DIR. CLouD-Dcar Sir:-Under Thu
heading I propose to make a few remarks tt
the readers of the CoTToN PLANTER AMI
Soil.
In what relation does an overseer stano
to his employer? He should be a man, ano
an equal 10 truth honesty and uprightness
He should'be an equal in the management
of a plantation, possessing industry and in
telligence. In hiring a man to attend tc
business, his past character should be care
fully ascertained. If he has proved ineti
cieut, examine the matter thoroughly; fol
it may be the fault of his employer. Find
out as much as possible about his habits.
and his ways in the management of negroes
one who will command respect and ODE
dience without resort to knives, sticks and
guns. The services of such a man are val
liable, and he will on seeking a situation, not
underrate his abilities, if he does, suspect
him. For example: an excellent planter OF
our acquaintance, working so or 60 hands,
was applied to by a stranger for a situation
as overseer. After talking a good while, the
planter was rather pleased with tho appli'
cant, and being disposed to hire him, he ask
ed the terms upon which he would take his
force. The overseer replied he would work
a year for two hundred dollars, or at the
same rates by the month. His services were
not wanted at any price. The planter saw
at once there was something wrong. A very
dear friend told me not long since that it
was cheaper to pay a good overseer FIVE hun.
dred dollars a year than to give a sorry one
his mush for the same length of time, since
the mean one would eat as much as the good
one, besides beiu~ q perpetual source of an.
noyance.
We always saio married man OF ex-
perience for, in case he Is disposed to do
wrong, being married is a decided incentive
to do good, since there is no man, with prop
er feelings and a due sense or honor, who will
risk having his wife aud children turned out
of doors by any untoward act of imprudent
conduct on bis part.
Every planter should consider we'll the
bad economy in cheap overseers. They are'
like most cheap things, worthless. The re-
mark of a very shrewd old negro man,
"Patrick," the other day struck me as sensl-
ble-"Dese MIC yune oberseers amt Wut
nuthen; one man like mas Die is wut
more'n all Nv 'em put togither"
If an overseer conducts himself properly,
and attends closely to his business, he will
surely command the best of wages, and the
man that is able to hire one should be willing
to compensate him and have the right sort
or none at all. He should conduct himself
in such a manner as to possess the entire con-
6depce and respect of his employer, and the
latter, while off of his plantation, will feel
perfectly easy on the score of his interests
knowing that they will be protected, guarded
and promoted with as much diligence, watch
f~ullness and care as if he were always on the
place. The profession" Of overseeing is
crowded, hence men say they are obliged to
have employment; butexamine into the mat,
ter and ask yourself if you ever saw a good
article going at nothing when there is a
great demand for it. A good oversecr's SER
vices will command $500 to $500 a year, and
upwards. lNTERLoPEA