New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-12-10
A PICTURE OF. HOME AT THE SOUTH.

n
Young lady in South Carolina thus writes to rela-
tive in this city:
Ks. c.. Saturday, Dec. !, 1860.
MY DEAR UNCLE: 1t is with different feelings that
set myself Pen these lines TO you from those which
actuaied me wien l wrote you last. Then all looked
bright and cheeIy in the future-now how gloomy
and portentons still fervenly "pray God that this
cup NAV pats away from U.s." The country here Is all
allow with tie fires of revolution, and such j. the IN
teritv OF excitement that we scarcely lind time or
inclination 10 talk think Of anything else than the
rocal tcrics of the day, ard tie moral and social
consequences directly pertaining to secession fear
that seeessiOn and revolution are, with our people,
foregone conc usons; that have gone 80 far, re-
traction and ,ecesson impossible, and that civil
war; with ell its consequent horrors, is already upon
us shudder for the wiies and mott eIs, sisters ana
bales Of South Carolina as l cOneml late the imme-
date future of the State. You need not be surprised
at eny time TO rec me and the children in your midst
for no argument could induce me to remain here an
hour longer than should be compelled 20, the worst
should core 10 the worst.
Yen NAV imagine, dear uncle, situation, but yon
never can realize 1t IN Its uness. Al eady We tfeAole
in our own homes in anti ipation and expectancy Of
what is liable TO burst forth at any moment, negro
instruction. Could you rec the care and prccaulion
displayed leTe by the propretors OF the negroes, not
only Planters, but others, YOU would not Tor moment
envy us cur possessions. Not night passes that we
do not secmely lock orr field servants ia their quar-
tiers; but our most loved and valued house servants
WHO in ordinary times would trust TO any extent
Nat(h he'd ana guarded against WIN I'LL lc scrutiny
ard that possess Our planters and owners Of
slave property do not allow their servants 10 have any
intercourse with each other, and the negroes are col-
fined strictly 10 the pTenlses where they Oel'hS We
are all OBLIGED increase force of Overseers to
prevent free intercourse even among our own GER
wants. The negroes feel ard notice these restraints
ard naturally ask why is ttisl' Bat II IL unneces-
sary for them 10 a. the question: for they all cOmpre-
bend the cause as we'll as we who them. They
have already learned enough 10 give them an idea Of
what is going in tie State and nation, and this
ledge they have not gained from Aboli'lonss, n
some suppose, but from the conversation Of their own
els indirectly held in their presence. They have
already heard Of Iincolns election and have heard
aso that he is for giving them their liberty, and you
nay imagine the result.
You have heard Il at our servants all love their
eIs ard their masters families, and would lay down
their lives for themthat the colored race in the South
prefers slavery to Freedom-that they would not be
nee il they could &c. That is but the poetry of the
case tie real. consists in sleeping upon at
hight in dou ly boiling and barring doofs-in
fallisliug and maintaining an efficient patrol force
buyirg watch dogs, aud IN taking turns in watching
our sceI children, guard them aud ourselves from
The euleanCe Of theee same loving servants "a
Vengeance Which, though smoldeIng, il liable TO
buIst ont at any moment to oyerwhelm the State in
Fl Of the Palmetto flags or State precautions.
You at the North not the Only ones who are suf
leIng financially by this new panic. The planters
smoIg really suffering from tie depreciation in
tloir property Already negroes are not worth half
pce No orc dares to buy servant, fearing lest he,
one nctured with the idea of freedom.
My hui band has but few servants-1 believe but
thirty-oLe all told-still feel land does heD that
they thirty-One too many in such times these
He would sell them Immediately, if il were posi-
lie, but the truth is be could realize nothing for
them at present, or at most not half their real
value. Slaves are drug in tho market, my husband
says and you know him well enough to judge of his
Judgment such matters.
Now, word 10 the military force of the State,
TO protect against instruction presume with
the exception of Charleston and perhaps a few large
towns tla the remainder OF the State is situated very
much we are here; and will give you an idea of
how well prepared we to resist mob. Upon our
place OF about 200 we have of whites, males
husband, two oyerseer and my son of IL years. total
toar femalessel and cousin, little Lucy and OF
the oyerseers wfe-four; Of whom only four at the
most are capable of bearing armsto Offset which we
have at least seventeen field hands-sturdy young
grCes-beeide the female servants. And this is fair
representation of the force upon plantations Con-
sdeing such state Of facts do YOU blame me for de-
sizing TO absent myself my husband and children from
tla kt.fp