The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-10-15

Experiments Of Free Labor in the South.
Some of the most striking illustrations we
ever remember to have heard Of the inpracti-
cability of extensively cultivating Southern
soil by free labor, either white or black, are
related in q speech OF a distinguished South
Carolinian in the House of Representatives.
Experiments of this kind have been tried in
both South Carolina and Florida, and with
similar results. The Rev. Mr.. CAPERs, dis
tinRuished minister Of the Methodist Church,
gave up his own plantation to his slaves. hav-
ing previously endeavored to prepare them for
their trust by thorough moral and religious
training. It was after harvest when he de-
livered over the plantation, and he left them
with barns full, with stock Of cattle and
sheep, and a horse to plough. On leaving
them, he gave them all the good advice, both
as to the management of the estate and their
own conduct, which his own experience and
his observance suggested. After the lapse OF
several harvests, Mr.. CAPERs returned to the
scenes of his philanthropy, to see how the OBJ
iects of his benevolence were coming on. He
found the fields uncultivated, the cattle eaten
up. the barns empty, and the horse employed,
not to plough or cart. but to convey the ne
groes to the neighboring plantations TO depre-
date Another failure in an experiment Of
free black labor was in the year 1910, when the
estates in Trinidad, which had dourished un-
der slave labor, became, in consequence of
West India emancipation, deserted by the Ia
borers. A planter came to this country, and
from the District of Columbia and the State
of Maryland many free negroes were induced
to 20 to Trinidad, to cultivate the land upon
the most advantageous terms. This enterprise
resulted in complete failure. The free ne.
groes found the sun too hot, and resorted TO
the towns or returned to this country. The
next experiment mentioned is of white labor,
ard the experimenter was the distinguished
WILLIAM WET, who had resolved to become
a plaute aud purchased land in Florida. Hav-
ing some scruples, he determined against the
employment of slave labor, and carried down
to his plantation large number Of white men
The work was commenced in the autumn.-
The men worked with industry and fidelity
during the winter and spring seasons, and all
went on as systematically and energetically as
Mr. WRIT had an anticipated. But the rich flow
ers Of Mr.. WIRT's fine fancy were no sooner
In full bloom than they were blighted. Sum-
mer came, and the gourd OF Jonah withered
as rapidly as it had grown. Hot days and
moist nights and increased demands for labor
in the cotton fields, took all the pith and mar
row out of the Anglo-Saxon bones. The men
began to fail, their siaews were relaxed, ana
finding that they could not endure the climate.
they threw down their agricultural imple-
ments, and left the plantation in a body. The
autumn crop would have been lost bat for the
fortunate circumstance that gang of negroes
were in the neighborhood for sale. These ne
groes were purchased, the crop saved, and
thus the experiment ended. Another expert
ment was tried by gentleman OF New York,
who took large number OF German laborers
into Florida, and began the cultivation Of New
Smyrna, a tract of land upon which a colony
of Greeks had once settled, but finding free
labor could not cultivate Southern soil, had
abandoned. The German Iaborers at once set
10 work, as ali their countrymen do, jealous
Iy, faithfully and indastriously. and having
placed the ground in beautiful order, they
planted the crops. Bot the Germans could
not keep of the hot days, the moist nights and
the mosquitoes, and they also went away,
leaving the New York gentleman without a
laborer upon the plantation. There were no
negroes In the neighborhood, and he lost his
crop aud abandoned the estate. "
\, In some of the Southern States the ther
mometer ranges from ll3 to 13a dogs. Fahren-
heit, fcumfor table temperature Cor u sable
skin, but no white man can 1--we under it, III
some Of the most fertile regions Of the South
ern States, not only is VI bite laboE impracti-
cable, bnt the families Of the propristors can
not even reside on them with safety during
the summer months. "a sus
OuTLAwiNG THE WEED.--The Ohio Confer
enee OF the Methodist Episcopal Church has