New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-07-25

~ tbs rst onarers We visited there was large
blscksmitb's and wheelwrghts shop, in which mum
Der of mechanics ut work. Most VI tncm, as We
rode up were eating Their oreasiss n wn I'm so oy
there were some fifty pows which they were p9.tng
in order The manager inspected The work iouud
some Of it faulty, sharply rrprmand~d the "orsheu
for not getting faster and threatened one Oh 'sm
with whipping for not paying closer attention 70 the
directions which had been gwen him. he tod me taAt
be once employ ed white msn from the NORTH, VINO
profested to be a fIst-clsss workmlni out ne soon
found BE- could not do nearly good work a. tne negro
much, and got such hgn opinions Of themselves in con-
sequence Of his ipieriory that he hal been obliged 70
discharge him in the midss of mis- engagement
The overSer of this plantation rods up while we
were at the shop and reported 10 the manager ho all
his hands were employed. There were 90 many at
this snd ~ many that and they had done 80 much
since yesterday. . There's that girl, Caroline, said
20 to work put her to tbs hoeing; there
nothing the matter with her, except che
soIe with the whipping che got. You mast
90 and get her out. woman WAS passing at the
time and the manager told her TO 20 and tell Caroline
she nnst ee, mn and 90 TO work the overseer would
cone and start her, she returned III few mindfes,
and reported at Caroline said she could not get up.
The overseer and manager rode toward the caDin pu
before they reached IT, the gri, VINO had Prooaoiy
been watching US from the window, came out ana
went to the field with her hoe. They then ret1rded 10
me- and continued their conversation. just before we
lft the oyerseer be sad, think that gri VINO gau
away last week wac IN her cabin last night: Inc
manager told me- as rode on, that the people oten
rap away after they had been whipped or something
else had happened 10 make them angry Iney hiae ID
the swamp and come IN TO the Cabins 81 nghl W ge'
food. They seldom remain away more tnan q i1rs-
night, and when they come IN they are whipped. lns
woman Caroline be sad, mad been delivered OF dead
child about six weeks before, and had bcea coapain
ing and getting rid Of work ever since She was the
latest woman ON the estate, This shammIng illness
gave him the moet dlsagreeable DUTY ne haa 70 perform
Negroes were famous tor 1t. III II was not ior her
bad character he CCnunued, should fear TO make
her 20 to work day bat her pulse steady ano ner
tongue perfectly smooth. We hare TO b. sharp ran
them; zee rere not, esery nfgr0 on tie eSSa'e 101'd
BE- dbed.'
CLOTHES AND CLEANLINESS.
We rode on where the different gangs OF laooreTs
were al work, aud inspected them ole after another.
observed were looking at one OF the gangs, mat
they were very dirty Negroes are inc lithest peo
pie III the world" said the maua2er there are some
Of them who would not keep clean for twenty-four
hours at time you gave tfem thirty suts year;
asked him If there were any rules To maintain ceani-
ness There we're not but so 6enes the negroes We're
tod at night that any one who came into the held ne
next morning without beng clean would DO whppei.
This gave no trouble TO those who we're habitualy
clean while il in itself punishment TO those who
not, as they were Obliged 10 spend the night 10
washing
They we're furnished with two suits Of Summer, and
one Of Winter clOtbug each year. Beside which, most
of them Got presents Of some holiday inery calico
dres handkerchiefs, ETC. aid purchased more for
themselves at Christmas. One of the drivers now in
the field had splendid uniform coat OF an ocer OF
the d, ing artillery After the Mexican war; great
deal of military Clothing was sold at auction In New
Orleans, and much Of 1t was bongnt by planters at
low price and given TO their VINO were greatly
pleased with It,
HOURS or LABOR.
Each overseer regulated the hours of work on his
own plantation. saw the negroes at work before
A 3 uhnnrR IN ln0k
allowed to SOP for breakfast AID again about noon, TO
dine The length of these at the discretion
Of the overseer or drivers, usually should say from
half an hour to an hour. There was no rule
OvERsEERs.
The number Of hands directed by each oyerseer was
considerably over one hundred. The manager thought
il would be better economy 10 have white man over
every fifty hands but the difficulty of obtaining trust
worthy Oyerseers prevented IL. Three OF those ne
then had were the bess he had ever known. lie
dsscrbed the great majority as being passionate care
less inefficient meD generally int mperate, and totally
untitled for the duties Of the position. The best over
seers, ordinarily, are young men, the sons Of shAl
planters, who lake NJ the business temporarily, as
means of acquiring little capital with which 70 pur-
chase negroes Tor lhenreiSee
PLOw-GRLs.
The blowing, both with single and double mule
teams, vas generally performed by women, and very
well performed, too watched with sone interest," ior
any indication that their untitled them for the oc-
cuiatiun. Twenty of them were blowing together,
with double teams and heavy plows. They. we're sd
p.rintendeo by ale negro driver, who crricda whp,
which he frequently cracked at them, permitting no
cawding OF delay at the turning; and they twitcned
their pous around the head-Dd Jerking their res,
ano y. ling their mules, with apparent ease energy,
and rapdty. 1hroug bout the Soah west the negroes,
as rule appear be worked much harder than III the
eastern and northern Slsve States. do not think they
accomplish as much daily agricultural hborers at
North usually do but they certainly labor much hard
er and more unremitlngiy. They are constantly ana
VIII .ud fha sru
ding machipe-hke manner In which they labor, Is
pail u 10 witness This especially the case with
the hoe-ganss. One VI item numbered nearly <VU
hands dor force Of two plantations was working
topetber moving the field in parallel lines with
6 considerable degree OF precision. repeatedly rode
through the lines at canter, with other horsemen,
often coming upon them suddenly, without producing
the smsles, change or interruption IN the dogged action
of the laborers causing one OF them TO lit an eye
from the round. very tall and powerful negro
walked 10 and fro in the of the line frequently
cracking his whip, and calling out in the snrilest man
ner 10 one and another, " Shove your hoe there
shove your hoe " But 1 never saw him strike any
one with the whip.
DISCIPLINE,
The Kip was evidently In constant use, Aowevar.
There were no rules the subject, that learnedi
the overseers and drivers punished the negroes When
ever they deemed it necessary, and IN such manner
and with such severity as they thought hit. II you
don't work faster" or fyou don't work better or
" If yon don't recollect what tell you will have
you logged" are threats which have Of heard
said to one of the oyerseers, IL must be very dsa
greeabe to have to punish them az much as you do
q Yea il would be TO those VINO are not used 70 it
but its my business, AND think nothing OF it. Why
Sir wouldn't mind killing arigzer more than would
a dog" asked if he had ever killed negro Not
quite" he said, but overseers are often Obliged to-
Some negroes are determined never TO let white man
whip them AID will resist you when you attempt IT.
of course you NUT kill them il thai Once negro,
whom he was about to whip in the held struck at hs
head with a Doe. lie parried the blow
with his whip, and, drawing pistol, tried
TO shoot him, but the pistol missing fire, he
rushed in ard knocked him down with the butt of it.
At another time n negro whom he was punishng, iu-