Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-11-07
EXPERIMENTS OF FREE LABOR IN THE

.ssz SOUTH. -4sst go
Some Of the most striking illustrations re-
member to have heard of the impracticabiity Of ex
tensively cultvating Southern soil by free labor,
either white or black are related 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
tinguished minister Of the Methodist Church, gave
up his own plantation to his slaves having previously
endearored to prepare them for their trust by a
thorough moral and religious training. 1t was alter
harvest when he delivered over the plantation, and
he left them with barns full with stock OF cattle and
sheep, and horse to plough. On leaving them, ne
gave them all the good advice both as to the man
agement of the estate and their own conduct, whlch
his own experience and his observance suggested
After the lapse of several harvests, Mr. Capers re-
turned to the scenes of his philanthrophy, TO see
how the objects of his benevolence were coming on
He found the fields uncultivated the cattle eaten
ND the barns empty, and the horse employed, not
to pillow or cart, but to convey the negroes to the
neighboring plantations to depredate. Another
failure in an experiment Of free black labor was IN
the year 1840 when the estates in Trinidad, which
had flourished under slave labor, became in conse
uuence of West India emancipation, deserted by the
laborers planter came to this country, and from
the District of Columbia and the State of Maryland
many free negroes were induced to go to Trinidad
to cultivate the land upon the most advantageous
terms. This enterprise resulted IN complete
failure The free negroes found the sun too hot ana
resorted to the towns or returned to this country.
The next experiment mentioned is of white labor,
and the experlmenter was the distinguished VIM.
Writ, who had resolved to become planter, and
purchased land in Florida. Having some scruples,
he determined against the employment OF slave
labor and carried down to his plantation n 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 theoretically as
Mr.. Writ had anticipated But the rich flowers Of
Mr. Wirt's fine fancy were no sooner in full bloom
than they were blighted. Summer came and the
gourd of Jonah withered rapidly as it had grown.
Hot days and moist nights, and increased demands
for labor in the Cotton fields, took all the pih and
marrow out of the Anglo-Saxon bones. The men
began to fail their sinews were relaxed, and, find
ing that they could not endure the climate, they
threw down their agricultural implements, and left
the PLANTATION in a body. The autumn crop would
have been lost but for the fortunate circumstance
that gang of negroes were in the neighborhood
for sale. These negroes were purchased the crop
saved and thus the experiment ended.
Another experiment tried by gentleman OF
New York who took large number of German
laborers into Florida, and began the cultivation OF
New Smyrna, tract of land upon which the colony
of Greeks had once settled, but finding free labor
could not cultivate Southern soil, had Abandoned
The German laborcrs at once set to work, as all
their countrymen do zealously, faithfully and in
dustriousy, and having placed the ground in beau
tiful order they planted the crops But the Ger
mans could not keep off the hot days, the moist
nights or the mosquitoes and they also went away,
leaving the New York gentleman without laborer
upon the plantation. There were no negroes in the
neighborhood, and he lost his crop and abandoned
the cattle
In some of the Southern States the Thermometer
ropons frnm | IA IN 13O degrees Fahrenheit n conn
Portable temperature for sable skin, but no white
man can live under it. In some of the most fertile
regions of the Southern States not only is white Ia
Dor mpracticable but the families of the propretors
cannot even reside on them with safety during the
summer months.-RichmOHd Dispatch.