Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1861-09-05
The Planting Aristocracy.

That the plantation system, as it exists in
the GulfStates, is essentially aristocratic. is a
truth which could not escape such an observer
as Mr. Russell. the correspondent of the Lon
don Times. He says on that subject
1.-The inevitable tendency of the system 10 10
create great capitalists, who buy up slaves and
lands and extingush the smaller white proprl-
etors, and 1t must be admitted there is SO far
good for the slave in this feature of the system,
that, if held completely as beast of burden
and Dor machine by the large proprietor,
he is better treated by him, although on a far
lower footing, than by the poor white who is
struggling to make few bales of cotton out of
il.tilled and inferior land. The creoles who
hold on to their little patches OF land by the
Mississippi are regarded oy their weather.
neighbors as very bgoted and unrea soma BILE
because they will not sell their land. and yet,
acre after acre, it is slipping away from them.
ln no place does greater objection to universal
sutfrage-unpopular as it is, in private CONVEX.
sation at least. over most of the States-exist,
than in the South.
"The satraps can bear no rival near the
throne. With all their individual charms of
manner, easy demeanor, hospitality, and good
breeding, there is at the bottsm of their whole
system, as there is the base Of secession,
gross materialism. 1t NAV be that the North
is equally under the same influence-t may be
that all the world is regulated by it-that in.
terest is the sole motive power in politics, and
in the actions of men. But in the South alone,
is spite of refinement and chivalry, is the doc.
trine preached, to the exclusion of any other
dogma. Nowhere else have heard SO much
Of the potency of the dollor expressed in acre.
age, in ales of cotton, and hogsheads of sugar.
Every white man who is among them takes, or
may take, something from them. Their mum.
Der is minimized to meet the strictest require.
ments of trading in the towns and Of mechan.
arts in the country, through all the extreme
South. The slaveowner edacates his children
afar-generally in the North, sometimes in
! France or in England. He affords them every
means OF luxurious enjoyment, while the North
ern youth is toiling in the Office or the counting
house. They travel like Russians or Milors,
go into good society, are acceptable from their
plesant manners and physique, and if they can
afford, they avoid the plantations, and fly to
| them only under pressure. They soon be-
come masters accustomed TO the obedience OF
slaves. If they meet with opposition they can
scarce control the passions, and argument is
often treated as insult. 1t is only on their
farms and at home that the material view OF
| all things 10 so fully expressed-often, indeed,
in no unpleasant expositioOs. These gentle
men have power Of chastisement with little
! limit but death, and then suspect the penal
ties are not excessive. Each 10 his own pro.
Vost marshal. The gang system produces not
only uniformity and steadness Of labor, but
fubraissveness and obedience. They work a,
soldInrs drill, in companies. The overseer
are the captains; the master is the general
who gives orders and expects the thing TO be
done. The planters are held together by com
mon interests Each man knows not only hi
neighbor, but the planters of his State more o
less ultimately. There 10 no mob to coniro
them Thus, they are all-powerfull for concer
ted political action