The national Republican., 1861-08-23
THE PLANTING AnIsrOCRACY.

That the plantation system, as 1t exists In the
Gulf States, is essentially aristooratc, is truth
which could not escape such an observer as
Mr.. Russell, the correspondent Of the London
Times. He says on that subject
THE inevitable tendency of the system is to
create great capitalists, who buy up slaves and
lands and extinguish the smaller white propri-
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 labor machine by the large proprietor,
he is better treated by him, although on far
lower footing, than by the poor white who is
struggling to make few bales of cotton out of
ill-tiiied and inferior land. The creoles who
hold on to their little patches Of land by the
Mississippi, are regarded by their wealthier
neghbors as very bigoted and unreasonable
because they will not sell their land. aud yet,
acre after acre, it is slipping away from them.
In no place does greater objection to universal
suffrage unpopular as it is, in private conver.
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 ihe bottom Of their whole
system, as there is at the base of secession, q
gross materialism. 1t may be that the North Is
equally under the same infuence-it 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
in spite Of refinement and chiyalry, is the doc
trine preached, to the exclusion Of any other
dogma Nowhere else have heard so much
OF the potency of the dollar expressed in acre
| age, in bales Of cotton, and hOgsheads Of sugar
Every white man who Is among them takes. OF
may take, something from them. Their number /.
minimized to meet the strictest requirements o
| trading In the towns. and OF mechanical arts in
the country, through all the extreme South
The slaveowner educate his children afar-gen.
orally In the North, sometimes in France OF
In England He affords them every means OF
luxurious enjoyment. while the Northern youth
Is toilng In the office or the counting house.
They travel like Russians or Milors. 90 into
good society, are acceptable from their pleas.
ant manners and physique, and If they can af.
ford, they avoid the plantations and fly to them
only under pressure. They soon become mas
tiers accustomed to the obedience of slaves. II
they meet with opposition they can scarce con
troll the passions, and argument is often treated
as insult II is only on their farms and at home
that the material view of all things IL so fully
expressed often, indeed iu no unpleasant ex.
positions. These gentlemen have power OF
cbastisement with little limit but death, and
tnen suspect the penalties are not excessive.
Each is Ills own provost marshal. The gang
system produces not only uniformity and
steadiness Of labor, but submissiveness and
obedience. They work as soldiers drill, in
companies. The overseers are the captains;
the master is the general, who gives orders and
expects the thing to be done. The planters are
held together by common interests. Each man
knows, not only his neighbor, but the planters
of his State more or less intimately. There Is
no mob to control them. Thus they are all.
powerful for concerted political action