New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-02-19

cradle quantities have not been licked al all, but
the crop for tits reason was unusually good' 70
iatoes and corn ere raised for consumption on Tue
plantations ony corn being raised at the rate VI
only twenty-five bushels per acre.
Snch fea' ures on plantation life as VIII throw
light on the social questions now anxousiy weieneu
deserve notice. ", ::
In this regard the master, if a man OF wealth, IL
more likely TO have HE main residence AZ beauIo' y
sometimes hs wing none the plantation but ha'ihe
ono TOR the driver He may however, have one, ana
an extensive one too as in the case of Dr. jenkins al
ST. Helena. and vet pass mOst OF bis tine at Beau
fort, or at the North. The plantation IN such cas-
il left almost wholly under the charge OF IN over
seer In come cases there IL not even Dout' ior a
overseer the plantation being superintendeo Dy "a
driver. and bel visited by the OveTreer living on
another plantation belonging 10 the ZANE owner
tn houses for overseers of undesirable char
acter. Orchards of orange or fig trees are usually
planted near them
distance-S0 or lG0 rods-from the Overseers or
masters house, and are ranged III a row, sometimes
in two rows, rOnting each other. They are 10 feet
by II, each appropriated 10 family, and III some
cases divided with partition. They numbered on
the plantations visited from 10 10 20, and on the
Coffin plantation they are double, numbering %
double houses intended for t6 families. The yaros
seemed TO with children, the negroes coupling
al an early age.
Except Oh Sundays, these people DO not take their
/
bread, or pota;oes, sitting on ne floor bench,
aud at lis own time j. say their masters
never allowed hem any , time for meals.
Whoever under our system IS charged with their
eupeIin,endenCe should that they attend more 10
TIE cleanliness of their persons and houses, and see
that, as in families Of white PEOPLE, they take th'lr
meals together az a tabe-hahits to which they VIII
be more disposed when they are ploNi0ed WIN
another change Of clothing, and when better food i
furnished and proper hour assigned for meals
III on each plantation visited By ne, fhnliar con-
VIBRATIONS were had with several laborers, more or
lesf as line permitod-sOmeilu e., inquiries made oil
them rs tlty collected in gTouI-, o. 10 what ihty
desired us 10 DO with and for the with advice as 10
tie ,eurse # sobioiy and ministry which IL was Ioi
their iDieleft 10 pursue under The new ana s,!H s'
lCircuusiaI oes in watch they were nov placed H.
quiles as 10 laut ion economy he culture Of crops
ne indictments ill remaining, the number Of pet
spns in all snd Of field hands, and tie raions II ued
were MADE o. The drivers bs Trey axe called, answer
ia D. uclrly as tie TWO different systems oil ia'of
IVI remit % for-Dcn on farms Ia tie free Sa'c'.
Ie.t ls one ~ esch Ilautatiou-on tie lar-e.t one
visited. two They fiill remained on each visited,
la.d their names were noted. The business OF The
clivr WAS 20 suIeruteud the feid-bacs generally,
and s,e that tAt.r tasks were performed fully
and pro,eIly. Uo controlled item subject 10
/ tie master or Ovtrseer. lie dealt ont We
Iaiious. Another Office belonged 10 him. lie WAS
required by HE matter Or ottiseer, whenever ne
sass At, 10 iliI" cor ora Iu'ieniutnt upon l 70
lc renewed from 'f, once NJ ltl tiie
IA i,ct Ol Cif,iI ne MS wife or Children Do
The 40 ca CO a.. he muster ana oversecr be c,ecc1
90 I1ucb of der au,a Orlty As indicating lis oli-
lion Of consequence, BE was privileged with four
quits of lofhiug year, 3 lille only TWO wero al
lowed 70 toe isllrefs under bin. u l. evident,
IRON some 81 the duties ASST sneo bin, that be E.u-l
have been person o! considerable judgment ana
knowledge II llHta'iOn economy, not NM g.
,euail, from llat required oi The foreman Of farm
in tie Fee States. lie uIay be retumed 70 have
lHowp, IA many ses. qD tc as much about tic mel
ters with which e. was charged as The owner OF O.
plantation vino often passed but a fractional IaIt 0.
Bis NE upon u.
The driver, notwithstanding the dispe sion If
otter aboIeis, qnite generally remains on the Ian
taiOn as already stated. lie still holds tie keys Of
The g'euaIy, dealing ont terM0ns o: iood, ana Win
the same frute If responsibility a. before In one
case oaud him ~ "a controversy with hbor,r 10
whom he w4 refusing is pecS Of corn, hecsuse 81
absence WITH bis vie GA aIO.her plantation ~her
tie corn WIS gathered, n being gathered since tie
arrival Il army. The hborer protested wufnl'
that be had hclpoc 20 Int and hoe The corn, and
was only absent ae Charged, bccause Of sickness.
Tie diver dlpealed % me rs tie ouIy wi'lc nan
|Lcar aud leaning from o'ler lJoiers that t.c
lal orsr vas -ck 40 tic line OF gai eriug, advised
TIE driver To- give III his Ieck q CON, which be
did accOrJinlly TIE fact l. noted Iudicatii tho
re-tnt relation OF The driver 20 the IIsiGion whore
ne II retains something %. LIS former authority.
This authority, h., However, very erscn'lJliy o.
uiii.hed. Tie main ~ as he will you,
itoaf he has now no white mat 10 back him, OttoF
REASONS may, however, concur. 4 o!as Of labolels
ere generally disposed 10 be jealous OF one OF their
own number promoted 10 be over them, and accord
nply some negroes evidently moved by this feeling
W tell Won that The drivers ought now 10 work a
field hs nds and some field hands be drivers ~ 'heiT
place Tie driver has also been required 70 report
lGrlnQuencies 10 he master or OVeisecr ana upon
! their order to miiict corporal puhishinent ihc
" loborers will in cases gay that DC has been
I isgr krl .ls n.4s
that be old o'iy what be WAS forced to do. The
complsinnnts who have suffered under the lasb may
be pardoned for not bling sufficiently charitable "a
, hin who has unwiiingly inflicted 1t, while on the
. otaer hand be has been placed 10 dangerous post
ton where hard nature. seif-ntercst, or az like
for The victim, might have tempted hin, TO be more
cruel Than bic position required. The truth, III pro-
portions impossible for NJ IL many cases 10 iia, may
!, lie with boIh parties. am on the whole inclined
TO believe that the past position Of the driver and be
valuable knowledge, both Of the Plantations and the
laborers wien properly advised and controlled may
be made available in securing Tie productiveness Of
the Plantations and the good Of the laborer. ii
should be added that in all cases the drivers were
. found very ready TO answer inquiries and ccmmun
cate all Information, and seemed DESTROYS that the
work OF the season should DO commenced.
There also on the plantations Other laborers
more Intelligent than the average, such as the car
peDter the plowman, the religious leader, who may
be called preacher, Waterman or helper, the
two latter beng recognized omoers III the cnuicnes
Of these people and the helpers being uids TO the
Waterman. These persons, having recognized
positions among their fellows, either by virtue
Of superior knowledge or devotion, when
properly approached by us, may be expected
10 have a beneficial influence on the more igno-
rant, and help to create that public opinion IL
favor of good conduct which, among the hnmblesi
as among the highest, il most useful. saw many
Of very low intellectual development, but hardly any
too low to be reached by civilizng influences either
coming directly from us or mediaely through ,heiI
brethren. And while l raw some who were sadly