New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-02-17
LIZ. FosrHn,A nILL.

Tie agricultural lands Of the coasts Of
south Carolina aud Florida are of great and
peculiar value Their ordinary crops oi the
NO staples Of Rice ard Sea leland Cotton
would, at present prices, be- worth from thr;y
Ia forty millions of dollars. Au important
portion OF these lands has been iornken b!
their lale owners, and are now IN the posscs-
sion of the Government of the United states.
More ia being taken possession Of every week.
The v hole may be possessed by Government
within short space Of time. 4 population OF
some Twelve thousand poor people. accustomed
10 tho tillage Of these lands, but for the
present without property or homes. took,
sced, or the necessary organization for the
orderly use Of them, and direction of their
labor, are under the protection Of the United
Statas. Tho number Of these readily might to
# it were desired, and may BE-, whether it il
desired or not, increased to several hundred
thousand. The United states has 10 pros de
for the support Of these poor people, and hos
also TO provide the n-ce,saTy food for some
twenty thousand Of lend aal ssa forces in that
saaler. Scuryy haa alreadg APPEARED in tie
fleet, for want Of fresh vegetable. Obviously
large quantities Of these sAOGld be planted ~
ence. Tiage for the Rice, Cotton, and Corn
crops, is they ara tv b. raised tia year,
should commence within the present month.
Moreover, thousands OF the laborIng yopu'a-
ton are reported to have rcsortel 70 island.
deserted BY their late owners, but not t4in
possession Of by tie United States, where ti,.
are living without work, in the luxury Of pi.
ratss, plundering and iornging on their own
account, and thus training Themselves ia he
worst possible habts, and preparing for the
use of cauiing tyranis, grand demonstration
Of the folly Of freedom.
/ II anything Is 10 be done this year to rem.
edy this great evil, or - make use Of this ,al.
liable property, II must be- done % once. Sem
ato- Foster has presented bill, the object o
which is 10 authorzc immediate. elective meas.
urcs 20 be- taken to accomplish the end IN
\ view, and TO relieve Congress and the Depart
mcnls in Washington OF The necessity Of pro
longcd consideration of the details Of thcs,
measures For this purpose, il u proposed +,
appoint three Commissioners, 10 be- placed uD
der bonds 10 undertake tie whole manage
mcut Of Ito business, under the military ga
tlortic.. The bill contcmrates arrangement
90 bc made with private citizens f. take th,
lands at rent, and for the employment and sup
port Of the negroes on wages, and under sucl
regulations to secure just and humane dralin,
az may be required.
Bot as it is possible tina. comprehensive an,
satisfactory arrangements Of tins kind coul,
not be- seasOnably made, the bin further gu
tnOrizes the Commissioners, if necessary, 4
take the business directly into their own hands
ard provides for the expenses OF all necessar,
proceedings to this end. 10 guard against ex
cesssc outlay, the bill limits the eIpendtur
of the Commission to a maximum of ton dol
lars an acre, for putting things an order pur
chasing seed, tools, and whatever il necessar
to start the crops.
The Commissioners are directed to deal wit
the laboripg population as Commissioners q
tho Poor, and on the principles OF tho uost Gu