Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1864-04-06
The Agricultural Interest.

The Agricultural Interest.
The following article from the Gharlottcs-
vile Chronicle, while primarily directed at
the farmers of Virginia, applies trutbfully to
those of y1ost, if not all, parts Of the Con-
federacy:
The behavior of the agricultural interest
in this war has not contributed to the eVlden'
ces OF their superiority over the townspeople.
: The simplicity, openness, bountifulnesS which
we associated with our country gentlemen
and substantial farmers have been sharply
colored by high wood, high corn, high beef,
high fowls, high butter, and high molas.cs.
We had been encouraged TO believe in the
towns, that the farmers were q comparatively
subliulated race, cultivated By their generous
pursuits and their habitual contemplation OF
nature, into something superior 10 the sordid
frames that pervaded and prevailed more or
less among people excited by commercial
transactions and demoral!2eG by basiness.
We knew that merchants and lawyers made
all they could, and had disciplined their con-
sciences by long exercises to have less sympa'
thy with tic circle of their friends than with
themselves. And q more attentive oo5erYa-
ton Of human society, since the inception OF
this war, has persuaded us that farmers are
no better than other people. They too have
some weakness. Now We notice, il q farmer
has a turkey (although he may be lord OF a
thousand acres and a hundred niggcrs)-he
seems to give his mind to tia. turkey, aud
selling him in, Richmond for eighty dollars,
with as little elevation of soul as a man vic
trades in mules, or takes your measure for
YOUR coat and psntaloons. 1t is true lie is .
landed proprietor; he has the orthodox opia-
ions about Southern Ch;yalrv he resembles
IN his own Judgment the old sQuirearchy of
England; lie abi,ors all sordid Iarkce ways;
he regards the Yankees as q nation Of money.
eetters; Lut he wants to sell his turkey. And
he intends to get eighty dollars.
This war was Joined on the Issue Of the
Protection Of our Slave Properly. Thousands
have died to this great end. Homes haye
been destroyed. Many hearts have keen
broken. The negroes have not been used In
the war. Their masters have retained them
to raise food for the government, and make
money for the ow,ers of the said slaves. And
now the poor cry as loud for bread, and 60
they get it?
There is many a poor woman, whose nus
band-dcar TO her as the manorial lord 10 Lib
fascinating lady-has been following the camp
fres for three years. He has survived, per
haps, fifteen or twenty battles-it may he
has received a bullet or two. he gets fer bis
services eleven dollars by the north, and his
captains servant gets thirty-fvc. = large
mart CT the zine his feet have been on the
ground. and in the winter nights he has often
been cold. Behind him he left his family
wife and several children. lie is doing battle
for the Installations of the South-bil wl.o
hears those poor orphans cry for food? There
are o thousand or twelve hundred persons in
tie county Of Albemarle receiving public
charity. There are two or three thousand
more, who are too proud to ask it. From
among these, many husbands, fathers, broth
crs have fallen, " with their backs TO tie field,
and their feet to the foe" Others expect the
ordeal Of the coming summer.
These people have to give two or three hun.
dred dollars for 4 barrel of flour. Many OF
them We presume, do not cat meat.
What is the duty of the farmers? 1t is
to divide with the community. They have
no right to make money when the ship is
receiving the enemJ's broadsides. At least
they should sustain the gallant tars vino are
fighting their battles.
This is not all. The large farmers are also
exempted from military service. This is
hard to bear, but we ought to bear it. The
demagogue could handle it with powerful ef-
feet but there was no help for it. The ne
cessity for feeding tie army demanded 1t.
But while this much ia conceded, for the
.country's sake, and for their property's sake,
to the farmers, tie people have the right TO
demand that THAR families shall lie partakeri
of the food of the land. Our soldiers, and
our soldiers families must be fed.
And now to avoid all misconce ption, let US
no: be understood as urging any complaints
against all farmers. There are many noble
exceptions our- meaning is that as Z class
they have NOT met tho public expectations.
The recent tax bill is an inttance ct the
uartiality Of oar legislation to the agricultural
interest. 4 farmers land is assessed ut its
yalue in 1860, AID he p4ys 5 PEI cert. on It.
Bat the person whuss property is in bank
stock, or insurance stock, has his stock assess
ed ct It's value in lSG4l. and pays . per cest.
on that valuation. In other words, as the
Albemarls Insurance Stotk (owiIg to its jndi-
cious management was worth 1919 on the
18th Of February, iha owner is taxed 10 per
cent. on the par value. 1t is true The Abe
marie Insurance Company has made twenty
per cent. daring he past year. But tie
farmer has made fifty per cent.
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