Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1865-04-07
DELAWARE, OHIO, APRIL z, 1866
SOUTH CAROLIMA AND ITS PEOPLE.

SOUTH CAROLINA AND lis PEOPLE.
The following correspondence, giving
an interesting view of the character of
the country in South Carolina, and the
condition of the people, is from the Ohio
State Journal:
THE CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY.
The face of South Carolina is like a
triangle, having the Atlantic coast for a
base, and Georgia and North Carolina
along its southern frontier. 1t has an
area of twenty million acres, and is di-
vided into thirty districts, corresponding
to the counties in Northern States In
1850 the census showed a population of
| of 668, 600. Geographically considered,
the country is level. Mountains are rare,
but rivers are in abundance. There are
very few lakes, the only one of any i'm
portance being in BarnWell district, pre-
senting a beautiful sheet of water
Swamps and bogs abound in the lower
portions of the State. Savannas or plains
cover considerable extent of territory.
The margins of the rivers are of great
fertility, and make excellent plantations.
The State embraces little variety of
soil. Nor is it less rich and varied in its
immense forests of timber. A consider
able portion of the districts through
which we passed consisted of pine lands.
The soil may be enumerated in three
kinds. The tide and inland swamps,
where rice, cotton, corn and peas are cul-
tivated. The salt marsh and oak land,
where long cotton and potatoes are
Then there is what is called the pine
barrens, appropriated to the production
of vegetables and fruit. In the vicinity
of rivers are found all kinds of timber,
such as magnolia, bush pine, and willow.
A 4ba lor 4
it requires careful culture to supply the
emergencies of the husbandman. In the
middle districts, sand hills rise to a con-
siderable height above the adjacent lands.
This soil produces scarcely any grass.
[ have said the form of the country is like
triangle, and generally level. These
tracts of lowlands enclose multitudes Of
rich and fertile plantations, watered by
the innumerable streams and creeks that
form SO many noble rivers. These plan
tations are covered mostly with corn and
rice fields. Nothing can be imagined af-
fording a more perfect picture of rustic
sweetness than these plantations. In
some districts we found large plains, the
verdure of which is maintained by thous-
ands of perennial springs.
The climate of South Carolina is like
that of the West Indies. There is scarcely
any frost. The period of vegetation COM
prehends seven months.
The immense forests of turpentine
trees constitute one of the attractive fea-
lures of this State. How eagerly did we
look at these lordly pines, and were de-
lighted at beholding the dark, gloomy,
yet picturesque forests, interspersed here
and there by a cypress swamp, decorated
| by the fragrant myrtle. Mountain ranges
are grand and startling, but these vast
plains, and piney woods of turpentine
celebrity, are sublime. There is nothing
monotonous in the sight. The large bod
les of wild land, and the well cultivated
farms, form pleasing variety. The val
liable land is chiefly owned by the
wealthy, and cultivated by the slaves. 1t
is true, that, scores of poor men own
farms, numbering from two to four hun
dred acres, but having no slaves, the
most of the land is uncultivated.
| These natural advantages indicate that
this State is capable, under the hands OF
honest labor, of supporting as dense a
population as any State of equal size in
the Union. Slavery, however, has left
| its blighting curse upon the State, and
consequently it has, as yet scarcely COM
menced developing its inexhaustible re-
sources. The magnificent schemes OF
railroad enterprise which pervades the
| free North, have not, to any great extent,
penetrated into the borders of the Pal
metto State. Her progress in manufac-
lures, mechanical, educational, and other
/ improvements, is behind any other State
The adjustment of slavery will, in few
years, add one hundred per cent. to the
population and wealth of South Carolina.
| THE CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE.
The inhabitants of South Carolina are
classed as follows: Planters, farmers,
cottagers, and squatters. This tour-fold
division resembles the system Of castles
which exists in England, and other mo-
narchial countries. The planters have
| large incomes, live easy, enjoy much, work
little, are high-minded, imperious and
domineering. They have the same pride
of birth, the same high and naughty
bearing, the same contempt of the masses,
and the same aversion to labor and mechan-
ical employments, that distinguish the
aristocracies of Europe. Their manners
are polished and courteous. Their NOR
ais are reckless and dissolute.
The virtue of the second class, the
farmers, are less snowy, but their vices
are fewer, than those of the planters
They are more active and industrious,
depending on their own exertions, and
are better able to bear the frowns Of for
tune. They own few slaves. This class
is not very large, and since the war COM
menced, their numbers are getting less
They are generally intelligent, and have
tolerable experience in the politics of the
country. The third class are called cot
tagers; they constitute large number of
the people. They are in a depressed
state, having no slaves of their own, and
unwilling to work with those of their
more wealthy neighbors, and not being
able to procure the position of overseers,
many of them, having no resources left
them, engaged in some slight business
which did not afford them suitable EN-
Iployment. The eonscription, however
has swept them into the ranks.
! The lowest grade are the squatters, OF
the poor white trash. These are a lazy
Ethriftless, thoughtless set, unimproved in
either mind or morals.