, 1865-09-24

A~ HA@1s0 ks@1@2Ak4 4tAAAA%f5As$Asse- 'ss%~ ~
ne,a:n, 1,qR.fat rs ,sg|;s'R;t.; =, $50
htoshs 10 T6stee, m aaa Vicinity ston.
To nesro testdeu,s, about 49,. 'sS ~ faaaons
;oE about per censsof the whole.
In Henry and Benton counties noticed two
good.sixed cotton mills. one on the Big Sandy
and g the other near Paris, the county scat.
been run through all the war, and supplied
the rebel army with cloth.
The geological Indications Of petroleum are
abundant In the region travelled. A,pum-
ber OF persons are Investigating, and it Is
hoped rich results will follow. I mention
with emigration, will ciyilize this county and
make 1t what It may easily become.
The negroes at Johnsonviue hare q large
school. The whites have none.
HENRY AND BENTON COUNTIES, =.
ayniled myself OF the Provost Marshal
going to these counties, On the west side of
the river, to travel with his escort, and ascer.
tain the exact position Of affairs there.
Benton e . small, not very prosperous
were left but the elder and younger ones, and
these were generally at work for their old
owners, under some form Of agreement. All
with whom talked agreed as to alayery. All
we're gratifIed at getting rid OF it. All the
elderly men with whom ~talked expressed
In the beginning. Nearly ail the women were
rebelltous, especially those who had eYer
owned snye. All the youngmen hud served
IN one army or the other, mostly IN the rebel.
They arc not loyal yet. Found the grand
jury In scssion At Camden, the county seat, a
and having that air Of prefentious shabhiness
which always strikes m observer, and ismost
plalnly eeen where war has laid its hand
most lightly. -
had been pcrpctrated in this county a short
time before upon a negro woman, who was on
her way to her husband at Johnsonyile. She
wns shot IL the head BY concealed assassin,
while passing on the public highway, within
. Very short distance Of two farmhonses, tue
inmates Of one Of which wcra sitting on the
piazza, and q few minutes after being passed
by white woman. Alter being shot ste was
stabbed in the neck, Just above the thorax,
and then dragged into the bushes BY the road
side. This occurred at sundown. The body
was found, IN inquest held, and verdict Of
mnnslanghter by persons unknown rendered.
Nothing more was done as far as could learn
Rumors were Naoat that her young master
q returned rebel eoldler} had declared that If
she left she'd not reach Johnsonville alive.
Other reports charged the action on the sou
Of the ncighboring family. No motive exist
ed for him to commit the crime.
Tho surface OF !hc adjoining county of
Henry Is admirably diversified, presenting
very lovely landscape, while at tho same time
1t Is rich and fertile section. Farms here are
generally from 500 to 1000 acres in size. To-
bacco Is q great staple; not much has, how
ever, been raised this sca.on. On the other
hand q good deal OF cottonwas planted. Rains
have been moro abundant. The crop yields
largely, averaging more per acre than else
where IN Tennessee. Corn Is abundant. In
general farming has been, taking all things
tnfn consideration nyfansfrA fhtN pnnr r.,
addition to its agricultural resources, Henry
county Is possessed Of considerable mineral
wealth. 1t Offers great Inducements to emi-
gEnnts-tertile sou, undeyeloped mineral re-
sources, tlne climate and beautiful scenery.
The average value OF lnnds hero before the war
that now. Of the region Of which this forms
a portion, writer familiar with Its resources
says:
..Iha Weat Tennessee lands arc, taken ali TO.
g9aaer The 6, anost productive II tne State They
q fRs s a1 eefSn sS tsa s hs% TO-
garden vegetables, grapes rather Indifferent winter.
gnt fne summer applcsr timothy and herds grase.
TIT TRe timber NIB T. V.usnls eopsing sse i'd
Of enormous magnitude. GIbaon, ohion, Lauder
dale and lfpt9n are hnons for a excellent species
yslhloV Poplar Which ocn atalat The eze Of IL
ten; This division Of the State is abundantly su-
Piled With ep1tne., and numeroua streams Of freq
etonc water. Owing to the lcEel character Of the
country there is but lille waterpower, bnt plenty
Tor E!1ss Snt saK;mils, in most localities. Ii Ben
Statc Capitol, md also 1t the Na.ional CapItol.
The supply Is 1nczhaaslib.e. In BENTON county,
70. ar M irom Johnsonyi!le on ths Tennessee river
LOT pn}'dane purposes"
HOW THE PEOPLE STAND.
AS TO the Government md slavery, l. the
most important question an observer has to
ask IN the South. Henry County was a
wealthy slaveho1ding county, 50 far as West
Tennessee Is concerned: It contained, &C.
FREQ colorcd, and Il, So. whites, being little
less than one slave to two whites. There are
TOW left In this county about $500 Of the
1orner slnvea, the balance having left for our
lines No Union garrisons have been placed
in this region. The rebels held Paris long
crznival.
Everywhere in this county the people were
holding on TO- the Inst remnant Of slavery.
Everywhere the negro Is informed he Is not
yet free, but probably will be at Christmas,
which means Tint when the crop Is all In, the
masters not being able TO cajole them lotgcr,
they will bo turned adriit TO shift for them.
ments Is that having n mails, they ithe whites)
have no means of knowing really that the
slaves were free. found one old man who
stoutly declared that he knew nothing about
It, Found others who had never scen or
heard Of the Presidents Amnesty Pcoclama-
Illustrated BY couple of conversations held
with two Of them by the officer with whom
was in company.
"Yes, sab rs slaye,". was the reply
made BY bright looking fellow Of nineteen
or twenty who was met driving team. He
Lad been asked ~ he WIS slave." t.Hav'nt
you beard that the niggass were al Hee:"
"Weu, sahl done hcarn tell sumthin OF
the sort, but old master he says wo's not free
yet"
AEAS FELLOW
TUNED up in the person of the next mans ex
master. This one was q middle-agcd, intelli-
gent looking black, whom We met about four
md wagon, ailer having performed = days
"what's your namc, my friend" said the
captain.
HWherc do you belong!"
"ovcr at Squire Moors's. yopdeE;'' pointing
In sight OF the road.
Arc you q free man ,"
Jim looked up half wnggish1y, eyed tho |
uniform, and then looked al the black SOL
dicrs who formed our escort. |
"Well. Cap'en, suppose I Is. Fact I. 1's /
know we uns arc free. Too mnny OF them ar |
boys been about, not to Kan that.''
aWhat's the Squire say p
"He never done say anything, Cap'en. |
Two weeks ago asked Il We uns We1u's free.
Moore he said he didn't know, for sar-
tin he bad hearu tell about Proclamation,
but thought We wouldn't be FREQ TIL Christ
nlas then he tell us all. Lor' love you, ,Ps un-