The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1865-09-12
DAILY NEWS.
CHARLESTON.
TUESDAY MORNING. SEPTEMBER 12. 1865.

mado to throw it off or that there are any Ill the
country to initiate state Of hostility against It,
Feeling has not yet become 80 cmottcrcd as 10 III
spirc all act of gratuous injury towards that poo
nIo Nome hold them responsible for the recent
chance in their condition-tGw even for the irregu-
Iaritics and disorders which have, almost of neccs
sity. resulted But there is feeling that they
not and cannot become valuable class of popu-
iation that they will constitute an impeachment to
progress that white laborcrs from other coun-
tries, would be better; that such laborcrs will
come i'll numbers to supply their place; that these
will ten to drive them out and that thus, there
fore, without any hostile acts upon part, but
merely in concurrence with the natural tendency
of events, and in consistcncc with our interests
and obligations, we will como to an entire change
in our laboring population, and thence to the re-
aIization of better and 4 brighter future than is
consistent with the continuance and perpetuation
of the colorcd race.
That may be the ultimate result; but We here
have felt it important to show that it is not to be
realized at once, at any time to be of service to
tho present gencratior that our business is with
the present; that the negro is portion Of our
present population; that population is of present
pecuniary value to State; that its wealth is but
tho expression Of tho human wants which have
become centercd upon the objects susceptible Of
d0u tfftt the negro,
not to be withdrawn without n corresponding rc-
duction in the resources of onr State and people.
1t will be objected to the suicioncy of the argu-
mont by which VIC have attempted to establish
this proposition, that, As fact there is not that
necessary relation between population and wealth;
and that, to be true, it must be conceded that the
people must be of the same race, and equally adj
Vanccd in capacity and culture. This may be true
to an extent; but it is certain that race merely
constitutes no difference; for i'll recent statistics it
is shown that the property per head i'll this State
where there were 100000 negroes and those nc
groes slaves, was as great rs in any of
tho New England States, where all were free and of
the highest average of capacity and culture.
It will be urged that if so Of States where there
Is an inferior race Ill slavery, it is not true where
those slaves have become frec-for that of the
wealth this State before the war; 5000 OO0 600 has
been lost by emancipation, and that the aggregate
cannct now bc as great; but this objection has less
OF validity than at first appears True, the mas
&ers of this State have lost the value of those four
hundred thousand slaves, but each slave is now
the owner of his individual value. Before, the
master was tho owner of that sum, Of which the
cal:ngs of the slave, above the sums necessary to
support him, was the legal interest. OF that sum
the negro is now himself the owner. Before, tho
wealth of the State consisted of the aggregate
wealth of masters. 1t consists of the aggrc-
gate wealth of individuals; and if emancipation
had comc therefore, without the incidental losses
OF thc war, it might have occurred with scarce an
appreciablc diminutioH OF national wealth. True,
the master has now but the balance OF his proper
ty, and the negro cmancipatcd has visible prop
crty at all, and it would scem therefore, that there
must have been necessary loss; but the negro
has still, in his unfettcrcd limbs the value Of five
hundred dollars he was worth before the war;
That attaches upon everything he may look upon
TO wish for For every object of property he be-
comes compctitor to that extent he can make in
vestments; and though in the interval between tho
withdrawal of his value from the hands of his
master and his rcnvosment of it in some visible
object, there may seem to be diminution of na-
iona capital-that his value is gone and there is
nc compensation for it in an established elevation
81 the value of other thnGs-yc. even then it is to
hc taken notice Of If capable Of investment, it
differs little from so much money in his purse; and
the capacities of tho ncgro-hs ability to feed
hmlsef and fund an interest OH sum bcsides-aro
aa much an clement OF national capital as if al
ready exhibited in the form of horse and COW and
gardcn-farm.
II may be said that population is not necessarily
III proportion to national wealh-for that in tbis
State, there, at least has been the loss Of bonl,
capital and other secuitics to vast amount
"hich-tEe population remaining near the same
varies tho relation, at least from what it WAS bc
Tore tho war. But M this, ALSO there is liability
~ nisconccpton. 1t il, of course true TINT sud.
s!ch shocks may disturb the balance of every svs-
te'n ana 1t wore scarcely possible for any system
to nave boon SO shocked as' ours, and in no sys
TEN, therefore, is it to be supposed that the dis
turhance could be greater; but even here it will
DE surprising to sec how many have been tho adj
}ns;ments and compcnsations, and how sure}v 4,
oven after such stunning shocks, the rcs1llts have
approXi:nated to tho acquisitions of tho paramonpt
law VIC have vcntured to announce We have Loot
bank and other capital. That is true But much
OF that capital was but development of credit
Many men who ownod stock owed the money with
which they made tho purchase Many owed mo-
ney without owning stock. Tie bills receivable in
every bank were nearly, if not quite, equal to it's
capital Much money was duo from ono person
10 another. 1t capital to great extent has bcen
Iost, deDts to great extent have been paid.
Credit, generally, has become contracted. Kites.
generally, have folded their wings But while such
chanscs have occurred in the superstructure of
our monetary and commercial system, tho fouutac
Iions have not been greatly altered. The losses
Oh one SIDE have been greatly compensated. If
VIC own lttie we owe little; and credit, rising OH
.no basis OF our present property, will travel
scarcely further than she did before, without dis
'Nfiontihg capital throughout tho land almost as