The Columbia daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1865, 1865-07-07

which they were employed, leaving
Behind them the children and the old
to be supported by the proprietors.
In some instances husbands have.de-
serted their wives and children, and
we have known both father and
mother to abandon their infant to be
cared for by others. We have not
seen that these laborers have been re.
quired by any order to remain upon
the farms and to labor for the present
year, or even to assist in making or
harvesting the growing crops Many
of those who left the farms have taken
with them the mules and horses which
were Indispensable for the farm work.
Those who remain upon the farms are
generally indisposed to labor as they
had previously done, or to be orderly
and industrious, and many are loiter-
ing idly and, mlschievously through
the country.
The devastation Of whole Districts
of our State by armies or raiding
parties-removing or destroying every
animal for labor or for food, every
article for the subsistence of maa or
beast, every implement or appliance
of agriculture-has left the whole
agricultural population of the country
in a most deplorable condition. The
cotton crop for the last four years has
been inconsiderable, as but small
area was allowed by law to be plant
ed; and even now the supply of the
mere necessarles Of life is not only
meagre every where, but in some
Districts wholly exhausted. This Sec
tion is without mail facilities, and its
communications by railroad have been
wholly interrupted and are not likely
to be soon restored.
These evils are greatly aggravated
by the total absence Of any circulating
medium. Gold and silver are pos
sessed by but few, and by these few in
small sums. The stock of cotton on
hand will supply but little, if any,
more money than will be necessary to
pay taxes, and We fear that large
number of farms must inevitably be
sold for that purpose. The growing
crop Of cotton can add but little, it is
believed not one-fourth Of million of
bales to the existing stock, which pro-
badly does not Amount to one and a.
half millions Of bales.
Amongst the greatest disasters,
which the wise and prudent amongst
us behold in the immediate future of
our unhappy country, is conflict be-
tween the white and the black races,
which there is much in their sundered
relations to incite, and in many parts
of our State no power Of civil or mill.
tary government to repress. This
danger is fearfully augmented, in its
imminency and in its horrors, by the
superior numerical strength of the
blacks over the whites, and by the
fact that the latter are generally being
disarmed Of all offensive weapons,
whilst many Of the former are in the
possession Of fire arms, and are expert
J IN the use OF them.
These political, social and industrial
evils have greatly paralyzed the me :
chanicaI and agricultural industry Of
our country and sadly depressed the
spirit and energies Of our people.
In tender consideration whereof we
crave the prompt aid Of the Govern
menf, by remedial and preventive
measures, to mitigate the evils that
disturb US at the present, and to avert
the calamitles which menace US in the
future.
We pray that our Legislature NAV
be aIoa ed to hold its usual sessions
and that it may have wisdom to devise
measures suitable to the necessities Of