The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-08-03
I 4 Ftsm ssu.h CarsIina.
Correspondents ofthe: Baltimore Daily Gazetse.i
SANTEE, July Is, 1865.


Few, away from the scenes of ravage
and devastation and war, can well ap-
preciate the satisfaction with which
peace is received by the masses of the
South. The rebellion is utterly crushed
out, and people of every degree are only
too glad to return to their desolated
homes, and to be united with the men,
bers of their broken families. 1T must
be hard to describe what those, who were
not under the protection of the Southern
army, but remained alone on their plan
tations and braved the fury of the revo-
luton, endured. They were mostly
women, and to relate in the reinOtest way
what they suffered the two months prior
toithe surrender of Johnston, wonld sound
unreal and exaggerated. In this neigh
borhood matters were aggravated by the
presence of the 18th New York volun-
teers Early in June they were succeed
ed by the 18th Maine volunteers, we'll
disciplined regiment, under General Bell,
who has done all in his power to restore
order, and undo the acts of his predeces
sors. tits difficult task, but the atti-
tude of these troops has quelled the re-
volted blacks, and imposed some degree
of decency on them. 1t is impossible to
give an idea of the disgusting conduct OF
the negroes Some of the servants have
proved very faithful, but this is not gen
eral.
The question of free labor does not
seem likely to receive any just elucida-
ton from experiments making in this
quarter. 1t is the old story. Thenegroes
won't work and will steal The crops
this year will be miserably short. In
some instances contracts have been made
by permission of the government, giving
one-half of the'present rice crop to the
negroes, they doing all the labor and
preparing for shipment, and paying from
their portions for all damage done to ma
chincry, implements or animals. In other
cases the blacks are allowed to retain
possession of the fields they have plant
ed for the yea, In either case they will
not have much within few weeks after
the disposal of their crops The are not
a thrifty race and are accustomed to he
cared for. Next year they must starve;
unless they rob, or, what is much less
probable, work.
The future of the black is very dark.
| As q race it is doomed, and will soon he
crushed out. During the last six months
many have died ON one plantation,
where over three hundred negroes were
left in December, 1864, one bundled and
| fifty-siX have been buried. They may
not die ont at this rate, but the impress
sion is that they will gradually disap-
pear. There will doubtless he az endeavr
or made to exclude them, by act Of AS
scmbly, from the State and to replace
them by white hands. This will necessi-
tate the abandonment of rice planting,
which can only be done by blacks. Peo-
pie will proceed with caution. The free
blacks will probably be tried the coming
wear. Measures will meanwhile he taken
to substitute whites The change will
he difficult, risky and not Profitable
The climate is terrible on the Caucasian
race. 1t suits the African.
An attempt has been made on the part
of some planters to lease their estates
out on shares to men from the North,
giving them the entire management OF
| land and labor. They talk of il as rath-
er good thing to give a New England
money-loving philanthrapist such u
chance But it is cruel thing to send
! snch people down here to make head
against the perils and difficulties of this
revolution. They may make great trou-
bic. The negroes have no respect for
them, and will not obey them. Their
presence might lead to serious distur-
bance. On one or two plantations. over
which no control has been exercised for
some time, the negroes are determined
and dangerous Southern shareholders
are the only ones capable of taking the
reins of authority. Old feudal habits
still show their mark, and they enforce
submission easily, where strange man
ayers fail utterly and dangerously.