The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1865-08-28
DAILY NEWS.
CHARLESTON.
MONDAY 3IoRNING, AUGUST 2s, 1866.

for believing that one, at least will be in the aban
donmcnt of plantation culture 1t has sccmcd that
much Of the labor hitlcrto employed in such pur-
snit would find its way to others, bc lost iii III
dolcncc or vagrancy; that deficiency would result;
that such as might still be made available, would
be stirred to work neither by slavery or immediate
want; that in such condition, it will not be likely
to come voluntarily up to the severe demands of
such culture; and that to DO retained to useful
ness, therefore, and be mado available to the fur
ther progress and prosperity of the State it would
seem important to provide for our coored popula-
ton employment in the arts, and other forms of
agricultural pursuit less in their exactions
and more suited to their tastes and capacities.
Upon this subject our remarks have been con-
aistont with the suppositon that plantation culture
Is Of vast Importance to the State, and that the
change, therefore, has nothing but its necessity
to commend it. But is it so important? Has
there in fact, boon better state of society, and
more Of material development and well-being, than
there would have been with the same amount of
labor and enterprise expended upon otker and
more varied matters? We have produced rice and
cotton to great perfection, and in amounts tram
scontling not only wants. but the wants
of the world. By competition with other coun-
tries, VIC have reduced the price of cotton to the
point at which it could not be profitably produced
elsewhere; and by competition with ourselves and
other Southern States, have reduced it lower still
to the point at which it was scarcely profitable
to ourselves. We could still realize more cash to
the hand from it than from any other pursuit, and
thus, therefore, it retained the monopoly of enter
prises, and kept all available labor in its hands;
but it ever has been, and is yet question whether
with that cash to tho hands we could purchase til
same amount Of comforts and improvements that
would have resulted from tho direct appca-
lion Of our labor to the task of making
such comforts and improvements for ourselves.
With our abundant products We chartered COM
meree and based exchanges for the Western world;
but in That commerce We had little interest, and
those bills of exchange We seldom drow-our one
pursuit exhausting our resources, and, like ocean
insects, urged by single instinct, We erected
reefs upon our shores without tho capacity to build
upon them. With abundant wealth, we were yet
in want of everything that wealth could purchase.
There Was nothing mado here that could not be
made elsewhere with but the cost Of transporta-
tion Under the influence of this system daily be-
coming more intense, every collateral enterprise
had left us. Shoes, hats, clothes, implements,
nntensils, machinery, works of ar. and rerta, all
came from abroad. Even horse-shoes were sent
from abroad to be fitted to our horses; houses to
DO erected Oh our lots. Even teachers and preach
here, and, q necessary consequence, We our
selves complied with the condition. When at lei
sure VIC went elsewhere to spend our money; when
in condition to do so, we often went elsewhere to
live. With all our patriotism, we could not volun-
tariy incur tho trials of negotiating in the sterile
region of but a single product This condition was
becoming worse; were assuming more and
more tho state and condition of province. The
continuance OF that system, With cotton for twenty
years Mt twonty ccnts per pound, would have re-
duced the whole South to the condition Of one
broad plantation, without society, without culture,
without resident population without institutions,
without independence, Or the capacity Or tho wish
TO assert it, and honcc, therefore, whatever we're
the effects of plantation culture at the South upon
the fortunes of the world, they have not been
favorable to our own.
. Nor in our experience, therefore, do we find oc-
casion to lament that it is now to be abandoned
iii fact, of tho insuciency of that system for the
acquisitions Of State, conclusive evidence is to be
found in our condition now. In any other State,
with diversified pursuits, there would have been
permanent property structures, buildings, arts
and enterprises; and swept by armies these proper
ties and enterprises would rcmain-the whole COM
-munity, with moro or less Of loss, would arise
from the pressure, each to his several work. and
rs ever; but hcrc with enterprises collateral to
agriculture, but all dependent on t-with every
interest suspended on single line-the cutting of
that line preciptatcs us all to common ruin.
With the planter falls tho factor, merchant DOCTOR
lawyer, family and friends dependent on him.
None have other nioorings-thcre are no anchors
to tho wndward-no accumulations in some other
form-no openings to other forms of activity; and
society is almost az much without industrial Or
ganizaton, within the planting region Mt least, as
If, as emgrants to tho samo number, We had Just
landed on our shores.
There is not, therefore, the reason in our oxpe-
rienco, to lament tho abandonment OF plantation
culture in this State. But will the negro DO COM
petent to other forms of agricultural That is of
course, qucstonable-it is, in fact, the problem to
be solved. Ho has not been able in his native
country, to develop civilization Of his own; nor
In tho West ndios to sustain tho civilization pre-
scented to him by others; but he has great physical
endurance, singularly tractable and amiable dis
postion and thcro is nothing but his inertia-his
deficiency of moral motives to activity, to prevent
him from continuing valuable agent In the
operations of tho country.
1t is quito possible, therefore, that he may be
untitled for employments requiring severe and
steady labor, but may well be fitted for those more
desultory and entertaining. The experiment Of
farm culture upon the plan possible in the sea-
board DISTRICTS wo believe has mover yet been tried
In Africa there is not the capital intelligence, or
opportunity in fact for such experiments. In the
West Indios after emancipation, there was per-
sistent effort to continue culture upon the estab-