The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-11-19

and so with all the lands lying on
what is commonly called the coast of
Louisiana, but which is really the
banks of the river down to the city of
New Orleans and below it.
Above Baton Rouge, which is more
Immediately ON the seat of war, the
destruction has been entire. Nothing
remains to the proprietor excepting
his abandoned lands, and even those
are subjected to a taxation which he
will not be able to pay, and in all
likelihood will be removed from his
possession or sold for taxes.
General Wade Hampton's s planta-
ton on Lake Washington is in ruins,
although the family throughout the
war resided there, under the care of
the Generals brother, Mr.. Christie
pher Hampton. During the war the
General removed his negroes, about
1, 100 in number, to South Carolina.
Between 200 and 800 remain with
him on his place here, which is also
but the wreck of once magnificent
estate, the remaining negroes, sup
ported by the efforts of the General,
doing little or no work to help them
selves.
Up Red River, Louisiana, as far as
the war extended, the destruction is
as complete, with the exception that
the lands, being moro elevated, will
not be SO much injured in the matter
of ditching and drainage. This is
what is more strictly called the delta
of the Mississippi. In all these
regions the oxen, the mules, the plan
tation utensils and most of the ma
chlnery have either been so injured
or destroyed as to require fresh re-
plenishing upon the plantation as if
1T had been an original settlement in
the forest. So much for the destruc-
ton of the property of the agricul-
turists in the delta of the Mississippi,
in the valley and it's tributaries.
The great trade Of the North west
is thus seriously affected. Each plan
ter formerly in himself afforded to
each customer the consumption of a
medium sized town. Hay, grain.
machinery, cutlery, implements Of
agriculture, wagons, carts, mules,
oxen, glassware, crockery, coal, iron,
lead and copper were all formerly de-
llvered at the planters own door,
without wharfage or other city charges,
and for which the trader received in
return either cotton, molasses or
sugar, as he might desire, and have
the balance, if any, given on check
upon the banks or merchants in New
Orleans, which no one knows to have
been ever disputed on presentation
for payment. With the exception of
the trade which might be afforded by
the few planters who may be enabled
to carry on their business and make a
few cheap purchases, the whole trade
to that region of country is entirely
lost, unless capital, a coerced system
Of labor and more liberal legislation
on the part of Congress to the South
gives the planters encouragement to
renew their former avocations. It is
undenlably the case, that after con-
versatlOn with the most intelligent
men from every agricultural district
of the country, unless some hope of
tins kind IS realized, the prosperity
OF the country is lost for period Of
at least twenty years
Inc condltlOn OF the negroes with
the dissolution Of all ties between the
former master and freedmen through
out the entire South, but more espe-
cially in the Valley of the Mississippi,
has produced a desire on the part of
many Of the negroes that their former
masters shall return and extend their
old protection to them. For him they
are willing to hire their labor at any
reasonable service that may be agreed
upon between the owner of the lands
and themselves, if they are only left
to their own discretion and judgment
III the matter. But where their gains
are wrested from them by rapacious
and greedy officers and they are con-
tinually melted by fresh insubordina-
ton and rnneuel fhnfts In nr1lnr 70