The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-06-06
The Cotton Crop of 1865.


elaborate article on this subject, presenting
many facts and arguments.that are worthy of
public attention. and of the special consider
alton of the commercial class. We extract
the material portion of the article referred to:
The first great and leading question to be
solved is the amount of labor applied to the
production of the present crop. In 1860 there
were something over four millions of negro
slaves in the Southern States. According to
the census tables about one half OF that num-
Der were between the ages of ten and sixty
years. This would give two millions able to
do work. Of the four millions of slaves in
the Southern States in 1860, two millions
and forty thousand (2,040,000) were in the
States of Virginia, North Carolina, Tennes-
see, Kentucky, Missouri and Maryland, and
consequently were not to any considerable
extent employed in the production ofcotton.
tits true, a few thousand bales were raised
in some Of these States, but the labor of
those States was principally applied to the
production of provisions, tobacco, grain,
hemp, turpentine and stock This would
leave in the cotton growing States about two
millions Of slaves, one-half of whom were
working hands, From this number we must
deduct those employed as domestics, and in
the trades; also, some deduction should be
made for those engaged in the cities and
towns as laborers, draymen, stevedores, por-
tort, &c.
We do not believe that more than eight or
nine hundred thousand hands were employ
ed in the production of cotton previous to
the war. To these must be added the num-
Der of white laborers who were engaged in
its cultivation. There were, in 1860, about
three millions of white people in the seven
cotton States Of these, one-half, or one mil
lion five hundred thousand, were between
the ages of 10 and go years. About one half
of these were males. This would give the
cotton States seven hundred and fifty thous-
and male white persons between the ages of
10 and 60 years. Of these about one-third,
or two hundred and fifty thousand, were
owners of lands and slaves. who did not la
Dor in the fields. Of the remaining five hun
dred thousand. it is supposed that two-ffths
were employed in the mechanic arts, trades
and professions This would leave three
hundred thousand field laborers. To these
add the number of slaves employed in agri-
culture, and we,haye the following total field
laborers:
Slaves. 100000.
Whites, 100000.
Total, 100000.
We are satisfied that this is rather over
than under the number actually employed
as agricultural laborers previous to the war.
Let us now examine for "A moment the pre-
sent supply of labor, both black and white,
and see how it compares with that of 1860.
Unfortunately, we have no reliable data to
aid us in the investigation; we have, how
ever, a fact from which we may be able to
approximate fair estimate of our present
labor supply. In the first place, we know
from the official reports that two hundred
and fifty thousand black men have been en-
listed in the army of the United States as
soldiers teamsters, pioneers, &c. Ofthis num-
ber it will be safe to calculate not more than
fifty thousand will hoe cotton this year.
Then there is quite a large number who have
focked to the cities and towns to avoid field
labor We estimate these at one hundred
thousand. There is also a considerable num-
Der of women and girls from 12 to GO, who
were field hands, but now are lying up on
the plantations in idleness, their husbands
and fathers supporting them. A great many
field women have also sought and obtained
employment as house women, cooks cham
bcrmaids. washerwoman, &c. These must
be all deducted from tine number formerly
employed in the cotton fields Thus we
have:
Enlisted soldiers, &C. 100000
Enga, ed in cities and towns. 100000
Women and girls not working 100000
Women and girls doing house work $4,000
Total 425,O00
Making total of four hundred and twenty
five thousand hands withdrawn from the
production of cotton. To othese must be ad-
ded the number who have died during the
war. These have been estimated as high as
onetourth of the entire black populations
Without stopping to enquire whether this is
fair estimate of the entire mortality of the
black race, we think that We may safely esti
mate the mortality among those between 10
and so to be at least one hundred thousand.
Then we have the following figures
Slaves in the cotton States
employedin 1860 as field
laborers, 100000
From which deduct enlis-
ted soldiers, 100000
Engaged in cities and
towns, $4,000
Women and girls not
working, 100000
Wome n and girls doing
hou Sc work, $4,000
Died since the war, ,OOO-5O0, 900
Wl,i oh A00 000