Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-01-07
sourH cARoI.lxA.
The Poverty and Destination Of the
Peonle----7nferesfing letter.

Frem the Baltimore Gazetto-j
| prxnt F-rox. Dec. 8. 1851 doubt If
Won have the smallest idea Of the proverty
of the people Of South Carolins Desiring
neither commiseration nor aims, they say
nothing about il. Indeed, the struggle for
the necessaries of life is too pressing to allow
them to brood over losses Of any kind;
/ losses compared with which that Of property
! seems trifing. tits on the refugees from tke
coast that poverty has laid her iron hand
most heavily. The plansrs Of the interior
/ find their capital reduced by emancipation TO
about oue-fiffh OF its forraer amount, but IL
the negro will work under the new system,
their incomes will not Be much diminished.
| But the poor refugee has lost everything
| Driven from his home and cut off from all
his-reson-ces, he finds il difficult TO procure
ordinary food for his household. His plan
tatioa on the coast has probably not build
irsg of any kind standing, not even negro
hut and the recovery Of the Lard Is in some
eases doubtful. Those on Port Royalare adj
yertised to be sold to-day, and : none but
negroes are allowed to bidp Even where
the Iand is restored, where can its ruined
owner procure money 10 pay taxes, erect
buildings and hire freedmen? ~.
Some refugees have returned to Charles
ton in the hope of procuring business there,
but many still remain in the interior, being
unable 10 bear the expense of removal, and
earn scxnty subsistence by personal efforts
Our young men have gone TO work in ear
nest. We are proud 10 zee them engaged
in teaching, glowing wagonlng, keeping
grocery stores, in short, doing any thing,
and doing it cheerfully. A General, who
bore no mean part in the war, has been Ey-
ing in hut on the coast, supporting his
family by fishing. Another Generki has
been cutting wood on shares.
Ours is a poverty of which no one Is
ashamed, and Of which very few complain.
We are willing to bear it, and its universal
ity makes il more tolerable. When / know
that the most refined and intelligent women
in the State, deserted by their deluded ser
wants, are doing all kinds Of house-work-
sweeping, dusting, making beds, and even
in some cases cooking and washing-it -
much easier for me to iron the towelsmy lit
tie son has washed, while turn occasionally
a laughing eye toward the fireplace, where
an invalid gentleman (son Of a former Gov
ernor) is engaged in ehurningl / must con-
fess that his attempt furnished US with more
amusement than butter For, believing this
state of things TO be only temporary, we
make merry over it. compare notes with cur
friends, and boast OF our success in these un-
tried fields.
Many refugee ladies feed their families
Dy exchanging the contents Of their ward
robes for articles of food "HOw are your
listers ~ said last summer to n young man
who had left home to become a tutor.
Z Their compilations look badly" was the
reply, q but that is not surprising when You
consider how long they have been eating old
rocks" "Have they any hghtsY' was my
iext query. With perfect gravity he re-
Ilied, No; when the moon does not shine,
hey go to bed by hqhtRiRgi" But matters
re mending. In this very family light
rood has superseded lightning in the cham
yer, and in the parlor, a small petroleum
amp (price 81 difinses light and happiness
round.
But there are some cases over which no
ne can laugh. know os a family whose
roperty was counted by hundreds of thou
ands, who have not tasted meat for months.
| gentleman of high scientific attainments,
professor in a college, is literally
rying TO keep the wolf from the door by
eaehing a few scholars, one of whom, girl
4 sixteen, pays him quart Of milk per
lem for her tuition Innumerable widows,
rphans, and single women, whose property
Tas in Confederate bonds, are penniless, and
eeking employment Of some kind for bread.
On the whole our people are bearing their
rails bravely and cheerfaIly; but so wide
Dead isthe ruin that even If the new system
orks well, it will take at least halfa CEN
Try to put US where we were. Georgia will
seoyer much sooner. CHIcoRA.