The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-11-17
Frce Negro Lnbor.

The Augusta (Ga.) correspondent
of the New York Times thus states
his impression of tbs experiment Of
free negro labor:
So far as results are concerned tba
first agricultural year of free negro
labor has come to q close, and tI,o
interesting and important question is
being universally discussed: Is free
negro labor success, or is it 4 fail
ure? 1t is very hard to form an ac-
curate Judgment amid the mass OF
varying and conflicting opinions.
Each mans experience differs from
that of his neighbor, as did his hopes
and expectations, and the consc-
quence is, that the opinions as to the
color of the chameleon were not more
diverse and contradictory than those
which are pronounced upon tho
merits and demerits Of the cxistino
labor system. Were | compelled to
form Judgment, [ would say that it
has proved to be neither a success
nor failure-neither as good as
optlmsts supposed, nor as bad as
pesslmlsts predicted, and that with
the notifications which years ex-
perlence has suggested, it will work
satisfactorily if no new disturbing
cause arise to change the present or,
der of things.
1t has been demonstrated beyond
question that the freedmen will NOT
work as diligently or as long as did
the slave, and that in the reuuiro-
ment OF continuous and certain labor.
the present system is inferior. as q
merely mechanical force, to the for
mer system. It is also certain that
the numerical strength of the labor
now is one-half less than it was be-
fore the war, and that women and
children may be generally deducted
from all estimates Of the available
laborers of the South.
l. have seen a good deal, during the
summer and fall, of the practical
working of the freedmen on the
plantations and elsewhere, and with
the exception of the larger cities, like
THIS place, Atlanta, Savannah and
Macon, there can be no we'll grounded
complaint against them, except that
they do not work as hard or as MANY
hours as when they were slaves. They
are doclle, obedient, we'll affected to-
wards their employers, and generally
we'll behaved; and if they are let
alone, will, [ think, re-engage for the
next year to work where they now
are. This is particularly apparent on
the large plantations owned by the
former masters of the negroes, where
they have been born and brought ND.
and where they desire to remain.
In Southwestern Georgia, and
wherever the lands are rich and the
yield large, the compensation by a
share of the crop has worked very
satisfactorily, and will be continued.
The laborer has seen the value Of dill
gence, and has identified his own in
terest with that of his employer. He
has been protected against the tempt
atoms to which the monthly receipts
of money would have exposed him:
and now, that he will receive the pro
ceeds OF his two or three bales of cot
ton, he will be encouraged to make
some sensible investment, which will
conduce to his future prosperity, and
establish II him habits of thrift and
economy, as we'll as of industry. On
the poor lands, where the crops have
either failed or been small, and
where the laborer's share Will be
necessarily insignificant, the pay
ment of monthly wages must be
adopted. Although the small crops
are, IN many instances. the conse-
quence of insufficient labor, and the
fault of the laborer, yet, to find, at
tho end of the year, that the freed
men will have barely enough to save
them from want, and that they are
no better off than they were when it
began, naturally produces discomfort,
and will compel employers to adopt
the wages system, or do without
labor.
FENToN's MAJORITY. Tho radical
majority in this State may be set
down, inround figures, at Is, 900. On
II,N