The Van Buren press., 1866-02-24
The Van Buren Press.
VAN BUREN,, ARKANSAS.
Our ST. Louis Correspondence.

DEAR i'kl,NS ilc Worlu SUN TfNN4Ncs- anu
VIC necessarily go round with 1t. The pebble
thrown into the CLASSY lake. ripple. the sur
facr but for a moment; AMI. comparatively
speaking the violent surges of the past nigh
ty attempt at revolution was but "a pebble
thrown upo,i the stream of time; the human
race under en- Almighty edct will still con-
tinuc to multiply and increase, and another
generation will have upon this continent. on
ly the green graves Of departed heroes to re-
mind them of our sufcringss
There is considerable activity exhibited on
the lower Arkansas, by planters. both old and
new. to bring into state of cultivation the
wide eXpanSc OF cotton lands thrown out du
ring the war; On either bank of the river is
seen new fences, new ploughs. new houses
and new fares. The old planters are general
" making but little cNertion to raise cotton: /:
they are giving way to the 'northcrncr for
q season. and quietly watching them and the
freedmen In their attempts to show us how
much better they can run the machine than
we could learn through hundred years of
past experience The character Of the Yam
kec properly defined prove him to be an sex
PERTINENT and he operates In like manner up
on everything that comes within his grasp.
Well see what he can make ont Of three mill
ions of race born and reared 70 slavery,
dragged for an hour. and awake to the reali-
zation of a change which seems TO them un-
real. Something incomprehcnsible, not tan
giblc-a state which their benighted minds
cannot grasp or understand. There is room
here for sublime experiment.; some would
call it dark one; to say the least it is highly
cOlored.
Very many masters are already discouraged
| through failure to get hands. Numbers of
them have gone to heavy expense reftting
and furnishing plantations on the lower Mis-
sisSippi river. who are now unable to work
them for want of labor. The negro watches
these extensive preparations with careless
Indifference, and when asked to hire, thinks
he will not rent ont just yet although there
are twenty rents in his garments.
There is an amusing, as, also, true history
related Of a couple Of New Workers, who
came south recently with "cotton on tn,
BRAIN" e. in search of plantation, one o
| them belonging to The editorial corps of the
New \ ork Times the other friend whom
we will call G.. Indifferent fortune cast then
upon the beach. in Washington county. Mis-
sissippi, near EggPont. They made thei
way (each lligging arJIack carpet IAN to tht
nearest plantation house, and stated the objcc
of their visit TO the South. a friendly" bar
| barian' of that desert coast. informed then
that the only plantation worth purclasin!
was situated upon an island-pointing to on
about three miles down the rivcr-;nd upol
| the earnest solicitation of this Washingtonial
our QuiNotic adventures were shipped in
"dug-out." and conveyed in safety to the (in)
hospitable shore. The boat returned. lcayin.
the strangers to make such contract for pur
chase etc. rs would meet their own approba
ton. doubling not but that they would be en-
! tirely SATISFIED with the location before leav
/ ing. Wednesday passed, followed by Thurs
DAY and Thursday night, yet the Gothamte
appeared not. Friday night came, aAikEith j
anxious fears for their safety. saA tiol
from Egg g-Point weaEadown tn anc
when abreast the lsI &humap bciig Wa
discovered. in crd position, waving
handkerchief. A hove in sight an'
was hailed by the pays) M shore. She landed
and was informed that a human being. appar
emily in great distress. was Oh the Island oppo
site. The captain being Southcrncr, Indcv
er ready to succorthc unfortunate, sent n life
iboat to the assistance of this mysterou
fstrunger. They found u man prostratcd a'
/ suffering from hunger; stimulant~ were ad
ministcrcd; he revived, and answered to tn
name Of G.. Search was Immediately made
!, for his Compoynon da Voyage, and hall mile in
/ land, under the luXuriant foliage Of Il lice oal
! lay, apparently. dodd man. Carved I'M tn,
! bark of this forest-trcc, were the Initials -
! Editor n. y. Times, died January - 1866. o
| COttoR 0R tie Brdjn. IEtat - years. The fig
IrcS were inc0herent, as though written by
! dying man. After great difficulty life was.rc
stored: the New York Times was redirirHS
| and conveyed TO the steamer which lmmedi
atcy,sct sail bearing our friends TO the empire
/ city. "wiScr If not better men, ...
! The weather still continues very cold here
! the river is covered with floating lee. and un
! less a change occurs soon. we may expect AN
other blockade Navigation is now very diff
ticult and the steamboats, are hunting satt
harbors. The wharvcs and river below, arr
full Of broken wrecks, among which ar,
some Of the finest boats that ever fNat"d or
| the western waters.
| visited. to-day, in company with Coyg,o
d0rC NJ. ). Mcpham, the new boat, iu