Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1866-01-13
Destitution and Suffering in South Carolina.
Correspondence ofthe Baltimore Transcript.
PENDLEToN, s. G. Dec. Is, 1866

Correspondence Of the Baltimore Transcript.
PENDLEToN, s. G. Dec. Is, 1865.
doubt if you have the smallest idea of the
poverty of the cpeoplc of South Carolina. De-
string neither commisseration nor aims, they
say nothing about it. 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
trihing. 1t is on the refugee from the coast
that poverty has laid her iron hand most hcav-
lily. The planters of the interior find their
capital reduced by emancipation to ABOUT one
fifth it's former amount, but if the negro will
work under the new system, their incomes
refugee has lost everything. Driven from his
home and cut off from all his resources, hei
finds it difficult to procure ordinary food for
his household. His plantation on the coast
has probably not building Of any kind stand
ing, not even negro hut, and the recovery
of the land is in some cases, doubtful. Those
on Port Royal are advertised to be sold to-day,
and none but negroes are allowed to bid,
Even where the land is restored where can
it's ruined owner procure money to pay taxes,
erect buildings and hire freedmen.
Some refugees have returned to Charleston,
In the hopo Of procuring business there, but
many still remain in the interior, being unable
to bear the expense of removal, and earn
scapty subsistence by personal efforts. Our
young men have gone to work in earnest. We
are proud to see them engaged in teaching,
blowing, wagoning, keeping grocery stores, in
short, doing anything, and doing it checrfully.
! .Ageheral, who bore no mean part in the war,
lih4s.heen living in a hut on the coast, support
ag 8s faMy Sfb by hSff hsSiag. Anothef genera
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 universally
makes it more telerable. When !, know that
the most refined and intelligent women in the
doing all kinds of housework--swecping dust
ing, making BEDS, and even il some cases
cooking and washing-it is much easier for
me to iron the towels my little son has washed,
while | turn occasionally laughing eye to-
wards the fireplace, where an invalid gentle
man (son of former governor) is engaged in
churningL / must confess that his attempt
furnished us with more amusement than but,
ter. For, believing this state Of things to be
only temporary, we make merry over it, COM
pare notes with our friends, and boast of our
success in these untricd fields.
Many refugee ladies feed their families by
exchanging the contents Of their wardrobes
for articles of food. g How are your sisters 2"
said last summer to young man who had
left home to become tutor. "9Their CON-
plexion looks badly" was the reply, "but
that is not surprising when you consider how
long they have been eating old frocks." "Have
they any lights?" was my next query With
perfect gravity he replied, emo; when the
moon does not shine, they go to bed by light
ming" But matters are mending. In this
very family lightwood has superseded light
ming in the chambers, and in the parlor
small petroleum lamp (price 81 diffuses light
and happiness around.
But there are cases over which no one can
laugh. know Of family whose property
was counted by hundreds Of thousands, who
have not tasted meat for months. A, gentle.
man Of high scientific attainments, formerly
professor in college, is literally trying to keep
the wolf from the door by teaching Il few sohol-
ars, one Of whom, girl Of sixteen, pays a
quart of milk per diem for her tuition In
Vulnerable widows, orphans and single women,
whose property was in Confederate bonds, are
penniess and seeking employment of some
kind for bread.
On the whole, our people are bearing their
trials bravay and cheerfully; but SO wide
spread is the ruin that, even if the new sys-
TEN works we'll, it will take at least half cen