, 1866-01-13
Contracts md Freedmen.

Contracts md Freedmen.
The freedmen in the States IF Mississippi,
Alabama, and Geo.ain have entered quite large
~ and satisfactorily into contracts with the
planters. The planters in these States have
taken q practical. commensurate view Of tl,r
existing state Of affairs, and made contracts
with the freedmen. Many planters have agreed
to allow them one.half Of the crop, and have
turned in whatever of farming implements and
live stock they had on hand. Others hive pre-
fer1ed to pay regular wages. varying from ak to
twelve dollars per month, according to the ca
pacity Of the hands. 1t is we'll for the planters,
well for the freedmen. beneficial 10 the States.
that the lands should be worked, aud worked in
such a manner that the material wealth of the
South will be enhanced, education ditfusrd. and
manhood developed. Educu,ion is i,dis,olutly
connected with the development Of the rcsourc.
es Of tho South, and in,clligcn, free labor will
bring forth results ,hut will put to blush tie
products Of the soil 10 the p%ulmics. days Of
slavery.
Sou,l. Caroiina can sec it. No, thr Palmetto
State will mot consent to have her soil ;iilcd By
free laborers. She must have compulsory lubor
the right 10 use the lash, instead Of pairing
cash. Consequently. very few contracts have
eftn made III this State. The planters complain
that the freedmen will not contract. OF course
they a1e not inclined to contract for four dol
lars q month ard find the ,~nsclvc., for they
know that it will not pay. But let planters
differ twelve dollars pa. month for able bodied
hands, and corresponding wpgcs for less com.
petent help. and The waste places would be ter
tilted, S~amps and fcns recovered, and Caro-
linn, blossoming rs the rose. would become the
gardrn Of the world.
1t is strange, indeed. that utter slavery has
been made odious by the Constitution Of the
State, as we'll rs by the u. S. Constitution. Tint
men will allow lis aecur.ed spirit to obscure
their vision. Because cotton cannot be pro.
duced as cheap as before emancipation, they
conclude that it cannot be profitably raised. and
that freedom is a curse. Why, The dullest scho.
lar in the colored schools, knows that il matters
mot what may be The cost of raising cotton, pro.
vided there is q market for it when 5aled. An cx-
tensive cotton manufactured in Rhode Island
remarked. during the war, that he did not care
what price he paid for cotton, if he could get
his manufactured article to market before the
price of the raw material fell. Here was the
secret of his success. This is the correct prin-
oiple upon which business may be done. Othe,
mills in the State shu, down when the price Of
cotton reached twenty-five cents. and com.
menced again with it IA. sixty cents. and resi-.
lied greater profits than ever.
This State has an easy product, Of which the
markets of the world cannot be glutted for
years to come. We have bur ~ cultivate tile
soil with industry and intelligence. and shall
and that cotton is still the handspring Of n thou.
sand wheels Of fortune, which shall restore
South Carolina to her former business %prosperi.
~ wealth, and INFLUENCE among the States of
the Union. Cotton can be raised here by free
labor just as cheap as in any o tfcr State, and.
Of course. can be sold to az great advantage.
Why, then. do planters delay making con-
rsacts? Why not offer inducements that the
freedmen can accept, and show them BY your
conduct, that in freedom you will be their
friend. and that the interests Of planters and
freedmen are idedenticals And if the freedmen
refuse fair offers because they have no conf
.deHce in former masters, then procure con,pc.
tent Northern men for su perintendpnts, in whom
they naturally have more confidence, and the
plan would be successful. The plantations must
be cultivated, OF great suffering will be the ,e.
snir. freedmen understand lkis 80 we'll as
planters. and are disposed to make az good a
bargain for themselves as possible.
: We believe that the freedmen prefer to lease
lands but this is not always practicable or best
FIR them- To work on shares. with a small
piece Of land, set apart for each to- raise some
articles for his own use, is the nex, best meth
cd to secure contracts. Or it fair wages be
offered. freedmen will accept. The icids
would then. thrive, cotton would he pro-
dhced in abundance. and the happy hum Of in
tellec.uaf industry take the place of gaunt
misery. grumbling: want, and ignoran, preju-
doe.
FnEs LABOR EXPERIMENT. - Probably one
or the best evidences in favor Of the successful
operation OF the fsee-labor system in the South
may be found in the following letter to General
Howard. written hv the rehel. nonar.1 0;d..,