Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1866-01-24
Total raised by the necro.


Total raised by the negro........... 1,65C
From this should be deducted one.
fourth of the cotton and corn, which he
paid the lessee for rent, amounting to
the sum of 1925, and also one hundred
and fifty dollars paid by the Negro for an
old man and boy, who worked for him;-
these two sums, amounting to S475, de.
Quoted from 81 $50, would leave to the
negro, for his years work, the sum oi
81, l15. The lessee of the plantation re-
ceived for the rent of these twelve acres
Of land, one-fourth of the cotton and
corn raised, 1925, and the labor of the
negro in planting and grinding cane,
which he estimated at SIS, making the
total of rent S400.
This colored man was three years ago
a slave, a chattel personal, in the eyes of
the law, but he is now an industrious and
intelligent freeman, and there need be
no fears that he will not be able to take
care of himself. There is perhaps not
one colored man in hundred that would
do as well as he did, according to the
statement. The planter who rented the
place gave me this statement, and know
him to be truthful and reliable man,
and he has had twenty years experience
IN cotton planting in the State of Missis-
sippi.
There can be no doubt but that expe-
rience will show that the person who pur-
chases from one hundred to one
hundred and fifty acres, and cultivates
himself with a small force, will make
more profit. in proportion to the capital
invested, than the person who buys a
large plantation requiring from forty to
fifty hands.
Taking all the vicissitudes and risks in
to consideration, it is safe to say that the
cultivation of cotton lands in the South,
at present prices, promises as fiattering
results as any branch or department Of
business enterprise. / have so much
faith in it that | have made a small in
vestment. in connection with others, in
the Parish of st. Landry.
The climate is much more healthy
here than it was formerly supposed in the
North to be before the war. There are
great numbers of officers, soldiers and
citizens from the North in this State, who
have been here continuously since the
Spring of 1862, and they have enjoyed,
and now enjoy, as good health as they
did at home. Fever and fever chills pre-
vail here, but not to a much greater ex-
tent than in Trumbull County. Pulmon-
lry diseases, pleurisy aud pneumonia, are.
not as common as in Ohio.
1t affords me great pleasure to be able
10 state that the political feelings of the
people have apparently greatly improved
'ince the election held in November. 1t
generally happens that the worst spirit of
parties crops out during an exciting po-
itical canvass in any part of the country
The more intelligent S0utherners appear
10 acquiesce in events they could not
void, with a better grace than showed on
he surface during the tendency of the
election. They seem to welded to the
olecism that the new wine of freedom
AN be safely put in the old bottles of sla-
-ery, practice authoritively condemned
eighteen hundred years ago. The great
act that slavery has ceased to exist is adj
nitted, but nevertheless, they erroneous !
y suppose that system Of control over
he freedmen, approximating to the con- /
fof Of the master over his slave, Is essen {
ial to the profitable employment of the
reedmen. They cannot be argued out
# this, but l do believe few years of
experience will show them the fallacy of
he lessons learned in the school of slave /
y. There is no difficulty in getting
long with them pleasantly, in social and .
usiness relations; at least this is my ex- /
without any effort on my part |
o conceal opinions.
The Southern people, whether born or
omiciled in the South, have been terri |
ly punished for this rebellion; their.
ersonal property and effects have been
Mostly destroyed or swallowed up by the /
'ar, their lands are, as a general thing, /
lrgely encountered, and consequently |
he means to cultivate them must come |
rom abroad.
The unsettled state of the question Of !
may deter many from set
ling in the late rebel States, but in my
alignment immigration will contribute |
lrgely to the favorable adjustment of the
exed questions growing out of the pres
mt condition of the country. It IS inn /
ortant that the status of these States |
hOuld be definitely fixed by the Congress
ow in session, and may we not hope |
nat it will be done without a division !
etween Congress and the President? ? l !
lay submit some suggestions on that sub /
,ct in another letter. II.