Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-06-15

all the South Carolina Islands is about
thirty thousand. They form, however, but
a proportion of the aggregate number who
have occupied the islands since General
Sherman's order was issued. Many OF those
who first came here remained on the Islands
but sholt time, and then returned to their
homes on the main land others who made
small crops gathered them in and left to
seek other more profitable employment.
CONDITION OF THE LANDED NEGROES.
A large majority of the freedmen who
still remain on the Island are in destitute
circumstances. On Wadmalaw and EdistO
Islands many who are cultivating land for
themselves would be compelled to abandon
their crops were it not for the provision
furnished them by the planters. Last sea-
son government rations and clothing were
furnished to most Of the freedmen who
were working land on their own account,
with the agreement that they should after
wards pay out Of the proceeds of their crop
for the supplies furnished, but none Of the
outlay thus incurred has been repaid. We
found on inquiry, that some few of the
freedmen raised good crops and could easily
have reimbursed the government Tor the
supplies provided for them, but most of
them were swindled out OF all they had
made by a gang of white sharperS, who,
pretending to be their friends, gained per-
mission to come upon the Islands and set
up little stores provided with sweetmeats,
cheap jewelry and worthless articles of
dress, with which they plundered these
poor creatures of their hard earnings. The
same class of persons who thus defrauded
the freedmen last year have made extensive
preparations to secure this seasons crops by
the same means.
THE UNDERWOOD EXPRESSIONS.
We found number of these stores on
Edisto and Wadmalaw Islands, and will
mention one case, where one of them Is
connected with plantation, as an example.
This store is on farm rented and cultivated
by Mr.. Underwood, of Boston, Mass. Ac-
COmpanied by General Scott we stopped on
this plantation and investigated the condi-
tiOn of the freedmen thereon. They were
working by the task" which is precisely
the manner in which their former owners
worked them. The price per task is fifty
cents, which, if paid in money or its equiv
alent, would be fair wages but in lieu of
money tickets were given them, on which
was printed Good for - in provisions at
our store" These tickets were taken up by
the shopkeeper, with corn at three dollars
per bushel, and other articles at similarly
eXOrbitant prices. There was no meat in
this shop. The freed people gathered
around us while we were there, and COM
planned bitterly of their treatment, stating
that with the wages paid them they were
unable to earn enough to buy, at the prices
charged, their necessary subsistence. If
these freedmen were paid in money for
their labor they could escape the eXtortions
of the shopkeepers; but with the tickets
issued to them they are compelled to pay
the prices charged, and to take whatever
the storekeeper sees fit to give them. Com
petition, which would greatly reduce the
price of provisions, is prevented (at least
on this plantaton) by military orders. Mr..
Tolls, on an adjacent plantation, was selling
corn to these people at two dollars per
bushel, and taking UnderwOOd's tickets in
payment, but he was compelled to desist by
special order.
Major j. E. Cornelius, Acting Sub-As-
sstant Commissioner for the islands in the
Department of South Carolina, stated to us
that his attention had been called to some
difficulty among the freedmen on Under
woods plantation, which he had investi-
gated, and found the freedmen in fault. He
therefore required the freedmen to resume
work, and notified them that if they did
not do so he would arrest them. An exam
ination led us to different conclusion from
that arrived at by Major Cornelius. In our
opinion the condition and treatment of the
freedmen on Underwood's plantation fully
justified them in refusing to work.
A CONTRAST.
Near the plantation rented and worked
by Mr.. Underwood is one owned by Mr..
Jenkins, on which very opposite mode of
treatment is pursued. The freed people
here were working three days of the week
for wages-titty cents task, paid in corn
at two dollars bushel and bacon at twen-
ty-tiYe cents pound, with other articles at
proportiOnate prices-and during the re-
mander of the week they were allowed to
cultivate for themselves as much land as
they could manage, the land being given
them by Mr.. Jenkins tree of rent.
COMPULSORY CONTRACTS.
On the Bayuard plantation, on Edisto
Island, the following circumstances were
brought to our knowledge: This farm was
being cultivated by freedmen on their own
account, partly under land grants and
partly without. On the 18th of May last,
when the crops had all been planted and
the cotton was being hoed, man from
New York, named Holton, came on the
farm with a squad of colOred soldiers, un-
der charge OF sergeant, ana compelled
the freedmen to contract with him to cul-
tivate the land for his benefit. What the
exact terms of this contract were none of
the freedmen with whom we cOnversed
seemed to know. Some believed they were
to get third of the crop, while others
stated they were to receive only one-fourth,
and were to pay five dollars each month
for the rent of their cabins. Mr.. Holton
was not on the plantation at the time of
our visit, and we were consequently unable
to ascertain the true nature Ofthis contract,
no copy of it having been left with the
freedmen. We called the attention of the
Assistant Commissioner to the complaints
of the freedmen on this plantation.
Chaplain French, Bureau Missionary,
and the Rev. c., L. Bradwell (colored), of
Edisto Island, stated to us that similar
occurrence had taken place on the planta-
tiOn rented by gentleman recently mus
tered out of the United States service,
where the freedmen, alter planting their
crops, had been dispossessed and fOrcibly
compelled to sign a contract, squad of
colored soldiers having been used for that
purpose.
A FREEDMEN's FARM. 'as I
While on Edisto Island we visited the
Eddings plantation, which is being culti-
Vated by freedmen exclusively, working
under the direction of one Of their own
number, superintendent chosen by them
selves. Here the people are apparently
doing well, and have fair prospect of
good crop. This, however, is almost the
only instance we met with on any of the
islands where the freedmen, cultivating
exclusively for themselves, without the
direction of whites, were doing even toll
erably well. ''."At'