Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-04-14
MATTERS IN GEORGIA


MATTERS IN GEORGIA.
4 Cor. Augusta Constitutionalist
Ae ArHENs. GA, March 2S, 1885
This oujet university town emerge
- from the war comparatively untouched
Tbe-oDDosing armies in their movement
fp this State passed it with only an oe
casioual reminder in the shape Of soms
y struggling troops Of Confederate cavalry
who were generally looking for thai
ubiquitous spot, "the 'front.' II was not
: until the armies Of Lee and johnson had
surrendered that any OF the Federal
forces passed this way. After everybody
! here had laid down arms brigade OF
S cavalry, under one General Palmer
= charged the town in gallant style, with
the usual accompaniment Of yelling ana
random firing, followed By a general
conhscation of watches, hats, gOoc look
Q ing horses and the like. Since the de-
\ parture of this force, Athens has been
Q permitted 10 pursue "the even tenor OF
r It's way, with very little interruption or
annoyance from the military, with the
exception Of about two months, While
the garrison was commanded by q New
York tailor, whose brief authority was
characterized by some of those fantastic
} tricksp which, although not sufficient,
perhaps, 10 make angels weep made
some OF the people of Athens blaspheme
after a style that would have done credit
10 the celebrated army in Flanders.
The educational advantages Of this
place are, perhaps, unsurpassed in the
South. The University Of Georgia, To-
/ Gated here, which commenced its first
| session, since the close of the war, ia
/ January last, now numbers between
/ eighty and ninety students in the
University proper, besides something
/ like twenty in The preparatory depart
ment The chancellor of this institution,
Rev. Andrew A. Lipscomb. d. D., is a
man Of learning, long experience in in
stitu6ons Of this kind, exemplary piety,
and withal, is one Of the. most eloquent
pulpit orators Of the State. His influence
upon the students is said 10 be of the most
saiutary character. In his labors as head
Of the University he is assisted by an
able corps OF professors, every chair be-
ing filed.
The Lumplzin Law School went into
operation here the year before the COM I
mencement Of the war, under those able l
and distinguished lawyers, Chief Justice |
Lumpkin, of the Supreme Court, Thomas 1
r. =. Cobb, Esq.-heaven bless his name 1
and VIM. Hope Hull, Esq. The exer- /
cises have lately been resumed, under I
Besides the prominent and advanced /
schools, there are quite a number of 4
others, for the young Of both seXes-nOt 4
forgetting two OF three in which the /
young African idea is taught TO shoot.
The facilities for the education OfyOung
ladies in the varied accomplishments
which are the modern fair ones boast, -
are comprised IN the Lucy Cobb lnsti-
tute, now under the management Of
Madame Sosnowski, who has a high rep
utation as teacher, which is, no doubt,
well merited.
Athens, at present, is a good place to
get learning, but bad place to get money.
Trade Of ali kinds is duh. There is
plenty Of enterprise and intelligence
among the merchants and business men
generally, but a scarcity of money and /
the absence of that wherewith it is to be ,
makes against active business. Z
Among the business men Of established
who have survived the war in ]
person and estate, SAMSON & Pittard, J.
&. Turner & Co, Nicholson, Reaves & 8
Co., stand prominent among the whole S
sale and retail grOcers and commission I
Lucas & Dearing stand per /
haps, at the head of the list in the line OF /
fancy dry goods. 9
1t is cOntended, and with strong show e
of reason, that this section of the State l
viii when the present years crop is {
made, be comparatively freed from the o
I'm nlbarrassments and difficulties entailed e
BY the disasters consequent upon the war 4
The plantations were found by the re- g
urn Of peace comparatively undisturbed,
he labOrers were there, and in most
'ases a sufiiciency Of provisions. These
we're great advantages, and the planters
lSve not failed, as a general rule, TO
wall themselves Of them.
There was when ihe war closed an cE-
less Of cOl0red population in seven cOun- "
les in this portion Of the State. 1t has
lot been difficult, therefore, TO obtain a =,
of labOrers at reasonable rates. ol
he present condition Of most Of the Il
lantaiOns hereab0uts proves that no II
ime has been lost in preparation for a :
rop, and il is the opinion of intelligent y
lanters that the amount Of the present n
rOp viii equal If not exceed the average
rop heretofore. The general report is sri
hat the negroes are quiet, cOntented and .,
-Orking well. Most Of the contracts in "
bis county were for part Of the crop, be
lg preferred generally by both parties, ~
mplOyer and employee. of
Since the commencement Of The pres 60
Mt year more than seven hundred freed W
hen, Of all sizes and both sexes, have vC
cen sent from this point, most OF them VI
estined for plantations in the Mississippi @
ottom. Out Of this number there were ar
We hundred and eighty-one field hands. Is
Considerable alarm was excited when pc
his exodus of negroes commenced, lest pa
sufficiency would not be left to supply vC
ne demand here, and no greater calam- in
Y could have befallen US than failure ca
{ labor this year. 1t is now believed N
Y some, however, that the departure ha
these freedmen has been a benefit eli
istead Of an injury. The truth is, that II;
general thing, those who made fair N
Intracjs here could not be induced to I IN
ave, and il is stated that none were a
mt from this county without the cOnsens Ial
their previous employers, if they pr
al any. The planters generally are su
aHng Up their minds TO the conclusion qu
lat they must soon look elsewhere for ca
Dor. Ii is believed that the African be
zee viii in q few years disappear from OF
the red old hills Of Georgia to culti- be
lte the fertile bottom lands Of the West. We
be serious question arises whether mD
ish and Germans can be brought soon lnl
.ougb 10 take their place, and whether ne
ey viii be practically a sUcces fIl and
oftable substitute. If they cannot els
obtained and used the prospect in
indeed gloomy. The plantation sys- ye
N, Il IS generally conceded, is gone, so
ID many intelligent planters are al %
ady looking forward 10 the division of Ia
cir places into comparatively small th'
rms with the view 20 the adoption of de
me system Of tenancy. The experiment vi
Irish labor upon a plantation Is being an
ed this year in a neighboring county, De
d is said, 50 far, to be satisfactory. If ls4
continues 50, there j. no doubt Of the ha
Il that the attempt viii be made on a rae
-ge scale 10 introduce white labor into an
Is section of Georgia IN time for next pr,
ar's crop. no