Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-05-14
How Free labor Answers.

The Charleston Courier, of May 9TH, contains q
very interesting collection of intelligence concerning
the growing crops in different Southern States. In
these extracts we find accounts, in most respects
highly gratifying, of the conduct of the freedmen,
and hopeful statement of the labor question.
The Sumter South Carolina) Watchman reports
"Our planters applying themselves with a dill
gence which must secure at least measuSeable sue
cess. The freedmen, too, as a general thing, are
working with zeal and earneStness exceeding the
expectation Of orr people at the beginning of the
In Georgia, correspondent of the Macon Journal
writes: Where there is Bureau the freedmen are
working CIV NELL and seen seem very vel well satisfied May and
ciaL Bulletin has the following from correspondent
in the southwestern part of Georgia: Owing to the
great scarcity labor the cotton crop for this year
will barely reach half the amount produced in 1860
which, think, estimated at 4,O0OO00 of bales
clearly of the op0n that 100000 bales is full
estimate Tor the coming crop.
This State, at the present time possesses more
negroes than her sis er, yet she will hardly make
half crop: With few exceptions there is not a
plantation in this section of State that has its
full quota q hands. vast number of farmers are
entirely without laborerS of any kind and are there
fore, idle The same thing be said Of other por
tonE of the cotton growing regions Of the State. In
Middle Georgia there is great deficiency of labOrers
and these are tampered with and seduced from their
employers for the more fertile lands of the West
planters entirely destitute"
An agent of the Department of Agriculture writes
to the same effect Every planter that can get labor
is putting in all the cotton possible, in hopes to sell
at high rates, and many of them are negecing corn
preferEing to depend upon the Northwest for their
supplies The freedmen have contracted freely with
their old masters, as a general thing. The higher
rates of wages in Alabama and Mississippi are ndu-
cling some of them to discard their contracts in Geor
gia and migrate westward"
In Alabama. also, correspondent of the Mont
gomery AdUerttser, writing from Dale county under
date of April 21 says: "The freedmen are doing we'll
No Bureaus to disturb the happy harmony existing
between the employer or employee" The Eufaula
Netos reports: The freedmen conducting them
Selves as general thing, in highly creditable man
nef, aud we now begin to think they appreciate their
they have made."' 80. d.
OF Mississippi the Canton Citizen says: "Ihe freed
men are working up to their contracts as general
| thing: On the whole planters seem cheerful and
hopeful"
( From Louisiana there are number of reports.
The Natchitoches Times of the 2ls of April says
Both cotton and corn are growing beautifully and
freedmen are working we'll" The North Louisianian
much better than anticipated at the beginning of
the year, and planters far advanced in their
planting operations as is usual for this season.
The Galveston Bulletin reports: wv have oflateha
numerous verbal accounts from many portions of
the State relative to the growing crop of cotton
and most of them agree In stating that the prospects
for the coming season are exceedingly hattering the
freedmen working WE'LL far beyond all anticpations
and that in some portions more cotton had been
the late civil war VIZ have heard of farmers who
| have heretofore worked from two to three hands,
who are now working twenty five, fifty, and even
more: This is generally applicable the Ger
man farmers who will make more than four-fold the
| amount OF cotton raised by them in 1860 81"