Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-02-03

What is going on IN the Cotton Region-W Wonder
full Energy Of the Planters-one-third Of the
Plantations Tdle-Lack Of Capital and Stock
arrangements with the Nesroes--Quiet and
Safety in Arkansas and in Mississippi. etc
Correspondence Of toe Louisville Courier.l
HELENA, AK, Jan. %, 1866.
EprroRs LOUISVILLE CoURIER: As every
BODY Is anxious to know what il going on in
the cotton region, / drop you line to give
you few brief items. have lately trav-
eled through considerable section of the
river counties Of this State and Mississippi,
and have been able to form very correct
idea of the work going ON toward the resto-
ration of cotton culture. t
The feature which strikes every one, especi-
ally an old citizen, is the remarkable energy
with which planters have gone 10 work to
rebuild their lost prosperity. Plantations,
abandoned since the beginning Of the war,
with the buildings of all kinds destroyed,
are being occupied. The work of resettle-
ment is going on, and everywhere can be
seen the building of hoi:ses to the burnt
chimneys, and corresponding preparations
for putting in crop. Stock, furniture, and
agricultural implements crowd every boat
while from the exhausted condition Of the
country, nearly all are dependent upon the
same source for everything that is eaten by
man or beast.
The quantity of land being prepared for
cultivation is not so large as is generally sup
posed. 1t appears very large when one con-
templates that it is almost like the original
settlement of so great body of land, but for
the want of capital or Of labor fully one
third of the cotton plantations in the bottom
win be idle another year. In this county,
Phillips, which before the war, was one OF
the wealthiest in taxable property in the
country. its assessment list for 1851 amount
ing to $4,000, O00-(sixteen millions,l per-
hans there is a more general revival of plant
ing than any in the South. 80.
There is hardly vacant pIantation in the
county, and with ordinary good fortune the
cotton crop will be large, and will tend al
once to restore planters to their former in
| dependence. As general thing, every one
| has sufficient labor, and although no one ex-
| pects to get as much work from their hands
as formerly, il is not seriously doubted that
| the negroes will work enough to raise a
crop. The system adopted in this county il
| that Of giving share of the crop, which is
Objectionable but regarded as the best which
| could be effected under the circumstances.
| regret to observe statements in remote
newspapers reporting the existence of law
| lessness in Arkansas. This is equally un
Just and untrue Everything is quiet and
safe in this section, and venture to asser
that there is less of crime and lawlessnes
to-day in Arkansas, than in many of the
sanity States. AT this point there are quit
a number of negro troops, but with all one
prejudice against them, it must be admitteS
they are as well-behaved and disciplined |
body of soldiers as any equal number
white soldiery have seen in the same ser
vice. There are some annoyances incident
TO military occupation, but they are no
as grievous as the same in Kentucky.
In the county north of this, Desha, tn
same activity in planting prevails, as also II
Chicot, while in Coahoma, Bolivar, AM
Washington, Mississippi, similar energy
being displayed. In these cpunties, hire 70
wages prevails over the share system. Ii
Mississippi, STATE legislation and the heart
cooperation of the Freedmen's Bureau, 4
perfecting the system of labor NOR
thoroughly than elsewhere.