The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-01-26


grants are on the verge Of leaving, or
have actually left, the North for
points South. Not long since one of
the journals referred to contained m
exhibit Of the number of emigrants
that had arrived at New York since
April last, and specified the States in
which this new population had set
tied. From this statement, it appears
that thus far only very insignificant
portion of the whole number of arri
walls have been induced OF inclined to
leave the Northern or Western States
for the Southern. The figure is put
down at one two-hundredths part.
We are informed that about two
weeks since a company Of fifty emil
grants sailed from New York for
Charleston. AS yet we have not
heard OF their arrival at this port.
We occasionally notice a paragraph
III our New Orleans OF Mobile ex-
changes alluding to the arrival of y
small body Of white emigrants at one
or the other of those places, but we
fail to observe any record of the land
ing of large numbers. OF the South
ern States, Virginia has taken the lead
in the matter of furnishing homes to
emigrants. Nearly 600 have settled
within her boundaries since April,
1865. New York, after all, gets the
largest share, and next to her come
the Western States
We learn that several agents from
the South are at present in New York
for the express purpose Of endeavor-
ing to prevail upon emigrants, who
arrive each week, to secure homes ut
the South. We hope, by all means,
they may succeed in their efforts.
We take the authority of several
planters, with whom we have con-
versed on the subject, that it is the
desire of 4 majority of that class of
the citizens Of South Carolina to
give the system Of white labor an i'm
partial and extended trial. Some
thing must be done to secure white
laborers, in case the freedmen's con-
tract system should prove unsuccess-
full. The lands of the State must be
cultivated. Cotton must be raised
and brought to market, before our
people can hope to realize sufficient
means to enable them to place affairs
In a prosperous condition. The result
of the present crop depends almost
wholly on the willingness or unwil-
lingness Of the freed men to labor
through the season. By early fall we
shall be able to Judge more accurate
ly of the value of the system under
which the plantations are now
worked.
NEGRO TEsTrMoNY.-The Memphis
Aoalanche, of which one e. A. Pol
lard, the historian, is one of the
editors, has the following in favor Of
allowing negroes to testify:
''We are rejoiced to see the preiu-
diccs against negro testimony fast
giving away to q more enlightened
public opinion. The mere fact of
permitting negroea to testify in court
does not elevate lis social condition
to IN equality with the white man, as
many seem to suppose. 1t is simply
stn act of justice to the negro, who is
not responsible for the unfortunate
termination Of the war; During the
terrible struggle through which we
have passed, the negro was an arm of
strength to the cause which has been
lost. His kindness to the absent SOL
dier's family has received the highest
commentator, and to permit him to
testify in court is a just recompense
for his fidelity. The insane fanati-
cism Of the North has plunged the
negro into the deepest distress.
'It has taken from him his COM
fN1.fo h1n hama
rounded with all the comforts of life,
and made him a vagrant upon so
ciety. Most Of them are living in
want. Thousands are TO fting in filth,
disease and corruption. 1t is the
duty of true disinterested Southern
philanthrophy to ameliorate the pre-
sent condition of this poor creature.
TO give him the right of testifying in
court will contribute to such de-
slrable result without making him an
equal Nor is there anything mon
strous IN this proposition, since the
menlal classes of all nations are per-
mltted to appear i'll court, and, in
some instances, lords and mobiles have
been sent to the gallows on the evi-
dence OF houseServants. Our colored
population are as well qualified as the
abJect, degraded serfs of Europe to
serve as witnesses in court, and if
this poor boon be denied the negro,
his condition will be made infinitely
worse. The ends of justice are sell
dom perverted by false swearing.
Perjury always confounds itself, and
truth, when honestly told, should
have its hearing, whether coming