The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-07-04

AHnfrs In tho West.

T. G. WEATuERLY, of Marlboro, who is at pre-
scnt travelling III the West, writes long and very
interesting letter to the Eastern Journal, publish
cd ut Bennottsville. Col. w. is close observer
and We know of no ono botter qualified to gvo an
opinion on tho interesting topics he speaks of:
In Alabama and Mississippi tho civil law is in
and by the laws recently passed by thoir Legisla-
lures, and in each State a similar CODE (almost
Identical with ours, passed at the last session of
with whom 1 have oonversed, agroe that it is a
great improvement on the regulations Of the
Freedmen's Bureau, both for tho whites and
blacks: | think, in Mississippi, the freedmen are
doing better than any other place have visited.
This, am told, is the effect Of the change from
military to civil law;
jackson presents sorry picture compares
we'll with our own Columbia in tho extent Of it's
ruins, and its present condition. It is being re-
built slowly. Everywhere tho whole line of
travel, with few exceptions, we see the effects OF
the war. The towns and cities burned, par
TALLY 80 tho places Of good, and in many instan-
filed with mere shanties. In some few instances
substantial buildings going up. These are
the exceptions; but around the suburbs Of all
and shelters flied with women and Children. In
no section through which have passed are the
women at work on plantations.
Capital to liberal extent has been offered to
persons who wished to try the experiment of free
labor. think that this is the last year with many
OF them in this business, particularly whero they
have not had the experience necessary to make
cotton planters. Among others on the river en-
gagged for the first time in this business is Con.
f. O. Blair, whom we all remember as the COM
mandant Of the army corps that devastated our
little village and the surrounding country.
thought from the looks Of the grass and weeds in
his cotton fields, that he was much more SUCCESS
full in running our beautiful country than he is
likely to be in making good crop Of cotton. He
has leased for three years a very fine estate Of
two thousand cleared acres for sixty thousand
dollars. 1t is located in Carol Parish, La. This
is most beautiful, and was the most highly cul-
Gvated Parish in the cotton section OF Louisiana.
dred dollars per acre. Now there is no demand
for them but are still held at high prices Plan
tations where the buildings were not burnt, have
been rented at from eight to twenty-five dollars
lSS-E0 $25) per acre, where rented at all.
As have mentioned before, the freedmen are
doing better in Mississippi than any other place.
am pleased to be able to say the same OF this
region OF Louisiana. But unfortunately for the
them. Some have tried white labor; but hear of
but one gentleman who is succeeding with them
My own opinion is that most Of the negro labor
OF the country will finally concentrate in the valley
OF the Mississippi, and its rich tributaries here
can afford to pay high prices for labor. And find
from experience that the negro is Influenced in his
choice Of location, to great extent, by the price
offered for his services. This is particularly the
case with field hands. But those raised about the
cannot be induced to quit their old places to 90
on the plantations. But the production of cotton
in large quantities under the present system ia
out Of the question. The crop OF this year will be
small. You hear various estimates but with the
uncertainty OF the seasons and the labor an
opinion would only be the merest guess The
crops are now badly in the grass and weeds but a
few fair days would greatly change the prospects
Of the planters Of this section.