Litchfield enquirer., 1866-12-20
THE SOUTH.
Ax nSon1zz rRAvznnns oNsHzaMAN's TRACK.

THE SOUTH.
 AN rNarnsH TRAvErLHR ON sHERMANs TRACK.
 "on sherman's Track. or the South af- ter the War" is the title of book just published in England. The author is John H. Kennaway, of Baliol College, Oxford, . who travelled last year through the North ern and Southern States. At Chicago he met General Sherman, who advised jour ney to the South. The advice was taken and the book was the result. I
 MT. Kennaway says the career of Gen. Sherman is cautiously Illustrative of the versatility and restlessness of the Ameri- can character, as also of the great variety of occupation which offers to man of en- erQy in that country" In regard to free labor he gives some valuable information, and cites the following letter, written by @ planter of Louisiana, who was persistent, bitter and duncompromising " secessionist, during the war:
 "Last year worked my hands by means of an overseer, and all the trouble and tu- mutt common among the other negroes and upon the other plantations ensued. Imade up my mind that it was all the fault of the overseer, @ good-enough man in his way better than the average; but, like the rest, he persisted in ignoring the change that had taken place in affairs, and worked on the old system. So this season, I resolved to go into the field myself told my hands at the commencement of the season just what would do for them, just what I expected them to do for me. They raised sweet potatoes, eggs and chickens on their own account I fed and clothed them, and paid them so much. have not had the least trouble. They have uniformly treated me with respect, as I have them with jus tice: They are all perfectly satisfied with their years work, and expect to pursue exactly the same course next season, and have no doubt I shall get along just as well. I should not go into the field with my ne- groes myself if necessity did not compel me to it; it has compelled me to it; and it will compel me to it for many years to come, I expect. have about eighty head of ne- groes. Of these, only some twenty odd work in the field; the rest are too old or too young for house-scrvants. At fifty cts pound for cotton, can afford to support not only the negroes but their families. If cotton fails, I shall explain to my hands, and they will comprehend me, that not re- ceiving so much, I cannot afford to give them SO much. am willing always to make fair division with them"
 To illustrate the present poverty of the South, MT. Kennaway quotes the following private letter from South Carolinian:
 "I doubt if you have any idea of the poverty of the people. The land may be restored, but where can it's ruined owner procure money to pay taxes, erect build ings and hire freedmen? Our young men to see them engaged in teaching, plough ing, wagoning, keeping grocery stores; in short, doing any thing, and doing it cheer fully. Ours is a poverty of which no one is ashamed, and of which very few com plain. We are willing to bear it, and it's universally makes it more tolerable. When I knew that the most refined and inteli- gent women in the State, deserted by their deluded servants, are doing all kinds of housework- weeping, dusting, making beds, and even in some cases cooking and washing-it is much easier for me to iron the towels my little son has washed, while I turn occasionally g laughing eye towards the fireplace, where an invalid gentleman, son of the former governor, is engaged in churning! I must confess that his attempt furnishes us with more amusement than butter. For, believing this state of things to be only temporary, we make merry over it, compare notes with our friends, and lSs
 "Many refugee ladies feed their families by exchanging the contents of their ward robes for articles of food. s'How are your sisters?" said last summer to young man who had left home to become a tutor. "Their complexion looks badly was the reply" e but that is not surprising, when you consider how long they have been eat ing old frocks." Have they any ights?" was my next query. With perfect gravity he replied, "No; when the moon does not shine, they go to bed 6y lightning" But matters are mending. In this very family light scood has superseded lightning in the chambers, and in the parlor small petro- leum lamp (price one dollar) difuses light and happiness around
 But there are casesoYer which no one can laughs know ofS n family whose pro- perty was counted by hundreds of thou sands who have .nottast meat for months A gentleman of hiS1 ife attachments, formerly profess9k Qo1ege, is literally trying 70 ksep tAe from the door by girl of sixteen, pays quart of milk per diem for her tuition! Innumerable wid- ows, orphans, and single women, whose property was in Confederate bonds, are pen niless, and are seeking employment of some kind for bread.
 "On the whole, our people are sheaNinc their trials hr6xely and cheerful hi S6 widespread IS the ruin, that, eq6n Z <E6 new system works well, it will take at l68s5 half century to put us where we were."
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 JUSTICE TO THE PRESIDENT. It seems that injustice has been done to President John- son in regard to passage in one of the speeches made during his stumping tour