Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-05-14
FROM THE SOUTH.
Crop ProsPcctS-Scarcity Of Labor
Freedmen Work Well Where
Where is no Ismrcnm 10 LnIerlere.

Freedmen work Well Where
There IN no Bureau 10 Interfere.
New York, May l2.-rhG Charleston
Courier of May contains very interest
ing collection of Intelligence concerning
the growing crops in different Southern
States. In those districts we find accounts
in most respects highly gratifying of the
conduct OF the freedmen and a hopeful
statement of the labor question.
The Sumter Watchman reports Our
planters are applying themselves with a
diligence which must at least secure reason
able success. The freedmen, too, as a gen
eral thing, are working with Il zeal and
earnestness exceeding the expectations of
our people at the beginning Of the year.
In Georgia, Il correspondent of the Ma
con Journal and Messenger, from Barbour
county, on the 26Lh, writes: Where there
is no bureau the freedmen are working well
and seem very well satisfied. May and June
will try them.
The Atlantic Commercial Bulletin has
the following from correspondent in the
SOuthw eStern part of Georgia: Owing to
the great scarcity Of labor the cotton crop
for this year will barely reach half the
amount produced in 1860, which | think
was estimated at 4,0OO,0OO of bales. am
clearly of the opinion that 100000 bales is
full estimate for the coming crop. This
State, at the present time, possesses more
negroes than her sisters, yet >he will hard
ly make half a crop. With few eXcep-
tions, there is not plantation in this Sec
tioD OF our State that has its full quota of
hands. A vast number of farms are there
fore idle. The same thing can be said of
other portions of the cotton growing regions
OF the State. In Middle Georgia there is a
great deficiency of laborers, and these are
tampered with and seduced from their en-
ployers for the more fertile lands of the
West, or tor some other purpose, leaving a
large number Of plantations entirely des-
titute.
An agent of the Department of Agricul-
ture writes to the same effect Every plan
ter that can get labor is putting in all the
cotton possible, in hopes to sell at high
rates, and many of them are neglecting
corn, prelerring to depend upon the North
west for their supplies The freedmen have
contracted freely with their old masters, as
general thing. The higher rates of wa
geS in Alabama and Mississippi are induc-
ing some of them to discard their contracts
in Georgia and migrate westward.
A correspondent OF the Montgomery Ad-
vertiser, writing from Dale county, under
date OF April 25th, says: The freedmen are
doing well. No bureaus to disturb the hap
pv harmony between employers and EN-
plOyes.
The News reports: The freedmen are
conducting themselves, as Il general thing,
in highly creditable manner, and we be-
gin to think they appreciate their position
and will labor faithfully under contracts
they have made, . .....
or Mississippi the Canton Citizen says:
The freedmen are working to their con-
tracts as general thing. On the whole,
planters seemed cheerful and hopeful.
From Louisiana there are number of
reports. The Natchez lines of the 2lst of
April says: Both cotton and corn are grow
ing beautifully; freedmen are working
well. The North Louisianian says the
freedmen are working in most instances
much better than anticipated.