The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-06-22
South Carolina Yankeei.ea.

"A CorrcSpOnOcnC OF the New York
Times thus writes:
On the islands in the vicinity of
Beaufort, q different state of affairs
exists. The plantations on them
were abandoned early in the war by
the owners, and tine freedmen have
been working them more or less ever
since. In some cases, they have sue
ceeded admirably, and few of them
have already become comparatively
independent, but the majority are no
better off now than when they COM
menced. The ;mprovident character
Of the freedmen led them to spend as
fast as they earned, and the result is,
that they have been obliged to begin
anew every year. They had extrava-
giant notions about planting, and imi-
tated the example of their former
masters. Among other foolish ven
lures, they raised $4,000, by sub
scriptions ranging from SIS to 500
each, and bought steamboat, giving
a mortgage on the vessel to secure the
payment Of another $4,000 The
idea of owning steamboat stock was
seductive to the minds of these sim
pie people, so they formed an organ
ization, which they styled the '.Star
Spangled Banner Association" and
made the purchase. The boat is how
beached, on st. Johns Island, and
the $4,000 mortgage will soon be
foreclosed They will, therefore, lose
what, to them, is large amoant of
money.
Beaufort is nearly Yankeeized, one
no y,f fI.n l.. L.:
from Massachusetts, and other New
England States. Previous to the war
it was one of the most exclusive and
aristocratic seaside resorts in the
South. The Sea Island planters
owned summer residences within it's
limits and would not allow the erec-
ton of hotel. Strangers, there
fore, were excluded from enjoying it's
many beauties and comforts. It is
now noted for its immense number of
donkey carts, bank ponies, small ne
groes and pretty Yankee school
marms, to say nothing about the sand
and concomitant insects known as
t1eas. Many of the Northerners are
leaving now, some going home to
stay permanently, and others to re-
thing that attracts attention on ap-
proaching the wharf is the large
number of darkey children, as we'll
rs full grown darkey adults. infer,
from what have seen, that one
third of the colored population spend
their time on the docks continually.
Some of the boys and girls exhibited
evidence of schooling by spelling the
names of cOnsignees on the express
and freight packages. They were all
anxious to carry baggage and do small
Jobs, charging exhorbitantly therefor,
but did not eyince any desire to go to
work permanently. There is no
doubt that the freedmen here are
somewhat demoralized. They have
had among them, during the war,
large number OF philanthropic specu
lators, who, while they made money
out Of them. instilled foolish ideas OF
antagonism towards their old mas
ters. They call the native whites
"rebels' and speak Of them as their
''enemies, and use all the pet phrases
common with their money making
white friends from the North.
No one will pretend to deny the
fact that there are honest philan-
thropists in the South laboring for
the benefit of the freedmen, but from
what l have seen and heard. I am
always half inclined to put a man
down as rascal who is engaged in
aiding them. 1t is certainly a very
suspicious circumstance that many of
the Massachusetts ''friends," who
came down here several years ago
almost penniless, are now going back
with plenty Of money. The truth Of
the matter is, that the freedmen have
been plundered by land-sharks from
the North, disguised rs friends, who
are now leaving them to the tender
mercies of the master they have
taught them to hate. The female
schoolteachers, sent down here bv
benevolent associations, are about the
only true philanthropists that / find,
and they are often used by outsiders
as mediators between them end the
money Of the blacks 1t may seem
strange to some that the blacks are
now so poor, when they have in many
instances worked hard and faithfully
during the past few years; but it is
easily accounted for when it is known
that their friends have grown rich.
Instead of economy, they have been
taught to be extravagant, for it only
needed M example in order to deve-
lop astounding wasteful abilities