Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1866-03-08
For the Yorxdlle Enquirer.
F: ARKANSAS SINCE THE WAR.

--itetdtaoe frtce OF Lana oeLoTe ana
since the War-Future of the Slate
Carolinians in Arkansas-Wose aoho
desire TO Emtgrate-4Re HorkoiNe En-.
quirer.
Mr.. EDITOR Your readers will doubt.
less be gratiied to learn something Of the
West, from which, for the last three years
they have been almost totally estranged.-
You can easily imagine 10 what a desolate
condition the war has left Us. You have
but to look at your own State, to reaiise the
status Of Arkansas. The wild waves of
revolution have subsided, but the debris
still clings to the South. In some things,
however, We have an advantage over the
Palmetto aud other eastern States. We
have more recuperative power. Our lands
were just opened when the war began
They are now fresh and inviting. Capital
has poured into the State, for investmentin
cotton lands. There was still, after all our
silly cotton burniDg,a large amount of that
kmgIy staple in South Arkansas. This has
|
THE FREEDMEN's BUREAU ''''
is here what it is everywhere-a mixture
of good and evil. Where the agents are
men of sense and principle, the Bureau has
answered very good purpose in the tran.
sition from slavery to freedom softeoing
down the asperities of conflicting races, and
leading the freedmen forward in the path
way Of industry. Where the agents are
corrupt the freedmen are the sufferers, and
the Bureau is an engine Of oppressiop.-
Gen. Sprague, Assistant Commissioner for
Arkansas, is exceedingly popular. His
gentlemauly conduct has made him accept
able to the people generally. In Maj. Gen.
Reynolds, who commands this Department,
we are equally fortunate he is good Of
6cer and just man. Between him and
the State Government there is, aud has al
ways been the greatest harmony Governor
Murphy was an unmitigated Uuiouist-
casting solitary vote in the State Conveu-
tion against secession. he was elected
under Liucolo's Proclamation before the
close of the war, but has so conducted him
self as to become rather popular, even with
the returned rebels. He is laboring faith
fully to restore the State to the Union, and
to raise her crushed and stricken energies.
Our Senators and Congressman having all
been on the Union side, it is thought
that, next to Tennessee, Arkansas stands
the best chance of immediate or early "re-
construction" So much for our political
condition.
RELATIVE PRICE OF LAND BEFORE AND
SINCE THE WAR. ....
In the fine cotton lands of the State. es.
pecially on the Arkansas River, the prices
of the improved lands do not differ mate
rally from current prices before the val
From thirty to sixty dollars per acre accord
ing to the quality of land and improvements
is the prevailing price of cotton land on
the Arkansas River. Rents are equally
high-rangiug from eight to twelve dollars
per acre AS an evidence of the demand
for our lands, the fact that all our cotton
farms will be worked next year may be re-
gardei as conclusive Negroes have been
brought from Tennessee, and even from
Georgia, to supply the decimatious of the
war. Many silly persons, after the war
closed imagined if we could only get rid Of
the negroes we could manage to live in the
South. On the other hand experience will
prove that only those sections where
they can be retained in large numbers will
be able to prosper for several years at least.
The Bill now before Congress to donate the
public lands in the South to the freedmen,
if passed, may at last prove blessing to
the South Western States. 1t will bring
the freedmen to these States, and they will
prefer to work as hireliugs to the arduous
and pro6tless attemptof bringing wild lands
into cultivation.
THE FUTURE OF ARKANSAS,
all things considered, is rather Aattering.-
If we succeed in raising cotton-and that
we will succeed there can be no doubt-an
other improvements will follow as a matter
of course. Money has not lost its potency.
Already the railroad enterprises are waking
up. Northern capital will complete and
extend them so soon as political matters
become settled.
CARoLINIANs
may be found scattered over the State, but
have generally settled in the Southern coun-
ties. In Bradley county there is quite a
large colony from York and Chester Dis
tricts Among them may be mentioned
DR.. Barnett, Sol. Givens, DR.. Ran. McFad-
den, Messrs. Pagan, Green, Pinckuey Ali
son, Meek and others. I must not forget
my old friend Judge Ross. His only SOD,
Capt. Ross, was one of the first victims Of
the war. Nor can refrain from passing
tribute to one whose name is familiar to
many of your readers-the esteemed com.
panion of early days-Samuel W. GiVens.
He will long be remembered in Yorkvilie
for his kind and gentlemanly bearing, his
modesty and worth. He too was an early
sacrifice on the altar Of patriotism. York.
vile, in my mind, will always be associated
with his name. Requiescat in pace
The Palmetto boys in Arkansas sustained
the reputation of their native State in the
late war. Capt. Peter Green, from York
District, commanded the fifth Arkansas
T~..