The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-11-29
The Freedmen in the Sugar Region,
THE PRESENT CONDITION AND PRosPEcrs-UrTER DE-
MOBILIZATION PREYAILINa-CAUsEs OF TIE
cHANaE-DIsAsTRoUs RESULTS TO THE PLANTERS.

a correspondent of the New Orleans Times, wri-
ting from near Baton Rouge, La, gives plain, un-
vanished, truthful and impartial statement OF the
condition of affairs on the sugar plantations at the
present time. After stating that he writes from
position peculiarly favorable for just and fair OBJ
seryations and correct conclusions, he proceeds to
say:
This is one of the largest, best conducted and
equipped sugar plantations IN the delta OF the
Mississippi. The proprietor has becn engaged
in the business more than twenty-five years.
In that time he has managed, by energy, in
dustry and skillful management, to accumu-
late q very large estate-to erect extensive
mills and machinery, and all the necessary
buildings; to construct levees and canals; to
perfect thorough drainage, and 10 provide al
conduct Of large sugar plantation. The land
is the richest on the continent, high and we'll
situated, with thousands Of acres OF the
best wood, both for lumber and fuel. But one
hundred miles from the city, there ia aImost
hourly connection herewith, and the receipt and
delivery of supplies and products is as easy as
from store Tchoupitoulas street to the steam
boat landing. The last crop on this plantation
before the war amounted to 1900 hogsheads OF
sugar, $500 barrels of moasses and corn and
potatoes enough for the consumption OF the
plantation. Unlike most of our plantations, the
cultivation OF this was not suspended during the
war. The owner was never enticcd into the ru
Gus culture OF cotton on the lowlands He has
stuck to sugar through all changes. His crop
fell during the var troubles from 1900 to about
100 hogsheads. and since then, by incredible
exertions, he has raised the product to 300 and
this year he fondly imagined it would exceed
that figure but from present indications has
good reasons to believe that it will not reach that
number. And yet he is feeding the same number
OF hands; and has as many men i'll the field as he
had when he raised and shipped the 1900 hogs
heads OF 1860, and had not to buy an ear Of corn.
Tnis year he will have to send to the city for at
least half of his corn. The hands are paid the
most liberal wages Of any agricultural laborers in
the world. There is good supply OF them.
Crowds OF ragged, poverty stricken, wrctchcd-
looking neS-oes wander about the country begging
for employment. With the same amount OF seed
cane and other advantages enjoyed By tho proprlc-
tors of this place, and with like number vi hands
under good and reliable system of labor, Weld
of 800 or 1000 hogshcads would have been fair
product and profit on the investment III planta-
ton like this.
Why then this great failure. Why is it that the
land which used to yield easily two hogshcads to
the acre can now be made to produce only huff q
hogshead? Why is 1t that the cane which used to
be so large, rich and juicy, has shrunb INTO dry
spnding, short-joned stalks, the grinding of
which frequently stops and disarrangcs the
strongest machinery?
Alas, there is but one answer TO this question
To appreciate its force ard truthiulncss 1t is only
| necessary to 60 to tho quarters Of tho ncgroc.
and compare them with the nearly, busy indus
trous people, who's merry songs and laughter
used to render our Plantations su III cheerful and
happy scenes Ill the oldcn time. most sorrow.
ful change has come over thls people. The great
boon OF American citizenship aud RopubIiran
outrage has proved vertablo Ncssian shit 10
these unhappy victims OF partisan scshncsp and
| ambition. Their cabins, once nont aud com
Portable are now dens Of flltlI misery and disgust
| ing vice. The women, longer working IN tho
| field, either because they hHvn become L," p,nId
| or because their labor iB not rcnunoraliyo. sta