The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-09-04
LETTER FROM THE COAST.
[TRoa OUR OWN coRREspovDrST.l

LETTER FROM THE COAST.
[FRoM OUR OWN coRREsPoNDrNT.l
[Dolow wc publish another lettol from our cor
respondent from Johns Island The undue
length OF tho communication rendered il neces-
sary for lis to omit SONIC portions VI Il. Tie
omissions marked by astcriska.
JoHHs Island, So. Ca, September I'd, 1857.
To tie Editor Of Me Lharleston Daily Ne,os:
Sitting III tho piazza OF ono OF tho fashionable
board PALACES of that charming summer spot, Le-
garoyille, with tho sun just painting tho wcstom
sky in the grand and gorgeous style peculiar to
the Southern soast ard tho stimulating air blow
ing # osh from the sea- is not unfit timo for
musings OF ono sort aud another. Tho man whose
thoughts could run uncharitablo under such be-
nignant influences, whose Judgment harsh and
sentiments unkind could be but hyhocondriac.
And The thoughts wander unbridled they ma
turaliy stray and turn about tho subject. which nf
all is To us OF these rural regions, thu most vital
and absorbing. With all duo Difference 10 orders
from headquarters, reconstruction acts Of Con-
gross, and squabblos and skirmshes i'll tho politi-
cal world the grand probl OF labor to bs solved
on this island, and fol aught we know TO tho con:
trary, on oil the Islands OF the Southern coast,
tho just and equitable distribution OF muscle mu-
ney and land, is above all. BY the latter NO one
supposos mo to indulge in any fonlish yagaries
OF FREQ land speculation or confscation-a
kind of national, mclo-dramatic highwaylnan's
gamo OF demanding. in highly ornate Ian
guago, with pistol pointed, your purse TO
relieve unmeritcd distress. The man who
thinks that respectable number can be found 10
advocate confscation in Congress- for anything but
buncombe, decoiyes himself. Truo, you do meet "a
aId f;,,na ,v1,x k.ls.t,,
that. But aft him and you will find tho idea ono
that is picked up and preservcd-in pickle it
we're. 1t did not come by regular deduction OF tho
Developments OF evonts. Some great man (?)
whose possible confdant he thinks himself, but
whose shadow he roally is, might have regarded it,
in the veering Causes and movements Of the times,
as possible. But cvon that possibility Ii now re-
moved beyond human power. Take the land from
whom and for whose benefit? From every South
orn landholder2 What army OF dospcradoes
that would create. 1t is we'll enough to say that
the South was thoroughly, desperately beaten, but
could it, under the assumed condition, bs kept
down short of on army almost as vast as tho one
which swept the country triumphant? In the
present and prospective state OF half anarchy,
when every man is eagerly watching the next
move Of the powerful, contending parties at tho
scat Of government, the calling into existence Of
means to one set of partisans to strike dead
the other. II Radical leaders ask for universal
confscation, they aim beyond and through that to
n consolidation and Capitalization of government.
II YOU wish to create satrapies, do it by gradually
pushing one-man-power al3ng, independent of
law, right rule it wants but little more. But
do not attempt it through that fearful other way
| The former We are prepared for, and could get
uRcd toi the latter We pray earnestly never again
to see with bodily eyes.
Further What OF tho lands themselves thus
swept from the owners and left at the discretion
Of Congress- Would thoy be given away OF sold
| out to pay tho national dobt 2 Congress would
| scarcely bc iInprudent enough t. make land
owners Of the negroes without compensation.
For, naturally highly eIcitable, give him Freedom
and franchise, aud land next and taking The latter
as nntural consequence OF his citizenship, he
WILL before he can be brought to thorough
political education, soon demand that which
neither North nor South can furnish. In OF q
sale, whore tho buyers OF the land 2 how much
of tho money would 60 to the treasury and who
could check the promiscuous army of SPECTATORS
in fold SO vast and various? And n limited con-
1scation would bring nothing absolutely nothing,
TO the treasury in comparison to tho troubles
| raised injustice done and costs incurred. This
visionary bugbear, con6scaton, stands at tho gate
Of all trouble and dcspondonco. 1t keeps out cap
ital Monoy will not go into staso in 30 unset
tied condition as this. Why unsettIod7 We be-
liere, down here, that the present boiling and
kissing state Of affairs is kept up by Congress,
the Freedmen's Bureau, and those interested in
the confusion in a thousand ways. Even JoHsson
has injured The South much. We're it not for the
utter and hopeless apathy Of the Northern people,
things cond not be carried ON without some inter-
ference fIqW them. The preas talks Of il as the
only available article in trade News from the
South is shunned, unloss il comes In the shape o
riots and bloodshod. Who cares out Gf yirginis
what Judge Inns been doposed, criminal proceed.
ing suspended, finding ofjury oycrrulod, murderer
pardoned, or adventursF made governor for al
hoIr1 For seyon years past ibc most exciting
news, ths most frequent topic Of conversation the
most profound spd learned sermon, tho most
fierce and fiery harspgue-al haye treated Of the
South, Dr topics relating to II. Yhv should the
Northern mind, elastic as It is NOT be Tor9 3oHr
with the subject
Finally In close connection Bitb and inseparablt
from capital comes tho theory OF labor, snos tht
resumption Of planting on this island, tho owners
and lessecs have allowed freedmen TO remain OF
the plantations and occupy their houses on yerba
conditions yltttp1 contracts Some planters al
lotted them certain quantities Of land and furnished
seeds and provisions on the promise OF two O.
three days labor par week. Others, and nlajorit,
| perlaps, allowed them all the land they wished I,
cultivate, binding them by contract to plant t~
and half TO three OF cotton to the full hand
one half Of tho proceeds Of which to go to tn
planter. The latter was in most instances to fur
nish limited supply Of food to be paid for in eItr
labor, cotton or cash. Whsteyer else freedman
chose to plant, corn, potatoes, peas, rice. ground
nuts or melons, was his own, and his own solely
These contrscts are sanctioned by the Bproap
Here, then, was the finest possible opportunit
: offered TO q man in his condition. He had m
$ money to buy provisions pay house rent. "Her
are both," says the planter; "use them; tho on
free, for the other pay me when your provision
!. arc gathered and your cotton gipned." Again, h
;, knew nothing Of mechanical arts; the hsndlng
d the hoo vas easier to him than anything efse. Il
d could not emgrato, 'for," as Senator TRuAsuL
q patheticatly remarked on the floor OF the Senate