The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-07-15
ON rne.J&cnn,
),niInoro, q. O. July. 1sG7.-


itsoi proved faisohood equivalent to IL in its
effect, because portion only OF tho truth WAS re-
ported; o nero donal TO rent or aell to RoHrvcs
without giving tho causes operating as prohbi-
tivcs. 1t may not, perhaps, pc generally known
that tho contrary was triod In many cases during
the past year; that planters rented out lands TO
freedmen, tho rent to bo paid in stipulated share
Of the crop. But tho results wore not encourag-
ing. Tho freedmen, uuaccustomed to oxorciso
control over themselves or their families, in many
cases did not work stoadily. -Othors, ,yagan, being
in too great hnste to got rich, and mover having
had to exercise their judgments bcforo III planning
work, they undertook too much, and too many
things and tho natural consequence wns that the
crop suffered. total want Of capital, however,
is Tho great drawback TO oil such efforts. Thoy
lack almost everything. II by dint OF industry
tlioy shoYld havo accumulated, or il thor former
ownors should loan them sufficient sum 10 onablo
them 10 purchaac the most Indispensable implc-
monts, nnd perhaps, also, mulo, or brokon down
plow or dray horse, tlioy without Tho ncccssa-
~ provisions to support themselves and animals
during the winter, spring and summon months.
Perseverance ia not marked characteristic OF tho
negro race and in many caaes wlero thav III. .'on
battling with thee" 'i"'--'s'o'' ueiofo tne crop
nait made, tley would bo discouraged and
not unfrequcntly abandon tho whole enterprise.
it is but fair TO say, negroes, working on rented
land, wero successful pnid thoir rent and had tho
satisfaction upon settling, to find something on
tho credit eide OF tho balance sheet. These, how
over, nro tho exceptions. Tho greatest difficulty,
perhapa, in this whole matter is tho want Of conf
den:c Of tho planter in tho freedman knowing
him. as ho docs, to be in most casos altogether
unreliable. II tho freedmen will show that they
aro alive 10 tho binding force of contract and
will work as steadily and faithful on their own
account as under tho drectt nd control OF
tho oyerseer, this difficulty will bo IN q great
measure removed There will bo kindness and
mutual confidence, rcdounding to tho advan-
tago OF both, and q good understanding be
tween the two racos, which win cement bond
OF perpetual union md peace.
Tho planters up hero getting somowhat res
tive under tho overdose OF leoturing, which has
boon administered to thcm by newspaper men and
public apeakors. Thoy think they understnnd
"tho situation" !" and moro than TINT thoy arc
quito willing to "acoopt' it. Thoy arc fully alive
to tho fact that the day for largo plantations is
past" and that "lqnd should be cultivntod In
small tracts" And in fact thoro aro fcw who aro
not willing to sell part OF tloir land, If pur-
chaser can DO found. This Is precisely m any
scn :iblo man, knowing tho circumstances OF tho
case. would conclude. Many OF our people aro
heavily in debt, and have largo landed possessions,
yielding them ittlo or no return what moro
natural, therefore, than that thcy should ondoa-
vor to diminish their debts aul increase their
peace aud comfort by selling part Of their landed
oslaio to small settlers, and thus by tle nero in
crease OF population in any given space Of country
onhancG tho value OF tho remainder Of their lands
very considerably. .,s, :.
SO with regard to tho renting of land. 'Tlloro
aro few who would not bo willing to ront out O
portion of their lands IL they could find persons
who, in the exercise OF ordinary prudence. they
could be led TO think would work tho land 10 any
advantage, and pny tho rent Tho parties who
ofer, rs q rule, both black and white, arc other
unskilcd. known tobe poor managers, and devoid
nlike Of intelligence and ontorpriso. And in tho
few cases where reaa disabilities do not obtain,
they attn without the necessary capital small
oyen though that may DO ratod. This is indeed
tho ono great drawback TO the execution Of oil
such schemes. The operatives hayo neither
capital nor credit, and tho planter from tho worry
nature Of the case, can have no security for tho
payment Of ha ront; and barely ablo TO holp HIM
SELF he is not in condition, certainly not at this
timo, to mako advances OF money or oven lond his
credit to his 'tcIients."
The conditions Of tho country, social, political
and moro especially financial for the present, Mt
least prevent the carrying into effect of any ex-
tended schomo Of colonization. Tho land hero ia
usually in largo plantations, with only ono! sot Of
buildings or improvements" they nro usually
called. Now, il portion at ono Of tho distal OK
trcmitios is rented out to lnborcr or small far
mer, there is neither house, barn or stable. Tho
landowner is too much reduced in means at pre-
sont to undertake such task himself. Even il he
saw that, By adopting such a COURSE, his land
would bo certainly romuneratiye In fow years
the low stnts of his o1chequer would be positive
veto to any snch wise md benevolent enterprise.
For not only would this outlay yield no Immediate
return; such nm enterprise would moreover ne
cessItato considerable additional annual outlay
for several years TO come.
Very fow purchasers have offered, who have any
means whatever. Plenty of freedmen can BIO
found, willing to buy on credit, and OF course un-
able TO give security for oven tho eventual pay
mcnt of tho purchase money.
There is, therefore, little encouragement thus
far for tho parcolling out Of lnnds, tho turning of
largo plantations into small farms. We have no
doubt, whntevor, that in timo this will come TO
pnss, but it must necessarily bo measure Of slow
and gradual progress. Tho freedman, hke tho
laboring population OF tho North and Of other
countries, must learn industry and economy be.
fore he can stop into tho dignity Of landed pro-
priotorship. Ho must ondenyor, by frugality and
thrift, first to lay by litto money and get a
start" otherwise his too sanguino hopes OF sue
cass as an independent agricuturist will como to
naught. s:;.rr a .sy a
There is, In my opinion, entirely too much i'm.
portanco attached BY tho freedmen to the posses-
sion Of land. Man never ia, but always to be
b!essed. It Is honce natural for tho landIess to
desire strip Of soil in their own right, and they
oxprrt udrantasos nouI 1unh propriotorship which
can be realized in but very few cases. In coun-
trios like France, Belgium and Western Germany,
whero land is divided and suEdividod, and land.
lords can be found owning an eighth Of On nero
only, the laboring classes aud small proprietors
there ono and tho same) find IL perhaps moro
difficult TO 1.-Two than the peasantry OF any other
country in Europe. Thoy contract debts, mort
gago thoir littlo land and unable TO redeem t. as
must necessarily happon In very many. instances,
they arc soon without land again, and much moro
Yexed In spirit than II they had neYer owned any.
few speculatois and money lenders In this man
ner can soon purchase whole province, district
or State. . -. n.tr. H
But supposo, with Wow Of preventing this un-
desirable result, the Legislature enaots home
stead law, oIcmpting from execution o certain
minimum OF lind. This will exercise no influence
upon tho indolent or thriftlcss laborer, and make
him industrious or economical. The only cortaip
influence IL will hayo Ia that n will ob,r III, ,-on>