The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1867-01-18
Emigration of Freedmen

large numbers of negroes to other
States; no doubt they will better their
condition, and South Carolina can
we'll spare one hundred thousaudmcre.
We notice, during Christmas times,
a, a great falling of in the number Of
negroes 3 abouttLestreets Of Greenvillc,
from j what they we're in years past
a large number ofthenl are still go
ing Of, induced y5Liggher wages, and
the:hard time that atsaf1ict both white
and blaek il ;this State
We. do not agres with some of our
public mensMh ho ares anxious to retain
iolr; 4 ,i entire black population. It is
not aesirabl e, on any account, that
!thera should dsbe5 SO large a population
Of negroes IN tliis State, as there has
been Iitherso { and, it seems to us, a
p = ectionn should satisfy all upon
g. feet. We need, to be sure,
labclerss but there will still b'ee:enough BE
| left TO cultivate our best lands, and
agrioalssl F7Slas sTaf III Ta'sva d IN tI;s
State, vii be*as:great after 2 severe
pruning Of the negro population, as
it would be were all to remain; cspc-
cially in the middle Districts. We
all know. that: in this section, where
there has been large gangs Of slavc:,
on the farms, and plantations, there
never was much surplus crop; often
not enough, or barely enough, to feed
and clothe them. They were valua-
bic as investment for families looking
to either emigration to ncw lands in
the Southwest, or to sales to persons
in that region. We venture to pre-
dict that a good crop year in Green
vile will afford larger surplus from
tho farms f55r sale, then mas ever been
knewh. There is TO region better
adapted to white labor; and a thorough
system ofimproved farming, so much
needed, will succeed best where that
prcpondcrates.
I'VE could give other grave and dwcighty
reasons, connected with political con-
'sidcrations, to show Why it is best for
all parties and all celors, tliat pre-
pondcrancc ofblack population should
no longer exist in this State. We
cannot understand how ary man with
any prctcntions to statc*nausAip can
sec otherwise. 1t seems to us every
man Of common sense would Be per
fcctlY satisfied with a bare glance at
the question, viewed iii this light; il
he l.; not, it would be vain to reason
with him. 49,.
Nc should rejoice exceedingly, if
the next census shows a diminution
ii:,-tirc negro Icressstie.e ss:''eut!s=Gar-
olina, amount to at leas. onc hundred
| and fifty thousand; and this we say
with no feeling Of hostility to that
class of people; Oh the contrary, in
every position we have occupied du-
ring our life, We have leaned 10 the
side Of kindness and liberality toward
the negro, whether he was u slave Or
freedman. We always condemned
tic old capitation tax Of two dollars
on free persons OF color, as unjust;
and disapproved the manner i'll which
they were tried for offences. And
since emancipation, We have not lies
itated to ,adyocatciair AID equal laws
in their behalf, and to oppose any
oppressive and ujust legislation
against them. The present Lcsisla-
turc, at the extra Session Of SepteTn-
Der last, and at the regular Session
just closed, came up to the position
VIC were willing to take when ittirst
met in October> 5, 1865, and that
without reference to Northern opir-
ions. =. Wear thoroughly convinced
that the good Of the negro population,
and the general good Of tie State,
will be greatly promotcdGy the*trcam
of emigration now flowing SO coi'icas-
ly. Ii it makes labor dcarer even,
the lab0rcrs remaining of every color
will be benefited, and be able to I've
better; and hcnec, ali who cannot get
away, ought to advise ali who c&a 90,
to so along, where they can do better;
they can hardly do worse many otlcr
State. Plenty ofprovisio::s a':d i:igh
wages arc inviting them to South
u Scsto771-c s.ssH; 2 70Ttvta; =: i7-:= r,:5
Tennessee, Kentucky, Texas, Illinois,
Arkansas, Indiana, Ohio, PcnnSylya-
MIA, and elsewhere. The sca:cityaG
suffering, now existing, and worse
threatened il South Carolina, coDsc-
quent upon the terrible drought Of
I