The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-09-19
LETTER FROM THE COAST.
[FRoM DUB OWN CORRESPONDENT
JoHs,s ISLAND, S. c., .septsmbar 1s.

| =
JoHN's ISLAND, S. c., September 16, 1867.
To The Editor of The Charleston Daily Neus:
Some weeks since an official accredited to the
Kremlin Of the Carolinas, on his tour along this
coast put the question it was necessary to have
a military guard on this Island to protect the
planting interest against the possible trangres-
sions of the freedmen during cotton picking time
The respondent gave it as his opinion that such a
course would imply want Of confidence in their
honor and that the freed people should rather be
put on their good behaviour and be made to un-
derstand So If this should fail it would then be
time enough to exercise military surveillance.
The introduction Of troops ought only to be re-
sorted to as an extreme remedy. Nothing has
happened since to advise course different from
this. True, there have been petty thefts of wa
termelons and potatoes-mere family reprisals by
the way-but beyond this the eighth command
ment has been very laudably observed by the
freedmen. What does seem expedient, however,
is some sort Of protection against scheming
outsiders, cotton-catchers " and fences. "
There is known to exist party of most
INSCRIPTIONS rogues, both white and colored,
ready to use these unsophisticated freedmen for
purposes not altogether blameless. They lay in
wait for them at the wharyes at Charleston, snap
up their wares, promise them certain prices, pay
them certain amounts and give the whole transac-
ton show of fairness by handing these field
hands slip Of paper, more or less written over.
On inspection these precious documents show just
nothing at all. Such operations were made regu-
lar business of last year; nor was all that trans-
pired there confined to this. Cotton brought in
hastily, evidently got in foul way, was spirited
out Of sight and the swindler swindled. In every
case the freedmen knew that he was cheated be-
fore he left town. yet, with one or two exceptions,
no inst ance is known where he sought and found
redress. And the experience Of one was no lesson
to his neighbor. The same trap caught the same
game.
| If there is o weakness more striking and in
| it's consequences, moro pernicous and cruel than
another with our colored brethren of small
means, it is an irrepressible penchant for the
possession Of horse or mule: An animal,
primarily to help him till his land, but ultimately
to turn him to any use his ingenuity can devise.
And they are masters in the art Of using horses in
| different ways, from the purely useful to the
ludicrously absurd, A man and woman mounted
on the same mule grindstone moving leisurely
along on horse, held in place by the driver
buckets of water carried on horseback, nicely
balanced on the riders head, are sights for
circus but can here be Witnessed free of charge in
all their grotesqueness. The vehicles too, are OF
the oldest and oldest kind, and woefully worn.
Rude and roughly y-hewed shafts, wheels Of different
patterns a1les worn down and creaky, with body
disproportonate in size, compose the conveyance
you are meeting hourly Add to this harness,
the different, parts Of which have done duty at
various times, and in manifold capacities, and a
lean, lank, shankey animal, and you have the con-
triyance by our freedmen called team. The
strength, or rather weakness Of his beast, is q
thing CT little consideration to the black. Sermons
| have been preached ON the abuses Of overlooking
these wretched halffed draft animals by the
score vet every Sunday, every day OF pubic
gathering shows h repetition H OF ne eda1an no
gets invariably the better OF the good judgment OF
| the freedmen. Death Is making sad lnroads in
his possessions, and relieve the poor things OF suf
ferings that have to be seen to be fully understood
horses and mules brought, in the beginning OF the
year on the Island, forty died OF Ill treatment and
starvation before the opening OF summer.
| There are no political movements TO report rom
our neighborhood. One would think that the gen.
tlemen having the nomination OF Convention mem
bers in charge would make some stir. The freed
men ere particularly quiet and apathetic. The
rush Of matters lately has overborne them. They
are quietly laying on their oars and drifting with
the current. The political problem is not under
stood to be of complicated nature in this district
Since the ruling vote on either island will go as
unit at the disposal Of certain controlling infu-
ences, it will be easy for any two to elect members
from their own insular precincts respectively,
thereby throwing out the third. NO com o. l.
plcations have as yet arisen, however, and 1t ls
doubtful if there is even named as yet the man
| who is to represent the District With such an
overpowering colored vote as there is here,
and such perfection. OF unanimity, 1t
would be strange, indeed, if the negroes did not
advance their claim to representation by one OF
their own color. In proportion to the whites
they are as thirty-1ve to one, and there arc not
| wanting those here who would be willing to spend
good time at Columbia in the role OF delegate;
| particularly since ours has proven rather rich
'splacer" Other sections sent thoir delegates to
the late informal meeting ut the Capital to shift
for themselves as best they might. we OF the
aristocratic precinct Of Johns Island dispatched
with the needfu, he went assured of the fact that
should he need any more at any time during the
session. to ask and it should be given unto him.
It s said he never needed all he started with,
fact rejecting credit on the lberaty OF those who
sent him. Whether this same candidate, as they
4 IL,
| change the field for the hall Of legislation would
much depend upon the delegation urging his ac-
ceptance. For not without his share of ambition
and pride, he would greatly prefer being
waited on, if not by whites alone, at least
by mixed Committee. These are understood to
be his wishes, and it is hoped that. no impedment
nreyentinp his availability, he will be proposed by
the solid phaanx of the white voters, twentyeight
| In number, as q public acknowledgement OF their
willingness to surrender al preludlce as 10 color'
| the hump-backed duke was offered the crown OF
| England BY men selected through his own machi-
nations. II tho candidate will set his wits to work
he too may be found with the prayerbook lost in
impress favorably. Still greatly fear that there
vet remain those among us who object to him,
and that his friends will all prove to be of his own
color very slightly deluded. But for forms sake
this might prevail.
Would YOU believe it, the hopeful signs of the
ergy and activity. Gentlemen under the twenty
thousand dollar cloud begin to think now they
have something TO do besides looking on and
watching the shifting scenes before them:
Of life ut the Capitol in the absence OF
| Congress show that they and their condition
are not forgotten. California too, leading
the rebound, young, warm and vigorous, speaks In
tones Joyous and gaddening. We want little more
than such encouragement; only check on the
laundering, sweeping passion of party. 1t does
wonders in dispelling the fear OF confscation.
For. saw what you may, it lurked like hidden
serpent in many mind :, And s within week RATS att
Of lumber have come to build negro huts and cot,
| ton houses. and engines and gins are being sent
for, and we are In fair way to open business in
Two pence, ha' penny, Mr.. Editor for picture
Photographic Of all the faces that peered behind
| telescopes on the moons eclipse last Friday
What a glorious view ne had of it close by the
beach; a double view you may say, and at half
price and uncroTded, and unelbowed. The water,
Smooth t as glass and clear as crystal, made an ex
celent reflector and served to relieve the strain on
the neck muscles. For the moons double was as
nlsin and brilliant as the moon itself. How many
ppotical astronomers, think you, such as Clay,
Calhoun Benton and others, are watching from
other spheres the partial eclipse Of this bright 6
hemisphere And are ne t the5 TO- during 1t all see
soon will be again? With what eagerness they
must have watched the painfully slow motion Of