The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-05-08
SUFFERING IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

The New York Herald Of the 4th, publishes 3
communication from Governor ORR, accom-
panied by abstracts Of letters addressed to Rev.
WM. MARTIN, Of Columbia, who had issued cir
culars, calling for information in regard to the
| extent Of the destitution prevailing in different
parts of the State. These abstracts, which we
publish this morning, tell tale of widespread
and all but hopeless destitution, such as the
world has not heard of since the famine in Ire
land twenty years ago.
The appeal which is made to the humanity
of the country by this mere statement, is gener-
ously and heartily endorsed BY the Herald.
But while we acknowledge the kindness with
which this has been done, and recognize the
relief which in many instances has been afford
| ed by the exercise of North ern charity, there
| is o truth contained in this statement which we
| would impress upon our Northern friends.
That truth is that this destitution and suffering
is the direct result Of the political agitation Of
the last two years.
When the war closed throughout the South,
there was universal preparation to go to work,
and if one half of the land that could have been
planted had been cultivated, if one half Of the
| energy which could have been exercised had
been employed, there would have been but
comparatively little des!itution, and no where
| any possibility Of starvation
What prevented it? The unnecessary and
,nischicvous agitation in Congress, or if it is q
| fairer statement, the unfortunate difference be-
South wanted was capital-capital to buy mules,
W
to supply provisions, to pay the wages Of freed
! men, who had nothing but those wages to de-
pend upon There was ample security for such
capital, and for large and sure returns Of in
terest upon its use. And this capital would
have come but for the constant threats of con
| hscation and the uncertain political status Of
the States in which such capital was needed.
What wise man, seeing the influence of Mr..
STEVENS, and listening to declarations of com
ing vengeance, 80 little mild confscation pun
ishment first, and then quiet" would have ven
tured his capital in property which might Be
snatched from his debtor. .# II; s&
Then, too, the widest theories and the most
foolish theorists on the subject Of negro labor
| were all powerful. It seemed at one time as
If the Democratic: party had resolved that no
freedman should be permitted to labor; that
the whole Of the present generation were to be
secured in the employment Of. a perpetual
holiday. .-- ss... ss IA: II
And in this State the monstrous iniquity Of
the conhscation of the Sea Island lands de-
molished labor through one Of the richest, and
most productive sections of the State, while IN
ducements, the most delusiye but the most st.
tractive, were offered in other sections to per-
| suade the laborers to emigrate .
And both Of these are still at work. Violent
and extreme men are still threatening confisca-
tion, and even such q Democrat as Mr.. BRooKs
shows his love for the South by the declaration
that he would sooner trust capital in Hayti
than in the Southern States 1siz KS -t-iSa =i y
The condition Of things, however, is impro-''
wing, and we would say to the Herald and all
other papers or individuals who would: prevent
the recurrence Of such suffering, that the
su1est way is to put an end to the political agi-
tation which is consequent upon the unsettled
status Of the South, and 20 discourage and con
tradict the thousand Wild and wicked rumors
with which the Northern press teens, that per-
sons and capital seeking employment in the
South run unusual risks. The truth is lust
the reverse, and, much as we have suffered,
Mr STEVENs' speeches and Mr.: STEVENS poli-
cy, BY creating and fostering this distrust have
deprived Northern capitalists OF more certain
and larger profits than have been offered to in
vestments for many years in this country
+ II