The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-09-18
ON THE WING.

| 10 tie EsItor OF tie Charleston Ddag He'oS
A recent trip to Barnwell and Orangeourg 'as-
tricts and some of the adjoining parts OF tne mio
die country OF the State, gave me good oppor-
tunity Of seeing for yself the state OF the country
the condition c" the crops, and the sllua'loh Vi
affairs generally. Thinking that some OF your
readers may perhaps be in want OF iniornaton on
the same points that was, have thought L Wouio
| take them into uny confidence ana give 'neiu 'ne
benefit of my observations. Il -
It was bright and glorious morning tnat Sd"
US off on the South Carolina Railroad cars-lne
country all around redolent of the rich moral CUTS
| of incipient autumn the den drops ghttering
gem-like on the delicate sky blue OF the morning
glory; the choryopsis gaily nodding its goloen
petals barely held in check by its somore crest !;
the ever beautiful pond lily gracefully floating on
every square yard almost Of aqueous surlao9, ienu
| ing o charm to what but for its presence "ouio
offer but few attractions to the scene these' ana
Thousand other LECTURES Of this interesting do
rama, made the soul feel glad in escaping from
town. glad to draw large and free inspiration from
| Gods own great storehouse Of nature. No season
of the year offers greater diversity of colors in the
sylvan landscapes than September ana octoDer'
Departing summer still fingers, and reluctantiy
Yields the feld TO her harder brother. Ne have
first glimpses OF autumn; the fresh ana oehcate
7erdure of the one beautifully blended with the
auburn tints OF the other.
Along the railroad. as usual, since tae war;
saw but few laborers. Many residences, formerly
situated along the road, and destroyed during tne
war, have not been rebuilt. Here ana there
noted an humble log cabin, with sometimes Hom
ten to twelve embryo citizens Of the colored per-
suasion crowding to the door to see the cars pass
These, ne wero informed, are squatters, and to
Judge by the costumes of the afoIe named futore
citizens-much like the Georgia Major's-except-
ing the spur and the shirt collar-there must pe q
great dearth of dry goods in the rural parts.
A noticeable feature all along the line OF the
railroad is the great number of small patches CT
rice, far more numerous than heretofore; and in
most cases this "high land rice" looked very
we'll; though, as one of our fellow passengers OBJ
served, there was nothing remarkable IN the TACT,
as this year rice could have been planted on the
top Of the A1leghanies. He thought there was
rain enough to have flooded it, even mp there,
AS am not practical rice planter, Of course
can give no opinion in the premises, indeed, am
not entitled to one therefore cannot say with any
certainty whether or not, rice might, could, would
or should have been successfully cultivated this
year on top Of the mountains.
was glad, however, to see the attantion paid to
the smal industries which these many little rice
fields argue. 1t proves thatour people are gradual
" taking mort common sense views OF farming,
and beginning to learn also that growing cotton Is
not the chief end of man. Independence is better
than cotton, and not subject to the auctustons OF
the Liverpool market 1t is comparatively easy
for our farmers to produce almost everything they
need within the limits OF their own plantations
few bales OF cotton Will then yielo as much ready
money as will be necessary for taxes, groceries,
etc. Large fortunes are not made thus, it is true
but it is thus substantial useful, contented yeo-
manry is fostered, the only true and lasting sub
stratum of prosperity 10 an agricultural State In
stead of cotton4only cotton, and nothing but cot
ton-we shall hereafter see on every well appointed
farm crops of corn, potatoes, rice OATS rye wheat,
barley buckwheat hops, tobacco; orchards and
vineyards, meadows and pastures. Care Will be
given to tho raising of CATTLE hogs, sheep, horses
all of which branches of rural economy heretofore
racairaa hat EttlA 4taatin,s ~ >--- s---a pao
COTTON year viii not tlen tuii tho country, nol
will failure Of the corn crop threaten famine.
Emigrants will then come Of their own accord,
whereas, now all the eloquent persuasions OF our
agents cannot induce them to come.
General ScoTT, the Assistant Commissioner of
the Freedmen's Bureau for South Carolina, was
on the train on his way to colorod meeting to
take place that day at Reeves Station and another
few days later at Indian Fields, not far from
Branchville. These familiar talks Of General
SCOTT to the freedmen, believe, are very benef-
cisl as they correct nisspprehensions on the part
of the negroes. There have been so many ire
sponsible Radical emissaries through the length
and breadth Of the South, whose principal task mp
poars to be to inaame the evil passions Of the col
bred people, and SOW dissension and enmity be-
tween them and the white people, that it s COM
nendable in men like General Soorr, who have the
confidence Of these. negroes, to go among them
and set them right on; the principal questions at
issue in the present crisis. This much can say,
without at7all endorsing the wisdom or acSnowi-
edging the necessity Of the Bureau; for many OF
the evils which ne say General 8. can cure, but
for the presence of the Bureau would hsSeno ex-
istence.
The fund appropriated by Congress for the bene-
fit of the South, and distributed by the Freed
mems Bureau, has afforded relief to many desti-
tute families in this State, black and white. do
not know that the Office OF almoner has ever been
made substrvienb tofur ther political purposes.
would only remark en- passant there was fine
opportunity for it here They who WELD the
loaYes and the fishes have never failed to draw
large crowds Of followers after them. or couse 1
will not be understood to insiiuats that there is
the slightest connection between distributing ra-
tions of corn and bacon to the poor whites and
needy blacks OF ex-rebeldom and expecting the
recipients Of this cllsrity to cst their votes for
their good Christian almoners. FBut it must be
apparent that, in the hands Of unpripopled per-
sons, this power might be used for selfish and
other Han purely Christian or patriotic pufReses.
On the cars, also that day is Mss aGaMEday)
was the "heayy man" Of one Of your cotempora-
ries-not he who ''Goes" the leaders; the man
mean is one Of weight, and fills alarge place in
the - Office. The crops and the caterpillars,
cotton and the country, occupied our attention
during the brief period hs remained on the train.
On the cars rolled, past woods, and fields, and
s"amPs, Past HutS, noSens anu nouees5 Poe' ns$A-
let's and villages, until in due time, IL o'clock,
arrived ct Branchville, which place readily recosA
nized BY the number Of colored ladies who offered
to the hungry traveller welallsd trays or walters
Of moderately tempting proyepder. They who
have money generally 60 into the Hotel, where
good meals are always to be had at dollar,
think. Before the war it used to be fifty cents
only, and really cannot see why they should not
come down to that figure now. However to re-
turn to the maumas. At Brsnch7ille they are
quite an institution. Some have very clean walters,
and inviting looking yictuals. Their rates are
moderate, but much higher than in "slsyy
times" a cup Of what is called coffee,
ten cents; hard boiled eggs, five for a
quarter; a piece Of chicken and a biscuit,
z,;o tor,n nar1ts n-;ona q