Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1868-02-18
From the Baltimore Sun.
Condition of the South.
LETTER FROM GOVERNOR PERRY, OF SOUTH
CAROLINA
TERRIBLE FERTILIZATION OF THE PEOPLE.

TERRIBLE FERTILIZATION OF THE PEOPLE.
The following letter, addressed by Ex-Gov-
ernor Perry, Of South Carolina, to Captain 0.
N. Butler, of that State, but now residing in
Baltimore, gives graphic ard deplorable
picture of the present condition and future
prospects of the great Southern section of our
country:
GREENvILLE, S. c., January 10, 1863
o. n BUTLER, Esq.-My Dear Friend: In
your letter to my son you say that the North
ern people are not aware of the true condition
Of the Southern States, and that you wish me
to write something on this subject for publica-
tion am willing, as | have always been, to
do anything and everything in my power to
enlighten the Northern mind as to the fright
full and appalling condition of the South But
it does seem to me that | can say very little
not already known, through the public press,
to the whole reading community.
1t is well known to the world that ten of the
Southern States have been stripped of every
vestige of republican liberty, and placed by
the wicked and unconstitutional legislation of
radical Congress, under military despotism,
for partisan purposes. Its equally we'll known
that negro conventions have been ordered in
all those States, for the purpose of establishing
In them negro supremacy. In order to accom-
pllsh this, very large portion of the most in
telllgent, virtuous and patriotic Of the white
race have been DISTINGUISHED, and are hereafter
to be governed by their former slaves and un-
prlncipled adventures from the North These
facts are well known, and their consequences
every intelligent mind may well anticipate.
When slavery was abolished in the Southern
States, if the people had been let alone in their
State legislation and restored to the Union all
would have been WELL They would soon have
recovered from their exhausted and crushed
condition, and been once more happy and
prosperous people. They would have added
hundreds of millions annually to the wealth of
the republic instead OF costing it, as they now
do, a hundred million every year, through the
Freedmen Bureau and standing army But
the unjust, unconstitutional and suicidal legis-
latlon of Congress has paralyzed them forever,
fear. The negro is no longer that Industrious
useful and civil laborer which he once was, but
an idle drone and pest to society. Inflated
with his new and marvellous political impor-
lance, he has abandoned his former industrious
habits and spends his time in attending public
meetings and loyal league gatherings by day
and night. The whole race seem disposed to
quit their work and resort to the towns and
villages, where they may exc out wretched
existence in plfering and begging.
The consequences are that our fields and
plantations are uncultlyated, the country pau
perzed, at the point of starvation, and filed
with every grade OF crime Not day passes
over our heads that we do not hear of some
theft, house burning, robbery, rape or murder
l will mention one or two instances out of
thousands which might be enumerated Five
negro men, last week, in Darlington district.
went, armed with guns, to a country store,
robbed the store, killed the clerk shot a wo-
man IN the house, and went to the dwelling of
the owner and killed him. A short time since
parcel of negroes placed Instructions en- the
South Carolina Railroad, which threw off
train OF cars in the night time. Again, at
another point on the same road, parcel of me-
groesEhred into the train, and came very nearly
killing several passengers. Last fall at Pick
ems court, seven or eight negroes were convict
ed OF murder and seventeen Or eighteen others
sent to the penltentiary. Highway robbery, an
offence which was scarcely ever heard of in
South Carolina for years past, has become a
very common crime in the neighborhood of
towns and villages Theft and burglary are of
constant occurrence In the country it is almost
impossible to raise hogs, sheep and cattle. A
gentleman told me the other day that he had
lost the last one Of his sheep, forty in number
all stolen by the negroes. Another gentleman,
who had been Governor Of the State informed
me that he had eighty-ive hogs to kill last fall,
and that they were all stolen by the negroes ex-
cept seven.
The support OF so many prisoners and con-
vlcts In our jals and penltentiary is becoming
alarming. We shall not long be able to feed
them nor will the prisons contain them. The
country is SO much impoverished that it is diff
cult for the negroes to get employment if they
really wished to do so. The failure of the cot
ton crop througout the United States, with the
government tax and low price Of the staple, has
rendered it impossible for the planters to con-
tinue their business the present year. The
difficulty, too, In getting the negroes to work
during the past year has discouraged and dis
gusted great many. A very large cotton
crop was planted last spring, and great effort
was made by the planters to retrieve their for
tunes and give employment to the negroes, but
universal failure and bankruptcy have ensued
| am not able to state the falling of the crop
this year, but the rice crop has fallen from
one hundred and thirty or forty thousand
tlerces to twelve thousand tierces.
The present year every one will have to de-
vote his attention to the raising of provision
crop. lie will not require so many laborers,
and would not be able to feed them if he did.
The negroes have nothing to live on the pres
ent year, and are unable to make crons for
themselves. They will have to steal or starve
This greatly dlscourages farming in the South
ern States at this time. If you make good
crop of provisions you have no security that
1t will not be stolen or burnt up by the negroes.
In regard to the political condition Of the
Southern States [ am in deep despair. and
have no hope except liz returning sense of
justice on the part of the Northern people
The idea of placing the government of these
States in the hands of negroes is preposterous-
ly absurd. None Of them have property. and
not one in five hundred can read or write In
the recent election for members of convention
many of the negroes had forgotten their names
and scarcely one In hundred could tell after
the election for whom he voted They we're
controlled blindly by the loyal leagues. The
tickets were printed in Charleston with like
ness of President Lincoln on them There
never has been before such wide field opened
for the demasogues and unprincipled aspirants
to Office The negro is the most credulous
being in the world, and most easily imposed on
by vile wretches who are disposed to pander to
to his ignorance and passion. Emissaries from
the North, white and black, have come here
and prejudiced him against the white race =
He has been told that unles he voted the radi-
cal ticket he would be placed back in slavery,
and that if he voted that ticket he would have
lands and mules given him. In some instan-
ces the negroes actually brought brides with
them to take their mules home with
BY military order in South Carolina negroes
are to sit on jurieS. In some of the districts of