, 1868-04-17
DepIorabIe Condition of the South.

DepIorabIe Condition of the South.
Ex-Governor Perry, of South Carolina, at all
times steadily opposed secession and the civil
war. ThSre was no where a more earnest friend
Of the Union. Throughout the national troubles
bis intelligence and moral rectitude commanded
the respect Of contending factions and bore him
through the tempest with reputation untarnish-
ed His veracity and humanity no one guess
tions. We therefore give place to the following
letter from him written to a former citizen of
South Carolina, now residing in Baltimore, un>
der the sincere belief that the facts which it
rates are strictly true and entirely reliable-that
none Of them are exaggerated or shaded by false
coloring.
GREESvILLE, S. c., January 10, 1863
o. n. BUrrLER, Esq.-Ay Dear Friend: In
your letter to my son you say that the Northern
people are not aware of the true condition Of the
Southern States, and that you wish me to write
something on this subject for publication. am
willing, as l always have been, to do anything
and everything in my power to enlighten the
Northern mind as to the frightful 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
vesIige Of republican liberty, and placed, by the
wicked anu uncOnoklLublOnhl OF q Eau-
ical Congress, under q military despotism, for
partisan purposes. 1t is 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 accomplish this,
very large portion of the most intelligent, vir.
tuous and patriotic of the white race have been
disfranchised, and are hereafter to be governed
by their former slaves and unprinciped adven>
turers from the North These facts are we'll
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 Onion, all
would have been we'll. They would have soon
recovered from their exhausted and crushed con.
diton, and been once more a happy and pros>
porous people. They would have added hun
dreds of millions annually to the wealth of the
republic instead of costing it, as they now do,
hundred millions every year, through the Freed
mems Bureau and q standing army. But the
unjust, unconstitutional and suicidal legislation
of Congress has paralyEes ZEN forever fear
The negro is no longer that u iustrious, useful,
and civil laborer which be o. was, but an idle
drone and pest to society. ILGAted with bis new
and marvellous political importance, be has
abandoned bis former industrious habits and
spends his time in attending public meetings and
loyal league gatherings BY day and by Dight.
The whole race seem disposed to quit their work
and resort to the towns and villages, where they
may exc out au idle and wretched existence in
pilfering and begging.
The consequences are that our fields and plan
tations are uncultivaIed, the country pauperized,
at the point of starvation and filled with every
grade Of crime. Not day passes over our heads
that we do not hear of some theft, burning, rob-
berry, rape or murder. l will mention one or
two instances out of thousands that might be
enumerated. Five negro men last week, in Oar.
W tn
country store, robbed the store, killed the clerk
shot woman in the house, and went to the
dwelling of the owner and killed him. short
time since, parcel of negroes placed obstruc-
| tious on the South Carolina railroad, which
threw of train of cars in the night time. Again
at another point on the rame road parcel of
| negroes fred into the train and came very near
killing several passengers. Last fall, at Pickeus
| Court, seven or eight negroes were convicted
OF murder, and seventeen or eighteen others
sent to the penitentiary. Highway robbery, an
ofense which was hardly heard of iu South Car.
| olina tor years past, has become q very common
crime in the neighbornood of towns and villages
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 bis
sheep, forty in number, all stolen by the negroes
Another gentleman, who had been Governor of
the State, informed me that be had eighty. FIVE
hogs to kill last fall, and they were all stolen by
the negroes except seven.
The support of so many prisoners and convicte
in our jails and pententiaIy is becoming alarms
ing. We shall not long be able to feed them.
The country is so much impoverished that it is
difficult for the negroes to get employment, if
they really wished to do so. The failure of the
cotton crops throughout the United States, with
| government tax and low price Of the staple, has
rendered it impossible for the planters to con-
tinue their business the present year. The diff
Guilty, too, in getting the negroes to work during
the past year has discouraged and disguised .
great many. A very large cotton crop was plant-
ed last spring, and a great effort was made BY
the planters TO retrieve their fortunes and give
employment TO the negroes, but universal failure
and bankruptcy have ensned. / am not able to
state the falling of Of the cotton crop this year,
but the rice crop has fallen from one hundred
and thirty or forty thousand tierces TO twelve
| thousand tierces.
/ The present year every one will have 70 devote
bis attention to the raising Of 3 provision crop.
BE viii not require so many laborers, and would
not be able to feed them If be did. The negroes
have nothing to live on the present year, and are
unable to make crops BY themselves. They will
have TO steal or ssarve. This greatly discourages
| farming in the Southern States 81 this time. II
you make good crop Of provisions, you have