The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1868-02-13

pCiiISh''o'y J
offence which was scarcely ever heard
of in South Carolina for years past,
has become very common crime il
the ncighborhood of towns and vii
lagos. Theft and burglary arc 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 shecp-forty in num-
ber-all stolen by the negroes
Another gentleman who had been
Governor of the State, informed me
that lie had eighty-fve hogs to kill
last Fall, and that they were all sto-
len by the negroes except seven.
The support of so many prisoners
and convicts in our jails and pcnitcn-
tiary is becoming alarming. We
shall not long be able to feed them;
nor will the prisons contain thcm.-
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
crop throughout the United States,
with the government tax and low
price of the staple, has rendered it
impossible for the planters to contin-
lie their business the present year.
The difficulty, too, in getting the rc-
groes to work during the past year
has discouraged aud disgustcda great
many. A very large Cotton crop
was planted last Spring, and great
effort was made by the planters to re-
trieve their fortunes and give employ
ment to the negroes. but universal
failure and bankruptcy have ensued.
| am not able TO state the falling oil
of the Cotton crop this year, but the
rice crop has fallen from one hundred
and thirty or forty thousand tierces
to twelve Thousand ticrccs.
The preseut year every one will
have to devote his attention to the
raising of a provision crop. lie will
not require so many labourcrs. and
would not be able to feed them if he
did. The negroes have nothing to
live on the present year, and arc un-
able to make crops by themselves
They will have to steal or starve.
This greatly discouragcs farmers in
the Southern States at this time. If
you make good crop you have no
security that it will not be stolen or
burnt up by the negroes.
In regard to the political condition
of the Southern States l am in deep
despair, and have 10 hope except in
a returning sense of justice on the
part of the Northcrn people. The
idea of placing the government of
these States in the hands Of negroes
is prcposterously 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 thy voted. They
were controlled blindly by the loyal
leagues. The tickets were printed III
Charleston, with likeness of Prcsi-
dent Lincoln on them. There never
has been before such a wide field open
ed for the dema gogucs and unprinci-
pied aspirants to office. The negro
is the most crcdulous being in the
world, and most easily imposed Oh
by vile wrctchcs who arc disposed to
pandcr to his ignorance and passion.
EmiSsaries from the North, white and
black, have come here and prejuaiced
him against the white race. He has
been told that unless he voted the
Radiacl 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 instances
the negroes actually brought with
them brides to taketh mules home
with.
By military order in South Caro-
lima negroes are to sit on juries. In
some districts of this State the negro
population is so much larger than the
white that they will compose almost
the entire juries. How it will be pos
sihlcto administer justice, with such
juries, in complicated cases, is more
than l can tell. l am equally at
loss to know how the Offices of the
State arc to be filled. The ''iron clad
oath" excludes from office all who
are competent and worthy. This dlt-
ficulty WAS foresecn by General Sic
kles, and he requested of Congress
the removal of the oath. General
Meade has recently suggested the
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