The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1868-06-06
Condition of the South.

| OF the entire south, under radical rule. II
shows the precise fruits OF the policy of cxalt-
ing the black man to get his vote, by the OPP
preston and crushing out of the white man.
1t is not done to punish rebels, for loyal and
disloyal whites suffer alike; but it is done
purely to get negro votes. We quote from a
letter dated Charleston, S. c., May %. 81
This country wants new population. The
native whites are almost parslyzed BY oppres.
sion. They have lest their property, and with
ont capital or credit, find it very hard to recu-
perate although many of them exhibit a manly
fortitude and neble energy under their reverses,
which entities them to all success. Many who
We're very rich may now be seen driving the
street-cars, working as laborers OIL the
wharves; and, when the negro stevedores recent
ly struck for higher wages, companies Of plucky
scions of the most aristocratic families promptly
pitched in, and contracted to load and unload
vessels at the same rates which the darkeys had
refused; and this they are still doing very
much to the surprise and chagrin of the colored
gentry. The negroes have been so completely
fuddled by the batteries of New England preach
ers and politicians that it is very difficult to per-
suade them to work and, when they do work,
even at high wages, it is with conde'cending
air which would insure their being kicked out
y
war, when the country prosperous and
wealthy, the amount raised for the support of
the state government was $3.50 900. Now, when
the people are impoverished, and have nothing
bat the lands which, in many cases. lie idle, the
amount raised under the carpet-bag- gullah alli-
anoe is S2,230,9J0. II the state was put up at
auction, any man would be considered crazy
who would bid that amount for the whole ter
ritory in fes-slmple, unless on condition that
the hprea, md Lao, al.,l SI.I IL.
yagrant, thieying negro population banisheI the
commonwealth.
The so-called constitutional convention was
composed Of forty-seyen whites and seventy-four
colored delegates. Very lew of them could
spell, or read, or sign their names, if life itself
depended n the performance. They hired two
white lawyers outside of the body 10 write out
their resolutions and instruments They re.
csived as delegates pei, dicn OF eleven dollars,
besides mileage, and proraoted their'session for
sixty days, at O cost to tho taxpayers Of $780,
0Oo. And what taxes do these consultations
makers pay! The seventy-four negro delegates
pay SllI,93, of which one alone pays SSJ,3J-
leaving S32 SO to be divided amen, seventy-three
delegates, or less than 80 cents each. The forty
seven whites pay &76l So of which one white
conservative pays $50S, S5,-leaving $252,76 to
be divided among forty-six, or less than SO per
capita. Such would BE- the average; bat the
i"ct Is EVEN "orse,--1er, oi the Iorty-seven
white delegates, twentythree pay no tax at all;
and of the seventyfour colored, fifty -,inc pay no
tax at all. So much for the convention.
The legislature elected under the new consti-
tuition is the convention over again, only little
more Omitting two counties contested by
the democrats, it stands thus: Senate, twenty
whites and twelve negroes; house of representa-
tives, thrty-seven whites gnd eighty-six negroes.
On oint-balot, ffty-seven whites NEARLY all for.
eign to the state and ninety.eight negroes (most
OF them ignorant and illiterate field hands
The coored members pay less than 70 cents each
average in the way of taxes, and the whites Az.
erage less than seven dollars and eleven eents
ride through the country presents uniform
picture Of bare fields and vrtuous freedmen,-
the latter almost as bare ~ the fields, and both
lying out at naked fallow. The grand tracts,
full Of promise in corn and cotton, and potatoes,
Of former day, are no longer to be seen, but are
succeeded in little patches belonging to the ne
groes, whose main dependence 10 the bureau and
the plumber Of tho whites Stock disappears
mysteriously on every hand Of course, che own.
ers knew when and whore it goes, but there is
no remedy. lndict negro, and you are laughed
at, and very probably sued by him afterwards,
and mucted in heavy damages for SANDER.
Shoot a negro thief or burglar, and you are be-
fore military commission, and spend perhaps
two years and all you are worthfn Castle Pinck.
ney or Fort Macon.
There are now scarcely any hogs or beef cat.
tie in the country. 1t is said that the best Bo-
logna sausages are made out Of jsekass beef and
tom-cats. And horse-meat is eaten in France
and England, and pronounced eha,7Nant, mag
nifQue IT the negroes catch the idea, farewell
| to all the plow animals; even the toughest old
| mule will have TO sncoumb, and the last grimal.
kin disappear.
The negro character comes out since smanoi.
| cipation, like full-blOwn rose; Of cearse, q
| "coal.black rose" it is, but with some people,
| none the less ON that account. They lie with .
readiness. and coolncss, and absence Of compunc.
ton which are amazing. They steal, and
certainly neither lose self.esteem nor stand.
ing among their fellows in consequence Of such
acts Conviction for larcency or burglary does
not disqualify from suffrage under the new con.
constitution. Perjury is committed whenever
the occasion seems to require it. Proniscuous
sexual intercourse prevails generally. Their
leading Methodist preacher in this state-the
Rev. B. F. Randolph, big.lipped negro parson,
member Of the convention and Legislature, and
delegate from South Carolina TO the late rspub-
lican national convention in your city-was
caugh, here by policeman, in "burnt district"
exposed with woman of the pace, and tried in
vain to bribe the officer but had to 20 before tho
mayor, and was fined; and which was published
in the Charleston papers. Yet he breaches, yet
he prays, and vet hs-well! "A chiefs amang
ye takin' notes." but we'll not ''prent" what
moro the parsnn does. FAIL.