The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-12-29
AFRICAN PROGRESS.
THE NEGRO AS a LANDOWNER.
An Experiment and the RcsuIt-Total
Failure Of Negro Landowners to I'M.
prove their Position.
Irnou orn owS conDEsPoypcNr.1

DEAuFoRT, S. C., December "a.
The December term OF court at this place
was adjourned "without days OH the afternoon
Of the ed. Your correspondent has had another
opportunity OF noticing the improvement in our
colorcd citizens, but has not noticed IT, Tic iu-
rles, grand and petit, were composed almost en-
tireiy OF that class. That there was no elevation
OF moral character was made evident by their
dogged obs!inacy In every case where tile liti-
gants were respectively white and colorcd, even
IN the face OF his llonor's plaincst charges. Their
wrctched personal appearance, coupled with
their empty pockets, proved the low state OF their
finances. Their evident tullness OF comprehen.
sion when addressed either by The judge or the
lawyer, clearly Indicated that there has been no
intellectual progress, at least the part Of tile
adults. One would suppose that II there
was spot OF the late Confcderacy where
the improvement Of the negro would he
more marked than elsewhere, that spot was
jast here. In 1861 they were left by their
owners in possession OF almost everything Pro.
Visions cattle, swine, sheep and poultry, houses,
lands, agriculture! Implements and animals, with
ample supplies OF furniture clothing, &C., were
abandoned, and thus fell into their hands The
raplcious invader seized anu shipped only sucl,
articles us would bear expense OF transportation
AMI leave COOL margin FOR profit, Then wen.
work III ar.. Daring the soourn here or Iarp,
bod es 0: soldiers, a!'Vpian, sums OF lnonry were
ti,bursed 10 the ncaiassi yet, when the troops
were isnaii. Withdrawn, these creatures wl.. ieil
In ai5cct roverty. With scarcely an exception
The great mass OF them were rs poor as ever they
had been during The days or siarery. Indeed,
"the hUrca'f' was Indispensable 20 ;nci. vcry ex.
isiencc. \: the lax sales in 1868. they pur.
chased. ai nOMl:a! prices, ant nn the mos, nc.
colnmohatin. terms, a :nuch land as they r:.
pureh; many OF ihc.L securing also nc resi-.
deuccs i'll i!s ;0wn. Possessed ot these lands.
ticy havc In many Instances, been TOO lazy to
Improve them, anil a.,c: .l,e lapse OF screral
years We ind them passing into other hands, o,
rciurno! to The lax commissioners from whom
they were originally obtained. This Is csrccia,.y
Tile case WITH tile town residences. Held by an
uncertain tenure. iaey have fallen into decay
in.ced, nany OF the occupants sce!n 10 have fore.
seen their utter Inability cniary with the terms
OF tie sale, and have removed for fuel and Other
purposes, doors, shutters and sls!lcs n; the same
time filing the junk shops with locks. bolts,
hinges, &c Is 1t 10 be expected that these la.
d'oaes will ever become good, honest industrious
ciiizehsr Has not the experiment bccn made
he:e under the most favorable circumstances AMI
with the most fostering assistance! What Is the re-
snit after more than eight years OF untlring c;Ios
in their bchalft IL Is q melancholy fact that tlc
condition OF many Is this day moro tlcpiorabc
tiian II was In 1850 They have hot advanced
one step except towards the ballo, box. IL may
he that the rising generation will demonstrate
their capacity for elevation; but we fear the In.
hucnce OF parental example. There can be little
hope for the negro race SO long as they almost
universally hold That the essence Of all crime
consists In Its detection. IIut TO the court: There
was no Important cases tried In the Sessions.
One conviction was had for cotton stealing, but
both parties were black Yonr.