The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-12-29
An Experiment and the Result-Total
Failure Of Negro LANDOWNERS to Inn
prove their Position.
IFRoM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT

BEAUFORT, s. C., December "a
The December term of court at this place
was adjourned "without day" on the afternoon
OF the ed. Your correspondent has had another
eNportunity Of noticing the improvement In our
oolored citizens but has not noticed 1t. The ju-
ries, grand and petit, were composed almost en-
tirely OF that class. That there was no elevation
of moral character was made evident by their
logged obstinacy in every case where the It'll
giants were respectively white and colored, even
In the face of his Honors plalnest charges. Their
wretched personal appearance, coupled with
their empty pockets proved the low state OF their
finances. Their evident dullness Of comprehen-
sion when addressed either by the judge or the
lawyer clearly indicated that there has been no
intellectual progress at least on the part OF the
adults One could suppose that If there
was e spot Of the late Confederacy where
yhe Improvement OF the negro would be
more marked than elsewhere, that spot was
lust here. In 1851 they were left by their
owners in possession OF almost everything. Pro-
visions, cattle swine, sheep and poultry, houses,
lands agricultural implements and animals, with
ample supplies OF furniture, clothing, &C., were
abandoned, and thus fell into t..o'r hands. The
rapaclous invader seized and siipped only such
articles as would bear expense OF transportation
AMI leave good margin !Ur profit. Then went
cotton, finer pieces OF furniture, libraries and
work OF art. During the sojourn here OF large
bodies OF soldiers abundant sums OF money were
dlsbursed to the negroes; yet, when the troops
were finally Withdrawn, these creatures were left
In abject poverty. With scarcely an exception
the great mass OF them were as poor as ever they
dpr tha nj Indpnd
"the bureaun was indispensable to their very ex.
tstence. At the tax sales In 1858, they pur-
chased, at nominal prices. and on the most
commodating terms, as much land as they re-
auired; many OF them securing also fine resi-
dences in this town. Possessed OF these lands,
they have in many instances, been TOO lazy to
improve them, and after the lapse OF several
years we find them passing into other hands, or
returned to the tax commissioners from whom
they were originally obtained. This Is especially
the case with the town residences. Held by an
uncertain tenure, they have fallen into decay
Indeed, many OF the occupants seem to have fore
seen their utter inability to comply with the terms
Of the sale, and have removed, for fuel and other
purposes, doots, shutters and saShes, at the same
time filling the Junk shops with locks, bolts
hinges &c. Is it TO be expected that these 10
droaes will ever become good, honest, industrious
citizensp Has not the experiment been made
here under the most favorable circumstances and
with the most fostering assistance? What is the re-
suit, after more than eight years of untirng efforts
in their behalfY 1t is . melancholy fact that the
condition OF many Is this day more deplorable
than it was In 1880. They have not advanced
one step except towards the ballot-bOx. 1t may
be that the rising generation will demonstrate
their capacity for elevation; but we fear the in
nnence OF parental example. There can he little
hope for the negro race - long as they almost
universally hold that The essence OF all crime
consists in its detection. But to The court There
was no important cases tried in the Sessions.
Ono conviction was had for cotton stealing, but
both parties were black. f0%E.