The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-02-01
THE 0RANGEBURG FREEDMEN.
The Freedmen as Tenant Fnrmers-Hov #
They Ldve-The Situation-A Puzzled
Set OF Negroes.
TO TEE EDITOR OF THE DAILY NKws.

sFoRK OF EDrsTo, s.. c., January 27.-The
SauppOsitlon that everything in nature is dual,
1hopeDwtn prove correct in one connection at
least. IL it does, then the evil OF land-renting
will not be without its good results. For the
past two years the freedmen have exhibited an
mdomitable desire for land-renting. And no
reverses they may meet with, this plan of man
aging on their own account they, thus far, still
insist on. This year the idea has expanded to
still more beautiful proportions, and such
things as farm laborers for wages are few and
far between. The consequences are. that the
labor of the country has become unavailable.
and farmers are restricted to smaller areas
upon which to base their operations. This,
though, may be all for the better, as they will
no doubt make what they do plant yield more
to the acre.
Under existing circumstances, renting lands
to the freedmen is attended with evils that
would not otherwise obtain. They are poor in
the common acceptatiOn Of the term, and are
without the means which would justify any
attempt at farming within themselves. The
idea OF family comprising half dozen or
enough to last them three months, renting
eight or ten acres Of land, that will not pro-
duce three hundred pounds Of seed cotton to
the acre, and who expect to make q support
soil, is preposterous in the extreme. Yet they
manage to live, year in and year out, all the
DEFICIENCIES and inconvenlences to the con-
trary notwithstanding. In the meantime the
stock Of tho whites, such as hogs and cattle,
ssto slaughter are condemned" This state
ment maybe regarded by some as an act gra-
tuitously performed that might as we'll have
been dispensed with. But facts are stubborn
things sometimes, and like murder, will '.out."
Now that the Presidential election is over
and Radicalism fixed fact for four years. at
least, the party spirit which ran so high to the
detriment OF all other calings than political,
has subsidized, and the whites have turned more
attention to industrial pursuits. Nothing
tends 40 much to paralyze industry as political
contests. Especially does the truth OF this
remark apply to those who have but recently
been allowed to enjoy the rights, privileges
and immunities OF free ciIzens. Gradually
both races are accommodating themselves to
the new order OF things, and the better time,
so much talked OF, may be looked for in pro-
norton as Time grows older.
The advent Of Radicalism and the operations
OF government under its rule. have puzzled
some OF the up-oountry darkies to point be-
yOnd endurance. They cannot comprehend
how the Sheriff can collect taxes from those
who elected him to Office. And so incensed
did they become at his rigid enforcement Of
the tax executions, that number from st..
Matthew's Parish assembled, not long since,
with view OF putin him out of Office. They
acted on the principle, that inasmucb 40 they
had put him in Office, by virtue Of the same
right they were privileged to put him out.
, They were made to view the matter in q differ
ent light, however, and when informed Of the
serious nature OF the attempt they wefe about
to make, desisted from their purpose. This
3 shows you the extreme ignorance OF the negro
i relative to the machinery OF the government
he has forraed. PAYSAN.