The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1869-02-06
TIN SnlffhI


Statistics prove that The quantity OF cotton
raised in the southern States last year was great
er than in any year before the war, and that the
price received for il By producers was also much
greater. This is a conclusive argument in favor
OF paid labor, and demonstrates how the energies
of the South were Slapped by slavery In the
days before the rebellion negro labor was de-
pended Oh entirely, as the producing class
Tracts of land we're owned and in measure,
worked by men who had inherited large num-
Der of slaves, and the owner seemed to neither
know or care how his affairs progressed, so long
as he had income enough to support the petty
state he set up lord of his Subjects and TO fur
nish him with the means of spending few Sum-
mer months at Saratoga OF some other fashion
able watering place. II his income failed in this,
the remedy was selling Niger" or in mort
gagng (never seling) few of his broad acres.
1t followed, then, that the close of the war left
The South indeed destitute. The slaves had be-
come freedmen, and if their services were longer
used as a producing class ii must be the result
of contract, under which the laborer would re-
ce;ve a remuneration for his toll. 1t was start
ling change for the slave holder, and we wonder
not that ruin, complete and rrevocable, seemed
to stare him in the face. But he has come brave
| " out of it his necessities have turned his
thoughts into new channels and taught him
that he must "accept the situation" and with
| the means left at his command rebuild his own
shattered fortunes. But these means were ample
for the purpose He had splendid land, which
alone produced to perfection commodities which
| found a ready sale ia all the markets Of the
world: the negroes were willing to labor for
| him more earnestly than ever before, only re-
quiring some recompense for that labor; the mer-
chants of the North were willing to supply all
that he needed, waiting for their pay until the
sale of the products of his plantation would en-
able him to redeem his obligations. The result
is that the South is just now entering upon a
career of great prosperity, an evidence OF which
is found in the fact stated in the opening of this
| article viz that more cotton was raised in the
South last year than in any preceding year, and
that it sold for more money than ever before
Recognizing this altered and better condition of
things, Governor Wise, of Virginia, the rebel
| General ard "fre-eater," in letter on the SUBJ
ject Of rebellion, reconstruction, &C., is forced to
give expressions to this sentiment: ''For myself,
81 praise God for the every day, notwith-
standing its disasters and deaths, as a special
providence indispensable to free me and my
"heirs forever from the weakness, if not wick
| "edness of African slavery"
The political aspect Of the South Is now its only
hindrance to an unexamped prosperity. There
is certainly there yet much of that spirit of re-
bellion which drove the section into revolt
against the government, and cordial, fraternal
relations can never be fully re-established until
a change Is effected in this The war has obit-
Grated slavery forever, and has asserted, for all
time 10 come, the supremacy OF the general gov
eminent aud the unity of the States composing
it. Complaints and protests will not alter this,
nor will the midnight outrages committed by
disguised ''Ku Klux Klans" bring back slavery
or effect the stability of the Union, hut will serve
to keep alive the spirit Of opposition TO tue South
engendered by the war.
| VI Tue sOutnefH people WIZ atctpt ItcOHstTuc'
ton as rendered 10 them by Congress, upon just
and equitable terns-iG they will throw aside
their old notion of State Rights--t they will full,
" realize the fact that their late slaves are free
and invested with political rights equal with
themselves-if they will go 10 work for them
selves, or exert Al active superintendance oveI
their affairs they will end that before many
years are passed their prosperity will be lar great
er than when they depended on slave labor
Northern capital and energy viii aid them
whenever northern men deem il safe TO invest il
southern enterprises. and as capital and energy
are what In needed to resusciiate the almost i'm
pov-rished South. the sooner it is induced TO GO
| there the better.