The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1869-09-08
The Land Commission.


body else to crook their finger, before
we vonture to jump, yet tho fear of
doing mischief has hitherto prevented
our commenting upon tho land com.
mission and spreading abroad among
tho negroes tho villainy intended, and
which we know they would hardly
credit rs when wo SAID, it will work
them no good. Prudence no longer
nocd now restrain US, for the matter is
foolishly exciting them already.
Tho vile miscreants that have made
this land commission appropriation Of
two hundred thousand dollars of State
bonds for the purchase Of lands, to be
distributed among the negroes, "paltcr
with them in O. double sense, keep
the promise to tho ear, and break it
to the hoart.' Could any true friend
Of tho race encourage them to break
offfrom the most friendly intercourse
as employees and employees with our
planters, at this time, or, indeed, for
many years to como, if not for all
time Oh ! it is q deep damnablo
wrong that is being inflicted upon the
industrial prosperity of the State, that
can work the negroes at lcast no good
at all. Cannot negroes who can pay
moderate rent, now most easily rent
olandl If too lazy or worthless to
rent it, for it is tho uncertainty of
their paying, and that alone, which
prevents their renting any quantity of
land, why delude them with great OK
pcctations as to incalculablo blessings,
if they only owned it1 Arc they
scientific agriculturists Why med
die with this question OF land and la
Dor at all : Can history teach moth
ing to tho present regime Of our
State Will this matter not best
regulate itself2
In 1865, we replied to well. mean
ing but ignorant man, who said to us,
"tho white man who rents land to no.
groes should have his throat cut from
ear to ear" "W ell, sir, suppose you
start that business with my throat
I have just rented piece of land to
a family OF my ormer slaves, ana
mark me, others who at present arc
more c'war1ty and do not aot from con-
viotion principle, will be forced by
tho laws of political economy, before
two years are past, to do tho same"
The event has proven that wo wero
not talking wildly, that wo undor-
stood tho situation, to some extent at
least. And wo mention tho above
fact, 10 gtre 'Oc'ght to or present opin-
ton, as QUO not founded on prejudice,
but upon reflection and that opinion
is, that the land commission can do tho
negroes no good. 1t will, on tho con-
trary, positively rctard thoir progress
as q race, and ovory sober intelligent
member of tho race should earnestly
regret its establishment. It is yam
koo money making dodge.
But tho negroes arc weak and
Impossible race, most easily hum.
buggcd aud deceived. Thoy will
grasp at tho golden fruit, but it will
turn to ashes upon their lips. Their
labor will become, through tho bano
full influence Of this foolish scheme,
less stoady and profitable, year by
ycar, till the scheme proves an utter
failure. Alienation meanwhile will
spring up deeper and deeper between
them and tho whites. 1t has been tho
high priee Of cotton alone, that has
longthepod, and will still longthon,
their period Of probation and their
opportunity for progress. This vi1o
deception now ontors as disturbing
force, and may ,cork Mcr ruin. AsI
said to the man who was 50 force about
renting them land in 1865, SO say I
n'wto them, "Cut my throat from ear
to ear, to start on, but toll you the
truth" If you will join tho editor of
this paper and others as sincore and
more Intelligent than him, in forming
anew Conservative Republican party,
your interests would 10 in safer keep.
ing, the State would DO moro prosper
fofSaas,s your wages higher your living
cheaper, and your prospects of be.
coming landholders to advantage
would be infinitely brighter. It is
the interest Of your race to seek out
=! the Intelligent and tho virtuous of our
own people, and to send them to the
n'xt Legislature, to nut m and "a