The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-02-23

trusted with the raw material, and sometime
now they manufacture little domestic soa]
to barter for necessaries. Their habits ar
decidedly indolent, seldom seeking regular EN-
ployment for hire; but it any, some small job
which they can do at their leisure, and wheI
want begins to pinch them. Their womel
often appeal to the sympathies OF their mor'
prosperous nelghbors for CHARITY under thu
form Of advance payment for work to be per
formed at future time. Their morals, al
might be supposed, are bad, being generally
dishonest, and addicted to intemperance ant
its kindred wees. Grimes are seldom commit
ted by them beyond the grade OF misdemean
ors. the intelligence of this class is low, few
among them being able to read or write. II
point Of numbers there are perhaps twenty fam
lies or more OF this class inhabitiug the flat
lands, south of Bennettsville. 1t IS not pre-
tended that this description answers alike tc
all of them; some are rather more industrious
and not so depraved and VICIOUS as others
When they seek employment from their neigh
bors Of the better class, thy are often unsuc.
tesstul, because association with them, cven
temporarily, is repulsiye; but whenever they
exhibit virtuous traits of character and indus
trious habits, they fnd good places without
difficulty"
Correspondent No. writes: ''You ask me
to give YOU some description Of our Flat
woods and 'Sandhip people. The former are
very ignorant and degraded Indeed, they
seem to have no higher ambition than barely
to subsist. They have no reg ular employment,
and only work whel al their ingenuity in loaf
ing and schemlng has been expended. They
will then make O contract to perform some SER
vice, which they have no intention to comply
with, if they can possibly avoid it. II they
can secure any temporary supplies under such
contract, before the work is done, they will
work no more at that place. but rely upon play
ing tho same game at another. They live in
the fatwoods because nobody else has any use
for such locations. Their houses are OF the
rudest, coarsest kind, and their interior exhib-
its all the poverty and wretchedness which
such habits must necessarily produce. They
| arc always on hand in times of elections. and
make good deal out Of the candidates. They
show no ambition TO educate their children, or
| to make them Industrious, and seem to care
very little about going to church. They form
community pretty much to themselves.
Their women spend a great deal of their time
in strol!ing idly about the country. But with
all the temptations to dishonesty they do not
steal, and they have certain pride about
them which causes them to think that they
are just about as good as anybody else.., They
make no effort at Improvement, and Will prob
badly remain just as they are. They are not,
however, very numerous.
s.The SandhVeys OCCUPY considerable area
in the upper part Of Marlboro, and are really
good citizens in all humble way. The lands
are poor, but they cultivate them, anG manage
to live by their industry. Some OF them are
very energetic, and are Trying to rise IN the
world. The 'schoolmaster IS amongst them,
and most of them can read and write, and they
have the advantage of some intercourse With
the higher classes OF society, to be found on
the better lands IN their nclShborhooi. They
are generally honost and well disposed people,
fond of going to church. and anxious to be
thought well of by the people generally. Many
OF them are very poor, with but very preca-
rious means OF subsistence, bat they manage
to get along somehow. The greater number
OF them, hewever, live we'll and pay their
debts; and many of them, though not well
educated. have acquired considerable iptorma-
tloR, and upon the whole, they are good
population. Very few Of them emigrate, or
seem to look elsewcrc for better opportunities
OF advancement. They are Of many shades OF
complexion.
"Both classes together (Flatwoods aud
Sandhillers), form perhaps one-fourth OF the
white population of Marlharo'."
hope e Sno Gf @K shndea b ssanse y
tracts that Marlboro enjoys monopoly OF
thus sort of population. This would be very
unjust to Marlboro, and at the same time not
in accordance with fact The poor white" Is
found moro or less in every county in the State,
though forming on the whole but very lncon-
siderable numerical constituent OF the popula-
ton. do not agree with my second cores
poudcnt in his opinion that they viii always
continue in their present degraded condition.
No class can escape the march OF Improvement,
winch believe has now fairly set iD; and how
ever taldy and unwilling, the dronas must
and will take their place Ill the great soclai
workshop, or be cxtcrminated. There VIII OF
course be always poor people, ana lnooient
people, and vicious people; but the days OF tho
traditional s'poor wh.tc,"I feel satisfied, are
numbered. His existence at all has been one
of the outgrowths of our late social system,
which, now that the cause is removed, must
soon disappear.
Marlboro D strict, according to the census
of 1860, made 13 896 bales OF cotton. Her pre-
duction now is not over S000-of which nnm-
ber about 1000 or 5000 bales are sold 10 Be-
nettsyille Before the war as many as 5OOO bales
we're sometimes purchased in that village The
number of acres OF land under cultivation IN
1860 was 101 QUO, and ofuulmprovcd land 2O1, 700
acres. The cash value of farms at that time Is
put down at 81, 600. Value OF farming I'M
pements and machinery s1G2 OO0 The number
Of horses, according to the same authority,
was 1906; of mules 1884; of milch COWS 2o3i; OF
working oxen 324, with 3214 other cattle; sheep
81 S75 and swlne 20 937. The value Of the live
STOCK is gwen at s5l6 600. Tho amount OF
wheat raised in 1860 was II S99 bushel:; 3O4o
bushels of rye; 3l5, ,222 of corn; $4,000 of oats;
q, ,00C pounds Of rice, and 81, OOO bushels OF
sweet potatoes. TIE population III lo6O wis
u, ,434, of whom GS93 we're slaves.
Lands have much improved III value during
tho past twelve months, but on the whole can
not yet be considered as bringing even the
half of their an.c-5eiune value. Things are,
however, looking up; and from all see anu
hear, L venture the remark, that Marlboro
appears to be getting out OF her difheultles
rather faster than many other parts OF the
State. Tho people are working with hearty
good will, all anMous to raise large crop OF
cotton, and sell it at good price. t,ot that
they are mercenary; they are only deslrous OF
establishing themselves once mere on good
and firm specie basis.
Benncttsyllle, before the war, was good
place for business, and sold large quantity
OF goods. It had then two bank agencies
of the Bank Of Georgetown, and the other OF
the Merchants Bank OF Chelaw. The busl-
ness of the village is now moro divided. Ihero
are more stores thl ough tho country. though
Bennettsville still has iine trade. The lead
ing merchants at present are: VIM. Mdrchl.
sou, +. l.. Breeden i Co., Rowe Brothers, and
Mr.. Roper.
Judgl Rutland held court here few weeks
ago, and from all hear gave satisfaction to
all concerned, except the criminals. Who can
tell? Maybe reconstructed Judge is the
best man 10 expound 4 reconstructed constltu-
tlon aud administer reconstructed laws.
Marlboro hitherto has had no railroad, but
this reproach is now to be taken i:um her.
The Chatham Railroad, from Cheraw TO
Raleigh, is to run about ten miles through
AIarlboro' County, and will have, no doubt
greatly enhance the value of the lands III that
section Unfortunately, however. tits throagh