The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-03-25

An Intelligent planter from Red River,


poets; of cotton planters in his region, and,
! in fact, throughout the State, are quite fiat
tering; and he undertakes TO predict fu-
ture of prosperity to the South greater than
we have ever enjoyed before. We have no
doubt that the high price which our royal
| staple, cotton, commands in the markets Of
the world, has furnished certain founda-
ton for his hopes. When we are ourselves
prosperous, and reap rich reward for our
labor, we are animated with species of en-
thusiasm and en- courage the expectation
! sometimes delusive-that the heavens will
always smile upon us and earth throw its
treasures into our laps.
Cotton, as it seems to us, is something
like Fortune, whom the poets represent as
sitting on rolling stone, When the army
worm spreads its desolations, or the seasonc
are unfavorable, his majesty occupies an
uncertain position, topples over, and buries
his proud head in dust and ashes. Unin.
terrupted prosperity is not the lot of man,
however sanguine. We have no wish, how
ever, to damp the ardor of onr friends, who,
relying on the crops Of the last season, and
the current value of the commodity, look
forward, with a kindling glance, to the fu-
ture. There is something in the recent ac-
tivity of the co ton market that is exceed
ingly cheering something which imparts
new life to all kinds of business; and which,
Z,
may we'll provoke prophecy to utter its ora
cles in tone OF incipient triumph 1t
would be we'll for us, however always to
remember what the wise man says: ''In the
day of prosperity rejoice! In the day of
adversely considerr' The maxim, though
uttered some thousands Of years ago, is as
true to-day as when it was first enunciated.
The experience of the past may also justify
US in somewhat changing the phraseology,
so as to read: "In the day of prosperity
consider and because your freedmen have
worked we'll and you have raised remune-
rating crops during the last seuson, do not
rush madly into the nnlstrom of uncertain,
and often ruinous, speculation.
The reason assigned by our planter for
this prospective prosperity is, strange to
say, not the magnitude of the last crop, but
the abolition of slavery at the South, and
the Inauguration of free labor A few
years ago, at least, this would have been
strange doctrine in the mouth of a planter
who looked to his own interests. We were
generally Of opinion, here, that the relations
OF the two races were just what they should
be, as far rs the interests well-being and
advancement of both races were involved
And so, i'll many respects, they were. But
one great evil, not n moral, not political,
but. SO to speak, financial one, resulted
from the institution of slavery 1t induced
Il,
order to raise larger crops and to purchase,
from year to year, more negroes, under the
mistaken idea that negroes constituted the
most reliable and productive capital in
which money could be invested
War and the abolition of slavery have
dissipated that fallacy, never to be enter
tanned again. We have now ut length dis
covered that the continued purchase of me-
groes, whenever O new crop came in, for
out the South, was most exhausting pro
cess and what with the fuctuation in their
value, often reduced the planter to bank
rnptcy or left his estate insolvent. Under
the new regime, he may amass money with
every new crop, which he may safely invest,
or employ it in the improvement of his
lands, the education of his children, and
the increase of his domestic comforts.
That great and beneficial change is thus
to be effected in the condition of the
planter, the state OF trade, in manufactures,
railroad enterprises and all branches of
business-in word, in the whole future of
the South, cannot be doubted
Another reason for this prospective pros
perity is to be found in the fact that we
have just now-so to speak-turned over q
new leaf Out of this disorganization of
society, we have as it were, commenced a
new history, and the South, with its vast
resources and un conquerable energy, is
placed anew upon its mettle. That it will
vindicate more than its past fame, and reach
more than its former height of prosperity,
who that looks about him, and considers
the materials with which we have to work,
can doubt?-Ne,o Orleans Times
Ex-President Johnson arrived at his old
homein Greenville, Tenn, on Saturday, when
he received warm reception from his old
nelghbors. In reply to the addresses pre-
scpted Mr. JObnsnn so;l +bot l,;s o1,,;,;.