New-York tribune., 1869-03-11
THE NEV SOUTH

In all the many letters We have received
from and conversations wo have had with
Southern men during the last ak or eight
months, we have not had an intmation OF re-
gret that Slavery has passed nwGT, nor the
hint of n desire that it should ever I've restored.
And, now that it is gone, we heag from no
Southcrncr q suggestion that itS overthrow was
not n great blessing 10 the Whites There are
still some who tell us that they apprehend the
extinction OF The Blacks as one of its Consc-
qucnces; and this fear has some historic jusd-
fcation. A race ssnallY inferior in energy,
numbers, wealth, Intelligence, persifteney aud
almost every other quality that wdnld enable
it to hold its own, placed in close contact
with a superior, if incapable Of absorption, is
in danger of gradual extinction Still, the
Blacks have shown such tenacity OF life under
Slavery that we cannot doubt their endurance
under the novel temptations and trials OF
Freedom. WO presume they will not increase
so fast AS they have done we know that they
are destined, because of our immense, inces-
SAINT immigration of Whites, to constitute q
smaller and still smaller fraction of our people
at each successive census, 40 chat tho child is
now born who will see them but q twentieth
where they have been an eighth OF the Aneri-
can People; yet we believe they will be more
numerous in 1900 than they were in 1860. II
they can bo induced very generally to shun
cities and buy lands, they certainly will.
Next in importance and hopefulnes5 to the
general rejoicing that Slavery is dead, we rank
the improved prospects of Industry at the South,
On this point, there is no conflict Of testimony,
no diversity of Judgment. Wages are higher
than they have been, and Labor is in more
eager demand Those who grew last years
crop generally did so well that they are plant
ing more extensively this year. If the season
be fair, there will be more Cotton and far more
Sugar grown than in 'GS, with at least IN equal
amount of Rice, Tobacco, Corn and Meat.
Lands though still low, are selling faster than
last Spring and at much higher prices. I'M
provement is the order of the day. The most
effective Implements and Machinery are largely
bought. More Fertilizers arc sold than ever
before, and the market is still widening. PhOs-
pilates, Mar Guano, are the current topics,
replacing the FTeedmen's Bureau and the Re-
construction acts The planters are not only
willing but able to buy and pay for them.
Thus the profits Of the last crop are used
to insure and enlarge tho next. Instead
of speedily wearing out one plantation and
then removing with his "fOrce" to a new one,
the planter meditates enrichng the soil and
enhancing the crop of his present homestead
to the end Of his days.
OF course, there is q back ground to this
picture. There are malignant, implacable
Rebels, banded in Ku-Klux and other mid
night organizations TO harass, outrage and kill
there are inveteratc White loafers, hanging gabout
cross roads taverns and stores, drinking bad
whisky and talking worse politics. who will
never work If they can help it; and there arc
worthless, thievish, vagabond negroes, who
prowl over the country, skulking about the
edges Of plantations, hiding in forests, shoot
ing pigs, robbing cOrn-cribs, and grumbling
that they can find nothing to do. Some of
these will get shot before they know IL others
will find themselves in PRISON. others still will
persist in their wretched course, eking out
miserable subsistence by occasional hunting or
fishing But the BchOolmaster is abroad )"
the children generally attend school wherever
they can so Migrants aud prodigals, White or
Black, are gradually becoming scarcer. There
are localities in several States, especially West
Tennessee and eastern Texas, where the bad
old status OF two or three years ago still con-
tinues, or has been little modified but these
are but very small proportion Of the South,
Of whose Counties nine-tenths have to-day as