The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-10-08
The Situation mt tho South.

| Inc SNunt1On MT thc south.
The South ought 10 be t0lerally well
known by this time. II has been very tho
roughly explored. It's social and political
condition has been investigated and discuss
ed by Radical and Democrat soldier and
civilian, correspondent and carpet Dagger.
Our States have been 'tguarlcd and regard
ell, )" like the famous Matthew Byles, of revo-
lutionary memory. They have bccn ,lecom-
posed and recOmpOscd, analyzed and recon-
structcd. They have been subjected to
every variety Of military surveillance and
rule. and Of official manipulation. Where is
the Southern country that has been untra-
versed lN.ormies; the Southern plantation
that has been nnvishcd by foragcrs; the
Southern river that has not been blocka,lc,l
and penetrated by gunboats; the Southern
city that has not been gnrrisoncd by soldiers
and dcspoilch by satraps from abroad. How
strange that such q region should still lie n
land Of fable--as impenetrable TO the sober
light of reality and experience us the blue
mists of tho Northwest Passage or the
mockng miragcs OF Sahara.
The outside world has studied the South
| Through t',vsliuni vi prcJuuIue. i nuiy mas
been plenty OF light; but the light itself is
untrue when rcfractcd and discolored-
seen through the spcctaclcs of Mrs. Stowe
or the chronic jaundice of Mr.. Sumner. AS
to the testimony OF natives-Mdf has gone
for nothing! The creations of romance, or
the casual impressions of travel, have been
esteemed as more trustworthy than the OBJ
servations of a life time.
Quite recently two business men of Bos-
ton, Messrs. Loring and Atkinson, have un-
dertaken to obtain and disseminate authen-
tic information in regard TO the present
status and future prospects of the South
They have opened correspondence upon
this subject with not less than two hun
drcd Southern planters, brokers and
factors, and have published Il pamphlet con-
tanning an abstract of this correspondence.
1t will be TO the advantage OF the South and
OF the country at large if cyidel&e so unex-
ccptlonablc, and gathered from so many
sources, can secure patient hearing
What we are 10 expect and what we are to
do, can be decided upon with some degree
OF confidence so soon as the conditions of
the social problem are fairly set before us.
In the midst of the general disturbance Of
the old social relations, three classes remain
distinct. The first is the respectable white,
the friend OF the old order while that sur
vivcd, and when it perished the determined
opponent Of the Radicaiism which sought to
reconstruct society after an idea, and made
the craziest experiments upon the sclf-re-
spect OF the people and the public prosper
ity. The second Is the imported citizen,
white or colored, whom personal advantage
lured 10 conquered and impoverished coun-
try This class consists OF Legislators
to whom negro equality was tho engine for
political advancement, or OF spectators
seeking profitable investments Of capital, or
OF bona tide settlers, Of adventurous spirit,
who were invited southwark by our fertile
fields OF enterprise. The third Is the negro,
to whom emancipation in some cases has
been benefit; but 10 whom, as q race, it
has been prejudicial-thcre being general
DRIFT OF the labOring population away from
the plantations to squatters farms, to cities
and even to tho woods, and also sensible
decrease OF numbers through improyidencsc;,
neglect Of the young and the sick, and gen
eral irregulRrity'of habit. The settled order
Of tho new regime will arise when the best
OF these, last two classes combine with the
first rs the members Of an .Anli-Badical
party. 1.-The precedent has already been es-
tablIsled In Virginia and Tennessee, and
| viii be followed by tho other Southern, States.
One OF the most striking changes that iias
taken place is observable In the depreciation
OF plantations. The greatest difficulties have
been experienced In the conduct OF the pres
ent system Of labor; where fields have been
planted on shares the a,,ctayer does not lool,
beyond the year, but systematically neglects
tho rcpeirs, drainage, &C., which prepare
tho field and storehouse for the production
and protection OF future harvcsts. On tho
other hand, where wages arc paid the hire
ling does not look beyond the week, or per-
j haps tho day; his work is shifiless and slov.
cnly, and the pay received from time to time
encourages desertlons, Besides, there has
been Htliminution Of laborers, prislngs from
the withdrawal ofiwomen and,boys md girls
from the field, and also from the increase IT
tho number Of sqiattsarts and loafers, wht
l'prey upon property IN tile cities and stool
, | I'm the country. md devote their leIsnre n