New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-07-06
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
THE NEGRO AS AN AGRIcULTURIsT.

THE NEGRO AS AN AGRICULTURIsE
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: In The Charleston Daily NeicS, sheet
that assays TO al the shoes Of the deunct Mercury Of
the l7h Inud the following Sc That the negro, when left
10 his own devices does not attain 20 proficiency in
agricultural pursuits has long been known TO the South
ern people. AS evidence OF this fact we have the
abatement OF correspondent OF The Eer York Tunes evil
IDENTIFY a Northern man, who has been visiting among the
blacks have squatted upon the Sea Islands on the
coast OF South Carolina With every wish to state the
case in the best light for his coored friends he says &c.
have not the letter entire, but enough OF It was
copied I'm The Hscs satisfy Of its st and not being
willing that our Northern frienda ahoud be misled by
sueh erroneous conclusions contained in the
respondenee referred TO- propose TO briefly notice IT,
This correspondent says that he was called TO official
duties IN assessing property for taxation on Port
Royal Island and therefore, for the sake Inconvenience
will call him Assessor He says 1.-THE great majority
are sure remanded TO the position OF simple day la
borers" g. they pork for the larger landed propre-
tore. This statement may be true but instead OF beng
evidence OF tho relapse OF the negro IL certainly IN
his favor Besides that noble friend Of the freedmen
DR. VIM. Henry Brisbane, who conceived the ldea ana
policy OF dividing these large plantations into lots OF from
10 TO 20 each and selling them to the freedmen dd
moi suppose that these small farms would yield sufficient
income 10 supply every need OF their respective Occu
VIM L. wording the U, s; Direct Tax Commissioners
believed that these small farms would a9rd the ireea
Just the industrious owners OF JUST suoh
email places NGTfS Which II' ia 'U work out
for those who have more land TO cultivate than them.
seye and who desire labor Assessor" apparently
goes on the absurd idea that these small homesteadsl
with no PASTURES and many with no WOOD
for either fence or fuel, should be sufficiently
remuneratve support and supply every need OF the
me how many there are OF the small farmers OF New.
England flor take IL that he, like myself Is from that
enlightened and liberal portion OF our country VINO own
such small places and larger, that do not hnd IL
absotfV necessary look for income other than that
from their small placesi know small and Industrious
farmers In that portion OF the United States, who as soon
AS they finish hayng II they have greater force than
in many eases even, TO " get vttel 10 go upon" And
after al this Is disparagement 70 the small farm
tenn t simply shows that industrious men VIII not DC
content with the small and may DO insulcleht hSOIle
from their little farms In my opinion the small and
owner the negroes In question, who are tnus WlllE
TO work for another make any deficiency iOr tne SUP
mort OF their families, deserve credit, and that does
OF the "extremo poverty" OF the negroes, anu says
that but few owned even a hog or any poultry.
He ought 70 know the for all OF THIS Inc cause
IA the that compelled many white planter 70 sue
cumb the failure Of the corn and cotton crops
1861 Assessor" knows, should know THAI IN eoose
quenoe OF thls very general failure OF me crops,
many slful planters compelled 70 give ny
nortOns OF their crops they could not leeo e
hands with whom they had entered into e0haes 1no
wear 1885 much better far as results MeIo
oerned The crops better Il Is true, bus thSn oSsa
the negroes and the white planter were oyerw
IN debt and very many OF them were so simply because
they could get credit while others were %
~ 1908 that Government felt CONSTRAINED 70 a o
white and colored farmer by way OF pros,oon1. nt
a., security on the crops. The Autumn OF laoo
houutlfu Yield which g10dened not ouH bno HoA~ "