The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-01-14
A Serious Question.

1t. .s,ec;ally the country from thc
81 or the truck patches, near Norfolk,
En- the county of Halifax-that has been
brought to point Of prostration ana EN-
barrsssment that requires great change
before any improvement is possible. we
speak especially Of the country mentioned
living between James river ana the Nol'h
Carolina line, because that Is the most Sc
verely afflicted but the evil II snlers IS
scattered with more or less severity
throughout the whole country much pee
pied with negroes.
The white owners of land in the country
named are the responsible members OF So
ciety. They must direct and manage ior
the whole-that IS, they must direct indus
try, manage tilace. the seeding. the cuitt'
waiting. the gathering and housing OF 'he
crops, for the general support OF the COM
munity. Without them there would be
little or no subsistence for any one.
Now. these responsible men have faith
fully performed their duty. They have &C.
Quilted themselves with sine Gritty and HUI
m.nity, and managed and struggled with
all their energy and best Judgment. What
has been the result? 1t has been, with excer-
tions, decline in means and an increase in
embarrassments. The labor as at present
left to its own dispositions is not thrifty, Is
not considerate, and anything but saving.
The farmers have not generally made
enough to pay its wages, and matters have
been growing worse. We repeat, that bet
ter and more sincere motives-a more earn.
est desire on the part Of these responsible
men to secure the general comfort and SUBJ
sistence, and the thrift of white and black
could not actuate the breast Of man. They
have been doomed generally TO sad dlsap-
pointment; all the more painful for the
carnestness and true philanthropy with
which they pursued their purposes.
What is the remedy? There is remedy
which would he complete but it would be
nonsense to urge it now. In the absence Of
that, there is one which will do much to re.
lieve those whose misfortune it is now 10
bear the main burthens Of society. This
remedy is the reduction Of the area Of cul'
tivation, the dminution Of tue number ol
their laborcrs, and the close ard cconoml-
cal management of all domestic concerns.
Spread wider the matter of individual re-
sponsibility each farmer diminishing the
number of mouths looking to him for sup
port, and every husband and father and
son taking up the duty Of providing for
their own household.
This will bring about great change for
the better. A small farm under the eye OF
the farmer, conveniently arranged for the
proper succession of crops, could be man
aged with entire efficiency. A single acre
Of clover would probably tatten as many
hogs as farmer managing on this scale
would need, and there should he always a
clover lot Of from five TO ten acres, it being
the greatest improver Of soil, rs well as ad-
m;raIle food for stock. 7 nc stock kept in
stalls there should only be 4 few good ami
malsl will make manure for the fields. BY
compactiny the buildings and keeping the
reduced stock Of everything in good order,
more Will be made upon the limited area
than is now made on the large surfaces. The
farmer will have only a few mouths to feed.
There are so many under the present syS-
tenn that the farming community are rapidly
being eaten out Of house and home.
This remedy is simple, and ought to be
easy. The beauty Of it is the cutting up
the responsibility and relieving those who
have been oyerburdened. Men cannot pro-
vide for as many black laborcrs low as they
could when those laborcrs were slaves.
Every man must learn how to take care OF
I. 4 l. l,,r , NCf hat fCn
Those who have formerly provided for the
general support have nobly still striven to
perform that task but they must have
found 1t hopeless undertaking. There
fore it is IN unavoidable necessity that
every man must look to his own household,
and let everybody else do the same. We
have no fear that our white people will not
at least save themselves by bravely encoun-
tering adversely in this new mode.
Another serious difficulty in the8gay o:
the noble Southside people is the reduced
remuneration for cullivating tobacco-the
staple Of the country. Embarrassed as they
were by Il social revolution so extreme as
that they have been subjected to, they have
been burthened with ruinous discrimina
ting special tax upon their industry such as
TO people in the land ever endured. And
they have, as we hear, to a great extent LOST
money by pursuing the cultivation of that
staple.
But by the new system Of tillage. which
they must to save themselves adopt, they
will either abandon tobacco or cultivate sc
little as not to interfere with other crops
and it will then be n useful addition to the
variety.
The times arc oppressive and cmbrarass
ing, and, like wrecked persons at sea
our people must look to their own ind
vidual safety. That is best for the safety O
all. 1t will not DO for man to overload
bis plank by attempting to save more thar
it will hold. In that case all will be lost
This is the best policy for all. The drone:
must depart. The industrious and saga
cious will get upward in means anc
strength, and the aggregate independence
and thrift Of the country will be much in
:. creased.
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y Reapportionment.
The reapportlonment Of representation
in the General Assembly Of the State is