The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-09-29
THE PLANTERS BANE.
COTTON sTE4LrNG on EDISTO.
Alarming Extent OF the Trahc-The
Thieves and tn Receivers.
ED1sro ISLAND, September 25.
TO THE EDITOR OF Tue NEWS.

III The Or kNG"S'
If witch of Endor were here. and wouio
bring up from one of the many honored graves
which lie around the churches OF this lsland an
old inhabitant who has long since become
denizen of the invisible world, he would see
many changes at which he would WONDER, OUT
at none more that at the low standard OF NOR
ala which now prevails here. He would see
the descendants of his former companions
men who were honored in their day Tor nign
principles and great uprightness OF character
engaged in pursuits at which their foretatn-
ers would shudder. Is he would pass along
the public highway, 1t the still hour OF night,
he would see slckiy lights cleaning from e1-
tenporised shanties, which. ever and anon,
stud the borders OF his path; he would hear
the low mutterlng of voices engaged in Illicit
traffic, and, if led by curiosity to see what 1t
meant, he would discover brisk midnight
trade in stolen cotton, reeking with dew,
freshly picked from his neighbors field. TO
quicken the trade and silence what remains OF
conscience, close py stands the barrel OF whis-
kew with convenient measures Of three ana
fye cent drinks. o. what has become OF the
lessons we were taught in childhood and our
nursery tales, which told US the receiver OF
stolen goods was as bad as the thief" the ex'
Dease we hear is, 1--WE ask no questions" Need
any be asked, when the cotton brought for
sale is wet with the dews of night, and smells
OF the compression of midnight air In its heecy
locks, when deep darkness covers the earth and
none but robbers are at work Mr. Editor,
this is no fancy picture. 1t is the true condi-
ton of things on this island-a condition that
would not be tolerated in the upper districts
or an; where else where the law, whether ad-
ministered by an authorized ofhcer or ku'
Klux band, would be enforced. The poor ne
gro, if caught stealing, which Is fire.
quently the case, Is put through the
court and made to pay the penalty BY
Imprisonment or some other punishment,
whilst the receiver of the stolen cotton escapes
unpunished For the life OF me cannot see
the difference morally between the man who
steals and the one who tempts him to steal.
IT'S true, the negro has his crop OF cotton and
has his undoubted right to sell it when and
where he pleases; but ''are there not twelve
hs0rs in the day? If any man walk In the day
he stumbleth not" Deeds of darkness seek
the night to conceal their ugliness. The white
race Toast of their higher civilization and
purer Christianity, bu. this is a queer way OF
showing 1t. Ifthis neiarious wrong continues
and it has never done so to the extent II has
this season-the cultivation of cotton on these
islands must, to great extent, be abandoned.
But two days ago the old and venerated pastor
of the Presbyterian Church here, whilst two OF
his children were lying critically i'll at his sum-
mer residence, had his house on the plantation
broken open and every pound of his cotton
crop stolen. Can this people ever expect to
mee brighter days whilst such practices are un-
rebuked and unpunished? EDIsro ISLAND.