Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1872-11-21

The following story, which was told to me
by Mr.. Joseph Stewart, a lawyer of this city,
and a perfectly trustworthy gentleman, illus.
trates very aptly the condition Of the white
people in South Carolina: Two Pennsylvania
Quakers, or rather two sons of Quaker, who
had served in the Union army in South Caro-.
lima, at the close of the war obtained $4,000
each, and purchased plantation in South
Carolina, near Beaufort. They intended to
plant cotton, and stocked their plantation for
that purpose. As they were original aboli-
tionists, born and brought up in the faith,
they, of course, expected great things from the
freedmen, and gathered about them many Of
these poor unfortunates. The first season
they had every prospect of a fine crop of cot
ton, and were felicitating themselves on the
good fortune in store for them. When their
cotton was ready to be picked, they were sur
prised at the small quantity brought to their
gin. The freedmen stole and wasted at least
one.half of it, and, to cap the climax, when
the crop had been nearly all gathered, the ne.
groes set fire to the gin and burned up the re.
mainder.
The next season the brothers planted sweet
potatoes, calculating to anticipate the North
ern market by early shipments, before the
Virginia potatoes were ready to ship. They
accordingly put down their whole plantation
in potatoes, and as the season was favorable,
they had every promise Of retrieving the dis
asters of the previous year. About the time
their crop was ready to harvest they noticed
something wrong with the vines, and they
kept watch in the fields during the night
Some of their most trusted workmen were de-
tailed for that purpose, but still the depreda-
tions continued. The negroes protested that
they could never see anybody in the fields at
night, and seemed totally at loss to account
for the disappearance Of the potatoes.
Finally the brothers determined one night
to 90 on guard themselves, without letting the
negroes know their intention. Providing
themselves with arms, they took their posi-
tions so as to observe all parts of the field,
without themselves being observed. They had
not long to wait. Soon objects were discov.
cred moving about in the field, in close prox-
unity to where the trusted negroes ought to be
keeping watch. One Of the planters, getting
within gunshot of the thieves, fred and
wounded one so seriously that he could not run
away with his companions, who, surprised at
this unexpected entertainment, made for the
swamps. When the planters scanned the fea-
lures of the wounded man, they found him to
be one of the negroes they had been relying
on to protect their property. This opened
their eyes, and the next day, upon making an
examination, they discovered that the negroes
had, by carefully lifting up the vines, and
scraping away the dirt from the side Of the
hills, succeeded in removing nearly the whole
crop of potatoes. Indeed, there was not
enough left to pay expenses. This was not
all. Their cup of misery was not yet full.
The brother who had fired at and wounded
the thieving negro, was arrested .sa ku- klux,
thrown into prison, and it was with much diff
fculty that he was saved from conviction.
The negroes, even those they had given en-
ployment to for nearl ly two years, swore to the
most outrageous lies against them. Even
after the Quaker was released, he and his
brother found the negroes so incensed against
them; and so determined to do them serious
injury, that they packed up few OF their
personal effects and started North, abandon
ing their plantation to the negroes.
This story is given just as hear it. have
no doubt that it is true in every particular.
More than this, 1 believe it is not an isolated
case, either. 1t is the same story that you
hear from almost every man who comes from
poor, oppressed, negro-ruled South Carolina.
The negroes are absolute masters Of the soil.
The triumph of the Moses party-the elec-
ton of another negro legislature inten-
sify the viciousness of the negroes, and white
people who have remained in the hope Of some
amelioration of the evils under which they
have groaned so long, will now be at the mercy
of the black and white vampires. SAPPHo