New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-11-02
SOUTHERN POLITICS.
lroRTH CAROLINA.

,rRoM TIM SpRCIAL CORRESPONDENT OF TUE iniDV
p,vMouru. Washington Co., N. Cp Oct. 81
1T Won't do 60 10 in n hurry in Eastern Noi -
or rather It won't do to oowo here II SvU $50, - tn
- - =, anv noint between Norfolk ana WELDON
var CANA from, the North or East you VIII ma 'hu'
tboush the country thoky sePeu' except On 'no
h-ren ridges which separate the water courses the
ony towns are the county from 70 10 % mics
s,Srt and are reached only by means OF boats which
.ke slow and very unfreQuent trips up and down the
vvers or by more tedious drives the country
over the barren savannahs and through the cypress
sUamps or past valuable cotton plantations. But even
the boats on the rivers which much preferable to
tho uncomfortable mailbugges. cannot be depended
upon low water, at this season Of the year. frequently
leaves the sandbars the surface that the fat
bottomed often lie aground upon them many
hours aud sometimes even days came from Washing
ton, in Beaufort County, 70 this place, 81 miles,
By private conveyance. My driver was the owner
Of the team, and OF the most intelligent ooored men
have met in this State. He volunteered to drive me
after learned that the only two seats In the t
weekly mailwagon had been engaged for several days
NEGROES AND POOR WHITES OF THE TURPEKrfER REGION
In studying the politics Of North Carolina, have
found class difficult TO approach as the negroes
The stranger rarely the better class of them in tray
cling the country, except the servants at the
hotels Those who lounge about the streets In town
worthless ignorant class, from whom one can obtain
no idea the opinions feelings which influence the
race IN their political action They vote as they are told
to by their leaders, few OF them understanding the DIFF
ference between o sheriff and q President. The more
thrifty OF the negroes like enterpsng white men, have
no time to waste in the marketpace about the bars
They are tending their crops and working in the shngle
svamps and turpentine woods. The country between
the Tar and Rivers which passed Yester
day. except within few miles Of either river, as poor
as any have in North Carolina. 1t is mostly what
Is known here savannah land, covered with sparse
of frppa and
there ct long intervals. the house OF "poor white
settler, who ekes out scanty living by making
a few barrels Of turpentine or a few thou
sand shingles which he sells barriers at one OF the
river towns from ten to twenty miles away and nom
small crop Of sickly-oohng, badly tended corn ana
cotton The dwellings OF these people, being framed
and covered with boards look much moro comfortable
than those Of even thrifty farmers in some por-
ons of the "up country where the houses outside OF
the towns are owing 10 the scarcity OF sawmis mainly
built OF logs; but they have about thom an unthrfty
look everything lying at loose ends and apparently 60
ing to decay Under broad pOrches that attached
to every house you will sec the farmers saddle and
draftchans f he Is prosperous enough to own horse
mue) hanging against the side OF the house, with
few carpenters tools. string Of red peppers the good
wfes dshcloths and numerous other farming or house
hold utensils. The people thin, scky-looking,
agueshaken set who chew their snlfsteks smoke
their pipes with istless air though they did not
care whether school kept or not"
"REMINISCENCES OF THE WAR.
Lafayette, my driver who Is q native Off Beaufort
County, looks upon the savannah farmers as about
the poorest in the world gave much interesting In
formation about these people, their and their mode
of life. Removed they from all the great lines of
travel and withno prospect Of becoming richer 1t will
be long time before their chimneystacks built of sticks
aud plastered up with clay, their quaint little bird
houses the tops of poles which stand in every door
yard and their sweetpoato hills, will give away to
DOR midi Of Yacht nxra
and its suferings during the war, and comparing its
people with those upon the road, asked Lafay
cite II there many white Union there when the
Federal army lin 1902 he said that there wero
very few, and those Of the poorer class when
It was reported that the Yankees coming" said
he, "a great many Of the people left for the
upcountry, taking all Of their slaves with
them. Some Of them went as far as the Blue Ridge,
and the cOored people have come back; we get
letters from them aud learn that they doing well
At fret steamer part way up the Pamlico River,
and q band landed and came into town. We didn't see
any soldiers although supposed there were some on
the steamer to protect the band II they should be at.
tackled They raised the Stars and Stripes in front OF the
Courthouse and played Union tunes through the streets
Tor three or four days. and then went away Then there
was great rejoicing the white people. They said
that the Yankees had and gone and the niggers
were not free and never would be. But little while
after three great the river spouting,
and the troops landed aud then all free" Then,
warming with enthusiasm at the memory, bis eyes
glistened and his counenance lit he added "Oh
dere nebber was such time for coored folks in dis
we're world and nebber will be again. I'm 81 year old
and nebber expect to but one ting like It, and dat
Ia Heaven" the last said with great reverence
OPINIONS OF A CoLoRED MAN.
Encouraged him to go on by some remark, and he
said he had nothing to complain Of in regard to his
treatment in the days Of Slavery He was brought up
In his masters dningroom and slept In his masters
room; he had never been abused Oyerworked. When
he began to get grown and think Of getting married. he
persuaded his master allow him to learn trade; he
did as he pleased, only paying his master regularly
stipulated sum. But there was nothing like freedom
after all he said From this subject the conversation
drfted TO politics The coored people would all vote
for Grant thought They couldn't see but that Grant
had made a good President, and they say he ga
right noble soldier during the war; Now these Dem
ocrats all say" he continued go why don't you come up
ind vote with your friends for your friend Horace
GreeleyP But the colored people don't know about
that. We know that II Mr.. Greeley had come here be-
fore war; the white people would have hanged him
as high Of these pnes but now all the Democrats
are with him, teeth and tOe-nalls We think he must
have changed or they wouldn't support him."
do MT you think you cOlored people would be pro-
tected all your rights and privileges Mr. Greeley is
cectedi" asked
ave do MT know" was the reply, "but we are afraid
not We know that with Grant shall be safe, but we
about II Mr.. Greeley is elected. They
say that he used 10 be in favor OF freedom and all that
but that he anxious to get to the White House
that he has gone clean over 10 the Democrats"
"Who says or
"Oh, some Of the whtefolkes In town. When heard
Gov. Vance say that the Democrats had forgiven Mr.
Greeley for all be has done, and would elect him Pres
Dent thought he MT the for the black folks"
"what do the colOred people think Of Mr.. Summer {"
1--WE think mighty well ofIhim lbut are afraid he'S