The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-10-17
Wants e ths soaSh.

dGah SSNaAey, NJ their AeGfsc0ltHrAk ;1ajr
aEWiEch tltela which had the merit Of
cxateaning mSsser for seslsaa ri fla6Einns
He hoped to % able 60 ongfatni4l his
neighbors on successful experiments 10
agriculture, vr the, Introduction Of inn
proved Implements of hulbandry. Or
breeds of cattle. But he had no such
pleasing story to tell. The war had left
them with nothing but the naked land,
sud most CT tlsne deeply ia DEBT. Thei-
slaves were emanoipsted and the labor
system was diaorganizsd. The State
was poor and could not furnish relief,
and in the present condition OF thtpgs
they could not borrow. 4 dollar abroad.
The agriculture OF the State was pros.
trated in consequence of this universal
impovefishment. In conference with
Mr.. Lincoln, at Old Point Comfort. the
latter suggested tho giving OF $400.-
600, 600 to the slave States as comp pensa-
ton for the slavss that had been emar-
cipated; and, though Mr.. Seward op-
posed the proposition with impatience;
the President uged it with warmth. II
was small sum to get for 4, 500, 600
slaves, but it would have afforded i'm
mense relief to the people. Mr.. Hunter
thought the Government ought to do
something for the assistance OF the
South, which is really too impoverished
to develop her own resources. Virginia
hes paid some $50, ,000. 900 in internal
taxes since the war, and the greater
part Of it on tobacco. We're this nouey
returned to the people in iudicions
loans, it would prove vast relief and
advantage.
This opens up the whole subject of
the condition and wants Of the South
ern States. It is time now to review
the entire situation dispaesionately. It
is easy to say that the South is suffering
the just penalty for her crime ngainst
the nation. To whip child to death
is not justice, but cruelty. The South
is an integral part of the nation. and,
now that she has resumed her status and
done all it is possible 20 atone for her
madness, every burden laid on her
back is 80 much weight added to the
load of the country at large. We i'm
poverish aud paralyze the nation by
consenting to crush or keep her down a
moment longer. And there is no ques.
ton that the condition of the Souti, is
serious in the extreme, and materially
impairs the strength and prosperity of
the nation. Her country has been
stripped in many places down to the
naked acres, and immense districts
which once were fruitful under tillage
are left Wild. Her people are too poor
to help themselves, aud too crippled to
rise. Her industry has been demoral-
lied. Her credit is gone. The old
planting system has been broken up,
aud new one has not been formed in
it's place. Her people are not homoge-
iieous; and while the whites are divided
into two classes. the ignorant negroes,
led and melted by adventurers and
demagogues, have things pretty much
their own way. The natural oonse-
quence is that the political machinery
has been seized by ambitious and cor
rnpt hands, and the States have beon
embarrassed by bad legislation and are
overwhelmed by enormous debts, con-
tracted chiefly for the enrichment of
political plunderers. Business has for
saken Charleston and drifts away from
Mobile. Houses can be had in New
Orleans for tho taxes, and plantations
in Mississippi, which, before the war,
were hold at 800 an acre, can now be
bought for five. The unsettled condi-
tion of things takes all courage out OF
the hearts Of tho people, checks enter
prise. stops emigration, and prevents
recovery from the natural consequences
OF the war and anything like fair tle-
velopment of the resources of the
country. The anarchy in Louisiana ter
rifles the people, while the movements
Of the oolored population, who have
been tampered with and played upon
and used by politicians and adventurers
until they have lost confidence in white
integrity and gained an exaggerated
idea Of their own power, are inoalouIa-
BILE, and looked upon with dread. The
fnct that in the face of these difficulties
and embarrassments, the cotton crop Of
the present year is larger than usual is
in the highest degree creditabIe to the
industry and energy of the people, and
an indication OF tho vast resources of
the country waiting for intelligent cul-
tivation and wise government.
It is obvious that the wants of the
South are real and imperative, and
ought to be wisely considered and
promptly met. 1t is too late to talk
about compensation for slaves liberated
by the necessities and fortunes of war
And it is easier to see what the South
wants than how its wants can be met by
the National Government without just
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