The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-10-03
COLTJMB'T1sAl.,s B'1s 6:
Friday Morning, October 8. 1873.

Friday Morning. October 81 lS73.
Northern Jotkossas.eE.s=n and sss scussr
ern People.
Itis :. .orite subject for Northern
writer's to enlarge upon, that the Son,h-
ern people are lawless, thriftless. and
indoiont. Their correspondents travel
over our country. and viewing large
bodies OF lands which were formerly
under cultivation now lying unocou-
pied and uncultivated, pretend that they
are evidences Of indoiencej on the part
Of the white peoples, ,beholding farm.
houses. barns aud gin-houses going to
ruin, with no effort being made to-
wards repairing. they enlarge upon our
want Of thrift: and witnessing q few
scenes Of crime and bloodshed. they
point to them as proofs OF general want
of respect for the laws of the country.
But let us look mors closely into the
facts, nnd endeavor to see how much
truth there is in these charges, It will
no doubt be conceded that the paodac-
tion of the great stables of our section
fall but little short Of that Of the period
Immediately preceding the war. And
if we calculate that the South lost pro-
ducers enough by the casualties OF the
war to more than make up for the dis
crepancy existing. in the present pro-
duct, We do not think that we would be
going too far for actual proof. Admit.
ting these facts, and admitting also that
previous to the war the neglo was
mainly tho lsborer who cultivated our
great staples, let US now cndeavor to
And out who are the present producers,
and to what class IS to be attributed the
vast amount of labor performed each
year in cultivating our crops. To do
this, il will'be necessary to look into the
last 9aua tables to find out certain
facts,regarding the movements OF popu-
lation. We. think, that it can. then be
seer that there has been larger pro-
portion OF 'oolored peopla who have
crowded, into, the cities [hhd deserted
their former mode of life. than of the
whites s7--that thousands OF negroes.
having thrown down their hoe and
plow. are now to be- found occupy
ing places and pursling' avocations ex-
clusiyely the property Of the whites in
ante 6eLllns times, that these people
now form the bulk of our petty Office.
holders, cannot be denied. They have
emigrated largely to the North, East and
West, SINCE they have been free to go
where they would. They cannot. nor
can their friends, claim for them as q
class, therefore, the merit OF being the
laboriqpA olass, which produce the vast
results stated hhyear in our CONNER
cial reports. Common sense. therefore.
will tell Ms. that it is to the native South
ern white man that the. credit is due.
The grand, undeuiable fact is, that he,
forgetful Of his WRONGS, his losses and
his previous condition. has put his
hands to the pl6v. That, NOT Withstand
ing he has essa: his< rights taken from
him. his for&pr .slayes put,i posse ssssion
of his heritsse; and that hlesis forced to
carry load'ofsta1asion ! almost. beyond
human stss1eth, be- still has not lost
either codfage OF strength. ana makes
one acre now produce what with negro
laoor required four. a,.tt
Z. OF course bhere is 8. .shrinkage in the
amount of land cultivated. Certain it
is that he has neither the time. nor in
clination' to repair dwellings and build
ings Which lie does not need. He
learned the lesson of eelf-denial in the
great war, and he has not forgotten it.
Those who followed Leo and Johnston,
barefoot and tentless, are not apt to
waste valuable time in fitting up luxnri-
GUS apartments or in keeping up state
fur beyond their means. Such workers
and such men can afford to let scolfers
call them names. AS to tho charge OF
lawlessness, let as examine that also.
Ignoring the fact that the laws which
now are set up for obedience before the
Southern white people are frauds, con-
naIuo6 1,x, nj, a = .tY