The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-02-05


cotton, the scarcity of provisions, and
the literal death Of Credit-have exposed
to the comprehension of the Southern
people their present undone and helpless
situ4tion.
What are the factsf The truth had
best be told. In Northern Mississippi
land from what am informed, the same
state of affairs prevails generally through
out the cotton-growing portion OF the
South. not one farmer IN twenty realized
one dollar of net profit from his farming
operations, for the year 1873. Not one
negro laborer in twenty, whether work
ing on the renting or the share system,
was able to ply off the expenditures 10
cured in running him during the
wear. And here, after all, is the secret
Of the Individual failure. want and ruin
that now prevails in our sociological and
and industrial relations, towards the ne
GRO laborer of the South. The subject
IS ANYTHING else than an agreeable one
hut Justice requires it should be painted
with the colors of truth 1t is strange
how our impressions, our thoughts, and
our actions, are the outgrowth Of assocla-
tons of ideas, running back III the Tar
distant past.
When the war was over, as soon as the
smoke and confusion of reconstruction
had cleared away, the white man began
to lay his plans to get the negro to I'LL his
lands. So long has he had negroes TO
work for him and to wait on him-to such
an extent had he been accustomed To
look on 1t as conducive TO rcpectability,
eyen-that the scenes that annually pre-
sented themselves, throughout the com
try were sickening and sad To contemplate.
The hunt " for hands to work his place,
was the great absorbing consideration.
The negro was courted, caressed, truckled
TO. begged and besought, bt those who
had utopias to rresent to him in the way
of the richest land, the finest mules, the
purest water, the choicest viands-with
cows and calves, sows and pigs, with
poultry these were the allurements hell
out to the negro in order to induce him
to abandon his employer and hasten to
the new home held up to his excited I'M
agination. This is no fancy sketch.
Private quarters were besieged-uegro
agents were sent in every direction, DIES
cantiug upon the happy homes awaiting
those who would disregard their agree
ments-the whisky bottle was well piled
and everything promised that heart
could wish Well might the negro sup
pose he was to work only when, and as,
he pleased-and only on such days as he
might spare from going 10 meeting,
and to political gatherings. Well N ght
unkind feeling and bad blood be excited
and the social relations weakened and
broken among neghb0rs.
What was the result? The negro,
feeling his Importance, ctiled for what
he wanted, and was rarely denied. II
complained of, for slack work, or refused
when he called FIR his barrel OF -four,
or applied for hats and shoes and clothes
for his wife and children. finer than We're
worn by those of his employer-out
tuck his mouth, with a threat that I'll
go away, where [ can get them. Mr.. So
and So, across the road, or beyond the
creek, will let me have everything want
he told me he would" The farmer
employing, then became frightened at
the idea of his or being deserted and
the barrel of -four, the hats and the
shoes, the dresses and other fnery were
at once ordered and peace restored.
And, by way Of thorough reconciliation,
the Jug of whisky to make bitteIs g these
rainy mornings" was thrown in. But
how was it at the end of the year? The
negro is behind. His cotton is not picked
out by Christmas, and he complains that
the neighbors' cattle are upon it. He
makes one and half TO three bales Of
cotton, and that will not pay his store ac-
count--to say nothing of land rent and
mule hire, and yet he g wants a settle
ment," and thinks it mighty hard he
should work so hard all the year and get
nothing for has share. His employer
again gets frightened, lest he may get no
lands next year; and compromises by
letting him have cotton enough, ut least,
to get him a jug of whisky for Christmas.
The farmer can t, or won t, understand
it-that he had better let his lands lie
out, than for others to bring him in debt
every year.
Still, he dries it again-thInking cot
ton will be higher next year-and never
mind, "he'll get it out of him from the
next crop" forgetting that he has been
packing the negro in this way for two or
three years past. But his credit is still
good, and he mast have his lands worked,
for he is only farmer, and what else
can he do? Truth.