Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1874-12-04
THI EHEE tONDs9sON OF ZEE
SlETss5.

a HI Ak 4 tONbg q sSs oF < =
SoCEE9.
The "outrage" Convention, says the
Memphis AppeG1, held in August last
at Chattanooga, induced the proprie
tors of the New York Times, and the
Tribune to send South faithful ard re
liable correspondents, Republicans IL
POLITICS. These correspondents havs
visited various portions Of the South
and their able, interesting and truth
full letters have thrown upon the north
ern mind a food of light uron the
true condition Of the South. The Times
is Republican paper; its travelling
correspondent is a Republican. In q
letter, dated Mount Meigs, Alabama,
November s, 1874, he says
The social condition of The races in
Alabama has been so much misrepre-
sented Ly Interested politicians that
many persons il all parts Of the coun-
fly have been led to believe that the
negroes, if Lot really in danger of
beng butchered in cold blood are at
least looked down upon and maltreated
by. the whites. It cannot be denied
that many of the white planters firmly
believe that the blacks are in every
respect an inferior race, but that they
are badly treated on thai account
IS not true. 1 have been IL
almost every part OF the State
in cities and villages, ana on re-
mote plantations-and l firmly believe
that the black men and women CT A.a-
hama are generally botter fed and
el:ioy more freedom OF action than any
class o: farm Iaborers IN Germany or
France. That they are more their
own masters than people q tAe same
class at the North is noS TO he dis
putod. It can, without =2gSeraii0r,
be said that they come and 80 as they
please In the midst Of cotton picking
/ have known hundreds Of them to
leave their work and go miles on fJo1
to attend a political meeting, Lot re-
turning for Ons and sometimes two
days. Would they have dared 10 tnis
in New York or any Of the <e"
England States They are not always
well clothed, it Is true, Eut tie
snOw never falls here, and ice IS a ca
riosity. is stated abCEe, they are
exceedingly wei fed. Co-nmeal and
bacon are given to them il abundance
by their employers, and tncy a:e lot
slow IN providing themselves vii: the
fish AMI game which abound. Many
persons vii! be surprised to learn thaJ
many Of the negro laboICrs cherish the
belief that they are in reality their own
masters, and that they are at liberty
10 wOck or not, as 1t suits their cOnyc-
Hience and inclination. This feeling
Is, no doubt, attributed to The peculiar
system under which they work, and
the novel relation which exists between
master and servant. As already
explained ia former letter, tie
planters, soon after rCcOnstr5:ct:On
finding themselves unable 10 pay their
laborers, agreed to furnish t'Icn
with land, supplies and implements Il,
return for which they were 70 receive
share of The crop. This 8, stem Is
carried out in various ways. la some
cases the land owner gives the negro
one-fourth of the crop he cuiGFateS,
and feeds and clothes him. Another
plan is to let the laborer have one
third of the product of the land, one
hUndro and twenty-five pounds OF ba-
con and two acres OF gr0UUd for his
own use. In this way 1t will be seen
that a field hand is. to a certain extent.
the planters partner in business, and,
consequently, not entire.y under his
direction. When they DO not wHrA,
tie negroes say that they themselves
are the losers, and 10 enc hes any
right to interfere. This independence
has resulted in badly cultivated fields,
small crops and consequent poverty.
Every Southern man viii recognize
the fidelity of this picture. 1t Is rue,
as this intelligent correspondent as
serts, after a careful investigation,t that
the colored people are 'better fed and
enjoy more freedom OF action than any
class of farm labcrers in Germany or
France" 1t is misfortune with the
negroes thatthey DO otGIpreciate this
fact. While slaves, they were forced to
labor, AID they intcrpre5 freedom to
mean.ease, luxury and iliaGcsT. With
them, freedom has no blessings S unless
they are permitted to have such enjoy
meuts and pleasures as only the rich
cln afford. In all parts Of the vorlG,
the laborlng masses are compelled to
work, delve and toll necessarily, to
escape nakeduoss, hunger, dostitution,
want and pauperism. The colcrcd
people, suddenly emarcipated, seem
to have no fear of these caiamities.
and they live in idIeness, or fritter
away time, which the white laborers
OF other countries couId not spare
without beggary and paupe::sm. f
the laborers OF the northern States.
the operatives in tie Eastern factories
were to exercise the liberties which
the negroes Of the South arrocate
they would fud themselves with
out employment and suflrjrg for
bread. Freedom does rot mean
idleness but the privilege Of
working where it VIII pay the most. 1t
Is only by industry, energy and fru-
gality that the Iaboring classes can &C
cumulate that competency which will
enable them to exercise the easa and
comfort which the col0rcd raoc avail
themselves, Notwithstanding tIei1
poverty. When the negro learns these
great lessons lie viii become IA thrifty
citizen, an invaluable auxiliary in de.
Veloping the resources of the South
de Will supply most of the needed
iapor' and thus stop the incessant or,
iof foreign emigration. Let the eel
ored man dispose Of his gun, cease t.
waste his time IL discussing politics a
elecHons, and join tie whites in find
ing out aud perpetua5ing the best eys
lem OF developing the resources O
'ne South, in settling up the vast ricl
Pralrles, valleys and table lands. i,
pulIdlng schoolhouses. churches mills