The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-07-07


The attempt 10 continue Tor even four years
longer sucn state OF things as General Grant has,
by federal force. maintained Ia Louisiana would
either cause a necessary and entirely jus,iflabie
revolt totally destroy society There are scores
OF parishes and counties where the cOlored voters
are to the white Tour. six, eight ana
even ten TO one; where. therefore ignorant
men, without properly, and Win no sell-restrAint
or sense OF honor In pecuaiary trusts, would con-
unue 10 rule absolutely; TO levy taxes which 9th
ers must pay; TO eject judges and nduclary officers
out or their own number; to be the tools OF the
least scrupulous and the most greedy wretches in
the community. There are to-day scores OF par
ishes and counties in louisiana. Alabama ana Mis-
sssippi where the voice OF the people Is not the
OF Cod bull tue voice OF the worst thief IN the
community.
But the moment the color line is broken the con-
ditions OF the problem are essentially changed.
Brains ana honesty have once more chance To
come 10 he top. Tue negro, whose vote Will be
important TO both parties. Will lind security Ia
thar flet. No politician viii be so silly a. TO en-
eroach upon his rights, and the black man appears
TO me TO have q sense OF responsibility which VIII
prevent MIN, unencouraged by demagogues, from
trying to lorce himself into positions Tor which he
IL unfit. lie Will have his fair chance, and he has
no right TO more.
V. 1t viii always help him that he Is indus
trious. Free labor Is an undouoted success IN
the South. The negro works; he raises cotton
aud corn sugar and rice, and II Is Infinitely TO his
credit that he continues to do so, and according
10 the universal testimony works more stead
Easily and effectively this year than ever before
since 1865 in spite OF the political hurly-ourly IN
which he lvea Tor the last ten years Nor oagnt
We OF the North to forget that part OF the credit
OF the negroes industry to-day Is due to the South
ern planters, who nave been wise enough to adapt
themselves to the tremendous change In their
LABOR system, aud honest enough not 20 dis
courage the ignorant free laoorer by wronginR
him oil his ear ninss or by driving unjust bargains
with him. The system or planting on shares.
which prevails in all the cotton region have
seen, appears to me admirable in every
respect. IL tends to make the laoorer
independent aud selt-nelpful by throwing him on
his own resources lie gets the reward of his own
skill aud industry and has the greatest motive 10
impel him to steadElss laoor aud to seli-denIa
nave satisfied myself, too, that the black man
gets, wherever l nave been, fair share OF the
crop he makes. Ii anywhere he suffers wreng II
is at the hands or the small farmers. who cult
vate a thin soil ana are themselves po and gen
orally ignorant. Ii Is a curious evidence OF the
real security or the negro, even IN the rudest
parts OF the South, that many thousands OF them
have emigrdted from Alabama and Georgia into
the Yazoo Bottom IN Mississippi and into the cot
ton regions of Arkansas ana Louislana-oarts OF
the South where, II We might believe the general
reports wnicn have been spread through the
North, no negroes rights or life are safe.
THE coLoRED PEOPLE NOT THRIFTY
vi. The black la oorer earns enough. but he does
not save his money. In the heart OF the cotton
country a negro depending on MS own labor
alone, with tine help Of his Wife in the picking
season. may live and have from $75 to $125 clear
money In nand at the close OF the season If he
has several half grown boys able to help him in
the held, he may support his family during the
year and have from SIG TO $3.50 clear money at
tue years. end. Few laborers as ignorant as the
average plantation negro can do well any
where in the world or course he lives poorly;
but he thrives on corn meal ana bacon, and has
few DOCTORS bills 10 pay. Unfortunately, as yet,
he commonly spends his money like a sailor or
miner any other improvldert white man. Very
lew lay by their earnln2s; yet the deposits In
the Freedmen's Bank showed how very
considerable were the savn1s oil the few,
and am sorry to say that the criminal mIsman-
agement OF THIS trust has struck q serious blow
on tue south, TOT 1t has gwen a fresh impetus TO
the spendtnrllt habits OF the blacks. They have
as yet far less desire 10 farms than hoped to
fnd. they are, like almost all rude people, fond
of owning an acre or a house lot; and in South.
ern towns and cities II Is common to find them
sucE owners. But comparatively small number,
as yet, are Ireehoders IN the best sense Of the
word. This, however, Will come with time. They
have been Tree but ten years, and in that time
have been unsettled by the stress Of politics. and
have scarcely known, until witSn the last two
years, whether their freedom was a substantial
fact, or only q pleasant cream. Moreover, they
have very naturally, enjoyed the spending OF
their own money and have had to acquire mules
fam
speak of very ancient and shabby buyges
sham JewelrS, and Gewgaws OF all
kinds. In the cities aud villages it Is pleasant
and indeed touching sight, to see the little COL
ored children gong to sunday school. bright
clean, neatly dressed, frank and fearless, with
trace Of the slavery which was the part OF their
parents. | think no humane man could see TINS
sight unm0ved, remembering, as he must, how
short is The time since slavery came to an end.
VII. The character OF the Southern negro IS es-
sentially kindly and good. He Is not naturally
quarresome, and his wees are mostly those which
he retains from slavery. For instance. 1t Is the
almost universal complaint OF the planters that
they cannot keep stock, either cattle or hogs. 1t
is tue bad custom In the South 10 torn sucn ami
mails into the Woods shit or less Tor them
selves and here they tail prey TO tue colOred
men, who XII ana eat them. Iney nave not yet
learned 70 respect property rights, so vaguely
serted. Nor are the Planters chickens SAFE. In
la;t, petty theIt ~ "A common vice OF the
plantation negro. He learned 1t a slave,
and mas not yet unlearned IL. He spends some
OF nis money Tor whlsKey, too; but ne Is not an
nabltuaI drunkard aud IL Usually good natured
Ia his cups Men and women, and eVea children,
smoke, and Ia some regions they "dlpp snail 10
Is an easily conJented aud happy population, and
do not douOt the judgment OF tho Z planters who
assured me mat they POSSESSED the best laborng
force Ia the world Nor let any one persuade you
that 10 l. diving out Wherever one travels he
sees multtudes OF lat, chubby comical looking
picKaninnfes-tne country Is full OF M and their
4t
are the commOnest sight IN the south.
SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES.
VIII. They anxious TO send their children
TO school, and The cOlOred scnools are more album
dant IN those states when I have seen than I
expected to find them. | think II MAY be said
That the cOlored people, far, have got their alr
snare oil schools and school money. In sucn
PAGES as New Orleans, MOBILE, Soma and Mont
gomefy the oOored SCHOOLS are eXcellenty
managed and hberally provided for. by general
consent ol bOth cOOrs there are no mixed SCHOOLS;
nor Z" Ould IL be wise ~ force TINS anywhere. Ine
ChnrCn rs IANOrlle and Won nrlnn IuaILL-.-