Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1876-06-02
LABOR STRIKE IN SOUTH CAR.
OLINA

ing on the Combahee river in South
Carolina, caused by a reduction Of
wages.
The NeaUs and Courier says:
No violence has been done to any OF
the planters or overseers, and only two
or three threats were made, which
were promptly rebuked by others OF
the band. The colored people Jared
not so well. ALI those along the line
of march were compelled to strike, and
if they showed any reluctance were
tied and beaten. They were told that
forty cents a day was "cat's wages,
and if they worked at that they would
be thrashed. The plan of operations
has been to collect band as nucleus
and then to march from place to place,
gathering strength, until all the bands
had ceased work, and they then all
disbanded aud went home.
The strike seems to have originated
among the special day laborers.
These are a class of negroes who live
in the pine lands and do their own
cropping, and in the working season
exc out their substance by hiring by
the day to the planter. It was with
this class that the reduction in wages
was made, the regular hands having a
contract which forbid reduction with
them.
At first the bands consisted princi.
pally of these day laborers, but the
accretions from each plantation OF
volunteer ay-laborer strikers and i'm
pressed contract hands made at last a
motely mass. The regular hands, as
a general thing, did not strike, and it
is said they would now 60 to work
were they not afraid.
The Journal of Commerce says:
The strike has extended from plan
tation 10 plantation on the Colleto q
side of the Combahee, and has now
reached the Beaufort side of the river.
All the labor in that section has struck
and the planting interests are seriously
jeopardized. The planters have been
very lenient, and are disposed to allow
a reasonable time for their employees
to accede to terms, but are not willing
to lose time and allow their crops to
suffer from the folly of the colored Ia
borer. There is more labor In that
sect on than the average planter can
utilize, and those who are employed
are paid fair wages. The style in the
rice region is to pay by the task, which
is half an acre. This is not arduous,
as an active hand can finish his task
(the allotted days work) by IL O'Clock,
though the instances are very rare
when that hand undertakes to do any
further work. He is satisfied with the
completion of his daily labors, and
spends the time in fishing and other
The wary politician utiliZes this
spare time, and instils into the brain
of the ignorant darkey the pernicious
doctrines that make him think himself
a leader of the situation. The pay al
lotted to the laborers is a fair remu-
neration for services rendered, and has
been the standard price since the war,
with the exception of the small dimi-
mutton recently enforced. This re-
duction was accepted, and the labor
was supposed to be content until the
outbreak of last tuesday.
Enough has been said to prove the
political character of the strike, which
still continues and is threatening other
sections. The Colleton side of the
Combahee was first affected, then it
spread to the Beaufort side of that
river, and recent reports represent
that its evil influences are felt on the
rice growing sections of the Ashepoo.
The small reduction in the pay can
hardly be the movtive Tor so general
and wide spread movement, as the
coiored laborer accepted the reduction
and worked under it for more than a
week before the outbreak occurred.
All work is now stopped on Mr.. Bis
sells plantations on both sides of the
Combahee, b. sides the plantations of
Mr. Haywood and others in that
vicinity. Ashepoo is seriously threat,
ened, and from all appearance, all
word will be stopped there to-day.
The planters have not yielded and
propose to keep a firm front, though
they cannot well afford to lose the
time and labor that should be expend-
ed on their growing crops.
The negroes have thus far been sub
servient to law and order, having COM
mitted no depredations, though in a
starving condition. Mr.. Bissell has
six stores in that section, and though
the vote was taken, a motion to sack
them was defeated by a large majority.
They are fierce on their own color who
refuse to come into their ranks and
have in the Combahee'sectionw whipped
three and beat two others severely,
for supposed Democratic. The few
white men in that portion of the
country are fully able to protect them
selves and the property under their
charge against any ordinary outbreak,
but are powerless when mobs of one
thousend to fifteen hundred assaI
them.
A few blue uniforms would work
wonders, and as their potent influence
has been known and felt by the disaf-
fected darkies, before, it would be adj
visable for the planters to secure the
assistance of squad. AS no positive
violation of law and order has as yet
occurred, the stern hand of military
discipline would sood reduce matters
to their normal condition.
The following doggerel which has
been circulated among the negroes in
the disaffected region with great effect,
shows beyond doubt, that the ques-
ton of wages is not the only cause of
the strike:
ga CHARGE TO KEEP"
As sung 6y the Confederate Demo-
crat.
A charge to keep have,
A negro to maintain,
A never-dying thirst for power
To bind him with chain.
To serve the present age,
Our pockets we must fill;
Well make them work for wages low,
And never pay the bill.
Arm me with jealous care
To make him know his place;
And oh thy servant, Lord, prepare
To rule the negro race.
Help us to rob and cheat
The niger on the sly,
Assured if they don't vote for us
They shall forever die.
The Augusta (Ga.) Chronicle 'sin-
cerely hopes" that the Southern dele
gates to st. Louis will combine to de-
feat the nomination of Governor Til