New-York tribune., 1877-07-06
NEGRO CIVILIZATION.
A NOT ENCOURAGING OUTLOOK.

EXAMPLr-UOw TUE MICRO LIVES.
lTRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE.l
WASHINGTON, July 2.-I have had look at tho
Negro, of late in eight of the Southern States, and
have cndeavorcd to learn much about his condl-
tion as was possible in rapid passages from
town TO town. Five years ago traver,cd the same
sections Of the country and by comparing my recent
observations with those made then, Ihave had OPP
poTtunty offorming opinion as to whether he has
made any real progress in civilization during half
decade The opinion is not favorable to him. With
strong desire TO discover evidences that he is max
ing some substantial advances in intelligence, mde-
pendence, and physical comfort, am forced TO say
that have not been able to find them. There are
of course exceptional cases hero and there-a few
perhaps in every large town--Of colOTed men who
have accumulated property. and who live well rs
their middle-claSs white neghbors, but the great
of the black people appear t. be at standstiH
Indeed it is not easy TO resist the conclusion that
the Negroes on the large cotton plantations have
actually retroQaded toward barbarism. Their dwell
hngs are the cabins built for them in the old
slave times, very much dilapidated by age and
If repair. or if new ono has been erected IT Is
usually of the old pattern and materials, only little
less roomy and weather-hght than its prototypes.
glazed window in plantation cabin might he sought
in vain from Virginia TO Texas. The most comforta
bic dwellings for field hands are found tho large
sugar estates in Louisiana. They usually stand IN
two long rows upon shaded street, arc neatly
whitcwashod or painted. and the cleanliness of in
terors and surroundings is insured by strict regula
tons enforced by the planter. The ordinary negro
cabin. such as one all over the Southern States
is a small hut Of pine logs or rough boards rooted
with shingles split out with axe 1t contains only
one room with a rude fireplace that terminates in
a stick-and-lnud chimney; door in front, and
another in the rear and one two square holes for
-,v1o a.1,. .a1 NJ uitr Inn
wooden shutters. cheaper ugier. or poorer dwell
ing cannot be found in any civilized country The
novels of the Irish peasantIy luxurious compared
sith it.
HIS WAYS AT HOME
And vet in such hut the negro lives arafter year
In entire contentment without any desire To obtain
for himself by his exertions molc decent and com
Portable habtation. 1t keeps ont the sun and rain
and that is enough If he las q hundred dollars III
his pocket ne will spend II for useless hnery or lux
uries to eat before he VIII think Of buying glass for
his window, or building an extra room for kitchen
His clothes are the cast-oii garments of his employer
OF his white neighbors, patched and darned until
there remains scarcely remainder OF the original
fabric Tie was much better clad when, as a slave
he received two suits Of jeans or kcrScy year lis
wfc's costume is \ cotton handkerchief tied abont
the head and a calico gown, and his children are
black accretoas OF rags ard dirt. His food Is the
corn meal and bran which he gets a. ration from his
e,uiovcr supplcrnented occasionally by potatoes or
cabbages from his own patch, and a chicken, some
times honestly raised. but oteuor stolen The hed
hand IT, from necessity, very poor for ms wages,
or his share Of the crop * SCI lom more than enough
Tor him 10 live upon in the paineSt fashion
but ii he had any ambition to mount round or two
above he foot Of the ladder OF civilization be could
easily do it bv workmgon his turday Eali-holidays
20 improve his cabin so II would look Ike q home
for human beings instead OF stall for animals
Although he does not appear 10 have so manv piysl-
ca comforts ~ i'm the days of slavery, il would be
folly 10 suppose that the field hand woulC le glad
20 return 10 the old condition. Tie prizes h's free
dom above everything, and enjoys to the full the
rous holidays he takes 10 20 70 town. the idle
hours spent Longing iu the shade when he ought 10
lie at work. the highly emotional performances AZ
lis little log church ia the woods. where no white
man iuterf,ies an u General the Of being his
own master. lie is ,lo most contentcG creature IN
the world-frT 90 go tented, in fact. for h.s own
good. No Meter how many OF the Ten Command
ments he may break there Is one injunction oi
Scripture which hc obcys to the letter-lc takes no
thought Of the morrow. Living IN RAGS and dirt
with barely enough hog and herring 10 su5sist
upon. he is the most careless and happy Iaborer IL
the world. .. ,...,,,,,
The labor system is not uniform throughout the
South or in any state 1unty. Sometimes whole
neighborhood will settle down upon some one of the
many systems iu vogue. aud keep 10 il for series
of wears; but often adjoining pautatioue are worked
in different ways. and frequently a planter will
change his method two or three times before he
makes I'D his mind which is the best. The share
system is the predominant all through the cotton
belt but this has Z number Of notifications. One rs
for the planter 10 furnish the mules and their feedthe
seed and manure and supply the negroes withratious
"a peck of meal anJ five or six pounds Of bacon per
week 10 each man. The share the ropapportioned
among the laborers under this plan IS usually one
fourth. Another is for the planter to furnish no
ratious and 20 give q larger share of the crop and
another j, for him TO supply only The land, the ne
grocs owning the teams The ambition of every
negro is to own mule, on vince he can ride TO
church and 10 town. and the more thrifty among
Them usually possess one or two Next 10 the share
svstern the renting system is most IN vogue II is
preferrcd by the planters. and would be practised
more extensively if the negroes were more intel-
gent and more competent to take of Themselves
and 10 work without overseeing. The landowner
receives a specified number of pounds of cotton or
bushels OF corn TO the acre, thus dividing with the
Tenant the k Of low prices. while the latter takes
tLe chances of good OF bad crop The third system
Is that Of having monthly wages. and is the favorte
one on the LARGE cotton plantations of the Mississippi
bottorns on the sugar estates in Louisiana and to
some extent i'm sections further Rarely the
wages raid in cash at the months end. The planter
usually has a store and supplies his hands with
clotbing provisions and knick-knacks on account,
settling with them when the crop rs marketed,
and having the balances due them. Some
nlanters pav monthly. half IN money and half
in orders on their store have heard this plan