The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-05-06
Freedmen's Paradise.

:: This caption, though rather extrava-
CANT in the use make of it, expresses,
as we'll as any I can now think of, the
peaceful and prosperous condition Of the
colored people now living in Beaufort
county, S. @.
Whatever hindrances and opposition,
imaginary or real, may be said to ex-
ist in other portions of the South to mar
the happiness and retard the progress
and prosperity of the freedmen, thereby
causing them to migrate to Kansas, Afri.
ca, and elsewhere, it is apparent from
existing facts that in the above named
county they are contented and happy.
Here they enjoy all the rights and privi.
leges yonchsafed to any class of United
States citizens. Here they are largely
in the ascendancy as to numbers, and OK.
ercise rights of suffrage without fear Of
molestation. Politically, they have it all
their own way. And on this account
suppose it is that Beaufort county is
called all over the State "The Black
County"
By the exigencies of the war, this coun'
ty, made up mostly of Islands, and once
owned by wealthy planters, was conhs.
Gated for taxes, and placed upon the mar.
ket for sale in such a way that the lands
could be bought in small tracts, ranging
from ten to one hundred acres each. The
colored people purchased the most of it /;
and now nearly all who live upon it are
landlords that is, they own the lands they
cultivate. They work for themselves.
And as the very choicest kind of cotton
known in the world, called the "Sea Is
land Cotton" grows in this county, and
scarcely anywhere else, it is easy to see
what superior advantages for thrift and
prosperity the people here enjoy.
/, The population of the county is about
10000, and of this number 10000 are
blacks. The island of St. Helena alone
contains 10000 blacks and only 75whites
and in the city of Beaufort, the county
seat, there are 5000 blacks and only l.
800 whites. These statistics clearly show
that the colored people have it all their
own way, if they choose to.
Let us now consider their financial
condition, and see if they have made q
good use of their opportunities. am told
that there are on these cotton growing
islands 2,70O men who are heads of fami'
lies; that they live in good houses, own
their own. farms, ride in their own car
riages, and wear "made to order" broad
cloth clothes to church that, in the city
of Beaufort, there are not less than 500
families that own the residences they live
in-many of which indicate by their e1-
ternal appearance and surroundings that
the Inmates possess high degree of social
refinement, and are prosperous and hap
py. It is said to be very rare thing
to see colored beegar upon the streets
asking for food, raiment or shelter.
But the most remarkable fact of all is,
that in this county ot40, 900 people
three. e.fourths of whom are blacks-not
a single murder has been committed
since the war, and that only an average
of ten criminals, during the past four
wears, have been in the hands of the law.
These facts are from the records OF the
sheriff's Office, and were given to ME by
Alfred Williams, the mayor of Beaufort,
who, by the suffrage of the people,, both
black. and white, has been elected six
times to fill the Office he now occupies;
aud who, judge, is man Of undoubted
integrity and veracity. nrd
Now, if We accept newspaper reports
as correct, there have been in the other
counties Of South Carolina, during the
past four months, twonty-six murders
and sixteen assaults with. intent to kill.
We may well ask, why this difference?
why should the people of Beaufort coun-
ty be 80 much more peaceable than those
of other counties of the Statef 1t can
not be simply because so large a proper
ton of its citizens are colored people, nor
because the comparatively few whites liv-
ing there are so much better than the
rest ofthe State. Lam inclined . the
opinion that it is because the colored
people in this county own the lands they
cultivate and the houses they live in;
and this possession Of realty has so in.
spired their industry and manhood, and
developed their self.respect, as to make
them lovers of good order in society. AS
a general rule, any man, black or white,
feels better and behaves better, and does
better in every respect, when he works
for himself on his own land, than he does
when working for another BY the day,
month or year, or even when cultivating
land on shares.
Allowing this to be the correct view of
the matter, 1aay we not go little farther
and say that che elevation, prosperity and
peace of the freedmen of the South can
best be promoted by giving them an op.
portunity to obtain, individually, an IN:
terest in the land they cultivate? They
have muscle and mind-the two elements
of honest uealth-and when these are
stimulated by the opportunity to pur.
chase lands to live upon and cultivate, |
believe they will become An industrious,
frugal and happy people and not till
then may we expect their "Perfeetion:"-
s. W. Marston, d. D., in Religious Her.
aid.