The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-04-06
Some Things about Alabama.
UNIoNTowN, March 80,

UNIoNTowN, March 80, 81
We read great deal in the public
journals about the prosperity which has
burst on.the country and which it is al
legged overspreads, not only all parts OF
the North, but also has blessed the whole
South. | cannot speak positively with
regard to other parts of the South as /
can of the region where l reside; but GER
tainly whatever may be the degree OF
prosperity elsewhere, and we should all
be glad to know it pervaded the whole
land, we have no knowledge of it in this
region, and of it practically we have no
experience. Indeed, so far as this part
of the South is concerned, it is the very
opposite of the truth. [ live in central
Alabama, and am familiar wit h this part
of the State and its fnanciel condition,
which is commonly called the canebrake
region. 1t lies between the Cahaba and
Tombeckbee rivers extending many miles
north and south of the Central Alabama
railroad l have also great familiarity
with the country east as far as Selma, and
west nearly to Meridian In all this re-
gion he corn and oats crops last year
were failures; and the number of planters
who have enough for their stock is very
small. [ know of only three or four,
though there may be more. This was
caused by the incessant rains which we
had all last year, except the month of
June, during which we had a drought
that burnt up our gardens. The same
causes produced its necessary effect on
the cotton crop, and there was secured
not over one-fourth of the usual average
crops. The result is that in order to
make the new crops, corn and oats have
to be bought, and there is nothing to buy
them with. The stock in consequence
looks worse than | ever saw it anywhere.
Living, also has been made very expen-
sive. Our bacon, corn-meal, -four, vege-
tables, etc., indeed everything, we have
to import from the North at prices such
as we used to pay at Richmond shortly
after the war
Many small planters have been wholly
broken up; have had to sell out and leave
the country Many negroes, who by in
dustry and economy had been able to buy
themselves mules and planting imple-
ments to raise crops on rented land, failed
to make ends meet and have lost every
thing; and now they have to begin again
at the bottom. Planters who have held
out generally have had to go into debt to
secure the means of putting in the crop
for this year. 1t will take two good crops
to put this region back financially where
it was one year ago.
One of the results of this condition of
things is that there has been a large emf
grafton from this to other parts of the
State or country. Of my own churches
can speak with more accuracy, and that
will give an illustration of the true state
OF matters with us. From my three
churches twelve families have removed.
and none have come in to take their
places. About one-half of these have
gone to other States Among these, two
of them were Elders families, and one
other Elder, whose loss would be very
great, is now in business elsewhere. and
may also be compelled to leave. Besides.
between twenty and thirty young men
have left, having been thrown out of
business, one-half Of whom were regular
attendants on my preaching, and several
OF them liberal contributors to my church
es. These emigrating friends have gone
elsewhere, with the hope of bettering
their condition and repairing losses. Q
But the emigration has not been con-
Gned to. the white population. The ne
groes have also been seized with the fever
and in like manner large numbers have
removed to other States, principally Mis-
sissippi Arkansas, and Texas. About
eight hundred have left this canebrake
region. Some have been beguiled away
by emigration agents who are paid so
much per head to carry them to the Mis-
sissippi swamp plantations, where cotton
grows luxuriantly, but away off from the
homes Of civilization. But, in like man
ner, many have gone with gentlemen
whom they knew, and who were them
selves emigrating One of my Elders
took eighty hands and their families with
them to Texas. A young man Of my
church took eighty hands with their
families to the Mississippi bottom. In
these instances they knew their employ
ers, both in times of slavery and freedom /;
some of them had been slaves in their
families, and many more had been in their
service on their plantations here. With
such men they go cheerfully, because
they know them and can trust them.