Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-02-08
SOUTHERN BLACKS.
A New Workers. View of the ssSun's"
Tourists Impressions.

FREDoNIA, Y. Y, Feb. 81 read with
interest the extract from the Charleston Ne1cs
and C0urier's Columbia letter. copied in one
Of your recent issues, in which the travelling
correspondent of the New York San is taken
to task regarding some of his statements rela-
tive to the treatment and education of the
negro in South Carolina, and various features
of the political situation.
had read most of the SUMS recent South
ern letters, and had been struck with the utter
absurdity and errOneOusness of some of that
correspondents statements and conclusions
The writer of this letter, although a
native New Yorker, has spent five
years in careful study of the South
and all questions and matters pertaining
thereto, through an unobtrusiye intermino
Cling with all classes of her people, in all sec
tlons of her territory. My Opportunities
therefore, have been such as few men-North-
ern men, at least-haye enjoyed for acquiring
accurate and complete information from
which to make deductions and upon which
to base opinions.
In the light of the knowledge thus acquired,
some OF the statements made and views ad-
Yanced with so much self assurance bv this
Sun correspondent, who has spent few weeks
in superficial observation Of a few limited
localities, appears, as l said, utterly absurd.
The Sun mans writings bear unmistakable
evidence OF opinions previously formed, which
par the way to an impartial view of the new
facts set before him.
His version of the South Carolina election
laws governing the polling places on election
day and his statements concerning the man.
agement OF registration of negroes ETC., is
suihclent impeachment Of the reliability of his
statements. 1t happened that the writer of
this letter was in South Carolina last july
during the term OF registration of voters, and
personally visited a number of the places
where the books were kept and the registra-
tiOn of whites and blacks was going on, in the
city of Columbia and in the counties OF Edge
field, Newberry and Chester, and in every
case negroes were registering as freely and
were afforded equal facilities with the whites.
In fact, during the early days Of the registra-
ton the negroes were far in the lead as
large class of the whites were hanging back in
dissatisfaction with the new idea of register
ing at all, and having to procure pass, as
they termed it, before they could vote.
Further than this, there were great num-
observation where white Democrats loaned
horses or mules to their Republican negro
hands to ride tn town for the express purpose
of registering, and advanced them money that
was not owing them to pay their registration
fee with. These are matters of fact that did
not come to me second hand, but transactions
witnessed with my own eyes.
do not pretend to say that these men went
thus far as an absolute matter of choice. They
would be fools if they did. But in that sec
tiOn, where the supply of labor is scarcely
equal to the demand, employers have to do
great many distasteful things in order to
retain their hands. And these Southern
employers, even when this feature is
not at issue, show their negro en-
plOyes manifestly more favOrs than
Northern employers would think of showing
their hirelings; fact so conspicuous that it
must strike the attention of every person who
sojOurns ever so brief a time in the cotton
States.
If the SUMS travelling correspondent remains
long in the South, and is gifted with the Ordi-
nary powers of observation and perception,
shall be curious to watch the gradual change
of the tone OF his letters with his increased
understanding of affairs-providing he be
honest in the expression of his views.
The NEWS elicts many favorable comments
upon its bright, newsy makeup, and pithy
editorials, among those who obtain occasional
copies from my table. 1t loses nothing by
comparison with the best dailies of our larger
cities.