Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1883-11-30

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and is regarded more healthy than
tno bottoms. ! might have much to
say about the soil of the State. in
few places it is poor waxey and I'M
~ TO cultivate, but even this can be
made valuable by proper manage
ment. The summers are long and
warm.but seldom reach the extreme
heat of.many northern sections, sell
dom reaching 90 degrees. The win
tiers arc mild aud pleasant; ice sell
dom forms moro than an inch in
thickness in the extreme northern
part of the State. The bluff lands
around Natchcz, along the Mississippi
pi river are truly marvel of rich
ness and productiveness. Yet
strange to say this section is almost
a wilderness. In company with
friend went out in the country
some fifteen miles to see the former
greatness of this section. We passed
one plantation that before. the war
contained twelve thousand acres. The
planter usually raised two thousand
bales of cotton, worked some four.
hundred hands and had everything
in perfect order. But how Changed,
the old mansion in decayrand ruins
the wide and long verahdas which
were once beautifully carved and
festooned with flowers and vines,
are now in ruins; 4 few lazy, ragged
negroes could b seen lounging
around on the suiuIy side Of the old
house or perhaps one would be rid
ing poor, sleepy looking horse
through the old fields. In all this
distance | scarcely saw a. decent
house for a man to live in, and only
here and there a little cabin nestled
among the canes, covered almost over
with creeping vines, or hut like a
lone sentinel, out in the middle of am
old sedgc field, no fences, no barns, no
comforts, no churches, no schools, no
CHEEKY faces, no happy hearts except
perhaps the lazy negroes, who have
no care for the morrow. One could
not help feeling sad, as we rode along
the beautiful road and among the |
great live oaks aud spreading mag
nolias, interlocked with vines and |
canes, and especially to see and hear
the gentle winds moving among the
long moss which hung in fesioons
from tree to tree=a- sad picture and
one that will afford food in facts for
the most romantic to write. But |
'.life- is real, life is earnest What Is
the cause OF all this, and what the
remedyS. Until nowI never real
lied The curse OF slavery to the white
man. But here il is, the white man
raised up to do no work and 10 re-
gard it,'as degrading, entirely de-
pendent on negroes, mules, and cot
ton, without constitution, without |
without Control Of labor and |
and in some cases without brains, to
DO Anything except to hunt, fish and
drink. whisky. No wonder many of
The descendants Of the wealthy are
now in the penitentiarY, some III the
poor house, and many ofthcln tramps
md wanderers. No doubt some will
not thank ME for this gloomy picture,
yet it is a true one. But there Is an
'ther and brighter side even in the
section have just been desclfbingJ
here is some sign Of life set, / do
lot expect much from those who
we're born and raised here, but the !,
and isrich, the climate is good, and
fthcy will only change thcii. mode Of
they will soon make it SUR. j
BASS its former glory. This must be,
lone, raise less cotton, more grain,
,fass aild stock, cultivate less land,Il
.hd cultiyate'it better, cut lp their
arge plantations, sell or give away :