Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-12-05
NEGRO FARMERS.

Blessing; AT Others a. Curse.
A Live Oak, Fla, correspondents of the
New York Sun, thus writes of the negro a.
an agriculturist:
The ante-bellum negro, as handed down
by tradition. is very different fellow from
his post belium brother. Then be was do
Gle, ohedien5 and valuable. He was cor
rect In department., earnest in labor, and
worthy at least of the self that gave a SAVIOR
to his daily menu. When peace breke out,
the negro, from slave, suddenly became a
full-hedged American citizen-eligibls to
either the Office Of President of the United
States, or one OF the units that made
up the chain gang. Ignorant as
newborn babe usnered into the
world without a canl, the carpee-naggers
taught him his a B CPS, which, being strict
~ interpreted, meant forty acres and
mule"-age of he mule net given. With
this motto worked in upon the nerves and
tissues OF his exotic being, he lcnged. ard
prayed, and waited. The forty acres were
there or eTeabouts, but there were no title
DEEDS to the land. The mule lifted up its
voics like one crying aloud in the wilderness,
but it took green backs 20 stihe the song of
assoIation. The negro, bsguiled by the
siren song OF tho Yankee missionary,
breaker upon the shifting sands
of city life. Meantime what was the plantar
to do! He had plenty of land. but very little
money. de could manage few months,
and SO he watched and waited. Els time
soon came. Tbs negro could not live on air,
and swill barrels were kept under loek and
key. The heart of the carpet Dagger hard
ened as hardened tbs three gentlemen who
were exposed TO the fiery furnace seven
times heated, and Sambo was forced to go to
work. 1t was q season of mourning with
him, fer he thought that lbarty meant Ii
eeuse, and being of Gods chosen people, the
mamma falling from heaven weuld supply
all his wants. Here is where he gos left. As
one OF his own poets says;
Oh, sister, when your foot strikes Zion
De ole shoe turR up at de toe,
De ole man hat go hipity flop,
an de white mopf knock ut de do.
Poverty 10 a great levaler, and iE knocked
Sambo out in one round. He went back to
the OLD plantation and hunted up his old
master. or somebody elsa's old master, to
make what terms as could. OF course, his
old master was a Colonel. Few get below
that rank mere. The Colonel had plenty OF
land, but very little money. He had credit,
though. There were very few traitors in
the South during the period of reconstruc-
ton, ana they held Office under the Repub-
hcan Administration. So the Colonel and
SsInbo Joined hands 10 work out the solution
of the regensrarsd South. The Colonel told
Saubo to take all the land be wanted. Hs
would give MIN a grub stake, and they would
divide the profits. SAmbo, with a joyous
heart and a very small segment of con-
science, accepted the offer. The Colonel fur
nlshed mules, implements, seed, crediB at
the store ami other facilities, and Sambo
furnished the physical labor and the socisty.
Now began a desperate effort on the pars
of the negro to beat dat white man. 1t
was strange now many tkings were required
at the store, the blacksmith shop, and all
other places where anything was TO be
bought. Plow points were continually
getting broken, and it was singular how
many piow lines Totted under the infu-
sncs of few general rains. So the process
of agriculture continued, while a sort of
black bonCo business went on. At length
the Colonel discovered that Sambo's account
at the STORE oyerran any pcSSlEls profit bnat
mignt accrue to hIM from the partnership:
SO ne smut down on any further reveiFy.
Then ths trouble began. The negro began
TO steal the cotton and The Germ as it hnatured,
ana to confiScate as many loads of lightwooa
as he could possibly do undiscovered. There
could be but one result Of the disagreement.
The crop did not pay expenses. Sambo went
to fresh pasture.
Years have gone by sincs that experiment
was tried, and what do we hnd2 Has the
negro, as farm laborsr, improved anYl
Not one particle. He is thoroughly uEtruss-
worthy ana almost incoRtrollabis. He sesEna
to De deceitful beyoa6 comparison, with no
spark Of gratitude in his nature. He is
standing always upon his dignity as q free
man, and is necessary nuisance as long
the present conditions of labor remAia. The
white planters are partly TO blame Ter this
condition of affairs. They could have filed
the places of these negroes with fine white
tsuantry equal to the splendid force that
rules in the North and West. They could
have gathered them in hen gathers her
chickens, but they would not.
The ration given negro farm lAborer
weekly is enc peek OF meal and four pouRds
Of bacon, either smoked or salted. In sithsr
case tns bacon IL often e very sorry article.
If the negro chooses hs can take half msal
and half sweet potatoes. 1t he measures
the potatoes himself he has o regular picnic
in the trade. The quarters furnished him
are log ca bins, rude, but comfortable, and
he has his tirawood free of tax. Neither
food nor shelter would suit the thrifty toll
eFs who have made the far West the wonder
and admiration of the civilized world; but
they suit the average negro. he seems -
be incapable OF apprsGia5ipg anything bst-
ter.
The married nsgrs farm laborer is . much
bsttsT fellow than his single brother. The
latter is more of nuisance than a hslp.
Waen you hire aim ne will cheerfully attach
his valuable autoGTaP h-niddia name A--to
any ironclad CONTRACTS you Navy draw Rp,
aud as cheerfally break said contract toe
next day If 1t suits hiN SO TO DO. He il
suTly, insolant, and disehedient, He de-
mands holiday every Saturday, Nearly
every slght, when he should De wrapped in
sleep dreaming of Unlimited 'possuLa and
roast 'taIsrs, he is proving over Che country
On aRler0us thoughts intent. In consequence
thereof, he appears the next nlorning haR
asleep, and fulflis his daily task in a sllp-
shod manner. Should he bs plowiRg
in the field and q strange nsgFo ba sean
passing along tho road, he will arrange it 80
shat they Iaaet at the fenee and gu hour or
more viii be given up 10 Intellectual eenvsF.
safion. Doubtful points in political economy
and theology ara settisd, aud, altar brl!-
lianS interchange of ideas, SemDo viii re-
sumo bis rsipebaat work. Never cross him
if you Gan avoid IL. he will snbmit 60 no
dictation. You nust always he pahte, even
uhsaquioas 10 him. he u q stIles sticklaF
for etiquette, ans wili leavs you IN q mo-
msnE II you infringe en- his self-eSteeem,
Insult eim Gnd hs has q covert revenge, lie
is toa shrsHa TO resent openly, pe got sgaa
With you, he viii put pounded glass OF other
poison ia TIA fGsa hox, and the soul OF
aouse valuable horse or mule viii wing
its way TO the laila Of oRswhere, regardless
of your weeping aud wailing. Or some dark
Eighs &c viii put IRE IN your guRhurnt fields.
Al sines he Nay pen your pct cow i'll q
corner, aEd upon ghs poor dumb beast veal
his i'll nataFs threugh tho persuasive IN
hUeaes of a broken fence rail. / can imagine
nothing cr1slsr Ihau the ordinary Negro.
All this is prc2Rbay the result Of the taaeh-
. rNrlar