The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1897-02-12

I'd
Ccff.L On every planta-
lrhAe>p ton In the south
Eae ~ where there we're
~ as many az twenty
lyc grown slaves there was an overseer
and on the great plantations WheIe
there we're hundreds and hundreds OF
slaves there was o head oyeracor, Win
a force OF assistants with slave fore
men under them. all OF whom came be-
tween the slave and the master, juss as
captains and colonies come between
the private soldier and the general-in-
chief. for every plantation was sup
posed 10 be worked by a force organ-
lied as an army Is organized. with de-
tails for this and details for that, and
at the head OF all this organization
there was an overseer. the second IN
command. who was answerable alone
to the planter. Shrewd fellows were
these oyerseeTs as class ana men
proud OF their calling. The product OF
necessity. when the rich slave-ownera
gathered together more human cattle
than they could herd themselves, they |
formed a distinct and separate class,
the sons OF overseers being overseers
for generations and seeking the daugh- |
tiers Of oyersecra for wiyea
The position Of an overseer on rich
plantation was not only Responsible
one. but one Of influence In the COM
munity. Wealthy planters spent much
OF their time away from their planta-
lions and upon the overseera. az their
representatives. deyolved not only the
duties but the influence common TO the
head Of a great business.
Though rarely ever explicitly au.
thorlzed to &C, independently, they gen
orally attended. not only 70 the pur-
chasing Of supplies. equipments. etc.
but at the end Of the season shipped
the years crop TO the agent AZ Charles
ton. Mobile or New Orleans and saw
that the planter received his proper re-
turns: 80 that. 50 FAR AZ being a mere
slave driver. az he has been generally
presented. the oyerseer was. IN many
instances. a capable man Of affairs. hll-
ing practically the place Of Al English
steward and relieving his self-lndulgeni
employer OF practically all the duties
OF his position except the agreeable
one Of posing as a grand seignlor on
the proceeds OF his slaves labor.
Then. Of course. there was the over
seer Of the little planter who ran ten
or a dozen plows that he could well
have attended 10 himself This man
was. o. a rule. a hack-a mere toady-
ing taskmastcr. Bringing TO his EN-
ployer and bullying the negroes under
him: staying In no place for more than
year at a time and demoralizlng every
plantation that he undertook TO run.
To this class IL due the odlum that a.
the north attaches 10 the name. But
I will not deal with them. They arc
not an entertaining study.
The position Of a head oversesr on q
rich plantation was. a. ! have intimat'
ed. one Of grea, responsibility. There
we're many plantations In the south
that embraced 10000. 1900. 5000,
acres OF land. upon which there wer'
employed from 900 70 1000 slaves
There we're a great many planters Wit
owned several plantations lying iaI
apart. with an overlcer upon eloh. Thi
planting was big business Firs
there was the question Of hlllng sew
eral hundrcd hungry mouths and GOV
erlng several hundred bodies will
proper clothing. TO be solved; house
had 10 be KEEP, In repair, knltier'
weavcrs. millors, carpenters. SMITH
shoemakcrs. an had TO be kept en-
b ployod TO the best advantage 70 suppl
p the needs Of the plantation. Grca
~ strings OF fence. miles and miles Ions
D. had 10 be kept up; and after this
T. profit had 70 be shown TO The plants
or there was a vacancy for a new over
seer Then there was the responslbillt
Tor a great body Of valuable slaves
n There we're masters who did no, pr'
" fcss 10 know their slaves on sigh
a. These slaves were worth much none!
and should they run away or die the
were loss that a master. howcv'
lndolcn, and self-lndulgent. would M
BE- pailent with. Not even the amb
ton 10 excel as a farmer mus, be a
lowed 10 blind the oversecr 10 the We
fare OF his charges. n slave de
from overwork. the case was Invest
gated and a change made In the maj
aremen, another year. But hat q
overseer dealt with an the Questlol
that presented themselves with pas
ahle success "a evidenced by the n
that he not only held his ground, b
gained ground from year 20 year. unit
Al the breaking out Of the war, q
/, great cotton crop Of the south "
practically the product Of his ener
and generalshlp IN directing the eifoi
OF the Ignorant slaves IN hia char
But the oycrsoor can be viewed fr'
another point than that Of the bu
ness man OF the south. lie was a
llueal power His employers poll
was generally his. and In many
Iue stances his policy became his q
.on ploycFs. but no matter who ahar
vac the policy. Il was the ovorscer who s.
AT that the election went right The plat
,ry or who backed a friend Tor Congre
mr.. Governor or Legislature placed
ted management OF his campaign pra'
are cally In the hands Of the overseer, v
IAN was IN touch With the voters and kn
Al Ius, where and how to make every v