Year: 1865

Singular Apathy OF the Planters In South
Caroiina-Their Views About the Freed
neutrality-suspicious. to Employ White
Labor ON the PlnntatiOns-Chances for
Immigrants-The Rice Planters I'm a
Dilcmma-Thc Grain and Fruit Crops
New Route for Travel Northward, sc.
OUR CHARLESTON CORRESPONDENTS.
CHARLESTON, 8. c.. July Is, 1855.
To who in the past has been familiar with the
zeal always displayed by the people of the South
advocacy Of their peculiar institution and who has
witnessed the dogged tenacity with which they have
clung and fought for Its perpetuaton nothing be
more astonishing than the good grace, and might
almost say cheerfulness with which they have beheld
slavery-suddenly and at one fell blow-swept away
forever from their midst know not how TO account
Cor singular phenomenon In convesing recently
with many planters, who but few months ago


large saveowners found the apparent Indifference
the loss Of their negroes exhibited by them ALL and
of them went far to say that had they


the opportunity TO repossess themselves OF their slaves
they would refuse to avail themselves Of it,


WHAT PLANTERS THINK THE FREEDMEN


But this feeling must be understood Is not the re.
suit OF any change OF sentiment the part the plant
ers as the rights interests of the negro II
arises think, simply from the conviction which the
events Of the have forced upon their mind that the
African slave is. generally speaking lazy, thy reach-
and ungratefu and that the results Of and
compensated labor though perhaps less profitable in ap
pearancc, will be far satisfactory the end than


those OF the unpaid toll Of slaves They that with


free labor Is within their power 20 choose and retain
only the likelies field hands and rid themselves Mt
of the of all superuous negroes including the
young children, those too old to work and the sck
while the other hand the use OF slave labor
riy saddles them with the support OF army Of black
dependents utterly useless in OF the operations OF
planting So that, after ALL the dreaded abolition has
bright side too for the planters and they BEGINNING
To- recognize the fact.


EMPLOYMENT WHITE CHANCE FOR IMMIGRANTS
There IL very neral desire the part of many OF
the owners OF large plantations to secure white labor for
their lands This they propose do by the ord


nary process Of hiring the laborers but by dividing
their large tracts into farms Of suitable size, and by


letting these 10 industrious tenants a moderate rents
TO be paid In Kind of the crops raised The lands
under cultivation in this State are Of all degrees Of fer
ty, those IN the upper mountain region being
paratvey sterile, while the beautiful belt OF islands
which girdle seacoast present soil rich and fruit
fn that the plow Is an implement almost unknown TO
those who ill 1.-THE use Of thshoc alone having
ablod them for generations past TO raise crops which
were the admiration and envy Of their less fortunate
neighbOrs In the Interior Should II happen that the
propreors of these island lands decide TO them In
the manner have described chance win be az
forled to adventurous agrcuturts while In any event.


the hardy immigrants who reach your Northern cities
and who dsdan not TO their bread by the OF
their brows may be TO nnd any Of the Carolina
plantations abundant employment very liberal terms
GLOOMY PROSPECTS, FOR rHE RICE PLANTERS


II s generally admitted among practical here that


in ten years from the present time white labor will have
gained secure foothold among us, wherever Il
safely be made available But there s class OF land
from which there Is too good 10 fear that II must
remain excluded. aude 20 the rice plantations
Probably few Of your readers who have not themselves
beheld the wonders and ntricacies OF the cultivation OF
the rice plant have any Just idea OF the immense labor
requisite for the formation Of well ordered rice panta-
tion. Miles miles OF powerful dykes with mutu-
dnous suices and noodgaes In every direction, tell
wondrous tale Of diligence, skill and untrng persever
snce Gazing such plantation II Ia impossible TO
fuse admiration the tact which has directed the


labor Of devoid OF intelligence as the negro slave
TO the achievement OF results grand and imposing


Yet under the burning and amid the maia
rial exhaatons Of the artificial rice swamps II
only by black labor that these vast fields for the am


phbous plant could have been reclaimed and constructed


In the first instance and II only by black labor that their
cultivation now be kept Nay the rice planters
oil say with accord, that not only must they have
black labor succeed but compulsory black labor, and
nothing else. For the white man 70 attempt 10 lnbab


much less 90 work upon, rice plantation In the hot
son, is certain DEATH This being the case, and compu


sorry labor being (as the negroes have learned TO say
"payed OUT II clear that the rice planters are in


very bad way and that unless something should turn up
TO prevent the culture OF rice In South Carolina will
| long be thing Of the past


CROPS.


But while there Is literally no work whatever being
done the lands the other crops throughout the
State promise fair yield The harvesting OF the wheat IL
nearly over and, although In some localities II has
sustained considerable injury from rust aud smut in gene


.ne crop o @ has ee H1on caop pS WAS
corn now looks very well before In this state has
large extent Of country been planted with





Of the war; The planters also give favorable OF
| the minor crops-oats peas aud potatoes The fruit
crop Is by far the most abundant aud promising that
| have had for many years past. The yield OF ngs,
peaches and apples is particularly large.


| SoRruwARD, ny LAND,


In AT last open although the railroad repairs far from
being finished In travelling from Charleston TO New
York can take the cars TO Orangeburg, thence
by stage Columbia forty mile thence by stage 10
Winnsboro (thrty eight mesl where the railroad Ia
| resumed. From Wnnsboro you CO. via Charlotte, Ra.


leigh and Danvc all the way by rail TO Richmond The
route Ia very inviting in these hot days while
the thermometer ranges from ninety hye 10 hundred
degrees yet many who do not relish the idea of scasck


taking In preference 10 Awaiting themselves Of
II xf~~