Year: 1872

THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY UNREGRLIIED-


THE PLANTERS PROSPERING WITH FREE


IABOR-THE NEGROES MOSTLY sIilfiLL5a


AND UNSTABLE-SCARCITY OF HE'LL.


IPRoN THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT or TlE TRIBuNEl


WASHINGTON, Beaufort Co., n. c., sept. o.
The people Of North Carolina do not regret the abolition
OF slavery They world not have their negroes Daek'
even il ncy could be guaranteed their peaceabe posses
sion for all future time and public opinion throughout
the country sustaining the Institution. Here ana there
I'm this State have met man who before he could make
M his mind TO vote for Mr. Greeley had to conquer
mighty prejudice. When such men begu TO talk about
the sacr ice they make supporting an old AbOonst
the popular reply is "Wcll perhaps you would Ike
to have your niggcrs back a-aini' This brings
Them TO their senses, 1 have vet to hnd
the first man in the state, except the rice
planters on the Cape Fear River and those who
hired out their slaves in South Carolina and Alabama


who ar, not better of today than they would have been
had the institution of Slavery been allowed 10 remain
after Lees surrender. Il "a mistaken idea, though
prcvnlen one among Of the planters themselves


nat the loss of their slave property the cause " Their
present poverty. II the loss Of capital invested IN
other WAYS ana the destruction Of every kind Of bust


ness by the war that made the Southern people poor


FREE LABOR RENrNERATIvE TO THE PLANTERS


was particularly interested, TO-DAY, in conversation


had with one the most successful cotton planters IN
this nciChborhood lie saying, what had heard so
often remarked before, that man in the south
desired the revival OF NidNtll even II ht t'" N ~
under the most favorable circumstances. and asked
him how the profits OF farming with free labor to-day
compared with those Of labor before the war. He
replied that planter had to-day capital 10 invest in
stock and implements fertilizers and provisions, tocarry
him through the season he could make more money IN
raising cotton with labor than he could under
the old system "why," said he, 81 owned all Of the
piggers worked on my plantation before 1865 and, al
though had then 10 pay much larger amount
~ property my farm yields me, not only much larger
percentage on the amount OF capital invested but abso.
ucly brings me In money at the end OF the year.
Many Of our people just settling M their old debts
contracted during before the When they have
paid them and those which grew ont Of short crops sew
eral years in succession since nothing but bad govern
ment can interfere with their prosperity"


"But" said l. "n riding through your country see
great many uncultivated fields


Yes - he replied "but that is not because planting
Is uuprodtabe but because cannot get the labor or
have not the necessary capital Free labor costs us
much less than slave labor did. II wished to hire
Acldhand before the war had 70 pay his owner from
$500 TO $3.50 a year. beside giving bond 10 feed and
clohe him properly furnish him proper medical attend
ance II sick aud pay all taxes due on his account The
cost OF owning negro was about the same, II you
counted the expense OF his care and support taxes in
terest ON capital invested aud the expense OF supporting
the aged and children Now can hire the same hands
FOR from SO TO SIS month beside houserent and ra-
"t''N~'
bat, the whole, the labor is much cheaper


1IiR NEGROES UNSTEADY WORKERS.


The chief objection which hear the planters urge 70
free labor is their inability TO control It formerly. II
a gang Of hands make up their minds togoof day at
anv time they generally 60 matter what may be the
condition OF the crop Besides this very few Of them
especially when they live within few miles Of tovr,
are willing 10 work than five days in week. The


most OF the planters pay their help weekly one-halt OF
their wages retaining the other half until the crop Is
made The negroes GET their weekly allowance on


Friday night and are IN until they have spent It,
Very few Of them save .lytning those who work by
tie month are almost invariably in debt az the end Of
the wear 10 the fun amount OF the due them. Some
of the more thrifty Of the colored men cultivate the
CROPS for share the produce. II farmer furnishes
the land the seed, fertilizers, tools and team and
neo furnishes the labor the latter receives onehrd
OF the crop. II he negro furnishesahs own team and
implements and one-half the seed, and the planter
foeds the mules, the negro receives one half
Of the crop. II the negro does the labor and
also furnishes his own team and feeds H. he receives
twohrds Of the crop Tits system has been found 70
De the most satisfactory many parts Of the state and
vet " "A seldom that crop viii he properly tended even
when the freedmen interestedfn It, without the con
slant supervision Of the planter. I saw IN sampson
County sight that could have been seen IN the
entire South before the white planter IN his cotton
field at the head Of his gang Of men. on inquiry /
learned several young planters hving M the vicinity
Of Clinton conquered their preudices and their In
disposition work. and had this year. led their hands
~ the cotton aud nneds In hiring their help in the
Winter. 10 Lad been Of the conditions that the men
should 90 as much work the planter did himself a1d
that any who did not keep his az" should be
discharged The result has been that these men have