I will take the five years immediately preceding the late
civil war and compare them with the five years preceeding
the last year's census-taking; and the contrast in the
number of cotton-bales produced will show the industry and
thrift of the black race as a consequent on the gift of
freedom:

_Years_ _Bales_
1857 2,939,519
1858 3,113,962
1859 3,851,481
1860 4,669,770
1861 3,656,006
----------
Total 18,230,738

_Years_ _Bales_
1878 4,811,265
1879 5,073,531
1880 5,757,397
1881 6,589,329
1882 5,435,845
-----------
The five years' work of _freedom_ 27,667,367
The five years' work of _slavery_ 18,230,738
----------
Balance in favor of freedom 9,436,629

Now this item of production is a positive disproof of Dr.
Tucker's statement, "that the average level in material
prosperity is but little higher than it was before the war."
Here is the fact that the Freedman has produced one-third
more in five years than he did in the same time when a
slave!

Another view of this matter is still more striking. The
excess of yield in cotton in seven years [_i.e._, from 1875
to 1882] over the seven years [_i.e._, from 1854 to 1861]
is 17,091,000 bales, being $1. If Dr. Tucker will glance at
the great increase of the cotton, tobacco, and sugar crops
South, as shown in Agricultural Reports from 1865 to 1882,
and reflect that NEGROES have been the producers of these
crops, he will understand their indignation at his
outrageous charges of "laziness and vagabondage:" and
perhaps he will listen to their demand that he shall take
back the unjust and injurious imputation