y to what they hardly knew as
freedom; the confusion incident upon military occupation (and the
contradictory directions given concerning the year's crops); the
abundance of money where the cotton-agents and officers were
stationed, and the high wages promised and often obtained, at Hilton
Head and Beaufort; the lateness of the cotton crop, the poorness of
the seed, the uncertainty and doubt and want of system in regard to
the management of the crops; the drafting of the able-bodied men at a
critical period, their hardships and subsequent distrust and fear, or
idleness and insubordination; the changing of superintendents, the
fewness of both superintendents and teachers; and lastly, the shameful
delay in the payments, causing distrust, carelessness, neglect of
plantation work, and in some few cases, suffering for want of the
means to purchase clothing. It is too bad to treat people so, and it
is wonderful how much they have done and in what an excellent state
they are, under these discouraging circumstances. If they were assured
of a market at the end of the year, and sufficient money advanced them
to enable them to get "sweetening" and clothes through the year, I
would trust my plantations to go right ahead, put their crops into the
ground, and insure to the Government a handsome surplus next November.

The cheerfulness and hopefulness of the people in regard to next
year's crops, and the interest they take in their success, is
surprising. "If we live to see," "if God spare life," they say, "we
will plant early, and begin in time, and then you will see. O--yes,
sar."

Mr. Philbrick is appointed cotton-agent for this crop. He is going to
have the cotton ginned here, not at New York. Good seed is scarce. The
improved seed, the result of many years' cultivation and selection,
was lost to the island by the policy of ginning last year's crop in
New York.

FROM E. S. P.

_Oct. 27._ When in Beaufort last Wednesday, I got leave to pay off my
people with my own funds, through the paymaster, Mr. Lee. So he came
here next day, and I advanced the funds, $649. I sent Joe out to tell
the people to come and get their money, but they didn't come with the
usual promptness; bye and bye two men came to sound the way, the rest
held back. I laughed at them and sent them off with the chink in their
pockets, after which the rest came fast enough. They were evidently
afraid of some trap to press them into United States service as
Gene