worked very well in that way,
but it would be impossible to work the people on this island in that
way. They are too independent and too ignorant to see the advantages
of it, and too deceitful to enable any foreman to discriminate between
the lazy and industrious. Such a system, with the insufficient force
of white foremen we could supply, would be only a premium on deceit
and laziness, and would fail to call out the individual exertions of
the people.

The cotton crop will be worth, on this and Ladies Island, about
$40,000. I have stored twenty-five thousand pounds stone cotton[77] on
my plantations which will be worth at least $4000. The Pine Grove
people have done picking and commenced ginning this week. All the men
take hold of it readily. I can't find foot-gins enough here to gin
more than one fourth the crop, and I don't think it worth while to gin
by steam or horse-power, so remote as we are from mechanical
repair-shops. There are several power-gins which might be readily
fitted up in time of peace, but now it would cost too much. The
engines have been appropriated to sawmills in some cases, and worn out
in others, while the belting and other movable parts have all been
stolen by the negroes.

I have not yet decided whether or not to take care of these
plantations another year. General Saxton says he don't think our
relations with the people will be disturbed by the tax-commissioners,
but, if the estates are offered for sale[78] as they expect to do, I
don't see how he is to help it. I think I should like to buy this one
and see what could be done with the people. I should not expect to
make anything out of it. I don't believe much can be made out of this
generation by free labor, nor out of the next without teaching them to
read, and am sorry so little has been done as yet in the teaching
department. It is difficult to get people to stick to it, especially
in summer and during the unhealthy season.

I have already started ginning on nine plantations along this seaside
road and shall succeed in saving on the spot sufficient seed to plant
this island, I think. General Saxton has given me _carte blanche_ as
to ginning and general management of the crop. It seems to be his way
to leave all details to his subordinates, whom he holds responsible
for a proper result. If I had the same authority in New York I could
save something as compared with last year's crop, which was nearly all
eaten up by the brokers and ag