6$] LANDOWNERSHIP AMONG THE NEGROES 63 



outside the organization of slavery as much as they con- 

 sumed within the system. Notwithstanding this, the 

 fact remains that under the system of slavery, as it ex- 

 isted in Georgia, the negroes produced more than they 

 consumed. The proof and extent of the fact are ex- 

 pressed in the value of the slaves. The product of a 

 slave over and above his subsistence was capitalized into 

 his selling value. Emancipation dissipated such values. 

 Thus was left in the state only such wealth as was due to 

 the other factors in production, and this that was left 

 suffered a decrease in value owing to the breaking-up of 

 the co-ordinated system of production. If the slaves had 

 passed gradually into freedom they would doubtless have 

 carried with them considerable amounts of property. 



Although these negroes possessed no more property 

 in 1865 tnan when they were transferred to the American 

 soil generations before, they had received a training in 

 industry and civilization that placed them several cen- 

 turies ahead of their kinsmen left to develop in the 

 original habitat. Starting with the assumption that in 

 1865 tne negroes owned not an acre of land, it is the 

 purpose of this chapter to ascertain with what degree of 

 success they have brought this training to bear in the 

 acquisition of farms. 



By 1874 the negroes had acquired taxable titles to ^< 

 338,769 acres of land in Georgia. 1 The geographical 



1 Report of the Comptroller-General of Georgia for 1874, pp. 58-63 • 

 Georgia soon after the war adopted the policy of keeping the returns of 

 property made by negro tax-payers separate and distinct from the re- 

 turns of the whites. This was a fortunate provision since it has placed 

 within reach a valuable supply of material that serves as an index of the 

 progress the negroes have made in the acquisition of property. Espec- 

 ially important are these returns in relation to the matter of negro land- 

 ownership. For, however unreliable such a source of information may 

 be in regard to other forms of property and even touching the value of 



