210 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
July, 
racter; and an opinion was very generally entertained, 
that there was no necessity, much less propriety, for a 
young man to labor. But how was their time to be 
spent ? To do something, is natural to our wishes and 
habits, and if we are not engaged in something useful, 
we can hardly be kept out of mischief. It was not the 
fashion then to give, except to a favorite son, a finished 
education ■ but as the majority would not stay at home, 
where they did nothing, they sought after some employ¬ 
ment to spend their time, which employment would na¬ 
turally be found where others, like themselves, congre¬ 
gated ; and that was in public places, and in public or 
private amusements. In this, they only followed the 
example of their fathers, who in most instances, after 
a slight morning survey of the farm would be found 
either at the country store, or at the tavern. These 
certainly, could not be the places where an agricultural 
community could better its condition ; where having fled 
from the labor or hasty direction bestowed upon the 
farm, they were strongly tempted either to unnecessa¬ 
rily spend the avails of its produets, or to form habits 
of the grossest dissipation. Hunting and fishing were 
harmless occupations, compared to those taught in 
these unfortunate gatherings; and how many fine estates 
have I seen spent, and their owners, and" the natural 
heirs of them, beggared by the indulgence in these idle 
and vicious habits, practiced by nearly a whole commu¬ 
nity ! In my mind’s eye, I can now run over a long ca¬ 
talogue of persons, who at that time were some of our 
most promising young men, who have fallen victims to 
those habits of the times, and the estates which they 
ought to have inherited, passed into the possession of 
others. 
These were the times when the blacks only labored. 
The white man considered himself above labor. The 
earnings of the slave, therefore, while they contributed 
to his support, likewise did their share of his ruin. True, 
in comparison to population, we had not as many slaves 
as they have at the south; but we had enough to till 
our land as it was then tilled, and thus take from us a 
useful and necessary personal occupation. The labor 
done by the slaves, had to support the white man and 
his family, who were only consumers, besides support¬ 
ing the slave and his family. Here were useless 
mouths to feed, useless backs to clothe—and successful 
indeed was that farmer, who under this management, 
could at the end of the year, make both ends meet. 
When I recall to mind the imperfect method of cultiva¬ 
tion practiced at that time—the want of comforts for the 
use of man—of care for his stock—the appearance of 
his farm, fences and outbuildings—the quantity of land 
lying waste—the imperfect formation of roads and brid¬ 
ges—the want of school-houses for the education of 
children—of churches to collect the population on the 
sabbath—and the general lack of prosperity pervading 
a’most all classes, I but recal what I have too often 
witnessed, and the recollection is too vivid to be soon 
effaced from my memory. 
The morals of the community corresponded to these 
outward appearances. It was then the custom for the 
men, both old and young, of a neighborhood, by 11 o’, 
clock in the morning, to collect at the nearest public 
houses—of which in many townships there were scores 
—remain drinking and talking over the news until high 
noon—leave for their dinners, and by 5 P. M. to re-col¬ 
lect to indulge more freely in drinking or gambling; 
and to while away the time, possibly at a cock-fight, or 
horse-race, or have a fight among themselves. About 
12 o’clock at night they retired to their respective homes 
to re-enact the same or similar scenes the next day. 
These were events of almost daily occurrence. Idle¬ 
ness was the parent of immorality, -and that in turn 
brought about the rum of tens of thousands of families. 
When we had arrived at about the acme of this state 
of society, emancipation of the colored race was called 
for. At first, much objection was made to it by most 
of the owners of slaves. The cry was —“ we shall be 
ruined. Who is to work our estates ? The communi¬ 
ty will suffer for the want of laboring men, and we all 
will be impoverished together.” But the good sense 
and patriotism of the freemen of our State, prevailed 
over all the objections urged; and depend upon it they 
were not lightly pressed by able advocates; and our bill 
of emancipation, after a long and severe struggle, at 
length became the law of the State. I am not aware 
that much difficulty, for any length of time, was crea¬ 
ted by this change in the manner of working our estates. 
Blacks that were liberated, were hired in many instan¬ 
ces, and in a short time a white population came for¬ 
ward, and all the labors of the farm went on with more 
than the accustomed energy. The sons of the farmer, 
instead of spending their time in idleness and dissipa¬ 
tion. from necessity, as it were, became producers in¬ 
stead of consumers. All the industry of the commu¬ 
nity was called into requisition. It became popular for 
all to labor in their several vocations, according to their 
respective abilities, and after the lapse of about twen¬ 
ty-five years, an entire change has been wrought in the 
whole state of society. 
As to laborers, the vacuum thus temporarily created 
was more than made up by white men, and the effect 
produced by the change, has been productive of the 
most wonderful and propitious results. The whole face 
of nature is changed, and all around gives evidence 
that a great work has been slowly, silently and happily 
accomplished. The uncomfortable old houses of the 
farmers have given way to new and more commodious 
ones. The outbuildings are enlarged, improved, and 
made ornamental to the establishment. Fences in most 
instances, are made that will secure the growing crops; 
waste land improved and brought into successful culti¬ 
vation; the stock changed into objects of beauty sis 
well as profit; the roads, bridges, school-houses and 
churches, such as do credit to an industrious, intelli¬ 
gent, thriving moral and religious people. These are 
the fruits of free labor, calling upon every man to 
act well his part in society; and the bounties of Provi¬ 
dence that have followed, are the strong evidences of 
what well directed industry will accomplish. 
That the benefits flowing from this state of society 
have been fully realised, as far as pecuniary profit is 
concerned, I will here give by way of illustration, con¬ 
clusive proof. In the town in which I reside, the soil 
of which is easily worked but not naturally very fertile, 
I well remember the time when few men had money to 
loan, and but little of it could be procured. Were it 
necessary, I would now name the individuals, but that 
is not required. How is it now ? In a rural popula¬ 
tion of about 4,000 in the town, and for about four 
miles each way around me, I know that, independent 
of real estate, they have at least a million of dollars on 
loan, and this in most instances belonging to farmers. 
I will give one more illustration to show that on this 
point I cannot be mistaken. Within my time, and that 
has not been very lengthened, lived a farmer near me, 
who had about 700 acres of our best land, and a per¬ 
sonal estate of about six or seven thousand dollars, ob¬ 
tained by inheritance. He cultivated his land with se¬ 
ven or eight negroes, and had a corresponding number 
of females and children. The owner of these was so¬ 
ber, intelligent and careful, so far as he thought was 
then required. He had a family of sons and daughters. 
He died in 1815. His personal estate was spent. 
His real estate was divided among his children. To 
one son he gave his homestead, and about 160 acres of 
land. This son discarded the slaves after a short trial 
•—hired his labor done, and although not more econo¬ 
mical nor attentive to his business than his father was 
