, 1862-12-09

We have often said that The abolition Of sIa
very will be in our Southern States what it
was in the British West India Islands, mere
change Of relation between parties-mastcrs
Will become employers, slaves hired men, pro-
yidcd the former acquicscc pcaecably in the
social revolution, as the masters iu those
Islands did; but if the masters undertake to
resist thc authority which dcerccs the freedom
ofthcir slaves, they will almost certainly in
yolTc themselves and their entire section in
trouble. The slaves know that the decree has
gone forth, and they will claim their freedom
as right. This thousands have already done,
and many men Who were their oHncrs and
masters have had the good sense to yield to
tie incxor'blc logic Of necessity and keep
their people upon their plantations in Il new
reMtion- In Louisiana this quiet, social rcyo-
luton las progressed further than in anY
otller place; but We learn from the following
letter from Fairfax Court House to the New
York zi'ms, that the change Of relation Of
whleh we arc speaking has begun in Eastern
Virginia:
My recent visit within the rebel lines gave
me Il coveted opportunity again to talk With
the rebels at their homes, have frequently
done This before in the northern half Of Viz
ginia during the last three months What a
change has come over The people during that
space Of time Then every one YOU met
mail, woman and child, was m active scces
sionist, boldly a1owing and urging their right
to ADOPT the reasonable course being pnr-
SLED To-day it is just as difficult to lind an
open scccssionist, outside Of the army, rs it
was before to find d Union man. Even tho
women, who have, in fact, done more than all
Inc iaws under which the JEFF Davis Con
1f;dezacy is governed, to fill up and bolster up
as the good housewife does Sometimes. - that that
their cake is all dough- Secession, IN
leavened by the influence Of woman, is san
ped OF all vitality. The children, too, who
t"o years ago were taught to prattlc treason
ma III pnL On me Gated insignia, are beginning
i'll some instances, arc found wearing the
eagle upon their breasts, and denying, when
asked. that they arr seccssionists. The men
everywhere are disguised with the war and
well they may l,e. When Fernando Wood
spoke Of t'settlcmcnt Of This affair hv
peaceful measures" he knew what be was
talking about; lie was but acting as the
mouthriece of q majority Of the people In
TINS State--a majority who have been exceed
ingly anxious to know for gear past what
th1s war IS really about, and why Virginia is
made nj t'ac battle-ground. We're JEFF. Davis and
~ J.
believe that the people would ask to be re-
stored to their former position in the Union.
There is 10 longer to be heard the talk Of the
desperado among the people, old or young;
but it is rather the language Of cnlprits, dread
ing the punishment they fear may come upon
them for their misdceds. This change in
feeling has been mainly brought about by
the emancipation proclamation. That was
the first intimat1on to the people Of the
South that the government really was in earn
est in its attempts to crush the rebellion.
Since that day, every negro in this section Of
Virginia has been to all intents and purposes,
free. Farms are now cultivated, and other
branches Of industry so on as before, By the
ga ga OF colored hands, but their labor is paid
Tor, and paid for well, too-for the average
wages received by the eS.slayes is twelve dol
!ars per month. One man who did own one
year ago $50 head Of "niggers, u now confesses
that he likes the emancipation proclamation.
9 because It makes the g 'niggers'' work better.
Ihosc VINO have remained with him are paid
liberally, and, as have already stated, lie is
satisfied. That sufficiently accounts ior tie
increased amount Of work performed.