The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1864-12-02

'hS '""o'epoO W Soulpu'sOt inoot' Az
customed TO labor only under the in.
auence Of the lash, and performing only
jest that amount OF work which will ex.
empt them from punishment. they have
contracted habits which still cling TO them
habits which only time and. association
with white laborers can wholly eradicate.
Their love Of "tbe root Of all evil"
money, is as great as that Of their mizerly
white associates, and their love Of dress
and show even greater. Pride is one Of
the strongest points in their character. and
it holds such controlling influence over
their whole being that it alone will lead
them to life OF usefulness. Organize
Southern society upon basis Of honor
able. remunerative labor; make pubic
sentiment like that at the North, that the
louDger and idIer are drones iD the hive
o human existence, TO be expelled there
from and Southern men, both white and
black, will then work with zeal, and earn
their bread in the scrip'ural way. "by
the sweat Of their brows."
In the past few months, / have seen
colored men as laborers in every depart.
ment Of work carried on in this part Of the
South, either by the citizens or the Gov
ernment, and l can unhesi,alingly sfiirm
that, as class, they are willing and eager
to work; seldom are they out Of employ
ment. In fact, il is q matter oil surprise
that class Of citizens should at once de.
vote themselves TO peaceful pursuits, who
have but recently felt the cruel yoke Of
the oppressor. have seen them in their
social gatherings, which, for general good
behavior. harmony and quiet, would hon
orably rival gatherings Of whittier class OF
citizens. "How do ye think" said fine
mulat:o man to me, a: one Of their picnics,
"do we act like free men 2" Another,
"Do you think we uns ought to be
free % &c. ..... .....
Asa class. they are religious and de-
vo,ional, having a strong tendency to su-
rers'i,ion. Old and young are eager to
acquire a knowledge OF the alphabet, to
learn 10 read and write. The schools es.
tablished in Murlreesboro are well at
tended. All who have opportunities TO
acquire an education avail themselves OF
them go They seem to be laboring 10 de-
serve their new -iouud freedom. These
are facts, calling to the conservative citi-
zen, who curses the war because it has
robbed him Of his negroes, and not be-
cause it has nearly subverted the Govern.
ment. Said Capt. D to me, few
days since. "Beiore this war, l was worth
forty thousand dollars now ] am worth
nothing my nlggers are all gone. ex.
cept one old woman; and Lord knows l
have done nothing for nor ag;n either
side." So much for bis neutrality. This
same man. worth at one time his forty
thousand dollars, said 10 me, II wish
there was not newspaper in the country.
I'd burn 'em all up. and never have an
other. 7hey's the cause Of this here whole
trouJie." Said Col. W, a wealthy
planter. "The niegers, sir, will not work.
only under the lash" He was formerly
trader. driving gangs TO Mississippi. and
made this assertion in the face Of the TACT
that one Of his own plantations is worked
under :fe system Of Tree labor. o.,
These men are living upon "hope de-
ferred." They expect that. il the Peace
Democracy succeed in elec,ing Mcclellan
10 the Presidency, the Emancipation
Proclamation will be rescinded, or ren.
dered nugatory in its operation ), and that
they will then be allowed to re possess
themselvesSf their slave property. For
this reason, they are very willing to hire
their negroes, or have them hired in their
immediate neighborhood and, If the
cbattel takes himself of TO distant PARTS,
or enlis,s under the Flag Of the Union, to
fight in its defense against their traitor
masters, they will take great pains to as
certain his Whereabouts, hoping that a
Mcclellan dynasty will obligingly dissrm
the colored patriot. and return him 10 his
owner. This is the hope of the larger
part of the Tennessee slaveholders.-
Fondly, ,enaciously do they cling to this,
their last hope.*
There are, however, some Union men
in this part of Tennessee, true. genuine
patriots /; and l will tell you how you may
know them. They are the men who flee
to the woods, or 20 the protection OF the
military. on the approach OF Wheeler or
Forrest with his ihieving band of cut
thToh'o "oy o'c sno ho" "po o'o oiuehy
bu,chered, in the presence of their tamil
lies, by guerlillas they are the men who
are for the subjugation ef every rebel in
arms and they are the ardent support.
ers Of Lincoln and Johnson. All lothers
are open or secret traitors.
There is a class OF soldiers for Nc
Clellan, class who will support the De-
mocracy; bu. they are either Potomac
men, who were won to be grea, partisans
of Mcclellan. through the kindness and
good treatment which that General was
wont 10 bestow upon his commands, or
else they are the ignorant, who are filed
with Iow-born prejudice and hatred Of The
Negro, and vote the Democratic ticket be.
cause they hate the Negro. knowing, as
they do full we'll, that that party embodies