, 1864-04-06
TIE CONDITION OF THE NEGROES,
The Pre8cr.S Si=:Es Ii @..1 FS1edmzn
In tho Miesls4lypl Valley.

TIE CONDITION OF THE NEGROES.
The prescr.S Stains Ii .1.s Ft1edmz.,
In tho miss1ssiyp1 Valley.
The War versus the Teaiury Department.
tspecial Correspondence. OF the Chicago Tribune.
V1cKsRuno, March a6, 1861,
WHAT SHALL WE DO WITH THE EEaRos
The country has been agitated ever since
the rebellion broke ont, about the flnal dis
position Of the negro. Like most other
questions Of policy which look formidable In
the distance, and explain themselves In rood
time, this which hRd puzzled statesmen. has
been happily solved by the stern teacher-war,
When General Butler laid down the true
Law OF our country, that in this war the negro
wss "contraband," he happily solved tho
problem. The status of the negro was de-
termiDed, all the rest was merely question
Of municipal government. Drifting with the
tide Of moral sentiment and expediency, we
drst employed the black man to dig, to drive,
to work, TO serve-then to bear arms, and
bnild and hew In our military service. Thus
fsr, for the able-bodied negro we had founda u
place and purpose; right, u responsible,
1ty-saving, perhaps, the single one OF cx-
change as prisoner Of war. The question,
however, was not exhausted The females,
the iphrm, the young, the aged, require our
attention. =,
TIE 1ApoR pRoB1EM. '-'s -
It was natural that ut time like this when
labor was 80 scarce, when the enemy had
maintained such an adyantageorer Us by his
organized slave labor, the negroes sheuld haye
been expected to labor On the sideof freedom,
on the side Of their de1Iyerers! By their very
existence they We're eminently fitted to sup
ply the unprecedented gap in the labor of the
world. Common sense no less than national
economy pointed them to their accustomed
task of raising cotton while they. were learn
ing the first lessons Of freedom.
In the Mississippi Vallcywherc the bulk Of
ment was tried Last year; although not ia
vorcd OF elements or enemies the result was
successful. The fitness and the improvement
ofthe negro in his new condition Was de-
monstratcd.,- The scheme though devised
amid the drawbacks and rcverscs of war mud
reverscs by Adjuant General Thomas, was on
the whole an e17oeri'n<..s'un eTassas. On the
first Of January, In conformity with the Law
pnhscd BY Congress for the cont1scation Of
property belon1ng to rebels, the task was
transferred from the War to the Treasury De-
paftmcnt, including the leasing and cultlya-
tion Of abandoned esfates. This latter must
have been an oversight as the colonization Of
the insurgent districts with free 1aboris in
no sepse revenue measure, but would have
more properly belonged to the War or Into.
rior DEPARTMENT. or atill better to an Agri-
cultural or Bureau for Freedmen's Affairs.
TIE TREASURY REGULATIONS"
n strict fact the measure Inns In 9ortnnt
political as well as plilanthropic bearings.
In changing the character Of tho labor Of halt
the country VIC arc ineyitab1y tearing down
q social structure and replacing 1t with bet
ter; We are uprooting bancful and deep seat
cd political prejudices and in their stead sow-
ing seeds Of enlightened and healthful policy.
districts was hopeful, and astonishing. The
demonstration by Gen Banks, in Louisiana,
by free labor, killed by its coatagioa more
enemies than his bayonets. Besides working
the b1ack ndyantageously to himself, his eul-
ploycr and the Government, he ordained
regulations which di=sip2ted the prejudices
oil D generation. His scheme Is now in sue
cessiul operation oTer the greater portion Of
Louisiana
Not SO, however, the system Introduced
ty, tie agent of A[r. Chase further up
: the river. Mr.. Mellcn. apparently anxions to
blow demolished all the fabric raised with so
much pains BY his predecessor. Instead of
the five hundred plantations which had been
applied for under the old system, there were
not at a late day forty plantations being
worked by icssees under the Government.
Worse, the condition Of the negroes ut large
has been made worse, and there "a IN evident
necessity for continuing the military super
vision. The revenue to, the Government Is
decreased, and fundamental provision of
the constitution violated.
TIE SPECIAL AGENTS AND TUE, COTTON TRADE.
The principal effect of the law which com
,mitted this important charge to the Treasury
has been to increase. the large number Of
officials and favorftes, who are now pre- sing
Gu the public purse, with unquestionable de-
signs upon the coming elections.
We venture to assert, and think We can
prove, that the present "permit SYSTEM of
trade IN this valley is the most gigantic pub
lie p1undezing that This much plucked milton
has ever suffered. This is partly BY the very
loose and inadequate provision for the pun
islment Of fraud; and also by most unwise
clause In the regulations by which the in
fornant who shall libel the property Of the
enemy secures halt the proceeds Of It's sale
sitter cling proper bonds- The legitimate
cIpal, indeed, almost the only llhellers, arc
the Treasury agents themselves, who. are
employing eub-ageuta in dozens to eeizo Ill
the cotton In the country. Let no honest
taxpayer suppose that the exchequer receives
lalt the value Of ill confseated cotton. By
process known only to the initisted, the
Government is cheated Of nincteen-twen-
tiethE, and It Is only through the falling ont
of these peculators that any gets into the
Treasury. At this time there f5 q violent
quarrel between the Vicksburg and Aatchez
agents for the spoils Of Office.
it ie well understood that the two fanc-
tions commonly supposed to be performed
by these agents-prevention of contrablnd
smuggling and collection Of reyenue-are
not BY any means effected. Contrariwise,
smuggling through the custom house is In
as Of old. It Is doubtful If the revenue
raised 1I, these of1lc1ale, after paying cost Of
collection, On all the trade between Cairo and
New Orleans, exceeds the amount of one
Cent Fer pound on I'll cotton and tobacco
passing tEr4ugh those points. Further, the
Special Agent, Mr. Mtlien, has imposed i tax
OF two cents per pound on ali cotton raised
BY free lnbor, without the least shadow Of aa.
thority.
THE MISSION OF GEN THOMAS.
TIE authority vested In Gen. Thomas by
tie Secretary cf War was Sufficient for tho
purposes OF the enlistment OF negroes and
tic system Of labor. The authority of Sec.
Ee1ary Chase under Congress became co-ordi.
nate The duties and priyiliges Of each of
there respective agents are nowhere clearly
defined. Cooperation is necessary The
Treasury cannot employ l1borers wfthou.
ployed they become -sonrce Of evil and ex-
pcnsc to the Government and the army. The
government Of negroes and citizens is for the
time marital Mr.. Mellen's interference
all conctJ med, the negro and the colonists Of
The country. at this moment there orc eight
hundred animals starving TO denth In Vicks-
burg lawfully in the custody Of the Treasury
officials Who have no proSisfon for such ser
vice.
We are glad to observe that the pfesidsu.
las entrusted Gen. Thomas with ample
forces for the most iudicious division and CO.