Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-02-04
THE LESSEE SYSTEM.

1t is known to all that the partisans Of any
theory have several methods by which to dispose
Of any and all facts which come in visible conflict
with it, The shortest method is to deny them, or
to maintain, with the French wit that if they do
not conform to the theory it is only SO much the
wnse for the facts and no fault of the doctrine
which they fail to sustain.
Those who are not quite equal to this species of
intellectual audacity find it more convenient to
ignore the facts which are inconsistent with their
adola specus, as Bacon calls them, and thus get
quit Of troublesome difficulties by closing the eye
to their existence
Still another favorite way is to abuse all persons
who recite any facts which disturb the compacency
Of the selfsatsfed theorst. In this the facts
are neither denied nor ignored, but the question
Of their truth or falsity shifted into question as
to the motives of those who state them.
We may observe all these modes of operations
temporary press, belonging to certain doctri-
naire school, for the purpose Of hiding from
their readers the deplorabls condition of the
freedmen within our military lines in the South
west. Some deny the fact outright. They as
sert that the experiment of immediate eman-
cpation (whatever Mr.. Lincoln may have so
repeatedly said against it when recommending his
more excellent way, which Congress refused to
endorse) is complete success The lessee sys-
tenn Of hired labor on plantations is, they affirm,
marvel Of administrative economy, which already
demonstrates the superiority Of voluntary over
compulsory labor, Gas though there was any thing
" voluntary" in the condition Of homeless,
landess, and laboripg class" governed by military
decrees.)
There are others who blink all facts recited by
officers Of the army, agents Of the Government, or
members of the Sanitary and Christian Commits
sions who detail the sufferings of the freedmen.
There are journals which give no place to such
narratives. They dispose of disagreeable truths
by wearing binders over their eyes. And if
men will worship the "idols of the cave" what
more natural than that they should refuse to come
to the light2
Still others there are who, without being bold
or simple enough to deny or ignore the facts which
every body perceives to be true, join in clamor
against the motives of the people who disseminate
such pathetic statements 1t is, they say, only a
subtle and dsingenuous way of suggesting that,
after ALL slavery is better than freedom, at least
for Africans, in their present intellectual condi-
ton. Accordingly, these persons make light Of
the suferings endured by the blacks, as being sim
ply the incidents" Of transition state; and, as
the anointed interpreters of Divine Providence,
they aver that, " with all the misery that attends
and must attend the sudden liberation of millions
of slaves, God shows that he prefers that misery,
with its glorious and consequences, to all the
ease, comfort, or content which ever accompanied
firmly established and prosperous slave society"
While such are the common evasions pract,ed
by political phanthropists" of certain sort for
the purpose of Sinking the obvious duties of hu-
manity, it is gratifying to find that there few
among the docts7naireS who not only acknowledge
but wish to cure the "crimes committed in the
name of liberty" In illustration of this fact, we
have only to cite the following representation of
the New York Independent, Republican paper
of the most advanced school of anti-slavery ideas
but which, we are glad to perceive has the courage
and the honesty to take the responsibility of its
doctrines far enough to contend earnestly against
tie abuses which bring them into disrepute. In
its last number our contemporary, in speaking of
the lessee system" of labor, says:
hat system was never framed for the benefit of the
negro Like Gen Banks's, in Louisiana which in terms
was made depend the accord of the Government
and the planters tins stimulate the produc
ton cotton and to relieve the military authorities from the
Danten nee Of an emancpated population The welfare
of the negro aterthought consulted mainly
in Difference to the growing pbanthropc sentiment of the
North Like the apprenticeship experiment in Jamaica,
IL placed the negro the hands of irresponsible guardians
who were neither by competent supervision nor
bv their own interests from fghuy abusing their trust
The SLAP had INFESTED capital IN his human cha
and there ,oas limit beyond nhich not profitable
abuse him The plantation lessee hires his negroes Of the
Government and suffers loss hether he oDerioorks
sfarpes them and epidence IS abundant that many Of the
Lssses hare done both 1t is apprenticeship in name
like jamaica but differs mainly in the substitution Of
Qrasppe and hearess spectators 10 place of the former
masters OF the slaves
with inconsiderable notifications this system remains
operation To day. and sustained by the Government
Gen Thomas pocaims 1t success but it must be sup
posed that he had time to examine into the real
condition of the freedmen He found bis experiment a
success financially aud took the rest for granted He
found negro lessses skuly managing their plantations
and producing higher grade OF cotton than their
white competitors and justly recognises their merits But
he not to have suspected he existence of the abuses
which Mr. Yeatmsn has pointed out and not to been
aware that the stipul1ons which be had originally ade
ia behalf Of the freedmen had been de,ided
by the esses Had he known the facts he never would
lave recommended the renewal of the ting leases
-