Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1865-10-09
The Freedmen's Meeting.

rounding country, pursuant to the notice given
that they would be addressed by the Agent OF
the Freedmens Bureau. We suppose fully
one thousand or twelve hundred were assembled
in the Court House yard, where they were
addressed bv Capt. .Crandon, the agent in
question, Brig. Gen. Voris, and Rev. DR..
Broaddus of the Baptist church Of this place.
Capt. Crandon told the colored people that
he wished to correct several lsapprehensions.
|. He wished to disabuse their minds Of the
idea, that at the end of this year-Christmas
the lands were to be divided among the
colored people. He told them they should
get rid of this notion at once. The United
States Government never had any such pur
pose. He said, the Government will protect
you've are here to protect YOU but it you
want farms you must go to work and purchase
them. 2. Another vague impression was en-
tertained, that the next year was to be sort
of Jubilee-that some great good was coming
to them about the first Of January he did
not know what. That consequently they were
unwilling to make contracts for next year. All
he knew about this was that about Christmas
they were going to have mighty hard winter.
The Government was not going to warm them
but they had it in their power to warm them
is capable of his own support, and worthy OF
his freedom. He urged them to make con-
tracts at once and get homes 1t is said the
niger won't keep contracts. lie had great
experience, and he believed they would do SO.
IF he does not, we will make him. lie begged
them to stick to their contracts. 5. There
was another ridiculous notion abroad. Many
coored people had asked him, if they made a
contract for one year, will they have to work
four years for nothing afterwards? In reply,
he said, I tell you, you are tree; - you will
have to work out your contract-and no more.
4. Another remark the colored people seem
ed to think their old masters their enemies
He did not believe this. The necessity Of the
case required that the two races should live
here together and it should be as. friends
The whites have get no money at present, and
the coIored people should only expect moderate
wages. They would get more hereafter. s.
Again when you hire yourself to an employer,
he is entitled to all your labor. Work out
your time fairly: do every day good days
work; and In emergencies, do extra work. 6.
AS to your families you should get them
together Capt Crandon urged the colored
people to show that they could make honest,
reliable members of society. lie told them
that they should stay in the neighborhoods
where they found themselves and not rush to
the cities and towns. Alexandria was not the
way to Heaven" Sensible remark
Gen Voris followed Capt. Crandon He
said the colored people had the idea that the
Government was going to do some great thing
for them. The Government had no great
thing to do for them. It had done more for
them in the past six months than it will ever
do again. The Government had set them free.
He thought the thinking people Of Virginia
did not want to re-enslave them Ihe govern
nlent is the people. In a short time these gen
temen around me will be just as much part
of the government as the j. S. officers, In
q little while the military Will be gone. The
white men Of Virginia would make the laws
Of Virginia. The colored people were lgno
rant. They must get somebody to represent
them. They must show to these men who
would make laws for them, that they would
make good citizens. Must secure their conf
but had not stopped work Formerly they
did not receive the earnings Of their labor;
this was now secured to thetn. Heretofore
they had had families from whom they we're
often separated; this will never be again. He
urged them to provide for their famiies-not
only to feed them, and clothe them, but to
educate them He told them that soon the
Government would remove the exercise of its
authority over them They must therefore
look to the white gentlemen among them for
counsel and protection. There were good men
here who cared for them. They couldn' tleave
Virginia should they go North, they would
find human nature the same there as here
The. Yankee was just as selfish as the Virgin
IAN He did not believe in attempting to reg
ulate wages. This matter would adjust itself
At present they could not expect great deal
He URGED them to make contracts and Il this