New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-05-12
WHAT SHALL WE DO VII:
WITT.

If there be any manhood among the ex-save-
holders, we shall soon find it out. We mean
the manhood which cheerfully attacks the diff
culties of peace and wins victories not less re-
|nowned than those of war. II is encouraging to
the North, which is ready TO do It's full share and
perhaps more, of the work, TO find man like
Gen. Johnston declaring that prominent gentle
men in the South "fully understand that the
institution has gone mp, and will accommo-
date themselves to the new organization" The
sooner all Southern employers, whether gen
Itlemen" OF not, understand 1.-THE new organiza-
ton, the better for Southern production and
prosperity. For Gen. Johnston, not caring to-
|exhibit himself in the character of an infamed
donkey, also admitted that ait would be more
profitable to hire free labor than to employ
slave labor" 1t almost takes away ones
breath to notice how miraculously fast the truth
travels when the roads are moderately cleared
from The rubbish Of error. Ten years ago, al
planter Of Gen. Johnston's mind in the prcmi-
SEES would have been forced to run for his life
from his exasperated neighbors bringing out the
|feather.bags and tar-pots
All the reclaimed Rebels, however, are not sol
wise as Gen. Johnston. One moody oilicer|
exclaimed, in the hearing OF our Raleigh cor
respondent, "Now you have freed them, wei
want YOU TO take them" This is the very idiocy
of political economy. man with no better
notion of the principles of production than this
il not fit to own quarter of an acre OF land
upon the very extremity of Cape Cod. Hell
might as well ask us to take his muck-heaps,
his plows. his horses, his oxen his cows and his
cash. We take it for granted that somebody
must raise corn, cotton, tobacco and rice, for
we do not believe in the spontaneous growth
of these vegetables. We have, all our
lives, been told that the blacks alone are
lift for this kind of work. At any rate,
they have done great deal of it under the i'm
petus Of the whip; and Gen. Johnston thinks
they will do a great deal more under the innu-
cncc of fair wages. We are really happy to|
agree with the General. If he wishes TO make
himself useful, he cannot too often impress his
views upon his fellow-citizens, whose eyes are
|only half opened That simple truth which he|
uttered in Raleigh is worth more, has more
sense in it, has more truth in it, has more saliva
ton for the South in it than all the tabular
demonstrations Of De Bow. all the dogmaS of
Calhoun, all the political theories Of Davis, and
all the false and tawdry rhetoric of Southern
stump orators in general. There are wonderful
crops in those little sentences. We will forgivc
Gen. Johnston great deal if he will go on say
ing them continually. Our only regret is that
it required years Of war, with its waste NOR
tally and distress, TO open the Generals mind
to such wholesome convictions. Better late
than never
No doubt there are great many worthless
fellows, the spawn of the slave system, feeble
minded and uncommOnly lazy, sensual TO the
|center, peripatetic nuisances, who will be in|
every busy workers way, and who will always|
be blind to the beauties of the new system.
Fortunately great many Of these gentle
men have been removed from above ground
during the war, and, under it dead, are now
doing the State some service. The penalty OIL
views entertained by. living loafers will bel
nothing to eat, nothing to drink, nothing toI
chew, nothing to smoke, nothing to wear and
nothing TO sleep on or under. There are Yankee
institutions called "wOrk- " provided for
this class, but We would not suggest such obod,