The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-12-30
The Freedmen's Bureau Of Virginia.

O41DGl
the porport Of the report Of Colonel Daowx, A.
sistant Commissioners Of. the Ereedmen's Blu
reau for the State Of Virginia, made to his su
pericr, Major. General HowARp. It IL are
markable paper. Fair In some things--not a,
all 80 In others.
In the preface to the report A. to the condi
ton Of society in Virginia [this poor society o,
Virginia IL become the subject of great dea
ofin~estisation y the Colonel. in very stron,
language, represents the state of the black no
pulation, of half million, as anything but en-
couraging to those who came here to proyid,
for their protection, elevation and govern
''ment." Suddenly freed" he says, "fron
4" the bonds of . rigorous control, acq.afnset
" piA no 5dso bat that o force, ignorant Of the e,e
naensary1 principles ef cicil government, and O
the FrRsr DUTIES OF CITIZENSHIP, without any
provision for the future wants Of themselves
and families, and entertaining many false ana
" erf'uca0ant actions in respect to tie intention,
g If tie Government to,cards Aaem.'' For which
latter, according to General GRANT, we
are in great degree indebted to the Freed
mems Bureau and its agents y
This is a very strong statement of the con-
dition Of the blacks when they fell into the
hands of the Bureau. It is too highly colored
even to be just to them ; for they were ac-
quainted with other influences than force.
They were familiar with kindness and the
stimulant afforded by persuasion, gentle
usage, abundant food and clothing and even
generous rewards for good conduct. They
knew as much Of all the humane stimulants
to good conduct and faithfulness as any la
borers on the face Of this earth.
Nor were they so entirely ignorant But
what is proposed as o remedy for these poor
hoSv1 0s VHyHsS
principles Of civil government and the
FIRST DrrIEs OF CITIZENSHIP 20 Why, to
confer upon them THE RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE
Does Colonel Brown think that would heal
them! We imagine not, from the portrait he
has drawn.
With reference to the conduct of the citizens
towards these unfortunate people, Colonel
Brown is not just. He transposes his para
graphs-makes the majority minority, and
iuEutes to the majority the conduct and poll
cy Of the minority. He states, with rather
the air of complaint, that the citizens gene
rally afforded no assistance in meeting the
difficulties presented by the negro Yet he
answers his own complaint by confessins, i'm
mediately afterwards, that, being sstrip-
81 ped, to great extent; of their resources by
q the operations of the war; they were unable
" to allow these people their just dues,
AAuCA AcSS duy cudTlIaDle assistance. -
Had he made the expression stronger
had he stated that the people were |
stripped Of nearly everything: all their
money all their valuables their horses and |
cattle; nearly all their provisions; and had |
not enough to supply their own wants, to re-
lieye their Town sufferings, he would not have
exceeded the fact. Yet, these people must
have assisted the blacks. For how else did they
live? They did not, it is true, assist those who
rushed to the camps and the cities. They be-
came burthen to the Government and the
objects of the protecting care of the Bureau
But those that remained in the country and
assisted to cultivate the farms and TO pro-
duce something to keep themselves rs well as
others from starring, enjoyed with the owners
a part of the scant supplies left by the war in
the country.
The meetings alluded to by Colonel BRowx,
fixing rates and making pledges about renting
lands to freedmen, must have been few indeed.
We never heard of more than, probably,
two, possibly three, and those only small
affairs Whatever was the poll
cy, the people Of Virginia are in no wise re-
sponsible for it,
Colonel BROWN truly describes the conduct
Of the PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA when he speaks of |.
4 " numerically small - class, who "not onlg
' accepted the situation, bat, ,cith acise
foresight and noble patriotism, aoere ready
8 to cooperate aoith the Government for
'Me speediest restorut;on Of tranquility and
a,o.'' This was the majority-not a "numeri-
ALLY SMALL class. Colonel brown either
speaks from prejudice, or he has not had the
opportunity of seeing the people and judg-
ng them fairly. We know nothing of Colonel
Brown whatever, and do not presume that he
would wilfully misrepresent this people
But Internationally, we suppose, he has done
INJUSTICE to them.
The people of Virginia have as much kind
ceiling for their late slaves as any other people
n the United Statesmen even excepting that
race Of philanthopists who live
'ast of the Hudson river; and any representa-
ion of facts which is inconsistent with this, is
10Th unjust and untrue. The people of this
State know the negro better than any other
hey know his capacity and his wants, and can
low take care Of him better, and settle him
own in his new relation with as much con-
liberation for his welfare, and more forecaste
md judgement than any of those persons in
,ther States who are making him their ever
asting topic-and the everlasting cause of &C.
usation and vituperation of the people of the {
;outh. When is this sort Of warfare Q
o cease 7 Are we never to have rest I
g it not enough that the slave, origi- I
ALLY imported by Northern men in Northern e
hips and sold to the South, is set freel Is it t
ot enough that we, submitting to results, are t
trugglng in earnestness and sincerity, as well q
. in poverty, TO restore plenty and order to >
he lAnd-that order and plenty without
which there 10 no rest, NO satisfaction NO sup
ort for white or black. Is it not enough
hat we submit to the Constitution and the c
AVS, and have solemnly and irrevocably t
polished slavery and involuntary servitude Il
rom the landi Will not all this do And Il
aust we stin be assailed-our peace and quiet, p
nd the safety and order Of the country, dis Il
arbed by this execrable crusader What do II
be people who are enlisted in it desire to do Il
70 they wish to continue the breach between v
he sections! Do they wish to perpetuate t.
atef dtt 8,
We trust and believe that the better judg.
lent Of the majority will soon put an end to Il
hls state OF things. We even hope that the Of
Zen VINO control no mill