Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-04-10
rBrou Che New Ornsns Delta.l

the effect OF II can only t6nO 10 SOOu
The colcre1 people CT this Depar ment are In ad-
vance of any In the country, and the freedmen have
greater facilities for improvement than Anywhere else
In the South. The work done for them during the
past six months has been of an extraordinary charac
ter and the Commanding General, with his officers,
have had no ordinary task In this hne Of duty.
Strange indeed that the rich Of this race, instead
of giving their assistance, keep their arms folded
while phiapthrepic white men are left to protec'
aud elevate the unfortunate. 1t is well known that
General Hurlbu.'s arrangements meet the practical
necessities of the freedmen.
HDoes DRPABTMxNT OF THE GTLy,
New O.leans, March 23, 1865
Gentlemen Your communication of the 215t has
been considered by me.
It consists of preambles that do not state facts
and resolutions that are based upon false views.
hone YOU have been led into these misstatements by
error rather than wIlfuIy, although can scarcely
believe you co1ld have been so singularly misin-
formed.
II. instead of assembling In mass meetings and
wasting your time In high sounding resolutions,
you would devote yourselves to assisting in the ply
steal and moral improvement OF the Freedmen, you
would do some practical good. As it ie, you do
not in any respect represent the EuaucipHted
Freedmen Of Louisiana, nor are you doing the!r
cause any good. The mass meeting which you
claim to represent was lot composed OF i" Freed
men" but of the Free colored people OF New
Orleans; free by the old laws of the State, and
some. at least, of them, In the old system, them
selves Shareholders.
Between them and the "slayss" there was al
ways and Is now, bitterness of feeling. You are
striving for social equality; they for personal free
dom. The frst Is not thing that can be reached
by laws and orders, but can only come from the
it,. iYcli ftopu NJ raOnp
where YOU live The second is the creature OF law,
and can be secured by the sanctions Of law.
Your statement that the condition Of the Freed
men is out little better than Slavery Is VIGOROUSLY
untrue, and believe you know it l believe that
you have willfuy irser ed In your resolutions, tor
publication, statements that you must know to be
baseless.
The Freedman Is paid for bis labor.
The slave" Is not.
Tn, f eedmau's wife and family are his Thu
| Slaves 10 not
FIR. drrstion lie given 10 the Freedman and hi
| child % the Slave 1t Ia forbidden
T f oman can bring suits, and be witness
you k 90 DC true, and yet you falsliy and den.
these great facts.
You know further, perfectly well, that withou
some ST. pervision On the Part OF the United States
these Freedmen would be cheated Of their labor, IN
duced into contracts that would ruin them and eve
II fair contracts were made, would be uncertain q
to their fulfilment.
You know this because you have seen 1t; be:aus
Won have reported; Eecsuss you have asked for tn
assistance Of military officers to remedy It, You ais
know that, as rule, these papers have been en-
forced by the military authority vigorous y, and ths
May hard-working mar now has his money, tia
other wise would have been ROBBED Of his dues.
These resa.tg can Only be obtained by contract an
supervision CT the contracts ny Government Officers
There must be some tribunal to ascertain and secur
shese rights. Freedmen may make contracts as tee
please but TIE contract must be approved and regl.
tered aud Will be 90 doLe, unless maniiestly unfal
60 the la5o,er
THIS Il provided for In General Orders No %.
they do not make such contract, they can adopt thi
made by tae tsrrns Of the order.
They cap7ot be eliow,1 to lie around dong Nc
ching. because then shvy tecome paupers az
thieves. and fall upon tae Government for support
The Freedmen and the p.autets ire charged
apita.!on tax s. 10 the piaassr, 81 to the hard,
, lid N supp ming toe disabled and nepees' -aY
r nSTsr heard of 81 industlisuS working man WI
cbjscted toll
Are you wiling. with yor knowledge q eei
E here to have the uitary CH rs ~Iihdr" ali ccl
troll and Leave these questions e abuf % + aes
AID # rights to such civd susu.ty b. IA'sts IL u
S'ateS
YoU VII know that you IRE lot, ~ ie'e
-ol staat Complaints IRON you in eAtio' 70 i'IV' L
- and negecc 0. yosr right,
Il You cannot do away With the OF cts o. t"o CT
turies OF wrong upon white ana BLACK II c'y
yesr; you must take dns ald so9 Or 'cesses
4iuc ito to root out such prt.udices AID "a'i
. thought. -.
1t Is more than pr babe tast m emit gete'rti'
: nu grow up under new auspices bef"e IL '''a
: ! :Ftcl can b. done away.
= You must wait and work; not cal mel & 81
pass resolutions, but work faithfully Il