Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1865-06-05

|
corn harvest. "a 10, XII.
THE COIN sEop AS AyE31GfRD N ilItfEIRx
s 4oPRRAfioHs. ~ -
Aud, as ifthis were NOT nffering enough,
there nust-be added q prospective, acarcity
ot- corn. The disruption of the rebel armies
came just In the planting season. The ad {.
vance and dispersion of he national tToons
throughout the country, in addition 70
alarming the people, brought to the seryile
class the idea of freedom, which, in its
cEndest form; was ,qPi0kly sieEed npon.-
Wtth the freed negro freedom me8ns plenty
OF bread without labor. Otherwise, 10 his
notion. the term has no signihcance; for
heretofore he has worked aud had fsid 5
therefore how is he benefited If heimtlst
continue to labor to supply his daily fants2
POSSESSED of these ideas, tie enffE n s.
populations lefts5he feld the moment s.
blue jaeket appeared. They could have
left the fields at no more inopportune a
time.
MILITARY CONTROL OF NEGROES AND LABOR.
1t is but just to say that orders promptly
issued both in Virginia and North Carolina
checked the evil ia MEASURE, aud manv
OF the negroes went back 10 work
Throughout all the region through which.
have passed it is not permitted the ne.
groes to copgregate In the town and about
military posts and garrlsons. They are
tod by the military authorities that they
are free, but must work to support them,
selves, irssfreedom merely consistiDp in'l
the privilege of choosing their own eEnnIov.
ers and agreeing upon the wages they shall
receive. They fail to understand the sub
Jeot fully, but still little hunger helps the
matter, and thus some are induced to
work. Perhaps half the negroes are
working in the corntields, most of which
are planted, and some ready for hoeinp.-
But the absence of horses and mules c alIs
for Target force than ordinary of labor.
ers, whereas but half afe available. So
the corn crop cannot be looked forward to
with so much certainty as under other and
more favorable circumstances.
The half of the blacks who are not at
work, roam about the country, pilferinp
or begging, yelling on the cars as refu-
gees, and generally idlingfaWay their time
as best they can. They will be forced to
work sooner or later, but at no time will
their labor. be so useful. to the, whole coun.
try as now and during the past{fe@ weeks.
1t is noticeable that the most valuable
ones remain with their masters, mapy of
them not asking any questions about
wages sesmingly contented with the con-
ditlon In which they have always lived. Il |
is only the lazy and shiftless that refuses
to work. -
SOLDIERS AND STRANGERS sPRowL1Ea ApoUr
a''7-ai THHe COUNTRY.
There is one other phase Of the misery
In which the warihas left the South that
deserves"to be noticed. Hrefer to the
swarm of soldiers Il has left struggling
through the country to prey upon the peo.
pie. In Virginia aud North Carolina it
ls thessoldiers from the c3ttop States who.
having no friends in this region to spare
or protect, plunder without stint. They
roam about in small squads of three, tive
or six, steal horses if they are lucky enough
to ind themS and then wander through the
country, taking caro- to keep far away from
points occupied by national troops, and
rob houses with impunity. They ttliye ON
the country" and. leave nothing OF, value
behind them that they can carry of. Money,
watches and jswelry are their delight, and
IN this line they drive thriving business.
Orders are issued to the people to shoot
them down whenever they appears but
what chance hasis poor farmer, alone with
his family, far away from help, against
such scoundrels? The country has got to
be thoroughly .patrplled with caYalry, to
rid it of this pestilence.. .'
THE sENERAL FEELING. OF THE PEOPLE.
Itstrikes me as remarkable that, 80 far
as have travelled, and among allthei peo-
pie with whom have conversed, have not
yet found o single individual that either
denied the termination of the war or wishs
ed it otherwise. have heard citizens talk
together, aud rebel officers and soldiers
copyersipg with the people, aud uniform
" the common expression is that the Union
ls re: established, and that it behooyes
everybody to go to work as good citizens
to re-estsblish the industrial pursuits aud
prosperity Of the country. .s''as
-1-o asG E "oUEER IDEAS"
conyersed six hours with Brigadiet,
General Harris, of Mississippi, who ex,
pressed to nae somewhat queer ideas, but,
nevertheless, was not disloyal in any.
thing he said. He. agreed with General
Lee that the war settles the question of
State rights, just as an election settles the
question of who shalt hold office. The
defeated party are not persuaded that their
policy is wrong, but they yield to the opin-
ions OF the majority. So in this cass the
| south must yield to its State rights, not be-.
cause they any the less believe ia State
rights, but simply because that doctrine
cannot be established. And yeE he has not
taken the oath of allegiance. Aud here
is one of his queer notions. His State
sent him to the army. He is now return
ing to that State to follow her. When she
is restored to the Union he shall consider
himself restored, without an oath, and
with his allegiance due to the general gov.
ernment rather than to the State, because
the State, accepts that view of the case.
Still he has4no objection to taking the
oath, and will do so in his own State
whenever it is required of him. His views,
seemed to be founded on honest and high.
toned convictions. he contends that ey-
erybody who remains 10 the country is
bound to give his allegiance to the gov.
ernment, with or without the oath, or ac-
cept.the brand Of traitor, aud that the uni
yersal "swearipg in" process only tends
70 make the oath of allegiance 80 common
ss to be mere matter Of form, with no
binding effect +ea1