The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-06-08
LETTER FROM CAPT. GIEsY.
~ ~. SAVANNAH. GRoRGIA.

lh"H, the hlBptJ cHlel WHOM we all
like to honor, with Majors Dayton and
Mccoy of his staff, paid flying visit
to our city, bringing with him the
gratifying intelligence that General
Joseph E. Johnson had surrendered all
the Confederate troops East Of the
Chatahooche river, thus virtually end
ing the war. Could the way-worn
soldier have moro welcomeiid:ngs than
this great longed for end! what they
had toiled for during the midnight
hour, and the midday heat; what they
had unfaulteringly fought for on the
bloody plains of Shiloah, Corinth,
Vicksburg, Jackson, Mission Ridge
and the hundred other blood fought
victories and what they had prayed for
in the evening.twilight and morning
dawn.
No wonder that hats went up and
cheer after cheer rent the air. We
could hardly realize the fact that
the war was ended, but then W. T.
Sherman said so and that was enough
for the boys, for well they knew he
never deceived them; with them his
word was victory, and with an unfal-
tering trust they followed the path he
led, rever wavering. What stay-at.
home politicians may say or do, their
voice is still for Sherman, Ohio's favo-
rite son; and proudly may old Fair
field join the chorus and swell the loud
anthem Of praise.
But now that the war is over and
tho hosts arc gathering up the frag-
ments, we are being brought to feel the
weight of another question, which no
matter how much We would ignore it,
still forces itself upon us like the
plaques of Egypt, entering our houses
and even our kneading trough, That
question is the negro. What shall be
done with the negro? -
Before the war, men of large views
and warm hearts commenced the then
doubtful philanthropic idea Of aboli.
tion. 1t was agitated until the wilder
fury of slavery propagandists attempt
ed to break up the fair fabric of our
government; trail our national flag in
tho dust and raise in its stead the po-
luted emblem of "King Cotton" con-
ceived in sin and brought forth in
niquity. The end Of all these acts is
before US, our countrys authority sus-
tained and the flag more proudly
waves over our land, protecting all
who have the rroud name of Ameri-
can-fcared and respected by the ma
tions of the world, The negro is in
decd free; free as the air he brcathes;
free to go and come. But what now?
All yes! What now? Now comes the
engrossing question. What will you
do with this mass of living beings? so
suddenly set loose among us, with only
a crude wild notion that liberty is free
dom from work, with right to
all what is left of their former mas
ter's possession. .
This crowd of living ignorance here
can daily be seen around the Head
quarters of the Frecdman's Commissa-
ry with basket or sacks, waiting their
turn for ration tickets, all bent on
getting out Of Uncle Sans liberal
hand the little that is allowed for their
support, when hundreds Of them, if
their labor was correctly directed,
might earn twice as much as they get
in the time they arc waiting on the
crowd before them, and then at last
the door closes with as many there as
when they began in the morning, who
go away with wo-begona faces, mur.
muring Paddy's expression of free
dom, "Auch and bejabbcrs, purity land
Of freedom this, where the stones are
all tied fast and the dogs let loose"
AS tho subject presents itself to our
mind, untold trials await this poor, ig-
norant, indolent, deludcd people
They will bc compelled, through suf,
fering and want, to learn that they, as
well as we, have 10 bear the curse,
"That in tho sweat Of thy brow shalt
thou eat thy bread,"' Tho sooner they
arc made 10 grasp this knowledge the
better for all. .'s... ...
/ know that the Carr OF Russia, at
one dash of tho pen, let 100000 Of
bondmen free and the world enjoyed
the sight while the people profited by
the change, In that case there was
but one man to consent, but one plan
upon which to act, and that plan waa
before the great fiat went
forth. How different this case of ours.
Although the proclamation freeing the
slaves issued as military necessity
long ago, yet only within tho last few
months did we realize that soon we
would ha nallad nnnn 10 rrnnnln with