The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-12-01

ton of the laborers now on the spol
where they are acclimated and hav
been trained from childhood to tn
special branch of agriculture in, tn
south, to perish and their labor lost
merely from want of power or DISPOSE
uoh 10 make temporary provision TO
them ana to employ measures to secur,
their industry?
In FEBRUARY. last, in the columns O
tne leading journals of Maryland, ]
ventufed TO present plan for systema
tizing the labor of the freedmen of thai
STATE, then just emancipated, in the hope
that an the southern states might ulti
nately find it worthy of adoption.
now suggest that it be put into operation
through the Freedmen's Bureau, as the
only way in which the dreaded mortali.
" OF the freedmen can be prevented
ana any crops comparable to those OF
10rmef years can be secured next year.
me lao0rers in the southern states, as
ihdeed also in all the other states, NAV
oe divided into three classes. First, these
VINO are active, frugal and industrious,
ana who need only the stimulus of
wages TO enable them to provide liberal
~ Tor themselves. | apprehend that
this class will be found to be more nu
nerous amongst tile freedmen than has
Deen supposed. Second, those who are
wiling. to work when employment
seeks them, but who are wanting i'm
energy and forecast, and who perhaps
are physically incompetent to do full
days work. Third, those who are dis
soiute in their habits, and who, although
able, are determined not to work.
Il IL. 1, 4 =
bureau set apart one or more plantations
as may be required in each state or
county, to be called an industrial colony
or department of the bureau. Let small
put comfortable tenements be built on
them. workshops, school houses and
chapels, and the arrangements to carry
on ndiversity of employments be made.
ana thereby constitute colony COM
p,iete. series of plantations complete i'm
themselves. Let the superintendent
appointed be of humane character and
practical ability. To this let persons,
including families, of the class referred
20 be invited whenever they fail to find
and are WiHing to work and
Dc compensated with wages according
% the Kind and degree of service rem.
iered, employing every member of the
amlly. In the same manner other
or departmentsmay De taken
| abandoned or eOnfiscated, or if not |
hey may be leased for the purpose of |
providing place for compulsory labor.
20. thls department persons who are
bic but who will not work may, under
stringent vagrant law, such as il and
ught to be applied in our northern
tiles, be compelled to go and labor for
he government that feeds them. If
hey refuse to labor the Scripture rule
1ay be applied, tiffany will not work
either shall he eat" Short
atoms and confinement will doubt
'ss soon reconcile such persons
labor III preference. Whenever
ley desire to try the experiment of
'orklng for wages let them do so but
'iling In such efforts, let them he
laced again in one or the Other of the
apartments referred to, according 10
'eir character. BY this two-fold ar a
ngement industry must and will he f
cured ENTHUSIASTICALLY with personal c
e right to protect the industrious nor. G
IN of the community from the burden
supporting the idle and the vicious
a II is the part of true humanity and
actcal justice. To provide against
y possible abuse of power, a board of =
mpensated visitors, constituted of Nor c.
ns OF acknowledged integrity and J'
my, should be appointed by the bur- ST.
u 10 examine into the management of ;.
several departments, and have pow >
70 near complaints and report abuses p"
lheillciency, If any, to the head of the q
reau. II 1t be urged that the work of ca
cIlnIt n |
eat, | suggest that even il this were :"
'e, IL furnishes an insufficient reason 81
not attempting what can be done on
I0Iugii the enlargement and extension va
the work of the bureau already es. n,
'iished, and whose particular charac. :.
has been demonstrated.
As a financial measure the yalue of N'
N course 10y the government as has
n indicated can scarcely be esti
TED. The course of trade has required ca,
several years preceding the war an dis
'oft OF about three-fourtIls of the en-
cotton crop of the country. 1t will gu"
consumed abroad at any price, while not
quantity of cereals exported must Me
END on the relative crops of the in
ted States and Of Europe, and con.
lent relative prices. Hence the inn ""'
,atlon OF large crop of cotton. If am
laborers in the South who raised the lan'
or five million bales of cotton In nv
+, together with other staple produc. "
., can be induced to produce three Mr.
ions of bales in 1866, and three =
ths OF that quantity be exported. at ,
haif Its present value, in payment
ofelgD lmportations, its effect or the says
nclal condition of the country would spok
purse be equal to the same amount rad ,
'ecle produced by the development
Is gold and silver mines. With TO-
directed and energetic efforfs In ever.
the products of the country, and a with
lal contraction of the volume of oists
hcy, the time will not be distant ~.
specie payments can be resumed. WI
ave to-day received from the Apri- W.
raj Department in Washington the folk,
wing statement M
his industrial question of the South The
, very intimately connected with and D
lrrency and finances of the coun- neous
or the 5,3S6,S97 bales of cotton raj pr
ced in 1860, not over |, 500, 900 bales the in
consumed in this country, leaving genuir
portation 1856, S97, which, at ten REG
per pound, furnished S115, 475. $50
ply The place of specie in our for aus1
Xchange, and which, if produced s4-.a-.
carat the present prices, saw forty NJ
per pound, would supply the N.
of 1921 300, 500 of specie which Is in
oes to pay for importations. lately b
balance of trade must be paid i'm ing up
unless paid in cotton, which, is to xmas
the same as specie; and if that