The Black Republican., 1865-05-13
GEN, BANKss LABOR AND SCHOOL sYs-
TENS

L
Lincoln did for the bondmen of the nation,
Major Gen. Banks did for those of them who
are now within the lines of national occu-
patton in this State. The scenes of the
Teche and Red River expeditions can never
be understood except by those who were in
their midst. Our people came naked, starv
ing, sick, frightened, hunted, and filed with
doubt and fear. Thoughtful men were
not wanting, who trembled at what ap-
peared at times, almost inevitable, namely:
That these freedmen could hardly avoid ex-
termination. On every hand they cnme.
They came poor-they came with hardly
pillow on which the aching head might rest
they came with sad and sorrowing faces
they came cut, SCARED, mangled The sur
render of them by their late oppressors was
worse than the death struggle-pulling teeth
was no comparison to it, and hence the vio-
lence of the struggle.
History furnishes no such intensity of de-
| termination, on the part of any race, as that
exhibited by these people to be free. Prac-
tically, every one of them, men. women and
| children, said: "Give me liberty or give
me DEATH" and right nobly did many thou
| sands die in the swamps, or give their bodies
to the black waters of the bayou, rather than
60 back to their worse than Egyptian bond
| age.
On that momentous occasion there was
scope for the labors of the philanthropist
and for the work of the Christian. There
81 70 81 hnl "a
rebellion fred its first shot.
The occasion needed a great practical
mind, coupled with a benevolent heart.
Gen. Banks came to the rescue. He foresaw
the vast difficulties we have experienced,
up to this moment, and prepared to meet
them.
Humanity, freedom loyalty, were all COM
pretended in the Generals arrangements.
He ordered the soil to be titled, if not by
the owners, by the Government and the
Freedmen. This was a wise starting point
From this, employment was furnished, and
with employment came wages of labor and
homes. This done, and the Freedmen
rescued from starvation and determination,
the General dealt the deadly blow-the blow
that would stagger slavery and kill it any
where at any time; the blow that made the
hearts Of slaveocrats and tyrants bend and
blead; that blow was free education. The
work that has been done from the date of its
issue to this moment cannot be undone by
all the powers of earth, hell and JEFF. Davis
combined Here it is where Gen. Banks is
strong, and here it is where the hearts of our
people grow larger and warmer toward him
every day. Those of our people who are rich
have never had occasion to experience much
Of the Generals benevolence, but the poor,
who are nine-tenths ofthe whole colored pop
ulation, are rising rapidly each day under the
benefcient and humane policy instituted
by him for their good. We believe that to-
day, if other arrangements had not been put
il force prior to his return, all the unreason-
able obstacles complained Of by our people,
would be wiped away, and, as it is, we have
no doubt that those things that can properly
be done, will be. The Freedmen of the
South are now all benefited by the adoption
Of the plan of labor applied by Gen. Banks
for this State. Last year, in the upper ceun-
try, other generals and many kind-hearted
citizens, tried in vain to find some antidote
for the evils endured by the Freedmen.
| Gen. Thomas, the Adjutant General of the
| United States army, come to the rescue, and
issued Gen. Banks's plan for the govern
ment of the plantations and for the welfare
| of the laborers. Since then the Special
Agent of the Treasury in this department
tried to improve on the Generals plan by
having the charge Of the matter in his OWL
| hands. He found that he could not dea
with it at all, and that every act of interfer
ence only injured the freedmen, and brought
| trouble upon himself. Again, Mr.. Mellen
the General Agent of the Treasury, made
certain changes, thinking that he could i'm
prove the Generals system. He issued 1
long series of rules and articles of law. l
was found that when some of them werr
tested they were impraCtiCable, and the.
had to be revoked. Larger cash payment
were made in some cases than were specified
in Gen. Bankss order; but when the lahore
purchased his supplies Of the cunning ant
graspiAg employer, he found he had les
cash savings than under the former order
and that in the majoIity Of cases he mus
always be in debt to his employer for ad
vances. This new plan was triet
for while, but finally matters grey
SO bad that the whole arrangement wa
giyen up. The President-the lamente
Lincoln - ordered that the freedmel
be employed as heretofore, because thes
new arrangements were doing them injury
Gen. Hurlbut reissued Gen. Banks's Orde
No. %, with slight additions, after variou
tests of other plans, and after hearing man
statements from planters and others th
order of Gen. Banks had to be revived. il
order to save the freedmen and the CON
munity from untold evils. At this momen
the freedmen are all employed at wages IL
creased beyond those oflast year. They ar
working faithfully, because thcy know tina
the Government will secure to them thei
rights. Their children are going to school
where their learning costs them nothing
while it costs the property holder eightee
dollars per year for each Achild, and thai
too, as an extra tax.
mere Is no department. III CHe ooub
where our poor brethren are so well care
for, or where they are 50 far advanced 8
they are in this. BY another year we b.
lieve Gen. Banks will bring all labor syI
! TENS to an end, because by his policy an
the benefits of his practical good sense, th
; freedmen will have risen to point wher
they can take care of themselves, claimin
and defending their own rights as othe
people do.
THE BLACK REPUBLICAN IN MOBILE
Last Of SubScrEberS-Rev g. d. Taylor
| Rev. 4. b. Smith, Rev. G B. Taylor, Josep
| Innnc ID q Thnrnnn IT..ss-rr r,..N1Ec.