Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1865-08-17

RUTLAND HERALD
TUESDAY, AUGUST 10, 1865.
How They Behave.

AAG AONGluAttil AZ
are located on two conhscated rebel es-
tates numbering together about thirty
thousand acres of land. About twenty
two hundred acres are under cultiya-
ton. Seven or eight hundred freedmen
are on the farms They work without
the stimulus OF the lash, and yet,
strange 10 relate, they work harder than
before, The hope OF lettering ones PEE
cuniary condition seems to overcome
the constitutional tendency to being
tired in black man very much as it
does in white. A correspondent of
the Baltimore American, describing these
government farms and the work done
upon them, says the freedmen work
without the fear of corporal punish
ment hanging over them, yet work the
better because their pockets are affected
by it. A "gangsman" selected from their
own number, reports any lack of indus
try on the part Of any one Of the men,
and the punishment is curtailment Of
pay at the end of the month. Misbe-
havior is punished by dismissal, while
creditable industry and good behavior
are rewarded. The regular pay Of field
hands is ten dollars per month. Those
unable 70 perform any labor receive
merely their rations and clothing. and
the children are sent to school. The
negroes are contented and satisfied with
their lot. The soil is fine, and there is
growing on the farm some Of the best
corn and tobacco in the State.
The Petersburg (Ya,) Index has an
article on the freedmen, which, written
as it was by believer in slavery, can
not be supposed to be affected by any
prejudice in favor of the blacks. The
article says;
1.-THE majority of the enfranchised
slaves behave with degree of good man.
ners and respect which, considering the
influences TO which they are subjected
in their churches and schools is very
creditable to them. Many, indeed most
OF the older and more respectable of the
colored population, are as orderly and
polite as ever, and some, who at first
wore their new honors someW nat obtru-
sively have under the wholesome coun-
sci and restraints Of the military author
ity, had their eyes opened to the impos-
ing fact that Fourth Of July is not food,
nor Hail Columbia raiment"
One Of the worst effects OF slavery
was It's exclusion of the whites from
honest industry. According to the In
dex the whites under the new order of
things, are beginning to work. 1t
says -
Formerly white drayman, or cart
man, or hack-driyer, was sight I'M
known TO our streets; now they share
these employments with the blacks, and
eventually will monopolize them, except
in cases-and there are many among US
where, under the brutalizing effects Of
slavery, colored men heretofore carrying
on these employments have won envia-
BILE characters for trustworthiness, po-
likeness and honesty. Formerly, most,
if not all, Of our bars were tended by
colored men, though owned by whites
now the cobblers and julips are mixed,
as well as the rent paid and the stock
kept up by white men in many instances.
Formerly the restaurants Of Peters
burg were almost exclusively in the
hands Of the colored people-now, we
believe, there is but one establishment
OF the sort in the city. Formerly, we
had only colored BARRIERS; now the ma
tive whites seek, generally, BARRIERS Of
their own color, and eventually they
will do so exclusively
On the other hand, the article says:
Formerly, both colors purchased their
groceries Of white men-now, there are
are at least two family groceries of re-
spectacle size, managed and sustained
exclusively by the blacks
The Index appreciates the Importance
Of educating the freedmen, 1t says -
1--WE unhesitatingly bid God.speed to
all who offer them true education-an
education of conscience and heart, as
well as mind. No greater calamity
could oefall this State, than the curse Of
population Of four hundred thousand
beings growing up, and with no re-
straint but their own wills"