New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-09-08
Tp0M NORTH CAROLINA.
Warren County-Thc Freedmf"s
Agen, Addresses Over Two ~" Me-.
u,.es.-narimony Amo"H inc
groe.-sen,ime"t' OF the F""
nce.-RItortioR Ucnfs'

ho Fyeedmens Bureau of North Carolina
visit. on Saturday the 2"h uI'' " We"
t~ the Comfy seat of Warren county, anu
a'"'V .a,ootrneut addressed tie needmeh III 'n'
W scpsre Your correspondent, by lh'l'a''on'
p'O" 1.,.nisd the Colonel and herewith SENDS an
''O n, If what be observed OF the CONDITION Of
Good Deople and Of the feelings and sentiments
,rore st the lowest estimate, $500 freedmen
49,. r-onnd every part of the town being full when
rived waiting for the great meeting to come on
ybs Sheriff of the county and other prominent Gnu
,eooved Col Clapp with much civility, and held
interview with him at the hotel. previous TO the
Tag with the object Of posting him up upon the
alton Of affairs al ong the freedmen, whom they
~, osrsst BY force of habit in calling their negroes
n. Sheriff was generally the spokesman for the rest
,serred particularly to the wrong notions which
...a ,eceiyed from soldiers and others about land.
nod been told the land was TO be divided up Oh
1..s,nas and each head Of family was to baye
s.-e This bad had the effect to unsette their minds,
IA ,reyent them from making agreements to work for
ob. coming year. They wero waiting for the new
r,g.r to come out One gentleman stated they will
0Nbsieye anything We say to them They were iooA
IN, to the Northern Government to assist them Not
"a their Old masters to the State The great com
o,ot was the negroes viii not keep their bargains
MARRYING AND GIVING IN MARRIAGE.
FIR several DAYS there had been a great rush to the
yoi.cepa Minister the Rev. DR.. Hodges, TO get mar
IA and this gentleman informed me that he had
mined about one hundred and fifty couples during the
Two davs preceding our arrival Some mischievous
eiies had told some of them they wond get no land
opess they were married. Probably few, only, were
Influenced by this consideration. The large body OF
lem were never married at al and now that they are
Zee they wish to be married "by the book" These
citizens seemed to think it good joke, tins eagerness
among the darkeys to get married The minister how
eyer to his credit be il said has acted throughout with
Che solemnty becoming his Office and has cheerialy
.o1ed these people in holy wedock under the same
Io-ms which he employs with white citizens. The chief
Lbor has been the making out Of certificates. Each
couple has certificate of their marriage and record
duy witnessed by his daughter Is made of each couple
made one. Mr.. Hodges had performed all this extra
labor without fec or reward not in fifty having any
money to pay.
The Colonel expressed wish to Of the lead
eng colored men, to learn from them how their people
we're getting along Some half dozen of the most
respectable. venerable and intelhgent-tho leading
sether and brought to Col Clapps in the hotel.
The Sheriff and leading citizens "came also" among
them, evidently with view TO see that 10 improper
revelations were made. One after another the old
came forward. and being questioned by Col Clapp
q how they were getting along what they had to
ssy for their people, each replied with evident hesita
don that so far as he concerned no could make ont
9s doing very well, &c. Very little was said by
them Of course Of any real grievances they were suf
(ering The examination was wholly under constraint,
and these citizens were sure to be present whenever
ae Colonel attempted to call the freedmen around him
u hear their complaints.
Tie address was begun at o'clock p m. tire Colonel
opening the meeting by prayer during which tie blacks
sAkne, upon the ground. The citizens occupied the
bouses.oop and windows tie freedmen the open space
On front which was partially shaded by sturdy oaks.
Col Clapp informed them they were free. 1t was the
6s time they had been authoritatively told so. They
had been told the contrary by citizens in the presence
omItary officers. He told them what freedom meaHt
ord the necessity Of improving it properly. that it
might be blessing and not curse to them. He ex
paned how they must rely upon their own exertons
cad industry. and not upon any foreign assisance that
eer only way to get land was TO save their earnings
aad purchase it, all others obliged TO do; that
sAey must mako contracts with the planters for the
Eng year. and sacredly abide by their bargains and
epsc; the rights of property, absttinng from all dis
Aonorable acts, and aiming to see who could be the
most honorable man. the most industrious citizen.
The subject Of marriage also referred 10, and
saey were told that in all cases where they had been
GsTTied by minister or a magistrate. there was 10
ceed Of being married over again The duty OF living
hORorably with their wives and caring for their
children was also urged upon them They were told
Chat although they may bave been married BY
Gnister magistrate, they were sacredly bound 10
Ccgsrd the mother OF their children their wives and
tbat the laws of God ard would require them TO
I've with and support them IQuere-How can they do
on three barrels Of corn yearI The address was
Good one aud portions of it evidently hard
Cor ne old slave masters 10 swallow II was credtable
4 them that they behaved with great ciyty aud mani
Esied disposition TO ecquesce in the efforts Of th'
xnedmens Bureau to regulate labor among them, an(
etsore order and good feeling.
On Monday morning the Colonel requested that al
$40 had any requests TO make. personal grievances
Go unfold, should see him the hotel The resul
sas that large crowd around him, and continued
soGate their Individual grievances from early in the
Te1oOn until the time arrived for us 20 leave by the
train. The Sheriff and citizens "came ALSO" to ex
pain AID break the force Of anything the Freedmen
might say They acted however. with entire proprietl
the presence Of the officer. only remarking occasion
oy in favor Of some citizen that such and such mar
H&svery humane gentleman. and could not have done
lie thing oomplared o. A woman and Ler husband
e'ue forward the woman complaining that the master
Cd grieyOusly assaulted her for slight provoca
Co., but the force OF her statements and the husband
v" pretty eIectuany destroyed by the general test
a'ay Of the citizen bystanders. in which the police Off
Gers joined. that the complained Of was "a verl
1oOd man." &C.
1fh nir fhi