The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1865-10-24
Freedmen who had now become consumers and

! freedmen VINO nad now become consumers and
non producers would suffer-
He said that in coming through Wilmington
he had waited on Gen. Crook, and asked for the
organization of a local police in his County
Since that time be had learned that a detach.
ment of negro troops had been sent there He
deplorcd this. He thought the negroes would
look upon them as protectors, and would soon
commit some act to test whether they would be
upheld in depredations on the whites He had
much rather preferred home organization or q
white guard.
After some other remarks by Gen. Dockery,
Gen. Howard arose, and said that what General
Dockery had said strengthened him. in the be-
lief of the necessity of local courts, such as he
had referred to- That he had also received a
new idea. If upon the old wornout lands Of
Gen. Dockery's County the negro could scarcely
make living when a slave, and none now that
he left to himself, what would be his fate iF
left to himself in new country? '-
He would ask gentlemen if it were not
suicidal policy to remove the whole working
population from a County? If labor could be
regulated, would it not be better that it should
be kept at home He referred TO some Of the
French Islands of the West Indies as an example
where free negro labor was properly regulated.
In reply Gen. Dockery wished to know If
negro children could be apprenticed, and to
what extent.
Gen. Howard said that they could, to the
same extent that white children were.
This answer, said Gen. Dockcry, relieves us or
a world of trouble.
SPEECH OF HON. Z, @. READR.
The Hon. 4 G. Reade was next called upon.
He asked leave to assure General Howard that
bis kindly feelings were properly understood
and appreciated. That he was from the North
ern border Of the State, his friend Gen. Dockery
from the Southern. He knew that his friend
would bear him out in the assertion that under
the old system, q cruel and a hard master was
rare thing in North Carolina That there was
an attachment between master and slave in North
Carolina under the old system, which tho war
nor the ordinance passed by this Convention
could not dissolve He believed therefore, that In
no district Of North Carolina could freedman
be imposed upon. His former master would not
allow It when appealed to, but would protect him.
Such was his o. inion.
He did not think himself better master than
others of his neighbors. He had owned but few
slaves, some thirty or forty. Yet there wero
members Of his family to whom, in the whole
course of his life, he had never spoken an uu-
kind word. Therefore, he thou sht, that wero
this matter left to the people OF the State IL
would be justly and properly regulated. The
luleIllSeuI peoEIcJ anu He UeRSeu leaVe 10 assure
the General that our people were intelligent,
would do it better than the FIeedman's Bureau,
because they knew what was best. There were
some difficulties with the negroes, some misun-
derstanding; but the people could regulate these
things better than the agents of the Bureau.
Gen. Howard wished to know if he thought
the agents bad caused any of these difficulties.
Judge Reade thought that they had. Their
instructions to the negroes had been given, ha
doubted not, in good faith. But their instruc-
tions were to the negroes to so to work, and if
their employers did not pay them, they would
see that it was done. This fostered the belief
that agents of the Bureau were better friends
than their former masters, and made the negroes
distrustful. Besides, white men had been
brought frem his County on the declaration Of
freedmen, whether sworn or not he did not know,
and put in Jail here to be tried. This also created
bad feeling, lED 81. G..s ...-
In conclusion the Judge again reiterated bis
assurance 20 Gen. Howard that the Convention
fully appreciated his good purposes.
In conclusion, Gen Howard made few rc-
marks, repeating succinctly what he had said,
and impressing upon the minds Of the members
of the Convention the necessity for some action
or the subject.