The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-07-15
Our Galveston Correspondence.
GALVESTON, Texas, July 2, 1855.

evening.
Our Galveston Correspondence.
b. GALVESTON, Texas, July 2, 1885,
TUE NEGRO QUESTION
Just this is the lvees place in the State OF Texas
Refugees from rebel CONSUMPTION rebel gen
orally returning in large numbers. TALL sunburnt
gentlemen from the INTERIOR who in past times sojouned
the North there graduated to occupy positions of
doctors and Judges of various kinds and who subse
queny returned TO the old homesteads in the South and
cultivated cotton negroes and msconceived notions of
State rights, to be found in Galveston arrayed
in purple, but in fine, long linen coats and tricked
with massive diamond jewelry waiting for the fruits
OF good civil government to along the tail end
Of their bogus rebel concern having just wggled
the line into the unsettled region of Mexico.
Stores that closed for the last four years being
reopened and relieved Of their accumulaons Of cobwebs
and dust Merchants preparing to buy and SELL and
spcculaors to revive the enterprises of commercial
transactions Already the brush Of the painter is
ing up the weather beaten appearance of rusty buildings
and mparng enlivening appearance to hitherto neg
lected districts. The sound of booming cannon ssuc
ceeded by the of the busy carpenters pounding
hammer and the driving Of shells by the driving Of
spikes and nails Artillery and shot lay neglected in the
Streets while the implements of peace and the
paniments Of prosperity sought after and used Thus
it will be that are rapidly passing from scenes
of those Of qnietude and 1t plainly evinces the
confidence Of the people in the power Of the United
States government to fully maintain the majesty Of the
law.
'IAzy NEGROES AND TIKI LABOR QUESTION
While the white is looking up to prosperity and
wealth the negro the contrary, is becoming demora
ied-lazy, insoent and totally unreliable for steady
employment The advent of Northern soldiers among
them tended TO corrupt their minds and fill the
with wild fancfu notions in regard TO and connected
with the boon of freedom
On the 9th meeting Of the Common Council
held in this city, at which his Honor the Mayor stated
that the Board had been assembled by his
into consideration several matters Of interest to the city,
and which required immediate attention One of them
the altered condition of the colored population,
which required regulations for the protection of
the citizens He regretted 10 that citizens
were renting houses to those negroes who had left
their employers, thus giving facilities for estab-
fishing various nuisances and committing depedatons
upon citizens. He had received many Representations
Of negroes congregang for improper purposes in the
houses they occupied and Of many disorders He had
power to remedy these evils unless sufficient police
force be furnished The ordinances against the meeting
Of slaves and their renting houses apart from their
ers, inapplicable The ordnance against
grancy could be made available, hut requires amend
ment.
On the following day several prominent citizens waited
upon General Granger and called his attention TO the
condition practices Of the negroes whereupon the
Provost Marshal General instructed to issue the fol
iowing:
OfvIcE OF PRovosr MARSHAL GKSrnAr,)
DISTRICT TEXAS
GALVESTON, Texas, June % 1885.
All persons formerly slaves earnestly enioined
remain with their former masters under such contracts
be made for the present time Their interest
wcil that Of their former masters, other parties
requiring their services renders such necessary
are made under the auspices Of the freedmens Bu-
reau.
II must be borne mind In this connection that cruel
treatment improper OF the authority given to
ployers will not be permitted while both parties 10 the
contract made will be equally bound TO ts fulilment
upon their part
No persons formerly slaves will be permitted travel
the public thoroughfares witou permits
from their employers, OF to consegate IN buildings or
camps adjacent 10 any military post or town.
They will not be subsisied in idicness, any way
except as employees Of the government, or in eases OF
extreme dcstitution or Sickness aud IN such cases the
officers authorized to order the issues shall be the Judge
as TO the justice OF the claim for such subsistence
Ideness 10 be productive OF vice, ana humanity
dictates that employment be furnished these people,
while the interest Of the commonwealth imperativey
demands a. in order that the present crop may dc
cured No person, white black, and who able to
labor will be subssted by the government in dlenes
and thus hang dead weight upon those who dis
posed TO bear their full share of the public burdens
Provost marshas and their assistants throughout the dis
trct charged with using every in their
TO carry out these Instructions in letter and spirit by
order Of Major General GRANGER.
&. LtuGuN, Lieutenant Colonel and ProvOgt Marshal
General District of Texas
The Houston Telegraph, in commenting on the above,
advocates that officers be detailed 10 visit the several
plantations IN the state and explain To- tho negroes the
fun meaning OF the circular The editor said paper
'ts Issue of yesterday, said
In view OF the fact that the freeing OF the negroes
has placed them In and untricd position and that
II IS the characteristic Of The inferior TO be susu
cous of the power that has heretoor controlled
that must vet control u 90 great extent " Is exceed
ngy desirable that this cirular should b placed before
the negroes in the most authoritative wav THE rRr.s
n ed
army, particularly officers, could bc detailed for the pnr
pose o dong hS NJ we'll perheps a. =" bear witness by
iher sanafes 10 contracts nsdn hetu cen planters
and freedmen, IL would be- Of IN. greatest advantage w.
the country. We shall be glad Il ,hi. 'an br doue.
IL ~ oi the utmost importance puis that contracts
should al once be made but that They sbnuld have 20
the negro ai The binding force possible u lac is sus.
pcous OF being dciiandec. the prspre. ot federal
oifCor will do much toicassuIe him n he - dsnosed
~ be siIo and uinns the contract v,t not only hold
hn hat the Freedmen Bureau, 4on 10 Ie ,.ipbii sI,,a
wlil provide "a remedy.
We do not know whether officers ,ap he t.a,l 70, ,lc
pp, NJ &C. hui We fully believe u they crn thai Mo, vii
be well received aud will be the Doens oi .avng much
trouble and difficulty
Roror,l ng contrace of course eve,v n,n.t ,,,s ,e
h,s own Judge what he $50. aud Whom uters ave
fully settled the price viii regulate tru Az pr,sapt
pnco, vary muct planter who has over propor
fun vf Old aud Young negroes ';bVt nav much ~ unr
who.c negroes al l1 h5uds These nld and vouuo
mus, he supported. aud while inon' negroes ocoauiy,
then roafionsnIe ihe majority app ohand viii h,
diqpotcd on thor very old oho cannot support
themselves Nor lhe plnfer BE- called upon SUP.
port them his means ni doing ~ ae akcn away
Where tlorc MANY 4" h. supported, VIM have
grown children take oi tfeo u must hc charge
on the whole putnbrr
Again the wages must doleud greatly op he pr"nis,
of liC crop Some Viii be abic io pay iar wages tns
year, While other w'D ray nothing
We hear of contracts ~ Iay all tht wN irvn one to
Dix dollars per month We have heard OF none above
sis drllnr One however, has como tu our knowledge
promising 10 iividf nve bllos of cotton among eleven
hands. At present. prices ~ cotton ttts will bo she
mosi bcrd .ontrac, in the state and iaf more liberal
uian piart,rs afford scncuI thing
% OF IL" uui imrorilnrt that cuntiacts should he
us Uul. ana uVi