Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-07-11
Poor Negroes and Poor Whites in Virginia

The Lynchburg VrgHiaH, not long enough
OUT OF rebellion TO refuse to avail itself Of oppor
tunltIes to coyerty assall emancipation, has the
following alluslon to the poor freedmen
Colonel MosJn, the chief OF the negro bureau
Vt this city, Is fast gathering around him u he
/ tefogeueOua collection Of fir, edmen, women and
children, who by reason OF the iuestlmable boon
| OF freedom have lost good homes, and been
thrown as paupers upon the country. His col.
lection represents all stages Of the seven ages,
| from the infant mulng in its nurse arms " to
second chlldlshness - sans teeth, sans eyes,
sans taste, sans eU1ything' Especially are
these two extremes OF lie well represented. Old
men with one foot IN the grave and the other
near by little children from an indefinite siz,
uIwAtds, and women of all ages, sorts, sizes
and descriptions are " be found among the as
s0rlmeDt now Oh hand. These negroes are cared
tor AZ present by the federal authorities what
Is to become OF them after a while il not 80 ga
ely determined. The application of able-bodIed
negroes at this establishment for employment
has almost ceased. Colonel Moson told US lht
number OF applications now for laborefs wal
largely IN excess Of the supply
Tins is certainly not very hopeful picture
and compels US to anticipate that some OF these
poor colored people will remain public charg'
Tor some unexpectedly until the white people
OF Virginia shall be willing to pay coloreC
man wages sufhcien, to support himself anc
family
But the Virginiaa also gives US \ view OF an
other phase OF poverty in Lynchburg, when i
adds to It's above notice of the destituton Of tn
helpless infancy and the dtcrept age Of the PEG
PIE of color, the following Information respect
Ing de whites OF that locality.
About twenty eight hundred latons were is
sued 10y thu superlnte dent on FRIDAY, to thu
poor IN st Of whom were people from the coun
try, who had been left IN II STATE of desttutoI
ny the war. The number OF rations issued t
tins ciassoi our people will average Two hundred
per day, that Is, independent Of the general is
SUNG days. which occur once week, OF oltener
Il the provisions are on hand
So 1t seems, after all, that tue future Of tn
whites Of Virginia is not 80 entirely promising
= AS 1t might be. And VIZ cannot wonder, whe
tho government is Obliged to issue rations t
thousands Of whites in Virginia, the race whic
. owns the soil and all the properly there il i
= that State, that the blacks should find them
selves in no better condition than their lat
masters and it is noticeable fact that th
e blacks who are fed at the public expense ar
Z those who are helpless from age or indrmly
the ebe-boded having evidently all got employ
ment, but no such excuse is offered for the met
Il delaney Of the whites. There will, undoubtedly
d be much poverty, suffering, and perhaps SON
= Incidence among The freed people, but they wi
by no mea = have a monopoly of these evils, q
their late masters seem determined to share wit
them And when the whites treat the black
like persons possessing equal rights with then
It selves, the late master, as well as the late soy,
: will be greatly benefited, and pauperism vi
:, speedily be unknown TO either class.