The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-08-03
st CAN,T.p

euueaVOrlng 10 90 something the WrOn,
way. The indulgent father would in
struct the child how the thing ought t.
be done and how it could be done much
easier and better than in the manner
the obstinate youth had determined up
on doing it; but wilfully bent on hav-
ing his own way, the hopeful would in.
sist that tho parents plan was not FEAST
BILE, and the well-known phrase of child
/. hood, II can't" would be interposed,
with poutinp lips and finger in mouth.
Mother, good soul, tries to overcome
these sulky fits, and win the boy by
bribery and corruption--and, bought by q
lump of sugar, sonny soon finds mas
method of chow to do it" the easiest +;
but father generally has an idea that
there is more virtue in the rod than
gentle words and peppermint candy,
and enforces his method of "doing it''
accordingly. We are not prepared to say
which is the surest remedy, but think
that when the first fails the last may be
resorted to with the happiest results. The
former owners of slaves in the South,
remind us of these pouting urchins.
They are not allowed to do the thing
in their own way, and, therefore, stick
their fingers into their mouths, turn
their faces into corner, and poutingly
declare they 'can't" and won't do it in
any other manner, Theirsullenness can
not be coaxed or bribed out of them
they will not bulge one inch, at the Of
fer of the lump of sugar, and all of
mothers pleasantries fall unheeded up.
on unwilling ears, and her smiles fail to
draw forth response from brows
wreathed in frowns, and lips protruding
over heightened chins. They don't
know how to do it in any other way and
what's more, they don't want to learn
any other method; if they can't have
their own way, they won't do it at all,
and that's fiat. The father of these un-
ruly boys, seeing that fair words and gen.
tie persuasives have no effect, may yet
be called upon to try what virtue there
is in harsh measures.
The Shareholders have been deprived
of the right of property in their negroes
of the privilege to buy, sell, and treat
them in the same manner they are wont
to treat or ill-treat their horses, mules
and oxen--and this has made them ex-
ceedingly sullen, and like foolish chill
dren, they are in "the pouts.n The only
way they could make the negroes work,
was by owning them, with the privilege
of beating, humping, kicking and
manning, at pleasure; and now that
these whilom slavesare free, and thesu-
perior class has been deprived by govern
ment of their ancient system of "doing
the thing" they don't know, and
learn any other way, and are determin-
ed that no body shall teach them any
other method.
Well, we shall see how long these
spoiled children will continue their pout-
ings; and whether they cannot be in
duced by some means to endeavor to do
the thing in the new way. ~ can't" is
q childish and very unmanly phrase,
and is opposed to the trueism which
teaches that where there isl will there
is way" 1.-THE Southern people only
had the will, they could soon settle
the difficulty in regard to negro la
bor in the South. All it requires is
for them to cease their repinings and
poutings, accept the new order Of THINGS
and go heartily to work to learn g how
to do it" in the way pointed out by ex-
perience and common sense. The ma.
groes we must have always, and it is our |
duty to endeavor to. adopt measures to |
make their labor alike productive and
useful to the country and remunerative
to themselves. 1t is the height of mad
ness to be casting about for some loop.
hole through which to escape these re-
sponsibilities, or In other words to find
some substitute for this kind of labor.
The freedman is capable of being made as
useful, and, with proper treatment, will
labor as faithfully as any other class OF
WOfklUkulGus 4AS AluoV no uSCU 40 VIC
would use white man whom we might
EMPLOY in the same condition of life, and
we must treat him justly and humanelyi in
all respects, tits thesheerest nonsense for
people and newspapers to talk about dis
pensing with coIored labor. Such ideas
originate in fits of the "pouts," and
when the people get tired pouting there
is some probability that they will ACT
like men of sense, who have discarded
the follies of childhood.
The following is going the rounds of
the papers. We thin.k we see the white
population OF Louisiana or any other
State, as a general thing, filling the land
and. raising cotton and sugar! Here
and there may be found an instance of
this kind, as there has always been !;
but if we have to depend upon the pres
emit white force in the South for the de-
velopment of the agricultural interests
of that fertile section, the prospects for
abundant crops are rather slim. Such
paragraphs as this are without founda-
ton, and do much harm by misleading
thoughtless persons:
aoyy way TO SETTLE IT. ~ The discussions In the
ahout relations of labor,