The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1865-11-15
How the Freedmen Vote.

The Richmond Times tells rather a good
story on the darkies. An agent OF the
Freedmens' Bureau, il seems, made them
speech, disabusing their minds of the idea
that they were 10 have farms at Christmas,
his discourse abounding, in fact, With ad
vice calculated TO promote the interest of
the race. His propositions were carefully
elncidated, and nnders,andiugIy, as be
thought. To be sure, however, thai his
speech was understood, he suggested that
they should vote, and the lims had come
Tor them 10 vote. AS The question was be-
ing put, every counienance was changed:
every trace of sadness vanished. In some
it was swallowed up in a sense of The
momenious import OF :he occasion and con.
sciousness OF The tremendous responsibility
OF meeting il; in others it melted under The
beams of radiant smiles, which were with
difficulty restrained from audible expression
IN chuckels OF compacent delight. Propri-
ETY., however, prevailed, and the ensap,ursd
freedmen heard the question put in silence
and in order. Bot hardly were the words
"say aye" out of the mouth of the Provost
MarshaI when their smoihered exuItaton
burst forth in one Simultaneous, unanimous
''a-y-e," prolonged and drawn out utterly
beyond sll comparison with the "wounded
snake" or ''lengthened sweetness" or any
other known standard OF pfoIraciion. Never
was deserved honor bestowed with more
AaiieriD2 unanmily or more hearty good
will.
The Proves, Marshal, basing his assump-
lion on long established, but now obsolete
preceden,s, regarded This vote as decisive
and entirely satisfactory. Nevertheless. for
forms's sake, and, perhaps, too, 10 drill the
freedmen in all The exercises of the e;ec
lor's manual, he proceeded to put the ques
lion negatively "All opposed, etc., say no"
Upon the instant, this injunction was an
with a s'n-o ]" which raltled tue
windows and Jared the raiiers OF the house,
round; it riyaled the 'aye" in the unanimity
and lervor with which it was delivered. :
speaking, this was The addi-
ion OF a quantity with the negative sign 10
itseli positively affected. Ii most unani- !
mousiY brought the commissioner elect
down from his giddy hight back to zero. =
Whist commentary on the fckIeness of
popular favor ! What salulary but tear
ful exhibition of The power OF the people;"
,y which men are made ia a bre alh, and in
4 breath undone!
The Provost Marshal-a plodding Conser-
Saiive, we infer-did not al all compTe-
bend The weishty significance OF wha, had
IraDspirsd We have il on the authority of
ons of the outraged and indignant electors,
bat he went so far as 10 insinuaIe character
slc Intellectual ooluseness on The part o.
he assembly. Alter informing them that,
as they were incapable of making an intel
igenl choice for themselves, hs would him
self choose a commissioner for them, he
Oade them TO take themselves of, and even
vented profau iTDprecaIion against them
The assembled multitude did not wait for
She benediction that follows after pray e!"
A bomb had fallen into this black "sea OF
npIurned faces" after which it Continued
10 enlarge itself, till by wide-spreading, it
dispersed itself in naught."
We will not-presume TO atempt any In
of the eventwe have chroniced;
1niy lis most obvious meaning is discern
ble by Us. The elucidati of is hidden
significance we leave 10 those original
profound and ingenious exposiiors, the |
Radical preachers of negro equality. We |
Slll, however, venlured the assurance that, |
n their hands, it will. be found 10 demon !
',rale iriumphanlly The pre- eminent claims
lnd qualifications OF The negro for immsdi |
tie admission 10 The elective franchise,