American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-07-26

for him if he would give me my meal and
meat, and fifty dollars year. lie told
me no, he wouldn't do it; he was only
going to keep his hands till he got his
wheat harvested, and then the niggers
might 90 to the ID,
"The old man packed up and left that
night, taking with him all the hands but
one. The planter had to harvest his grain
with his own white hands this year
his black ones are getting SO per day Tor
cutting wood on the railroad.
"Two or three weeks ago, colorcd
man living 5 miles from here, learning
OF his freedom, became little too sau-
cy,' as it is termed, and refused to per-
form some unusual and unreasonable task.
lie was decoyed into the woods on some
pretext and shot by paroed Rebel sol
der. His body was thrown into the
river, and his absence was accounted for
in some plausible manner but his body
was found not long after by some men
who were fishing; three bullets had pas
sed through his head"
We suppose that President johnson
with all his devotion to estate Rights" "
will find that these kindred cases demand
of him interference and regulation-that
very many of the late masters are too
much exasperated by their defeat, too
savage toward the negroes for favoring
the Union cause, and too indurated in
the etcics and the habits of the slavehol-
der to treat their ex-slaves with justice,
humanity or even wisdom. Those who
are driving off their negroes to steel or
starve are the very parties who fear that
''freo niggers will never work-they think
freedom means idleness supported at the
cost of their masters or Of the Govern
mcnt." We venture the assertion that
not one negro in all the South has pre-
lerred dlcncss aud theft or pauperism to
work for fair wages when assured Of his
freedom and his pay. But of work for
nothing save the scantest food and GOV
ering, with occasional cuts from lorse-
whip, they probably think they have had
enough-and no wonder.
What Presinent johnson believes and
urges is that it is greatly desirable and
preferable that each State should wisely
ami Justly settle the Suffrage and all
kindred quest ons for self-should so set
tie them as to hush all intestine fcuds,
remove all discontents, and leave Con
gress free to admit her delegation instant
| ly on its appearance at the Capitol next
December. We ardcntly hope that this
may be, and that each, State will present
herself under such auspices that all laws
which stand in the way of the admission
of her members, even though some Of
them have been active Rebels, shall be
promptly repealed, and the delegations
at once admitted without dissent. Yet
we are bound to warn the South-because
it is the truth, and she needs to know il
that if her delegations come to Wash
ipgton breathing the spirit of this Union
Governor of louisiana, and bearing Con
st.utiops instinct with the virus OF these
Alabama shareholders and of their five
dollar-per-month confederates in Virgin
ia, whic proffer no hope of even future
enfranchisemont to their Black people
they will find Jordan a hard road to trav
ell. And we do most earnestly entreat
them not to force upon those who fee
grateful to the Blacks for their aid il
restoring the Union, and Vho believe
something more is their due than "th'
same rights that free negroes have always
had,' y an issue which, whatever Its resul
cannot fail to reopen the wounds and post
pone the pacifcation of our common coun
try. We speak what we deeply feel, be
cause we know that it must be heaSf
and needed. "Between us be truth"
But why should there be further col
lision? Have we not had contetior
enough? Why. above all, should thC
Capital and the Labor of the South, bt
again pitted against each other in an an
tagopism that cannot fail to prove calami
tous Why should not the planters; the
landholders, the gentry of the South, a
once resolve that the future relation be
tween then apd their laborers shall b.
one of mutual kindness and trust ?
What Substantial, benefcent interest il
all the South can be advanced by thei
antagonism ? What acre of her soil vii
not be reduced in value by it Wha
merchant, manufacturer or artiZan mus
not suffer from IT? Men of the South
we entreat you to settle the Suffrage an'
all kindred questions for yourselves, ant
settle them on basis of eterna, justice
Inspire the negro to work, and plan, an'
save, by profering the Rigilt of Suffrag
to all who shall prove worthy of it am
capable of exercising it intelligently, safe
ly and usefully. Put away spite, ant
false pride, and malice, and vengenee