Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-08-15

uEN. HOWARD ON Il WHITES AND BLAovs
OF THE SoUTH.-Gen. o. o.. Howard, Commits.
sloner of the Fresdmen's Bureau, in an sdd,...
before the Freedmen's Relief Society of Main,
said
" see that 1t is stated that Gen. Cox, who !.
candidate for Governor OF Ohio, has given il A,
the result OF his experience and observation that
the white and the black race cannot permanently
1--we together in this country. Now | have the
highest respect for Gen. Cox. | esteem him "a
thorough soldier, a true patriot, a Christian gen.
tleman. But my experience leads me TO a %conclu-
SION dlametrically opposite. If my individual
likes and dlslkes may be referred to, | knoV that
| can employ a negro and be and | can l.te TO.
gether; and if that is the case, there is no reason
Why another two cannot do so likewise. 1t chow,
that 1t Is not a natural instructive repugnsnce in
rs against the blacks. Further, | am ~consciou,
that could employ twenty-five negroes on a farm.
ana 1--we with them, not only without hating them.
but could lone each and every one Of them. viii
use that strong term, But you say, that is not
social equality Social equality is an absurdity.
10 does not exist anywhere-not here in August.
But IN talking of employing negroes YOU .up-
49, N~ "AANt "a tupCllDI tTUhpb IN the
average he Is. Bot, would you like to see white
men employed by negroesP' 10 answer | would
say That 10 Washington, one Of the most wealthy
otuzens IS a colored man, and be employs white
clerks, who can not only endure The degradation
out are very glad OF the employment. He tran
sacls o very large business al home and with the
west. This may seem to you an anomaly, an
a0aufditl 10 is not. 1t is simply
lhef. Is prejudice and there is c0nventionalism
again ~ but the prejudice is not radical nor ia
S%.inct'e Wl ai lnyentionalism are liable TO
change.
Gen. Howard said he relied largely upon Chris
ian charity p settle tie problem of the race rsI.-
tons at The South, and to tie objection that thi.
was not sufficiently practical, be replied
wei, then, interest will do it. We canno,
dlspense with their labor. Our intercourse which
we must hold With them as our employees will
serve to dissipl'e our pref ldices. This is nv
opinion, and I can back it up with facts. Mary,
land has become a free State By her act. In
TIE southern part Of Maryland the slave owners
were devoted to the institution. 1t was Of d.
vine origin slavery was 'the normal condition
Of the black race They hung to il as long as
they could but fortunately in the northern part
Of tbe SAFE were brave men who fought against
it, and they finally triumphed. Immediately the
former owners Of slaves we're determined to drive
Of her hands from their old homes, They could
1--we With them as slaves but not as free men. How
Sig now They have agents whom they send
TO Richmond and elsewhere to collect freedmen
to labor for them. They must have their help
aad .At} are engaging Us many as they can get.
They are wiling to pay from Sl3 to SIS for or
binary hands, they wan, .ne women for house
labor, and the prospect is tha, here viii soon be
more negroes 10 that section than there we're for
merry of slaves aud free people Of color. They
wH, have mo- trouble IN living with the whites nor
Oh" whites with them. ihustwll be e~yerywhere.