Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-12-25
AID COMMISSION.
The Condition of the South.
The Opportunity and Duty of the
North.

to the condition of the lower classes in th
South. This meeting was held under til
auspices of the Cleveland Freedmen's All
Commission, and the object was to awake
IN the minds of our people a still deeper in
terest in tie condition and fortunes of th
freedmen. The people of the North nee
only be enlightened as to what should be don
in any and every cause, when they imme
diately address themselves with heartines
to giving practical aim and force to thei
convictions.
Nearly all the pastors of the city churche
occupied the pulpit. After the usual ORE
iminaryr religious services, Gen. John Eator
Assistant Commissioner of the Freedmen
Bureau, and now editor, we understand. G
the Memphis (Tenn.) Post, was introduced
and addressed the congregation for an hour
He noted; first, the ramiAcations through
Northern and Southern society, of the re
speetive influences emanating from tn
Mayhower and Half Moon, and showed hoy
the antagonistic systems Of civilizatio,
came eventually into collision, the NOR,
oarbarous going down inevitably before til,
nobler. The issue of the contest witnesse
the broken authority of the small but hith
erto dominant Southern class over the boo
whites and the negroes, ana the suddcnI,
new revolutionized status of the latter.
The speaker proceeded to detail the man.
ner in which grew up the inevitable soci,-
organisation, from the chaotic elements o.
DTOhen Southern society, oftho forraar oIa.,
population of the South. Gen. Grant had
command in the Mississippi Valley. when
he felt the weight of the negroes eneumber.
ing the movements of his armies. He
sand that something must be done with the
slaves who thus ioeked to his camps. They
came singly, in squads, in companies,-men
women and children, in tatters. halfnaked.
many not knowing exactly what thew
would be at, but guided by an irresistible
mPulse,-and thus they hung upon the
skirts OF the fostering army. Gen. Grant
appointed the speaker General superinten.
dent Of Freedmen ia the Valley. They
commenced the work of organization. Tbe
plantations of JEFF. and Joseph Davis and
the Quitmans' were set apart as n q Eegro
Use" as Gen. Grant termed it. Five
,arn. 20 were placed thereon, pro-
thousand fAsrv~ were allowed
ected by the ARMY, anu Fatffs,
o,ehoose theirqown officers,
,onstabfes, 2c:y-to insure the protection Of
he property they, might accumulate. On
very Saturday the judged heard. all The
Eases needing their attention. The com
was remarkably free from vice and
E~iolence.- During the first. year they had
property to The amount of sl5O,O O0.
Property in that colony was safe. Thise K
1eriment proved that the negroes have la
,ent instincts of honesty and manhood, and
iced only opportunity for their develop
nent. srt ..-r .1 o.
After the surrender of Lee it was-discov-
red that the whole mass Of the negro
population was without masters, free, be-
sildered in their new estate, and demand
guidance The pioneer agencies created
or the care and guidance Of the freedmen
we're found to be inadequate The Freed
mems Bureau was organized, With General
at its head,-a most wise appoint
nent. The policy and principles which
guided the first movements in the Valley
nave been adopted by the Bureau as the
most efficient possible. The work is an IN
Unite but a most encouraging me-. He Illus
rated its magnitude by stating that the
Commissioners or teachers have to penetrate
o each plantation throughout the South,
md explain to the freedmen, in wearisone
ietAil, their new condition, social and prop
+vi.-.[5-1u sE-rl 11:eSEhhe the mature of
bargains, thesmeaning ofrmarriage, the i'm
o., purity. &C., &c. pa
The speaker turned to exhibit the status
If this, class at the present time. Before
.hey could be reached with the assurance of
heir new free condition, it was, in many OF
he Southern States, too late for them to
make provision for their support h coming
Crops were not put in, and hence
7ast numbers must suffer this season unless
hey shall be reached by the contributions
If the people of the North, through the
lgency of the Freedmen's Aid Commission.
In Cities, as well as in the country, i'll Mis-
in Arkansas, in Georgia, Alabama,
he Car6lfhas, and even in Virginia, there
must be great suffering. 1t is estimated that
lot less than 10000 freed people in Ala
ann a1ohemust be fed by the North, or
tarHe: In Georgia $4,000 are reported
homeless, houseless, clotheless, and famish
ng. The crops in the Carolinas are
Iuite9fair, yet inadequate toi the
senegsities of her freed reputation
IN famed old Virginia. AIOthen'Of Presi-
tents, 10000 freed people h4st Be fed this
yfnte4 2 'fhe G5o3srnmnsennt Intends to fur
islslsuppAssdyheFar .Gssess of suffering are
ven a1fBtqpSFte9s Bss$tean aoeOmPsra1
iveIy little. HOW shell ,tAes5s wants be
nsetg Byfhs &Sstfons pr eharitasls organ
.-stIoos.in the n srth. aEeacheFs scstteFad
the South inform. ths Bureau Of
suffering districts, and tho Bureau aim to
supplement- the efforts of the, genetarGov-
Hmust be sustained by the peo-
the North. The Speaker Fculd1aP-
zeal to them for nid. since it is a part of
.heir- country, and the .destitpgpeple OF
he South are st11t their brethren. What we
lie to cure the diseases of the Cafelinss viii
US, 1t is the missiohf Of Our nbbler
.iviliEstieH not only to break down
armed force Of the antegonistic system,
but 70 erushrit utteriy5 and how can. this
Be- done nor iehectpally than by sending
hem supplies; teachers, northern capitals
md labor tO'deyelop the wonderful posi-
bilities ofSotthern. soil and climate p Such
enterprise wOuldb be calculated 70 reconcile
capital and labor in the South; and restore
confidence and good feeling, amppg classes
between whom there has hitherto'existe
division Ppsjudice and Caste The ldeyel-
,pment offhe msterial resources sof, the
South by tn brain and muscle of the North,
is a trdly.C Sistian duty and work.
The GenerG rofuted the stupid charge of
The i-ncompetency Of the negroes, in the way
snUrrHS n rva si-I-St ,.E-hS--4q
proposed BY thesCommissiOn, and stated, in
nrOoE that If negroes Of Memphis, Tenn,
have paid, 81 eheir own earnings the past
year, the sum Of s55OOo for schooling pur-
poses. - Y7alffiSh5 i~Hstsfntes 6fithriff and wise
apprcpfiaeio4 were cited by way OF refuta-
Of ssiuF SANDER.
; ThezBen&rk of the General were very
infeE&, and we doubt not that the pop
1lLI -.n l. -