The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-08-10
COLUMBIA.
Thursday Morning, Aug. 10, 1865.

WuOAc 11A|C ~ GuTOWn INTO CONFUSION.
They all quit work and run hither and
thither without aasy apparent aim or
object. They seem to lose their
senses, or, to speak more correctly,
their proper instincts. Ants, too, are
thrown into the same disorder when
their hills are rudely broken into.
They are called u 'swise folk in the
inspired volume, but on such occa-
sions they appear to lose all Of their
wisdom. We have recently witnessed,
in these Southern States, says the
Richmond Times, an exhibition Of the
same character among the laboring
class Of the South. The human hive,
lost their head, the African ;rnt hill
was broken into, and from hive and
hull tie swarming thousands poured
In confusion. Chaos is scarcely a
word strong enough to describe their
condition. The idea OF freedom, free
dom from labor and restraint, with all
the vague visions of happiness it i'll
spired, acted upon them like so much
eXhilerating gas. 1t set them to run-
ming about. jumping and gcsticalat-
ing. The plantations upon which
they and their foref;,thers were accus-
toned to work were abandoned, their
homes desolated. Packed down with
I'LL their worldly goods, thc~til the
public highways leading to our cities.
All seemed bound ''for the happy
land " Canaan. Scattered, con-
fused, unemploy ed and homeless, they
soon found that labor. so much dread
ed hy man, is mans greatest blessing.
It is his capital, LIS money, his bread
and meat, lis homo, his source of
comfort and happiness.
A few months have passed, and in
the lapse Of that time marked change
has taken place. Pilgrim negroes no
longer throng the thoroughfarcs lead
ms to our cities, and no longer occupy
the street corners. the lnhlult lots
and the ccll;,r-caps in the cities and
towns. They appear to have settled
down. Chaos has been reduced to
order, and the wandering tribes have
found resting places. Many of the
negroes have returned to their former
homes and gone to work, finding bv a
bitter experience that freedom with
out labor is nothing but freedom to
starve. Others, influenced by IL vague
apprehension that their title to free
dom would be incomplete ana ,lnsatis-
factory so long as they remained with
their former owners, have sought and
found employment with others. Many
uniblc to provide for themselves have
been taken i'll hand by provost mar
shals and officers of the Freedmen's
Bureau, and have either been hired
out or provided with quarters until
they can be permanently settled. It
Is seldom now that the eye falls upon
" travelling negro, loaded down like a
pack mule, with his goods and chat
tcls, and in quest of Il new home. The
great. bulk of them appear to be sup
Piled with lodging places. But the
warm season IS rapidly passing away.
Spring has been succeeded by sum-
mer, and simmer will soon be fol-
lowed by autumn. Then the rigorous
winter, with Its blasts and SHOWS, will
come upon lis, and the troubles of the
negroes will begin in earnest The
fruits, vegetables and fish which now
afford them Il cheap subsistence, will
be gone, and solid meats will have to
be purchased. The genial sunshine
which warns the world without cost,
.1,ill L. { IL L