Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-03-28

now employed, there is not 1900 able bodied men
fit for soldiers. The scale Of prices for these
classes is, for men,--First class, per month, $25,
I'd class, $50, I'd class $lS, and for women, lst
class SlS, I'd class $l4, Sd class $40 and these
are peor people, whom !. costs an average of Sl8
per month to support, and that under the strict
economy Of men who had rather be in the, rebel
army than acknowledge that the African is more
than brute, aud this when the African had no
education Of thrift, or value, or economy does
not know the denominations Of money, or how to
add, subtract or multiply when he can neither
udge OF prices, nor quality when bright colors
and sweet things are worth to him four times as
much as plain coors or less saccharine food.
How is woman, third class though she may be,
to take care Of herself for $40, when her mistress
paid els for her suppsrt' In addition to this
the humanity (0 ofthe government provides that
the master shall furnish good, wholesome food to
the laborer, in payment Of these wages and
further, that the laborer may not starve, he is or-
bid raising anything but vegetables on bis piece oil
ground, and only fowls instead Of cotton, and such
animals as be pleased, as under the other system.
New will any Of these poor creatures, playthngs
OF shareholders and fends in human form, ever
realize one cent OF money from their toll VIII
not every lsborer find it necessary to do overwork
to get his bread Will not every one be as
completely at the mercy OF the master as before,
when in slavery' 1t is simply ridiculous to at
tempt any distinction between the present system
and the darkest days Of bondage. 1t is slavery,
and every laborer will be compelled to work for
less than his proper board and clothes.
Slavery cost an outlay Of ten or twelve hundred
dollars for the slve, and then he was fed and
clothed. Now there is no capital invested. ia
aborer dies there is no loss Of thousand dollars.
Another sufficient evidence Of the wisdom OF
Gen. Banks system is the fact that every p.ntsr
denounced it, while every one receives the present
with unmistakable indications Of gratitude. And
the condition Of the negro is such that there is no
appeal. They must work or slarve-and that at
such prices and in such manner as the planter
plsases. More than four-6iths Of the hands will
be OF the third and fourth classes.
am aware that may be called enthusiastic or
preudiced, or be accused Of looking blndly at
this subject, but can only say that know the
country, the people and the soored race, both in
slavery and since il was abolished, and may God
help this doomed class Of mortals, if the present
system is their only hope Of Freedom.
MILITARY MOVEMENTS.
shall be telling the rebels no news, when ]
say that Gen. Candy is in the field for Mobile
and Central Alabama. Two corps Of white troops,
the 18th, under Ger. A. !. Smith, the 18th under
Gen. Granger, are in the vicinity Of Mobile at this
writing while corps Of oolorSd troops is operating
in another direction. Gen. Thomas..wa in the
city two days since, and after personal interview
with Gen. Candy, each departed to bis fsld Of
operations. Gen. Thomas goes into Alabama
from the North. The Vernon! troops here have
joined the Mobile army. The preparations for
this move has rendered the city quite lively and
engrossed all departments.
The winter rains, and cold, dreary, dismal and
gloomy days are apparently over, and the most
lovely season OF the South is upon US. The
"sunny South" may seem delightful to those sit
ting by glowing stoves and listening to storms
outside, but it isa thing to be dreaded by those
doomed to exist here during the Summer. Give
me the North, her mountain air, her storms and
chis, her rays ofsunshine and all her ills, rather
than the sunny South, with all her orange groves
and perpetual green. Truly,
SIDNEY S. BoYcR,
Capt. 77th U. S. c. T.