Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1865-05-12

The Southern Shareholders, IN the regions
not hitherto visited BY our armies, undoubt-
edly find 1t little difficult TO accommodate
themselves to the new relations between
their former slaves and themselves and it is
not surprising that Gen. Scho6eld. command
ing the Department of North Carolina. has
found it necessary to issue the following or
der
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF y. c.,
Army or THE ONO,
R.LEIin, y. C., April IS.
General Order No. -.
To remove a doubt which seems to exist in the
minds of some Of the people Of North Carolina,
it lie hereby declared that, by virtue of the
proclamation of the President Of the United
States, dated January /. 1868, all p erson. in
this State heretofore held as slaves are now Free
and it is the duty of the army TO maintain the
freedom of such persons.
Ii is recommended to the former masters of
the freedmen to employ them as hired servants
at reasonable wages. And it is recommended
to the freedmen that, when allowed to do so,
they remain with their former masters. and Ia
Dor faithfully so long they shall be treated
kindly and paid reasonable wages: or that they
Immediately seek employment elsewhere in the
kind Of work to which they are accustomed. II
is not well for them to congregrate about towns
or military camps. They will not be supported
in idleness-
By command Of Major General ScHoFIEID.
This is sufficiently explicit and to the
point. How it is received by the freedmen
may be seen from the following extract from
the correspondent of the World:
On our way to Raleigh we were besieged by
great gathering Of colored people, eager to ascer-
tain if they were now certainly free, and wheth-
er they would remain so. They were assured Of
the feet, and told Of General Schohed's order de-
clsring them forever enfranchised in the State
Of North Carolina They were, moreover, ad-
vised to remain at their old homes and work
faithfully for reasonable wages. They listened
attent vely, and warmly expressed their thanks
Gen. Schofeld, who stood on the other side Of
the platform, was then pointed out 10 them, and
they Immediately moved toward him. An old
negro man, whose wool was whitened with the
SHOWS Of many winters, scted as speaker, and,
humbly coming forward, asked as you Gener-
al Schofeld 80, The general nodded affirmative
ly. "We's very much 'bliged to you for de
kindness you done US cullud folks by making us
free people" General Schofeld replied ''You
need not thank me especially. Thank all the
good people of the North hope you will make
good use of your time. and prove that you de-
serve to be free dat we will, general" e1-
claimed the old man. "dat we will. Work amt |
no new relation to US, massa Schofeld, faint no
new revlation." These poor people subsequent |
ly inquired about President Lincoln, and |
whether it was really true that he WAS killed |
On being told yes, they all, with one accord,
uncovered reverently, and, with great solemnity |
and many Borrowing tears, Intoned 8 mournul |
dirge, the refrain of which was an expression Of |
the saddest grief for the memory of "a dying
friend" A more impressive scene it would be
impossible to imagine.