Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-01-03


almost universal wish that the Legislature snail
.. orrc act upon this subject
negro LaoOr Inc GApeIlHl9u' amy
ConilneAceS'
From April To This time the negroes have
bad holiday. They suddenly found themselves
It,s. ,ul they were at a loss how To- act. They |
rc.caacd a man to whom some extraordinary
good iu.A has happened, and who cannot bring
hu.ylr To- realize it. lie fear th't it Is 'Il
lr.ru, and that he will presently wake uP and
.d 20 SEQ. lie opens his eyes, walks about .
-,... aloud to himself and docs nrmhrr o.!
.-..f Things To assur. mm-rJ. t,-t 'r D.. ....
.,i..,. il,,s lis s..I fl.. IS ...l a. .,t,,u. .s.
as.,.. ...uar.,. So. i..,.t.. .,.tu .u. H,-u...
When .....,. ..u..t r... t..-. ...,H..u ..,>r...
dream .... ...-.l tus, ,... ... ...... 20 ...
sn...i.. .,.s. ,.... a..I.I ... Understand. t...
of .... ..... ..i.s. Iu.,diJ.,. ,...-.. r... ..t
hom.,. i... .,.H Does. ,..,I ,.... "a. lou- o., t,ry
continue ..rfI arl an, associations Of their
former condition.. -, bsJ 20 sort ,r super
stitious t.ar tf.,j. ta,, remained 20 ,heir old
homes. uui,- the ewes ,f ,n.ir ;.rr.g masters,
driving nm. >,fuc mules. u>iu. the same hoes
and tillip, tb.. ,4m. -r..ua tl,y would San
b,cl, INTO thc .rd condition ot scryi-uJ,. To
stand still ...,r..,,nc free. Freedom. .,e.,,-
t, tb.irr,....ir... consisted I'm , .,.. .4.l
tbe, all humble. .,. .... ........ 90, ,u. r..-
pag, To 20 wi,s.a. I.a-. ~, .a. SECT Oh. Cd
freeman. They could mot ,cr, satisfied until
they tested the efficacy of this experiment.
Their iocal attachments are strong IN uumcr-
ou> instances they were attached To the iami-
lie, iu which they had been reared, and many
,,.ir Reluctant to leave, but the migratory iu-
s,.r.. -.1. Sc. sometimes see in animals, pre-
~..l.G. sni old and young-mcn, women and
,...ig.n. 5lrkened the avenues leading To the
cities. Trey may thus be said to have
crossed .Hy Eubicon. Soon their supplies gave !
uut, but fortunately they were gathered under |
tuc wins, OF the FreedmanS Bureau. They
were furnished with good clothing and shelter
For while their happiness was supreme Ihey
-sere free their wants were provided i"r, aud
tbey had no work to do. They iondIy believed
that they would be laid up in lavender the re-
n,ainder Of their natural lives. Under >U'h
circumstances 1t was unreasonable 10 expect
them TO work. when men can I'VE '"n'''''"-
bly, without work, there are ie" VINO WI" pun
their hands to the plough l." earn urea" oS
the sweat of the bro" Is accounted one oil the
curses OF a violated law, from winch the ATT
can, above all others, would ENJOY exemption
The Government soon found thai To ieed'
clotbe and shelter four millions 81 blacks with
out receiving an equivalent IN labor would be
snOre expensive than war, and wisely deter
mined 70 throw OIL the burden. lilo" l." break
1t To the RegroeS was the difficulty. lhey u'Sl
been encouraged To believe that they would Toe
provided for until Christmas aud tha' al
Christmas the lands OF their former masters
would be parcelled out among tbem' by dc-
greeS they were undecelved and urged to 60 10
lsork. Some did 60 to work. But 50 deeply
rooted had become the belief that at Christmas
they would be landed proprietors. that ii was
found difficult, almost impossible, to diSabu>e
their minds of it. The officers OF the Freed
mans Bureau were charged with the duty of
representing to them the utter hopelcssuc>> of
any such provision Tor them. Citizens were
appealed to To aid these officers in their efforts
To undeceiye the negroes. Circulars were is
shed, speeches made, aud conversation, held
i,ut all to no purpose. The notion had gotten
INTO their heads aud it could not bc expelled.
some Of the officers who were called upon ."
correct this impression were, according I"
General GRAST the very individuals who had
Justified this idea in their minds. However
t..., may be- they believed it. aud they could
uo, Ice induced to renouuce the conviction.
Christmas has come aud gone New Years
J,. fr, come and gone. But SANCHo has not
tl.rl his island. The negroes are lauile>> auL
homeless. They now see and realize thai They
-.... under deluSion. and iftb,.y are c.tpaI.le
... ,. lection, they will understand thar their
.rr. hope is i'm their labor. anal thar their ou,
a.n must come from tu. l.rIl.rr.,s. their
f.r,.,r masters. To, Governments ,.,. aa u.
raor, E.- tu.u.. except .y 500 ti,t ....s .5.a.-
ar. s.-urrL O. II a1d rur viii, 60 ..>rot 1u.
means. e. s.. h5J 90. m,ras ir i', a.. lh.r...