Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-03-28

OF virginia would they, If the question was left Il
| them; repudIate and reject that debt A. ] never
heard any one speak on that subject; but from my
| knoWledge OF the people, believe that they would
be IN favor Of payment Of all just debts O. Do they
| IN your opinion regard that just debt? A. dc
! rot know what their opinion is on the subject /
| nave never heard any opinion expressed but have
! never heard any opinion expressed contrary to it.
| Indeed as said in the beginning / have had very
little diicussion or intercourse with the people
called on to pay I say that from my kaowIedge Of
the people generally. Q. Would they pav that debt
or thelr portion OF It, with as much aacrity as people
ordinarily pay their taxes to their Government? A.
| do not know that they would make any distinction
between the two. The taxes levied by the Govern
ment so fsr as l know they are prepared to pay to
| anv distinction.
G. What is the feeling of the people of Virginia
! towards the payment of the so called Confederate
e6? a. f.a.9 eeeye n so far as my opiqiQns goMand
pay the Confederate debt, too O. You think o; tbey
would? a; !. think they would, If they had the the
power and ability to do so. have never heard any
| Of repudiating any debt Q. suppose the Gonfcd-
crate debt is valueess, even in the market in Vir-
| glnla A. Entirely; so far as | know believe the
people look upon it as lost entirely; never heard
any any question on the subject. q. Do you recollect
when hen the Confederate bonds We're made payable? a.
| nave general recollection that they were made
payable SIX months after declaration of peace. O.
Hlx months after ratification of peace between the
lhInk they saw that way.
q So that thebonds are ot due yet by their terms?
A suppose, unless it is considered that there is
peace now, they are not due. Q. How do the people
OF Slrglna,, the secesSOnistS particularly, feel
| towards the freedmen? A. Every one with whom |
nave associated expresses kind feelings towards the
freedmen They wish to them get on ia the world
ana particularly TO take up some occupation for
! ilEluS' ana TO turn Their hands to some work. ]
| know that efforts have been made among the
farmers, near where live to induce them to engage
tor the year at regular wages O. Do you think there
Is Willingness on the part of their old masters to
give them fair wages for their labor? A. | believe
IT'S So The farmers generally prefer those servants
VINO nave been living with them before. | have
heard them express their preference for the men
whom they know who had lived with them before
and their wish to get them to return to work | am
not aware OF any combination among the whites to
keep down he wages Of the blacks. | have heard
th4t IN several counties landowners have met in
order to establish a uniform rate of wages, but
never heard ofany combination to keen down wages
or establish rate which they did not think fair The
means OF paying wages in Virginia very limited
| now. and there is difference of opinion as to how
much each person is able TO pay.
O. How do they feel in regard to the education of
the blacks? Is there general willingness or uuwil-
lingness to have them ciucated? A. Where | have
been the people exhibit willingness that the blacks
should be educated and the7 express an opinion that
that would be better for the blacks and better for the
whites. q. General you very competent to Judge
OF the capacity of black men to acquire knowledge
want your opinion on that capacity as compared
with the capacity of white men. A. | do not know
that am particularly qualified to speak on that sub
sct as you seem to intimate; but do not think he
Is as capable OF acquiring knowledge as the white
man Is. There are some more apt than Others have
known some to gain knowledge and skill in their
trade or profession. have had servants of my own
who learned to read and write well. Q. Dothey
show capacity to obtain knowledge of mathemat-
les and the exact sciences? A | have no knowlcdre
on that subject. l merely acquaintanced with
those who have learned the common rudiments of
education,
q. General, are you aware OF any combination ex-
lStng among the blacks of Virginia, anywhere in the
State having in view the disturbance of the peace
or any improper unlawful acts? A. | am not:
nave seen no evidence OF it, and have heard of n0ne
wherever have been they have been quiet and or
Derry not disposed to work rather not disposed to
any c9Dtlhuoua engagement TO work, but just very
short Jobs to provide them with the immediate IN cans
oL SUBSISTENCE. U Has the colored race generally as
much love Tor money and property the white race?
A. do not think it has: the blacks whom know
look more to the present than to the future G. Does
that absence OF lust of money arise nfdre from the
nature OF the negro than from his former scrve con-
dition? A. Well, it may be in some measure attri-
buted to his former condition; they are IN amiabIa
social race; they like their ease and comfort and
think look more to their present than their future
Q. In the event of war between the United States
ana any foreign power, such as England or France,
If there should be held out to the secession portion
Q; the people OF Virginia or the other recently rebel
states tar proSpeGt OF gaming their independence
and shaking % the G0yernme. of the United States
is It, or IS II not yeur opinion that they would avail
themselves OF that opportunity? A. | canuOt speak
with any certainty on that point; do not know how
lar they might be actuated by their feelings; have
nothing whatever to base an opinion upon SO far as
L know, they contempl late nothing Of tho kind now
what may happen in the future 1 cannot say. @. 10
YOU ne: frequently hear, In your intercourse with
such war may break out? A. | cannot say that
have heard it, on the contrary haze heard persons
u uo-hOt know NhelheI yOu couid call them
sGnist5 ol not-i mean those people in Virginia with
whom l associate) express hope that the country
may not be led into war.
z. In such event, do YOU not thiuk that that
class of people whom call 4eGessiOniSts would join
the common enemy: 4. It is possiblc it depends
upon the feeling of the individual o. fit ig - fair
question: (yOu may answer it or net as you choose
what in such an event might De your own choice?
| have no disposition now to do it, and never have
h8d. =. And you cannot foresce that such would
be your inclination in such an eyentS A. No; can
only judge from the past: J do not know what cir
cumStaDces may prOJuce; cannot pretend to forseo
events 80 tar as know, the wish OF the people of
ITginia Is for peace. O. During the war was it not
con emplated by the Government of the Confederate
states TO form an alliance with some foreign nation if
possible? A. believe it ther .sh to do so: II
was their wish to have the Confederate Government
recogni7e? aa ar independent Government. have
nG doubt 1t could have made favorable treaties
would have done so; but knew nothing of the policy
of the Government: had no hall or part in if:
merely express my own opinion.
Q. The question l am about to put to you, you may
answer or not, as you chooSe-Did you take an oath
OF fidelity or allegiance to the Confederate govern
inentE A do not T3cuileCt having done so, but it
Is possible wnen was commissioned, did. ! do
no! ree2iieet whether It was required. # was re
have taken it-but d. not recolleet whether it was
By Mr. Blow-Q. In reference to tho effect of Pres
ldent JohnsCn'S policy, ii it were adopted would
there be anything like return of the old feeling
cling in the RESULT A. believe It would would ae dSeiGs t@c
Tor tie feelings OF the people to be of that cordial ma
tuTe to the 0oyernnent that they were formerly.
policy arises fram desire have good feeling and
peaie IN tae country, or from the probability of their
regalnlng political power? A. So far as know the
desire Of the people of the South for the estora-
ton OF their civil government, and they look upon
the policy of President Johnson the which
G no you see any change in reference to the poorer
people OF Virginia as regards Industry Are they as
much, or more interested in developing their mate
rial interests than they were? A. / have not OBJ
served any change, Every now has to attend to
his business for his support. Tho poorer classes
are generally hard at work are they2 A. So far as
know they are- l know nothing to the contrary.'I
hSYS noticed no change IN their relations to the col
the people of Virginia kind to the ooored people
have never heard any blame attributed to them as
bility. any t''poNSi-
- q. Can capitalists and working men from the
North go INTO Virginia and go to work among the
people A. do not know ANYTHING 10 prevent them
Their peace and pleasure there would dcpend very
much on their conduct. If they confined themselves
to their own business and did not interfere to Dr0-
woke controversies with their neighbors DO not
oelleVe they would be mOlested There is no desire
TO keep out labor ard capital On the contrary, they
State. The manner in which they would be received
las SAID before would depend entirely on the indi-
vldual. Ihey might make themselves obnoxious
you can understand.
By Mr.. Haward-Ts there not a general dislike of
n0Sthsrn men among secessOnists? A. | suppose
they would prefer not to associate with them; | do
not know that they would select them as associates
Z. DO they avoid and ostracise them socially? A.
Iney might avoia them. They would not select them
as assocSates unless there some reason | do not
know that they would associate until they become
acquainted. L think 1t probable that they would
not admit them into their social circles
BY Mr.. Blow-Do yoa thiuk the colored persons
would rather work for northern man than a south
eTn man! a. l think it very probable that they
would prefer the northern man, al hOugh have no
facts. l know of numbers Of ,he blacks engaging
with their old masters and know of good many
who prefer to OH and look for homes Whether
it from any dislike to their former or from
desire to change. or that they feel more free and
independent, do not know.
Q. What IS Jour opinion in regard to the material
interests of Virginia-do you think they will be equal
to what they were before the rebellion, under tho
changed aspect OF affairs? A. 1t will take long
time for them to reach their former standard, |
think that after some years they will reach it, | hone
they will exceed it-but it can't be Immediately in
my opinion. 1t will take number of years O. On
the whole condition of things in Virginia is hopefuI
both In regard to its material interests and the future
peace of the country A | have heard great hope
expressed and great cheerfulness and willingness to
labor. z. suppose that this policy of President John
son should be all you anticipate and that you should
also realize all that you expect in the improvement
OF your material interests, do you think that the re-
suit Of that will be the gradual restoration Of the old
feeling? A. That would be the natural result |
think, and see no other way IN which that result
can be brought about,
Q. There is fear in the public mind that tn
friends Of the policy in the South adopt it, because
they see IN 1t the means OF regaining political posi-
ton which they lost in the recent centest-do you
think that that is the main idea with them or that
they merely look to It, say, the best means
OF restoring the civil government and the peace ana
prosperity of their respective States? A As to the
tltr, b IL, IL.