The Placer herald., 1866-06-09
THE WAY IT WORKS.

Aue Oau rTanclsco LTuWenef says: "A
young lady Of California, with most acute
and observing mind, has recently returned
from a visit 10 her relations in Mississippi.
While there she had an opportunity Of OBJ
serving the working Of negro freedom, and
furnishes US some very interesting reflections
touching the same, We hope to hear from
her again.
The negroes are free at last. Perhaps
some OF our Abolition friends would like to
step into The South just at present, to see the
effects oftheir glorious work, but as a few
Of them are probably without the means or
the will to do SO, no doubt preferrng to
write sensational story from hearsay on
the present beatitude Of the ebony race.
shall endeavor to give them a slight idea Of
the real situation of the negro. The prevail.
ing opinion among the African race, during
the war, seemed to be, that 10 becoming free
men and women they would be exempted
from future labor. OF course any such sup
position has been disappointed, and the con
sequence is that glorious freedom fails to
produce such sensation as anticipated. 1t
is really remarkable occurrence that, after
the extreme kindness Of the Yankee, the ne.
gro prefers to labor for the Southerner; in.
deed sometimes refuses to work for the
Northerner at all, having conceived the
strange idea that they will be cheated out Of
their wages if they do so.
1t is now customary to make contract
between the negro and the white man, which
is approved by the Freedmen's Bureau; then
each of the parties concerned sign it aud
consider themselves afterward bound to ad,
here to its rules. These rules are often so
stringent, so very particular as to the negro
paying for every moment of time during
work hours that he loses, as we'll as for every
farming utensil that be breaks or destroys,
that the poor darkey, at the end of the month
instead of securing any wages often finds
himself in debt, especially if be have Yam.
kee master.
If a man strike bis black servant he is liza
bic to fine of fifty dollars or more, but if
be is wise and will pay to the Superintendent
of the Freedmen's Bureau five dollars, be
mag have The unlucky negro hung by the
thumbs so long as he may desire, without
any of The trouble of attending to it himself
There is no doubt however, suppose, that
the African race ought to be supremely
happy. Though the men often find them
selves without the means to support their
families, and are obliged sometimes TO see
them die slowly of starvation. it is certainly
a consolation to feel that they have their
liberty. Though the boys, instead Of attend.
ing the schools which their kind Abolition
friends have provided, spend their time in
roaming through the woods, setting traps to
catch the birds, which have become neces'
sary to their existence, yet their parents Ger.
taiuy have the pleasure Of feeling that these
boys may some day hold high position un-
der our Government and even sit 10 our
Presidential chair. Even beggar may
build air castles, and assuredly much more
so may the Africans who have gained so
many advantages, and have become SO i'm
portaut in the United States.
The negroes, strange to say, notwitbstand.
ing all these advantages have not the happy
appearance which characterized them during
their slavery. In many places the long row
of quarters is deserted. One hears no more
the sound Of the banjo, or the merry laugh Of
the slave; freedman is seen sitting sullen
and detected in bis door, or solitary old
freed hobbies around searching for a
few chips, to cook the scanty meal her free.
dom has acquired for her. This same old
woman will tell you, if you ask her, that
previous to the war she not only had suffi.
cept to eat, but some one to prepare it for
her. Abolitionists, however, l suppose, will
think that she ought 10 be much happier
though she does not get enough to sustain
nature, for she undoubtedly has the grati6-
cation Of knowing that what little she has is
seasoned with precious liberty. Unfortu-
natey her feeling may not be fine enough
to appreciate TIE distinction.
Some Of the negroes are willing to work
for their old masters now, as before the war,
that is, for their support; but the Freedmen s
Bureau will not permit this. 1t seems too
much like an insult to the governments
great work. Indeed it is rather the object
Of the Superintendent to change every South
ern planters servants, lest the slave should
forget that he has become freedman. In q
word, The negro has really at last become an
outcast.
Too inferior to be equal to the white race,
and rendered too vain by the aboitionsts to
be contented with its lot, the African race
in America is doomed. Riot, pestilence
and famine are beginning to reign amongst
it and its determination must follow.
WHEN Democracy DIES, GoD DIEs!-The
use of this expression by the Democratic
lHealdsburg) Standard, having been severely
condemned by some of the Abolition sheets,
that journal responds to its critics, in its last
issue, and uses the following logic the sustain
its position: "When Democracy dies, Lib
erty dies. When Liberty ceases to exist,