Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1866-08-10
ALEXANDRIA VA FRIDAY EVENING, AUGUST TO- 1866

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and wear out all that he could, provided there
was prospect Of more, and to have everything
he could in the way of enjoyment; he thought
it perfectly right to steal from his master, be-
cause he regarded it as partly his own, although
| he would be conscientious about objectlng to
others stealing from his master; he would pro-
tect his master interests so far as others we're
concerned, but not so far as he himself was
concerned.
O. He would steal his masters pigs and
chickens when he got hungry?
A. Yes; the blacks are necessarily improvi-
dent, but [ see no reason why they may not
grow into provident people under care and
protection.
O. Do they seem to possess love of money
and property to degree as high as that which
charaoterizes white men?
A. No, sir they appear to love enjoyment,
and | think they love spiritual enjoyment first
use that word in its liberal, notin its theolog.
ical, sense. Think they love the "spirltuelle,
as the French say.
O. They love alental emotions?
A. Yes, sir. Dividing the human being in
to three parts-mind, body, and spirit-l will
say in regard to the mind, that they are exceed
ceedingly ANXIOUS to learn, like children and
my idea is that all children are anxious to learn
and it requires teachers and parents, by their
ignorance and want of knowledge Of the human
mind, to repress all that desire for knowledge
which now freshly springs up in their intantile
minds; they are really disposed, like children,
to learn, and are very anxious to do 80. Gov
ernment and the church and community may.
| by injudicious measures, repress, this.
0. You know, of course, to a certain extent,
what is the general feeling among the masses
of the secession people OF Virginia. What
would they be likely to do in the event OF tor
! eign war between the United States and such
government as England or France, provided
they saw, or thought they saw, good oppor-
tunity to establish southern independence?
A. In that case, especially if they could Sc
cure their independence, do not think there
is any doubt at all about the course they would
world by which that could be secured. | do
not think, however, that the southern people
have any idea that there is any possibility, even
the rcmotest, of anything occurring through
which they can do anything but submit l
think it is universally the feeling that there is
no hope and no help for them in this regard
Physically, they are. perfectly humbled. 1t is
| impossible to make their physical humiliation
moro complete than it is. A lady recently re-
| marked to friend of mine, ''You cannot ex
Sect us to treat the northern people we'll who
| come here, or to have any intercourse with them.
They haze hunaa7iated US, and we cannot buy or
sell, or have any intercourse with Them /
can see no hope of an improvement IN that re-
spect, except by the gradual operation OF those
causes which are above all opposltlon-commer
cia causes, the operation Of trade, the demand
for capital to come from the north, the emgra,
ton of persons from the north moving south
ward, the moving Of southern people to distant
mi
scenes and under new circumstances. [ look
for the gradual operation of these causes do
not see why the south should witness any differ
ent results than those which Ital ly witnessed in
the case of her northern conquerors, and which
England Witnessed in the case of the Normans.
The NormaDs were the better people and went
in with the Saxons, controlling the language
and institutions OF the people; but the masses
of the people adhered to the Saxon, and it took
many years to effect the coaesciDg So with
the south The people Of the south esteem
themselves superior people. Northern men
going among them with more activity, more
business relations, with less luxury, will control
in some departments; and there will be dissim-
ilarity until time and the 'arious causes, that
are operating in spite of everything, produce no
mogcneity There is no miracle to be wrought
in this case Time and natures laws, lot mere
legislation Of any kind, can effect it. There
must be patient waiting. 1t L were seces-
sionist; if | had gone with the people of the
south it | had taken the same view OF matters,
which they took il my Judgment, conviction,
and conscience had not been all against them
if my church education and my education by
my forefarthers had not Influenced me against
them; if, in short, [ had taken the course they
adopted, | would do just precisely as they are
doing if it were matter of principle, | should,
of course, abide by the principle, and should
esteem it something more than even dollars and
cents, and political power, and home, and every
thing else.
Here the Rev. Doctor the man (accord
ing to the Committed of reflection, thought,
education and experience -brsnched off into
a lengthy disquisition upon the ultimate con-
dition" and "destny and fate of the "backs
of the South, giving his ''opiuion'' las ''adop-
ted and printed by the Committee on Emanci-
patton Of the House of Representatives, and
for which he ''was appointed to 60 to Hayti,f for
the purpose Of carrying out these views in the
Island, land to open negotiations with the South
ern States directly,' not, however, that lie 'ex-
pected anything from it, y as TO the policy of
government, commercial colonization, political
economy, Hayti, Trinidad, Jamaica, Windward
Islands, &C., &C., &C., all of which, not being
considered interesting or instructive, Or peril
nent to the object Of the publication Of this
evidence, so called, and not having space to
spare for such yeconditc matter, we are COM
PEELED, though reluctantly, to omit .r..
@. What is your idea in refere:.-e to the
willingness Of the people of the south to pay
the national debt?
A. answer, that the south will not consent.
if they can help it, to pay any portion Of the
public debt created to humble them, as they say.
Not only that, but they will endeavor, as tar as
they are able, some way or other, to have the
country pay all their debt, whether State or
Cnntnderatn Their Sirl1o ole nnW is to nreserVC