Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1866-07-07

and TO expect and require il Of 9th
ers. We are glad 10 receive men
who bring capital to help us revive
our shattered fortunes, and do not
care whence they come. / believe
these remarks hold good for oil the
late Confederate States.
Q. Do your people view the Freed
mems Bureau as n valuable and
needfar institution, and profitable in
the re establishment of negro labor
! A. They do not. According to
my own observation and the testi-
mony of acquaintances. with whom
have just compared views, from
five distant portions Of our great
State, the influence Of the Freed.
mems Bureau is UNIVERSAL y pcrnic.
ious, and the institution is viewed
by the people, almost unanimously,
asa nuisance. This remark applies,
too, according to my information, to
the other States.
@. Why so? A. For various
causes; the bureau is administered,
as far as I can learn, by persons
having no knowledge of our people
or the negroes they are nearly all
| imported from a distance and are
antagonistic in feeling to the people,
and self.sufficient as to their duties,
and their despotic power seems to
have turned their heads; even when
we'll disposed'and conscientious, they
are so profoundly ignorant Of the
subject they have to deal with, as to
! blunder continually, and excite rid
icule; in Texas we have been unfor-
, tunate in the chief Of the bureau,
who was fanatical and exceedingly
self.sufficent man; he began BY
preaching to the negroes. and Of.
Tending society by his social treat
ment of them; we don't need mis-
sionaries to teach US social relations
or labor system; and he offended
US by his arrogance and turned the
he ads of the poor ignorant negroes
@. Could you manage the institu.
tion better yourselves? Would your
people deal fairly and humanely by
the negroes2 A The institution is
offensive in itself, and q nuisance in
practice; if left to ourselves We
would reject it, as the only manage
ment it deserves; we would pass but
few laws relating to the late slaves,
that would not apply to whites; and
as for fair treatment, the best and
only friend the poor negro has on
earth is the old master; this the poor
deluded creatures are fast discover
ing, and many thousands are ro.
turning to their former homes, tired
of the freedom thrust upon them,
which they never sought.
@. How would you better the
matter? Would the people return
the negro to slavery? A. There is
no such intent or disposition any-
where to re-enslave the negro
They regard that an entirel : settled
question, and impossible if they de:
sired it. It would be presumption
on my part to submit a plan extern
poraneously upon which our people
would work. I give you only the
views Of q private citizen, who has
never been in, or aspired to political
position. I would suggest, (and be-
Iieve it would find favor with your
peopleD such legislation as would
compel all men to comply with their
contracts for service, in kind, at least
for one year, under penalty Of work
ing on public works without wages.
All men nearly would bargain with
and treat them justly, and most men
even kindly. The reported antag-
onism which fills Northern Radical
papers is not merely exaggerated,
It is manufactured out Of whole
cloth--it is false. No such antago-
nism exists; and collisions have oc-
Cured, only, within my knowledge,
where negroes have been stimulated
to impudence and hostility by opin-
ions of soldiers or agents Of the
Freedmen's Bureau. This will new
er be tolerated.
@. Have the freedmen gone to
work in Texas, and on what termsf
A. am informed that they have
generally, since the first of January.
Up to that time they had vague
expectation of something more than
a freedom which had only deprived
them of homes. Finding that moth
ing but work would get bread. they
have hired, generally at good wages;
men at Sc to SIS, and women at IS
to sl2 per month, they clothing
themselves, some planters have hired
by giving q share of the crop, one-
fourth to one-third.
Q. Is there disposition to edu-
cate and Christianize themf A.
We would first endeavor to find
bread and clothing for them. / think
no one would oppose their getting
an education for themselves. like
other poor people. 1t would, doubt
less, be we'll if they could read the
!! Bible, which has hitherto been
taught them gratuivously. II will
be well If the negro can maintain
the moral and religious teachings
ke has enjoyed. / have no hope Of
Il myself, as he will have to keep
himself, and has neither disposition
or capacity TO ameliorate the condi-
ton ofhis race. He has no history,
no tradition, nothing without or
within, 70 stimulate pride; no aspi-
ration above the service Of his mas
= terrace. Heretofore, his master
has furnished him religious instruc-
ton, TO the extent that onesingle de-
pomiuation-she NJ thodist Church,
South reports q membership o.