Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-11-01

mitted to go UNPUBLISHED, these crimes will
increase with fearful rapidity and may
lead to instructions of the most bloody
character.
! The sudden and violent emancipation of the
entire negro population, has thrown class
OF paupers on the country who have scarcely
the intelligence to earn an honest livelihood,
even if they have the disposition. Naturally
incident, and we fear dishonest, they have
neither the wholesome restraint of a master
or the incentive of honorable ambition to
win the respect and good will of the whites,
or an honest living for themselves. Ac-
customed to look to masters for every COM
fort which humanity and interest alike re-
quired, and having no thought for the fu-
ture, the en- emancipation Of the negro found
him imprc vident in the highest degree,
and lily prepared for the INDECENT freedom
which was presented to him.
The withdrawal of aid by the Freedmen'a
Bureau, an institution which had supported
them in hurtful incidence for some time,
threw that class of the negro population,
upon their own resources for support. 1t
was not to be wondered that many Of these
people preferred to procure their livelihood
by crime rather than by labor. These facts
we must look directly III the face, and
provide against. Those who know with
what difficulty an honest man, with unrcmit-
ting efforts, earns a bare support for his
family in these times need no prophet to
foretell what must be the inevitable result
of the large number of negroes wandering
about, at any time to be met with, day or
night, on our streets and public thorough,
fares.
The outrages to which We have referred
as happening in a certain portion of our
county, can all be traced to negroes, and SO /
far as we know, there has been no arrests,
though in one instance at least, the suspec-
ted person wandered about the neighbor-
hood for some time after suspicion was di-
rected towards him. That arrests are not
made shows criminal indifference or more
criminal fear. We can hardly suppose that
commission of crime and insecurity to pro-
perry anu lie Is Gl0 result Oh 1nOlu6fCUC0 10
the disordered state of society, and if more
rigorous efforts are not instituted to ferret
put and bring to punishment these murder
ers and highwaymen from fear of their re-
venge, these criminals, embroidered by a
feeling of security, will, indeed, become
terror to the country. We hardly believe
hat any sickly feeling exists in regard to
he proper measures being adopted for fear
If the disfavor of the Government, through
he agents of the Bureau.
The Indifference manifested in the efforts
% arrest the suspected murderer of Mr.
McAlister deserves the rebu1e OF the entire
If civil officers have been de-
elict in their duties, they should be repor-
ed and properly dealt with and every cit
zen who has been guilty of neglect in the
natter, is mourning fearful responsibility,
which may yet be visited upon him. Be
ieving that a want of proper organization
nay account somewhat for this apparent
Indifference and real neglect, we desire to ,
inquire why the Militia of this county have ,
lot been recognized under the new laws :
re call the attention of the Adiutant Gen t
raj to the matter. There must be more
ecurity for life and property. Warehouses q
1r the indolent must be at once provided
nd condign punishment for the criminal
lust, in every instance, be his certain fate