New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-04-03

q
Southern independence, OF renewal of the rebel
| lion, directly or indirectly!
| A. know of none. =, Al. o,;,+
Q. Have you any reason to believe IN the EXIST
enee of any i5l5 III 9.@
| A. I have nome
q IN the event of war between the United
States and any foreign government, such as Eng
4 land or France, and in the event OF there being
1 nrnspect of the establishment of Southern indie
/ nnen5ance nv an alliance between the secession
element in the South and the foreign enemy, have
YOU any reason to suppose that that element
would ally itself with the foreign enemy. or take
any part in the war against the United States?
a. think that such has been the punishment
which they have received for their recent attempt
to throw of the authority of the government, un.
less there was very strong prospect of success
they would be reluctant to engage in another at
tempt Of the kind, with or without an alliance
but should powerful foreign enemy land upon
the Southern coast, they would receive some mate
rial and much moral aid under all circumstances
Should the circumstances be such as to promise
them their independence, very large portion Of
the people Of the South would Join the enemy
@. And in view of the contingency of foreign
war with powerful nation, and the occurrence OF
such an invasion of our country, do you regard the
rebel States, one or altogether, as an element Of
strength in the government of the United States at
the present timer
| A. No, sir. On the contrary, most decidedly an
| element of weakness.
Q. The conclusion, l take it, you have drawn WI
/ lEUut u careful OUseTNdtluu Vi tuG
| feelings Of the Southern people, SO far as you
have had any opportunity Of knowing them!
4 A. Yes, sir.
| q. what is their treatment generally of the
/ freedmen?
| A. 1t is very various. Many persons are treating
the freedmen very kindly and justly, endeaVorlng
1 to accommodate themselves TO tne changed cH-
cumstances of the times. and to enter into the pro-
/ per relations between thems as between the en-
| blowers and the employed Many Others on the
| contrary treat them with great harshness and in
i Justice. and seek To obtain their service without
| lust compensation and to reduce them to con-
diton which will give to the former masters all the
| benefits Of slavery, and throw upon them none of
| its responsibilities
| o, So far as you can judge, which class is the
most numerous, those who treat the freedmen
kindly or those who treat them with injustice and
severity?
A. The latter.
O. Do you think they greatly predominant in
numbers?
a. / can hardly estimate the relative proportion
should think they prepominate.
O. Do you suppose, from what you have seen
and heard, and from what you know, that it would
be safe to intrust the great body of freedmen in
Virginia or elsewhere in the South, to the care of
the local authorities or the local legislation?
A. do not.
Q. Suppose this were done, what consequences,
in your Judgment. would be likely to follow ?
Would they not maltreat the black race, deprive
them of their rights, embarrass them in the enjoy
:,
provoke them, goad them if necessary to acts Of
violence which 1.-THE blacks might suppose they
were performing in their own defense and in their
own interests, and in this way, within some short
time, bring about an open, bloody resistance on
the part of the black population?
A. should say there would be danger that the
blacks would commit those acts which an op-
pressed people, sooner or later, commit against
their oppressors.
@. Have you reason to believe that the blacks
possess arms to any extent at the present time2
q A. have been told they do. / have received
that information from citizens of Virginia, includ
ing State officers, who have entreated me to take
the arms of the blacks away from them.
O. Who were those officers
q A. Some are members of the present legislature.
j have also been asked to do SO by public meet
ings, held in one of the counties.
Q, Have you, in any case, issued orders for dis
arming the blacks? :
+ A., have not, -a7
Q, The blacks, I suppose, are almest unani-
mously loyal? H.{ ST.. ..aI
A. / think there is no question about that.
@. How do the Nirginians feel in regard to the
education of the blacks?
A. There is a great difference of opinion in that
respect in different communities. In some places
the people cordially approve of it. Many have
taken part in it. In other places the reverse is
the case. Cases have come to my knowledge
where persons coming to teach the blacks were
not permitted to rent plsce, either for school or
personal occupation, and it has been reported to
been treated with great contempt, and in some
places threatened. Again, in the city of Lynch
burg for instance, the city authorities cordially
entered into the arrangement for teaching the
blacks, in connection with the military autIori-
ties. There is this variation of feeling, and what
is the predominant feeling | cannot tell
I 2. What is the political character of the pres
ent legislature Of Virginia?
A. judge, by its actions and by the language
used by many of its members in debate, that it is
not loyal legislature. a5 ,,ss49 81 .l,.,
Q. In case Of the withdrawal of military protec-
lion from Virginia, what would be the condition Of
the loyal people in Virginia and Of the blacks?
A. think they would be in a lamentable condi-
Son. So great is the prejudice entertained, espe
,iay against those who were faithful in their obi
cations to the government during the war, that |
10 not think they would receive any adequate
protection for their rights Of person or property
rom the courts, and / think that they would be
through the machinery of the courts,
Is well as privately. Even now, when military
aw prevails in the State and when military au-
Lhority is supreme attempts were made i'm the |
courts to punish Unionsts for acts done by them
under military authority during the war, and |
have been obliged to interfere and release from |
prison men thus prosecuted.
@. Has that been of frequent occurrence? rs 1
A. have directed the cessation of proceedings
in some five or six cases of this kind In some Of
them the parties had been admitted to bail /; in
some, they were imprisoned. j have released
those in prison, and in all cases have taken posses
u,
bonds had been given, of the bonds.
O. Would the Unionsts be safe in case of the
removal of the protecting troops2 .1A @
A. think not and in that opinion / am sup.
ported by, as | think, the unanimous feeling Of
the uni0nists themselves, which has been FIRE,
Iuently, and still continues to be- expressed to me-
@. Has the liberal policy OF President Johnson
n granting pardons aud amnestes to the rebels
iad the effect, in your opinion, to increase or de-
crease the feeling of respect toward the govern
nent of the United States on the part of the people
Of Virginia? 5f
A. lam unable to trace results to their causes in
that matter; but since the time when took com
mand, especially since military restraint has been
30 much relaxed, as it has been two or three
months, disloyal publications have very much in
creased. They seemed to have increased in pro-
portion to the relaxation of military restraint.
@. The newspaper known as the Richmond Elx-
aminer has been recently suppressed by an order
from Gen. Grant? lr4 4
A. Yes, sir. ., ..a u..
q. For the utterance Of disloyal sentiments, and
Of language insulting to the Unionsts, and to the
Northern section of the country
q A. Yes, sir. a6
Q. How is it regarded? Is it regarded as one of
the leading opponents Of public feeling and
opinion in Virginia?
feeling. ~ = :
Q. Did you execute the order of Gen. Grant?
A. caused 1t to be executed. 7 gave the order
20 Gen. Turner, who commands in Richmond, and
Q. Has the order been revoked or modified in
any way? E II
IS a. 1T has. %!s @aW ga |
Q. By whose order, so far as you know.
A. So far as know officially, by Gen. Grants
order. a f3 ~ E'Ef FFT- |