Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-04-05
THE RECONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE.
Testimony of Gen. Lee and John Nj. Bolts.

Mr.. Conkling, from the Joint Committee Of Eli
teen, reported to the House of Representative
Tuesday, large amount of evidence on the con
dition of the South. The first State in order
Virginia.
i On February IL, 1866, General Robert E. LIE
was worn and exained.
AL LEES TESTIMONY
| by Senator ERward.-Where is your presen
residence Answer. Lexington, Virginia. a.
Question. How long have you been in Licking
i ton A. Since the LIST of October last; nearl,
five moths: q. Are you acquainted with tn,
state of feeling among what We call secession
lsts at present, in Virginia, toward the Fedora
| Government? A. do not know that [ am.
| have been living very retired. and have had bu
little communication with politicians. [ know
nothing more than from my observations ant
from such facts as have come to my knowledge
Q. What is your opinion, from observation
among the secession people OF that State, of the
feeling towards this Government ut this time
A. SO far came to knowledge, i DO not know
of single person who either feels or contemplate,
any resistance to the Government Of The United
States. on, indeed, any opposition to 1T. No worC
: has reached me OF either purpose. 9. From what
you have observed, is it your opinion that they are
friendly towards the Government ana that they
will cooperate to sustain and uphold it in the fu-
ture? A. L believe they entirely acquiesce iii the
Government, and SO far as / have heard any one
express an opinion, they are for cooperating with
President johnson in his policy. Q. In his policy
in regard to what? \. IN his policy in regard to
the restoration of the whole country. have heard
persons with whom have conversed express great
confidence in the wisdom Of his policy OF resto13t-
ton, and they seem to look forward to it as hope
OF restoration. q. How do they feel in regard 10
that portion Of the people OF the United States
who have been forward and jealous i'll the prose
cuf1On OF the war against rebellion? 4. Well, |
do not know. | have heard nobody express any
opinion in regard to it. AS l said before have
not had much communication with politicians in
the country, If there any Every one seems to
DE engaged IN his own affairs and in endeayoring
to estore the civil government of the State.
have heard no expression of sentiment towards any
particular portion of 5he country.
g. How do the secessionists feel in regard to
the payment OF the Federal debt? A. / have new
er heard any one speak on the subject: | suppose
they must expect to pay the taxes levied by the
government; have heard them speak in refer
ence to the payment OF taxes and of their efforts
raise money therefor which | suppose is for their
share forth debt; have never heard any speak
III opposition to the payment of taxes Of resist
ence to their payment; their whole effort has been
to try and raise money to pay the taxes. q. From
your opinion and knowledge of the people of Vir-
GINA, would they if the question left to them
repudiate and re ect that debt? A. 1 never heard
any one speak on that subj ect, but from my knowl
edge OF the people, believe that they would be
IN favor of the payment of all just debts. Q. Do
they, IN your opolnlon, regard that just debt?
"A. do not know what their opinion is on that
subject; have never heard any opinion expressed
contrary to 1t; indeed, as I said in the beginning,
with the people. believe the people would pay
the debts they are called to pay; [ say that
from my knowledge of the people generally Q.
Would they pay that debt, or their portion of it.
with as much alacrlty as people ordinarily pay
their taxes to their Government? A. | do not
know that they would make any distinction be-
tween the two. The taxes laid by the Govern
ment, SO far as know, they prepared to pay
to the best of their ability. never heard them
make any distinction. Q. What is the feeling of
the people of Virginia towards the payment of the
so-called Confederate debt? A. [ believe so far as
my opinions go-and have no facts to go upon
they would be willing to pay that, too. q. You
think they would? A I think they would if they
had the power and ability to do So [ have
never heard any in the State with whom [
have conversed speak of repudiating any debt. Q.
l. suppose the Confederate debt is valueless, even
in the market in Virginia? A. Entirely, so far as
I know. [ believe the people look upon it as lost
entirely. never heard any question the sub
iect q. Do you recollect when the Confederate
bonds were made payable? 4. I have q general
recollection that they were made payable six
months after declaration of peace. @. Six months
after ratification of peace between the United
States and the Confederate government? A [ think
they ran that way Q. So the bonds are not due
yet by their terms? a. Isuppose, unless it is
sldereu that there IS peace now, they not due.
c. How do the people of the State of Virgininia,
the secesseionists particularly feel towards the
freedmen? \. Every with whom have asso-
ciated expresses kind feelings towards the freed
men. They wish to see them get i'll the world,
and particularly to take up some occupation for a
living, and to turn their hands to some work. [
know that efforts have been made among the
farmers near where [ live, to induce them to en-
gage for the year at regular wages.
9. Do you think there is willingness on the
part of their old masters to give them fair wages
for their labor? A. [ believe it is The farm
ers generally prefer those servants who have been
living with them before. / have heard them ex-
press their preference for the men whom they
knew, who had lived with them before, and their
wish to get them to return to work L am not
aware of any combination among the whites to
keep down the wages of the blacks. [ have heard
that in several counties land owners have met i'll
order to establish uniform rate of wages, but /
never heard of any combination to keep down Wa
ges, establish q rate which they did not think |
fair. The means OF paying wages III Virginia are
very limited now, and there is difference of opin
ion as to how much each person is able to pay
O. How do they feel in regard to the education of
the blacks Is there general Willingness or UNI
willingness to have them educated A. Where |
have been the people have exhibited willingness
that the blacks sh Oud be educated and they ex-
press opinion that that would be better for the
blacks and better for the whites. 9. General |
you are very competent to judge of the capacity
of black to acquire knowledge [ want
your opinion on that capacity as compared with
the capacity of white men A. I do not know
that particularly qualified to speak on that
subject as you seem to intimate, but L do not
think he is as capable of acquiring knowledge as
the white man is There some more apt than
others. l have known some to gain knowledge
and skill in their trade profession. have had
servants Of my own WHO learned to read and write
very we'll q. DO they show capacity to obtain
p knowledge OF mathematics and the exact
sciences q? A. [ have no knowledge on that sub
iect. [ am merely acquainted with those who have
learned the common rudiment of education. Il.
General, you aware Of any combination exist