Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, and rebel ventilator. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1863-1866, 1866-01-03
The Colored Population.

It is matter Of regret among ali good men that
the preudices against the negro population continue
so strong and so general. The poor negro had no
agency in bringing the rebellion nor was ne
clamorous for his freedom; the contrary, he was
contented with his situation. The whole trouble
forced upon the country by bad men OF tne
South, who, finding that the political power o. the
country had departed from them, cohceNcu 'Ne
brilliant idea Of an sristocrstic, or klngiy
CIV, founded upon negroes and land, where 10"
PRIVILEGED men could be made rulers hence IhelI
mad effort to organize Southern Coniederacy' IL
was not because the negro property Of the South was
insecure that the country was punged INTO War loF
No snecies of properly in the South was better
,uarded bv law, or more thoroughly protected by
he Constitution, than the slave property OF the
South. and hence the high cash prices paid for ne
negroes for years before the war. The Peace Con-
pregs assembled in vain; the Crittenden Compro-
mise was offered IN vain. The leaders Of the rebel
lion swcre they intended a revolution, and fight,
and no earthly power could stop them. a fight
they did have whipping they got; and their dear
negroo.--where are they? They are lying around
Ioosemost Of them, regret to say, of but little
service to themselves or any body else. And the in
doence Of many of them, added to their bad faith,
when they contract TO labor increases the preudces
the whites against them whereas better behavior
would inspire confidence in them, and secure Tor
them better treatment They crowd into the towns
and open cake and whisky shops, looking only to
the present. and making calculations for the f"-
t1re. No one having any pecuniary interest IN
them, they are allowed to sicken and die. In our
Judgment the colored population Of the South have
| n gloomy future before them. They could all get
employment and fair wages if they would go TO
work and stay at it, but it is many Of them, able
! bodied men, are idle and even begging bread.
| It is due 10 the negroes to say they are acting
even better than was predicted By our Democratic
-peakers in 1860. In every crowd where they spoke
| they predicted that if Lincoln we're elected war
would follow and the bloody scenes Of St Domingo
would be re-enacted in our midst. The negroes have
been more kindly disposed than the whites and GER
Jainly less inclined 20 acts of violence What is
now wanting for the thousands Of idle negroes about
/ the towns Is employment on the farms and fair
wages There they could get it, if they would COM
ply with their contracts or show a disposition to
work. and if they not impressed with the fool
( sh belief that they to have division of the
/ lands and property of the men with whom they for
mery lived. They should be taught st once, and
on all occasions that if they own land or other
property they must work for it, as the white people
/ have had to do Many Of them sensible and indus
urious, take this common sense view Of the matter,
and have gone to work They are accommodating
property and taking of it. This class of them
| are orderly, and give Ofense TO the whites with
! whom they come in contact. We regret that they
are not more numerous, and that they do not exert
over persons Of their color a salutary infu-
/ encc.
! Upon the whole, the emancipation Of the slaves
! Of the South was Just and righteous retribution
visited upon the slaveholding traitors nearly all of
whom went into the rebellion 1t was the only way
TO bring them to their senses. Kill of their fathers,
brothers and sons in battle and they would hypo-
/ critically fold their arms and look up 70 heaven,
thanking God that they had fallen in good cause.
Bat set theft negroes free, and such another howl
| never went up from the bottomless pit! And this
is the class of men who are still troubling the peace
Of society, and finding fault with everything done
! by the Government and the army. They are
strangely infatuated They have a lingering hope
that something wi transPirc by hook or crook which
! viii enable them to get back their negroes The
sooner these men are brought realize that slavery
s extinct the better il will be for them and their
! families