The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-04-02

people, and tosprevent by any means in
their power, our becoming homogene-
Gus nation second, they desire 70 make
treason honorable and loyalty Infamous
and to recover, as far as they may De
able, political power.
O. And, of course, the great oolece
which they Immediately have in view
| is the possession of political powefs a.
| Yes, sir. poa,ao,t
o. How do they regard Presiuent
Johnson,s liberal policy in reconstruct,
ing the states, and granting pardoi's a'lu
an7nest;esP A. They seem to be very
rnnch pleased with lit; they would, OF
course. regard with great favor any ac-
1tion tending to restore them 10 their
former status. 4f8 M e
4 q. DO YOU hear any expressions OF
disloyalty among them toward Preslaeh.
Johnson? A. j do not.
/ @. Suppose they get into power again
4 with their full representation IN Con-
gress, and with a President VINO, me
i Mr.. Buchanan, should disayOw therIght
~ tho government of the United States
! tn coerce "a state, and should decline 10
! use the military force of the government
!, to prevent secession, would they Or
would thew not, in your opinion, again
sece ,e from the Union and attempt 70
| sci m an independent government! "a.
RI these or any other circumstances
: should occur, and il should he an
!, nounced that, notwithstanding the for-
. mer failure. they then would nave
certainty of success, think they wouia
. attempt to secede again.
4 O State whether they are In the napil
y of Speaking contemptuously OF the gov
!. eminent OF the United States as point
: ical institution? A. They are,
< O. Do you know, or have you any
), reason to believe, that there are now
: existing in your department., or else-
!. where in the rebel states, any comoiha-
y tious or conspracies among the seces
\ esta6iishmentof southern In Ierendenov
- or a renewal of the rebellion, directly OF
! indirectly A. know of none.
- @. Have you any reason to bell e III
is the existence of any? A. have none
ic O. In the event of war between the
d United States aud any foreign govern
: mept. such as England or France, ant
ie i'm the event of there being prospect q
E the establishment of southern indepen
,e dence by an alliance between the seces
!. sion element in the South and the for
= eign enemy, have you any reason e
or suppose that the element would all,
of itself with the foreign enemy, 0: tax
j. any part in the war against the Unlte'
q. States A. l think that such mas pee'
:, the punishment which they nave re
le ceived for their recent attempt to throw
TX off the authority of the government
n. unless there was very strong prospec
- of success, they would be reluctant {
" engage In another attempt OF the klno
al with or without alliance; but should
re-, rowerful foreign enemy land upon Tia
of southern coast they would receive som
material aid and much sympathy unde
Gil ali circumstances; should the circun
stances be such as to promise them the1
Independence, very large portiqn
Y. the people of the South would join tn
enemy. =,
:, foreign war with a powerful nation
NE and the occurrence of such an invasio
on of our territory, do you regard the Reb
states. one or altogether, as an eleMei
I'm of strength in the government OF u
es- United States at the present time 4
W No, sir; on the contrary, most decldeaI
IN all element of weakness.
vet O.. This conclusion, take it, you ha'
tee drawn from careful observation of tt
| sentiments and feelings of the s0uthel
A. people, so far as yon have had an oppo
tunity A. Yes, sir. '04
M @. What is their treatment general
lie toward the freedmen A. 1t is vel
various. Many persons are treating q
i'm freedmen kindly and justly, endeavo
I'm inc 70 accommodate themselves to Il
changed circumstances of the times, al
ant to enter into the proper relations WI
of them, as between the employers auf q
to employed; many others, on the COZ
he. trary, treat them with great harshne
and Injustice, and seek to obtain the
.fv services without just compensation, al
er- 10 reduce them to a c0ndlhion VIM
rg will give the former masters all
nj benefits of slavery, and throw up
nd them none of its responsibilities.
,ne @. SO far as you judge, which class
I tile most numerous, those VINO treat .
of freedmen kindly, or those who tire
yir. them with injustice and severity?
ria. The latter. ..
the q. DO you think they greatly pr
ev dominate in numbers ? A. can bard
tHe estimate the relative proportion; shot
Mt? think they predominant.
,ess @. Do you suppose, from what y
am have seen and heard, and from WI
mel you know, that it would be safe to e
! trust the great body of freedmen
dya Virginia, or elsewhere in the South,
Or the care of the local authorities, or I
do local Legislatures 2 a. do not.
theIa c.. Suppose this were done, what CO
;, Of sequences, in your judgment, would
in. likely to follow Would they not III
,wn treat the black race, deprive them
=. their rights, enbarrass them in the {
sn;t joyment of their property, il they shot
M. have any, provoke them, gOad them
he necessary, to acts ofvioleuce, which
elf blacks might suppose they were p
wi forming ia their own defence and
,,sj. their own interests, and in this W;
.om within some short time, bring about
md open, bloody resistance on the part
,ces the black populationS l should s
,wn there would be danger that the biaf
il is would commit those acts which an
,ub. pressed people sooner or later CONF
b is against tbeiroppressors.s1i
and @. Have you reason to believe II
the the blacks possess arms to any extent
see the present times a. l have been t
ar that they do; have received, that
nv formation from citizens of Virgin a,
Guiding State officials, who haze
on treated meto take the arms OF thu bia'
ard away from them.
mi Q,HWho were those officials A. So
1 T were members of the present Legis
ture. have also been asked to 40 80