Wilmington journal., 1866-06-07

pIau eXCempOraneOuSly upon Wnlch our people
would work. L can give you the views only of
private citizen, who has been in, or aspired
to, political position. I would suggest land be-
ieve it would find favor with our people, such
legislation should compel all meE 70 comply
with their contracts for services in kind, least
for one year. under penalty of working on public
works without wages. All men nearly would bar
gain with and treat them Justly, and most men
even kindly The reported antagonism which
fills Northern radical papers is not merely exagge-
rated. 1t is manufactured out of the whole cloth
1T is false No such antagonism exists and col
isions have occurred only, within my knowledge,
where negroes have been stimulated to impudence
and hostility by opinions of soldiers or agents of
the Freedmen's Bureau This will never be tole-
rated.
Q. Have the freedmen gone to work in Texas !;
and onwhat terms? A. lam informed that they have
generally, since the first of January. Up to that
more than freedom that had deprived them of
their homes. Finding that nothing but work
would get bread, they have hired, generally, at
good wages Men at $S to $15, and women at IS
Some planters have hired by giving share of the
crop, one-fourth to one third.
@. Is there disposition to educate and chris
tianize them A. We would first endeavor to
would oppose their getting an education for them
selves, like other poor people. 1t would doubt
less be we'll if they could read the Bible, which
has hitherto been taught them gratuitously. It
i
and religious teachings he has enjoyed. I have
no hope OF it myself ; as he will have to keep him
SELF and has neither disposition capacity to
ameliorate the condition of his race. He has no
history, no tradition, nothing without within,
to stimulate pride no aspiration above the SER
vice of the master race. Heretofore his master
has furnished him reli gious instruction, to the
tent that one single denomination, the Methodist
Church, South, reports a membership of hundreds
of thousands. This is at an end now. They will
how 10 foir
other free people.
@. Have they capacity to learn A. To some
extent they have. The little children learn rapid
ly to read and write, but their capacity is limited
[ think They initiative but without ambi-
tion They will learn, but cannot apply their
learning. .-f -
Q. Has not this been caused by their long de-
graduation in slavery? Will they not now have
A. We believe not. In fact, view the whole
matter from standpoint so different from that
of Northern men, that there is little room for de-
bate.
Q. Will you state whether you are not be-
lever in slavery, and whether most Southern men
share your opinion A. Emphatically so. be-
lieve that far from the black mans degradation
by slavery, he was exalted by it, and that to the
best condition he has ever enjoyed, and to the
best of which, as a race, he is capable For some
thousand years he has been in constant contact
with white civilization and has aspired to
serve the master race He seeks the menial en-
ployments, wherever he is found. Even in North
ern States, after half century of freedom find
him where teaching your schools, filing your
pulpits or legislative halls; but blacking your
boots and cleaning your stables and bitches By
appropriating him to this department and to man
ual industry, taking his service, paying him by
thinking and providing for him, we believe we
serve God and the cause of humanity.
And, the questions have led to this point,
please to indulge me in reciting some of the evi-
dences that my researches have furnished, that
IL L. 1ooA
never flourish again.
O.. Certainly Proceed. A. Our census takers
furnish industrial and vital statistics from which
there is appeal They show three points that
[ will state from memory.
l. The free blacks in the Northern States, in
spite of the continual supplies from the South,
decreased in the last decennial period, nearly
eight per cent. in numbers.
2 The free blacks of the Southern States in
creased about much, making difference of
sixteen per cent, while
g. The slave black by his side increased twen-
ty-four per cent. in numbers.
Taking, then, the axiom of political science,
that the reproductiveness of people is the most
unfaing evidence of their social condition, the
slave black has been in better condition than any
other people, white or black, on this continent
It is to this conclusion that you may impute te
nacity in defending the system. Our experience
had taught how to consult the best interest of
both races and we found them in precise harmo-
ny ; believed the blacks designed by Provi-
dence as a supplement to the white race, and that
to this institution, in part, we owed the higher
civilization we claimed.
@. Please define what you mean by "higher
civilization % A. The pride of character, the
chivalrous tone and the iberality and hospitality
of our people; the broad views and great genius
of our public men the delcacy, modesty, refine
ment, and yet the lofty spirit of our women. We
had society without gossip envy fanaticism !;
a population of millions without beggars or pau
pers. Whether this higher civilization, is
matter of opinion. Certainly it had a different
type, and one which would not longer hermonize
with yours and hence the necessity, we be-
ieved, of separation.
A. No, was revolutionist and this merged, in
my view all minor questions of State right to Sc
cede The right of people to change their
rulers and their form of government was ques-
to resist, from the date of Mr.. Lincoln's election.
| @. Was this the general view of Texans or
were there many who opposed it .
A. There were many who voted against seces-
sion, but large majority for it. do not re-
member the difference But after the vote was
taken and the result declared, the people were
nearly unit in support of the measure.
| Q. There were then not many loyal men in
Texas A. They were almost unanimously loyal
that is, to their government. few men of in.
fuence and character left the State under the in
fuence of the Presidents proclamation, giving
forty days for departure !; and few men who had
welded influence remained, utterly without infiu-
ence, but opposed, understood, to the
Government.
O. Were such persons safe !? ..
| A. Not entirely So An expression of their op-
position would have endangered the best of them.
| They received such epithets as Southern sympa-
thizers in your Northern States, but were not SO
generally punished. Some were arrested.
O. Were many put to death
| A. None that know of. It was stated that, on
! the frontier. some were hung L was not SER