The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1866-03-22

30 mucn tDat LDcy could not reside
among them. ! am satisfied, until a
better state of feeling shall arise, that
if all restraint should be removed the
freedmen would be thrown back into
a condition of virtual slavery-tbat is,
they would be compelled by legislative
enactments to labor for little or no wa
ges, and legislation would assume such
form that they would moi dare to leave
their employers for fear of punishment;
and unless men who had been Union
men through the war had very strong
personal friends they could not live in
the State; they would be annoyed SO
much in various ways that they could
not live in any peace or comfort. !
think emigrants from abroad would
be kindly received, but / think
emigrants from the North or
Union men would be coldly receiv-
ed and treated with Indifference. I
don't know whether any effort has
been made or not, to ascertain whcth-
er the negroes would be wiling to re-
move to any territory assigned to them,
if that was to be done, but from my
knowledge ofnegro character. I think
they would object to it. Think the
mass of them desire very much to con-
tinue to live in their old neighborhoods,
and with their old masters-invariably,
where they have been treated well as
slaves. l was born in Southern
State and reared, to the age of nine
teen, in that country. Since l have
been in the army my service has been
mostly in the Southern States, and
or the frontier bordering on Southern
States. There is no danger of trouble
from the negroes remaining where
they are, unless the whites treat them
so badly that they are compelled in
self.defence, to rise up against them.
There is one section of Alabama where
the people, under tho direction of a
philanthropic gentleman of that State
have gone to work themselves to es-
tablish Freedm ems Court, or somc-
thing equivalent 10 it, through which
they propose to administer fair and
impartial justice between the employer
and the negroes, and they have also
undertaken to establish schools for the
instruction of negroes, and Tor educa-
ton in the primitive branches of
knowledge. The disposition of the
negroes for education is universal, es-
pecially among the younger portion of
them. Their capacity for receiving in
struction has not been fully develop
cd, but from all that can learn, from
conversation with different persons,
they possess a fair capacity for acqui-
ring knowledge. I think the second
generation can be instructed much
more easily and thoroughly than the
present one, because, in a measure,
the mind of the negro is entirely devel-
oped at the present time exceptin mat.
ters of practical observation. Think,
in many instances where negroes have
been assured that they would be paid
fair wages, they have gonc to work
willingly, and have continued to work
as long as the contract has been faith.
fully performed on the part of his EN-.
ployer. do think that Georgia diff.
fers materially from Alabama. There
may be somewhat more personal ha-
tired toward the negro in his relation
as freedman, but as yet it has been
easily controlled through the Freed,
mems Bureau. and that feeling is con-
stantly improving in all the States.
The people of Mississippi appear to me
to be moro impulsive and more prone
to stand up for and assert their opin-
ions. 1t is a difficult matter to de.
scribe the difference between the peo-
pie of these two States, yet there is a
difference. consider the people of
Mississippi the least promising. The
people of the State do not listen to ar.
gument and discussion with as much
calmness as the people of Alabama do.
l don't know that can give q decided
opinion Of the difference in the state of
the feeling in those States now and
just after Lees surrender, because the
reports l received soon after Lee s sur
render were generally from persons
who travelled hurriedly through that
section Of the country, / think, in
the great majority of cases, they were
disposed to look on the most favorable
side Immediately after the surrender
of Lee and the downfall of the Confed-
eracy, and perhaps they did not inves.
tigate as closely as persons would at
the present time. The universal re-
port made to me by persons travelling
through those States at that time, was
to the effect that the mass of the pee.
pie were very happy at the downfall
of the rebellion, and at their prospect
Of soon again getting under the Con.
and government of the Uni
ted States. .... d, .a
Q-Do you know anything from in
or report of secret organiza.
lions South, said to be hostile to the
Government? ....--.-.
Al have received several commu-
nications to that effect but persons
who have given me this information
have desired that their names might
not be mentioned and as yet no direct
accusations have been made in regard
to any person or any class OF persons.
There have been steps taken to ascer-
,ain the truth of the matter. The
persons who are in communication
with me are reliable and truthful, and
believe their statements arc correct
n the main, but how far this disaffeo-
ion extends 1 am yet unable to say.
A i 80 L. 10. !