New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-02-26
SAUCE FOR THE GOOSE Is cot SAUCE FOR
THE GANDER.

4 GAuS1 Kun LIZ VVUSG Ia GApGE Z
THE GANDER.
The condition of the Southern negro is similal
that Of the pumpkin who finds himself for the n
time in the hands of sharpers. He is tattered
wheedled until, charmed and intoxicated, ne io'
- all moral restraint, stops his ears to the PROM
ings of reason and selfinterest, and gives way
dissipation, vice and idleness hunger or disea
alone rouses him to all the horrors and realities
his position.
Il Philanthropy and outraged justice were not t
]. causes of the late reyolution-the negro has
more hold upon the affections of Mr. sprague,
Rhode Island Mr., Sumner, of Massachusetts, or
the party whom they represent, than facto
operative Southern soldier, so-calle
but those gentlemen's greedy vision has 10
looked with avidity upon the wealth and prosper s
of the South, and the negro was gooa staikl
horse to cover their designs.
The South may be subsugated ana broken IN Il
tune and in spirit; but the comprehensive plan
4 the radicals il MT vet completed The Southe
neonIa ron., he crushed, and all the landmar
which once constituted their glory and streng
swent away If the whites will remain in Il
conquered territories they must submit to degr
dstion more ignoble than that of the freedman.
For this purpose the radicals in Congress al
attempting to enlarge the powers of the Bureau
Freedmen.
Strong in the appreciation and encouragement
, of that party, General Terry, who commands til
military department of Virginia, has recently an
nulled the vagrant act passed by the legislature
that State. The act annulled is almost litera
transcript of the vagrant act Of Pennsylvania, bu,
not so stringent as that of General Terrys native
State, Connecticut The Virginia legislature en-
acts that Migrants shall be hired out for periods
not exceeding three months, the proceeds OF their
labor to be applied to the maintenance of their
families, if they have any; and if they runaway,
| the superintendent of the poor or the person to
whom they are bound, is authorized to work them,
if necessary with ball and chain. Migrants are
| thus described:
An persons who shall unlawfully return into
any county or corporation whence they have been
legally removed.
maintain themselves and their families, live idly
and without employment, and refuse to work for
the usual and common wages given to other la
borers in the like work in the place where they
then are.
8. All persons who shall refuse to perform the
work which shall be allotted to them by the over
seer Of the poor aforesaid.
4. All persons going about from door to door, or
placing themselves in streets, highways, or other
roads, to beg aims, and all other persons wander.
ing abroad and begging.
s. ALI persons who shall conf from any place
without this Commonwealth to any place within it,
and shall be found lettering and residing therein
and shall follow no labor, trade, occupation or
business and have no visible means Of subsistence
and can give no reasonable account of themselves
Or their business in such place.
The Connecticut statute is as follows:
All idle persons, who have nothing wherewith to
support themselves and no visible means of iveli-
hood; all sturdy beggars, who go from door to
door, or place themselves in streets or highways
. beg, in towns where they belong; all who wan
Ter from place to place to beg ali vagabonds and
Migrants, who roam about, without any lawful
business; all night walkers, wandering from place
70 place in the night season, without any lawful
occasion, and sleeping in oathouses, barns, or in
ne open air, who can give no good account of
themselves; all jugglers, brawlers and fortune
teners; all persons who run away and leave their
wives and children to be supported by the town;
~ persons who msspend what they earn and who |
10 not provide for the support of themselves and
antilles; all ewd and dissolute persons, who fire.
auent houses Of ill-fame, and all common prosti-
utes and common drunkards, may be committed
70 the house Of correction, and sentenced to hard
ab0r for such time as the court before whom they
are convicted shall think proper, but not exceed
ng sixty days.
General Terry is a lawyer Of some note in his
native State and it is therefore reasonable to pre-
sumo that he has knowledge of the vagrant laws
in operation there and that in the exercise of his
profession he has assisted in enforcing them
against culprits of all colors. But the sauce for
the goose is not for the gander-the legislature of
Virginia may decree as they please for the white
,eople-they may deny them life, liberty and the |
means be subjected to the same restraints or
enalties. f7A ~
II would be folly to object that General Terry
solitary instance of this kind of inconsistency
o must be man of some intelligence and edu-
ltion to occupy the important position he now |
lids so unworthily. His course can only be ,
cribed to determination to make privileged /
ass of the freedmen, and enhance his own in 4
ence, reputation and chances Of promotion with il
Q coalition which rules affairs in Washington t
fact the evil is far more in the system than in e
0 men who administer the system. fl
There never was less cause for vagrancy in the 4
nth than at the present moment. Everybody is
ntng for laborers-land owners capitalists, and I,
vernment itself; wages Of the highest and most ii
tractive kind are offered, and the nature of the al
Drk is by no means exhausting or disagreeable, II
nd yet there never was more vagrancy in the Ia
untry. The sturdy beggars,' mentioned in O.
Q statute Of Connecticut, are to be found in h
yriads over every section of the country going
,m door to door, placing themselves in streets a
d highways, wandering from place to place in Ii
. night season without any lawful occasion, K
d sleeping in outhouses. barns, or in the open
:; they can give no good account of themselves;
~ leave their wives and children to be sup
tied by the towns, and are in fact liable to
'ry proyiso In the statute. But their freedom \