The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1866-02-14
The Freedmen Of North Carolina,

s The author OF the following letter is original
consistent abolitionists brothern-laB Of chief jus
tice Pierpont, of Vermont and brother of iudg
+ Lawrence, of the supreme court of Illinois, and
consequently entitled to credit for the candid expos
ton contained therein:
FAYETTEVILLE, n c., Dec II, 1865.
Dear Sir venture to think that some account 0
the condition of things in North Carolina, within til
sphere of my observation may not be without inter
est to you. After my transfer to th
> bureau of refugees, freedmen, &c. was ordered Il
this State, and assigned to duty in charge of Warner
and Franklin counties. Warren in proportion to it
extent and population, formerly one of the mos
wealthy counties in the State-its white population
equal in intelligence and refinement to arty of which
kave ever had observation. The slave population wa
proportionably more numerous, believe, than in an,
other county. The people had been almost unani
mously in favor of secession. The county had rather
bad reputation at the State bureau headquarters wher
was sent there, regards the disposition of the peo
pie and their treatment of the blacks. There had
been many reports in the northern newspapers of gross
outrages upon the blacks. Franklin county is much
Ike warren, having many characteristics Of the latter
in less degree. | went to my district with my mind
untavorably preposSessed towards the people. l re-
manned there nearly three months when was ordered
TO this place. In that interval think | net person
ally, at least threefourths of the planters and other
citizens OF Warren, and large though less number
IN Franklin. The proportion of the freed people who
sought my office in Wamenton, and whom ! sought
and talked to on the plantations could hardly have
been less My office rarely free from the pres
ence OF some of both classes Having my own horses
Travelled about my district great DEAL to invest-
gate the situation of affairs and assist in making Just
settlements and try to inform the minds of the ne
groes as to their rights and responsibilities talked
/ to them IN body on each plantation | visited and
4 listened to what they had to say. | accepted only
such pltalitieslavishly tendered-aS were needu
when travelling The people, almost invariably, are
KIND and generous to the negroes to degree that the
north WILL fear be slow to credit. They do not vet
ask to be placed upon footing of employers aid to
40 only what IS just to the freedmen as luborers
lhey are torbearing and indugent to their inexpe-
rence and ignorance. BY the regulation of the bu-
reau, the freed people are considered entitled to pay
from the 9th of April last and one-fourh of the
nam articles OF the crop was fixed upon by colonel
WhltteSey rs their just share in that district where
no contract or definite understanding existed as to
payment The laborers also had, of course their ra-
tons, houses, fuel &c. Most had also Il think nine
teen IN twenty their private patches of corn
producing ten to thirty bushels-potatoes melons
peas, &c; and usually chickens and hogs from one
to four and five in instances very soon learned to
tell, unerringy, which the negroes hogs upon a
plantation. The proportion of the crop spoken of
was given to those who did the labor They we're held
laole 10 support their own families reimbuFSing the
planter from their shares of the crop if sulfi-
Gent vi course there ndmbers on nearly every
pantahon-tar more than the usual proportion so
many OF the men had left-who were wholly charge
upon the planter the old, the young, the sick and
helpless who had one whose labor was Justly
chargeabie Tor their support Medical attendance
could seldom be had except at the planters expense
They are sadly impoverished yet in the large majority
OF cases they voluntarily give to the aborcrs more
than the bureau required while recognising and meet
ing the heavy claims upon their humanity in behalf of
the SICK and helpless. Very few cases of hardship
came to my knowledge from HELPLESS persons having |
been driven off hpfDrn H.:
stay and in most of those there seemed palliane cir
culnstances IN tie misconduct of the blacks or the
cesttuto4 of the whites and so many cases Of un- /
selfish Kindness and real selfsacrfcing generosity
came TO my notice, that confess these late bitter
rebels make me think better Of human nature than
did before; and | do not know but my respect and
my regard tor them make me rather too favorable
witness. They certainly feel no bitterness or mani
fest none toward the black race for the change that
has, without their instrumenality been wrought in
their condition, and for which they Justly consider
them to be IN no way responsible. Some are san
guine as to the future prosperity aud elevation of the
black race, many more doubtful and despondinr both
as to the blacks and themselves. All of course see
that 1t depends upon the conduct Of the freedman
and most would gladly aid SO far as they NAV in
HuencinS them Alright. The desire to see them edu
Gated think, is general-cerainly so with the better
classes
Now, as to the negroes. They arc ignorant and
below what had supposed spea,
of the plantation hands, as a class. Had they more
of intelligence and moral cultivation [ should say
they were vicious in the extreme But they are so
lacking IN that which 5 the basis of moral acc9unta
bity, that it may not be Just to term them so They
are so far removed from their savage ancestry OF one
two, or three generations back as the influence OF
system directed chiefly to their rapid increase and the
most profitable use of their mere muscular capacity
as Its prime results would naturally bring about being
themselves strongly initiative and brought in slight
contact with civilization. | think they possess the
OF tropical races; that they ndo
lent, sensual false and, when roused cruel They {
are exetable, imaginative and by nature brave. Iii
lew years they will be the fttest material for relig
ous fanatic the world possesses and another Ahonet
may, perhaps, arise who will endeavor at least to
marshal and lead them to conquest But this is all
speculation. sat down to try and give YOU facts
will remark, however, that if Brigham Young warts :
more converts here is his field with these people 10
whom polyGamy Is native. wish he would lead them
beyond the Caribbean sea. They have expected that
he government would give them land here, taking It
way from the rebel owners The officers Of the bu-
eau have a5ored diligently to disabuse their minds of
his error, but with little A have told them
y speeches, plainly what their position s, and of all
hey have said, when the speaker had fnshcd-Gen. O
toward, as well as others" Dat no yank dat just I
ONE reb dey dressed up in blue clothes aud brought
I'm here to lie to u.s." Those who are convinced they Il
vii not have land for their own insist they must have
as tenants to be furnished with teams and all uee
dy Appliances, ana 1000 10 i've upon, and then give f
very small allowance to the owners. There is uni Il
ersal demand for labor at fair prccs-large prices s
ndeed considering what this poor soil produces and
fhat the labor is likely to be; and made every effort
knew how to induce the negroes to hire for next
ear Being farmer myself, think know what is $
fair bargain. l do not think fifty had hired in INV
ormer district when left it, two weeks ago. They {
re offered cash wages and shares in the crops ff
hey make bargain, some will for short time the
hanees are i've to one that they will not adhere to it,
hey are offered better shares of the crops .han Us
'rmer5 ever give in Illinois. Meanwhile they are /
.ealing enormously. | know many plantations in n
Farren and Franklin where threequarers of the hogs
nd sheep have been stolen since last June and the
epietlon still going on. Cattle also are killed. but
ot in such numbers doubt if a year hence there d
ill be half hogs enough to make meat for the people
is difficult to procure testimony from one negro Ia
gainst another for theft They seem to consider that
proper spelling for the Egyptians. I don't know s.
ow they can be prevented from stealing to such
egree as to make it serious matter to the planters
hey very dstrustul Of the white people of this
egion, bet manifest more confidence in vankeesn a
nd are more ready to hire to them They are as inn
royident as children. Drunkenness is of course +
lcreasing among them, and they are more addicted Il
} it than had supposed You know what their do a
lestc relations usually The idea of freedom Of
WOrk-or anIv 4