Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-01-10
From the Augusta Chronicles and Sentinel.
THE FREEDMEN's SURETY.

Z. ~
In times Of great excitement no
rumor is too absurd for the EASY credulity
Of the people. Particularly IS this true
when the fumor effects or interests
those who have lived long in blissful ig-
noranee Of LIES burthen, 50 far as indi-
vidual experience Is concerned. True,
in the higher circles Of life, both as per-
tains to questions of profound political
Importance and those of the yeriest
consequence, IL is reduced 10 a mathe-
NAUTICAL axiom, when the proposition is
applied, in all its original bearings, 10
those whose late status was that of
dawes and into whose minis, as a
mass, the thought Of political and social
equality never entered previous TO
the
Treated hmaneIy for the most part,
the negroes Of the South were content
with the state in whichthey were. True
enough, some of them, misled by design
ing men or crazy fanatics, cherished in
their hearts and even essayed such an
absurd undertaking Is an i-nsurrection.
What became Of the parties? The I'M
principled white man made his escape,
and the deluded negro won a coffin. Did
anybody shout over this? No one. De-
nouncing the one, and c0mmisseratlug
the unfortunate stupidity Of t3ae other,
men went on their way, IS If nothing
had occurred.
Associated as S-0utherners and negroes
| were, the former could but commend and
reward the honesty aud industry of his
slaves, and the latter gave 20 their mas
tiers the assurance of respect and love.
This was natural enough. In fact, it
was unavoidable for take, if you please,
the inquiry as 90 who nursed, and who
were the playmate Of most of our dis
tinguished men. Why, if asked, these
gentlemen win tell rs that some good,
colOred mama nursed them, and that
they have spent many Of chiIdhOOd's
happy hours in playing marbles, in roll
ling hoops, i'm tossing balls, and in spin
ming tops with the little negroes, who
were growing up with them.
Ask some of our Young men who it
was that used to run and dance, and
shout for very joy, when they returned
from boarding school or college. They
viii answer, my little servants used to
do so.
Yes, we have seen them literally storm
the house, so eager were they to welcome
home their young master or mistress.
And yet, there are those who tell Us that
no love ever existed between them.
ETAIElNH ~ oAAAAAA1A AAAAAA ANAAARAAs
But the war begun and it ended, leav-
ing four million Of slaves free men. The
change was sudden. 1t was effected, as
il were, gin the twinkling of an eye"
To the negroes it was q strange rhap-
sOdv. And is il a wonder that it
intoxicated them? What to work or
not TO work, left o~ptiOnary with them,
are we to he surprised at their aban-
doning the fields, and rushing to our
towns and cities. When the United
states authorities had worked up a met
~amorphosis in their condition, is il in
credible or inexplicable that thew should
have heartily embraced the delusive ru-
NOR that the lands of their former mas
tiers were 90 be divided between them in
January? No.
We hope that ere this, all have dis
carried an idea which is so r~idiculously
absurd; and we further hope that eXpe-
rience has taught the freedmen that they
must work. II, thus far, they have failed
to learn this, the future viii indelibly i'm
press on their minds the truth in all its
power.
Now why, we ask, should q change Of
relationship be allowed TO turn respect
into disrespect, c0mmisseration into its
opposite, and love to hatred. II should
not.
The surety Of the Freedmen then, is
contained in the nut shell Of labor. For
mer masters are willing, yea, anxious to
make contracts with the negroes, and
vet the latter are very much averse TO so
doing, although they know that it is their
only hope. some phantasmagoria, as
silly as it is imaginary, deters them.
H-allucinated, they cling to the chimera
Of some extraordinary providence, in the
future, which j. TO work ont for them a
far more exceeding weight Of glory and
ease.
Our advice to the freedmen is, to make
contracts in January for the year. Let
them 20 to work, and con~scientiously
discharge all their duties, and our word
for it. they viii find themselves far bet
ter off at the end Of the year, and what is
more, they viii gain upon the affections
of their emDloyers-thOse among and 10y
whom they were raised, and among
whom they will nave TO reside.