Daily clarion and standard. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1866, 1866-05-30
From our "oId MAN. Correspondent,

HOLMES Co, Mss, May n, IS.
Editor Clarion and Standard. Sup
posing you would not object to
having a few lines from the old coun-
ty of Holmes, l will attempt to supply
you with some Of the news of this re
gion, and presume you would like to
know how we have gotten along here
with the aceotheT, the consequent con
ditiOn of the crops, freedmen's labor,
DC.
About two weeks, or a little more,
ago, the clouds were broken and scat
| tered; the sun came out and sent Joy
and gladness to many a farmers heart.
Since then we have had no more rain.
The grass is being gradually killed
out and the fields begin to look up
Corn, in the low grounds, is changing
its hues from a sickly yellow, to a liv-
ing green, and the cotton now stands
out in bold relief from the burrs and
weeds which have hitherto concealed
it. The freedmen, who have generally
made most excellent contracts, are
working as well as they ever did. OF
course, you viii find some here and
there, who will not work. Generally,
however, they are surprising the ex-
pectations of the most sanguine,
though every person feels that they
do not take that interest in preserv-
ing things which they used to do,
they don't seem to be at home now
Speculation as to their future is en-
tirely useless. They may work an
other year as they have this, but most
of them, who are really good workers,
will settle down upon piece of land
| their own, either here or somewhere
where the laws are less stringent With
a COW, a pig, and the part IF Horse,
they will live
The law in regard to such matters
must sooner or later become a dead
letter. If they are free, no law can
| others, it matters not how much to
their advantage it may be.
Those ofus who have been receiving
the Standard or the Clarion in these
| parts hitherto feel that we are gamers
| by the Union. I'm union there is
strength, and in this case we think
the adage has proved true We have
likewise an Improvement in size and
amount Of reading matter
We have no military in our county:
we have no radical furniture here
such as bureaus and the like: and |
believe We get along just as well as
those places which have the hand
soonest and most elegantly finished
patents just from the Radical Con
gress.
| We suffer some inconvenience for
the want of postmasters. At Durant
there are none who can conscientious
ly take the test oath; we have some
/ gentlemen there who attend to the
| business-en amateur. But that's an
important point The Lexington
mail, and consequently the mail for
the west of the county, is put off there
! Hence we need one whose business
it is to attend to it, who is author
lied and sworn to do his duty 1t is
to be hoped that pernicious restriction
will be removed. Every good and
honest man in the South, with rare Elk
| ceptions, was engaged voluntarily at
one time or another, in the service
of the Confederate States, and of
course they will not take the oath
There might be found among the
blacks some who could take the oath
| and yet they cannot read and write
Perhaps the trainers of the oath had
an eye to securing these positions for
their colored friends, but vet they
have not supplied them with books
nor teachers. But we presume the day
is not far distant when our brother
loving, philanthropic, negro worship
pers will elevate cuffee to his proper
position, not on an equality with the
whites, but far above; for pray tell
me, is a poor, deluded rebel to be
compared with good and loyal col
ored brother?
BY the way, we have learned the
meaning of loyalty for 4 Southern
man: to venerate Mr.. LincoIn's mem
DRY above that of all men living and
dead; to hate jeff Davis with an in
domitable hatred; to desire the dis
franchisement of all rebels; to elevate
the negro to every position of honor !;
| to confess that Thad Stevens Il Co.
have right to do all the thinking
for everybody; and that no one has
any right to any political faith save
that which he promulges Amt it
about so, think you?
| More anon. O. Nj.