The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1866-11-27

ting to them under their immediate guardian
ship where they can look after their personal pro-
lection and mental and moral culture, much more
discreetly than they can by freedmans Bureau,
or any other machinery while they remain here.
am sure North Carolina will not object to this
scheme. If it he objected that the emigration
would be so universal as to leave US for time,
without sufheiency of laborers, and it becon-
eeded that this would be the result, who would
not prefer to perform seryile labor until other la
Dor could be procured, to the nquetude and ha-
initiation to which we are now subjected?-But,
such would not be the result. North Carolina
means to treat her freedmen with justice and HUI
manly. Very many of them retain the feelings
of kindpess and confidence which they formerly
felt towards their late masters and these recpro-
cate the feeling and pay them fair wages, and
give them every reasonable aid to better their con-
dition. Although we may be unable to perceive
anything to encourage our efforts in the past his
tory of the races respectfully recommend that
you propose this plan of national reconciliation to
the Congress of the United States Whether the
suggestion be carried out not, it bebooyes US
to consider what the welfare of the State requires
us to do in special reference to the African race
among US. The task which the sudden, emanci-
patton of SO many slaves imposed, if we were al
lowed to undertake it without Interference would
and do the best we can for the common veal of
the white and the black. --.... ..-
The most prominent subjects demanding new
legislation is crime and pauperism. Our Courts
have been SO occupied with the criminal side of
the dockets that little attention could be given to
civil suits, and our jails are still crowded.-Stea-
ing formerly regarded as the meanest OF, crimes,
and of unfrequent occurrence in this.sState from
the manner in which the late war was conducted
and other causes, has come to be regarded as
rather variable offence. The action of our Courts
has done much to check it. 1t is still frightfulIy
common. Negroes compose much the larger
class Of these offenders. Much the larger number
of convicts, Of all colors. insolvents and the
expenses of their prosecution and imprisonment
swell largely the frghtful burthen of taxation IN
der which our impoverished people are laboring.
This evil must be remedied, possible.
Under our existing laws recently enacted, pow
er is conferred on the Justices of the Peace to
erect work houses for their respective Counties,
in which insolyent convicts should work out the
fines imposed and the costs of prosecution. The
erection of proper buildings will cost much.
Counties caunot bear the expense of erecting
around them sufficient walls to prevent the escape
of prisoners. The salary of the Superintendent
and other employees must be considerable. How
can the convict be compelled to labor? What is
he to work at? If machinist, is it contemplated
to supply each County work shop with the ne
cessary tools and materials? Is leather to be pro-
vided for the shoemaker and saddler; coal, anvil,
hammer and bellows for the blacksmith; plank
and planes for the carpenter, &c? If not, what
is he to work at? Or if he be not a mechanic,
what is he to work at? Certainly not at farming.
This would require the keeping of mules horses,
with uncertainty whether any, or how many
l. Al l.
Superintendent could not pitch bis crop in uncer-
tainty whether he would have any hands or how
many he would have, and almost certainty that
when he put his convict in the field to work he
would RIM away. submit whether it would not
be better to keep up our highways by taxation,
and to compel insovent Migrants and others, con-
victed of ,cisdemeanors, to work with ball and
chain, on the highways or other public works Of
the Counties, allowing them, provided in our
County work-house act to raise the fine and costs
by appreEticng themselves. ..-.
Penitentiary As to convicts for the higher
grades Of crime think Penitentary should
be erected. This mode of punishment has been
in long use in most of the States 1t has never
been discontinued, so far as | am Informed, in
any State which has adopted it, aud [ regard
| this experie decisive in favor of the plan
II this recommendation be approved, further
recOumeDu tbdt pFo'lSion De Waue lOT employ
ing convict labor, as far as practicable, in the
construction of the necessary buildings, and that
proper commission DE constituted TO carry out
the design in the best manner.
Iapperism.-The number dependent for sub
sisteDce on public charity is vastly greater than
it ever was in any past period of our history. A
benevolent feature Of the Freedmen's Bureau
was the issuing of rations to INDECENT blacks.
This, l understand, will be, has been discon-
tinued. Large numbers of them, too old or in
firm to labor, and still larger number of chill
dren, too young to labor, and without parents,
or with parents not providing for them, must be
cared for In addition to these is the large
number made dependent by the loss or the
manning of their parents in the late war. As
to the number Of these last cannot furnish the
statistics, contemplated by the resolution of the
General Assembly of the tenth of March last,
the chairmen of the County Courts of some three
or four counties only, having sent me any
| turns, and these do not profess to be full and
accurate. The pauper negroes, formerly sup
ported by the master, must now go to the poor
houses. | recommend a revision of the poor
laws l am not prepared to suggest any specific
alterations of them, but hope your wisdom may
be able to devise some plan of lightning the
heavy bu:then which the proper Gaze of the poor
must soon impose upon US.
Apprenticeshp-I recommend revision of
our laws in relation to apprenticeship. The fu-
ture wellbeing of the State depends much upon
the manner in which our children and Youths
are brought up. Great numbers of the rising
generation, white and black, are growing up
without proper training in the habits of stead
industry essential to make them moral and use.