New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1866-03-08

a list Of the names OF persons WIZ nt,se5 %
ooth 81 allegiance 20 the United States ihey
seid thew were willing 10 take the oath OF os
Tho State Of Louisiana but not TO ths Cn..u ~
"nd since nv return have obtained trust"oI'ns -.
Sorn,ton that Of the whole number that "ere ioels
tered there-sOme COCO or T0O-oniy apou ~ In
the oath OF allegiance TO the Governmenl Vi '"o .;
States One reason why devoted 80 muoi. ~,
IN affairs IN Louisiana was that became satsheu 'a
az least half-a dOZen other states Wouu pe 81.
good evil by the course when Lou i ~ 49,. &c
sue | conycrsed with loyal men from tne nIaies oi
,,;.is;i ond Alabama who were then in New Orleans
thew deep interest IN having acorect poo
nauguTated in Lousians on account LA "a , s, ;f
ond have on their State they sald that II Louis
vos Arected In the right course at the start from
her nostlon and relations 10 other States IL "0ud go
f 10 nroduce the best results In several DINER STATES
win here state that many OF the truly loyal men whom
I net i'm New Orleans seemed 10 lack confidence IN
their being ultimately protected ana supported py Gov
eminent and i was frequently asked II became
satisfied or convinced they were to be abandoned
10 the role of the Rebel element 10 notify them ID
time TO enable them TO get away; more especlaI! II
the troops of the United States were 10 DE
withdrawn; they said that II the troops were
withdrawn they could not live there know many en-.
gems of Louisiana who renamed withn reach OF lne
military because thew did not dare to venture 10 return
10 their former homes, and after my return Notn
ceived letter from very intelligent man, informing
me that he had returned TO his old home GUT had Deen
comnelled 10 20 back TO New Orleans, as the CONDITION
of things at bis old home was about a. pau Us
the Rebellion and getting worse every DAY: g,
q How long did you remain IN louisiana a.
ms there about three weeks; when first arrived
there l called upon Gov Wels ana haa eonsueiuiio
Conversation with him; he began TO make demands
with regard 10 what Government should DO; he sald
Government must pay for slaves that had been emahci
pated for il had taken or destroyed property enough
Ton tina, purpose he also SAID that Government
must remove the colored population from them,
and when / asked him when IT would remove
them he replied to Mexico or somewhere else ago
ome remark about involving ourselves IN foreign dl-
entities 10 undertake 10 settle the affairs OF Louisiana IN
that way and be replied that II would not necessarily
do so then said TO Gov. Wells that had oeen Oh u
great many Of the plantations in that STATE ana was
Satisfied thew could get along in Louisiana without
The labor OF the blacks that were there; that u tue
LACKS were removed the country would become IL
,rIdorness that had not seen n white man touch a
plow or hoe since had been IN the state nc rePheI
We, can import labor from abroad or rom the
Nortf" Thought TO my self that when Northern men
went down there it would be to own land themselves
and not 10 labor on 1t Tor others
q What was the condition Of the freedmen IN Louis
iona an far as IL came under your observation y.
ysi,ed MANY of the lower plantations in the State in
companv with Mr.. Conway the head OF the freedmens
Bureau in Louisiana; having heard at all points con
slant clamor from the Rebel element that ireeuiheh
would not work without compulsOn. but would steal
that they never would raise cotton sugar. etc. ue
sired 10 ascertain something about that matter myself
and therefore visited the plantations, as nave Already
stated. think can tell from business IN which have
been engaged in my life. what is the proper amount
Of labor for men TO perform and i must SAY
that l found freedmen working wen. nave
conyersed with them on plantations In order
10 ascertain II they understood their present position
and found that they did, encouraged them 70 De iait
hi and 10 seek 70 become good citizens; have con.
,er.ed with their employers wherever went, and
never heard one Of them say that freedmen dId not
work as well when they were slaves particularly
where they were getting any wages; Dnt ! eld 10.
find a planter who said that be paid regular wages
10 those be employed; they all promised wages when
their crop was made the highest wages
being so far could find, eight dollars month and
support and from that down 20 much less found
boweyer that many of the freedmen had want oil con-
fdepce in their former masters the old masters we're
not inclined TO treat them differently from what they
ala what they did when they were slaves and they.
knowing they were free were not willing TO submit 70
anv such treatment; old planters were very
unwilling TO come down and make bargains
in good faith with those who had been slayes
some of the freedmen found working for portion OF
the crop say onesixe 10 onetenh. and their support
while the crops were being made examined The differ
ent modes of farming them One is what Is called the
colony system; Government employing and psyine
them and taking the crop. Another is, that the old
planters and lessees employing them, and paying them
before. The third is, for the coored man to rent
piece OF land, or have 1t allowed tt
him by the Government from abandoneS
lands and cultivated for himself This last plan
recommended in my report to Gen. Howard the bes
plan for several reasons 1t teaches the coiored people
to rely upon their own eHertions and infringement ~
nlaces them in position to respect the domestic rela
lions of husband and wife, where they live by and fol
themselves more than where they are congregated in
large numbers large plantations; and Will state
that throughout the whole Mississippi Valley, the best
crops of growing there the cleanest and IN
besi order were those land farmed by negroes fol
themselves; about 10000 of them have been employed
for the last year in that way about that number OF
acres Of land Vicksburg including Daviss Bend
often heard 1t said that negroes were not willing 70
raise cotton and sugar when they would work 10 raise
corn; l asked many Of the negroes # that was
so and why; they replied that when they worked
10 raise corn they had the prospect Of s0meth ing
10 live on but If they raised cotton sugar
their employers would take IL away and sell It, and
they have no assurance Of getting anything. En-.
blowers themselves told me that the negroes would
work raising even when they were not certain
of being paid. while they were unwilling 10 work al
raising cotton sugar for tho reason have stated.
wac Informed OF many instances Of negroes who armed
for themselves in ls64 who had saved several hundred
dacb, and IN 1865 they doing the same thing
farming for themselves. and with their surplus exnngs
OF the year previous were hiring others to work fol-
them.
g. What seemed TO be the general disposition
among the freedmen 20 work where they were well
well treated and were assured Of receiving proper
compensation for their laborsf A. cannot reeoect a
single instance here man who employed them him.
sell did not admit that freedmen willing TO work
as well they ever did If they had reasonable as
surance Of being paid
O. What appeared to be the disposition among land.
holders in reference 70 allowing negroes to become
owners Of laDdg A. There was great opposition 10
that because II was putting them IN position Of indie
pendence and one calculated TO elevate the race.
@. What Appeared 70 be the disposition of freedmen
in regard 10 acquiring education, and what measures
If any, had been taken 70 enable them TO do sol A.
gave considerable attention 10 that subject before
reached Louisians; i examined into the schools at
Memphis found there some 1900 coored persons al.
tending school. mostly children; among Them, how
ever, found old woman who then reading in
the Second Reader; j met the teachers there on
one occasion and they assured Inc that the freedmen
we're learning rapidly also inquired in regard to col
ared regiments At Memphis, Of which some were
about leaving for Arkansas j was informed that
roI2 200 TO 500 IL each regiment able TO read
very few any Of whom knew letter when they
entered this service ofthe United States the ftea
boat saw them very stteptively reading books
whiah had been kindly furnished them by tie Chris.
tian Commission; cannot say That there seemed to
be IS much disposition among whites
of the 6outh 10 acquire information as among COX red
nennle reRards LOnialana ontside Of uifarx