The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-03-09
The Testimony.

The Committee of Reconstruction are empty
ing the great reservoir into which the tesu'
muny regarding the condition OF public senti-
ment in the South was received. me Northern
papers have copious extracts from the vast
budget We have nothing thus far save the
testimony of men laboring under the eX-
tremesl prejudiceS. Generals HATCH ana
GRIERsoS are quoted i'll the papers OF the 7th
They gave answers universally unfavorable to
the whites and favorable TO the blacks. They
whiteyyash the latter, and blacken the former.
The negroes were loyal, gentle, obligng, m
dustrious, thirstiug for knowledge, anxious
for employment, intelligent, understood what
liberty was, knew the merits Of the questions
involved in the war, were DESTROYS OF owning
lands and becoming voters, &c. The whites
were disIoyal, cruel TO the negroes, unwilling
that they should own lands, hostile 10 the
Governments INDUCED the widest eXpecta-
lions Of the payment of the Confederate debt
and compensation for negroes, &c. Both the
Generals asserted that il would be unfortn-
nate 10 remove the military and the Freed
mems Bureau from the South-that the mo-
ment that was done the negroes would be
dreadfully treated, and the Union men would
be generally prosecuted. In answer to a
received in the South, General HATCH said he
did not think they could live there afler the
army was withdrawn
General GgIERsoN said:
u believe there is an organization existing
now throughout the South for the renewal OF
the rebellion; have statement from rell;t-
BILE man that one of the present state repre-
sentatives of Alabama said that an organiZa-
ton did exist throughout the whole South for
that purpose, and learned from other parties
that the Historical Society has something to
do with 1t you may have observed notices OF
very large attendances at historian society
meetings in Georgia and Alabama"
TWAS further stated by General GRIERsoN
that the South was extremely anxious to see
the Union involved in war with France
on account of Mexico. The spirit of resist
ance 10 the Government, both averred, was as.
strong as ever in the South
These two witnesses, whose testimony is so
agreeable to the iron clad committee and
ultras of the North generally, are speaking
especially of Alabama, Mississippi, and Geor-
gia We do not know anything positively OF
those States but imagine that the people there
will not know themselves rs painted in these
pictures. A very amusing part OF their
story is the statement about negroes de-
string to buy lands leaving the inference
that they have the means of paying for lands
when they buy them. The refusal of the poor
planter TO sell is set down simply 10 a hatred
of the negro. Now the truth is, the negroes
have no money, and that is quite a sufficient
reason for declining 10 sell 10 them but this
was not the answer that was needed.
OF course all these statements will be circu-
lated widely, and there will be little opportu-
nifty to Offset them with the proper defence.
The studied effort that Is making 10 excite
commiseration for the negro, by representing
him rs cruelty treated, may be subscribing
party purposes, but IL Is doing infinite injury
to the negro. 1t is disturbing the relation
between him and the white employer, upon
whom he must rely for work and support
We al know this herc--;,nd we know that the
best friend of the negro Is the man of the
South who has work for him TO do, and who
his nature, habits, and DISPOSE
ton, and who is kind TO him.
There could not he stronger proof OF the
strong prejudice of General GEIgRsOS than
his statement about the conspiracy throughout
the South against the Government. Ii is
impossible that any snch organization exists
anywhere but i'm General GRIERsoS's own
brain yes, and IN General Thomas, who
makes similar statement.