The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-01-26
The COlOred People.

We make the following extract from the
Address of Gen. Wood, on retiring from
command of the District of Mississippi. Gen.
Wood had charge of the Freedmans Bureau
in that State. The testimony he bears is
highly credible to the colored people of Mis-
sissippi:
ITO the co.ored people, over whose inter-
ests for a number of months past the under
signed has exercised special guardianship,
he returns his thanks for their unvarying
kindness and respect The undersigned can
not take leave of these people without ex-
pressing his warm commentator of their
general good conduct, and their remarkable
exhibition of industry, faithfulness, general
sobriety, and anxious desire for the improve
ment of their race under peculiarly trying
circumstances.
p The year Just closed has been attended by
circumstances well calculated to try the vir-
tue of the colored people. The general fail
ure of the crops, and the consequent honest
inability of many planters to pay the wages
of labor, attended by an enhanced price of
food, might readily have given rise, without
much surprise, (such events happen in SINH
lar circumstances among the laboring popu-
lation of other countries to discomfort, viO-
lence, and lawlessness among the colored
people but no such outrageS have marked
their conduct; on the contrary, they have
displayed in high degree a sense of their
appreciation of all the obligations imposed
by humanity and the social compact.
The undersigned witnessed striking con-
firmation of this statement few days since.
During the night of the 23d ultimo terrible
conf1agration, laying in ruin nearly half of
the business portion, ragged for seven hours
in this city. The undersigned observed with
much qualification, not unmixed with some
surprise, the activity and faithfulness with
which hundreds If colored men labored
through ally thoss1ong and dreadful hours to
stay the pr ogrsss of the devouring element.
Such cohducf on their part was aot the re-
suit of any sopiid motive, for the fire did not
occur in the part of the city occupied by the
colored people; and it is more than probable
that not>sfe of the colored men who labored
so faithfully to extinguish the flames during
that awful night had a cent of pecuniary in
terest in the burnt district.
1t is respectfully submitted that the con-
duct of the colored people generally in this
State during the past year, commends them
not only to the justice. but to the generosity
of the more fortunate race. The undersign-
ed recommends most earnestly to the colofed
people to continue their efforts to improve
their material and moral well-being by the
practice of industry, sobriety, the religious
duties, and by the creation of edu cational
facilities for their children"
The Sentinel is of the opinion that the Sc
cret organization in Union County, in this
State, referred to by correspondent Of the
New York Herald, is the &c red string" organ
ization. Why does not that paper frankly
admit that the organization referred to is the
" Knights of the Golden Circle pa rebel
lious, secession, reasonable organization
Does not that paper know that this infa-
nous Order was largely instrumental in in
volving the country in war land that it
still exists in every portion of the United
States, nucleus and rallying point for trai-
torso Out with it, Mr.. Sentinel Do not
add to your long catalogue of sins by deny
ing this statement.
The Editors of the Sentinel denounced the
"red strings" during the rebellion as traitors
to the Confederacy; and they denounce them
now as traitors to the Union! If such an
Order exists, we do not see no its members
could be false to both "the Confetleracy'
and the Union.