Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-03-15

lation, its effectiveness depending much
| upon circumstances over which the planter
has the control. On nearly all the p!anta-
| tons where they were treated kindly as
| slaves, they have come back, satisfied to
share the fortunes of their old masters.
| The dignity of labor is now fully reor-
/ ganizcd throughout the South. White men
who never did days work III their lives,
| are engaged III working their own p1anta-
tions, and small proprietors may be seen
side by side with the freedman. One in
stance of the result, among very ma7F that
came to my knowledge, may not be without
interest. A gentleman who owned q small
farm, and usually worked four hands, found
last year that he had the means to pay but
| two lie went into the field himself with
young son and two hands. At the end
| Of the season he found he had made dou-
| bic the cotton he had ever made before,
! besides a ye1y large surplus Of other grains.
| ! apprehend the number al such crops
will greatly multiply. OF the general con-
| dition Of the freedmen, IL Is not, perhaps,
proper to speak here, though l learned
! many facts which are Of great importance
as bearing upon their future
Tie last question which it seemed to me
! to he important to answer, was The 5tab1l1-
/ ty ol The society where these advances were
| wanted-in other words. the security Of
| persons and property.
! approach this subject General, with
! great diffidoncc, inaslnuCh rs my cOnclu-
| ;ion6 differ SO widely from those of some Of
| your most distinguished officers and feel
| thai private man, under s11ch clrcum-
| stances. runs much hazard IN regard TO his
reputation when his word comes III con-
! fict with men Of such high public character
! as those gentlemen. But, sir, truth is none
! the less so, though ahe be clothed in hum
bic garb.
! In the States named the domestic laws,
or those laws regulating the domestic
concerns of the people, i'll relation to their
duties to each other, were little affected
| by the rebellion, and as soon as the war
closed the judicial machinery necessary to
commence and carry CT the complicated
| concerns Of an old and VOL established
! community, came ut once into operation,
! for the very existence Of society Deepen
dsd upon the proper administration OF
| the judicial functions OF government. Sc
curity to person and property became of
| the highest importance, and were the less
difficult because the laws had long been
established and thoroughly acquiesced in
by the society they were made to govern.
The enforcement of the laws is as rigid as
they ever have been, and property and
persons arc quite rs safe. | venture the
assertion that III no other States of the
Union are the people better protected, or
the laws more impartially enforced.
The people everywhere, us IL mass, arc
more thoroughly orderly and aw-ahiding,
| aud most truly loyal IF tho thing were
possible. / would stake my life, my honor
! all that man holds most dear here or
! hereafter upon the complete and most upl-
! doubted loyalty al the people III those
! States visited They have submitted in
most perfect honor aud integrity Of pur-
pose and they exceedingly regret that their
! honor and integrity should be doubted
! The safety Of loans entrusted to them is
| sale beyond I'll question in regard to their
! LOYALTY and the faithful administration of
| their laws. No people can be more anx-
iols for peace aud quiet, and they we'll I'M
! deYstand that Il proper administration and
! enforcement Of the laws is Of the first I'M
portance to gain that end.
! In its political bearing upon this dtes-
ton, I have endeayored to avoid touching
! only SO far rs it affected the subject under
| Immediate considerations L have endeav-
ored TO place the true condition OF the
people of the South, and the condition cf
their resources and their urgent needs, 50
plainly before +@:e people OF the North, that
| they might be willing to assist them in this
! their hour Of greatest need. They must
have help, or the country will be Overtaken
| by wide spread calamity. They have all
the appliances to make bountiful harvest,
and to recuperate their almost paralyzed
industries, but comparative small amount
of money, which they do not ask as char
ity, but rs a short loan, for which they are
willing, and will he able, to pay an extra
rate of interest.
! They have everything but mOney-land,
labor, implements-bnt faint for lack of
| bread. The earth but awaits their labor to
yield up its treasures i'll bonntiful profu
sion, and like II gentle nursing mother
bares her bosom, but her utterly famish-
ing children, without the aid of friendly
hands, are unable to draw snstcnancc from
! her overlooking breasts.
! am General. very sincerely,
| Norr Oh2dieut servant,
! THEopoRE {. PETERS
WaShInntOu D. c. March LIST 1867