Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-08-13
Letter from Virginia.


This nrighborhood was settled principally
by Friends, and consequently has never full
~ known the injurious effects of slavery.
Wherever slaves have been held, they have
been treated more kindly and their condition
made much better than in real slave holding
districts. Indeed it may he safely said that
i. large proportion Of the slaves around here
have no. been materially benefited by the
new order Of things so far as simple material
comforts are concerned, but the advantage
must be in the opportunity now being at-
forded for them 10 educate their children
and rise or fall in the great battle Of life ac-
cording 10 their natural endowments. Here
most people labor and it is not considered
degrading for any one 10 guide the pillow or
do any other work necessary 10 be done
The influence of this is strkiugly apparent
in the rapidty with which this neighborhood
is recovering from the sad effects of the late
rebellion. The inhabitants here were sub
jected to the devastating influence OF bath
armies, sometimes one having possession
and sometimes the other and thus That one
left the other destroyed The barns, fences,
and crops were burned by Sheridan. and the
stock that had escaped Lee and Burnside
driven of and sold, and three years ago a
more desolating scene could hardly be i'm
asincd Now the barns have generally been
| rebuilt, the fences replaced. tue fields trod-
| den by the war horse, and plowed by the
| cannon are yielding abundant harvcsts and
sheep and cattle and horses abound as of
old. In other districts where the farms are
| large and the system of slavery prevailed in
| full, labor was considered degrading; the
| slaves were scattered by the war; on the re-
| turn of peace, labor was not to be obtained,
and those having control, knowing nothing
| but the old method, many fields remain IN
titled and still show the footprints Of war
and the conflict still goes on between the
former masters and the freedmen.
| Thus il is that the eternal principles of
Justice and liberty operate to bless all that
come under their influence, whilst injustice
and oppression ever curse the soil on which
| they tread
| What is wanted here now is good school
system that will bring education 10 every
home.
AS soon as the war was over, schools
were established here for the freedmen and
as consequence OF this call for their i'm
provemcnt they came here from other neigh
borhoods where nothing of the kind was
done, and thus the farmers here have been
able to obtain all the labor they could afford
to hire.
| The eagerness Of the freedmen to learn is
remarkable. In passing through here it is not
uncommon to see them bordering over
their spelling books, arthmetics and ge0s
raphies between the hours of labor. Ii this
interest and anxiety can be kept alive for
a few years its influence on the next gener
alton will be astonishing, for after all desire
and determination 20 learn will generally
accomplish its end much sooner than great
er ability and less perseverance.
The colored man knows who TO thank for
his blessings. In conversation with one
the other lay asked him if he had ever
voted. He replied at once he had. ask
ed how the freedmen would vote if they
were allowed to vote for President this fall
He replied we vote for our friends. Our
old massa say dey always been our friends
we wants no more dat kind friends, had huff
of dat, we'se goin to try General Grant
fraid to trus ole massa any more, he might
forget we ever been set free. | asked him
If there were none that would vote the
Democratic ticket. He said there were
few thick headed ones but very few.
In this particular neighborhood the senti-