Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1869-06-02


1t is a wretched abortion from cellar
to garret. Everything is at loose
ends. Nobody has charge of any
thing. The concern runs itself. The
cook is at liberty to eoncoct whatever
table denominations her fancy may sug-
gest; up stairs the chamber maid rules
supreme. The mistress seldom ven
lures into those realms, and if she does
tits without knowledge, without expe-
rience, and with a painful sense that
she is doing something to tarnish her
respectability. Everything runs to
rack and ruin. Shutters fall off their
hinges, doors getswelled and squeaky,
locks and bolt refuse to do duty,
chairs become lame and treacherous,
knives and forks shed their handles,
nicks appear in the cups and saueers.
bottles loose their shoppers, castOrs
look as though they were drunk. old
hats and confederate breeches pro-
trude from broken window panes,
and a spirit of neglect and decay
seems to pervade the entire place.
The old lady spends much of her time
in ghastly recitals of Yankee outrages
perpetrated against her during the re-
bellion; the daughter consecrates her
self with religious zeal from morning
till night in hammering over the jing-
ling anatomy of an old piano that has
survived the wreck of war, in vain
efforts to attract suitors for her heart
and hand. She has the true southern
weakness for gay colors. Red and
yellow only harmonic with her ideas
of beauty. The hOllyhock, according
to her taste, is the prettiest flower in
the world. She will often arrange her
hair into hundred or so little twists,
till it looks like an infinite number OF
electrified rat tails, and Intervene
it with a score of gaudy flowers and
strut about with ali the vanity of q
Pawnee chieftain. Yet that is char
acteristic of all southern and not a few
northern women. 1t is a sad sight to
witness the union of pride and power
ty. Thousands of women here who
were heiresses before the war, are
now absolutely without a cent. They
are too proud to work and too poor to
be idle. Some resort to little make
shift expedients, such as teaching
school, working crOcheting, sewing OF
keeping house for some one. Others
do worse. Their condition is pitiable.
A people that invokes the sword to
settle disputes should do so with an
awful sense of the responsibilities they
assume. The moral condition of the
South is dreadful. As a single item
Where in 1860 there was one man who
was steady drinker of whiskey, there
are now fire. The same ratio follows
in r-an aF.N 70 Tho .rzV,,1 Ill -
the people.
In values, the South lost by the war
a thousand millions of dollars from
which it will be seen the universal
ruin that must be the result.
What of the Freedmen's Bureau
1t still exists in this State, though in
alimited degree. Its mission is ended.
Its work is done. The necessity for
its continuance has ceased. There is
no question, however, but it has done
a noble work, the extent of which can
hardly yet be estimated or appreeia-
ted. 1t will probably stand in history
as the greatest national missionary
labor ever performed. Some of its re-
suits are absolutely wonderful. Before
the war, it was a penal offence in this
write. Now there are over five hun
dred cOlOred schools in the State with
an attendance of twenty-five thousand
pupils. There are to-day more blacks
IN North Carolina that can read and
ICrite, than there are l0hites. They
took hold of the schools with a degree
of zeal and energy that is wonderful.
Old and young, all sizes and classes,
rushed to the schools with a fervor
that exceeds belief. Ihave seen whole
families in scores of instances work all
day in the fields, and trudge away to
school together at night. This appears
not to be transient ebullition of zeal
that wears off as soon as curiosity is
satisfied, but q permanent desire on
the part of the blacks to elevate and
improve their social, moral and pOliti-
cal condition; and they justly regard
the acquisition of knowledge as the
great stepping stone to that end
Already hundreds of their number,
graduates from schools that have been
started since the war, have gone forth
as teachers of their own race, and are
with more uniform success
than any other class of teachers. But
it is time the nation should cease its
aid. There is growing feeling among
many of the blacks that the govern
ment is to take care of them always,
and that any effort on their part. is un-
necessary. If the race is ever to be
made self sustaining and able to hold
Its own with the vigorous, grasping
white man, it must be taught lessons
Of industry and self reliance. The
negro is on his feet now, let him learn
10 walk himself. NJ.