The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1869-07-01
BE- As we shall not issue another number
until after the election, We call aloud on every.
voter to be on hand next Tuesday.
Negro Labor In the South.

Il
voter to be on hand next Tuesday.
--------$ >------
Negro Labor In the South.
Harriet Beccher Stowe has an editorial in
the Hearth and Home of this week on the
subject Of negro labor, honesty sc. In the
offset she denies the report which appeared
III this journal, as we'll as many others, that
her residence in Florida lad led her entirely
to alter her opinion of the negro race, and
that she had been heard to express desire
that she might live long enough to write a
book to expose their follies and viccs-a book
that would take an opposite view to that Of
"Unclc Toms Cabin" She gives strong ties
timony in favor of the honesty of the negro,
(and she had them around her from Mary
land, Virginia, North and South Carolina,
Georgia and Louisiana.) She "liycd in a
dclapidated house, where doors were off the
hinges and could not be made to keep shut
where the windows were broken out, and in
some cases wholly gone" This was strange
abode for one SO fastidious as Mrs. Stowe. to
select. ssDuring the four weeks that we were
there" she says, sit was the custom of the
family to go to bed, leaving the outside doors
wide open, unless in the case of extreme
stormy weather. Our table used to stand
set for breakfast, with our silver upon it the
key which locked the pantry and the proyis-
ion closet hung up in the open hall and yet
no robbery was ever committed. These peo-
pie were poorer than any conception Of pow
erty which we generally form. They had lit
terally nothing but their hands and the clothes
on their backs. Tho furniture and trinkcts,
and articles of dress and of ordinary home
comfort, which were brought down by the
ladies, evidently excited the most longing
desire; for they would sometimes beg for
them with the simplicity of children but
never, that we know of, was an article taken"
We have our doubts, Notwithstanding the
evidence of Mrs. Stowe, whether with the
freedom Of the African race came honor and
honesty. We have studied them as a dis
tinct people, beforethe war, during the war
and after the war There were honest men
and women among them, it is true, but gen.
orally speaking, they did not consider theft a
crime There was more innate principle Of
rectitude among the Ignorant and semi-civ
ilized field hands than among the more re-
fined negroes-those who dwelt in cities and
held humble, yet responsible positions. In
their state Of slavery they would steal when
they could; during the war they were cowed
by the bayonets that glittered around them,
yet they were always foremost when free
plumber took place. Since the war the re-
cords of crime will establish their status =
All over the South out Of the culprits brought
to justice, nine in ten are negroes. Their
idea of liberty is disregard for laws made
for the protection of honest men--they cou-
pie freedom with RIGHTEOUSNESS witness the
recent municipal election in Washington,
where they not only assailcd the police of
their own stripe, but attempted to kill some
of their own race. Mrs. Stewe's love for the
negro still clings to her; andshe now is en-
deavoring to varnish over his imperfections
in order that he may maintain his exalted
stand above white Southeraer.
In regard to. industry, faithfulness, and
fairness in fulfilling working contracts, she
says that "the freed people are fairly on a
par with the average hands to be hired in the
free North-no better and no worse" Short
Iy after the war there was much difficulty ex-
pcriencod in holding farm hands to. their con-
tracts, and, it is generally known that, in
some cases, tho military had to be ordered
out to compel the negro to be faithful to his
contract. II is better now--the farmer and
laborer seem to understand each other; as
many Of the latter find that the vision Of a
farm and mule, created by the shrcwd car
pctbaggers, was "a bascless fabric, y and that
they could only live through the aid Of mus
ole. ,5.
at is difficult under freedom to govern
plantation of negroes" continues she, ''those
who have tried it with the most benevolent
intentions often find themselves greatly dis
appointed. The results Of generations Of
barbarism cannot be done away with by
few months of even the most enthusiastic and
devoted labor. And in our view, the South
arn farmer does permanent good for himself
when he enables some steady, honest, respect
able negro to buy land and settle down near
him, and become respectable and self-re-
specting farmer" 4
This has been tried over and over again ;
the "honest and respectable" Of the race
have been invited to purchase small tracts Of
land and pay for them by semi~yearly or year
~ instalments. Some few have had the good
sense. to accept the offer and put in labor for
capitais but a great majority of the freedmen
have preferred to hang about cities and towns
and eaan precarious livelihood through other
Ill cans than agriculture. Politics is now their