Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-09-11

COLORED LABOR AT THE SOUTH.-A letter
of our southern correspondent, which We print
to-day, gives clear and interesting account OF
the colored labor question. 1t is the result OF
a careful and impartial survey of those south,
crn States where the freedmen most abound
aud the fruits of emancipation show themselves
on the largest scale. We sum up the conclu-
Sons reached by our commissioner on tins
important subject and fully sustained by the
record Of his researches given in former letters
AS we'll rs the prcScnt:--The mass of the south
ern whites are perfectly friendly to the colored
race ard DESTROYS to live in amity with them,
recognizing the changed relations of the two
classes since the war They offer to the color.
cd people terms which the latter do not and
cannot reasonably complain of rs Liberal. In
parts Of the South where labor is scarce, the
freedmen can almost make their own TERMS and
if anything goes wrong with the crops the loss
falls chiefly on the white employer, and not on
the colored iied-hand. At the very worst the
freedman can make his living at the South
and in great number Of instances lay up Il
handsome sum of money by the end Of the
season. 4 little work keeps him from starry
ing and rcsolute toll, such as small white
farmers at the North are accustomed to, yields
what TO Him are riches. The banr Of the freed
man is politics. In the cities he Is peculiarly
exposed to that pernicoui agent, and, cOnsc-
qurntly. in those places he isapt to be indolent
drunken and pillering. Other causes in cities
also tend 10 this end but mainly to politics,
playing UPON the scli-csteem and ignorance OF
the blacks may be attributed their debasc-
lnent there. Carpet baggers and INSCRIPTIONS
tinlc-srrvcrS Of local origin are perpetually
tlattering and fooling them. The extravagant
idea of "iorty acres and mule" which passes
for Il burleslue phrase, is an actually at the
South. The blacks have been taught that
every one of them that voted the carpet-bag
ticket would receive that substantial reward
In the more northern OF the ex-slave States
THAT lying promise is no longer made because
no longer believed. There is limit to creduli-
~, and the white knaves have passed it
Hence in those States the blacks are turning
their backs on their old decetful patrons and
joining their old masters who at least never
cheated them with such false promises. The
most intelligent freedmen, it should be remark
ed have all along chung to the conservatives.
At present, the illusion Of great personal bcne-
fits to come to the blacks, from radical, rule
generally obtains only in Texasand Mississippi,
and will eventually be dispelled there also
Precisely i'll proportion as the colored man
realizes that freedom is not absoution from
work, and that what he ia to receive must he
earned honestly and not through the tortuous
ways of politics, will he l." happy and content
ed AMI 4row to the highest stature Of civilian
ton possible tn his race The condition prece-
dent to his complete development as a useful
and orderly member in the State is his rejec-
ton Of the false teachings Of those who fill his
head with absurd ambitions and SOW dssen-
sinns between him and his best friend after
| aIl, his old master-N J. JOur. If C1nlDlcrtr.