New-York tribune., 1872-04-12
THE SOUTHERN BLACKS.

Bishop J. j. Moore (ColOred) has been speak
ing in California on the condition of the Freed
men, and has seen fit to say that
1.-THE reading portion Of the people know something
about the condition Of the freedmen, but OF the
publications have been abrications and good many Of
them incorrect. He gave instances Of
made by Horace Greeley. This gentleman has stated
that found instances OF Incidence among the freed
men, The speaker had had better opportunity than
Mr. Greeley or any OF his correspondents from the fact
that his diocese Virginia and North and South Caro-
ina necesstated him TO so far into the nterioraway
from lines Of rslroad-riding on oxcarts, mules, and
often footing 1t the mountains The people
were curious TO see @ Black bishop, and much more
to hear him. Thus he became familiar with
their condition than any correspondents Of Mr..
Greeley He did not think that guished gentleman
wished to misrepresen these people, but he did They
were not ndoent. When large parties found idle
IL was not because they lazy but because there
was employment for them. After the closed
scceders tried prevent theire orkng In the rural dis
tricts and this drove them to the cities and
When they did begin to employ them after finding they
could drive them into political subserviency they
only gave them fifty to seventy1ye cents per day. and
men could not support their families. This induced
many freedmen to abandon work to drive the seceders
into giving them higher wages SO that THE TRIBUyE's
statement unfair In not giving the reasons why
these unfortunate people idle They have worked
and they will work, at less than a fair
alton"
Comments Bishop Moore is we trust, bet
ter authority with regard to the condition Of
the Southern Blacks than as to the statements
of Mr.. Greeley, who traversed the South, less
than year ago, making earnest inquiries of
all classes with regard to the condition of
each. The results of these inquiries he summed
up in series of letters, from that which
relates to the Blacks we quote as follows:
"The planters who were formerly shareholders have
uniformly assured that their exslaves are working
better than they expected and better this year than ever
before. cannot recollect single dissent from this
averment Taken In the average, Judge
that the Freedmen Of the Cotton States this day I'm
good circumstances the Hired Workers who till the
soil OF any European country. And confident that
the plantation aborers are rarely or never in want Of
employment OF homes. II there proHgate idle
plferDg fellows among hem they have drifted away to
the Cities other country than this There
no place for such pantatons and very few Of them
could stay there II they would.
"The Blacks themselves, through Such as I have in
terrogated give far more cheering testimony. They adj
nit that fools well rogues found among them
as among other but they insist that the great
majority saving we'll earning They assure me
that many buying lands; others accumulating
money In tho Freedmens Saving Banks with intent TO
homes at no distant day and that nearly all
doing better from year year. They say that most OF
those who lands mules and plows and arc
steadily learning to spend their money wisely or save 1t
carefully have conversed with Black who was not
hopeful and confident as to tho future OF his race"
Such Is tho drift Of Mr.. Greeley's testi-
mony, founded on extensive personal inquiries
In several Southern States. He has ofton
borne like testimony to the general good con-
duct of the Southern Blacks since their eman-
cipation. And, what rebounds more to their
credit, Mr.. Edward A. Pollard, an eminent
champion of Slavery and Secession, has borne
still moro emphatic testimony to tho same effect.
As y rule. We are confident that the ex-slayc-