The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-08-26

How he gets along-how as hborer-
how as politician--arc points Of INQUIRY
about which we are grati6ed to see prominent
northern newspapers are endcavoring to in
form themselves
Irrespective Of party politics and sectional
resentments. it would be well that the peo-
pie Of the .Uaited States should well under
stand how the country is affected IN us prac'
tical interests as we'll as its national force
and dignity by making the negro an element
in the governing power OF the land. AS.
suredly no honest man should blind hilnse'i||
70 the truth in matters affecting the country
10 these important particulars.
The question with regard to the negro ~
not one of philanthropy, and it IS q CRIME 20
makeit one of mere partisanry.' Ii shouid
be looked at with an eye single to the vel
fire and gro with of the Union.
The New York Tribune has set good ex-
ample in the particular Of gathering facts
and spreading them before Its readers. All
of its correspondents are not quite sutt-
GENTLY freed from prejudiceS to do justice to
the subject; but in the main the intelligent
reader will be altogether able to sift out the
truth from their stories.
In that paper of Saturday appeared two
interesting articlcs-onc of them is sty led " A
Favorable Picture of the Freedman after
Eight Years of Emancipation" and the other
is q letter from New Orleans under the cap
ton of" The Freedman as a Field Laborer,,
yet it presents much broader view OF him.
We propose to give some of the main points
Of these papers, evidently from persons not
prcdisposed 10 be unfair to the negro.
First, we take up the Favorable picture
of the freedman after eight years of iree'
dom" Giving tolerably fair view of his
rclision--"a medley of beliefs based on the
fear of punishment and hope of mercy
including ''profound faith in hell" a
description Of his love of music, the writer
comes to his superstition, which is described
as strong. considering the sick as the victims
of The coniuror, who "pays oil grudgcs by
stuffinS the oil iects of his bate with frogs,
lizards, snakes, and horrid disorders" In
these superstilions and in his morals the
writer exhibits no improvement in the ne.
gro, but an absolute. falling oil. He truly
states that there is little. regard amongst
negroes for the marital Obligations, and that
prosecutions for bigamy are never thought of.
The writer represents the negro as greatly
wanting in fortitude and presence OF mind,
especially in courts, where he is soon con-
fused and made to contradict himself 80 that
he cannot be relied upon. He generally, as
n witness. SAYS the author, allows himself TO
be "primed beforehand 10y interested par
lies" And it is upon tue testimony of such
Il witness and his contederates, the scalawaS
and carpet-baggcr. that southern white men
have been convicted and sent thousand
miles from home to be confined in Federal
prisons. We give the very unique para.
graph upon the negro rs juror just As it
comes from this writer, who is trying to re-
present the negro "tavorabiy." He says:
LAS Juror he will follow the lead of his
white fellows in causes involving distinctive
white interests; but if u negro be on trial
for any crime he becomes ut once his earnest
champion, aud hung jury is the usual re-
suit. At recent trial in Limestone county,
Texas. i colored juror refused to send a
murderer 10 the State prison for life because,
as he said, it looked too much like putting
the man into bondage; but readily consent
ed to verdict of nincty-ninc years impr-
sonment. He pines when Imprisoned for
any petty offence unless cheercd Dy the COM
p9ny Of the other sex, when lie bears coil
fnemcnt not only without repining, but
with actual enthusiasm. When con-
dcmned to be hung he drops all thought
OF escape, and abandons himself to his
fate with resignation. If not previously
provided, he gets religion Immediately, and |
Nv his loud songs, prayers, and CALCULATIONS !
renders the prison atmosphere extremely |
di,ayreeable to other .iail-birds with greater |
hopes of this world but less of the next than |
himself. His dying speech glows with hope, |
and penitence. and good advice to the unre-
generate; and the gallows, stripped of its |
horrors, becomes sort of reconstructed Ja- |
cob's ladder, on which black angel aScend> |
To the skies. Nor do these glorious exits
Gcmoralize the survivors; for the negro,
with his senSuouS nature, ShrnkS instinct |
lively from corporal pain, and death by hang
Ing is to his mind the ne Plus ultra of agony. |
And, besides, he Is confident Of his ability |
10 get to heaven by an easier road |
In regard to "lubor" the writer says that |
the Old farm hands, being drilled and disci-
pinned. " ere muci, superior 10 the rising gen |
ei'atioa,' which is not IA very favorable view |
oi the freedman "atter eight years of eman.
cipation." But even these wcll.discipliued |
laborers will slight their work when ehl- |
ri Inv ha inh fI,o |
are eager for their pay. and generally spend |
it before they get it, land have accumulated |
little since the war;" Omitting to touch on |
the passion for parade and tinsel in which |
they spend so much money, the writer |
makes the following accurate statement:
"The aristocptic darkey provides himself |
as soon as possible with an inferior horse |
and cheap watch, neither of which, safe |
under highly exceptional conditions, is eyer |
Known to run. The commonalty buy mus
kets and pistols, and small game is rapidly |
disappearing from the black districts" /
Lastly, our writer says there is less inter-
est manifested by the blacks in education
than they showed Immediately after the war.
He apologies for this on these grounds: in
capacity Of teachers, scarcity OF funds, and
the belief of the blacks that they will soon
be reensaved. The last reason IS also
alleged as that which prevents them from
accommodating property, as if the race he had
already described could be expected to aceu-
mulate property.
Taking this view Of tue present condition
Of the African by one evidently partial to
him. how stands the question OF his i'm