The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-08-18
The Soutll---Tcsfimony of - Southern
lawyer Out OF Politics.


The South---Tcsfimony of - Southern
lawyer Out OF Politics.
The following letter is from the pen Of q
southern lawyer. professor in a southern
university, and who is and always has been
entirely outside Of politics. II was not in
tended for publication, but was written IN
answer 10 questions on the part OF Rev.
William VI. Baker. Of Boston. and is not
without a certain value OF a photographic
sort
-. July %. 1877.
The negro and his conditions differ very
widely now from wEat they were immedi-
atrlv after the war. The white people have
become used To them rs free. and they have
become used TO being free. All thoughts OF
social equality nave been lost. They have ac-
ceptcd their position. The mortality among
them las been fearful, especially among
children Their schools are literally main
tanned bv the whites. and are well attended
hv their children. Some Of them, especially
females have learned well. can read, write.
play on the piauo, dress taStefully, and the
like. 4 few arc thrifty, and have gotten lit
tie homes and some home comforts. In Mis-
>i>sippi two or three have amasSed large FOR
tunes by working other negroes. jeff. Da-
ys's plantation now belongs to one OF his
negroes. | do not know any negro in Ten
nc>Sec who has grown rich, and not one
who has made his marE-thst is, Of the na-
tiycs and former slaves. In the main they
are thriftlcss and !mprovidcnt. Most OF
them are. OF course, engaged in agricul-
ture. They work oE shares for the land
owners. the owner furnishing mules, imple-
mcntS and food and clothing for the ne
gyoes. and being paid out Of the crops.
Very few ever get anything ahead. About
the towns they do the work they used to do.
Nenial service, however, is regarded with
d,iavor, and it is very hard to get the good
cooks, &c, to work for you. Those who
take that sort OF service generally desire to
live away from the employers premises.
The women take in washing.' which is
rather an ariStocratic employment.
soon after the war there were Jealousy,
diStru>t, and ill-will OH both sides. The
negroes were sullen aud suspicious, the
whites feeling that through them they had
been humiiatcd. and reSenting everything
that looked like i claim to equality. When
the negroes were first allowed to ride on
the caIs. street or steam, white folks refused
10 ride as much rs possible ladies especially;
but all that has passed away. The negroes
still refuse, though, generally, to yield their
seats to iadies.
AS soon is the carpct-bag influence shall
be entirely gone In politics the negro vote
will be the floating balance, carried hither
and thithcr by bribery, by strategem, &c.
Negroes will care nothing for politics as
soon as they find that their freedom Is not
continually al stake. They take very little
interest in elections in Tennessee now.
They are very much like ilockS OF sheep that
20 in crowds. General -, whom you re-
member in Mississippi. was elected to Con-
grcss in the district in Mississippi in
which the negro vote was largest
negroes more than ten to one. He
managed TO get some Of the leading car
pct-baggerS on his side. His competi-
tor was n very smart negro, born and raised
there, but the General took the start Of him
by going through the district with brass
band and gathering the negroes on the
pantatons at nights to hear the music and
dance, and also hear bin make Il short
speech. The whole tide had been turned
though in Mississippi. BY one means and
another the white folks had gotten the ne
grocs TO believe that they ,pOuld carry the
State, had intImidated the carpet baggers,
&c. Now the Republican party in the State
is utterly dlSorganized, cannot even put
ticket in the field. though the negroes are
still, and always will be, in large majority.
The whites have squelched the carpet-bag-
gers and driven them ont Of the State.
Considering their former condition, We
must acknowledge that the negroes have
done remarkably well. They were only a
set OF grown children suddenly thrown
upon their own resources, and il is astound-
ing to see how industrious, considering
everything, they are, and how well behaved.
They are not more thr!ftless than might
be expected. The average OF intelligence
among them is very low, and always will
be. Their moral nature is very much be-
nighted. There is, however, greatly more
virtue among the women than when in
slavery. In the main they are n cheerful,
Jolly set, singing their lives away when
not stirred up in politics. Elections
brought all their jealousy and fear and bru-
lalhs TO the surface. They are destitute OF
grstatude, and nearly so OF principle. They
do not like 10 live with their old masters,
though they 90 to them for heip when in
distress. In Mississippi they sit OH iurics
and bold office. In Tennessee they are eli
gable rs Jurors, but are never taken. a few
Of them have field office in Tennessee, but
soon they will not do so at all. The white
people In Tennessee and Mississippi are now
disposed to treat them justly and fairly, and
recognize their civil rights. They will cease
10 be an element Of discord, but will be, III
the asd>'Of designing white men, a bad exc
lnen. in politics.
But you ask certain questions; ~.~-a.ss
.-De sheg read newspapers 20
Some of them do now, but very few care
10 do IL. even OF the few who can.
DO Aeg aaake or hear stu'np-speecAes2 -
They like tG hear when there is any cleo
ton penMng. They like any sort oi gath
cring. 4 few speak, but almost all who do so
are northern M groes, educated. In MiSsis-
slppa there are tv or three who were siavess
and have learned to read since the war lsonS
OF whlte E;en aiSays). who speak, and speak
well, and hold high office.
40 they ytaAe pfitics on Street-corsaeSS?"
No. Their political talks are always 10
party meetings or their own secret leagues.
They never gather so the streets except ia
professions OK on pulaic occasions.
"'Hou do they act oa,e.ection-ddyS? Woeh
asAO to,cnS7 Get dya3uk? Haze fghts2"
They ga,her about the polls in town and
coifatry in crowds. They like to come TO |
town II they can vote there. On such occa-
s!ons they are peculiarly greg.arious. Some |
times they come into towG IN professions. |
very few get drunk publicly, and very |
rarely DO they tight with each other. Occa- |
Slohaily one, under the influence OF liquor,
Or, with motive, gets into fuss with q !
nhite man. In the main, however. 1t has
Always been tacitiy understood that row
oi aBy sort ut an election will be big thing
aho bloody thing, all being armed, and
lels bas made both sides cautious. In Ten
i, ae,asee there has been very little trouble.
~ ine elections haye usually passed OF quietly.
III -aatelsNppl, as you baye seen in the