The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1883-09-22
The Modern Virginia Negro.

The second generation, grown up since
the war, is not without education, but it
wholly lacks discipline and sense of re-
sponsibility. Naturally, having escaped
out of slavery, it regards liberty, which
is often interpreted license, as the chief
good, and it is very slow to learn habits
of industry and thrift. Idle and il1-clad
negroes about the streets are a common
sight; perhaps the women are more in
dustrious; they certainly develop fond
ness for dress and cheap iewelry, but
their morals are not recognizable
quality among the assests of Q. aracter.
The negroes-and it is the same where
ever I went in the state-are gregariOus;
they like to live in town, to huddle
together in close neighborhoods and
good many in tenement. Many
of them own little places and
cheap houses of their own but their pres
ent ambition does not go beyond a hand
to-mouIh existence A good many
of the girls go to the White Sulphur and
other watering places in the summer and
pick up enough in one way and another
to keep them during the winter. Some
who are single Or have become SO by the
loss of their husbands, frankly say that
they prefer to remain alone rather than
undertake the support OF an idle darkey
too many ''good-for- nothing niggers"
around seems to be their point OF view.
The long and short of it is that the col
ored brother likes to enjoy himself with
as little eKertion as possible, and he
has equal delight in religion, balls and
dancing, and larking around in the
night generally His religion has no
relation to morals-it is something to be
enjoyed for it's own sake. The question
of domestic service is very serious one
in Virginia just now. The negro has
monopoly of this labor market and he
| likes to show his independence. No SER
wants. men or women, live in the
houses where they are employed, not
even in the hotels. They come in the
morning, when it suits their convent
ence, get through the work of the day as
| easily as they can, and then go homo,
the consequence of this that there is no
control and no discipline. It is the gen
eral G complaint that only the elders who
we're slaves before the war are of much
account as servants. They are not on
hand in the evening, and they come
around in the morning to get breakfast
at such an hour as suits their convent
ence or the pleasures of the night. It il
also q common complaint that both
house and field laborers slight theil
work, and that it is impossible to give
them realizing sense of the eighth
, commandment. They see no reason VIII.
they should not help themselves to what
ever they want from the larder or tn
field, or take articles convenient to wear
A curious annoyance I heard mucl
| spoken of. Articles sent to the washer
! woman are apt to be worn by her ant
, her friends for some days before the
J are sent home. It must be owned tina
the Virginians endure this anomalou
condition OF affairs with more goo
( humor than northerners would, and pa
. tiently hope that education and time wi
: change them. But education thus ia
| does not appear to teach industry, thri
/ or morality, and I fancy that the bes
s thing that could happen to the negroe
would be some competition in the labo
i field