Year: 1865

~ VUW IOICA I1EnALU, -


What Shall be Dome with the Negroes p


The Great Social Problem or the Day.


At the commencement of the war there were
in the Southern States, In round numbeu, four
millions Of slaves. Various estimates have been
made of the number destroyed by the war, 1t
is quite safe to put the reduction by death at
half million. Perhaps the natural increase
will balance the number that has made its way
out Of the country and we thus have left in
the Southern States three and half millions of
persons born and brought up in slavery that
have suddenly become free. Unquestionably
II il true Of the mass Of these that they have no
appreciation Of the finer ideas of freedom that
would render the state Of slavery intolerable to
men Of more intellect. Slavery is to them only
compulsory labor; freedom Is rest from that
labor, and the right to "do as you like"-that
is, to labor or not. That is their simple, single,
obvious idea.


Labor is at the same time the prime neces-
sty of the country that these men are in. 1t is
an immense domain, that under proper sys-
tenn will produce richer crops than the world
ever saw produced from any given country. tits
abundantly able to support all the labor neces-
sary for its development, and to give in addition
o crop that will belittle the riches Of Oriental
story. Under the worst system Of labor ever
known the same country supported popula-
ton Of twelve millions, and had an accumulated
wealth that enabled 1t to carry ON for four
years one Of the most gigantic wars in history.
There is no country in Europe so rich.
Germany, Italy, France, Great Britain are
poor to It in natural possibility. What then.
may not be the result Of the development Of
this district under proper system Of labor?
But can that system be 50 arranged as to solve
the difficult question: what is to become Of the
negro? Certainly IL ought to be. a


There is the land in need Of labor, and the
owners Of it propose even to import labor,
considering that otherwise they lose the land
but there on the spot is the labor and it is o
great problem what we shall do with it. How
can we arrange it that these two shall be COM
Elementary to each otheri II seems easy
enough to answer that the land must support
the labor, aud that the negro must earn his own
bread. 1t Is true, too, and is the obvious view
taken by ell. Henry Highland Garnett, who
wrote us letter on the subject the other day,
said that the negro appreciated this President
Johnson tried to impress bis colored visitors,
some days ago, with the fact that work was the
real solution Of the negro question. And Gen.
Howard, as this letter shows takes the same
views e tl
FsmpxHy's BrREAr,


WAsniScroN, D. c.. May l6, 1855.
ment, No. o. enter Immediately upon the duties Of
Commissioner Of Refugees, freedmen and Abandoned
located at the corner Of aud Nineteenth streets All
commissioners however appointed who have charge OF
Of the and oxo Of be work
commissioners or superintendcnts In Virginia South
Carolina and Louisiana are requested 70 report direct to
me the amount OF land they may have under super
vision for their use The department commanders in
tho insurrectonary States win DO the favor Of trans
mitng copy Of the different orders issued by them
selves or by their district commanders relating to the
government and employment OF freedmen. While II
sibc in the matter Of employment and instruction Of
freedmen earnestly solicit operation from all officers
and agents whose position or duty renders possible for
them 10 aid me- The negro should understand that he
Is really free but on account II able 70 work. should
BE- b:rbor the thought the, the will support


~ Commissioner OF Frccdmens Bureau.


General Howard, as chief of this import
mt buresu, is the head Of three and half mill
ions Of men. He holds Q most important posi-
ion, and we believe that 1t was a very wise
election that put him there. He is man Of
bility, eminently practical and thoroughly
onscientious. He stands in the position to
influence an immense amount Of human happi- r
ess or misery.


II is wise to impress upon the negro very
distinctly that he cannot live In idleness, and u
good for all to agree that he must depends
pom his labor. But it is not enough to do this.
We do not believe that the negro appreciates
be necessity that he should. labor, or that he
an be induced very easily to 60 on with the
anne life that he has hitherto led, seeing prac-
cally but little difference between the slavery
q hated and the liberty he longed for 1t will
ot do to tell him that he must 1t will need
he calmcst judgment and the incest discretion
o devise system of labor or apprenticeship
hat shall encourage the negro to labor and
he white man to employ him. Upon the wis
lom with which such a. system is adapted to
he wants of the case II will entirely depend
whether or no the South shall become a desc
ate wilderness and the negro race great
,ational difficulty. The absolute natural ex-
ermination of the race, too, depends upon this;
md this, therefore, is the real field of labor for
III those philanthropists who have cried out
or justice to the negro.


THE GRAND REVIEW AT WAsHINGroS.-In the
early part Of next week there will be grand
military spectacle in the vicinity of the ma
tional capital, such as has never been witnessed
in modern times under similar circumstances.
Two hundred thousand veteran troops, trained
in. hundred battle fields, and commanded by |
all the leading generals of the service, who
shared with them the dangers and have won
with them the honors Of victory, will be re-
viewed by the Lieutenant General, the Presi-