Year: 1866




ing of the kind now what may hap
pen in the future I cannot say.


@. Do you not frequently hear, in
your intercourse with secessionists in
Virginia, expressions of a hope that
such war may break out? A. can
not Say that [ have heard it; on the
contrary, have heard persons Il do not
know whether you would call them Sc
cessionists or mott mean those people
iii Virginia with whom / associate) eX-
press hope that the country may not
be led into a war.


Q. In such an event do you think
that class of people whom 1 call seces-
sionists would join the common enemy?
A. 1t is possible-it depends upon
the feeling of the individual


Q. If it is fair question (you may
answer it or not as you choose) what,
in such an event, mi ght be your choice?
A. | have no disposition now to do it,
and never have had.


Q. And you cannot foresee that such
would be your inclination in such an
event? A. No; 1 can only judge from
the past; [ do not know what circum-
stances may produce; [ cannot pretend
to foresee events. So far as know, the
wish of the people of Virginia is for
peace.


@. During the war was it not con-
templated by the Government of the
Confederate States to form an alliance
with some foreign nation if possible?-
A. | believe it was their wish to do so :;
it was their wish to have the Confeder
ate Government. have no doubt if it
could have made favorable treaties it
would have done so /; but knew moth
ing of the policy of the Government I
had no hand or part in it; merely
express my own opinion.


Q. The question l am about to put
to you, you may answer or not, as you
choose Did you take an oath of fl
deity or allegiance to the Confederate
Government % A. l do not recollect
having done so, but it is possible when
1 was commissioned | did. / do not
recollect whether it was required. If it
was required I took it; or if it had been
required | would have taken it-but L
do not recollect whether it was or not.


BY Mr. Blow---Q. In reference to the
effect of President Johnson's policy, if
it were adopted, would there be any
thing like return of the old feeling. |
asked that because you used the empress
sion acquiescing in the result ?" A.
/ believe it would take time for the feel
ings of the people to be of that cordial
nature to the Government that they
were formerly.


Q. Do you think that their preference
for that policy arises from desire to
have good feeling and peace in the conn-
try, or from the probability of their re-
gaining political power? A. So far as
l know the desire of the people of the
South, it is for the restoration of their
civil government, and they look upon
the policy of President Johnson as the
one which would most clearly y and most
surely re-establish it.


Q. Do you see any change in refer
ence to the poorer people of Virginia
as regards industry? Are they as much,
or more interested, in developing their
material interests than they were? A.
[ have not observed any change. Every
one now has to attend to his business
for his support.


Q. The poorer classes are generally
hard at work, are they? A. So far as
l know they are / know nothing to
the contrary. / have noticed no change
in their relations to the colored people.
So far as [ know, the feelings of all of
the people of Virginia are kind to the
colored people. l have never heard any
blame attributed to them as to the pre-
sent condition of things, or any respon-
sibility.


Q. Can capitalists and working men
from the North go into Virginia and go
to work among the people? A. do
not know anything to prevent them
Their peace and pleasure there would
depend very much on their conduct. If
they confined themselves to their own
business and did not interfere to pro-
woke controversies with their neiehbors,
I do not believe they would be moles-
ted There is no desire to keep out la
Dor and capital On the contrary they
are very anxious to get labor and capi-
tai into the State. The manner in
which they would be received (as [ said
before) would depend entirely ON the
individual. They might take them
selves obnoxious, as you can under
stand.


By Mr.. Howard-Is there not gen.
eral dislike of Northern men among Sc
cessionists? A. I suppose they would
prefer not to associate with them; / do
not know that they would select them
as associates.


@. Do they avoid and ostracise them
socially? A, They might avoid them.
They would not select them as associ-
ates unless there was some reason. 1
do not know that they would associate
until they become acquainted. think
it probable that they would not admit
them into their social circles.


By Mr.. Blow---Do you think the col
ored persons wonld rather work for a
Northern man than Southern man?
A. 1 think it very probable that they
would prefer the Northern man, al
though I have no facts. I know of num-
bers of the blacks engaging with their
old masters, and l know of a good many
who prefer to go off and look for new
homes. Whether it is from any dislike
to their former masters or from a desire
to change, or that they feel more free
and independent, do not know.


Q. What is your opinion in regard
to the material interests of Virginia