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SATURDAY, AUGUST 19, 1865.

traced it to a negro hut in the neighborhood where he found part of the carcass. The inmate, a negro woman, attacked him with fury; he slapped her in the face; she complained to the provost marshal, who had him arrested and confined twenty-four days in jail before his case was ever heard, and then released. Many scores of such cases could be given. On one occasion two men were fined one hundred dollars each, charged with abusing a negro.

The Rev. C. C. Henry was the Superintendent of Negro Affairs. He came like other ultra Abolitionists full of fine-spun theories about the negro's capabilities, but in total ignorance of his real character and condition. Much of the disorder which prevailed arose from his mismanagement; but happily he was removed in October, and Lieut. Col. Frank J. White placed in charge.

Never was such a change witnessed in any community as a few orders from this able officer produced in a few weeks; and yet in substance nothing more than a vagrant act which is to be found in every civil code.

The people looked on with amazement, slow to believe, so deep was the gloom that had settled upon the public mind; but when they perceived that the Colonel was in earnest, de-determined to break up these thieving hamlets and compel the inmates to go to work, or find Government homes among the farmers and no longer prey upon the community, they joined with alacrity, and gave their cordial support to all his measures.

By the middle of January things wore a much better aspect. Nearly all the negroes had hired themselves out for satisfactory wages; preparations were made for cultivating nearly all the arable land; confidence was in a great measure restored; and many declared that could they be assured the present state of things would continue, they would prefer to have the negro free than slaved.

Unhappily for us, Col. White was relieved in June; and immediately matters began to retrograde; the want of a healthy restraint was soon felt, the negroes began to leave their homes, and fields are now seen overrun with grass that gave promise of good crops. Some families are without servants; others with but one who had hired six or eight. Matters are growing daily worse and worse, and it is even doubtful whether the growing crop will be gathered.

Col. White was succeeded by another ultra Abolitionist like his predecessor, but who rejoices in the wildest fanaticism. He assembles the negroes before him on Sundays in large crowds to make them a speech; tells them they are as good as the white, and the day is not distant when they will be received on perfect equality - not to work unless they please - shall be punished for nothing but stealing - that Government will give them ten-acre lots on the abandoned farms at ten dollars an acre, on three years' credit. After thus blazing away before his delighted audience, he passes round the hat to take up his reward!

The demoralization which this conduct, on the part of the "Superintendent of Labor," an officer in the United States Government, has caused among the negroes, I leave you to imagine if you can. Meetings have already been held by them in Accomac, the adjoining county, in secret conclave, with sentries posted around! Can aught but anarchy be expected from such proceedings?

Let me now sketch forth an organized system of labor, grown from our own experience, with such improvements as its operation would naturally suggest.

There is to be a regular Superintendent of Negro Affairs for the district, and a Supervisor of Labor for each section containing five thousand negroes, at a salary of sixty dollars a month. He must be a civilian, acquainted with the country and people. A military officer will not do; it was tried in one section and proved a total failure.

A census of the negroes must be taken. This may be effected speedily and without expense by furnishing each housekeeper with a printed form for him to fill up and deliver to the Supervisor, giving name, age, sex and former owner, if any, of every negro in his employment, and also of every one living on his land. The citizens will gladly co-operate in any measure of the kind; and in two weeks a correct census will be obtained.

These scrips the Supervisor will enter in a book alphabetized, with columns ruled to show all these particulars with one for the number of the scrip, and also a column for the number of the contract to be mentioned di- is then issued requiring every ne- immediately to

eat. Ten days' confinement on bread and water perhaps might do.

The Eastern Shore of Virginia is now declared to be no longer a military post, and yet no provision is made to clothe the civil courts with the requisite authority. Last week a negro woman was committed to jail by a magistrate, charged, on good evidence, with setting fire to a dwelling which was utterly destroyed. The Superintendent of Labor opened the jail door and set her free!

Now is the time for the statesman and philanthropist to move hand in hand. No wild speculation, no morbid enthusiasm which would carry out its schemes regardless of all consequences. We have had enough of this. We have had egough of this. 

Of one thing I am certain, the races can live together only as master and slave, or something analogous to it. If equality, fraternity, suffrage be forced upon them, they are doomed. They will melt away and disappear, so that in fifty years no more negroes than Indians will be seen.

Ten acre lots for them on confiscated land is spoken of. If this be carried out, the child is not born whose grandchild will see the Union restored. A Government of some sort - Yes; but the Union - Never.

FRANCIS H. SMITH
Eastville, Va. 

HOTEL ARRIVALS.

For Other Arrivals see Elsewhere.

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