. Diary of a refugee. I cannot help but fear terrible condi-tions for those who will have to depend uponnegro labor for the cultivation of their have faith in the older ones taking it sen-sibly, and remaining in most cases faithful intheir allegiance to their owners, from force ofhabit as well as sentiment, for they have astrong sense of attachment; it is the youngergeneration that will be demoralized and cor-rupted by it. If the suggestion made duringthe War by some of the largest slave-ownersin the South had been accepted, and adopted,it would have been better. These wise menwere in
. Diary of a refugee. I cannot help but fear terrible condi-tions for those who will have to depend uponnegro labor for the cultivation of their have faith in the older ones taking it sen-sibly, and remaining in most cases faithful intheir allegiance to their owners, from force ofhabit as well as sentiment, for they have astrong sense of attachment; it is the youngergeneration that will be demoralized and cor-rupted by it. If the suggestion made duringthe War by some of the largest slave-ownersin the South had been accepted, and adopted,it would have been better. These wise menwere in favor of arming the negroes, puttingthem in the Southern army, and at the sametime giving them their freedom. If it couldhave been done it might have changed theconditions of the war, for I have not theslightest doubt but that they would havefought bravely under the command of theirmasters; not in a single instance have I heardof their failing to do so, when they have beenin a battle with their young masters. Often. M I—I u H H DIARY OF A REFUGEE 117 have they been known to run great risks, andshown great bravery in their efforts to savetheir masters when they have been woundedon the battlefield. I wish that they couldhave been in some way educated or pre-pared for freedom, before it was so suddenlythrust upon them. The North has assumeda tremendous responsibility; I hope that theywill prove themselves equal to it, and treatthis race of people with a firm, just, anddiscriminating policy; otherwise they will be-come an evil and menace to the welfare ofthe country. I cannot help but wonder what our slaveswill do when told that they are free. I amsure that they will all want to go back to theplantation, for they hate Texas and long toreturn to the sugar-cane and warmth ofLouisiana. James has written to the over-seer to give them the necessary money to takethem back if they wish to go. 118 DIARY OF A REFUGEE Several months conditions in our part of the countryare still
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