Staunton Spectator

The ladies of the South have been justly celebrated for their many excellent qualities -- their cultivation, manners, and virtue -- their devotion, patriotism and fortitude. The fiery ordeal though which they have passed, has but served to prove them pure gold. The men of the South are justly proud of them. In all the relations of mother, sister and wife, they have acquitted themselves not only handsomely, but nobly. In the past, they have proved themselves equal to every emergency. The change which has been wrought by the results of the war, (just now proclaimed by the Executive of the nation to be at an end,) imposes new duties upon the fair daughters of the South. They should now be not only ornamental, but useful. They should learn to perform many domestic duties from which they have heretofore been exempt. The arts of sewing, knitting and cooking should be learned by every daughter of Southern parents. The performance of these duties should not bring the blush of shame, but the flush of pride to their checks. The knowledge of these duties, and the willingness to perform them, when circumstances render it necessary, should be recognized as great and desirable accomplishment, more valuable than the knowledge of a little French, the latest Paris fashions, and the rudiments of the science of music. To a sensible man, these useful accomplishments would be the highest recommendation. There is not incompatibility between the useful and ornamental accomplishments -- the same lady might and should posses both. We would not have the ladies to become drudges -- it was not designed by nature that they should be, and none but savages and semi-civilized people would have them to be; but we would have them to be useful, and the helpmeets of their mothers, who were once as fair and lovely as themselves, and as much entitled to exemption from such domestic duties. The fact that Southern ladies, we mean single daughters, have not been expected or required to perform domestic duties, has diminished not only their value, but their attractiveness; as, for the want of proper exercise of both mind and body, their beauty and health have been impaired. The girl that performs these duties has both mid and body properly developed. She needs no rouge for her cheeks, no india-rubber bust, no false calves -- she spurns all devices of art, and moves with grace and pride the conscious possessor of the rich gift of nature.

What is to become of the negro? This is a question which now addresses itself to the minds of all reflecting men. Shall he remain here where he will be brought into ruinous competition with a superior race, or shall he seek a home elsewhere? If he remain here, poverty, wretchedness, and ultimate extinction will be his sad fate. If it were not that we have the kindest feelings for the negroes, we should like to see them move en masse into the Northern States, that they might test the professed friendship of the Northern people for them. We are satisfied that the best friends of the negroes are the people of the South, who, with few exceptions, have for them none other than kind feelings. The Southern people do not blame the negroes for anything which has occurred. Their emancipation, which we believe to be a curse instead of a blessing to them, was effected without any agency of theirs. They, as a mass, acted well and faithfully during the war, and have comported themselves remarkably well since the war. No blame attaches to them, and this the Southern people appreciate and acknowledge, and hence attach no culpability to the negro.

If the negroes are to be considered the wards of the Government, and this guardianship is to continue for an indefinite time, we think that they should be distributed among the several States of the Union, North and South, in proportion to the population of the several States. In this way, the blessing be equitably distributed, and none could complain that they were denied their just share of it.

But as we know, notwithstanding their loud professions of friendship, that the people of the Northern States do not desire, the negroes to become residents of their States, would treat them worse than the Southern people ever did, or ever will do, we must decide whether it is better for them to remain in the Southern States, in unequal and ruinous competition with the whites, or to seek a home in some favorite clime where they can live to themselves and for themselves alone. If the latter could be, it should be done. We confess that we fear the emancipation of the negro heralds the doom of his race. Are they willing to be colonized, and can colonization be rendered practicable? We will recur to this subject in future.

Mr. Editor:--Under the above caption, appeared a short article in the "Spectator," of the 3rd inst.

No names were called, but the person who was said to be the gallant, was designated as "one of the teachers in the Freedmen's school," and was arraigned before the public for "escorting a negro woman!" This gallantry was attributed to the taste of the individual, as no comments of note, were made further; it would seem as if the Editor rather invited an explanation.

The facts are as follows: At the close of the Sunday school, which is held in the building used by the colored people as a church and school-house, one of our pupils came, and asked for a hymn-book, which we have for sale, and use in Sunday schools.

She was told that if there were any not yet sold they were at our house. Being determined to have one, she watched us start for home, and came down the walk at the same time, claiming not to know where we lived. Once or twice we thought of sending her back, or asking her to walk behind, lest unfavorable remarks might be made, and our intentions misunderstood, which seems to have been the case. But the fact that we were passing only directly from our place of business to our home, and with a pupil, would, we though, protect us from any false representation.

We are called upon at almost all times and everywhere by these poor dependents -- the Freedmen. Letters are to be written, contracts are to be made, books wanted, difficulties settled, suffering relieved, &c, and these people do not know but that we are walking Freedmen's Bureau, and everything else almost when they seem to want counsel. But aside from our business we have never walked with any man or woman, in this place or any other.

Had we been in the habit of promenading the streets with colored women, or had we come down the walk arm in arm with this girl, the case would have been different.

But we are free to admit that while we do not believe in the doctrine of "Amalgamation," or social oneness; yet, as the restraint of force, which controlled these people, while slaves, is somewhat abated; the proper ways to respect themselves as a means of culture, and to fit them for society in their new condition as freedmen.

We trust we shall be better appreciated when better understood.

As to the matter of "taste," we consider the insinuation an insult, to which we do not propose to reply at this time.

Respectfully,"

JOHN SCOTT.

Staunton, April 4