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〃Yes； I am afraid it cannot continue much longer； Vincent。 Well；
of course； we shall fight to the end。〃
〃I am not talking of giving up； mother； I am looking forward to the
future。 The first step will be that all the slaves will be freed。 Now；
it seems to me that however attached they may be to their masters
and mistresses tbey will lose their heads over this； flock into the
towns； and nearly starve there； or else take up little patches of land
and cultivate them； and live from hand to mouth； which will be
ruin to the present owners as well as to them。 Anyhow for a time
all will be confusion and disorder。 Now； my idea is this； if you
give all your slaves their freedom at once； offer them patches of
land for their own cultivation and employ them at wages； you will
find that a great many of them will stop with you。 There is
nowhere for them to go at present and nothing to excite them； so
before the general crash comes they will have settled down quietly
to work here in their new positions； and will not be likely to go
away
〃It is a serious step to take； Vincent；〃 Mrs。 Wingfield said； after
thinking the matter over in silence for some time。 〃You do not
think there is any probablity of the ultimate success of our cause？〃
〃None； mother； I do not think there is even a possibility。 One by
one the Southern States have been wrested from the Confederacy。
Sherman's march will completely isolate us。 We have put our last
available man in the field； and tremendous as are the losses of the
enemy they are able to fill up the gaps as fast as they are made。
No； mother； do not let us deceive ourselves on that head。 The end
must come； and that before long。 The slaves will unquestionably
be freed； and the only question for us is how to soften the blow。
There is no doubt that our slaves； both at the Orangery and at the
other plantations； are contented and happy； but you know how
fickle and easily led the negroes are； and in the excitement of
finding them selves free and able to go where they please； you may
be sure that the greater number will wander away。 My proposal is；
that we should at once mark out a plot of land for each family and
tell them that as long as they stay here it is theirs rent…free； they
will be paid for their work upon the estate； three； four； or five days
a week； as they can spare time from their own plots。 In this way
they will be settled down； and have crops upon their plots of land；
before the whole black population is upset by the sudden abolition
of slavery。〃
〃But supposing they won't work at all； even for wages； Vincent？〃
〃I should not give them the option； mother； it will be a condition
of their having their plots of land free that they shall work at least
three days a week for wages。〃
〃I will think over what you say； Vincent； and tell you my decision
in the morning。 I certainly think your plan is a good one。〃
The next morning Mrs。 Wingfield told Vincent that she had
decided to adopt his plan。 He at once held a long consultation
with the overseer； and decided which fields should be set aside for
the allotments； choosing land Close to the negroes' quarters and
suitable for the raising of vegetables for sale in the town。
In the afternoon Mrs Wingfield went down with him。 The bell was
rung and the whole of the slaves assembled。 Vincent then made
them a speech。 He began by reminding them of the kind treatment
they had always received； and of the good feeling that had existed
between the owners of the Orangery and their slaves。 He praised
them for their good conduct since the beginning of the troubles；
and said that his mother and himself had agreed that they would
now take steps to reward them； and to strengthen the tie between
them。 They would all be granted their freedom at once； and a
large plot of land would be given to each man； as much as he and
his family could cultivate with an average of two days a week
steady labor。
Those who liked would； of course； be at liberty to leave； but he
hoped that none of them would avail themselves of this freedom；
for nowhere would they do so well as by accepting the offer he
made them。 All who accepted the offer of a plot of land rent…free
must understand that it was granted them upon the condition that
they would labor upon the estate for at least three days a week；
receiving a rate of pay similar to that earned by other freed
negroes。 Of course they would be at liberty to work four or five
days a week if they chose； but at least they must work three days
and any one failing to do this would forfeit his plot of land。 〃Three
days' work；〃 he said； 〃will be sufficient to provide all necessaries
for yourselves and families and the produce of your land you can
sell； and will so be able to lay by an ample sum to keep yourselves
in old age。 I have already plotted out the land and you shall cast
lots for choice of the plots。 There will be a little delay before all
your papers of freedom can be made out； but the arrangement will
begin from to…day； and henceforth you will be paid for all labor
done on the estate。〃
Scarcely a word was spoken when Vincent concluded。 The news
was too surprising to the negroes for them to be able to understand
it all at once。 Dan and Tony； to whom Vincent had already
explained the matter； went among them； and they gradually took in
the whole of Vincent's meaning。 A few received the news with
great joy； but many others were depressed rather than rejoiced at
the responsibilities of their new positions。 Hitherto they had been
clothed and fed； the doctor attended them in sickness； their master
would care for them in old age。 They had been literally without a
care for the morrow； and the thought that in future they would
have to think of all these things for themselves almost frightened
them。 Several of the older men went up to Mrs。 Wingfield and
positively declined to accept their freedom。 They were quite
contented and happy； and wanted nothing more。 They had worked
on the plantation since they had been children； and freedom
offered them no temptations whatever。
〃What had we better do； Vincent？〃 Mrs。 Wingfield asked。
〃I think； mother； it will be best to toll them that all who wish can
remain upon the old footing； but that their papers will be made out
and if at any time they wish to have their freedom they will only
have to say so。 No doubt they will soon become accustomed to the
idea； and seeing how comfortable the others are with their pay and
the produce of their gardens they will soon fall in with the rest。 Of
course it will decrease the income from the estate； but not so much
as you would think。 They will be paid for their labor； but we shall
have neither to feed nor clothe them； and I think we shall get better
labor than we do now； for the knowledge that those who do not
work steadily will lose their plots of land； and have to go out in the
world to work； their place