A bill is a very strong method of power. Once it's passed, many lives may change for the good or for the bad. The recent
bill which will provide for the confiscation of plantation land owned by confederates and the redistribution of that land to the
former slaves who once worked it has to be looked at from the slaves' point of view. Blacks have never been looked at as
equal although we all share the same color of blood. It would be different if black slaves were dogs, cats or some other
animal, but blacks are human beings just like every other race. For many years, slaves in the South have been mistreated and
forced by their owners to grow crops and perform all the hard labor the white confederates were too lazy to do. Therefore, I
support this bill 200% because since blacks helped maintain the profitable land, they should be given a portion so that
hopefully in the future, blacks can live free and independent making money like their owners.
I strongly disagree with living in a country and not being able to vote because voting is a matter of opinion and certain topics
may greatly affect the lifestyles of the citizens living there, including slaves. Both blacks and whites should be able to state their
opinion on how they would like the government to operate or which president they would like to elect. Some whites may think
that giving a negro his free rights as a citizen may allow blacks more freedom and use it to their advantage, but I would have to
agree with Rufus Saxton when he said that a black man with rights "will be peaceful, orderly, and self-sustaining as any other
man or class of men, and that he will rapidly advance." Giving slaves some land will bring the same prosperity the North has,
because as Francis L. Cardozo explained the reason for prosperity of the North, his response was, "It is because every man
has his own farm and is free and independent."
Slaves have been tortured all these years and should be recompensed for their pain and suffering. I do not believe it is fair
to treat someone as if they were on a lower level. It's true that slaves are poor and may not be able to purchase these pieces
of land, but I believe that slaves do deserve at least a portion of land as a gateway for a brighter future. When I say "brighter
future," I mean a future where slaves are given land to grow crops, sell goods, earn money, trade goods and lastly, grow to
become civil with their white neighbors. If both races unite as one, there would be much less violence, crime, hate, though at
the same time creating peace. Slaves have done so much for their white owners, like picking cotton, producing sugar and what
have the white confederates done for them.....nothing! I am not saying that ALL the land should be given to the slaves, but it
should be distributed evenly because black slaves are not the only ones suffering in the South. One must also think about the
poor whites of the South. In a country where we should all be brothers, wealthy white slave owners should help their poor
brothers and maybe someday it will pay off.
I think it is just fair for everyone to grow their own goods and trade them, instead of having slaves do all the hard labor while
the owner just sits on his ass with a whip in his hand. Now that slavery has been abolished, we all need to unite as one, help
one another, put an end to racism and love one another equally for we
all have the same father.