Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-08-25
FREE NEGROES.

a
The National Era attempts to apologize for
the fact that the fugitive slaves in Canada are
unable to provide for themselves. 1t attributes
their inability 10 the effects of former slavery.
1t says that they ought to be sustained for
time, and should not be regarded as incapable
until their offspring prove the fact under the
favorable condition 81 freedom. The National
Era is entirely mistaken. A manumitted negro
is more competent to provide for himself when
he first receives his freedom than at any
subsequent period. Slavery is his natural
state in this country, and he deteriorates rapid
ly in state of freedom. Every southern man,
who has had opportunities of judging, knows
this to be true. Throughout the south, a "free-
negro settlement is regarded as nuisance;
for, without master, the negro returns with
rapid strides to his original barbarism. We
would commend the following account of els
rael Hill" to the National Era and the aboli.
tionists. 1t is true picture, and is worthy of
consideration:
FREE NEGRO COMMUNITY. Richard Ran.
dolph, eldest brother OF John Randolph, of
Roanoke, died in the year 1876, at Bizarre"
the name of the large estate bequeathed him
by his father, John Randolph, ST., and living
on the head waters of the Appomattox river,
near the town of Farmvile, Virginia. he is
represented to have been man of talents
scarcely inferior to those Of his celebrated
brother, and of extraordinary goodness of
character. Entertaining the opinion then gen.
eral in the south, and especially in Virginia,
that slavery was curse alike to master and to
servant Mr. R. liberated his slaves by will, and
made ample provision for their maintenance.
Owing to pecuniary embarrassments, the pro.
visions of the will were not carried into exc
cution, until fifteen years afterwards, and not
until many of the slaves had been sold to liqui.
date the heavy mortgages which rested upon
the estate. About 1871, John Randolph, who
had assumed the management of his brothers
affairs, removed to the county of Charlotte, and
the negroes, variously estimated at from one
hundred to one hundred and thirty in number,
entered upon the enjoyment of their freedom.
A portion of the Bizarre estate, consisting of
three hundred and ffty (some say FIVE hun.
dred) acres, partially cleared, will timbered and
well watered, was divided into sections of fifty
and twenty-five acres, each; and upon these
sections the various families, according to the
number and age of the individuals composing
them, were settled-those having aged and in
firm parents to support, received more, and
those not having these membranes, less land.
All were provided with means to build them
selves houses, and with agricultural implements
to till the soil. Fairly settled in the land of
promise-the Canaan to which they had looked
SO longingly for fifteen years-they gave it the
name of" Israel Hill An appellation which
explains the sanguine anticipations and reli.
gious tone which guided them to its choice.
No doubt they looked forward to the time when
Israel Hill should be thriving, populous vii
lage-"a city set upon an hill shining glo-
rieusly to the eyes of their brethren in bond.
age, as did the delectabe mountains 10 Bun.
vans pilgrim.
Here, then, they were left To work out their
destiny, and here, indeed, if ever it wa. TO
have been expected that the African would
thrive and prosper, and fulfil the expectations
| which prompted his noble master to set them
| free. The conditions Of the experiment were
pre-eminently favorable for the manumitted-
and the elements Of success surrounding them
numerous--and such as can never again be
brought to bear upon them in any future ex.
pertinent. They were the choice servants Of
one Of the most aristocratic, humane and cult
waited families in the State, reserved from sale
because of the excellence Of their dispositions,
their fidelity, and their industry. They had
enjoyed the advantage of association with in
! telligent whites, they we're taught the princi.
pies Of the Christian religion. They were
trained to habits Of labor, and were settled
upon fertile land in temperate climate. Fuel
and water we're abundant.
They were surrounded by kindly disposed
neighbors, who gave them employment at har.
| nd AZ otIa q, L.
who ministered TO their wants in sickness, and
who gave them advice in matters of business.
And more than all, they were not brought into
competition with white labor-the bane of the
African who settles in the free States. Under
these propitious circumstances it was reason.
able to expect that the little colony would have
gone on TO prosper-that this miniature Libe.
ria would have become rich, populous, fertile
the parent of other colonies TO the free States
that the system Of parcelculture would have
made every inch of the soil productive
Israel Hill would have become a handsome
village surrounded with orchards and gardens
and sheltered by luxurient shade trees. The
philanthropist who shared the opinions and the
hopes Of Richard Randolph, would have ex.
pected to have heard in this village the sound
Of the hammer, the saw, the plane, the church
going bell-the evidences of thrift. OF industr,
and of good morals. But, now that forty years
have passed away, what are the facts Of the
case? How has the experiment succeededP
The traveller on the Southside railroad passe.
through the centre Of Israel Hill, without being
aware Of its presence. The few miserable hut,
which constitute the village, are not attractive
enough to retain his attention for more than O
moment, and he passes on ignorant of the les
son which mistaken philanthropy might have
taught him. The visitor to the neighborhood
who has the curiosity or interest, TO INQUIRE
into the results Of this unhappy experiment
will be saddened by its details. He will find
that healthy, happy, moral community Of
slaves have from the day Of their liberation
degenerated until they have become diseased
depraved, miserable people--a curse to them.
selves, and pest to their neighbors. The
men are drunkards, the women prostitutes, the
children scrofulous and syphilitfc. Almost all