The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1857-08-21
GbansbiIls Daily SOarnal.
Condition of the Negroes.

We ha'S puoii>neu Tue appedi - VIC
the New York Tribune, to the Hon. Gar
ritt Smith, to tell the result of his efforts
to elevate the negroes morally and So
cially.
a few years ago, Mr. Smith, the great
abolition millionaire Of New York, divi
ded an immense body of land in Essex
and Franklin counties. in that State, in
TO farms, three thousand in number. md
then selected three thousand negroes on
whom he bestowed each farm as a free
gift. In addion to the land Mr.. Smith
gave TO each of his colored beneficiarieS
sum of money for the purpose OF
making such improvements as was nee
essary TO put the farm in proper condi-
ton. Mr.. Smith did not bestow farm
hap hazard upon every negro who came
along and asked him for it but took great
care that the recipients OF his bounty,
came we'll recommended for industry,
sobriety, and general good Character
Mr.. Smith was firm believer in the
virtues Of the negro race and of their
capacity Of taking care of themselves If
they had an opportunity OF doing so. To
give them an opportunity. be made these
muniticent donations Of land and cash
By the letter We publish below, it will
be seen that though Mr. Smith attempts
to defend the negroes, he is evidently
deeply disappointed at the entire failure
OF his benevolent scheme to elevate the
character of the negroes:
To the Elitor Of the NeU York Tribune:
SIR: In your letter respecting my
gifts of lands to coIored men, YOU find
more occasion for commencing me AID
blaming the negroes than the case really
aforls.
1t was not |, but my father, who toll
ed to pay for the land 1t is easy to
give away what We easy get.
] sold the best and gave away the
poorest of my land. Some of it was Civ
en- to schools. some Of it to white men,
and SONS of it to colored men. Ny
concerning to sell any of it, showed that
was better land reformer IN theory
than in practice.
1 confess that my expectations from
this measure have not been fully realized.
Of the three thousand oolored men to
sohons 1 gaze tant probably less hau tjty
hare taken and continue to hold Meir grants.
What as acorse. hay Of the three thousand,
as 1 judge, haze either sold their lands or
been so careless as to allov .s to be sola for
to1es
Much, however, can be said in excuse
for them. The great body Of this land
which | gave to cOlored men is in the
counties of Essex and Franklin. some
twenty 10 thirty miles west of Lake
Champlain The winters there arc long,
the snow, deep, the soil thin. White
men who i've there can support their
families only by hard work ana very fru
gal habits. Why then, considering the
character of the colored people, should
We expect to do much in such q country?
Most OF the parcels gave them in the
central part of the State they are occu-
pying 1t is unreasonable % suppose
that they would occupy the other par
cells also had they been equally inviting?
| referred to the character Of the col
ored people. 1t is improving but still
far from what it should be. Among
them are intelligent, and noble men and
women, but the mass is ignorant AMI
thriftless You and | have right to
of them, since we have de- !
manded justice in their behalf, and have |
not contributed to form and perpetuate !
their undesirable character. They have
not this right who deny their manhood !
and shut them>away from the balIot-box
and school. and omnibus, and table; and |
thus do what they can to uecessitate a
bad character in the negroes.
Our colored people complain Of our
treatment o. them. think myself that
& is sometimes too rigorous, though, in
he main. candidly approve it. You
ire their friend in demanding that thev
shall, by their own good conduct, redeem
themselves from their deep debasemeut
You deal but justly with them, when
TOu. declare that their own bad influence
soes further than the arts Of the worst
lave holders to uDhold Slavarr