New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-06-13
CoNTRABANDs AND THEIR SERVICES.

To he Editor Of The ". y II bane.
SIR A great deal has been said lately Of the in.
tegence and usefuluets Of the "contrabaDds,'
and wish to add my testimony to that of Others on
that score, and als say word as to the return that
is made them for their servicss. In Virginia and
North Carolina, for the past year, have had oppor-
tunities Of observing large numbers Of "contrs-
band negroes, and my respect for the black race
h's been greatly ncre ,sed thereby. Asa staff off,
Ger, have frequently bad occasion TO obtain inform
alton Of various kinds relating to the roads, navsa-
ton, position, and defenses Of the enemy, &C.,
and hare iArdriaJiy found tha, obtained from the
negroes tn he most trustworthy. Nor lie the cause OK
this in their Willingness to give information alone;
there is q ready wit and qpickneds of observation
about them which many OF their masters seem to
lack.
cannot think that The negro is capable of iume-
date cultivation equal to that OF the white race out
that they are capable Of much higher cultivation
than is generally believed, l am convinced. lhey
have a strong desire % learn, which will sometimes
surmount the greatest obs aciss. lhas, they Keep
eyes and ears open 10 all that Is going ON around
them, and in this way often learn much that Id not
intended for then TO know.
Gov. Sianly has proclaimed to the world tina, the
negro Ia North Carolins cannot be taught to read,
and yet know severa negro girls IN NewDern who
have taught themsye 10 read AID write III spite OF
The law. Strange and improbable as the statement
may SEEM II is nevertheless true, and WILL tblnK,
be sustained by every man who las observed them,
when cay that the slaves who have come INTO orr
campo here are, to every appearance, far more iute-
hgent than the poor whites. can account Tor
this ia no other way. except It be true that the SUI
ycror race when degraded, siDks below the inferior,
and no one who has not been among them can know
how miserable is the mental condition OF The poor
white man Of tie South. When Slavery shall have
- ha no alnf w ma
emanoipated. Much is said Of The "whlte slaves
of the North but their condi ion is 50 far superior
10 the white slave OF the South as to be beyond
comparison. In the South education IS monopollzed
by the few, as capital l. Ia the North. H. Is this,
then, that makes tie ignorant slave often appear 81.
poriOr in intelligence 10 Lis master.
In The operations of the Union armies the contra
bands have been OF almost measurable value. They
have obtained important reformation when White
men could not; they have acted AZ spies when wnite
men could not be bred to risk their neeks.
Daring the operations against Fort Macon u was
found that the negroes were altogether the bes. and
most trustworthy liloCs n out IN har0or and few
harbos are difficult, OF nsyiga ion 'han that OF
Beaufort, y. &. IL was lecsssary 10 send steamer
into Bogue Sound 10 transport tie guns and mortars
across to siege batteries. To get here then 1t
was necessary TO run by the fort at night and az
food tide. This was a perilous undertaking, for
the steamer aground she would have been lost;
the Iecedng tide would have lett her high on the
shoa and entirely a, the mercy OF the fort when
daylight mude her visible. No white man could Dc
found willing to act 30 pilot; 500 was offered TO
the man who shOuld take Ter by the fort safely.
Tie man who did take her through without IN acel-
dent rendering Government a service equal To thou.
sands Of dollars has never received cent Tor his
Gervlce nor did he expect anything but his freedom
Gov. Sanly will, j. he IL allowed, or if he has not
already done 20, return tins ua, slave 70 his mas,
ter gab.d Secessi. iist.i'Tirg If 'IoAiuOis, WIZ
VII give hiil nearly thiksnirg, apo sIhair hrJW
hiG in Jail ard this is the only return that he viii
receive for hIs devotion to country that does noe
even recognize his existence Il man, born " free
and equal" Aud 90 IL ia, aid Will be with thou
sands OF " con,rabands" here and elsewhere, VINO
have rendered us every assistance in their power.
Does il hot seem stain upon us, that they VINO are
the true UniOR men Of the South, should be gwen
up again to the mercies Of their Rebel masters !
The officers and men OF this department are Justly
indignant at the course adopted by Gov. SIanly.
Strange things are whispered, and he may be taught
some day soon other deepots have been, that 1t IL
dangerous TO disregard the " senttaent OF the peo-
PIE even if those people are merely Union soldiers.
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