The Portland daily press., 1862-06-25
FOR GOVERNOR,
ABNER COBURN,
OF sKowHEGAN.
FOR GOVERNOR,



The Contrabands at Port Royal.
A portion of the Northern press and poiti-
clans seem to have been severely tried be-
cause an effort has been made, with the con-
sent aud concurrence of the Government, to
educate and render industrious the negroes at
Port Royal and vicinity, and spirit of appa-
rent jubilation, by no means creditable to our
common humanity, has been manifested over
the supposed failure of the undertaking. We
do not envy the feeling which rejoices either
in the ignorance and degradation of an abject
race, or in the failure of means put forth for its
elevation,-much less do we envy that spirit
which rejoices over the supposed incapacity of
such a race to rise in the scale of being and to
bask in the sunshine of higher life. We do
not say that such spirit argues for absolutely
total depravity, but we do say that it indicates
a state Of political deprayity sol nearly total
that we do not think it worth while, from our
standpoint, to quibble about the difference.
1t is exceedingly gratifying to know that the
class of persons referred to are in fair way to
be confounded by facts of the most stub
born character. True, a race of beings who
from time immemorial have been held in the
most abject bondage, does not afford the most
promising field either for the missionary, the
schoolmaster, or the teacher of industry; and
those who labor for their Improvement must
expect to work long and arduously before the
fruits of their efforts will show themselves Wis
IDLY. But as the genial rains and warm sun
shine cause the feeble germ to burst through
the hard shell of the acorn, so the warmth of
christian kindness can penetrate the Uranium
of even an outcast African, and cause from his
dwarfed soul to spring up the germ of better
life.
We have been led to these remarks by read
ing some extracts from the official report of
Edward L. Pierce, the Government Superin-
tendent at Port Royal, to Secretary Chase,
dated June 2. 1t seems the letters and state
ments by which it has been inferred that the
efforts bestowed upon the contrabands at that
point have proved abortive, are not of very re-
cent date, and that since such statements were
written an entirely new face has been put upon
things in that locality.
The following we copy from an article in the
Boston Journal of Friday evening last:
"Mr. Pierce states that 20 men and 16 wo-
men are engaged in missionary work among
the negroes, under the auspices of the Treasu-
ry Department. The number of plantations
under the care Of these persons is 1S9, having
on them 1850 Africans, classified as follows:
300 mechanics and house servants, not work.
ing In the field; 1913 old, sickly, and unable to
work; 3619 children not useful for field labor.
and 4429 field hands. The latter are classified
as full, three-quarters, one-half, and one-quar-
ter hands, according to their capacity for la
Dor; 1902 are full hands, POS three-quarter
hands, 597 half-hands, 1856 one-quarter hands,
Fresh arrivals, to the number of about 200,
have been distributed among the plantations
since the above enumeration was made Be-
sides, negroes in the camps are not included.
With their families, they number about 200O.
Tney have been instructed, however, and cared
for like the rest as far as possible. An accu-
rate account is kept Of the amount of labor
performed by the negroes, which is summed
up as follows:
The aggregate result makes adding. the negro
patches to the corneds Of the plantations sa24 ~
56Ss lll00 acres Of cotton panted-in ALL l3 795 23
100 acres Of provisions and cotton planted. Adding
to these the 1884 of late corn great
Tor fodder, cow-pens, &c, TO be planted, and the
crop Of this year presents total of 161s9 23-100
acres The crops are growing, and are In good con-
The sum of $5479 has been distributed
among 4030 negroes in payment for labor on
the plantations. The rate is 81 per acre for
cotton. Mr.. Pierce finds fault with Gen. Hum
ter for taking away the able-bodied contra
bands to unload ships and perform military
drill. BE says:
Tho ordar of Ma;or. Hr,.or ,ov,,ou,,.
the able-bodied men TO go to Hilton Head MAY IL,
where portion of them still remain against their
will, produced apprehension among these people as
TO our intentions In relation them. and disturbed
the work the plantations the force of which has
been greatly reduced, leaving the women, and chill
many plantations. The Special Agent entered pro-
test against the order and its harsh execution and
the retention of any not disposed to enlist but the
civil being subordinate to military power no further
action could be taken.
The cases of discipline for idleness have been
very few, and cannot have exceeded, If they
have equaled, forty on the islands. The ac-
count given Of the schools is very encourage
ing as well as complimentary to the colored
race:
The children learn without urging by their parents
and as rapidly white persons of the age often
more so, the progress being quckencd by their eager
desire. One teacher reports that the first day of
her school only three or four knew part of their
letters, and none knew all. In week seven boys
and six girls could read readily words Of syllable
and the following week there were twenty in the
same class. The of dulness have not exceeded
those among whites. The mulatioes Of whom there
are probably not more than five per cent of the en-
tire population on the plantations, are no brighter
than the children Of pure African blood
The novelty of the thing having worn away,
many of the adults finding perseverance disa-
greeable, have dropped off from attendance up
ON the schools. Mr.. Pierce is of opinion that
adults over thirty years Of age will not perse-
we're In continuous study for the acquisition of
knowledge.
1t appears by this report of Mr.. Pierce that
his mission to Port Royal has terminated. So
far as we can judge from the letters before us,
and Mr.. Pierces report, this attempt to govern
and educate the blacks of the Port Royal Isl
ands has been very successful, although the
persons sent out were novices in the manage
ment Of the class of people they had to deal
with. Whether the Government is satisfied
with the system, and intends to continue it, re-
mains to be SEEN"
nB-One of the richest jokes of the day is
the offering of a resolution in the House of
Representatives, by Vditandingham, of Ohio,