The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-01-07
SOUTH CAROLINA.
fkrom the New FORK Tribune.

} from the New FORK Tribune
The N. Y. Express has correspondent
with our army at Port Royal, whose &C
count of the sayings and doings Of the
"contrabands" of that region differs very
widely from the editorial teachings Of
tha. same Express, though agreeing with
! the statements of our own correspondent
Here is a sample, taken from its account
of the burning of his cotton-housc by Mr.
Hugh Wilson and the escape to car sol
diers of portion of his slaves:
"They asserted that they had long been
expecting and praying for our coming, and
they determined whenever we should ar
rive to make their way instantly TO U.S.
Capt. Ammen offered them permission to
return, but though they said they had
left their wives and children, Massa
would kill if we 60 back, and they pre-
ferred to remain. When asked why they
left their masters, they replied-as at
least thousand negroes have said in my
hearing within the last six weeks--thaf
they were badly treated, got only peck
of corn week. and no other food, no ba-
con, no salt, had shoes only every other
year, had had no clothes given them for a
long time, but had been worked hard
The negroes indeed of this whole region
persist in saying that they have been mis-.
erably fed and clad-not an exception to
this has fallen beneath my notice. These
of Mr.. Wilson's say that they had been
obliged to boil down sea water for salt,
and many others had tod me the same
story; they also said, however, that all the
salt on the planters tables was procured
in the same way; they had seen no gold or
silver for a long time; they had scraps OF
Confederate paper money with them
They gave us the first information we had
received of the great fire at Charleston,
and the next day all they had told us in
this matter was confirmed by the papers
found at Rockville. These blacks were
examined separately, and told the same
tale, which could see no reason to dis
believe. Within an hour or two of their
arrival, the other three who had been set
to watching Massa's children also came on
board, and they had left the children in
the carriage house. The meeting between
those who first arrived and this second
| party was full of warmth and cordially
| The late corners were more intelligent
| than their predecessors, but asserted the
same story | have been particular in
giving these details, because ] have seen
| il stated in a number of Southern papers
that the slaves are still faithful to their
masters, and in Northern papers that the
reports about the fugitires have been ex-
aggeratcd. But everything / have seen
or heard confirms me in the belief that
the whole shave population of South Car
olina will desert its masters at the earliest
opportunity. Two Of these negroes de
clared that they had come from Charles
ton within two days, and that the negroes
there waited anxiously for us and would
instantly join us If we approached They
were all given the rations of common
sailors, and declared they had never Jared
so well before Their actions corrobora-
ted their words They manifested the
greatest eageress to inform us of the
whereabouts of rebel troops; told of pickets
and small parties stationed at different
houses along the river, and especially
that there were 400 or 500 in tents near
Rockville"
There are 100000 of these people in
South Carolina-all for the Union and its
flag-all accustomed to earn their own
living and that Of their masters also--and
there are but 100000 Whites in the
State, not oil rebels by many Yet South
Carolina is currently spoken Of as unani-
mously hostile to the Union That the
rebels should make that sort of count, is
hardly surprising but why shoule WE
follow their lead I Why not count over
400, 900 CERTAIN Unionists against their
800, goo dubious Secessionists, and claim
the 100000 loyal majority that we truly
have! We can take the State whenever
we will by simply calling those people to
our side and letting them help us save
the Union If We let the Nation be dis.
membered and destroyed for want Of the
sense or pluck to do this, History will
brand US with pusillanimity and treason.
And yet we tremblc lest the golden mo-
ment will be allowed to slip by unimprov-
ed One month ago, ten thousand we'll
appointed soldiers could have taken the
State, by the help Of her loyal people !.
Since then, several drilled regiments have
been sent down from Virginia, and others
brought up from the Gulf States, and we
fear the enterprise will be found more
difficult. Statesmen . leaders save the
Republic.