, 1862-04-30
THE NEGROES At PORT, ROYAL
Report Of one Of tho Missionary
Teachers.


Correspondents Of the n. z. Wotld1
BEAuFeRr, 8. O. April t.
The'negFoes are very destitute :of food and
clothing. On some Of the plantations they
but Of other food they have none, Other plan
tations are entirely destitute Of au kinds Of
1000. hnom SIX plantations, the condition of-
which have personally Investigated, the army
has taken, for its own sustenance, 1850 bush
els of corn. This will at once account for the
5eeent dsae'enHsya dd ~ The The ANY, Of
manity requires that they should be pro
yieed for. The Government, we are happy to
say, have regard to their wants, and provision
is being made for their supply. As respects
clothing, their destitution Is equal to that Of
food The masters furnished them no cloth
ing last year. Hence many Of them are coy
ered..with rags. What they have Is Insult
cient for protection from the inclcmeucy Of
the TeatAer. The present season is the most
Indictment Of the year. The changes are ex-
trene. The days arr very hot, bnf the nights
great power, and On the next, perhaps, the
air Is quite cold. At such times the negroes
take cold, and feTers Of al kinds are the con
eequence: Being sick they take to their piles
QJ Tags-beds they have none, md but few
blankets. Some sick have. been found upon
the -four, With nothing Under them to pro-
tect their diseased bodies from the air which
comes upon them through the crerices
Of The floor. Hence they die. Indeed, how
can they live? In one hat five children were
found at one time in Ibis condition. Now, Is
It strange that two have been buried from
that hut within weeks time, and that an
other, in all probability, will soon follow, If
earth.
Ofknowledse, these negroes, as class, are
| understand their daily work, but beyond this
| they know but little. But few can read. What
| they do know has been given to them ora1ly.
! They manifest an earnest desire to learn to
read, especially to read the Bible; and they
can lea1n to do this readiy; Their improye:
| that the southern negro cannoS learn readily
is i groEs deluEion. In making this state.
ment know whereof affirm They do learn
I and learn fast too. Rev. c. G. Jones, mission
ary to the negroes In Liberty county, Georgia
I IN his third annual report (lS36) ssys: "Thal
they are apt in receiving instruction, none
have ever doubted who have favored us with
| their presence for single Sabbath, No diff
| ference will be- perceived generally bet8eeu
them and other children in like circum
| stances" This IS my experience in respect
| to their capability for acquiring the knowledge
Now, for food and clothing the negroes ars
| zeilling to norl. individuals among them art
indolent and unworthy. In this respect theJ
are not unlike some clssses OF whites In the
North. But so far as my knowledge extends
they are willing to work, aud wish to pay, In
labor, for Whist the Government furnishes
On many plantations, without the advice ol
/ persuasion Of any white man, they have " pui
ln'' corn and potatoes for their own subsist
ence; and noW that the Government requires
cotton besides for the ratf0ns furnished, they
chcerfully and industrlously ply the hoe: ant
am fully persuaded they will do what the,
can for the production..of a good cotton crop
They labor under great difficulties. They haT,
no manure, and but feH have horses O.
mules, IS there were taken By the master
whtn they fed before the & Yankees" or; a5
negro Significantly expressed it, when thi
''Lord kicked them oRt.'
The agents Of the Government, in supply
ing the negroes with food, clothing, lned1cs
! attendance, AID instruction, arc the ttmis
sionary teachers" who have left loved home
and pleasant associations to labor for seaso1
among these destitute people. For this 1abo
we receive from the Government soldier
rations," and Only that: An association il
eFDment furnishes, salaries varying from tir
to fifteen dollars month Is not our Wor
"a labor Of Ioye?'' If it were not, it Woul
be hard work indeed.
These negroes desire freedom; certainl
this is not strange. Who would be sllyc
We hope their freedom raay be secured I
, them, and That they may he prepared for it
enjoyment and blessings. What We try t
epgender in their minds is desire for free
dom from vice and sin. We tell them the
! cannot be truly free till these chains are brt
| ken. And this sentiment is echoed hy the
; spiritual leaders. One Of them said, at q fun,
raj. =" Ton talk about being free; yon canue
be free Till you come to God.''