The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-04-04


e.
------
wenches TO white men. Gentlemen may
follow their tastes afterwards rs now,
The Senator from Massachusetts (Mr.
Wilson has furnished me With the fip-
ures showing the exact number Of free ne
groes in the States of Delaware and Mary
land. In the former there are 1878
free negroes, and but / los slaves, and
in Maryland S3.7 free persons of color,
aud but 81, TOO slaves. Ii the white pop
ulation of Maryland does not intermarry
and amalgamate with the s3,718 free ne
groes now in the State, would their tastes
in that regard be changed If more Of them
were liberated? 1.-THE people Of this city,
the capital of the nation, are not now in
sulting our delicate sensibili:ies by inter
marrying with nearly twelve thousand
free negroes here, would their tastes be
changed in that regard by the liberation Of
about fifteen hundred others, for under
stand on consultation with the Chairman
of the Committee on the District of CO.
lunbia that there are not now, probably,
to exceed fifteen hundred slaves in tile
District. There were, when the census
was taken, but triile over three thous-
and.
This is merely fling intended on the
part Of those who use it to arouse a
prejudice that they know is deep-seated
in the minds of the people of the free
States against association with the colored
population. They know what know and
here state, that there is in all the free
States deep-seated prejudice against an
association with the colored population
prejudice that does not exist in the slave
States. There you find this association
together, not in the social scale, il is true.
You find them, however, at work together
In the same shop, ut theSame bench, on
the same farm, in the same buildings.
at the same kind of toll. You find their
children on the same play grounds, at the
same games, at the same amusements. not
unfrequently eatiug, sleeping, auarle cling
and fighting with each other without refer
enee to color. 1t is aoin this District.
We all observe it every day We live. Any
man who will take the trouble to walk up
Pennsylvania Avenue Mt this moment viii
see the white hackman and the negro
standing side by side, whip in hand, wait
ing for job. He will see the white man
aud the negro on the cross streets, sitting
ON ~ass.. 9. cart. side by side, waiting
for employment. Go into the hotels, and
you will find them there, white men and
negroes. white females and eolored fe-
males, in the employment OF the same
landlord. Go into the Governn ent work.
shops, into Your own Navy lard, as
doubt not You all have done, and you will
see black men aud white men working side
by side. swinging the same kind of ham
mer, forging the same piece of iron.
1t is here in slave District and in the
slave States that men learn to associate
famlliarly as laborers and mechanics with
the colored population and as a result
of that familiar association at the daily
tolls of life, there is less shrinking away
from them; less reluctance at receiving
them into their embrace, SO Handsomely
described by the Senator from Delaware
but moment ago. No, sir il you in
quire for these willing to receive colored
persons into their embrace, you will find a
large majority of them born, brought up,
and educated in the midst Of savehold-
ing community; and as a result of this
familiar association. you will find in every
slayeholding community a much larger
number of mulattoes than in the free
States.
But, then, what is to be done with these
fifteen hundred liberated slaves? Ii they
are liberated We are told they must be ex-
patriated; they must be sent into some
other country, into strange community,
and there compelled TO provide in land
of strangers for their daily wants. Where
are they now? In the bosom of the fam
lies Of this metropolis. They are the
house servants and field hands of those
who now claim to be their owners
Whence, thep, a necessity Tor expatriafing
them It does not increase their num-
Der to liberate them. II their labor is
now necessary for the industrial purposes
and comfort Of the people Of this District,
will 1t not be as necessary after they shall
have been liberated? Ii they are now
needed as house servants and hotel SER
wants, laborers and mechanics, in shops
and fields, will they not be as necessary
afterwards : The only change in this re-
gard that / can perceive is that after their
liberation, and those who now enjoy their
labor gratuitously will then, if their SER
vice are continued, be compelled to pay
them reasonable compensation, the Gov.
ernmet paying them bonus Of $500 each
to relinquish the supposed right 10 theil
labor without the payment of wages
This is the only wrong that will have been
inflicted on those Who nwn tham Thar