New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-07-29
THE FREED BLACKS OF SOUTH
CAROLINA.
Letter from Mr.. J. M. McKim 20 Stephen
CoIweIl, esq, Chairman Of the Fort
Royal Relief Committee.
PHILADELPHIA, July "a, 1867.

PHILADELPHIA, July "a, 1867.
DEAR SIR comply with your request TO add, IN
this form, what, for lack Of time, was Obliged 10
omit in my address of the 9th inst, as well as TO re'
state some things which, for the sake Of condenS'''
ton, were left out of the published report.
1. One point alluded to on that occasion, but not
discussed. was the mooies one of the black man
courage. Has the negro the spirt-the Pl"e@' 10 10
hi. mart in maintaining the status now, or hereafter
TO be. assigned him This is practical query,
clearly within the scope which, az unuorsVho ~
nv inquiries were expected to take. Will snswer
it BY the statement Of q few iacts' geheiM ana par
ticular-p,O and con. First, general and cons
Servtude IL not condition favorable 10 the growth
of courage. Chattel Slavery, in fact as well as in
law. unmsns its victims. The Heots were not SO
brave as their Spartan masters. The African. Oh his
own continent and on this, is OF a mildor type OF
character, and less given TO war than the Anglo
Saxon Celt. The negroes in our Southern Slater
have not since the breaking out Of this rebellion,
made haste to rice in insrrection; neither do they
now any especial eagerness 70 enlist as soiers
In certain contingencies, not unlikely TO happen IL
would not be sale 70 count confidently on their hSn'
ing qualities.
Courage ia an essential quality OF bis nature. The
power to face danger, aud death II need be without
ninchng is common TO the whole human family N
all countries and under all circumstances. While
the Helots were not equal 10 their matters as sol
ders under them they made the Spartan arms irwin
chile TO the world. The African naturally prefers
the tolls of peace but be has always, when occasion
required it, shown himself capable Of the arts Of
Up to this time in bis history he has never failed TO
fight when be has had at the same time the monve
and the means. His record his native continent.
in Revolutionary war; in the war OF lSl2 ana III
the history of San Domingo, furnish am PIE ilu,lra-
tions Of this fact.
"Then why does he not now rise,' il is asked
ain instruction Z" put this question 70 all intel
ligent negro well known at Beaufort, Prince Rivers
by name, now Sergeant in the is' Regiment o.
South Carolina Volunteers. "Why," said l, "don
the blacks on the main now rise against their mas.
tersi" "Lord sah," was the reply, !" what would
be de use7 Dey has no chance. What could dey
dot no gun, no sword, no knowledge, no chance
no nOthin"
"But suppose they had chance, would they
Gsht then - Yes. SAB" Chow do you know
they would 2" "Csuse knon dey would. Only
Lot em know for sure-tor sure, mine you, dat de
white people means night; let EN- know for sure
DIT deys fghtin' for themselves, and / knoU dey
will fight" well Prince, wonldnt you can this
good chance 7" Eyes tah; do call this good
chance and tell nv people may be its de last
chance. OATS de reason jipe de soldier. was
gettin big wages in Beaufort, but I'd rather take
less and fight for de United States; for believe de
United STATES is fghtin for me, and for my
people" DO your people generally feel as you
DOR "No, sab; but dey would If dey knowed dc
same as i do This is the testimony, substantially
In bis own words, of a black man, who is regarded
where be lives in all respects competent 10 bear
witness on the subject.
In one of ny visits to the town Of Beaufort con-
versed with Hannah Small, wife of Robert Small,
the hero of the Planter, and heard from her the
whole story Of that adventure. According 10 her
statement, which was amply corroborated by facts
alv no MI W.
that exploit were animated by courage that would
Be equal to any Of the perils incident TO condition
Of war. The whole party had soeinnly agreed IN
advance that if pursued and without hope oil escape
the shp should he scuttled and sunk; and that, If
she should not go down fast enough TO prevent
capture, they would al take hands, husband and
vie, brother and sister, and jump overheard and
perish together Now, think that If you Ill add
to the courage evinced in thls transaction by the
whole party the COOL strategic skill OF IFS leaders,
you will have fact that will throw some Light on
this m0Oted question.
Before leaving the island had letter from
gentleman-one Of the Notwithstanding
an incidental allusion to this subject which 1t may
not be amiss here to quote:
Ordinarily" says the writer the blacks show lack OF
courage but when emergency they display cool
which would like to commend to their white brethren
& By zen e Hsa S
that the Rebels were upon US and that We must to the boa.
among the whites there were three men o.
en and two Of the men undertook in an excited manner TO
stood calm and did move till Of ,hsrn ,sid II
nasss will tell Us what to do wen do whatever nsss nys
boat and under way short time after lea Union
pckss in and in excited manner told the people
burn the plantation house
They beEevedi bu, instead Of running Of did
the Of TIE party collected househod stuff cloth
Ing sud vsusies placed them in box while the took
and buried the box the place
after that they about taking OF Themselves and
looking ser she own thiugs They then placed the old
nAop And
Into the marsh drog high tide and there remained concealed
~ ns a,ssir V w.. -. dor. coer ,nS Win tsod ouS
but notice the contrast"
II. Speaking in my addross, of the goods sent TO
the blacks, the clothing, made and unmade, &C.,
animated that their distribution was not made
wholly az q charity, but that portion Of them were
sold. The money to pay for these goods was made
by the negroes by picking and packing cVton plant.
ing the new crop-s dollar an acre on which had
been paid by Dir. Peirceand selling chickens, eggs,
vegetables fresh fish, and the like, to the soldiers.
The negroes show quite Yankee turn for traffic.
This may DO noticed by any one who will watch
them on the beach at Hilton Head, where they come
in their canoes to dispose OF their commodities. The
men Of the Tooth Pennsylvania and Massachusetts
LIST quite sharp at driving bargain, but the ne
groes are fully match for them. They will dispose
a their baif-fedged chickens ut fifty cents par
their eggs at o quarter Of dollar dozen, and their
soAnty strings Of mullet whiting at " quarter,
10 - short time and with ar much would
any old Jersey marketman, brought NJ 10 the bust
psss on the curb stones Of Philadelphia.
On my return from my tour brought home 10 the
Treasurer Of the Committee nearly $BO-tte pro-
ceeds in cash of goods sold from the Philadelphia
boxes on the Island Of st. Helena. Mr.. Philbrick,
one Of the superintendent from Boston on the same
island told me that he had sold Tor cash goods TO the
amount Of about $500, and that he could have made
The amount larger il he had the articles. He had
purchased the goods ont OF his pocket, and sold
them ut Wholesale priceshis object being to accom-
u,odate the people and them from the extorion
Of suffers and other tIaders. Since coming North ]