Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1862-02-21
THE FORT ROYAL CONTRA
HANDS.


The condition and treatment Of the blacks
now by thousands under the protection of
our armies. on the southern coast, must
be a subject of great interest to every con-
siderate observer. 4 long letter in the N.
Y. Tribune. received by the Baltic, which
arrived at New York on Thursday, gives
fuller and later intelligence Of those at and
near Port Royal, than We have hitherto
seen. The blacks, numbering many thou
sands, arc scattered over the islands there,
and are, for the most part, still under mill
tary control, the government agent and his
four or five subordinltes exercising but an
uncertain protection. Their treatment va
rics wjth The character Of the officers at
different points, some treating them kindly,
while others, particularly Gen. Stevens, at
Beaufort, have been revere and cruel, and
have even permitted the use Of the whip in
enforcing what Is called discipline anon.
them. Still At this place, there is a scf.ool
for the children, established by Rev, Mr.
Peck, Baptist clergyman from Bosios,
which numbers 60 pupils an teachers.
\ most significant fact is that one colrny
OF the blacks are Grned 10 some extent lud
actually hold an outpost on Botany Bay
Island The correspondent of the Tr7bllu,
says
1 4.
occupy this poiut, though one Of much mi
! litary importance and the whole coun nv
/ therefore, though abandoned, IS open {,
| incursions by the rebels, and Is coRsequen tly
| unsafe for the blacks, c1cep; within raug,
| Of the gunbolts' fire. They have armeC
/ themselves with what weapons could b,
/ procured. not more than 40 OF 50 having
/ guns, and after once driving back a p .rtl
Of rebel cavalry that advanced against tn em
have picketcd part OF the island, and mod,
it IN military occupation.
1t Is stated in the late dispatches to th
Navy Department that the blacks now 81
press themselves most ANXIOUS to obtEir
arms, and that the black man who Ia
general superlntendence Of the colc,n,
wished to land his forces in Rockville an,
drive the rebel soldiers back. expressing tn
utmost confidence that with about twent,
cid muskeia that they had picked up, n an,
OF them flint locks, be would be able t,
effect this object.
The Tr5gns's correspondent comes t,
the following conclusions. As a result Of hi
observations
The simple truth IS, that a negro Is yer,
much like other human beings. Treat bin
kindly. and pay HIM fair wages, and b,
will work Abuse him, and destroy al
inducements O. labor. and he would be NOR
than a man II DE did not resent At BY idle
moss. The ue-r1e- 90 camp will do any
thin. for Mr. lee ur his assistants, or fo
Mr. Wilson, or for any one who docs no
Cypress them while TOR men who swear a
them they wall DO nothing except on com
pulsion. IL Is remarkable hov the stronl
religious element Of their character control
their habits OF thought and speech Al
oath Is hardly ever heard from their lips
even after long association with men habi
sually prJflne. and they shrink from tn
curses too often l,veled against them, as
from 4 blow. And II Is TO be especially
noted that what Is true Of the negroes her
may he stated still more strongly II
reference % them throughout the South
this being the spot where the influences O
Slavery have been most degrading. What
ever virtue has survived 1t here must exiS
! elsewhere ia greater degree. Moreover
even Of these negroes, many Of the mos
intelligent and capable were carried of b.
their masters.