The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-10-31
Aheut,h. C.n,r.h.na..

OILS, formerly resident in the western
part Of our county, and now superln'
tendent of contrabxnds at Washington.
throws considerable light upon an inter
esting subject:
CosTRABANp DEPT, CAMP BARKER, !
WASHINGTON, d. G. Oct. "a. {
To His Excellency Richard Yates, Gov
ernor Of Illinois
SIR: From, testimony deemed by me
reliable, had learned Yesterday that in
an address lately made in Southern Hi
nois by an ex-Mcmber of Congress, the
repr esentation Was made that in Wash
ingtou, at the present time, no less than
10000 "contrabands" were subsis,ed and
clothed at the Government expense. Now
statement coming from source so high,
where the individual is supposed to know
the facts, would tend to influence mis-
chieviously large class of our citizens
who have no correct means of obtaining
the facts. Thus / felt it my duty 10
communicate with you. after advising
with some of your friends in Washing
ton, putting you in possession of the facts
which you are at liberty to use as you
deem best for the cause of truth and
justice.
The facts are as follows: On the 10Th
of last June was appointed by General
Wordsworth superintendent Of the contra
bands at Duff Greens Row." Washing
ton, where | found about 400 persons,
young and old. Since my appointment,
up to the present time, no less than 5000
contrabands, of both sexes and of all ages.
have passed through my hands.
Of the above number, all but 675 have
gone out. either to do for Themselves,
labor in private families, or work for the
Government The 675 (our present
NUMBER includes l20 who have been
sert rs from the various military encamp-
ment- III and abol; Washington, and
from the hands employed by the quarter
master and commissary departments, and
are sent to US for medical treatment
Then we have about twenty who are en-
ployed at forty cents per day in the ser,
vice Of the camp. Besides these, quite q
number of the remainder go out during
the day to wash for the sick soldiers at
the hospitals, and return to their families
at night in the camp. This leaves a
small balance of those too old and infrm
for profitable labor, or too young to 90
TO service. And even the mothers, with
their large and dependent families, have
husbands in tile army or navy. and
have been sent to Us for protection and
sustenance, while their husbands are EN-.
ployed by our army.
AS to clothing, the Government has no,
at any time furnished these people with
any, not ere" a ttanket, except in fey,
cases Northern beneyolence, through
the q National Frecdmen's Association "
and the .. Colored Contraband Relief As
soclation," have thus far furnished tht
clothing for these destitute ONES. Thus
we see, in the light of these facts, that all
the cry raised by alarmists about "con+
trabands being burden to the Govern
ment is the creation of the fancy Of design
ing politicians.
Then, again, the cry which is SO often
raised by these same designing men thai
the North will be crowded with "nig.
gers" and that the poor whites will have
| to suffer in consequence. is alike without
foundation; for while applications ara
daily made by persons from all the North
ern and Western States, and the most lib
eral offers of pay made to these people i
they will consent to go, yet not one in 1
hundred can be persuaded TO go North
Thus, when the question Of Government
burden for 40 900 contrabands " is con
sidered in the light of truth, it is reduced
to 400; while the thousands of those who
some have hoped to see emigrating to the
North and West, 90 into the column o.
units.
| The thousands expended by Govern
ment for clothing the contrabands,
turns out TO be just nothing and eide
ness, spoken Of is, in the light of truth
speedily converted into erecting fortified
tons, dilligent and laborious toll in al
the service departments Of the Govern
: ment
Ne, instead Of these people being
drug on the hands of the Government
ten could be to-day emp Dyed, while ",
haze but eHe To furnish
Yours, respectfully,
D. i. NICHOLS,