The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1862-02-20

JOHN HUGHES,
Arclbbho2 Of New York
The Negroes aLd Cotton at Fort Royal.
ISrEREsrISG RKroRr FROM THE GovERS-
MKSr AGEST.
Mr.. Edward l.. Pierce, the Government
Agent, having charge of the negroes and cot.
ton at Port Royal has presented TO Secretary
Chase a volumnou report of his operate at
the South in which we find much interesting
information bearing upon the question as to
' what should be done with the contrabinls1"
Upon the % islands, large aod small, now in
our possession in the vicinity Of Port Royal,
are some 200 plantations open to cultivation,
five of the Islands being without plantations and
two other, Mt yet explored. On another
i-i 'i, that OF North Eisto, wach is
sr'.. visited by tho robels, som, $500
neg'Oss have settled under the p'o,oction
Of our war vossals, and TO this colony
large addit ions are exOectod to be Ids as tho
negroes acquire conhdenc. In US. As it IL We
nov have on our hands IN & 'n-Shorman' depitt-
msnt, from 49, 600 . f., 900 negroes, for wno'o
present anl tLGure sIato We have - proyId,,
90 no num1,r rs rtPilly inccvt,lh,. 'd1oi,
'uoCing 20 tho mp,: teispnlhlo e'.'m'o' IT
.'oll ouly r,q ,iro small siyarc' ~ or
p.ps n involy,'cs general r'gts'n no
,.u lo.s g., lif' 90 dpubl1 tho upmpor walsh
uuld be- ,rou ,ht vi hii QUO liboS.
By ID. ct mttn / would Appear thu, ~
ave III ,il our sch from ten to tselv1 mil
osut t,'lrs m IL, pIrtiJls prop 'rty t th"
,outh, a. ono result of oar Victory At Plrt Ro.
|. mt & speak Of h. u-co m'ed millions IN
sd and r,ttrn Which /. h.s put Ia on pis'e'-
pt. o, tnii l.st lc,cla, Mr P,cr3I wip IA
| ~ tue a ,.nt' Of as G'otsiry D'pir,rn'it It OK
..t o g,ther SOM ? jun.Ol0 p,rn'- siu'ct.
the present vea-, nearlv all of which hal ho)n
| Il A - -. 4 II
forces CnnNdtrsble quautitie, have mt b,'n
pckgd AZ all, bat the crop for this s,Son WAS
unusually good.
Ofthe noSfoes, most have been found remain
ing upon the plantations TO which they belong,
the largest MI nUor on any bang 26n, ant too
average ~. Ia most cA-oA, tho negro drivers
have remain cd wi N this field hands uai " thor
charge, exercising their authority, a4 vol as
they c)uli, without tho support vi the shitas
sill holding the keys Of tne pSranary, doallnH
out the rations Ot food anl With the stms sense
OF responsibility a. before. Mr.. P,ercs ADVISES
| that those divers 10 continued In authority, AS
the psst pos ton o. the driver and his vallNDls
knowlodge, both Of the p ana ions and tbs la
borers, when properly advised and controlled,
may be made available in sssuring the pfodlc-
tvoness Of the pllntai)no aud the good Of the
| labOrers. Tbs drivers have, In all caass, beHn
| found ve-y ready to answer ques ions and re1m
de,irous that the work Of the ssaso should com
melco.
some of the nes roea, we are told are really
| degrading, but others are ''as fair specimens ot
human nature as we can expect ~ iind.' o.
the ADULTS, about one-hslt, a. least, ar- menu
| bers OF churches generally Biotlst. Beside A.
tendance at the churches on Sunday eveniog,
| prayer meetings arc held once or twics week
| on the plantations. At one Of those meetlngi
Mr.. Pierce addressed the negroes, telling them
| that he had been sent 10 see what was bsst 20
| do for them, by Mr.. Line lin, the President or
| - At Nuahfn.gfau ha hal tha hnl
matter in charge tnat the great trouble .bjut
| doing anything for them was that thsir masters
| had ma-e many people believe that they wsrs
lazy and would not work unless whipped to IL
that Mr.. LINCOLN had sem him down here IN 500
| II il was so that where he came from all were
free both white and black thai We did n Il sell
| children or separate man and wife, but all had
| TO work that If they were 10 be tres, they
would have 10 work and would be shut up or
deprived Of privileges n they did no. that this
was a critical hour with them, an iC they did
not behave well now and respect our agents
and appear willing TO work, Mr. Lincoln
you'd slye up trying - do an ts'nR tor tlen.
| A. ibis ard other mse,iHgs N god "a ylia
| ss Al q given them tho sOmsu b,ilg especi.
| " urged t. keep away from thi bad ~h,.o
| 90 vho wOAli rUin thcm. 4 meeting ~
Hitoa Heal, NJ, Pierce says;
"A Z, cd 10 king man, who hn' CSC pc from
| q southern part of B,rn Rtil d,sttic', rosa ard
| g., with much feeling, tina. bs and m.Iy
nsrs IA uli 10 ali they could by gooi con1uc.
| o prove what their masters sail sgtust thsm
| II ls., a Il 20 make Mr Line ia think BOT
| r liinps Of th6m. Al. or tho meeting C Osed
10 .r,d 10 know il Me- Lincoln was c,miDR
.0r Ire "a 800 ,hem, and he wanted ms 70
give Mr.. Lincoln his compliments, with his
name, assuring the President hs would do all
he could for him. The message was a lirte
amusing, but it testified 20 the sarnestness OF
the simple hearted man. The name OF Mr.. Lin
coin was used in addressing then, as mlfe
likely 10 impress them than tho abstract ideA
It Government" N.1
Mr. Pierce takes more favorable view OF
the character Of tho negroes than il usu4ly :
held. the want Of c1nj1gI iIellty on the part
VI the men, he ree4'ds as " something lk ,ly tC
happen in any society where it IS permitted OIL
not forbidden by stern public opinion, and TAI
more likely 10 happen under laws which do not
recognize marriage, And dissolve what ans wer'
for il by forced separation dictated by tho msr'
pscuriarS interest OF others" Aud thu reati-
ne whh which ths women yisli 70 whts men
ia accounted for by the power OF tho maste
over them, whose ,llctation wn5 equiVal-nt u
a comma and "bY the degraded condiLlor
ia which they have been placed, whers hsJ
nave been apt 10 reglfd what ought TO bs dis
grace as a compliment when they were ap
lrc ached by Paramour OF superior condition
aud race"
Their verscity and honesty has been proves
! by expsrisnce, and the fidelity with which the!
have served a. pilots and guide, has been of tn
utmost service TO our officers. They are glvel
10 extrayagHut statements, but except Anonl
the thoroughly dishonest-no more numerou
among them than in other races-thsre will b.
found a colorado basis for their statements
enough TO show their honest intention to spaAl
truly. In regard TO their industry, Mr.. PleTc
concludes, upon "lhe best Examination of thss
people and comparison Of the evidence of trust
worthy persons, that when properly organized
, and with proper motives set before them, the!
will a. freeman, DO "a industrious as any race 0
: men arc likely 70 bs in this climsts."
Still, he has not found that Unqnsstionabl
= evidence of q desire for fresdou smous N