Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-12-03
srrpHRiNqs or TnE coSTRABASbs,


Department OF the Tennessee there the banks OF
the Mississippi from Helena to Natchez not less than
thirty i've thousand or these about ten thousand are
near ylcksburg five hundred OF whom only men,
cept those ID the army There ppe thousand near
Goodr;ch's Landing, in Louisiana Others scattered
about in smaller collections few work upOl the leased
plantations for themselves but most dependent upon
the Government for support Their condition Is very
destitute aud almost hopeless one. The report says, aS
to health That there has been fearful mortality among
the freedmen both the enlisted soldiers and the camps OF
III. infrm, We have agonlzngy felt. Their prospects
for the winter of the most gloomy character
The New Orleans correspondent OF New York paper
thus speaks Of the condition Of affairs of the Gov
eminent plantations in Louisiana
While referring ia the subject of plantations my at
tenton has been cakd to the apparently Impartial report
Of Mr. w II Wilder the IN pector OF plantations VINO
recently visited the plantations under the control OF Col
Hanks superintendent Of coutraoands de says IN his
repsrt 10 the proper authores More particularly would
call your attention to the Old Hickory plantation
The mortality that has and occurring there truly
palng On White Castle plantation, out OF one hundred
aud orynne negroes eighty hive have died and twenty
two have run away thus leaving but foytwo Of the org
nal number At the Old Hickory plantation there were
four hundred and thirteen Of these two hundred
aud two have died since June last. On my visit there
found hlrty-elRh negroes SICK without proper nurses or
| medical attendance The hospital 10 building eighteen
by twenty three feet in SIZE IL which the sick referred to
packed. In the midst OF this azar b use was the
dead body of a woman who had died Wednesday, at
| three o'clock A. NJ At FIVE o'clock Z. Nj the following
day no measures had been taken for her sepuure.
The New York Times has long letter written this
month from Goodrichs Landing, in Louisiana in which
the writer states that the operations the plantations
within that district successful than in the yicln
ty of New Orleans He states that between Lake Prov
dence and Mkens Bend, distance Of about fifty miles
fortyye plantations have been leased-some to resident
whites some to Northern men, and fifteen to negroes
Elsewhere there is little doing. The negroes, are told
are more successful in raising cotton than the whites
Yet on of the plantations operated by two negroes
empoyu about fifty hands, only forty bales Of cotton will
be raised Aud this the best is only about oneteDth of
crop Of the condition of the negroes at this point the
letter says:
There is and has been great deal of discomfort and
prumbing among all classes and there has also been
great deal of suffering Scarcely Of the negroes
the plantations hrreabouts raised in this Immediate
part Of the country All have come from Mississippi and
from the back country Perhaps the most maj krd trait
The negro character his love OF home and OF the 10
cali,ies TO which he accustomed. They s pine for
their homes They long for the cid quarters they have
lived in, for the old woods they have roamed in and the
old fields they have titled The surgeons charge Of
traband camps tell that great mauy of them actually
die from home sickness III scientific language, nosal,
cia They get thinking Of their old homes, and they
have ett their families or any part OF them behind they
.s 10 sac them and they become depressed spirits
9 --dily f. the fret attack Of disease, or succumb
~ anI ifs danra 50 The negroes here are a. work
ana earning wages ard they a. not P'"oe . scSnes
but many Of them when they fret csule In.
| ne for several days on the leEee in the cold
There was shelter for them. They by hundreds
to seek the protection of troops Many Of them ne.
cessariy died from exposure and the memory of those
days OF suffering and death still iGgers among them.
Under these circumstances, it is inevitable that there
should be great deal Of discomfort and complaint among
| the negroes.
But, coming home find in the Windsor (Ver-
mont) Journal Of the tn instant letter from Mr. james
p Stone missionary at Hampton, Fortress Monroe
which shows that the condition Of the contrabands" 10
Southeastern Virginia is but little better 10 espects
than that Of the the banks Of the Mississippi
Mr. Stone after refer ing to the reception and distribution
of quantity Of old clothing forwarded him n answer
70 previous appeal proceeds follows
But what is the little which has already reached ia
among such multitude Of eager applicants Yesterday
two hundred at door, only part Of whom
Of course could receive any thing. To those whom
regarded the most needy given what could,
but not by any vi at they needed, what de-
sired give If had three hundred barrels Of good
and clothing and bedding could dispose If
il ALL either N this the negbb ring mi sOns, without
giving any body article too much Let app ehend
that # they send all they spare market will
be glued We have fears OF getting goods
than dispose of but do fear and expect that
many will greatly suffer, and that will die before
spng for want OF what endtayOrBg Tain from
friends at the North for them Even colored people
not endure every thing They well others must die
when they cannot e and live they when through
exposure and hardshps cold aud hunger mortal dseae
endured and the principle 81 vitality eXuugushtd.
Allow then, again 10 cay to the good people Of Yer
mont Do not forget the coOred people 81 Southeastern
Virginia Send your castOf cothng send all that you
spare send especially at this the year that
which will help T. ketp the people warm, by day by
night speak If second hand casO clothing because
we have more hope Of obtaining that But Of course
garments will not be objected to- and toe that
are the better"
The foregoing statements it will be SEEN coincide with
those from other not nfendy to the
bscks-which have heretofore had from time
time to place on record in coumos Remarking upon
these tales Of misery and especially upon the disclosures
lately made at public meeting in New York by the Rev
Mr.. Fiske, the Boston Post asks:
IL there single element 10 this cup Of horrors OF i'm
mediate emancipation that thoughtful minds have not
dicted Have not all The evils been enumerated7 Was
there left QUIT Ii is the whole worlds experience
that long dependent long enervated by oppression
must be educated state in Whch to enjoy the bless
rgs If freedom aud those who would invite them into
state where starvation before them responsible for
| the harvest Of death
The great problem before the country is to deal with
Tour millions Of negroes and determine the relations which
six eight millions Of whites shall bear to them. And
now who il u solve this problem Who to be the law
makers 10 do tbs' The radicals who say the Federal
Constitution s played out, unhesitangy answer, Con
gress and the plan adopted supplying the negroes with
ratoos is avowed to be the beginning of general system
Let this be looked at fully in the face This 10 to
tabsh the paternal policy Of governments taking
Of the people. Great distress has prevailed in III gland
for two past the manufacturers and who does
not know Of Ireland her starvation years Bot the
British Government undertook 10 take of the