The Union. [volume] (Georgetown, Del.) 1863-1866, 1863-11-06
The Free Plantations.

Do THE NEGROES APPRECIATE FREEDoMf
Answering this question, and able descrip-
tive letter in the New York Times, from Mr..
j. A. Ware, the Secretary of Abundant Cen
eral Thomas, mentions the Rost Plantation,
twenty miles from New Orlehns, formerly
owned by therebel emissary, Judge Rost, and
now by Mr., Brott. Mr.. Ware says:
Of all the frauds, lies, absurdities, and so
phistries-that have constituted the foundation,
and the sole foundation, of this wretched re-
bellion, none was moro plausible nor more
generally believed than tho statement so con-
fdently made by every STAKEHOLDER and so
glibly repeated by their parasites in the North
that the slaves are not fit for freedom, that
the only idea of ieis license, and that they
will never associate it with duty or RESPONSE
bility. Though the charitable hoped the truth
| to be far different from the broad and compre~
nensive statement of the advocates of slavery,
the most hopeful scarcely dared to hope that
less than generation would bring the negro
to such point of intellectual and moral adj
yancement as would fit him for the proper en-
ioyment of freedom, / myself have always
been among the latter class, but / am begin
ming to beliye that we have not only under
estimated the intellectual abilities and the
moral condition of the slaves, but have com
mitted the equal error of oyerestimating the
degrading influence of their past lives. But
without theorizing, let me state the actual
condition of things here,
s THE PLANTATION AS 1T WAS.
, When Mr.. Brott first looked at this planta-
, ton he found only tho former overseer and a
:, huff q -aososs- ele-os, rhA-AuApsaa told him
that most of the slaves had decamped and
were collected together at the cqntraband
camp, and that it would be useless to try to
get them back, But Brott was not to be SC
. easily discouraged He asked for the mos
: intelligent of the negroes that still remained
e and got him to go with him to the place wher'
the rest of the negroes were to be found. Or
their way down this man said that they coulc
never be induced to return under that overseer
!, for he had been unusually harsh and cruel
: and had defrauded and robbed the negroes
, : whenever he could But Mr.. Brott determined
" to try them, and when he arrived at thei
:, rendezvous called them together. He tol'
: them that he would feed and clothe them, an
! furnish them with medical aid that the
should have such and such privileges, and a
the end of the season one-twentieth of tn
crop. Now, negroes, from their long expe
a fence in judging of men, and from the vit'
rs necessity they have had of studying then
I'd have gained sort of instinct, which enable
ne them to Judge almost infallibly whether a ma
will keep his promise to them. Mr.. Brott
ry a man who any one would be willing to tru
,r- after seeing him once. He is frank, homes
d. and bears the stamp of honor and sincerit
A on his face and in his manner. The man wi
m accompanied him had been quite won, an
Oh partly through his influence, and part
tes through what they had seen for themselve
of, the negroes were quite willing so far as M
lie, Brott was concerned, to make the attemI
cir So, after little consultation, they agreed th
by, they would Co. if he would employ anoth
,ol- overseer. To this he would not consent.
ten told them he should not carry on the pla
ere himself; that he needed the services of an
md perienced man, and ole that understood I
ads plantation. The negroes, however, held {
icy firm, and he gave them day 10 think Of
ley The next day they were more decided th
tly ever. They said they would be led out on
md levee and shot rather than return under tn
pss, old overseer. They told him he needed Oh
lid to have business man; that there werepler
of of the hands who knew as much about
am place as the overseer, and could carry it on
he well, except with regard to keeping accour
ich buying supplies, and handling money. All
INK considerable Intellectual coaxing on his pa
mt. he had to give up, and agreed to discharge
en- overseer. He brought away 80 hands, v
rec worked we'll during the week. The n
AXE Sunday they asked permission to 60 down
ver their old friends again, which was grant
ken and they returned with 1873 hands--sc
/, strangers, but mostly belonging formerly
ave the place-all of whom have been at W
and ever since. Not one has left, and presu
gin not one could be induced TO leave, while
d." plication for employment are coming in sy
es." day. ~
um- TEE PLANTATION AS TITS.
the They are more contended and happy
had they were under the patriarchal institut
said, though they wook a good deal harder. I
viii save their money for a future day, and i
W to savings amount already to good Bit"
they working hands win make from scventy-f'
q hundred dollars piece, so the overseer
reb- me, over and above their share of the {
az They support their families and take can