The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-12-29

The Freedmen of the Mississippi Valley.
A correspondent of. the Boston Advertiser
in late number Of that paper, ably aud un-
derstandngly presents the claims of the Freed
men Of the Mississippi Valley to the generous
remembrance of the liberty loving people oil
the North.
The only questions that can still remain, are
list. In what way can they best be cared
for? I'd. What hinders the pay of the soldiers
going TO their families, by the system of allot-
ment? Sd. Why does not the Government as
sumo the whole burdena And 1th. How
large is the requirement made on us?
In criticising the manner ia which the Freed
men have hitherto been cared for, some say,
"Why not make them work ?D On stating
this complaint 10 Chaplain Fiske, who for
nearly year has been Superintendent OF q
large contraband camp at Memphis, he re-
piled, sthey have been set TO do all that we
could find for them to do" aud he added
have worked harder and more cheerfully than
any laborers ever saw, aud for the smallest
remuneration" The fact is they are so placed
that there is little no work for theul--whetIl-
er employment could not have been arranged
last spring and summer, ia a more permanent
manner, Is a question now too late to be con-
sidered. That question belongs to the past.
1t will not warm or clothe the confraband TO
be angry with the War Department. The
present and the future alone concernus. Again
other objectors say,-"Let the CAMPS be bro
ken up; they are only sinks of wretchedness
and vice." Granted. How to get rid of them
aud what to substitute, is the problem Mis-
cradle as is the provision, it is for this winter
the only alternative between driving them be-
yond our immediate lines, to increased wretch
edness and to perish ven faster.
A. <a tt.c ,r ti,a .<.Il;a,. -
port their families, 1t would seem that the sys-
tenn Of allotment which works so well Ia white
regiments, might apply TO black, u, where
family names are so confused, and where all
husbands and all wives are so much In com
mon, an car-mark can be put on this or that
mans family. But after much study bestowed
upon this point by those who have devoted
themselves to the subject most earnestly, the
conclusion Is, that negro families are in such
state OF hopeless confusion, that they can
only be designated as belonging to any partc-
ular soldier by branding. That method of
designating the family relationship will hard
ly commend itself enough for immediate
adoption.
As to the burden In this case being all borne
by the Government-they should bear most of
il as soon as the necessary legislation is per-
fected. 1t is hoped this may be done soon.
But forming Bureau of Emancipation Is OBJ
and the carly spring must pass without it.
And II is to furnish this temporary aid that
the present appeal is made.
Finally, If the present system of aiding the
Freedmen in the Mississippi Valley, is the
best within our reach this winter, aud if no
aid can be expected for them by the system Of
allotment, and If we cannot expect the Govern
ment system of support tif it comesl TO get
under way before spring. it only remains TO
ask what is the pyfput nj ant in tbir
behalf, to be supplied from private contribu-
tons. Ii is understood that the Freedmen
now have rations of food from Government.
The first object of our bounty will then be TO
furnish shelter. Here, again, it is understood
that the Government have just ordered some
huts TO be built. How far 1t intends to 20
towards housing the 80 900 remains to be seen.
The next desideratum is clothes. Here all
must be done by private libcralty. II appears
that year before the rebellion broke out. on
many plantations, owing TO the uncertainties
OF the times, the negroes did not get their
usual supply of raiment, SO that in most cases.
they came to our lines in state of peculiar
destitutou, and we are told of women passing
through tue coldest weather of last winter
with only one worn garment of any kind upon
their backs. aud without shoes. The next OBJ
ject, We are told, will be to provide sanitary
stores, for those whose health Is already Sc
riously affected by the privations of the past
year, and to supply the infrm aud feeble with
such provisions as Government does not un-
dertake TO afford. Lastly, it Is very desirable.
during this winter, to furnish some training
and Instruction, which will not only tend to
raise them out of the vicious habits which
their deplorable state for the last few months
had induced or aggravated, but will fit them
for the life of freedom into which they are now
ireyocably launched. For this purpose addi-
int. L..
provided at private expense.
We want, in fact, the same work done in
this case, as has already been so well done at
Port Royal with a number very much smaller,
and never in such state of wretched deslitu-
uon. One noticeable distinction between the
two cases must be borne in mind however
In South Caroliua, the negroes had not only
their old houses and homes aud the fields 10
which they were wonted, but for many months
after the Freedmen's Aid Societies began, the
uble-bodied men remained the natural pro
tectors of the rest In the Mississippi Valley.
on the contrary, our first act was, as we have
stated, to take away these natural protectors
The great success at Port Royal encourages,
nevertheless, new effort on large scale, and
in more difficult circumstances.
The Freedmen on the Sea Islands of South
Carolina have ceased to be objects of charity
They are now not only sefsupportDg, but
consumers OF an amount OF Northern com
forts and luxuries, that augers well for the
future, both to buyer aud seller In the case
OF the Freedmen of the Mississippi Valley, no
effort will be spared to supply them first and
foremost with work. Until the Spring opens.
not much work eau be had. But even now IL
is urged by the intelligent emissares here. To
sell, as far as possible, rather than gire the
clothing, and TO encourage thus early the
habit of sclfsupport.
To do our part towards this work, requires
from Boston vigorous and liberal effort. In
the face of what Is proposed in New York aud
Philadelphia, and the estimate Of the imme-
diate need formed by competent eye-witnesses
no small sum will be worthy the character Of
our city.
We In Now England are fortunate in the
channel through which il is proposed to dis
tribute our charity, the Western Sanitary
Capnuaissien haxrinfr afI.arad q dishurSa Il