Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1863-02-05
DEMlERAT & NEWS
NEGROEs AruELENA.


Matters soe'n 10 10 10 . deplorsblc
ccId ton at lIei NJ. Sickness prevails
and negroes are starving TO death. No
body SCENE 10 have any thing for them
to eat or do. The Emancipation proclt-
nation applies to the State Of Arksn.
sas, but the President has made no pro
Visions Tor the feeding or clothing Of his
cable wards. A correspondent thus If.
fords . glimpse Of tho condition Of
affairs:
Helena Is the county scat Of Phillips
county, Ark. aud an important pom,
nos, ~ It was before the war began
The village contains about two thousand
inhsLi,an,a Its situatei On . ri .tssu,
backed BY = range Of broken hills *.
tending back two mic. from the river.
where the finest prairie county the
south can boast OF commences. This
prairie 10 about one hundred and fifty
miles vide, aud thickly covered with
spleDdid cotton plantations. The plan
ters are, or were. previous TO the war,
very wealthy, their plantations aud ne.
groes being worth 40 average VI about
two hundred thousand dollars each.-
The Federal pick.ts extend two milss
back from the river. Beyond them I'll
are enemies. Guerrillas swarm through
the cou' t'y, picking of plcke,s at the
rate OF from one to thirty night. lle-
lena itself is all secession. There is not
. truly loyal man in the entire county,
except thote il uoiform.
Since The lst Of January the children
4 Ham are hsvirgs hard time OF it,
They are tree, with no one to care for
them, nothing to live on, half clothed
aud worse fed. God only knows what
will become OF the poor creatures.
Col. Bussey, Post Commandant, 10 4
,rus gentleman and we'll liked. Promt,
courteous, sud tusine. s-like, be 10 good
man for the position. Every day ne
goes are coming into HE camp with
their little bundles, claiming profession
and food. Thur.day afternoon the fol
sowing actual event took place:
J. B. Pillow, brother of the rebel
General, Who has beautiful plantation
few miles from Helena, and who WIS
~o,ih halt . million Of dollars previous
to the war, came into camp, through the
ines, with one hundred aud eight -,hree
negroes, Of both sexes and Of all ogcs
At the head OF his servents. who tol.
loved 10 single file. be walked 10 the
Colonies headquarters, where tho fol.
losirg conversation took place
''Good morning, sir."
"Good morning. sir"
"Wnere is the commandcnt OF the
post 2"
"Before you, sir.'
"Wel', Colonel, here is my email
change, in the shape Of free American
;.,zo"s OF African descent, WITCH I de-
liver over to you. Here is correct 8,
4 their ramer, ages, ceres. aud occupa
uons. Pie Sc send u cm on to The Presi-
la. .y'' hat, Il he ~isLc. anything else
,ndcr my roof. on my grounds. or 10 my
,orket-, all no has 10 d, is 10 ask AID
receive"
.Mr. Pillow, l cannot receive these
people, haze no food for them have
nothing for them to do-hase not food
.noush for our soliitrs, hardly.
Aud cannot use them. ! had b.
.on to keep them on. but il has been
.tolen. l had corn, but it has been
vobbled. Now, 1 have nothing tor
them TO est, and. as Lincoln has turned
this army into = Niger boarding house,
you will please seat these people At your
t. ble."
"I,ut / have no such power"
GTnen give them work. II You fail
TO manage them, l sill teach you. The
at can be learned 10 about thirty
years"
IL have nothing for them to do
"Nor have l. Yon will not eco them
a.rye, I hope. l AM q loyal man.
have been . prosperous one, but can no
longer care for tccse people. Yon have
.u,ely some ute for them. Nearly all
,ades are here represented among the
men. The ~omcn you cso n"u use so'
omewhere."
"Wsi, l can't take them"
any God! what will they live on
Can you sell me corn end bacon The,
sill stare unlesa you do"
"No, I cannot"
"And you cannot keep them?"
NO"
"Well, God only knows what will be
GONE Of them"
Al the head Of hi. old servants be lef
and the free people followed him back
crying and wondering what next vi
come in their behalf. The poor cre'
lures come into camp, stesl provision
&C., ase kicked und cutied about by :
hand,, and At times most nnmercltnll
!. pounded BY soms soljiers ~ho will os
raud their s.ass." The only idea niu