Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-06-05

We are permitted to copy the following
from a private letter, written bya gentleman
in the United States Engineer service, and
now engaged in directing tho construction Of
Notifications ut Key West
Krr Wrsr. Fla. May /, 1858.
KY West, you know. vas one Of the strong
holds Of slavery, but The Proclamation Of E'nan-
cipatiou tr.As the sl-vc power, BY Eberstins
every slave On the island. It was accomplished
without bloodshei, through the oveTawins inau-
euce 4 the ten-inch Coiunbiadso Of Fort Taylor,
anI ,Aa tl,tsrics q the Gulf Squadron I;
produced, however. sn entire revolution in the
social lie Of the Island. Wealthy families were
r,iuee, slnos: 80 hegssrs. anl hands 'hai lad
never known lator we're compelled to perform
the laeanest Of their cg1 drudsery. Social in
tercourss ceased, private doors we're closed
against Hospitality. and churches were leh Va
cant The principal men Of the island were IN
car;cr4tel in the fort
A new life vas, however. awakened ia ether
qu1rterz. Above every nesro's hut the stars
and stripes were seen, and rejoicing and fea'i7i-
tycf every kind prevailed.
4 better state Of things IS nov bssinnins to
prevail. The aristcorsts are descending from
tAeir h;ga rost;s-s. AMI ;lAias their places Nth
the .aais;llz
The opinion v,s pretty general at the North,
when left there. tha. the Proclamation Of eman-
ci74,i-l would bring uPon the Unitei States
Government Acs, of lazy n;gscrs to be taken
eare Of, and upon the Treasury sn immense bill
ofexpeass for their zgstsuancs. Tbs theory Fas
7sal,usly pu.hel by certain politicians and By a
portion q the pres, SO thatitwss very generally
entertained by those igrozaat Of = true con
dition ef r-i,ers e. tha s,1-h- I vill
sive y51 a ~ facts rhi;A havs fallen under ny
observation u this secre1. AMI which haze 4
bearing up-a this subject IsP,ak in regard 70
Key Wes. and the usislbor;ns Ke-s, with all
oonflc-,c
Tae slaves of Ksy West have, antil recently.
srr1e-;el ;heir iud1lart masters and their hni-
Ice. s'-a themselves AMI their Owl children, te-
side O. Iarss auuser Of chlirea Of mixed parent
axe. One ue=.z this latter class At a,most every
tu7l, IL f4,: tbs lighter skins fr oaiauaheT
those pure l.s,k tiooL
s1,h then a7e the people vho vs hs'o been
,sli. coull act take -are Ct themselves What
l's. tis-e who knew the truth have been making
rs sva-7-. either 20 sustain -luo hvor.te politi-
Cd dssua, fr rsreausl assrand'ssment or for
some cther equally unworthy aim. It is lie,
m5st e-oss lie, that these shle-boiiei people
. neel ever c-1ie upen the I. S. Treasury for SUP
r,r.. We u,ci t,-isy thousand Of them tt
work su ,ao frtif,atisns Just hsre, and two
thousand women 20 az IS uur-es. washerTonsn
i Sc. suI they ,1o not 20 ts hsi. They ha7'
Smmsn,ei business con thsir ovn hook" th'
. women having taken ia vashinS y the Piecc
+ rsri-- and other r9rs. sni the men having En-
I ---ci IL tssu.ns. unlosiins vessels and o'hel
las5-. T5ess people aro in many instances max
M money 1o7s rsIidjy thar td'se who YER
feruer'y thair masters
draw no iafsrences from these l=c's II re
Flrd t- ether sections of the oountr-, but siuPll
. give ECU tae fcts as I hsvs ohssTvei them here
f Al'- me 90 cal your attention 70 aao'he
f,t Il has often been asserted that white mel
-an Ia5er here as vel as tla,z Ny otserv2
-sn l-ss not c5za-n this statement sHceP; f,r
r,rrca O. ,he ye1-- 1--we such s-7"e7s IS las
r1uacr wou!i sweep s-7ay the vli;es from he!
We Tae ysc,rI shc7s tast one ont Of fou
ami one half q ths Fhits men q the Isia1i dc.
of yellow fever. Alreaiy this ssason there IS
..s.7-is ,f The vhites. and labcrsrs from Ill
! ........ -. -c.---,.r- N their harles-