The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-12-18
... t 100 pc t... 10
Negroes in the South.

Negroes ia the south. o5 eel
The New York Times has a lengthy ac-
count from correspondent at Goodrichs
Landing, Louisiana, of the condition OF
the contrabands in the Southwest, and. of
the movements of Adjutant General
THOMAS. A large meeting, composed of
planters, negro soldiers, and negroes not
in the army, men and women, was re-
Gently held at the Landing, and was adj
dressed by Adjutaut General THOMAS.
He charged the officer to drill d'instruct
those under their command, and make
them feel that they were men. He told
the men that the prejudices among the
white soldiers against them had disappear
ed, and congratulated them upon their
martial qualities. He informed the la
borers that they must work, or they would
meet the fate of the drOnes in the bee
hive, while the planters were charged to
do their duty by the laborers, or they
would be made to do it. The contrabands
were urged to observe the marriage rela-
ton. The General expressed himself well
pleased with the progress of affairs. This
meeting was held on Sunday. The next
day Gen. THOMAS reviewed three negro
regiments, and expressed himself well
satisfied with their performance. The
correspondent next goes into lengthy
discussion Of the negro, religiously and
socially, which abounds chiefly in opinion.
But here are some of his observations
There are many funny incidents growing out
of their changed relations towards their late
masters. They appreciate very clearly the diff
ference between then and ''now." They
have already begun to put on airs and assert
their rights. The women are ladies'" They
were never so called before. 1t used to be
g. nay ole woman ;" but now it is my lady "
and the employers are called women"
precisely according to the fashion in New York
city, where the Irish servant girls use the same
phraseolOgy. There's woman up in the
avenue who wants to hire help, and l know a
lady who would 90: but the woman only pays
two dollars and u half and l know the lady
won't 60 for any such money.
The correspondent next describes affairs
on the Government plantations. The
operations at this point, he says, are much
more successful than in the vicinity of
New Orleans. 1t will be remembered
that some time ago Gen. GRANT dismissed
the plantation Commissioners in his De-
partment for their failure to accomplish
anything. But the Times correspondent
expresses himself as highly gratified at
what he found at Goodrichs Landing.
Between Lake Providence and Millikens
Bend, a distance OF about fifty miles, forty
five plantation have been leased; some
to resident whites, some to Northern men,
and fifteen to negroes. Elsewhere there
is little doing The negroes, we are told,
are more successful than the whites. Yet
on one of the plantations operated by two
negroes, employing about fifty hands, only
forty bales of cotton will be raised, And
this is the best. Not much to boast of,
sure. About one tenth OF crop.
Of the negroes at this point the writer
says: ..E
There is and has been great deal of discon-
tent and grumbling among all classes, and there
has also been great deal Of suffering. Scarcely
any of the negroes on the plantations here
abouts were raised in this immediate part of
the country. All have come from Mississippi
and the back country. Perhaps the most
marked trait in the negro character is his
of nd If no looo liriac tn xvhiol, no
is accustomed. They all pine for their homes.
They long for the old quarters they, have lived
in; for the old woods they have rOamcd in.
and for the old fields they have titled. The
surgeons in charge of contraband camps tell
me that great many OF them actually die
from home sickness, or in scientific language
nostalgia. a..
This writer concludes by urging the
farmers of the North to go South and take
up the plantations. Only Northern men,
we are thus told, can manage the negroes
free: $40
Those who have been accustomed to the ne
gro in state of slavery are utterly unfit to
manage him in state of freedom. They cam
not, by any possibility. bring themselves into
that state OF feeling toward them that is neces-
sary to their management This feeling of
con.elnpI tne negro PerceiVeS Oy an unefrlng
instinct, and he will never trust any man that
he believes entertains the old feeling towards
his race. This has been proved in many in
stances. - ~
This being so,-what is to become of
the Southern whites after the South has
been subjugated? ...s.., q.
Minnesota Boundary.