Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1863-05-09
For the Telegraph.
FRERpxRSs CANT, CoRrSTH, Miss, !
April %, 1868 :

this place ono week since and was cordially
rec eved by the, friends conuec, ed with this
camp ss laborcrs among the freedmen, OF
whom found three teachers, Mr., e. Mrs
Pierce, fr I'm Chicago and Miss. Hiudman
am assigned to the general missionary
work among the people in the camp aud
IN the town Of Corinth, threefourths of
a mile distant Of whom there are about 2.
500. When Mrs Obs arrives (Which we
hope will be in two weekSl She Is to bp
ma,ron, aud have the care OF the clofhing,
the giving out OF garments to be made, &c.
,Ihave now been here long enough to see
that we have great and important work
before US. Indeed my convictions as to
the importance of the work among the
freedmen have been more than realized. ]
believe no one can appreciate the yastness
of this work until he comes aud learns from
his own seeing aud observation. Not only
is there a great multitude, 10 reality, ma.
ton, to be educated into christian ivii
cation. but We find here people that are
teachable; they are susceptible of faimpres.
sions; are easily guided, aud have great ca
pacity for Improvement. There are fact.
that are daily falling under my observation
that would be Of great interest to your
readers iftbey could know them - lt..
We have at this place, as is confessed
~ oil h.l hasf ,pi7 7.I
mans camp Of the southwest. 1t is under
the supervision Of Chaplain AIexander, ,sof
the 66th Illinois regiment. Indeed it is
due 10 him to say that he is the soul of the
enterprise. BY syst EN- of taxation the
strong are made to support the weak. And
all the interests Of the camp are prosecuted
with an energy that is worthy of q good
cause. Many Of the people are hired as la
borers to various parties in the army. or
citizens, who receive from ten to twenty. GEe
dollars per month. These are all taxed one
dollar per month TO support the sick, aged,
&c. The women aud children with por.
tion of the able bodied men are cul.ivating
q large farm. Already about forty acres
are in a garden, which, 1t Use xpect.
ed, will be increased to one bundred
acres. And then large cotton field is in
process Of planting And this It's hoped
will be swelled to one thousand acres We
think that pecuniarily this enterprise vii
be success and source OF revenue to th,
Government. Everything now bids fai
for such result. ..... .-... g.
AT the present time the visit of Adjdtan,
General Thomas 10 the South west is eXcit
ing great interest. OF the object of his
visit your readers are all informed. Bu,
they may not so fully know how he is re-
ceived here 1t has often been said that
the army of the Southwest is opposed tc
the enlistment of colored troops. Bu
however they may have felt before, they
are now almost uniformly in favor Of arm
ing the black man. Now. speeches ar,
made BY commanding Office commenting
this measure, aud the sentiments are ap
plauded by tue soldiers. We have already
the authority for raising nine regiments in
this department. Ore regiment is TO be
raised at this place of which Chaplain AL
exander will doubtless be the Colonel. o,
last evening we had a war meeting in ou
meeting house, for enli,tiug colored soldiers
, 1t would have done the people Of A,htabu
la county good lad they been present. q
: that meeting. After the meeting had becl
opened by singing and one or two shor
i speeches. the freedmen were called ON 10
speeches. when one arose aud with real clC
!. queuce addressed the meeting as follows:
g Il ain glad we have been called to bel
a to put down this rebellion. We see tb
i white soldier going onward to bring frc
$ dom to MS. Aud | am proud to feel tia
Il We may join him to sustain the stars an
e stripes. sm glad that things are goin
: on now, Just as we frSt heard they wert
!. That is, we are TO have guns and fight fc
10 our own freedom, II is thus, my brothers
II that we are favored with the privilege {
being men Who of you want to be slaves
to go back into bondage again under OF
4, old masters? Why, we may now have o.
r. children, around US. aud they are our owl
ID we may send them to school, and here
be caa oil learn. Why | am learning SON
~ ~ thing every day! To-day l have learn
~ something; for. to-day, saw for the fr
lg time in my life a'Yankee harrow, aud
be did me good to see it,"
:. At this point there was perfect roar
st S laughter aud cheers. l-.s .aaa.5 ..e
These are some Of the things said by tn
n tall and strong man. who has the appe'
ancc of being every inch man. aud vi
ou has, until recently, been all bis life a sla'
When one comes down here for the fl
ru time, he feels that he has heard OF slave
by the hearing of the ear, but now his ey
see it, and he abhors IL with tho deep'