The New York herald., 1863-08-15
THE FREEDMEN AND the SOUTHERN NEGROES.

THE FREEDMEN AND the SOUTHERN NEGROES.
1 American Frsedmen's Inquiry Com mmis-
sion 60 the Secretary OF War.
PUBLIC ATOM AUTHORIZED BY THE SECRETARY OF
Robert Dale owen, James MoKsye, samuel q. Howe
Commissioners
Tne vices OF the refugees are such - appertau 10
slavery Deprived OF property they do not respect its
rights. Accustomed under despo;o rule TO shield them
selves by falseh I'd, they he when he VIII phase
superior or avert punishment Legally unable TO form
binding conjugal rel-tlons, they are incontinent.
But the testimony Of intelligent superinte dents IS 70
the effect thai these vices not dee y roolen ths W
recognition OF the frectmans rights and an appear
to his Sell Respect they be gradually eradoteu Ior
as the dulles and obligations Of what they cok 70 a.
the superior race, even II these prove vn tne
habits Of license appertanins 20 .ner
As rule these e sre more devolonal tnan
the whites. They have resignation, more reliance
on Divine rrovdenoe oss aso more supssstons
with. It is deemed moro important sympath2ngly TO
and encourage 10 these untaught people the re
gious sentiment which sways them than TO endeavor IN
spirit prosey sm TO replace their simple faith In the
Divine goodness and protection by dogmas Of more
elaborate and polcmca character. Practically as re-
CARDS the Christian graces OF kindness humility we
have as much TO learn from them they from us
Their schools, churches and physicians should be sup
ported IN whole or In part as soon possible by them
selves sH-rg m
Vaccination Is recommended. .44lftlr
The Condition and the character Of tho asvo In South
Carolina differed IN essential particulars from those
slaves In Eastern vrgria and North Carolina Soh Ca
u
seeaB to have leached its furthest development with
the eas modification from conct with external civi
cation
Popular songs the expression OF the inner e and
the negro songs OF South Carolina are, with
exception, plaintive despondent and religious. When
there minges tone Of monrnu exultaoD, II has refe
renee to the uure gories OF Zon not to worldly hopes
The most esectual agency however, to give character
TO the race Is found be military training GAS prepa
ration Tor the life Of citizen, 1t H." testies an officer
In Command Of colored regiment at Port Royal "of un
speakable value"
Another deposes-ssIt IL the best school in the
world. II you could have seen the who compose
the coored egments here they beiorc lounng
about, with shutting gait and suspicious sidelong glance
aud could have conrastcd their appearance with their
present bold aud erect carriage and free bearing am
once" s'7T
lh negro has strong Of the obligations OF law
IN the shape OF military rule takes for him the place
OF his master, with this difference, that he submits to
cheerfully and without sense Of degradation.
These poor people have an almost superstitious
renee or the President Recently, at Beaufort
In the presence u aged negro was speaking OF Mr.
Lincoln as an ordinary mortal; whereupon the old
"Wnat you know said he OF Massa Linkum. He
be cherry whore He walk de earth like dc Lordl'' F..
Inc religion o. the south Carolina slave was emotional,
OF vicious habits. It produced submission humility
resignation, reliance on Providence but It's eject 10
checking lying, thieving, ucontinence and similar
offences was feeble and uncertain To reform sch vices
these people must be reached they readily may be-
They are free from 10 pemperapce They are unwilling
to go North TO return 70 Africa. ,7-lI- =
Bounty lands in their State, IL assured to them
would be most influential motive to enlist ~ 1900
and IN o.se nora = as IN
teigence than the monoonous labor the cotton eid
occupies Intermediate place between thej slaves OF
North and those OF South Carolina He makes excel
lent soldier tA 4t' s@
The evidence which has come before the Commission
bearing on The capacity OF the negro soldier induces
them 70 recommend that the government should bring
into the held early as possible two hundred thousand
ia IInin and IN ths
race to which these troops belong. .54a
Colored troops taking pride in their position exhibit
groat neatness and Of their persons uniforms
and equipments, and in the police OF their Usual
" skilfu cooks and providers, they exhibit
taking care OF themselves In camp
The religious sentiment characterixng the Az
rcan race may IN the case OF the c0ored soldier be
ful element Of enthusiasm. If tho officers feel. i'm
part 70 their th ieeng that they lighting the
cause Of God aud liberty, the Comm ssion believe that
part Of the army may be relied than tho c0Iorcd
regiments But with these people moro than with
;nasreIasn. Gscc, snsssss G Gdeppas upon sympshy be-
the proper choice OF officers In ali cases. the Com.
mission think 1t TO be more important In the OF
caored than Of white troops-deem,ng probable that
coored troops badly ofosred might be liable give way
readily badly OH cred regiments Of the more
ocers very sharply There is as much daersnce In the
standing OF the Ulcers In colored white regiments
distinguished general Officer expressed to tho Com.
mission The opinion that In OF a,arm negroes
cusomed 70 stand together against master and oveser
are disposed TO segregae-to run to each otherwhie
Negroes have proved themselves especially daring and
serviccable Spies and the organization Of colired
guides, In connection with zach army corps, Ia recon-
mendsd. I tls4 lo3..s rs1ah .|g#
II hundred thousand negroes be employed in mill
sary services other than actual warfare, and II two
dred thousand or more be mustered In soldiers we
shall require the military OF least hun
dred Thousand blacks. But this number Of abe-boded
represents population OF million md hilf being
ono haf OF all the coored people in the nsurreconary
States
To roach this numbor there is needed besides m,tarv
tha
the government that the coorcd refugees treated with
humanity. Jpn such treatment Il dc ends IN great
vantage which, IN this contest. ought have from
the adpf the race, and whether the military re-
OF the South shall be sppcd by dniegration OF
her labor system
The labors Of the commss have not yet so far al
vanced a. y JUSTIFY them in recommending dsnie sys
tenn for the ultimate solution oi OF the social
problems presen ed to government namely how
great and radical Industrial change eventually iuvov.
Ing the eradication Of labor whici has been tho
growth o two centurias shall ba facilitated aud directed
Such change the Commission believe. cannot safely be
left unhi uncared ior o wort itself on dr,t
fng hap hazard according TO the chance Of
daily events. main question q whether and how soon
tho American freedman. with the defendcace ensen
dered by the slave system still clinrng to him and
weighted down m bis Efforts rise, BY prejudice
which mpts men TO spse whoever has hong b. on
thor ineror wi be able Ve1ceably to maintain his new
rights. AMI to protect hn9e against undue acendency
and imposition by the white man
On one point the Commission already agreed
namely that cheme of guardianship and projection Tor
race OF men against another inhlhng tho same
country, c'nDot become permanent institnon lr
necessity for the scheme GO ld
be proved the proof would amount 10 ihis-th the two
races cannot IN pcrpetuty inhab the country a
al, and that tho one must ultimately give way 10 tho
other.
Tho Commission are therefore OF opinion that ali spe
cai governmental measures for tho guar anshp OF rein
gee freedmen should be iess temporary In their
character, and shori be prepared and In
that idet and intent
Tho Commission recommend that freedmen's camps
where refugees hrs received should regarded as
places Of reception and distribution only inc agsresa
ton OF these people IN military villages " dcmorazng
especially icr women anf children Tho sooner the men
employed military iaborers otherwise and The
aud children either cared for by the father the
family, distributed abandoned plantations, the
better
Even working OF plantations by government should be
undertaken only as temporary expciient AS as
loyal and respccabo ossees II plantations are
found ready 60 Lire item at fair that be pre
ferred Or when freedmen evince ability 10 manage q
small farm ma Sst garden, such spots 1y b. assign
ed 70 them NJ mooerate rent rnt Congress shat adopt
" sees NJ 70 adopt, some pernnncnt policy 10 these
lands. NItA
Ine pan Of provisional rant- alton suycpsted bv tho