Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1863-03-11
The Condition of the Freed Negroes,

CelYed, the Lincoln Abolition policy OF
enticing slaves away from, and refusing to
return them to their homes and masters,
is proving very disastrous and destructive
10 the negro The following is from a
correspondent of the Milwaukee Nc,os,
writing from Helena, Arkansas, Feb. 9TH :
Back OF Gen. Washburns headquarters
but short distance, is a peach orchard,
the lIttle grove IL rows 80 close that one
can hardly step between them. Here
about two feet under ground, are over a
thousand dead negroes, and day after day
others who have starved to death are be-
ing added to the nameless list. And
there are dozen negro grayeyards in II
lena, each rapidly being filled with ne"
groes who were once happy and content
ed in health, and cared for, of use to
themselves andto the world.
Yesterday, in company with Capt. Sher-
man of the I'd Wisconsin cavalry, we rode
by the first named negro plant"
Four darkies had Just deposited on the
ground a stout negro, dead as door nail
/ His woolly head and dirty feet proLruded
from under the worn out horse blanket
which served as winding sheet. One Of
the living was slowly digging trench, the
others stood watching.
"Helloo boys, what's the matter with
him ?"
"Hese dun gone dead massa ~ and
they chuckled to think we could not
guess why he was there.
Whats the matter OF him ?"
"Too much hard times, massa De mig
gers can't stand eberY ting"
"Niegers die pretty easy here don't
they p
"Yes massa, dey get shut Of themselves
right smart now-dem's hard times for
nigger5
And so thought we as they were left
behind TO conduct their funeral to a ter
mination. In half an hour some thouso
and dollar chap will be left to rot and add
richness to the soil which will hereafter
grow larger peaches than ever before.
| In the house OF fDr. Grant, where | board,
is an intelligent African girl about "a
years old, owned by the DR.. The other
morning while she was sweeping up the
hearth said L
"Millie, are you a slave?"
Course is, why ?"
"Why don't you run away and be
free ?"
"Umph-umph dis chile is too smart
| Tor dat. Dere is no fun in sleepiu' in de
mud, starvin' to death, and gettin' no
medicine when you ara sick"
"Tbere are lots and lots Of niggers in
town who have run away, amt there, Mill
| lie"
"Umph-umph-right smart lot OF
'em"
We'll, Mile, amt they better off than
before they run away?"
"Now watts de use OF foolen, you know
better. Would you be better off without
clothes. and bed, and a house to sleep
in, and somebody to look out for you, than
If you had em all? De time was here
when us niggers bad our parties, and
heaps of fun; and we had good clothes.
and was .jis as good as anybody. Before
! dis war begun a wagon load of niggers
didn't dun gone dead every day as dem
does now. Dis chile knows someing yet,
and dat is to stick to missus."
"Well, Millie, cannot the niggers take
care Of themselves ?"
"Lord help you, no! About one in q
hundred is smart enough to live and de
odders would DIM gone dead right smart
! Wat-wat-wat-wat de niggers know abodt
tuying stuff, and taking care ofdemselvos
-dey never done 'em De massa always
buys for lie niggers just like as if dey was
his own family, and when dem is sick he
has em doctored up. Umph-umph de
white Yankee folks skin de last chicken
out of the niger fore it were hatched if
de niger took care Of demselves Deed
dey would"
"Well, MIllie you are very sensible
girl, stick to your home, and you will be
better Of"
Deed will. We've all dun gon got
sick of Yankees long ago. Nebb9r had
such thieves in town afore. Dey beat de
niggers stealin', and some OF de niggers
steal right smart too, reckon"
"What do they steal, Miller"
"Golly, dey steal all day see, if two
don't watch it all de time. We nebber
had white folks in de Jail here till the ar
my come, and now dey is dar all dc time"
Don't you look on the white folks
who come with the army as your friends !''
"Unph-umph Not now; dey is too
wicked. Wat-wat-wat-wat dey care for
niggers when de- lets dem die here and
won't give dem noibin? Niggers don't
know much, but dey learn tiugs who am
dar friends right smart
J Aud there is world Of truth in her
ideas. The army, with its ugly eye, cares
little for the rights of any one. Niggera
are good to kick and cuff abound. A
drunken officer in the northern army is
| the most abusive to them. Three times
have we within a week interfered TO pro.
tect some poor boy" as the male niggers
are called, from their cruelty and tyranny,
) A good mule is here worth a hundred dol
} lars-a niger is not worth cent, present
or prospective.
In one year from now, wherever the
Federal army gains foothold, the negro
! population will be reduced one-half--
This is not alone my opinion, but o.
scores OF officers have lately conversed
with, irrespective Of party. And as they
die Oft, SO will the lard be impoverished
As a general thing, they will not work foi
! vabcr Ono dov iast yyael- Ua came upOr