The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-04-01
THE FREED NEGROES OF LOU
t ISIANA.
Happy Condition OF the Negroes.
success of the New Labor Regula.
tiOns, &c.
of the New-York Times.

Correspondence of the New-York Times. ..e g..
NEW ORLEANS, Thursday, March 10, 1884.
Here, in Louisiana, wonders have been
wrought. A few months ago, to find a
negro who could read was wonder; to
find one who could write was greater
wonder; and to find one who understood
arithmetic was greater wonder still.
Fortunately, good Providence has seen
fit to ordain better things, and now, here,
in this sin-cursed city, nineteen hundred
colored children are reading and writing
in the day schools which they attend.
One year ago, Colonel Hanes was feed
ing from the Government Commissariat
more than twenty thousand negroes. Be-
side this number, there were quite twenty
thousand who hung around the camps and
elsewhere, obtaining their living partly by
cooking, washing, fishing and stealing yet
these were, to large extent, an incubus
upon the government. r.. ....
Now all the negroes have been placed
in condition of profit to the government
and to themselves. Not only does the la
Dor system furnish employment to those
within the limits of this department, but
had we ten thousand more, they could all
be employed without expense, but rather
with great benefit to the government.
The benefits that will return to the Gov
eminent this year, resulting from the OPP
eratiOns of this system of labor, will more
than pay all the expense that the refugee
negroes have been to it since the Occupa-
ton of the State by our forces.
Facts furnish the best prout OF the sue
cess Of any system; and, when we com
pare the condition of fifty thousand ne
groes in this State last yearwith their con-
dition now, we need hardly allude to a
thousand particulars We feed to-day at
public expense fifty colored orphans, and
about one hundred aged men and women.
Rev. I. W. Conway, who has been as
signed to duty under Dol. Hanks, the faith
ful Superintendent o. Negro Affairs, has
Just visited some of the parishes of the
State. with the view of perfecting the
means of uniting the separated families of
the colored troops, as well as the register
ing of all the colored persons in the de-
partment, and has ascertained in regard to
the disposition. OF the negres themselves,
that they are now quite Happy; and with
the assurance given that their children
shall. have the blessings of education, they
feel very conts nted and exceedingly CRATE
full. These people are now very jealous of
their rights, and they know very well
when they are wronged, and that, by re-
porting any injury done them by their EN-
ployers TO COL Hanks, they will surely re-
ceive redress. They consequently feel
greatly improved, and are very willing to
work
The danger regarding the entire success
of any labor system for the colored peo-
pie, lies in the miserable designs of many
selfish planters, who, when the crops come
in, would pocket the money earned by the
laborers. In order that justice shall be
done to these poorle, there should be ap
pointed to each department Superin-
tendent Of Freedmens Affairs, with full
powers from the Government to rectify all
abuses on the plantations, and to. exact
strict Justice from the employer and the
employed. trust the law in regard to
the organization Of bureau in the Gen
eral Government, which shall manage the
wnole subject, will pass, and that the So.
perintendent of Negro Affairs in the va
rions depa, tments, may, in conjunction,
with that, be able to do service which,
in the present unorganized state of affairs,
is greatly needed. ~ -