The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1864-03-18

leviate those evils, or bring the perpetra-
tors to account. They themselves are
among the heaviest lessees in the district
are interested parties in the system
i and, as u matter of course, cannot be
made to see its evils, while one at least is
a man whose loyalty many call in ques
,itioh. Ar = II -rr
Was It The meaning of the President,
when he proclaimed freedom to the en-
shaved, that they should be placed under
such masters, and barely allowed the ne.
cessaries of life, to say nothing of the
rights Of freemen3 To the negro in this
district the emancipation proclamation is
mockery and a farce. Was the end in.
tended by the Government, in leasing
these plantations, the filling of the peck.
cts of INSCRIPTIONS spectators, who are
not only willing to Cypress tho colored
race, but are ready to sell their country
for gold ?" '1s '"
The Episcopal Recorder adds:
A committee of the New England
Freedmen's Association informs us that
one-haJ of the emancipated slaves on the
Southern Mississippi have died since their
emancipation. Are we, it may be we'll
asked, to abolish slavery by destroying
the slave? a.-f +'-.
The difficulty lies in this chat the
negro is, by long training of race, as we'll
as of individuals, a. dependent by nature,
Meek, accomplishing, gentle, affectionate,
trusting, he clings for help on that sym
patby he feels for others, and which he
hopes to receive from them. " X
He requires not only liberation but tute.
lage. How is this to be given? 1t is
said, by military government, or in a
smaller sense, by military proprietors, like
feudal chiefs, to whom the negro is to be
leased out for term of years. Such a
plan is greatly to be feared. Similar pro-
ceedings were once known in New Eng.
land in reference to the insane, and in
Pennsylvania in regard to emigrants and
of all kinds of bondage this was the hard
est. Too often the bargain was used un-
scrupulously, and the term of the lease
was the term of the life of the person thus
leased The servant was regarded as a
farm taken for term of years-nothing
done, if we can say so, to confirm the free,
hold--everything to use up the staple for
immediate profit. Such course may be
now, however, temporarily necessary, but
steps should at once be taken to graft on
it measures of wise and humane type.
Mr.. james Il. Yeatman, President Of
the Western Sanitary Commission, has
visited the camps in which the freedmen
are gathered, from Cairo to Natchez, and
we select and abridge from the New York
Tribune:
within the city of Memphis, not d.
rectly connected with any of the camps,
or with the colored regiments, there are
some three thousand men and women,
mostly freedmen, who are employed in
various ways aud at various rates of COM
pensation. Those employed by the Gov
eminent receive but SO per month, while
many could readily earn $50 to $50 per
month. Those thus employed are out
side of the military organization.
"To give an instance: One quartermas-
ter told me that he had in his employment
harness maker, to whom he could only
pay $40 per month, while they were pay
ing white men doing the same work S45
D. per month aud that the colored man
could readily procure the same Wages we're
he allowed TO seek market for his labor
in the same town. saw number of
colored men pressed into the service (not
military to labor at the rate of $40 per
month, one of whom petitioned to be re-
leased, as he had good situation at $50
per month. The firemen on the steamboat
on which | was passenger from St. Louis
to Memphis, were all colored, and were
receiving $45 per month. These men
were afraid to go ashore at Memphis, for
fear of being picked up and forced into
Government employment at less than one.
fourth of their existing wages. Besides
the fact that men are thus pressed into
service, thousands have been employed
for weeks and months, who have never re-
ceived anything but promises to pay.
"This negligence and failure to comply
with obligations have greatly disheartened
the poor slave, who comes forth at the cal
of the President, and supposes himself {
free man, and that by leaving his Rebe
master he is inficting blow on the enc
my, oeasing to labor and to provide food
for him and for the armies of the rebel
lion. Thus be was promised freedom, bu
how is it with him? He is seized in the
street, and ordered to 60 and help UNLOAD
a steam boat, for which he will be paid
or sent to work in the trenches, or to la.
Dor for some Quartermaster, or to choE
wood for the Government. He labors fol
months, and at last is only paid with pro.
misses, unless perchance it may be with
kicks, cuffs and curses. Under such
treatment he feels that he has exchanged
one master for many masters these con
tinued abuses sadden and Cypress him
and he signs to return to his former home
and master He, at least, fed, clothed
and sheltered him. Something should be
done, and I doubt not will be done, tc
correct these terrible abuses, when the
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