Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-08-19

There has been, within the year past, an
extraordinary addition to the contraband
population Of this city, as there doubtless
has been to other northern towns. After
having the fgurative shackles knocked of
of him by the divine proclamation OF
emancipation, by which Sanbo became
Lord of himself. that heritage of woe,"
he naturally moved northward toward that
Elysium of liberty prepared for him by
the humane and philanthropic Abolitionists
The Southern cities did not suit him, for
the provost guards in such places have a
knack of marching the contraband off to
work on Notifications. 10 the north he
comes with all the family bag
gage, and pitching his tent in some
rickety shanty, composes himself to idle
ness and comfort. Perhaps it is necessary,
to keep up appearances, or in order to keep
himself in practice, to encroach upon a
neighbor's hen coop or garden, and his ar
rest is the natural result. When arraigned
before the Mayor, he is promptly bailed by
the loyal bounty brokers, who Immediately
muster him into the United States army,
and that is the end of him-the loyal bro
ker taking care that his own-not the dar-
key's-patriotism and loyalty are properly
rewarded. One of the most noteworthy
instances of this kind is related of loyal
Abolition chap in the Second Ward, who
compounded with larceny or some other
offence on the part Of the negro, put Sam
bo into the army as his representative re-
cruit, and then took the nigger's bounty
money to pay debt supposed to be due to
the loyal chaps father.
The discovery made by A. Lincoln and
other lights of the new dispcnsation, that
the negro makes better soldier than the
white mana fact illustrated in Sturgis's
expedition, where, according to the loyal
journals, 200 courageous niggers safely es-
corted 1900 demoralized white men into
camp-the market value of the African has
materially augmented. Two years ago, a
free Niger was not worth his weight in
boulders; they are now in active demand at
$2O0@300. The market is extremely live
ly, and the principal operators in the busi-
ness of buying and selling human beings
are generally Abolitionists who few years
ago went into convulsions at the idea of a
similar business in the South. The indi-
viduals who participatein the current traffic
are called Substitute Brokers'" and are re-
quired to take out a brokers' license under
the internal revenue law. Inasmuch as the
business is recognized as legitimate by the
United States Government, on purely phi
lanthropic grounds, it is disloyal to say any
thing disrespectful of them.
In the Substitute Broker the contraband
finds warm and devoted friend, who will
"freeze to him"-until he is mustered in,
process which terminates the acquaintance.
That ceremony over, the broker calculates
his profits, drops few shinplasters in the
church plate, and soothes his perturbed
conscience by cursing the copperheads.
The contraband is supposed to have reach
ed the heighth of colored ambition when
he is permitted to don bright new uni
form and march up street in company with
white soldiers, all under guard. The white
soldiers, it is fair to say, are not very en-
thusiastic on the subject of enlisting ne
groes, and the latter are made to suffer
many a bitter rebuff and cuff in conse-
quence of the incongruous connection.