Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-02-13
What Becomes Of the Negro,


The Chicago Post war paper, commenting
upon the probable condition of negroes who es-
cape from slavery, remarks
These facts bring to the consideration OF
another interesting inquiry. what becomes of the
negroes that have eSca ped from slavery? We
confess that the Information that is furnished
upon that point Is positively startling letter
in the New York World gives the following
picture OF the result among those who have been
put to work on the government plantations in
Louisiana:
II do not know that the leased plantations
have been subjected to any express examination,
to ascertain how they have been conducted. espe
cialy with reference TO the health and wel-being
of the negroes: but such an examination was
made of portion OF those worked as government
plantations, and the report showed most terri
bic mortality equal to that of those awful middle
passages of the slave ships from our infant
recollections of whose rehearsal we reco with
so much horror.
''Some of these have been made known be-
fore-not here, indeed, but northward On the
Old Hickory plantation were placed, on June 3
four hundred and thirteen negroes, with but two
days PROVISIONS and on the lith of September
two hundred and fourteen of these had died On
White Castle were placed three hundred and on
the 10th of September but torty-two were found
living On the Ander's place, out of four hun
dred but one hundred and seventy eight were
left; and the like pr0portiOnate mortality was
found on the Vntress, Griot. Magnolia. Rich
land and Miles Taylor plantations. At this time
the smallpox is prevailing at the HOnoral plan
tation The overseer has died of il. and II last
accounts there was neither physician or other
white person on the place No wonder that Gen
eral Banks has determined that the LIST OF
February all abandoned plantations shall be
leased OUT
In the military line. the mortality is even more
fearful. The negroes that have been enrolled in
the service, we mean the former slaveS,-do not
live To say that the mortality is great is IL
only tell half the truth Each camp is hospital
and unless kept mp by constant recruiting. be-
comes in short time graveyard We forbear
giving any of the figures that have been from
time to time furnished; sufficient to say that one
year of military service is the average term OF
life of those negroes. Nor is the mortality con-
fined 20 the men. The women are equally un-
fortunate. Thrown into contact with large bodies
OF troops; the men of their color taken off
they soon tall into the vices and calamities
which seem to be inevitable where women follow
armies They soon perish, because there is none
TO take OF and provide for them 1t is safe
TO estimate that seventy-fve per cent. of the
slaves who come within the military lines, die
within eighteen months thereafter.
1t Is a painful and sOrrOwful thought, that 10
the cruelties and miseries of the war its countless
horrors and calamites 20 the white race, j. to be
added the sudden but complete extirpation and
extinction of the African race in this country
The boon of Freedom leads the negro to the
grave. In extinguishng slavery the slave per
Ishes.