The mountain Democrat., 1864-02-27
"At Youne's Point D. I, Jones ~

visited. Inc sickness and deaths were
most frightfnl. During the Summer
from thirty to fifty died in day, and
some days as many as seventy. Eve, dur.
ing the latter part Of June, July, and
August. Most Of the medicines received
we're from the Western and United States
Sanitary Commissions.
"At De Soto, Immediately opposite
Vicksburg, there are about 275 old men,
women and children, to whom the Gov.
ernment furnishes rations, but from some
cause or other none had been received
for more than two week proceeding my
visit, and great destitution and disSatis.
faction existed. A few were earning O
little money by washing for the soldiers.
They want work. Their cabins are poor.
Below De Soto there is large wood yard,
carried on by Mr.. Sweeney, who pays his
bands promptly, and they are all we'll
satisfied. They say that if they can only
get work and get paid for it, they will be
contented and happy. This was the first
and only employer met with by me who
had paid his laborers promptly and well.
Work, and to be dealt with fairly and
honestly, is oil they ask. Let this be
done, and they will labor cheerfully and
freely.
"About thirty miles below Vicksburg
above six hundred freedmen have as
sembled and taken possession of the plan.
tationS Of jeff and 10. Davis. There are
three Of these plantations on bend OF
the river, which line of defenses, one
mile in length, will thoroughly protect
! These plantations will be taken posses.
sion of by the Government, and regular
camp established. The Rebels have re-
! Gently made an attack on the defenseless
negroes, killing and wounding several,
and driving the rest into the woods. A
force was sent to drive them of, which it
did. A gun.boat is now located there,
which will afford thorough protection.
These plantations should be used perman.
emily as lnirmary Farms for the aged
and infirm negroes freed by the action OF
their former poSsessors. 1t is but right
and proper that these distinguished Aboli-
tiOnists, JEFF. and 10. Davis, should be
made to furnish homes to at least few
of those who have been deprived Of their
homes and kind masters by their action.
At Natchez is camp of 2,1O0 freed.
men, all in cabins, which are without
proper light and ventilation, overcrowded
and most prolific sources of disease. Sew.
enty five had died in one day. 81 was
informed that some had returned to their
masters on account Of suffering" Phy.
sicianS are greatly needed.
"ThouSands must die for want Of medi
cineS and medical attendance this Winter
There are already teachers. missionarie:
and chaplains enough in the field with.
out physicians there will soon be ne
scholars for the teacher to teach, or soul:
for the missionary to save.
"This camp had numbered four thou
2,100- a sad tale to tell, but neverthe.
less true. The same, l doubt not, can be
said Of other camps. Whoever will ride
along the levee from Mlliken's Bend to
De Soto, as | did, and see the numerous
graves along the way, for the distance ol
twenty five miles, cannot doubt it. The
inquiry everywhere was, Are you Doc
tors / trust that ellis pressing want
may be speedily supplied"
The whole number of freed people
gathered in camps and towns along the
Mississippi is about $4,000. There are
about $4,000 colored troops, not included
in this estimate.
The conclusion of the report is as fol-
lows:
There are doubtless some points and
camps which | have overlooked. en-
deavored to procure all the information |
could, and in the progress Of my investi-
cations found that the simple work oil
humanity to the merely destitute, great
and important as it is, is secondary t.
some other things; and the injustice with
which the freedmen are treated, the con-
tinuing them in state of involuntary
servitude worse than that from which
they have escaped, made me desirous OF
returning and presenting the subject to
the Commission. and inducing it to do
something towards getting the Govern
ment to make some alterations in the pre-
sent system, the abuses of which are
pointed out in some degree in the FORE
going report.
g have no doubt that the present sys.
TEN vas the best that could be devised
for the emergency at the time, but the
experience of one season has enabled
those who have examined it to see its
defects, and the desire of all should be to
remedy them. There is scarcely any
architect however skillful, whose plans
cannot be improved upon. Our great
effort should be not only to show that
free labor can be made profitable to the
employer, but also to the laborer, and it
should not be made profitable by means
of the wrongs and injustice practiced on
the laborer. 1t is the duty of the Gov
ernment to exercise n wholesome guard
ianship over the senew-born children Of
freedom to guide, direct and protect
and defend them, at least in their infancy,
and TO see that injustice and inhumanity
are not practiced upon them-to make
them realise that they are freemen; and
to make them do this they must be treat
ed as such and paid as such. IL they are
employed as soldiers, they should be paid,
clothed and fed as soldiers; if they are
employed as blacksmiths and carpenters,
they should be paid as such. A man
worth $50, $40, 500 or $50 per month,
should not be forced to give his labor for
less, or be hired out at 81 per month.
They should be permitted to seek their
own occupation, only let them know that
they must be employed. If they select
the army, they should be permitted to
volunteer as other soldiers do. If a draft
is necessary, let them be drafted. If they
prefer to cultivate the soil, let them lease
abandoned plantations, or such portions
of them as they can show they are able
to stock and manage. The same should
be required, also, of the white lessees.
" If the freedmen wish 70 contract their
labor, let them do it themselves, and, not
be hired out against their wills, to per.