The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1865-12-29
Letter from the iSOuth.--N0. =.
New ORLEANS, La, Nov. 80, 1865.

NEW ORLEANS, La, Nov. 80, 1865.
EDITOR CALEDON1AN Il am struck
with the different races and nationalities
IN this motley city. There was first a
layer of French, then Of Spanish, then of
English. Finally the confederacy came in
like Noahs flood and prevailed forty DAYS
and nights, bringing its sediment, and last
~ the city has been re-baptised, and de-
posts OF Unionism lodged here and there
But the confederacy, like the lean kline,
seems to eat up all the rest Thus the
city Is ''pled, ring-streaked and speokle ="
each race preserving its customs, language
and religion. The French have their
quarter of the city, which they claim to
be second only to Paris. There are also
many Germans and Italians, and more
blacks
The population of the city and the state
is very nearly one half black yet in 80
per cent. of these there is white blood, and
many of them are so white as not to be
distinguished from the English. This
suggests the fact that besides this distinc-
tion Of races still preserved, there is also
mixture of races in the city conglom-
Grafton of blood and color and language,
probably not equalled anywhere else on
the globe There are colored men here of
great wealth, living in luxury One whom
| met, is reputed to be worth million of
dollars. The blacks and creoles of negro
extraction in the city, who are ostracised
from society, pay tax on $14 100000 ::
and in the state on $4,000, 900. These
men are making common cause with the
freedmen. They have started savings
bank in which the poor can deposit their
earnings, to keep it from those who would
take from them by violence, and also as an
incentive to labor. These wealthy colored
men have organized also a treedmen's aid
society, for the purpose Of protecting their
poorer brethren and giving them work to
do. They purchased plantations and put
the needy on them, paying them wages,
and offering them premi ums for the best
sugar, cotton, &c. At one of these meet
ings listened to the report of their agent,
from which it appeared their effort. had
been in every way success, and they vot-
ed larger appropriations for the next year.
1 felt that here was 4 bureau which would
be Of service when that at Washington
should be withdrawn.
There are 10000 colored children in
the freedmcn's schools of La, and some
1000 in this city. This is delightful fea-
ture The children are making rapid pro-
gresS. The parents are enthusiastic in
this cause, and are preparing TO take upon
themselves the support of the schools,
when the government shall withdraw it.
In Mobile this has already been done. |
visited school there in which the tuition
was dollar and a quarter per month, the
school being fuller than when it was free
At q public meeting the colored people
raised $4,000 to repair the house with.
and one man who had seven bales of cot
ton, but no children, pledged himself to
give one bale to the common cause.
1t is truly inspiriting TO visit these
schools and to see the rapid strides the
scholars are making. In week many of
them learn their letters, and to read in
words Of two syllables. In ten days one
man learned his letters and read the first
chapter of John The adults have even
ING schools, and study also by the fireslde
at home This is true of all the large
towns in the south.
But they meet with discouragement and
persecution. President Johnson is giving
back the houses in which these schools are
held to their rebel owners There is the
bitterest hatred toward ''niegcr schools. -
The people refuse to board or room ''nig-
Ger teachers" Capt. Pease, superintend-
cnt ofschools of the state of La, told me
that every day or two, word came that
a school house was burned down, or q
teacher mobbed. The old slave pen of
New Orleans, where the sign still is, ''Vir-
ginia negroes for sale, by J. Bruin, is now
used for schoolhouse, containing some
800 pupils. with some of the best teachers
Of the north. At Hilton Head, and at
various points. the colored people gather
ed around me and importuned me to plead
with the government not to turn them out
of their houses, some of which they had
built, but on rebel lands to be given up
o, that the authorities at Washington
could see what sorrow and wretchedness
these acts are causing.
The intemperance everywhere in the
south would astonish the good people of