The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-04-28
NEW SERIES-NO. 500.
" Freedmen's Villages. 1"
GOOD ADVICE FROM GREELEY.
From the New York Tribune, 9Th.
,. PETTING NEGROES.


A recent Washington dispatch says:
There is at the present time very large pop.
ulation OF colored refugees in and around this
city. 1t has been estimated as high as fifteen
thousand. They are ia needy condition, and
aid from abroad to the Freedman's Association
here would be thankfully received
Doubtless, there are sick, wounded
crippled, insane, idiOtic, paralytic and su-
perannuated negroes as well as whites
about Washington-tos say nothing of very
young orphans-who need charity and
should have it. "The poor ye have al
ways with you, =" and no Christian will de-
ny or evade the duty of contributing ibe-
rally to their relief. War, too, is fruit
full source of devastation and anarchy,
whereby thousands, through no fault of
theirs, are suddenly deprived not only Of
subsistence but of the means of earning
any. Let all give freely who can there
will be ample want and suffering after be-
nevolence has done its best.
But we do most earnestly prote >
against the gathering of negroes, or white 6
in vast aggregations of paupers-wheth Q
called freedmens villages or somethl a,
less plausible undertaking to fe< I'd
clothe, shelter and educate them in &C ,ot
4
attempt this-an unjust tax on the chs .rit
able and grievous wrong to the beI ,efi
Charles. 1t has pleased God to makel abo,
the fundamental law of human exist ,noe
and we firmly believe the aw benef cent
or it would not have been enacted. You
do not benefit any human being, W neither
white, black or yellow, by contrivip Q that
he shall liye idly on the product of others'
labor; on the contrary, you do hin Ia very
great injury. "Root, hog, or die!" ia
natures mandate; whatever op poses or
seeks to evade it is atheism, and mnst RAJ
suit in evil.
We know we'll that many 7 ,laoks are
poorly fitted for freedom-a J, indeed.
many whites are But all cod ding and
pampering, and guardianship, + end to per-
petuate some of the worst abb .ses of ala
very. Let every freed man OF woman nm
derstand at the very outset, " You are free
to plan, and Largain, and wol K. and save
for yourself Lean upon no one. but take
your destiny into your own keeping. Ga
to work! II you con only obi ain fifty cents
per day, take that, and 50 We half of #
wherewith to make your w ay to some 10.
cality where you can do loetter. Better
work for your board only, than beg board.
clothing and shelter altoge ther.,
Just now, the rudest and comuoents
labor is in eager and geneI al demand. A
freedman, though burdene d with a family.
can find work, shelter and food, if he only
will. We need to grow great crop. this
year and farm hands are scarce. and COM
mand very high wages. Let u.s.. then have
general breaking up of .eontraband
camps and freedmens Villages, and let
every one 60 to work where bis labor is
most needed. If there be fifteen thoas-
and negroes in and aroup d. Washington
who want work for fair wap ,es, let the fact
be duly advertised aud way opened to
obtain Their services, and t ney will all soon
be planting corn and pot ,aoes from Nor
folk to Bangor. This is the true way to
improve their "needy G! ,ndition;" and, if
the Freedmen's Associ' .don want help to
find them employment, we are Oh hand ia
give it,