The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1865-07-18
THE FUTURE OF THE NEGRO.


we'll authenticated facts from certain locali
ties. In Charleston, from ninety to one hun
dred is the weekly average, anG fearful stories
are also told of the mortality of the negroes on
the coast between Charleston and Savannah
Similar reports come all along the coast from
Virginia to Texas. The reports in the Depart
ments at Washington, in reference to the deaths
among the negro regiments, show like result
The New York Herald, from its data, says:
cit is safe to state that of the four millions o
blacks in the South in 1S6Q not over three
million are now alive. The census of 1870 will
undoubtedly present an astounding result in re
gard to this unfortunate race. The mortality
from all accounts is increasing. The negro il
the South is noted for great inattention to al
tho necessary precautions for health. The mas
ter, interested 10 him as property, always watch
ed him with great care, often warded of disease
and cured severe attacks by bringing to his aic
medical skill. But the negro thrown upon his
own resources becomes negligent, careless about
habits, and droops and dies, ,oftentimes without
any apparent cause. Such at least is the testi
mony of Southern planters, and such are the
conclusions to be derived from the official dat:
in Washington, which have accumulated since
the commencement of the war These facts art
so overwhelming that they have led many o
| our public men to the conclusion that in less
than century the colored race will be no more
| numerous in this country than the Indians are
| at present. From all accounts the negro bid
fair to disappear with greater rapidity than th'
| Indian ever did. Facts are stubborn things
and we commend this view of the negro to tht
Abolitionists of the North. x
The mortality among the negro soldiers in tht
| Mississippi valley has been proverbially large
One regiment of eleven hundred strong raiseC
in one neighborhood, every man of which pass
| ed the surgical examination and was pronounced
good, able bodied and free from disease, were
placed in camp by themselves. in the very 10
cality where they had been raised, aud in les
than six months over one-half OF the number
were under the sod. These men were placed
| at no severe work, were not engaged in battle
| not man was killed through the casualties o
the war. They were simply required to drill
and perform the usual work of soldier in camp
and had all the care in respect to cleanliness
and protection from the weather usually allotec
to soldiers; but they dropped off one by one
until over one-half of their number were buried
and that, too, without the appearance OF an epi
demic. In addition to this, jeff Davis, in alu
ding to the mortality of the negroes, about
eighteen months before the collapse Of the re-
bellion, announced that the exposure which the
slaves had been subjected to, and the casualties
among them since the commencement of the
war, had reduced their numbers at fearful
rate"
The declension of the Negro race in New
York city is one of the events in its domestic
history. Thus, as is known, they have been as
free there as anywhere, and they have
"been subject to no drawback except that which
is the natural result of difference between the
two races. They have been able to crafty their
tastes in every way that their means would JUS
tify, just as fully and freely as white people in
the same financial circumstances. But what is
the result? TEirty-fve years ago they perform
ed the duties of scavengers, hod carriers, port
ers in the stores, hostlers and coachmen, SER
wants in private families, hotel walters and bar
bers almost to the exclusion Of the whites. They
could then be seen promenading Broadway
every Sunday afternoon by the hundreds, fop.
pisny dressed, and with all the display Of the
aristocracy. No arbitrary laws have since been
applied to them. On the contrary, the leniency
towards them has increased. Yet they have
gradually disappeared. We now find but COM
paratively few employed as family servants or as
walters in hotels. The Irish and Germans have
taken their place. They no longer monopolize
our barber shops, but almost superseded by
the white classes. We only see now and then
one connected with the livery of our aristocracy;
nor is the black man to be seen performing the
more severe manual labor OF the hod carrier
AT one time having the monopoly of labor, he
has been unable to keep pace with the times or
maintain his position, but is obliged to make
way for others. Like the Indian, before
the march of civilization, they have been grad
ually disappearing from all pursuits and decreas-
ing in numbers, as the record shows"