, 1865-09-24
ABANDONED PLANTAT1Oys-Ay yIR.
GINA CASE.


devolved upon the Government will be the
adjustment Of the question OF abandoned
lands Of rebels, IN cases complicated by their
Intervening occupancy and improvement by
freedmen. It will be an act OF cruelty mud
bad faith to disregard the rights that have
accrued to the latter where their possession
Of such trncts was secured to them through
the direct agency OF the Government. An
Interesting case Of the kind hns been devel.
opcd In Virginia, and we refer to It more es-
pcciall5 from the nature Of the proof II gives
Of the industry md thrift that belongs to a
Freedmen's community. 1t is not solitary
instance, for there arc many very nearly lis
pa1allcl In the vicinity Of points of long MILL
tary occupancy on the Southern coast.
Certain VIrginla rebels have returned from
service In the cause of tho rebellion to claim
back their lands. Some Of them have receiv-
ed the Executive pardon and arc pressing
their demands with entire confidence thai
they will strnightway recover their own again.
The embarrassing point in this called for rcu-
dition contains the proof all friends Of the
Freedmen arc interested to study. These
lands arc In the vicinity Of Fortress Monroe,
lying back of The destroyed town Of 1Iamp-
ton, burned BY Its rebel inhabitants, reprcsen-
tatiycs OF indignant +. F. v, early In the war.
After such wanton net OF destruction, the
United States Government set apart aban.
doncd and conflscated lots In the ruined town
md on two adjoining estates Of J. B. Sinclair
and S. n. Shields, rebels both, and of from
400 to sou acres each In extent, for the occu-
pancy Of colorcd refugees and Freedmen.
The experiment Of developing order aud
system out Of this element has had excellent
SUCCESS. Sinclair and Shields, now returning
to claim their estates, find them covered with
m industrious, selCsupporting black popala-
tion OF some eight hundred families in several
distinct settlements These dwcltcrs hare
each homes Of their own. They number
nearly five thousand souls, of whom twelve
hundred arc over twelve years Of age There
are five hundred and elghty-seven who can
read and write, md nearly one thousand
church members. They have built five
churches and raised among themselves 81 ,05O
for the annual miuistration Of the gospel,
These people arc mainly engaged In humble
agricultural pursuits, bnt tho trades and n
small local commerce are maintained among
them In shops and stores. Ofthcsc latter an
unicn grocery and dry goods slore Is ,hc
property Of black Trades Union. with n
stock Of goods which cost s7,oU. OF which
$1,000 was paid In cash. That the cnternri<c:
is profitable Is shown by n report of dai,v
sales ringing from $40 10 ssh for a nor;,5
often successive DAYS nrccc,,no ~. .aa.s.
These freedmen 50 far from hcinr . n.a;n,'.
upon The Govcrnmcnt ~ thn;. ,a;,,,.,'
show nroncrtr r ri, ~ sS, ~. :. oo, .,ss,,
rI,ht. Mar is th,s 81, ~ H. ,aa,,' 49, .usA ~ o"n
orn.rs ~ H.. ~ us"us " &c"
nosscasc5 ~ =, nm 49,. ~ s .s.,,,. @"o 20 os
th,s h,.at sasa,s 49,. @..;,. .ae ~ u''''aoa''e.1lof
euiri.s M ,ha ~ 49,, ~ ~ oro Nv susceeaane
.na,,,s. .'sao ao ~. ne s-'o0" 70 onc' si,oU 10
a1aaa :, ntsae rnn possessols o. over S9U aud
.,no,1e- % n,ona,.,, 49, to,aa. .e"s'ns eata'osoe OF
~ s,,a,' ~ poy r. .o'ae's.
SUCH I1E 4aGtS COQCpr1lnr three Efnh3.