The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1865-01-25
Forty Thousand Negroes in Washington.


By the following extract from the pro-
ceedings OF meeting held on the 18th inst
IN Washington, it will be- seen how much
The condition of The negro has been ameli-
grated by the aid of his philanlhropic Abo-
llhion friends Such things, under the
shadow OF the Federal Capitol, way serve
10 indicate the state 10 which the unhappy
'ireedmen" have been reduced in other
parts of the country. The National Inisigi-
Oncer more than confirms the statements
made by the chairman. of the meeting, Rev
VIM. Charming:
Mr.. Claiming read report setting forth
the startling apd most heart sickening con-
dition OF these wreIched outcasts under the
shadows OF the National Capitol In June
last the census showed at least 10000 col
ored population in that District, nearly all
IN the confines of this city. There are Cow
not less than 1000. There are at gsast 900
families OF these poor people id the city
A few OF them have been able TO build shaG
ties. paying for the miserable ground on
which to place them S25 and $40 year
Not more than twenty-five of these families
pay Tor their novels less than S5 monthly
rent
The following cases are reported as those
which met the visitors in every direction
An old woman on Eleventh street was
found with the melting snow dripping lhro'
her howell upon her pallet of rags. She was
sick; lad buried two children no fire,
fuel or food, and no means to get any was
hungry had begged match to light in the
night, so that :he night might not seem 50
long.
Ia another hovel near by was mother
and babe without dress. No fire, and
twenty -four hours without food. A girl
nine years old washing rags gathered from
the mud to sell.
An old man, many years preacher while
in slavery, sleeps in a howell on board,
with a stick Of wood for pillow no food
nor fuel; 1; no shiR. His collar bone has
been broken, and cannot work.
On Capitol Hill, in space in a stable
smalIe! lnan two stalls, are two families
an old man, cripple, and a girl twelve
years old, with the consumption young
child dying oil starvation a sick motherless
boy; plank bed for the old people, and
broken boards with rags on them for the
children; widow fifty years old, their only
support rent Sl2 no fire nor food.
Oa Sixteenth street, woman ninety
years old, in a stable ; no light, 40 food nor
fuel.
When the report had been read Chann-
ing requested Mrs. Griffin, The agent of the
association, who has been laboring among
those pitiable human beings some months,
to express her views on the matter. They
need everything. They fed from slavery
taking nothing but few rags on their
backs. Food, fuel, clothing were equally
needed, and the report stated the same.
The women need clolhing. They cannot
get employment. People turn them from
their doors, refusing entrance to creatures
hall covered with filthy rags. She spoke
OF the women as brave and determined
They had come here in desolation, and in
the face Of every form of discouragement
had done the most OF them well and many
of them nobly. dozen aud more persons
are crowded into a single small room
MoTe than four-fifihs OF the families have
no fuel. Fifty families are tnrned out of
doors Immediately for non payment of rent
The New York Express prints the above
extract, and adds
We might quote at greater length from
these proceedings. We might commen:
upon the condition of these negroes now,
and before the war. We might state that
the negroes here described are but type of
the class all over that portion OF the South.
ern country visited by our armies, aud
in Louisiana on the Mississippi
and elsewhere. We might point to over
80, 600 negroes destroyed in aid near New
Orleans since the war begun-but We for
bear.