Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1865-02-24
Letter from .sCarietoR.''
SAVANNAH, Feb. 2, iSG5.
To the Editor Of he Boston Journal;
The FREEDMEN.

thc freeimen-each head OF fsnIly 10 haze 20
scres on haze hSd the order r g ist.sr sent
10 days ago. Gen. Ss1ton -as appointed In
spector o. tfose lands, and has the general man
1Senen.. Z Is presumed that the visit Of Secre-
taTy stanton had something TO DO with the .ssu-
ing Of the order. IL has been and IL now thought
that much Of the order as relates to rice lands
will be impracticabe, as the rice culture is one
requiring large outlay Of capital and a regular
overflow aud drainage Of land, which must be
dyked Therefore unless there is a Community
Of interest on the part Of the freedmen in man
aging tho.e lands, they will not be cultivated I
IS certain that there VIII be verv littls rce cul-
tivated tie present sesson, !: must be sown in
February. ard nothing has been done towards
ccltvating tac ground.
The meeting to-day was called by Gen. Saxton
who desired to explain to the freedmen their po-
sition under the recent military events, and IN
der the order issued by Gen. Sherman. II was
held in the Second African Church. large
building with galleries-which was crowded TO
its utmost capacity. The body Of the house was
occupied by women with q few old grey-headei
I men. Thegslleries were filed by sable cloud
such As ! never saw before orexpect % see again
In the singers gallery he-e 80 2 sinai! organ,
which WAS well ~le-ci by n cOlorel organist
The choir consisted Of Il persons Of both sexes
Several colorei ministers sat in the old-fashonel
pulpit. Rev. Mr. French Of New York, who has
been At Beaufort since its occupation b. the
Union troops was also in the pulpit In front sat
/ Gen. Saxton- His staff. several ladies' and feW
northern gentlemen were present. Strange the
[ sght-that turbaned Of heads-Eomen and +.
girls all wearing the brightest e0lorei hauiker-
chiefs 20 he obtained. or bOnnets with flowing I
ribbons, the venerable men whose lives ar near I
I ly worn out on the plantations or by service ia .
the households Of their masters the great, dense .
crowds above Of midile-sgei snd Young reen- b
al gazing upon Gen. SAXON. the representative .
Of the Government which has male them free
TIE organ Vss playing wher entered Aiter .
the Voluntary Inc choir sang
" Ny Country as OF thee.
Sweet land Of Liberty" &c. +
Their country Their liberty The words have .
had new meaning since Christmas morning.
By request Of Con. Stxton, they sung Bishop
iieher's missionary hymn.
Prayer was offered by Rev Mr. Houston. of .
the First African Church
deu. SlNtun. 10 addressing them. said thar 10
any one fourteen years ago. when ne rss 1- Gu
~ 90 Savannah as a heuteuout 10 .he service Of .
the United States, had tod him that be- would
on this 2ui 3sy O. February. l~f5. stand M
in that pisce a1 DE Wa then standing. be would
have fee~ucI such man luuatic. But be bad
cone 20 tell them shat the Pres len. Ut the
Tinted States uIl done for them.
The al.usioH 90 Alr.Lucoln produced seusi-
ton. There we're cries, God bless him. "Y5u
are al free Amen they said. ''blts- the
Lord "
lie explained the cause OF the war-how the
rebels fired upon the flg-how they hatei free
dom, ami wanted 90 extend slavery, which pro
fuced the Wsr ant which in the Providence Of
God hal male them free. They were free, but
they must labor % live Their relations % their
masters hal an been changed. They could 20
where they pleased, 10 what they pleased. pro
videt they 1i rI.ht, but they hal no cisim 90
their masters they must work for themselves
All wealth cones from the soil, and BY cultivat-
ing the ground they could obtain f,0t zui IL
crease 10 wealth.
Gen. Sncrman's order was resi AMI errl,iueI /
lie told them o. the advancement which The Z
freedmen had male 40 bsaufort-that he knew
Cd one man who 'cHr years ago was d slave. but
now was worth zen thousand dollars. Another
VINO was worth I'VE thousand. They hsi COM
iorahle homes and schools, ami were advancing
rapidly IN civilization. The children wsre well
dre-Sei aut punctual n school The men and
women hai almost forgotten thar they were
slaves and the children hardly knew they hsd
ever been in bondage. lie would advise them 20
g upon the Islands and begin life for themselves
The government would aid them ami Gu roulI
the benevolent and kind hearted men aud sgo-
men Of the North
He also spoke Of the duty the young and able
bodied men owed 20 the country 10 enlist In m.
defence. They were citizens and they must be- .
sin 20 do their part as citizens. They had been Z
male fres and must protect and defend their lib s.
critics. y
His address WAS listened to with profcCzd at
,enuon.
Rev. Mr.. French enlarged upor what Gen.
saxon had said Your freedom, said he Is the o
gift Of God the President has proclaimed il j
and the brave men OF Gen. Sherman's army v
have brought It to you. (Cres Of Amen :
Tod bless Gen. Sherman The children Of :
israel sitter their deliyerance from Egypt wan 4
Tered forty years IN the desert on account Of =
heir SINS before they were allowed 10 enter the :
promised land, but you can 90 from your bond :.
'ge At once to the land promised YOU Four
fears ago the United States were pledged 10
ieep you in freedom. The Islands had been set
part Tor them VIII you 20 and take them !
es' We viii, We VIII You are 10 70 and show 7
he world, 20 show your late masters thar Won ?
an take care Of yourselves. You are 10 20 our
: the bees 90, you are TO swarm out Of the old d
I'VE here IN Savannah There Is plenty of n
oney there not already msde-but YOU arr 10 :.
make 1t. II were in your place | would 70 if I
had to live on roots and wear nv ola clothes l
- IS SIR, dat is what We Will DO. sir. yse'sa
VINE. } You must work early and late show n
our old masters that you can work as hard IN II
eep out OF slavery they did to keen Won in ;
= and you must have but one wife instead Of al
40 or three as you used to do. n
There was great sensation n this mint
tighter and commotion lasting i've minutes I c.
As utterly at loss to understand how this ~ a
ARK was received AZ any rate. thew I,otai y
pom It as very funny matter \
ne also advised the young men 10 enlist. and ~,
lor'h ileir duties IN that respect, and the N
'nehts arising from the bounty, which wouIl -
We them start IN the world at once. y
Treat your old masters with all resna,t 80
~ MT French; be generous and kind 10 then, :.
rs Is your day Of rejoicing and they are re- Il
wing their cup Of sorrow. Do them good BE :
nervous 70 the Old men and women. Help them.
, e-lA on Dad habits and be good citizens. truth
and honest m,
Al tins point a colorei man unable longer u, Ia
strain his admiration for Gen. Saxton. went on
ward elasped the generals hand. kneeled wi
WI anu sad; " God bless you master General
1ton, creating quite a commotion in the an b..
nee 'iie Su no
Mr. French, in conclusion, asked if thew svs- Up
chicken which, when deserted bv the al
'her hen, did not scratch for living, The or
uslon was 50 plain that all in the audience sa tbs
punt lie asked all who were ready 70 scratch say
a hving-who were resolved to make their Tn
n way IN the world-to hold up their hands dan
went a thousand hands. inp
on owe your liberty said he, 10 N. r,s, of
me North-to President Lincoln. 10 the tbon
as oil brave men who have laid down ,bs;r
s and who are sleeping beneath the sod and /
we all you owe it to Jesus Christ" Deen and tim
m was the espOnse-the smen-vhieb cane me
n hundreds in that vast audience II wasan sho
IN such AS never heard before-a spoptane- sup
outnurst of heartfelt gratitude. welling m bu1,
Their sympathetic and affectionate natures mai
ma then, grander than all, was =. Old HIM -
l sung by the multitude, reminding me of 90 90
u S night IN taneuil Hall, when the great snc
r gratitude 10 Col g. a. APIeSsing eve
ch he had wrought ''''Oiy TO
uch is a faint sketch Of the mo-, -.--,, hav
ting ever held in Savannab-one 49, ', will
e place upon the histori. -, "'i ?