North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1866-12-19
From the Richmond Times.
THE CONDITIONS OF THE NEGRO
SOUTH
The Deterioration of the Negro where the
Discipline of Slavery is not Maintained

During the recent session of the Farm
ers' Convention IN this city, pains were
taken to ascertain the opinions OF the intel
lgent and practical men who compose I
that body, as TO the causes aud course OF
life which tend most rapidly to the deterlo-
ration in the value of the free negro as
useful Iaporer They were, we believe,
almost unanimously OF the opinion that the
desire among the freedmen was almost
universal to squat upon few acres of poor
land, erect wretched cabin of logs and
mud, bny or steal pig, few dnnghlll
fowls, AM old muskct- and a haif dozen
dogs of low degree, and live after semi
barbarous fashion, without regular and
honest toll, Whenever, through the
weakness, necessities or amiability of the
land owners of county their lands are
thus tenanted, there is an infinite amount
Of thlevng and very great difficulty in
obtaining labor. And the farmers from
all parts of the State were seriously appre-
hcnSive that whenever the freedmen are
permitted to lead the kind of lives to which
we have referred, ther will be as complete
Il uCSCl Vi lliC lnlCitSlS
of the State as there was in jamaica
For the Royal Commissioners recently
appointed to inquire into the causes Of tie
downfall of the prosperity of Jamaica, and
also into he worthlcssness of .he tr,auci-
pated slaves, ascribe both misfCrtuoes to
this very "sqnatter system which our
most intelligent Virginia farmers are now
viewing Win 50 much apprehension.
The deterioration OF the neg 0, since the
abe ..t!on of slavery, has been very marked
and striking, whenever he has not been
kept under the eve of the white ma n.-
First, we find them lapsing from religion,
leaving Christianity and returning to the
festiyeS and heathen superstlttons of Atri-
ca, where they have dismissed their pastors.
The cOniuror and Fetish-men have taken
the place of the doctors of medicine and
divinity with which The white mans civili-
zaton had made them acquainted, and
now charms, spells and howis are their
agents of the healing art, and snakes, fire,
and Satan in some localities, are the OBJ
lects Of their alteration. OF this there hav..
been shocking instances near Mobile and
New Orleans. The fall from morals has
been as great where they have not been
controlled by he whites. No longer con-
strained to virtue ny the discipline of the
plantation, tie negroes have becorEe drunk
ards, gamblers, vagrantS, thieves ana mur-
derers. They fill our jails, penitent aries
and poorhouscs, ard in recent article, We
demonstrated how they cogged the wheels
of justice in all our courts aud swelled the
volume of taxation, while they contr butte
little or nothing to its reduction.
In senatory poin freedom has been
disastrous to the negro. His unchecked
vices, unbridled appetltes and wild passions
are running up the bills Of mortality very
high against him. More infants and adults
die than used to do, because 'oid mistress"
does not now fare as well as formerly
He does not get as much to eat, or to wear
as he did on the plantation, nor is he anv
better housed. Whether he is better off
even in point of education is questionable
for his ignorance may have been bliss
which it were curse and folly TO re-
move, .
If then, we have demonstrated hat the
peculiar friends and champions of the ne
gro have not helped bin in religion, NOR
ais, health, education, food. raiment and
shelter, in what, it may be asked, does the
great boast Of his freedom consist? A
Radical, of blue nose and sanguine tenn
permanent, will perhaps tell us that the
great achievement of emancipation was vet
to come when the negro shall be made
voter! Perhaps. But we imagine even
a sensible negro would freely admit that
the possession of a vote was but poor
compensation for the loss of physical COM
forts, and nlpral social and religious ad
vantages.