The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-10-13
THE FREEDMEN.

The Assistant Commissioner for Florida
reports that the crops are in a promising con-
dition, and the freed people well paid and
kindly treated The caterpillar has appear
ed in some parts of the State, but the cotton
bolls are so nearly ripe that no considerable
damage can result. In the northern region
the corn crop is exceedingly poor, but in the
southern there will be larger yield than for
several years. Considerable malarial sick
ness prevails. The cholera has appeared at
Jacksonville, Alphabetically and Cedar Reefs,
principally among the negroes.
From South Carolina come reports ofsmall
crops attributed partly to the drought and
partly to lack of means and implements to
carry on the plantations. The agent in St.
Thomas Parish states, as result of his OBJ
servation, that in his opinion the coming
winter will be one ofinsupportable hardship
to thousands of freedmen in his section of the
State, and that, without Government assis-
| lance, famine will prevail. There is now,
even, great suffering among them from want
of food, and they have very little clothing,
scarcely onein ten having pair OF shoes
There is said to be a general movement to-
wards Florida on the part of those blacks
who despair of obtaining land ofthe too tena-
cious planters.
The reports from Mississippi represent the
cotton crops as only fair the early and the
late rains and the summer drought having
done much damage. The corn cropis fail
ure. The freed people are making constant
enquiries concerning the Homestead Law,
and a general desire prevails to avail them
selves of its benefits. The feeling of hostili-
ty towards the friends of the freedmen is
very general throughout the State. In the
counties of Choctaw, Carroll, and Calhoun it
is impossible for Bureau officer to travel
without an armed escort. In Choctaw Coun-
ty Il Mr.. S. NJ Hawkins shot an old crazy
colored woman whom he found in his peach
orchard. The woman died from the effects
of the shot few days after, and Mr.. Hawk
ms was dismissed by the magistrate on his
own statement. On the other hand, in the
district of Meridian, as well as some other
localities, the civil authorities have exhibited
Il cOmmendable desire to Incorporate with the
agents of the Frcedmen's Bureau in their
work, and Judge Bullock, of the County
Court of NatchrZ. has decided the State law
that deprives colored people of the right to
bear arms to be in opposition to the State
Constitution, which obliges the Legislature
to protect the persons and property of the
freedmen. Cholera has appeared in the dis
trict of jackson, and threatens to Increase
It is not viru.ent, and yields readily to treat
ment
Superintendent Z. NJ. Wheelock, in his Ju-
ly report, explains why, in Texas, the exam
pie of the Cotton States in giving their
schools and teachers vacation from July to
October has not followed. Over 50 per cent.
of the teachers are of Southern BIRTH and
therefore quite acchmated many, besides,
had travelled long distances, at their own
charges " in a State where the cost of trans
portation and living is higher than in any
other" and the closing of the schools would
have deprived them of a considerable part of
their support. Leave of absence, however,
has been granted where needed. Hitherto
the school system in Texas has been selfsup-
porting and would have extended itselfmuc
more widely than it has if military protec-
ton had been as obtainable as teachers and
books For the sake of the utterly poor,
who cannot afford to pay for tuition, it is
now proposed to invite the help of the chart
table societies of the North. Three hundred
schools are needed for the 10000 colored
children in the rich bottom lands between
the Trinity and the Colorado sixty more for
the northeastern part of the State, among
the wheat and cotton lands, which General
J. B. Kiddoo has assigned to the American
Freedmen's Union Commission. This charge
demands increased donations from the be-
nevolent.
Application has been made in the Crimi-
nal Court of the District of Columbia for adj
mission to practice by Jonathan ]. Wright,
a colored lawyer of Penn, late of the Freed
mems Courts in S. c..
The number of rations issued in Kentucky
during August was $3.50, including both
whites and blacks. The number of contracts
made during the month was 102 average
wages, 81 per month.