Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1866-04-04
Fromthc New York [PresbyterlaR] Observer.
THE POOR BLACKS IN GEORGIA.
ATHENS, Georgia Jan. Is, 1865,

NJ ESSNS. EDlTORS i sec lnuJ Jnc
Rev. Mr.. French, who has spent some
time in Georgia, and has mingled
much among the freed peoplc--who
has seen and heard great deal about
them in the past, and as they now are
lis reported as stating in the Fulton
street daily prayer meeting, "that un-
less something was done Immediately
for their relief, thirty thousand would
probably die of starvation before
spring"
Probably most of those who listened
to his statements, and this gloomy
prediction, fondly fancied that the
picture was overdrawn that the
speaker, fresh from the land of con-
fusion doubly confounded, was need.
lessly alarmed. They will say, at
cannot be, that these people, now bless
ed with freedom, and whose services
arc needed IN the country where they
are-where they were born and raised
and are known, are going to perish
for want offood.
Now | do not wonder that people,
living far away from us-people who
have never known, as We of the South
knoD, the peculiarihes Of the colored
race; people who have never been a
mong US since this race, so long in
bondage, were suddenly set free should
take this view of the subject.
How easy and how cheap it is TO
say, "Be ye warmed, and be We filed. ="
What does it cost? Nothing. What
did it cost Wendell Phillips, few
weeks, or months ago, after listening
to the truthful statements Of my friend,
Mr. w. X, of Georgia-statements,
facts, which / would have supposed
would have moved and softened hearts
Of adamant, (made in public meet
ing in Boston, ito get up and say,
'Well, sir, tell us, will you let the ne
groes vote Mr. X replied, very prop
erly, "Unless you do something speed
lily for the negroes, there will be few
or mono to vote.,' Mr.. X bad just
stated in that meeting that, of fifteen
hundred negroes attached to five plan
tations on the Ogeechee, including his
own-more than one fourth had died
under the boon Of freedom, within six
months ending in September. The
negroes, who had belonged to Mr.. X,
Ga very humane, kind man, had the
sense to remain for the time where
they were. There were twoAundred
of them. OF these, only five had died.
OF two hundred and fifty on one plan
tation, about eighty-seven had died.
OftwS hundred on another, sixty-four
had died What did Mr. Philips, or
others Of kindred spirit, care about all
this mortality ameng the dear negroesy
Nothing, so far as we can Judge. "Will
you let the negroes vote r. What a
noble plrianthropist abe we warmed,
and be ye filed p Well has it, been
said, that, "with the talents of an
angel" shall we say fallen angel ,
"a man may be a fool"
| Where is humanity +? Where il
that boasting love for the poor ne.
grocs Where is pity and compassion
from human woes and sorrows
Where is the Spirit of Him, who when
on earth, "went about doing good p
But, thanks be to God, there are those
in Boston Of a very different spirit
from Mr.. Philips. ] received letter.
from there recently, breathing the kind
est spirit toward the sufferers Of the
South, whether white or black. God
bless the writersl
But to return to Rev. Mr.. French
do not wonder that he should have
spoken as he did He has been here
He has seen, with his own eyes, tens
Of thousands of poor, houseless, home
less, bewildcrcd wanderers, who, up tC
this day, have no correct idea Of what
freedom is. After all that has beer
said or done by those sensible gentle
men, Gen. Howard, and Gen. Tilson
and others, to remove from the mind,
Of the negroes the idea of division
of property on Christmas, probably
more than one million Of them are Z,
. this day hul;ging and cherishing tha
"A
. ridiculous delusion. An old and sen
siblo colored man said TO me, q few
: days ago, that "the negroes, in refer
! ence to that point, were the creates
I fools that ever lived: that the,
would not believe the etruth If an ange
from Heaven were TO come ard de
clare it to them" As "Uncle Tom
(for so heis called) said this he raise,
both his hands Who cannot sec tha
= while these dcluded creatures cling I,
this idea they will make few or no ex
ertions to provide for themselves
Winter is at our doors with all il
s solemn realities,and who shall provid
q . food, or clothing, and frewood, an,
Q shelter for the poor, indolent, delude,
IS creatures, who think that freedom i'm
Z piIes and insures home and all thing
a necessary to live at ones ease ? Who
s Will Mr. Phillips answerY No donbt