Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-05-02

! They are hopeful of doing we'll and OF oeing
happier in The future than when supporting
their old masters, or being supported by "ov-
eminent a. since then. They cannot be " hunt-
ed about during the coming year, unless tue
| S. C. State Government is put in operation, ana
The nrotection OF the General Government IS
| withdrawn; the only thing which stands between
| them and their old chains II slavery.
About four weeks since, ths people on the
Middleton plantation $50 families) we've all
turned out of their homes and compelled to
hunt IN other places, or build themselves huts
(of poles and earth) to live in. Many other
| planters have turned the people out OF their
houses, and hundreds living IN huts, ana
working lands which thus far are held by den.
Shermans order.
| No pen can depict the horrible suffering and
loss of life that would inevitably ensue, If vel
low fever or any kindred disease should make
| its appearance here this summer.
Even if it be only as last year things will be
bad enough Something like II persons died
on this place alone last year, during the months
of June and September, and probably every
| plantation on the Island, containing as many
| people, lest in the same ratio.
When you consider that each of these plan
tations is the size of small country village IN
Vermont and reflect upon the Considerations
that the ks mortality there would produce,
you will realize something of what We see be-
fore US, and you will be able to realize why 1t
is that human life is reckoned so lightly
| throughout this unhealthy land.
1t seemed almost If the people passed
away, and were buried like beasts last year,
although the circumstances attending the buri-
4 of most of them were both natural and nee
csssary. Life has been continued battle to
them. Since the war began, more o! exerton,
more of hazard and dat ger, more forfeit OF
life and comfort have been before the people
than even before thu soldiers of our army, and
the same sense of impending danger and suf-
tering that out many of them on the
hot, low lands of the Virginia peninsula 10 the
summer Of 62.
A peculiar sensitiveness to wrong and Ill
| treatment has naturally grown out of their
condition, which, since it could never benefit
them, they have always sedulousy avoided
showing, riding it beneath cloak OF good-hu-
NOR and holiness, part OF which Is natural,
and part assumed This mental distress, az
gravated and inten- itied With each succeeding
month of new expcriei ce, and c. arr insight
into matters of social right and duty joined
with an unparalleled amount of ply steal suffering
and exposure, AMPLY accounts for the fact mat
since the war they have d creased rather than
| otherwise.
II is simply absurd TO thiuk a. some d. that
this people will pass away hk= The Indians, and
leave the whites sole occupants q the land.
When the whites are. IS People, reduced as
low in matters OF hySict! co-utor;, and educa-
ton, and mental disqu-t-(a thing which we
hope will never happen) they vii die even FAST
| er than those DO now, tor blscks much su-
peror to the whites 10 point Of physical pow
| er and endurance.
My school Las, during the last tw) weeks,
had constant sitter dance o. yer 90 pupils,
] ia.
Cogsaell and Bpyden and myself have been at
tempting to Grganize Sunday school at The
large church near here. We have me, four
times and last Sunday had l 10 scholars. We
hardly know what T. d., as there are none to
nelp US. None but the children can red, and
only u or ii OF them. instruction for the
most part is necessarily Of4l. As Tor myself,
feel utterly inadequate 10 The task OF teaching
what they greatly need. But sup pose We
must be conten. to do wat we can. used
the fifty collars you sen.. adding Little from
my salary, to purchase horse and saddle Tor
the better accom- pli>hment Of my work on this
Island.
! have begun to distribute the con ents OF
the TWO boxes of chI.dfen's clothing. Tn Sc
pink baby dresses go ehiltren O; larger
growth some Of them 10 little girls OF my
school, of whom there are eight OF ten between
three and eight y-ars Of age. Eyes SHINE
when they get TN N, and mothers come with
thanks too many and TOO hearty 10 be copied
here. But give you mine, and as,ure you
4 that TO; soou will your name be forgotten, nor
rem mbered out wi,h thAnAtuiness by those
y 40 nave been saved from much restitution
and suffering through your efforts and those OF
/ your generous assistants.
/ II you can, please send me newspapers rom
time TO time. Very few reach me, and hard
" know wha, the word Is doing.
VIVA great respect, yours truly,
ALBERT EVERETT
E.lsto Island, ). &.
10 MRs a. ". REED,
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