Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1867-12-05
A Hint to Dickens.


Before Mr.. Dickens concludes his readings >"
in Boston, we hope he will regale the Puritans,
who are Just now inflated almost to bursting
with pride at their leading participation in IL
beration Of the negroes, with that terrible pic
ture which he has painted in his american
Notes Of the condition of the " freedmen in
the great cities Of the North. We question
very much whether Daute's Inferno, with the
help of Gustave Dore's marvellous illustration,
affords anything more fearful than Dickens
account Of the vile garrets and cellars IN
which he found the freedmen % Of New
York squatting in filth and squalor. We have
not space for the production Of that famous
chapter. but none who read the " Notes %
when they appeared nearly quarter Of a
century ago. eau ever forget the description
Of the quarter Of New York occupied by the
blacks where debauchery has made the very
houses prsmaturely old, where rotten beams
are tumbliug down aud patched aud broken
windows seem to scowl dimly, Ike eyes that
have been hurt in drunken trays"
Re. him 10y an means, lead Messrs. Phillips,
Sumner aud Wilson through that paradise Of
the emaucipatcd negro, where, " protected by
two policemen" Mr.. Dickens gropei his way
" through vo.6sh dcus and squares of leprous
houses. where neither light nor air appear to
come" We beghim, by che light Of a flick
ernG candle" 90 point out to the Boston hui
mauitarans those " great mounds of dusky
. filthy rags upon the ground. which are seen
| to be astjr. and rise slowly up, and reveal the
floor covered with heaps Of negro women wax
ING from their sleep, their eyes glistening with
surprise and fear"
We insist that he shall grapple the Hub
I tightly 10y its Purtauical collar and drag it
along with him from these wretched cellars
/ in the garrets of the houses Of the "uegr,
quarter Of a Northern city, where tn,
cramrcd hutcbes are crammed with sleeping
I negroes. whence issue loathsomc smells Of char.
coal Of singing clothes or flesh. and vapor
7 that blind and sutlocate." Let him tell thos,
noble friends Of the black that "whcre dog.
would howl TO lie he saw "uegro women
boys and men sink off to Sleep. forcing tn,
/ disojgsd rats to move away in quest of better
I lodgiu.s.7 And why should not Dickens de-
. light the ears OF the Purtans with the mos
/ graphic and tcrrbIeof all the pictures which
he has drawn Of human misery? For owe
these sites. where the liberated African wal
lowed in filth and misery the most revolving
from the roos Of the houses almost bursting
with negro debaucbery-abave these "hidou
teuemeats which take their name from robbery
aud murder where all was decay loaths1m,
and foul Mr.. Dickens mentions fact %
which an patriotic Bostoniaus should be es
pecaI'y proud f1r-"there We're American
eagles out fuumber.' Yes, the blessed fla.
If our country was there protecting Oh,
abo5ls of bliss where Northern philanthropy
shelters It's happy freedmen, wrapping then
/ i1 It's ample folds Let Mr. Dickens. 10y all
/ means. entertain the noble pbilauthropsts Of
Boston with his account Of Cow Bay
/ While the noble humanitaraus are laboring {,
/ Alucaaize ten States to secure to the blacks
the blessings which they enjoy at the North
. it is but right that the man from beyond tn,
seas, before whom they are burning incense
should show them how happy they have mad,
| tra I'r.i-s v-l1 live I'm the sauna cities Will