Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-10-11
swindIing the freedmen.

A Georgia correspondent of the Ne1c
York World says: Almost at the first OPEN
ing of this choice field for rascality the
clergy shame on the broken down phi
lanthropists and debauched chaplains who
usurped the name--took the lead. Slave
marriages being temporary arrangements,
it occurred to these reverend vultures that
all parties living in such union, after eman-
cipation, must be Immediately remarked,
secundum artem, or run incontinently the
risk of eternal reprobation. To enforce
this view the negroes were forthwith assail-
ed by whole armory OF texts, wherein were
set forth the guilt and awful punishment of
adultery, and then adjured while it was vet
day to f. e from the wrath to come. Half
terrified by such volley of doctrine let fly
about TIL If ears, and half fattered at so
kind solicitode in their behalf, the freed
men and freedwomen-for this was before
they conceived such distaste to matrimo-
obligations has since engendered-
came up to the scratch and were
duly united, to their great content and the
full satisfaction of their reverend advisers.
Fees. of course, were expected and exacted
lat first one dollar per couple, and then,
as it was found how gullible the poor things
were, dollar each-and at this business
much money was made, one reverend ini-
guilty clearing, it is said, in South
Carolina, the comfortable sum of two
thousand dollars. Concurrent with this
device was the emancipation-pape dodge,
whereby writings purporting to forever
protect the holder against enslavement
were sold to the newly enfranchised at any
price, from five or ten dollars do wn to a
quarter of dollar, that it was possible to
get. Matrimony becoming distasteful and
fear of re-enslavement disappearing,
some new scheme was necessary, and
this was forthwith presented in the
guise of q pretended imminent con-
fiscation and redivision of rebel lands.
This rascality, in all its numberless moo is
and lenses, has proved the most continue
ously lucrative of all, and is even now
made the means of successful swindling.
In the negro mind writings" are things of
superstitious reverence, and, with a due
proportion of ffonrishes and a proper ex-
penditure of red tape and revenue stamps,
there are few papers that may not be foist-
ed upon ninety mine out of every hundred
among the freedmen as conferring special
privileges and being of great value. As
deeds to plantations or houses, or as pro-
tecting from prosecution in the courts, or
as Citing with titles, or as in some way or
another producing immense benefit, s'writ-
ings" have ready sale, and are laying the
foundation of more than one scoun-
drelly fortune. In addition, too, to
stitles," sticks, even, have been disposed of,
their use being to stake off the estate when
.'buckra" was finally ousted. Collections
at churches and at camp meetings, initia-
tion fees, contributions and subscription
lists, these last appealing powerfully to
vanity, instalment payments for things
never intended = to be finished, and
other such devices, are but some of the
many ways of sucking the freedman teat.
Poor creatures, my heart has bled for them,
and bled all the more that there is no rem
sedy for this spoliation. Nothing but in
telligence will foil the sharper, and intelli-
gence the benighted freedman, launched
fresh on his own resources from a state of
absolute dependence, does not possess.