Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-06-19
From the Newborn Journal of Commerce. q
Bishop Atkinson.
NJ NEwBERN, n. c., June Is, 1868.


| My Dear Sir Some days ago scurril-
>us article appeared in the Radical paper,
>nown as the Republican, published in this
! ity, grossly abusive of that distinguished
! prelate and pure minded gentleman, Blsh-
| Up Atkinson. The article in question was
| 'rought to my attention by several friends
| who thought that it should be replied to,
| and the falsehoods contained in it promptly
| denounced and refuted but thought that
nothing emanating from such a source
| knowing it as we'll as all do here) was
worthy of notice, or could possibly be re-
| Sarded, by any one who knew the Bishop,
his high regard for truth, and his self
sacrificing course in behalf of the 1lored
| 'ace. as requiring REPUTATION. This opin-
ion being concurred in it was agreed that
a reply would only tend to give fictitious
importance to the author of the libel, and
that, therefore, no notice should be taken
of it-but, as some of the papers of the
state, friendly to the Bishop, have deemed
1t proper to republish the charge, with
comments, showing in no very enyiable
| light the claims of the author to credit bill
| ty, and as this fact will doubtless place the
whole Radical pack, ''Tray, Blanche and
Sweetheart" at the heels of the Bishop, in
this way annoying, if they cannot harm
him, have deemed it proper, for reasons
hereafter stated, to reply over my own sig
nature, to the charge contained in the arti-
Gle spoken Of.
do SO because l consider myself In some
considerable degree responsible for the
statement made by the Bishop. In the
Spring of 1867, while | was in attendance
upon the the Episcopal Convention at Will
mington, the Bishop in the course of con-
versation with me, remarked, that on the
occasion Of recent visit to Newbern, he
had been informed by a physician of posi-
ton and character, who Lad an extensive
practice, that the then mortality among
the negroes was fearful, and that in his
opinion, during the year preceding it had
! not fallen short of twenty five per cent. of
the entire negro population, which popu-
lation in and around Newbern the physi-
clan estimated at 10, 900. The Bishop went
on to remark, that while he had the utmost
confidence IN this statement as he knew
the gentleman who M sde it would not will
! fully misrepresent, yet that he would pre-
| fer to be fortified with statistics; and that
he would feel under obligations to me if
would furnish them, for, if the truth was
as stated, it showed conclusively that some
thing must be done for the relief of the
colored population. [ very willingly I'M
dertook to furnish the desired information,
and Immediately upon my return to New
|
ligent colored man who had for some time
been engaged in the manufacture of collins
for the Freedmen's Bureau at Newbern,
and who cannot be accused of working sin
the interest of the Democratic party" as
he is, [ understand, a member of the same
Union League with the individual who
wrote the original scandalous charge
against the Bishop. He very cheerfully
furnished me with all the facts in his pos
session, and communi Gated them to the
Bishop His statement was, in substance,
that in thirteen months he had made be-
tween $500 and 2, 700 collins, nearly all of
which were used in burying colored peo-
pie who died during that period in and
around Newborn, and that many were bu-
ried in collins made by other parties, while
some were buried without collins. In or
der that no misunderstanding may exist
regarding 1t, have again seen Randolph
this morning, and procured from him
written statement which [ append to this
communication.
But in addition to this, desire to give
few figures from orders drawn by F. A.
See)y, Major and A Q. M. at Newbern, on
John Randolph, Jr., for collins. They
were handed to me to-day, by gentleman
who found them some little time ago, in
the shop lately occupied by Randolph, but
now in possession of the gentleman who
gave the orders to me. These orders are
regularly numbered, and as very many
were issued in the course of a month, no
positive certainty can be arrived at, that
in the limited number in my possession
(only 49,, I have the first one issued upon
the first day selected and the last one on
the asst day selected, and, therefore. the
number may considerably exceed that
hereafter stated, but by no possibility can
it be less. The orders only embrace two,
showing an interval of exactly a month
The first is dated March 18th, and is mum
bered 1714 the other is dated April 18th,
and is numbered 1,911, by which it ap-
pears that from the 18th of March to the |
18th of April, the number of orders for
collins for immediate use was 1877. From
the Sd day of April to the 18th of the
same month, the orders show that 80 collins
were issued, or at the rate OF s per diem.
Doubtless greater number was issued at
other times, but have not the figures by
me to sustain the assertion-but take the |
average of s per diem, it would make the
whole number for the year, 2, 920.
Thus it will be seen that the truth of the
Bishops statement is fully indicated, and |
that the "falsehood " rests where every
body, who knows the Bishop and the au-
thor of the charge, must have been satisfied |
it rested, before the letter was written.
The only error made by the Bishop Gf |
he made the statement as reported) is in
combining the loss to the village opposite
Newbern, where he supposed 10000 ne
groes resided. The whole negro popula-
ton, In and around Newbern, as was stated
by the Bishop, was estimated at 10000,
and the deaths referred to were among
them, SO that the important fact, as to the
proportion of deaths to the whole estima-
ted population is entirely correct.
Very respectfully.
JOHN HUGHES.
LETTER FROM JOHN RANDOLPH.
JOHN HUGHES, ESQ
My Dear ar Some time ago, 10 a conVersa-
ton had with you, in answer to g question pat by
you TO me in regard to the number of coffi as made
in my shop while in the employ Of the Freedman's !
Bureau, stated tn 1t in a period embr cling about
thirteen months, there were made between 2, 500
and 200 collins, that nearly all Of these were
used during that interval for burying colored
people in and around Newbern, and that con-
siderable lumber Of coIored people were buried
in collins MADE outside and that some were bur-
led without cOfins.