The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-10-28
The soapIess, CombIess Negro.

Parker PillSbuiy is pepiteat. He has been
down South, and for the first time in his life
he has seen the negro in his native lair.
And be does moi. like him. Daring the ear
lier portions of this ancient abolitionist's
career, although often earnestly urged to
visit the Southern States and affectionately
assured that upon arriving there he would
be furnished with free ride and arrayed
in an elegantly fitting suit of clothing COM
posed ingeniously of the product of North
Carolina pine and the feathers of domestic
fowls, he unhappily declined TO avail him
self of these invitations and remained in the
North, where he evolved out of the depths
of his own consciousness an ideal negro, set
him up on pedestal in tie sanctum OF the
Anti-S SIdCery Standard, and worshipped him.
But now, having at last betaken himself to
the South. he has seen his idol he really
is, and in some letters to the RcroLution he
gives expression to his disgust and amaze
ment He found nothing as he had expect
ed to see it. Even the liquor at the South
is baG-at least the festive bowl which Mr..
Parker Pillsbury's colored friends in Charles
ten commended TO his teverish lips was filled
with hell broth. The whiskey here is dia-
bolical," exclaims poor p p "aEd yet they
(the colored people, appear toloye it more
than anything else, women as we'll as men,"
We certainly would never have thought of
selecting Mr.. Parker Pillsbury ar faster /;
but he speaks SO authoritatively concerning
the quality Of the negro whiskey in South
Carolina that we no longer doubt bis capa>
bility. If the whiskey there is worse than
The World Commissioner found it to be in
New York, we pity poor p. p, and pray for
his speedy return ere he finds snakes in his
boots. AS for the negroes. they must be
abandoned to their fate. ''They drink it red
hot from the barrel, clean and pure" he
continues, still harping on the whiskey, ''and
have seen mothers pour it thus down the
throats of their six months old babes"
But this was not the greatest shock tx
perienced by Mr.. Parker Pillebury. Not
only did he find the negro idol whom he had
worshipped drunken sot, but he saw that
even that wonderful panacea for all human
ills, the ballot, was useless, and worse than
useless, to him. If he had his way just now.
while suffering from the diabolcal whiskey
OF the negro-quarters In Charleston, he
would reconstruct the reconstructed South
once more, and shut out the man and the
brother from the ballot-box, lie surely
must have low estimate of the solemn re-
sponsitiities of government" he exclaims,
"who would force the ballot on thousands
And forced it was on many men. wher-
ever the slaves have voted They
knew no more and cared no more for what
they did in voting than if they were as in
fantile in years as they are in political ex
perience." As for the social condition of
these "warGs of the nation" these national
freedmen" for whose sake Mr. Charles Sum
ner demands that the country shall be kept
in turmoil few weeks longer, nothiRg can
be more fearful than the picture drawn by
this astounded abolitionist Marriage does
not exist among them Every few children
are horns" ''infanticide is comment" in their
wretched, homes mo family meal seems ever
to be provided" each member of the family
doing his own cooking and eating what he
can get; knives and forks are unknO WI
among them their huts have no floors, no
windows, no decent table, chair. or bed. Il
saw infants and very young children naked
from morning till night" says the penitent
Pillsbury, land boys of at least dozen
years with only single garment, and that
and old, had little on above the waist, and
nothing below the knees"-and then Mr.
Parker Pilisbury goes into details where We
follow him, lest We should turn the
stomach of New York this morning at its
breakfast table. Is this a scene from life in
Dahomey or among the Digger Indians that
Mr.. Pillsbury is describing or are these the
men. and the wives aud children of the men,
for whom the land has been soaked with
blood and the nation impoverished ''Phe
ballot may be the one thing needful there"
adds Mr.. Pilsbury, "but, it seems to me.
soap, sand, fine tooth combs, pots, kettles,
chairs, tables, knives, forks, spoons, decent
food, cooking, and cloothing glass windows.
and looking glasses should at least GO side
by side. If they may not precede the rights
of suffrage aud sovereignty" Oh. Parker!
Oh, Pillsbury Why were not you and all
the other fanaticel fools in the couGtt-y warn
ed IN time, and why were you and they deaf
to the voice of common sense and prudence
until the mischief you now deplore was done
beyond remedy ?--Worid.