New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-02-13
IF1rERs FROM THE PEOPLE
OUR coBoRED POOR.

To IA
s,n. Durine a years experience in mission
,anor, sr,ong the coored poor of this city, nave
soe interesting facts in relation TO their conui
g. ma needs not understood by the benevolent Puone
~, ,oo h.an reouested by OF my co-workeiS' u
abatement of these facts for your Journal hha
soIic,t Won TO lay them before your readers
ps.ids the ordinary OF poverty and sunorins
which they share in common win others 'hcio "''
causes which affect them exclusively 49, 81,
80, Th. condition OF slavery in which they or their
rts we're held and when freed, left penniless MaDy
- tboss emancpated in this State 40 years
sro laboring under tho disadvantage OF peins
uitbout trades business, or capital, ana cum
nenea 10 meet the rivalry OF an overwhelm'nk
torcjgp element In the labor market have been unaDo
secure steady employment by winch 10 faise
tes aboye extreme poverty. and when sickness OF TO
como thew suffer for the necessaries OF life Again.
orc sbu ont by prejudice from the privilege, In com
mon with Others OF learning trades and thus 10 Secuo
rempneratiye employment, except very recently IN
few individual females have been taken 10 ear ana
tervard been employed. This same prejudice excludes
them from tho employ OF many firms ana ram
lilies. because mixed help ptH disagree ana
the dominant foreign element prevails ms
,sct keeps hundreds OF them wholly dependent
on catch Jobs the year taround by which means they
can barely enough to keep soul ana boay
especially where there several chdren 700 sa W
earn living will not say too small 10 ""H, ior 'heSo
little ones are taught TO work from four years Ou anu up
ward and many girl boy will exhibit Judgment ana
propriety in doing homework at eight or nine years OF
ace which would put TO blush the .awkwardness OF
sreepborn at 90 or 49, and then, when work stops OF
sickness comes they all suffer together Nothing coming
in to pay rent they ordered out by tine agent 0o
with some acquaintance have seen three faines tus
crowded into one room take bedroom OF some poor
neighbor some six feet by 10 H. for family OF four
TO seven persons They will have one lmeal per day or
draaa In Df
the rent of that lto room lest they all be turned out
together with no,shoter from the cold or storm
Others there are who have lived as servants where they
had good living and Iwhen work good, they fooiiShy
think-having never learned betcr-that as they e"H
their money and have right to spend 1t as they please
that they can live we'll "a when in the rlch mans
bouseindugo in good living till work stops, ana then
they are In want who visit the poor to relieve
want and know this TO DO OF given family are s
posed to withhold relief and sympathy on account OF hS
improyidence, while, perhaps, they vis' certain oa'
OF foreigners spend all they get Tor liquor aho h'e
in filth and squalor. met lwlth viva descriptions o
their suherlngs and clamorous demands or pathetic ap
meals for relief their sympahes are moved, and help is
cheerfuy given while tho sober tidy colored American
woman is left TO suffer the consequences Of her IMPROVE
dence Again public charities do not meet tue wants
of this people as they do those OF others Ih Joe'
which some viii deny others explain away ana others
charge upon the coored people themsoNeS But ne am
| I viii waive particulars and give general facts.
| The outdoor poor are expected 10 share with the
whites in the provision made for this class, but their
share in this department just about like their share In
the labor market and the hsrdshps and the cruel mer
CHESS rivalry they often experience induce them to sur
fer almost anything before exposing themselves to IL
| again. and they are q most accomplishing people.
For the benefit OF the sick and paupers there IL the
Colored Zone In sxty.nfthst; but according TO their
last annual report the means at their disposal is so TAR
below the demand, that they cannot provide as they
| ought for those under their care.
In the missionary department they fare somewhat bet
ter for they are visited equally by the missionaries ana
receive sympathy and consideration from them but the
small assistance whichhey give for temporal wants
| ia smoothing to be counted generally.
In the prosecution Of our abors have found several
cnses of sufferers for whose relief no provision Is mace
The first is the aged who have some support but cannot
get places to board where they can DO comfortable
Another class small children whose mothers go ont to
service and put TO board where they suffer terribly
from neglect Yet another. ard more helpless class
the innocents" whose mothers out by tho day, ana
leave them with a neghbor another child OF tender
years by which means they experience Understandable
sufFerings for the want Of proper care.
Another crying want OF this people temporary shell
ter for re spectabc females. who sometimes cut OF
| emp yment, and who could often pay some board.
The causes Of the difficulty IN procuring board for tho
class above named fonnd In the fact that almost every
woman who is poor enough Ia take Doarder AZ low
price, and sober and Clearly compelled to 80 ov TO
| work (which work she could not give mp for such o
boarder and when che has work has nothing on which
TO board one And those who are ut home enough TO
take such boarder generally dissipaed aud live IN
wretehed quarters and horrid localities, unit for the
| home OF any decent human being.
Another want OF these poor is free intelligence Office,
where their cases would meet with prompt attention and
| consideration.
But above ALL they need mission rooms for their special
benefit 1t Is true some Of them attend the ward Missions
but nine OF ten OF these poor have not decent gar
In which TO co. ard stay at home the year round
from the public OF grace. All the temporal wants
above named could DO met, with good management.
under one roof where religious meetings could also be
held; and, when put IN operation. with small
annual outlay. moderate-sized house and lot IN a
good locality can be bought for $4,000 $4,000
which would answer purpose very we'll at present
Are there Of Gods faithful stewards who hsvo
surplus OF last years income which they would DO will
ing to safely in this property and give the
OF IT, ut for time to enable 70 relieve the suffer
ipgs of these helpless ones Who viii loud hand In
thls work OF faith and labor OF lovoi Dbl.
MELINDA j. ROUNDS, Missionary.
No. 400 Springst
THE NAVY MEDICAL SERVICE.