Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1869-12-10

lican press. and especially in that very able
sheet fhe Charleston Daily Republican,
constan, protests froln black AMI white against
these sreeping attacks. To assert, after a brief
stay in South Carolina, that the freedmen are
- most emphaiicslly lost that they are - al
most universally Incorporate. that :" rnsr-
rage il rare that as infsnticiie is CON-
pon,' and On '.the plantations very few
children are born these statements are pro-
Douncei TO be wsntonly false. These CONTRA
dictions were confirmed to u but few days
since by Capt. n G. Parker, State Treasurer
Of South Carolina, man OF high character,
who served successfully in the LIST Massachusetts
Cavalry and the 33d u s Colored Troops, and
has had abundant opportunity for observing
the South Carolina freedmen for eight years.
lie says tina, these charges are 'cruely un-
inst, and have already done great dea! Of
injury to the position of the colored people Of
the.south The same opinion is expressed to
u by Sergeant Prince Rivers, well known
one Of the noblest colored men Of the State,
uatiye-boru South Csrolinian, and the very first
man in the United States to open his house as
a recruiting Office for cOlOrei soldiers, IN
May, 1862 He was member of the State Con-
stitutional Convention, and is now = member Of
the Legislature, and, being also a magistrate,
has abundant opportunity of knowing the condi-
ton at the freedmen lie Indignantly denies 'hese
assertions OF general drunkenness and licenti0us-
ness while admitting of course, that the c0lored
people are still poor and ignorant. Again, We
have letter before us from Sergeant Langley, a
coiOtei man Of Vermont birth and Of good COM
mon school education, well-known to u. who
went South IN the 54th Massachusetts, was
transferred into the ;33i L. 5 c. T., and has re-
sided there since the war, being now School Com
missioner of Beaufort County, 5. C.. and Assist
ant Assessor He says of his former fellow sol
diers $50 far industry is concerned, they
have certainly maie good record. Official duties
in the capacity Of Assessor have called me among
them quite frequently during the last two years.
Thus have had the opportunity oil seeing the
fruits of their Industry and frugality at their
own homes. Some OF those men have done mors
than simply surround their homes with the bare
Of life, while many Of them have
money deposited in the banks. They are 10 he
found employed artisans in every trade, and
nre generally doing we'll" Such deliberate
opinions from those who habitually see the freed
men Of South Carolina in their own homes are
worth more than any 6rst impressions Of hasiy
traveller.
Mr. Langley, above quoted, went from
this vicinity, and well written communica-
lions from him have often appeared in our
'olums.
Dluttlesz no single sweeping assertion .
will describe the condition Of the Freedmen
They are drunken and sober, Idle and indus
riou-. vicious and moral, fit and unfit for
he ballot Just as white men are, aid as the
ase may be. On the whole we are glad To be
ievc that they are becoming educated to
he duties and responsibilities Of freedom, a.
apidly as could reasonably be expected