The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1869-04-15
THE NEGRO IN WASHINGTON.

The Washington correspondent OF
that foremost Radical organ of New
England, the Springfield Mass. Re
oubzican, in recent letter speaks OF
the colored race thereabouts as follows
The negro, at casual glance, does
not seem to be solving his problem OF
freedmanship very rapidly. Every third
person one meets in Washington is
black or speckled, and is generally hal
looing at the top Of his or her voice to
some other inky or variegated indlvld-
ual to come and have good time, OF
is having it alone. The black boot
sinner curls up in his little box, and
winks at the sun, singing, and rarely
persists in backing your boots. The
servants who sleepily open the doors OF
houses where one calls, always respond
to the demand if such person is in,
Deed | dom no, sah," and leave one to
mount the stairs and find out for him
self. In the House and Senate CALLER
les hundreds of able-bodied negroes,
who ought to be at work for themselves
and the good future, sit idly listening
to the debates. Every corner Of the
capitol seems to be encountered with
an Ethiopc, who, ragged and lazy, is
still querying whether OF not to accept
the energetic duties as well as the priv
ileges of freedom. The saucy do-noth-
ingness of the Naples lazzaronl affords
the only comparison. But do not think
me prcjudiccd or complaining. The
bright day for Sambo and his family is
coming. Little by little the unskilled
hands learn how to build the structure
of Independent manhood. Wherever a
negro is, i'll the city, he no longer erin,
geS, but asserts his equality, often, OF
course, too obtrusively.
My frequent walks on the Virginia
side of the river have not encouraged
me SO much as could wish, concern
inc the negro's progress. From Wash
ington to Arlington, and for fifteen or
twenty miles round, African color holds
sway, and walk affords a dcsolatc
panorama. In Il little trip Of five miles
which took the other afternoon, | saw
only two white faces. | met hundreds
of negroes, but they were inevitably
desperately ragged, dirty, and not pre-
possessing enough To merit acqnalnt-
ancc. Just at the Virginia end of the
Long Bridge, Connecticut nIan has
set up little saloon, and in his YER
nacular the negro inhabitants around
were "a weak lot Live mostly by
plundcrin', they do" says he. " Know
it by experience. Don't seem to know
how to get good living in any other
way" Yet directly opposite his door,
hosts Of donations from the Frccdmcn'S
Aid Societies North were being unladcn
from the cars. Patent machines Of all
kinds were piled in wagons. These
must have their effect, sooner or later
The Commissioners have just condemn
cd the railroad bridge built during the
war, exactly parallel with and near the
famous long" one for pedestrians; and
passengers from Richmond and further
south have to be carried round by Al
cxandria. The track in some places
was piled with brushwood, which III
dustrious freedmen and women had put
there to carry away between trains. An
arm of the muddy Potomac runs up al
most to the road, about half "A mile from
the bridge, and there some negro boys
were getting water in barrels, and car
rying it to the shantics in the distance
Conversation with them and with many
others that | met, cvinccd the fact that
the majority, outside of the frecdmcn's
villages at Arlington, had no regular
occupation, and one little fellow, on
being asked his occupation, answered
"Reckon | doesn't do muffin, mostly
When he tires of that genial employ
mcnt, he will doubtless join the lazy
boot-blacks in the city, who drawl out
"Give yer patent shine, sab, in jes two
shakes