Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-11-20
It'nMMUEIC.hTi.D

IInMMGHlcAllD.
\ WORD FOR FREEDMEN AS physician
anil master | have an intimate acquaintance
with oar colurel population. and il Ihrcapaciy
of owner and doctor, have learned, that as Il
class they are very imprlllenI, ana PARTICULAR
H. SO, as lar as preparation fora day of sickness;
is concerned and in view al this fact | desire
to call the attention ui our Legislature as well
as Of the friends of freshmen in the Northern
and Eastern State: 1t the Union. to the nCccS-
sty that exists for sn%l2 aollit"nai provision for
the sick among the cnioirl population lit the
rural districts i'll tn Southern States.
Under the system that prevailed, when the
blacks were slave. all the requirements for
medical attention anil nursing was provided by
the master, and IL Il rule. no part Of master ;
duty WAS more faithfully discharged than Thu,
im,prtant one: but this very requirement from
the master has trained up those (who arc now
thrown upon their own rrS0lrc1#l III perfect
imnroyi,Icncc for what is liable tocul't IL ~ ail
II day Of sickness.
In the liberal provision made lnr tEr c,Inca-
ton Of the cnlorcd population, think the leglS
Iaturc has admitted tn" principle Tor which L
ask attention hy providing iar the r0ori""'i"a
Of the Errrciarr; of the free schools.
For the mast part. those of the cnIorrd pop.
ulalinn vino are advanced IN lis; receive bnt Il
small portion or the advantages tn hc derived
from the expenditure uI money lnr the support
OF the free <choo! system: whilst Of all others
they suffer most from the habit ct Improvdcnrc
in which they have been trained.
propose therefore that Il diSprn>ary shall he
established in every township, anil 4 hospital
in every cullnty. where the patients who IT,
cover arr to work nnt ll; cost they have incur
rrrl during their sickness.
am satisfied that an appeal to every c"un-
try physician would convince every one If the
necessity that exists for some Silrh provision rs
that Which ! suggest.
To our fellow citizens uf the Northern and
Eastern States who have manifested 50 much
interest in the freedmen for so many years, ]
would say, that b. the establishment Of hospI-
tails in the South for the benefit OF the coIor.d
population. they would he doing an act OF phil
antIrophy, that would bring ease and comfort
to thousands who have been thrown upon their
own resources in state OF poverty. and at the
same time it would 90 to prove the sincerity Of
the motives by which they claim To have been
actuatcd, and BY which the change i'll the status
Of the slave has been effected.
have known Il master tn lnr>akC his distant
home in Il city and devote his time AMI services
to the administration Of medicine and tie mrs
ING of his slaves for months together, besides
employing for their benefit the most >kllul
practitioner the country afforded: -now their
circumstance: are 50 reduced that they cannot
do the moiety Of what they would desire to do
for the comfort Of their former slaves.
In conclusion beg permission to say that
have lived my thrcr->cOrc years and more, ana
that have withdrawn from the practice Of
medicine years ago but desire to say that a:
Il class, the coIorcd people are the most grateful
for professional services ever practlScd among,
and that even now | receive evidences OF graft
tulc from those who are no longer slaves.
VIRGINIA, Nov II, 1871. NJ. d.