New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-08-23
FUTURE OF THE FREEDMAN
POSITION AND PROSPECTS OF THE BLA0N
RACE. AFTER
A FAVORABLE PICTURE OF THE fNHn
RIGHT YEARS OF EMANcPAIioN'
go

EIGHT YEARS OF KMANClH''
TO the Bdttor Of The .;ad no one
SIR: The Freedman has suiP nae,ed the worst
more than the Southern whites wnV nnsht about by
-. g.. ,,aDe,natiou even II pro"N" '...
reaceabe methods They feared a"t noforo rho war
which even seemed possible 10 s 90 hIoo,,s dlers and
vould LET loose on the South AVVV ~ ,.ao r,oh ord
- ~ - this fear. pervading All onasSoS' i0" a"N
thieves IL was t"s ~, southern heart The event has
poor aiAo' ,,oDce 70 the many OF the deceiiuness
aodeu ahO'ei and IT, after eight years OF freedom
, has IN some sort disappolnted tue expectations
of his friends should DC ooun'u W n'o 80
n's disappointed the expectations OF his foes
- times been outrageousy criminal, 1t Is true
nc 10" melted by bad whites and assured OF the
'. LIN of Government. He has not proveda strict
pfiouist Of the laws of properyan Objectionable
dosyncrasy certainly, but ono which mas wrought but
,, real harm His thefts though countless in number,
have been OF the pettest character and the sum total
of the thieving Of the whole since emancipation
ould not equal money value the salary grab OF the
late Congress On the other hand, In country ana Gil
mate in which the neceSsares of life may be obtained
with the minimum OF exerOn. he has labOred with sur
ncent energy and regularity 10 keep production very
nearly MP former standards and that too In the lace
of great temptations and disbursement. His general
good behavior as gratifying unexpected to the
Southern people may be attributed part no doubt 10
the many lessons taught him during the war; OF the ter
rble capabilities Of the white man when enraged But
In much greater measure it due TO his own character
and constitutions fair presentation OF "nioh 10 az
tempted IN tins paper
.,..,.... ...HEIHIE SEeRo,s RELIGION REL:
spceeh and life the first thing TO arrest the attention
81 the observer Of the negro character 1t may be de-
aned as medley OF beliefs based the fear OF punish
ment and Of morality, founded on the hope OF mercy
He gets religion by going through process Of watching
fasting and prayer, which invariably terminates IN a
state on eXalatOn This state he claims is more easily
arrived at in the woods than in the abodes OF men.
O0ce attained he tires OF telling over and over
trAyail--a story OF anguish ana
error and despair OF personal eomoats WIN satan IN
and a1Fean ending at last In vision Of the eternal
city, his description OF which is always supplemented
right hand side ne place reserved for him.
1t be remarked Just here that his command Of Ian
guage is greater than supposed by those persons
who have acquired their knowledge of the negro
the authors of which, besides making him say many
other things more less repngnant TO his habits aud
man as Massa" when he would certainly not do If
allowed any choice in the matter They VIII say Mas
IN car but in life of so years spent among the
yet. Unlike many whites, the freedman is not
all ashamed OF his religion, but will talk IL freely TO
The most unsympathzing auditors, and never declines
an invitation to pray in public. In slave times he
fond dancing TO the music of the VIOLIN but no sooner
did the afford him an opportunity to lay down the
shovel and the Cof which ne promptly avaied him
seO he also hung the fiddle and the bow there
by illustrating the strong influence OF national SONGS on
national character The prayormeeting was substituted
for The plantation ball from wmfn Lists one o
night TIL broad daylight. and that the saints,
Tney believe that the ability TO preach and exhort
gift the genuineness of which is to determined solely
will listen attentvey to the ranEng OF any tenyearod
boy who may claim TO have had call The sisters too,
speak IN meeting TO the apparent edhcau0n OF the
stronger They have the ordinary Christian belief
concerning Heaven but their faith IN Hell Is profound
is one of their proverbs. have never known put one
dcaon of white blood most thorough contempt
both negro superstons and white mans religion:
He believed that death was annihlaton, but would
rdicule the lack Of invention display ed by the Church
in its definition Of hell He would have made 1t an ever
lasting cotton field with black drivers and the devil Tor
overseer. Black drivers were in old times sort OF sub
AUTHORITY in which they were clothed. He had no fol-
lowing, and his death, which was consistent with his
life, furnished occasion for many wise shake of the
orthodox African head.
HIS FoNDNEss FOR MUSIC AND FUNERALS.
They intensely fond Of music and it forms great
part their worship The singing Of the individual
negro possesses special merit but when hundreds
unite in song effect is wonderful They take NOR
bid interest in funerals and in unusually heahful sea
sons who dies from cause is regarded as bene
the bodies of the dead for two nights, and spend the
hours in religious exercises varied with eating drink,
ing and smoking The female relatives of the deceased
wear mourning dresses Of black, though white would
better suited both TO their emotions and com.
plexions. When one is known 10 DC 11ahgerousiiy
they flock in great numbers TO his bedside to wit
mess t TS bit sS VINO at this moment m
ieTferes in behalf old favorite and succeeds in
getting him restored TO health is regarded as
a public enemy who has at one and the
same sam tho tn ehhopSood nf sensat,o1 The writer
had the good fortune TO meet funeral procession
of blacks at midnight the laeness OF the hour having
been caused by delay the part OF the undertaken
The bier a drawn by was followed by sew
eral hundred mourners with pine torches chanting a
slow notion the white teeth OF the mOurnefs renewed
nv the backeround of black faces the flashing torches
tie solemn music and all unlocked Tor made him appre-
ciae before the emotions OF D0usteTswyel az
the midnchf burial In the priOry of ST. Ruth's Although
they endure with forude the extremes OF heat and
cold and hunger and thirst ana can resist longer IMAM
the whites the malaria of the swamps when once sick
they are helpless as children Ihey lack the ORDINARY
savage skill in the use OF medicinal herbs ana nave
are deficient in vitality after few days Of severe
illness the patient gives up the snip nc theh Sleeps
most OF the ume and appears indlhereht 10 DEATH
sUPERsTITIoSs.
They believe that large proportion Of the sick are
made so by the devsh of black conurers who pay
off crudees by stung the objects Of their dislike with
frogs lizards, snakes. and horrid disorders. Some
resemblance TO the Celtic ndisposon 10 speak OF the
fses Is displayed in their refusal disclose
~ M ndyiiuals supposed to deal in the black art
sad one TO a planter VINO had treated him during a
severe illness, suppose to tell you who made me
SICK: he'd know it. and then where would be 2" And
he shuddered il the answer were quite beyond
imagination. His courage, might be expected after
generations OF bondage is not Of high order. As
soldiers, they Of little value in the field. They will
ght each other with desperation when angry but quail
hefore the White mans rage When questioned concern
lug his for fighting OF the brethren his usual
reply is You reckon Pm gwne 10 be run over by a
niger 20 The appelatiOn "nigger'' is highly |
offensive TO them all and never employed
do long retain the memory Of favOr received
they the other hand, capable Of persevering
hate disrust The only exception appears in their
lasting the North for the boon of freedom
aud their thorough ndspostlOn TO take rebel advice in
matters political. They don't hate their old masters |
but very naturally believe that the latter Din the alb
senee Of compensatory would Ike TO have their |
directed by those whom they believe be true
representatives OF the Emancipation Party They have
put great many rascals office, but recent Congress
sIonsl Investigations show that white constituencies
sometimes fan into the same snare, and any objection