The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-04-21
THE FUTURE OF THE NEGRO.

During the last ten years the District Of
Columbia may be said to have been the Para
disc Of the negroes. During, and after the
war, they congregAted in great numbers at the
National Capital, partly because they had an
idea that their newly acquired rights would be
better protected there, and partly because the
Federal Congress and the District authorities
benevolently supplied them with free rations,
and even with free quarters at the expense OF
the tax payers Of the District.
Under the rule Of Boss Shepherd, this sys-
tenn was perfected and expanded into the full
blown monstrosity which even the Radical
Congress fel. compelled to legislate out OF
existence. The freedmen had votes to sell,
and the Shepherd Babcock Ring could we'll
afford to buy these votes with q small per-
centage of their stealirgs, so the thing
worked smoothly enough for all parties,
save and except the unfortunate tax
payers, who had to foot all the bills.
It might have been expected that, under
such system, the pampered and highly
favored negroes would have Increased and
multiplied" in a remarkable degree in the
District of Columbia. Strange to say, how
ever, the result of all this coddling of the
g nations wards" has been quite tho reverse
Of what might naturally be looked for.
In recent report of the Board of Health
of the District of Columbia, we find that there
has been extraordinary mortality among
the colored people as compared with that of
the whites, and as no local or accidental
causes can be discovered for this extraordin-
ary difference it certainly points to some
deep seated and organic degeneracy of the
race developed under circumstances emil
nently favorable to produce the opposite re-
suit on individuals of the normal physioloc-
ical type.
The whole mortality of the District of Co.
lumbia for the six months ending April l,
1873, was 2O43, exhibiting death rate of g 70
per 100 inhabitants per annum. Distributing
the rate Of mortality between the races, how
ever, that of the white population was
only 1.93 per 100 per annum, while the
of the colored population was 80
per 100 for the same period. As the journal |
in which we find this official report observes,
while this average rate Of mortality for the |
whites corresponds very closely with that of |
former years, there appears to- have been |
greatly increased mortality among the blacks, |
1t the rate Of nearly five per cent per annum.
So great has this disproportion been, that
whereas the white population has increased
BY births and deaths in the ratio of four per
cent, the decrease Of the colored population,
IN the other hand, by deaths and births, was
more than one and one-half per cent per
From the same source we learn that, at
conference between the colored ministers of
he district churches and the Board of Health,
he following causes were assigned for this
alarming mortality among the negroes l. In
utfi Gent and unwholesome food, and gen.
raj lack of knowledge how to prepare and
'se it. 2. The almost universal ignorance of
his race of sanitary laws involving neglect of
he commonest precautions which intelligent
'eople seldom omit 8. The neglect of per-
onal cleanliness and the presence of
llthy apparel and surroundings in
heir dwellings. 4. Neglect of ventilation
nd unnecessary exposure to extremes of
emperature. S. insufficient fuel and def
lent clothing, inviting the inroad of pulmo-
airy disease. g. Habits of proaigacy and
regularity widely prevalent among many.
1ntemperance in the use of the vi:es. and
lost adulterated spirituous liquors. S Sleep
lg in dllapidated frame tenemeuss and cock
fits exposed to the weather. 9. Wait of
ledical Attendance and suitable medic ne for +
le sick, and overdosing with improper and .
uack remedies. a
As regards this last cause Of mortality,
terencs is ma le to a class OF conjurin, doe
rs, mostly women, who prey upon the