The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-07-21

that they cannot keep stock, either cattle
or hogs. 1t is the bad custom in the
South to turn such animals into the woods
to shift more or less for themselves, and
here they fall prey to the colored men,
who kill and eat them. They have not
+ yet learned to respect property rights, so
vaguely asserted. Nor or the planters
/ chickens safe. In fact, petty theft is a
common vice of the plantation negro.
He learned it as slave, and has not yet
unlearned it. He spends some of his
money for whisky. too; tut be is not an
habitual drunkard. and is usually good
natured in his cups. Men and women,
and even children smoke, and in some
regions they ''dip" snuff. 1t is an easily
coatented and happy population, and l
do not doubt the judgment of those plant
ers who assured me that they possessed
the best laboring force in the world.
Nor let any one persuade you that 1t is
dying out. Wherever one travels he
sees multitudes of fat, chubby, comical
looking pickaninnies-the country is full
of them, and their shining black faces
and wondering, staring eyes, are the COM
monest sight in the South.
SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES.
VIII. They are anxious to send their
children to school, and the colored schools
are more abundant in those States which
have seen thaa l expected to find them.
| think it may be said that the colored
people, SO far, have got their fair share
of schools and school money. In such
places as New Orleans, Mobile, Selma
and Montgomery the colored schools are
excellently managed and literally pro-
vided for. By general consent OF both
colors there are no mixed schools; nor
would it be wise to force this anywhere.
The church is favorite and well-support- |
ed institution among the blacks. |
l was surprised to see both their
and the substantial character of
the church buildings in the towns. Most
of the colored people or either Baptists or
and their preachers, almost |
negroes, are Oftenest illiterate |
and sensational. The congregation is
easily excited, and the preacher evident
ly thinks he has failed unless he produces |
shouts, shrieks and other demonstrations |
among his audience. / cannot say that
the negro congregation is either noisier
or more Enthusiastically demonstrative than
many white congregations have seen In
the ruder parts of the West in my young
er days; and on several occasions /
heard negro preacher denounce the sins
of his people with a plainness of speech
which might with advantage be initiated
in more pretentious churches.
TX. The Civil Rights bill which was
so strenuously pushed through the last
Congress by men who aimed to be the
especial friends of the negro, is dead
etter in the States | have seen, and
must be so, because the negro does not
demand or care for its enforcement. Its
adoption was one of the most singular polit-
cal blunders of recent days, its agitation
Is a Republican measure lost Alabama to
hat party last fall and exasperated
considerable body of poor and illiterate
White people in other States, who are
,isily maddened by threats of negro So
,ial equality, and large part of whom
ormerly voted the Republican ticket out
# an old time hostility to the planter
lass. CHARLES NORDHoFF.