St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1892-07-09
A QUAINT COMMUNITY.
A Village Where Ignorance and
Filth PredominatA
History Of the Freedman's Settlement -
the Arlington Estate Near Washing.
too-Pooe Wretches who d.
servo Sympathy and Pity.
Especial Washington Letter.l

Especial Washington Letter.l
Adjoining the celebrated Arlington
estate. . portion of which Is set aside
for the magnificent National cemetery,
h . village where ignorance. squalor.
9th and famine predominant.
Immediately after the war thousands
Of cOlorcd people of all ages came to
Washington with the armies which
were ordered here to participate in the
grand review. There were gray-haired
men and women, lusty young men and
wenchcs. as well rs children and babes
In arms. Many Of them were INDECENT
and too ignorant to understand how TO
care for themselves. Hundreds of them.
however. were able TO earn quarters.
half-dollnrs and dollars by washing for
the officers and assisting the cavalry.
men in caring for their horses. while
the boys gathered q great many diiacs
for holding the brides of the horses Of
the officers Those of them who were.
In any sense Of the word, waSccaruers,
settled in Washington and founded fam
lilies which are to-day the nucleus of .
comncndable class of society.
Those Of them who were absolutely
INDECENT and incapable Of caring for
themselves were ultimately given .
sort of squattcr sovereignty by the
Frccdmcn's bureau upon n portion Of
the Arlington estate south OF the cemo-
tory and not far from the long bridge.
These people have lived there from
that time to the present without pro-
crossing In any degree. save In the
multiplication Of their numbers They
are without schools, without churches.
without any form Of municipal gov.
ernmcnt and utterly devoid Of any of
the natural adjuncts OF human prog
ress. For a number Of years the men
In this community had the privilege OF
voting in Alexandria county. but few
years ago m ordinance was passed pro-
hibiting that particular class of people
from exercising the right of suffrage.
Since that time they have been ahso-
lutely sequestercd from the rest Of the
world in every sense Of the word
They are a community Of pitiable crca-
lures. devoid Of political power, cut Oh
from educational advantages. ignored
by religious teachers and no better
OF in any degree than their an
cestors in the wiitls Of Africa Never
thcless they arc living within direct
radius of two miles from the great cap.
itol building. in which the rich and the
great, in the pomp and the pride Of their
worldly estate. legislatc for the LAND
Of the free and the home Of the brave"
In this community, SO near the halls Of
national legislation, there is license.
but not liberty. and an utter absence of
any quality akin TO bravery.
That this state of things should OBJ
tain and be permitted TO continue il
exceedingly lamcntablc, but there is no
present means apparent OF abolishing
this village. 1t consists Of every man
ner Of aboriginal abode, builtled upon
one Of the greatest and most important
government reservations, and can only
be abrogated or abolished. or its condi-
ton amelioratcd, by congressional en-
sctmenL There is no disposition on
the part of either house Of congress to
turn these people of of the reservation,
for they have no place TO 60. no visible
means Of support. and would surely be-
como . charitable charge upon the city
Of Alexandria or the national capital,
save those of them who would surely be
arraigned before the police courts Of
either of those two cities for crimes and
Paupcrism and crime
arc twin children Of ignorance.
TIE capital of the nation Is reaching
out its hands and gathering in unto
itself all the valuable aud available
suburban places Many men arc look
ing with avaricious eyes upon this beau.
tifnl spot, 50 nfiscrably inhabited.
There is in contemplation magnificent
bridge across the Potomac from Wash