The news & observer., 1897-02-07
THE EFFECT OF EMANCIPATION.
Rev. r. A. Yates, ID. D., in Chirtian
Advocate.)

-
Advocated
| have recently had laid upon my table.
and have carefully read with much in
terest, pamphlet with the above title.
The author is J. f. Miller, superintendent
0f the Eastern Hospital for the colored
insane at Goldsboro, n. c. He is a
Christian gentleman of high standing
md character, and takes rank amongst the
ablest and foremost physicians Of the
State. The original paper was read before
the Southern Medico- Psychological AS
socation, Asheville, n. c., September,
1896.
1t is a very thoughtful and timely dis
cussion of a most important subject, and
ought to have not only a wide reading,
but the careful attention Of Statesmen
and philanthropists in the United States.
There are in this country:
Pure Africans. ........... g. 337 $50
Mulatttoes (one-half pure) -. 956,9S9
Quadroons (one-fourth pure).. 1O5, ,l35
Octoroons (one-eighth pure)... 69,936
or this number, which aggregates
nearly seven millions and a half, about
six millions live in the South. The au-
thor furnishes statistics to show that, be-
and tuberculosis amongst the colored
people were comparatively unknown. In
deed so rare were the cases of either dis
ease, that thousands Of old people declare
that, during their whole lives, they never
saw or heard of single case Of what
is known as Consumption" and perhaps
only one case of an insane negro, before
the war!
Our learned author then goes on to
show from statistics, and facts coming
under his own observation, how rapidly
these diseases developed since the eman-
cipation, and particularly during the last
twenty-five years. To the philanthrOpist
these facts are startling and alarming.
The author shows that in slavery, the
negro had his owner to care for him-to
see that his food, clothing and sanitary
conditions were in proper order; and he
was restrained from designations and ex-
cesses. But freedom came to him; and,
thrown by the emancipation proclama-
ton upon his own resources, and being
constitutionally improvident, and reject
ing all advice, suggestion, and help from
the white people, as coming from those
whom he has been taught to believe his
enemies, the negro has degenerated at a
fearful pace, until the percentage OF
deaths from Consumption and cases OF
insanity requiring hospital treatment is
largely in excess Of the whites.
People who are ignorant of the situa-
ton might be disposed to charge this de-
generation Of the negro to the indigence
and sufferings and deprivations enforced
upon him by the whites. But to show
that this is untrue we have but to cite
the reader to the fact that there are as
| many, and even more Of the whites than
| negroes in the same indigence and suffer
the same deprivations, and yet no sign
| Of the same increased degeneration has
ever made it's appearance.
The people Of this country, and parti-
| cularly statesmen and law-makers, ought
| to take into serious. and unbiased con-
sideration the following statement Of our
learned author:
'It is not my purpose or desire to be
| offensive to our Afro-American citizens,
or to make them odious by comparison
with the Caucasian: but the question OF