Year: 1862

ERnkee's Experience with Ihe Negro.


A correspondent of the Chicago Tmles. writ


ing from jackson, Tennessee, gives the result


of his observations Of the negro character, as


follows


The everlasting niger which has set nation


of thirty millions fighting each other, over the


best government that white men ever made for


themselves and their postegity occupies sono-


thing Of prominent position in affairs OF this


quarter. The negro is the only class with whom


the times are not "ssdiy out of joint The
anxious citizen Is hTooding over the desolation


of the war the spectators are greedy for the
gains; the weary soldier is dreaming Of the
quiet days of childhood and the pleasant
memories Of home while the officers are borne
down with the responsibilities and cares of their
position. But the Niger alone has few cares
for the present or auxieties for the future.
Whether pegched on the left rear Of his quarto


Of lazy mules, chained, rOped and leatheyed


to primitive imitation Of wagon, with bale
or two Of cotton, "gee-lang 60 de depot" loll-
ing on the agricultural Improvements" IL
the corn field, OF picking up his
dimes for his pies, apples and peaches, the same
unconcerned countenance says the future must
take care of itself He is wondering what
white folks are making al this fuss about. A
few have caught an indistinct idea of " liberty


allQ Hal@lOlcn ul 81 4AllN All4c QpuA Allb upper
ground railroad for the land Of freedom" The
citizens look on with delight and often openly
express the wish that enough Of them will GO
conveying the idea that the worst punishment
they would wish 10 impose upon the North


would be to stock it well with free negroes. Ii
the old under ground railroad corporation had
few more active agents down here, they could
drive a thriving business just now. In fact the
niger has become drug. He has no moneyed
value, and l fancy that the abOlitionists would
be welcome to all they would take, provided
they would give satisfactory assurance that they
would be provided for.


Acase Of this longing tor freedom" was ex-
hibised the other day. a negro left on the cars,
abandoning a wife and half dozen children.
He belonged 10 = widow lady, OF more properly
the lady belonging to him, for her farm and her
stock, managed as the negro was pleased 20
manage it, aided by the lady's suggestions, sul-
feed TO sustain him and his family. Ii he had
expressed desire. TO leave, and to nave taken
his family, he would have been welcomed to
have done so. He will be soon perambulating
the North, begging for money under the pretence
of purchasing his wife and family, who are IA
slavery. A gentleman remarked TO an abolition
ist, last evening, tket he had two young negroes
that In ordinary times wer6 worth thousand
dollars each, and, if any aboltienist North
would give him good security that they should
be well taken care of as long as they lived they.
should be welcome to take them North. Tie
idea with the people here now is, that they are
to be pretty effectually ruined before the war is
over and the sooner the negro gees the less they
will have to spend upon him, and the sooner his
PRESENCE will have its legitimate effect on the
North, and, consequently, the sooner dispose of
the abolition agitation. They would wish that
five hundred, instead Of FIVE, sbould 90 daily.


As an instance Of how some negroes are
treated, / viii state what passed under my own
observation. Mr.. James S. Lyon, quite an ex-
tensive planter Of this county, had all of his
own cotton crop destroyed by the cotton-buneTs.
The ground which his six negroes were allowed
to cultivate for themselves yielded twelve bales
of cotton last year. The cOtt0D-buTneTs allowed
the negroes to keep their cotton. They brought
II to market the other day and sold il ioI $500
in gold Heretofore, their crop has brought |
about half that amount annually, which they
have spent as fancy or inclination dictated, or
laid by. What six lsboring men in any county
in Illinois have saved 5000 ia cash, besides
their families


On Sunday the turnout Of the eolOred popU-
lation to their church makes display Of style !
peculiar, perhaps but scarcely less snowy or
expensive than that of the white people while |
the glowing satisfaction with which they view |
and exhibit their adOTnments assures the OBJ |
server that with them " the tailor makes the /
man." and the dress maker finishing the woman /
If the people Of the South are willing to retain
their responsibility Of taking care of and dis |
posing Of the condition of this black race, the
people Of the North might find much more !
worthy objects for their pity and philanthropy |
BeaTer their own doors.