Year: 1868

COLUMBUS, Texas, Feb. /, 1868.


GEHTs--I was once reader of your
paper, and from it learned, before
emancipation, the true character OF
the negro. At that time l had never
seen Stree" negro, and hoped, though
facts of every character impressed me
differently, that a negro, ''free," would
work consequently, / gave him a
fair trial, and am now satisfied out of
so-called slavery, he is curse to him
self and to society, and will ruin our
government if mere partisan feeling
shall hold him up much longer. God
has certainly made him of different
nature, and no legislation can ever
make him think Of provision for the
future. He has no care for the NOR
row whatever. He let's every day
provide for itself Such is true of
more than ninety in hundred, and
you cannot teach them otherwise.
They seem prone TO destruction, and
the United States government cannot
prevent it. For the sick, even of their
own offspring, they are wholly sang
froid, but in case of death they will
assemble from around for miles, and
show great regard for the dead. A
funeral seems a matter of grand i'm
portance, but not moment will they
spend with the sick 'Tis strange,
but true, and any honest man who
will come here will find il so. The
Congo reel they cannot forgo. One
night they will dance, though the next
day they will spend in praying and
singing. From dark till sunrise they
will indulge in both. They are leav-
ing their wives in innumerable in
stances, and always abandon their
young when too lazy to work for
them. Each year increases these
cases. To say they have not had any
opportunity is UNANIMOUSLY false, They
have been provided with provisions,
teams and tools, free of cost, and
allowed one half of what they make,
and yet, are daily becoming poor
whereas the Germans and foreigners
and working white men are fast be-
coming well-to-do--in fact, rich. In
truth, the German lands in Texas
without q dime, and in three years
buys himself a comfortable home. A
negro rarely ever docs this. Whyi
Because he will not work, and will
not gather what be makes. The ro-
suit is plain to be seen in our country !;
he is giving way rapIuiy ueIUre tiIe
white man--going back TO the older
state of his birth, believing he there
can have q good time without work.
The Mongrels must import wild Afri-
cans 10 Texas il they want them in
the ascendancy. 1t will require O
large expenditure to keep it up, but
it must be done very soon, for / tell
you the white immigration from the
North, South, and Europe will soon
fill up Texas.


Congress ought TO pass a law to
change the negro's disposition to go
back to his old home. It is certainly
Constitutional, and highly polite in a
partisan sense. BY the way, you
and all the Democratic papers North,
who have feeling for the poor, hard
working man, both mechanic and dai-
ly laborer--ought TO point them to the
South, especially where, in year or
so, they can make rise. Tell them
to bring their wives and little ones,
and they will be welcomed with open
hands, If they come, to become a part
and parcel of our people. Never,
never, was there such good time for
poor working mon as now exists IN
Texas. Ispeak Of Texas so favorably
because l have traversed the whole
United States, and know in SOIL eli
mate, and production, the equal of the
Colorado region is not to be found in
North America. Men of capital, skill
and enterprise have innumerable fields
for fortunes. A few are finding il out,
and making IL pay largely. The Mon
grels down here write lies North, so
that they can have all to themselves.
But if capitalists would come here,
buy up large tracts of lands, and set
tie them with whites, they could make
from 1000 to 1000 per cent. Beef is
only worth two cents pound pork,
five cents; cattle So per head land
from 81 TO So per acre There are
many places which are offered for cul-
tivation, free ofrent or charge. Where
else is it soi The negro is "lying
round town and will not work.
While such is the fact, as q matter of
course, white men do not fail to occu-
py land rs fast as they come, and
God send million yoarl The white
man is up at day-break; the negro
after sunrise, and, if cold, he gets up
at 8 or o o'clock. The white man
works till sunset; the negro begins
some days at o o'clock, some days not
at all, (and Saturday never, and quits
two or three hours before, and would
rath sleep than work He destroys
everything placed in his care-ploughs,
gates, or what not-burns mp fence
rails before he would get wood, and
makes about 10 bushels of corn TO the
acre sometimes, and bale of cotton,
and gets it picked by Christmas. The
white man makes from forty TO fifty
bushels of corn to the acre, from FIVE
to eight bales of cotton, and houses
both before the last Of November !
Can Congress change that 7 In the
country, the white women is up at
daylight, cooks breakfast, and aften
works in the field, though "raised
rich" but tho negro woman gets
breakfast at 10 o'clock, and sometimes
goes to the field, but does nothing.
But they will pass away, Congress to