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794 DOUGLASS MONTHLY. FEBRUARY, 1863 [[line across page]] [[3 columns]] [[column 1]] and bandannas formed no inconsiderable part of the throng, and, with the odor of musk and cologne, there floats up another odor, so deadening, sickening, and repulsive, it can only have come from two sources in the world. Half an hour before the hour appointed for the lecture, the "great feature of the occasion" made his appearance. He sat down in a chair behind the desk, placed his elbows on it, and proceeded to examine the face of a large galvanized watch, giving the audience some ten minutes' opportunity to familiarize their eyes with the buck. This part of the programme concluded, he smacked his lips with an air of supreme self-satisfaction, and gave a wink. Whereupon a Mr. Tuttle, Reverend, proceeded to pay his respects to the black divinity. It may be remarked, en passant, that this Mr. Tuttle is a Universalist, and believes that every evil deed is punished in this world. The black lecturer swelled up with the importance with which he was clothed, and commenced, "Brothers and sisters"——an act of condecension on his part which evidently gained him great favor with the audience since it was received with tremendous applause, and applause over and over again.——"Brothers and sisters," he continued, "I formerly appeared among you as a colored man; I now stand before you as an equal, and address you as fellow American citizens." The speaker was then interrupted with loud and prolonged applause, with cries of "Bully for Lincoln," 'Dat's so,''De day ob jubliee am come,' etc. It was impossible to restore order for some time, but finally the police plunged in right and left, and, having clubbed the noisiest, quiet was restored and the speaker resumed: 'I congratulate you that color is no longer the badge of inequality, for, according to the emancipation proclamation, every negro is a freeman, and, according to Attorney General Bates' opinion, every negro is an American citizen.' A white man got upon a settee in the centre of the hall and proposed 'three cheers for Bates.' The police again appeard, put out the intruder, and so the speaker was able to be heard once more. He declared himself, unlike his white brethren, to be in favor of free discussion, free speech, free press, and free criticism, whereupon every one in the house seemed to be seized with a distressing cold. For an hour or two he rolled out his negro equality sentiments, talked about our white sisters and our white brothers, hoped the war would not end until all slaves were taken from the control of their masters, enjoyed a laugh with his audience at the foolishness of that 'old silly clown, Henry Clay,' praising the great negro mancer of the age, Lincoln, who could change all the relations of society and make citizens out of chattels, and here proposed to stop. His audience having cried 'Go on,' 'Go on,' he called their attention to the fact that the Police might make a decent upon the place and convey them all to the lockup, and fine them $10 each in the Police Court next morning, whereat they were quite content to Adjourn.——Chicago Times. [[line]] A NEGRO SERENADE.——Residentson Third avenue were awakened from their lawful sleep early yesterday morning by the unmelodious sounds of several ancient saxe-horns swelling out in the foggy atmosphere. Almost simultaneously with the appearance of the minstrels there arose from every kennel in the neighborhood timely protest barked forth vigorously by a hundred curs, who, in common with their masters, cursed their common luck. It was an illegal intrusion, for indeed the music of fairyland could not have compensated half the agony experinced by being waked from Morpheus' at 3 o'clock A. M. The corps of peep o'day minstrels, whence all the row proceeded, halted in front of a two-story frame house, the residence of a citizenized negro, where it was well known that Fred Douglass was spending the night. A pompous looking Clem, with buff gauntlets and a fiery red sash across his body, marshaled the host, [[/column 1]] [[column 2]] and commanded another blast. Again the horns were made resonant, and for fifteen minutes a hullabaloo of vile music raged in the neighborhood, which only brought the unhappy curs still further from their holes, and excited the rage of several dyspeptics on the opposite side of the street. The dogs tumbled out from their holes in the sidewalk, from between the fences, and from the wood-piles, gnashed their teeth and charged in a semi-circle on the enemy. At this demonstration, and just as an agonized mater familias shied a mopstick from an opposite window, the tune ceased, and a sweet voiced shade struck up "Darkies de day ob freedom am dawning." Thereupon, Fred Douglass, "the distinguished one," appeared at the door, and afforded a sight of his greasy features and wooly sinciput thrown into relief by a sickly illumination from a star candle, held in the hands of two attendant negroes. It was a sort of dissolving view, and lasted a momenet, for the candle speedily went out and Douglass disappeared.——Chicago Times. [[line]] SERENADE TO FRED. DOUGLASS.——After the lecture at Metropolitan Hall on Monday evening, by Fred. Douglass, while he and a few friends were at the residence of John Jones an old friend, he was serenaded by a party of ameteur musicians under the lead of Darnes & Broadwell's band. After discousing several patriotic airs, they were invited in, and Mr. Douglass addressed them in a very happy manner, thanking them for the honor conferred upon him, and congratulating them upon the auspious signs of the times. After the address, Mrs. Jones did the honors of a beautiful repast. Miss Lavinia Jones sang several patriotic airs, accompanying hereself upon the piano. After an hour or more of pleasant social converse, the party separated, wishing their eloquent friend and brother, God speed in his errand of Liberty and Humanity. [[line]] CHARACTER AND CONDITION OF THE FREEDMEN. [[short line]] TESTIMONY OF MRS. F. D. GAGE. [Part of a letter to The Tribune, dated Beaufort, S. C. Dec. 26.] I HAVE received letters and circulars from different parts of the free States, asking information regarding the emancipated slaves of this region. Are they willing to work! Do they save earnings? What are their habits as to profanity, intemperance, chastity? Do they desire to go North? Do they desire to learn? How many could read when first entering our lines? How many now? What is their capacity to learn compared with other children? To what extent are they religiously developed? Are they docile subordinate, etc.? Are they revengeful? Would they cut their masters' throats? and other like questions are propounded. Oh, friends! what questions you ask. If you should send to Mr. Greely, Dr. Cheever, or Henry Ward Beecher to give you answers to the same questions about the character and conditions of the poor and ignorant of New York city, what do you think they would tell you? There are about 17,000 of these newly-freed men in this immediate Department. Some are willing to work--some imagine freedom to be only rest from toil. Most of us feel they do better than could be expected. Some very industrions. A few are very saving; many are like children--spend all you give, and very unwisely; much like other people in that. They do not desire to go North: not one in a hundred. [I have not found one.] Give them half a chance here, and every one will linger near the home of his or her birth. I have met them on Port Royal, St Helena, Hilton Head, Amelia and St. Simmon's Islands. I have met them by thousands and seen them by hundreds on the plantations, on the streets, on the wharves, on the steamers, at their homes, and in their rowboats, indeed in almost every possible condition, and I have yet to hear the first oath. They make exclamations, such as 'Jesus' or 'My God,' more in tones of supplication and reverence than in that of profanity. No intemperance is allowed, and amid all I have seen not one colored drunken man has made me blush for humanity. What they might do with freedom, I cannot say. Probably somewhat as white officers do, which would be bad enough. Soldiers and negroes are not allow- [[/column two]] [[column three]] ed the luxury of intemperance. Nine-tenths of the teachers declare their aptitude for learning equal to that of any white children of uncultivated parents. When first they came within our lines, it was doubtful whether one in fifty--some say not one in a hundred--could read. Where there has been three months steady schooling, nearly all know their alphabet. Many can spell out words, and a few can read a little. Still, within six weeks there have been but a very few schools out of the city, and even the supply is not one-quarter equal to the demand now. They are for the most part docile, subordinate and gentle. They are not quick. Slavery has made them slow, subtle, watchful, jealous. They speak false often, because they have had through life to dodge blows and censure; habits of years are not easily broken. They are not revengeful, but talk of old master and mistress with words of affection, in most instances, but start with alarm at the mere mention of their ever coming back to claim them. Some are shrewd, make money in many ways, and turn a penny almost equal to a Yankee. The poultry has always been acknowledged their legitimate right; and all the egg and chicken money was theirs, with good masters. Soldiers and gun-boat men ransacked our island--Paris--for poultry for Christmas, and though there seemed to be chickens, ducks and turkeys enough, the women would not sell one. Even Superintendents could not, for love or money, get a Christmas chick. 'Eggs is worth fifty cents a dozen, massa. Can't spare 'em now, sir; wants 'em for breed.' They have learned this branch well--will learn others in time. They are all emotionally religious; all their songs are religious. They look to God and to Jesus in all their trials. 'Thank God' every time they meet you. I met an old woman to-day who had heard of the rebel victory at Fredericksburg, and of the slaughter of our gallant soldiers. 'What matter,' said she, rolling her eyes to heaven 'wont do 'em no good. This am God's war, and He'll make 'em right next time.' As to chastity, our only wonder is, that they have any. But they are not lacking--a large proportion seem true and good. Yet, all are not. As to how they would compare with poor whites, I can only say that in much they would be superior--in much inferior. But no comparison can be made as between the condition of freemen and slaves--white men and black. The latter robbed of every right, hated and despised for the color of his skin, and even by his best friends avoided and shunned, though he may have wit, honesty, industry, piety and virtue. Nothing gives him courage or hope; white men under such conditions, if such a thing could be, would come out of the fiery ordeal much lower in manners and morals than these children of oppression. Do they steal? Some of them steal in retail while all around them white men are stealing by wholesale. Dinah declares she 'neber see your handkercher,' and Toby grows indignant at the imputation that he took your old boots, while Mr. Snap is smuggling whiskey into his sutler's stall, and Maj. Seizeum is cheating the government on rations. Sue takes your neck-ribbon, and her mistress, the officer's wife has a six hundred dollar piano smuggled on board a steamer bound North and says, sneeringly, 'Who cares for the government?' After ten weeks of close observation of the manners, customs, and habits of these people, I come to the conclusion that they are intensely human, and that they need only the training and guardianship that other persons equally ignorant would require from those above them in culture and wealth (allowing always for the prejudices of society), to take their places in the community, to make them able to maintain their freedom and themselves. As to the success of the experiment, as it is called, little can be said. One year is not time enough to decide, with any precision, on such a momentous question. Especially such a year of war, prejudice, confusion and devastation. Yet enough has been done to make those who are truly in earnest in this work, willing to 'go forward;' asking only that when these lands shall come under the hammer of the auctioneer in February, they may not pass into the hands of speculators and rebel agents. Then will be the time for the freedman's friends, in whatever capacity they may act, or by whatever name they may call themselves, to do the great work for these hitherto oppressed people. Let them buy these Islands--buy them for the use of the colored men; and leave them still to enjoy their old homes, and to till the same old soil, under the superintendence of well-chosen agents, such as the Freedmen's Aid Association may select, and, with the patronage of government, all will go on well, and the owners of the soil need not be losers. Fail to do this, and speculators will grind the people and all their freedom to powder. The blacks may be simple and stupid; but speculators are cruel and rapacious. P.S.-- I see by some of the Eastern papers that a statement has been made that there are 5,000 contraband soldiers--or five regiments--enlisted here for the war. Nothing could be more false. [[/column three]]
