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VOL. 1
THE FRE.E SOUTH, j
BEiVFOUT, S. C.,JFLY 11, 1863.
Afent. for the Free Soath.
Tatlos & Co. Hilton ifead, and St. Helena Island.
C. C. Lxioit, Xo. 1 fiercer street, Xew York.
ZV Agents wanted in the different Kegiirents of this
Department, for the Fiaa Socth.
Preaching to Negroes.
Of late years, with the advance of books
and newspapers, the relative importance
* of pnblic speaking as a power over the
public mind, has greatly diminished. Bnt
there are still left occasions when words,
- - - .
f tly spoken, may be of incalculable ser- i
vice. And rarely ever since the world began
has there been an opportunity of this
kind presented equal to that which those
now have who can address the negroes of
the slave states on their transition to freedom.
These people cannot read* and if
they could, no newspaper fitted to their
condition and ideas has as yet been published.
Their instruction, as to their duties
and position, must therefore be exclusively
oral; and of this they need much.
Thev enter on their new state with few
?
ideas of freedom?and these to a great degree
wrong and pernicious. They do not
at first understand that freedom is a life
of struggle, in which a man must work
for a living, and if need be, fight for his
liberty. They need to be instructed as to
the rights of property, as to the duties involved
in marriage and paternity, and as
to industry, good order, sobriety, cleanliness,
and an improved household life.
The minister of religion, with such topics
and such hearers before him, has a work
not less important or sublime than that of
St. \Paul.
^ "rtiis work, we must sadly confess, is understood
by very few preachers who at,
tempt it, or if it is, they are without the
skill to perform it aright. They read
sometimes old sermons which they have
^ * preached in northern churches, or if they
do not read, they fall into the same old
strain which they can repeat from habit
or recal from memory. Their poor hearers
sleep through thn, (^aden monotony,
not understanding the mysterous harangue
They are treated to disquisitions on theology,
natural history and the like, which
might have done well enough in divinity
schools and quarterly conferences, but are
decidedly out of place here. They are
longing for the everlasting food by the
nourishment of which they shall become
good citizens, good Christians, good husbands
and fathers, honest men and chaste
?and instead of this they get chips
and stones. We have listened to such sermons
in this department, and we should
have slept under them more soundly than
the negroes were it not that our nerves
became all excited under ihe infliction.
Not thus did the Saviour of mankind
teach in Judea. He drew his illustrations
from the processes of nature and the customs
of life which were familiar to his
hearers. He talked not about Plato and
the Academy. He split no hairs with sophists.
He illustrated his teachings by
fhe lillies of the fields, the birds of the
air, the stars of Heaven, the exactions of
creditors, the lending and the use of money,
the labors of the vineyard, and the festivities
of marriage.
Let those who now minister in His name
follow His example. Let them enter the
cabins of the freedmen, and there learn
their forms of expression, the tone of
nArniVa* +)w\n*rtifa O-n/1
I lit? IX 1U1UU0) ?W yw?mi4 ??|^ir|? T
then they win be able to set before them
the appropriate food. Let them ilhistrate
their teachings by the scenes of the cotton
and corn field, the catching of fish, the
hunting of game, the beauty of the flow4
ers like the jessamines and the yucca, and
even the turkey buzzard may sometimes
' point a moral and adorn a tale." St
Paul, who was a Christian minister, and a
man of the world, too, who knew both
Greek and Barbarian, recognized this duty
of the bishop, and required that he
should be "apt to teach."
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THE FREE SOUTH?, SA1
The missionaries, -who are privileged to
preach the gospel to the freedmen, have a
mission not less glorions than that of the
early fathers of the Christian church. But
they will be false to their trust if they give
this interesting people the chips of a cold
exegesis, or homilies of a technical and
partizan theology. It is of little moaiert
whether they are Methodists, Baptists,
Episcopalians, or Unitarians, so loig as
they become brave soldiers, good citizens,
Christian men and women.
Two gentlemen of African descent, clergymen
by profession, have recently come
to the Department, who, from what we
can learn, answer well the qualifications
which St Paul requires of the bishop.
May their ministrations be blessed to the
welfare of souls, and may they b an example
to white men engaged in a like service,
Newbern dispatch says thh. opposition
papers in North Carolina are very
severe on the "fire eaters" and original
secessionists, who, according to the utterances
of the special organ of Gen. Vance,
the Raleigh Standard, will never be allowed
hereafter to hold an office of honor or
trust whatever in North Carolina From
the same source it appears that Jeff Davis
has been given to understand by Governor
Vance, that the fate of the confederacy
must be decided in Virginia ; that in
no case will the confederate army be allowed
to make a stand in North Carolina,
and deluge her fields with blood and devastation
; but must, when they leave Virginia,
retire into the cotton states, and
end the conflict where it began.
In the vicinity of Wilmington and near
the borders of South Carolina, a large
number of deserters and conscripts are
entrenched, and successfully resisting the
rebel authority, having had three engagements
already,
The rebel Secretary of War has ordered
all the North Carolina troops into other
states for immediate service, on account
of the growing dissatisfaction among them.
?&*Uniomsm in Nashville increased
since the President's emancipation proclamation.
The Nashville Union instances
the Union club of that city. Previous to
the proclamation the applications for membership
averaged about twenty-two per
week for four weeks; since that time the
applications have numbered forty per
week. Slaveholders, who have never been
suspected of harboring a thought adverse
to the "divine institution,"have oome forward
and avowed their firm conviction
that the system was an unmitigated curse,
and incompatible with our government
We are informed that such discharged
soldiers as intend to apply for a
pension should do so within a year from
the date of their discharge, or they will
lose a whole year's pension. All applications
made after the expiration of a year
will only secure the pension from the date
of said application, but if made within
the year their pension will commence with
their discharge.
J^-Prisoners recently returned from
Richmond state that the rebel leaders are
watching, with intense interest, the negro
soldier movement, now in progress in this
department, Massachusetts, Louisiana,
and in the southwest. In speaking upon
this subject the rebels betray great excitement,
and do not attempt to disguise their
sentiments that it will nave an important
influence upon the future of the campaign.
J&^The Herald of Progress, a Spiritualist
paper in New York, says that Stonewall
Jackson has become an Abolitionist
since his death, and has joined John
Brown's phalanx of philanthropists.
I^The New York Anti-Slavery Standard
acknowledges the receipt of fifty dollars,
for the benefit of the freedmen under
the care of Mrs. Frances D. Gage, on
Paris Island, S. 0. - v
JSTUncle Sam's postal currency is car
culating freely in the confederate capital,
fURD/.y, JULY 11,1863.
, j The Army of (he Potomac*
1 Tie New York Sun says the prompt ac!
tioi of General Meade, in placing the arj
i*y of the Potomac at important strategic '
1 joints, has had the effect of relieving Har- 1
'risburg from immediate danger of attack,
1 * ^ 1 t -- x * ?j
ov lorcing tjrenenu juee w i-ouceummc ma
forces for a battle. This event is likely to 1
take place very soon, if, indeed, it has not 1
already commenced. The most momen- 1
tous consequences depend on the result, 1
which will be anticipated with the most 1
intense interest. All the indications pro- ^
niise a great Union victory. Our soldiers 1
fight on their own soil, and are animated ?
by the powerful incentives of protecting
their own homes and saving their country <
from the impending ruin which is so os 1
tentatiously threatened by the Richmond f
journals and the rebel leaders in Pennsyl- <
vania. The coming battle will be the first 1
contest of the war on free soil; and a stern 1
poetic justice may require that the divine {
inspiration that is to crush the slavehold- *1
ers' rebellion should be kindled on a
northern battlefield. # '
gtfn^The following letter from Vice President
Hamblin has been received by Gen.
Saxton?it will be read with interest by
the colored people in this Department :
Bangor, Me., June 24, 1863. ^
My Dear Sir?I have had forwarded to ^
me by the colored women of Victoria, V.
L, about six hundred dollars, and have
the same in my hands. j
My instructions are to send it to Beau- (
fort, S. C., "for the benefit of the con- ^
trabanas, it being the first placf a colored
regiment was formed according to law."
If yon will have the kindness to see the
money expended according to the wishes
of the donors, yon will mnch oblige me
and all parties concerned?and I desire
you will do so. If willing to assume the
trust, as I trust you will be, will you inform
me at your earliest convenience, and j
instruct me in what manner I can best re- t
mit you the funds. {
Yours truly, i
H. HAMLIN. i
frpn Sattqv. Beaufort. S. C. ^
fla^The discharges from Gen. Rose- **
crans' army for the month of May exhibit
the following gratifying results : Whole
number discharged, one thousand fiftynine
; of these twenty-four re-enlisted in j
the regular army, five hundred and sixtythree
were discharged from the ranks in (
order to be promoted# and only four hundred
and seventy-two were discharged
for disability. These statistics speaa voi- (
macs for the sanitary condition of his <
army.
J&-The slaughter of the negro troops
by the rebels in the battle of Milliken's
Bend has induced Gen. Grant to issue an
order, declaring that hereafter, should any ?
soldier, whether white or black, wearing (
the uniform of a United States soldier, be ]
captured and executed, retaliatory meas- 1
ures will be adopted by him, and rebel (
soldiers in his hands will be treated in like 1
manner. j
jBS^Tlie Senate of Connecticut, by a ,
vote of twelve to eight, has refused to restore
to the Senate hall the portraits of
ex-Governor Toucy and Seymour, as evi- ^
dence of their loyalty was not produced, *
which, according to the resolution ban- ,
ishing the pictures, must be forthcoming
, before a restoration is in order.
J^-The government agent reports the i
sale of five-twenties on the 1st to the i
amount of $1,700,000, by the various
agents throughout the loyal states. The
Secretary of the Treasury has authorized ~
the continuance of the agency system for .
the sale of government loans.
Lady Leconfield, the mother of the gallant
English officer, Col. Sir Percy Wynd,
ham, wounded in the cavalry battle on
the Rappahannock, died lately in London
under sudden and painful circumstances.
The Richmond Inquirer says that Gen.
Grierson is again, "canvassing" Mississippi
'
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NO. 2T_
Tlie War Carried into Africa by her
twi' Sonw.
On the 27th nit, five colored men from <
St. Helena and one i>om Beaufort, who
acted as guide, crossed over to the Main,
for the purpose of rescuing their relatives
and friends from the hands of their cruel
masters. Having successfully pawed the
enemy's pickets, they landed witlioret difficulty,
and found the prospects bette^
ilmost than they had hop$ji Tlicy saeW
their friends, told their plans, and seoau
bad a larger party to bring off than their boat
would hold. In order to maknw
jood job of it another boat was necessary,
rhey returned to St Helena, and inynoliately
went back with a larger boat, etn-"
marking twenty-eight people, Jjirge ^nd,
jmall, and last night the entire part^land~
?d safely on this shore among their old i
xiends and former fellow servants. , Ifc
vas a scene of rejoicing and of thant?pving
to God. Parents met children and
msbauds met wives.
Ishmael, the former driver of these refigees,
says he has left on the Main sixty
teres of corn, five acres of potatoes and
;wenty-one acres of cotton, which ho had
liis year put in with the aid of eight
lands. He has arrived here with his ppode
in season to plant peas and slip potatoes,
and will at once put in enough to
urnish them with provisions for the coning
winter.
The above facts, and similar ones now
' ?? 1.1? in ?MA?a fkan
IWJUeiiUJ' LKXJLLlUlg, 19 rnvic 1VAU1U1V liiMMi
iny argument in favor of the courage, enerprise
and the desire for liberty, possessid
by the freedmen. D.F.T.
St Helena, July 3, 1863.
Fire-Inns, Ammunition, etc.
GENERAL ORDERS, NO. 3.
Office or THE Provoht Maf.kjiai.Genehal.
Department of the S-with, >
Port Royal, 8. C., July 4th, 1363. /
The Provost Marshals of the several
>osts of this Department will forthwith,
ake possession, of all fire arms and the
ammunition and equipments for the game
n. the hands of any person not in the miliary
serviae of the United States, and
ivil] turn the same over to the Ordinance
nf fhoir roenpetivp nnotn
Any sutler found trading in such article
rill subject liis entire stock to seizure,
md all persons found with them in their
possession, except by special order from
he Commanding General of the Departnent
or Post, will be at once arrested and
lealt with as the commanding officer may
lirect
By command of Brig. General Q. A.
jillmore, Commanding Department of the
iouth.
JAMES^F. HAUL,
Lta*. Colonel aid Provost Marshal C?eneraL
Take the Numbers.? Holbrook's Mail
tays that it is very essential that parties
inclosing bank notes in letters, for transnisei
on in the mail, slioule- be particular
n retaining the number, letter and data
?f each bilL If lost or stolen, this will aid
essentially in tracing out the robbery and
in the return of the property to the right:ul
owner, provided it is recovered in
(vhole or in part. It is not enough to be
ibLe to say that the notes posted were of'.
[particular denominations, and on certain,
banks. Such identification is not sufficient
to authorize the restoration, if found.
Die practice of retaining a pretty full description
would, if generally followed, tend1.,
greatly to prevent depredations, and aid
materially in convictions where robberies,
ire committed and detected.
^"Governor Tates has prorogued tiha
Dlinois legislature according to law, though,
extremely against the wishes of the copperheads,
who threaten all sorts ot ven- ;
geance. Kg*'
The Union State Convention of
Maine assembled at Bangor on the 1st,
and nominated Samuel Coney for Governor
by a large vote.
-Say* Major General Franklin has been
ordered to a command in Louisiana, under
Major General Banks,
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