MISSISSIPPI'S LAZY PEOPLE.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3482, 21 February 1880, Page 4

MISSISSIPPI'S LAZY PEOPLE.

The San Francisco Bulletin correspondent writes:—The negroes are in rags, shoeless, destitute, and, worse.than ell, not-desirous of working. By iheir neglected education during slavery, always directed what to do by their owners and not thinking for themselves, it could not be expected that freedom would bring in its train intelligence and administrative ability. As a consequence their ignorance has destroyed the fruit of their labours for years past, and they have been the prey too often of unscrupulous men, who have amassed fortunes at the expense of the negroes who traded with them. The rise has been so' ; great in crediting the negro that from 100 to 300 per cent has been asked and paid for advances of supplies. As a consequence the negroes seeing that they worked hard throughout the year and had nothing at the end have become demoralised and suspicious of everybody and everything; don't wish to work, and would prefer to sit in the sun or fish all day than attempt to work. It is my firm opinion that under present circumstances, if any locality was surrendered to them for exclusive residence,' without; .interference from the whites, it would not require five years' time to bring the special community into assimilation with the African tribes. For ten days I have been offering steady work at a remunerative price foradozenlaborers, and I cannot secure them. I have wanted fences built and houses erected, and I cannot find one, or even a company to work. And I have to hunt up a white man to take up the contract at 100 per cent, higher than actual cost, or superintend the matter myself.