91. XCI.
THE EFFECT THE PROCLAMATION OF SECRETARY
SEWARD PRODUCED IN KENTUCKY.
Confedrit × Roads (wich is in the Stait uv Kentucky), }
December 20, 1865.
[1]
At last! The deed is done! The tyranikle government
which hez sway at Washington hez finally extinguished the
last glimerin flicker uv Liberty, by abolishin slavery! The
sun didn't go down in gloom that nite — the stars didn't fade
into a sickly yeller, at wich obstinacy uv nachur I wuz considably
astonished.
I got the news at the Post Offis, near wich I am at present
stayin, at the house uv a venerable old planter, who accepts
my improvin conversation and a occasional promise, wich is
cheap, ez equivalent for board. Sadly I wendid my way to
his peaceful home, dreadin to fling over that house the pall uv
despair. After supper I broke to em ez gently ez I cood the
intelligence that three fourths uv the States hed ratified the
constooshnel amendment — that Seward had ishued his proclamation,
and that all the Niggers wuz free!
Never did I see sich sorrer depicted on human countenance
— never wuz there despair uv sich depth. All nite long the
bereaved inmates uv that wunst happy but now distracted
home wept and waled in agony wich wuz perfectly heart
rendin.
“Wo is me,” sobbed the old man, wringin his hands.
“John Brown's karkis hangs a danglin in the air, but his sole
is marchin on.
“It took posseshun uv Seward, and through his ugly mouth
it spoke the words `the nigger is free,' and there is no more a
slave in all the land.
“Wunst I hed a hundred niggers, and the men were fat and
healthy, and the wenches wuz strong, and sum uv em wuz fair
to look upon.
“They worked in my house, and my fields, from the risin uv
the sun to the goin down uv the same.
“Wuz they lazy? I catted them till they wuz cured
thereof; for lo! they wuz ez a child under my care.
“Did they run away? From Kentucky they run North, and
lo! the Locofoco Marshals caught them for me, and brought
them back, and delivered them into my hand, without cost,
sayin, lo! here is thy nigger — do with him ez thou wilt (wich
I alluz did), wich wuz cheeper than keepin dogs, and jest ez
good.
“Solomon wuz wise, for he hed uv concubines a suffishensy,
but we wuz wiser in our day than him.
“For he hed to feed his children, and it kost him shekels uv
gold and shekels uv silver, and much corn and oil.
“We hed our concubines with ez great a muchness ez Solomon,
but we sold their children for silver, and gold, and red-dog
paper.”
And all nite long the bereaved old patriarch, who hed alluz
bin a father to his servants (and a grandfather to many uv em)
poured out his lamentations.
In the mornin the niggers wuz called up, and ez they all hed
their coats on, and hed bundles, I spect they must hev heard
the news. The old gentleman explained the situation to em.
“Yoo will,” sed he, “stay in yoor happy homes — yoo will
alluz continue to live here, and work here, ez yoo hev alluz
dun?”
The niggers, all in korous, with a remarkable unanimity,
remarkt that ef they hed ever bin introdoost to theirselves,
they thought they woodent. In fact, they hed congregated at
that time for the purpose uv startin life on their own hook.
A paroxysm uv pain and anguish shot over the old man's
face. Nearest to him stood a octoroon, who, hed she not bin
tainted with the accurst blood uv Ham, wood hev bin considered
beautiful. Fallin on her neck, the old patriarch, with
teers a streamin down his furrowd cheeks, ejackilated, —
“Farewell, Looizer, my daughter, farewell! I loved yoor
mother ez never man loved nigger. She wuz the solace uv my
[ILLUSTRATION]
DEPLORABLE EFFECT OF THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION. Page 231.
[Description: 635EAF. Illustration page. A man holds his arms up to a group of African Americans, seemingly trying to keep them away from a pile of dead bodies.]
leisure hours — the companion uv my yooth. She I sold to
pay off a mortgage on the place — she and yoor older sisters.
Farewell! I hed hoped to hev sold yoo this winter (for yoo
are still young), and bought out Jinkins; but wo is me!
Curses on the tyrent who thus severs all the tender ties uv
nachur. O! it is hard for father to part with child, even when
the market's high; but, O God! to part thus —”
And the old gentleman, in a excess uv greef, swoonded away
genteelly.
His son Tom hed bin caressin her two little children, who
wuz half whiter than she wuz. Unable to restrain hisself, he
fell on her neck, and bemoaned his fate with tetchin pathos.
“Farewell, farewell, mother uv my children! Farewell,
faro, and hosses, and champane — a long farewell! Your
increase wuz my perquisites, and I sold em to supply my
needs. Hed yoo died, I cood hev bin resigned; for when
dead you ain't wuth a copper; but to see yoo torn away
livin, and wuth $2000 in any market — it's too much, it's
too much!”
And he fainted, fallin across the old man.
“Who'll do the work about the house?” shreekt the old
lady, faintin and fallin across Tom.
“Who'll dress us, and wash us, and wait on us?” shreekt
the three daughters, swoonin away, and fallin across the old
woman.
My first impulse wuz to faint away myself, and fall across the
three daughters; but I restrained myself, and wuz contented
with strikin a attitood and organizin a tablo. Hustlin the niggers
away with a burnin cuss for their ingratitood, I spent the
balance uv the forenoon in bringin on em too. Wun by wun
they became conshus; but they wuz not theirselves. Their
minds wuz evidently shattered; they wuz carryin a heavy
heart in their buzzums.
Wood, O! wood that Seward cood hev seen that groop!
Sich misery does Ablishnism bring in its train — sich horrers
follers a departure from Dimikratik teechins. When will
reason return to the people? Eko answers, When?
Petroleum V. Nasby,
Lait Paster uv the Church uv the Noo Dispensashun.
