102. CII.
A CRY OF EXULTATION. — A GLEAM OF LIGHT.
Confedrit × Roads (wich is in the Stait uv Kentucky), }
April 2, 1866.
[1]
Kin it be? Is it troo, or is it not troo? Is Androo Johnson
all my fancy painted him, or is he still a heaven-defying persekooter
uv the Democratic Saints? That's wat I and some
thousands uv waitin souls wood go suthin handsome to know.
I confess I never quite lost faith in Androo. Pro-slavery
Democracy sticks to a man ez does the odor uv the gentle
skunk to clothes, and it is got rid uv only by the same means,
to-wit, buryin the victim thereof.
Androo started out to be a Moses, and he is one; but I think
he's changed his Israelites. I onst saw a woman skinnin live
eels, and I reproached her, sayin, “Woman, why skinnest
thou eels alive? Doth it not pain em?”
“Nary!” retorted she. “I've skinned em this way for going
on to twenty years, and they're used to it.”
Even so. The negroes hev bin in bondage so long that
they're used to it, and Androo feelin a call to continue in
the Moses bizniss, hez, I hope, turned his attention to the
Dimocrisy. It's US he's a-goin to lead up out uv the Egypt
uv wretchedness we've bin in for nearly five years; it's US
that's a-goin to quit brick making without straw, and go up
into the Canaan wich is runnin with the milk and honey uv
public patronage. We shel hev sum fites: there's Amakelitish
post masters and Phillistine collectors to displace, but with a
second Jaxon at our hed what can we fear?
I feel to-night like a young colt. To me it seems ez though
my venerable locks, wich hangs scantily about my temples,
hed grown black agin, and that my youth wuz returnin. Ef I
hed any notion uv sooicide, that idea is dismist. I'm young
agin. Wat hez worked this change? yoo ask. It's the proclamation
declarin the war at an end, and withdrawin from the
Dimocratic States the odious hirelins uv the tyrant Linkin, and
the doin away uv that terrible marshal law. That's wat's done
it for me. Now I feel like sayin, with one uv old, “Mine eyes
hev seed thy glory; let thy servant depart in peace.”
We hev bin dooly subjoogated some time, and a waitin for
this. We wantid it, and longed for it ez the hart does for the
water course, and considerably more, onless the hart wuz
thirsty in the extreme. For now we are in the Union agin;
we are under the shadder uv that glorious old flag wich
protects all men ceptin niggers and Ablishnists. The nigger
is left to be adjustid by us, who is to be governed by the laws
wich control labor and capital. Certainly he is — uv coarse.
I saw two uv my neighbors adjustin one last nite. They wuz
doin it with a paddle, wich wuz bored full uv holes. He didn't
seem to enjoy it ez much ez they did. By that proclamation
our states are agin under their own control. Let em go at
wunst to work to destroy all the vestiges uv the crooel war
through wich they hev past. There ain't no soldiers now to
interfere, for the policy uv keepin soldiers in and among free
people is abhorrent to freedom and humanity. Go to work at
wunst, and build up the broken walls uv your Zion.
We must hev Peace and unanimity; and Peace cannot dwell
among us onless there's a oneness uv purpose and sentiment.
To prokoor this is yoor fust dooty. If there be among you
them ez opposed yoo doorin yoor late struggle for Rites, hist
em. Their presence is irritatin, and kin not be tolerated.
Ablishnism is as abhorrent now as ever, and the sooner yoo are
rid uv it the better. It is safe to assume that every man who
opposed the lately deceased Confedracy is a Ablishnist.
The next step, and the most important, is to tear down the
nigger school-houses and churches wich hev bin built here
and there, and kindly take the nigger by the ear, and lead him
back to his old quarters, wich is his normal position. The
Yankee school teachers sent here by Freedmen's Aid Societies
shood properly be hung for spreadin dissatisfaction and spellin
books among the niggers, but I wood advise mercy and conciliation.
Tar and featherin, with whippins, will perhaps do ez
well, and will go to show the world that our justice is tempered
with charity; that we kin be generous ez well ez just. Yoor
Legislatures shood be instantly called together, and proper
laws for the government uv the Freedmen should be passed.
Slavery is abolisht, and the people must live up to the requirements
of the act in good faith. I protest agin any violation
uv good faith, but labor must be done, for the skripter commands
it, and our frail nature demands wat can't be got without
it. We don't like to do it, but shel skripter be violated? Not
at all. The nigger must do it hisself, not ez a slave, for slavery
is abolished, but ez a free man. Ethiopian citizens uv Amerikin
descent (wich is mulatters), and full-blooded blacks, and all
hevin in the veins a taint uv Afrikin blood, must be restrained
gently, and for their own good I suggest laws ez follows: —
1. They must never leave the plantation onto wich they are,
when this act goes into effect, without a pass from the employer,
under penalty uv bein shot.
2. They shel hev the privilege uv suein everybody uv their
own color, ef they kin give white bail for costs.
3. They shel hev the full privilege uv bein sued the same
ez white folks.
4. They shel be competent ez witnesses in cases in wich
they are not interested, but their testimony is to go for nothin
ef it is opposed by the testimony uv a white man or another
nigger.
5. No nigger shel be allowed to buy or lease real estate outside
uv any incorporated city, town, or village.
6. No nigger shel be allowed to buy or lease real estate
within any incorporated city, town, or village, except as hereinafter
provided for, to wit: — He shel give notice uv his desires
by publication for six consecutive weeks in some newspaper
uv general circulation in sed village, for wich publication he
shel pay invariably in advance. He shel then give bonds, in
sich sums ez the mayor shel decide, that neither he, nor any uv
his ancestors, or descendants, or relations, will ever become
public charges, and will always behave themselves with due
humility, the bondsmen to be white men and freeholders. Then
the mayor shel cause a election to be proclaimed, and if the
free white citizens shel vote “yea” unanimously, he shel be
allowed to buy or lease real estate. If there is a dissenting
vote, then he shel be put onto the chain gang for six months
for his impudence in makin sich a request.
7. Their wages shel be sich ez they and the employers shel
mutually agree; but that the negroes may not become luxurious
and effeminate, wich two things is vices wich goes to sap the
simplicity and strength uv a people, the sum shel never exceed
$5 per month, but not less than enuff in all cases to buy him
one soot uv clothes per annum, wich the employer shel purchase
hisself.
8. The master shel hev the privilege uv addin to this code
sich other rules and regulations for their proper government
ez may strike him ez being good for em from time to time.
These provisions secure the nigger in all the rites wich kin
reasonably be asked for him, just elevated ez he is from slavery,
and thrown upon the world, ignorant of the duties of his new
position and status. He is simple, and needs the guidin hand
uv the stronger race.
My hart is too full to make further suggestions. Organized
into a tabloo, with the constitooshun in one hand (wich beloved
instrument kivers a great deal uv ground), a star-spangled
banner in the other, and a tramplin on a bloo coat wich I stript
off uv a returned nigger soldier wich wuz sick, I exultinly exclaim,
“The Union ez it is is ez good ez the Union ez it wuz.
'Ror!”
Petroleum V. Nasby,
Lait Paster uv the Church uv the Noo Dispensashun.
