University of Virginia Library

26. XXVI.
CONVERSES WITH A BROTHER.

[1] I hed a brother who left his paternal roof, in 1849, for the
purpus uv makin a fortin a follerin the briny deep. He didn't
make a fortin, however, makin fortins bein a thing fer wich the
Nasby family is not celebratid. He had bin absent all uv the

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84

“Josef,” sez I, “do yoo still remane troo to the Dimekratik
faith?”

“Petroleum,” sez he, “I do. Ez wuz resolved in our convenshun
the year afore I startid, I bleeve that slavery is a evil,
and that the Dimokrasy uv Ohio shood use all constooshnel
means to mittigait and finally eraddicait it, and —”

“Hold,” sez I; “times is changed. The Dimokrasy now look
upon slavery ez a blessin; but go on.”

“I bleeve,” resoomed he, “that the settlin uv the question
uv slavery by the Missory Compermise wuz rite; and —”

“Hold on,” sez I; “we repealed the Compermise.”

“I bleeve,” retorted he, feebly, “that slavery is the creecher

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85

“Stiddy,” sez I; “the Dimokrasy is in favor uv extendin it
all over the territories.”

“Well,” sez Josef, sez he, “I'm for the Union, wun and
indivisable; that's Dimokrasy — aint it?”

“Yes,” sez I, “with sevral ifs and much buts. We are jest
now, ez a party, ingaged in the deliteful work uv splittin up the
old Union into four parts, as per Vallandigum. Josef, yoor
behint the age. You see, Josef, we wuz for the Union, wun
and indivizable, jest so long ez the Dimokrasy, wich wuz
mostly located Sowth, hed control uv sed Union. In them
days Noo England wuz under. Then things changd. Noo
England spred over the West, and ther wuz danger uv loosin
the controle. To check em, we commenst legislatin; fustly
repeelin the Compermise, so they mite take niggers ther, if
they cood git in fast enuff. That was a failoor. Then we
decided that the constooshn pertected slavery, and that it cood
go ther anyhow. Still Noo England beet us, electin a Abolishn
President, and we bolted, so that we cood git shet uv New
England. And that's wat the war's about.”

Sez Josef, sez he, “Petroleum, to me it doth seem that
all that's left uv the Dimokrasy, to which I wunst belongd,
is the name.”

To which I sentenshusly replide, “It air.”

Sez Josef, sez he, “Petroleum, I can't git it thro me. Ef I
hed staid at home, perhaps I mite hev took these changes
down, wun at a time, but at wun dose it's to much. Therefore,
Petroleum V., consider me owt. The old flag's good enuff for
me, I thank you, and Androo Jaxson wuz about the style uv a
Dimekrat, you mite bet yer bottom dollar on. I repoodiate the
hull on't. I don't like egg-shells, nor nuthin wat aint got no
meet into it; by wich strikin mettyfor I mean to say that a
party that hez dispozd uv its principples, and lives on a empty
name, aint the assosiashen for any body but a low grade uv
ijeots, and a high grade uv scoundrels, sech ez would garrote
the Goddis uv Liberty fer the white cotton nite gown she is
piktorielly represented ez wearin. Petroleum V., adoo.”

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86

The next day he enlistid. I saw him depart with a bloo kote
on. Ez he haddent a dollar that I cood borrer, I wuz rejoist to
see him go.