Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-05-18


ing master Why do those symptoms
oi mourning and lamentatlon appeal
among them All il is needless 10 ~
ouire | sec mothers weeping the loss
OF their chlldren-tender infants sepa-
ted from their mothers heart*-the
closest relations of lite violated ORR
asunder. No wonder that you grieve.
Your dearest hopes are subject to The
caprice of fellow man, who forgels or
cares not for your sorrows. Time roll
ed along, and the pralries gradually be-
came covered with the victims oil mans
cupldily. Truly, thought |,
MANS nhumanity 10 man
" Makes countless thousands mourn %
The land, instead of the verdure and
bloom TO wnich had looked forward,
appeared as it barrenness had oVerspread
It. A splendid mansion here and there,
al long intervals appeared, surrounded
by the miserable CABINS Of the poor white
men, aud the still more wreiched hoVels
Of The slaves. A ordly arstocracy had
assumed the place OF the repobiican
equality which once triumphed--and the
| inhabilan that in the days OF Freedom
had thriven in prosperity, were mostly
either driven hence, by the competition
of slave labor, or spurned and trsmpled
upon by The new aud naughty inhabi-
ANTS.
Alas thought I, how blind, how inia-
tuated IS man. These my brethren,
thought to enlarge their stores and add
to their comforts by the admission OF
slavery, and now they suffer ten fold po-
verify, and are deprived OF their former
standing in society by the inequality 1t
but yet, perhaps the sum OF misery Is
not increased. The South, relieved OF
SO many slaves, must have found The
blessings which Illinois has lost. turn
ed my eager gaze to see. The fields
are sill covered with dark, emaciaied
forms of slavery. No dlminu'ion seem
ed to have resulted. Wondering, loo!s
ed 10 my fair monitor TOR an explanation.
Look yonder," she said, " where lhai
secluded creek empties into the waters
Of the ocean--and sui f0rther--to the
boundary Of your vast lerrllory--and
then behold the mystery unioided."
| looked, and IN deep shaded streams,
tar from the babiiaiohs oil man, beheid
stately vesseisf ireighed with huDai,
beings, and sending them forth 10 plan.
talions that lay remote from pnpulnus
places whence they were successfully
iriten Oh un,il they mingled with The
mass Of wrelched beings who like them
were doomed 10 wear the chains oil bon
dage. saw also drovss of manaeled
| negroes, Issuing from adjacent countries
| and tlilng any vacancy occasioned by
The removal of them who are brought to
| LIMOS.
"'ris thus" said the pure spirit i" that
the Wanted humanity Of yoar slavedea
ers is exercised. In vain do they pre-
tend that they will spread only the slaves
now held in bondage over wider and
iairer fields. The awakened cupidity OF
the hardened demi-deyils who tear their
victims from their native land, will never
cease its vigilance while the prospec, OF
| gam ,nclles them to their barbarous trait
| tic. Vain are your laws-and vain the
punishment denounced, when they Can
SO easily evadc them. But day OF re-
tribution will arrive Behold and sound
the awful warning through your threa-
tened land, that my people may 8" Zee
the wrath 10 come"
Feartu!Iy | gazed over the devoted
land, from the northern confines OF the
plague to the far south, saw the venge-
tul slave minglng the deadly poison
| with the TODD his master ate---i saw the
keen knife prepared for dreadful deeds
| saw the secret meetings at the mid
night hour when revenge sat brood
ing and exciting horrid purposes.
discerned the private signal carried from
| gang to gang Treason stake in dread
full conceament, and made awful pre-
paration for some horrid crime.-At
length, while the unwary and enfeebed
white man dwell at case, and slumbered
in iancied securitv-the watch-word W as
| given" Revenge and Liberty" re-
sounded through the air-iury and de-
VISITATION, rapine and massacre deuged
The land in blood, and the pale and con-
sclous oppressors, shriekipg in vain for
pity, were swept in one wide horrld
scene OF destruction
My ayes could bear no more-my
heart, wrung with anguish at the sight,
sent forth agonlzlng groans, and | suak
down in speechless horror When once
more felt the power to use my facul-
ties cast deprecating look towards the
spot that had been occupied bv the