Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-01-17

rational creation, daily acquired strength, and
rapidly shot up towards maturity | now be-
gan to exult in my Hourshng condition.
was decidedly the most healthful and promising
plant in the field. But, alas. in the midst OF
prosperity, plants, as well as men, are beset
with perils Formidable as had considered
the frost, and injurious as it had proved to my
feeble frame Twas now assailed by a still more
formidable antagonist, an antagonist, too, OF
great strength and vivacity, whose aspect was
most frightful. This enemy was nothing less
than the caterpillar, horrid monster! whose bo-
dy was nearly as big as badgers. He griped
me most cruelty round the stem, and had al
most succeeded in laying my vegetable pride In
the dust. Again, however,, was rescued from
premature destruction, and | shook, with IN
dignation, tine hated monster from my stem.
lii worthy IF remark, that when was In
the clutches OF my second enemy, accounts
were published in the newspapers oil Charles
ton and other places, that and my fellow We
getables throughout the district were IN the
most perilous circumstances, and that we could
not escape from total destruction. The crop
generally, it was added, would be greatly in
jured, and scarcity OF Cotton be the conse-
auence. Similar doIeful accounts were pub
lished in all the newspapers when was strug-
Cling with the badger-caterpIllar knew not
what could be the meaning OF these publlca-
tons, unless they were intended to raise the
value Of my brethren in the market, by making
it be believed that Cotton would be scarce
Alas! at that time had had no experience OF
the tricks Of the world.
AS soon as was ripe, and began 10 display
desire to be relieved from the capsule IN
which the essence of my being had been con-
fined, my attendants plucked me, with care,
from the stalk, and put me in place Of safety.
l was soon Joined by great numbers Of my spe-
cies that had been gathered from our parent,
soil. We were afterwards dried by The pattern
al heat, until the capsule in which we were inn
prisoned became hard, and seemed disposed TO
give us our liberty. next underwent the pro-
cess of being separated from my prison. pass
ed through machine called roller.gin. My
attendants took me in their hands, carefully
purged me from impurities, and slowed me in
place ready for undergoing the next operation
TO which my species has TO submit before we
attain to perfection. This was the process Of
packing. was, whilst enjoying repose al.
ter the fatigues of the day, taken up by the
slaves, and with number ofmy brethren, placed
on piece Of cloth, of no very delicate texture,
called cotton bagging. Our attendants proceed
ed in the process Of packing, and was sudden
ly awakened from my slumbers by feeling an un-
usual and painful pressure round my body.
endeavored to turn myself; but it was all in
vain. Twas so firmly fastened in my canvass
covering.to escape. therefore quietly resign
ed myself 10 my fate. The attendants sewed
me up, squeezed me most numerically in the
machine, deprived me of the air and light Of
heaven, and imprisoned me once more in CO.
vering as impervious as that in which nature
had enveloped me at first, and from which es-
cape, throu sh my own exertions, was altogether
hopeless
Dreadfully, however as I was squeezed, af
forwards learnt, that thousands oil my brethren
are doomed TO far harsher usage. They are
placed in powerful machines, called hydraulic
presses, squeezed until they are deprived OF all
sensation, and when they have become as hard
as a stone, are then tightly bound round with
strong cords, and resemble a fat lady, with stays
so tight that they might have been laced by
steam engine.
My metamorphose was now completed. By
one Of those mysterious processes which some
times take place in nature, and the cause or
causes of which the inteects OF the most pro-
found philosophers are puzzled in endeavoring
to explore, | become, by the congregation oil
atoms, a bag ofboved Cotton.
II always struck me as very remarkable, that
the persons who tended us in our infancy, and
who took care Of us when we had reached to
maturity, were Of different complexion from the
individual who claimed US as his property
Our nurses and attendants were black, and were
known by the name Of niggers. They originally
came, as | gathered from their conversation,
from far country, many OF them having been
kidnapped by white men, who profess religion
called Christianity, and which, have under
stood, enjoins upon its disciples strict obser-
vance Of the Divine precept of doing unto
others as they would that others should do UNI
to them" was puzzled to account for this
fact; but was still more puzzled when | reflect
ed, (or, though Bag of Cotton, had the pow
err of reAec'ion,) that the niggers by whom |
was tended were CONDEMNED to state of hope
less bondage in the United States Of North A
merica-by men who boosted that their own
country was the asylum of liberty, and that they
themselves were the only people who, under
the broad canopy Of heaven, enjoyed The real
blessings of freedom. Often did TRY to unrs-
vel puzzle so 2erplexing to my feeble powers;
but the subject was far beyond my poor ability:
gave up the pursuit in despair, as one OF those
anomalies in the history of mankind, which, as
they puzzle even the heads of the wisest among
L. Ifa fnpt ha