Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1844-01-09
GEORGE AND JOHN EVANS.
A STORY ON SLAVERY.


of George and John Evans, and we lay it
before our readers. We publish only the
part, which in previous COM
was contrasted by the descrip-
ton of visit Of George Evans the " Iron
Master to his brother John, who had en-
igrated to America at an early age, and be-
come wealthy planter and owner Of ma
nv slaves in Carolina. 1t is made TO APP
pear that the " slaves" mere meH prorided
for and happy, so that George relinquishes
the main object Of his visit, which was sto
persuade his brother John TO abandon the
traffic. and send his negroes to
Africa" With this explanation we intro
duce the story.
When the two brothers arrived at tho old
paternal residence of Math -yer-aer Elyth
in Wales, there was trouble awaiting them.
4 Committee, or Commission from Par
lament, had just been there examining in.
to the state and condition Of the wo, King
classes as certain freemen or whitc opera
hrcs are called in that quarter. All work
lad been suspended for some days, and
these .freemea were gathered in groups,
here and there by day, and many OF them
being missed at night were strongly sus-
pected TO belong to- Rebecca's clan, then
engaged nightly in destroying tolI-gates
and committing other ouirages. There
was no joyful gathering of the people to
welcome the return Of the "Iron MASTERY"
they looked sullen and stupid.
George the Iron Master. was savage and
perp'exed, and John the Planter, was as.
tonshed-but he made no remark. AS it
required some days to unpack and make
himself at home, he waited till George
should invite him to visit his mines and for
ges, before making any inquiries or indul-
ging his natural curiosity.
One morning ut breakfast. George open
ed the subject by expressing his Indignation
that Government should trouble itself about
the condition Of the rorking classes. and
disturb the harmony and industry OF the
country. {! never suffer any one TO bo-
Their me-" says he, "about low wages and
hard work, and why the devil should Par
lament be sending their agents 10 disturb
Us. Iron is low and Coal is low, and
therefore icages are low. and if Corn is
high that is not my fault. | don't receive
Corn'-and how can be expected to keep
people from starving unless get enough
out OF their labor TO feed them by their
wages-lt government expects me to feed
people Lecausc they work for me- when
their labor gives me inadequate return
government is mistaken; that's all" This
was his preface to volume that John the
Planter was just about to open and read.
So after breaklas, he sailed out to take d
look into the actual condition OF the free
men Of the mines and FORCES Of " NAH.
yer-ser Ely,h," the work men. work-wo-
mon, and work children Of which, had the
day before. resumed their labors He was
Fl rst lowered down many hundred yards in
to the bowels of Coal pit; there he found
Whole families, men, women and children,
engaged in the occupation Of mining Coal.
They had come down for the week; not
one Of them would see daylight again for
several days. Damp, cold and dreary in.
deed, was that abode of human labor and
human suffering! Not a smile, not an ex-
preston of cheerrulnesS ANNA, ed any coun-
tenance in that region. forgot to men,
ton in its place, that John had brought his
body servant Gumbo along with him, and
Gam6o had been body servant literally
ever since, FOR he never lost sigh, Of his
master; and on this occasion, though re-
luc;antiy, had gone with his master into
the mines. Once in while during The
descent he would interrupt the silence with
. Goramlty bless you, massa, where are
we goingl" And whilst stumbling and
stopping along by lamplight throug Oh the
sublerrancous channels, he would cling to
the coat tail of his master and iremble with
fear, repeating occasionally in "sotto
voice." "Dis is de very place de parson
said Gumbo would go if he was a bad mig
ger"
Never was there so happy negro as
Gumbo. when he and his master reached
daylight again. Their next visi: was 10
the lron Works. where the never ending
fires and hammers and rollers we're al
work day and night INCREASINGLY; and
where the work men employed, though
above ground. were unconscious OF SUM-
shine or shower-palid and mirky, and
worn 10 the bone by labor, and deafened
by the din Of hammers and roar Of fires,
they resembled demons more than men, and
Gun5o ,hanked his stars he was no, one
of them.
In all The regions about was squalid pow
erty-womcn whose husbands and friends
had died in the service Of the Iron Master,
and who were surrounded by childrer. too
young even 10 carry coal or sweep cinders
were lite ally starving for want of food.
Old and infirm or sick men, who had been
"used up" in mines and furnaces, and on
able to earn anything, were in like condl.
ton.
"Gumbo." says'his master, my bro
Their George has proposed to me 10 make a
freeman of you. and says, if you are so dis.
posed, as you are now IN land of liberty,
you can stay here and learn the business
of digging coal or melting iron along with
these other .freemen, and be no longer a
contemplating slare-how would you like
itF' Come, Gumbo, you shall have your
choice-either 10 stay here and be Il free.
man, or return with me and continue a
a negro slave"
Whaugh-ha -ha-phew'-was Gum
bo's first response--and then he continued,
"Why massa, tink Gumbo a fool!--whai!
STAY here and ro down dare tn do delhi