New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-06-10

The slaves selected 20 20 TO the Great House
Farm. for the monthly allowance for thcmselve-
md their fellow slaves were peculiarly enthusiastic
IS hilc Oh thcr way. they would make the dense o.d
woods Tor miles around. rcferDrrlie - ih their WHO
songs revealing at once hc highest JOS and thc deep
ssi sadness They would compose and slg al they
went along consulting neither time nor tune. The
-houcht that came up. came QUIT not 10 the WORD
the sound and frequently IN the one as IN me
other They would sometimes sing the most pa
heic sentiment ia the most rapilrons tone ana tAt
most rapfIrOus sentiment IN the most pathetic tone
Into all their songs they would manage 10 weave
.omeihing Of the Great House Farm. Especially
woule they do this when leaving home. They would
ihen sing most cxultingy the following words
j am going away 70 the Great House Farm
o. yea o. yea o."
This they would sing, as chorus. 10 words which
10 many would seem unmeonlng larg0n. but which
nevertheless were fill OF meaning 70 themselves
have sometimes thought that the mere hearing OF
hose SONGS would do more 20 impress some minds
with the horrible character of slavery than The
reading OF whole volumes Of philosophy on the sub.
cci could do.
u did not when a slave understand the deep
meaning OF those rude and apparently incoherenl
songs ] was myself within the circle 80 that
neither saw nor heard o. those without might sec
and hear They told tale of wo which was then
altogether beyond my feeble comprehension they
were tones loud, long and deep. they brcathed the
PRAYER and complaint Of souls boiling over with The
bitterest anguish Every tone was testimony
against slavery. and a PRAYER 10 God for deliver
lnce from chains The hearing OF those Wild noie-
always depressed my spirit, and filled me with
nefiabe sadness have frequently found myself
IN tears while hearing them. The mere recurrence
20 those songs even now. alcts me and while
an writing these lines an expression OF feeling has
already found its way down my check. To tho-'
songs ! trace my first slimmerns conception OF the
lehumanizing character OF Slavery. can never
get rid OF that conception. Those songs sim follow
me- 10 deepen M hatred of Slavery and quicken
mv svmpathes for my brethren in bonds II any
one wishes 10 be impressed with the soul killing
effects Of slavery Jet him 20 20 Col LlOyds Plania
ion and. alloWancc-day place himself IN inc
leep pine woods and there let him, IA silence.
naive the sounds that shall pass through the
chambers of his soul,-and ii he IL not thus I'M
pressed il will only be- because there Is no flesh in
his obduraic heart
Il have often been utterly aslonshcd. since J
came 10 the North 10 find persons who could speak
Of the singing among slaves as evidence Of their
-ontenimcnt and happiness. 1t Is impossible 10
conceive Of "a greater mistake Slaves slus mosi
when they are most unhappy The songs Of tue
slave represent the sOrrows of his heart and he D.
relieved by them. only as aching heart is relieved
by its tears. At least such j. my experience
! ave often sung to drown my sorrow, but seldom
fo express my happiness Crying for JOY ana sing
| ing for low were alike uncommon 10 me Wiiiie I'D
,he laws of slavery The singing OF man cas-
Nyay upon a desolaic island might be as appro
praiclv considered as evidence of cOnienimcni ana
happiness rs the singing Of slave; the songs OF
he one and OF the other are prompted by the same
emotion.
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