Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1850-12-05
TIE IRON OF TaE SOUL.


TEE IRON OF THE SOUL.
:, ha, a thousand times been asserted 10y the
defenders and app'ogists Of slavery, that the
South we're generally happy and CONT Dted =
that they had no abiding sense of any wrongs
inflicted on them, and that suffering nothing in
their feelings from consciousness ct their con-
dition, they had no particular desire iorireCdom
unless melted to 1t by the ianaiicaI or designing
f This has so often been affirmed and reiterated
by multitules both North and South, from Hem
~ Clay IN the Senate, down to the STRIPPING de-
bat n in the lyceunl. that great proportion Of
community may still believe in It's general truth
tulnpss We once Certainly did 80 ourselves;
But an incident at length occurred, which, fol-
thu moment, opened to our surprised senses, the
almost impenetrabe curtain made TO conceal
what IS thought and felt by this injured race,
from that of the whites, to whom they are per-
mitted access, aud aholds us a glance into the
dark arena of bondage, mat taught us Il very
different lesson, and one that soon resulted, with
the train oil observation and arguing it started,
III the entire convection ol The utter grOuHdless.
ness any iaIsrhood Of any and all such asser-
tons Of hcse lying or mistaken apologlSs Of that
crying enonnity,
Daring our former residence, us family tn
tor, and student in a Southern State, on a lone
ly plantation, worked by an hundred slaves, we
became accustomed to AXE soliar; walk eve
nlngs, over an old eubowrGd road leading thro'
long reach Of adjacent woods. One evening,
while on one of these rambles, and while in the
deepest part Of The forest, fine intelligent look
ing black man, with a nesltating air, aud
quick glance up and down the road, emerged
from thicket into the path behind Us, and cast
tmd but wishtuI look into our face.
"Do you wish anything Of me, any man ?" said
we, tuning and peTcelying his hesitation, but
evident wish to address us.
:" do do master" he replied eagerly, being
encouraged by our tone.
" hat may 1t be, ?"
i" / want to talk with you-but you won't re-
port me to the white folks, viii you 7"
Certainly not, unless you disclose some Grim
iua matter which ought TO be reported"
II knew you wouldn't but come out here in
to the bushes and sit down on this old log, where,
if any white folks happen along they won't see
Inc talki1g with you"
" Now. sir" he resumed, after had complied
with what thought a singular request" Now,
sir, having heard our people here on the planta.
ton say you walked through these woods Sun
day evenings after meeting, have come nine
miles to-day, eros lots through the fields and
woods, for the chance OF speaking with you a.
lone, and seeing and talking with man who
came from country where men and women
are not bought and sold like the cattle of the
field"
After we had answered the scores ofquestionS
which this thoughtful and gratified slave put to
US respecting our countr , It's people and their
views on slavery, he hung his head moment,
and said with sigh,-
What good and justly doing people! But
y, why docs Uou suHtl tHelu W NC 81 uihcient
here ?"
" But what do you complain of, in your con-
dition," we asked SO want OF food and cloth
ing ?"
"No, not that; though God knows how pinch
ipgly we ale often supplied with both"
"What then-the whppings your masters
and overseers sometimes wrongfuly give
you ?"
" No, not that neither-though frequently for
only for suspconed offences, or for falling to
do our tasks when too sick to work, our backs
are cut to the bone by the lash--not that; for
that we can cure and endnre-no, none OF these
it is none of these BUT 1T is THE LASH ON
THE SOUL which it is the lot of the poor slave
m receive every day of his ife--wh Oh he can
neither avoid nor endure, and which nothing but
his freedom can cure"
g But that is only imaginsry--that Is COM
paratively nothing, is it not Z"
Imaginary nothing dear, dear master
Is it nothiug to be nsulted-to be called black
4 rascal, a long heeed thief, an onion eyed liar,
and 50 on, fifty times day? Is it nothing to
have your wife, your children, or your brothers
and sisters, torn from you, and sent off where
they are lost TO you forevqr' Or ifthey are
- not carried off, is it nothing to know and feel
that they are liable to be at any moment, to sat
isfy the whims, or the money spirit, or at the
hest. the debts OF tho master2 Is it nothing ia
lay down with your wife and little ones at night
3 and Law awake aud tumble and start at every
: no,se lest it be the steps Of the negro-tradeI
coming to take them away3 Would it be moth
h inc 10 you, it you have brothers and sisters, to
2 live in the constant dread of all this? And a.
), gain, is it nothing to know that your own life is
= in the hands Of tyrant overseer, who can shoo
/ or split YOU down in the field with an axe, and
n vet eo clear because, though forty slaves may
/ see il. not one is allowed by the laws to oper
a his mouth as a witness against him' Are al