Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1850-02-14
sTRoUDsBURG MONROE Pa FEBRUARY 1850

time we were in, like squirrel IN flour barrel,
and how intensely we learned to hate your institu-
tions, Mr. Ploughboy.
A few days after our arrival, gentleman came
to our boarding house and took room for himself
and wife. When they came whispers were .crcu-
lated as to the probabilities of their being married.
We were overwhelmed with astonishment, but
soon got used to such surmisings about every sran-
GER and learned after while, that we had been
taken for runaway school girl, and our bigger
half for stray German Baron, Spanish smuggler,
or Texan Ranger who was hiding from some of his
t'other wives. One could not stand in door for
fear some gesture would be construed into some
masonic signal to somebody Every third woman
was spoken of suspicious character, and as for
the men they had no character at all. The neigh
boz over the way who lived in the handsome brick
house with double parors. had great, big, ugly
black woman for his wife, and was raising family
of his own children for sale.
That nabob, little up the street, had family
of dark brunette daughters, and just many
blonds. To each of the blonds he had presented
one Of the brunettes just as he would have pre-
sented ponies. The mother Of the dark girls, who
were by far the handsomer, he had sold at auction
for eight hundred dollars. An lrishman, two
squares off, beat his black man to death in open
day because he was jealous Of him and slave
woman with whom he lived Every sixth woman
on the street wole some article Of dress as badge
of intamy, and one happening to 60 out in one of
&ese, sun bonnet for instance, was liable to open
insult anywhere or at any hour. We began to feel
| as one in his best clothes feels amongst set of
children eating bread and molasses.
Nothing appeared SO thoroughly disgraceful as
work. This was the business Of slaves and it
appeared generally conceded that white woman
would secretly sell her honor rather than submit
to the disgrace of working for a living. Certainly
hundreds did so for ii was reckoned there were
full seven hundred women in the city who
utterly abandoned. Girls who had no means of
support, except spongng, sat nursing their white
hands, waiting to catch husbands to support them.
When they did get one. in very mahy cases, he
was no, able to keep them in idleness, and so he
ran away we never so many grass widows
But it would take US year to trace the curse of
slavery through all the ramifcations Of society,"
We never much trouble in housekeeping.
One hired girl here, for one dollar and fifty cents
per week, would do as much work, and do it bet
ter than TWO slaves there, for whom one would
pay two hundred dollars per annum. We did 60
to housekeeping. but would not hire slave
Once we wanted help; big fellow who dressed
in satin and broadcloth, sported gold chain and
Havana, and did nothing proposed to MIR. Swiss
helm to hire him an old woman, for whose ser
vice he should pay him two hundred year, and
added
"You would have to horsewhp her YOURSELF
once or twice a week, for she's real devil, but
good worker, and that wife Of yours could do moth
ing with her."
Now, Mr.. Ploughboy, just imagine the man we
call husband, great brawny listed six footer. who
had been brought up the free hills of Pennsyl-
vania, and there held plough, taking off his coat
to horsewhip old woman, to make her Go work
for which he TO pay not her, but another big
fsted lord of creation like himself Oh, dear
We were always glad he did not incline to fight, !
but that time were provoked he had not knocked
the fellows teeth down his throat. The expert
ence has grown very long. Some other time we
will tell you more of it, Mr.. Ploughboy
AOOul tHdl property 4ueSlioH III We Hdu s!SHeu
a solemn declaration, paraded it before the world, I
and reiterated it thousand times, saying we be-
lieved all property as common, we should act very
in furnishing for taking what
he wanted OF ours. Kentucky has declared that
'ALL men are endowed with an inalineable right
to liberty'-how then can she punish man for
helping another to regain his liberty
1t is not likely that shall ever put anything
into the Visitor to incite slaves TO rebellion. We
never feel like talking to them. rebellion would
do them no good 1t shareholders and people of
the North, who support slavery, to whom appeal
should be made. They have the power to remedy
his civilian evil which presses upon all classes.
The slaves can do nothing, and any one, who d.
rectly, or indirectly, would attempt to involve them
N any bro with their masters, would be an ene-
nv to both, and little short of a mailman No one
ever appeared to dream, when we 10 the
South, of one appealing to slave even for intor
nation concerning his or her state. We trusted
,nly TO eyes and the testimony of persons anx
Gus to make US think well of the system, and how
We do hate it We'd scorn alike TO oe slave. or /.
ave slave We will hit the system knock '
whenever we can do it fairly and openly; but
here is not drop of mole blood in our viens, and
We cannot work in the dark. Lately We are get q