New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-07-21


tsu.ig Of coorIng' ,,;,v :.
-. r.i,pd. was born in Minerva, Essex County ~
,s.r 1s09 He sf,ergsrd resided az Sandy
j. So. sor;n0, and other places in this Sta,e
usti isiI when he was indncea oJ cohp1A' u ''''
-. os,,,rser. to follow them to Washington as
,l.,er on the violin. In that c''y no vas kan.pped 10
not faly explained, and came int the po'-es
sion Of a Southern slave trader Af'er twelve years
labor On ysrou plantations, he accidentally Tell WITH
,hunsne Canadian, sho Eas temporarily residing 10
Ioui,iana and who becoming acquainted With the cir
cu.tspee. Of bis history, made such communications
"a hi, friends at the North led TO his release from
.,ntiyity The immediate agent in this matter, vas
Henry Il Northup. distinguished lawyer at Sandy
Hill ard relative Of the family in Rhode Island from
rbich the subject OF the volume derives his name HIS
share IN the transaction ia highly credtabie both to bis
humanity and bis intelligence.
The interest Of the work consists principally, in the
descriptions which il presents Of the practical working
OF ssserj in the interior Of Louisiana These are ses
forth in plain unvarnshed terms, and to m,oy sill be
even more impressive than the wrought denistions
Of Mrs Beecher Steve Here is a sketch OF the
southern homestead where N0rthup gained bis hrst
experience Of slavery
The whole country about Red River is low and
msrshy The Pine Wood a. they are called Is compare
tiyey ulano with frequent small Intsrvgs however run
ming through them This upasd Is covered With un"rods
tress-the white oas the chincoPn resembling CHESTNUT
TpppiDg ~ sixty feet and perfectly straight The WOODS
ere fuii Il cattle very shy ard Wild dashing away IN
herds with loud snu1, at our approach some OF then
were srGed or branded the appeared 20 DO III tnei'
wild aud uDtsrned state They much smaller thAn norm
en- breeds and the peculiarly about them mat Inost
trscted NY sitenOn hs horns Ihsy stand outifon
he sdes Of head precisely straight Ike two iron spikes
Atpoon We reached cleared piece OF srsund containing
three o. four Upon WAS small unpSn'sd wooden
bous, corn crib or, would say b4rn, and log
Lichen sisSng sbsut rod from the house. II Vas tn-
sumner residence of Mr. Martin Rich planters having
large embellishments Bayou Bguf are accustomed 20
800 ;b narrner season in these woods Here they dad
clear water and delightful shades la fact these retreats Sr-
20 the planters Of that section at The country VIVA o"P''
and Saratoga TO the Weather lnhAphsns VI No'hern
We were sent around i,to the kitchen and supplied with
sweet poisoss bresd aud bsc A. while Master f"rd
on.d with Martin in the house. Ibere we're several slave.
shout ibe premises Martin cSne out aud toph Io)k AZ
US asking Ford the prioe OF each II va "ers go9n nH ~
NC and making inquiries in relation 10 the slave mrEei
Aer long rest we forth again foloTing the Texas
road which bad the appearance OF being very r4r-ly
traveled For I'VE miles we passed through continuous
woods without observing single haOhdion. Al length
lust AS the uH sinking ia tho west we catered another
opening, contain ing some twelve or h'teen acres . .
In III .ceupp stood house much larger than Mr Mar
fms II was two high, with piazza 10 front In
fhe rear OF il was sso log Kitchen poultry house, corn
cribs and several negrs cabins Near the houss was
peach orchard and gardens OF orange ana pongranate
trees Tbs spacs sHtrey surrounded BY woods aud
covered WIN carpet Of rich raok Verdure 1t was a
Quiet lonely pleasant erayz green spot IN the
wilderness 1t was the residence OF my master William
Ford
This man was favorable specimen Of planter, and
underworld to treat his slaves with as much kindness
and Justice as is consistent with the character of the
''pecuar Institution
We u,u.y spent our Ssbbaths At the opening which
days our master would gather all his slaves about him aud
read and xpouud the Scriptures lie sought to lncacAe
in minds feelings 81 knd' ess towards each other ct
dtpeDdeu upon GOdseng forth the rswar 10 pro missed
unto thos- lead upright aud prAyera HE Stated
in the 0orv ~ Of his house surrounded by his mas s~rv
ants and maid servan's, WHO looked earnestly INTO ms
good face, he spoke Of tho loving kindness oi the
Creator and Of the life that IS % Ouen did the
voice Of pry.r ascend fon his Up. TO heaven the only
sound that broke the solitude ct the place.
IN the Of the summer sam became deeply con
victeo mind dwelling intensely on the SUBJECT OF rcS
ion His mistress gave nun oio'-' "n'oh ne o''H'i
with hun 20 hs work Whatever leisure tins WAS allowed
him be spent peIusng IT, though VAS only win grea
difficulty h. he could master any part oi H. ot-n fe'I
10 HIM yor which se well repaid me 10y mtny expires
sioIs ot gratitude Same peiy Was frequently "o'r'V-d
by white mtn who 10 the nh' ana tlS renArh l.
uost generally provoked 's, in~ mAi NHe ora "uo
allowed bis slaves to read toe Bible, was mot III to o"n
III. however lost nothing BY his kindness. Ii is fact
have nor, than once observed, that those who treated
their slave most -nieniy rewarded by the greatest
amount of labor. l kuos il from my . vi experience l
was source Of p ssure to surprise Master roIu "n
greater days work than required while under sno''
quent masters there WAS no prompter to extra eh'r' bat
the ONcTSttr stssh
But the mildness of Ford could not protect his slave
from intoerable crhelties. Read and ponder the fol
lowing facts:
Al ins ,i,ne one John Tbeats, carpenter, came 70
the opening do some work on masters hoGse ws 1t
rec,ed 10 Gait the looms and ast him For Two weeks
was in his company planning aud matching boards toe cell
ing plaser,d room being rare thug IN the parish OF
AvOytllts
John Tbeats the opposite OF Ford in all resPo Is
He was susli Grabbed, quick tempered, sptca! mAu
He had no liked residence that heard Oi y passed.
from one lAuiaOn TO another, wherever he could mud
emioym.d lie was without standing IN the c'nmu llty
not esteemed by white even respected by ssV
He was ignorant ~ithNl, snd - reNrngeoi dsppsi'n
He left ID. parish long before did, and know u1l
whether he 10 NJ present alive dead Certain Il H. i
was most unucky Gay for me that brought Us together
During ny residence with Master Ford had seen oly tbs
bright sidr of avery Ills heavy haat crusn'a;
us TO the earth lie pointed upwards aad with 0enSa ani
cheering I'd, addressed his fellow prtals account
able HE himself the Maker al US all think =" HIN
With and had my family been with me- could nave
borne his gentle seTvude, without murn0ring' all my
DAYS But clones nerng 10 the hOriz On-Oreruu
nefs ,f pt, IS storm that soon to break over ms
WAS doomed 70 endure such bitter trials tue poor
snly knows ana TO lead more the comparatively happy
life which had led in the " Gre", Pine Woods
William Fold unfortunately became embarrassed in his
peouuSTy affairs heavy judgment wss rendered Against
him quenCe Of bis having become security Tor his
brother Fral kin Ford resding Red kv-r above Al
exAndIa and no had failed meet his liabilities tie
ssO ndeO John Al Noea.s 10 q considerable punt
in cousdt alton Of his services a. banding the MUS On In
dian CTetk and also weaving house, corn mil anu other
eeCtiVns on The pans At bayou Bout not y5tcompet
ed Ii was therefore necessary, Ia order to inset these de
nands 10 dispose OF eighteen slaves myself among the
number Seventeen oi them, Including sam ana Harry,
purchased by Peter Compton aplAnter also residing