The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1857-05-14
finm IN, di'datt 6n. kn,nj0r
AN ARRIVAL FROM LIBERIA.

AN ARRIVAL FROM LIBERIA
Quite IN excitement prevailed in our city
OH Friday last, ut the appearance hero Of
Jefferson" one of tho liberated slaves of
tho late q. NJ. Waters, of Gwinnett county,
In this State. II is known to most of our
readers IN this vicinity, that ".IcIr" with
so,no forty other slaves, in accordance with
tho will of his late owner, was sent to I.ibc-
rin in the ship "Elvira Owen" Captain Al.
cx"nder commanding, which sailed from
Savannah for the port OH the 9TH June last.
jeff" with his fellow passengers, in all
numbering about $50, arrived safely ut Ii
bcria, but after n stay there Of about seven
months, during which, he states, that of his
own immediate family, mother, sisters and
brothers, six out of seven Of them died, and
OF tho whole number that went out more
than one half of them, after the endurance
OF great suffering, died also-wc NAV saw,
actually persisted for the want of wholesome
food, and from diseases common upon the
African coast-"Jctf," we say, determined
10 leave "thosc diggins," and seek his old
Georgia home! Accordingly, 3y shrew,l
management, "Jcf," contrivcd to effect his
escape, we may term it, from I.iberan citi-
Zcnsllp and freedom, to Baltimore, on
board the Mary Caroline Stephens, which
good ship arrived ut the port on, or about,
the 25tli ultimo; and from thence he took
passage OH steamer to Charleston, and
from Charleston by the rail road through,
Augusta, he contrived to reach this place,
us'stated above, OH Friday last.
For good fortune in thus travelling from
Baltimore TO this point, unmolcstcd, "Jelf,"
says, that he, being n dark mulatto, with
straight hair, assumed to be All Indian,
when asked if he was not "ccntleman Of
color" Indignantly resented it as an insult,
ard put on airs that soon quoted all suspi.
cion rs TO the true state of his case. No
sooner, however, had Jeff landed at our
depot. than he made tracks for protection
to the Messrs. Wallace Of our city, who
Knew Inn well, and to whom, in his old
masters lifetime, lie had delivered many a
wagon load OF country produce. TO these
gentlemen, in our presence, he stated all the
foregoing facts, and declared that all hc
wanted or desired was to reach the pant;,-
ton of his young master, Mr.. +. j. Waters,
OF GWlnnett, SO rs to be permitted for the
balance OF his life either to handle the plow,
or to take up the shovel and the hoe
Luckily for "Jeif," the executor of the estate
OF his late master, Col. n. G.. IIutchns, of
OF Gwinnett, was in our city, and about to
leave for home, which JEFF hearing in the
'twinkling of an eye" his trunk was on the
cars, and under the protection of the Colo.
mel, he left here for the old plantation"
which hc doubtless reached on Saturday
last.
This is, trul y, 4 rare accident. "Jch-' is
none ofyour stupid fellows, but an inteli
gent mulatto. Ills age Is about &C. and
VIC would take his opinion Of the condition
ot the liberated slaves in Liberia, MS soon
rs that of any white plilanthropist, who
has not actually visited Liberia, and exam
ined into the condition Of those people.
JET" says, with but very few executions,
that their condition is miserable indeed
and that ninety nine out of every hundred
OF them, would like himself, gladly return
to servitude upon the plantation As for
the natives of Liberia, he pronounccs them
lazy, filthy, and, in their diet, worse than
beasts worms: and snakes, and toads, and
creeping things, being luxuries. Corn bread
and bacon were things only remembered
upon fruits and roots all had to subsist, and
you know MASTER" said "Jetf' to us, s'that
don't suit Georgia niggcr" We asked
Inn If nc could get work tlere-his reply
was. "no, unless he would work for nothing"
In fact, said he, there "is 10 work to do
there, and that is what makes every thing
so bad" Of the "snob. b.aristocracy," the
big niggers," of Liberia, "JcA7 has most
contemplate opinion. "rhey will sui"
lie says, aNorthern niggers, but upon one
who has been slave, they look with cor
tempt" lie could lick plantation full of
them any day, provided the law was clear"
is:it not time for the people in the South
to ieg1slate upon the subject of the cmanci-
patton OF the slaves, and to pass wholesome
restrictions thcrcon9