New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-12-29

piece Of property, who is sitting BY his door in
the sur. rises and touches bis remnant Of hat
walking to and fro with the aimless steps pecu-
liar to the negro. You remark that he is quite
lame. Perhaps he was accideLtly shot as come
vague notion of freedom caused him to wander
away from his stall. He has an ugly scar on
his face, too; he probably met with IN acct
dent one day, and ran against the butt-end of
the overseer's whip handle. However, We will
try to find good in everything, and at least this
unfortunate wound will help to identify him
when vague notions of freedom set hm marching
out of reach of the gun. The hands now come
in getting through with their supper, doing full
Justice TO all the courses, some of them dance,
to the accompaniment of rude music. If you
needed anything to convince you that the system
Is beaven-seDt boon, this plantation dance would
finish you. Half q dozen men or boys out of
fifty dance and sing when their days unremuner-
ated task is done; therefore, all slaves arc
happy. This is sound, believe. II, however,
you look somewhat closely at the property lying
loosely about you will see many very sullen
faces, and in many eyes light which is not
altogether pleasant. The men do not strike
theatrical attitudes, it is true, nor do they
ciinch their fists and mutter melodramatic
ssrses, as they would do if they we're
lanpblacked whites, playing ct the Bowery
Tbeater; We do not see them, either, kneeling
about the grounds with manscled hands clasped,
and fearful eyes raised to Heaven. But, never.
theless, there is a look about them which would
be to US no more satisfactory than it is to the
real master, if We happened to own them. 1t is
possible that they have heard something Of this
Imam Lincoln" and this " Free Negro Ham
60 linz" it is quite possible that among those very
happy house servants there are one or two who
have been in the habit of keeping open ear and
eve, when waiting on their masters; it may be
that some one Of them has occasionally put fuel
upon the FIRE when the state of the country has
been under discussion, and that he has taken for
sound truth the loose talk of the Southerner.
Can you not imagine how, then, the vague no
tons of freedom would naturally reach the cabins
| down yOnder1
In the family of the planter very little is said
about Instructions. The planter himself would
not, of course, alarm his household; if the wife
appears anxious he laughs at her fears, and then
KEEPS up visient watch; he and such Of his
| sons az happen to be ut home and are old
enough, arm themselves with care; the oyerseer
is in frequent private consultation with his en-
ployer; the demeanor of the slaves is closely in
CURED Of Have there been any prOwlers, black
| or white, seen about the plantation What was
Tom, or Dick, or Harry, doing so late last night
down at the negroes quartersl What did that
fellow say whom you logged the other day.
How in the world did Bill ever hear of Lincoln
Had we not better sell Sam OF Once'
And when night falls, and the house is barred,
and the arms ready at hand, the master instinc-
lively looks from his upper window after his
| light is extinguished, and pierces with sharpened
| glance into the gloom without. Is that man
yonder, or only shrub moved by the wind
He will have a. the deyilsh thing" cut down
| to- morrow. His gnnce may be as acute as ap-
prehension can make it, but can he penetrate to
that swamp long way Off If so, he may see
a few pieces of bis choicest property in cropping
consultation together with some of his neighbours
| chattels; and if he could hear and comprehend
their words, be would know that their notions
of freedom, vague enough, indeed, are the more
| terrible by reason of their indistinctness.
We are now just in the Christmas holidays; at
this time of the year, 70 blessed to many, the
slaves are allowed their annual carnival. Conse-
quently the danger from them is much greater
| than at other seasons; any Observer may SEQ the
| precautions taken to prevent the trouble which
ever mpends; the police force is strengthened;
unusual vigilance is urged upon oil watchmen;
| more stringent regulations as TO the times within
which the black man may wander about are
adopted. Every white citizen lie more than ever
Vigilance Committee man. The festival greet
| ing from the slave to his master, as he wishes
him ga happy Christmas" has in it terrible
irony which he himself does not intend.
The ground being thus prepared and the seed
town for the dreadful harvest, you naturally in
auire if there are signs Of such harvest. The
Southern planter would tell you that no such
danger threatens and then he would renew and
redouble biz secret precautions. Now here, IN
the fewest words, il the simple truth: the slaves
are in feverishly excited state, which excite
ment is increasing every day. They have
pretty generally the knowledge of Mr. Lincoln's
election, and are possessed with the idea that in
some way or other they are to be benefited by
the change of Affairs. Many of them really be-
lieve that the new President will come with an
army and set them all free at once; the very
absurdity of their imaginings adds to the danger.
1t is said that some of them suppose that such
an army il in the country, ready TO assist them,
if they successfully RISE and they locate the
force in various places according to their limited
notions of geography and political affairs. Badly
MANNED and ahortiye attempts at inmrrectiOn are