Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1860-11-01
Twenty-Five Wears Among the Cotton
Plantations Of Louisiana and Missis-
sipp', or Inside Views of Slavery.
by JOHN ROLES.

That 10 be hated uec,fs bot to be seen:
But seen too Oft, familiar with its face.
We first endure, then pity. then embrace.
To no vice can these lines Of Cowper be
more truthfully and emphatically applied
than to that of slaveholding oppression.
AS my own sad experience can bear wit.
ness. On this principle alone can. &C.
count for the fact that millions of human
and liberty loving people of this nation
mnltitudes of them protesting a religion
whose fundamental law il love-can toll
crate in our midst that most atrocious sys-
tenn Of chattelism. under which four mil
lions of orr fellow-citizens and human
brethren are now groaning. Nor is ii
strange that those who overlook the hard
ening effect upon the heart and cousciences,
of familiarity with crime AMI cruelty.
should denounce our political and reli-
gious pretensions. and protested sympathy
with the oppressed of other nations sham 9
less hypocrisy and that the oppressive
governments of Europe should tauntingly
admonish us to pluck the beam from our
own eye" before we presume to interfere
with that infinitely miller form of Cypress
ion which they practice. dl siss.-
But while experience has taught me
more OF the atrocities Of the vile system
than the masses. either North or South.
ever dreamed of. it has taught me also a
lesson OF forbearance, my own mind hav-
ing passed through the same hardening
process which the poet SO accurately des-
cribcs. When | first saw the lash applied
to the writhing victim. heard the savage
oaths of the time hardened driver, and the
pitiful cries of the poor slave. begging for
mercy of one who knows no mercy-and
whose interest forbade him to show it
his unfeeling jeers over the intense agony
of the PROSTATE sufferer-rising upon his
toes at every lick, to increase his cruel
force, and "lct the claret out of the infer
nal Niger" the sight filled me with hor-
ror. my blood boiled with Indignation.
and clenched fist and ghashing teeth, /
nate demon; never dreaming that under
the same malisn influences | should one
day be found rc-enacting the same cruel
ties. Had some prophetic monitor warn
ed me Of this at that time. my heart would
have Indignantly replied. in the language
of Hazel to the prophet Elisha, "Is thy
servant dog that he should do this great
thing?" No amount of money wonld then
have tempted me thus to fog poor help
less slave. - ras .EJ5 Il
The scene to which / here allude was on
the plantation Of Mr.. L. Of Louisiana
in the autumn Of ELSEWHERE 1 was en-
ployed as mechanic. This was the first
year Of my residence in slave State. /
had removed the Spring previous from
Central Ohio to Natchez. impelled by the
same sad necessity which has caused many
a Northern invalid to seek the sanitary in
huence of milder climate.
II was in Natchez Mr.. P. L. found me:
and being pleased with specimens Of my
workmanship which he witnessed. engaged
me in his service. His plantations--he
owned three separate ones. managed by as
many overseers--were on the Mississippi.
north of Red river. This section of the
State was the field Of my observation and
experience. Mr.. p. l.. was man of
standing. extensively known and respect
ed in that community as an intelligent and
prosperous planter, who treated his slaves
,ceH. according to Southern ideas of good
treatmcnt-that is-kept them in good
working condition. and did not break
them down and injure their productive
value, as bad managers sometimes do. by
short feeding or excessive driving.
Here | learned. for the first time. what
slavery is--what six months residence in
Natchez had given me no conception Of.
I had every day seen the negro covering
and trembling under the .frowns Of super
cilious masters without daring to utter a
breath of remonstrance against such indig-
mites. But the incidents Of slavery were
'triles light as air." compared with that
cold hearted and systematic torture which
is an essential element of plantation dis
ciplinc. The impression made on my mind
by the first fogging scene l witnessed on
Mr.. p. L. plantation. the lapse of thirty
years has not been able to cfface. seem
to hear, at this moment. the terrific crack
Of the overseer's heavy whip--I see the
struggling victims stretched out on the
groud. face downward, receiving their hun :
drcd lasles each, laid on with all the force
which the drivers strong and practiced arm
would commando hear their piteous
cries for mercy. as the lash came down
rpon. their naked flesh, and the drivers un-
feeling curses and savage glee over
their suff,rings. exprcssel in Languages
too foul and blasphemous to be repeated
would like to have some of orr pro.
slavery reyeren1s listen. for oncc.rto the
dialogueI heard on the occasion referred
ia, and then see If they could "repel the
charge Of cruelty. and pronounce slavery
good and only good" H'q7 '''s''
i"Ohi pray. .massal Dol prayi Do
masss. pray! dis timel o. my Godi--
Lord help dis slave! O, my massa! VIZ
could not help tive could NOT. my massa
Dem young oxen break down de fences
massa: DAT am truffLdat am. massa.'
The driver. meanwhile, laying on the lash
and belching out oaths and obscenity.L q
/ The oxen had no business to break
down the fence and get away with theil
yolcesa on. Business mnst 60 ahead al
the time, and must never go . Ink back
50 losgiAs'I manage this plantation /
| it does. Mr.. Niggers' hide must psy th'
! penalty. Do you hear that, Mr.. Niggers?'
Yes. massa, we hear dat; and your bu
siosss asha'n't 60 any ticks back. dat /
4 shA'n'g ln4ssa, iif desc niggers can hell