Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1860-11-30
WATERTOWN WIS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 80, 1860

per, to be washed down with water. From,
this time no slave is permitted to leave his
cabin until the turnout bell rings in the
morning. The second morning bell, which
is the signal for turning out to work, is
rung at the earliest dawn; when the men,
boys, girls and women that have no small
| children, are at once marshalled and on
their way to the cotton field; and the wo-
men who have children under ten are bur
ried off to the children house, where the
little things are committed to the charge
of an old slave appointed for the purpose,
who makes the larger children take care
of the elpless ones. Here the nursing
mothers were set to gathering cotton near
the house, and the rest sent after the gang.
The children under three months old, were
to be nursed four times day; between
three and six months, three times; from
six to nine months, twice day; and once
a day thereafter until weaned, at the end
Of twelve months.
This species of slave stock is too valua-
bic to be exposed to careless or unskilful
management. The old nurse has her
rules laid down. which she must rigidly
observe Care is taken that the mother
does not nurse her infant while her blood
is heated by toiling in the sun.
When the dew is off, All old female slave
brings out all the children over SIX, to
gather Gotten. In her hand is a bundle of
switches, ''to teach the young idea how to
shoot" though she stimulates them more
with other appliances than with the rod !;
such as the fear of the overseer and black
driver, and encouraging them to race with
one another in cotton picking. These ju-
veniles are generally between the ages Of
six and ten; all over ten 60 out with the
main gang.
The dews are very heavy in the Missis-
sippi Valley, When nearly off, the slaves
breakfast comes out in cart, which con-
sists of box of bread and meat, accompa-
MED with barrel of water. On this
plantation, half pound of meat was the
daily allowance for eacE. working slave.
The black driver then calls to the slaves to
bring their cotton 20 the baskets, change
their wet clothes and get their breakfast,
the prescribed allowance of which be deals
out to each one, while they seat themselves
on the ground, or on the edge Of basket,
to eat.
Their dinner is brought out and dis
tributed in like manner, about one 0 clock.
The above is a fair specimen of life on
cotton plantation, during the cotton pick
ing season, which extends through a pc
riod of nearly five months Other crops,
such as corn, peos and pumpkins, are also
to be gathered during part of the same
period, which is generally done in wet
weather, when cotton could not be dried, If
picked.
Towards the close of the cotton picking
season, when the weather becomes cold and
wet, and the slaves need more bloodstiring
exercise to protect them from such diseas-
es as colds, rheumatism and pneumonia,
the strong men are put to maullng rails,
clearing land, or ditching, and the feebler
ones, together with the females, to clearing
fields.
When slave is siei he applies to the
overseer, who examines his pulse and
tongue, and, if inhammatory symptoms ap-
pear, sends him to the sick-house, to the
care of an old slave, who gives him such
medicine as the oyerster prescrlbes. But
if no visible symptoms Of disease are detect
ed, he turns deaf ear to all his COM
plants, curses and sometimes hogs him
for playing possom to deceive him, and
drives him out to his hard toll, weeping
and groaaing, perhaps with real disease
and suffering, Should he appeal to the
black driver, as his last resort, for pity and
favor, his reply would probably be: do
you think is fool, nigger, to let white
folks cut up my hide? No, sir-ee-dis
niger not goin to be kotehed in dot man
ner. If you not able to work, go to white
folks, and if white folks send you back to
work, you am got to work. Dat am dis
nigger's business WI dis whip. So don't
fool you time gruntin' to dis niger. !
tell you-'cause if you does, you is goin'
to grunt more worse en- dat, frs ting you
know"
Now, suppose this to be case Of real
sickness and suffering, and not feigned-
and there are multitudes of just such cases
who is responsible for this atrocious cru
city? Net the poor black driver, surel j;
he is impeIled by inexorable necessity. Is
it the overseer? Should he adopt DIFF
ferens course, his occupation would be
gone; his work would never be done; ev-
cry slave thaS could get rid of work by
feigning sickness would be sure to do it
No, it is the system which is the Legitimate
source of all this cruelty-a system which
has been blasphemously lauded as the off,
spring of God, and Indicative of the highest
type of civilization! Voluntary labor,
stimulated by hope or desire, has no occa
sion to feign sickness. The question O
ability to work may be safely left to the
laborer himself. But the victim of co-erc
ed labor cannot be trusted thus-his driveI
must decide the question for him, and b.
4 is very liable to decide it cruelty, though
unintentionally. But in charging this cru
city upon the system, which is mere alb
straction, we charge it, by Implication, up
on all who sustain the system, either indi
rectly or by conniyance.
A PREDICTION. The Frankfort Con,
nsoncealfh, in view of the act that all can
didates, except Major Breckenridge, hav
already declared that the election Of any