Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-12-12


"You may Imagine dear uncle, cur situa-
ton, but you can never realize it in It's full
ness. Already We remble in a own homes
in anticipation and expectancy of what Is il
able 70 burst forth at any momenba negro ih-
surreeuon. Could you see the care and pre-
caution displayed here By tue proprietors OF
the negroes ni not only planters but otherF,
you would not for moment envy rs ouI
possessions. Not a night passes that We DO
not securely lock our field servants in their
quarters; but our most loved and valued
house servants, who in ordinary times we
would trust to any extent are watched and
guarded against with al the scrutiny and
care that we possess. Our planters Gnd-Own-
ers Of slave property do not allow their ser
want to have any intercourse with each other
and the negroes are confined strictly to the
premises where they belong. We are all
obliged to increase our force of overseers TO
prevent too tree intercourse even among our
servants. The negroes feel and notice these
new restraints, and naturally ask " Why is
this2 ' But it is unnecessary for them to
ask the question, for they all comprehend the
cause as we'll as we who own them. Theyhaye
afreHuy Iedrned gnOugt-tu give rhvur an idea
OF what is going on in the State and nation,
and this kn0 Wedge they have not gained
from Abolitionists, as some suppose, but from
the conversation Of their owners indirectly
held in their presence. They have already
heard Of Lineoln's election, and have also
heard that he is for giving them their liberty,
and you may imagine the result
You have heard that our servants all love
their masters and their masters families, and
would lay down their lives for them-that the
eolored race in the South prefers Slavery to
Freedom; that they would not be free if they
could, &c. That is but the poetry Of the case,
the real@ consists in sleeping upon our arms
at night-in doubly boiling and barring our
doors-in establishing and maintaining In
efficient patrol fOrce-buying watch dogs,
and in taking turns in watching our sleeping
children, to guard them and ourselves from
the vengeance of these same " flowing SER
wants IA vengeance which, though now
smoldering, is liable to burst out at any mo
menL to OverWhelm the State in spite Of the
palmetto hags or State precautions.
You at the North are not the only ones who
ara suffering financially by this new panic
The planters among US are really suffering
from the depreciation in their property Al
ready negroes are not worth half price No
one dares TO buy a servant fearing lest he, in
doing SO, should be introducing upon his
plantation one fractured with the idea offree-
dom.
Ny husband has but few servantsI be-
heve but thirty-one all told-stn feel land
so does he) that they are ~thirty-one too many
in such times as these. He would sell them
Immediately, if it were possible, but the truth
is be could realize nothing for them at pres
emit or at most not over half their real value.
Slaves sre a drug in the market, my husband
says, I'D you know him well enough to
nudge of bis judgment IN such matters.
Now, 90 word as to the military force Of
the State, to protect Us against an insurrec-
ton. Ipresume, with the exception Of Charles
ton, and perhaps a few large towns, that the
remainder of the State is situated very much
as we are here; and win give you an idea
of how well prepared we are to resist mob.
Upon our place of about 1900 acres we have;
Of whites, males-husband, two oYerseers,
and my son of lsyears total, four females
self and cousin, little Lucy and one OF the
.oveUseer's wives-ouF Of whom only four at
the anatanAaaPahls-af baaring4arms-to off
set which we have at least Seventeen neid
hands-sturdy young negrOes-beside the
female servants. And this is affair represen-
tation of he force upon the plantations
Considering such a state of facts do you
blame me for desiring to absent myself my
husband and children from the State 2"