Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-05-20
o the NeErOes in the South will Act
after n "Northern In~vasl0n'-The Ques-
tim niacusaed Inv m CINgzen nj VfrRtnfa-

after n 'NOrthern InvnsIOn',-The Dues
tiOn Discussed by n Citizen Of Virkinia.
o A correspondent Of the New York Times,
who has been residing for years in Virginia,
thus writes respecting the feelings and prob
able conduct of the Southern slaves during
the war: a..4 ....... p
Southern newspapers boast of the loyalty
Of their slaves, Of their anxiety to fight their
Northern enemies, and triumphantly tell us
that thousands are now throwing up de-
fenses and are otherwise engaged in the
service of the Southern army, and many
shareholders confidently believe that their
servants will assist them in this fight; but.in
answering this question | shall be obliged to
tear off the mask.
Despite the efforts of Southern masters,
large numbers of slaves and free negroes
have learned t. read, and many Of them are
far more intelligent than the "poor white
trash" with which the slave States abound.
During the last Presidential campaign, the
most interested and eager listeners at polit
ieal meetings were these people; they COM
municated to each other what they heard,
and they all understood that the question OF
slavery was involved in the contest, and
very many believed that the election of Mr..
Lincoln would secure their emancipation,
and many acted in accordance with this be-
lief. One, out of many facts, will illustrate
this point. I I.f
Soon after the Inauguration of Mr.. Lincoln,
seventeen slaves, living on a plantation near
Petersburg, Va, repaired to their master
early n morning, and the spokesman of
the party boldly told him that they had
served him long enough; that they were
free now, and merely called to tell him that
they were going away, and on they went.
The master had no power to stop them, but
be reached Petersburg before them, where he
ha1 AkA 1rIAI. - .-.os - r.-Al.
with sent to the far South.
A prevalent opinion among them is, that
this war is a fulfilment of the prophecy re-
corded in the eleventh chapter of Daniel.
They have their revolutionary and patriotic
songs, which they sing in private. They
hold secret religious meetings, the burthen
of their prayers being that the Lord will help
the North and hasten the day of their eman-
cipation. A few days ago / was travelling
in the interior of Virginia. Night overlook
me in the neigborhood of a farm house,
where l was entertained until the next day.
That night CHANGED to hear the evening
devotions of the slaves in one of their huts.
] was an unObserved spectator. l heard
them pray for the success of the North, and
one old woman wept for Joy when told that
the Northern armies were soon coming to
set them free. 'Ohl good massa Jesus"
said she, "let the time be short"
During this time they heard the clang of
arms in their masters house, for two of his
sons were members Of a troop of horse, ready
to startin the morning for Richmond, and
were practising with the broad swords. To
their masters, the slaves pretend entire ig-
DoIance Of this whole movement, but to
white men in whom they confde, they reveal
their hopes, fears, desires and plans. They
have no arms, and could not use them ifthey
had; but they have other means ofdeStruct.
ion more potent anu ieaIiiii, which no bower
can prevent their using. When the time
comes for them to act, they will know no
love stronger than the love Of liberty.
The free negro element has always been
considered dangerous to Southern slavery,
and in the present crisis, the best way to
dispose of ii, was an important question.
The free and enslaved are every. where in
constant and uninterrupted intercourse, and
ii would not be wise to leave them at home
while their masters were in the army. To
the Southern mind, there is nothing so terri
bic as the fear of a s%ervile insurrection. On
my way from %Lynchburg to Alexandria, |
heard a physician at one of the stations tell
an acquaintance in the cars that he was the
only q0htte man left On fifteen adjoining PLAN
~tations, and that nearly all the ~"niggers''
had been sent away. To protect themselves
against negro hostility, which they know 10
be deep, abiding, unrelenting and fierce, the
citizens of the Southern towns and cities
organized the Home Guard, and then a very
cunning device was, to send the Triggers"
free and.bond, with the army, and employ
them in erecting Notifications, and ia per-
forming the arudgery Of the camp. Large
numbers of them are thus engaged in Viz
ginis.
The free people went because they were
offered good wages, when they could do
nothing at home, and the slaves had no
alternative but to obey orders. They are
closely watched by the military, who largely
outnpmber them, and who fear no insured
ton in their presence but whenever a Fed
eral army eonffonts their masters, and they
see that Northern troops must win the day
TO use the expressive language of a slave 10
Riehmond-they "will fight for those who
fight for themP'- so that In the end, the
slaFeholders faneied security may be a
terrible delusion. --7a
The Southern newspapers, in noticing the
promptitude with which the negroes respond
to the call for their services Ia military
operations, ascribe il TO thsgove they bear
their masters. 10 the loftiest patriotism, and
TO their hatred Of their Northern enemies, as
they are taught TO regard the people Of the
North. In the writer's flight from Virginia,
be was secreted for three days and nights in
the house Of a colOred family, the head Of
which was among the "patrioty' at Norfolk,
engaged in throwing up Notifications, under
the directions Of General Gwynn.
de and his family are unrelenting In the
hatred Of slavery, and pray for the triumph
Of Northern arms, and when the time COMES
when such men land tbs South Is full OF
tbem) can strike q sure blow, they will strike.
Already We hear of insurrectiOns, and OF
extensive c~onfagFations, aud this Is but the
beginning. Northern men may deplofe this
feeling on the part of the negroes, aud the
excuses to which II will give rise; but there
- no help for il the day Of retribution is al
hand, and there is no power to arrest its
progress or It's terror.