Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-04-13
The Testimony Of a Slave.

We have received from Atlanta, Ga.,a pam.
phlet entitled "Slavery and Abolitionism,"
written by negro, who subscribes himself:--
Covington, Ca" This man is full blooded
African, forty-fve years of age, and learned to
read and write while employed as an errand boy
in law office. He has since been hard stu
dent, and has acquired fair amount of infor-
nation. This PAMPHLETS published by him
self, and copy rlghted for his benefit exclusively.
He says in the preface, 81 am a slave, and have
been all my life, and therefore claim the oppor-
tunity, at least, of knowing what slavery Is, and
what it is not" He was induced to write up
on the subject Of slavery from firm conviction
that Abolitonist agitators are the worst enemies
of the slave. ,.- ,-,r-,,y
There could be no more BETTING rebuke to
the Abolition meddlers than Ia conveyed in the
words which come from this oppressed subject of
their sympathy who is "a slaVe,' and "knows
what slavery is." Moreover, the simple facts
noted above are evidence sufficient to refute the
assertion that the slave is down-trodden crea
ture, kept in Ignorance, and debarred from all
privileges. But It seems be is able to speak for
himself, He writes: eft 40
IL is not that am opposed to freedom, that
actuates me to address them (the Abolitionisis)
in the manner in which do, for Ibelieve 1t to
10 90 of ~ haP,...,o., 4 hlo.,;.,.,' =. s,LI = ~
20, u,a;n,aS ,"v III son.,;a xasSny, wnen
But rather would ] die, wereI citizen of the
United States, than to disturb the peace, or act
In any way that would be detrimental to the on.
ssrd progress and prosperity of my country -
s-sfsft* 1 II would be better for
them, If they are acting on religious principles,
to suffer wrong for the preservation of peace,
than 20 exact their rights at the expense Of dis
r, csnn., ho s.;d a.. ,,r a., 80 ;a.
IN hsIiavs thst so, sra Hsnae,,no .ha s,suaa'
tor non srs an sSrc.tsa oIass nan,,a, s
tsL q the Son,bsrn na rsrs snS tSa,as, ~ "nS ,'
shed ~ SOC ana rasd e. ,o,,,'al.as .sse ~ !,
sIaves r,,ch sSo.so ,,..,s5 ~ ,,s :.
ran IL s.;ts,.d M, H. s;,s .a go ~ 49,
vorr beaoa will crv moro hlaod ,hsp sns rIa,,aS
yr planters of the Soutb: for when the 5oss,ers p
AID tI,yes are getting on inst as well as tbev ish
10, you commence ,our ipternal apita,ions The
master goes TO tossn. he gets bis naner. he rad
that the Abolition party IN making a great .o-ao
about freeing the slaves: he beco5es snllen
contrary and in; be goes 10 to the fivld. and AZ
the least thing is wrong, he ia ip the right hu
NOR for a fuss; he accuses the slave Of idlenes..
the slave commences ouarrelipe: the master
makes at him, the slave perhaps runs await. he
is caught, and then made TO feel the anger of
QOaOeO madness 0ffili0ua :
termeddlinR and hypocriticaI sv m natbv NJ a neoL
ole who neither understand. nor w;sh 10 nadsr-
stand. his true position or b,s interest. -"
Il does seem that Brown,s failure N ;nst;,,
into the breast of the slaves rebell,ous not;ona
ought to be a lesson for the balance of the "a
natjcs. But lust let them march their mo,lev
corps into the slayeholdine States. exnectino ~
aid OF the slaves. and tbey will fnd ths, ths
Old EroWn's gibbet will confront =, an, ora ,S
them. / tell you. fanatics. the slsvss oS ~
Southern States are rettino too ola 10 bs hrn,'
bueeed by your eternal cry of 5,sedorJ Tha,
have heard Il too mucb. and fe. tho sfeoc,s ~,
often, TO be eulled any more. Won mns, recoI,
lect, fanaticsl sirs. that the save cbildren and
their Young masters and mist,esses. ara ali
raised no together. They suck tooetbsr NAV
together 20 a-buntino togetbsr. co > .6sh,gr ~
gether, and, ip A great msny instsnces' eat ~
gether In the cotton patch, sing. iumn, vrastle.
b,x, fjgat bow fohts. and dance. .oca,bsr. snd
every other kind of amusement ,bst ,s csicrIa'
ted TO bolt their hearla tocather wben cro.-,,
up. You had better mind bov vou com 49,
and Jump aboard of our masters. for / tali yon
though We sometimes foht Hmone an,s.1as IT,
| If another man iumns on s;,hs, wa Nh
pitch into him. Won Imnst recolIso, ',hot ~
are not onnrassed hare Iika vour nora,,.,
" free tbara We can 90 ;n,o a.. r.aa
ters'bouses and cot nls,.x s oood % .Sa O.t mas.
and We can shase bands WITH tSa s h;q'hr,s ~ GOV
the country, and walk side .by-side SIR sSoo y
oress msroha.s - ,ha "a .1i,u VIZ WIN M WI
and converse with AZ Nm Jnu s.aIu
for hours AT a time. so. in shost 81 ".a a.
ANYTHING. with the exoent,on of tbose v;L ~
wrested from ma In sncs of ronp ;s'
cal, internal. Black RennbIicsn' shoi;,;nn q.
natioal AGITATION. "'"'''D'
Ibave 6een told. and .h.. ,oo +.
authority cannot he DAMNED nv ~, mJn h ynose
them. that in the ci,ss ~ non ~ s,."aS. Wy hnow
States. it ia common ibino to sse roeu so'Ins has
naked and sts,yinr orsa,nres ~ s,srSp SeS poor, nan
ners. berrinr every one nass;os hv ca ~ an vor
And Il Ia not AZ ali snrnrising. 1ben - oana;dy.
the preiudice sxisting tbera sea;ns. III .Se~
for myself. vould rsthsr have tho H.. .,..s
me. and nreindice IN NV favor than ~ sss.nn'
thela IN nv favor and the n,s;naIna .an " u nsye
me. For tbe dseisiops Of the lpws ara sS asa,s'
in oreater or less deo,as srhi.c. ~ ~. aimys,
The colored man is = eoorsd nan .rsyhaee psJhu,o
He is but the tool North and the % serysn, sov,S