Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1861-05-23
The Slave johnson in Lancas-
ter-IIis Oath.

johnson made his appearance in Lancaster,
in open day, contrary to the Fugitive Slave
Law. Being the forfeited property Of
traitor master, nobody thought Of arrest
ing him, even for the reward which may
be offered. This is one of the results
foreseen by Union men, who have long
proclaimed as inevitable that the first gun
fired off by the secessionists would lead to
bursting the shackles off every slave.
Among other probabilities are these still
more horrible consequences, slave insurrec-
tons and slaughter Of innoeents. MORGAN
the day Of these dire consequences be long
stayed, even by compromises and re-
union; we fear that only peaceable abo-
lition Of slavery and transfer Of the colored
race to some accepted country can save the
whites from the horrors Of instructions.
But these only resorts, 50 long preached by
abolitionjsts and abused by party demo
gogues, are scarcely possible now, the day
having been spent in idleness without
Thoughts Of the morrow. While dema-
! 90 gues and scholars alike have been idling
sway their time thecrising upon the infe-
riority of the African race, the despised
negroes have been gaining in numbers and
growing in muscle and intelligence, and the
great Anglo-saxcn family Of America have
been losing in some Of these qualities and
gaining in none, just as Thomas Jefferson
! foretold in his golden oracles. So long as
party remained the everlasting maui to
sguelch the warnings of philanthropists,
and peste the Bible and Constitution in
the mortar of slavery, thus long appeared
the master at his ease and the slave bound
as if by charm. But this maui has flew
of the handle and these easy chairs and
strong chains are to be no more. Nay
God avert that worst part which nov
seems SO ineyitable-negro instructions
and a flow Of the blood of innccents.
But we have strayed off the.track Of our
intended way here is the affidavit Of
slave, handed to us for publication by j.
T. MILLs; we offer it, as sign Of the
times that are to be--stubborn times,
which mon cannot override:
State Of Wisconsin, County of Grant S.
Richard Johnson, colored man, being
sworn, en- his oath, makes the following
statement: am now ~ years Of age as /
believe; was born in Missouri, A miles
from st. Louis, on Clinton Aliens farm;
Ny late master, Capt. Joseph johnson,
purchased me with my parents when small
he sold my parents to q Southern trader,
and though | have made many enquiries
for them ut New Orleans and other places
along the river, have as yet found no
trace Of them. Ny master had farm
nifty miles southwest of St.Louis; lived
on this farm till / was Is years of age
my master had been Captain Of four diff
ferent steamboats,; the Gladiator, the Tel |
egraph No. 2 and 8, and the Sam Gatey, |
which latter he commanded this spring
| was second or head cook in each one OF
these boats; the Sam Gatey was stopped at
Cairo in its last trip dowa South and re-
turned to st. Louis, on Saturday early III
this month; the city was wild with excite
ment at this time; before the boat started |
to New Orleans on its first spring trip,
(which it made successfully l was out on
the farm; there was a great pane III the
neighborhood about an expected STAN
pede or revolt among the slaves; my mas
ter, Capt. johnson, called us all to the
house; he had evidence that my brother
and several others intended to arm them
selves and 90 into Free State, but no
proof that be or any Of the slaves who
conspired with him, intended to do any
thing more than defend themselves in their
flight; his master said, Harrison, have
been intending to sell you for some time;
now shall put you where shall have no
trouble about you" He then pulled out
his pistol and coolly shot him down. |
was standing by his side when he fell /
was taken back to the boat about the 1st
Of March, and a few days after We started
on our first trip; heard great deal
about war this trip, and about intended at
tacks on some forts; | learned to read
some while on the steamboats,; driven
back TO St. Louis on our second trip, | re-
manned on board the boat till Monday
evening, which | think was q week ago
last Monday; the city was in a turmoil; a
great many persons fled from the city as |
heard, and saw them leaving on boats
| did not consider my life safe when the
white people were flying for safety; col
ored persons are in more danger than the
whites: if the masters suspect them Of fa-
voring the North, Or fayoripg themselves.
they shoot them down in the corn fields,
with their hoes in their hands or at the
handles Of the plough. | thought if the
white people Were right in securing their
lives by flight, /, who was in greater dan
ger and with no means Of protection, had
better right to escape than they. | did
not think that the whites had a right to
run from the war and leave me exposed to
Il al