Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-05-18
WHAT WILL TIE SLAVES DO.

The Southern newspapers, in noticing the
promptitude with which the negroes respond
to the call for their services in military ope-
rations, sscribs 1t to the love they bear their
nasters-to the loftiest patriotism, and to
their hatred of their Northern enemies,
as they are taught to regard the peo-
pie of the North. In the writer's fight
nom Virginia, be was secreted for three days
and nights in the house Of cololored tami-
lly, the head OF which was among the "pa-
triots at Norfolk, engaged in throwing up
forti6cations, under the directions of Gen.
Gwynn. he and his family are unrelenting
in the hatred of slavery, and prayer for the
triumph of Northern arms, and when the time
comes when such men land the South IS full
of them) can strike a sure blow, they will
strike. Already we hear of instructions,
and of extensive eonfagrations, and this is
but the beginning. Northern men may de-
plose this feeling on the part OF the negroes,
and the excesses to which it will give rise;
but there is no help for 1.-THE day of retri-
button is at hand, and there is no power to
arrest its progress or its terrors.
Despite the efforts of Southern masters
| large numbers of slaves and free negroes have
learned to read, and many of them are far
more intelligent than the ''poor white trlsh"
with which the slave States abound. During
tha Last Presidential eamnainn-- the most in
/ ings, were these; they communicated TO each
other what they heard, and they all under
I stood that thequestion of slavery was inYolv-
ed in the contest, and very many believed
| that the election Of Mr.. Lincoln would secure
their emancipation, and many acted in ac-
cordance with this belief One, out of many
/ facts, will illustrate this point. Soon after
the inauguration of Mr.. Lincoln, II slaves,
living on a plantation near Petersburgh,
Virginia, repaired to their masters early
one morning, and the spokesman of the party
boldly told him that they had served him
long enough; that they were free now, and
had merely called to tell him that they were
going away, and on they went. The master
had no power to stop them, bat he reached
Petersburgh before them, where he had the
whole party arrested, sold and forthwith sent
to the far s. nth. Aprevalent opinion among
them is, that this war is fulfllment Of the
propecy recorded in the eleventh chapter Of
Daniel. They have their revolutionary and
patriotic songs, which they sing in private
They hold secret religious meetings, the bur
then of their prayers being that the Lord will
| lelp tne NOrLnl ana ndSltu tue uhg Vi luelI
emancipation. A few days ago was travel
ing in the interior Of Virginia. Night over
took me in the neighborhood of sifarm house
where was entertained until the next dsy.
That night CHANGED to hear the evening de-
votious of the slaves in one Of theT huts.-
I was an -unobserved spectator heard
them pray for the success of tie North, and
one old woman wept for joy when told that
/ the Northern armies were soon coming to
set them free. ''0hI good massa Jesus, y
said she, glet 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 troop of horse, ready 10 start in
the morning for Richmond, and were prac-
Using with the broad swords. To their mas
ters, the slaves pretend entire ignorance Of
this whole movement but to white men in
whom they cen6de, they reveal their hopes,
/ fears, desires and plans. They bSre no arms
and could not use them if ~ had but they
4 have other meansof depAfuction more potent
and felrfuL which, 40 power can prevent
thar fbl n psipg,' inc wen the time comes for them
~ a.. tbey al know no love stronger than
the love n Liberty. sd --.