The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1861-10-15

saiAcl.nl presence us mlud @ observe that
~dAee aA-lse e.aaaza.a.ls .pFqf gsaa..ed hipseli
iii lis forehead tonched the ground, and
rising, placed his finger on his mouth
Initiating this signal, be passed 10 with
The throng. and seated himself behind the
glare Of ihe torches. For some time he
could make out no connected meaning
amid the confused buzz Of voices and half
suppressed snaichcs 81 songs But, at
list, tall man mounted the stump Of a
decayed tree nearly in tie center Of the
area, and requested silence.
"When We had our last meeting" said
he, +" / supposed most all Of You know,
that we all concluded il was best for to
join the British, II 50 we could get a good
chance. But we didn't all agree about
our masters. Some thought we should
never be able TO keep our freedom without
We killed our masters in the first place; !;
others didn't like the thoughts OF that; so
we engaged to have another meeting TO
talk about il. And now, boys, if the Brit
ish land here, in Caroliny, what shall we
do with our masters Z"
He sat down, and tail, sinewy malat-
TO stepped into his place, exclaiming with
fierce gestures -" Ragish their wives and
daughters before their eyes, as they have
lloI&.-r lIaot thom with hounds, as.
they have hunted as I Shoot them down
with rifles, as they have shot ps' Throw
their carcasses 10 the crows they have fat
tened on oHr bones, and then let the devil
take them where they never rake up fire
o nights. Who talks Of mercy to onr mas
ters"
II do said an aged black man, who
rose up before the fiery youth, totiering as
he leaned both hands on an oaken staff.
Il do; because tie blessed Jesus always
talked Of mercy. know We have been
fed like hogs and shot at like wild beasts.
Myself found The body Of my likeliest boy
undcr the tree where the buckrat rifles
reached him. But thanks be to the bles-
sed Jesus, ! feel il in my poor heart TO
forgive them. | have been q member of
the Methodist church these thirty years,
and I've heard many preachers, white and
black and they all tell me Jesus said.
DO good to them that 10 evil 70 You, and
pray for them that spite you. Now | say
let us love our enemies--let us pray for
them, and when our masters fog US, and
sen our pceaninnies, let us break out
singing
"You moy beat upon my body,
But you cannot harm my soul;
| shall join the forty thousand bye and bye.
You may sell my children to Georgy,
But you cannot harm their soul;
They will join the forty thousand bye and bye.
Conc slave trader, come in too,
The Lords got a pardon here for you;
You shall join the forty thousand bye and bye.
Come, poor nigger, come in too,
The Lords got pardon here for you;
You shall join the forty thousand bye and bye
My skin is black, but my soul is white;
Aud when we get to heaven Wen all be alike;
We will join the forty thousand bye and bye"
That's the way to glorify the Lord.
Scarcely had the cracked voice ceased
the tremulous chant in which these words
were uttered, when lond alteration COM
menced; some crying ont vehemenlly for
the blood Of the white men, others main
taining that the old mans doctrine was
right. The aged black remaining leaning
on his staff, and mildly replied TO every
outbur.t of fury, But Jesus said, do good
for evil" Loud rose the din Of excited
voices, and the disguised stakeholder
shrank deeper into the shadow.
In the midst Of the confusion, an atllet-
ie, gracefully proportioned young man
sprang upon the stump, slowly turning
round and round before the assembled
multitude. Immediately all was hushed;
for the light of dozen torches, eagerly
held up by fierce, revengeful comrades,
showed his back and shoulders deeply
gashed BY the whip and oozing with blood.
In the midst Of that deep silence he stop
ped abruptly, and with stern breyity ex-
claimed, g Boys, shall We not murder our
masters n
Would you murder aH?" inquired
timid voice at his right hand. They
don't all cruelize their slaves
"Ihere's Mr.. Campbell" pleaded anoth-
er, i" he never had one Of his boys 1ogged
in his life. Yon wouldn't kill him, would
you x
"Oh, no, no, no." shouted many voices !;
we wouldn't murder Mr.. Campbell
He's always good 10 colored folks"
And | wouldn't murder my MASTER"
said one Of Mr.. Dunean's slaves "and
Id fight anybody that set out to murder
him. ] amt a.going TO work for him any
longer, if can help it but he shan't be
murdered, for he's good master"
Call him good master, if you like"
said The bleeding youth, with bitter sneer
in his look and tone. !" / curse the word.
The white men tell us God made them
our masters: | say il was the DEVIL
When they don't cut up the backs that
bear their burdens, when they throw US
enough Of the grain we have raised to
keep US strong for another harvest, when
they forbear to shoot the limbs that toll
10 make them rich. there are fools who call
them good masters. Why should hey