The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-11-13

\ rlgnC. Ill li3at lazy Ctdil hepI ahoos ny III
cessant bailing, we succeeded, at the end of
an hour, in crossing the river. And this, be
it understood, is travelling in one the rich
est districts of South Carolina
We soon left the region of the rice fields,
and plunged into dense forests Of the long
leafed pine, where for miles not house, or
any other evidence of human occupation, is
to be seen. Nothing could well be more
dreary than ride through such region,
and to while away the tedum of the jour-
ney opened conversation with the driver,
who up to that time had maintained res
pectful silence.
He was genuine native African, and a
most original and interesting specimen of the
genus darky. His thin, close-cut lips, straight
nose and European features were strangely
contrasted by skin of ebon blackress, and
there was quiet, native dignity in his man
ner which betokened superior intelligence.
His story was strange one. When boy,
he with his mother was kidnapped by a
/
Lopez, on the western coast of Africa. There
in the slave-pen, the mo other died, and he, a
child Of seven years, was sent in slave ship
to Cuba. At Havana, when sixteen, he at
tracted the notice of South Carolina gen.
tlcman, residing in Charleston, who bought
him and took him to the States He lived
as house-servant in the family of this gentle
man till some five years ago, when his mas-
ter died, leaving him to a daughter. This
lady, kind indulgent mistress, allowed him
to 'hire his time and he had since carried
on an independent business, as porter, and
doer of allwork around the wharves and
streets Of Georgetown. In this way he gained
a comfortable living, besides paying to his
mistress one hundred and fifty dollars a
year for the privilege of earning his own
support. He was in every way remarka-
BILE negro, and my two days with him ban
ished from my mind all doubt as to the ca
pacity of the black for freedom, and all ques-
ton of the disposition Of the slave to strike
off his..chains when the favorable moment
arrives. From him learned that the blacks,
though pretending ignorance, are fully ac-
quainted with the questions at issue in the
pending contest. He expressed the opinion,
that war would come in consequence of the
stand South Carolina had taken and when
l said to him: But if it comes you viii be
no better off. 1t will end in compromise,
and leave you where you are He answer
ed No, massa, 'twon't do dat De South
viii fight hard and de North will get de
blood up, and come down here, and wipe
dem out, and do away wild de cause of all de
trouble and dat is de nigga
But said, perhaps the South will drive
back the North ; as you say, they will fight
! hard
Dat dey WILL massa, dey am the fghtip
sort, but dey can't whip de North, cause
you see dey'n fight wild only one hand
When dey fight de North wild de right hand
dey'll have to hold de nigga wild de left
But replied, the blacks won't rise !;
most Of you have kind masters and fare
WELL
All true, massa, but dat ant freedom, and
black men love freedom as much as de white
The same blessed Lord made dem both, and
He made dem all alike, excep' de skin. De
blacks have strong hands, and when de day
comes you'll see dey have heads too 7
\ Much nfhor f;oo N 1000
degree Of intelligence on his part, passed
between us. In answer to my question if
he had family, he said NO. None of my
blood shall ever be slave Ole massa fog
me and threaten to kill me cause wouldn't t
marry but told him to kill, dat 'twould be
more his loss dan mine.'
! asked if the negroes generally felt as he
did, and he told me that many did that
nearly all would fight for their freedom il
they had the opportunity, though some pre-
1 ferred slavery because they were sure Of
being cared for when infirm, not considering
that if their labor, while they were strong,
made their masters rich, the same labor
| "Ouiu PioNiuc ioi NhSuh oSaiiSS Oiu aSS. Alo
told me that in the district of Georgetown
there are twenty thousand negroes, and not
more than two thousand whites, and Sup
pose,' he said, dat one quarter Of desc niggas
should risc-de rest would keep still-wha
den would de whi-e folks bel?
j Yes replied, they would be taken at
a disadvantage; hut it would not be long
before aid from Charleston and other places
came, and you would be overpowered.'
/ NO, massa, he replied, de chivalry, as
you call dem, would be off in Virginny, and
we could soon get aid from Massa Seward
who could land troops enough in Georgetown
to chaw up the whole state in less dan nc
time ~
i But you have no leaders, sid. mo one
to direct the movement. The negro is not
a match for the white man in generalship
and without generals. whatever your nun
bers, you would fare hardly
To this he REPLIED an elevated enthusiasm
lighting up-his face, DE Lord, massa, made
generals of Gideon and David, and de black
man know as much about war as dey did
besides, he added, with a quiet hunor, de
black man am equal to de white. kno )
, most of de great men, such as Washington
and John and James and Paul and Deuter
onomy and dem old fvllers were white, bu
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