New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-06-04
WHITE HOUSE CoNTRABANDs.

l
the vicissitudes Of war; The house iisclf ia not
much of all obec, OF interest to those who know that
!, i; not the orieina, manfon in which George Wash
ingon married the lovely Martha Gusts. although II
occupies the site Of the building that was then and
for many wears after her home But tie chief OBJ
iects of IrtereGt at this time are two or three
old negroes who were born on the W hite House es,
tate during the lifetime Of Gen. Gusts, as they cai
him. the son Of Mrs. Washington, and passed
in rrocess of time into the Lee family by
by the marriage OF daughter OF the house with TIE
con Of Gen lee. From one Of these old servants,
who is named Bob Creighton. and who has been Tor
forty yea tanning leather on this estate to protect
the sOles of it's many feet have learned rome lper
eating particulars Of is internal pohty. Hound him
ia log shauty, TO three vats, which altogether
constituted the taunery." With dull TX, at
tached TO short handle, he was chopping up oak
bark pbeparatory to grinding 1t IN hopper 10 De
turned by mule power, if he should ever be able to
get mule for that purpose. Inc iour-io9'eu ena''
tels of the Lee family were all removed to Rich
mond some time sIuce.
Bob Creighton Ia a philosopher Of religious turn
Of mind as marked as that OF Uncle Tom, but with
mixture of worldly shTewdness not found III 3irs.
Stoves hero. La fact, his perfect trust IN frovi-
dence would put 10 shane tie most devout TURK on
reco,J and teach eseOn TO the most p0us Christian
NJ the pre,.pt are Candid IN ell bis statements, he
vet confirmed oil that had been told with bitterness
Nv others of the contrast between the two families
u1der which he and they had served. Other Old
men and women had before made the comparison,
and perhaps with recollections embittefed by per-
sonal outrages, had been unsparing III their debui-
cations Of the meanness OF the Lees, WINCH aeoy,d
ing to their story, had become proverbial. Bob
admitted all the facts, but was disposed 10 explain
ana extenuate.
According TO these nncontradiced statements, the
rule Of tie Custis's wac OF that patrafchal klnd
which those who recoect what constituted Inc tlr-
pDa gentleman Of the Olion time will have 10 DIN
Guilty in recognizing. The head of the family 6ener-
ally re,ioed at their mansion near Washington, and
tie plantations here were under the care Of over
eeeTs wbo If severe or tyrauIical were the objects
OF complaints TO the proprietor at BIS next vsit. The
negroes were then allowed 10 cultivate patch OF
ground for themselves, to raise pork and lOwe for
their own use and profit and care was taken to
give them time TO themselves 10 take care Of them.
Whipping was an unircQuent occurrence and il was
q speclal caes wien the same negro was whipped
twice In the same year. Care taken of the COM
fort of their hofes aud their good health; and, Oh
the wi ole, their condition was probably az good ah
is possible for peroons ouslaved, subject to lhe dblO-
uie will Of another.
But when TIE scion Of the proud Lees became the
proprietor Of the estates here ali Tins was changed.
One large woman weighing perhaps 30 pounds,
and now aged something over 30, had never felt tie
los duripp the whole time that abe bad lived under
enc old family but within q iew weeks aer the Aad
psssed under tho Lees, she had tnc mhiorlune 10
incur the dsreasIe 81 htr raGfer ana was ora. req
by Liln 10 receive three hundred e.les On the bare
Lsk and he stood by 10 zee lis order well executed
She svs fbat for eight day rhe cond not wear her
clotles' For late years, wiippngs have bten 4
weekly and almost delly occurrence.
The raisipg OF hogs, and the culture oI garden
natcLo. ,te trohibiled asd the whole tine OF The
negroes i. required for tie plantation The poultry
apd ILL prodnee WHICH " ieIEef .ppv wss E.o ~