New-York daily tribune., 1862-05-05


the people, though deceived at fret By the press,
have, from interviews with the wounded soldiers
learned what was 60 carefully sought to be con-
cealed. There is no doubt that Shiloh has been @
terrible blow 10 the enemy, and one from which they
can hardly recover.
LIBERTY OR DEATH!
Within the past three months large number Of
slaves have been sent farther South and sold 70 new
masters; and the scenes in tie auction maE.s have
often been narrowing 10 witness-familes being sep-
arIted without the least regard for humanity or that
kind Of external decency which the slaveowpers fre.
quenily affect To observe.
week or two snce large and rather intelli.
gent muatto was taken from Lis wife and children
aud sold TO Texas planter at Jamess mart. He,
poor fellow, was greatly depressed, and seemed for
time unconscious of everything passing around him.
At last he odsed himself from his ntrospeciop, and
asked if he had been sold, and to whoml The name
of tir planter was given, and the location Of bis
plantation.
An expression Of agony, succeeded by cloud OF
despair, passed over the mans fice but without
speaking, Re walked quietly into the middle of the
street, and before any one could divine his motive,
or anticipate his intention, he drew pistol, which
he had concealed upon his person, and placing the
muz7le to his forehead, pulled the trigger
The upper part of the rnulattos head was fairly
blown off; and he fell mapged corpse in the midst
Of the crowded thoroughfare.
The bondsman was free. Suicide had saved him
from Slavery.
The crowd, ever curious but rarely sympathetic,
especially when negro is the sufferer or the vic
tim, gathered for moment about the body; but ro
one pitied no one bestowed more thought upon tue
heartbroken, sefslan husband and father than if he
had been butcbered OK
A few asked, "What the devil was the matter
with the niggerl" Others observed: "The id
Niger must have been crazy" and the Texas
planter swore roundly-saying, "D--n the cursed
darkey. I could have sold him for two thousand
dollars. I m just so much ont Of pocket. If he d
come to life again, d give him forty lashes."
But the crowd went burying on, and the negro,
and tie great tragedy, deeper and grander aud more
awful than "Othello," were forgotten; and the be-
roic martyr was hauled away like poisoned dog.
| HOME APPRECIATION OF JOHN b. FLOYD.
Considerable amusement has been furnished us on
the fo,ills by an old copy of The Richmond (Va.)
Examiner, containing editorial on John Is. Floyd,
| in which he is mentioned as the hero Of thirty
battles" | never knew a Richmond paper to be
Willingly guilty Of joke Of any sort; but that ap-
rellation applied to the notorious fugacious thiei
must certainly have been intended as jest. Floyd
who not op'y never had any martial succese, but
ran away from ight Whenever he bad an oppoItu-
uity-the "hero OF thirty battlesw Is not that ex-
ceedngly droll'
Speaking Of Floyd reminds me Of what gentle.
man from Memphis now on his way there, told me
of the unprnciped ex-Secretary's reputation in the
vicinity where be bad lived for number OF years.
Ny informant was travelling to Lynchburg, Va, and
discovered that Floyd was on the cars. After arriv-
Ing al the hotel he found that the distinguished ana
devoted son of the South" ms the Rebel journals
have dubbed him, was also stopping there, and he
noticed, during the day, that all the persons who
called ON or convened with him were of the mos,
unpr.posses.ng appearance and disgustingiy coarse
and rrofano in speech. The gentleman marked TO the
proprietor Of tie hotel the sipgu'arity OF Floyds
associations, aud wondered that important per-
sonace should not attract better class.
"The reason IL, Sir replied the landlord, that
Floyd is known here. He lived in Lynohburg a
number OF year, and greater scoundrel never es-
csped the peniieniary, where he ought to have been
long ago. There are hundreds OF men in the Rich
moud PRISON who are honest compared with Floyd.
Everybody despises him in THE city and county.
lie never had transaction with any one, whom he
did not cheat or attempt 20 cheat.
"He is an infamous liar ard villain, and never
war anything else He could not obtain credit for five
dollars unefs he would leave his watch as Il pledge
and If lie did that, would believe the watch stolen.
lie has swindled hundreds OF people in this town,
and lie will do more injury TO our cause-I am a
strong advocate Of Southern Rights--than dozen Of
our best men viii do it good. Confound him, hope
the Yankees VIII catch him and hang him. for lie de
serves it,
On further inquiry, the Memphis merchant learned
that the opinion the bo,elproprictor dexpressed Of
Floyd was general, and that be as much despsed
AZ pickpocket or a tbnblerigger. Floyd himself
looked quite venerable, but appeared care-worn and
premsturey Old, with stoop in his shoulders las if
he had been trying to carry small portion Of wha.
he had stolen on his back and q very unprepossess.
ing manner. He was generally quiet in manner and
retcent corrotorang the idea that great scoundrels
arc usually SILENT for fear Of exposing their principles
or nisdeeds
CAUSE OF TIE CHANGE OF PROGRAMME.
The change Of programme 10 which l have
alluded, at this point, resulted from the calling Of
Gen. Popes splendid army up the Tennessee. Ar.
rangemens had been made for it, cooperation with
the fleet, and active measures were on tho taps
when Gen. liallecks orders were received. l
should not mention this fact, bad not seen the in.
formation published in several Of the newspapers;
and indeed have heretofore carefully kept the in
telgenee TO myself; though l presume it is known
everywhere-another evidence OF the caprice that
govern what ia known as c0ntrs.band news.
We have a considerable land force still on the