The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1862-05-07
slavery as Seen and Described by
an Ohio Republican Colonel.

slavery as Seen and Described by
an Ohio Republican Colonel.
We have heretofore stated the fact,
that Wm. H. Gibson, the Republican
ex-Treasurer of State, is Colonel of a
regiment (49th) of Ohio volunteers
His was the FIRST regiment which en-
tered Kentucky from Ohio. This was
in September last. At the battle of
Pittsburg Landing, he was placed at
the head of a brigade, and the State
Journal announces that he reached Co.
lumbus few days ago suffering from
a bayonet wound which he received
during the battle. Frank Sessions,
in his letter to that paper, states that
Gen. McCook says Gibson's and Dick
ey's regiments covered themselves all
over with glory, on Monday, in the
fight" With these remarks by way
of introduction, and reminding the
reader that Gibson has been one of the
most eloquent and impassioned anti
slavery stumpers in Ohio, we now wish
to call attention to the following ex-
tracts from letter which he wrote
home shortly before the battle at Pitts
burg and which was published on the
4th of April in the Republican organ
printed at Tifin. Gibson says:
"Ir this region every one owns one or
more slaves Here as elsewhere, where
have been, the slaves are we'll treated and
we'll provided for, They appear HAPPIER
and certainly live and dress better than the
poor whites or the free negro of Ohio or the
| North. They all supposed we were about
to liberate them. This lie had been trum-
peted in the South, and hundreds OF honest
people, aside from slaves, believed it. But
the negro here instnctively breads the North.
They love the South, and are deuotcd to their
naastersi as;..H .... at .,
| II have witnessed some touching scenes
between exiled masters, returned to their
homes Nis strange how fe,o try to escape or
run aaoay. | doubt if twenty have come to
the army with which have been connected,
since last September. ,. ~
"About the farm houses and in the city,
the white children and black, play together
like brothers and sisters. 1t is my deliberate
opinion. that in their present state of igno.
rance, the SLAVE rather feths than desires ema,s
cipation. They only regard their appetites
and comforts. They are we'll housed, we'll
dressed and we'll fed. They appear to want
no more. These facts constitute no excuse
for slavery, but mention them as tending
to show that statesmen had better let the nigges
alone at present, and address themselves to
suppressing tins great rebellion. :.r
1.-The Presidents late resolution and mes
sage, as to aiding emancipation, is regarded
here as unworthy of his position. 1t con
tains propositions which are not only unten.
able, but weak in the extreme" m
! Here is the unasked testimony OF
a man whose whole political existence
has rested on the success of the anti
slavery agitation. It's the testimony
NOT of a predjudiced witness, but of a
man who has taken his life in his hand
in defence of the Union. He speaks
no longer as political stumper anxious
to infame the minds of his hearers
against the hated Southern Oligar.
chg.' His testimony is that of one
who has come to see that his belief as
to the condition of the slaves was gross
| ly erroneous, and that the interests o1
a bleeding country demand that she
actual truth should be known by the
1 people of the North. Let all gooo
citizens of every party, ponder the
statements which he makes. Let vi
) all keep especially in remembrance tht
!, fact which he states, that the slaves fol
whom we have been SO deeply sympa
thising, appear "happier" and "cer,
tainly live and dress better" than thou
sands of our own white neighbors il
the advancement of whose welfare W,
: spend so little thought and manifes
such cold and constant indifference
: Newark Advocate. IL. ~.