Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1862-07-09
BY REQUEST.
THE WHITE RACE IN THE SOUTH,

| OR, THE EFFECTS OF SLAVERY.
The negro-hating, prO-slavery Democratic
| press, endeavor to create the impression, by
their persistent falseboOds, that it is for the
benefit of the blacks alone, that Republicans
oppose slavery. We do not deny that anti
slavery men think it but justice that black
man should be permitted to own himself, and
his wife and children, and to enjoy the fruits
of his own labor, but we do assert most en-
phatically that the welfare of the blacks is not
the sole, or even the main reason why Re-
publicans oppose slavery.
| The emancipation of the white race from
the awful effects of the curse of slavery, is the
| chief object we have in view. The effects are
so potent, so terrible, so wide reaching, that
they threaten to ruin the civilization of the
country, unless speedily removed. They
have already brought the South measurably
to state of semi-barbarism, and the tenden-
cy downwards is increasing in geomctrcal
ratio.
We ask the attention of those who are in
favor of tolerating slavery, and leaving it to
exist in the South, working out its desolating
effects until it eliminates in another re-
bellion, to the following extract from writer
who is visiting portions of Tennessee and
Mississippi, in the track of our armies. After
speaking of the natural riches of the country,
and pointing out its beauties, and its facili-
ties for supporting large population, ,he says:
ssYet, with all these natural advantages,
with a healthy climate and magnificent SOIL
after over fifty years of settlement this re-
gion of country is as yet almost in a state of
nnfn tI.a nj. fhnn, ,,frI . tL.,f
and only at the distance of two three miles
apart, come upon clearings, or rather fields in
which the gigantic trees are left standing,
having been merely girdled years before.
The house OF the settler is generally log hut,
but imperfectly sschinked'' up with mud.
Sometimes even this is not done, but the light
of heaven is allowed to stream in in all dircc-
tions. Of course, in this case no windows are
needed. Indeed | saw but few glazed win
dowS. Most of the houses had no glass what
ever. A wooden shutter, closed at night and
open by day, serves all the pun poses of air and
light. OF course, into such cabins as these,
the bugs, ticks and immense poisonous spi-
ders have free access, and doubtless improve
the opportunity. In many instances found
the occupants had no beds or bedding, never
took Off their clothes, or at least only periodi-
cally, and when they retired for the night,
slept in semi-circe around the heart b with
their feet to the fire, like so many savages
py the same sleeping apartments with the
whites. In truth, as to Intelligence, the
gro appears to be every whit as we'll inform
ed as his or her master mistress They are
generally much more lively in their speech
and motions, and far more healthy looking.
Turn your back to the family and you could
not tell the difference in speech between the
master and man. And in this way is slavery
fast placing the once African savage upon
dead level with the white But it is not
only doing so In this manner. but in another
and more intimate one. l alude to the CON-
minglng of the blood of the two races into a
common stock, whether degenerate one or
not time alone can determine. But that ANAL
gamation is going on at an extremely rapid
rate no one will have the hardihood to deny.
/ will give an instance as specimen, and
which L obtained from distinguished divis-
ion surgeon in the army, native Southerner,
born and raised in Kentucky. He was riding
out to the front few days since in company
with Gen. - and Staff They stopped at
log hut by the wayside and were struck with
the beauty and intelligent looks of little
girl about four or five years of age. She had
eyes of the most brilliant black, straight
wavy hair, and white skin. Upon inquiry
they learned that she was the daughter of
mulatto woman by colored man. This wo-
man, they also learned, was the daughter of
her own master or owner. She had three
husbands-negro men also owned by her own
father or his neighbors. Two of them had
been sent South and sold the third was now
living with her. BY her present husband she
had several black children. and this white
child. Some of the neighbors (perhaps ma
liciousy) it was afterwards found out, report
ed that this child was the daughter of the wo-
mans own father and owner The family,
white and black, appeared to live very AMIGA
bly, together. The white owner had several
children by white woman, and he was re-
ported to be kind master to his slaves.
Now, here is specimen of the peculiar insti.
tuition so revolving as to shock the seDsibil-
tiles, to say nothing of the religious senti-
ments, of the most brutal of mankind. Let
Northern apologists for slavery talk no more
of abolitionists and amagamationists at the
North. If they want to see amalgamation and
mormanism of the most degrading kind, Just
let them visit a slave State, and when they do
let them take care to go among the middling
class of whites, owners of few slaves, and if
they do not find the population sunk in the
most british beastialty and ignorance, it is
because they will not. Here is country over
which the famous Davy Crockett hunted, and
stumped for Congress, over thirty years ago
yet it is still as much of wilderness as it was
when the s'bars'' and the catamounts reigned
almost supreme in its solitudes. And what
has been the drawback to its progress and
civilization Simply the institution of sla-
very-no more and no less. Yet these are
the States, and these the people that have
been furnishing the Democratic party of this
country its staple majorities for years. No
wonder the result has been the breaking up
OF the Union. No Republic can ever stand
such an accumulated amount of darkness and
ignorance displayed in the Southern
States among the backwoodsmen and small
farmers, whose votes in reality are the leavers
by which Southern politicians have ruled this
country through the Democratic party.