Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-10-28


IANDs.-A large audience assembled last
evening at the Second Presbyterian church
for the purpose Of listening to an address
from William Davis, for many years slave
at Hampton, Virginia. The exercises were
opened by prayer from Rev. Mr.. Goodrich,
reading Of a chapter from the scriptures and
singing. Rev. Mr.. Hawks, pastor Of the
Second Presbyterian church, made some brief
remarks. He said that nothing in the pro-
gress of the war has arrested the attention Of
the observing more than the very apparent
agency Of God in the disposal of the slave.
He felt that the liberation of the slave was
the Interior end that God had in his mind.
he believed that the war could not continue
q year without servile instruction. That
there has been none, gives an aspect Of
moral sublimity to the negro. He is waiting
believing that God viii work all things
right, and bring them deliverance. Thou
sands Of these people are already free,yet de-
pendent upon the Government and the bOuE-
ass Of the charitable. They are gather'd 4
ct Fortress Monroe and at Cairo, and will
suffer greatly unless assisted.
Mr.. Davis is accompanied by Mr.. COwan,
Of New England, gentleman who mas been
greatly interested in the welfare Of the con-
trabands at Fortress Monroe, where he has
spent several months Of late, doing them good
in various ways. He obtained permission
from General Wool, allowing Davis to come
North with him and aid him in making ap-
peals to the charitable and humane in behalf
Of the suffering cOntrabands at Fortress Mon
roe. Rev Mr. Wolcott, in introducing Mr..
Cowan to the audience, read some letters from
responsible parties in New England, recon-
mendi1g Mr.. Cowsn and his object.
Mr.. Cowan spoke briefly. BE said that,
feeling E great interest in those slaves who
had escaped to our lines, he went to Fortress
Monroe several months ago, his object being
to inform himself with regard to their condi-
ton and wants. General Wool, who was in
command, afforded him every possible oppor-
tunity for carrying out his purpose, and sym.
pathized fully in all schemes for aiding those
suffering people. He spoke Of visiting them
in their prayer meetings, and said he never
knew what it was for men and women to
pray, before he listened to those escaped
slaves Some Of them told him they had
been praying ten, twenty, thirty years for the
day of delivsrance. God had promised it
they had faith in his promise, and that faith
had kept them from rising in insurreetiOn
and Staying their oppressOrs.
Mr.. Cowan introduced William Davis to
the audience, remarking that he had been all
his life slave, and was without education.
Mr.. Davis then took the platform. He is
not deeply eOlored, and has pleasant, intel
Hgent countenanee. He is about forty-ive
years Of age, apparently. He spoke huently
and generally correct, darkyism" show
ing itself occasionally, but this peculiarity is
common to whites and blacks in Virginia.
Heasked the audience 20 bear in mind, while
he was speaking, what Mr.. Cowan had told
them--he was always a slave and had enjoy
ed no education. When Mr.. Cowan spoke to
him about going North, be thought it was
nonsense; didn't know what good a poor ig
norant slave like him, could do in the cause
Of his fellows. But he was urged to go by
his suffering brethren, and go he did. He
said he was not fugitive or a runaway slave.
The thing was reversed, and instead Of run
ming away from his mistress, his mistress had
run away from him. He didn't appeal to
any Fugitive law" to bring him back,
either. BE said he was born in Norfolk,
Virginia, and sold, together with his mother,
at Hampton, Virginia.
She was sold to one bidder, and he to snoth-
eE, but she fnaIly prevailed apOn her new
master to buy her boy also, and they were not
separated, but lived on the same plantation
near Hampton SO long as he was a slave. Ifany
slave could have anything good to say about
slavery, he considered that he was that one
but he hadn't seen the good yet. he grew up
under overseers. he had been made familiar
with the lash, and had been obliged TO stand
by and see his mother whipped most unmer-
cifully, and yet unable to render her any aid.
His master used to whip him, he said, every
day in the week except Sunday; but he
would always say on Sunday, You
rascal, III skin you tomorrow" and
he invariably kept his promise. He
finally determined that be would be
whipped no more, and one day when the
oTerseer attempted to do it, he resisted him
The overseer got his gun and threatened tC
blow him through He told him to elbow
away you won't shoot nything Of mine
I'm masters, and if he can stand it can. p
Something diverted the attention Of the over
seer just then, and the matter dropped. Aftel
this William was taken from the field BY
his master, and employed as house servant
The Overseer and the master quarrelled, ant
a new overseer was procured, who used the
slaves worse than his predecessor. Th'
slaves were dispirited, and would not Wori
any more than they could help. William, who
seemed to have grown q favorite with hi
master, pointed out the reason why the plan
tstiOn languished--it was the raw-hido tha
did it. The result was, William was mad,
overseer; and he fully demonstrated to hi
master the fact that slaves will do double thu
work without the whip. The speaker asked
Pithily, "if we could do SO much for OLE
master without the whip, how much NOR,
could We do If we were freef"
He related what caused him to seek re
HgiOn. he had heard that in He'll every on
follows the same business that occupie
him in life. He said be didn't wisl
to be bothered with his old maste
in hell; 50 he sought religion, that he nigh
be free when he died, and 60 to Heaven. H
had not the lamp Of the Scriptures to ligh
him on the way blind creature that he was
he had to feel his way to his Savior. Ligh