The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1863-09-11
Aunfafh 9rlfrrsunian.
TaIk with a s,pcor white Man.


2 Talk with s.Poor White Man.
The correspondent of the Ciucin-
natti Gazette, writing from Steven
son, Alabama, gives an interview h,'
had wi'ha captured soldier belonging
to Mississippi. We give portion OF
IL:
81 was too proud, said he. with q
tear glistcning in bis eye. Ito think
of dcserting even q lad cause after |
had once engaged in il. But the fall
of Vicksburg crushed my pride, and
then had no motive for continuing
the contest Why should we fight
any longer? Since | came into your
lines i heard an idea advanced which
appeals SO strongly to my own com
mon sense, that accepted it at once
as the exact truth.
1t is this: the rebel leaders have
themselves no longer any hopes OF
success, and now they only desire TO
use our bodies TO shield diem as long
as possible from the righteous wrath
of the Government.
"Are there many Mssiseipriars in
the amy who entertain your senti.
mentsT'
II don't know how itmoy lie with
others said he. ''lui iu IN, rcgmout
there are not score ui men who
would not gladly throw down their
firms to-day, and agree TO spend The
rest of their lives in woEdcgin how
they could have loeu such fooio as
ever to take them up"
Il do not wish To fiuttor you,' !
remarked to him, "tUt You seem to
he much more intelligent thau men OF
your class usually are. Ara youan ma
tive Of Mississippi.
"Yes, sir" lie aDswo:cd, II vas
born and raised near Holly springs
"NIy only education, said he, was
obtained at common school in my
neighborhood. 1t was taught for
three years by n man from Clcvc-
land, Ohio, by the name of Sanders,
and most excellent teacher and es-
Unable gentlemen he was Some ot
the rich families in our vicinity pre-
ferrcd to send their children to him,
rather thun employ private tutors;
and so, with what lie got from them
and what was obtained from the
State, he made handsome wages
"May / ask how it came" said |,
"that you, with so much better alil.
tiles, both natural and acquired. than
the mass of soldiers in the rebel army
failed to obtain office amongst them?
He smiled at this. MY parents
were poor" said he ''and of all the
offices in our regiment cannot think
of one that has ever been held by n
poor mans son"
"Werc your parents slayeholdcrs?'
Not at all. They owned and
cultiyat: d a little atch Of ground,
some miles from the city, the value
of which was scarcely equal to thar
of a single slave"
"YoW would doubtless have obtain
ell promotion at least!' | suggested.
Not" he bitterly rephd, "until
every rich stakeholder or rich slave
holders son in my company had been
promoted before me"
did your company contain many
such rs yourself.'
'Ycs," said he, "tmee-Tortns OF
them were poor men,"
"And in your army it is the busi
ness of the poor to obey and not to
commando"
"That's Il = he answered energet-
ically, that's it and cursed be the
men who dragged the poor into this
wrctchcd war y
do you know" said |, "what be
came of Sanders Z"
lie was warned by a Nigilaucc
Committee TO leave the State, before
the war broke out, lie did SO or at
least left orr neighborhood, and !
have never heard from him since"
"My fricad," said ] perhaps your
frank and cordial manner has encour
aged me to be too inquisitiyc, but !
should like to ask you more questions
What are your views upon the
suhiect OF slavery ::
The Vehement earucstupss OF his
reply ahsoMtelA startled mo;
Il am an Abolitionst / know
that Slavery has been the cause Of
our ruin, and, as God hears zoe, !
shall, for the rest Of my life, fight
against it And two thirds Of the
members Of my regiment feel about
just rs do
/ have rep ported this conversation
from memory, and the language used
both by myself and the Young man,
was different in many respects from
that here set down hut have in ey-
cry case faithfully given the substance
of his remarks, and the reader may
rely upon this as an exact represent
alton of the ideas presented by the
Mississippion dnring the half hour /
was in his company,