The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1863-01-14

| like you, a STAKEHOLDER. AT the age OF
thirty-fve [ was poor man with no near
relatives. at about that time the death
of kinsman in the State of Mississippi
made me his sole heir, and I went there
to find myself ricb-the owner of broad
lands and many slaves.
"The novelty of the transaction made
it highly pleasing for while; but my
own geod fortune could not dull MY sense
of the misfortunes of others. had been
educated in different school, and | could
not but view with pity and disgust sys-
tenn of unpaid labor, some of the concom-
itants of which were the buying and SELL
ing of human beings from bondage to
bondage; the sway of absolutism IN a
free country the arbitrary parting of
kindred at the will of master and the
power to whip and brand human flesh
felt guilty in the possession of wealth,
resulting from no merit Of my own, but
wrung from the sweat and fatigue of hum
bic, benighted creatures born with no
friend save God, and yoked for life, with
out crime and without hope. l there
fcre did much to ameliorate tLeir condi-
ton, though for few years [ did not
make up my mind to free them.
"Among my slaves was really beau
tiful mulatto. Negro blood certainly
could not have predominated in her veins.
Her features were regularly and finely cut,
and her form and movements were grace
itself You may have seen such. The
red came and went in her complexion, at
sudden emotion, as visable as in whittier
face. Her voice was music, and her eyes
were like stars" a
The visitors smiled at each other.
"You may wonder at my rhapsody,
and yet more when | tell you that loved
her."
sympathy is often the forerunner of
love, and here it was heightened by admi-
ration and peculiar sense of wrong. |
often regarded her in secret meditation.
There, tho't l, is the innocent offspring
Of undoubted guilt-the more heinous
because the intelligence and style appar-
ent In her, show that mind and education
were coupled with unbridled passion,
which they should have checked-not
suffered to shadow forth their shame in
the future, and swell the calendar of souls
in chains" - -
81 loved her, but still it was repug-
nant to my Caucasian blood to marry her;
and yet the more my pride struggled,
the feebler it became before the power of
love. Will you believe it? l finally dis
closed my affection, and proposed to mar
ry her. And will you believe still fur
ther? Though convinced of my sinceri-
ty, she refused me. She was in love
with another, and black-one of my
own slaves.
"My disappointment was thus doubly
mortyfying. But, thank Heaven J | had
honor as well as philosophy, and I did
not abuse my power, though my heart
was writhing. | could not conquer my
love, but conquered myself"
'"That is a rare case under such cir
cumstances," SAID Mountfort.
II fear So" returned Lone Jack, deep
sigh escaping from hi7 quivering lip
"But let me unfold the sequel. A neigh
boring planter having seen her by chance,
came to me aud wished to buy her. l
declined. He urged me for hours, offered
a large amount, doubled, trebled it ;
bribed, swore, and begged by turns. Still
[ refused-my frmness increasing the
more ardent he became. suspected his
motive, for knew his character and |
would not part her from her lover.
"The man went away hating me for it;
and making handle of my Northern
birth and extreme kindness to my slave,
he excited prejudice against me. One
day, on my return from journey of some
miles, heard shrieks issuing from my
house. At distance, | saw one of my
boys rush toward the house, and enter
it. 1t was Phil, the lover of the mulatto
girl. Fastening to the house, what was
my horror, on entering, to find my neigh
Dor, who had sought to purchase the girl,
weltering in his blood on the floor :
while Phil and Jessie stood by, the latter
with her garments torn, and exhibiting
all the signs of having been engaged in a
desperate struggle. l understood all at
glance. Tbe william had taken advan-
tage Of my absence, and expatiated his
brutal attempt at once. A hatchet in the
hand of Phil had cleft his skull. He was
dead. ~
"Jessie was wild with fright and ago
ny. Phil spread out his arms humbly as
I entered, and said he, Master you have
always been kind to me, and you may
hang me now, or burn me, and l will net
blame you. But, 0, master what could
l dor"
Nothing less, and nothing better,
Phil said I; 'and | will sacrifice all l
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