Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-08-05

pslly through the liberality of Hon. Jo-
senb Boxie. of New York, who bad visit
cd the schools tew months since, and
whose malicious selections were universal
lv commended and his generosity fully ap-
preciated. These children will never for
get this occasion.
Among the songs by the school, inter-
spersed throughout the exercises-anG
erery child sings in these schools-was
the following, which aside from its intrin
sic merit and affecting pathos, was par
ticularly interesting from the fact that
just before the rebellion, congregation OF
slaves attending public baptism on Sun
day, at Savannah, were arrested, impris-
oned and punished with SO lashes each for
singing the song OF spiritual freedom-now
crime since slavery had become p" d.
vine Institution J"
SLAVES SONG.
"My mother how long! Mothers how long
mothers how long
VIII sinners suffer here
CHOEUs-It won't be long! 1t won't be long 1t
won't be longi
That sinners I'll suffer hereI
aWe'u walk de golden streets Wen walk de gold
en- streets! Well walk de golden streetsl
Where pleasures never die
CHoRUs-It won't be long sc.
| "My brot her do sing my brotherl do .ing my
brother do singh
De praises OBJ de Lord
CEoRus-It won't be long &C.
Wen soon be free wen soon be free Be'n soon
be free
De Lord will call Us home
CEoRUs-My .brotherl do sing my brother do
sing! my brother! do sing
De praises Of Go LordP'
And these verses so expressive and pa
| thetic are added to almost indefinitely in
| the same style by the interested singers.
! Now where this and the hundred kindred
| songs sung by the slaves came from, or
| who amidst the darkness of slavery in
/ diteth them | cannot of course say. but it
| is easy to determine the source of the in
/ spiration. In patient faith and enduring
| hope these Songs of Zion have been
sung by generations of these bOndmen, as
| the only relief for bleeding hearts and
| lacerated bodies, and now God comes in
| Judgment to reqaite the nation for the
| wrongs inflicted upon His oppressed and
| suffering poor.
/ EMANCIPATRD SLAVE WOMEN PURCHASING
FLAG.
| Another interesting and significant
| event connected with the people here oc-
/ Cured on Monday. The women called q
meeting at the church TO consider the pro-
| pTiety of presenting Col. Littlefield's regi-
nent now enlisting here a stand of colors.
| Like the great dinner and celebration on
| the 4th, all was arranged by the colored
/ women and $50 Was contributed on the
| spot, by these poor fugitives, from the
/ hard earnings of their brief freedom-con-
/ trIbuted to purchase an American flag 10
| be borne by their colored brethren-the
| flag which had been to them till now the
| emblem OF oppression! They cherish no
| feelings of maliguity for the wrongs which
| have been inflicted, but hail the new era
of freedom with joy, and rally to the
| country's standard with pride and salts
| faction now that that country is prepared
| to respect their humanity and protect their
| rights. Among the contributors Wa ere
| slave women who has five sons and hus-
| bund in the army while she remains al
| home 20 care Tor younger children.
A CENTENARIAN
Ned Simons, an old negro belonging tC
| the Dungenness estate of Gen. Nathaniel
/ Greene, on Cumberland Island, and who
was lift by the rebel inheritor, Nightin-
/: gaze, on MS ~vacuation of the place, died
! here last week, a. 80 house of the LADY,
| teachers Of the schools, VIZ. Leva kirdIyg
| cared for him since their arrival ,:u.s
| Ned was over lou years old, and remem
| bered Gen. Washington well, and was one
| OF the number who assisted in CARRYING
him through the streets o. Savannah on
his last visit to that place. Old Ned took
lively interest in the affairs OF the ma
| ton, and reioiced in the prospect of til,
freedom OF his race. He was deeply in
tereSted IN the cause Of education, and
though partially blind with age, he desir
ed himself to learn to read. On bein.
asked why he wished TO learn when h
could not expect to live much longer, b.
replied" as the tree falls, so il will lay
his attainments on earth would contri
butte &c higher attachments on high-anC
the ladies yielded TO his request, and dur
ing the last months of his life he, Will
much labor and effort, acquired knowl
edge OF his letters and syllables Poo
old Ned After long life of unrequite,
toll and slavery, he has ''gone where tn
good negroes go"-where no slave-drive
will ever tollow-where he can sing sd
praises OBJ de Lord" in freedom and safety
r.