New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-08-22
Letter fro,. a friedman 80 bis Old Mas

The following is genuine document. 1t
was dictated by the old servant. and contains his ideas
and forms of expression. lCincnsati Commercial.
DAYTON, Ohio, August :, 1865.
To M Old Master Coi. y. Ii. AYDERsGS. BIZ Spring,
sm: / got your letter and was glad to fin' that YOU
had not forgotten Jordan, and that you wanid me to
come back and live with y0u again. PROMISING 10 do
better for me than anybody else have oft7 felt
uneasy about Won. thought the Yankees would lave
hung you long before this for harbOring Rebs thy
found your hOurse suppose they never heard abof
your going 20 Col Martins TO ki! the union solder
that lett by his company in their stable Although
YOU shot at me twice before left yOn did not want 20
hear OF your being hurt, and am glad you are sun Nv,
ing. 1t would do good TO go back TO ne dear Ola
home again and see Miss Mary and Miss Martha ana
Alien Esther Green and Lee. Give my love 10 them
all aud tell them 1 hope we will meet In the better
world, If not in this wond have gone Dnck 10 see
Won all when was working in the Nashville Hospital,
but one of the neighbors told me Henry intended TO
shoot me II he ever got "a chance.
want 20 know particularly what the good chance is
you propose giycme. | am doing toerably well here
get So a month"; with victuals and clothing; have O
comfortable home for MANDY (he folks here call her
Mrs. Anderson. aud the children. Mllly Jane and
Grundy. 10 school and are learning WELL the teacher
saws Gruudy has q head for a preacher They go TO
Sunday School and Mandy and me attend church
regularly. We are kindly treated; sometimes we over
hear others saying. Them colored people were slaves
down in Tennessee. The children feel hunt when they
hear such remarks but tell them II was no disgrace
in Tennessee 10 belong 10 Col Anderson. Many
darkies would have been proud as used tn was. to
call yon master. Now. If you viii write and say what
wages Won will give me- | will be- better able 10 decide
whether 1t would be to my advantage TO move back
again.
AS 10 my freedom. which you say I can have, there
is nothing to be gllned on that score. AZ got my
ireepapeIs III 1861 from the Provost MarshalGenerBl
of the Department at Nashville. Mandy says she
would be afraid 20 g. back without some proof that
yOu are sincerely disposed 10 treat justly and kind
iy-and We have concluded to test your sincerity by
asking you send wages for the time we served
you. This viii make us forget and forgive old sores,
and rely your Justice and friendship in the future.
served gon faithfully for thirtytwo years. and Mandy
twenty years. at $50 month for me. and 81 week for
Mandy. Our earnings would amount to sli,6 60 Add
TO this the interest for the time wages has been
kept back and deduct what you paid for our clothing
ard three doctors visits to me- and pulling tooth for
MANDY and the balance will show what are in JUS
tee entitled ia. Please send the money by Adams
Express in care of V. Winters. esq, Dayton, Ohio.
If you fail to pay for faithful abois in the past we
can have little faith IN your promises III the future.
We trust the good Maker has opened your eyes to the
wrongs which YOU and your fathers have done TO me
and my fathers. IN making Toll for you for genera
tOns without recompeEse. Here L draw my wages
every Saturday night but In Tennessee there was
never any pay day for the negroes any more than Tor
the horses and COWS Surely there VIII be day of
reckoning for those who defraud the laborer Of his
hire.
In answering this letter please state if there wonld
be any safety Tor NY Aily and Jane who are now
grown up and both good looking girls You know how
it was With poor Matilda and Catherine. l would
rather stay here and sarve and die If it come to that
than have my girls brought to shame by the violence
and wickcdness of their young masters. You will also
please state if there has been any schools opened for the
coored children in your neghbohoOd the great desire
OF my life is to give my children education and
have them form viriuous habits.
From your old servant, JouRDON ANDERSON.
T. S.-Say howdy 10 George Carter and thank him
for taking the pistol from you when you were shooting
at me.