The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1865-03-17
TIE FREEDMEN.

fer 10 our columns: ........ ..
TIE YREEDNKN.
II is impossible for me to give complet,
representation Of the joy OF the freedmen o
this city over the arrival Of the Yankees
On Monday morning last, when the stcame
W. W. Colt. with Gen. Gi,more's flag at tn
fore and the Stars and Stripes at the stern
steamed up the harbor, with the band play
ing "IIail, Columbia" there was sudder
gathering ofcolored people upon tho wharves
They were full Of ecstacy Springing upol
the pier before the lines were thrown out,
met u grey bearded old man. who touche,
his hat. bowed himself to the ground ant
said: "Good morning. massa."
ave are Yankees, uncle. Are you no
afraid ofus?" I said.
"God bless you no, massa. I've prayed
for you to come, and God has heard me, h'
said. grasping my hand. He threw bis ole
battered hat upon the ground, looked up
ward and poured out his gratitude from ar
oyerilowins heart.
"Are you slave ~
"Yes. masaa."
"well. you are slave no longer. You
are as free rs | am
"Is 1t 10. massa ?' he asked with indescrib-
able e,rnestness: and again raising his eyes
toward heaven. he gave thanks to God, with
an emotion such as never before witnessed
nosA's MOTHER.
Two years ago when was at Hilton Head
nv laundress was Rosa, u colored young wo
man, who escaped from Charleston in 1862
with her husband and tour other persons. ir
a small boat. On that occasion Rosa dresse'
herself in mems clothes, and the whole party
early one morning rowed past Sumter an'
made for the ganboats.
"If YOU 90 to Charleston wish you woulC
see ii my mother is there? said Rosa or
Sunday last "Goyernor Aiken's head mar
knows where she lives" Accompanied by
"Berwick" of the New York Tribune, fwcn'
up King street to Governor Aiken's. We
found his head man in the yard-a courteous
black, who, as soon as he learned that we
were Yankees, and had q message from Rosa
to her mother. dropped all work and started
with us. eager to do anything Tor Yankee
A walk 10 John street, an entrance through
a yard to the rear Of dwelling house
brought us to the mother, in little dingy
room, cluttercd with pots. kittlcs, tables anC
chairs. The old woman was setting on
stool before tho FIRE, cooking her scanty
breakfast of corn cake. She had little rice
meal in bag, given her by a rebel officer
She must be past sixty years OF age-a large,
strong woman, with wide, high forehead
and intellectual features. She was clothed
in skirt o! dingy negro cloth, q sack OF old
red carpeting, and poor. thin canvas shoes oI
her own make. Never had such an intro
daction..
"Here comes de great Messiah, wild news
from Rosa" said my introducer, with an m
describable dramatic flourish. The mother
sprang from the stool with a cry OF JOY.
..From Rosa? From Rosa? o, thank the
Lord" She took hold ot my hands, looked
at the with an intensity Of feeling-an ear
nsstness, JOY. and yet with a shade OF doubt
as II il could not be true.
"From Rosa?"
"Yes. Aunty."
shall not attempt to give her language
She looked up into Heaven-yes, into llea'
ven She saw not us. but God and Jesus.
The tears rolled from her eyes. She recount
ed in prayer all the long years of slavery,
the suffering, tho unrequitted toll, the heart
achinys, the prayers OF the past, and now
God had heard her. have seen great dra-
mat,s,s upon the stage, and have been moved
70 tears by preachers and orators, but never
have heard such an outpouring ofsoul us by
that poor slave woman IL was conyersa'
tiou between herself and the Savior. She
told him the story of her life. OF all its sor.
rows, OF His goodness. and kindness and love.
the tears rolling down her cheeks the while
and falling in great drops upon the hoor.
She wanted us to stay and partake OF her
scanty meal. She pressed my hands again
and again, and when told her | must go,
she kneeled upon the aoor and asked tor
Gods best blessings and tor Jesus love to
follow me. IL was prayer from her heart
We had carried TO her the news that she was
free, and that her Rosa was still alive. II
was the long looked for jubilee morning tC
her. and we were Gods angels. IL was one
of the most thrilling momentsI ever expert
cnced. or that expect to experience. Der
wick" stood sympathetic statue. unable tc
control his emotion. This woman had been q
slaye-shc had been sold. she had been ex
po.ed 70 insult. and had no rights which 4
white man was bound to respect. So the
Chief Justice OF the United States said! Coz
ordained her in his benedcent goodness to be
A slave. So Rev. DIR. Thornnell, the grea
South Carolina theologian, said. Slavery u
a divine missionary Institution, said the
Southern Presbytsries. Remembering thes'
things. I went out from that humble dwell
ING with my convictions. deepened that thu
ia Gods war. that he is on the side OF th'
meek and lowly. the despised and oppressed
and that this nation is passing through th'
fire to cleanse il from sin, and to meet witf
retrlbution for its crimes.
THE SLAVE MART.
Charleston has been one of the great slave
marts or the South. She has been the bold
est advocate for the reopening OF the slave
trade. Her statesmen leg,slated Tor IL: her
ministers Of the gospel upheld il ~ the best
means for ChristianiKing Africa, and the al-
timste bencft Of the whole human race,
Being thus upheld. - might be expected. the
slave traders sct up their auction block in no
out-of-the-way place. A s,ore Of men open
Cd Offices and dealt In the bodies aad souls of
men. Among them were T. Ryan & Son,
NJ. NJ. Mcbride. J. z Bowers. j. B. Oaks,
]. B. Baker, Wilbur & Son, on State and
Chalmers streets. Twenty PAGES distant from
Bakers is building bearing the sign: "rhe.
oloeical Library, Prot. Episcopal Church" /"
Standing by Bakers door and looking up
Chalmers street to King street. ! road anoth
or sign-..Suuday School Depository" Al.
90, "ilibsrnian Hall, the building in which
the ordinance Of secession was signed. Ia
another boiIding on she opposite corner J,