The daily clarion. [volume] (Meridian, Miss.) 1863-1866, 1866-03-29
second Letter of Hon. John Bell.


A The principal fact above stated of the
treat increase Of the slave population while
IA a state of bondage does not imply, and
ii bv no means mean 10 state that there was
NOT at any time III any large locality lJdl,
vidual cases to hn found among the Southern
Drople eff Rtrucious cruelties such aS Were
sen,etirtes found among the White popula-
tlUu of the North; and in some districts or
ibcaIities i'm which the slaves were some
&ime- IN seasons Of scarcity hDlf iamIshed
hy the insufficient sIirPly # wholesome
Fool These Instances, however, Of both
descriptions were exceptional bur stilI
0fteu so offensive in their character that
theE might DE wrought by genius into every
yarIrtv of tragic circumstances necessary
tp thr plot of "a telling drawatic narrative,
nj tp tho hrnG- Ui ordinary capacity to
hiuish lhr richest material Of cheap novels;
Mhd made tot pay well, as the ground work
ID pretty stories for some popular monthly
Df weekly. These stories with the smallest
nln0uuj of truth In tn'u1, are often cmtCi-
lishod and maguiied into monstrouS in
iuuitie- by those engaged in pandcTng to
The eager appetite of the fanatics of the
North. for the latest discoveries OF revolving
eTucIty To the freedmen at the South. They
car always add cheaply To their value by
nffrmiug that they are OF common occur
rrncr, aud that thcy are characteristic of
the Southern people. The work Of scandal
tFriIlE aided by disappointed adventures
& Id the South. sho resolved TO revenge Them
selycs for their failure, by slaudcrlng the
people who rejected their claims to Il posi-
fion which they did not deserve There
have been many Helpers in dIttusing these
error at the North. 1t was by the success
of such MISREPRESENTATION Professionally per
Bevcred i'm tor years, that old John Brown
and his followers were deIudcd into the
belief that such was the horrible character
of negro slavery I'm the South, that 50 gre
viousIy was it felt by the slaves themselves
thai nothing more was necessary to excite
them to rebellion against their 0pprcSSOrS
than 10 furnish them with arms and to as
sure them of protection near at hand, Old
Holm Browu-whUm respected as an hon
est fanatic, and have a degree of respect
for all men who dare to maintain their sem
timcutS or opinions, sincerely entertained
upon any subject, sealed his faith in the
creed he profcssed by his blood. The corps
of correspondents OF of travelling inspectors
for the enlightenment of the Northern pco-
pie upon the danger of trusting power in
the hands of the late rebels, one would sup
pose are earnestly engaged in studying the
arts by which their predecessors IN their
vocation succeeded in getting up the late
war, if we are to judge 10y the number of in
genius talschoods which many of them have
manufactured Tor the use OF their patrons.
But there is no danger that they will ever
be called upon to initiate old John Brown in
the proof he gave of his truth and sincerity.
Tt is, in truth. Il bitter mockery of the de-
pressed condition and sutterlngs of the
Southern people to gravely assert that there
are lust grounds to apprehend any danger
from the hostile feelings of the South against
the Government OF the nited States. 1t Is
of course to be expected that the emotions
and thoughts of the mind cannot be sud
denly changed or overcome by any punish
ment or fortunes that can be inflicted. The
follies of youth, will often exhibit them
selves in idle vaporingS of what their feel
ings prompt them to utter rather than to
do; but have never met but one man OF
mature are who was in the war, since the
close of it. who expressed any decided de
termination or disposition to resist any OPP
pressiOns to which the South may he sand
10 be exposed, real or imaginary; and that
not by resOrting to terms, but by seeking an
asylum beyond the Rio Grande.
~ How utterly old John Brown. of Harper's
Ferry notorictv. and his followers were mis-
taken in the opinion they had formed of the
rebelious temper and disposition of the
slaves of the South was demonstrated,
presume in Virginia, as elsewhere, soon after
the war began. | was occasionally located
dnriug my soiourn in the South, in a moder
atelv populouS slave region, though not al
any time in one of dense slave population
3 WAS situated. however, where | could oh
Bervc many things, and hear rs much more
Indeed | suppose, enough to authorlze the
statcuent that though there were many ri
mOTS of intended Instructions among th'
eiayes there were none In fact, throughout
the South there were districts which wcr'
freuuently nearly or quite denudedr and II
some eases for long periods, OF the Whltt
population relied npon to prevent any In
unfortunate movements among the slaves
vet | heard of none occurring. l could oc
,.1l in, Ri n W W.:
domiciled, perceive ut particular periods
the war. some symptoms of uncaSlneSS, o
rather anxiety among the slaves, not IN thtl
aetiouS. for in that respect, they appeared 4
me quiet and orderly, and the uneasineSS L
which | allude, was indicated chiefly by IN
eAgcUues~ with which they enqured IN
news. at critical times. But after the Coy
eminent of the United States adopted tn
poicy of emancipation and recruiting thel
armies from the freedmen, it soon appeare
thai the presence. or the approach OF Fedora
strmv was the signal of a observable sense
tiou among the slaves, and that as soon rs
was known that protection would be eXtenC
eel to them in the Federal lines it was grea'
en- Temptation than many otthem could resis
and many of them, male and female. LEI
then homes and joined their libeTator
SOM of them openly, hut in my observation
they generally left quietly and in the nigh
apparently not wishing to hurt the feeling
of their masters and miStreSSeS In tn
rapid march of General Wilson throug
Alabama and part of Georgia two division
oil his army, one directly from Columbu
md the other from West Point passed b
the place where | resided, making a shoI
stop Colonel Lagrange commanding on
division, and Cen McCool the other FroI
conversations with them. or with some
their staff l learned that while they te
0bhged to protect the slaves that joinC
chem on this march. they felt that they wei
an ncumbrauce to them a they moved Wit
out any baggage train. There We're a co
Siderable number of negro men in the arm
mounted on horses and mules. gathered Tigl
and lett as they passed through the couutr
There Were also many women so intoXicatt
with the idea of freedom that they We're go
rent faded aud worn rs they We're, to DIR;
themselves along on foot in the rear of Il
army with not few children Stragghl
After them-a piteuus spectacle. l comic
tnrcd that they would sink by the way, a
Mai few of them would ever reach Mace
nom which they were about two days marc
few weeks afterwards, many OF the neg
men came trudging back. declaring TN
Intention to return to their masters, APP
rently satisfied with the experiment tn
had made of freedom These were such a
snpposed had no fancy for the military 5
Fice, or perhaps they were such as the o
GERS refused to receive into the Federal 5
#ice but the women and children | saw
heard no more of