The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1867-11-08
GHOSTS THAT WILL NOT DOWN AT
BIDDING.


Poor man Good afternoon, Mr..
Bondholder. | have brought you a
present.-Here are two little children,
your slaves for life. / give them to
you, if you please, for no fault of theirs,
except that they are white! But, sir, /
could not help it-their father and
mother, both dead, were white. These
are my innocent little grandchildren
all you and your party have left me
and the bonds you hold are mortgages
on them, as upon myself. l cannot
pay the debt-take the little ones.
Bondholder-Be off-get out-take
the dirty brats away from me!
Poor man-Please, sir, don't speak
so harshly. 1t frightens the little girl.
The boy does not seem to start much
at your angry tones, else he would not
double up his fists, but the girl is tim
id.
BOndhOlder-Get Out-be off with
your brats, or I'll ring the bell for SER
want to put you out, you impertinent
scoundrel
Poor man-YOu needn't ring, Mr.
Bondholder. The day ofringing little
bells has passed away. And you need
not ring for servant, for / am your
servant. 1 will stand here a moment
before | go, and have little talk with
you, and you will listen. And you
will not speak cross or interrupt me.
Once, when you were afraid of the
draft, you wore the kindliest smile.
And you patted me on the back and
said l was dear, good, patriotic man.
l listened to you then, and, by the
Eternal, you shall listen to me now.
Do you remember those days? There
was war. You, with your oily tongue,
helped bring it about. 1t was more of
war than you thought it would be.
You were a coward, a great big coward.
Don't look ugly, for don't scare worth
a cent And you were afraid to go to
war. You made long speeches about
saving the Union, protecting the Con-
stitution, honoring the laws, and help
ing the poor man.
You said the war was to restore the
country to peace and prosperity.
You said the object of the war was
not to coerce States, nor to deprive the
people of liberty.
Won ca i'll thoSa who would not fiUht
were towards. L was no coward, Mr..
Bondholder, so l went to war. You
were coward-you dared not go, so
you hired me to go. took your mon
ey and went. And, now, when | have
returned, find that [ owe you more
than you gave me, and that l must
now work to pay myself for being shot
at, and to pay you big interest on the
money you let me have.
And find that you are exempt from
taxation, that you hold the wealth OF
the nation in your pockets, and that ]
am your slave.
In short, Mr.. Bondholder, you are a
coward, a cheat, a sWindler, tyrant,
a robEer, a great bloated aristocrat.
When the war came on / was poor
but honest man. | knew but little OF
your tricks and financial plans. | had
wife and loved her very dearly.
She wore no silks, for could not buy
them. We had no grand home as you
now have. Wedrank milk-yOu drink
wine and pay for it. Our home was
a poor mans home, but was very
happy one. Do you know, Mr.. Bond
holder, how you whined and begged OF
me to go to war? You said the coun-
try was in danger. You promised to
care for my family, and to look out for
my interests, if would go and fighI
for you. You promised well, you did.
and you lied to me all the while.
While l was fighting you were specu-
lating. l babe my wife good bye, and
went to war. My son went to war.
You made war speeches. You prom
ised great things to the soldiers. You
lied to them, you did, and you know
it! Don't look mad-I am not afraid
of cowards-don't scare worth a
dime!
was wounded in battle and halt
starved in the hospital. My son wa
killed by the Confederates while on a
cotton expedition to enrich your loyal
cousin in the army as General. | had
hard time of it and at last came
home.
Mywife died from neglect. Younever
cared for her. My son was killed by
the Confederates while helping on the
crusade after cotton and negroes.
came home to find you rich and me
poor. My farm was covered with
weeds and mortgages. My wife lies in
the churchyard for your benefit. My
boy sleeps by cotton field for his Gen
erals benefit.
These are his children. They are not
left to me-they are left to you. You
stole my son. You lied to me. You
starved my wife and my sons wife.
You and your party lied to all the
soldiers-you robbed them in the field
you sacrificed them for private ends
you gave away our blood to protect
your dollars.
While we fought to save the coun-
try, YOU said that a national debt was a
national blessing, and you made the
] hloCSinn orrnat. but q hlnSSinp only f.