Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1868-03-05
GALLIPoLIs, OHIO, MARCH 5, 1868.

ing called the paradise of Virginia.
J There he purchased farm and set.
! tied, where we were on an equality
with the best of the inhabitants.
There were no invidious distinctions
: observable; at school, at church, at
all the gatherings, they seemed good
fellows well met We bad the ad-
vantage Of a continued school, for
the primary branches of an English
education. In that particular local
ity, there were 20 be seen all classes
of men, from the hunter to the indie
pendent farmer, with perhaps not
| fifty slaves to an hundred families
In intellectual attainments all were
! about on an equality, but few ex-
celled in literary attainments. yet
there were the fewest number that
could read or write; and never did
any neighborhood boast of the en-
joyment Of greater harmony and
good will among the people. Here
myself and brothers grew up, alter
nately going to school in the winter
and assisting our father in his agri-
cultural operations in the summer
AS each Of my brothers grew up to
maturity, they early took wives, and
became farmers; and all haye, by in
dustry and economy, become inde
pendent, and are living at ease, and
exemplary in their nighborhood for
the faithful discharge Of their duties
as husbands, fathers, neighbors and
citizens.
And now, to the history of those
making those invidious distinctions.
In that particular part of the Old
Dominion, the first locations were
made by emigrants from England,
possessing large fortunes, which
were invested in landed estates, and
soon became engaged in tobacco
planting, which was considered the
most profitable business carried on
in Virginia. Their estates were soon
highly improved, and we'll stocked
with negroes, direct from Africa -
Their mansions and rich furniture
were generally on q scale of msgnif-
cence indicative of wealth and con-
sequence; and, as q matter of course,
such families, in all things pertain
ing to the country, enjoyed unanim.
itY of sentiment, and when the tocsin
sounded in l776, in favor of inde-
pendence, they, as one man, took
sides with their adopted country, in
which they literally and cheerfully
contributed to the advancement of
the cause of freedom. With wealth
and its consequences so greatly in
the ascendant, IL was hut natural tn at
there should be hanging together,
and those in the more humble walks
of life would be sighted and ne
elected, and kept in that state of
servility, that always exercises an in
furious influence on the minds Of the
rising generation, and keeps down
their God like capacities, and pre-
vents that range Of thought that is so
necessary in raising up men to enjoy
independence and political privi-
leges.
After an absence of some thirty
years, 1 went back to that particular
locality. l then made inquiry for
the youth of all those wealthy nabob
families who were in youth with N.Y.
self, and particularly for my little
cotemporary, whom l had so often
whipped, and for which l had been
so sorely abused; when / was inform
ed that not one in ten of them had
turned out well; that they had gene
rally spent their patrimony, became
drunkards, and went to premature
drunkards grave, while the fewest
number had become distinguished
for enterprise and usefulness. And
my particular, belligerent playmate,
had expended his. entire patrimony,
and was then little old drunken
schoolmsster 1 chanced to meet
him. He was dressed in an old jeans
coat, his other garments of like
character, and evidently looking the
worse for wear. AS sosn as he found
me out, he expressed great JOY, in
stantly pulling q pint flask of raw
whiskey fram his coat pocket, and |
invited me to take a dram with him
l readily declined the tender of such
a compliment, for the reason that 1
had never in my life, INDUCED in
such practices If ever I had, for q |
moment, INDUCED the design of re-
veuging myself on him, for the abuse
his iather had caused to be inflicted
on me, I had now changed my pur-
pose. He was too far sunken down
to excite the ire of any man. On
leaving him, could but indulge in
train Of reflections, that In every
locslity over our widely extended
country, wherever invidious distine-
tions are made, that sooner or later
recoils on those making them, as it
invariably emanates from ignorance.
Since then, l took the particular
pains to hunt up host of the sons
of the poor families Of that neigh
borhood { who l had often seen while
working for those nabobs, compelled
to eat with their negroes,) in their
present locations; and, to my utmost
qualification, ascertained that nine
out of every ten, by industry and tenn
perance, had become possessed of
an easy independence, while some OF
them had acquired princely fortunes,
and raised themselves and families
to independence and usefulness. 1t
is now my desire to call the atten-
ton of poor people, like my father
at the time alluded to, and to warn
and to advise them, if they discover
that they are near those who make
these inyidious distinctions between
rich and poor, to sell off their lands
and go to other localities, whore you
and your children will be on an
equality with the people generally.
Take my word for it, if you continue