The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-03-17

the earth and kept there SO long with
the beasts that crawl he is expected &c
walk erect with his forehead steadily
toward the skies. There was a time
when the Saxon stopped and wore the
yoke of the Norman, and his character
was none of the best in those days.
These long abused creatures are going
to have fair chance 10 use their one
talent, il indeed it is only one, to
the best advantage, and that is
will improve, and If not so fast as
our own race it is consolation
to believe that they will never make a
much worse use Of their privileges
than did that portion of the superior
race that undertook to destroy the Coy
ernment.
And just here I recall a conversation
my friend had with an "lntelligent con-
Joseph's variegated coat, however
multifariOus in its colors, wasn't a
patching, literally patching, to the
red, white, blue, gray, yellow, black
and brown colors. not to say prismatic
shades, with which this contraband
was mosaiCed from his double-decked
hat to his brogans. Ireckon his clothes
were pieced and quilted out of the debris
| of the southern COnfederRcy. BY way
of explaining and apologiZing for his
| appearance he said that he was saving
| All his money no" udyS 10 Duy lhuu
and educate his children and therefore
wasn't particular about following the
current fashions with scrupulOus exact.
ness, When asked whether the COlOrGd
people generally were doing likewise.
he answered that some were and some
were not. 1t was with them as 1t was
with the whites: there were all kinds
among them. 1--WE are doing as we'll
as could be expected for a three year
old people," lie explained by this ex-
preston that he meant that the colored
folks had only had the use of themselves
for the last three years, and that their
responsibility really ought only to date
from the close of the war; In that
short time, said he, we have done about
rs we'll as lots of white folks that have
| always had the use of themselves.
Another darkey whom we met had
| been il the war as cook for Il mess OF
| officers. We asked him if he under
stood the issue during the fight. He
said that at first the white people told
them that the Yankees wanted to take
all the niggers up to Canada, away
| from their homes and the warm sun.
"When 1 got to Virginia l found out
how it was," said he, "but l tell you
we'uns was 'bleeged to play 1t mighty
fine. We had to be down on the
Yanks every time: kinder run with the
hare aud hold with tho hounds, you
know"
And sure enough, when you think
about it, did any people ever have Il
more difficult role to play than the
Southern negroes, who understood the
question, during the war? And could
any people have given less cause of Of
fence, considered with reference to their
present position in the South, than the
negroes during that trying ordeal? A
gentleman with whom we were riding
through the mountains one day made
the observation that ifany people ought
to feel grateful toward another
it was the Southern whites towards
their blacks. They raised our
food, did our work and protected
our families when we were away
lighting, said he: The man had
lost his negroes, and also one of his
feet, by the war. Thought the sentiment
was creditable to him, and the more
so because of its statement of facts.
This man had been Union man and
opposed to the war, but like many
other men who would have been right
but for their surroundings, he VOlun.
teered, knowing full well that he would
be drafted. During the ride he repeat
ed that portion of Webster's memorable
speech against secession, where he in
weighed against and ridiculed the idea
Of peaceable disunion as being as un-
natural and as impossible as harmless
dissolution of the planetary system. 1t
man, that we failed, for the Confedera-
cy would have been IL desnotism.
And while thus reierrlnE:to some OF
the characters we met ana talked with
in our travels, l must not neglect to
mention tho "philOsOphcr. guide and
friend" who rode through the country
with us for week. He bOasted trlf1e
of Indian blood In his veins and be was
fit to have beenR lineal descendant Of
that old chief who once roamcd the
grounds over which we rode, and
who, in surrendering to Gen. jackson,
fifty years ago, said, IL would hght
YOU still but my men nre all dead
and their bones lie at Tullahoma, Talla-
dega, and Tallahachee." Hc had been a
high up Confederate during the war
and could tell US interesting scenes and
incidents of its progress, ana when you
came to know him az we utu before
parting, you could feel inclined to be-
iieve that fifteen millions OF money
had passed through his hands without
cent sticking. l was amused to hear
him draw picture of the man who was
once the happiest in the world. That
individual was the patriarchal negro
on the plantation, and most every plan
tatiou in the South had one such. he re.
ferred to the old white headed negro that
had been bequeathed from sire 10 son
and who was privileged to sit and talk
with his master and ScOld him for not
doing as "old mauster" had done, and
also to whip the young negroes and boss
things generally. His semblance of
empIoyInent was to ride mule and
carry a little bag under him in ono end
of which was salt and in the other she'll
ed corn, both of which he dispensed to
the stock around the outedges OF the
plantation to keep them from going
wild. When, perchance, in his ROUNDS
he met his master driving out to hunt
or going to town, he was pretty sure to
accost him with "Ah, yes, l sees how
yer gwine on, and what yer comm to,
Iakin yer pleasure thataway. Fust
thing yer know all desc niggers round
here III be sold. Nobody never see
old master doin sich' foolishness."
Supposing that his master was in the
humor of stopping to .parley with Old
Tom, it would be perhaps TO BID hlm
stop his impudence before he warmed
his Jacket with his whip. Whereto Tom
would probably reply, Yes, yer better
talk dat way to me, the old nigger what
nussed you. Better mind what tell
yer. If old master was back here he'd
tell you same as old Tom, mine tell
yer he would" And this, pottering,
patronizing, and consequential old dar-
key, said our travelling companion. was
tho happiest man in the world. Peace
TO his departed presence on the old
plantation. For him
mo yam will grow nor cotton blow,
He'll hoe no rice or corn;
| Aud nebber he'll fear, for nebber he'll hear
De driver sound his hOrn."
teachers Association.
To the Editor OF the Intellige1lcer:
7 see in a report of the above associa-