Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-05-14
Posr orTra, OourrpRrr X RoAps,

"
Nv the Government, and his subordinit
satraps at tho head nv the Departments,
hev not left ez many openins ez they
ought, for our good, and the reduckshen
NV the expenditoors NV the Government
so persis,ently follered up is death To us.
We want groanin, but II must not be NV
dismist clerks and army otiisers. He'd the
Government put garrison into every
town ez we profeside II wood, aud Good
we heV he'd this summer, in addition, the
potatef rot, weevil, FROST loousts, floods,
drouth, yellcr fever and cholory, we mite
hev stood some chance Nv carryin the ial
eleckshuns, for the people wood hcv muir
mered. But ez long ez everything is
smooth they lsff at us when we insist
upon change and say, jeorinly, go up
bald head |"
And in addishen TO these cslamaties We
hev bin, OF are Just about bein, deprived
nv the Niger witch hez bin our cheat and
best holt O, wat backslidin there hcZ
hin in this mstterH o, wat levclin there
hez bin nv the walls NV the Dimocratic
Zionl o, wat goin back there hez bin
on Dimocratio cardinal principles
Feelin an oneasinis In my mind ez to the
condishen nv the public mind in the
Northern States on the adopshen NV the
Fifteenth amendment determined to try
fears Nv kentucky, none. Kentucky will
git ready so adopt an idea ninety years
after date, but felt that | wRntid TO he
satisfied ez to the soundnis NV the Ohio
and Inieany Dimocrisy on this question
To this end | determined to resort TO
strategy. wanted TO know percisely the
feelins entertained In those States regardn
the Atrikcn. | wanted to see with my
own eyes the skornful look wich wuz for
merly slung at Afric's soma; wanted to
here agin from Democratic lips that cheer.
In expression, "D-n the niger, auyhowW
To accomplish this, determined to per
senate q nigger, and in that guise TO go
boldly into lngeany, announce myself ez
an Afrikin Niger, determined 70 assert his
rites, and note the result. In expectid, NV
course 10 be hooted and reviied. TeNpect.
Id to be stoned and shot at, but l wood
thereby kill two birds with one stun, viz:
Iwoad disgust the Ingcauions with niger
ekality, ez they wood see to wat IL wuz
leadin, and | Good exhibit my scars to
Kentucky e1 proof Nv the stedfastnis NV
their northern friends.
Wat | determine upon | do. In my
Younger days the feat involvin the posses.
sion of horse, wich resullid in my bein
tried for grand larceny, and oonvicil
thereof by twelve preioodist ioorymcn,
and my inc9rcerashen from wich / wuz
only relieved becoz my vote wuz necdid 20
carry Pennsylvany for Booksnnon, this
masterpeeco wuz conceived and execoo'cd
in less than four hours. Unforchnitly, tho
courts wuz nearly oz ezpCdishus, for four
days thereafter found myself in
Basteel.
l entered Ingeany e6 white man; |
registered my name ut Il hotel ea a white
man, but left Ii nigger, wich transforms
shen wuz accomplished by means nv burnt
cork, In my room wioh transformation
wuz NV double yoose, ez It enabled me to
leave my hotel without likidatiu my ac-
count, wich otherwise wood hev bin inn
possible. The county in wich | landid
wuz close one, the two parties bein
nearly tied, neither hevin fifty votes to
spare and there bein over hundred Mig
gers In the county, the Afrikin win, ef he
votes this fall, hold the balance NV power
With my face and hands blaokt to the
color Nv mite, and assumin the character
NV preacher in the M. Il. Afrikin Church.
wich character | Good assoom, eL the
burnt cork hid the acquired color nv my
nose, | sailed forth boldly Procoorin
the locasheu NV the leadin Dimocrat NV
the county, wich wuz also the candidate
for Sheriff, sought him out and demand,
cd a subscription for q Atrikin Church.
wich | ASSERTED wuZ desirous NV crccliu
In the east part NV the county, and NV
wich wuz TO he pastor in charge, holdin
myself at the time in siCh pos,shen that
kick Good do but little damage.
wUZ NOT KICKT
On the contrary quite the reverse The
gushin candidate kindly, blandly, and win.
ninly begged me TO be seated he askt me,
with tears NV intrest gushin from his eyes,
cz To the prospect NV our Zion; ez To how
many We numbered, male and female,
adult and youthful and whether or not
we coodent indulge reasonable hope that
many more NV our color mighnt be in
doost to leave the South and settle in the
county
Hopin to frighten him with niger emi-
grashen, wich he'd heerd him deuounce
not year before in onmitigated terms, |
anserd promptly that wuz even then ar
rangin for the removal Nv three thousand
into the county.
"Thank the Lsrd |" sed he. "Tho ad.
mirashen feel for the Afrikins-the re.
speck hev for ther many qualities NV
head and heart make me say, in the
language NV the inspired writer, The
more. the merrier' Here Is my humble
contribooshen to your church." sed he,
handin me $40, take 1t, and may the Lord
bless its yoOse, And next fall, after the
Amendment is ratified, and yoor people
git the rites wich wuH allus theirn, trust
yoo will remember at the polls them wich
hev stood yoor friends, NV whom l am
wich."
Dumfouudid stsggerd over to another
who was candidate for Treasurer, and to my
surprise aud horror, he not only give me
$40, but took me by the arm in most
afieckshnit manner, an insistd ON tallin me
round and assistin me in raisin the amount
needid. Feelin that so far e1 hatin the
nigger was concerned, all wuz lost, reck-
lessly went with him, and reelly did raise
&160 cash off NV the candidates for the
County offices, aud one wich desires to
okkepy seat In Congris, Only wunst
wuz this wretch non plusSed. Turning n
corner sharp We came upon suthin like
fifteen gentlemen who wuz workin on
the streets with ball and chain attached
to EN-. The mint his eyes struck EN- he
loosed his holt of me and shot ahead,
keepin in advance till we he'd turned the
next corner.
"Why this maneouyerY" askt l, thank
full that he. had even that much NV origi-
mel Democratic feelin in him.
My dear sir y replied he, "Noo will
excuse me, but the fact Is I'm in preka
rious sitooashen. I'm candidate, and its
close. Them gentlemen with the ball and
chain hev votes, and they hev a most
crooil prejOodis agin those NV your color.
We must humor their idiosyncrosies ill
We can correct EN-. The time is comm
and I'm laboTin for 1t mite and day, when
1t viii all be removed. My deer sir, al
the polls this fall will you aud yoor Gock
remember the sacrifices hey made and
am makinl"
But l did come to grief One Nv these
candidates insisted upon takin me, nigvel
ez he sposed me 10 be, home to his hous,
to dinner. Injoodishus ez It wuz went
and thar met my fate. He led me to 1
chamber, and without thinkm NV thI
burnt cork on my hands undertook e
wash EN-, which l make q pint NV doiI
reglerly twice a week. Tho first splasl
in the water showed me my bluuder Ot
come the color and l stood sfore hin
white man in disguise. lie gave on,