The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1870-07-04
WHAT HENRY BOYD TOLD TIE
NEGROES OF MISSISSIPPI.


thonsaH,lof tie most intelligent phitc
citizens lrhe State, ,rhich constitution,
sas rosed dowu BY the eaorel role IN
Juae, 1869,
Ny Colorcd Friends--I appear here to-
day in your interest alone. The white,
man is able to take care ofhimself;. and,
a. you can all'sec, rhave no. one drop Of
white blood III my veins. Laughter 1
am irregular old-fashioned, plaih, corn
Geld niger, md Lave not the capacity TO
instruct white people as to their duties,
even if l had the viii. I was q slave
from my birth-I always endangered to
serve my master faithfully according to
that letter Of the Bible which reads
Servants, DO obedient to your masters,
fur this is right" Aud l ean.lay my
hand upon my heart to-day and say, be-
foro God, that l entertain no ill-will to-
ward! any white man on tho EARTH, and
least Of towardimy old master and bis
sons, whom I loved as my brothers, and
with whom / played in my boyhood. In
oil our neighborhood romps and frolios
and fights (for boys will fght1; they stood
Of my back, AS l did at theirs, whenever
it came to the pinch llaughterl;, and
thank God, I will do so yet. I will
stand by them 80 long as they stand by
me-. whether the oppression comes from
the Yankees 0. wherever else it may.
Whenever it comes to my making choice
between white men, ! shall prefer those
ofmy own section'to all the carpet-bag-
gers in the world. Laughter and ap-
plause. There amt very much differ,
cuce between. white men md Yankees
llaughtcr]-and wherever you find it at
oil you'll find it in the white mans favor,
White folks IRE all cut pretty much out
Of tho same cloth, and both sections have
made thcf, love for the niger subservo
their own interests, as all men are selfish
by nature and can't helpit, and can't
blame them.
When the late war broke out. am
Zee to aeknoxledgc was mighty glad of
t.. 1 somehow felt that my freedom va.
going to. come out Of il some way or
other, aud as I am perhaps as selfish as a
white man, 1 tell you / didn't-vell, /
didn't cry much at the prospect. When
the FIRST company left my country for old
Virginia. to fight the Yankees, I enlisted
with the balance Of them, and went along
as first cook and head waiter for one Of
my yonng masters. Ihad pretty good
time, too; for while the white folks we're
cut fighting and marching and suffering
and dying, I was laying back with tic
meat and bread wagons. I,aughtcr.l /
felt for once in my life that it was
pretty good thing to DO niger after all;
for the white man would net let nc aglt
alongside Of him. and after ! heard the
FIRST shell 60 off, God kao.s.I WASH.
very anxious TO do il either. Renewed
asghter.l knew If had been along on
the Yankee side wouldn't have had such
an easy time, nor as selfish as tie Yankee
is, he never objected to getting somebody
TO do bis fighting for him whenever he
could. Not he. Loud laughter. Some
folks say he was willing enough to lei the
South dot all during the Mexican war.
Applause.
I used to be right sn,arlly amused hear
ing the white folks talk. Ny young mas.
Ter came in one night after battle, and
says he, Henry, we've just had big six
hours fight. W. whipped the id
Yankees like smoke, and dro 7e 'em thirty.
six miles" Thinks I to myself, "IIumpl,.
pretty good driving-all in six. hours too p
But a heap Of people thinks the niger is
q fool. eE7AE
Veil, L sortcr thought, maybe, the
- 81
Yankees were really fighting to free the
niggers. But they didn't keep the wool
eTermy eyes long. Iwatcled 'cm mighty
close. One day tie news came into camp
that Nh. Lincoln had done issued his
proclamation, saying that if Mr., Davis
would lay down his arms and come back
into Tie Union and 60 to paying tariff
again tic southern people might have
q cir nigsers! Thinks I, "humph
Mighty poor chance to get freedom from
,oa, Mr.. Lincoln.n Laughter. l tell
you what, 1felt mighty bad for long
time. l had tue blues SO bad Twas nearly
back. [.aughter.l | think in. two weeks
| must have fell of twenty pounds Iwas
10 'fraid Mr.. Davis was going to DO il |