Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1875-11-17
4 Sudden Cure.
JOHN RANDOLPH REMEDY FOR LAZINES

III IS well known that Mr.. Randolph
owned more than three hundred slaves,
and was exceedingly lenient toward them
he would rot allow his oversccrS to treat
them with any degree of harShncss; they
We're eye servants, and would only work
when closely watched or when Mr.. Ran
dolph was ut home, from their love for
him and fear of his anger Once when
his public duties kept him from home
most of the time for several years. his ne
groeS became idle and worthless. and not
half the crops We're raised. and carts and
wagons and farming utensils were left in
the fields, and without shelter went to
ruin; the fences were down or dilapidatcd
and the cattle and stock of every kind
were much crippled up by the negroes in
their efforts to chase them out of the fields
More than half the negroes We're play
ing possum," that is.pretending to be sick
in order to avoid work.
While things was in this condition, Mr.
Randolph came home from Washington
to spend the Christmas holidays Look
ing over his plantation accounts with his
over>eer, he discovered that his pl,nt;l-
ton was not only not self-sustaininr,
but actually bringing him in debt. After
4 thorough examination of every thing on
the plantation, he saw at once what was the
matter, and that his rigid instruction +"
his ovcrsecr to he lenicnt to the negroes
| had been the cause of the trouble. and
they would not work under fear of pun
! Ii,hment, and he determined upon a plan
/ of correction
The slaves in Old Virginia and al the
South had always Il weeks holiday from
! Christmas to New Year, and these DAYS
Z Inv ,f, Il
ton. Eyg-nog WAS kept at the hir house
or mansion for everybody and all hand- :
there was Il terrible slaughter among the
negroes pet pigs and fat poultry, and
many Il posSum caught weeks before and
f;,ttcned in boxes AMI barrcls,ani "coon-''
smoked in the big chimney. were served
up with pound cake. puilin~s, chicken
pie, - store tea f" and locust AMI pcrsmon
beer at the holiday fe;tsi> night and day
1t WAS then that the fiddle, the bani >. the
tambourine and the clevis and clcyis pin
kept up 4 perpetual music for the never
cea>ing dance.
Mr.. Randolph waited for the termina-
ton of these Christmas holidays. and
promptly on the first day of January he
ordered his ovcrSeer TO have all the farm
ing utensils brought to the barn-vard. Ii
took all dtv To- search for them and ret
| them together from where they hid been
left lying about in he field far and near.
The next morning there was :, grand in
Spcction of the plough> harrow>, hoes and
rakcs. and all that We're broken or serious
ly nlurcd We're thrown into u pile. Mr..
Randolph then said in 4 >hrill Voice
- Set them on fire. NJ. Chunlcv ami
burn them up" The over>ecr remonstat-
ed. and urged that many of them might
be repaired.
No. sir. No. sir, want them
burned up They would always be Old
ricketv and good-for-notiin- articles on
this place.
And burned they were. Orders wcr,
then given to have the wagons, carts
slides. lizards. scvthe>. cradles. harness
ani gear brought up, and after due in
~pcction the next morning a large bontir,
, was made of all those rejected. and i'm
mediate orders issued TO have all the sheel
goats and hogs gathered together Or
; the ensuing morning these We're inspect
ed. ami many We're found feeble with az,
, and want of food: others We're cripplct
and injured: and all such. in spite of th'
over>eer'S pleading, We're remorseleS>ll
knocked on the head and buried.
All the horses. mules and horned >tCcl
were brought up for the fourth day. an,
: under Mr. Rlndolphs rigid inspection
, many were declared worthless and though
Mr. Chumley begged that some of then
f might be spared, is they could be fattene,
and put TO good Use. Mr.. Randolph wa
unrelenting. and all the condemned. in
cludin~ the blind. lame. spawned ii>tula
ted and wnd-broken. were mercilc>>l,
: shot and buried.
As the weather had been quite cold dur
Z ing these days of Inspection many of th'
/ negroes. an. especially the oh. had con
, tinucd 10 play possum. and had nev"
= turned ont of their cabins To aid in gcttin.
, together the live stock or farming uten>i!-
t Mr.. Randolph now gave orders that al
/ the negroes. old and yonn~. SHOULD b.
: brought To the house next day for inspcc
/. ton. and in the me intimc he had a ZOO
| many plain collins of AL sizes made, AM
l suitable graves dug near the chapel
| The news of these fearful preparation
I soon penetrated every cabin in the ncgr
quarter and things bertn 10 look seriou
: in the mind of Mr.. Cutfee Black The nr
l groc> knew that Mr.. Randolph WIS
: member of Congress. ana 4 biz man in III
. country; they knew that he WIS accustoml
n ed to have his own WAY. and that nobol
4 attempted 10 Interfere with him. and the
fully believed that he had fall power 4
e life and death over them. They knew II
t WAS 4 good. kind master. man and neigh
: l.or. but then they said he had ''>ncl qIar
: WAYS" that there waS 10 telling what Il
: would do if the noior took him. They In
4 seen how he had burned up all the dan
: aged f:trm implements; had caused all III
Y injured worthless sheep. goats an'i hor>'
Il to he knocked on the head. and how l.
e had shot all the old. lrokcn-iown stoc
/ without any pity. ana now what did h
If mean to do with them. and with all tho-
: coifin> and graves. This WIS cNlcily til
e train of comment and reflection that Nj
: Randolph had calculated upon. and accor,
It lv upon his arrival upon the ground, i
V found an anxious terrified crowd of II,
Il @ros. and not one missing-lll were ther'
i He entered :.nd took his seat beside I'll
e overseer ut the table. John. hi, servan
placed on the table before him his due
inc ease, open. and containing a pair
;. pistols. and plenty of ammunition.
II Are they all herc?' asked Mr. Isa
~ phi of the ovcrscer.
'-i Up spoke II hundred voices. " Oh, We
/ Marst John. we's all here" Chumley W,
IL ordered to call the list containing Il
'e names of all those who had been o
s. enough to work during the year. but h;
II, =, not worked, they were placed in = ro'
VA in which soon stood more than half of :
~ the grown negroes.
e The old shirks and sinners were not SO
IL tosee how the list had been made up. AZ
III long before the roll-call ended, many
III them were on their knees, beseecEing
IL looking from the stern face of their mast
:. toward the pistols and the open grave
ol and many ''Lord-a-mercy on me, MAJ
ey john" went up from the line; but Ri
Il; dolph ordered them TO be silent.
III When the last man had been called.
II II squeaked out. you say. Chumley, the
II, niggers won't work; that they are ol
n" worthless and good for nothing; that tn
lis cannot make enough to eat, and | mi
Il; buv bread and meat to feed them
cd Handing Chumley a pair of pistols
Nv sail:
OF Chumley. begin at the other end of t
~ line, and I'll begin at this. and we
ne el,,t tbo-o worthless npcrpps