Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1875-10-01
HOODWINkr W. THE NEGRO.


! hc way - mes yea III ON ssSh ep's
| a Good One by Senator AIcOrn.
Illustrative of how the negroes are
led about by the nose by unprincipled
men, Senator Aioorn, OF Mississ ippi,
WHO is now in Washington, relates an
| amusing story. During his last CAN
vass against Ames for the Governor
ship of the State, there was a very
| eager contest. As Alcorn employed
upward of 900 men on his plantation
1t was feared by the Ames men that
they would all vote for their employer.
Upon the plantation is an old patri-
arch by the name Of ''Shep," who was
the property of Alcorn before the war.
and who had the most of his life seen
service on the Aicorn plantation. One
day small-sized, dapper hammered
carpet Dagger came up to the Acorn
plantation. and went around secretly
eleotloneering among the negroes. He
discovered that ''Shep" was leader
among them ali and unless he gained
them over it wonld be useless to look
for votes for Ames on the plantation.
he fell into conversation with "Shep,"
and gathered from him the scanty de-
tails OF his past life. He then went
away without saying word to "Shep'
about the election.
Several weeks after that, and a short
time before the election, a large letter
pOstmarked Washington. and resplen-
dent with red seals and official stamps,
came to the Alcorn peantation ad-
dressed to "Shep." It was an event
i'll the old mans life. A meeting of
his favorlte secret society was at once
called and one Of the presiding officers
who could read was detailed to open
and read the awe-inspiring document.
1t was as follows:
"EXECUTIvE MANSION, WASHINGTON,
ID. G., HEADQUARRETs OF THE ARMY AND
NAVY AND GLORIOUS COMMONWEALTH
My Dear Shep, Although You live
at great distance from me, and al
though you are only one of May col
ored children, yet know all about
you. You were horn on plantation
near Lynchburg, in Virginia. You
wore owned there by a man by the |
name of Charles 8 miners. Some |
years before the war you were sold to |
Mr.. Alcorn in Mississippi. 1 know
Julius. Robert and James Henry Au-
gustus, your boys, as well as Susan
Ann Jane, and Roxana Virginia. yrur
You see, Shop, that al
though 1 am a very greart man, 1 know
all about my children. have watch
full care over you all, and have plan
to make you all happy. want you
to vote for Gen. Ames for Governor
this fall, and, my dear Shep. will
give you my reasons for 40 wishing.
In the first place Gen. Anes is my
officer in your State, and want you to
obey him. MIR. Alcorn is an old slave
holder you must not vote for him.
If Gen. Ames is elected I propose to
cut up Mr.. Alcorn's plantation and
give it to the slaves. who so many
years worked for him for nothing. l
will give You, my dear Shep, your
choice out of the lots when the plauta-
tlon IL CIT up. d. not forget to do
all y,u can to get votes for Ames.
Good bye, my dear Ship.
Your friend and benefactor,
g. 8. GRANT
"1he great General of the army anal
navy, and commander of tue c)Dlmon-
This letter carried "Shep" complete
" by storm An angel from heaven
direct could not have convinced him
that the letter was not frc,l the Pres
dent. He voted for Ames, and car
ried upwards of 500 votes with him
The above related iu3ident is only |
one Of the many ways used by uu-
politicians to hOodwink the /
simple minded and Sulilble negro.