Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1875-02-13
A ACoIored PhiIosopher.


When the late Joseph Glenn, one of
the principal proprietors of the Gazette,
was following the army in the South,
early in the war, chiefly to indulge his
curiosity to see battle, and writing
letters to the Gazette, he had a conver-
sation with colored person on the deck
of steamboat on the Tennessee river,
which he gave in one of his letters. 1t
has gone the rounds of tie press several
times, and it deserves to keep on; there
for. we give it a new send off. The
colored persons adherence to the utili-
tartan philosophy, and the concise argu-
ments by which he maintained it are
remarkable. He expressed more lacon-
ically all that is contained in Falstatf- S
Discourse upon honor, and much more.
The line of questioning shows the pecu-
liar quiet humor of the questioner
A PHILOSOPHICAL DARKEr.
An elderly darkey, with very phil
osophical and Retrospective cast OF
countcnance, was squstlipg upon his
bundle on the hurricane deck of the
steamer, toasting his shins against the
chimney, and apparently plunged in a
state of profound meditation. His dress
and appearance indicated familiarity
with camp life, and it being soon after
the siege and capture of Fort Donald
son, l was inclined to disturb his rever-
les, and on interrogation found that he
had been with the Union forces at that
place, when l questioned him further.
His philosophy was so much in the
Falstaffian vein that / will give his
views in his own words as near as my
memory will serve me.
"Were you in fight 2
81 had q little taste of it, sa.
"Stood your ground, did You :"
"No, sa, runs"
"Run at the first fire, did you :"
eyes, sa, an would had run sooner
had know'd it was comm"
"Why, that wasn't very creditable to
your courage"
"Dat isn't in my line, sa-cookin's
my profession"
"Well, but have you no regard for
your reputation 2
"Reputation muffin to me by the side
OBJ life"
"Do you consider your life worth
more than other peoples :"
ats worth more to me, sa 2
"Then you must value it very high
ly'"
eyes, sa, l does; more dan all dis
world; more dan a million dollars, sa;
for what would dar be with to a man
wild de bref out Of him I Self preser-
yation is de fust law wild me, sa.
"But why should you act upon diff
ferent rule from other men 2
"Cause, sa, different men sets different
value upon derselves, my life is not in
de market"
"But if you lost it, you would have
the satisfaction of knowing that you
died for your country"
"XVhat satisfaction would dat be to
Inc, when depower Of feelip' was gone!
"Then patriotism and honor are moth
ing to you 2
"Nuffin, whatever, sal regard dem
as among de varieties.
.If our soldiers were like you, traitors
might have broken up the Government
without resistance"
eyes, sa; der would hab been no help
for it. l wouldn't put my life in the
scales ginst any gubelment dat ever ex-
listed, for no guberment could replace
de loss to me. Spect, dough, dat de
guberment safe If da all like me"
"Do you think any of your company
would have missed You if you had been
killed 2"
"Mlay be not, sa. A dead white man
amt much to desc sogers, let alone a
ded nigga; but Id miss myself, and dat
was de pint wild me.
1t is safe to say that the darkey corpse
OF that African will never darken the
field of carnage.-Cineinnati Guzsft.