The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-06-21
EMANCIPATION DAY IN AUSTIN,


EMANCIPATION DAY IN AUSTIN.
II would have amazed q specialized
New Highlander if he had encountered
events Of Tuesday in this Icity. Whites
and blacks, ex-slaves and ex-masters,
commingled in celebrations and at bar
oecues and in wine drinking. They
alike were happy, and not trace OF
unkindness was visible in peoples faces
or in words uttered when the splendid
ly equipped colored military company
moved to martial music through the
streets. White and colored orators,
Southern men and ex-rebels and ex-
shareholders and Unionists, partici.
pated in the festivities and made
speeches congratulating the negroes on
their deserved freedom and accession
to rights OF citizenship. Nothing illus
trates more forcibly the falsehoods of
Inter- Oceans, and of Mortons and
Blaines, than incidents of yesterday.
The negroes OF Austin conducted two
celebrations and gave two excellent
dinners to multitudes. Nobody was
suffered to go away hungry, and the
abundance cost nothing. There was
dancing and music through the after
noon, continued through the night in
many a modest negro dwelling, and
the day was given over to idleness and
pleasure by the great body Of the pee
pie, white and black.
How forcibly memories OF the Olden
time are revived by incidents of Tues
terday! Some one has said that while
the old plantation days are gone for
ever and we have learned to abhor hu-
man slavery and almost that modified
system Of African servItude into which
slavery had lapsed, yet now and then,
in the heat and toll of the struggle for
existence the thought Involuntary
steals over US that we have seen better
days. We think of the wild rides after
the fox and the deer; of the lolliDg,
the book, the delicious nap on the bal
conY, in the summer house, or on the
rustic seat on the lawn; of the long
sittings at meals, and the after. dinner
cigar; of the polished groups in easy
but vivacious conversation in the par
loT; Of the chlvalric devotion to beauti-
full women; OF the pleasant evening
drives; Of the visits to the plantation,
with its long, broad expanse of wav-
ing green, dotted here and there with
groups Of industrious slaves; of the
long rows of negro cabins. with little
pickaninies playing about them; of the
old well, with its beam and pole for
drawing, and of the women, with pals
Of water on their heads; of the wild
old field airs ringing our from the cab
ms at night; of the christmas gif,
Massa," breaking your slumbers on the
holiday morn; of the gay devices for
fooling the dignifled old darkies on the
first Of April; of the faithful old nurse
who brought you through infancy,
and under whose humble roof |
you delighted to partake of an occa-
sional meal; of the flattering, foot
scraping, clownish, knowing rascal to |
whom you tossed silver piece when
he brought up your boots; of the lit
tie darkies who scrambled for the rind |
after you had eaten your watermelon
on the piazza in the afternoon-and |
Gas fond recollection presents theu to
view," We feel the intrusive swelling |
OF the tear of regret. And so it is with
every Southerner; tears rise in his
heart and gather to his eyes as he
thinks Of the days that are no more.
The Southerners of old used to be per-
haps the happiest of men. There was
nothing to disturb them, nothing they
wished done that others were not at
hvnd to do. Happiness was not only
wi OcihB CIV auu aim, ouI It's cuJOg-
ment our one occupation. Now the
cares Of life, the struggle for living,
weigh us down. 1t often strikes us,
when recurring to the intense enjoy
ment of the olden time, that perhaps
just as the strongest force in physics
Is evolved from the greatest consump-
ton Of material, so it is ordained in
human affairs that tho most exquisite
happiness shall be founded on the
woes OF others.
But it is still true, however delight
full vague memories of an unforgotten
past, that there are none who would
reproduce the old social system. Its
vices it is needless to recount. They
who remember its delights need no ora
tor or newspaper to define evils we
have escaped, and the personal indie
pendence we have won. As slavery,
In the humanizing process of years and
advancing civilization, became servi
tude, the master became slave. The |
responsibility became greater than the
value Of unbought service and when we
sbNnt the cost, labor is cheaper even |
here to-day when hired than when
owned. But the revulsion in habits
and modes of life was so sudden that
the old hardly comprehended it and
failed to adapt themselves to it, and it
Is the new generation that accepts with
perfect satisfaction, and without a
memory to excite regret, the facts and
philosophy OF events of Tuesday.
THE ABSURD IDIOTS!