Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1878-01-05


epoch OF his lie, 10 which he looked .
forward as his only Elysian. He
could endure the strifes and hardships
of 81 weeks without murnur, pro-
vidiug the 52id week brought him
the usual rOuad of festivities which
always characterized the eud of the
year among the slaves. Ola and
young, freed and bundsmcn, univer-
sally devoted Christmas week TO
pleasure seeking, and he was a very
nard master indeed, who dared exact
work from his slaves during this per-
iod. Master and Mistress, save ia
the rarest exceptions, laid aside their
customary dignity, aud became wit
nesses and often sharers, of the negro
pleasures which were cdly
pursued day and night by all upon
the plantation Until New Years day
came, bringing with it the infexible
rule that the slave must begin his
work on the first day OF the New Year.
Then his fun was over, though tho
Northern iaborcr claims it as u Holt
day. While campaigning in the
South during the war, we we're struck
with the deep hold which Christmas
week and its iollities had upon the
minds Of the slaves, and how he seem
iugly forgot the hardship OF to day,
or Of weeks, or months provided he
became Lis own master during Christ
mas week. The whole week was
Christmas week to him, as he knew
neither day or night during its CON
tinuance For several years after
the war we were thrown in official
contact with the freedmen i'll the
South, and everywhere we found
these Christian customs, and in them
saw Ole bright spot, at least in the
institution of slavery. In them all
hardness was lost, and the slave 5 God
to his master precisely rs the child OF
the North to his parents. Custom
gave the bondman full release from
his bondage, and the master removed
every burden, assisting with his
means, that the slave might have no
par to that exquisite enjoyment which
only slave could experience. He
could impose cruel tasks upon The
slave ut other seasons, but he had to
face strong public sentiment when
he attempted to curtail the slaves hol-
iday.
The NV specimen silver dollars,
Of which Senator Jones presented two
to President Hayes the other day, are
exceedingly perfect and beautiful
pieces of Workmanship, surprising in
sharpness and finish any coins ever
struck in this OF any other country.
| Two specimens have been made, each
Of the same size and weight, Alp -
grains, and conforming in device and
inscription to legal requirements.
The most marked change from the
old dollar is the representation OF
Liberty, which, instead Of sitting
figure, is large, sharply cut female
head, in one wearing the hair confined
in u circlet, on The front Of which is
the Liberty" and in the other wear
ing loose cap, wreathed with grain
and flowers. Both bear the legend
'In God we trust" one in old and
the other in modern English text
Upon the other side Of the coin is 4
spread eagle, the motto E. Plurid0s
Ungm, the - stars, United States Of
America, and denomination OF the
coin. The eagles hold arrows and
) olive branches i'll their taions, and q
wreath of oak and laurel encirclcs
the lower portion of the coin Only i
very small number Of the dollars have
been struck, and these only as speci.
mems, but the demand for Them from
collectors is very great, ten dollars
having been refused for one, They
have not been accepted. and it is not
certain, even should the pending mea-
sure for initiating silver coinage be
como law, that these designs would
be finally approved, though the i'll
dications are strongly in that direc-
ton.