The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-04-07
An Ex-SIave's Letter.

II is a curious fact that the best, and
indeed the almost only. answer to the
f,natical fabrications of Harriet Beecher
S,owe. '.Toinette' Tourgee, and that
school of South Ianderers, has been
given by the slaves and the ex%- slaves,
themselves.-the social victims OF
the so-called Outrage. and Barpa-
risGa I" :. +,
The lie was given to the walIings OF
Wendell Phillips, and bis kindred tana-
tics. the world over, when the slaves
during four years OF civil war not only
refused to rise and make their escape.
but actually refused, in thousands OF IN
stances. to accept Freedom when brought
To their doors 1t is something the
Freedmen may ever be proud OF, that
during the last eighteen months OF the
struggle. when almost every man and
boy was absent in the Service, and when
it must have been apparent to even the
dullest intelligence that the South was
rushed, slavery doomed, and the North
worked up to a degree OF sectl INA
malice that would excuse any act OF
deviitry done against the hated
.'RebelS,"-no slave sought revenge,
nc combination of slaves made open
massacre of helpless women and chill
dren. 20 sneaking serpent applied the
match TO his 'cruel masters house,
barn, or ripeDlng crops!
Not less striking and significant is the
present attitude of the Freedmen. His.
tory records no parallel to the fact that
five millions of slaves set free by vlo'
leuce, set Oh equality with their former
masters, set in political supremacy and
government over their late masters,
taught to regard themselves as under
special protection of the conquerors,
taught to look upon their former mas
tiers as secret enemies plotting to re
%enslave them, taught by actual expe
rience that any violence and outrage
done to their former masters would be
paliated and excused. If not actually
approved. by the conquer, and yet,
despite these incentives to villaiuy and
all manner of excuses, despite the
lack of natural restraints such as edu-
cation, moral training, property, etc
etc, this Race, as soon as left alone BY
vile whites, settling down among their
old masters and gradually adapting
themselves to the new order Of things,
and after a few years of idlenesS and
contention, gradually seeking homes for
themselves, and new habits OF indus
Try which have already made many of
them independent
We repeat hat History, search it as
you will. exhibits no parallel case; and
the bare fact has a dual significance F;
speaking highly of the eX-slaves good
nature and common sense on the one
hand; and testilying to the Kindness OF
the Masters in the past, as well as their
forbearaDce in the hour Of harrassment
AMI loss since emancipation.
These reflections were suggested by
finding on our table a soiled M tattered
envelope, quantity addressed, IN chick
en-tracky characters, to Hiss VI. Wad
d ,ll,"-''To be dellv'd by Thomas
Ounce 1t was intended for that no
bic mistress of old time Southern Hos
pitality. Mr.. Maurice G WaideIl, OF
Pittsboro. last week deceased. We
print a portion Of it, for the benefit of
our Northern readers, as a type of the
feeling which tens of thousands of old
slaves have for their former owners:
GREESsBoROUGH, March 9, 81.
Dear Old Miss and MASTER receiv-
ed your letter and was more than glad to
hear fun yu all and i am GLAD to tell
WI that we all are well and doing spIen
did hope when you receive this it may
you are well: i want to see you all very
much and hop some time soon / can see
VII all hptnrp I dIa q OF yro,l-o -. ,,c,,ol
Sarah goes to school Stat is at work
also Louisa has 6 children Stat 3.
Sarah has nun She is just grown and
goes to coledge to school soon will be
graguated She is a find looking girl if
yu all would see her yu would not
know her please tell Mass ''Dory" to
search for John Buck and let me know
will be ever SO much oblige i heard
from him once since seen mass Dor,
but have not herd but one when [ herd
from him Mr.. Benbow said he seen
him on the boat coming from Long
branch over to New York tell him to see if
he can find him for my sake and let
M know. Tell Mrs benson ''Howdy"
for me and all the children i think
Sarah and i will come down this sum
LII hoehihS dppCu " see you all
i. long to see you all again and hope and
pray that god will spare us all to meet
once more on earth after this world
pass away in heveni pray we will meet
Stat sends her best love to yu and mos
ter and say she want to see you all
give my best respects to Mass Dory
tell him if he pass throug here
let us know SO we can see him he
put me in mind of olden times. When
you write to Mass George tell him
have not fogot him want to see him
ever SO much i love, yes love, him
until this day, ask him not to ~forgete
me he must write to his old nurse one
who loves him until this day. Sarah
say she wish she was there with w ali
she say she has not forgot how both
look
may god bless yu all and save yu is
my prayer as eve your Humble servant
EMILY WADDELL.
he IN ,TIJc r., Ll. y-