The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-04-01
corrcsnondenee Of the Democratic ADVOCATE.
Notes on Florida.
New WINDSOR, Mp,
March 2Oth 1882. {

MEssRs. EDIToRs Florida was not an
old state in this glorious Union even in
ante-bellum times, and was one Of the last
to be admitted sby our gracious leave after
the late unpleasantness. twas largely laid
cut but thinly settled, until the host Of car
pet-baggers made things howl through
peculiar kind Of a trumpet called forty acres
and mule, and the contents of our polltl-
cal troubles boiled fierccly. 1t was
Bubble, bubble, toll and trouble"
The first two words of the quotation cor
rectly represent the floating nothings OF
Northern society and the scum of puritanical
prisons, which, by toll, we have scattered to
the four winds, and completely bursted up
all the plans they had so adroitly laid for the
subiugation of our fowery land. 1t was for
wears great trouble, one that, through the
poverty of our people, came near saPping
the foundations of those pure political and
social relations that in the past not even
money or political preference could stagger.
1t was indeed a great trial to our country
to see race of people heretofore their
slaves become now their political masters.
Submission to a victor with rulers of equal
intelligence would not have been so humil-
iating, for then society Chat groundwork
which will always sustain true govern
ment). would not have been surrounded by
that nest of volcanoes whose craters of black
and gloomy forebodings might at any time
break forth with semi-barbarous fury, such
as no immediate protection could have
checked
The military and political condition of
Florida Just after the war have been 50
deliberately set forth in column after column
of newspaper type that it would be but
repetition in me in such a paper as this to
enter the list, so win eon6ne myself to
that which happened as | saw it.
A boy once said. in giving his evidence
after Billion and Sam Smith, as to a
street fight Now, Mr.. Judge, I'm going
to tell yon something about that fight that
Bill Jones and Sam Smith couldn't tell
YOU. for they never saw it.
After the banner with the strange de-
eiee. ~Thc Southern Cross, went down
behind the hills and mountains of Appo-
mattox, it seemed that it was just then we
were convinced of the power against which
we were contending. Men and horses, of
feers and soldiers, wagons and artillery,
flags and shoulder-straps, came from every
poill. on well-boxed compass. Presto
change. and ike Aladdin's transfer they
we're there. Thousands of blood-sueking
images of men followed every detachment
of the army as suffers and in every other
conceivable profession. Upon she orders
being promulgated for the disbandment of
the surplus troops 0thello's occupation was
gone. and frem Provost Marshal over a
plantation to the Member from Florida,
IN the Congress Of the United States, or any
other ofFce IN the gift Of the territorial or
II :. military government was acceptable
to these heretofore army blood-suckers-
Nothing was refused, and almost every
plantation where large number Of slaves
had pitched the crop. freedom was to allow
them portion of it when harvested or
gathered, aud the disputes Of "dats my
part. or -diss Melalys corn got ODE %
troublesome 10 the planter that after the
list of sul-Eeatenants gave ont, almost ey-
cry corporal and sergeant and eamp-follOwer
became Provost Marshal on such planta-
lions. at COED salary. and to pay al these
officials the county treasures were drawn
upon for the cash as soon a. the system of
tax-gathering could be organized. You
viii see at once that while these Provost
Marshals were an advantage to the plan
tiers IN experimenting the division and dis
tribution Of their crops, they were At the
same time a great power in the land IN or
ganixing that great political party which
was destined 10 sweep oyer the South
and place in power. both state and
national, such men as their great leaders
demanded. Still imbued with the idea Of
f9rty acres and mule, the subject of the
fourteenth amendment walked fearlcssly to
the polls aud deposited his ticket for de
boss wild de shoulder-strap.
Daring ante-belhIm times 1t was the
custom Of the owners 10 freely allow all
these ef their slaves that cheosed TO keep
sueh surnames a. their parents selected, but
it was hard 70 gel them to do Il. DANDY
Jim. .Julius July, or withtwins Tobias
and Biancns, were much more popular, and
If the owner neme was Smith or Brown,
TIC majority Of them preferred thar their
surnanies should be Smith or Brown also
and more especially if their master happea.
ed to be very popular man. Il was any
pleasure to have been a witness for several
wears previous to the war to the distribu-
tion Of about FIVE thousand dollars in silver
half dollars. each gear, BY one Of orr plant
ems as a Christmas present to HIS slaves, aad
the list Of their names was as ndieulousiy
strange aud funny as the peculiar eharae-
feristics Of the slaves who bore them.
During the latter DAYS of the war, being
an 4. I. c.. Assistant Inspector General
with the rank Of Major ON the staff Of
Lieut.. Gen. W J Hardee, and wkile he
was in command of the military department
comprising the states Of South Carolina,
Georgia aud Florida1, / was sent 70 iuspee;
the troops. &c, in the latter state, asd aaEi
ing a trip 10 the Gulf coast accompanied
by the them Mayor of Tallahassee and
Brig. Gen. Miller, we took pleasure in ac-
eepting the invitation IF Mr. y. Richard
son to stop with him. lie was . planter
living near the point we had in view n the
object of oar trip. aAd ike most planters
living SO far from town, his dwelling, up to
that tinse. had been very Ordinary one
AT the time of our visit, however, he was
building an addition to the house, and the
room he selected to have supper in was as
vet unfinished, and tho darkness Of the pine
boards made il necessary to have more than
exdinary light to eat our meal; and remark
inc. before we entered that the room was
lighted from four candlesticks, worth fully
thousand dollars each. somewhat excited
our curiosity, which was coon allayed
however. when. as we entered the door, We
saw in each corner a young negro boy. from
sixteen to twenty years of age. holding q
huge torch Of pitch pine, lighted, Zach
one of them was worth in those days fully
a thousand dollars He was asked BY one
Of the party, incidentally, the names Of
these ebony statuette candelabra, and
amused US very much BY saying that then
parents had named them as follows Satan
now Familiarity known as and called Sat,
as his mother afterwards told us, dat was
de wus' chile de Lord eber let i've, and
wheu ole mars fwho is now dead and gone
Esas1. was alive, / tole him dat dat chile
must be named Satan. 4 good sized
niece of smoking tobacco. presented BY Us