The Copiah signal. (Hazlehurst, Miss.) 1882-1883, 1883-06-22
GEN WADE HAMPTON AND
HIS MISSISSIPPI LARORERS

GEN WADE HAMPTON AND
HIS MISSISSIPPI LABORERS
Tic following authentic story in
rcsercuc. to Gen. Wade III ,mp-
ton, which woll illustrates the for.
mcr relation between Tic S1n.heru
planter and his gtfvi'orS aud the
bond That still attaches them to oach
o.her, will inter Get many readers OF
the Examiner ut home and abroad,
at al events wr shall TIL II, MS it has
never been II print before LAT VIC
arc aware Of.
It is generally known that Senator
Hampton owas az extensive cotton
plantation IN Washington county.
Miss. which was supplied before aud
during tho war with Numerous slaves
IRON South Carolina, many OF whom
were personally strangers to him.
During the summer Of lSc5, tomc
months after the close Of the war
or at least the lighting pirt Of tie
war-wlIon the great Caro.in. csval-
ry commander, like So many other
Southern f,rmors, was sadly cut Of
money, and droogiug a'most hope
lessly oyer tie ruins that varda!-
ism, hardly excellcd by that which
cursed tho pala.inate, had wrought
in his once beautiful home, was sit:
ting under tho shade of u tres in
Columbii convorSirg with II group oil
friends, q v, norable negro approach
ed the party and after waiting for
some little time, ha. in hand. for
lull in the conversation. fin lly made
a polite bow to the General and thus
accostcd him.
Howdy do Mars Wui,? mighty
glad to zee you;' ut tho same time OK
tending @ hand Which was cordially
gr.sped by the old sol licr.
IIowdy, old man?' he replied.
What is your pamc?'.
Name John, sGr.
who do yor belong to Jonh-ah,
azcuso me, to whom did you boiong?
'B'long to you Sur rejoiIed The
old mar. y.
where did you como from John?
asked the Genera.
From the plantation on the Mas
sasip. Sar."
"Yell, Jim, how arc you all go:-
ting along down therc?'
"SIity bad; mohsuj bad, Mlrs
Wade; momaus bad"
"Auy serious damage done 10 tho
plantation, John,' anxious!y qaerisd
Tho General.
Lord! Mars " ed,, do Yankees
dono jes g re clear through you' Ho
ti.f ebsrtiug; do wuck c'it'crs, de
cows aud ebon do chickens a'l tuck
away, an do gin house done burned
up. But wo hoarn nora.ed doy was q
ccmiu, Oh we sabc fHty baG1 Oh cot
ton an hid him away in dc swamp
for You, Mars Wade, add dass bout
all you got dow, dr. ccp'in do land.
"Y)u pay You arc getting along
badly" responded tho General
villa. seems 10 10 the di!licu'ty!
"Why, Mars Wade, dc niggers is
all bosses, an ting, aro 80 mixed mp
d.r, da. 'peara no gotten long no
way. Oao sHy dis, anDder say dat,
an mob ,dy to eide atwccn en-; dar-
nu.tina done, an what lis.io craps in
in de ground is lookin nifty sorry.
Dats wha. fotch mo here, Mrs Wsde
Las week 10 niggers all had meetin
an Guided you mus come down sn
cot EN- all tight agiu, or ebery ting
would 60 to dc debLil. D,y soat m'
here spcshly t, beg yon 70 c1me
down sn straigh'en tipg..'
"Wby JOHN" replied the General,
~ nm very forry to hear you arc ali
in such n bad fix, aud would g.adl!y
held my faithful followers il | could,
but ,ha. is impossible. l have not
morey enough to pay my rail.
road faro ton miles ont Of Columbia
and my friends arc al abcu. as poor
as i am."
A kind of triumphant smile lit
up tho oil mans dusky tonntenance
at this arour cement. and hc hurried
ly roplied:-
"Dal's all right. Mara Wade; dot's
all risht-dey Sro.ed Id find !oa in
dat fix. for dcy hesrn how dc yam
KEGS had treated you. IA 80 dey
sauut de money long vi me 10 foteh
YOU down and take yoa back agin to
do Carolina II you would't stay" and
the faithful old fellow ripped opeo
the lining Of hi. JACKIE aad drew ou'
a .roIl Of g,e'n5ncks, and "Mars