New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-02-10
STEPHEN 4. DOUGLASS SLAVE
TALK WITH ONE AND A VISIT TO THE
PLANTATION.

charged with c0a-de adle distincness tHat e th "fa
or had somewhat recently been an extensive TaNehoe
cr THIS was denied with such vehemence as 90 rob 'He
statement Of the harm such fact if an uneontro-
rtel fact would have wrought against Douglas lu the
North and Of all the good might have done MN In te
South So far as rccoect the matter was never sails
factorily disposed OF in the North.
Last week. while hunting near MAGNOLIA Miss came
across q crooked and lame but pleasant darkey, well
advanced ia age getting out " rude pine shingles
After learning some interesting facts concerning ms
slave life he gave understand that he was Of noble
extraction having been the property Of N1-sa Douglas
frum ae Nar He seemed regard his former master
a. So much superior 10 ordinary beings That TIE eoncu-
sion was irresistible thai his owner iln de No1 mast
have been no iess than senator stephen \. Douglas.
Curiosity therefore. ~ aroused and numerous
o,lestious intended TO exhaust his store Of knowledge
were RAPIDLY formulated. He recolected the brilliant
and powerful often msc Senator very Well nut h"l
much clearer remembrance OF loss Sileklnn'' the
OveFseer of the plantation.
Boss strcklun am dead. specs. and Mars Douglas
ali, done gone away. Doan know muffin bout NM
Habent hccrd muffin frum him III twenty-five yeah
reckon" volunteered sambo.
How many slaves did Douglas own"
Bout 10 sab. chillun all Mighty good nissahs
too sab; but Boss sricklun, wuk most powerful
hard" wac Che unbesitatmg anwer
ON going 10 dinner my inquiries discovered several
persons who recallected that Douglas once owned slave
nlantatiop m Lawrence County and could tell me
how 10 reach historic spot, which ls on the Pear
River pleasant stream OF yellowlsh Peary color No
one knew how the slaves into the possession OF
Douglas reckOned lac bought them boat forty
year ago"
Curions to see plantation Of bondage that had been
owned bv freeman Of the NOrth-by senator Of the
Irned States from Illinois. u time when more t8an
oue-Ialf OF the Justices Of the United oites supreme
Court including Chef Justice fancy, were Shareholders
hired mule and rode him the crookedcst narrow
est uuddiest roads ever TO the designated cluS
tab on the Pearl River Apparently the land was once
very productive but long periods OF extreme exhaustion
have followed each other closely that seems to he
rretty thoroughly Impoverished However if the rugged
and thorough methods OF farming in vogue IN the North
could he brought into Pearl River valley m thi-
rrz the entire district wOpd become rich bcau-
fu and productive garden
On returning to New Orleans sought out cid time
sl,ner of Dou-as and entered into conversation Nith
him concerning the probable truth of the story that the
slave plant alton visited the owned by
the Little Giant" quickly declared that there
no doubt about It, Turning TO musty old scral-b0O.
he directed my attention to series Of articles declaring
and DENYING. with equal array OF alleged proof on
either side that Douglas Shareholder. and thcu 70
settle the controversy, produced copy OF The Southern
nat Of August. 1913, IN which found lie fol
lowing communication:
TIE BAnB-,UE At TIE PLANTATION or TIE Hos. :. A.
DoUOiAs
Nh FpTpr:-I had tlc pleasure oi attending The bar
bol,r Given uy M. james -tri,auI. lie ieur and
oye..c.r ol sine Hon. = 4. bou--. o' Illinois, J tLr
c9untv ODD the 39th uit. The barbecue wa intended
really Tor the slaves on size place d. arcora@ire WIN
yearly custom which SIR. ~tlctiuud hn~ adopted. ud.
tcf a.a good uuluherof ladies aid rcn.leugu pres
,l.- rom Jnt inn.e .iate mel -htorAood
le arruus. ueIt, were ail lu excellent ta'e and lhr
Table, lYaucI hcucttI pfu'-pu of ail TIRE good tiu--
' ~ IL rfr Tine t,.i,caic u,cat, were dressed in tire
finest and most r,ha'e style. and the adjoining rivers
,,id .s l.l been forced to ada their supply dauiIrs
nfpc .,t noticed. 100. dat therc was = real stiIl4-
Id
ingredients u1i al "n most eice4iiA cE.i- I'D li thc
dsuoAtau of tine Inolco.ili4ia otii9u o. tAe dinner
.ccl ~ Competent e. pass distinct ll-ntt UPON thc
same. ~ friend Jarh -- oX pre- '- tllh IRE .cnii-
mont tue crowd vixen. With two tender Iii oi mutton
in l- mouth and delicate piece OF wei. Drowned Dish ou
lis io.S D., L1ar-cy said: " u L GOOD and pleasant
dim to Doe here ,.. .....,
Tir ur-rIe+ t0l'Tcl INC mflitd GUESTS Io l" id2I'r
ADD -d down Jo ta' a"'r uiil.'.' 3, IA ~. 'ir- ..lA
Lad jus .H'lC'u so l.,.- .i'i ,.ol 20 o,l. l'-.s
Ticy numbered som" l+u H ai 10 Was e''c'' -l-f p"
-.c tar "tt c'uh rt nr' h-H. reg ul "Hh pleasure al
lli, '-'' ' 80 i.td i,,. 49,, ~ -,,. t.-, .,
Nir Nurh lf't lhi'h'u il'' %" -'."s ''in-" ''
IRENE dc."arl "i c loii"it i." ' ue crowd "i1-i-
less toss OF tnc head ~ icch tc incest piece OF ihc
c-o,,d on dc I4dy when she War drinking ncr culcc"
size aid they were tine BLACKLIST Of thc biach little
I4-ets. 1Aei heads rolled irou side go side ~ they
cr,'.''ne1 ia lnr % am, Il ',' ''' 49, 80, 80 ia
pure rvp4eu'u 81 animal epoN"et iAtf ",, ENJOY IT,
Tears |cr IA t4cr largc rolling eyes nul lAef were
,5e,. cr1f a'- M igo-c
T-er va. 81 the slaves LITTLE mig. That
not dressed cean}, ana some OF Item almost ELEGANTLY
~, ~ ,,,L go fnr H. ni,-or,, Tho i,,~r.l .,
anon ire whites The LITTLE ones were rgscd I'M their
white cuou shirts tie od familiar pantiiion dress OF
tHe eA.G S o ~, "' ', i'' were
Nv ,s-ct. MI Edltor. IN thus detailing the scene
winch Witnessed on tiS plaii,a,l"n is 20 can me a'-
-, tn ,ct tt c.' IN ,nr coirt, ~ o,rre,,. ~, fIo
state ~ Mlssissppi Is "a large plantation negroes
owned by Northih UhleG htaes senator ana MAJ
il ctI,- uroyirf Inr imam many a. cvcn
,, i-i. l - NJ tl,e Wi $50 I,, gr
- -, 80 ,,i',tion ~ it, fr.e NOR, i,,,
rft- ,,rf,-eI md tor f.oir sfe-taI b-uedt Their
fual a. vol a. fbrir bodv WANTS are attended TO-
80, IN. tbo,rht struck me that II wgud have becf a
Isr r,7ctI lesson To certain Free soil constituent