Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1885-03-28
Sae:ch frcj,l Capt. &. Z. Dunns
GeOprapnica; Description
of North louisiana.

Nh .
as tie population spread over the
country, setting il up, the white
pioneer carried his slaves with him
into the great wilderness. The mas
Ter built mp his home, cleared and
cultivated his plantation with the
help of his slave, for the benefit Of
the slave rs well as the master. The.
white folks house may have been
something larger, but the com
Portable cabin Of the slave was near
by. The master had the proceeds
of the crop from the big field" but
the slave AMI lis family were pro-
videl with ample rations and cloth
ing outfit these proceeds. The slave.
too, had his pigs, poultry, and other
personal property, besides his
patch" which lie cultivated on his
Own account, and the crops raised
thereon he used and enioved for h,m-
self Master and slave often engaged
together III the same sports as well
as labors. We'd with each other i'll
feats of strength and agility, and
frequently gathered together in Di
vine worship around the same COM
mon altar, offering up their prayers
and praises to one and the same ever
true and living God
Tie white and black children were
born and .ared together in the same
common home, often nursing from
the same breast, without distinction
Of race or color As they grew up
they worked. plsved, hunted, and
fished together on terms nearly
approaching equality; and when ar
rived at mans estate, and the white
boy became the master he never
forgot III the slave his quandam lit
tie dusky friend and playmate.
Thus, generation after generation
Of masters and slaves lived, worked
and passed away together, minGling
their dust i'll the same common
graveyar(ls. The advancement of
the slave was gradual but co onstaut.
Each successive generation saw him
perceptibly elevated. After 200
,ears, bv the moral and intelligent
instruction of the superior white
race, the African WAS, by force, rescu-
ell from his barbarous condition. and
by force was endowed with civiliza-
, ton and Christianity.
, Slavery, as an institution, in all
respects becams wholly changed il
character In its latter DAYS, and
for many years before emancipation
| it was nothing Ike what it was IN
I the beginning. The slave of 1860
: was no more Ike lfis indolent savage
proTenitor sold to the colonists, thai
O the cultivated products of the field
p are Ike the wild herbage Of tie for
: eats.
1 With the growth of the institution
grew the rights Of the slave. Til,
o whites enacted laws er graiia confer
I II lS upon him legal rihgts, an,
n protecting him in these rights; chill
e dren under certain age could no
. be sold separate from the mother
e slaves cruelty treated by their own
y ers, the laws commanded such own
: ers to be punished, and in som'
a cases The slave Was by law taken from
-, his cruel owner and sold at auction
n to more humane master Whit
lie men committing no nicide on slave
were punished pensllv. If a slav,
'e was accused, lie had fair and Ill
)" ~ partial trial, etc. Many families 0
r, negroes, descending from parent t
n, child, had belonged to the same fam
c. ly of owners for generations. Thes
were looked on more as humbl
friends than slaves, and to sell sue
m family negroes was regarded as
u crime.
= The story told in "Uncle Tom
= Cabin" is based on one broad falls
n premise. The moral is the work {
II genius. and several of the charact el
10 are drawn pretty near to life, but til
ii owner of such slave as Uucle Tol
ce nerer Uoluutarily sold him; the lii
d, picture is that when Uncle Tom W.
=. too old and intirm to work, he live
ne in his cabin comfortably provide
all for him), the oracle of all on ii
e, plantation, both white and blacl
ny ny His every want was looked aft
he especially by the Younger membe
wv of the white family, and he die
~, with his master or his masters chi
OF dren.
ny The long history the two rae
w Wv had in common, their harmonic
ent relations during the entire perio
on the many mutual reflections of ear
of life, the many kindly offices viii