Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-01-22

The Free Negroes Of North Carolina.
IDayid Dodge Ia January Atlantc.l
The state convention called ia 1885. to
amend the constitution, among other impor-
tant changes, such as the Acknowledgement
of the boroughs and the removal OF the CUB.
ernatorial election from the legislature to the
people, also dsfranchised the free negroes.
Hitherto there had existed in this state the
strange anomaly of class incompetent TO
testify in court, and otherwise almost AZ des-
titute Of rights a. brutes, exercising a func-
tion everywhere deemed the first of privil-
eyes, and which the vast mass Of freemen in
the most enlightened countries of the world
are yet striving to attain. But even prior to
their disfranohlsement the free negroes were
too iimid and lethargic ever TO possess even
the mOdicum Of political influence to which
their numbers would seem to have entitled
them. In few Of the northern counties on.
ly do they ever seem to have become an OBJ.
ject to demagogues There is still tradi.
ton among them in Granville county that
they lost the franchise on account of their
persistent support of the notorious Potter.
Potter though man of parts and a natural
orator, was consummste demagogue aud
violent, unsctupulous man, whose new de-
parture in iniquity evoked special legislation.
Toward the last the free negroes falling more
huu hlOAb luNO htbitihAts AublT huDpOfl car
ried such stigma with it rs to be an element
OF weakness rather than of strength to a can
didate. More than one candidate Of those
days, twitted by his opponent on the stump
about this element of his constituency, re-
torted by declaring his willingness to throw
out every free negro ballot, if his assailant
would do likewise.
After this period, the life Of the free ne
gro grew unspeakably harder. Not so much
that the laws we're harsher, but because the
attitude OF the whites became and continued
more hostile. Neither the harshness nor the
leniency of the laws was of great momsnt to
him, who could in no wise put them in oper-
alton even for his own protection. HIS lot
added the disability Of the slave to the re-
sponsibility of the freeman. Dependent on
his own Industry aud enterprise, as the slave
was not, be found tue field Of his labor con
tracted, till subsistence became a formidable
problem indeed. Except among the non.
slaye-boldiug farmers, who were often too
poor to pay him sufficient Lire to sustain life,
he could find little employment that did not
bring him in contact with the slave, while
the main end Of public policy was to keep
them as far apart possible. Iutermarriage
and social intercourse were OF course strictly
forbidden by law. With him, all depended
on the temper OF the whites among whom he
lived II they we're kind and well disposed,
be had little to complain Of Bat II they
were cruel or alarmist, his condition was pit
liable beyond words. Then all his move
ments were closely watched, and bis actions
ingeniousy tortured to sinister ends. II, in
quest of employment, he ventured out OF bis
immediate neighborhood and neglected to
take his free papers he got into serious troub-
le Even carrying them in his pocket, if his
actions aroused suspicion and his explanation
WAS not at once prompt, lucid, and consist
ent, he also got into trouble Dumb as a
witness against the dominant race, he not iu-
frequently became the object of the spite of
malicious white men, or the wanton cruelty
Of heartless, unthinkiug striplings
1t is not to be wondered that the free ne.
groes unelastic and prone TO unthrift under
went still further deterioration. Cowed,
perpleIed, and dispirited they hudded to.
gether on any scsnt, sterile bit Of land that
they were fortunate enough to be possessed
Of, erected clusters Of their frall little huts
and like oppressed, hopeless classes the world
over, sunk into profound listl-ssness and
sloth. The women grew unchase, the men
dishonest, until in many minds the term
free negro became synonym for all that
WAS worthless and despicable. Their settle
ments were commonly contiguous to some
town the counties in which were located
Raleigh, Wilmington, New Bsrne, and Fay
free negroes in the state, in which the apter
males became BARRIERS, fddlers, or Jacks Of
all-trades. Some followed ditching, we'll.
digging, and such work as was considered
too perilous or too unhealthy to risk slaves
in its performance. l never knew a neigh
borhood without free-negro shoemaker. In
fact, they were largely perforce, a class of
piddlers and like piddlers everywhere more
indispensable than any other element of the
community. The majority kept soul and
body together with the product of their sterile
little patches, eked out with a petty traffic in
the rude articles of their own make, such as
chairs splint baskets, horse collars and door.
mats made from shucks and bark, dug"
troughs, bread trays, etc. Many derived al.
most their whole living from the sale of gin
ger cakes, and wstermelons. wild nuts and
fruits when in season, at the neighborng
towns, or on Saturdays aud big" days at
the cross-road stores and country post-of-
fees.
In some of the county seats during court
week, an aged specimen of this latter type is
still occasionally to be seen selling ginger
cakes. Generally tall, meagre, STOPPING,
slouching, for all the world the color of his
! own wares, he lounges half listlessly, half
| dejectedly on the shafts of the little steer
cart bearing his antiquated confections, ST.
lently awaiting the customers that never
seem to come nowadays. He and his cakes
are almost the sole survivors of ante. bellum
days. But in all his silent musings it seems
not to have occurred to him that he is an ana
chronism. That be is still catering to the oh
solete gastronomy OF a long-Rone generation,
and that his goodies are cayisre to their
| grandchildren, has never entered his mind.
At least, II it has, he is too staunch a quietist
or pessimist, no one knows which, to care
much. He has seen the primitive wooden
court house supplanted by a pretentious brick
one the once boundless court house green
contracted and contracted, till the pitiless
march of bricks and mortar has left him no
| stopping place save an unsafe and iguoble
one in the gutter. He has seen man aud ma,
ture change but it has never suggested new
methods, any more than the fact that people
| quit eating homemade ginger cakes gener-
alton ago has suggested the advisability of
discontinuing their manufacture. Like the
| persistent sibyl of old, his serene confidence
in his wares is not a jot sbated because they
are ignored of men aud have diminished in
| quantity. And there he will be every court
week, more punctual than judge or jury, till
some hard hearted board OF town commits
sioners pronounce him a nuisance, when be
will uncomplainingy take a remoter stand,
unless perohsnoe before then death the CLEAN
| er should follow in the sWAth of death the