The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-02-22


y IN Columbus. ia. where he lives. "
one Of the invited guests. he could hardly
do less than to write pleasant things
about the old man, and A. a graphic
writer Of light literature. he felt on
strained 10 make the DID man a hero il
possible. The pressure OF the press for
something new and startling X very
great. and sometimes these bohemian
galley slaves have 10 ignore facts and
deal in faucic>.
Mr.. Folsom says that his old veteran
has been IN important factor IN G,or-
gas progress; that among other notable
acts and deeds he took an active part In
our war with the Creek Indians and in
removing them 10 the Indian territory.
and that he was 4 promoter in the build
ing of the old Monroe railroad tnow the
Macon and We>tern.D Well. now. this
ola man must have hecn a very lively
youth and unusually ~prccociouS. for
those Indians fought their last hight III
$50 and surrendered aud were III once
sent to the territory. Mr.. Mct,ec WAS
then just nine years old. The Monroe
railroad from Macon 10 F1Syth was built
IN 1913. when this Young man was
fifteen years old. Probably he totcd
water for the boys or perhaps he forgot.
and it was his father who did these
tDAS Things. Iut Ill TINS IIsi'tIl4t> IL
nothing. The important pcrvcrsion Of
State history is IS declaration that a
large and influential portion of the good
citizens Of Georgia w c-ountcnance to
and encouraged the venture of the Wan
derer' in bringing slaves here from
Africa. lie amt prove this by any re
spectacle citiZXcn now living. That slave
trade was under the ban Of all good
people. Georgia vas the first State that
prohibited it. This was lone in 119S.
which was ten wears before Congress
abolished it., and from then until the
late War no Respectable citizen ever
thought of trying 10 evade the law. Gcor-
gia was and still Is proud Of her record
on this subject, anu would be proudcr
still if the 'Wandercr'' had never landed
a cargo on our coast. Mr.. McGce seems
quite boastful of his success in rcapin.
Il harvest of blood money out of this
horrible business. Seven hund1cl human
creatures thrust in the hold of the yes
sci, packed in like hogs and dying by
scores Of heat. suffering from suffOcati0n.
filth and homes;ckncSS on the long voy-
age and their carcasses thrown over
board to the fishes. All this Mr.. Nc
Gee tells-and that they made 4 second
voyage with similar horrors and similar
results. and how ne pocketed $4,000
from each cargo. Conscience does not
seem concerned rs yet. John Newton.
the composer of the sweetest hymn ever
sang, was once Il slave trader, but re-
pented under JOHN Wesley's preaching
and never ceased to repent, and eX-
pressed his gratitude when Ire wrotea
Amazing grace-How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like mel
And hen old and intirm, his friends
1nrrn1 b@p, 40 n,,i ,pna ~, ", a. nrcI rnSt
He said. NO, no! Shall the old slavc-
trader stop preaching as long rs he can
walk or talk? No" Even in Savannah.
where Charley Lamar lived. who Was the
leader and part owner of the Wandercr,
General HENRY Il. Jackson. rs United
States attorney. pursued the captain
and crow and owners with unrclenting
diligence fer tWO years, but the free
use of this blood money in some way
defeated his PURPOSES. Ask him if this
slave trade was ever favored or Winkcd
1T by the good people of Georgia. SO
far from it, there were ut that time and
previous many good men Who with Chief
Justice Lumpkin at their head, were
trying to formulate Il scheme Of gradual
emancipation on Henry Gays plan. An
other facts remains that all the ante
citizens know to lie true. The dealing
III slaves as Il trade or profession III
Georgia WAS under the ban of public
pinion. they were not altogether so,
ally ostraciscd, but they lost their
pace, if they ever had any. "W'ho is
that man that is struttlng around town:
why, he is Il niGgcr trader" and that
answer settled his status. Ills society
was not wanted by good people. No
doubt some Of them We're clever men
and honest, but the presumption was
that they We're hard-hearted and Of an
easy conscience. General Forrest WAS
a negro trader. it is said, and 10 doubt
was respectable and reputable. but no.
body ever accused him Of having high
moral sentiments or emotions. His war
rccord is splendid and there was 10 dis
unit on his ability or his patriotism.
Now this transfer Of negro Savages
4rom the iunglcs Of Africa to Il civilized
country was 40 doubt Il blessing t.
them. but it was against the laws Of
Georgia and the United State and the
agreement Of all the great powers across
the seas. and the mode and methods Of
it were horrible. Mr.. McGce says that
many of them died from grief at being
torn from their home and country. |
we'll remember seeing some Of then at
work in Colonel Motifs garden in Column
bus, and my heart blcd for them then,
Tor JncN I0DkcL lOrIDfl a1lU ln-SbfdDIc.
They could not speak nor understand
our language and had to work by signs.
OF course they became wcaned in tim
and took wives and reared children, and
occasionally We find some Of these and
their children here and there III our
State-and they rejoice that they We're
brought from Africa.
Now the historians and newspaper
men Of this generation cannot write in
diligently or correctly of the events Of
ante-bellum days. and it keeps the old
men busy in defending the State and
her people from Misrepresentation Even
our wv children have to be told over
and over again how we used to live and
what was the true relation Of Southern
masters to their slaves. | remember
when it was the strongest incentive to
good behavior for q master to tell his
slave If YOU dom h better and
do better | viii turn YOU over TO a mig
ger trade ana he Will take you off and
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