The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-18

slaves as u trade or profession in
Georgia was under the ban of public
opinion. They were not ultogethor
socially ostracised, but they lost their
place, if they ever had any. "Who
is that man that is strutting around
town." "Why, he is u nigger ira.
der" aud that answer settled his
status. His society was not wanted
by good people. No doubt some of
them were clever men and honest,
but the presumption was that they
were hard hearted and o. an easy
conscience General Forrest was
negro trader, it is said, and no
doubt was respectable and reput-
able, but nobody ever accused him of
having high moral sentiments or emo.
tions. His war record is splendid
and there was no discount on his
ability or his patriotism
Now this transfer of negro saw
ages from the jungles of Africa to n
civilized country WAS no doubt a
blessing to them, but it was against
he laws of Georgia and the United
States and the agreement of all tho
great powers across the seas, and
the mode and methods Of it were hor-
rible. Mr.. McGee says that many
of them died from grief at being
torn from their home and country.
l we'll remembe, seeing some Of them
at work in Colonel Motifs garden in
Columbus, and my hoart bled for
them then, for they looked forlorn
and miserable. They could not
speak nor understand our language
and had to work by signs. Of course
they became weaned in timo and
took wives and reared children and
occassionally we find some of these
and their children here and there in
our State
Now the historians and newspaper
men Of this generation cannot write
intelllgently or correctly Of tho
events of -belIum days, and it
keeps the old men busy in defend
ing the State and her people from
misrepresentation. Even our own
childron have to be told over and
over again how we used to live and
what was tho true relation Of south
ern masters to their slaves. I re-
IN embo' when it was the strongest
incentive to good behavior for
master to tell his slave "if you don't
behave better and do better | will
turn you over to II nigger trader and
he will take you off and sell you"
Mr.. McGee told Mr.. Folsom that
the negroes cost them dollar or
two apiece in Congo-paid for in
trinkets--and they sold them for
5000 or $7OO apiece when they got
them here. That was good profit
if there is no blood money TO be
counted in heaven-,no discount for
murder by slow and horrible degrees.
There were some features of our own
slavery system that were bad enough
and gave deep concern to all good
citizens, but there was nothing to be
compared to this importation from
Congo and our pride has been that
only New England barbarians en-
gagged in it. The eminent Judge
Story once charged the grand jury
in Boston that it was notorious that
Boston people were deeply engaged
in this slave trade and were amass.
ing fortunes ont of this blood money
and it was Disgrace to their civil
zation and must be stopped. Next
morning the newspapers of Boston
lampooned him for that charge and
intimated that it was mono of his
business Boston aud New Bedford
continued it until 1849 and when
they could sell no more to the South
they sold them to Brazil and other
countries. These are tho facts that
have been kept behind tho scenes
while Harriet Bcecher Stowe and
Wendell Phillips we're engaged in
denouncIng the South for defending
slavery rs system. General Grant
owned slaves up to the very. date Of
their freedom and they build mil
lion dollar monument to him and
sing his praises but continue to
abuse the South. What curious
people they are.
Al Of Lincoln's wife's people
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