The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-02-20

der Of the Wanderer, who, he says,
celebrated his seventeen birthday recent
IL in Columbus, Ga. where he lives. AS
one OF the invited guests. he could hardly
do less than to write pleasant things
about the old man. and as Il graphic
writer of light literature The felt con-
strained to make the old man q hero if
possible. The pressure of the press for
something new and startling is very
great, and sometimes these bohemian
galley slaves have TO ignore facts and
deal in fancies
Mr.. Folsom says that this old veteran
Las been an important factor IN Geor-
gia's progress: that among other notable
acts and deeds he took an active part in
our war with the Greek Indians and in
removing them to the Indian territory,
and that he was q promoter in the build
ing OF the old Monroe railroad now the
Macon and Westerly Well, now. this
ola lnan must have been very lively
youth and unusually pfecocious, for
those Indians fought their last fight iii
1885 and surrendered and were at once
sent to the territory Mr.. MCGEE was
then just nine years old. The Monroe
railroad from Macon TO F'osyth was built
in 1S43. when this young man was
fifteen years old Probably he toted
water for the boys or perhaps he forgot,
and it was his father who did these
big things. But all this amounts TO
nothing. The important perversion OF
State history is ..4s declaration that a
large and influential portion of the good
citizens of Georgia gave countenance to
and encouraged the venture of the WAN
dererV in bringing slaves here from
Africa. tie can't prove this by any re-
spectacle citizen now living. That slave
trade was under the ban of all good
people Georgia was the first State that
prohibited it. This was done III 1898,
which was ten years before Congress
abolished it, and from then until the
late war no respectable citizen ever
thought of trying to evade the law Geor-
gia was and still Is proud of her record
on this subject, and would be prouder
still if the "Wanderer' hadsnever landed |
cargo on our coast. Mr.. MCGEE seems
quite boastful of his success in reaping
Il harvest of blood money out of this |
horrible business. Seven hundred human
creatures thrust in the hold of the YES
sci, packed in like hogs and dying by
scores of heat, suffering from suffocation,
filth and inconsistencies on the long voy-
age and their carcasses thrown over
beard to the fishes. All this Mr.. Nc
Gee tells-and that they made a second
voyage with similar horrors and similar
results, and how ale pocketed $4,000
from each cargo. Conscience does not
seem concerned as yet. john Newton, |
the composer of the sweetest hymn ever
sang, was once a slave trader, but re-
pented under john Wesley's preaching |
and never ceased TO repent, and ex-
pressed his gratitude when he wrote:
Amazing grace-How sweet the sound |
That saved Il wretch like mer'
And when old and infirm, his friends
begged him to quit preaching and rest.
He said, No, no! Shall the old slave
trader stop preaching as long as he can
walk or talk! Nor' Even i'll Savannah, |
where Charley Lamar lived, who was the
leader and part owner Of the Wanderer, |
General Henry r. jackson, as United
States attorney, pursued the captain
and crew and owners with unrelenting |
diligence for 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 winked
1T by the good people of Georgia. So
far from it, there We're at that time and
previous many good men who with Chief
Justice Lumpkin at their head, were
trying to formulate a scheme of gradual
emancipation on Henry Gays plan. An
other facts remains that all the ante
citizens know TO be true. The dealing
in slaves as a trade or profession in
Georgia was under the ban of public |
opinion. They Were not altogether so
ciaHy Ostracised, but they lost their
pace, if they ever had any. who is |
that man that is strutting around town.
why, he is niger trader and that
answer settled his status. dis society |
odd br- 60
doubt some Of them We're clever men
and honest. but the presumption was
that they were hard-hearted and of an
easy conscience. General Forrest was
a negro trader, it is said, and no doubt |
was respectable and reputable but no.
body ever accused him of having high |
moral sentiments or emotions His war
record is splendid and there was no dis
count on his ability or his patriotism. |
Now this transfer of negro savages
from the jungles of Africa to a civilized |
country was no doubt a blessing to
them, but it was against the laws OF
Georgia and the United States and the
agreement of all the great powers across
the seas and the mode and methods Of
it We're horrible. Mr.. Niece says that
many OF them died from grief at being
torn from their home and country. il
work in Colonel Motifs garden in Column
bus, and my heart bed for them then,
for they looked forlorn and miserable
They could not speak nor understand
our language and had to work by signs
or course they became weaned an time
and took wives and reared children, and
occasionally we find some of these and
their children here and there in our
State-and they rejoice that they were
brought from Africa.
Now the historians and newspaper
men Of this generation cannot write I'M
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 own 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 a master to tell his
slave III you don't behave better and
do bptter / will turn Won over To a mic