The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1903-07-03
THE SOUTHERN STAKEHOLDER.


was grossly dlsfigured in the eyes OF
the whole world.
He never appeared in the public
prints except in csricsture. He was
always lean, lank and cadaverous; he
wore long hair and struggling beard,
big boo and a slOuched hat;
a revolver was buckled around
his waist ard a whip was in his
hand. He was always thirsting
for gore.
The typical sOutherner chewed to-
bscco and expectorated on the floor.
He used language that grated on the
polished ear. He treated his slaves
inhumanly-frequently subjecting
them to cruel torture aud death.
The southern STAKEHOLDER, except
when put upon his best behavior,
was fiend incarnate.
And yet this man was the author OF
the Declaration of Independence; he
was commander-in-chie of the army
| of the colonies at the time of the
revolutionary struggle; he was In
command of the army at Lunday's
Lane and at New Orleans; he was at
the head of both wings of the army
in its march through Mexico, and
was conspicuous in all the battles that
brought glory to the American arms
in the land of the Aztecs.
| This man, carcatured as a barba-
rian, was an occupant of the white
house almost cOnsecutively for fifty
two years before the outbreak of the
civil war.
The conduct of that war tells in
letters of gold and pictures of silver
the manner of man he was. You no
longer have to go to ThermOpylae,
Balaklava or the Bridge of Lodi for
deeds of bravery that quickens the
hearts pulsations into patriotic fire.
And this man. too, contributed his
full quota in making our judiciary
the boast and pride of our country.
The best blood of England, Scot
land, Ireland and France flows
through the veins of this man-immi-
grants from the depraved and crimi-
nal classes of Europe rarely found lodg-
ment in the southern states.
And what was the reputed sin of
the southern STAKEHOLDER but one of
inheritance.
At the time of the separation from
England and the setting up of new
government on these shores slavery
existed in every colonial state.
If, indeed, slavery be a sin it dates
back to the time of the Pentateuch
and its stain has married every nation
in history.
The southern stakeholder inherited,
be did not establish, slavery-and
what is the account of his steward
ship?
Finding the negroes savages, and
sometimes cannibals, he made them
dOcile and happy people. He fed
and clothed them. He nursed the
sick and buried the dead. He admin.
istered to the needs OF the aged and
the infirm. The deaf, the dumb, the
blind and the halt were never a charge
upon the state. The negro was, in.
deed, part of the family and there
grew up between them the warp and
wool of an exacting and tender sym.
pathy.
Churches were erected for the
slaves on every well regulated planta
ton and they were given the benefit
of the riches of the Christian religion
ana the example of benign living
The master made it a part of his in
heritance to curb the savage instincts
and brutal passions of the slave. Il
was, indeed, rare that a negro, either
bond or free, ever figured in the courts
of the country charged with a bruta
offense and the judicial execution!
among them could be counted on th,
tips of ones fingers,
Laws were made for the protection
of the slave and their violation by tn,
| maStar were often fcIlOUa6 bv .,,-; g.