The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1905-06-06

darkies singing in the corntields far
away. the cry of the pickaninnies at the
cabin door, and the bark of the dog
the negro's best and hrmest friend.
met the old time Nanny and heard her
talk of her white folks. and saw her
tears as she told Of young marster who
went to the war and never came back
again She said she was taking care OF
''mssus for him, and that she was
''gwinter" meet him in the better land
And thought of the fidelity of the old
slave, now slowly passing into history
| thought Of the love of the old nanny,
of her simple devotion to her white
folks, of her waiting for footsteps that
would never come again. of her listen
ing for voice that was long since still.
And | said. God bless the old slave!
God bless the memory of the old darkey
who sang in tender tones. your mother
and mine to sleep in the long ago.!
Slavery might have been wrong. We
i'''NNi A0A
oppression. but such memories as these
make us glad that there once existed
happy people Would to God that the
new generation of whites and blacks
could understand each other as their
fathers did. and could leave the his
torian the record Of such fidelity and
So,
before the war.
And I thought, Was slavery the cause
of the war between the States? Was
it for this that the Constitution of Our
country was torn asunder and its mean
ing changed by human blood: Was
slavery SO vile and so unholy as to
cost the lives of thousands Of patriotic
souls3
Slavery might have been wrong,s but
it was my countrys selection. not mine.
1t came to the South as a heritage Of the
past, and was not an institution of its
erection. Our fathers found it here and
used it. not only for their good. but for
the amelioration of an ignorant and bar
barous race The negro had lived tor
ages in a land of diamonds sparkling at
his feet and never dreamed Of the pre-
cious stones. With forest magnificent,
sublime and grand. he never hewed a
log nor thought a home. With miles
and miles of sea coast kissing his shores
and the song of the ocean permeatng
his cline. he never imagined sail nor
| fashioned ship A child of nature,
uninventive and unprogressive. he well
coined the slave ships to his ports, and
sold his fellows for bright hued cloth
and a string of beads. Slavery opened
to him the highways of PROMISE 1t
pointed him to the light of the world
and kindled within his breast the hope
of life beyond the grave. 1t took him
| from savage land and transplanted
him beneath the stars Of a Christian
civilization. 1t snatched him from the
wilds of Africa, and taught him to think
and love. 1t brushed from his brain the
cobweb of ignorance and learned hin
the story of the cross. 1t opened to hin
a future undreamed and unthought by
his untutored mind
1t touched his brow of superstition
and gave him the religion of Christ. |
changed his downward course to ever
|
his name in the Eternal Book of Life
Slavery was the means by which he wa
changed from brute and beast, to man
, 1t was the means that famed to life hi
E benighted soul and planted within hi
brain the knowledge of right or wrong
1t was the fiery furnace through whc
, he passed from night unto day.
i Slavery took him garbed as beast c
| tthe field, and attired him in the modest
E of civilized thought 1t took him frol
! the cannibal feast and sat him at tn
supper of brotherly love. 1t was tn
probationary period between life an
:, death. 1t was the Sinai from which l.
6 viewed the promised land. 1t was
=, sunbeam CARRYING the Light OF tt
, iarkened home of the negro. 1t was tt
, Star of Bethlehem that pointed the VIZ
T to longing of religion and love.
Il Slavery was not wrong. 1t was God
Iway of bringing back the lost and har'
ened souls of the sons of Africa. t
an institution it could not stand 70
l. ever, and sooner or later it was H
~, will that it should cease. But He d
= mot mean that it should cause the 10
&c of so many heroic souls He did n
mean that one brother should fly at t
n throat of another because they differ
as about how and when it should cease.
did not mean that to bring it cessl
one part of the country should be dew
ttatae with fire and sword. He mea
IN that it should end in peace and go
s- will between men. He meant by
~ right of eminert domain. the pub
N should acquire and pay for what
conducive to the public good. He me;