The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-05

tells OF q mighty river III inc hea, Wnoso
flow between walls of water determines
a great variety of conditions of human
life fixes and prescrbes products of the
solid earth.
We Of the south recur to our history
for evidence that on the high plane of
human energies our civilization moved
apart from the nations with civics. In
dustry and society all Its own.
Subtleties and reflnements of argument
outside the facts. have vainly essayed to
disparage the effects Aof the phenomenal
combination here of the pure-bred white
mans intellect and the Drawn of the
African negro upon either race. The
chronicles of the canebrake plantations
OF Alabama, wherever fairly recited, are
competent to enter the most influential
sphere of the worlds annals
In previous desultory chapters here we
have seen how this combination of un-
equaled Drawn and brains most poten-
tial, race by race. encountered the ma
jestic forest and the dense, towering
cane upon the ancient bottom of the
rolling deep", and how these obstacles TO
settlement disappeared as prairie grass or
the west before fire.
After Gen Richard Taylor surrendered,
in May, 1886. all the Confederate troops
east of the Mississippi not included In the
previous captulations of Lee and john
ston, United States garrsons were estao-
lished at Demopolis, Uniontown ana
Greensboro. With them came the vicious
fungus, the Freedmans Bureau. through
out the entire period of the four years
hot had taken
place indicative of effects from Presi-
dent Lincoln's emancipation proclamation
Of 1868 upon the plantation negroes me
first time 1 met my negro foreman AFTER
the surrender he remarked. connden-
TALLY. to me that since his infancy he mad
heard of the coming day of liberation, out
he had never expected to see 1t. he eN-
pressed no satisfaction at the realization,
in words or manner. and really felt none.
Making mention here of Mr.. Lincoln
historic proclamation" I will relate an
important incident in which one of the
largest and most enlightened of the cot
ton planters of Alabama acted part. IN
March. 1866 Governor Watts and Mr.. w.
c. Bibb were driving in buggy near
Montgomery. Mr.. Bibb proposed to the
Governor to commission him to pass
through the army lines, make his way
to Washington, see the President, ana
negotiate for the exchange of cotton lot
shoes and clothing for Alabama troops.
then In the field, through the port oil
Mobile.
This planter and gentleman, then IN
middle life, accomplished his purpose. NO
soldier of the war engaged in a more
heroic or perilous enterprise. Mr.. Biop
held a protracted interview with Presi-
dent Lincoln in the private office OF the
latter on the forenoon of April L. 1860.
On the night of the 14th, two days later
the assassin did his work. Mr.. Lincoln
told Mr.. Bibb that his proclamation mao
freed no negroes outside the lines OF
the army of the United States. He salu
he had no authority to free the slaves, but
that Congress had submitted the tnlr-
teenth amendment to the states IL the
amendment was ratified by the states'
he the President would favor paying Tor
the emancipated property Blpp asked
what would be the fate of the states OF
the south. now that the Confederacy had
fallen. The reply was prompt: no revenge
would follow.
you have your governor and your leg
islators" the President said. They Will
continue in office. Send your senators
| and representatives back to Congress.
"What of our political and military lead
ers, Mr. PresidentT' :,
II would pardon Jeff Davis himself II
he asked for it," was the instant reply.
Miss Ames has published recently a
most valuable book on the part Alabama
has taken in development of her mineral
resources Mr.. Hamilton has published
| a full and most interesting account OF the
| did things of Mobile. Let the state nave
history of the planters and the pianta-
tions. 1t is noble theme.
At present there are perhaps 1900 to
1900 negroes In the penitentiary. The Jails
are crowded with the freedmen. In the
time of the plantations there were very
few negroes in prison. There was
statute levying tax of % cents per cap
,ta of slaves to reimburse any master VINO
| MIGHT lose his chattel slave by legal
death.
| Plantation discipline was quasi military
and state laws protected the slave as
army laws protect the soldier. Giles ana
Gin. stout black plowmen, disputed In
the stable over the right of possession In
pillow bride. The light from the east
was advancing; the orders to be off for
| the field were heard Giles was leader OF
plows and must obey. He must mount
his mule and ride. In desperation at his
delay he drew a jackknife and made an
uelv cut into Jim's throat. The blood
flowed alarmingly DIR. Browder was
called in hot haste. The wound did not
|
kill.
| No case was made for the courts. No
report was made for the local columns
of the Demopolis newspaper. No neigh
Dor heard of IT.. Every day thereafter, Tor
| two weeks in succession, as Giles came
In from the fields, noon or night, he re-
ceived a decent thrashing Thus negroes
of the old time very rarely went to the
penitentiary The Alabama penitentiary
| fvno
Not solitary one of the number is
Tightly punished as was Giles.
Founded upon negro labor exclusively
the society of the canebrake was sui ge-
neris. 1t maintained institutions, GUS
toms and habits of its own. They were
a God fearing people Everybody went 70
church once day, and nobody played
cards, fought chickens, ran horses or
hunted birds In the afternoon. There
was no Sunday school, but all the chill
dren learned the Greed and the Episcopa
Prayer Book Catechism at home. After
services were dismissed there was KING
of levee in the aisles of the church.
where the minister came to talk. famil'
Iiarly. and out under the shades Every
body was we'll dressed and all were polite
and intelligent. The negro coachmer
were good listeners on their boxes neal
by, and learned all the news.
Home amusements were abundant-a
bowling alley at this home, billiard ia
BILE, or both, there. Every plantation
maintained fine saddle horses, and there
were parties of the two sexes who rode
over the smooth, undulating wide roads
by summer moonlight, far into the night
There were dinners of many courses. ant
various wines. There were balls. where
almost everybody danced; for never was
there seen a people more devoted tt
,,sio and the dance than these. The,