The Leopard's Spots

Hambright, and from every nook and corner o

on judge’s bench and in attorney’s chair instead of standing in the prisoner’s dock. The merciful stay laws enacted by the Legi

e wild rumours set afloat by the Freedman’s Bureau, of coming confiscation, revolution and revenge.

gure of General Daniel Worth, the brigade commander of Colonel Gas

t, a strong muscular and well-rounded body, crowned by a heavy shock of what had once been raven black hair, now iron grey. His face was ruddy with the glow of perfect health and his full round lips and the twinkle

as wreathed in smiles, his eyes flashed with somet

y the General and hobble to him as

turning to the crowd said, “Boys, here’s the best General that ever led a brigade, and there wasn’t

r old tricks,” said the Gene

—“A speech! A speec

, boys, that this old peg-leg here was the finest soldier that I ever saw carry a musket and the men who stood beside him were the most p

In the front ranks were a hundred of his old slaves who had worked on his Campbell county plantation. They seized his hands and l

ordy, I’se your boy Joe dat used ter

e, Joe! O

old Uncle Rube,” said an aged ne

Reuben! and how’

We’se bof un us had de plumbag

omehow to get enough to eat and if w

eech en ’splain erbout dis freedom ter us. Dey’s so many dese yere Buroers en Leaguers r

You tell us er sp

n the cry. There was no escape. In a few mom

strange as it may seem to-day, it came with

olitics. I reckon I hated a Democrat as God hates sin. I was a union man and fought Secession. My opp

lave labour of the South, that free labour was the most economical and efficient. I believe that terrible as the loss of four billions of dollars in slaves will be to the South, if the South is only let alon

om the negroes. Uncle Reuben’s v

ers! Dat’s my ole M

he North, and yet in its terrific struggle, God saw fit to give you freedom. Life, li

your might, build a roof over your head, get a few acres of land under your feet that is your own, put decent clothes on your back, and some money in the bank,

d among you, is a criminal, or a fool, or both. If you ever own l

niggers!” cri

your old masters is a criminal or a fool, or both. It is insanity to talk about the enfranchisement of a m

om a letter Mr. Lincoln wr

ket a letter in the handwriti

to the question you ask me about the equality of the races I enclose you a newspaper clipping reporting my reply to Judge Douglas at Charlest

am not, nor ever have been in favour of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people. I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the tw

of his party. It is insanity to believe that the Anglo-Saxon race at the Nor

their country as well as ours, and grant them freedom on enlistment. General Lee’s request was ultimately accepted as the policy of the Confederacy though too late to save its waning fortunes. Not only this, but the Confederate government sent a special ambassador to Englan

ers are your enemies and may try to reins

ld Reuben as he waved his a

t to send the rain and the dew and the sun. You showed yourselves on a hundred fields ready to die for your country. Now I ask you to do something braver and harder. Live for her

uzzled. He did not preach the kind of doctrine they wished to hear. They had hoped freedom meant eternal rest, not work. They had dreamed of a life of ease with government rations three times a d

et the Ex-Provisional Governor, Amos Hogg, b

d Hogg extending his hand with

, Amos, since Maco

life, General. I want a f

ht, what

h the enemy. The truly loyal men must get together to rescue

rebel because

crowd are running th

saw, and Macon and I were staunch union men. We had to

epented. I’ve got my face

ht that shines in th

ambition’s mine.’ Come into this union movement wi

to get an office. Now you’re organising the negroes, deserters, and criminals into your secret oath-bound societies. union men when the war came fought on one side or the other, because a union man was a man, not a coward. If he felt his

in,” urg

the wind. There’ll be a lively harvest. I am organising too. I’m organising a cotton mill, rebuilding our burned factory, borrowing money from the Yankees who licked u

ight that’s coming,” replied Hogg, w

ou something. When I need protection I’ll go to headquarters. I’ve got Yankee money in my mills and I