The Manchester Journal

Slave Holders Calling Upon their Servants for Food.

It has been often said that the slave if set free would be too lazy to work, but would soon become utterly demoralized and dependent upon the white people for support.

But if this is true in some cases it is not true in others. Here is our old sexton, who has been with us years, and rang the bell, and made the fires, and attended generally to matters in the line of his profession, and is more independent to-day than many a white man who has sought his fortune in Dixie.

This man carries lead in his lower limbs, which he received, he says, from the guns of the chivalry, when he was fleeing from the house of bondage. Now he walks up to the ballot box and puts in his vote as a freeman, and when any good news comes from the army he raises the Stars and Stripes over his own dwelling, as a sign that his heart responds to the doom of slavery and the triumph of freedom.

Having been for the most part, in working order, he has found employment, and with his house, garden, cows, pigs and poultry—produce of free soil, he shows that a man may be industrious and get a living after he has escaped from bondage and tasted the sweets of freedom. True, among this class there will be instances of failure or imperfectness of character and conduct: but this would be equally true of white men, whose previous condition had been that of slavery.

The following letter, received by Anthony Pryor one of the contrabands at Fortress Monroe, from his late mistress, reveals the state of dependence in which the slave owners exist:

"Anthony—I have heard that you were making a great deal of money, and as we are in Williamsburg and have no support, Wm. [her husband] is away and I cannot hear from him I send you this to let you know that we are in need of everything I have no meat nor money of any kind that will pass. I want you to send me some bacon and sugar and coffee and any other things that you can get that I need. I have no money to buy a thing with. You have had twelve months freedom to make money in—it is time to do something for me and my children they are in want of clothes and the winter is coming on if you do not send me some money they will perish with the cold for wood is very high and I am not able to buy any now to cook with. we have done all in our power for you until you left us and can you bear of your masters children starving and you able to work and help them no I cannot think it.

I should like to see you if you can give me a little help every month it would keep us from want send what you can get for me by John King he will bring it safe he is doing all he can for his mistress he does not let them want for anything I never should sent you this if I had not been in want as you have not done anything for me all this time if you consider yourself free it is your duty to do what you can for me and my two little children I shall expect you to do all you can if John King does not come up to you can send them by Sam Simpkins he belongs to Mrs Eliza Jones tell him to bring them to Mrs Tilford we are there now send them as soon as you can. from your mistress

Hannah D. Westwood."

What has become of Lucy see her and tel her to see the children marching I wrote this large so you could read it well.