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Locke, David Ross, 1833-1888 [1867], Swingin round the cirkle, by Petroleum V. Nasby [pseud.]: his ideas of men, politics, and things, as set forth in his letters to the public press, during the year 1866. Illustrated by Thomas Nast. (Lee and Shepard, Boston) [word count] [eaf636T].
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VIII. A Plan suggested for the Up-building of the Democracy. — The Idea not New, but one which the Leaders of the Fierce Democracy have acted upon from the Beginning. Confedrit × Roads }
(wich is in the Stait uv Kentucky),

January 27, 1866.

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HALLELOOGY! halleloogy! halleloogy! I
see a lite! It beams onto me! It penetrates
me! It fills me! Goy to the world!

I hev diskivered the cause uv the decline uv the
Dimocrisy. I seed it yisterday. I wuz a wanderin
on the neighborin hills, a musin onto the cussednis
uv humanity ez exemplified in the person uv the
grocery keeper at the Corners, who unanimusly
refoozed to give me further credit for corn whisky,
wich is the article they yoose in this country to pizen
theirselves with. He asshoored me that he hed
the utmost regard for my many virtues; but he diskivered
that the one he prized the most I hedn't so
many uv, to wit, that uv payin for my likker.

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Therefore the account mite be considered closed.
Then, for the fust time in my life, I bleeved in total
depravity.

While musin, in a melonkoly mood, on this dark
cloud wich fell across my pathway, and the fall uv
the Dimocratic party, I came onto a party of men
borin for ile. Then the trooth flashed over me.
Their operations showed me the way to success —
the shoor path to triumph.

“When,” said I to myself, “when men seek gain
they bore for it. They go down — never up. Even
so with the Dimocrisy. We dug downward, downward,
downward, through all the strata uv society.
We went through the groceries; the next stratum
was the most ignorant uv the furiners; then we
struck the poor whites uv the South; then, below
them, the heft uv the people uv Noo Gersy; then
Southern Illinoy and Indiana; then Pike county,
Missouri; and so on. We never went upward for
converts, cause 'twant no use. When a man wanted
to jine us he alluz hed to come down. We got lots
of converts.

There was a regular slidin scale, which the heft
uv Democrats who wuznt born in the party hev
slid down; to wit: —

Quarter dollar smiles.

-- 062 --

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15 cent nips.

10 cent drinks.

5 cent sucks.

A flat flask conceeled.

A bottle openly.

Dimocrisy.

We lost our hold for two reasons. First, the poor
likker we hev now kills off our voters too fast; and
the tax on whiskey forced two thirds uv our people
to quit suckin, and ez soon ez they begun to git on
their feet they jined the Ablishnists. Secondly, our
leaders spozed there wuz no lower stratum to dig
into, and give up in disgust.

But I hev deskivered that lower stratum — I hev
found it; and when the idea flashed over my Websterian
intelleck, I shouted Halleloogy! The nigger
is the lower stratum; and ef we bore down to
it, and work it thoroughly, we hev, at least, a twenty
years' lease uv power.

We must cultivate the nigger. He must hev
the suffrage
! It is a burnin shame, that, in this
Nineteenth Sentry, in the full blaze uv intelligence,
livin under a Deklarashun which declares all men
“free and ekal,” that a large body uv men shood be
denied the glorius privilege uv bein taken up to the
poles and voted. Is not the Afrikin a man? Is he

-- 063 --

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not taxed ez we are, and more than most uv the Democrisy,
for many uv em own property? Is he
not amenable to all the laws, even ez we is? Then
why, I triumphantly ask, is he not entitled to a vote?
Ah! why, indeed?

“But this is Ablishnism!” methinks I hear a obtoose
Dimocrisy observe in horrer. “And why give
them votes who will use em agin us?”

My gentle friend, will they use their ballot agin
us? Ef I know myself, I think not. Kin they read?
Kin they write? Aint the bulk uv em rather degraded
and low than otherwise? Methinks. Aint
that the kind uv stock we want, and the kind wich
hez alluz set us up? Readin hez alluz bin agin us.
Every skool master is a engine uv Ablishnism;
every noosepaper is a cuss. General Wise, uv Virginia,
when he thanked God there wuzn't a noosepaper
in his deestrick, hed reason to; for do yoo
spoze a readin constitooency wood hev ever kept
sich a blatherskite ez him in Congress year after
year?

Then, agin, the Constooshnal Amendment will
pass, givin representashen to voters alone. The
Democratic States will hev more members uv Congress
and more electoral votes than afore the war;
and them States we kin depend on.

-- 064 --

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But my skeem is still more comprehensive. Them
niggers ain't needed in the South. We'll send em
North. A few thousand will overbalance the Ablishun
majority in Noo Gersey; fifty thousand will
bring Ohio back to the fold; the same number will
do for New York and Pennsylvany, and the country
is saved — we will be able to elect the President.
Thus the pit the Ablishnist dug for us he'll fall into
hisself; the club he cut for us will break his own
head.

Honey hez kum out uv the carcass; good hez
perceded from Nazareth. The nigger smells sweeter
to me now than Nite bloomin Serious; he is more
precious to me than gold, or silver, or preshus stones.
He is the way, and I shel walk in it. He shel lift
me into a Post orifis. We must give our Afrikin
brother, — for is he not a man and a brother? — not
only the suffrage, but he must hev land, and the Democracy
must give it to him. I want Garrit Davis
to instantly interdoose a bill into the Senit givin
each family a quarter section uv land, a pair uv
mules, and a cook stove; and each female Afrikin
brother two flarin calico dresses and a red bonnet.
I want him to advocate the bill in a speech uv not
more than two hours, so that it will stand some
chance uv passin. On second thought, I guess some

-- 065 --

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other man hed better interdoose the bill, as the Sennit
hez got into sich a habit uv votin down everything
he proposes, that they'd slather this without
considerin it, on jineral principles.

Then we've got em. Work ez hard ez they may
at it, it'll take twenty years afore the Ablishinists
kin edjukate em up to the standard uv votin their
tikkit; and even that time won't do it if we kin git
the tax taken off uv whiskey, so that we kin afford
to use it ez in the happy days uv yore.

Goyusly I went home to lay the foundashun uv
the new temple uv Dimocrisy. I slept that nite
atween two niggers, and hev bin shakin hands and
enquirin after the health uv the families uv all I hev
met. Its rather hard for an orthodox Democrat.
Sich sudden shifts is rather wrenchin on the conshence.
But what uv that? The Dimocrat who
hez follered the party closely for thirty years ought
not to balk at sich a triflin change ez this, pertiklerly
when it promises sich glorious results.



“There's a lite about to gleem,
There's a fount about to streem,
Wait a little longer!”
Petroleum V. Nasby,
Lait Paster uv the Church uv the Noo Dispensashun.

-- 066 --

p636-079 IX. Enjoys a Vision of the Next World, seeing therein many Curious Things, which are published as a Warning to Politicians. Confedrit × Roads }
(wich is in the Stait uv Kentucky),

February 5, 1866.

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LAST nite I retired to my virtoous couch, at
precisely half past eleven, after eatin a rather
light supper for that time uv night. I alluz make it
a pint to eat light in the evenin, for I'm gittin old,
and my digestive faculties ain't what they was when
I wuz young. Alas! we who hev lived out the
best part uv our days, wat wood we give to be set
back to the time when, with our faculties unimpaired,
we cood consoom a good square meal without
fear uv consekenses! But



“Them happy days is fled,
And never will return.”

I paid my respecks to 2 mince pies, a pair uv
pig's feet, some cold tongue, and a plate uv tripe,

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follered by a half dozen dough nuts and a couple or
more uv glasses uv hot whisky punch; and singler
ez it may seem, it didn't set well. I dreamed all
night, and my dreams wuznt at all pleasant. Methawt
I hed deceest, and wuz in the next world. It
was a singler site that met my vision. The dividin
line atween this world and the next wuz a swift
stream uv water, and every deceest spirit hed to
cross it. The water wuz suthin like that uv the
Dead Sea. A man, unencumbered with anything,
cood walk on it, but they sunk down in it if they
wuz loaded, accordin to what they hed to carry.
On the tother side uv this Jordan wuz heaven; the
dominions uv his majesty Satan the 1st wuz below,
and to it a strong under current flowed, which took
all them ez wuz too heavy loaded to keep their
chins above water.

On the bank stood more than two millions uv
little devils, who flung onto the shoulders uv them
tryin to cross their failins, and weaknesses, and
iniquities.

General Breckinridge wuz the first that I saw
enter the flood. He hed on a life preserver, labelled
“States Rights,” but a peert little devil stuck a pin
into it, and it collapsed, the gas with wich it wuz
filled smellin horribly. Down he went, and ez he

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sunk, they commenced peltin him with packages
labelled “Treason,” “Perjury,” and “Murder,” and
John C. went under.

Old James Buckanon went next. The old gentleman
didn't keep above water as long ez a able
bodied man could hold a bar uv red hot iron in his
hand. He made one splash, when a weight labelled
“Treason” struck him, and down he went. The
gentlemanly and urbane devil who had him in
charge had a big pile more uv ammunition to discharge
at him, but that one wuz sufficient.

Vallandigham come next. I wuz surprised to see
no one make a motion at him, but he sunk all the
same. “We never waste effort,” sed Satan to me;
“he carries enough natural cussedness about him,
all the time, to sink him, without pilin any devilment
on his shoulders wich is ten days old.”

Frank Peerce made his appearance, but declined
to enter. He wuz immediately seezed, and on each
leg wuz tied a weight labelled “Kansas,” and they
flung him in. He went down like a shot, and that's
the last I seed uv him.

Garret Davis went in, and to my surprise, passed
over safely. Nothin wuz flung at him, for wich I
asked the reason.

“Why,” sed Satan, “the poor old man isn't

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accountable. He commenced to talk many years ago,
and keeps on talkin because he really don't know
when to stop. I could hev sunk him, but the fact
is, I woodent endoor what the Senit uv the Yoonited
States hez hed to, for the past few years, for a
dozen uv Tombs lawyers. Besides this, I'm gettin
more from Kentucky now than I am really entitled
to. I've a mortgage on two-thirds uv that State.”

Fernandy and Ben Wood come up rather bold,
and entered the flood ez though they were sure uv
goin through all right. With a inimitable chuckle,
Satan motioned away the inexperienced devils, and
sed, “Leave em to me,” and at Ben he hurled a
package uv the New York News, wich swashed
him down instanter. Jest ez Fernandy wuz beginnin
to reach the other shore, he flung onto him
an assortment uv weights, labelled “Lotteries” and
“Riots,” which took him down to the arm pits, and
finished by tumblin onto him a mass, onto wich wuz
written “Mayoralty,” and down he went; at wich
His Majesty drew a sigh uv relief.

Seein the style uv the men who sunk, I remarked
unto him, —

“This war hez bin a rather profitable thing for
you.”

“Nothin to speek uv,” sed he. “The leaders uv

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the Southerners were, sum uv em, honest, and got
through on that account, and the rank and file were
ignorant wretches, who ain't accountable, no how.
The leading copperheads uv the North were mine,
anyhow, from the beginnin. Any man who cood
sympathize with the rebels in sich a struggle, must,
yoo will acknowledge, hev hed a long career uv iniquity
to fit em for sich a sin. Why,” sed he, “do
yoo think I use all the shot I hev? Not any. Them
yoove seen piled on were used because, bein the
last, they were on the top uv the pile.

“Any quantity uv yoor party escaped me. Them
fellows who are yet votin for Jackson I'll never git,
and the most uv them ez alluz votes unscratched
tickets will dodge me. Their innocence protects
em. It takes a modritly smart man to be vishus
enuff to come to me; he hez to hev sense enuff to
distinguish between good and evil, cussednis enuff
to deliberately choose the latter, and brains enuff to
do suthin startlin in that line. Dan Voorhees, uv
Injeany, hez all these qualities developed to a degree
wich excites my profound respect. Between him
and Fernandy Wood its nip and tuck. Fernandy
did wicked things with more neatnis than Voohees,
but for a actual love uv doin em Voohees beets the
world. I sed,” continued he, “that the war wuzn't

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uv much yoose to me. I repeat it; it wuz a damage.
Afore the war, I hed my own way, pretty
much, in the Southern States. For every octoroon,
I cood count on at least two planters, and under the
patriarkle system uv Afrikin slavery (wich, by the
way, wuz one uv my most brilliant consepshuns),
octooroons multiplied with a rapidity pleasin to behold.
But now, alas! the octooroon bizness is done,
and my best holt is gone. I hev some little hope,
however. The Dimocrisy are displayin a vigger I
didn't think they possest. Ef they kin only git
strength enuff to elect the next President and reestablish
slavery! The thought fills me with unutterable
joy. The redoosin of the nigger to bondage
agin wood give me a clean title to evry last one who
helped to do it, and in gittin em back into their normal
condishun (by the way, that's another phrase
uv mine), ther'd be enuff slaughterin and murders to
satisfy several sich Satans ez I am. I'd help em ef
I knowd how, but I can't improve on either their
speekers or writers, and ez long ez men will do my
work gratis, I don't see the yoose uv interferin.”

At this pint a couple uv small imps undertook to
push me into the stream, and in the struggle, I
awoke. My dreem wuz o'er, but the impreshun
remained. “Kin it be,” mused I, pensively, “that

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we are doin the devil's work, and are we to be
finally rewarded in the manner I saw in my vision?
Ef so, hedn't I better quit and repent?”

But I thought agin, that however it mite be for
younger men, it wood be uv no yoose for me. I
hed voted the strait ticket for thirty years, and the
ten or twelve years I hed to live wuz too short a
time in which to repent successfully uv sich iniquity.
So I sank into sleep agin, this time dreemin that I
had turned Fenian — hed elected myself Hed Center
for the Stait uv Kentucky, and wuz just investin
$75,000 in a magnificent plantashun.

Petroleum V. Nasby,
Lait Paster uv the Church uv the Noo Dispensashun.

-- 073 --

p636-088 X. SONNIT Onto a Soldier, wich wuz wunst a Dimekrat, but is now a howlin Ablishnist, wich I saw a limpin about on one Leg, hevin left the other at Anteetam.

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BLOO-KOTED monster! thou wentest forth
Armed with thy rifle and sharp-pinted bayonet,
Whose peeked eend with Southern blood is wet:
I hate thee, tool and minyun uv the North!
Thou wast a Dimekrat: them kote and pants,
The wavin flag, the gun with peeked eend,
Turned yoo into a Abolishn feend,
Who sucked the blood uv Dimekratic saints.
Monster unnachral! by niggerism hatched,
Thousands and more uv Dimokrats yoo've slain,
Who'll never rally to the poles again
To vote, ez wunst they did, a tikkit all unskratched.
Avant! the work yoo did our party is undoin:
To us yoor kote uv bloo is jest bloo rooin!

-- 074 --

p636-089 XI. The Situation. — The Attempt of the President to wheedle Democrats into Supporting his Policy without giving them the Offices commented upon. — The Democracy warned. Confedrit × Roads }
(wich is in the Stait uv Kentucky),

February 15, 1866.

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I HEV had hopes uv Androo Johnson. My waitin
sole hez bin centred onto him for a year back.
He wuz the Moses wich I spected wood lead the
Democrisy out uv the desolate Egypt into which we
hev bin making bricks without straw for five long
weary and dreary years. O, how I hev yearned
for Johnson! O, how I hev waited, day after
day, and week after week, and month after month,
for some manifestation uv Dimocrisy wich is satisfactory—
suthin tangible — suthin that I cood take
hold on.

Faith is the substance uv things hoped for, and the
evidence of things not seen; wich is all right so fur

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ez religion ez concerned, but uv no account in politix.
A friend uv mine, who wuz a monomaniack
on the subjick uv faith, undertook to live on it, under
the insane belief that ef a man had faith pork
wuz unnecessary. Wuz the experiment a success?
Not any. When he commenst the trial he weighed
200; in a week he wuz down to 125; and in fourteen
days he slep in the valley!

I hev bin livin on faith for a year or more, and I
too am thin. My bones show; light shines through
me; I am faint and sick. Oh, for suthin that I can
see and feel — suthin solid!

Our Dimocratic noosepapers are supportin Androo
Johnson. They claim that his polisy is our
polisy; that he is ourn, and we are hizn. They are
singin hosanners to him. At his every act they exclaim
Halleloogy! in chorus. What is it all about?
In what partikeler hez Androo Johnson showed hisself
to be a Dimokrat? In the name uv Dimocrisy
let me ask, “Where is the offices?” Who's
got em? What is the politikle convickshuns uv the
wretch who is post master at the Corners, and who
only last nite refused, in the most heartless manner,
to trust me for postage stamps? Who is the Collectors,
the Assessors, et settry? Are they constitooshnel
Dimokrats? Is Stanton, and Seward, and

-- 076 --

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Welles histed out uv the cabinet, and Vallandigum,
and Brite, and Wood apinted in their places? Not
onct. Every post master, every collector, every assessor,
every officer, is a ablishinist, dyed deeply
and in fast colors.

Faith without works is a weak institution; its
like a whisky punch with the whisky omitted, wich
is a disgustin mixter uv warm water and sugar.
What is it to me (who hev bin ready to accept any
position uv wich the salary wuz sufficient to maintain
a individooal uv simple habits) who is beheaded,
so ez I don't get a place? Androo Johnson may cut
off offishl heads ez dexterously and proofoosely ez
he chooses; but my sole refuses to thrill when I
know that Ablishnists, though uv a different stripe,
will be apinted. So long ez Dimocrats are kept
out, what care I who hez the places? Paul may
plant and Apollus water; but uv what account
is the plantin and waterin to me ef I don't get the
increase? I take no delight in sich spectacles. Ef
Androo Johnson proposes to be a Dimockrat, — ef
he desires the honest, hearty support of the party, —
let him seel his faith with works.

I visited Washington with the express purpose uv
seein the second Jackson. I am a frank man, and I
laid the matter afore him without hesitation. I told

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him that the Postmaster at the Corners wuz opposin
his policy and aboosin him continually; that it wuz
a outrage that men holdin place under the Administration
should not sustain the Administration. In
the name uv Right, I demanded a change.

I sposed that to wunst the position would be offered
to me; and after protestin a sufficient time
that I did not wish it, and would prefer the apintment
of some more worthy man, I should accept it,
and go home provided for three years. Imagine my
deep, my unutterable disgust, when he told me that
he wood investigate the matter, and probably wood
make a change, provided he could find, in the
vicinity, some original Union man who would
accept the place
!

Then the iron entered my soul. Then I felt that
in him we had no lot nor part.

Our principles are uv a very comprehensive nature.
We are willin to endorse Andro Johnson, or
any other man. We will endorse his theories uv
Reconstruction, or any man's theories. We are
elastic, like Injy rubber. The boy who set a hen on
a hundred eggs acknowledged to his maternal parent
that she could not kiver em; but he remarked
he wanted to see the old thing spred herself. We
have that spreadin capacity. We kin accommodate

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the prejudices uv the people uv all the various localities.
In Connecticut we are singin John Brown's
body lies a mouldrin in the grave, in a modritly loud
tone, and supporting a Ablishnist who voted for
doin away with slavery in the District of Columby
and for the Constooshnel Amendment. In Kentucky
we are hangin men uv the John Brown style,
and mobbin all uv the persuasion uv the Connecticut
nominee. Sich a variety uv principle, — a party uv
sich adaptibility, — kin hev but one great central
idee, on wich there is no diversity uv opinion, and
to which all other ideas is subordinate. That idea
is Post Office! and ef Androo Johnson could be
got rite on that question, we'd care not wat else he
required uv us.

We hev our arms around Androo. We are huggin
him to our buzzums; but he hez left his baggage
to hum. That baggage is wat we want; and we
shel fling him off shortly, onless he changes his
policy in this respeck. He kin hev us on easy
terms; but he must furnish the ammunishun with
which to fight his battles. Will he do it? That's
the question a hundred thousand hungry soles, who
hanker even ez I do, are daily askin.

Petroleum V. Nasby,
Lait Paster uv the Church uv the Noo Dispensashun.

-- 079 --

p636-094 XII. The President's 22d of February Speech. — The Account thereof of One behind the Scenes. — Hopes and Fears of the Democracy. Washington, February 23, 1866.

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I DON'T know; but there is a still small voice
within me wich whispers, “All is well!” The
delusive phantom, Hope, may be playin false with
me. The wish may be paternal parient to the
thought, and I may be indulgin in a dream from
wich I shel be, to-morrer, roodly awakened; but
it's my opinion that the day-star uv glory hez arozen
onto the Dimocracy; that our night uv gloom is
over; and that, at larst, the Government, or at
least the only part we care about, — the offisis, —
is ourn. I heerd Androo Johnson speak last nite!
I stood beside him! I helpt hold him up! I smelt
his breath.
It's all rite!

I hed hopes when he vetoed that large and varied
assortment uv Ablishn abominashens, — the

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Freedmen's Burow bill, — notwithstandin there were
pints in his message I coodent sanction. The veto
wuz heavenly, but his reasons were unsound.
When he expressed hisself ez bein determined
upon sekoorin the niggers in their rites, I felt
fearful that there wuz a honist diffrence uv opinion
atween him and Congress wich mite be settled,
and then what wood become uv us? Ef the niggers
is to hev rites, in the name uv Heaven, I asked
myself, what difference does it make to us whether
they hev em by Charles Summer's system (on whose
head rest cusses!), or A. Johnson's? And ez is
customary when men ask theirselves questions, I got
no answer. Men never ask theirselves questions
wich kin be answered.

But last nite my doubts wuz removed. Little
Sam Cox, and Dan Voorhees, and the Woods, and
Tom Florence, and Coyle, and me, hed bin with
Androo all day. The Ablishnists avoided him after
the veto; and knowin he'd done suthin he wuzn't
quite shoor wuz wise, he needed bracin up, and we
wuz ready to brace him. Isn't it singler that men,
when they go to the devil, alluz go in squads? Cox
hed him cornered all day, a readin to him extrax
from Forney's Press, and choice selections from
Sumner's speeches; and Voorhees and the others

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wuz a intimatin to him that only in the buzzum uv
the Dimocrisy cood he find that conjeniality uv
sperit so nessary to him; and by the time the serenade
wuz ready, he wuz ez full uv venom ez wuz
possible, and his capassity in that line is immense.

The company all went with him onto the stand,
and my eyes saw the first cheerin vision wich they
hev beheld for years. Before us stood ten thousand
or more Dimocrats. There wuz the veteran from
Lee's army in his soot uv gray, which hed, by continyood
contact with the pavements uv Washington—
wich, not hevin bin slept on much, sense Bookannon's
time, they don't sweep — hed become somewhat
uv the color uv the clay. There wuz the offiser
who surrendered with Johnston, and them noble
sons uv Baltimore, and Rawly, and Charleston,
who, though they didn't serve their section in the
field, were ardent in their support uv the cause.
There were the old-style Dimocrats uv the North,
whose faith in Johnson's Dimocrisy, based upon the
scene wich took place at the inauguration, wuz
greater than mine, hed come on with their applications
for Post Offises, and who jined so heartily in
the cheers wich went up for J. Davis: and there,
addressin this crowd, wuz a President — the man

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who had the appintin power in his hands — who
cood make and unmake Post Offisis.

It did me good, and yet I doubtid. Wood he go
through with it? Wood he lock horns with Wade
and Summer, and dare the wrath uv Thad Stevens?
Wood he? He wavered and shrunk back ez he
saw the style uv the awdience before him; for he
hed bin, for four years, accustomed to better dressed
people. But Cox and Florence wuz ekal to the
emergency. Samyooel whispered into his one ear,
“Whitewash!” and Florence into tother, “Charles
the I.!” and flamin up like a conflagratid oil well,
he waded it. Then I felt that it wuz all right.
Then my soul expanded; and ez he went on, pilin
Billinsgate upon Billinsgate, usin Tennessee stump
slang, improved by a liberal mixter uv the more
desprit variety he hed picked up in Washington and
Baltimore, I felt that it wuz indeed well with us.
He wuz talkin ez a Dimokrat to Dimokrats; and it
wuz appreciated. Strippin off all uv the disguise
he hed bin a wearin for four years, — washin off, in
rage and whisky, the varnish and putty with wich
he hed shined up his dullness, and filled up the
cracks and cavities wich hed alluz troubled him, —
he stood forth ez we knowd him — Androo Johnson!
How he did froth and foam! How he did lash his

-- 083 --

[figure description] Page 083.[end figure description]

late associates! and how those Dimokrats who
kum to Washinton with petitions for places in their
pockets did wink at each other, and poke each other
in the ribs, with exultation and jockelarity wich
they cood not conceal! And how the Ablishnists,
wich hung onto the outskirts uv the crowd, in the
hope that he wood declare himself in sich a way
ez to give em some hope, did walk away sorrowfully
and sore, ez tho they felt that they hed a new
trouble afore em! And how the soljers uv Lee, and
the quartermasters wich hed made Richmond their
headquarters doorin the war, did cheer and sling
their hats into the air, and in the uncontrollable
enthoosiasm uv the moment invariably snatch better
ones from the heads uv the Northern men in the
crowd! It wuz gorgus.

While His Eggslency's course gives me hope, I
don't want it to be understood that I am prepared to
fully and entirely indorse him. I don't go much on
men who do things in a state uv madnis; neither do
I invest heavy in that Dimokrat wich requires an
extra load uv likker to make him act and talk like a
Dimokrat. Androo Johnson was and is a Dimokrat—
a ginooine Dimokrat. The accident uv his
learnin to read, in his yooth, gave him a preëminence
over us in Tennessee, and put him through

-- 084 --

[figure description] Page 084.[end figure description]

the various places he hez filled. His affinities wuz
with us; his style wuz our style, and his habits our
habits; and he hed no biznis to ever git out uv the
fold. I cannot forgit that he went back on us at a
critikle time in the histry uv the party. He saw
that the effort the Dimocrisy uv the South wuz
makin to regain their rites wood be a failyoor;
the aristocracy uv the South hed snubbed him, and
refoozed to recognize him; but all this shood not
hev affected him. It's the normal condishn uv the
lower grade uv Dimokrats to be snubbed; and they
hev no rite to inquire whether anything the aristocracy
uv the party propose is goin to be a failyoor
or not. It's their dooty to obey orders without questionin.

Wat spiled Johnson wuz Massachoosits. He pretended
to be loyal, and Massachoosits patted him
on the back. They took him into good society.
They let him associate with Summer and sich, and
the man became infatooated. He got to drinkin high
priced drinks, and wearin clean shirts, and begun to
ape the manners uv those into whose sphere he hed
bin thrown. There wuz these two opposin forces
contendin within him — nateral proclivities and acquired
tastes — wich may be represented by whiskey
out uv a jug, and mint jooleps at Willard's.

-- 085 --

[figure description] Page 085.[end figure description]

Massychoosits wuz a pullin him up, and North Carolina
wuz equally vigorously pullin him down. He
wantid to stay with Massychoosits, but he wuz uncomfortable
all the time; and finally nacher asserted
her supremacy, and he broke over, and like the
water long confined in a dam, when its bustid its
obstructions, and goes, it goes with a loosenis, and
tears up, and takes a very large quantity uv dirt and
drift wood with it.

Before I tie myself to A. J., I want to know for
certin what he proposes to do. Who is to hev
the Post Offisis?
Is Ablishnists to still retain
the places uv trust and profit? Does he propose
to organize a new party, made up uv sich Republikins
ez he can indoose to foller him and the Dimocrisy?
Ef so, I ain't in. Decidedly, I ain't in. Emphatically,
count me out. For the reason, that he
kin git jist enuff Republikins, percisely, and no
more, to fill the offisis, and they will be uv sich a
character ez will do the Dimokrisy no credit. I
won't be tail to no kite. We are willin to play kite;
but tail, never! Ef we boost Androo Johnson, Androo
Johnson must boost us. Does he think we
kin carry sich a load ez he is for nothin? Nary.
Ef we hev a consoomin desire to git along without
offisis, we are doin very well at that now, we

-- 086 --

[figure description] Page 086.[end figure description]

thank you; and we haven't the responsibility uv
the Administration uv a eggstremely shaky man to
carry. Sich loads must be paid for.

But, after all, I hev hopes. He hez cut hisself
loose from Sumner and Stevens; and in less than a
week every Republikin uv modrit sensibilities will
be aboozin uv him to that extent that he won't be
able to git back agin. He's an animal uv the bull
kind; and criticism and opposition is to him the
red flag wich the Spanish matadors, I bleeve they
call em, waves afore the animals they wish to infooriate,
and they may drive him into our ranks.

I wait, and watch, and hope. Ef I kin wunst git
a commission, with the broad seel uv the Postmaster
General onto it, confirmin me in the possession uv
the Post orifis at the Corners, I shel bless the day
that Androo Johnson left us, and prokoored his elevation
to the Presidency. May the day be hastened!

Petroleum V. Nasby,
Lait Paster uv the Church uv the Noo Dispensashun.

-- 087 --

p636-102 XIII. Another Warning. — Profuse Expenditure of Powder and Torchlight Processions deprecated. — The President implored to show his Hand. Confedrit × Roads }
(wich is in the Stait of Kentucky),

February 29, 1866.

[figure description] Page 087.[end figure description]

I NOTICE, all over the North, the Democrisy is
a firin guns, and marchin after brass bands, and
hirin halls for endorsin Androo Johnson. Ez a sentinel
on the watch-tower, I protest!

In the name uv suffrin Kentucky, uv wich State I
am a adopted sitizen, I protest!

In the name uv common sense and ordnary politikle
sagassity, I protest!

Androo Johnson may possibly be on the high road
to Dimocrisy; but, ez yet, what ashoorence hev we?
Am I datin my letters from “Post Orifis, Confedrit
X Roads?” Hez there bin, as yit, any well authenticated
case uv the removal uv a Ablishnist, and the
apintment uv a constooshnel Democrat in his stead?

-- 088 --

[figure description] Page 088.[end figure description]

Not that I hev heard of. Per contrarry, the Ablishnists—
them ez wuz apinted by Linkin — are still
holdin on, ez calm ez a summer mornin, without
any apparent fear uv any change affectin them.

Who pays for the Halls? Who pays the music?
Who pays the Powder? Dimocrats who do these
scent Post Offises in the distanse. Are they like the
the war hoss in Job's writins, who smelled the battle
afar off, and remarked Ha, Ha! to the trumpets?
Let me entreet sich that they kin make a better investment
uv their means.

The cost uv one meetin, put in korn whisky, wood
not only solace theirselves, but start half a dozen
Ablishnists on the road to Dimocrisy.

Men is deceptive. I hev hopes uv Androo Johnson
myself, and principally becoz Vallandigum and
Fernandy Wood hev hopes. Them buzzards kin
smell carrion a long distance, and they are seldom
at fault. In this case, they may be. They base their
hopes on Johnson's speech, at Washington, on the
22d. There may be suthin in it; but ain't it possible
that the stench wich they took for Dimocrisy, and
wich they sposed cum from Johnson, ariz from them
ez surrounded him?

“But,” sez a Dimocrat, whose nose, from long
continued lack of supplies, hez softened down from

-- 089 --

[figure description] Page 089.[end figure description]

a generous crimson to a ghastly bloo, and who
woodent hev a small Post orifis at no price, ef it
wuznt offered him, “look at the class he spoke
to.”

Wat noncents! Androo wuz mad. There wuz
a mass uv bile on hiz politikle stumick wich must
be got rid uv. He had sum nasty things to say, and
it wuz a part uv the eternal fitness uv things that he
shood hev a nasty audience to say em to.

I don't propose to go orf into spasms over the
present sitooashun. Johnson proposes to continoo
the Freedmens' Buro, and hezn't no noshun of repeelin
the test oath, or uv drawin the military out
uv the Dimocratik States. So far as heard from,
we uv the South is still in a stait of abject custitood.
Our habis corpuses wich Linkin took away from us
hevn't bin returned, and we are obleeged to git along
ez best we kin without em. I knocked down a
small nigger yisterday, for the purpus uv assertin
the sooperiority uv the Cauchashun race over the
Afrikin, and wuz to wunst hauled up afore a Freedmen's
Buro, and fined. Our high-toned and chivalrous
members are exclooded from Congris on the
frivolus plea that they wuz kernels and briggydeer
Ginerals in the Confederit servis; and all these

-- 090 --

[figure description] Page 090.[end figure description]

outragis agin Dimocrisy Androo Johnson, by permittin,
absolootly approves.

I could probably swaller all these things. I am a
Dimokrat uv thirty years standin, and, uv course,
hev bin on both sides uv every politikle fence. The
seats of my politikle pants is full of slivers. But,
before I take down these things, I WANT TO
KNOW WHAT I AM GOIN TO GIT FOR
IT. Ef Androo Johnson goes back on his party
and his pledges, he, uv course, asks us to go back
on ourn. In sich transactions, where both parties,
by bein engaged in it at all, confess themselves ruther
a low grade of skoundrels, I think it well enuff to
hev the consideration paid down.

Ef Androo Johnson wants me, he knows the
terms. I am his to command, for a consideration;
ez much so ez is the thousands uv Demokrats who
hev bin, for the past week, gittin up Demonstrations.
But I want suthin to go on. When I hev his permisson,
under the broad seel uv the Post Orfis Department,
to write “P. M.” after my illustrious
name, I shell be prepared to wade in. I hev bin
huntin up several reasons for supportin him. I hev
em all ready. I only want this additional one, and
then I fling my banner to the breeze. Faith is sed
to be the sun of all religious systems. Post Offis

-- 091 --

[figure description] Page 091.[end figure description]

is the central figger in all Democratic creeds — the
theme uv conversation by day, and the staple uv
dreems by night. How long! oh, how long!

Petroleum V. Nasby,
Lait Paster uv the Church uv the Noo Dispensashun.

-- 092 --

p636-107 XIV. Refuses to Support the President, having no Confidence in Him. — Again warns the Democracy. Confedrit × Roads }
(wich is in the Stait uv Kentucky),

March 12, 1866.

[figure description] Page 092.[end figure description]

THE politikle sky is orecast with friteful clouds.
Darkness is on the face uv the waters. The
waves is a rollin mountin high, the litenin flashes
ominous thro the gloom, and the deep-mouthed
thunder mutters angrily in the distants. Ez a sentinel
on the watch-tower, I look out, and what do I
see? I see the old ship uv State loaded down with
a valuable cargo uv Post-offices, Collectorships, and
sich, a laborin in the trough uv the sea, her bowsprit
cove in, her top-gallant lanyards bustid, her
jib-boom a flutterin in the gale, her capstan spliced,
and her sheet anker torn to ribbons. (Not hevin
bin a sailor, only ez a driver on the Wabash Kanal,
it is possible my nautikle terms may not be altogether
correct. But it makes no difference in the

-- 093 --

[figure description] Page 093.[end figure description]

interior uv Kentucky.) She is strivin to make her
harbor, and is workin manfully. Close behind her
is the long, low, rakish skooner Dimocrisy, with all
sale set, a tryin her best to overtake her and board
her. For a time it seemed ez tho she wood be successful,
but alas! she is fallin astern, and every minnit
the distance between em is a widenin, widenin,
widenin, and at present writin there ain't the remotest
prospect uv their gettin within hailin distance
uv each other.

To drop mettafor (wich, by the way, I kin jerk
when I feel so disposed), the prospect isn't ez encouragin
ez it wuz, and I fear, in fact I feel certain,
that the short cut to offis wich the Democrisy thought
it had found through Androo Johnson's veto, is reely
the longest way round. I cannot understand what
indoost the Dimocratic leaders, our chosin standardbearers,
to make sich egrejus asses uv theirselves ez
to place enny dependence on Johnson at all. What
cood they hev bin thinkin uv? Wuz not our experience
in 1864 sufficient to deter em from makin any
experiment wich involved abandonment uv any uv
our principles? Didn't we, in the hope uv ketchin
Abolition war votes, nominate MickLellan, and
didn't the war men jeer us, and flout us, and say,
“Behold, we hev better war men uv our own; why

-- 094 --

[figure description] Page 094.[end figure description]

shood we leave home to find that uv wich we hev a
plenty?” When Androo Johnson, in a fit uv temporary
indignashun, split on Sumner, why did our
people, like idiots, pick him up, and endorse him
without givin the matter matoor considerashun —
without waitin for the fax? Didn't they know that
Summer wuz a sort uv a dose uv calomel, wich
worked on the President's liver, and necessitated
the discharge uv all the offensive matter wich hed
accumulated doorin his long term uv Dimocrisy?
Uv course it wuz, and to-day Androo Johnson,
hevin in that speech got rid uv the last vestidge uv
Dimocrisy wich infected him, comes up a stronger
man agin us than ever. We made two errors: On
the 4th uv March, 1865, at his inoggerashun, when
he made a spectacle uv hisself, we murmured gently
to ourselves, “It's all right! he's yet wun uv us.”
And we sed the same after the splurge uv the 22d
uv February last. Oh, my friends, they wuz both
fatal errors. Them spasms wuz the efforts uv a
noble nacher a tryin to git rid uv Locofocoism, and
from the fact that he immejitely after commenst a
missellaneously apintin Abilishnists and Republicans
to offises, and hezn't showed a sine uv a disposition
to extend his hand to a single confidin Democrat,
it's my opinion he's succeeded.

-- 095 --

[figure description] Page 095.[end figure description]

We bet too heavy on the fight atween the President
and Summer. Summer is ordained to alluz hev
a gong uv sum kind, which he is also ordained to
keep perpetually a poundin. He's bin for several
years amusin hisself a poundin the Dimocrisy, and
when there wuzn't enuff uv that to make it interestin,
he turned on Johnson, and he'll pound at him
till suthin else excites his wrath. He's a Spanish
bull, possessin sharp horns, and a immense amount
uv strength and agility, which he is continooally a
wastin by jumpin at sich red flags ez are mischeevusly
waved afore him. He's jest ez apt to gore his frends
ez his enemies, and his lungin at Johnson wuz no
sign that Johnson had gone back on Ablishnism.

But enuff uv this. Sence it hez become a fixed
fact that the boorish tailor, who now by accident
okkepies the place uv the marter Linkin, made
vacant by his untimely death by the hand uv a vile
assassin (whose only redeemin trait wuz that he
wuz a stanch, uncompromisin Dimocrat), — now, I
say, that it's plain that this drunken sot ain't agoin
to distribute the patronage amongst us who need it
so much, I ask, in indignashun, wat is it that we are
asked to endorse?

He proposes to continue the Freedmen's Buro
bizness.

-- 096 --

[figure description] Page 096.[end figure description]

He refooses to withdraw the military from the
Dimokratic States.

He refooses to restore to our sufferin brethren uv
the Dimocratic States the habis corpusses wich the
tyrant Linkin wrested from them.

He keeps Jefferson Davis a pinin in a loathsome
dungeon, and only refooses to bring him to trial
becoz, 4sooth, he haint yet got things in the right
shape to hang him.

I cood enumerate other insults and opressions he
hez piled upon Dimocrats, but I forbear. I might,
if I wuz disposed to harrow up the Dimocratic sole
and lasserate the Dimocratic bosom, state how I wuz
treated, when, on the 24th uv Febrooary last I made
a delegashun uv myself, and went to Washington for
the purpose uv layin before him the necessity uv the
removal uv the postmaster at the Corners, and the
apintment uv myself in his stead. I found that his
speech had reached all other parts uv the Yoonited
States ez soon ez it hed Kentucky, for there wuz
suthin over a hundred thousand stanch Dimocrats
there, all with petitions noomerously signed, wich
they hed held over from Bookannon's administration,
recommendin uv em to places. How wuz we
reseeved? How did Androo Johnson treet us? I
mite say how emphatically I wuz shoved out uv

-- 097 --

[figure description] Page 097.[end figure description]

his room, and with what reckless profanity I heerd
him remark that Washington had stunk with secesh
ever since he vetoed the bill; that that foolish
speech had acted on the whole country like a puke,
and that each State had spewed its foulest material
onto Washington, and that the atmosphere wuz
heavy with their breath, et settry, et settry, but I
forbear.

Suffice it to say that the few Democratic members
uv Congress had hard work borrowin money enuff
to git the most spectable uv the crowd home agin,
and even then thousands uv em who wuz drawed
there by that speech, shoor uv apintments, wuz
obliged to walk home ignominiously, uv whom I
wuz which.

Androo Johnson may be worthy uv Dimocratic
support, but he hez a queer way uv showin it. I
know not wat others may do, but ez for me and my
household I'll run after no strange gods. Ef he
wants us, let him call on us in language wich we
kin understand.

Petroleum V. Nasby,
Lait Paster uv the Church uv the Noo Dispensashun.

-- 098 --

p636-113 XV. The Patriarchal System. — An Affecting Appeal in Behalf of a Friend. Confederit × Roads }
(wich is in the Stait uv Kentucky),

March 19, 1866.

[figure description] Page 098.[end figure description]

YESTERDAY I happened to pick up a kopy
uv a friteful depraved Ablishin paper, and my
horror-stricken eyes wuz glued to the follerin passage,
which I read: —

“I am happy to state to you that our free negroes
are doing finely. We have no trouble with them.
They have all gone to work manfully. They give
an impetus to trade that we never before had. I
have sold John Guttle's negroes, this year and last,
more goods than I ever sold Guttle, and he owned
two hundred and fifty slaves. So you see the free
negro system is working well with us.”

Ez I peroozed them lines, tears started involuntarily
from my beamin eyes, and coursed in torrents
down my venerable cheeks. I know John Guttle

-- 099 --

[figure description] Page 099.[end figure description]

well, I may say intimately. He wuz a dear friend,—
one uv the few wich I kall friend in the most
catholic and comprehensive sense uv the word. He
holds my note fur eighteen dollars and 63 cents; and
I hev sumwhere among my papers, wich I have
alluz carefully preserved for reference, a memorandum
uv his address, that I might be shoor not to
forget to send it to him. I give him the note becoz
he furnished the paper, and it made him easy in his
mind — I put down the memorandum bekoz it
looked business-like. Benevolence is a prominent
trait in my karacter. When givin my note for
borrered money will do a man good, I never begrudge
the trouble uv writin it.

But wat I wuz a goin to say wuz, that the feendishnis
uv that item passes belief. The writer puts
it in print to show that the Ablishn uv slavry benefitted
sumbody. I grant him that the merchant,
who undoubtedly wuz born in Massachusetts, wuz
benefitted by the change; so are the greesy mechanics
who are now pollutin the soil uv Alabama; and
so, probably, are the 250 niggers; but, in the name
uv Liberty, in the name uv Justice, in the name uv
the Constertooshun uv the Yoonited States, and the
flag uv our Common Country, I ask, How about
John Guttle
?

-- 100 --

[figure description] Page 100.[end figure description]

John Guttle is robbed. John Guttle is deprived
uv his property. The bred is taken from John Guttle's
mouth; his staff is broken; his dependence is
gone; he is bereft.

Never shall I forget John Guttle or his hospitable
mansion, ez I knowed it in the happy year afore the
crooel war. He wuz a gentleman uv the old skool—
one uv the few left us in these degenerate days.
His home wuz wun uv unalloyed happiness. Situated
just back uv Mobeel, he had the finest plantashun
in that section, and hed on it 250 niggers. All
shades wuz represented. There wuz the coal-black
Cuffee, whose feechers denoted the pure Afrikin,
and whose awkward manners showed that he wuz
not long from Afrika. There wuz the civilized mulatto,
in whose veins the Guttle blood showed; the
quadroon, in whom the good old Guttle blood predominated;
and the octoroon, which wuz mostly
Guttle. The Guttleses wuz eminently a Christian
generation. They wuz devoutly pious; and there
never wuz one uv the name who cood not repeat,
without the book, all uv the texts bearin on slavery.
The passages in which Onesimus and Hager figger
wuz favorites with em; but on “cussid be Canaan”
they wuz strong. For generations they had mourned
over the hard fate uv the sons uv Ham, doomed to

-- 101 --

[figure description] Page 101.[end figure description]

perpetooal bondage becoz uv the sin uv their father;
and with a missionary spirit ekaled by few and excelled
by none, they did their part towards redoosin
that cuss, by makin ez many of em ez possible halfbruthers
to the more favored race uv Japhet, and
thus bringing uv em out uv the cuss; and they had
mellered the color uv their charges down from the
hideous black to a bright yeller. Under the old
patriarkle system, time passed orf smoothly and
pleasantly with the Guttle family. Them 250 niggers
wuz obliged, uv course, to work, and their labor
wuz money. John bought each uv the male
sons uv Ham too soots uv close per annum, and
each uv the female sons uv Ham one soot. It wuz
considered healthy for the young ones to go naked,
which they wuz religiously allowed to do, ez none
uv the Guttles uv that family wood do any thing
agin nater or her laws. The girls hed pianos, and
wuz educated at the North; the boys wuz celebrated
for horse racing and their skill at losin money at
faro. They wuz hospitable and generous to a fault.
Their house wuz open house, and their beverages
wuz alluz the best. Money wuz no objick to them;
for when they had a severe attack of poker, or faro,
or hoss racin, they hed plenty uv octoroons and
quadroons, with the real Guttle nose, wich brand

-- 102 --

[figure description] Page 102.[end figure description]

wuz well known in Noo Orleans, and wood alluz
command the highest possible figger that wuz paid
in that market; or, ef they had no more than they
wanted at home uv that style, why, a few field hands
wood be sold, and the remainin ones wood be persuaded
by the overseer to do the work uv the whole.
John Guttle's sons wuz all in the Confederit army.
His daughters, willin to sacrifice every thing fur the
cause, heroically pledged theirselves to whip the
niggers theirselves doorin their absence.

Now all is changed! A shadder hez fallen across
that peaceful home. The nigger quarters is there,
but the niggers is not. The broad plantashun is divided
up into small farms, and half uv it is owned
by Ablishnists from the North, who work theirselves,
and who hev a meetin house on one corner uv it,
and the niggers a skool house on the tother. The
race track is plowed up and in cotton; the whippinpost
and the stocks is taken down and burned; all,
all the evidences uv civilizashun hez faded afore the
ruthless hand of the invader. John Guttle — that
generous old man — subsists by the labor uv his own
hands. One uv his sons ekes out a miserable existence
running a dray in Mobeel; another, who is
gifted with no ordinary intelleck, earns a respectable
livin playin seven-up, in a small way, with his

-- 103 --

[figure description] Page 103.[end figure description]

former niggers; and the two girls is runnin a sewing
masheen.

Talk not to me uv benefits. What is a dozen
tradesmen and two hundred and fifty niggers to the
gellorious old Dimocratic John Guttle? What is
the interest uv a dozen or so uv Noo England mechanics,
and the niggers aforesaid, when compared
to that glorious aristocracy which can never exist
beside em? Kin I go and borrer eighteen dollars
and sixty-three cents uv one uv them? No. Becoz,
working for their paltry livins, they place a higher
valyoo on money, and will not spread it around ez
profoosely ez the noble race which preceded em.

Another great wrong is done in this settin free uv
John Guttle's niggers. John Guttle hez, uv course,
no further interest in the Dimocratic party. Slavery
wuz the umbillikle cord which united the Southern
slaveholder and the Northern Dimocrat; and, that
cord cut, why hez John Guttle any more interest in
Dimocracy? We stood ez a Chinese wall between
them and the rushin flood uv Ablishn fanaticism;
and we made the wall biznis pay. They furnished
money, and we did the work; and, there bein but
few uv us, the orfisis wuz easily divided. Alas! our
okepashin's gone. The South is forever lost to us;
for she has no dirty work for us to do.

-- 104 --

[figure description] Page 104.[end figure description]

I appeal to the Yoonited States uv America. In
behalf uv John Guttle, I say, give him back his
niggers. In behalf uv the Dimocrisy North who
are out uv employment, give him back his niggers.
In behalf uv his son who is runnin a dray, give him
back his niggers. In behalf uv his daughters runnin
a sewin machine, give him back his niggers. Make
things Normal agin. Like John the Baptist, the
Government shall hear the voice uv one howlin in
the wilderness until all these is done.

Petroleum V. Nasby,
Lait Paster uv the Church uv the Noo Dispensashun.

-- 105 --

p636-120 XVI. A Dream. — The Corpse of Republicanism. — Who the Mourners were, and how they felt. — The awakening of the Sleeping Giant, and the Scattering that followed. Confedrit × Roads }
(wich is in the Stait uv Kentucky),

March 30, 1866.

[figure description] Page 105.[end figure description]

I HEV bin to Washinton. That Ablishn Postmaster
at the Corners hed become to me a nitemare.
Day after day I seed him a handlin guvment
money, drawin his salery promptly, and takin his
drinks reglerly, while I, a Constooshnel Dimekrat,
a supporter uv our great and good President, wuz
forced to the humiliashun uv waitin till I wuz
treated, ceptin when a new grocery keeper cum in,
which gave me a chance to establish a credit for a
short time. I felt that sumthin must be done, and
therefore I went to Washinton.

Knowin that for men uv my profound convickshins,
holdin my views ez to consiliashen and sich,

-- 106 --

[figure description] Page 106.[end figure description]

I hed no call to go to the Postmaster-General, who
is a Ablishnist, I went dreckly to the Second Jaxon
hisself. I succeeded in gettin a audience late in the
afternoon. Our patron saint wuz a sittin at a table,
eggsausted with receevin delegashens and sich.

“Well,” sed he.

“Honerd and spected sir,” said I, “I am a applicant
for the post orfis at Confedrit × Roads, wich
is at present held by a Ablishnist who does not beleeve
in yoor policy, wich I do beleeve in solemnly.
Spected and honered sir,” sed I, “ef I shood have
twins born to me this nite, I shood name em both
Policy.”

“Wich State are yoo from?” sed he, half asleep.

“From Kentucky, honered and spected sir,”
sed I.

“Well,” sed he, yawnin feerfully, and turnin to a
clerk, “Fill out a pardon, and give him a commission!

“Honered and spected sir,” sed I, in a fit of loonacy
for wich I can't account, “I don't need a pardon.
I wuz never in the late lamented Confedrit
servis.”

“What'n thunder, then, are yoo here for, beggin
a post offis? Git out, yoo imposter!” and I wuz
too wunst ignominiously showed to the door. I

-- 107 --

[figure description] Page 107.[end figure description]

didn't quite understand the lay uv the land around
the White House.

In vane I tried to git back, that I might convince
him I did ez much for the Confederasy ez my humble
abilities permitted, and that I needed consiliatin
ez badly ez anybody. Then, hart broke and dead
broke, not heving the wherewith to prokoor more
sootable lodgin, I lay me down on the cold stun
steps, and sought refuge from my troubles in sleep.

I dreemed a dream. Methawt I wuz in a room
in the White House. Stretched out on one side uv
the room wuz the corpse uv a giant, a monster in
size and strength, but withal uv a pleasin presence,
and fair to look upon. Onto its head was a liberty
cap, and by its side wuz a sword, considerably
dinted, and with all the gildin knocked off.

“Wat is these?” sed I, pointin to the corpse,
askin a sort uv a attendant.

“Them,” replied he, “is the defunct carcass uv
Republikinism. He was a hefty yooth in his day,
but he died this mornin. Look! the mourners are
a comin to divide his clothes.”

And shoor enuff, they came in. At the head wuz
the second Jaxon, which the Ablishnists derisively
call Moses, who appeared to be angry, and clost
behind him wuz Seward, a weepin out uv one eye,

-- 108 --

[figure description] Page 108.[end figure description]

and a smilin out uv tother, and Jim Lane, who hed
a handkercher wich he occasionally put to his eyes,
but wich I notist wuz ez dry ez a lime kiln, and
Doolittle, and Lee, and Raymond, and Beauregard,
and Cowan, and Stephens, and Thurlow Weed, and
Vallandigham, and Governor Sharkey, and a host uv
others, all uv wich ranged theirselves around the bier.

“He wuz a promisin yooth,” sed Seward, a puttin
his handkercher to his eyes, “but the atmosphere
uv the White House wuz too much for him. I
insist, however,” sed he, a pocketin the handkercher,
and takin hold uv a trinket the corpse held in
his hand, labelled “Presidency, 1868,” from which
hung mor'n a million uv smaller trinkets, “that ez
'twas me that pizened him, this is mine.”

“Nary,” sed Johnson; “I did the biziness for
him, and it's mine.”

“Settle it ez yoo please,” sed Raymond, gently,
“but whoever gits it must remember that this Secretaryship
is mine.”

“And I,” sed Doolittle, “must hev, for my assistance,
this little affair marked `St. James,' for my
seat in the Senit is a goner.”

“For my part,” sed Jim Lane, “the western appointments
is mine. Its worth em all to wear this
collar.”

-- 109 --

[figure description] Page 109.[end figure description]

“My friends,” sed Stephens, “I find no amnesty
about the corpse. There must be one manufactured
and stuck in his pocket, to be prodoost at the
funeral.”

Thurlow Weed sed nothin, but looked on with a
sardonic smile, knowin perfeckly well that whoever
took the biggest part uv the plunder, he'd control it,
any way.

Governor Sharkey laid claim to a secretaryship,
and Boregard to the place uv Sherman, and Lee to
Grant's position, and Vallandigham wanted this,
and tother feller that, and there wuz a terrible hubbub
over the corpse. Wilkes Booth's gost came in,
and wanted to know what he wuz to hev in the new
deal, “for,” sed he, “ef't hadn't bin for me, where'd
yoo all hev bin? Talk uv the White House atmosphere
killin him! I'm sure the shadder uv the
buildin blasted what little uv his spirit yoo hed,” sed
he, a turnin to Seward, “but ef Linkin hed lived, ha,
ha!” sed he, in a tragedy voise. Then in trooped a
lot uv other gosts. There wuz Bill Allen, uv Ohio,
and Washington Hunt, uv Noo York, and Jeems
Bookannon, uv Pennsylvania, and Eli Thayer, and
Lew. Campbell, and Garret Davis, who started to
make a speech, but the entire assemblage stuck their
fingers in their ears, wich hint he took for the first
time in his life, and desisted.

-- 110 --

[figure description] Page 110.[end figure description]

Finally Johnson swore “by the eternal” (he got
that noshun from the first A. J., wich he thinks he
resembles, coz his innitials is the same, and coz the
original vetoed a bill wunst) that he wood hev the
Presidency, and gobbled it. Seward, he snatched
at it, and they tussled. The company stood by to
see it out, for it made but little difference to them
wich got it. In the skrimage Johnson happened to
ram Seward up agin a window on the north side uv
the room, and smashed it out. Jest then a blast uv
north wind poured into the room through the aperture,
and blowed onto the face uv the corpse. The
effect was electrikle. Life ran through his veins,
his face flushed, and the livid hue was changed to
the ruddy glow uv health. The dead wuz alive;
the giant raised to his feet, and looked around him,
shakin off them ez wuz a hangin to him like insex.
Noticin the trinket wich hed caused the skrimage in
Johnson's hand, he took him by the neck, and
twistin it out uv his hand, flung him gently through
the winder. “I ain't made up my mind who to
give this to, but yoo bet it ain't yoo,” sed he.

“Willyum,” sed he, turnin to Seward, “I'm surprised
at yoo. Wuz this bauble the price uv yoor
honesty and yoor principle? Go, Willyum! Ez
for yoo, Doolittle, yoo never wuz half baked; yoo,

-- 111 --

[figure description] Page 111.[end figure description]

Thurlow, put Raymond in your vest pocket, and
quit the presence. Yoo, Jim Lane, I leave to the
tender mercies uv my friends in Kansas. Clear out
the balance uv this rabble, and send for my friends.
I've bin pizened, and smothered, and stunk nigh to
death. Clear out the house, and sweep it, and
sprinkle chloride uv lime, and sich, all over it.
Shut down them Southern windows, and open those
on the North, East, and West sides. I want a snuff
uv fresh air, for I —”

At this pint I awoke, and found myself, not in
the White House, but on the steps thereof, cold and
shiverin. In my pocket wuz the papers wich didn't
get me the post orifis I wuz seekin, and in my mind
wuz chaotic confusion. Wuz the dream prophetic,
or wuz it merely a vagary uv the mind, wich, wen
loosed from its clay, sores off onto its own hook,
without any restraint. Is the giant Republican
actually dead, or is he in a trance? Will it arise,
and scatter them ez hez appinted themselves administrators
uv its estate, and wich are beginnin to
divide the assets, or will he stay ded? Wood, oh
wood, that I knowed!

Petroleum V. Nasby,
Lait Paster uv the Church of the New Dispensashun.

-- 112 --

p636-127 XVII. A Kentucky Tea Party. — Opinion entertained by Mrs. Deacon Pogram of Charles Sumner. — Discussion between Mrs. Deacon P. and an Illinois Store-keeper of the name of Pollock. — Miscegenation. Confedrit × Roads }
(wich is in the Stait uv Kentucky),

April 1, 1866.

[figure description] Page 112.[end figure description]

CHARLES SUMNER is not a very popular
man in this section uv Kentucky; on the
contrary, quite the reverse. He is known here ez
an Ablishnist; ez one who is a chief supporter uv
that hidjus sin — the infidelity, I may say, for a
man may ez well deny the whole Bible ez to cast
discredit upon Onesimus, Hagar, and Ham, onto
wich the whole system uv Afrikin slavery rests —
the origenator, therefore, uv the infidle beleef that
Slavery is not uv divine origin, wich, judgin from
the experience uv the last five years, appears to be
gainin ground in the North. He is not, therefore,
popular in this region.

-- 113 --

[figure description] Page 113.[end figure description]

Yisterday I attendid a tea party at Deekin Pogram's,
to wich the elite uv the Corners wuz present,
incloodin an Illinoy store-keeper uv the name uv
Pollock, wich hed bin invited because the Deekin
hed, some three months ago, bought a bill uv goods
uv him on ninety days' time, and wantid an extension.

While at the table enjoyin the

“Cup wich cheers, but don't intoxicate very much,”

ez Dryden hez it, tho I bleeve, to keep off chills, in
this country, they mix three and a half parts uv
whiskey to one uv tea, the name uv Sumner wuz
mentioned.

Mrs. Pogram to-wunst remarked that she didn't
want the name uv that ojus creecher spoken at her
table.

“Why?” sed I, gratified at the ebulition.

“I hate him!” sed she, spitefully.

“So do I,” replied I; “but what hev yoo agin
him, aside from his obnoxious political opinions?”

“Didn't he marry a nigger?” sed Mrs. P.,
triumphantly. “Didn't he marry a nigger — a full-blooded
nigger? and hezn't he hed nineteen yaller
children, every one uv wich he compelled, agin
their will, to marry full-blooded niggers? Didn't
he —”

-- 114 --

[figure description] Page 114.[end figure description]

“Mrs. P.,” sed this Illinoy store-keeper, wich his
name it wuz Pollock, “do yoo object to miscegenation?”

“Missee— what?” replied she, struck all uv a
heap at the word.

“Miscegenation — amalgamation — marryin whites
with niggers.”

“Do I?” retorted she; “ketch a son uv mine
marryin a nigger! They are another race; they'r
beasts; and who'd marry em but jist sich men ez
Sumner and them other Ablishnists?”

“Then permit me to ask,” sed this Pollock, wich
wuz bound to kick up a muss, “ef ther's any race
uv pure blood in this section uv Kentucky, wich is
yaller?”

“No! uv course not,” sed Mrs. P.; “them yaller
people is mulatters — half nigger, half white.”

“And them ez is quite white — not quite, but
nearly so — about the color uv a new saddle, like
Jane, there,” sed he, pintin to a octorron girl uv 18
wich used to belong to the Deekin afore the isshooin
uv the infernal proclamashen, “like Jane, there,
wich is waitin on the Deekin, and — but, good
Lord!” sed he, startin up like a tragedian.

“Wat!” shouted the company, all startin up.

“Nothin,” sed he: “only, now that Jane's face is

-- 115 --

[figure description] Page 115.[end figure description]

in range with the Deekin's, wat a wonderful resemblance!
She hez the Pogram nose and ginral outline
uv face; not Mrs. P.'s angularity, but the Deekin
all over. My deer sir,” sed he, addressin the
Deekin, “ef she wuzn't a quadroon, I shood say she
looks enough like yoo to be yoor daughter, by a first
wife, I shood say, for she hez not, ez I remarked,
Mrs. P.'s angularity and gineral boneinis; but uv
course, she bein a part nigger, the resemblance may
be sat down ez-a-very-remarkable-coincidence!”

The Deekin turned ez white ez a sheet, and Mrs.
Pogram turned ez red ez a biled lobster, from wich
I inferred that there wuz trooth in a rumor I had
heerd about the Deekin and his wife hevin a misunderstandin
about a nigger woman and her baby,
about 18 years ago, wich resulted in his bein made
bald-headed in less than a minute, and the baby's
mother being sold South. The Illinoy store-keeper,
uv the name uv Pollock, resoomed, —

“I wuz about askin wat them niggers is ez is
nearly white?”

“Why, they'r octoroons, or seven-eighths white,”
sed Mrs. Pogram.

“And no Kentuckian ever marries a nigger?”
inquired the store-keeper, who I saw wuz pursooin
his investigations altogether too fur.

-- 116 --

[figure description] Page 116.[end figure description]

“Never!” sed Mrs. Pogram; “we leave that to
Ablishnists.”

“Well, then,” sed this Pollock, who, I spect,
wuzn't half so innsent ez he let on, “I see that yoo
hev no objection to mixin with the nigger, providin
yoo don't do it legally; that amalgamashen don't
hurt nothin, pervidin yoo temper it with adultery.
Is that the idee, Mrs. Pogram?”

Mrs. P. wuz mad, and made no reply, and Pollock
persood the subjick.

“Jane there, is, I take it, about one-eighth nigger.
She got her white blood from whites, uv course;
and ez there coodent be no marryin in the biznis,
there is proof positive in her face that the 8th commandment
hez bin violated about four times somewhere
in this vicinity, or wherever her maternal
ancestors, on her mother's side, may hev resided.
What do yoo think about it, Deekin? Ez a Christian,
woodent it be better to marry em than to add
a violation uv the commandment to the sin uv amalgamashen?
It wood redoose yoor load jest a half.”

The Deekin wuz too indignant to reply, and ez it
involved a pint altogether too hefty for his limited
intelleck, I took it up.

“My dear sir,” I remarked, “yoo don't make the
proper distinction, or, rather, yoo don't appreciate

-- 117 --

[figure description] Page 117.[end figure description]

the subjick at all. The nigger here sustains only
one character with us, — that uv a inferior bein, the
slave uv the hawty Caucashen, uv whom we are the
noblest specimens; that is, the Deekin is, he bein a
Southerner. I unfortunately wuz born in the North,
and am a hawty Caucashen only by adoption. To
marry a nigger wood be to destroy our idea uv
sooperiority, for we marry only our ekals. The
intercourse with em, the results uv wich yoo see
indications, bein outside uv the pale uv matrimony,
is not, ez yoo wood suppose, the result uv unbrideled
licentiousnis, but is merely the assertion uv our superiority.
When the lordly Caucashen (uv whom
the Deekin is wich) bids a daughter uv Ham
(wich, in the orginal Hebrew, signifies the hindquarter
uv a hog) come to him, and she doth it not,
he breaks her head, wich inculcates obedience.
One is only a slave indeed when he surrenders all
his individyooel rites. The female slave cannot be
considered ez entirely subdooed until she hez yielded
to her owner everything. To marry em wood be to
elevate em; the intercourse common among us is
not a sin, it bein merely the assertion uv that superiority
wich we claim is founded on the Holy
Scripter. See Onesimus, Hagar, and Ham.”

“Yes,” sed the Deekin, who wuz now on the

-- 118 --

[figure description] Page 118.[end figure description]

right track; “it's a assertion uv our sooperiority;
it's a dooty every white man owes to his class, and
I, for one, will alluz —”

“Let me ketch yoo at it, Gabe Pogram,” shouted
Mrs. P., “and I'll give you sich a cat-haulin ez yoo
never — drat yoor sooperiority, and yoor Ham, and
yoor Caucashen. Niggers is niggers, and —”

Noticin that Mrs. Pogram hedn't quite arrived at
the proper pitch uv self-sacrifice, I turned the discussion
onto Sumner agin, ez a subjick upon wich
they cood all agree.

I learned that his father wuz a Dutch grocery-keeper,
and his mother an Irish washer-woman;
that he run away from home at the tender age of 8,
after murderin, in cold blood, his grandparents, one
uv wich wuz a Jew and tother a Chinese; that he
wuz apprenticed to the shoemakin biznis, and hed
cut the throat uv his boss and his wife, and immersed
the younger children into a biler uv scaldin
water, where they were found mostly dead seven
hours afterward; that he acquired wealth a sellin
lottry tickets and brass clocks, et settry. His servants
wuz redoost Southern gentlemen wich he hed
swindled into his debt, and wich, under the laws uv
Massychoosits, coodent git away, and that his intimate
friends and associates wuz niggers, with wich

-- 119 --

[figure description] Page 119.[end figure description]

he sot long at the festive board, and drunk champane;
that Lucresha Mott wuz his sister, Anna
Dickinson his daughter, Fred Douglas his half-brother,
and that he kissed, habitually, every nigger
child he met, and frowned so severially onto white
children ez to throw em into spasms, and other
items uv information uv wich, livin in the North, I
wuz ignorant. Ez I remarked, he isn't popular
down here, and cood hardly be elected to Congris
from this Deestrick. The tea party broke up shortly
after, Pollock winkin at me villainously ez he left
the house, feelin good to think how he hed opened
a old sore. That Pollock needs watchin.

Petroleum V. Nasby,
Lait Paster uv the Church uv the Noo Dispensashun.

-- 120 --

p636-135 XVIII. A Cry of Exultation. — A Gleam of Light. Confedrit × Roads }
(wich is in the Stait uv Kentucky),

April 2, 1866.

[figure description] Page 120.[end figure description]

KIN it be? Is it troo, or is it not troo? Is
Androo Johnson all my fancy painted him,
or is he still a heaven-defying persekooter uv the
Democratic Saints? That's wat I and some thousands
uv waitin souls wood go suthin handsome to
know.

I confess I never quite lost faith in Androo.

Pro-slavery Democracy sticks to a man ez does
the odor uv the gentle skunk to clothes, and it is got
rid uv only by the same means, to-wit, buryin the
victim thereof.

Androo started out to be a Moses, and he is one;
but I think he's changed his Israelites. I onst saw
a woman skinnin live eels, and I reproached her,
saying, —

-- 121 --

[figure description] Page 121.[end figure description]

“Woman, why skinnest thou eels alive? Doth
it not pain em?”

“Nary!” retorted she. “I've skinned em this
way for going on to 20 years, and they're used to it.”

Even so. The negroes hev bin in bondage so
long that they're used to it, and Androo feelin a call
to continue in the Moses biznes, hez, I hope, turned
his attention to the Dimocrisy. It's US he's a-goin
to lead up out uv the Egypt uv wretchedness we've
bin in for neerly five years; it's US that's a-goin to
quit brick making without straw, and go up into
the Canaan wich is runnin with the milk and honey
uv public patronage. We shel hev sum fites:
there's Amakelitish post masters and Phillistine
collectors to displace, but with a second Jaxon at
our hed what can we fear?

I feel to-night like a young colt. To me it seems
ez though my venerable locks, wich hangs scantily
about my temples, hed grown black agin, and that
my youth was returnin. Ef I hed any notion uv
sooiside, them idea is dismist. I'm young agin.
Wat hez worked this change? you ask. It's the
proclamation declarin the war at an end, and withdrawin
from the Dimocratic States the odious hirelins
uv the tyrant Linkin, and the doin away uv that
terrible marshal law. That's wat's done it for me.

-- 122 --

[figure description] Page 122.[end figure description]

Now I feel like sayin, with one uv old, “Mine eyes
hev seed thy glory; let thy servant depart in peace.”

We hev bin dooly subjoogated some time, and a
waitin for this. We wantid it, and longed for it ez
the hart does for the water course, and considerably
more, onless the hart wuz thirsty in the extreme.
For now we are in the Yoonyun agin; we are under
the shadder uv that glorious old flag wich protects
all men ceptin niggers and ablishnists. The nigger
is left to be adjustid by us, who is to be governed by
the laws wich control labor and capital. Certenly
he is — uv coarse. I saw two uv my neighbors adjustin
one last nite. They wuz doin it with a paddle,
wich wuz bored full uv holes. He didn't seem
to enjoy it ez much ez they did. By that proclamation
our states are agin under their own control.
Let em go at wunst to work to destroy all the vestiges
uv the crooel war through wich they hev past.
There aint no solgers now to interfere, for the policy
uv keepin soldiers in and among free people is abhorrent
to freedom and humanity. Go to work at
wunst, and build up the broken walls uv your Zion.

We must hev Peace and unanimity; and Peace
cannot dwell among us onless there's a oneness uv
purpose and sentiment. To prokoor this is yoor
fust dooty. If there be among you them ez opposed

-- 123 --

[figure description] Page 123.[end figure description]

yoo doorin yoor late struggle for Rites, hist em.
Their presence is irritatin, and kin not be tolerated.
Ablishunism is as abhorrent now s ever, and the
sooner yoo are rid uv it the better. It is safe to
assume that every man who opposed the lately
deceased confederacy is a Ablishnist.

The next step, and the most important, is to tear
down the nigger school houses and churches wich
hev bin built here and there, and kindly take the
nigger by the ear, and lead him back to his old
quarters, wich is his normal position. The Yankee
school teachers sent here by Freedmen's Aid Societies
shood properly be hung for spreadin dissatisfaction
and spellin books among the niggers, but I
wood advise mercy and consiliation. Tar and
featherin, with whippins, will perhaps do ez well,
and will go to show the world that our justice is
tempered with charity; that we kin be generous ez
well ez just. Yoor Legislatures shood be instantly
called together, and proper laws for the government
uv the Freedmen should be passed. Slavery is
abolisht, and the people must live up to the requirements
of the act in good faith. I protest agin any
violation uv good faith, but labor must be done, for
the skripter commands it, and our frail nature demands
wat cant be got without it. We don't like

-- 124 --

[figure description] Page 124.[end figure description]

to do it, but shel skripter be violated? Not at all.
The nigger must do it hisself, not ez a slave, for
slavery is abolished, but ez a free man. Ethiopean
citizens uv Amerikin descent (wich is mulatters),
and full-blooded blacks, and all hevin in the veins
a taint uv Afrikin blood, must be restrained gently,
and for their own good, I suggest laws ez follows: —

1. They must never leave the plantation onto
wich they are, when this act goes into effect, without
a pass from the employer, under penalty uv bein
shot.

2. They shel hev the privilege uv suein everybody
uv their own color, ef they kin give white bail
for costs.

3. They shel hev the full privilege uv bein sued
the same ez white folks.

4. They shel be competent ez witnesses in cases
in wich they are not interested, but their testimony
is to go for nothin ef it is opposed by the testimony
uv a white man or another nigger.

5. No nigger shel be allowed to buy or lease real
estate outside uv any incorporated city, town, or
village.

6. No nigger shel be allowed to buy or lease real

-- 125 --

[figure description] Page 125.[end figure description]

estate within any incorporated city, town, or village,
except as hereinafter provided for, to wit: —

He shel give notice uv his desires by publication
for six consecutive weeks in some noosepaper uv
general circulation in sed village, for wich publication
he shel pay invariably in advance. He shel
then give bonds, in sich sums ez the mayor shel
decide, that neither he, nor any uv his ancestors, or
descendants, or relations, will ever become public
charges, and will always behave themselves with
doo humility, the bondsmen to be white men and
freeholders. Then the mayor shel cause a election
to be proclaimed, and if the free white citizens shel
vote “yea” unanimously, he shel be allowed to buy
or lease real estate. If there is a dissenting vote,
then he shel be put onto the chain gang for six
months for his impudence in makin sich a request.

7. Their wages shel be sich ez they and the employers
shel mutually agree; but that the negroes
may not become luxurious and effeminate, wich two
things is vices wich goes to sap the simplicity and
strength uv a people, the sum shel never exceed $5
per month, but not less than enuff in all cases to
buy him one soot uv close per annum, wich the
employer shel purchase hisself.

8. The master shell hev the privilege uv addin to

-- 126 --

[figure description] Page 126.[end figure description]

this code sich other rules and regulations for their
proper government ez may strike him ez being
good for em from time to time.

These provisions sekure the nigger in all the rites
wich kin reasonably be asked for him, just elevated
ez he is from slavery, and thrown upon the world,
ignorant of the dooties of his new position and
status. He is simple, and needs the guidin hand uv
the stronger race.

My hart is too full to make further suggestions.
Organized into a tabloo, with the constitooshun in
one hand (wich beloved instrument kivers a great
deal of ground), a scar-bangled spanner in the other,
and a tramplin on a bloo coat wich I stript orf uv a
returned nigger solger wich wuz sick, I exultinly
exclaim, “The Union ez it is is ez good ez the
Union ez it wuz. 'Ror!”

Petroleum V. Nasby,
Lait Paster uv the Church uv the Noo Dispensashun.

-- 127 --

p636-142 XIX. A Wail of Anguish. — The Passage of the Civil Rights Bill over the Veto. Confedrit × Roads }
(wich is in the Stait uv Kentucky),

April 9, 1866.

[figure description] Page 127.[end figure description]

I AM a kittle full of cusses.

Under me is a burnin fire uv rage, wich is
bein continyooally fed with the oil uv disappointment.

And I bile over.

The civil rites bill, wich our Moses put his foot
into, we thought wuz dead.

And we fired great guns, and hung out our
flags, wich we laid aside in 1860, and made a joyful
noise.

For we said, one unto another, Lo! he is a true
Moses, inasmuch ez he is a leadin us out uv the
wilderness.

The civil rites bill wuz the serpent wat bit us, and
he histed it, that we might look and live.

-- 128 --

[figure description] Page 128.[end figure description]

Now let us be joyful!

For the Ethiopian is delivered into our hands,
bound hand and foot.

Blessed be Moses!

We will make him grind our corn; but he shel
not eat thereof.

Blessed be Moses!

We will make him tread out our wheat; but we
will muzzle his mouth.

Blessed be Moses!

He shall pick our cotton; but the hire he receiveth,
he shall stick in his eye without injuring the
sight thereof.

Blessed be Moses!

He shall toil in the sugar mill; but the sugar
shall he not sell.

Blessed be Moses!

His sweat shall nourish our corn; but he shall
eat nary ear thereof.

Blessed be Moses!

We will burn his school houses, and destroy his
spelling books (for shall the nigger be our superior?),
and who shall stay our hand?

The skool teachers we will tar and feather, and
whar is the bloo-koted hirelins to make us afeerd?

Blessed be Moses!

-- 129 --

[figure description] Page 129.[end figure description]

We looked at the nigger, and said, Ha, ha! the
last state uv that chattle is wuss nor the fust; for
before, we hed his labor while he wuz strong and
healthy, but hed to take care on him when he wuz
sick and old; and now we kin git his labor without
the care.

Blessed be Moses!

The Ablishnists cast out one devil, and garnished
the room; but there wuz seven devils more stronger
and hungrier, which rushed in and pre-empted the
premises.

Blessed be Moses!

But our song uv joy wuz turned into a wale uv
anguish.

Moses sought to hist the serpent, but the serpent
histed him.

He's on a pole, and the bitin North wind is a
blowin onto him.

He can't get up any higher, because his pole ain't
any longer; and he cant't get down, because he
ain't no place to light onto.

He vetoed the bills, and Congress hez vetoed him;
the civil rights bill they passed in a uncivil manner.

Now, bein the nigger hez rights, he is our ekal.

Our ekil is the nigger now, and onless the skool

-- 130 --

[figure description] Page 130.[end figure description]

house is burned, and the spellin books destroyed, he
will soon be our superior.

We wuz willin to give him the right uv bein sued;
but, alas! he kin sue.

He kin be a witness agin us, and he kin set his
face agin ourn.

Our wise men may make laws to keep him in his
normal speer, but uv wat avail is they?

We kin buy and sell him no more, neither he nor
his children.

The men will cleave unto their wives, and the
wives unto their husbands, and our hand is powerlis
to separate em.

Their children kin we no more put up at auction,
and sell to the highest bidder, we pocketing joyfully
the price thereof.

They hev become sassy and impudent, and say,
“Go to; are we not men?”

I bade one git orf the sidewalk, and he bade me
be damned.

I chucked a nearly white one under the chin, and
smiled onto her, and she squawked; and her husband,
hearin the squawk thereof, came up and bustid
my head, even as a white man wood hev dun.

I chastised wun who gave me lip; and he sood

-- 131 --

[figure description] Page 131.[end figure description]

me, a Caucashun, for assault and battery, and got a
judgment!

Wale! for Moses put out his hand to save us these
indignities, but his hand wuz too weak.

We killed Linkin in vain.

Our Moses is playin Jaxon. He fancieth he resembleth
him, becoz his inishals is the same.

He resembleth Jaxon muchly — in that Jaxon hed
a policy wich he cood carry out, while our Moses
hez a policy wich he can't carry out.

And ez he can't carry out his policy, the people
are carryin it out for him.

Wich they do, a holdin it at arm's length, and
holdin their noses.

Moses is a cake half baked; he is hot on one side,
and cold on tother.

He darsn't let go uv Ablishnism, and is afeerd to
come to us.

He hez been takin epsom salts and epecac; and
one is workin up, and the other is workin down.

Where kin we look for comfort?

Do we turn to the people? Connecticut answers,
“'Ror for Hawley!” and Noo Hampshier goes
Ablishun.

Do we turn to the courts? Lo! Taney hez gone
to his reward — him who aforetime dealt out

-- 132 --

[figure description] Page 132.[end figure description]

Dimekratic justice, and who understood the nacher uv the
nigger, — and Chase, who is pizen, reigns in his
stead.

Raymond is growin weak in the knees, and Doolittle
is a broken reed on which to lean.

We are too short at both ends.

Shall we go to Brazil? Lo! there they put niggers
in office.

Mexico holds out her hands to us; but, lo! the
nigger is considered a man.

We hev no escape from the Etheopian; he is
around us, and about us, and on top uv us.

I see no post orfis in the distance, no hope for the
future.

Hed I been a Ablishunist, so ez to make the thing
safe in the next world, I shood be glad to die, and
quit this.

For my sole is pregnant with grief; my hart bugs
out with woe.

Petroleum V. Nasby,
Lait Paster uv the Church uv the Noo Dispensashun.

-- 133 --

p636-148 XX. Mournful View of the Situation. Confedrit × Roads }
(wich is in the Stait uv Kentucky),

April 26, 1866.

[figure description] Page 133.[end figure description]

THE work uv death is a goin on. The sakred
precepts uv the Holy Skripters is bein daily
violated by an insane majority, who hev substitooted
their own noshens for the safe and pleasant revelashens
uv Holy Writ, and the practices of their
fathers.

Cood Noah, when he cussed Ham, and declared
that he shood be a servant unto his brethren, hev
foreseen how his cuss wood hev bin disregarded in
these degenerate days, he wood, I boldly assert (and
I make the assertion from wat I know uv the character
uv that eminent navigator), hev kep sober, and
not cusst Ham at all. For wat's the yoose uv sich
a cuss ef it's to be removed jist when you want it to
stick? Hed it bin taken off afore cotton wuz profitable,
and afore the Southern people hed learned to

-- 134 --

[figure description] Page 134.[end figure description]

depend onto their labor, it wouldent hev bin so bad,
and they cood hev endoored it without murmurin.
But, alars! not only is the South in a state of
abject cussitood, but the Northern Dimocrasy is
likewise.

The case stood thuswise: The South depended
on the Nigger; and the Northern politicians, like
me, depended on the South. The nigger wuz the
foundashun upon wich the entire structur rested;
and now that he's knocked out, it falls.

I wuz in Washington the other day, and wuz a
unwillin witnis uv a scene wich filled me with unutterable
disgust. The niggers wuz a celebratin suthin
connected with their onnatural removal from their
normal condishun, and wuz a paradin the streets
with bands uv music, and with banners and inscriptions.
They hed the impudence to dress up in good
clothes, — clothes wich I cood not afford to wear, —
and three uv the impudent cusses hed the ashoorance
to go so far in their imitation of human beins
ez to make speeches; and to my horrer, the mass
uv em hed ben so well trained by somebody that
they actily cheered, and ez near ez I cood make out
got in the applause at the right place, and all without
the assistance uv a indivijjle to commence

-- 135 --

[figure description] Page 135.[end figure description]

applaudin at the right time, wich we hev generally
found nessary at Dimmekratic meetins.

Their inscripshuns wuz insultin. They hed em
all spelt rite, and they wuz full uv aloosions to ekal
rites, and onqualifyed suffrage, and sich, planely
showin that the poor, misguided critters hed no idee
that they wuz loaded down with a cuss, and that
becoz uv that cuss they hed no rites watever.

In Richmond I saw other evidences uv the terrible
breakin down uv the barriers wich Noah set
up atween the races. I wuz sittin in a hoss car,
when a nigger hed the onparalleled asshoorence to
enter and set down. I remonstrated with the chattel,
who laft in my face.

Thus the old landmarks is bein removed, and thus
the foundations uv society is a bein broken up. I saw
in Richmond fair wimmin who hed, in olden times,
never known wat labor wuz, a washin dishes, and
cookin their own vittles; and I saw men, who hed
wunst lived luxuriously on the labor uv a hundred
niggers, now drivin drays, and sellin dry goods and
groceries, and sich, and my soul sunk within me.
Wuz the cuss a mistake? Wuz the nigger not the
race that wuz cussed? or has he becum so bleached,
so lost in the white by amalgamation, that there

-- 136 --

[figure description] Page 136.[end figure description]

ain't enough uv the black left in each indivijjle for
the cuss to hang to.

Andrew Johnson! in your hands rests our cause;
on your ackshen depends our weal or woe! Yoo,
and yoo alone, kin remedy this. Wat if a corrupt
and radikle Congress does override your vetoes, and
legislate for these cuss-ridden people? Yoo hev yet
a power wich yoo must not hesitate to make em
feel. Clear out the rump Congress; declare our
Southern brethren entitled to their seats, and see
that they hev em. The Dimocrisy uv the North,
wich wuz latterly for peece, are now fur war. They
will sustain yoo. Reverse yoor ackshen, and yoo
kin attach em to yoo with hooks uv steel. There
ain't no risk in it — nary risk. Turn the Ablishnists
out uv the Post Offices, and replace em with Democrats;
let it be understood that yoo hev come back
to your fust love, and no longer abide in the tents
uv Ablishunism, — and all will be well. Talk less
uv yoor policy, and put more uv it into acts. Combine
Post Offices with Policy, and proclaim that
only he who sustains the latter shel hev the former,
and yoo kin depend on the entire Democrisy North.
We are waitin anxiously. From the South comes
up the cry, wich the North reëkkoes.

-- 137 --

[figure description] Page 137.[end figure description]

Will Androo Johnson, wich Ablishnists call
Moses, but wich we, for obvious reasons, style the
2d Jaxon, heed that cry? or will he persist in clingin
to the black idol he embraced four years ago?

Petroleum V. Nasby,
Lait Paster uv the Church uv the Noo Dispensashun.

-- 138 --

p636-153 XXI. A Psalm of Gladness. — The Veto of the Civil Rights Bill, and other Matters, occasioning a Feeling of Thankfulness in the Minds of the Democracy. Confedrit × Roads }
(wich is in the Stait uv Kentucky),

May 1, 1866.

[figure description] Page 138.[end figure description]

I AM a canary, a nightengale. A lark, am I.
I raise my voice in song. I pour forth melojus
notes.

I am a lamb, wich frisketh, and waggeth his tale,
and leapeth, ez he nippeth the tender grass. I am
a colt, wich kicketh up its heels exuberantly.

I am a bridegroom, wich cometh from his bride
in the mornin feelin releeved in the knowledge that
she wore not palpitators, nor false calves, nor nothin
false, afore she wuz hizn.

I am a steamboat captin with a full load, a doggry
keeper on a Saturday nite, a sportin man with
four aces in his hand.

All these am I, and more.

-- 139 --

[figure description] Page 139.[end figure description]

For we sought to establish ourselves upon a rock,
but found that the underpinnin wuz gone out uv it.

Even slavery wuz our strong place, and our hope;
but the corners hed bin knocked out uv it.

The sons uv Belial hed gone forth agin it. Massachusetts
hed assailed it, and the North West hed
drawd its bow agin it.

Wendell Phillips hed pecked out wun stun, Garret
Smith another; and the soljers hed completed
what they hed begun.

And Congris, even the Rump, hed decreed its
death, and hed held forth its hand to Ethiopia.

It passed a bill givin the Niggers their rites, and
takin away from us our rites:

Sayin, that no more shel we sell em in the market
place,

Or take their wives from em,

Or be father to their children,

Or make uv em conkebines aginst their will,

Or force em to toil without hire,

Or shoot em, ez we wuz wont to do under the old
dispensashun,

Or make laws for em wich didn't bind us as well.

And our hearts wuz sad in our buzzums; for we
said, Lo! the nigger is our ekal; and we mourned
ez them hevin no hope.

-- 140 --

[figure description] Page 140.[end figure description]

But the President, even Androo, the choice uv
Booth, said, Nay.

And the bill wuz vetoed, and is no law; and our
hearts is made glad.

And from the Ohio to the Gulf shel go up the
song uv gladness and the sounds uv mirth.

The nigger will we slay, for he elevated his horn
agin us.

We will make one law for him and another for
us, and he will sigh for the good old times when he
wuz a slave in earnest.

His wife shel be our conkebine, ef she is fair
to look upon; and ef he murmurs, we'll bust his
head.

His daughters shel our sons possess; and their inkrease
will we sell, and live upon the price they
bring.

In our fields they shel labor; but the price uv
their toil shel make us fat.

Sing, O my soul!

The nigger hed become sassy and impudent, and
denied that he wuz a servant unto his brethren.

He sheltered hisself behind the Freedman's Burow,
and the Civil Rites Bill, and the soldiery, and
he wagged his lip at us, and made mouths at us.

-- 141 --

[figure description] Page 141.[end figure description]

And we longed to git at him, but because of these
we durst not.

But now who shell succor him.

We will smite him hip and thigh, onless he consents
to be normal.

Our time uv rejoicin is come.

In Kentucky, the soldiers voted, — them ez wuz
clothed in gray, — and we routed the Abolishnists.

Three great capchers hev we made: New Orleens
we capcherd, Kentucky we capcherd, and the President—
him who aforetime strayed from us — we
capcherd.

Rejoice, O my soul! for yoor good time, wich
wuz so long a comin, is come.

We shel hev Post Offisis, and Collectorships, and
Assessorships, and Furrin Mishns, and Route Agencies,
and sich; and on the proceeds thereof will we
eat, drink, and be merry.

The great rivers shel be whisky, the islands therein
sugar, the streems tributary lemon joose and bitters,
and the faithful shel drink.

Whisky shel be cheap; for we shel hold the offises,
and kin pay; and the heart uv the barkeeper
shel be glad.

The Ablishnist shel hang his hed; and we will
jeer him, and flout him, and say unto him, “Go up,

-- 142 --

[figure description] Page 142.[end figure description]

bald head!” and no bears shel bite us; for, lo! the
President is our rock, and in him we abide.

Blessed be Booth, who give us Androo.

Blessed be the veto, wich makes the deed uv
Booth uv sum account to us.

Blessed be Moses, who is a leadin us out uv the
wilderness, into the Canaan flowin with milk and
honey.

Petroleum V. Nasby,
Lait Paster uv the Church of the New Dispensashun.

-- 143 --

p636-158 XXII. The Reconstructed meet to Congratulate the Country upon the Result of the Memphis Outbreak. — The Reverend discourses upon the Nigger, and runs against a Snag. Confedrit × Roads }
(wich is in the Stait uv Kentucky),

May 12, 1866.

[figure description] Page 143.[end figure description]

THE news from Memphis filled the soles uv the
Dimocrisy uv Kentucky with undilooted joy.
There, at last, the Ethiopian wuz taught that to
him, at least, the spellin book is a seeled volume,
and that the gospel is not for him, save ez he gits it
filtered through a sound, constooshnel, Dimekratic
preacher. We met at the Corners last nite to jollify
over the brave acts uv our Memphis frends, and I
wuz the speeker. I addressed them on the subjick
uv the nigger, — his wants, needs, and capacities, —
a subjick, permit me to state, I flatter myself I understand.

Probably no man in the Yoonited States hez

-- 144 --

[figure description] Page 144.[end figure description]

given the nigger more study, or devoted more time
to a pashent investigashen uv this species uv the
brute creashen, than the undersigned. I have contemplated
him sittin and standin, sleepin and wakin,
at labor and in idleness, — in every shape, in fact,
ceptin ez a free man, wich situashen is too disgustin
for a proud Caucashen to contemplate him; and
when he ariz before my mind's eye in that shape, I
alluz turned shuddrin away.

I hed proceeded in my discourse with a flowin
sale. It's easy demonstratin anythin yoor awjence
wants to beleeve, and wich their interest lies in.
For instants, I hev notist wicked men, who wuz
somewhat wedded to sin, generally lean toward Universalism;
men heavily developed in the back uv
the neck are easily convinst uv the grand trooths uv
free love; and them ez is too fond uv makin money
to rest on the seventh day, hev serious doubts ez to
whether the observance uv the Sabbath is bindin
onto em. I, not likin to work at all, am a firm
beleever in slavery, and wood be firmer ef I cood
get start enuff to own a nigger.

I hed gone on and proved concloosively, from a
comparison uv the fizzikle structer uv the Afrikin
and the Caucashen, that the nigger wuz a beast, and
not a human bein; and that, consekently, we hed a

-- 145 --

[figure description] Page 145.[end figure description]

perfeck rite to catch him, and tame him, and yoose
him ez we do other wild animals. Finishin this
hed uv my discourse, I glode easily into a history
uv the flood; explained how Noer got tite and cust
Ham, condemnin him and his posterity to serve his
brethren forever, wich I insisted give us an indubitable
warranty deed to all uv em for all time.

I warmed up on this elokently. “Behold, my
brethren, the beginnin uv Dimocrasy,” I sed. “Fust,
the wine (which wuz the antetype of our whisky)
wuz the beginnin. Wine (or whisky) wuz necessary
to the foundation uv the party, and it wuz
forthcomin. But the thing was not complete. It
did its work on Noer, but yet there wuz a achin
void. There was no Nigger in the world, and
without nigger there could be no Dimocracy.
Ham, my friends, wuz born a brother uv Japhet,
and wuz like unto him, and, uv course, could not
be a slave. Whisky wuz the instrument to bring
him down; and it fetched him. Ham looked upon
his father, and was cust; and the void wuz filled.
There wuz Nigger and whisky, and upon
them the foundashuns uv the party wuz laid, broad
and deep. Methinks, my brethren, when Ham
went out from the presence uv his father, black in
the face ez the ace uv spades (ef I may be allowed

-- 146 --

[figure description] Page 146.[end figure description]

to yoose the expression), bowin his back to the burdens
Shem and Japhet piled onto him with alacrity,
that Democracy, then in the womb uv the future,
kicked lively, and clapped its hands. There wuz a
nigger to enslave, and whisky to bring men down
to the pint uv enslavin him. There wuz whisky to
make men incapable uv labor; whisky to accompany
horse racin, and poker playin, and sich rational
amoosements, and a nigger cust especially
that he mite sweat to furnish the means. Observe
the fitniss uv things. Bless the Lord, my brethren,
for whisky and the nigger; for, without em, there
could be no Dimocrisy, and yoor beloved speaker
mite hev owned a farm in Noo Jersey, and bin a
votin the whig ticket to-day.”

At this pint, a venerable old freedman, who wuz
a sittin quietly in the meetin, ariz, and asked ef he
mite ask a question. Thinkin what a splendid opportoonity
there wood be uv demonstratin the sooperiority
uv the Caucashen over the Afrikin race, I
answered “Yes,” gladly.

“Well, Mas'r,” sed the old imbecile, “is I a
beest?”

“My venerable friend, there ain't nary doubt
uv it.”

“Is my old woman a old beastesses, too?”

-- 147 --

[figure description] Page 147.[end figure description]

“Indubitably,” replied I.

“And my children — is they little beasts and
beastesses?”

“Onquestionably.”

“Den a yaller feller ain't but a half a beast,
is he?”

“My friend,” sed I, “that question is —”

“Hold on,” sed he; “wat I wanted to git at is
dis: dere's a heap uv yaller fellers in dis section,
whose fadders must hev bin white men; and, ez
der mudders wuz all beastesses, I want to know
whedder dar ain't no law in Kentucky agin —”

“Put him out!” “Kill the black wretch!”
shouted a majority uv them who hed bin the heaviest
slave owners under the good old patriarkle system,
and they went for the old reprobate. At this
pint, a officer uv the Freedmen's Bureau, who we
hedn't observed, riz, and, bustin with laughter, remarked
that his venerable friend shood have a
chance to be heerd. We respeck that Burow, partikelerly
ez the officers generally hev a hundred or
two bayonets within reech, and, chokin our wrath,
permitted ourselves to be further insulted by the
cussed nigger, who, grinnin from ear to ear, riz and
perceeded.

-- 148 --

[figure description] Page 148.[end figure description]

“My white friends,” sed he, “dar pears to be an
objection to my reference to de subjeck uv dis mixin
with beasts, so I won't press de matter. But I ask
yoo, did Noer hev three sons?”

“He did,” sed I.

“Berry good. Wuz dey all brudders?”

“Uv course.”

“Ham come from the same fadder and mudder
as the odder two?”

“C-e-r-t-i-n-l-y.”

“Well, den, it seems to me — not fully understandin
the skripters — dat if we is beasts and beastesses,
dat you is beasts and beastesses also, and dat,
after all, we is brudders.” And the disgustin old
wretch threw his arms around my neck, and kissed
me, callin me his “long lost brudder.”

The officer uv the Freedmen's Bureau laft vosiferously,
and so did a dozen or two soljers in the
crowd likewise; and the awjence slunk out without
adjournin the meetin, one uv em remarkin, audibly,
that he had notised one thing, that Dimocrisy wuz
extremely weak whenever it undertook to defend
itself with fax or revelashun. For his part, he'd
done with argyment. He wanted niggers, because
he cood wallop em, and make em do his work without
payin em, wich he coodent do with white men.

-- 149 --

[figure description] Page 149.[end figure description]

I left the meetin house convinst that the South,
who worked the niggers, leavin us Northern Dimokrats
to defend the system, hed the best end uv the
bargain.

Petroleum V. Nasby,
Lait Paster uv the Church of the Noo Dispensashun.

-- 150 --

p636-165 XXIII. The Workings of the Freedmen's Bureau. — A Report. Confedrit × Roads }
(wich is in the Stait uv Kentucky),

May 27, 1866.

[figure description] Page 150.[end figure description]

To His Eggslency the Dispenser uv Post Orifices, Androo
Johnson, President uv the United States:

IN akordance with yoor esteemed request, dated
the 25th, and received this morning, I to-wunst
proceeded to make doo enquiry ez to the workin uv
the Freedmen's Burow, and the condishun uv the
Afrikin citizens uv Amerikin descent in this vicinity.
The fact that a Ablishnist still holds the Post
Orifice at the Corners (wich place, by the way, I
hev been solicited to accept), interfered materially
with the bizines I hed in hand. I to-wunst tooted
the horn, ez is the custom when we hev religious
servis, and called my congregashun together. They
kum runnin in from the different groceries; and
here another difficulty ensood. The grosery keepers
wanted to know what we wuz a going to hev

-- 151 --

[figure description] Page 151.[end figure description]

meetin on week days for? They wuz willin to
shut up doorin meetin time on Sundays, ez they
respected the church, and it give em time to sweep
out the terbacker, et settery; but they'd be d—d ef
they wuz a goin to hev the people pulled away from
their nourishment on week days. I succeeded in
pacifyin em, and went in at wunst examinin the
leadin citizens. Their testimony is ez follows: —

Captin Skelper

Wuz a nigger owner afore the war, and durin the
late fratrisidle struggle wuz a captan in the confedrit
servis. Wuz with Ginral Forest at Fort Pillow.
Hez hed much experence with niggers. Bleeves
em to be adapted to the climit uv Kentucky, and
much more able to stand the hot sun than the
whites. When they wuz slaves, never knowd em
to refooze to work; know they alluz did work,
becoz he generally stood over em with a nigger
whip. Since they hev bin free, hez notist a change;
not much uv a change, ontil the Nigger Burow wuz
establisht. Before that they'd take sich wages ez
yoo chose to give em; since then the d—d heathen
will stand out bout ez the white men do, and won't
work at all onless yoo meet their views, wich made
a heap up trouble, and materially retarded the

-- 152 --

[figure description] Page 152.[end figure description]

develment uv the country. The Burow hed corrupted
the female niggers; ez they hed all bin legally married
by the Chaplins to the men they'd lived with,
and wuz so sot on livin with em, that there's no
yoose uv yoor tryin to get a house wench unless yoo
took her husband also. His wife wuz now doin
degradin work at home for want uv help. Strongly
urged the abrogashen uv the Burow, and the removal
uv the Abolishun Postmaster at the Corners.

Deacon McGrath

Wuz eggsamined. Wuz convinst in his own mind
that the Afrikin wuz now out uv his normal speer,
and that the infernal Burow wuz at the bottom uv
it. The nigger, afore the Burow come around, wuz
docile and easly controlled. His boy Joe wuz wunst
a model nigger. He'd get up every mornin at 4
A. M. (wich means in the mornin), and work every
day till after dark. Ez soon ez he wuz emancipated,
ez they called it, and the Burow come, I told him to
get up, one mornin; and he told me, impudently,
that he'd concluded he woodent. I undertook to
chastise him with a fence stake, whereupon he
sailed in, and whaled me; and the Burow, to which
I applied for redress, larft in my face. He left, and
is now draggin out a mizerable existence in Ohio,

-- 153 --

[figure description] Page 153.[end figure description]

on the beggarly pittance uv two dollars a day, and
my farm is runnin to weeds. He conclooded by
givin it ez his solemn opinion that he never cood be
reconciled to the Government so long ez the Burow
wuz tolerated, and that Ablishnist held the Post
Orifis at the Corners.

Gineral Dinges

Considered the Burow a inkubus upon the State.
It interfered between master and servant. Cood git
along better ef the nigger wuz left to the nateral
laws wich regulates capital and labor. Tried to
keep his niggers, and did keep em the past summer
till after the crop wuz in, and then tried to settle
with em for four dollars a month, with sich deductions
for food, sickness, and brakin tools, et settry,
ez wuz just. Brought the niggers, all uv em, in my
debt, and generously proposed to let em work it out
choppin cord wood doorin the winter. Hauled me
up afore the Burow, and wuz forst to pay em each
$15 per month. Consider the Burow ez all that
stands in the way uv rekonstruction, though the
removal uv the Ablishun Postmaster at the Corners
and the appintment uv a sound constooshnel Dimekrat
wood grately assist in conciliatin the Kentucky
mind.

-- 154 --

[figure description] Page 154.[end figure description]

I tried to get some nigger testimony, but cood
elicit nothing worth while. One nigger, who spends
the heft uv his time at the Corners, wuz opposed to
the Burow becoz it stopt rations on him. And
Lucy, a octoroon, who formerly belonged to, and
still resides with, Elder Gavitt (who is now absent
ez a delegate to a Southern religious convention at
Louisville), testified that the Burow “wuz no grate
shakes,” becoz bein ez the Elder wuz a widower,
and the father uv all her children, and bein she's a
free woman, she askt the agent to make the Elder
marry her, and he woodn't do it. But sich evidence
is irrelevant, and I didn't consider it worth while
botherin yoor Eggslency with it. Both, however,
strongly insisted on the removal uv the Ablishun
Postmaster at the Corners.

Abslum Pettus

Wuz convinst the Burow wuz agin the prosperity
uv the State, and wuz underminin the moral and
physikle welfare uv the nigger. It made him impudent.
Hed sum uv em workin for him, and notist
at noons and nites he'd find em with a spellin-book
and a reader. Didn't bleeve in readin. Coodent
read hisself, but hed a cousin wunst who learned;

-- 155 --

[figure description] Page 155.[end figure description]

but ez soon ez he cood read he moved off to Injeanny,
quit the Democrisy, and becum a loathsum
Ablishnist. Heerd he wuz killed in the war, and
served him rite. Wanted to know what we wood
do when the niggers cood all read. Sposed we'd
hev to 'lect em to offis, ez the people alluz selected
sich, when they cood find em. Didn't bleeve in
nigger equality, and wuz in favor uv a imediate
change in the post orfice at the Corners.

Captin McSlather thought things hed cum to a
sweet old pass, when a man coodn't lather a nigger
without bein hauled up afore a Burow.

Kurnel Pelter thought ef yoor Eggsolency cood
witness the corupshun that eggsisted in the Burow,
yoo'd make short work uv it. Why, he whipped a
nigger hand more than he ought, perhaps, and he
died uv the injuries. It wuz a aggravatin case.
The nigger wuz sassy, and it cost three hundred and
sixteen dollars to pervide for his family. That infamous
Burow made me pay for their rashens all
winter. He asked, indignantly, ef this wuz or wuz
not a free kentry into wich such things wuz permitted.
And the Ablishen Postmaster at the Corners
approved the tyranikle action. He demanded his
removal.

-- 156 --

[figure description] Page 156.[end figure description]

I conceive it to be onnecessary to submit further
testimony. I know not what luck yoor other commissioners
may hev met with in takin testimony on
this subjick; but in this vicinity there can't be no
doubt that there can't be that love for the Government,
without wich free instooshens won't flourish
to any alarmin extent, ontil this monster is squelched.
The testimony is unanimous, and them ez I hev
eggsamined are representative men.

You may hev notist, also, the singler unanimity
with wich they all bore testimony to the necessity
uv a change in the Post Orifis at the Corners. I
endorse all they say on this question, considerin
that that change is ez necessary in the grate work
uv pacifyin and consiliation ez is the removal of the
Burow. In case a change is made, I would say,
for your guidance, that I hev been warmly solicited
by my friends to accept the position, and to
pacify em, hev at last yielded a reluctant consent.
The fact that I never served in the Confederate
army may be an objection; but, to offset that, I
voted for Vallandygum twice.

Ef possible, send me a pardon at the same time
yoo send me my commission ez Post Master; for,
if the Post Offis don't pay, I may want to run for

-- 157 --

[figure description] Page 157.[end figure description]

some other office, in wich event that document
would be essential to my success.

With sentiments uv the most profound respek,

I am
Trooly yours,

Petroleum V. Nasby,
Lait Paster uv the Church uv the Noo Dispensashun.

-- 158 --

p636-173 XXIV. Presides at a Church Trial. Confedrit × Roads }
(wich is in the Stait uv Kentucky),

June 9, 1866.

[figure description] Page 158.[end figure description]

THEY hed a ruction in the church at the Corners
yisterday, wich bid fair to result in a rendin uv
the walls of our Zion, and the tearin down uv the
temple we hev reared with so much care and hev
guarded with so much solissitood. When I say
“we,” I mean the members thereof, ez the church
wuz reorganized sence the war by returned Confedrit
soljers and sich Dimokrats ez remaned at
home nootrel; but inasmuch ez I am the only reglerly
ordained Dimokratic paster in these parts I
ginerly conduct the services, and hentz hev insensibly
fell into a habit uv speekin uv the church ez
“my” church, and I feel all the solissitood for its
spiritooal and temporal welfare that I cood ef I
wuz reglerly ordained ez its paster, wich I expect to
be ef I fail in gettin that post offis at the Corners,

-- 159 --

[figure description] Page 159.[end figure description]

wich is now held by a Ablishnist uv the darkest
dye, wich President Johnson, with a stubbornness I
can't account for, persistently refooses to remove.

The case wuz suthin like this: —

Deekin Pogram wuz charged by Elder Slather
with hevin, in broad daylite, with no attempt at
concealment, drunk with a nigger, and a free nigger
at that, in Bascom's grocery, and to prove the charge
Deekin Slather called Deekin Pennibacker.

The Deekin wuz put onto the stand, and testified
ez follows: —

“Wuz in Bascom's grocery a playin seven up for
the drinks with Deekin Slather. Hed jist beet the
Deekin one game and hed four on the second, and
held high, low, and jack, and wuz modritly certin uv
goin out, partiklerly ez the Deekin didn't beg. Wuz
hevin a little discussion with him — the Deekin insistin
that it wuz the best three in five, instead uv
the best two in three, jest ez though a man cood
afford to play five games between drinks! The ijee
is preposterous and unheard of, and ther ain't no
precedent for any sich course. We wuz settlin the
dispoot in regler orthodox style — he hed his fingers
twisted in my neck handkercher, and I held a stick
uv stove wood suspended over his head. While in
this position we wuz transfixed with horror at seein

-- 160 --

[figure description] Page 160.[end figure description]

Deekin Pogram enter, arm-in-arm with a nigger,
and, —

The Court. — Arm-in-arm, did you say, Brother
Pennibacker?

Witness. — Certainly.

The Court. — The scribe will make a minnit uv
this. Go on.

Witness. — They cum in together, ez I sed, arm-in-arm,
walked up to the bar, and drank together.

By the Court. — Did they drink together?

Witness. — They ondeniably did.

By myself. — The Court desires to know what
partikeler flooid they absorbed.

Witness. — Cant's say — spose 'twas Bascom's new
whiskey — that's all he's got, ez the Court very well
knows.

By myself. — The Sexton will go at once to Bascom's
and procoor the identicle bottle from wich
this wretched man, who stands charged with thus
lowerin hisself, drunk, and bring it hither. The
Court desires to know for herself whether it was
really whisky. The pint is an important one for
the Court to know.

A wicked boy remarked that the pint wood be
better onderstood by the Court if it wuz a quart.
The bottle wuz, however, brought, and the Court,

-- 161 --

[figure description] Page 161.[end figure description]

wich is me, wuz satisfied that it wuz really and
trooly whisky. Ez the refreshin flooid irrigated my
parched throat, I wished that trials based upon that
bottle cood be perpetooal.

I considered the case proved, and asked Brother
Pogram what palliation he hed to offer. I set before
him the enormity uv the crime, and showed him
that he was by this course sappin the very foundashun
uv the Church and the Democratic party.
Wat's the use, I askt, uv my preachin agin nigger
equality, so long ez my Deekins practis it? I told
him that Ham wuz cust by Noer, and wuz condemned
to be a servant unto his brethren — that he
wuz an inferior race, that the Dimocrisy wuz built
upon that idea, and that associatin with him in any
shape that indicated equality, wuz either puttin them
up to our standard or lowrin ourselves to theirn; in
either case the result wuz fatal. I implored Brother
Pogram to make a clean breast uv it, confess his sin,
and humbly receeve sich punishment ez shood be
awarded him, and go and sin no more. “Speak
up, Brother Pogram,” sez I, paternally, and yet severely.

Brother Pogram, to my unspeekable relief, for he
is the wealthiest member of the congregashun, and
one we darsn't expel, replied, —

-- 162 --

[figure description] Page 162.[end figure description]

“That he DID drink with the nigger, and wat
wuz more, he wuz justified in doin it, for THE
NIGGER PAID FOR THE WHISKY!!”

“But shoorly,” I remarked, “it wasn't nessary to
yoor purpose to come in with the nigger arm-in-arm, —
a attitood wich implies familiarity, ef not
affeckshun.”

The Prisoner. — The nigger and I hed bin pitchin
coppers for drinks, and I, possessin more akootnis,
hed won. I took the nigger by the arm, fearin that
ef I let go uv him he'd dodge without payin. They
are slippery.

Overjoyed, I clasped him around the neck, and to-wunst
dismist the charge as unfounded and frivolous.

“My brethren,” sez I, “the action of Brother
Pogram is not only justifiable, but is commendable,
and worthy of imitashun. Ham wuz cust by Noer,
and condemned by him to serve his brethren. The
nigger is the descendant of Ham, and we are the
descendants uv the brethren, and ef Noer hed a clear
rite to cuss one of his sons, and sell him out to the
balance uv the boys for all time, we hev ded wood
on the nigger, for it is clear that he wuz made to
labor for us and minister to our wants. So it wuz,
my brethren, until an Ape, who hed power,

-- 163 --

[figure description] Page 163.[end figure description]

interfered and delivered him out of our hand. Wat shel
we do? Wat we cannot do by force we must do by
financeerin. We can't any longer compel the nigger
to furnish us the means, and therefore in order to
fulfil the skripter, we are justified in accomplishing
by our sooperior skill wat we used to do with whips
and dorgs.

“The spectacle uv Brother Pogram's marchin
into Bascom's with that nigger wuz a sublime spectacle,
and one well calculated to cheer the heart uv
the troo Dimekrat. He hed vanquished him in an
encounter where skill wuz required, thus demonstratin
the sooperiority uv the Anglo-Saxon mind —
he led him a captive, and made uv him a spoil.

“Wood, O wood that we all hed a nigger to play
with for drinks! The case is dismissed, the costs to
be paid by the complainant!”

The walls uv our Zion is stronger than ever.
This trial, ez it resulted, is a new and strong abutment—
a tall and strong tower.

Petroleum V. Nasby,
Lait Paster uv the Church uv the Noo Dispensashun.

-- 164 --

p636-179 XXV. Turns a Meeting, called to Indorse General Rosseau, to Account. Confedrit × Roads }
(wich is in the Stait uv Kentucky),

June 22, 1866.

[figure description] Page 164.[end figure description]

THERE wuz joy at the Corners when the Postmaster
(who takes the only paper wich comes
to the office, ceptin a few wich comes to some
demoralized niggers who hev learned to read, and
the officers uv the Freedmen's Burow here) read to
the crowd the news uv the canin wich Rosso, wich
is uv Kentucky, give Grinnell. It sent a thrill uv
joy through the State, wich ain't done thrillin yet.
Bustin out into nine harty cheers, we to-wunst
organized a meetin for the purpose uv expressin our
feelins on the momentous occasion. The bell wuz
rung, the people gathered together, and I wuz
elected Chairman (they alluz elect me to preside
becoz I'm bald-hedded; they think bald heads and
dignity is inseparable), and Deekin Pogram

-- 165 --

[figure description] Page 165.[end figure description]

Secretary, with 36 Vice-Presidents — one for each State.
I made a short speech on takin the chair, congratulatin
em on the auspicious event wich called us
together. Whereupon a Committee on Resolutions
wuz appinted, wich, after a short absense, reported
ez follows: —

Whereas, Genral Rosso, a native-born Kentuckian,
and therefore a gentleman, hevin got into a argument
with a Iowa sheep-breeder; and,

Whereas, hevin got the wust uv the argument,
he dextrously turned it into blackguardin; and,

Whereas, hevin got the wust uv the blackguardin,
he remembered the ancient usages uv the chivalrous
sons uv the South, and caned him; therefore, be it

Resolved, That we, the Dimocrisy uv Confedrit
× Roads, wich is in the State uv Kentucky, hereby
thank General Rosso for his manly vindication uv
the character uv Kentucky.

Resolved, That we know not wich to admire the
most; the dashin Gineral's courage in bravin the
public sentiment uv the North, or his prudence in
selectin the smallest and physically weakest man in
the House to demonstrate onto.

Resolved, That ez Thad Stevens is 70 years uv
age, and lame, and hardly recovered from his fit uv

-- 166 --

[figure description] Page 166.[end figure description]

sickness, we suggest that our beloved hero commence
a argument with him, feelin that so far ez
the argument and blackguardin goes the result will
be the same, only so much more so ez to give him a
good excuse for killin him, wich wood be doin the
South a servis indeed.

Resolved, That the Dimocrisy uv Kentucky hevent
felt so good sence the Memphis riots.

Resolved, That this manly act uv Gineral Rosso's
makes up and compensates the South for the outrage
he inflicted onto her when he jined the vandal
host wich devastated her soil, and that hereafter he
shel be receeved with just the same cordiality ez tho
he had gone into the Confedrit instid uv the Federal
servis.

Resolved, That the thanks uv the Dimocrisy are
due the bold, brave men who accompanied and
stood by General Rosso in this vindication uv the
Southern spirit.

I put the affirmative, ez is the custom here, it bein
the rool, when the leaders want a thing to pass,
never to call for the nays, and it went through all
right. Then I arose, and stated I hed another
resolution, wich I wished to offer, and I read
it: —

-- 167 --

[figure description] Page 167.[end figure description]

Resolved, That in retainin in the Post Offis, at
the Corners, a Ablishnist, President Johnson is —”

At this point Deekin Pogram interrupted me.
He spozed this meetin wuz called to congratulate
Ginral Rosso, and wat wuz the sense uv mixin up a
paltry Post Offis with a matter uv so much importance
ez the canin uv a Ablishnist? It was clearly
out uv order.

I replied, —

“Wood yoo be glad, or wood this congregashun
be glad, to hev me in the Post Orfis in the place uv
that Ablishnist?”

The Deekin replied that personally he wood.
He had the highest respect for my massive talents
and my excellent qualities uv head and heart, and
besides, he thought probable, ef I got the Post Orfis,
he wood stand a chance uv gettin the nine dollars
and sixty-two cents borrowed money I owed him,
and —

I called him to order at once.

Bascom, who keeps the grocery, and who furnishes
me with likker (wich I hev to take for my
hair) on the strength uv remittances I am to receeve,
insisted on hearin the resolution ef it wood further
my gettin the Post Orfis, and so did the benevolent
gentleman with whom I board, and I resoomed, —

-- 168 --

[figure description] Page 168.[end figure description]

“I kin see a good reason for incorporatin a resolooshun
demandin a change in the Post Orfis into
the proceedins uv this meetin. There wood be, my
friends,” sed I, “no yoose uv sendin him a naked
resolution demandin this change, becoz he reseeves
hundreds and tens uv hundreds uv applications for
offices every day; in fact, they pile in at sich a rate
that he never opens the half uv them. The Dimocrisy,
my brethren, are alive on this subject. Ef
they are to support the President, they want, and
will hev, the post orifises, for uv what use is it to
support a man and pay yoor own expenses? It is
plain that the proceedins uv a post offis meetin
wood never reach him, but this, my brethren, goes
up to him from the PEOPLE, endorsin a supporter uv
his policy, and ez it will be the only one he hez
reseeved, or will reseeve, he will read it and read it
through, and in the exultation he will feel at bein
endorsed by anybody, who doubts the result? The
Post Orifis is mine.”

Bascom, the grocery keeper, moved, excitedly,
the adoption uv the resolution. I suggested that I
hed better read it, but he sed it made no difference;
he knew it wuz all rite. The benevolent and confidin
individooal I board with seconded the motion,
and Deekin Pogram supported it in a short speech,

-- 169 --

[figure description] Page 169.[end figure description]

statin that he understood that it wuz Brother Nasby's
intention, ef he succeeded in procoorin the position,
to devote the first three and a half years' salary
towards payin off the small indebtedness he hed contracted
sence he hed honored the town by residin in
it. To all uv wich I blandly smiled an assent,
whereupon the resolution wuz adopted yoonanimusly.
Hevin lived here a little risin uv a year, the
vote wuz perfeckly yoonanimous.

My prospex is britenin.

Petroleum V. Nasby,
Lait Paster uv the Church uv the Noo Dispensashun.

-- 170 --

p636-185 XXVI. Preaches — The “Prodigal Son” — An Interruption. Confedrit × Roads }
(wich is in the Stait uv Kentucky),

July 6, 1866.

[figure description] Page 170.[end figure description]

I PREACHED last Sabbath, or rather, tried to,
from the parable of the Prodigal Son. We hed
a splendid congregashun. I notice a revival of the
work in this part uv the Dimocratic vineyard wich
reely cheers me. The demonstrashun our friends
made in Memphis, the canin uv Grinnel by Rosso,
and the call for a Johnson Convenshun in Philadelphia,
all, all hev conspired to comfort the souls uv the
Dimocrisy, and encourage em to renewed effort. It
is bringing forth fruit. Only last week five northern
men were sent whirlin out of this section. They
dusted in the night to escape hangin, leavin their
goods as a prey for the righteous. Six niggers hev
bin killed and one Burow officer shot. Trooly there
is everything to encourage us.

The house wuz full. The weather wuz hot, and

-- 171 --

[figure description] Page 171.[end figure description]

the pleasant incense uv mingled whiskey, tobacco,
and snuff wich ariz wuz grateful to me. The sun
shone in on Deekin Pogram's face ez he gently
slept, and when the sun hits him square I kin alluz
tell wher he sets, even ef it is dark. He drinks
apple-jack instead of corn whiskey, and chaws fine
cut tobacker instead uv plug, and consekently when
in the pulpit I kin distinguish the pecooliar aroma
uv his breath from those around him.

“My brethren,” sed I, “sich uv yoo ez hev Bibles
in yoor houses, kin get somebody to read yoo the
parable to wich I shel call yoor attention. A man,
wunst upon a time, hed sons, ez many men hev
since, and wun uv em wuz a tough one. He left
his home and went into far countries, makin the old
man shel out his share uv the estate, and he lived
high, jist, my brethren, ez yoor boys do, or rather,
did, when they went to Noo Orlenas, in the days
when yoo hed a nigger or two wich yoo cood sell
to supply em with money. He played draw poker
and faro; he drank fancy drinks, and boarded at big
hotels; and he follered after strange women, wich 'll
bust a man quicker nor any one small sin the devil
hez yet invented, ez yoor pastor kin testify. Uv
course, his pile give out, and he got down, my
friends, did this ingenuous yooth, to rags and

-- 172 --

[figure description] Page 172.[end figure description]

wretchedness, and ended in being an overseer uv
swine. What did he do? He ariz and went to his
father, and the old man saw him afar off, and went
out to meet him, and fell onto his neck, and give
him a order for a soot of clothes and a pair uv
boots, and put a ring onto his finger, and made a
feast, killin for the purpose the fatted calf wich he
hed saved for another occasion.

“My friends, you kin find in the Skripter suthin
applicable to every occasion, and this parable fits
the present time like a ready-made coat. The South
is the Prodigal Son. We went out from our father's
house on a expedition wich heznt proved altogether
a success. We spent our share uv the estate, and a
little more. We run through with our means, and
hev cum down to rags, and dirt, and filth, and hunger.
We are, and hev bin some time, a chawin
husks. We run out after them twin harlots, Slavery
and State Rights, and they've cleaned us out. Our
pockets are empty. No more doth the pleasant
half-dollar jingle in sweet unison agin its fellows.
Our wallets is barren uv postal currency, and the
grocery-keepers mourn, and refuse to be comforted,
becoz we are not. We hev got to the husk stage
uv our woe, and wood be tendin hogs, ef the armies,
wich past through these countries, hed left us any.

-- 173 --

[figure description] Page 173.[end figure description]

We hev kum back. In rags and dirt we hev wended
our way to Washington, and ask to be taken back.
Now, why don't our father, the Government, fulfil
the Skripter? Why don't it see us afar off, and run
out to meet us? Why don't it put onto us a purple
robe? Where's the ring for our finger, and the
shoes for our feet? and where's the fatted calf he
ought to kill? My brethren, them Ablishnists is
worse than infiddles — while they preach the gospel
they won't practise it. For my part, I —”

At this point a sargent, belongin to that infernal
Burow, who wuz in the awdience, with enough uv
soldiers to make opposin uv him unpleasant, sed he
hed bin a sort uv an exhorter in his day, and desired
to say a word in explanation uv that parable, ez applicable
to the present time; and, sez he, “ef I am
interrupted, remember I b'long to the church military,
wich is, just now, the church triumphant.”
And cockin his musket he proceeded, very much
uninterrupted.

“The prodigal son,” sez he, “wuz received by
the old man with considerable doins, but, my worthy
friends, he went out decently. He didn't, ez soon ez
he withdrawed from the house, turn around and make
war onto the old gentleman — he didn't burn his house
and barns, tear up his garden, burn his fences, and

-- 174 --

[figure description] Page 174.[end figure description]

knock down the balance uv the children. Not any.
He went away peaceably, a misguided good-for-nothin,
but yet a peaceable good-for-nothin. Secondly,
he come back uv his own akkord. The old
man didn't go after him, and fight for four years, at
a cost uv half his substance, to subdue him and
bring him back, but when he hed run through his
pile, and squandered his share uv the estate, and got
hungry, he came back like a whipped dog.

“My friends, let me draw a small parallel between
these cases.

“The Prodigal Son went out, — so did the South,—
thus farly the cases is alike.

“The Prodigal didn't steal nothin. The Confederacy
took everything it cood lay its hands on.

“The Prodigal spent only what wuz his to spend.
The Confederacy spent not only all it stole, but all
it cood borrer, when it knowd its promises to pay
wuzent worth the mizable paper they wuz printed
onto.

“The Prodigal, when he did come, come ez penitent
ez the consciousness that he hed made a fool
uv hisself cood make him. The Confederacy wuz
whipped back, but it still swears hefty oaths that it
wuz right all the time.

“The Prodigal didn't demand veal pot-pies, and

-- 175 --

[figure description] Page 175.[end figure description]

purple robes, and sich, but begged to be a servant
unto the more sensible brethren wich stayed.
The South comes back demandin office, uv wich
the fatted calf, and rings, and purple robes is typical,
and considerably more share in the government than
it had before it kicked over the traces, and went out
like the lost tribes uv Israel.

“Spozn the Bible prodigal hed stopped his parient,
and remarked to him thus: `I am willin to come
back, on conditions. Yoo must pay my debts — yoo
must give me an ekal share uv the farm with the
other boys — yoo must treat me in all respecks just
ez ef I hadn't gone out, and — this is essential —
yoo must take with me all the sharpers who ruined
me, all the gamblers and thieves with whom I fell
in while I wuz away, and make them head men on
the place; and above all, I hev with me the two
harlots wich wuz the prime cause of my ruin, and
they must hev eleven of the best rooms in the house,
and must be treated ez your daughters. To avoid
displeasin the others, I'll dress em in different
clothes, but here they must stay. Otherwise, I'll go
out agin.'

“Probably the old gentleman wood hev become
indignant, and would hev remarked to him to go,
and never let him see his audacious face agin, or

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rather, he would hev strangled the harlots, scattered
the blacklegs, and choked the young sprout
into submission. Them's me. I am anxious to
kill that fatted calf, and am also anxious to put
on yoo robes and shoes. But, alas! the calf suffered
from want uv attention so long doorin the
late misunderstandins that he's too poor — the robes
wuz all cut up into bloo kotes for the soljers we
sent out to fetch you in — the shoes they wore out,
and the rings — Jeff'son Davis wears the only style
we hev. When you come back in good shape,
yool find us ready to meet you; but till then, chaw
husks!”

Lookin around, this armed tyrant remarked that
there would be no more preaching that day, and
sadly the congregation dispersed.

I'm heart sick. At every turn I make that Burow
stares me in the face, and counteracts my best endeavors.
It's curious, though, what different sermons
kin be preached from the same text, and it's
also curious how quiet our folks listen to a ablishnist
who hez muskets to back him.

Petroleum V. Nasby,
Lait Paster uv the Church of the New Dispensashun.

-- 177 --

p636-192 XXVII. A Pleasant Dream, the Philadelphia Convention being the Subject thereof. Confedrit × Roads }
(wich is in the Stait uv Kentucky),

July 28, 1866.

[figure description] Page 177.[end figure description]

MY dreams, uv wich I hev hed many doorin
the past five years, hevent bin overly pleasant;
indeed, they hev taken more the shape uv
hideous nitemares than anything else — Linkin,
Grant, Sherman, and armies dressed in blue, figurin
extensively therein. But last nite I hed a vision
wich more than repaid me for all I hev suffered
heretofore. I hed bin at the Corners assistin in
inauguratin a new grocery. The proprietor wuz a
demoralized Ablishnist who hed sold likker surreptitiously
in Maine, among them Ablishunists, and
consekently hed no idea uv the quantity a full grown
Kentucky Democrat cood throw hisself outside uv.
His entire capital with which he proposed to commence
biznis wuz one barrel uv new corn whiskey,

-- 178 --

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and some other necessaries, and ez a starter, to
make the acquaintance uv his customers, he announced
one free nite, and invited the entire community.
His invitashun wuz considered generous,
and we met it in the same noble sperit — in a
more nobler sperit than the confidin and ignorant
man desired, in fact; for when we got through, in
about 38 minits, there wuzn't a drop uv the whiskey
left, and while the new grocery keeper wuz a rollin
uv us out, he wuz cussin hisself for a fool. He
didn't open agin; he consoomed his stock in trade
in givin the blow-out to sekoor customers. His
stock, like A. Johnson's Unionism, didn't survive an
inaugerashen.

I succumbed in a fence corner, and overpowered
ez I wuz, slept


“A sweetly dreamin —
Dreamin the happy hours away.”
Methought I wuz in Philadelphia, and the 14th uv
August had arriv. There wuz a glorious assemblage,
ez Doolittle sed, uv the brains and hearts uv
the country, and I may add, ez I and Humphrey
Marshall wuz there, uv the bowels likewise. The
Convenshun wuz assemblin. There wuz Seward
present, engineerin uv it. On one side uv him I

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notist, in my dream, a shadowy bein with wings,
draped in white, and wearin a melonkoly look, with
one hand a layin on his shoulder, a tryin to take him
out uv the hall, while another bein, with wings like
a bat, hed him by the nose, and wuz a twistin uv
him jest ez he desired. I notist that this last mentioned
bein hed hoofs, wich wuz split, and a tail
wich he wuz flirtin in great glee. The bein with
the tail and hoofs whispered suthin in Seward's ear,
whereupon he moved that that eminent patriot, Ex-President
Franklin Pierce, be chairman; upon
wich the shadowy bein in white unfolded her wings,
and flew away, castin at William the most sorrowful
look I ever saw, the hoofed and tailed individooal
laughin tremendous. The Ex-President took the
chair, and one Vice-President wuz appointed from
each State, ceptin Vermont and Massachoosits. My
buzzum swelled with emoshen ez that list wuz read;
it wuz more like an old-fashioned Democratic Convenshun
than anything I hed heard for five long
years. I heard the honored names uv Toombs and
Rhett, Pryor and Lee, Slidell and Rosso, and Dandridge
and Forrest; I heard the names uv Craven
and Pollard, Thompson and Forsyth, and I felt like
him uv old — “Mine eyes hev seen thy glory, now let
thy servant depart in peace.” Nothin but the

-- 180 --

[figure description] Page 180.[end figure description]

certainty that I wood at last hev that Post Offis at the
Corners kept me from goin up. Singler 'tis wat
slender ties hold us to earth!

The Secretaries wuz apinted, and then the committees—
two on each from the South and one from
the North, wich wuz consiliatin. I wuz put on the
committee on credenshals, Randall, the Postmaster-General,
bein the Northern representative. We
hed our hands full. There wuz a rush made on us,
so many claimin seats that we locked the doors for
two hours to decide what shood be the proper qualification
for a place. Finally we agreed to admit ez
delegates, —

From the North — all Dimocrats who had
bin arrested by Linkin's minyuns; all officers who
hed resined rather than to serve in a Ablishun war,
and all Republikins who cood show a commishun
ez Postmaster and sich, and (this wuz considered
necessary to guard agin imposition) who wuz willin
to take his solemn oath that he wuz a steadfast
bleever in everything A. Johnson hed did sence
Janooary, '66 (ceptin sum small items wich wuz
specified), and all he wuz doin, and all he mite do.

From the South — all who cood show a officer's
commission in the late Confedrit army; all who
had receeved a pardon from A. Johnson, and all

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who hed lost their niggers in an unholy war, wich
inclooded all present.

This decided upon, the work wuz done. The
delegates took their seats, and the grate work uv
Reconstructin the Yoonyun commenced. Garret
Davis wanted to make a speech, and a hall wuz
hired for him in another part uv the city, and fifty
or sixty German emigrants, who coodent understand
a word uv English, hired at a shillin an hour to act
ez audience. Five kegs uv lager beer, a flooid wich
I hev bin told Germans tie to, hed bin rolled in the
hall, and most uv em stayed seven hours and a
half.

In the regler Hall there wuz a comminglin which
wuz edifyin. Doolittle wood make a motion, and
Vallandigham wood second it. Forrest made a
speech, and Randall indorsed it. Seward and John
Morrissey were on the Committee on Resolutions,
and Dick Taylor and Cowan were occupyin one
seat. The resolutions were brief and to the pint.
They resolved that, —

Whereas, there hed bin a season uv unpleasantness
in our national history, wich, owin to circumstances
over wich nobody hed any control, extended
over several periods uv ninety days each; and

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[figure description] Page 182.[end figure description]

Whereas, the unpleasantness resulted from the
two sections viewin things each from its own stand-pint,
instead of viewin things from the other's stand-pint;
and

Whereas, both parties wuz highly in the wrong,
partikelerly the North; and

Whereas, the South, with a magnanimity unknown
in history, hed thrown down her arms, and wuz
ready to resoom her old position in the Government—
nay, more, to take more than her old share in the
trouble uv runnin the Government; therefore be it

Resolved, That we are for the Yoonyun ez it
wuz.

Resolved, That the persistency uv a sectional
Congress, in continuin the unpleasantness wich hez
to some extent disturbed our system uv Government,
in legistatin while eleven sovereign States is unrepresented,
is pizen.

Resolved, That we view with alarm the manifest
determination uv Congress to centralize in theirselves
the law-makin power uv the Government,
and we pledge our support to our worthy Chief
Magistrate, who is a second Jaxon, in his efforts to
check their centralizin schemes by vetoin all they
may do.

Resolved, That all traces uv the late

-- 183 --

[figure description] Page 183.[end figure description]

onpleasantness may be wiped out ez soon ez possible, we
demand uv Congress an appropriation for plowin
over all the fields on wich the citizens uv the two
sections who wuz indoost by their respective Governments,
so-called, to carry muskets, cum together,
particklerly them on wich our Southern
brethren got the worst uv the disputes that ensood.

Resolved, That Congress shood, ez soon ez it convenes,
change the names uv Murfreesboro', Gettysburg,
Atlanta, Vicksburg, et settry, to sich names ez
Smithboro', Brownsburg, Jonesburg, et settry, that
the serious unpleasantnesses wich occurred at them
places may be remembered no more forever.

Resolved, That the citizens uv the Southern States
wich lost their lives, and legs, and sich, in the late
unpleasantnesses wich hez bin referred to, ought to
be placed on the pension rolls the same ez the
Northern citizens who suffered likewise; and that
the debt incurred by the South in upholdin things
ez viewed from its stand-pint, is entitled to be paid
the same ez the debt incurred by the North in upholdin
things ez viewed from its stand-pint.

Resolved, That we are willin, for the sake uv
harmony, to admit that Sherman and Grant were,
all things considered, worthy uv bein ranked with
Lee and Jackson.

-- 184 --

[figure description] Page 184.[end figure description]

Resolved, That the safety uv the Government
demands that sich ez took part in the late unpleasantnis,
from the Southern States, be to-wunst admitted
to Congress, and to the other posishens wich
they yoost to ornament, and that the more unpleasant
they wuz doorin the trouble the more they
ought to be admitted.

Resolved, That there shall be gushen confidences,
we freely forgive the honored Secretary uv State for
the too free use uv his little bell doorin the late unpleasantnis,
believin that he viewed things from his
own stand-pint instead uv somebody else's, wich
alluz causes trouble.

At this pint His Eggslency, Andrew Johnson,
supported by Secretary Wells on the wun side and
Vice-President Stephens on one other, with Bukanan
in front and Toombs behind, entered the hall. Sich
a cheering I never heerd. Hats wuz slung into the
air, and seats wuz torn up. Proudly they advanced
up the aisle, treading, ez they went, onto a portrait
uv Linkin wich a enthusiastic Connecticut delegate
tore from the wall and throwd before em. They
took their position on the stage, Gen. Buell holdin
over em a Fedral flag, and Genral Henry A. Wise,

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-- 185 --

[figure description] Page 185.[end figure description]

uv Virginny, a Confedrit flag, both wavin em to the
music uv two bands; one a playin Dixie, and the
other Yankee Doodle.

At this pint methought the sperit uv Washinton
floated into the hall, and for a minnit contemplated
the countenance uv President Johnson. In my
dreem I heerd him murmur, “There wuz me, and
Adams, and Gefferson, and Monroe, and sich, and
then cum Fillmore, and Peerce, and Bookannon,
and, good God! Johnson! Faugh!” and I notist that
George spit ez tho' suthin in his mouth didn't taste
well. In fact, the Father uv his country looked
sick, and spreadin his wings, the sperit moved out
uv the hall, shakin the sperit dust off uv his speritool
boots ez he shot thro' the sky-lite.

There wuz then a blank in my dream. When I
resoomed, I was at the Post-offis Department the
next mornin. The gullotin hed commenced work,
and the supporters uv the constitushun were reseevin
their commissions ez postmasters ez fast ez four
hundred clerks cood make em out. Ez I pressed
forward, Randall hisself give me mine. “Take it,
my venerable friend,” sez he, with tears a gushin
down his cheeks; “take it. No more shall that
Demokrat in your township who takes a paper

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[figure description] Page 186.[end figure description]

reseeve it contaminated by the touch uv a Ablishin
radical.”

At this critical pint I awoke. Wood that that
dream wuz a reality! Will I only git that postoffis
in a dream.

Petroleum V. Nasby,
Lait Paster uv the Church uv the Noo Dispensashun.

-- 187 --

p636-204 XXVIII. The Reward of Virtue. — After Months of waiting, the Virtuous Patriot secures his Loaf. — The Jollification. Confedrit × Roads }
(wich is in the Stait uv Kentucky),

August 12, 1866.

[figure description] Page 187.[end figure description]

AT last I hev it! Finally it come! After five
weary trips to Washington, after much weary
waitin and much travail, I hev got it. I am now
Post Master at Confedrit × Roads, and am dooly
installed in my new position. Ef I ever hed any
doubts ez to A. Johnson bein a better man than
Paul the Apossle, a look at my commission removes
it. If I ketch myself a feelin that he deserted us
onnecessarily five years ago, another look, and my
resentment softens into pity. Ef I doubt his Democrisy,
I look at that blessed commission, and am
reassured, for a President who cood turn out a
wounded Federal soldier, and apoint sich a man ez
ME, must be above suspicion.

I felt it wuz coming two weeks ago. I received a

-- 188 --

[figure description] Page 188.[end figure description]

cirkler from Randall, now my sooperior in offis,
propoundin these questions: —

1. Do yoo hev the most implicit faith in Androo
Johnson, in all that he hez done, all that he is doin,
and all he may hereafter do?

2. Do you bleeve that the Philadelphia Convenshun
will be a convocashen uv saints, all actuated
by pure motives, and devoted to the salvation uv
our wunst happy, but now distractid country?

3. Do yoo bleeve that, next to A. Johnson, Seward,
Doolittle, Cowan, and Randall are the four
greatest, and purest, and bestest, and self-sacrificinest,
and honestest, and righteousist men that this
country hez ever prodoost?

4. Doo yoo bleeve that there is a partikelerly hot
place reserved in the next world for Trumbull, a
hotter for Wade, and the hottest for Sumner and
Thad Stevens?

5. Do yoo approve uv the canin uv Grinnell by
Rosso?

6. Do yoo consider the keepin out uv Congris
eleven sovrin states a unconstooshnel and unwarrantid
assumption uv power by a secshnal Congris?

7. Do yoo bleeve the present Congris a rump, and
that (eleven states bein unrepresented) all their acts

-- 189 --

[figure description] Page 189.[end figure description]

are unconstooshnel and illegal, ceptin them wich
provides for payin salaries?

8. Do yoo bleeve that the Memphis and Noo
Orleans unpleasantnesses wuz brot about by the
unholy machinashens uv them Radical agitators,
actin in conjunction with ignorant and besotted niggers,
to wreak their spite on the now loyal citizens
uv those properly reconstructed cities.

9. Are yoo not satisfied that the African citizens
uv Amerikin descent kin be safely trusted to the
operations uv the universal law wich governs labor
and capital?

10. Are yoo willin to contribute a reasonable per
cent. uv yoor salary to a fund to be used for the
defeat uv objectionable Congrismen in the disloyal
states North?

To all uv these inquiries I not only answered yes,
but went afore a Justis uv the Peace and took an
affidavit to em, forwarded it back, and my commission
wuz forthwith sent to me.

There wuz a jubilee the nite it arriv. The news
spread rapidly through the four groceries uv the
town, and sich anuther spontaneous outbust uv joy
I never witnessed.

The bells rung, and for an hour or two the

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[figure description] Page 190.[end figure description]

Corners wuz in the wildest stait uv eggsitement.
The citizens congratoolated each other on the certainty
uv the acceshun uv the President to the
Dimocrisy, and in their enthoosiasm five nigger
families were cleaned out, two uv em, one a male
and the tother a female, wuz killed. Then a perceshun
wuz organized as follers: —

Two grocery keepers with bottles.

Deekin Pogram.

Me, with my commishun pinned onto a banner,
and under it written, “In this Sign we Conker.”

Wagon with tabloo onto it: A nigger on the
bottom boards, Bascom, the grocery keeper, with
one foot onto him, holdin a banner inscribed, “The
Nigger where he oughter be.”

Citizen with bottle.

Deekin Pogram's daughter Mirandy in a attitood
uv wallopin a wench. Banner: “We've Regained
our Rites.”

Two citizens with bottles tryin to keep in perceshun.

Two more citizens, wich hed emptyd their bottles,
fallin out by the way side.

Citizens, two and two, with bottles.

Wagon, loaded with the books and furnitur uv a
nigger skool, in a stait uv wreck, with a ded nigger

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[figure description] Illustration page.[end figure description]

-- --

[figure description] Blank Page.[end figure description]

-- 191 --

[figure description] Page 191.[end figure description]

laym on top uv it, wich hed bin captoored within
the hour. Banner: “My Policy.”

The perceshun mooved to the meetin hous, and
Deekin Pogram takin the Chair, a meetin wuz to
wunst organized.

The Deekin remarked that this wuz the proudest
moment uv his life. He wuz gratified at the appintment
uv his esteemed friend, becoz he appreciated
the noble qualities wich wuz so conspikuous
into him, and becoz his arduous services in the coz
uv Dimokrisy entitled him to the posishun. All
these wuz aside uv and entirely disconnected from
the fact that thare wood now be a probability uv his
gittin back a little matter uv nine dollars and sixty-two
cents (“Hear! hear!”) wich he hed loaned
him about eighteen months ago, afore he had
knowed him well, or larned to luv him. But thare
wuz anuther reason why he met to rejoyce to-nite.
It showed that A. Johnson meant bizness; that A.
Johnson wuz troo to the Dimokrasy, and that he
hed fully made up his mind to hurl the bolts uv
offishl thunder wich he held in his Presidenshal
hands at his enemies, and to make fight in earnest;
that he wuz goin to reward his friends — them ez
he cood trust. Our venerable friend's bein put in
condishun to pay the confidin residents uv the

-- 192 --

[figure description] Page 192.[end figure description]

Corners the little sums he owes them is a good thing
(“Hear!” “Hear!” “Troo!” “Troo!” with
singular unanimity from every man in the bildin),
but wat wuz sich considerashuns when compared to
the grate moral effect uv the decisive movement?
(“A d—d site!” shouted one grocery keeper, and
“We don't want no moral effect!” cried another.)
My friends, when the news uv this bold step uv the
President goes forth to the South, the price uv Confedrit
skript will go up, and the shootin uv niggers
will cease; for the redempshun uv the first I consider
ashoored, and the redoosin uv the latter to
their normal condishun I count ez good ez done.

Squire Gavitt remarked that he wuz too much
overpowered with emoshun to speak. For four
years, nearly five, the only newspaper wich come
to that offis hed passed thro' the polluted hands uv
a Ablishnist. He hed no partikler objecshun to the
misguided man, but he wuz a symbol uv tyranny,
and so long ez he sot there, he reminded em that
they were wearin chains. Thank the Lord, that
day is over! The Corners is redeemed, the second
Jaxson hez risin, and struck off the shackles. He
wood not allood to the trifle uv twelve dollars and
a half that he loaned the appintee some months
ago, knowin that it wood be paid out uv the first
money —

-- 193 --

[figure description] Page 193.[end figure description]

Bascom, the principal grocery keeper, rose, and
called the Squire to order. He wanted to know ef
it wuz fair play to talk sich talk. No man cood feel
a more hart-felt satisfaction at the appintment uv
our honored friend than him, showin, ez it did, that
the President hed cut loose from Ablishnism, wich
he dispised, but he protestid agin the Squire undertakin
to git in his bill afore the rest hed a chance.
Who furnisht him his licker for eight months, and
who hez the best rite for the first dig at the proceeds
uv the position? He wood never —

The other three grocery keepers rose, when Deekin
Pogram rooled em all out uv order, and offered
the followin resolutions: —

Whereas, the President hez, in a strikly constooshnel
manner, relieved this commoonity uv an
offensive Ablishunist, appinted by that abhorred
tyrant Linkin, and appinted in his place a sound
constooshnel Demokrat — one whom to know is to
lend; therefore, be it

Resolved, That we greet the President, and
ashoor him uv our continyood support and confidence.

Resolved, That we now consider the work uv
Reconstruction, so far ez this community is

-- 194 --

[figure description] Page 194.[end figure description]

concerned, completed, and that we feel that we are
wunst more restored to our proper relations with
the federal government.

Resolved, That the glorious defence made by the
loyal Democracy uv Noo Orleans agin the combined
conventioners and niggers, shows that freemen
kin not be conkered, and that white men shel rule
America.

Resolved, That, on this happy occasion, we forgive
the Government for what we did, and cherish
nary resentment agin anybody.

The resolutions wuz adopted, and the meetin
adjourned with three cheers for Johnson and his
policy.

Then came a scene. Every last one uv em hed
come there with a note made out for the amount I
owed him at three months. Kindness of heart is a
weakness of mine, and I signed em all, feelin that
ef the mere fact of writin my name wood do em any
good, it wood be crooel in me to object to the little
laber required. Bless their innocent soles! they
went away happy.

The next mornin I took possesshun uv the offis.

“Am I awake, or am I dreamin?” thought I.
No, no! it is no dream. Here is the stamps, here

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[figure description] Page 195.[end figure description]

is the blanks, and here is the commisshun! It is
troo! it is troo!

I heerd a child, across the way, singin, —



“I'd like to be a angel,
And with the angels stand.”

I woodn't, thought I. I woodn't trade places
with an angel, even up. A Offis with but little to
do, with four grocerys within a stone's throw, is ez
much happiness ez my bilers will stand without
bustin. A angel 4sooth!

Petroleum V. Nasby, P. M.
(wich is Postmaster.)

-- 196 --

p636-215 XXIX. The Convocation of Hungry Souls at Philadelphia. — A Description of that Memorable Occasion by One who had been Provided for. Post Offis, Confedrit × Roads }
(wich is in the Stait uv Kentucky),

August 14, 1866.

[figure description] Page 196.[end figure description]

PEACE is into me. I hev spent many happy
periods in the course uv a eventful life; but I
never knowd what perfeck satisfaction wuz till now.
The first week I wuz married to my Looizer Jane it
wuz hevenly; for, independent uv the other blisses
incident to the married state, I beleeved that she
wuz the undivided possessor uv a farm, or ruther her
father wuz, wich, on the old man's decease, wood be
hern, and the prospeck uv a lifetime with a amiable,
well-built woman, with a farm big enough to support
me, with prudence on her part, wuz bliss itself;
and I enjoyed it with a degree uv muchness rarely
ekaled, until I found out that it wuz kivered more
deeply with mortgages than it wuz ever likely to be

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[figure description] Page 197.[end figure description]

with crops, and my dreem uv happiness busted.
Sweet ez wuz this week, it wuz misery condensed
when compared to the season I hev jest passed
through.

I wuz a delegate to Philadelphia. I wuzn't elected
nor nothin, and hedn't any credentials; but the
door uv the wigwam I passed, nevertheless. The
door-keeper wuz a Dimokrat, and my breath helped
me; my nose, wich reely blossoms like the lobster,
wuz uv yoose; but I spect my hevin a gray coat on,
with a stand up collar, with a brass star onto it, wuz
wat finished the biznis. The Southern delegates
fought shy uv me; but the Northern ones, bless their
souls! the minit they saw the star on the collar uv
my gray coat, couldn't do enuff for me. They addressed
me ez Kernel and Gineral, and sed “this
wuz trooly an unmeritid honor,” and paid for my
drinks; and I succeeded in borrowin a hundred and
twenty dollars of em the first day. I mite hev doubled
it; but the fellows wuz took in so easy that no
financeerin wuz required, and it really wuz no
amoozment.

The Convenshun itself wuz the most affectinist
gatherin I ever witnist. I hed a seat beside Randall,
who wuz a managin the concern, and I cood
see it all. The crowd rushed into the bildin, and

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[figure description] Page 198.[end figure description]

filled it, when Randall desired attention. He bein
the Postmaster General, every one of em dropped
into his seat ez though he hed bin shot, and there
wuz the most perfeck quiet I ever saw. Doolittle,
who wuz the Cheerman, winked at Randall, and
nodded his head, when Randall announced that the
delegates from South Karliny, and the delegates
from Massachoosits, wood enter arm
in arm
! With a slow and measured step they cum
in; and, at a signal from Randall, the cheerin commenst—
and sich cheerin! Then Doolittle pulled
out his white hankercher, and applied it to his
eyes; and every delegate simultaneously pulled out
a white hankercher, and applied it to his eyes.

To me, this wuz the proudest moment uv my life;
not that there wuz anything partikilerly inspiritin in
the scene afore me, for there wuzzent. Orr, from
South Caroliny, looked partikilerly ashamed of hisself,
ez though he wuz going thro a highly nessary,
but extremely disgustin, ceremony, and wuz determined
to keep up a stiff upper lip over it; and
Couch looked up to Orr, ez though he wuz afeerd
uv him, and ez though he felt flattered by Orr's condecension
in walkin at all with sich a umble individjooal.
But, to my eyes, the scene wuz significant.
I looked into the fucher, and wat did I see,

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[figure description] Page 199.[end figure description]

ez them two men — one sneekin, and tother ashamed
uv hisself — walked up that aisle? Wat did I see?
I saw the Democrisy restored to its normal condishun.
I saw the reunion uv the two wings. In
fact, I saw the entire Dimokratic bird reunited.
The North, one wing, and the weakest; Kentucky,
the beak, sharp, hungry, and rapacious; South-west,
the strong, active wing; Virginny, the legs and
claws; Ohio, the heart; Pennsylvania, the stomach;
South Caroliny, the tail feathers; and Noo Jersey,
the balance of the bird, — I saw these parts, for five
years dissevered, come together, holdin nigger in
one claw, and Post Offises in the other, sayin,
“Take em both together; they go in lots.” I saw
the old Union — the bold, shivelrous Southner a
guidin, controllin, and directin the machine, and
assoomin to hisself the places uv honor, and the
Dimokrat uv the North follerin, like a puppy dog,
at his heels, takin sich fat things ez he cood snap
up; the Southerner ashamed uv his associations,
but forced to yoose em; the Northerner uncomfortable
in his presence, but tied to him by self-interest.
I saw a comin back the good old times when thirty-four
States met in convenshun, and let eleven rule
em; and ez I contemplated the scene, I too wept,
but it wuz in dead earnest.

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“Wat are you blubberin for?” asked a enthusiastic
delegate in front uv me, who wuz a swabbin his
eyes with a handkercher.

“I'm a Postmaster,” sez I, “and must do my
dooty in this crisis. Wat are you sheddin pearls
for?” retorted I. “Are you a Postmaster?”

“No,” sez he; “but I hope to be;” and he
swabbed away with renood vigger.

“Wat's the matter with the eyes uv all the delegates?”
sez I.

“They've all got Post Offisis in em,” sez he; and
he worked away faster than ever.

While gettin a fresh handkercher (wich I borrered
from the hind coat pocket uv a delegate near me,
and wich, by the way, in my delirious joy, I forgot
to say anythin to him about it), I looked over the
Convenshun, and agin the teers welled up from my
heart. My sole wuz full and overflowin, and I
slopped over at the eyes. There, before me, sat
that hero, Dick Taylor, and Cuth Bullitt; and there
wuz the Nelsons and Yeadons, and the representatives
uv the first families uv the South, and in Philadelphia,
at a Convention,
with all the leadin
Demokrats uv the North, ceptin Vallandigham and
Wood, and they wuz skulkin around within call,
with their watchful eyes on the perceedins. Here

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[figure description] Page 201.[end figure description]

is a prospeck! Here is fatnis! The President into
our confidence! The Postmaster General a runnin
the Convention! The bands a playin Dixie and the
Star Spangled Banner alternitly, so that nobody
cood complain uv partiality, or tell reely wich side
the Convention wuz on, or wich side it had been on
in the past! Ah! my too susceptible sole filled up
agin; the teers started; but that vent wuznt enuff,
and I fell faintin onto the floor. Twenty or thirty
Northern delegates seed me fallin, and ketchin site
uv the gray coat, with the brass star onto it, rushed
to ketch me; and they bore me out uv the wigwam.
Sed one, “Wat a techin scene! overpowered by his
feelins.” “Yes,” sed another: “he deserves a
apintment.”

I didn't go back to the Convenshun, coz I knowd
it wan't no yoose; and besides, after all the teers
that had been shed, — the members wringin their
handkerchers onto the floor, — it wuz sloppy under
foot. Conciliation and tenderness gushed out uv em.
I knowd it would be all right; it couldn't be otherwise.
There wuz bonds wich held the members
together, and prevented the possibility uv trouble.
Johnson, hevin a ambition to head a party, must
hev a party to head. The Northern delegashun —
wich hed formerly actid with the Ablishnists —

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couldn't do nothin without the Democracy North;
and both on em combined couldn't do nothin without
the Democracy South, The President cood
depend on the Democracy North, coz he holds the
offices; the Democracy North cood depend on the
President, coz he must hev their votes. The President
cood depend on the Democracy South, coz
they want him to make a fight agin a Ablishen
Congris, wich is a unconstooshnelly keepin uv em
out, and preventin em from wollopin their niggers;
the Democracy South cood depend on the President,
coz he must hev their Representatives in their
seats to beat the Ablishnists in Congris, — all cood
depend on all, each cood depend on the other, coz
each faction, or ruther each stripe, hed its little
private axe to grind, wich it coodent do without the
others to turn the grind-stone.

The Southern delegates, some on em, wuznt so
well pleased. “What in thunder,” sed one uv em,
“did they mean by pilin on the agony over the
the Yanks we killed? by pledgin us to give up the
ijee uv seceshen, and by pledgin on us to pay the
Nashnel Yankee debt?”

“'Sh!” sed I; “easy over the rough places.
My friend, they didn't mean it; or, ef they did, we
didn't. Is a oath so hard to break? Wood it

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trouble that eminent patriot Breckenridge, after all
the times he swore to support the Constitution, to
sware to it wunst more? and wood it trouble him to
break it any more than it did in '61? Nay, verily.
Dismiss them gloomy thots. Vallandigham wuz
kicked out; but a thousand mules, and all uv em
old and experienced, cooden't kick him out uv our
service. Doolittle talked Northern talk, coz it's a
habit he got into doorin the war; but he'll git over
it. Raymond will be on our side this year, certain,
for last year he was agin us; and by the time he
is ready to turn agin, he'll be worn to so small a
pint that he won't be worth hevin; and the Democrisy
uv the North wuz alluz ourn, and ef they wuzzent,
the offices Johnson hez in reserve will draw
em like lode stun.

“My deer sir, I wunst knowd a Irishman, who
wuz sense killed in a Fenian raid, employed as a artist
in well diggin. It wuz his lot to go to the bottom
uv the excavation and load the buckets with earth.
The dinner horn sounded, and he, with the alacrity
characteristic uv the race, sprang into the bucket,
and told em to hist away; and they histed. But ez
they histed, they amoozed themselves a droppin
earth onto him. `Shtop!' sed he; but they didn't.
`Shtop!' sed he, `or, be gorra! I'll cut the rope.'

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My dear sir, Randall, and Doolittle, and Seward,
and Johnson are a histin us out uv the pit we fell
into in 1860. Their little talk about debts, and
slavery, and sich, is the earth they're droppin onto
us for fun; but shel we, like ijeots, cut the rope?
Nary! Let em hist; and when we're safe out, and
on solid ground, we kin, ef we desire, turn and
chuck em into the hole.”

All went off satisfied: the Northern men, for
they carried home with em their commishuns; I,
feelin that my Post office wuz sekoor; for ef, with
the show we've got, we can't reëlect Johnson, the
glory uv the Democracy hez departed indeed.

Petroleum V. Nasby, P. M.
(wich is Postmaster.)

-- 205 --

p636-224 XXX. The Great Presidential Excursion to the Tomb of Douglas. — An Account of the Ride of the Modern John Gilpin, who went a Pleasuring and came Home with nothing but the Necks of His Bottles: by His Chaplain. — From Washington to Detroit. At the Biddle House }
(wich is in Detroit, Michigan),

September the 4th, 1866.

[figure description] Page 205.[end figure description]

STEP by step I am assendin the ladder uv fame;
step by step I am climbin to a proud eminence.
Three weeks ago I wuz summoned to Washinton
by that eminently grate and good man, Androo
Johnson, to attend a consultation ez to the proposed
Western tour, wich wuz to be undertaken for the
purpose uv arousin the masses uv the West to a
sence uv the danger wich wuz threatnin uv em in
case they persisted in centralizin the power uv the
Government into the hands uv a Congress, instid uv
diffusin it throughout the hands uv one man, wich
is Johnson. I got there too late to take part in the

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first uv the discussion. When I arrove they hed
everything settled cepting the appintment uv a
Chaplain for the excursion. The President insisted
upon my fillin that position, but Seward objected.
He wanted Beecher, but Johnson wuz inflexibly
agin him. “I am determined,” sez he, “to carry
out my policy, but I hev some bowels left. Beecher
hez done enuff already, considerin the pay he got.
No, no! he shel be spared this trip; indeed he
shel.”

“Very good,” said Seward; “but at least find
some clergyman who endorses us without hevin
P. M. to his honored name. It wood look better.”

“I know it wood,” replied Johnson; “but where
kin we find sich a one? I hev swung around the
entire circle, and heven't ez yet seen him. Nasby it
must be.”

There wuz then a lively discussion ez to the propriety,
before the procession started, of removin all
the Federal offis-holders on the proposed route, and
appintin men who beleeved in us (Johnson, Beecher,
and Me), that we might be shoor uv a sootable
recepshun at each pint at wich we wuz to stop.
The Annointed wuz in favor uv it. Sez he, “Them
ez won't support my polisy shan't eat my bread and
butter.” Randall and Doolittle chimed in, for it's

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got to be a part of their religion to assent to whatever
the President sez, but I mildly protested. I
owe a duty to the party, and I am determined to
do it.

“Most High,” sez I, “a settin hen wich is lazy
makes no fuss; cut its head off, and it flops about,
for a while, lively. Lincoln's office-holders are
settin hens. They don't like yoo nor yoor policy,
but while they are on their nests, they will keep
moderitly quiet. Cut off their heads, and they will
spurt their blood in your face. Ez to bein enshoord
of a reception at each point, you need fear nothin.
Calkerlatin moderately, there are at least twenty-five
or thirty patriots who feel a call for every offis
in your disposal. So long, Yoor Highnis, ez them
offisis is held just where they kin see em, and they
don't know wich is to git em, yoo may depend upon
the entire enthoosiasm uv each, individyooally and
collectively. In short, ef there's 4 offises in a town,
and yoo make the appointments, yoo hev sekoored
4 supporters; till yoo make the appointments yoo
hev the hundred who expect to get em.”

The President agreed with me that until after the
trip the gullotine shood stop.

Secretary Seward sejested that a clean shirt wood
improve my personal appearance, and akkordingly

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[figure description] Page 208.[end figure description]

a cirkular wuz sent to the clerks in the Departments,
assessin em for that purpose. Sich uv em ez
refoosed to contribute their quota wuz instantly dismissed
for disloyalty.

At last we started, and I must say we wuz got up
in a highly conciliatory style. Every wun of the
civilians uv the party wore buzzum pins, et settry,
wich wuz presented to em by the Southern delegates
to the Philadelphia Convention, wich wuz
made uv the bones uv Federal soldiers wich hed
fallen at various battles. Sum uv em were partiklerly
valuable ez anteeks, hevin bin made from the
bones uv the fust soldiers who fell at Bull Run.

The Noo York recepshun wuz a gay affair. I
never saw His Imperial Highness in better spirits,
and he delivered his speech to better advantage than
I ever heard him do it before, and I bleeve I've
heard it a hundred times. We left Noo York sadly.
Even now, ez I write, the remembrance uv that
perceshun, the recollection uv that banquet, lingers
around me, and the taste uv them wines is still in
my mouth. But we hed to go. We hed a mishn
to perform, and we put ourselves on a steamboat
and started.

Albany. — There wuz a immense crowd, but the
Czar uv all the Amerikas didn't get orf his speech

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[figure description] Page 209.[end figure description]

here. The Governor welcomed him, but he welcomed
him ez the Cheef Magistrate uv the nashen,
and happened to drop in Lincoln's name. That
struck a chill over the party, and the President got
out uv it ez soon ez possible. Bein reseeved ez
Chief Magistrate, and not ez the great Pacificator,
ain't His Eggslency's best holt. It wuz unkind uv
Governor Fenton to do it. If he takes the papers,
he must know that His Mightiness ain't got but one
speech, and he ought to hev made sich a reception
ez wood hev enabled him to hev got it off. We
shook the dust off uv our feet, and left Albany in
disgust.

Skenactady. — The people uv this delightfull
little village wuz awake when the Imperial train arrived.
The changes hadn't bin made in the offices
here, and consekently there wuz a splendid recepshun.
I didn't suppose there wuz so many patriots
along the Mohawk. I wuz pinted out by sum one
ez the President's private adviser — a sort uv private
Secretary uv State; and after the train started, I
found jest 211 petitions for the Post Offis in Skenaktedy
in my side coat pocket, wich the patriots who
hed hurrahed so vocifferously hed dexterously deposited
there. The incident wuz a movin one.
“Thank God!” thought I. “So long ez we hev

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[figure description] Page 210.[end figure description]

the post offiees to give, we kin alluz hev a party.
The Sultan swung around the cirkle wunst here,
and leaving the Constooshun in their hands, the
train moved off.

Utica. — The President spoke here with greater
warmth, and jerked more originality than I hed
before observed. He introdoost here the remark
that he didn't come to make a speech; that he wuz
goin to shed a tear over the tomb uv Douglas; that,
in swingin around the circle, he hed fought traitors
on all sides uv it, but that he felt safe. He shood
leave the Constooshn in their hands, and ef a martyr
wuz wanted, he wuz ready to die with neetness and
dispatch.

Rome. — Here we hed a splendid recepshun, and
I never heard His Majesty speek more felicitously.
He menshuned to the audience that he hed swung
around the Southern side uv the cirkle, and wuz
now swingin around the Northern side uv it, and
that he wuz fightin traitors on all sides. He left the
Constitooshun in their hands, and bid em good bye.
I received at this pint only 130 petitions for the post
office, wich I took ez a bad omen for the comin
election.

Lockport. — The President is improvin wonderfully.
He rises with the occasion. At this pint he

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[figure description] Page 211.[end figure description]

mentioned that he wuz sot on savin the country
wich hed honored him. Ez for himself, his ambishn
wuz more than satisfied. He hed bin Alderman,
Member uv the Legislacher, Congressman, Senator,
Military Governor, Vice-President, and President.
He hed swung around the entire circle uv offises,
and all he wanted now wuz to heal the wounds uv
the nashen. He felt safe in leavin the Constooshn
in their hands. Ez he swung around the cirkle —

At this pint I interrupted him. I told him that
he hed swung around the cirkle wunst in this town,
and ez yooseful ez the phrase wuz, it might spile by
too much yoose.

At Cleveland we begun to get into hot water.
Here is the post to which the devil uv Ablishnism
is chained, and his chain is long enough to let him
rage over neerly the whole State. I am pained to
state that the President wuzn't treated here with the
respeck due his station. He commenst deliverin his
speech, but wuz made the subjeck uv ribald laffture.
Skasely hed he got to the pint uv swingin around
the cirkle, when a foul-mouthed nigger-lover yelled
“Veto!” and another vocifferated “Noo Orleens!”
and another remarked “Memphis!” and one after
another interruption occurred until His Highness
wuz completely turned off the track, and got wild.

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[figure description] Page 212.[end figure description]

He forgot his speech, and struck out crazy, but the
starch wuz out uv him, and he wuz worsted. Grant,
wich we hed taken along to draw the crowds,
played dirt on us here, and stepped onto a boat for
Detroit, leavin us only Farragut ez a attraction, who
tried twice to git away ditto, but wuz timely prevented.
The President recovered his ekanimity,
and swung around the cirkle wunst, and leavin the
Constooshn in their hands, retired.

At the next pint we wuz astounded at seein but
one man at the station. He wuz dressed with a
sash over his shoulder, and wuz wavin a flag with
wun hand, firin a saloot with a revolver with the
other, and playin “Hail to the Chief!” on a mouth
organ, all to wunst.

“Who are you, my gentle friend?” sez I.

“I'm the newly-appinted Postmaster, sir,” sez he.
“I'm a perceshun a waitin here to do honor to our
Cheef Magistrate, all alone, sir. There wuz twenty
Johnsonians in this hamlet, sir; but when the commishn
came for me, the other nineteen wuz soured,
and sed they didn't care a d—n for him nor his
policy, sir. Where is the President?”

Androo wuz a goin to swing around the cirkle for
this one man, and leave the Constooshn in his hands,
but Seward checked him.

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[figure description] Page 213.[end figure description]

At Fremont we hed a handsome recepshun, for
the offises hevn't bin changed there, but Toledo
didn't do so well. The crowd didn't cheer Androo
much, but when Farragut was trotted out they gave
him a rouser, wich wuz anything but pleasin to the
Cheef Magistrate uv this nashen, who bleeves in
bein respected.

Finally we reeched Detroit. This bein a Democratic
city, the President wuz hisself agin. His
speech here wuz wun uv rare merit. He gathered
together in one quiver all the sparklin arrows he
had used from Washington to this point, and shot
em one by one. He swung around the cirkle; he
didn't come to make a speech; he hed bin Alderman
uv his native town; he mite hev been Dicktater,
but woodent; and ended with a poetickal cotashun
wich I coodent ketch, but wich, ez neer ez I
cood understand, wuz, —



“Kum wun, kum all; this rock shel fly
From its firm base — in a pig's eye.”

Here we repose for the nite. To-morrow we
start onward, and shel continue swingin around the
cirkle till we reach Chicago.

Petroleum V. Nasby, P. M.
(wich is Postmaster),
and likewise Chaplin to the expedishn.

-- 214 --

p636-233 XXXI. The Presidential Tour Continued. — From Detroit to Indianapolis. Post Offis, Confedrit × Roads }
(wich is in the Stait uv Kentucky),

September 11, 1866.

[figure description] Page 214.[end figure description]

I AM at home, and glad am I that I am at home.
Here in Kentucky, surrounded by Dimicrats, immersed
a part of the time in my offishel dooties, and
the balance uv the time in whiskey, with the privilege
uv wallopin niggers, and the more inestimable
and soothing privilege uv assistin in mobbin uv
Northern Ablishnists, who are not yet all out uv
the State, time passes pleasantly, and leaves no vain
regrets. I alluz go to bed nites, feeling that the day
hez not bin wasted.

From Detroit the Presidential cavalcade, or ez
the infamous Jacobin Radical party irrevelently
term it, the menajery, proceeded to Chicago. The
recepshuns his Imperial Highniss received through
Michigan were flatterin in the extreme. I continue
my diary:

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[figure description] Page 215.[end figure description]

Ipslanty. — At this pint the President displayed
that originality and fertility uv imaginashun karacteristic
uv him. The recepshun wuz grand. The
masses called for Grant, and His Highness promptly
responded. He asked em, ef he was Judis Iskariot
who wuz the Saviour? Thad Stevens? If so, then
after swingin around the cirkle, and findin traitors
at both ends of the line, I leeve the 36 States with
36 stars onto em in yoor hands, and —

The train wuz off amid loud shouts uv “Grant!
Grant!” to wich the President responded by wavin
his hat.

Ann Arbor. — At this pint the train moved in
to the inspiring sounds uv a band playin “Hale to
the Cheef,” and vocifrous cries uv “Grant! Grant!”
His Majesty smilinly appeared and thanked em for
the demonstration. It was soothin, he remarked.
The air their band wuz playin, “Hail to the Chief,”
wuz appropit, ez he wuz Chief Magistrate uv the
nashen, to wich posishen he hed reached, hevin bin
Alderman uv his native village, U. S. Senator,
etsettry. The crowd hollered “Grant! Grant!” and
the President thanked em for the demonstration. It
showed him that the people wuz with him in his
efforts to close his eyes on a Union uv 36 States and
a flag uv 36 stars onto it. Ef I am a traitor, sed he,

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[figure description] Page 216.[end figure description]

warmin up, who is the Judis Iscariot? Ez I'm
swingin around the cirkle, I find Thad Stevens on
the one side and Jeff Davis on the —

The conductor cruelly startid the train, without
givin him time to finish.

The crowd proposed three cheers for Grant, and
the President waved his hat to em, sayin that he
thanked em, showing as it did that the people wuz
with him.

Battle Creek. — A large number was assembled
here, who, ez the train stopped, yelled “Grant!
Grant!” Affected to tears by the warmth uv the
reception, the President thanked em for this mark
of confidence. Ef he ever hed any doubts ez to the
people's being with him, these doubts wuz removed.
He wood leave in their hands the flag and the Union
uv 36 States, and the stars thereto appertaining. Ef
he wuz a Joodis Iskariot who wuz —

The crowd gave three hearty cheers for Grant ez
the train moved off, to wich the President responded
by wavin his hat.

Kalamazoo. — The offishels were on hand at
this pint, and so wuz the people — 4 offishels and
several thousand people, which the latter greeted
us with cheers for Grant! Grant! The President
responded, sayin, that in swingin around the cirkle,

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[figure description] Page 217.[end figure description]

he hed bin called Joodis Iskariot for sacrificin uv
hisself for the people! Who wuz the Saviour?
Wuz Thad Stevens? No! Then cleerly into yoor
hands I leave the Constitution uv 36 stars with
36 States onto em, intact and undissevered.

The offishels received the stars and States, and
amid cheers for Grant, for which the President
thanked em, the train glode off magestically.

And so on to Chicago, where we didn't get off
our speech, though from the manner in wich the
people hollered Grant! Grant! we felt cheered at
realizin how much they wuz with us. His eminence
wanted to sling the 36 States and the flag with the
stars at em, but ez General Logan wuz there, ready
to fling em back, it wuz deemed highly prudent not
to do it.

Here my trials commenst. At the Biddle House,
in Detroit, the nigger waiters showed how much a
African kin be spiled by bein free. They hed the
impudence to refoose to wait on us,
and for a half
hour the imperial stumick wuz forced to fast. This
alarmin manifestation uv negro malignancy alarmed
His Eggsalency. “Thank God!” sed he, “that I
vetoed the Freedmen's Buroo Bill. I hev bin
Alderman uv my native town — I hev swung
around the entire cirkle, but this I never dreemed

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[figure description] Page 218.[end figure description]

uv. What would they do if they hed their rites?”
The insident made an impression onto him, and at
Chicago he resolved to trust em no longer. He
ordered his meals to his room, and sent for me.
“My friend,” sed he, “taste evrything onto this
table.”

“Why? my liege,” sed I.

“Niggers is cooks,” sed he, “and this food may
be pizoned. They hate me, for I ain't in the Moses
bizness. Taste, my friend.”

“But spozn,” sed I, “that it shood be pizoned?
Wat uv my bowels? My stomick is uv ez much
valyoo to me ez yourn is to yoo.”

“Nasby,” sez he, “taste! Ef yoo die, who
mourns? Ef I die, who'd swing around the cirkle?
Who'd sling the flag and the 36 stars at the people,
and who'd leave the Constooshn in their hands?
The country demands the sacrifice; and besides, ef
yoo don't, off goes yoor offishl head.”

That last appele fetched me. Ruther than risk
that offis I'd chaw striknine, for uv what akkount
is a Dimokrat, who hez wunst tasted the sweets
uv place, and is ousted? And from Chicago on I
wuz forced to taste his food and likker — to act
ez a sort uv a litenin-rod to shed off the vengeance
uv the nigger waiters. I wood taste uv every dish

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[figure description] Page 219.[end figure description]

and drink from each bottle, and ef I didn't swell up
and bust in 15 minits His serene Highness wood
take hold. I suffered several deaths. I resoom
my diary:

Joliet. — The crowd wuz immense. The peasantry,
ez the train approached, rent the air with
shouts uv “Grant!” “Grant!” His Potency, the
President, promptly acknowledged the compliment.
He was sacrificin hisself for them — who hed made
greater sacrifices? He hed bin Alderman uv his
native town, and Vice-President; he wuz too
modest to make a speech; but ef he wuz Joodas
Iskariot, who wuz the Saviour? He hed swung
around the cirkle, and hedn't found none so far.
He left in their hands the —

And so on, until near St. Louis, when we penetrated
a Democratic country, uv wich I informed his
Majesty. “How knowest thou?” sez he. “Easy,”
sez I. “I observe in the crowds a large proportion
uv red noses, and hats with the tops off. I
notice the houses unpainted, with pig pens in front
ov em; and what is more, I observe that crowds
compliment yoo direct, instead of doin it, ez heretofore,
over Grant's shoulders. The Knights uv the
Golden Cirkle, wich I spect is the identical cirkle
yoo've bin swingin around lately, love yoo and
approach yoo confidently.”

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[figure description] Page 220.[end figure description]

The President brisked up, and from this to Indianapolis
he spoke with a flooidity I never observed in
him before. I may say, to yoose a medikle term,
that he had a hemorrhage uv words. At the latter
city our reception was the most flatrin uv eny we
have experienced. The people, when the President
appeared on the balcony uv the Bates House,
yelled so vociferously for Grant, that the President,
when he stepped forward to acknowledge the
compliment, coodent be heard at all. He waved
his hat; and the more he waved it the more
complimentary the crowd became. “Grant!”
“Grant!” they yelled; and the more the President
showed himself the more they yelled Grant,
until, overpowered by the warmth uv the recepshun,
and unwillin to expose his health, the President
retired without slingin a speech at em, but entirely
satisfied that the people wuz with him.

The next mornin the office-holders uv the State,
without the people, assembled, and he made his
regler speech to em, wich appeared to be gratifyin
to both him and them. The President does not like
to sleep with a undelivered speech on his mental
stumick. It gives him the nitemare.

Here I left the party, for a short time, that I mite
go home and attend to my official dooties. There is

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five Northern families near the Corners wich must
hev notice to leave, and eight niggers to hang. I
hed orders to report to the party somewhere between
Looisville and Harrisburgh, wich I shall do, ez,
travelin by order, I get mileage and sich.

Petroleum V. Nasby, P. M.
(wich is Postmaster,)
and likewise Chaplin to the expedishn.

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p636-241 XXXII. The End of the Presidential Tour. — From Louisville to Washington. White House, Washington, D. C., }
September, 12, '66.

[figure description] Page 222.[end figure description]

I REJINED the Presidenshel party at Looisville,
and glad I am that I did it at that pint. His
Imperial Serenity hed bin pleased ever sence he left
Chicago, or rather sence he got near St. Loois, for
two-thirds uv Illinois wuz pizen, and Indianapolis
wuz pizener. From St. Loois the recepshuns wuz
trooly corjel and even enthoosiastic. We got out
uv the region uv aristocrats, and hed come down
to the hard-fisted yomanry. I seed holes thro the
hats uv men; I seed wat mite be called the flag uv
Democrisy wavin from behind em, which, ez they
genrally either had no coats at all, or if any, they
were roundabouts, wuz alluz in view. I saw wimen
who disdained stockins and dipped snuff, and I felt
to home. I wuz among Democracy. The cheerin

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for Grant and Farragut closed ez we got into them
regions, and uv the vociferous crowds half uv em,
the younger ones, cheered Andrew Johnson, while
the old veterans, them whose noses wuz blossomin
for the tomb, cheered for Andrew Jackson. His
Serenity smilinly acknowledged both, by makin a
speech to em, and wavin his hat.

With these preliminary remarks I resoom my
diary: —

Louisville. — There wuz a magnificent demonstration
here. His Imperial Majesty, who wuz in a
eggslent condition to make crowds large enough,
remarked to me as we wuz ridin through the
streets: “'Splen 'splay! 'Mor'n ten 'unerd sousand
people — mor'n ten million people — mor'n ten
'unerd million people — mor'n ten 'unerd sousand
million people — and alluvum 'sporters my policy.
'Rah for me!”

His Majesty ondoubtedly eggsagerated towards
the last; but it is safe to put the throng down at a
good many. That estimate is entirely safe. There
wuz the finest display uv banners and sich I hev
seen since we startid. The red white and red wuz
displayed from almost half the houses, ladies waved
their handkerchiefs ez we passed, and men cheered.
A pleasin incident occurd here. I noticed one gushin

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maiden uv thirty-seven wavin her handkercher ez
tho she was gettin so much per wave, and had rent
to pay that nite. I recognized her to wunst. When
I wuz a citizen uv Ohio, and wuz drafted into the
service uv the United States, and clothed in a bobtailed
blue coat, and hed a Oystran muskit put into
my unwillin hands, and forced to fite agin my
brethren, our regiment passed thro Looisville and
stayed there some days. I wuz walkin one afternoon,
when I met this identical angel. She saw
my bloo kote, and enraged, spit in my face with
sich energy that she threw out uv her mouth a full
sett uv false teeth. I returned em gallantly, wiped
my face with my handkercher, and vowed that handkercher
shood henceforth be kept sacred. It wuz;
and when I seed her wavin hern at our party, I
wept like a Philadelphia Convenshen. I stopped
the carriage, met the patriotic female, called her
attention to the incident, and handed her my handkercher
which hed, four years before, wiped her
spittle. The incident gave new vigor to her arms,
and from that time she waved two handkerchers,
and mine wuz one uv em. I narrated the insident
to the President, and he wept.

There wuz a large perceshen and a great variety
of banners. Among the most noticeable, wuz a

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[figure description] Page 225.[end figure description]

company uv solgers uv the late war, each with a
leg off, dressed in the gray uniforms into wich they
hed been mustered out, with this motto: “We are
willin to go the other leg for A. Jonson.” Another
company uv solgers, who hed each lost an
arm, carried this inscription: “What we didn't get
by bullets, we shel get by ballots.”

The President cut down his speech jest one half
here. In swingin around the cirkle he omitted to
menshen that he found traitors on the Southern side
uv it. But he left the constooshn in their hands
cheerfully.

Cincinnati. — A very enthoosiastic recepshen —
continyood and loud cheers for Grant, wich the
President acknowledged. A unsophisticated Postmaster,
who jined us here, wanted to know why
the people cheered for Grant instid uv the President,
to which His Highness answered that they
wuz considrit — they knew his modesty, and wanted
to spare his blushes. Another man, who wuz
also unsophisticated, asked him, confidenshelly, ef
he didn't think there wuz a samenis in his speeches,
and that ef he didn't think he'd do better to give
a greater variety. His Eggslency asked him how
there cood be more variety. “At Cincinnati,” sed
he, “I observed the followin order: —

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1. I swung around the cirkle.

2. I asked who wuz the Saviour ef I wuz Joodis
Iskariot?

3. I left the Constitooshn, the 36 States, and the
flag with 36 stars onto it, in their hands.

Now, at Columbus, I shel vary it thusly:

1. The Constitooshn, flag, and stars.

2. The Joodis Iskariot biznis.

3. Swingin around the cirkle.

At Stoobenville, agin, ez follows:

1. Joodis Iskariot.

2. Swingin around the cirkle.

3. Constitooshn, flag, and stars.

And so on. It's susceptible uv many changes. I
thot uv that when I writ that speech, and divided it
up into sections on purpose.”

Johnstown, Pa. — A bridge fell down, onto
wich wuz 400 voters, killin a dozen uv em. His
Eggslency felt releeved when heerin uv the axident,
at bein asshoored that there wuzn't wun uv his supporters
on the bridge. He considered it a speshl
Providence. The condukter overheerd the remark,
and answered, that ef any uv his supporters wuz
killed in that seckshun they'd have to import wun
for the purpose.

Mifflin, Pa. — A enthoosiastic indivijjle who

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wants the Post Office at this place very much, fell
on the President's neck, and wept, hailin him ez
the “Preserver uv the Union.” The President
thanked him for this spontaneous triboot, and left
in his hands the Constitooshun, the flag, and the
appintment he desired.

Baltimore. — There wuz a spontaneous recepshun
here, wich wuz gratifying to us. The perceshun
wuz immense, and the mottoes expressive.
One division wuz headed by the identikle indivijooel
who fired the first shot at the Massachusetts
men in 1861. He is a ardent supporter uv President
Johnson's policy. One flag wuz capchered
from a Injeany regiment at the first Bull Run, at
wich the President wept. “Things is becomin
normal,” sed he, “when the people will stand that.
Wat love! — wat unity! The flags uv both secshuns,
wich was lately borne by foes, now minglin
in the same proceshun, and all uv em cheerin ME.”

At last we arrived at Washinton, hevin swung
entirely round the cirkle, and found traitors North
and South. The demonstrashen to greet the President
on his arrival was immense. The clerks in
all the departments wuz out (at least them ez
wuzn't will wish they hed bin, ez their names wuz
all taken), the solgers on duty wuz ordered out, and

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altogether it wuz the most spontaneous exhibition
I ever witnest. The Mayor made a speech. The
President asked if he was Joodis Iscariot who wuz
the Saviour — told him he had swung around the
entire cirkle, and hed found traitors on all sides uv
it, though sence he left Cleveland, Chicago, and
Indianapolis he wuz satisfied there wuz the heft uv
them in the North; but be this ez it may, he left
the Constooshn, and the 36 States, and the flag
with 36 stars onto it, in his hands. He had bin
Alderman uv his native village, and Congressman,
and United States Senator, and Vice-President, and
President, wich latter circumstance he considered
forchinit, but wuz, after all, an Humble Indivij'le.
He didn't feel his oats much, and wood do his dooty
agin traitors North, ez well as agin his misguided
friends South.

And so ended the Presidential excursion.

Petroleum V. Nasby, P. M.
(wich is Postmaster),
and likewise Chaplin to the expedishn.
P.S. I forgot to menshun that at Chicago we
laid the corner-stone uv a monument to Douglas.
The occurence hed entirely slipped my memory.
P. V. N.

-- 229 --

p636-248 XXXIII. At Home again. — A detailed Account of Soulharrowing Outrages inflicted upon the People of Confederate × Roads by a Party of Freedmen, and how the Insult was wiped out. Post Offis, Confedrit × Roads }
(wich is in the Stait uv Kentucky),

September 16, 1866.

[figure description] Page 229.[end figure description]

I FOUND my flock in a terrible state uv depression,
at which, when I wuz told the cause, I
didn't wonder at. There wuz, back of the Corners
on the side hill, over towards Garrettstown, about
three quarters uv a mile this side of Abbott's grocery
(we estimate distance here from one grocery to
another), five or six families uv niggers. The males
of this settlement had all been in the Federal army
ez soljers, and hed saved their pay, and bounty, and
sich, and hed bought uv a disgustid Confederate,
who proposed to find in Mexico that freedom which
was denied him here, and who, bein determined to
leave the country, didn't care who he sold his

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plantashen to, so ez he got greenbax, three hundred
acres, wich they hed divided up, and built cabins
onto em, and wuz a cultivatin it. There wuz a
store-keeper at the Corners who come here from
Illinoy, and who hed been so greedy uv gain and so
graspin ez to buy their prodoose uv em, and sell em
sich supplies ez they needed. These accursed sons
and daughters of Ham was a livin there in comfort.
The thing was a gittin unendoorable. They come
to the Corners dressed in clothes without patches,
and white shirts, and hats on; and the females in
dresses, and hoops under em; in short, these apes
hed assoomed so much uv the style uv people that
ef it hadn't bin for their black faces, they wood have
passed for folks.

Our people become indignant, and ez soon ez I
returned, I was requested to call a meetin to consider
the matter, which I uv course did.

The horn wuz tootid, and the entire Corners wuz
assembled, eggscepting the Illinoy store-keeper, who
didn't attend to us much. I stated briefly and elokently
(I hev improved in public speakin sense I
heered His Serene Highness, Androo the I., all the
way from Washinton to Looisville), and asked the
brethren to ease their minds.

Squire Gavitt hed observed the progress uv them

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niggers with the most profoundest alarm. He hed
noticed em comin to the Corners, dressed better nor
his family dressed, and sellin the produx uv their
land to that wretch —

At this point the Illinoy store-keeper come in, and
the Squire proceeded.

— he shood say Mr. Pollock, and he hed made
inquiries, and found that one family hed sold three
hundred and seventy-five dollars worth uv truck, this
season, uv which they hed laid out for clothes and
books two hundred dollars, leavin em one hundred
and seventy-five dollars in cash, which was more
money than he hed made sense the accursed Linkin
passed the emancipashen proclamation. And what
hed driv the iron into his soul wuz the fact that
wun of them niggers wuz his nigger. “The money
they hev,” pursood the Squire, “is MY MONEY; that
man worth $1500 is my man; his wife is my woman;
her children my children —”

“That's a literal fact!” shouted Joe Bigler, a
drunken, returned Confederate sojer; “they hev
yoor nose eggsactly, and they're the meanest yaller
brats in the settlement.”

This unhappy remark endid in a slite unpleasantness,
wich resultid in the Squire's bein carried out,
minus one ear, and his nose smashed. Joseph

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remarked that he'd wantid to git at him ever sense
he woodn't lend him a half dollar two months ago.
He was now satisfied, and hoped this little episode
woodn't mar the harmony uv the meetin.

Elder Smathers observed that he hed noticed
with pain that them niggers alluz hed money, and
wuz alluz dresst well, while we, their sooperiors,
hed no money, and nothin to boast uv in the way uv
close. He wood say —

Pollock, the Illinoy store-keeper, put in. Ef the
Elder wood work ez them niggers wuz workin, and
not loaf over half the time at Bascom's grocery, he
mite possibly hev a hull soot uv close, and now and
then a dollar in money. It wuz here, ez it wuz in
all strikly Dimekratic communities, the grocery
keepers absorb all the floatin capital, and —

He wuz not allowed to proceed. Bascom flung
a chair at him, and four or five uv his constitooents
fell on him. He wuz carried out for dead. Bascom
remarked that he wuz for the utmost freedom uv
speech, but in the discussion uv a grate Constooshnel
question, no Illinoy Ablishnist shood put in his
yawp. The patriotic remark wuz cheered, but
when Bascom ask't the whole meetin out to drink,
the applause wuz uproarious. Bascom alluz gets
applause; he knows how to move an audience.

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[figure description] Page 233.[end figure description]

Deekin Pogram sed he'd bore with them niggers
till his patience wuz gin out. He endoored it till
last Sunday. After service he felt pensive, ruther,
and walked out towards Garrettstown, meditatin, as
he went, on the sermon he hed listened to that
mornin on the necessity uv the spread of the Gospil.
Mournin in sperit over the condition of the heathen,
he didn't notis where he wuz till he found hisself in
the nigger settlement, and in front uv one uv their
houses. There he saw a site wich paralyzed him.
There wuz a nigger, wich wuz wunst his nigger,
wich Linkin deprived him uv, settin under his
porch, and a profanin the Holy Bible by teachin his
child to read it! “Kin this be endoored?” the
Deekin asked.

Deekin Parkins sed he must bear his unworthy
testimony agin these disturbers. They hed — he
knowd whereof he spoke — hired a female woman
from Massachusetts to teach their children! He
hed bin in their skool-room, and with his own eyes
witnest it.

Bascom, the grocery keeper, hed bin shocked
at their conduct. He wuz convinct that a nigger
wuz a beast. They come to the Corners to
sell the produx of their lands; do they leave their
money at his bar? Nary! They spend sum uv it

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at the store uv a disorganizer from Illinoy, who is
here interferin with the biznis uv troo Southern
men, but he hed never seed one uv em inside his
door. He hed no pashence with em, and believed
suthin shood be done to rid the community uv sich
yooseless inhabitance. Ef they ever git votes they'r
agin us. No man who dodges my bar ever votes
straight Dimocrisy.

Ginral Punt moved that this meetin do to wunst
proceed to the settlement, and clean em out. They
wuz a reproach to Kentucky. Of course, ez they
were heathens and savages, sich goods ez they hed
wood fall to the righteous, uv whom we wuz which,
and he insisted upon a fair divide. All he wanted
wuz a bureau and a set uv chairs he hed seen.

The motion wuz amendid to inclood Pollock, the
Illinoy store-keeper, and it wuz to wunst acted
upon.

Pollock wuz reconstructed first. Filled with zeal
for the right, his door wuz bustid in, and in a jiffy
the goods wich he wuz a contaminatin our people
with wuz distributed among the people, each takin
sich ez sooted em. Wun man sejested that ez they
wuz made by Yankees, and brought south by Yankees,
that there wuz contaminashen in the touch uv
em, and that they be burned, but he wuz hooted

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down, our people seein a distinction. The contaminashen
wuz in payin for em; gittin em gratooitusly
took the cuss off.

Elated, the crowd started for the settlement. I
never saw more zeal manifested. A half hour
brought us there, and then a scene ensood wich
filled me with joy onspeekable. The niggers wuz
routed out, and their goods wuz bundled after em.
The Bibles and skool books wuz destroyed first, coz
we hed no use for them; their chairs, tables, and
bureaus, clothin and beddin, wuz distributed. A
wooman hed the impudence to beg for suthin she
fancied, when the righteous zeal uv my next door
neighbor, Pettus, biled over, and he struck her.
Her husband, forgettin his color, struck Pettus, and
the outrage wuz completed. A nigger hed raised
his hand agin a white man!

The insulted Caucashen blood riz, and in less
than a minit the bodies uv six male Ethiopians wuz
a danglin in the air, and the bodies uv six Ethiopian
wimin wuz layin prostrate on the earth. The children
wuz spared, for they wuz still young, and not
hevin bin taught to read so far that they could not
forgit it, ef kept carefully from books, they kin be
brought up in their proper speer, ez servance to their
brethern. (By the way, the inspired writer must

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[figure description] Page 236.[end figure description]

hev yoosed this word “brethern,” in this connection,
figeratively. The nigger, bein a beast, cannot be
our brother.) Some may censure us for too much
zeal in this matter, but what else cood we hev dun?
We are high toned, and can't stand everything.
These niggers hed no rite to irritate us by their
presence. They knowd our feelins on the subjick,
and by buyin land and remainin in the visinity, they
kindled the flame wich resulted ez it did. Ez they
did in Memphis and Noo Orleans, they brought
their fate onto their own heads.

Pollock recovered, and with the Yankee school
marm who wuz a teechin the niggers, left for the
North yesterday. It speeks well for the forbearance
uv our people that they wuz permitted to depart
at all.

Petroleum V. Nasby, P. M.
(wich is Postmaster),
and likewise late Chaplin to the expedishn.

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Locke, David Ross, 1833-1888 [1867], Swingin round the cirkle, by Petroleum V. Nasby [pseud.]: his ideas of men, politics, and things, as set forth in his letters to the public press, during the year 1866. Illustrated by Thomas Nast. (Lee and Shepard, Boston) [word count] [eaf636T].
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