Chapter 4
she send to Sweaden for a Ship load of good Iron, the English converts
that Iron into Good Steel, that steel is manufactured into razors, penknives
etc., which they sell to the United States, or Exchanges them for Cotton, Rice,
Tobacco etc. Now the 'English ell every pound of that Iron from Sweaden for not less than $2.00 per pound, and the Give 4 cts. per lb. for it, this would leave a Ballance of clear
gain of $1.00 per lb. left in England, when the Rice and Tobaco was paid
out, the Cotton, I will show, how its another Clear gain to the English
Nations,----Now if England gets a Cargo of Cotton from the South, and they give
25 cts. per lb. including Freight etc; the English
Return that same cotton to the Americans in Book muslins, Mulls, Jaconets etc , for not less than $5.00 per lb. making a
Clear gain of $4.75 per lb., we will say
it cost $3.00 to manufacture that pound of Cotton, will leave $1.75 in the
English Nation. Now I ask any candid man if the United States have not got the
Iron, the Cotton at home; had not the Southeren
better given the Yankee $1.00 for a knife, rather than 50 cts,
for the same Artical manufactured in England; or had
he not better given $1.00 for that pound of cotton manufactured by the Yankee;
Yes, by this time competition would have brought all these things right since
1828. The South would have had a home market for his Cotton, and there would
not have been a rotten paper Currency, Greenback and not worth $2.50 in gold, Yet the Southeren Democrat would
Screech out, "We will go to the highest market to Sell, and the Cheapest
market to buy; we dont want the Yankee to Monopolize
over us."
Now the Result was,
it brought an Overflowing revenue, and they States could not tell what to do
with, at last it was concluded to distrubet it among
the difrent States but for Spites make some of the
states would not accept of this over plus, Virginia was one I remember; Now in
my opinion, this was not a fair Distribution, the whole of the Yankee States,
New York and Pennsylvania, ought not to have had one cent of this Overplus, but
to have devided it in about 12 or 14 of the South
States, ; the South would only be returning the same money back to them; The
South at this 1832 or 1833 had not derived one cent of Benefit from this high Tariff,
but a constant drain on their pockets. Had this Disbribution
been divided equaly among tile South States, would
have Reconciled the South to the Tariff, but the North would have shown there
Envy, and would have claimed an Equal shar in this
overplus, Had this been divided as I have said, would have done more towards a
lasting Reconcilation, than Clays compremis
act
Had this high
Tariff been persevered in, we would not only have had gold and
Silver floating insted of Rags, Green-back and
Shinplasters, Now would every packet bound for Europe, loaded with not less
than $150,000 Dollars, never to return. And it would have made this country the
moast powerful, and at the same time the moast Independant and happy
country in the world, But that Envy towards one another, has killed all; this
the Europeans, and Particularly England could see all this, and there are
little doubts in my mind, but the English Fastened this Enmity, this National
enmity. I saw an Ancedote of v ohn
Randol ph it, ran something thus, "Randolph was
wanting a Set of good Buttons, some Storekeeper showed him a good Sample of
Buttons, but when he found they were of Yankee manufacturing, he swore he would
not have them, and actuly sent off to England for no
better articule.@ How could it be expected that a
.
What I have Stated
above, is all too true, and I defy any candid honest -man to Gainsay
it, But I guess I have said enough on this part of the Subject, but when I have
Leasure, I will give a few other Remarks on the
Yankees, so far it may be said I have Spit my spite altogeather
on the South, but we will see as to that.
Winter holds on,
and it looks more like January than April, the Ground is well covered wi th
snow some two or three inches deep, and very cold, Ther.
28° 4° below freezing and
quite a disagrable day, should have gone to
Still very cold
wether, went, last Eneving about Sun down to B.
Roderick and have not been worse frose
this winter, found Mrs Roderick very much alarmed at her Situation, but it quit
a simple thing, the after-birth was expelled along with the feotus,
and had left the Desidum behind; I had seen two cases
of the same kind before , one was a Daughter of John Bray the other, Mrs. Wm.Bosley; I belive that if
nothing had been done, the Utrus would have expelled
it as it contracted, but the women thought it was Somthing
quite bad. I heard last night that the Yankees had sustaned
a loss of 26 wagons or the horses of so many wagons, and had taken some prisnors, how many I did not hear, from what I understand
the wagons were empty, and the Rebels took all the Yankee horses. This took
place betwix Ridgvill and
The Northern part
of this Republic,.have been
as Erroneous in their policy of Government as the Southern part; and its been
owing to one of the three words I mentioned at the begining,
i.e. Envy.
I lived long enough
in the north to know, and see the Evny the North bare
to the South; They the people of the North,
particularly the lower class, believe that the Southern man gets a fine living,
by just siting in the Shade driving the Negro, this they are taught to belive from the more better informed; this inculration is, to Breed a hatred to the South, still
deeper and deeper, which about 1860,had got to its full height.
"Now this
Driving of the Negro, and this Siting in the Shade" all is, or may be the
Truth, we will not attempt to deny. Now this better informed, know full well
that in the greatest part of the Southern States, its
as much as the White man can do to keep himself alive, let him take all
indulgences he can, and Protect himself all he can; While the Negro is injoying his full health.
A great part of the South, is in nearly the
same Latitude as the Negro Climate of the Negro in
Now all thi s has been
tryed, or Expermented to
convince any man, that is wishing to be convinced; for Example see St.Domingo, and its been tryed
over and over in these States, the Negro is Still the Ne
gro in Spite of all that can be said and done, when
left to himself he falls back to the Negro Is not Africa a much Older continant than even Europe or Amarica? And is it any more advance in Civilization,
than what it was 3000 years ago? It may
be in a few situations, when the Labours of the Missionarys
are still fresh and warm, hae the appearance of
something better, but even Liberia it self would soon go wild as the native
African his neighbour, and all this the Abolitionst
knows full well;
Therefore to put the Negro
his owen Master, or make him Equal with the white
man, would be the very height of Nonsence . But this is all time lost,or words Spent in vain, The Abolitionist has not one
Grain of Sympathy for the Negro, No
not half as much as the Negro Master s to a fathful
honest Slave, nor was it even seen, that the Abolitionest
even treated a poor Negro in Sickness or distress, as the Southern man will his
slave; the Great Bug-a-boo is not the Sym-
pathy for the Negro, or
the Slave; to be short and plain; its the Envy the have to the Negro Owener or Master.
Now we may set it down as a
Fact, that all this "And wrangle are so long" is nothing more than
Envy.
Today we have got
the news of the death of the man John Tucker, this was nothing but what has been
expected for some time, whether Tuckers former course has been of any advantage
to the Fedral course or not, I cant see, but in my
opinion his transactions has done the Union course more harm than good, such
men as he and Sam High are of little good to any party. Yet there are men in
this our Neighborhood who justify. the past conduct of
Tucker, yet I could never see
for what, except they would justify a Rober; if he
had Robed as a Soldier under the Government, and what he had plundered from the
enemy and given it to the Government who imployed
him, then he might have been looked on as a Justifiable Servant, but it was
always said he pocketed the proceeds of his plunder; how true this is I dont know, but I am afraid the people who has supported J.
Tucker, are Birds of the same feather, and many a one have been
calling themselves Union man who have no more Regard for the Union, than the
Devil has for holy water, this plundering is all with them, and when they see
the Rebels making any advance toward s them, they begin to think of Retribtion or Justic falling on
them , not for princable sake , but for past deeds
done
Today been to see
Mr. Geo. Barricks family,they
have the youngest child very poorly, I think with worms, and Mrs. Barricks very poorly of a bad Cold, which has terminated
into Pluresy,
and the whole famaly has bad colds, with bad
coughs; I then went to see Mrs. John
Dixon and she is very poorly, and we finished with talking about a man that has
been Scouting in this Neighbrood, he has been at B.
Hulls and Wm. Junkins, and he had stayed at John Dixons all night
He stated that he
was a Spy, and that he had found B. Hull in what he termed Aa DaClie,@ and that Wm. Junkins was Aa truthful man@, all this I guess
was the truth. Now had this B. Hull told
the truth, and as the thing realy was, there would
have no harm in it, but as it was, he state to this man that Mr. J. T. Peerce not been on
that farm for two years; now this was false-, and he might if he B. Hull had,
one--Grain of Common on Sence, might have been Ceartain that he would have that he would been detected in
this false statement had he Hull Stated nothing but the truth, then could have been no harm attending eather Hull or Peerce by stating
the whole truth, I had heard that he Peerce was on
the mountain- and had come to settle with Hartman some others on the
Vandivers Estate; and this I believe was all he came
to the mountain for, dont believe he came on any policical purpos at all; had
B.H.. stated these facts, there could have been but little mischief made out of
it; but under there false statements, the Yankees may construe a Great deal out
of it; I met with the same man on New Creek, and he Quized
me around and round, asked me whose Cattle and Sheep them was on Peerces place, how many miles it was to N.Creek
Station, who was commander of troops at the Station, what news I had heard from
the Station, where I lived, what my occupation, who was attending on Mrs. Hull
when and what Conversation I had had with B. Hull, and which way I got off the
mountain, how far it was to the ?Piquets?; and
several other questions, all these questions I answered as well as I could.
Yesterday came home
from B. Graysons, was to see a Mrs. James Brooks and
came past Mrs. Barnhouse This case or cases of Graysons
is quite a mistrey to me, and what he Dr. Eaton did
such an act for, or what could be his motive to do anything of the kind, is,
past all my conjecturs the Drs. of Piedmont think it
must have been Croton Oil he had inserted in the circulation; (this had sprung
from an Expresion of his own). still I am as much preplexed to know what his motive could except be, except
to make a Sore of some kind, and then pronounce this sore a proper Vaccine pustul, just to gain a 50 cent for Each one he inserted,
and Graysons famaly all say
he took the (should be matter out of a small vile) . Now this would be carring Vaccine matter on a large Scale, something large
then is commonly seen. But I will leave a11 this to others, who may be better
informed, and who better know, the actions of the Croton oil, or who know the princabls of such people; if this Easton and such mersnery motives, the Exprsions
of John Randolph, are fully Verrified, viz/ Athe will sell
Brimstone to the Devil@
Since I wrote last, I have been in Hardy
Count to see a Mrs, Aaron Baker, and a Mrs. Abram Roderick, boath-
very bad with Dropsey particularly the Roderick. Whi1e at Mr. Bakers news came that there that
a large body Of Rebels Caverly, crossing from
Patterson Creek towards Greenland and when 1 got home ,
some 200 Rebel troops went through Elk Garden towards the River, what
expedition they was On, I Cant tell, but the report of the Neighbrood
was that there objectwas tp
destroy the a part of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail Road, it appears that the Sessisesh are on some big Expedition, but what I
cant from any Idea. This pasing of 200 Rebels have
not caused half the consernation, as when Sam High
and Dick Shillingburg was in these mountains, some of
our Loyal Neighbours, are talking of constituting a home guard, They have need
now of doing something, but what that Body will consist of I dont know, or who will be members of such a Guard, perhaps
A. Wiseman, James Dixon, High Liller wi11 be fu11
blooded members or a few others who has been a little to meddlesom,
perhaps who has done a little more than they ought to do, or have done, I Guess
a good horse, a pocket full of Goodmoney and a pair
of good Spurs, would answer as well as any other medicine at this time, a Sore Consience is one h--- of a plaster, and afects
the.Brain as bad as any Drug known.
I should have gone to Benj. Graysons today, but there is quite an Exitement
on the Creek, on Satuarday night a tolarable Scermish took place at
Greenland, and some say there were 7 Rebels others say 11 was killed, and that
there were 12 or 14 hosis killed, the Yankees had
Camped in a Dunkerds Church, and the Rebls rushed on the Yankees and the Yankees fought hard,
the Rebels set fire to the Church, and that the Yankees were taken prisoners
about 60 or 70 of them. It is also said that the Rebles
have a large force about Oakland, and that the Rebels have distroyed
a part of the Rail Road how true all this is I cant Say; But 1500
Yankees went up towards Greenland and Gen .Kelley with them, a11 this I guess
to be true, if the Rebes are to as through as
reported, Kelly may find troublesome work and if he don=t mind what he is
about, the Rebels may give him some trouble
Since I wrote last I have been very
through, I have not had time to write at all, indeed I have hardly been at
home, and as I have not writen ten any this month I
shall make these two months in one Chapter, ---On Monday 11th I started to
Cumberland to get me a few Drugs, I was there two nights and one day, I had a
good deal of trouble to get my Drugs,but
I did succeed in geting . them, while there there was much Exitement in way
of' News, some said Richmond was taken; this I knew well was "tall
a Bothenation," for before that is done there
will be many a Bloody rose yet it looks very likely the Rebels must give out,
yet the fight like so many divels, and 1 think Gen,
Hooker did no Great execution with the Rebels, and it is thought he was
defeated, but its a hard matter to come at any Correct news, it is reported
that they are making a Grand attact on Vicksburg, and
by this time, they they think they have drove the
Rebels from there. The last accounts from Charlestown, S. C. that there had
been no more attacts, but that the Union troop and
fleet was going to try it agaan can; I have no News from the Valley, but while in
Cumberland I meet with a Robert McClearn, he was at
Cousins Edwins 1ast August, and he I give me a full
account of the state te of the Valley, and of my
Relations there, Old Uncle John has been Dead this year or two; But I was quite
sick of Cumberland, it=s a Dirty Stinking
proud place, and full of Soldiers and Extortioners.
I have been more at
home within this week than for two months but I should go to see Mrs. Aaron Baken tomorrow, I have been almost out of horse, our folks
have been plowing Lion and he is almoust
run down. I have heard but little news from the wars of late on the
17th it was reported there was in W. Virginia 60,000 Rebels. This I knew was Aall a Bothernation@ the last accounts
I saw in the papers, it was supposed that there was about 11,000 this I guess
is an over-dose; it was thought the Yankees was going to make another attact on Charleston and that Gen. Hooker was Stationed on
the Raphonack brooding over his late disaster; I cant
think the Rebels can Spare many troops from the Neighbrood
of Richmond.
Went to see John Abernathy
yesterday, was
a very cool day this
4th of June must be
a very cold time of the Year, yesterday morning a tolarable
keen frost, but did not kill anything as I saw, some three or foure years ago, a frost on the 4th of' June killed every
thing, in 1828 I was living in N. York State {Hudson}[he worked there as a
weaver],and a Snow fell 4 inch deep, and an Old Dutch man told me, that day
some 40 or 50 years ago, there fell 6 inches of Snow, he Remembered it well, it
was before the Revolution and they were celebrating King Georges bearth day.
Since I wrote last. the weather has been very dry and cold,
till within, this or two, it grew very warm yesterday, and today a very find
Rain, with a little thunder, the only
rain for 4 or 5 weeks, last night went to I. Hartmans
he was very much hurt with a dead tree falling on his Shoulder; the Smallpox is
very bad on the Creek, 6 down at A. Williams, and old James Brown, there will
be the whole famaly, excep
the wife; there is no news from the E. of the war, but we have heard much
Cannonading on that part, some say Gen Lee is retreating before Gen. Hooker,
others say its all the other way.
Been to the Creek to day, A. Williams and
his youngest child very bad and James Brown is very bad, but not a t his worst.
I
have been at home all today, Old James Brown very sick I think it will run hard
with him; I have never seen person more broke out than he will be, lie
appeared to be the 5th day yesterday, There has been a great deal of
Cannonading in the E. there must nave, been a Great deal of Gunpowder burnt
this week past, I guess some Blood has flowed, but there is no tidings from all
this shooting, Jacob ?Nighhsen?
says this Ano News, is a bad Omen to the Yankees@; this I have often remarked myself; but
what is the moast strange often heavy news would
come, and that the Rebels were totaly routed, and
from 10,000 to 25,000 killed etc., and in a few days it would turn
out quit the other way; What good this can do the Yankees, or there Government
or cause, I never could see or know, it is thought the Yankees must be badly
pressed at this time, for a good many Regiments have left, there terms having
Expired, and it seemes that they are not very anxious
to continue in the Servic; this the Rebels see and
knows, and the time is come, that the Rebels MUST fight; I dont
know how the Rebels Resouses are , but we can See as plainly as Noon Sun the Federal
Government is but in a very low state; there Green-back is 50 per cent below
gold. What a deplorable state they have brought this once flourising
and prosprous Nation, if they could have stood
United, no Nation could have hurt them, but they have got an Inflamation of the Bowels and there
Yesterday was to see Mr. Brown, and A.
Williams, the latter appears to be doing tolarable
well, but Mr. Brown is very bad, the pox dont rise or
fill as they should do, and the Stomac is very
irritable, and nothing rest on the Stomac, constant
gaping, and the Salavation from the mouth, somewhat
bloody I could not tell what to do in his case but I concluded to try something
in form of Dovers pulv. So
I took two teaspoonsful of Tnt. Op??? and one teaspoonful of tint.ipecac; think the former might cuse
the Stomac or quiet and the other to Determin n the pox or perspiration to the Skin, I ordered
10 drop every hour for 4 or 6 hours; but he Brown is naturaly
a fool in every form.
Today 48 years ago, the first battle of Waterlool was fought where the Prusians
were defeated under Blucher, by Napolion. On Sunday
18th June the main
There has been a great deal of Cannonaidy, and
still at it yet, it is reported that the Rail-road is tore up at Martinsburg
and Harpersferry, and that some 7000 Rebels was at
Blues Gap or in Romney, this may perhaps may be true for I heard that all the
troops had passed through Ridgville to N.C. station,
with all there Bagage etc. What can be the object of
Rebels, or what there destaination is quit a
Conjecture with all; but it that the Rebels have been slowly advancing this
way, since the Battle of Fredericksburg and that they the Rebels are bent on
something more than a Raid, some think they are for going through a part of
Maryland. and then to enter W. Virginia others think they will enter Maryland
as if going to W. Virginia, and then turn to there right, and mak a dash upon Washington. All this is meer guess work. There is one thing well known, that
the Yankee army must be greatly reduced for so many Regiments terms have
Expired, and they appear not so keen to enter agean;
What Drafting will do is not known; but many think it will be a Dangerous Experment
Today very wet, and I should have gone to
see Oathrean Shillingburg
and Joseph Workman, but I have been so poorly this day or two, that I dont like to be in the wet if I could help it .........No
news from the army that I can hear, some say that the Rebels are Strongly
stationed at there old Stand ?Manasseh?[possibly Manassas] and some think they
are intending to make a Dash upon Washington; but I think the Rebels are too
weak to make such a Dash, if so the Rebels are stronger, and the Yankees are
weaker than I thought. The Yankees have Blocked up all the roads in these
mountains, hardly a path that is passable, what the folks will do to go to Mill
etc., I cant tell., I have Bargened with Jem for the Mair Lucy for a
$100.00 to day. [a new horse]
To day came home been two days on the
Creek, Joseph Workman very poorly, first begun with a kind of Lumbago, and same
account has brought on Inflamation of the Bowels and Stomac; These Rhumatic affections
is very much like Gout, will Flit or Shift to some internal Organ; particularly
the stomac.
I have heard little of the wars for some time: Hooker and Lee are manoeuving with each other; it is said is in the Neighbrood
of Hagerstown, and they two Rebels are so Manoeuvring
support each other; what there object is, I cant see, but it is thought there
intention is to make a Hurrah on Washington others think, the Rebels object is
plunder. But one thing is Ceartain, the Rebels must
come to some Termanation or Other and soon; and I think the
Federals will have to do a Same thing, and soon; Time and means are geting very Valluable with boath partys. There is one Feture in the Federal party, that has a Gloomey
appearance, viz. telling the greater of Falsehoods, or in plain English,
downright Lieing. The Federals have more the
appearance of Drowning men than the Rebels; This may be all a kind of Sham to
Suck the Rebels in; but a Sham of this kind may be Tampered with too much for
the Federals good; how this will end I cant see; but there must be some hard
fighting done, and before many days.