prosperity the result of justice
ten years have rolled into the past since the rosebrook family-moved by a sense of right to enquire into the errors of a bad system of labour-resolved to try the working of a new scheme. there was to be no cutting, nor lashing, nor abusing with overburdening tasks. education was to regulate the feelings, kindness to expand the sympathies, and justice to bind the affections and stimulate advancement. there were only some fifty negroes on the rosebrook plantation, but its fame for raising great crops had resounded far and wide. some planters said it "astonished everything," considering how much the rosebrooks indulged their slaves. with a third less in number of hands, did they raise more and better cotton than their neighbours; and then everything was so neat and bright about the plantation, and everybody looked so cheerful and sprightly. when rosebrook's cotton was sent into the market, factors said it was characteristic of his systemised negroes; and when his negroes rolled into the city, as they did on holidays, all brightened up with new clothes, everybody said-there were rosebrook's dandy, fat, and saucy "niggers." and then the wise prophets, who had all along predicted that rosebrook's project would never amount to much, said it was all owing to his lady, who was worth her weight in gold at managing negroes. and she did conceive the project, too; and her helping hand was felt like a quickening spring, giving new life to the physical being. that the influence might not be lost upon others of her sex in the same sphere of life, she was ever reasoning upon the result of female sympathy. she felt that, were it exercised properly, it could raise up the menial slave, awaken his inert energies, give him those moral guides which elevate his passive nature, and regenerate that manhood which provides for its own good.
they had promised their people that all children born at and after a given date should be free; that all those over sixty should be nominally free, the only restriction being the conditions imposed by the state law; that slaves under fifteen years of age, and able to do plantation work, should, during the ten years prescribed, be allowed for their extra labour at a given rate, and expected to have the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars set to their credit; that all prime people should be required to work a given number of hours, as per task, for master, beyond which they would be allotted a "patch" for cultivation, the products of which were entrusted to rosebrook for sale, and the proceeds placed in missus' savings bank to their credit. the people had all fulfilled the required conditions ere the ten years expired; and a good round sum for extra earnings was found in the bank. the rosebrooks kept faith with their slaves; and the happy result is, that rosebrook, in addition to the moral security he has founded for the good of his people-and which security is a boon of protection between master and slave-has been doubly repaid by the difference in amount of product, the result of encouragement incited by his enlightened system. the family were bound in affection to their slaves; and the compact has given forth its peaceful products for a good end. each slave being paid for his or her labour, there is no decline of energy, no disaffection, no clashing of interests, no petulant disobedience. rosebrook finds his system the much better of the two. it has relieved him of a deal of care; he gets more work for less money; he laughs at his neighbours, who fail to raise as much cotton with double the number of negroes; and he knows that his negroes love instead of fear him. and yet, notwithstanding the proof he has produced, the whole district of planters look upon him with suspicion, consider him rather a dangerous innovator, and say, that while his foolish system cannot be other than precarious to the welfare of the state, time will prove it a monster fallacy.
a happy moment was it when the time rolled round, and the morning of the day upon which rosebrook would proclaim the freedom of his people broke serenely forth. the cabins looked bright and airy, were sanded and whitewashed, and, surrounded by their neatly attired inhabitants, presented a picturesque appearance. it was to be a great gala-day, and the bright morning atmosphere seemed propitious of the event. daddy daniel had got a new set of shiny brass buttons put on his long blue coat, and an extremely broad white cravat for his neck. daniel was a sort of lawgiver for the plantation, and sat in judgment over all cases brought before him, with great gravity of manner. as to his judgments, they were always pronounced with wondrous solemnity, and in accordance with what he conceived to be the most direct process of administering even-handed justice. daddy was neither a democrat nor an unjust judge. believing that it were better to forgive than inflict undue punishments, he would rather shame the transgressor, dismiss him with a firm admonition to do better, and bid him go, transgress no more!
harry had prepared a new sermon for the eventful day; and with it he was to make his happy flock remember the duty which they would henceforth owe to those who had been their kind protectors, as well as the promoters of that system which would result in happier days. how vivid of happiness was that scene presented in the plantation church, where master and missus, surrounded by their faithful old slaves, who, with a patriarchal attachment, seemed to view them with reverence, sat listening to the fervent discourse of that once wretched slave, now, by kindness, made a man! deep, soul-stirring, and affecting to tears, were the words of prayer with which that devout negro invoked the all-protecting hand of almighty god, that he would guide master and slave through the troubles of this earthly stage, and receive them into his bosom. how in contrast with that waging of passion, and every element of evil that has its source in injustice, so rife of plantation life, was the picture here presented!
the service ended, rosebrook addresses a few remarks to his people; after which they gather around him and pour forth their gratitude in genial sentiments. old and young have a "heaven save master!" for rosebrook, and a "god bless missus!" for his noble-hearted lady, to whom they cling, shaking her hand with warmest affection.
how enviable to her sex is the position of that woman who labours for the fallen, and whose heart yields its kindred sympathy for the oppressed!
after congratulations and tokens of affection had been exchanged, master, missus, and the people-for such they now were-repaired to the green in front of the plantation mansion, where a sumptuous collation was spread out, to which all sat down in one harmonious circle. then the festivities of the day-a 4th of july in miniature-ended with a gathering at dad daniel's cabin, where he profoundly laid down a system of rules for the future observance of the people.
six months have passed under the new r'gime; and rosebrook, feeling that to require labour of his people for a sum much beneath its value must in time become a source from which evil results would flow, awarded them a just and adequate remuneration, and finds it work well. harry had not been included among those who were enrolled as candidates for the enjoyment offered by the new system; but missus as well as master had confidentially promised him he should be free before many years, and with his family, if he desired, sent to liberia, to work for the enlightenment of his fellow africans. harry was not altogether satisfied that the greater amount of labour to be done by him for the unfortunate of his race was beyond the southern democratic states of america; and, with this doubt instinctively before him, he was not restless for the consummation.
some three months after the introduction of the new state of affairs, dad daniel was observed to have something weighing heavily on his mind. at times he was seen consulting seriously with harry; but of the purport of these consultations no one, except themselves, was made acquainted. that very many venerable uncles and aunts were curious to know daddy's secret contemplations was equally evident. at length daniel called a meeting of his more aged and sagacious brethren, and with sage face made known his cherished project. absalom and uncle cato listened with breathless suspense as the sage sayings fell from his lips. his brethren had all felt the sweet pleasures of justice, right, freedom, and kindness. "well, den, broderin, is't 'um right in de sight ob de lord, dat ye forgets dat broder what done so much fo'h ye body and ye soul too?"
"no, no! dat tisn't!" interrupted a dozen voices.
"well, den!-i know'd, broderin, ye hab got da' bright spirit in ye, and wouldn't say 'twas!" daniel continues, making a gesture with his left hand, as he raises the spectacles from his eyes with his right, and in his fervency lets them speed across the room. daniel is only made conscious of his ecstasy when his broken eyes are returned to him. turning to his brethren, he makes one of his very best apologies, and continues-"dis ar poposition i'se gwine to put! and dat is, dat all ye broderin ere present put up somefin ob he arnin, and wid dat somefin, and what mas'r gib, too, we sarve dat geman what preach the gospel dat do 'em good wid 'e freedom for sef and family. tain't right in de sight ob de lor, nohow, to have preacher slave and congration free: i tell ye dat, my broderin, tain't!" with these sage remarks, daddy daniel concluded his proposition, leaned his body forward, spread his hands, and, his wrinkled face filled with comicality, waited the unanimous response which sounded forth in rapturous medley. each one was to put in his mite, the preacher was to have a fund made up for him, which was to be placed in the hands of missus, and when sufficiently large (master will add his mite) be handed over for the freedom of the clergyman and his family. but missus, ever generous and watchful of their interests, had learned their intentions, and forestalled their kindness by herself setting them free, and leaving it to their own discretion to go where they will. there were many good men at the south-men whose care of their slaves constituted a bond of good faith; but they failed to carry out means for protecting the slave against the mendacity of the tyrant. none more than harry had felt how implicated was the state for giving great power to tyrant democracy-that democracy giving him no common right under the laws of the land, unless, indeed, he could change his skin. ardently as he was attached to the plantation and its people-much as he loved good master and missus, he would prefer a home in happy new england, a peaceful life among its liberty-loving people. to this end the rosebrooks provided him with money, sent him to the land he had longed to live in. in connecticut he has a neat and comfortable home, far from the cares of slave life; no bloodhounds seek him there, no cruel slave-dealer haunts his dreams. an intelligent family have grown up around him; their smiles make him happy; they welcome him as a father who will no more be torn from them and sold in a democratic slave mart. and, too, harry is a hearty worker in the cause of freedom, preaches the gospel, and is the inventor of a system of education by which he hopes to elevate the fallen of his race. he has visited foreign lands, been listened to by dukes and nobles, and enlisted the sympathies of the lofty in the cause of the lowly. and while his appeals on behalf of his race are fervent and fiery, his expositions of the wrongs of slavery are equally fierce; but he is not ungrateful to the good master, whom he would elevate high above the cruel laws he is born and educated to observe. with gratitude and affection does he recur to the generous rosebrooks; he would hold them forth as an example to the slave world, and emblazon their works on the pages of history, as proof of what can be done. bright in his eventful life, was the day, when, about to take his departure from the slave world, he bid the rosebrooks a long, long good by. he vividly remembers how hope seemed lighting up the prospect before him-how good missus shook his hand so motherly-how kindly she spoke to jane, and how fondly she patted his little ones on the head. "the rosebrooks," says our restored clergyman, "have nothing to fear save the laws of the state, which may one day make tyrranny crumble beneath its own burden."
