The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 17, No. 101, March, 1866: A Magazine of Literature, Science, Art, and PoliticsVarious
General
The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 17, No. 101, March, 1866: A Magazine of Literature, Science, Art, and Politics
Various
American periodicals
At this Gorsuch took offence, and charged me with dictating his
language. I then told him there were but five of us, which he denied,
and still insisted that I had his property. One of the party then
attacked the Abolitionists, affirming that, although they declared there
could not be property in man, the Bible was conclusive authority in
favor of property in human flesh.
"Yes," said Gorsuch, "does not the Bible say, 'Servants, obey your
masters'?"
I said that it did, but the same Bible said, "Give unto your servants
that which is just and equal."
At this stage of the proceedings, we went into a mutual Scripture
inquiry, and bandied views in the manner of garrulous old wives.
When I spoke of duty to servants, Gorsuch said, "Do you know that?"
"Where," I asked, "do you see it in Scripture, that a man should traffic
in his brother's blood?"
"Do you call a nigger my brother?" said Gorsuch.
"Yes," said I.
"William," said Samuel Thompson, "he has been a class-leader."
When Gorsuch heard that, he hung his head, but said nothing. We then all
joined in singing,--
"Leader, what do you say
About the judgment day?
I will die on the field of battle,
Die on the field of battle,
With glory in my soul."
Then we all began to shout, singing meantime, and shouted for a long
while. Gorsuch, who was standing head bowed, said, "What are you doing
now?"
Samuel Thompson replied, "Preaching a sinner's funeral sermon."
"You had better give up, and come down."
I then said to Gorsuch,--"'If a brother see a sword coming, and he warn
not his brother, then the brother's blood is required at his hands; but
if the brother see the sword coming, and warn his brother, and his
brother flee not, then his brother's blood is required at his own hand.'
I see the sword coming, and, old man, I warn you to flee; if you flee
not, your blood be upon your own hand."
It was now about seven o'clock.
"You had better give up," said old Mr. Gorsuch, after another while,
"and come down, for I have come a long way this morning, and want my
breakfast; for my property I will have, or I'll breakfast in hell. I
will go up and get it."
He then started up stairs, and came far enough to see us all plainly. We
were just about to fire upon him, when Dickinson Gorsuch, who was
standing on the old oven, before the door, and could see into the
up-stairs room through the window, jumped down and caught his father,
saying,--"O father, do come down! do come down! They have guns, swords,
and all kinds of weapons! They'll kill you! Do come down!"
The old man turned and left. When down with him, young Gorsuch could
scarce draw breath, and the father looked more like a dead than a living
man, so frightened were they at their supposed danger. The old man stood
some time without saying anything; at last he said, as if soliloquizing,
"I want my property, and I will have it."
Kline broke forth, "If you don't give up by fair means, you will have to
by foul."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account