A southern correspondent of the New York “Tribune,” in Charleston, South Carolina, the week following the assassination, wrote:-- “I never saw such sad faces, or heard such heavy hearts beatings, as here in Charleston the day the dreadful news came! The colored people--the native loyalists--were like children bereaved of an only and loved parent. I saw one old woman going up the street wringing her hands and saying aloud, as she walked looking straight before her, so absorbed in her grief that she noticed no one,-- “‘O Lord! O Lord! O Lord! Massa Sam’s dead! Massa Sam’s dead! O Lord! Massa Sam’s dead!’ “‘Who’s dead, Aunty?’ I asked her. “‘Massa Sam!’ she said, not looking at me,--renewing her lamentations: ‘O Lord! O Lord! Lord! Massa Sam’s dead!’ “‘Who’s Massa Sam?’ I asked. “‘Uncle Sam!’ she said. ‘O Lord! Lord!’ “I was not quite sure that she meant the President, and I spoke again:-- “‘Who’s Massa Sam, Aunty?’ “‘Mr. Lincum!’ she said, and resumed wringing her hands and moaning in utter hopelessness of sorrow. The poor creature was too ignorant to comprehend any difference between the very unreal Uncle Sam and the actual President; but her heart told her that he whom Heaven had sent in answer to her prayers was lying in a bloody grave, and she and her race were left--_fatherless_.” In 1863, Colonel McKaye, of New York, with Robert Dale Owen and one or two other gentlemen, were associated as a committee to investigate the condition of the freedmen on the coast of North Carolina. Upon their return from Hilton Head they reported to the President; and in the course of the interview Colonel McKaye related the following incident. He had been speaking of the ideas of power entertained by these people. He said they had an idea of God, as the Almighty, and they had realized in their former condition the power of their masters. Up to the time of the arrival among them of the Union forces, they had no knowledge of any other power. Their masters fled upon the approach of our soldiers, and this gave the slaves a conception of a power greater than that exercised by them. This power they called “Massa Linkum.” Colonel McKaye said that their place of worship was a large building which they called “the praise house;” and the leader of the meeting, a venerable black man, was known as “the praise man.” On a certain day, when there was quite a large gathering of the people, considerable confusion was created by different persons attempting to tell who and what “Massa Linkum” was. In the midst of the excitement the white-headed leader commanded silence. “Brederin,” said he, “you don’t know nosen’ what you’se talkin’ ’bout. Now, you just listen to me. Massa Linkum, he eberywhar. He know eberyting.” Then, solemnly looking up, he added,--“_He walk de earf like de Lord!_”