rnel under Gen.
Forest; indeed, I think he told me he participated in the glorious
victory at Fort Piller),--

"Why art thou cast down? Things is workin eggsackly to our hand."

In a mournful tone, I retorted that I failed to perseeve it.

"I kin," sez he. "Lookye, my venerable friend. Is the Northern Dimocrisy
still troo?"

"They is," I replied, "wat few remains. But, alas! war, crool war, hez
decimated our ranks five times."

"How so?" sez he. "None uv your kind uv Democrats jined in this unholy
croosade, and fell afore our deth-deelin swords--did they?"

"Not any," sez I; "but Kanady and Montana took em afore each draft. That
wuz why we wuz so beet at the eleckshuns. For one week-kneed Ablishinist
we scared into our ranks, we lost two by emigration; and, unfortunitly,
wun half that emigrated starved to deth, and tother half is distribbited
in the various States prisons in them lands uv refuge."

"Still," sez he, "it matters not. Yoo hev deestricks yoo kin carry in
most uv the States. The Five Points deestrick, in Noo York, is ours. Noo
Gersey will go back to her allegiance. The new gold States, where so
menny uv our friends fled, will send up Democrats to Congress. Ohio hez
2 devoted to us, Pennsylvany hez several, and the most uv the Northern
States will send one or two; and them from the North kin be depended on
to go any measure we say. Then"--and he slapped me on the back
highlariously--"the niggers is free!"

"Well?" sez I, not seem wat cause for highlarity that wuz.

"Well," sez he, "them niggers is not now OTHER PERSONS! We alluz counted
five uv em for three in making up the Congressers we wuz entitled to;
now they count as white men, wich increases our delegashuns to sich an
extent that ef yoo Northern men do half yoor dooty, we'll hev a majority
in Congress. Then, good Lord! the pleasant crack uv the whip shel agin
be heard on the plains uv the sunny South. The niggers wont be
re-enslaved; but our Legislaters will speedily redoose em to their
normal condishun. We shell observe the Constitushnel Amendment strickly
and in good faith. The Afrikin shel be free; but the good uv society
demands that he shel be under proper guardianship. He wont be allowed to
change his location; and the laws uv the States will define his dooties,
and give us the power uv enforcin em. He wont be allowed to hev arms, so
he can't resist. Ez he can't leave a plantation, he will hev to submit
quietly to sich rools ez the high