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Transcribe page 6 of 255
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Download PDF for NMAAHC-004567415_00296 (project ID 15411)
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Transcription
5 fastened upon him like an incubus, refusing to obey either him or his overseer, as proved by Orange himself, the most important witness for the plaintiffs, himself one of the plaintiffs, and as proved by Myers and Davis two witnesses for the defendant. The negroes recognized no obligation to labor for Dr Holt, they refused to carry out his orders or the orders of his overseer unless it happened to suit them to do so, - they even carried their effrontery and reckless insubordination to such an extreme that they would either cease working altogether or would not half work if Dr Holt or his overseer came where they were. In Northern lands, with the laboring systems of which I am well acquainted, as is the court also, a white servent is not permitted to leave the premises of the employer for an hour without permission; in many instances the first case of absence without leave, and generally in other instances, the second case would secure the peremptory discharge of the servant. How was it in the case of the plaintiffs in this action? They left when they pleased, - they never asked permission to go, but whenever they wanted to go to the camps of the soldiers for commercial purposes, or whenever they wanted to go and work for any other person or when they felt like vagabonding promiscuously over the country, they went. Their ploughs and hoes, their scythes and rakes, their mules and wagons all standing idle in the midst of crops that were suffering for attention. But what cared they for Dr Holts interest? - They were as free as he was, and it would imply a return to their former state of servility if they permitted his wants or his necessities to influence them in the least. No, they would ask no permission; but they would leave his service and go off just when they pleased, if for no other reason to let
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Edited: added page number, removed truncation on word 'servent' (which is spelled wrong by writer of this document but transcribed as written), per instructions
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