The importation of slaves continued with more
or less success up until 1858, when the "Wanderer" landed her cargo of
500 in Georgia.
During the period from 1790 to the breaking out of the Civil War,
shortly after the landing of the last cargo of slaves, the colored
population, both slave and free, had arisen to about four million, and
had undergone great modifications. The cargo of the "Wanderer" found
themselves among strangers, even when trying to associate with those
who in color and hair were like themselves. The slaves of 1860
differed greatly from the slaves of a hundred years earlier. They had
lost the relics of that stern warlike spirit which prompted the Stono
insurrection, the Denmark Vesey insurrection, and the Nat Turner
insurrection, and had accepted their lot as slaves, hoping that
through God, freedom would come to them some time in the happy future.
Large numbers of them had become Christians through the teaching of
godly white women, and at length through the evangelistic efforts of
men and women of their own race. Independent religious organizations
had been formed in the North, and large local churches with Negro
pastors were in existence in the South when the "Wanderer" landed her
cargo. There had been a steady increase in numbers, indicating that
the physical well-being of the slave was not overlooked, and the
slaves had greatly improved in character.
Pages:
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35