TRANSCRIPTIONS
PART ONE: LEST WE FORGET
Enlarging upon the stipulations of the Decree dated nineteenth of October of seventeen hundred and ninety eight: It is our wish that the exemption of Duties granted thereby to the introduction of slaves dispatched from Angola to Para be extended to all slaves which, from Ports of Cacheu and Bissau or Mozambique, are transported to the aforesaid district of Para, subject to the same conditions expressed in the above mentioned degree; with express understanding that this Grant, as well as the previous Grant to which this present one refers, shall be limited to the exact span of ten years. The Revenue Council shall abide by this and see that it is done. At the Palace of Queluz on the sixteenth of January of seventeen hundred and ninety-nine.
Bears the Hand of Our Lord the Prince.
Tending to the Business at Hand
Lucia April 28, 1753
Mr. Henry Livingston
I received yours and have sent Avery’s owe, I have Sold good part of the Slaves & hope shall get off the rest, by the time can Load, which hope won’t exceed one Month, what slaves I have Sold h_______ to a pretty good price & Expect a man to take away _______has chosen Monday next for bills, I shall make all dis______bl to Load, and if any of the Slaves shoul’d be left, shall not stay to Sell them but shall bring them up to town with me. I have wrote to my Owners by Captain Dennis who is the Bearer hereof informing them of the Situation of my Affairs.
If an opportunity shoul’d offer, shou’d be glad to hear from you, am In great hopes shall see you by the 5th Next June, and am wishing you Health.
Your most h(um)ble servant
William Pinniger
Tending to the Business at Hand
By this Policy of Assurance
Charles D’Wolf of Bristol in the State of Rhode Island as well in his ________, ________, ________, ________, own Name, as for and in the Name and Names of all and every other Person or Persons to whom the same doth; may or shall appertain, in Part or in all, doth make Assurance, and causeth himself, and them, and every of them to be insured, lost or not lost, the Sum of Six Hundred Pounds Lawful Money at & from the Port of the Havanna in the Island of Cuba to said Port of Bristol on the Brig’ Sally, (Sum insured £600) her Appurtenances & Cargo, Vix, Seventy-five Pounds on said Brig & Twenty-five Pounds on the Cargo laden on Board said Brig’ ________, ________, ________, ________, whereof is Master under God for this present Voyage, John Wood, ________, ________, or whosoever else shall go for Master in the said vessel, or by whatsoever other Name or Names the same Vessel, or the Master thereof, is or shall be named or called, beginning the Adventure upon said Brig & Appurtenances from the Twenty-first Day of February last & to continue until her Arrival in said Port of Bristol and until she be there moored Twenty-four Hours in Safety—________, ________, ________
And it shall be lawful for the Vessel, sec. in this Voyage, in Cases of extremity and Distress, to proceed and fail to, and touch at any Ports or Places whatsoever without Prejudice to this Insurance. Touching the Adventures and Perils which we the Assurers are contented to bear, and do take upon us in this Voyage; they are of the Seals, Men of War, Fires, Enemies, Pirates, Rovers, Thieves, Jettisons, Letters of Mart and Counter-Mart, Surprizals, Taking at Sea, Arrests, Restraints and Detainments of all Kings, Princes and People, of what Nation, Condition or Quality foever; Barratry of the Master (unless the Assured be Owner of said Vessel) and Marluers, and of all other Perils, Losses and Misfortunes, that have or shall come to the Hurt, Detriment or Damage, of the said Brig & Cargo ________, ________ or any Part thereof. And in Case of any Loss or Misfortune, it will be lawful for the Assureds, their Factors, Servants and Assigns, to sue, labour and travel for, in and about the Defence, Safeguard and Recovery of said Brig & Cargo ________, ________ or any Part thereof, without Prejudice to this Insurance & to the Charges whereof we the Assurers will contribute, each one according to the Rate and Quantity of the Sum herein Assured. And that in Case of any Average Loss, not exceeding Ten Pounds per Cent, the Assurers, by Agreement with the Assured, are not to pay or allow any Thing towards such Loss. And in Case of any Loss, the Money to be paid in Ninety Days after Proof of the same. And it is agreed, by us the Insurers, that this Writing, or policy of Assurance, shall be of as much Force and Effect as the surest Writing, or Policy of Assurance, heretofore made within the United States of America. And so we the Assurers are contented, and do hereby promise and bind ourselves, each One for his own Part, our Heirs, Executors and Goods, to the Assureds, their Executors, Administrators and Assigns, for the true Performance of the Premises, confessing ourselves paid the Consideration due unto us for the Assurance by the Assureds, at and after the Rate of ten Pounds (Premium 10 f et., Amo. £60) per Cent. But if Hostilities should commence, or a War break out with any Power whatever, during the abovementioned Voyage, an adequate Premium shall be paid by the Assured.
Bread, Corn, Flax-Seed, Fish, Salt, Hemp, Hides, Skins, and such goods as are esteemed perishable, are warranted free from Average, unless there should be a general Average, or the Vessel stranded.
And in Case of any Dispute arising hereupon, the Master in Controversy shall be submitted to, and decided by Referees, chosen by each Party, agreeably to the Rules and Customs in the United States of America.
IN WITNESS whereof, we the Assurers, have subscribed our Names, and Sums assured, in Newport——the State of Rhode Island March 29th 1794——
N.B. Said Brig & Appurtenances valued at Seven Hundred & Fifty Pounds & her Cargo at Five Thousand Two Hundred & Fifty Pounds Lawful Money——
• £200 Wm. & Saml. Vernon Junt. For Two Hundred Pounds SMF £20…
• 100 Caleb Gardner for Peleg. Clark One Hundred Pounds 10…
• 100 Gibbs & Channing—Sam. Sanford for them—One Hundred Pounds 10…
• £200 Simeon Martin for Two Hundred Pounds LMoY 20…
• £600—Premium pd. By Note to SS.—April 29th, 1794 Recd. Cash for the premium Note and dev the Underwriters £60…
April 29, 1794—Rec’d. of Sim. Martin Esqr. For my commission on £20—1.01
Richmond Sept. 7, 1860
Dear Sir,
Our market has improved in the last day or so several new buyers here and things are looking rather better, The demand are mostly for good shipping Negroes. We would advise you should have any on hand to send them in at once
Very truly
David Dupree & Co
Know all men by these presents that I Edward Wortham of the county of Granville and state of North Carolina for the love and affection which I bear unto my son Thomas J. Wortham and for the futher consideration of one cent to me in hand paid the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, that I do give unto him the said Thomas P. Wortham one negro girl named Nutty about five years old to him and his heirs forever, against the claim or claims of all persons whatsoever. And I do bind myself my heirs and warrant and forever defend unto the said Thomas P. Wortham all the right title and Interest of the said negro girl Nutty to him and his heirs forever in testimony of which I have sense unto let my hand and seal this the Eleventh day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty six.
Witness Ewd Wortham seal
James Wortham William D. Wortham
That all men by these present that I Frederick Dent of the County of St. Louis State of Missouri, for good causes me hereto moving do hereby emancipate and forever set free a certain negro named Robert Green aged about twenty eight years a& upwards who was entitled to his freedom on his arriving at the age of twenty eight years: he having heretofore belonged to me by transfer from Thomas Cromwell, who purchased him from Charles Ellit.
In testimony where of I have hereto set my hand and seal this twenty eight day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eighth hundred and thirty eight.
Signed sealed and deliver in presents of
Thos’ August Stanton
Lewis Dent
Maryland, Frederick County To wit
On this 23rd day August 1828 before me one of the Justices of the Peace in and for said County appears William Johnson and makes oath that the negroe woman whom he manumitted, on the 14 day of August [illegible text] who was there in my presence is the same negroe woman Amy Dorsey, named in said Deed.
Witness my hand
David Steiner
Dear Sir:
Jackson, April 17, 186_
I received 9sic.) your telegram at 4:00 p.m. yesterday, after which I rode 20 miles to get the reports of some gentleman, wo had been engaged in getting up Negroes, and found to my surprise that great difficulty was experienced in getting Negroes on account of the heavy firing heard, and on coming to Jackson this morning to meet the hands, ordered to rendezvous here, only 6 were ready. I went to the Provost Marshall for 10 troopers to go out and get them so dividing the detail as not to embarass the planting interest, he replied no soldiers were here or they should be at my service.
If you think necessary and send an Order to Brownsville, for 10 Cavalry to come to my house tomorrow night, I will have the one hundred hands in Brownsville, Monday morning to take Rail, or if you so Order to go to Frt. Pillow by land, as some who know the country prefer, if equally expedient in your view…
Respectfully,
Your Obdt Servt, YCS Crittenden
To: L.D. McKissich
_____Gov. & Pro. Marshall
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Whereas, on the twenty-second day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, a proclamation was issued by the President of the United States, containing, among other things, the following, to wit:
“That on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free; and the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom.
“That the Executive will, on the first day of January aforesaid, by proclamation, designate the States and parts of States, if any, in which the people thereof, respectively, shall then be in rebellion against the United States; and the fact that any State, or the people thereof, shall on that day be, in good faith, represented in the Congress of the United States by members chosen thereto at elections wherein a majority of the qualified voters of such State shall have participated, shall, in the absence of strong countervailing testimony, be deemed conclusive evidence that such State, and the people thereof, are not then in rebellion against the United States.”
Now, therefore I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, by virtue of the power in me vested as Commander-in-Chief, of the Army and Navy of the United States in time of actual armed rebellion against the authority and government of the United States, and as a fit and necessary war measure for suppressing said rebellion, do, on this first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and in accordance with my purpose so to do publicly proclaimed for the full period of one hundred days, from the day first above mentioned, order and designate as the States and parts of States wherein the people thereof respectively, are this day in rebellion against the United States, the following, to wit:
Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, (except the Parishes of St. Bernard, Plaquemines, Jefferson, St. John, St. Charles, St. James Ascension, Assumption, Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. Mary, St. Martin, and Orleans, including the City of New Orleans) Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia, (except the forty-eight counties designated as West Virginia, and also the counties of Berkley, Accomac, Northampton, Elizabeth City, York, Princess Ann, and Norfolk, including the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth[)], and which excepted parts, are for the present, left precisely as if this proclamation were not issued.
And by virtue of the power, and for the purpose aforesaid, I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free; and that the Executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons.
And I hereby enjoin upon the people so declared to be free to abstain from all violence, unless in necessary self-defence; and I recommend to them that, in all cases when allowed, they labor faithfully for reasonable wages.
And I further declare and make known, that such persons of suitable condition, will be received into the armed service of the United States to garrison forts, positions, stations, and other places, and to man vessels of all sorts in said service.
And upon this act, sincerely believed to be an act of justice, warranted by the Constitution, upon military necessity, I invoke the considerate judgment of mankind, and the gracious favor of Almighty God.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the City of Washington, this first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the eighty-seventh.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
By the President:
WILLIAM H. SEWARD,
Secretary of State.
August 14, 1918
The General of the Boissiudy Division
Commander of the 7th Army
The Chief of Vosges—
The Chief of Leurthe-et-Loselle
“The American 92nd Division, a division composed entirely of colored soliders, is at the disposal of the 7th Army as of the 12th of the current month, the date of its arrival at the Arches camp.
This Infantry Division, which will later fight in the Saint-Dé sector, will be stationed on the territory of the Vosges province and near the Meurthe-et-Moselle to the north of the area (Raon-l’Etape—Thiaville). “The negro question” is considered by our allies to be a particularly delicate matter, which point of view should not be discussed by should be accepted.
The French Mission to the American Army has explained to the General commanding the Army the attitude that we should adopt regarding colored troops, which is the attitude of white Americans, in military matters as well as in contacts between negros and our local populations.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Army has the pleasure of communicating these obersrvations to the Commissioners concerned in order that these officials let it be known that local authorities should act in a reserved manner in dealing with colored men.
“Try and make local people understand that they should not spoil the negros. The Americans are indignant at any public intimacy between white women and blacks. They have recently raised vehement protests against an engraving of the Vie Parisienne entitled: “the Child of the Dessert” representing a woman in her room with a negro.’
‘Furthermore, American negro troops in France have by themselves raised as many complaints of attempted rape as all the rest of the Army although we were sent only the physical and moral elite.’”
Dear Hun,
This is to tell you that I may be leaving for overseas soon. There will be 13 from Ft. Bragg if all go whose names went to headquarters. I am not sure who is going as they haven’t told us but some say everybody’s whose name was on the list is going. Don’t ask when or where because I do not know. I may go to Florence on the 12th if they will let me or if I am still hee. I must have my radio repaired because that is one of the articles I will have to carry with me.
I have already made my will and am going to take out Army insurance.
I am hoping I won’t have to go on this trip. Petty has been made 1st Lt. and will leave Sat. for Ft. Hachuca Ariz. She will be chief nurse. I wish I could go with her. She may go overseas with the second group that is why I don’t want to go with the firt group. Would like to wait and go with her.
Had a card from Mrs. Johnson. Her mother is dead. Was quite surprised.
Don’t worry—as we will be convoyed all the way there. We will be 28 days on the sea[.] We are planning on the fun we will have on the ship. We will be the first group of negro nurses to go overseas during war. That’s History, you know. Everybody is excited.
You owe me a letter. Write soon[.]
Love,
Hun