After reading When I Was a Slave edited by Norman R. Yetman, I came across a contradictory statement Andrew Moss shared. During hard times, when a person has no one to communicate with, they usually turn to God & pray. In this particular text, Moss happens to be on his knees, praying in the field or the side of a road.
A Yankee initiates dialogue with Moss when he witnesses him praying & it goes as follows:
"What you prayin' about?"
"I'se just prayin' to Jesus 'cause I wants to go to Heaven when I dies."
"You wants to be free, don't you?"
"Yes sir, Boss!"
"Well den, come go along with me.
"Please, sir, Boss. I'll have to ask my marster."
"What you mean, Marster? You ain't got no marster. We's settin' you free."
That's what a Yank says, but let's see what they do...
If this verbal statement is true, then why does this upcoming action contradict what Moss then experiences:
"Sometimes dey takes & tie a rope around you, & they starts ridin' off, but dey don't go too fast so you walk behind. Sometimes along comes another Yank on a horse & he ask, 'Boy, ain't you tired?' 'Yes sir, Boss!' 'Well, you get up here behind me & ride some.' Den he wrap de rope all around de saddle horn. But he keeps you tired, so's you won't jump down & run away. And many's de time a prayin' Negro got took off like dat & weren't never seen no more" (Yetman 98-99).
Yanks don't know anything about setting a slave free. What they think "free" means, is the slave not having an actual owner/master anymore. Yet, the actions of the Yanks clearly shows that Moss isn't actually a free man because 1)they tie a rope around him, basically still holding him hostage, 2)they ride off with the horse, but not "too fast", dehumanizing Moss, treating him like an animal, as if it is pleasing to watch, 3)a Yank has the nerve to ask if he is tired, obviously keeping in mind what's being done!, 4)tells Moss to ride "behind", 5)KEEPS HIM TIED SO HE WON'T ESCAPE!
We can clearly see contradiction between what has been said & what actually occurred.
A Yankee initiates dialogue with Moss when he witnesses him praying & it goes as follows:
"What you prayin' about?"
"I'se just prayin' to Jesus 'cause I wants to go to Heaven when I dies."
"You wants to be free, don't you?"
"Yes sir, Boss!"
"Well den, come go along with me.
"Please, sir, Boss. I'll have to ask my marster."
"What you mean, Marster? You ain't got no marster. We's settin' you free."
That's what a Yank says, but let's see what they do...
If this verbal statement is true, then why does this upcoming action contradict what Moss then experiences:
"Sometimes dey takes & tie a rope around you, & they starts ridin' off, but dey don't go too fast so you walk behind. Sometimes along comes another Yank on a horse & he ask, 'Boy, ain't you tired?' 'Yes sir, Boss!' 'Well, you get up here behind me & ride some.' Den he wrap de rope all around de saddle horn. But he keeps you tired, so's you won't jump down & run away. And many's de time a prayin' Negro got took off like dat & weren't never seen no more" (Yetman 98-99).
Yanks don't know anything about setting a slave free. What they think "free" means, is the slave not having an actual owner/master anymore. Yet, the actions of the Yanks clearly shows that Moss isn't actually a free man because 1)they tie a rope around him, basically still holding him hostage, 2)they ride off with the horse, but not "too fast", dehumanizing Moss, treating him like an animal, as if it is pleasing to watch, 3)a Yank has the nerve to ask if he is tired, obviously keeping in mind what's being done!, 4)tells Moss to ride "behind", 5)KEEPS HIM TIED SO HE WON'T ESCAPE!
We can clearly see contradiction between what has been said & what actually occurred.
