We had an opportunity of conversing with some of those who came.

We asked one old man what he did on the "First of August ?"[A] His reply was, "Massa, we went to church, and tank de Lord for make a we all free." [Footnote A: By this phrase the freed people always understand the 1st of August, 1834, when slavery was abolished.] An aged infirm woman said to us, among other things, "Since de _free_ come de massa give me no--no, nothing to eat--gets all from my cousins." We next conversed with two men, who were masons on an estate.
Being asked how they liked liberty, they replied, "O, it very comfortable, Sir--very comfortable indeed." They said, "that on the day when freedom came, they were as happy, as though they had just been going to heaven." They said, now they had got free, they never would be slaves again.

They were asked if they would not be willing to sell themselves to a man who would treat them well.

They replied immediately that they would be very willing to _serve_ such a man, but they would not _sell themselves_ to the best person in the world! What fine logicians a slave's experience had made these men! Without any effort they struck out a distinction, which has puzzled learned men in church and state, the difference between _serving_ a man and _being his property_.
Being asked how they conducted themselves on the 1st of August they said they had no frolicking, but they all went to church to "_tank God for make a we free_." They said, they were very desirous to have their children learn all they could while they were young.

We asked them if they did not fear that their children would become lazy if they went to school all the time.