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<title>That's what the niggers then will do : answer to "Young Eph's Lament" / words by Tom Russell ; sung with immense success by Johny Allen of Arlington, Kelly and Leon's Minstrels ; music by Geo. H. Barton ...: a machine readable transcription.</title>
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<publicationstmt><p>Washington, DC, 2006.</p>
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<p>Thats What the Niggers Then Will Do.</p>

<p>What will we do when the war breaks the country up <lb>
And scatters the darkies all a round <lb>
That was the question when the war it first began <lb>
But now the answer has been found, <lb>
We will work for Uncle Sam, we will do the best we can, <lb>
We bless Old Abe for all that he has done, <lb>
We have help&apos;d to save the flag <lb>
Pull down the traitor rag, <lb>
But now our work is almost done <lb>
Then what are we poor niggers guan to do!</p>

<p>Niggers would&apos;nt fight so the papers all have told us, <lb>
But I guess as how we&apos;ve proved ourselves true blue <lb>
We were massacred at Pillow but we made it up at Richmond: <lb>
We were there to see Old Lee surrender too; <lb>
And now this war is over we dont want to live in clover <lb>
All we want&apos;s a chance to earn our daily bread <lb>
Give us but the word to do <lb>
And we soon will show to you <lb>
When a nigger wont be drove he can be led <lb>
And you&apos;ll see what the niggers then can do.</p>

<p>This war has been a mighty institution for us niggers <lb>
It gave us a chance to show we can do <lb>
The good work has begun if they only will keep at it <lb>
The nigga&apos;s will be faithful and be true <lb>
We have proved that we can fight <lb>
Let us learn to read and write <lb>
We doesent want to hold no place of trust <lb>
You have freed us from our pen <lb>
All we want is to be men <lb>
I am sure that what we ask for is but just <lb>
And the nigga then will be a happy man.</p>


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