Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-09-02
FACTS ON SLAVERY.

were said to have taken place In sonle Va -
| Southern States. These particulars sn n ~ -
present neither confirm nor deny, out snai I'll
tent myself with stating few facts when nav
come under nv own observation, during tnree
years residence in Virginia. on tnis suO!e12
as on every other, facts are arguments, anu
pledge myself for the truth of every instance
shall relate. 90
went to the South with great horror OF
Slavery, and have returned with the same sen
timents Familiarity with the eVil mas ony
caused me to feel more deeply the unenVlaoie
situation of both master and slave But during
my stay in Virginia. in which was one year
| on plantation of 65 slaves, passing ana re-
passing among them at every hour OIL the oay'
i have never seen more than three WnipPeu,
nor more than twice that number VINO WORKED
as hard as the industrious freemen OF our SOIL.
Undoubtedly more were punished; only sla'e
the result Of my own observation.
On the plantation referred to, the held servants
were all called no at day break by sound OF
horn, and a particular part Of the plantation
assigned to each. Then they would separate
to their work, and the Overseer would return
| to his house. In an hour or two the OVerSeef
would ride round ard visit all the laborers, stay
| ing half hour with each party, and in the mid
die Of the day would send them TO SHADY
spring, where they would lie on the grass two
| hours eating, singing telling tales or sleeping,
they would resume their work. and then-doWn
| drops the hoe; and away they run, " their own
men, till morning.
am more particular, as this is generally the
order Of proceeding throughout Virginia. |
| visited IA or Is counties, and spent time enough
in each to ascertain the condition of the slave
populaton. and can say with sincerity, (anG
with pride too, as found a strangers welcome
there) that the slaves Of that large State are
not worked SO hard as our own farmers and me-
chanics work that in general they are well fed,
well clothed, well lodged, treated better than do
mestics at the North as long as they behave
well, provided for when sick, and ofen made
the con fidential agents OF their masters. For in
stance: j. Randolph of Roanoke had about 400
slaves. Their value was estimated at 100000.
He gave them clothing enough at Christmas to
| last them the whole year-as coats, hats, bed
ding blankets. &C., and all who took care OF
what they received were well dressed men He
sent food from his own kitchen to all the I'M
married Ones and plenty of provisions to be
cooked by those who had families in their own
cabins He had five or six nurses, whose business
it was to attend to the sick. And his Overseer
had special directions never to infiict blow
He punished them as we punish chlldren-by
withholding some favour, as sugar from the wo-
men, and meat from the men. whenever he
rode over the plantation, the field servants took
of their hats. and be touched his; he always had
some witty remark to amuse them in labor and
conciate their love. His body-servant had the
KEYS of the house, and often carried his masters
purse and though he was by no means unconl-
monty kind, yet they all loved him when alive,
and lamented his DEATH
( knew an old rey-headed man, the property
Of an Elder in the Presbyterian Church, who
had the full confidence Of his master. On ono
occasion he went from the county where he lvcd,
40 miles, TO Petersburg, with handsome car
rage and horses, and $4,000 to pay debt ofthe
plantation. He proceeded a,eiully on his way
alone with no person in company, paid the Dill,
took receipt and returned ia good season to his
master. The same servant also, at another
time, drove a carriage containing two young
/ ladies to Richmond and discharged his duty
faithfully saw him there, after an absence OF
a wear from him. He walked up mile to see
me- and when we met gi asped my hand IN both
of his. exc!aiming "God bless you, young mas
termC;od bless YOU" Tom, said |, how are all
the old family servants at home2 Hearty,
said he. with his eyes full Of tears, and they all
sent heaps of love to young master, and this too."
So saving, he opened basket, and behold:
dozen of eggs-a present from slaves, a tokeh OF
their ardent gratitude and love. Poor creatures!
| il was all they had to send
| I nigh. 60 on to narrate hundreds OF instan-
| ces where Kindness wos the only rule ofthe house
or field, and cruelty verv rare exception, but
shall not at present Cruelty is rare in Virginia.
Ii is dishonorabe, it subjects man to the impu-
taton Of being ungenerous and unfeeiing, and
suppose no men on earth are more keenly alive
to tie nohlest sentiments of generosity and ho-
nor, and The highest refnements of feeling. than
the Virginians. They are SO by nature and by
inheritanc: aud they scorn to treat fellow
creature cruelty while every emotion of their
! bo2oms prompts t" humanity.
! There are many plantations within my know
| ledge. v here the master has offered freedom to
all lis slaves or 20 part, and they have refused
to accent it. This is fact-not desire, or hope, but
| fact--ahd proves much have witnessed the
! offer of freedom TO twenty or thirty slaves and,
strange as it may SEEM have seen them re-
fuse it! When urged upon them, as remem-
Der it was once particularly, their master say
| ing they might go to the North or to Africa and
there live free, they all burst into tears, declar-
ing that they would not leave him, and that they
/ did not want to be free.
| The fact is, ifthey were all freed tomorrow,
they would be in miserable situation, for they
have always been in leading strings, and are
as helpless as children. They are too ignorant
to know what to do. Most plantations are too
poor to hire them. Those in the country must
live like the free negroes who are now thereby