The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-04-06

has been working sixteen gears to carry off one
tortnight's increase Of slaves ! Then | was dis
couraged and my hands dropped by my side. A
visit to the Cherokees gave me some thoughts con-
corning Colonization as Missionary enterprise.
Many of the Indians had become converts to
Christ; they had improved in the arts of civilized
life and there was a light in the eye, always
kindled when men begin to think about the soul
and its existence in future life. But the difficult
ty was, the same country which sent them mes
sengers of the blessed Gospel likewise sent
among them carloads of rum. | remembered
how missionaries in pagan lands dreaded the ar
rival of ship from their own country because
where there was one sailor that would speak to
the natives of God and the Bible, there were six
who would lead them into drunkenness and de-
hatchery Why, my dear hearers, | should be
afraid to take any congregation in the most moral
town-even this audience, if you pease-and set
YOU all down in the midst of heather land as
missionaries there. Ishould be afraid you would
not all be fit for your work.
The lecturer neglected to point the moral but
he obviously meant to ask, What then can be ex-
pected of ship-loads of ignorant and degraded
slaves, landed on Pagan shore !?
After emancipated all my other slaves, con-
tinued he, | still held one man in bondage sever
al years. He seemed to be incapable of taking
care of himself My friend said it would be wrong
to emancipate him; he was stupid, he would
suffer if he had no master to provide for him, and
would soon come upon the county. He certainly
did seem very stupid so continued to hold him
as slave. But oh, how bless God that voice
of warning and rebuke reached me from the Free
States Oh | expect to sing about it through
all eternity 1t led me to ask myself, are you not
deceived in thinking you keep this man from mo-
tives of benevoence Is it not the fact that you
like we'll enough to have him to black your boots,
and catch your horse called him to me and
said, " give you your freedom. Whatever you
earn is your own. If you get sick, or poor, come
to me. My house shall always be home to
YOU About year after, met him riding on
poney. "Well," said l., how do you like free
dom 2" oh, massa, the sweetest thing in all the
world I've got hundred silver dollars slowed
sway in a box" The last time talked with
him he had laid ~ six hundred dollars. If you
let man have the management Of his own con-
Germs, though he is stupid, he will brighten up
little.
When | was three or four years old, could
say off all the lphabet, and spell some small words;
but it was discovered that had learnt all this
by rote, and did not know one of the letters by
sight. was taken from school, and one of my ia
theirs young slaves became my principal teacher.
He would lead me out under shady tree, and try
to impress the letters on my mind, by SAYING
{ That's great 0, like the horse-collar; that's H,
like the garden gate, that's little g, like your faith
er's spectaces.' He was much brighter than |
was, but was sent to college, and he was sent in
to the corn6eld, He became dull, and dare say
if | could now find him, somewhere in Alabama,
should find him stupid and ignorant. Yet if he
had gone to school and college alongside of me,
he would have been as much superior to me as
am now superior to him.
Il have been asked concerning the religious in
struction of slaves and feel safe in answering,
that in general it amounts to little or nothing
Hundreds and thousands never heard of Sa-
viour and of those who are familiar with his
name, few have any comprehension of its mean
ing. | remember one grey-headed negro, with
whom | tried to talk concerning his immortal soul.
pointed to the hills, and told him God made
them. He said he did not believe any body made
the hills When | asked him about Jesus Christ,
| found he had heard his name, but thought he
was son of the Governor of Kentucky. One of
my pious Presbyterian brothers charged me with
being too severe upon him. He said he certainly
did instruct his people he did not suffer them
TO grow up in heather ignorance. | soon after
asked one of his slaves if he could tell how many
Gods there were. Oh yes massa ; there are
two Gods"
DENY dSkeu concerning tne treatment OF saves,
Dr. N. said, | have not attempted to harrow your
feelings with stories of cruelty will however,
mention one or two among the many incidents that
came under my observation as family physician.
was one day dressing blister and the mistress
of the house sent little black girl into the kch-
en- to bring me some warm water She probably
misook the message for she returned with
bowl full Of boiling water; which her mistress no
sooner perceived, than she thrust her hand into it,
and held it there till it was half cooked.
" remember young lady who played well on
the piano, and was ready to weep over any fcti-
iious tale of suffering / was present when one
of her slaves lay on the floor in a high fever and
we feared she might not recover. | saw that la
ly stamp upon her with her feet ; and the only
remark her mother made, was, | am afraid Eve
ina is too much prejudced against poor Mary
My hearers, you must not form too harsh a
Judgment concerning individuals who give way to
such bursts ofpassion None of you can calculate
what would be the effects your own temper, if
you were long accustomed to arbitrary power, {
md hourly vexed with sloveny lazy, and disobe-
lient slaves. If sent an Grand, they would
De sure to let the cattle into the corn6eld they
gave the horse his OATS they would be sure to
cave the peck measure where it would be kicked S
n niacoS Such &c tha irritatur atura IF clio va |