The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-04-27


err of this slave was protesting Christian, in full
membership with the church, and this crcum-
stance occurred when he was confined to his
chamber during his last Illness
A punishment dreaded more by the slaves than
whipping, unless it is unusually severe, is one
which was invented by female acquaintance of
mine in Charleston-1 heard her say so with
much satisfaction. 1t is standing on one foot and
holding the other in the hand. Afterwards it was
improved upon, and a strap was contrived to fas-
ten around the ANGLE, and pass around the neck
so that the least weight of the foot resting on the
strap would choke the person. The pain occa-
stoned by this unnatural position was great and
when continued, as it sometimes was, for an
hour or more, produced intense agony | heard
this same woman say, that she had the ears of
her waiting maid slit for some petty theft This
she told me in the presence of the girl, who was
standing in the room. She often had the helpless
victims of her cruelty severely whipped, not scru
ping herself to WELD the instrument of torture,
and with her own hand nhict severe chastisement.
Her husband was less inhuman than his wife, but
he was often goaded on by her to acts of great Sc
verify In his last illness | was sent for and
watched by his death couch. The girl on whom
he had so often inflicted punishment, haunted his
dying hours and when at length the king of ter
rors approached, he shrieked in utter agony of
spirit, oh, the blackness of darkness, the black
imps, | can see them all around me-take them
away! and amid such Explanations he expired.
These persons were of one of the first families in
Charleston.
A friend of mine, in whose veracity have en-
tire confidence, told me that about two years ago,
a woman in Charleston with whom was well ac-
quainted had starved female slave to DEATH
She was confined in a solitary apartment, kept
constantly tied, and condemned to the slow and
horrible death of starvation. This woman was
VIGOROUSLY cruel. To those who have read the
narrative of James Williams | need only say,
that the character of young Larrimore's wife is
an exact description of this female tyrant, whose
countenance was ever dressed in smiles when in
the presence of strangers, but whose heart was as
the neither milestone toward her slaves.
AS was travelling in the lower country in S.
Carolina a number of years since, my attention
was suddenly arrested by an exclamation of hor-
ror from the coachman, who called out, look
there, Miss Sarah, don't you see,'-I looked in
the direction he pointed, and saw human head
stuck up on a high pole. On inquiry, found
that renaway slave, who was outlawed, had been
shot there, his head severed from his body, and
put upe the public highway, as terror to deter
slaves from running away.
On plantation in North Carolina, where was
visiting, happened one day in my rambles, to
step into negro cabin my compassion was in
stantly called forth by the object which presented
itself A slave, whose head was white with age,
was lying in one corner of the hovel; he had I'M
der his head few filthy rags but the boards were
his only bed it was the depth of winter, and the
wind whised through every part ofthe dilapida-
spoke, and in reply to my question, What is the
mo Q, ha cold | ON 6Uior of in
side As he removed the rags which covered the
sore found that it extended half-round the body
and was shockingly neglected. inquired if he
had any nurse. No, missey, was his answer
but de people Uhe slaves very kind to me, dey
often steal time to run and see me and fetch me
some ting to eat: if they did not might starve
The master and mistress of this man, who had
been worn out in their service. We're remarkable
for their intelligence, and their hospitality knew
no bounds towards those who were of their own
grade in society: the master had for some time
held the highest military office in North Carolina,
and not long previous to the time Of which |
speak, was the Governor of the State.
On plantation in South Carolina, witnessed
a similar case of sufering-an aged woman suf-
lerng under an incurabe disease in the same
neglected situation. The owner of
this slave was proverbially kind to her negroes
81 NUN Soj liut VIC pldlClo III
said she spoiled them and set bad example,
which might produce discomfort among the sur
rounding slaves; yet | have seen this woman
trcmble with rage, when her slaves displeased her.
and heard her use language to them which could
only be expected from an inmate of Bridewell
and have known her in gust of passion send
favorte slave to the workhouse to be severely
whipped.
Another fact occurs to me. A young woman
about eighteen stated some circumstances relative
to her young MASTER which were thought derog-
atory to his character; whether true or false am
unable to say ), she was threatened with punish
ment, but persisted in affirming that she had only
spoken the truth. Finding her incorrigibe, it
was concluded to send her to the Charleston work.
house and have her whipt; she pleaded in vain {
ior Communication of her sentence, not so much s
because she dreaded the actual suffering, as be-
cause her delicate mind shrunk from the shocking
expositisn of her person to the eyes of brutal and
icentious men she declared to me that death
would be preferable but her entreaties were vain
and as there was no means of escaping but by '
'unning away, she resorted TO it as desperate G
'emedy, for her timid nature never could have S
oraved the perils necessarily encountered by fugi- c
i've slaves, had not her mind been thrown into i
state of despair. She was apprehended after a S