The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-06-01

the treasure which he had no share in earning.
MIR. Grund, author of very popular book on
America, told me, when he returned from South
Carolina, that nothing was more observable mi
Southern gentlemen than the indifference win
which they lost money at the Whist CLUB; IL
was beautiful, said he, to see them hand over
their one hundred, or two hundred dollars, IN such
cool and gentlemanly style: They never play Tor
less than one hundred dollars a corner. friend
quietly replied Men may we'll be cool in hand
ing over other peoples earnings
And here cannot but recall an incidentin the
course of my travels which afforded me much
amusement and'ediGcation. Il spent an evening
in New York, with gentleman who dealt large
ly in cutlery. Speaking of his trade with the
South he said it mainly consisted Of di'hS and
Jorie hmireS. He mentionedthc annual sum paid
for these instruments. 1t was immense but am
afraid to trust my memory to name it. The next
day, stopped at Hartford, on my way to Boston.
At that place, three strangers entered the stage.
By their conversation, | soon discovered that one
of them was Deacon of Calvinistic church in
Connecticut, another schoo-master from the
same town, and the third from South Carolina.
The Deacon soon began to speak of the intimate
and friendly union between the North and the
South, which he hoped would always remain I'M
disturbed. There never has been such an active
trade, or so much good feeling between Connect
cut and the South, as there now is said he
! There is our riRe-pistol esablishment--do all we
can, we can't get hands enough at work to supply
the Southern market
The schoolmaster chimed in, with praises of
Southern hospitality politeness and generosity
| was indignant, but silent. To my surprise, the
gentleman from Carolina broke ont as follows -
! Sir, your estimation of Southern character differs
essentially from mine. have lived sixteen years
in South Carolina; and have now left it, with a
resolution never to reside in a slave state again.
You talk of generosity. Ill tell you in what it
consists. The Southern gentleman drives others
with the whip to toll for him. He comes to Phil
adelphia, New York, and Boston, and during six
months spends their earnings in making dash
,amone the Yankees then he goes home to starve
his niggers upon ground corn and water the other
six months. You may call this generosity, but I
call it meanness.' quote his precise words
The Connecticut men scarcely opened their lips
Eagan till we reached Boston,
T If any reader makes use of these statements to
foster sectional pride or jealousy, he will pervert
the truth to a very bad purpose. My object is
to prove that slavery has an inevitable tendency to
make men sensual and selfish and therefore ev-
cry Christian should do his utmost to abolish that
soul-dcstroyng SYSTEM. But we must not forget
that the North is, and ever has been, more or less
"a partner in the guilt; and that Northerners be-
come quite as much hardened as Southerncrs
when placed under the bad influence of despot-
lc institution. The system must first be changed
and then the men will change.
1t is pleasant to contrast with the foregoing,
the following facts, illustrative of the effect Free
dom has in expanding the benevolent feelings
The Rev. John Clark, Baptist Missionary in ia
maca, in a letter dated jan 8, 1885, informs
that two three chNrches of emancipated negroes
il his district speedily subscribed 5000 for mis-
sions to Africa; and this was done by aborers
working sorQe for so cents, and some for 25 cents
a day, out Of which they were obliged to pay for
house and provision-grounds, and board themselves
and families.
In the congregation of Mr.. Blyth of Jamaica,
about Sl60 were raised by the emancipated slaves
One third was devoted to raise a small tablet in
their own chapel, in commemoration of their
emancipation on the LIST of August; one third
was sent to the Scottish Missionary Society; and
one third to the Edinburgh Society for Universal
Emancipation.
From Thome and Kimball, quote as follows :
"The receipts of the Antigua Branch (Bibe)
Society have greatly increased since emancipation.
From receipts for the year 1896, in each of the
British Islands, it appears that the contributions
from Antigua and Bermuda, the only two islands
winch adOpleu entlre em;tnc paton, are ABOUT dOu-
BILE those from any other two islands. About fifty
Branch Associations have been organized among
Ehe negroes MemSelres
| The superintendent of the Wesleyan mission
Informed lis that the collection in the several Wes-
Eleyan chapels in Antigua last year for the support
of the Gospel, independent of occasional contrbu-
tons to Sunday Schools, Missionary objects, &C..
amounted to $3.50 sterling, about $4,000
The friendly Societies are formed to give re-
lief in of sickness OF infrmity, to encourage
sobriety and industry, andi check disorderly and
immoral conduct. The Wesleyans of Antigua
have four Friendly Societies. The largest con-
tanning $50 members. organized in Amgust,
1884. (The month and year of emancipation.)
The last year it had expended f700 currency
Be it remembered that these Friendly Societies
exist solely among the freed negroes, and that tile
monies are rGised exclusively among them. Among
people who it is said cannot take care Of them
Selves who will not work when freed from the
fear of the lash, yea, among negroes these
things are done and that too when wages are but
one shilling per day-fess than sufficient, one
would reasonably suppose, to provide for daily
food l.. M. G.
| Northampton, May 1882