Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1839-06-12

1 set her wits to work, and, by the help of
a slave, named Joe, used to take from the
i plantation whatever she could conven-
iently. and watch her opportunity during
I.her husbands absence, and send Joe to
sell them and buy for her such things as
she directed. Once, when her husband
was away, she told Joe to kill and dress
lone of the pigs, sell it, and get her some
tea, sugar, &c. Joe did as he was bid,
and she gave him the ofal for his servic-
es. When Galloway returned, not sus-
pectlng his wife, he asked her if she
knew what had become of his pig. She
told him she suspected one of the slaves,
naming him, had stolen it, for she had
heard a pig squeal the evening before
The >overseer, called the slave up, and
| charged him with the theft He denied
/ 1t, and said he knew nothing about it
The overseer still charged him with it,
land told him he would give him one
week to think of it, and if he did no. con- !
Tess the theft, or find out who did steal
the pig, he would fog every negro on
the plantation before the week was up,
it was ascertained that Joe had killed the
lpig. He was called up and questioned,
and admitted that he had done so, and told
the ovefseer that he did 1t by the order of
Mrs. Galloway, and that she directed
him to buy some sugar, &c. with the
money Mrs. Galloway gave Joe the
lie, and he was terribly logged. Joe
told me he had been several times to the
{smoke-house with Mrs. G., and taken
hams and sold them, which her husband
told me he supposed were stolen by the
negroes on a neighboring plantation
Mr. Swan hearing of the circumstance,
told me he believed Joe's story but that
his statements would not be taken as proof;
and If every slave on the plantation told
the same story, il. could not be received as
evidence against a white person.
I 10 show the manner in which old and
worn out slaves are sometimes treated,
/ will state fact. Galloway owned man
about seventy years of age. The old
man was sick and went to his hut laid
himself down on some straw with his
feet to the fire, covered with piece of an
old blanket, and there lay four or five
!. days, grooming in great distress, without
any attention being paid, him by his mas
Ter, until death ended his miserles; he
was then taken out and buried with as.
: little ceremony and respect as would be
pad to a brute There Is practice prev
alent among the planters, of letting ne
gro oft from severe and long continued
punishment on account of the, intercession
OF some white person, who pleads In his
q behalf, that he believes the negro will be-
have better; that he believes hewill keep
his promise, &c. The planters some
times get tired of furnishing a negro, and,
;, wanting his services in the field, they get
some white person to come, and, in the
presence of the slave, intercede for him.
AT one time, a negro, named Charles,
was confined IN the stocks in the building
where was at work, and had been Sc,
verely whipped several times. He beg
S ged me to intercede for him and try to ore,
: him released. I told him I would; and
), when his master came in to whip him
p again, went up to him and told him |
/ had been talking with Charles, and he
!. had promised to behave better, &C., and
0 requested him not to punish him any
: more, but to. let him GO. He then said tc
+, Charles, AS Mr.. Caulkins has beer
!. pleading for you, | will let you go on hi.
(, account and accordingly released him.
h Women are generally shown some lit
ot| tie Indulgence for three or four weeks
Ie previous TO childbirth they are not a
e such times often punished if they do no
finish the task assigned them; it is il
S some cases, passed over with sever
0, reprlmand, and sometimes without an,
y notice being taken of it, They are gen
is orally allowed four weeks after the brit
er of child, before they are compelled to e.
De into the field they then take the chill
is with them, attended sometimes by littl
$, girl or boy, from the age of four to six
ne to take care of it while the mother is q
gs work. When there is no child that ca
We be spared, or not young enough for thi
IS. service, the mother, after nursing. lays
ed under tree. or by the side of fence
ch Iand goes to her task, returning at certai
he intervals to nurse it. While was O
a this plantation, little negro girl, 81
ht years of age, destroyed the life of chill
rs about two months old, which was left j
or fher care 1t seems. this little nurse, S
as Ecalled, got tired Of her charge and the Ia
ne Dor OF carrying tito the quarters at nigh
ST the mother being obliged to work as Ion
or as she could see. One evening she nur
III ed the infant at sunset,as usual, and sci
las it to the quarters. The little girl. on hi
for way home, had to cross run, or brool
he which led down into the swamp; wins
by she came othe brook, she followed it il
an to the swamp, then took the infant al
ed plugged it head foremost into the wat
nd. and mud. where it stuck fast; she the
on left it and went to the negro quarters.
elys VUhan fha rootbar oo,,., ~ froro tho fiel