Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1843-04-21
PLAN FOR THE LIBERATION OF
SLAVES.

SLAVES.
In 1912, Mr.. McDonough, planter residing OPP
posite New Orleans, liberated eighty OF his slaves
aud sent them 10 Liberia. The manner in which |
he accomplished this object 10 worthy the a,ten-
ton of all who are really and sincerely Interested !
In the practical emancipation OF those now held |
in bondage. II was effected in pursuance OF
regular plnn simple and definite in lis details and
as applicable to any other case as TO his; and II
would seem to be free from serious objections
from any quarter. The following is the narration
as given by himself:-M y Tribune.
Feeling the necessity of keeping the Sabbath
holy, he would not allow his slaves TO work OF
that day. Experience, however, soon convinced
him that men who toed six days for their mas
ter needed many things which he could no, give
them. TO ennble them to do this, he allowed
them half of Saturday, that is from midday till
night to work for themselves.
Seeing the amount of money the slaves ac
cumuaied in this way, he was led 10 calculate
how long it would take them to purchase the re
mainrg FIVE and half days. The result proved
that it could be done in Ia or Is years, and he de-
iermiued to make the experiment. For this emf
he called his slaves together and explained 10 them
his plan, and Snid, with their assent he would car
~ il out They assened, this was in 1876, aud
he made them the following explanation:
The one half of Saturday being already your
own, lin consequence of ry agreement with you
that no labor shall he done on the sabbath day,)
your first object will he to gain sufficient SUN oil
money 10 purchase The other half Of Saturday,
which is the one eleventh part Of the time you
have to labor for your MASTER and OF consequence,
tho eleventh part of the value your master
has put upon you, and which you have TO pay
him for your freedom. This notify you will he
the most difficult part of your undertaking, and
take the longest time to accomplish and is TO be
effected by laboring for me on Saturday after
Moons, and leaving tho amount of your labor ia
my hands to be husbanded up for you. BY fore
going every thing yourselves, and drawing as lit
lie money as possible out of my hards, calculate
you will be able TO accomplish 1t in about seven
years, That accomplished, and one whole
day out Of six your own, you will go or more ca
silly and rapidly indeed, that once effected, your
success is certain proceeding then on your good
work, you will he enabled easily by your ear =
nings on one entire day in each week TO effect
the purchase of another day OF your time, in a
bout four years. Now master and owner of two
days in each week, you will he able in two years
more 10 purchase another day, so that three days
or one half of your time, will be your own in
and half years more you will he able to
purchase another day, making four days your
own in one year more, ano'her, or the fifth day
and in six months, the last day, or the whole of
your time will be your OVID
The results OF the experiments were these: III
| less than six years the first half day was gained
| and paid for by them in about four years the
| next second day OF the week was paid for and
! their own in about two and quarter years the
third in fifteen months the fourth; in year tho
fifth, and in about six months the last or sixth day
became their own and completed their purchase,
effecting their freedom in about fourteen and a
halt years. II could have been sooner done, but
toward the last they drew more money. Alter
this it took them nearly five months to pay the
| balance due on their children, added TO what the
youths--boys and girs-had earned. On the
morning of the 9Th of June, 1912, they all sailed
for Liberia
Some may exclam-" Why this round about
way of giving half Saturday, keeping accounts,
&c. &c. PIT is all unnecessary, and this working
| to gain time is an illusion. The whole of the
time of the slave belongs to- and is the time of The
master, who can compel the labor without freeing
the slave" MIR. Med, very much TO tho point
replies, tina; by presenting some snd-an object o
desire and hope to the slave, you make him new
} man, rouse his moral nature, and develope as you
no otherwise can, his energies lie prefers Thu
mode to that of promising freedom AT the end o
, fifteen years, because in this way his freedom
) would appear the gift of his master, who nigh
repent of and retract las the slave would fear) hi
, promise while in that the slave would have gain
ed it-have purchased and paid his master Tor II
Hope is kept alive in his bosom he has good il
, view continually urging him to fidelity, truth, in
dustry, economy, and every virtue and good work
Mr. Med. calculated " that their labor would b.
given with all the energy of heart, soul and phys
3 ica powers; that they would in'censequence ac
a compsh more labor in given time Than The sam
number of persons would in ordinary circunisan
ces and that in addition, they would labor som
n Two, three four hours more OF the twenty" iou
than other slaves were in tho habit OF doing O
would do; )" and he says
"From the day on which l made tho agree
nent with them, Notwithstanding they had, at n
times previous thereto, been well disposed an
orderly people an entire change appeared TO com
over them; they were no longer apparently III
same people; II sedaeness, care, an econom!
un industry, took possession of them, 10 whic
there seemed to he no bounds but in their physi
cal strength They were never tired OF laborin!
and seemed us though they could never efie'
r, enough. They became temperate moral, religion
n setting an example of innocent unoending live
10 the world around them, which was seen al
a admired by all. The result OF my experiment
p. pecuniary poiut OF view, as relates 10 myself,
d not of the least surprising OF lis features, MI
is this, that in the space OF about sixteen year
D. which those people served me- since making ii
D agreement with them, they have gained for ire,
3 addition TO having performed moe anu better Ia
d Dor than slaves ordinarily perform, in the usu
D. time OF laborng, sum Of money Including II
sum they appear 10 have pad me, in the purcha
is of their tine) which will enable me 10 go to VII
10 gnia or Carolina, aud purchase gang OF people
a nearly double the number of those have sent
RS way. This state from an account kept by m
m showing the amount and nature Of their ext
IA work and labor, which am ready TO attest to,
ne the most solemn manner nj any iInle."
- Strict secrecy was enjoined, as 10 the PLAN NJ
t. Mr. McDonough says he believes no slave reyei
10 ed il.
"a !SauSages. A large dog attacked the wagon
me- u market man IN Albany, few days ago al
Nv seizing upon coil OF sausages, which were Iyil
II templIngy in one corner, began tearing them
an pieces. apparently with great fury. "Why, neig
he 5or," said II friend standing by, "whal on air,t
* the matter with that critlcr, that he tackles the
as sassengers with slch wrath 2" "Wel, Pm sure