Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1843-03-16
THE GAZETTE.
M ARR1N sBWR9, VA,
VIRGINIA SLAVERY.

America has had so much cause to complain
! sentation and falsehoods, which English travellers
have employed, in their Efforts to brig contemp
and ridicue upon us; that il is refreshing to NEE
with an English tourist journalist, who can lool
upon things here with just eye. and tell the truth
about them when he gets home. The following ex
tract from the journal OF Capt. Barclay, an English
pedestrian. who recently made the tour Of Ameii-
ca, shows that there is somewhat Of the spirit Of
fairness and justice towards US, yet among the En-
glish.
BEING DESTROYS of acquainiing myself
with the condition of the slaves in Virgin.
ia left Baltimore en- route for Richmond,
capital of that State, by the railway, al
nine A. N. on the Goth; arrived at Wash.
ington, forty miles from Baltimore, Il,
eleven; and from thence embarked in a
steamer bound up tho Potomac.
This is one of the principal fishing riv.
ers in the States, and along both its banks
are numerous fishing stations. To des-
cribe the great beauty of its scenery,
would be very much to repeat descrlp-
ton Of what is to be seen on all the great
rivers and lakes of America, had visit.
ed. think it may correctly enough be
said that, it any one to whom the scene
ry OF the Thames above London is famil-
lar, were TO fancy the conjecture of its
natural objects very much increased in
magnitude, and viewed in an atmosphere
Of great Iustre and tranquility, he might
fo,m tolerable poton of the richness and
grandeur Of the summer scenery of an
American River.
AT five p. NJ. landed at wharf sixty
miles from Washington. and thence pro-
ceeded by stage to Fredericksburgh. over
nine miles of road ss sbomnable as can
be imagined.
For the remaining distance of sixty
miles placed myself on the railway. and
at half-pas eleven reached my destination
at Richmond, having in fourteen hours
travelled one hundred miles by railway.
eix;Y by water, and nine BY the stage.
Richmond, an extremity handsome
tuwn, contains about 40 600 Inhabitants,
OF whom two-taird are PERSONS OF color,
aud "a great proportion of these slaves.
Every serranf, man, woman, and child,
is slave, but to my great and agteea Bile
surprise. found slavery here possess
none of the horrors had at home been
accustomed TO hear connected with it
for The slaves Of The country are well
clothed and well fed, and kindly treated,
and 10 all appearance couiented and hap
py; indeed, should say their condition
physically is one Of great comfort aud en-.
loyment, ia comparison with that of our
own manufacturing population, by thou.
sands Of whom, | cannot doubt, il would,
in relation to the necessaries of life, be
looked upon with envy.
The men, for the greater part, are
strong, muscular, aud good looking and
OF the women, many are handsome, par.
ticulsrIy the nursery maids, housemsids,
and other domestics, who IN dress and
person. appear as gay, as tasteful, and
tidy, rs the most buxom Of our lasses.
The term slave sounds hsrshy in a
British ear, ard when WAS told by nice,
light. hearted looking girl, that she was Il
slave, | could no, help regarding her with
feeling Of commisseration she, howev.
or, seemed TO think nothing of the desig-
nation, and arm glad to believe il is, in
this Stste, felt in great measure as but
Ga name"
Whist have been told Of masters sci.
ling the ofsprings OF :heir slaves, as we
would sell limbs, the produce of our ewes,
| found to be totally without foundation.
On tho contrary, great attention is paid
to the wants and comfort, and also the
moral and religious instruction Of slave
children, and any master or family &C.
ting differently towards them would be
secuted.
When il happens, as often It does, that
anv one owns more slaves than he him.
self has occasion to employ, he allows
them to serve in different capacities in
the employment Of other persons, and
particularly as domestic servants, in
which capacity they receive wages from
their employers at the rate of eight or
ten dollars a month. one.half OF which
goes to the master who clothes his slaves
and otherwise cares for them. In this
w.y ii happens that many families have
slave servants not their own, but to whom
they pay wages.
There may be masters who are tyran.
ncal and cruel to their slaves, but unhep,
PLY tyranny and cruelty to dependents
are not peculiar to slave owners. | be-
leve it might be easy to adduce authentl'
Gated instances ofthe treatmen. of parish
apprentices in free England, the atrocity
ard horTibleness Of which would draw
tears from the eyes Of any slave owner
in Virginia.
Far am /, however, from advocating
the continuance OF slavery in America. -
There ard everywhere else, even undel
the most humane treatment, II IS de-
basement Of human nature, admlttlng Of
no redeeming quality; for though kline
master may siacken and make gentle the
bonds in which he holds the body of hi
slave, there is yet a chain that letters hi
Misunderstanding it under the influence o
all the vtistIng passions, but placing fal
beyond its reach every motive to emo
bling virtues. For this, freedom alon,
is the remedy.
| No RIGHT thinking man. therefore. car