Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1845-09-04


letter 10 me "Homo sum ct nihil hunaaruna
a me alienuna -puto," as translated and prac-
tically illustrated by them. Such a doctrine
would give wide authority to every one, Tor
the most dangerous intermeddling with the
affairs of others. 1t will do in poetry-per-
haps in some sorts of philosophy-bu the
attempt 10 make it household maxim, and
introduce it into the daily walks of life, has
caused many an "Homo" broken crown ;
and probably will continue TO do it. Still,
though STAKEHOLDER, | freely acknowledge
nv obligations as man; and that | am
bound to treat humanely the fellow creatures
whom God has entrusted to my charge.
feel therefore somewhat sensitive under the
accusation of cruelty, and disposed to defend
myself and fellow shareholders against it
1t is certainly the interest of all, and am
convinced that 1t is also the desire of every
one of us, to treat our slaves with proper
kindness. 1t is necessary to our deriving
the greatest amount of profit from them. OF
this we are satisfied. And you snatch from
us the only consolation we Americans could
derive from the opprobrious imputation of
being wholly devoted TO making money,
ing countrymen delight to cast upon us,
when you nevertheless declare that we are
ready to sacrifice it for the pleasure Of be-
ing inhuman. You remember that Mr.. Pitt
could never get over the idea that self-inle-
rest would insure kind treatment to slaves,
until you told him your wofu stories of
the middle passage. Mr.. Pitt was right in
the first instance, and erred, under your tut
ton, in not perceiving the difference between
temporary and permanent ownership of
them. Shareholders are no more perfect
than other men. They have PASSIONS
Some of them, as you may suppose, do not
at all times restrain them. Neither do hus-
bands, parents, and friends. And in each of
these relations, as serious sufferings as fire.
quently arise from uncontrolled passions as
ever does in that of master and slave, and
with as little chance of indemnify. Y ct you
would not on that account break them up.
have no hesitation in saying that our slave
holders are as kind masters, as men usually
are kind husbands, parents, and friends-as
a general rule, kinder. A bad master-he
who overworks his slaves, provides i'll for
them, or treats them with undue severity
loses the esteem and respect of his fellow
citizens to as great an extent as he would
for the violation of any of his social and
most of his moral obligations. What the
most perfect plan of management would be,
is a problem hard to solve. From the
commencement of slavery in this coun-
try, this subject has occupied the minds
of all shareholders, as mush as the improve
ment Of the general condition of mankind
has those Of the most ardent phiIanthropists;
and the greatest progressive ameIioration of
the system has been effected. You your
self acknowledge that in the early part Of
your career you were exceedingly anxious
for the immediate abolition of the slave trade,
least those engaged i'll it should so mitigate
its evils as to destroy the force of your ar
guments and facts. The improvement you
then dreaded has gone on steadily here, and
would doubtless have taken place in the
slave trade but for the measures adopted to
suppress it.
Of late years we have been not only an
noyed, but generally greatly embarrassed
in this matter, by the Abolitionists. We
have been compelled to curtail some privi-
leges; we have been debarred from granting
lew ones. In the face of discussion, which
aims at loosening all ties between master
and slave, we have in some measure to
abandon our efforts to attach them to us
and control them through their affections
and pride. We have TO rely more and more
on the power of fear. We must in all our
intercourse with them assert and maintain
strict mastery, and impress il on them that
they are slaves. This is painful to US, and
certainly no present advantage to them. But
it is the direct consequence Of the abolition
agitation. We are determined to continue
masters, and to do so we have to draw the
rein tighter and tighter day by day 10 be
assured that we keep them in complete
check. How far this process will 60 on,
depends wholly and solely on the Adolf
tionsts. When they desist we can relax.
We may not before. ! do not by all this
mean to say that we are in a state of actual
alarm and fear of our slaves; but under eX
listing circumstances we should be inef1ably
stupid not to increase our vigilance and
strengthen our hands. You see some Of
the fruits of your labors. | speak freely
and candidIy-not as colonist who, tho
a STAKEHOLDER, has master; but as a free
white man, holding under God, and resolv-
ed to hold, my fate in my own hands; and
assure you that my sentiments, and feel
lngs, and determinations are those of every
STAKEHOLDER in this country.
The research and ingenuity of the abo-