Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1845-09-11

ADDRESS TO THOMAS GARRISON THE
ENGLISH ABOLITIONIST.

ADDRESS TO THOMAS CLARKSON THE
ENGLISH ABOLITIONIsT.
Physical and moral condition of southern
SLAVES compared acHh English laborers-
Schemes of a6oAtion-''moral suasion''-
force-competition of free labor The
grand upshot Of Vest India emancipa-
ton.
Perhaps few general facts will best il
lustrate the treatment this race receives at
our hands. 1t is acknowledged that it in
creases at least as rapidly as the white.
believe it is an established principle, that
population thrives in proportion to lis COM
forts. But when it is considered that these
people are not recruited by immigration
from abroad as the whites are, and that they
are usually settled on our richest and least
healthy lands, the fact Of their equal COM
parative increase and greater longevity, out
weighs thousand Abolition (alsehooGs, in
favor of the leniency and providence OF our
management of them. 1t is also admitted
that there are incomparably fewer cases of
insanity and suicide among them than a.
mong the whites. The fact is, that among
the slaves of the African race these things
are almost wholly unknown. However fire.
quently suicide may have been amongthose
brought from Africa, can say that in my
time cannot remember TO have known or
heard of single instance of deliberate self
destruction, and but one of suicide at ALL
As to insanity, have seen but one perma-
nent case of ii, and that twenty years ago.
1t cannot be doubted that among three mil
lions of people there must be some insane
and some suicides; but will venture TO say
that more cases of both occur annually a.
mong every hundred thousand of the popu-
lation of Great Britain, than among all our
slaves. Can it be possible, then, that they
exist in that state Of abject misery, goaded
by constant injuries, outraged in their affeC-
tons and worn down with hardships, which
the Abolitionists depict, and SO many igno-
rant and thong htless persons religiously be-
lieve?
With regard to the separation of husbands
and wives, parents and children, nothing
can be more untrue than the differences
drawn from what is so constantly harped
on by Abolitionists. Some painful instances
perhaps may occur. Very few that can be
prevented. 1t is and always has been all
object of prime consideration with our slave
holders TO keep families together. Negroes
are themselves both perverse and compare
lively Indifferent about this matter. 1t is a
singular trait, that they almost invariably
prefer forming connexions with slaves be-
longing to other masters, and at some dis
lance. 1t is therefore impossible to prevent
separations sometimes, by the removal of
one owner, his death, or failure, and disper-
sion of his property. In all such cases,
however, every reasonable effort is made to
keep the parties together, if they desire it.
And the negroes forming these connexions,
knowing the chances of their premature dis
solution, rarely complain more than we all
do of the inevitable strokes of fate. Some
times it happens that negro prefers TO give
up his family, rather than separate from his
master. have known such instances. AS
to wil(ully selling off husband or wife or
child, believe it is rarely, very rarely done,
except when some offence has been com
mitted demanding transportation" AT sales
of estates and even at sheriffs' sales, they
are always, if possible, sold in families. On
the whole, notwithstanding the migratory
character of the population, believe there
are more families among our slaves, who
have lived and died together without losing
single member from their circle, except bv
the process of nature, and in the enjoyment
of constant, uninterrupted communion, than
have fourished in the same space Of time
and among the same number of civilized
people in modern times. And to sum up all
If pleasure is correctly defined to be the alb
sence of pain-which, so far as the grea
body of mankind is concerned; is undoubt
eddy its true de6niton-I believe our slaves
are the happiest three millions Of human