The Washingtonian., 1845-08-23
SELLING RUM TO SLAVES.

capacitated for the trade in the State forever.
This piece of intelligence, taken from
New Orleans paper, suggests several very
important considerations. We present them
in form of questions and answers, allowing the
wine-drinking slave owner 10 speak 1or hlm'
self in the answers. :.
Question. harm is there in selling
liquor to slave?
Answer-None, per Sc, but it is forbidden
by law, and therefore the fine and punish
ment. So,
O.-But why is it forbidden? Surely the
law would not prohibit it, unless the act was
regarded as injurious to the slave. al.
Alt is found to be injurious to the slave to
sell him liquor. 1t leads him into bad habits,
and Injuries the value Of our property.
Q.-What bad habits does it lead him into
Alt makes him careless and inattentive
TO his business, causes him to idle away his
time and hang about the drinking houses,
throws him into bad company, leads him to
tell lies to conceal his misconduct, involves
him in broils and fights, and various crimes,
and makes bad servant of him in every res
pect.
Q.-Is it possible that the use Of liquor has
that effect on slave?
A.-No doubt of it. 1t would be impossible
to exaggerate the evil consequences OF the
practice.
Q.-But is it not cruel to cut off your SER
wants from the enjoyment Of strong drink?
A.-No. 1t is for their good as well as our
own, that we do it.
Q.-Certainly an occasional glass would
not have such bad effects. Why do you not
modify the law to punish the rumseller only
when he sells liquor in eIcess to your slaves {?
A.-Experience has proved that they are
not to be trusted. The slaves do not know
when to stop, and if we allow them to have
it occasionally, they mill contrive to get too
much.
Q.-But that is their fault, not the liquor
sellers. Why do you punish the liquor seller
for that?
A-Because it is the only way to prevent
the evil. The negroes wM drink if they can
get it, and the grog-sellers ,oiH sell if they can
get the money, and we have found that no
halfway course will answer. However plau-
sible in theory, it won't do in practice. The
Gordian knot must be cut at once. The only
way to defend ourselves and protect our me-
groes is to prohibit the sale Of liquor to them
in all quantities, and in all circumstances.
Dwell, / think your reasoning is very
good. have one more question to ask. Why
do you not prohibit the rumsellers from selling
liquor to your children? Y
A.-Ahem! That's different case. We
do not choose to put our sons on a level with
niggers.
Q.-It strikes me that you put them bezoac
the /" "niggers."
A.-What do you mean, sir?
Q.-I mean that you take better care of your
slaves than of your free born sons. Passing
through the coffee houses in this city, noticed
many young men drinking wine and liquors,
and showing the same bad effects as you say
liquor produces in your slaves. They were
lounging about and idling their time away,
not attending to business, getting into bad COM
and often fighting. You know that fights with
knives and dirks are every day occurrences
among your children, at these coffee houses.
If you prohibit and punish the sale of liquor
to your slaves for their own good, does not
the good Of your children demand that they
should not be supplied with noxious drink?
A.-Well, we'll, there is some difficulty in
getting over that. I really think ii would be
better for the community if the grog-selers
were prohibited from selling liquor to young
men. But how would it do for me to advo.
cate that measure when I am myself in the
habit of indulging little? Would you have
me to be so inconsistent?
Q.-By no means. would have you be
consistent, by conforming your conduct with
your convictions, and not by bending your doc,
trine TO suit your practice If it would be for
the good Of your slaves, and of your children,
to cut them off from the pernicious and dan
gerous indulgence, will you not set them the
example Of abstinence? Perhaps it might be
for your oacn good also.
A.-Stranger you worry me with your ques-
tions. You have got me 10 spin rope, and
now want me to hang myself with it. But if
it must be so, give up. This selling and
drinking rum is after all devilish business,
know it. / wish there was not rum shop in
the universe. 1t would be blessing if every
rumseller in our land were hung on galows.
1t is foolish and weak, and wicked in myself,
and others like me, to encourage and uphold
them by buying and drinking their accursed
poison They are set Of vampires-black-
hearted hirelings, who would sell the souls OF
their countrymen, and their own souls too, for
good measure, TO the
Q.-Softly friend; what hath moved thee
TO such wrath?
Ais enough to warm up any mans
feelings to view the thing in its proper light.
But mind ye, stranger, this is confidential If
you were to tell out of doors what have said,
itwould almost ruin my business.-S. c. Tenn.
Standard
A ROMANCE IN REAL LIFE.
Mrs. Child's letters from New York, which
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