Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-07-16
from Tie Libcrainr.
Important Discovery.

The Editor Of the National Era has recent
y made a visit to ' Virginia, " where he appears
10 have been as Hospitality, if not as ostenta-
uously entertained, as was Mr.. Webster ia
south Carolina. Uncompromising, out-spu-
ken abolluonlSts, it is well known, are much
respected IN Virginia, for their works sake!
ne visit must have been peculiarly agtcea-
oie 10 him.. During his brief |soiourn there.
ne appears to have made an important disco
very, Tue proclamation uf which NAV serve
TO abate the Intolerance Of abalitionists toward
the Shareholders. He says
'Certainly, so far as merely outward cir
cumstancts are concerned, the slaves, where
they came under our observation, were com
toFtably situated, and, if they possessed nc
other than an animal nature, they would have
small cause of complaint. Their little house.
are better than many a log-cabin we have
seen in the West. They have plenty Of ba.
con and corn meal, and in many cases, thei
own truck patches. Nor do Mcy icDrk hardej
or longer than Tie hLorers # tie free .Si4tes
Cruel p~unlshments are rare, aud the lash i,
not IN frequent use. In a word, so far a;
their animal nature is concerned. they are
generally hreated ,Cih humanity. We speak
only Of what We have seen in Virginia.
Well, as a whole, we are compelled to dis
credit this testimony. True. the statement
is somewhat cautiously made, (Cor the wit
ness is eminent for his discretion.) and there
fore may be exactly fair; for it is based en-
tlrely on the observation of the editor of the
Fra, and he does not say how large a bod
the slaves whom he saw constituted, or wheth-
er they we're domestic or plantation slaves
But we think that the inference which viii
be generally drawn from it, and legilimately
too, according TO his own intention, will be
this-that, in regard to food, clothing, lodg-
ing, and the amount Of labor required TO be
performed, the slaves in Virginia are sgene-
rally treated with humanity, Indeed, that
this Is the impression he means TO convey is
still more evident from a subsequent declara-
ton that he makes, namely-'If man were
created to live by bread alone, then were he
SlareS Of Virginia UeH gF'u If this be so, il
is certainly a very singular fact, and not only
in the teeth Of all probability, but it is fatty
denied by at least a Thousand witnesses,
among whom are many fugitives from the Ole
Dominion. As for the statement, that 'crue
punlshments are rare, and the lash is not il
frequent use,' we marvel at the credulity o
its author, and can account for it only on tn
ground OF his anxiety to be considered by thl
slave-drivers as an abolitionist sui s%eneris-
perfectly cool, philosophic, and COZ siderate.
We should do him injustice not to add
that, though he thinks the physical condition
of the slaves is highly comfortable, he is no
in favor of slavery, and regards it as mental,
and morally a bad system. Perhaps anothe.
visit to Virginia my enllghten him on thi,
point also. Let him not be hasty. Ever,
thing cannot be seen or understood at a glance
1t is charitable to suppose, that those who are
so careful of the bodies of their laborers, arr
also sedulous to supply all needful susie
nance for their souls. We wait for fresh dis
coveries.