Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1849-07-14
From the Boston Republican.
The Charleston Sugar House.
BosToN, June II, 1919.

DOSTON, June ii, 1917.
GEN. WILSON
Dear Sir,-A recent visit 10 Charleston EN-
abled me 10 see the House Of Punishment, or
: Sugar House, as, with double refined cru.
city, it is styled by the shareholders. This
bull ding, with its bars and bolts, continually
reminding us OF a prison, is built with a cen
trail square. One Of the noted treadmills of
this establishment was in operation at the
time. From morning till night, slaves are
compelled to mount a perpetual staircase,
with only an interval of one minute in six.--
We saw four men and one woman going up
the stairs with rapid pace, yet exhausted
limbs, while one was standing still, not sit
ting, in order to rest. Once a minute, a bell,
by the action of machinery, was made to
strike, and one Of the five stepped of from
the mill, and the one that was resting sup
piled his place-so that five minutes In six,
the live-lnng day, each Of the doomed crea-
lures was forced 10 continue this constant as
cent.
Those who desire 10 view the surrounding
country, or whose patriotic feelings have indu-
ced them 10 mount 10 the top Of our Charles.
town monument. have all experienced and
groaned over the difficulty of the uphill
route, longed for the close of the lengthy as
cent, and accepted the proffer of a seat, when
the summit was attained, with grateful ac.
acknowledgements. Suppose that this journey
should be repeated two or three hundred
LINES a day, we might perceive, before our
days task was accomplished soufe eviden-
ces of that fatigue which causes the slave of.
tentimes 10 fall fainting TO the ground
When that takes place, as we were Informed
by the overseer was frequently the case, the
poor n gro is allowed 10 rest a few moments,
ill returning consciousness and muscular abil-
iiy permit wearied nature 10 a re-
petion of the round. Below the loiling slaves
is wi. at might be taken for a trap to catch
the unwary one, perchance a woman; " no
fingers on her way she puTsues her journey
too slowly her limbs are suddenly sirangled
by the cruel machinery, and before it car be
stopped, they are instantly broken and this
is occasionally the case. We must leave the
prosecuting treadmill for, what has the
Nouh 10 do with slaveryl'
We 90 TO the place where the paddle and
the cowhide are used. The slave is tied up
by the hands and down by the feet. And
we were particularly informed Of The privile-
ges which he enjoyed. Though the master
may punish the slave as much as he chooses,
before he enters the sugar house. yet if, on
account Of irritation OF insult, he should
lhoughtlcssly strike the slave after he has
reached the house, and before he is tied hand
and foot, and his limbs stretched to their ut
most tension by a pulley, 10 make the suffer
ing more acule-if the master strikes hin
previous to this, he is fined a hundred dol
lars. And more than that, while the punish
ment is proceeding, the slave has the Triri
iege, which it is said he estimates very high
ly, Of speaking his mind 10 his master or
in ether words, Of saying what he pleases
without The risk Of being punished more thai
the regular twenty lashes, on that day.
From the whipping room, we pass to TN
place Of confinement, where there are bu
few slaves kept, as the master does not wisl
TO Use thei- services for any length Of time
But here, in solitary confinement, from one II
SIX months, the negro is kept; and not only
as in the Philadelphia prison, are they no
allowed 10 see or speak TO the public, bu
-, without the garden which is attached to tn,
cells OF the latter prison, they are deTrivet
OF any opportunity tf hearing the voice Of
chaplain, a warden, or even of those win
bring them food. These restrictions are no
; placed upon any class Of criminals at III,
North, but in Charleston they are imposed
as are all the punishments which | have emu
merated, merely Tor misJehaUior.
! The aversion of the Shareholders TO The usr
. OF the whip seems TO be more from a fear o
I loss Of property, than from feelings of human
ity. For il is said, that the constitution Of
, slave is so much injured by a few lashes a
this establishment, that he becomes value
, less. j. w. S.