Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-03-09
NO.26.
NOies Of Travel at the South.

but while there the Observer found himself
so closely o5soreea that it seemed prudent at
least, to leave my promise unrcdccmcd. But
now am at home, and have mono of Slavcry's
watch-dogs to be pcoping over my shoulder
while 1 write, 1 am willing to give brief
sketch Of the visit. We spent nearly three
months in the States Of Mississippi, Louisiana,
and Alabama, and Travelled moro than 1900
miles in their bounds.
Il will commence by attempting description
of the present condition of slaves in the dis
trcts through which we passed. The most
Shall say in relation to this matter was drawn
from persons With whom we converscd, and
their testimony amounted so nearly to entire
unanimity that the most skepticai must belicvc
l learned very little with reference to tho phys
ical condition Of slaves that 1 had not known
by report before, and but little that is not COM
monty known by Anti Slavery people Of this
country. But with an effort which many Of
the rcligionists OF that country arc making to
panify their conscicnccs by nstructing their
slaves became moro intimately acquainted
Since the NJ. f. Church, South, commenced her
operations a system Of missionary instruction
has been adopted by them, and efforts arc made
to have Northern people believe that this clu-
cation is akin to that impaired in our Sabbath
Schools, but this is not the case. A certain dis
trict Of country is given in charge to preach
sr chosen by the Conference for that purpose
it is made his duty to travel through this dis
trct and In connection with three other mon,
who must be Iareio'dcrs, hold meetings among
,hc slave population. These meetings must be
held on the Sabbath, as the slaves cannot be al
lowed 70 leave their labor on any other day
When collected the preacher reads to them such
portions OF tho Scriptures as he thinks to he ap-
propriatc to the slave, such es paurs injunction
to servants to be obcdicnt to their masters, the
injunction to the Jews, to "choose bondmcn
aud bond women from the hoathcn round about
them," SC. They arc told that Christian white
people, whose hearts were touched with the
wrctched condition Of their fathers in bcnight-
cd Africa, were. by the Spirit of God, moved
80 80 10 that country and bring them to this
favored land of Christian LiJdi and Republican
Li5cry, where they might learn that Sdrior
once Gsed aud died lorhem. The difference be-
tween being cannibals in their father land, and
children of God in this, is wildly portrayed TO
tlicir minds-thcy arc cxhortcd to thank Hcav.
eli for this merciftl ntoIpcsiion in their behalf,
nnl rcbukcd for being idle and careless in the
performance of their worlS--taught to believe
that negligence will be punished ly eternal
damnation, sc. These hypocritical rcligionsts
almost psi<syaly tried to insinuatc that their
servants Nrtfe taught to read the Bible but when
they wore closely questioned they had to ac-
knowledge that not Que letter of the whole al
phobot is taught them. They only design to
make better servants by means of this religious
instruction. But many of their slaves have in
telligence enough to see through this shallow |
policy, and ririne enough to hate it. While in |
Marshal county, Miss, We had an opportunity |
to sec the v0ifcation of this last assertion
On Sabbath morning one certain Judge c.
his negroes to let us see their prof.
ecncy' in answering questions from Capcrs's
Catechism; but before he got them all to come |
in. he was obliged to adopt the plan rcsorted to
by ono Of old, who made feast i. c. go out,
not into the highways, but among his negro
cabins and compel somo to come in.
As before stated, saw very little connected
with the physical condition of slaves that had
not known before, but it may not be amiss to
give some descriptions of scenes which fell un-
Gcr my observation. At day-brcak on the
morning of the l1th of 10Th month last, was
aroused from my slumbcrs by the sound of the
whip. In the intervals between the deliberate
strokes heard female voice begging for mcr-
cy in the following words "Pray, massa, don't
kill me- o Lord, have mercy!" These ejacu-
lations were many times repeated, but were not
hecdod. / arose, dressed and washed myself,
sat down by the fire until it was fairly light
the whipping still went on. a little before
sunrise walked into the front yard when this
fcnd left off his devilish business and came
around to me. 1 asked him what the offence of
his slave had been. "She has been stealing
faters," said he, and she did not need them
any more than do, for feed her just as well
rs any body feeds their niggers.'
A few nights after this we tarricd with man
who had forty slaves around him. When the
twilight was gone they came in from their field
abor. In tho course of half an hour a NUM-
her of fires were made of light-wood knots in
the woods rear by, and they commenced telling
trees and preparing the trunks for building pur-
poses. This they continued until near mid
night. About doy-brcak in the morning
arose and went to see after our horse near by.
When at the barn, l was startled by the sound
of a horn within few feet of me. Turning
my eyes in the direction of the sound, bchcld
the driver with his bull whip-in two or three
minutes the hands were gathered to him with
their cotton baskets grubbing hoes, axes, mauls,
&c. They then took up the line of march for
their labors--those who moved too slow were
,lrgcd forward with the whip. Two DAYS before