The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-03-27
THE NATIONAL ERA.
WASHINGTON, MARCH "a, 1851.
For the National Era.
EXTRACT FROM A LETTER WRITTEN In THE
SPANISH MAIN.

Everywhere IL Is the same SIory VI "ronBo, Va
broken hearts of stolen rights Of unconditional
bondage. The exceptional cases Of favored slaves
bsse nothing to 10 with the fact that slavery Is
everywhere an outrage. When slaves are Ia
vored it may be to crafty many other feelings
rather than beuevclence. Benevolence, however,
often leads individuals to do much for the pleas
ure of favorite slave This is especially true OF
women, whose kindly affections sntwne them
selves around everything they see and live with,
even dogs and birds Then, every one knows
that willing service is the best service ana IN
in ones household, servants Of any class are o'eh
more important friends than any others.
thousand insensible influences tend to make US
kind to those who faithfully serve us, and every
one who is acquainted with the negro character
knows that its first principle is kindly affections
The following extract from letter written
in the Spanish Main depicts scenes whose details
country but not so materially as to affect the
trutbfnlness Of the picture
e. cannot imagine how people can live among
these slaves and still consider them incapable Of
improvement and devoid of tender affections
Their imitstiveness renders them peculiarly sus-
ceptible of Improvement from example, and they
are a loving, affectionate race Of beings.
Most of those ! have seen have been trans
ported from Africa within five years, many Of
them within two, and there are few instances
on this plantation of still more recent importa-
ton We have had a tragedy here lately, in sew
eral acts My mind has been 80 disturbed by
the occurrences that have found it impossible to
write until could see the end, or at least indica
tons of it, | was so filled with horror on my
first arrival to find how like the brute ami
mails these unfortunate beings live, that was re-
PEELED from them, and they all seemed to me saw
ages more or less fierce and dangerous. This
impression was deepened by seeing them dance
around the house, on the day after my arrival, in
celebration of the New Year. They dress them
selves on that day in all their fnery, and come
around the house of their master to salute him
with dance, and scramble for small bits of silver
which are thrown to them by the family and
guests, if such happen to be present. The dance
begins very quietly, but, as they become excited,
they throw up their arms and shout and yell and
clap their hands, till stranger is fairly fright
enAa lest they should really 60 mad, and do some
mischief When they retired from the field, |
could only tremble, and repeat to myself, horri-
blel horrible pss Their wild and impassioned
gesticulations, born out of music and motion, for
they dance to beat of drum that is absolutely
perfect in time, though deafening in sound, show
what they can do when reused do not believe
but they might be led on by daring leader,
TO the sound Of inspiring music, to do battle
against their oppressors But | am convinced
the negro needs to be reused before he can &C.
complish anything energetic. He is by nature a
gentle creature, highly susceptible Of gentle af-
fections, but either by nature or circumstances
deficient in enterprise and that degree of physi-
cal courage which is requisite to enable men to
dare all or die. As have lived among them
month after month, have become deeply aware
of these elements in their characters
But now to my tragedy. 1t commenced in O.
startling manner to US all One evening, just as
the clouds were gathering for a tempest, we saw
the Overseer emerge from the coffee square, at.
tended by tall, athletic negro, whose hand hung
dangling from his wrist held only by the skin
the arm having been entirely severed by sharp
sword. CONSERVATION and dismay were depicted
upon the couhtenance of the overseer, who is the
most detestable mixture Of passion and gour-
mandism that have ever seen even here The
tale was soon told. lie had found this runaway
slaVe IN hollow tree and, in the struggle to
capture him, had cut off his hand. The slave
belonged to neighboring planter of the worst
character both as man and master; and the
oVerseer, who is one Of the mountain peasantry
OF the island, knew very we'll that n wealthy
planter could hold him between his thumb and
niger as many years as he pleased and ruin him
forever in fortune and character, for law here il
Tor the highest bidder. The poor negro was laid
bleeding upon the STONE foor of the piazza Of the
hospital and no one was allowed even to bind nm
his wound or confne the severed hand in a bao
iest the owner Of the plantation should be in.
VOWED in the affair. | will not pretend to say
what KIND Of heart beat in the planters breast.
nu' ! know very we'll how many aching ones
mere were on the plantation. None of u, knew
O"''er' mat there was one poor breaking heart
there until afterward.
Inc overseer knew that his heat courus w.s ~
hasten in search of physician, who could mend
=, D'OAen arm without danger to his temporal
"Are' ana the planter also charged him to
o''"g justice Of the peace, and any other func-
O"Sries OF the law who could best advise him
now 10 get rid OF the burden. for he thought only
- Tvs ia'iing upon his own shoulders. The bur-
, Oid wretch mounted his horse and set forth
meantime, the tempest approached. The thun-
1'r was terrihc-the lightning turned night into
rP' ooon the rain fell in torrents, and during
Tue weight Of the shower some one had the hu.
"'nl'y TO drag the wounded man inside Of the
hospital. IL was never discovered who he was.
" was probably the guard left in charge Of the
''lding, but no one Of his fellows betrayed him
anu The overseer was too much occupied with his
own affairs after his return even to hear Of the
v'cumstance. No one supposed the man would
i've VII morning, and most fervcntly did hope
"' would not. But II was hard for such q man
u'e and be lived on and on to suffer and TO
9pa'r, for sad enough was his subsequent fate
,'"oe his removal from be plantation, we have by
s'ees learned his previous history and wrongs
seems that he was an African King taken
ap''e by hostile tribe, and sold To Q Spanish
ABOUT hve years ago. Don MARITIME Lopez,
fought him on his arrival in the island, Is
r.o y, collie OF slaves marching to the interior
o., 'ne coast where he landed, 10 spot not far
n h's own estate,) soon found that he had an
s,os Enable spirit to deal with. The young mon
.. .a haa not been slave long enough at home to
81 81 broken In, and tried various ssreriusp,s-
an experienced Spanish slave would never