Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-04-07

And Its song, like the song OF poet
Il Was softly mellow and gay,
When he sings by the side OF his loved one
| Love dittes all the day!
DR.. BRAKES LETTER ON SLAVERY.
I CONCLUDED
6. ADJUSTMENTS AND SLEEP-The negro whether
in Africa or America, is emnenty social. His conv
Vitality seems, indeed, almost exhausess In the ie
there are but lew opportunities for its indu.
gence but when he returns to the villa Quarter he
indemnities himself Having supped with his family
as general fact, instead of going to Sleep sinking
ntoa sullen and gloomy orpor, he seems like ANNA
the night, to begin and more active existence
In former days, he often visited at his discretion or BY
permission, neighboring plantation, to spend the
evening or night but since the sympathes of certain
persons in the North have been ueredsith voice SC
loud as to be heard throughout esSoulh regard tc
the public safety has taken away this privilege; and
thus, instead of enarging, those sympathies have
abridged the liberty of the slave This effect, however
do not regret, while deeply depore lis cause for
when the slave went abroad, he often fell into drunken
ness, got embroled in quarrel, ouerstaid his tne
committed some petty thes, to which many strong
ly prone, and thus became the subject of punish
ment. Moreover, throughout the cotton and sugar
States the number of slaves almost every plantation
from fifty up to hundreds such, that each
has within its own limits sufficient amount ofsocety
with the diversity requisite to cornwall enjoyment
must not weary you with details fitted to show in
what manner the evenings spent in these little
communities Suffice it to say that they sometimes
|
themselves up to visits gossip, games laughter singing
banloing, hddng and dancing; which, if the discipline
OF the plantation should permit Gas generally did be-
lore Northern synjpa thlZers undertook the work OF
lettering the condition of the slave) kept up till late
hour Tor the negro requires less sleep than the white
man, or at least sleeps less at time. Discipline
does not however, require that the slave should 90 to
| rest at certain hour it only demands that when the
horn is sounded, nine O'Clock for half the year,
and ten for the other, he should retire for the night
his own cabin where with his family, ne may sit up till
| he chooses to lie down.
7. PUNIsHMENTs-1n the year 1894 the late lamented
Thomas s. Grmke, a distinguished member OF the
Charleston bar, made visit to Ohio where he died.
While he sojouned in Cincinnati had many CONVERSE
tons with him the subject Of slavery, he himself be-
| ing owner He assured me that within his memory
the frequency and severity OF the punishment of slaves
had greatly diminished in South Carolina. 1t will per-
haps increase your confidence in his mpartiaity
when tell you that several members of bis family
came into the free States many years ago. and that
OF his sisters married able and active leader of the
abolition party My observations in Kentucky
prove the mitigation asserted by Mr. Grimke and
all the aged persons, Including many who do not hold
slaves but live among them win whom have con-
yersed, have confirmed what atH stating The TetoT-
nation has extended the instrument OF fla
geauon; fof the eowide OF all whias the severest
very generally a9n % acg Hqay in universal has
Indeed in every part OF the South there are planters who
would discharge an overseer who might use the cow
hide. This abatement in the foggng has not been fol-
lowed by increased disobedence Tor moral Influences
have been resorted to, with their inevitable effects
better conduct. Moreover the threat OF being sold to
new, who might prove harder, master-w hlch Is
the last resort OF those who disketo nct severe
poral punishment-acs restraint to dsobedience
and stimulus to prescribed duty. And this brings me
to say that punshmentS not inflicted caprcousy
as they used to be. Mutudes of planters enact, it
codes Of law, lay down ru OF conduct and abide
them; thus giving the negro in his slavery one OF the
| inesmabe benefits OF eedom-lberty with security
AS long he observes the legal system OF the plana
ton he only escapes punishment and the danger Of
being Sold but rises in responsibility and grows in
| the confidence and kind regard OF his master. This
system is; indeed will be seen at no distant time, the
beginning OF what tor want OF better term, may call
Serfdom for when the country shall be filled up, and
| the demand for slaves in the settlements shall
| cease an immense ma rity must necessarily live
and die on the plantations OF their birth. While on
| this head | cannot refrain from mentioning a
conversation which had on the Tombeckbee RI
| yer with cotton planter, who was a venerable
| elder of the Presbyterian church He had not
only laid down system OF laws, prescribing far as
possible every duty, and prohibiting every vice but had
established Judiciary, composed OF the more ntelli-
gent, aged and moral slaves, who under his supervis
ion, investigated by evidence every ransgresson, and
graduated the punishment, which in virtue OF his Of
flee governor, he often took the liberty Of redu-
cling.
g. CARE OF THE S1cK.-As the slave is property, we
| have guaranty that when he is sick his master will
not neglect the Vi cure Thus every considera-
Bile well arranged plantation has its physician, who
paid annually much Tor each, whether the subject
OF medical treatment not. There is, OF course UNI
der this arrangement backwardness in calling for
his services. In the towns and cities the slaves are
treated by the family physician who charges for the
white members lE the new ly-se,tled parts OF the
Southwest the slave when ill is generally lodged in his
own cabin, or IN dangerous attacks taken into his mas
ters house, bus the older settled parts almost every
plantation has its hospital, with many Of the appliances
and comforts OF our own ntirlnares including nurses
OF competent intelligence and skill. In the city Of
New Orleans there are private hospitals, established
by respectable physicians to which many masters send
their sick slaves, as we send out domescs. have vi
sited number OF these establishments, chiefly in the
country and can testify that they afford better
modaons for the SICK and have better physicians than
fall 10 the lot OF orly OF the poor people Of the
free States
9. CARE OF THE AGED AND PERMANENTLY INTIRM.-
Ia estimating the mseres of slavery, which | admit
manifold, we must not forget that many free men,
both white aud black, fall into permanent nfirmity,
arrive at old age, without having made provision for
the support either of themselves or families. All ofus
are but too familiar with cases OF this kind. Now,
when we are thinking of the hardship that the daily
earnings OF the slave go to his master, and that he
| ceives from day to Gay nothing but his support we
ought to remember that he is actually providing both
for his permanent disabilities and his old age whatever
may be its decrepitude, however long may be pro-
traced Still further, we should realize that he Is not
dependent for food and clothing the labor OF his wife
| and children, and is relieved from all anxiety concern
ing their support, as it rests upon the master. Aged
or niirm women always have occupation in the "quar
ter" men OF the condition enjoy the freedom of
the plantation, do small Jobs, and amuse themselves as
they The DID, OF both sexes, always receive
tain kind of reverence from the white children; and
there is public opinion IN their favor which would
subject the master or mistress who might treat them
with cruelty, neglect, the indignation OF all
around, il mott criminal prosecution.
10. CARE OF CHILDREN. In the cotton and sugar
gons the majority OF the women labor in the field in
The hemp, tobacco, and wheat growing States the pro-
portion is less not great perhaps, the proper
ton OF female iedaborers ia many parts of France
! and Germany. While mothers are occupied on the
plantation their infants left in the of tho old
women ,sby whom, il may Judge from what saw, they
generally well looked alter. The intirm
perannuated matrons also charged with the keeping
and dscipmg of the older children, ill they are OF
sufficient age he other work than that winch
can be found in the cabin Or quarter visited
era OF these nurseries, and must say that
happier or tunner faces The master. think, does