Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-04-05

required by the American masters TO labor the
Sabbath day, under exgences which lead work in
the free States. On plantations he may be tasked
and when his task finished he has the remainder Of the day
to himse- within certain restrictions his own
freeman-and, having family nor anxious thoughts
for the morrow, spends the succeeding ten twelve feer
hours according his own insncs In the towns and ce
slaves are these points, in condition very like that Of the
day aborer and domescs of the free States excep. that hire
ngs change their employers and general have Others
than themselves to provide for.
8. AMusEmxNTs AND SLEEP.-The negro whether in AZ
rica Americ, is emineny social His onviviaty seems
indeed almost sIhaustless In the field there are but few
opportunities for its Indulgence but when he returns the
va "quarter," be ndemni6es himself Having supped
with his family, general fact instead Of going to Sleep
sinking into sulen and gloomy torpor he seems like
animal Of the night to begin and more active exist
In former days, he often visited at his discretion
by permission, neghbong plantation to spend the even
night but since the sympahies Of certain persons in
the North have been uttered with voice so loud as to be
heard throughout the South regard to the public safety has
taken away this privilege; and thus instead Of enlaging
those ympathes have abridged the liberty Of the slave This
effect however, do not regret while deeply deplore its
for when the slave went abroad he often fell into
Drunkenness got embroed in quarre ovestaid his time
committed petty thefs, which many are strongly
prone and thus became the subject Of punishment Moreover
throughout the cotton and sugar States the number Of
almost every pantaonfom fifty up TO seven hundred
is such, that each has within its limits sufficient
Of society, with the diversity requisite convvia enjoyment
must not weary you with details fitted to show in what
the evenings spent in these little communities Suffice
to says that they sometimes assemble for public worship
but in general deliver themselves up visits gossip games
laughter, singing, baog, ddng and dancing which, if
the discipline Of the plantation should permit as generally
did before Northern mpshzers undertook the work Of better
ing the condition OF the kept late hour for the
negro requires less sleep than the white man. or at least sleeps
less at one time Discipline does not however, require that
the slave should to certain hour it only demands
that when the horn 10 sounded at nine o'clock for one half
the year. and ten for the other he should retire for the night
to his own cabin, where with his family he may sit up till
be chooses to lie down.
q PusIMHEsrs.-In the year 1884 the late lamened
THoMAs g. GRIMKE distinguished member Of the Charles
ton bar made visit to Ohio, where be died. While he so
ourned in Cincinnati had many conversations with him on
the subject OF slavery he himself being He as
sued me that within his memory the frequency and severity
Of the punishment Of slaves had greatly diminished South
Carolina will perhaps increase your confidence in bis i'm
HoA'1ssyy
came into the free States many years ago. and that one Of his
sisters married an able and active leader Of the abolition party
My own observations in Kentucky prove the mitigation as
asserted BY Mr. Gmke and all the aged persons including
many who do not hold slaves but live among them with
whom have convesed have confirmed what am stating The
reformation has extended to the instrument Of agea-
on for the cowhd Of all whips the everes and at the be-
ginning Of this century in universal use has very generally
given place to thongs Of tanned leather Indeed in every
part OF the South there planters who would discharge an
overseer who might use the cowhde. This abatement in
foggng has not been followed by increased dsobedence for
moral influences have been resorted to- with their inevitable
eectbetter conduct Moreover the threat Of being sold
to new, who might prove harder, maser-whch is the
last resort OF those who dislike TO nct severe corporal pun
ishmen-acts as restraint TO disobedience and stimulus to
prescribed duty And this brings say that punishmens
not inflicted capciousy they used be. Multudes
OF planters enact a were codes Of law lay down rules Of
conduct and abide by hem thus giving the negro in his
slavery Of the nesmabe benefits Of freedom-ibery
with security As long he observes the legal system Of
the plantation he not only punishmenr snd 1an-
being sod but rises in responsibility and grows in the
confidence and kind regard Of his MASTER This system b
indeed will be seen at no distant time, the beginning Of
what, for want Of better term may call for when
the country shall be filed up, and the demand for slaves In
new cease must
necessarily live and die the plantations Of their birth.
While this head refrain from mentioning con-
versaon which had the Tombeckbee river with cotton
planter who venerable elder of the Presbyterian church.
He had not only laid down system Of laws prescribing as
far possible every duty and prohibiting every vice. but
had established judiciary, composed Of the intelligent,
aged, and moral slaves, who under his supervision nves
gated by evidence every ransgeson and graduated the pun
hmen, which, in virtue Of his Office governor be often
took the liberty Of reducing.
8. CARE SIcK.-As the slave property, we have
guaranty that when he is sick his will neglect the
means Of cure Thus every considerable wearranged
plantation hasits physician who paid annually much for
is Of course, under this arrangement, backwadness in
caRg for bis services In the and cities the slaves are
treated BY the family physician who charges for the white
members In the newly parts Of the Southwest the
slave when III is generally lodged in his own cabn in dan
gerous attacks taken into his masters house the older
settled parts almost every plantation has it's hospital with
many Of the appliances and comforts of our infrmaies
including Of competent intelligence and skill In the
city of New Orleans there private hospitals established BY
respectable physicians, to which any send sick
slaves, send domestcs. Ihaye visited number Of
these establishments chiefly in the country and testify
that they afford better accommodations for the sick and have
better physicians than fall to the lot Of maory Of the poor
people ofthe free States.
9. CARE rHx AGED AND rHRaASEsrLr rxrIRM In
estimating the mseries Of slavery which admit manifold
we must not forget that many free both white and black