Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1852-10-20


The want Of capital to commence farming,
induces many ofour farmers sons as soon as
they marry, to seek an ogerseer's berth, as a
matter more of convenience, than taste, as a
means Of living for a short time only, mas
much as they are usually furnished with
houses and provision by the employer and
they are comparatively at little expense in
beginning the world. 1t would not be rea-
sonable to expect, many who resort to the
business, merely for convenience sake, inten-
ding to abandon it, as soon as circumstances
will permit, to give to the, business that at
%tention and devotion, necessary to arrive at
Observation-Disclosures the many failures. But
when a man of good character and sense,
and industrious habits, embarks in the bust
ness, with the intention of pursuing it as a
means Of making a living, and has proper
ambition to excel, he is almost sure to sue
lnaAd apl--~1ne gaming, IS by no means
a low one, as some look upon it, but one Of
great responsibility, and lone but men of
good characters should be employed by plan
ters to take charge of their servants and
farms-the charge committed to their care,
is too great, to be intrusted to doubtful di-
rection-the we'll being of the slave, and the
interest OF the owner, both alike, require
men OF character, to superintend, especially
when the owner resides off the plantation
Young men of good character, and less ex-
perlence would answer, when the owner is
on the farm himself, and can direct the op-
eratlons OF business until experience can
be acquired, especially in the management
of the slaves. Unless a man has been accus-
toned to the management Of negroes, or has
been brought up, where slaves are on the
plantation, he will very rarely succeed,
without the assistance Of the employer, and
1t would be almost a miracle, if he did.
having no experience, and plunging imme,
dlately, into the most difficult portion of the
planters duty. Overseers, are therefore of
ten blamed, when the planter should blame
himself, for employing an inexperienced per-
son to take charge Of his business-when he
is aware that he cannot give his own personal
attention, to assist, and if he could, perhaps
he labors under the same difficulty, that the
overseer does-not knowing how, properly
to direct and Of course when the blind,
lead the blind, they may both, be expected
to fall into the grass, if not into the ditch
BY this short sighted policy of the planter,
to SAFE a fen dollars in the wages of an over
seer, he often Iooses his hundreds, for none.
but well conducted farms, will pay for their
cultivation. The planter, had much better
hire out his negroes, than to attempt to con-
duct business, in a half handed, s~lovenly
manner.
As a matter of right, over his W prop
erty, It is expected the owner gng 9f tt the T fRFf
it shall be done. In all matters of business,
the employer and overseer, should freely
confer with each other, as to the management
of the crop but let all orders go through
the overseer, if practicable, and all response
bility Of the hands be to him, for the manner
of performing their work--if the owner
deems punishment necessary, let the over
seer infict it. By this course, you avoid
two systems of management, on the planta-
ton, which will not work we'll. The employ
er should sustain his oVerseer, In carrying
out proper discipline with his slaves. If he
thinks the overseer is in error, he should
never intimate it, in the presence Of the
slave, it will beget a spirit of insubordina-
tion-but in a gentle manner, when alone,
point out to him his error, and any reason
able man will take it kindly, and improve
from it. Slaves, should never be permitted
much less aRGi6GHH7TaUgffda e dt68n duct Of the over hc
seer, or resist his authority, without heinz
well punished. When there is a mutual
good understanding, between employer and
oVerseer' there is but little danger to be ap.
pretended in the management Of the slaves
but otherwise, difficulties, will continually
occur. My slaves, neither runaway, bear
news to me, nor resist the overseer' $ author
IIty,, and | rigidly adhere to the rules above
laid down.