Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1852-04-10
From the Commonwealth.
Sweets OF Southern Life.

tits only by continued resider G, in the
South ihat any one can appreciate the real
state of Southern life. To have a proper
idea of the same, you must remember
!. Tha; almost all labor is performed by
Ignorant, superstitious, aud generally dissat-
isfcd slaves. They may sometimes appear
happy aud contented.
2. Tint the WHIP, or some such instrument
cOwhllc, paddle, strip OF stiff leather, or,
saw blade, s the impclling motive power to
action, in the mind of the slaves.
3. That to he waited upon is considered,
by Southerner, mark of gentiliiy, the
ucnie of happiness-the evidence of wealth
aye, the luxury of aristocrucy.
4. That children are generally allowed TO
act as they please, and that the possession Of
dog, gun and horse is the chief attn, and
satisfies the highest aspirations of most OF
the sons of Southern planters. That the
young ladies' generally learn 10 sit gracefully,
to dance bewitchingly, aud to show off faci-
natingly, long ere womanhood fits them for
the sober realities married life.
At a distance, the possession of largo
sugnr-estate may seem the dsideratum OF
earthly happiness. But let the devout nspi-
rant for such earthly bliss have the manage
ment of such, but for one year and lie VIII
learn that "mdn icdnts bat lille nor trdnts that
TILE long;" that fawning sycophancy is not
true aficclion-that deception, Incidence, ig-
norance, cunning, stealing aud lust, with nh
the dark shades of the human heart, operate
upon the mind, control the motives, aud siim-
ulate to action the scornful slave. 'Tis true
! there niny he exceptions-there nre pious
| sluves--honOrabln and quite sensible, and
considering their opportunities, well inform-
ed; some, who have contrived TO learn TO read
4 e,t lt,f IL. fl,akf UnnE
of degraded. british, reckless, stubborn and
repulsiye human heings--careless of their
social, moral or spiritual condition-such'a as
we would bc in their situation. Now how
much freedom of thought or action; how
much of the noble impulses of human ma
tIrc, how much of the anable, generous
and refined aspirations of the heart can find
ulinent in nh atmosphere where pride, cring-
ing fear and seliishness cramp the energies,
aud cncrvate the manly vigor Of the soula
The discipline of the plantation must be
rigid, strict and prompt"-tbe overseer is Of
| ten petty tyrnnt, himself frequently more
degraded than the slave TINT trembles nt his
| irown-all set in motion by the "cracking OF
| the whip !" the stimulus to eXerton is tie
"popping of the whip" ut the "crack of tho
day" crack goes the whip-all must "speed
ihc plow," or the plantation will be In arrears.
pline, his slaves become careless, idle and
dlisobetlicnt--if not insolent, nuisance to
himself and pest to the neighborhood.-
The master cannot treat slave generally Us
he would desire, lest he become insolent, in
dolent aud nsobedient--and at best, his pa
lence will be tried, his anger excited, and
his heart sickened by numberless aud name-
less petty annOynnces, peculiar to life on n
Southern plantation. How often have l
heard rich planters, excited with passion by
some gross neglect, or aggravated by some
willful disobcdleuce, curse the whole African
race, aud wish them all in Africa; and nmia-
hle Southern ladies, sometimes, are so vexed,
, with the negligence, cnrrlessness, awkward
ness and stupidity, or else with the ihievish,
/, lying aud deceiying propensiIies Of even their
house servants, that il they had the power
you would think general execution would
take place of the whole black population.