The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-11-24
THE SANDWICH ISLANDS

The New York Evening Post contains s,,.
interesting facts and figures in relation 70 q
Sandwich Islands. They are situated h.t,r..0
the 9Th and 22d degrees Of north latihdo
direct line from San Francisco to Homo r..
being 2,26O miles from the former place ooo
from the latter. Their aggregate area il ar.
6, 100 square miles, and their native ponnlot1
is thus estimated
Hawaii, 10000 Oahu, $4,000; Mani 70 ma
KAMA, ) 600; Moioksi, 2 500; Nnbar w, V"V
Lanai, 800 Total, 50 500 'OO5
In 1S49, it was estimated at 80 900; IN,
rapidly decreasing and will probably bec,,,a
extinct The majority Of foreign residents i
the Islands are Americans, and the prevail.
influences are American. The Islands can !,
of little importance to any other natiou-tbe,
must become of great Importance to the Unitel
States. From all accounts the general opiDoD
of their people is in favor Of annexation, and
the presumption is, that nothing but the con.
sent Of our Government is wanting to consn,o.
mate the measure. The Inteligencer and Soma
other Conservative prints are alarmed at tba
prospect, but we cannot see what there il IN
the measure at all mischevous. They wonder
how they are to be governed. Shall they be
admitted as Territory or State, or a Colo
ny! AS Territory doubtless, until their
population and condition shall enable them to
ask recognition as State. We have several
smaller States than they would constitute. For
example, Rhode Island has an area of only
1920 square miles; Delaware, 1900; Connec
ticut 1929 Even Massachusetts contains but
$500, and New Jersey only 1880.
We do not sec why Territorial Govern
ment would not work just as well in them
as in Oregon. One is about as accessible as
the other. A steamer would bring Terrific
rial delegate from the Islands to San Francisco
about as soon as from Oregon.
The truth is, our Conservative alarm SITS seem
to think that the world moves just as slowly
and that its different portions are just as wide
ly separated, now as was the case before the
steam engine, the railroad, and the telegraph
LEGREEs IN THE SoUTH-Whie Southern
newspapers Indignantly deny the existence of
any such beings among SHAREHOLDERS as the
Legree Of Mrs Stowe, their columns are con
stantly contradicting them. We have no taste
for the horrible, and take no pleasure in re
publishing deeds Of cruelty but it is neces-
sary, from time to time, to give Southern testi-
mony to the correctness of Mrs, Stoves pic
ture of Slavery.
The two accounts subjoined are taken from
Southern papers the first from the Richmond
VA Semi-weekly Examiner of November IL,
1858 the second from the Baltimore Sun of
last Thursday Uncie Toms Cabin describes
nothing 80 horrible:
Murder an SUSSEX COunty-Stdue Hhtppedto
Death by has MaSter.-Some months since, a
horrible tragedy was enacted in Sussex county
The facts of the case we are sure, are still
fresh in the memory of the reader. They were
briefly these: "A farmer named Henry Bird
song, while sleeping in his chamber with one
of his little sons, was fired upon, through one
of the windows at the dead hour of the night,
by his own slave. The child was mortalIy
and the father seriously wounded. The slaves,
three in number, if our recollection serves us
implicated in the affair, were condemned and
executed for the offence. Since the occur.
renee of this tragedy, Mr.. Birdsons has
csed the utmost rigor with his servants he
had been regarded, as we learn, az hard
MASTER" before the attempt upon his lille, and
since that event has not slackened the reins'
For some months past, it seems, he has been IN
the habit of requiring each servant ON the
plantation to report himself at the dwelling
house at an early hour each night. On Thurs
day evening last the negroes failed to report
themselves. This act Of characterization fired
the jealous mind of Mr.. B., and he determined
to make an example Of the first fellow who
made his appearance Shortly after dark, one
of the servants called at the dwelling to obtain
his masters shoes, for the purpose OF backing
them. Upon making his appearance in the
chamber, Mr. B. called him to account for dis
obeying his order. Fearing chastisement, the
negro ran out OF the house. Mr. B followed
him but finding the man too fleet of foot, he
put ferociOus bulldog upon the track of the
fugitive, and soon enjoyed the savage satisfac
ton Of seeing the dog tear and lacerate the
poor fellow. Mr.. Birdsong then tied the slave,
and beat him so numerically as to cause death
in few hours The facts attending the case
coming to the knowledge Of the coroner of the
county, jury was summoned, and au inquest
held, which resulted III finding of a verdict
that the deceased came to his death by sundry
blows, &c, inflicted by his master Henry Bird
song A warrant was issued tor the arrest of
Birdsong, which was executed on Thursday
The accused was Immediately conveyed to the
county Jail, aud secured The Petersburg Err
press Ito which journal we are indebted for the
above facts understands that the negro was
most cruelly whipped aud beaten-one of his
eyes having been knocked entirely out.
Conrieted of The Murder of SiaUe-Thomas
Motley has been convicted at Walterborough,
S. C., of the murder of runaway slave. Two
others are to be tried for aiding in the murder,
which, from the evidence, exceeded in barbar-
ity anything ever heard Of The Charleston
Courier says that the murdered slave was
runaway, whose owner was unknown that the
demons in human shape who murdered him,
first shot and whipped him-then put him in
a vise and tortured and lacerated him with
unexampled barbsrities next set him loose, and
ran him down with bloodhounds and finally,
as was supposed, cut him up, and fed the dogs
with his flesh.
We shall keep vigiant eye on our ex'
changes, to see the course of justise in these
cases and promptly report to our readers,
should the criminals receive their deserts.