The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-04-07
NATURAL HISTORY OF sLAvERY.-YO 2.

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no practical value!
NATURAL HISTORY OF sLAVERY-YO. 2.
In every age and country, until times COM
paratively recent, personal servtude has been
the condition of the majority of mankind In
the patrarchal ages, with whose history the
Hebrew Scriptures have made us somewhat in
timatey acquainted, servtude more or less
absolute and complete, existed in Palestine,
Syria, Chaldea, Egypt and all over the East
Abraham had at least three hundred and
eighteen trained servants, (Gen. xiv l4,) and
the entire household must have been five or six
times as many. The dominion of the master
and the subsection of the bondman were of
course measured by the character of the times
and the conditions and pursuits of the commu-
nity but they were certainly not less absolute
than circumstances made practicable Polyg-
amy and unlimited parental authority serve to
indicate the completeness Of the ownership
which the spirit and institutions of the times
would allow over an inferior caste. Mere
verbal criticism of the sacred text, and general
differences from the character Of the provden-
tial agency of the old worthless, weigh as moth
ing against the facts of their history and the
general economy of the societies in which they
lived. The men who abhorrcd the religion of
idols, and exterminated the worshippers with
out regard to age or sex, were not likely to re-
spect the liberty of such as were occasionally
spared by the sword or otherwise subjected to
the power of the conqueror. The twenty-ffth
chapter of Leviticus sufficiently sustains this
very rational conclusion.
With respect to the heather nations Of the
time, there is no difficulty whatever Joseph
was sold to the Ishmaclitish merchants and by
them resold in Egypt (Gen. xxxvii, %, 49,
AS often Us the Jews were carried into captivi-
ty they were reduced to bondage by their cap
tors, of which their condition under Pharaoh,
in the days of Moses, may be taken as the rule.
In Greece, in the time of Homer tB. C. 9O0,)
all prisoners of war were treated as slaves, and
the master had an almost unlimited power over
them, extending even to life and death.
The slaves in Attica, according to the census
of Demotrius Phalcrius taken B. c. 300,
amounted to 100000 the citizens, 81 900 :;
aliens, 10, 900: and women and children of cti-
zens, $4,000; or, four of every five inhabitants
in bondage. They were completely in the
power of their masters, and were often treated
with great severity. They were not permitted
to initiate frecmen in the fashion of their dress
or the cut of their hair They were allowed to
bear arms only in extreme cases. They carried
on the whole business of the Athcnians even
the poorer citizens depended upon them. The
slave market was held in public, on the first
day of every month Many of them were
skilled in the elegant arts, and versed in letters,
while others were only qualified to toll in the
mines. AFFECT and miserable as their condi-
ton was in Attica, it appears to have been in
some respects less so than in tho other States
of Greece. They had at Athens right OF
action against their masters and others for VIC
lation of chastity, and for unlawful severity.
In Lacedemon, especially, they were treated
with great cruelty. The Helots were employed
by the Spartans in agriculture and in war
were required to perform the most laborious
and dangerous services They were exposed to
every sort of abuse and in the annual hunt by
the young men, by way of training for war,
they were slaughtered at will. Spartan bravery
and Spartan liberty are subject to this much
discount in the just estimate of their glory.
10 Rome persons in opulent circumstances
had them sometimes in thousands In the year
IL B. C., o Roman noble left 4, llG slaves to his
heir. They occupied every station, from the
superintendent of the rich mans villa to the
lowest offices of mental labor from the foster
mother of the rich mans child to the basest
degradation to which woman can be subjected.
The public slaves were lctors, jailors execu-
TONERS, watchmen, scayengers oarsmen in the
galieys, and laborers upon the public works.
Tho physician aud surgeon were often slaves.
Horace was the son Of slave. They were
architects, smiths weavcrs stage players, clerks,
preccptorS They were employed in commerce,
agriculture, and the arts they were bond
shavers and bank managers. They stood
chained at rich mems gates to give admittanco
to their guests, and in tho service of the family
the distribution Of their functions was so sys-
tematic and complete, that the enumeration is
a curious proof of the almost scientific order of
the system, and sad evidence of the extent to
which the institution was Incorporated into the
order and economy of common life. The prin-
cipal servants were thus classified thoee who
received the persons who visited the master,
announced their names, and conducted them
in Wallets, or chamber servants; BARRIERS;
amanuenses and librarians, or secretaries and
copysts; readers those who have the care OF
the wardrobe those who waited Mt the bath
surgeons and physicians; nurses and teachers OF
children. A multitude were employed in wait
ing upon table at meals. Among them were
distinguished and named such as the couch
spreaders, the arrangcrs of dishes carvers dis
tributors, tastcrs. cup-bearers, tablc-wipcrs, &c
There was another grand division, occupied as
doorkccper, hall slave, storekeeper, pantry
keeper, pottage maker, confectioner, torch.
bearer cradle-rocker, perfumcr, tan.carrier &c
Others were employed out of doors-onc had
tho oversight Of the buildings another went
on errands, and q third set carried the sedan
or litter, &c. A largo number were kept al
the manors or country seats to attend to the
husbandry and fruits--among them were thu