The Ohio star. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1830-1854, 1853-03-16
RAVENNA, WEDNESDAY MARCH l6, 1853.

who ruled under him; though whether the indis-
position arose from tenderness nthe region of the
heart, from constitutional aversion to forced
Certainly in The selection of overseers he was apt
10 make strict discipline, in other words good
| logging capacity " the leading qualification.
= His house slaves were weli-fed and clothed,
aad seldom oyerworked or punished. This was
owing in part to the 'wise gentleness' of pious
mistress, and in part also TO the fact before men
| toned that MIR. Herbert was man of taste. His
| sense of the decorous would have been shocked
at the sight of l-elad, half starved wretches about
his dwelling and the sound of the lash would have
| intruded unpleasantIy upon his diguifed morning
| retirement or his afIer-dnner siesta. ss u 47ss
With the field slaves the case was very differ
ens.s A great amount of labor was to be performs
ed, and performed too by veryiimperfect sort of
maehinery-a sort which seldom works well, and
in fact is not expected to work well, without the
| motive power of the whip; and this being safe
and cheap was not sparingly used on Mr.. Her
bert's plantation. Not that he was at all particu-
lar that the slaves should receive any given amount
of whipping, SO long as they worked to the highest
point of their capacity. and never intimated the
faintest consciousness of se!fhood he content,
and the overseer might be humane or not, as suit
ed his fancy. But any signs of Incidence Or in
subordinatlon were to be visited with severest
penalties. :. Put them down and keep them
down." was his motto-one which all slavehoIdng
experience has proved the most valuable and ex-
cellenk ----=-4---
As asconsequence. nearly all his field hands were
stupid. gross, hardened creatures, going daily to
their toll like the driven cattle, and returning at
night to such rest and recreation the cattle en-
joy; approaching in mind and habit every year
nearer aud nearer the soulless brutes--no bright
dreams gliding the future. no pleasant memories
hallowing the past for them, no light, no hope
no heaven, no God ge 7sssa 80
Do any call our planter heartless, and unfit for
the exclusive ownership of two or three hundred
fellow beings!
Perhaps 80, hut is he rare parsonage? How
many in ths range of your acquaintance, fine,
gentlemanly sort of men, little fond Of money
in the North would be Ralph Herberts in Missis
sippi. The race OF Hazael is not yet extinct.
Mr.. Herbert had married in middle life gentle
and lovely woman, whose quiet exterior yet con-
cealed much earnest thought and pure aspiration.
He had been attracted by Ter beauty and air ofLish
breeding; and she, through the praises of her
father who had strong reasons for wishing her to
catch the wealthy planter and princely establish
ment, was led to regard him with kindness which
deepened into a stronger feeling as she fancied
she perceived in him tastes and desires kindred
with her own.
She enthusiastic lover of music and The
arts of painting and sculpture; and when she OBJ
served the cultivated tastes of her admirer, and
the pleasure he mantle ted in contemplating the
works Of genius, she innocently concluded that he
felt the same delight in those grand and exquisite
creations, which thrilled her own soul, and peopled
1t with images of beauty and perfection. She had
not learned that the face which kindles with en-
thusiasm at statue or a song, picture of the
Madonna or an air from Rossni, may express
nothing but mere intellectual or sensual pleasure
may never wear the glow which radiates from
soul filled with ideals Of grace, and strength, and
purity; may never index one genuine heart-emo-
ton.
This and more than this, she did learn after
her marriage-though there was an abundance of
outward attention plid to her happiness. MIR.
Herbert had splendid home and all the appoint
ments of wealth were at her command Horses,
carriages. servants almost without number awaited
her pleasure, and came and went at her bidding.
Fashionable society she had, books music, statu-
ary, rare gems of art from the old masters, birds.
flowers, what more could she desire! The inter
change. of thought and feeling, the sympathetic
glance, the union of spirit these the planter had
made no arrangements to supply. because he
knew not their Va ue in dollars and cents.
OF fcourse tue ungenial atmosphere of her new
home, grand and beautiful as it was, gra duaIy but
surely cast its chill over the young wife and her
love which had been an absorbing passion subsi-
ded at last into quiet and unobtrusive sentiment;
| but the pure shrine of benevolence and pety was
| untouched. There the lamps burned moro bright
ly than ever and lighted up joy in many. hearts of
the darkened ones around her.
| With her own attendants, whom she ruled by
the law of kindness her influence for good very
great, but it ended there. She knew nothing of
the condition of the fed slaves. because any at
tempt to enlighten herselfn that direction was po-
litely but positively frustrated by her husband,
1
severe illness occurring when her youngest
child was n year DID, left her in gradually deci-
ming state Of health, and she saw little Of her
husband, except at the stated hours which he scru
pulously devoted to visiting her and making
all proper inquiries concerning her health; the soci-
ETY. of her sweet children and the little quadroon
girl, was her greatest source of pleasure and
many hours the little creatures spent in her cham
ber happy by their childish plays and prattle they
could call smile to the pale lips of the invalid.
Constance was brilliant, nobe-hearted child !;
inherting her mothers fine impassioned tempere-
.ment with something of her fathers strong will and
proud spirit. Her loves and anlipalhies were in
tense and lasting, but surrounded always by those
who dearly loved while they served her, much of
the innate force of her character had remained un-
developed, and therefore it WINS that her recent