Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1853-05-07
Publisher So. Standard.
From tie London Times.
What is Slavery!

What is slavery? GA slave" says DR.. Noah
Webster, in his dictionary published at New York,
''is person wholly subject to the will Of another
one who has no will of his own, but whose person
and services are wholly under the control Of an
ether" The learned Lexicographer-an surely
at New York men should be acquainted with the
rights of the subject-proceeds TO inform us that
in the early ages of the world, prisoners of war
we're considered and treated as slaves. "The
slaves of modern times" he adds, care generally
purchased like horses or oxen" Our own DR..
Johnson, defines slave as being one ''mancipated
to a ma~ter-not frceman-a dependent-one
who has lost the power ''of resistance" Mr..
Charles Richardson, on the other hand, considers
a slave rs person ''who is reduced to captivity
to >erviLude--to bondage; who is bound or
PEELED to serve, la6cr or toll for another" There
Is always some little trouble about definition, and
probably it requires the cobbling and filing of
more than one generation to produce anything like
d perfect one There are, however, certain con-
ditions Of life which any photographer would en-
dcavor to induce in his dragnet, ifhe were attempt
ing to give definition of slavery. We are all
agreed about the Uncle Toms and coored pOpu-
lation of the Southern States of the American
Union. They are slaves; not only in name, but
in fact--kindIy treated, we believe, IN the MAORI
~ of instances; but still essentially slaves. When
cndeavor to go little further we lind ourselves
considerably embarrassed. man is the slave OF
his own bad passons-of his lust after gain or pow
er But this will scarcely do, for by charging the
definition too much the essence and reality of the
thing to be defined is altogether lost.
1t may, perhaps be better to begin at the other
end, and ascend from particulars to generals
Granting that the negro gangs, who are worked
on the cotton grounds of the Southern States OF
North America, or in the sugar plantations OF Bra
iii, are slaves, in what way should we speak oil
persons who are circdmstanced in the manner we
are about to relate Let US consider them as in
habitants of distant region-say of New Orleans
no matter about the color of their skins, and
then ask ourselves what should be our opinion OF
nation in which such things are tolerated Ehey
are Of a sex and age the least qualified to strug-
gle with the hardships of their lot-young women
for the most part, between Is and 80 years OF age
As we would not deal in exaggerations, we would
premise that we take them at their busy season
Just as writer's upon American slavery are careful
to select the season of cotton picking and sugar
crushing as illustrations of their theories. The
young female slaves, then, of whom we speak, are
worked in gangs in i'll ventilated rooms, or rooms
that arc not ventilated at all, for 1t is found Dy ex
Derehce that, if air be admitted, 1t brings with !
''blacks'' of another kind, which damage the worl
upon which the seanlstresses are employed Thel
occupation is to sew from morning till night, ant
noht till morning-stitch, stitch, stitch, wlthou
pause; without speech-without smIle-wlthou
sigh. In the gray Of the morning they must D.
at work; say at six o'clock-having quarter O
an hour allowed them for breaking their fast
The food served out to them is scanty and miser
able enough, but STILL in all probability, more tina
their fevered system can digest We do not, how
ever, wish to make out case of starvation; tn
suffering is of another kind-equally dreadful {
endurance.
From six o'clock, till II it is stitch, stitch A
IL a small piece of dry bread is served to eac
seamstress, but still she must stitch on At O
clock. 90 minutes are allowed for dInner--a slc
of meat and potato, with glass OF toast an
water to each workwoman. Then again to worl
stitch stitch-until FIVE o'clock, when 10 minute
are again allowed for tea. The needles are the
set in motion once more-stitch stltch--untll' nh
o'clock when IS minutes are allowed for supPei
piece of dry bread and cheese, ana grass
beer From nine O'Clock at night until one, w
and three O'Clock in the morning, stltcn' su'cl
the only break in this long period being minu
or two-iust time enough to swallow cup
strong tea, which is supplied lest the young Peep
should ''feel sleepy" At O'Clock, A. IA.
bed; at O'Clock A. M. out Of it again to resun
the duties of the following day. There must
a good deal of monotony in the occupation.
But when we have said that for certain mont
Of the year these unfortunate young persons a
worked in the manner we describe, we have \
said all. Even during the few hours allotted
sleep--should we not rather say to teverlsh &c
satiOn from toll their miseries continue. In
are eOoped upin sleeping pens, ten II room WIN