St. Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1845-1863, 1853-01-06

The following article (says the MARI
bcro' Advocated which we transfer 10
our columns from the December number.
OF The Soghtera Pianter, contains many
wholesome truths. which hold good "a
well in THE latitude IS in Virginia and,
we,ihssV ssa. >ea.>1ssssss.d i,-...a 81 -sca4g- :
.ion Of every one interested in the hiring
OF servants.
We have proposed for sometime past
to write one or two essays on the man
a2emeni Of negroes, but various business
engagements and the desultory life OF
an individual who has 10 read, write.
elecTioneer and solicit contributions for a
paper, and at the same time to manage
a large plantation, not in the beat man.
ner, by the way, leave us but lille lei.
sure for the preparation and reflection
we would bring TO the task. We have
not proposed to undertake this task from
an idea that we possess q peculiar fitness
for ii, or that our own management in
unexceptionable, or even much better
than ordinary; but we have long per.
ceived that therein lies the greatest defect
OF slave agriculture, and We think that
the attention Of every slave, holder ought
to be called to il.
For the present, we shall limit our
remarks 10 one department Of the theme
which it is appropriate to speak Of Just
now, because in one month more il will
be TOO la'e for a year TO come.
We all;.de to the hiring Of negroes.
As this thing is al present conducted. il il
an injury to all parties, the hirer, the
hree, the negro himself, and society at
large. Formerly, the owner himself sx.
ercIsed some care in selecting q master
for his slave, and placed him where, in
his judgment, be ought to be but now
the negro is permitted TO choose his
master" as it is called in oiher words,
he is permitted to exercise q faculty or
which he has less than Of anv other
quality, TO wit. discretion, and under cir.
cumsisnces which leave him no room 10
give fair play to what little no has. The
strongest Characteristic Of the negro.
whether it proceed from his orizinal
-uxture, or Frlw cIrcuuSgancSs Iar--l--------
he is placed, is idIeness. And when this
liberty 10 allowed him be will select that
master who will grant him the largest
license in that respect. The consequen-
ces are what might be expected he eth
er selects O master who he knows will
indulge him, will exact bu, little labor,
and grant him msny'privileges and good
deal of time for himself, or he il bribed by
by money, or the promise OF privileges.
TO live with some one who, possibly from
hope Of certain profit to accrue from q
modcum Of labor, is willing to take him
on such terms, and thereby plants tho
germ Of rebellion in the contract for ohe.
dience, and slipulates himself into q Ger.
tain amount Of serviiude.
The insGbordination Of the negroes in
Richmond, attributed, az il has been, 10
certain other causes 10 which il is not
due in any great measure. if at oil, 10
mainly owing 10 this mode Of hiring. if
q tobacconist agrees to give negroes Ave
or ten dollars 10 get them 10 live with
him, allows them to board themselves for
a pittance which is but another name for
grog money, aud grants them privileges.
which are not Tess demoralixinS to their
characters than deleierious TO their health,
1t should not be deemed surprising that
the overseer in defence Of his own life in
sometimes compelled 10 subsliluts the
pistol for the lash. II the servants in
private families are permitted to sci as
nightly porters at railroad depo;s, 10 ge:
money as they can by occasional jobs, 10
lead idle lives, to roam whi,her they will,
to give suppers, sometimes champagne
suppers, and TO go quit Of punishment Or
reprimsnd for many Q faul., We caunot
wonder that drunkenness, discomfort,
mutiny, and sometimes crime should
supervene.
And when the farmer or planter % far
forgeis the proprie,ies of his station 90 to
electioneer with negroes whom he wishes
to hire, be must expeci 10 lose respeo, Of
the slave, and be compelled either 10 deal
vigorously with him in the outset, or 10
relax the discipline Of his whole plan,a.
tion, 10 the injury Of his own negroes,
the derangemen, Of eli syaens, the Cor.
bearance Of all just accountability, and
the consequent deiriment Of his affairs.
One would suppose that deductions ss
obvious &s these would BE- made by all
and 30 they are. But none are willing
TO act on them independently. Each
dis:rusis sno,hsr's inHexibilty, each fears
the influence of competition from his fel-
low, and 50 oil follow q road which will