The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-12-15
TREATMENT OF SLAVES.

The Southern papers continue to supply
proofs Of the truthfulness of Mrs. Stoves pic
ture of Slavery as it is. The Baltimore Times
contains the following particulars of a case of
horrible barbarty
"A private letter, received from Walter
borough, gives the subjoined account of the
trial of the case of the State Us. Thomas Mot
ley, for the murder Of slave, before Judge
ONesll at that place, on Wednesday last, no
ticed in last Saturdays Charleston Courier
w unite with the writer in his strong appro-
val of the verdict as not only imperatvely call
ed for by the enormites Of the case but as in
dicating public sentiment as to the propriety of
visiting with condign punishment the ielon
and cowardly murderer of the lowly and de-
fenceess slave.
"The jury brought in a verdict, after half
hours deliberatpn, against Motley, for the
murder of slave, near Parker's Ferry, in July
last. The evidence was clear and unquestiOn-
able, though in part circumstantial, and COM
prised history of a most diabolical and afro
cious murder perpetrated on poor defenceless
and unotfending slave, and through process Of
cruel and protracted murder, which his Honor
declared exceeded any savage barbarity he
had ever heard Of Two other prisoners
charged as participators in the same horrible
and unheard-of barbarity and murder, are yet
to be tried. The reputation of the jury and the
district ColletOn) have been nobly indicated
by the verdict, which receives the general, if
not the universal appreciation of the eommu-
nifty.
Since the foregoing was written, we have
learned that the murdered slave was runa-
way, whose owner was unknown: that the de-
| in, obs ubo rda first
shot and whipped bim-then put him in a vice
and tortured and lacerated him with unexam.
pied barbarties next set him loose, and ran
him down with bloodhounds and finally, ms
was supposed, cut him up and fed the dogs
with his flesh
:" The heart slckens at the very mention of
such demoniac cruelty and hellish enormties
awe have heard of no motive, nor any prov
ocaton on the part of the poor slave, assigned
for these unparalleled atrocities; and We are
told that the murderers were band of runa-
way hunters from the middle or upper part o.
the State and that one of them is q man OF
considerable property"
1t is worthy of remark that this is the second
case within year, in South Carolina in which
the sentence Of death has been pronounced ON
white man convicted of the murder of a
slave. 1t may be that such an offence has
been similarly punished in other slave States.
but we recollect no such instance.
The supporters of Slavery may denounce
Uncle TOMS Cabin as much as they please we
know that since its publication, and the gen.
eral controversy which has been provoked in
regard to ITS truthiuness, the Southern press
has been more alive to cases of cruelty to
slaves, and more outspoken 10 their condemna-
ton.
: This Is precisely what might have been ex.
pected The people of this county, North and
South, are too highly civilized to tolerate fla
grant acts OF inhumanity if their attention be
dirseffd 10 them. The Anti-Slayery agitation
concentrates the public gaze upon the work.
ings OF the slave system 30 that deeds Of cruel
sy can hardly escape observation. The result
is, that We see Southern papers themselves Ia,
king the lead in exposing and dsnouncing
thsn
: We find in the Richmond (va) Examiner a
! writer pleading strongly for Legislation TO pun
; ish the cruel treatment Of slaves. "The very
few" he says, who treat them cruelty and
feed and clothe them badly excite odiun
against the institution abroad, and beget wroul
! consciences ut home The objection often urg