Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-10-11

the conclusion of the writer is that if the negro is
not the white mans brother he is at least of kin
i Ia " far-off cousin of the master race The wri-
| ter asks I" is the negro a mani" No doubt he is !;
he is so treated in the South and it is understood
all hands that he is man, with all physical fac
ultes like other and possessing soul to be lost or
saved. The negroes have the same spiritual privi-
eyes that their masters enjoy and many of our col
ored congregations decorous in their bearing
and as we'll dressed as some of the abolitionsts in
the free States. Many of them are better men than
the aboltionsts; and all of them better off than
they would be in a state of freedom whether in the
| MOI them States in Africa We are indebted to
the late able and eloquent letter of Mr. Wise for the
following graphic and correct description of the con-
| dition of the Southern slave:
Gas to the treatment of slaves, am we'll inform
ed and do not hesitate to say that there is not bet
ter provided body of laborers earth than the
gro slaves of the United States. In reply to your
| question:" Does slavery west of Georgia and in
the Southwest differ much as to the severity from
that in the eastern and central Southern States y
l say to you that slavery nowhere in the United
States, at this day, is severe The slaves are I'M
iversally fed and clothed well, and are happy and
contented Look at the tables of their increase and
their ages of longevity. Look at their religious
privileges and listen to them preach and pray,
and see them dance and seat tut meat and lie By
the fire p their masters love for them, and
.,
would fight regiment of them against any foreign
troops which could land shores. They
faithful and they are brave, and more dsinterested
than the white They joyous in tempera-
ment and patient their are and
strong. The owners love their andits qualities
better than their pseudo friends, the a5olitionsts
do Every adult slave around me has half pound
of cured bacon per day. corn meal without stint or
measure of allowance, scale fish in season, shell
fish nearly all the year, every vegetable and fruit
of the season, and an abundance of such as they
prefer planted and sown for them. Besides this,
they have crops of their own which they sell for
their Not one of them who is industrious
can fail to have two three dollars month to
spend. They have no occasion to buy anything
but fine clothes They have their rations weekly
of moasses, coffee and tobacco. They not a.
lowed to work, carefully nurSed when sick, and
when well don't average ten hours of labor per day.
They have their feast days and holidays and enjoy
them than the whites do. Here they have
Easter and Whitsuntidc, two days, week after
harvest, day at August court three and four days
each during the camp meeting seasons of the Me h.
odist Church. to which they mostly belong, and
week at Christmas, besides the half days of Satur-
days in going to their wives. believe that they
fare better in the scesterm and southeastern States
than they do in Virginia.
The article in Harper to which VIC have referred,
is not in itself Objectionable; but its appearance in
the columns of such periodical is evidence of the
absorbing nature of the slavery question in the
Northern mind. The feeling, the passion of very
many of the people in that quarter runs in this
gro channel; or, in other words, the appetite for
talk about negrodom, slavery, and the like must be
ministered unto and satisfied. In this respect Har-
per and Putnam under certain sort of neces-
sty, mpeng them to a course which they may
themselves consider urjust-though the course of
Harper it is but just to him to say, is by
Objectionable to Southern that of Putnam.
The same number of Harper speaks of that parse
MrS in
:" No American lady," says the writer "has ever
been SO much courted and caressed in the palaces
of the English nobility been honored with such
spontaneous tributes of admiration from all circles
of society" This may all be true, yet very much
doubt it But if true, it evinces the ignorance of
the English aristocracy to the real condition of
the Southern slave and it also shows that British
hatred of the United States is quite strong in
the days of tories and red coats" We saw the
United States for it is known that both American
and British abolitionsts hold the general government
responsible for the existence and perpetuation of
African slavery.
Harper and Putnam issue entertaining and in
respects valuable periodicals. Their Magazines
especially the former-have acquired wide and
general circulation in the Southern States They
were read with eagerncss by many and were accep
table to all until their recent improper and uniust
fable interference with the slavery question. We
witnessed this interference with regret and indigna
tion Putnam has gone far in his opposition to
slavery, and in his denunciations of the South as
ever Greedy has gone; but Harper has been more |
conservative and cautious We regard both period |
icals anti-Southern and shall them accord
ingly. We do not ask expect them to defend |
Southern institutions Southern slavcry-the peo-
pie OF the South can do that foy themselves; but
have right to expect, and shall insist. that they
be silent the subject. Of they will |
do just they please but then they cannot expect
Southern dollars in return for abuse Of Southern in
stitutons. We know the South is tainted with it's |
want of literary periodicals. Very well, what the |
South lacks in respect she may be able to boast
of if she chooses, in another; but give peri
odicals at a-no light literature whatsoever if it
cannot come clear of abol;tionsm and of pref
udces and hatrcds calculated to endanger the secu-
rity and happiness of our people. We still have |
Shakespeare, and Milton, and Addison, and Scott
and there are American books, uncontaminatcd by |
these spirits of evil, which read with profit |
and pleasure. The Southern people, too, look
ing more to their peculiar interests, and learn
ing to rely fully upon their own resources;
and the day is not distant we trust, when Southern
literat lre-the embodiment of the learning and pow
er of Southern mind-will be sought even by those |
who now taunt with inferiority in this respect
UNITED STATES REVENUE PROM CUSTOMS The rev.
enue from customs during August, at the eight prin
cpal ports compared with the same month last year