Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1855-03-31
WHITE AND BLACK SERVANTS.


year. 1t rs no .Uncle Toms Cabin" nor Aunt
Philliss Cabin" letter. 1t is real letter, written
by real lady, to be received by, and read to her
real servants. The writer is native of a New Eng
land State has resided in Maryland number of
years has seen slavery in all its aspects, among
black and white, both at home and 4abroad; and
has therefore, had peculiar advantages for appreci-
a.ing the comparative conditions OF down-troddeh
European peasantry and the southern slaves.
In perusing this letter, which bears the impress
of warm and arctionato feelings for those to whom
it is addressed, our northern friends may perceive
what it is so hard for them to apprenticeship SYM
pathy to which this peculiar relation often gives
rise sympathy in its nature resembling that be-
tween parent and child, and which can never be
felt between the hired mental and his employers
While negroes are regarded With cotdnesS or us
like bv those unaccustomcd to have them about
them they are usually looked upon with Kindness
and partiality by those who arc brought up by
them, and with them; often they are too much
petted, and even gross fault Is ihduiSenty over
looked.
Southern masters aHl mstrcsSes may, in the pc
rusa of this letter. be led to consider their own OBJ
legations of cutivating conscience in their servants
and appealing to their moral feelings; OF acknowl-
edeing them as fellow beings, bound to one COM
mon tribunal before the Great Father and Judge
of ALL
But let the letter speak for ITSELF
VIENNA, HOTEL ARCuDCKE CHARLES,
October II, 1851
tn nv faithful and aff1ctionate servants write
these lines am now in q foreign country, where
the language and the customs of the people are oil
ferent from ours. The great Atlantic ocean now
seperates me from my dear home, and from you who
assist in making that home pleasant ana comtorta-
BILE think of the many persons and things IN
that home, which render it to me more interesting
than any other place; and hope once more 10 DC
permitted to be there, and behold the KIND faces Oh
the faithful servants and friends, Wfo Tor so many
years. have made part of my large family
- never see one of you: color where am; ana
have rarely met with Il coored person since !ei'
-Strl.s Il n1GI
nv and distress, such as you know nothing o. IN
England, where so much concern has been express
sed for the colored people Of our country there S
much human suffering | passed through large
manufacturing towns, where the houses seem al
most piled up upon each other, crowded III dark
lanes aud alleys, half under ground, like so many
dungeons with no pure air; the hight vi hiaFrn
shut out of their damp comtorttess dwellings,. l
compared, in my own mind. these wretchco dwell
Iincs with the cottages which are furnished on the
plantations for the homes Of the servants, and the
thought arose. how much better Oft are the coiored
people of America than those poor families with
whom it is all work, wor<-httie chlidrcn anu all,
with no hope of any Improvement III their condl-
ton, no kind word from master or nl!strcSs-l they
sick, and unable to be in their places, or com,
nit any fault they are liable TO be turned Off, and
then they may starye, for no one "iil employ It
workman who has been turned away by aEothef
MASTER there are more workmen than places TO
fill In the mining and coal districts the condition
Of the working people is still worse than IN the
manufacturing towns; here children are born under
ground pass their lives, and die in Old age, With
out ever having seen the glorious sun or moon,
which the good God made fore His creatures.
In England servants in boarding houses and pri-
vate families work much harder than any oil you
are required to do; one table waiter, or chamber
maid there is expected to do more service than We
should require of two or three servants. In one
boarding house in London one young man seemed
to do the work of four servants-he set the taoeS,
was chief waiter, porter, messenger, boot-black,
and everything else If carriage was to be called
for boarder, James must go; he was back IN an
instant and at his work. II any one returned from
party a concert, at eleven or twelve o'clock at
night, James opened the door. If any one wished
to leave early in the morning, and wished break
fast by daylight, James had it ready and waited at
table; then brought down the luggage and saw him
off James has family, and receives about eight
dollars month. hat would q. think II he were
obliged to fill many places, and to do so much
work. but James always pleasant. cheerful,
and respectful; his Underwriting was pattern, and
he always neatly dressed i'll a full black suit
with white cravat and white gloves. The chamber
rnaids-ncat looking English girs-were always
busy everything was done in the neatcst manner |
At night found the bed clothes turned down.
just ready for to step into bcd everything was
put into its place; trunks could be carried by them
from one room TO another; they expected to lit !
things themselves if necessary.
In France also observed that the servants were |
accustomed to perform much larger amount Of |
work than ours at home and that it generally /
done in much better manner. In Paris, we had t
pleasant suit of apartments i'll fine hotel and usu
ally dined at about six in the evening. Antoine, the
servant who had the of our rooms, waited at !
table, assisted by younger servant. Sometimes it |
happened that he not prompt usual in |
bringing the different at dinner, and in
quiring the of the delay, he replied that he
had dinner to in six other apartments aud the
kitchen at a great distance from them all. Of |
course, after this explanation, disposed to
allow him some indulgence in the time Observing the !
dinner.
Servants in Europe would not dare to dress in .
finery. The girls very neat caps and it would |
be considered unsuitable for them to appear dressed
like ladies' with fiounces, Swiss muslns, Silks laccs,
and flowers; they would be discharged at once for
this; and it is in England serious thing for ser
want to lose his or her place The Queen has a
tain kind of dress which she can wear, and no 9TH
er person can and the Queens servants wear GER
tain kind of livery which it is not allowed to any of
the nobility to initiate for their servants. There is
order there in everything; and this has its advan
9ges; for when persons try to appear what they
not, it is an evil. [ think some of my SER
wants too fond of wearing fine clothes they
less respected when dressed out in fnery leads
suspicious of honesty and is regarded as folly by
every one.
L have observed that in England especially ser
wants more scrvie to their and mistress
es than desire you to be; they fear to lose their
places; they must bear whatever is laid upon thenl
or staryc You know it is very hard for master or
mistress to have idle and unfaithfu servant, it is
still harder for parent to have undutifu child;
bu. he viii try to make that child better; he knows
he cannot cast him off-so try to make bad Ser
want better For we know relations are not cas-
ily dissolved we cannot readily break the ties which