The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-07-10

as too often makes the subject of its exercise
draw An unfavorable contrast for the Northerner
who lives by the sweat of his own brow, and no,
by the toll of +" sinews bought and sold," blu,
ne entered too the miserable huts, and saw the
mode OF living of the crackers" the small
farmers, and laboring white population, of the
South, az they are found in their squalidness, ig
norance, and often brutal habits, in the interior
Here he could mark the effect of Slavery on the
poor whites, and how in its encroachments il
continually debases those who share not in its
power or favors, and thus themselves wear the
CALLING yoke of its bondage. 1t is this aspect
OF the case which, as it seems to us, is more In
structive, and reads stronger lesson to the PEG.
pie OF this country, than the cruelties and hard.
ships even which the black or colored races SUI.
fer. We need only look at such pictures, taken
on the spot and painted to the life, to be made
sensible what bitter and grievous wrong is
done to the welfare of any nation, by system
that tends to reduce its numerical force and 81
ements of needed strength almost to a nuilsty
of efficiency, to pamper the luxury and pride Of
high-handed aristocracy, who, when the time
shall come that tries mems souls, can have no
such preparation as fits them for the contest
Much valuable historical and statistical infors
nation may be found embodied in these pages,
extracts from Southern writers and men of in.
fuence, containing their admissions as to the
state of that section of the country, aud the de;
teriorating influence of Slavery there. Admit
ting the general kind treatment of the slaves on
the large plantations, Mr.. Olmsted points too to
the many sad contrasts which take place, and the
trembling solicitude often seen, when by sad.
den reverse of fortune, or the death of an induk
gent master, favored servant, recognized
human being, may pass into the hands of 4
cruel overseer or slave dealer, and be known
only as q chattel of the law. He alludes to The
state of morals too evident b. the appearance
of vast numbers of the colored population seen
ofevery varying shade, up to the Saxon featuees,
with scarce tinge to embrown the rudy face,
and yet only slaves to be bought and sold at the
will of their masters. The crying sin of forci-
bly, separating families, the disregard of the
ties which God regards as sacred, and the thou
sand concomitant evils which must belong to
such system, developed under his own obser-
walton in one State and another where Slavery
exists, are likewise faithfully yet candidly por-
trayed. Mingled with all are sketches drawn from
life, bearing on the question of the capacities
and characteristics of the colored people, slaves
or free. With the eye of practical economist,
watching the operations of agricultural and me-
chanical business, the means and facilities of
Improvement, our author concludes, as many
others have done before him, that so long as
this incubus hangs like dead weight round
their necks, the South cannot hope for any aa-
vance in real prosperity, aided however much
they may be or think themselves by Southern
conventions and strings OF resolutions, which
amount to nothing except to make them shut
their eyes to the true evils by which their pro
gress is impeded. Mere words can never unfurl
the sail, load the ships with commerce of
varying freight, set the machinery of the factory
in motion, or scatter the blessings of intelligent
and well-trained minds and the comforts of
humble life through all the coasts and the In
terror of that land, teemingwith every advantage
of natures bounteous gifts in soil, cline, and
products. The barren and rocky hills of the
North will bloom and blossom as with the rose,
and smiling ease, with the attendant ministra-
tions of ingenuity and thrift, will bless her peo
pie, while the sunny South, basking amid ma
lures wild luxuriance, will be, as to her popula
ton as a whole, poverty stricken, and lacking,
in the elements of general progress. Time will
develop this condition, and, when too late to
repair their errors but by long course of bit.
ter experience, they will awake at last to see.
how this giant wrong has strangled their growth.
and crushed down their energies, stripped them
of fame and veal and power. Oar readers.
will hardly need our urgent appeal to read and:
ponder well this book, and Judge for themselves
We wish our fellow-citizens of the South, on,
whom lies the heavy burden of this woe, could
be induced to do the same.
Mr.. Drew's North side FieW of Slavery, and
Peter Still, contain testimonies which are adapt.
ed to call forth the sympathies of every generous
heart, who loves to see the success of noble
effort on the part of the oppressed to SECURE for
themselves Freedom and its privileges. Here
are the plain and to all appearance unexagger.
ated statements of persons who have encounter
ed all sorts of perils and privations to escape
from that state of slavery, which, we are told is
such happy one for the colored people of our
country. May they not be supposed to under
stand their condition as to comfort and the feel
ings of those whom they have been with, not
only under the eye ola master, butt in those hours
of mutual confidence and sympathy, when the.
heart speaks out and tells its woes as well at
any authors of South-side Views, who see the,
slave where he dares not utter what lies dowr
deep into the spirit. We know indeed that the
testimony of no colored man can be taken il
the South against white man, no matter how
intelligent the former or how brutalzed the lat
ter. But let any one not bound himself ia the
worse bondage of spirit that forces him to defene.
wrong, read these simple records of every variI
ETY., and judge whom he would soonest believe
the men who trample on right, or the hamblt
sufferers who tell what they have seen and heart
and felt. /.
The account of Peter Still is one that is oftet,
of thrilling interest It is the history of TIVE
colored brothers, kidnapped in Childhood; fort
years ago, from Philadelphia, sold into Slavery
beaten when the cry of their hearts for thei
mother rose to their lips-and so crushed down
into bondage. After various changes, they q,
length are found in Alabama, where one OF
them dies. The other msrries, and by the kind
ness of q Jew, who Purchases him for the pun
pose, redeems himself, and returns to Phiadel
phia, to seek his mother and kindred. There,