New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-03-11
GEORGlA.ANA.

The subject of Slavery and the colOred pOpula-
tiop has furnished n good deal of work for the
Southern Legislatures this Winter, aud has led in
some of them to some very ridiculous exhibitions
Of spite aud passion, few OF which We have had
occasion to notice The general tenor of this leg
slation has been or at least its intention seems to
have been, to tighten the chains of Slavery and
to increase their weight; but more perhaps with
view of spiting the friends Of the black pOpula-
ton at the North and elsewhere, than out OF any
mace against that unfortunate class itself. Amid
these gloomy exhibitions OF hate and ferocity, we
are happy to be able to chronicle one outburst Of
generosity on the part of the Legislature of GeOr-
eis, which, contrasted with the general spirit Of
Southern legislation, fairly entities her to rank as
the banner Southern State, in point Of humanity
as well as in energy aud enterprise. 1t shows, III
deed, in d striking manner, that the noble virtue
Of gratitude still fingers in bosoms where one
might least expect to find it,
1t appears that long ago as 1872 certain
slave named Boston, the property OF several indi-
yiduas in Liberty County" rendered certain
services. We are not informed Of the precise ma
tnre of these tervices; but we suppose that they
must have been public ones; at all events, from the
fact that their memory has survived to this time,
we imagine that, whether public or private, they
must have been of a pretty eminent character. AS
they were rendered fortyfour years ago. it is rea-
sonale to presume that Boston was then vigor-
GUS yonng man-One who would have commanded
in the market the very highest price. No notice
appears to have been taken at that time of his ser
vices, nor acknowledgment made of them. But
Georgia gratitude is unextinguishable; and as BOs-
ton has grown old and feeble and able no longer to
earn his keeping, it has actually burst into flame
the Legislature having passed special act for
BostOn's manumissiOn
1t may be true, as is remarked in Georgia
paper in which we find an account of these pro-
ceedings, "that the world is slow to reward its
benefactors"; but the sufficient reason why this
case of BOstOns was not attended to before is
doubtless to be found in debate of the Legislature
reported in the very same paper, on bill to pre-
vent the manumisson of slaves by their owners, by
will or deed at was justly remarked" says this
report, "by Judge Cone, that God made niger
"to be Niger, and he never meant him to be
anything else; and the idea Of making civilized
"nation out Of q set of blacks was superatiyey
"absurd and ridiculous. The best place for the
"negro was the cotton-feld." Doubtless it was
for this reason that Boston, notwithstanding his
services, was kept at work for several individuals
in Liberty County for the space of iortyfour years,
in the fed-that being the best place for him.
At the end of that period, being no longer of any
use there, and being soon about to die so that the
evil example of his liberty would not long be Of
detriment to the other slaves in Liberty County,
where. by the way, they Outnumber the free
Inhabitants two or three to one,) the Legislature
of Georgia was fortunately able to indulge its feel.
ings by giving way to sPasm of gratitude, and by
a special act voting the old niger his freedom
in reward for his services Of forty-four wears
standing.
Nevertheless, we are bound to confess that there
is another part Of this report which throws some.
thing of shadow upon what we have reioiced
to recognize as the working of gratitude even in
slavedriyiDg bosoms. at was commended" we
are told, "that there was no question about the
right Of the State, and that it was urged by poll
"cy and reason, to prevent this continued manumis
sion 1t was time to put stop to it. Expert.
~ nce had shown conclusiyely that the natural
"sphere of the negro was serfdom. lie ,cas hap.
pier as sIart; he ras unfit for freedom, and no
- fine. sounding theories about all men being born
% free and equal would ever make the black the
equal Of the white man. or fit him to enjoy lib
"ert.'
1t was in vain that the opponents of the bill
cnpferded that as Negroes were DroDertV every
man had right to do with those he owned
ne be thought proper, and that to pass this bill