The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1856-01-31
- Marriages of Slaves.

disregartls the marital tic. Admitting the
utmost possible force in the argument, it
could he met by counter statements against
any form and mode of labor, for the scpa-
ration Of husband and wife is n common
incident to the hircling white and black no
less than 10 the slave. We could appcaI
also to the experience Of NIL Southern OBJ
servers, i'll proof that our slave holders and
planters generally, were anxiously disposed
to respect and protect the marital relations
ot Slaves, and that more difficulty is found
IN educating and training the slaves them
selves to regard it, than in protecting it
when established on good basis. We in
trod"cc the matter, however, only to men
ton fact, lately brought to our notice.
which speaks more than any assertions
could, as to the relative attachments of the
negroes.
The case to which we refer is briefly. q
voluntary and mutual dissolution and run
lure OF marriage of fifty years happy and
agreeable durution between slaves: and
this was by the consent of both parties
each prcfrrring to sever this relation rather
than to leave the masters family, although
the option was left to each and cilhcr-as
IS most generally the case. The circun-
stances were these: The wife was an old
nurse and mauma" of family migrating
to Florida, and had for years lived in a con,
d't'"n OF indulgence and ease, better than
could have been possible had she been free
actually, rs she was virtually. On the clo-
sing OF an estate by sale for division, under
our laws, she WAS necessarily offered for
sale, and was purchased by the son of the
mistress, TO whom she had been nurse and
tavo:Ite maid The gentleman. who had
ctcn in his bovisl days received at her
hands the rod, which the wise king recon-
incnds as a sovereign specific for the fool
ishncss of childhood, very naturally and
Enthusiastically offered her freedom SO far
as 1T could bc done, and gave her the
choice OF three residences for life, and at
the same time promised ample and alum
dant comforts. TO his surprise, her an
swcr WAS, "N", NAUSEA, goes wild YOU to
the new country" lie told her of her hus.
baa' and again asked her to choose a
nominal master and protector in the neigh
borf'ood, and one Of these places offered to
her, was the plantation Oh which her hus
band lived.
She persisted that her first choice was to
follow her master, when lie Immediately
resolved to purchase her husband. whose
owner was equally anxious To protect and
spare the marital tie of veteran servant.
llle bargain was soon settled between the
masters, for both slaves were too old to
have been worth any consideration under
any other system but tn" permanent tic of
slavery but an anexp,::ed difficulty oc-
cnrrcd. The husband stou,ly refused to
leave his masters family, and protested
that deeply and long as he had loved his
wife, he could not leave his home TO follow
her.
State the naked proposition that hus.
band and wife of sucl, age and Qualities
hal been separated, and aboli,ionism would
ut once find matter for tear-moving home
lies. Yet hear is one plain case of very
late occurrence, in whicl, such a separation
occurred against the desires and intention
OF two shareholders, aud by the alternative
chomc Of two slaves.
Can any OF our Northern moralists tell
MS how many white marriages have been
cruelty ami m!ser.b!y severed bv California
migration ?-CA"rlrston Courier.
ifr. M"rcys C1rcular on the .Souud
O"rS.-The following extract from the
Paris correspondence of the New York
Commercial Advertiser yivcs assurance Of
the virtual settlement of the Sosud Dues
question, a,i.; fully comedies TO Mr. Morcv's
circular on the subject the credit of SO de.
sirablc result:
"a long and very able article has ap-
peared this week in the Presse on the
Sound Dues question. This writer sustains
Mr. Marcy's circular, and proclaims loudly
that, from this time forward, the principle
OF the freedom Of the hi gh seas and their
straits is settled. The difficulty between
the United States and Denmark may in
fact be regarded as settled upon the basis
OF Mr.. Narcy's circular. The conference is
complete failure, and the European States
will only be Too ready to follow the United
States III such an adjustment as Mr.. Marcy
has pointed out. think it may be stated
as fact that the circular of the American
Secretary was read with more satisfaction
by the cabinets Of Europe than any docu
ment which has been placed before them
for long time; for they feared that this
question was going 10 form new element
OF trouble for the present year, and they
already had enough in questions foreign to
this one. Their satisfaction, therefore, in
reading the concliatory, and at the same
time clear and decided document Of Mr..
Marcy, can easily he comprchended. He
settled the difficulty for them on the very
basis on which they desired to See it placed;
that is, the rejection of the principle claim
ed by Denmark, but a just allowance for
light houses, etc. They would have pre-
terred to have taken the initiative them
selves in the settlement Of this great prin-
ciple, but since they had other cmbarrass-
ments they are willing even to accept this
gift from American diplomacy, and to rem
der it all due honor"
Important TO POstmasters.-Our atten-
has been called to the fact that some post.
masters are in the habit Of sending back to
the mailing Office letters reaching them for
delivery, because they were not prepaid Ivy
stamps, but by money. This is wrong, and
arises from q misapprehension of the law.