Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1857-02-17

VouS utCo We ulscountenancedDy every
good citizen:
But If slaves must Of necessity be
hired out, it should be done under
proper regulations. The custom Of
hiring out by the single year should
be abandoned. The longer a servant
remains with his employer, the more
useful he becomes for the deeper in.
terest he takes in his affairs. If the
seryant felt that he was settled for q
term of years, or at least that a change
was not to be made at the end of the
year, he would be more anxious to
please his employer. He would not
be looking forward to the end of the
year, under every little yexation, or
imagined hard treatment, and resolv-
ing to be Of as little value us possible
till the connexion could be dissolved.
On the other hand, the employer
would take more pains in the disci-
pine and instruction of the servant,
did he feel assured of his services for
. longer time. Under the present
system he feels as the term Of service
draws near to a close, that the results
Of discipline will not pay for the troa,
bic Of it. Every thing goes at loose
ends, and the slave forms habits which
renders him less and less valuable ev-
cry year. -: .2.-f ....,I>~
Another bad practice connected
with this is the allowing Of slaves to
choose for themselves their places Of
service. Negroes are like children,
fond Of change. They know not
when they are well treated, and are
likely to choose homes where they
think there will be the least restraint.
The liberty Of choice often keeps
them in state of discomfort through
the whole year, for they very soon
make mp their minds that at the close
Of it they will seek another home.
The employer, if he has obtained a
capable servant, and is DESTROYS of re-
tanning him, RENTS discipline and
grants indu!gences as an inducement
for the servant to remain with him
and the slave is ruined.
In the competition for good and ca
pable servants it is not uncommon
/ for employers tofagree to pay them Il
stipulated sum, or to allow q certain
portion of their time to- be spent as
they please; thus paying master and
slave, in order to secure the services
of the latter. The consequence. is,
that the slave dcteriorates., lie is al
lowed to feel that he has a property
in his own labor, and he reasons, that
if part is accorded to him, he has
a right to the whole, and~he renders
his services grudgingly. Indulgence
renders him insubordinate and vicious
and perhaps a drunkard, and the mas
ter and employer are be tn losers.
Masters and those who have the
charge of slaves to be hired out have
an important duty to perform. J, 1t is
their bnsinessAtos see that their slaves
are we'll fed and clothed, not over
worked, rot exposed in bad weather,
and properly cared for in sickness.
But they cannot secure this by listen
ing to all the complaints of the slaves,
and allowing them to choose their
own places. They must give their
personal attention to the business,
and when convinced that servants are
properly treated should insist upon
their remaining where they were.
The employer should be assured when
he hires slave he shall continue in
his service as long as he wants him,
or as long as the slave is to be hired
out. There will then be motives for
the reciprocal duties of master and
servant and both may be benefited
by the connexion. AS it is now, the
employer is but half a master, and
the slave is half free, the very worst
condition that each can be in, for
faithful service on the one hand, ard
efficient discipline on the other.
But Of all practices connected with
the hiring out of slaves, the worst is
to hire them TO themselves. That is
to demand of them a stipulated sum
for the year, which, if the slave pays,
he may dispose Of his time as he
pleases. It is, in fact, emancipating
him for the gear for given price.
The result, in a majority Of cases is,
that the slave deterioratcs in morals,
in habits and in health. He spends
as little money as possible upon his
food and clothing that he may save
money to expend upon his wees, or
pass a portion of his time in idieness.
In few years he becomes idle, in
temperate, discontinued and .insubor-
dinate. 81 ~. e 49,, s1.s $50: !.
He comes to look upon his masters
interest as antagonistic to his own,
and regards the money which he pays
to him as so much taken from him by
gross injustice while ct the same
time he exerts an evil influence upon
all the slaves with whom he associ-
ates. No one has . right thus TO in
Idulge his slaves, for he damages his
own property, while he destroys the
character and happiness of his slave,