Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1857-02-24
rM From the Norfolk Argus.
Master and Slave.

i tile c0ntfOl OF; his HlaStef, OF ulsJOInS
the interests of the two, is destruc-
tive of all that is beneficial in the re-
lation of master and slave. The
slave should not on this account have
money which he may spend, except
under the superintendent ofhi mas
ter The practice of paying servants
for over work is therefore u bad one.
The master should supply the reason
able wants Of his servants, and then
they neel no money to expend at
their own discretion. He. might
make their desire for Injuries a stIm-
ulus to labor and faithfulness, by Civ
Ting them as rewards for industry and
good conduct. There would be- no
4evil in giving servants moderate tasks
and paying them for over work, if
the master saw that the money was
properly laid out. The farmer, to en-
courage industry among his servants,
gives them small pieces of land which
they may cultivate after their daily
task is completed, and allows them to
sell the product without rendering an
account of the proceeds. Theslaves,
then, have property Of their own to
dispose of, and they are tempted to
steal, that they may add to the
amount. They may thus sell, not on
ly their pigs, and poultry, and corn,
but their masters or his neighbours,
: if they can take it without detection.
But besides the temptation to dis
honesty arising from this practice;
there arc others still more Injurious
to the character of the slave. The
The negro, like all laborers, is fondof
stimulants, and when he has the
means will purchase liquors, and
from habits of -intemperance, which
undermine his. health, destroy his
character, and, in the end, rerder him
utterly worthless. The liquors which
are sold to negroes are generally CT
the worst kind, many of them min
!, gled with poisonous drugs, to give
them greater potency; and, Of this
account, they undermine the health
still more ~effeetually. The throngs
of negroes who assemble about the
places where liquors are sold, show
very conclusively what becomes OF
| the sums which they receive for over
work. Some may indeed buy tea, and
coffee, and sugar, and luxuries>o that
kind, but these should be furnished
by the master--or, if he think it ex-
pcdient that they should earn the mo-
ney to purchase them, after the mod
crate daily task, is completed, he
should himself make the purchases on
their account, and not suffer them to
be cheated, ras they usually are, by
being obliged to pay an exhorbitant
price for the worst article in the mar
ket.
/ In some of our tobacco factories the
hands receive large sums for over
work, which are generally used for
bad purposes. They accumulate moth
; ing, and the money is spent in way
which ruins the greater part ofthem.-
A large part of the money with which
\ unprincipled men are bribed to carry
offslaves to the North, is first paid
to theslaves for over work. A prac-
tice which adds nothing to the COM
fort ofthe slaves, nor the income OF
the master, but which is clearly OPP
posed to the true interests of both,
ought certainly to be abandoned. d. :,
In what we have said thus far in
relation to the reciprocal daties OF
master and slave, and the best way
to promote the welfare of both, we
are persuaded that most rejecting
persons will agree. But there is an
other subject which we approach with
some diffidence, and that is the man
agement of slaves in regard to their
religion. - ..r .-..'..... g..
What should the master do to pro-
mote the religious welfare of the
slave Shall the slave enjoy perfect
religious liberty, or shall be not!
In religion itself, that which affects
the heart, and through it guides .the
conduct, there can be no coercion. =
You may compel hypocrisy, but not
] religion. And yet kind of authori.
ty may be benefcially exercised in
! matters of religion. The slave is ig.
norant, and must be instructed in the
first principles of religion What
kind of instruction is he to receive z
Shall he be taught a true religion and
pure morality, such as will tend tc
make him honest, and obedient, AND
faithful, or shall he be allowed to gel
his notions ofreligion and morality.
at hazard, from any and from every
one who prerends to teach Eyer,
one is anxious TO have his children in
structed in the tenets of his own faith
because he thinks it the purest, thu
best, the most conductive to life o
. virtue. And he would do the sam,
, for his slave if be had no higher mo
! tive in view than his own Temporal
; interests for, in this way, he Womb
: but secure the honesty and faithful
ness Of the slave.
:. 1t is evident, therefore, that th'
, slave should be controlled in hi
. youth, as well as the child, in regart
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