Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1858-11-25
Amalgamation.

AmaiSamaLlOn.
+ The National Democracy affect to bt
struck with horror at the idea of amalgsma
ton; they condemn and de ;lare their hatred
of l.. This is we'll. There is little, if any
Amaigamation in the Free States; it is a
Southern institution. The "Life of Mrs
Margaret Douglas, a Virginia Wife ant
Mother" published in 1854, thus pointedly
condemns the practice. We quote from her
Life pages 60 and IS: i
now approach a subject vitality connect.
ed with the interests of the South, and the
welfare oe humanity. In doing so. l have
no rancor or malice 10 serve, but boldly
speak my mind, and tell my Southern sis
ters truth, which, however they may have
learned it by sad experience, has probably
never been mus presented 10 them before
This subject demands the attention not
only Of the religious population. but OF
statesmen and law makers. 1t is the one
great evil hanging over the Slave States, de-
stroying the domestic peace and happiness
of thousands. 1t is summed up in the world
Amalgamstion. This, and this Only, caus IS
The vast extent OF ignorance, degradation,
and crime that lies like black cloud over
the whole South. And the practice is more
general than even Southerners are willing
to allow. While even the Northern ibeftine
usually reverts from the intimate society
of those in whose veins courses a drop of
black blood, the Southern gentleman takes
them to his very bosom and revels in their
fancied charms until safety disgusts him,
when he deliberately sells them into lower
degradation, as he would disabled horse.
1t is impossible to deny that this unnatural
custom prevails to a fearful extent through
out the South. The testimony is of too
positive and personal a. character to be
overcome. Neither is it to be found only
in the lower order of the white population.
It pervades the entire society. Its follow
ers are to be found among all ranks, occu-
pations and professions. The white mott ers
and daughters of the South have suffered
under it for years-have seen their dearest
affections trampled upon-their hopes of
domestic happiness destroyed and their
future lives embittered even to agony by
those who should be all in all to them, as
husbands, sons and brothers. | cannot use
too strong language iu reference to this
subject, for know that it will be met with
a heartfelt response by every Southern
woman. would deal gently with them If
could but they know the fact, and their
hearts bleed under its know ledge, however
they may have attempted to conceal their
discoveries. Southern wives know that their
husbands Come to them reeking with pollu-
tion from the arms Of their tawny mistresses.
Father and son seek the same sources of
excitement, aud alike crafty their inhuman
propeusities, scarcely blushing when de
iected, and recklessly defyins every com
mand OF God and every tie of morality and
human affection. They have not even the
paltry excuse that ordinary libertines
sometimes make. that their love is real,
though illicit; the whole practice is plainly,
unequivocally, shamelessly, beastly. Is
there any wonder, then, that people addict
ed to these habits are rapidly returning to a
state of semi-bafbarism!-Persoral Ndrra-
tipe Of Mrs. Margaret Douglas.
The United States census, by its figures,
fully confirms in ali its hideousness the
truth ol the above quotation. In the South
ern States there are 32S,sF mu'attoes'
while in the North there are but 5S,s17,
and the greater part Of these have been
freed and sent North by their white fathers
in the South. In Vlrginia, alone there are
6s,775 mulatioes, larger number thun in
all the Norihern Stutcs put together.