Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1858-12-02

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who chung With sneh UNI evel gotion to the
fortunes Of he famil5e td khicl ~ belonged, re-
sioicihg in dheir pr61psrit SUI inl willingly in
thsa rsvsrsss Psoqd g their qualities and
ashamed q stheir asites. Saires saFay from
among Us and their places ars sppp ed ~ sallen,
their task that their time may be spent in amvse-
ment, or in procuring the means of vicious andul-
gences The servant comes to think his own inter-
ests are different from his masters. His mind re- /
bells against salutary control He claims right to
certain degree Of freedom. He is, in fact, partly
emancipated and on that account feels his bondage
the more. We are in the habit of attributing this
change in the character of servants to the efforts of
abolitionsts to make them disconnected with their
condition; but it would be well to enquire whether
there are not other causes nearer home which will
account for this deterioration.
Some of these causes we shall endeaycr to point
out And one of these is, the hiring out of ne
groes The hirelinS loses his interest in his mas
ter's welfare, for he sees him but seldom, and few
kind Offices are performed between them. He has
little interest in him for whom he labors, it may be
only for single year. He has no motive for labor
but to please his employer for the time being to
escape from the punishment which his indolence
and untaithfulness might bring upon him. He soon
learns the measure of his employers forbearance
and conducts his labor accordingly. Hirelings
proverbaly the worst servants and especially those
who are in the habit of changing their places from
year to year. Yet there seems to be necessity for
hiring out slaves They may be the property of
Minors and it may be better even for the slaves to
be hired out for few years. than to be sold out of
the family in which they have been raised. A mas
ter may for the time have more laborcrs than he
can well employ, and it is much better that they
should be hired out than maintained in idleness
We do not think it wise or expedent that man
should invest his property in slaves for the purpose
of living upon their wages This is an abuse of
the institution of slavery and ought to be discoun
tenanced by every good citizen.
But if slaves must of necessity be hired out, it
should be done under proper regulations The GUS
tom OF hiring out by the single year should be aban
| doned. The longer servant remains with his en-
ployer, the useful he becomes, for the deeper
interest he takes in his affairs. If the servant felt
that he was settled for term of years. at least
that change was not to be made at the end of the
| year, he would be more anxious to please his en-
| ployer. He would not be looking forward to the
end of the year, under every little vexation, i'm
agned hard treatment and resolving to be of little
value possible till the connexion could be dis
solved. On the other hand, the employer would
take more pains in the discipline 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 close, that the
results of discipline will not pay for the trouble of
| it. Everything goes at loose ends and the slave
forms habits which render him less and less valuable
every year.
Another bad practice connected with this is the
allowing of slaves to choose for themselves their
places of service Negroes like children fond of
| change They know not when they are well treat
cd 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
up 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 retaining him,
mits discipline and grants indul gences induce
ment for the servant to remain with him-and the
| slave is ruined.
In the competition for good and capable servants
it is not uncommon for employers to agree to pay
them stipulated sum- to allow certain portion
of their time to be spent as they please thus pay
ing master and slave in order to secure the services
of the latter. The consequence is, that the slave
rapidly deteriorates. He is allowed to feel that he
has property in his own labor, and he reasons,
that if part is accorded to him, he has right to
the whole, and he renders his services grudgingly.
Indulgence renders him insubordnate and vicious,
perhaps drunkard, and the master and employer
are both losers.
Masters and those who have the charge of slaves
to be hired out have important duty to perform.
1t is their duty to see that their slaves well fed
and clothed, not over-worked, not exposed in bad
weather. and properly cared for in sickness But
they cannot secure this by listening to all the COM
plants 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 properly treated should insist upon
their remaining where they were. The employer
should be assured when he hires slave that he
shall continue in his service long he wants hin
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 con
nexon. AS it is the employer is but half +;
master and the slave is half free-the very worst
condition that each be in for faithful service or
the one hand and efficient discipline the other.
But of all practices connected with the hiring ou
of slaves the worst is to hire them to themselves
That is to demand of them stipulated sum for thu
year, which if the slave pays he may dispose of hi
time as be pleases 1t is in fact emancip ,ting hin
for the year for given price. The result in ma
orty of is that the slave deteriorates in NOR
ais, in habits and in health He spends as little al
possible upon his food and clothing that he may saw
money to expend upon his vices, or pass portion
of his time in idleness. In few years he become
idle, incorporate, discontinued and insubordinate.
He comes to look upon his masters interests a
antagonistic to his own, and regards the none.
which he pays to him as so much taken from hin
by gross injustice-whie at the same time he exert
an evil influence upon all the slaves with whom n
associates. No one has right thus to indulge hi
slaves, for he damages his own property, while h
destroys the character and happiness Of his slave
and does great injury to the community.
There should be laws to put stop to such dar
gerous practices and if they were evaded, publ
opinion should put them down as effectively as
does unmasked bolitionism.-Noytok argus.
Mr. SrEvENsoN's SuccEssoR-As has already bee
announced, w. j. Houston, Esq, ofDupfn Count.
has been elected by the Legislature to succeed Ge
S. Stevenson, Esq., Solicitor for this Judicial Di
trict the latter gentleman declining reelection.
hoch hold fboo f31o forc