The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-08-05
THE BEAUTIES OF SLAVERY.

American Society presents some sad phases,
which we hope will scarcely be credited by our
descendants in the next century. Here is a
sample from the diary of young lady, lately
employed as a governess in village of the
South:
Daring the short time ] remained down
South, l was INCREASINGLY reminded of the sad
consequences Of Slavery. will tell you one in.
stance, for know it will not be words wasted.
On my return from church, the fret Sunday
OF my stay there, the. door was opened by a
bright and intelligentlooking slave girl of ap-
parently nine years.
81 wanted to make her acquaintance, and
asked her what her name was.
'Aggy, ms'sm.
g Aggy, l inquired, what church is that
opposite p
Presbyterian, ma'am.'
:" Do you ever go to church, Aggy?'
oh, yes, ma'am l am going tonight
And can you read ?
80 No, ma'am; c2lored people don't read.'
How old are you, Aggy?'
1" DONE know
When you 20 to church, do you under
stand what the minister SAYS p
Yes, ma'am.'
Where are your father and mother?'
My father is dead, but my mother was
sold away when / was little. l was sold here
IN Richmond, but don't know where she u.s.
:" Who owns you, Aggy?'
A woman in Maine street, and she hired
me out to the lady live with
Should you like to see your mother,
Aggy2'
@ Yes she said, and gave me the softest
and most touching look, as she averted her
head.
Zone question more. Have you any
brothers and sisters p asked.
=" had four ma'am,' she replied, 'but they
were all sold away
=" left her, for her history was told. Twas
a short and sad one. A life with no bright
spots-no sunny recollections of the past
without the love of parents, or brothers, and
sisters-the joys nature designed, but man de-
prived her of. l could sympathize with her the
more deeply, for was then away from all /
loved, and my sorrow and ersnui in conseo uence
was very hard to bear but her tale touched
my heart indeed. pitied-'twas all / could
do-and went to my room, thankful that ma
lot had been cast in such pleasant places.-N.
p Tribune.
Our railway trains are run too fast. Look
at the recent disasters. 1t was train, going
half mile minute, that made the fatal
pl1nge through the Sauquoit bridge 1t was
train, running forty miles an hour, that was
precipitated down the Shin Hollow Embark.
ment, killing and manning. The train that went
crashing into the river on the Lafayette and
Indianapolis road was a Cincinnati express
train. The train that pitched off the track at
Penn Yam was New York express train. All
these disasters have happened since the sum-
mer timetables were adopted in May, increas.
ing the average speed. 1t is always so. One
of these Wholesale, frightful sacrifices of life
and limb rarely happens except TO or by means
of a train at high speed.
But the travelling public love to ride in one
of these Lightning Runs" which wbizzes
them over the track at a rate as dangerous as
it is delightful. They love speed which grinds
the rails, racks the axles, strains the simbers,
renders it impossible to stop in time to avoid
accident, and insures death and destruction
when accident does occur So the danger is
incurred to please the passengers.
The Dramas laws the Dramas patrons give,
And those who live TO please, must please TO iive.n
And by similar necessity railway managers
are forced to adopt time tables to suit public
opinion, though they know the hazard of &C.
cident, and the certainty of ruinous " wear and
tear" which they involve.
Speed SHOULD be proportional to strength of
material. This is not matter Of chance, but
of calculation. Giving the speed Of a train,
and the strength Of wood and iron, IL is q mere
sum in arithmetic to determine whether car
can be crushed to atoms, or can only be wrench.
ed and jolted, by going off the track. Speed
should be the secondary, safety the primary
consideration. Better arrive an hour later,
than run the risk of being killed or manned for
life, on the way.