Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1858-11-10

I'll. chief mart of the commerce OF the colonies was
in New England; and it was not long before the
vessels Of New England were on the coast OF Arr:
"a seeking their cargoes of slaves. The molasses OF
the West indies was brought home to the northern
colonies and converted into rum this was employed
in Africa in the purchase of slaves who were carried
to the West Indies and the continental plantations
The trade, "a compared with that OF England. was,
of course, very small, but still, it was established,
and continued for long years. even unit! It was pro-
hjbjted by ourselves after We were free, and. We
NAV add. before England had abolished it. The
coast ng vessels Of the northern colonies, too small
to undertake voyages to Africa, occasionally brought
into the country negroes from the West Indies, as
did also some Of the small craft Of the southern
plantations; though the number from this source
Was very small, The chief portion Of the traffic
was in the hands Of the northern colonies and SO
continued as long as it was permitted in America.
All, however, North and South, were slavehold.
ers; all, too, were slave traders. The northern
colonists brought the negroes from Africa; the
southern colonists bought them. and paid literally
for the purchase II the South sinned in taking the
slave the North could not have sinned less in tax.
ing the money. If reparation for the sin Is to be
made by the one party, religion equally demands It
of the other. If the South must emancipate, the
North should disgorge principal and interest. In
no other mode can both free themselves from the
guilt which the descendant of the northern salesman
imputes to the transaction. The Northman should
therefore preface his proposition to his Southern
brother by the offer, his part, himself to do that
which he urges as duty on his fellow criminal Let
him surrender the accumulated wealth which has
increased from the unlawfully acquired gains of his
slave selling ancestor, and then may he, with some
thing like conscience and consistency, ask sur.
render of the profits derived from the possession OF
the bondmen BY the descendant of the slave buying
ancestor Either he should do this or cease to re-
proach his brother for what he pronounces great
SIM while he is himself contentedly living on the
A. a. h. ApHh o
should remember, too, that in some instances, the
sin, on the part of his ancestors, was greatly ag-
gravated After acts of emancipation in the north.
ern colonies forbade the existence of negro slavery
in them, beyond future specified time, there are
living witnesses" says modern writer, whose piety
crowds of negroes assembled along the shores of
New England and the middle States. to be shipped
to ATTITUDES where their bondage could be perpetual
ted Their posterity toll to day in the fields Of the
southern planter."t The reader may now see
whence the negro slaves of Carolina first came, and
who il was that brought them. No North Carolina
vessel ever went to Africa for them. Neither Vir.
gina nor South Carolina were ever deeply involved
in the business Of importing them from their native
country. The vessels of old England and New
England did that work. Both records and tradition
have preserved the names Of New England men
who amassed fortunes in the business. Living Wit
lay their hands the descendants of these
that was thus acquired. They, indeed, not an
swerabe for the acts of their foreathers; but they
responsible for their own sinful hypocrisy, if
they clamor for the slaves emancipation, without
being ready to surrender the money they are
enjoying from his sale.
But there was another class Of slaves employed
in the agricultural labor OF the province. This was
composed of the natives of the country some of
the unfortunate Indians slaves. But this
species of bondage not peculiar 10 the southern
colonies. Indeed, the prevalent tone of public
sentiment on The subject of slavery, was at that day
very much the same in all parts of the continent in
habited by Europeans. Even in Pennsylvania, the
law recognized the existence of negro slavery though
it would allow importation Of Indian slaves from
the other American provinces. But in New Eng
land, different doctrine prevailed rs to Indians
Massachusetts, in 164l before Carolina was settled.
declared by law, thai. as 70 two classes Of the ma
tives. " bond slavery" mig ht exist. These were
"lawful captves taken in just wars" and such "as
willingly sell themselves. or are sold to u.s. a. g.,
by their captors But Massachusetts, went be-
yond this. At the termination of the fight between
the Pequods and the troops Of Massachusetts, and
Connecticut, in 1857, many Indians were captured.
Some were made slaves in Connecticut, others in
Massachusetts,; and Trumbull informs that Of
these latter, many women and boys were sent to
the West Indies and sold INTO slavery.S law Of
Connecticut, touching the Indians, may still be read
among her old statutory provisions, in which she
enacts that Z" as it will be chargeable to keep In
dams in prison. and il they should escape, they
likely to bear more malice, it was thought fit that
the magistrates of the jurisdiction deliver up the In
dams seized to the party parties endamaged eth
er to SERGE or to be shipped out and exchanged for
ne"gers, as the case will justly bear. When these
laws were made, Carolina not settled. The
early statute books Of New York and New Jersey
also reveal the fact, that the first inhabitants of
those provinces scrupled not to reduce the Indians
to state of slavery. When Carolina began to be
peopled. she followed the general practice Of the
English then in America. and. by degrees, had In.
dian slaves, whom she had taoen in war. pur-
chased from such of the native tribes as had thus
captured them. The number, however, was never
large, as from 1868 to I'LL, the colonists lived
amicable terms with the natives. The treatment ex-
tended toward them appears, too to have been kind
We find them inmates of the families to y kch they
belonged; and the fact incidentally appears, that.
on occasions of religious worship in the houses of
their masters, both they and negro slaves pres
ent and professedly Christian worshippers T We
apprehend that in the severe labor of clearing the
land. the Indian was employed less than the ne
gro or white laborer. The occupation of the savage
was most probably that of fishing and hunting. for
the supply Of the family table. In such employ
ment he was more skifu than any other servant.
and such pursuits harmonized best with his tastes
and previous training. The waters abounded with
fish and the woods with game; and we have evi.
dence that. in some families at least the Indian hun
ter was considered an indispensable member of the
servile portion of the HOUSEHOLD. With the gun or
net, he was far more useful than he could ever be
made with the axe.
tM"dern Reform Examined by Joseph c. Stiles, p. 81
Mass Colony laws, published by order Of the General
sTrumbnls History of Connecticut, vol. i. p. 90.
TINS letter of the Rev. Mr.. Taylor, 17ls
NOBLE LOOKING INDIAN GIRL.-A soldier in the
y. Army, writing from the Camp before Red
River. New Mexico, under date Of July %, com.
municates to the Richmond Dispatch the following