, 1860-10-16

Is American slavery beuencent iuBtitutlonf
| Tais IS the great itsus That now divides tue
American people. The Columbus Is. C) H..
ri<,c rays: "Slavery il undoubtedly good. snd
Only Rood." ~ repel the charge Of cruelty"
Rayn the Rev. DR.. Wilson, Of Baltimore. So
far from being an evil, a relic Of barbarian, az
| has often been alleged, We heAr tue highest en-
comiums bestowed upon j., as a blessing to
both master and servant; tie cornerstone Of
| ~ur political edfce; the mort perfect type Of
! ciEi jzasion; entitled to ths fostering care OF
| both Church and State; marking state ii go.
c!ul bleat edn* ST. W We ere 10 believe it's brazen-
faced dvoca 'es, more nea ar1y rest mbllDg za-
dise than anything .erjoyed on earth since
Adams Paradise wAs lost
The fIiends Of truth need not Be alarmed at
such arrogant pretensions; they are m indica.
tion Of encouraging progress in the intestipa-
ton Of truth. Its victory over error in more
tnan halt achieved when The issue is tdGs dis.
tinctiy pre.eu'sd when the enemy. driven
from bis hiding place. exposes biulself in the
open field Of public debate, to force TIA. III.
Ways coD4uers.
Stase1Jls is nc1 on trial before Jury Of the
Fhole American people, who may b. relied on
10 gise righteous ve,d'ct IL the case, It tie
truth and the whole truth can be fairy brought
before them. Nor ia the investigation doubt
fol one. The public have only TO see slaverY
az it ia. to .ec.ds On its character. If it rs .
bene6cent institution its fruit will show it; if
sn aid misery are its legitimate fruits, tha.
also eau be shown. ttlio~ long halt ye tben be.
tween TWO opinioDs?" II freedom il b:ess
ing. follow It; but if slavery, then follow it.
Having bren ftr tel long years. practical
overseer, and as such, familiar with 1he revntt-
ing scenes within the walls Of this American
prison house, have had opportunity to learn
The true character Of slavery. to al extent
which no other school is able to teach it.
Trained in this seminary to ot'aye-driring, rather
than driving the quill, and to using the cogent
footc 0f th+ fash rnthcF than nf the arhnnfa +
must rely on facts alone to rebut the bold aeser-
lions Of pro sfave1y advocates. If have not
the power which literary culture imparts, can
pat TONI ue ia ten thousand mouths made in
the tEave's bleeding flesh BY dogs a1d th= lash,
and bid them tpeak 10r me.
As 3 continuous hissosy Of my twenty-five
years experience and observation Would COM
prise tedions repetition of similar scenes,
shall adduce specimens only, such will pretent
fair representation of # hat Is constantly done
cf which is conducted Oh cool, buainess prlncl.
pies, where the manager is careful not 10 inquire
the productive value Of hia working stock By
short feeding OF "givirg q lick too nuch''-a
fatality which does tometimes uuhappily occur,
without des'gu-where the drivers Gro rd,ug
not n pa~t,mt. designed AMPLY 10 nuke his
slaves profitable.
In relating tacts shall sc1upulous!y 1im to
AVOID atl e1aggeration, and state nothing which
I an not will; & 70 atGrm under at5; tacts which
l can corroborate BY References to The particular
times, places and persons connected with their
occurrence, private register Of which Wilt be
preserved for the purpose il such cnrrobora.
ton should ever be required. In repeating
from memory tho utter4nces Of individuals,
exact rtrta& accuracy will not Of course DC ex-
pected.
Ny experience AZ m oversee1 hss opened to
my mind some important things relative to
slavery in our country, which are seldom learn
ed in any other school.
It has taught me, first, that the crue'sies
pract'ced On the plantation are very partially
Known, even ut tic South. Nor ia 1t strange
that it should be 50. How little does The
sxasming population Of a largo city know Of
wha. is done and suffered within the walls Of
the PeniteEtisry piauted in their midst, or in
the tcu thousand ebodes Of Wretchedness and
vice that surround thenr As little can the
outsiders Of 4 cotton plantation be expected 10
know what is going on within, especially when
such disclosures .ro suppressed by gag law,
which either the slave or white employees vio-
tates ut his peril. The slare.owner h.mself is
lot m except on 10 this remark. So long as
his o7erEeer gives him good crop, it j. for the
comfort, both of tbs heart and confcien e, to
know Is little rs possible Of the anguish from
which 1t wRs wruug out for him. 10 aog the
slaves in bis presence. or in the Presence ct
etraugers, would be HI offensive breach Of po-
1itsnees. and for the tame reason Re would not
HAFG LIE OFEEEetF It1QEI ID 1lll my aCEQupE
Of bis 0oggingt, unless it is necessary. huch
less would he hare the tender sen iolities If
his family tortured NTH the relation Of such
| reyclting scenes. Herce there is necessarily
profound ignorance Of the true character Of
slavery, both North and S,uth; and the North
anti slavery croskers BY publishing tbs results
| OF his extensive observations Ut the South, is
simply !" travelled fool" IS my narrative will
| show.
Nor will The slave himself expose the miscries
Of his condition. Oppression always makes
renders them the more obsequious to
their opPressors, and the mote prompt
to do his will, th- more cruelty they are crushed
by his power. 1t is envious Ia see with what
siacrity alaves will perform fur the orerseer all
the drudgeEy Of slase government, capturing
ing their complaints, threats. discon,ents or
plots. nad doing ail the tagging and field driv.
| ing for him. lis has only 70 give .he word, and
| they are " swift b do bis will" It is not the
lore Of dom,neeripg, or the want Of compassion
for their suffering companions, 80 much as Elm
| pie fear that prompts them TO The service. The
same fear OF the Lash that stimulates the labor
| er, nerves also the arm that wie!ds It. Il is
the same fear that compels recreant Northern
ers. when settled at The South. to be foremost
in perseeuting their own kin, suspected cf aho.
lit,onasm, in order to screen themselves, il pos
/
To suppose that slave, in constant fear OF tor
ture, will spe-E Of his wrongs to his oppressor's
friend, or express discomfort with his lot, and
thus expose hinaselfto double vengeance is kim-
ply absurd.
2. Ny slave, d1isiug experience has further
taught me that cruelty is an essential elameat Of
| slave government, even on the best regulated
| p!an&atlons-th2t tbs blood-extorsing lash il
The life blood Of tbs system. Thuss Who think
it can b" dspensed With mistake both the nat
ure ot slavery and Of ssave government I Ia
bored under The sa1ne mistake myself, until
led 10 reallze shat the Pc :uliRr condition Of
the slave rendered the cruelty Of the lash a
eeAsary incentive 10 obedience znd actirity
The slave il required TO put forth hia n.most
energies from es1iy dawn til the dar.nsss Of
night shuts down upon hin. This is the law
Of the cotton plantation. To expect HIN to
teet without IN adsquate cause. Labor de-
mands wages. The va e. Of tho freeman is
gain, or the hope Of it; that Of the 4lare, .he
iaah, Or the fear Of it. Take away the stimulus
OF wages. hope Of gain, the necessities of
depe- dent family, :rorikion sgaisat future
wsnt, 4c., and you hare left him no motive,
within his owu bosom, for earnest exert,on
| Tbs only mo.ive be eau feel IL tha' which il ap
piled to his quive1pg a.sh. It is not bis nature.
it is the coma tlon 10 which slavery has reduced
him tbs: ma ses ths stimulus Of the lash lndis-
oensable.
And yet this very condition has become =
stereotJp ped, pro. slavery argument at tho South.
10 be attred from tho care Of dependent
family, and NJ providing against future waits.
snd Of procuring phys'clxn sud 1aeeici1e ia
sickness, bf matter Hho assuuaes all this care
himself, Is often spoken Of Is "a eavith!e can
diton u II it we're the perfection Of the slares
felicity to e1un8ujsh bis domestic tdections BY
relieving him Q! The care that cherithes them,
spd Tins take away Ill moral incentives to L.
bor, and render tho torture Of the lash An ind,s-