New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-11-26

the decentralization caused by the foreign slaye-rade
without doubt, they have been often eysded, some,
fumes disregaded; but they are still aeknoWiedReo
! by the general conscience, and upheld by pubne
opinion. The man who violates them incurs the
danger Of disgrace; and in country arc the Claims
Of honor more imperative than IN Africa. iDe
! epolng of mans name IS tie greatest inJnry
that can be inflicted on him.
The natural religion Of the African furnlsbes
another protection 20 The slave AS well against cruel
treatment unlawful snle. IL is believed that the
imprecation Of the in ured man hes power ~ bring
down judgment from Heaven. il IL common for
travellers to speak of this fear a childish eupers
ton. But is il not in truth, the fear OF God2 Are
not we also taught TO believe that the voice Of a
brothers blood sill cry unto Him from the ground
There arc travellers who see in the country they
visit only what they expected TO see, and go away
with precisely the same Impressions they brought
WITH them. IL must be that the greater part OF
readers 90 through books OF travel ID the same man
ner retaining only what ts in comfortably With OLD
pYeiudces. There is other way OF accounting for
The hold that certain errors III regard TO Africa have
on the public mind We constantly hear IL said, and
even by persons who are not friends 10 Slavery, as
exists here that il is immense gain for negro AT.
rcans and their descendants to be in tie service of
civilized men, rather than, as they might have been,
ut the mercy of Pagan monsters. Yet all the world
has read the statements which travellers OF the high
est reputation have made in regard TO the Character
of Slavery il Africa, and the laws which regulate It.
the mdest form of seIidom. 1t is not UNUSUAL for
the slave to call the muster My father The name
by which his condition Is denoted has not for him the
ueaning which We attach to the word slave for 1t
implies neither degrada on nor hopelessness. III ne
possess more than common abilities these are allowed
free scope. The slave il sometimes richer man
than bis master; he can attain to high Office in
the State il his talents and his tastes lead hB IN
that direction. Ii he remain humble husbandman,
or arts n householdservant, his duties light,
L e. - ..... .l.l.
ty or contempt.
The American planter owes, believe, more than
he il aware to the view Of tie rela Jon OF master and
slave which his negro has inherited from Africa.
The unquestouing acquiescenoe OF tie slave Ia ms
lot Lis absorption in the family which he depends
and identification of s Interests with his own, are
parts OF very old creed. The sef-deyoion, which
has more Of the spirit OF cansbip than of serviity
and which the master himself must love ana wonder
at is traditional Ii dates from tine when the re-
alon Of superior and dependant vas endeared by
The sense oil a common blood and a common country.
II does not belong to temporary and uncertain con-
neetion. Yet these principles OF fidelity and trust
are 20 deeply Implanted in the heart Of the African
that they are capable Of sustaining very rude shocks
Where they have been met by anything Ike cor
responding sense Of duty tie part Of the master,
above all, whefc they have been fos,ered by true
Christian love- they have even struck new and
deeper roots The most worthy master has still
bis share Of .be old traditional affection. The Afti
can slave, even after long experience Of hardship,
reluctant TO believe any uLmered pTiyalon or
severity which 10 endures il Inflicted by his master
he prefers 10 give the blame TO subordinate. Even
when his master is the direct agent, he willingly
supposes him 10 have been misini0rned or mised By
another. On the remote plantation, where The des-
potIsm Of the oyeTseer Is unrestricted, the ahVes
often cling TO the belief that if their wrongs cOnli
come 20 the masters knowledge, everything would
be set right. have known It's Illusion maintained
under circumstances which made it seem almost
miraculous
transmitted loyalty, but likewise inherited sense
OF rights ard privileges Many OF those peryerse
notions in regard 70 right and wrong, which, az the
phrase IT, cannot be got out Of his head, are frag-
men,s Of the ancient African code AZ he expects to
suffer for the reveEses OF his 50 lie beheve'
lie has presciptIye right 10 ease aud plenty IN their
prosperiiy; be imogines himself TO have certain
property in the property Of bis master, and thnks
lie can take some liberties with IT, especially III the
articles Of meat and drink, without slbIecil1g nm
ALI 10 the disgrace Of dishonesty. Above all, he ls
FINN in the belief that me sale Of an innocent uan is
unust aud unlawful Such an act, On the part
of Iii. matter is "A stretch OF authority which he
cannot be made 10 comprehend ana when he does
not submit 10 without remembrance, except When
he has been brought % the ast stage OF apathy or
when hopelessness gives him the last degree OF self
control When great calamity involves The
master and his dependents IN the same rum, 'hey
aeeept the sentence OF sCparati az tue decree o.
Fate snd grieye for him even more than Tor them
selyep; but i'm other cases they protest. openly or
secretly. Whatever outward appearance there may
be OF submission, the mother never consents to the
sale of her children; never forge,s ii; her forgive.
ne a. il she forgive is sacrifice made TO her Heaven
Is Master; the service she thence.orlh performs is
not 60 much duty rendered as charity offered ior
lie love of God, Too often che inierweaves with
her daily toll the black thread which In the land Of
her anccstors, che would have had power to work
into tho web Of her masters fate, but which here
con probably only deeIen the darkness OF her own.
Such is not however, the belief OF our Afrieansi IN
their faith the nialodietion OF the wTonged has stil
lie old power.
"Not only the prejudioes and superstiions OF the
Afrcans but also OF their peculiar virtues have
clung TO them IN their exile. They are still very
charitable. ss Ca Ga Mosto deserted them not many
years after they were discovered by the Portuguese;
ihey are siil gentle and loving as the Welsh
found them a century later; they are tender to
children; their flisl piety-a virtue nowhere
carried further than in Ariciis admirable.
"What painful questions we are forced TO ask
ourselves, when we zee the constaney OF these TRAITS
in tho negro Have his native qualities been
fos,ered by ne and developed into higher and more
enlightened virtues Is the mother aided 10 train
up her son TO truth and courage by the hope oil
rejoicing I'm his noble manhood the son
strengthened in virtue by the ambition OF becoming
the prop and pride OF his fathers old age Are not
these dear affections often for this kindly people the
source Of the keeuest sorrows and anXieties our
natnre can know
"Wbat have the African serfs and their Descend
ants gained in exchanging Pagan patron for q
Christian Inasteri A certain number OF them have
gained what they would not barter for ease and
endowment. Those who, in their captivity, have
received the spirit of adoption whereby they cry
Abba. Father no longer rely on an earthly pro-
lection. But WAS the ruin OF those millions neces.
sary TO the redemption OF these hundreds Must
we thnk 80 basely Of our own race Ms 70 believe
that Il demands this fearful compensation for i'm
parting that which it has itself obtained without
money and without pncef'
The volume nbcunds in similar statements