The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-02-08

Correspondence of the Buffalo Commercial.
NACuEZ, Miss. Jan, 10, l8

Social Life I'm the South.
Correspondence Of the Buffalo Commercial.
NACHEz, Miss, Jan. 10, 1861.
The masters house is often miles from
the plantation. Generally in the verandah
order the rooms are high and square, we'll
ventilated, elegantly furnished (otten cost
ly) with all of modern style aud comfort.
The quality of hospitality reminds you of
that Of old England, (whence, doubtless,
that OF Virginia, the mother of this race,
YVES derived). You are assigned quarters,
servant, horse, books, writing materials,
and lett to dispose of yourself, as at hotel.
None OF the restraints Of Northern pri-
vate family are felt. The number of SER
wants about the house GENERALLY from ten
to twenty) renders this no difficulty to the
family. The living is frstclass, embracing
our ordinary mode, and adding the luxuries
OF the South fine game, from the duck to
the venisoD. f5
The Planter is the Master, the Wing.
He talks OF his white family" and CT bis
black family" and of his "nigger quar-
ters." These latter are rows of goo! sized,
one story houses, or cottages, fronting each
other, shaded by trees, backed by plots Of
vegetable, melon and chicken " quarters"
where the "nigger" raises things to sell.
Little darkies swarm about here and are at.
tended by superanuated and invalid mig.
gers" The young are the funniest and
most active little imps on which my eyes
ever rested.
The men and women 60 to the "feld"
together at the tap of the bell; and they
return together. The overseer accompanies
them, and their labor is compelled (when
reluctanD under his orders, by nogro free.
men, whom they call "Drivers," and who
are authorized to whip, and who do so,
much oftener and more cruelty than do the
whites A negro is expected to do about
one half the amount of work assigned to
northern white laborer. He is given five
pounds of meat per week, and corn bread,
vegetables and coffee in proportion.
The men and women appear to prefer the
field labor. They enjoy the fun of the
crowd; aud merry time they seem to have
of it, going in the field, and returning.
And the instances of fogging are certainly
rare, and generally deserved THAT is, if the
master has right to very reasonable SER
vice.. Saturday afternoons and Sundays
are assigned as holidays. Extra labor on
these days is compensated; and the women
take the half OF Saturday to wash.
The 0verseers work under written in>
structions. With some honorable excep-
tiors they are unprincipled fellows generally
from Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee
with rare exceptions from the North. Their
amalgamation tendencies are proverbial;
these are discountenanced, and therefore the
gentry are discharged when convicted, but
to record the fact is due to the reader.
Many overseers have been killed by jealous
negroes.
The negroes here are called, coal black,
mulatto, quadroon, and chestnut color, the
latter being the choice, for hardihood, the
first named taking the next rank. The hand.
some female quadroons very often pass into
the estate of mistresses of the coarser sort
of Creole planters. AS such they are avowed
and respected by the plantation in many
cases. But all acts of this sort are as Sc
verely reprehended and are as much under
ban OF social condemnation, as are similar
offences at the North. Of this [ am con-
vinced.
The negro quarters is negro jubilee.
They never seem so tired but that they are
ready 10 sing and dance. The field appears
such delight to them, that ordinarily it is
difficult to keep them away, except when
equite ill. This I attribute wholly to the
law of sympathy.
The punishment of the negro is flogging,
with narrow buck skin lash, or paddle;
they do not permit any abrasion of the
skin. Masters admit appeals from the
overseer, and decides them, when the negro
thinks that be should not to be punished
and this proceeding is had before execution
of sentence. But, when the master dssents
fom his agent, he pretends to agree With
the latter, and calls himself In that case
security to the Overseer for the future good
behavior of the negro.
In 70 way is the black suffered to see that
be has an advantage over the white man.
Well, this is necessity in such a system.
When the negro feels that bis punishment
is deserved, he confesses the Justice of the
decree, and goes off all we'll satisfied, and
with as little malignity in his heart, as does
any offender before the law who is forced to
concede its justice. Far otherwise when
foully dealt by; and hence the master is
most cautious about administering punish
ment. This caution is alike enforced by
conscience and policy.
These negroes dress we'll on holidays and
Sabbatbs. But few of the field women
have not silk dress, and a nice one: and
the good manners and neat appearance of
the collected darkies, at such times, could
be initiated to advantage by many white
assemblages.
The house servants are like the locusts of
Egypt. The average on the to do we'll
plantations is about ten, to family of five
white persons. They are good cooks and
excellent chambermaids and waiting maids
| when watched. The coachman is an excep.