Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-01-24
CAN EMANC1pATED SLAVES TAKE
CARE OF THEMSELVES

Orleans, VIII go far to answer the above
question. II is abridged from a statement
published by Mr.. McDonoagh. in the Cincn-
natl Gozeite March ls43. Dr. John g. Pal
frey, formerly member Of Congress, and au-
thor of very valuable History Of New Eng
land. made uso of it in a pamphlet he pub
lished in vindioation Of free labor. Dr. Pal
frey, whose father was STAKEHOLDER in New
Orleans, was acquainted with Mr.. MELON
ough, and had conveised with him concern
ing the experiment hcfe described.
Mr.. McDonough, finding that his slaves
worked for themselves on Sunday, for want
Of time on other days, proposed TO give them
Saturday afternoon to work for themselves,
If they would keep the Sabbath. He was
soon struck with the amount Of labor they
performed during the half day they had to
themselves, and with the sums of money they
contrive to derive from il. 1t occurred TO him
that it would be good plan gradually to sell
them the remaining days Of the week, on con-
diuon of their paying him certain sums out Of
their wages, at appointed periods. So far as
appears, the plan was suggested solely by fl
nancial policy, unnhuenccd by any oonvic-
ton Of the wrongfuness Of taking other peo-
pies wages lie called his slaves together,
eighty in number, and proposed to them to
work for him on Saturday afternoon, at small
waves instead of working for Themselves
lie advised them to draw upon those waves
AS little AS possible. to leave the remainder in
hi. hands to buy the whole of saturday for
themselves. That the terms he offered ,verr
pretty hard. is evident from the fact that he
told them he cabulHS. il would take ser.,,
years to buy one dav But he reminded them
that the first part of the process would be the
most uncut ior "nen they haa the Whole
r;i,,. o' 49, '''o' 'ou,V n H..
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''i c..,.,.1.' .,....d L'ic u.,b.l..
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gently for their master on the DAYS that stll
legally BELONGED TO him. II would have beon
a mo scoror l,pt Jp,i,, tho l,,,, ,o..rs ,to,
,,,,o,,l,J No., ,,.,r .l.,a c,rr,,.l, J,,,g
a.. cor,,,r,s a,l c,r,.,,,i.,co. c,r ,h,ir I'll
les Tb. lsl,nr M tlsir l;t,lo bovs and ,irI.
,lso had not ri, 5o -,,, tho su,, roo,ir,5 a.
then, H., tl,, r,..t,r T., ,horo ,,,s I, b,la,co
doc ON heir account. which tbev worked five
Additional month. to,av
Mr. NfcD,,o,,b 3...r;l,io., ~. ev,orir,o,,
W '''0uS''' u-'-''''"s us 'Nps''' uncut
says
"They had always been well disposed and
orderly, but from The day made the propo-
sition, great change took place IN them. a
sedateness, care, an economy and industry
took possession Of them. to which there APP
peared TO be no bounds but their physical
strength. They became temperate, moral and
religious, setting an example that was observ-
ed and admired by ELL They performed for
me more labor, and better labor, than slaves
usually perform, and, in addition to That,
earned money enough to buy themselves.
From the time that ihe experiment began. to
its completion besides paying for themselves.
they gained for me money enough to enable
me to buy gang o, slaves nearly thrice their
number, at the pricesyn Carolina and Virgin
me. abioh am ready to s,,,., - -, -
most solemn manneA at any time"
Tho steadincss snA i,dnstr,. az ,bo,, .io...