The Portland daily press., 1862-10-23
Now and Then.

Mr.. EDTToR:-I see by the telegraphic re-
ports that the Charleston Mercury is publish
ing Mr.. Brooks speech made at the democrat
c ratification in New York. a few days since.
Having file Of the Portland Advertiser at
hand containing letters written by this gentle
man from the South in 1888, turned to one
he wrote from Charleston during his tour of
that year, in which he speaks very freely of
the morals and politics of the people, and their
cherished institutions local and general. From
a description he gives of local institution
will give you brief extract From the Poor
House he says:
next went to the "Sugar House," as it is
called. "Why?" | asked. Il don't know"
was the answer, sunless it is because here they
sueeten the negroes" The Sugar House is a
negro gaol, where negroes are sent to be
fogged, and where they are forced to work,
another negro watching over them with long
COW hide, which he lays on when they are la
zy, or don't work rapidly enough. 1t is the
place WHARF negroes are sent in the morning
from the guard-honse-such negroes as are
caught in the streets after ten o'clock at
night.
In this Sugar House was a corn mill. or rath-
er a tread mill. to grind corn by. Six negroes
were walking on it, and three were turning the
wheel. One black girl was there. l looked
at the flogging machine. The faulty negro,
poor wretch, puts his hand in moose, and is
hosted far up by IL rope running through
double block, 50 that his feet just 10 Ich the
floor. His feet are then fastened by rope to
heavy piece OF plank. Previous to this the
victim is stripped of all his clothes. when a ne
gro with "A stout cowhide lays on tha blows
/ had not the courage to inquire how many,
or how the punishment was graduated.
And yet this same gentleman has the cour-
age, at this late day, when the great mass of
the people are getting their eyes open to the
enormity of the system of which the horrible
scene here described is but one of the evils, to
go into meeting of those politicians who are
for sustaining it, and to whom the South are
now looking for "aid and comfort" while it is
now on the brink of destruction. aud there to
make speech so far coinciding with the views
of the South. as to be copied into the Charles
ton Mercury!
In an additional article in the same paper.
about the same time, the following prophetic
paragraph appears, which must appear strange
ly inconsistent with the speeches and writings
of the same ambitious gentleman at the pres
ent time, after a lapse of twenty-nine years:
SLAVERY is the poison destroying our in
stitutions. 1t is the root of all the mischief,
and all the bad feelings towards us in the South
and we solemRly betiere the Union cannot
stand FORTY YEARS unless something is done
to be gradually rid of this vice. Hence it is
an all-important and momentous question to
Virginia in particular-a question of life or
death; and these questions must be met, and
Immediately, too, unless Virginia is willing to
descend from her proud position on the pages
of American story, to be the slave nurse of the
south western States.
In 1888 it will be perceived, according to
Mr.. Brooks then honestly expressed opinion,
slavery was the poison destroying our insti-
tutions, while now-and undoubtedly the dec
laration may be found in his late ratification
speech-the fanatics of the North are the
mischef-makers! CONSISTENCY.