New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-03-05
TEE PECULIAR INSTITUTION.


TEE PECULIAR INSTITUTION.
No one who knows the American people can
fail to be convinced that the main reason why
so many of our loyal and patriotic citizens are
ayerse to sanction any measures for getting rid
of Slavery is that the true character OF the
institution is very imperlecty understood by
those who are personally strangers to its prac-
tice and effect. Could the thing itself be once
clearly seen in its naked deiormity, there is
not an honest or even o moderately decent
man in the Republic, outside of the vast pecu'
mary interests and influence which sustain
Slavery where it exists, who would not unhes-
itatingly raise his voice or give his vote to
hurry it to swift destruction, as q curse,
stigma, ond u shame TO Christian civilization.
But the public mind of the Free States has
been so artfully mystifed by phrases, and de-
mails, and protestations, and all manner
of special pleadings and sophistical cant,
that many well.meaning and not otherwise
unintelgent persons really believe that
Slavery if not benefccnt to the COM
munity at large, ia yet, after a'l, Il
harmless, easy, picturesque, aud patrlarchai dis
pensatiOn, sanctioned to some extent by Scrip
ture. and not offensive to morals or to that
common Justice which all admit ought to pre-
vail between man and man. To such people,
the zeal aud earnestness and persistence of the
opponents of Slavery are utterly Incompetence
hava
long and irresistible array of facts on the sub
ject which are constantly present to the minds
Of Anti-Slavery men, who, for tie most part,
have themselves, at some period OF their h'es,
passed through exactly similar states Of blind
ness aud misapprehension, into the clear light
Of truth, where the monster is visible in all its
Odious, disgusting, and alarming features.
As q specimen of ore of these features, we
ask the attention of candid, thoughtful, and
decent men to the following extract from a
letter recently written to the Hon. W. ID.
Kelley. a member of the Houfe of Representa-
tiyes from Pennsylvania, by an officer of Gen.
Hooker's Division Of the Army of the Poto-
mac, now stationed in Maryland. Judge kel-
ley, who sends US the extract, vouches in the
most emphatic terms for the high character
ord intelligence Of his correspondent. The
date of the letter is Feb. 20, 1852:
Col NJ ut~ called in a-cofdaIce with the general
custom here giving even title auI not believe
sny military rank he may have hold (honsh Of Til
sure I, about As Cd. Of considerable In
.eigence and wealth. and am informed has Travelled both
in i. and in other countries lie is rather soodiooirs
n somewhat larger than the size OF our people
He lives what Is called stump Neck peninsula bet" cen
tie Msi,a~ CLcamo-n, and Potomac rivers, Directly
opposite to COCKPIT Point the Vrduia eide OF the after
river Stump Neck eoat.ns soneihing 1000 scIes Of
good l,ad and IT, farm, ksP; 10 e. better condition than
O. the farms about here, though, viii not compare
" IA hat you would call good fam IN Pclusy.vsrs ITO
Dee about tho center o. the I.a. q. small trsus house
such aly Of Nerhem Amer who we've At all IN tlriT'
iur condition would BE- ashamed yei b. tie ae o; IL
as wo lothouses 10 which 1.-Two tis slaves suppose
call them according 70 thc lave Of Maryland His
barns better than bic kousrs This place Is ontiey
away from ,ny road aud therefore seldom visited. The
Colonel is unmarried bat ss tho d.yius declaration,
that it I. not sod for to be Alone holds
,cod ia regard % hin a. wei as others, be ha, four
female slaves who fldn The duties o: wives 70 lin. how.
The Coole IN bic p,srchh reton Ike, variety aud 20 he
has e Of yarou, hue, ard shades ion negro up hight
gualrsop. by these be- has hal from twenty
thirty children but ,hc mothers dle- "a complexion
the children only with o.t decided pIoy.-nt IN tho
lshnc OF the shading from uat;oes up pass
foI vhitetho children Of the qus1roon woman wiic or
slave whichever you choose having light fa1cn hair and
DARK h,zc cyes The Colonel f. also bat
in bis attention 20 their dress tho e,Iksknned having very
clothing w.ou. fuch luIui.cs shoes or s.ocAs
vile ;hoTe Is regular sfada,on the shes, coor-ey
having both shoes AID stockings ali very decent clothing On
visit to place time since tie children were a,Sed
a. nj
pointing to tie log house, bat when asked who
their fs,hes, Of Tie dalke.t boy. said Got
father and Of the whtsst children s.iJ
pointing to the frame house, He lives there
The Colonel is also good farmer lnd knows thai all no:
DO keev hard srge stock Of cote &C. and 20 he
regularly els Of tie increase OF Lis fam It Is ready
FOR the merkst-hoses, mules, cattle, piss and-chidreu
Tlrsc last however the Profitable rather hare
teen God s-lnl it. may DO no longer. DR. Woodruff
formerly The Assistant Surgeon OF tho 9Th New.Je-y voun
teers SURGEON Of the oh NewJersy volurtees was
called upon attend the qladroou wiz in her last couaue
neat and harmed many particulars in regard to them. lie
very avouJy impressed With her appearance aad
sdeTs her very intelligent woman Now, d. rot know
ha. have In the least exaggerated IN this description but on
the cousary have soiened very much 1t not c,cp
tona case bu. far specimen Of what can be every
where tho out the southern States It has made almost
every in this brigade determined Zoe to Slavery. That
Hoiu sci hi' Own 'H4''ci sA'J 'AA iNbss
Of the Abolition lee mt they he'd the fact Afus. into their
face, that !. impossible TO doubt IL"
The scenes and practices here described are
well known to be common wherever Slavery
exists. Thousands end thousands Of "Stump
Neck" farms are scattered throughout the
South on which coarse, prohisate, and mer.
cenary masters eXcrcie for their own lust and
profit absolute dominion over human beings