The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1864-11-02
Original Letter Of Geo, W. P. Gusts
His Views on Slavery, IN 1927.

We arc indebted to y. j. WILLIAMS,
Esq, Of Lake County, Ohio, for the
original copy Of the following letter from
George ". p. CustiS to j. $. Skinner,
Of Baltimore, and at the time Postmaster
and editor ofthc American Farmer. 1t
has never been published:
AnLiyGroS House., NEAR ALEXANDRIA,. D. C.,
March 2%L. 1927.
pray you to put up sample Of U.s.
son NATIVE American Tea among
your next batch Of curiosiiics, to be sent
to our good farmer Of La Grange LA
Fayctte1. lie will astonish the Swans
of France by an exhibition Of Native
American Tea. had hoped to have the
happiness Of presenting the novelty in
person to the good General, in the
course Of the present summer, but my
dear sir, sheer poverty will oblisc inc to
substitute the "wil for the deed" \
strange confession. this from Southern
Nabob, u man Of acres. (and good ones
too,) and almost thrice Il hundred slaves,
and above all, writer and practitioner
Of economy in all these parts. The aw-
ful, and appalling curse ofslavery, is no.
where better cxcmplilied than in my
case. My lands, eight thousand acres,
arc among the very best in point Of soil
and situation, in the State Of Virginia,
lying on both sides Of the Pamunkcy
River. and commonly called the Pamun'
key River lands, navi cation for lriga'e
to the barn doors. The estates are in
fine order and under Grst.rate manage.
mcnt, and severe economy in every.
thing. That the generous soil is not to
blame, it is in proof, thata part Of this
land, which has been in cultivation
QUO hundred and fifty years, produced
the last season hirty.,hrec bushels of
wheat to the acre, succeeding crop Of
cotton. But now to solve the problem.
asked my steward how many hands he
would require to cultivate the estate in
the best manner. Ills answer was fifty
men and boys. The hire Of these would
not exceed the expense of the non.worh'
rrs upon the estate. You have asked,
"why have the good old habits and hos.
pitalities of Maryland gone down? why
will the landed proprietor soon be un'
able TO give the bencfts Of a liberal cdu-
cation to his children?" You arc an:
swcrod in one word Slavery. "Thcrc.
BY hangs the tale" Why is the value
Of lands in Washington County, Tenn.
sylvania, as silver to gold? Local ad.
vantagcs arc in favor Of the former,
which can avail itself of both land and
water carriage to market; or compare
kentucky with her neighbor, the young
giant Of tho West. There things speak
volumes. Rely upon it, my dear sir,
that as VIC say, "the foot Of the proprle:
tor is the best manure for the soil," SO
it is the sweat of a frcemans brow, which
falling on the earth, will cause her best
fruits to sp,ing and fourish.?' It's the
charm which converts a desert into a
garden, and gives all the blessings, all
the charities Of life, to the husbandman' 8
home. But enough Of this painful sub:
ject. Maryland is my native State, and
6lial attachment makes me hope that
great days arc yet in store for her, when
the yulturc of slavery shall cease to gnaw
her yitals she will become, healthful
and vigorous, and be Of long enduring
prosperity. . -.
Independent Of personal qualification
should compass a, national object in
my trip to Europe. The good General