The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1864-07-21
Society In Virginia q Hundred
Years ago.
To E,1;f0ya Of the Eysnin0 Post.

Years ago.
ToEditors Of the Evening Post:
The following extracts are from a
work entitled "Memoirs ofa Huguenot
Family" published in 1883, and edi
ted by an excellent lady, Miss Ann
Maury, well known in N. 7. They are
portions Of lettrrs written in 1867 by
the Rev Peter Frntainc from Virgin.
ia to relatives in England, and present
a picture Of the milton Of society in
the most aristor:ratic region Of Virgin.
ia hundred years may be new to some
Of vonr eaie~s, and also interesting
as exhibiting some Of the fountains
from which flow some Of the much
boosted sangre aznl Of the F. F. VS.
Speaking Of slavery he says:
"The other evil you mention our in
testine enemies, our slaves, increase
daily. The females are far more pro.
life than the white women, for, living
upcn simple diet, upon bread. water
pulse, roots and herbs, seldom tasting
meat Of any sor', and drinking no strong
drink, and being used to labor in ths
ground, they seldom miscarry have
strong healthy children, liable to nc
distempcr."
And referring to the want Ct servan |
he remarks:
"th;s Of course i, avs ne all innto Tho
original sin and course Of the country
Of purchasing slaves, and this is the
reason we have no merchants, traders
or ar,iticers any sort but what become:
planters in i short time"
To home inquiries Of correspond
ent relative to tire treatment Of the In
dians, he replies
NJ Boussingsult had recently laii
the result Of a highly interesting serie,
Of cx periments on vegetation befor,
the Academy Of Sciences. The mos
Important fact is that while plants wher
exposed to light fix carbon, hydro
gen and oxygen when placedin dark
neess they eliminate these elements.
Il am persuaded we were not de
6cicnt in the observation Of treaties
bnt as We 60, the land by concession
and not 10y conquest, We ought to Lav'
in'ermarried with them, which woul,
have incorporated us with them, an,
made OF them s,aunch friends. an.
which is Of slill more consequence
made Of them good Christians bu
this our wise politicians at home put
stop to the beginning Of our settlemen
here, for when hey heard that Rolf
had married Pocahontas, it was deli
berated in council whether lie had no
committed high treason by 50 doing
that is, marrying an Indian princess
and had not some troubles inter vcned
which put stop to the inquiry, tn,
poor man mig ht have been hanged ul
for doing the most Just, the most natu
raj, the most generous and polite a.,
tim that was ever done on this side O
he water. This put stop 70 all tb
intermarIiages afterwards.
But here me thinks can hear you Oh
serve: What! Enylishmen intermarr,
with Indians? But can cony,nce 20,
that Trey are guilty Of much NOR
einous practices, more un us,itiable il
the sigh, Of God aud man (f indee,
they may be called bad practice), 70
many base wre,ches amongs, Us tax
~ with negro omen. by which mean
the countiy swa,ms with mulatt'
hastards; and these mulattoes, bu
three generations removed froM III
black father or mother, may, ty the in
! diligence of the laws of the country, in
termarry with white people, ard actuall,
10 every day SO marry. Now If, in
stead Of this abominable practice
which hath polluted the blood Of fman,
amongst as, We had taken Ind;al
wives in the first place, it would hav'
made them compensatios for thei
lands. We should have become righ.
t'ul heirs to their lands, and should no
have smut,ed our blood."-N. J. Ere