Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-05-29
Co,ou,a,L,,e In marv,aus.

Colonial society In the American provinces
and plantations was In its prime during the
half century which preceded the breaking OF
political ties with the mother country. We
have no good general picture OF this life either
In history or fiction, nor Is 1t easy TO make one
The subject would need to be treated In com
partments for society and Social customs dir
Tered widely In the different provinces The
daily life and daily thoughts Of the gentlemen
OF New England were as unlike those of gen.
as theirs In turn, were different from the ideas
and daily interests OF the cultivated classes ON
the shores Of the Chesapeake, or nearer to the
tropics under southern sun.
The social conditions of a country are ALWAYS
based on three th1Dgs,-tt5 climate its means OF
communication, and its labor system. In the
Two former, Maryland was favored above ali her
sister provinces, but her labor system differed
from That OF the communities around her. Each
vessel that passed the capeS and found IFS Way
up her rivers and broad creeks to the planters
very GoorS, brought servants into the colony
as part OF its assorted cargo. These servants
were OF three kinds,-convictS Transported for
seven years, the proceeds OF whose sale went to
tne BRUSH government; Indentured servants
bound to Maryland master, if minors tin they
came OF age, or II adults for a service OF five
years; and freewtllerS or redempioners, who
m]sht pay their passage, II they could in two
such payment, were sold by the captain OF the
snip which brought them, for four years to de-
fray their charges
AS soon as the captains arrival was made
known, planters In want OF servants hocked
down to the vessel. The whole gang was then
paraded and inspected, after which a great
deal Of cnaffering took place over apple-toddy
obliged to claim Skill In some department..
When man knew nothing useful the captain
usually entered him on his manifest as gar
dener. The fayor1te puI chase was OF boys and
girls; the next or convicts, because they served
seven years; while the poor redempt1Oner, de-
ceived by the crimps and agents of the traffic
into the expectation that he would sep
ashore to ease and fortune. found himself
relegated to the toughest tasks and
hardest treatment of slavery. Very fire..
quently scboolmaSterS We're sought out of
these arrivals. There we're no schools what
ever In operation In the colony till 1923, and as
a worthy clergyman in 1860 remarked In ser
mon delivered at Port Tobacco: AT least two
thirds OF the little education we receive Is de-
rived from Instructors who are either linden
tured servants or transported felOnS. Not q
ship arrives, either with redemptfonerS or con-
yictS, in which schoolmaSterS are not as regu-
larry advertised for sale as weavers tailors or
any other trade; with little other difference that
l can hear OF, excepting perhaps that the former
90 not usually fetch SO good price as the lat
The weekly allowance made ordinarily to the
convict or tndentured servant was q peck of
meal and some salt. His clothes were blue
linen or coarse homeSpun. All else he was sup
posed TO get by fishing or trapping or to raise
Tor himself on some corner of the plantation
The only Indulgence seems to have been the
right OF lying by three hours at midday during
the summer heat, If employed In field labor
On large plantations great number OF ser
wants wants, WHITE and olack were maintained. All
ladies' had their own waiting maids, many of
" nom were White women, brought as redemp-
TONERS or convfcts TO the colony. These
women were not averse TO marrying negro
slaves and he practice became so common til At
a law was passed, booming every white woman
who did so to perpetual slavery, and fastening
the same unhappy fate upon her children.
Hrs. +. ". Ldttmer IN International Repietc for