New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-13
THE OLD SOUTH.
A ylRGlNlA GENTLEMAN.

MEMORIALS OF A SOUTHERN PLANTER BY SUSAN
DAaSEY sNtpEs. l2mo. PIP Sal. Baltimore: cush
ings Bailey
These memorials not originally intended Tor
publication, and for that reason containing prooa-
bly, more intimate details than would otherwise nave
been the case possess decided historical value ana
no mean interest They constitute picture OF
Southern plantation life at its best and OF slavery
In its least repulsive aspect They also exhibit
modes of family life which have ceased TO exist,
and of which it is all the more desirable TO possess
authentic descriptions: modes of life. 1t may DE
added so different from those Of the contemporary
North that those who illustrated the divergent sys-
TENS might well have belonged to wholly alien
races The subject of the memoir, Thomas Smith
Gregory Dabney, spang from the fiuguenot ID Au-
bipnv The name indeed is much older, for it Is
inscribed on the Rolls Of Battle Abbey as that OF
one of the knights who fought at Hastings by the
side and under the banner of the COnQucror. The
American branch struck root in Virginia IN the
seventeenth century. and intermarrying with the
Jaquelincs and the Smiths so spread and ramified
that couple of centuries later it was connected
with the Washngtons Marshals. Amblers.
Joneses, Pages, Carys and many other Virginia
families
Thomas Smith Dabney was born at Bellevue, his
fathers country seat, on the Pamunky River, King
years before the death Of Washington. He lived
until February, $50, after passing through many
vicissitudes, in all of which he bore himself with
dignity and nobility, sustaining to the last the
character of Christian gentleman. His END was
sudden and painless. He went to bed apparently
in his usual health, and in the morning he was
found dead The interest which attaches to his
biography does not certainly consist in the TACT
that he was typical Southerrer, planter or slave
owner. In all his relations the most striking
feature is his strong individuality, and his treat
ment of his slaves appear TO have been almost
UNIQUE The picture presented in these pages is
indeed picturesque and attractive. We are intro
duced to the old Virginia mansion standing in its
spacious grounds, the centre of broad estate
swarning with perhaps the most fortunate set OF
Africans who lived in nominal state OF
bondage. At the house princely hospitality was
exercised. The head of the family had liberal
ideas in everything, and he appears to have sue
ceedcd for long time IN his business UNDERTAKINGS
Later he purchased several thousand acres in Mis-
sssippi, near Vicksburg, and moved there with
all his hands and one of the most curious
episodes in the memoir is the account of this
exodus The party proceeded mostly on foot, by
moderate days marches, and according to the
testimony of the negroes themselves, every dis
position was made for their comfort on the way,
q
ney, IL Us good health DIS when they started.
more indulgent master than thomas Dabney
in fact is inconcciyabe, and it may confidently
be asserted that any employer who should behave
TO free workmcn as he did to his slaves would
even to-day be set down as hopelessly unbuslness-
like and Impractical. No logging was ever per-
mittcd OH his plantations, and the discipline was
OF the loosest. lie would not even allow the horn
to be used to call the hands in the morning. lie
refused TO punish or even to rebuke the sluggards
and special mention is made of one uncOnscionable
sleeper who frequently was seen creeping to the
field at nOOn He however, believed III rewards
if not in punishments, and handsome money prizes
stimulated the hands at picking time. All the
slaves were given, not merely the regular allow
ance of food but just as much they wanted.
No appeal for extra provision Of any kind was
ever refused. All tlS hands were consequently
able to keep fowls, aDt most of them made a good
deal of money in this way. 1t is recorded that
Mr.. Dabney sold but four-of his people during his
whole career a save-owner; and in each OF these
cases he was forced to the step by the bad conduct
of the slaves.
The recoIlcctons Of Nanny Harriet" the
good old house servant who nursed all the chill
drcn ana considered herself quite much akin
to them as their actual parents are given as they
were taken down from her lips, in the negro da-
~
want to tell YOU how good marster was TO
his people in Figinny. DE people would ketch
low oysters ebery day, an by Sadday dey would
bah heap o oysters piled up on dc bank. Zen zen
dey would 60 to arstcr an say, Marster, i Sc
got a heap o. oysters dat | would like TO sell
Very Welt hc would say; go along and take
the cart, and mule and take your oysters around
and sell them. In de haryes'-tme he had two
waitmans TO war on de pcorle who was cuttln de
wheat and de barley. An desc two waltmans
dey had two greet harmper-baskets full O bottles
o whskey,-a pint for cherry man an hall pint
for cherry 'oman. An dey used to laif an say
to de young gals, You young gals oaght not to
drink whiskcy You ought to put water Ill IT,
But the young gals always tiI dc whiskey -
Ne an Sis Patsy was de mixers and Miss
whskey in that way SO she always put mine
an Sis Patsy's in a pail an put water an sugar
in it. an glib it to us So You sec we was mouse
servants She was good lady, mighty good
When de harves' was gathered de dinner for
dc black people was cooked IN de kitChch,IIsalle
She would go out den an cut OIL de house,scr,
Yants' dinners. Ef there was niece o splied
meat she would say, Throw that out TO the d9gs rs
That is not fit for pcople to eat She had Dlg
clany bowl an if a roach fell in H. she had emery
dron o. de molasses thrOwed out. She say; mat IS
not fin for tho servants to eat. They shall not ear
IL, She nebbcr let her people eat what she would
Dew had big doin's. I know when your ma
was married cause Mrs Hill was stawmped
down fine lady,-a laoy from de crown o hef
head to de bottom o her foot. o. ,;,uou of.or
In your pa house dc servants eat dinner ai'er
de uarsfcr an de missus eat.-de same things as
dev cat Uncle GcOIg &c de tatle for de servants
10 eat Dvar was plenty on ON Dey come VIA
aev marstcrs an missises. Mr.. Root come III
,arria o. an four an three servants: lie ncbner
r;,bble wild less De maid sot by ~ side IN de
bic carriage, an de man ride postillion, an de
bioaast eret dinners. gent'mans! George Otis
90 do cool, for desc big dinners. lie tik apples
or oranges either an he cut handles an fggcIs an
preserve 'cm lie feed de tuttles out in de rlbber
r,ar he tie EN- lie mix four dishes out o one
EuttIc forccmeat balls an things Nanny cant
'mcmber all dc rames O de dishes. DE day dot
snttlr was cooked de people come 70 what was out!
fr;caSScc ON.
"Wben we fms, come out TO dis country, Mis-