Year: 1859

the inhabitants thereof, ths writer thus describes
to the life:


1--WE are in what IL called the Pinewocds District,
laO miles west of Chsrlestou. Aiken is small town
Of not more than C00 inhabtabts and the dulest
place wss il. All the work that done in this
country is done by the slaves and they do just little
as they possibly csn. The houses open aud not
half made with the doors of the hinges ami the win
dows won't shut you could put your hand in the
cracks all arould the sashes The whole country has
the appearance of lazy, shiiess degenerate decay.
The white people the most lazy. dirty, ignorant
set of beings is possible to conceive Of They go
lounging about the streets and all day moving
heap of rags dirt and ignorance looking little better
and ofien knowing less than the slsyes-too proud to
work and too poor to live. Mn. Stowes description
| in Uncle Toms Cabin, of the poor whites Of the
South, is in way overdrawn bu, often fails to do
| Justice to their destitutiop aud ignorance.


"The slaves are of all coors and sha les from the
!, most sooty black to perfect white. There was
waiter at the hotel at Charleston who white a.
you OF ]. with blue eyes and sandy hair and not the
least appearance Of African blood that | could see.
thought him an Irishmsn. and my husband thought
him American; but, to surprise, We found him to
be slave, the property of planter few miles south
Of Charleston.


"Aikeu is quite resort for consumptives: it lies on
high ground and is surrounded by yelow-pine forest
The climate is mild and warm, the atmosphere pure
and delightful. We have been out all the morning
without cloaks or shawls and ought net to complain
of country that gives my daughter health; but in
spite Of all my wishes the hour hang heavily upon my
Lands. We have company except the two young
ladies from New-York, the one sick and the other to
IL. .fh hos, o.f,E IN nd
testy old bachelor which is worse than being sick.


This nonotonous life is occasionally broken by a
negro whipping The other day as | was walking
down street saw quite crowd of people, and soon
beheld in their midst large tall negro with his
pinoned behind him, who had been driven twelve
miles that morning by white man, the man riding on
a horse and driving him before him. using two long
ropes as we use lines in driving horses. The said
that the negro had away, and he had caught him
and brought him back. The negro said he belonged
to a man few miles south, and had only losthis way
in the woods and if they would let him 90 he would
s 90 right home IT, ecgged him, put him in the
calaboo-e and what hss of him since do not
know bat feel quit, sure they had the ropes on the
wrong man. for the negro much the smarter look
ing of the two.


Last Sunday, Just after morning service, we heard
n great noise in the street. and on looking out saw
a black man irving to get away from two white men.
His face cut and bleeding profusely They tied
hi. hands behind him, stripped lis back bare. took
him into their store, which is nearly opposite to our
house tied him down to the floor, and gave him
6y ashes in the of the next half hour, not all
at once. After eight ten lashes he groaned most
pteously at every stroke of the whip; and all the
c. rme that could learn he had committed, was to
prevent the black nurse from taking whistle which
h. had bought and given to his boy, aud giving to
his masters boy! The slave and nurse were quarreng
about it when the master cGine home from church.
lie came into the kitchen, took moldng board and
broke it over the slaves head, then struck him
heavy blow with the rolling-pin. The slave rushed


into the street. and the noise began that attracted
attention. have heard many censure the master for
whipping his slave on Sunday, but MT one that he
was whipped so severely; whilc we, poor craven
wretches that have to and hear such things
and dare not say word; no not open our lips in ds-
approval of it, almost dcspise myself for being such
coward but we could do the slaves good, and
ourselves much harm; bite our lips, and keep
silent before folks but in our feel valiant
and crow as independently AZ young roosters when
they get upon their own duughill. And this is life in
the South Here i Southern cbiyalry-the aristOc-
racy of America-the constituency of Butler and





bic would rather be almost anything Except
dougbacel in the Free North than to be mistress of
the best plantation in South Carolina"


The above letter vas addIessrd to the brother Of
the writer resident in New .Esglaud village, with
cat the slightest idea of publication. merely as
relief to the pen.up feelings of disgust which such
u state of society, and such ceurnnces could not
but inspire in Il person accustomed to civilized
decenc,es. But the brother, unwilling TO keep so
good thing to himself, ImprudentIy published it
in the newspaper of the village, and somebody aux
ious, it would seem, to enable tue inhabitants OF
Aiken to obtain glimpse OF themselves, took the
pains to send on copy to Aiken.


For the knowledge of what took place there on
the arrival of this awful document. We are in
debted to letter, copy of which is before u.s.
addressed by the sick gentleman from Ohio"
" HON the writer of the above letter describes
one of her felow-boarders to some of bis Northern
friends. This gentleman was at once fixed upon
by the indignant Aiksnites as the author of the
letter. The andlady's at the dinner table read
Il communication from prominent citizen
announcing the danger the writer stood
in, and then, turning to the Ohio gentleman, an
invalid far gone in consumption, advised hun to
leave town immediately as the crowd We're very
greatly exasperated be could not youch for the
geutemaLs safety for an hour. IherenpOn the
lady announced herself rs the writer of the letter
A public meeting hayog soon after assembled, aud
commenced business by appointing Committee to
ascertain the author of the letter. the IandlaJys
.op communicated to them the information he bad