Slavery in the United States <br> Chapter 9

Such is not the case with the bondmen of the South. The animal passions, as well as the domestic affections of the African, are known to be peculiarly powerful. When of age to marry, it is his instinct to fall in love; and as no apprehensions for the present or future support of his wife and family prevent the indulgence of his passion, he goes to his master, and asks permission to "have a family," as he terms it. If his conduct and character are deserving of such an indulgence, it is seldom or never denied. The master builds him a cabin, furnishes it with such homely comforts as use has made necessary, and he enters upon his new character as head of a family. He feels no anxiety about providing for the present or the future; his master is bound, by interest as well as humanity, and the obligation to the laws, to support them during the life of the father, and take care of them when he is dead. Do not these advantages furnish a counterpoise to many of his real and imaginary grievances? Does not this entire freedom from the most heavy burdens of the rest of mankind, those carking cares which distil gall into their cup, and make them slaves for life, without the benefit of slavery, explain to us why the slave laughs, dances, and sings, while the free white man so often carries wrinkles on his brow and despondency in his heart?

The slave neither knows nor has ever known any other state of life, and to him custom has become a second nature. His mind revolves calmly, and, if you please, sluggishly, within the unvarying circle of his wishes, hopes, and fears; the body in one round of labour and relaxation, to which long habit has given the same attraction that variety bestows on those who live alone for pleasure; and it is only by agitating the still current, or forcing it into a new channel, that discord, discontent, resentment, revenge, and all their deplorable consequences, are produced. It is easy to persuade the ignorant that they ought to be miserable; and it is not more difficult to render them so, by making them discontented with their situation. Of all the sources of human suffering, with the exception only of guilt, this is the most fruitful. It produces envy, malice, and all uncharitableness; it separates the various classes of society from each other; converts them into opposing elements; and occasions more than half the violations of those two great precepts of the Divine Lawgiver, that we should do as we would be done by, and love our neighbour as ourselves.

It will probably be urged by the advocates of immediate emancipation, that these observations go the length of arresting all exertions to improve our condition or that of others; that it is this very discontent which impels us to salutary action; and that to destroy it would be to take away every motive for labour of any kind, bodily or intellectual, beyond what is necessary to supply the wants of nature. It will, perhaps, be also asserted, that the argument in favour of the contented ignorance of the slave will equally apply to all classes of mankind, and that the whole theory on which the government of the United States is based, is utterly at war with that here propounded. The conclusion is not admitted, because the acquisition of new ideas of freedom, while it only renders the slave more miserable, and less inclined to useful labour, enables the freeman to become more efficient in his sphere of action, and to improve his condition by the application of his acquired knowledge to his own affairs, or the administration of his government. Every increase of information, and every new expansion of mind, can be made subservient to the purposes of his happiness; whereas with the slave, the effect is diametrically opposite, because the acquisition of all knowledge not essential to the performance of his duties produces discontent, which only makes his present situation less tolerable, while it does not open the least prospect of bettering it in future.

All experience goes to prove that knowledge and freedom are sources of happiness and prosperity to the white man; and the same unerring guide has demonstrated thus far, that at best they have only made the blacks of the United States less useful and respectable in their callings. If we mistake not, it has been also clearly demonstrated by facts and legitimate deductions, that the emancipation of the slaves of the South, whether brought about by voluntary concession, coercive legislation, or servile war, would only be productive of consequences equally deplorable to all parties concerned.

To bring the actual situation of the slave of the South more directly to the view of the reader, and enable him to form a more correct opinion than he can derive from the pictures, addresses, almanacs, sermons, and declamations of the immediate abolitionists, we will now lay before him the following letters, written in reply to certain queries of the author of this inquiry. The first is from a gentleman possessing a large estate and a very considerable number of slaves, in what is usually called lower Virginia, and whom no motive of personal or political interest can swerve one hair's breadth from the truth. The second is written by a judicial officer of the Superior Court of that state, whose name and character are a sufficient guarantee for all he writes. It exhibits the social and domestic relations between the master and slave in that part of Virginia lying west of the Blue Ridge, which is chiefly a grain-growing country, and where the slaves are comparatively few. It may not be impertinent to add, that the writer of this work has had sufficient experience, during a long residence at the South, to enable him to vouch for the truth of the pictures here presented. The northern reader is requested to peruse these letters attentively, and then contrast them with the horrors depicted in the various publications of the abolitionists.

"DEAR SIR,—As regards the first query, which relates to 'the rights and duties of the slave,' I do not know how extensive a view of this branch of the subject is contemplated. In its simplest aspect, as understood and acted on in Virginia, I should say that the slave is entitled to an abundance of good plain food; to coarse but comfortable apparel; to a warm but humble dwelling; to protection when well, and to succor when sick; and, in return, that it is his duty to render to his master all the service he can, consistently with perfect health, and to behave submissively and honestly. Other remarks suggest themselves, but they will be more appropriately introduced under different heads.

"2d. 'The domestic relations of master and slave.' These relations are much misunderstood by many persons to the North, who regard the terms as synonymous with oppressor and oppressed. Nothing can be farther from the fact. The condition of the negroes in this state has been greatly ameliorated. The proprietors were formerly fewer and richer than at present. Distant quarters were often kept up to support the aristocratic mansion. They were rarely visited by their owners; and heartless overseers, frequently changed, were employed to manage them for a share of the crop. These men scourged the land, and sometimes the slaves. Their tenure was but for a year, and of course they made the most of their brief authority. Owing to the influence of our institutions, property has become subdivided, and most persons live on or near their estates. There are exceptions, to be sure, and particularly among wealthy gentlemen in the towns; but these last are almost all enlightened and humane, and alike liberal to the soil, and to the slave who cultivates it. I could point out some noble instances of patriotic and spirited improvement among them. But to return to the resident proprietors: most of them have been raised on the estates; from the older negroes they have received in infancy numberless acts of kindness; the younger ones have not un-frequently been their playmates (not the most suitable, I admit), and much good-will is thus generated on both sides. In addition to this, most men feel attached to their property; and this attachment is stronger in the case of persons than of things. I know it and feel it. It is true, there are harsh masters; but there are also bad husbands and bad fathers. They are all exceptions to the rule, not the rule itself. Shall we therefore condemn in the gross those relations, and the rights and authority they imply, from their occasional abuse? I could mention many instances of strong attachment on the part of the slave, but will only adduce one or two, of which I have been the object. It became a question whether a faithful servant, bred up with me from boyhood, should give up his master or his wife and children, to whom he was affectionately attached, and most attentive and kind. The trial was a severe one, but he determined to break those tender ties and remain with me. I left it entirely to his discretion, though I would not, from considerations of interest, have taken for him quadruple the price I should probably have obtained. Fortunately, in the sequel, I was enabled to purchase his family, with the exception of a daughter, happily situated; and nothing but death shall henceforth part them. Were it put to the test, I am convinced that many masters would receive this striking proof of devotion. A gentleman but a day or two since informed me of a similar and even stronger case, afforded by one of his slaves. As the reward of assiduous and delicate attention to a venerated parent, in her last illness, I proposed to purchase and liberate a healthy and intelligent woman, about thirty years of age, the best nurse, and, in all respects, one of the best servants in the state, of which I was only part owner; but she declined to leave the family, and has been since rather better than free. I shall be excused for stating a ludicrous case I heard of some time ago:—a favourite and indulged servant requested his master to sell him to another gentleman. His master refused to do so, but told him he was at perfect liberty to go to the North, if he were not already free enough. After a while he repeated the request; and, on being urged to give an explanation of his singular conduct, told his master that he considered himself consumptive, and would soon die; and he thought Mr. B. was better able to bear the loss than his master. He was sent to a medicinal spring, and recovered his health, if indeed he had ever lost it, of which his master had been unapprized. It may not be amiss to describe my deportment towards my servants, whom I endeavour to render happy while I make them profitable. I never turn a deaf ear, but listen patiently to their communications. I chat familiarly with those who have passed service, or have not begun to render it. With the others I observe a more prudent reserve, but I encourage all to approach me without awe. I hardly ever go to town without having commissions to execute for some of them; and think they prefer to employ me, from a belief that, if their money should not quite hold out, I would add a little to it; and I not infrequently do, in order to get a better article. The relation between myself and my slaves is decidedly friendly. I keep up pretty exact discipline, mingled with kindness; and hardly ever lose property by thievish, or labour by runaway slaves. I never lock the outer doors of my house. It is done, but done by the servants; and I rarely bestow a thought on the matter. I leave home periodically for two months, and commit the dwelling-house, plate, and other valuables to the servants, without even an enumeration of the articles.

Rare Book Monthly

Slavery in the United States <br> Chapter 9

Rare Book Monthly

Archived Articles

Slavery in the United States <br> Chapter 9

Rare Book Monthly

Article Search

Archived Articles