Newspapers / The Greensboro Patriot (Greensboro, … / Nov. 2, 1855, edition 1 / Page 1
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.- J 1 ,.- If . . V v-y-ttsr'-i. i-' -V . '.J I! I , .-. f-nr-,,. .1,. -if . -fjt.-hrtii VOL. I l-'.-r I " i 1 1 1 I v.;- 5 ; wj t : ' i' . . ; v iVi.:. CrmgtOlt (tnij, jlauhtn PtBUSHEU WEEKLV BT JA M ES B. SHE LT O.N. JAMES A. BONG, Editpr. Terms: $2 a year, In advance 2 50 ir months, and 3.00 after twelve months, from date of subscription. :, 1 Itates of Advertising. f)ne dollar per square (fourteen lines) for thj (first week and twenty-five cents for every week there X ' Deduction made in favor of landing ad- rertisements as follows 3 MOSTU3. One square, $3.50 Two squares, 7.00 Three $ col.) 10.00 Half column. -18.00 6 MOUTHS, 5.50 10.00 15.00 25.00 1 YEAR. 8.00 U.00" 20.00 : 35.00 Occasional renewals without additional charge granted to - those who 1 advertise regularly throngh the year. '" 1 ' c Three dollars for announcing candidates for of fice. -, ' .- 1 Court orders charged 25 per cent higher than the above rates. Orders tor divorce of husband and wife, 10 each. . Persons sending advertisements are requested to tate the number of insertions required, or they will he inserted until forbid ; and if it is wished they should occupy the least space possible, write upon the back " close.'' Otherwise they will be put up in the usual style and charged accordingly. tST No discount on these rates. Address of Hon. Thomas Kuffln, OF ALAMANCE. Delivered before the State Agricultural Socie ty of North Carolina, October 18th, 1855. The duty has been assigned to me of ma king to this assemblage of our fellow Citi '.. zens the usual annual address on behalf of the Agricultural Society of North Carolina. I heartily wish for your sakes, as well as my own, that it had been allotted to some other person more competent to instruct ot entertain. But, though reluctantly, I have undertaken it, that I might, if no other good should be done, show my concern in the welfare of the agriculture of North Carolina and-its kindred arts, and my zeal for their advancement and prosperity, under a confi dent assurance, indeed, of the kind consid eration of North Carolinians for the imper fections of one who, though long unused to public speaking, is sincerely desirous, in a nv way he can, of magnifying to North Car olinians their chief calling and office, and endeavoring to make them satisfied with their situation here. In the first place it is fit, that to all here thanks for their attendance and a hearty welcome should be tendered. The purpos es of the Society and the modes of effecting them, are generally known ; and we invite the co-operation of all in the good work. Join in our association. Let every one add what he can to the general fund of agricul tural knowledge. Enter into the competi tion for improving tillage, perfecting and in creasing the productions of the grains the - grasses, the vegitables, and the fruits of the earth, our animals and our implements of husbandry, and other manufactures; and exhibit here at our Fairs such things as yon have. Indeed, those who bring only them selves are very welcome; for, after all, our men and women are our best productions, and it can only raise a just pi ide to see them gathered together to extend acquaintance, form friendships, gain and impart knowledge honor agriculture, and thereby become the more content with onr lot being cast in North Carolina. Next, the Agricultural Society owes, and wc. ask the agricultural community to join in making acknowledgements to the Gene ral Assembly for the pecuniary aid extend ed to the Society. Its usefulness depends chiefly on its ability to offer and pay pre miums to exhibitors to such an amount as may stimulate competition and multiply ex hibitions Ar proper amount of premiums j was larger than could be confidently count ed on at all times from the fluctuating and uncertain contributions of annual subscribers and visitors of the Fairs ; and, since our last anual meeting, the Society presented to the Legislature a memorial praying such assist ance from the public Treasury as that body mi;ht deem requsite to the advancement of agriculture and manufactures among us. I am happy to announce here, that, in com pliance with the memorial, a permanent an- . ual appropriation of 81500 was made forthe payment of premiums, subject only to the reasonable and politic proviso, thaV within the preeeeding twelve months, the Society whall have raised the like sum for the same 'uses. The appropriation, if hot fully ade quate to the wants and claims of a people a agricultural as those of North Carolina, 1 is yet of great benefit in many respects, and chiefly as permanently establishing the So-, ciety and Fairs, since it cannot be supposed that the farmers and mechanics and traders of the State have hearts so dead to their du ty and interest as to let them fail for want of contributions on their part to an equal a mount. The present is the first occasion, since the grant, on which the Society has had the opportunity of acknowledging this Legislative bounty, and we take rnuch pride I ind pleasure in, doing so. Now, it may be asked: Is the agriculture 'North Carolina worthy of this public pat nage, and of the efforts of some of her cit ;ns to promote and improve it? I answer, 5 ? yes. Jorth Carolina is entitled tn hat every one of her peonle can do to PTte her prosperity and elevate her chter; and her sons will be amply re nunVed for their efforts .for her advan tageji mejr own. Our occupations are esserVjy agricultural, and embrace all its vanlrof pursuits planting, farming, breedf0f liye stoct; and the culture of irons. vitil very recently they were al- most e mosi ev,-yey agricultural,' as there were naturallacIeg tQ foreign commerce, diffi- cuu iuii i u... r r establish.... T , .u .u Uts among us. In both these 4nrtrtu-f'TMp6tS progfes hasf WcWmade and is ma - kihj; and there' 'to good ground of hope, that before lonr, fleets of our own merchant men will sail from our shores, rtejilj laden with our productions fpr sale orw exchange in the ports of our" sister " States and .foreign countries ; xrhile factories'' of variotfs kinds now established: in various - parts of uhe State, will be multiplied; beyond any pres ent calculation that can be made,, not only. ior tne laoncation oi me raosi useiui imple ments of Vood, iron," and other metals; but for our supply of those fabrics out u of the great Southern staple, cotton, which share become f. indispensable.,, (Manufactures . are already,,, Ayithoui, doubt, material helrjs to agriculture by diversifying employments, increasing the consumption at: lrome.of bnr crops and stocks and supplying on the 'spot and without delay many articles needful toj the.planter and farmer. In time they will become a more distinct productive and in fluential item in our political economy., but never, I think,' as' the rival or foe of'our'agi' riculture, but as a faithful friend and servant. As yet however, the cultivation of the earth is the great and productive business, of North Carolina. It has made us Iiither to a thriving and happy rural people.' We are still so; and it will make us still more so, as it becomes improved and more pro ductive. Why should not the agriculture of North Carolina be as-improvable and. im proved, and her sons, engaged in it, as" prosperous and happy as those' of any oth er country? No reason of weight can be given in the negative, if we will make the effort and use the proper means ; and of that every one may be satisfied if he will observe and reflect Ori what is around him. J The profits and the comforts of agricul ture depend mainly on climate, soil, labor and the facilities for disposing of surpluses of production. The two first, climate and soil, should be congenial to products requis ite for the sustenance of the husbandman himself, and in demand for others who can not produce for themselves. In both points. North Carolina is highly blessed. In her position on the globe she occupies that tem perate and happy mean, which is conducive to health and the vigorous exertion of the faculties and energies of body and mind, in employments tending more than all oth ers to the hospitalities and chareties of life and the other virtues of the heart, and which constitutes a climate, that, in unison with her fertile soil yields abundantly ,to the dil igent tiller nearly all the necessaries and many of the luxuries required by man. We do not work barely to maitain life; but,' be yond that, to realise gains that may be em ployed in the addition of other things pro ductive of the elevation and refinement of civilized man. Our winters by their dura tion and rigor, do not confine u& long with in doors, nor cause us to consume the pro duction of our labor during the other parts of the year; but we are able to prosecute our productive employments during the four seasons. Though not of such extent of lat itude as thereby to create much variety of climate, and consequently of production ; yet, the dimensions of North Carolina east and west supply that deficiency in a remarka ble degree. The proximity to the ocean of her eastern coast, and the difference in el evation between that and the mountains of the west, with the gradations in the inter mediate regions, produces a diversity of ge nial climate which gives to North Carolina, within herself, the advantage of many coun tries conjointly. By nature, too, her soil was as diversified and as excellent as her climate. The rich alluvial of the east, the extended and extremely fertile vallies of the many long streams the Roanoke, the Tar, The Neuse, the Cape Fear, the Yadkin and Pedee, the Catnwba and other rivers, which appear upon our map, besides those of smaller streams, almost numberless, all, at a moderate expense of care and labor, re- turn large yields of nearly every grain and other production fit for food. Rice, maize, wheat, rye, barley, oats, the pea, the potato of each kind, besides an endless variety of other sorts, vegitables, and fruits, are found abundantly theiein ; while higher up the country, in addition the grasses grow so readily and luxuriently as to afford not lit tle plots ori the moist bottoms of brooks, but extensive pastures and magnificent mead ows to the mountain tops. Then, there are the. great articles of cotton and teobacco, so extensively used and in such gr at a nd in creasing demand to one or the other of which the greater part of the Slate is em inently suited. Of fruits, melons of every kind and of the best qualities, apples, peaches, pears, cherries, nectarines and a pricots flourish almost every where, as do also the smaller but most valuable kinds, as the strawberry, the raspberry, gooseberry, and, above all, our native grapes, the sweet and prolific scuppernong, and the rich ca tawba, which mature well, besides some of foreign origin When to these we add the fish, with which our eastern waters abonnd through the year, but are alive in the spring our naval stores and lumber, our marls, our minerals, gold silver copper, and espec ially the extensive and rich deposits of iron ore, and the coal, one may confidently ask,.j is their any other country which contains or produces more or a greater diversity of things to produce life or to bring money ? and then leprae enquire of you, North; Carolinians, what better country do yoij want man your own: I nold that it is, good enough too good, I am tempted toJ say, for sinful man. It requires to be only dressed and .tilled to give nearly all we want on earth, and much for our fellowman much less happily situated. There" may at some time be a stint below our usual abund-i ance ; but we need never fear ,a famine here while we work. Indeed, that calamity can hardly befall a country where maize -which we call Indian corn -grows to ' perfection. There is no reccord of a 4earth approach ing famine, where the -principle crop was maize, as it is here. Our climate and 'soil ' are-sd congenial to the btheV cerlatsthaf'a1 failure ojf-that -crop1 froh3ahJnnpr6plti6uf J -season is ? necessarily perceived in. limcfto. P?ov,t!eitnej ptUers,or.spm? of-themas a substitute,..;. Such Js'lNortriCaroima f Here she is, and let any man sav .who pan. .whether she be not in every, thingfas she has now been held uptoihit' :TheV Wliy1 Should 'any leave herf; 'I trust theeri.od of her peo ple's deserting he.r and seekingwwhat they: ne ver.foufid.-fr4 .belter. jolace is near its-end. mk t m j. Tjr - and that! they will cleave.4a her and exalt uci uv uuuiiig lnanjEiiorx iQj-enaer.nex. oy. increased ' fertility? e t; niore f eemiiig m her product! on sJdh d to embellish her-p wiiH' d dr able and tastefiir habitations gardens and lawns, With substantial arm -houses, ..with orchards;. and every .other thing that can make her beautiful in our eves and fasten bur affections on 1ieKTrn;the'To4s;not1 wnai u -once was, ana our tasK is not mere ly to preserve f fertility; but. in a great de gree to restore that which .has. been more; or less exhausted. We must npt blame our ancestors too Jiasiilyor too severcty for the system urideFwHicn the'ricK vegetable loam they found here was so usetHnpV' The 'la-3 borsiand; hardships of settling a -wild chun try leave but little opportunity,for. more 5than , preparing for cultivation and cropping .such parts of the lahd'as are absolutely necessa ry for" maintaining- 'the coloViy? Land was" in plentytimber an' incumbrance; and la bor scarce and costly; so that, in reality it was cheaper, and the sounder , economy in them to bring new fields with thier exceed ing superficial fertility intou culture, rather than manure'those which they had Teduced by imperfect tillage and scourging cropping. Throughout . America . the land suffered by the exhausting operations of the settlers and their descendants for several generations; but that pan only go on to a certain extent, and then' it must stop. When getting to be so reduced as not to pay for . cultivation, necessity forbids , a. further reduction of the soil, and-then the process of regeneration begins. ; At -first it proceeds slowly ; but every degree of irhprovement furnishes means for still greater, and. accordingly ; it increases its pace, arid by improved culture, manures, rotation. of crops, and the like, it ends in productiveness beyond its original capacity; If not jhe lowest, certainly to a very low, condition, much of the land in the State had been brought ; and the time came,' when, if improvement was ever to be made, it would be commenced. I use the expression, the time came instead of has come," because it is a joyful fact, that some persons in various parts of the State, may in some parts, have improved, and continue to im prove their lands and increase their crops profiting much therefrom in their fortunes and setting the rest of us examples by which we ought also to profit. , "We have all heard for some 'years past, that the era of improve ment had begun in the great and wealthy county of Edgecombe ; and I learn from unquestionable sources, that the intelligent and enterprising planters of that county, have been' rewarded by signal success. I do not propose to enter into a detail of their svstem further than to sav, that it consists chiefly in draining by ditches and embank ments,, making and applying composts, the use of guano and plaster of Paris, and the field-pea as an ameliorating crop, as well as food for stock. I advise every one, how ever, who has the opportunity, by minute enquiries to pbtam from those who have put this system into use, detailed information respecting it ; and I feel no hesitation -in preferring a request to the planters of Edge combe,' as public-spirited gentlemen, to com municate; through onr agricultural periodi cals, the history of their improvements, and their experiments as well as those in which thiey failed as those in which they succ.eeded,vwith all other matters which may be useful 'to their brethren in other sections. In othr parts of the country, with which I am more intimately acquainted, much im provement has been made to my knowledge. Of the counties ranging along our northern border, from Warren to Stokes, inclusive, I have, had for about fifty years considerable knowledge. yThat was the principal region of the tobacpo culture. According to the cause of that culture, wherever it prevailed in our early annals, the country was cut down rapidly, cropped mercilessly with' a view, to a quantity rather than quality, then put into corn, and exhausted quickly and almost entirely. When I first knew it, and for a; long time afterwards, there were a- bounding evidences of former fertility, and existing, and sorrowful sterility. Corn and tobacco and oats, were almost the only crops. But little wheat and no cultivated grasses were to be seen , in the country. Warren and Granville bought the' little flour they used from Orange wagons. Large tracts were disfigured by-galls and frightful gul lies, turned out as .old fields," with broom straw arid old-field pines for their only vesture,- instead !of their stately primitive for ests, or rich crops for the .use bf manJ This is a sad picture. But it is a true one rand there was more fact than figure in the' say ing by raany,whose workpf destruction rendered that region so des elate, and wjio then abandoned it, that it was 41 old and worn outl" Happily;' some-thought its con dition not so hopeless; and, cherishing their attachment for the .spots of their nativity, within these few-vvears since the time of river navigation arid railroads began set a bout repairing the raVages of" former days. Do sroxx suppose the v were content with less crops, and therefore that they cnltiva ted less than before, leaying, a larger area to natural j-ecqvery by rest ? ,uThat, was, ,not their course, 'Hiey did not Vive op the cul ture of tobacc6,'but greaily increased it and -Uri alsfj , aflU tUCJf UUCU'IU lUCU lummni. "wheat; when : so much 'more easily and cheaply carried, to market." But they great- iy;incieasea ine. couecxionana appucanuu of manures' from the stables, and the cattle yauV-'wn additions ofth& edncenIrtrtlea ahdfotectedvitie?, land 'from washing bvf juuiciuus uui-siue irencning ana -more tho rough plowing. JThe resulrlias ;been, that 'many . old-fieWsavbeeni-iliiimed nnd brought into cultivation; that lands general ly muenhfre&iihtferttlity,bfurse in actual and market value in the like pro portion, whileltKe,pi63nntnjdu," probably, tfoMed toyiafitityj nd valne An -ahV JheJ ranlfVoWiies- brtniiontei.4 Sucli 'xairU pies arehp9rabb;(tojtto and useful to others, whp.desire to improve. For., that reason I have "thought it proper thus to;signalizetthemNas .1 would gladly do others1," which' may; and I hope tld exist,- were l as wen aware ot them : contenting myse)f with adding only that I think. I see the dawn of a better day - in the county nf my own residence and those cbritiguous-- For our present purpose, it is sufficient that we can hence learn that the .effects of the most injudicious -ffd'ileslruetive cropping may be repaired by gqpd husbandry, .in.he use of -fertilizers,, saved on me..for.nf;)iajfidj others, which are Deepming better knpwn arid Wore attainable than fdrnierly ; and'thus' all the outlay will beriore than reimbursed at a short day . by the increase of products, besides enkantyug the value oC.real :estate, Thus . wjlj our. agricplture be rendered s pleasing and profitable as that of the most favored 'portions ..of the earths J ' J Then let me say once more to yoit; men ofNortbr Qarolina. stick to her, and make her what she can be and ought to be. For you and your sons she- will yield a rich har vest : to some thirty fold, some" sixty fold, and some an hundred fold, according to the skill and dilligence with which the tillage of the good ground is done. The nature of the labour employed in our agriculture is the next subject for our con sideration. It is a most important element in the cost, amount, and value of production I very frankly, avow the opinion that our mixed labor'of free white men of European origin and slaves of the African race, is as well adapted to the public and private ends of our agriculture as any other could' be making our cultivation not Jess thorough, cheap, and productive than it would be, if carried on by the whites alone, and far more so than the blacks by themselves would make it ; and, therefore, that' it has a beneficial influenceon the prosperity of the "T 11 y country, and the physical and moral state i of both races,' rendering . both better and happier than either would be Jiere,, witnout the other. Of course, I amotJibdut'enter ing into that controversy 'which has connect ed itself with the contentions of "sectional factions, strugling for, political power. Itis unnecessary that I should ; for every one is aware, I believe of the nature of the contro versy and the motives of the parties to it. It is one of the conservative effects of slave ry to impress on us a deep conviction of the inestimable value of the Union, and a pro found reverence for the Constitution which created it; and hence we habitually cherish a good feeling, as of brethren, towards our fellow-citizens of every State, and any deed or word tending to hnpair the perpetuity of the Uuion and the efficiency of the Cousti- tution and the laws passed in accordance with it, or to alienate the. affections of the different States from each other,is seen with impatience and frowned oq with indig nation. Indeed, ii there were any thing in slavery or the interests connected with it incompatible with that fundamental 'law,- I doubt, not that our people would willingly abide by that sacred instrument, though it should cut on a right hand or pluck put a-l right eye. But there will be no occasion for a display of our loyalty in that respect, since the Constitution clearly recognizes our slavery, sustains the rights of owner- hip, and enforces the duty of service; and I am persuaded, that the obligation of those provisions and their execution will be ulti- -j mately pronounced and carried out by those on whom the Constitution itself confers the authority. My purpose now, . however, is merely to maintain that slavery here is; fa vorable to the mterests of agriculture in point of economy and profit, and not un wholesome to the moral and social condi tion of each race. In support of the first part of the proposition a decisive argument is furnished by the fact that the amount and value of the productions of slave labor in this country exceeds those of similar pro ductions, nay, of all other agricultural pro ductions, of an equal number of. men in any. other country, as far as they can be ascer tained. In some localities, indeed, and-iri respect to some articles of great value, the production would cease, with slavery ; since the blacks by the constitutions inherited from their African ancestors, can labor with out detriment, under degrees of heat, mois ture, and exposure, which are found "to be fatal to the -whites, whose systems are' bet ter adapted to different conditions of the at mosphere. In .truth,if the free men in those States iri which4 slavery prevails be allowed credit for common sense and the- capacity to understand their own wants and interests the utility of the employment of slave labox and its productiveness are established be yond controversy, simply; by the fact, that it is done. Men who are; thoroughly versed in the practical.operatiori of any institntion, certainly will. notv to their own prejudice; uphold it from generation to generation, and cling the closer to it as by its natural exten sion it becomes more and more destructive. If it be said that the continuanceJof 'slavery does hot -prove its jitiKry1 torthe Common wealth because it was continued of neces sity and . would. haye.been, Howe verimpoli tic it might be found, r, we ; must own some force in' the suggestion, by itself, since at all times after its introduction "it would have been difficult to get rid of it, 'arid that "diffi culty has been continually increasing. , It .was much easier for those.who -.now condemn so streniously our toleration of Aflricaus and bring them here, than: for us,1 without crime yet more; henious, -to renounce' onr. dominion over them and torn them loose to, their own discretion and self destructibn,r Their atef Wpuld soon le that of our native savages, jor the; enfranchised blacks of the Vest Indies, the. miserable victims of idle nessr want, drunkeriess and other- debauch eries, .j ,But the argument goes onlyto show, that we would have done right even though enforced theretoJ?y the necessity spoken of in still holding these people in bondage. It is .far from showing that slavery , would not have been and ought.not t- have been, maintained, though, there Had been-rjfo hypo thetical necessity .in doing so. -Furthermore, there are many numerous facts to prove a clear, opinion to lh& coutraiy in every class of our population. When didny man, for example, leave North Carolina in. order to get, clear of his slaves or slavery I 4: We have indeed a Tespectable and-peaceful religious 6w:iety less nuraerons than formerly who are, forbidding by an. article .in their creed from libliling. man, in slavery. .EJyen they, never .warred, or. contended against thisinsti tution here, nor sought :to:,seduce or spirit away their neighbor's slaves ; but likes the quiet and Christian men they professed to be they .left us, and immigrated chiefly to the States of the. North-West, in which slavery did not exist. With that slight exception, the public sentiment is so generally satisfied with the existence of slavery and its proprU ety here,that it may. properly be called u niversal. Some men have emancipated some or all of their slaves by sending them to other States. But I know not of an in stance in which the former owner went with them, or left North Carolina because other owners would not follow their exam ple. On the contrary, when our slave-holders remove, they carry their slaves with them further south, where slavery is, if pos sible, riaore firmly fixed than here, because they expect the labor cf the slaves to be more productive. Besides, there are ma ny inhabitants in this State who do not hold slaves, some from choice and some from inability to purchase them, and never theless, they are content to abide among us and our slaves. And it is also true, that wheri these men migrate, much the larger pnrt of them likewise go to the South of us, in the thick of slavery, because they hope to make a greater profit from their o wn ex ertions, i These facts, which cannot be de nied, will bear reflection, and furnish evi dence .sufficient to satisfy any fair mind that there is an unanimous conviction of our people that slavery, as it exists here, is nei ther unprofitable, nor impolitic, nor un wholesome. For' certainly, though slave holders, we may claim to possess as clear understandings; 'and as clear consciences as generally fall to the lot of men. It would, indeed, be otherwise, if if were true, as supposed or set forth by some; that slavery degrades free labor, and, consequen tly, that our population are too prpud or too lazy to work, and become, especially slave owners, dissolute and profligate in morals, as well as atrocious tyrants. But that is not true not at all true ; and there never was a greater mistake than to suppose it true. It cannot but excite a smile on lis, wliio know the contrary so well, when we are told that white men do not work here, and that they do not because it is considered disgraceful. :Why, there is not a country on earth in which honest labor and diligence in business in all classes and conditions, is considered more respectable, or is more respected. We like every other people, have the idle and the vicious amongst us. But they are chief ly those Who have the least connexion with slaves, and particularly those employed in agriculture, and are to be found, without means, lounging about cities and villages. Many most independent farmers, who own slaves, but not enough to make their super intendence full employment, work, they and their sons, with their slaves; and.it is sure, that no one here ever treated them or thought of them as disgraced by it. Indeed, every L one, who by intelligence, integrity, and in dustry, provides for himself and his house hold either in the field or at the forge, or any other mechanical pursuit, is as highly respected here, as in every other well or dered community ; and many of them are of great and useful influence in society.v It is a. mistake, too, equally; notable,that slaveholders. are alcove or exempt from the cares,.ana tne business oi ine ; ana it is a gross" calamity to, represent them as the ruthless and relentless tyrants, of whom some persons delight to draw over-charged and exaggerated caricatures. Although the' labor of a large slaveholder- is not manual yet it is not the less engrossing and onerous ; and the feelings between masters and. their slaves-in the great bulk, of our population is kindly on the part of the former, and affec tionately faithful on the part of the latter. Slavery, indeed, is not a pure and unmixed good. , Nor is any thing that is human. There are instances of cruel and develish masters, and of turbulent and "refractory slaves, who cannot be controlled and brought into subjection but by extraordinary sever ity. ""But these are exceptions, and rare ex-. ceptions.4 Great severity- in masters is as much opposed to the usages of our people as to the sentiment of the age; and, indeed, to the interest of , the master. Moderation in the punishment of dependents is founded in nature ; and unjust, excessive, and bar barous cruelty is , not to ; be presumed, but quite the contrary.' The meek man who led iheTsraelites through the wilderness, and legislated for them by inspiration, under stood this better than those who paint us so frightfully,? without knowing much about us.' In treating of the different degrees of homi cide, he had regard to the known motives gf the human heart, and thereon founded the presumption, that the slaying of a slave by the master, is by misadventure, ".because he is his i money unless it should "be rebuked by such excess in thedegreor duration or the in fliction as to make him " die under his hand, arid thusevincethat discipline was a preten X ceand the killing of designed malignity or wantqn brutality. I appeal to every one, if our experience is riot in accordance with the ' divirie statute ,The' same "motive induces the master to be observant of the health and inorals of his slaves ; to care for them, and fC provide for them ; to restrain them from ' baneful 'excesses," arid employ them in mode- H rate though-steady labor.- That this is the course the established habit of the slave holding portion of the country, is plainly to be deduced from an increase in the numbers of pur slave population beyond the ratio of natural increase in the population ,-of any other nation; which could oidy arise from the abundant supply of the necessaries and; comforts of life, f and -a contented state of mind. - , " , , !, .: - ' ".-'.TN- But the interest of the owner is riot the . only,, security, to the slave for humane treat ment jr th.ere.is a stronger tie between them. Often born on the same plantation! and bred , together,. they have a perfect knowledge of each other, and. a mutual attachment. Pro- , tection and . provision are the offices of the ; master, and in return the slave yields de voted obedience and fidelity of service ; so - j that they seldom, part but from necessity. j The comfort, cheerfulness, and happiness of the slave "should be, and generally is, the ; study of the master v and every Christian master rejoices over the ; soul r of his slave saved, as of a brother, and allows of his at tendance on -the ministry 'of God's word and sacraments, in any church of his choice in his vicinity. The condition of a slave, denies to him, indeed, opportunities of ed ucation sufficient for . searching the Scrip tures for himself, and working thereout his. own conversion; but God forbid that should be necessary to salvation ! It is not ; for to) the poor and the unlettered the Christian graces are promised and given in an espec--ial manner because they have less pride of intelect, more simplicity of faith, and more singleness of heart; and among the slaves of this country , there are many exemplary Christians. Indeed, slavery in America has not only done more for the civilization and enjoyments of the ..African race than all other causes, but it has brought more of them into the Christian fold than all the , missions t0T that benighted continent from . the Advent to this day have, or, probably, those for centuries, to cpme would, excepting; only the. recent dbloriies of blacks on, the. western coast of Africa, by which one may' hope and believe "that under divine direction the lights of civilization and the knowledge, of the true God may be reflected, back oa that whole land. Such are some of the ben; eficial effects on that rate of their connexion with us. Upon the slaveholder the impress ions are not less distinctly durable, nor less beneficial. He is. habitually a man of em ployment ; As in military life he must train his troop to their duties, lay out their work, and superintend its execution; and7 by a mild and just, though firm discipline, reward and punish according to their des erts ; and he must never fail in sympathy with regard to -inocent enjoyments at prop er times, and their needs in sickness and jn health. Sometimes matters very trivial iri themselves have exceedingly great ef fect in improving the slave and uniting him to his owner. I know a gentleman, one of the riiost successful planters, who produced a marked change for; the' better among his slaves by the small boon of a cheap looking-glass for each of their quarters. Anoth er bound his people to him by a devoted af fection, by joining -with solemnity in their "processions at the burial of their dead, in a grave yara wrnicn ne naa proiccieu Dy a plain post and plank enclosure. V , ' ' It is a great error in those who do not know our slavery, to confound., authority in the private relations, though t it be that of a slave-owner, with the, absolute power of a prince oh the throne. A political despot is seperated. from his subjects. He knows them not nor loves them . He sympathises with none of them, but their positions and. feelings are in constant hostility. But au thority in domesfic life, though not nccessa rilly, is naturally considerate, mild, easy to be entreated, and tends to an elevation in the superior which generates humrn kind-, ness for these in his power, and renders him regardful alike of the duty and the dig- nity of his' position. It is only when the authority is -.disputed and resisted, that a conflict occurs ; and the slaves, if kept to themselves, unprompted from without wilk seldom give . occasion fri that way for rigor. Why should this propitious state of things be changed ?, Why should any wish a change? Especially, why should persons who fiave no concern in. it, who are not of us, and know not what they do, officially interfere in a- relation so entirely do- mestic arid delicate ? We know that our slaves are generally humble, obediant and quiet a contented and cheerful race of la borors. Scattered over; the plantations in rural occupations, they are not riotous or dangerous, as the same number of onedu cated working men have often been in other parts of the country. Slaves are no part of the State, with no political power, and seek no violent, or sudden changes in the law or policy of the country ; and where slavery exists labor and capital never come in conflict; for they arc in thesame hands, and operate in harmony.-; It is not, then, a blot upon our laws, nor a stain on our morals, nor a blithe upon bur land. A signal in stance of our, beneficial political influence just occurs to me,: to which 1 cannot refrain from asking your attention. The sad fate of the Indian tribes in the territories, now forming the United States, is familiar to everyone. With, the 'exception of a few small remnants, seated among the whites, as a degraded caste, in' one' or two of the northern States, all"belong to that region are exti n'ef.Th'ifc-f' liacP no separate property, and therefore they never engaged in the pursuits of civil life, and could not .be civi lized. They were killed op in wan with slavery, to "capture and enslave the helpless I - i
The Greensboro Patriot (Greensboro, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Nov. 2, 1855, edition 1
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