"In the summer of 1837, Mr. JOHN H. MOOREHEAD, a partner of mine,

descended the Mississippi with several boat loads of flour. He told me

that floating in a place in the Mississippi, where he could see for

miles a head, he perceived a concourse of people on the bank, that for

at least a mile and a half above he saw them, and heard the screams of

some person, and from a great distance, the crack of a whip, he run

near the shore, and saw them whipping a black man, who was on the

ground, and at that time nearly unable to scream, but the whip

continued to be applied without intermission, as long as he was in

sight, say from one mile and a half, to two miles below--he probably

saw and heard them for one hour in all. He expressed the opinion that

the man could not survive.

"About four weeks since I had a conversation with Mr. Porter, a

respectable citizen of Morgan county of this state, of about fifty

years of age. He told me that he formerly traveled about five years in

the southern states, and that on one occasion he stopped at a private

house, to stay all night; (I think it was in Virginia,) while he was

conversing with the man, his wife came in, and complained that the

wench had broken some article in the kitchen, and that she must be

whipped. He took the _woman_ into the door yard, stripped her clothes

down to her hips--tied her hands together, and drawing them up to a

limb, so that she could just touch the ground, took a very large

cowskin whip, and commenced flogging; he said that every stroke at

first raised the skin, and immediately the blood came through; this he

continued, until the blood stood in a puddle down at her feet. He then

turned to my informant and said, 'Well, Yankee, what do you think of

that?'"

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM MR. W. DUSTIN, a member of the Methodist

Episcopal Church, and, when the letter was written, 1835, a student of

Marietta College, Ohio.

"I find by looking over my journal that the murdering, which I spoke

of yesterday, took place about the first of June, 1834.

"Without commenting upon this act of cruelty, or giving vent to my own

feelings, I will simply give you a statement of the fact, as known

from _personal_ observation.

"Dr. K. a man of wealth, and a practising physician in the county of

Yazoo, state of Mississippi, personally known to me, having lived in

the same neighborhood more than twelve months, after having scourged

one of his negroes for running away, declared with an oath, that if he

ran away again, he would kill him. The negro, so soon as an

opportunity offered, ran away again. He was caught and brought back.

Again he was scourged, until his flesh, mangled and torn, and thick

mingled with the clotted blood, rolled from his back. He became

apparently insensible, and beneath the heaviest stroke would scarcely

utter a groan. The master got tired, laid down his whip and nailed the

negro's ear to a tree; in this condition, nailed fast to the rugged

wood, he remained all night!

"Suffice it to say, in the conclusion, that the next day he was found

DEAD!

"Well, what did they do with the master? The sum total of it is this:

he was taken before a magistrate and gave bonds, for his appearance at

the next court. Well, to be sure he had plenty of cash, so he paid up

his bonds and moved away, and there the matter ended.

"If the above fact will be of any service to you in exhibiting to the

world the condition of the unfortunate negroes, you are at liberty to

make use of it in any way you think best.

Yours, fraternally, M. DUSTIN."

Mr. ALFRED WILKINSON, a member of the Baptist Church in Skeneateles,

N.Y. and the assessor of that town, has furnished the following:

"I went down the Mississippi in December, 1838 and saw twelve of

fourteen negroes punished on one plantation, by stretching them on a

ladder and tying them to it; then stripping off their clothes, and

whipping them on the naked flesh with a heavy whip, the lash seven or

eight feet long: most of the strokes cut the skin. I understood they

were whipped for not doing the tasks allotted to them."

FROM THE PHILANTHROPIST, Cincinnati, Ohio, Feb. 26, 1839.

"A very intelligent lady the widow of a highly respectable preacher of

the gospel of the Presbyterian Church, formerly a resident of a free

state, and a colonizationist, and a strong antiabolitionist, who,

although an enemy to slavery, was opposed to abolition on the ground

that it was for carrying things too rapidly, and without regard to

circumstances, and especially who believed that abolitionists

exaggerated with regard to the evils of slavery, and used to say that

such men ought to go to slave states and see for themselves, to be

convinced that they did the slaveholders injustice, has gone and seen

for herself. Hear her testimony."

_Kentucky, Dec._ 25, 1835.

"Dear Mrs. W.--I am still in the land of oppression and cruelty, but

hope soon to breathe the air of a free state. My soul is sick of

slavery, and I rejoice that my time is nearly expired: but the scenes

that I have witnessed have made an impression that never can be

effaced, and have inspired me with the determination to unite my

feeble efforts with those who are laboring to suppress this horrid

system. I am _now_ an _abolitionist_. You will cease to be surprised

at this, when I inform you, that I have just seen a poor slave who was

beaten by his inhuman master until he could neither walk nor stand. I

saw him from my window carried from the barn where he had been

whipped to the cabin, by two negro men; and he now lies there, and if

he recovers, will be a sufferer for months, and probably for life. You

will doubtless suppose that he committed some great crime; but it was

not so. He was called upon by a young man (the son of his master,) to

do something, and not moving as quickly as his young master wished him

to do, he drove him to the barn, knocked him down, and jumped upon

him, stamped, and then cowhided him until he was almost dead. This is

not the first act of cruelty that I have seen, though it is the

_worst_; and I am convinced that those who have described the

cruelties of slaveholders, have not exaggerated."

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM GERRIT SMITH, Esq., of Peterboro'. N.Y.

Peterboro', December 1, 1838.

_To the Editor of the Union Herald_: "My dear Sir:--You will be happy

to hear, that the two fugitive slaves, to whom in the brotherly love

of your heart, you gave the use of your horse, are still making

undisturbed progress towards the _monarchical_ land whither

_republican_ slaves escape for the enjoyment of liberty. They had

eaten their breakfast, and were seated in my wagon, before day-dawn,

this morning.

"Fugitive slaves have before taken my house in their way, but never

any, whose lips and persons made so forcible an appeal to my

sensibilities, and kindled in me so much abhorrence of the

hell-concocted system of American slavery.

"The fugitives exhibited their bare backs to myself and a number of my

neighbors. Williams' back is comparatively scarred. But, I speak

within bounds, when I say, that one-third to one-half of the whole

surface of the back and shoulders of poor Scott, _consists of scars

and wales resulting from innumerable gashes._ His natural complexion

being yellow and the callous places being nearly black, his back and

shoulders remind you of a spotted animal."

The LOUISVILLE REPORTER (Kentucky,) Jan. 15, 1839, contains the report

of a trial for inhuman treatment of a female slave. The following is

some of the testimony given in court.

"Dr. CONSTANT testified that he saw Mrs. Maxwell at the kitchen door,

whipping the negro severely, without being particular whether she

struck her in the face or not. The negro was lacerated by the whip,

and the blood flowing. Soon after, on going down the steps, he saw

quantities of blood on them, and on returning, saw them again. She had

been thinly clad--barefooted in very cold weather. Sometimes she had

shoes--sometimes not. In the beginning of the winter she had linsey

dresses, since then, calico ones. During the last four months, had

noticed many scars on her person. At one time had one of her eyes tied

up for a week. During the last three months seemed declining, and had

become stupified. Mr. Winters was passing along the street, heard

cries, looked up through the window that was hoisted, saw the boy

whipping her, as much as forty or fifty licks, while he staid. The

girl was stripped down to the hips. The whip seemed to be a cow-hide.

Whenever she turned her face to him, he would hit her across the face

either with the butt end or small end of the whip to make her turn her

back round square to the lash, that he might get a fair blow at her.

"Mr. Say had noticed several wounds on her person, chiefly bruises.

"Captain Porter, keeper of the work-house, into which Milly had been

received, thought the injuries on her person very bad--some of them

appeared to be burns--some bruises or stripes, as of a cow-hide."

LETTER OF REV. JOHN RANKIN, of Ripley, Ohio, to the Editor of the

Philanthropist.

RIPLEY, Feb. 20, 1839.

"Some time since, a member of the Presbyterian Church of Ebenezer,

Brown county, Ohio, landed his boat at a point on the Mississippi. He

saw some disturbance among the colored people on the bank. He stepped

up, to see what was the matter. A black man was stretched naked on

the ground; his hands were tied to a stake, and one held each foot. He

was doomed to receive fifty lashes; but by the time the overseer had

given him twenty-five with his great whip, the blood was standing

round the wretched victim in little puddles. It appeared just as if it

had rained blood.--Another observer stepped up, and advised to defer

the other twenty-five to another time, lest the slave might die; and

he was released, to receive the balance when he should have so

recruited as to be able to bear it and live. The offence was, coming

one hour too late to work."

Mr. RANKIN, who is a native of Tennessee, in his letters on slavery,

published fifteen years since, says:

"A respectable gentleman, who is now a citizen of Flemingsburg,

Fleming county, Kentucky, when in the state of South Carolina, was

invited by a slaveholder, to walk with him and take a view of his

farm. He complied with the invitation thus given, and in their walk

they came to the place where the slaves were at work, and found the

overseer whipping one of them very severely for not keeping pace with

his fellows--in vain the poor fellow alleged that he was sick, and

could not work. The master seemed to think all was well enough, hence

he and the gentleman passed on. In the space of an hour they returned

by the same way, and found that the poor slave, who had been whipped

as they first passed by the field of labor, was actually dead! This I

have from unquestionable authority."

Extract of a letter from a MEMBER OF CONGRESS, to the Editor of the

New York American, dated Washington, Feb. 18, 1839. The name of the

writer is with the Executive Committee of the American Anti-Slavery

Society.

"Three days ago, the inhabitants in the vicinity of the new Patent

Building were alarmed by an outcry in the street, which proved to be

that of a slave who had just been knocked down with a brick-bat by his

pursuing master. Prostrate on the ground, with a large gash in his

head, the poor slave was receiving the blows of his master on one

side, and the kicks of his master's son on the other. His cries

brought a few individuals to the spot; but no one dared to interfere,

save to exclaim--You will kill him--which was met by the response, "He

is mine, and I have a right to do what I please with him." The

heart-rending scene was closed from _public_ view by dragging the poor

bruised and wounded slave from the public street into his master's

stable. What followed is not known. The outcries were heard by members

of Congress and others at the distance of near a quarter of a mile

from the scene.

"And now, perhaps, you will ask, is not the city aroused by this

flagrant cruelty and breach of the peace? I answer--not at all. Every

thing is quiet. If the occurrence is mentioned at all, it is spoken of

in whispers."

_From the Mobile Examiner, August_ 1, 1837.

"POLICE REPORT--MAYOR'S OFFICE.

_Saturday morning, August_ 12, 1837.

"His Honor the Mayor presiding.

"Mr. MILLER, of the foundry, brought to the office this morning a

small negro girl aged about eight or ten years, whom he had taken into

his house some time during the previous night. She had crawled under

the window of his bed room to screen herself from the night air, and

to find a warmer shelter than the open canopy of heaven afforded. Of

all objects of pity that have lately come to our view, this poor

little girl most needs the protection of authority, and the sympathies

of the charitable. From the cruelty of her master and mistress, she

has been whipped, worked and starved, until she is now a breathing

skeleton, hardly able to stand upon her feet.

"The back of the poor little sufferer, (which we ourselves saw,) _was

actually cut into strings, and so perfectly was the flesh worn from

her limbs,_ by the wretched treatment she had received, that _every

joint showed distinctly its crevices_ and protuberances through the

skin. Her little lips clung closely over her teeth--her cheeks were

sunken and her head narrowed, and when her eyes were closed, the lids

resembled film more than flesh or skin.

"We would desire of our northern friends such as choose to publish to

the world their own version of the case we have related, not to forget

to add, in conclusion, that the owner of this little girl is a

foreigner, speaks against slavery as an institution, and reads his

Bible to his wife, with the view of finding proofs for his opinions."

Rev. WILLIAM SCALES, of Lyndon, Vermont, gives the following testimony

in a recent letter:

"I had a class-mate at the Andover Theological Seminary, who spent a

season at the south,--in Georgia, I think--who related the following

fact in an address before the Seminary. It occasioned very deep

sensation on the part of opponents. The gentleman was Mr. Julius C.

Anthony, of Taunton, Mass. He graduated at the Seminary in 1835. I do

not know where he is now settled. I have no doubt of the fact, as be

was an _eye-witness_ of it. The man with whom he resided had a very

athletic slave--a valuable fellow--a blacksmith. On a certain day a

small strap of leather was missing. The man's little son accused this

slave of stealing it. He denied the charge, while the boy most

confidently asserted it. The slave was brought out into the yard and

bound--his hands below his knees, and a stick crossing his knees, so

that he would lie upon either side in form of the letter S. One of the

overseers laid on fifty lashes--he still denied the theft--was turned

over and fifty more put on. Sometimes the master and sometimes the

overseers whipping--as they relieved each other to take breath. Then

he was for a time left to himself, and in the course of the day

received FOUR HUNDRED LASHES--still denying the charge, Next morning

Mr. Anthony walked out--the sun was just rising--he saw the man

greatly enfeabled, leaning against a stump. It was time to go to

work--he attempted to rise, but fell back--again attempted, and again

fell back--still making the attempt, and still falling back, Mr.

Anthony thought, nearly _twenty times_ before he succeeded in

standing--he then staggered off to his shop. In course of the morning

Mr. A. went to the door and looked in. Two overseers were standing by.

The slave was feverish and sick--his skin and mouth dry and parched.

He was very thirsty. One of the overseers, while Mr. A, was looking at

him, inquired of the other whether it were not best to give him a

little water. 'No. damn him, he will do well enough,' was the reply

from the other overseer. This was all the relief gained by the poor

slave. A few days after, the slaveholder's _son confessed that he

stole the strap himself._"

Rev. D.C. EASTMAN, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church at

Bloomingburg, Fayette county, Ohio, has just forwarded a letter, from

which the following is an extract:

"GEORGE ROEBUCK, an old and respectable farmer, near Bloomingburg,

Fayette county, Ohio, a member of the Methodist Episcopal church,

says, that almost forty-three years ago, he saw in Bath county,

Virginia, a slave girl with a sore between the shoulders of the size

and shape of a _smoothing iron._ The girl was 'owned' by one M'Neil. A

slaveholder who boarded at M'Neil's stated that Mrs. M'Neil had placed

the aforesaid iron when hot, between the girl's shoulders, and

produced the sore.

"Roebuck was once at this M'Neil's father's, and whilst the old man

was at morning prayer, he heard the son plying the whip upon a slave

out of doors.

"ELI WEST, of Concord township, Fayette county, Ohio, formerly of

North Carolina, a farmer and an exhorter in the Methodist Protestant

church, says, that many years since he went to live with an uncle who

owned about fifty negroes. Soon after his arrival, his uncle ordered

his waiting boy, who was _naked_, to be tied--his hands to horse rack,

and his feet together, with a rail passed between his legs, and held

down by a person at each end. In this position he was whipped, from

neck to feet, till covered with blood; after which he was _salted._

"His uncle's slaves received one quart of corn each day, and that

only, and were allowed one hour each day to cook and eat it. They had

no meat but once in the year. Such was the general usage in that

country.

"West, after this, lived one year with Esquire Starky and mother. They

had two hundred slaves, who received the usual treatment of

starvation, nakedness, and the cowhide. They had one lively negro

woman who bore no children. For this neglect, her mistress had her

back made naked and a severe whipping inflicted. But as she continued

barren, she was sold to the 'negro buyers.'"

"THOMAS LARRIMER, a deacon in the Presbyterian church at Bloomingburg,

Fayette county, Ohio, and a respectable farmer, says, that in April,

1837, as he was going down the Mississippi river, about fifty miles

below Natchez, he saw ahead, on the left side of the river, a colored

person tied to a post, and a man with a driver's whip, the lash about

eight or ten feet long. With this the man commenced, with much

deliberation, to whip, with much apparent force, and continued till he

got out of sight.

"When coming up the river forty or fifty miles below Vicksburg, a

Judge Owens came on board the steamboat. He was owner of a cotton

plantation below there, and on being told of the above whipping, he

said that slaves were often whipped to death for great offences, such

as _stealing,_ &c.--but that when death followed, the overseers were

generally severely _reproved!_

"About the same time, he spent a night at Mr. Casey's, three miles

from Columbia, South Carolina. Whilst there they heard him giving

orders as to what was to be done, and amongst other things, "That

nigger must be buried." On inquiry, he learnt that a gentleman

traveling with a servant, had a short time previous called there, and

said his servant had just been taken ill, and he should be under the

necessity of leaving him. He did so. The slave became worst, and

Casey called in a physician, who pronounced it an old case, and said

that he must shortly die. The slave said, if that was the case he

would now tell the truth. He had been attacked, a long time since,

with a difficulty in the side--his master swore he would 'have his own

out of him' and started off to sell him, with a threat to kill him if

he told he had been sick, more than a few days. They saw them making

a rough plank box to bury him in.

"In March, 1833, twenty-five or thirty miles south of Columbia, on the

great road through Sumpterville district, they saw a large company of

female slaves carrying rails and building fence. Three of them were

far advanced in pregnancy.

"In the month of January, 1838, he put up with a drove of mules and

horses, at one Adams', on the Drovers' road, near the south border of

Kentucky. His son-in-law, who had lived in the south, was there. In

conversation about picking cotton, he said, 'some hands cannot get the

sleight of it. I have a girl who to-day has done as good a day's work

at grubbing as any _man_, but I could not make her a hand at

cotton-picking. I whipped her, and if I did it once I did it five

hundred times, but I found she _could_ not; so I put her to carrying

rails with the men. After a few days I found her shoulders were so

_raw_ that every rail was _bloody_ as she laid it down. I asked her if

she would not rather pick cotton than carry rails. 'No,' said she, 'I

don't get whipped now.'"

WILLIAM A. USTICK, an elder of the Presbyterian church at

Bloomingburg, and Mr. G.S. Fullerton, a merchant and member of the

same church, were with Deacon Larrimer on this journey, and are

witnesses to the preceding facts.

Mr. SAMUEL HALL, a teacher in Marietta College, Ohio, and formerly

secretary of the Colonization society in that village, has recently

communicated the facts that follow. We quote from his letter.

"The following horrid flagellation was witnessed in part, till his

soul was sick, by MR. GLIDDEN, an inhabitant of Marietta, Ohio, who

went down the Mississippi river, with a boat load of produce in the

autumn of 1837; it took place at what is called 'Matthews' or

'Matheses Bend' in December, 1837. Mr. G. is worthy of credit.

"A negro was tied up, and flogged until the blood ran down and filled

his shoes, so that when he raised either foot and set it down again,

the blood would run over their tops. I could not look on any longer,

but turned away in horror; the whipping was continued to the number of

500 lashes, as I understood; a quart of spirits of turpentine was then

applied to his lacerated body. The same negro came down to my boat, to

get some apples, and was so weak from his wounds and loss of blood,

that he could not get up the bank, but fell to the ground. The crime

for which the negro was whipped, was that of telling the other

negroes, that _the overseer had lain with his wife."_

Mr. Hall adds:--

"The following statement is made by a young man from Western Virginia.

He is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and a student in Marietta

College. All that prevents the introduction of his _name,_ is the

peril to his life, which would probably be the consequence, on his

return to Virginia. His character for integrity and veracity is above

suspicion.

"On the night of the great meteoric shower, in Nov. 1833. I was at

Remley's tavern, 12 miles west of Lewisburg, Greenbrier Co., Virginia.

A drove of 50 or 60 negroes stopped at the same place that night.

They usually 'camp out,' but as it was excessively muddy, they were

permitted to come into the house. So far as my knowledge extends,

'droves,' on their way to the south, eat but twice a day, early in the

morning and at night. Their supper was a compound of 'potatoes and

meal,' and was, without exception, the _dirtiest, blackest looking

mess I ever saw._ I remarked at the time that the food was not as

clean, in appearance, as that which was given to a _drove of hogs_, at

the same place the night previous. Such as it was, however, a black

woman brought it on her head, in a tray or trough two and a half feet

long, where the men and women were promiscuously herded. The slaves

rushed up and seized it from the trough in handfulls, before the woman

could take it off her head. They jumped at it as if half-famished.

"They slept on the floor of the room which they were permitted to

occupy, lying in every form imaginable, males and females,

promiscuously. They were so thick on the floor, that in passing

through the room it was necessary to step over them.

"There were three drivers, one of whom staid in the room to watch the

drove, and the other two slept in an adjoining room. Each of the

latter took a female from the drove to lodge with him, as is the

common practice of the drivers generally. There is no doubt about this

particular instance, _for they were seen together_. The mud was so

thick on the floor where this drove slept, that it was necessary to

take a shovel, the next morning, and clear it out. Six or eight in

this drove were chained; all were for the south.

In the autumn of the same year I saw a drove of upwards of a hundred,

between 40 and 50 of them were fastened to one chain, the links being

made of iron rods, as thick in diameter as a man's little finger. This

drove was bound westward to the Ohio river, to be shipped to the

south. I have seen many droves, and more or less in each, almost

without exception, were chained. I never saw but one drove, that went

on their way making merry. In that one they were blowing horns,

singing, &c., and appeared as if they had been drinking whisky.

"They generally appear extremely dejected. I have seen in the course

of five years, on the road near where I reside, 12 or 15 droves at

least, passing to the south. They would average 40 in each drove. Near

the first of January, 1834, I started about sunrise to go to

Lewisburg. It was a bitter cold morning. I met a drove of negroes, 30

or 40 in number, remarkably ragged and destitute of clothing. One

little boy particularly excited my sympathy. He was some distance

behind the others, not being able to keep up with the rest. Although

he was shivering with cold and crying, the driver was pushing him up

in a trot to overtake the main gang. All of them looked as if they

were half-frozen. There was one remarkable instance of tyranny,

exhibited by a boy, not more than eight years old, that came under my

observation, in a family by the name of D----n, six miles from

Lewisburg. This youngster would swear at the slaves, and exert all the

strength he possessed, to flog or beat them, with whatever instrument

or weapon he could lay hands on, provided they did not obey him

_instanter_. He was encouraged in this by his father, the master of

the slaves. The slaves often fled from this young tyrant in terror."

Mr. Hall adds:--

"The following extract is from a letter, to a student in Marietta

College, by his friend in Alabama. With the writer, Mr. Isaac Knapp, I

am perfectly acquainted. He was a student in the above College, for

the space of one year, before going to Alabama, was formerly a

resident of Dummerston, Vt. He is a professor of religion, and as

worthy of belief as any member of the community. Mr. K. has returned

from the South, and is now a member of the same college.

"In Jan. (1838) a negro of a widow Phillips, ranaway, was taken up,

and confined in Pulaski jail. One Gibbs, overseer for Mrs. P., mounted

on horseback, took him from confinement, compelled him to run back to

Elkton, a distance of fifteen miles, whipping him all the way. When he

reached home, the negro exhausted and worn out, exclaimed, 'you have

broke my heart,' i.e. you have killed me. For this, Gibbs flew into a

violent passion, tied the negro to a stake, and, in the language of a

witness, '_cut his back to mince-meat_.' But the fiend was not

satisfied with this. He burnt his legs to a blister, with hot embers,

and then chained him _naked_, in the open air, weary with running,

weak from the loss of blood, and smarting from his burns. It was a

cold night--and _in the morning the negro was dead_. Yet this monster

escaped without even _the shadow_ of a trial. 'The negro,' said the

doctor, 'died, by--he knew not what; any how, Gibbs did not kill

him.'[9] A short time since, (the letter is dated, April, 1838.)

'Gibbs whipped another negro unmercifully because the horse, with

which he was ploughing, broke the reins and ran. He then raised his

whip against Mr. Bowers, (son of Mrs. P.) who shot him. Since I came

here,' (a period of about six months,) there have been eight white men

and two negroes killed, within 30 miles of me."

[Footnote 9: Mr. Knapp, gives me some further verbal particulars about

this affair. He says that his informant saw the negro dead the next

morning, that his legs were blistered, and that the negroes affirmed

that Gibbs compelled them to throw embers upon him. But Gibbs denied

it, and said the blistering was the effect of frost, as the negro was

much exposed to before being taken up. Mr. Bowers, a son of Mrs.

Phillips by a former husband, attempted to have Gibbs brought to

justice, but his mother justified Gibbs, and nothing was therefore

done about it. The affair took place in Upper Elkton, Tennessee, near

the Alabama line.]

The following is from Mr. Knapp's own lips, taken down a day or two

since.

"Mr. Buster, with whom I boarded, in Limestone Co., Ala., related to me

the following incident: 'George a slave belonging to one of the

estates in my neighborhood, was lurking about my residence without a

pass. We were making preparations to give him a flogging, but he

escaped from us. Not long afterwards, meeting a patrol which had just

taken a negro in custody without a pass, I inquired, Who have you

there? on learning that it was _George_, well, I rejoined, there is a

small matter between him and myself that needs adjustment, so give me

the raw hide, which I accordingly took, and laid 60 strokes on his

back, to the utmost of my strength.' I was speaking of this barbarity,

afterwards, to Mr. Bradley, an overseer of the Rev. Mr. Donnell, who

lives in the vicinity of Moresville, Ala., 'Oh,' replied he, 'we

consider _that_ a very light whipping here' Mr. Bradley is a professor

of religion, and is esteemed in that vicinity a very pious, exemplary

Christian.'"

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM REV. C. STEWART RENSHAW, of Quincy, Illinois,

dated Jan. 1, 1839.

"I do not feel at liberty to disclose the name of the brother who has

furnished the following facts. He is highly esteemed as a man of

scrupulous veracity. I will confirm my own testimony by the

certificate of Judge Snow and Mr. Keyes, two of the oldest and most

respectable settlers in Quincy.

Quincy, Dec. 29, 1838"

"Dear Sir,--We have been long acquainted with the Christian brother

who has named to you some facts that fell under his observation while

a resident of slave states. He is a member of a Christian church, in

good standing; and is a man of strict integrity of character.

Henry H. Snow, Willard Keyes.

Rev. C. Stewart Renshaw."

"My informant spent thirty years of his life in Kentucky and Missouri.

Whilst in Kentucky he resided in Hardin co. I noted down his testimony

very nearly in his own words, which will account for their

_evidence-like_ form. On the general condition of the slaves in

Kentucky, through Hardin co., he said, their houses were very

uncomfortable, generally without floors, other than the earth: many

had puncheon floors, but he never remembers to have seen a plank

floor. In regard to clothing they were very badly off. In summer

they cared little for clothing; but in winter they almost froze. Their

rags might hide their nakedness from the sun in summer, but would not

protect them from the cold in winter. Their bed-clothes were tattered

rags, thrown into a corner by day, and drawn before the fire by night.

'The only thing,' said he, 'to which I can compare them, in winter, is

_stock without a shelter.'_

"He made the following comparison between the condition of slaves in

Kentucky and Missouri. So far as he was able to compare them, he said,

that in Missouri the slaves had better _quarters_-but are not so well

clad, and are more severely punished than in Kentucky. In both states,

the slaves are huddled together, without distinction of sex, into the

same quarter, till it is filled, then another is built; often two or

three families in a log hovel, twelve feet square.

"It is proper to state, that the sphere of my informant's observation

was mainly in the region of Hardin co., Kentucky, and the eastern part

of Missouri, and not through those states generally.

"Whilst at St. Louis, a number of years ago, as he was going to work

with Mr. Henry Males, and another carpenter, they heard groans from a

barn by the road-side: they stopped, and looking through the cracks of

the barn, saw a negro bound hand and foot to a post, so that his toes

just touched the ground; and his master, Captain Thorpe, was

inflicting punishment; he had whipped him till exhausted,--rested

himself, and returned again to the punishment. The wretched sufferer

was in a most pitiable condition, and the warm blood and dry dust of

the barn had formed a mortar up to his instep. Mr. Males jumped the

fence, and remonstrated so effectually with Capt. Thorpe, that he

ceased the punishment. It was six weeks before that slave could put on

his shirt!

"John Mackey, a rich slaveholder, lived near Clarksville, Pike co.,

Missouri, some years since. He whipped his slave Billy, a boy fourteen

years old, till he was sick and stupid; he then sent him home. Then,

for his stupidity, whipped him again, and fractured his skull with an

axe-helve. He buried him away in the woods; dark words were whispered,

and the body was disinterred. A coroner's inquest was held, and Mr. R.

Anderson, the coroner, brought in a verdict of death from fractured

skull, occasioned by blows from an axe-handle, inflicted by John

Mackey. The case was brought into court, but Mackey was rich, and his

murdered victim was his SLAVE; after expending about $500 be walked

free.

"One Mrs. Mann, living near ----, in ---- co., Missouri was known to

be very cruel to her slaves. She had a bench made purposely to whip

them upon; and what she called her "six pound paddle," an instrument

of prodigious torture, bored through with holes; this she would wield

with both hands as she stood over her prostrate victim.

"She thus punished a hired slave woman named Fanny, belonging to Mr.

Charles Trabue, who lives neat Palmyra, Marion co., Missouri; on the

morning after the punishment Fanny was a corpse; she was silently and

quickly buried, but rumor was not so easily stopped. Mr. Trabue heard

of it, and commenced suit for his _property_. The murdered slave was

disinterred, and an inquest held; her back was a mass of jellied

muscle; and the coroner brought in a verdict of death by the 'six

pound paddle.' Mrs. Mann fled for a few months, but returned again,

and her friends found means to protract the suit.

"This same Mrs. Mann had another hired slave woman living with her,

called Patterson's Fanny, she belonged to a Mr. Patterson; she had a

young babe with her, just beginning to creep. One day, after washing,

whilst a tub of rinsing water yet stood in the kitchen, Mrs. Mann came

out in haste, and sent Fanny to do something out of doors. Fanny tried

to beg off--she was afraid to leave her babe, lest it should creep to

the tub and get hurt--Mrs. M. said she would watch the babe, and sent

her off. She went with much reluctance, and heard the child struggle

as she went out the door. Fearing lest Mrs. M. should leave the babe

alone, she watched the room, and soon saw her pass out of the opposite

door. Immediately Fanny hurried in, and looked around for her babe,

she could not see it, she looked at the tub--there her babe was

floating, a strangled corpse. The poor woman gave a dreadful scream;

and Mrs. M. rushed into the room, with her hands raised, and

exclaimed, 'Heavens, Fanny! have you drowned your child?' It was vain

for the poor bereaved one to attempt to vindicate herself: in vain she

attempted to convince them that the babe had not been alone a moment,

and could not have drowned itself; and that she had not been in the

house a moment, before she screamed at discovering her drowned babe.

All was false! Mrs. Mann declared it was all pretence--that Fanny had

drowned her own babe, and now wanted to lay the blame upon her! and

Mrs. Mann was a white woman--of course her word was more valuable than

the oaths of all the slaves of Missouri. No evidence but that of

slaves could be obtained, or Mr. Patterson would have prosecuted for

his 'loss of property.' As it was, every one believed Mrs. M. guilty,

though the affair was soon hushed up."

Extract of a letter from Col. THOMAS ROGERS, a native of Kentucky, now

an elder in the Presbyterian Church at New Petersburg, Highland co.,

Ohio.

"When a boy, in Bourbon co., Kentucky, my father lived near a

slaveholder of the name of Clay, who had a large number of slaves; I

remember being often at their quarters; not one of their shanties, or

hovels, had any floor but the earth. Their clothing was truly neither

fit for covering nor decency. We could distinctly, of a still morning,

hear this man whipping his blacks, and hear their screams from my

father's farm; this could be heard almost any still morning about the

dawn of day. It was said to be his usual custom to repair, about the

break of day, to their cabin doors, and, as the blacks passed out, to

give them as many strokes of his cowskin as opportunity afforded; and

he would proceed in this manner from cabin to cabin until they were

all out. Occasionally some of his slaves would abscond, and upon being

retaken they were punished severely; and some of them, it is believed,

died in consequence of the cruelty of their usage. I saw one of this

man's slaves, about seventeen years old, wearing a collar, with long

iron horns extending from his shoulders far above his head.

"In the winter of 1828-29 I traveled through part of the states of

Maryland and Virginia to Baltimore. At Frost Town, on the national

road, I put up for the night. Soon after, there came in a slaver with

his drove of slaves; among them were two young men, chained together.

The bar room was assigned to them for their place of lodging--those in

chains were guarded when they had to go out. I asked the 'owner' why

he kept these men chained; he replied, that they were stout young

fellows, and should they rebel, he and his son would not be able to

manage them. I then left the room, and shortly after heard a

_scream_, and when the landlady inquired the cause, the slaver coolly

told her not to trouble herself, he was only chastising one of his

women. It appeared that three days previously her child had died on

the road, and been thrown into a hole or crevice in the mountain, and

a few stones thrown over it; and the mother weeping for her child was

chastised by her master, and told by him, she 'should have something

to cry for.' The name of this man I can give if called for.

"When engaged in this journey I spent about one month with my

relations in Virginia. It being shortly after new year, _the time of

hiring_ was over; but I saw the pounds, and the scaffolds which

remained of the pounds, in which the slaves had been penned up"

M. GEORGE W. WESTGATE, of Quincy, Illinois, who lived in the

southwestern slave states a number of years, has furnished the

following statement.

"The great mass of the slaves are under drivers and overseers. I never

saw an overseer without a whip; the whip usually carried is a short

loaded stock, with a heavy lash from five to six feet long. When they

whip a slave they make him pull off his shirt, if he has one, then

make him lie down on his face, and taking their stand at the length of

the lash, they inflict the punishment. Whippings are so _universal_

that a negro that has not been whipped is talked of in all the region

as a wonder. By whipping I do not mean a few lashes across the

shoulders, but a set flogging, and generally _lying down._

"On sugar plantations generally, and on some cotton plantations, they

have negro drivers, who are in such a degree responsible for their

gang, that if they are at fault, the driver is whipped. The result is,

the gang are constantly driven by him to the extent of the influence

of the lash; and it is uniformly the case that gangs dread a negro

driver more than a white overseer.

"I spent a winter on widow Culvert's plantation, near Rodney,

Mississippi, but was not in a situation to see extraordinary

punishments. Bellows, the overseer, for a trifling offence, took one

of the slaves, stripped him, and with a piece of burning wood applied

to his posteriors, burned him cruelly; while the poor wretch screamed

in the greatest agony. The principal preparation for punishment that

Bellows had, was single handcuffs made of iron, with chains, by which

the offender could be chained to four stakes on the ground. These are

very common in all the lower country. I noticed one slave on widow

Calvert's plantation, who was whipped from twenty-five to fifty lashes

every fortnight during the whole winter. The expression 'whipped to

death,' as applied to slaves, is common at the south.

"Several years ago I was going below New Orleans, in what is called

the Plaquemine country, and a planter sent down in my boat a runaway

he had found in New Orleans, to his plantation at Orange 5 Points. As

we came near the Points he told me, with deep feeling, that he

expected to be whipped almost to death: pointing to a graveyard, he

said, 'There lie five who were whipped to death.' Overseers generally

keep some of the women on the plantation; I scarce know an exception

to this. Indeed, their intercourse with them is very much

promiscuous,--they show them not much, if any favor. Masters

frequently follow the example of their overseers in this thing.

"GEORGE W. WESTGATE."

II. TORTURES, BY IRON COLLARS, CHAINS, FETTERS, HANDCUFFS, &c.

The slaves are often tortured by iron collars, with long prongs or

"horns" and sometimes bells attached to them--they are made to wear

chains, handcuffs, fetters, iron clogs, bars, rings, and bands of iron

upon their limbs, iron masks upon their faces, iron gags in their

mouths, &c.

In proof of this, we give the testimony of slaveholders themselves,

under their own names; it will be mostly in the form of extracts from

their own advertisements, in southern newspapers, in which, describing

their runaway slaves, they specify the iron collars, handcuffs,

chains, fetters, &c., which they wore upon their necks, wrists,

ankles, and other parts of their bodies. To publish the _whole_ of

each advertisement, would needlessly occupy space and tax the reader;

we shall consequently, as heretofore, give merely the name of the

advertiser, the name and date of the newspaper containing the

advertisement, with the place of publication, and only so much of the

advertisement as will give the particular _fact_, proving the truth of

the assertion contained in the _general head_.

William Toler, sheriff of Simpson county, Mississippi, in the

"Southern Sun," Jackson, Mississippi, September 22, 1838.

"Was committed to jail, a yellow boy named Jim--had on a _large lock

chain around his neck."_

Mr. James R. Green, in the "Beacon," Greensborough, Alabama, August

23, 1838.

"Ranaway, a negro man named Squire--had on a _chain locked with a

house-lock, around his neck."_

Mr. Hazlet Loflano, in the "Spectator," Staunton, Virginia, Sept. 27,

1838.

"Ranaway, a negro named David--with some _iron hobbles around each

ankle."_

Mr. T. Enggy, New Orleans, Gallatin street, between Hospital and

Barracks, N.O. "Bee," Oct. 27, 1837.

"Ranaway, negress Caroline--had on a _collar with one prong turned

down."_

Mr. John Henderson, Washington, county, Mi., in the "Grand Gulf

Advertiser," August 29, 1838.

"Ranaway, a black woman, Betsey--had an _iron bar on her right leg."_

William Dyer sheriff, Claiborne, Louisiana, in the "Herald,"

Natchitoches, (La.) July 26, 1837.

"Was committed to jail, a negro named Ambrose--has a _ring of iron

around his neck."_

Mr. Owen Cooke, "Mary street, between Common and Jackson streets," New

Orleans, in the N.O. "Bee," September 12, 1837.

"Ranaway, my slave Amos, had a _chain_ attached to one of his legs"

H.W. Rice, sheriff, Colleton district, South Carolina, in the

"Charleston Mercury," September 1, 1838.

"Committed to jail, a negro named Patrick, about forty-five years old,

and is _handcuffed._"

W.P. Reeves, jailor, Shelby county, Tennessee, in the "Memphis

Enquirer, June 17, 1837.

"Committed to jail, a negro--had on his right leg an _iron band_ with

one link of a chain."

Mr. Francis Durett, Lexington, Lauderdale county, Ala., in the

"Huntsville Democrat," August 29, 1837.

"Ranaway, a negro man named Charles--had on a _drawing chain,_

fastened around his ankle with a house lock."

Mr. A. Murat, Baton Rouge, in the New Orleans "Bee," June 20, 1837.

"Ranaway, the negro Manuel, _much marked with irons."_

Mr. Jordan Abbott, in the "Huntsville Democrat," Nov. 17, 1838.

"Ranaway, a negro boy named Daniel, about nineteen years old, and was

_handcuffed."_

Mr. J. Macoin, No. 177 Ann street, New Orleans, in the "Bee," August

ll, 1838.

"Ranaway, the negress Fanny--had on an _iron band about her neck."_

Menard Brothers, parish of Bernard, Louisiana, In the N.O. "Bee,"

August 18, 1838.

"Ranaway, a negro named John--having an _iron around his right foot."_

Messrs. J.L. and W.H. Bolton, Shelby county, Tennessee, in the

"Memphis Enquirer," June 7, 1837.

"Absconded, a colored boy named Peter--had an _iron round his neck_

when he went away."

H. Gridly, sheriff of Adams county, Mi., in the "Memphis (Tenn.)

Times," September, 1834.

"Was committed to jail, a negro boy--had on a _large neck iron_ with a

_huge pair of horns and a large bar or band of iron_ on his left leg."

Mr. Lambre, in the "Natchitoches (La.) Herald," March 29, 1837.

"Ranaway, the negro boy Teams--he had on his neck an _iron collar."_

Mr. Ferdinand Lemos, New Orleans, in the "Bee," January 29, 1838.

"Ranaway, the negro George--he had on _his neck an iron collar,_ the

branches of which had been taken off"

Mr. T.J. De Yampert, merchant, Mobile, Alabama, of the firm of De

Yampert, King & Co., in the "Mobile Chronicle," June 15, 1838.

"Ranaway, a negro boy about _twelve_ years old--had round his neck _a

chain dog-collar_, with 'De Yampert' engraved on it."

J.H. Hand, jailor, St. Francisville, La., in the "Louisiana

Chronicle," July 26, 1837.

"Committed to jail, slave John--has several scars on his wrists,

occasioned, as he says, by _handcuffs."_

Mr. Charles Curener, New Orleans, in the "Bee," July 2, 1838.

"Ranaway, the negro, Hown--has a ring of iron on his left foot. Also,

Grise, his _wife,_ having a _ring and chain on the left leg."_

Mr. P.T. Manning, Huntsville, Alabama, in the "Huntsville Advocate,"

Oct. 23, 1838.

"Ranaway, a negro boy named James--said boy was _ironed_ when he left

me."

Mr. William L. Lambeth, Lynchburg, Virginia, in the "Moulton [Ala.]

Whig," January 30, 1836.

"Ranaway, Jim--had on when he escaped a pair of _chain handcuffs."_

Mr. D.F. Guex, Secretary of the Steam Cotton Press Company, New

Orleans, in the "Commercial Bulletin," May 27, 1837.

"Ranaway, Edmund Coleman--it is supposed he must have _iron shackles

on his ankles_."

Mr. Francis Durett, Lexington, Alabama, in the "Huntsville Democrat,"

March 8, 1838.

"Ranaway ----, a mulatto--had on when he left, a _pair of handcuffs_

and a _pair of drawing chains_."

B.W. Hodges, jailor, Pike county, Alabama, in the "Montgomery

Advertiser," Sept. 29, 1837.

"Committed to jail, a man who calls his name John--he has a _clog of

iron on his right foot which will weigh four or five pounds_."

P. Bayhi captain of police, in the N.O. "Bee," June 9, 1838.

"Detained at the police jail, the negro wench Myra--has several marks

of _lashing_, and has _irons on her feet_."

Mr. Charles Kernin, parish of Jefferson, Louisiana, in the N.O. "Bee,"

August 11, 1837.

"Ranaway, Betsey--when she left she had on her _neck an iron collar_."

The foregoing advertisements are sufficient for our purpose, scores of

similar ones may be gathered from the newspapers of the slave states

every month.

To the preceding testimony of slaveholders, published by themselves,

and vouched for by their own signatures, we subjoin the following

testimony of other witnesses to the same point.

JOHN M. NELSON, Esq., a native of Virginia, now a highly respected

citizen of highland county, Ohio, and member of the Presbyterian

Church in Hillsborough, in a recent letter states the following:--

"In Staunton, Va., at the horse of Mr. Robert M'Dowell, a merchant of

that place, I once saw a colored woman, of intelligent and dignified

appearance, who appeared to be attending to the business of the house,

with an _iron collar_ around her neck, with horns or prongs extending

out on either side, and up, until they met at something like a foot

above her head, at which point there was a bell attached. This _yoke_,

as they called it, I understood was to prevent her from running away,

or to punish her for having done so. I had frequently seen _men_ with

iron collars, but this was the first instance that I recollect to have

seen a _female_ thus degraded."

Major HORACE NYE, an elder in the Presbyterian Church at Putnam,

Muskingum county, Ohio, in a letter, dated Dec. 5, 1838, makes the

following statement:--

"Mr. Wm. Armstrong, of this place, who is frequently employed by our

citizens as captain and supercargo of descending boats, whose word may

be relied on, has just made to me the following statement:--

"While laying at Alexandria, on Red River, Louisiana, he saw a slave

brought to a blacksmith's shop and a collar of iron fastened round his

neck, with two pieces rivetted to the sides, meeting some distance

above his head. At the top of the arch, thus formed, was attached a

large cow-bell, the motion of which, while walking the streets, made

it necessary for the slave to hold his hand to one of its sides, to

steady it.

"In New Orleans he saw several with iron collars, with horns attached

to them. The first he saw had three prongs projecting from the collar

ten or twelve inches, with the letter S on the end of each. He says

iron collars are quite frequent there."

To the preceding Major Nye adds:--

"When I was about twelve years of age I lived at Marietta, in this

state: I knew little of slaves, as there were few or none, at that

time, in the part of Virginia opposite that place. But I remember

seeing a slave who had run away from some place beyond my knowledge at

that time: he had an iron collar round his neck, to which was a strap

of iron rivetted to the collar, on each side, passing over the top of

the head; and another strap, from the back side to the top of the

first--thus inclosing the head on three sides. I looked on while the

blacksmith severed the collar with a file, which, I think, took him

more than an hour."

Rev. JOHN DUDLEY, Mount Morris, Michigan, resided as a teacher at the

missionary station, among the Choctaws, in Mississippi, during the

years 1830 and 31. In a letter just received Mr. Dudley says:--

"During the time I was on missionary ground, which was in 1830 and 31,

I was frequently at the residence of the agent, who was a

slaveholder.--I never knew of his treating his own slaves with

cruelty; but the poor fellows who were escaping, and lodged with him

when detected, found no clemency. I once saw there a fetter for '_the

d----d runaways_,' the weight of which can be judged by its size. It

was at least three inches wide, half an inch thick, and something over

a foot long. At this time I saw a poor fellow compelled to work in the

field, at 'logging,' with such a galling fetter on his ankles. To

prevent it from wearing his ankles, a string was tied to the centre,

by which the victim suspended it when he walked, with one hand, and

with the other carried his burden. Whenever he lifted, the fetter

rested on his bare ankles. If he lost his balance and made a misstep,

which must very often occur in lifting and rolling logs, the torture

of his fetter was severe. Thus he was doomed to work while wearing the

torturing iron, day after day, and at night he was confined in the

runaways' jail. Some time after this, I saw the same dejected,

heart-broken creature obliged to wait on the other hands, who were

husking corn. The privilege of sitting with the others was too much

for him to enjoy; he was made to hobble from house to barn and barn to

house, to carry food and drink for the rest. He passed round the end

of the house where I was sitting with the agent: he seemed to take no

notice of me, but fixed his eyes on his tormentor till he passed quite

by us."

Mr. ALFRED WILKINSON, member of the Baptist Church in Skeneateles,

N.Y. and an assessor of that town, testifies as follows :--

"I stayed in New Orleans three weeks: during that time there used to

pass by where I stayed a number of slaves, each with an iron band

around his ankle, a chain attached to it, and an eighteen pound ball

at the end. They were employed in wheeling dirt with a wheelbarrow;

they would put the ball into the barrow when they moved.--I recollect

one day, that I counted nineteen of them, sometimes there were not as

many; they were driven by a slave, with a long lash, as if they were

beasts. These, I learned, were runaway slaves from the plantations

above New Orleans.

"There was also a negro woman, that used daily to come to the market

with milk; she had an iron band around her neck, with three rods

projecting from it, about sixteen inches long, crooked at the ends."

For the fact which follows we are indebted to Mr. SAMUEL HALL, a

teacher in Marietta College, Ohio. We quote his letter.

"Mr. Curtis, a journeyman cabinet-maker, of Marietta, relates the

following, of which he was an eye witness. Mr. Curtis is every way

worthy of credit.

"In September, 1837, at 'Milligan's Bend,' in the Mississippi river, I

saw a negro with an iron band around his head, locked behind with a

padlock. In the front, where it passed the mouth, there was a

projection inward of an inch and a half, which entered the mouth.

"The overseer told me, he was so addicted to running away, it did not

do any good to whip him for it. He said he kept this gag constantly on

him, and intended to do so as long as he was on the plantation: so

that, if he ran away, he could not eat, and would starve to death. The

slave asked for drink in my presence; and the overseer made him lie

down on his back, and turned water on his face two or three feet high,

in order to torment him, as he could not swallow a drop.--The slave

then asked permission to go to the river; which being granted, he

thrust his face and head entirely under the water, that being the only

way he could drink with his gag on. The gag was taken off when he took

his food, and then replaced afterwards."

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM MRS. SOPHIA LITTLE, of Newport, Rhode Island,

daughter of Hon. Asher Robbins, senator in Congress for that state.

"There was lately found, in the hold of a vessel engaged in the

southern trade, by a person who was clearing it out, an iron collar,

with three horns projecting from it. It seems that a young female

slave, on whose slender neck was riveted this fiendish instrument of

torture, ran away from her tyrant, and begged the captain to bring her

off with him. This the captain refused to do; but unriveted the collar

from her neck, and threw it away in the hold of the vessel. The collar

is now at the anti-slavery office, Providence. To the truth of these

facts Mr. William H. Reed, a gentleman of the highest moral character,

is ready to vouch.

"Mr. Reed is in possession of many facts of cruelty witnessed by

persons of veracity; but these witnesses are not willing to give their

names. One case in particular he mentioned. Speaking with a certain

captain, of the state of the slaves at the south, the captain

contended that their punishments were often very _lenient_; and, as an

instance of their excellent clemency, mentioned, that in one instance,

not wishing to whip a slave, they sent him to a blacksmith, and had an

iron band fastened around him, with three long projections reaching

above his head; and this he wore some time."

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM MR. JONATHON F. BALDWIN, of Lorain county,

Ohio. Mr. B. was formerly a merchant in Massillon, Ohio, and an elder

in the Presbyterian Church there.

"Dear Brother,--In conversation with Judge Lyman, of Litchfield

county, Connecticut, last June, he stated to me, that several years

since he was in Columbia, South Carolina, and observing a colored man

lying on the floor of a blacksmith's shop, as he was passing it, his

curiosity led him in. He learned the man was a slave and rather

unmanageable. Several men were attempting to detach from his ankle an

iron which had been bent around it.

"The iron was a piece of a flat bar of the ordinary size from the

forge hammer, and bent around the ankle, the ends meeting, and forming

a hoop of about the diameter of the leg. There was one or more strings

attached to the iron and extending up around his neck, evidently so to

suspend it as to prevent its galling by its weight when at work, yet

it had galled or griped till the leg had swollen out beyond the iron

and inflamed and suppurated, so that the leg for a considerable

distance above and below the iron, was a mass of putrefaction, the

most loathsome of any wound he had ever witnessed on any living

creature. The slave lay on his back on the floor, with his leg on an

anvil which sat also on the floor, one man had a chisel used for

splitting iron, and another struck it with a sledge, to drive it

between the ends of the hoop and separate it so that it might be taken

off. Mr. Lyman said that the man swung the sledge over his shoulders

as if splitting iron, and struck many blows before he succeeded in

parting the ends of the iron at all, the bar was so large and

stubborn--at length they spread it as far as they could without

driving the chisel so low as to ruin the leg. The slave, a man of

twenty-five years, perhaps, whose countenance was the index of a mind

ill adapted to the degradations of slavery, never uttered a word or a

groan in all the process, but the copious flow of sweat from every

pore, the dreadful contractions and distortions of every muscle in his

body, showed clearly the great amount of his sufferings; and all this

while, such was the diseased state of the limb, that at every blow,

the bloody, corrupted matter gushed out in all directions several

feet, in such profusion as literally to cover a large area around the

anvil. After various other fruitless attempts to spread the iron, they

concluded it was necessary to weaken by filing before it could be got

off which he left them attempting to do."

Mr. WILLIAM DROWN, a well known citizen of Rhode Island, formerly of

Providence, who has traveled in nearly all the slave states, thus

testifies in a recent letter:

"I recollect seeing large gangs of slaves, generally a considerable

number in each gang, being chained, passing westward over the

mountains from Maryland, Virginia, &c. to the Ohio. On that river I

have frequently seen flat boats loaded with them, and their keepers

armed with pistols and dirks to guard them.

"At New Orleans I recollect seeing gangs of slaves that were driven

out every day, the Sabbath not excepted, to work on the streets.

These had heavy chains to connect two or more together, and some had

iron collars and yokes, &c. The noise as they walked, or worked in

their chains, was truly dreadful!"

Rev. THOMAS SAVAGE, pastor of the Congregational Church at Bedford,

New Hampshire, who was for some years a resident of Mississippi and

Louisiana, gives the following fact, in a letter dated January 9,

1839.

"In 1819, while employed as an instructor at Second Creek, near

Natchez, Mississippi, I resided on a plantation where I witnessed the

following circumstance. One of the slaves was in the habit of running

away. He had been repeatedly taken, and repeatedly whipped, with

great severity, but to no purpose. He would still seize the first

opportunity to escape from the plantation. At last his owner

declared, I'll fix him, I'll put a stop to his running away. He

accordingly took him to a blacksmith, and had an _iron head-frame_

made for him, which may be called lock-jaw, from the use that was made

of it. It had a lock and key, and was so constructed, that when on the

head and locked, the slave could not open his mouth to take food, and

the design was to prevent his running away. But the device proved

unavailing. He was soon missing, and whether by his own desperate

effort, or the aid of others, contrived to sustain himself with food;

but he was at last taken, and if my memory serves me, his life was

soon terminated by the cruel treatment to which he was subjected."

The Western Luminary, a religious paper published at Lexington,

Kentucky, in an editorial article, in the summer of 1833, says:

"A few weeks since we gave an account of a company of men, women and

children, part of whom were manacled, passing through our streets.

Last week, a number of slaves were driven through the main street of

our city, among whom were a number manacled together, two abreast, all

connected by, and supporting a _heavy iron chain_, which extended the

whole length of the line."

TESTIMONY OF A VIRGINIAN.

The _name_ of this witness cannot be published, as it would put him in

peril; but his _credibility_ is vouched for by the Rev. Ezra Fisher,

pastor of the Baptist Church, Quincy, Illinois, and Dr. Richard Eels,

of the same place. These gentlemen say of him, "We have great

confidence in his integrity, discretion, and strict Christian

principle." He says--

"About five years ago, I remember to have passed, in _a single day_,

four droves of slaves for the south west; the largest drove had 350

slaves in it, and the smallest upwards of 200. I counted 68 or 70 in

a single _coffle_. The '_coffle chain_' is a chain fastened at one

end to the centre of the bar of a pair of hand cuffs, which are

fastened to the right wrist of one, and the left wrist of another

slave, they standing abreast, and the chain between them. These are

the head of the coffle. The other end is passed through a ring in the

bolt of the next handcuffs, and the slaves being manacled thus, two

and two together, walk up, and the coffle chain is passed, and they go

up towards the head of the coffle. Of course they are closer or wider

apart in the coffle, according to the number to be coffled, and to the

length of the chain. _I have seen HUNDREDS of droves and

chain-coffles of this description_, and every coffle was a scene of

misery and wo, of tears and brokenness of heart."

Mr. SAMUEL HALL a teacher in Marietta College, Ohio, gives, in a late

letter, the following statement of a fellow student, from Kentucky, of

whom he says, "he is a professor of religion, and worthy of entire

confidence."

"I have seen at least _fifteen_ droves of 'human cattle,' passing by

us on their way to the south; and I do not recollect an exception,

where there were not more or less of them _chained_ together."

Mr. GEORGE P.C. HUSSEY, of Fayetteville, Franklin county,

Pennsylvania, writes thus:

"I was born and raised in Hagerstown, Washington county, Maryland,

where slavery is perhaps milder than in any other part of the slave

states; and yet I have seen _hundreds_ of colored men and women

chained together, two by two, and driven to the south. I have seen

slaves tied up and lashed till the blood ran down to their heels."

Mr. GIDDINGS, member of Congress from Ohio, in his speech in the House

of Representatives, Feb. 13, 1839, made the following statement:

"On the beautiful avenue in front of the Capitol, members of Congress,

during this session, have been compelled to turn aside from their

path, to permit a coffle of slaves, males and females, _chained to

each other by their necks_, to pass on their way to this _national

slave market_."

Testimony of JAMES K. PAULDING, Esq. the present Secretary of the

United States' Navy.

In 1817, Mr. Paulding published a work, entitled 'Letters from the

South, written during an excursion in the summer of 1816.' In the

first volume of that work, page 128, Mr. P. gives the following

description:

"The sun was shining out very hot--and in turning the angle of the

road, we encountered the following group: first, a little cart drawn

by one horse, in which five or six half naked black children were

tumbled like pigs together. The cart had no covering, and they seemed

to have been broiled to sleep. Behind the cart marched three black

women, with head, neck and breasts uncovered, and without shoes or

stockings: next came three men, bare-headed, and _chained together

with an ox-chain_. Last of all, came a white man on horse back,

carrying his pistols in his belt, and who, as we passed him, had the

impudence to look us in the face without blushing. At a house where we

stopped a little further on, we learned that he had bought these

miserable beings in Maryland, and was marching them in this manner to

one of the more southern states. Shame on the State of Maryland! and I

say, shame on the State of Virginia! and every state through which

this wretched cavalcade was permitted to pass! I do say, that when

they (the slaveholders) permit such flagrant and indecent outrages

upon humanity as that I have described; when they sanction a villain

in thus marching half naked women and men, loaded with chains, without

being charged with any crime but that of being _black_ from one

section of the United States to another, hundreds of miles in the face

of day, they disgrace themselves, and the country to which they

belong."[10]

[Footnote 10: The fact that Mr. Paulding, in the reprint of these

"Letters," in 1835, struck out this passage with all others

disparaging to slavery and its supporters, does not impair the force

of his testimony, however much it may sink the man. Nor will the next

generation regard with any more reverence, his character as a prophet,

because in the edition of 1835, two years after the American

Antislavery Society was formed, and when its auxiliaries were numbered

by hundreds, he inserted a _prediction_ that such movements would be

made at the North, with most disastrous results. "Wot ye not that such

a man as I can certainly divine!" Mr. Paulding has already been taught

by Judge Jay, that he who aspires to the fame of an oracle, without

its inspiration, must resort to other expedients to prevent detection,

than the clumsy one of _antedating_ his responses.]

III. BRANDINGS, MAIMINGS, GUY-SHOT WOUNDS, &c.

The slaves are often branded with hot irons, pursued with fire arms

and _shot_, hunted with dogs and torn by them, shockingly maimed with

knives, dirks, &c.; have their ears cut off, their eyes knocked out,

their bones dislocated and broken with bludgeons, their fingers and

toes cut off, their faces and other parts of their persons disfigured

with scars and gashes, _besides_ those made with the lash.

We shall adopt, under this head, the same course as that pursued under

previous ones,--first give the testimony of the slaveholders

themselves, to the mutilations, &c. by copying their own graphic

descriptions of them, in advertisements published under their own

names, and in newspapers published in the slave states, and,

generally, in their own immediate vicinity. We shall, as heretofore,

insert only so much of each advertisement as will be necessary to make

the point intelligible.

Mr. Micajah Ricks, Nash County, North Carolina, in the Raleigh

"Standard," July 18, 1838.

"Ranaway, a negro woman and two children; a few days before she went

off, _I burnt her with a hot iron_, on the left side of her face,_ I

tried to make the letter M._"

Mr. Asa B. Metcalf, Kingston, Adams Co. Mi. in the "Natchez Courier;'

June 15, 1832.

"Ranaway Mary, a black woman, has a _scar_ on her back and right arm

near the shoulder, _caused by a rifle ball._"

Mr. William Overstreet, Benton, Yazoo Co. Mi. in the "Lexington

(Kentucky) Observer," July 22, 1838.

"Ranaway a negro man named Henry, _his left eye out_, some scars from

a _dirk_ on and under his left arm, and _much scarred_ with the whip."

Mr. R.P. Carney, Clark Co. Ala., in the Mobile Register, Dec. 22, 1832

One hundred dollars reward for a negro fellow Pompey, 40 years old, he

is _branded_ on the _left jaw_.

Mr. J. Guyler, Savannah Georgia, in the "Republican," April 12, 1837.

"Ranaway Laman, an old negro man, grey, has _only one eye._"

J.A. Brown, jailor, Charleston, South Carolina, in the "Mercury," Jan.

12, 1837.

"Committed to jail a negro man, has _no toes_ on his left foot."

Mr. J. Scrivener, Herring Bay, Anne Arundel Co. Maryland, in the

Annapolis Republican, April 18, 1837.

"Ranaway negro man Elijah, has a scar on his left cheek, apparently

occasioned by _a shot_."

Madame Burvant corner of Chartres and Toulouse streets, New Orleans,

in the "Bee," Dec. 21, 1838.

"Ranaway a negro woman named Rachel, has _lost all her toes_ except

the large one."

Mr. O.W. Lains, In the "Helena, (Ark.) Journal," June 1, 1833.

"Ranaway Sam, he was _shot_ a short time since, through the hand, and

has _several shots in his left arm and side_."

Mr. R.W. Sizer, in the "Grand Gulf, [Mi.] Advertiser," July 8, 1837.

"Ranaway my negro man Dennis, said negro has been _shot_ in the left

arm between the shoulders and elbow, which has paralyzed the left

hand."

Mr. Nicholas Edmunds, in the "Petersburgh [Va.] Intelligencer," May

22, 1838.

"Ranaway my negro man named Simon, _he has been shot badly_ in his

back and right arm."

Mr. J. Bishop, Bishopville, Sumpter District, South Carolina, in the

"Camden [S.C.] Journal," March 4, 1837.

"Ranaway a negro named Arthur, has a considerable _scar_ across his

_breast and each arm_, made by a knife; loves to talk much of the

goodness of God."

Mr. S. Neyle, Little Ogeechee, Georgia, in the "Savannah Republican,"

July 3, 1837.

"Ranaway George, he has a _sword cut_ lately received on his left

arm."

Mrs. Sarah Walsh, Mobile, Ala. in the "Georgia Journal," March 27,

1837.

"Twenty five dollars reward for my man Isaac, he has a scar on his

forehead caused by a _blow_, and one on his back made by _a shot from

a pistol_."

Mr. J.P. Ashford, Adams Co. Mi. in the "Natchez Courier," August 24,

1838.

"Ranaway a negro girl called Mary, has a small scar over her eye, a

_good many teeth missing_, the letter A _is branded on her cheek and

forehead_."

Mr. Ely Townsend, Pike Co. Ala. in the "Pensacola Gazette," Sep. 16,

1837.

"Ranaway negro Ben, has a scar on his right hand, his thumb and fore

finger being injured by being _shot_ last fall, a part of _the bone

came out_, he has also one or two _large scars_ on his back and hips."

S.B. Murphy, jailer, Irvington, Ga. in the "Milledgeville Journal,"

May 29, 1838.

"Committed a negro man, is _very badly shot in the right side_ and

right hand."

Mr. A. Luminais, Parish of St. John Louisiana, in the New Orleans

"Bee," March 3, 1838.

"Detained at the jail, a mulatto named Tom, has a _scar_ on the right

cheek and appears to have been _burned with powder_ on the face."

Mr. Isaac Johnson, Pulaski Co. Georgia, in the "Milledgeville

Journal," June 19, 1838.

"Ranaway a negro man named Ned, _three of his fingers_ are drawn into

the palm of his hand by a _cut_, has a _scar_ on the back of his neck

nearly half round, done by a _knife_."

Mr. Thomas Hudnall, Madison Co. Mi. in the "Vicksburg Register,"

September 5, 1838.

"Ranaway a negro named Hambleton, _limps_ on his left foot where he

was _shot_ a few weeks ago, while runaway."

Mr. John McMurrain, Columbus, Ga. in the "Southern Sun," August 7,

1838.

"Ranaway a negro boy named Mose, he has a _wound_ in the right

shoulder near the back bone, which was occasioned by a _rifle shot_."

Mr. Moses Orme, Annapolis, Maryland, in the "Annapolis Republican,"

June 20, 1837.

"Ranaway my negro man Bill, he has a _fresh wound in his head_ above

his ear."

William Strickland, Jailor, Kershaw District, S.C. in the "Camden

[S.C.] Courier," July 8, 1837.

"Committed to jail a negro, says his name is Cuffee, he is lame in one

knee, occasioned _by a shot_."

The Editor of the "Grand Gulf Advertiser," Dec. 7, 1838.

"Ranaway Joshua, his thumb is off of his left hand."

Mr. William Bateman, in the "Grand Gulf Advertiser," Dec. 7, 1838.

"Ranaway William, _scar_ over his left eye, one between his eye brows,

one on his breast, and his right leg has been _broken_."

Mr. B.G. Simmons, in the "Southern Argus," May 30, 1837.

"Ranaway Mark, his left arm has been _broken_."

Mr. James Artop, in the "Macon [Ga.] Messenger, May 25, 1837.

"Ranaway, Caleb, 50 years old, has an awkward gait occasioned by his

being _shot_ in the thigh."

J.L. Jolley, Sheriff of Clinton, Co. Mi. in the "Clinton Gazette,"

July 23, 1836.

"Was committed to jail a negro man, says his name is Josiah, his back

very much scarred by the whip, and _branded on the thigh and hips, in

three or four places_, thus (J.M.) the _rim of his right ear has been

bit or cut off_."

Mr. Thomas Ledwith, Jacksonville East Florida, in the "Charleston

[S.C.] Courier, Sept. 1, 1838.

"Fifty dollars reward, for my fellow Edward, he has a _scar_ on the

corner of his mouth, two _cuts_ on and under his arm, and the _letter

E on his arm_."

Mr. Joseph James, Sen., Pleasant Ridge, Paulding Co. Ga., in the

"Milledgeville Union," Nov. 7, 1837.

"Ranaway, negro boy Ellie, has a _scar_ on one of his arms _from the

bite of a dog_."

Mr. W. Riley, Orangeburg District, South Carolina, in the "Columbia

[S.C.] Telescope," Nov. 11, 1837.

"Ranaway a negro man, has a _scar_ on the ankle produced by a _burn_,

and a _mark on his arm_ resembling the letter S."

Mr. Samuel Mason, Warren Co, Mi. in the "Vicksburg Register," July 18,

1838."

"Ranaway, a negro man named Allen, he has a scar on his breast, also a

scar under the left eye, and has _two buck shot in his right arm_."

Mr. F.L.C. Edwards, in the "Southern Telegraph", Sept. 25, 1837

"Ranaway from the plantation of James Surgette, the following negroes,

Randal, _has one ear cropped_; Bob, _has lost one eye_, Kentucky Tom,

_has one jaw broken_."

Mr. Stephen M. Jackson, in the "Vicksburg Register", March 10, 1837.

"Ranaway, Anthony, _one of his ears cut off_, and his left hand cut

with an axe."

Philip Honerton, deputy sheriff of Halifax Co. Virginia, Jan. 1837.

"Was committed, a negro man, has a _scar_ on his right side by a burn,

one on his knee, and one on the calf of his leg _by the bite of a

dog_."

Stearns & Co. No. 28, New Levee, New Orleans, in the "Bee", March 22,

1837.

"Absconded, the mulatto boy Tom, his fingers _scarred_ on his right

hand, and has a _scar_ on his right cheek"

Mr. John W. Walton, Greensboro, Ala. in the "Alabama Beacon", Dec. 13,

1838.

"Ranaway my black boy Frazier, with a _scar_ below and one above his

right ear."

Mr. R. Furman, Charleston, S.C. in the "Charleston Mercury" Jan. 12,

1839.

"Ranaway, Dick, about 19, has lost the small toe of one foot."

Mr. John Tart, Sen. in the "Fayetteville [N.C.] Observer", Dec. 26,

1838

"Stolen a mulatto boy, _ten_ years old, he has a _scar_ over his eye

which was made by an axe."

Mr. Richard Overstreet, Brook Neal, Campbell Co. Virginia, in the

"Danville [Va.] Reporter", Dec. 21, 1838.

"Absconded my negro man Coleman, has a _very large scar_ on one of his

legs, also one on _each_ arm, by a burn, and his heels have been

frosted."

The editor of the New Orleans "Bee" in that paper, August 27, 1837.

"Fifty dollars reward, for the negro Jim Blake--has a _piece cut out

of each ear_, and the middle finger of the left hand _cut off_ to the

second joint."

Mr. Bryant Jonson, Port Valley, Houston county, Georgia, in the

Milledgeville "Union", Oct. 2, 1838.

"Ranaway, a negro woman named Maria--has a scar on one side of her

cheek, by a _cut_--some scars on her back."

Mr. Leonard Miles, Steen's Creek, Rankin county, Mi. in the "Southern

Sun", Sept. 22, 1838

"Ranaway, Gabriel--has _two or three scars across his neck_ made with

a knife."

Mr. Bezou, New Orleans, in the "Bee" May 23, 1838.

"Ranaway, the mulatto wench Mary--has a _cut on the left arm, a scar

on the shoulder, and two upper teeth missing_."

Mr. James Kimborough, Memphis, Tenn. in the "Memphis Enquirer" July

13, 1838.

"Ranaway, a negro boy, named Jerry--has a _scar_ on his right check

two inches long, from the cut of a knife."

Mr. Robert Beasley, Macon, Georgia, in the "Georgia Messenger", July

27, 1837.

"Ranaway, my man Fountain--has _holes in his ears, a scar_ on the

right side of his forehead--has been _shot in the hind parts of his

legs_--is marked on the back with the whip."

Mr. B.G. Barrer, St. Louis, Missouri, in the "Republican", Sept. 6,

1837.

"Ranaway, a negro man named Jarret--_has a scar_ on the under part of

one of his arms, occasioned by a wound from a knife."

Mr. John D. Turner, near Norfolk, Virginia, in the "Norfolk Herald",

June 27, 1838.

"Ranaway, a negro by the name of Joshua--he has a cut across one of

his ears, which he will conceal as much as possible--one of his

ankles is _enlarged by an ulcer_."

Mr. William Stansell, Picksville, Ala. in the "Huntsville Democrat",

August 29, 1837.

"Ranaway, negro boy Harper--has a scar on one of his hips in the form

of a G."

Hon. Ambrose H. Sevier Senator, in Congress, from Arkansas in the

"Vicksburg Register", of Oct. 18.

"Ranaway, Bob, a slave--has a _scar across his breast_, another on the

_right side of his head_--his back is _much scarred_ with the whip."

Mr. R.A. Greene, Milledgeville, Georgia, in the "Macon Messenger" July

27, 1837.

"Two hundred and fifty dollars reward, for my negro man Jim--he is

much marked with _shot_ in his right thigh,--the shot entered on the

outside, half way between the hip and knee joints."

Benjamin Russel, deputy sheriff, Bibb county, Ga. in the "Macon

Telegraph", December 25, 1837.

"Brought to jail, John--_left ear cropt_."

Hon. H Hitchcock, Mobile, judge of the Supreme Court, in the

"Commercial Register", Oct. 27, 1837.

"Ranaway, the slave Ellis--he has _lost one of his ears_."

Mrs. Elizabeth L. Carter, near Groveton, Prince William county,

Virginia, in the "National Intelligencer", Washington, D.C. June 10,

1837.

"Ranaway, a negro man, Moses--he has _lost a part_ of one of his

ears."

Mr. William D. Buckels, Natchez, Mi. in the "Natchez Courier," July

28, 1838.

"Taken up, a negro man--is _very much scarred_ about the face and

body, and has the left _ear bit off_."

Mr. Walter R. English, Monroe county, Ala. in the "Mobile Chronicle,"

Sept. 2, 1837.

"Ranaway, my slave Lewis--he has lost a _piece of one ear_, and a

_part of one of his fingers_, a _part of one of his toes_ is also

lost."

Mr. James Saunders, Grany Spring, Hawkins county, Tenn. in the

"Knoxville Register," June 6, 1838.

"Ranaway, a black girl named Mary--has a _scar_ on her cheek, and the

end of one of her toes _cut off_."

Mr. John Jenkins, St Joseph's, Florida, captain of the steamboat

Ellen, "Apalachicola Gazette," June 7, 1838.

"Ranaway, the negro boy Caesar--he has _but one eye_."

Mr. Peter Hanson, Lafayette city, La., in the New Orleans "Bee," July

28, 1838.

"Ranaway, the negress Martha--she has _lost her right eye_."

Mr. Orren Ellis, Georgeville, Mi. in the "North Alabamian," Sept. 15,

1837.

"Ranaway, George--has had the lower part of _one of his ears bit

off_."

Mr. Zadock Sawyer, Cuthbert, Randolph county, Georgia, in the

"Milledgeville Union," Oct. 9, 1838.

"Ranaway, my negro Tom--has a piece _bit off the top of his right

ear_, and his little finger is _stiff_."

Mr. Abraham Gray, Mount Morino, Pike county, Ga. in the "Milledgeville

Union," Oct. 9, 1838.

"Ranaway, my mulatto woman Judy--she has had her _right arm broke_."

S.B. Tuston, jailer, Adams county, Mi. in the "Natchez Courier," June

15, 1838.

"Was committed to jail, a negro man named Bill--has had the _thumb of

his left hand split_."

Mr. Joshua Antrim, Nineveh, Warren county, Virginia, in the

"Winchester Virginian," July 11, 1837.

"Ranaway, a mulatto man named Joe--his fingers on the left hand are

_partly amputated_."

J.B. Randall, jailor, Marietta, Cobb county, Ga., in the "Southern

Recorder;" Nov. 6, 1838.

"Lodged in jail, a negro man named Jupiter--is very _lame in his left

hip_, so that he can hardly walk--has lost a joint of the middle

finger of his left hand."

Mr. John N. Dillahunty, Woodville, Mi., in the "N.O. Commercial

Bulletin," July 21, 1837.

"Ranaway, Bill--has a scar over one eye, also one on his leg, from

_the bite of a dog_--has a _burn on his buttock, from a piece of hot

iron in shape of a T_."

William K. Ratcliffe, sheriff, Franklin county, Mi. in the "Natchez

Free Trader," August 23, 1838.

"Committed to jail, a negro named Mike--_his left ear off_"

Mr. Preston Halley, Barnwell, South Carolina, in the "Augusta [Ga.]

Chronicle," July 27, 1838.

"Ranaway, my negro man Levi--his left hand has been _burnt_, and I

think the end of his fore finger _is off_."

Mr. Welcome H. Robbins, St. Charles county, Mo. in the "St. Louis

Republican," June 30, 1838.

"Ranaway, a negro named Washington--has _lost a part of his middle

finger and the end of his little finger_."

G. Gourdon & Co. druggists, corner of Rampart and Hospital streets,

New Orleans, in the "Commercial Bulletin," Sept. 18, 1838.

"Ranaway, a negro named David Drier--has _two toes cut_."

Mr. William Brown, in the "Grand Gulf Advertiser," August 29, 1838.

"Ranaway, Edmund--has a _scar_ on his right temple, and under his

right eye, and _holes in both ears_."

Mr. James McDonnell, Talbot county, Georgia, in the "Columbus

Enquirer," Jan. 18, 1838.

"Runaway, a negro boy _twelve or thirteen_ years old--has a scar on

his left cheek _from the bite of a dog_."

Mr. John W. Cherry, Marengo county, Ala. in the "Mobile Register,"

June 15, 1838.

"Fifty dollars reward, for my negro man John--he has a considerable

scar on his _throat_, done with a _knife_."

Mr. Thos. Brown, Roane co. Tenn. in the "Knoxville Register," Sept 12,

1838.

"Twenty-five dollars reward, for my man John--the _tip_ of his nose is

_bit off_."

Messrs. Taylor, Lawton & Co., Charleston, South Carolina, in the

"Mercury," Nov. 1838.

"Ranaway, a negro fellow called Hover--has a _cut_ above the right

eye."

Mr. Louis Schmidt, Faubourg, Sivaudais, La. in the New Orleans "Bee,"

Sept. 5, 1837.

"Ranaway, the negro man Hardy--has a _scar_ on the upper lip, and

another made with a _knife_ on his neck."

W.M. Whitehead, Natchez, in the "New Orleans Bulletin," July 21,

1837.

"Ranaway, Henry--has half of one _ear bit off_."

Mr. Conrad Salvo, Charleston, South Carolina, in the "Mercury," August

10, 1837.

"Ranaway, my negro man Jacob--he has but _one eye_."

William Baker, jailer, Shelby county, Ala., in the "Montgomery (Ala.)

Advertiser," Oct. 5, 1838.

"Committed to jail, Ben--his _left thumb off_ at the first joint."

Mr. S.N. Hite, Camp street, New Orleans, in the "Bee," Feb. 19, 1838.

"Twenty-five dollars reward for the negro slave Sally--walks as though

_crippled_ in the back."

Mr. Stephen M. Richards, Whitesburg, Madison county, Alabama, in the

"Huntsville Democrat," Sept 8, 1838.

"Ranaway, a negro man named Dick--has a _little finger off_ the right

hand."

Mr. A. Brose, parish of St. Charles, La. in the "New Orleans Bee,"

Feb. 19, 1838.

"Ranaway, the negro Patrick--has his little finger of the right hand

_cut close to the hand_."

Mr. Needham Whitefield, Aberdeen, Mi. in the "Memphis (Tenn.)

Enquirer," June 15, 1838.

"Ranaway, Joe Dennis--has a small _notch_ in one of his ears."

Col. M.J. Keith, Charleston, South Carolina, in the "Mercury," Nov.

27, 1837.

"Ranaway, Dick--has _lost the little toe_ of one of his feet."

Mr. R. Faucette, Haywood, North Carolina, in the "Raleigh Register,"

April 30, 1838.

"Escaped, my negro man Eaton--his _little finger_ of the right hand

has been _broke_."

Mr. G.C. Richardson, Owen Station, Mo., in the St. Louis "Republican,"

May 5, 1838.

"Ranaway, my negro man named Top--has had one of his _legs broken_."

Mr. E. Han, La Grange, Fayette county, Tenn. in the Gallatin "Union,"

June 23, 1837.

"Ranaway, negro boy Jack--has a small _crop out of his left ear_."

D. Herring, warden of Baltimore city jail, in the "Marylander," Oct 6,

1837.

"Was committed to jail, a negro man--has _two scars_ on his forehead,

and the _top of his left ear cut off_."

Mr. James Marks, near Natchitoches, La. in the "Natchitoches Herald,"

July 21, 1838.

"Stolen, a negro man named Winter--has a _notch_ cut out of the left

ear, and the mark of _four or five buck shot_ on his legs."

Mr. James Barr, Amelia Court House, Virginia, in the "Norfolk Herald,"

Sept. 12, 1838.

"Ranaway, a negro man--_scar back of his left eye_, as if from the

_cut_ of a knife."

Mr. Isaac Michell, Wilkinson county, Georgia, in the "Augusta

Chronicle," Sept 21, 1837.

"Ranaway, negro man Buck--has a very _plain mark_ under his ear on his

jaw, about the size of a dollar, having been _inflicted by a knife._"

Mr. P. Bayhi, captain of the police, Suburb Washington, third

municipality, New Orleans, in the "Bee," Oct. 13, 1837.

"Detained at the jail, the negro boy Hermon--has a scar below his left

ear, from the _wound of a knife_."

Mr. Willie Paterson, Clinton, Jones county, Ga. in the "Darien

Telegraph," Dec. 5, 1837.

"Ranaway, a negro man by the name of John--he has a _scar_ across his

cheek, and one on his right arm, apparently done with a _knife_."

Mr. Samuel Ragland, Triana, Madison county, Alabama, in the

"Huntsville Advocate," Dec. 23, 1837.

"Ranaway, Isham--has a _scar_ upon the breast and upon the under lip,

from the _bite of a dog_."

Mr. Moses E. Bush, near Clayton, Ala. in the "Columbus (Ga.)

Enquirer," July 5, 1838.

"Ranaway, a negro man--has a _scar_ on his hip and on his breast, and

_two front teeth out_."

C.W. Wilkins, sheriff Baldwin Co, Ala, is the "Mobile Advertiser;"

Sept. 24, 1837.

"Committed to jail, a negro man, he is _crippled_ in the right leg."

Mr. James H. Taylor, Charleston South Carolina, in the "Courier,"

August 7, 1837.

"Absconded, a colored boy, named Peter, _lame_ in the right leg."

N.M.C. Robinson, jailer, Columbus, Georgia, in the "Columbus (Ga.)

Enquirer," August 2, 1838.

"Brought to jail, a negro man, his left ankle has been _broke_."

Mr. Littlejohn Rynes, Hinds Co. Mi. in the "Natchez Courier," August,

17, 1838.

"Ranaway, a negro man named Jerry, has a small piece _cut out of the

top of each ear_."

The Heirs of J.A. Alston, near Georgetown, South Carolina, in the

"Georgetown [S.C.] Union," June 17, 1837.

"Absconded a negro named Cuffee, has _lost one finger_; has an

_enlarged leg_."

A.S. Ballinger, Sheriff, Johnston Co, North Carolina, In the "Raleigh

Standard," Oct. 18, 1838.

"Committed to jail, a negro man; has a _very sore leg_."

Mr. Thomas Crutchfield, Atkins, Ten. in the "Tennessee Journal," Oct.

17, 1838.

"Ranaway, my mulatto boy Cy, has but _one hand_, all the fingers of

his right hand were _burnt off_ when young."

J.A. Brown, jailer, Orangeburg, South Carolina, in the "Charleston

Mercury," July 18, 1838.

"Was committed to jail, a negro named Bob, appears to be _crippled_ in

the right leg."

S.B. Turton, jailer, Adams Co. Miss. in the "Natchez Courier," Sept.

29, 1838.

"Was committed to jail, a negro man, has his _left thigh broke_."

Mr. John H. King, High street, Georgetown, in the "National

Intelligencer," August 1, 1837.

"Ranaway, my negro man, he has the _end of one_ of his fingers

_broken_."

Mr. John B. Fox, Vicksburg, Miss. in the "Register," March 29, 1837.

"Ranaway, a yellowish negro boy named Tom, has a _notch_ in the back

of one of his ears."

Messrs. Fernandez and Whiting, auctioneers, New Orleans, in the "Bee,"

April 8, 1837.

"Will be sold Martha, aged nineteen, _has one eye out_."

Mr. Marshall Jett, Farrowsville, Fauquier Co. Virginia, in the

"National Intelligencer," May 30, 1837.

"Ranaway, negro man Ephraim, has a _mark_ over one of his eyes,

occasioned by a _blow_."

S.B. Turton, jailer Adams Co. Miss. in the "Natches Courier," Oct. 12,

1838.

"Was committed a negro, calls himself Jacob, has been _crippled_ in

his right leg."

John Ford, sheriff of Mobile County, in the "Mississippian," Jackson

Mi. Dec. 28, 1838.

"Committed to jail, a negro man Cary, a _large scar on his forehead_."

E.W. Morris, sheriff of Warren County, in the "Vicksburg [Mi.]

Register," March 28, 1838.

"Committed as a runaway, a negro man Jack, he has _several scars_ on

his face."

Mr. John P. Holcombe, In the "Charleston Mercury," April 17, 1828.

"Absented himself, his negro man Ben, _has scars_ on his throat,

occasioned by the _cut of a knife_."

Mr. Geo. Kinlock, in the "Charleston, S.C. Courier," May 1, 1839.

"Ranaway, negro boy Kitt, 15 or 16 years old, _has a piece taken out

of one of his ears_."

Wm. Magee, sheriff, Mobile Co. in the "Mobile Register," Dec. 27, 1837.

"Committed to jail, a runaway slave, Alexander, a _scar_ on his left

check."

Mr. Henry M. McGregor, Prince George County, Maryland, in the

"Alexandria [D.C.] Gazette," Feb. 6, 1838.

"Ranaway, negro Phil, _scar through the right eye brow_ part of the

_middle toe_ right foot _cut off_."

Green B Jourdan, Baldwin County Ga. in the "Georgia Journal," April

18, 1837.

"Ranaway, John, has a _scar_ on one of his hands extending from the

wrist joint to the little finger, also a _scar_ on one of his legs."

Messrs. Daniel and Goodman, New Orleans, in the "N.O. Bee," Feb. 2,

1838.

"Absconded, mulatto slave Alick, has a _large scar over_ one of his

cheeks."

Jeremiah Woodward, Gonchland, Co. Va. in the "Richmond Va. Whig," Jan.

30, 1838.

"200 DOLLARS REWARD for Nelson, has a _scar_ on his forehead

occasioned by a _burn_, and one on his lower lip and one about the

knee."

Samuel Rawlins, Gwinet Co. Ga. in the "Columbus Sentinel," Nov. 29,

1838.

"Ranaway, a negro man and his wife, named Nat and Priscilla, he has a

small _scar_ on his left cheek, _two stiff fingers_ on his right hand

with a _running sore_ on them; his wife has a _scar_ on her left arm,

and one _upper tooth out_."

The reader perceives that we have under this head, as under previous

ones, given to the testimony of the slaveholders themselves, under

their own names, a precedence over that of all other witnesses. We now

ask the reader's attention to the testimonies which follow. They are

endorsed by responsible names--men who 'speak what they know, and

testify what they have seen'--testimonies which show, that the

slaveholders who wrote the preceding advertisements, describing the

work of their own hands, in branding with hot irons, maiming,

mutilating, cropping, shooting, knocking out the teeth and eyes of

their slaves, breaking their bones, &c., have manifested, _as far as

they have gone_ in the description, a commendable fidelity to truth.

It is probable that some of the scars and maimings in the preceding

advertisements were the result of accidents; and some _may be_ the

result of violence inflicted by the slaves upon each other. Without

arguing that point, we say, these are the _facts_; whoever reads and

ponders them, will need no argument to convince him, that the

proposition which they have been employed to sustain, _cannot be

shaken_. That any considerable portion of them were _accidental_, is

totally improbable, from the nature of the case; and is in most

instances disproved by the advertisements themselves. That they have

not been produced by assaults of the slaves upon each other, is

manifest from the fact, that injuries of that character inflicted by

the slaves upon each other, are, as all who are familiar with the

habits and condition of slaves well know, exceedingly rare; and of

necessity must be so, from the constant action upon them of the

strongest dissuasives from such acts that can operate on human nature.

Advertisements similar to the preceding may at any time be gathered by

scores from the daily and weekly newspapers of the slave states.

Before presenting the reader with further testimony in proof of the

proposition at the head of this part of our subject, we remark, that

some of the tortures enumerated under this and the preceding heads,

are not in all cases inflicted by slaveholders as _punishments_, but

sometimes merely as preventives of escape, for the greater security of

their 'property'. Iron collars, chains, &c. are put upon slaves when

they are driven or transported from one part of the country to

another, in order to keep them from running away. Similar measures are

often resorted to upon plantations. When the master or owner suspects

a slave of plotting an escape, an iron collar with long 'horns,' or a

bar of iron, or a ball and chain, are often fastened upon him, for the

double purpose of retarding his flight, should he attempt it, and of

serving as an easy means of detection.

Another inhuman method of _marking_ slaves, so that they may be easily

described and detected when they escape, is called _cropping_. In the

preceding advertisements, the reader will perceive a number of cases,

in which the runaway is described as '_cropt_,' or a '_notch cut_ in

the ear, or a part or the whole of the ear _cut off_,' &c.

Two years and a half since, the writer of this saw a letter, then just

received by Mr. Lewis Tappan, of New York, containing a negro's ear

cut off close to the head. The writer of the letter, who signed

himself Thomas Oglethorpe, Montgomery, Alabama, sent it to Mr. Tappan

as 'a specimen of a negro's ears,' and desired him to add it to his

'collection.'

Another method of _marking_ slaves, is by drawing out or breaking off

one or two _front teeth_--commonly the upper ones, as the mark would

in that case be the more obvious. An instance of this kind the reader

will recall in the testimony of Sarah M. Grimké, page 30, and of which

she had _personal_ knowledge; being well acquainted both with the

inhuman master, (a distinguished citizen of South Carolina,) by whose

order the brutal deed was done, and with the poor young girl whose

mouth was thus barbarously mutilated, to furnish a convenient mark by

which to describe her in case of her elopement, as she had frequently

run away.

The case stated by Miss G. serves to unravel what, to one uninitiated,

seems quite a mystery: i.e. the frequency with which, in the

advertisements of runaway slaves published in southern papers, they

are described as having _one or two front teeth out_. Scores of such

advertisements are in southern papers now on our table. We will

furnish the reader with a dozen or two.

Jesse Debruhl, sheriff, Richland District, "Columbia (S.C.)

Telescope," Feb. 24, 1839.

"Committed to jail, Ned, about 25 years of age, has lost his _two

upper front teeth_."

Mr. John Hunt, Black Water Bay, "Pensacola (Ga.) Gazette," October 14,

1837.

"100 DOLLARS REWARD, for Perry, _one under front tooth_ missing, aged

23 years."

Mr. John Frederick, Branchville, Orangeburgh District, S.C.

"Charleston (S.C.) Courier," June 12, 1837.

"10 DOLLARS REWARD, for Mary, _one or two upper teeth_ out, about 25

years old."

Mr. Egbert A. Raworth, eight miles west of Nashville on the Charlotte

road "Daily Republican Banner," Nashville, Tennessee, April 30, 1938.

"Ranaway, Myal, 23 years old, one of his _fore teeth out_."