There is yet another evil growing out of slavery which I must notice
before I bring my remarks to a close on this topic. I allude to the
degraded condition of a portion of the white population in the slave
States. There are, throughout the slave States, a class of the white
population who are so debased by ignorance and vice, that the slaves
are in many respects their superiors. They are about on a par with the
free negroes. About the larger cities in the North, a similar class
may be found, a majority of whom are free negroes and foreigners. The
poverty, vice, ignorance and degradation of this class of persons, in
the South, is a sore evil, and demands the attention of every
Christian philanthropist in the Southern States. This, I conceive, has
originated partly from the competition of slave and free labor, but
mainly, I presume, from the association of this class with the African
population. There are other agencies, no doubt, which have contributed
to debase and brutalize this class of the white population, but I
judge, that the causes above indicated, are the principal ones. Some
will, no doubt, attribute this in part to the disparity between the
lower classes in the South, and what they choose to term the
slaveholding aristocracy. They will contend, that the vast difference
between the higher and lower classes in the South, results in the
deterioration of the latter. There is some plausibility in the
argument, and it may be that there is some truth in it, but such
individuals have forgotten that the same agency is in active operation
in the free as well as the slave States. I am aware that men of wealth
do not feel themselves under any obligation to associate with their
less fortunate neighbors, the world over. It is one of the
characteristics of human nature. But men of wealth in the Southern
part of the United States, are not more haughty, distant and
overbearing, than the same class in other parts of the Union. On the
contrary, there is an urbanity about Southern slaveholders, that
enables the lower classes to approach them with less embarrassment
than they feel when they attempt to approach the frigid, stiff, and
less polite Northerner. Gentlemen and ladies, in the Southern part of
the United States, are accustomed to treat every one that approaches
them, rich or poor, with a degree of civility and courteous ease, that
is unknown among the same class in any other part of the civilized
world. Their blandness and kindness cannot fail to make the poor man
feel happier and better. If he is forced to approach them for the
purpose of soliciting aid, he is seldom turned away empty. They are
universally liberal and hospitable. Having practiced medicine among
them twenty years, I have no recollection of a solitary instance in
which any of them made a long face, when I made out a long bill for
services. I will here relate some anecdotes which will serve to
illustrate Southern character. Being pressed at a certain time for two
hundred dollars, and not having time at my disposal to collect it, and
having rendered important services for a wealthy citizen near the town
in which I resided; I seated myself at my table, with an intention of
making out a bill against him that would liquidate the claim against
myself. With considerable difficulty, I at length screwed up the bill
to two hundred dollars, and off I posted to his house. I found him at
home and presented the bill; not without some misgivings, that
perchance he might take exceptions to the amount charged for services.
But I was disappointed, for after looking over the bill a few moments,
he remarked, "why sir, you have not charged me half enough; you ought
to have charged me five hundred dollars." He paid the bill, made me a
present of fifty dollars, and told me that if I needed money at any
time to "call and get it." At another time I was employed by a
gentleman to attend his son, who had been, for several years previous
to that time, subject to epileptic attacks. The fee, per visit, was
stipulated at the outset, and I was paid for each visit before leaving
the house, according to contract. I attended the young gentleman near
two years, and during the time was pressed for money and borrowed one
hundred dollars of the old gentleman, and executed my note for that
amount. Some years after I had dismissed my patient, I called for my
note, and presented the amount, principal and interest. The gentleman
handed me the note, but refused to receive the money, and when I
pressed him to take it, he replied, "No sir, I shall not receive the
money, I always intended to give it to you, provided that you cured my
son, and I presume he is well."
On a bright sunny morning, when a boy, I was seated on a rock watching
a flock of lambs, that were frisking and skipping about in a meadow.
An old lady by name S., and a gentleman by name M., met within a few
yards from where I sat. After the usual salutations; "Well, Mrs. S.,"
said the gentleman, "I understand that you have sustained a heavy loss
by fire." "Yes," replied Mrs. S. "Well I am very sorry to hear it, and
I intend to send you a wagon load of provisions, &c., shortly." "I
thank you Mr. M., but don't trouble yourself about the matter, for we
have already received twice as much as we lost by the fire." I will
relate yet another.
A wealthy gentleman being informed that a poor Irish widow in his
neighborhood was likely to suffer for provisions; went immediately to
her cabin in order to ascertain her condition. When about taking his
leave, he remarked to the widow, "if she would send over, she could
have some Irish potatoes, and any other articles of food that her
family needed."
"Bless your dear soul," replied the widow, "when you undertake to do a
good and charitable deed, and sarve the Lord Jasus, if you expect a
blessing on your soul, don't half do the thing, and leave a poor widow
to do the other half. Go home and send the potatoes, and send some
meat to cook with the potatoes, and send meal to make bread, to eat
with the meat; and then may ye expect a blessing on yer soul." The
gentleman returned home and complied with her request.
Whatever the faults of Southern slaveholders may be, and they are
many, these are redeeming traits in their characters; nor are they so
devoid of sympathy for their slaves, as is generally supposed in the
North. I know that they are represented by a certain class in the
North, as a set of tyrants, ruling their slaves with a rod of iron.
All such representations are untrue, for a majority of them seldom
correct an adult slave with the rod, except as a punishment for some
flagitious crime, for which a white man would be fined or imprisoned,
or else, confined in the State penitentiary.
Go to the field, and there you will find the aged slave and his
master, busily engaged in the same employment; listen to their kind
and familiar converse. Direct your steps from thence to the parlor,
and there behold the aged house-woman and her mistress, seated side by
side. Listen to the soothing and affectionate tones of this amiable
lady, and behold the happy, joyful countenance, of this aged African.
Cast your eyes around the splendid mansion, and behold the
indiscriminate groups of white and black children, chattering,
skipping, jumping, wrestling or rolling over the fine Turkey carpet.
If freedom was tendered to these aged slaves, what think you, would
they accept it? No, they would spurn the offer with indignation. They
are happier than their masters or mistresses, and they well know it.
They are provided for; partake of the same food, while they are exempt
from the cares which perplex and embarrass, and too often embitter the
lives of those who have charge of families. A large majority of the
slaves in the Southern States are contented and happy. This will
appear to many, no doubt, improbable. Nevertheless, it is true. If
African character was generally better understood, it would silence
much of that clamor and agitation of the subject, which is so annoying
to all patriotic, peaceable and good citizens. The African desires but
little, and aspires to but little; consequently it requires but little
to render, him happy. Happiness consists in the gratification of our
appetites, passions and propensities. Those of the African, occupy but
a small space; therefore but little is necessary to satisfy him. On
the contrary; the appetites, passions and propensities of the
Anglo-Saxon are boundless; therefore, much is requisite for their
happiness, or otherwise to satisfy them. For this reason, an
individual may be miserable, though he possess all the comforts and
luxuries that the world can afford; and he may be happy with a bare
sufficiency of coarse food and coarse clothing. He that is satisfied
with what he has, is happy; be it little or much. Slaves, as a general
rule, are happy in a state of servitude, because in a state of
servitude they have all that they desire--all to which they aspire.
Hence the evils of slavery, so far as the slave is concerned, are more
in appearance than reality, because the African is happy under
circumstances, in which an Anglo-Saxon would be miserable.
In the present condition of the African race they are happier as
slaves, than they would be as free men, because they are incapable of
providing for themselves, and are therefore incompetent to enjoy the
rights and privileges of free men.
I could fill a volume with anecdotes, which ought to make those who
vilify and traduce slaveholders blush for shame; but I have neither
time nor space at present. I will, however, relate one and pass on. I
visited professionally, many years ago, an aged infidel. A more
benevolent man I have seldom seen. Humanity appeared to be a
constituent element in his composition, and kindness an innate
principle of his heart. In one corner of the yard, in a log cabin,
lived a pious old slave with his family. It was the custom of the old
slave to pray in his family every night before retiring to bed. Old
massa was never forgotten in his prayers. He never failed to present
him before a throne of grace. The old infidel never doubted the
sincerity of his slave, nor yet the purity of his motives, though he
sincerely believed that it was all delusion. He had listened for many
years to the prayers of this slave, and could distinctly hear the
slave pray for "old massa." Some years after my first visit to this
worthy old gentleman, he was suddenly taken very ill. I was again
summoned to his aid. All my efforts availed nothing; he must die. All
hopes of his recovery were abandoned. Then did the prayers of the poor
old slave become long and loud. "Massa must die, and must he die
unprepared? O Lord, spare him--O Lord, convert him--O Lord, save him,"
was the prayer of the slave. While the slave was praying an arrow
pierced the infidels heart, and he cried aloud for mercy. The slave
was invited into the house, and he knelt at the bed-side of his dying
master, and there petitioned a throne of grace in his behalf. The old
infidel made a profession of religion, and shortly afterwards died
happy.