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Letters From The South

Letters From The South image
Parent Issue
Day
12
Month
May
Year
1841
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Charleston, Febuary, 1841. In my last letter frotn this place, 1 offdred some considerations respecting the iniluence of domeslic e'avery upon the master, particularly his moral character. The suljecll will now resume. Probably, no one whohas an opportunity ofexatnining the subject practically, will for a moment hesitale !o admit that the habitual tendency of the system is to blunt the distinction in the mind betvvcen right and wrong; in other words, to render callous the moral sensibiüties. The reason of this is abundantly obvious. - While most men at the South acknowledge freely (hat slavery as it actually exists is an evil, and that viewed in the abstract it is sinful; few will adtnit that they are guilly of sin in holding - Yet it is hardiy possible for any tn.n not to feel that (he communily is guilty of u great moral wrong, necessary uuder the circumstances, if it be in keeping half the entirepopulation in ulter ignorance and degradation, nor to avoid feciini; that is, toi certain extent, a pnrlaker in this wrong. He is conscious ulso, thatthis large part ot the comtnunity,while living in a Christian country, are to a considerable extent as ignorant and regardless of the gospel as ihe lieathen, and thaí religión vvhen presented to is presentcd in such a manner, as eommonly to exert very little practical influence on their hearts and lives. Now, the conaciousness of guilt unrepented of, and unforsaken, whether ii aifects ourselves, or the community in which we dweil, hardensthe heart. it is an unplensant contemplation, ar.d tlierefore is driven from the mind. But the man who does this, will regard with comparalivc indifierence, not only the partic ular sin of which he is conscious, but sin general !y; his moral powers will be benumbedj and duty will cease to be his polar star. The very common use of prufane language through the southern country, illustrates this view of the suhject. Profane langunge is hóard to some extont in all partsofour land; but so far as rny observation extends, it is not at all common in traveling in New England to meet a man of respectable appearance, who habitually uses it in ordinary convorsation. In traveling at the South particularly below thia place, I am afraid, from what I have seen, and what Í have been told, that putting out of the question professors of religión, and travelers from the Norih, and iuiposing no restraint from the presence of adies.it is difficult to find aman who is not frequently guilty of taking the name of the Lord in vain. Certainly the numer ous oaths which daily offend the ear, when associating wiih men of every rank and rofession ir. life, with membejs of Cungtess, with judges, or with rnerchants, show a most paiuful state of corruption inthe commúnity. The manner n which the sabbalh is regarded, affurds no uncertain or imperfect test of the moráis of the cominuniiy. - The sabbath, when religiously observad, is the instrument of the richest blessings to the community. In this city, and in many cities at the South, tho Sabbath is welcomed by a considerable portion of the cominunity, and is observed in a proper manner. ín the country :t is almost (he on!y day when neighbors are accustomed to meet j and. Ihey lrequently assemblo at the church door some titno before service eommences, and converse on the ordinary topics of business and politics, asa preparation forme worship of the sanctuary. - The idea that ordinary worldly thoughts are to be excluded from the mind, or that worldly conversation, books and news-papers are to be laid asi de, has never, I fear, occurred to the minds of a large majority of the inhabitants of the South. And probably there is not one man in ten, who on a joiffi iourney. would '.hink of miking the sabbalh a day of rest. In my last communication, I made a single remark respecting the effect of this institution upon purity ofheart. Il may be proper lo say in this connection, that so far as my observaton cxienus the ordinary conversation bewteen gentlemen, euch as you commonly meet in travelling, is more grossand impure, (han youwill ever hear Irom men of the sarne rank ia st iety in yoursection of the country. A striking and most pernicious resul of the system of slavery, is,that t uniform ly tends to elévate the rich and tlepress the poor; and is thus opposed to the firs principies of our republican institutions. - The wealthy owner of a hundred slaves feels that his hands are too delicate to be employedin anylhing usefnl, Accustonio edtolive for the sake of enjoyment merely, to spend his time in hunting or fishing, in convivial pleasure, or in visiling his neighbors, he neceësarily connects dilis gent manual labor wiih the character as well as the ccnditiou of a slave..N. Y. Evangelist. Mr. Bowking, in his report on Egypt, says that the consurnption of salt is considerable in Egypt, and strnnge are the means employed lor obtainingit. At Abydos, the Arabs open the mummie?, take out the inner parts, which they put into water, and say they furnish excellent salt! They sometimes get salt f rom thesand in which he mummies lie; bui mure frequently rom the bodies themseives. Pennsylvania Freeman. Alcoholic drinks have been reduced in Ireand, during the last ycar, S,5000,000 galÚU8.