The Effects Of Slavery

In the autumn of 1839, in travelling South, 1 devialed from my direct way lo visil Moma Verrion, willi eomething of the purpose of a pilgrim to the tornb of his Prophet, or a devotee to the slirine of his Suiut. lt Í3 not necessary for the present [nirpose to enter inlo particular, or to describe the füclingsslill frefhly remembered, which ihronged upon rae as I p'.ood upon the grass coverud tumb, and recalled the bi?to ry and contemplated the charactcr of the man: the nature and force of ibese will be readüy imagined by every on e., The devotion, wiih which Washington long ndulged in the pursuits of ngriculture, led mo to anticípate an exuberant ?oil and well cultivated plantalions. I was therefore propovlionally disappointed to observe only barren enclosures and utireclaimed foresls. I3 this, 1 eoquired of a gentleman who overtook me on the road to Mount Vernon; - is this the plantation of Washington? Yes, was the reply. "Bui this is u miserabia eoil. Whero aro the iields, which experieneed h:: care, attd repaid with abundant cropsa liberal culiivalion?"' There tlu:y are" he replie hcfoie you; bul they are worn out; and so is all the land in this neighborhood." Worn oui!-l did not understaud the phrase, bui lüriher inquiry made it plaio, ;itd after acquaintnnce nith eastern Virginia aud much of the low country Souih, showed a largo portion of it in the same melancholy condition.Soon aftcrlcavingMounl Vernon, I overjok a man on hovseback, with three othere and-cuifed and marching befoiehim. - In ly simplieíly I asked, aside, "What have bey done that they aro taking ihem oft'to ai! in thie manner?" honeslly supposing tie group to be a civil oificer and thrce riminals. 4Noihing," he replied;"! am ot laking ihcm to jail ; I have bought them jr ihe Tennesee market, and am going to ynchburg, where I have sevei.ty more, fhich, with these and a few more 1 expect j piek up ou the way, wiil make up ray roye.'-' He whs a slaver. "They are nwilling to go, I euppose, that you mande them thus?" 4'No,v he replied, "ihey y tuey aro wilüng, but they have wives i'this neighborhood, and I do not like lo rust them so near home, for fear thoy hould give me the slip i" Alas! iho:iht , lor the Ancient Dominion - the land of Vashingtou ! - hor soil worn out - her chilren led away capiive - surely a curso has illen upoa her: why is il so? Ignorant slaves and indolent tyranis rove but iinthrifiy who lake verv thing from but return noth'ng to the Dij. Energy is paralyzd, Isbordishohord, intellect darkened, snd the soul crushd. The accursed system spreads over ommunity a moral, ae over iho sbil a phys :al servility, and points to a fearful desny already at hand m Eastern Virginia. Vhetü are now the sumptuous dwellings nd productive plantations which forme rly dorncd the banksofthe Potumac, the Rapahannock, aad James Riverb? Their lory has departed - the ihurn and bramIe have eprung up in their garden - prelature decay lowers around; and the man on of the Aristocrat and the hut of the ave aro following hard upon the fate of icir own Jumestowu. Where now is that uoble band of patriota nd statesmen of Virginia, who from 1760 1790 were the glory of our country - ïch and a!l ofwhom earnestly tidvocated boHlion ? 'J'lie places vvhich then knew icm now know them no more. In their ead have eprouted up unblushing advoiies of siavery ; demagogucs wrangling er the spoiln. Such have claimed the rge mandes of their sires, with which to ver a multitude of sins. These pseudo ïtnots "May flounsh or may fade; breath can mako them,as a br'th has made. ut a sound yeooianry j their country's pride, hen once destroyed, can nevur be supplied