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BILLY BUCK'S VISIT, WITH HIS MASTEfes$p^Apf

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DR. PLEASANT JONES TO MAJOR JOSEPH JONES,

OF GEORGIA.

"'WITH VTEM MEASURE W. METE, IT SHAi.L B>. MEASURED TO YOU AGAIN.''

PHILADELPHIA:

J. B. L1PPIXCOTT & CO.

18 GO.

Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year lSftO. by J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.,

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Baste of Pennsylvania.

Ic

r

AS A TRIBUTE OF RESPECT

TO OF

COLONEL JOSEPH BOND,

WHO,

BEING OXE OF THE LARGEST SLAVEHOLDERS IX GEORGIA,

AND

AMONG HER MOST WORTHY AND SUCCESSFUL PLANTERS,

YET HAZARDED AND LOST HIS LITE

IX THE PROTECTIOX OF HIS SLAVE,

BY

ONE WHO WAS TO HIM PERSONALLY A STRANGER,

C&fs Boo* is SeeMcatefc.

(iii)

PREFACE.

The author of the folio win 2; letters wishes it to be dis- tinctly apprehended by the reader, that, as regards the personality of Dr. Jones and his servant, or their per- sonal adventures and experience, as related in the follow- ing pages, he does not desire it to be understood or be- lieved that he sets up any pretensions to the accuracy of narrative. He acknowledges that he has used these only as a stock upon which to engraft some fruit-bearing facts; and that he has assumed to himself a license in these particulars; in order that he might render the statements of fact which he has made; more attractive to general readers.

Let it be understood, then, once for all, that it is no part of the author's design that any credit should be given to the class of circumstances specified, as influ- encing!: the conclusions which he is anxious to have derived from the matter contained in these letters ; and that (with one exception, which will be presently mentioned) the only statements which may be thought to affect the character of individuals, or of the British people, that he 1 * ( v )

VI PREFACE.

would have received as credible evidence, are such as he has taken from some report made by authority, which, for the purposes he has in view, must be regarded as reliable : viz., an English book, periodical, or newspaper. The statements as to salaries, pensions, etc., of English officials, in the last letter but one, must be referred to as an exception. But these are facts which are so notorious, and which may be so easily verified by reference to the items of the English Civil List, that it was deemed un- necessary to be more particular. I will add that the author has indeed endeavored to give his authority for all the material facta Btato ting those which have

been referred to), both in the body of the work and in the Appendix.

CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTORY LETTER. From Dr. Pleasant Jones to William T. Thompson. l>i 13

LETTER I. Arrival in London — Buck visits the Crystal Palace — His description of it 23

LETTER II. Dr. Jones visits and describes the Great Exhibition 26

PTER III.

Buck's greeting of the Queen and Royal Family — Interview with an English Gentleman — Conversation as to Slavery 32

LETTER IV.

Anecdote of Dr. Jackson and the Georgian in London, whose Indians wouldn't show — Dr. Jones's Plough a failure in England, because he did not carry his Roots with him — A Frenchman's opinion of America — Anecdote of Captain Black —The Doctor con- soles himself for his failure with a Scrap from the Tragedy of "Tom Thumb." 37

LETTER V. Dr. Jones and his Man visit A Hall, in Yorkshire 41

LETTER VI.

Dr. Jones and his Servant join a Fox-hunt— Buck distinguishes himself on the Field — Is in at the Death, and wins the Tail — Visit to C. Park — Recipe for cooking "Possum

and Pumpkin " — Buck's Story of Uncle Cudjo and the Possum 54

( V" )

Vlll CONTENTS.

w LETTER VII.

British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society, and Mrs. Stowe — Speeches at the meeting of this Society, by Prof. Stowe, and Rev. S. Ward (a Megro), and Comments of Buck there- upon— Buck amuses himse.f with a part of the Audience 62

LETTER VIII.

Social Profligacy of the British People — St. Albans Election — St. Albans Bribery Com- mission 71

LETTER IX.

Proceedings of the Bribery Commi- ilbana continued — Controverted Election! in 1862

LETTER X.

Buck al- and oil old Master —

LETTER XI.

Specimens of various Election Bril 101

LETTER

119

MIL

adjou. gers — Mr.'

by Pntroni Of the Turf

rER XIV.

. Kin.'. Women of the Town, and Illegitimate Children 146

y continued — Court of Exchequer— iarj In- : a horrible] London i*u

CONTEXTS. IX

LETTER XVL

Social Profligacy in Liverpool; and Manchester, and their Vicinity— Annual Report of the Chaplain of Kirkdale Jail 159

LETTER XVII.

Social Profligacy — Abandonment of an Infant by its Mother— Horrible Depravity— Social Profligacy in Scotland 163

LETTER XVIII.

Social Profligacy — The late Lord Portarlington and Mrs. Dawson — Mormoni>ni in the United Kingdom — The Agapeinone. or Abode of Love 170

LETTER XIX.

Juvenile Depravity in this Country — Murder by a Boy of Thirteen of another Eleven l und a half old— Charge of Swindling against a little Girl. Thirteen Years of age — Singular Delinquency of a Boy — Charge of Stealing against a Boy aged Ten. an old Offender— A Youthful and Aristocratic Highwaymau — A Candidate for Transporta- tion, aged Fourteen— Murder by a Boy less than Ten Years old — A Youth left for Exe- cution 178

LETTER XX.

Brutality and Cruelty cf the British People — A High Sheriff in Difficulty, or a Hangman wanted— The Chelmsford Executions

LETTER XXI. Murder at Belper, in Derbyshire— Proceedings at the Inquest 202

LETTER XXII.

Dreadful Murder at Frome, Somerset — Violation and Murder — Shocking Murder near

Lincoln— A Brother Killed by his Sister— Supposed Murder at Barnsley— Poisonin-

A Woman's Head cut off by her Son

LETTER XXIII. Alleged Murder of a Gentleman by his Housekeeper 217

LETTER XXIV.

Murder on the Highway in Essex— Inquest on the Body— Confession of the Murderer- Dreadful Murder in Devonshire — Atrocious Murder at Wakefield

CONTENTS.

LETTER XXV.

Ill-treatment and Murder of Wives — Suspected Murder of a "Wife by Starvation — The Bath Starvation Case — Murder of a Wife in Marylebone — The Proceedings before the Committing Magistrate are attended by Dr. Jones and his Servant — A "Witness who knew nothing of God, and had never heard of the Devil — Buck proposes to send a Missionary to this Witness' Neighborhood — Trial of the Murderer before the Central Criminal Court 1134

LETTER XXVI.

Murder of a Woman by her Husband in the City of Oxford — Attempted Murder of a Wife, and Suicide of Husband, at Newcastle-upon-Tyne — Horrible Murder of a Wife by the Husband in the City of London — Execution of the Murderer, and remarkable Declaration made by him — Death of a Wile from brutal Ill-treatment — Brutal Murder Of a Wife 349

LETTER XXVI I.

Murder of a Wife, and atti i. >nd — Buck's Indignation thereat, and Qritieiami -206

LETTER XXY11I.

Murder of their Hu-Ku, n by M h Phfuham Tortnno telling and

ning — a w |fj and Buck attend the

Trial, and find ti, - .-.cue- for tin- Gauder 207

LETTER XXIX.

Brutal Treatment of tin ir and Inhuman Conduct i

attempted Bukide

cute — Wife-beatiug, and Wife reiu-; ate — Threatening t> Ifudec a Wife 01

LETTER XXX.

Barbarous and shocking Ill-treatment of Women in England— N<

where the Noses of Women, onh

Outrage upon a Woman— BT— Bock

finds the difficulty i the vajf* of Bngliahmen Inereaaing -a Lon- don Magistrate certifies to the chivalric treatment of Women by Ameri mm 281

LETTER XXXI.

Bill passed by Parliament for the better Protection f>f Women and Children — L< I

ville's Jest upon the subject— The White Slave in England— Illustrations of Karl Gran- ville's Jest — Price of Insulting and Amenltlng a Lady — A Pngfliat bmtaJ several young Women — Savage Assault upon a Woman— Attempt to Strangle a Woman —An Editor discourses on Cruelty to Women 294

CONTEXTS. XI

LETTER XXXIL

Cruel Treatment of Children in this Country — Charge of administering Gin to a Child of Seven Years — Mysterious Murder of a Boy near Plymouth — A Woman throws her Son. aged Six Years, from a third-floor Window— Buck's History of this Transaction — He is solicited to leave his Master — Refuses, and sets forth some of the Advantages of slavery in Georgia over Poverty in England 306

LETTER XXXIII.

Two Children Murdered by their Father at Camberwell — Murder of a Child by its Mo- ther, and Death of the latter— Horrible Murder of two Children by their Mother at Loughrea — Murder of an Infant by its Step-father — Ill-treatment of a Child by it8 Father (a Clergyman) and his Sister, resulting in its Death — Murder of an Infant in the Neighborhood of the Bagnigge-wells Road — Buck Discourses on that Text 317

LETTER XXIV.

Charge against a Farmer, of Murder, by throwing a Child to be devoured by a Sow — Cruelty to a Child three years old — Murder of a Child — Fatal Cruelty to a Child, by Burning it in the Hand with a Live Coal — Murder of Children for Burial-fees — Murder of a Child by Starvation, and Ill-treatment by Father and Step-mother — Cruel Treat- ment of a Child by its Mother — Child-torture, by way of Christmas Sports 325

LETTER XXXV.

Cruel Treatment of Servants by the English People — Charge of atrocious Cruelty to a Servant by Mr. and Mrs. Sloane 303

LETTER XXXVI.

Cruelty to a '; Small Servant:" or. the u Marchioness"' duplicated — Quere : Have Samp- son and Sally Brass transferred their Abode to Great Carter Lane. Doctor's Common-? — Buck attends an Investigation, in which it is suggested that Mr. Ri hard SwiYcller may have been interested— He (Buck) Discourses with a benevolent Englishman upon the Advantages of the relation of Master and Slave in Georgia over that of Master and Servant in England 348

LETTER XXXVII.

Murder of a Servant by her Master, at Thrandeston— Assault by a Military Officer on his Female Servant — A First-class Hand in a First-rate Milliner's 359

LETTER XXXVIII.

Cruel Treatment of Lunatics, etc., and of Prisoners, by the British People — Death at Peckham Lunatic Asylum— A Witness against Bethlehem Lunatic Hospital — Dreadful Abuses in that Hospital, and Brutal Treatment of Lunatics there — Similar Conduct at Dunsfcn Asylum — The Birmingham Jail Disclosures — Alleged Ill-treatment of the Poor in a Workhouse 3G9

Xll CONTENTS.

LETTER XXXIX.

What is the Social Happiness of the British People?— The Paupers and the Beggars help to furnish an Answer .' 384

LETTER XL.

The Inquiry into the happiness of the British People, as a Nation, continued — Stealing caused by distress— Increase of Vagrancy in the Metropolis — Street Begging — The Leicester Square Soup kitchen and Hospice — The very Poor of the Metropolis— Deaths from Starvation — The hungry Children iu the Ragged Schools— Pauperism and Va- grancy— More of the Leicester Square Soup-kitchen — Children Dying lor want of Breast-milk — Another Death from Starvation — The common Lodging-houses in St. Giles — Attempt of two Maiden Ladies to commit Suicide bj . on account of their Destitution 391

LETTER XLT.

- and Destitution iu the AgricuP - of England — Adventure of Dr. Jones rant 00 the Road from London to in which Buck emu- late- the Character of the Good Samaritan 4u7

LETTER XLIL

Buck witi ting between - I which the latter, H Ofoal,

b made to take the Kennel — Ei tntion in the Metr , Vicinity

— Death from Stan titntioo

— Pi.-; .;u;i n 413

LETTER XLIII.

Unhappy Mental and Moral Condition I j>ortion of the British People, as shown Uj Py the number of Lin. and of Suicides

LETTER XLIV.

f the Suffering among tP. | le considered, in a Conver- Dr. Jones and an English Nobleman 441

LETTER XLV.

Continuation of the Conversation between Dr. Jones and an English Nol I

r the Conclusion of the whole matter/'

Appendix 466

THE

SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD.

INTRODUCTORY LETTER.

FROM DR. PLEASANT JONES TO WILLIAM T. THOMPSON, ESQ. Cotton Cot (near Pineville), May 1st, ]

Dear Mr. Thompson: — I yield to your suggestion, and consent that my from England to Major

Joseph Jones shall be published. I do so, relying \ much upon your judgment ; for I am not conscious that I possess any special gift in the book-making line. In- deed, I had supposed that there was enough of that sort of thing in the family when my cousin, the Major, took to the busim t that I wish to be understo*-

intending to utter a word in disparagement of the Major?3 books, Mr. Thompson ; for I must confess that they have exhibited one of the most satisfactory tests of succ-- they have put, and are continuing to put, money into the pockets of their publishers. It cannot be denied, there- fore, that there is something more of interest about the Major's literature than the grotesque infelicities of its orthography and syntax, hideously fascinating as these sometimes are. This feature, however, was intended, I suppose, only as a sort of bush to the wine that was within. Mr. Titmarsh Thackeray, nearly about the same time, I believe, was finding a similar expedient quite suc- cessful in attracting attention to the entertainments of the admirable Mr. Charles Edward Eitzroy Yellowplush. 2 (13)

11 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD ; OR.

Still, I could not but feel that possibly there was some luck in the Major's success, and that, proceeding upon a calculation of the doctrine of chances, Fortune may have exhausted her favors in this line for the family. You seem to think otherwise. I am persuaded to Bill therefore, and so I consent to the publication of such of my letters as may be selected for that purpose. Some explanation, as to the how and wherefore of their being written, should precede them, I think ; and this I will proceed to give.

I have had no higher ambition during my life, as you know, than to be a sn planter. It i? true that,

after coming to man's estate, I studied medicine, took a course of lectures, and graduated as M. D. But I pre- ferred the occupation of a planter to the practice of my profession ; and, marrying early in life the girl of my heart, I settled down upon my little patrimony, near Pineville, and devoted myself to agriculture. In this pursuit I have thriven as well as could be expected, and have cause to be very grateful. Several promising chil- dren have been born to us, all but one of whom tarried but a little while, when a Hand came out of the dark and hurried them away. After some years, constant occupation, cares, and the loss of these little ones tried my health as very much to impair it. As it with poor old Tobit in the times of the Apocrypha, and as it has been with thousands since, in all ages of the world, " I went to the physicians, but they helped me not." They advised me, however, to travel — to try a trip to Europe. The World's Fair, then in contempla- tion, and in process of preparation in London, v. ing an interest even among our piney-woods. I had just invented a new plough, having an attachment for cutting roots, which I thought merited a premium ; and, as I had acquired a taste for premiums and silver cups at our own State Fair, through the aid of some fat calves and : pigs, I yielded to these suggestions, and determined to visit Europe for the benefit of my health and the g] fication of bringing back with me a gold medal for a prize plough.

What to do for some one to go along with, and take

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND. 15

care of me, in case of increasing illness, was my greatest difficulty. Circumstances made it impossible for my wife to leave home. My cousins, and your old friends, Maj. Joseph Jones and Dr. Peter, were both in the same situ- ation. The former, indeed, said that nothing would please him better than to go abroad, and perhaps write a book about what he saw there : " but it was impossible ; for at the first mention of the thing, dear Mary had taken on so, as almost to break her heart — she had been always so afraid of the sea, since the President wasn't heard of." Now the truth was, as I afterwards learned, that to this appeal, after the manner of the melting mood, "dear Mary" added more decidedly, that "it wasn't just to her, for him to go trapesing off to England, and leaving her with a house full of children, to take care of; to say nothing of the everlasting little negroes, and that he couldn't do it with her consent — that was c/?a£." And so she put her foot doAvn upon it, and it was flat.

This difficulty presented a serious obstacle for a time, but was finally overcome by the suggestion of my wife, that I had better take Buck (my most trusted and efficient servant) with me. " The truth is," said she, "that next to myself and Sally [Buck's wife] "I had rather trust you in his hands, than in those of any one else." I thought the idea a good one, especially as Buck knew better than any one else how to operate my plough, how to give it that sort of a twisting jerk — a wire-dire he called it — which best served to snap the roots asunder. It was therefore arranged that Buck and I should voyage together.

After resolution formed, our preparations were soon made, and we embarked for England, from the port of New York, in the summer of the year 1851. As the ser- vant, who accompanied me, figures frequently in the letters, whose publication you recommend, I will tell you something more about him. His true name is Wil- liam: but in upper Georgia, for some reason which I never understood, "William is frequently changed into the soubriquet, Buck. It is by this convenient monosyllable my servant is generally called. He is my confidential

16 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD J OH,

servant — a negro of the negroes — born my father's property : his father and grandfather before him having been owned by the family. He is slightly older than myself, but was my playmate in childhood; when he was almost indispensable to my happiness — though he occasionally administered a threshing to me. On one of these occasions I informed my father of it. He in- quired into the circumstances, found that I had been to blame in the quarrel, and decided, that it was wrong in Buck to strike me, and he must not do it again ; but that I had deserved all that I had got. After that, when I caught it too heavily from him, I made report only to his mother, "Aunt Becky;" who occasionally gave him " brinjer," as she called it, when he was too hard on me. But the luxury of licking me he reserved to himself alone among the boys. If any others undertook the same thing, he pitched into them without delay. He has been always sincerely attached to me, I believe, and to my family. And for the matter of that, his regard is reciprocated. He has been loved by my little ones, too ; has guarded and protected them, and has wept over their beds of death. Thoroughly identified with my interests, he has felt himself about as much the proprietor of me and my estate as I was of him. In fact, neither he nor any others of my slaves seem to feel that I have any ex- clusive right to what property I possess ; for they speak of it only as "ours;" as, indeed, it is, for most of the substantial comforts of life. I wish, truly, that they could share its cares and responsibilities with me some- times, and shift the burthen of some of their own crea- tion from my shoulders to theirs. Buck is decidedly "smart," as we say in Georgia, and, for a negro, has not a little vanity; and, though not brought up regularly to house-work, he is very handy. Like most of his race, he is amiable and cheerful, and has an unusual talent for drollery and practical fun — perhaps by habit acquir- ing some of that from his master's family, and Georgians generally. He speaks our language as well as many whites, except when he chooses to do otherwise. ^ possessed of some droll conceit, or desirous^ of making some " divarsion," as he calls it, he frequently resorts to a

BILLY BUCK S VISIT TO ENGLAND. I i

sort of African patois, or broken speech, which lie lias acquired from some of the old negroes with whom he associated in his earlier years — all of whom have now departed, I believe, except his grandmother, Mom.-Dinah, now nearly a hundred years old, and for more than thirty years the superannuated slave of my father and myself. Buck is sometimes quite amusing in this imi- tation— an instance of which, and of his drollery, oc- curred in a scene on board our steamer after we had been several days at sea.

Among the passengers, there was a Quaker gentleman, a member of the Society of Friends in England, an ardent abolitionist and anti-slavery man. By the time referred to, I had become acquainted with many of my fellow- passengers, and with this gentleman among others. Buck had been at first quite sick ; and, as I was a some- what better sailor, I looked after his comfort as well as I could until he grew better,. When rougher weather came, and I went down in my turn, he was in condition to serve me, which he did with his usual faithfulness. These things, and the relations between us, had been observed by the Quaker; and one day, when we were enjoying the fine weather on deck, he said to me, " I per- ceive, Doctor, that thou art attended and served, by one who calls thee master. Is he thy slave?"

I replied that lie "

Quaker. "Art thou not afraid to take him with thee to England? Thou knowest that the law forbids slavery in that country ; and that when he lands on British soil he ceases to be thy slave."

self. ''I know, sir, that such is the theory of the thing ; but I know, at the same time, that it will not prove to be true in point of fact."

Quaker. (AVith an expression of much surprise.) "How so, friend? I do not understand thee."

yself. " Perhaps I may say I mean generally that the- oretical freedom and slavery, and practical freedom and slavery, by the laws of Great Britain, are very different things. But what I mean now specially to say is, that if my man be left free to choose and act whilst we are in England, all the laws in the kingdom cannot break those 2* B

18 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD J OR,

ties of affection, of thought, of habit, of nature, by which he is bound to me ; and therefore cannot sever the re- lations which exist between us, nor prevent his clinging with unyielding tenacity to those relations. Of cc if he is not left free to choose, he will, to that extent, be ved by those who coerce him ; and there fact and theory will certainly clash."

Quaker. "That, Doctor, is a view of the case which has not presented itself to me before. Thy servant seems much attached to thee : more than usually so, I suppose."

Myself. " He is attached to me, certainly, and I to him. But so it is, though in a less degree, with my slaves generally. And I and my slaves are not exceptions to a rule. I think I may say the same thing of most of my neighbors. But there is my man. Suppose you talk with him on the subject. You may say what you please to him, and when you please, without offence to me. He lied Buck."

Buck, who had been loitering near, and heard some portions of the conversation, I suppose, was addressed be -Quaker, and told to approach more closely.

Quaker. " I understand thou art named Buck."

Buck. (Taking off his hat, bowing, and scraping his right foot bad .) " Billy Buck, ma; —

sem time, for short, da calls me B

Quaker. " Billy Buck, I understand thou art a slave, and thy master tells me that thou desirest not to be free, but art content to remain in slav

Buck. " Me shv. ? I sprise at my massa ! He

know belly well, he been work heself 'mos to def at home for he nigger, an da blee i n him way wid me to

save he life. He de slave — me de gemmon what keeps care of him. Bat trute, massa."

" Come, come, Buck," said I, amid roars of laughter on the part of the bystanders, "Come, come, Buck, have done with your fun. This gentleman desires to m stand from you something about the way our slaves treated, and their situation and feelings. Be serious ; answer his questions, and tell him what you know, and conceal nothi.

Thereupon Buck at once changed what there wa-

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND. 19

the ludicrous in his face and attitude, and said, simply and distinctly, "As well as I can, marster." A conversation ensued, with which I will not trouble you, Mr. Thomp- son— only adding, that it seemed greatly to impress the Quaker and some others present, and to give them views of slavery, which they had never dreamed of before.

From what I have said, you may perceive that I had a travelling companion, who was a cause of no little amusement to me whilst in Europe ; and who was him- self not unfrequently a source of interest and curiosity to others — sometimes to my annoyance ; but never did I have any trouble with him, from the cause suggested by the good Quaker.

My first intention was to remain in England until the close of the Great Exhibition, when I proposed to make a short visit to the Continent, and then return home. But when that period arrived I was advised to remain longer where I was ; and thus my stay in Europe was indefinitely prolonged. My first letters, you will see, relate chiefly to my private affairs, and to such casual observation and personal experience as I thought might interest my family and friends. But during the year )we,s book, "Uncle Tom's Cabin," was pub- 1, and it created a great sensation in England. It soon in the hands, heads, and mouths of all classes ; and I, being from a Slave State, a slaveholder, and hav- ing a black slave as my constant attendant, was continu- ally made the centre of a little circle of excitement and discussion on the subject of slavery. Id these conversa- tions, the various features of our social polity in the Slave States of North America were frequently talked of, with me, or in my presence. This naturally excited my attention, and pointed it in the direction of the con- trasted features of the social economy among that people with whom I was sojourning, and set my sharpened facul- ties to the task of ascertaining in some decree what these accurately were. In a short time, and engendered, by the excitement which Mrs. Stowe's book had created, appeared the following appeal by the Stafford House ladies, (as they were called,) at the head of whom was the Duchess of Sutherland, to the women of America : — ■

20 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD; OR,

u The Affectionate and Christian Address of many thousands of the Women of England to their Sisters, the Women of the United States of America.

A common origin, a common faith, and, we sincerely believe, a common cause, urge us, at the present moment, to address you on the subject of that system of negro-slavery which still prevails so extensively, and, even under kindly-disposed masters, with such frightful results, in many of the vast regions of the Western World.

We will nGt dwell on the ordinary topics — on the progress of civilisation, on the advance of freedom everywhere, on the rights and requirements of the nineteenth century — but we appeal to you very seriously to reflect, and to ask counsel of God, how far such a state of things is in accordance with His holy word, the inalienable rights of immortal souls, and the pure and merciful spirit of the Christian religion.

We do not shut our eyes to the difficulties, nay, the dangers that might beset the immediate abolition of that long-established system ; we see and admit the necessity of preparation for so great an event : but, in speaking of indispensable prelimina- ries, we cannot be silent on those laws of your country which, indirect contravention of God's own law, 'instituted in the time of man's innocency,' deny, in effect, to the slave the sanctity of marriage, with all its joys, rights, and obligations ; which separate, at the will of the master, the wife from the husband, and the children from the parents. Nor can we be silent on that awful system which, either by statute or by cus- tom, interdicts to any race of man, or any portion of the human family, education in the truths of the Gospel and the ordinances of Christianity.

A remedy applied to these two evils alone would commence the amelioration of their sad condition. We appeal, then, to you, as sisters, as wives, and as mothers, to raise your voices to your fellow-citizens, and your prayer to God, for the re- moval of this affliction from the Christian world. We do not say these things in a spirit of self-complacency, as though our nation were free from the guilt it perceives in others. We acknowledge, with grief and shame, our heavy share in this great sin. We acknowledge that our forefathers introduced, nay, compelled, the adoption of slavery in those mighty colo- nies. We humbly confess it before Almighty God ; and it is because we so deeply feel, and so unfeignedly avow, our own complicity, that we now venture to implore your aid to wipe awav our common crime and our common dishonor."

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO f5$QJfP£MT%) 21

By this time I had seen enough to become satisfied that this, and all such interference, was grossly unjust. I had perceived, that a clever book, written by a woman

of genius, founded on an exaggerated and distorted view of slavery — a view which presented the exception for the rule, and left out of sight everything which might tend to elucidate the true rule ; and which book abounded in ingenious appeals to the best sympathies of human na against oppression, and in favor of helpless sufferers : — that such a book had succeeded in exciting excellent people of all classes in Great Britain, until they had become totally blind to the truth in connection with the subject, — blind to the corruption, rottenness, oppression, outrages, and wrongs, with which their own nation abounded, and which should have kept their sympathies where charity begins — at home ; at least until they had wrought such changes and reforms there, as might en- able them to bring other nations into a court of conscience with clean hands.

From my own observations, I had by this time become convinced, Mr. Thompson, that in Great Britain there was more of social profligacy than in our Slave States, among whites or blacks; more of suffering, destitution, crime, brutality, outrages upon the unoffending and the helpless ; more of cruelty and oppression in the treatment of women and children, and all inferior dependents : more of all these things, in a most painful degree, than in our : States. I could not, therefore, but feel how cruel, how sinful, indeed, was any such attempt to excite the women of our favored land' on the subject of this feature in our social system, whilst wrongs and evils such as these, surrounded the homes, and ever lay along the pathways, of these virtuous ladies on every side. And I could not but think, that, even if slavery were sinful and wrong, and our system in this respect needed reform, such an exhortation to make it came with an exceeding from those who were members of a body- politic which was productive of more and greater evils.

Under the influence of feelings and reflections such as these, I commenced to take notes of such facts as were continually occurring around me, made memoranda of

22 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD; OR,

some that had previously come to my knowledge, and collected reports or notices of others from the public press. When I wrote, as I frequently did, to our friend, the Major, I communicated this information, as a method of giving form and embodiment to the contrast and com- parison of social institutions, which, as I have suggested, I was anxious to have made. It is my wish that only such of my letters written from Europe as relate to, or have a bearing upon, this particular subject, shall be published ; unless an exception be made of two or three letters only, which have reference to the Great Exhibi- tion. This may leave a considerable hiatus (or interval unoccupied with letters) during the year 1852 and early part of 1853 ; but the reason for this can be readily found in the suggestion which. I have made.*

I will add, that all the statements which I have made, as statements of material facts, unless it be such as are notorious among educated persons, and all the charges affecting the character of individuals, or of the British people as a nation, are based upon their own accounts of themselves, which accompany these charges, or distinctly refer to the authority upon which the statement is made ; and I have ventured to make such charges only where I could furnish some such evidence of their correctness.

In the form of an Appendix, or of Notes to these let- ters, I will submit such facts and statistics, as will serve the reader in the effort to compare important features in the social economy of our slaveholding community, with those of Great Britain as exhibited by these letters ; and will enable him, for himself, to contrast the conduct and character of our people with those of the British •people, and so endeavor somewhat to ascertain the effect of slave-institutions upon the virtue and happiness of a nation.

I am tempted to add, Mr. Thompson, that, if the public should ratify your opinion of these letters from Old Eng- land, I jrrj give them, one of these days, the benefit of similar missives from (and of a visit by Billy Buck and myself to) New England.

* The Doctor's wish has been complied with.

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND. 23

These are the explanations which. I thought it proper to make ; and I am, dear sir,

Very respectfully,

Y'r ob'nt serv't,

P. Jones. To W, T. Thompson, Esq.

Savannah, Geo.

LETTER I.

ARRIVAL IN LONDON — BUCK VISITS THE CRYSTAL PALACE — HIS DESCRIPTION OF IT.

London, July 8th, 1551.

Dear !Majoe : — I have arrived safely in London. I came on after resting one night only in Liverpoo. anxious was I to reach the Great Exhibition as soon as possible, and have my plough regularly entered for the race.

I had some difficulty in procuring lodgings, owing to the press of people brought here from so many nations by this great Fair ; and really I believe I should have had to sleep in the streets, or have taken up with lodg- ings something worse, but for the aid of a gentleman whom I met by accident. My lodgings are upon a some- what small scale, though comfortable; and I find the people of the house accommodating enough, though their manner of doins; things is so different from that to which I have been accustomed as to keep me somewhat ill at ease. I have been otherwise unwell, too, ever since my arrival, and have not left my room, though it has been with difficulty that I have restrained myself from going out to the Crystal palace. Buck has made his visit there, however, and has given me the benefit of the impres which it created upon him. Finding it advisable for me to keep my room this morning, and having no need for his services, I gave him permission to "go out and see

24 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD; OR,

the sights." He tricked himself off in his best apparel, and started. Soon after he left the room, hearing his voice below the window, I looked out upon the following scene :

"Mister/' said Buck to one of the waiters, taking off his hat quite politely, " Mister, can you tell me the way to the Christian Palace ?"

" Will you 'ave a cab ?" said the waiter.

"No, thank you," said he, with a scrape of his foot; "it's the Great Exerbishun I'm axin' for, sir."

" Oh, yer are, are yer ? How will yer take it — warm with, or cold without? P'raps yer'd prefer it iced?"

" Xo, I'm obleeged to you; I wouldn't choose any," said Buck humbly, and puzzled; "I wants to go to the Christian Palace, I say, Mister."

" Oh, yer do, do yer ? So I heerd yer say, yer ugly old lamp-post ; and I asked yer if yer'd 'ave a cab. P'raps yer'd like me to get yer a 'ansom." [Hansom, you know, Major, is the name of a vehicle which is used in London for the transportation o ,ers.]

"Look here, Mister," said Buck, " don't call names. Ef I am ugly, I am as God made me ; and I shan't go to you to get handsome, I can tell you ; becase you haint got none of that ar article to spar, Ml

Buck strode away quite indignant, and worked his way, by hook or by crook, to the Crystal Palace. He returned after some hours, in a state of great excite- ment,

" How did vou like the Crystal Palace ?" said I.

" First-rate,1 Marster. But this here London town is curoser than it. I never spected to see sich a place in all my born days. Why, Marster, hits so big, tell you, can't tell you how big hit is — whar hit begins, nor whar hit eends. I sorter used to think that Pineville was some punkins, tell I seed Augusty, and hit tuk the shine out of it ; then I seed 2s ew York, and Augusty was no whar 'longside of it. But, Marster, you might take Pineville, an' Augusty, an' New York, an wrap 'urn all up together, an put 'urn all into one of the pockets of this big town, an' then you couldn't find 'um 'thout sarchin' mighty close."

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND. 25

What about the Crystal Palace?" said I; "What is it like?"

" Well, Marster," said he, "hits a monstrous big glass house, fixed up with iron. Take it bye and large, sir, an' hit's bout as big as our rye pasture ; an' hit's sittiwated in a sort o' woods lot that they calls a park, 'bout the size of our brush-arbor field. Hit's as chock full of curosities as a egg is of meat, sir. Thar's trees grow- ing in it 'bout as big as some of the trees in our grove, sir."

"Are the trees in the park large and fine?" said I.

" Tell you what it is, Marster, we've got no sich houses as that in our country, an' no sich curosities in 'urn as I seed thar ; but when hit comes to trees, sir, we've got urn — them trees can't shine 'longside of our Georgy woods."

" How did you find your way to the Palace ?" said I.

" Kep etarnally axin, Marster, tell I found people gwine thar. God knows, thar was people enough in the streets to ax of — more people than ever I seed before, in all the days of my life, I raaly do believe, sir; and some of the outlandishest folks at that. They didn't seem to talk good Inglish talk, nohow ; an' 'peared like they couldn't adzactly onderstand me. Ef what half on 'urn said hadn't been a huckleberry over my persimmon to onderstand, I mought have found my way to the Chris- tian Palace before I did."

" I observed your failure to understand the waiter," said I, " when you first left the house, and the blunders you committed when talking to him. The man requested to know if he should call a cab (that is, a carriage) for you ; and then he asked if he should get a hansom for you (another name for a sort of carriage or cab), and you were quite impertinent in your replies to him."

" Well, raaly ! was that what he meant to say, sir ? Why, I thought he was tryin' to make divarsion of me. I'll go right straight off, Marster, and ax the genTmairs pardon."

As I told you, Major, my apartments are rather con- tracted; but, considering what the press is just now, I have reason to be thankful that I have done so well. 3

26 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD ) OR,

Everything is neat and clean, and the servants" are atten- tive. It is the custom here, I find, to furnish the supply of accommodations according to the demand. A certain price must be paid for your apartments, and then you are charged separately for everything else. But for what I am informed are customary servants' fees, the prices would not be so very extravagant, considering the crowds who are now swarming into this city. My pro- bable expenses by the week, as well as I can learn, will not exceed fifty-eight shillings, not reckoning servant's perquisites ; or about fifteen dollars in our currency. Not so very bad, considering the "jam."

You shall hear from me again soon. Meantime, I am, dear Major,

Your friend and cousin,

To Major Jones, P. Jones.

Pineville Georgia, U. S. of America.

LETTER II.

DR. JONES VISITS AND DESCRIBES THE GREAT EXHIBITION.

London, July 10th, 1851.

Dear major : — I have visited the Great Exhibition, and hasten to write you an account rather of the general impression produced on my mind than of the details. To furnish you with an account of these details would re- quire many days, and then I should have performed the task very imperfectly. You will find it sufficiently well done by the newspapers, which I send you by this mail. In this letter I enclose an excellent engraving, which I assure you presents an accurate picture of one front and end of the building, and gives you a very good idea of the whole.

The building, you know, is chiefly composed of glass, supported by iron pillars, which spring from the wooden flooring. The roof, which is of glass, has been somewhat

BILLY BUCK'.? VISIT TO ENGLAND. 27

kened and protected by a canvass covering, and the r which falls on it is carried off through the centres of the many thousand iron pillar.-, which have been made hollow, and thus perform the double purpose of props and gutters. These pillar-pipes conduct the v. into drains below, which communicate with sewers be- neath the ground. A shower of rain came on whilst I was in the building, and the effect was very extraordi- nary. A roaring sound in the direction of the roof was heard, as of the surf upon the sea-shore, whilst, by list- ening attentively, the dashing of a thousand muffled water-falls might be detected within the pillars. The size of the building may be judged of by the fact that roof comprises a space of about twenty acres. The banners which are ranged along the roof are the flags of all nations: and the prominent feature which you will observe in the centre of the building is the great transept. The main entrance is on the south.

I was indebted to the assistance of a gentleman who had frequently visited the Palace in forming my first ac- quaintance with it, and you shall have the benefit of somewhat that I saw and learned.

TVhen I had passed by that main entrance, my attention was first called to many narrow, dark-looking branching to the right and left of this entrance. Here, I was told, presided the intellect which governed this piece of machinery. The main-springs which give it motion and regulate its action are here seated. In a number of small apartments, a few feet square, connc with each other, the members of the Executive Commit- tee are accustomed to sit and administer the affairs of the Institution, as it may be called. Lieutenant-Colonel Reed, of the Engineering Corps attached to the British army, assisted by a Mr. Dilke, here superintends the whole. A Mr. Cole regulates the allotment of space and the arrangement of articles in the building, and Mr. Digby Wyatt here looks after its plans and structure. Htrre are also the heads of various other departm too tedious to mention. On the left is a room more sumptuously furnished than those I have just described, where the Roval Commissioners sometimes assemble.

28 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD; OR,

From this position I advanced into the body of the edifice, and was soon lost in the seething mass of life which stirred throughout the immense enclosure. It is said in the papers that more than fifty thousand persons visited the building on that day. I found people of all nations, apparently, and all tongues, encountering and jostling one another; and there was more that was im- pressive to me in this mass of men, coming from the quiet of a country home, as I did, than in all that mag- nificent and curious assemblage of the world's wealth which was ranged on every side of me. Something of the order in which this was arranged you will learn from the number of the Times which I send you. I will en- deavor to give you an idea of the character of the arti- cles by such general descriptions of them as I find fur- nished. Of course, by far the greater number of speci- mens supplied are by citizens of the United Kingdom of England, Ireland, and Scotland. I am sorry that our countrymen have occupied so small a space in the build- ing. They have filled only a portion of that which was set apart for them, and so far, their contributions are not very remarkable.

The interest of an American who enters the building turns almost instinctively to the machinery exhibited. I mention, then, as first in the list, the splendid Speci- mens of various Machines, Steam Engines, Piailway Car- riages, and Naval Mechanism. The United Kingdom is almost unrivalled in this field, and the specimens fur- nished are most admirable. Then come Civil Engineer- ing, and Architectural and, Building Machinery ; in which the preponderance is greatly in favor of Great Britain, but France and Switzerland compete hand- somely. Next we have Naval Architecture, then Mili- tary Engineering, Ordnance, Armor, and Accoutrements. In some of these branches the competition is very consi- derable. Next in order I mention Agricultural and Horticultural Machines and Implements. Here, again, there is considerable competition from the United King- " dom, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and, in a less degree, from our country. I expected many more con- tributions in this line from our countrymen, especially

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND. 29

from the ingenious mechanics of New England. There is a reaping machine exhibited by a Mr. M'Cormick, from

the United States, which is very much admired, and will receive a prize, I have no doubt. There is a fine speci- men of a plough from the same quarter, contributed by Pro ut y and Mears ; and then there is the plough of your humble servant : both of which deserve success, if they do not obtain it. I was next attracted to Manufac- turing Machines and Tools. Here the competition with the United Kingdom is very considerable, and here our countrymen enter the lists a little more extensively ; but new specimens from their hands are not as numerous as I expected to see them. Carriages of various sorts then drew my attention. The United Kingdom has it pretty much its own way here. Our people show some buggies, which may perhaps win favor. I next mention Philoso- phical and Surgical Instruments. Here the competition is very great, and the specimens most wonderful. Fol- lowing this, I should place Horological Instruments — clocks, watches, etc. ; in which the competition is very great. Among the clocks is one intended to run five hundred days. There are also many interesting speci- mens of Musical Instruments from many nations. Our countryman, Mr. Chickering, will obtain a prize for his piano, I have no doubt. My attention was next given to the department of Cotton Fabrics. Here, perhaps, you naturally expect our people to shine ; but I am afraid it will not turn out so. The United Kingdom has a great preponderance in the articles exhibited, though there are some splendid specimens from other countries. France contributes some articles which, for originality and beauty of design, are unsurpassed. Switzerland sends splendid specimens of muslins and ginghams, and our New England manufacturers send some coarse fabrics which are much admired. In Woollen and Worsted the competition is greater, and the display is most remark- able. Our countrymen are "no where " in the race. So, again, with reference to Silk and Velvet, to manufactures from Flax a id Hemp, and to Mixed Fabrics, Shawls, etc. Saxony sends very rich specimens of silk stuffs for tape 3 furniture, carriages, etc. Satins, laces, embroidery, broca- 3*

30 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD; OR,

telle, etc., rich specimens of velvet, silk, embroidered cam- bric handkerchiefs, etc., are also sent from Geneva. In Leather manufactures there is also considerable competi- tion ; and here, especially in the articles of harness and trunks, our people present some claims to rivalry. The exhibition of Skins, Furs, etc., is also very extensive, and very admirable. The department of Paper, Stationery, Printing, and Bookbinding next attracted my observation. In this department are 160 fine books, printed in the Ara- bic, Persian, and Turkish languages, contributed by the Government of Egypt. Think of Abbas Pasha sending literature to the Great Exhibition ! There are innume- rable specimens of Printing, or Dyeing, which I did not have time to examine. The Tapestry, Carpets, etc., ex- hibited, constitute one of the most interesting depart- ments in the Exhibition ; and in it there is remarkable competition among several of the European States. Here again we are far behind in the race. In Lace and Era-* broidery, Fancy Work, etc., the same remarks may be made. In Articles of Clothing for Domestic use the com- petition is also very extensive ; and here some fine arti- cles from our country are exhibited. In Lron and Hard- ware there is very considerable competition between the United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, and France; though I must confess the English seem to bear away the palm in this line. So, too, they have it very much all their own way in Cutlery and Edge Tools. In Jewelry, Working in the Precious Metals, Articles of Virtu, etc., the competition is very remarkable among the European States. Here, in my opinion, the greatest number of prizes in proportion to the number of contributions will be borne away by citizens of France — their goldsmith work is indeed very beautiful. In Glass, the display is very remarkable, and the honors very much divided among European States, I thought. So, also, as to Por- celain, Earthenware, etc. So, also, as to Decorative Fur- niture and Upholstery, Manufactures in Mineral Sub- stances used for Building or Decoration. So as to various Manufactures from Animal and Vegetable Sub- stances, such as straw and shell work, ivory, combs, India-rubber, gutta-percha, hair, feathers, brushes, etc.

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAHJX 31

Here; again, our people bravely enter the lists in the India-rubber and gutta-percha lines. In Sculpture, Mo- and the Plastic art, the competition is chiefly among the Continental European States, Italy, France, Austria, Bavaria, Belgium, Prussia, and other parts of Germany. The United States are represented by Powers and his Greek Slave. In Mining, Quarrying, etc., the specimens were very extensive, especially from the various E of Europe. And so in Chemical and Pharmaceutical Processes and Products. In the department of Si'Jjs+: 'used as Pood, the display was truly remarkable and ex- ceedingly interesting. And here our country is enabled very prominently and favorably to enter into the compe- tition. Here Abbas Pasha, of Egypt, and Mr. T. Bell, of Genesee, in our country, are rivals in the article of wheat. Heath & Burrows, from Australia, refuse to ad- mit the superiority of either specimen to that which they present ; Lepelletier, from Algeria, also claims the privi- lege of entering the lists against them all. Here sugars from Siam, from Canada, from Cuba, from the United States, from Malaga, from India, from France (beet sugar), and from Austria (also beet sugar), are in gene- rous rivalry. But I fear I shall grow tedious if I longer continue the subject. I will therefore only add that the collection of Vegetable and A* Substances } Woods,

etc., used in Manufactures as Pmplcments, etc., or for Ornament, was most extensive and curious. It is, of course, from all parts of the world, and names of contri- butors in this department very familiar to me, such as Mr. Bond, and James V. Jones, of our State, and Colonel Hampton and Colonel Seabrook, of South Carolina, are found alongside of St. Maur, of Algeria. M'Arthur, of Xew South Wales, Manuel, Cape of Good Hope, and Abdul Hamid, of Egypt.

Perhaps I may return to this subject. In the mean time, I am, clear Major,

Your friend and cousin,

P. Jones.

To Maj. Joxes,

Pineville, Ga., U. S. of America.

32 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD ; OR,

LETTER III.

BUCK'S GREETING OF THE QUEEN AND ROYAL FAMILY — IN- TERVIEW WITH AN ENGLISH GENTLEMAN CONVERSATION

AS TO SLAVERY.

London, August 1st, 1851.

Dear Major : — One day last week I had the pleasure of seeing the Royal Family of this country. Under- standing that they were to visit the Crystal Palace at or about a certain hour, and that they would probably enter by one of the private doors, which was pointed out to me, I determined to obtain a position from which I could see them. I repaired to the spot, but found myself pre- ceded by quite a number of persons. I succeeded, how- ever, in getting near enough to see them, though the view was not as satisfactory as I could have desired. The Queen appeared to be a ladylike but most plain per- son, with amiable features, and rather under size in stature. The Prince, her husband, was a very fine-look- ing gentleman, of about middle stature, I thought,, and rather intellectual in his appearance. Of the children I did not get a good view.

I was much interested with the enthusiasm of the people around me. They were evidently influenced not only by the sentiment of loyalty, but by a feeling more tender — a sentiment of affection for and sympathy with the good and virtuous wife and mother. I confess that my own heart warmed toward the august lady, as I saw her thus, not with the peculiar bearing of a mighty e reign, but as the gentle patroness of industry and the arts, and with her husband and children about her, affording to her subjects and the world an example of those domestic virtues which shed so sweet and soft a light upon the hearthstone, as well of the humble home- stead as of the royal palace ; and, republican as I was, I joined right heartily in the cheers which were given her

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAKD. 33

before she entered the building. As for Buck, by dint of pushing and elbowing, he managed to get nearer, and mounted on a curb-stone, or step of some sort, which rather raised him above the heads of most of the crowd. He joined lustily in the cheering, and then, turning toward me, and affecting the droll, he said, in his Afri- can lingo, " God bress my soul, Massa, she nuttin but buckra folks arter all ! I been tink she engel from heb- bin. only got petticoat stidy wing."

Some of those around him cheered this speech ; which observing, the rogue continue \ :

"Well, if she no bin engel. Massa. she desarve to be engel ; she good sem like engel, dat trute. In my coun- try. Massa," (addressing a portly gentleman, whose fine face, glowing with delight, was turned up to him,) "in Ebo country, dem queen de debbil."

" You had better be careful. Buck," said I, for want of something better to say, " how you declare that the Queen deserves to be an angel. That is as much as to- say she deserves to die ; and some of these loyal Eng- lishmen, hearing you say that, may charge you with com- passing the death of her Majesty."

Buck. "So sir-ree, Massa! me no compuss nuttin — nairy time — me only say dat Queen good sem like engel — dat what make her people lub hear so, Massa."

"So it is. my man." said the same portly and good- humored gentleman to whom I have referred; " so it is ; and I honor you for appreciating our Queen as you do."

The gentleman shook Buck warmly by the hand. The latter returned the grasp with such a right good will as to bring tears into the Englishman's handsome e]

"What is your name, my man 1 he.

" Billy Buck," said Buck, taking off his hat and drop- ping his African dialect, " sarvant to Dr. Jones, of Georgy, sir: this genTman, sir. my Marster."

•' Sir," said the gentleman, turning to me with a bow, " I have been quite pleased with the humor of your ser- vant, and his liking for our Queen."

Myself. " He has been bred, sir> in a country where all classes honor those virtues which are so conspicuous in the Queen of England, and where the sex of your sove-

c

34 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD; OR;

reign is always treated with respect by the opposite sex — even by the slave."

Stranger. "You are from the United States, I suppose; and this man is your slave."

Myself. "Yes."

Stranger. " Yours is a remarkable country, sir ; and certainly such respect for the gentler sex is highly credit- able to its people. I have heard it said that there was a chivalric regard for women in America. Does your ob- servation in Europe serve to strengthen the belief that your people are peculiar in this respect ?"

Myself. " I have been impressed with the conviction that a more delicate respect for woman, and tender regard for little children, is common among my countrymen, espe- cially in the Southern States, than — if you will pardon me; sir — than among Englishmen."

Stranger. "Why should this be so? And can you assign a reason for such a state of facts ?"

Myself. "Perhaps the subject, as a social problem, should be closely studied, to be thoroughly understood in all its aspects ; but I like to think of the fact of which I have spoken, as a blessing from the household and family gods of our people — the Lares familiar es, sir, as an ancient people once called them. My countrymen, espe- cially in the South, as a general rule, live very much in families. The necessaries of life are sufficiently easy of acquisition to encourage our young men and women in the ready formation of family ties. In a country like ours, it is to the public interest that families should be increased as much as possible ; and therefore these rela- tions assume a very high importance in the eyes of so- ciety. In a commnnity where the institution of slavery exists, the servants, as slaves, become a permanent por- tion of, and are completely identified with, the family circle, and thus that circle is enlarged and widened in its sphere and influences. Depend upon it, sir, it was not with- out a foundation in true knowledge of human nature that those ancient Eomans chose the " Decurions of their La- res " in every family from among its slaves, and appointed slaves, not freemen, to assist the priests in their sacri- fices to these divinities, as Cicero and Horace both inform

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND. 35

us was the custom. You may remember that, in your schoolboy lessons, you found a very pleasant picture, drawn by the latter, of the happy slaves sitting around the family Lares :

'Positos, que vernas ditis examen domus, Circum renidentes Lares.'

It is in this way, sir, that I account, in part, for a gene- ral prevalence among my countrymen, white and black, of those affections, sympathies, and sentiments which cluster around the homes of a people, and those who are identified wTith those homes : viz., women and children."

Stranger. " Sir, you put the subject before me in a strik- ing and, to me, somewhat novel light. I have not been in the habit of thinking of your slaves as living under the influence of such relations between them and their owners."

Myself. " In that, you and others have not rightly com- prehended this institution as it exists among us. To a great extent, and as a general rule, our slaves regard themselves as a part of the family, and bound up with its interests. As a race, they are good-humored and affectionate, and they soon become attached to their owners, unless the latter are cruel to them, which does not as often happen as may be supposed ; for the interest of the owner generally forbids it (as the law does), when conscience does not. Your own eloquent Burke, in his letters "to Arthur Young, has said that ' It is plainly more to the farmer's interest that his men should thrive than that his horses should be well fed, sleek, and plump, and fit for use, or than that his wagons and ploughs should be strong, in good repair, and fit for ser- vice.' If this be right when spoken of free laborers, you will readily perceive how it must be so of those who are the property of the farmer. The attachment of which I have spoken is very often mutual, and strong and life- long friendships are thus formed. Here is my man, for example, to whom I am indebted for the pleasure of this interview with you, sir. Next to my wife and child, I have no such living friend." *

* See Appendix, K, §2.

36 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD ; OR,

Stranger. " Truly, sir, I am happy to have met with you, and your man too. I shall be glad to make your better acquaintance, and will exchange cards with you with pleasure."

I learned, during the day, that my newly -formed ac- quaintance was a Mr. A , a gentleman of large

landed estate and great wealth in Yorkshire; and that, though now confining himself very much to agriculture, he wras highly respected, of considerable influence, and had a seat in Parliament.

In the course of a few days, I received a visit from

Mr. A , and I think our respect for each other was

increased by the interview. Buck and he, too, had a long conversation, and he protested that Buck was " quite a trump of a fellow." He invited me cordially to make him a visit at his country seat, and by all means to bring Buck with me. I think he was sincere, and we parted almost as old friends. He has less of that unimpressible reserve which characterizes Englishmen generally than I have ever before met with in a gentleman of this na- tion, and more of ready sympathy. I think I shall accept his invitation, and so learn somewhat of life in the country among the gentry of England. If I do, you may expect to hear something on the subject from

Your friend and cousin, P. Jones.

To Maj. Joseph Jones,

Pineville, Ga., U.S. of America.

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND. 37

LETTER IV.

ANECDOTE OF DR. JACKSON AND THE GEORGIAN IN LONDON,

WHOSE INDIANS WOULDN'T SHOW DR. JONES'S PLOUGH A

FAILURE IN ENGLAND, BECAUSE HE DID NOT CARRY HIS

ROOTS WITH HIM A FRENCHMAN'S OPINION OF AMERICA

ANECDOTE OF CAPTAIN BLACK THE DOCTOR CONSOLES

HIMSELF FOR HIS FAILURE WITH A SCRAP FROM THE TRA- GEDY OF "TOM THUMB."

London, October 20th, 1851.

Dear Major : — It is true, as you suggest, that I have not, in either of my letters, said anything about the fate of my plough. I wish that the subject could be quietly put aside, and that you did not cause me to renew my grief by alluding to it. It " goes against the grain/' as we say in Georgia ; but I might as well own up at once, and be done with it — my plough speculation has proven a bit of a failure here. Major.

Before saying more about it, I will tell you a story which the late venerable Dr. Jackson was accustomed to relate.

Many years' ago, the Doctor was Secretary of Legation when Mr. Crawford, of Georgia, was Minister of the United States at the French Court. Whilst occupying that post, he had occasion to visit London ; and during that visit he was called upon by a citizen of Georgia, who ■ had need for his advice and services. The Georgian had, a short time previously, taken with him to London a party of Creek Indians, with whom he had entered into an agreement for the purpose of putting them on exhibi- tion in Great Britain. Very soon after they had reached London, and the profits of their adventure had com- menced, the Indians obtained a taste of fire-water, and at once broke over all bounds of discretion. Eefusing to have their powers confined to the " pent-up Utica " of an exhibition-room, they stampeded, and roamed over the 4

38 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD; OR,

city at large — thus gratifying the curiosity of the cock- neys gratis, and utterly annihilating the Georgian's visions of golden guineas in prospective. He had spent his all in transporting the Indians to England, and after this break-down of his plans, was in great embarrass- ment. He went to the Doctor, as a brother Georgian, stated his distress, and obtained advice and assistance. I mention his case, because it reminds me of my own ad- venture in one particular. He told the Doctor that he was ruined by having omitted only one little element from his calculation when embarking upon his specula- tion. All his plans, he said, were well laid in every re- spect, and the Indians and he were " as good for a for- tune as a thrip was for a ginger-cake — only, when it came to the pinch, the d d creeturs wouldn't show."

Now my case was somewhat similar in one respect, as I have suggested. I, too, had omitted one little element from the calculation. In every other feature my plans were perfect; but unfortunately, Major, my plough couldn't shoiv.

You know that the great and distinguishing feature in my invention was its adaptation to cutting up and break- ing away roots and other such obstacles. Well, when I met the Committee of the Great Exhibition who were to decide upon the merits of the invention, whose claims I had lodged in the usual and regular manner, you may be sure that I dwelt eloquently upon this new and most im- portant feature. I made a decided impression upon the members, I thought. It appeared to me very plainly that my point was gained, and that the long coveted medal was as good as won, when a great, bluff, beef-eating John Bull of a fellow, in a sort of cut-away coat, with an immense riding-whip sticking out of the pocket, — a perfect gentleman, though, in voice and manner, I must confess, — exclaimed, "Ah, yes ! It's all very well, with- out doubt. But where shall we see it tried ? What do we know about cutting roots ? And where shall we find a bit of ground such as the gentleman describes?"

Gracious heavens ! It had never occurred to me before, but it was too true — there were no new ground- roots in England. The Committee had no experience in

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND. 39

such matters; and my invention had about as much practical value in their eyes as if it had been designed to turn up the lava on the mountains in the moon.

And here I had been, for several long months, rolling this sweet morsel of hope under my tongue, and spend- ing so many dollars in "projectm' " with the thing, as Buck expressed it — and now to be defeated because they could not "go to the root of the matter/' was too bad. Think of a country so "bad off" as not to have any new grounds or clearings, Major ! The blow was a smasher; and I felt very much like that little Frenchman who was landed for the first time on American soil, with a party of English or American sailors (the story does not say which), upon a barren spot in West Florida. He looked around at the dreary landscape, the gopher-hills, the black-jacks, the stunted pines, and palmettos, and shud- deringly exclaimed, "And dees is Amerique, eh? Yel, if dees is Amerique, je suis perfectment disguust, God d n!"

I confess that I was perfectly disgusted, myself. I did not care who knew it; and thereupon I vowed a vow something like that taken by that witty friend of our youth, the late Captain Black — peace to his memory !

The Captain, (as Ave always called him, you know,) had once taken up several cases from the county in which he practised as a lawyer to the Supreme Court of Georgia. He had been accustomed to have his own way very much, when not gravelled by some point of law, before the juries of his countv ; but meeting with indifferent success before the Court of Errors and Appeals, he left the chamber, shook its dust from his feet, and vowed that he would never take another case to the Supreme Court until he could carry his jury up with him. He kept that vow, too, I believe, and never did take up another case.

Well, my yov? was, that I would never again take a plough to an exhibition in England until I could carry my roots with me.

Xotwithstanding this disappointment, I consider that my plough has triumphed ; for no one has dared to enter the lists with me. The idea has been on all sides ad- mitted to be a happy one; and I clearly only needed "a

40 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD; OR,

fair field'' to insure favor and success. I may therefore exclaim with Lord Grizzle, in his campaign against Tom Thumb,

" Thus far our arms with victory are crowned ; For, though we have not fought, yet we have found No enemy to fight withal."

The fact is, Major, though I have been trying to put a good face on the matter, yet I am not a little taken down by it, I will confess to you.

I know you are sorry for me; but don't carry that sort of thing too far, and be as quiet about it as you can. I already hear your attempts at consolation. Yes, I know very well, that " it is useless to cry over spilt milk," and that "what can't be cured" — &c. There, you need not finish. I know, I know it quite as well as Poor Richard ever did, or Sancho Panza, or any other grinder of the grist called proverbs. I know, besides, what you would say, but for your compassion at present, that I should have " stuck to my last," and not have been a suitor for favors in foreign lands, but have sent my plough to the Georgia fair at Atlanta. I confess that, if I had done that, the want of a few roots would not have been in the way of my luck. But never mind. It is not too late. I can do that yet. I can christen it for Mr. Peters, call it the " Peters' Root Ripper," and so overcome fate, vanquish destiny, and secure a premium.

In the meantime, don't make any more fun or fuss about my temporary failure than you can possibly help ; or I shall not continue to subscribe myself

Yr. friend and cousin,

P. Jones.

To Maj. Jones, Pineville, Geo.,

U. S. of America.

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND. 41

LETTER V.

DR. JONES AND HIS MAN VISIT A HALL IN Y0RKSL1

A Hall, November 14. 1

Dear Major : — I accepted Mr. A 'a invitation, bo

mentioned in my letter of

August 4th, and repeated nd have

n for two day- hisg 51 : this place. I came by rail of course, and had :_ glance

at the country, except the last eight or ten miles ; other-

:.ething : ription of it.

I ooul nough, he : excite my warmest admi-

d for the signs of culture and of comfort which abounded on ever; Zae sensations which a joui

for the first time through such a region excites in the bosom of an American, are of a very animated chara Much of that which is common-place to the inhabitants of older countries, in; him with th fi sshness ::

originality. Antiquity itself, or rather that which results

it, is novelty to him. ts he may about tJ

things, the native of our country can have no cor- rect conception of the progress of the same people through many centuries of civilization, until he beholds the results

i his own eyes. Prosperous as we are. and rich : many kinds of resources in our country, our tastes a: in their infancy, and we are almost unlearned in the __ ~A architecture. The truth is, to one accus: to our 3C riety, the beauty of the parks, and _ rd os, and public grounds heir, the elat >rate, substantial, and : H" of the architecture, and the lavish ex diture uec these things, must alway

objects of wonder.

I found Mr. A ra carriage waiting foi n

: n where I was to leave the rail ; and I then rode jral miles through a countrv still more beautiful, I 4*

42 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD- OB,

believe, than any I had seen. My ride was for the most part along one of those valleys which abound, I am told, in this part of Yorkshire, and are remarkable for beauty and fertility. In it seemed to be concentrated all, or nearly all, of those features which are peculiar to English scenery. On either side were to be seen trim and accu- rately clipped hedges ; graceful slopes, dressed in that neat and tidy beauty, so distinctively English ; eh mansions, or picturesque cottages, surrounded by exten- Bive green crops, stacks of grain ornamentally put up, clusters of handsome trees, and grassy lawns. Occasion- ally I beheld a lordly dwelling- f substantia] gran- deur, encompassed with parks and beautiful then I passed beneath tl hill which wascov< with a feudal ruin. From one elevated poinl .v was

aificent I stopped v hat 1 might •

it for minutes. In my immed dnity the

I have } ribed. In th<

, on one side of me, wen hills, moi in outline, and which, J was told, are

I the Wolds, in d the

of what. n told d Sork-Mii

in another, th<

.•mother lay a bright and sparkling lake, fated like rich drape]

the landsca] In a Bhort time we reached a more :• ^try, and

soon afterwards i te of Mr. A .

About a mile from the Hall we entered the park-{ which were o] r as by i nan, who

out of th e tnen advanced along

an avenue bordered witn - . and beech ti

Presently Billy Buck, who was on the outside of the carriage, cried out in bo m forget his

usual .al addres ter, Joe's dead,

ef thar aint a deer." I h;. I out, wl

exclaimed — "As God is my judge, I

?um — three — four — five — w-h-e-w-t, thar's a whole gang, sir — look, look; marster ! How on yearth do they git here, sir?

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND. 43

" They are tame deer/' said I, "and are kept in the parks here like cattle."

" Well, raaly ! I thought it mighty curous, how wild deer could live here 'mong all the clarins we've been see- in, thick as the woods is jest here, sir. "Well, tame or not, hits a beautiful sight, marster. I wish Mars. Joe was here to see hit. Hit 'ud give him the hystrikes, sar- tain, ef he was to see 'urn standin so fare, an he not 'krv^ed to bring ' Old Nance'" [your rifle's name, I sup- pose, Major] " to bar on 'urn. W-h-oo-pee, what would'nt he give jest to git a crack at one, an then turn Black- Jowler, an Kill-Buck, an Rock, loose on the balance. Now, would'nt ole Bock be in town, with a pocket full o' rocks, an such easy work before him ? I 'member, that arter a good clay's hunt once, an you had killed a fine buck, when you saw the old feller come in an stalk across Mars. Joe's yard so solemn an dignity like, with his long ears floppin on his shoulders, like Mars. Joe's eperlettes, as you said, you made a bow to him, an called him — - Major Rock Jones. I think the ole dog would soon git permoted to be a kurnel, ef he was here, marster."

I was as much excited by the sight, I believe, as Buck was; though, as we Georgians say, I did not "show my country" so much as he did, and rather tried to look as though I was used to it. In a few minutes, more we came in sight of flocks of the finest sheep and herds of the hand- somest and fattest cattle I had ever seen. Then, the grounds on either side of us became very beautiful. On my right I observed a vista in the forest, which seemed to terminate at the top of a gentle hill, on which was situated what appeared to be a Grecian temple or portico. On our left now appeared a scene of the most perfect sylvan beauty. Through the green foliage could be seen an occasional statue, and the waters of a fountain sparkling in the fading sunlight ; whilst a brawling brook, now burst into a lovely waterfall, now ran under a rustic bridge, and then spread peacefully into a quiet little lake, on whose bosom were floating some graceful waterfowl. As we came opposite to this spot, and it attracted the attention of my servant, he exclaimed — "Marster, thar's a spring, sir — a raal spoutin spring, sir, comin out of some sort of a varmint's

44 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD: OR,

mouth — did you ever?" At that instant lie caught sight of a statue — " Dont look, sir, dont look, marster ! " said he, rapidly turning his head in the opposite direction, — " thar's somebody naked thar, sir — what on y earth is they gwine to do, naked thar, sir, this cool day?"

" Its a statue, Buck ; a marble statue, nothing else."

" Well, raaly ! sure enough, sure enough ! " said he.

The waterfowl on the lake next excited his admiration. " Goodness gracious ! marster, look at that gander, with a long neck," exclaimed he.

" That's a swan, Buck," said I.

" Is hit good to eat, sir ? "

Here the turrets of the Hall appeared in view, and our attention was drawn thitherward, as they appeared above, and at times disappeared behind, the trees, according to the inequalities of the ground, as we approached. Now we came upon the lawn, and then among shrubbery so beau- tiful as to beggar description ; and then we rolled up before the house, which, I had just time to see, was quite imposing, when the carriage stopped, the steps were let down, and Mr. A came forward with a hearty greet- ing and welcome to both master and servant.

After a short time spent in conversation with him, a bell rang, which I was notified was the dressing-bell, pre- vious to dinner. Everybody dresses for dinner in the houses of gentlemen here, Major. I was shown to my chamber, which I found to be a most luxurious apartment, lined with pink paper, and the windows and bed hung with rich silk curtains of the same color. My luggage had preceded me. A servant was in attendance to receive my orders, but almost every comfort had been anticipated. The straps of my trunk were unbuckled, a fire was burn- ing cheerily in the grate, a candle was on the table, water in the richest china basins and ewers, and on one side was a writing-table, covered with paper, envelopes, wax, etc.

About 7 o'clock I was summoned to dinner. I had the honor of a seat by one of the young ladies, whom I es- corted to the table at the request of my host ; and a very intelligent and well-bred person I found her. The com- pany consisted of Mr. A — ■ — 's family (a wife and several daughters); together with several guests; among whom

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND. 45

were Lord B. (a relative of the family), Sir C. 0. and lady, and several ladies and gentlemen of the neighbor- hood. The dinner was as sumptuous as wealth and taste could make it, and the company very agreeable. After the removal of the cloth, the ladies retired, and the gen- tlemen drew nearer together, and talked over the wine longer than the state of my health made it desirable for me. We discussed the recent Great Exhibition, among other things, and this gave me an opportunity of amusing my neighbors with the fate of my plough. My descrip- tion and imitation of the Squire, who put the final extin- guisher upon my hopes, quite " brought down the house." When we went up to the drawing-room, I found the ladies very agreeable, and there was some sweet music. During the evening, Mr. A insisted upon my repeat- ing the story of my plough for the benefit of the ladies ; which I did, apparently to their amusement. These ladies themselves enticed me into a conversation about my family and home, and seemed to feel an interest in learn- ing from me details of this kind, so pleasant to me. I was sensible that it was very kind and courteous in them. xAbout 11 o'clock, I saw that some of the company oc- casionally left the room,, took up a candle in the entry, where a number were placed, with alumettes, etc., for lighting, and departed, as I supposed, for their chambers. I followed, and retired to my room. A servant announced the breakfast hour of the house to me, and I lay down to rest, and to dream of a home and its inmates far away, as sweet to me as if it were surrounded and filled by the luxuries amidst which I was reposing.

I was at the breakfast-table next morning a little after 9 o'clock — the breakfast hour being from 9 to 11; and there found all the family and two or three other persons. Each seated himself or herself, as he or she came in, with- out ceremony. On the table were several kinds of bread, and nice fresh butter. Coffee or chocolate, if either was desired, was brought in a small silver coffee-pot, with sugar-dish and cream-pot of the same material, and the person to whom it was brought helped him or herself. If tea were preferred, a silver urn, heated by spirits of wine, was placed by the side of the person wishing it, together

46 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD; OR,

with a small silver tea-pot, etc., and a little caddie of black and green tea, from which he or she helped him or herself, unless it was preferred that a servant should do it. On the side-tables were ham, cold chicken, cold game, etc., to which most of those present rose and helped themselves. By the side of my plate was a morning's paper. At the breakfast-table the plan of movements for the day was arranged. After consulting me on the subject, my host proposed to show me the grounds, crops, etc.; and, learning that I was capable of bringing down my bird on the wing, he suggested that the keeper should meet us with guns and dogs, and that we should knock down a few birds on our way home. Into this segment of the circle of our operations Lord B. and two other gen- tlemen begged that they might be taken.

When I went to my room, in order that I might pre- pare for my excursion, I found Buck waiting for me, and at once saw that there was something on his mind. "What is the matter?" said I.

"How long are you going to stay here, Marster?" said he.

" Two or three days, I suspect. Why do you ask?"

" Becase I wanted to know, my Marster, ef I could do 'thout eatin tell we went away. Fact is, Marster, I dont adzackly know what to do ; but as to eatin with them white ladies an genTmen, an with them silver forks, too, hit aint in me to do it, an its no use tryin. I couldnt do it ef I was gwine to die for not doin it. They tells me they's sarvants too, an so I says to myself when I sets down 'mong 'em ; but bombye one on 'em, he says to me, very perlitely, — for they's all mighty perlite ; I must say that, — says he, 'What will you ave, sir?' says he; 1 what will you be elped to, sir ?' says he. An when I looks up, an sees all them nice white gals, dressed jest like ladies, lookin at me, I jest takes an chokes right down, Marster; an so says I, 'No, I'm obleeged to you, Marster,' Bays I, 'I wouldn't choose nothin.' I knowed how hit was, sir, but I couldnt help callin sich a genT- man-looking white man 'Marster,' to save me; and then they all couldnt keep from laffin, though they tried, I could see. One of the ladies, then, she tried to do some-

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND. 47

thin for me, an first thing I knowed I called her ' Missis/ an off they all went agin, tell they was red in the face. I cant eat with them white people, Marster. I would do anything to obey or obleege you, sir, but I'll starve ef I stays here long."

"Why, I supposed," said I, "that you were by this time accustomed to associating with white servants in London."

" Tell you what, Marster, they wasn't like the sarvants here. The men didn't have them long-tailed blues on, with lace, and buttons, and eperlettes, and the women didn't look so nice and spectable."

" Never mind," said I, " I will arrange it all for you ; only do try and make yourself as little the object of ridi- cule as possible."

Thereupon I pulled the bell, and taking'the servant into my confidence, told him how unaccustomed to eating at the same table with white persons my servant had been, and how embarrassed he was by it, asked him to give my respects to the steward, and request in my name that Buck might have his meals apart from the other servants. The attendant readily promised that this should be done, and Buck was relieved.

I cannot afford room for an adequate description of the

park, gardens, and scenery around A Hall. Some

pleasant winter night, Major, when the children have been snugly tucked away, and Mary and Lizzie have thrust their small gourds into the little stocking-feet, and are darning away against each other as if for a wager, and our cigars are lit, and the hickory fire, kindled with light-wood knots (they have no such luxury here, Major), blazes up cheerfully, I will tell you all about it. I can now only say that the park contains more than a thou- sand acres, and that the slight sketch I have already given you of it has not done it half justice, I do not know of what architecture the house is, and if I did you would not care much about it ; but this I know — that the general effect is most admirable.

We visited the stables, and there I was greatly inte- rested. There were some fifty horses, many of which were hunters, exquisite in form, etc., and of very high

48 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD; OR,

value. The stalls are well ventilated, and as neat and clean as parlor floors. The arrangements for feeding and grooming are very fine, and I learned something there by which I hope hereafter to profit. We next went to the cow-yards, and the dairy ; and there I gathered some new ideas for the benefit of our wives, Major. We then pro- ceeded 'to examine the tool-houses, the stack-yards, and the sheep-folds ; and taking horse here, we rode into the pastures and the fields. We visited scores and scores of acres of turnips and other green crops, and I received much valuable information from my host, which I propose to share with you one of these da;.

At a point which had been designated by my enter- tainer we met the gamekeeper, and with him the gentle- men whom I have mentioned. There were three or four fine dogs, and a gun for each of us. We first shot over some stubble-fields, and afterwards entered the preserves, where we soon filled our bags. I am but an indifferent shot, you know ; but I found myself knocking the sluggish game over, right and left, with great ease. The bird- shooting, especially, was very different from what you and I are accustomed to, when hunting our partridge. Here we put up half-a-dozen coveys of partridge or packs of pheasants in an hour, and starl The

almost double the size of our partridge or quail, and are not so .-wilt in flight. If, at homo, you and 1 find as many - . and after walking many miles,

we deem ourselves lucky. And when our birds get up, they are off, like a Bhot, for the m vamp. A few

separ. v be had after that, hut it will

have to be bush-shooting.

One or two of the parry killed more game than I; but

I had the satisfaction of bagging more than Lord B ,

though he had visited our country (a.- . and had

shot upon our prairies. The truth is, none of my com- panions in sport were very expert marksmen ; and I could not help thinking, that, if our friends, Jennings and I son, of Augusta, (provided the latter can shoot as well as he can talk about it, of which I have my doubts, I con- fess,) were turned loose here for a day or two, they would soon make deserts of Mr. A 's preserves.

I

W

■

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND, 49

We did not return to the Hall, from our morning's excursion, until the hour for luncheon had passed. We were not forgotten, however ; and, after we had refreshed ourselves, were notified, that that meal — wThich really takes the place of the dinner with us, though most of the dishes are cold — was ready for us.

After our lunch, we adjourned to the smoking-room. "We had just lit our cigars, when I observed that other gentlemen, who were tenants of the room and enjoying the same luxury, had been attracted to the windows by something which seemed greatly to please them. Pre- sently I detected Buck's well-known voice, and perceived that he was amusing some one outside with an imitation of the banjo, as I supposed. The strumming by way of interlude, at which I knew he was something of an expert, came to my ear very plainly ; and then I could hear his 1 ' thrumb-te-thrumb-a-thrumb-te-thrumb-a - thrumb-te- thrumb" — so rapidly articulated, that I suspected he was giving an imitation of a negro jig.

"Ah ! what is this ? " said my host, who also joined the group at one of the windows ; and his face at once assumed the pleased expression which appeared in the features of the other spectators. I went to one of the windows then myself, and found that the apartment was in a wing of the building which opened upon a parterre, rich with evergreen shrubbery, (and, I suppose, in due season, with brilliant flowers,) and lying between this and an opposite wing of the house, in which was situated a conservatory, that also opened upon the parterre. Near

the conservatory, Mrs. A , her daughters, and other

ladies, were seated ; and on one of the gravelled walks, which bordered the parterre, Buck was in the midst of the maddest sort of a jig, scattering the gravel, and hurling some of it to a distance of many yards, with his broad feet. He made music for himself with the voice, accom- panied with appropriate fingering on one of the young ladies' parasols, which he held in the attitude of a banjo. His performance was rapturously applauded; and then one of my host's daughters, a pretty young girl, with a merry twinkle in her eye, said to him — " Mamma is very 5 d

50 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD; OR;

much obliged to you Mr. Buck, for the dance : but can't you sing for us, Mr. Buck ? "

Back. " To be sure an sartain, young missis, ef I only know'd what 'ud suit you. Do you like hymes, missis ? "

Young Lady. (Looking at the other ladies, who ex- changed glances of puzzled inquiry.) " What was it you said, Mr. Buck ? I am not sure that I understood you — hy-ems did you say."

Buck. "No! hymes, missis : preachin songs — praisin God songs, young missis."

Y. Lady. "Ah ! I understand. No, not sacred songs, Mr. Buck. We would prefer a sentimental song, if you please."

Buck. (Puzzled in his turn.) "A what, missis ?"

Y. Lady. "A song in praise of the ladies, Mr. Buck."

Buck. "To be sure, to be sure, missis. But in course hits 'bout the black fair sect you 'spect a nigger to sing — aint it, missis ?"

Y. Lady. " Of course, Mr. Buck."

Thereupon Buck thrumbed his fictitious banjo, and sung as follows :

My horse died in Temn

He sont his jaw-bone back to me,

Walje, jaw-bone, Miss Sally is the gall Oh wake, jaw-bone, Miss Sally is the gal !

Dat jaw-bone same like banjo ring, "When to Miss Sally gal I sing Wake, jaw-bone, &c.

Miss Sally ?s fat and mighty round ; The holler o' her foot make hole in de ground. AVake, jaw-bone, &c.

Buck. " How you like 'urn, young missis V Y. Lady. " Oh, thank you — very well, indeed; but can't you give us another, Mr. Buck T

BUCK SINGS.

I sing this song 'bout woolly har, Oh, the woolly har !

BILLY BUCK S VISIT TO ENGLAND. 51

The buckra gal is mighty far,

Oh, the woolly bar ! Bat still she no got woolly har !

Oh. the woolly har ! The buckra gal got long red har,

Oh, the woolly har ! When she put on dress, she put on ar,

Oh, the woolly har ! The jailer gal got coal-black har,

Oh, the woolly har ! She tall, and straight, and mighty spar,

Oh, the woolly har ! But my sweetheart 's got woolly har

Oh, the woolly har ! An none can with that gal compar,

Oh, the woolly har ! I sleeps an dreams 'bout woolly har,

Oh, the woolly har ! An on my heart I wars that har,

Oh, the woolly har ! The woolly har, the woolly har,

6 — h, the w-oo-l-l-y har !

This song was encored, and then one of the ladies asked Buck if he could not give them another specimen of a dance.

"Sartain, Missis," said he, putting down the parasol. "Did you ever see Juba, Missis

" No," said the lady ; " we should like to have it, if you please."

But when Buck commenced his preparations, she drew back timidly, as if suspecting that she had bargained for too much, and was about to witness some cannibal dance or other. He began by rapidly patting, or clapping the sides of his thighs with the palms of his hands, and at the same time patting his foot, as if to give himself the pitch, and then he pitched, feet foremost, into "Juba," accompanying himself with the voice.

0 Juba Reed,

O Juba Reed,

His seed and breed,

M'Elhanv turn and come!

52 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD; OR,

I sint de coon,

I sint de coon,

I sint ole har,

A skippin down

To Lonnon town,

To judge de banjo

Thuni de sound.

I saw de rat

Run round de flat,

A bushel o' beans

Upon bis back,

An ole Ben Dean

His gander trot : Cant he git over ! John-de-butter-in-de-fat, Cant you git over that ? Cant you git o — ver ? Oh, cant you git n

Just at this point, the dancer, whose back had been towards the window where I stood, the sash of which was raised for the purpose of better witnessing his perform- ance, who had not seen me, and did not know, probably, that I had returned to the house, turned in his movement, so as to catch sight of me, when he instantly brought up, as if struck with paralysis, exclaiming, "Boss!*' and remaining with his mouth upon a wide grin, his right foot put forward, the heel thrust into the gravel, with the foot itself elevated at an angle of about ninet;. It looked, sure enough, as though he was answering his own question, and couldn't get over that. The immense roar of laughter which succeeded was either a testimony to his very ridiculous situation, or a tribute to his decided success.

It was plain that my presence was as a wet blanket to

his fun; so I left the window, saying, "Ah, Mr. A ,

I am afraid that the ale at his lunch to-day has succeeded in lightening my man's heels at the expense of his head."

" Why, you don't mean to say with Cicero, 'nemo so- brii's saltnt,' do you, Doctor?"

" Xo ; only that the sobrius never throws quite so much 'life and metal ' into his saltat, Mr. A ."

" 'Itaqiie Semproniam reprehendit Sallustius non quod saltare, sed quod optime sciret,' " said Lord B. ;

BTLLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND. 53

which, being translated for the benefit of the country members, Major, is about equivalent to saying that " Sal- lust found fault with Sempronius, not because he knew how to dance, but because he did it so elegantly." Very neat jest, was it not? Still, all this did not relieve me from the apprehension that Buck might be making a fool of himself in the eyes of these people."

I was informed at dinner that he had been very enter- taining, though all his performance after he had seen me was obviously under restraint, as if he suspected that I

was observing him from some quarter. Mrs. A said

that she asked of him the reason for his embarrassment, and what do you suppose the rogue answered ?

" Why you see, Missis," said he, " I promised Miss Lizzie to keep good care of my Marster while he was in this country, an he's mighty onprudent sometimes, Missis, an keeps me oncommon busy putt-in him through right ; an ef I was to let him see me playin the fool too much, he wouldn't think me so spectable like, an might refuse to mind me, Missis."

Mrs. A informed me that, during the morning, she

had sent for Buck, and had talked with him about our slaves, negro life, negro characteristics, etc.; and that after lunch she had encouraged him to sing and dance for the ladies.

This afternoon I spent in the library, and among the pictures, statuary, etc., in other parts of the house; of which there is a very splendid collection. At night, I retired early to my room, that I might write this letter to you. To-morrow we are booked for C. Park, to witness a run with Sir C. C.'s hounds. This gentleman has been on a visit to this place for the last several days. He left

this morning, first inviting Mr. A and his guests to

the hunt, and to dinner to-morrow. If anything takes place there worthy of note, you may expect to hear from me on the subject. Apologizing for this long letter, I end it with the assurance that I am, dear Major,

Eespectfully,

Yr. friend and cousin,

To Maj. Jones, P. Jones.

Pineville, Ga., U. S. of America. 5*

54 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD; OR,

LETTER VI.

DR. JONES AND HIS SERVANT JOIN A FOX-HUNT — BUCK DIS- TINGUISHES HIMSELF ON THE FIELD — IS IN AT THE DEATH, AND WINS THE TAIL — VISIT TO C. PARK — RECIPE FOR COOKING "POSSUM AND PUMPKIN " — BUCK'S STORY OF UNCLE CUDJO AND THE POSSUM."

A Hall, November Gtb, 1851.

Dear Major : — Yesterday morning, after quite an

early breakfast, Mr. A and his guests, myself and

Buck among the number, proceeded to the meet of Sir

C. C.'s hounds. Mr. A was so kind as to mount me

on one of his swiftest and surest hunters, though I was quite willing to bestride a less splendid animal ; for I had no idea of making an effort to keep up with the hunt. Though I account myself a tolerable horseman, yet, to say nothing of my health, which may have rendered it inexpedient, I had no desire for leaping hedges, ditches, etc., where there wa.s any risk attending it. Every man to his vocation. I was not accustomed to the thing, and I knew how much of advantage there is in being familiar with whatsoever we undertake to accomplish. Buck, who was specially invited, made choice of a fleet mare, rather against my wishes ; for, though I knew he could ride like a wild Indian, yet I thought it seemly that he should be more modestly mounted, and I feared that he might be after making himself rather conspicuous — an apprehen- sion which proved correct.

At the place of meeting, we found Sir C. C. and his friends, with a large retinue of tenants and neighbors, ladies in carriages, etc. More than a hundred horsemen were present. The gentlemen generally wTere dressed in bright scarlet coats, white leather breeches, top-boots, silver-mounted spurs, and round hats. The master of the hunt was the baronet himself. The huntsman and the

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND. Ob

whippers-in wore short red coats and jockey-caps, and the huntsman carried a horn. There was a large number of laborers and cottagers on foot. It was evident that the fox-hunt was quite an institution of itself in England, and I was greatly interested. A pack of fox-hounds was in attendance, numbering more than thirty couples. Sir C. C, it seems, is celebrated for the excellence of his breed, and the condition of his kennel. His dogs have a superin- tendent huntsman and assistants. They are fed on scalded oat-meal, I was told. The dogs were all under rigid and accurate discipline. The huntsman or whippers-in could call a dog by name, and he would come out at once from the pack. If any quarrelling and lighting occurred, a crack from the whip was instantly productive of peace.

"When all was ready, the signal was given, and we started. We penetrated into many thick copses, and the huntsmen beat about with their whips in various direc- tions, until at last a fox was found, and started from his cover ; and then away the whole cavalcade went, helter- skelter, a scene of mad hurry-scurry and excitement. I

stuck to Mr. A , who said that he was well acquainted

with the country, and, by taking advantage of the ground, and steering skilfully, could sometimes cut off the chase, and thus save me some hard riding. This was just what I wished, and I was thus saved some ugly leaps ; though

as it was, following Mr. A , I thought I did very well

in that respect several times. At first the pace was rapid. The hounds ran well together, and the effect of their united voices was very fine. We had emerged from the coverts, and gone into the open, as they called it, and for some time we had a very exciting race. But presently we reached another covert, and here another fox was dis- turbed, and the huntsmen missed the first, the fresh fox going off at right angles to our first chase, and leading us into other coverts, where other foxes were started ; and this caused us to go jolting around undecidedly for some time, and with the pack very much divided. Sir C. man- aged, however, in some way, to bring order out of this chaos, and away we went again, men and dogs well toge- ther, upon one track. The fox this time was a fine dark- looking fellow, and Sir C. almost lifted him off the ground

5G THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD J OR,

with a fierce scream as lie broke away. "We followed in fine style for half an hour or so, when we came to some uneven ground, and Sir 0., pulling up for an instant, cried out to the nearest whipper-in, " Where's he bound thereway, Dick?"

" Over the river, sir, to the wood, I think. There is some open earth there."

" We must be there before him, and stop that, if it costs our necks," said the baronet, as he rode off rapidly.

But Dick seemed unwilling to go along; and hanging back, he cried out, " Have a care, sir; the water's deep there, and too wide to jump."

" Won't I try it, though !" we heard the baronet say, as he dashed the spurs into his horse and increased his speed.

Buck, who had been riding along with this whipper-in, now sprang to the ground, rapidly slipped his saddle from the horse, tied it by Btirrup-leathers and girth round his shoulders and waist, quickly mount' id again, pushed the spurs into his mare, and away he went, the only person who followed Sir C.

We rode near enough to see the baronet dash at the stream, and strike the water not more than three-fourths the distance across ; but his horse carried him gallantly through. Buck presently reached the bank, and pulled up short, He had not looked for that — but his blood was heated with the excitement, and he instantly turned his mare to a short distance, drove the spurs into her, and slap he went, into the swampy mud on the other side. A cheer from Sir C, who had turned his head to watch him, greeted the successful effort, and Buck scrambled through the meadows, and was soon at his side upon dry ground. The fox was headed, and turned up the stream, along which, on our side, we rode until we reached a bridge, which we crossed, and followed the chase. The fox doubled presently, and we were all brought together again. Buck continued to ride near Sir C, and took every leap which he did. After about half an hour, the fox was put into a thick hedge-row, and had us at fault for a few minutes, when out he came, on our side, and a "Tally-ho!" from Mr. A brought attention to him.

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND. 57

The baronet and Buck, who were on the other side, both

put at the hedge. This time the baronet went clear ; but

Buck's mare bothered, and down they went, rolling over

together. They both quickly scrambled up, however ; and

to mv gr ion, I saw Buck swing his saddle

round, it having gotten in front of him, and lightly mount

again. ^Ve scampered away then along the side of a

hill, into a thick wood, from which we soon emerged, and

went, all very much together, through a pretty

3 of open. Here the whole field cheered Buck, who

still riding near the baronet, and now without his

having lost it in his tumble, and being at the time

under too much excitement to stop and look for it.

We cam -. after a little time, among the hedg x

and fields ; and again Sir C. and Buck rapidly took the

lead — Sir 0. occasionally trying the stuff of which his

ghbor was made, as he subsequently informed us,

by taking some rasping le

" By Jove, Bir!" said the baronet, " I make no doubt but the man would have put his mare at the steeple Paul's, if he had seen me preparing to try it. He is plucky, air ; plucky as the mare he rode."

After an hour or so more of heavy pursuit, the run into. The baronet and Buck were the first on the spot. A few others arrived in time to claim the honor of

being in at the death. When Mr. A and I arrived,

the ci .ncl the fox was _:ven to the do--

all ex - tail : which Sir C. had insisted on wreathing

as a trophy into the red bandanna handkerchief with which Bu :k had bound up his head in the absence of his hat. He was a comical figure to look at. He was covered from head to foot with mud and dirt, the saddle continued to swing from his shoulders, and the handkerchief and fox-tail were only needed to complete the picture. He gave effect to it by being apparently unconscious that he was such a figure of fun. and by showing his brilliant l in an eestaey of delight.

i a Ions: i sk to C. Park, and I wi a "

pinch ont by the time we arrived there. I n

confess that I was fully satisfied never again to seek sport in an English fox-hunt. The chase, however, was very

58 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD; OR,

much, enjoyed by all my companions. It was declared to be a famous good thing; and all united in laughing at Buck's riding, and in praising his pluck.

The dinner was very much like that A Hall.

There was a little more of display, and very much more of hilarity ; but the latter may have been owing to the exciting events of the day. After the ladies had retired, our host had Buck sent for, and proposed that he should join us in drinking a glass of punch to his health, first stirring his own with the tail of the captured fox.

" You have been much accustomed to riding, my man," said the baronet.

" Well you see, Marster, I been use to ridin sense I was so high " (holding his hand about three feet from the floor). "I been use to breakin all Marster 's colts, sir; and I is jest fool enough to think I can do what any other man kin on a horse's back, perwided I haint pestered with a saddle, sir. So, when I seed you takin the shine off of everybody in the hunt, and that none on urn was gwine to take a brush with you, sir, I jest tuk the saddle off the mar, and put after you with a sharp stick myself sir, for the honor of old Georgy, Marster."

" Well, the honor of old Georgia has suffered nothing in your hands, my man. But don't you join the hunt sometimes in your country?"

" Our marsters sometimes hunts deers and foxes, sir ; but we black folks never hunts any varmints but rabbits and possums, Marster."

" Opossums; aha!" said the baronet; and then, ad- dressing himself to me, "they are abundant in your country, Doctor ?"

" Not so much so," said I, " as in Australia ; but still, in sufficient numbers to constitute quite an object of sport with our slaves, who hunt them at night, and by torch- light, and with whom they are quite a favorite article of food."

" What do they taste like ?" said he to Buck.

" Like fat pig, Marster ; only more piggerer than pig heself — cepin when they's cooked in a punkin, sir."

" Cooked in a pumpkin ! How is that ?"

"Why you see, Marster, that's one of the ways we

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND. 59

black folks haves of cookin possum; an powerful good way it is, too."

"Pray tell us how that's done," said the baronet.

"Well, Marster; you must ketch your possum, you know "

" That, at all events," interrupted the baronet, "ia be- ginning according to Mrs. Glass. I have no doubt but that it is very good. Go on, sir."

" Yes, sir. As I was savin, when you have kotch him an cleaned him, jest take a punkin, bout big enough to lay him in comftably, Marster, thout dublin him up too much, sir ; then take a knife an cut your punkin through the middle, all round, in an out, sir, so that when you take it apart each half has sorter teeth like ; then clean your punkin out, sir, put your possum in, sprinkle some salt an pepper on him, — raal kyan pepper, ef you's got it, sir, — then put your punkin together agin close, an like it was fore you tuk it apart ; then put it m the fire, an kiver it over with ashes an live coals, an let it stay an re good many hours — the longer the better, so you don't let it burn. Arter it's done, sir, you kin take it out, an wipe it clean, an let it cool a little ; an when you open it sir, it's amost the nicest thing that ever you did eat. You see, sir, the possum's sorter sorbed the punkin, an the punkin's sorbed the possum, tell, I declar pint blank, sir, ef you shet your eyes, you can't say which is the pos- sum an which the punkin."

"I haven't a doubt in the world of it now," said the baronet, "and will maintain it against all comers."

" Yes, sir. One Mars. Bob Martin larnt me how to cook it that way, sir. Some o' them Green County nig- gers larnt him, he said."

"But supposing you haven't got a pumpkin for your opossum, my man; what then?"°said the baronet,

" Then we jest roasts him dry so, Marster."

"Aha ! dry so ; and is it really good, dry so ?"

"So good, Marster," said Buck, " that" the only time I been steal anything sense I was a child, was when I stole some roast possum-meat, sir. Ef you could ford to listen to me, Marster, and the genTmen, I'd tell you bout it," said he, his tongue now wagging under the

60 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD ; OR,

stimulus of his fox-tail punch, though he looked distrust- ingly at me.

"By all means/' cried the company, "let us have Mr. Buck's possum story."

I glanced consent.

"Well, genl'men," he said, "when I was bout a man grown, I staid in the same cabin with one o' Marster's ole niggers, named Uncle Cudjer." [Old Cudjo, whom you no doubt well remember, Major.] "Well, one night Uncle Cudjer he was gwine a possum-huntin, an he axed me to go long with him ; but I had some other fish to fry that night, an so I wouldn't go with him. But Uncle Cudjer he went an kotch a possum right soon, for he allers could do it. Somehow anuther, when he an ole Ring went out to hunt for urn, the possums stood no more chance than a stump-tail b — — than a ole red fox with you arter him, I mean, Marster." [Bowing to the baronet.] "An so he brought his possum home, cleaned it, put his pepper and salt on it, put it in his little oven, made fire onder it, an then, bein he was sorter tired by this time, he went fast to sleep. Well, late at night I come home ; an when I went in, thar was the ole man, sound asleep. I raised up 'the led of the little oven, an piff — paff — out thar come sich a nice, rich, roast-pig sort o' smell, hit made my mouth farly water agin. The possum was done elegant ; an then close by the ole man's platter was a nice corn dodger, waitin for the possum. Hit was late sense sup- per, I had had a long walk in the cool night ar, an was raal hungry, an the sight was too much for my vartue, Marster. I tuk the ole man's possum, sir, I did, (hit warn't very big, sir,) an eat it all up. Then I tuk some o'the grease, an sorter saftly rubbed it all over his rnouth, sir, an over his hands, sir, an then I washed my own, an laid down an went to sleep myself. Bombye, Uncle Cudjer he waked up, he did, and looked for his possum, an sure enough hit warn't thar. Then he shuck me, he did, tell he waked me up. ' You Buck,' says he, 'you gran lascal, you been tiefy my possum — heh ? Git up ; I gwine lick you, you infarnal tief, you !'

"'Why what's matter, Uncle Cudjer?' says I.

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO EXG-LAXD. 61

" ' You tiefy my possum, I say — you been eat my pos- sum, sar."

" Why Uncle Cudjer, what's matter ? Are you crazy ?" says I. " You been eat your possum youseli. Jest look at your hands and your mouth/' says I.

Uncle Cudjer, he looked at his hands, then he drawed the back of one on urn cross his mouth, then he put both on um upon his stomach.

" Gor-a-mighty !" says he, "wat dis ? Me harn say

I been eat um, me mouf say I eat um, me tumach say

he dam lie!"

Under cover of the applause which Buck's story elicited, I suggested to him that it was a good time to withdraw ; which hint he was not slow in taking.

We had a merry evening, and joined the ladies at a late hour. These latter I found to be very gentle and at- tractive. The truth is, Major, the nobility and gentry of this country, as a class, are perhaps the most refined and intellectual in the world. The concentration of immense wealth in, and the passage of it through, the hands of the same family for generations, affords opportunities of cul- tivating tastes, and creating material comforts, which serve, in these respects, to place the class of which I am speaking far in advance of anything with which we are ac- quainted. In extensive and magnificent luxury, in style, in arrangements for domestic and household comforts, in the beauty of grounds, and the grandeur of public works, we can bear no comparison with this country. But I am afraid that the concentration of wealth in the hands of the few, (by comparison.) which is the main-spring of all these results, at the same time causes more or less of an abstrac- tion of it from the hands of the many ; and thus produces such a disturbance in the laws of harmony which regulate the body politic, as must in some way lessen the advan- tages, and affect the happiness of the masses who com- pose it. This seems to be the logical inference. I hope that experience may convince me of its inaccuracy. It will certainly give me great pleasure to find that there is no reason why I should regret the existence of a state of things which is productive of so many pleasant and excel- lent persons — so many true ladies and gentlemen. 6

62 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD; OR,

To-day T returned to A Hall. To-morrow, or next

day, I shall leave for London. Meantime, I am, Very respectfully,

Y'r ob't serv't and cousin,

P. Jones. To Maj. Jones,

Pineville, Gra., U. S. of America.

LETTER VII.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETY AND MRS. STOWE

SPEECHES AT THE MEETING OF THIS SOCIETY, BY PROF.

STOWE AND REV. S. WARD, (A NEGRO,) AND COMMENTS OF

BUCK THEREUPON BUCK AMUSES HIMSELF WITH A PART

OF THE AUDIENCE.

London, June 1st, 1853.

Dear Major : — In a letter written last month, I gave you some account of Mrs. Stowe's movements, and of the excitement on the subject of slavery which her presence has caused in England and Scotland. She has now made her appearance in London, and has been honored by all classes in the metropolis.

On Monday evening, the 16th of May, the British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society held their annual meeting at Exeter Hall; and she and her staff, viz., Prof. Stowe, (her husband,) Charles Beecher, (her brother,) and the Bev. Samuel Ward, (a blackamoor from Canada,) were the leading cards played upon that occasion. Owing to the expected presence of Mrs. Stowe, there was a very crowded assembly, and numbers were unable to obtain admittance. By making an early start, however, Buck and I were there in time to procure a convenient seat. I took Buck along, not only because I was in the habit of taking him with me very frequently to places of amuse- ment in London, but because I hoped that, if I found the demand for seats greater than the supply, his black face, on that particular occasion, might be of service in pro-

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND. 63

curing me admittance and a desirable position. Although we obtained rather a modest place in one of the galleries, yet Buck was put down, I suppose, by all who observed him, as having something to do with the occasion ; and this created such a sensation in his neighborhood as caused him to show his great white teeth with delight.

I will furnish you with an account of the proceedings as they were published in the London Observer of the 23d of May last ; omitting, for brevity's sake, the rather long speech of the Earl of Shaftsbury, who presided over the meeting, and addressed it, so soon as it was organized.

"BRITISH AND FOREIGN ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETY.

On Monday evening, the annual meeting of this Society was held in Exeter Hall. Owing to the expected presence of Mrs. H. B. Stowe, there was a most inconveniently crowded attend- ance, and numbers of persons were unable to gain admittance.

The Earl of Shaftesbury presided.

The Secretary attempted to read the report, but, in conse- quence of the impatience of the meeting, confined himself to briefly stating the income and expenditure of the Society for the past year.

The Rev. J. B. Browne moved the adoption of the report, and the appointment of the Committee for the ensuing year. [Whilst he was speaking, Mrs. H. B. Stowe entered one of the side galleries, and the assembly rose and cheered her loudly for several nr'nutes. ]

The Rev. W. Arthur seconded the resolution, which was unanimously adopted.

Mr. Joseph Sturge read the names of the Committee, and of the corresponding members of the Society: viz., Professor Stowe, of Massachusetts [cheers], Charles Beecher [cheers], and Samuel Ward, of Canada [cheers].

The Rev. W. Brook moved the resolution that the mainte- nance of slavery in a Christian community was a disgrace to humanity, a dishonor to civilization, and an outrage u on reli- gion ; and that Christians of all denominations should raise their voice to condemn an iniquity so monstrous, and "to em- ploy all moral and pacific means to effect its removal."

Tae R-v. Samuel Ward, of Canada (a negro), seconded the resolution, and was received with applause. He argued strongly against a principle which had been laid down, that

64 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD; OR,

money compensation should be made to slaveholders as a con- dition of the emancipation of their slaves, and stigmatized it as a compounding of sin, and declared that a slaveholder who freed his slave was only a repentant sinner, and was no more entitled to be paid in money for his repentance than any other sinner. He maintained that the cotton trade of England nourished the slave labor of America. He urged that slavery in America wras maintained more by the guilty neglect of the North than the positive acts of the Soutli ; for the North had always had a majority in Congress, and had assented to all the laws relating to slavery which had been passed there. He then contended that this conduct of the people in the North arose from the feeling and prejudice against all negroes in the United States ; and in speaking of negro pews in churches and chapels, said he knew ministers who had lately been at meetings in that hall who had Bach pews in their churches. He related an anecdote of one William Hamilton, a negro, who, being refused by a minister the administration of the commu- nion before whites, became an atheist ; while, on the other hand, he related an anecdote of the conversion of a negro woman by means of a lady who had no such prejudices, and declared that negro woman to have been his own wife [cheers]. He stated that, so great was the prejudice, that a negro who, at the battle of Bunker's Hill, had greatly distinguished him- self, was always placed in the background, behind the whites, in all the pictures of that battle. He slated also that, on his coming to England, Mr. Canard had refused to allow him to take his meals with the other passengers on board the steamer, out of deference to the prejudices of Americans; and stated that to be an illustration of the influence of slaveholders even upon Englishmen. The reverend gentleman made altogether a very powerful and effective speech, and sat down amidst loud applause.

Mr. Alexander here read apologies for absence from Lord Carlisle and from Count Lavradio, the Portuguese Ambas- sador.

The resolution was carried unanimously.

Professor Stowe, who was received with great cheering, read the next resolution, which declared it to be the duty of the opponents of slavery "to develop the national resources of countries where slavery does not exist, and the soil of which is adapted to the growth of products— especially of cotton — all or partially raised by slave labor ; that, in all cases where it is practicable, a decided preference should be given to the

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND. 05

products of free labor, by all who protest against slavery." His (Professor Stowe's) health would disable him from ad- dressing them at length, but he had to make a few observa- tions. At the close of the American Revolutionary War, all their States were slaveholding States. But the Bill of Rights declared all men free and equal ; and a slave in Massachusetts was advised, under the Bill of Rights, to bring an action for wages ; and having obtained a verdict in his favor, slavery at once fell to the ground in that State. In the Convention, Jefferson, Madison, and others from the South, were so sensi- tive on the subject that they would not allow the word slave to appear in any of their proceedings, and Franklin participated in that feeling. Jay, Hopkins, and Edwards promulgated it from the pulpit, aud no one then would support slavery. When he (Professor Stowe) was a boy, black children were in the same school with him in Massachusetts ; and, though some prejudice had existed, the state of things was not then as it is now. In 1820, the great assembly of the Presbyterian Church passed a resolution against slavery. But that feeling was now changed. What had changed it ? It was the pro- fitableness of the cotton trade, and nothing else [hear]. It was that which spread the chain of slavery over the Union [hear]. What right, then, had Great Britain to interfere, when she sustained four-fifths of American slavery by taking four-fifths of the American cotton [hear] ? A Charleston newspaper had justly said that " the world depended on the cotton of America, and that cotton fought and conquered for Southern slavery.'' Here, then, was a great work for England to do ! The price for cotton regulated the price of slaves, and slaves were worth from £100 to £200 each, and, in order to stock a cotton plantation, it took 100, 200, 300, and even 400 slaves. What an amount of capital was required ! Here was the point at which free labor, such as had been found in the* importation of Chinese, could contend with slave labor ; and Great Britain should encourage the growth of free-labor cot- ton. There were three ways by which slavery in the United States could be abolished — first, by bloody revolution, which no one desired ; secondly, by persuading slaveholders that the system was wrong, and that they should give it up ; and thirdly, by making slave labor unprofitable as compared with free labor. Let free labor be encouraged ; and if cotton con- sumers did not get rich so fast by free as by slave labor, let them practise a little of the self-denial which they ask slave- holders to practise. He had visited England seventeen years 6* E

CG THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD; OR,

ago, and he found it now much improved, and a strong feeling of philanthropy existed amongst the higher towards the labor- ing classes. He concluded by expressing his hope, though he did not expect to live to see it, that slavery would be soon abolished in America, He would live and die laboring in the cause of abolition [cheers].

Mr. 0. Beecher seconded the resolution, which was carried unanimously.

Mrs. Stowe and her husband and brother here retired amidst loud acclamations.

Colonel P. Thompson then moved a resolution deprecating the American laws in favor of slavery, — especially the " fugi- tive slave law," — and recogniz:im* the now spirit infused into the literature of the day, " holding up slavery to universal reprobation."

The resolution was carried unanimously, and the meeting separated.

Well, you may imagine, Major, that it was as much as I could do to sit still, and hear and witness all that was there said and done. I doubt if I should have succeeded in doing so, but for the amusement which Back's wag- gish looks and comments afforded. By the time of this meeting, he had grown accustomed to going into public assemblies with me upon something of equal terms with those present, and he did not have that air of embai . ment which at first he wore when compelled by the crowd to place himself immediately by my side. Even here he contrived to keep himself somewhat in the background ; not so much so, however, but that I could see the comi- cal expression of his face occasionally, when enjoying, as I really do believe he did, the impression which he per- ceived the whole affair was making on me. His running commentaries on the proceedings amused not only me, but all who were in hearing of him.

When his reverence, the black preacher, was descant- ing upon the prejudices of our Northern people against negroes, Buck exclaimed, sotto voce, but still loud enough to be heard all around him, yet with the utmost gravity, and looking fixedly at the speaker,

" Dat first-rate gemmon say belly true — white buckra allers hate nigger till da git usen to smell urn."

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND. 67

And when the same reverend gentleman complained of the separate pews and galleries reserved for colored people in the churches, " Ki !" said Buck, " dat gemmon talk all sem like fool now. He no know dat cost too much for buckra to set longside nigger — dem brokee de- sef buyin sniellin-bottle."

Again, when Mr. Stowe advised the production of free- labor cotton, as the most effectual method of overthrow- ing slavery, Buck chuckled mightily, and exclaimed " Dat buckra gemmon talkee de fool now hesef. Wa da been gwine git anybody able to work in cotton-field, in brilin hot sun, but black nigger ? I want know dat ! An wa de debbil da gwine find nigger wid head to work wid- out buckra man to show um ? or dat gwine be willin, cepin he druv?"

Notwithstanding the occasional play of Buck's drollery, when I heard it resolved by Englishmen and Scotchmen "that slavery was a disgrace to humanity, a dishonor to civilization, and an outrage upon religion," and that it should be held up " to universal reprobation," I began to feel that this was getting rather personal, and I found myself repeating the old saw, that " those who live in glass houses should not throw stones," and to think that this nation should be slow to hold up any other people to reprobation on account of faults in their social system, as that was " a game which two could play at," and their side might not always have the " innings."

I lingered near the outer doors of the hall after the meeting had adjourned, for the purpose of having a closer view of Mrs. Stowe. I somehow tailed in this. But as we stood there, a party of several ladies and gentlemen stationed themselves near us, perhaps for the same pur- pose, possibly attracted by Buck, whom they may have been observing, or whom they may have imagined con- stituted a part of the " fire-works" of the evening. Buck's spirit of mischief was excited so soon as he dis- covered that their attention was directed to him. Some one hard by spoke of pickpockets, and of the propriety of being on guard against them in such a crowd.

"Massa," said Buck, taking off his hat, and speaking so as to be heard by the party to whom I have referred,

68 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD; OR,

and casting a glance of alarm upon persons near him, " hear dat?"

Myself. " Hear what, Buck ?"

Buck. "Hear what dem buckra men say? Dem say de tiefs about."

Myself. " It don't matter. I left my valuables at our lodgings, and have none with me."

Buck. " Wat dat you say, Massa? You no call mo valbles ? Ainty Massa nigger valble ? — what for da no tiefy me ? [Taking hold of one of my skirts, and turning to a lady who stood near him, and addressing her with great courtesy and earnestness.] " Missis, you tink da would tiefy dis nigger ?"

Myself. " Pshaw, Buck, what do you mean?"

It had occurred to me that Buck was attempting some very dull fun ; but at this instance I caught sight of his face, and 1 saw at once that there was something better in prospect, so I gave him an encouraging look. A pale and solemn gentleman standing by, with a white cravat, and otherwise looking like a dissenting minister, now said to Buck, " What would the thieves want with you in this country, my man?"

This opening was precisely what Buck was wanting.

Buck. [With affected surprise.] " Want wid me, Mas- sa? Ainty dis Inglis people been tiefy slave? Ainty da fadder been tiefy my ladder, an sell 'urn in Oharlestown ? Ainty de fadder been tiefy de fadder for make him slave ? What for de son no tiefy de son, for make him free? Heh?"

This produced not a little merriment among the by- standers, who had by this time increased; but they looked as though they were puzzled in the effort to comprehend Buck, and to tell whether he was jesting or not. The same solemn gentleman said, " You are a slave, then ?"

Buck. " To be sure, to be sure, Massa ! An I want to stay slave. Missis," [again turning to the lady, in whose eye he now saw encouragement,] " Missis, you fadder tiefy my fadder for him to live in good country, me feared you people tiefy Massa nigger for him to live in 'dis mean country — mean all sem as gar-broth — beg pardon, Missis, ef you blongs to hit."

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND. 69

Lady. " Why do you think this country so mean, my man ?"

Buck. " Mean ! He mean for true. He mean, Missis, case he people talk so much bout sorry for poor nigger, all time da kill one anudder, an killee da wife, an killee da chile. How come, ef da so sorry for poor nigger, da no sorry for poor buckra ? How come da got no feelin for da wimmins, for poor pickininny, for da little chil'n ? How come dem buckra men killee da wife, dem wife killee da husband, an dem moser killee da chile ? I want know dat ! Heh ? How come da no gib ebely body nuff to eat ? Heh ? You come to Georgy, Missis ; ebely body got plenty to eat da, an nobody hurt wimina an chil'n. No, no ; da don't do dat much in Guinea country, cepin to eat urn."

Lady. [Forgetting, or not having noticed, that Buck had (in words) only attributed the paternity of his fathers to Africa.] " What ! were they cannibals in your country?"

Buck. " No, not Hannibals ; new nigger — Ebo nigger, Missis."

Lady. " I mean, did they eat people there ?"

Buck. " Dat trute, Missis ; da eat people da for true ! An belly good eatin da is, too ; speshly dem lilly picki- ninny nigger, — lilly baby nigger, — when da fat."

Lady. " Oh, horrible ! Did they really eat children ?"

Buck. [Smacking his lips, and looking voracious.] " Dat trute for true, Missis. You see, Missis, da's some sense for killin pickininny when you hongry, and eat urn. But you people kill urn an no eat um ; an I call dat great wase, in country wha so many people all time tarvin. Dat make me say he mean country, Missis, an tank God in my player dat me live in better country, wha we's better people."

" But do you ever thank God in the right way, my man, for your blessings ? Do you ever pray to him in the right spirit?" said the dissenting minister of whom I have spoken.

Buck. "Ainty I been tell Missis, Massa, how I tank God in my player dat I no bad and hongry like you poor Inglis buckra?"

70 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD; OR,

Here the burst of merriment on the part of all except the solemn minister was uprorious. That gentleman, nothing daunted, returned to the charge.

Clergyman. "Ah, my friend, that is not the right spirit of prayer ; that is too much like the Pharisee in the temple — of whom, perhaps, you have heard. You should thank God for your blessings, but confess yourself a miserable sinner in his sight, and pray to be made better."

Buck. " Ki, Massa ! What for me play dat lie to God ? He know better — he know me no miserable sinner — me Clistian man."

The solemn gentleman shook his head doubtfully and solemnly amidst the hearty laughter of the bystanders.

"Ha!" said Buck, "you no tink me Clistian, Massa? Bible say, sarch me an know me heart, try me an know me toughts. If you know do dat, how you been gwine tell me no Clistian, heh ?" And as the solemn minister moved away from his " hard customer," Buck cried out after him, with ^reat earnestness, " Joe's dead, ef me aint Clistian, Massa !"

On the next day there was a soiree at Willis's Booms, St. James Street, gotten up at the instance of this same Anti-Slavery Society, for the purpose of presenting an address to Mrs. Stow.'. I Bend you a copy of the pro- ceedings, where you will see more of the bosh of which the Stowes, like true Yankees, have availed themselves in making a good thing out of their capital.

Your friend and cousin,

To Major Jones, B. Jones.

Bineville, Georgia, U. S. of America.

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND. 71

LETTER VIII.

SOCIAL PROFLIGACY OF THE BRITISH PEOPLE — ST. ALBAN's ELECTION — ST. ALBANS BRIBERY COMMISSION.

London, June 16th, 1853.

Dear Major: — Buck was right when he intimated, as you will perceive from my last he did, after his manner, that it is a great humbug, for a people so steeped in crime, in profligacy, in poverty and wretchedness, as are the in- habitants of this United Kingdom, to set themselves up as critics and reformers among the nations. It is indeed ridiculous for a people, so overwhelmed with social evils, to talk loftily about "holding" our Slave States "up to universal reprobation " ; and to encourage their good and noble ladies in the attempt to excite the women of our States upon the subject of slavery. To show you how very unwise it is on the part of those who are hurling such missiles from that immense glass-house, the social system of Great Britain, I will proceed to furnish you, and through you such of our friends as you may permit (without printing) to read them, some of the results of my observation and experience during the last two years.

One of the features in the character of this people, which has impressed me most painfully, is, what may properly be called social profligacy. I use this term in a very general sense : a sense which embraces corruption of moral principles, and looseness of moral conduct. So far as manners, personal habits, and chastity, are concerned, there has been a great improvement in this country , cer- tainly, since the days of Tom Jones and Peregrine Pickle. And I would not be understood as meaning to say, that among the higher classes of society (and in this term I desire that the better sort of what is called the middle class should be included) in this country, there is to be found that license of speech and of morals which prevailed

72 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD; OR,

in former years. That such looseness of morals among a very large portion of this society, and among some of the higher classes, does still prevail, to a most disgusting ex- tent, I do insist, and expect to show in due time. On the other hand, I am free to admit, that there are no people on earth more refined in manners and virtuous in conduct, so far as regards the relations between the sexes, than, as a general rule, the nobility and gentry and a large pro- portion of the middle class of society in this country are. But I wish to be understood now as plainly saying to you, that, whilst there has been an improvement upon the coarseness and the vice of the last century in certain directions, there still prevails a high degree of social depravity among the people of this country. It is mani- fested in the corruption of their system of suffrage ; in the vice of betting or gambling, more especially upon horse- races ; in the ignorance of the masses ; in the amount and character of the crimes committed ; in the number of abandoned women of the town ; the number of illegitimate children ; the profligate intercourse of the sexes ; the de- graded moral character, generally, of the lower classes, and the great number of juvenile delinquents.

Let us begin with their elections — the source in a free government (which this professes to be) from which many of the streams that give life and character to the body- politic must flow.

The corrupt moral tone of large masses of this popula- tion is indicated by the systematic bribery which is prac- tised in their elections. The bribed, though not the very lowest of the low (because in such case they would not probably be electors) are not among the more elevated ranks of society. But who are the bribers, and whose is the money ? The immediate agents of the candidates are attorneys or solicitors, as the general rule ; and they em- ploy subordinate agents, who again subordinate their instruments. At the top of this scale, those engaged are entitled by law to write themselves gentlemen, perhaps, and belong for the most part to the middle classes ; those at the other end are of the same class with the voters — possibly lower in the social scale. Yet all of these per- sons are, in fact and in law, but the agents and instru-

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND. 73

ments of the candidates. who come, as the general r le, from the aristocracy of birth or of wealth. And the part these latter play is only the more despicable because of its hypocrisy. They are, in almost all instances, careful not to mix themselves up with bribery or illegal solicitations ; and it seems quite the fashion for them to insist, when coming down with the cash, which they well know will be employed in bribery (I dare say their tongues are in their cheeks the while), that it shall, by no means, be illegally employed. But they take very good care not to interfere with their agents, and not to inquire what is or has been done with the money. Thus all classes share the evil, and its consequent moral degradation. Of course there are exceptions to this rule — highly honorable exceptions. Indeed, I do not mean to say that the practice is univer- sal, but only that it prevails to "such an extent in the kingdom as greatly to affect its moral character. I will give you some of the proofs.

In the year 1850, (I believe,) Mr. Jacob Bell was elected a member of Parliament by the borough of St. Albans. He was charged by his opponent with having procured his election by illegal means. An Act was accordingly passed by the House of Commons, appointing commis- sioners to inquire into the matter and report. On Mon- day, the 27th of October, 1851, that Commission met, and entered on the investigation. It continued its session from day to day, for many days. The result was, a re- port unfavorable, both to the candidate and to the borough. He was unseated, and it was disfranchised. I propose to send you some extracts, taken from thej3ro- ceedings of that Commission, and published in a London newspaper, serving to show how the system to which I have referred is managed in this country. I can only send you a portion of the proceedings, as the whole would occupy too much time and space.

"ST. ALBANS BRIBERY COMMISSION.

First Day. Monday, Oct. 27. — This morning this long- expected inquiry was opened in the Town Hall, at St. Albans, by Messrs. F. TV. Slade, TV. Forsyth, and T. Phinn, Comniis- 7

74 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD; OR,

sioners appointed by an Act passed last session, entitled 'An Act appointing Commissioners to inquire into the existence of bribery in the borough of St. Albans. Shortly before the opening of the court, Mr. Bell, the sitting member, entered, and took his seat near the Commissioners. The court was much crowded, and several jokes respecting ' Bell-metal ' and 1 Sovereign-alley ■ were occasionally audible.

Mr. Slade said that this inquiry would, in the first instance, be limited to the proceedings at the last election ; but the act gave powers to inquire into an almost unlimited period. All persons conducting themselves properly would be allowed to be present during the examination of the witnesses ; but it was highly inexpedient to print and publish anything that might affect the character of persons, and it would be some- what indecent that the evidence on which the Commissioners' report was to be founded should go forth before the Commis- sioners had formed their own conclusions, and had reported to the Queen. If, therefore, this rule against prematurely pub- lishing the evidence were infringed upon, it would be the Com- missioners' duty thenceforth to conduct the inquiry with closed doors. Mr. Slade then stated that, under the 7th section of the Act, the Commissioners could compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents, and could compel answers to all questions ; in fact, the Legislature had conferred very extraordinary powers upon this Commission — more exten- sive, indeed, than had ever before been conferred on any other Commission ; and the penalties attendant upon refusing to comply with the requisition of the Commissioners were very severe ; but no penal consequence of a criminal or civil nature would attend the disclosure of the truth ; for, by the 8th sec- tion, all parties faithfully disclosing all matters within their knowledge on the subject of this inquiry, were indemnified from all consequences whatever, whether civil or criminal, and certi- ficates from the Commissioners would proteet such parties for any act previously done by them in this borough.

Mr. Bell, the sitting member, was then examined on the sub- ject of the money advanced for the purposes of the election, and as to the circumstances under which lie came forward as a candidate. The first communication he received upon the sub- ject of the election was from Mr. Coppock, the parliamentary agent ; who told him there was a vacancy at St. Albans, and that if he became a candidate he was likely to be returned, and that the expense of it would be about £2500. Witness expressed himself rather surprised at the largeness of the

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENG-LAKD. 75

amount, and wanted to know what it was for ; to which Mr. Coppock replied that there were various expenses and a good deal to pay for agents, and that that would be about the amount ; and he thought he could secure him the election for that sum of money. Witness said that he himself, personally, would have nothing to do with it, but would refer him to other parties.

Mr. Edwards was then called : being lame, he was seated during his examination. He gave his evidence in a frank and manly manner ; but when his testimony affected the honor or character of others, he was painfully affected.

Mr. Slade asked, had Mr. Edwards any statement tcrmake ?

Mr. Edwards said he was not a volunteer. He had been summoned, and would answer truly ; but in his position, it was preferable that his evidence should be drawn from him. In answer to questions, Mr. Edwards then stated that he had long resided in St. Albans. He had been manager of the St. Albans Bank, and a voter for the borough. He took part in the borough elections for twenty-five years. On the 16th of November he received a letter from Mr. Coppock, referring to Mr. Raphael's death, and summoning him to town. He saw Mr. Coppock on the 18th of November, in Parliament street, and Coppock asked witness to act with him. Witness con- sented. Coppock asked about expenses, and said the Hon. Mr. Craven wished to be a candidate. Witness said £2500 would be the expense. Coppock said he would communicate with Mr. Craven, and would see witness next day. The ex- penses were irrespective of a contest ; and witness said that, in consequence of a contract with the Conservatives, there would be no contest. The £2500 referred to the general ex- penses of an election, contingent on circumstances. Witness would not, under any circumstances, embark without that amount. ..... Mr. Carden was brought

to the field by a portion of the 'third party, ' and was then supported by the Conservatives. The third party were 151. Bragg's Conservatives were 50 or 60. Mr. Gape and the Earl of Yerulam were of that party. The 151 were polled to a vote at the last election ; there was no third party. Witness told Coppock he could poll two to one against Mr. Carden, and he had done so. He first heard of Carden in a letter in- troducing Mr. Gresham, who said he had ' a candidate ' who had lots of money. The name was mentioned — Sir Fitzroy

76 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD; OR,

Kelly. Gresham said lie had conie to reside near St. Albans, and wanted a 'slice,' as he wasn't going to be 'quiet.' Wit- ness said, 'What do you want V Gresham replied, ' Ten gui- neas a day.' Witness offered five. He ultimately decided to ask the friend who introduced Gresham. When Bell came down, Gresham was one of the first whom witness asked to aid his canvass ; but, at a meeting to invite Carden, Gresham offered to draw up the requisition inviting Carden. Witness was surprised and hurt, aud wrote to remonstrate. [Here Mr. Gresham interrupted the witness, but was silenced.] Gre- sham wrote au answer (now produced), stating that he knew nothing of the Carden party. Soon afterwards, Carden ap- peared. Witness saw Carden, and told him that he knew no- thing of the town, or he would not disturb it, as Mr. Bell's return was certain. 3Ir. Carden bowed, and his friends talked 1 fudge.' Carden came as a Liberal. Witness took all the packets to Chequers street. He never saw Bell in Chequers street. There was a sort of understanding — a custom — that the Liberals would vote for witness's candidate. Witness held out no promises. When there was anything to give, he always gave it. Head-money was always customary and notorious at St. Albans. Out of 32 1 Liberals, 250 always looked for head-money; and the opposite party always looked for it. They all looked for it, He should consider it strange if any one voted for Carden without getting money. At previous elections, witness had paid money to fifty of those who voted for Carden at the last election. At the lafct election, £5 was the lowest and £8 the hi im paid to the light weights.

There were heavy weights. The heavy wei$ £15. The

mode of business was this : — The town was canvassed all day. In the evening the voters came to him and got their money. That had been the custom for twenty years. The voters stopped below stairs. Witness's brother-in-law stood at the top of the stairs, and introduced the voters one by one. The sum to each person varied at different elections. Most of the voters were engaged at the elections as messengers, spies, and so on, and each one was remunerated as he deserved. Each was put on the footing of a servant. Some were actually and some only nominally employed. Those who got money under the color of work got least. Those who did work got most. The voter's visits to Sovereign Alley and the paying com- menced on the 30th of November.

Mr. Slade : Did you keep a list of the persons who came, and an account of the money you paid ?

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND. 77

Mr. Edwards : Yes. But I have destroyed the list. I don't want to mention names. I will tell everything else.

Mr. Phinn : But the Act of Parliament renders it neces- sary for us to know the names.

Mr. Edwards : You see how painful is my position. Does the Act of Parliament compel me ?

Mr. Slade : The Act gives us power to compel you. TVe feel for your position, but these names must be given.

Mr. Edwards : Let me know, in the presence of those around me, my townsmen, what will be the consequences if I refuse to tell the names.

Mr. Phinn : You will be imprisoned until you do

M. Edwards: I have already been in jail eighteen weeks, and would go for another eighteen weeks, sooner than tell the names.

Mr. Slade : But you may be imprisoned for life.

Mr. Edwards : Then I am compelled. I will give the names. I will give every one of them. I will take an alpha- betical list of the electors, and will tell all I know of each of them. I won't select names. I won't make fish of one and fowl of another. It shall all come out.

Mr. Slade : You are traducing nobody here. You are to satisfy the supreme power in the state, and simply to tell the truth.

Mr. Edwards : I wish to do so, and I hope it will do good.

Great excitement prevailed in court during this conversa- tion. A scene was about to be enacted such as had never before been witnessed.

Copies of the register were procured. The Commissioners took a copy, and began with the first name — Mr. Edwards being given to understand, when a name was called, that the question was, ' Did that man receive money from you V Many of the parties referred to were in court at the time, and the answers offered by Mr. Edwards were followed, in each case, by murmuring comments from the audience. At four o'clock about 200 names had been called ; these being electors resi- dent in a single parish. For obvious reasons, we do not give the list of those reported by Mr. Edwards to have received bribes ; but we may state the results. Two out of three had received bribes, and nine out of ten had received the money direct from Edwards himself. Some had received the money from Mr. Bragg, as the Conservative agent, acting with Ed- wards, but not allowing Edwards to interfere with his own people ; and others had got their bribes through inferior 7 '

■7*

78 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD; OR;

agents employed by Edwards. A few had declined taking their bribes except through their wives ; and in those cases it was found that the parties had voted against Edwards's can- didate, or had not voted at all. Nearly all had received their money before the day of the election. Those who had re- ceived their money afterwards were parties who had forfeited their words in previous contests. 'But/ said Mr. Edwards, 1 there is seldom a forfeit of word in these cases.7 The usual sum given by Edwards was £5 — '£5 for his vote, by myself,' being the most frequent answer as the names were called. There were other sums, of £6, £8, and £10, paid ; but in those cases vote and actual service were paid for together. In reference to one name, the witness said, ' That was not for his vote. I had taken his room for a committee-room, and there was a bed-room. The price was high, but not too high for election times. Nothing whatever was said about the vote to him. That was quite understood. It was a matter of course that he would vote for my candidate.' In reference to another name, the statement was, ' The £8 was for his work as mes- senger; and he worked very hard. It was understood he would vote for me. I never even asked that. It was a mat- ter of course.' Another statement, respecting another party, was, ' He got between £10 and £20. But that was for goods supplied. The vote was a matter of course.' Of another the witness said, ' He got the £5 to keep the peace. He is a prize-fighter. I used to have a band of twenty prize-fighters at the elections, but at the last election I only employed one. I gave him £5 ; and he wrould have had that if he hadn't had a vote. He used to get it before he got a vote.'

Fourth Day. Thursday, Oct. 30. — On Thursday morning the Commissioners resumed their sittings in the Court House, St. Albans. An immense crowd attended, all other business in the town being suspended by these unusual proceedings.

Mr. Slacle said that it had come to the knowledge of the Commissioners that threats had been used to one of the offi- cers employed under this Commission. He now announced that the court wras determined to protect, to the utmost of their power, not only their own officers, but all witnesses examined under the compulsory powers granted to the Commission. And if, after this warning, any interruption was offered to the pro- ceedings, the party so interrupting would be dealt with in the severest manner allowed by law.

Mr. Edwards then resumed his seat in the witness' box.

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND. 79

He begged, before beginning his evidence, to state a circum- stance which had occured last evening. A person whom he had employed in 1850 on his farm, as a painter,. had that even- ing sent into him a bill for £5 8s. Gel. That person had received £5 or upwards at the late election, and on the bill now sent in was marked, 'Received £5 8s. on account.' This man had never sent in a bill to him before, but doubtless he had done work for it ; but the £5 odd given at the election was not given towards the settlement of the bill.

The reading of the registry, and Mr. Edwards's answers respecting each man, were then resumed. There was a re- reading of St. Albans' parish, the wrong list having been given on the previous day, and the corrections were now made. Ed- wards's manner was less constrained than on the previous day ; he now gave not only the indispensable facts, but with easy unreserve he gossipped about his neighbors, and mentioned stories in extenuation or censure, which were superfluous. The novelty of his extraordinary position seemed to have worn away, and his revelations were tendered with a chatty air, which indicated rather a pleasant understanding with his ex- aminers. At the same time, he affected no candor. He was clear, open, and truthful, and made it apparent that compul- sion only could induce him to make the disclosures ; and that, being compelled, he related all his election anecdotes accu- rately. The registry of St. Albans' parish having been gone through, the lists of St. Peter's and St. Michael's freemen were slowly called out. Edwards's comments seemed to be ready marked opposite each name; he did not hesitate for a moment, and it was very seldom that he was not positive in his state- ments. On delivering his emphatic ' £5 by myself to himself for his vote,' no man could doubt that he had told the truth.

Fifth Day. Tuesday, Nov. 4. — On Tuesday, the Commis- sioners, F. AY. Slacle, Yf. Forsyth, and J. Phinn, Esqs., at half- past ten, A. M., resumed their sittings (adjourned from Thurs- day, the 30th alt) at the Court House, St. Albans. The court was densely crowded, as Mr. Coppock was in attend- ance.

Mr. Heywood Edwards (son of the witness Edwards) was first called; and, being questioned as to the 'inducement' sug- gested by Mr. Coppock to his father, said that his father had told him that Mr. Coppock had promised to get a Government situation for one of his (the father's) sons. Witness had four brothers ; none of them had yet obtained any public situation. Mr. Bond Cabbell had got one of the sons into the Bluecoat School. Edwards, Sen., had acted as Mr. Cabbell's agent.

80 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD; OR,

Mr. Edwards, Sen., was now re-examined, and deposed that none of the ' head-money ' given by him at the last election had been returned since. Mr. Reding, a Dissenting minister, had been on Mr. Bell's committee, but wras not very active, and was not, as witness believes, aware of the election prac- tices as conducted by witness. His (witness') son's statement respecting Mr. Coppock's promise of a situation was correct. But witness had not mentioned the word ' Government ' to his son. All that he said was, a 'situation.'

Mr. Francis Edwards, another son of the last witness, said he also had acted as agent between his father and Mr. Cop- pock. He had carried packets, and had, like his brother, acted as doorkeeper in Sovereign Alley.

Mr. James Coppock, solicitor and parliamentary, agent, 40, Parliament street, being called, Mr. Slade asked whether Mr. Coppock had a statement to make respecting the part he took in the St. Albans' election.

Mr. Coppock said he was ready to answer any question the Commissioners might put, but that all he knew respecting the St. Alban's election was in his confidential capacity as solicitor to Mr. Bell. He applied for Mr. Bell's permission to give evidence, as, without Mr. Bell's permission, no power on earth would have induced him to utter a single word on the subject. Mr. Bell first gave a verbal authority ; but witness requested and ob- tained a written authority, which he now produces, and Mr. Bell requested that Mr. Coppock would withhold no evidence that was necessary to carry out the inquiry. Witness' professional duties led him very much in connection with parliamentary matters, and had done so, for the last fifteen or sixteen years — indeed, ever since Sir R. Peel's celebrated ad- vice, to 'register, register, register!' In 1835, an association, composed of 700 or 800 of the leading members of the Liberal party, was established, and shortly after its establishment wit- ness was appointed secretary of the association. That asso- ciation was called the Reform Association. Its object was to attend to the registrations throughout England, and assist in the Liberal cause generally. This had placed him in commu- nication with almost every borough and county in England. From that time to this, he had, without hardly knowing how, been in some way or other consulted by the Liberal party whenever there was a vacancy anywhere, and he had been con- stantly in the habit of watching vacancies. He thus knew something of most places in England ; and if he were to go through the list of boroughs and counties, as the Commission- ers had done the list of electors in this case, and if he were

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND. 81

asked to state how the members had gained their seats, he believed he could make as extraordinary a statement with re- spect to those boroughs and counties as Mr. Edwards had made with respect to St. Albans [applause from the audience]. He had not made that statement with a view to applause, but merely to show the extent of the system ; for he knew it well, and there was no man in the kingdom who had a greater hor- ror of it than he had. When Mr. Thorley came, witness asked what were his friend's position and circumstances. Was he a producible man ? Was he an orator ? and many other ques- tions, including what were his politics, as witness acted only on one side. Having been satisfied on these points, he said he would consider the matter. In three weeks afterwards. Mr. Thorley returned, and mentioned Mr. Bell's name, and witness requested Mr. Bell to call, which he did. Having inquired about his politics, and the expense he would be willing to incur, — for it was as necessary on such occasions to know the depth of a member's pocket as of his politics, — Mr. Bell frankly said that his only object was to get into Parliament to promote certain views of his own with regard to the medical profession, which he had for years labored to bring forward, and which he thought he could better advocate if he were in Parliament. He had no ambitious views. .... There was at that time no other candidate in the field. The 'third party ' were still in negotiation with Sir R. Carden, and were using every effort to get hold of him or some other can- didate, without respect to politics, and simply for the sake of expenditure. This had always been the practice in St. Albans ; and witness read a letter which he had received from Mr. G-eard, in 1836, showing that it was then the established cus- tom of the ' third party ' to make the candidates ' bribe and bleed ? as freely as possible. Witness believed that the same custom had existed for 100 years. It had always been under- stood that the great majority of the electors of St. Albans could be bought and sold without respect to principle or any- thing else. Bell having agreed to the terms proposed, a diffi- culty arose as to how the money should go. It was ultimately agreed that it was to be sent through witness to Edwards. Witness never saw a farthing of the money ; he received it in sealed packets. He knew that the £2500 did go, in some way or other, and the result was the return of Mr. Bell by a large majority, as Edwards had promised. Edwards kept faith with witness on that occasion, as he always did when he got into

the fight

F

82 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABKOAD ; OR,

Mr. Forsyth : We wish to know, did you convey, or intend to convey, that impression to Mr. Edwards's mind ?

Mr. Coppock : I intended to convey the impression that, if he succeeded in returning Mr. Bell, I should consider myself under an obligation to him on behalf of the Liberals. I gave Mr. Edwards permission to tell every word of everything I promised ; and if I promised him anything, I shall not violate or alter the fulfilment now.

Mr. Forsyth : Have you been the means of recommending any persons to Government situations ?

Mr. Coppock : Certainly. I have exerted myself to serve several parties who served me. The witness then stated that the Reform Club party owed its origin to the Reform Associa- tion, but had no connection with it — that association died four or five years ago. There was not now any organized system of finding candidates for boroughs. He was not aware who told him that Sir R. Carden's limit was £1500 ; but he heard it through somebody ostensibly acting for that gentleman. The process adopted by the ' third party ' was this : they went to a dozen places, — to Westminster Hall and elsewhere, — trying if they could find any one to become a candidate. They asked each person what he would spend. He would say so much. They would reply that would not do, and would men- tion some higher sum, promising to insure his return if he only found the means. Witness heard from some of the persons so employed that Sir R. Garden would not go beyond £1500.

Mr. Forsyth : What would be the legal expense of return- ing a member for such a borough as St. Albans, suppose there was nothing spent in head-money or bribery ?

Mr. Coppock said that if he found he had to retain a dozen gentlemen of the legal profession, at ten guineas a day, he would put down £1200 for that; and here he begged to say that he did not see the difference between that and giving a poor man 5s. for his vote.

Mr. Forsyth : There is a touch of satire in that, Mr. Cop- pock, and I don't say but it may be a fair one ; but what we want to know is, suppose there was not a dozen attorneys at ten guineas a day, but merely the ordinary employment of pro- fessional men, — clerks, messengers, etc., — and supposing you were asked bona fide to enter into a contest in St. Albans without any bribery or head-money, what would be the re- quired sum ?

Mr. Coppock said that Sir H. Ward, when he left St. Al- bans and went to Sheffield, told him that the St. Albans elec-

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND. 83

tion cost him £2400, and the Sheffield election only £160 ; and that when he dined with his Sheffield constituents they all paid their own bills even. Witness thought that £200 was more than any election at St. Albans ought to cost ; but he added that they never would prevent practices of bribery, or undue expenses, until they allowed the ballot.

Mr. Slade reminded Mr. Coppock that there were differ- ences of opinion on that point, and confessed that he (Mr. Slade) was one of those who thought that the ballot would increase bribery.

Mr. Edwards was then recalled, and repeated that Mr. Cop- pock had distinctly held out to him the inducement of 'a situ- ation for one of his sons.' The promise was made quite volun- tarily by Mr. Coppock, and, so far as witness remembered, not at all in the way stated by Mr. Coppock." — Observer, Xoi\ Sd, 1851.

Without too much trying your patience, Major, I can- not send you all the proceedings of this Commission in one letter. I close this by repeating that I am, Very respectfully,

Y'r ob'nt serv't and cousin, P. Jones. To Maj. Jones,

Pineville, 6a.. U.S. of America.

LETTEK IX.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE BRIBERY COMMISSION FOR ST. ALBANS CONTINUED — CONTROVERTED ELECTIONS IN 1852.

London, June 20th, 1853.

Dear Major: — As I feel sure that you will be inte- rested with the detail of circumstances connected with this bribery commission, and as it serves so well to illus- trate what I have said as to the tone of morals in this country, I shall proceed to furnish you with a few more extracts from the proceedings of these Commissioners :

84 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABEOAD ; OR;

"BRIBERY COMMISSION AT ST. ALBANS.

Ninth Day. Tuesday, Nov. 11th. — The ninth sitting of the commission was held this day at St. Albans. The questions were of a routine character, and the answers were but little varied. Upwards of 100 electors were severally called to the "confessional," and acknowledged with the greatest noncha- lance, and to the amusement of a crowded audience, having received £5 and £10 for their votes from Edwards, Blagg, Yass, and others. Most of them admitted having been bribed at previous elections for Wilks, Craven, Raphael, and Repton ; but the majority professed that the money was in payment of " services," not " bribes" for votes. One of the early witnesses was the house-painter, who had, as Edwards stated, received a £5 bribe, but who subsequently furnished his painting bill for £5 6s. 8cl. due by Edwards, and who persisted in saying that the £5 was given not as a bribe, but in payment of the paint- ing bill. Another witness was a blind man, with whom the commissioner held the following colloquy :

Did you vote in 1847 ?

Ans. : I did.

Commissioner : For whom ?

Ans. : For some gent as is dead.

Ques. : For Mr. Kaphael ?

Ans. : I heerd so. Another man received £5 at the last election and £10 in 1847. He said both sums were for services.

Ques. : Why did you receive more in 1847 than at last election ?

Ans. : Oh, I had two votes (as a £10 householder and a freeman) in 1847.

Ques. : Then the £10 could not have been for services ?

Ans. : Yes, it was.

Ques. : Were your services the same in 1847 as at last election ?

Ans. : Yes, quite the same.

Though pressed to explain the contradiction, the witness would not admit that he had been paid for his "vote." On concluding his evidence he was asked if he wanted a certificate ; he replied that he should like one. The Commissioner said : But you are in a dilemma. If you did not receive money for your vote, you don't want a certificate ; and if you did, you have told us a falsehood. The witness then withdrew without making any further application.

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND. 85

Mr. George Sealey Waggett's name was called. "Here," shouted a bold voice ; and then, amidst great laughter, the long-missing Waggett appeared. He is a small, emaciated, ghastly pale man ; an Irishman, with a native accent, but slightly deteriorated by his long residence in St. Albans. His wife keeps a lodging-house there ; and he, Birchmore, and Skeggs, had levanted to Boulogne, and a royal proclamation offered £200 to recover the wanderers. In reply to questions, Waggett frankly answered that he had received £5 at the last election, and £5 in 1847. for his vote.

Commissioner Forsyth : I hope, Mr. Waggett, your health is improved by the mild climate of France [laughter] ?

Mr. Waggett : Thank you, sir, I'm much better [great laughter].

Mr. Graham here asked : Did you receive more than £5 for your vote at the last election ?

Waggett : Xo ; no more

Graham : Or since ?

The Commissioner said that their powers did not extend to embrace this question. Mr. Waggett then withdrew, and sat near Hayward, one of the companions of his continental trip. Hayward has adopted the foreign style of dress, and now wears a formidable beard and mustachios. Birchmore, one of the '•missing witnesses," appeared in the box amidst much merri- ment. He was dressed as a farm laborer, and is about 60 years old. He admitted that he had been bribed by "Muster Ed- wards," and had been lately '• abroad." : i nother of the " travellers." also about GO, dressed as a laborer, in answer to a question which he did not hear, said he was ';no schol- " though he had boasted to his townsmen that he had learned " French." Another voter named Smith said he had received £67 for the band, and for his •' services" to Bell's party, but he ultimately voted for Garden, on the purity prin- ciple [laughter].

Commissioner : Why did you change sides ?

Ans. : Because it was more to my interest.

Ques. : Why so ?

Ans. : All I can say is, that I found it so.

On further question, the witness admitted that he had re- ceived a notice to quit from his landlord's agent, Mr. Law (who was also Alderman Carden's agent). He had voted for Car- den, and has not quitted his house, nor is he now likely to quit it. But there were no direct threats proved, and the witness did his best to serve his landlord and the landlord's agent. 8

THE SLA I HOLDER ABROAD ;

Another witness, who had reeei^ |g to

vote for Bell, never n the

" purity prinei u looking ove: ound

that the balance

_ r]. Another voter w [ £ 5 :";■; I lis !," and wl.

the eommi- him on :

1 21. He knew : fa and he knew it when 1

Mr. Graham, the solicitor, hot -

r their t: deck", r to g

At

I tc W J h Day. YW — the

Com hour, and ninefr : the

elect illed, and put

Unit the eric: Mess

nd on the Frid

St Albans, more than one-half I ninetv-.iJie oat of a hundred hav

.^nd corruption. On the : b Com

immoniii- each niar.

amona like a thunder i there

- I their o:: others, "inftuei official exposure which riskv and neighborhood among their oi had forphilo-

.tke a

folio wii_ Win. Thorn pe . I : .

ed no money. I to vote for

he gave his vote foi I

billy buck 3 •::: r; England. fc(

Joh Ck - trom

lectioD. He with the

Liberals, and never other sidr mce. He

would have voted foi Bell whether he got : had m He and

lrink Mr. E health.

The Dhi .-: C -i..'.: ;•' '-'■■

belie

Witness: Yes, sir [laughter J

Mr. Co end the whole

of the £3 for brandy si I

Witness : I was to so:

j- vote, -: "" . - : £o :: :no Mr. Edwards to drink n times.

Loner Forsyth : "T.~ .-_"--. . : if: who and tell u 1 money for their

• : but if

site I

fie _ Edwards lef: £5

witne at he did not know of it *

I her to return the mone at she her children. He voted after all

t r Sir R. Garden. Did no; get a:tv : y f ; :n Sir R. C; r-

r )t £1-: i t :"_ .!:_-;.".

Me. C . : e et Forsyth : Ye were paid rather high.

Witness : 0 :: - is, sir "daughter".

Ilenrv Good iv-rd £7, in 1 S-±T. :■:■: r :o Mr.

:es, but he mistook the name, and Toted for

a I . ] .

:r:n: Hen: :n's y eetj. in

1 S JrT, t

Wilkes and B >bject f Bepton's party wa

ssible if Wilkes's | i >mi

. then, to sak their prom> - - : X their pro: >w of

their pi ; arises ; I i unusual for a voter to find it convenient to g on a

"jonn [a laugh]. Ihavekn.

88 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD J OR,

of voters being sent away in coaches and four, and of coaches and four being sent after them to fetch them back again.

The Court intimated that certificates would not be granted to any voters who did not come forward to give their evidence, and that such persons would, therefore, be subject to prosecu- tions for having received bribes. The proceedings were then — four o'clock — adjourned to next day.

Eleventh Day. Thursday, Nov. 13th. — This morning the Commissioners again resumed their inquiries, and a few more witnesses were examined, each of whom, after his humble con- fession, retreated into an obscure corner of the court, waiting for his certificate of protection from the Commissioners.

Mr. Thomas Blanks deposed that he acted as an agent for Carden at the election in December last, and voted fcr him. He was not paid for his vote. He did not think he was paid for anything. Before the election, Mr. Low, Alderman Car- den's agent, authorized him to draw a few pounds to pay flag- bearers, bandmen, &c. ; and if he had overdrawn a little, he was not aware of it. He paid no head-money at last election. He wished he had the power.

Mr. Phinn : Why do you wish that ?

Witness : Because we could then have fought on equal terms.

Mr. Phinn : Oh ! you objected to the purity principle ?

Witness : To be sure I did. I never would have agreed to vote for Carden, if I thought he was coming forward on the purity principle. Because no one can get into any borough on the purity principle [laughter].

Mr. Phinn : Well, did you go to London hunting for a can- didate ?

Witness : Yes, I went with some others, and saw a good many persons ; some we never asked, and others declined to stand.

Mr. Phinn : Did you speak about money to them ?

Witness : Undoubtedly. Xo one can get into any borough without it. We said, "A good sum will be required if there is an opposition : but come on the ground and see, and then you will not like to leave it, perhaps." We mentioned £15u0 or £2000, according to circumstances.

Mr. Phinn : You were not particular as to a thousand, I suppose 1n

Witness : Oh, no, sir [laughter].

Mr. Forsyth : Wrere you to have £250 of it ?

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND. 89

Witaess : No, sir ; that was on another occasion. While they were searching for a candidate there was a meeting at ray house. Like others, I took up the affair as a matter of busi- ness, to get what I could out of it. We asked Mr. Norton, of Waterloo-place, to stand. We believed he had almost con- sented to our conditions.

Mr. Phinn : What were the conditions ?

Witness : As I told you just now — £1500 or £2000. At the meeting at my house, Simpson, Webster, and three or four others were present. Simpson said, "Have you a candidate ?" We said, "No; but we expect to get one." He then said, "You had better compromise this affair." We asked in what shape ? He said, " Oh, there will be a certain sum to pay to Mr. Blagg, Mr. Debenham, Mr. Edwards, and myself, and there will be about £250 left. If you like you may take that, and whack it, or share it, between you" [laughter]. Mr, Simpson was a sort of middleman between us and the other party. We did not accept the proposal, however. We thought we could do better if we stuck to our own candidate.

Mr. Forsyth : Well, did you do better ?

Witness : No, we ought to have done better than we did.

Mr. Forsyth : You said that the expenses at St. Albans were a mere milk score compared with other boroughs. How do you think so ?

Witness : Well, I consider that in Maiden, in Essex, for in- stance, they spend more money than they do here. I never received any there, because I was not a voter. I was not in St. Albans in 1847. I have been about two years only in the borough. I took up the late election, as I have said, as a mat- ter of business. There are few people in St. Albans who do not move at election times. I joined with the stream.

Mr. Phinn : But Mr. Edwards was the stream, was he not [laughter] ?

Witness : Yes, but he had the bag, and we wished to have one for ourselves. We wanted to fight Edwards on his own principles [laughter].

Mr. Forsyth : You have certainly made a most candid statement, Mr. Blanks.

Mr. Phinn : Had you any agreement with Mr. Pocock or Tucker as to your destined share of the money ?

Witness : Oh, no. The money was to pass through their hands, and of course they would take care of number one [laughter]. I heard nothing of purity when Garden was first

90 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABEOAD J OR,

taken up. When Carden came to town, I asked him several times whether he intended to win his election or lose it. He said he would very much like to win it, if he could. " Then," said I, " You must do as others do, and come out with the money." I did not mince the matter with him [laughter]. He said he could not do that, as he was pledged to the con- trary ; but that if he had not been pledged, it would have been a different thing. As it was, he would not give a shilling for a hundred votes.

Mr. Phinn : Did he say that if he had not been pledged, it would have been a different thing ?

Witness : No, he did not exactly say it, but I inferred from what he did say, that the question would have been open if he had not been pledged. I suggested to Low that money should be spent ; but he was so jealous of Garden's reputation, that he would not hear of it. I cannot say who started the " purity" principle. It came from some of us "Puritans," as we are now called.

Mr. Phinn : Oh ! do they call you Puritans ? Witness : Yes, sir.

Mr. Forsyth : It must have come upon you rather unex- pectedly, Mr. Blanks, and been quite a shock to your feelings. Witness : My feelings were rather shocked, I confess, sir. I thought it no go [laughter]. I believe Mr. Joseph Bennett was the person who first started the purity principle. I voted for Alderman Carden, notwithstanding, because I did not like to run away from him after helping to bring him forward. I think Alderman Carden would have been elected for an ex- penditure of less than £4000. I remember attempting to bet with Alderman Carden that he would win his election. I offered to bet him £1000.

Mr. Forsyth : And, supposing you had lost, what would you have done ?

Witness : I would not have paid him at all [laughter]. Mr. Forsyth : Something has been said as to your having settled in St. Albans for the mere purpose of acting at elec- tions. Is that true ?

Mr. Blanks : No, that is not true. I came here to get a living.

There was great laughter in the court throughout this most extraordinary series of question and answer.

Shortly before one o'clock, the examination of ail the wit- nesses who came forward was concluded, and the Commis- sioners then announced that they had determined on adjourn-

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO EXGLAXD. 91

ing the further proceedings to the 1st of December, to give time for the production of still absent voters, and the exami- nation of Messrs. Wilks, Craven, and Repton, the candidates at former elections. They had to thank the mayor, and all parties concerned, for the great assistance they had given them in the course of the inquiry ; and a general feeling of satisfac- tion was expressed throughout the court at the urbane and i lerate manner in which the Commissioners had discharged the very stringent duties and powers conferred on them by the act of Parliament.93 — Observer, November l~th, 1851.

That Mr. Coppock did no injustice to his countrymen, ■when, in the course of this investigation, he declared, that he could make " as extraordinary a statement/' with respect " to the boroughs and counties" in "most places in England," if "he were to go through the list" as "the Commissioners had done the list of electors in this case," " as Mr. Edwards had made with respect to St. Albans," I found subsequently proven, in effect, by numerous pro- Lings in the shape of bribery commissions set in motion during the following year.

In the spring of 1852, the conservatives, under the leadership of Lord Derby and Mr. Disraeli, came into power. A few months thereafter, Parliament was dis- solved, and writs for new elections issued. The elections took place during the month of July, in that year. Both parties charged each other with bribery and corruption at these elections ; and following the example which had been set in the St. Albans bribery affair of the year be- fore, disappointed aspirants, or their friends, flooded the House with petitions against the successful candidates, in the hope of unseating these, or of exposing the fraud which they were elected. There were no less than 120 of these petitions. Thus, under the influence of party excitement, a mass of startling facts has been given to the world, serving to show the fearful extent to which corruption, in this direction, has tainted the population of Great Britain.

A number of the members against whom petitions have been filed, have been already unseated; and others are still before the Commissioners. I will send you a few extracts, showing what has been proven in these cases.

92 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD; OR,

But before doing this, I ought to tell you of Buck's expe- rience at an English election, as he was present on one of these occasions, and gives quite a graphic account of it. This tvill have to be done in another letter : so I end this, with the assurance that I am, dear sir,

Yr. friend and cousin,

P. Jones. To Maj. Jones, Pineville, Geo.,

IT. S. of America.

LETTER X.

3UCK ATTENDS THE SOUTHAMPTON ELECTION — HIS REPORT OF IT — HIS STORY OF HIS GRANDFATHER AND HIS OLD MAS- TER— ENDEAVORS TO COMFORT AN EMANCIPATED SLAVE.

London, June 25th, 1853.

Dear Major: — In the autumn of 1851, Kossuth, the great Hungarian patriot, landed at Southampton, in this country. Much excitement prevailed among the people generally in anticipation of his coming. I partook of the interest which was felt, and went down to Southampton for the purpose of being present at his reception. I took my servant with me, and remained several days. Whilst we were there, Buck became acquainted with a brother negro, who was a resident of that town, John Malachi by name. By occupation he was a waiter and jobber about the place, and had acquired means enough to make him an elector of the town of Southampton. He was quite polite and hospitable to Buck, and they became great friends and cronies. This man happened to meet with Buck in the summer of 1852, a short time before the elec- tions, and insisted that he should go down and pay him a visit. At Buck's urgent solicitation, I permitted him to go for a few days ; and thus it was his destiny to be in Southampton on the day of the election (July 8th, I think). You shall have his account of what transpired.

EILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND. 93

"And bo you witnessed the election at Southampton, I supp I I; when he had returned. ' * Tell me about

it*

"Marster," said he, "thai was a heap more fuss than at our lections, an more speechin, an 'bout as much drinkin; but I do think though, it was gineiv liker than the knockneed whiskey that some of our genT//i^/i qualifies themselves with at lections. First come Sir Sanely Coburn 1 1 bleve that was what Jack Ma- lachi called him, sir) an Mr. Wilcox an thar friends ; an

- put up at one place ; an they had fine ribbins of one color, an flags of same color, an all sorts smart things writ on some on um. Then come tother side. Mr. Van- : an somebody else name Bailey or Bailiff, or some sich name, an they put up at another place, an they had ribbins of another color, an flags too. An sich a beatin of drums an bio win of horns, you never heerd the like sich a callin o? hard names. You d a thought the people would a font every minit, but they didn't ; leastwise, not much, though they got into a snarl with tother side heap o' times, that would a ended in a gineral sloshin around 'mong our suvrms. 3 1 a law th

that nobody should treat at the tavern- . but Lord 1 your soul, Marster ! th ar was plenty on it gwinr ;. in places. "Well, in the mornin : MalachJ

to me, says he, 'Com? i Less 50 over an

Mr. Tucker : I wants to see ef they 'a a gwine to stick lip to thar prom:-: :: git me a place to sweep the pi 'Well,1 Bays* I, 'I'm agreeable. Mr. MaLachL' E J we went along — 'Look thar. stag,5 says he, 'look at them st :pid lookin men thar, inside Mr. Whatshisname's fence.

\ys he ; l them's reglar "_r : i : rs —

drinkin all night — an now they's pumpin water on

an givin 'urn some bitter beer, to git 7um all right for

to day. They's kep 'um locked iv . - tys he. ' Th

35s,1 says he, a pintin at 'um, an laffm.'''

" " They looks more like pigs,' says I.

"'Well, any how, th igs,1 says he; 'an to my

notion, all Wigs is mighty nigh pigs,' says he ; ' only don't

. go an tell 'um I says so, be &se I've promised to give um one vote, perwiden they sticks up to their word,' he.

94 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD; OR,

u ' Look here, Mr. Malachi/ says I, ' I don't like what you says 'bout Whigs/ says I, l becase thar's "Whigs in my country/ says I, ' though they is gittin sort 'o seedy now ; an all our good ole revolutioners was Whigs/ says I J est so ; 1 an I don't like to hear 'um called by no sich hard names. Ole Marster (that's Marster's father as was, when he was livin) was a raal Whig/ says I, ' an fit clean through the ole Eevolution war,' says I ; (' Marster's got his cocked hat yit, up in the garret of his house ; leastwise, what the moths is left of it,' says I,) ' an I've heern him say a thou- sand times, that the Tories was all gran-rascals and trai- tors,' says I, jest so. An what's more'n that,' says I, ' I've heern my gran-father say same thing, an he allers called hisself a Whig,' says 1/ ' down to his dying day, as mos all them ole revolution niggers did,' says I.

" ' Was your gran-father in that war, stag ?' says Mr. Malachi,' says he — its the man's funny way of callin me; sir ; stag, stidy Buck.

" ' Well, I reckin he was, horse/ says I.

" 'An he fout 'long with your ole Marster?' says he.

" ( Yes sirree — bub ! he done that/ says I.

" ' Who did he fight ? says he.

11 ' Them ole British and Injuns,' says I.

"<Whar did he fight?'

" ' In Ameriky,' says I, ' onder Gineral Morgan at the Cuppens, an at King's Mountain, an the Eutaws,' says I, 1 besides heap o' other places. An I've heern ole Marster say he saved his life onct from the Injuns,' says I.

"/How was that ?' says Mr. Malachi.

" ' Well,' says I, ' they was in some sort of a fort up on Broad Eiver, I think it was,' says I, ' 'long with Col. Clark, an the Injuns 'tacted the fort. They druv 'um off, but when ole Marster seed the red-skins runnin, he called out to his men to foller him, he did, an jumped over the trenchments, an tuk arter um, an first thing he knowed, a great many more Injuns ris up from whar they was hid, an fired on our men, an killed so many on 'um,' says I, 1 that ole Marster had to order his people to git back into the fort,' says I, ' quick as they could. As they was doin so, ole Marster was wounded, an fell down in a open place betwixt the woods an the fort/ says I. ' When our

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND. 95

people got back into the fort, they give the Injuns clozier, I tell yon, an kep 'urn off. But thar was ievin

over ole Marster, for they could see him lyin on the ground jest like he was dead. But he wasn't dead though, only out of his senses from the hurt an loss o' blood/ says I. l He had fell down/ says I, 'in a sort of a wet, mai place, an bomby the water cooled him like, an he b : come too/ says I, ' and raised himself on his elbow to try and git up. When the Injuns seed that/ says I, 'they up a mighty yell, an fired away at ole Marster ; an some on 'urn run towards him to take his har — as grand used to say/ Bays I ('that means to sculp him, Mr. Ma- lachi/ says I), ' but our people poured sich a hot fire into 'urn/ says I, ' that they gin that up as a bad job, an kep in the woods. Ole Marster was so weak, that he had fell back, but he tried to git up agin, an the Injuns they fired y on him agin, an whenever he moved the least bit in the world, rip — rap — rap — rap, fell the bullets all round him/ says I. l When grandaddy saw that, says he. J dead, says he, if I kin bar that any longer, says he, an with that/ says I, ' he lipped over the trench d run

down the hill, an tuk ole Marster on his back, an toted him up into the fort. I heern him Bay/ says I, c that the bullets fell like hail round him, but nairy one teched him. One on urn knocked off ole Marster's hat, an made a hole through it, you could put your thumb in — its thar to this day — an grandaddy, he went back/ says I, ' an picked up the hat,' says I, ' an got into the fort, 'thout so much as a scratch/ says L 'An so, arter sich Whig doins as them in the fambly/ says I, ' you kin see why I take up for the Whigs so boldly, Mr. Malachi/ says I.

" ' Well, stag/ says he, 'your ole Marster must a : :<d man, and your grandaddy too/ says he. 'But them Wigs in your country is Yankee Wigs, an them Tories is Yankee Tories. I spose your Wigs is good an spectable, but the Tories is the spectable ones here/ says he. 'I allers has voted for the Tories,'' says he, 'be

r'a honest. They don't go for no more liberty than they kin possibly help, an they says so,' says he, ' an you know whar to find 'urn,' says he'; 'whiri'them Wig allers saft-soapin the people 'bout liberty an reform, an

96 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD; OR,

all that, an jest takes it out in talkin; they never does nothin,' says he ; ' I'm gwine to vote this time for intrust, not for principul,' saj^s he. 'I'll split my vote, one an one,' says he.

u ' "What do you spect 'urn to give you ?' says I.

" 'They's promised to git me Parkins' place,' says he, 1 to hand ropes an sweep the pier-head,' says he, ' an ef I thought they wouldn't be as good as thar word, I'd jest see urn on tother side o' Jordan,' says he, 'fore I'd vote for 'urn. They's promised more places than they kin fill, I know,' says he, 'but I hope they means to do far with this one,' says he.

Presently we seed Mr. Tucker, an Mr. Malachi, he says, says he, { I spose I shall have the place,' says he.

' How do you mean to vote,' says Mr. Tucker.

1 One an one,' says Mr. Malachi.

' You must vote, then, for Sir Alexander and Mr. Van- start,' says he, an he writ the names down on a card for him.

Arter a while, the percessions begun to form, an then I saw Mr. Andrews, the gen'l'man that was Mare, when we come down to see that Govner Koshoot, the great Hongry man. An Mr. Andrews he spoke up powerful fine for the Whig candidal, and called one on 'um ' a larned gen'l'man,' an tother one, he said, says he, 'was dentified with a great company, whose intrusts was the intrusts of the town of Southampton;' an then he said somethin 'bout 'Peninsular steamboats,' and somethin that sounded like 'go ahead;' an when somebody put a question to him that he did'nt like, he said somethin bout 'dash his wig! an dash his folly.' Presently, he begun agin, an said somethin 'bout the slow rate Lord Darby's Goverment had been travellin at, but ef the Whigs only could turn him out, ' they'd put the Goverment train up to faster speed ; then they'd go in a express train with a ingin named economy/ Here a ole sailor in the crowd sung out, says he, 'Blast your eyes,' says he, 'stick to your coaches Mr. Mare, you're too slow to get upon a ingin.' This sorter put the Mare out a bit, sir [you know he is a coachbuilder, sir] ; but he did mighty well, I thought, for a coachmaker, sir. While this was a gwine

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND. 97

on, the strikers for the candidates was mighty busy can- wassin the voters, as Jack Malachi called it, though I did'nt see any canwass myself, sir, cepin on the ships, sir."

"Did you see any money given for votes," Buck?" said I.

" No, Marster, I did'nt. I heern people on both sides say thar was sich things gwine on ; but I did'nt see 'urn. Ef you'd a heerd one side 'buse tother, you'd a made sure 'twas done. 'You're bought and paid for,' one man 'ud say to another. ' You're booked in the Mare's coach, you are/ says he. An tother one, he says, l It's a lie,' says he, 'its you that's bought. You're a five punder,' says he. An so they went on ; but ef thar was any money paid for votes, it was onbeknowns to me. But I heerd lots o' promises made by the strikers, of what they'd do for the 'lectors, ef they'd vote with 'urn.

Bomby the percessions marched to the polling booth, an then sich cheers an yellin, as one side 'ud give for thar candidates, an tother ud groan at 'um, sir. Then tother side 'ud yell, an tother 'ud groan. An they 'ud make all sorts o' noises to keep from hearin each other. Nobody was perlite, but the candidates, an they was very much so, bowin and smilin at the lectors. But the way that crowd yelled an shouted, sir, would a beat a camp-meetin, holler ! Presently, when the crier got some silence, that everlastin Mare [I bleve it was] got up, an perposed our candidates. I calls 'um our candidates, Marster, becase I allers could'nt help takin sides, when I seed two roosters a fightin, an I spose I would a jined one side any how, in my feelins ; but main thing was, thar was Whigs in our country, an the Tories was 'spised thar. Well, whoever it was perposed our candidates, he made out that the whole world was a lookin on, and would be turned topsa- turvy ef they was'nt 'lected. Then our side, we hurra'd an shouted mightly, an tother side they groaned and bel- lerecl, tell you'd a thought there was a little yearthquake an heap o' big bulls in the crowd. That made our Mare mad, sir, sartain, an he turned so red in the face, tell he was almost black, an he said, ' dash his wig, ef that was'nt too bad.' But the madder he got. the more fuss they 9 g

98 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD; OR,

made, 'tell they drownded his voice, sir, an all he could do was to grin, an make motions an shake his fists at 'urn. Then somebody perposed the tother candidates, an he made out like all the world and the rest o' mankind was a lookin on, an would be turned topsaturvy tother way, ef thar men was'nt 'lected. The other side people they cheered an yelled, an we hissed, an groaned an hooted with all our mights. But I dont think we done it as well as tothers did, becase we 'spected to beat the race, an we was'nt so spiteful like. Then come the time for the candidates to make speeches, an the way they was sweet on the free an independent lectors was the way. All on urn agreed 'bout that adzacly, though they couldn't set horses together 'bout nothin else, sir, cepin that everything good was in thar party, an everything bad in tother, an that ef they was not all 'lected the country 'ud go to pot.

" But to my mind, Marster, the best speech was made by our Sir Coburn. I can't 'member it adzacly, but I know he told urn what nice people they was, an how honest he was, an allers had been, ef he had been a Tory onct (I was sorry to hear that), an how he had quit the Tories, becase they was gwine wrong, an how the Whigs was right, leastwise the present time Whigs. 'As for them first Whigs,' says he, ' them Walpul Whigs/ says he, ' they mought a been corrupt/ says he, l but they was the old set,1 says he ; i the present Whigs,' says he, ' is the men what has made sweetenins cheap, an 'bolished slavery an corn-laws.' Oh, he spoke up powerful fine, I tell you, Marster ! I didn't think so much of tother speeches. Still, tother ones done mighty well, an ricommended thar side powerful strong. Well, sir, then the 'lection come on, an our candidates they got in, an then me an Malachi went home.

" When we got to Mr. Malachi's house, we found a ole nigger thar, name Johnson, who was waitin to see me, onderstandin I was from Ameriky. He lived somewhar close by, he said, an had come from North Carlina. He blonged onct, good while ago, he said, to a Scotch genT- man, name McDaniel, who was a mar chant in North Car- lina, an was tuk with a gallopin kunsumtion, an started

BILLY BUCK'S VISIT TO ENGLAND. 99

to come over to this country to see his kin; an git cured, ef lie could ; but he died on the passage. The ole man said he come long with him as his sarvant, to nurse him; which when he died he give him a little property, an sot him free. An so he staid in this country; but he wouldn't a done so, he said, ef he hadn't a got married mighty yearly arter gitten here, an he allers had been powerful sorry he stayed ; for he was ' nuff happier as a slave in North Carlina,' says he, than he was here. We sot up mos all night, talkin ; for I knowecl heap o' people that come from North Carlina to G-eorgy, what he knowed, or had heerd about ; an 'peared like hit done the man good, sir, to talk 'bout ole times in North Carlina.

111 Ah, Mr. "William Buck/ says he, (he was a mighty perlite ole nigger, Marster,) ( ah,' says he, 'ef I could only jest see the ole North State onct more, an git some raal Macklenburg big hominy, fried with midlin, an hear a good corn-song, an go to a camp-meetin, 'pears like I could die more happier,' says he.

" ' Did you have corn-shuckins much in your time/ says I.

" ' That we did,' says he; 'an I was much of a man round the pile, sir, I tell you ; an bless your heart alive, man, it would a done you good to a heern me give out the corn songs,' says he; 'speshly Stompin-down-my-Biley, an Miss Aggy-pulled-the-whip-saw-down. Ah me ! All that's past/ says he, ' an I never shill hear the like o' that agin, I reckin,' says he.

" ' Would you like to hear a corn-song now, Mr. John- son ?' says I.

" ' Sartain/ says he.

" So I started right off, Marster, into one on our ole shuckin songs."

" What was it, Buck?" said I, quite interested in his story.

" You've often heerd it, sir —

1 Dis nigger am a mighty man,

Oh, Bomba-lidg-a-borabala ! My head is made o' big bombshells, Oh, Bomba-lidg-a-bombala! My tooths is made o' glass bottels, Oh, Bomba-lidg-a-bombala V "

100 THE SLAVEHOLDER ABROAD; OR,

" That will do/' said I ; "I remember it." " The ole man farly roared out the scorus, Marster, he did, tell I