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Show 42 DESPOTISM: Such is a brief specimen of this system of plantation management, which some call cruel, but which t~ose who follow it, merely describe as vigorous and effiCient. II. TEnnon. But there are many men, natural_ly softhearted, who cannot look withou~ so.mc. fecli~gs of sympathetic pain, or at least of mstmctive d1sgust, upon the body of an old man, or a woman perhaps, cut up with the lash, and scored With bloody gashes. The screams and outcries of the VICtims a~cct t~1ern disagreeably. They lack that h~rsh, unfeeling VIgor, that stern promptitude, tyranny s steadiest and most efficient support. They endeavor to avOid the actual use of the whip, and to govern as far as possible, by the fear of it. They utter most tremendous threats, and strive to supply by bitter and alarmmg words, the place of action. But words, when they are found to be intended only as scare-crows, soon _lose. their cffica.· cy. It is therefore necessary to mamtam a steady stream and the master who governs upon this wordy plan, s~on comes to keep both himself and his slaves, in a constant state of nntat10n and Ill fechng, by a process of fault-finding, scolding and threats, which becomes a habit and goes on from mormng to mght, from,day to day: from one year's end to another. The slaves who are thus made to feel every moment the weight of tyranny, and the humiliation of servitude contract towards these snarlmg masters, the sincerest 1hatc i and from hating, being soon s;_~tisfied that with all their bluster, they have not the vigorto act up to their threats they come presently to despise them. Whether they do well or ill, it is much the same the master scolds on by habit ; but though he scold;, as yet he does not punish; and the holder among the slaves soon begin to try experun?Hts u~on h1s la· . ticncc. 'I' hey are encouraged by the 1mpumty of rst trans<rressions to take greater and greater lJbcrtJes. Thei~ example finds imitators,till prescntlythe whole plantation falls into a state of Idleness and msubordlnacy which cannot be longer oyerlooked or endured. Tl~e master must now give up the hope of revenue JN AI\T~RICA. 4.3 from hi~ slav:es, or he must re-establish his authority. He bcgms With moderate whippings. But his first attempts in this way are laughed at, or perhaps resisted. 1-Ieis alarmed and inflamed. Anger and fear supply a vtgor he does not naturally possess. lie storms and rayes i flogs without mercy; _ shoots, stabs, chains, impnsons, starves, tortures. His nature seems to Ue changed, and for a while he acts out the tyrant, in the most savage and vindictive spirit of despotism. The slaves bend and bow beneath this whirlwind of tyranny. rrhe most turbulent and unmanageable,-those of them at least, who have escaped with their lives,are sent off and sold; and presentl y things subside int~ th~ir former state. The master grows ashamed of hts viOlence, and perhaps endures some twinges of remorse; the lash is disused, and the tongue supplies its place. The discipline of the plantation is presently relaxed ; the servants become idle and insubordinate as before; but this flattering calm cannot be relied upon· a new storm of tyranny is secretly brewing, which will burst at a moment when it is least expected. III. FnAun. There are some mas lcrs, who pride themselves upon their cunning and superior knowledge ?f human nature, who make considerable use of fraud, mthemanagcment of their slaves· but this is a means employed only occasionally, and of which the efficacy IS not great. One of the most usual applications of it, is the attempt to take advan tage of the religious feelings of the ~laves, and to Impress them with the idea, that o~ed.~encc, honesty ~award s their masters, humble sublnls~ wn, m~d other l1ke plantation virtues, arc rcligiotlS dulles, wh1ch God commands, under the penalty of damnatiOn. 'l'his stratagem is chiefly practised by slave-hold in ~ clergymen and church members. 'I'hc religious peo~ ~le of the South have been at the pains of preparing ( slave catech1sm; m some places they have established slave Sunday schools· and meetings for slaveworship arc regular! y held. The immediate agents |