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Show C H A P 'l' E R P 0 U R TIT. PERSONAL RESULTS OF TilE SLAVE·HOLDINO SYSTF.M. SECTION I. Pe,-sonal Effects of SlaVet"!f upon the mernbet"s of t!te privileged class. By personal results of the slave-holding system those results a re intended, which exhibit themselves in the personal character of the members of a slaveholdin'g community. Slavery has a lready been explained to be in its nature, a protracted state of war. All its results are sufficiently conformable to such an origin. Soldiers possess a free and self-confident air, and when among friends and not irritated or opposed, they exhibit a frank good humor, an easy, companionable disposition, which renders their society agreeable, and causes their company to be generally courted. 'l'heir military duties often leave them an abundance of leisure; for long intervals, they often have nothing to do bnt to seek amusement, and they give a warm and hearty welcome to all who are disposed to join and aid them in that pursuit. 'rhese same traits of manners are sufficiently conspicuous among the privileged class of our southern aristocracies. Though a large portion of that class is destitute of education, and of any real refinement, ye: almost every member of it has more or less, a certain patrician bearing, a consciousness of his own superiority which gives him an air of manliness and dignity, DESPOTISM IN AMERICA. 143 ~ut which it must be confessed, degenerates too often mto rudeness and braggadocio. rrhe wealthier and f ~ette~ educated, passing almost the whole of their hves. 111 a round of social pleasures, have attained to a considerable _rerfection in the art of plcasi ng; and those who VISit the southern states of the Union for the first time, are generally captivated by the politeness, the hospitality, the attentions, the good humor of the people. Manners however are far from being any certain index of character, and they a re often carried to a high pttch of refinement, m cases where all the virtues which they seem to indicate, are lamentably deficient. The soldier nursed in blood and robbery, however mildly and gently he conducts himself, is at best only a tame tiger, not rashly to be trusted. His passions are vwlent and unmanageable, accustomed to indulgence, and impatient of control. It is the same with the slave-master. Habituated to play the tyrant at home, unshackled regent and despotic lord upon his own plantatiOn, where his wish, his slightest whim is law, the love of domineering possesses all his heart. 'l'he mtercourse of society has taught him the policy and the advantages of mutual concession in little things, and the trilling points of ordina ry politeness he y ields With the ready willingness of a well-bred man. Beyond this he is not to be trusted. Alarm his preju~ Ices, h1s self~love, his jealousy: his avarice, his ambition ; cross hts path_ in any shape whatever ; assume t~e characte~ of a nval or a censor; presume to doubt his perfect Wisdom and immaculate virtue · and from a laughing, good natured companion, he is' changed at once, J_nto a fierce, furious, raving and raging enemy. He bmls and alnaost bursts with passion· he answers argument with invective· instead of re'asons he replies to you with insults. ' Not content to rest;ain his hate within the usual limits of civilized life he thirsts for your blood. He murders you in a duel'; ass~ults you m the streets with pistols and Bowie knife; or deliberately shoots yon from the door of his house, with |