“NEGROES TO HIRE.  On Wednesday, the 26th inst.  I will hire to the highest bidder, the NEGROES belonging to Charles and Robert Innes.  GEO. W. WILLIAMS. Guardian.”

The following nine advertisements were published in one column of the “Winchester Virginian,” Dec. 20, 1838.

“NEGRO HIRINGS.

“WILL be offered for hire, at Captain Long’s Hotel, a number of SLAVES—­men, women, boys and girls—­belonging to the orphans of George Ash, deceased.  RICHARD W. BARTON.” Guardian.

“WILL be offered for hire, at my Hotel, a number of SLAVES, consisting of men, women, boys and girls.  JOSEPH LONG. Exr. of Edmund Shackleford, dec’d.”

“WILL be offered for hire, for the ensuing year, at Capt.  Long’s Hotel, a number of SLAVES.  MOSES R. RICHARDS.”

“WILL be offered for hire, the slaves belonging to the estate of James Bowen, deceased, consisting of men, and women, boys and girls.  GILES COOK. One of the Exrs. of James Bowen dec’d.”

“THE hiring at Millwood will take place on Friday, the 28th day of December, 1838.  BURWELL.”

“N.B.  We are desired to say that other valuable NEGROES will also be hired at Millwood on the same day, besides those offered by Mr. B.”

“The SLAVES of the late John Jolliffe, about twenty in number, and of all ages and both sexes, will be offered for hire at Cain’s Depot.  DAVID W. BARTON. Administrator.”

“I WILL hire at public hiring before the tavern door of Dr. Lacy, about 30 NEGROES, consisting of men, and women.  JAMES R. RICHARDS.”

“WILL be hired, at Carter’s Tavern, on 31st of December, a number of NEGROES.  JOHN J.H.  GUNNELL.”

“NEGROES FOR HIRE, (PRIVATELY.) About twelve servants, consisting of men, women, boys, and girls, for hire privately.  Apply to the subscriber at Col.  Smith’s in Battletown.  JOHN W. OWEN.”

A volume might easily be filled with advertisements like the preceding, showing conclusively that hired slaves must be a large proportion of the whole number.  The actual proportion has been variously estimated, at 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/2, &c. if we adopt the last as our basis, it will make the number of hired slaves, in the United States, FIVE HUNDRED AND FORTY THOUSAND!

6th. Slaves under overseers whose wages are a part of the crop.—­That this is a common usage; appears from the following testimony.  The late Hon. John Taylor, of Caroline Co.  Virginia, one of the largest slaveholders in the state, President of the State Agricultural Society, and three times elected to the Senate of the United States, says, in his “Agricultural Essays,” No. 15.  P. 57,