In Richmond, Virginia, a company occupied as a dwelling a large warehouse.  They got angry with a negro lad, one of their slaves, took him into the cellar, tied his hands with a rope, bored a hole though the floor, and passed the rope up through it.  Some of the family drew up the boy, while others whipped.  This they continued until the boy died.  The warehouse was owned by a Mr. Whitlock, on the scite of one formerly owned by a Mr. Philpot.

Joseph Chilton, a resident of Campbell County, Virginia, purchased a quart of tanners’ oil, for the purpose, as he said, of putting it on one of his negro’s heads, that he had sometime previous pitched or tarred over, for running away.

In the town of Lynchburg, Virginia, there was a negro man put in prison, charged with having pillaged some packages of goods, which he, as head man of a boat, received at Richmond, to be delivered at Lynchburg.  The goods belonged to A.B.  Nichols, of Liberty, Bedford County, Virginia.  He came to Lynchburg, and desired the jailor to permit him to whip the negro, to make him confess, as there was no proof against him.  Mr. Williams, (I think that is his name,) a pious Methodist man, a great stickler for law and good order, professedly a great friend to the black man, delivered the negro into the hands of Nichols.  Nichols told me that he took the slave, tied his wrists together, then drew his arms down so far below his knees as to permit a staff to pass above the arms under the knees, thereby placing the slave in a situation that he could not move hand or foot.  He then commenced his bloody work, and continued, at intervals, until 500 blows were inflicted.  I received this statement from Nichols himself, who was, by the way, a son of the land of “steady habits,” where there are many like him, if we may judge from their writings, sayings, and doings.”

PRIVATIONS OF THE SLAVES.

I. FOOD.

We begin with the food of the slaves, because if they are ill treated in this respect we may be sure that they will be ill treated in other respects, and generally in a greater degree.  For a man habitually to stint his dependents in their food, is the extreme of meanness and cruelty, and the greatest evidence he can give of utter indifference to their comfort.  The father who stints his children or domestics, or the master his apprentices, or the employer his laborers, or the officer his soldiers, or the captain his crew, when able to furnish them with sufficient food, is every where looked upon as unfeeling and cruel.  All mankind agree to call such a character inhuman.  If any thing can move a hard heart, it is the appeal of hunger.  The Arab robber whose whole life is a prowl for plunder, will freely divide his camel’s milk with the hungry stranger who halts at his tent door, though he may have just waylaid him and stripped him of his money.  Even savages take pity on hunger.  Who ever went famishing