“Legal marriage is unknown among the slaves, they sometimes have a marriage form—­generally, however, none at all.  The pastor of the Presbyterian church in Huntsville, had two families of slaves when I left there.  One couple were married by a negro preacher—­the man was robbed of his wife a number of months afterwards, by her ‘owner.’  The other couple just ‘took up together,’ without any form of marriage.  They are both members of churches—­the man a Baptist deacon, sober and correct in his deportment.  They have a large family of children—­all children of concubinage—­living in a minister’s family.

“If these statements are deemed of any value by you, in forwarding your glorious enterprize, you are at liberty to use them as you please.  The great wrong is enslaving a man; all other wrongs are pigmies, compared with that.  Facts might be gathered abundantly, to show that it is slavery itself, and not cruelties merely, that make slaves unhappy.  Even those that are most kindly treated, are generally far from being happy.  The slaves in my father’s family are almost as kindly treated as slaves can be, yet they pant for liberty.

“May the Lord guide you in this great movement.  In behalf of the perishing, Your friend and brother, WILLIAM.  T. ALLAN”

NARRATIVE OF MR. WILLIAM LEFTWICH, A NATIVE OF VIRGINIA.

Mr. Leftwich is a grandson of Gen. Jabez Leftwich, who was for some years a member of Congress from Virginia.  Though born in Virginia, he has resided most of his life in Alabama.  He now lives in Delhi, Hamilton county, Ohio, near Cincinnati.

As an introduction to his letter, the reader is furnished with the following testimonial to his character, from the Rev. Horace Bushnell, pastor of the Presbyterian church in Delhi.  Mr. B. says: 

“Mr. Leftwich is a worthy member of this church, and is a young man of sterling integrity and veracity.

H. BUSHNELL.”

The following is the letter of Mr. Leftwich, dated Dec. 26, 1838.

“Dear Brother—­I am not ranked among the abolitionists, yet I cannot, as a friend of humanity, withhold from the public such facts in relation to the condition of the slaves, as have fallen under my own observation.  That I am somewhat acquainted with slavery will be seen, as I narrate some incidents of my own life.  My parents were slaveholders, and moved from Virginia to Madison county, Alabama, during my infancy.  My mother soon fell a victim to the climate.  Being the youngest of the children, I was left in the care of my aged grandfather, who never held a slave, though his sons owned from 90 to 100 during the time I resided with him.  As soon as I could carry a hoe, my uncle, by the name of Neely, persuaded my grandfather that I should be placed in his hands, and brought up in habits of industry.  I was accordingly placed under his tuition.  I