and good at the hoe,
the whole neighborhood can testify, and particularly Mr. Johnson and his
son, who have both had him under them as foreman of the gang; which gives
me reason to hope he may with your good management sell well, if kept
clean and trim’d up a little when offered for sale.”

Another “misbehaving fellow” was shipped off in 1791, and was sold for “one pipe and Quarter Cask of wine from the West Indies.”  Sometimes only the threat of such riddance was used, as when an overseer complained of one slave, and his master replied, “I am very sorry that so likely a fellow as Matilda’s Ben should addict himself to such courses as he is pursuing.  If he should be guilty of any atrocious crime, that would effect his life, he might be given up to the civil authority for trial; but for such offences as most of his color are guilty of, you had better try further correction, accompanied with admonition and advice.  The two latter sometimes succeed where the first has failed.  He, his father and mother (who I dare say are his receivers) may be told in explicit language, that if a stop is not put to his rogueries and other villainies, by fair means and shortly, that I will ship him off (as I did Wagoner Jack) for the West Indies, where he will have no opportunity of playing such pranks as he is at present engaged in.”

It is interesting to note, in connection with this conclusion, that “admonition and advice” were able to do what “correction” sometimes failed to achieve, that there is not a single order to whip, and that the above case, and that which follows, are the only known cases where punishment was approved.  “The correction you gave Ben, for his assault on Sambo, was just and proper.  It is my earnest desire that quarrels may be stopped or punishment of both parties follow, unless it shall appear clearly, that one only is to blame, and the other forced into [a quarrel] from self-defence.”  In one other instance Washington wrote, “If Isaac had his deserts he would receive a severe punishment for the house, tools and seasoned stuff, which has been burned by his carelessness.”  But instead of ordering the “deserts” he continued, “I wish you to inform him, that I sustain injury enough by their idleness; they need not add to it by their carelessness.”

This is the more remarkable, because his slaves gave him constant annoyance by their wastefulness and sloth and dishonesty.  Thus, “Paris has grown to be so lazy and self-willed” that his master does not know what to with him; “Doll at the Ferry must be taught to knit, and made to do a sufficient day’s work of it—­otherwise (if suffered to be idle) many more will walk in her steps”; “it is observed by the weekly reports, that the sewers make only six shirts a week, and the last week Carolina (without being sick) made only five.  Mrs. Washington says their usual task was to make nine with shoulder straps and good sewing.  Tell them therefore from me, that what has