the cares which perplex and embarrass, and too often embitter the lives of those who have charge of families.  A large majority of the slaves in the Southern States are contented and happy.  This will appear to many, no doubt, improbable.  Nevertheless, it is true.  If African character was generally better understood, it would silence much of that clamor and agitation of the subject, which is so annoying to all patriotic, peaceable and good citizens.  The African desires but little, and aspires to but little; consequently it requires but little to render, him happy.  Happiness consists in the gratification of our appetites, passions and propensities.  Those of the African, occupy but a small space; therefore but little is necessary to satisfy him.  On the contrary; the appetites, passions and propensities of the Anglo-Saxon are boundless; therefore, much is requisite for their happiness, or otherwise to satisfy them.  For this reason, an individual may be miserable, though he possess all the comforts and luxuries that the world can afford; and he may be happy with a bare sufficiency of coarse food and coarse clothing.  He that is satisfied with what he has, is happy; be it little or much.  Slaves, as a general rule, are happy in a state of servitude, because in a state of servitude they have all that they desire—­all to which they aspire.  Hence the evils of slavery, so far as the slave is concerned, are more in appearance than reality, because the African is happy under circumstances, in which an Anglo-Saxon would be miserable.

In the present condition of the African race they are happier as slaves, than they would be as free men, because they are incapable of providing for themselves, and are therefore incompetent to enjoy the rights and privileges of free men.

I could fill a volume with anecdotes, which ought to make those who vilify and traduce slaveholders blush for shame; but I have neither time nor space at present.  I will, however, relate one and pass on.  I visited professionally, many years ago, an aged infidel.  A more benevolent man I have seldom seen.  Humanity appeared to be a constituent element in his composition, and kindness an innate principle of his heart.  In one corner of the yard, in a log cabin, lived a pious old slave with his family.  It was the custom of the old slave to pray in his family every night before retiring to bed.  Old massa was never forgotten in his prayers.  He never failed to present him before a throne of grace.  The old infidel never doubted the sincerity of his slave, nor yet the purity of his motives, though he sincerely believed that it was all delusion.  He had listened for many years to the prayers of this slave, and could distinctly hear the slave pray for “old massa.”  Some years after my first visit to this worthy old gentleman, he was suddenly taken very ill.  I was again summoned to his aid.  All my efforts availed nothing; he must die.  All hopes of his recovery were abandoned.  Then did