Here is a fact which is not understood in the free States.  Slaves are happy and content under circumstances in which a white man would be miserable.  They are satisfied and content with food, on which the better portion of the white race can hardly subsist.  Nor would soft beds and fine houses conduce to their comfort.  There are many of them, who, if they were provided with downy beds, would prefer to repose on the hearth or the floor.  They are by nature a happier people than the Anglo-Saxon race, and of course, less will suffice for their happiness and comfort.  All that I contend for is, that the health, comfort and convenience of the slave, should be amply provided for by the master; or at least as far as practicable.  I wish here, as well as elsewhere, to avoid the error of asking too much, for I have generally observed through life, that those who ask too much are likely to get nothing.  I shall, therefore, contend for nothing more than the clear, obvious, and indisputable duty of slaveholders.

Slaves do not, as a general rule, receive that attention in sickness from their masters, to which they are entitled.  Humanity, as well as interest, should prompt their masters to be a little more attentive to them, under the afflictive dispensations of Providence.  And the necessity is more apparent from the consideration of the fact, that slaves are ignorant, and universally entertain opinions in regard to dieting the sick, which, if practically carried out, will in all cases, endanger their lives.  I allude to the notion prevalent among them, that the sick are in no danger, so long as they can by any means induce them to take food.  The same error is common among the more ignorant class of white people; and it constitutes the worst difficulty that the physician encounters in the treatment of disease.  I once remarked to an ignorant, drunken, degraded son of Belial, that if he was not a little more cautious in the use of certain articles of food, he would sooner or later destroy himself.  “Oh! there is no danger,” said he, “I shall never die while I can get plenty of fat ’possum to eat, and whiskey to drink.”  So it is with ignorant persons; they know that food sustains life, and for that reason they believe, that as long as they are able to cram it down their throats, there is no danger.

It is a little remarkable that the proprietors of slaves do not more generally enforce cleanliness among them.  This is the more to be regretted, as cleanliness conduces not only to the health and comfort of the body, but also to the purity of the mind.  I am aware that it would in most cases be difficult to enforce cleanliness among them, as they seem to be constitutionally a filthy race.  This may originate partly, however, from, the peculiar circumstances under which they live, their ignorance, degradation, &c.