Supporting Documents

SD457.  Edward Moulton-Barrett (father) to Samuel Hilton

Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 1, 333 (in part).

May 9. 1823–

My dear Hilton

The object of the following Letter is to convey to you my Sentiments and plans on the treatment I wish in future, if not already carried into effect by you, to be observed as regards the Negroes– Previous to their adoption I have, I assure you, thought very much on the subject, and therefore there is nothing in them that can or may be considered as indigested or precipitate– I have also well weighed that happily my views are in accordance with my Interests, I mean permanent ones; You will perceive that some of the plans we had some conversation about before your leaving England– If you knew the deep Interest I take in the Subject, the possession it has of my head and heart, whatever your own views might be I am convinced you would so far adopt mine in this, where my Interests are alone concerned, as religiously to carry into effect the whole to the very Letter, at least untill I write that it is all in vain, of which however I must tell you, at present, I am sanguine enough to think can never occur–

First then I would strongly recommend that, where practicable, Task Work should be assigned to them, whereby the Industrious might have time to spare for their own purposes, but principally as Nature has been in some sparing of Physical powers as compared to others, more time or rather their own time should be afforded those to perform their work in, for as in the fable of the Tortoise and the Hare, had the former been forced into the race at the pace of his Competitor he had assuredly sunk under it, but exercising the best means Nature had given him, he got to the goal neverless– If this were done, there would not on any Estate be occasion for Drivers, a Set of Men I must beg, I will not use any stronger term to you who are always so anxious to meet my wishes, to have abolished– Considering, humanity aside, of the finest People on an Estate, idle themselves, all their exertions in urging other to work hardly compensate for their privilege of freedom from manual labor: To say nothing of the power, that is put into their hands, of exercising all the bad and base passions of a slave, the worst and most cruel in all ages of Tyrants– Therefore let the Negores be told I have abolished the whips for which I hope and depend much on their future good conduct, industry, and implicit obedience; and for a substitution of another mode of Punishment, What think you of solitary confinement not carried by any means to excess–

I find by an Act of the House of Assembly called I believe the “Curate Act” that to every Parish in the Island there is a Curate appointed who is enjoined, and required to do Duty on the Sunday at the Estate or Neighbourhood, whence Notice has been sent him by the Proprietor or Manager that Consent is given him for performance of divine Service there. I therefore request you will on my behalf comply with this provision, and further to induce the Negroes to attend I authorise and direct you to give them the Wednesday in every week as an Holiday in and out of Crop to cultivate their Provision Grounds, on condition alone that they dedicate Sunday to attending the Place appointed by the Curate where Divine Service is to be performed– My dear Hilton, I know the sacrifice in time and labor I shall be charged in making by this arrangement, but assure yourself it is not unwittingly I give you these orders or think but I believe it will also be to my Wordly Interests– Relaxation they have not enough, to renew the waste that labor and Climate must make on them– I would wish you also to give encouragement to all those who have lived with one Woman or who have been greatly constant to one– Perhaps you had better send me their Names that I may be thought to sanction such conduct and I will send them some small presents– Another wish I have is that sufficient Sugar should be kept and sold at a fair price to the Estate People to prevent the pilfer that I suspect otherwise must ensue– I however suppose this is done on my Properties as I observe some Quantity specified every year as kept for the Estates use[.]

The last circumstance I would draw your attention to, is to beg you will give orders that if in future any Overseer or White Person should interfere in the slightest manner with the directions or prescriptions given by the Doctor as to medicine, care or cessation from labor, either as regards the Negroes being kept in the Hot House or desired to stay at home for a time that those Persons so interfering be immediately discharged–

Thus far as respects our poor dark fellow Creatures– And now one word as regards the Whites. You perhaps recollect our conversation here respecting having white married Servants on the Estates; I believe you first mentioned it, and said what was so satisfactory to me at the time, that I cannot but regret we have omitted carrying it into effect– I am sure the absence of it, is a primary source of the Mortality among them and the ruin of all morality and religions. It is also in its effects an example to the Negroes always acting averse to the interests of the Proprietor in not keeping up the Numbers on an Estate from the introduction of fornication and the attendant profligacies– Do therefore, my friend, encourage marriage as far as regards the hiring of Servants, by selecting those who have Wives, and make them and their families as comfortable as circumstances will permit–

Thus have I given you not my wishes only but what to any one else but yourself, I should say my directions to be implicitly followed in the management of my Estates– It will suffice to you that they are my wishes and I know you will proceed to carry them into effect without reservation and in good faith, and that you and I may live to see them succeed and be a comfort and blessing to our poor People, necessarily producing the same happy results on us the humble instruments of good to them, is my earnest prayer——

Yrs sin[cerely]

EMB.

Publication: None traced.

Docket: Copy to Mr Hilton / May 9– 1823.

Source: File copy at Eton College Library.

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