Charleston, Georgia
Autumn - or as the Americans say, ‘Fall’, 1802
My Dearest Sophie
Or should I now address you as Mrs. Wynn-to-be? The Joyful news of your engagement to my oldest Friend Thomas Wynn fills me with delight: please accept my warmest congratulations and love, my dearest Sister
I am now becoming an American! The chance to leave Jamaica came not a moment too soon and as you see, here I am, a new Resident of the City of Charleston, named – despite the new American republic - for the memory of the late King.
Jamaica was a shocking land of contrasts: the life of the Planters was Richer and more elegant than anything I have ever seen, even in Liverpool: the stylish Houses in the ports, and the Commodious Residences of those who had gained wealth by Commerce surpassed my expectations. When I first arrived with my Letters of Introduction from Mr. Saxton, Mr Taylor set me to work keeping account of the production of his largest plantation: mercifully, this was a business of book-keeping and of satisfying the Revenue with regard to the duty on Rum, and it did not bring me into much contact with the everyday work of the Estates. My life was comfortable, my expenses few.
And yet, no-where on the rolling acres of the plantations, could one fail to be aware of the Suffering of the Slaves: the house Servants, whose privileges were so much greater, took great care to keep their advantages by their deference and civility, Indeed, such servants were at best rewarded for their labours by being treated as pets, rather than human beings.
On the Plantations, which to be truthful I avoided after my first encounter, violent and vicious discipline is employed to keep the slaves in their place: yet, what is worse is that those who inflict the punishments are themselves slaves, promoted to positions of responsibility. After a particularly uncomfortable episode when I intervened to stop the whipping of a female slave, I was summoned by the Steward of Mr. Taylor, and told that if I interfered in the business of the Farms, I would be no longer in his employ. Due to your kindness in telling me of the agitation back in England for the abolition of the dreadful trade, I saw which way the wind was blowing: with respect (and with relief), I informed Mr. Taylor that I has a chance of work elsewhere, and left his employ.
Though I did not wish to remain in the Island, I was prevailed upon by friends to come to work in Kingston, the chief Town of the Island, where I found new employment in the counting-house of an American, Mr. Thomas, who is an importer of Books and Musical Instruments: articles which help to make like more civilised, and which are blessedly free of the taint of slavery, tho’ those who purchase them are all too often exploiters of Human Misery.
By this connection, I was able to secure Move to his American Counting House: so here I am, My Dear Sophie – a citizen of the New Country of America! My being from Britain has occasioned some sport at my expense, tho’ I have begged my companions to remember that I am a native of Wales, not of England, with all the distance which that implies. Indeed this is a vigorous new country: and despite their desire to be free of the shackles of the English crown, they are indeed our cousins.
Sadly, dissent is rife here, too. In Jamaica, the Agitation for the Abolition of Slavery threatens the livelihood of all, rich and poor. Jamaican needs to continue to import slaves because of the terrible death-rate among them: punitively worked in a harsh environment, and worn out by growing sugar, too few have children to their numbers. Thus the dreadful trade continues.Whereas in America the matter threatens to divide Brother from Brother.
In America, a seemingly more enlightened attitude means that families are likely to remain together more often, and some owners have begun to encourage their charges to form small slave communities. Christian Evangelists have done much work among the slaves, and Churches have been built. However, I cannot see that such ‘Liberal’ notions can continue long without the Slaves themselves questioning their lot. So there you have the paradox – how can one be an Enlightened slave- owner? Or to put it more bluntly – if a slave is not to be a Beast, how can he then be denied the rights of a Man? As one good man – though a slave- owner – said to me the other day: ‘Teach a Slave the Gospel, and he will want to learn to read. Teach him to read, and he is no longer a slave.’ How true! And therein lies the point. I foretell that this new country will be pulled apart by this matter: indeed the President, Mr Jefferson, a man for whom I have the warmest regard – is himself from a family of planters, and owns slaves.
I hope to be able to travel home to Wales for the Celebration of your marriage in the New Year.
Until then, I remain
Your devoted Brother
William
Charleston, Georgia
Autumn - or as the Americans say, ‘Fall’, 1802
My Dearest Sophie
Or should I now address you as Mrs. Wynn-to-be? The Joyful news of your engagement to my oldest Friend Thomas Wynn fills me with delight: please accept my warmest congratulations and love, my dearest Sister
I am now becoming an American! The chance to leave Jamaica came not a moment too soon and as you see, here I am, a new Resident of the City of Charleston, named – despite the new American republic - for the memory of the late King.
Jamaica was a shocking land of contrasts: the life of the Planters was Richer and more elegant than anything I have ever seen, even in Liverpool: the stylish Houses in the ports, and the Commodious Residences of those who had gained wealth by Commerce surpassed my expectations. When I first arrived with my Letters of Introduction from Mr. Saxton, Mr Taylor set me to work keeping account of the production of his largest plantation: mercifully, this was a business of book-keeping and of satisfying the Revenue with regard to the duty on Rum, and it did not bring me into much contact with the everyday work of the Estates. My life was comfortable, my expenses few.
And yet, no-where on the rolling acres of the plantations, could one fail to be aware of the Suffering of the Slaves: the house Servants, whose privileges were so much greater, took great care to keep their advantages by their deference and civility, Indeed, such servants were at best rewarded for their labours by being treated as pets, rather than human beings.
On the Plantations, which to be truthful I avoided after my first encounter, violent and vicious discipline is employed to keep the slaves in their place: yet, what is worse is that those who inflict the punishments are themselves slaves, promoted to positions of responsibility.
After a particularly uncomfortable episode when I intervened to stop the whipping of a female slave, I was summoned by the Steward of Mr. Taylor, and told that if I interfered in the business of the Farms, I would be no longer in his employ. Due to your kindness in telling me of the agitation back in England for the abolition of the dreadful trade, I saw which way the wind was blowing: with respect (and with relief), I informed Mr. Taylor that I has a chance of work elsewhere, and left his employ.
Though I did not wish to remain in the Island, I was prevailed upon by friends to come to work in Kingston, the chief Town of the Island, where I found new employment in the counting-house of an American, Mr. Thomas, who is an importer of Books and Musical Instruments: articles which help to make like more civilised, and which are blessedly free of the taint of slavery, tho’ those who purchase them are all too often exploiters of Human Misery.
By this connection, I was able to secure Move to his American Counting House: so here I am, My Dear Sophie – a citizen of the New Country of America! My being from Britain has occasioned some sport at my expense, tho’ I have begged my companions to remember that I am a native of Wales, not of England, with all the distance which that implies. Indeed this is a vigorous new country: and despite their desire to be free of the shackles of the English crown, they are indeed our cousins.
Sadly, dissent is rife here, too. In Jamaica, the Agitation for the Abolition of Slavery threatens the livelihood of all, rich and poor: Jamaica needs to continue to import slaves because of the terrible death-rate among them: punitively worked in a harsh environment, and worn out by growing sugar, too few have children to their numbers. Thus the dreadful trade continues. However, in America the matter threatens to divide Brother from Brother.
In America, a seemingly more enlightened attitude means that families are likely to remain together more often, and some owners have begun to encourage their charges to form small slave communities. Christian Evangelists have done much work among the slaves, and Churches have been built. However, I cannot see that such ‘Liberal’ notions can continue long without the Slaves themselves questioning their lot. So there you have the paradox – how can one be an Enlightened slave- owner? Or to put it more bluntly – if a slave is not to be a Beast, how can he then be denied the rights of a Man? As one good man – though a slave-owner – said to me the other day: ‘Teach a Slave the Gospel, and he will want to learn to read. Teach him to read, and he is no longer a slave.’ How true! And therein lies the point. I foretell that this new country will be pulled apart by this matter: indeed the President, Mr Jefferson, a man for whom I have the warmest regard – is himself from a family of planters, and owns slaves.
I hope to be able to travel home to Wales for the Celebration of your marriage in the New Year.
Until then, I remain
Your devoted Brother
William