SOLON ROBINSON, 1849 291 



week, and of the same quality that I use myself, and 

 which I make upon the place, and generally about a peck 

 and a half of corn meal, not being particular about the 

 measure of that, as I raise plenty of corn and grind it in 

 my own mill, and wish them to have all they will eat 

 without wasting it. I also give them sweet potatoes and 

 plenty of vegetables in the season of them. Those who 

 choose to do so, can commute a part of the meat rations 

 for an equivalent in molasses. I also give them a liberal 

 supply of fresh meat from time to time during the year, 



"They also, as you see, all have their hen houses, and 

 as 'master's corn crib is always open,' they raise an 

 abundance of eggs and fat chickens to eat or exchange 

 for any other luxuries they wish. Besides, my negroes 

 raise a crop of cotton every year for their own use, and 

 several of the most provident of them always have 

 money, often to the amount of fifty to one hundred dol- 

 lars. You will observe that the children are all taken 

 care of and fed during the day at the nursery, upon corn 

 bread and fat, and hominy and molasses. 



"All the cotton clothing and part of the woolen is spun 

 and wove by women kept employed at that business on 

 the plantation. I give my negroes a feast and frolic 

 every Christmas. I was born and bred among slaves in 

 Virginia. In buying and selling, good masters are al- 

 ways careful not to separate families. Two of my men 

 have wives on President Polk's plantation which adjoins 

 mine, and whom they are free to visit every Saturday 

 night and remain with till Monday morning." 



Now this is the testimony of a most honorable living 

 witness, whom if you wish to cross-examine, you can do 

 so at any time. If you will visit him, you will find that no 

 father is better loved or more respected by his children, 

 than he is by his slaves ; and I should not be surprised if 

 some of you should acknowledge that, in every respect, 

 they lived more comfortable than many of us do. 



I will next ask you to call on Capt. Wm. Eggleston,^ 



'See Robinson, 1:459-62. 



