A Northerner's View of Slavery in the South

Aurelia Hale offers her impressions of southern life in this letter of June 11, 1821 (GLC 8934). As a young woman from Hartford, Connecticut, Hale traveled to Washington County, Georgia to serve as a schoolteacher.  Miss Hale was pleasantly surprised by Southern manners and finds their way of life most agreeable. In a letter home to her sister Sarah she writes, "The Geo. [Georgians] differ in every respect from the Northerners, are much more agreeable, polite, attentive, and friendly." She is not at all taken aback by the prevalence of slavery in the South. On the contrary, she seems to revel in its benefits. She writes to her sister of her experiences with African Americans thus far; "When we entered Savannah we were astonished by the number of blacks; but now they have become quite familiar to us, We find it no inconvenience at all to be waited upon. I have one and sometimes two to attend me." Hale seems to think highly of the institution of slavery and enjoys the lifestyle it allows her to lead, "We ride in state I assure you, with blacks on all sides, One little Negro stands behind the Carriage: With a face shining like a glass bottle. To appearance as happy as if worth thousands." Her casually racist comments may seem shocking to today's reader, but her attitude was a reflection of the period as well as her personal aspirations for a wealthy and privileged lifestyle.

This letter is part of a collection of approximately fifty letters Aurelia Hale wrote to her family members in the 1820s and 30s.

Marisa Morigi, Deputy Curator
The Gilder Lehrman Collection

Click to see the document.

GLC 8934 Letter from Aurelia Hale to Sarah W. Hale.
Washington County, Georgia, 11 June 1821.
Autograph letter signed, 3 pages + address leaf + docket.

Washington Hills County June –- 11th – 1821 Dear Sarah You probably, as well as many, other Friends are expecting a Letter, and perhaps may consider yourself in some degree slighted. I have this evening been writing Mother, for the first time since I left home. I should not be surprised if you found a repetition in all your Letters; as I have had so little time to write; and generally many around me while writing; which rendered it almost impossible to collect my ideas or to find words to express them. I consider it unnecessary to say again I am delighted with Washington; for I have often repeated it when writing, Brother Horatio. His Letters will give you some information respecting our Passage and arrival here, together with the arrangements made since I am now boarding at Mr Briches, for further particulars you can refer to Mothers Letter. The Geo. differ in every respect from the Northerners; are much more agreeable, polite, attentive, and friendly. I believed them very hospitable and kind, but did not expect half the attention. When we entered Savannah we were astonished at the number of blacks; but now they have become quite familiar to us, We find it no inconvenience at all to be waited upon. I have one and sometimes two to attend me, and can find them sufficient employment. I like [struck: the] their manner of living here, better than at the North they have a greater variety of dishes, and the most of them entirely different from ours. Generally have a desert after dinner. [2] For breakfast we have Coffee and Tea. Warfles, Biscuit, Hominy, Indian bread several dishes of meat &c&c and for Supper nearly the same (with the exception of Indian bread and meat –) with the addition of Cakes. I designed to write you a long letter, but Mrs [J]anso[m]'s Coach is wa[i]ting for us to ride. I will leave the remainder till I return; perhaps I shall get some new ideas. We ride in state Iassure you, with blacks on all sides. One little Negro stands behind the Carriage; With a face shining like a glass bottle. To appearance as happy as if worth thousands. While at Mr Campbell's I rode to Church; he lives a mile from W. But now I board so near, as to render it inconvenient to ride. We shall always have a ride after Church, Sabbath evenings; when the weather will permit. O'tis delightful I assure you. It is almost night, the mail is about closing, Mrs Birch says I must finish my letter [struck: this] before we ride. I have every thing to write you. and many inquires to make about the Girls. How are Elisa Melinda Catharine &c&c you know who I would inquire about Elisa and Martha Smith I have not forgotten. Rem[em]ber me particularly too them. What Meetings do you attend now [struck: I hope] not the Methodist I hope altogether. though I advised you to attend frequently when I left home. I have attend mind since, and think if you ever enter Geo. and wish to be respected you must not become a Methodist. I am glad I have escaped from them. Take my advice attend the Episcopal Church occasionally. And the presbyterian with Elisa Ann Smith. Be particular about your Company. And all you think beneath you. If you do not try to render yourself respected no person will do it for you. Few Girls would have undertaken what I have for the sake of respectability. But I assure you I have not yet regreted it. I now can move in the sphere I have always wished to [3] the sphere in which our Ancestors moved. We descended from a respectable family; the first in the State of Con. Can we sink below them? and grovel in insignificance? No! my pride would not let me. My task will be great, but pride and ambition will carry me through. I wish if you have leisure this summer you would work me a handsome Ruffle. I will pay you when I get rich enough. And likewise when you can conveniently paint me a few flowers and something pleasing for Children. The Instructresses I understand have been in the habit of making such trifling presents, And of course I must give somethi[n]g of the kind if I would wish to please and encourage them, I wish you would ask Brother if has not some Certificates he can send me. Mr Alden and perhaps Mr Wheeler will return in the course of a few months. You can send them by either. I [struck: rode] have just return'd from a ride to the Spring. Per[text loss] you r[text loss: ecolle]ct at what Cummings says of this, he sets it [text loss] a Curiosity Perhaps it might have been forme[r]ly. But its now no more of a curiosity than any Spring. The hollow log it once flowed out of has gone to decay. A small fence is built around it. You recollect I promised to write to a certain person before I left H. I dare not do it, had I stop'd to consider I never should have made the promise. You must tell him what I say. I am sure he will not wish me to displease my Friends, nor give occasion, for censure. I respect him and through the medium of your letters shall always be happy to hear from him. Besides I cannot play the hypocrite, at write upon a subject I do not feel I never had any religion yet and peoples saying so will never make it [struck: not] so. I have had an invitation to attend the Commencement Ball at Athens ñ by one of the prettiest beaus in W. PS dont for the world shew this, destroy it immediately. I have no objections to your shewing it to Brother, and wish you would Write soon Yours In haste Amelia. [docket] A M W. Hale June 11 1821 [address leaf] Washington } 35 5 am 15 } Miss Sarah W. Hale Hartford Con.

Lane, Mills, ed. Neither More Nor Less Than Men: Slavery in Georgia: A Documentary History. Savannah, Georgia: Beehive, 1993.

Berry, Daina Ramey. Swing the Sickle for the Harvest Is Ripe: Gender and Slavery in Antebellum Georgia. Urbana, Illinois: University of Illinois P, 2007.

Stevenson, Brenda E. Life in Black and White: Family and Community in the Slave South. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996.