"'A day school is taught by two young ladies--embracing all the children under twelve or fifteen years of age. The instruction in this and other schools in the county, is _oral_, of course; but it was gratifying to see how great an amount of knowledge the children had acquired in a few months. A Presbyterian minister of Philadelphia was with me, and he said, in unqualified terms, that he visited no infant schools at the North better conducted--Schools on the same plan are now established on the several other plantations in the same county. And I think I may say there is a very general interest getting up on this subject. A large portion of the wealthy planters either have already, or contemplate building churches on their premises, and employing chaplains to preach to their slaves. Several I could mention who, though they are not pious themselves, have done this already, from what they have seen of the beneficial influence of religious instruction on the slaves of other plantations. Persons at a distance may be surprised at this fact, but it is so in a number of cases that I could name, if it were necessary. Ministers of all denominations begin to awake to their duty and responsibility on this subject. Many of them are now devoting themselves _wholly_ to this portion of our community; and it is to be hoped that every christian master will soon be brought to an enlightened sense of duty. And _if we are allowed to prosecute this work without indiscreet interference on the part of our Northern brethren_, I feel assured that we shall see the Negroes _far more improved_ in a short time than they are at present.' * * * * * "Of the religious condition of the slaves _in South Carolina_, a clergyman in that State writes: