What chance of mercy the slave has from the generality of overseers, may be conjectured from the following testimony given by a distinguished Virginian: Mr. Wirt, in his "Life of Patrick Henry," speaking of the different classes in Virginia, says: "Last and lowest, a _feculum_ of beings called overseers--the _most abject_, _degraded_, _unprincipled_ race--always cap in hand to the Dons who employed them, and furnishing materials for the exercise of their pride, insolence, and spirit of domination." The Gentoo code, the most ancient in the world, allowed a wife, a son, a pupil, a younger brother, or a slave, to be whipped with a lash, or bamboo twig, in such a manner as not to occasion any dangerous hurt; and whoever transgressed the rule, suffered the punishment of a thief. In this case, the slave and other members of the family were _equally_ protected. The Mosaic law was as follows: "If a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish, _he shall let him go free_ for his eye's sake. And if he smite out his man-servant's tooth, or his maid-servant's tooth, _he shall let him go free_ for his tooth's sake." Exodus, xxi. 26, 27. PROP. 7.--_The slave never allowed to resist a white man._ It is enacted in Georgia, "If any slave shall presume to strike _any_ white man, such slave, upon trial and conviction before the justice, shall for the _first_ offence, suffer such punishment as the said justice thinks fit, not extending to life or limb; and for the second offence, _death_." It is the same in South Carolina, excepting that death is there the punishment of the _third_ offence. However wanton and dangerous the attack upon the slave may be, he must submit; there is only one proviso--he may be excused for striking in defence of his _master_, _overseer_, &c., and of _their_ property. In Maryland, a colored man, even if he be _free_, may have his ears cropped for striking a white man. In Kentucky, it is enacted that "if any negro, mulatto, or Indian, bond or _free_, shall at any time lift his or her hand, in opposition to _any_ person not colored, they shall, the offence being proved before a justice of the peace, receive thirty lashes on his or her bare back, well laid on." There is a ridiculous gravity in the following section of a law in Louisiana: "Free people of color ought never to insult or strike white people, nor presume to conceive themselves equal to the whites; but on the contrary, they ought to yield to them _on every occasion_, and never speak or answer them but with respect, under the penalty of imprisonment, according to the nature of the offence."