Antislavery movements -- United States; Slavery -- United States
Nor can I wish my countrymen ever to forget that their own past
history should prevent them from being forward in casting accusations
on their transatlantic brethren on the subject of slavery. With great
ignorance of its actual miseries and horrors, there is also among us
great ignorance of the fearful perplexities and difficulties with
which its solution could not fail to be attended. I feel, however,
that there is a considerable difference between reluctant acquiescence
in what you inherit from the past, and voluntary fresh enlargements
and reinforcements of the system. For instance, I should not say that
the mode in which such an enactment as the Fugitive Slave Law has been
considered in this country has at all erred upon the side of overmuch
indignation.
I need not detain you longer: I began my letter with returning thanks
to Almighty God for the appearance of your work, and I offer my humble
and ardent prayer to the same Supreme Source that it may have a marked
agency in hastening the great consummation, which I should feel it a
practical atheism not to believe must be among the unfulfilled purposes
of the Divine power and love.
I have the honor to be, Madam,
Your sincere admirer and well-wisher,
CARLISLE.
MRS. BEECHER STOWE.
MOMMA CHARLOTTE.
“Slavery is merely an idea!” said Mr. S----; “the slaves are, in
reality, better off than we are, if they had sense enough to know
it. They are taken care of--(they must be, you know, because it
is the master’s interest to keep them in good condition, and a
man will always do what is for his interest). They get rid of all
responsibility,--which is what we are groaning under; and if they
were only let alone, they would be happy enough,--happier than their
masters, I dare say.”
“You think it, then, anything but kindness to urge their emancipation?”
“To be sure I do! and I would have every one that teaches them to be
discontented hung up without judge or jury.”
“You seem particularly interested for the slave,--”
“Interested! I would have every one of them sent beyond the Rocky
Mountains, if I could,--or into ‘kingdom come,’ for that matter. They
are the curse of the country; but as long as they are _property_,
I would shoot any man that put bad ideas in their heads or that
interfered with my management of them, as I would shoot a dog that
killed my sheep.”
“But do they never get what you call ‘bad ideas’ from any but white
people?”
“O, there is no knowing where they get them,--but they are full of ’em.
No matter how kind you are to them, they are never satisfied!”
“I can tell you where they get some of their ideas of slavery, if you
will allow me.”
“Certainly,--I am always glad of information.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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