e
affairs of others. It will do in poetry--perhaps in some sorts of
philosophy--but the attempt to make it a household maxim, and introduce
it into the daily walks of life, has caused many a "homo" a broken
crown; and probably will continue to do it. Still, though a slaveholder,
I freely acknowledge my obligations as a man; and that I am bound to
treat humanely the fellow-creatures whom God has intrusted to my charge.
I feel, therefore, somewhat sensitive under the accusation of cruelty,
and disposed to defend myself and fellow-slaveholders against it. It is
certainly the interest of all, and I am convinced that it is also the
desire of every one of us, to treat our slaves with proper kindness. It
is necessary to our deriving the greatest amount of profit from them. Of
this we are all satisfied. And you snatch from us the only consolation
we Americans could derive from the opprobrious imputation of being
wholly devoted to making money, which your disinterested and
gold-despising countrymen delight to cast upon us, when you nevertheless
declare that we are ready to sacrifice it for the pleasure of being
inhuman. You remember that Mr. Pitt could not get over the idea that
self-interest would insure kind treatment to slaves, until you told him
your woful stories of the middle passage. Mr. Pitt was right in the
first instance, and erred, under your tuition, in not perceiving the
difference between a temporary and permanent ownership of them.
Slaveholders are no more perfect than other men. They have passions.
Some of them, as you may suppose, do not at all times restrain them.
Neither do husbands, parents and friends. And in each of these
relations, as serious suffering as frequently arises from uncontrolled
passions, as ever does in that of master and slave, and with as little
chance of indemnity. Yet you would not on that account break them up. I
have no hesitation in saying that our slaveholders are kind masters, as
men usually are kind husbands, parents and friends--as a general rule,
kinder. A bad master--he who overworks his slaves, provides ill for
them, or treats them with undue severity--loses the esteem and respect
of his fellow-citizens to as great an extent as he would for the
violation of any of his social and most of his moral obligations. What
the most perfect plan of management would be, is a problem hard to
solve. From the commencement of slavery in this country, this subject
has occupied the minds of all sl