or "set down in malice," but merely record the fact.
At the same time it is but justice to record also a singular instance of
moral delicacy distinguishing this settlement from every other in the like
circumstances: though, from their simple and kindly modes of life, they
were from infancy in habits of familiarity with these humble friends, yet
being early taught that nature had placed between them a barrier, which it
was in a high degree criminal and disgraceful to pass, they considered a
mixture of such distinct races with abhorrence, as a violation of her laws.
This greatly conduced to the preservation of family happiness and concord.
An ambiguous race, which the law does not acknowledge; and who (if they
have any moral sense, must be as much ashamed of their parents as these
last are of them) are certainly a dangerous, because degraded part of the
community. How much more so must be those unfortunate beings who stand in
the predicament of the bat in the fable, whom both birds and beasts
disowned? I am sorry to say that the progress of the British army, when it
arrived, might be traced by a spurious and ambiguous race of this kind. But
of a mulatto born before their arrival I only remember a single instance;
and from the regret and wonder it occasioned, considered it as singular.
Colonel Schuyler, of whom I am to speak, had a relation so weak and
defective in capacity, that he never was intrusted with any thing of his
own, and lived an idle bachelor about the family. In process of time a
favourite negro-woman, to the great offense and scandal of the family, bore
a child to him, whose colour gave testimony to the relation. The boy was
carefully educated; and when he grew up, a farm was allotted to him well
stocked and fertile, but "in depth of woods embraced," about two miles back
from the family seat. A destitute white woman, who had somehow wandered
from the older colonies, was induced to marry him; and all the branches of
the family thought it incumbent on them now and then to pay a quiet visit
to Chalk (for so, for some unknown reason, they always called him). I have
been in Chalk's house myself, and a most comfortable abode it was; but
considered him as a mysterious and anomalous being.

I have dwelt the longer on this singular instance of slavery, existing
devoid of its attendant horrors, because the fidelity and affection
resulting from a bond of union so early formed between master and servant,
contributed so ve