the narrative of the life-第15章

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norance；　cheats　him　with　a　dose　of　vicious　dissi…

pation；　artfully　labelled　with　the　name　of　liberty。

The　most　of　us　used　to　drink　it　down；　and　the　result

was　just　what　might　be　supposed；　many　of　us

were　led　to　think　that　there　was　little　to　choose

between　liberty　and　slavery。　　We　felt；　and　very　prop…

erly　too；　that　we　had　almost　as　well　be　slaves　to

man　as　to　rum。　　So；　when　the　holidays　ended；　we

staggered　up　from　the　filth　of　our　wallowing；　took

a　long　breath；　and　marched　to　the　field；feeling；

upon　the　whole；　rather　glad　to　go；　from　what　our

master　had　deceived　us　into　a　belief　was　freedom；

back　to　the　arms　of　slavery。

　

　　I　have　said　that　this　mode　of　treatment　is　a　part

of　the　whole　system　of　fraud　and　inhumanity　of

slavery。　　It　is　so。　　The　mode　here　adopted　to　disgust

the　slave　with　freedom；　by　allowing　him　to　see　only

the　abuse　of　it；　is　carried　out　in　other　things。　　For

instance；　a　slave　loves　molasses；　he　steals　some。

His　master；　in　many　cases；　goes　off　to　town；　and

buys　a　large　quantity；　he　returns；　takes　his　whip；

and　commands　the　slave　to　eat　the　molasses；　until

the　poor　fellow　is　made　sick　at　the　very　mention

of　it。　　The　same　mode　is　sometimes　adopted　to　make

the　slaves　refrain　from　asking　for　more　food　than

their　regular　allowance。　　A　slave　runs　through　his

allowance；　and　applies　for　more。　　His　master　is　en…

raged　at　him；　but；　not　willing　to　send　him　off　with…

out　food；　gives　him　more　than　is　necessary；　and　com…

pels　him　to　eat　it　within　a　given　time。　　Then；　if　he

complains　that　he　cannot　eat　it；　he　is　said　to　be

satisfied　neither　full　nor　fasting；　and　is　whipped

for　being　hard　to　please！　　I　have　an　abundance　of

such　illustrations　of　the　same　principle；　drawn　from

my　own　observation；　but　think　the　cases　I　have　cited

sufficient。　　The　practice　is　a　very　common　one。

　

　　On　the　first　of　January；　1834；　I　left　Mr。　Covey；

and　went　to　live　with　Mr。　William　Freeland；　who

lived　about　three　miles　from　St。　Michael's。　　I　soon

found　Mr。　Freeland　a　very　different　man　from　Mr。

Covey。　　Though　not　rich；　he　was　what　would　be

called　an　educated　southern　gentleman。　　Mr。　Covey；

as　I　have　shown；　was　a　well…trained　negro…breaker

and　slave…driver。　　The　former　（slaveholder　though　he

was）　seemed　to　possess　some　regard　for　honor；

some　reverence　for　justice；　and　some　respect　for

humanity。　　The　latter　seemed　totally　insensible　to

all　such　sentiments。　　Mr。　Freeland　had　many　of　the

faults　peculiar　to　slaveholders；　such　as　being　very

passionate　and　fretful；　but　I　must　do　him　the

justice　to　say；　that　he　was　exceedingly　free　from

those　degrading　vices　to　which　Mr。　Covey　was　con…

stantly　addicted。　　The　one　was　open　and　frank；　and

we　always　knew　where　to　find　him。　　The　other　was　a

most　artful　deceiver；　and　could　be　understood　only

by　such　as　were　skilful　enough　to　detect　his　cun…

ningly…devised　frauds。　　Another　advantage　I　gained

in　my　new　master　was；　he　made　no　pretensions　to；

or　profession　of；　religion；　and　this；　in　my　opinion；

was　truly　a　great　advantage。　　I　assert　most　unhesi…

tatingly；　that　the　religion　of　the　south　is　a　mere

covering　for　the　most　horrid　crimes；a　justifier　of

the　most　appalling　barbarity；a　sanctifier　of　the

most　hateful　frauds；and　a　dark　shelter　under；

which　the　darkest；　foulest；　grossest；　and　most　infer…

nal　deeds　of　slaveholders　find　the　strongest　protec…

tion。　　Were　I　to　be　again　reduced　to　the　chains　of

slavery；　next　to　that　enslavement；　I　should　regard

being　the　slave　of　a　religious　master　the　greatest

calamity　that　could　befall　me。　　For　of　all　slaveholders

with　whom　I　have　ever　met；　religious　slaveholders

are　the　worst。　　I　have　ever　found　them　the　meanest

and　basest；　the　most　cruel　and　cowardly；　of　all　oth…

ers。　　It　was　my　unhappy　lot　not　only　to　belong　to　a

religious　slaveholder；　but　to　live　in　a　community　of

such　religionists。　　Very　near　Mr。　Freeland　lived　the

Rev。　Daniel　Weeden；　and　in　the　same　neighborhood

lived　the　Rev。　Rigby　Hopkins。　　These　were　members

and　ministers　in　the　Reformed　Methodist　Church。

Mr。　Weeden　owned；　among　others；　a　woman　slave；

whose　name　I　have　forgotten。　　This　woman's　back；

for　weeks；　was　kept　literally　raw；　made　so　by　the

lash　of　this　merciless；　~religious~　wretch。　　He　used　to

hire　hands。　　His　maxim　was；　Behave　well　or　behave

ill；　it　is　the　duty　of　a　master　occasionally　to　whip

a　slave；　to　remind　him　of　his　master's　authority。

Such　was　his　theory；　and　such　his　practice。

　

　　Mr。　Hopkins　was　even　worse　than　Mr。　Weeden。

His　chief　boast　was　his　ability　to　manage　slaves。

The　peculiar　feature　of　his　government　was　that

of　whipping　slaves　in　advance　of　deserving　it。　　He

always　managed　to　have　one　or　more　of　his　slaves

to　whip　every　Monday　morning。　　He　did　this　to　alarm

their　fears；　and　strike　terror　into　those　who　escaped。

His　plan　was　to　whip　for　the　smallest　offences；　to

prevent　the　commission　of　large　ones。　　Mr。　Hopkins

could　always　find　some　excuse　for　whipping　a　slave。

It　would　astonish　one；　unaccustomed　to　a　slave…

holding　life；　to　see　with　what　wonderful　ease　a　slave…

holder　can　find　things；　of　which　to　make　occasion

to　whip　a　slave。　　A　mere　look；　word；　or　motion；a

mistake；　accident；　or　want　of　power；are　all　matters

for　which　a　slave　may　be　whipped　at　any　time。　　Does

a　slave　look　dissatisfied？　　It　is　said；　he　has　the　devil

in　him；　and　it　must　be　whipped　out。　　Does　he　speak

loudly　when　spoken　to　by　his　master？　　Then　he　is

getting　high…minded；　and　should　be　taken　down　a

button…hole　lower。　　Does　he　forget　to　pull　off　his

hat　at　the　approach　of　a　white　person？　　Then　he　is

wanting　in　reverence；　and　should　be　whipped　for

it。　　Does　he　ever　venture　to　vindicate　his　conduct；

when　censured　for　it？　　Then　he　is　guilty　of　impu…

dence；one　of　the　greatest　crimes　of　which　a　slave

can　be　guilty。　　Does　he　ever　venture　to　suggest　a

different　mode　of　doing　things　from　that　pointed

out　by　his　master？　　He　is　indeed　presumptuous；　and

getting　above　himself；　and　nothing　less　than　a　flog…

ging　will　do　for　him。　　Does　he；　while　ploughing；

break　a　plough；or；　while　hoeing；　break　a　hoe？　　It

is　owing　to　his　carelessness；　and　for　it　a　slave　must

always　be　whipped。　　Mr。　Hopkins　could　always　find

something　of　this　sort　to　justify　the　use　of　the　lash；

and　he　seldom　failed　to　embrace　such　opportunities。

There　was　not　a　man　in　the　whole　county；　with

whom　the　slaves　who　had　the　getting　their　own

home；　would　not　prefer　to　live；　rather　than　with

this　Rev。　Mr。　Hopkins。　　And　yet　there　was　not　a

man　any　where　round；　who　made　higher　professions

of　religion；　or　was　more　active　in　revivals；more

attentive　to　the　class；　love…feast；　prayer　and　preach…

ing　meetings；　or　more　devotional　in　his　family；

that　prayed　earlier；　later；　louder；　and　longer；than

this　same　reverend　slave…driver；　Rigby　Hopkins。

　

　　But　to　return　to　Mr。　Freeland；　and　to　my　experi…

ence　while　in　his　employment。　　He；　like　Mr。　Covey；

gave　us　enough　to　eat；　but；　unlike　Mr。　Covey；　he

also　gave　us　sufficient　time　to　take　our　meals。　　He

worked　us　hard；　but　always　between　sunrise　and

sunset。　　He　required　a　good　deal　of　work　to　be　done；

but　gave　us　good　tools　with　which　to　work。　　His

farm　was　large；　but　he　employed　hands　enough　to

work　it；　and　with　ease；　compared　with　many　of

his　neighbors。　　My　treatment；　while　in　his　employ…

ment；　was　heavenly；　compared　with　what　I　experi…

enced　at　the　hands　of　Mr。　Edward　Covey。

　

　　Mr。　Freeland　was　himself　the　owner　of　but　two

slaves。　　Their　names　were　Henry　Harris　and　John

Harris。　　The　rest　of　his　hands　he　hired。　　These　con…

sisted　of　myself；　Sandy　Jenkins；*　and　Handy　Cald…

well。　　Henry　and　John　were　quite　intelligent；　and　in

a　very　little　while　after　I　went　there；　I　succeeded　in

creating　in　them　a　strong　desire　to　learn　how　to

read。　　This　desire　soon　sprang　up　in　the　others　also。

They　very　soon　mustered　up　some　old　spelling…books；

and　nothing　would　do　but　that　I　must　keep　a　Sab…

bath　school。　　I　agreed　to　do　so；　and　accordingly

devoted　my　Sundays　to　teaching　these　my　loved　fel…

low…slaves　how　to　read。　　Neither　of　them　knew　his

letters　when　I　went　there。　　Some　of　the　slaves　of　the

neighboring　farms　found　what　was　going　on；　and

also　availed　themselves　of　this　little　opportunity　to

learn　to　read。　　It　was　understood；　among　all　who

came；　that　there　must　be　as　little　display　about　it

as　possible。　　It　was　necessary　to　keep　our　religious

masters　at　St。　Michael's　unacquainted　with　the　fact；

that；　instead　of　spending　the　Sabbath　in　wrestling；

boxing；　and　drinking　whisky；　we　were　trying　to　learn

how　to　read　the　will　of　God；　for　they　had　much

　

　

　　*This　is　the　same　man　who　gave　me　the　roots　to　prevent

my　being　whipped　by　Mr。　Covey。　　He　was　〃a　clever　soul。〃

We　used　frequently　to　talk　about　the　fight　with　Covey；　and

as　often　as　we　did　so；　he　would　claim　my　success　as　the

result　of　the　roots　which　he　gave　me。　　This　superstition

is　very　common　among　the　more　ignorant　slaves。　　A　slave

seldom　dies　but　that　his　death　is　attributed　to　trickery。

rather　see　us　engaged　in　those　degrading　sports；　than

to　see　us　behaving　like　intellectual；　moral；　and　ac…

countable　beings。　　My　blood　boils　as　I　think　of　the

bloody　manner　in　which　Messrs。　Wright　Fairbanks

and　Garrison　West；　both　class…leaders；　in　connection

with　many　others；　rushed　in　upon　us　with　sticks

and　stones；　and　broke　up　our　virtuous　little　Sab…

bath　school；　at　St。　Michael'sall　calling　themselves

Christians！　humble　followers　of　the　Lord　Jesus

Christ！　　But　I　am　again　digressing。

　

　　I　held　my　Sabbath　school　at　the　house　of　a　free

colored　man；　whose　name　I　deem　it　imprudent　to

mention；　for　should　it　be　known；　it　might　embar…

rass　him　greatly；　though　the　crime　of　holding　the

school　was　committed　ten　years　ago。　　I　had　at　one

time　over　forty　scholars；　and　those　of　the　right　sort；

ardently　desiring　to　learn。　　They　were　of　all　ages；

though　mostly　men　and　women。　　I　look　back　to　those

Sundays　with　an　amount　of　pleasure　not　to　be　ex…

pressed。　　They　were　great　days　to　my　soul。　　The　work

of　instructing　my　dear　fellow…slaves　was　the　sweetest

engagement　with　which　I　was　ever　blessed。　　We　loved

each　other；　and　to　leave　them　at　the　close　of　the

Sabbath　was　a　severe　cross　indeed。　　When　I　think

that　these　precious　souls　are　to…day　shut　up　in　the

prison…house　of　slavery；　my　feelings　overcome　me；

and　I　am　almost　ready　to　ask；　〃Does　a　righteous

God　govern　the　universe？　and　for　what　does　he　hold

the　thunders　in　his　right　hand；　if　not　to　smite　the

oppressor；　and　deliver　the　spoiled　out　of　the　hand

of　the　spoiler？〃　　These　dear　souls　came　not　to　Sab…

bath　school　because　it　was　popular　to　do　so；　nor　did

I　teach　them　because　it　was　reputable　to　be　thus

engaged。　　Every　moment　they　spent　in　that　school；

they　were　liable　to　be　taken　up；　and　given　thirty…

nine　lashes。　　They　came　because　they　wished　to

learn。　　Their　minds