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In some respects, some of them are well off, I grant, said the lady to whose remark she had answered. The most dreadful part of slavery, to my mind, is its outrages on the feelings and affections,the separating of families, for example. That is a bad thing, certainly, said the other lady, holding up a babys dress she had just completed, and looking intently on its trimmings; but then, I fancy, it dont occur often. O, it does, said the first lady, eagerly; Ive lived many years in Kentucky and Virginia both, and Ive seen enough to make any ones heart sick. Suppose, maam, your two children, there, should be taken from you, and sold? We cant reason from our feelings to those of this class of persons, said the other lady, sorting out some worsteds on her lap. Indeed, maam, you can know nothing of them, if you say so, answered the first lady, warmly. I was born and brought up among them. I know they do feel, just as keenly,even more so, perhaps,as we do. The lady said Indeed! yawned, and looked out the cabin window, and finally repeated, for a finale, the remark with which she had begun,After all, I think they are better off than they would be to be free. Its undoubtedly the intention of Providence that the African race should be servants,kept in a low condition, said a grave-looking gentleman in black, a clergyman, seated by the cabin door. Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be, the scripture says.2 I say, stranger, is that ar what that text means? said a tall man, standing by. Undoubtedly. It pleased Providence, for some inscrutable reason, to doom the race to bondage, ages ago; and we must not set up our opinion against that. Well, then, well all go ahead and buy up niggers, said the man, if thats the way of Providence,wont we, Squire? said he, turning to Haley, who had been standing, with his hands in his pockets, by the stove and intently listening to the conversation. Yes, continued the tall man, we must all be resigned to the decrees of Providence. Niggers must be sold, and trucked round, and kept under; its what theys made for. Pears like this yer view s quite refreshing, ant it, stranger? said he to Haley. I never thought on t, said Haley, I couldnt have said as much, myself; I hant no larning. I took up the trade just to make a living; if tant right, I calculated to pent on t in time, ye know. And now youll save yerself the trouble, wont ye? said the tall man. See what t is, now, to know scripture. If yed only studied yer Bible, like this yer good man, ye might have knowd it before, and saved ye a heap o trouble. Ye could jist have said, Cussed bewhats his name?and t would all have come right. And the stranger, who was no other than the honest drover whom we introduced to our readers in the Kentucky tavern, sat down, and began smoking, with a curious smile on his long, dry face. A tall, slender young man, with a face expressive of great feeling and intelligence, here broke in, and repeated the words, All things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so unto them. I suppose, he added, that is scripture, as much as Cursed be Canaan. Wal, it seems quite as plain a text, stranger, said John the drover, to poor fellows like us, now; and John smoked on like a volcano. |
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