Historical voices

Nor did I, when pursuing this course, consider myself as uttering what was utterly false; for I always measured the kindness of my master by the standard of kindness set up by slaveholders around us.

The frequency of this had the effect to establish among the slaves the maxim, that a still tongue makes a wise head.

Is there not room to suspect, that, as the gold watch was presented to atone for the whipping, a purse of gold was given him by the same hand, with which to effect his purchase, as an atonement for the indignity involved in selling his own…

It reveals slavery in its true color, and in its maturity of repulsive hatefulness.

He must make no reply, no explanation; the judgment of the master must be deemed infallible, for his power is absolute and irresponsible.

What is pleasant today, is repulsive tomorrow; what is soft now, is hard at another time; what is sweet in the morning, is bitter in the evening.

Food, to the indolent lounger, is poison, not sustenance.

The poor slave, on his hard, pine plank, but scantily covered with his thin blanket, sleeps more soundly than the feverish voluptuary who reclines upon his feather bed and downy pillow.

Are the pearly gates of happiness and sweet content flung open to such suitors? far from it!

This immense wealth; this gilded splendor; this profusion of luxury; this exemption from toil; this life of ease; this sea of plenty; aye, what of it all?

The self-executing laws of eternal justice follow close on the heels of the evil-doer here, as well as elsewhere; making escape from all its penalties impossible.

There is more truth in the saying, that slavery is a greater evil to the master than to the slave, than many, who utter it, suppose.

The slave is a subject, subjected by others; the slaveholder is a subject, but he is the author of his own subjection.

But, there is this difference in the two extremes; viz: that in the case of the slave, the miseries and hardships of his lot are imposed by others, and, in the master’s case, they are imposed by himself.

They are far too scantily provided for, and are worked too steadily, to be much concerned for the quality of their food.

This bread, with its ashes and bran, would disgust and choke a northern man, but it is quite liked by the slaves.

With him, it is literally a word and a blow, and, in most cases, the blow comes first.

A blow with it, on the hardest back, will gash the flesh, and make the blood start.

More slaves are whipped for oversleeping than for any other fault.

There is no kind of work that a man can do which requires a better supply of food to prevent physical exhaustion, than the field-work of a slave.

Slaves sing more to make themselves happy, than to express their happiness.

Sorrow and desolation have their songs, as well as joy and peace.

Such is the constitution of the human mind, that, when pressed to extremes, it often avails itself of the most opposite methods.

They dance and sing, and make all manner of joyful noises—so they do; but it is a great mistake to suppose them happy because they sing.