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Page 46
It is a little remarkable that the proprietors of slaves do not more
generally enforce cleanliness among them. This is the more to be
regretted, as cleanliness conduces not only to the health and comfort
of the body, but also to the purity of the mind. I am aware that it
would in most cases be difficult to enforce cleanliness among them, as
they seem to be constitutionally a filthy race. This may originate
partly, however, from, the peculiar circumstances under which they
live, their ignorance, degradation, &c.
But there are yet duties obligatory on slaveholders, to which I have
not directly alluded, which bear heavily on my mind. Oh! that I could
in appropriate language, impress their importance on the minds of my
Southern friends. Oh! that in view of their responsibility to the
Supreme Ruler of the universe, they would calmly, patiently, soberly,
seriously and prayerfully reflect on the following remarks. Aid a worm
of the dust, O God, to plead the cause of humanity. "Paul may plant,
and Apollos may water," but thou, O God, "must give the increase."
Thou knowest that in vain I admonish my Southern brethren, unless thy
Spirit attends the warnings and admonitions herein given. May thy
Spirit attend this little volume in its Southern tour. Give the
hearing ear, and the understanding heart. May they hear, and give ear;
and not only hear and give ear, but may they "work, while it is called
day, for the night cometh, when no man can work."
I allude to the mental and moral culture of the African population in
the Southern States. I feel intensely on this subject; and could I
arouse the Southern States to reflection and action, I should then
feel as if the great work of my life was accomplished. I could then
repose in peace and quiet on my dying pillow; assured, that ere long,
my beloved country would, be redeemed from the curse of slavery.
In whatever aspect we may view slavery, the ignorance of slaves
presents itself to us, as the darkest spot in the picture. It is
humiliating--a national reproach--an omission of duty, for which
Almighty God will hold us accountable, that so little effort has been
made to enlighten the minds, and elevate the characters of the African
population in our midst. Here lies our great delinquency. "O shame!
where is thy blush?" In the name of all that is sacred, how long is
this state of things to continue? When, Oh! when will we arouse to a
sense of our vast responsibilities to God, and our obligations to the
African race? Several millions of fellow beings in our midst, not one
in twenty of whom can read the Holy Bible! And yet it is our boast,
that we are the most enlightened nation under the sun--the most
virtuous and intelligent people under the canopy of heaven--a nation
of Christians. God help us; for when I reflect on these things, I
cannot avoid asking myself, is there any probability, that we shall
ever get our eyes open, and help ourselves? It is the duty of every
slaveholder to instruct his slaves so far as to enable them to read
the Bible; and to furnish every slave with a copy of the will and word
of God; to encourage them to read the same; and not only read it, but
to make it the "man of their council." This, friendly slaveholder, is
your obvious and indispensable duty, and you well know it. If you have
neglected or overlooked this duty in time past, for your own sakes,
for the sakes of your slaves, defer it no longer. There is no time to
be lost; it is a matter of infinite importance, both to yourselves and
your slaves. Commence it in good earnest, and may success attend your
efforts. You are under moral obligations to enlighten the minds and
elevate the characters of your slaves, as far as practicable. You
should spare no pains, and no consideration whatever, of expediency,
convenience or self-interest, should deter you from the faithful
discharge of your duty.
It appears clear to my mind that, in a qualified sense, a master
sustains the same relation to a young slave, that he sustains to an
orphan as a guardian; and that his relation and obligation to an
orphan as guardian, does not differ materially from his obligations to
a son or daughter. Suppose that he purchases a young slave with his
money; he is legally his property during his natural life. Suppose
that he becomes guardian to an orphan child; he acquires a legal right
to control the child until he is twenty-one years of ago. Let him ask
himself, what are his obligations to the orphan? Whatever they are, he
is under the same obligations to the slave. But if he is at a loss as
to what are his obligations to the orphan, let him ask himself what
are his obligations to a son or a daughter? In a qualified sense, he
is under the same obligations to the orphan that he is to a child, and
ho is under the same obligations to the slave that he is to the
orphan. They may differ in degree, but they cannot differ in kind.
They are of the same kind, of the same quality, for the reason that
the temporal wants and the eternal interests of the slave, the orphan,
and the child are the same; and he, as master, guardian and father, is
bound to make provision for them. He is morally bound to act with
reference to the present happiness and eternal interests of the child,
the orphan and the slave. As a general rule, whatever conduces to the
happiness of the child, conduces to the happiness of the orphan, and
whatever conduces to the happiness of the orphan, conduces to the
happiness of the slave. They are each persons of like feelings,
passions and propensities; requiring at his hands the same kind of
training; the same moral and mental culture. I admit that the
profession or occupation which they are destined to follow through
life, may render it necessary that there should be some difference in
their scholastic training and attainments; but it does not follow
because a son is destined for the medical profession, and therefore
requires a smattering of Latin and Greek, that an orphan who is
expected to follow the occupation of farming, should not be a
tolerable English scholar; nor, that a slave, though he remain a slave
during his life, should not receive at his hands that amount of mental
culture which is requisite to expand his mind, and elevate his
character above that ignorance, superstition, degradation and vice, in
which the African race are involved.
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