This being so, it must follow that when a slave-babe
dies, the only sorrow in the hearts of the white owners is such as they
feel when a colt is kicked to death or a heifer is choked. This must be
so, if all is true which is meant to be conveyed when we are told so
often at the North that the slave is a mere "chattel." Therefore I am
puzzled by this lady's tears for the mother of this little black babe.
She says of the mother of that poor little negro infant slave, "I knew
she did not dream what the parting would be." I repeat it, my theory of
slavery, that which I hold in common with all enlightened friends of
freedom, requires that this lady should have a debased, imbruted nature,
for she owns human beings, has made property of God's image in man. And
now I feel creeping over me a dreadful temptation to think that one may
hold fellow-creatures in bondage and yet be really humane, gentle, and
as good as a Northerner! What fearful changes in politics would come
about should our people believe this! It cannot be that our great party
of Freedom can ever go to pieces and disappoint the hopes of the world;
yet this would be the case, if the feelings stirred by this letter
should gain a general acceptance.
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