As the laws provide for the degradation1 of the slave to a state of the most stupid ignorance, it would naturally be supposed that little would be required in the way of obedience2, and that when a slave did trespass3 a very light punishment would be meted4 out to him. Evidently this would be the humane5 and just course, for where little is given little should be required. In this, however, as in most other things slavery is precisely6 contrary to nature, humanity and reason.
Slaves are punished by the laws for numerous acts which are in themselves perfectly7 right.
“For seeking liberty a slave is proclaimed an outlaw8 and may be lawfully9 killed.” (Goodell.) “He may be punished for attending religious meetings at night. He may be publicly whipped for keeping a gun, or a pistol. For visiting a wife or child without a written pass, he may be whipped. For striking a white person, no matter how great the provocation10, whipping—and for the second or third offence, DEATH.” (Goodell.) These are but specimens11 of[Pg 81] the cruel and vexatious laws by which the slave’s life is embittered12. He, poor wretch13, must have so many lashes14 on the bare back for almost every thing which his manhood prompts him to do. He must always be on the look out to act and feel as a mere16 brute—he must crouch17 and bend in constant abjectness18 or his back shall pay the penalty. But for actual crimes the disproportion between the punishment of slaves and white persons is very great.
“In Va., by the revised code of 1819, there are seventy-one offenses19 for which the penalty is death when committed by slaves and imprisonment20 when committed by the whites.” (Jay’s Inquiry21.)
“In Mississippi there are seventeen offenses punishable with death when committed by slaves, which, if committed by white persons, are either punished by fines or imprisonment, or punishment not provided for by the statute22 or at common law.” (Goodell.)
A law of Md., provides that—“Any slave for rambling23 in the night, or riding on horseback or running away, may be punished by whipping, cropping and branding in the cheeks or otherwise, not rendering24 him unfit for labor25.”
And yet, notwithstanding the extreme and unreasonable27 partiality and severity of these[Pg 82] laws, it is not unusual for the barbarous spirit of slavery to overleap them in its unmerciful punishment of the slave. When the slave commits a high crime, not unfrequently does a furious mob seize him, and hang him up without trial as if he were a mean dog. Calmness and solemnity, which should always characterize the punishment of the greatest criminals in christian28 countries, give place to the most violent and cruel passions. Judgment29, mercy, law, humanity, God and Christianity, are all forgotten in the hasty and insane desire to have the wretched bondman pushed out of the world. And perhaps the crime which has so violently stirred up the community against him was committed under the greatest provocations30. His soul may have been writhing31 under a crushing sense of repeated wrongs. His wife may have been abused before his eyes while he was not permitted to defend her. His daughter may have been dishonored, and he, without appeal for her protection to church or State, compelled to suffer it in silence. And his own back may have been smarting from the maddening lash15—and in a moment of frenzy33 or despair he may have smitten34 his oppressor to the earth.
And, for this crime he is treated as a prince of criminals, is hung up without trial, or perhaps burned alive!
[Pg 83]
Our souls have been harrowed up by a circumstance which transpired35 during the present year (1853) in the State of Mo. Two negro men for the commission of murder were arrested and tied to a tree, near the county seat of Jasper co., a fire was kindled36 around them, and in the presence of two thousand persons, they were burned to death! No time for reflection or repentance37 was allowed. Not a word of warning or exhortation38 was permitted. Even a humane mode of being killed was denied. But they were, in this year, during the Presidency39 of Pierce, in the State of Missouri, burned without trial!
In 1842 a negro was burned at union Point, Mississippi. The Natchez Free Trader gives the following account of the horrible work.
“The body was taken and chained to a tree immediately on the bank of the Mississippi, on what is called union Point. Fagots were then collected, and piled around him to which he appeared quite indifferent. When the work was completed, he was asked what he had to say. He then warned all to take example by him, and asked the prayers of all around; he then called for a drink of water, which was handed to him; he drank it, and said, ‘Now set fire—I am ready to go in peace!’ The torches were lighted and placed in the pile, which soon[Pg 84] ignited. He watched unmoved the curling flame, that grew until it began to entwine itself around and feed upon his body: then he sent forth40 cries of agony painful to the ear, begging some one to blow his brains out; at the same time surging with almost superhuman strength, until the staple41 with which the chain was fastened to the tree (not being well secured) drew out, and he leaped from the burning pile. At that moment the sharp ringing of several rifles was heard: the body of the negro fell a corpse42 on the ground. He was picked up by some two or three, and again thrown into the fire and consumed—not a vestige43 remaining to show that such a being ever existed.”
A colored man was burned in St. Louis, Mo., in 1836, in presence of an immense throng44 of spectators. The Alton Telegraph gives the following description of the scene.
“All was silent as death while the executioners were piling wood around their victim. He said not a word, until feeling that the flames had seized upon him. He then uttered an awful howl, attempting to sing and pray, then hung his head, and suffered in silence, except in the following instance: After the flames had surrounded their prey45, his eyes burnt out of his head, and his mouth seemingly parched46 to a cinder47, some one in the crowd, more com[Pg 85]passionate than the rest, proposed to put an end to his misery48 by shooting him, when it was replied, “that would be of no use, since he was already out of pain.” “No, no,” said the wretch, “I am not. I am suffering as much as ever; shoot me, shoot me.” “No,” said one of the fiends, who was standing26 about the sacrifice they were roasting, “he shall not be shot. I would sooner slacken the fire, if that would increase his misery.””[5]
It may be said that we have in these illustrations of slavery, exaggerated. But this can not be the case, for we have given the laws and the practice together, and have furnished the testimony50 of eye-witnesses. And we could bring forward a thousand witnesses from the midst of slavery, whose testimony would confirm all we have said. Yea more; they would declare that half the extent of the evils of this horrible institution are unknown. Hear if you please, a voice from North Carolina—Mr. Swain:
“Let any man of spirit and feeling for a moment cast his thoughts over this land of slavery—think of the nakedness of some, the hungry yearnings of others, the flowing tears and heaving sighs of parting relations, the wailings of[Pg 86] woe51, the bloody52 cut of the keen lash, and the frightful53 scream that rends54 the very skies—and all this to gratify ambition, lust49, pride, avarice55, vanity, and other depraved feelings of the human heart. The worst is not generally known. Were all the miseries56, the horrors of slavery, to burst at once into view, a peal32 of seven fold thunder could scarce strike greater alarm.”
Hear the venerable John Rankin, a native and long resident of Tennessee. (See Elliot pp. 225.)
“Many poor slaves are stripped naked, stretched and tied across barrels, or large bags, and tortured with the lash during hours, and even whole days, till their flesh is mangled57 to the very bones. Others are stripped and hung up by the arms, their feet are tied together, and the end of a heavy piece of timber is put between their legs in order to stretch their bodies, and so prepare them for the torturing lash—and in this situation they are often whipped till their bodies are covered with blood and mangled flesh—and, in order to add the greatest keenness to their sufferings, their wounds are washed with liquid salt! And some of the miserable58 creatures are permitted to hang in that position till they actually expire; some die under the lash, others linger about for a time, and at length die of their wounds, and many survive, and endure again[Pg 87] similar torture. These bloody scenes are constantly exhibiting in every slaveholding country—thousands of whips are every day stained in African blood! Even the poor females are not permitted to escape these shocking cruelties.”
And finally listen dispassionately to the Presbyterian Synod of Kentucky, composed of those whose interest it was to present slavery in as favorable a light as possible. (See Elliot pp. 225.)
“This system licenses59 and produces great cruelty. Mangling60, imprisonment, starvation, every species of torture, may be inflicted61 upon him, [the slave,] and he has no redress63. There are now in our whole land two millions of human beings, exposed, defenseless, to every insult, and every injury short of maiming or death, which their fellow-men may choose to inflict62. They suffer all that can be inflicted by wanton caprice, by grasping avarice, by brutal64 lust, by malignant65 spite, and by insane anger. Their happiness is the sport of every whim66, and the prey of every passion that may, occasionally or habitually67, infest68 the master’s bosom69. If we could calculate the amount of woe endured by ill-treated slaves, it would overwhelm every compassionate70 heart—it would move even the obdurate71 to sympathy. There is also a vast sum of suffering inflicted upon the slave by hu[Pg 88]mane masters, as a punishment for that idleness and misconduct which slavery naturally produces. Brutal stripes and all the varied72 kinds of personal indignities73, are not the only species of cruelty which slavery licenses.”
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1
degradation
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| n.降级；低落；退化；陵削；降解；衰变 | |
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obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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trespass
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| n./v.侵犯，闯入私人领地 | |
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4
meted
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| v.（对某人）施以，给予（处罚等）( mete的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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humane
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| adj.人道的，富有同情心的 | |
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6
precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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outlaw
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| n.歹徒，亡命之徒；vt.宣布…为不合法 | |
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lawfully
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| adv.守法地，合法地；合理地 | |
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provocation
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| n.激怒，刺激，挑拨，挑衅的事物，激怒的原因 | |
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specimens
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| n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人 | |
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12
embittered
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| v.使怨恨，激怒( embitter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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14
lashes
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| n.鞭挞( lash的名词复数 )；鞭子；突然猛烈的一击；急速挥动v.鞭打( lash的第三人称单数 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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15
lash
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| v.系牢；鞭打；猛烈抨击；n.鞭打；眼睫毛 | |
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16
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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crouch
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| v.蹲伏，蜷缩，低头弯腰；n.蹲伏 | |
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18
abjectness
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| 凄惨； 绝望； 卑鄙； 卑劣 | |
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offenses
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| n.进攻( offense的名词复数 )；（球队的）前锋；进攻方法；攻势 | |
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20
imprisonment
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| n.关押，监禁，坐牢 | |
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21
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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22
statute
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| n.成文法，法令，法规；章程，规则，条例 | |
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23
rambling
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| adj.[建]凌乱的，杂乱的 | |
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24
rendering
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| n.表现，描写 | |
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labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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26
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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unreasonable
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| adj.不讲道理的，不合情理的，过度的 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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30
provocations
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| n.挑衅( provocation的名词复数 )；激怒；刺激；愤怒的原因 | |
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31
writhing
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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32
peal
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| n.钟声；v.鸣响 | |
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frenzy
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| n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动 | |
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smitten
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| 猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去分词 ) | |
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35
transpired
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| （事实，秘密等）被人知道( transpire的过去式和过去分词 )； 泄露； 显露； 发生 | |
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36
kindled
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| （使某物）燃烧，着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 )； 激起（感情等）； 发亮，放光 | |
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37
repentance
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| n.懊悔 | |
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38
exhortation
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| n.劝告，规劝 | |
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39
presidency
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| n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期) | |
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40
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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41
staple
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| n.主要产物，常用品，主要要素，原料，订书钉，钩环；adj.主要的，重要的；vt.分类 | |
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42
corpse
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| n.尸体，死尸 | |
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43
vestige
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| n.痕迹，遗迹，残余 | |
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44
throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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45
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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46
parched
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| adj.焦干的；极渴的；v.（使）焦干 | |
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47
cinder
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| n.余烬，矿渣 | |
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48
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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49
lust
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| n.性(淫)欲；渴(欲)望；vi.对…有强烈的欲望 | |
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50
testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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51
woe
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| n.悲哀，苦痛，不幸，困难；int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
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52
bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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53
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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54
rends
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| v.撕碎( rend的第三人称单数 )；分裂；（因愤怒、痛苦等而）揪扯（衣服或头发等）；（声音等）刺破 | |
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55
avarice
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| n.贪婪；贪心 | |
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56
miseries
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| n.痛苦( misery的名词复数 )；痛苦的事；穷困；常发牢骚的人 | |
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57
mangled
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| vt.乱砍（mangle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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59
licenses
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| n.执照( license的名词复数 )v.批准，许可，颁发执照( license的第三人称单数 ) | |
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60
mangling
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| 重整 | |
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61
inflicted
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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62
inflict
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| vt.(on)把…强加给，使遭受，使承担 | |
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63
redress
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| n.赔偿，救济，矫正；v.纠正，匡正，革除 | |
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64
brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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65
malignant
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| adj.恶性的，致命的；恶意的，恶毒的 | |
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66
whim
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| n.一时的兴致，突然的念头；奇想，幻想 | |
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67
habitually
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| ad.习惯地，通常地 | |
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68
infest
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| v.大批出没于；侵扰；寄生于 | |
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69
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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70
compassionate
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| adj.有同情心的，表示同情的 | |
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71
obdurate
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| adj.固执的，顽固的 | |
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72
varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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73
indignities
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| n.侮辱，轻蔑( indignity的名词复数 ) | |
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