Page:Slavery in the United States (1837).djvu/18

viii man who said this, was, we understand, an officer of justice!"

"We understand," says the New Orleans Post of June 7th, 1836, "that a negro man was lately condemned by the mob, to be, which was put into execution at Grand Gulf, for murdering a black woman and her master, Mr. Green, a respectable citizen of that place, who attempted to save her from the clutches of this monster."

"We have been informed," says the Arkansas Gazette of the 29th October, 1836, "that the slave William, who murdered his master (Huskey) some weeks since, and several negroes, was taken by a party, a few days since, from the Sheriff of Hot Spring, and ! yes, tied up to the limb of a tree, a fire built under him, and consumed in slow and lingering torture!"

It has been already observed, that the master is virtually the arbiter of life and death. How far the state of public opinion at the south confirms or contradicts this assertion, may be seen from the annexed report of a suit brought to recover the value of a murdered slave. If he who takes the life of another's slave is permitted to go at large without molestation, after making compensation for the property destroyed, who shall presume to punish the owner for doing what he will with his own?

".—During the session of