Page:The Collected Works of Theodore Parker volume 6.djvu/38

Rh addicted to degrading vices." To this the democratic Chancellor of South Carolina replies:—

"The Creator did not intend that every individual human being should be highly cultivated, morally and intellectually." "It is better that a part should be highly cultivated, and the rest utterly ignorant." "Odium has been cast upon our legislation on account of its forbidding the elements of education to be communicated to slaves. But, in truth, what injury is done them by this? He who works during the day with his hands does not read in intervals of leisure for his amusement, or the improvement of his mind." "Of the many slaves whom I have known capable of reading, I have never known one to read anything but the Bible, and this task they imposed on themselves as matter of duty." "Their minds generally show a strong religious tendency,… and perhaps their religious notions are not much more extravagant than those of a large portion of the free population of our country." "It is certainly the master's interest that they should have proper religious sentiments."

"A knowledge of reading, writing, and the elements of arithmetic, is convenient and important to the free labourer … but of what use would they be to the slave?" "Would you do a benefit to the horse or the ox by giving him a cultivated understanding or fine feelings?"

"The law has not provided for making those marriages [of slaves] indissoluble ; nor could it do so." "It may perhaps be said, 'that the chastity of wives is not protected by law from the outrages of violence.'" "Who ever heard of such outrages being offered? … One reason, doubtless, may be, that often there is no disposition to resist, … there is little temptation to this violence as there is so large a population of this class of females [slave wives] who set little value on chastity." "It is true that in this respect the morals of this class are very loose, … and that the passions of the men of the superior caste tempt and find gratification in the easy chastity of the females. This is evil,… but evil is incident to every condition of society."

"The female slave [who yields to these temptations] is not a less useful member of society than before. … She