Page:The White Slave, or Memoirs of a Fugitive.djvu/91

 been as ready as any of his neighbors, to have denounced the idea of emancipation, or the notion of limiting his power over his servants, as a ridiculous absurdity, and an impertinent interference with his ‘most sacred rights.' But though in theory, he claimed all the authority and prerogatives of the most unlimited despotism, he displayed in his practice, a certain share of common sense and common humanity, — two things, which so far as relates to the management of his slaves, it is extremely uncommon for a slave-holder to have, or if he has them, very difficult for him to exercise.

These unusual gifts led him to a discovery, which at the time was entirely new in his neighborhood; though I hope before now, it has become general. He discovered that men cannot work without eating; and that so far as the capability of labor is concerned, there is the same policy in attending to the food, shelter and comfort of one's slaves, as in spending something on corn and stabling for one's horses. ‘Feed well and work hard,' was major Thornton's motto and practice, — a motto, and a practice, which in any other country than America, would never have subjected him to the charge of unreasonable and superfluous humanity.

As to whipping, a Thornton, to use his own phrase, could not bear it. Whether he felt some qualms of conscience at the barefaced, open tyranny of the lash, — which [ do not think very probable, for I once heard him tell a Methodist parson, who ventured to say something to him on that delicate subject, that he had as much right to flog his slaves as to eat his dinner; or whether it was the influence of that instinctive humanity which is wanting only in brutal tempers, and which, till evil custom has worn it out, will not permit us to inflict pain, without feeling ourselves a sympathetic suffering; or whatever might be the reason; unless major Thornton was put into a passion — to which he was but seldom liable — he certainly had a great horror at using the whip.

But this was not all. Another man might have detested it as much as he did; but the practice of a year or two in planting, and the apparent impossibility of dispensing with its use, would have taught him to get rid of so inconvenient a squeamishness. There are very few men indeed — and