Author Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1871. Excerpt:... Immediately all was hushed; for the light of a dozen torches, eagerly held up by fierce revengeful comrades, showed his back and shoulders deeply gashed by the whip, and still oozing with blood. In the midst of that deep silence, he stopped abruptly, an A with stern brevity exclaimed, " Boys! shall we not murder our masters?" " Would you murder all?" inquired a timid voice at his right hand. " They don't all cruellize their slaves." " There's Mr. Campbell," pleaded another; " he never had one of his boys flogged in his life. You wouldn't murder him, would you?" " Oh, no, no, no," shouted many voices; " we wouldn't murder Mr. Campbell. He's always good to coloured folks." " And I wouldn't murder my master," said one of Mr. Duncan's slaves; " and I'd fight anybody that set out to murder him. I an't a going to work for him for nothing any longer, if I can help it; but he shan't be murdered; for he's a good master." " Call him a good master, if ye like!" said the bleeding youth, with a bitter sneer in his look and tone. " I curse the word. The white men tell us God made them our masters; I say it was the Devil. When they don't cut up the backs that bear their burdens; when they throw us enough of the grain we have raised, to keep us strong for another harvest; when they forbear to shoot the limbs, that toil to make them rich; there are fools who call them good masters. Why should they sleep on soft beds, under silken curtains, while we, whose labour bought it all, lie on the floor at the threshold, or miserably coiled up in the dirt of our own cabins? Why should I clothe my master in broadcloth and fine linen, when he knows, and I know, that he is my own brother? and I, meanwhile, have only this coarse rag to cover my aching shoulders?" He kicked the garment...