"[T]here are slaves so completely under the control of religious scruples, as to refuse to appropriate not only what they need for their escape, but what they need to live upon. Frederick Douglass says , that while a slave, for a length of time he felt conscientiously opposed to the taking of such food or animals as he needed for his sustenance. An old Negro preacher, however , who was more skilled in casuistry, determined to convert him from his needless scruples. On one occasion he reasoned with him after the following manner:--
"Frederick, are not 'you ' master 's property?
"Yes,' said Fredrick.
"Well; is not yon pig master 's property also?
"Yes, I see that.
"Well then; if you take a pig, which is master 's property, and put it inside of Frederick , which is master's property, has not master got both pieces of his property together?
"Yes, replied Frederick, perfectly reconciled, and, relieved of all doubts on the subject from that day forth."
P.114, "Canada," AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A FUGITIVE SLAVE by Samuel Ringgold Ward (1855, 1970)
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
FINICKY FUGITIVES DO NOT FLOURISH
"[T]here are slaves so completely under the control of religious scruples, as to refuse to appropriate not only what they need for their escape, but what they need to live upon. Frederick Douglass says , that while a slave, for a length of time he felt conscientiously opposed to the taking of such food or animals as he needed for his sustenance. An old Negro preacher, however , who was more skilled in casuistry, determined to convert him from his needless scruples. On one occasion he reasoned with him after the following manner:--
"Frederick, are not 'you ' master 's property?
"Yes,' said Fredrick.
"Well; is not yon pig master 's property also?
"Yes, I see that.
"Well then; if you take a pig, which is master 's property, and put it inside of Frederick , which is master's property, has not master got both pieces of his property together?
"Yes, replied Frederick, perfectly reconciled, and, relieved of all doubts on the subject from that day forth."
P.114, "Canada," AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A FUGITIVE SLAVE by Samuel Ringgold Ward (1855, 1970)