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scription DOUGLASS gives of his feelings； as he stood
soliloquizing respecting his fate； and the chances of
his one day being a freeman； on the banks of the
Chesapeake Bayviewing the receding vessels as they
flew with their white wings before the breeze； and
apostrophizing them as animated by the living spirit
of freedom。 Who can read that passage； and be in…
sensible to its pathos and sublimity？ Compressed
into it is a whole Alexandrian library of thought；
feeling； and sentimentall that can； all that need be
urged； in the form of expostulation； entreaty； rebuke；
against that crime of crimes；making man the prop…
erty of his fellow…man！ O； how accursed is that
system； which entombs the godlike mind of man；
defaces the divine image； reduces those who by crea…
tion were crowned with glory and honor to a level
with four…footed beasts； and exalts the dealer in hu…
man flesh above all that is called God！ Why should
its existence be prolonged one hour？ Is it not evil；
only evil； and that continually？ What does its pres…
ence imply but the absence of all fear of God； all
regard for man； on the part of the people of the
United States？ Heaven speed its eternal overthrow！
So profoundly ignorant of the nature of slavery
are many persons； that they are stubbornly incredu…
lous whenever they read or listen to any recital of
the cruelties which are daily inflicted on its victims。
They do not deny that the slaves are held as prop…
erty； but that terrible fact seems to convey to their
minds no idea of injustice； exposure to outrage； or
savage barbarity。 Tell them of cruel scourgings； of
mutilations and brandings； of scenes of pollution
and blood； of the banishment of all light and knowl…
edge； and they affect to be greatly indignant at such
enormous exaggerations； such wholesale misstate…
ments； such abominable libels on the character of
the southern planters！ As if all these direful outrages
were not the natural results of slavery！ As if it were
less cruel to reduce a human being to the condition
of a thing； than to give him a severe flagellation；
or to deprive him of necessary food and clothing！
As if whips； chains； thumb…screws； paddles； blood…
hounds； overseers； drivers； patrols； were not all in…
dispensable to keep the slaves down； and to give
protection to their ruthless oppressors！ As if； when
the marriage institution is abolished； concubinage；
adultery； and incest； must not necessarily abound；
when all the rights of humanity are annihilated； any
barrier remains to protect the victim from the fury
of the spoiler； when absolute power is assumed over
life and liberty； it will not be wielded with destruc…
tive sway！ Skeptics of this character abound in so…
ciety。 In some few instances； their incredulity arises
from a want of reflection； but； generally； it indicates
a hatred of the light； a desire to shield slavery from
the assaults of its foes； a contempt of the colored
race； whether bond or free。 Such will try to discredit
the shocking tales of slaveholding cruelty which are
recorded in this truthful Narrative； but they will
labor in vain。 Mr。 DOUGLASS has frankly disclosed
the place of his birth； the names of those who
claimed ownership in his body and soul； and the
names also of those who committed the crimes which
he has alleged against them。 His statements； there…
fore； may easily be disproved； if they are untrue。
In the course of his Narrative； he relates two in…
stances of murderous cruelty；in one of which a
planter deliberately shot a slave belonging to a neigh…
boring plantation； who had unintentionally gotten
within his lordly domain in quest of fish； and in the
other； an overseer blew out the brains of a slave who
had fled to a stream of water to escape a bloody
scourging。 Mr。 DOUGLASS states that in neither of
these instances was any thing done by way of legal
arrest or judicial investigation。 The Baltimore Amer…
ican； of March 17； 1845； relates a similar case of
atrocity； perpetrated with similar impunityas fol…
lows：〃~Shooting a slave。~We learn； upon the au…
thority of a letter from Charles county； Maryland；
received by a gentleman of this city； that a young
man； named Matthews； a nephew of General Mat…
thews； and whose father； it is believed； holds an of…
fice at Washington； killed one of the slaves upon his
father's farm by shooting him。 The letter states that
young Matthews had been left in charge of the farm；
that he gave an order to the servant； which was dis…
obeyed； when he proceeded to the house； ~obtained
a gun； and； returning； shot the servant。~ He immedi…
ately； the letter continues； fled to his father's resi…
dence； where he still remains unmolested。〃Let it
never be forgotten； that no slaveholder or overseer
can be convicted of any outrage perpetrated on the
person of a slave； however diabolical it may be； on
the testimony of colored witnesses； whether bond
or free。 By the slave code； they are adjudged to be
as incompetent to testify against a white man； as
though they were indeed a part of the brute creation。
Hence； there is no legal protection in fact； whatever
there may be in form； for the slave population； and
any amount of cruelty may be inflicted on them
with impunity。 Is it possible for the human mind
to conceive of a more horrible state of society？
The effect of a religious profession on the conduct
of southern masters is vividly described in the fol…
lowing Narrative； and shown to be any thing but
salutary。 In the nature of the case； it must be in
the highest degree pernicious。 The testimony of Mr。
DOUGLASS； on this point； is sustained by a cloud of
witnesses； whose veracity is unimpeachable。 〃A slave…
holder's profession of Christianity is a palpable im…
posture。 He is a felon of the highest grade。 He is a
man…stealer。 It is of no importance what you put in
the other scale。〃
Reader！ are you with the man…stealers in sympathy
and purpose； or on the side of their down…trodden
victims？ If with the former； then are you the foe of
God and man。 If with the latter； what are you pre…
pared to do and dare in their behalf？ Be faithful；
be vigilant； be untiring in your efforts to break every
yoke； and let the oppressed go free。 Come what may
cost what it mayinscribe on the banner which
you unfurl to the breeze； as your religious and po…
litical motto〃NO COMPROMISE WITH SLAVERY！ NO
UNION WITH SLAVEHOLDERS！〃
WM。 LLOYD GARRISON
BOSTON； ~May~ 1； 1845。
LETTER
FROM WENDELL PHILLIPS； ESQ。
BOSTON； APRIL 22； 1845。
My Dear Friend：
You remember the old fable of 〃The Man and
the Lion；〃 where the lion complained that he should
not be so misrepresented 〃when the lions wrote his…
tory。〃
I am glad the time has come when the 〃lions
write history。〃 We