Isabella's Marriage

Subsequently, Isabella was married to a fellow-slave, named Thomas, who had previously had two wives, one of whom, if not both, had been torn from him and sold far away. And it is more than probable, that he was not only allowed but encouraged to take another at each successive sale. I say it is probable, because the writer of this knows from personal observation, that such is the custom among slaveholders at the present day; and that in a twenty months' residence among them, we never knew any one to open the lip against the practice; and when we severely censured it, the slaveholder had nothing to say; and the slave pleaded that, under existing circumstances, he could do no better.

Later, Isabella was married to a fellow-slave named Thomas, who had previously had two wives. One of them, if not both, had been torn from him and sold far away. It is more than probable that he was not only allowed but encouraged to take another wife after each sale. I say this is probable because the writer knows from personal observation that slaveholders follow this custom today. During twenty months living among slaveholders, we never heard anyone speak against the practice. When we strongly condemned it, the slaveholder had nothing to say. The slave pleaded that, under the circumstances, he could do no better.

Such an abominable state of things is silently tolerated, to say the least, by slaveholders-deny it who may. And what is that religion that sanctions, even by its silence, all that is embraced in the 'Peculiar Institution? ' If there can be any thing more diametrically opposed to the religion of Jesus, than the working of this soul-killing system-which is as truly sanctioned by the religion of America as are her ministers and churches-we wish to be shown where it can be found.

Slaveholders silently tolerate such a terrible state of affairs, at the very least, no matter who denies it. And what kind of religion approves, even through its silence, of everything included in the 'Peculiar Institution'? This soul-killing system is just as surely approved by the religion of America as its ministers and churches are. If anything could be more opposed to the religion of Jesus than the workings of this system, we would like to be shown where it can be found.

We have said, Isabella was married to Thomas-she was, after the fashion of slavery, one of the slaves performing the ceremony for them; as no true minister of Christ can perform, as in the presence of God, what he knows to be a mere farce, a mock marriage, unrecognised by any civil law, and liable to be annulled any moment, when the interest or caprice of the master should dictate.

As we have said, Isabella was married to Thomas, in the manner allowed under slavery. One of the slaves performed the ceremony for them. No true minister of Christ could perform it in the presence of God, knowing it was a mere farce, a mock marriage. No civil law recognized the marriage. It could be annulled at any moment, whenever the master’s interests or whims dictated.

With what feelings must slaveholders expect us to listen to their horror of amalgamation in prospect, while they are well aware that we know how calmly and quietly they contemplate the present state of licentiousness their own wicked laws have created, not only as it regards the slave, but as it regards the more privileged portion of the population of the South?

How do slaveholders expect us to feel when we hear their horror at the prospect of racial mixing? They know we see how calmly and quietly they regard the sexual immorality their own wicked laws have created. This immorality affects not only the slave but also the more privileged people of the South.

Slaveholders appear to me to take the same notice of the vices of the slave, as one does of the vicious disposition of his horse. They are often an inconvenience; further than that, they care not to trouble themselves about the matter.

It seems to me that slaveholders pay as much attention to a slave's vices as they do to a horse's bad temper. These faults are often inconvenient. Beyond that, slaveholders do not care to trouble themselves about them.