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Letter to Editor
December 12, 1817
Philanthropist
Mount Pleasant, Jefferson County, Ohio
What is this article about?
A traveler in Virginia witnesses a slave owner cruelly beating his slave and confronts him, arguing that slavery is unjust usurpation and fraud, not true property rights derived from heaven. The letter condemns such treatment on moral and ethical grounds. Signed Vindicator.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
For the Philanthropist.
Slavery.
Travelling not long since through one of the counties of Virginia, my mind was shocked on beholding the cruelty of an unfeeling wretch, who was in the most unmerciful manner beating his poor slave. On expostulating with him upon the impropriety of his conduct, he replied, "He is my property, and I will do what I please with him." Property! I exclaimed, in terms of indignation at so gross a violation of truth and common sense: from whence did you derive your title to him as property? Methinks that Satan will have a much better claim upon yourself, than you have upon him, unless your heart experiences something of the nature of a purification. Your title is founded in usurpation, and sanctioned by fraud,—whereas his will be legal for it will be derived from the authority of Heaven!
And can it be that man,
So lost to reason, so to virtue lost.
Dare e'en presume to claim as property
His fellow man, and justify the deed
On principles of right? Ah! woe to him
The great Creator never granted one
Of his poor finite creatures privilege
So great, and so exclusive.
VINDICATOR.
Slavery.
Travelling not long since through one of the counties of Virginia, my mind was shocked on beholding the cruelty of an unfeeling wretch, who was in the most unmerciful manner beating his poor slave. On expostulating with him upon the impropriety of his conduct, he replied, "He is my property, and I will do what I please with him." Property! I exclaimed, in terms of indignation at so gross a violation of truth and common sense: from whence did you derive your title to him as property? Methinks that Satan will have a much better claim upon yourself, than you have upon him, unless your heart experiences something of the nature of a purification. Your title is founded in usurpation, and sanctioned by fraud,—whereas his will be legal for it will be derived from the authority of Heaven!
And can it be that man,
So lost to reason, so to virtue lost.
Dare e'en presume to claim as property
His fellow man, and justify the deed
On principles of right? Ah! woe to him
The great Creator never granted one
Of his poor finite creatures privilege
So great, and so exclusive.
VINDICATOR.
What sub-type of article is it?
Persuasive
Ethical Moral
Emotional
What themes does it cover?
Slavery Abolition
Morality
Religion
What keywords are associated?
Slavery
Slave Cruelty
Virginia
Property Rights
Moral Condemnation
Usurpation
Heavenly Authority
What entities or persons were involved?
Vindicator.
For The Philanthropist.
Letter to Editor Details
Author
Vindicator.
Recipient
For The Philanthropist.
Main Argument
slavery is not legitimate property ownership but usurpation and fraud; no man has the right to claim another as property, as true authority comes from heaven, and the slave owner risks damnation without moral purification.
Notable Details
Witnesses Slave Beating In Virginia County
Owner's Reply: 'He Is My Property'
Exclamation Against 'Property!' As Violation Of Truth
Reference To Satan's Claim And Heart Purification
Poetic Stanza Condemning Slavery On Principles Of Right And Creator's Will