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"THE ORDER OF THE
FAMILY REQUIRED IT."
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"A Christian woman from one of the
slave states, a lady who, although a large slaveholder,
sustains at this moment a reputation for piety such as
few enjoy, and who, in most of the relations of life,
discharges every duty as in the fear of God - this lady
holds now as a slave a Christian sister, who also is of
irreproachable character, and holding for many years in
the household the place of cook, is highly valued as a
servant. This cook was one day so unwell, that she
was unable to leave her bed without help; and yet, as a
carriage-load of company had just arrived, Southern
hospitality required that a good dinner should be
prepared. None but the sick woman could be allowed
to take the responsibility; but a Northern woman, then
one of the family, volunteered to aid, so far as she
could, in getting dinner. When it was upon the
table, the mistress of the family called for an extra
plate, and before cutting into a fine chicken-pie placed
before her, she carefully cut off and put aside a few
crumbs of the crust which was slightly burned on one
side. After the company departed, this lady
brought out the pieces of burnt crust, and, charging the
mishap upon the cook, sent for the constable, and had
the sick slave most severely whipped. She did
this, although the lady who aided in preparing the
dinner petitioned for her, and said she was herself most
to blame; and although the woman was so ill that her
husband had to lift her out of bed to take her whipping.
And why did she do it? Because, as the mistress
herself said, the order of the family required it, and
she had told the cook what she might expect if guilty of
such carelessness!! If this be Christian
slaveholding, what may not the poor slave suffer under
ungodly men? Alas! we know but too well what some
suffer." - Letter from W. E. Whiting, Esq., Merchant,
of New York, dated May, 1847.
Leeds Anti-slavery
Series. No. 56.
Sold by W. and F. G. CASH, 5,
Bishopsgate Street, London; and by JANE JOWETT, Friends'
Meeting Yard, Leeds, at 1s. 2. per 100.
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