CHAP. XXXVI.] WHITE MARRYING A SLAVE. 287 



she was a negress and a slave, who had never been 

 legally emancipated, so that the marriage was void 

 in law. Morally speaking, it was certainly not void ; 

 yet a separation was thought so much a matter of 

 course, that I heard the young man s generosity com 

 mended because he had purchased her freedom after 

 the discovery, and given her the means of setting up 

 as a dressmaker. No doubt the lady knew that she 

 was not of pure blood, and we were told that only 

 six years before she had run away from her owner. 

 She had also concealed this fact from her lover, but 

 at a time probably when her affections were deeply 

 engaged. On the other hand, we may pity the hus 

 band who suddenly finds that he is disgraced by 

 having made an unlawful marriage, that his children 

 are illegitimate, and that the wife of his choice be 

 longs to an inferior caste in society. This incident 

 is important in many points of view, and especially 

 as proving to what an extent the amalgamation of 

 the two races would take place, if it were not checked 

 by artificial prejudices and the most jealous and 

 severe enactments of law. I found that many 

 here believe and hope that the time of emancipation 

 is near at hand ; but I was sorry to discover that the 

 most sagacious seemed to think that the blacks in 

 these middle States will not be able to stand alone 

 when no longer protected by enjoying the monopoly 

 of the labour market. 



April 7. Sailed in the Ben Franklin steamer 

 from Louisville to Cincinnati, a distance by the river 

 of 130 miles. The scenery much resembled that be 

 low the Falls ; the valley of the Ohio being bounded 



