SLAVERY. 



233 



doubts are urged, when application is made for 

 manumission by a slave to his master ; who is 

 indeed oftentimes prepared for it by the habits 

 of industry and regularity of his slave, and by 

 common report among the other slaves and free 

 persons upon the estate, that the individual in 

 question is scraping together a sum of money 

 for this purpose. The master might indeed de- 

 prive the slave of the fruits of his own labour, 

 but this is never thought of, because the slave 

 preserves his money in a secret place, or has 

 intrusted it to some person upon whom he can 

 depend, and would suffer any punishment rather 

 than disclose the spot in which his wealth lies 

 concealed. A still more forcible reason than 

 any other, for the forbearance of the master, is 

 to be found in the dread of acting against pub- 

 lic opinion ; in the shame which would follow 

 the commission of such an act ; and perhaps the 

 natural goodness which exists in almost every 

 human being, would make him shun such gross 

 injustice, would make him avoid such a deed of 

 baseness. 



A slave is often permitted by his owner to 

 seek a master more to his liking ; for this pur- 

 pose a note is given, declaring that the bearer 

 has leave to enter into the service of any one, 

 upon the price which the master demands being 

 paid by the purchaser. With this the slave 

 applies to any individual of property whom he 



