aces, to make us submissive to and work to
support them and their families. They (the whites) know well if we are
_men_--and there is a secret monitor in their hearts which tells them
we are--they know, I say, if we _are_ men, and see them treating us in
the manner they do, that there can be nothing in our hearts but death
alone, for them; notwithstanding we may appear cheerful, when we see
them murdering our dear mothers and wives, because we cannot help
ourselves. Man, in all ages and all nations of the earth, is the same.
Man is a peculiar creature--he is the image of his God, though he may
be subjected to the most wretched condition upon earth, yet that
spirit and feeling which constitute the creature man, can never be
entirely erased from his breast, because the God who made him after
his own image, planted it in his heart; he cannot get rid of it. The
whites knowing this, they do not know what to do; they are afraid that
we, being men, and not brutes, will retaliate, and woe will be to
them; therefore, that dreadful fear, together with an avaricious
spirit, and the natural love in them to be called masters, (which term
we will yet honour them with to their sorrow) bring them to the
resolve that they will keep us in ignorance and wretchedness, as long
as they possibly can[24] and make the best of their time while it
lasts. Consequently they, themselves, (and not us) render themselves
our natural enemies, by treating us so cruel. They keep us miserable
now, and call us their property, but some of them will have enough of
us by and by--their stomachs shall run over with us; they want us for
their slaves, and shall have us to their fill. (We are all in the
world together!!) I said above, because we cannot help ourselves,
(viz. we cannot help the whites murdering our mothers and our wives)
but this statement is incorrect--for we can help ourselves; for, if we
lay aside abject servility, and be determined to act like men, and
not brutes--the murderers among the whites would be afraid to show
their cruel heads. But O, my God!--in sorrow I must say it, that my
colour, all over the world, have a mean, servile spirit. They yield in
a moment to the whites, let them be right or wrong--the reason the
whites are able to keep their feet on our throats. Oh! my coloured
brethren, all over the world, when shall we arise from this death-like
apathy?--And be men!! You will notice, if ever we become men (I mean
_respectable_ men, such