ry notwithstanding."[330]

We have not been able to discover "any law" positively prohibiting
marriage among slaves; but there was a custom denying marriage to the
Negro, that at length received the weight of positive law. Mr. Palfrey
says,--

"From the reverence entertained by the fathers of New
England for the nuptial tie, it is safe to infer that slave
husbands and wives were never separated."[331]

We have searched faithfully to find the slightest justification for
this inference of Mr. Palfrey, but have not found it. There is not a
line in any newspaper of the colony, until 1710, that indicates the
concern of the people in the lawful union of slaves. And there was no
legislation upon the subject until 1786, when an "Act for the orderly
Solemnization of Marriage" passed. That Negro slaves were united in
marriage, there is abundant evidence, but not many in this period. It
was almost a useless ceremony when "the customs and usages" of slavery
separated them at the convenience of the owner. The master's power
over his slaves was almost absolute. If he wanted to sell the children
and keep the parents, his decision was not subject to any court of
law. It was final. If he wanted to sell the wife of his slave man into
the rice-fields of the Carolinas or into the West India Islands, the
tears of the husband only exasperated the master. "The fathers of New
England" had _no_ reverence for the "nuptial tie" among their slaves,
and, therefore, tore slave families asunder without the least
compunction of conscience. "Negro children were considered an
incumbrance in a family, and, when weaned, were given away like
puppies," says the famous Dr. Belknap. But after the Act of 1705;
"their banns were published like those of white persons;" and public
sentiment began to undergo a change on the subject. The following
Negro marriage was prepared by the Rev. Samuel Phillips of Andover.
His ministry did not commence until 1710; and, therefore, this
marriage was prepared subsequent to that date. He realized the need of
something, and acted accordingly.

"You, Bob, do now, in ye Presence of God and these
Witnesses, Take Sally to be your wife;

"Promising, that so far as shall be consistent with ye
Relation which you now Sustain as a servant, you will
Perform ye Part of an Husband towards her: And in
particular, as you shall have ye Opportunity & Ability, you
will take proper Care of