From Harriett Jacobs Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (1861) A clergyman, who goes to the south, for the first time, has usually some feeling, however vague, that slavery is wrong. The slave holder suspects this, and plays his game accordingly. He makes himself as agreeable as possible; talks on theology, and other kindred topics. The southerner invites him to talk with these slaves. He asks them if they want to be free, and they say, “O, no, mass.” This is sufficient to satisfy him. He comes home to publish a “Southern Side View of Slavery”, and to complain of the exaggerations of abolitionists. He assures people that he has been to the south, and seen slavery for himself; that it is a beautiful “patriarchal institution;” that the slaves don’t want their freedom; that they have hallelujah meetings, and other religious privileges. What does he know of the half-starved wretches toiling from dawn till dark on the plantations? of mothers shrieking for their children, torn from their arms by slave traders? of young girls dragged down into moral filth? of pools of blood around the whipping post? of hounds trained to tear human flesh? of men screwed into cotton gins to die? The slaveholder showed him none of these things, and the slaves dared not tell of them if he had asked them.

No wonder the slaves sing,—

“Ole Satan’s church is here below;

Up to God’s free church I hope to go.”