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held that he could have spared the Almighty some absurdities, had he
been consulted.  /                      We had much talk on Slavery at
Transylvania.   Keene Richards was very conciencious about his negroes.
Mr Alick declared sometimes  it needed a Tiger to manage them. 
There had been a general stampede of some ten or twenty from Judge
Morgan s plantation, during his absence in Kentucky.    It would seem
whenever a new overseer arrives, there s a sort of trial of his authority
by the slaves.      Runaways stay out in the cane-brakes or swamp,
killing a hog, or any game, or getting fed by their comrades.  They
are always caught, generally come back themselves; get whipped, and
set to work again.    Some are always running off.    In parts of the
country men keep dogs trained to hunt and track them; and a slave
resisting might be severly lacerated, or shot.    Did a colored man
strike a white man, even in self-defense, I believe the white man might
take his life; certainly the law would not interfere, though his owner
might.    Such a case would not be likely to occur.          The general
feeling among the race is of their inferiority,   they despise their own
race.       I heard a touching story in point here, from Keene Richards.
He spoke of an old man, slave to their family, in Kentucky, that
he was as good, honest and unaffectedly pious as the fictitious  Uncle Tom. 
He managed the farm, and kept the house in order during the absence of
the family; had control of money matters, and might be trusted with every
thing.   He did not desire freedom.    He attended his church, read his bible.
He believed the Bible justified Slavery to his race as descendants of Ham.
With his sons, he was carried south to the Louisiana plantation one
summer.    One son, happening to displease the Overseer, was ordered to
strip and receive a whipping.   He had been a sort of favorite with the
family, and demurred.      Whereupon his father, then present, went up
to him, and bade him strip immediately, or he would himself take his
Title:Thomas Butler Gunn Diaries, Volume Six: page one hundred and eighty-six
Description:Describes a talk with Keene Richards about slavery.
Subject:African Americans; Dogs; Gunn, Thomas Butler; Keane, Alick; Morgan, Judge; Richards, Addison Keane; Slaveholders; Slavery; Slaves; Travel
Coverage (City/State):Transylvania, Louisiana
Scan Date:2011-02-02


Title:Thomas Butler Gunn Diaries, Volume Six
Publisher:Missouri History Museum
Rights:Copyright 2011 Missouri History Museum.