If I have failed in anything, it has been in presenting to the reader too prominently the bright side of the picture. Those who read this book may form their own opinions of the 'peculiar institution.' What it may be in other States, I do not profess to know what it is in the region of Red River, is truly and faithfully delineated in these pages. I have no comments to make upon the subject of Slavery.

― Solomon Northup, quote from Twelve Years a Slave Let them know the heart of the poor slave - learn his secret thoughts - thoughts he dare not utter in the hearing of the white man let them sit by him in the silent watches of the night - converse with him in trustful confidence, of 'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,' and they will find that ninety-nine out of every hundred are intelligent enough to understand their situation, and to cherish in their bosoms the love of freedom, as passionately as themselves.” Men may write fictions portraying lowly life as it is, or as it is not - may expatiate with owlish gravity upon the bliss of ignorance - discourse flippantly from arm chairs of the pleasures of slave life but let them toil with him in the field - sleep with him in the cabin - feed with him on husks let them behold him scourged, hunted, trampled on, and they will come back with another story in their mouths.

“There may be humane masters, as there certainly are inhuman ones - there may be slaves well-clothed, well-fed, and happy, as there surely are those half-clad, half-starved and miserable nevertheless, the institution that tolerates such wrong and inhumanity as I have witnessed, is a cruel, unjust, and barbarous one.

Sheltered by Charlotte Stein