“I found Samuel Worthington quite a different person than his letters had led me to imagine.  When I introduced myself he appeared nervous and embarrassed.  He was a Kentuckian by birth, but having met with reverses in fortune he went to Mississippi, and became an overseer; first on a salary of six hundred dollars, and afterwards two thousand dollars.  He now owns a cotton plantation, with about one hundred and twenty slaves, and is reputed wealthy.  He is considered an accomplished gentleman, of sound, discriminating, and feeling mind.  I believe he is a kind master, in the common acceptation of the term; that is, he feeds and clothes his slaves well, and does not overwork them, though the overseer’s whip is the stimulus to labor.  He gave me some account of provision; but the only item I remember is, that he cured twenty-five thousand pounds of pork annually, for his slaves.  Far be it from me to say any thing disrespectful of him, except that he is a slave-holder; a word which, in my view, comprises ‘the sum of all villany,’ In my transactions with him, I found him fair and honorable, as far as it can be honorable to sell human flesh.

“He said he had long since received a letter from J. Fitzhugh, concerning Sam’s family; but as he knew their situation would not be bettered by being transferred to him, he had taken no notice of the application.  When Gerrit Smith’s letter came, he supposed that the writer was not in earnest, ’that it was all done for effect, and would end in smoke.’  He was surprised to learn, by G. Smith’s reply to him, that it was my intention to come to Harrodsburg; he regretted that it was so, as it disturbed him, and might break up his family arrangements.  His wife had three small children, one of them a babe, and the proposed arrangements would leave her without assistance.  He told me he was not a man to be driven; and I answered that we were well matched on that point, it would, however, be better for us both to ascertain coolly how far we could agree.  He began by saying that he did not feel bound to sell the family, in consequence of what he had written to G. Smith; for he had only said that he might be induced to take four thousand dollars for them.  After some preliminaries, he proposed that I should have a conversation with Sam; for he did not think he could be prevailed upon to leave him.  I assured him I should do no such thing, until he and I had settled the question of dollars and cents.  I had no idea of presenting the cup of freedom to Sam’s lips, and then having it dashed to the ground.  ’I do not believe,’ said I, ’that there is a man on these grounds whom I could not induce to go with me from slavery; but if Sam has objections, let me talk with his wife.’

“‘No, that will not do,’ replied he; ‘she would go with you.’