“’Mother, it seems to me thou would’st at any time rather have a servant do little things for thee, than me.’  She replied it was their business.  ‘Well,’ said I, ’mother, I do not think it ever was designed that parents and children should be independent of each other.  Our Heavenly Father intended that we should be dependent on each other, not on servants.’  From time to time ability is granted me to labor against slavery.  I may be mistaken, but I do not think it is any longer without sin in mother, for I think she feels very sensibly that it is not right, though she never will acknowledge it.”

Night. Left the parlor on account of some unpleasant occurrence, and retired to weep in solitude over the evils of slavery.  The language was forcibly revived:  ’Woe unto you, for you bind heavy burdens, grievous to be borne, on men’s shoulders, and will not move them yourselves with one of your fingers.’  I do not think I pass a single day without apprehension as to something painful about the servants.”

“15th.  Had a long conversation with Selina last evening about servants, and expressed very freely my opinion of Henry’s feelings towards them, and his treatment of John.  She admitted all I said, and seemed to feel for slaves, until I said I thought they had as much right to freedom as I had.  Of course she would not admit this, but I was glad an opportunity was offered for me to tell her that my life was one of such continual and painful exercise on account of the manner in which our servants were treated, that, were it not for mother, I would not stay a day longer in Carolina, and were it not for the belief that Henry would treat his servants worse if we were not here, that both Eliza and I would leave the house.  Dear girl; she seemed to feel a good deal at these strictures on her husband, but bore with me very patiently.”

“18th.  Oh, Lord! grant that my going forth out of this land may be in such a time and such a way, let what may happen after I leave my mother’s house, I may never have to reproach myself for doing so.  Of late my mind has been much engrossed with the subject of slavery.  I have felt not only the necessity of feeling that it is sinful, but of being able to prove from Scripture that it is not warranted by God.”

“30th.  Slavery is a system of abject selfishness, and yet I believe I have seen some of the best of it.  In its worst form, tyranny is added to it, and power cruelly treads under foot the rights of man, and trammels not only the body, but the mind of the poor negro.  Experience has convinced me that a person may own a slave, with a single eye to the glory of God.  But as the eye is kept single, it will soon become full of light on this momentous subject; the arm of power will be broken; the voice of authority will tremble, and strength will be granted to obey the command:  ‘Touch not the unclean thing.’”