Whipping Quotes
This is an example of what was one of the worst perversions of slavery. This minister actually argued that Blacks were much better off as slaves and slavery served them well.
Generally, Jefferson was not in favor of whipping slaves, but this quotation shows that he essentially accepted the basic principles of Southern Slavery—including the one that says if the person does not want to work for you, you may whip, beat, or torture him or her to produce “reasonable work.” This acceptance of slavery and profiting from it, is the terrible blot on the record of the man who otherwise was among the few greatest of Americans.
Both Puritans and Quakers were persecuted and physically abused in England by the Anglican Church. The Puritans as soon as they became dominant in part of the American colonies began persecuting Quakers. The Quakers who were the majority in the Pennsylvania colony, however were tolerant of other religions. This history was another of the many reasons the Founding Fathers wanted no established church. A “scorpion” was a type of whip that was particularly painful.
Livermore's argument fell on deaf ears, and the amendment was passed over the objection of a few arch-conservatives.
This statement was made long after slavery had been abolished and Jim Crow was on the rise in the South.
