did to myself; you surmised evil against me. You struck me with your
walking-cane, called me insulting names, threatened me, swore at me, and
became more and more wrathy in your conduct, and at the time I quitted
your place, I had good reason to believe that you were meditating
serious evil against me.

Since I have been out of your hands, I have been signally favoured of
God, whence I infer that in leaving you, I acted strictly in accordance
with his holy will. I have a conscience void of offence towards God and
towards all men, yourself not excepted. And I verily believe that I have
performed a sacred duty to God and myself, and a kindness to you, in
taking the blood of my soul peaceably off your soul. And now, dear sir,
having spoken somewhat pointedly, I would, to convince you of my perfect
good will towards you, in the most kind and respectful terms, remind you
of your coming destiny. You are now over seventy years of age, pressing
on to eternity with the weight of these seventy years upon you. Is not
this enough without the blood of some half-score of souls?

You are aware that your right to property in man is now disputed by the
civilized world. You are fully aware, also, that the question, whether
the Bible sanctions slavery, has distinctly divided this nation in
sentiment. On the side of Biblical Anti-slavery, we have many of the
most learned, wise and holy men in the land. If the Bible affords no
sanction to slavery, (and I claim that it cannot,) then it must be a sin
of the deepest dye; and can you, sir, think to go to God in hope with a
sin of such magnitude upon your soul?

But admitting that the question is yet doubtful, (which I do only for
the sake of argument,) still, sir, you will have the critical hazard of
this doubt pressing, in no very doubtful way, upon your declining years,