Solomon Northup Quotes

“...So we passed, handcuffed and in silence, through the streets of Washington, through the Captial of a nation, whose theory of government, we are told, rests on the foundation of man's inalienable right to life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness! Hail! Columbia, happy land, indeed!”

Law Politics Freedom Liberty Slavery Sarcasm Imprisonment Americans

Book:Twelve Years a Slave

Source: Twelve Years a Slave

“The influence of the iniquitous system necessarily fosters an unfeeling and cruel spirit, even in the bosoms of those who, among their equals, are regarded as humane and generous.”

Spirit Cruelty Inequality

Book:Twelve Years a Slave

Source: Twelve Years a Slave

“You have books and papers, and can go where you please, and gather intelligence in a thousand ways. But your slaves have no privileges. You'd whip one of them if caught reading a book. They are held in bondage, generation after generation, deprived of mental improvement, and who can expect them to possess much knowledge? If they are not brought down to a level with the brute creation, you slaveholders would never be blamed for it. If they are baboons, or stand no higher in the scale of intelligence than such animals, you and men like you will have to answer for it. There's a sin, a fearful sin, resting on this nation, that will not go unpunished forever. There will be a reckoning yet, Epps, there's a day coming that will burn as an oven. It may be sooner or it may be later, but it's a coming as sure as the Lord is just.”

Blm

Book:12 Years a Slave

Source: 12 Years a Slave

“I can speak of slavery only so far as it came under my own observation - only so far as I have known and experienced it in my own person.”

Persons I Can Speak My Own Known Slavery Observation

Book:Slave Narratives Compilation: Twelve Years A Slave, My Bondage and My Freedom, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Narrative of Sojourner Truth: A Northern Slave

Source: Slave Narratives Compilation: Twelve Years A Slave, My Bondage and My Freedom, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Narrative of Sojourner Truth: A Northern Slave

“There have been hours in my unhappy life, many of them, when the contemplation of death as the end of earthly sorrow - of the grave as a resting place for the tired and worn out body - has been pleasant to dwell upon.”

Has Beens Ends Body Hours Sorrow Tired Graves Unhappy Contemplation Pleasant Happy Life Worn Worn Out Unhappy Life

Book:Twelve Years a Slave

Source: Twelve Years a Slave

“Suffice it to say, during the whole long day I came not to the conclusion, even once, that the southern slave, fed, clothed, whipped and protected by his master, is happier than the free colored citizen of the North. To that conclusion I have never since arrived.”

Long Whole Masters Citizens Slave Conclusion Feds Southern Protected Long Day

Book:Twelve Years a Slave: Narrative of Solomon Northup, a Citizen of New-York, Kidnapped in Washington City in 1841, and Rescued in 1853, from a Cotton Plantation Near the Red River, in Louisiana

Source: Twelve Years a Slave: Narrative of Solomon Northup, a Citizen of New-York, Kidnapped in Washington City in 1841, and Rescued in 1853, from a Cotton Plantation Near the Red River, in Louisiana

“Unsoundness in a slave, as well as in a horse, detracts materially from his value. If no warranty is given, a close examination is a matter of particular importance to the Negro jockey.”

Ifs Wells Matter Values Given Particular Importance Horse Slave Examination Jockeys Warranty Unsoundness

Book:Slave Narratives Compilation: Twelve Years A Slave, My Bondage and My Freedom, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Narrative of Sojourner Truth: A Northern Slave

Source: Slave Narratives Compilation: Twelve Years A Slave, My Bondage and My Freedom, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Narrative of Sojourner Truth: A Northern Slave

“My back is thick with scars for protesting my freedom.”

Scar Thick

Author:Solomon Northup

“Life is dear to every living thing; the worm that crawls upon the ground will struggle for it.”

Life Is Struggle Dear Worms Living Things

Book:Twelve Years A Slave: illustrated Original Edition With Bonus of Uncle Tom's Cabin

Source: Twelve Years A Slave: illustrated Original Edition With Bonus of Uncle Tom's Cabin

“At such times, the heart of man turns instictively towards his Maker. In prosperity, and whenever there is nothing to injure or make him afraid, he remembers Him not, and is ready to defy Him; but place him in the midst of dangers, cut him off from human aid, let the grave open before him, then it is, in the time of his tribulation, that the scoffer and unbelieving man turns to God for help, feeling there is no other hope, or refuge, or safety, save in his protecting arm.”

Men Humans Heart Helping Feelings Remember Turns Cutting Danger Ready Arms Safety Prosperity Aids Graves Midst Makers Refuge Tribulation Turn To God Scoffers

Author:Solomon Northup

“They are deceived who flatter themselves that the ignorant and debased slave has no conception of the magnitude of his wrongs. They are deceived who imagine that he arises from his knees with back lacerated and bleeding, cherishing only a spirit of meekness and forgiveness. A day may come - it will, if his prayer is heard. A terrible day of vengeance when the master in his turn will cry in vain for mercy.”

Source: Twelve Years a Slave

“I could not comprehend the justice of that law, or that religion, which upholds or recognizes the principle of slavery.”

Law Justice Principles Slavery

Book:Slave Narratives Compilation: Twelve Years A Slave, My Bondage and My Freedom, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Narrative of Sojourner Truth: A Northern Slave

Source: Slave Narratives Compilation: Twelve Years A Slave, My Bondage and My Freedom, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Narrative of Sojourner Truth: A Northern Slave

“Really, it was difficult to determine which I had most reason to fear—dogs, alligators or men!”

Men Reason Difficult Dog Determine Alligators

Book:Twelve Years A Slave: illustrated Original Edition With Bonus of Uncle Tom's Cabin

Source: Twelve Years A Slave: illustrated Original Edition With Bonus of Uncle Tom's Cabin

“What difference is there in the color of the soul?”

Soul Differences Color

Book:Slave Narratives Compilation: Twelve Years A Slave, My Bondage and My Freedom, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Narrative of Sojourner Truth: A Northern Slave

Source: Slave Narratives Compilation: Twelve Years A Slave, My Bondage and My Freedom, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Narrative of Sojourner Truth: A Northern Slave

“Credit leads a man into temptation. Cash down is the only thing that will deliver him from evil.”

Men Evil Credit Temptation Cash

Book:Twelve Years a Slave

Source: Twelve Years a Slave

“My sufferings I can compare to nothing else than the burning agonies of hell!”

I Can Suffering Hell Burning Compare Agony

Book:Slave Narratives Compilation: Twelve Years A Slave, My Bondage and My Freedom, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Narrative of Sojourner Truth: A Northern Slave

Source: Slave Narratives Compilation: Twelve Years A Slave, My Bondage and My Freedom, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Narrative of Sojourner Truth: A Northern Slave

“It is not the fault of the slaveholder that he is cruel, so much as it is the fault of the system under which he lives. He cannot withstand the influence of habit and associations that surround him. Taught from earliest childhood, by all that he sees and hears that the rod is for the slave's back, he will not be apt to change his opinions in maturer years.”

Years Opinion Influence Childhood Taught Habit Faults Slave Surround Association Slaveholders

Book:Twelve Years a Slave

Source: Twelve Years a Slave

“It has been suggested that an account of my life and fortunes would not be uninteresting to the public.”

Has Beens Accounts Fortune

Book:Slave Narratives Compilation: Twelve Years A Slave, My Bondage and My Freedom, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Narrative of Sojourner Truth: A Northern Slave

Source: Slave Narratives Compilation: Twelve Years A Slave, My Bondage and My Freedom, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Narrative of Sojourner Truth: A Northern Slave

“Is everything right because the law allows it?”

Law

Book:Twelve Years a Slave: Narrative of Solomon Northup, a Citizen of New York, Kidnapped in Washington City in 1841, and Rescued in 1853, from a Cotton Plantation Near the Red River, in Louisiana

Source: Twelve Years a Slave: Narrative of Solomon Northup, a Citizen of New York, Kidnapped in Washington City in 1841, and Rescued in 1853, from a Cotton Plantation Near the Red River, in Louisiana

“There are few sights more pleasant to the eye, than a wide cotton field when it is in the bloom. It presents an appearance of purity, like an immaculate expanse of light, new-fallen snow.”

Light Eye Fields Sight Appearance Wide Snow Fallen Pleasant Purity Cotton Expanse Immaculate Cotton Fields

Book:Twelve Years A Slave: illustrated Original Edition With Bonus of Uncle Tom's Cabin

Source: Twelve Years A Slave: illustrated Original Edition With Bonus of Uncle Tom's Cabin

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