1
Before the war of the American Revolution slavery
extended
throughout the
United States. In
New England
it was on a very limited scale. There were house-
-hold slaves in
Boston who drove the coaches
cooked the dinners, & shared the luxuries of rich houses,
& a few
were distributed among the most wealthy of the
rural population. They were not numerous enough
to make the condition a great evil or embar-
assment, but quite enough to show its incom-
-patibility with the demonstration of the truth
on which our declaration of Independence is based that "all men
are born free & equal" &
have an inalienable right to life, liberty & the pursuit of
happiness."
The slaves in
Masstts. were treated with almost
parental kindness -- They were incorporated into the
family, & each puritan family household being a
sort
of religious structure, the relative duties of each
Master & servant were clearly defined. No doubt the severest
&