PDA: The Hireling and the Slave
A Justification of Slavery The following analysis will examine, The Hireling and the Slave, by William John Grayson. The following questions will be addressed: What is the historical context of this period? Who is the author and what segment of the population was this author attempting to reach? Does the author display a bias? What are the story lines of the document? What does this document reveal about the mentality of slaveholders and their view of the world? How did they justify the institution of slavery? And lastly, what stands out as particularly meaningful and can this historical period and events that transpired provided any insight into our modern times? The historical context of the period reveals …show more content…
He defines slavery in the first paragraph, with focuses on the life-labour relationship the master and the slave have, with both being responsible for a part in the other’s life. He introduces the idea that slavery is the way of negro work, and that slavery keeps them fed, clothed, housed, busy, and in check. In the next section, “Benefits of Slavery”, he furthers his argument of favoring slavery by saying it closes the gap between the relationship of master and servant, and defends this by mentioning that slavery is for life, and that unlike hirelings, no slaves are unwanted, unfed, or unincluded. The next section, called “Slavery vs Hireling”, starts with the author adding the specification that slavery might not be the best form of labour, but for the negro in the US, slavery is the best option. He then says that nobody has found a way to make the hireling system as profitable as a system where all the same race control a working population. He continues this by again saying that hireling states are unkept, poor, crime ridden, and starving. While saying that, he says that the negatives consequences of hireling states will never appear because slavery prioritizes food, clothes, and work. Grayson then compares plantation owners, who are responsible for the welfare of the slaves, to a commissioner of the poor as well as a police officer against insolence. His conclusion summarizes his points by saying how much the negro has benefited by coming to the US, and that we may not know the reasons behind God’s bringing the slaves to the US, but we can already see the
A Justification of Slavery The following analysis will examine, The Hireling and the Slave, by William John Grayson. The following questions will be addressed: What is the historical context of this period? Who is the author and what segment of the population was this author attempting to reach? Does the author display a bias? What are the story lines of the document? What does this document reveal about the mentality of slaveholders and their view of the world? How did they justify the institution of slavery? And lastly, what stands out as particularly meaningful and can this historical period and events that transpired provided any insight into our modern times? The historical context of the period reveals …show more content…
He defines slavery in the first paragraph, with focuses on the life-labour relationship the master and the slave have, with both being responsible for a part in the other’s life. He introduces the idea that slavery is the way of negro work, and that slavery keeps them fed, clothed, housed, busy, and in check. In the next section, “Benefits of Slavery”, he furthers his argument of favoring slavery by saying it closes the gap between the relationship of master and servant, and defends this by mentioning that slavery is for life, and that unlike hirelings, no slaves are unwanted, unfed, or unincluded. The next section, called “Slavery vs Hireling”, starts with the author adding the specification that slavery might not be the best form of labour, but for the negro in the US, slavery is the best option. He then says that nobody has found a way to make the hireling system as profitable as a system where all the same race control a working population. He continues this by again saying that hireling states are unkept, poor, crime ridden, and starving. While saying that, he says that the negatives consequences of hireling states will never appear because slavery prioritizes food, clothes, and work. Grayson then compares plantation owners, who are responsible for the welfare of the slaves, to a commissioner of the poor as well as a police officer against insolence. His conclusion summarizes his points by saying how much the negro has benefited by coming to the US, and that we may not know the reasons behind God’s bringing the slaves to the US, but we can already see the