S, which began when African slaves were brought to America, had spread throughout the colonies in the 17th and 18th centuries. According to George Fitzhugh's and Thomas Dew's views, slaves were claimed to be, in a sense, very free and content people, and their masters were beloved and appreciated. However, based on Seward's and Northup's documents, the above-mentioned claims are not accurate. In Fitzhugh's point of view, slaves actually had good lives. In his article, he writes, "The negro slaves of the South are the happiest, and, in some sense, the freest people in the world."1 This was because slaves had their food, clothes, shelter and everything needed for themselves and their families provided by their masters, although the condition and quality of such provisions were not mentioned. Fitzhugh also said that slaves did not have to work more than nine hours a day, and they could lay down and sleep whenever they wanted. In his document, he wrote, "The negro men and stout boys work, on the average, in good weather, not more than nine hours a day." Unlike them, the free laborers had to work hard with low wages and had no days off. Generally, slaves were content and, in a way, free people since they did not have to work as hard as free laborers did, yet still have all the necessities provided by their owner.
Likewise, Thomas Dew's idea also supported slavery. He believed freeing slaves would lead to serious consequence like famine, he claimed, "If an immediate emancipation of negroes were to take place, the whole southern country would be visited with an immediate famine."2 Dew also believed that slaves were morally unsuitable for the society, for their unemployment would result in stealing and revenge. Moreover, slave owners were said to have had good characteristics and good relationships with their slaves. In his document, Dew writes, "The slaves of a good master are his warmest, most constant, and most devoted friends; they have been accustomed to look up to him as their supporter, director and defender.
