Society at large has bound itself, in form and in fact, to assist Master Thomas in robbing me of my rightful liberty, and of the just reward of my labor; therefore, whatever rights I have against Master Thomas, I have, equally, against those confederated with him in robbing me of liberty.

As society has marked me out as privileged plunder, on the principle of self-preservation I am justified in plundering in turn.

Since each slave belongs to all; all must, therefore, belong to each." I shall here make a profession of faith which may shock some, offend others, and be dissented from by all.

It is this: Within the bounds of his just earnings, I hold that the slave is fully justified in helping himself to the _gold and silver, and the best apparel of his master, or that of any other slaveholder; and that such taking is not stealing in any just sense of that word_.
The morality of _free_ society can have no application to _slave_ society.

Slaveholders have made it almost impossible for the slave to commit any crime, known either to the laws of God or to the laws of man.
If he steals, he takes his own; if he kills his master,{149} he imitates only the heroes of the revolution.