He appreciated the fact that slaves were capable of human feelings like other men and in 1787, when trying to purchase a mason, he instructed his agent not to buy if by so doing he would "hurt the man's feelings" by breaking family ties.

Even when dying, noting black Cristopher by his bed, he directed him to sit down and rest.

It was a little thing, but kindness is largely made up of little things.
The course taken by him in training a personal servant is indicated by some passages from his correspondence.

Writing from the Capital to Pearce, December, 1795, regarding a young negro, Washington says: "If Cyrus continues to give evidence of such qualities as would fit him for a waiting man, encourage him to persevere in them; and if they should appear to be sincere and permanent, I will receive him in that character when I retire from public life if not sooner .-- To be sober, attentive to his duty, honest, obliging and cleanly, are the qualifications necessary to fit him for my purposes .-- If he possess these, or can acquire them--he might become useful to me, at the same time that he would exalt, and benefit himself." "I would have you again stir up the pride of Cyrus," he wrote the next May, "that he may be the fitter for my purposes against I come home; sometime before which (that is as soon as I shall be able to fix on time) I will direct him to be taken into the house, and clothes to be made for him .-- In the meanwhile, get him a strong horn comb and direct him to keep his head well combed, that the hair, or wool may grow long." Once when President word reached his ears that he was being criticized for not furnishing his slaves with sufficient food.

He hurriedly directed that the amount should be increased and added: "I will not have my feelings hurt with complaints of this sort, nor lye under the imputation of starving my negros, and thereby driving them to the necessity of thieving to supply the deficiency.