Summary

When an Augusta County slave mutilated herself to prevent being sold and takes a swing with an axe at her master as well, the editors called attention to her as "desperate" and fit for jail and punishment. They implied that only crazy, deranged, or "desperate" slaves would resist the institution.

EXCERPT:

"While she was going to get her clothes, she picked up an axe which she had concealed, and deliberately cut three of her fingers off."

Full-text web version of newspaper

"White people in Augusta rarely discussed slavery openly and for the most part only did so under provocation when they hoped to defend their institution."