George, I was not painting with a broad brush. I agree with you, not all slave owners we harsh with thier slaves. I was refering to Mary Todd Lincoln. She had a lot of trama in her life. And I can imagine what with the Black lady who did her hair and was a sort of confidant to her and Abrahams Black Barber and the number of free blacks that she had commerce with in Springfield (there were many Negro's , mostly shop owners and service providers, cafes)that she would see Negro's in a much different light. I mean in the 30 years that she lived in Springfield before Washington.I know that Negro's were legal chattle, but I can't imagine any of them who would choose to be owned by someone else if they had a choice. I also know that when the north cut them loose so to speak with out any resourses or training that they did not do them any fovors either. You see the war was started by emotion and not reason in my opinion and the aftermath was administerd through reconstruction just as bad.
Frank