One could say that as Mark Twain, a nom de plume of SLC born in Nevada of
the early 1860's, is telling the truth with stretchers (as a writing and
speaking persona).  Your best source is Terrell Dempsey's "Searching for
Jim, Slavery in Sam Clemens's World," Columbia: Univ. Missouri P, 2003.  The
link following is the Twain Web book review.

http://www.twainweb.net/reviews/dempsey.html

Dempsey researched the laws, the newspapers, and trials of ante-bellmen
Hannibal.  Read and learn.  I have not read Life on the Miss. other than the
initial chapters of MT as apprentice pilot.  One needs to keep in mind what
seems to be the normal and usual use of corporal punishment ("The Adventures
of Tom Sawyer" of Tom by Aunt P and the School Master, and Huck's
"education" in "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" or even the story of the bad
boy known originally as "Christmas Fireside").  Attitudes, use, and severity
of physical violence are cultural as well as individual expressions.

And yes, democracies, authors, snakes, folks, (me too) have, do, and will
always make mistakes.

Gordon Snedecor in Portland, Oregon.