These children were born into slavery, as under slave law, children took the status of their mother by the principle of "partus sequitur ventrem." Kemble attested to these children by her direct observations and from stories told her by slaves during her residence. During this period, she complained to her husband about King, Jr.'s harsh treatment of slaves, as slave women especially appealed to her for help to lighten their work. With their marriage deteriorating, Butler threatened Kemble with no access to their daughters if she published any of her observations about the plantations.