I've been reading from a book of "William Penn's Maxims", he is described in the post below this one if you have forgotten about him. I wanted to quote him regarding his thoughts about ruling slaves. Many of the founding fathers owned slaves, which seems antithetical to the rest of their actions and lives, but I remember reading about a man travelling abroad from Europe to the colonies, and he told his friends that, 'he never once saw a slave mistreated in all his travels'.
I bring this up not to endorse slavery, but simply to state that many true Christians treated their slaves better than some employers treat their employees today. I'll let him speak for himself---

Masters -- Mix kindness with authority; and rule more by discretion than vigor.
If thy servant be faulty, strive rather to convince him of his error, than to discover thy passion; and when he is sensible, forgive him.
Remember he is thy fellow-creature; and that God's goodness, not thy merit, has made the difference betwixt thee and him.
Let not thy children domineer over thy servants; nor suffer them to slight thy children.
Servants -- Indulge not unseemly things in thy master's children, nor refuse them what is fitting.
A master may be defrauded many ways by a servant; as in time, care, pains, money, trust.
But a true servant is the contrary; he is diligent, careful, trusty. He tells not tales, reveals no secrets, refuses no pains, is not to be tempted by gain, or awed by fear, to unfaithfulness.
Such a servant serves God, in serving his master; and has doubled wages for his work; to wit, here and hereafter."

Yes, some slave owners paid their slaves for their service and showed compassion even though they felt no guilt about ownership. Strange as it seems today, I can liken it only to a good person having an abortion, the culture they associate with approves it and they buy into it.

"And masters, treat your slaves in the same way, Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him."
Ephesians 6:9