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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/15118-h.zip b/15118-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..44d83c6 --- /dev/null +++ b/15118-h.zip diff --git a/15118-h/15118-h.htm b/15118-h/15118-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..06c6cb8 --- /dev/null +++ b/15118-h/15118-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1967 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Narrative of Lunsford Lane, Formerly of Raleigh, N.C., by Lunsford Lane</title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .linenum {position: absolute; top: auto; left: 4%;} /* poetry number */ + .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} + .pagenum {position: absolute; left: 92%; font-size: smaller; text-align: right;} /* page numbers */ + .sidenote {width: 5%; padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em; margin-left: 1em; + float: right; clear: right; margin-top: 1em; + font-size: smaller; background: #eeeeee; border: dashed 1px;} + + .bb {border-bottom: solid 2px;} + .bl {border-left: solid 2px;} + .bt {border-top: solid 2px;} + .br {border-right: solid 2px;} + .bbox {border: solid 2px;} + + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .figleft {float: left; clear: left; margin-left: 0; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: + 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .figright {float: right; clear: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 0; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + .footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 1em;} + .footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + .fnanchor {vertical-align: super; font-size: .9em; text-decoration: none;} + + .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem span {display: block; margin: 0; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i2 {display: block; margin-left: 2em;} + .poem span.i4 {display: block; margin-left: 4em;} + hr.full { width: 100%; } + pre {font-size: 8pt;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> +</head> +<body> +<h1>The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Narrative of Lunsford Lane, Formerly of +Raleigh, N.C., by Lunsford Lane</h1> +<pre> +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at <a href = "https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre> +<p>Title: The Narrative of Lunsford Lane, Formerly of Raleigh, N.C.</p> +<p>Author: Lunsford Lane</p> +<p>Release Date: February 21, 2005 [eBook #15118]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NARRATIVE OF LUNSFORD LANE, FORMERLY OF RALEIGH, N.C.***</p> +<p> </p> +<h3>E-text prepared by Suzanne Shell, Melissa Er-Raqabi,<br /> + and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team<br /> + (https://www.pgdp.net)</h3> +<p> </p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="10" style="background-color: #ccccff;"> + <tr> + <td valign="top"> + Transcriber's Note: + </td> + <td> + This work was transcribed from a contemporary + printing, not from the 1842 edition. Certain + spellings may have been modernized and typographic + and printer's errors changed from the original. + </td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<h1>NARRATIVE</h1> +<h2>OF</h2> +<h1>LUNSFORD LANE.</h1> + + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div style="margin-left: 27%; margin-right: 5%;"> +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>[ORIGINAL.]<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span>The Slave Mother's Address<br /></span> +<span>TO HER<br /></span> +<span>INFANT CHILD.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>I cannot tell how much I love<br /></span> +<span class="i2">To look on thee, my child;<br /></span> +<span>Nor how that looking rocks my soul<br /></span> +<span class="i2">As on a tempest wild;<br /></span> +<span>For I have borne thee to the world,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">And bid thee breathe its air,<br /></span> +<span>But soon to see around thee drawn<br /></span> +<span class="i2">The curtains of despair.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span>Now thou art happy, child, I know,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">As little babe can be;<br /></span> +<span>Thou dost not fancy in thy dreams<br /></span> +<span class="i2">But thou art all as free<br /></span> +<span>As birds upon the mountain winds,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">(If thou hast thought of bird,)<br /></span> +<span>Or anything thou thinkest of,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Or thy young ear has heard.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span>What are thy little thoughts about?<br /></span> +<span class="i2">I cannot certain know,<br /></span> +<span>Only there's not a wing of them<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Upon a breath of woe,<br /></span> +<span>For not a shadow's on thy face,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Nor billow heaves thy breast,—<br /></span> +<span>All clear as any summer's lake<br /></span> +<span class="i2">With not a zephyr press'd.<br /></span> +</div></div></div> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>THE</h2> +<h1>NARRATIVE</h1> +<h2>OF</h2> +<h1>LUNSFORD LANE,</h1> +<h1>FORMERLY OF</h1> +<h1>RALEIGH, N.C.</h1> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class="center"> +<br /> +<br /> +Embracing an account of his early life, the redemption by purchase<br /> +of himself and family from slavery,<br /> +And his banishment from the place of his birth for the crime<br /> +of wearing a colored skin.<br /> +<br /> +<b>PUBLISHED BY HIMSELF.</b><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +BOSTON:<br /> +PRINTED FOR THE PUBLISHER:<br /> +J.G. TORREY, Printer.<br /> +<br /> +1842.<br /> +</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class="center"> +Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1842, by<br /> +LUNSFORD LANE,<br /> +In the clerk's office of the District Court of Massachusetts.<br /> +</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div style="margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%;"> +<h2>TO THE READER.</h2> + + +<p>I have been solicited by very many friends, to give my narrative to the +public. Whatever my own judgment might be, I should yield to theirs. In +compliance, therefore, with this general request, and in the hope that +these pages may produce an impression favorable to my countrymen in +bondage; also that I may realize something from the sale of my work +towards the support of a numerous family, I have committed this +publication to press. It might have been made two or three, or even six +times larger, without diminishing from the interest of any one of its +pages—<i>indeed with an increased interest</i>—but the want of the pecuniary +means, and other considerations, have induced me to present it as here +seen. Should another edition be called for, and should my friends advise, +the work will then be extended to a greater length.</p> + +<p>I have not, in this publication attempted or desired to argue anything. It +is only a simple narration of such facts connected with my own case, as I +thought would be most interesting and instructive to readers generally. +The facts will, I think, cast some light upon the policy of a slaveholding +community, and the effect on the minds of the more enlightened, the more +humane, and the <i>Christian</i> portion of the southern people, of holding and +trading in the bodies and souls of men.</p> + +<p>I have said in the following pages, that my condition as a slave was +comparatively a happy, indeed a highly favored one; and to this +circumstance is it owing that I have been able to come up from bondage and +relate the story to the public; and that my wife, my mother, and my seven +children, are here with me this day. If for any thing this side the +invisible world, I bless heaven, it is that I was not born a plantation +slave, nor even a house servant under what is termed a hard and cruel +master.</p> + +<p>It has not been any part of my object to describe slavery generally, and +in the narration of my own case I have dwelt as little as possible upon +the dark side—have spoken mostly of the bright. In whatever I have been +obliged to say unfavorable to others, I have endeavored not to overstate, +but have chosen rather to come short of giving the full picture—omitting +much which it did not seem important to my object to relate. And yet I +would not venture to say that this publication does not contain a single +period which might be twisted to convey an idea more than should be +expressed.</p> + +<p>Those of whom I have had occasion to speak, are regarded, where they are +known, as among the most kind men to their slaves. Mr. Smith, some of +whose conduct will doubtless seem strange to the reader, is sometimes +taunted with being an abolitionist, in consequence of the interest he +manifests towards the colored people. If to any his character appear like +a riddle, they should remember that, men, like other things, have "two +sides," and often a top and a bottom in addition.</p> + +<p>While in the South I succeeded by stealth in learning to read and write a +little, and since I have been in the North I have learned more. But I need +not say that I have been obliged to employ the services of a friend, in +bringing this Narrative into shape for the public eye. And it should +perhaps be said on the part of the writer, that it has been hastily +compiled, with little regard to style, only to express the ideas +accurately and in a manner to be understood.</p> + +<p>LUNSFORD LANE.</p> + +<p>Boston, July 4, 1842.</p> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>NARRATIVE.</h2> + + +<p>The small city of Raleigh, North Carolina, it is known, is the capital of +the State, situated in the interior, and containing about thirty six +hundred inhabitants.<a name="FNanchor_A_1" id="FNanchor_A_1" /><a href="#Footnote_A_1" class="fnanchor">[A]</a> Here lived MR. SHERWOOD HAYWOOD, a man of +considerable respectability, a planter, and the cashier of a bank. He +owned three plantations, at the distances respectively of seventy-five, +thirty, and three miles from his residence in Raleigh. He owned in all +about two hundred and fifty slaves, among the rest my mother, who was a +house servant to her master, and of course a resident in the city. My +father was a slave to a near neighbor. The apartment where I was born and +where I spent my childhood and youth was called "the kitchen," situated +some fifteen or twenty rods from the "great house." Here the house +servants lodged and lived, and here the meals were prepared for the people +in the mansion.</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_A_1" id="Footnote_A_1" /><a href="#FNanchor_A_1"><span class="label">[A]</span></a> 175 whites—207 free people of color—and 2,244 slaves. Total +3,626; according to the census of 1840.</p></div> + +<p>On the 30th of May, 1803, I was ushered into the world; but I did not +begin to see the rising of its dark clouds, nor fancy how they might be +broken and dispersed, until some time afterwards. My infancy was spent +upon the floor, in a rough cradle, or sometimes in my mother's arms. My +early boyhood in playing with the other boys and girls, colored and white, +in the yard, and occasionally doing such little matters of labor as one of +so young years could. I knew no difference between myself and the white +children; nor did they seem to know any in turn. Sometimes my master would +come out and give a biscuit to me, and another to one of his own white +boys; but I did not perceive the difference between us. I had no brothers +or sisters, but there were other colored families living in the same +kitchen, and the children playing in the same yard, with me and my mother.</p> + +<p>When I was ten or eleven years old, my master set me regularly to cutting +wood, in the yard in the winter, and working in the garden in the summer. +And when I was fifteen years of age, he gave me the care of the pleasure +horses, and made me his carriage driver; but this did not exempt me from +other labor, especially in the summer. Early in the morning I used to take +his three horses to the plantation, and turn them into the pasture to +graze, and myself into the cotton or cornfield, with a hoe in my hand, to +work through the day; and after sunset I would take these horses back to +the city, a distance of three miles, feed them, and then attend to any +other business my master or any of his family had for me to do, until bed +time, when with my blanket in my hand, I would go into the dining room to +rest through the night. The next day the same round of labor would be +repeated, unless some of the family wished to ride out, in which case I +must be on hand with the horses to wait upon them, and in the meantime +work about the yard. On Sunday I had to drive to Church twice, which with +other things necessary to be done, took the whole day. So my life went +wearily on from day to day, from night to night, and from week to week.</p> + +<p>When I began to work, I discovered the difference between myself and my +master's white children. They began to order me about, and were told to do +so by my master and mistress. I found, too, that they had learned to read, +while I was not permitted to have a book in my hand. To be in the +possession of anything written or printed, was regarded as an offence. And +then there was the fear that I might be sold away from those who were dear +to me, and conveyed to the far South. I had learned that being a slave I +was subject to this worst (to us) of all calamities; and I knew of others +in similar situations to myself, thus sold away. My friends were not +numerous; but in proportion as they were few they were dear; and the +thought that I might be separated from them forever, was like that of +having the heart wrenched from its socket; while the idea of being +conveyed to the far South, seemed infinitely worse than the terrors of +death. To know, also, that I was never to consult my own will, but was, +while I lived, to be entirely under the control of another, was another +state of mind hard for me to bear. Indeed all things now made me <i>feel</i>, +what I had before known only in words, that <i>I was a slave</i>. Deep was this +feeling, and it preyed upon my heart like a never-dying worm. I saw no +prospect that my condition would ever be changed. Yet I used to plan in my +mind from day to day, and from night to night, how I might be free.</p> + +<p>One day, while I was in this state of mind, my father gave me a small +basket of peaches. I sold them for thirty cents, which was the first money +I ever had in my life. Afterwards I won some marbles, and sold them for +sixty cents, and some weeks after Mr. Hog from Fayetteville, came to visit +my master, and on leaving gave me one dollar. After that Mr. Bennahan from +Orange county gave me a dollar, and a son of my master fifty cents. These +sums, and the hope that then entered my mind of purchasing at some future +time my freedom, made me long for money; and plans for money-making took +the principal possession of my thoughts. At night I would steal away with +my axe, get a load of wood to cut for twenty-five cents, and the next +morning hardly escape a whipping for the offence. But I persevered until I +had obtained twenty dollars. Now I began to think seriously of becoming +able to buy myself; and cheered by this hope, I went on from one thing to +another, laboring "at dead of night," after the long weary day's toil for +my master was over, till I found I had collected one hundred dollars. This +sum I kept hid, first in one place and then in another, as I dare not put +it out, for fear I should lose it.</p> + +<p>After this I lit upon a plan which proved of great advantage to me. My +father suggested a mode of preparing smoking tobacco, different from any +then or since employed. It had the double advantage of giving the tobacco +a peculiarly pleasant flavor, and of enabling me to manufacture a good +article out of a very indifferent material. I improved somewhat upon his +suggestion, and commenced the manufacture, doing as I have before said, +all my work in the night. The tobacco I put up in papers of about a +quarter of a pound each, and sold them at fifteen cents. But the tobacco +could not be smoked without a pipe, and as I had given the former a flavor +peculiarly grateful, it occurred to me that I might so construct a pipe as +to cool the smoke in passing through it, and thus meet the wishes of those +who are more fond of smoke than heat. This I effected by means of a reed, +which grows plentifully in that region; I made a passage through the reed +with a hot wire, polished it, and attached a clay pipe to the end, so that +the smoke should be cooled in flowing through the stem like whiskey or rum +in passing from the boiler through the worm of the still. These pipes I +sold at ten cents apiece. In the early part of the night I would sell my +tobacco and pipes, and manufacture them in the latter part. As the +Legislature sit in Raleigh every year, I sold these articles considerably +to the members, so that I became known not only in the city, but in many +parts of the State, as a <i>tobacconist</i>.</p> + +<p>Perceiving that I was getting along so well, I began, slave as I was, to +think about taking a wife. So I fixed my mind upon Miss Lucy Williams, a +slave of Thomas Devereaux, Esq., an eminent lawyer in the place; but +failed in my undertaking. Then I thought I never would marry; but at the +end of two or three years my resolution began to slide away, till finding +I could not keep it longer I set out once more in pursuit of a wife. So I +fell in with her to whom I am now united, MISS MARTHA CURTIS, and the +bargain between <i>us</i> was completed. I next went to her master, Mr. Boylan, +and asked him, according to the custom, if I might "marry his woman." His +reply was, "Yes, if you will behave yourself." I told him I would. "And +make her behave herself!" To this I also assented; and then proceeded to +ask the approbation of my master, which was granted. So in May, 1828, I +was bound as fast in wedlock as a slave can be. God may at any time sunder +that band in a freeman; either master may do the same at pleasure in a +slave. The bond is not recognized in law. But in my case it has never been +broken; and now it cannot be, except by a higher power.</p> + +<p>When we had been married nine months and one day, we were blessed with a +son, and two years afterwards with a daughter. My wife also passed from +the hands of Mr. Boylan into those of MR. BENJAMIN B. SMITH, a merchant, a +member and class-leader in the Methodist church, and in much repute for +his deep piety and devotion to religion. But grace (of course) had not +wrought in the same <i>manner</i> upon the heart of Mr. Smith, as nature had +done upon that of Mr. Boylan, who made no religious profession. This +latter gentleman used to give my wife, who was a favorite slave, (her +mother nursed every one of his own children,) sufficient food and clothing +to render her comfortable, so that I had to spend for her but little, +except to procure such small articles of extra comfort as I was prompted +to from time to time. Indeed Mr. Boylan was regarded as a very kind master +to all the slaves about him; that is, to his house servants; nor did he +inflict much cruelty upon his field hands, except by proxy. The overseer +on his nearest plantation (I know but little about the rest) was a very +cruel man; in one instance, as it was said among the slaves, he whipped a +man <i>to death</i>; but of course denied that the man died in consequence of +the whipping. Still it was the choice of my wife to pass into the hands of +Mr. Smith, as she had become attached to him in consequence of belonging +to the same church, and receiving his religious instruction and counsel as +her class-leader, and in consequence of the peculiar devotedness to the +cause of religion for which he was noted, and which he always seemed to +manifest.—But when she became his slave, he withheld both from her and +her children, the needful food and clothing, while he exacted from them to +the uttermost all the labor they were able to perform. Almost every +article of clothing worn either by my wife or children, especially every +article of much value, I had to purchase; while the food he furnished the +family amounted to less than a meal a day, and that of the coarser kind. I +have no remembrance that he ever gave us a blanket or any other article of +bedding, although it is considered a rule at the South that the master +shall furnish each of his slaves with one blanket a year. So that, both as +to food and clothing, I had in fact to support both my wife and the +children, while he claimed them as his property, and received all their +labor. She was house servant to Mr. Smith, sometimes cooked the food for +his family, and usually took it from the table, but her mistress was so +particular in giving it out to be cooked, or so watched it, that she +always knew whether it was all returned; and when the table was cleared +away, the stern old lady would sit by and see that every dish (except the +very little she would send into the kitchen) was put away, and then she +would turn the key upon it, so as to be sure her slaves should not die of +gluttony. This practice is common with some families in that region; but +with others it is not. It was not so in that of her less pious master, Mr. +Boylan, nor was it precisely so at my master's. We used to have corn bread +enough, and some meat. When I was a boy, the pot-liquor, in which the meat +was boiled for the "great house," together with some little corn-meal +balls that had been thrown in just before the meat was done, was poured +into a tray and set in the middle of the yard, and a clam shell or pewter +spoon given to each of us children, who would fall upon the delicious fare +as greedily as pigs. It was not generally so much as we wanted, +consequently it was customary for some of the white persons who saw us +from the piazza of the house where they were sitting, to order the more +stout and greedy ones to eat slower, that those more young and feeble +might have a chance. But it was not so with Mr. Smith: such luxuries were +more than he could afford, kind and Christian man as he was considered to +be. So that by the expense of providing for my wife and children, all the +money I had earned and could earn by my night labor was consumed, till I +found myself reduced to five dollars, and this I lost one day in going to +the plantation. My light of hope now went out. My prop seemed to have +given way from under me. Sunk in the very night of despair respecting my +freedom, I discovered myself, as though I had never known it before, a +husband, the father of two children, a family looking up to me for bread, +and I a slave, penniless, and well watched by my master, his wife and his +children, lest I should, perchance, catch the friendly light of the stars +to make something in order to supply the cravings of nature in those with +whom my soul was bound up; or lest some plan of freedom might lead me to +trim the light of diligence after the day's labor was over, while the rest +of the world were enjoying the hours in pleasure or sleep.</p> + +<p>At this time an event occurred, which, while it cast a cloud over the +prospects of some of my fellow slaves, was a rainbow over mine. My master +died, and his widow, by the will, became sole executrix of his property. +To the surprize of all, the bank of which he had been cashier presented a +claim against the estate for forty thousand dollars. By a compromise, +this sum was reduced to twenty thousand dollars; and my mistress, to meet +the amount, sold some of her slaves, and hired out others. I hired my time +of her,<a name="FNanchor_A_2" id="FNanchor_A_2" /><a href="#Footnote_A_2" class="fnanchor">[A]</a> for which I paid her a price varying from one hundred dollars +to one hundred and twenty dollars per year. This was a privilege which +comparatively few slaves at the South enjoy; and in this I felt truly +blessed.</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_A_2" id="Footnote_A_2" /><a href="#FNanchor_A_2"><span class="label">[A]</span></a> It is contrary to the laws of the State for a slave to have +command of his own time in this way, but in Raleigh it is sometimes winked +at. I knew one slave-man who was <i>doing well for himself</i>, taken up by the +public authorities and hired out for the public good, three times in +succession for this offence. The time of hiring in such a case is one +year. The master is subject to a fine. But generally, as I have said, if +the slave is orderly and appears to be <i>making nothing</i>, neither he nor +the master is interfered with.</p></div> + +<p>I commenced the manufacture of pipes and tobacco on an enlarged scale. I +opened a regular place of business, labelled my tobacco in a conspicuous +manner with the names of "<i>Edward and Lunsford Lane</i>," and of some of the +persons who sold it for me,—established agencies for the sale in various +parts of the State, one at Fayetteville, one at Salisbury, one at Chapel +Hill, and so on,—sold my articles from my place of business, and about +town, also deposited them in stores on commission, and thus, after paying +my mistress for my time, and rendering such support as necessary to my +family, I found in the space of some six or eight years, that I had +collected the sum of one thousand dollars. During this time I had found it +politic to go shabbily dressed, and to appear to be very poor, but to pay +my mistress for my services promptly. I kept my money hid, never venturing +to put out a penny, nor to let any body but my wife know that I was making +any. The thousand dollars was what I supposed my mistress would ask for +me, and so I determined now what I would do.</p> + +<p>I went to my mistress and inquired what was her price for me. She said a +thousand dollars. I then told her that I wanted to be free, and asked her +if she would sell me to be made free. She said she would; and accordingly +I arranged with her, and with the master of my wife, Mr. Smith, already +spoken of, for the latter to take my money<a name="FNanchor_A_3" id="FNanchor_A_3" /><a href="#Footnote_A_3" class="fnanchor">[A]</a> and buy of her my freedom, +as I could not legally purchase it, and as the laws forbid emancipation +except for "meritorious services." This done, Mr. Smith endeavored to +emancipate me formally, and to get my manumission recorded; I tried also; +but the court judged that I had done nothing "meritorious," and so I +remained, nominally only, the slave of Mr. Smith for a year; when, feeling +unsafe in that relation, I accompanied him to New York whither he was +going to purchase goods, and was there regularly and formally made a +freeman, and there my manumission was recorded. I returned to my family in +Raleigh and endeavored to do by them as a freeman should. I had known what +it was to be a slave, and I knew what it was to be free.</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_A_3" id="Footnote_A_3" /><a href="#FNanchor_A_3"><span class="label">[A]</span></a> <i>Legally</i>, my money belonged to my mistress; and she could +have taken it and refused to grant me my freedom. But she was a very kind +woman for a slave owner; and she would under the circumstances, scorn to +do such a thing. I have known of slaves, however, served in this way.</p></div> + +<p>But I am going too rapidly over my story. When the money was paid to my +mistress and the conveyance fairly made to Mr. Smith, I felt that I was +free. And a queer and a joyous feeling it is to one who has been a slave. +I cannot describe it, only it seemed as though I was in heaven. I used to +lie awake whole nights thinking of it. And oh, the strange thoughts that +passed through my soul, like so many rivers of light; deep and rich were +their waves as they rolled;—these were more to me than sleep, more than +soft slumber after long months of watching over the decaying, fading frame +of a friend, and the loved one laid to rest in the dust. But I cannot +describe my feelings to those who have never been slaves; then why should +I attempt it? He who has passed from spiritual death to life, and received +the witness within his soul that his sins are forgiven, may possibly form +some distant idea, like the ray of the setting sun from the far off +mountain top, of the emotions of an emancipated slave. That opens heaven. +To break the bonds of slavery, opens up at once both earth and heaven. +Neither can be truly seen by us while we are slaves.</p> + +<p>And now will the reader take with me a brief review of the road I had +trodden. I cannot here dwell upon its dark shades, though some of these +were black as the pencillings of midnight, but upon the light that had +followed my path from my infancy up, and had at length conducted me quite +out of the deep abyss of bondage. There is a hymn opening with the +following stanza, which very much expresses my feelings:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"When all thy mercies, Oh my God,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">My rising soul surveys,<br /></span> +<span>Transported with the view, I'm lost<br /></span> +<span class="i2">In wonder, love, and praise."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>I had endured what a freeman would indeed call hard fare; but my lot, on +the whole, had been a favored one for a slave. It is known that there is a +wide difference in the situations of what are termed house servants, and +plantation hands. I, though sometimes employed upon the plantation, +belonged to the former, which is the favored class. My master, too, was +esteemed a kind and humane man; and altogether I fared quite differently +from many poor fellows whom it makes my blood run chill to think of, +confined to the plantation, with not enough of food and that little of the +coarsest kind, to satisfy the gnawings of hunger,—compelled oftentimes, +to hie away in the night-time, when worn down with work, and <i>steal</i>, (if +it be stealing,) and privately devour such things as they can lay their +hands upon,—made to feel the rigors of bondage with no cessation,—torn +away sometimes from the few friends they love, friends doubly dear because +they are few, and transported to a climate where in a few hard years they +die,—or at best conducted heavily and sadly to their resting place under +the sod, upon their old master's plantation,—sometimes, perhaps, +enlivening the air with merriment, but a forced merriment, that comes from +a stagnant or a stupified heart. Such as this is the fate of the +plantation slaves generally, but such was not my lot. My way was +comparatively light, and what is better, it conducted to freedom. And my +wife and children were with me. After my master died, my mistress sold a +number of her slaves from their families and friends—but not me. She sold +several children from their parents—but my children were with me still. +She sold two husbands from their wives—but I was still with mine. She +sold one wife from her husband—but mine had not been sold from me. The +master of my wife, Mr. Smith, had separated members of families by +sale—but not of mine. With me and my house, the tenderer tendrils of the +heart still clung to where the vine had entwined; pleasant was its shade +and delicious its fruit to our taste, though we knew, and what is more, we +<i>felt</i> that we were slaves. But all around I could see where the vine had +been torn down, and its bleeding branches told of vanished joys, and of +new wrought sorrows, such as, slave though I was, had never entered into +my practical experience.</p> + +<p>I had never been permitted to learn to read; but I used to attend church, +and there I received instruction which I trust was of some benefit to me. +I trusted, too, that I had experienced the renewing influences of the +gospel; and after obtaining from my mistress a written <i>permit</i>, (a thing +<i>always</i> required in such a case,) I had been baptised and received into +fellowship with the Baptist denomination. So that in religious matters, I +had been indulged in the exercise of my own conscience—a favor not always +granted to slaves. Indeed I, with others, was often told by the minister +how good God was in bringing us over to this country from dark and +benighted Africa, and permitting us to listen to the sound of the gospel. +To me, God also granted temporal freedom, which <i>man</i> without God's +consent, had stolen away.</p> + +<p>I often heard select portions of the scriptures read. And on the Sabbath +there was one sermon preached expressly for the colored people which it +was generally my privilege to hear. I became quite familiar with the +texts, "Servants be obedient to your masters."—"Not with eye service as +men pleasers."—"He that knoweth his master's will and doeth it not, shall +be beaten with many stripes," and others of this class: for they formed +the basis of most of these public instructions to us. The first +commandment impressed upon our minds was to obey our masters, and the +second was like unto it, namely, to do as much work when they or the +overseers were not watching us as when they were. But connected with these +instructions there was more or less that was truly excellent; though mixed +up with much that would sound strangely in the ears of freedom. There was +one very kind hearted Episcopal minister whom I often used to hear; he was +very popular with the colored people. But after he had preached a sermon +to us in which he argued from the Bible that it was the will of heaven +from all eternity we should be slaves, and our masters be our owners, most +of us left him; for like some of the faint hearted disciples in early +times we said,—"This is a hard saying, who can bear it?"</p> + +<p>My manumission, as I shall call it; that is, the bill of sale conveying me +to Mr. Smith, was dated Sept. 9th, 1835. I continued in the tobacco and +pipe business as already described, to which I added a small trade in a +variety of articles; and some two years before I left Raleigh, I entered +also into a considerable business in wood, which I used to purchase by the +acre standing, cut it, haul it into the city, deposit it in a yard and +sell it out as I advantageously could. Also I was employed about the +office of the Governor as I shall hereafter relate. I used to keep one or +two horses, and various vehicles, by which I did a variety of work at +hauling about town. Of course I had to hire more or less help, to carry on +my business.</p> + +<p>In the manufacture of tobacco I met with considerable competition, but +none that materially injured me. The method of preparing it having +originated with me and my father, we found it necessary, in order to +secure the advantage of the invention, to keep it to ourselves, and +decline, though often solicited, going into partnership with others. Those +who undertook the manufacture could neither give the article a flavor so +pleasant as ours, nor manufacture it so cheaply, so they either failed in +it, or succeeded but poorly.</p> + +<p>Not long after obtaining my own freedom, I began seriously to think about +purchasing the freedom of my family. The first proposition was that I +should buy my wife, and that we should jointly labor to obtain the freedom +of the children afterwards as we were able. But that idea was abandoned, +when her master, Mr. Smith, refused to sell her to me for less than one +thousand dollars, a sum which then appeared too much for me to raise.</p> + +<p>Afterwards, however, I conceived the idea of purchasing at once the entire +family. I went to Mr. Smith to learn his price, which he put at <i>three +thousand dollars</i> for my wife and six children, the number we then had. +This seemed a large sum, both because it was a great deal for me to raise; +and also because Mr. Smith, when he bought my wife and <i>two</i> children, had +actually paid but five hundred and sixty dollars for them, and had +received, ever since, their labor, while I had almost entirely supported +them, both as to food and clothing. Altogether, therefore, the case seemed +a hard one, but as I was entirely in his power I must do the best I could. +At length he concluded, perhaps partly of his own motion, and partly +through the persuasion of a friend, to sell the family for $2,500, as I +wished to free them, though he contended still that they were worth three +thousand dollars. Perhaps they would at that time have brought this larger +sum, if sold for the Southern market. The arrangement with Mr. Smith was +made in December, 1838. I gave him five notes of five hundred dollars +each, the first due in January, 1840, and one in January each succeeding +year; for which he transferred my family into my own possession, with a +<i>bond</i> to give me a bill of sale when I should pay the notes. With this +arrangement, we found ourselves living in our own house—a house which I +had previously purchased—in January, 1839.</p> + +<p>After moving my family, my wife was for a short time sick, in consequence +of her labor and the excitement in moving, and her excessive joy. I told +her that it reminded me of a poor shoemaker in the neighborhood who +purchased a ticket in a lottery; but not expecting to draw, the fact of +his purchasing it had passed out of his mind. But one day as he was at +work on his last, he was informed that his ticket had drawn the liberal +prize of ten thousand dollars; and the poor man was so overjoyed, that he +fell back on his seat, and immediately expired.</p> + +<p>In this new and joyful situation, we found ourselves getting along very +well, until September, 1840, when to my surprise, as I was passing the +street one day, engaged in my business, the following note was handed me. +"Read it," said the officer, "or if you cannot read, get some white man to +read it to you." Here it is, <i>verbatim</i>:</p> + +<blockquote><p><i>To Lunsford Lane, a free man of Colour</i></p> + +<p> Take notice that whereas complaint has been made to us two Justices of + the Peace for the county of Wake and state of North Carolina that you + are a free negro from another state who has migrated into this state + contrary to the provisions of the act of assembly concerning free + negros and mulattoes now notice is given you that unless you leave and + remove out of this state within twenty days that you will be proceeded + against for the penalty porscribed by said act of assembly and be + otherwise dealt with as the law directs given under our hands and seals + this the 5th Sept 1840</p> + +<p> WILLIS SCOTT JP (Seal)</p> + +<p> JORDAN WOMBLE JP (Seal)</p></blockquote> + +<p>This was a terrible blow to me; for it prostrated at once all my hopes in +my cherished object of obtaining the freedom of my family, and led me to +expect nothing but a separation from them forever.</p> + +<p>In order that the reader may understand the full force of the foregoing +notice, I will copy the Law of the State under which it was issued:</p> + +<blockquote><p>SEC. 65. It shall not be lawful for any free negro or mulatto to migrate + into this State: and if he or she shall do so, contrary to the + provisions of this act, and being thereof informed, shall not, within + twenty days thereafter, remove out of the State, he or she being thereof + convicted in the manner hereafter directed, shall be liable to a penalty + of five hundred dollars; and upon failure to pay the same, within the + time prescribed in the judgment awarded against such person or persons, + he or she shall be liable to be held in servitude and at labor for a + term of time not exceeding ten years, in such manner and upon such terms + as may be provided by the court awarding such sentence, and the proceeds + arising therefrom shall be paid over to the county trustee for county + purposes: Provided, that in case any free negro or mulatto shall pay the + penalty of five hundred dollars, according to the provisions of this + act, it shall be the duty of such free negro or mulatto to remove him or + herself out of this State within twenty days thereafter, and for every + such failure, he or she shall be subject to the like penalty, as is + prescribed for a failure to remove in the first instance.—<i>Revised + Statutes North Carolina, chap. III.</i></p></blockquote> + +<p>The next section provides that if the free person of color so notified, +does not leave within the twenty days after receiving the notice, he may +be arrested on a warrant from any Justice, and be held to bail for his +appearance at the next county court, when he will be subject to the +penalties specified above; or in case of his failure to give bonds, he may +be sent to jail.</p> + +<p>I made known my situation to my friends, and after taking legal counsel it +was determined to endeavor to induce, if possible, the complainants to +prosecute no farther at present, and then as the Legislature of the State +was to sit in about two months, to petition that body for permission to +remain in the State until I could complete the purchase of my family; +after which I was willing, if necessary, to leave.</p> + +<p>From January 1st, 1837, I had been employed as I have mentioned, in the +office of the Governor of the State, principally under the direction of +his private Secretary, in keeping the office in order, taking the letters +to the Post Office, and doing such other duties of the sort as occurred +from time to time. This circumstance, with the fact of the high standing +in the city of the family of my former master, and of the former masters +of my wife, had given me the friendship of the first people in the place +generally, who from that time forward acted towards me the friendly part.</p> + +<p>MR. BATTLE, then private Secretary to Governor Dudley, addressed the +following letter to the prosecuting attorney in my behalf:</p> + +<blockquote><p>RALEIGH, Nov. 3, 1840.</p> + +<p> DEAR SIR:—Lunsford Lane, a free man of color, has been in the employ of + the State under me since my entering on my present situation. I + understand that under a law of the State, he has been notified to leave, + and that the time is now at hand.</p> + +<p> In the discharge of the duties I had from him, I have found him prompt, + obedient, and faithful. At this particular time, his absence to me would + be much regretted, as I am now just fixing up my books and other papers + in the new office, and I shall not have time to learn another what he + can already do so well. With me the period of the Legislature is a very + busy one, and I am compelled to have a servant who understands the + business I want done, and one I can trust. I would not wish to be an + obstacle in the execution of any law, but the enforcing of the one + against him, will be doing me a serious inconvenience, and the object of + this letter is to ascertain whether I could not procure a suspension of + the sentence till after the adjournment of the Legislature, say about + 1st January, 1841.</p> + +<p> I should feel no hesitation in giving my word that he will conduct + himself orderly and obediently.</p> + +<p> I am most respectfully,</p> + +<p> Your obedient servant,</p> + +<p> C.C. BATTLE.</p> + +<p> G.W. HAYWOOD, ESQ.</p> + +<p> Attorney at Law, Raleigh, N.C.</p></blockquote> + +<p>To the above letter the following reply was made:</p> + +<blockquote><p>RALEIGH, Nov. 3, 1840.</p> + +<p> MY DEAR SIR:—I have no objection so far as I am concerned, that all + further proceedings against Lunsford should be postponed until after the + adjournment of the Legislature.</p> + +<p> The process now out against him is one issued by two magistrates, + Messrs. Willis Scott and Jordan Womble, over which I have no control. + You had better see them to-day, and perhaps, at your request, they will + delay further action on the subject.</p> + +<p> Respectfully yours,</p> + +<p> GEO. W. HAYWOOD.</p></blockquote> + +<p>Mr. Battle then enclosed the foregoing correspondence to Messrs. Scott and +Womble, requesting their "favorable consideration." They returned the +correspondence, but neglected to make any reply.</p> + +<p>In consequence, however, of this action on the part of my friends, I was +permitted to remain without further interruption, until the day the +Legislature commenced its session. On that day a warrant was served upon +me, to appear before the county court, to answer for the sin of having +remained in the place of my birth for the space of twenty days and more +after being warned out. I escaped going to jail through the kindness of +Mr. Haywood, a son of my former master, and Mr. Smith, who jointly became +security for my appearance at court.</p> + +<p>This was on Monday; and on Wednesday I appeared before the court; but as +my prosecutors were not ready for the trial, the case was laid over three +months, to the next term.</p> + +<p>I then proceeded to get up a petition to the Legislature. It required +much hard labor and persuasion on my part to start it; but after that, I +readily obtained the signatures of the principal men in the place.—Then I +went round to the members, many of whom were known to me, calling upon +them at their rooms, and urging them for my sake, for humanity's sake, for +the sake of my wife and little ones, whose hopes had been excited by the +idea that they were even now free; I appealed to them as husbands, +fathers, brothers, sons, to vote in favor of my petition, and allow me to +remain in the State long enough to purchase my family. I was doing well in +business, and it would be but a short time before I could accomplish the +object. Then, if it was desired, I and my wife and children, redeemed from +bondage, would together seek a more friendly home, beyond the dominion of +slavery. The following is the petition presented, endorsed as the reader +will see:</p> + +<blockquote><p><i>To the Hon. General Assembly of the State of North Carolina.</i></p> + +<p> GENTLEMEN:—The petition of Lunsford Lane humbly shews—That about five + years ago, he purchased his freedom from his mistress, Mrs. Sherwood + Haywood, and by great economy and industry has paid the purchase money; + that he has a wife and seven children whom he has agreed to purchase, + and for whom he has paid a part of the purchase money; but not having + paid in full, is not yet able to leave the State, without parting with + his wife and children.</p> + +<p> Your petitioner prays your Honorable Body to pass a law, allowing him to + remain a limited time within the State, until he can remove his family + also. Your petitioner will give bond and good security for his good + behaviour while he remains. Your petitioner will ever pray, &c.</p> + +<p> LUNSFORD LANE.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p> The undersigned are well acquainted with Lunsford Lane, the petitioner, + and join in his petition to the Assembly for relief.</p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="Signed By"> +<tr><td align='left'>Charles Manly,</td><td align='left'>Drury Lacy,</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>R.W. Haywood,</td><td align='left'>Will. Peck,</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Eleanor Haywood,</td><td align='left'>W.A. Stith,</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Wm. Hill,</td><td align='left'>A.B. Stith,</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>R. Smith,</td><td align='left'>J. Brown,</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Wm. Peace,</td><td align='left'>William White,</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Jos. Peace,</td><td align='left'>Geo. Simpson,</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Wm. M'Pheeters,</td><td align='left'>Jno. I. Christophers,</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Wm. Boylan,</td><td align='left'>John Primrose,</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Fabius J. Haywood,</td><td align='left'>Hugh M'Queen,</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>D.W. Stone,</td><td align='left'>Alex. J. Lawrence,</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>T. Meredith,</td><td align='left'>C.L. Hinton.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>A.J. Battle,</td></tr></table> + +<p> Lunsford Lane, the petitioner herein, has been servant to the Executive + Office since the 1st of January, 1837, and it gives me pleasure to state + that, during the whole time, without exception, I have found him + faithful and obedient, in keeping every thing committed to his care in + good condition. From what I have seen of his conduct and demeanor, I + cheerfully join in the petition for his relief.</p> + +<p> C.C. BATTLE,</p> + +<p> <i>P. Secretary to Gov. Dudley.</i></p> + +<p> Raleigh, Nov. 20, 1840.</p></blockquote> + +<p>The foregoing petition was presented to the Senate. It was there referred +to a committee. I knew when the committee was to report, and watched about +the State House that I might receive the earliest news of the fate of my +petition. I should have gone within the senate chamber, but no colored man +has that permission. I do not know why, unless for fear, he may hear the +name of <i>Liberty</i>. By and by a member came out, and as he passed me, +said, "<i>Well, Lunsford, they have laid you out; the nigger bill is +killed.</i>" I need not tell the reader that my feelings did not enter into +the merriment of this honorable senator. To me, the fate of my petition +was the last blow to my hopes. I had done all I could do, had said all I +could say, laboring night and day, to obtain a favorable reception to my +petition; but all in vain. Nothing appeared before me but I must leave the +State, and leave my wife and my children never to see them more. My +friends had also done all they could for me.</p> + +<p>And why must I be banished? Ever after I entertained the first idea of +being free, I had endeavored so to conduct myself as not to become +obnoxious to the white inhabitants, knowing as I did their power, and +their hostility to the colored people. The two points necessary in such a +case I had kept constantly in mind. First, I had made no display of the +little property or money I possessed, but in every way I wore as much as +possible the aspect of poverty. Second, I had never appeared to be even so +intelligent as I really was. This all colored people at the south, free +and slaves, find it peculiarly necessary to their own comfort and safety +to observe.</p> + +<p>I should, perhaps, have mentioned that on the same day I received the +notice to leave Raleigh, similar notices were presented to two other free +colored people, who had been slaves; were trying to purchase their +families; and were otherwise in a like situation to myself. And they took +the same course I did to endeavor to remain a limited time. ISAAC HUNTER, +who had a family with five children, was one; and WALLER FREEMAN, who had +six children, was the other. Mr. Hunter's petition went before mine; and a +bill of some sort passed the Senate, which was so cut down in the Commons, +as to allow him only <i>twenty days</i> to remain in the State. He has since, +however, obtained the freedom of his family, who are living with him in +Philadelphia.</p> + +<p>Mr. Freeman's petition received no better fate than mine. His family were +the property of Judge BADGER, who was afterwards made a member of Mr. +Harrison's cabinet. When Mr. Badger removed to Washington, he took with +him among other slaves this family; and Freeman removed also to that city. +After this, when Mr. B. resigned his office, with the other members of the +cabinet under President Tyler, he entered into some sort of contract with +Freeman, to sell him this family, which he left at Washington, while he +took the rest of his slaves back to Raleigh. Freeman is now endeavoring to +raise money to make the purchase.</p> + +<p>It was now between two and three months to the next session of the court; +and I knew that before or at that time I must leave the State. I was +bound to appear before the court; but it had been arranged between my +lawyer and the prosecuting attorney, that if I would leave the State, and +pay the costs of court, the case should be dropped, so that my bondsmen +should not be involved. I therefore concluded to stay as long as I +possibly could, and then leave. I also determined to appeal to the +kindness of the friends of the colored man in the North, for assistance, +though I had but little hope of succeeding in this way. Yet it was the +only course I could think of, by which I could see any possible hope of +accomplishing the object.</p> + +<p>I had paid Mr. Smith six hundred and twenty dollars; and had a house and +lot worth $500, which he had promised to take when I should raise the +balance. He gave me also a bill of sale of one of my children, Laura, in +consideration of two hundred and fifty dollars of the money already paid; +and her I determined to take with me to the North. The costs of court +which I had to meet, amounted to between thirty and forty dollars, besides +the fee of my lawyer.</p> + +<p>On the 18th of May, 1841, three days after the court commenced its +session, I bid adieu to my friends in Raleigh, and set out for the city of +New York. I took with me a letter of introduction and recommendation from +Mr. John Primrose, a very estimable man, a recommendatory certificate from +Mr. Battle, and a letter from the church of which I was a member, +together with such papers relating to the affair as I had in my +possession. Also I received the following:</p> + +<blockquote><p>RALEIGH, N.C. May, 1841.</p> + +<p> The bearer, Lunsford Lane, a free man of color, for some time a resident + in this place, being about to leave North Carolina in search of a more + favorable location to pursue his trade, has desired us to give him a + certificate of his good conduct heretofore.</p> + +<p> We take pleasure in saying that his habits are temperate and + industrious, that his conduct has been orderly and proper, and that he + has for these qualities been distinguished among his caste.</p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="Signed By"> +<tr><td align='left'>Wm. Hill,</td><td align='left'>R. Smith,</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Weston R. Gales,</td><td align='left'>C. Dewey.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>C.L. Hinton,</td></tr></table> +</blockquote> + +<p>The above was certified to officially in the usual form by the clerk of +the court of Common Pleas and Quarter Sessions.</p> + +<p>My success in New York was at first small; but at length I fell in with +two friends who engaged to raise for me three hundred dollars, provided I +should first obtain from other sources the balance of the sum required, +which balance would be one thousand and eighty dollars. Thus encouraged, I +proceeded to Boston; and in the city and vicinity the needful sum was +contributed by about the 1st of April, 1842. My thanks I have endeavored +to express in my poor way to the many friends who so kindly and liberally +assisted me. I cannot reward them; I hope they will receive their reward +in another world. If the limits of this publication would permit, I +should like to record the names of many to whom I am very especially +indebted for their kindness and aid, not only in contributing, but by +introducing me and opening various ways of access to others.</p> + +<p>On the 5th of February, 1842, finding that I should soon have in my +possession the sum necessary to procure my family, and fearing that there +might be danger in visiting Raleigh for that purpose, in consequence of +the strong opposition of many of the citizens against colored people, +their opposition to me, and their previously persecuting me from the city, +I wrote to Mr. Smith, requesting him to see the Governor and obtain under +his hand a permit to visit the State for a sufficient time to accomplish +this business. I requested Mr. Smith to publish the permit in one or two +of the city papers, and then to enclose the original to me. This letter he +answered, under date of Raleigh, 19th Feb. 1842, as follows:</p> + +<blockquote><p>LUNSFORD:—Your letter of the 5th inst. came duly to hand, and in reply + I have to inform you, that owing to the absence of Gov. Morehead, I + cannot send you the permit you requested, but this will make no + difference, for you can come home, and after your arrival you may obtain + one to remain long enough to settle up your affairs. You ought of course + to apply to the Governor immediately on your arrival, before any + malicious person would have time to inform against you; I don't think by + pursuing this course you need apprehend any danger.</p> + +<p> We are all alive at present in Raleigh on the subjects of temperance and + religion. We have taken into the temperance societies, about five + hundred members, and about fifty persons have been happily converted. + * * * The work seems still to be spreading, and such a time I have never + seen before in my life. Glorious times truly.</p> + +<p> Do try and get all the religion in your heart you possibly can, for it + is the only thing worth having after all.</p> + +<p> Your, &c.</p> + +<p> B.B. SMITH.</p></blockquote> + +<p>The way now appeared to be in a measure open; also I thought that the +religious and temperance interest mentioned in the latter portion of Mr. +Smith's letter, augured a state of feeling which would be a protection to +me. But fearing still that there might be danger in visiting Raleigh +without the permit from the Governor, or at least wishing to take every +possible precaution, I addressed another letter to Mr. Smith, and received +under date of March 12th, a reply, from which I copy as follows:</p> + +<blockquote><p>"The Governor has just returned, and I called upon him to get the permit + as you requested, but he said he had no authority by law to grant one; + and he told me to say to you, that you might in perfect safety come home + in a quiet manner, and remain twenty days without being interrupted. I + also consulted Mr. Manly [a lawyer] and he told me the same thing. * * * + <i>Surely you need not fear any thing under these circumstances. You had + therefore better come on just as soon as possible.</i>"</p></blockquote> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>I need not say, what the reader has already seen, that my life so far had +been one of joy succeeding sorrow, and sorrow following joy; of hope, of +despair; of bright prospects, of gloom; and of as many hues as ever appear +on the varied sky, from the black of midnight, or the deep brown of a +tempest, to the bright warm glow of a clear noon day. On the 11th of +April it was noon with me; I left Boston on my way for Raleigh with high +hopes, intending to pay over the money for my family and return with them +to Boston, which I intended should be my future home; for there I had +found friends and there I would find a grave. The visit I was making to +the South was to be a farewell one; and I did not dream that my old +cradle, hard as it once had jostled me, would refuse to rock me a +pleasant, or even an affectionate good bye. I thought, too, that the +assurances I had received from the Governor, through Mr. Smith, and the +assurances of other friends, were a sufficient guaranty that I might visit +the home of my boyhood, of my youth, of my manhood, in peace, especially +as I was to stay but for a few days and then to return. With these +thoughts, and with the thoughts of my family and freedom, I pursued my way +to Raleigh, and arrived there on the 23d of the month. It was Saturday +about four o'clock, P.M. when I found myself once more in the midst of my +family. With them I remained over the Sabbath, as it was sweet to spend a +little time with them after so long an absence, an absence filled with so +much of interest to us, and as I could not do any business until the +beginning of the week. On Monday morning between eight and nine o'clock, +while I was making ready to leave the house for the first time after my +arrival, to go to the store of Mr. Smith, where I was to transact my +business with him, two constables, Messrs. Murray and Scott, entered, +accompanied by two other men, and summoned me to appear immediately before +the police. I accordingly accompanied them to the City Hall, but as it was +locked and the officers could not at once find the key, we were told that +the court would be held in Mr. Smith's store, a large and commodious room. +This was what is termed in common phrase in Raleigh a "call court." The +Mayor, Mr. Loring, presided, assisted by William Boylan and Jonathan +Busbye, Esqs. Justices of the Peace. There was a large number of people +together—more than could obtain admission to the room, and a large +company of mobocratic spirits crowded around the door. Mr. Loring read the +writ, setting forth that I had been guilty of <i>delivering abolition +lectures in the State of Massachusetts</i>. He asked me whether I was guilty +or not guilty. I told him I did not know whether I had given abolition +lectures or not, but if it pleased the court, I would relate the course I +had pursued during my absence from Raleigh. He then said that I was at +liberty to speak.</p> + +<p>The circumstances under which I left Raleigh, said I, are perfectly +familiar to you. It is known that I had no disposition to remove from this +city, but resorted to every lawful means to remain. After I found that I +could not be permitted to stay, I went away leaving behind everything I +held dear with the exception of one child, whom I took with me, after +paying two hundred and fifty dollars for her. It is also known to you and +to many other persons here present, that I had engaged to purchase my wife +and children of her master, Mr. Smith, for the sum of twenty-five hundred +dollars, and that I had paid of this sum (including my house and lot) +eleven hundred and twenty dollars, leaving a balance to be made up of +thirteen hundred and eighty dollars. I had previously to that lived in +Raleigh, a slave, the property of Mr. Sherwood Haywood, and had purchased +my freedom by paying the sum of one thousand dollars. But being driven +away, no longer permitted to live in this city, to raise the balance of +the money due on my family, my last resort was to call upon the friends of +humanity in other places, to assist me.</p> + +<p>I went to the city of Boston, and there I related the story of my +persecutions here, the same as I have now stated to you. The people gave +ear to my statements; and one of them, Rev. Mr. Neale, wrote back, unknown +to me, to Mr. Smith, inquiring of him whether the statements made by me +were correct. After Mr. Neale received the answer he sent for me, informed +me of his having written, and read to me the reply. The letter fully +satisfied Mr. Neale and his friends. He placed it in my hands, remarking +that it would, in a great measure, do away the necessity of using the +other documents in my possession. I then with that letter in my hands went +out from house to house, from place of business to place of business, and +from church to church, relating (where I could gain an ear) the same +heart-rending and soul-trying story which I am now repeating to you. In +pursuing that course, the people, first one and then another contributed, +until I had succeeded in raising the amount alluded to, namely, thirteen +hundred and eighty dollars. I may have had contributions from +abolitionists; but I did not stop to ask those who assisted me whether +they were anti-slavery or pro-slavery, for I considered that the money +coming from either, would accomplish the object I had in view. These are +the facts; and now, sir, it remains for you to say, whether I have been +giving abolition lectures or not.</p> + +<p>In the course of my remarks I presented the letter of Mr. Smith to Mr. +Neale, showing that I had acted the open part while in Massachusetts; also +I referred to my having written to Mr. Smith requesting him to obtain for +me the permit of the Governor; and I showed to the court, Mr. Smith's +letters in reply, in order to satisfy them that I had reason to believe I +should be unmolested in my return.</p> + +<p>Mr. Loring then whispered to some of the leading men; after which he +remarked that he saw nothing in what I had done, according to my +statements, implicating me in a manner worthy of notice. He called upon +any present who might be in possession of information tending to disprove +what I had said, or to show any wrong on my part, to produce it, otherwise +I should be set at liberty. No person appeared against me; so I was +discharged.</p> + +<p>I started to leave the house; but just before I got to the door I met Mr. +James Litchford, who touched me on the shoulder, and I followed him back. +He observed to me that if I went out of that room I should in less than +five minutes be a dead man; for there was a mob outside waiting to drink +my life. Mr. Loring then spoke to me again and said that notwithstanding I +had been found guilty of nothing, yet public opinion was law; and he +advised me to leave the place the next day, otherwise he was convinced I +should have to suffer death. I replied, "not to-morrow, but to-day." He +answered that I could not go that day, because I had not done my business. +I told him that I would leave my business in his hands and in those of +other such gentlemen as himself, who might settle it for me and send my +family to meet me at Philadelphia. This was concluded upon, and a guard +appointed to conduct me to the depot. I took my seat in the cars, when +the mob that had followed us surrounded me, and declared that the cars +should not go, if I were permitted to go in them. Mr. Loring inquired what +they wanted of me; he told them that there had been an examination, and +nothing had been found against me; that they were at the examination +invited to speak if they knew of aught to condemn me, but they had +remained silent, and that now it was but right I should be permitted to +leave in peace. They replied that they wanted a more thorough +investigation, that they wished to search my trunks (I had but one trunk) +and see if I was not in possession of abolition papers. It now became +evident that I should be unable to get off in the cars; and my friends +advised me to go the shortest way possible to jail, for my safety. They +said they were persuaded that what the rabble wanted was to get me into +their possession, and then to murder me. The mob looked dreadfully +enraged, and seemed to lap for blood. The whole city was in an uproar. But +the first men and the more wealthy were my friends: and they did +everything in their power to protect me. Mr. Boylan, whose name has +repeatedly occurred in this publication, was more than a father to me; and +Mr. Smith and Mr. Loring, and many other gentlemen, whose names it would +give me pleasure to mention, were exceedingly kind.</p> + +<p>The guard then conducted me through the mob to the prison; and I felt +joyful that even a prison could protect me. Looking out from the prison +window, I saw my trunk in the hands of Messrs. Johnson, Scott, and others, +who were taking it to the City Hall for examination. I understood +afterwards that they opened my trunk; and as the lid flew up, Lo! a paper! +a paper!! Those about seized it, three or four at once, as hungry dogs +would a piece of meat after forty days famine. But the meat quickly turned +to a stone; for the paper it happened, was one <i>printed in Raleigh</i>, and +edited by WESTON R. GALES, a nice man to be sure, but no abolitionist. The +only other printed or written things in the trunk were some business cards +of a firm in Raleigh—not incendiary.</p> + +<p>Afterwards I saw from the window Mr. Scott, accompanied by Mr. Johnson, +lugging my carpet-bag in the same direction my trunk had gone. It was +opened at the City Hall, and found actually to contain a pair of old +shoes, and a pair of old boots!—but they did not conclude that these were +incendiary.</p> + +<p>Mr. Smith now came to the prison and told me that the examination had been +completed, and nothing found against me; but that it would not be safe for +me to leave the prison immediately. It was agreed that I should remain in +prison until after night-fall, and then steal secretly away, being let +out by the keeper, and pass unnoticed to the house of my old and tried +friend Mr. Boylan. Accordingly I was discharged between nine and ten +o'clock. I went by the back way leading to Mr. Boylan's; but soon and +suddenly a large company of men sprang upon me, and instantly I found +myself in their possession. They conducted me sometimes high above ground +and sometimes dragging me along, but as silently as possible, in the +direction of the gallows, which is always kept standing upon the Common, +or as it is called "the pines," or "piny old field." I now expected to +pass speedily into the world of spirits; I thought of that unseen region +to which I seemed to be hastening; and then my mind would return to my +wife and children, and the labors I had made to redeem them from bondage. +Although I had the money to pay for them according to a bargain already +made, it seemed to me some white man would get it, and they would die in +slavery, without benefit from my exertions and the contributions of my +friends. Then the thought of my own death, to occur in a few brief +moments, would rush over me, and I seemed to bid adieu in spirit to all +earthly things, and to hold communion already with eternity. But at length +I observed those who were carrying me away, changed their course a little +from the direct line to the gallows, and hope, a faint beaming, sprung up +within me; but then as they were taking me to the woods, I thought they +intended to murder me there, in a place where they would be less likely to +be interrupted than in so public a spot as where the gallows stood. They +conducted me to a rising ground among the trees, and set me down. "Now," +said they, "tell us the truth about those abolition lectures you have been +giving at the North." I replied that I had related the circumstances +before the court in the morning; and could only repeat what I had then +said. "But that was not the truth—tell us the truth." I again said that +any different story would be false, and as I supposed I was in a few +minutes to die, I would not, whatever they might think I would say under +other circumstances, pass into the other world with a lie upon my lips. +Said one, "you were always, Lunsford, when you were here, a clever fellow, +and I did not think you would be engaged in such business as giving +abolition lectures." To this and similar remarks, I replied that the +people of Raleigh had always said the abolitionists did not believe in +buying slaves, but contended that their masters ought to free them without +pay. I had been laboring to buy my family; and how then could they suppose +me to be in league with the abolitionists?</p> + +<p>After other conversation of this kind, and after they seemed to have +become tired of questioning me, they held a consultation in a low whisper +among themselves. Then a bucket was brought and set down by my side; but +what it contained or for what it was intended, I could not divine. But +soon, one of the number came forward with a pillow, and then hope sprung +up, a flood of light and joy within me. The heavy weight on my heart +rolled off; death had passed by and I unharmed. They commenced stripping +me till every rag of clothes was removed; and then the bucket was set +near, and I discovered it to contain tar. One man, I will do him the honor +to record his name, Mr. WILLIAM ANDRES, a journeyman printer, when he is +any thing, except a tar-and-featherer, put his hands the first into the +bucket, and was about passing them to my face. "Don't put any in his face +or eyes," said one.<a name="FNanchor_A_4" id="FNanchor_A_4" /><a href="#Footnote_A_4" class="fnanchor">[A]</a> So he desisted; but he, with three other +"gentlemen," whose names I should be happy to record if I could recall +them, gave me as nice a coat of tar all over, face only excepted, as any +one would wish to see. Then they took the pillow and ripped it open at one +end, and with the open end commenced the operation at the head and so +worked downwards, of putting a coat of its contents over that of the +contents of the bucket. A fine escape from the hanging this will be, +thought I, provided they do not with a match set fire to the feathers. I +had some fear they would. But when the work was completed they gave me my +clothes, and one of them handed me my watch which he had carefully kept in +his hands; they all expressed great interest in my welfare, advised me how +to proceed with my business the next day, told me to stay in the place as +long as I wished, and with other such words of consolation they bid me +good night.</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_A_4" id="Footnote_A_4" /><a href="#FNanchor_A_4"><span class="label">[A]</span></a> I think this was Mr. Burns, a blacksmith in the place, but I +am not certain. At any rate, this man was my <i>friend</i> (if so he may be +called) on this occasion; and it was fortunate for me that the company +generally seemed to look up to him for wisdom.</p></div> + +<p>After I had returned to my family, to their inexpressible joy, as they had +become greatly alarmed for my safety, some of the persons who had +participated in this outrage, came in (probably influenced by a curiosity +to see how the tar and feathers would be got off) and expressed great +sympathy for me. They said they regretted that the affair had +happened—that they had no objections to my living in Raleigh—I might +feel perfectly safe to go out and transact my business preparatory to +leaving—I should not be molested.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, my friends understanding that I had been discharged from +prison, and perceiving I did not come to them, had commenced a regular +search for me, on foot and on horseback, every where; and Mr. Smith called +upon the Governor to obtain his official interference; and after my +return, a guard came to protect me; but I chose not to risk myself at my +own house, and so went to Mr. Smith's, where this guard kept me safely +until morning. They seemed friendly indeed, and were regaled with a supper +during the night by Mr. Smith. My friend, Mr. Battle, (late private +secretary to the Governor,) was with them; and he made a speech to them +setting forth the good qualities I had exhibited in my past life, +particularly in my connection with the Governor's office.</p> + +<p>In the morning Mr. Boylan, true as ever, and unflinching in his +friendship, assisted me in arranging my business,<a name="FNanchor_A_5" id="FNanchor_A_5" /><a href="#Footnote_A_5" class="fnanchor">[A]</a> so that I should +start with my family <i>that day</i> for the north. He furnished us with +provisions more than sufficient to sustain the family to Philadelphia, +where we intended to make a halt; and sent his own baggage wagon to convey +our baggage to the depot, offering also to send his carriage for my +family. But my friend, Mr. Malone, had been before him in this kind offer, +which I had agreed to accept.</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_A_5" id="Footnote_A_5" /><a href="#FNanchor_A_5"><span class="label">[A]</span></a> Of course I was obliged to sacrifice much on my property, +leaving in this hurried manner. And while I was in the North, a kind +<i>friend</i> had removed from the wood-lot, wood that I had cut and corded, +for which I expected to receive over one hundred dollars; thus saving me +the trouble of making sale of it, or of being burdened with the money it +would bring. I suppose I have no redress. I might add other things as +bad.</p></div> + +<p>Brief and sorrowful was the parting from my kind friends; but the worst +was the thought of leaving my mother. The cars were to start at ten +o'clock in the morning. I called upon my old mistress, Mrs. Haywood, who +was affected to weeping by the considerations that naturally came to her +mind. She had been kind to me; the day before she and her daughter, Mrs. +Hogg, now present, had jointly transmitted a communication to the court +representing that in consequence of my good conduct from my youth, I could +not be supposed to be guilty of any offence. And now, "with tears that +ceased not flowing," they gave me their parting blessing. My mother was +still Mrs. Haywood's slave, and I her only child. Our old mistress could +not witness the sorrow that would attend the parting with my mother. She +told her to go with me; and said that if I ever became able to pay two +hundred dollars for her, I might; otherwise it should be her loss. She +gave her the following paper, which is in the ordinary form of a <i>pass</i>:</p> + +<blockquote><p>RALEIGH, N.C. April 26, 1842.</p> + +<p> Know all persons by these presents, that the bearer of this, Clarissa, a + slave, belonging to me, hath my permission to visit the city of New York + with her relations, who are in company with her; and it is my desire + that she may be protected and permitted to pass without molestation or + hindrance, on good behavior. Witness my hand this 26th April, 1842.</p> + +<p> ELEANOR HAYWOOD.</p> + +<p> Witness—J.A. Campbell.</p></blockquote> + +<p>On leaving Mrs. Haywood's, I called upon Mrs. Badger, another daughter, +and wife of Judge Badger, previously mentioned. She seemed equally +affected; she wept as she gave me her parting counsel. She and Mrs. Hogg +and I had been children together, playing in the same yard, while yet none +of us had learned that they were of a superior and I of a subject race. +And in those infant years there were pencillings made upon the heart, +which time and opposite fortunes could not all efface.—May these friends +never be slaves as I have been; nor their bosom companions and their +little ones be slaves like mine.</p> + +<p>When the cars were about to start, the whole city seemed to be gathered at +the depot; and among the rest the mobocratic portion, who appeared to be +determined still that I should not go peaceably away. Apprehending this, +it had been arranged with my friends and the conductor, that my family +should be put in the cars and that I should go a distance from the city on +foot, and be taken up as they passed. The mob, therefore, supposing that I +was left behind, allowed the cars to start.</p> + +<p>Mr. Whiting, known as the agent of the rail road company, was going as far +as Petersburg, Va.; and he kindly assisted in purchasing our tickets, and +enabling us to pass on unmolested. After he left, Capt. Guyan, of Raleigh, +performed the same kind office as far as Alexandria, D.C., and then he +placed us in the care of a citizen of Philadelphia, whose name I regret to +have forgotten, who protected us quite out of the land of slavery. But +for this we should have been liable to be detained at several places on +our way, much to our embarrassment, at least, if nothing had occurred of a +more serious nature.</p> + +<p>One accident only had happened: we lost at Washington a trunk containing +most of our valuable clothing. This we have, not recovered; but our lives +have been spared to bless the day that conferred freedom upon us. I felt +when my feet struck the pavements in Philadelphia, as though I had passed +into another world. I could draw in a full long breath, with no one to say +to the ribs, "why do ye so?"</p> + +<p>On reaching Philadelphia we found that our money had all been expended, +but kind friends furnished us with the means of proceeding as far as +New-York; and thence we were with equal kindness aided on to Boston.</p> + +<p>In Boston and in the vicinity, are persons almost without number, who have +done me favors more than I can express. The thought that I was now in my +new, though recently acquired home—that my family were with me where the +stern, cruel, hated hand of slavery could never reach us more—the +greetings of friends—the interchange of feeling and sympathy—the +kindness bestowed upon us, more grateful than rain to the thirsty +earth,—the reflections of the past that would rush into my mind,—these +and more almost overwhelmed me with emotion, and I had deep and strange +communion with my own soul. Next to God from whom every good gift +proceeds, I feel under the greatest obligations to my kind friends in +Massachusetts. To be rocked in their cradle of Liberty,—Oh, how unlike +being stretched on the pillory of slavery! May that cradle rock forever; +may many a poor care-worn child of sorrow, many a spirit-bruised (worse +than lash-mangled) victim of oppression, there sweetly sleep to the +lullaby of Freedom, sung by Massachusetts sons and daughters.</p> + +<p>A number of meetings have been held at which friends have contributed to +our temporal wants, and individuals have sent us various articles of +provision and furniture and apparel, so that our souls have been truly +made glad. There are now ten of us in the family, my wife, my mother, and +myself, with seven children, and we expect soon to be joined by my father, +who several years ago received his freedom by legacy. The wine fresh from +the clustering grapes never filled so sweet a cup as mine. May I and my +family be permitted to drink it, remembering whence it came!</p> + +<p>I suppose such of my readers as are not accustomed to trade in human +beings, may be curious to see the Bills of Sale, by which I have obtained +the right to my wife and children. They are both in the hand writing of +Mr. Smith. The first—that for Laura is as follows:</p> + +<blockquote><p><i>State of North Carolina, Wake County.</i></p> + +<p> Know all men by these presents, that for and in consideration of the sum + of two hundred and fifty dollars, to me in hand paid, I have this day + bargained and sold; and do hereby bargain, sell and deliver unto + Lunsford Lane, a free man of color, a certain negro girl by the name of + Laura, aged about seven years, and hereby warrant and defend the right + and title of the said girl to the said Lunsford and his heirs forever, + free from the claims of all persons whatsoever.</p> + +<p> In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Raleigh, + this 17th May, 1841.</p> + +<p> B.B. SMITH, [seal.]</p> + +<p> Witness—Robt. W. Haywood.</p></blockquote> + +<p>Below is the Bill of Sale for my wife and other six children, to which the +papers that follow are attached.</p> + +<blockquote><p><i>State of North Carolina, Wake County.</i></p> + +<p> Know all men by these presents, that for and in consideration of the sum + of eighteen hundred and eighty dollars to me in hand paid, the receipt + of which is hereby acknowledged, I have this day bargained, sold and + delivered unto Lunsford Lane, a free man of color, one dark mulatto + woman named Patsy, one boy named Edward, one boy also named William, one + boy also named Lunsford, one girl named Maria, one boy also named + Ellick, and one girl named Lucy, to have and to hold the said negroes + free from the claims of all persons whatsoever.</p> + +<p> In witness whereof, I have hereunto affixed my hand and seal this 25th + day of April, 1842.</p> + +<p> B.B. SMITH, [seal.]</p> + +<p> Witness—TH. L. WEST.</p></blockquote> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<blockquote><p><i>State of North Carolina, Wake County.</i></p> + +<p> Office of Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, April 26, 1842.</p> + +<p> The execution of the within bill of sale was this day duly acknowledged + before me by B.B. Smith, the executor of the same.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">[L.S.]</div> + +<p> In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed the seal of said Court, + and subscribed my name at office in Raleigh, the date above.</p> + +<p> JAS. T. MARRIOTT, Clerk.</p></blockquote> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<blockquote><p><i>State of North Carolina, Wake County.</i></p> + +<p> I, Wm. Boylan, presiding magistrate of the Court of Pleas and Quarter + Sessions for the county aforesaid, certify that James T. Marriott, who + has written and signed the above certificate, is Clerk of the Court + aforesaid,—that the same is in due form, and full faith and credit are + due to such his official acts.</p> + +<p> Given under my hand and private seal (having no seal of office) this + 26th day of April, 1842.</p> + +<p> WM. BOYLAN, P.M. [seal.]</p></blockquote> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<blockquote><p><i>The State of North Carolina.</i></p> + +<p> To all to whom these presents shall come, Greeting:</p> + +<p> Be it known, that William Boylan, whose signature appears in his own + proper hand writing to the annexed certificate, was at the time of + signing the same and now is a Justice of the Peace and the Presiding + Magistrate for the county of Wake, in the State aforesaid, and as such + he is duly qualified and empowered to give said certificate, which is + here done in the usual and proper manner; and full faith and credit are + due to the same, and ought to be given to all the official acts of the + said William Boylan as Presiding Magistrate aforesaid.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">[L.S.]</div> + +<p> In testimony whereof, I, J.M. Morehead. Governor, Captain General and + Commander in Chief, have caused the Great Seal of the State to be + hereunto affixed, and signed the same at the city of Raleigh, on the + 26th day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred + and forty-two, and in the sixty-sixth year of the Independence of the + United States.</p> + +<p> J.M. MOREHEAD.</p> + +<p> By the Governor.</p> + +<p> P. REYNOLDS, Private Secretary.</p></blockquote> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>But thou art born a slave, my child;<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Those little hands must toil,<br /></span> +<span>That brow must sweat, that bosom ache<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Upon another's soil;<br /></span> +<span>And if perchance some tender joy<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Should bloom upon thy heart,<br /></span> +<span>Another's hand may enter there,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">And tear it soon apart.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span>Thou art a little joy to me,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">But soon thou may'st be sold,<br /></span> +<span>Oh! lovelier to thy mother far<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Than any weight of gold;<br /></span> +<span>Or I may see thee scourg'd and driv'n<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Hard on the cotton-field,<br /></span> +<span>To fill a cruel master's store,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">With what thy blood may yield.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span>Should some fair maiden win thy heart,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">And thou should'st call her thine;<br /></span> +<span>Should little ones around thee stand,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Or round thy bosom twine,<br /></span> +<span>Thou wilt not know how soon away<br /></span> +<span class="i2">These loves may all be riv'n,<br /></span> +<span>Nor what a darkened troop of woe<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Through thy lone breast be driv'n.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span>Thy master may be kind, and give<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Thy every wish to thee,<br /></span> +<span>Only deny that greatest wish,<br /></span> +<span class="i2"><i>That longing to be free:</i><br /></span> +<span>Still it will seem a comfort small<br /></span> +<span class="i2">That thou hast sweeter bread,<br /></span> +<span>A better hut than other slaves,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Or pillow for thy head.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span>What joys soe'er may gather round,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">What other comforts flow,—<br /></span> +<span><i>That</i>, like a mountain in the sea,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">O'ertops each wave below,<br /></span> +<span>That ever-upward, firm desire<br /></span> +<span class="i2">To break the chains, and be<br /></span> +<span>Free as the ocean is, or like<br /></span> +<span class="i2">The ocean-winds, be free.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span>Oh, child! thou art a little slave;<br /></span> +<span class="i2">And all of thee that grows,<br /></span> +<span>Will be another's weight of flesh,—<br /></span> +<span class="i2">But thine the weight of wees<br /></span> +<span>Thou art a little slave, my child,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">And much I grieve and mourn<br /></span> +<span>That to so dark a destiny<br /></span> +<span class="i2">A lovely babe I've borne.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span>And gladly would I lay thee down<br /></span> +<span class="i2">To sleep beneath the sod,<br /></span> +<span>And give thy gentle spirit back,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Unmarr'd with grief, to God:<br /></span> +<span>The tears I shed upon that turf<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Should whisper peace to me,<br /></span> +<span>And tell me in the spirit land<br /></span> +<span class="i2">My lovely babe was free.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span>I then should know thy peace was sure,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">And only long to go<br /></span> +<span>The road which thou had'st gone, and wipe<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Away these tears that flow.<br /></span> +<span>Death to the slave has double power;<br /></span> +<span class="i2">It breaks the earthly clod,<br /></span> +<span>And breaks the tyrant's sway, that he<br /></span> +<span class="i2">May worship only God.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>J.P.B.</p> + +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NARRATIVE OF LUNSFORD LANE, FORMERLY OF RALEIGH, N.C.***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 15118-h.txt or 15118-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/5/1/1/15118">https://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/1/1/15118</a></p> +<p>Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed.</p> + +<p>Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Narrative of Lunsford Lane, Formerly of Raleigh, N.C. + +Author: Lunsford Lane + +Release Date: February 21, 2005 [eBook #15118] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NARRATIVE OF LUNSFORD LANE, +FORMERLY OF RALEIGH, N.C.*** + + +E-text prepared by Suzanne Shell, Melissa Er-Raqabi, and the Project +Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (https://www.pgdp.net) + + + +Transcriber's Note: This work was transcribed from a contemporary + printing, not from the 1842 edition. Certain + spellings may have been modernized and typographic + and printer's errors changed from the original. + + + + + +THE NARRATIVE OF LUNSFORD LANE, FORMERLY OF RALEIGH, N.C. + +Embracing an account of his early life, the redemption by purchase +of himself and family from slavery, +And his banishment from the place of his birth for the crime +of wearing a colored skin. + +Published By Himself. + +Boston: +Printed for the Publisher: +J. G. Torrey, Printer. + +1842 + + + + + + + +NARRATIVE +OF +LUNSFORD LANE. + + + + + [ORIGINAL.] + + The Slave Mother's Address + TO HER + INFANT CHILD. + + I cannot tell how much I love + To look on thee, my child; + Nor how that looking rocks my soul + As on a tempest wild; + For I have borne thee to the world, + And bid thee breathe its air, + But soon to see around thee drawn + The curtains of despair. + + Now thou art happy, child, I know, + As little babe can be; + Thou dost not fancy in thy dreams + But thou art all as free + As birds upon the mountain winds, + (If thou hast thought of bird,) + Or anything thou thinkest of, + Or thy young ear has heard. + + What are thy little thoughts about? + I cannot certain know, + Only there's not a wing of them + Upon a breath of woe, + For not a shadow's on thy face, + Nor billow heaves thy breast,-- + All clear as any summer's lake + With not a zephyr press'd. + + + + + + +TO THE READER. + + +I have been solicited by very many friends, to give my narrative to the +public. Whatever my own judgment might be, I should yield to theirs. In +compliance, therefore, with this general request, and in the hope that +these pages may produce an impression favorable to my countrymen in +bondage; also that I may realize something from the sale of my work +towards the support of a numerous family, I have committed this +publication to press. It might have been made two or three, or even six +times larger, without diminishing from the interest of any one of its +pages--_indeed with an increased interest_--but the want of the pecuniary +means, and other considerations, have induced me to present it as here +seen. Should another edition be called for, and should my friends advise, +the work will then be extended to a greater length. + +I have not, in this publication attempted or desired to argue anything. It +is only a simple narration of such facts connected with my own case, as I +thought would be most interesting and instructive to readers generally. +The facts will, I think, cast some light upon the policy of a slaveholding +community, and the effect on the minds of the more enlightened, the more +humane, and the _Christian_ portion of the southern people, of holding and +trading in the bodies and souls of men. + +I have said in the following pages, that my condition as a slave was +comparatively a happy, indeed a highly favored one; and to this +circumstance is it owing that I have been able to come up from bondage and +relate the story to the public; and that my wife, my mother, and my seven +children, are here with me this day. If for any thing this side the +invisible world, I bless heaven, it is that I was not born a plantation +slave, nor even a house servant under what is termed a hard and cruel +master. + +It has not been any part of my object to describe slavery generally, and +in the narration of my own case I have dwelt as little as possible upon +the dark side--have spoken mostly of the bright. In whatever I have been +obliged to say unfavorable to others, I have endeavored not to overstate, +but have chosen rather to come short of giving the full picture--omitting +much which it did not seem important to my object to relate. And yet I +would not venture to say that this publication does not contain a single +period which might be twisted to convey an idea more than should be +expressed. + +Those of whom I have had occasion to speak, are regarded, where they are +known, as among the most kind men to their slaves. Mr. Smith, some of +whose conduct will doubtless seem strange to the reader, is sometimes +taunted with being an abolitionist, in consequence of the interest he +manifests towards the colored people. If to any his character appear like +a riddle, they should remember that, men, like other things, have "two +sides," and often a top and a bottom in addition. + +While in the South I succeeded by stealth in learning to read and write a +little, and since I have been in the North I have learned more. But I need +not say that I have been obliged to employ the services of a friend, in +bringing this Narrative into shape for the public eye. And it should +perhaps be said on the part of the writer, that it has been hastily +compiled, with little regard to style, only to express the ideas +accurately and in a manner to be understood. + +LUNSFORD LANE. + +Boston, July 4, 1842. + + + + +NARRATIVE. + + +The small city of Raleigh, North Carolina, it is known, is the capital of +the State, situated in the interior, and containing about thirty six +hundred inhabitants.[A] Here lived MR. SHERWOOD HAYWOOD, a man of +considerable respectability, a planter, and the cashier of a bank. He +owned three plantations, at the distances respectively of seventy-five, +thirty, and three miles from his residence in Raleigh. He owned in all +about two hundred and fifty slaves, among the rest my mother, who was a +house servant to her master, and of course a resident in the city. My +father was a slave to a near neighbor. The apartment where I was born and +where I spent my childhood and youth was called "the kitchen," situated +some fifteen or twenty rods from the "great house." Here the house +servants lodged and lived, and here the meals were prepared for the people +in the mansion. + +[Footnote A: 175 whites--207 free people of color--and 2,244 slaves. Total +3,626; according to the census of 1840.] + +On the 30th of May, 1803, I was ushered into the world; but I did not +begin to see the rising of its dark clouds, nor fancy how they might be +broken and dispersed, until some time afterwards. My infancy was spent +upon the floor, in a rough cradle, or sometimes in my mother's arms. My +early boyhood in playing with the other boys and girls, colored and white, +in the yard, and occasionally doing such little matters of labor as one of +so young years could. I knew no difference between myself and the white +children; nor did they seem to know any in turn. Sometimes my master would +come out and give a biscuit to me, and another to one of his own white +boys; but I did not perceive the difference between us. I had no brothers +or sisters, but there were other colored families living in the same +kitchen, and the children playing in the same yard, with me and my mother. + +When I was ten or eleven years old, my master set me regularly to cutting +wood, in the yard in the winter, and working in the garden in the summer. +And when I was fifteen years of age, he gave me the care of the pleasure +horses, and made me his carriage driver; but this did not exempt me from +other labor, especially in the summer. Early in the morning I used to take +his three horses to the plantation, and turn them into the pasture to +graze, and myself into the cotton or cornfield, with a hoe in my hand, to +work through the day; and after sunset I would take these horses back to +the city, a distance of three miles, feed them, and then attend to any +other business my master or any of his family had for me to do, until bed +time, when with my blanket in my hand, I would go into the dining room to +rest through the night. The next day the same round of labor would be +repeated, unless some of the family wished to ride out, in which case I +must be on hand with the horses to wait upon them, and in the meantime +work about the yard. On Sunday I had to drive to Church twice, which with +other things necessary to be done, took the whole day. So my life went +wearily on from day to day, from night to night, and from week to week. + +When I began to work, I discovered the difference between myself and my +master's white children. They began to order me about, and were told to do +so by my master and mistress. I found, too, that they had learned to read, +while I was not permitted to have a book in my hand. To be in the +possession of anything written or printed, was regarded as an offence. And +then there was the fear that I might be sold away from those who were dear +to me, and conveyed to the far South. I had learned that being a slave I +was subject to this worst (to us) of all calamities; and I knew of others +in similar situations to myself, thus sold away. My friends were not +numerous; but in proportion as they were few they were dear; and the +thought that I might be separated from them forever, was like that of +having the heart wrenched from its socket; while the idea of being +conveyed to the far South, seemed infinitely worse than the terrors of +death. To know, also, that I was never to consult my own will, but was, +while I lived, to be entirely under the control of another, was another +state of mind hard for me to bear. Indeed all things now made me _feel_, +what I had before known only in words, that _I was a slave_. Deep was this +feeling, and it preyed upon my heart like a never-dying worm. I saw no +prospect that my condition would ever be changed. Yet I used to plan in my +mind from day to day, and from night to night, how I might be free. + +One day, while I was in this state of mind, my father gave me a small +basket of peaches. I sold them for thirty cents, which was the first money +I ever had in my life. Afterwards I won some marbles, and sold them for +sixty cents, and some weeks after Mr. Hog from Fayetteville, came to visit +my master, and on leaving gave me one dollar. After that Mr. Bennahan from +Orange county gave me a dollar, and a son of my master fifty cents. These +sums, and the hope that then entered my mind of purchasing at some future +time my freedom, made me long for money; and plans for money-making took +the principal possession of my thoughts. At night I would steal away with +my axe, get a load of wood to cut for twenty-five cents, and the next +morning hardly escape a whipping for the offence. But I persevered until I +had obtained twenty dollars. Now I began to think seriously of becoming +able to buy myself; and cheered by this hope, I went on from one thing to +another, laboring "at dead of night," after the long weary day's toil for +my master was over, till I found I had collected one hundred dollars. This +sum I kept hid, first in one place and then in another, as I dare not put +it out, for fear I should lose it. + +After this I lit upon a plan which proved of great advantage to me. My +father suggested a mode of preparing smoking tobacco, different from any +then or since employed. It had the double advantage of giving the tobacco +a peculiarly pleasant flavor, and of enabling me to manufacture a good +article out of a very indifferent material. I improved somewhat upon his +suggestion, and commenced the manufacture, doing as I have before said, +all my work in the night. The tobacco I put up in papers of about a +quarter of a pound each, and sold them at fifteen cents. But the tobacco +could not be smoked without a pipe, and as I had given the former a flavor +peculiarly grateful, it occurred to me that I might so construct a pipe as +to cool the smoke in passing through it, and thus meet the wishes of those +who are more fond of smoke than heat. This I effected by means of a reed, +which grows plentifully in that region; I made a passage through the reed +with a hot wire, polished it, and attached a clay pipe to the end, so that +the smoke should be cooled in flowing through the stem like whiskey or rum +in passing from the boiler through the worm of the still. These pipes I +sold at ten cents apiece. In the early part of the night I would sell my +tobacco and pipes, and manufacture them in the latter part. As the +Legislature sit in Raleigh every year, I sold these articles considerably +to the members, so that I became known not only in the city, but in many +parts of the State, as a _tobacconist_. + +Perceiving that I was getting along so well, I began, slave as I was, to +think about taking a wife. So I fixed my mind upon Miss Lucy Williams, a +slave of Thomas Devereaux, Esq., an eminent lawyer in the place; but +failed in my undertaking. Then I thought I never would marry; but at the +end of two or three years my resolution began to slide away, till finding +I could not keep it longer I set out once more in pursuit of a wife. So I +fell in with her to whom I am now united, MISS MARTHA CURTIS, and the +bargain between _us_ was completed. I next went to her master, Mr. Boylan, +and asked him, according to the custom, if I might "marry his woman." His +reply was, "Yes, if you will behave yourself." I told him I would. "And +make her behave herself!" To this I also assented; and then proceeded to +ask the approbation of my master, which was granted. So in May, 1828, I +was bound as fast in wedlock as a slave can be. God may at any time sunder +that band in a freeman; either master may do the same at pleasure in a +slave. The bond is not recognized in law. But in my case it has never been +broken; and now it cannot be, except by a higher power. + +When we had been married nine months and one day, we were blessed with a +son, and two years afterwards with a daughter. My wife also passed from +the hands of Mr. Boylan into those of MR. BENJAMIN B. SMITH, a merchant, a +member and class-leader in the Methodist church, and in much repute for +his deep piety and devotion to religion. But grace (of course) had not +wrought in the same _manner_ upon the heart of Mr. Smith, as nature had +done upon that of Mr. Boylan, who made no religious profession. This +latter gentleman used to give my wife, who was a favorite slave, (her +mother nursed every one of his own children,) sufficient food and clothing +to render her comfortable, so that I had to spend for her but little, +except to procure such small articles of extra comfort as I was prompted +to from time to time. Indeed Mr. Boylan was regarded as a very kind master +to all the slaves about him; that is, to his house servants; nor did he +inflict much cruelty upon his field hands, except by proxy. The overseer +on his nearest plantation (I know but little about the rest) was a very +cruel man; in one instance, as it was said among the slaves, he whipped a +man _to death_; but of course denied that the man died in consequence of +the whipping. Still it was the choice of my wife to pass into the hands of +Mr. Smith, as she had become attached to him in consequence of belonging +to the same church, and receiving his religious instruction and counsel as +her class-leader, and in consequence of the peculiar devotedness to the +cause of religion for which he was noted, and which he always seemed to +manifest.--But when she became his slave, he withheld both from her and +her children, the needful food and clothing, while he exacted from them to +the uttermost all the labor they were able to perform. Almost every +article of clothing worn either by my wife or children, especially every +article of much value, I had to purchase; while the food he furnished the +family amounted to less than a meal a day, and that of the coarser kind. I +have no remembrance that he ever gave us a blanket or any other article of +bedding, although it is considered a rule at the South that the master +shall furnish each of his slaves with one blanket a year. So that, both as +to food and clothing, I had in fact to support both my wife and the +children, while he claimed them as his property, and received all their +labor. She was house servant to Mr. Smith, sometimes cooked the food for +his family, and usually took it from the table, but her mistress was so +particular in giving it out to be cooked, or so watched it, that she +always knew whether it was all returned; and when the table was cleared +away, the stern old lady would sit by and see that every dish (except the +very little she would send into the kitchen) was put away, and then she +would turn the key upon it, so as to be sure her slaves should not die of +gluttony. This practice is common with some families in that region; but +with others it is not. It was not so in that of her less pious master, Mr. +Boylan, nor was it precisely so at my master's. We used to have corn bread +enough, and some meat. When I was a boy, the pot-liquor, in which the meat +was boiled for the "great house," together with some little corn-meal +balls that had been thrown in just before the meat was done, was poured +into a tray and set in the middle of the yard, and a clam shell or pewter +spoon given to each of us children, who would fall upon the delicious fare +as greedily as pigs. It was not generally so much as we wanted, +consequently it was customary for some of the white persons who saw us +from the piazza of the house where they were sitting, to order the more +stout and greedy ones to eat slower, that those more young and feeble +might have a chance. But it was not so with Mr. Smith: such luxuries were +more than he could afford, kind and Christian man as he was considered to +be. So that by the expense of providing for my wife and children, all the +money I had earned and could earn by my night labor was consumed, till I +found myself reduced to five dollars, and this I lost one day in going to +the plantation. My light of hope now went out. My prop seemed to have +given way from under me. Sunk in the very night of despair respecting my +freedom, I discovered myself, as though I had never known it before, a +husband, the father of two children, a family looking up to me for bread, +and I a slave, penniless, and well watched by my master, his wife and his +children, lest I should, perchance, catch the friendly light of the stars +to make something in order to supply the cravings of nature in those with +whom my soul was bound up; or lest some plan of freedom might lead me to +trim the light of diligence after the day's labor was over, while the rest +of the world were enjoying the hours in pleasure or sleep. + +At this time an event occurred, which, while it cast a cloud over the +prospects of some of my fellow slaves, was a rainbow over mine. My master +died, and his widow, by the will, became sole executrix of his property. +To the surprize of all, the bank of which he had been cashier presented a +claim against the estate for forty thousand dollars. By a compromise, +this sum was reduced to twenty thousand dollars; and my mistress, to meet +the amount, sold some of her slaves, and hired out others. I hired my time +of her,[A] for which I paid her a price varying from one hundred dollars +to one hundred and twenty dollars per year. This was a privilege which +comparatively few slaves at the South enjoy; and in this I felt truly +blessed. + +[Footnote A: It is contrary to the laws of the State for a slave to have +command of his own time in this way, but in Raleigh it is sometimes winked +at. I knew one slave-man who was _doing well for himself_, taken up by the +public authorities and hired out for the public good, three times in +succession for this offence. The time of hiring in such a case is one +year. The master is subject to a fine. But generally, as I have said, if +the slave is orderly and appears to be _making nothing_, neither he nor +the master is interfered with.] + +I commenced the manufacture of pipes and tobacco on an enlarged scale. I +opened a regular place of business, labelled my tobacco in a conspicuous +manner with the names of "_Edward and Lunsford Lane_," and of some of the +persons who sold it for me,--established agencies for the sale in various +parts of the State, one at Fayetteville, one at Salisbury, one at Chapel +Hill, and so on,--sold my articles from my place of business, and about +town, also deposited them in stores on commission, and thus, after paying +my mistress for my time, and rendering such support as necessary to my +family, I found in the space of some six or eight years, that I had +collected the sum of one thousand dollars. During this time I had found it +politic to go shabbily dressed, and to appear to be very poor, but to pay +my mistress for my services promptly. I kept my money hid, never venturing +to put out a penny, nor to let any body but my wife know that I was making +any. The thousand dollars was what I supposed my mistress would ask for +me, and so I determined now what I would do. + +I went to my mistress and inquired what was her price for me. She said a +thousand dollars. I then told her that I wanted to be free, and asked her +if she would sell me to be made free. She said she would; and accordingly +I arranged with her, and with the master of my wife, Mr. Smith, already +spoken of, for the latter to take my money[A] and buy of her my freedom, +as I could not legally purchase it, and as the laws forbid emancipation +except for "meritorious services." This done, Mr. Smith endeavored to +emancipate me formally, and to get my manumission recorded; I tried also; +but the court judged that I had done nothing "meritorious," and so I +remained, nominally only, the slave of Mr. Smith for a year; when, feeling +unsafe in that relation, I accompanied him to New York whither he was +going to purchase goods, and was there regularly and formally made a +freeman, and there my manumission was recorded. I returned to my family in +Raleigh and endeavored to do by them as a freeman should. I had known what +it was to be a slave, and I knew what it was to be free. + +[Footnote A: _Legally_, my money belonged to my mistress; and she could +have taken it and refused to grant me my freedom. But she was a very kind +woman for a slave owner; and she would under the circumstances, scorn to +do such a thing. I have known of slaves, however, served in this way.] + +But I am going too rapidly over my story. When the money was paid to my +mistress and the conveyance fairly made to Mr. Smith, I felt that I was +free. And a queer and a joyous feeling it is to one who has been a slave. +I cannot describe it, only it seemed as though I was in heaven. I used to +lie awake whole nights thinking of it. And oh, the strange thoughts that +passed through my soul, like so many rivers of light; deep and rich were +their waves as they rolled;--these were more to me than sleep, more than +soft slumber after long months of watching over the decaying, fading frame +of a friend, and the loved one laid to rest in the dust. But I cannot +describe my feelings to those who have never been slaves; then why should +I attempt it? He who has passed from spiritual death to life, and received +the witness within his soul that his sins are forgiven, may possibly form +some distant idea, like the ray of the setting sun from the far off +mountain top, of the emotions of an emancipated slave. That opens heaven. +To break the bonds of slavery, opens up at once both earth and heaven. +Neither can be truly seen by us while we are slaves. + +And now will the reader take with me a brief review of the road I had +trodden. I cannot here dwell upon its dark shades, though some of these +were black as the pencillings of midnight, but upon the light that had +followed my path from my infancy up, and had at length conducted me quite +out of the deep abyss of bondage. There is a hymn opening with the +following stanza, which very much expresses my feelings: + + "When all thy mercies, Oh my God, + My rising soul surveys, + Transported with the view, I'm lost + In wonder, love, and praise." + +I had endured what a freeman would indeed call hard fare; but my lot, on +the whole, had been a favored one for a slave. It is known that there is a +wide difference in the situations of what are termed house servants, and +plantation hands. I, though sometimes employed upon the plantation, +belonged to the former, which is the favored class. My master, too, was +esteemed a kind and humane man; and altogether I fared quite differently +from many poor fellows whom it makes my blood run chill to think of, +confined to the plantation, with not enough of food and that little of the +coarsest kind, to satisfy the gnawings of hunger,--compelled oftentimes, +to hie away in the night-time, when worn down with work, and _steal_, (if +it be stealing,) and privately devour such things as they can lay their +hands upon,--made to feel the rigors of bondage with no cessation,--torn +away sometimes from the few friends they love, friends doubly dear because +they are few, and transported to a climate where in a few hard years they +die,--or at best conducted heavily and sadly to their resting place under +the sod, upon their old master's plantation,--sometimes, perhaps, +enlivening the air with merriment, but a forced merriment, that comes from +a stagnant or a stupified heart. Such as this is the fate of the +plantation slaves generally, but such was not my lot. My way was +comparatively light, and what is better, it conducted to freedom. And my +wife and children were with me. After my master died, my mistress sold a +number of her slaves from their families and friends--but not me. She sold +several children from their parents--but my children were with me still. +She sold two husbands from their wives--but I was still with mine. She +sold one wife from her husband--but mine had not been sold from me. The +master of my wife, Mr. Smith, had separated members of families by +sale--but not of mine. With me and my house, the tenderer tendrils of the +heart still clung to where the vine had entwined; pleasant was its shade +and delicious its fruit to our taste, though we knew, and what is more, we +_felt_ that we were slaves. But all around I could see where the vine had +been torn down, and its bleeding branches told of vanished joys, and of +new wrought sorrows, such as, slave though I was, had never entered into +my practical experience. + +I had never been permitted to learn to read; but I used to attend church, +and there I received instruction which I trust was of some benefit to me. +I trusted, too, that I had experienced the renewing influences of the +gospel; and after obtaining from my mistress a written _permit_, (a thing +_always_ required in such a case,) I had been baptised and received into +fellowship with the Baptist denomination. So that in religious matters, I +had been indulged in the exercise of my own conscience--a favor not always +granted to slaves. Indeed I, with others, was often told by the minister +how good God was in bringing us over to this country from dark and +benighted Africa, and permitting us to listen to the sound of the gospel. +To me, God also granted temporal freedom, which _man_ without God's +consent, had stolen away. + +I often heard select portions of the scriptures read. And on the Sabbath +there was one sermon preached expressly for the colored people which it +was generally my privilege to hear. I became quite familiar with the +texts, "Servants be obedient to your masters."--"Not with eye service as +men pleasers."--"He that knoweth his master's will and doeth it not, shall +be beaten with many stripes," and others of this class: for they formed +the basis of most of these public instructions to us. The first +commandment impressed upon our minds was to obey our masters, and the +second was like unto it, namely, to do as much work when they or the +overseers were not watching us as when they were. But connected with these +instructions there was more or less that was truly excellent; though mixed +up with much that would sound strangely in the ears of freedom. There was +one very kind hearted Episcopal minister whom I often used to hear; he was +very popular with the colored people. But after he had preached a sermon +to us in which he argued from the Bible that it was the will of heaven +from all eternity we should be slaves, and our masters be our owners, most +of us left him; for like some of the faint hearted disciples in early +times we said,--"This is a hard saying, who can bear it?" + +My manumission, as I shall call it; that is, the bill of sale conveying me +to Mr. Smith, was dated Sept. 9th, 1835. I continued in the tobacco and +pipe business as already described, to which I added a small trade in a +variety of articles; and some two years before I left Raleigh, I entered +also into a considerable business in wood, which I used to purchase by the +acre standing, cut it, haul it into the city, deposit it in a yard and +sell it out as I advantageously could. Also I was employed about the +office of the Governor as I shall hereafter relate. I used to keep one or +two horses, and various vehicles, by which I did a variety of work at +hauling about town. Of course I had to hire more or less help, to carry on +my business. + +In the manufacture of tobacco I met with considerable competition, but +none that materially injured me. The method of preparing it having +originated with me and my father, we found it necessary, in order to +secure the advantage of the invention, to keep it to ourselves, and +decline, though often solicited, going into partnership with others. Those +who undertook the manufacture could neither give the article a flavor so +pleasant as ours, nor manufacture it so cheaply, so they either failed in +it, or succeeded but poorly. + +Not long after obtaining my own freedom, I began seriously to think about +purchasing the freedom of my family. The first proposition was that I +should buy my wife, and that we should jointly labor to obtain the freedom +of the children afterwards as we were able. But that idea was abandoned, +when her master, Mr. Smith, refused to sell her to me for less than one +thousand dollars, a sum which then appeared too much for me to raise. + +Afterwards, however, I conceived the idea of purchasing at once the entire +family. I went to Mr. Smith to learn his price, which he put at _three +thousand dollars_ for my wife and six children, the number we then had. +This seemed a large sum, both because it was a great deal for me to raise; +and also because Mr. Smith, when he bought my wife and _two_ children, had +actually paid but five hundred and sixty dollars for them, and had +received, ever since, their labor, while I had almost entirely supported +them, both as to food and clothing. Altogether, therefore, the case seemed +a hard one, but as I was entirely in his power I must do the best I could. +At length he concluded, perhaps partly of his own motion, and partly +through the persuasion of a friend, to sell the family for $2,500, as I +wished to free them, though he contended still that they were worth three +thousand dollars. Perhaps they would at that time have brought this larger +sum, if sold for the Southern market. The arrangement with Mr. Smith was +made in December, 1838. I gave him five notes of five hundred dollars +each, the first due in January, 1840, and one in January each succeeding +year; for which he transferred my family into my own possession, with a +_bond_ to give me a bill of sale when I should pay the notes. With this +arrangement, we found ourselves living in our own house--a house which I +had previously purchased--in January, 1839. + +After moving my family, my wife was for a short time sick, in consequence +of her labor and the excitement in moving, and her excessive joy. I told +her that it reminded me of a poor shoemaker in the neighborhood who +purchased a ticket in a lottery; but not expecting to draw, the fact of +his purchasing it had passed out of his mind. But one day as he was at +work on his last, he was informed that his ticket had drawn the liberal +prize of ten thousand dollars; and the poor man was so overjoyed, that he +fell back on his seat, and immediately expired. + +In this new and joyful situation, we found ourselves getting along very +well, until September, 1840, when to my surprise, as I was passing the +street one day, engaged in my business, the following note was handed me. +"Read it," said the officer, "or if you cannot read, get some white man to +read it to you." Here it is, _verbatim_: + + _To Lunsford Lane, a free man of Colour_ + + Take notice that whereas complaint has been made to us two Justices of + the Peace for the county of Wake and state of North Carolina that you + are a free negro from another state who has migrated into this state + contrary to the provisions of the act of assembly concerning free + negros and mulattoes now notice is given you that unless you leave and + remove out of this state within twenty days that you will be proceeded + against for the penalty porscribed by said act of assembly and be + otherwise dealt with as the law directs given under our hands and seals + this the 5th Sept 1840 + + WILLIS SCOTT JP (Seal) + + JORDAN WOMBLE JP (Seal) + +This was a terrible blow to me; for it prostrated at once all my hopes in +my cherished object of obtaining the freedom of my family, and led me to +expect nothing but a separation from them forever. + +In order that the reader may understand the full force of the foregoing +notice, I will copy the Law of the State under which it was issued: + + SEC. 65. It shall not be lawful for any free negro or mulatto to migrate + into this State: and if he or she shall do so, contrary to the + provisions of this act, and being thereof informed, shall not, within + twenty days thereafter, remove out of the State, he or she being thereof + convicted in the manner hereafter directed, shall be liable to a penalty + of five hundred dollars; and upon failure to pay the same, within the + time prescribed in the judgment awarded against such person or persons, + he or she shall be liable to be held in servitude and at labor for a + term of time not exceeding ten years, in such manner and upon such terms + as may be provided by the court awarding such sentence, and the proceeds + arising therefrom shall be paid over to the county trustee for county + purposes: Provided, that in case any free negro or mulatto shall pay the + penalty of five hundred dollars, according to the provisions of this + act, it shall be the duty of such free negro or mulatto to remove him or + herself out of this State within twenty days thereafter, and for every + such failure, he or she shall be subject to the like penalty, as is + prescribed for a failure to remove in the first instance.--_Revised + Statutes North Carolina, chap. III._ + +The next section provides that if the free person of color so notified, +does not leave within the twenty days after receiving the notice, he may +be arrested on a warrant from any Justice, and be held to bail for his +appearance at the next county court, when he will be subject to the +penalties specified above; or in case of his failure to give bonds, he may +be sent to jail. + +I made known my situation to my friends, and after taking legal counsel it +was determined to endeavor to induce, if possible, the complainants to +prosecute no farther at present, and then as the Legislature of the State +was to sit in about two months, to petition that body for permission to +remain in the State until I could complete the purchase of my family; +after which I was willing, if necessary, to leave. + +From January 1st, 1837, I had been employed as I have mentioned, in the +office of the Governor of the State, principally under the direction of +his private Secretary, in keeping the office in order, taking the letters +to the Post Office, and doing such other duties of the sort as occurred +from time to time. This circumstance, with the fact of the high standing +in the city of the family of my former master, and of the former masters +of my wife, had given me the friendship of the first people in the place +generally, who from that time forward acted towards me the friendly part. + +MR. BATTLE, then private Secretary to Governor Dudley, addressed the +following letter to the prosecuting attorney in my behalf: + + RALEIGH, Nov. 3, 1840. + + DEAR SIR:--Lunsford Lane, a free man of color, has been in the employ of + the State under me since my entering on my present situation. I + understand that under a law of the State, he has been notified to leave, + and that the time is now at hand. + + In the discharge of the duties I had from him, I have found him prompt, + obedient, and faithful. At this particular time, his absence to me would + be much regretted, as I am now just fixing up my books and other papers + in the new office, and I shall not have time to learn another what he + can already do so well. With me the period of the Legislature is a very + busy one, and I am compelled to have a servant who understands the + business I want done, and one I can trust. I would not wish to be an + obstacle in the execution of any law, but the enforcing of the one + against him, will be doing me a serious inconvenience, and the object of + this letter is to ascertain whether I could not procure a suspension of + the sentence till after the adjournment of the Legislature, say about + 1st January, 1841. + + I should feel no hesitation in giving my word that he will conduct + himself orderly and obediently. + + I am most respectfully, + + Your obedient servant, + + C.C. BATTLE. + + G.W. HAYWOOD, ESQ. + + Attorney at Law, Raleigh, N.C. + +To the above letter the following reply was made: + + RALEIGH, Nov. 3, 1840. + + MY DEAR SIR:--I have no objection so far as I am concerned, that all + further proceedings against Lunsford should be postponed until after the + adjournment of the Legislature. + + The process now out against him is one issued by two magistrates, + Messrs. Willis Scott and Jordan Womble, over which I have no control. + You had better see them to-day, and perhaps, at your request, they will + delay further action on the subject. + + Respectfully yours, + + GEO. W. HAYWOOD. + +Mr. Battle then enclosed the foregoing correspondence to Messrs. Scott and +Womble, requesting their "favorable consideration." They returned the +correspondence, but neglected to make any reply. + +In consequence, however, of this action on the part of my friends, I was +permitted to remain without further interruption, until the day the +Legislature commenced its session. On that day a warrant was served upon +me, to appear before the county court, to answer for the sin of having +remained in the place of my birth for the space of twenty days and more +after being warned out. I escaped going to jail through the kindness of +Mr. Haywood, a son of my former master, and Mr. Smith, who jointly became +security for my appearance at court. + +This was on Monday; and on Wednesday I appeared before the court; but as +my prosecutors were not ready for the trial, the case was laid over three +months, to the next term. + +I then proceeded to get up a petition to the Legislature. It required +much hard labor and persuasion on my part to start it; but after that, I +readily obtained the signatures of the principal men in the place.--Then I +went round to the members, many of whom were known to me, calling upon +them at their rooms, and urging them for my sake, for humanity's sake, for +the sake of my wife and little ones, whose hopes had been excited by the +idea that they were even now free; I appealed to them as husbands, +fathers, brothers, sons, to vote in favor of my petition, and allow me to +remain in the State long enough to purchase my family. I was doing well in +business, and it would be but a short time before I could accomplish the +object. Then, if it was desired, I and my wife and children, redeemed from +bondage, would together seek a more friendly home, beyond the dominion of +slavery. The following is the petition presented, endorsed as the reader +will see: + + _To the Hon. General Assembly of the State of North Carolina._ + + GENTLEMEN:--The petition of Lunsford Lane humbly shews--That about five + years ago, he purchased his freedom from his mistress, Mrs. Sherwood + Haywood, and by great economy and industry has paid the purchase money; + that he has a wife and seven children whom he has agreed to purchase, + and for whom he has paid a part of the purchase money; but not having + paid in full, is not yet able to leave the State, without parting with + his wife and children. + + Your petitioner prays your Honorable Body to pass a law, allowing him to + remain a limited time within the State, until he can remove his family + also. Your petitioner will give bond and good security for his good + behaviour while he remains. Your petitioner will ever pray, &c. + + LUNSFORD LANE. + + * * * * * + + The undersigned are well acquainted with Lunsford Lane, the petitioner, + and join in his petition to the Assembly for relief. + + Charles Manly, Drury Lacy, + R.W. Haywood, Will. Peck, + Eleanor Haywood, W.A. Stith, + Wm. Hill, A.B. Stith, + R. Smith, J. Brown, + Wm. Peace, William White, + Jos. Peace, Geo. Simpson, + Wm. M'Pheeters, Jno. I. Christophers, + Wm. Boylan, John Primrose, + Fabius J. Haywood, Hugh M'Queen, + D.W. Stone, Alex. J. Lawrence, + T. Meredith, C.L. Hinton. + A.J. Battle, + + * * * * * + + Lunsford Lane, the petitioner herein, has been servant to the Executive + Office since the 1st of January, 1837, and it gives me pleasure to state + that, during the whole time, without exception, I have found him + faithful and obedient, in keeping every thing committed to his care in + good condition. From what I have seen of his conduct and demeanor, I + cheerfully join in the petition for his relief. + + C.C. BATTLE, + + _P. Secretary to Gov. Dudley._ + + Raleigh, Nov. 20, 1840. + +The foregoing petition was presented to the Senate. It was there referred +to a committee. I knew when the committee was to report, and watched about +the State House that I might receive the earliest news of the fate of my +petition. I should have gone within the senate chamber, but no colored man +has that permission. I do not know why, unless for fear, he may hear the +name of _Liberty_. By and by a member came out, and as he passed me, +said, "_Well, Lunsford, they have laid you out; the nigger bill is +killed._" I need not tell the reader that my feelings did not enter into +the merriment of this honorable senator. To me, the fate of my petition +was the last blow to my hopes. I had done all I could do, had said all I +could say, laboring night and day, to obtain a favorable reception to my +petition; but all in vain. Nothing appeared before me but I must leave the +State, and leave my wife and my children never to see them more. My +friends had also done all they could for me. + +And why must I be banished? Ever after I entertained the first idea of +being free, I had endeavored so to conduct myself as not to become +obnoxious to the white inhabitants, knowing as I did their power, and +their hostility to the colored people. The two points necessary in such a +case I had kept constantly in mind. First, I had made no display of the +little property or money I possessed, but in every way I wore as much as +possible the aspect of poverty. Second, I had never appeared to be even so +intelligent as I really was. This all colored people at the south, free +and slaves, find it peculiarly necessary to their own comfort and safety +to observe. + +I should, perhaps, have mentioned that on the same day I received the +notice to leave Raleigh, similar notices were presented to two other free +colored people, who had been slaves; were trying to purchase their +families; and were otherwise in a like situation to myself. And they took +the same course I did to endeavor to remain a limited time. ISAAC HUNTER, +who had a family with five children, was one; and WALLER FREEMAN, who had +six children, was the other. Mr. Hunter's petition went before mine; and a +bill of some sort passed the Senate, which was so cut down in the Commons, +as to allow him only _twenty days_ to remain in the State. He has since, +however, obtained the freedom of his family, who are living with him in +Philadelphia. + +Mr. Freeman's petition received no better fate than mine. His family were +the property of Judge BADGER, who was afterwards made a member of Mr. +Harrison's cabinet. When Mr. Badger removed to Washington, he took with +him among other slaves this family; and Freeman removed also to that city. +After this, when Mr. B. resigned his office, with the other members of the +cabinet under President Tyler, he entered into some sort of contract with +Freeman, to sell him this family, which he left at Washington, while he +took the rest of his slaves back to Raleigh. Freeman is now endeavoring to +raise money to make the purchase. + +It was now between two and three months to the next session of the court; +and I knew that before or at that time I must leave the State. I was +bound to appear before the court; but it had been arranged between my +lawyer and the prosecuting attorney, that if I would leave the State, and +pay the costs of court, the case should be dropped, so that my bondsmen +should not be involved. I therefore concluded to stay as long as I +possibly could, and then leave. I also determined to appeal to the +kindness of the friends of the colored man in the North, for assistance, +though I had but little hope of succeeding in this way. Yet it was the +only course I could think of, by which I could see any possible hope of +accomplishing the object. + +I had paid Mr. Smith six hundred and twenty dollars; and had a house and +lot worth $500, which he had promised to take when I should raise the +balance. He gave me also a bill of sale of one of my children, Laura, in +consideration of two hundred and fifty dollars of the money already paid; +and her I determined to take with me to the North. The costs of court +which I had to meet, amounted to between thirty and forty dollars, besides +the fee of my lawyer. + +On the 18th of May, 1841, three days after the court commenced its +session, I bid adieu to my friends in Raleigh, and set out for the city of +New York. I took with me a letter of introduction and recommendation from +Mr. John Primrose, a very estimable man, a recommendatory certificate from +Mr. Battle, and a letter from the church of which I was a member, +together with such papers relating to the affair as I had in my +possession. Also I received the following: + + RALEIGH, N.C. May, 1841. + + The bearer, Lunsford Lane, a free man of color, for some time a resident + in this place, being about to leave North Carolina in search of a more + favorable location to pursue his trade, has desired us to give him a + certificate of his good conduct heretofore. + + We take pleasure in saying that his habits are temperate and + industrious, that his conduct has been orderly and proper, and that he + has for these qualities been distinguished among his caste. + + Wm. Hill, R. Smith, + Weston R. Gales, C. Dewey. + C.L. Hinton, + + +The above was certified to officially in the usual form by the clerk of +the court of Common Pleas and Quarter Sessions. + +My success in New York was at first small; but at length I fell in with +two friends who engaged to raise for me three hundred dollars, provided I +should first obtain from other sources the balance of the sum required, +which balance would be one thousand and eighty dollars. Thus encouraged, I +proceeded to Boston; and in the city and vicinity the needful sum was +contributed by about the 1st of April, 1842. My thanks I have endeavored +to express in my poor way to the many friends who so kindly and liberally +assisted me. I cannot reward them; I hope they will receive their reward +in another world. If the limits of this publication would permit, I +should like to record the names of many to whom I am very especially +indebted for their kindness and aid, not only in contributing, but by +introducing me and opening various ways of access to others. + +On the 5th of February, 1842, finding that I should soon have in my +possession the sum necessary to procure my family, and fearing that there +might be danger in visiting Raleigh for that purpose, in consequence of +the strong opposition of many of the citizens against colored people, +their opposition to me, and their previously persecuting me from the city, +I wrote to Mr. Smith, requesting him to see the Governor and obtain under +his hand a permit to visit the State for a sufficient time to accomplish +this business. I requested Mr. Smith to publish the permit in one or two +of the city papers, and then to enclose the original to me. This letter he +answered, under date of Raleigh, 19th Feb. 1842, as follows: + + LUNSFORD:--Your letter of the 5th inst. came duly to hand, and in reply + I have to inform you, that owing to the absence of Gov. Morehead, I + cannot send you the permit you requested, but this will make no + difference, for you can come home, and after your arrival you may obtain + one to remain long enough to settle up your affairs. You ought of course + to apply to the Governor immediately on your arrival, before any + malicious person would have time to inform against you; I don't think by + pursuing this course you need apprehend any danger. + + * * * * * + + We are all alive at present in Raleigh on the subjects of temperance and + religion. We have taken into the temperance societies, about five + hundred members, and about fifty persons have been happily converted. + * * * The work seems still to be spreading, and such a time I have never + seen before in my life. Glorious times truly. + + Do try and get all the religion in your heart you possibly can, for it + is the only thing worth having after all. + + Your, &c. + + B.B. SMITH. + +The way now appeared to be in a measure open; also I thought that the +religious and temperance interest mentioned in the latter portion of Mr. +Smith's letter, augured a state of feeling which would be a protection to +me. But fearing still that there might be danger in visiting Raleigh +without the permit from the Governor, or at least wishing to take every +possible precaution, I addressed another letter to Mr. Smith, and received +under date of March 12th, a reply, from which I copy as follows: + + "The Governor has just returned, and I called upon him to get the permit + as you requested, but he said he had no authority by law to grant one; + and he told me to say to you, that you might in perfect safety come home + in a quiet manner, and remain twenty days without being interrupted. I + also consulted Mr. Manly [a lawyer] and he told me the same thing. * * * + _Surely you need not fear any thing under these circumstances. You had + therefore better come on just as soon as possible._" + + * * * * * + +I need not say, what the reader has already seen, that my life so far had +been one of joy succeeding sorrow, and sorrow following joy; of hope, of +despair; of bright prospects, of gloom; and of as many hues as ever appear +on the varied sky, from the black of midnight, or the deep brown of a +tempest, to the bright warm glow of a clear noon day. On the 11th of +April it was noon with me; I left Boston on my way for Raleigh with high +hopes, intending to pay over the money for my family and return with them +to Boston, which I intended should be my future home; for there I had +found friends and there I would find a grave. The visit I was making to +the South was to be a farewell one; and I did not dream that my old +cradle, hard as it once had jostled me, would refuse to rock me a +pleasant, or even an affectionate good bye. I thought, too, that the +assurances I had received from the Governor, through Mr. Smith, and the +assurances of other friends, were a sufficient guaranty that I might visit +the home of my boyhood, of my youth, of my manhood, in peace, especially +as I was to stay but for a few days and then to return. With these +thoughts, and with the thoughts of my family and freedom, I pursued my way +to Raleigh, and arrived there on the 23d of the month. It was Saturday +about four o'clock, P.M. when I found myself once more in the midst of my +family. With them I remained over the Sabbath, as it was sweet to spend a +little time with them after so long an absence, an absence filled with so +much of interest to us, and as I could not do any business until the +beginning of the week. On Monday morning between eight and nine o'clock, +while I was making ready to leave the house for the first time after my +arrival, to go to the store of Mr. Smith, where I was to transact my +business with him, two constables, Messrs. Murray and Scott, entered, +accompanied by two other men, and summoned me to appear immediately before +the police. I accordingly accompanied them to the City Hall, but as it was +locked and the officers could not at once find the key, we were told that +the court would be held in Mr. Smith's store, a large and commodious room. +This was what is termed in common phrase in Raleigh a "call court." The +Mayor, Mr. Loring, presided, assisted by William Boylan and Jonathan +Busbye, Esqs. Justices of the Peace. There was a large number of people +together--more than could obtain admission to the room, and a large +company of mobocratic spirits crowded around the door. Mr. Loring read the +writ, setting forth that I had been guilty of _delivering abolition +lectures in the State of Massachusetts_. He asked me whether I was guilty +or not guilty. I told him I did not know whether I had given abolition +lectures or not, but if it pleased the court, I would relate the course I +had pursued during my absence from Raleigh. He then said that I was at +liberty to speak. + +The circumstances under which I left Raleigh, said I, are perfectly +familiar to you. It is known that I had no disposition to remove from this +city, but resorted to every lawful means to remain. After I found that I +could not be permitted to stay, I went away leaving behind everything I +held dear with the exception of one child, whom I took with me, after +paying two hundred and fifty dollars for her. It is also known to you and +to many other persons here present, that I had engaged to purchase my wife +and children of her master, Mr. Smith, for the sum of twenty-five hundred +dollars, and that I had paid of this sum (including my house and lot) +eleven hundred and twenty dollars, leaving a balance to be made up of +thirteen hundred and eighty dollars. I had previously to that lived in +Raleigh, a slave, the property of Mr. Sherwood Haywood, and had purchased +my freedom by paying the sum of one thousand dollars. But being driven +away, no longer permitted to live in this city, to raise the balance of +the money due on my family, my last resort was to call upon the friends of +humanity in other places, to assist me. + +I went to the city of Boston, and there I related the story of my +persecutions here, the same as I have now stated to you. The people gave +ear to my statements; and one of them, Rev. Mr. Neale, wrote back, unknown +to me, to Mr. Smith, inquiring of him whether the statements made by me +were correct. After Mr. Neale received the answer he sent for me, informed +me of his having written, and read to me the reply. The letter fully +satisfied Mr. Neale and his friends. He placed it in my hands, remarking +that it would, in a great measure, do away the necessity of using the +other documents in my possession. I then with that letter in my hands went +out from house to house, from place of business to place of business, and +from church to church, relating (where I could gain an ear) the same +heart-rending and soul-trying story which I am now repeating to you. In +pursuing that course, the people, first one and then another contributed, +until I had succeeded in raising the amount alluded to, namely, thirteen +hundred and eighty dollars. I may have had contributions from +abolitionists; but I did not stop to ask those who assisted me whether +they were anti-slavery or pro-slavery, for I considered that the money +coming from either, would accomplish the object I had in view. These are +the facts; and now, sir, it remains for you to say, whether I have been +giving abolition lectures or not. + +In the course of my remarks I presented the letter of Mr. Smith to Mr. +Neale, showing that I had acted the open part while in Massachusetts; also +I referred to my having written to Mr. Smith requesting him to obtain for +me the permit of the Governor; and I showed to the court, Mr. Smith's +letters in reply, in order to satisfy them that I had reason to believe I +should be unmolested in my return. + +Mr. Loring then whispered to some of the leading men; after which he +remarked that he saw nothing in what I had done, according to my +statements, implicating me in a manner worthy of notice. He called upon +any present who might be in possession of information tending to disprove +what I had said, or to show any wrong on my part, to produce it, otherwise +I should be set at liberty. No person appeared against me; so I was +discharged. + +I started to leave the house; but just before I got to the door I met Mr. +James Litchford, who touched me on the shoulder, and I followed him back. +He observed to me that if I went out of that room I should in less than +five minutes be a dead man; for there was a mob outside waiting to drink +my life. Mr. Loring then spoke to me again and said that notwithstanding I +had been found guilty of nothing, yet public opinion was law; and he +advised me to leave the place the next day, otherwise he was convinced I +should have to suffer death. I replied, "not to-morrow, but to-day." He +answered that I could not go that day, because I had not done my business. +I told him that I would leave my business in his hands and in those of +other such gentlemen as himself, who might settle it for me and send my +family to meet me at Philadelphia. This was concluded upon, and a guard +appointed to conduct me to the depot. I took my seat in the cars, when +the mob that had followed us surrounded me, and declared that the cars +should not go, if I were permitted to go in them. Mr. Loring inquired what +they wanted of me; he told them that there had been an examination, and +nothing had been found against me; that they were at the examination +invited to speak if they knew of aught to condemn me, but they had +remained silent, and that now it was but right I should be permitted to +leave in peace. They replied that they wanted a more thorough +investigation, that they wished to search my trunks (I had but one trunk) +and see if I was not in possession of abolition papers. It now became +evident that I should be unable to get off in the cars; and my friends +advised me to go the shortest way possible to jail, for my safety. They +said they were persuaded that what the rabble wanted was to get me into +their possession, and then to murder me. The mob looked dreadfully +enraged, and seemed to lap for blood. The whole city was in an uproar. But +the first men and the more wealthy were my friends: and they did +everything in their power to protect me. Mr. Boylan, whose name has +repeatedly occurred in this publication, was more than a father to me; and +Mr. Smith and Mr. Loring, and many other gentlemen, whose names it would +give me pleasure to mention, were exceedingly kind. + +The guard then conducted me through the mob to the prison; and I felt +joyful that even a prison could protect me. Looking out from the prison +window, I saw my trunk in the hands of Messrs. Johnson, Scott, and others, +who were taking it to the City Hall for examination. I understood +afterwards that they opened my trunk; and as the lid flew up, Lo! a paper! +a paper!! Those about seized it, three or four at once, as hungry dogs +would a piece of meat after forty days famine. But the meat quickly turned +to a stone; for the paper it happened, was one _printed in Raleigh_, and +edited by WESTON R. GALES, a nice man to be sure, but no abolitionist. The +only other printed or written things in the trunk were some business cards +of a firm in Raleigh--not incendiary. + +Afterwards I saw from the window Mr. Scott, accompanied by Mr. Johnson, +lugging my carpet-bag in the same direction my trunk had gone. It was +opened at the City Hall, and found actually to contain a pair of old +shoes, and a pair of old boots!--but they did not conclude that these were +incendiary. + +Mr. Smith now came to the prison and told me that the examination had been +completed, and nothing found against me; but that it would not be safe for +me to leave the prison immediately. It was agreed that I should remain in +prison until after night-fall, and then steal secretly away, being let +out by the keeper, and pass unnoticed to the house of my old and tried +friend Mr. Boylan. Accordingly I was discharged between nine and ten +o'clock. I went by the back way leading to Mr. Boylan's; but soon and +suddenly a large company of men sprang upon me, and instantly I found +myself in their possession. They conducted me sometimes high above ground +and sometimes dragging me along, but as silently as possible, in the +direction of the gallows, which is always kept standing upon the Common, +or as it is called "the pines," or "piny old field." I now expected to +pass speedily into the world of spirits; I thought of that unseen region +to which I seemed to be hastening; and then my mind would return to my +wife and children, and the labors I had made to redeem them from bondage. +Although I had the money to pay for them according to a bargain already +made, it seemed to me some white man would get it, and they would die in +slavery, without benefit from my exertions and the contributions of my +friends. Then the thought of my own death, to occur in a few brief +moments, would rush over me, and I seemed to bid adieu in spirit to all +earthly things, and to hold communion already with eternity. But at length +I observed those who were carrying me away, changed their course a little +from the direct line to the gallows, and hope, a faint beaming, sprung up +within me; but then as they were taking me to the woods, I thought they +intended to murder me there, in a place where they would be less likely to +be interrupted than in so public a spot as where the gallows stood. They +conducted me to a rising ground among the trees, and set me down. "Now," +said they, "tell us the truth about those abolition lectures you have been +giving at the North." I replied that I had related the circumstances +before the court in the morning; and could only repeat what I had then +said. "But that was not the truth--tell us the truth." I again said that +any different story would be false, and as I supposed I was in a few +minutes to die, I would not, whatever they might think I would say under +other circumstances, pass into the other world with a lie upon my lips. +Said one, "you were always, Lunsford, when you were here, a clever fellow, +and I did not think you would be engaged in such business as giving +abolition lectures." To this and similar remarks, I replied that the +people of Raleigh had always said the abolitionists did not believe in +buying slaves, but contended that their masters ought to free them without +pay. I had been laboring to buy my family; and how then could they suppose +me to be in league with the abolitionists? + +After other conversation of this kind, and after they seemed to have +become tired of questioning me, they held a consultation in a low whisper +among themselves. Then a bucket was brought and set down by my side; but +what it contained or for what it was intended, I could not divine. But +soon, one of the number came forward with a pillow, and then hope sprung +up, a flood of light and joy within me. The heavy weight on my heart +rolled off; death had passed by and I unharmed. They commenced stripping +me till every rag of clothes was removed; and then the bucket was set +near, and I discovered it to contain tar. One man, I will do him the honor +to record his name, Mr. WILLIAM ANDRES, a journeyman printer, when he is +any thing, except a tar-and-featherer, put his hands the first into the +bucket, and was about passing them to my face. "Don't put any in his face +or eyes," said one.[A] So he desisted; but he, with three other +"gentlemen," whose names I should be happy to record if I could recall +them, gave me as nice a coat of tar all over, face only excepted, as any +one would wish to see. Then they took the pillow and ripped it open at one +end, and with the open end commenced the operation at the head and so +worked downwards, of putting a coat of its contents over that of the +contents of the bucket. A fine escape from the hanging this will be, +thought I, provided they do not with a match set fire to the feathers. I +had some fear they would. But when the work was completed they gave me my +clothes, and one of them handed me my watch which he had carefully kept in +his hands; they all expressed great interest in my welfare, advised me how +to proceed with my business the next day, told me to stay in the place as +long as I wished, and with other such words of consolation they bid me +good night. + +[Footnote A: I think this was Mr. Burns, a blacksmith in the place, but I +am not certain. At any rate, this man was my _friend_ (if so he may be +called) on this occasion; and it was fortunate for me that the company +generally seemed to look up to him for wisdom.] + +After I had returned to my family, to their inexpressible joy, as they had +become greatly alarmed for my safety, some of the persons who had +participated in this outrage, came in (probably influenced by a curiosity +to see how the tar and feathers would be got off) and expressed great +sympathy for me. They said they regretted that the affair had +happened--that they had no objections to my living in Raleigh--I might +feel perfectly safe to go out and transact my business preparatory to +leaving--I should not be molested. + +Meanwhile, my friends understanding that I had been discharged from +prison, and perceiving I did not come to them, had commenced a regular +search for me, on foot and on horseback, every where; and Mr. Smith called +upon the Governor to obtain his official interference; and after my +return, a guard came to protect me; but I chose not to risk myself at my +own house, and so went to Mr. Smith's, where this guard kept me safely +until morning. They seemed friendly indeed, and were regaled with a supper +during the night by Mr. Smith. My friend, Mr. Battle, (late private +secretary to the Governor,) was with them; and he made a speech to them +setting forth the good qualities I had exhibited in my past life, +particularly in my connection with the Governor's office. + +In the morning Mr. Boylan, true as ever, and unflinching in his +friendship, assisted me in arranging my business,[A] so that I should +start with my family _that day_ for the north. He furnished us with +provisions more than sufficient to sustain the family to Philadelphia, +where we intended to make a halt; and sent his own baggage wagon to convey +our baggage to the depot, offering also to send his carriage for my +family. But my friend, Mr. Malone, had been before him in this kind offer, +which I had agreed to accept. + +[Footnote A: Of course I was obliged to sacrifice much on my property, +leaving in this hurried manner. And while I was in the North, a kind +_friend_ had removed from the wood-lot, wood that I had cut and corded, +for which I expected to receive over one hundred dollars; thus saving me +the trouble of making sale of it, or of being burdened with the money it +would bring. I suppose I have no redress. I might add other things as +bad.] + +Brief and sorrowful was the parting from my kind friends; but the worst +was the thought of leaving my mother. The cars were to start at ten +o'clock in the morning. I called upon my old mistress, Mrs. Haywood, who +was affected to weeping by the considerations that naturally came to her +mind. She had been kind to me; the day before she and her daughter, Mrs. +Hogg, now present, had jointly transmitted a communication to the court +representing that in consequence of my good conduct from my youth, I could +not be supposed to be guilty of any offence. And now, "with tears that +ceased not flowing," they gave me their parting blessing. My mother was +still Mrs. Haywood's slave, and I her only child. Our old mistress could +not witness the sorrow that would attend the parting with my mother. She +told her to go with me; and said that if I ever became able to pay two +hundred dollars for her, I might; otherwise it should be her loss. She +gave her the following paper, which is in the ordinary form of a _pass_: + + RALEIGH, N.C. April 26, 1842. + + Know all persons by these presents, that the bearer of this, Clarissa, a + slave, belonging to me, hath my permission to visit the city of New York + with her relations, who are in company with her; and it is my desire + that she may be protected and permitted to pass without molestation or + hindrance, on good behavior. Witness my hand this 26th April, 1842. + + ELEANOR HAYWOOD. + + Witness--J.A. Campbell. + +On leaving Mrs. Haywood's, I called upon Mrs. Badger, another daughter, +and wife of Judge Badger, previously mentioned. She seemed equally +affected; she wept as she gave me her parting counsel. She and Mrs. Hogg +and I had been children together, playing in the same yard, while yet none +of us had learned that they were of a superior and I of a subject race. +And in those infant years there were pencillings made upon the heart, +which time and opposite fortunes could not all efface.--May these friends +never be slaves as I have been; nor their bosom companions and their +little ones be slaves like mine. + +When the cars were about to start, the whole city seemed to be gathered at +the depot; and among the rest the mobocratic portion, who appeared to be +determined still that I should not go peaceably away. Apprehending this, +it had been arranged with my friends and the conductor, that my family +should be put in the cars and that I should go a distance from the city on +foot, and be taken up as they passed. The mob, therefore, supposing that I +was left behind, allowed the cars to start. + +Mr. Whiting, known as the agent of the rail road company, was going as far +as Petersburg, Va.; and he kindly assisted in purchasing our tickets, and +enabling us to pass on unmolested. After he left, Capt. Guyan, of Raleigh, +performed the same kind office as far as Alexandria, D.C., and then he +placed us in the care of a citizen of Philadelphia, whose name I regret to +have forgotten, who protected us quite out of the land of slavery. But +for this we should have been liable to be detained at several places on +our way, much to our embarrassment, at least, if nothing had occurred of a +more serious nature. + +One accident only had happened: we lost at Washington a trunk containing +most of our valuable clothing. This we have, not recovered; but our lives +have been spared to bless the day that conferred freedom upon us. I felt +when my feet struck the pavements in Philadelphia, as though I had passed +into another world. I could draw in a full long breath, with no one to say +to the ribs, "why do ye so?" + +On reaching Philadelphia we found that our money had all been expended, +but kind friends furnished us with the means of proceeding as far as +New-York; and thence we were with equal kindness aided on to Boston. + +In Boston and in the vicinity, are persons almost without number, who have +done me favors more than I can express. The thought that I was now in my +new, though recently acquired home--that my family were with me where the +stern, cruel, hated hand of slavery could never reach us more--the +greetings of friends--the interchange of feeling and sympathy--the +kindness bestowed upon us, more grateful than rain to the thirsty +earth,--the reflections of the past that would rush into my mind,--these +and more almost overwhelmed me with emotion, and I had deep and strange +communion with my own soul. Next to God from whom every good gift +proceeds, I feel under the greatest obligations to my kind friends in +Massachusetts. To be rocked in their cradle of Liberty,--Oh, how unlike +being stretched on the pillory of slavery! May that cradle rock forever; +may many a poor care-worn child of sorrow, many a spirit-bruised (worse +than lash-mangled) victim of oppression, there sweetly sleep to the +lullaby of Freedom, sung by Massachusetts sons and daughters. + +A number of meetings have been held at which friends have contributed to +our temporal wants, and individuals have sent us various articles of +provision and furniture and apparel, so that our souls have been truly +made glad. There are now ten of us in the family, my wife, my mother, and +myself, with seven children, and we expect soon to be joined by my father, +who several years ago received his freedom by legacy. The wine fresh from +the clustering grapes never filled so sweet a cup as mine. May I and my +family be permitted to drink it, remembering whence it came! + +I suppose such of my readers as are not accustomed to trade in human +beings, may be curious to see the Bills of Sale, by which I have obtained +the right to my wife and children. They are both in the hand writing of +Mr. Smith. The first--that for Laura is as follows: + + _State of North Carolina, Wake County._ + + Know all men by these presents, that for and in consideration of the sum + of two hundred and fifty dollars, to me in hand paid, I have this day + bargained and sold; and do hereby bargain, sell and deliver unto + Lunsford Lane, a free man of color, a certain negro girl by the name of + Laura, aged about seven years, and hereby warrant and defend the right + and title of the said girl to the said Lunsford and his heirs forever, + free from the claims of all persons whatsoever. + + In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Raleigh, + this 17th May, 1841. + + B.B. SMITH, [seal.] + + Witness--Robt. W. Haywood. + +Below is the Bill of Sale for my wife and other six children, to which the +papers that follow are attached. + + _State of North Carolina, Wake County._ + + Know all men by these presents, that for and in consideration of the sum + of eighteen hundred and eighty dollars to me in hand paid, the receipt + of which is hereby acknowledged, I have this day bargained, sold and + delivered unto Lunsford Lane, a free man of color, one dark mulatto + woman named Patsy, one boy named Edward, one boy also named William, one + boy also named Lunsford, one girl named Maria, one boy also named + Ellick, and one girl named Lucy, to have and to hold the said negroes + free from the claims of all persons whatsoever. + + In witness whereof, I have hereunto affixed my hand and seal this 25th + day of April, 1842. + + B.B. SMITH, [seal.] + + Witness--TH. L. WEST. + + * * * * * + + _State of North Carolina, Wake County._ + + Office of Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, April 26, 1842. + + The execution of the within bill of sale was this day duly acknowledged + before me by B.B. Smith, the executor of the same. + + [L.S.] + + In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed the seal of said Court, + and subscribed my name at office in Raleigh, the date above. + + JAS. T. MARRIOTT, Clerk. + + * * * * * + + _State of North Carolina, Wake County._ + + I, Wm. Boylan, presiding magistrate of the Court of Pleas and Quarter + Sessions for the county aforesaid, certify that James T. Marriott, who + has written and signed the above certificate, is Clerk of the Court + aforesaid,--that the same is in due form, and full faith and credit are + due to such his official acts. + + Given under my hand and private seal (having no seal of office) this + 26th day of April, 1842. + + WM. BOYLAN, P.M. [seal.] + + * * * * * + + _The State of North Carolina._ + + To all to whom these presents shall come, Greeting: + + Be it known, that William Boylan, whose signature appears in his own + proper hand writing to the annexed certificate, was at the time of + signing the same and now is a Justice of the Peace and the Presiding + Magistrate for the county of Wake, in the State aforesaid, and as such + he is duly qualified and empowered to give said certificate, which is + here done in the usual and proper manner; and full faith and credit are + due to the same, and ought to be given to all the official acts of the + said William Boylan as Presiding Magistrate aforesaid. + + [L.S.] + + In testimony whereof, I, J.M. Morehead. Governor, Captain General and + Commander in Chief, have caused the Great Seal of the State to be + hereunto affixed, and signed the same at the city of Raleigh, on the + 26th day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred + and forty-two, and in the sixty-sixth year of the Independence of the + United States. + + J.M. MOREHEAD. + + By the Governor. + + P. REYNOLDS, Private Secretary. + + But thou art born a slave, my child; + Those little hands must toil, + That brow must sweat, that bosom ache + Upon another's soil; + And if perchance some tender joy + Should bloom upon thy heart, + Another's hand may enter there, + And tear it soon apart. + + Thou art a little joy to me, + But soon thou may'st be sold, + Oh! lovelier to thy mother far + Than any weight of gold; + Or I may see thee scourg'd and driv'n + Hard on the cotton-field, + To fill a cruel master's store, + With what thy blood may yield. + + Should some fair maiden win thy heart, + And thou should'st call her thine; + Should little ones around thee stand, + Or round thy bosom twine, + Thou wilt not know how soon away + These loves may all be riv'n, + Nor what a darkened troop of woe + Through thy lone breast be driv'n. + + Thy master may be kind, and give + Thy every wish to thee, + Only deny that greatest wish, + _That longing to be free:_ + Still it will seem a comfort small + That thou hast sweeter bread, + A better hut than other slaves, + Or pillow for thy head. + + What joys soe'er may gather round, + What other comforts flow,-- + _That_, like a mountain in the sea, + O'ertops each wave below, + That ever-upward, firm desire + To break the chains, and be + Free as the ocean is, or like + The ocean-winds, be free. + + Oh, child! thou art a little slave; + And all of thee that grows, + Will be another's weight of flesh,-- + But thine the weight of wees + Thou art a little slave, my child, + And much I grieve and mourn + That to so dark a destiny + A lovely babe I've borne. + + And gladly would I lay thee down + To sleep beneath the sod, + And give thy gentle spirit back, + Unmarr'd with grief, to God: + The tears I shed upon that turf + Should whisper peace to me, + And tell me in the spirit land + My lovely babe was free. + + I then should know thy peace was sure, + And only long to go + The road which thou had'st gone, and wipe + Away these tears that flow. + Death to the slave has double power; + It breaks the earthly clod, + And breaks the tyrant's sway, that he + May worship only God. + +J.P.B. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NARRATIVE OF LUNSFORD LANE, +FORMERLY OF RALEIGH, N.C.*** + + +******* This file should be named 15118.txt or 15118.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/5/1/1/15118 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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