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diff --git a/59500-0.txt b/59500-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..564fe33 --- /dev/null +++ b/59500-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3390 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 59500 *** + + + + + + + + + +NARRATIVE +OF +WILLIAM W. BROWN, +A +FUGITIVE SLAVE. + +WRITTEN BY HIMSELF. + + + ------------Is there not some chosen curse, + Some hidden thunder in the stores of heaven, + Red with uncommon wrath, to blast the man + Who gains his fortune from the blood of souls? + + COWPER. + + +SECOND EDITION, ENLARGED. + +BOSTON: +PUBLISHED AT THE ANTI-SLAVERY OFFICE, No. 21 Cornhill. +1848 + + +[Illustration: Wm. W. Brown. + +Eng.d at 66 State St. from a Dag.tp of Chase + +R. Andrews Print.] + + +Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1847, +BY WILLIAM W. BROWN, +In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts. + +Stereotyped by +GEORGE A. CURTIS; +NEW ENGLAND TYPE AND STEREOTYPE FOUNDERY. + + + + +TO WELLS BROWN, OF OHIO. + + +Thirteen years ago, I came to your door, a weary fugitive from chains +and stripes. I was a stranger, and you took me in. I was hungry, and +you fed me. Naked was I, and you clothed me. Even a name by which to be +known among men, slavery had denied me. You bestowed upon me your own. +Base, indeed, should I be, if I ever forget what I owe to you, or do +anything to disgrace that honored name! + +As a slight testimony of my gratitude to my earliest benefactor, I take +the liberty to inscribe to you this little narrative of the sufferings +from which I was fleeing when you had compassion upon me. In the +multitude that you have succored, it is very possible that you may not +remember me; but until I forget God and myself, I can never forget you. + +Your grateful friend, +WILLIAM WELLS BROWN. + + + + +NOTE TO THE SECOND EDITION. + + +The first edition, of three thousand copies, of this little work +was sold in less than six months from the time of its publication. +Encouraged by the rapid sale of the first, and by a demand for a +second, edition, the author has been led to enlarge the work by the +addition of matter which, he thinks, will add materially to its value. + +And if it shall be instrumental in helping to undo the heavy burdens, +and letting the oppressed go free, he will have accomplished the great +desire of his heart in publishing this work. + + + + +LETTER + +FROM + +EDMUND QUINCY, ESQ. + + +DEDHAM, JULY 1, 1847. + +TO WILLIAM W. BROWN. + +MY DEAR FRIEND:--I heartily thank you for the privilege of +reading the manuscript of your Narrative. I have read it with deep +interest and strong emotion. I am much mistaken if it be not greatly +successful and eminently useful. It presents a different phase of the +infernal slave-system from that portrayed in the admirable story of +Mr. Douglass, and gives us a glimpse of its hideous cruelties in other +portions of its domain. + +Your opportunities of observing the workings of this accursed system +have been singularly great. Your experiences in the Field, in the +House, and especially on the River in the service of the slave-trader, +Walker, have been such as few individuals have had;--no one, certainly, +who has been competent to describe them. What I have admired, and +marvelled at, in your Narrative, is the simplicity and calmness with +which you describe scenes and actions which might well "move the very +stones to rise and mutiny" against the National Institution which makes +them possible. + +You will perceive that I have made very sparing use of your flattering +permission to alter what you had written. To correct a few errors, +which appeared to be merely clerical ones, committed in the hurry +of composition under unfavorable circumstances, and to suggest a +few curtailments, is all that I have ventured to do. I should be a +bold man, as well as a vain one, if I should attempt to improve your +descriptions of what you have seen and suffered. Some of the scenes are +not unworthy of De Foe himself. + +I trust and believe that your Narrative will have a wide circulation. I +am sure it deserves it. At least, a man must be differently constituted +from me, who can rise from the perusal of your Narrative without +feeling that he understands slavery better, and hates it worse, than he +ever did before. + +I am, very faithfully and respectfully, +Your friend, +EDMUND QUINCY. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +The friends of freedom may well congratulate each other on the +appearance of the following Narrative. It adds another volume to the +rapidly increasing anti-slavery literature of the age. It has been +remarked by a close observer of human nature, "Let me make the songs +of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws;" and it may with equal +truth be said, that, among a reading people like our own, their books +will at least give character to their laws. It is an influence which +goes forth noiselessly upon its mission, but fails not to find its +way to many a warm heart, to kindle on the altar thereof the fires of +freedom, which will one day break forth in a living flame to consume +oppression. + +This little book is a voice from the prison-house, unfolding the +deeds of darkness which are there perpetrated. Our cause has received +efficient aid from this source. The names of those who have come from +thence, and battled manfully for the right, need not to be recorded +here. The works of some of them are an enduring monument of praise, and +their perpetual record shall be found in the grateful hearts of the +redeemed bondman. + +Few persons have had greater facilities for becoming acquainted with +slavery, in all its horrible aspects, than WILLIAM W. BROWN. He has +been behind the curtain. He has visited its secret chambers. Its iron +has entered his own soul. The dearest ties of nature have been riven +in his own person. A mother has been cruelly scourged before his own +eyes. A father--alas! slaves have no father. A brother has been made +the subject of its tender mercies. A sister has been given up to the +irresponsible control of the pale-faced oppressor. This nation looks on +approvingly. The American Union sanctions the deed. The constitution +shields the criminals. American religion sanctifies the crime. But the +tide is turning. Already, a mighty under-current is sweeping onward. +The voice of warning, of remonstrance, of rebuke, of entreaty, has gone +forth. Hand is linked in hand, and heart mingles with heart, in this +great work of the slave's deliverance. + +The convulsive throes of the monster, even now, give evidence of deep +wounds. + +The writer of this Narrative was hired by his master to a +"_soul-driver_," and has witnessed all the horrors of the traffic, +from the buying up of human cattle in the slave-breeding states, which +produced a constant scene of separating the victims from all those whom +they loved, to their final sale in the southern market, to be worked +up in seven years, or given over to minister to the lust of southern +_Christians_. + +Many harrowing scenes are graphically portrayed; and yet with that +simplicity and ingenuousness which carries with it a conviction of the +truthfulness of the picture. + +This book will do much to unmask those who have "clothed themselves in +the livery of the court of heaven" to cover up the enormity of their +deeds. + +During the past three years, the author has devoted his entire energies +to the anti-slavery cause. Laboring under all the disabilities and +disadvantages growing out of his education in slavery--subjected, as he +had been from his birth, to all the wrongs and deprivations incident +to his condition--he yet went forth, impelled to the work by a love of +liberty--stimulated by the remembrance of his own sufferings--urged +on by the consideration that a mother, brothers, and sister, were +still grinding in the prison-house of bondage, in common with three +millions of our Father's children--sustained by an unfaltering faith +in the omnipotence of truth and the final triumph of justice--to plead +the cause of the slave; and by the eloquence of earnestness carried +conviction to many minds, and enlisted the sympathy and secured the +coöperation of many to the cause. + +His labors have been chiefly confined to Western New York, where he has +secured many warm friends, by his untiring zeal, persevering energy, +continued fidelity, and universal kindness. + +Reader, are you an Abolitionist? What have you done for the slave? +What are you doing in his behalf? What do you purpose to do? There is +a great work before us! Who will be an idler now? This is the great +humanitary movement of the age, swallowing up, for the time being, all +other questions, comparatively speaking. The course of human events, in +obedience to the unchangeable laws of our being, is fast hastening the +final crisis, and + + + "Have ye chosen, O my people, on whose party ye shall stand, + Ere the Doom from its worn sandal shakes the dust against our land?" + + +Are you a Christian? This is the carrying out of practical +Christianity; and there is no other. Christianity is _practical_ in +its very nature and essence. It is a life, springing out of a soul +imbued with its spirit. Are you a friend of the missionary cause? This +is the greatest missionary enterprise of the day. Three millions of +_Christian_, law-manufactured heathen are longing for the glad tidings +of the gospel of freedom. Are you a friend of the Bible? Come, then, +and help us to restore to these millions, whose eyes have been bored +out by slavery, their sight, that they may see to read the Bible. +Do you love God whom you have not seen? Then manifest that love, by +restoring to your brother whom you have seen his rightful inheritance, +of which he has been so long and so cruelly deprived. + +It is not for a single generation alone, numbering three +millions--sublime as would be that effort--that we are working. It is +for HUMANITY, the wide world over, not only now, but for all +coming time, and all future generations:-- + + + "For he who settles Freedom's principles, + Writes the death-warrant of all tyranny." + + +It is a vast work--a glorious enterprise--worthy the unswerving +devotion of the entire life-time of the great and the good. + +Slaveholding and slaveholders must be rendered disreputable and odious. +They must be stripped of their respectability and Christian reputation. +They must be treated as "MEN-STEALERS--guilty of the highest kind of +theft, and sinners of the first rank." Their more guilty accomplices in +the persons of _northern apologists_, both in Church and State, must +be placed in the same category. Honest men must be made to look upon +their crimes with the same abhorrence and loathing with which they +regard the less guilty robber and assassin, until + + + "The common damned shun their society, + And look upon themselves as fiends less foul." + + +When a just estimate is placed upon the crime of slave-holding, the +work will have been accomplished, and the glorious day ushered in-- + + + "When man nor woman in all our wide domain, + Shall buy, or sell, or hold, or be a slave." + + +J. C. HATHAWAY. +_Farmington, N. Y., 1847._ + + +[Illustration: The author caught by the bloodhounds. (See p. 21.)] + + + + +NARRATIVE. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + +I was born in Lexington, Ky. The man who stole me as soon as I was +born, recorded the births of all the infants which he claimed to +be born his property, in a book which he kept for that purpose. My +mother's name was Elizabeth. She had seven children, viz.: Solomon, +Leander, Benjamin, Joseph, Millford, Elizabeth, and myself. No two of +us were children of the same father. My father's name, as I learned +from my mother, was George Higgins. He was a white man, a relative of +my master, and connected with some of the first families in Kentucky. + +My master owned about forty slaves, twenty-five of whom were field +hands. He removed from Kentucky to Missouri when I was quite young, +and settled thirty or forty miles above St. Charles, on the Missouri, +where, in addition to his practice as a physician, he carried on +milling, merchandizing and farming. He had a large farm, the principal +productions of which were tobacco and hemp. The slave cabins were +situated on the back part of the farm, with the house of the overseer, +whose name was Grove Cook, in their midst. He had the entire charge of +the farm, and having no family, was allowed a woman to keep house for +him, whose business it was to deal out the provisions for the hands. + +A woman was also kept at the quarters to do the cooking for the field +hands, who were summoned to their unrequited toil every morning at four +o'clock, by the ringing of a bell, hung on a post near the house of the +overseer. They were allowed half an hour to eat their breakfast, and +get to the field. At half past four a horn was blown by the overseer, +which was the signal to commence work; and every one that was not on +the spot at the time, had to receive ten lashes from the negro-whip, +with which the overseer always went armed. The handle was about three +feet long, with the butt-end filled with lead, and the lash, six or +seven feet in length, made of cow-hide, with platted wire on the end +of it. This whip was put in requisition very frequently and freely, +and a small offence on the part of a slave furnished an occasion for +its use. During the time that Mr. Cook was overseer, I was a house +servant--a situation preferable to that of a field hand, as I was +better fed, better clothed, and not obliged to rise at the ringing of +the bell, but about half an hour after. I have often laid and heard the +crack of the whip, and the screams of the slave. My mother was a field +hand, and one morning was ten or fifteen minutes behind the others in +getting into the field. As soon as she reached the spot where they were +at work, the overseer commenced whipping her. She cried, "Oh! pray--Oh! +pray--Oh! pray"--these are generally the words of slaves, when +imploring mercy at the hands of their oppressors. I heard her voice, +and knew it, and jumped out of my bunk, and went to the door. Though +the field was some distance from the house, I could hear every crack of +the whip, and every groan and cry of my poor mother. I remained at the +door, not daring to venture any further. The cold chills ran over me, +and I wept aloud. After giving her ten lashes, the sound of the whip +ceased, and I returned to my bed, and found no consolation but in my +tears. Experience has taught me that nothing can be more heart-rending +than for one to see a dear and beloved mother or sister tortured, and +to hear their cries, and not be able to render them assistance. But +such is the position which an American slave occupies. + +My master, being a politician, soon found those who were ready to +put him into office, for the favors he could render them; and a few +years after his arrival in Missouri he was elected to a seat in the +legislature. In his absence from home everything was left in charge of +Mr. Cook, the overseer, and he soon became more tyrannical and cruel. +Among the slaves on the plantation was one by the name of Randall. +He was a man about six feet high, and well-proportioned, and known +as a man of great strength and power. He was considered the most +valuable and able-bodied slave on the plantation; but no matter how +good or useful a slave may be, he seldom escapes the lash. But it was +not so with Randall. He had been on the plantation since my earliest +recollection, and I had never known of his being flogged. No thanks +were due to the master or overseer for this. I have often heard him +declare that no white man should ever whip him--that he would die first. + +Cook, from the time that he came upon the plantation, had frequently +declared that he could and would flog any nigger that was put into +the field to work under him. My master had repeatedly told him not to +attempt to whip Randall, but he was determined to try it. As soon as +he was left sole dictator, he thought the time had come to put his +threats into execution. He soon began to find fault with Randall, and +threatened to whip him if he did not do better. One day he gave him +a very hard task--more than he could possibly do; and at night, the +task not being performed, he told Randall that he should remember him +the next morning. On the following morning, after the hands had taken +breakfast, Cook called out to Randall, and told him that he intended to +whip him, and ordered him to cross his hands and be tied. Randall asked +why he wished to whip him. He answered, because he had not finished his +task the day before. Randall said that the task was too great, or he +should have done it. Cook said it made no difference--he should whip +him. Randall stood silent for a moment, and then said, "Mr. Cook, I +have always tried to please you since you have been on the plantation, +and I find you are determined not to be satisfied with my work, let me +do as well as I may. No man has laid hands on me, to whip me, for the +last ten years, and I have long since come to the conclusion not to +be whipped by any man living." Cook, finding by Randall's determined +look and gestures, that he would resist, called three of the hands +from their work, and commanded them to seize Randall, and tie him. The +hands stood still;--they knew Randall--and they also knew him to be a +powerful man, and were afraid to grapple with him. As soon as Cook had +ordered the men to seize him, Randall turned to them, and said--"Boys, +you all know me; you know that I can handle any three of you, and the +man that lays hands on me shall die. This white man can't whip me +himself, and therefore he has called you to help him." The overseer was +unable to prevail upon them to seize and secure Randall, and finally +ordered them all to go to their work together. + +Nothing was said to Randall by the overseer for more than a week. One +morning, however, while the hands were at work in the field, he came +into it, accompanied by three friends of his, Thompson, Woodbridge and +Jones. They came up to where Randall was at work, and Cook ordered him +to leave his work, and go with them to the barn. He refused to go; +whereupon he was attacked by the overseer and his companions, when he +turned upon them, and laid them, one after another, prostrate on the +ground. Woodbridge drew out his pistol, and fired at him, and brought +him to the ground by a pistol ball. The others rushed upon him with +their clubs, and beat him over the head and face, until they succeeded +in tying him. He was then taken to the barn, and tied to a beam. Cook +gave him over one hundred lashes with a heavy cow-hide, had him washed +with salt and water, and left him tied during the day. The next day +he was untied, and taken to a blacksmith's shop, and had a ball and +chain attached to his leg. He was compelled to labor in the field, and +perform the same amount of work that the other hands did. When his +master returned home, he was much pleased to find that Randall had been +subdued in his absence. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +Soon afterwards, my master removed to the city of St. Louis, and +purchased a farm four miles from there, which he placed under the +charge of an overseer by the name of Friend Haskell. He was a regular +Yankee from New England. The Yankees are noted for making the most +cruel overseers. + +My mother was hired out in the city, and I was also hired out there to +Major Freeland, who kept a public house. He was formerly from Virginia, +and was a horse-racer, cock-fighter, gambler, and withal an inveterate +drunkard. There were ten or twelve servants in the house, and when he +was present, it was cut and slash--knock down and drag out. In his fits +of anger, he would take up a chair, and throw it at a servant; and in +his more rational moments, when he wished to chastise one, he would tie +them up in the smoke-house, and whip them; after which, he would cause +a fire to be made of tobacco stems, and smoke them. This he called +"_Virginia play_." + +I complained to my master of the treatment which I received from Major +Freeland; but it made no difference. He cared nothing about it, so +long as he received the money for my labor. After living with Major +Freeland five or six months, I ran away, and went into the woods back +of the city; and when night came on, I made my way to my master's farm, +but was afraid to be seen, knowing that if Mr. Haskell, the overseer, +should discover me, I should be again carried back to Major Freeland; +so I kept in the woods. One day, while in the woods, I heard the +barking and howling of dogs, and in a short time they came so near that +I knew them to be the bloodhounds of Major Benjamin O'Fallon. He kept +five or six, to hunt runaway slaves with. + +As soon as I was convinced that it was them, I knew there was no +chance of escape. I took refuge in the top of a tree, and the hounds +were soon at its base, and there remained until the hunters came up +in a half or three quarters of an hour afterwards. There were two men +with the dogs, who, as soon as they came up, ordered me to descend. I +came down, was tied, and taken to St. Louis jail. Major Freeland soon +made his appearance, and took me out, and ordered me to follow him, +which I did. After we returned home. I was tied up in the smoke-house, +and was very severely whipped. After the major had flogged me to his +satisfaction, he sent out his son Robert, a young man eighteen or +twenty years of age, to see that I was well smoked. He made a fire of +tobacco stems, which soon set me to coughing and sneezing. This, Robert +told me, was the way his father used to do to his slaves in Virginia. +After giving me what they conceived to be a decent smoking, I was +untied and again set to work. + +Robert Freeland was a "chip of the old block." Though quite young, it +was not unfrequently that he came home in a state of intoxication. +He is now, I believe, a popular commander of a steamboat on the +Mississippi river. Major Freeland soon after failed in business, and I +was put on board the steamboat Missouri, which plied between St. Louis +and Galena. The commander of the boat was William B. Culver. I remained +on her during the sailing season, which was the most pleasant time for +me that I had ever experienced. At the close of navigation I was hired +to Mr. John Colburn, keeper of the Missouri Hotel. He was from one +of the free states; but a more inveterate hater of the negro I do not +believe ever walked God's green earth. This hotel was at that time one +of the largest in the city, and there were employed in it twenty or +thirty servants, mostly slaves. + +Mr. Colburn was very abusive, not only to the servants, but to his +wife also, who was an excellent woman, and one from whom I never knew +a servant to receive a harsh word; but never did I know a kind one to +a servant from her husband. Among the slaves employed in the hotel +was one by the name of Aaron, who belonged to Mr. John F. Darby, a +lawyer. Aaron was the knife-cleaner. One day, one of the knives was +put on the table, not as clean as it might have been. Mr. Colburn, for +this offence, tied Aaron up in the wood-house, and gave him over fifty +lashes on the bare back with a cow-hide, after which, he made me wash +him down with rum. This seemed to put him into more agony than the +whipping. After being untied he went home to his master, and complained +of the treatment which he had received. Mr. Darby would give no heed to +anything he had to say, but sent him directly back. Colburn, learning +that he had been to his master with complaints, tied him up again, and +gave him a more severe whipping than before. The poor fellow's back was +literally cut to pieces; so much so, that he was not able to work for +ten or twelve days. + +There was, also, among the servants, a girl whose master resided in +the country. Her name was Patsey. Mr. Colburn tied her up one evening, +and whipped her until several of the boarders came out and begged him +to desist. The reason for whipping her was this. She was engaged to be +married to a man belonging to Major William Christy, who resided four +or five miles north of the city. Mr. Colburn had forbid her to see John +Christy. The reason of this was said to be the regard which he himself +had for Patsey. She went to meeting that evening, and John returned +home with her. Mr. Colburn had intended to flog John, if he came within +the inclosure; but John knew too well the temper of his rival, and kept +at a safe distance:--so he took vengeance on the poor girl. If all the +slave-drivers had been called together, I do not think a more cruel man +than John Colburn--and he too a northern man--could have been found +among them. + +While living at the Missouri hotel, a circumstance occurred which +caused me great unhappiness. My master sold my mother, and all her +children, except myself. They were sold to different persons in the +city of St. Louis. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +I was soon after taken from Mr. Colburn's, and hired to Elijah P. +Lovejoy, who was at that time publisher and editor of the "St. Louis +Times." My work, while with him, was mainly in the printing office, +waiting on the hands, working the press, &c. Mr. Lovejoy was a very +good man, and decidedly the best master that I had ever had. I am +chiefly indebted to him, and to my employment in the printing office, +for what little learning I obtained while in slavery. + +Though slavery is thought, by some, to be mild in Missouri, when +compared with the cotton, sugar and rice growing states, yet no part +of our slave-holding country is more noted for the barbarity of its +inhabitants than St. Louis. It was here that Col. Harney, a United +States officer, whipped a slave woman to death. It was here that +Francis McIntosh, a free colored man from Pittsburg, was taken from the +steamboat Flora and burned at the stake. During a residence of eight +years in this city, numerous cases of extreme cruelty came under my +own observation;--to record them all would occupy more space than could +possibly be allowed in this little volume. I shall, therefore, give but +a few more in addition to what I have already related. + +Capt. J. B. Brant, who resided near my master, had a slave named John. +He was his body servant, carriage driver, &c. On one occasion, while +driving his master through the city--the streets being very muddy, and +the horses going at a rapid rate--some mud spattered upon a gentleman +by the name of Robert More. More was determined to be revenged. Some +three or four months after this occurrence, he purchased John, for the +express purpose, as he said, "to tame the d----d nigger." After the +purchase he took him to a blacksmith's shop, and had a ball and chain +fastened to his leg, and then put him to driving a yoke of oxen, and +kept him at hard labor, until the iron around his leg was so worn into +the flesh, that it was thought mortification would ensue. In addition +to this, John told me that his master whipped him regularly three times +a week for the first two months:--and all this to "_tame him_." A more +noble-looking man than he was not to be found in all St. Louis, before +he fell into the hands of More; and a more degraded and spirit-crushed +looking being was never seen on a southern plantation, after he had +been subjected to this "_taming_" process for three months. The last +time that I saw him, he had nearly lost the entire use of his limbs. + +While living with Mr. Lovejoy, I was often sent on errands to the +office of the "Missouri Republican," published by Mr. Edward Charless. +Once, while returning to the office with type, I was attacked by +several large boys, sons of slave-holders, who pelted me with +snow-balls. Having the heavy form of type in my hands, I could not make +my escape by running; so I laid down the type and gave them battle. +They gathered around me, pelting me with stones and sticks, until they +overpowered me, and would have captured me, if I had not resorted to +my heels. Upon my retreat they took possession of the type; and what +to do to regain it I could not devise. Knowing Mr. Lovejoy to be a +very humane man, I went to the office and laid the case before him. He +told me to remain in the office. He took one of the apprentices with +him and went after the type, and soon returned with it; but on his +return informed me that Samuel McKinney had told him he would whip me, +because I had hurt his boy. Soon after, McKinney was seen making his +way to the office by one of the printers, who informed me of the fact, +and I made my escape through the back door. + +McKinney not being able to find me on his arrival, left the office +in a great rage, swearing that he would whip me to death. A few days +after, as I was walking along Main street, he seized me by the collar, +and struck me over the head five or six times with a large cane, which +caused the blood to gush from my nose and ears in such a manner that my +clothes were completely saturated with blood. After beating me to his +satisfaction he let me go, and I returned to the office so weak from +the loss of blood that Mr. Lovejoy sent me home to my master. It was +five weeks before I was able to walk again. During this time it was +necessary to have some one to supply my place at the office, and I lost +the situation. + +After my recovery, I was hired to Capt. Otis Reynolds, as a waiter on +board the steamboat Enterprise, owned by Messrs. John and Edward Walsh, +commission merchants at St. Louis. This boat was then running on the +upper Mississippi. My employment on board was to wait on gentlemen, +and the captain being a good man, the situation was a pleasant one +to me;--but in passing from place to place, and seeing new faces +every day, and knowing that they could go where they pleased, I soon +became unhappy, and several times thought of leaving the boat at some +landing-place, and trying to make my escape to Canada, which I had +heard much about as a place where the slave might live, be free, and be +protected. + +But whenever such thoughts would come into my mind, my resolution would +soon be shaken by the remembrance that my dear mother was a slave +in St. Louis, and I could not bear the idea of leaving her in that +condition. She had often taken me upon her knee, and told me how she +had carried me upon her back to the field when I was an infant--how +often she had been whipped for leaving her work to nurse me--and how +happy I would appear when she would take me into her arms. When these +thoughts came over me, I would resolve never to leave the land of +slavery without my mother. I thought that to leave her in slavery, +after she had undergone and suffered, so much for me, would be proving +recreant to the duty which I owed to her. Besides this, I had three +brothers and a sister there--two of my brothers having died. + +My mother, my brothers Joseph and Millford, and my sister Elizabeth, +belonged to Mr. Isaac Mansfield, formerly from one of the free states, +(Massachusetts, I believe.) He was a tinner by trade, and carried on +a large manufacturing establishment. Of all my relatives, mother was +first, and sister next. One evening, while visiting them, I made some +allusion to a proposed journey to Canada, and sister took her seat by +my side, and taking my hand in hers, said, with tears in her eyes-- + +"Brother, you are not going to leave mother and your dear sister here +without a friend, are you?" + +I looked into her face, as the tears coursed swiftly down her cheeks, +and bursting into tears myself, said-- + +"No, I will never desert you and mother!" + +She clasped my hand in hers, and said-- + +"Brother, you have often declared that you would not end your days in +slavery. I see no possible way in which you can escape with us; and +now, brother, you are on a steamboat where there is some chance for you +to escape to a land of liberty. I beseech you not to let us hinder you. +If we cannot get our liberty, we do not wish to be the means of keeping +you from a land of freedom." + +I could restrain my feelings no longer, and an outburst of my own +feelings caused her to cease speaking upon that subject. In opposition +to their wishes, I pledged myself not to leave them in the hand of the +oppressor. I took leave of them, and returned to the boat, and laid +down in my bunk; but "sleep departed from mine eyes, and slumber from +mine eyelids." + +A few weeks after, on our downward passage, the boat took on board, at +Hannibal, a drove of slaves, bound for the New Orleans market. They +numbered from fifty to sixty, consisting of men and women from eighteen +to forty years of age. A drove of slaves on a southern steamboat, bound +for the cotton or sugar regions, is an occurrence so common, that no +one, not even the passengers, appear to notice it, though they clank +their chains at every step. There was, however, one in this gang that +attracted the attention of the passengers and crew. It was a beautiful +girl, apparently about twenty years of age, perfectly white, with +straight light hair and blue eyes. But it was not the whiteness of her +skin that created such a sensation among those who gazed upon her--it +was her almost unparalleled beauty. She had been on the boat but a +short time, before the attention of all the passengers, including the +ladies, had been called to her, and the common topic of conversation +was about the beautiful slave-girl. She was not in chains. The man +who claimed this article of human merchandise was a Mr. Walker--a +well known slave-trader, residing in St. Louis. There was a general +anxiety among the passengers and crew to learn the history of the girl. +Her master kept close by her side, and it would have been considered +impudent for any of the passengers to have spoken to her, and the crew +were not allowed to have any conversation with them. When we reached +St. Louis, the slaves were removed to a boat bound for New Orleans, and +the history of the beautiful slave-girl remained a mystery. + +I remained on the boat during the season, and it was not an unfrequent +occurrence to have on board gangs of slaves on their way to the cotton, +sugar and rice plantations of the south. + +Toward the latter part of the summer Captain Reynolds left the boat, +and I was sent home. I was then placed on the farm, under Mr. Haskell, +the overseer. As I had been some time out of the field, and not +accustomed to work in the burning sun, it was very hard; but I was +compelled to keep up with the best of the hands. + +I found a great difference between the work in a steamboat cabin and +that in a corn-field. + +My master, who was then living in the city, soon after removed to the +farm, when I was taken out of the field to work in the house as a +waiter. Though his wife was very peevish, and hard to please, I much +preferred to be under her control than the overseer's. They brought +with them Mr. Sloane, a Presbyterian minister; Miss Martha Tulley, a +niece of theirs from Kentucky; and their nephew William. The latter had +been in the family a number of years, but the others were all newcomers. + +Mr. Sloane was a young minister, who had been at the South but a short +time, and it seemed as if his whole aim was to please the slaveholders, +especially my master and mistress. He was intending to make a visit +during the winter, and he not only tried to please them, but I think +he succeeded admirably. When they wanted singing, he sung; when they +wanted praying, he prayed; when they wanted a story told, he told a +story. Instead of his teaching my master theology, my master taught +theology to him. While I was with Captain Reynolds my master "got +religion," and new laws were made on the plantation. Formerly we had +the privilege of hunting, fishing, making splint brooms, baskets, &c., +on Sunday; but this was all stopped. Every Sunday we were all compelled +to attend meeting. Master was so religious that he induced some others +to join him in hiring a preacher to preach to the slaves. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +My master had family worship, night and morning. At night the slaves +were called in to attend; but in the mornings they had to be at their +work, and master did all the praying. My master and mistress were great +lovers of mint julep, and every morning, a pitcher-full was made, of +which they all partook freely, not excepting little master William. +After drinking freely all round, they would have family worship, and +then breakfast. I cannot say but I loved the julep as well as any of +them, and during prayer was always careful to seat myself close to +the table where it stood, so as to help myself when they were all +busily engaged in their devotions. By the time prayer was over, I was +about as happy as any of them. A sad accident happened one morning. In +helping myself, and at the same time keeping an eye on my old mistress, +I accidentally let the pitcher fall upon the floor, breaking it in +pieces, and spilling the contents. This was a bad affair for me; for as +soon as prayer was over, I was taken and severely chastised. + +My master's family consisted of himself, his wife, and their nephew, +William Moore. He was taken into the family when only a few weeks of +age. His name being that of my own, mine was changed for the purpose +of giving precedence to his, though I was his senior by ten or twelve +years. The plantation being four miles from the city, I had to drive +the family to church. I always dreaded the approach of the Sabbath; +for, during service, I was obliged to stand by the horses in the hot, +broiling sun, or in the rain, just as it happened. + +One Sabbath, as we were driving past the house of D. D. Page, a +gentleman who owned a large baking establishment, as I was sitting upon +the box of the carriage, which was very much elevated, I saw Mr. Page +pursuing a slave around the yard with a long whip, cutting him at every +jump. The man soon escaped from the yard, and was followed by Mr. Page. +They came running past us, and the slave, perceiving that he would be +overtaken, stopped suddenly, and Page stumbled over him, and falling on +the stone pavement, fractured one of his legs, which crippled him for +life. The same gentleman, but a short time previous, tied up a woman +of his, by the name of Delphia, and whipped her nearly to death; yet he +was a deacon in the Baptist church, in good and regular standing. Poor +Delphia! I was well acquainted with her, and called to see her while +upon her sick bed; and I shall never forget her appearance. She was a +member of the same church with her master. + +Soon after this, I was hired out to Mr. Walker, the same man whom I +have mentioned as having carried a gang of slaves down the river on +the steamboat Enterprise. Seeing me in the capacity of a steward on +the boat, and thinking that I would make a good hand to take care of +slaves, he determined to have me for that purpose; and finding that my +master would not sell me, he hired me for the term of one year. + +When I learned the fact of my having been hired to a negro speculator, +or a "soul driver," as they are generally called among slaves, no one +can tell my emotions. Mr. Walker had offered a high price for me, as +I afterwards learned, but I suppose my master was restrained from +selling me by the fact that I was a near relative of his. On entering +the service of Mr. Walker, I found that my opportunity of getting to +a land of liberty was gone, at least for the time being. He had a gang +of slaves in readiness to start for New Orleans, and in a few days we +were on our journey. I am at a loss for language to express my feelings +on that occasion. Although my master had told me that he had not sold +me, and Mr. Walker had told me that he had not purchased me, I did not +believe them; and not until I had been to New Orleans, and was on my +return, did I believe that I was not sold. + +There was on the boat a large room on the lower deck, in which the +slaves were kept, men and women, promiscuously--all chained two and +two, and a strict watch kept that they did not get loose; for cases +have occurred in which slaves have got off their chains, and made their +escape at landing-places, while the boats were taking in wood;--and +with all our care, we lost one woman who had been taken from her +husband and children, and having no desire to live without them, in the +agony of her soul jumped overboard, and drowned herself. She was not +chained. + +It was almost impossible to keep that part of the boat clean. + +On landing at Natchez, the slaves were all carried to the slave-pen, +and there kept one week, during which time several of them were sold. +Mr. Walker fed his slaves well. We took on board at St. Louis several +hundred pounds of bacon (smoked meat) and corn-meal, and his slaves +were better fed than slaves generally were in Natchez, so far as my +observation extended. + +At the end of a week, we left for New Orleans, the place of our final +destination, which we reached in two days. Here the slaves were placed +in a negro-pen, where those who wished to purchase could call and +examine them. The negro-pen is a small yard, surrounded by buildings, +from fifteen to twenty feet wide, with the exception of a large gate +with iron bars. The slaves are kept in the buildings during the night, +and turned out into the yard during the day. After the best of the +stock was sold at private sale at the pen, the balance were taken to +the Exchange Coffee-House Auction Rooms, kept by Isaac L. McCoy, and +sold at public auction. After the sale of this lot of slaves, we left +New Orleans for St. Louis. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + +On our arrival at St. Louis I went to Dr. Young, and told him that I +did not wish to live with Mr. Walker any longer. I was heart-sick at +seeing my fellow-creatures bought and sold. But the Dr. had hired me +for the year, and stay I must. Mr. Walker again commenced purchasing +another gang of slaves. He bought a man of Colonel John O'Fallon, who +resided in the suburbs of the city. This man had a wife and three +children. As soon as the purchase was made, he was put in jail for safe +keeping, until we should be ready to start for New Orleans. His wife +visited him while there, several times, and several times when she went +for that purpose was refused admittance. + +In the course of eight or nine weeks Mr. Walker had his cargo of human +flesh made up. There was in this lot a number of old men and women, +some of them with gray locks. We left St. Louis in the steamboat +Carlton, Captain Swan, bound for New Orleans. On our way down, and +before we reached Rodney, the place where we made our first stop, I +had to prepare the old slaves for market. I was ordered to have the old +men's whiskers shaved off, and the grey hairs plucked out where they +were not too numerous, in which case he had a preparation of blacking +to color it, and with a blacking brush we would put it on. This was new +business to me, and was performed in a room where the passengers could +not see us. These slaves were also taught how old they were by Mr. +Walker, and after going through the blacking process they looked ten or +fifteen years younger; and I am sure that some of those who purchased +slaves of Mr. Walker were dreadfully cheated, especially in the ages of +the slaves which they bought. + +We landed at Rodney, and the slaves were driven to the pen in the back +part of the village. Several were sold at this place, during our stay +of four or five days, when we proceeded to Natchez. There we landed at +night, and the gang were put in the warehouse until morning, when they +were driven to the pen. As soon as the slaves are put in these pens, +swarms of planters may be seen in and about them. They knew when Walker +was expected, as he always had the time advertised beforehand when he +would be in Rodney, Natchez, and New Orleans. These were the principal +places where he offered his slaves for sale. + +When at Natchez the second time, I saw a slave very cruelly whipped. He +belonged to a Mr. Broadwell, a merchant who kept a store on the wharf. +The slave's name was Lewis. I had known him several years, as he was +formerly from St. Louis. We were expecting a steamboat down the river, +in which we were to take passage for New Orleans. Mr. Walker sent me +to the landing to watch for the boat, ordering me to inform him on its +arrival. While there I went into the store to see Lewis. I saw a slave +in the store, and asked him where Lewis was. Said he, "They have got +Lewis hanging between the heavens and the earth." I asked him what he +meant by that. He told me to go into the warehouse and see. I went in, +and found Lewis there. He was tied up to a beam, with his toes just +touching the floor. As there was no one in the warehouse but himself, +I inquired the reason of his being in that situation. He said Mr. +Broadwell had sold his wife to a planter six miles from the city, and +that he had been to visit her--that he went in the night, expecting to +return before daylight, and went without his master's permission. The +patrol had taken him up before he reached his wife. He was put in jail, +and his master had to pay for his catching and keeping, and that was +what he was tied up for. + +Just as he finished his story, Mr. Broadwell came in, and inquired what +I was doing there. I knew not what to say, and while I was thinking +what reply to make he struck me over the head with the cowhide, the +end of which struck me over my right eye, sinking deep into the flesh, +leaving a scar which I carry to this day. Before I visited Lewis he had +received fifty lashes. Mr. Broadwell gave him fifty lashes more after I +came out, as I was afterwards informed by Lewis himself. + +The next day we proceeded to New Orleans, and put the gang in the +same negro-pen which we occupied before. In a short time the planters +came flocking to the pen to purchase slaves. Before the slaves were +exhibited for sale, they were dressed and driven out into the yard. +Some were set to dancing, some to jumping, some to singing, and some to +playing cards. This was done to make them appear cheerful and happy. My +business was to see that they were placed in those situations before +the arrival of the purchasers, and I have often set them to dancing +when their cheeks were wet with tears. As slaves were in good demand at +that time, they were all soon disposed of, and we again set out for St. +Louis. + +On our arrival, Mr. Walker purchased a farm five or six miles from the +city. He had no family, but made a housekeeper of one of his female +slaves. Poor Cynthia! I knew her well. She was a quadroon, and one of +the most beautiful women I ever saw. She was a native of St. Louis, and +bore an irreproachable character for virtue and propriety of conduct. +Mr. Walker bought her for the New Orleans market, and took her down +with him on one of the trips that I made with him. Never shall I forget +the circumstances of that voyage! On the first night that we were on +board the steamboat, he directed me to put her into a state-room he +had provided for her, apart from the other slaves. I had seen too much +of the workings of slavery not to know what this meant. I accordingly +watched him into the state-room, and listened to hear what passed +between them. I heard him make his base offers, and her reject them. He +told her that if she would accept his vile proposals, he would take +her back with him to St. Louis, and establish her as his housekeeper on +his farm. But if she persisted in rejecting them, he would sell her as +a field hand on the worst plantation on the river. Neither threats nor +bribes prevailed, however, and he retired, disappointed of his prey. + +The next morning poor Cynthia told me what had passed, and bewailed +her sad fate with floods of tears. I comforted and encouraged her all +I could; but I foresaw but too well what the result must be. Without +entering into any further particulars, suffice it to say that Walker +performed his part of the contract at that time. He took her back to +St. Louis, established her as his mistress and housekeeper at his farm, +and before I left, he had two children by her. But, mark the end! Since +I have been at the North, I have been credibly informed that Walker has +been married, and, as a previous measure, sold poor Cynthia and her +four children (she having had two more since I came away) into hopeless +bondage! + +He soon commenced purchasing to make up the third gang. We took +steamboat, and went to Jefferson City, a town on the Missouri river. +Here we landed, and took stage for the interior of the state. He +bought a number of slaves as he passed the different farms and +villages. After getting twenty-two or twenty-three men and women, we +arrived at St. Charles, a village on the banks of the Missouri. Here he +purchased a woman who had a child in her arms, appearing to be four or +five weeks old. + +We had been travelling by land for some days, and were in hopes to have +found a boat at this place for St. Louis, but were disappointed. As +no boat was expected for some days, we started for St. Louis by land. +Mr. Walker had purchased two horses. He rode one, and I the other. The +slaves were chained together, and we took up our line of march, Mr. +Walker taking the lead, and I bringing up the rear. Though the distance +was not more than twenty miles, we did not reach it the first day. The +road was worse than any that I have ever travelled. + +[Illustration: The slave-trader Walker and the author driving a gang of +slaves to the southern market.] + +Soon after we left St. Charles the young child grew very cross, +and kept up a noise during the greater part of the day. Mr. Walker +complained of its crying several times, and told the mother to stop the +child's d----d noise, or he would. The woman tried to keep the child +from crying, but could not. We put up at night with an acquaintance of +Mr. Walker, and in the morning, just as we were about to start, the +child again commenced crying. Walker stepped up to her, and told her to +give the child to him. The mother tremblingly obeyed. He took the child +by one arm, as you would a cat by the leg, walked into the house, and +said to the lady, + +"Madam, I will make you a present of this little nigger; it keeps such +a noise that I can't bear it." + +"Thank you, sir," said the lady. + +The mother, as soon as she saw that her child was to be left, ran up to +Mr. Walker, and falling upon her knees, begged him to let her have her +child; she clung around his legs, and cried, "Oh, my child! my child! +master, do let me have my child! oh, do, do, do! I will stop its crying +if you will only let me have it again. "When I saw this woman crying +for her child so piteously, a shudder--a feeling akin to horror--shot +through my frame. I have often since in imagination heard her crying +for her child:-- + + + "O, master, let me stay to catch + My baby's sobbing breath, + His little glassy eye to watch, + And smooth his limbs in death, + + And cover him with grass and leaf, + Beneath the large oak tree: + It is not sullenness, but grief-- + O, master, pity me! + + The morn was chill--I spoke no word, + But feared my babe might die, + And heard all day, or thought I heard, + My little baby cry. + + At noon, oh, how I ran and took + My baby to my breast! + I lingered--and the long lash broke + My sleeping infant's rest. + + I worked till night--till darkest night, + In torture and disgrace; + Went home and watched till morning light, + To see my baby's face. + + Then give me but one little hour-- + O! do not lash me so! + One little hour--one little hour-- + And gratefully I'll go." + + +Mr. Walker commanded her to return into the ranks with the other +slaves. Women who had children were not chained, but those that had +none were. As soon as her child was disposed of she was chained in the +gang. + +The following song I have often heard the slaves sing, when about to +be carried to the far south. It is said to have been composed by a +slave. + + + "See these poor souls from Africa + Transported to America; + We are stolen, and sold to Georgia-- + Will you go along with me? + We are stolen, and sold to Georgia-- + Come sound the jubilee! + + See wives and husbands sold apart, + Their children's screams will break my heart;-- + There's a better day a coming-- + Will you go along with me? + There's a better day a coming, + Go sound the jubilee! + + O, gracious Lord! when shall it be, + That we poor souls shall all be free? + Lord, break them slavery powers-- + Will you go along with me? + Lord, break them slavery powers, + Go sound the jubilee! + + Dear Lord, dear Lord, when slavery'll cease, + Then we poor souls will have our peace;-- + There's a better day a coming-- + Will you go along with me? + There's a better day a coming, + Go sound the jubilee!" + + +We finally arrived at Mr. Walker's farm. He had a house built during +our absence to put slaves in. It was a kind of domestic jail. The +slaves were put in the jail at night, and worked on the farm during +the day. They were kept here until the gang was completed, when we +again started for New Orleans, on board the steamboat North America, +Capt. Alexander Scott. We had a large number of slaves in this gang. +One, by the name of Joe, Mr. Walker was training up to take my place, +as my time was nearly out, and glad was I. We made our first stop at +Vicksburg, where we remained one week and sold several slaves. + +Mr. Walker, though not a good master, had not flogged a slave since I +had been with him, though he had threatened me. The slaves were kept in +the pen, and he always put up at the best hotel, and kept his wines in +his room, for the accommodation of those who called to negotiate with +him for the purchase of slaves. One day, while we were at Vicksburg, +several gentlemen came to see him for that purpose, and as usual the +wine was called for. I took the tray and started around with it, and +having accidentally filled some of the glasses too full, the gentlemen +spilled the wine on their clothes as they went to drink. Mr. Walker +apologized to them for my carelessness, but looked at me as though he +would see me again on this subject. + +After the gentlemen had left the room, he asked me what I meant by my +carelessness, and said that he would attend to me. The next morning he +gave me a note to carry to the jailer, and a dollar in money to give +to him. I suspected that all was not right, so I went down near the +landing, where I met with a sailor, and, walking up to him, asked him +if he would be so kind as to read the note for me. He read it over, and +then looked at me. I asked him to tell me what was in it. Said he, + +"They are going to give you hell." + +"Why?" said I. + +He said, "This is a note to have you whipped, and says that you have a +dollar to pay for it." + +He handed me back the note, and off I started. I knew not what to do, +but was determined not to be whipped. I went up to the jail--took a +look at it, and walked off again. As Mr. Walker was acquainted with the +jailer, I feared that I should be found out if I did not go, and be +treated in consequence of it still worse. + +While I was meditating on the subject, I saw a colored man about my +size walk up, and the thought struck me in a moment to send him with +my note. I walked up to him, and asked him who he belonged to. He said +he was a free man, and had been in the city but a short time. I told +him I had a note to go into the jail, and get a trunk to carry to one +of the steamboats; but was so busily engaged that I could not do it, +although I had a dollar to pay for it. He asked me if I would not give +him the job. I handed him the note and the dollar, and off he started +for the jail. + +I watched to see that he went in, and as soon as I saw the door close +behind him, I walked around the corner, and took my station, intending +to see how my friend looked when he came out. I had been there but a +short time, when a colored man came around the corner, and said to +another colored man with whom he was acquainted-- + +"They are giving a nigger scissors in the jail." + +"What for?" said the other. The man continued, + +"A nigger came into the jail, and asked for the jailer. The jailer came +out, and he handed him a note, and said he wanted to get a trunk. The +jailer told him to go with him, and he would give him the trunk. So he +took him into the room, and told the nigger to give up the dollar. He +said a man had given him the dollar to pay for getting the trunk. But +that lie would not answer. So they made him strip himself, and then +they tied him down, and are now whipping him." + +I stood by all the while listening to their talk, and soon found out +that the person alluded to was my customer. I went into the street +opposite the jail, and concealed myself in such a manner that I could +not be seen by any one coming out. I had been there but a short time, +when the young man made his appearance, and looked around for me. I, +unobserved, came forth from my hiding-place, behind a pile of brick, +and he pretty soon saw me, and came up to me complaining bitterly, +saying that I had played a trick upon him. I denied any knowledge of +what the note contained, and asked him what they had done to him. He +told me in substance what I heard the man tell who had come out of the +jail. + +"Yes," said he, "they whipped me and took my dollar, and gave me this +note." + +He showed me the note which the jailer had given him, telling him +to give it to his master. I told him I would give him fifty cents +for it--that being all the money I had. He gave it to me and took +his money. He had received twenty lashes on his bare back, with the +negro-whip. + +I took the note and started for the hotel where I had left Mr. Walker. +Upon reaching the hotel, I handed it to a stranger whom I had not seen +before, and requested him to read it to me. As near as I can recollect, +it was as follows:-- + + + "DEAR SIR:--By your direction, I have given your boy twenty lashes. + He is a very saucy boy, and tried to make me believe that he did + not belong to you, and I put it on to him well for lying to me. + + "I remain + "Your obedient servant." + + +It is true that in most of the slave-holding cities, when a gentleman +wishes his servants whipped, he can send him to the jail and have it +done. Before I went in where Mr. Walker was, I wet my cheeks a little, +as though I had been crying. He looked at me, and inquired what was the +matter. I told him that I had never had such a whipping in my life, and +handed him the note. He looked at it and laughed;--"And so you told him +that you did not belong to me?" "Yes, sir," said I. "I did not know +that there was any harm in that." He told me I must behave myself, if +I did not want to be whipped again. + +This incident shows how it is that slavery makes its victims lying and +mean; for which vices it afterwards reproaches them, and uses them as +arguments to prove that they deserve no better fate. Had I entertained +the same views of right and wrong which I now do, I am sure I should +never have practised the deception upon that poor fellow which I did. I +know of no act committed by me while in slavery which I have regretted +more than that; and I heartily desire that it may be at some time or +other in my power to make him amends for his vicarious sufferings in my +behalf. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + +In a few days we reached New Orleans, and arriving there in the night, +remained on board until morning. While at New Orleans this time, I saw +a slave killed; an account of which has been published by Theodore D. +Weld, in his book entitled "Slavery as it is." The circumstances were +as follows. In the evening, between seven and eight o'clock, a slave +came running down the levee, followed by several men and boys. The +whites were crying out, "Stop that nigger! stop that nigger!" while the +poor panting slave, in almost breathless accents, was repeating, "I did +not steal the meat--I did not steal the meat." The poor man at last +took refuge in the river. The whites who were in pursuit of him, run +on board of one of the boats to see if they could discover him. They +finally espied him under the bow of the steamboat Trenton. They got +a pike-pole, and tried to drive him from his hiding place. When they +would strike at him he would dive under the water. The water was so +cold, that it soon became evident that he must come out or be drowned. + +While they were trying to drive him from under the bow of the boat or +drown him, he would in broken and imploring accents say, "I did not +steal the meat; I did not steal the meat. My master lives up the river. +I want to see my master. I did not steal the meat. Do let me go home to +master." After punching him, and striking him over the head for some +time, he at last sunk in the water, to rise no more alive. + +On the end of the pike-pole with which they were striking him was a +hook, which caught in his clothing, and they hauled him up on the +bow of the boat. Some said he was dead; others said he was "_playing +possum_;" while others kicked him to make him get up; but it was of no +use--he was dead. + +As soon as they became satisfied of this, they commenced leaving, one +after another. One of the hands on the boat informed the captain that +they had killed the man, and that the dead body was lying on the deck. +The captain came on deck, and said to those who were remaining, "You +have killed this nigger; now take him off of my boat." The captain's +name was Hart. The dead body was dragged on shore and left there. I +went on board of the boat where our gang of slaves were, and during the +whole night my mind was occupied with what I had seen. Early in the +morning I went on shore to see if the dead body remained there. I found +it in the same position that it was left the night before. I watched to +see what they would do with it. It was left there until between eight +and nine o'clock, when a cart, which takes up the trash out of the +streets, came along, and the body was thrown in, and in a few minutes +more was covered over with dirt which they were removing from the +streets. During the whole time, I did not see more than six or seven +persons around it, who, from their manner, evidently regarded it as no +uncommon occurrence. + +During our stay in the city I met with a young white man with whom I +was well acquainted in St. Louis. He had been sold into slavery, under +the following circumstances. His father was a drunkard, and very poor, +with a family of five or six children. The father died, and left the +mother to take care of and provide for the children as best she might. +The eldest was a boy, named Burrill, about thirteen years of age, +who did chores in a store kept by Mr. Riley, to assist his mother in +procuring a living for the family. After working with him two years, +Mr. Riley took him to New Orleans to wait on him while in that city +on a visit, and when he returned to St. Louis, he told the mother of +the boy that he had died with the yellow fever. Nothing more was heard +from him, no one supposing him to be alive. I was much astonished when +Burrill told me his story. Though I sympathized with him I could not +assist him. We were both slaves. He was poor, uneducated, and without +friends; and, if living, is, I presume, still held as a slave. + +After selling out this cargo of human flesh, we returned to St. Louis, +and my time was up with Mr. Walker. I had served him one year, and it +was the longest year I ever lived. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + +I was sent home, and was glad enough to leave the service of one who +was tearing the husband from the wife, the child from the mother, and +the sister from the brother--but a trial more severe and heart-rending +than any which I had yet met with awaited me. My dear sister had been +sold to a man who was going to Natchez, and was lying in jail awaiting +the hour of his departure. She had expressed her determination to +die, rather than go to the far south, and she was put in jail for +safekeeping. I went to the jail the same day that I arrived, but as the +jailer was not in I could not see her. + +I went home to my master, in the country, and the first day after my +return he came where I was at work, and spoke to me very politely. I +knew from his appearance that something was the matter. After talking +to me about my several journeys to New Orleans with Mr. Walker, he told +me that he was hard pressed for money, and as he had sold my mother +and all her children except me, he thought it would be better to sell +me than any other one, and that as I had been used to living in the +city, he thought it probable that I would prefer it to a country life. +I raised up my head, and looked him full in the face. When my eyes +caught his he immediately looked to the ground. After a short pause, I +said, + +"Master, mother has often told me that you are a near relative of mine, +and I have often heard you admit the fact; and after you have hired me +out, and received, as I once heard you say, nine hundred dollars for +my services--after receiving this large sum, will you sell me to be +carried to New Orleans or some other place?" + +"No," said he, "I do not intend to sell you to a negro trader. If I +had wished to have done that, I might have sold you to Mr. Walker for +a large sum, but I would not sell you to a negro trader. You may go to +the city, and find you a good master." + +"But," said I, "I cannot find a good master in the whole city of St. +Louis." + +"Why?" said he. + +"Because there are no good masters in the state." + +"Do you not call me a good master?" + +"If you were you would not sell me." + +"Now I will give you one week to find a master in, and surely you can +do it in that time." + +The price set by my evangelical master upon my soul and body was the +trifling sum of five hundred dollars. I tried to enter into some +arrangement by which I might purchase my freedom; but he would enter +into no such arrangement. + +I set out for the city with the understanding that I was to return in +a week with some one to become my new master. Soon after reaching the +city, I went to the jail, to learn if I could once more see my sister; +but could not gain admission. I then went to mother, and learned from +her that the owner of my sister intended to start for Natchez in a few +days. + +I went to the jail again the next day, and Mr. Simonds, the keeper, +allowed me to see my sister for the last time. I cannot give a just +description of the scene at that parting interview. Never, never can +be erased from my heart the occurrences of that day! When I entered +the room where she was, she was seated in one corner, alone. There +were four other women in the same room, belonging to the same man. He +had purchased them, he said, for his own use. She was seated with her +face towards the door where I entered, yet she did not look up until +I walked up to her. As soon as she observed me she sprung up, threw +her arms around my neck, leaned her head upon my breast, and, without +uttering a word, burst into tears. As soon as she recovered herself +sufficiently to speak, she advised me to take mother, and try to get +out of slavery. She said there was no hope for herself--that she must +live and die a slave. After giving her some advice, and taking from my +finger a ring and placing it upon hers, I bade her farewell forever, +and returned to my mother, and then and there made up my mind to leave +for Canada as soon as possible. + +I had been in the city nearly two days, and as I was to be absent only +a week, I thought best to get on my journey as soon as possible. In +conversing with mother, I found her unwilling to make the attempt to +reach a land of liberty, but she counselled me to get my liberty if I +could. She said, as all her children were in slavery, she did not wish +to leave them. I could not bear the idea of leaving her among those +pirates, when there was a prospect of being able to get away from them. +After much persuasion I succeeded in inducing her to make the attempt +to get away. + +The time fixed for our departure was the next night. I had with me a +little money that I had received, from time to time, from gentlemen +for whom I had done errands. I took my scanty means and purchased some +dried beef, crackers and cheese, which I carried to mother, who had +provided herself with a bag to carry it in. I occasionally thought +of my old master, and of my mission to the city to find a new one. I +waited with the most intense anxiety for the appointed time to leave +the land of slavery, in search of a land of liberty. + +The time at length arrived, and we left the city just as the clock +struck nine. We proceeded to the upper part of the city, where I had +been two or three times during the day, and selected a skiff to carry +us across the river. The boat was not mine, nor did I know to whom it +did belong; neither did I care. The boat was fastened with a small +pole, which, with the aid of a rail, I soon loosened from its moorings. +After hunting round and finding a board to use as an oar, I turned +to the city, and bidding it a long farewell, pushed off my boat. The +current running very swift, we had not reached the middle of the stream +before we were directly opposite the city. + +We were soon upon the Illinois shore, and, leaping from the boat, +turned it adrift, and the last I saw of it it was going down the river +at good speed. We took the main road to Alton, and passed through just +at daylight, when we made for the woods, where we remained during the +day. Our reason for going into the woods was, that we expected that Mr. +Mansfield (the man who owned my mother) would start in pursuit of her +as soon as he discovered that she was missing. He also knew that I had +been in the city looking for a new master, and we thought probably he +would go out to my masters to see if he could find my mother, and in so +doing, Dr. Young might be led to suspect that I had gone to Canada to +find a purchaser. + +We remained in the woods during the day, and as soon as darkness +overshadowed the earth, we started again on our gloomy way, having +no guide but the NORTH STAR. We continued to travel by night, and +secrete ourselves in the woods by day; and every night, before emerging +from our hiding-place, we would anxiously look for our friend and +leader--the NORTH STAR. And in the language of Pierpont we might have +exclaimed, + + + "Star of the North! while blazing day + Pours round me its full tide of light, + And hides thy pale but faithful ray, + I, too, lie hid, and long for night. + For night;--I dare not walk at noon, + Nor dare I trust the faithless moon, + Nor faithless man, whose burning lust + For gold hath riveted my chain; + No other leader can I trust + But thee, of even the starry train; + For, all the host around thee burning, + Like faithless man, keep turning, turning. + + In the dark top of southern pines + I nestled, when the driver's horn + Called to the field, in lengthening lines, + My fellows, at the break of morn. + And there I lay, till thy sweet face + Looked in upon my 'hiding place,' + Star of the North! + Thy light, that no poor slave deceiveth, + Shall set me free." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + +As we travelled towards a land of liberty, my heart would at times +leap for joy. At other times, being, as I was, almost constantly on my +feet, I felt as though I could travel no further. But when I thought +of slavery, with its democratic whips--its republican chains--its +evangelical blood-hounds, and its religious slave-holders--when I +thought of all this paraphernalia of American democracy and religion +behind me, and the prospect of liberty before me, I was encouraged to +press forward, my heart was strengthened, and I forgot that I was tired +or hungry. + +On the eighth day of our journey, we had a very heavy rain, and in a +few hours after it commenced we had not a dry thread upon our bodies. +This made our journey still more unpleasant. On the tenth day, we found +ourselves entirely destitute of provisions, and how to obtain any we +could not tell. We finally resolved to stop at some farm-house, and try +to get something to eat. We had no sooner determined to do this, than +we went to a house, and asked them for some food. We were treated with +great kindness, and they not only gave us something to eat, but gave us +provisions to carry with us. They advised us to travel by day and lie +by at night. Finding ourselves about one hundred and fifty miles from +St. Louis, we concluded that it would be safe to travel by daylight, +and did not leave the house until the next morning. We travelled on +that day through a thickly settled country, and through one small +village. Though we were fleeing from a land of oppression, our hearts +were still there. My dear sister and two beloved brothers were behind +us, and the idea of giving them up, and leaving them forever, made us +feel sad. But with all this depression of heart, the thought that I +should one day be free, and call my body my own, buoyed me up, and made +my heart leap for joy. I had just been telling my mother how I should +try to get employment as soon as we reached Canada, and how I intended +to purchase us a little farm, and how I would earn money enough to buy +sister and brothers, and how happy we would be in our own FREE +HOME--when three men came up on horseback, and ordered us to stop. + +I turned to the one who appeared to be the principal man, and asked +him what he wanted. He said he had a warrant to take us up. The three +immediately dismounted, and one took from his pocket a handbill, +advertising us as runaways, and offering a reward of two hundred +dollars for our apprehension and delivery in the city of St. Louis. The +advertisement had been put out by Isaac Mansfield and John Young. + +While they were reading the advertisement, mother looked me in the +face, and burst into tears. A cold chill ran over me, and such a +sensation I never experienced before, and I hope never to again. They +took out a rope and tied me, and we were taken back about six miles, +to the house of the individual who appeared to be the leader. We +reached there about seven o'clock in the evening, had supper, and were +separated for the night. Two men remained in the room during the night. +Before the family retired to rest, they were all called together to +attend prayers. The man who but a few hours before had bound my hands +together with a strong cord, read a chapter from the Bible, and then +offered up prayer, just as though God had sanctioned the act he had +just committed upon a poor, panting, fugitive slave. + +[Illustration: The author and his mother arrested and carried back into +slavery.] + +The next morning a blacksmith came in, and put a pair of handcuffs on +me, and we started on our journey back to the land of whips, chains and +Bibles. Mother was not tied, but was closely watched at night. We were +carried back in a wagon, and after four days' travel, we came in sight +of St. Louis. I cannot describe my feelings upon approaching the city. + +As we were crossing the ferry, Mr. Wiggins, the owner of the ferry, +came up to me, and inquired what I had been doing that I was in chains. +He had not heard that I had run away. In a few minutes we were on the +Missouri side, and were taken directly to the jail. On the way thither, +I saw several of my friends, who gave me a nod of recognition as I +passed them. After reaching the jail, we were locked up in different +apartments. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + +I had been in jail but a short time when I heard that my master was +sick, and nothing brought more joy to my heart than that intelligence. +I prayed fervently for him--not for his recovery, but for his death. +I knew he would be exasperated at having to pay for my apprehension, +and knowing his cruelty, I feared him. While in jail, I learned that +my sister Elizabeth, who was in prison when we left the city, had been +carried off four days before our arrival. + +I had been in jail but a few hours when three negro-traders, learning +that I was secured thus for running away, came to my prison-house +and looked at me, expecting that I would be offered for sale. Mr. +Mansfield, the man who owned mother, came into the jail as soon as Mr. +Jones, the man who arrested us, informed him that he had brought her +back. He told her that he would not whip her, but would sell her to a +negro-trader, or take her to New Orleans himself. After being in jail +about one week, master sent a man to take me out of jail, and send me +home. I was taken out and carried home, and the old man was well enough +to sit up. He had me brought into the room where he was, and as I +entered, he asked me where I had been? I told him I had acted according +to his orders. He had told me to look for a master, and I had been to +look for one. He answered that he did not tell me to go to Canada to +look for a master. I told him that as I had served him faithfully, and +had been the means of putting a number of hundreds of dollars into his +pocket, I thought I had a right to my liberty. He said he had promised +my father that I should not be sold to supply the New Orleans market, +or he would sell me to a negro-trader. + +I was ordered to go into the field to work, and was closely watched +by the overseer during the day, and locked up at night. The overseer +gave me a severe whipping on the second day that I was in the field. I +had been at home but a short time, when master was able to ride to the +city; and on his return he informed me that he had sold me to Samuel +Willi, a merchant tailor. I knew Mr. Willi. I had lived with him three +or four months some years before, when he hired me of my master. + +Mr. Willi was not considered by his servants as a very bad man, nor +was he the best of masters. I went to my new home, and found my new +mistress very glad to see me. Mr. Willi owned two servants before +he purchased me--Robert and Charlotte. Robert was an excellent +white-washer, and hired his time from his master, paying him one dollar +per day, besides taking care of himself. He was known in the city by +the name of Bob Music. Charlotte was an old woman, who attended to the +cooking, washing, &c. Mr. Willi was not a wealthy man, and did not feel +able to keep many servants around his house; so he soon decided to hire +me out, and as I had been accustomed to service in steamboats, he gave +me the privilege of finding such employment. + +I soon secured a situation on board the steamer Otto, Capt. J. B. +Hill, which sailed from St. Louis to Independence, Missouri. My former +master, Dr. Young, did not let Mr. Willi know that I had run away, or +he would not have permitted me to go on board a steamboat. The boat was +not quite ready to commence running, and therefore I had to remain +with Mr. Willi. But during this time, I had to undergo a trial for +which I was entirely unprepared. My mother, who had been in jail since +her return until the present time, was now about being carried to New +Orleans, to die on a cotton, sugar, or rice plantation! + +I had been several times to the jail, but could obtain no interview +with her. I ascertained, however, the time the boat in which she was to +embark would sail, and as I had not seen mother since her being thrown +into prison, I felt anxious for the hour of sailing to come. At last, +the day arrived when I was to see her for the first time after our +painful separation, and, for aught that I knew, for the last time in +this world! + +At about ten o'clock in the morning I went on board of the boat, and +found her there in company with fifty or sixty other slaves. She was +chained to another woman. On seeing me, she immediately dropped her +head upon her heaving bosom. She moved not, neither did she weep. Her +emotions were too deep for tears. I approached, threw my arms around +her neck, kissed her, and fell upon my knees, begging her forgiveness, +for I thought myself to blame for her sad condition; for if I had not +persuaded her to accompany me, she would not then have been in chains. + +She finally raised her head, looked me in the face, (and such a look +none but an angel can give!) and said, "_My dear son, you are not to +blame for my being here. You have done nothing more nor less than your +duty. Do not, I pray you, weep for me. I cannot last long upon a cotton +plantation. I feel that my heavenly Master will soon call me home, and +then I shall be out of the hands of the slave-holders!_" + +I could bear no more--my heart struggled to free itself from the human +form. In a moment she saw Mr. Mansfield coming toward that part of the +boat, and she whispered into my ear, "_My child, we must soon part to +meet no more this side of the grave. You have ever said that you would +not die a slave; that you would be a freeman. Now try to get your +liberty! You will soon have no one to look after but yourself!_" and +just as she whispered the last sentence into my ear, Mansfield came up +to me, and with an oath, said, "Leave here this instant; you have been +the means of my losing one hundred dollars to get this wench back"--at +the same time kicking me with a heavy pair of boots. As I left her, +she gave one shriek, saying, "God be with you!" It was the last time +that I saw her, and the last word I heard her utter. + +I walked on shore. The bell was tolling. The boat was about to start. +I stood with a heavy heart, waiting to see her leave the wharf. As I +thought of my mother, I could but feel that I had lost + + + "------the glory of my life, + My blessing and my pride! + I half forgot the name of slave, + When she was by my side." + + +The love of liberty that had been burning in my bosom had well-nigh +gone out. I felt as though I was ready to die. The boat moved gently +from the wharf, and while she glided down the river, I realized that my +mother was indeed + + + "Gone--gone--sold and gone, + To the rice swamp, dank and lone!" + + +After the boat was out of sight I returned home; but my thoughts were +so absorbed in what I had witnessed, that I knew not what I was about +half of the time. Night came, but it brought no sleep to my eyes. + +In a few days, the boat upon which I was to work being ready, I went +on board to commence. This employment suited me better than living +in the city, and I remained until the close of navigation; though it +proved anything but pleasant. The captain was a drunken, profligate, +hardhearted creature, not knowing how to treat himself, or any other +person. + +The boat, on its second trip, brought down Mr. Walker, the man of whom +I have spoken in a previous chapter, as hiring my time. He had between +one and two hundred slaves, chained and manacled. Among them was a man +that formerly belonged to my old master's brother, Aaron Young. His +name was Solomon. He was a preacher, and belonged to the same church +with his master. I was glad to see the old man. He wept like a child +when he told me how he had been sold from his wife and children. + +The boat carried down, while I remained on board, four or five gangs +of slaves. Missouri, though a comparatively new state, is very +much engaged in raising slaves to supply the southern market. In a +former chapter, I have mentioned that I was once in the employ of +a slave-trader, or driver, as he is called at the south. For fear +that some may think that I have misrepresented a slave-driver, I will +here give an extract from a paper published in a slave-holding state, +Tennessee, called the "Millennial Trumpeter." + +"Droves of negroes, chained together in dozens and scores, and +hand-cuffed, have been driven through our country in numbers far +surpassing any previous year, and these vile slave-drivers and dealers +are swarming like buzzards around a carrion. Through this county, you +cannot pass a few miles in the great roads without having every feeling +of humanity insulted and lacerated by this spectacle, nor can you +go into any county or any neighborhood, scarcely, without seeing or +hearing of some of these despicable creatures, called negro-drivers. + +"Who is a negro-driver? One whose eyes dwell with delight on lacerated +bodies of helpless men, women and children; whose soul feels diabolical +raptures at the chains, and hand-cuffs, and cart-whips, for inflicting +tortures on weeping mothers torn from helpless babes, and on husbands +and wives torn asunder forever!" + +Dark and revolting as is the picture here drawn, it is from the pen of +one living in the midst of slavery. But though these men may cant about +negro-drivers, and tell what despicable creatures they are, who is it, +I ask, that supplies them with the human beings that they are tearing +asunder? I answer, as far as I have any knowledge of the state where I +came from, that those who raise slaves for the market are to be found +among all classes, from Thomas H. Benton down to the lowest political +demagogue who may be able to purchase a woman for the purpose of +raising stock, and from the doctor of divinity down to the most humble +lay member in the church. + +It was not uncommon in St. Louis to pass by an auction-stand, and +behold a woman upon the auction-block, and hear the seller crying +out, "_How much is offered for this woman? She is a good cook, good +washer, a good obedient servant. She has got religion!_" Why should +this man tell the purchasers that she has religion? I answer, because +in Missouri, and as far as I have any knowledge of slavery in the other +states, the religious teaching consists in teaching the slave that he +must never strike a white man; that God made him for a slave; and that, +when whipped, he must not find fault--for the Bible says, "He that +knoweth his master's will and doeth it not, shall be beaten with many +stripes!" And slaveholders find such religion very profitable to them. + +After leaving the steamer Otto, I resided at home, in Mr. Willi's +family, and again began to lay my plans for making my escape from +slavery. The anxiety to be a freeman would not let me rest day or +night. I would think of the northern cities that I had heard so much +about;--of Canada, where so many of my acquaintances had found a +refuge. I would dream at night that I was in Canada, a freeman, and on +waking in the morning, weep to find myself so sadly mistaken. + + + "I would think of Victoria's domain, + And in a moment I seemed to be there! + But the fear of being taken again, + Soon hurried me back to despair." + + +Mr. Willi treated me better than Dr. Young ever had; but instead of +making me contented and happy, it only rendered me the more miserable, +for it enabled me better to appreciate liberty. Mr. Willi was a man who +loved money as most men do, and without looking for an opportunity to +sell me, he found one in the offer of Captain Enoch Price, a steamboat +owner and commission merchant, living in the city of St. Louis. Captain +Price tendered seven hundred dollars, which was two hundred more than +Mr. Willi had paid. He therefore thought best to accept the offer. I +was wanted for a carriage driver, and Mrs. Price was very much pleased +with the captain's bargain. His family consisted besides of one child. +He had three servants besides myself--one man and two women. + +Mrs. Price was very proud of her servants, always keeping them well +dressed, and as soon as I had been purchased, she resolved to have a +new carriage. And soon one was procured, and all preparations were made +for a turn-out in grand style, I being the driver. + +One of the female servants was a girl some eighteen or twenty years +of age, named Maria. Mrs. Price was very soon determined to have us +united, if she could so arrange matters. She would often urge upon me +the necessity of having a wife, saying that it would be so pleasant +for me to take one in the same family! But getting married, while in +slavery, was the last of my thoughts; and had I been ever so inclined, +I should not have married Maria, as my love had already gone in +another quarter. Mrs. Price soon found out that her efforts at this +match-making between Maria and myself would not prove successful. She +also discovered (or thought she had) that I was rather partial to a +girl named Eliza, who was owned by Dr. Mills. This induced her at once +to endeavor the purchase of Eliza, so great was her desire to get me a +wife! + +Before making the attempt, however, she deemed it best to talk to me a +little upon the subject of love, courtship, and marriage. Accordingly, +one afternoon she called me into her room--telling me to take a chair +and sit down. I did so, thinking it rather strange, for servants are +not very often asked thus to sit down in the same room with the master +or mistress. She said that she had found out that I did not care enough +about Maria to marry her. I told her that was true. She then asked me +if there was not a girl in the city that I loved. Well, now, this was +coming into too close quarters with me! People, generally, don't like +to tell their love stories to everybody that may think fit to ask about +them, and it was so with me. But, after blushing a while and recovering +myself, I told her that I did not want a wife. She then asked me if I +did not think something of Eliza. I told her that I did. She then said +that if I wished to marry Eliza, she would purchase her if she could. + +I gave but little encouragement to this proposition, as I was +determined to make another trial to get my liberty, and I knew that +if I should have a wife, I should not be willing to leave her behind; +and if I should attempt to bring her with me, the chances would be +difficult for success. However, Eliza was purchased, and brought into +the family. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + +But the more I thought of the trap laid by Mrs. Price to make me +satisfied with my new home, by getting me a wife, the more I determined +never to marry any woman on earth until I should get my liberty. But +this secret I was compelled to keep to myself, which placed me in a +very critical position. I must keep upon good terms with Mrs. Price and +Eliza. I therefore promised Mrs. Price that I would marry Eliza; but +said that I was not then ready. And I had to keep upon good terms with +Eliza, for fear that Mrs. Price would find out that I did not intend to +get married. + +I have here spoken of marriage, and it is very common among slaves +themselves to talk of it. And it is common for slaves to be married; +or at least to have the marriage ceremony performed. But there is no +such thing as slaves being lawfully married. There has never yet a case +occurred where a slave has been tried for bigamy. The man may have as +many women as he wishes, and the women as many men; and the law takes +no cognizance of such acts among slaves. And in fact some masters, when +they have sold the husband from the wife, compel her to take another. + +There lived opposite Captain Price's, Doctor Farrar, well known in St. +Louis. He sold a man named Ben, to one of the traders. He also owned +Ben's wife, and in a few days he compelled Sally (that was her name) +to marry Peter, another man belonging to him. I asked Sally "why she +married Peter so soon after Ben was sold." She said, "because master +made her do it." + +Mr. John Calvert, who resided near our place, had a woman named +Lavinia. She was quite young, and a man to whom she was about to be +married was sold, and carried into the country near St. Charles, about +twenty miles from St. Louis. Mr. Calvert wanted her to get a husband; +but she had resolved not to marry any other man, and she refused. Mr. +Calvert whipped her in such a manner that it was thought she would die. +Some of the citizens had him arrested, but it was soon hushed up. And +that was the last of it. The woman did not die, but it would have been +the same if she had. + +Captain Price purchased me in the month of October, and I remained with +him until December, when the family made a voyage to New Orleans, in a +boat owned by himself, and named the "Chester." I served on board as +one of the stewards. On arriving at New Orleans, about the middle of +the month, the boat took in freight for Cincinnati; and it was decided +that the family should go up the river in her, and what was of more +interest to me, I was to accompany them. + +The long looked for opportunity to make my escape from slavery was near +at hand. + +Captain Price had some fears as to the propriety of taking me near a +free state, or a place where it was likely I could run away, with a +prospect of liberty. He asked me if I had ever been in a free state. +"Oh yes," said I, "I have been in Ohio; my master carried me into that +state once, but I never liked a free state." + +It was soon decided that it would be safe to take me with them, and +what made it more safe, Eliza was on the boat with us, and Mrs. Price, +to try me, asked if I thought as much as ever of Eliza. I told her +that Eliza was very dear to me indeed, and that nothing but death +should part us. It was the same as if we were married. This had the +desired effect. The boat left New Orleans, and proceeded up the river. + +I had at different times obtained little sums of money, which I had +reserved for a "rainy day." I procured some cotton cloth, and made me +a bag to carry provisions in. The trials of the past were all lost +in hopes for the future. The love of liberty, that had been burning +in my bosom for years, and had been well-nigh extinguished, was now +resuscitated. At night, when all around was peaceful, I would walk the +decks, meditating upon my happy prospects. + +I should have stated, that, before leaving St. Louis, I went to an +old man named Frank, a slave, owned by a Mr. Sarpee. This old man was +very distinguished (not only among the slave population, but also +the whites) as a fortune-teller. He was about seventy years of age, +something over six feet high, and very slender. Indeed, he was so small +around his body, that it looked as though it was not strong enough to +hold up his head. + +Uncle Frank was a very great favorite with the young ladies, who would +go to him in great numbers to get their fortunes told. And it was +generally believed that he could really penetrate into the mysteries +of futurity. Whether true or not, he had the _name_, and that is about +half of what one needs in this gullible age. I found Uncle Frank +seated in the chimney corner, about ten o'clock at night. As soon as I +entered, the old man left his seat. I watched his movement as well as +I could by the dim light of the fire. He soon lit a lamp, and coming +up, looked me full in the face, saying, "Well, my son, you have come +to get uncle to tell your fortune, have you?" "Yes," said I. But how +the old man should know what I came for, I could not tell. However, I +paid the fee of twenty-five cents, and he commenced by looking into a +gourd, filled with water. Whether the old man was a prophet, or the son +of a prophet, I cannot say; but there is one thing certain, many of his +predictions were verified. + +I am no believer in soothsaying; yet I am sometimes at a loss to know +how Uncle Frank could tell so accurately what would occur in the +future. Among the many things he told was one which was enough to pay +me for all the trouble of hunting him up. It was that I _should be +free_! He further said, that in trying to get my liberty I would meet +with many severe trials. I thought to myself any fool could tell me +that! + +The first place in which we landed in a free state was Cairo, a small +village at the mouth of the Ohio river. We remained here but a few +hours, when we proceeded to Louisville. After unloading some of the +cargo, the boat started on her upward trip. The next day was the first +of January. I had looked forward to New Year's day as the commencement +of a new era in the history of my life. I had decided upon leaving the +peculiar institution that day. + +During the last night that I served in slavery I did not close my +eyes a single moment. When not thinking of the future, my mind dwelt +on the past. The love of a dear mother, a dear sister, and three dear +brothers, yet living, caused me to shed many tears. If I could only +have been assured of their being dead, I should have felt satisfied; +but I imagined I saw my dear mother in the cotton-field, followed by a +merciless taskmaster, and no one to speak a consoling word to her! I +beheld my dear sister in the hands of a slave-driver, and compelled to +submit to his cruelty! None but one placed in such a situation can for +a moment imagine the intense agony to which these reflections subjected +me. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + +At last the time for action arrived. The boat landed at a point which +appeared to me the place of all others to start from. I found that it +would be impossible to carry anything with me but what was upon my +person. I had some provisions, and a single suit of clothes, about +half worn. When the boat was discharging her cargo, and the passengers +engaged carrying their baggage on and off shore, I improved the +opportunity to convey myself with my little effects on land. Taking up +a trunk, I went up the wharf, and was soon out of the crowd. I made +directly for the woods, where I remained until night, knowing well that +I could not travel, even in the state of Ohio, during the day, without +danger of being arrested. + +I had long since made up my mind that I would not trust myself in the +hands of any man, white or colored. The slave is brought up to look +upon every white man as an enemy to him and his race; and twenty-one +years in slavery had taught me that there were traitors, even among +colored people. After dark, I emerged from the woods into a narrow +path, which led me into the main travelled road. But I knew not which +way to go. I did not know north from south, east from west. I looked in +vain for the North Star; a heavy cloud hid it from my view. I walked up +and down the road until near midnight, when the clouds disappeared, and +I welcomed the sight of my friend--truly the slave's friend--the North +Star! + +As soon as I saw it, I knew my course, and before daylight I travelled +twenty or twenty-five miles. It being in the winter, I suffered +intensely from the cold; being without an overcoat, and my other +clothes rather thin for the season. I was provided with a tinder-box, +so that I could make up a fire when necessary. And but for this, I +should certainly have frozen to death; for I was determined not to go +to any house for shelter. I knew of a man belonging to Gen. Ashly, of +St. Louis, who had run away near Cincinnati, on the way to Washington, +but had been caught and carried back into slavery; and I felt that a +similar fate awaited me, should I be seen by any one. I travelled at +night, and lay by during the day. + +On the fourth day my provisions gave out, and then what to do I could +not tell. Have something to eat I must; but how to get it was the +question! On the first night after my food was gone, I went to a barn +on the road-side and there found some ears of corn. I took ten or +twelve of them, and kept on my journey. During the next day, while in +the woods, I roasted my corn and feasted upon it, thanking God that I +was so well provided for. + +My escape to a land of freedom now appeared certain, and the prospects +of the future occupied a great part of my thoughts. What should be my +occupation, was a subject of much anxiety to me; and the next thing +what should be my name? I have before stated that my old master, Dr. +Young, had no children of his own, but had with him a nephew, the son +of his brother, Benjamin Young. When this boy was brought to Dr. Young, +his name being William, the same as mine, my mother was ordered to +change mine to something else. This, at the time, I thought to be one +of the most cruel acts that could be committed upon my rights; and I +received several very severe whippings for telling people that my name +was William, after orders were given to change it. Though young, I was +old enough to place a high appreciation upon my name. It was decided, +however, to call me "Sandford," and this name I was known by, not only +upon my master's plantation, but up to the time that I made my escape. +I was sold under the name of Sandford. + +But as soon as the subject came to my mind, I resolved on adopting my +old name of William, and let Sandford go by the board, for I always +hated it. Not because there was anything peculiar in the name; but +because it had been forced upon me. It is sometimes common, at the +south, for slaves to take the name of their masters. Some have a +legitimate right to do so. But I always detested the idea of being +called by the name of either of my masters. And as for my father, I +would rather have adopted the name of "Friday," and been known as the +servant of some Robinson Crusoe, than to have taken his name. So I was +not only hunting for my liberty, but also hunting for a name; though I +regarded the latter as of little consequence, if I could but gain the +former. Travelling along the road, I would sometimes speak to myself, +sounding my name over, by way of getting used to it, before I should +arrive among civilized human beings. On the fifth or six day, it rained +very fast, and froze about as fast as it fell, so that my clothes were +one glare of ice. I travelled on at night until I became so chilled and +benumbed--the wind blowing into my face--that I found it impossible to +go any further, and accordingly took shelter in a barn, where I was +obliged to walk about to keep from freezing. + +I have ever looked upon that night as the most eventful part of my +escape from slavery. Nothing but the providence of God, and that old +barn, saved me from freezing to death. I received a very severe cold, +which settled upon my lungs, and from time to time my feet had been +frostbitten, so that it was with difficulty I could walk. In this +situation I travelled two days, when I found that I must seek shelter +somewhere, or die. + +The thought of death was nothing frightful to me, compared with that +of being caught, and again carried back into slavery. Nothing but the +prospect of enjoying liberty could have induced me to undergo such +trials, for + + + "Behind I left the whips and chains, + Before me were sweet Freedom's plains!" + + +This, and this alone, cheered me onward. But I at last resolved to seek +protection from the inclemency of the weather, and therefore I secured +myself behind some logs and brush, intending to wait there until some +one should pass by; for I thought it probable that I might see some +colored person, or, if not, some one who was not a slaveholder; for I +had an idea that I should know a slaveholder as far as I could see him. + +The first person that passed was a man in a buggy-wagon. He looked too +genteel for me to hail him. Very soon another passed by on horseback. +I attempted to speak to him, but fear made my voice fail me. As he +passed, I left my hiding-place, and was approaching the road, when I +observed an old man walking towards me, leading a white horse. He had +on a broad-brimmed hat and a very long coat, and was evidently walking +for exercise. As soon as I saw him, and observed his dress, I thought +to myself, "You are the man that I have been looking for!" Nor was I +mistaken. He was the very man! + +On approaching me, he asked me, "if I was not a slave." I looked at him +some time, and then asked him "if he knew of any one who would help +me, as I was sick." He answered that he would; but again asked, if I +was not a slave. I told him I was. He then said that I was in a very +pro-slavery neighborhood, and if I would wait until he went home, he +would get a covered wagon for me. I promised to remain. He mounted his +horse, and was soon out of sight. + +After he was gone, I meditated whether to wait or not; being +apprehensive that he had gone for some one to arrest me. But I finally +concluded to remain until he should return; removing some few rods to +watch his movements. After a suspense of an hour and a half or more, he +returned with a two-horse covered wagon, such as are usually seen under +the shed of a Quaker meeting-house on Sundays and Thursdays; for the +old man proved to be a Quaker of the George Fox stamp. + +He took me to his house, but it was some time before I could be induced +to enter it; not until the old lady came out, did I venture into the +house. I thought I saw something in the old lady's cap that told me +I was not only safe, but welcome, in her house. I was not, however, +prepared to receive their hospitalities. The only fault I found with +them was their being too kind. I had never had a white man to treat me +as an equal, and the idea of a white lady waiting on me at the table +was still worse! Though the table was loaded with the good things of +this life, I could not eat. I thought if I could only be allowed the +privilege of eating in the kitchen I should be more than satisfied! + +Finding that I could not eat, the old lady, who was a "Thompsonian," +made me a cup of "composition," or "number six;" but it was so strong +and hot, that I called it "_number seven_!" However, I soon found +myself at home in this family. On different occasions, when telling +these facts, I have been asked how I felt upon finding myself regarded +as a man by a white family; especially just having run away from one. I +cannot say that I have ever answered the question yet. + +The fact that I was in all probability a freeman, sounded in my ears +like a charm. I am satisfied that none but a slave could place such +an appreciation upon liberty as I did at that time. I wanted to see +mother and sister, that I might tell them "I was free!" I wanted to +see my fellow-slaves in St. Louis, and let them know that the chains +were no longer upon my limbs. I wanted to see Captain Price, and let +him learn from my own lips that I was no more a chattel, but a man! I +was anxious, too, thus to inform Mrs. Price that she must get another +coachman. And I wanted to see Eliza more than I did either Mr. or Mrs. +Price! + +The fact that I was a freeman--could walk, talk, eat and sleep, as a +man, and no one to stand over me with the blood-clotted cow-hide--all +this made me feel that I was not myself. + +The kind friend that had taken me in was named Wells Brown. He was a +devoted friend of the slave; but was very old, and not in the enjoyment +of good health. After being by the fire awhile, I found that my feet +had been very much frozen. I was seized with a fever, which threatened +to confine me to my bed. But my Thompsonian friends soon raised me, +treating me as kindly as if I had been one of their own children. I +remained with them twelve or fifteen days, during which time they made +me some clothing, and the old gentleman purchased me a pair of boots. + +I found that I was about fifty or sixty miles from Dayton, in the State +of Ohio, and between one and two hundred miles from Cleaveland, on +Lake Erie, a place I was desirous of reaching on my way to Canada. This +I know will sound strangely to the ears of people in foreign lands, +but it is nevertheless true. An American citizen was fleeing from a +democratic, republican, Christian government, to receive protection +under the monarchy of Great Britain. While the people of the United +States boast of their freedom, they at the same time keep three +millions of their own citizens in chains; and while I am seated here in +sight of Bunker Hill Monument, writing this narrative, I am a slave, +and no law, not even in Massachusetts, can protect me from the hands of +the slaveholder! + +Before leaving this good Quaker friend, he inquired what my name was +besides William. I told him that I had no other name. "Well," said he, +"thee must have another name. Since thee has got out of slavery, thee +has become a man, and men always have two names." + +I told him that he was the first man to extend the hand of friendship +to me, and I would give him the privilege of naming me. + +"If I name thee," said he, "I shall call thee Wells Brown, after +myself." + +"But," said I, "I am not willing to lose my name of William. As it was +taken from me once against my will, I am not willing to part with it +again upon any terms." + +"Then," said he, "I will call thee William Wells Brown." + +"So be it," said I; and I have been known by that name ever since I +left the house of my first white friend, Wells Brown. + +After giving me some little change, I again started for Canada. In four +days I reached a public house, and went in to warm myself. I there +learned that some fugitive slaves had just passed through the place. +The men in the bar-room were talking about it, and I thought that it +must have been myself they referred to, and I was therefore afraid to +start, fearing they would seize me; but I finally mustered courage +enough, and took my leave. As soon as I was out of sight, I went into +the woods, and remained there until night, when I again regained the +road, and travelled on until next day. + +Not having had any food for nearly two days, I was faint with hunger, +and was in a dilemma what to do, as the little cash supplied me by my +adopted father, and which had contributed to my comfort, was now all +gone. I however concluded to go to a farm-house, and, ask for something +to eat. On approaching the door of the first one presenting itself, I +knocked, and was soon met by a man who asked me what I wanted. I told +him that I would like something to eat. He asked me where I was from, +and where I was going. I replied that I had come some way, and was +going to Cleaveland. + +After hesitating a moment or two, he told me that he could give me +nothing to eat, adding, "that if I would work, I could get something to +eat." + +I felt bad, being thus refused something to sustain nature, but did not +dare tell him that I was a slave. + +Just as I was leaving the door, with a heavy heart, a woman, who +proved to be the wife of this gentleman, came to the door, and asked +her husband what I wanted. He did not seem inclined to inform her. She +therefore asked me herself. I told her that I had asked for something +to eat. After a few other questions, she told me to come in, and that +she would give me something to eat. + +I walked up to the door, but the husband remained in the passage, as if +unwilling to let me enter. + +She asked him two or three times to get out of the way, and let me in. +But as he did not move, she pushed him on one side, bidding me walk in! +I was never before so glad to see a woman push a man aside! Ever since +that act; I have been in favor of "woman's rights!" + +After giving me as much food as I could eat, she presented me with ten +cents, all the money then at her disposal, accompanied with a note +to a friend, a few miles further on the road. Thanking this angel of +mercy from an overflowing heart, I pushed on my way, and in three days +arrived at Cleaveland, Ohio. + +Being an entire stranger in this place, it was difficult for me to find +where to stop. I had no money, and the lake being frozen, I saw that +I must remain until the opening of the navigation, or go to Canada by +way of Buffalo. But believing myself to be somewhat out of danger, +I secured an engagement at the Mansion House, as a table waiter, in +payment for my board. The proprietor, however, whose name was E. M. +Segur, in a short time, hired me for twelve dollars a month; on which +terms I remained until spring, when I found good employment on board a +lake steamboat. + +I purchased some books, and at leisure moments perused them with +considerable advantage to myself. While at Cleaveland, I saw, for the +first time, an anti-slavery newspaper. It was the "_Genius of Universal +Emancipation_," published by Benjamin Lundy; and though I had no home, +I subscribed for the paper. It was my great desire, being out of +slavery myself, to do what I could for the emancipation of my brethren +yet in chains, and while on Lake Erie, I found many opportunities of +"helping their cause along." + +It is well known that a great number of fugitives make their escape to +Canada, by way of Cleaveland; and while on the lakes, I always made +arrangement to carry them on the boat to Buffalo or Detroit, and thus +effect their escape to the "promised land." The friends of the slave, +knowing that I would transport them without charge, never failed to +have a delegation when the boat arrived at Cleaveland. I have sometimes +had four or five on board at one time. + +In the year 1842, I conveyed, from the first of May to the first of +December, sixty-nine fugitives over Lake Erie to Canada. In 1843, +I visited Malden, in Upper Canada, and counted seventeen in that +small village, whom I had assisted in reaching Canada. Soon after +coming north I subscribed for the Liberator, edited by that champion +of freedom, William Lloyd Garrison. I had heard nothing of the +anti-slavery movement while in slavery, and as soon as I found that my +enslaved countrymen had friends who were laboring for their liberation, +I felt anxious to join them, and give what aid I could to the cause. + +I early embraced the temperance cause, and found that a temperance +reformation was needed among my colored brethren. In company with a +few friends, I commenced a temperance reformation among the colored +people in the city of Buffalo, and labored three years, in which time a +society was built up, numbering over five hundred out of a population +of less than seven hundred. + +In the autumn, 1843, impressed with the importance of spreading +anti-slavery truth, as a means to bring about the abolition of slavery, +I commenced lecturing as an agent of the western New York Anti-Slavery +Society, and have ever since devoted my time to the cause of my +enslaved countrymen. + + + + +From the Liberty Bell of 1848. + + +THE AMERICAN SLAVE-TRADE. + +BY WILLIAM WELLS BROWN. + +Of the many features which American slavery presents, the most cruel +is that of the slave-trade. A traffic in the bodies and souls of +native-born Americans is carried on in the slave-holding states to +an extent little dreamed of by the great mass of the people in the +non-slave-holding states. The precise number of slaves carried from +the slave-raising to the slave-consuming states we have no means of +knowing. But it must be very great, as forty thousand were sold and +carried out of the State of Virginia in one single year! + +This heart-rending and cruel traffic is not confined to any particular +class of persons. No person forfeits his or her character or standing +in society by being engaged in raising and selling slaves to supply +the cotton, sugar, and rice plantations of the south. Few persons who +have visited the slave states have not, on their return, told of the +gangs of slaves they had seen on their way to the southern market. This +trade presents some of the most revolting and atrocious scenes which +can be imagined. Slave-prisons, slave-auctions, hand-cuffs, whips, +chains, bloodhounds, and other instruments of cruelty, are part of the +furniture which belongs to the American slave-trade. It is enough to +make humanity bleed at every pore, to see these implements of torture. + +Known to God only is the amount of human agony and suffering which +sends its cry from these slave-prisons, unheard or unheeded by man, +up to His ear; mothers weeping for their children--breaking the +night-silence with the shrieks of their breaking hearts. We wish no +human being to experience emotions of needless pain, but we do wish +that every man, woman, and child in New England, could visit a southern +slave-prison and auction-stand. + +I shall never forget a scene which took place in the city of St. Louis, +while I was in slavery. A man and his wife, both slaves, were brought +from the country to the city, for sale. They were taken to the rooms of +AUSTIN & SAVAGE, auctioneers. Several slave-speculators, who +are always to be found at auctions where slaves are to be sold, were +present. The man was first put up, and sold to the highest bidder. The +wife was next ordered to ascend the platform. I was present. She slowly +obeyed the order. The auctioneer commenced, and soon several hundred +dollars were bid. My eyes were intensely fixed on the face of the +woman, whose cheeks were wet with tears. But a conversation between the +slave and his new master attracted my attention. I drew near them to +listen. The slave was begging his new master to purchase his wife. Said +he, "Master, if you will only buy Fanny, I know you will get the worth +of your money. She is a good cook, a good washer, and her last mistress +liked her very much. If you will only buy her how happy I shall be." +The new master replied that he did not want her, but if she sold cheap +he would purchase her. I watched the countenance of the man while the +different persons were bidding on his wife. When his new master bid on +his wife you could see the smile upon his countenance, and the tears +stop; but as soon as another would bid, you could see the countenance +change and the tears start afresh. From this change of countenance one +could see the workings of the inmost soul. But this suspense did not +last long; the wife was struck off to the highest bidder, who proved +not to be the owner of her husband. As soon as they became aware that +they were to be separated, they both burst into tears; and as she +descended from the auction-stand, the husband, walking up to her and +taking her by the hand, said, "Well, Fanny, we are to part forever, on +earth; you have been a good wife to me. I did all that I could to get +my new master to buy you; but he did not want you, and all I have to +say is, I hope you will try to meet me in heaven. I shall try to meet +you there." The wife made no reply, but her sobs and cries told, too +well, her own feelings. I saw the countenances of a number of whites +who were present, and whose eyes were dim with tears at hearing the man +bid his wife farewell. + +Such are but common occurrences in the slave states. At these +auction-stands, bones, muscles, sinews, blood and nerves, of human +beings, are sold with as much indifference as a farmer in the north +sells a horse or sheep. And this great American nation is, at the +present time, engaged in the slave-trade. I have before me now the +Washington "UNION," the organ of the government, in which I +find an advertisement of several slaves to be sold for the benefit of +the government. They will, in all human probability, find homes among +the rice-swamps of Georgia, or the cane-brakes of Mississippi. + +With every disposition on the part of those who are engaged in it to +veil the truth, certain facts have, from time to time, transpired, +sufficient to show, if not the full amount of the evil, at least that +it is one of prodigious magnitude. And what is more to be wondered +at, is the fact that the greatest slave-market is to be found at the +capital of the country! The American slave-trader marches by the +capitol with his "coffle-gang,"--the stars and stripes waving over +their heads, and the constitution of the United States in his pocket! + +The Alexandria Gazette, speaking of the slave-trade at the capital, +says, "Here you may behold fathers and brothers leaving behind them +the dearest objects of affection, and moving slowly along in the mute +agony of despair; there, the young mother, sobbing over the infant +whose innocent smile seems but to increase her misery. From some you +will hear the burst of bitter lamentation, while from others, the loud +hysteric laugh breaks forth, denoting still deeper agony. Such is but a +faint picture of the American slave-trade." + +_Boston, Massachusetts._ + + + + +THE BLIND SLAVE BOY. + +BY MRS. BAILEY. + + + Come back to me mother! why linger away + From thy poor little blind boy the long weary day! + I mark every footstep, I list to each tone, + And wonder my mother should leave me alone! + There are voices of sorrow, and voices of glee, + But there's no one to joy or to sorrow with me; + For each hath of pleasure and trouble his share, + And none for the poor little blind boy will care. + + My mother, come back to me! close to thy breast + Once more let thy poor little blind boy be pressed; + Once more let me feel thy warm breath on my cheek, + And hear thee in accents of tenderness speak. + O mother! I've no one to love me--no heart + Can bear like thine own in my sorrows a part, + No hand is so gentle, no voice is so kind, + Oh! none like a mother can cherish the blind! + + Poor blind one! No mother thy wailing can hear, + No mother can hasten to banish thy fear; + For the slave-owner drives her o'er mountain and wild, + And for one paltry dollar hath sold thee, poor child; + Ah, who can in language of mortals reveal + The anguish that none but a mother can feel. + When man in his vile lust of mammon hath trod + On her child, who is stricken or smitten of God! + + Blind, helpless, forsaken, with strangers alone, + She hears in her anguish his piteous moan; + As he eagerly listens--but listens in vain-- + To catch the loved tones of his mother again! + The curse of the broken in spirit shall fall + On the wretch who hath mingled this wormwood and gall, + And his gain like a mildew shall blight and destroy, + Who hath torn from his mother the little blind boy! + + + + +APPENDIX. + + +In giving a history of my own sufferings in slavery, as well as the +sufferings of others with which I was acquainted, or which came under +my immediate observation, I have spoken harshly of slaveholders, in +church and state. + +Nor am I inclined to apologize for anything which I have said. There +are exceptions among slaveholders, as well as among other sinners; +and the fact that a slaveholder feeds his slaves better, clothes them +better, than another, does not alter the case; he is a slaveholder. +I do not ask the slaveholder to feed, clothe, or to treat his victim +better as a slave. I am not waging a warfare against the collateral +evils, or what are sometimes called the abuses, of slavery. I wage a +war against slavery itself, because it takes man down from the lofty +position which God intended he should occupy, and places him upon a +level with the beasts of the field. It decrees that the slave shall +not worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience; it +denies him the word of God; it makes him a chattel, and sells him in +the market to the highest bidder; it decrees that he shall not protect +the wife of his bosom; it takes from him every right which God gave +him. Clothing and food are as nothing compared with liberty. What +care I for clothing or food, while I am the slave of another? You may +take me and put cloth upon my back, boots upon my feet, a hat upon my +head, and cram a beef-steak down my throat, and all of this will not +satisfy me as long as I know that you have the power to tear me from +my dearest relatives. All I ask of the slaveholder is to give the +slave his liberty. It is freedom I ask for the _slave_. And that the +American slave will eventually get his freedom, no one can doubt. You +cannot keep the human mind forever locked up in darkness. A ray of +light, a spark from freedom's altar, the idea of inherent right, each, +all, will become fixed in the soul; and that moment his "limbs swell +beyond the measure of his chains," that moment he is free; then it is +that the slave dies to become a freeman; then it is felt that one hour +of virtuous liberty is worth an eternity of bondage; then it is, in the +madness and fury of his blood, that the excited soul exclaims, + + + "From life without freedom, oh! who would not fly; + For one day of freedom, oh! who would not die?" + + +The rising of the slaves in Southampton, Virginia, in 1831, has not +been forgotten by the American people. Nat Turner, a slave for life,--a +Baptist minister,--entertained the idea that he was another Moses, +whose duty it was to lead his people out of bondage. His soul was fired +with the love of liberty, and he declared to his fellow-slaves that the +time had arrived, and that "They who would be free, themselves must +strike the blow." He knew that it would be "liberty or death" with +his little band of patriots, numbering less than three hundred. He +commenced the struggle for liberty; he knew his cause was just, and he +loved liberty more than he feared death. He did not wish to take the +lives of the whites; he only demanded that himself and brethren might +be free. The slaveholders found that men whose souls were burning for +liberty, however small their numbers, could not be put down at their +pleasure; that something more than water was wanted to extinguish the +flame. They trembled at the idea of meeting men in open combat, whose +backs they had lacerated, whose wives and daughters they had torn from +their bosoms, whose hearts were bleeding from the wounds inflicted by +them. They appealed to the United States government for assistance. A +company of United States troops was sent into Virginia to put down men +whose only offence was, that they wanted to be free. Yes! northern men, +men born and brought up in the free states, at the demand of slavery, +marched to its rescue. They succeeded in reducing the poor slave again +to his chains; but they did not succeed in crushing his spirit. + +Not the combined powers of the American Union, not the slaveholders, +with all their northern allies, can extinguish that burning desire +of freedom in the slave's soul! Northern men may stand by as the +body-guard of slaveholders. They may succeed for the time being in +keeping the slave in his chains; but unless the slaveholders liberate +their victims, and that, too, speedily, some modern Hannibal will +make his appearance in the southern states, who will trouble the +slaveholders as the noble Carthaginian did the Romans. Abolitionists +deprecate the shedding of blood; they have warned the slaveholders +again and again. Yet they will not give heed, but still persist in +robbing the slave of liberty. + +"But for the fear of northern bayonets, pledged for the master's +protection, the slaves would long since have wrung a peaceful +emancipation from the fears of their oppressors, or sealed their +own redemption in blood." To the shame of the northern people, the +slaveholders confess that to them they are "indebted for a permanent +safe-guard against insurrection;" that "a million of their slaves stand +ready to strike for liberty at the first tap of the drum;" and but +for the aid of the north they would be too weak to keep them in their +chains. I ask in the language of the slave's poet, + + + "What! shall ye guard your neighbor still, + While woman shrieks beneath his rod, + And while he tramples down at will + The image of a common God? + Shall watch and ward be 'round him set, + Of northern nerve and bayonet?" + + +The countenance of the people at the north has quieted the fears of +the slaveholders, especially the countenance which they receive from +northern churches. "But for the countenance of the northern church, the +southern conscience would have long since awakened to its guilt: and +the impious sight of a church made up of slaveholders, and called the +church of Christ, been scouted from the world." So says a distinguished +writer. + +Slaveholders hide themselves behind the church. A more praying, +preaching, psalm-singing people cannot be found than the slaveholders +at the south. The religion of the south is referred to every day, +to prove that slaveholders are good, pious men. But with all their +pretensions, and all the aid which they get from the northern church, +they cannot succeed in deceiving the Christian portion of the world. +Their child-robbing, man-stealing, woman-whipping, chain-forging, +marriage-destroying, slave-manufacturing, man-slaying religion, +will not be received as genuine; and the people of the free states +cannot expect to live in union with slaveholders, without becoming +contaminated with slavery. They are looked upon as one people; they +_are_ one people; the people in the free and slave states form the +"American Union." Slavery is a national institution. The nation +licenses men to traffic in the bodies and souls of men; it supplies +them with public buildings at the capital of the country to keep their +victims in. For a paltry sum it gives the auctioneer a license to sell +American men, women, and children, upon the auction-stand. The American +slave-trader, with the constitution in his hat and his license in +his pocket, marches his gang of chained men and women under the very +eaves of the nation's capitol. And this, too, in a country professing +to be the freest nation in the world. They profess to be democrats, +republicans, and to believe in the natural equality of men; that they +are "all created with certain inalienable rights, among which are +life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." They call themselves a +Christian nation; they rob three millions of their countrymen of their +liberties, and then talk of their piety, their democracy, and their +love of liberty; and, in the language of Shakspeare, say, + + + "And thus I clothe my naked villany, + And seem a saint when most I play the devil." + + +The people of the United States, with all their high professions, are +forging chains for unborn millions, in their wars for slavery. With +all their democracy, there is not a foot of land over which the "stars +and stripes" fly, upon which the American slave can stand and claim +protection. Wherever the United States constitution has jurisdiction, +and the American flag is seen flying, they point out the slave as a +chattel, a thing, a piece of property. But I thank God there is one +spot in America upon which the slave can stand and be a man. No matter +whether the claimant be a United States president, or a doctor of +divinity; no matter with what solemnities some American court may have +pronounced him a slave; the moment he makes his escape from under the +"stars and stripes," and sets foot upon the soil of CANADA, +"the altar and the god sink together in the dust; his soul walks abroad +in her own majesty; his body swells beyond the measure of his chains, +that burst from around him; and he stands redeemed, regenerated, and +disenthralled, by the irresistible genius of universal emancipation." + +But slavery must and will be banished from the United States soil: + + + "Let tyrants scorn, while tyrants dare, + The shrieks and writhings of despair; + The end will come, it will not wait, + Bonds, yokes, and scourges have their date; + Slavery itself must pass away, + And be a tale of yesterday." + + +But I will now stop, and let the slaveholders speak for themselves. I +shall here present some evidences of the treatment which slaves receive +from their masters; after which I will present a few of the slave-laws. +And it has been said, and I believe truly, that no people were ever +found to be better than their laws. And, as an American slave,--as one +who is identified with the slaves of the south by the scars which I +carry on my back,--as one identified with them by the tenderest ties +of nature,--as one whose highest aspirations are to serve the cause +of truth and freedom,--I beg of the reader not to lay this book down +until he or she has read every page it contains. I ask it not for my +own sake, but for the sake of three millions who cannot speak for +themselves. + + + From the Livingston County (Alabama) Whig of Nov. 16, 1845. + + "NEGRO DOGS.--The undersigned having bought the entire pack of + Negro Dogs, (of the Hays & Allen stock,) he now proposesto catch + runaway Negroes. His charge will be three dollars per day for + hunting, and fifteen dollars for catching a runaway. He resides + three and a half miles north of Livingston, near the lower Jones' + Bluff road. + + "WILLIAM GAMBREL. + + "Nov. 6, 1845." + + +The Wilmington [North Carolina] Advertiser of July 13, 1838, contains +the following advertisement: + + "Ranaway, my Negro man Richard. A reward of $25 will be paid for + his apprehension, DEAD or ALIVE. Satisfactory proof will only be + required of his being killed. He has with him, in all probability, + his wife Eliza, who ran away from Col. Thompson, now a resident of + Alabama, about the time he commenced his journey to that state. + + "D. H. RHODES." + + +The St. Louis Gazette says-- + +"A wealthy man here had a boy named Reuben, almost white, whom he +caused to be branded in the face with the words 'A slave for life.'" + + + From the N. C. Standard, July 28, 1838. + + "TWENTY DOLLARS REWARD.--Ranaway from the subscriber, a + negro woman and two children; the woman is tall and black, and _a + few days before she went off_ I BURNT HER ON THE LEFT SIDE OF HER + FACE: I TRIED TO MAKE THE LETTER M, _and she kept a cloth over her + head and face, and a fly bonnet over her head, so as to cover the + burn_; her children are both boys, the oldest is in his seventh + year; he is a _mulatto_ and has blue eyes; the youngest is a black, + and is in his fifth year. + + "MICAJAH RICKS, Nash County." + + + "One of my neighbors sold to a speculator a negro boy, about 14 + years old. It was more than his poor mother could bear. Her reason + fled, and she became a perfect _maniac_, and had to be kept in + close confinement. She would occasionally get out and run off to + the neighbors. On one of these occasions she came to my house. + With tears rolling down her cheeks, and her frame shaking with + agony, she would cry out, '_Don't you hear him--they are whipping + him now, and he is calling for me!_' This neighbor of mine, who + tore the boy away from his poor mother, and thus broke her heart, + was a _member of the Presbyterian church_."--_Rev. Francis Hawley, + Baptist minister, Colebrook, Ct._ + + +A colored man in the city of St. Louis was taken by a mob, and burnt +alive at the stake. A bystander gives the following account of the +scene:-- + + "After the flames had surrounded their prey, and when his clothes + were in a blaze all over him, his eyes burnt out of his head, and + his mouth seemingly parched to a cinder, some one in the _crowd_, + more compassionate than the rest, proposed to put an end to his + misery by shooting him, when it was replied, that it would be + of no use, since he was already out of his pain. 'No,' said the + wretch, 'I am not, I am suffering as much as ever,--shoot me, + shoot me.' 'No, no,' said one of the fiends, who was standing + about the sacrifice they were roasting, 'he shall not be shot; I + would sooner slacken the fire, if that would increase his misery;' + and the man who said this was, we understand, an _officer of + justice_."--_Alton Telegraph._ + + + "We have been informed that the slave William, who murdered his + master (Huskey) some weeks since, was taken by a party a few days + since _from the sheriff_ of Hot Spring, and _burned alive_! yes, + tied up to the limb of a tree and a fire built under him, and + consumed in a slow lingering torture."--_Arkansas Gazette, Oct. + 29, 1836._ + + +_The Natchez Free Trader_, 16th June, 1842, gives a horrible account of +the execution of the negro Joseph on the 5th of that month for murder. + + "The body," says that paper, "was taken and chained to a tree + immediately on the bank of the Mississippi, on what is called + Union Point. The torches were lighted and placed in the pile. + He watched unmoved the curling flame as it grew, until it began + to entwine itself around and feed upon his body; then he sent + forth cries of agony painful to the ear, begging some one to blow + his brains out; at the same time surging with almost superhuman + strength, until the staple with which the chain was fastened to + the tree, not being well secured, drew out, and he leaped from the + burning pile. At that moment the sharp ring of several rifles was + heard, and the body of the negro fell a corpse to the ground. He + was picked up by two or three, and again thrown into the fire and + consumed." + + + "ANOTHER NEGRO BURNED.--We learn from the clerk of the Highlander, + that, while wooding a short distance below the mouth of Red river, + they were _invited to stop a short time and see another negro + burned_."--_New Orleans Bulletin._ + + + "We can assure the Bostonians, one and all, who have embarked in + the nefarious scheme of abolishing slavery at the south, that + lashes will hereafter be spared the backs of their emissaries. + Let them send out their men to Louisiana; they will never return + to tell their sufferings, but they shall expiate the crime of + interfering in our domestic institutions by being BURNED AT THE + STAKE."--_New Orleans True American._ + + + "The cry of the whole south should be death, instant death, to the + abolitionist, wherever he is caught."--_Augusta (Geo.) Chronicle._ + + + "Let us declare through the public journals of our country, + that the question of slavery is not and shall not be open for + discussion: that the system is too deep-rooted among us, and + must remain forever; that the very moment any private individual + attempts to lecture us upon its evils and immorality, and the + necessity of putting means in operation to secure us from them, + in the same moment his tongue shall be cut out and cast upon the + dunghill."--_Columbia (S. C.) Telescope._ + + + From the St. Louis Republican. + + "On Friday last the coroner held an inquest at the house of Judge + Dunica, a few miles south of the city, over the body of a negro + girl, about 8 years of age, belonging to Mr. Cordell. The body + exhibited evidence of the most cruel whipping and beating we have + ever heard of. The flesh on the back and limbs was beaten to a + jelly--one shoulder-bone was laid bare--there were several cuts, + apparently from a club, on the head--and around the neck was + the indentation of a cord, by which it is supposed she had been + confined to a tree. She had been hired by a man by the name of + Tanner, residing in the neighborhood, and was sent home in this + condition. After coming home, her constant request, until her + death, was for bread, by which it would seem that she had been + starved as well as unmercifully whipped. The jury returned a + verdict that she came to her death by the blows inflicted by some + persons unknown whilst she was in the employ of Mr. Tanner. Mrs. + Tanner has been tried and acquitted." + + +A correspondent of the N. Y. Herald writes from St. Louis, Oct. 19: + + "I yesterday visited the cell of Cornelia, the slave charged with + being the accomplice of Mrs. Ann Tanner (recently acquitted) in + the murder of a little negro girl, by whipping and starvation. She + admits her participancy, but says she was compelled to take the + part she did in the affair. On one occasion she says the child was + tied to a tree from Monday morning till Friday night, exposed by + day to the scorching rays of the sun, and by night to the stinging + of myriads of musquitoes; and that during all this time the child + had nothing to eat, but was whipped daily. The child told the same + story to Dr. McDowell." + + + From the Carroll County Mississippian, May 4th, 1844. + + "Committed to jail in this place, on the 29th of April last, + a runaway slave named Creesy, and says she belongs to William + Barrow, of Carroll county, Mississippi. Said woman is stout built, + five feet four inches high, and appears to be about twenty years + of age; she has a band of iron on each ankle, and a trace chain + around her neck, fastened with a common padlock. + + "J. N. SPENCER, Jailer. + + "May 15, 1844." + + +The Savannah, Ga., Republican of the 13th of March, 1845, contains an +advertisement, one item of which is as follows:-- + + "Also, at the same time and place, the following negro slaves, to + wit: Charles, Peggy, Antonnett, Davy, September, Maria, Jenny, + and Isaac--levied on as the property of Henry T. Hall, to satisfy + a mortgage fi. fia. issued out of McIntosh Superior Court, in + favor of the board of directors of the _Theological Seminary of + the Synod of South Carolina and Georgia_, vs. said Henry T. Hall. + Conditions, cash. + + "C. O'NEAL, Deputy Sheriff, M. C." + + +In the "Macon (Georgia) Telegraph," May 28, is the following: + + "About the first of March last, the negro man RANSOM + left me, without the least provocation whatever. I will give a + reward of $20 dollars for said negro, if taken DEAD or + ALIVE,--and if killed in any attempt an advance of $5 + will be paid. + + "BRYANT JOHNSON. + + "Crawford Co., Ga." + + + From the Apalachicola Gazette, May 9. + + "ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS REWARD.--Ranaway from + my plantation on the 6th inst., three negro men, all of dark + complexion. + + "BILL is about five feet four inches high, aged about + twenty-six, _a scar on his upper lip_, also _one on his shoulder_, + and has been _badly cut on his arm_; speaks quick and broken, and + a venomous look. + + "DANIEL is about the same height, chunky and well set, + broad, flat mouth, with a pleasing countenance, rather inclined to + show his teeth when talking, no particular marks recollected, aged + about twenty-three. + + "NOAH is about six feet three or four inches high, + twenty-eight years old, with rather a down, impudent look, + insolent in his discourse, with a large mark on his breast, _a + good many large scars_, caused by the whip, on his back--_has + been shot in the back of his arm_ with small shot. The above + reward will be paid to any one who will KILL the three, + or fifty for either one, or twenty dollars apiece for them + delivered to me at my plantation alive, on Chattahoochie, Early + county. + + "J. MCDONALD." + + + From the Alabama Beacon, June 11, 1845. + + "Ranaway, on the 15th of May, from me, a negro woman named Fanny. + Said woman is twenty years old; is rather tall, can read and + write, and so forge passes for herself. Carried away with her a + pair of ear-rings, a Bible with a red cover, is very pious. She + prays a great deal, and was, as supposed, contented and happy. She + is as white as most white women, with straight light hair, and + blue eyes, and can pass herself for a white woman. I will give + five hundred dollars for her apprehension and delivery to me. She + is very intelligent. + + "JOHN BALCH. + + "Tuscaloosa, May, 29, 1845." + + + From the N. O. Commercial Bulletin, Sept. 30. + + "TEN DOLLARS REWARD.--Ranaway from the subscribers, on + the 15th of last month, the negro man Charles, about 45 years of + age, 5 feet 6 inches high; red complexion, has had the _upper + lid of his right eye torn_, and _a scar on his forehead_; speaks + English only, and stutters when spoken to; he had on when he + left, _an iron collar, the prongs of which he broke off before + absconding_. The above reward will be paid for the arrest of said + slave. + + W. E. & R. MURPHY, + + "132 Old Raisin." + + + From the N. O. Bee, Oct. 5. + + "Ranaway from the residence of Messrs. F. Duncom & Co., the negro + Francois, aged from 25 to 30 years, about 5 feet 1 inch in height; + the _upper front teeth are missing_; he had _chains on both of + his legs_, dressed with a kind of blouse made of sackcloth. A + proportionate reward will be given to whoever will bring him back + to the bakery, No. 74, Bourbon street." + + + From the N. O. Picayune of Sunday, Dec. 17. + + "COCK-PIT.--_Benefit of Fire Company No. 1, + Lafayette._--A cock-fight will take place on Sunday, the 17th + inst., at the well-known house of the subscriber. As the entire + proceeds are for the benefit of the fire company, a full + attendance is respectfully solicited. + + ADAM ISRANG. + + "_Corner of Josephine and Tchoupitolas streets, Lafayette._" + + + From the N. O. Picayune. + + "TURKEY SHOOTING.--This day, Dec. 17, from 10 o'clock, A. M., until + 6 o'clock, P. M., and the following Sundays, at M'Donoughville, + opposite the Second Municipality Ferry." + + +The next is an advertisement from the New Orleans Bee, an equally +popular paper. + + "A BULL FIGHT, between a ferocious bull and a number of dogs, will + take place on Sunday next, at 4¼ o'clock, P. M., on the other side + of the river, at Algiers, opposite Canal street. After the bull + fight, a fight will take place between a bear and some dogs. The + whole to conclude by a combatbetween an ass and several dogs. + + "Amateurs bringing dogs to participate in the fight will be + admitted gratis. Admittance--Boxes, 50 cts.; Pit, 30 cts. The + spectacle will be repeated every Sunday, weather permitting. + + "PEPE LLULLA." + + +EXTRACTS FROM THE AMERICAN SLAVE CODE. + +The following are mostly abridged selections from the statutes of the +slave status and of the United States. They give but a faint view of +the cruel oppression to which the slaves are subject, but a strong +one enough, it is thought, to fill every honest heart with a deep +abhorrence of the atrocious system. Most of the important provisions +here cited, though placed under the name of only one state, prevail +in nearly all the states, with slight variations in language, and +some diversity in the penalties. The extracts have been made in part +from Stroud's Sketch of the Slave Laws, but chiefly from authorized +editions of the statute books referred to, found in the Philadelphia +Law Library. As the compiler has not had access to many of the later +enactments of the several states, nearly all he has cited are acts of +an earlier date than that of the present anti-slavery movement, so that +their severity cannot be ascribed to its influence. + +The cardinal principle of slavery, that the slave is not to be +ranked among _sentient beings_, but among things--is an article of +property, a chattel personal--obtains as undoubted law in all the slave +states.[1]--_Stroud's Sketch_, p. 22. + +The dominion of the master is as unlimited as is that which is +tolerated by the laws of any civilized country in relation to brute +animals--to _quadrupeds_; to use the words of the civil law.--_Ib._ 24. + +Slaves cannot even contract matrimony.[2]--_Ib._ 61. + +LOUISIANA.--A slave is one who is in the power of his master, to +whom he belongs. The master may sell him, dispose of his person, his +industry and his labor; he can do nothing, possess nothing, nor acquire +anything, but what must belong to his master.--_Civil Code_, Art. 35. + +Slaves are incapable of inheriting or transmitting property.--_Civil +Code_, Art. 945; also Art. 175, and _Code of Practice_, Art. 103. + +_Martin's Digest_, Act of June 7, 1806.--Slaves shall always be reputed +and considered real estate; shall be as such subject to be mortgaged, +according to the rules prescribed by law, and they shall be seized and +sold as real estate.--_Vol. I._, p. 612. + +_Dig. Stat._ Sec 13.--No owner of slaves shall hire his slaves +to themselves, under a penalty of twenty-five dollars for each +offence.--_Vol. I._, p. 102. + +Sec. 15.--No slave can possess anything in his own right, or dispose of +the produce of his own industry, without the consent of his master.--p. +103. + +Sec. 16.--No slave can be party in a civil suit, or witness in a civil +or criminal matter, against any white person.--p. 103. _See also Civil +Code_, Art. 117, p. 28. + +Sec. 18.--A slave's subordination to his master is susceptible of no +restriction, (except in what incites to crime,) and he owes to him and +all his family, respect without bounds, and absolute obedience.--p. 103. + +Sec. 25.--Every slave found on horseback, without a written permission +from his master, shall receive twenty-five lashes.--p. 105. + +Sec. 32.--Any freeholder may seize and correct any slave found absent +from his usual place of work or residence, without some white person, +and if the slave resist or try to escape, he may use arms, and if the +slave _assault_[3] and strike him, he may _kill_ the slave.--p. 109. + +Sec. 35.--It is lawful to fire upon runaway negroes who are armed, and +upon those who, when pursued, refuse to surrender.--p. 109. + +Sec. 38.--No slave may buy, sell, or exchange any kind of goods, or +hold any boat, or bring up for his own use any horses or cattle, under +a penalty of forfeiting the whole.--p. 110. + +Sec. 7.--Slaves or free colored persons are punished with _death_, +for wilfully burning or destroying any stack of produce or any +building.--p. 115. + +Sec. 15.--The punishment of a slave for striking a white person, shall +be for the first and second offences at the discretion of the court,[4] +but not extending to life or limb, and for the third offence _death_; +but for grievously wounding or mutilating a white person, _death_ for +the first offence; provided, if the blow or wound is given in defence +of the person or _property of his master_, or the person having charge +of him, he is entirely justified. + +_Act of Feb. 22, 1824_, Sec. 2.--A slave for wilfully striking his +master or mistress, or the child of either, or his white overseer, so +as to cause a bruise or shedding of blood, _shall be punished with +death_.--p. 125. + +_Act of March 6, 1819._--Any person cutting or breaking any iron chain +or collar used to prevent the escape of slaves, shall be fined not less +than two hundred dollars, nor more than one thousand dollars, and be +imprisoned not more than two years nor less than six months.--p. 64 of +the session. + +_Law of January 8, 1813_, Sec. 71.--All slaves sentenced to death or +perpetual imprisonment, in virtue of existing laws, shall be paid for +out of the public treasury, provided the sum paid shall not exceed $300 +for each slave. + +_Law of March 16, 1830_, Sec. 93.--The state treasurer shall pay the +owners the value of all slaves whose punishment has been commuted from +that of death to that of imprisonment for life, &c. + +If any slave shall _happen_ to be slain for refusing to surrender him +or herself, contrary to law, or in unlawfully resisting any officer or +_other person_, who shall apprehend, or endeavor to apprehend, such +slave or slaves, &c., such officer or _other person so killing such +slave as aforesaid_, making resistance, shall be, and he is by this +act, _indemnified_, from any prosecution for such killing aforesaid, +&c.--_Maryland Laws, act of 1751, chap_ xiv., § 9. + +And by the negro act of 1740, of South Carolina, it is declared: + +If any slave, who shall be out of the house or plantation where such +slave shall live, or shall be usually employed, or without some white +person in company with such slave, shall _refuse to submit_ to undergo +the examination of _any white_ person, it shall be lawful for such +white person to pursue, apprehend, and moderately correct such slave +and if such slave shall assault and strike such white person, such +slave may be _lawfully killed_!!--_2 Brevard's Digest_, 231. + +MISSISSIPPI. _Chapt._ 92, Sec. 110.--Penalty for any slave or free +colored person exercising the functions of a minister of the gospel, +thirty-nine lashes; but any master may permit his slave to preach +on his own premises, no slaves but his own being permitted to +assemble.--_Digest of Stat._, p. 770. + +_Act of June 18, 1822_, Sec. 21.--No negro or mulatto can be a witness +in any case, except against negroes or mulattoes.--p. 749. _New Code_, +372. + +Sec. 25.--Any master licensing his slave to go at large and trade as a +freeman, shall forfeit fifty dollars to the state for the literary fund. + +Penalty for teaching a slave to read, imprisonment one year. For using +language having a _tendency_ to promote discontent among free colored +people, or insubordination among slaves, imprisonment at _hard labor_, +not less than three, nor more than twenty-one years, or DEATH, at the +discretion of the court.--_L. M. Child's Appeal_, p. 70. + +Sec. 26.--It is _lawful_ for _any_ person, and the duty of every +sheriff, deputy-sheriff, coroner and constable to apprehend any slave +going at large, or hired out by him, or herself, and take him or her +before a justice of the peace, who shall impose a penalty of not less +than twenty dollars, nor more than fifty dollars, on the owner, who has +permitted such slave to do so. + +Sec. 32.--Any negro or mulatto, for using abusive language, or lifting +his hand in opposition to any white person, (except in self-defence +against a wanton assault,) shall, on proof of the offence by oath of +such person, receive such punishment as a justice of the peace may +order, not exceeding thirty-nine lashes. + +Sec. 41--Forbids the holding of cattle, sheep or hogs by slaves, even +with consent of the master, under penalty of forfeiture, half to the +county, and half to the _informer_. + +Sec. 42--Forbids a slave keeping a dog, under a penalty of twenty-five +stripes; and requires any master who permits it to pay a fine of five +dollars, and make good all damages done by such dog. + +Sec. 43--Forbids slaves cultivating cotton for their own use, and +imposes a fine of fifty dollars on the master or overseer who permits +it. + +_Revised Code._--Every negro or mulatto found in the state, not able to +show himself entitled to freedom, may be sold as a slave.--p. 389. The +owner of any plantation, on which a slave comes without written leave +from his master, and not on lawful business, may inflict ten lashes for +every such offence.--p. 371. + +ALABAMA.--_Aiken's Digest._ Tit. _Slaves, &c._, Sec. 31.--For +_attempting_ to teach any free colored person, or slave, to spell, +read or write, a fine of not less than two hundred and fifty dollars, +nor more than five hundred dollars!--p. 397. + +Sec. 35 and 36.--Any free colored person found with slaves in a +kitchen, outhouse or negro quarter, without a written permission from +the master or overseer of said slaves, and any slave found without such +permission with a free negro on his premises, shall receive fifteen +lashes for the first offence, and thirty-nine for each subsequent +offence; to be inflicted by master, overseer, or member of any patrol +company.--p. 397. + +_Toulmin's Digest._--No slave can be emancipated but by a _special_ act +of the Legislature.--p. 623. + +Act Jan. 1st, 1823--Authorizes an agent to be appointed by the governor +of the state, _to sell for the benefit of the state_ all persons of +color brought into the United States and within the jurisdiction of +Alabama, _contrary to the laws of congress prohibiting the slave +trade_.--p. 643. + +GEORGIA.--_Prince's Digest._ Act Dec. 19, 1818.--Penalty for any free +person of color (except regularly articled seamen) coming into the +state, a fine of one hundred dollars, and on failure of payment to be +sold as a slave.--p. 465. + +Penalty for permitting a slave to labor or do business for himself, +except on his master's premises, thirty dollars per week.--p. 457. + +No slave can be a party to any suit against a white man, except on +claim of his freedom, _and every colored person is presumed to be a +slave, unless he can prove himself free_.--p. 446. + +Act Dec. 13, 1792--Forbids the assembling of negroes under pretence of +divine worship, contrary to the act regulating patrols, p. 342. This +act provides that any justice of the peace may disperse any assembly of +slaves which _may_ endanger the peace; and every slave found at such +meeting shall receive, _without trial_, twenty-five stripes!--p. 447. + +Any person who sees more than seven men slaves without any white +person, in a high road, may whip each slave _twenty_ lashes.--p. 454. + +Any slave who harbors a runaway, may suffer punishment to _any extent_, +not affecting life or limb.--p. 452. + +SOUTH CAROLINA.--_Brevard's Digest._--Slaves shall be deemed sold, +taken, reputed, and adjudged in law to be _chattels personal_ in +the hands of their owners and possessors, and their executors, +administrators, and assigns, _to all intents, constructions and +purposes whatever_.--Vol. ii., p. 229. + +Act of 1740, in the preamble, states that "_many_ owners of slaves and +others that have the management of them do confine them _so closely +to hard labor_, that they have _not sufficient time for natural +rest_," and enacts that no slave shall be compelled to labor more than +_fifteen_ hours in the twenty-four, from March 25th to Sept. 25th, or +_fourteen_ in the twenty-four for the rest of the year. Penalty from £5 +to £20.--Vol. ii., p. 243. + +[Yet, in several of the slave states, the time of work for _criminals_ +whose _punishment_ is hard labor, is eight hours a day for three +months, nine hours for two months, and ten for the rest of the year.] + +A slave endeavoring to entice another slave to run away, if provision +be prepared for the purpose of aiding or abetting such endeavor, shall +suffer _death_.--pp. 233 and 244. + +Penalty for cruelly scalding or burning a slave, cutting out his +tongue, putting out his eye, or depriving him of any limb, a fine +of £100. For beating with a _horse_-whip, cow-skin, switch or small +stick, or putting irons on, or imprisoning a slave, _no penalty or +prohibition_.--p. 241. + +Any person who, not having lawful authority to do so, shall beat a +slave, so as to disable him from _working_, shall pay fifteen shillings +a day _to the owner_, for the slave's lost time, and the charge of his +cure.--pp. 231 and 232. + +A slave claiming his freedom may sue for it by some friend who will act +as guardian, but if the action be judged groundless, said guardian +shall pay _double_ costs of suit, and such damages to the owner as the +court may decide.--p. 260. + +Any assembly of slaves or free colored persons, in a secret or confined +place, for mental instruction, (even if white persons _are_ present,) +is an unlawful meeting, and magistrates must disperse it, breaking +doors if necessary, and may inflict _twenty lashes_ upon each slave or +colored person present.--pp. 254 and 255. + +Meetings for religious worship, before sunrise, or after 9 o'clock, +P. M., unless a majority are white persons, are forbidden; and +magistrates are required to disperse them.--p. 261. + +A slave who lets loose any boat from the place where the owner has +fastened it, for the first _offence shall receive thirty-nine lashes, +and for the second shall have one ear cut off_.--p. 228. + +_James' Digest._--Penalty for _killing_ a slave, on _sudden heat of +passion_, or by _undue correction_, a fine of $500 and imprisonment not +over six months.--p. 392. + +NORTH CAROLINA.--_Haywood's Manual._--Act of 1798, Sec. 3, enacts, +that the killing of a slave shall be punished like that of a free man; +_except_ in the case of a slave _out-lawed_,[5] or a slave _offering to +resist_ his master, or a slave _dying under moderate correction_.--p. +530. + +Act of 1799.--Any slave set free, except for meritorious services, to +be adjudged of by the county court, may be seized by any freeholder, +committed to jail, _and sold to the highest bidder_.[6]--p. 525. + +Patrols are not liable to the master for punishing his slave, unless +their conduct clearly shows malice _against the master_.--_Hawk's +Reps._, vol. i., p. 418. + +TENNESSEE.--_Stat. Law_, Chap. 57, Sec. 1.--Penalty on master for +hiring to any slave his own time, a fine of not less than one dollar +nor more than two dollars a day, _half_ to the informer.--p. 679. + +Chap. 2, Sec. 102.--No slave can be emancipated but on condition of +immediately removing from the state, and the person emancipating +shall give bond, in a sum equal to the slave's value, to have him +removed.--p. 279. + +_Laws of 1813._ Chap. 35.--In the trial of slaves, the sheriff +chooses the court, which must consist of three justices and twelve +_slaveholders_ to serve as jurors. + +ARKANSAS.--_Rev. Stat._, Sec. 4, requires the patrol to visit all +places suspected of unlawful assemblages of slaves; and sec. 5 provides +that any slave found at such assembly, or strolling about without a +pass, _shall receive_ any number of _lashes_, at the discretion of the +patrol, not exceeding twenty.--p. 604. + +MISSOURI.--_Laws, I._--Any master may commit to jail, there to +remain, at _his pleasure_, any slave who refuses to obey him or his +overseer.--p. 309. + +Whether a slave claiming freedom may even commence a suit for it, may +depend on the decision of a single judge.--_Stroud's Sketch_, p. 78, +note which refers to Missouri laws, I., 404. + +KENTUCKY.--_Dig. of Stat._, Act Feb. 8, 1798, Sec. 5.--No colored +person may _keep_ or _carry_ gun, powder, shot, _club_ or _other +weapon_, on penalty of _thirty-nine lashes_, and forfeiting the weapon, +which any person is authorized to take. + +VIRGINIA.--_Rev. Code._--Any emancipated slave remaining in the state +more than a year, may be sold by the overseers of the _poor_, for the +benefit of the _literary fund_!--Vol. i., p. 436. + +Any slave or free colored person found at any school for teaching +reading or writing, by day or night, may be whipped, at the discretion +of a justice, not exceeding twenty lashes.--p. 424. + +_Suppl. Rev. Code._--Any white person assembling with slaves, for +the _purpose_ of teaching them to read or write, shall be fined, not +less than 10 dollars, nor more than 100 dollars; or with free colored +persons, shall be fined not more than fifty dollars, and imprisoned not +more than two months.--p. 245. + +By the revised code, _seventy-one_ offences are punished with _death_ +when committed by slaves, and by nothing more than imprisonment when by +the whites.--_Stroud's Sketch_, p. 107. + +_Rev. Code._--In the trial of slaves, the court consists of five +justices without juries, even in capital cases.--I., p. 420. + +MARYLAND.--_Stat. Law_, Sec. 8.--Any slave, for rambling in the night, +or riding horses by day without leave, or running away, may be punished +by whipping, cropping, or branding in the cheek, or otherwise, not +rendering him unfit for labor.--p. 237. + +Any slave convicted of petty treason, murder, or _wilful burning of +dwelling houses_, may be sentenced _to have the right hand cut off, to +be hanged in the usual manner, the head severed from the body, the body +divided into four quarters, and the head and quarters set up in the +most public place in the country where such fact was committed_!!--p. +190. + +Act 1717, Chap. 13, Sec. 5--Provides that any free colored person +marrying a slave, becomes a slave for life, except mulattoes born of +white women. + +DELAWARE.--_Laws._--More than six men slaves, meeting together, not +belonging to one master, unless on lawful business of their owners, may +be whipped to the extent of twenty-one lashes each.--p. 104. + +UNITED STATES.--_Constitution._--The chief pro-slavery provisions of +the constitution, as is generally known, are, 1st, that by virtue of +which the slave states are represented in congress for three-fifths +of their slaves;[7] 2nd, that requiring the giving up of any runaway +slaves to their masters; 3rd, that pledging the physical force of +the whole country to suppress insurrections, i. e., attempts to gain +freedom by such means as the framers of the instrument themselves used. + +Act of Feb. 12, 1793--Provides that any master or his agent may seize +any person whom he claims as a "fugitive from service," and take +him before a judge of the U. S. court, or magistrate of the city or +county where he is taken, and the magistrate, on proof, in support of +the claim, to his satisfaction, must give the claimant a certificate +authorizing the removal of such fugitive to the state he fled from.[8] + +DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.--The act of congress incorporating Washington +city, gives the corporation power to prescribe the terms and conditions +on which free negroes and mulattoes may reside in the city. _City +Laws_, 6 and 11. By this authority, the city in 1827 enacted that any +free colored person coming there to reside, should give the mayor +satisfactory evidence of his freedom, and enter into bond with two +freehold sureties, in the sum of five hundred dollars, for his good +conduct, to be renewed each year for three years; or failing to do so, +must leave the city, or be committed to the workhouse, for not more +than one year, and if he still refuse to go, may be again committed for +the same period, and so on.--_Ib._ 198. + +Colored persons residing in the city, who cannot prove their title to +freedom, shall be imprisoned as absconding slaves.--_Ib._ 198. + +Colored persons found without free papers may be arrested as runaway +slaves, and after two months' notice, if no claimant appears, must be +advertised ten days, and sold to pay their jail fees.[9]--_Stroud_, 85, +note. + +The city of Washington grants a license to _trade in slaves_, for +profit, as agent, or otherwise, for four hundred dollars.--_City Laws_, +p. 249. + +Reader, you uphold these laws _while you do nothing for their repeal_. +You _can do_ much. You can take and read the anti-slavery journals. +They will give you an impartial history of the cause, and arguments +with which to convert its enemies. You can countenance and aid +those who are laboring for its promotion. You can petition against +slavery; you can refuse to vote for slaveholders or pro-slavery men, +constitutions and compacts; can abstain from products of slave labor; +and can use your social influence to spread right principles and awaken +a right feeling. Be as earnest for freedom as its foes are for slavery, +and you can diffuse an anti-slavery sentiment through your whole +neighborhood, and merit "the blessing of them that are ready to perish." + + +The following is from the old colonial law of North Carolina: + +Notice of the commitment of runaways--viz., 1741, c. 24, § 29. "An act +concerning servants and slaves." + +Copy of notice containing a full description of such runaway and his +clothing.--The sheriff is to "cause a copy of such notice to be sent +to the clerk or reader of each church or chapel within his county, who +are hereby required to make publication thereof by setting up the same +in some open and convenient place, near the said church or chapel, on +every Lord's day, during the space of two months from the date thereof." + +1741, c. 24, § 45.--"Which proclamation shall be published on a Sabbath +day at the door of every church or chapel, or, for want of such, at the +place where divine service shall be performed in the said county, by +the parish clerk or reader, immediately after divine service; and if +any slave or slaves, against whom proclamation hath been thus issued, +stay out and do not immediately return home, it shall be lawful for any +person or persons whatsoever to kill and destroy such slave or slaves +by such way or means as he or she shall think fit, without accusation +or impeachment of any crime for the same." + + +It is well known that slavery makes labor disreputable in the slave +states. Laboring men of the north, hear how contemptibly slaveholders +speak of you. + +Mr. Robert Wickliffe of Kentucky, in a speech published in the +Louisville Advertiser, in opposition to those who were averse to the +importation of slaves from the states, thus discourseth: + +"Gentlemen wanted to drive out the black population that they may +obtain WHITE NEGROES in their place. WHITE NEGROES have this advantage +over black negroes, they can be converted into voters; and the men +who live upon the sweat of their brow, and pay them but a dependent +and scanty subsistence, can, if able to keep ten thousand of them in +employment, come up to the polls and change the destiny of the country. + +"How improved will be our condition when we have such white negroes as +perform the servile labors of Europe, of old England, and he would add +now of _New England_, when our body servants and our cart drivers, and +our street sweepers, are _white negroes_ instead of black. Where will +be the independence, the proud spirit, and chivalry of the Kentuckians +then?" + +"We believe the servitude which prevails in the south far preferable +to that of the _north_, or in Europe. Slavery will exist in all +communities. There is a class which may be nominally free, but they +will be virtually _slaves_."--_Mississippian, July 6th, 1838._ + +"Those who depend on their daily labor for their daily subsistence can +never enter into political affairs, they never do, never will, never +can."--_B. W. Leigh in Virginia Convention, 1829._ + +"All society settles down into a classification of capitalists and +laborers. The former will _own_ the latter, either collectively through +the government, or individually in a state of domestic servitude as +exists in the southern states of this confederacy. If LABORERS +ever obtain the political power of a country, it is in fact in a state +of REVOLUTION. The capitalists north of Mason and Dixon's +line have precisely the same interest in the labor of the country +that the capitalists of England have in their labor. Hence it is, +that they must have a strong federal government (!) _to control_ the +labor of the nation. But it is precisely the reverse with us. We +have already not only a right to the proceeds of our laborers, but +we OWN a _class of laborers_ themselves. But let me say to +gentlemen who represent the great class of capitalists in the north, +beware that you do not drive us into a separate system, for if you do, +as certain as the decrees of heaven, you will be compelled to _appeal +to the sword to maintain yourselves at home_. It may not come in your +day; but your children's children will be covered with the blood of +domestic factions, and _a plundering mob contending for power and +conquest_."--_Mr. Pickens, of South Carolina, in Congress, 21st Jan., +1836._ + +"In the very nature of things there must be classes of persons to +discharge all the different offices of society from the highest to the +lowest. Some of these offices are regarded as _degraded_, although +they must and will be performed. Hence those manifest forms of +dependent servitude which produce a sense of superiority in the masters +or employers, and of inferiority on the part of the servants. Where +these offices are performed by _members of the political community_, a +DANGEROUS ELEMENT is obviously introduced into the body politic. Hence +the alarming tendency to violate the rights of property by agrarian +legislation which is beginning to be manifest in the older states where +UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE _prevails without_ DOMESTIC SLAVERY. + +"In a word, the institution of domestic slavery supersedes the +_necessity_ of AN ORDER OF NOBILITY AND ALL THE OTHER APPENDAGES OF +A HEREDITARY SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT."--_Gov. M'Duffie's Message to +the South Carolina Legislature, 1836._ + +"We of the south have cause now, and shall soon have greater, to +congratulate ourselves on the existence of a population among us which +excludes the POPULACE which in effect rules some of our +northern neighbors, and is rapidly gaining strength wherever slavery +does not exist--a populace made up of the dregs of Europe, and the most +worthless portion of the native population."--_Richmond Whig, 1837._ + +"Would you do a benefit to the horse or the ox by giving him a +cultivated understanding, a fine feeling! So far as the MERE +LABORER has the pride, the knowledge or the aspiration of a +freeman, he is unfitted for his situation. If there are sordid, +servile, _laborious_ offices to be performed, is it not better that +there should be sordid, servile, laborious beings to perform them? + +"Odium has been cast upon our legislation on account of its forbidding +the elements of education being communicated to slaves. But in truth +what injury is done them by this? _He who works during the day with his +hands_, does not read in the intervals of leisure for his amusement +or the improvement of his mind, or the exception is so very rare as +scarcely to need the being provided for."--_Chancellor Harper, of +South Carolina._--_Southern Lit. Messenger._ + +"Our slave population is decidedly preferable, as an orderly and +laboring class, to a northern laboring class, that have just learning +enough to make them wondrous wise, and make them the most dangerous +class to well regulated liberty under the sun."--_Richmond (Virginia) +Enquirer._ + +FOOTNOTES: + +[1] In accordance with this doctrine, an act of Maryland, 1798, +enumerates among articles of property, "_slaves, working beasts, +animals of any kind, stock, furniture, plate, and so forth_."--_Ib._ 23. + +[2] A slave is not admonished for incontinence, punished for adultery, +nor prosecuted for bigamy.--_Attorney General of Maryland, Md. Rep. +Vol. I._ 561. + +[3] The legal meaning of assault is to _offer_ to do personal violence. + +[4] A court for the trial of slaves consists of one justice of the +peace, and three freeholders, and the justice and one freeholder, +i. e., _one half the court, may convict, though the other two are for +acquittal_.--_Martin's Dig., I._ 646. + +[5] A slave may be out-lawed when he runs away, conceals himself, +and, to sustain life, kills a hog, or any animal of the cattle +kind.--_Haywood's Manual_, p. 521. + +[6] In South Carolina, _any_ person may seize such freed man and keep +him as his property. + +[7] By the operation of this provision, twelve slaveholding states, +whose white population only equals that of New York and Ohio, send to +congress 24 senators and 102 representatives, while these two states +only send 4 senators and 59 representatives. + +[8] Thus it may be seen that a _man_ may be doomed to slavery by an +authority not considered sufficient to settle a claim of _twenty +dollars_. + +[9] The prisons of the district, built with the money of the nation, +are used as store-houses of the slaveholder's human merchandize. "From +the statement of the keeper of a jail at Washington, it appears that +in five years, upwards of 450 colored persons were committed to the +national prison in that city, for safekeeping, i. e., until they could +be disposed of in the course of the _slave trade_, besides nearly 300 +who had been taken up as runaways."--_Miner's Speech in H. Rep._, 1829. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Narrative of William W. Brown, a +Fugitive Slave, by William W. Brown + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 59500 *** |