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By the local authorities of Guildford County, in that state, he was bound apprentice to a Planter, whose land was cultivated by the unrequited toil of a company of his enslaved fellow-creatures, whose labour was enforced by the whip, and whose faults, real or fictitious, were punished by torture. His master was also a heartless trader in human beings. It affords a glimpse into Slave morula, tliat though our Author was freebom, and, ia consequence of his mother being an Indian, legally exempt from* bondage, it was necessary to provide ex- pressly in the indenture by which he was bound, against his being kidnapped or ensnared into Slaveiy, In this Bei-vice he mis-spent twelve precious years of his life, and became inured to the inflicting of the cruelties attendant upon Man-stealing and Slave-driving. During the last five years of the time, the entire managenent of the business was committed to his hands. Hence he is 1? ■A IMMh^. l1 "^ \ iv. personally convorsant ^vith all the dis^ustiug details of Plantation Slave-life, of the Slave-pen, and of the Auc tion-Wock. It has since been a source of grief to him to recollect the part he took in ordering and 811^' ia- tending the harrassing and flogging of men, vromcn, and children : and in separating for life those dearest one to Uie other, vrhose ties of kinship man has no power to sever. The wife and the child are still the wife am' the child, how far and how long soever they ho parted from husband and parent. After leaving the unholy buBiness, Mr. Mitchell was* brought under the power of God's converting grace. The study of Christianity resulted—as it ever must, when unbiassed— in his discarding with ahhorcnee the iniquities inherent in Slavery, which in ignorance and depravity he had assisted to perpeU^ate. He devoted himself from that day to the cause of the enslaved ; and unto this day his devotion has continued to burn with unceasing ardour and indomitable persistency, Wliile engagetl in the ministry of Christ's gospel, he has justly regarded it an essential part of his work to promote the letting-go of the oppressed, undoing of the heavy bur- den, and the breaking of every yoke. Believing the enactment of the Mosaic law to involve a moral prin- ciple, which is of perpetual and universal obligation, ho hns endeavoured to aet as answering to the voice of God, saying unto him, "Tkou slialt not deliver unto hid master the servant (l>on- done in viola- tion of iniquitous law, and at u. ;f both money and liberty. But it is iti ohedier.ce to the will of God, enjoined hy the prophut Isaiah (chap, IC, v. 3, 4) : — " Bring counsel,'* ». «*• he clelihcrately ixnited, ** interpose with equity ; make thy shadow as the night ia tlie midst of noon-day; hide the outcasts; discover not the fugi- tive. Let the outcasts of Moab sojourn with thee (Oh ! Sion) ; be thou to them a covert from the destroyer." (Lowtli's Translation.) Acting thus as a director of tlie fco-called " Underground Railroad," he has been a bless- ing to numbers of poor creatures, whose blessing iu return has rested upon hini and liis fellow-directors. By u wise man, "the blessing of him that is ready to perish" is never despised ; and certainly not the loving gratitude of those who by his aid attained unto freedom, comfort, and respectability. Amongst those whose escape I'? in H m m ./ it has been his honour and i)avi1eg€ to promote, it will interest the reader to know, is " FTua/' of Mrt. Sto^-, in " Uncld Tom's Cabin," whose pftseago over the ice vith her lovely hoy has thnlled so many mUUons of renders. Tho Kev. «ohn Kankin, a WfiU-known Aholi- tionist, whose zeal during a long life has never fingged, and who has mded in the escape of thousands of M- tives, was the first to shelter this miriiCTilously aided woman upon her stepping on the Ohio shore of the river. He passed her on to our author, who took charge of her for a brief period, and conveyed her into the care of another. This fact is related in the book itself. I refer to it because of the additional proof it affords that the talented authoress of that bewitching work has recorded facts, and has not been guilty of exaggeration. A few years ago, Mr. Mitchell became a missionary to the escaped fugitives in Toronto, Canada West, in the seiTice of the Americc j Baptist tree Mission Society— the only one of that denomination in the United States which takes proper ground in denouncing Slavery as a sin, and refusing to touch its proceeds. He has succeeded in gathering a large congregation of this class of persons, but their poverty, and, alas, the strength of prejudice against colour existing in that British colony, has neees-. sitated his visit to this country to collect money to build a chapel and school-house for their use and benefit. On KT* , It will . Stow*, the ice lions of a Aboli- offttffi- gly aidecl ihc river. le of her ) care of I refer that tba recorded issionary ist, in the Society— tid States y as a sin, succeeded f persons, prejudice has neces • Y to build neat. Ott Ml, h\u coming to lae with * letter from « ♦Viend, I rigidly f'xumiiu (i hi» credentials; and being fully satisfied with <]iem, I i ive deemed it a privilege ti> promote his object to the extent of my ability. Having had the pleasure to hear hiia address many audiences, I have become im- pressed with the importance of giving permanent form to the principal narratives and facts he ia a • ?- A^med to i^iate. Hence I suggested the publishing of the book now in the hands of the reader. The suggestion having been cordially sanctioned by many well-known philan- tropists, it ia hoped that by their aid and that of others, the little work will obtain a wide circulation. By this means good will be done. The excellent ohject Mr. Mitchell has in view will be served, as the condition and claims of the fugitives in Canada — that interesting class of onr fellow British subjects — will become better known to those who have the means and the will to assist them. At least a portion of the profits of ihe book will be given to the building now in course of erection, which he hopes will be the centre of his future labours. Prin- cipally, however, additional infoi-mation will be diffused respecting that giant crime — American Sla/ery. Intro- duced by us into that country, and still sustained by our commerce, we are more closely connected with it than any other nation. Its abolition must and will be « .1- i -1- i r^l— !,_. "P^UC^U i-^a,- ^i-^^... l-n fViics !■' hi( ■f^r I ! vm. woble work English Christians must take the lead, aa they did in effecting emancipation in the West Indies. Dr. Albert Barnes, the celebrated commentator, has repeatedly testified that Slavery could not exist one hour if tlie church in that country put forth her power. This witness is true ; but I am persuaded that the impetus must be given by the church in this country. Our Christian merchants, manufacturers, and artizana, those piinces of wealth, enterprise, skill, and industry, must bring theii moral influence to bear upon the four-million- fold enormity, and it will sink beneath the pressure, but not before. Eveiy instiiimentality tending to evoke that influence is valuable— though apparently feeble aa this little book. "Who hath despised the day of small things r For grains c^ sand the mountains make, And atomies infinitude. A sptu'k may fire a Moscow, or a mouse may tease an elephant to death. God speed this little book, then, and make it mighty to the pulling down of that stronghold of sat^mic blood-guiltiness and woe. I need not add how cordially I recommend the case of ]Mr. Mitchell to the beneficent of every denomination and class. Humanity and religion are alike interested in it. Already he has been well received, and in all in- stances he has elicited testimonies of his candour, sia- cerity, and ability. His credentials are indubitable, his reputation high, and his speeches are thrilling. He has done good service in behalf of the enslaved since he came to England, and I doubt not he will yet render efficient aid before he returns to his family and flock. I sincerely pray for the complete success of his mission amongst us, for his safe arrival home in due time, and for a long future of uninterrupted prosperity in the cause of truth and grace. W. H. BONNER. Trinity Chapel, Trinity-street, Southwark, August 22, 1860. P.S. Out of the multitude of testimonials sponta- neously borne in favour of Mr. Mitchell, I may append the two following : — From the Bolton Guardia/n, April 12, 1H60. " His address was delivered with great freedom and animation, and gave proofs of mental and oratorical powers of no mean degree. The audience frequently applauded the noble sentiments of the speaker." . From the SU Albana Times^ March, I860; " Mr. Mitchell is a popular orator, and in himself « fine speci-. men of the intellectual capacity of the coloured race. We believe his visit to England will not only be eminently successful as regards its special object, but also in awakening a much stronger feeling than even now exists against Slavery and the Slave Trade*" m n4 *i TESTIMONIALS. Clayton Place, Keanington Edad, London, August 20, 1860. My dear Sir, I read and re-read your small work with Ueep attentiou and interest, and rejoice that in your forthcoming publication you are about to supply aome authentic narratives of the periloui adventures and, in most instances, great Bufferings of tho8« who are courageous enough to leave the house of bondage for the home of freedom ; while I think your book will be a valuable addition to our Anti-Slavery literature, I am desirous that it should do more than merely furnish reading to the friends of the Slave. I earnestly wish it may excite such an active and liberal sympathy as may lead to the speedy contribution of the sum which is needed to enable you to accomplish the object of your mission, and then to return to that field of ministerial and bene- volent labour which you have left behind you. I can, with confidence recommend you to the Abolitionists of Great Britain, having made myself acquainted with your creden- tials. Knowing, also, that you are the Authorised Agent of the Free Mission Society, and that you possess the esteem and good opinion of those whom you represent in Canada. The work in which you are engaged is a most important one, both in connec- tion with the welfare of those who are fortunate enough to escape from Slavery into the British dominions, and Uie progres- sive improvement and elevation, morally and religiously, of the cx)loured community of Western Canada. It is my sincere hope that through the publication of your " tfader-ground Sailroad," and your ether efforts, your Itboum XI. amongst u» may be soon termfnated by complete success, and that you may then, after a safe return to America, long live to Buccour the needy, instruct the ignorant, and advance the glorious cause of human emancipation. Believe me, my dear Sir, « Very truly yours, GEORGE THOMPSON. Rev. W. Mitchell. m 94, Newington Creieent, S. 19th Auguat, 1860, MjdearSir, I have read vn& gre»t intercit the little trook you have written, and are about to publish, for the purpose of enlisting ISnglish sympathy on behalf of the Fugitive Slaves of America. The book contains the results of your own observations and experience, and is eminently calcinated to accomplish the object you have in view. I hope, therefore, that your enterprise will receive the support of all our Anti-Slavery friends, and of no small portion of the general public. In conclusion, I must be allowed to pay my tribute to the earnestness and success of your labours in this country on behalf of your oppressed and suffering race. Very truly yours, F. W. CHESSON, Eon, Sec, London -3mancipation Committee. «*v- W. Mitrbfill. Xll. I From Wm. Howabd Day, Esq., M.A., of Chatham, Kent County, Canada West. 4, America Square, Minories, Lonaon, E.C, August 20, 1860. BEV. WItllAM M. MITCHBXX. Dear Brother, ■ I am happ e to add a word to the numerous endorsement* already given you, as to the necessity of the work in whicb you art engaged in Canada, and as to the earnestness which, from personal knowledge, I can testify you exercise in that work. More or less, since 1843, I have been in Canada among the Fugitive Slaves, teaching and labouring otherwise for their benefit I have even travelled for three hundred miles on foot from house to house, to visit these people in their homes. For the last fivd years I have been a permanent resident among them } and think, therefore, I know the people nnd their instructors. And to you, wha know me, I think 1 can say, without being liable to the charge of attempting to flatter you, that among th« Ministers in Canada in direct contact wit!i the coloured people, I know of none who are preaching with more effect, and labouring otherwise wiiu more earnest desire to do good, than you. Meeting you here, providentially, I have been pleased to attend upon your meetings lately held, and in my bumble way othoi'wise to evince my earnest desire that you succeed in your excellent object, viz., to rear a Chapel in the city of Toronto, for the benefit of the Colonial people, for the worship of the Livis;? God. As a labourer in Canada, I may be permitted to say I do earnestly hope that you may be soon enabled to return to your interesting field of labour, laden with the practical sympathy of this great country for the Fugitive Slave, The fewnesa of the labourers render this the more necessary, and your position in the city of Toronto renders it more urgent stilL The book which you now bring forw; id as a means to enable you to accomplish your object, I have read and re-read with great interest, not merely because it is full of thrilling facts, but Xlll. m, Kent a, E.G., 30. orsement* mrHch you hlch, from erork. imong the for their tea on foot Dies. For 3ng them ; istructoTS. lout being uaong th« [ people, I labouring pleased to imble way :d in your oronto, for the Lhiog say I do n to your mpathy of ies« of the osition in to enable read with ; facts, hut because I have been personally acquainted with gome of the individuals named, and the facts detailed. I believe they are all what they pass for — facts. Perhaps it is easier for me to believe them so to be, because I have, as before stated, been conversant with those who have thus escaped by this " Under-ground Eail- road." But a look into the Prison-house of American Bondage, and an acquaintance with its victims, will convince any that " Truth is stranger than fiction." This work ought to be circulated, because it teaches the ABC of Anti-Slavery, as well as its higher mathematics. There is need to again arouse the sentiment of this coxmtry as against Chattelization, or human Slavery : and as the pioneers are pass- ing away— the men who achieved West India Freedom — and as we become commercially more attached to the Land of Bondage, we need to indoctrinate anew the present generation. Thus commerce will not entirely stultify our national conscience; thus our supineness and indiiference, induced mainly by the use of Slave^labour Cotton as opposed to Cotton of Free Labour, will pass away, and the British heart again speak ita true word a/ainst the enslavement of man. This work by you, dear Sir, is another evidence of what a man can accomplish who, like yourself, has had to acqt ire educa- tion, even in the face of almost insurmountable difficuldes. The encouragement of this work will, therefore, be an encouragement to all such as are struggling against tremendous odds, and thereby a grand help to our grander cause. In the best cf bonds, { remain, Very truly for freedom, WILLIAM HOWARD PAY. It affords me much gratification to join with those esteemed friends who have already testified to Mr. Mitchell's claims being worthy of the sympathy and support of all Christian people. The cause in which ho is engngod is a most important one — the !»l ■'I { -1 ■ i ■ 1 ■ < 1 ■ '( s i i XIV. service he io endeavouring to render to the Fugitive Slave popu- lation, one which has been long lost sight of ; and his credentials are such as must satisfy every one of his fitness for his work. I had the pleasure of bearing Mr. Mitchell address a large assembly the other evening, and can testify to his bemg a mau of no ordinary ability. ALEXANDER M. POLLOCK, A.M., Chaplain to his Excellency, the Lord Lieutenant. Dublin, 9th April, 1859. I can fully express my hope that the Christian friends in Dublin will cheerfully accord to Mr. Mitchell such proofs of their good will as to enable him and his coloured brethren to hold on their way cheerfully in the good work of our common Lord. W. URWICK, D,D. Dublin, Ireland. I have pleasure in adding my testimony to that of my highly esteemed friend, Dr. Urwick ; I have looked at Mr. Mitchell'* credentials, which are many and strong; and having stopped myself some time at Toronto, I can well assert that the object he is endeavouring to carry out is one that deserves our Chris- tian sympathy. CHARLES M. FLEURY, It.D.t Chaplain to His Excellency the Lord Lieutenant, Dublin, Ireland. XV. I have much pleasure in recommending Mr. Mitchell and liia causa to the Christian public, as one deserving their sympathy. The Hon. and Rev. BAPTIST W. KOEL. London. Mb. Mitchsll and his Cause, with his much*ceteemereovcr forfeit and pay by way of civil damages^ to the parties injured by such illegal conduct, the sum of one thousand dollars for each Fugitive so lost as aforesaid, to he recovered by action of debt, in any of tlic District or Territoriid Courts as afore- said, within whose jurisdiction the said offence may have been committed," 3scue or at- labor, from nt or attor- issisting as e authority assist 8tich , directly or tgent, or at- thorized aa FagUivc, 30 ich person, uch person Bsaid, shall, fine not ex- nmciit not iViction be- es, for th© committed; Lsdictiou, if irritoiies of 3 it and pay cd by such irs for each by action of Is as afore- e may have 11 These provisions are ratiher prolix in their details. Should you even attempt to rescue the Fugitive, directly or indirectly, for the said offence you are subject to the penalties herein mentioned. This law is unparalleled in the histoiy of nations, and especially Christian nations. God has commanded ua to assist the poor and needy; the helpless, the out-cast, and the down-trodden. Unlike the law of God to Israel, when she assumed an indepen- dent position among the nations of the earth, in that He made a provision for the Fugitive Slave-. He commanded first of all, that Israel should not turn him back or deliver him to his heathen -naster from whom he had fled. She was taught her duty towards tlie Fugitive, evidently showing that the Slave was quite justifiable in the attempt to obtain his freedom, consequently it would be wrong for Israel to deliver him up. As right and wrong are in juxtaposition to each other, both cannot, therefore, be right, though one may be. If the Slave had o right to run away he had a right also to remain away. And if so it was tlie duty of those to whom he went to protect him in the free and unrestrained exercise of this acknowledged right, which God plainly intimates in the text. Dent, xxiii. 15 and 16 : *' Thou slialt not deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee : he shall dwell with thee, even among you, in that place which ho shall choose, in one of thy ■|| i-: 12 i i; gates, where it liketh liim best: thou shalt not oppress him." It was the duty of the Israelites to retain him within their commonwealth, though tho master should have pursued him even to their very gates. God has forbidden his deliveiy. He must be obeyed, and duty strictly discharged at all hazards. The language is ira- perative and unequivocal, cogent and commanding.— " Thou shalt not deliver the servant to his master " &c. This Slave had the freedom of choice to " dwell where it liketh him best, within thy gates." He was to remain upon principles of perfect equality. " Thou shalt not op. press him." This portion of the Word of God. as well as other portions, is shamefully trodden under foot in the Northern States, by rendering up Fugitive Slaves. Tbe immorality does not consist in the character of the per- sons to whom they are delivered, whether they are heathen, pagan, or Christian masters: the command is " thou shalt not deliver to his master;" evidently imply- ing whatever his character may be, the simple act of delivering him to his master contrary to a Divine com- mand, is wrong, and will be punished as other wrongs, in proportion to its magnitude. Wickedness is sys- tematically framed by law, and it is truly a fact, " men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil." " Is not this the fast that I have chosen, to loose lot oppress retain him iter should God has 1, and duty lagc is ira- LHanding.— iiastcr," &C. ell where it 5 to remain halt not op- ell as other )ot in the laves. Tbe of the per- )r they are command is ently imply- mple act of Divine com- ther wrongs, aess is sys- ifact, "men }ir deeds are >3en, to loose 13 the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke; these arc perfect safeguards to human liberty, which God has raised for the protection of the weak. The progress of the Slave is very much impeded by a class of men in the Northem States who arc too lazy to work at respectable occupations, to obtain an honest living, but prefer to obtain it, if possible, whether honest- ly or dishoncstl3% by tracking runaway Slaves. On seeing advertisements in the newspapers of escaped Slaves, with rewards offered, they, armed to the teeth, saunter in and through Abolition Communities or towns, where they are likely to find the object of their pursuit. They some- times watch the houses of known Abolitionists. Their presence among us causes some excitement, for it is an unmistakable indication that the Slave has left his prison- house of bondage for Canada, where he can stand erect as a man, and claim his own freedom, and no one dares to molest or make him afraid. We are hereby warned, and for our own safety and that of the Slave, we act with excessive caution. The first discoverer of these bloody rebels communicates their presence to others of our com- pany, that the entire band in that locality is put on their guard. If the Slave has not reached us, we are on the look out, with greater anxiety than the hunters, for n 1 „ii.-ji 14 those demons in human shape. On the other hand should the Slave be so fortunate as to he in our posses- sion, at the time, we ore compelled to keep very quiet, until the hunter loses all hopes of tinding him, therefore gives up the search as a bad job, or moves on to another Abolition Community, which gives us an opportunity of removing the Fugitive further from danger, or sending him towards the North Star, the latter we prefer, as it is th.e safest plan for both parties. We also have patriotic men, white and coloured, voluntarily going into tha Slave States and bringing away their fellow men ; some of these venturous men having themselves been Slaves, they are truly desirous their brethren should taste the sweets of freedom. They bring them into the Free States and deliver them to the Conductors of our Rail- way, whose duty it is to forward them to Canada. My house was for several years one of the Stations to which numbers were brought by these good men. No class of men are better prepared for this perilous and dangerous occupation than the fugitives themselves. I'irst, — they A are used to night walking from their childhood. Second, they are better acquainted with their own neighbour- hood, to which they generally resort, to secure the free- dom of their friends and acquaintances. Third, — they sympaihise with their brethren to a greater extent than Others possibly can from their identity with them ; they V ^ other hand I our posses* [> very quiet, m, therefore n to another )portunity of , or sending refer, as it is ave patriotic Qg into tha men; some been Slaves, lid taste the to the Free of our Rail- Canada. My ons to which No class of id dangerous Ii'irst, — they Dod. Second, 1 neighbour- ure the free- Third,— they • extent than 1 them ; they 15 ftre brethren in tribulation. These men must be pa- triotic, when they jeopardise their own freedom, sweet as it is. for others; this is indeed carrying out the great law of love, " whatsoever ye would men should do unto you, do ye even so unto them." I have kno-vvn instances, of which we shall speak hereafter, where they have abso- lutely forfeited their own freedom, when unfortunately overtaken with their company within the boundaries of the Slave States. A personal friend of mine is now in prison for ninety and nine years, in the State of Ken- tucky, for leading away eight Slaves, being caught within the limits of that State i a man guilty of no crime but assisting his brethren peaceably in regaining what was unjustly taken from them. •' Behold the arm of tlie Lord is not shortened that it cannot save, neither his ear heavy tliat it cannot hear. But your iniquities have se- f arated between you and your God. Your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear, for your hands are defiled with blood. They trust in vanity end speak lies.** This prophesy is verified in their case; their hands are defiled with the blood of that poor man ; their sins have truly caused God to hide his face from them. When God shall uncap the magazine of His wrath, and the red arm of vengeance shall seize the fiery sword of justice, and dash athwart the angry sky, these wicked men will wake up, as from an ominous dream, to a deep te M / \ \ ! \ m 16 sense of justice and humanity; but, alas! too late to retract: "the great day of His wrath has come, and who will be able to stand." The righteous only. — tho redeemed Slavo in common with othci*s, who in this world of wicteduess and human depravity, have ^'orn handcuffs, will then bear Palms of Victory; instead of stripes, Kobes of Bighteousncss ; for scanty meals, in- exhaustible festivities; instead of their htimbie cabms, where no one condescends to visit but their fellows and their drivers, they will look abroad on the lloweiy plains of eternal blessedness: their companions will be good old Abraham, Isaac and Jacob ; all the Apostles and their associates who have fought the good fight, and have kept the faith, and are now receiving their reward. In 185J^, by an Act of Congress, heavy penalties were imposed upon all persons who knoringly entertained or aided a Fugitive Slave, or, in other words, to " feed the hungry or clothe the naked." It was also made the duty of the United States Marshals, and all good citizens, to assist in retaining them. Kven in the Slave States, the Negro hounds and the hunters are great terrors to prevent the escape of Slaves. Such, for exaniple, as the following extract from the Onacliita llcgistcr of June 1, 1852, will exemplify. " The undersigned, would respectfully inform the citizens of Onacliita, and adj;iccnt parishes, tlmt lie lias too late to come, and I only. — tlic 'ho in tills Imve ^\'orn instead of meals, in- ibie cabins, fellows and ►weiy plains 'ill be good 3S and tlxoir d have kept re imposed d or tiided a the hungry duty of the ns, to assist ;, the Negro prevent the le following I, 1852, wUI inform the tlmt he has 17 located about two miles and a balf east of John ^\^lite's, on the road leading from Monroes to Bastrope ; and that he has a tine Pack of Dogs for catching Negroes : persons wishing Negroes caught will do well to give him a call. He can always bo found at his stand, when not engaged in hunting; and, even tlien, information of his where- abouts, can always be had of gome one on the premises. Terms, 5 dollars per day and found, when no track pointed out; when the track is shown, twenty-five dollars will be cliarged for catching Negroes, — Monroes, Feb. 17, 1852. M. a Goff. I was initiated into this underground business in the county of Ross, in the State of Ohio, in 1843, and continued m the otiice, fuitlifnlly discharging the duties, until 1855. Never, for one moment, have I regretted being thus engaged, though I experienced many very unpleasant things during that period. ** But God knows how to deliver his own out of temptation." Many have been the times I have suffered in the cold, aa l beating rains pouring in torrents from the watery clouds. In the midst of the impetuosity of the whirl-winds and wild tornadoes, leading on my company. Not to the field of sanguinary war and carnage, but to the glorious land of impartial freedom, where the bloody lash is not buried in the quivering flesh of the vassal. Nor where the voice of prayer, the songs of Zion, tlic clanldng of tlie handcuffs, ' ,» i i !!' \i 18 the rattling of the chains, the stifled g-oans of bereaved wives, tlie piercing cries of orphan children are not heard at the same time ascending the skies ; the sound of one is commingled and drowned in the sound of the other. In this land, sacred to freedom, the poor fugi- tive can stand erect, and claim his own liberty, and worship his God "under his own vine and fig-tree, where no one dares to molest or make him afraid/* •* In 1843, I had an occasion, for the first time, to try my skill in my new profession, which was to me, I must confess, quite an awkward business, it is, however, to be hoped tiaat my zeal and love for human freedom amply made up for this defect. Some time previous to my acquaint- ance with this Community, a Slave had made his es- cape from the State of Maryland, and located in this county, supposing himself secure from the clutches of his proud and self-important tyrant master; he, there- fore, became content to remain protected oi^iy by public opinion. In this unmolested condition he remained for several years iu connexion with the Methodist congrega- tion, and I believe he was a very useful member. His Minister, probably wishing to increase his salaiy by the addition of 100 dollars, whi^li was offered for the Slave, or his whereabouts; at all events he betrayed him. AVliile engaged in his daily avocation, by which he made an honest and respectable living for his family, (as he k' i of bereaved iren are not s; the sound sound of the le poor ^^^ugi- libcrty, and ig-tree, where " •* In 1843, ry my skill in nust confess, V to be hoped i amply made my acquaint- made his es- (cated in this le clutches of er ; he, there- 3Lily by public remained for list congrega- nember. His salaiy by the for the Slave, betrayed him. fhich ho made family, (as h« 19 was then a married man), three men came suddenly upon him, put a rope around his neck, and unceremoni- ously draggeu ^im beyond the limus of the TovTi Autho- rities, and on to his former place of Slavery. Leaving a wife and three children to lament their bereavement. The news spread, almost with lightning speed, B through the Coloured Community. We rallied 200 strong, in little or no time, augmenting as the news continued to spread from house to house: men and women were much excited, and on the wing of flight in hot pursuit, some of the latter consoling the bereaved wife and children, others following the accumulating multitude to witness our success or failure, and, . if necessary in order to secure the freedom of the Fugitive, to lend assistance. We, however, came upon those men- stealers three miles from the town. One eild of the rope was connected to the neck of a horse, and the Fugi- tive was walking or running, while the men were riding. The advancing crowd raised a shout ; the Slave looked behind, and motioned his hand for them to hasten their speed, but we were going at the top of our speed. When it became apparent to them that their own liberty and security were in danger, they cut the ropo from the neck of the steed, and spurring their horses, they were soon out of our reach and sight. The Fugitive was boi'ne back on the shoulders of his friends, with triumphant I «i jfimmmm ''\ shouts. A man saved from Slavery! The broken heart of a woman healed! For reasons, hest known to them, selves, they never made a second attempt to enslave him, which I think, upon the whole, was as much to tboir own advantage as to that of the Fugitive. The much, admired Christian Poet, has well expressed a sentimenv which, I am sure, we must all admire and love: How long shall men, by Christ redeemed, As beasts of burden, be esteemed ; And those, by Grace Divine renewed, Be doomed to hopeless servitude ? J. CONDEB.. I was eventually located in another portion of the faid State; here my home became more permanently the place for concealing the flying Fugitive, and for those conducted there. Here it was I witnessed remarkable specimens of heroism in the person of an escaped Slave, who had five years previously fled from the State of Ken- tucky to Canada, and then and there determined to devote his life to the vital interest of his brethren, by redeeming as many as possible from the undying grasp of the greedy monster, the Slaveholder. He was willing to risk the forfeiture of his own freedom, that he might, peradventure, secure the liberty of some. He com- menced the perilous business of going into the State •• ,,,"U /^*^ /»v» V,/> VtnA oano-nftfl Q-nrl P«-nAmn11v iTltO his oltL aeighbourhood, decoying: off his brethren to Canada, — le broken heart nown to tlieini- to enslave him, much to tb<^ir ire. The much- sed a sentimenv Hove: ,ed, J. CONDEB.. portion of the )re permanently ve, and for those ssed remarkable n escaped Slave, lie State of Ken- ) determined to his brethren, by tie undying grasp He was willing n, that he might, some. He com- g into the State 'lallv into his old ren to Canada, — The morality of tliis business may be questioned by some, but we will consider it in a practical view: Suppose you were a Slave, and to secure your free- dom you had escaped to Canada or elsewhere, leaving A wife and children in Slavery, loving them in that con- dition as you do in your present condition of freedom; without money to purchase them, or if you had it, per- haps the owaer would not sell them. Would it be morally wrong, if in your power, to secure their freedom by steal- ing them and conducting them into a land where you could live an undivided family, with the privilege of educating and bringing up your children iu the fear and admonition of the I-ord? If morally right to steal one Slave, it is, therefore, morally right to steal an indefinite number. The word Steal is not a proper term to apply to this subject; I use it with the meaning only of conducting Slaves, with their volunlary consent, without the knowledge of their owners, into freedom. The above question must be decided, by the Reader, if decided at all, with this view. This Slave brought to my house, in 19 months^ 265 human beings, whoux he had been instrumental in re- deeming from Slavery; all of whom I hod the privilege of forwxirding to Canada by the under-ground Eail-road, as explained at the commencement. w S2 He kept no record as to the number he had assisted in this way. I have only been able, from conversations with him on the subject, to ascertain about 1,300 whom Jie delivered to abolitionists to be forwarded to Canada, Poor man, he •;vas finally captured and sold. He had Ijeen towards the interior of Kentucky, about 50 miles: it was while returning, with four Slaves, that he was ijaptured. On one side the Ohio river is Kentucky, a •Slave State, and on the other side of that river is a Free State, this river dividing the line. Day-light came on them, they concealed themselves under stacks of Jnd-'an corn, which served them for food, as well as pro- tection from the weather and passers-by, waiting till the Bun should go down and leave behind him a black gar- inent over the face of Nature. Late in the afternoon of that day, in the distance was heard the baying of the Negro-hounds, or their track; escape was impossible. To plunge into the river was to find a watery grave. To imn back was to walk into the lion's den. Self-defence was the only alternative : perhaps they might cause the anemy to retreat, if not too many for them. When the four Slaves saw their Masters, they said, " J. M-, we mercy on them, for mau has none. ce dnmlv of its the city of our ery, It is next to ifolumes does it id tortui'es, corn- all tlio miseries f haughty power •ice, of pampered he cold indiffey- ih the oppressor of crouching fear, le was a superior iaks of low, mean }h it entails upon itraged and man- of hfe, the sacred under foot; aspi- and the light of peaks of man do- 1 f noble, — stripped | lere it leaves him, i ghost-like form. May heaven havQ S5 And shall the nations dare to hold In chains, whom Thou hast chartered free? Or buy, with their accursed gold, The sinewy arm and servile knee. TVhate'er of cidme, whate'er of woe, Europe has wrought and Afric wept, In his recording volume, lo! The Angel of the Court has kept. la that great day, when Afric's race Arc from their house of bondage cast, O, hide us ia some peaceful place, 'Till ail thy wrath be over-past" J. H. WlFFEN. It is often urged, though falsely, by the American Slaveholders and their abettors, that the Negro race does not possess, to the same degree as the white race, those strong social feelings and filial affections which lay at the foundation of human society ; the essential elements and spontaneous out-growth of our nature. The potent ligaments of the whole social fabric. And as these qualities are developed, man ascends higher in the scale of intellectual, moral, social, and religious being. And that these qualities are in the Negro not equal in their development to the white race, I readily admit But that the Negi'o docs not possess them to the same degree as the white race, as characteristics of human nature, and that they are not as capable in the Negro race of as high a degi'ee of development as in the white race, I am not at all prepared to admit. As to whether they possess them or not, a few Examples will demonstrate. Stern ! '4' > J. .m;t. ■.:ijf.' I'^SfMUt' q I i 1 I m il: I in ! I I iJlil 96 facts are more cogent upon the human mind than fine- .pun, hair-spUtting logical arguments; though on scien- tific subjects these are alloAvable, and in many respects necessary. I had, at one time, a woman with her child at my house, on her way to Canada. It being my duty, as well as part of my profession, to assist her, I sent a a message to one of our conductors, some six miles dis- tant, that I should pay him a visit that evening, for what purpose he quite understood, as the sequel will show. Late in the night, when the hum of business had gradu. ally sunk into dead silence, the foot of the busy traveUer was no longer heard, and he had retired into his domicil quietly to take rest, I arose trom my bed, leaving my loved ones sound asleep ; then kissing them, I threw around me an over-coat to protect me from the cold North wind, and turning my face toward this poor woman, I felt it was my duty as a father, my duty as a Christian, to save this mother and her babe from the iron grasp of Slavery, if in my power. If I ever felt the out-bursting of a father's affections, and influenced by these feelings to assist a Slave-Mother in securing the freedom of her darling babe, it was then. My wife gave the child to the mother, and f. walked out to the gate, fol- lowed by the woman ; after looking this way and that way, we proceeded. Our steps were quick and cautious, our words few and seldom, and raising only to a whisper. 27 lind than fine- ougli on scien- many respects with her child Deing my duty, st her, I sent a le six miles dis- ening, for what jqnel will show. Qess had gradu- e busy traveller into his domicil )ed, leaving my them, I threw from the cold ward this poor r, my duty as a r bahe from the If I ever felt the id influenced by in securing the I. My wife gave it to the gate, foi- ls way and that Lick and cautious, jnly to a whisper. The dead silence was ik>w and then broken by the bark of a neighbour's dog, at a distance. The darkness was •augmented by the dim forest into which we were sud- f''enly to plunge, a place pre-eminently suited for an enemy to lie ia ambush. The woman pressed close to my £\" ^ iihe walked, at times walking on her toes. Occt ior / a deep sigh and a stifled groan emanated from her heaving bosom. Just here we saw, in the dis- tance, a man meeting us on a horse, whom she took to be an enemy. She ran a few paces, but returning, crouched by my side, trembling as in the arms of death itself, pleading for her child with the resistless power of a woman's eloquence; in a soft and plaintive tone, in which the power of woman's eloquence principally con- sists. Under other circumstances I should have been overcome. Again she started, but returned as before, and said, " For God's sake give me the child." Some- thing like a determination spontaneously arose in my mind. I was as ignorant as herself as to whom we were meeting. I replied, ** No one man can take you, stick to me like an heroine." Her steps grew steady, and her fears began to subside. To her my counsel was " a word in season," its effect was much more powerful than I anticipated: it proceeded from the impulse of nature. To our delightful surprise, (to me as well as to her) it was the gentleman to whom we were going; £8 V having received my message, was coming to meet u. Le J a fair test of a MotWs Affections Xt. as « impossible for .or to leave her child, tUoug... reoilo^orownlife-,l.er attempts .ere to no avaa rii^eaMotUer, Conlda..UUemot.r^^^^^^^^ :: cepossiHo Of aiial affection easting in the —^ .WtivatoaB.ve.--OntofoneH....O- .ted all men to dweU on the earth. Made o .on material, having one common natnro, sn 30Ct^ - common code of laws. witU canal in^mortaldesun.. „hle to the same God, redeemed, (if redeemed t ^ , by the same dying Saviour. The conclusion .s, there^ fl, obvious, tl^at the Negro is as capahle of lovmg and hating to the same degree as any other race of people^ They that think to the contrary, are eiO^er pre^nd^ced against the race, or ig,mrant of hum^ nature Th. .oman, as have many othe.-s. reached Canada safely. As another instance of affection in the coloured race. I xnention that of a compaary of eight Slaves, who were making their way to Canada, under the g>udance of one of our men, .ho devote their lives to that bnsmess. He concealed them a distance of 20 miles from my house. It was in the month of January, and consequently very, very cold, ai>d the ground was covered with snow ., „_„ wore two women, one a mother .among we cuiui^anj -vn- -"- fneet us. It was lougli at no avail, ave done Lgest evi- bosom of God cre- one com- cct to one destinies, ned at all), a is, tliere- loving and of people. prejudiced tnre. This I safely. loured race, s, who were ance of one isiness. He a my house, luently very, nth snow. — me a mother 20 with three children ; the other had no child. I hired a wagou, and went with this conductor the following even- ing to their place of concealment; on nearing the place, he took me through a forest, when only a few roods off the party, I heard a child ciy. We found them nearly frozen. The mother's feet were so frost-hitten, that she could scarcely walk, and but for the excitemcut natural to her position, she would have considered it impossible to have walked. The children had suffered less, because the mother had deprived herself of eveiy comfort to pro- tect them from the cold. This conduct is an incontesti- ble evidence of a mother's love, though she be black! We wrapped them in blankets, which we took for the purpose, and put them in our wagon, and conveyed them to my house. On the folloAving ov .uing, those who were able were conducted on their way. The mother and her thrfie children remained at my house, she being totally disab' u. I employed a doctor for her, who amputated one of her feet, but to no saving effect. She died in the fuU triumph of Christian faith. A few minutes before departing this life, she said, in a low tone of voice, " Will you see tliat my children are free?" Here was a mother's undying affections obviously manifested in a dying body. She loved freedom. She was much grieved because un- able to pay me for my services. Occasionally, wheu ieeling a little better, she would say, " If I am spared, m i I 80 to reach Canada. I »iU work hard, and send money to pay yorf." This shewed a truly good mi. great heart. I need scarcely add, that all her children are in Canada. She died in a good cause. There is none greater and of more value to a human being than Religion, and iUmm Liberty. She was endeavouring to secure to her children the advantages of both, to accomplish this, she sacrificed her own life. But bv this sacrifice, sha obtained those advantages for her beloved ones, and died in freedom herself. Had she not ran away, her children might have been Slaves to-day. whereas they are free. This good mother is one redeemed from the galling yoke of unmit- tigated inhuman chattelism, and has gone Uirough great tribulation, to join those who have " washed their robe, and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb." " Hark, from Heaven a voice proclaiming Comfort to the mourning Slave; God has heard him long comrlaining, And extends His arm to save.— ^ Proud oppression soon shaU find its destined Grave. Another interesting case is that of a Slave Mother, who fled from the dark dungeon of Slavery in Virginia. Learning that she was to be sold from her daughter and grandchild, though advanced in years, it seems she had an instinctive love for freedom, and attempted to achieve it by running away. During the night she travelled, con- 81 i&y to tieart, mada, md of ^uman Lildren rificed those :eedoin it have is good unmit- h great ir rohes «» ;ve.'' Mother^ Virginia, hter and she had ;o achieve iUed, con- -cealing herself in the day time, otherwise she might have hcen betrayed, taken back or lodged in jail. Her only subsistence was Indian corn, on which she lived during her perilous journey. Mothers of England ! imagine the suffering of this mother ; put yourselves in her position: no one to whom to tell her sorrows and pour out her soul. But God, whose eye never sleeps, and whose ears are never dull of hearing, mysteriously guided the Fugi- tive unto freedom. He heard and answered her prayers. Trusting in the God of Israel, her trembling limbs bore her feeble body Northward; subject to rain, hail, snow, and impetuous storms ; a Pilgrim, not to the Holy Land, to bow to the Popish Shrine, but to Freedom's Land, to worship God, and enjoy the boon of liberty, which she purchased at almost an inconceivable price. Ascending and descending mountains, making her way through dense forests, wading creeks, she eventually anives in the Key-Stone State, (as we call it), Pennsylvania. Seeing in the distance a light, she approached it cautiously, ne- cessity compelling her to seek human aid; starvation looking her in the face, tattered rags, wearied limbs, relaxed muscles, and sunk ambition, were Nature's ad> monitions— were so many voices warning her of the im- portance of temporal comforts. She saw before her a huge form. She came to a stand still, endeavouring to vfiaha if nnf A vniff osimo frnm it. — *' Thee need not be I I ii;i iiO^ S3 ^..ald. it is a friend." She recognised .tl.c voice of . Quaker. HO took her into his house. t™e as U.y always .« to tl.0 dictates of humanity, and the precepts oou^ religion, he fed, clothed, and sheltered her. She r. .• ti.svlipmffAboltionists. niained in his family some tune, they being A sue consulted the Quaker as to the propriety of ««. i„g to rescue her daughter and grandchild from Slave>^. He considered her to» old, the distance too great, the aifficulties to he overcome were more than she was capa- tlo of, besides the liability of forfeiting her own freedom he. therefore, would not recommend her to attempt .t. This advice, coming from an honest heart, was truly dis- eouraging to her; nothing but a mother's love eould have borne the burthen of a broken-hearted mother - Can a mother forget the child she bore'. Ko! not wh-le .he remains a mother. She consulted otlier 'riends. and received similar advice. Notwithstanding, .cmg pro- vided with food and clothing, she made her way back, by the Providence of Ood. a distance of 400 miles, in U.e direction she came, through allkinds of weather. When her stock of provisions was exhausted, she fed, as before, on Indian corn. Approaching the habitation of the hissing serpents. ^,y (feeling an instinctive right to defend their domi- eils), warned the weari.d traveller by their sound ; noc tumal bowls, the barking of the wolf-dog, the no.se i1! of a Iwayfl )f our le re- mists, tempts lavery. at, tbe 3 capa- )edom ; mpt it. ul^r dis- Q could 3tlier. — • ot while nds, and ing pro- back, by }S, in tlie I'. Wlien as before, serpents, [xeir domi- .\nd-, noc- the noistJ 35 of insects, itc, all alike familiar to her enr. She arrived lit her destination, and concealed herself in a wood from whence she could overlook her daughter's humble cabin; seeing Negro children playing in the yard, she accosted them, and sent them to inform her daughter of her aiTival, who instantly went to her mother in the forest. Their interview can be better imagined than described. The escape was planned, and thus her daughter and son-in-hiAv were rescued from oppression's heavy hand, and led, in the same direction, to freedom's- land. With light hearts they reached the good Quaker's dwelling, and were received with his usual kindness. It was some time before she could convince him that she had been back, and but for the corroborative evidence of" her relatior«!, she would probably have failed to convince- him. He, as before, fed and clothed them, and they had a free passage to Canada by the under-ground Railway .^ This narrative may appear mai-vellous, but it is a fact,, for I am dealing with facts only. No human being on earth could give a stronger evi- dence of a mother's affections than this woman. It is a CDnfinnation of what Cowper says, which, though so« often recited, never loses its strength and beauty. " Fleecy locks and black complexions Cannot forfeit Nature's claims ; Skins may differ, but affections Dwell in White and Black the same.."' 34 Poor.o«a„.l.ornina.o.caUMcouat.,off.eed... «a,e birth t. a beloved one, .vhom aB regarded a. the rofourHeaven,y.atber. LnceUcrW.te...rsse :::..butunU.etbe™,UadnoacUuo..ed,edn^- . ^,iUe the™, rearing itfortbe auction bloci.. unl.Uetb. children, sold as the calf from a.e co.. to work on the Cotton Hantations, there to be .angled and but.nered !the.illoftheo.ner. Ma, Heaven have .erey - U,ese people; the bowels of h«.ans,^pathy see. closed to their piteous cries and bitter .a.Ungs. ahe American people listen with e.^^e^ess to tl.e repo o wrongs endu.-ed by distant nations, wh.ch :s all >v U enough. The Hungarian, the Italian. a.e Wshnran, the .ew and the Gentile. .01 find in that land a home and .,en any or all of them wish to speak, they fin beau to sympathise and ears to hea.-. The Fugitive S ave has ,0 hTme this side the g.-ave in that Bepublic; they -U „. How him to pass peaceably through the Free State «f that glorious Republic. 1 . fuul a home beyond th3 tod of his birth, in a move favoured country, where eaual rights and privileges ore dlowed to the natural proper- ties of human nature. The soil of America has been cultivated by Slaves for centuries, and they have per- fomedforuieir masters the humblest semces. and by the labour of their sable and sinewy ams the greatest comforts and luxuries of the Slaveholders have been m 35 gained irom the earth. Among such a people, and with such recommendations to favour, they are esteemed less than strangers i \ sojourners : aliens in their native land. Fror^ the Judi >al Seat of thac mighty Government, comes the shameful, disgraceful, wicked and diabolical decision,—" No person, along whose veins courses one drop of African blood, has rights that a white man need respect." The chastity of my daughter cannot be protected as an American citizen, because African blood courses her veins, consequently she has - no rights that a white man need respect." She has uo virtue that a white man need regard. She has no honour that a white, man need admire. No noble qualities he need appreci- ate. The Negro race is scourged beyond the beneficent range of both authorities, human and Divine. We plead their rights in the name of the immortal declaraaon of Independence, and in the stiU more glorious name of Jesus Christ, our blessed Saviour. Wc beg for mercy; and the Slave-whip, red with blood, cracks over them in mockery. We invoke the aid of the Ambassadors of Him who came "to preach deliverance to the captives, and set vu liberty tl m that ai-e bound." We ciy for ^ ..p to hmnanify, but ai-e re^^ulsed. We appeal to Airlerican Christianiiy, but it refuses to shield them;' totLo colour- ed man " its bnnpR nr^. K^m^Mr. oy,;i :j^~ ^v ^^i ■ ., ■ -" ' *'^'- 'O-fvoo ana ua itJuiiieis iron. urn 36 We will turn again to the subject of our narration. We have . different n>etW stiU hy .hich Slaves escape and none the less effectual because of its novelty. The Abolitionists in the Slave States, (for there are many. ^^^ cannot advocate their principles),very lanfly give the Slaves infonnation as to tl.e direction of Canada. Ld the Free States through which they must pass to .each it. also the names of the most ^-Port^* --; all which information the Slaves remember W.th th. instructio alone, the Slave starts fo>^ ^^^ ^^ ^";^ Star is his guide, by it he knows his course. When the clouds intervene, and thus obscure the flickenng l.ght of this " beautiful star," Nature has a substitute. A smooth soft substance called moss, which grows on the bark of the trees is thicker on the north side of the tree, a^d thus serves as a guide northward, till the heavenly gmd. again appeaxs. Necessity, it is said, is the mother of .u- vention. which is certainly true in the case of the Slave, discovering such a suhstituiB. The number of Slaves who thus find their way to Canada we have no means of ascertaining, but we have reason to believe they are very numerous. At the birth of Jesus, th. Star was a guide to the Wise Men of the East to Bethlehem. Over the birth-plaxie of the "King of Kmgs," itbecaone station- 8J.V: in the case of the Slave it is vm verm, the Star Stops notj but the Slave does on his arrival in C^mada.- Ii^il!!!!''!! 37 We realize with much pleasure " that the Lord God is a sun and a shield. He will give grace and gloiy, and r j good thing will He withhold from them that walk n^ rightly." " Bow down thme ear, Lord, and hear the poor and needy.- He hears the prayer of the Fugitive Slave, for many are devoted Christians. They can say with David, « Give ear, Lord, unto my prayer, and attend to the voice of my supplications." "AU nations whom Thou hast made shall come and worship before Thee," may Africa come and enjoy this privilege. May tlie 4,000,000 of Slaves, in the United States, come: , but they are legaUy prevented, 39 lashes is the reward of each if found off his owner's premises, whether to worship God or otherwise, unless with a written consent o£ their owners. It was a strange oversight on the part of the Conser- vators of Slavery, when they passed the Fugitive Bill, (for law it is not); and especially when they determined upon systematic measures for its rigorous execution. In no other way could they have done as much to in- crease the agitation they had determined to suppress. In no other way could the public attention have been drawn to the diabolical character of Slaverjr, and to the wickedness and meanness of its Northern allies and sup- porters. The North, in many respects, does the biddmg of the South; they are Slave-hunters for their mastei-s. I I 1. 1 !5 r ill fiiii i \ mm I 38 Slaveholders ; they are not permitted to be* anything they obey the Fugitive Bill, and, I am sorry to say, many do. I say. they are Slave-catchers for the South, as the following will shew, which occurred in 1852. James PhiUips, a coloured man, who had lived 14 years in Harrisburgh. Pennsylvania, much respected, and employed in a confidential situation on a railway, while on duty, lie was thrown off his guard, knocked down, and then taken before Commissioner Richard McAllister, and, in a summary manner, and by an ir- regular process, was delivered up into Slavery. I ask, in the name of humanity, who did this atrocious and abominable act?— a Northern Commissioner, — ^^vho he Is hifi office by the will and consent of the people. The charac- ter of the Fugitive, entitling him to the confidence of the people, they bought him. After he had been given up by the Commissioner Burns, he was taken back from Boston, the hot-bed of Abolitionism; the North gave him up, Tho North supports Slavery, both in Church and Stiite. But for the under-ground rail-road, very few Slaves would be able to reach Canada. Coming, as they are compelled, through the Northern States, among as rank a set of Slaveholders as are to be found in South Carolina; men in the Northern States who own Slaves Jn the South; merchants in New York, Boston, Philar 39 delphia, (but especially New York), who have mortgages on Slave Plantations in the South. The Northent churches ha^ not sufficient courage, and still less Chris- tianity, to open Uieir mouths, and -plead the cause of the widow" and oiphan children. Though Fugitives are dragged out of their own churches and congregations; hurried before the Commissioners, and before the ser- vice of the church is concluded, their trial is over, and the poor Slave is on his way to the South, yet these Ministers, as a mouth-piece for God, are as dumb as BaaJam's ass, and, therefore, their congregations cannot be expected to be better. Notwithstanding this dark, picture, there is a bright side to it, and on this side are the Beechers, the Cheevers, and many others. In some Communities, the Fugitive can pass unmolested, (yet he is still liable to be betrayed even by the meanest person). but these places are few and far between, therefore we are necessitated to manage our affairs witJi great care, a» the foUowing circumstance wiU illustrate : At one time, while in the State of Ohio, I lived near Kentucky Slave State, I was rather notorious as a Negro- stealer, and it was absolutely reported that I would refuse to deliver up a Slave. One day a young man came to my house, (I did not ask him whether he was a Slave or iwt), he merely said he was travelling on his way to (t! ■ .1 40 Canada. I knew, from his appearance, he was a Fugitive Slave, which he did not conceal. In a couple of hours his pursuers were in town, hunting for him. Before I could possibly remove him from my house, even for my own or his safety, it was literally sun'ounded by them. As my house was detached from any other, there ms no possibility of removing him without being seen. I was at my wit's end; what to do I knew not. If the Slave was caught in my possession, I must pay a fine of 1,000 dollars and be hnprisoned six months, neither of which were desirable, especiaUy having a wife and chU- dren. The Slave-hunters demanded my door to be opened, that they might search my house. I am not as obedient as I ought to be, even in cases where duty is at stake, therefore it is not to be wondered at that I should be so in this case. I absolutely refused to comply, unless they had authority from the Mayor of the town. As they did not attempt to come in, I took it for granted that they did not possess that authority, in which conclusion I found I was correct. This defect was met by dispatch- ing one of their company into the town, or merely up the street, after a warrant. Action of some kind was im- perative. In a short space of time I must submit to have my house searched. Just at this trying moment, -r !> J ii,^ «««of vior-f^esitv. ftr fidvantasre, of having a wife. She arose from her seat, as if by Divine influ- 41 ence, and said, ** I think it possible to save him." She immediately dressed him in her own attire, and in a few minutes he was transformed into the image of a female. Feeling myself somewhat relieved, I opened the front- door, and the supposed ladies passed out. The eyes of the infuriated tigers were fixed in the house, through the door, as this was the first opportunity they had had, consequently tho women attracted no attention what- ever, as it was a man they were in pursuit of. She took him a couple of miles in the country, and delivered him into the charge of our Conductors there. The same evening he took a free passage to Canada. When the warrant came, I was quite prepared for my house to be searched, which was done. They ran to and fro, and up and down stairs, like hungry wild beasts, and dashing about my chairs, sofa, &c. as though they were iron. I spake in a veiy commanding tone of voice, as I am told I can do when a little aroused. "Gentlemen,'the law allows my house to be searched, when authorised as you are, but not to break my furniture, and the next man that dashes any article as that man did, (pointing to the tho scoundrel), does it at his own risk," — ^my babe, (eighteen months old), crying in my arms. This brought everything to a perfect stimd still and dead silence: all their eyes were placed on me, and mine were .wilf .42 placed on them ; the cries of my child only sensed to augment my determination. The child's mother being engaged in delivering the Fugitive out of the power of his pursuers, and I having undertaken the charge of the children, I must be faithful to the trust my wife commit- ed to me, and faithful also to the flying Slave. However, one of the men, in a kind of unnatural nasal sound, dropping his sheepish-looking eyes on the floor, said, with feelings of much disappointment, " Might as well go, I reckon; no nigger here, I guess." I do not know whether they ever discovered that he had been in my house or the method of his escape, but of this I am satis- fied, that they never got their victim. I regard the dehverance of this Fugitive, by the agency of my wife, as a direct interposition of God, efieo- tually operating through her. We are told, in his Word, that " every good and perfect gift cometh down from the Father of Lights, in whom is no variableness, nor shadow of tummg," This may be considered one ; the evidence of which is found in the fact of its eflectuality. We may well adopt the cogent language of David, " In thee, Lord, do I put my trust, let me never be put to confusion : deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape. Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked : out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man." I hope, and verily believe, that this prayer 43 will erentually be answered in tlie behalf of 4,000,000 of Slaves, in the hands of unrighteous owners, in the United States. If they should run away, doing their owners no moral injury whatever, they are hunted over mountain tops, and through the vallies, with dogs, and shot down like deer.. William Smith, who was arrested in Columbia, Pennsylvania, on his attempting to escape, was literally shot dead by a Slave-catcher, Bidgels, of Baltimore. Who will not say these are unrighteous men? and who would like to be in their possession? A young man, named Lewis, fled from his master in Ken- tucky, and came to Cincinnati, Ohio, probably about 50 or 60 miles from his home. Being in a Free State, and among Abolitionists, he vainly supposed himself safe. He had left behind him a companion to whoih he was betrothed, and desirous to know whether he should ever realize his expectations as to obtaining her. He made application to a fortune-teller, who required from him a ^^nopsis of his history to begin with, which he unhesi- tatingly, and in iuU confidence, gave her. He left her house highly pleased with the idea of receiving soon the object of his first love ; he almost fancied he had her in his embraces, no longer twain, but one flesh. Time, the true test of all things, soon taught our young friend it was all imagination's dream, for in a few days he was arrested as a Fugitive Slave. On the foliowing xnonmig. ! I -ill the trial came on, in the Court House. There was no possible chance of saving him by law, so wo made qb great a noise about it as possible, to awaken s^ympathy, and a proper sense of justice in the public mind. The Court House was literally filled with white and coloured persons. Barristers were employed on both sides. Some technical question arose between them, and they became much excited, questioning each others veracity and in» tegrity ; they rose on their feet, face to face, and each kept appealing to the Judge. The people w e thoroughly excited, and their attention was wholly fixed on the Bar- risters and the Judge. The prisoner, in charge of the Sheriff, stood near the bar, and close behind were the people. Near the prisoner stood my firiend, he put hia hat on the prisoner's head, who, taking the hint, imme- diately bowed himself to the floor, and, on his hands and knees, made his way between the legs of the crowded assembly, and escaped, and was, in a few minutes, out of *«ight. When the Judge had decided the point at issue, the Sheriff found the prisoner missing, and exclaimed hastily, — "Where is the prisoner? — ^where is the pri- soner?" The enquiry went throughout the Court House. The crowd simultaneously rushed towards the door; those who had committed themselves to Negro-catching were most eager in the search for the prisoner, for the paltry reward offered by the owner. The more respectable por- 45 tion of the people were not very active in looking for the prisoner, but rather, among themselves, enjoyed the cleverness of the trick. The Sheriff, heing responsible for th? i^risoner, offere. fiuifinor iha nM'xmn i/\ i'ha ov- pression she cut its throat, and immediately surrendered. 49 liur master sold hor for 1000 dollars, (£200). Slavery had crushed out a mother's arfectio i, or, may we not say. It was affection that induced her to rescue the child from worse than death. In tho county of Faze*'^, State of Ohio, in a small village of about 1,000 inhabitants, was one of our under- ground Railway Stations, in charge of a good and faithful Conductor. Unwisely, not less than 10 or 12 Fugitive Slaves had stopped 'n this town, protected only by public opinion. True, the majority of the people were Aboli- tionists, yet their liberty was by no means secure. Unex- pectedly, us a thief ir. the night, our town was invaded by four Slaveholders, who, with the Police, captured three of the Slaves, tlie others contrived to make their escape into tho forest. The whole town was aroused in a few minutes. The three captured Slaves were in charge of me of their company, whilft the others were on the look out for the Fugitives who had fled to the forest. It was dangerous for us, under such circumstances, to harbour them in our houses, for fear they should be searched. There was no time to lose, what was done must be done quickly. Sixteen of our pari j suddenly and fuT'OUsly rushed upon the captured Slaves, cut the ropes with which their ..i.-i ^ 1 i.:—.^ j.Vw;n'>v% «>'l-«/-«ii'f fvnm fvno limbs were Ugntiy Donra, puauiug i^cni aw-ii*. i^^"- -— to the other; not e word was spcicen the whole of the '5|lii ■iii 50 time it took to accomplish our design, It being warm weather, we wore slippers without heels, to prevent a noise while rescuing the prisoners, and conveying them away. When we had faithfully, as well as hastily per- formed our duty, we scampered off in different directions. It was obvious that our impetuosity had produced the effect intended on the mind - )f the Southerner. He was perfectly astounded, and literally terrified at our unex- pected approa<;h, and the earnestness with which we went at our work. When a littJs recovered from the shock, he poured forth a volley of oaths, threatening to shoot us if we did not cease, to whicL we paid no atten- tion whatever. He changed his tactics, by calling aloud, "Police! Police!" These officers were intentionally deaf, or so far off, that they were unable to come to his aid, until we were quite out of sight. Though they pre- tended to be very much excited, and were looking for us, of course they did not find our whereabouts, as they did not wish to find it. We concealed the three men in a ceUar, where it was not at all likely they would be found. The others made their escape by the assistance of Abolitionists in the country. When the alarm was given in the town, and the news spread from house to hoiisa, that three Slaves were captured, the others had sufficient time to secure their liberty by appealing ef- fectually to their legs for aid, which they willingly gave. "*t ^ % «1 WheD thus fleeing from town into the dense forest, leaping fences, hedges, and ditches; some of their white friends followed them closely, to baffle the Slaveholders should they follow; thus it, would have been difficult to have distinguisheu the Slaves. These white friends were to conduct them, when in the forest, to a place of safety. Our town, and even our houses, were watched so closely, for several days, that it was no longer safe for us, nor the fugitives, that they should remain. To avoid detection, we obtained a box, about seven feet long and three feet deep, into which we put two of the men, side by s'de : we made holes in the sides of the box for venti- tilation, and thus we conveyed them eight miles to another station, where we met with their companions. The day following we took the other man in the same way, without the least susi on, by putting the box on a wagon; when altogether, they took passage on the Under-ground Railway to Canada. America, professedly the freest land in the world, professes to recognise the natural and inalienable rights of all men, and, in confirmation of which, quotes the immortal Declaration of Independence; "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created free and equal, and are endowed, by their Creator, with certain inalienable rights, among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." They tell us, it is a fact ii ■ 62 that needs no evidence; it is a self-evident truth; found- ed in the very nature of man, every way congenial to the nature of things " that all men are created fi-ee." A free will, free mind, free use of his intellectual faculties, yet the Sla^e cannot will himself practically free ; his will is subject to the will of his master. He cannot will to have a wife, unless it is the will of his masterj and should the master be willing, he has no will in living with her, and their continuing together rests entirely on the will and interest of the owner. He has no will in the education of his children ; his intellectual powers are dormant and stultified ; his moral perceptibilities blunted by not being educated. The white man can be educated for a lawyer or judge, a senator, a minister, a president, &c. The black man is educated only as a ** hewer of wood and a drawer of water." The children of the latter are sold to pay for the education of the former, and, strange to say, they are even sold to contribute towai'ds evangelizing the v^orld. I rememVcr seeing, during my youthful days, in the Slav.fi of South Carolina, a girl sold to contribute to a mission in China. Is '^is what the Americans mean by all men being created free? Where is their equality? The term Slave indicates inequality ,—4,000,000 are in the prison-house of bondage this day ; deprived of their natural rights and privileges as citizens, as men, as Christians.^ and as 63 members of social and civil society. No Bibles, no Tract Societies, no Bible Societies. No Sunday School Oi-gaai- zations. No Missionary Organizations. No Churches nor Chapels, no Ministers. This is the Eule. Exceptions there are I admit Dwelling 17 years in the Slave States enable^', me to know the truth of what I state. Mothers are soil from their children, which is a literal fact. ** Bachaal would not be comforted, because they are not." Husbands from their wives, sons from their fathers and fathers from their sons, daughters from theii- mothers and mothers from their daughters. Brothers from their sisters and sisters from their brothers, and so on through the en- tire families of the Slaves. All this is done to furnish the houses th« Owners live in, to build Chapels, Court and State Houses, with their lofty spires, (the finger of non- devotion), pointing heavenwards. To pay the salaries of Ministers, to pay the pew-rents, to buy the bre^/1 used at the Lord's Table, &c. A Fugitive Slave told me his brother was a member of a church with lii.ii, and that his master sold hin.;, and, to his certain knowledge, a portion of the money was spent in buying plates which were used at the adnrinistration of the Lord's Supper. I ask, in the name of a (lod of justice and humanity, where is the equality of which the Americans boast so much? A Slave, feeling he has a right to his freedom, peace- fthlv urnUrs nflf in fli»» nirrlif in aor -nVi r»P n nminfmr In ' ^ -— — r-,-.^-,-,~j its, MVii V£i. ---i « VV.fWXtViY tJX « i! : 54 which he may just as peaceably live and enjoy his free- dom as others do. The owner may pursue and chain him beneath the shadow of Bunker Hill, or even on the grave in which lie, in silence, Washington's sleeping remains, and take him back into Slavery. All this is sanctioned by the laws of the country. All this is connived at by the Northern Ministers and Churches; and boldly de- clared, by the Southern Ministers and Churches, to be a Divine right, in which their Northern brethren are Divinely obligated to unite, and assist them in subjugating poor Fugitives* Thus they make the Keligion of our Lord, a Slave-catching Keligion, and Man- stealing and Woman-whipping Religion. United States, your banner wears Two emblems, — one of Fame ; Alas ! the other, that it bears. Reminds us of your Shame. The White Man's Liberty in Types, Stands blazoned by your Stars; But what's the meaning of your Stripes? They mean your Negeo S(;aes. T, Campbell. The Providence of God may be obviously seen in the many successful escapes of Fugitive Slaves from the Slave States to Canada : many of whom are pious and devoted Christians, who truly *' walk by faith, and not by sight." We are now about to enter upon one of the most interest- 65 vidence. I may venture to tell the name of this pefsofl, Mr. Hedgman, who was a Christian Slave in the State of Kentucky J he, for a trivial fault, was sold from a Christian wife. He did, as Slaves generally do in such cases, humbly, but unwillingly, submit to his fate, and put his trust in God ; praying and waiting. Too true, many of them pass from the busy scenes of this life without, in the least degree, realizing their expectation, to the world of peace. Here is a Christian brother, for a fault not amounting to a crime, bound in cold iron chains, with the lash cracking over his innocent head. In this brother may be seen the image of God ; his soul no doubt, has been redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus. He is now to go to the Cotton Plantation or the Sugar Field. Sorrowfully he casts a wishful look at hit* dear wife, the tears standing in his manly eyes ; again he looks away, his mind is occupied with past recollections and fearful anticipations. Though reduced to this degra- dation and misery, he was calm and collected ; notwith- standing he would occasionally, with a sigh, give vent to the deep heaving of his heart, at the thought of sepa- rating, having no hope of seeing his wife again in this life. Press, dear reader, (if married), thy partner to thy heart, and thank God you were both born free. His wife shared his grief, — his mutual burden bore, female like, — fl TirnTnnTi'H rpinm ■Ja ■fViof r\f Inxrck clio 'aro-n+ alniid \ Ai- 56 the command of the driver, he moved slowly away ; he stepped with much difficulty, from the weight of sorrow- on hfa mind, and chains on his body. His wife clung to him with all the strength of a woman's muscles, and anxiety of a female heart. " Oh! my husband. My hus- band! My dear husband!" Alas! she was abruptly torn from his person. O, Heaven, witness this parting scene I Angels paint it on the scrolls of Eternity ! Let Gabriel write it in the Book of God's Remembrance, that these guilty wretches may not escape the punishment which their sins justly merit. They tread upon ground Angels would tremble to approach. " What God has joined to- gether let no man put asunder." Outraged humanity cries against the Slaveholder. Widows and orphan chil- dren will rise up to condemn him in the final account. It will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the Judgment than for the Slaveholder thus acting. " God is not in all his thoughts." This man travelled 1,500 miles to New Orleans, and was sold like a beast in the sham- bles. He prayed to God to provide a way for his escape, which prayer was answered, for he made his escape. He travelled night after nij^ht, living on spontaneous pro» ductions, (which are p' jlty plenty in warm climates), wading through creeks and marshes. When going through the marshes in the valley of Mississippi, the ali- crOT/M*G! Txrrkiilri annr^ ch<4> Vkiw« • 4-1-i^'«««vr\, ^^r\^ 57 plank I, coming in contact with force sufficient to take off a limb, — he would leep (from them in a contrary direction, crying " Lord have mercy upon me," and alight, perhaps, close to another, and then leap again in an horizontal direction, praying to the Lord to save him. He was in perils with wild beasts, the hissing serpent was his companion, the croaking of the owl was familiar to hL ear, the howling of the wolf, &c. ; all these dan- gers did not make him afraid, for he felt the protecting arm of the Lord, who sways the imiversal sceptre, and holds the hearts of kings in His hands. Winter came on before his arrival in Canada, and food was quite hard to get. Being some four days with- without anything to eat, he was fatigued and discouraged; almost exhausted, feet frost-bitten and swollen, starva- tion gazing him in the face, — the pelting rain from the watery clouds he was familiar with. But himger was preying upon his constitution, stealing his strength, weakening his muscles; he occasionally resolved to give himself up, and tell the people he was a runaway Slave, from pure necessity. One source yet remained, to appeal to Almighty God. In the dense forest he bowed down on a log of wood, and, in his simple and childlike mr ner, informed his God of his condition, say- ing, «0 Lord! you fed the Prophet by the raven, low fefid mp. if vmi finn^i- T oViqII _...! „j. ...I . _ ,_ _. _Trf%^* t*mt\'w^r\ 4-1^/% 68 I '1 Israelites' water, and something to eat, in the T^ildemess, Now, God, give me something to eat." He resumed his journey, on faith of his prayer being answered. A» he passed out of the wood, he discovered, in the moun- tains, a small cabin ; he went up to it, and met with good reception, the landlord said to him, " you are run- ning away, I hope you'll get along cafe." This mm gave him a ham and some bread, and on he went ; here was an answer to his prayer. The next strait into which he got, was that a river was frozen over, but the ice waa not sufficiently thick to walk on, and he knew uot how to cross it, for he could not swim. He stood on the banks of that river, and prayed. He asked God to de- liver him from Slavery and all its evils, and enable him to cross t; J river. When he had concluded his prayer,, he got a stick and broke the ice, he then commenced fordinjr the river, trying the depth as he proceeded, it became deeper and deeper, till it was neck high ; he then prayed, " God help me. If you ever saved anybody, save me." Providentially this was the full depth of the river, and he arrived safely on the other side. It was the cold month of January, that the water froze on him, and he was a complete statue of ice : in this condition, he first thanked God for his deliverance, and then pro- ceeded on his journey, and eventually reached Canada. H© proved to be a yery devoted man to the cause of 59 religion ; a man of no ordinary natural abilities, moral courage, determination of will, a strong constitution, and, above all, a good Christian, praying man : such person* God always blesses in a way as to Him seems best. He became a Deacon of the Baptist Chui-eh, and u worthy one too. Now in a land of freedom, (for which he was a# thankful as for many other blessings), he began to pray to God to send his wife to hvji. In all human pro- bability this was a hopeless thing, but nothing is impos- sible with God. He well remembered that " the effec- tual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." He continued to pray, year after year, but no wife came, and there was no prospect even of her coming, still he prayed. He had prayed so much for her, that it seemed impossible to cease, though all hopes had vanished from his mind : her image was so indelibly stamped on his heart that he now prayed for her as by instinct. He con- tinued in this way for 12 years, and strange to say, one Sunday morning, in the town of Amherstburgh or Mai- den, on Lake Erie, during service time, the Steamer from the United States to Canada, on this lake, arrived here. A lady came on shore, advanced immediately up the street, leading from the water, and when arrived at the chapel door, she accostei the Chapel-keeper, saying, " I am a stranger here. Sir." " I see yov. \-Te" said he. . " Where are you from?"' continued he, bcmg anxious to I 60 know her history. " I am from Virginia." -matU your name:'' he aaked, hoping to do her service, il .he should be in search of her husband, who might be a FugitiTe. " Mrs. Hedgman, Sir." " Hedgman ! Pray where is your husband ?" She said, « I don't know : he was sold from me 12 years ago, and was sent to New Orleans. He wrote to say, if he had an opportunity, he should run away ; if he is anywhere here, I should Hke to find him." He asked her to give him a general des- cription of her husband, which she did, with increasing hope that she should yet see him again, her face flushing as recollection of the past rolled across her mind. The Chapel-keeper said, « If your description be correct, your husband is now in this chapel." Her eyes sparkled like the North Star, in a clear winter's night; much^ agitated, she gazed upon him with doubtful hope, won- dering if he intended to deceive her. He opened the chapel-door, and in she stepped, looking earnestly down the aisle she recognised her husband in a moment, as he was sitting on the platform, m front of the pulpit, with his face toward the..ioor. Her paces were quick,— tears flowing Oo^her cheeks. He did not, at first, identify her, as she approached, but quickly, on a second look at the stranger, he traced the features of his wife, and mfitantlv arisinff, he clasped her in his arms, embracing her in ecstacy of joy ; to delineai9 this meeting is im- 61 possible ; it can better be imagined than described. To add to this exciting scene, the congregation were in floods of tears, arising from deep sympathy for their respected Deacon and his beloved long-separated wife. Is not this an answer to persevering prayer r Like her husband, the bereaved wife had supplicated for this re-union. They are now living in Canada, ioing well, under the protec- tion of Her Majesty's Government. They now walk abroad on Freedom's Plains, in full enjoyment of its fruition. The above is a fact, with which I am perfectly acquainted ; they are now living in that land of Provi- dence. May we not trace, in every consecutive step, that " -Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God." It is sometimes the case, that masters sell their own children, not always voluntarily, but circumstances at times compel them. It is no uncommon occurence, for the master to select one of the Slave women and call her his wife. The Slave laws recognise no legal marriages between tl^o Negro and white races, whether bond or free. Some of the wealthy Planters, no doubt, treat these adopted women with as much kindness and care as the iniquitous law will allow. Such was the case with a Slaveholder in the State of Georgia, and he soon became a father, and the Slave wife a mother ; this united them closely in the bond of social affection, which lies at the ii I a H C2 foundation of social society. Their dear little child!, (a girl), increased in beauty as she advanced in age unfortunately the mother died when the child was quite young. The father was a humane man : though a Slave- holder, he was not a trader in Slaves. The mother was a Quadroon and the father a white man, therefore there was no appearance of African blood coursing the veins of the lovely chi^L of whom the father thought so nxuch. He sustained double relationship to this chilJ, joth as father and master; but for this the child wouiu uave been a precious jewel in social society. The thought of being a Slave never once entered her bosom, to ripple the peaceful stream of pleasure in her onward journey of life. As she ripened into womanhood, her kind father educated her in his own house, though contrary to law, his infringement was tolerated through the influential position of the father in the community. At a proper age she became the mistress of his* house, which, to some extent, precluded the necessity for his marrying, which, had he done, the child's condition might have been made known to herself and others. Eventually, this Planter failed in bus 'ss, and then came hard times for his poor daughter, whose name was Mary. The farm and all the field-hands, with other property, were taken ta satisfy his creditors. His legal adviser balance^* his accounts, and found the Planter still miius 1,000 doUars, / s are guilty of turning Fugitives into Hip datlt duniroon of Slavery, for thev could free evoiy Slave that comos Ix'fore thorn, if so disposed, bv deciding the Fugi-- tive Bill unconstitutional, und refusing to comply withf- its requirements. The following Avill she^v that ouif railroad is doing gowl business, therefore ought to be patronised, as we believe it will be. " Five Slaves left- Mr. C. D. Armstrong, of St. Louis. A girl 18 years of ttge, a woman 95, aiid children, supposed to have been abducted by two white men." They consider a girl at 18 years of age, not a womnn, as you may infer from the above distinction, whicli is quite consonant witb Southern custom. Genei-ally, they call the males boys until thev arc about sixtv, after that period, old uncle,, until the day of their death : the females, gal or girl, or, sometimes, ironically, My Lady, until they are sixty, then old auntv. to the end of life. The Northern men have borrowed this custom from the Southern, and pre- sume to call free coloured men boys, in the North as the following will obviously show. A Fugitive Slave, on his way to Canada, being in a Free State, and so far from his home, thought himself out of danger ; he ven- tured to take the train, as he had a little money, to travel publicly to Canada. After getting into the car- riage, (in the United States called car), the Conductor ,i«5aid, " it is Hgfiinst our I'ules for coloured men to ga it I ;ii first-class." The Fugitive was of a light complexion,-^ he said, " Ani I coloured? Look at me." The Conductor (Supposing it possible he might only be a dark-skinned man, begged his pardon, and left him. He afterwards took another view of him, and not being satisfied on the point, called the second Conductor, and asked him if he did not think the man in question a Nigger. He said, ■*' Certainly he is." They violently dragged him out although he had a first-class ticket. He got on the freight carriage. Neai'ing tlicir destination, the same Conductor, collecting fares and gathering tickets, came to the Fugitive, " I say, Boy." The Fugitive seemed to be deaf. *' Boy, I say, — I mean you, — ticket, ticket." The Fugitive said, " What do you charge per hundred for freight?" The Conductor replied, " 23 cents." " I weigh just 150lbs., as I am fi'eight and not a passenger, I will pay you accordingly," which he did. Another notice jaay not be out of place. ■'' Mrs, Pendleton's Slaves, fourteen in number, who ran off to Pennsylvania, from Washington Couniy, a few days ago, have not been arresiea at Harrisburgh, fts reported, although they are said to be in that town." The Rockingham Virginia Register says, " that on the 4th there was a considerable stampede among the Negroes of Pendleton County,— G. Dyer, Esq., late Clerk of the CouvtSf Lost three ; Tyrus Hopkins, Esq., two ; m^ ijWmHITww ■wiiuni" ■Wwrni ll 71 Elislia Stonestreet, one. About a year since Mr. A. W. Dyer, of the sanie county, lost four of his most valuable Slaves in the same way." National Anti-slatery Standard. The Abolitionists are continually accused of exagger- ating the cruelties inflicted upon the Slaves. It is said, they " well off'." In the language of a Senator, many of them are " fat and sleek." They are, generally, not over- tasked ; that they are content, merry, fond of singing, and sports ; in better condition than the free people in the north, or operatives in England, and would not leave tlieir masters if they could. What we have said already, is quite sufficient to disprove that. Mrs. Stowe is ac- cused of misrepresenting the matter, in " Uncle Tom's Cabin." There being 45,000 Fugitive Slaves in Canada, does not seem to indicate that they were very well treated, otherwise they would have remained in that professedly happy condition. We suppose having no means of ascer- taining the precise facts in the case. That of the present generation of Slaves 90,000 have attempted to secure their freedom by running away, but only 45,000 have succeeded. The advertisements for runaways, with ■ which the Southern Papers are crowded, demonstrate tlie discontent of the Slaves, and their longings for free- dom. The unwillingness of the Slaveholders to bring their Slaves to the North, during their Summer pilgrim- %\ il il ftf^es, testify their npprelieusions on tlio subject. Happr, indeed! Who can describe; the snfferin.t;s of parents, for -ever bereft of their children ; mothers robbed of their -d'anghters; children torn from their parents; younj^ women, and married women, exposed to the brutal lusts /of Shive-driv(>is, masters, and overs(}ers. Millions doom- ed to insult; deprived of opportunities to read God's Word; to attend upon His worship; to instruct their rf:kildren; and taunted for their religious principles. Advocates for Slavery, would you le happy under such (Circumstances, certainly not, then tnink not that others i^an be. The Day of Judgment only will disclose fhoso registered wrongs, which the coloured men, women, and A'hildren, are the victims, in the Slave States. The facts I narrate of th(3 sorrows of the down- trodden Negroes, may be considered exaggerations by tho ignorant and unfeeling, but surely not by the lleeording Angel, who drops a tear at every record made. Nor can they be by the compassionate Saviour, who tells their wanderings, puts their tears into his bottle, and writes iliem in his Book of Rerftembrance. The following letter is from Th Netc York Dailif Times, written by a person who visited the Dismal J^wamps, the celebrity of which has gone, far and wide, «s the habitation for runaway Slaves ; «' The Dis-mol Swamps are noted places of refuge for runaway Negroes. They were formerly peopled in this vaymuch more than ut present; a systematic hunting of them, with dof-s and guns, having heen made by in- dividuals, who took it up as a business, about ten years ago, has eaused these Swamps to be less frequented. Formerly, children were bom, bred, lived, and died there. The Negro, my guide, told me he had seen sMe- tons there, and had helped to bury bodies recently dead. There are people in the Swamps now, he thought, that are children of Fugitives, and Fugitives themselves finish their lives there. What a strange life it must be. He said, the Drivers sometimes shoot them. When they saw a Fugitive, if he tried to run away from them, they would call out to him, that if he did not stop, they would fire at him, and, if he did not stop, they shot at the poor fellow, and sometimes killed him. But some of them would rather bo sliot than taken. Sir, he added simply. * * * * No particular breed of dogs is used for hunting the Negroes. Blood-hounds, fox-hounds, bull-dogs, and curs were used. A white man told me how they trained them for the work, as though it was a common and notorious practice. They are shut up when puppies, and never allowed to see a Negro except while training to catch him. A Negro is made to run from .them, and they are encouraged to follow him, until ho u gets into a tree, \\\wn they are given moat; after which they knini them to follow any partieuUir Negro, by scent. A shoe, or piece of clothing, is taken off a Negro, and the dogs are taught to scent out the wner of it, and to tree him. When the Drivers take a Negro that has not a pass or free paper, and tliey don't know whose Slave he is, they contine him in gaol, and advertise him. If no one claims him within a year, he is sold to tlie higli- est bidder, at a public sale." I quite understanu the method of training dogs, as I have seen it many times. Sometimes they drag a child on the ground, holding the puppy's nose to the place until he follows voluntarily. Occasionally they suffer the dog to bite it a little so as to taste the blood, and thus make it vicious. Slavery is, as the venerable John Wesley said, ** the sum of all villainies." I record the escape of a Slave from tlie foregoing writer, who says, " A few years since, a noble-lookhig Black called on me. Ho was a Fugitive, and had walked 1,800 miles, from Louisiana to New York, without speak- ing to more than tliree white men. It was his third attempt to escape from Slavery. He left a wife and chil- dren behind him, hoping that, at some future day, he could make arrangements to bring them out of Slavery. He said, that at the second attempt, he was pursued by men and blood-hounds, who attacked, and almost killed ^^ 9, him Lcforo he surrondorcd. He was sent to Brooklyn, where ho had good oTTiploynicnt und good wages ; but, in a short time, h was missing. After the lapse of a year, a letter was received from him, dated on hoard a whale-ship, in the Pacific Ocean, saying, " I fled from Brooklyn, because I could not sleep, as I was so near the Slaveliolding country. I thought I could not be safe until I had got to the other side of the globe." It is absurd to talk of the contentment of the Slaves. Even if they were, Slavery would still be a crime ; to make a human being property is wrong, — malum in se. The Slaves are fond of mirth and singing! So they are, but by this they only prove they are men. But it is not always an evidence of a contented and happy mind. The prisoner, under the dread sentence of death, drags his chains across the dark and gloomy l;.ngeon, hanging to his ancles, waiting his execution, humming some favourite tune to dissipate the awful realization of eternity, from his much agitated mind. None would for a moment, say he had rather be a prisoner than a free man. The same rule holds good with the Slave. If they were, it only shows, very conspicuously, the wickedness of such a system; thus, like a crucible, crushing out of man the very element that constitutes him man; and reduces him to a beast, with only carnal appetites to gratify. li IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) k<0 {./ .^ <. ^'A^ m2i^ <^ .^ fe % 1.0 I.I 1.25 2.5 2.2 14 •Uut. 1.8 !.4 II 1.6 6" <^ /A 7 :*i^ Photographic Sciences Corporation ^^y 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. .4580 (716) 872-4503 k' ^ ^ Q> iV f^ ^ ^ 76 IP "No man, whatever his complexion or condition ma'f "be, can love Slavery ; if he says he does, he gives the strongest possible evidence of his extreme imbecility, and ignorance of human nature. The love of liberty is an innate principle of maii*s moral iind physical nature, altogether beyond liis controul. Anything that opposes the aspirations of the human mind, find the development of man's mora! nature, ha hates iind opposes from the depth of his soul ; Slavery does this, therefore he hates it. Some Slaves are satisfied in their condition, and would not accept their freedom. Such I have seen and known, — but it is the exception, not the rule. The cause of their coiitentment is found in the humanity of their claimants, to whoiii they are attached hy their repeated kindnesses to theni. Thus it is the owners they are attached to, and not the diabolical system, as following will evidently demonstrate. The notorious and far-famed Henry Clay, (the firm advoca^'^ of human chattelhood), took with him into the North, and into Canada, his domestic servant, Bill; he defied the Abo- litionists to take him away from him. He offered to give his servant his emancipating papers the moment he consented to leave him, and remain in the North, or in Canada, Bill would not accept the overtures of the Abolitionists ; he sternly resisted them all, and declared }ie had rather be with his master than oe free, so he went I 7T •with liim to the South. Eventually, hy a stroke of Pro- vidence, Ml*. Clay was brought to a sick bed, and death seemed inevitable. Bili knew lie would be sold with other Slaves, at the death of his master, and what hands he should get into he could not judge, ^vhether a Legree or a -Haly ; ho thought it, therefore, not wise to wait the death uf his master, consec^uently lie took a free passage to Canada, where he could be his own master, I think, if left to their own choice, this would be the result of a majority of the exceptions before referred to : this evidently shews it is the owners they are attached to and not the system. Allow mc, kind Reader, to answer another objectiou of the opponents to Emancipation. *• The lives of the owners worM bo in danger. They would wake tip some, mornir id find all their throats cut.'* This absurdity finds no parallel iu the annals of history. It assumes, " that the African, or Slave, when treated justly, will exhibit a vindictive spirit, which he will not when treated unjustly. When elevated to the blessings of freedom, he will tliirst for human blood, which he does not do when crushed and cursed by Slavery; or, if so, it is meiely to obtain his pristine liberty. At present, he witnesses continually his wife torn from his arms ; yces his infants brought to the auc- » Jlather difficult ,to wake up after tlieii- throats are..cutl tion block; the heavenly gate of knowledge shut against him; the fruit of his herd labour unjustly taken by ano- ther; sees himself^, and offspring, doomed to a wretched servitude, from which there isUQ redemption; to all of which he quietly submits and patiently endures, "^et, for one single act of kindness to tliem and their chil- dren, (a kindness for which thej have prayed, and en- duringly waited the answer of that prayer)^ now that they have obtained that desire, they will cut the throats of the donors.*' It is preposterous in the extreme. I will now refer to a noble example, which glitters in the historic page, relative to this matter. By one single Act of Parliament, the Slaves of the British West Indies were suddenly, as well as peaceably, changed into free men and women: their souls walked abroad on the plains of freedom, in their own majesty, fearless of lash or chains. The British Slaves numbered 800,000, accord- ing to Mr. W. Goodell and the Honorable Charles Sum- ner's report on tlie subject. The Whites, and Blacks or Negroes, were in the following proportion : 131,000 Whites, distributed as follow: — In the islands of Jamaica (the largest at present), 400,000 Africans, and 37,000 Whites. Barbadoes, 190,000 Africans and 15,000 Whites. In St. Lucia, 19,500 Africans, and 600 Whites. In To- bago, 14,000 Africans, and only GOO Whites. In Mon- gerrat, 600 Africans, and only 150 Whites. In all these ^m • 79 places no man was ever put to death by the Slaves. But to the contrary, the authorities positively declare, that emancipation took nlace in the most peaceable manner. Sir Ijionel Smith, the Governor of Jamaica, in his speech t® the Assembly, says, their *' conduct proves how well they desei-ved the boon of freedom." His Majesty once declared from the throne, "that emancipation had taken place without any disturbance of public order or tran(iuilit7." I believe in the doctrine, that " our safety consists in doing our duty, both to God and man. We will return to our subject. In the Slave States it is -customary for the free coloured men to marry Slave women. There is no legal marriage, when one party is A Slave, whether the free party be white or coloured. A free coloured man wished to purchase his wife's free- dom; not having tlie money, he agreed with her master to work seven years for her, at the end of which he was to possess her. The man faithfully performed his duty, but at the expiration of the seven years, the master re- fused to give her up. The oath of a coloured person being invalidated in any case where a white person is a party concerned, the man had no legal redress. The master, nevertheless, gained the confidence of the man .by affirming, with all the solemnity of an oath, that li© 80 * •would lot him have her at the end of the second seven years. The man, accordingly sen'ed another seven years, and again the master refused to give possession of the woman. The man did then, what lie should have done at first, ke stole her away, and three others, and started off to Canada. Being fifty miles towards the interior, of the State, they proceeded direct to the Ohio river. They were pursued, and their savage pursuers reached the usual place of crossing before the Fugitives ; there lying in ambush, waited their arrival. The Fugitives reached the spot in the silent hour of the night. A skiff being fastened to the bank, they hastily got into it; but, when receeding from the shore, their pursuers made their appearance, and furiously plunged into the water, waist deep, and violently seized hold of the boat, deter- mined they should not proceed, but the man holding the skiff, was immediately shot dead by one of the Fugitives, They then proceeded, as quickly as possible, across the river, leaving their infuriated pursuers without the means of following them. On reaching the other side of the river, they landed in the Free State of Ohio, i^nd tJiere soon found friends to assist them on their perilous journey, to a blessed land of liberty. I leave the reader to make his own^ comments, and to come to his own con- clusions^ upon the act of the Fugitive taking the life of the man-stealer. It was the husband who shot the man. \ 81 And thus secured the freedom of liis wife and the otl»rf 81aves that accompanied them. These Fugitives were troughl to my house, and I passed them on to Canada, where the Patriarchal custom of buying wives, and pay- ing for ihem by bond labour^ U not the practice ; that Ubour is required to support their ^ives after they liave ©btained them. "Jacob served seven y-ears for Rachael, and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had for lier." •* He served Laban yet seven other years, and he gave him Rachael to ^vife." This man was by no mcims as good as Laban ; the latter gave Jacob his wife at . e termination of fourteen years, but the former refused thus to do. He cheated the man not only out of his service, but out of his wife as well. Slavery stops not here, it takes even the children from the mother ; she, legally, has no children, they are her master's property. A Slave " can do nothing, possess nothing, nor ac- quire anything, all belongs to his master." A Slave woman, in tlie State of Georgia, was forced to leave her child, w^hen only six weeks old, to accompany her young mistress to the North, on a pleasure trip. The mistress stopped in New York, but the servant continued her journey a little further North than her mistress antici- pated. She arrived safe in Canada. This woman work- ed hard, saved what money she could for two years, and. i 82 then wrote to her late master, and asked him what ee would take for her cliild for. His answer was £50. She forwarded the money to him, through an agent, and he sent the child to her. This child was not legally her's, but her master's, therefore she nmst purchase it from him, before she could Jack, a kind of Pnnce among them. Next, tlioy enquired of the c„i,taili as to hio landing point, and the time, arxious to secure their property. The c^- "in suid h'. should becompcUed to stop at Maiden, alia. Amuerst- burgh. on the Canada side, at the mouth of the Detioit riyer. etiU twenty miles from Detroit city, on the State side, their place of destination. Maiden was the captain's place to take in wood, to enable him to run his vessel the twenty miles to Detroit. Knowing, as they did, the moment the steamer Innded at Maiden the FugitiTes were as free as themselves, because it is British soil, they implored the captain not to stop there, for their Negroes would escape. He suid he had nothing to do with the Negroes, it was wood he wanted, otherwise the steamer could not run. . " For God's sake, Captain, don't stop at Maiden. " Na use, gentlemen, we must have wood, or we shall be lost." « Captain, land at Detroit before you do at Maiden, and we will give you three hundred dollars (or £60)." To this the captain agreed. They immediately paid him the r:ioney, and accordingly they landed at Detroit. One of these Slave catchers hastened immediately up to the town 88 i^ obtain a warrant to arrest tlic Fugitives, wliilc the others stood at the gangway to see if the Slaves came oa shore in common with the passengers. In the meanwhile the captain gave the lookcrs-out (Abolitionists) to under- stand what was afloat. They took a yawl on the opposite side of the steamer, pitched them into it as though they were barrels of flour. On the opposite side of the river, is Canada ; the Slaves rowed for their liberty, their eyes set on freedom s land, which, once reached, they were safe beneath British rule ; they were filled both with joy and fear : — the approaching enemy behind thera, and a land of liberty before them. The absentee returned with the Sheriff", looking this way and that way, his companions being unable to give any information as to the whereabouts of the Slaves, though others might, had they been so dis- posed. When the Slaves were half way across the ri^^er, fully out of danger, some gentlemen shouted out, " Are those your Niggers ? I could have told you where they were before, had I known they were yours." The Slave- holder M\as very angry indeed. The captain very quietly informed him he had been paid the money to land there, which he had done according to contract, bi^t he did not understand that he was to hold the Negroes and keep them from walking off", as other gentlemen do. While the altercation was going on a gentleman said to the South- lerner, " They are not over yet, we may overtake them ; i 1 89 for seventy-five dollars (or £15) I will do all 1 can in assisting you." The money was paid, as before, they got into a yawl, across they went, but the Fugitives arrived long before they did. They overtook them, as the gen- tleman said-but it was in Canada. The Southerner, knowing where he was, began to persuade .Jack, the leader, by saying, "You know the old man was just as good to you as to one of his own sons ; come Jack, go back now ; he has made his will since you have come away, and he says at his death he wUl set you all free. The old man is so sorry you have all left him so." The Utter. 1 believe, had lost eight thousand doUars-I should be quite sorry to meet such a loss. Jack had not spoken, to our knowledge, from his first discovery to this time, he very attentively Ustened to all the Slaveholder had to say. "Well, I had a hard time getting here-I believe I wiU stay here now," repliedJack. The owner lost both his slaves and his money. I do not justify for a moment the manner in which he lost his money ; but I certainly do justify the slaves for remaining in Canada. I may be allowed to examine what the Scriptural idea is respecting run-»way Slaves, or Fugitives for liberty. The Jews never sent after a rmi-away ; there are cases of going after an ox or an ass, but no instance of a master going or sending after a stray servant. K the possibility of property in man had been admitted ; if servants had been 00 regarded as slaves, and masters as owners, then the laws of God would no more have permitted any two-legged property to run away from the owner, to steal itself from the master, than four-legged jwoperty ; a man would have had no more right to run away than a horse or an ox ; the right to possess property gives a right to secure that property and prevent its escape. " If thou meet even thine enemy's ok or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again." But, "Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which has escaped from his master; he shall dwell with thee, even among you, in that place he shall choose in any of thy gate* where it liketh him best, but thou shalt not oppress him.'' In one case the Jew was quite justifiable in turning the beast back^ in the other he was not justified so to do, be- cause the right of property was recognised in the beast, but not in man ; for " in the image of God created. He him.*^ Man coming from the plastic hand' of Omnipotencer with a mind capable of comprehending the nature * and character of his Creator— a heart to feel, a soul to love Christ and His holy religion ; created a littU lower thaa the angels, to be hunted down and dragged into perpetual " bondage in a land calling itself free, the freest in the' world, is almost incredible, but it i« ft lamentable feet, a fact not to be disguised nor varnished. Stealing men wa»' a capital offence for which the offender ww put to deatlu 91 •* He that stealeth, or eeUeth, oi holdeth a man shall surely be put to death." God has thundered forth His mighty voice, as "the voice of many waters," against this wicked traffic. •' For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof, because they sold the righteous for silver and the poor for a pair of shoes."— Amos u., 6. God's retributive justice wUl not always remain sUent, but ere long will be manifested in behalf of multiplied thousands of His redeemed children, «old for sUver and gold, even by professed Christians. They are like the condemned miserable wretches alluded to by the Prophet, « The oppressors of God's sheep, the destroyers of men ; whose possessors slay them and hold themselves not guilty ; and they that sell them say. Blewed be the Lord, for I am rich." Many of the Ameri- can slaveholders are rich at the expense of the blood bones, and muscles of the SUves. The Slaveholders* plead divine authority for capturing fugitive Slaves from the case of Hagar ; no two things are more opposite than these. Hagar was a wife by the consent of Sarah, whose influence was supreme over her as well as Abraham, and Abraham sent her away, therefore she did not run away -, if she had been a Slave this would have freed her— , we don't admit she was a Slave)— instead of seUing her child he gave it to her; many Slaveholders sell their own I !i' ,| 1; 92 children by their slave women. He also furnished her with something for her and the child to eat in their per- ambulations. Instead of preventing her flight he assisted her by laying the youth, as well as the bread and water, on her shoulders* That she was a domestic servant we don't deny. She was priviloged to go where she liked, so far as Abraham was concerned. If the Slaveholders would act upon this principle, slavery would soon be abolished by the exit of the Slaves, until such exit would become altogether umiecessary. They again assure us Paul sent back Onesimus, a Slave, to Philemon, a Slave- holder. — 1st. It 19 with them to prove Onesimus was a Slave. It is ono thing to make an assertion, and quite another to prove it. Many persons don't like to take things for granted.— 2. Having assumed the ground they must show Philemon „aa a Slaveholder. To many it would no doubt seem, to prove the former would be to demonstrate the latter, but it does not necessarily follow. This they have never done, for this reason — they can*t» But the accumulated evidence from the passage is on the side of freedom. This eminent Apostle says, " Whom I would have retained." It seems he had power to have kept him had he beea disposed; from whence did he derive this power ? "Thou shalt not turn back the ser- vant that escapeih unto thee,** &c. By this law Paul could have retaiAed ham | he says to Philemon,'* Reccnye ■aattatOBaii H«M 93 Vim as ye would me/* not as a servant but above a ser- vant, a brother beloved in the Lord/' Whatever might have been his previous condition he was now evidently free from all connecting circumstances, it is quite obvious he was not a slave. Our opinion holds good till the Slaveholder proves that he was. They have had two hun- dred years to bring forward their evidence : their failure, cannot therefor© be for the want of time. Jesus says* »♦ Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, mind, strength, and thy neighbour as thyself/* Paul was a consistent Christian, he could not therefore send Onesimus into slavery when he would uot like to be sent himself. Again, he would in this be violating the law of love, •* Do unto all men aa you would they should do unto you." Paul, I am sure, would not have liked Onesimus to have gent him into bondage. Dragging fugitive? Slaves into slavery finds no shelter in the word of God ; it is there- fore a crime, and they that do it are criminals, and witt be judged, convicted, and punished Jiccordingly. Slaves have a consciousness of right and wrong, and understand their duties as servants as well as their mas- ters ; many will not, therefore, submit to the lash ; such prefer a change of masters, though by this change their tasks may be augmented and their labour much more severe than formerly. One of this class lived in the Btnte of Kentuekv in 1846, when he made his exit to 94 Canada ; the master who sold him came to the cabin in which he lived with his aged mother, in company with his new purchaser, with a hoe and rope in his hand, intending to knock him down and tie him, and in thia condition deliver him to his new master. As the Slave passed out at the door of the cabin, the stranger struck at him ; the Slave evaded the well-directed blow, aind with his knife stabbed the man to death. The master, endea- vouring to rescue the stranger, was also killed. The Slave escaped on the best horse his master had to the Ohio river the same night, a distance of fifty miles ; on hit arrival he crossed the river in a yawl, and with the bridle in his hand he travelled all day enquiring for a stray horse, until the Abolitionists took charge of him and brought him to my house, on his way to Canada. I think, how* ever, the Slave would have been more justifiable in run- niBg away with the horse, without killing the manf perhaps he would have been without blame had he left the horse in his care : it was property stealing propert;jr. There are few such men as the above, who have in thi» way madf! manil'est their capabilities of leading their brethren out of the prison-house of bondage, that there are euch, none deny. The Slaveholders themselves are aware 4^ the capabilities of the Slaves to free themselves, if they enly knew their own power; hence come unrighteous lsm§i pfevimting Instruction—" knowledge is power.** Give the bondsman this power and he is ny longer a vassal Mr. H. B. left his master in Kentucky, and found a recognition of human rights in Canada, leaving a wife and one child in slavery. Though free he was 6tiU unhappy ; the remembrance of his dear wife and child would always interrupt the pleasant and smooth «tream of existence. They would stand by his bedside in his nocturnal dreams ; and would awake pressing his aeaxUttle one to his bosom. He went back after them ft distance of four hundred miles. They met one moon- •hiny night, in the shade of a spacious oak, arranged as to the time of leaving, and the place to meet. On the Bclected night, which she was to bid adieu to slaver>% her mistress had a party of friends ; it was therefore im- possible for her to get away. A disappointed husband went to the place detennined upon. No wife. The next evening he went to learn the cause of the delay, but poor feUow, he was betrayed by innocent little negro children, to whom no bhune can be attached, exclaiming « Yonder is uncle H— ." He was sold at New Orleans. one thousand miles away egwa torn his dear wife and chad. His body loaded with chains. On his arrival there, he was put in charge of the sheriff to take to gaol, vent simultaneously down the rapids with accelerated velocity. Here is an obvious exhibition of the Provi- dence of God. The substance of this I received from her own lips. She was sheltered by J. R— , a well- known Abolitionist, and the following night she came to my house ; with great delight and joy unspeakable 1 took hf r in. That boy rested in my arms while going ten miles with her to another station. This is no fiction whatever.- You may think of the book in general,-" Uncle Tom" is true in this. The circum- stances of this young woman crossing the river at that time was published in the leading Anti^Slavery papers of the North, and no doubt but many Anti-Slavery people here, who read American uti-Slavery news- papers, have read it ; the Rev. W. H. Bonner told me he read it. This was several years before - Uncle Tom's Cabin" was written by Mrs. Stowe. I have met with many of these men and women whom I have had the pleasure of aiding to that country of freedom. In the 104 II!" ¥\ i ' III m town of Winusor, Canada, a gentlenaaD came and spoke to me as a friend. I knew him not Said he, " Don't you know meV* *' I do not, sir," I refUed. He ihm mentioned where I lived, and a few incidents which brought him io my remembrance. Being much pleased, 1 said, " This is Davis." He was dressed well, appeared quite respectable, and could look a man in the face in* stead of looking on the ground. He said, if I needed money, he had a little, and I should have part of it. Here was a benevolent heart in the bosom of a coloured man, once a slave. It is the opinion of some few Slaveholders that reli» gion is a more effectual means to extort lalour from the Slave thaa the lash. Such allow their Slaves to be taught the precepts of religion, sufficient at least to pro- duce obedience. Such instruction is given orally, and no more than will effect the subjugation of the Slave to the will of the master without the use of a more severe punishment. This is true to no ordinary extent; at least, up to a certain point. Dr. Brisbane, of South Carolina, a Slaveholder, testifies to the correctness of this opinion. He says ** Religion did more good to effect obedience among his Slaves than a waggon-load of ^ whips." To the honour and credit of this Christian minister he emancipated his Slaves, moved north, onA » •. I ■ 103 Wame a strong advocate of unconditional emancipalba. B..ide8. religion add, to the .alue of the Slav*. He generally sell, better in market after the anctioneer ha. faithfully represented the praisevforthy qualitie. of the . Slave, which consist in his physical development, hi. trurtworthiness, his obedience .nd willingness to work, ftc. ; the pnrchasers have ceased bidding, he belong, to the highest bidder, if none goes beyond him. The .ocUoneer adds. "He is a pious Christian fellow." The bidding begins afresh. Wh, this bidding afresh? EvidenUy to purchase the Holy Ghost thus represented in the Slave. This is no uncommon thing. A Slave- holder of this class gave his Slave permission to go to chnrcb. The minister preached from the follovving text, «No Ban can serve two masters; he will either hale the one or love the other, or despise the one and cleave unto the other." The Slave was unable to solve these problems. He returned home quite as ignorant as he went Monday morning his master inquired if he went to church t He answered in the affirmative. The master wished to know how he liked the preacher, and he answered '• Not at all." « Why f" " Because he told two falsehood." " What were they ?" " He said. -No man could serve two masters;' 1 know I .serv'e you and master John" (his old master and his li n ft! ., - L ' ' V X I 106 r : i jonng master). '* What was the teii?** " He said, I would * eder loted de one aod hate de oder, or I would despise de ose and cleave unto de oder/ and de Ix>rd # knows I hate you loof." This, however, proves the capabilities of the Slave to reason. One very cold winter's night, 1 was suddenly aroused by a rapid knock at my door. My neighbour had eight Slaves with two horses and a wagon, which was the entire family. The Ohio river was frozen over. They brought the hor«» and wagon across on the ice, it being quite near to the river. It was impossible for them to travel with the fcorses and wagon. I concealed the fugatives. The next day the owner was on the look out in the towft. They asked me if I knew where the Slaves were ? i Slid "I did* but was under no obligation to inform him.*' I told him where he eokld get his horses and wagon. He got them by paying the expenses of them ; the Slaves not having the means of {Hrocuriog them. I had no right to ihem. As to the moral right of such an act of the fugitives, I have only a word to say,— -that he had got a great deal more from the Slaves than the horses and wagon were worth. If they had brought in their bill for every day they had worked for him with- out wages, and every day that they and their childrea uligUii W uav€ V^a a« SCnuuI, a VmIs; w»jr Hw ttvu-u zji Q\7a.. 107 been quite wi!!ing to have squared aooonntB niik them by giving them the horses and wagon. They searched in vain for their live stock ; though we dared not move with the fugitives until the excitement had somewhat abated there; and many others found their way to Canada without much trouble. It is with grief and much pain, after ali our carefulness, that we lose some of our fugitives ; the northern judges deliver them up to the claimants and they reluctantly go back in bondage. In 1853, in the state of Pennsylvania, twenty-six were deli- vered up to the claimants, as the report of the Anti- Slavery Society of that year shows. A slave, named Jerry, was rescued from prison in Syracuse, New York, October 1851, and at the sitting of a United States court, at Buffalo, twenty or thirty persons were indicted for having participated in the rescue. Last year, z. fugitive Slave was arrested in Oberlin, Ohio, by bemg decoyed out of town, then seized by the United States marshal, and he was immediately on his way to slavery. The news spread like lightning, and the citizens lost no time in following these men-stealers, and at a distance of ten miles overtook them. The Slave was put in the house of a Democrat for safe keeping. The company in- formed the proprietor as well as the Slaveholder that they wanted the Slave, and intended to have him, peaceably II ^ j r% 108 if ihey could, and forcibly if they must. Finding they were ip earnest about it, the Slaveholder came out and told them if they would allow him to pass on without interruption, be would give up the fu-itive, to which they agreed, and be was delivered up to them with triumphant shouts of joy. They, however, sent th© young man to Canada. These men were prosecuted under the Fugitive Slave bill. Some were fined, others suffered their time in prison. Justices of the Peace, Judges and Jurors, and other public authorities, sanction the separation of husband aad^ wife in a Free State— Ministers of the Gospel sane- tion it also by their silence ; their voices are heard against Sabbath- breaking, popular Infidelity (and especially in charging the Abolitionists with it), against drunkenness, against the Mormonite system of poligamy, but not a word against Slavery, or separating husband and wife, if their people be coloured or are of JSTegro descent. One «ven refused to pray for a Fugitive Slave who was in prison awaiting his trial ; prayer on his behalf was re- quested at a public prayer meeting and was refused, although at the same time requests from other sources, and on different subjects, received attention. Escapes have been more numerous than ever during 109 add the following to show what description of person» take their liberty :—« Twenty Dollars Reward— Ran away from the Plantation of the undersigned, the Negro Man, Frederick, a Preacher. 5 ft, 9 in. high, ahove forty years old, but not looking over twenty-eight, stamped M. B. on the breast, and having both small toes cut off ; he is of very dark complexion, with eyes small but bright, and looks quite insolent, dresses well, and was arrested as a run-away at Donaldsville some three years ago. The above reward will be paid for his arrest, by ad- dressing Messrs, Armont, Brothers, St. James* Parish, Shillenberger Sl Co., 30, Torondelet Street, New Orleans, Picayune." It seems from the above that this Preacher was not too pious to run away, and thus deprive his master of what he had no right, and that this was the second time he had committed treason against the Slave Laws and Southern Theology by running away. Although a Preacher yet he would be a much better one if free. Such advertisements as this are cut out of Southern newspapers and put into some of the Northern papei-s, 80 that men who are sufficiently brutalised begin to hunt for the poor Fugitives. The Under-ground Railroad is doing good business as the following will evidently show « Yesterday a Slave man from Kentucky swam the Ohio ^a III I; i 110 • River, opposite Fnlton ; he reached the Ohio side nearly exhaufted with cold and fatigue ; as he laj resting on the shore he observed his pursuers on horsebacki with rifles, on the opposite banki They discuvered their victim and crossed in a ferryboat at PendletoHi but the sight of these human tigers revived the almost drowned n^n, and like a deer he scaled the precipitous hill at the back of Fulton and disappeared* God speed the Fugi- tive — and I had liked to have said, ** crush the black hearla of his pursuers," This was from quite a respect* able clergyman who saw the Slave and his pursuers, but whose name I do not deem it prudent to give* Againf we have the following from the Aurora Ban^ tier ;— »" Twenty-five Negroes ran away from their mas* tcrs in Boone County, Kentucky, on the 2nd instant, among those who lost their servants are two Ministers of the Gospel.** The Banner say* further, that ** some Weeks before their departure one of the Slaves procured and read to his comrades Uncle Tom*s Cabin, and it is supposed that the beauties of Canadian freedom, as pic- tured by Mrs. Stowe, were the means of inducing them to run away.** The Under-ground Railroad pays the Shareholders very well, but not as well as might be de- sired ; but business is flourishing to their satisfaction, as the following would indicate : — " The Under-ground in Railroad would seem to be in excellent order ; a coro- pany of 29 Slaves from Kentucky reached here on Mon- day evening last, and were safely conveyed to the Cana4a 6ide the next morning ; they were all hale young men and women, none of them over thirty-five years of age, for whose capture we hear liberal offers proclaimed. They travelled by wagons through Indiana (a Free State), and reached here in good condition. The Detroit Christian Herald says, *» The Under^ ground Sailroad is pre-eminently qualified and well adapted to do business for a long time, we hope as long as a Slave remains in his chains to weep, «• Lord, Thoa hast heard the desire of the humble, Thou wilt prepare their heart ; Thou wilt cause thine ear to hear, to judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the men of the earth may no more oppress.^ God prepares ways and means for the escape of the Slave to Canada. A Slave passing from New York State into Canada was put on board a ferry-boat at Blackrock, for BufFak . by an Aboli^ tionist; at this juncture the master came up and saw his Slave on board, bound for Canada ; the boat was just receding from the shore ; he drew his revolver, saying to the ferryman, « If you don't stop I will shoot you.'' The Abolitionist who put the Slave on board, and paid i,;^ «ro,r ovpr fn Dnnnrlfl. rlrpw his revolver, and pointing I 112 mi.i lilil Irii ' vm i , ii to the ferryman, said, '' If you do not proceed 1 will shoot you.*" The ferryman finding himself between two- fii'fis said, *' I wiU die doing right.'* He went on, and in a few minutes the Slave was beyond the grasp of the Tyrant. David very appropriately declares " God vill judge the poor and needy, He shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor." I would rather be in the condition of the Slave than the Slaveholder when God shall avenge himself on the evil- doer—and the Slaveholder is one. *' He shall deliver the needy when he crieth, the poor also, and him that has no helper. He shall redeem their souls from deceit and violence, and precious shall their blood be in bis sight." The Slave is poor and needy— God delivers him from the iron heel of inhuman oppression. His retri- butive jubtice will not always be shown in silence, but will eventually wake as from an ominous dream., and break upon the head of the guilty Slaveholder, like the thunderings of a cataract or the roarings of the Niagara. Sometimes Slaves that are invalids take it into their heads to escape. A woman who had a husband with only one leg, managed with the assistance of some good friends to have him removed to Canada ; her master flogged her everv dav during an entire week for the purpose of ex- • Neither of them fired a shot. 113 torting from her a confession as to her husband's where- abouts ; too true "/as she to the higher dictates of human nature I > betray the trust imposed in her by him whom she loved so dearly ; she endured all like a faithful Christian, ever true both to her husband and to her God. Finally she was among the missing, but found herself in in Canada with her husband ; though she had him to maintain, she was free, and in^ country that recognised her freedom. If Slaves run away who have only one leg, we may expect the escapes more numerous with those who have two legs. The Vigilance Committee at the western gateway, Detroit^ assisted 1,200 in one year. A similar Com- mittee at Cleveland aided over a hundred per month ; at a place called Tom' 400 passed, including the many unaided escapes. With the Under-ground Railroad we may safely say that nearly two thousand reach Canada annually. I am indebted to Mrs. Llcie S. Day for the fcl- lowing :— The mansion of Mr. Hayes was pleasantly situated on one of the blutfs, which form a part of the bank of the Mississippi. On a certain evening, at that mansion, all the pride of that section was gathered. H lU Sounds of revelry and mirth echoed through the apart rnent ; hright forms flitted by the open windows ; and woman's low, musical laugh told of happy hearts within. Away from this crowded scene, near the bank of the river, stood Clara, the daughter of Mr. Hayes. But why is she not with the other daughter of his, the admired of all ? Her features, you see, are as perfect, her eyes as intelligent, her form as graceful, as that other Bister's. We soon learn— she is a Slave. That settles all the in;ystery. Another form approaches her— a tall youth ; and as he approaches, he whispers to her, " My sister !" She looked up with a smile, but soon an expression of anxiety passed over her face, for she saw a stain of blood upou his breast, and on his brow the traces of recent passion. His eye evea then flashed with fire. '* Charles, what is the matter ?" *' Mailer ! Are we not Slaves— mere cyphers— who ' dare not call our lives, our souls our own ? Nothing be- longs to us but thought and feeling. I will yet escape, and tell my wrongs to those who will hear and sympa- thise. Hush ! Do not tell me God is just. I never felt his justice. What I am, they have mado me ; and if I sink down to deep despair, I sink under the pressure of their tyranny. All that 1 have learned, all that raise* w > I mc tcai 115 above the brtte, I gained myself, being my own her. 1 knew they wished me not to read, yet to do what they wished not, was pleasure. Do not think me wild. I hnve been tempted almost beyond what I could boar. A little while ago, as I sat on yonder rock, gazing tipon the bright stars, I wondered if they were worlds, inhabited like ours; and if so, were Slaves there? There came many 1 i^ter thoughts. I spoke aloud ; when sud- denly I received a blow in the face, followed by these words : " Slave, let that teach you what to think !" I arose from the ground almost blind with rage ; and there stood master Henry, grinning with pleasure. Tt was too much. I glanced at him, then at the steep bank ; some- thing within me whispered, and I obeyed. With all the strength of madness and revenge, I seized and held him over the water. Another instant, and he would have floated a mangled corpse on the dark waves of this river. But I looked down, and saw the reflection of the stars on the water, they looked like your bright eyes. I thought of you and spared him. But come to our little cottage ; we will collect a few things, and long ere the morning light we will be far hence." Clara threw her arms around her brother's neck, and bending her head low that he might not see the tears, said, " I cannot go. Do not say 1 c^o not love you. Whom else have 1 to luvi; . >-■"' xxxOvat. . -^.ui,, .- 11' i t !■ ^1! i' ll 1 tfi ■ 1' : ll i i • J 1 1 116 fathef is worse than none. I have no one to love hut you. I dare not render your escape doubtful by gding with you." * * * * The morn was near its dawning, and still Clara knelt in prayer. Her uplifted face was covered with tears ; her accents fell not unheard on the ear of Him who hath said by the mouth of his Apostle, - And if we know that He heareth us, whatsoever we ask we know that we have the petition that we desired of Him." Clara seized hold upon that promise, and she felt that her entreaty for her brother's safety would be answered. She arose from that long communion with God, and with comparative cheerfulness went about her daily task. When it was reported that Charles was to be found no where on the plantation, and even when the company of hunters went forth with bloodhounds, pistols, and the other accom- paniments which Slavery uses on such occasions, Clu as faith remained unshaken. But let us look lorwLird and watch the fate of that brother. All night he has been im'img his way through the thick forest; now parting, with already lacerated hands, the vines that clustered in his path ; now crawl- ing through the dense underwood ;— he made his way, until the bright sun peeped through the overhan^nng leaves. Plaiging furtlier still into the forest he came to a brook, which he crossed and recrossed, and then threw iir himself down to rest in the >velcome shelter of a cane- orake. Here he lay still and unmolested until near „oon, when he heard the hay of the leader of the hounds, ^hich had separated from the others, and reached the stre.an. In he dashed ; again he crossed ; and came on through the rustling cvne. Chaa-les's heart beat wildly _he shuddered ; but it was only for a moment. Draw- in-' his knife, he waited in silence the coming of his savage foe. The an.mal approached, and, for a moment, shrank beneath the acknowledged supremaxiy which flashes in the eye of man. Charles seized that moment; «nd, catching the dog by the neck, buried the knife iu his throat. He gave a low bay and all was over Charles had saved himself for a short time, but at a great risk, for when his pursuers discovered the dog, they would be certain tlmt the Fugitive was near. Just then, as he heard the baying of the dead hound's com- panions, there was a rustling near him in anotUfer direc- tion, and a greal animal of the wolf kind appeared, fail- ing ' upon the dead dog to devour him. Chai'les. recrossing the brook >xs noiselessly as possible, pressed on until he was compelled to rest from pure exhaustion. He remained until he was aware by the quiet around that his pursuers were gone. Thanking God in his heart for his preservation, he pursued his toilsome way until he found a place of rest on the free shores of / W ^ m > l! iii: "llil:il fill ;.ir M i 'I' ■■■■I ; 8 1 118 Canada— British Monarchy being freer than American Kepublicanism. ***** Yes, indifferent as a majority of the American people are to the claims of humanity, honour, and justice ; and apostate as ave a large portion of the politicians, minis- ters, and church members, to the principles of Repub- licanism and Christianity, with reference to their treat- ment of Slaves and the coloured people ; it is to us a cause of profound gratitude to that Great Being who declares that •• He is no respecter of persons." Ho has raised up a company of men and women to contend for truth and freedom against the combined influence of false Democracy and impure Christianity ; and to wrestle against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wicked- ness in high places. Thanks to God for all the success he has given to efforts begun and continued in his name, in accordance with his spirit, and in reliance upon his promises. It is obvious to every intelligent and candid looker on, that the Anti-Slavery cause, in spite of the sneers of opponents, the denunciations of men in power, and th3 designs of the crafty, is steadily pursuing its march to a glorious consummation. Its progress may be retarded by diabolical cupidity, cruelty, and knavery of demons in human shape, who kidnap, enslave, or torture their unoffending and helpless fellow-men, in i!!i ^■^ 119 foreign lands, on the high seas, during the coffio- march between the States of the American Union, or on the canc-fields and cotton plantations ; by unprincipled poUticiajis, who rise to power on pledges to befriend and enlarge the area of despotism ; or by the hireling press, prostituted pulpits, corrupted courts, and the multiform classes whose God is mammon. It has been so retarded. But the .eeming triumphs of these enemies of the human race is transient. " He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall have them in derision." Trutli is mighty, and will prevail. The rights of man will be regarded, oppression shall cease, both body and mind will be unshackled, " the expectation of the poor shall not perish." " The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." The Slaveholders may drive the free coloured people from their comfortable homes in the Slave states as exiles, as some are doing, in order to tighten the chains still firmer on the necks of the suffer- ing vassals ; but let these men remember we can plant ourselves at the very portals of Slavery. We can hover about the Gulf of Mexico, nearly all the isles of the Caribbean Sea bids them welcome ; while the broad and fertile valleys of British Guiana, under the sway of the emancipating Queen, invites them to their treasure and to nationality. With the Gulf of Mexico on the South and Canada on the North, the latter is already a recep- I Tr-Lii .'- i'l i !I!!III! 120 tical for fugitive Slaves, ^vaiting their more intelligent free coloured brethren to join them in breakmg the galling yoke from the bleeding necks of their yet suffer- ing b Jndsmen, and they may still keep within hearing of the wails of our enslaved people in the United States.^ From these stand-points we can watch the destiny of those we have left behind. Americans should also remember that there are already on that vast Continent and in the adjacent Islands, a large population of coloured people, who are only waiting the life-giving and organising power of intelligence to mould them into one body and into a powerful nation. The following tabular statement exliibits an ai^proxi- mate estimate of the numbers of coloured persons of the African race to be found on the North American Con- tinent. The free populations are distributed in the dif- ferent countries in tlie following proportions :— United States 3,650,000 Brazil 2,250.000 Spanish Colonies 1,470,000 South American Republics 1,130,000 British West Indies 750,000 Hayti 50,000 French Colonies 270,000 Dutch 50,000 Danish 45,000 Mexico 70,000 Canada 60.000 li 121 It tlius appear that nearly three-fourtlis of tlie whole African population in the Western hemisphere are still ground down as beasts of burden under the galling yoke of Slavery. May the efforts of the fugitive Slaves con- tribute their full measure of moral influence against this accursed system; and, under God, may they be made ir..u- -ntal, in some degree, in hastening the time T ,^Pi .1 men shall be recognised as being entitled to that freedom which is their birthright and their just inheritance. PASS HIM ONI Jk LAY OF THE UNDER-GROUND RAILROAD, Pass him on ! Pass him on! Another soul from Slavery won; Another man erect to stand Fearless of the scourge and brand; .Another face now lifted up Lips that drink not sorrow's cup, Eyes no longer dimmed by tears, Breast no longer filled with fears; Limbs that have no galling chains Their free motions to restrain; Back no longer bowed and scored. But with birthright now restored. I ^^^^^ ai-'s: If 1 1 ^^H 1 I^^^H \M ^^^B ^^^^^H n 1 ■ 1 I^^^^B illil %l 'i i ■ i'/\ 111' v.; 123 He that late the burden bore, Felt the lash and pangs untold. To be chatelized no more, Bartered, given, bought, or sold — Pass him on ? Pass him on! Pass him on! Every man who hath a son, Every woman who hath borne Child, and hath a heart to mourn O'er the woes by others felt ; Every maiden who hath knelt Down in prayer for brother dear. Or a loved one yet more near; Every youth who hath a friend With his thoughts and hopes to blend. And desireth aye to be Both in speech and action free ; Every one who hates the wrong And would vindicate the rights, Help the weak against the strong. And this brother in his flight. Pass him on ! Pass him on ! Pass him on ! Ye, whose sires the sword have drawn. And with blood your freedom bought; Ye by whom the truth is taught, That the God who dwells on high, Sees one human family, In the races of mankind, Anfl wnnlfl rU tocfither hind l.>3 In one unity of love, Blissful as the life above ; Ye who speak and wield the pen, Eloquent for rights of men, And would proudly spurn the thought That if you had skins less fair, You might then be sold and bought, And the galling fetters wear. Pass him on! Pass him on! Pass him on ! Though his foes be legion ; Though the bloodhounds on his traek Yelling, strive to bring him back. Though man-hunters from the South Threat you with the pistol's mouth, And the federative law Would your spirit overawe ; Heed them not; imprisonment! Take it, and be well content; Heed them not; endure the fine, Grow, through sacrifice divine; Do as you'd be done unto. Careless of the consequence ; Keep the higher law in view Heed not ruffian violence. Pass him on ! ■ < ir. Pass him on! Pass him on! Let him lie your couch upon; Give him raiment, give him food, Give him kindly words and good; ^ 1^ . i; 'it, 124 "Watch and guard his hours of rest Hide him from the searcher's quest, Through the city wrapped in sleep, O'er the river broad and deep ; By the farmstead, througli the vale liighted by the moonbeams pale ; O'er the prarie wild and wide, Where the red men still abide ; Hunters these, but not of slaves Far more merciful than they ; Storms and tempests, winds aad waves, Nought, the fugitive must stay. Pass him on ! Pass him on! Pass him on! Crime hath he committed none ; Would you have him grovelling lie In the bonds of Slavery? Nobler for to rend in twain And throw off the yoke and chain ; Nobler through darkness grim, Dangers thick besetting him, Freedom thus to seek in flight, 'Scaping from the gloom of night Unto freedom's glorious morn: From the darkness to the dawn Leapeth he o'er chasms wide ; Help him all who help him can, God the north star for his guide Giveth ; every fellow man — Pass him on I liochester, England, 1354. XX. v;<. .n.Lrjt.ms. "g*.. CONDITION OF THE FUGITIYE SLAVES IN OANADA. CHAPTER II. As misrepresentations, in some instances, have pre- vailed respecting the true condition of the Coloured Population of Canada, I have been induced to make the following statements, which are dexxved from personal knowledge. If these promiscuous suggestions will in any way gratify the friends of the Sir ve, and serve the cause of freedom,— strengthen the hearts and hands of British christians in the glorious work of amancipation, , my highest expectations will be fully realised, and my soul will rejoice in the Lord. Perhaps you, who have been cradled in a land of liber- ty, cannot altogether enter into the feelings of those who breathe the air of freedom for the first time. The Slaves, upon their arrival in Canada, gaze with delight upon a land of freedom. Would you believe it, tears often flow to their eyes,— they lift their voices and weep I. f, . l1 J I aloud. It is a glorious thing to gaze for the first time upon a land, where a poor Slave, flying from a so-called laud of liberty, would in a moment find his fetters broken, his shackles loosed, and whatever he was in the land of Washington, beneath the shadow of Bunker's Hill, or even Plymouth Rock, here he becomes a man and a brother. But even here, it is too true, they find they have only changed the yoke of oppression for the galling fetters of a vitiated public opinion. True, they come to Canada exceedingly ignorant, but who can wonder at it, born as they are to an inheritance of misery, nurtured in degradation, and cradled in oppression. With the scorn of the white man upon their souls. His fetters upon their limbs. His scourge upon their flesh. What can be expected from their offspring but a mournful re- action of that cursed system which spreads i s baneful influence over both body and soul. Which dwarfs the *-ellect, stunts its developement, and debases the soul. If you look upon your map, you will obviously see how Cenada is divided from the United States: in some parts only by a narrow boundary. Some of the States just over the boundary are free States, yet if a fugitive Slave be found there, he is taken back to his former owner, and his bondage made still harder. But let them be once -• ithin the Canada boundary, thev are free, — they are safe, — ^for they are then under 1Q7 the protection of our gracious Queen. The population of Upper Canada is nearly 1,000,000. The most densely populated portion is from the extreme south-west, in a straight line along tl ) Great Western Railway as low down as Toronto, on Lake Ontario, a distance of 250 miles. This embraces a large scope of country, from the south-west of Imke Erie, along Lake Huron west, as far north as Lake Simcoe. This is considered, not without good reason, the best farmijig region of Upper Cannda. Of this population 60,000 are coloured people, who are almost entirely in Upper Canada, because of its close connection with the States, 15,000 of whom are supposed to be free born, and at vaious times to have removed from the free States of America into Canada, P., enjoy e^ual rights and privileges with the white citizens, which they could not do in any portion of the United States. Making due dlowances for the Canadian coloured people we still have a population of 45,000 Fugitive Slaves from the United States, and this number is augmented yearly at the rate of 1200. These are as it were only a drop taken from the ocean of 4,000,000 now in that Rcpubhc which boasts so much of its freedom,— liberty for the white man and slavery for the black man. " Liberty for the Slaveocrats and a strong hemp-rope for the eloquent throat of an English Spurgeon," should he be found in that iana 01 Diood, pruauHuijj luc ■aooj.-^.- lo * -i^ — 1^8 3 ture. The coloured people are mostly located in towna. Tillages, and townships, in the region above described. There seems to prevail among them a disposition to settle in villages and towns, especially those who have been porters in stores, warehouses, or waiters in private families; their object evidently being to obtain situations in their former occupations : failing, as many do, ^which is not to be regretted), they do, in the latter case, what they should have done in the former, engage in agricul- ture. However, experience soon teaches them that they are in the wrong place, consequently a larger porportion settles in agricultural districts than formerly. I may say, the majority are thus engaged, perhaps not in every case from choice but the force of circumstances, in either case, however, our object is accomplished- I am de- cidedly of opinion that in Canada, as in all countries, being settled with emigrants, agriculture is the occupa- tion. Therefore we pei-petually urge upon them the importance of thus becomirg their own proprietors.— There seems to exist a peculiar fondness for each other, which is charcteristic of the coloured race ; this influ- ences them to settle together, thus forming large colonies or settlements as they are called. Land is pur- chased from :ovemment, by individuals and companies, at one aoliai auu a qutirtui pci av.ic. ^.^^^j ••. -u.- ... — ^ s.:ctions, half sections, quarter sections, and even eights ^ V29 ^ ©1 sfotions, as convcnienco may require. These spt /uIji- tors sell this land at two dollHrs and two dollars aiid a half per icre, giving the purchasers the advantage :■"' ten y rs to complete the payment. Ai y man with a .ittlo industry and economy can secure himself a home, as many do. or Government will grant 50 acres as a homestead, on certain portions, and in certain places, to any one wlio will settle thereupon, giving a simple fee deed to the settlers, when their cahins are erected on the spot selected. But this land is in the interior districts, a -rcat distance from market, not even roads along which to convey their produce to market To settle in such districts requires some capital to com- mence with, which the poor have not; and those who are so fortunate , find it to their decided advantage to settle as near a good market as possihle. The consequence is, the colour-d people, with the whites of equal condition, buy land of the speculators, and remain within reach of markets, the prosperity of which, L: .'- very great measure, depends upon their own industry. It may Lf^ said, to the credit of many of our coloured brethern, they have bought land by paying a few pounds in advance, and many c " .n^ir farms are in a good state of cultivation; and, in some instances, supe- rior t^ many of their white neighbours. In the county of Kent, many are engaged in agricul- : If 4 ^m 8 ' I 330 ture, residing upon and cultivating their o^vn farms. One farm near Chatham, of which place we shall speak hereafter, owned and cultivated hy a coloured man, re- cently deceased, is regarded, evenhy those not so favour- ably disposed to the Negro race, to be the model farm of the community. It is now cultivated by his family, and still retains its former character. It is a generally admitted fact in Canada, that the coloured people are much better farmers than the Irish, or oven Canadian French. The better portion live in two-stoi frame houses, painted white on the outside; now and then there is a respectable barn on the pre- mises, around which are fowls, hogs, horses, cows, and occasionally sheep,— but less attention is paid to the latter than to any other kind of stock. The majority live in log houses, generally one room in which yon sometimes see a looking-glass, one or two bedsteads, -v bureau, &c. Generally a garden is connected with the house, in which are vegetables growing luxuriantly; here the mistress occupies herself from two o'clock in the afternoon till five in the evening, and perhaps later. I am decidedly of opinion, that no people could do better under similar circumstances, than the Fugitive Slaves, and the coloured population, are now doing in Canada. I often think many of the frieuds of the Negro race, expect too much in too short a time, from the emanci- 131 pated. The growth of a nation is slow, especially when degraded as the African race is. The nefarious system of Slavery has entailed upon them almost incon- ceivahle evils, which requires generations to eradicate while they are only in the first generation. Oh! speed the moment on When Avrong shall cease,— and liberty And love, and faith, and right. Throughout the earth, be known, As in their home above. ^^^^^^ As the foregoing remarks are of a general character, we will now enter more minutely into particulars, which in all probability will be more satisfactory to the reader. Toronto, as we said before, is situated on Lake Ontario; it is a flourishing town, admirably adapted for a commer- cial city. The census returns of 1850, gave a population of 50,000, it now is supposed to be about 80,000, of which 1600 are coloured, or of the African race ; of the latter number 1000 are Fugitive Slaves. The colour- ed population are engaged in various avocations, some blacksmiths, bricklayers, carpenters, six grocers, one physician, also shoemakers, painters, &o. One broom manufactoiT, and a large coal and wood yard, kept by a coloured gentleman. A considerable number, who emigrated to Canada afe an early day, are in comfortable circumstances. Mr. A. who came from Mobile, Alub^ima, 18 or 20 years ago. 132 has, by his industry and economy, accumulated 100,000 dollars in property. He has now retired from business and his three sons are studying for the medical profes- sion. I am exceedingly happy to add, that few men are more respected than he, not because of bis wealth only, but for his piety also, Mr. M. owns two lines of omni- buses, and horses and carriages, Dr» T., mentioned above, has quite a respectable drug store, in one of the principal streets, which no gentleman of his profession would feel disgraced to enter. An ice merchant, who furnishes hotels, public houses, and private families, during summer with ice, has a farm under good cultiva- tion. His son-in-lawhas on the same farm, a two-story frame house, furnished as well inside as it is finished outside. The winters are long and intensely cold in Canada, during which but little out door work can be done, which causes a deal of suffering among the poor; to remedy this, to some extent, soup houses are established, from which they can obtain coal, wood, bread, and soup. In the winter of 1858, only one coloured family made appli- cation for assistance. However, we must take this fact into consideration, that the necessities of this class are, to some extent, supplied by a few benevolent friends, who interest themselves in their behalf, but not suffi- ciently to prevent numbers of them from applying for assistance from the Town Fund. Many too would rather, r ■ 'li ! Am } 133 »nd absolutely do suffer much, before they will make known their condition, or apply for aid to their white friends. Even, considering all these things, it is to be supr^sed, in a population of 1600, many and frequent would be the applications. But the true cause is found in the fact, that there is a great disposition in the better classes to assist their less fortunate brethren, and that they are very industrious. Hamilton, at the head of Lake Ontario, around which the railway trains pass to the Niagara Falls, New York, and the Eastern States, has a population of 24,000, 600 of whom are coloured people. Among them are blacksmiths, carpenters, plasterers, and one wheelwright. Many of them own property, but how much or to what extent, I cannot say. Mr, M.. a mulatto, who still drives his own hack, is worth 15,000 dollars. Ho came to Hamilton 17 years ago, and acted as porter in a store 12 years, he then bought a hack, and he has now two carriages and four hojses. He takes three newspapers, one weekly and two daily. On the 14th of January. 1859, he said to me, " X shall have to emigrate to the West Indies to educate my children, for. the other day, my two daughters were refused admission into the Female Academy, because they are coloured." This may startle some, but it is nevertheless a lamentable fact ; prejudice so prevails against the coloured race, even in ■ 134 Canada, In communities mainly consisting of English- men and Scotchmen, it does not prevail to the same extent, therefore the more emigration we have of these classes, the better for the coloured people. I am per- suaded, if these were in majority in Canada no prejudice would exist. May God hasten the period when the glorious text shall be fully realized, " He is no respecter of persons ; but eveiy one, in every nation, that feareth God and worketh righteousness, is accepted of Him. " As to their general morality the following will suffice :— In 1858, there were 1982 arrests and summonses to appear before the Court.— of these 81 were coloured. Putting down the population in round numbers at 24,000, the proportion of arrests would be about one in 13^, estimating the coloured population for convenience of calculation at 550, would be a fraction over one in seven. The fa^t of their being almost exclusively emi- grants, the proportion of adults among the coloured people is greater than the population at large, some deduction must therefore be made from their proper^ tionate criminality. Beggary and pauperism are almost unknown among them. Not a coloured person in this place is supported by the Township. They feel their position, and know that they are on their trial, and that they have a character to establish and maintain. \ St Catherine's peril aT>s about 32 miles from Hamil" !ii ii: 195 ton, is a straggling town of about 2500 inhabitants, 300 or <350will include the entire coloured population. lam not so favqurably impressed with the prosperity of the coloured people here. Their morals, I am sorry to say, are much lower than in most towns and settlements, more drunk^ enness than we usually see. There are among them a few good Christians,-~pious, devoted persons ; but a kind of goodness without intelligence. One man owns two hacks and four horses. It seems the community has been left without competent teachers to instruct the people ; the consequence is. they have not done as well as we could desire, I may add. that several of them own property, and are in comfortable circumstances ; but, upon the whole, they are far behind the mass of their brethren. London is a town still further west, on the Great Western Railway, it has a population of 19,000, of which 500 are coloured people. What I have said of them in Toronto and Hamilton, will apply to their brethren here. They are rapidly advancing in this place in general re- finement and respectability, nearly all seem engaged in some sort of useful employment. This is the Missionary field of the Colonial Church and School Cociety. They have done and are still doing a great deal to promote the interest and elevation of this people. I am confident God has blest the various agencies, and means employed 136 I! ! ffl!!' ! SfflU' by them in this glorious work, and I hope He will con- tinue to do so. I only regret they are not sufficiently catliolic. In London the coloured children goto school with the whites, the latter feel themselves not disgraced by the association. For the want of such Christian-like union, many of the coloured children are growing up in ignorance, even in a land of freedom, and so it will be until they are able to establish and sustain their own institutions, as I hope by the grace of God ere long they will. The elevation of a people depends more upon themselves than upon their neighbours. I have long been convinced the sentiment of the emiment poet is quite true : They that would be free, Themselves must strike the blow. COWPEB. These people are perfectly willing, and manifest a disposition to receive instruction, as the following extract will demonstrate. I quote from the Report of the Church School Society for 1859, page 27. " The Tracts are still valued by the poor Fugitives who can read. They are sometimes returned to be ex- changed with such expressions as the following. * That's a nice book, it is so sweet and comforting.' * I thought the last my daughter read to me was the best I ever heard in my life,' swd a poor Fugitive the other day. 137 A mother said, * that tract you lent me wag 80 good, and so beautiful, that I lent it to a friend of mine, and that friend lent it to another friend, and 80 it has gone through twenty people's hands, and it has not come home yet; " I shall give my testimony in a suhsequent page. In conversation with ike heads of the pohce in the town of London, they said that petty crimes were more frequent among the people of colour than any other class, except the Irish, who were much worse. However this was a mere opinion, as in the statistical statements of the Police department, the offences committed by the coloured people were not separately recorded, as in some other towns. They further said, beggary and pauperism were unknown among them. I thought this quite a free and open concession, and spoke well for them, which I found to be quite true when visiting their families. Mr. J. is a Fugitive Slave, from North CaroUna, (my native State). He settled in the town of London 23 years ago, he became a merchant, but now is a dealer in medicine. He has a good dmg store, and is possessed of considerable property. Chatham is a town situated at the head of navi- gation on the river Thames, unlike Toronto, Hamilton, or even London. It has but few fine buildings, and its nf first sight would not vcrv favourably im- 15 imia i li 'Wi 138 press a stranger as to its wealth; nevertheless, there i, xnore business done here thaB would seem from fi«t entering the town. There are three saw-mills, two shingle-miUs, two potash factories, three cabinet w».. houses, four flour-miUs, several iron foundries, three brew- eries. &c. It is a port of entry, and exports a Wge amount of lumber. This busy town contains a populaUol. of 6000,-9000 are coloured people, who seem to «dd their quota to its industry. One gun-smith, four '■abinet makers, working on their own account and employing others, six master carpenters, and a number of plasterer,. Three printers, two watch makers, two ship carpent*«. two millers, four blacksmiths, one upholsterer, one sadler. six master shoemakers, and last of all the trades, a cig« maker. Chatham is the head quarters of the Negro race .. Canada. It has acquired considerable notoriety, even in the United States, because of the great number that settled there. The better class live in such houses as before described.Ht^o story frames, painted white outr side),-numbers of their unfortunate brethren live in log houses, with gardens around them, well stocked with vegetables. They have here two day-schools, though not veiy well provided for; one has 80 pupils, the other 30. Thev seem to be under good training and instruction.- They probably have the largest, if not the b-;st conduct- ible, to disabuse the mindB of lOADy who are not favorably disposed towards the Negro wee, or who have only a superficial knowledge of theif con- dition ; they seem to think the Negroes are a nuiianoe, or, in other words, th 8}^ are so numerous, that the Canadians ar^ at a loss to know what to do with them. It is true some persons in Canada seek this method of venting, their spleen upon this helpless and unfortunate race ; but it is not true they have become so numerous as to baffle the skill and judgment of the inhabitants as to their well- being. I would much rather have them flood the cold and dreary region of Canada free, than have them con- t tinue in the sunny climes of the Slave States, in the miserable condition of non-mitigated Slaver/, gradually sinking beneath the bloody lash of unfeeling tyrants into their graves, only to be remembered by their friends with sorrow, manv of whom are destined to share the same mournful fate. Yankees who live in Canada, Americanised Canadians, also many of the Irish, when coming in contact with coloured mechanics and laborers generally, who are as well skilled in their profession and 156 business as the former, and perhaps much better ; these complain very much indeed. Sometimes liquor dealers, who are patronised more by these classes than the Negroes, join in the unpopular complaints. If the colored people sell their produce cheaper in market than lome others, they also complain, " Too many Niggers here, they keep t^^ price down in the market, if they continue to come, I don't know what we shall do," &c. These vile calumniators should remember what the Negroes lose in the price of their produce, they may make ii up in the quantity they sell, and thus demonstrate a talent for trading. These are the character of the com- plaints, and the source from whence they emanate. It is quite conspicuous that it is a mere jealousy of business competition. I think I am quite justifiable and within the range of human probabilities in saying, not a news- paper editor in Canada would feel free to subject himself to public censure by uttering such aspersions upon the coloured population. On the first of January, 1859, in conversation with His Excellency the Governor Sir Edmund Head, on the progress of the coloured people, he made the following very significant remark, "We have plenty of territory for these emigrants." On the 12th of the same month, in conversation with the Governor-General, at his residence, he asked me "if it was 166 my opinion the Fugitive Slaves were on the increan in their emigration into Canada ?" I ans^ ered in the affir- maiive. He said, in reply, " l^e can still affcrd them homes in our dominions." The provincial parliament recently incorporated an association as a body politic, for the education of colored youths in Canada, of which I was appointed a member of the committee, to write the constitution. I have only room fcr the preamble, which simply shows the object of the association : — ** Whereas a ch^rit-ble association has for some time past existed in this province, under the name of * The Association for the Education and Elevation of the ColourtJ People of Canada:* having for its object the education of the coloured youth of this province, and their training and preparation for the active duties of life ; and whereas it is expedient to en- courage to the utmost so laudable an undertaking, and the said association having represented that by being in- corporated they would be enabled greatly to extend their philanthropic labours, and more easily manage the affairs and business thereof; it is expedient to incorporate the said associatin to grant the usual powers of bodies in- corporated for like purposes, therefore Her Majesty," &c. If these facts, derived frdm the highest authority in the country, are in any respect an exponent of public opinioh • E t 15T *• tlie public in general in Canada, tb«y evidently s\v in favour of such e'nigration, which is in djrect opposi- tion to the false representations oflcii mpde,— that they don't wish any more such ],..plfc, &c. Canada needs and must eventually have a sufficient number of laborers, such as the colored people, to develop its resouri^es, and bring the land into cultivation, by which its value will be enhanced, both to the in Test of the own ?r axid the government. Taxes asses^-d for governmental purposes are in proportion to the value of the property thus taxed, consequently the higher the state of cultivation into which this land is brought, the more proBtable it is to the government. Therefore every possible encouragement is held out by government for emigration— Fugitive Slaves, •as well as others. It is to be hoped these evidences are quite sufficient to satisfy those who have been misled on this point. If you prevent the Slave, flying from his chains and handcuffs, entering C?- ^^, where he is free, under the magna charta of the British constitution, which knows no man by the colour of his skin, I ask for the Slave, and in the name of humanity, where will you allow him to go ? What shall we do with the 1,200 coming northward every year, seeking freedom if haply they may find it ? Will you be so cruel, so fiend-iike, lo sena inem uaua. iuw p=i^--v«.,. .- o-« 158 ,'ii\.M- iim> ^ God forbid !" They will run away more and more, in spite of all the Fugitive Slave Laws that the American government may pass. I have elsewhere confined my remarks to the better olass of the coloured population, in order to show their capabilities to self-government and civilised progress. We will now speak more especially of the mass and their condition. On their arrival in Canada they are in a perfect state of destitution, among strangers, and in a strange country ; you who are accustomed to travel, even with means to supply your various necessities, know how you feel when ol your first journey, and arrived the first time in a strange country and among strangers, every face on which your eye falls is to you strange. Then arises in the mind a kind of a lonely feeling, and a dbsire to be at home ; but alas, it is far, far away. You are by these past reflections prepared, at least in some degree, to sympathise with those who have fled from taskmasters, — cruel drivers — the bloody lash — the clank- ing of handcuffs— and above all, the unrighteous laws that sanction these evil practices. They have sought and happily found a home sacred to freedom. In many instance they find themselves surrounded by many sym- pathising friends. Friends — they are well worthy of the name ; many of whom have drank deep of oppres- 1 •f I- 169 .ion's cup, but through the providence of a kind Heavenly Father, ha' e reached their much-desired haven, like thei- brethren, kindsmen according to the flesh, whom th.y now shelter. They are made welcome to thei.- new homes, and receive many happy congratula- tions. It is to them soothing balm poured into their wounded souls and much-depressed spirits Our first duty is to supply them with food and raiaient, such too as are best suited to the climate into which they have just come. In almost every case they are destitute of both. The colored population are expected by the white citizens to perform these duties, or at least bear the burden of it, from their identity with the suifere-.^. We have more emigrants in autumn and winter than any other season of the year, from the obvious reason that the facilities are pre-eminently better for them to effect their escape than at other periods. We are quit*, happy to receive them at any time, win'^r or summer, day or night. Though we are very much burdened with in- ■ creasing responsibilities, yet our souls leap for joy when one succeeds in reaching this virgin soil, Canada. As the mass of the people are themselves poor, they are nnable to meet the ontire demands continually made upon them. The more benevolent of the community who are interested in the moral and religious elevation 160 \ :iiini ■i i i of, this class, assist tbem, which contributes much to the alleviation of their suffering, and makes the responsibility much easier with us. However, after \7e have put them in positions suitable for employment, we feel ' irselvea very much relie'^ed. There is a kind of independency which is rather commendable, — they like to have the name cf administering to their own necessities, and it is to them a self-mortification when unable to do so. This may not be applicable to some ; I think it is not ; but it pervades to a very great extent. Even with the aid of many good friends in Canada we are still unable to meet the demands as they increasingly crown upon us», The Abolitionists of the Northern States, sav from Boston and New York, have sent over boxes of clothes, with old and new, and of all sizes, which have been a great blessing. Very many have been relieved who would have suffered, almost beyond human concepuon, bit for the timely aid thus afforded. These contribudoj;.a afe voluntaiy, and are by no means regular, nor inuwod do we expect it, though much desired. But the And- Slavery friends are burdened from year to year in sustaining their Papers and Period 'culs. Lectures, &c.; the consequence is, we have a very great amount of dis-^ tress, and distress unavoidable, and as may be expected a considerable mortality among these emigrants. 1 ,- 16X , ^ , I was called upoa one day in mid-winter, by a man for a testimonial setting forth his suffering condition, that he might make applications to the benevolent of the com- munity for assistance, without which from a Minister or ■pme well known and accredited person or ^ irsons, such applications would be to little or no puipo?e; but before doing this, I made myself acquainted with the truch of what I was called upon to testify. For this purpose I immediately visit^^d his family— his representations were quite true ; even worse than he had said. I found m a miserable hut, which I will not attempt to describe, his vifeand five children, whom they had been fortunate enough to bring with them from Slavery. Two of the children were crying, as she srid, for something to eat ; the poor woman weeping bitterly because she was unable to supDly their wants. She s-.d, " Sir, I hsve repeatedly, prayed God to send us ir.ends- -I hope yea are such a one." I said, " If 1 can do anything for you, I bhall be most happy tu do .- o." After a iew questions as to her condition, her iaith in Christ, &c., I asked her if she had ever been reduced to the like condi-ion before. Her answer was subskv. ially as follows :-" When I was in Slavery my two eldejt children were sold a sho' » distance from me ; I was nci even allowed to go to ^e them, nor were they al' ^wed to coDie to see me. I thought, should m 169 die with grief; I prayed God to take me out of the world ; then I thought it was wrong to do so ; I remem- hered hearing my mistress say Canada was a place where all the coloured people were free. Then I prayed God to enable me to get there. Not knowing what moment my husband might be sold from me, or me from him, we made up our minds to run away ; during the Christmas holidays we asked our master for a pass (his written consent) to go to see our children, which he kindly granted. We took our children and immedi- ately started for Canada; we were twelve weeks coming ; we prayed and tr L< d. Many a time we would eat corn by the way. bne said, '* I have not that for my children now." She paused for a moment, and burst into tears. "We were all silent for the time being ; her husband could no longer restrain his feelings at the trutiiful recital of this sad story, which is only one among thousands ; her feelings in some degree subsiding, and gaining her self-possession, This, said she, ii worse than my present condition. Said I, " Very true, you are free; hut had you not rather be in Slavery and have enough t-o eat, without begging, as you have to do ?""' ** No, no ; I had rather be free, and crawl on my hands and knees from door to door." I could not hut admire her ambi- 163 tioD, and love of freedom. I need not tell you we immediately supplied her with provisions. Here were two Christian persons who had not attended a place of worship for sixteen months, not for want of holy zeal, strong and growing desires to do so, but their condition would not cillow them. We have a great many, both religious and irreligious, suffering in this respect, more from the want of suitable clothes to tit them for the weather, and to attend public worship, than the want of food. The latter cases are so numerous we are unable to supply them. To meet them the best way we can, we hold meetings in their dwellings on week evenings ; they will assemble in each other's houses when they are absolutely unprepared to do so in public. I knew a man whose constitution was totally- undermined by consumption from exposure to the cold, half naked, endeavouring to maintain his family ; poor man, he finally died ; but, thank God, he died in the full triumphs of Christian faith. 1 was in the habit of visit- ing the family of a pious good man, as I supposed, in whom I was not mistaken ; but not seeing him attend church (as we call all placeo ')f divine service church), I began to think I might possibly be mistaken in my good opinion of him,T inquired as to the ransp ; he paid, " I have not clothes suitable to go to church ;" pointing ' ! IK I fflll 164 to those he had on, he said, " these are all I have.** I evidently felt, from what I saw, the cogency of what he said. A great many devoted Christians, with whom 1 have been acquainted, were thus prevented from attending the house of God for the same reason. Even our Sunday Schools, as well as Day Schools, where we have them, a great number of the children cannot attend because they are not thus prepared. In cases of Christian people, I have known the better class to lend clothes to their poorer neighbour to attend worship, and the clothes thus lent returned.— Feb. 23, 18G9. The Report of the Fugitive Mission in Canada, has the following article ; I use it in confirmation of what 1 have said :— " There is more than an ordinary amount of distress prevailing in Canada at the present time, and failure of the crops, last year, has caused considerable rise in the price of provisions in this city (London) the poor, both white and coloured, are suffering severely." The Re- port goes on to say what we all too well know is the in- evitable effects of telavery. From the general improvident babjts of tiie coloured people many of theui are in a wretched condition both as regards food and clothing. The few boxes just received will enable u^ to minister to the irants of many in the latter respect, and to some extent alleviate iheir sulTeiJiigfe. 1 am sure the benevolent iri5 Christian friends who have placed it in our power to do so, would f el themselves more than repaid could they witness the looks of gratitude and listen to the expressions of thankfulness given by the rdcipients of their bounty. Parents lose many of their children by exposure, a woman in Toronto said she had lost six, another four, all from consumption; this is the disease with which they mostly die, when once seated in the constitution its victim last a short time, therefore it has received the appellation of c/aick consumption. As to the destitute children of Amhurstburgh, Mrs. Hurst says: "Children go about the streets with apparently nothing on but an old cotton frock ; no wonder they get sick and die. A woman told me yesterday she had lost 10 children by consumption." It is not to be understood that Canada is an un-healthy country by any means for the contrary is the fact, this mortality of which we are speaking is from absolute de i utiou, which could be avoided if we were able to D.eei the cases with suOicient food a.id suitaole clothing ; neither are we to infer that the coloured people can't live in Canada because of the intensity of thti cold. True, it is severe, especially on those coming direct from the South as the majority do, com.ing into a climate much colder than they have been assustomed to, even when clothed suitable to the climate, they sufler very much lor ' I'm I I ' hi! S "'Ml * > i6r> two or three winters at least, after which they become acclimated, and are as healthy as any people. But on the other hand when not properly clothed, they must suffer prodigiously, and many, as we have said, certainly die. As to the readiness of the coloured people to receive the Gospel we have already alluded which they on all proper occasions evidently manifest ; we add the testimony of the Rev. Dr. Willes, Professor of Divinity at Toronto College : — '^ There are about 60,000 emancipated Slaves settled in Canada, most of whom ' ave fled from bondage. I have repeatedly preached to congregations of emanci- pated Slaves, and ever found them attentive and devout. They appear to me to enter with more spirit unto the praise of God than white men generally." Dr. Willes is an earnest and a true friend to the coloured people in Canada; he has very frequently preached for my congre-^ gation and does now during my visit to this country, he has relieved the sufferings of many on their arrival to Canada, likewise Mrs. Willes, they very often visit the houses and supplied their necessities. They are bold and fearless, willing to teach and instruct them in the Know-^ ledge of God, attend their meetings both religious and political, ready to give all necessary and good advice, these are the kind of friends we need in that country, and aiijong such a p('(>ple, I . 167 Having said so much relative to the coloured people of Canada, vie will say a word as to Canada itself: — ihe Province of Canada extends over an area of 242,500 square miles, or 240,000,000 acres, consequently ont- third larger than France, and nearly three times larger than Great Britain and Ireland, the settled portion is about 40,000 square miles, the entire population in the Canadas exceeds 2,500,000. That part of Canada east of the Ottawa river is called Lower Canada, the inhabi- tants are chiefly French extraction, in this part of the colony, 160,000,000 acres ; and not more than 15,000,000 have been surveyed. Upper Canada, west of the Ottawa river, the majority of the population are British, an enormous system of Lakes, forms a net- work of water communication over the entire province, and a line of rivers connecting the inland Lakes with the sea, between the inland waters and the sea, the remotest reces- ses of Canada are within the reach of trade and navi- gation, and large vessels can proceed a distance of 2,000 miles inland. The Unes of railway are the Great Western and Grand Trunk, with a few other still shorter lines, altogether about 849 miles. The reader has now before him a geographical bird's-eye view of that great province, possessed by nature ; many very great advan- tages quietly waiting the indefatigable hand of humam *. •I i ii Biiil l «'8! 168 industry to develop6 it for tlie benefit of the inhabitants. The two great wants of Canada are capital and produc- tion. AVe are happy to say the capitalists of England and Scotland are emigrating thei.' much more than for- merly; and all the more necessary, lecause of the influx of the Fugitive Slaves and free coloured people from the State, with whom they come indirect contact and aid in their elevation, and it is still more necessary because the former knows nothing of American prejudice against colour, which is contrary to all law, both human and divine. The resources of this country must be developed ; it therefore requires labourers to do that, there is suffi- cient room for such labourers from all countries, the Fugitive Slaves, and the free labourers can all find ample space on which to settle and labour, the former are coming in almost 2,000 yearl y. They have been brought up in the manual labour school, out of which they have come to Canada; they need not be taught how to labour, but may be taught 'economy to direct and regulate that labour to the best advantage. This is a forced em-gratiou, nevertheless, I am happy to say mnny are honourable and worthy colonists. We look anxiously forward to no distant, day when Canada will be the brightest gem in the crown of our world— renown Queen. We have the territory, the lines of rivers and chains of lakes for navigation, we 169 are gradually getting the capitalists, and the labourers still faster. In the advancement of any country three agencies arr essentially necessary — the Bible, the Church, and the Press. Civilization, without Christianity, makes but slow progress in any portion of the world. Human Govern- ments are only correct when based upon the gruat prin- ciples of the Bible and influenced by the doctrines of the Cross. They then become the Uving and resussitating elements of the whole machinery. — Therefore, the prosperity of a Nation depends upon its conformity to the Word of the living and true God: In this respect, England may be proud — perhaps this is too strong a term ; but in this she may rejoice and praise God. 1 verily believe her National prosperity k the result of her tenacity to the Word of Goa. An African King sent an Ambassador to England to enquire of Her Majesty what was the secret of England's greatness, he standing in her august presence, — she presented to him the Bible, saying, "Tell your King, this is the secret of England's g^-citness." This act speaks volumes in favor of religion. Th's Bible is quite sufficient to raise be- nighted Africa 1:o the same eminent and praise-worthy position, by its undying influence,—- she once walked hand in hand withhersister Nations in the advancement of chris- 1 I IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) '-'S- 1.0 il 1.25 l^|28 Ian ^^^ 12.5 M 1.8 1.4 ill 1.6 Photographic .■»^*~«y-»/~« oCiGiiUUb Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET can WCB3ICK, rs. [716)872-4503 \ ;V N> ^^^ «^ % u>^ &p &=»/ 170 tian civilization. This noble act again speaks volumes in the acknowledgment of equal moral, religious and political rights of that degraded race, which the United States most decidedly refusea to acknowledge. Our gracious Queen was not ashamed nor afraid to stand in the presence of one of the Sable Sons of Africa, and frcm her own hand presented to him the pi eoious Word of God. The Church is the mighty agent, under God, to accomplish this great work. To her, God gave this Word, and said, "Preach the Gospel to every Creature," to the Savage, the Rude Barbarian, the Cultivated Greek, the North American Indian, the American Slave, the Proud and Haughty Anglo-Saxon, — yes, "to every Creature," vvithout respect of persons; this is the duty of the Church. "Preach deliverance to the Captive.'* The Press is the great circulating medium through which she speaks to thou* ands in one breath, and sends truth over a whole Empire with lightning speed; thousands of Volumes of God'a Word are cast abroad among the Nations of Earth's teeming millions; by means of which, we can converse with distant friends. Through the Press, the justice of Goi is vindicated — truth, love and mercy, shown in their true positions and relations the social, civil and political rights of man are advocated. The Press is a means of drawing out the latent energies of the human mind, and i Ml ©f placing man iH^^^ legitimate an3 proper position before the world. People with lufficient courage to leave the house of bondage, and to succeed in reaching a Land of Freedom, as the Fugitive Slaves have done, should have these mighty agents to promote their happiness in their new homes, which they prize so dearly. They have the Bible, but it needs to be more generally circulated among them. Religious knowledge should be circulated more freely. We have the Church, but her cords need strengthening, and her borders extended. We ha 'e the Press, but not in direct contact with the coloured people^ and devoted to their special interests, except the one to which we have already referred — to establi a Press upon a more solid basis is the object of my i.icnd and brother, Wm. H. Day, Esq., in visiting this Country, seeking aid from the British Public, for the special benefit of the Fugitive Slaves and coloured population, through which their rights may be more effectually vindicated, and their cause amply sustained by one identified with themsslves — whose intel- lectual and moral attainments, as well as many years' experience in the editorial department, has eminently qualified him for this profession. Knowing Mr. Day, as do, and as a labour.T with me in Canada, among our suffering brethren, in our re- i: ti in . spective spheres of action, I can speak wit!i confiJeace of his fidelitj» integrity, faithfulness in the cause of fr«edom, and his ability to conduct such a Press, when established. I hope, therefore, he may succeed in obtammg the sunn required ; and when the Press is established, it may, in part, be supported by the friends of this country. That by the united efforts anrgia. — ^* Any Owner of a Slave, or Slaves, who shall cruelly treat such a Slave or Slaves by unnecessary or excessive whipping, by withlioUling proper fo( d or t o irish- ment, by requiring gieate* labour from such Slave or Slaves than he, she, or they may be able to perform, by not affording proper clothing, whereby the health of such Slave or Slaves may be injured or impaired, every such Owner or Owners of Slaves shall, upon sufficient informa- tion being laid before the Grand Jury, whereupon it shall be the duty of the Attorney or Solicitor General to pro- eecute said Owner or Owners, who, on conviction, shall be sentenced to pay a fine, or be imprisoned at the discre- tion of the Court.'* — Prences Dit/eai, 376. These provisions arc of no practical vnlue to the Slaves whatever. The whole matter is a well-arranged systematic scheme of diabolical hypocrisy. No Slave, and no free person of colour can be a witness against a white person in any case. The Planters are not expected to prosecute each other for ill-treatment to the Slaves. The Overseers, who do the flogging and order the work- ing, are not apt to inform against each other; depending, as ▼i. Ji-'* they are, on the Planters for employment. Many of the Non-Slaveholding Whites at the South are a servile and degraded class, like the Overseers, depending upon the Slaveholder for labour to support their families ; there- fore they dare not inform against the abuser and have him brought to justice. In the name of God and outraged humanity, how is the Slave to have redress under such circumstances. It follows, they may be worked any number of hours in the day at the will of the drivers, Sundays not excepted, and in all kinds of weather. I have repeatedly seen them working on the Sabbath, espe- cially in planting Tobacco, as this must be done iu rainy seasons, and in the spring of the year ; should it rain oil Saturday night the Slaves are ordered cut in the fi.M on Sunday morning to set the plant. The first gang of Slaves 1 ever remember seeing at work on Sunday wac on a Tobacco Plantation ; my young and untutored mind revolted at the sight ; but by frequent repetitions of the scene I soon became inured to it Familiarity with sin tends to harden the human heart, and bluxxi the moral sensibilities. Tlio same hypocritical provision is made relative to the food of the slaves : — " Lou^iima, Every ownor shall be held to give his slave the quantity of provision herein- after specified, to wit, — one barrel of Indian com, or the equivalent thereof iu rice, beans, or other grain, and a pint of salt ; and ta deliver the same to the Slaves in kind every month, and nc^ver in money, under a penalty often dollars for ever}' offence." — Martin's Digest, p. 610, You see there is no meat, suoar, roff^e, or tea, men- tioned in this act. This barrel of corn is in the ear as it comes from the field. When shi^lled, it amounts to one bushel and a half, or forty- eight quarts, which is to last c 1 1 vii. » slaru oiic month, with one pint of salt ; rllowing thirty (lays for a month, would be equal to one quart and three- fifths per day. This is to 1)C reduced to meal, which would be a little more than a pint per day. With this they must worli fifteen hours per day one part of the year, jmd fourteen hours another. I'he prisoners in the state jjrisoni"', whether for life or a shorter i)eriod of time, are fed on substantial food, and quite sufficient in quantity, three times a dry; and seldom, if ever, arc required to labour more than ten or t ' ^ b-^ irs per day. Though this act mentions no meat known the planters to allow the hands from i ) pound and a half of meat per week. Many no. itensils in which to cook, broil it on coals of fire ^ ^ it with a morsel of bread into gourds ; take it to the field, which is t) last them all day. Mothers, two weeks after child-birth, must be in the field making a full hand, in many -nstances putting her child in the shade of a tree, permitted to nurse it twice a day, though it may cry from the stings of insects. She may plead for permission to nurse it ; the overseer may grant it, or he may not ; if so, it is con- sidered very kind of him indeed. Reader, bring this matter home to your own heart, then think and feel for the Slave. Thus he suffers to cultivate cotton for your benefit as well as others. I co"dd write volumes on the plantation Hfe of Slaves, which I have said nothing about in my book, because it was foreign from my subject. Ye mothers of England, can you do anything at this distance to alleviate the condition of your sisters on those cotton plantations in that Country ? Can you pour the oil of joy into their hearts ? Cease as soon as practicable the use of cotton bathed in their tears, chasing each other down their sorow-worn cheeks ; then you will have snatched r-. Vlil. the bloody lash from tho haad of the wicked driver and dashed it into a thou8a,nd pieces. The gory wounds now blooding while I write will be joyfully healed with the oil of gladness from your liands. You will have sealed up the fountaiu of tear' whieli for centuries has been opened ; you will have placed your sisters in a position where their chastity can be protected as yours now ti ; you will have struck the death-blow to this giant evil. I appeal to you because you can do much in this matter, I appeal to you because the Slave cannot. I i,h>ad the cause of the widow and the orphan. ** I open my mouth for the dumb/' The power oi turning the scale against the tyrants and in favour of freedom, commercially speaking, is in the reach of England^s mighty grasp* England is depending on America for Cotton. Millions of her people are emj)loyed by means of it. The exis- tence of thousands hangs upon this feeble thread. It i^ , with, the Slaves whether they shall live or die : it is with the Slaves in the United States whether they shall walk the streets of this beautiful country perfect vagabonds, or be em];*loyed in making an honest living. Suppose the Slaves were to cec ]c oultiv.-cing Ccitton unless they were paid for it, which they have a perfect right to do, what would become of millions now depending on them for a iving, who are employed in manufacturing the raw ma- terifil which they cultivate ? What would the capitalists do in Lancashire? Their large manufactories must be closed ; your streets would be filled with beggars, the dying and the dead. The very moment the Slaye declares in the strength of his God he will cultivate Cotton no longer without wages, England's commercial operation — \a%, J Cc»c mighty ships, the mistress of the seas, would be com- i ii. poUrd to haul flown thoir sails. The whole country would he literally clothed iu suclicloth and ashes. You may 8ay it is not likely the Slaves will do ho. I think it ▼I'ry probable God may sraise up another John Brown more successful than the former. The Slaves have at- tempted in another State, since John Browu'H death, to Lrenk their chains with half a million of ? • w coloured piTSons in the United States, daily growing iu wealth and intelligence, one in interest and feeling with their suffering brethren in the south, a *irge portion of whom emigrated firom the Slave states, who are willing at a moment's warniag, when necessary, to place themselves at the head of four millions of Slaves, and with the incidental aid of sixty thousand in Canjida, in defiance of their dastardly claimants, would lead them to the very bor- ders o{ Canada. With this view of the subject, say not it i« impossible or improbable. I speak of it not as a scene to be desired, but one within the range of human probabilities. '» The chains of the Slave will be broken, let the hammer come from heaven or hell." Let England extricate herself from this awxul dilemma. If the Cotton crops fail in the United States by any means whatever. let it be their own failure, and not England's ; but now such a failure would affect England as well as America ! liet Britain become self- supporting respecting Cotton, by cultivating free-labour Cotton ; besides, she would free the Slaves thus engaged in the cultivation of this article. To emancipate one million would be a doath-blow to the entire system. It is no longer a question whether free labour is cheaper than Slave labour, or whether England has soil to produce it or not : but what is the l^^i plan to accom- X. I i'fl plish the desired object. I am glad to learn from the last report of the Cotton Supply Association of Man- chester, that the subject is eliciting the attention of members of both Houses of Parliiiment, and has obtained the assistance of the chief department of Her Majesty's Government, the British Consuls in foreign ports are giving the scheme their attention and kind consideration. It is quite pleasing in one respect to see the Cotton crops have only doubled in twenty years. For the benefit of those who may read this book, and may not read the report, I extract from it the following: — "We must point to 'the fact, although in 1840 the Crop of the United States was 2,177,835 bales, and in 1860 it may reach 4,500,000 bales, the growth has only been doubled in twenty years. While the number of spindles employed in this countiy, and on the Continent was, in 1840, 27,266,000, but in 1860, 09,642,000. In other words, while the increase of growth has been doubled, owing to the high prices of almost exclusive mai'kets ; the increase of spindles has more than doubled by the enormous addition of 15,110,000, requiring an additional one million bales to give them employment. The posi- tion of the trade is therefore, in 1860, so far as America is concerned, worse by one million bales than it was in the year 1840. It is not necessary to allude to the numerous places that produce Cotton both in Her Ma- jesty's dominions and beyond them ; nor is it yet neces- sary to infer to what has been expended and experiments tried in the cultivation of this article, as they are before the public by other and more able pens than mine. I have spoken of Cotton because it is the giant support of Slaveiy, but I am quite in favour of ceasing to use all XI. Slave-labour produce as soon as practicable. Ciibian Sugar which is so extensively used in England and is the production of Slave-labour, not only docs she support Slavery and its use, but, the Slave-trade also is supposed from 30,000 to ^40,000 Slaves are imported into Cuba annually, who are engaged in the cultivation of Sugar thus used. May God hasten the day when Slaveiy shall be no more. 9 I BIRMIKOBAH! aiCBABD IPBIOOT, PBIMTSB, 8&» »SW KBXET.