diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | 23-0.txt | 4 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 23-h/23-h.htm | 3521 |
2 files changed, 1728 insertions, 1797 deletions
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@ -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS *** +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 23 *** @@ -3719,5 +3719,5 @@ THE END -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS *** +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 23 *** diff --git a/23-h/23-h.htm b/23-h/23-h.htm index 6ca8cb6..875b700 100644 --- a/23-h/23-h.htm +++ b/23-h/23-h.htm @@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ <head> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /> <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> -<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, by Frederick Douglass</title> +<title>Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass | Project Gutenberg</title> <style type="text/css"> @@ -78,8 +78,7 @@ a:hover {color:red} </head> <body> - -<div style='margin-top:2em;margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS ***</div> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 23 ***</div> <h1>Narrative<br /> of the<br /> @@ -122,67 +121,67 @@ time to honor the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. [Born January 15, 1929] <table summary="" style=""> <tr> -<td> <a href="#link2H_PREF"> PREFACE </a></td> +<td> <a href="#link2H_PREF">PREFACE</a></td> </tr> <tr> -<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0002"> LETTER FROM WENDELL PHILLIPS, ESQ. </a></td> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0002">LETTER FROM WENDELL PHILLIPS, ESQ.</a></td> </tr> <tr> -<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0003"> FREDERICK DOUGLASS. </a></td> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0003">FREDERICK DOUGLASS.</a></td> </tr> <tr> -<td> <a href="#link2HCH0001"> CHAPTER I </a></td> +<td> <a href="#link2HCH0001">CHAPTER I</a></td> </tr> <tr> -<td> <a href="#link2HCH0002"> CHAPTER II </a></td> +<td> <a href="#link2HCH0002">CHAPTER II</a></td> </tr> <tr> -<td> <a href="#link2HCH0003"> CHAPTER III </a></td> +<td> <a href="#link2HCH0003">CHAPTER III</a></td> </tr> <tr> -<td> <a href="#link2HCH0004"> CHAPTER IV </a></td> +<td> <a href="#link2HCH0004">CHAPTER IV</a></td> </tr> <tr> -<td> <a href="#link2HCH0005"> CHAPTER V </a></td> +<td> <a href="#link2HCH0005">CHAPTER V</a></td> </tr> <tr> -<td> <a href="#link2HCH0006"> CHAPTER VI </a></td> +<td> <a href="#link2HCH0006">CHAPTER VI</a></td> </tr> <tr> -<td> <a href="#link2HCH0007"> CHAPTER VII </a></td> +<td> <a href="#link2HCH0007">CHAPTER VII</a></td> </tr> <tr> -<td> <a href="#link2HCH0008"> CHAPTER VIII </a></td> +<td> <a href="#link2HCH0008">CHAPTER VIII</a></td> </tr> <tr> -<td> <a href="#link2HCH0009"> CHAPTER IX </a></td> +<td> <a href="#link2HCH0009">CHAPTER IX</a></td> </tr> <tr> -<td> <a href="#link2HCH0010"> CHAPTER X </a></td> +<td> <a href="#link2HCH0010">CHAPTER X</a></td> </tr> <tr> -<td> <a href="#link2HCH0011"> CHAPTER XI </a></td> +<td> <a href="#link2HCH0011">CHAPTER XI</a></td> </tr> <tr> -<td> <a href="#link2H_APPE"> APPENDIX </a></td> +<td> <a href="#link2H_APPE">APPENDIX</a></td> </tr> <tr> -<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0016"> A PARODY </a></td> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0016">A PARODY</a></td> </tr> </table> @@ -191,7 +190,7 @@ time to honor the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. [Born January 15, 1929] <div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="link2H_PREF" id="link2H_PREF"></a> PREFACE</h2> +<h2><a name="link2H_PREF"></a>PREFACE</h2> <p> In the month of August, 1841, I attended an anti-slavery convention in @@ -199,48 +198,46 @@ Nantucket, at which it was my happiness to become acquainted with <i>Frederick Douglass</i>, the writer of the following Narrative. He was a stranger to nearly every member of that body; but, having recently made his escape from the southern prison-house of bondage, and feeling his curiosity excited to -ascertain the principles and measures of the abolitionists,—of whom he -had heard a somewhat vague description while he was a slave,—he was -induced to give his attendance, on the occasion alluded to, though at that time -a resident in New Bedford. +ascertain the principles and measures of the abolitionists,—of whom he had +heard a somewhat vague description while he was a slave,—he was induced to give +his attendance, on the occasion alluded to, though at that time a resident in +New Bedford. </p> <p> -Fortunate, most fortunate occurrence!—fortunate for the millions of his +Fortunate, most fortunate occurrence!—fortunate for the millions of his manacled brethren, yet panting for deliverance from their awful -thraldom!—fortunate for the cause of negro emancipation, and of universal -liberty!—fortunate for the land of his birth, which he has already done -so much to save and bless!—fortunate for a large circle of friends and -acquaintances, whose sympathy and affection he has strongly secured by the many -sufferings he has endured, by his virtuous traits of character, by his -ever-abiding remembrance of those who are in bonds, as being bound with -them!—fortunate for the multitudes, in various parts of our republic, -whose minds he has enlightened on the subject of slavery, and who have been -melted to tears by his pathos, or roused to virtuous indignation by his -stirring eloquence against the enslavers of men!—fortunate for himself, -as it at once brought him into the field of public usefulness, “gave the -world assurance of a <small>MAN</small>,” quickened the slumbering -energies of his soul, and consecrated him to the great work of breaking the rod -of the oppressor, and letting the oppressed go free! -</p> - -<p> -I shall never forget his first speech at the convention—the extraordinary -emotion it excited in my own mind—the powerful impression it created upon -a crowded auditory, completely taken by surprise—the applause which -followed from the beginning to the end of his felicitous remarks. I think I -never hated slavery so intensely as at that moment; certainly, my perception of -the enormous outrage which is inflicted by it, on the godlike nature of its +thraldom!—fortunate for the cause of negro emancipation, and of universal +liberty!—fortunate for the land of his birth, which he has already done so much +to save and bless!—fortunate for a large circle of friends and acquaintances, +whose sympathy and affection he has strongly secured by the many sufferings he +has endured, by his virtuous traits of character, by his ever-abiding +remembrance of those who are in bonds, as being bound with them!—fortunate for +the multitudes, in various parts of our republic, whose minds he has +enlightened on the subject of slavery, and who have been melted to tears by his +pathos, or roused to virtuous indignation by his stirring eloquence against the +enslavers of men!—fortunate for himself, as it at once brought him into the +field of public usefulness, “gave the world assurance of a <small>MAN</small>,” +quickened the slumbering energies of his soul, and consecrated him to the great +work of breaking the rod of the oppressor, and letting the oppressed go free! +</p> + +<p> +I shall never forget his first speech at the convention—the extraordinary +emotion it excited in my own mind—the powerful impression it created upon a +crowded auditory, completely taken by surprise—the applause which followed from +the beginning to the end of his felicitous remarks. I think I never hated +slavery so intensely as at that moment; certainly, my perception of the +enormous outrage which is inflicted by it, on the godlike nature of its victims, was rendered far more clear than ever. There stood one, in physical -proportion and stature commanding and exact—in intellect richly -endowed—in natural eloquence a prodigy—in soul manifestly -“created but a little lower than the angels”—yet a slave, ay, -a fugitive slave,—trembling for his safety, hardly daring to believe that -on the American soil, a single white person could be found who would befriend -him at all hazards, for the love of God and humanity! Capable of high -attainments as an intellectual and moral being—needing nothing but a -comparatively small amount of cultivation to make him an ornament to society -and a blessing to his race—by the law of the land, by the voice of the +proportion and stature commanding and exact—in intellect richly endowed—in +natural eloquence a prodigy—in soul manifestly “created but a little lower than +the angels”—yet a slave, ay, a fugitive slave,—trembling for his safety, hardly +daring to believe that on the American soil, a single white person could be +found who would befriend him at all hazards, for the love of God and humanity! +Capable of high attainments as an intellectual and moral being—needing nothing +but a comparatively small amount of cultivation to make him an ornament to +society and a blessing to his race—by the law of the land, by the voice of the people, by the terms of the slave code, he was only a piece of property, a beast of burden, a chattel personal, nevertheless! </p> @@ -257,19 +254,18 @@ soon as he had taken his seat, filled with hope and admiration, I rose, and declared that P<small>ATRICK</small> H<small>ENRY</small>, of revolutionary fame, never made a speech more eloquent in the cause of liberty, than the one we had just listened to from the lips of that hunted fugitive. So I believed at -that time—such is my belief now. I reminded the audience of the peril -which surrounded this self-emancipated young man at the North,—even in -Massachusetts, on the soil of the Pilgrim Fathers, among the descendants of -revolutionary sires; and I appealed to them, whether they would ever allow him -to be carried back into slavery,—law or no law, constitution or no -constitution. The response was unanimous and in -thunder-tones—“NO!” “Will you succor and protect him as -a brother-man—a resident of the old Bay State?” “YES!” -shouted the whole mass, with an energy so startling, that the ruthless tyrants -south of Mason and Dixon’s line might almost have heard the mighty burst -of feeling, and recognized it as the pledge of an invincible determination, on -the part of those who gave it, never to betray him that wanders, but to hide -the outcast, and firmly to abide the consequences. +that time—such is my belief now. I reminded the audience of the peril which +surrounded this self-emancipated young man at the North,—even in Massachusetts, +on the soil of the Pilgrim Fathers, among the descendants of revolutionary +sires; and I appealed to them, whether they would ever allow him to be carried +back into slavery,—law or no law, constitution or no constitution. The response +was unanimous and in thunder-tones—“NO!” “Will you succor and protect him as a +brother-man—a resident of the old Bay State?” “YES!” shouted the whole mass, +with an energy so startling, that the ruthless tyrants south of Mason and +Dixon’s line might almost have heard the mighty burst of feeling, and +recognized it as the pledge of an invincible determination, on the part of +those who gave it, never to betray him that wanders, but to hide the outcast, +and firmly to abide the consequences. </p> <p> @@ -298,9 +294,9 @@ speaker, he excels in pathos, wit, comparison, imitation, strength of reasoning, and fluency of language. There is in him that union of head and heart, which is indispensable to an enlightenment of the heads and a winning of the hearts of others. May his strength continue to be equal to his day! May he -continue to “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of God,” that he -may be increasingly serviceable in the cause of bleeding humanity, whether at -home or abroad! +continue to “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of God,” that he may be +increasingly serviceable in the cause of bleeding humanity, whether at home or +abroad! </p> <p> @@ -325,64 +321,62 @@ cripple their intellects, darken their minds, debase their moral nature, obliterate all traces of their relationship to mankind; and yet how wonderfully they have sustained the mighty load of a most frightful bondage, under which they have been groaning for centuries! To illustrate the effect of slavery on -the white man,—to show that he has no powers of endurance, in such a -condition, superior to those of his black brother,—<i>Daniel -O’Connell</i>, the distinguished advocate of universal emancipation, and -the mightiest champion of prostrate but not conquered Ireland, relates the -following anecdote in a speech delivered by him in the Conciliation Hall, -Dublin, before the Loyal National Repeal Association, March 31, 1845. “No -matter,” said <i>Mr. O’Connell</i>, “under what specious term -it may disguise itself, slavery is still hideous. <i>It has a natural, an -inevitable tendency to brutalize every noble faculty of man.</i> An American -sailor, who was cast away on the shore of Africa, where he was kept in slavery -for three years, was, at the expiration of that period, found to be imbruted -and stultified—he had lost all reasoning power; and having forgotten his -native language, could only utter some savage gibberish between Arabic and -English, which nobody could understand, and which even he himself found -difficulty in pronouncing. So much for the humanizing influence of <i>The -Domestic Institution</i>!” Admitting this to have been an extraordinary -case of mental deterioration, it proves at least that the white slave can sink -as low in the scale of humanity as the black one. +the white man,—to show that he has no powers of endurance, in such a condition, +superior to those of his black brother,—<i>Daniel O’Connell</i>, the +distinguished advocate of universal emancipation, and the mightiest champion of +prostrate but not conquered Ireland, relates the following anecdote in a speech +delivered by him in the Conciliation Hall, Dublin, before the Loyal National +Repeal Association, March 31, 1845. “No matter,” said <i>Mr. O’Connell</i>, +“under what specious term it may disguise itself, slavery is still hideous. +<i>It has a natural, an inevitable tendency to brutalize every noble faculty of +man.</i> An American sailor, who was cast away on the shore of Africa, where he +was kept in slavery for three years, was, at the expiration of that period, +found to be imbruted and stultified—he had lost all reasoning power; and having +forgotten his native language, could only utter some savage gibberish between +Arabic and English, which nobody could understand, and which even he himself +found difficulty in pronouncing. So much for the humanizing influence of <i>The +Domestic Institution</i>!” Admitting this to have been an extraordinary case of +mental deterioration, it proves at least that the white slave can sink as low +in the scale of humanity as the black one. </p> <p> <i>Mr. Douglass</i> has very properly chosen to write his own Narrative, in his own style, and according to the best of his ability, rather than to employ some one else. It is, therefore, entirely his own production; and, considering how -long and dark was the career he had to run as a slave,—how few have been -his opportunities to improve his mind since he broke his iron fetters,—it -is, in my judgment, highly creditable to his head and heart. He who can peruse -it without a tearful eye, a heaving breast, an afflicted spirit,—without -being filled with an unutterable abhorrence of slavery and all its abettors, -and animated with a determination to seek the immediate overthrow of that -execrable system,—without trembling for the fate of this country in the -hands of a righteous God, who is ever on the side of the oppressed, and whose -arm is not shortened that it cannot save,—must have a flinty heart, and -be qualified to act the part of a trafficker “in slaves and the souls of -men.” I am confident that it is essentially true in all its statements; -that nothing has been set down in malice, nothing exaggerated, nothing drawn -from the imagination; that it comes short of the reality, rather than -overstates a single fact in regard to <i>slavery as it is</i>. The experience -of <i>Frederick Douglass</i>, as a slave, was not a peculiar one; his lot was -not especially a hard one; his case may be regarded as a very fair specimen of -the treatment of slaves in Maryland, in which State it is conceded that they -are better fed and less cruelly treated than in Georgia, Alabama, or Louisiana. -Many have suffered incomparably more, while very few on the plantations have -suffered less, than himself. Yet how deplorable was his situation! what -terrible chastisements were inflicted upon his person! what still more shocking -outrages were perpetrated upon his mind! with all his noble powers and sublime -aspirations, how like a brute was he treated, even by those professing to have -the same mind in them that was in Christ Jesus! to what dreadful liabilities -was he continually subjected! how destitute of friendly counsel and aid, even -in his greatest extremities! how heavy was the midnight of woe which shrouded -in blackness the last ray of hope, and filled the future with terror and gloom! -what longings after freedom took possession of his breast, and how his misery -augmented, in proportion as he grew reflective and intelligent,—thus -demonstrating that a happy slave is an extinct man! how he thought, reasoned, -felt, under the lash of the driver, with the chains upon his limbs! what perils -he encountered in his endeavors to escape from his horrible doom! and how -signal have been his deliverance and preservation in the midst of a nation of -pitiless enemies! +long and dark was the career he had to run as a slave,—how few have been his +opportunities to improve his mind since he broke his iron fetters,—it is, in my +judgment, highly creditable to his head and heart. He who can peruse it without +a tearful eye, a heaving breast, an afflicted spirit,—without being filled with +an unutterable abhorrence of slavery and all its abettors, and animated with a +determination to seek the immediate overthrow of that execrable system,—without +trembling for the fate of this country in the hands of a righteous God, who is +ever on the side of the oppressed, and whose arm is not shortened that it +cannot save,—must have a flinty heart, and be qualified to act the part of a +trafficker “in slaves and the souls of men.” I am confident that it is +essentially true in all its statements; that nothing has been set down in +malice, nothing exaggerated, nothing drawn from the imagination; that it comes +short of the reality, rather than overstates a single fact in regard to +<i>slavery as it is</i>. The experience of <i>Frederick Douglass</i>, as a +slave, was not a peculiar one; his lot was not especially a hard one; his case +may be regarded as a very fair specimen of the treatment of slaves in Maryland, +in which State it is conceded that they are better fed and less cruelly treated +than in Georgia, Alabama, or Louisiana. Many have suffered incomparably more, +while very few on the plantations have suffered less, than himself. Yet how +deplorable was his situation! what terrible chastisements were inflicted upon +his person! what still more shocking outrages were perpetrated upon his mind! +with all his noble powers and sublime aspirations, how like a brute was he +treated, even by those professing to have the same mind in them that was in +Christ Jesus! to what dreadful liabilities was he continually subjected! how +destitute of friendly counsel and aid, even in his greatest extremities! how +heavy was the midnight of woe which shrouded in blackness the last ray of hope, +and filled the future with terror and gloom! what longings after freedom took +possession of his breast, and how his misery augmented, in proportion as he +grew reflective and intelligent,—thus demonstrating that a happy slave is an +extinct man! how he thought, reasoned, felt, under the lash of the driver, with +the chains upon his limbs! what perils he encountered in his endeavors to +escape from his horrible doom! and how signal have been his deliverance and +preservation in the midst of a nation of pitiless enemies! </p> <p> @@ -390,20 +384,20 @@ This Narrative contains many affecting incidents, many passages of great eloquence and power; but I think the most thrilling one of them all is the description <i>Douglass</i> gives of his feelings, as he stood soliloquizing respecting his fate, and the chances of his one day being a freeman, on the -banks of the Chesapeake Bay—viewing the receding vessels as they flew -with their white wings before the breeze, and apostrophizing them as animated -by the living spirit of freedom. Who can read that passage, and be insensible -to its pathos and sublimity? Compressed into it is a whole Alexandrian library -of thought, feeling, and sentiment—all that can, all that need be urged, -in the form of expostulation, entreaty, rebuke, against that crime of -crimes,—making man the property of his fellow-man! O, how accursed is -that system, which entombs the godlike mind of man, defaces the divine image, -reduces those who by creation were crowned with glory and honor to a level with -four-footed beasts, and exalts the dealer in human flesh above all that is -called God! Why should its existence be prolonged one hour? Is it not evil, -only evil, and that continually? What does its presence imply but the absence -of all fear of God, all regard for man, on the part of the people of the United -States? Heaven speed its eternal overthrow! +banks of the Chesapeake Bay—viewing the receding vessels as they flew with +their white wings before the breeze, and apostrophizing them as animated by the +living spirit of freedom. Who can read that passage, and be insensible to its +pathos and sublimity? Compressed into it is a whole Alexandrian library of +thought, feeling, and sentiment—all that can, all that need be urged, in the +form of expostulation, entreaty, rebuke, against that crime of crimes,—making +man the property of his fellow-man! O, how accursed is that system, which +entombs the godlike mind of man, defaces the divine image, reduces those who by +creation were crowned with glory and honor to a level with four-footed beasts, +and exalts the dealer in human flesh above all that is called God! Why should +its existence be prolonged one hour? Is it not evil, only evil, and that +continually? What does its presence imply but the absence of all fear of God, +all regard for man, on the part of the people of the United States? Heaven +speed its eternal overthrow! </p> <p> @@ -440,31 +434,30 @@ untrue. <p> In the course of his Narrative, he relates two instances of murderous -cruelty,—in one of which a planter deliberately shot a slave belonging to -a neighboring plantation, who had unintentionally gotten within his lordly -domain in quest of fish; and in the other, an overseer blew out the brains of a -slave who had fled to a stream of water to escape a bloody scourging. <i>Mr. +cruelty,—in one of which a planter deliberately shot a slave belonging to a +neighboring plantation, who had unintentionally gotten within his lordly domain +in quest of fish; and in the other, an overseer blew out the brains of a slave +who had fled to a stream of water to escape a bloody scourging. <i>Mr. Douglass</i> states that in neither of these instances was any thing done by way of legal arrest or judicial investigation. The Baltimore American, of March 17, 1845, relates a similar case of atrocity, perpetrated with similar -impunity—as follows:—“<i>Shooting a slave.</i>—We -learn, upon the authority of a letter from Charles county, Maryland, received -by a gentleman of this city, that a young man, named Matthews, a nephew of -General Matthews, and whose father, it is believed, holds an office at -Washington, killed one of the slaves upon his father’s farm by shooting -him. The letter states that young Matthews had been left in charge of the farm; -that he gave an order to the servant, which was disobeyed, when he proceeded to -the house, <i>obtained a gun, and, returning, shot the servant.</i> He -immediately, the letter continues, fled to his father’s residence, where -he still remains unmolested.”—Let it never be forgotten, that no -slaveholder or overseer can be convicted of any outrage perpetrated on the -person of a slave, however diabolical it may be, on the testimony of colored -witnesses, whether bond or free. By the slave code, they are adjudged to be as -incompetent to testify against a white man, as though they were indeed a part -of the brute creation. Hence, there is no legal protection in fact, whatever -there may be in form, for the slave population; and any amount of cruelty may -be inflicted on them with impunity. Is it possible for the human mind to -conceive of a more horrible state of society? +impunity—as follows:—“<i>Shooting a slave.</i>—We learn, upon the authority of +a letter from Charles county, Maryland, received by a gentleman of this city, +that a young man, named Matthews, a nephew of General Matthews, and whose +father, it is believed, holds an office at Washington, killed one of the slaves +upon his father’s farm by shooting him. The letter states that young Matthews +had been left in charge of the farm; that he gave an order to the servant, +which was disobeyed, when he proceeded to the house, <i>obtained a gun, and, +returning, shot the servant.</i> He immediately, the letter continues, fled to +his father’s residence, where he still remains unmolested.”—Let it never be +forgotten, that no slaveholder or overseer can be convicted of any outrage +perpetrated on the person of a slave, however diabolical it may be, on the +testimony of colored witnesses, whether bond or free. By the slave code, they +are adjudged to be as incompetent to testify against a white man, as though +they were indeed a part of the brute creation. Hence, there is no legal +protection in fact, whatever there may be in form, for the slave population; +and any amount of cruelty may be inflicted on them with impunity. Is it +possible for the human mind to conceive of a more horrible state of society? </p> <p> @@ -472,10 +465,10 @@ The effect of a religious profession on the conduct of southern masters is vividly described in the following Narrative, and shown to be any thing but salutary. In the nature of the case, it must be in the highest degree pernicious. The testimony of <i>Mr. Douglass</i>, on this point, is sustained -by a cloud of witnesses, whose veracity is unimpeachable. “A -slaveholder’s profession of Christianity is a palpable imposture. He is a -felon of the highest grade. He is a man-stealer. It is of no importance what -you put in the other scale.” +by a cloud of witnesses, whose veracity is unimpeachable. “A slaveholder’s +profession of Christianity is a palpable imposture. He is a felon of the +highest grade. He is a man-stealer. It is of no importance what you put in the +other scale.” </p> <p> @@ -483,10 +476,9 @@ Reader! are you with the man-stealers in sympathy and purpose, or on the side of their down-trodden victims? If with the former, then are you the foe of God and man. If with the latter, what are you prepared to do and dare in their behalf? Be faithful, be vigilant, be untiring in your efforts to break every -yoke, and let the oppressed go free. Come what may—cost what it -may—inscribe on the banner which you unfurl to the breeze, as your -religious and political motto—“NO COMPROMISE WITH SLAVERY! NO UNION -WITH SLAVEHOLDERS!” +yoke, and let the oppressed go free. Come what may—cost what it may—inscribe on +the banner which you unfurl to the breeze, as your religious and political +motto—“NO COMPROMISE WITH SLAVERY! NO UNION WITH SLAVEHOLDERS!” </p> <p class="right"> @@ -501,8 +493,7 @@ WM. LLOYD GARRISON BOSTON, <div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="link2H_4_0002" id="link2H_4_0002"></a> LETTER FROM WENDELL -PHILLIPS, ESQ.</h2> +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0002"></a>LETTER FROM WENDELL PHILLIPS, ESQ.</h2> <p class="right"> B<small>OSTON</small>, <i>April</i> 22, 1845. @@ -513,37 +504,35 @@ My Dear Friend: </p> <p> -You remember the old fable of “The Man and the Lion,” where the -lion complained that he should not be so misrepresented “when the lions -wrote history.” +You remember the old fable of “The Man and the Lion,” where the lion complained +that he should not be so misrepresented “when the lions wrote history.” </p> <p> -I am glad the time has come when the “lions write history.” We have -been left long enough to gather the character of slavery from the involuntary -evidence of the masters. One might, indeed, rest sufficiently satisfied with -what, it is evident, must be, in general, the results of such a relation, -without seeking farther to find whether they have followed in every instance. -Indeed, those who stare at the half-peck of corn a week, and love to count the -lashes on the slave’s back, are seldom the “stuff” out of -which reformers and abolitionists are to be made. I remember that, in 1838, -many were waiting for the results of the West India experiment, before they -could come into our ranks. Those “results” have come long ago; but, -alas! few of that number have come with them, as converts. A man must be -disposed to judge of emancipation by other tests than whether it has increased -the produce of sugar,—and to hate slavery for other reasons than because -it starves men and whips women,—before he is ready to lay the first stone -of his anti-slavery life. +I am glad the time has come when the “lions write history.” We have been left +long enough to gather the character of slavery from the involuntary evidence of +the masters. One might, indeed, rest sufficiently satisfied with what, it is +evident, must be, in general, the results of such a relation, without seeking +farther to find whether they have followed in every instance. Indeed, those who +stare at the half-peck of corn a week, and love to count the lashes on the +slave’s back, are seldom the “stuff” out of which reformers and abolitionists +are to be made. I remember that, in 1838, many were waiting for the results of +the West India experiment, before they could come into our ranks. Those +“results” have come long ago; but, alas! few of that number have come with +them, as converts. A man must be disposed to judge of emancipation by other +tests than whether it has increased the produce of sugar,—and to hate slavery +for other reasons than because it starves men and whips women,—before he is +ready to lay the first stone of his anti-slavery life. </p> <p> -I was glad to learn, in your story, how early the most neglected of God’s +I was glad to learn, in your story, how early the most neglected of God’s children waken to a sense of their rights, and of the injustice done them. Experience is a keen teacher; and long before you had mastered your A B C, or -knew where the “white sails” of the Chesapeake were bound, you -began, I see, to gauge the wretchedness of the slave, not by his hunger and -want, not by his lashes and toil, but by the cruel and blighting death which -gathers over his soul. +knew where the “white sails” of the Chesapeake were bound, you began, I see, to +gauge the wretchedness of the slave, not by his hunger and want, not by his +lashes and toil, but by the cruel and blighting death which gathers over his +soul. </p> <p> @@ -551,9 +540,9 @@ In connection with this, there is one circumstance which makes your recollections peculiarly valuable, and renders your early insight the more remarkable. You come from that part of the country where we are told slavery appears with its fairest features. Let us hear, then, what it is at its best -estate—gaze on its bright side, if it has one; and then imagination may -task her powers to add dark lines to the picture, as she travels southward to -that (for the colored man) Valley of the Shadow of Death, where the Mississippi +estate—gaze on its bright side, if it has one; and then imagination may task +her powers to add dark lines to the picture, as she travels southward to that +(for the colored man) Valley of the Shadow of Death, where the Mississippi sweeps along. </p> @@ -561,14 +550,14 @@ sweeps along. Again, we have known you long, and can put the most entire confidence in your truth, candor, and sincerity. Every one who has heard you speak has felt, and, I am confident, every one who reads your book will feel, persuaded that you -give them a fair specimen of the whole truth. No one-sided portrait,—no -wholesale complaints,—but strict justice done, whenever individual -kindliness has neutralized, for a moment, the deadly system with which it was -strangely allied. You have been with us, too, some years, and can fairly -compare the twilight of rights, which your race enjoy at the North, with that -“noon of night” under which they labor south of Mason and -Dixon’s line. Tell us whether, after all, the half-free colored man of -Massachusetts is worse off than the pampered slave of the rice swamps! +give them a fair specimen of the whole truth. No one-sided portrait,—no +wholesale complaints,—but strict justice done, whenever individual kindliness +has neutralized, for a moment, the deadly system with which it was strangely +allied. You have been with us, too, some years, and can fairly compare the +twilight of rights, which your race enjoy at the North, with that “noon of +night” under which they labor south of Mason and Dixon’s line. Tell us whether, +after all, the half-free colored man of Massachusetts is worse off than the +pampered slave of the rice swamps! </p> <p> @@ -590,10 +579,10 @@ honest men to tell their names! They say the fathers, in 1776, signed the Declaration of Independence with the halter about their necks. You, too, publish your declaration of freedom with danger compassing you around. In all the broad lands which the Constitution of the United States overshadows, there -is no single spot,—however narrow or desolate,—where a fugitive -slave can plant himself and say, “I am safe.” The whole armory of -Northern Law has no shield for you. I am free to say that, in your place, I -should throw the MS. into the fire. +is no single spot,—however narrow or desolate,—where a fugitive slave can plant +himself and say, “I am safe.” The whole armory of Northern Law has no shield +for you. I am free to say that, in your place, I should throw the MS. into the +fire. </p> <p> @@ -601,31 +590,31 @@ You, perhaps, may tell your story in safety, endeared as you are to so many warm hearts by rare gifts, and a still rarer devotion of them to the service of others. But it will be owing only to your labors, and the fearless efforts of those who, trampling the laws and Constitution of the country under their feet, -are determined that they will “hide the outcast,” and that their -hearths shall be, spite of the law, an asylum for the oppressed, if, some time -or other, the humblest may stand in our streets, and bear witness in safety -against the cruelties of which he has been the victim. +are determined that they will “hide the outcast,” and that their hearths shall +be, spite of the law, an asylum for the oppressed, if, some time or other, the +humblest may stand in our streets, and bear witness in safety against the +cruelties of which he has been the victim. </p> <p> Yet it is sad to think, that these very throbbing hearts which welcome your story, and form your best safeguard in telling it, are all beating contrary to -the “statute in such case made and provided.” Go on, my dear -friend, till you, and those who, like you, have been saved, so as by fire, from -the dark prison-house, shall stereotype these free, illegal pulses into -statutes; and New England, cutting loose from a blood-stained Union, shall -glory in being the house of refuge for the oppressed,—till we no longer -merely “<i>hide</i> the outcast,” or make a merit of standing idly -by while he is hunted in our midst; but, consecrating anew the soil of the -Pilgrims as an asylum for the oppressed, proclaim our <i>welcome</i> to the -slave so loudly, that the tones shall reach every hut in the Carolinas, and -make the broken-hearted bondman leap up at the thought of old Massachusetts. +the “statute in such case made and provided.” Go on, my dear friend, till you, +and those who, like you, have been saved, so as by fire, from the dark +prison-house, shall stereotype these free, illegal pulses into statutes; and +New England, cutting loose from a blood-stained Union, shall glory in being the +house of refuge for the oppressed,—till we no longer merely “<i>hide</i> the +outcast,” or make a merit of standing idly by while he is hunted in our midst; +but, consecrating anew the soil of the Pilgrims as an asylum for the oppressed, +proclaim our <i>welcome</i> to the slave so loudly, that the tones shall reach +every hut in the Carolinas, and make the broken-hearted bondman leap up at the +thought of old Massachusetts. </p> <p class="right"> -God speed the day! <br /> -<i>Till then, and ever,</i> <br /> -Yours truly, <br /> +God speed the day! <br/> +<i>Till then, and ever,</i> <br/> +Yours truly, <br/> W<small>ENDELL</small> P<small>HILLIPS</small> </p> @@ -633,36 +622,36 @@ W<small>ENDELL</small> P<small>HILLIPS</small> <div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="link2H_4_0003" id="link2H_4_0003"></a> FREDERICK DOUGLASS.</h2> +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0003"></a>FREDERICK DOUGLASS.</h2> <p> Frederick Douglass was born in slavery as Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey near Easton in Talbot County, Maryland. He was not sure of the exact year of his birth, but he knew that it was 1817 or 1818. As a young boy he was sent to Baltimore, to be a house servant, where he learned to read and write, with the -assistance of his master’s wife. In 1838 he escaped from slavery and went -to New York City, where he married Anna Murray, a free colored woman whom he -had met in Baltimore. Soon thereafter he changed his name to Frederick -Douglass. In 1841 he addressed a convention of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery -Society in Nantucket and so greatly impressed the group that they immediately -employed him as an agent. He was such an impressive orator that numerous -persons doubted if he had ever been a slave, so he wrote <i>Narrative Of The -Life Of Frederick Douglass</i>. During the Civil War he assisted in the -recruiting of colored men for the 54th and 55th Massachusetts Regiments and -consistently argued for the emancipation of slaves. After the war he was active -in securing and protecting the rights of the freemen. In his later years, at -different times, he was secretary of the Santo Domingo Commission, marshall and -recorder of deeds of the District of Columbia, and United States Minister to -Haiti. His other autobiographical works are <i>My Bondage And My Freedom</i> -and <i>Life And Times Of Frederick Douglass</i>, published in 1855 and 1881 -respectively. He died in 1895. +assistance of his master’s wife. In 1838 he escaped from slavery and went to +New York City, where he married Anna Murray, a free colored woman whom he had +met in Baltimore. Soon thereafter he changed his name to Frederick Douglass. In +1841 he addressed a convention of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society in +Nantucket and so greatly impressed the group that they immediately employed him +as an agent. He was such an impressive orator that numerous persons doubted if +he had ever been a slave, so he wrote <i>Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick +Douglass</i>. During the Civil War he assisted in the recruiting of colored men +for the 54th and 55th Massachusetts Regiments and consistently argued for the +emancipation of slaves. After the war he was active in securing and protecting +the rights of the freemen. In his later years, at different times, he was +secretary of the Santo Domingo Commission, marshall and recorder of deeds of +the District of Columbia, and United States Minister to Haiti. His other +autobiographical works are <i>My Bondage And My Freedom</i> and <i>Life And +Times Of Frederick Douglass</i>, published in 1855 and 1881 respectively. He +died in 1895. </p> </div><!--end chapter--> <div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="link2HCH0001" id="link2HCH0001"></a> CHAPTER I</h2> +<h2><a name="link2HCH0001"></a>CHAPTER I</h2> <p> I was born in Tuckahoe, near Hillsborough, and about twelve miles from Easton, @@ -693,14 +682,14 @@ My father was a white man. He was admitted to be such by all I ever heard speak of my parentage. The opinion was also whispered that my master was my father; but of the correctness of this opinion, I know nothing; the means of knowing was withheld from me. My mother and I were separated when I was but an -infant—before I knew her as my mother. It is a common custom, in the part -of Maryland from which I ran away, to part children from their mothers at a -very early age. Frequently, before the child has reached its twelfth month, its +infant—before I knew her as my mother. It is a common custom, in the part of +Maryland from which I ran away, to part children from their mothers at a very +early age. Frequently, before the child has reached its twelfth month, its mother is taken from it, and hired out on some farm a considerable distance off, and the child is placed under the care of an old woman, too old for field labor. For what this separation is done, I do not know, unless it be to hinder -the development of the child’s affection toward its mother, and to blunt -and destroy the natural affection of the mother for the child. This is the +the development of the child’s affection toward its mother, and to blunt and +destroy the natural affection of the mother for the child. This is the inevitable result. </p> @@ -709,21 +698,21 @@ I never saw my mother, to know her as such, more than four or five times in my life; and each of these times was very short in duration, and at night. She was hired by a Mr. Stewart, who lived about twelve miles from my home. She made her journeys to see me in the night, travelling the whole distance on foot, after -the performance of her day’s work. She was a field hand, and a whipping -is the penalty of not being in the field at sunrise, unless a slave has special -permission from his or her master to the contrary—a permission which they +the performance of her day’s work. She was a field hand, and a whipping is the +penalty of not being in the field at sunrise, unless a slave has special +permission from his or her master to the contrary—a permission which they seldom get, and one that gives to him that gives it the proud name of being a kind master. I do not recollect of ever seeing my mother by the light of day. She was with me in the night. She would lie down with me, and get me to sleep, but long before I waked she was gone. Very little communication ever took place between us. Death soon ended what little we could have while she lived, and with it her hardships and suffering. She died when I was about seven years old, -on one of my master’s farms, near Lee’s Mill. I was not allowed to -be present during her illness, at her death, or burial. She was gone long -before I knew any thing about it. Never having enjoyed, to any considerable -extent, her soothing presence, her tender and watchful care, I received the -tidings of her death with much the same emotions I should have probably felt at -the death of a stranger. +on one of my master’s farms, near Lee’s Mill. I was not allowed to be present +during her illness, at her death, or burial. She was gone long before I knew +any thing about it. Never having enjoyed, to any considerable extent, her +soothing presence, her tender and watchful care, I received the tidings of her +death with much the same emotions I should have probably felt at the death of a +stranger. </p> <p> @@ -774,119 +763,117 @@ white fathers, and those fathers most frequently their own masters. </p> <p> -I have had two masters. My first master’s name was Anthony. I do not -remember his first name. He was generally called Captain Anthony—a title -which, I presume, he acquired by sailing a craft on the Chesapeake Bay. He was -not considered a rich slaveholder. He owned two or three farms, and about -thirty slaves. His farms and slaves were under the care of an overseer. The -overseer’s name was Plummer. Mr. Plummer was a miserable drunkard, a -profane swearer, and a savage monster. He always went armed with a cowskin and -a heavy cudgel. I have known him to cut and slash the women’s heads so -horribly, that even master would be enraged at his cruelty, and would threaten -to whip him if he did not mind himself. Master, however, was not a humane -slaveholder. It required extraordinary barbarity on the part of an overseer to -affect him. He was a cruel man, hardened by a long life of slaveholding. He -would at times seem to take great pleasure in whipping a slave. I have often -been awakened at the dawn of day by the most heart-rending shrieks of an own -aunt of mine, whom he used to tie up to a joist, and whip upon her naked back -till she was literally covered with blood. No words, no tears, no prayers, from -his gory victim, seemed to move his iron heart from its bloody purpose. The -louder she screamed, the harder he whipped; and where the blood ran fastest, -there he whipped longest. He would whip her to make her scream, and whip her to -make her hush; and not until overcome by fatigue, would he cease to swing the -blood-clotted cowskin. I remember the first time I ever witnessed this horrible -exhibition. I was quite a child, but I well remember it. I never shall forget -it whilst I remember any thing. It was the first of a long series of such -outrages, of which I was doomed to be a witness and a participant. It struck me -with awful force. It was the blood-stained gate, the entrance to the hell of -slavery, through which I was about to pass. It was a most terrible spectacle. I -wish I could commit to paper the feelings with which I beheld it. +I have had two masters. My first master’s name was Anthony. I do not remember +his first name. He was generally called Captain Anthony—a title which, I +presume, he acquired by sailing a craft on the Chesapeake Bay. He was not +considered a rich slaveholder. He owned two or three farms, and about thirty +slaves. His farms and slaves were under the care of an overseer. The overseer’s +name was Plummer. Mr. Plummer was a miserable drunkard, a profane swearer, and +a savage monster. He always went armed with a cowskin and a heavy cudgel. I +have known him to cut and slash the women’s heads so horribly, that even master +would be enraged at his cruelty, and would threaten to whip him if he did not +mind himself. Master, however, was not a humane slaveholder. It required +extraordinary barbarity on the part of an overseer to affect him. He was a +cruel man, hardened by a long life of slaveholding. He would at times seem to +take great pleasure in whipping a slave. I have often been awakened at the dawn +of day by the most heart-rending shrieks of an own aunt of mine, whom he used +to tie up to a joist, and whip upon her naked back till she was literally +covered with blood. No words, no tears, no prayers, from his gory victim, +seemed to move his iron heart from its bloody purpose. The louder she screamed, +the harder he whipped; and where the blood ran fastest, there he whipped +longest. He would whip her to make her scream, and whip her to make her hush; +and not until overcome by fatigue, would he cease to swing the blood-clotted +cowskin. I remember the first time I ever witnessed this horrible exhibition. I +was quite a child, but I well remember it. I never shall forget it whilst I +remember any thing. It was the first of a long series of such outrages, of +which I was doomed to be a witness and a participant. It struck me with awful +force. It was the blood-stained gate, the entrance to the hell of slavery, +through which I was about to pass. It was a most terrible spectacle. I wish I +could commit to paper the feelings with which I beheld it. </p> <p> This occurrence took place very soon after I went to live with my old master, -and under the following circumstances. Aunt Hester went out one -night,—where or for what I do not know,—and happened to be absent -when my master desired her presence. He had ordered her not to go out evenings, -and warned her that she must never let him catch her in company with a young -man, who was paying attention to her belonging to Colonel Lloyd. The young -man’s name was Ned Roberts, generally called Lloyd’s Ned. Why -master was so careful of her, may be safely left to conjecture. She was a woman -of noble form, and of graceful proportions, having very few equals, and fewer -superiors, in personal appearance, among the colored or white women of our -neighborhood. +and under the following circumstances. Aunt Hester went out one night,—where or +for what I do not know,—and happened to be absent when my master desired her +presence. He had ordered her not to go out evenings, and warned her that she +must never let him catch her in company with a young man, who was paying +attention to her belonging to Colonel Lloyd. The young man’s name was Ned +Roberts, generally called Lloyd’s Ned. Why master was so careful of her, may be +safely left to conjecture. She was a woman of noble form, and of graceful +proportions, having very few equals, and fewer superiors, in personal +appearance, among the colored or white women of our neighborhood. </p> <p> Aunt Hester had not only disobeyed his orders in going out, but had been found -in company with Lloyd’s Ned; which circumstance, I found, from what he -said while whipping her, was the chief offence. Had he been a man of pure -morals himself, he might have been thought interested in protecting the -innocence of my aunt; but those who knew him will not suspect him of any such -virtue. Before he commenced whipping Aunt Hester, he took her into the kitchen, -and stripped her from neck to waist, leaving her neck, shoulders, and back, -entirely naked. He then told her to cross her hands, calling her at the same -time a d——d b—-h. After crossing her hands, he tied them with -a strong rope, and led her to a stool under a large hook in the joist, put in -for the purpose. He made her get upon the stool, and tied her hands to the -hook. She now stood fair for his infernal purpose. Her arms were stretched up -at their full length, so that she stood upon the ends of her toes. He then said -to her, “Now, you d——d b—-h, I’ll learn you how -to disobey my orders!” and after rolling up his sleeves, he commenced to -lay on the heavy cowskin, and soon the warm, red blood (amid heart-rending -shrieks from her, and horrid oaths from him) came dripping to the floor. I was -so terrified and horror-stricken at the sight, that I hid myself in a closet, -and dared not venture out till long after the bloody transaction was over. I -expected it would be my turn next. It was all new to me. I had never seen any -thing like it before. I had always lived with my grandmother on the outskirts -of the plantation, where she was put to raise the children of the younger -women. I had therefore been, until now, out of the way of the bloody scenes -that often occurred on the plantation. +in company with Lloyd’s Ned; which circumstance, I found, from what he said +while whipping her, was the chief offence. Had he been a man of pure morals +himself, he might have been thought interested in protecting the innocence of +my aunt; but those who knew him will not suspect him of any such virtue. Before +he commenced whipping Aunt Hester, he took her into the kitchen, and stripped +her from neck to waist, leaving her neck, shoulders, and back, entirely naked. +He then told her to cross her hands, calling her at the same time a d——d b—-h. +After crossing her hands, he tied them with a strong rope, and led her to a +stool under a large hook in the joist, put in for the purpose. He made her get +upon the stool, and tied her hands to the hook. She now stood fair for his +infernal purpose. Her arms were stretched up at their full length, so that she +stood upon the ends of her toes. He then said to her, “Now, you d——d b—-h, I’ll +learn you how to disobey my orders!” and after rolling up his sleeves, he +commenced to lay on the heavy cowskin, and soon the warm, red blood (amid +heart-rending shrieks from her, and horrid oaths from him) came dripping to the +floor. I was so terrified and horror-stricken at the sight, that I hid myself +in a closet, and dared not venture out till long after the bloody transaction +was over. I expected it would be my turn next. It was all new to me. I had +never seen any thing like it before. I had always lived with my grandmother on +the outskirts of the plantation, where she was put to raise the children of the +younger women. I had therefore been, until now, out of the way of the bloody +scenes that often occurred on the plantation. </p> </div><!--end chapter--> <div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="link2HCH0002" id="link2HCH0002"></a> CHAPTER II</h2> +<h2><a name="link2HCH0002"></a>CHAPTER II</h2> <p> -My master’s family consisted of two sons, Andrew and Richard; one -daughter, Lucretia, and her husband, Captain Thomas Auld. They lived in one -house, upon the home plantation of Colonel Edward Lloyd. My master was Colonel -Lloyd’s clerk and superintendent. He was what might be called the -overseer of the overseers. I spent two years of childhood on this plantation in -my old master’s family. It was here that I witnessed the bloody -transaction recorded in the first chapter; and as I received my first -impressions of slavery on this plantation, I will give some description of it, -and of slavery as it there existed. The plantation is about twelve miles north -of Easton, in Talbot county, and is situated on the border of Miles River. The -principal products raised upon it were tobacco, corn, and wheat. These were -raised in great abundance; so that, with the products of this and the other -farms belonging to him, he was able to keep in almost constant employment a -large sloop, in carrying them to market at Baltimore. This sloop was named -Sally Lloyd, in honor of one of the colonel’s daughters. My -master’s son-in-law, Captain Auld, was master of the vessel; she was -otherwise manned by the colonel’s own slaves. Their names were Peter, -Isaac, Rich, and Jake. These were esteemed very highly by the other slaves, and -looked upon as the privileged ones of the plantation; for it was no small -affair, in the eyes of the slaves, to be allowed to see Baltimore. +My master’s family consisted of two sons, Andrew and Richard; one daughter, +Lucretia, and her husband, Captain Thomas Auld. They lived in one house, upon +the home plantation of Colonel Edward Lloyd. My master was Colonel Lloyd’s +clerk and superintendent. He was what might be called the overseer of the +overseers. I spent two years of childhood on this plantation in my old master’s +family. It was here that I witnessed the bloody transaction recorded in the +first chapter; and as I received my first impressions of slavery on this +plantation, I will give some description of it, and of slavery as it there +existed. The plantation is about twelve miles north of Easton, in Talbot +county, and is situated on the border of Miles River. The principal products +raised upon it were tobacco, corn, and wheat. These were raised in great +abundance; so that, with the products of this and the other farms belonging to +him, he was able to keep in almost constant employment a large sloop, in +carrying them to market at Baltimore. This sloop was named Sally Lloyd, in +honor of one of the colonel’s daughters. My master’s son-in-law, Captain Auld, +was master of the vessel; she was otherwise manned by the colonel’s own slaves. +Their names were Peter, Isaac, Rich, and Jake. These were esteemed very highly +by the other slaves, and looked upon as the privileged ones of the plantation; +for it was no small affair, in the eyes of the slaves, to be allowed to see +Baltimore. </p> <p> Colonel Lloyd kept from three to four hundred slaves on his home plantation, and owned a large number more on the neighboring farms belonging to him. The names of the farms nearest to the home plantation were Wye Town and New Design. -“Wye Town” was under the overseership of a man named Noah Willis. -New Design was under the overseership of a Mr. Townsend. The overseers of -these, and all the rest of the farms, numbering over twenty, received advice -and direction from the managers of the home plantation. This was the great -business place. It was the seat of government for the whole twenty farms. All -disputes among the overseers were settled here. If a slave was convicted of any -high misdemeanor, became unmanageable, or evinced a determination to run away, -he was brought immediately here, severely whipped, put on board the sloop, -carried to Baltimore, and sold to Austin Woolfolk, or some other slave-trader, -as a warning to the slaves remaining. +“Wye Town” was under the overseership of a man named Noah Willis. New Design +was under the overseership of a Mr. Townsend. The overseers of these, and all +the rest of the farms, numbering over twenty, received advice and direction +from the managers of the home plantation. This was the great business place. It +was the seat of government for the whole twenty farms. All disputes among the +overseers were settled here. If a slave was convicted of any high misdemeanor, +became unmanageable, or evinced a determination to run away, he was brought +immediately here, severely whipped, put on board the sloop, carried to +Baltimore, and sold to Austin Woolfolk, or some other slave-trader, as a +warning to the slaves remaining. </p> <p> @@ -909,47 +896,47 @@ of both sexes, almost naked, might be seen at all seasons of the year. There were no beds given the slaves, unless one coarse blanket be considered such, and none but the men and women had these. This, however, is not considered a very great privation. They find less difficulty from the want of -beds, than from the want of time to sleep; for when their day’s work in -the field is done, the most of them having their washing, mending, and cooking -to do, and having few or none of the ordinary facilities for doing either of +beds, than from the want of time to sleep; for when their day’s work in the +field is done, the most of them having their washing, mending, and cooking to +do, and having few or none of the ordinary facilities for doing either of these, very many of their sleeping hours are consumed in preparing for the field the coming day; and when this is done, old and young, male and female, -married and single, drop down side by side, on one common bed,—the cold, -damp floor,—each covering himself or herself with their miserable -blankets; and here they sleep till they are summoned to the field by the -driver’s horn. At the sound of this, all must rise, and be off to the -field. There must be no halting; every one must be at his or her post; and woe -betides them who hear not this morning summons to the field; for if they are -not awakened by the sense of hearing, they are by the sense of feeling: no age -nor sex finds any favor. Mr. Severe, the overseer, used to stand by the door of -the quarter, armed with a large hickory stick and heavy cowskin, ready to whip -any one who was so unfortunate as not to hear, or, from any other cause, was -prevented from being ready to start for the field at the sound of the horn. +married and single, drop down side by side, on one common bed,—the cold, damp +floor,—each covering himself or herself with their miserable blankets; and here +they sleep till they are summoned to the field by the driver’s horn. At the +sound of this, all must rise, and be off to the field. There must be no +halting; every one must be at his or her post; and woe betides them who hear +not this morning summons to the field; for if they are not awakened by the +sense of hearing, they are by the sense of feeling: no age nor sex finds any +favor. Mr. Severe, the overseer, used to stand by the door of the quarter, +armed with a large hickory stick and heavy cowskin, ready to whip any one who +was so unfortunate as not to hear, or, from any other cause, was prevented from +being ready to start for the field at the sound of the horn. </p> <p> Mr. Severe was rightly named: he was a cruel man. I have seen him whip a woman, causing the blood to run half an hour at the time; and this, too, in the midst -of her crying children, pleading for their mother’s release. He seemed to -take pleasure in manifesting his fiendish barbarity. Added to his cruelty, he -was a profane swearer. It was enough to chill the blood and stiffen the hair of -an ordinary man to hear him talk. Scarce a sentence escaped him but that was +of her crying children, pleading for their mother’s release. He seemed to take +pleasure in manifesting his fiendish barbarity. Added to his cruelty, he was a +profane swearer. It was enough to chill the blood and stiffen the hair of an +ordinary man to hear him talk. Scarce a sentence escaped him but that was commenced or concluded by some horrid oath. The field was the place to witness his cruelty and profanity. His presence made it both the field of blood and of blasphemy. From the rising till the going down of the sun, he was cursing, raving, cutting, and slashing among the slaves of the field, in the most frightful manner. His career was short. He died very soon after I went to -Colonel Lloyd’s; and he died as he lived, uttering, with his dying -groans, bitter curses and horrid oaths. His death was regarded by the slaves as -the result of a merciful providence. +Colonel Lloyd’s; and he died as he lived, uttering, with his dying groans, +bitter curses and horrid oaths. His death was regarded by the slaves as the +result of a merciful providence. </p> <p> -Mr. Severe’s place was filled by a Mr. Hopkins. He was a very different -man. He was less cruel, less profane, and made less noise, than Mr. Severe. His -course was characterized by no extraordinary demonstrations of cruelty. He -whipped, but seemed to take no pleasure in it. He was called by the slaves a -good overseer. +Mr. Severe’s place was filled by a Mr. Hopkins. He was a very different man. He +was less cruel, less profane, and made less noise, than Mr. Severe. His course +was characterized by no extraordinary demonstrations of cruelty. He whipped, +but seemed to take no pleasure in it. He was called by the slaves a good +overseer. </p> <p> @@ -967,13 +954,13 @@ a seat in the American Congress, than a slave on one of the out-farms would be of his election to do errands at the Great House Farm. They regarded it as evidence of great confidence reposed in them by their overseers; and it was on this account, as well as a constant desire to be out of the field from under -the driver’s lash, that they esteemed it a high privilege, one worth -careful living for. He was called the smartest and most trusty fellow, who had -this honor conferred upon him the most frequently. The competitors for this -office sought as diligently to please their overseers, as the office-seekers in -the political parties seek to please and deceive the people. The same traits of -character might be seen in Colonel Lloyd’s slaves, as are seen in the -slaves of the political parties. +the driver’s lash, that they esteemed it a high privilege, one worth careful +living for. He was called the smartest and most trusty fellow, who had this +honor conferred upon him the most frequently. The competitors for this office +sought as diligently to please their overseers, as the office-seekers in the +political parties seek to please and deceive the people. The same traits of +character might be seen in Colonel Lloyd’s slaves, as are seen in the slaves of +the political parties. </p> <p> @@ -982,18 +969,17 @@ for themselves and their fellow-slaves, were peculiarly enthusiastic. While on their way, they would make the dense old woods, for miles around, reverberate with their wild songs, revealing at once the highest joy and the deepest sadness. They would compose and sing as they went along, consulting neither -time nor tune. The thought that came up, came out—if not in the word, in -the sound;—and as frequently in the one as in the other. They would -sometimes sing the most pathetic sentiment in the most rapturous tone, and the -most rapturous sentiment in the most pathetic tone. Into all of their songs -they would manage to weave something of the Great House Farm. Especially would -they do this, when leaving home. They would then sing most exultingly the -following words:— +time nor tune. The thought that came up, came out—if not in the word, in the +sound;—and as frequently in the one as in the other. They would sometimes sing +the most pathetic sentiment in the most rapturous tone, and the most rapturous +sentiment in the most pathetic tone. Into all of their songs they would manage +to weave something of the Great House Farm. Especially would they do this, when +leaving home. They would then sing most exultingly the following words:— </p> <p class="poem"> -“I am going away to the Great House Farm!<br /> -O, yea! O, yea! O!” +“I am going away to the Great House Farm!<br/> +O, yea! O, yea! O!” </p> <p class="noindent"> @@ -1020,11 +1006,10 @@ trace my first glimmering conception of the dehumanizing character of slavery. I can never get rid of that conception. Those songs still follow me, to deepen my hatred of slavery, and quicken my sympathies for my brethren in bonds. If any one wishes to be impressed with the soul-killing effects of slavery, let -him go to Colonel Lloyd’s plantation, and, on allowance-day, place -himself in the deep pine woods, and there let him, in silence, analyze the -sounds that shall pass through the chambers of his soul,—and if he is not -thus impressed, it will only be because “there is no flesh in his -obdurate heart.” +him go to Colonel Lloyd’s plantation, and, on allowance-day, place himself in +the deep pine woods, and there let him, in silence, analyze the sounds that +shall pass through the chambers of his soul,—and if he is not thus impressed, +it will only be because “there is no flesh in his obdurate heart.” </p> <p> @@ -1045,27 +1030,27 @@ the songs of the one and of the other are prompted by the same emotion. <div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="link2HCH0003" id="link2HCH0003"></a> CHAPTER III</h2> +<h2><a name="link2HCH0003"></a>CHAPTER III</h2> <p> Colonel Lloyd kept a large and finely cultivated garden, which afforded almost -constant employment for four men, besides the chief gardener, (Mr. -M’Durmond.) This garden was probably the greatest attraction of the -place. During the summer months, people came from far and near—from -Baltimore, Easton, and Annapolis—to see it. It abounded in fruits of -almost every description, from the hardy apple of the north to the delicate -orange of the south. This garden was not the least source of trouble on the -plantation. Its excellent fruit was quite a temptation to the hungry swarms of -boys, as well as the older slaves, belonging to the colonel, few of whom had -the virtue or the vice to resist it. Scarcely a day passed, during the summer, -but that some slave had to take the lash for stealing fruit. The colonel had to -resort to all kinds of stratagems to keep his slaves out of the garden. The -last and most successful one was that of tarring his fence all around; after -which, if a slave was caught with any tar upon his person, it was deemed -sufficient proof that he had either been into the garden, or had tried to get -in. In either case, he was severely whipped by the chief gardener. This plan -worked well; the slaves became as fearful of tar as of the lash. They seemed to -realize the impossibility of touching <i>tar</i> without being defiled. +constant employment for four men, besides the chief gardener, (Mr. M’Durmond.) +This garden was probably the greatest attraction of the place. During the +summer months, people came from far and near—from Baltimore, Easton, and +Annapolis—to see it. It abounded in fruits of almost every description, from +the hardy apple of the north to the delicate orange of the south. This garden +was not the least source of trouble on the plantation. Its excellent fruit was +quite a temptation to the hungry swarms of boys, as well as the older slaves, +belonging to the colonel, few of whom had the virtue or the vice to resist it. +Scarcely a day passed, during the summer, but that some slave had to take the +lash for stealing fruit. The colonel had to resort to all kinds of stratagems +to keep his slaves out of the garden. The last and most successful one was that +of tarring his fence all around; after which, if a slave was caught with any +tar upon his person, it was deemed sufficient proof that he had either been +into the garden, or had tried to get in. In either case, he was severely +whipped by the chief gardener. This plan worked well; the slaves became as +fearful of tar as of the lash. They seemed to realize the impossibility of +touching <i>tar</i> without being defiled. </p> <p> @@ -1077,40 +1062,39 @@ the most fashionable style. </p> <p> -This establishment was under the care of two slaves—old Barney and young -Barney—father and son. To attend to this establishment was their sole -work. But it was by no means an easy employment; for in nothing was Colonel -Lloyd more particular than in the management of his horses. The slightest -inattention to these was unpardonable, and was visited upon those, under whose -care they were placed, with the severest punishment; no excuse could shield -them, if the colonel only suspected any want of attention to his horses—a -supposition which he frequently indulged, and one which, of course, made the -office of old and young Barney a very trying one. They never knew when they -were safe from punishment. They were frequently whipped when least deserving, -and escaped whipping when most deserving it. Every thing depended upon the -looks of the horses, and the state of Colonel Lloyd’s own mind when his -horses were brought to him for use. If a horse did not move fast enough, or -hold his head high enough, it was owing to some fault of his keepers. It was -painful to stand near the stable-door, and hear the various complaints against -the keepers when a horse was taken out for use. “This horse has not had -proper attention. He has not been sufficiently rubbed and curried, or he has -not been properly fed; his food was too wet or too dry; he got it too soon or -too late; he was too hot or too cold; he had too much hay, and not enough of -grain; or he had too much grain, and not enough of hay; instead of old -Barney’s attending to the horse, he had very improperly left it to his -son.” To all these complaints, no matter how unjust, the slave must -answer never a word. Colonel Lloyd could not brook any contradiction from a -slave. When he spoke, a slave must stand, listen, and tremble; and such was -literally the case. I have seen Colonel Lloyd make old Barney, a man between -fifty and sixty years of age, uncover his bald head, kneel down upon the cold, -damp ground, and receive upon his naked and toil-worn shoulders more than -thirty lashes at the time. Colonel Lloyd had three sons—Edward, Murray, -and Daniel,—and three sons-in-law, Mr. Winder, Mr. Nicholson, and Mr. -Lowndes. All of these lived at the Great House Farm, and enjoyed the luxury of -whipping the servants when they pleased, from old Barney down to William -Wilkes, the coach-driver. I have seen Winder make one of the house-servants -stand off from him a suitable distance to be touched with the end of his whip, -and at every stroke raise great ridges upon his back. +This establishment was under the care of two slaves—old Barney and young +Barney—father and son. To attend to this establishment was their sole work. But +it was by no means an easy employment; for in nothing was Colonel Lloyd more +particular than in the management of his horses. The slightest inattention to +these was unpardonable, and was visited upon those, under whose care they were +placed, with the severest punishment; no excuse could shield them, if the +colonel only suspected any want of attention to his horses—a supposition which +he frequently indulged, and one which, of course, made the office of old and +young Barney a very trying one. They never knew when they were safe from +punishment. They were frequently whipped when least deserving, and escaped +whipping when most deserving it. Every thing depended upon the looks of the +horses, and the state of Colonel Lloyd’s own mind when his horses were brought +to him for use. If a horse did not move fast enough, or hold his head high +enough, it was owing to some fault of his keepers. It was painful to stand near +the stable-door, and hear the various complaints against the keepers when a +horse was taken out for use. “This horse has not had proper attention. He has +not been sufficiently rubbed and curried, or he has not been properly fed; his +food was too wet or too dry; he got it too soon or too late; he was too hot or +too cold; he had too much hay, and not enough of grain; or he had too much +grain, and not enough of hay; instead of old Barney’s attending to the horse, +he had very improperly left it to his son.” To all these complaints, no matter +how unjust, the slave must answer never a word. Colonel Lloyd could not brook +any contradiction from a slave. When he spoke, a slave must stand, listen, and +tremble; and such was literally the case. I have seen Colonel Lloyd make old +Barney, a man between fifty and sixty years of age, uncover his bald head, +kneel down upon the cold, damp ground, and receive upon his naked and toil-worn +shoulders more than thirty lashes at the time. Colonel Lloyd had three +sons—Edward, Murray, and Daniel,—and three sons-in-law, Mr. Winder, Mr. +Nicholson, and Mr. Lowndes. All of these lived at the Great House Farm, and +enjoyed the luxury of whipping the servants when they pleased, from old Barney +down to William Wilkes, the coach-driver. I have seen Winder make one of the +house-servants stand off from him a suitable distance to be touched with the +end of his whip, and at every stroke raise great ridges upon his back. </p> <p> @@ -1121,12 +1105,10 @@ Lloyd owned so many that he did not know them when he saw them; nor did all the slaves of the out-farms know him. It is reported of him, that, while riding along the road one day, he met a colored man, and addressed him in the usual manner of speaking to colored people on the public highways of the south: -“Well, boy, whom do you belong to?” “To Colonel Lloyd,” -replied the slave. “Well, does the colonel treat you well?” -“No, sir,” was the ready reply. “What, does he work you too -hard?” “Yes, sir.” “Well, don’t he give you -enough to eat?” “Yes, sir, he gives me enough, such as it -is.” +“Well, boy, whom do you belong to?” “To Colonel Lloyd,” replied the slave. +“Well, does the colonel treat you well?” “No, sir,” was the ready reply. “What, +does he work you too hard?” “Yes, sir.” “Well, don’t he give you enough to +eat?” “Yes, sir, he gives me enough, such as it is.” </p> <p> @@ -1135,11 +1117,11 @@ went on about his business, not dreaming that he had been conversing with his master. He thought, said, and heard nothing more of the matter, until two or three weeks afterwards. The poor man was then informed by his overseer that, for having found fault with his master, he was now to be sold to a Georgia -trader. He was immediately chained and handcuffed; and thus, without a -moment’s warning, he was snatched away, and forever sundered, from his -family and friends, by a hand more unrelenting than death. This is the penalty -of telling the truth, of telling the simple truth, in answer to a series of -plain questions. +trader. He was immediately chained and handcuffed; and thus, without a moment’s +warning, he was snatched away, and forever sundered, from his family and +friends, by a hand more unrelenting than death. This is the penalty of telling +the truth, of telling the simple truth, in answer to a series of plain +questions. </p> <p> @@ -1151,9 +1133,9 @@ feelings in regard to their condition. The frequency of this has had the effect to establish among the slaves the maxim, that a still tongue makes a wise head. They suppress the truth rather than take the consequences of telling it, and in so doing prove themselves a part of the human family. If they have any thing to -say of their masters, it is generally in their masters’ favor, especially -when speaking to an untried man. I have been frequently asked, when a slave, if -I had a kind master, and do not remember ever to have given a negative answer; +say of their masters, it is generally in their masters’ favor, especially when +speaking to an untried man. I have been frequently asked, when a slave, if I +had a kind master, and do not remember ever to have given a negative answer; nor did I, in pursuing this course, consider myself as uttering what was absolutely false; for I always measured the kindness of my master by the standard of kindness set up among slaveholders around us. Moreover, slaves are @@ -1165,23 +1147,23 @@ uncommon for slaves even to fall out and quarrel among themselves about the relative goodness of their masters, each contending for the superior goodness of his own over that of the others. At the very same time, they mutually execrate their masters when viewed separately. It was so on our plantation. -When Colonel Lloyd’s slaves met the slaves of Jacob Jepson, they seldom -parted without a quarrel about their masters; Colonel Lloyd’s slaves -contending that he was the richest, and Mr. Jepson’s slaves that he was -the smartest, and most of a man. Colonel Lloyd’s slaves would boast his -ability to buy and sell Jacob Jepson. Mr. Jepson’s slaves would boast his -ability to whip Colonel Lloyd. These quarrels would almost always end in a -fight between the parties, and those that whipped were supposed to have gained -the point at issue. They seemed to think that the greatness of their masters -was transferable to themselves. It was considered as being bad enough to be a -slave; but to be a poor man’s slave was deemed a disgrace indeed! +When Colonel Lloyd’s slaves met the slaves of Jacob Jepson, they seldom parted +without a quarrel about their masters; Colonel Lloyd’s slaves contending that +he was the richest, and Mr. Jepson’s slaves that he was the smartest, and most +of a man. Colonel Lloyd’s slaves would boast his ability to buy and sell Jacob +Jepson. Mr. Jepson’s slaves would boast his ability to whip Colonel Lloyd. +These quarrels would almost always end in a fight between the parties, and +those that whipped were supposed to have gained the point at issue. They seemed +to think that the greatness of their masters was transferable to themselves. It +was considered as being bad enough to be a slave; but to be a poor man’s slave +was deemed a disgrace indeed! </p> </div><!--end chapter--> <div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="link2HCH0004" id="link2HCH0004"></a> CHAPTER IV</h2> +<h2><a name="link2HCH0004"></a>CHAPTER IV</h2> <p> Mr. Hopkins remained but a short time in the office of overseer. Why his career @@ -1201,24 +1183,23 @@ seemed to be perfectly at home in it. He was one of those who could torture the slightest look, word, or gesture, on the part of the slave, into impudence, and would treat it accordingly. There must be no answering back to him; no explanation was allowed a slave, showing himself to have been wrongfully -accused. Mr. Gore acted fully up to the maxim laid down by -slaveholders,—“It is better that a dozen slaves should suffer under -the lash, than that the overseer should be convicted, in the presence of the -slaves, of having been at fault.” No matter how innocent a slave might -be—it availed him nothing, when accused by Mr. Gore of any misdemeanor. -To be accused was to be convicted, and to be convicted was to be punished; the -one always following the other with immutable certainty. To escape punishment -was to escape accusation; and few slaves had the fortune to do either, under -the overseership of Mr. Gore. He was just proud enough to demand the most -debasing homage of the slave, and quite servile enough to crouch, himself, at -the feet of the master. He was ambitious enough to be contented with nothing -short of the highest rank of overseers, and persevering enough to reach the -height of his ambition. He was cruel enough to inflict the severest punishment, -artful enough to descend to the lowest trickery, and obdurate enough to be -insensible to the voice of a reproving conscience. He was, of all the -overseers, the most dreaded by the slaves. His presence was painful; his eye -flashed confusion; and seldom was his sharp, shrill voice heard, without -producing horror and trembling in their ranks. +accused. Mr. Gore acted fully up to the maxim laid down by slaveholders,—“It is +better that a dozen slaves should suffer under the lash, than that the overseer +should be convicted, in the presence of the slaves, of having been at fault.” +No matter how innocent a slave might be—it availed him nothing, when accused by +Mr. Gore of any misdemeanor. To be accused was to be convicted, and to be +convicted was to be punished; the one always following the other with immutable +certainty. To escape punishment was to escape accusation; and few slaves had +the fortune to do either, under the overseership of Mr. Gore. He was just proud +enough to demand the most debasing homage of the slave, and quite servile +enough to crouch, himself, at the feet of the master. He was ambitious enough +to be contented with nothing short of the highest rank of overseers, and +persevering enough to reach the height of his ambition. He was cruel enough to +inflict the severest punishment, artful enough to descend to the lowest +trickery, and obdurate enough to be insensible to the voice of a reproving +conscience. He was, of all the overseers, the most dreaded by the slaves. His +presence was painful; his eye flashed confusion; and seldom was his sharp, +shrill voice heard, without producing horror and trembling in their ranks. </p> <p> @@ -1238,17 +1219,17 @@ coolness. <p> His savage barbarity was equalled only by the consummate coolness with which he committed the grossest and most savage deeds upon the slaves under his charge. -Mr. Gore once undertook to whip one of Colonel Lloyd’s slaves, by the -name of Demby. He had given Demby but few stripes, when, to get rid of the -scourging, he ran and plunged himself into a creek, and stood there at the -depth of his shoulders, refusing to come out. Mr. Gore told him that he would -give him three calls, and that, if he did not come out at the third call, he -would shoot him. The first call was given. Demby made no response, but stood -his ground. The second and third calls were given with the same result. Mr. -Gore then, without consultation or deliberation with any one, not even giving -Demby an additional call, raised his musket to his face, taking deadly aim at -his standing victim, and in an instant poor Demby was no more. His mangled body -sank out of sight, and blood and brains marked the water where he had stood. +Mr. Gore once undertook to whip one of Colonel Lloyd’s slaves, by the name of +Demby. He had given Demby but few stripes, when, to get rid of the scourging, +he ran and plunged himself into a creek, and stood there at the depth of his +shoulders, refusing to come out. Mr. Gore told him that he would give him three +calls, and that, if he did not come out at the third call, he would shoot him. +The first call was given. Demby made no response, but stood his ground. The +second and third calls were given with the same result. Mr. Gore then, without +consultation or deliberation with any one, not even giving Demby an additional +call, raised his musket to his face, taking deadly aim at his standing victim, +and in an instant poor Demby was no more. His mangled body sank out of sight, +and blood and brains marked the water where he had stood. </p> <p> @@ -1256,70 +1237,69 @@ A thrill of horror flashed through every soul upon the plantation, excepting Mr. Gore. He alone seemed cool and collected. He was asked by Colonel Lloyd and my old master, why he resorted to this extraordinary expedient. His reply was, (as well as I can remember,) that Demby had become unmanageable. He was setting -a dangerous example to the other slaves,—one which, if suffered to pass -without some such demonstration on his part, would finally lead to the total -subversion of all rule and order upon the plantation. He argued that if one -slave refused to be corrected, and escaped with his life, the other slaves -would soon copy the example; the result of which would be, the freedom of the -slaves, and the enslavement of the whites. Mr. Gore’s defence was -satisfactory. He was continued in his station as overseer upon the home -plantation. His fame as an overseer went abroad. His horrid crime was not even -submitted to judicial investigation. It was committed in the presence of -slaves, and they of course could neither institute a suit, nor testify against -him; and thus the guilty perpetrator of one of the bloodiest and most foul -murders goes unwhipped of justice, and uncensured by the community in which he -lives. Mr. Gore lived in St. Michael’s, Talbot county, Maryland, when I -left there; and if he is still alive, he very probably lives there now; and if -so, he is now, as he was then, as highly esteemed and as much respected as -though his guilty soul had not been stained with his brother’s blood. -</p> - -<p> -I speak advisedly when I say this,—that killing a slave, or any colored -person, in Talbot county, Maryland, is not treated as a crime, either by the -courts or the community. Mr. Thomas Lanman, of St. Michael’s, killed two -slaves, one of whom he killed with a hatchet, by knocking his brains out. He -used to boast of the commission of the awful and bloody deed. I have heard him -do so laughingly, saying, among other things, that he was the only benefactor -of his country in the company, and that when others would do as much as he had -done, we should be relieved of “the d——d niggers.” +a dangerous example to the other slaves,—one which, if suffered to pass without +some such demonstration on his part, would finally lead to the total subversion +of all rule and order upon the plantation. He argued that if one slave refused +to be corrected, and escaped with his life, the other slaves would soon copy +the example; the result of which would be, the freedom of the slaves, and the +enslavement of the whites. Mr. Gore’s defence was satisfactory. He was +continued in his station as overseer upon the home plantation. His fame as an +overseer went abroad. His horrid crime was not even submitted to judicial +investigation. It was committed in the presence of slaves, and they of course +could neither institute a suit, nor testify against him; and thus the guilty +perpetrator of one of the bloodiest and most foul murders goes unwhipped of +justice, and uncensured by the community in which he lives. Mr. Gore lived in +St. Michael’s, Talbot county, Maryland, when I left there; and if he is still +alive, he very probably lives there now; and if so, he is now, as he was then, +as highly esteemed and as much respected as though his guilty soul had not been +stained with his brother’s blood. +</p> + +<p> +I speak advisedly when I say this,—that killing a slave, or any colored person, +in Talbot county, Maryland, is not treated as a crime, either by the courts or +the community. Mr. Thomas Lanman, of St. Michael’s, killed two slaves, one of +whom he killed with a hatchet, by knocking his brains out. He used to boast of +the commission of the awful and bloody deed. I have heard him do so laughingly, +saying, among other things, that he was the only benefactor of his country in +the company, and that when others would do as much as he had done, we should be +relieved of “the d——d niggers.” </p> <p> The wife of Mr. Giles Hicks, living but a short distance from where I used to -live, murdered my wife’s cousin, a young girl between fifteen and sixteen -years of age, mangling her person in the most horrible manner, breaking her -nose and breastbone with a stick, so that the poor girl expired in a few hours +live, murdered my wife’s cousin, a young girl between fifteen and sixteen years +of age, mangling her person in the most horrible manner, breaking her nose and +breastbone with a stick, so that the poor girl expired in a few hours afterward. She was immediately buried, but had not been in her untimely grave but a few hours before she was taken up and examined by the coroner, who decided that she had come to her death by severe beating. The offence for which -this girl was thus murdered was this:—She had been set that night to mind -Mrs. Hicks’s baby, and during the night she fell asleep, and the baby -cried. She, having lost her rest for several nights previous, did not hear the -crying. They were both in the room with Mrs. Hicks. Mrs. Hicks, finding the -girl slow to move, jumped from her bed, seized an oak stick of wood by the -fireplace, and with it broke the girl’s nose and breastbone, and thus -ended her life. I will not say that this most horrid murder produced no -sensation in the community. It did produce sensation, but not enough to bring -the murderess to punishment. There was a warrant issued for her arrest, but it -was never served. Thus she escaped not only punishment, but even the pain of -being arraigned before a court for her horrid crime. +this girl was thus murdered was this:—She had been set that night to mind Mrs. +Hicks’s baby, and during the night she fell asleep, and the baby cried. She, +having lost her rest for several nights previous, did not hear the crying. They +were both in the room with Mrs. Hicks. Mrs. Hicks, finding the girl slow to +move, jumped from her bed, seized an oak stick of wood by the fireplace, and +with it broke the girl’s nose and breastbone, and thus ended her life. I will +not say that this most horrid murder produced no sensation in the community. It +did produce sensation, but not enough to bring the murderess to punishment. +There was a warrant issued for her arrest, but it was never served. Thus she +escaped not only punishment, but even the pain of being arraigned before a +court for her horrid crime. </p> <p> Whilst I am detailing bloody deeds which took place during my stay on Colonel -Lloyd’s plantation, I will briefly narrate another, which occurred about -the same time as the murder of Demby by Mr. Gore. +Lloyd’s plantation, I will briefly narrate another, which occurred about the +same time as the murder of Demby by Mr. Gore. </p> <p> -Colonel Lloyd’s slaves were in the habit of spending a part of their -nights and Sundays in fishing for oysters, and in this way made up the -deficiency of their scanty allowance. An old man belonging to Colonel Lloyd, -while thus engaged, happened to get beyond the limits of Colonel Lloyd’s, -and on the premises of Mr. Beal Bondly. At this trespass, Mr. Bondly took -offence, and with his musket came down to the shore, and blew its deadly -contents into the poor old man. +Colonel Lloyd’s slaves were in the habit of spending a part of their nights and +Sundays in fishing for oysters, and in this way made up the deficiency of their +scanty allowance. An old man belonging to Colonel Lloyd, while thus engaged, +happened to get beyond the limits of Colonel Lloyd’s, and on the premises of +Mr. Beal Bondly. At this trespass, Mr. Bondly took offence, and with his musket +came down to the shore, and blew its deadly contents into the poor old man. </p> <p> @@ -1327,34 +1307,33 @@ Mr. Bondly came over to see Colonel Lloyd the next day, whether to pay him for his property, or to justify himself in what he had done, I know not. At any rate, this whole fiendish transaction was soon hushed up. There was very little said about it at all, and nothing done. It was a common saying, even among -little white boys, that it was worth a half-cent to kill a -“nigger,” and a half-cent to bury one. +little white boys, that it was worth a half-cent to kill a “nigger,” and a +half-cent to bury one. </p> </div><!--end chapter--> <div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="link2HCH0005" id="link2HCH0005"></a> CHAPTER V</h2> +<h2><a name="link2HCH0005"></a>CHAPTER V</h2> <p> -As to my own treatment while I lived on Colonel Lloyd’s plantation, it -was very similar to that of the other slave children. I was not old enough to -work in the field, and there being little else than field work to do, I had a -great deal of leisure time. The most I had to do was to drive up the cows at -evening, keep the fowls out of the garden, keep the front yard clean, and run -of errands for my old master’s daughter, Mrs. Lucretia Auld. The most of -my leisure time I spent in helping Master Daniel Lloyd in finding his birds, -after he had shot them. My connection with Master Daniel was of some advantage -to me. He became quite attached to me, and was a sort of protector of me. He -would not allow the older boys to impose upon me, and would divide his cakes -with me. +As to my own treatment while I lived on Colonel Lloyd’s plantation, it was very +similar to that of the other slave children. I was not old enough to work in +the field, and there being little else than field work to do, I had a great +deal of leisure time. The most I had to do was to drive up the cows at evening, +keep the fowls out of the garden, keep the front yard clean, and run of errands +for my old master’s daughter, Mrs. Lucretia Auld. The most of my leisure time I +spent in helping Master Daniel Lloyd in finding his birds, after he had shot +them. My connection with Master Daniel was of some advantage to me. He became +quite attached to me, and was a sort of protector of me. He would not allow the +older boys to impose upon me, and would divide his cakes with me. </p> <p> I was seldom whipped by my old master, and suffered little from any thing else than hunger and cold. I suffered much from hunger, but much more from cold. In -hottest summer and coldest winter, I was kept almost naked—no shoes, no +hottest summer and coldest winter, I was kept almost naked—no shoes, no stockings, no jacket, no trousers, nothing on but a coarse tow linen shirt, reaching only to my knees. I had no bed. I must have perished with cold, but that, the coldest nights, I used to steal a bag which was used for carrying @@ -1375,14 +1354,14 @@ few left the trough satisfied. </p> <p> -I was probably between seven and eight years old when I left Colonel -Lloyd’s plantation. I left it with joy. I shall never forget the ecstasy -with which I received the intelligence that my old master (Anthony) had -determined to let me go to Baltimore, to live with Mr. Hugh Auld, brother to my -old master’s son-in-law, Captain Thomas Auld. I received this information -about three days before my departure. They were three of the happiest days I -ever enjoyed. I spent the most part of all these three days in the creek, -washing off the plantation scurf, and preparing myself for my departure. +I was probably between seven and eight years old when I left Colonel Lloyd’s +plantation. I left it with joy. I shall never forget the ecstasy with which I +received the intelligence that my old master (Anthony) had determined to let me +go to Baltimore, to live with Mr. Hugh Auld, brother to my old master’s +son-in-law, Captain Thomas Auld. I received this information about three days +before my departure. They were three of the happiest days I ever enjoyed. I +spent the most part of all these three days in the creek, washing off the +plantation scurf, and preparing myself for my departure. </p> <p> @@ -1413,24 +1392,24 @@ should not have escaped any one of them by staying. Having already had more than a taste of them in the house of my old master, and having endured them there, I very naturally inferred my ability to endure them elsewhere, and especially at Baltimore; for I had something of the feeling about Baltimore -that is expressed in the proverb, that “being hanged in England is -preferable to dying a natural death in Ireland.” I had the strongest -desire to see Baltimore. Cousin Tom, though not fluent in speech, had inspired -me with that desire by his eloquent description of the place. I could never -point out any thing at the Great House, no matter how beautiful or powerful, -but that he had seen something at Baltimore far exceeding, both in beauty and -strength, the object which I pointed out to him. Even the Great House itself, -with all its pictures, was far inferior to many buildings in Baltimore. So -strong was my desire, that I thought a gratification of it would fully -compensate for whatever loss of comforts I should sustain by the exchange. I -left without a regret, and with the highest hopes of future happiness. +that is expressed in the proverb, that “being hanged in England is preferable +to dying a natural death in Ireland.” I had the strongest desire to see +Baltimore. Cousin Tom, though not fluent in speech, had inspired me with that +desire by his eloquent description of the place. I could never point out any +thing at the Great House, no matter how beautiful or powerful, but that he had +seen something at Baltimore far exceeding, both in beauty and strength, the +object which I pointed out to him. Even the Great House itself, with all its +pictures, was far inferior to many buildings in Baltimore. So strong was my +desire, that I thought a gratification of it would fully compensate for +whatever loss of comforts I should sustain by the exchange. I left without a +regret, and with the highest hopes of future happiness. </p> <p> We sailed out of Miles River for Baltimore on a Saturday morning. I remember only the day of the week, for at that time I had no knowledge of the days of the month, nor the months of the year. On setting sail, I walked aft, and gave -to Colonel Lloyd’s plantation what I hoped would be the last look. I then +to Colonel Lloyd’s plantation what I hoped would be the last look. I then placed myself in the bows of the sloop, and there spent the remainder of the day in looking ahead, interesting myself in what was in the distance rather than in things near by or behind. @@ -1441,16 +1420,16 @@ In the afternoon of that day, we reached Annapolis, the capital of the State. We stopped but a few moments, so that I had no time to go on shore. It was the first large town that I had ever seen, and though it would look small compared with some of our New England factory villages, I thought it a wonderful place -for its size—more imposing even than the Great House Farm! +for its size—more imposing even than the Great House Farm! </p> <p> -We arrived at Baltimore early on Sunday morning, landing at Smith’s -Wharf, not far from Bowley’s Wharf. We had on board the sloop a large -flock of sheep; and after aiding in driving them to the slaughterhouse of Mr. -Curtis on Louden Slater’s Hill, I was conducted by Rich, one of the hands -belonging on board of the sloop, to my new home in Alliciana Street, near Mr. -Gardner’s ship-yard, on Fells Point. +We arrived at Baltimore early on Sunday morning, landing at Smith’s Wharf, not +far from Bowley’s Wharf. We had on board the sloop a large flock of sheep; and +after aiding in driving them to the slaughterhouse of Mr. Curtis on Louden +Slater’s Hill, I was conducted by Rich, one of the hands belonging on board of +the sloop, to my new home in Alliciana Street, near Mr. Gardner’s ship-yard, on +Fells Point. </p> <p> @@ -1460,15 +1439,15 @@ never seen before; it was a white face beaming with the most kindly emotions; it was the face of my new mistress, Sophia Auld. I wish I could describe the rapture that flashed through my soul as I beheld it. It was a new and strange sight to me, brightening up my pathway with the light of happiness. Little -Thomas was told, there was his Freddy,—and I was told to take care of -little Thomas; and thus I entered upon the duties of my new home with the most +Thomas was told, there was his Freddy,—and I was told to take care of little +Thomas; and thus I entered upon the duties of my new home with the most cheering prospect ahead. </p> <p> -I look upon my departure from Colonel Lloyd’s plantation as one of the -most interesting events of my life. It is possible, and even quite probable, -that but for the mere circumstance of being removed from that plantation to +I look upon my departure from Colonel Lloyd’s plantation as one of the most +interesting events of my life. It is possible, and even quite probable, that +but for the mere circumstance of being removed from that plantation to Baltimore, I should have to-day, instead of being here seated by my own table, in the enjoyment of freedom and the happiness of home, writing this Narrative, been confined in the galling chains of slavery. Going to live at Baltimore laid @@ -1499,25 +1478,24 @@ praise. <div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="link2HCH0006" id="link2HCH0006"></a> CHAPTER VI</h2> +<h2><a name="link2HCH0006"></a>CHAPTER VI</h2> <p> My new mistress proved to be all she appeared when I first met her at the -door,—a woman of the kindest heart and finest feelings. She had never had -a slave under her control previously to myself, and prior to her marriage she -had been dependent upon her own industry for a living. She was by trade a -weaver; and by constant application to her business, she had been in a good -degree preserved from the blighting and dehumanizing effects of slavery. I was -utterly astonished at her goodness. I scarcely knew how to behave towards her. -She was entirely unlike any other white woman I had ever seen. I could not -approach her as I was accustomed to approach other white ladies. My early -instruction was all out of place. The crouching servility, usually so -acceptable a quality in a slave, did not answer when manifested toward her. Her -favor was not gained by it; she seemed to be disturbed by it. She did not deem -it impudent or unmannerly for a slave to look her in the face. The meanest -slave was put fully at ease in her presence, and none left without feeling -better for having seen her. Her face was made of heavenly smiles, and her voice -of tranquil music. +door,—a woman of the kindest heart and finest feelings. She had never had a +slave under her control previously to myself, and prior to her marriage she had +been dependent upon her own industry for a living. She was by trade a weaver; +and by constant application to her business, she had been in a good degree +preserved from the blighting and dehumanizing effects of slavery. I was utterly +astonished at her goodness. I scarcely knew how to behave towards her. She was +entirely unlike any other white woman I had ever seen. I could not approach her +as I was accustomed to approach other white ladies. My early instruction was +all out of place. The crouching servility, usually so acceptable a quality in a +slave, did not answer when manifested toward her. Her favor was not gained by +it; she seemed to be disturbed by it. She did not deem it impudent or +unmannerly for a slave to look her in the face. The meanest slave was put fully +at ease in her presence, and none left without feeling better for having seen +her. Her face was made of heavenly smiles, and her voice of tranquil music. </p> <p> @@ -1535,37 +1513,37 @@ learning to spell words of three or four letters. Just at this point of my progress, Mr. Auld found out what was going on, and at once forbade Mrs. Auld to instruct me further, telling her, among other things, that it was unlawful, as well as unsafe, to teach a slave to read. To use his own words, further, he -said, “If you give a nigger an inch, he will take an ell. A nigger should -know nothing but to obey his master—to do as he is told to do. Learning -would <i>spoil</i> the best nigger in the world. Now,” said he, “if -you teach that nigger (speaking of myself) how to read, there would be no -keeping him. It would forever unfit him to be a slave. He would at once become -unmanageable, and of no value to his master. As to himself, it could do him no -good, but a great deal of harm. It would make him discontented and -unhappy.” These words sank deep into my heart, stirred up sentiments -within that lay slumbering, and called into existence an entirely new train of -thought. It was a new and special revelation, explaining dark and mysterious -things, with which my youthful understanding had struggled, but struggled in -vain. I now understood what had been to me a most perplexing -difficulty—to wit, the white man’s power to enslave the black man. -It was a grand achievement, and I prized it highly. From that moment, I -understood the pathway from slavery to freedom. It was just what I wanted, and -I got it at a time when I the least expected it. Whilst I was saddened by the -thought of losing the aid of my kind mistress, I was gladdened by the -invaluable instruction which, by the merest accident, I had gained from my -master. Though conscious of the difficulty of learning without a teacher, I set -out with high hope, and a fixed purpose, at whatever cost of trouble, to learn -how to read. The very decided manner with which he spoke, and strove to impress -his wife with the evil consequences of giving me instruction, served to -convince me that he was deeply sensible of the truths he was uttering. It gave -me the best assurance that I might rely with the utmost confidence on the -results which, he said, would flow from teaching me to read. What he most -dreaded, that I most desired. What he most loved, that I most hated. That which -to him was a great evil, to be carefully shunned, was to me a great good, to be -diligently sought; and the argument which he so warmly urged, against my -learning to read, only served to inspire me with a desire and determination to -learn. In learning to read, I owe almost as much to the bitter opposition of my -master, as to the kindly aid of my mistress. I acknowledge the benefit of both. +said, “If you give a nigger an inch, he will take an ell. A nigger should know +nothing but to obey his master—to do as he is told to do. Learning would +<i>spoil</i> the best nigger in the world. Now,” said he, “if you teach that +nigger (speaking of myself) how to read, there would be no keeping him. It +would forever unfit him to be a slave. He would at once become unmanageable, +and of no value to his master. As to himself, it could do him no good, but a +great deal of harm. It would make him discontented and unhappy.” These words +sank deep into my heart, stirred up sentiments within that lay slumbering, and +called into existence an entirely new train of thought. It was a new and +special revelation, explaining dark and mysterious things, with which my +youthful understanding had struggled, but struggled in vain. I now understood +what had been to me a most perplexing difficulty—to wit, the white man’s power +to enslave the black man. It was a grand achievement, and I prized it highly. +From that moment, I understood the pathway from slavery to freedom. It was just +what I wanted, and I got it at a time when I the least expected it. Whilst I +was saddened by the thought of losing the aid of my kind mistress, I was +gladdened by the invaluable instruction which, by the merest accident, I had +gained from my master. Though conscious of the difficulty of learning without a +teacher, I set out with high hope, and a fixed purpose, at whatever cost of +trouble, to learn how to read. The very decided manner with which he spoke, and +strove to impress his wife with the evil consequences of giving me instruction, +served to convince me that he was deeply sensible of the truths he was +uttering. It gave me the best assurance that I might rely with the utmost +confidence on the results which, he said, would flow from teaching me to read. +What he most dreaded, that I most desired. What he most loved, that I most +hated. That which to him was a great evil, to be carefully shunned, was to me a +great good, to be diligently sought; and the argument which he so warmly urged, +against my learning to read, only served to inspire me with a desire and +determination to learn. In learning to read, I owe almost as much to the bitter +opposition of my master, as to the kindly aid of my mistress. I acknowledge the +benefit of both. </p> <p> @@ -1591,29 +1569,28 @@ unmoved. The head, neck, and shoulders of Mary were literally cut to pieces. I have frequently felt her head, and found it nearly covered with festering sores, caused by the lash of her cruel mistress. I do not know that her master ever whipped her, but I have been an eye-witness to the cruelty of Mrs. -Hamilton. I used to be in Mr. Hamilton’s house nearly every day. Mrs. -Hamilton used to sit in a large chair in the middle of the room, with a heavy -cowskin always by her side, and scarce an hour passed during the day but was -marked by the blood of one of these slaves. The girls seldom passed her without -her saying, “Move faster, you <i>black gip!</i>” at the same time -giving them a blow with the cowskin over the head or shoulders, often drawing -the blood. She would then say, “Take that, you <i>black gip!</i>” -continuing, “If you don’t move faster, I’ll move you!” -Added to the cruel lashings to which these slaves were subjected, they were -kept nearly half-starved. They seldom knew what it was to eat a full meal. I -have seen Mary contending with the pigs for the offal thrown into the street. -So much was Mary kicked and cut to pieces, that she was oftener called -“<i>pecked</i>” than by her name. +Hamilton. I used to be in Mr. Hamilton’s house nearly every day. Mrs. Hamilton +used to sit in a large chair in the middle of the room, with a heavy cowskin +always by her side, and scarce an hour passed during the day but was marked by +the blood of one of these slaves. The girls seldom passed her without her +saying, “Move faster, you <i>black gip!</i>” at the same time giving them a +blow with the cowskin over the head or shoulders, often drawing the blood. She +would then say, “Take that, you <i>black gip!</i>” continuing, “If you don’t +move faster, I’ll move you!” Added to the cruel lashings to which these slaves +were subjected, they were kept nearly half-starved. They seldom knew what it +was to eat a full meal. I have seen Mary contending with the pigs for the offal +thrown into the street. So much was Mary kicked and cut to pieces, that she was +oftener called “<i>pecked</i>” than by her name. </p> </div><!--end chapter--> <div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="link2HCH0007" id="link2HCH0007"></a> CHAPTER VII</h2> +<h2><a name="link2HCH0007"></a>CHAPTER VII</h2> <p> -I lived in Master Hugh’s family about seven years. During this time, I +I lived in Master Hugh’s family about seven years. During this time, I succeeded in learning to read and write. In accomplishing this, I was compelled to resort to various stratagems. I had no regular teacher. My mistress, who had kindly commenced to instruct me, had, in compliance with the advice and @@ -1640,13 +1617,13 @@ every mourner that came within her reach. Slavery soon proved its ability to divest her of these heavenly qualities. Under its influence, the tender heart became stone, and the lamblike disposition gave way to one of tiger-like fierceness. The first step in her downward course was in her ceasing to -instruct me. She now commenced to practise her husband’s precepts. She -finally became even more violent in her opposition than her husband himself. -She was not satisfied with simply doing as well as he had commanded; she seemed -anxious to do better. Nothing seemed to make her more angry than to see me with -a newspaper. She seemed to think that here lay the danger. I have had her rush -at me with a face made all up of fury, and snatch from me a newspaper, in a -manner that fully revealed her apprehension. She was an apt woman; and a little +instruct me. She now commenced to practise her husband’s precepts. She finally +became even more violent in her opposition than her husband himself. She was +not satisfied with simply doing as well as he had commanded; she seemed anxious +to do better. Nothing seemed to make her more angry than to see me with a +newspaper. She seemed to think that here lay the danger. I have had her rush at +me with a face made all up of fury, and snatch from me a newspaper, in a manner +that fully revealed her apprehension. She was an apt woman; and a little experience soon demonstrated, to her satisfaction, that education and slavery were incompatible with each other. </p> @@ -1673,68 +1650,67 @@ regard than many of the poor white children in our neighborhood. This bread I used to bestow upon the hungry little urchins, who, in return, would give me that more valuable bread of knowledge. I am strongly tempted to give the names of two or three of those little boys, as a testimonial of the gratitude and -affection I bear them; but prudence forbids;—not that it would injure me, -but it might embarrass them; for it is almost an unpardonable offence to teach +affection I bear them; but prudence forbids;—not that it would injure me, but +it might embarrass them; for it is almost an unpardonable offence to teach slaves to read in this Christian country. It is enough to say of the dear little fellows, that they lived on Philpot Street, very near Durgin and -Bailey’s ship-yard. I used to talk this matter of slavery over with them. -I would sometimes say to them, I wished I could be as free as they would be -when they got to be men. “You will be free as soon as you are twenty-one, -<i>but I am a slave for life!</i> Have not I as good a right to be free as you -have?” These words used to trouble them; they would express for me the -liveliest sympathy, and console me with the hope that something would occur by -which I might be free. +Bailey’s ship-yard. I used to talk this matter of slavery over with them. I +would sometimes say to them, I wished I could be as free as they would be when +they got to be men. “You will be free as soon as you are twenty-one, <i>but I +am a slave for life!</i> Have not I as good a right to be free as you have?” +These words used to trouble them; they would express for me the liveliest +sympathy, and console me with the hope that something would occur by which I +might be free. </p> <p> I was now about twelve years old, and the thought of being <i>a slave for life</i> began to bear heavily upon my heart. Just about this time, I got hold -of a book entitled “The Columbian Orator.” Every opportunity I got, -I used to read this book. Among much of other interesting matter, I found in it -a dialogue between a master and his slave. The slave was represented as having +of a book entitled “The Columbian Orator.” Every opportunity I got, I used to +read this book. Among much of other interesting matter, I found in it a +dialogue between a master and his slave. The slave was represented as having run away from his master three times. The dialogue represented the conversation which took place between them, when the slave was retaken the third time. In this dialogue, the whole argument in behalf of slavery was brought forward by the master, all of which was disposed of by the slave. The slave was made to -say some very smart as well as impressive things in reply to his -master—things which had the desired though unexpected effect; for the -conversation resulted in the voluntary emancipation of the slave on the part of -the master. -</p> - -<p> -In the same book, I met with one of Sheridan’s mighty speeches on and in -behalf of Catholic emancipation. These were choice documents to me. I read them -over and over again with unabated interest. They gave tongue to interesting -thoughts of my own soul, which had frequently flashed through my mind, and died -away for want of utterance. The moral which I gained from the dialogue was the -power of truth over the conscience of even a slaveholder. What I got from -Sheridan was a bold denunciation of slavery, and a powerful vindication of -human rights. The reading of these documents enabled me to utter my thoughts, -and to meet the arguments brought forward to sustain slavery; but while they -relieved me of one difficulty, they brought on another even more painful than -the one of which I was relieved. The more I read, the more I was led to abhor -and detest my enslavers. I could regard them in no other light than a band of -successful robbers, who had left their homes, and gone to Africa, and stolen us -from our homes, and in a strange land reduced us to slavery. I loathed them as -being the meanest as well as the most wicked of men. As I read and contemplated -the subject, behold! that very discontentment which Master Hugh had predicted -would follow my learning to read had already come, to torment and sting my soul -to unutterable anguish. As I writhed under it, I would at times feel that -learning to read had been a curse rather than a blessing. It had given me a -view of my wretched condition, without the remedy. It opened my eyes to the -horrible pit, but to no ladder upon which to get out. In moments of agony, I -envied my fellow-slaves for their stupidity. I have often wished myself a -beast. I preferred the condition of the meanest reptile to my own. Any thing, -no matter what, to get rid of thinking! It was this everlasting thinking of my -condition that tormented me. There was no getting rid of it. It was pressed -upon me by every object within sight or hearing, animate or inanimate. The -silver trump of freedom had roused my soul to eternal wakefulness. Freedom now -appeared, to disappear no more forever. It was heard in every sound, and seen -in every thing. It was ever present to torment me with a sense of my wretched -condition. I saw nothing without seeing it, I heard nothing without hearing it, -and felt nothing without feeling it. It looked from every star, it smiled in -every calm, breathed in every wind, and moved in every storm. +say some very smart as well as impressive things in reply to his master—things +which had the desired though unexpected effect; for the conversation resulted +in the voluntary emancipation of the slave on the part of the master. +</p> + +<p> +In the same book, I met with one of Sheridan’s mighty speeches on and in behalf +of Catholic emancipation. These were choice documents to me. I read them over +and over again with unabated interest. They gave tongue to interesting thoughts +of my own soul, which had frequently flashed through my mind, and died away for +want of utterance. The moral which I gained from the dialogue was the power of +truth over the conscience of even a slaveholder. What I got from Sheridan was a +bold denunciation of slavery, and a powerful vindication of human rights. The +reading of these documents enabled me to utter my thoughts, and to meet the +arguments brought forward to sustain slavery; but while they relieved me of one +difficulty, they brought on another even more painful than the one of which I +was relieved. The more I read, the more I was led to abhor and detest my +enslavers. I could regard them in no other light than a band of successful +robbers, who had left their homes, and gone to Africa, and stolen us from our +homes, and in a strange land reduced us to slavery. I loathed them as being the +meanest as well as the most wicked of men. As I read and contemplated the +subject, behold! that very discontentment which Master Hugh had predicted would +follow my learning to read had already come, to torment and sting my soul to +unutterable anguish. As I writhed under it, I would at times feel that learning +to read had been a curse rather than a blessing. It had given me a view of my +wretched condition, without the remedy. It opened my eyes to the horrible pit, +but to no ladder upon which to get out. In moments of agony, I envied my +fellow-slaves for their stupidity. I have often wished myself a beast. I +preferred the condition of the meanest reptile to my own. Any thing, no matter +what, to get rid of thinking! It was this everlasting thinking of my condition +that tormented me. There was no getting rid of it. It was pressed upon me by +every object within sight or hearing, animate or inanimate. The silver trump of +freedom had roused my soul to eternal wakefulness. Freedom now appeared, to +disappear no more forever. It was heard in every sound, and seen in every +thing. It was ever present to torment me with a sense of my wretched condition. +I saw nothing without seeing it, I heard nothing without hearing it, and felt +nothing without feeling it. It looked from every star, it smiled in every calm, +breathed in every wind, and moved in every storm. </p> <p> @@ -1749,79 +1725,76 @@ succeeded in getting clear, or if a slave killed his master, set fire to a barn, or did any thing very wrong in the mind of a slaveholder, it was spoken of as the fruit of <i>abolition.</i> Hearing the word in this connection very often, I set about learning what it meant. The dictionary afforded me little or -no help. I found it was “the act of abolishing;” but then I did not -know what was to be abolished. Here I was perplexed. I did not dare to ask any -one about its meaning, for I was satisfied that it was something they wanted me -to know very little about. After a patient waiting, I got one of our city -papers, containing an account of the number of petitions from the north, -praying for the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia, and of the -slave trade between the States. From this time I understood the words -<i>abolition</i> and <i>abolitionist,</i> and always drew near when that word -was spoken, expecting to hear something of importance to myself and -fellow-slaves. The light broke in upon me by degrees. I went one day down on -the wharf of Mr. Waters; and seeing two Irishmen unloading a scow of stone, I -went, unasked, and helped them. When we had finished, one of them came to me -and asked me if I were a slave. I told him I was. He asked, “Are ye a -slave for life?” I told him that I was. The good Irishman seemed to be -deeply affected by the statement. He said to the other that it was a pity so -fine a little fellow as myself should be a slave for life. He said it was a -shame to hold me. They both advised me to run away to the north; that I should -find friends there, and that I should be free. I pretended not to be interested -in what they said, and treated them as if I did not understand them; for I -feared they might be treacherous. White men have been known to encourage slaves -to escape, and then, to get the reward, catch them and return them to their -masters. I was afraid that these seemingly good men might use me so; but I -nevertheless remembered their advice, and from that time I resolved to run -away. I looked forward to a time at which it would be safe for me to escape. I -was too young to think of doing so immediately; besides, I wished to learn how -to write, as I might have occasion to write my own pass. I consoled myself with -the hope that I should one day find a good chance. Meanwhile, I would learn to -write. +no help. I found it was “the act of abolishing;” but then I did not know what +was to be abolished. Here I was perplexed. I did not dare to ask any one about +its meaning, for I was satisfied that it was something they wanted me to know +very little about. After a patient waiting, I got one of our city papers, +containing an account of the number of petitions from the north, praying for +the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia, and of the slave trade +between the States. From this time I understood the words <i>abolition</i> and +<i>abolitionist,</i> and always drew near when that word was spoken, expecting +to hear something of importance to myself and fellow-slaves. The light broke in +upon me by degrees. I went one day down on the wharf of Mr. Waters; and seeing +two Irishmen unloading a scow of stone, I went, unasked, and helped them. When +we had finished, one of them came to me and asked me if I were a slave. I told +him I was. He asked, “Are ye a slave for life?” I told him that I was. The good +Irishman seemed to be deeply affected by the statement. He said to the other +that it was a pity so fine a little fellow as myself should be a slave for +life. He said it was a shame to hold me. They both advised me to run away to +the north; that I should find friends there, and that I should be free. I +pretended not to be interested in what they said, and treated them as if I did +not understand them; for I feared they might be treacherous. White men have +been known to encourage slaves to escape, and then, to get the reward, catch +them and return them to their masters. I was afraid that these seemingly good +men might use me so; but I nevertheless remembered their advice, and from that +time I resolved to run away. I looked forward to a time at which it would be +safe for me to escape. I was too young to think of doing so immediately; +besides, I wished to learn how to write, as I might have occasion to write my +own pass. I consoled myself with the hope that I should one day find a good +chance. Meanwhile, I would learn to write. </p> <p> The idea as to how I might learn to write was suggested to me by being in -Durgin and Bailey’s ship-yard, and frequently seeing the ship carpenters, -after hewing, and getting a piece of timber ready for use, write on the timber -the name of that part of the ship for which it was intended. When a piece of -timber was intended for the larboard side, it would be marked -thus—“L.” When a piece was for the starboard side, it would -be marked thus—“S.” A piece for the larboard side forward, -would be marked thus—“L. F.” When a piece was for starboard -side forward, it would be marked thus—“S. F.” For larboard -aft, it would be marked thus—“L. A.” For starboard aft, it -would be marked thus—“S. A.” I soon learned the names of -these letters, and for what they were intended when placed upon a piece of -timber in the ship-yard. I immediately commenced copying them, and in a short -time was able to make the four letters named. After that, when I met with any -boy who I knew could write, I would tell him I could write as well as he. The -next word would be, “I don’t believe you. Let me see you try -it.” I would then make the letters which I had been so fortunate as to -learn, and ask him to beat that. In this way I got a good many lessons in -writing, which it is quite possible I should never have gotten in any other -way. During this time, my copy-book was the board fence, brick wall, and -pavement; my pen and ink was a lump of chalk. With these, I learned mainly how -to write. I then commenced and continued copying the Italics in Webster’s -Spelling Book, until I could make them all without looking on the book. By this -time, my little Master Thomas had gone to school, and learned how to write, and -had written over a number of copy-books. These had been brought home, and shown -to some of our near neighbors, and then laid aside. My mistress used to go to -class meeting at the Wilk Street meetinghouse every Monday afternoon, and leave -me to take care of the house. When left thus, I used to spend the time in -writing in the spaces left in Master Thomas’s copy-book, copying what he -had written. I continued to do this until I could write a hand very similar to -that of Master Thomas. Thus, after a long, tedious effort for years, I finally -succeeded in learning how to write. +Durgin and Bailey’s ship-yard, and frequently seeing the ship carpenters, after +hewing, and getting a piece of timber ready for use, write on the timber the +name of that part of the ship for which it was intended. When a piece of timber +was intended for the larboard side, it would be marked thus—“L.” When a piece +was for the starboard side, it would be marked thus—“S.” A piece for the +larboard side forward, would be marked thus—“L. F.” When a piece was for +starboard side forward, it would be marked thus—“S. F.” For larboard aft, it +would be marked thus—“L. A.” For starboard aft, it would be marked thus—“S. A.” +I soon learned the names of these letters, and for what they were intended when +placed upon a piece of timber in the ship-yard. I immediately commenced copying +them, and in a short time was able to make the four letters named. After that, +when I met with any boy who I knew could write, I would tell him I could write +as well as he. The next word would be, “I don’t believe you. Let me see you try +it.” I would then make the letters which I had been so fortunate as to learn, +and ask him to beat that. In this way I got a good many lessons in writing, +which it is quite possible I should never have gotten in any other way. During +this time, my copy-book was the board fence, brick wall, and pavement; my pen +and ink was a lump of chalk. With these, I learned mainly how to write. I then +commenced and continued copying the Italics in Webster’s Spelling Book, until I +could make them all without looking on the book. By this time, my little Master +Thomas had gone to school, and learned how to write, and had written over a +number of copy-books. These had been brought home, and shown to some of our +near neighbors, and then laid aside. My mistress used to go to class meeting at +the Wilk Street meetinghouse every Monday afternoon, and leave me to take care +of the house. When left thus, I used to spend the time in writing in the spaces +left in Master Thomas’s copy-book, copying what he had written. I continued to +do this until I could write a hand very similar to that of Master Thomas. Thus, +after a long, tedious effort for years, I finally succeeded in learning how to +write. </p> </div><!--end chapter--> <div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="link2HCH0008" id="link2HCH0008"></a> CHAPTER VIII</h2> +<h2><a name="link2HCH0008"></a>CHAPTER VIII</h2> <p> -In a very short time after I went to live at Baltimore, my old master’s +In a very short time after I went to live at Baltimore, my old master’s youngest son Richard died; and in about three years and six months after his death, my old master, Captain Anthony, died, leaving only his son, Andrew, and daughter, Lucretia, to share his estate. He died while on a visit to see his @@ -1837,7 +1810,7 @@ the schooner Wild Cat, and, after a sail of about twenty-four hours, I found myself near the place of my birth. I had now been absent from it almost, if not quite, five years. I, however, remembered the place very well. I was only about five years old when I left it, to go and live with my old master on Colonel -Lloyd’s plantation; so that I was now between ten and eleven years old. +Lloyd’s plantation; so that I was now between ten and eleven years old. </p> <p> @@ -1855,16 +1828,16 @@ After the valuation, then came the division. I have no language to express the high excitement and deep anxiety which were felt among us poor slaves during this time. Our fate for life was now to be decided. We had no more voice in that decision than the brutes among whom we were ranked. A single word from the -white men was enough—against all our wishes, prayers, and -entreaties—to sunder forever the dearest friends, dearest kindred, and -strongest ties known to human beings. In addition to the pain of separation, -there was the horrid dread of falling into the hands of Master Andrew. He was -known to us all as being a most cruel wretch,—a common drunkard, who had, -by his reckless mismanagement and profligate dissipation, already wasted a -large portion of his father’s property. We all felt that we might as well -be sold at once to the Georgia traders, as to pass into his hands; for we knew -that that would be our inevitable condition,—a condition held by us all -in the utmost horror and dread. +white men was enough—against all our wishes, prayers, and entreaties—to sunder +forever the dearest friends, dearest kindred, and strongest ties known to human +beings. In addition to the pain of separation, there was the horrid dread of +falling into the hands of Master Andrew. He was known to us all as being a most +cruel wretch,—a common drunkard, who had, by his reckless mismanagement and +profligate dissipation, already wasted a large portion of his father’s +property. We all felt that we might as well be sold at once to the Georgia +traders, as to pass into his hands; for we knew that that would be our +inevitable condition,—a condition held by us all in the utmost horror and +dread. </p> <p> @@ -1875,29 +1848,29 @@ acquainted with grief. Their backs had been made familiar with the bloody lash, so that they had become callous; mine was yet tender; for while at Baltimore I got few whippings, and few slaves could boast of a kinder master and mistress than myself; and the thought of passing out of their hands into those of Master -Andrew—a man who, but a few days before, to give me a sample of his -bloody disposition, took my little brother by the throat, threw him on the -ground, and with the heel of his boot stamped upon his head till the blood -gushed from his nose and ears—was well calculated to make me anxious as -to my fate. After he had committed this savage outrage upon my brother, he -turned to me, and said that was the way he meant to serve me one of these -days,—meaning, I suppose, when I came into his possession. +Andrew—a man who, but a few days before, to give me a sample of his bloody +disposition, took my little brother by the throat, threw him on the ground, and +with the heel of his boot stamped upon his head till the blood gushed from his +nose and ears—was well calculated to make me anxious as to my fate. After he +had committed this savage outrage upon my brother, he turned to me, and said +that was the way he meant to serve me one of these days,—meaning, I suppose, +when I came into his possession. </p> <p> Thanks to a kind Providence, I fell to the portion of Mrs. Lucretia, and was sent immediately back to Baltimore, to live again in the family of Master Hugh. Their joy at my return equalled their sorrow at my departure. It was a glad day -to me. I had escaped a worse than lion’s jaws. I was absent from -Baltimore, for the purpose of valuation and division, just about one month, and -it seemed to have been six. +to me. I had escaped a worse than lion’s jaws. I was absent from Baltimore, for +the purpose of valuation and division, just about one month, and it seemed to +have been six. </p> <p> Very soon after my return to Baltimore, my mistress, Lucretia, died, leaving her husband and one child, Amanda; and in a very short time after her death, Master Andrew died. Now all the property of my old master, slaves included, was -in the hands of strangers,—strangers who had had nothing to do with +in the hands of strangers,—strangers who had had nothing to do with accumulating it. Not a slave was left free. All remained slaves, from the youngest to the oldest. If any one thing in my experience, more than another, served to deepen my conviction of the infernal character of slavery, and to @@ -1907,38 +1880,37 @@ from youth to old age. She had been the source of all his wealth; she had peopled his plantation with slaves; she had become a great grandmother in his service. She had rocked him in infancy, attended him in childhood, served him through life, and at his death wiped from his icy brow the cold death-sweat, -and closed his eyes forever. She was nevertheless left a slave—a slave -for life—a slave in the hands of strangers; and in their hands she saw -her children, her grandchildren, and her great-grandchildren, divided, like so -many sheep, without being gratified with the small privilege of a single word, -as to their or her own destiny. And, to cap the climax of their base -ingratitude and fiendish barbarity, my grandmother, who was now very old, -having outlived my old master and all his children, having seen the beginning -and end of all of them, and her present owners finding she was of but little -value, her frame already racked with the pains of old age, and complete -helplessness fast stealing over her once active limbs, they took her to the -woods, built her a little hut, put up a little mud-chimney, and then made her -welcome to the privilege of supporting herself there in perfect loneliness; -thus virtually turning her out to die! If my poor old grandmother now lives, -she lives to suffer in utter loneliness; she lives to remember and mourn over -the loss of children, the loss of grandchildren, and the loss of -great-grandchildren. They are, in the language of the slave’s poet, -Whittier,— +and closed his eyes forever. She was nevertheless left a slave—a slave for +life—a slave in the hands of strangers; and in their hands she saw her +children, her grandchildren, and her great-grandchildren, divided, like so many +sheep, without being gratified with the small privilege of a single word, as to +their or her own destiny. And, to cap the climax of their base ingratitude and +fiendish barbarity, my grandmother, who was now very old, having outlived my +old master and all his children, having seen the beginning and end of all of +them, and her present owners finding she was of but little value, her frame +already racked with the pains of old age, and complete helplessness fast +stealing over her once active limbs, they took her to the woods, built her a +little hut, put up a little mud-chimney, and then made her welcome to the +privilege of supporting herself there in perfect loneliness; thus virtually +turning her out to die! If my poor old grandmother now lives, she lives to +suffer in utter loneliness; she lives to remember and mourn over the loss of +children, the loss of grandchildren, and the loss of great-grandchildren. They +are, in the language of the slave’s poet, Whittier,— </p> <p class="poem"> -“Gone, gone, sold and gone<br /> -To the rice swamp dank and lone,<br /> -Where the slave-whip ceaseless swings,<br /> -Where the noisome insect stings,<br /> -Where the fever-demon strews<br /> -Poison with the falling dews,<br /> -Where the sickly sunbeams glare<br /> -Through the hot and misty air:—<br /> -Gone, gone, sold and gone<br /> -To the rice swamp dank and lone,<br /> -From Virginia hills and waters—<br /> -Woe is me, my stolen daughters!” +“Gone, gone, sold and gone<br/> +To the rice swamp dank and lone,<br/> +Where the slave-whip ceaseless swings,<br/> +Where the noisome insect stings,<br/> +Where the fever-demon strews<br/> +Poison with the falling dews,<br/> +Where the sickly sunbeams glare<br/> +Through the hot and misty air:—<br/> +Gone, gone, sold and gone<br/> +To the rice swamp dank and lone,<br/> +From Virginia hills and waters—<br/> +Woe is me, my stolen daughters!” </p> <p> @@ -1949,35 +1921,34 @@ day the moans of the dove, and by night the screams of the hideous owl. All is gloom. The grave is at the door. And now, when weighed down by the pains and aches of old age, when the head inclines to the feet, when the beginning and ending of human existence meet, and helpless infancy and painful old age -combine together—at this time, this most needful time, the time for the +combine together—at this time, this most needful time, the time for the exercise of that tenderness and affection which children only can exercise -towards a declining parent—my poor old grandmother, the devoted mother of +towards a declining parent—my poor old grandmother, the devoted mother of twelve children, is left all alone, in yonder little hut, before a few dim -embers. She stands—she sits—she staggers—she falls—she -groans—she dies—and there are none of her children or grandchildren -present, to wipe from her wrinkled brow the cold sweat of death, or to place -beneath the sod her fallen remains. Will not a righteous God visit for these -things? +embers. She stands—she sits—she staggers—she falls—she groans—she dies—and +there are none of her children or grandchildren present, to wipe from her +wrinkled brow the cold sweat of death, or to place beneath the sod her fallen +remains. Will not a righteous God visit for these things? </p> <p> In about two years after the death of Mrs. Lucretia, Master Thomas married his second wife. Her name was Rowena Hamilton. She was the eldest daughter of Mr. -William Hamilton. Master now lived in St. Michael’s. Not long after his +William Hamilton. Master now lived in St. Michael’s. Not long after his marriage, a misunderstanding took place between himself and Master Hugh; and as a means of punishing his brother, he took me from him to live with himself at -St. Michael’s. Here I underwent another most painful separation. It, -however, was not so severe as the one I dreaded at the division of property; -for, during this interval, a great change had taken place in Master Hugh and -his once kind and affectionate wife. The influence of brandy upon him, and of -slavery upon her, had effected a disastrous change in the characters of both; -so that, as far as they were concerned, I thought I had little to lose by the -change. But it was not to them that I was attached. It was to those little -Baltimore boys that I felt the strongest attachment. I had received many good -lessons from them, and was still receiving them, and the thought of leaving -them was painful indeed. I was leaving, too, without the hope of ever being -allowed to return. Master Thomas had said he would never let me return again. -The barrier betwixt himself and brother he considered impassable. +St. Michael’s. Here I underwent another most painful separation. It, however, +was not so severe as the one I dreaded at the division of property; for, during +this interval, a great change had taken place in Master Hugh and his once kind +and affectionate wife. The influence of brandy upon him, and of slavery upon +her, had effected a disastrous change in the characters of both; so that, as +far as they were concerned, I thought I had little to lose by the change. But +it was not to them that I was attached. It was to those little Baltimore boys +that I felt the strongest attachment. I had received many good lessons from +them, and was still receiving them, and the thought of leaving them was painful +indeed. I was leaving, too, without the hope of ever being allowed to return. +Master Thomas had said he would never let me return again. The barrier betwixt +himself and brother he considered impassable. </p> <p> @@ -1987,54 +1958,53 @@ city than from the country. </p> <p> -I sailed from Baltimore for St. Michael’s in the sloop Amanda, Captain -Edward Dodson. On my passage, I paid particular attention to the direction -which the steamboats took to go to Philadelphia. I found, instead of going -down, on reaching North Point they went up the bay, in a north-easterly -direction. I deemed this knowledge of the utmost importance. My determination -to run away was again revived. I resolved to wait only so long as the offering -of a favorable opportunity. When that came, I was determined to be off. +I sailed from Baltimore for St. Michael’s in the sloop Amanda, Captain Edward +Dodson. On my passage, I paid particular attention to the direction which the +steamboats took to go to Philadelphia. I found, instead of going down, on +reaching North Point they went up the bay, in a north-easterly direction. I +deemed this knowledge of the utmost importance. My determination to run away +was again revived. I resolved to wait only so long as the offering of a +favorable opportunity. When that came, I was determined to be off. </p> </div><!--end chapter--> <div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="link2HCH0009" id="link2HCH0009"></a> CHAPTER IX</h2> +<h2><a name="link2HCH0009"></a>CHAPTER IX</h2> <p> I have now reached a period of my life when I can give dates. I left Baltimore, -and went to live with Master Thomas Auld, at St. Michael’s, in March, -1832. It was now more than seven years since I lived with him in the family of -my old master, on Colonel Lloyd’s plantation. We of course were now -almost entire strangers to each other. He was to me a new master, and I to him -a new slave. I was ignorant of his temper and disposition; he was equally so of -mine. A very short time, however, brought us into full acquaintance with each -other. I was made acquainted with his wife not less than with himself. They -were well matched, being equally mean and cruel. I was now, for the first time -during a space of more than seven years, made to feel the painful gnawings of -hunger—a something which I had not experienced before since I left -Colonel Lloyd’s plantation. It went hard enough with me then, when I -could look back to no period at which I had enjoyed a sufficiency. It was -tenfold harder after living in Master Hugh’s family, where I had always -had enough to eat, and of that which was good. I have said Master Thomas was a -mean man. He was so. Not to give a slave enough to eat, is regarded as the most -aggravated development of meanness even among slaveholders. The rule is, no -matter how coarse the food, only let there be enough of it. This is the theory; -and in the part of Maryland from which I came, it is the general -practice,—though there are many exceptions. Master Thomas gave us enough -of neither coarse nor fine food. There were four slaves of us in the -kitchen—my sister Eliza, my aunt Priscilla, Henny, and myself; and we -were allowed less than a half of a bushel of corn-meal per week, and very -little else, either in the shape of meat or vegetables. It was not enough for -us to subsist upon. We were therefore reduced to the wretched necessity of -living at the expense of our neighbors. This we did by begging and stealing, -whichever came handy in the time of need, the one being considered as -legitimate as the other. A great many times have we poor creatures been nearly -perishing with hunger, when food in abundance lay mouldering in the safe and -smoke-house, and our pious mistress was aware of the fact; and yet that -mistress and her husband would kneel every morning, and pray that God would -bless them in basket and store! +and went to live with Master Thomas Auld, at St. Michael’s, in March, 1832. It +was now more than seven years since I lived with him in the family of my old +master, on Colonel Lloyd’s plantation. We of course were now almost entire +strangers to each other. He was to me a new master, and I to him a new slave. I +was ignorant of his temper and disposition; he was equally so of mine. A very +short time, however, brought us into full acquaintance with each other. I was +made acquainted with his wife not less than with himself. They were well +matched, being equally mean and cruel. I was now, for the first time during a +space of more than seven years, made to feel the painful gnawings of hunger—a +something which I had not experienced before since I left Colonel Lloyd’s +plantation. It went hard enough with me then, when I could look back to no +period at which I had enjoyed a sufficiency. It was tenfold harder after living +in Master Hugh’s family, where I had always had enough to eat, and of that +which was good. I have said Master Thomas was a mean man. He was so. Not to +give a slave enough to eat, is regarded as the most aggravated development of +meanness even among slaveholders. The rule is, no matter how coarse the food, +only let there be enough of it. This is the theory; and in the part of Maryland +from which I came, it is the general practice,—though there are many +exceptions. Master Thomas gave us enough of neither coarse nor fine food. There +were four slaves of us in the kitchen—my sister Eliza, my aunt Priscilla, +Henny, and myself; and we were allowed less than a half of a bushel of +corn-meal per week, and very little else, either in the shape of meat or +vegetables. It was not enough for us to subsist upon. We were therefore reduced +to the wretched necessity of living at the expense of our neighbors. This we +did by begging and stealing, whichever came handy in the time of need, the one +being considered as legitimate as the other. A great many times have we poor +creatures been nearly perishing with hunger, when food in abundance lay +mouldering in the safe and smoke-house, and our pious mistress was aware of the +fact; and yet that mistress and her husband would kneel every morning, and pray +that God would bless them in basket and store! </p> <p> @@ -2061,31 +2031,30 @@ he was an object of contempt, and was held as such even by his slaves. The luxury of having slaves of his own to wait upon him was something new and unprepared for. He was a slaveholder without the ability to hold slaves. He found himself incapable of managing his slaves either by force, fear, or fraud. -We seldom called him “master;” we generally called him -“Captain Auld,” and were hardly disposed to title him at all. I -doubt not that our conduct had much to do with making him appear awkward, and -of consequence fretful. Our want of reverence for him must have perplexed him -greatly. He wished to have us call him master, but lacked the firmness -necessary to command us to do so. His wife used to insist upon our calling him -so, but to no purpose. In August, 1832, my master attended a Methodist -camp-meeting held in the Bay-side, Talbot county, and there experienced -religion. I indulged a faint hope that his conversion would lead him to -emancipate his slaves, and that, if he did not do this, it would, at any rate, -make him more kind and humane. I was disappointed in both these respects. It -neither made him to be humane to his slaves, nor to emancipate them. If it had -any effect on his character, it made him more cruel and hateful in all his -ways; for I believe him to have been a much worse man after his conversion than -before. Prior to his conversion, he relied upon his own depravity to shield and -sustain him in his savage barbarity; but after his conversion, he found -religious sanction and support for his slaveholding cruelty. He made the -greatest pretensions to piety. His house was the house of prayer. He prayed -morning, noon, and night. He very soon distinguished himself among his -brethren, and was soon made a class-leader and exhorter. His activity in -revivals was great, and he proved himself an instrument in the hands of the -church in converting many souls. His house was the preachers’ home. They -used to take great pleasure in coming there to put up; for while he starved us, -he stuffed them. We have had three or four preachers there at a time. The names -of those who used to come most frequently while I lived there, were Mr. Storks, +We seldom called him “master;” we generally called him “Captain Auld,” and were +hardly disposed to title him at all. I doubt not that our conduct had much to +do with making him appear awkward, and of consequence fretful. Our want of +reverence for him must have perplexed him greatly. He wished to have us call +him master, but lacked the firmness necessary to command us to do so. His wife +used to insist upon our calling him so, but to no purpose. In August, 1832, my +master attended a Methodist camp-meeting held in the Bay-side, Talbot county, +and there experienced religion. I indulged a faint hope that his conversion +would lead him to emancipate his slaves, and that, if he did not do this, it +would, at any rate, make him more kind and humane. I was disappointed in both +these respects. It neither made him to be humane to his slaves, nor to +emancipate them. If it had any effect on his character, it made him more cruel +and hateful in all his ways; for I believe him to have been a much worse man +after his conversion than before. Prior to his conversion, he relied upon his +own depravity to shield and sustain him in his savage barbarity; but after his +conversion, he found religious sanction and support for his slaveholding +cruelty. He made the greatest pretensions to piety. His house was the house of +prayer. He prayed morning, noon, and night. He very soon distinguished himself +among his brethren, and was soon made a class-leader and exhorter. His activity +in revivals was great, and he proved himself an instrument in the hands of the +church in converting many souls. His house was the preachers’ home. They used +to take great pleasure in coming there to put up; for while he starved us, he +stuffed them. We have had three or four preachers there at a time. The names of +those who used to come most frequently while I lived there, were Mr. Storks, Mr. Ewery, Mr. Humphry, and Mr. Hickey. I have also seen Mr. George Cookman at our house. We slaves loved Mr. Cookman. We believed him to be a good man. We thought him instrumental in getting Mr. Samuel Harrison, a very rich @@ -2099,13 +2068,13 @@ sagacity to see it. </p> <p> -While I lived with my master in St. Michael’s, there was a white young -man, a Mr. Wilson, who proposed to keep a Sabbath school for the instruction of -such slaves as might be disposed to learn to read the New Testament. We met but +While I lived with my master in St. Michael’s, there was a white young man, a +Mr. Wilson, who proposed to keep a Sabbath school for the instruction of such +slaves as might be disposed to learn to read the New Testament. We met but three times, when Mr. West and Mr. Fairbanks, both class-leaders, with many others, came upon us with sticks and other missiles, drove us off, and forbade us to meet again. Thus ended our little Sabbath school in the pious town of St. -Michael’s. +Michael’s. </p> <p> @@ -2113,9 +2082,8 @@ I have said my master found religious sanction for his cruelty. As an example, I will state one of many facts going to prove the charge. I have seen him tie up a lame young woman, and whip her with a heavy cowskin upon her naked shoulders, causing the warm red blood to drip; and, in justification of the -bloody deed, he would quote this passage of Scripture—“He that -knoweth his master’s will, and doeth it not, shall be beaten with many -stripes.” +bloody deed, he would quote this passage of Scripture—“He that knoweth his +master’s will, and doeth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes.” </p> <p> @@ -2123,19 +2091,18 @@ Master would keep this lacerated young woman tied up in this horrid situation four or five hours at a time. I have known him to tie her up early in the morning, and whip her before breakfast; leave her, go to his store, return at dinner, and whip her again, cutting her in the places already made raw with his -cruel lash. The secret of master’s cruelty toward “Henny” is -found in the fact of her being almost helpless. When quite a child, she fell -into the fire, and burned herself horribly. Her hands were so burnt that she -never got the use of them. She could do very little but bear heavy burdens. She -was to master a bill of expense; and as he was a mean man, she was a constant -offence to him. He seemed desirous of getting the poor girl out of existence. -He gave her away once to his sister; but, being a poor gift, she was not -disposed to keep her. Finally, my benevolent master, to use his own words, -“set her adrift to take care of herself.” Here was a -recently-converted man, holding on upon the mother, and at the same time -turning out her helpless child, to starve and die! Master Thomas was one of the -many pious slaveholders who hold slaves for the very charitable purpose of -taking care of them. +cruel lash. The secret of master’s cruelty toward “Henny” is found in the fact +of her being almost helpless. When quite a child, she fell into the fire, and +burned herself horribly. Her hands were so burnt that she never got the use of +them. She could do very little but bear heavy burdens. She was to master a bill +of expense; and as he was a mean man, she was a constant offence to him. He +seemed desirous of getting the poor girl out of existence. He gave her away +once to his sister; but, being a poor gift, she was not disposed to keep her. +Finally, my benevolent master, to use his own words, “set her adrift to take +care of herself.” Here was a recently-converted man, holding on upon the +mother, and at the same time turning out her helpless child, to starve and die! +Master Thomas was one of the many pious slaveholders who hold slaves for the +very charitable purpose of taking care of them. </p> <p> @@ -2143,51 +2110,51 @@ My master and myself had quite a number of differences. He found me unsuitable to his purpose. My city life, he said, had had a very pernicious effect upon me. It had almost ruined me for every good purpose, and fitted me for every thing which was bad. One of my greatest faults was that of letting his horse -run away, and go down to his father-in-law’s farm, which was about five -miles from St. Michael’s. I would then have to go after it. My reason for -this kind of carelessness, or carefulness, was, that I could always get -something to eat when I went there. Master William Hamilton, my master’s -father-in-law, always gave his slaves enough to eat. I never left there hungry, -no matter how great the need of my speedy return. Master Thomas at length said -he would stand it no longer. I had lived with him nine months, during which -time he had given me a number of severe whippings, all to no good purpose. He -resolved to put me out, as he said, to be broken; and, for this purpose, he let -me for one year to a man named Edward Covey. Mr. Covey was a poor man, a -farm-renter. He rented the place upon which he lived, as also the hands with -which he tilled it. Mr. Covey had acquired a very high reputation for breaking -young slaves, and this reputation was of immense value to him. It enabled him -to get his farm tilled with much less expense to himself than he could have had -it done without such a reputation. Some slaveholders thought it not much loss -to allow Mr. Covey to have their slaves one year, for the sake of the training -to which they were subjected, without any other compensation. He could hire -young help with great ease, in consequence of this reputation. Added to the -natural good qualities of Mr. Covey, he was a professor of religion—a -pious soul—a member and a class-leader in the Methodist church. All of -this added weight to his reputation as a “nigger-breaker.” I was -aware of all the facts, having been made acquainted with them by a young man -who had lived there. I nevertheless made the change gladly; for I was sure of -getting enough to eat, which is not the smallest consideration to a hungry man. +run away, and go down to his father-in-law’s farm, which was about five miles +from St. Michael’s. I would then have to go after it. My reason for this kind +of carelessness, or carefulness, was, that I could always get something to eat +when I went there. Master William Hamilton, my master’s father-in-law, always +gave his slaves enough to eat. I never left there hungry, no matter how great +the need of my speedy return. Master Thomas at length said he would stand it no +longer. I had lived with him nine months, during which time he had given me a +number of severe whippings, all to no good purpose. He resolved to put me out, +as he said, to be broken; and, for this purpose, he let me for one year to a +man named Edward Covey. Mr. Covey was a poor man, a farm-renter. He rented the +place upon which he lived, as also the hands with which he tilled it. Mr. Covey +had acquired a very high reputation for breaking young slaves, and this +reputation was of immense value to him. It enabled him to get his farm tilled +with much less expense to himself than he could have had it done without such a +reputation. Some slaveholders thought it not much loss to allow Mr. Covey to +have their slaves one year, for the sake of the training to which they were +subjected, without any other compensation. He could hire young help with great +ease, in consequence of this reputation. Added to the natural good qualities of +Mr. Covey, he was a professor of religion—a pious soul—a member and a +class-leader in the Methodist church. All of this added weight to his +reputation as a “nigger-breaker.” I was aware of all the facts, having been +made acquainted with them by a young man who had lived there. I nevertheless +made the change gladly; for I was sure of getting enough to eat, which is not +the smallest consideration to a hungry man. </p> </div><!--end chapter--> <div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="link2HCH0010" id="link2HCH0010"></a> CHAPTER X</h2> - -<p> -I had left Master Thomas’s house, and went to live with Mr. Covey, on the -1st of January, 1833. I was now, for the first time in my life, a field hand. -In my new employment, I found myself even more awkward than a country boy -appeared to be in a large city. I had been at my new home but one week before -Mr. Covey gave me a very severe whipping, cutting my back, causing the blood to -run, and raising ridges on my flesh as large as my little finger. The details -of this affair are as follows: Mr. Covey sent me, very early in the morning of -one of our coldest days in the month of January, to the woods, to get a load of -wood. He gave me a team of unbroken oxen. He told me which was the in-hand ox, -and which the off-hand one. He then tied the end of a large rope around the -horns of the in-hand ox, and gave me the other end of it, and told me, if the -oxen started to run, that I must hold on upon the rope. I had never driven oxen +<h2><a name="link2HCH0010"></a>CHAPTER X</h2> + +<p> +I had left Master Thomas’s house, and went to live with Mr. Covey, on the 1st +of January, 1833. I was now, for the first time in my life, a field hand. In my +new employment, I found myself even more awkward than a country boy appeared to +be in a large city. I had been at my new home but one week before Mr. Covey +gave me a very severe whipping, cutting my back, causing the blood to run, and +raising ridges on my flesh as large as my little finger. The details of this +affair are as follows: Mr. Covey sent me, very early in the morning of one of +our coldest days in the month of January, to the woods, to get a load of wood. +He gave me a team of unbroken oxen. He told me which was the in-hand ox, and +which the off-hand one. He then tied the end of a large rope around the horns +of the in-hand ox, and gave me the other end of it, and told me, if the oxen +started to run, that I must hold on upon the rope. I had never driven oxen before, and of course I was very awkward. I, however, succeeded in getting to the edge of the woods with little difficulty; but I had got a very few rods into the woods, when the oxen took fright, and started full tilt, carrying the @@ -2246,26 +2213,26 @@ well as in his presence; and he had the faculty of making us feel that he was ever present with us. This he did by surprising us. He seldom approached the spot where we were at work openly, if he could do it secretly. He always aimed at taking us by surprise. Such was his cunning, that we used to call him, among -ourselves, “the snake.” When we were at work in the cornfield, he -would sometimes crawl on his hands and knees to avoid detection, and all at -once he would rise nearly in our midst, and scream out, “Ha, ha! Come, -come! Dash on, dash on!” This being his mode of attack, it was never safe -to stop a single minute. His comings were like a thief in the night. He -appeared to us as being ever at hand. He was under every tree, behind every -stump, in every bush, and at every window, on the plantation. He would -sometimes mount his horse, as if bound to St. Michael’s, a distance of -seven miles, and in half an hour afterwards you would see him coiled up in the -corner of the wood-fence, watching every motion of the slaves. He would, for -this purpose, leave his horse tied up in the woods. Again, he would sometimes -walk up to us, and give us orders as though he was upon the point of starting -on a long journey, turn his back upon us, and make as though he was going to -the house to get ready; and, before he would get half way thither, he would -turn short and crawl into a fence-corner, or behind some tree, and there watch -us till the going down of the sun. -</p> - -<p> -Mr. Covey’s <i>forte</i> consisted in his power to deceive. His life was +ourselves, “the snake.” When we were at work in the cornfield, he would +sometimes crawl on his hands and knees to avoid detection, and all at once he +would rise nearly in our midst, and scream out, “Ha, ha! Come, come! Dash on, +dash on!” This being his mode of attack, it was never safe to stop a single +minute. His comings were like a thief in the night. He appeared to us as being +ever at hand. He was under every tree, behind every stump, in every bush, and +at every window, on the plantation. He would sometimes mount his horse, as if +bound to St. Michael’s, a distance of seven miles, and in half an hour +afterwards you would see him coiled up in the corner of the wood-fence, +watching every motion of the slaves. He would, for this purpose, leave his +horse tied up in the woods. Again, he would sometimes walk up to us, and give +us orders as though he was upon the point of starting on a long journey, turn +his back upon us, and make as though he was going to the house to get ready; +and, before he would get half way thither, he would turn short and crawl into a +fence-corner, or behind some tree, and there watch us till the going down of +the sun. +</p> + +<p> +Mr. Covey’s <i>forte</i> consisted in his power to deceive. His life was devoted to planning and perpetrating the grossest deceptions. Every thing he possessed in the shape of learning or religion, he made conform to his disposition to deceive. He seemed to think himself equal to deceiving the @@ -2286,15 +2253,15 @@ adultery. The facts in the case are these: Mr. Covey was a poor man; he was just commencing in life; he was only able to buy one slave; and, shocking as is the fact, he bought her, as he said, for <i>a breeder</i>. This woman was named Caroline. Mr. Covey bought her from Mr. Thomas Lowe, about six miles from St. -Michael’s. She was a large, able-bodied woman, about twenty years old. -She had already given birth to one child, which proved her to be just what he -wanted. After buying her, he hired a married man of Mr. Samuel Harrison, to -live with him one year; and him he used to fasten up with her every night! The -result was, that, at the end of the year, the miserable woman gave birth to -twins. At this result Mr. Covey seemed to be highly pleased, both with the man -and the wretched woman. Such was his joy, and that of his wife, that nothing -they could do for Caroline during her confinement was too good, or too hard, to -be done. The children were regarded as being quite an addition to his wealth. +Michael’s. She was a large, able-bodied woman, about twenty years old. She had +already given birth to one child, which proved her to be just what he wanted. +After buying her, he hired a married man of Mr. Samuel Harrison, to live with +him one year; and him he used to fasten up with her every night! The result +was, that, at the end of the year, the miserable woman gave birth to twins. At +this result Mr. Covey seemed to be highly pleased, both with the man and the +wretched woman. Such was his joy, and that of his wife, that nothing they could +do for Caroline during her confinement was too good, or too hard, to be done. +The children were regarded as being quite an addition to his wealth. </p> <p> @@ -2328,40 +2295,40 @@ Our house stood within a few rods of the Chesapeake Bay, whose broad bosom was ever white with sails from every quarter of the habitable globe. Those beautiful vessels, robed in purest white, so delightful to the eye of freemen, were to me so many shrouded ghosts, to terrify and torment me with thoughts of -my wretched condition. I have often, in the deep stillness of a summer’s +my wretched condition. I have often, in the deep stillness of a summer’s Sabbath, stood all alone upon the lofty banks of that noble bay, and traced, with saddened heart and tearful eye, the countless number of sails moving off to the mighty ocean. The sight of these always affected me powerfully. My thoughts would compel utterance; and there, with no audience but the Almighty, -I would pour out my soul’s complaint, in my rude way, with an apostrophe -to the moving multitude of ships:— -</p> - -<p> -“You are loosed from your moorings, and are free; I am fast in my chains, -and am a slave! You move merrily before the gentle gale, and I sadly before the -bloody whip! You are freedom’s swift-winged angels, that fly round the -world; I am confined in bands of iron! O that I were free! O, that I were on -one of your gallant decks, and under your protecting wing! Alas! betwixt me and -you, the turbid waters roll. Go on, go on. O that I could also go! Could I but -swim! If I could fly! O, why was I born a man, of whom to make a brute! The -glad ship is gone; she hides in the dim distance. I am left in the hottest hell -of unending slavery. O God, save me! God, deliver me! Let me be free! Is there -any God? Why am I a slave? I will run away. I will not stand it. Get caught, or -get clear, I’ll try it. I had as well die with ague as the fever. I have -only one life to lose. I had as well be killed running as die standing. Only -think of it; one hundred miles straight north, and I am free! Try it? Yes! God -helping me, I will. It cannot be that I shall live and die a slave. I will take -to the water. This very bay shall yet bear me into freedom. The steamboats -steered in a north-east course from North Point. I will do the same; and when I -get to the head of the bay, I will turn my canoe adrift, and walk straight -through Delaware into Pennsylvania. When I get there, I shall not be required -to have a pass; I can travel without being disturbed. Let but the first -opportunity offer, and, come what will, I am off. Meanwhile, I will try to bear -up under the yoke. I am not the only slave in the world. Why should I fret? I -can bear as much as any of them. Besides, I am but a boy, and all boys are -bound to some one. It may be that my misery in slavery will only increase my -happiness when I get free. There is a better day coming.” +I would pour out my soul’s complaint, in my rude way, with an apostrophe to the +moving multitude of ships:— +</p> + +<p> +“You are loosed from your moorings, and are free; I am fast in my chains, and +am a slave! You move merrily before the gentle gale, and I sadly before the +bloody whip! You are freedom’s swift-winged angels, that fly round the world; I +am confined in bands of iron! O that I were free! O, that I were on one of your +gallant decks, and under your protecting wing! Alas! betwixt me and you, the +turbid waters roll. Go on, go on. O that I could also go! Could I but swim! If +I could fly! O, why was I born a man, of whom to make a brute! The glad ship is +gone; she hides in the dim distance. I am left in the hottest hell of unending +slavery. O God, save me! God, deliver me! Let me be free! Is there any God? Why +am I a slave? I will run away. I will not stand it. Get caught, or get clear, +I’ll try it. I had as well die with ague as the fever. I have only one life to +lose. I had as well be killed running as die standing. Only think of it; one +hundred miles straight north, and I am free! Try it? Yes! God helping me, I +will. It cannot be that I shall live and die a slave. I will take to the water. +This very bay shall yet bear me into freedom. The steamboats steered in a +north-east course from North Point. I will do the same; and when I get to the +head of the bay, I will turn my canoe adrift, and walk straight through +Delaware into Pennsylvania. When I get there, I shall not be required to have a +pass; I can travel without being disturbed. Let but the first opportunity +offer, and, come what will, I am off. Meanwhile, I will try to bear up under +the yoke. I am not the only slave in the world. Why should I fret? I can bear +as much as any of them. Besides, I am but a boy, and all boys are bound to some +one. It may be that my misery in slavery will only increase my happiness when I +get free. There is a better day coming.” </p> <p> @@ -2371,16 +2338,16 @@ madness at one moment, and at the next reconciling myself to my wretched lot. <p> I have already intimated that my condition was much worse, during the first six -months of my stay at Mr. Covey’s, than in the last six. The circumstances -leading to the change in Mr. Covey’s course toward me form an epoch in my +months of my stay at Mr. Covey’s, than in the last six. The circumstances +leading to the change in Mr. Covey’s course toward me form an epoch in my humble history. You have seen how a man was made a slave; you shall see how a slave was made a man. On one of the hottest days of the month of August, 1833, Bill Smith, William Hughes, a slave named Eli, and myself, were engaged in fanning wheat. Hughes was clearing the fanned wheat from before the fan. Eli was turning, Smith was feeding, and I was carrying wheat to the fan. The work was simple, requiring strength rather than intellect; yet, to one entirely -unused to such work, it came very hard. About three o’clock of that day, -I broke down; my strength failed me; I was seized with a violent aching of the +unused to such work, it came very hard. About three o’clock of that day, I +broke down; my strength failed me; I was seized with a violent aching of the head, attended with extreme dizziness; I trembled in every limb. Finding what was coming, I nerved myself up, feeling it would never do to stop work. I stood as long as I could stagger to the hopper with grain. When I could stand no @@ -2414,57 +2381,56 @@ must that afternoon walk seven miles; and this, under the circumstances, was truly a severe undertaking. I was exceedingly feeble; made so as much by the kicks and blows which I received, as by the severe fit of sickness to which I had been subjected. I, however, watched my chance, while Covey was looking in -an opposite direction, and started for St. Michael’s. I succeeded in -getting a considerable distance on my way to the woods, when Covey discovered -me, and called after me to come back, threatening what he would do if I did not -come. I disregarded both his calls and his threats, and made my way to the -woods as fast as my feeble state would allow; and thinking I might be -overhauled by him if I kept the road, I walked through the woods, keeping far -enough from the road to avoid detection, and near enough to prevent losing my -way. I had not gone far before my little strength again failed me. I could go -no farther. I fell down, and lay for a considerable time. The blood was yet -oozing from the wound on my head. For a time I thought I should bleed to death; -and think now that I should have done so, but that the blood so matted my hair -as to stop the wound. After lying there about three quarters of an hour, I -nerved myself up again, and started on my way, through bogs and briers, -barefooted and bareheaded, tearing my feet sometimes at nearly every step; and -after a journey of about seven miles, occupying some five hours to perform it, -I arrived at master’s store. I then presented an appearance enough to -affect any but a heart of iron. From the crown of my head to my feet, I was -covered with blood. My hair was all clotted with dust and blood; my shirt was -stiff with blood. I suppose I looked like a man who had escaped a den of wild -beasts, and barely escaped them. In this state I appeared before my master, -humbly entreating him to interpose his authority for my protection. I told him -all the circumstances as well as I could, and it seemed, as I spoke, at times -to affect him. He would then walk the floor, and seek to justify Covey by -saying he expected I deserved it. He asked me what I wanted. I told him, to let -me get a new home; that as sure as I lived with Mr. Covey again, I should live -with but to die with him; that Covey would surely kill me; he was in a fair way -for it. Master Thomas ridiculed the idea that there was any danger of Mr. -Covey’s killing me, and said that he knew Mr. Covey; that he was a good -man, and that he could not think of taking me from him; that, should he do so, -he would lose the whole year’s wages; that I belonged to Mr. Covey for -one year, and that I must go back to him, come what might; and that I must not -trouble him with any more stories, or that he would himself <i>get hold of -me</i>. After threatening me thus, he gave me a very large dose of salts, -telling me that I might remain in St. Michael’s that night, (it being -quite late,) but that I must be off back to Mr. Covey’s early in the -morning; and that if I did not, he would <i>get hold of me,</i> which meant -that he would whip me. I remained all night, and, according to his orders, I -started off to Covey’s in the morning, (Saturday morning,) wearied in -body and broken in spirit. I got no supper that night, or breakfast that -morning. I reached Covey’s about nine o’clock; and just as I was -getting over the fence that divided Mrs. Kemp’s fields from ours, out ran -Covey with his cowskin, to give me another whipping. Before he could reach me, -I succeeded in getting to the cornfield; and as the corn was very high, it +an opposite direction, and started for St. Michael’s. I succeeded in getting a +considerable distance on my way to the woods, when Covey discovered me, and +called after me to come back, threatening what he would do if I did not come. I +disregarded both his calls and his threats, and made my way to the woods as +fast as my feeble state would allow; and thinking I might be overhauled by him +if I kept the road, I walked through the woods, keeping far enough from the +road to avoid detection, and near enough to prevent losing my way. I had not +gone far before my little strength again failed me. I could go no farther. I +fell down, and lay for a considerable time. The blood was yet oozing from the +wound on my head. For a time I thought I should bleed to death; and think now +that I should have done so, but that the blood so matted my hair as to stop the +wound. After lying there about three quarters of an hour, I nerved myself up +again, and started on my way, through bogs and briers, barefooted and +bareheaded, tearing my feet sometimes at nearly every step; and after a journey +of about seven miles, occupying some five hours to perform it, I arrived at +master’s store. I then presented an appearance enough to affect any but a heart +of iron. From the crown of my head to my feet, I was covered with blood. My +hair was all clotted with dust and blood; my shirt was stiff with blood. I +suppose I looked like a man who had escaped a den of wild beasts, and barely +escaped them. In this state I appeared before my master, humbly entreating him +to interpose his authority for my protection. I told him all the circumstances +as well as I could, and it seemed, as I spoke, at times to affect him. He would +then walk the floor, and seek to justify Covey by saying he expected I deserved +it. He asked me what I wanted. I told him, to let me get a new home; that as +sure as I lived with Mr. Covey again, I should live with but to die with him; +that Covey would surely kill me; he was in a fair way for it. Master Thomas +ridiculed the idea that there was any danger of Mr. Covey’s killing me, and +said that he knew Mr. Covey; that he was a good man, and that he could not +think of taking me from him; that, should he do so, he would lose the whole +year’s wages; that I belonged to Mr. Covey for one year, and that I must go +back to him, come what might; and that I must not trouble him with any more +stories, or that he would himself <i>get hold of me</i>. After threatening me +thus, he gave me a very large dose of salts, telling me that I might remain in +St. Michael’s that night, (it being quite late,) but that I must be off back to +Mr. Covey’s early in the morning; and that if I did not, he would <i>get hold +of me,</i> which meant that he would whip me. I remained all night, and, +according to his orders, I started off to Covey’s in the morning, (Saturday +morning,) wearied in body and broken in spirit. I got no supper that night, or +breakfast that morning. I reached Covey’s about nine o’clock; and just as I was +getting over the fence that divided Mrs. Kemp’s fields from ours, out ran Covey +with his cowskin, to give me another whipping. Before he could reach me, I +succeeded in getting to the cornfield; and as the corn was very high, it afforded me the means of hiding. He seemed very angry, and searched for me a long time. My behavior was altogether unaccountable. He finally gave up the chase, thinking, I suppose, that I must come home for something to eat; he would give himself no further trouble in looking for me. I spent that day -mostly in the woods, having the alternative before me,—to go home and be +mostly in the woods, having the alternative before me,—to go home and be whipped to death, or stay in the woods and be starved to death. That night, I fell in with Sandy Jenkins, a slave with whom I was somewhat acquainted. Sandy -had a free wife who lived about four miles from Mr. Covey’s; and it being +had a free wife who lived about four miles from Mr. Covey’s; and it being Saturday, he was on his way to see her. I told him my circumstances, and he very kindly invited me to go home with him. I went home with him, and talked this whole matter over, and got his advice as to what course it was best for me @@ -2495,36 +2461,35 @@ loft, Mr. Covey entered the stable with a long rope; and just as I was half out of the loft, he caught hold of my legs, and was about tying me. As soon as I found what he was up to, I gave a sudden spring, and as I did so, he holding to my legs, I was brought sprawling on the stable floor. Mr. Covey seemed now to -think he had me, and could do what he pleased; but at this moment—from -whence came the spirit I don’t know—I resolved to fight; and, -suiting my action to the resolution, I seized Covey hard by the throat; and as -I did so, I rose. He held on to me, and I to him. My resistance was so entirely -unexpected that Covey seemed taken all aback. He trembled like a leaf. This -gave me assurance, and I held him uneasy, causing the blood to run where I -touched him with the ends of my fingers. Mr. Covey soon called out to Hughes -for help. Hughes came, and, while Covey held me, attempted to tie my right -hand. While he was in the act of doing so, I watched my chance, and gave him a -heavy kick close under the ribs. This kick fairly sickened Hughes, so that he -left me in the hands of Mr. Covey. This kick had the effect of not only -weakening Hughes, but Covey also. When he saw Hughes bending over with pain, -his courage quailed. He asked me if I meant to persist in my resistance. I told -him I did, come what might; that he had used me like a brute for six months, -and that I was determined to be used so no longer. With that, he strove to drag -me to a stick that was lying just out of the stable door. He meant to knock me -down. But just as he was leaning over to get the stick, I seized him with both -hands by his collar, and brought him by a sudden snatch to the ground. By this -time, Bill came. Covey called upon him for assistance. Bill wanted to know what -he could do. Covey said, “Take hold of him, take hold of him!” Bill -said his master hired him out to work, and not to help to whip me; so he left -Covey and myself to fight our own battle out. We were at it for nearly two -hours. Covey at length let me go, puffing and blowing at a great rate, saying -that if I had not resisted, he would not have whipped me half so much. The -truth was, that he had not whipped me at all. I considered him as getting -entirely the worst end of the bargain; for he had drawn no blood from me, but I -had from him. The whole six months afterwards, that I spent with Mr. Covey, he -never laid the weight of his finger upon me in anger. He would occasionally -say, he didn’t want to get hold of me again. “No,” thought I, -“you need not; for you will come off worse than you did before.” +think he had me, and could do what he pleased; but at this moment—from whence +came the spirit I don’t know—I resolved to fight; and, suiting my action to the +resolution, I seized Covey hard by the throat; and as I did so, I rose. He held +on to me, and I to him. My resistance was so entirely unexpected that Covey +seemed taken all aback. He trembled like a leaf. This gave me assurance, and I +held him uneasy, causing the blood to run where I touched him with the ends of +my fingers. Mr. Covey soon called out to Hughes for help. Hughes came, and, +while Covey held me, attempted to tie my right hand. While he was in the act of +doing so, I watched my chance, and gave him a heavy kick close under the ribs. +This kick fairly sickened Hughes, so that he left me in the hands of Mr. Covey. +This kick had the effect of not only weakening Hughes, but Covey also. When he +saw Hughes bending over with pain, his courage quailed. He asked me if I meant +to persist in my resistance. I told him I did, come what might; that he had +used me like a brute for six months, and that I was determined to be used so no +longer. With that, he strove to drag me to a stick that was lying just out of +the stable door. He meant to knock me down. But just as he was leaning over to +get the stick, I seized him with both hands by his collar, and brought him by a +sudden snatch to the ground. By this time, Bill came. Covey called upon him for +assistance. Bill wanted to know what he could do. Covey said, “Take hold of +him, take hold of him!” Bill said his master hired him out to work, and not to +help to whip me; so he left Covey and myself to fight our own battle out. We +were at it for nearly two hours. Covey at length let me go, puffing and blowing +at a great rate, saying that if I had not resisted, he would not have whipped +me half so much. The truth was, that he had not whipped me at all. I considered +him as getting entirely the worst end of the bargain; for he had drawn no blood +from me, but I had from him. The whole six months afterwards, that I spent with +Mr. Covey, he never laid the weight of his finger upon me in anger. He would +occasionally say, he didn’t want to get hold of me again. “No,” thought I, “you +need not; for you will come off worse than you did before.” </p> <p> @@ -2557,14 +2522,14 @@ defence of myself. And the only explanation I can now think of does not entirely satisfy me; but such as it is, I will give it. Mr. Covey enjoyed the most unbounded reputation for being a first-rate overseer and negro-breaker. It was of considerable importance to him. That reputation was at stake; and had he -sent me—a boy about sixteen years old—to the public whipping-post, -his reputation would have been lost; so, to save his reputation, he suffered me -to go unpunished. +sent me—a boy about sixteen years old—to the public whipping-post, his +reputation would have been lost; so, to save his reputation, he suffered me to +go unpunished. </p> <p> My term of actual service to Mr. Edward Covey ended on Christmas day, 1833. The -days between Christmas and New Year’s day are allowed as holidays; and, +days between Christmas and New Year’s day are allowed as holidays; and, accordingly, we were not required to perform any labor, more than to feed and take care of the stock. This time we regarded as our own, by the grace of our masters; and we therefore used or abused it nearly as we pleased. Those of us @@ -2619,9 +2584,8 @@ was just what might be supposed; many of us were led to think that there was little to choose between liberty and slavery. We felt, and very properly too, that we had almost as well be slaves to man as to rum. So, when the holidays ended, we staggered up from the filth of our wallowing, took a long breath, and -marched to the field,—feeling, upon the whole, rather glad to go, from -what our master had deceived us into a belief was freedom, back to the arms of -slavery. +marched to the field,—feeling, upon the whole, rather glad to go, from what our +master had deceived us into a belief was freedom, back to the arms of slavery. </p> <p> @@ -2644,39 +2608,38 @@ have cited sufficient. The practice is a very common one. <p> On the first of January, 1834, I left Mr. Covey, and went to live with Mr. -William Freeland, who lived about three miles from St. Michael’s. I soon -found Mr. Freeland a very different man from Mr. Covey. Though not rich, he was -what would be called an educated southern gentleman. Mr. Covey, as I have -shown, was a well-trained negro-breaker and slave-driver. The former -(slaveholder though he was) seemed to possess some regard for honor, some -reverence for justice, and some respect for humanity. The latter seemed totally -insensible to all such sentiments. Mr. Freeland had many of the faults peculiar -to slaveholders, such as being very passionate and fretful; but I must do him -the justice to say, that he was exceedingly free from those degrading vices to -which Mr. Covey was constantly addicted. The one was open and frank, and we -always knew where to find him. The other was a most artful deceiver, and could -be understood only by such as were skilful enough to detect his -cunningly-devised frauds. Another advantage I gained in my new master was, he -made no pretensions to, or profession of, religion; and this, in my opinion, -was truly a great advantage. I assert most unhesitatingly, that the religion of -the south is a mere covering for the most horrid crimes,—a justifier of -the most appalling barbarity,—a sanctifier of the most hateful -frauds,—and a dark shelter under, which the darkest, foulest, grossest, -and most infernal deeds of slaveholders find the strongest protection. Were I -to be again reduced to the chains of slavery, next to that enslavement, I -should regard being the slave of a religious master the greatest calamity that -could befall me. For of all slaveholders with whom I have ever met, religious -slaveholders are the worst. I have ever found them the meanest and basest, the -most cruel and cowardly, of all others. It was my unhappy lot not only to -belong to a religious slaveholder, but to live in a community of such -religionists. Very near Mr. Freeland lived the Rev. Daniel Weeden, and in the -same neighborhood lived the Rev. Rigby Hopkins. These were members and -ministers in the Reformed Methodist Church. Mr. Weeden owned, among others, a -woman slave, whose name I have forgotten. This woman’s back, for weeks, -was kept literally raw, made so by the lash of this merciless, <i>religious</i> -wretch. He used to hire hands. His maxim was, Behave well or behave ill, it is -the duty of a master occasionally to whip a slave, to remind him of his -master’s authority. Such was his theory, and such his practice. +William Freeland, who lived about three miles from St. Michael’s. I soon found +Mr. Freeland a very different man from Mr. Covey. Though not rich, he was what +would be called an educated southern gentleman. Mr. Covey, as I have shown, was +a well-trained negro-breaker and slave-driver. The former (slaveholder though +he was) seemed to possess some regard for honor, some reverence for justice, +and some respect for humanity. The latter seemed totally insensible to all such +sentiments. Mr. Freeland had many of the faults peculiar to slaveholders, such +as being very passionate and fretful; but I must do him the justice to say, +that he was exceedingly free from those degrading vices to which Mr. Covey was +constantly addicted. The one was open and frank, and we always knew where to +find him. The other was a most artful deceiver, and could be understood only by +such as were skilful enough to detect his cunningly-devised frauds. Another +advantage I gained in my new master was, he made no pretensions to, or +profession of, religion; and this, in my opinion, was truly a great advantage. +I assert most unhesitatingly, that the religion of the south is a mere covering +for the most horrid crimes,—a justifier of the most appalling barbarity,—a +sanctifier of the most hateful frauds,—and a dark shelter under, which the +darkest, foulest, grossest, and most infernal deeds of slaveholders find the +strongest protection. Were I to be again reduced to the chains of slavery, next +to that enslavement, I should regard being the slave of a religious master the +greatest calamity that could befall me. For of all slaveholders with whom I +have ever met, religious slaveholders are the worst. I have ever found them the +meanest and basest, the most cruel and cowardly, of all others. It was my +unhappy lot not only to belong to a religious slaveholder, but to live in a +community of such religionists. Very near Mr. Freeland lived the Rev. Daniel +Weeden, and in the same neighborhood lived the Rev. Rigby Hopkins. These were +members and ministers in the Reformed Methodist Church. Mr. Weeden owned, among +others, a woman slave, whose name I have forgotten. This woman’s back, for +weeks, was kept literally raw, made so by the lash of this merciless, +<i>religious</i> wretch. He used to hire hands. His maxim was, Behave well or +behave ill, it is the duty of a master occasionally to whip a slave, to remind +him of his master’s authority. Such was his theory, and such his practice. </p> <p> @@ -2689,28 +2652,27 @@ offences, to prevent the commission of large ones. Mr. Hopkins could always find some excuse for whipping a slave. It would astonish one, unaccustomed to a slaveholding life, to see with what wonderful ease a slaveholder can find things, of which to make occasion to whip a slave. A mere look, word, or -motion,—a mistake, accident, or want of power,—are all matters for -which a slave may be whipped at any time. Does a slave look dissatisfied? It is -said, he has the devil in him, and it must be whipped out. Does he speak loudly -when spoken to by his master? Then he is getting high-minded, and should be -taken down a button-hole lower. Does he forget to pull off his hat at the -approach of a white person? Then he is wanting in reverence, and should be -whipped for it. Does he ever venture to vindicate his conduct, when censured -for it? Then he is guilty of impudence,—one of the greatest crimes of -which a slave can be guilty. Does he ever venture to suggest a different mode -of doing things from that pointed out by his master? He is indeed presumptuous, -and getting above himself; and nothing less than a flogging will do for him. -Does he, while ploughing, break a plough,—or, while hoeing, break a hoe? -It is owing to his carelessness, and for it a slave must always be whipped. Mr. -Hopkins could always find something of this sort to justify the use of the -lash, and he seldom failed to embrace such opportunities. There was not a man -in the whole county, with whom the slaves who had the getting their own home, -would not prefer to live, rather than with this Rev. Mr. Hopkins. And yet there -was not a man any where round, who made higher professions of religion, or was -more active in revivals,—more attentive to the class, love-feast, prayer -and preaching meetings, or more devotional in his family,—that prayed -earlier, later, louder, and longer,—than this same reverend slave-driver, -Rigby Hopkins. +motion,—a mistake, accident, or want of power,—are all matters for which a +slave may be whipped at any time. Does a slave look dissatisfied? It is said, +he has the devil in him, and it must be whipped out. Does he speak loudly when +spoken to by his master? Then he is getting high-minded, and should be taken +down a button-hole lower. Does he forget to pull off his hat at the approach of +a white person? Then he is wanting in reverence, and should be whipped for it. +Does he ever venture to vindicate his conduct, when censured for it? Then he is +guilty of impudence,—one of the greatest crimes of which a slave can be guilty. +Does he ever venture to suggest a different mode of doing things from that +pointed out by his master? He is indeed presumptuous, and getting above +himself; and nothing less than a flogging will do for him. Does he, while +ploughing, break a plough,—or, while hoeing, break a hoe? It is owing to his +carelessness, and for it a slave must always be whipped. Mr. Hopkins could +always find something of this sort to justify the use of the lash, and he +seldom failed to embrace such opportunities. There was not a man in the whole +county, with whom the slaves who had the getting their own home, would not +prefer to live, rather than with this Rev. Mr. Hopkins. And yet there was not a +man any where round, who made higher professions of religion, or was more +active in revivals,—more attentive to the class, love-feast, prayer and +preaching meetings, or more devotional in his family,—that prayed earlier, +later, louder, and longer,—than this same reverend slave-driver, Rigby Hopkins. </p> <p> @@ -2727,18 +2689,18 @@ hands of Mr. Edward Covey. <p> Mr. Freeland was himself the owner of but two slaves. Their names were Henry Harris and John Harris. The rest of his hands he hired. These consisted of -myself, Sandy Jenkins,<a href="#fn-1" name="fnref-1" id="fnref-1"><sup>[1]</sup></a> -and Handy Caldwell. +myself, Sandy Jenkins,<a href="#fn-1" name="fnref-1"><sup>[1]</sup></a> and +Handy Caldwell. </p> <p class="footnote"> -<a name="fn-1" id="fn-1"></a> <a href="#fnref-1">[1]</a> +<a name="fn-1"></a> <a href="#fnref-1">[1]</a> This is the same man who gave me the roots to prevent my being whipped by Mr. -Covey. He was “a clever soul.” We used frequently to talk about the -fight with Covey, and as often as we did so, he would claim my success as the -result of the roots which he gave me. This superstition is very common among -the more ignorant slaves. A slave seldom dies but that his death is attributed -to trickery. +Covey. He was “a clever soul.” We used frequently to talk about the fight with +Covey, and as often as we did so, he would claim my success as the result of +the roots which he gave me. This superstition is very common among the more +ignorant slaves. A slave seldom dies but that his death is attributed to +trickery. </p> <p> @@ -2751,17 +2713,16 @@ loved fellow-slaves how to read. Neither of them knew his letters when I went there. Some of the slaves of the neighboring farms found what was going on, and also availed themselves of this little opportunity to learn to read. It was understood, among all who came, that there must be as little display about it -as possible. It was necessary to keep our religious masters at St. -Michael’s unacquainted with the fact, that, instead of spending the -Sabbath in wrestling, boxing, and drinking whisky, we were trying to learn how -to read the will of God; for they had much rather see us engaged in those -degrading sports, than to see us behaving like intellectual, moral, and -accountable beings. My blood boils as I think of the bloody manner in which -Messrs. Wright Fairbanks and Garrison West, both class-leaders, in connection -with many others, rushed in upon us with sticks and stones, and broke up our -virtuous little Sabbath school, at St. Michael’s—all calling -themselves Christians! humble followers of the Lord Jesus Christ! But I am -again digressing. +as possible. It was necessary to keep our religious masters at St. Michael’s +unacquainted with the fact, that, instead of spending the Sabbath in wrestling, +boxing, and drinking whisky, we were trying to learn how to read the will of +God; for they had much rather see us engaged in those degrading sports, than to +see us behaving like intellectual, moral, and accountable beings. My blood +boils as I think of the bloody manner in which Messrs. Wright Fairbanks and +Garrison West, both class-leaders, in connection with many others, rushed in +upon us with sticks and stones, and broke up our virtuous little Sabbath +school, at St. Michael’s—all calling themselves Christians! humble followers of +the Lord Jesus Christ! But I am again digressing. </p> <p> @@ -2775,21 +2736,21 @@ great days to my soul. The work of instructing my dear fellow-slaves was the sweetest engagement with which I was ever blessed. We loved each other, and to leave them at the close of the Sabbath was a severe cross indeed. When I think that these precious souls are to-day shut up in the prison-house of slavery, my -feelings overcome me, and I am almost ready to ask, “Does a righteous God +feelings overcome me, and I am almost ready to ask, “Does a righteous God govern the universe? and for what does he hold the thunders in his right hand, if not to smite the oppressor, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the -spoiler?” These dear souls came not to Sabbath school because it was -popular to do so, nor did I teach them because it was reputable to be thus -engaged. Every moment they spent in that school, they were liable to be taken -up, and given thirty-nine lashes. They came because they wished to learn. Their -minds had been starved by their cruel masters. They had been shut up in mental -darkness. I taught them, because it was the delight of my soul to be doing -something that looked like bettering the condition of my race. I kept up my -school nearly the whole year I lived with Mr. Freeland; and, beside my Sabbath -school, I devoted three evenings in the week, during the winter, to teaching -the slaves at home. And I have the happiness to know, that several of those who -came to Sabbath school learned how to read; and that one, at least, is now free -through my agency. +spoiler?” These dear souls came not to Sabbath school because it was popular to +do so, nor did I teach them because it was reputable to be thus engaged. Every +moment they spent in that school, they were liable to be taken up, and given +thirty-nine lashes. They came because they wished to learn. Their minds had +been starved by their cruel masters. They had been shut up in mental darkness. +I taught them, because it was the delight of my soul to be doing something that +looked like bettering the condition of my race. I kept up my school nearly the +whole year I lived with Mr. Freeland; and, beside my Sabbath school, I devoted +three evenings in the week, during the winter, to teaching the slaves at home. +And I have the happiness to know, that several of those who came to Sabbath +school learned how to read; and that one, at least, is now free through my +agency. </p> <p> @@ -2803,10 +2764,10 @@ and interlinked with each other. I loved them with a love stronger than any thing I have experienced since. It is sometimes said that we slaves do not love and confide in each other. In answer to this assertion, I can say, I never loved any or confided in any people more than my fellow-slaves, and especially -those with whom I lived at Mr. Freeland’s. I believe we would have died -for each other. We never undertook to do any thing, of any importance, without -a mutual consultation. We never moved separately. We were one; and as much so -by our tempers and dispositions, as by the mutual hardships to which we were +those with whom I lived at Mr. Freeland’s. I believe we would have died for +each other. We never undertook to do any thing, of any importance, without a +mutual consultation. We never moved separately. We were one; and as much so by +our tempers and dispositions, as by the mutual hardships to which we were necessarily subjected by our condition as slaves. </p> @@ -2817,59 +2778,58 @@ as well as <i>with Freeland;</i> and I was no longer content, therefore, to live with him or any other slaveholder. I began, with the commencement of the year, to prepare myself for a final struggle, which should decide my fate one way or the other. My tendency was upward. I was fast approaching manhood, and -year after year had passed, and I was still a slave. These thoughts roused -me—I must do something. I therefore resolved that 1835 should not pass -without witnessing an attempt, on my part, to secure my liberty. But I was not -willing to cherish this determination alone. My fellow-slaves were dear to me. -I was anxious to have them participate with me in this, my life-giving -determination. I therefore, though with great prudence, commenced early to -ascertain their views and feelings in regard to their condition, and to imbue -their minds with thoughts of freedom. I bent myself to devising ways and means -for our escape, and meanwhile strove, on all fitting occasions, to impress them -with the gross fraud and inhumanity of slavery. I went first to Henry, next to -John, then to the others. I found, in them all, warm hearts and noble spirits. -They were ready to hear, and ready to act when a feasible plan should be -proposed. This was what I wanted. I talked to them of our want of manhood, if -we submitted to our enslavement without at least one noble effort to be free. -We met often, and consulted frequently, and told our hopes and fears, recounted -the difficulties, real and imagined, which we should be called on to meet. At -times we were almost disposed to give up, and try to content ourselves with our -wretched lot; at others, we were firm and unbending in our determination to go. -Whenever we suggested any plan, there was shrinking—the odds were -fearful. Our path was beset with the greatest obstacles; and if we succeeded in -gaining the end of it, our right to be free was yet questionable—we were -yet liable to be returned to bondage. We could see no spot, this side of the -ocean, where we could be free. We knew nothing about Canada. Our knowledge of -the north did not extend farther than New York; and to go there, and be forever -harassed with the frightful liability of being returned to slavery—with -the certainty of being treated tenfold worse than before—the thought was -truly a horrible one, and one which it was not easy to overcome. The case -sometimes stood thus: At every gate through which we were to pass, we saw a -watchman—at every ferry a guard—on every bridge a -sentinel—and in every wood a patrol. We were hemmed in upon every side. -Here were the difficulties, real or imagined—the good to be sought, and -the evil to be shunned. On the one hand, there stood slavery, a stern reality, -glaring frightfully upon us,—its robes already crimsoned with the blood -of millions, and even now feasting itself greedily upon our own flesh. On the -other hand, away back in the dim distance, under the flickering light of the -north star, behind some craggy hill or snow-covered mountain, stood a doubtful -freedom—half frozen—beckoning us to come and share its hospitality. +year after year had passed, and I was still a slave. These thoughts roused me—I +must do something. I therefore resolved that 1835 should not pass without +witnessing an attempt, on my part, to secure my liberty. But I was not willing +to cherish this determination alone. My fellow-slaves were dear to me. I was +anxious to have them participate with me in this, my life-giving determination. +I therefore, though with great prudence, commenced early to ascertain their +views and feelings in regard to their condition, and to imbue their minds with +thoughts of freedom. I bent myself to devising ways and means for our escape, +and meanwhile strove, on all fitting occasions, to impress them with the gross +fraud and inhumanity of slavery. I went first to Henry, next to John, then to +the others. I found, in them all, warm hearts and noble spirits. They were +ready to hear, and ready to act when a feasible plan should be proposed. This +was what I wanted. I talked to them of our want of manhood, if we submitted to +our enslavement without at least one noble effort to be free. We met often, and +consulted frequently, and told our hopes and fears, recounted the difficulties, +real and imagined, which we should be called on to meet. At times we were +almost disposed to give up, and try to content ourselves with our wretched lot; +at others, we were firm and unbending in our determination to go. Whenever we +suggested any plan, there was shrinking—the odds were fearful. Our path was +beset with the greatest obstacles; and if we succeeded in gaining the end of +it, our right to be free was yet questionable—we were yet liable to be returned +to bondage. We could see no spot, this side of the ocean, where we could be +free. We knew nothing about Canada. Our knowledge of the north did not extend +farther than New York; and to go there, and be forever harassed with the +frightful liability of being returned to slavery—with the certainty of being +treated tenfold worse than before—the thought was truly a horrible one, and one +which it was not easy to overcome. The case sometimes stood thus: At every gate +through which we were to pass, we saw a watchman—at every ferry a guard—on +every bridge a sentinel—and in every wood a patrol. We were hemmed in upon +every side. Here were the difficulties, real or imagined—the good to be sought, +and the evil to be shunned. On the one hand, there stood slavery, a stern +reality, glaring frightfully upon us,—its robes already crimsoned with the +blood of millions, and even now feasting itself greedily upon our own flesh. On +the other hand, away back in the dim distance, under the flickering light of +the north star, behind some craggy hill or snow-covered mountain, stood a +doubtful freedom—half frozen—beckoning us to come and share its hospitality. This in itself was sometimes enough to stagger us; but when we permitted ourselves to survey the road, we were frequently appalled. Upon either side we saw grim death, assuming the most horrid shapes. Now it was starvation, causing -us to eat our own flesh;—now we were contending with the waves, and were -drowned;—now we were overtaken, and torn to pieces by the fangs of the -terrible bloodhound. We were stung by scorpions, chased by wild beasts, bitten -by snakes, and finally, after having nearly reached the desired -spot,—after swimming rivers, encountering wild beasts, sleeping in the -woods, suffering hunger and nakedness,—we were overtaken by our pursuers, -and, in our resistance, we were shot dead upon the spot! I say, this picture -sometimes appalled us, and made us +us to eat our own flesh;—now we were contending with the waves, and were +drowned;—now we were overtaken, and torn to pieces by the fangs of the terrible +bloodhound. We were stung by scorpions, chased by wild beasts, bitten by +snakes, and finally, after having nearly reached the desired spot,—after +swimming rivers, encountering wild beasts, sleeping in the woods, suffering +hunger and nakedness,—we were overtaken by our pursuers, and, in our +resistance, we were shot dead upon the spot! I say, this picture sometimes +appalled us, and made us </p> <p class="poem"> -“rather bear those ills we had,<br /> -Than fly to others, that we knew not of.” +“rather bear those ills we had,<br/> +Than fly to others, that we knew not of.” </p> <p> @@ -2883,8 +2843,8 @@ to hopeless bondage. Sandy, one of our number, gave up the notion, but still encouraged us. Our company then consisted of Henry Harris, John Harris, Henry Bailey, Charles Roberts, and myself. Henry Bailey was my uncle, and belonged to my master. -Charles married my aunt: he belonged to my master’s father-in-law, Mr. -William Hamilton. +Charles married my aunt: he belonged to my master’s father-in-law, Mr. William +Hamilton. </p> <p> @@ -2902,19 +2862,18 @@ disposed, could stop us, and subject us to examination. <p> The week before our intended start, I wrote several protections, one for each -of us. As well as I can remember, they were in the following words, to -wit:— +of us. As well as I can remember, they were in the following words, to wit:— </p> <p class="letter"> -“This is to certify that I, the undersigned, have given the bearer, my -servant, full liberty to go to Baltimore, and spend the Easter holidays. -Written with mine own hand, &c., 1835. +“This is to certify that I, the undersigned, have given the bearer, my servant, +full liberty to go to Baltimore, and spend the Easter holidays. Written with +mine own hand, &c., 1835. </p> <p class="right"> -“W<small>ILLIAM</small> H<small>AMILTON</small>,<br /> -“Near St. Michael’s, in Talbot county, Maryland.” +“W<small>ILLIAM</small> H<small>AMILTON</small>,<br/> +“Near St. Michael’s, in Talbot county, Maryland.” </p> <p> @@ -2953,9 +2912,8 @@ morning were such as I never experienced before, and hope never to again. Early in the morning, we went, as usual, to the field. We were spreading manure; and all at once, while thus engaged, I was overwhelmed with an indescribable feeling, in the fulness of which I turned to Sandy, who was near by, and said, -“We are betrayed!” “Well,” said he, “that thought -has this moment struck me.” We said no more. I was never more certain of -any thing. +“We are betrayed!” “Well,” said he, “that thought has this moment struck me.” +We said no more. I was never more certain of any thing. </p> <p> @@ -2977,29 +2935,27 @@ in the kitchen but myself and John. Henry and Sandy were up at the barn. Mr. Freeland put his head in at the door, and called me by name, saying, there were some gentlemen at the door who wished to see me. I stepped to the door, and inquired what they wanted. They at once seized me, and, without giving me any -satisfaction, tied me—lashing my hands closely together. I insisted upon +satisfaction, tied me—lashing my hands closely together. I insisted upon knowing what the matter was. They at length said, that they had learned I had -been in a “scrape,” and that I was to be examined before my master; -and if their information proved false, I should not be hurt. +been in a “scrape,” and that I was to be examined before my master; and if +their information proved false, I should not be hurt. </p> <p> In a few moments, they succeeded in tying John. They then turned to Henry, who -had by this time returned, and commanded him to cross his hands. “I -won’t!” said Henry, in a firm tone, indicating his readiness to -meet the consequences of his refusal. “Won’t you?” said Tom -Graham, the constable. “No, I won’t!” said Henry, in a still -stronger tone. With this, two of the constables pulled out their shining -pistols, and swore, by their Creator, that they would make him cross his hands -or kill him. Each cocked his pistol, and, with fingers on the trigger, walked -up to Henry, saying, at the same time, if he did not cross his hands, they -would blow his damned heart out. “Shoot me, shoot me!” said Henry; -“you can’t kill me but once. Shoot, shoot,—and be damned! -<i>I won’t be tied!</i>” This he said in a tone of loud defiance; -and at the same time, with a motion as quick as lightning, he with one single -stroke dashed the pistols from the hand of each constable. As he did this, all -hands fell upon him, and, after beating him some time, they finally overpowered -him, and got him tied. +had by this time returned, and commanded him to cross his hands. “I won’t!” +said Henry, in a firm tone, indicating his readiness to meet the consequences +of his refusal. “Won’t you?” said Tom Graham, the constable. “No, I won’t!” +said Henry, in a still stronger tone. With this, two of the constables pulled +out their shining pistols, and swore, by their Creator, that they would make +him cross his hands or kill him. Each cocked his pistol, and, with fingers on +the trigger, walked up to Henry, saying, at the same time, if he did not cross +his hands, they would blow his damned heart out. “Shoot me, shoot me!” said +Henry; “you can’t kill me but once. Shoot, shoot,—and be damned! <i>I won’t be +tied!</i>” This he said in a tone of loud defiance; and at the same time, with +a motion as quick as lightning, he with one single stroke dashed the pistols +from the hand of each constable. As he did this, all hands fell upon him, and, +after beating him some time, they finally overpowered him, and got him tied. </p> <p> @@ -3008,41 +2964,40 @@ being discovered, put it into the fire. We were all now tied; and just as we were to leave for Easton jail, Betsy Freeland, mother of William Freeland, came to the door with her hands full of biscuits, and divided them between Henry and John. She then delivered herself of a speech, to the following -effect:—addressing herself to me, she said, “<i>You devil! You -yellow devil!</i> it was you that put it into the heads of Henry and John to -run away. But for you, you long-legged mulatto devil! Henry nor John would -never have thought of such a thing.” I made no reply, and was immediately -hurried off towards St. Michael’s. Just a moment previous to the scuffle -with Henry, Mr. Hamilton suggested the propriety of making a search for the -protections which he had understood Frederick had written for himself and the -rest. But, just at the moment he was about carrying his proposal into effect, -his aid was needed in helping to tie Henry; and the excitement attending the -scuffle caused them either to forget, or to deem it unsafe, under the -circumstances, to search. So we were not yet convicted of the intention to run -away. -</p> - -<p> -When we got about half way to St. Michael’s, while the constables having -us in charge were looking ahead, Henry inquired of me what he should do with -his pass. I told him to eat it with his biscuit, and own nothing; and we passed -the word around, “<i>Own nothing;</i>” and “<i>Own -nothing!</i>” said we all. Our confidence in each other was unshaken. We -were resolved to succeed or fail together, after the calamity had befallen us -as much as before. We were now prepared for any thing. We were to be dragged -that morning fifteen miles behind horses, and then to be placed in the Easton -jail. When we reached St. Michael’s, we underwent a sort of examination. -We all denied that we ever intended to run away. We did this more to bring out -the evidence against us, than from any hope of getting clear of being sold; -for, as I have said, we were ready for that. The fact was, we cared but little -where we went, so we went together. Our greatest concern was about separation. -We dreaded that more than any thing this side of death. We found the evidence -against us to be the testimony of one person; our master would not tell who it -was; but we came to a unanimous decision among ourselves as to who their -informant was. We were sent off to the jail at Easton. When we got there, we -were delivered up to the sheriff, Mr. Joseph Graham, and by him placed in jail. -Henry, John, and myself, were placed in one room together—Charles, and -Henry Bailey, in another. Their object in separating us was to hinder concert. +effect:—addressing herself to me, she said, “<i>You devil! You yellow +devil!</i> it was you that put it into the heads of Henry and John to run away. +But for you, you long-legged mulatto devil! Henry nor John would never have +thought of such a thing.” I made no reply, and was immediately hurried off +towards St. Michael’s. Just a moment previous to the scuffle with Henry, Mr. +Hamilton suggested the propriety of making a search for the protections which +he had understood Frederick had written for himself and the rest. But, just at +the moment he was about carrying his proposal into effect, his aid was needed +in helping to tie Henry; and the excitement attending the scuffle caused them +either to forget, or to deem it unsafe, under the circumstances, to search. So +we were not yet convicted of the intention to run away. +</p> + +<p> +When we got about half way to St. Michael’s, while the constables having us in +charge were looking ahead, Henry inquired of me what he should do with his +pass. I told him to eat it with his biscuit, and own nothing; and we passed the +word around, “<i>Own nothing;</i>” and “<i>Own nothing!</i>” said we all. Our +confidence in each other was unshaken. We were resolved to succeed or fail +together, after the calamity had befallen us as much as before. We were now +prepared for any thing. We were to be dragged that morning fifteen miles behind +horses, and then to be placed in the Easton jail. When we reached St. +Michael’s, we underwent a sort of examination. We all denied that we ever +intended to run away. We did this more to bring out the evidence against us, +than from any hope of getting clear of being sold; for, as I have said, we were +ready for that. The fact was, we cared but little where we went, so we went +together. Our greatest concern was about separation. We dreaded that more than +any thing this side of death. We found the evidence against us to be the +testimony of one person; our master would not tell who it was; but we came to a +unanimous decision among ourselves as to who their informant was. We were sent +off to the jail at Easton. When we got there, we were delivered up to the +sheriff, Mr. Joseph Graham, and by him placed in jail. Henry, John, and myself, +were placed in one room together—Charles, and Henry Bailey, in another. Their +object in separating us was to hinder concert. </p> <p> @@ -3051,13 +3006,13 @@ agents for slave traders, flocked into jail to look at us, and to ascertain if we were for sale. Such a set of beings I never saw before! I felt myself surrounded by so many fiends from perdition. A band of pirates never looked more like their father, the devil. They laughed and grinned over us, saying, -“Ah, my boys! we have got you, haven’t we?” And after -taunting us in various ways, they one by one went into an examination of us, -with intent to ascertain our value. They would impudently ask us if we would -not like to have them for our masters. We would make them no answer, and leave -them to find out as best they could. Then they would curse and swear at us, -telling us that they could take the devil out of us in a very little while, if -we were only in their hands. +“Ah, my boys! we have got you, haven’t we?” And after taunting us in various +ways, they one by one went into an examination of us, with intent to ascertain +our value. They would impudently ask us if we would not like to have them for +our masters. We would make them no answer, and leave them to find out as best +they could. Then they would curse and swear at us, telling us that they could +take the devil out of us in a very little while, if we were only in their +hands. </p> <p> @@ -3103,8 +3058,8 @@ might be killed. <p> In a few weeks after I went to Baltimore, Master Hugh hired me to Mr. William -Gardner, an extensive ship-builder, on Fell’s Point. I was put there to -learn how to calk. It, however, proved a very unfavorable place for the +Gardner, an extensive ship-builder, on Fell’s Point. I was put there to learn +how to calk. It, however, proved a very unfavorable place for the accomplishment of this object. Mr. Gardner was engaged that spring in building two large man-of-war brigs, professedly for the Mexican government. The vessels were to be launched in the July of that year, and in failure thereof, Mr. @@ -3115,24 +3070,18 @@ whatever the carpenters commanded me to do. This was placing me at the beck and call of about seventy-five men. I was to regard all these as masters. Their word was to be my law. My situation was a most trying one. At times I needed a dozen pair of hands. I was called a dozen ways in the space of a single minute. -Three or four voices would strike my ear at the same moment. It -was—“Fred., come help me to cant this timber -here.”—“Fred., come carry this timber -yonder.”—“Fred., bring that roller -here.”—“Fred., go get a fresh can of -water.”—“Fred., come help saw off the end of this -timber.”—“Fred., go quick, and get the -crowbar.”—“Fred., hold on the end of this -fall.”—“Fred., go to the blacksmith’s shop, and get a -new punch.”—“Hurra, Fred! run and bring me a cold -chisel.”—“I say, Fred., bear a hand, and get up a fire as -quick as lightning under that steam-box.”—“Halloo, nigger! -come, turn this grindstone.”—“Come, come! move, move! and -<i>bowse</i> this timber forward.”—“I say, darky, blast your -eyes, why don’t you heat up some pitch?”—“Halloo! -halloo! halloo!” (Three voices at the same time.) “Come -here!—Go there!—Hold on where you are! Damn you, if you move, -I’ll knock your brains out!” +Three or four voices would strike my ear at the same moment. It was—“Fred., +come help me to cant this timber here.”—“Fred., come carry this timber +yonder.”—“Fred., bring that roller here.”—“Fred., go get a fresh can of +water.”—“Fred., come help saw off the end of this timber.”—“Fred., go quick, +and get the crowbar.”—“Fred., hold on the end of this fall.”—“Fred., go to the +blacksmith’s shop, and get a new punch.”—“Hurra, Fred! run and bring me a cold +chisel.”—“I say, Fred., bear a hand, and get up a fire as quick as lightning +under that steam-box.”—“Halloo, nigger! come, turn this grindstone.”—“Come, +come! move, move! and <i>bowse</i> this timber forward.”—“I say, darky, blast +your eyes, why don’t you heat up some pitch?”—“Halloo! halloo! halloo!” (Three +voices at the same time.) “Come here!—Go there!—Hold on where you are! Damn +you, if you move, I’ll knock your brains out!” </p> <p> @@ -3148,36 +3097,35 @@ would not work with free colored workmen. Their reason for this, as alleged, was, that if free colored carpenters were encouraged, they would soon take the trade into their own hands, and poor white men would be thrown out of employment. They therefore felt called upon at once to put a stop to it. And, -taking advantage of Mr. Gardner’s necessities, they broke off, swearing -they would work no longer, unless he would discharge his black carpenters. Now, +taking advantage of Mr. Gardner’s necessities, they broke off, swearing they +would work no longer, unless he would discharge his black carpenters. Now, though this did not extend to me in form, it did reach me in fact. My fellow-apprentices very soon began to feel it degrading to them to work with -me. They began to put on airs, and talk about the “niggers” taking -the country, saying we all ought to be killed; and, being encouraged by the -journeymen, they commenced making my condition as hard as they could, by -hectoring me around, and sometimes striking me. I, of course, kept the vow I -made after the fight with Mr. Covey, and struck back again, regardless of -consequences; and while I kept them from combining, I succeeded very well; for -I could whip the whole of them, taking them separately. They, however, at -length combined, and came upon me, armed with sticks, stones, and heavy -handspikes. One came in front with a half brick. There was one at each side of -me, and one behind me. While I was attending to those in front, and on either -side, the one behind ran up with the handspike, and struck me a heavy blow upon -the head. It stunned me. I fell, and with this they all ran upon me, and fell -to beating me with their fists. I let them lay on for a while, gathering -strength. In an instant, I gave a sudden surge, and rose to my hands and knees. -Just as I did that, one of their number gave me, with his heavy boot, a -powerful kick in the left eye. My eyeball seemed to have burst. When they saw -my eye closed, and badly swollen, they left me. With this I seized the -handspike, and for a time pursued them. But here the carpenters interfered, and -I thought I might as well give it up. It was impossible to stand my hand -against so many. All this took place in sight of not less than fifty white -ship-carpenters, and not one interposed a friendly word; but some cried, -“Kill the damned nigger! Kill him! kill him! He struck a white -person.” I found my only chance for life was in flight. I succeeded in +me. They began to put on airs, and talk about the “niggers” taking the country, +saying we all ought to be killed; and, being encouraged by the journeymen, they +commenced making my condition as hard as they could, by hectoring me around, +and sometimes striking me. I, of course, kept the vow I made after the fight +with Mr. Covey, and struck back again, regardless of consequences; and while I +kept them from combining, I succeeded very well; for I could whip the whole of +them, taking them separately. They, however, at length combined, and came upon +me, armed with sticks, stones, and heavy handspikes. One came in front with a +half brick. There was one at each side of me, and one behind me. While I was +attending to those in front, and on either side, the one behind ran up with the +handspike, and struck me a heavy blow upon the head. It stunned me. I fell, and +with this they all ran upon me, and fell to beating me with their fists. I let +them lay on for a while, gathering strength. In an instant, I gave a sudden +surge, and rose to my hands and knees. Just as I did that, one of their number +gave me, with his heavy boot, a powerful kick in the left eye. My eyeball +seemed to have burst. When they saw my eye closed, and badly swollen, they left +me. With this I seized the handspike, and for a time pursued them. But here the +carpenters interfered, and I thought I might as well give it up. It was +impossible to stand my hand against so many. All this took place in sight of +not less than fifty white ship-carpenters, and not one interposed a friendly +word; but some cried, “Kill the damned nigger! Kill him! kill him! He struck a +white person.” I found my only chance for life was in flight. I succeeded in getting away without an additional blow, and barely so; for to strike a white -man is death by Lynch law,—and that was the law in Mr. Gardner’s -ship-yard; nor is there much of any other out of Mr. Gardner’s ship-yard. +man is death by Lynch law,—and that was the law in Mr. Gardner’s ship-yard; nor +is there much of any other out of Mr. Gardner’s ship-yard. </p> <p> @@ -3188,32 +3136,31 @@ attentively to my narration of the circumstances leading to the savage outrage, and gave many proofs of his strong indignation at it. The heart of my once overkind mistress was again melted into pity. My puffed-out eye and blood-covered face moved her to tears. She took a chair by me, washed the blood -from my face, and, with a mother’s tenderness, bound up my head, covering -the wounded eye with a lean piece of fresh beef. It was almost compensation for -my suffering to witness, once more, a manifestation of kindness from this, my -once affectionate old mistress. Master Hugh was very much enraged. He gave +from my face, and, with a mother’s tenderness, bound up my head, covering the +wounded eye with a lean piece of fresh beef. It was almost compensation for my +suffering to witness, once more, a manifestation of kindness from this, my once +affectionate old mistress. Master Hugh was very much enraged. He gave expression to his feelings by pouring out curses upon the heads of those who did the deed. As soon as I got a little the better of my bruises, he took me -with him to Esquire Watson’s, on Bond Street, to see what could be done -about the matter. Mr. Watson inquired who saw the assault committed. Master -Hugh told him it was done in Mr. Gardner’s ship-yard at midday, where -there were a large company of men at work. “As to that,” he said, -“the deed was done, and there was no question as to who did it.” -His answer was, he could do nothing in the case, unless some white man would -come forward and testify. He could issue no warrant on my word. If I had been -killed in the presence of a thousand colored people, their testimony combined -would have been insufficient to have arrested one of the murderers. Master -Hugh, for once, was compelled to say this state of things was too bad. Of -course, it was impossible to get any white man to volunteer his testimony in my -behalf, and against the white young men. Even those who may have sympathized -with me were not prepared to do this. It required a degree of courage unknown -to them to do so; for just at that time, the slightest manifestation of -humanity toward a colored person was denounced as abolitionism, and that name -subjected its bearer to frightful liabilities. The watchwords of the -bloody-minded in that region, and in those days, were, “Damn the -abolitionists!” and “Damn the niggers!” There was nothing -done, and probably nothing would have been done if I had been killed. Such was, -and such remains, the state of things in the Christian city of Baltimore. +with him to Esquire Watson’s, on Bond Street, to see what could be done about +the matter. Mr. Watson inquired who saw the assault committed. Master Hugh told +him it was done in Mr. Gardner’s ship-yard at midday, where there were a large +company of men at work. “As to that,” he said, “the deed was done, and there +was no question as to who did it.” His answer was, he could do nothing in the +case, unless some white man would come forward and testify. He could issue no +warrant on my word. If I had been killed in the presence of a thousand colored +people, their testimony combined would have been insufficient to have arrested +one of the murderers. Master Hugh, for once, was compelled to say this state of +things was too bad. Of course, it was impossible to get any white man to +volunteer his testimony in my behalf, and against the white young men. Even +those who may have sympathized with me were not prepared to do this. It +required a degree of courage unknown to them to do so; for just at that time, +the slightest manifestation of humanity toward a colored person was denounced +as abolitionism, and that name subjected its bearer to frightful liabilities. +The watchwords of the bloody-minded in that region, and in those days, were, +“Damn the abolitionists!” and “Damn the niggers!” There was nothing done, and +probably nothing would have been done if I had been killed. Such was, and such +remains, the state of things in the Christian city of Baltimore. </p> <p> @@ -3222,44 +3169,43 @@ to Mr. Gardner. He kept me himself, and his wife dressed my wound till I was again restored to health. He then took me into the ship-yard of which he was foreman, in the employment of Mr. Walter Price. There I was immediately set to calking, and very soon learned the art of using my mallet and irons. In the -course of one year from the time I left Mr. Gardner’s, I was able to -command the highest wages given to the most experienced calkers. I was now of -some importance to my master. I was bringing him from six to seven dollars per -week. I sometimes brought him nine dollars per week: my wages were a dollar and -a half a day. After learning how to calk, I sought my own employment, made my -own contracts, and collected the money which I earned. My pathway became much -more smooth than before; my condition was now much more comfortable. When I -could get no calking to do, I did nothing. During these leisure times, those -old notions about freedom would steal over me again. When in Mr. -Gardner’s employment, I was kept in such a perpetual whirl of excitement, -I could think of nothing, scarcely, but my life; and in thinking of my life, I -almost forgot my liberty. I have observed this in my experience of -slavery,—that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its -increasing my contentment, it only increased my desire to be free, and set me -to thinking of plans to gain my freedom. I have found that, to make a contented -slave, it is necessary to make a thoughtless one. It is necessary to darken his -moral and mental vision, and, as far as possible, to annihilate the power of -reason. He must be able to detect no inconsistencies in slavery; he must be -made to feel that slavery is right; and he can be brought to that only when he -ceases to be a man. +course of one year from the time I left Mr. Gardner’s, I was able to command +the highest wages given to the most experienced calkers. I was now of some +importance to my master. I was bringing him from six to seven dollars per week. +I sometimes brought him nine dollars per week: my wages were a dollar and a +half a day. After learning how to calk, I sought my own employment, made my own +contracts, and collected the money which I earned. My pathway became much more +smooth than before; my condition was now much more comfortable. When I could +get no calking to do, I did nothing. During these leisure times, those old +notions about freedom would steal over me again. When in Mr. Gardner’s +employment, I was kept in such a perpetual whirl of excitement, I could think +of nothing, scarcely, but my life; and in thinking of my life, I almost forgot +my liberty. I have observed this in my experience of slavery,—that whenever my +condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only +increased my desire to be free, and set me to thinking of plans to gain my +freedom. I have found that, to make a contented slave, it is necessary to make +a thoughtless one. It is necessary to darken his moral and mental vision, and, +as far as possible, to annihilate the power of reason. He must be able to +detect no inconsistencies in slavery; he must be made to feel that slavery is +right; and he can be brought to that only when he ceases to be a man. </p> <p> I was now getting, as I have said, one dollar and fifty cents per day. I contracted for it; I earned it; it was paid to me; it was rightfully my own; yet, upon each returning Saturday night, I was compelled to deliver every cent -of that money to Master Hugh. And why? Not because he earned it,—not -because he had any hand in earning it,—not because I owed it to -him,—nor because he possessed the slightest shadow of a right to it; but -solely because he had the power to compel me to give it up. The right of the -grim-visaged pirate upon the high seas is exactly the same. +of that money to Master Hugh. And why? Not because he earned it,—not because he +had any hand in earning it,—not because I owed it to him,—nor because he +possessed the slightest shadow of a right to it; but solely because he had the +power to compel me to give it up. The right of the grim-visaged pirate upon the +high seas is exactly the same. </p> </div><!--end chapter--> <div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="link2HCH0011" id="link2HCH0011"></a> CHAPTER XI</h2> +<h2><a name="link2HCH0011"></a>CHAPTER XI</h2> <p> I now come to that part of my life during which I planned, and finally @@ -3319,18 +3265,18 @@ In the early part of the year 1838, I became quite restless. I could see no reason why I should, at the end of each week, pour the reward of my toil into the purse of my master. When I carried to him my weekly wages, he would, after counting the money, look me in the face with a robber-like fierceness, and ask, -“Is this all?” He was satisfied with nothing less than the last -cent. He would, however, when I made him six dollars, sometimes give me six -cents, to encourage me. It had the opposite effect. I regarded it as a sort of -admission of my right to the whole. The fact that he gave me any part of my -wages was proof, to my mind, that he believed me entitled to the whole of them. -I always felt worse for having received any thing; for I feared that the giving -me a few cents would ease his conscience, and make him feel himself to be a -pretty honorable sort of robber. My discontent grew upon me. I was ever on the -look-out for means of escape; and, finding no direct means, I determined to try -to hire my time, with a view of getting money with which to make my escape. In -the spring of 1838, when Master Thomas came to Baltimore to purchase his spring -goods, I got an opportunity, and applied to him to allow me to hire my time. He +“Is this all?” He was satisfied with nothing less than the last cent. He would, +however, when I made him six dollars, sometimes give me six cents, to encourage +me. It had the opposite effect. I regarded it as a sort of admission of my +right to the whole. The fact that he gave me any part of my wages was proof, to +my mind, that he believed me entitled to the whole of them. I always felt worse +for having received any thing; for I feared that the giving me a few cents +would ease his conscience, and make him feel himself to be a pretty honorable +sort of robber. My discontent grew upon me. I was ever on the look-out for +means of escape; and, finding no direct means, I determined to try to hire my +time, with a view of getting money with which to make my escape. In the spring +of 1838, when Master Thomas came to Baltimore to purchase his spring goods, I +got an opportunity, and applied to him to allow me to hire my time. He unhesitatingly refused my request, and told me this was another stratagem by which to escape. He told me I could go nowhere but that he could get me; and that, in the event of my running away, he should spare no pains in his efforts @@ -3358,54 +3304,54 @@ regular expenses about six dollars per week. This amount I was compelled to make up, or relinquish the privilege of hiring my time. Rain or shine, work or no work, at the end of each week the money must be forthcoming, or I must give up my privilege. This arrangement, it will be perceived, was decidedly in my -master’s favor. It relieved him of all need of looking after me. His -money was sure. He received all the benefits of slaveholding without its evils; -while I endured all the evils of a slave, and suffered all the care and anxiety -of a freeman. I found it a hard bargain. But, hard as it was, I thought it -better than the old mode of getting along. It was a step towards freedom to be -allowed to bear the responsibilities of a freeman, and I was determined to hold -on upon it. I bent myself to the work of making money. I was ready to work at -night as well as day, and by the most untiring perseverance and industry, I -made enough to meet my expenses, and lay up a little money every week. I went -on thus from May till August. Master Hugh then refused to allow me to hire my -time longer. The ground for his refusal was a failure on my part, one Saturday -night, to pay him for my week’s time. This failure was occasioned by my -attending a camp meeting about ten miles from Baltimore. During the week, I had -entered into an engagement with a number of young friends to start from -Baltimore to the camp ground early Saturday evening; and being detained by my -employer, I was unable to get down to Master Hugh’s without disappointing -the company. I knew that Master Hugh was in no special need of the money that -night. I therefore decided to go to camp meeting, and upon my return pay him -the three dollars. I staid at the camp meeting one day longer than I intended -when I left. But as soon as I returned, I called upon him to pay him what he -considered his due. I found him very angry; he could scarce restrain his wrath. -He said he had a great mind to give me a severe whipping. He wished to know how -I dared go out of the city without asking his permission. I told him I hired my -time and while I paid him the price which he asked for it, I did not know that -I was bound to ask him when and where I should go. This reply troubled him; -and, after reflecting a few moments, he turned to me, and said I should hire my -time no longer; that the next thing he should know of, I would be running away. -Upon the same plea, he told me to bring my tools and clothing home forthwith. I -did so; but instead of seeking work, as I had been accustomed to do previously -to hiring my time, I spent the whole week without the performance of a single -stroke of work. I did this in retaliation. Saturday night, he called upon me as -usual for my week’s wages. I told him I had no wages; I had done no work -that week. Here we were upon the point of coming to blows. He raved, and swore -his determination to get hold of me. I did not allow myself a single word; but -was resolved, if he laid the weight of his hand upon me, it should be blow for -blow. He did not strike me, but told me that he would find me in constant -employment in future. I thought the matter over during the next day, Sunday, -and finally resolved upon the third day of September, as the day upon which I -would make a second attempt to secure my freedom. I now had three weeks during -which to prepare for my journey. Early on Monday morning, before Master Hugh -had time to make any engagement for me, I went out and got employment of Mr. -Butler, at his ship-yard near the drawbridge, upon what is called the City -Block, thus making it unnecessary for him to seek employment for me. At the end -of the week, I brought him between eight and nine dollars. He seemed very well -pleased, and asked why I did not do the same the week before. He little knew -what my plans were. My object in working steadily was to remove any suspicion -he might entertain of my intent to run away; and in this I succeeded admirably. -I suppose he thought I was never better satisfied with my condition than at the +master’s favor. It relieved him of all need of looking after me. His money was +sure. He received all the benefits of slaveholding without its evils; while I +endured all the evils of a slave, and suffered all the care and anxiety of a +freeman. I found it a hard bargain. But, hard as it was, I thought it better +than the old mode of getting along. It was a step towards freedom to be allowed +to bear the responsibilities of a freeman, and I was determined to hold on upon +it. I bent myself to the work of making money. I was ready to work at night as +well as day, and by the most untiring perseverance and industry, I made enough +to meet my expenses, and lay up a little money every week. I went on thus from +May till August. Master Hugh then refused to allow me to hire my time longer. +The ground for his refusal was a failure on my part, one Saturday night, to pay +him for my week’s time. This failure was occasioned by my attending a camp +meeting about ten miles from Baltimore. During the week, I had entered into an +engagement with a number of young friends to start from Baltimore to the camp +ground early Saturday evening; and being detained by my employer, I was unable +to get down to Master Hugh’s without disappointing the company. I knew that +Master Hugh was in no special need of the money that night. I therefore decided +to go to camp meeting, and upon my return pay him the three dollars. I staid at +the camp meeting one day longer than I intended when I left. But as soon as I +returned, I called upon him to pay him what he considered his due. I found him +very angry; he could scarce restrain his wrath. He said he had a great mind to +give me a severe whipping. He wished to know how I dared go out of the city +without asking his permission. I told him I hired my time and while I paid him +the price which he asked for it, I did not know that I was bound to ask him +when and where I should go. This reply troubled him; and, after reflecting a +few moments, he turned to me, and said I should hire my time no longer; that +the next thing he should know of, I would be running away. Upon the same plea, +he told me to bring my tools and clothing home forthwith. I did so; but instead +of seeking work, as I had been accustomed to do previously to hiring my time, I +spent the whole week without the performance of a single stroke of work. I did +this in retaliation. Saturday night, he called upon me as usual for my week’s +wages. I told him I had no wages; I had done no work that week. Here we were +upon the point of coming to blows. He raved, and swore his determination to get +hold of me. I did not allow myself a single word; but was resolved, if he laid +the weight of his hand upon me, it should be blow for blow. He did not strike +me, but told me that he would find me in constant employment in future. I +thought the matter over during the next day, Sunday, and finally resolved upon +the third day of September, as the day upon which I would make a second attempt +to secure my freedom. I now had three weeks during which to prepare for my +journey. Early on Monday morning, before Master Hugh had time to make any +engagement for me, I went out and got employment of Mr. Butler, at his +ship-yard near the drawbridge, upon what is called the City Block, thus making +it unnecessary for him to seek employment for me. At the end of the week, I +brought him between eight and nine dollars. He seemed very well pleased, and +asked why I did not do the same the week before. He little knew what my plans +were. My object in working steadily was to remove any suspicion he might +entertain of my intent to run away; and in this I succeeded admirably. I +suppose he thought I was never better satisfied with my condition than at the very time during which I was planning my escape. The second week passed, and again I carried him my full wages; and so well pleased was he, that he gave me twenty-five cents, (quite a large sum for a slaveholder to give a slave,) and @@ -3415,27 +3361,27 @@ bade me to make a good use of it. I told him I would. <p> Things went on without very smoothly indeed, but within there was trouble. It is impossible for me to describe my feelings as the time of my contemplated -start drew near. I had a number of warmhearted friends in -Baltimore,—friends that I loved almost as I did my life,—and the -thought of being separated from them forever was painful beyond expression. It -is my opinion that thousands would escape from slavery, who now remain, but for -the strong cords of affection that bind them to their friends. The thought of -leaving my friends was decidedly the most painful thought with which I had to -contend. The love of them was my tender point, and shook my decision more than -all things else. Besides the pain of separation, the dread and apprehension of -a failure exceeded what I had experienced at my first attempt. The appalling -defeat I then sustained returned to torment me. I felt assured that, if I -failed in this attempt, my case would be a hopeless one—it would seal my -fate as a slave forever. I could not hope to get off with any thing less than -the severest punishment, and being placed beyond the means of escape. It -required no very vivid imagination to depict the most frightful scenes through -which I should have to pass, in case I failed. The wretchedness of slavery, and -the blessedness of freedom, were perpetually before me. It was life and death -with me. But I remained firm, and, according to my resolution, on the third day -of September, 1838, I left my chains, and succeeded in reaching New York -without the slightest interruption of any kind. How I did so,—what means -I adopted,—what direction I travelled, and by what mode of -conveyance,—I must leave unexplained, for the reasons before mentioned. +start drew near. I had a number of warmhearted friends in Baltimore,—friends +that I loved almost as I did my life,—and the thought of being separated from +them forever was painful beyond expression. It is my opinion that thousands +would escape from slavery, who now remain, but for the strong cords of +affection that bind them to their friends. The thought of leaving my friends +was decidedly the most painful thought with which I had to contend. The love of +them was my tender point, and shook my decision more than all things else. +Besides the pain of separation, the dread and apprehension of a failure +exceeded what I had experienced at my first attempt. The appalling defeat I +then sustained returned to torment me. I felt assured that, if I failed in this +attempt, my case would be a hopeless one—it would seal my fate as a slave +forever. I could not hope to get off with any thing less than the severest +punishment, and being placed beyond the means of escape. It required no very +vivid imagination to depict the most frightful scenes through which I should +have to pass, in case I failed. The wretchedness of slavery, and the +blessedness of freedom, were perpetually before me. It was life and death with +me. But I remained firm, and, according to my resolution, on the third day of +September, 1838, I left my chains, and succeeded in reaching New York without +the slightest interruption of any kind. How I did so,—what means I +adopted,—what direction I travelled, and by what mode of conveyance,—I must +leave unexplained, for the reasons before mentioned. </p> <p> @@ -3451,33 +3397,32 @@ yet liable to be taken back, and subjected to all the tortures of slavery. This in itself was enough to damp the ardor of my enthusiasm. But the loneliness overcame me. There I was in the midst of thousands, and yet a perfect stranger; without home and without friends, in the midst of thousands of my own -brethren—children of a common Father, and yet I dared not to unfold to -any one of them my sad condition. I was afraid to speak to any one for fear of -speaking to the wrong one, and thereby falling into the hands of money-loving +brethren—children of a common Father, and yet I dared not to unfold to any one +of them my sad condition. I was afraid to speak to any one for fear of speaking +to the wrong one, and thereby falling into the hands of money-loving kidnappers, whose business it was to lie in wait for the panting fugitive, as the ferocious beasts of the forest lie in wait for their prey. The motto which -I adopted when I started from slavery was this—“Trust no -man!” I saw in every white man an enemy, and in almost every colored man -cause for distrust. It was a most painful situation; and, to understand it, one -must needs experience it, or imagine himself in similar circumstances. Let him -be a fugitive slave in a strange land—a land given up to be the -hunting-ground for slaveholders—whose inhabitants are legalized -kidnappers—where he is every moment subjected to the terrible liability -of being seized upon by his fellowmen, as the hideous crocodile seizes upon his -prey!—I say, let him place himself in my situation—without home or -friends—without money or credit—wanting shelter, and no one to give -it—wanting bread, and no money to buy it,—and at the same time let -him feel that he is pursued by merciless men-hunters, and in total darkness as -to what to do, where to go, or where to stay,—perfectly helpless both as -to the means of defence and means of escape,—in the midst of plenty, yet -suffering the terrible gnawings of hunger,—in the midst of houses, yet -having no home,—among fellow-men, yet feeling as if in the midst of wild -beasts, whose greediness to swallow up the trembling and half-famished fugitive -is only equalled by that with which the monsters of the deep swallow up the -helpless fish upon which they subsist,—I say, let him be placed in this -most trying situation,—the situation in which I was placed,—then, -and not till then, will he fully appreciate the hardships of, and know how to -sympathize with, the toil-worn and whip-scarred fugitive slave. +I adopted when I started from slavery was this—“Trust no man!” I saw in every +white man an enemy, and in almost every colored man cause for distrust. It was +a most painful situation; and, to understand it, one must needs experience it, +or imagine himself in similar circumstances. Let him be a fugitive slave in a +strange land—a land given up to be the hunting-ground for slaveholders—whose +inhabitants are legalized kidnappers—where he is every moment subjected to the +terrible liability of being seized upon by his fellowmen, as the hideous +crocodile seizes upon his prey!—I say, let him place himself in my +situation—without home or friends—without money or credit—wanting shelter, and +no one to give it—wanting bread, and no money to buy it,—and at the same time +let him feel that he is pursued by merciless men-hunters, and in total darkness +as to what to do, where to go, or where to stay,—perfectly helpless both as to +the means of defence and means of escape,—in the midst of plenty, yet suffering +the terrible gnawings of hunger,—in the midst of houses, yet having no +home,—among fellow-men, yet feeling as if in the midst of wild beasts, whose +greediness to swallow up the trembling and half-famished fugitive is only +equalled by that with which the monsters of the deep swallow up the helpless +fish upon which they subsist,—I say, let him be placed in this most trying +situation,—the situation in which I was placed,—then, and not till then, will +he fully appreciate the hardships of, and know how to sympathize with, the +toil-worn and whip-scarred fugitive slave. </p> <p> @@ -3500,35 +3445,34 @@ Very soon after I went to Mr. Ruggles, he wished to know of me where I wanted to go; as he deemed it unsafe for me to remain in New York. I told him I was a calker, and should like to go where I could get work. I thought of going to Canada; but he decided against it, and in favor of my going to New Bedford, -thinking I should be able to get work there at my trade. At this time, -Anna,<a href="#fn-2" name="fnref-2" id="fnref-2"><sup>[2]</sup></a> my intended -wife, came on; for I wrote to her immediately after my arrival at New York, -(notwithstanding my homeless, houseless, and helpless condition,) informing her -of my successful flight, and wishing her to come on forthwith. In a few days -after her arrival, Mr. Ruggles called in the Rev. J. W. C. Pennington, who, in -the presence of Mr. Ruggles, Mrs. Michaels, and two or three others, performed -the marriage ceremony, and gave us a certificate, of which the following is an -exact copy:— +thinking I should be able to get work there at my trade. At this time, Anna,<a +href="#fn-2" name="fnref-2"><sup>[2]</sup></a> my intended wife, came on; for I +wrote to her immediately after my arrival at New York, (notwithstanding my +homeless, houseless, and helpless condition,) informing her of my successful +flight, and wishing her to come on forthwith. In a few days after her arrival, +Mr. Ruggles called in the Rev. J. W. C. Pennington, who, in the presence of Mr. +Ruggles, Mrs. Michaels, and two or three others, performed the marriage +ceremony, and gave us a certificate, of which the following is an exact copy:— </p> <p class="letter"> -“This may certify, that I joined together in holy matrimony Frederick -Johnson<a href="#fn-3" name="fnref-3" id="fnref-3"><sup>[3]</sup></a> and Anna -Murray, as man and wife, in the presence of Mr. David Ruggles and Mrs. Michaels. +“This may certify, that I joined together in holy matrimony Frederick Johnson<a +href="#fn-3" name="fnref-3"><sup>[3]</sup></a> and Anna Murray, as man and +wife, in the presence of Mr. David Ruggles and Mrs. Michaels. </p> <p class="right"> -“J<small>AMES</small> W. C. P<small>ENNINGTON</small><br /> -“<i>New York, Sept</i>. 15, 1838” +“J<small>AMES</small> W. C. P<small>ENNINGTON</small><br/> +“<i>New York, Sept</i>. 15, 1838” </p> <p class="footnote"> -<a name="fn-2" id="fn-2"></a> <a href="#fnref-2">[2]</a> +<a name="fn-2"></a> <a href="#fnref-2">[2]</a> She was free. </p> <p class="footnote"> -<a name="fn-3" id="fn-3"></a> <a href="#fnref-3">[3]</a> +<a name="fn-3"></a> <a href="#fnref-3">[3]</a> I had changed my name from Frederick <i>Bailey</i> to that of <i>Johnson</i>. </p> @@ -3562,22 +3506,21 @@ mention the fact to Mr. Johnson, and he forthwith advanced the money. We now began to feel a degree of safety, and to prepare ourselves for the duties and responsibilities of a life of freedom. On the morning after our arrival at New Bedford, while at the breakfast-table, the question arose as to -what name I should be called by. The name given me by my mother was, -“Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey.” I, however, had dispensed -with the two middle names long before I left Maryland so that I was generally -known by the name of “Frederick Bailey.” I started from Baltimore -bearing the name of “Stanley.” When I got to New York, I again -changed my name to “Frederick Johnson,” and thought that would be -the last change. But when I got to New Bedford, I found it necessary again to -change my name. The reason of this necessity was, that there were so many -Johnsons in New Bedford, it was already quite difficult to distinguish between -them. I gave Mr. Johnson the privilege of choosing me a name, but told him he -must not take from me the name of “Frederick.” I must hold on to -that, to preserve a sense of my identity. Mr. Johnson had just been reading the -“Lady of the Lake,” and at once suggested that my name be -“Douglass.” From that time until now I have been called -“Frederick Douglass;” and as I am more widely known by that name -than by either of the others, I shall continue to use it as my own. +what name I should be called by. The name given me by my mother was, “Frederick +Augustus Washington Bailey.” I, however, had dispensed with the two middle +names long before I left Maryland so that I was generally known by the name of +“Frederick Bailey.” I started from Baltimore bearing the name of “Stanley.” +When I got to New York, I again changed my name to “Frederick Johnson,” and +thought that would be the last change. But when I got to New Bedford, I found +it necessary again to change my name. The reason of this necessity was, that +there were so many Johnsons in New Bedford, it was already quite difficult to +distinguish between them. I gave Mr. Johnson the privilege of choosing me a +name, but told him he must not take from me the name of “Frederick.” I must +hold on to that, to preserve a sense of my identity. Mr. Johnson had just been +reading the “Lady of the Lake,” and at once suggested that my name be +“Douglass.” From that time until now I have been called “Frederick Douglass;” +and as I am more widely known by that name than by either of the others, I +shall continue to use it as my own. </p> <p> @@ -3625,34 +3568,33 @@ slaveholding Maryland. Every thing looked clean, new, and beautiful. I saw few or no dilapidated houses, with poverty-stricken inmates; no half-naked children and barefooted women, such as I had been accustomed to see in Hillsborough, Easton, St. -Michael’s, and Baltimore. The people looked more able, stronger, -healthier, and happier, than those of Maryland. I was for once made glad by a -view of extreme wealth, without being saddened by seeing extreme poverty. But -the most astonishing as well as the most interesting thing to me was the -condition of the colored people, a great many of whom, like myself, had escaped -thither as a refuge from the hunters of men. I found many, who had not been -seven years out of their chains, living in finer houses, and evidently enjoying -more of the comforts of life, than the average of slaveholders in Maryland. I -will venture to assert, that my friend Mr. Nathan Johnson (of whom I can say -with a grateful heart, “I was hungry, and he gave me meat; I was thirsty, -and he gave me drink; I was a stranger, and he took me in”) lived in a -neater house; dined at a better table; took, paid for, and read, more -newspapers; better understood the moral, religious, and political character of -the nation,—than nine tenths of the slaveholders in Talbot county -Maryland. Yet Mr. Johnson was a working man. His hands were hardened by toil, -and not his alone, but those also of Mrs. Johnson. I found the colored people -much more spirited than I had supposed they would be. I found among them a -determination to protect each other from the blood-thirsty kidnapper, at all -hazards. Soon after my arrival, I was told of a circumstance which illustrated -their spirit. A colored man and a fugitive slave were on unfriendly terms. The -former was heard to threaten the latter with informing his master of his -whereabouts. Straightway a meeting was called among the colored people, under -the stereotyped notice, “Business of importance!” The betrayer was -invited to attend. The people came at the appointed hour, and organized the -meeting by appointing a very religious old gentleman as president, who, I -believe, made a prayer, after which he addressed the meeting as follows: -“<i>Friends, we have got him here, and I would recommend that you young -men just take him outside the door, and kill him!</i>” With this, a +Michael’s, and Baltimore. The people looked more able, stronger, healthier, and +happier, than those of Maryland. I was for once made glad by a view of extreme +wealth, without being saddened by seeing extreme poverty. But the most +astonishing as well as the most interesting thing to me was the condition of +the colored people, a great many of whom, like myself, had escaped thither as a +refuge from the hunters of men. I found many, who had not been seven years out +of their chains, living in finer houses, and evidently enjoying more of the +comforts of life, than the average of slaveholders in Maryland. I will venture +to assert, that my friend Mr. Nathan Johnson (of whom I can say with a grateful +heart, “I was hungry, and he gave me meat; I was thirsty, and he gave me drink; +I was a stranger, and he took me in”) lived in a neater house; dined at a +better table; took, paid for, and read, more newspapers; better understood the +moral, religious, and political character of the nation,—than nine tenths of +the slaveholders in Talbot county Maryland. Yet Mr. Johnson was a working man. +His hands were hardened by toil, and not his alone, but those also of Mrs. +Johnson. I found the colored people much more spirited than I had supposed they +would be. I found among them a determination to protect each other from the +blood-thirsty kidnapper, at all hazards. Soon after my arrival, I was told of a +circumstance which illustrated their spirit. A colored man and a fugitive slave +were on unfriendly terms. The former was heard to threaten the latter with +informing his master of his whereabouts. Straightway a meeting was called among +the colored people, under the stereotyped notice, “Business of importance!” The +betrayer was invited to attend. The people came at the appointed hour, and +organized the meeting by appointing a very religious old gentleman as +president, who, I believe, made a prayer, after which he addressed the meeting +as follows: “<i>Friends, we have got him here, and I would recommend that you +young men just take him outside the door, and kill him!</i>” With this, a number of them bolted at him; but they were intercepted by some more timid than themselves, and the betrayer escaped their vengeance, and has not been seen in New Bedford since. I believe there have been no more such threats, and should @@ -3671,60 +3613,57 @@ for myself and newly-married wife. It was to me the starting-point of a new existence. When I got through with that job, I went in pursuit of a job of calking; but such was the strength of prejudice against color, among the white calkers, that they refused to work with me, and of course I could get no -employment.<a href="#fn-4" name="fnref-4" id="fnref-4"><sup>[4]</sup></a> -Finding my trade of no immediate benefit, I threw off my calking habiliments, -and prepared myself to do any kind of work I could get to do. Mr. Johnson -kindly let me have his wood-horse and saw, and I very soon found myself a -plenty of work. There was no work too hard—none too dirty. I was ready to -saw wood, shovel coal, carry wood, sweep the chimney, or roll oil -casks,—all of which I did for nearly three years in New Bedford, before I -became known to the anti-slavery world. +employment.<a href="#fn-4" name="fnref-4"><sup>[4]</sup></a> Finding my trade +of no immediate benefit, I threw off my calking habiliments, and prepared +myself to do any kind of work I could get to do. Mr. Johnson kindly let me have +his wood-horse and saw, and I very soon found myself a plenty of work. There +was no work too hard—none too dirty. I was ready to saw wood, shovel coal, +carry wood, sweep the chimney, or roll oil casks,—all of which I did for nearly +three years in New Bedford, before I became known to the anti-slavery world. </p> <p class="footnote"> -<a name="fn-4" id="fn-4"></a> <a href="#fnref-4">[4]</a> +<a name="fn-4"></a> <a href="#fnref-4">[4]</a> I am told that colored persons can now get employment at calking in New -Bedford—a result of anti-slavery effort. +Bedford—a result of anti-slavery effort. </p> <p> In about four months after I went to New Bedford, there came a young man to me, -and inquired if I did not wish to take the “Liberator.” I told him -I did; but, just having made my escape from slavery, I remarked that I was -unable to pay for it then. I, however, finally became a subscriber to it. The -paper came, and I read it from week to week with such feelings as it would be -quite idle for me to attempt to describe. The paper became my meat and my -drink. My soul was set all on fire. Its sympathy for my brethren in -bonds—its scathing denunciations of slaveholders—its faithful -exposures of slavery—and its powerful attacks upon the upholders of the -institution—sent a thrill of joy through my soul, such as I had never -felt before! -</p> - -<p> -I had not long been a reader of the “Liberator,” before I got a -pretty correct idea of the principles, measures and spirit of the anti-slavery -reform. I took right hold of the cause. I could do but little; but what I -could, I did with a joyful heart, and never felt happier than when in an -anti-slavery meeting. I seldom had much to say at the meetings, because what I -wanted to say was said so much better by others. But, while attending an -anti-slavery convention at Nantucket, on the 11th of August, 1841, I felt -strongly moved to speak, and was at the same time much urged to do so by Mr. -William C. Coffin, a gentleman who had heard me speak in the colored -people’s meeting at New Bedford. It was a severe cross, and I took it up -reluctantly. The truth was, I felt myself a slave, and the idea of speaking to -white people weighed me down. I spoke but a few moments, when I felt a degree -of freedom, and said what I desired with considerable ease. From that time -until now, I have been engaged in pleading the cause of my brethren—with -what success, and with what devotion, I leave those acquainted with my labors -to decide. +and inquired if I did not wish to take the “Liberator.” I told him I did; but, +just having made my escape from slavery, I remarked that I was unable to pay +for it then. I, however, finally became a subscriber to it. The paper came, and +I read it from week to week with such feelings as it would be quite idle for me +to attempt to describe. The paper became my meat and my drink. My soul was set +all on fire. Its sympathy for my brethren in bonds—its scathing denunciations +of slaveholders—its faithful exposures of slavery—and its powerful attacks upon +the upholders of the institution—sent a thrill of joy through my soul, such as +I had never felt before! +</p> + +<p> +I had not long been a reader of the “Liberator,” before I got a pretty correct +idea of the principles, measures and spirit of the anti-slavery reform. I took +right hold of the cause. I could do but little; but what I could, I did with a +joyful heart, and never felt happier than when in an anti-slavery meeting. I +seldom had much to say at the meetings, because what I wanted to say was said +so much better by others. But, while attending an anti-slavery convention at +Nantucket, on the 11th of August, 1841, I felt strongly moved to speak, and was +at the same time much urged to do so by Mr. William C. Coffin, a gentleman who +had heard me speak in the colored people’s meeting at New Bedford. It was a +severe cross, and I took it up reluctantly. The truth was, I felt myself a +slave, and the idea of speaking to white people weighed me down. I spoke but a +few moments, when I felt a degree of freedom, and said what I desired with +considerable ease. From that time until now, I have been engaged in pleading +the cause of my brethren—with what success, and with what devotion, I leave +those acquainted with my labors to decide. </p> </div><!--end chapter--> <div class="chapter"> -<h2><a name="link2H_APPE" id="link2H_APPE"></a> APPENDIX</h2> +<h2><a name="link2H_APPE"></a>APPENDIX</h2> <p> I find, since reading over the foregoing Narrative, that I have, in several @@ -3735,37 +3674,36 @@ deem it proper to append the following brief explanation. What I have said respecting and against religion, I mean strictly to apply to the <i>slaveholding religion</i> of this land, and with no possible reference to Christianity proper; for, between the Christianity of this land, and the -Christianity of Christ, I recognize the widest possible difference—so -wide, that to receive the one as good, pure, and holy, is of necessity to -reject the other as bad, corrupt, and wicked. To be the friend of the one, is -of necessity to be the enemy of the other. I love the pure, peaceable, and -impartial Christianity of Christ: I therefore hate the corrupt, slaveholding, +Christianity of Christ, I recognize the widest possible difference—so wide, +that to receive the one as good, pure, and holy, is of necessity to reject the +other as bad, corrupt, and wicked. To be the friend of the one, is of necessity +to be the enemy of the other. I love the pure, peaceable, and impartial +Christianity of Christ: I therefore hate the corrupt, slaveholding, women-whipping, cradle-plundering, partial and hypocritical Christianity of this land. Indeed, I can see no reason, but the most deceitful one, for calling the religion of this land Christianity. I look upon it as the climax of all misnomers, the boldest of all frauds, and the grossest of all libels. Never was -there a clearer case of “stealing the livery of the court of heaven to -serve the devil in.” I am filled with unutterable loathing when I -contemplate the religious pomp and show, together with the horrible -inconsistencies, which every where surround me. We have men-stealers for -ministers, women-whippers for missionaries, and cradle-plunderers for church -members. The man who wields the blood-clotted cowskin during the week fills the -pulpit on Sunday, and claims to be a minister of the meek and lowly Jesus. The -man who robs me of my earnings at the end of each week meets me as a -class-leader on Sunday morning, to show me the way of life, and the path of -salvation. He who sells my sister, for purposes of prostitution, stands forth -as the pious advocate of purity. He who proclaims it a religious duty to read -the Bible denies me the right of learning to read the name of the God who made -me. He who is the religious advocate of marriage robs whole millions of its -sacred influence, and leaves them to the ravages of wholesale pollution. The -warm defender of the sacredness of the family relation is the same that -scatters whole families,—sundering husbands and wives, parents and -children, sisters and brothers,—leaving the hut vacant, and the hearth -desolate. We see the thief preaching against theft, and the adulterer against -adultery. We have men sold to build churches, women sold to support the gospel, -and babes sold to purchase Bibles for the <i>Poor Heathen! All For The Glory Of -God And The Good Of Souls!</i> The slave auctioneer’s bell and the -church-going bell chime in with each other, and the bitter cries of the +there a clearer case of “stealing the livery of the court of heaven to serve +the devil in.” I am filled with unutterable loathing when I contemplate the +religious pomp and show, together with the horrible inconsistencies, which +every where surround me. We have men-stealers for ministers, women-whippers for +missionaries, and cradle-plunderers for church members. The man who wields the +blood-clotted cowskin during the week fills the pulpit on Sunday, and claims to +be a minister of the meek and lowly Jesus. The man who robs me of my earnings +at the end of each week meets me as a class-leader on Sunday morning, to show +me the way of life, and the path of salvation. He who sells my sister, for +purposes of prostitution, stands forth as the pious advocate of purity. He who +proclaims it a religious duty to read the Bible denies me the right of learning +to read the name of the God who made me. He who is the religious advocate of +marriage robs whole millions of its sacred influence, and leaves them to the +ravages of wholesale pollution. The warm defender of the sacredness of the +family relation is the same that scatters whole families,—sundering husbands +and wives, parents and children, sisters and brothers,—leaving the hut vacant, +and the hearth desolate. We see the thief preaching against theft, and the +adulterer against adultery. We have men sold to build churches, women sold to +support the gospel, and babes sold to purchase Bibles for the <i>Poor Heathen! +All For The Glory Of God And The Good Of Souls!</i> The slave auctioneer’s bell +and the church-going bell chime in with each other, and the bitter cries of the heart-broken slave are drowned in the religious shouts of his pious master. Revivals of religion and revivals in the slave-trade go hand in hand together. The slave prison and the church stand near each other. The clanking of fetters @@ -3774,57 +3712,54 @@ in the church, may be heard at the same time. The dealers in the bodies and souls of men erect their stand in the presence of the pulpit, and they mutually help each other. The dealer gives his blood-stained gold to support the pulpit, and the pulpit, in return, covers his infernal business with the garb of -Christianity. Here we have religion and robbery the allies of each -other—devils dressed in angels’ robes, and hell presenting the -semblance of paradise. +Christianity. Here we have religion and robbery the allies of each other—devils +dressed in angels’ robes, and hell presenting the semblance of paradise. </p> <p class="poem"> -“Just God! and these are they,v Who minister at thine altar, God of -right!<br /> -Men who their hands, with prayer and blessing, lay<br /> -On Israel’s ark of light.<br /> -<br /> -“What! preach, and kidnap men?<br /> -Give thanks, and rob thy own afflicted poor?<br /> -Talk of thy glorious liberty, and then<br /> -Bolt hard the captive’s door?<br /> -<br /> -“What! servants of thy own<br /> -Merciful Son, who came to seek and save<br /> -The homeless and the outcast, fettering down<br /> -The tasked and plundered slave!<br /> -<br /> -“Pilate and Herod friends!<br /> -Chief priests and rulers, as of old, combine!<br /> -Just God and holy! is that church which lends<br /> -Strength to the spoiler thine?” +“Just God! and these are they,v Who minister at thine altar, God of right!<br/> +Men who their hands, with prayer and blessing, lay<br/> +On Israel’s ark of light.<br/> +<br/> +“What! preach, and kidnap men?<br/> +Give thanks, and rob thy own afflicted poor?<br/> +Talk of thy glorious liberty, and then<br/> +Bolt hard the captive’s door?<br/> +<br/> +“What! servants of thy own<br/> +Merciful Son, who came to seek and save<br/> +The homeless and the outcast, fettering down<br/> +The tasked and plundered slave!<br/> +<br/> +“Pilate and Herod friends!<br/> +Chief priests and rulers, as of old, combine!<br/> +Just God and holy! is that church which lends<br/> +Strength to the spoiler thine?” </p> <p> The Christianity of America is a Christianity, of whose votaries it may be as -truly said, as it was of the ancient scribes and Pharisees, “They bind -heavy burdens, and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders, -but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. All their -works they do for to be seen of men.—They love the uppermost rooms at -feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, . . . . . . and to be called of -men, Rabbi, Rabbi.—But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! -for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for ye neither go in -yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Ye devour -widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers; therefore ye shall -receive the greater damnation. Ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, -and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than -yourselves.—Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay -tithe of mint, and anise, and cumin, and have omitted the weightier matters of -the law, judgment, mercy, and faith; these ought ye to have done, and not to -leave the other undone. Ye blind guides! which strain at a gnat, and swallow a -camel. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the -outside of the cup and of the platter; but within, they are full of extortion -and excess.—Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are -like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are -within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also -outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and -iniquity.” +truly said, as it was of the ancient scribes and Pharisees, “They bind heavy +burdens, and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they +themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. All their works they +do for to be seen of men.—They love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the +chief seats in the synagogues, . . . . . . and to be called of men, Rabbi, +Rabbi.—But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the +kingdom of heaven against men; for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer +ye them that are entering to go in. Ye devour widows’ houses, and for a +pretence make long prayers; therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. +Ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him +twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.—Woe unto you, scribes and +Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint, and anise, and cumin, and have +omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith; these +ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides! +which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, scribes and +Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the +platter; but within, they are full of extortion and excess.—Woe unto you, +scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, +which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, +and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, +but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.” </p> <p> @@ -3856,107 +3791,104 @@ bodies, that I have felt it my duty to testify. <p> I conclude these remarks by copying the following portrait of the religion of the south, (which is, by communion and fellowship, the religion of the north,) -which I soberly affirm is “true to the life,” and without -caricature or the slightest exaggeration. It is said to have been drawn, -several years before the present anti-slavery agitation began, by a northern -Methodist preacher, who, while residing at the south, had an opportunity to see -slaveholding morals, manners, and piety, with his own eyes. “Shall I not -visit for these things? saith the Lord. Shall not my soul be avenged on such a -nation as this?” +which I soberly affirm is “true to the life,” and without caricature or the +slightest exaggeration. It is said to have been drawn, several years before the +present anti-slavery agitation began, by a northern Methodist preacher, who, +while residing at the south, had an opportunity to see slaveholding morals, +manners, and piety, with his own eyes. “Shall I not visit for these things? +saith the Lord. Shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?” </p> - -<p class="center"><a name="link2H_4_0016" id="link2H_4_0016"></a> +<p class="center"><a name="link2H_4_0016"></a> <b>A PARODY</b> </p> <p class="poem"> -“Come, saints and sinners, hear me tell<br /> -How pious priests whip Jack and Nell,<br /> -And women buy and children sell,<br /> -And preach all sinners down to hell,<br /> -And sing of heavenly union.<br /> -<br /> -“They’ll bleat and baa, dona like goats,<br /> -Gorge down black sheep, and strain at motes,<br /> -Array their backs in fine black coats,<br /> -Then seize their negroes by their throats,<br /> -And choke, for heavenly union.<br /> -<br /> -“They’ll church you if you sip a dram,<br /> -And damn you if you steal a lamb;<br /> -Yet rob old Tony, Doll, and Sam,<br /> -Of human rights, and bread and ham;<br /> -Kidnapper’s heavenly union.<br /> -<br /> -“They’ll loudly talk of Christ’s reward,<br /> -And bind his image with a cord,<br /> -And scold, and swing the lash abhorred,<br /> -And sell their brother in the Lord<br /> -To handcuffed heavenly union.<br /> -<br /> -“They’ll read and sing a sacred song,<br /> -And make a prayer both loud and long,<br /> -And teach the right and do the wrong,<br /> -Hailing the brother, sister throng,<br /> -With words of heavenly union.<br /> -<br /> -“We wonder how such saints can sing,<br /> -Or praise the Lord upon the wing,<br /> -Who roar, and scold, and whip, and sting,<br /> -And to their slaves and mammon cling,<br /> -In guilty conscience union.<br /> -<br /> -“They’ll raise tobacco, corn, and rye,<br /> -And drive, and thieve, and cheat, and lie,<br /> -And lay up treasures in the sky,<br /> -By making switch and cowskin fly,<br /> -In hope of heavenly union.<br /> -<br /> -“They’ll crack old Tony on the skull,<br /> -And preach and roar like Bashan bull,<br /> -Or braying ass, of mischief full,<br /> -Then seize old Jacob by the wool,<br /> -And pull for heavenly union.<br /> -<br /> -“A roaring, ranting, sleek man-thief,<br /> -Who lived on mutton, veal, and beef,<br /> -Yet never would afford relief<br /> -To needy, sable sons of grief,<br /> -Was big with heavenly union.<br /> -<br /> -“‘Love not the world,’ the preacher said,<br /> -And winked his eye, and shook his head;<br /> -He seized on Tom, and Dick, and Ned,<br /> -Cut short their meat, and clothes, and bread,<br /> -Yet still loved heavenly union.<br /> -<br /> -“Another preacher whining spoke<br /> -Of One whose heart for sinners broke:<br /> -He tied old Nanny to an oak,<br /> -And drew the blood at every stroke,<br /> -And prayed for heavenly union.<br /> -<br /> -“Two others oped their iron jaws,<br /> -And waved their children-stealing paws;<br /> -There sat their children in gewgaws;<br /> -By stinting negroes’ backs and maws,<br /> -They kept up heavenly union.<br /> -<br /> -“All good from Jack another takes,<br /> -And entertains their flirts and rakes,<br /> -Who dress as sleek as glossy snakes,<br /> -And cram their mouths with sweetened cakes;<br /> -And this goes down for union.” +“Come, saints and sinners, hear me tell<br/> +How pious priests whip Jack and Nell,<br/> +And women buy and children sell,<br/> +And preach all sinners down to hell,<br/> +And sing of heavenly union.<br/> +<br/> +“They’ll bleat and baa, dona like goats,<br/> +Gorge down black sheep, and strain at motes,<br/> +Array their backs in fine black coats,<br/> +Then seize their negroes by their throats,<br/> +And choke, for heavenly union.<br/> +<br/> +“They’ll church you if you sip a dram,<br/> +And damn you if you steal a lamb;<br/> +Yet rob old Tony, Doll, and Sam,<br/> +Of human rights, and bread and ham;<br/> +Kidnapper’s heavenly union.<br/> +<br/> +“They’ll loudly talk of Christ’s reward,<br/> +And bind his image with a cord,<br/> +And scold, and swing the lash abhorred,<br/> +And sell their brother in the Lord<br/> +To handcuffed heavenly union.<br/> +<br/> +“They’ll read and sing a sacred song,<br/> +And make a prayer both loud and long,<br/> +And teach the right and do the wrong,<br/> +Hailing the brother, sister throng,<br/> +With words of heavenly union.<br/> +<br/> +“We wonder how such saints can sing,<br/> +Or praise the Lord upon the wing,<br/> +Who roar, and scold, and whip, and sting,<br/> +And to their slaves and mammon cling,<br/> +In guilty conscience union.<br/> +<br/> +“They’ll raise tobacco, corn, and rye,<br/> +And drive, and thieve, and cheat, and lie,<br/> +And lay up treasures in the sky,<br/> +By making switch and cowskin fly,<br/> +In hope of heavenly union.<br/> +<br/> +“They’ll crack old Tony on the skull,<br/> +And preach and roar like Bashan bull,<br/> +Or braying ass, of mischief full,<br/> +Then seize old Jacob by the wool,<br/> +And pull for heavenly union.<br/> +<br/> +“A roaring, ranting, sleek man-thief,<br/> +Who lived on mutton, veal, and beef,<br/> +Yet never would afford relief<br/> +To needy, sable sons of grief,<br/> +Was big with heavenly union.<br/> +<br/> +“‘Love not the world,’ the preacher said,<br/> +And winked his eye, and shook his head;<br/> +He seized on Tom, and Dick, and Ned,<br/> +Cut short their meat, and clothes, and bread,<br/> +Yet still loved heavenly union.<br/> +<br/> +“Another preacher whining spoke<br/> +Of One whose heart for sinners broke:<br/> +He tied old Nanny to an oak,<br/> +And drew the blood at every stroke,<br/> +And prayed for heavenly union.<br/> +<br/> +“Two others oped their iron jaws,<br/> +And waved their children-stealing paws;<br/> +There sat their children in gewgaws;<br/> +By stinting negroes’ backs and maws,<br/> +They kept up heavenly union.<br/> +<br/> +“All good from Jack another takes,<br/> +And entertains their flirts and rakes,<br/> +Who dress as sleek as glossy snakes,<br/> +And cram their mouths with sweetened cakes;<br/> +And this goes down for union.” </p> <p> Sincerely and earnestly hoping that this little book may do something toward throwing light on the American slave system, and hastening the glad day of -deliverance to the millions of my brethren in bonds—faithfully relying -upon the power of truth, love, and justice, for success in my humble -efforts—and solemnly pledging my self anew to the sacred cause,—I -subscribe myself, +deliverance to the millions of my brethren in bonds—faithfully relying upon the +power of truth, love, and justice, for success in my humble efforts—and +solemnly pledging my self anew to the sacred cause,—I subscribe myself, </p> <p class="right"> @@ -3973,10 +3905,9 @@ THE END </div><!--end chapter--> -<div style='display:block;margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS ***</div> +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 23 ***</div> </body> </html> - |