N AR R AT IV E

WI L L I A M
A N AMERICAN SLAVE .

WRITTEN BY HI MSELF .

I s the re no t som e chosen cu r se,

S o m e hid d en thun d er in the sto r e s o f he av en ,

R e d w ith u nc o mm o n wr a th , to b l ast the m a n
Who g ains his fo rt une from the b l oo d o f so ul s 2

Cowp er .

E LE VE N TH TH O USAND .

L O N DO N
GIL PIN , BI SH OP GA TE S T -
. WI THOUT .

9
 Hbigty Univ , . ot .

w th C or a ro lina

TO WE LLS BRO WN , OF O HIO .

THIRTEE Nyears ago I came to your d o or a w e ary

, ,

fugitive from chai ns and stripe s I w as a strang er a nd .

,

o u too k m e in I w as hun g r y and y o u fe d m e

y .
, .

Naked w as I, and y o u cl o the d me . E ve n 3; na m e by

i
w h ch to be k now n am on g m e n , slave ry ha d d e nie d m e .

Yo u be sto w e d u p on m e y our o w n . Bas e , ind ee d ;sho uld

I be if I e ver forge t W hat I
, ow e to o
y ,u o r d o any thi ng

to d i sg race that honore d nam e !

As light te stim ony o f m y gratitud e to m y e arlie st

a s

be ne fac tor I take the l iberty to inscribe to y o u thi s li ttle

,

narrative o f the suffe rings fro m W hich I w as fl e e ing

“

w hen y ou had c om passion up o n m e In the m ul titud e

-
.

that y ou have succo re d it is very p o s siblethat yo u m ay

,

not re m e mbe r m e ; b ut un til I fo rg e t G o d and m yse lf I ,

c an never fo r e t u
g y o .

Y our grate ful frie nd ,

WILLIAM WELLS BRowm

FLIN G O UT THE AN TI—S L AVE RY FL AG
‘

BY W w
. . B RO WN .

FLIN G o ut the Anti S l av e ry fl ag

-

O n eve ry s w e ll ing bre eze ;

And l et its fo l d s w ave o er the l and ,
’

A nd o e r the ra ging seas,

’

Till all b e ne ath the s tand ard shee t

With new al l e giance b o w ,
And pl e d g e the m s el ve s to o nw ard b e ar
The e m bl e m o f their vo w .

Fl ing o u t the Anti S l avery fl a g ,

-

And l e t it o nw ard w a ve
Til l it shall fl o at o er ev ery c l im e,
’

A nd l iberate the sl ave ;

k
Til l , l i e a m e teo r fl ashing far,
.

I t bursts W ith gl o rio us light,

And With its hea ven b o rn r ays d ispe l s
-

The gl oo m o f so rro w s nig ht

’
.

Fling o u t the Anti Sl av e ry fl ag z

-

A nd l e t it no t b e fu rl e d ,
k k
,

Til l , l i e a pl ane t o f the s ie s,

It sw e e p s aro und the w o rl d .

And whe n e ach po or d egm d ed sl ave

I s g a the re d ne ar a nd far,
0 , fi x it o n the az ure arch,
’
A s hop e s eternal sta r .

Fl ing but the Ant i Sl ave ry fl ag ;

-

Fore v e r l et it b e
The em bl e m to a ho l y c aus e,
T he b anne r o f the fre e .

And ne ver fro m i ts g uard ian height

L e t it b y m a n b e d riv e n,
Bu t l e t it fl o at fo rev e r there ,
B e ne ath the s m il e s of he ave n .
:
NOTE TO THE FOURTH AMERICAN EDI TI ON .

Thr ee edi tio ns of this w or k , c o nsisting in al l o f eight tho u

s and c o p ies, w er e sol d in l ess than eighteen m onths fr o m the
ifi m e the fi r st ed itio n w as ubli shed
p .N o antisl av ery w or k has
«
m et wi th a m ore r ap id sal e in the United S tates than thi s ‘

narrativ e . The p r esent edition is p ublished to m eet the

d em and no w exi sting fo r the w o r k .

T HE P UBLI S HE R .

NOTE TO THE PRESENT EDITI ON .

T H E p resent N ar rativ e w as fir st p ublished in B o sto n, ( U S ) . .

in J ul y , 1 847, and eig ht tho u sand co p ies w er e sol d in l e ss than

eighteen m o nths fr om the tim e o f its p u blicatio n . Thi s rap id
sal e m ay b e attrib uted to the cir c um stance, that for thr e e

y ear s p r eced ing its p ubl i catio n, I had b een em p l oy e d a s a

l ecturing agent b y the A m eri can A nti sl av ery S o ciety
-
and
k
I w as thus v ery g ener al l y no wn thr o ug ho ut the F ree S tate s
o f the G r eat R ep ub li c , as o ne w ho had sp ent the fi r st tw en ty

y ears o f his life as a sl ave , in her so uther n ho u se o f b o nd ag e .

In visiting Gr eat Br itain I had two o bj ects in view . Fir stl y ,

I hav e b een cho sen as a d el eg ate b y the A m er ican P e ace
”
C o mm it tee for a C o ngr ess o f N atio ns, t o attend the P eace
C o nv entio n to b e hel d in Par is d ur ing the l ast w ee o f t hek
p re s ent m onth, ( A ug ust, M any o f the m o st di stin
g uished Am erican A b olitio nists c o nsid er ed it a tr ium p hant
evi d ence o f the p ro g r ess o f their p rincip l es, that o ne o f the
opp r essed c ol o ur ed r ac e— o ne w ho i s ev en no w , b y the c o ns ti
tuti o n of the United S tates, a sl ave— sho ul d hav e b een sel ec ted
for this ho no ur abl e o ffice ; and w er e ther efo r e v ery d e sir o us
that I sho ul d attend . S econd l y , I w ished to foll o w u p the
k
w o r of m y friend s and fell o w - l ab o urer s, Char l es L eno x
Re ,

k
m o nd and F r ed eric Do u g l as, and to l ay b efor e the p eo p l e o f
Great Brit ain and I r el and the wr o ng s that ar e still com m itte d
1 V. N O TE .

u p on the sl aves and the free c ol oured p eop l e of Am erica The n .

r ap i d incr ease of co mm uni cati on b etw een the tw o sid es of the

A tl antic has b rou ght them so cl o se to g ether , t hat the p er
so nal i nterco ur se b etw een the B ritis h p eo p l e and A m erican
sl av eow ner s i s no w v ery g r eat ; and the sl aveho l d er , cr afty
and p olitic , a s d eli b erate tyr ants g eneral l y ar e, r arel y l eav e s
the sho r es of E ur o p e wi tho ut attem p ting at l east to assuage
the p r eval ent ho stil ity ag ain st hi s bel oved p ecul iar institu
”
tion . T he infl uence of the S o uthern S tates o f A m erica is
m ainl y d ir ected to the m ai ntenange and p r op ag ation o f the
sy stem o f gsl a ver y in their o w n and in o ther c o untr ies In .

the p ur suit o f thi s o b j ec t, tevery consid erati o n o f r el i gio n,

l ib erty , national str ength, and so cial o r d er i s m ad e to g ive
w ay , and hither to they hav e b een v ery succe ssful The ac tual .

b
nu m er o f the sl av ehol d er s i s sm al l , b u t their union is co m
p l ete , so that they form a d ominant o lig ar chy in the Uni te d
S tates I t i s m y d esir e, in co m m o n With ev ery ab olitio nis t,
.

'

to d im inish their infl uenc e, and t hi s can o nl y b e efi ected b y the

p r om ul g ati on of tr uth, and the cul ti vation o f a co rrect p u li c b
sentim ent at ho m e and a bro ad S l av ery canno t b e l et al o ne
. .

t i s aggr essiv e, and m u st either b e succum ed to , o r p ut b

i o wn .

b
I t has een sugg ested that m y narrative is som ewha t d efici
ent i n d ates Fro m m y to tal w ant o f ed ucati o n p r evi ous to
.

m y e scap e fr o m sl av ery , I am unabl e to giv e them wi th m uch

acc ur acy T he ig norance o f the Am eri can sl av es is, w ith r ar e
.

x
e c ep ti ons, inten se ; and the sl a veho l d ers g eneral l y d o thei r
u tm o st to p erp etuate thi s m ental d ar ness k
The p erp etuatio n
.

of sl av ery d ep end s up on it Whatever m ay b e said of the

.

p hy sical condi ti o n o f the sl av es, it i s und eni abl e that if they

k
w er e no t ep t in a state o f int el l ec tual , r eli gio u s, and m o ral
.

d eg rad ati on, t hey coul d b e r e tained as sl ave s no l o ng er .

I n concl u sio n, I ask the attention o f the r ead er to the Reso

l uti ons o f the c o l o ur ed ci tizens of B o sto n, and to t he o the r
d oc um ents in r eference t o m y sel f, w hi ch will b e found at the
e nd o f the b o o k
O f the l atter , tw o ar e fro m the p en o f
.

W I L L I A M LL O Y D G A nnrs o n, that faithful and ind efatiga l e b

fr iend o f the o p p r essed , w hose p o siti on, as the Pi oneer of the
anti sl av ery m o v em ent , has secured to hi m — m or e than to any
-

o ther A m erican abo li ti o nist— the g ratit ud e of the col oure d

r ace and a w o rl d - w id e r ep utatio n .

"
WILLIA M WE LL S B R OWN .
1 76, G rea t B r unswick str eet, D ubl in,
-

A ug us t 1 4th, 1 849 .
 L E T T E R
O
FR M

E DM U N D ! U I N C Y, E S ! .

DEDH AM , JULY l , 1 847 .

W I LLIAM W
I

To . BROW N .

M Y DE AR FR IE N D : — I b earti thank yo u for the privil eg e

manuscript o f yo ur N arrative
’

of re ad ing the . I have re ad it

with d ee p interest and s tro ng em o tio n. I am much mistaken

if it b e no t gre atl y s uccessful and eminentl y useful . It p re
s ents a d iffe rent phase of the infernal sl ave- system from that

portr ay ed in the ad mira bl e story o f Mr Dougl as

.
, and iv
g es us

a glimpse of its hid e o us c ruel ties in o ther p ortions of its

d o main .

Your o pportunities o f observing the w orking s of this accursed

“

s ystem have bee n sin ul arl

g y g re at Y o ur e x pe rie n
.ce s in the

E iel d , in the Ho use , and espe ciall y on the River in the s ervic e

o f the s l ave- trad er , W alker , have been such as few ind ivid ual s
have had -
no one , c ertainl y , w ho has be en c ompetent to

ibe them . W hat I have ad mire d , and marvel l ed at in

Narrative , is the sim pl icity and c al mness w ith w hich y o u

b
scri e scenes and ac tions w hich might w el l m ove the very

1 a?
 P R E FA CE .

it as near true as a m an c o ul d reco ll ect afte r so l o ng a time

I p urchase d him o f M r S . . W il li , the l ast o f S eptem b er , 1 83 3 .

I p aid six hund re d and fifty d o ll ars for him If I had w anted .

to specul ate o n him I c o ul d have so l d him fo r three tim e s as

much I p aid for him

as I w as o ffered tw o tho usa nd d o ll ars
.

for him , in N e w Orl eans , at one tim e , and fiftee n hund red d o l s

lars for him , at ano ther tim e , in Lo uisvill e , K entucky . B ut I

wo ul d no t sell him . I w as
he w as g oing to run
to ld that "

aw ay , the d ay b e fo re he ran aw ay , b ut I d id no t b elieve the

m an, for Thad so m uch c o nfid ence in S anford I w ant yo u to .

s ee him , and se e if w hat I s ay is no t the tr uth. I do no t w ant

fi

him as a sl ave , b ut I think that his frie nd s , w ho s us tain him

and ive him the right hand o f fell o w ship , or he himself, co ul d
g
afford to p ay m y ag ent in Bosto n three hund red and tw e nty five -

d oll ars , and I w il l g ive hiin free p apers , s o that he m ay g o

w herever he w ishe s to T he n he can visit S t L ouis; or any
. .

o ther l ace he m ay w ish

p .

T his am o unt is j us t half that I p aid fo r him N o w , if this .

-

o ffer s uits M r Bro w n , and the A nti—S l avery S oc iety o f Bo sto n,

.

or Massachuse tts , l et m e kno w , and

I wil l g ive yo u the name
of my ag ent in Bo ston, and fo rw ard the a
p p ers , to be give n to

Wil liam W . Brow n as so o n as the mo ney is paid .

Yo urs re spec tfull y ,

T o E DM UN D ! UI N C Y , E sq . E PRICE
. .

Mr Price
. says that he s ees m any thing s in my bo ok w hich
are no t true , and a o f it as near true as a m an co ul d reco l
p art
l ect after so l ong a time . A s I w as w ith Mr Price . o nl y thre e

Iths ,
m of and have d evo ted o nl y six a
p g es to him and his fam

il y , he c an know b ut littl e b
a o ut m y narrative , x
e ce pt that
 P R E FA CE .

of him . B ut I am w il ling to avail m yself

of his testimo ny , for he says that a p art o f it is true .

B ut I canno t acce p t o f Mr Price.

’
s of
fer to become a u
p r
o

c haser o f my bo d y and soul . Go d m ad e me as free as he d id

E noch Price , and Mr Pric e

. shal l never receive a d ol l ar fro m

me . or my frie nd s w ith m v co ns ent .

B oston , October , 1 846 W W . . BROWN .

 N AR R ATI V E .

C HAPT ER I . .

I W AS
_ b orn in L exingto n, Ky . T he m an w ho
sto el m e a s so on a s I w as b orn rec o rded the birth s ,

o f all the i nfants which he claim e d to b e b orn his

pro perty in a b 00k which he k ep t for that purp ose

, .

M y m o the r s name w as E lizab eth S he had se ve n

'
’
.

ch il dren viz So l omo n Le ande r Be njamin JO

,
.
, , ,
-
x

se ph Mil l fo r
jd E hzab e th and m yse l f N o tw o if
‘

.
, ,

u s were ch ildren of the s a

J
me fath er. M y fa th er s
nam e as I l earne d fro m my m o the r; w as G o rge
e
‘

Higgins He w a s a whi te m an a relative of m y

.
‘

m a ster, and co nnec ted Wi th so me o f the fi rst fam

il ie s in Kentucky .

M y master o wne d ab o ut fo rty slaves tw enty ,

fi v e o f wh o m were fi eld hand s He rem o v ed fro m .

Ke ntucky to M i sso uri w h en I w as qu i te y o ung ,

and settl e d thirty o r fo rty mi le s ab o v e S t Cha rl e s

'

t
.
,

2
14 NARRATIVE or
“

THE

on the M issouri , wh ere , dditi on to 11 18 prac

in a

a s a physician he carrie d on mi lling

, ,

ing and farming He had a large

.

c ip al p ro duc ti o ns o f which were to bacc o and he mp .

T he s lave cab ins were s itu ate d o n the back part

o f the farm wi th the h o use o f the o verseer who se
, ,

name w as G ro ve C o o k i n the ir midst He had the

,
.

e nti re charge o f the farm , and having no family ,

w as all owe d a w o man to k eep h o use for him

.

w h o se bu sine ss it w as to dea l o ut the p row srons

fo r the hands .

A w o man w as al so k ept at the quarters to d o

the c oo king for the fi el d h ands w ho w ere sum ,
h

mo ued to their unrequite d to il e very mo rning at

fo ur o clo ck , by the ringing o f a bell, hung o n a
’

po st near the house o f the o verseer T hey were .

allo wed half an ho ur to eat their breakfast and get ,

to the fi el d . At half pa st fo ur a ho rn w as blo wn

by the o verseer w hich w as the signal to commence
,

wo rk ; and e very o ne that w as no t o n the spot at

the tim e had to rec e ive ten la sh e s fro m the ne g o
,
r
whip , with which the o verseer always went am ied .

T he handle w as ab o u t th ree fee t long w i th the ,

b ut t end fi l l ed wi th l e ad , a nd the lash six o r seven

-
,

fee t in l ength , m ade o f c o w hid e, with p la tted wire

-
 IFE
L or WILLIAM w . B ROWN . 15

o n the end o f T hi s w hip w as put in requi si

it
.

i
t on very frequently and free ly, and a smal l o ffence
o n the part o f a slav e furni sh e d a n o cca si o n fo r its

use . D uring the time that M r C o o k w as o verseer .

,

I w as a h o use servant — a s itu ation p referable to

that o f a fi el d han d a s I w as better fed , better
,

clo thed and no t o blige d to ri se a t the ringing o f

,

the he ll b ut ab o u t half a n h o ur after

,
I have o ften .

laid and he ard the c rack o f the whip and the ,

sc re ams o f the slave M y mo ther w as a fi el d hand

.
,

and o ne m o rnin g w as ten or fi fteen m i nutes b ehi nd

the o thers in ge ttin g into the fi el d As soo n a s she .

re ach e d the spo t where th e y w e re a t w o rk the

'

o verseer c o mmenc e d whippi ng her S he c rie d ,

“
! — !
Oh p ay Oh p ay Oh pray
r r — ! — th ese a re

g e ner ally th e w o r d s o f s lav e s wh e n impl o ri ng ,

mercy at the hands o f their o ppressors I hea rd .

her vo ice and kne w it and j umpe d o ut o f my

, ,
‘

bunk and w ent to the door T h ou gh the fi el d

,
.

w as so me di s ta nce fro m the ho u se I c o uld h e ar ,

e very c rack o f the whip and e ve ry g ro an and c r , y

o f my p oo r m o th e r I rem aine d at the do or no t
.
,

daring to venture any fur ther T he co ld chills ran .

o ve r m e a nd I w e p t al o ud A fter givi ng he r ten .

“

l ashes, the s o und o f the whip c e a sed and I re ,

‘
16 NA RRATIVE O F T HE

turned to my foun d no consolation b ut ih

b ed , and
'

my t e ars E xperienc e ha s taugh t m e th at no thing

.

c an b e more h eart rendi ng tha n fo r o ne to se e a

-

de ar and be love d mo ther o r sister torture d and to ,

h e ar their cries and no t b e able to render the m as

,
~

s is tanc e .B ut su ch is the p o siti on which an

A m eric an Slave occupies .

M y ma ster b eing a p olitician so on fo und tho se

, ,

w ho w ere re ady to p ut him i nto o the e for ,

the favo rs he co uld render the m ; and a few

ye ars after his arrival in Mi sso uri he w a s elec te d

”

to a se at in the l e gi sla ture In his ab senc e fro m .

ho me e verything w as left in charge o f Mr C obk .

,

the o ve rseer and h e so o n b ecame mo re tyr annic a l

,
,

a nd c ruel A mong the slaves o n the plantatio n

”

w as o ne b y the name o f R a ndall He wa s a m an .

ab o ut six fee t high and well proportioned and

’

“
-
, ,

kno wn as a m a n o f gre at strength a nd po wer He .

‘

w a s c o nsidered the m o st valuableand ablei b od ied

slave o n the plantati on ; b ut no matter ho w goo d

'

o r u se ful a slav e m ay b e he seldom escap e s

‘

,
‘

the la sh But it w as no t so wi th R andall He

“

. .

had b een o n the planta tio n sitice my e arliest rec o l

l eEtion a nd I had ne ver k no wn o f his b e ing flogge d
,
.

No thanks w e re d ue to the ma ster or o verseer for

‘
 LIFE OF WILLIAM w . B R OW N . 17

th is . I have fo ten he ard him de clare that no

whi te m an sh o u ld e v er whip him tha t he w o uld

d ie fi rst .

C oo k , fro m the tim e that he cam e up o n the

p la nta ti o n had
,
fre qu e ntly d e clare d that he c o u ld

sa d wo uld fl o g any nigger th a t w a s p ut into the

fi el d to w ork under him M y m a ster had rep e a t
.

e d ly to ld him no t to a ttemp t to w hip R andall b ut ,

he w a s de termined to tr y it As so on as he w as
.

le ft so le d ic ta tor he th o u gh t the ti m e had c o m e to

,

p u t h is th re a ts in to e x ec u ti o n H e s o o n b
. e ga n to

fi nd fau l t w i th R andall and th re a tene d to w h1 p

,

him if he did no t d o b etter O ne d ayhe gave him .

‘

a y ery hard ta sk — m o re than he c o u l d possibly

d o a nd a t night the ta sk no t b eing p erfo rm ed he
, ,

to ld R andall that he sh o u ld re m emb er him the

ne x t m orning O n the fo llo w ing morning a fter

.
,

the hand s had tak en bre akfast C o o k call e d o ut to ,

R andall and to ld him that he intende d to whip

,

him and o rdere d him to cro ss his hands a nd b e

,

ti e d . R andall aske d w hy he wi sh e d to whip him .

He answere d b ecau se he had no t fi nished his ta sk

,

the d a y b efo re R andall s aid tha t the ta sk w as to o

.

grea t o r he sh o uld have done it C o o k said it

,
.

m ade no diffe re nc e he sh o uld whip him Ra n

’

— .

2 s
18 NARRATIVE OF T HE

dall sto o d silent fo r a mo m ent and th en said , ,

C oo k I have al w ay s tri e d to pl e a se y o u sinc e

,

have b e en o n the plantatio n and I fi nd yo u ,

de termine d no t to b e sa tisfi ed w ith m y w o rk l e t ,

m e d o as w e ll a s I m a y N o m an ha s laid hands
.

o n m e to w hi p m e for the l a st ten y e ars a nd I

, , ,

hav e lo ng since c o m e to the c o nclusio n no t to be

”
w hipp e d by any m an living C o o k find ing by
.
,

R andall s de te rmine d l o o k a nd ge stures tha t he

’
,

w o u ld resi st call e d thr ee o f the h and s fro m th e ir

,

w o rk and c o m mande d th e m to se iz e R andall a nd

, ,

tie hi m T
. he ha n d s s to o d s till — the y k new Ra n ;

dall and th e y al so kne w him to b e a po w erful

— l
"
m an and w ere afr aid to grapple wi th him
,
As "
.

so o n a s C oo k had o r dere d the m en to se iz e him ,

R and all turne d to them and s aid ,

B o ys y ou ,

all kno w m e ; y o u kno w that I c an handle any

th r e e o f y o u and the m an tha t lay s hand s o n m e
,

’
shall d ie T hi s whi te m an c an t wh ip m e hi m self
.
,

”
a nd th er e fo re he ha s calle d y o u to he lp him T he .

o ve rse er w a s unabl e to pre vail u p o n th em to se iz e

a nd s ec ure R andall and fi nal l y o rdere d the m all to

,
.

g o t o t h e i r w o r k to ge th e r .

N o thi ng w as said to Randall by the o verseer fo r

“

mo re than a wee k O ne m o rning ho w ev er, while

.
,
 LIFE OF Wi LLIaM w . B R O WN .
19

the hand s w ere a t w or k in the fi el d he came i nto ,

it acc o m panied by thre e frie nd s o fhis T ho mp so n

, , ,

W oo dbridge and Jo nes T he y cam e u p to where .

R andall w a s at w ork and C o o k o r der e d him to

,

l e ave his wo rk a nd go w i th the m to the barn He

,
.

r e fus e d to o
g ; w h e r e u p o n he w a s a ttack e d by the

o ve rs e er a nd his c o m pa ni o ns w h en he turne d up o n
,

th em and laid th e m o ne after ano th e r p ro str ate

, , ,

o n the gro und W o o db ri d ge drew o ut his pisto l

.
,

and fi re d a t him a nd b ro u gh t him to the gr o und

,

by a pisto l ball T he o thers rushe d u p o n him w i th

.

th e ir cl ub s and b e a t him o ver the h e ad and fac e

, ,

until the y s u cc e e de d l n tying him He w as then .

tak en to the barn a nd ti e d to a b e am

, Co o k gav e .

him o ver o ne h u ndre d la sh es w ith a h e avy c o w

hide had him wa she d w ith s al t and wa te r and
, ,

left him tie d d urin g the d ay . T he nex t day he

w as untie d a nd tak e n to a bl a ck sm ith s sh0 p a nd
’
, ,

had a ball and chain attache d to his l e g H e w a s .

co mpell e d to lab or in the fi el d and p er form the

‘

s am e am o u nt o f w o r k tha t the o th er hand s did .

W hen his m a ster re turne d ho m e he w a s muc h ,

ple a se d to find that R andall had b een subdued in .

his a bsenc e .
20 NARR A TIV E or T HE

C HAPT ER II .

S OON afterwards m y m a ster remo ve d to the ,

city o f S t L o ui s and p urcha se d a farm fo u r m iles

.
,

fro m there w hich he place d under the char ge o f

,

a n o ve rsee r by the n a m e o f F r i e nd Ha ske ll He .

w a s a re gu la r Y ank ee fro m N ew England T he .

Y a nkees a re no te d fo r makin g the m o st crue l o ver

s ee rs .

My m o th er w a s hired
ci ty a nd I w a s
o ut in the ,

al so hire d o u t th ere to M aj o r F re eland w ho k e pt a ,

.

p ublic h o u se H e w as fo rm erly fro m Vir ginia and

.
,

w a s a h ors e r ace r c o ck fi ghter ga m bl er a nd

-

,
-
, ,

wi thal an inve ter ate d runka rd T here w ere te n .

o r tw e lv e ser vants in the h o u se a nd w h e n he w a s ,

present it w as c ut a nd sla sh — kno ck do w n a nd

,
-
‘

d rag o u t In his fi ts o f anger he w o u ld ta ke up a

.
,

chair and thr o w it a t a s ervant ; a nd in his m o re

,

r ati o nal m o m e nts W hen he w i she d to cha sti se o ne

, ,

he w o uld tie th em up in the s m ok e h o use and -

,

wh ip th e m ; after w hi ch he w o u ld cau se a fi re to
‘

b e made o f to bacc o s te m s a nd sm o k e th em T hi s
,
.

”
he call e d Vir g inia p la y .
 LIFE OF WILLIAM w . B R OWN . 21

I c o m pl a ine d to m y m a ster o f the tre a tment

which I re c e ive d fro m M aj o r F re eland ; b u t it

m ade no differenc e He care d no thing abo u t it so

.
,

lo ng a s he re c e ive d the m o ne y fo r m y lab or A fte r .

living w i th M aj o r F ree land fi ve or six mo nth s I ,

ra n a w ay and w e nt 1 nto the w o o d s back o f the

,

city ; and w hen nigh t cam e on I made my way to ,

my m aster s farm b u t w a s afraid to b e seen

’

, ,

kno w ing that if M r Haskell the o verseer, sho uld

.
,

di sc o ver m e I sho u ld b e again carr ie d back to

,

M aj o r F ree land ; so I kep t in the wo o ds O ne day .

,

w hil e in the wo o d s I he ar d the barking and h o w l

,

ing o f do gs and in a sh ort tim e the y cam e so ne ar

,

that I kne w the m to b e the bl o o dh o u nd s o f M aj o r

Be njam in O F al l o n He kept fi ve o r six , to h unt

’
.

run away s lav e s w i th .

As so o n a s I w a s c o nvinc e d that it w a s the m I ,

knew there w a s no chance of escape I to o k re fuge .

in t he to p o f a tree and the h o un d s w ere soo n a t

,

its ba se a nd there remaine d until the hunters cam e

,

u p in a half o r th ree qu ar te r s o f an h o ur afte r

wards T here were tw o m en w ith the do gs, w ho

.
,

a s so o n a s th e y cam e u d d m to de sc end
p or ere e ,
.

I came do w n w a s tie d, and taken to S t L o ui s jail

,
. .

M aj or F reeland soo n made his app e aranc e and ,

22 NAR RATIV E O F T HE

too k me o ut, a nd or
dere d m e to fo llo w him which ,

I did A fter w e returne d h o m e I w a s tie d up in

.
,

the sm o k e h o u se a nd w as ver y se v ere ly whippe d

-

,
.

A fter the m aj o r had fl o gge d m e to his s ati sfac tion ,

he sent o ut his son Ro b ert a yo ung m an e igh te en ,

o r twenty y e ars o f a ge to see tha t I w a s w e ll

,

s m o ke d He m ade a fi re o f to b a cc o s tem s which

.
,

s oo n s e t m e to c o u ghing a nd sne e zin g T his .

,

Ro b ert to ld m e w a s the way his fa the r u se d to d o

,

to his s l a ve s in V i r ginia A fter givi ng m e wha t

.

th e y c o nc e ive d to b e a d e c ent sm o ki ng I w as ,

unti e d and aga in se t to w o rk .

Ro b ert Free land w a s a chip o f the o l d bl ock .

T ho u gh quite y o ung it w as no t unfre quently th a

,
t

he cam e h o m e in a s ta te o f into xica tio n He is .

no w I b e lie ve a p o pu l a r c o m m a nde r o f a ste am

, ,

b o at o n the M i ssi ssippi rive r M aj o r F ree land .

s o o n afte r faile d in b u s ine ss and I w a s p ut o n ,

b o ard the ste am b o a t M i sso uri which plied b etw een ,

S t Lo u i s a nd G al ena
. T he c o mm ander o f the
.

b o at w a s W illiam B C ulver I rem aine d o u he r

. .
‘

durin g the s ailing se a so n w hich w a s the m o st ,

pl easant tim e for m e tha t I ha d eve r e xperienc e d .

At the cl o se o f naviga tio n I w as hired to M r Jo hn .

C o lb urn keep er o f the M i sso uri H o te l He w as

, .
 LIFE OF WILLIAM w . BR OW N . 23

fro m o ne o f the free

a m ore inve terate st ate s ; b ut
ha ter o f the ne I d o no t b e lie v e e ver walk e d
)
G o d s gree n
’
T hi s h o te l w a s a t tha t time
o ne o f the la r ge s t in the ci ty and th e re w e re e m ,

plo ye d m it twenty o r thirty servants m o stly ,

slav e s .

M r C o lburn was v ery ab usive no t o nly to the

.
,

se rva nts b u t to his w ife al so w ho w as a n e xc el

, ,

tent w o m an a nd o ne from w h o m I ne ver k ne w a

,

s ervant to re c e ive a h a r sh w o rd b u t ne v e r did I

;
k no w a kind o ne to a se rvant fro m her h usband .

Am ong the slave s em plo ye d ih the h o te l w as o ne

’

by the nam e o f A aro n w ho b e lo nge d to M r Jo hn ,

_ .

F D arby a law yer A aro n w a s the knife cl e ane r

~

-
. . .
,

‘
O ne day o ne o f the k nive s w a s p ut o n the tabl e
, ,

no t a s cl e an a s it migh t have b ee n M r C o lbu rn . .

,

fo r this o fi enc e tie d A aro n up in the w o o d—h o u se

' '

, ,

a nd gav e him o ver fi fty la sh e s o n the ba re back

with a c o w hide after which he m ade m e wash

’

-
, ,

him do wn with rum T hi s seem e d to p ut him into

‘

mo re ago ny than the w hipping A fte r b e ing um .

tie d he w ent h o m e to his m a ster and c o m plaine d ,

o f the tre a tm e nt w hich he had re c e iv e d Mr .

. .

D arby w o uld give no h ee d to any thing he had to

'

say b u t se nt him di re c tly back

,
C o lb urn 1earning .
,
24 NARRATIVE OF T HE

that he had been to his m a ster with c om plaints tie d ,

him u p a gain and gave him a m o re se vere whip

,

ping than b efore T he p o or fe llo w s b a ck w as li t

.
’

e ral l u t t pi c m u ch th t h w n t
y c o e e s ; s o s o ; a e as o =

abl e to w o rk fo r ten o r tw e lve days .

T here w a s al so a m o ng the ser vants a gi rl

, , ,
~

wh o se m a ster reside d in the c o untry Her nam e .

w as P a tse y M r Go lbum ti e d her up o ne e v enin g

. .
,

a nd whipp e d her until se ve r al o f the b o a rders cam e

o ut and b e gge d him to desist T he re as o n fo r .

whipping her w a s thi s S he w as engage d to b e.

m arrie d to a m an b e lo nging to M aj o r W illiam

Christy w ho reside d fo ur o r fi ve miles north o f
,

the ci ty . M r Co lb urn ha d fo rbid her to see john

.

C hristy T he re a son o f thi s w a s s aid to b e the

.

re gar d W hi ch he hi m self had fo r P a tse y S he .

w ent to m ee tin g that e vening and J o hn returned ,

h o me wi th h er M r Colbu rn had intende d to fl o g

. .

Jo hn if he cam e within the inclo sure ; b ut John

,

kne w to o we ll the tem per o f his rival and kep t a t ,

a s afe di stanc e — so he to ok venge anc e on the

p o o r girl I f all the slav e drivers had b een call e d

.
-

to ge th e r I d o no t think a mo re c ruel m an than

,

J o hn C o lb urn — and he to o a no rthern man— eoul d

have b een fo und am ong them .
 OF WILLIAM W . B RO WN . 25

W hile liying at the M i ssouri h o tel , a circum

a c
st n e o ccurred which caused m e gre at unhappi
ne ss. M y m a ste r so ld m y m o th er and al l he r ,

children ex cen
,
t my se l f T he y w e re s o ld to differ
.

ent p e rso ns l n the c 1 ty o f S t L o ui s

. .

3
26 N ARRATIVE O F T HE

C H AP T E R I I I .

I W AS after taken from M r C ol b um s

so o n .
’

hi re d to Elijah P Lo vej o y w ho w as a t that

.
,

“ ”
publi sher and e di tor o f the S t L o u is T ime s . .

w o rk while wi th him w a s m ainly in the p r

, ,

o thee w ai ting bn the hand s , w o rki ng the p r

,

650 . M r L o v ej o y w a s a v ery g oo d m an, and

.

c id e d l y the b est ma ster tha t I had e v er had I .

c hi efl y inde b te d to him and to my e m pl o ym ent in

,

the p rinting o thee fo r wha t li ttl e l e arni ng I o b taine d

,

while in slavery .

T ho u gh s lavery is th o u gh t, by so me to b e m ild ,

in Mi s so uri wh en c o mpare d wi th the c o tto n su gar

, ,

and r ic e g ro wing s ta tes y e t no part o f o ur slav e

,

ho ldin g co untry is more no te d for the barbarity o f

its i nh abi tants than S t Lo ui s It w a s h ere tha t
. .

Go ] Harne y a Uni te d S ta te s o fficer whipp ed a

.
, ,

slave wo m an to de a th It w as h ere tha t F rancis

.

M c Into sh a free co lore d m an fro m Pi ttsbur g w as

, ,

tak en fro m the s te am b o at F l o r a and b urne d a t the

s tak e D ur ing a residence o f e igh t ye ars in thi s

.

ci ty, numero us ca ses of ex treme cruel ty cam e

 LIFE OF WILLIAM w . B R O WN. 27

d
un er my b se rva tio n — to re c o rd them all
ow n o

wo u ld o ccupy m o re spac e than c o uld p o s sibly b e

allo w e d in thi s little vo l um e I shall there fo re .
, ,

give b u t a few mo re in addition to wha t I have

alre ady rela ted .

Cap t J B B rant w ho reside d ne ar my master

. .
, ,

had a slave nam e d Jo hn He w a s his b o dy ser .

vant carriage driver &c O n o ne o cca sion while

, ,
.
,

d riving his ma ster thro u gh the city — the s tree ts

be ing v ery m uddy and the ho rse s go ing a t a r apid
,

r a te — so m e m u d s pa ttere d u p o n a gentl em an by

the nam e o f R o b ert M o re M ore w as determ ine d

.

to b e re ve nge d So m e three o r fo ur m onth s after

.

thi s o cc urre nc e he p u rcha se d J o hn fo r the e xpre ss

, ,

”
purp o se a s he s aid to tam e the d d nigger
'

.
, ,

A fter the purcha se he to o k him to a blacksm i th s ’

sh0 p and had a ball a nd chai n fa stene d to his l e g

, ,

and th e n p ut him to drivi ng a y o k e o f o x en and ,

kept him a t hard lab or until the i ron a ro und his

,
"
l e g w as so w o rn into the fl esh, that it w a s th o u gh t
m ortifi c a tio n w o uld e nsue In addi ti o n to thi s
.
.
,

Jo hn to ld m e tha t his m aster w h i pp e d him re gu

l arl y th ree tim e s a w e e k fo r the fi r st tw o mo nth s
— and all thi s to “ ta m e him ” -

A m o re no ble .

loo king m an than he w as no t to b e fo u nd in all S t .

28 NARRATIVE OF T HE

Lo ui s, be fo re he fe ll into the h ands o f Mo re ; and

m ore de gr ade d and s pirit cru sh e d l o o king -

wa s ne ve r s een o n a s o u th e rn planta ti o n afte r ,

”
ha d b een subj e c te d to thi s ta m ing pro cess
thre e m o nth s . T he la st tim e that I s aw hi m ,

had ne arly lo st the entire u se o f hi s lim b s .

W hile livin g with M r Lo vej o y I w a s o ften sent

.
,

e rr ands to the o fi c e o f the M i sso uri

p ubli she d by M r E dw ar d Ch arl ess
. .

r eturni n g to the o ffi c e w i th typ e 1 w as a ttack ,

s e v er al lar ge b o ys so ns o f s lav e h o lders;

,
-

p el te d m e w i th s no w ball s Having the he av y

-
.

fo rm o f type in m y hands I c o u ld no t make ,

e s c ap e by runn in g ; s o I l a id do w n the type and

gave them battle T he y g a th ere d aro und m e

.
,

p el ting m e w i th sto nes a nd s ticks until the y o ve r ,

p o w ere d m e and w o u ld have cap tured m e if I had

, ,

no t re so rte d to m y h e el s Up o n m y retre at they

.

to o k p o sse ssi o n o f the typ e ; a nd w hat to d o to re

gain it I c o uld no t de vi se Kno w in g M r Lo vej o y

. .

t o b e a v er y hum ane m an I w ent to the o ffi ce and

,

l a id the ca se b e fo re hi m H e to ld m e to rem ai n in
.

the o ffi ce. H e to o k o ne o f the apprentice s wi th

him and went after the typ e and so o n re turne d ,

W i th it ; b u t o n his re turn info rm e d m e tha t Sam uel

 LIFE OF WILLIAM w . B R O WN . 29

M cKinney had to ld him he w o u ld whip m e,

b ec au se I had hurt his b o y So o n after M cKinney .
,

w a s seen m a king his w a y to the o ffi ce by o ne o f

the p ri nters w ho i nfo rm e d m e o f the fa c t a nd I

, ,

m ad e m y e scap e thro u gh the back do o r .

Mc Kinney no t b eing able to fi nd m e o n his arri

val l e ft the o ffice in a gre a t rage sw e aring that he
, ,

w o u l d whip m e to d e a th A fe w days after a s I

.
,

w a s walking al o ng M ain stre e t he seiz e d m e by ,

the c o llar and stru ck m e o v e r the h e ad fi v e o r six

,

ti m es w i th a lar ge cane w hich cau s e d the bl o o d to

,

gush fro m m y no se and e ars in such a m anner tha t

m y cl o th e s w ere com ple te ly s atur a te d w i th bl o o d .

A fter be ating m e to his s ati sfac ti o n he l et m e go ,

a nd I r e tu rne d to the o the e s o w e ak fro m the l o ss

o f bl o o d th a t M r L o v ej o y sent m e h o m e to m y
.

ma ster I t w as fi v e w ee k s b efo re I w as able to

.

w alk a gain D uring thi s tim e it w a s nec e ss ar y to

.

h a ve so m e o ne to supply my place a t the o ffi c e ,

a nd I l o st the s i tu a ti o n .

A fter m y rec o v e ry I w as hire d to Cap t O ti s

,
.

Re yno ld s a s a w aiter o n b o a rd the ste am b o a t E h

,

te rprise ,
o w ne d by Me ssr s Jo hn and E dw ard
.

W al sh c o m m l ss1 on m e rchants at S t L o ui s T hi s
,
. .

b o at w as th en running o n the u pper M i ssi ssippi .

3*
30 «1
NARRATIVE or THE

M y e mplo yment o n b o ard w a s to wait on

a nd thecap tain b eing a go o d m an the s itu ,

w as a pl e a s a nt o ne to m e ;
— b u t in pa s s ing fro m
plac e to place and seein g new face s e very day and
, ,

kno wing that they c o u ld go wh ere the y ple ase d I ,

so o n b e cam e u nhappy a nd Se v e r al tim es th o u gh t

,

o f l e aving the b o a t a t s o m e landi ng plac e and try -

,

ing to mak e m y e scape to Canada which I had ,

he ard mu ch ab o ut as a place wh ere the slav e migh t

live b e fre e and b e p ro te cte d
, ,
.

B ut w ene ve r su ch th o u gh ts would c o me into

h
m y m ind m y re so l uti o n w o u ld s o on b e shake n by
,

the rem em b r anc e tha t m y de ar m o th er w a s a slav e

in S t L o ui s and I c o u ld no t b e ar the ide a o fl e av f

.
,
-f

m g her in tha t c o ndi ti o n S he had o ften tak en m e

.

u p o n he r kne e a nd to ld m e ho w she had carr ie d

,

m e u p o n her back to the fi el d wh en I w as an

infant — ho w o fte n she ha d b een whipp ed fo r l e av
ing her w o rk to nurse m e — a nd ho w h a ppy I

w o uld app e ar wh en she w o uld tak e m e into her

a rm s W hen the se tho u ghts c am e o ver m e I

'

.
,
“

w o uld re so lve ne ver to l e ave the land o f slav ery

wi th o ut my m o ther I th o u ght that to le ave he r

.

I
iii s lav ery after she had under gone and suffere d SO
,

m u ch for m e wo u ld b e p roving recre ant to the

,
 LIFE s
OF W ILLIAM w . B R O WN . 31

d uty w hich I o we d to her B esides thi s, I had three

.

bro thers and a si ster th ere — tw o o f my b ro th ers

having d ied .

M y m o ther 1ny b ro thers J o se ph and M illfo rd

, . ,

and m y s i s ter E liz ab e th b elo nge d to M r I saac ,

.

M ansfi el d fo rm e rly fro m o ne o f the free s ta te s

, ,

( M a ss ach u se tts I b e li e ve
) H e w a s a ti nner by
,
.

trade and carrie d o n a lar g e m anu fa c turi ng estab

,

l ishm ent O f all m y re l a tiv es m o th e r w a s fi rs t

.
, ,

and si s ter ne x t O ne e veni ng w hil e vi si ting th em

.
, ,

I made s o m e a ll u si o n to a p ro p o se d jurney to
‘

e
Canada and sister to o k her sea t by my side and
, ,

taking m y hand in h e rs s aid w i th te ars in he r , ,

e ye s

B ro ther y o u are no t go ing to l e ave m o th er

,

and y o ur de ar si ster h ere wi th o u t a fri end are ,

? ”
y ou

.
I
l o o ke d into her fac e a s the te ars c o u rse d ,

Swiftly do wn her che e ks and b urs tm g m to tea rs ,

m y se l f s aid,

No I will nev er d sert y o u and m o ther

,
e
S he cla sp e d my h and in he rs and said ,
m

Bro th er y o u hav e o ften decl a re d tha t y o u

,

w o uld no t end yo ur days in slave ry I see no po s .

~

Sibl e way in which y o u c a n escap e w i th u s ; and

32 NARRATIVE OF T HE

no w , b ro the r, y o u a re o n am b o at w here there

a s te

is so m e chance fo r y ou to e scap e to a land o f l ib

e r ty
. I b e see ch y o u no t to l e t u s hi nde r y o u I f .

w e canno t ge t o ur libe r ty w e d o no t w i sh to b e the

,
”
m e ans o f k ee ping y o u fro m a land o f free do m .

I c o uld re stra in m y feelin gs no l onger and a n ,

,

o utb urst o f m y o w n fe e lings ca u s e d her to ce a se

s p e a king u p o n that s ubj e c t In o pp o si tio n to the ir

.

wishe s I pl e dged m yself no t to le ave the m in the

,

hand o f the o pp resso r I to o k le ave o f them an

. d ,

r e turne d t o the b o a t a nd laid d o w n in my b unk ;

,

b ut sleep d e p ar te d fro m m ine e yes a nd s lu mb er ,

”
fro m m ine e ye lids .

'

A few w e ek s after o n o ur do w nw ard pas s age

, ,

the b o a t to o k o n b o ard a t H annibal a d ro ve o f

'

, ,

s lave s b o u nd for the N e w O rl e ans m ark e t

,
.
The y .

num b ere d fro m fi fty to six ty c o nsi sting o f m e n ,

a nd w o me n fro m e igh tee n to fo rty ye a rs o f a e A

g .

dro ve o fsl av es o n a so u thern steam b o at, b ound for

the c o tto n o r s u gar re gio ns is a n o cc urrence so ,

c o m m o n that no o ne no t even the passengers

, , ,

a pp e ar to no tic e it th o u gh th e y C lank the i r chains

,

a t e v e r y s te p . T h ere w a s h o w e ve r o ne in thi s
, ,

g ang th a t a ttrac te d the a ttenti o n o f the pa ssengers

a nd c re w I t w a s a b e au tiful girl , apparently
 LIFE or WILLIAM w . BR OWN . 33

ab out twenty years o f age , p erfe c tly white wi th ,

s traigh t ligh t hai r and blue e y e s B u t it w a s no t

.

the whi teness o f her skin tha t cre a te d s uch a sen

,

s a ti o n a m o ng th o se w ho gaz e d u p o n her — it w a s

her alm o st unparall ele d b e au ty S he had b een

.

o n the b o a t b u t a sh o rt ti m e b e fo re the a ttenti o n

,

o f all the pa ssengers i ncl udi ng the ladie s had b een

, ,

calle d to her and the c o mm o n to pic o f c o nvers a tio n

,

w a s ab o ut the b e autifu l slav e gi rl -

S he w a s no t
.

in ch a ins. T he m an w ho claim e d thi s article o f

h um an m erchandi se w a s a M r W alker — a w ell .

kno w n s lave trader residing in S t L o ui s T here

-
,
. .

w a s a general anxi e ty am o ng the pa ssengers and

c rew to le arn the hi sto ry o f the girl Her m aster .

ke p t clo se by her side and it wo uld have b een c o n

,

s id ered i m p u d ent fo r a ny o f the a s sengers to hav e

p
s p o k en to her a nd the c re w w e re no t allo w e d to
,

have any c o nversa ti on wi th th e m When w e .

re ach e d S t L o u l s the slav e s w ere

.
,

bo a t b o und for N ew Orle ans and the his

b e au tiful slave girl remaine d a m ystery
-
.

I remaine d o n the b o a t during the se a so n and it ,

w a s no t a n unfre quent o ccurrenc e to hav e o n b o ar d

gangs o f sla ve s o n th e ir way to the c o tton, su gar

and ric e la nta ti o ns o f the south
p .
34 NARRATIVE OF T HE

T o ward the latter part o f the summer Captain

Re yno lds l eft the b o a t and I w as sent h o m e I
,
.

w a s th en pl ac e d o n the farm under M r Ha skell

,
.
,

the o ve rseer As I had b een so me tim e o u t o f the

.

fi e l d and no t acc usto m e d to w o rk in the b urnin g

,

s un i t w a s v ery har d
, ; b u t I w as c o m p e ll e d to k e ep
u p w i th the b e s t o f the hand s .

I fo und a g re at diffe rence b etween the wo rk in a

s te am b o a t cabin a nd th a t in a c o rn—fi e l d .

M y m a ster w ho w a s the n living in the city 80 0 1]

, ,

after re m o ved to the farm w hen I w as taken o ut o f

,

the fi el d to w o rk in the h o u se a s a w ai ter . T ho u gh

his w ife w a s very p e evi sh and hard to ple a se I
, ,

m uch p re ferre d to b e un der her c o ntro l than the

o v ersee r s T he y b ro u ght w i th th e m M r Sl o ane
. .
,

a Pre sby terian mi ni ster M i ss M arth a T ul le y a ,

ni e c e o f th e i rs fro m K entucky ; a nd th e i r neph ew

W illiam T he latter ha d b een in the fam ily a

.

num b er o f y e ars b ut the o thers w ere all ne w

“

c o m ers .

M r Sl o ane w as a y o ung m ini ster w ho had be en

.

a t the S o u th b u t a sh or t tim e a nd it see m e d as if

,

his w ho le aim w a s to ple a se the sl a ve h o lde rs e s ,

p e c ial l y m y m as ter a nd mi s tre s s H e w a s i nte nd

.

ing to m ake a Vi si t duri ng the winter, a nd he not

 LIFE or WILLIAM w . BR O WN . 35

on ly tried to ple ase them, b ut I think he succeeded

adm irab ly When they wante d s inging he sung ;
.
,

w h en they wante d p raying he p raye d ; wh en ,

th ey wante d a s tory to l d he to ld a s tory Inste ad

'

.
,

o f his te aching m y ma ster th eo l o gy my ma ster ,

taugh t th eo l o gy to him W hile I w as with Cap

.

”
tain Reyno lds my ma ster g o t r e ligi o n a nd n ew ,

laws w ere made o n the plantatio n F ormerly w e .

had the p rivile ge o f hunting fi shing, making

( ,

s pli nt b ro om s ba sk ets &c , o n S unday ; b ut this

, ,
.

w a s all stopp ed Every Sunday w e were all c o m

.

'

p ell e d to a ttend m eeting M a ster w a s so rel igio us

.

tha t he induc e d so me o th ers to j o in him i n hiring

a preacher to preach to the slaves .

3 6 NARRATIVE or T HE

CHAPT ER IV

MY ma ster had family w orship night and morn ,

ing . At nigh t the slave s w ere calle d in to a ttend ;

b u t in the m o rning s the y had to b e a t th eir wo rk ,

a nd m a ster did all the p raying

)
.M y ma ster and
m i stre ss w ere gre a t l o ve rs o f m int j ul ep and e very ,

m o rning a pi tch er full w a s made o f which they

,
-
,

all parto o k freely no t ex c ep tm g li ttle ma ster W il

,

liam A fter drinking freely all round they wo ul d

.
,

have family wo rship and then bre akfa st I canno t

,
.

sa
y b u t I l o v e d the j ul e p a s w e ll a s a n y o f th em ,

a nd du ri ng p r ay er w as al w ays care fu l to se a t m
y
s e lf cl o s e to the tabl e wh ere it s too d so a s to h el p ,

m y se lf wh en the y w ere all b usily engage d in the ir

d e vo ti o ns . B y the tim e p raye r w as o v er I w as ,

a b o u t a s happy as a n
y o f th e m A .s a d accid en t

happene d o ne mo rning In helping m yself and at

.
,

a t the s am e ti m e k e e pi ng a n e e o n my o l d m is
y
tr e s s I accidentally l e t the pi tch e r fall up o n the
,

tio o r b re ak in g it in piece s and spillin g the c o n

, ,

T hi s w a s a bad afi air for m e for a s so d n

'

te n t s .
 LIFE or WILLIA M w . B RO WN . 37

as prayer w as o ver, I w as taken and se verely

chastise d .

M y ma ster s family c onsi ste d o f himself his

’
,

wife , and their nephe w W illiam M o ore He w a s ,

.

tak en into the fam ily wh en o nly a fe w w eek s o f

a ge His nam e be ing tha t o f my o w n mine w a s

.
,

change d for the purp o se o f giving p rec edenc e to

his , th o u gh I w as his seni o r by ten o r tw e lv e
y e ars T he plantation b e ing fo ur mil es fro m the
.

city I had to drive the fam ily to church I alway s

,
.

dre ade d the appro ach o f the Sabbath ; for d uring ,

'

s ervic e I w as o blige d to s tand by the hors s in th

e e 3
, .

ho t b ro iling sun or in the rain j ust a s it happened f

, , ,

O ne Sabba th as w e w ere drivi ng pa st theh ouse

i

, :
o f D D P age a gentleman w ho o wne d a la rge
. .
,

ba king establi shment, a s I w a s sitting upon the

box o f the carriage which w a s v e ry m uch ele vate d , ,

I saw Mr P age pursui ng a slave aro und the

.

yard with a lo ng whip c utting him a t every j um p ,

.

T he m an so o n e scap e d fro m the yard and w a s ,

fo llo w ed by M r Page T hey cam e running pa st . .

us and the slave p erc e iving that he w o uld b e o ver

, ,

ta ken sto ppe d suddenly a nd P age stum ble d o ver

, ,

him and falling on the sto ne pav ement frac ture d

, ,

o ne of his le gs which c rippl e d him fo r life

, T he .

4
 NA RR A TIVE O F T HE

s ame gentleman, b ut a sho rt time previo us tied up ,

a wo man o f his by the name o f Delphia, and

,

whippe d her ne arly to d e ath ; y et he w a s a de aco n

in the Bapti st church in go o d and re g ular stand
,

ing . Po or D elphia ! I w as we ll acqu ainte d wi th

e

her and calle d to see her while up o n her sick b e d ;

,

and I shall ne ver forget he r app e ar anc e She w as .

a member o f the same church w ith her master .

Soo n after this I w as hire d out to M r W alker

,
.
,

the s am e m an who m I have mentio ne d as having

carrie d a gang o f slaves d o wn the river o n the

ste amb o a t Enterpri se S ee ing m e in the c apaci ty
.

o f a ste war d o n the b o a t, and thinkin g that I w o ul d

'

make a go o d hand to take care o f slaves he deter ,

mined to have m e for that purpo se ; and fin d ing

that my ma ster w ould no t sell m e , he hi red m e fo r

the term o f o ne y e ar .

W hen I le arne d the fac t of my havin g b een

”
hire d to a ne gro spe culato r o r a soul driver as
, ,

the y are generally calle d among s laves, no o ne c an

tel l my e m otio ns. Mr W alk e r had o ffere d a high

.

price for m e as I afterwards l e arne d, b ut I suppo se

,

my master w as re straine d fro m selling m e by the

fac t that I w as a ne ar re la tive o f his O u entering
.

the se rvice o f M r W alker I fo und tha t my o ppe r

.
,
 LIFE or WILLIAM w . B RO WN . 39

tuni ty o f getting to a land o f liberty w a s go ne a t ,

le ast fo r the time b e ing He had a gang o f slaves

.

in re adiness to sta rt fo r N ew O rl e ans a nd in a fe w ,

days w e were o n o ur j o urne y I am a t a lo ss fo r .

language to e xpress m y feelin gs o n tha t o cca sio n .

A l tho ugh my m a ster had to ld m e tha t he had no t

so ld m e and M r W alker had to ld m e tha t he had
,
.

no t p urcha se d m e I di d no t b eliev e th e m ; and no t

,

until I had b een to N ew O rle ans and w as o n m y ,

re turn di d I be l i e ve tha t I w a s no t so ld
,
.

T here w as o n the b o at a la rge roo m o n the l o w er

deck in which the slaves w ere k ep t m en and
, ,

wo men pro m i scuo usly all chaine d tw o and tw o

,
—
,

a nd a stric t wa tch k e p t tha t the y d id no t ge t l oo se ;

for cases hav e o cc urred in which slaves have go t

o ff the i r chains a nd m ade th e i r e scap e a t land ing
,

place s w hile the b o ats were taking m oo d

,
w — and

with all o ur care w e lo st o ne wo m an w ho had

,

been taken fro m her husband and childr en and ,

having no d esire to live wi tho ut th em in the ,

agony o f he r so ul j ump e d o v e rb o ard and dro wne d ,

herself She w as no t chaine d

. .

I t w a s almo st impo ssible to k ee p that part o f the

bo a t cle an .

O u landing at N a tchez the slave s were all carried

,
40 NARRATIVE
'

or T HE

to the lave p en and th ere kep t o ne w eek during

s -
, ,

w hich tim e se veral o f th em w ere so ld M r W alk er . .

fed hi s slave s w e ll We to o k o n b o ard at S t

. .

L ou i s se veral h undre d p o unds o f baco n (smo ke d

m e a t) a nd c orn m e al a nd his sl aves were b e tte r
-

fe d than slave s generally were in Natchez, so far as

my o b serva ti o n e x tende d .

At the end o f a we ek w e l e ft fo r N e w Orle ans , ,

the plac e o f o ur fi nal destinatio n which w e re ach ed ,

in tw o d ays H ere the slaves w ere place d in a

.

ne gro pen wh ere tho se w ho wi she d to p urcha se

-

could call and e xamine them T he ne gro p en is .

.
-

a small yard surro unde d by bu ildings fro m fifteen

, ,

to tw e nty fe et wide wi th the e xcep ti o n o f a lar ge

"

ga te with i ro n bars T he slave s are kept in the

.

b uil di ngs during the nigh t and turned o ut into the ,

yard during the day A fter the b est o f the sto ck

.

w as s o ld a t p rivate s al e a t the p en the balanc e ,

w ere tak en to the E xchange C o fi e e H o u se A uc ti o n

'

R o om s kep t by I saac L M c C o y and so ld at pub

,
.
,

lic auc tion After the sale o f thi s l o t of slaves w e

.
,

left New O rl e ans for S t L oui s . .

 LIFE or WILL IAM w . B RO WN . 41

CHAPT ER V .

ON o ur arrival a t S t Lo ui s I went to Dr Y o ung

. .
,

and to ld him tha t I did no t wi sh to liv e w i th M r .

Walker any lo nger I w as he art—sick at see ing m y

.

fello w cre a ture s b o u gh t and so ld B ut the Dr ha d

-
. .

hire d m e for the ye ar and s tay I mu st M r ,

. .

Walker again c o mm ence d purcha sing ano ther

gang o f slave s He b o u gh t a m an o f C o lonel John
.

O F all o n w ho re side d in the sub urb s o f the ci ty

’
,
.

T hi s m an had a wife and th ree child ren As so o n .

a s the p ur cha se w as mad e he w as p ut in j ail fo r ,

s afe k ee ping until w e sh o u ld b e re ady to s tar t fo r

,

N ew O rl e ans . His wife vi si te d him while th ere ,

se veral tim e s and se ve ral tim e s wh e n she w e nt

,

fo r that p urp ose w a s re fuse d adm i ttanc e .

In the co urse o f e igh t o r nine week s M r W alk er .

had his cargo o f h um an fl e sh made up T h ere .

wa s in thi s l o t a num b er o f o l d m e n a nd w o m en ,

so me o f th e m wi th gray l o ck s We le ft S t L o uis
. .

in the ste amb o a t Carl to n Cap tain Swan b o und fo r

, ,

N e w O rl e ans: O u o u r way d o wn, and b e fo re w e

4a:
 NA RRATIVE OF T HE

re ache d Ro dne y, the place where w e made our

fi rst sto p I had to p re pare the o l d slaves fo r m ar
,

k et . I w as ordere d to have the o l d men s whi skers

’

shave d o f f, and the gre y hairs pl uck e d o ut where

the y w ere no t to o num ero us in whi ch ca se he had
,

a preparation o f blacki ng to c o l or it and wi th a ,

blacking brush w e w o u ld pu t it o n T his w a s .

ne w bu sine ss to m e and w a s p er fo rm e d in a roo m

,

w h ere the pa ssengers c o uld no t se e u s T h ese .

s laves w ere al so ta u gh t ho w o ld th e y w ere b y M r .

W alk er and after go ing th rou gh the blacking pro

,

ces s the y loo ke d ten o r fi fteen years and

I am sure that so me o f th o se w ho p aves

o f M r W alk er were dre adfu lly ch e a ted esp e cial l y
.
,

in the ages o f the slave s which th e y b o u ght .

We lande d at Ro dney and the slaves were

,

driven to the pen in the back part o f the V i llage .

Several were so ld a t this plac e during o ur s tay o f

,

fo ur o r five days when w e pro cee de d to Na tche z

,
.

T h ere w e lande d a t night, and the gang were p ut

in the wareho u se until morning when th e y were ,

dr iven to the p en As so o n as the s laves are put

.

in the se pens s w arm s o f planters may b e seen in

,

and ab o ut the m T he y kne w whe n W alke r w as

.

e xpe c te d as he alway s had the tim e adverti se d

,
 LIFE or W ILLIA M w . B ROWN . 43

b e forehand when he wo uld b e in Ro dney, N atche z ,

and N e w O rl e ans T hese w ere the p rm c rp al

.

place s where he o ffere d his slaves fo rs ale .

Wh en at Natchez the sec o nd time I saw a slave ,

very c rue lly whipp ed He b el onge d to a M r

. .

B ro adwell a merchant w ho k ept a s tore o n the

,
’

wharf T he slav e s nam e w as Le wi s I had

.
’
.

kno wn him se veral ye ars a s he w as formerly fro m ,

'

S t Lo u i s
. We were expec ting a ste amb o at do w n
.

the river in which w e w ere to tak e pa ssage for

,

Ne w O rle ans M r W alker sent m e to the landing

. .

to watch fo r the b o at orde ring m e to inform him o n

,

its a rrival W hile th ere I went into the sto re to

.

see L e wi s I s a w a slav e in the sto re and a sk ed

.
,

him where Lewi s w as Said he T hey have go t .

,

L e wi s hanging be tween the he avens and the

”
e ar h
t . I a ske d him w ha t he m e ant b y tha t H e .

to ld m e to go into the wareh o u se and see I went .

in and fo und Le w i s there

,
He w as tied up to a .

be am with his to es j u st to uching the fl o or As

,
.

the re w a s no o ne in the wareh o use b ut him se lf I ,

m quired the re a so n o f his be ing in tha t si tu a tio n .

He s aid Mr B ro adwe ll had so ld his wi fe to a

planter six m 1 1es fro m the city and that he had ,

b een to visi t her — that he w ent in the night, ex »

 NA RR ATIVE O F THE

p e c tin g to returnb efore daylight, and went wi th

o u t his ma ster s p er m i ssi o n
’
T he patro l had take n
.

him up b e fore he re ach e d his wife He w as p u t .

in jail and hi s ma s ter had to pay fo r his catching

,

a nd k e e pi ng and that w a s wha t he w a s ti e d up

,

fo r.

J u st as he finishe d his y M r B ro adwel l

s to r ,
.

c am e ih , and inqu i re d wha t I w a s do ing th ere I .

kne w no t w hat to say and w hile I w as thi nking

,

wha t reply to mak e he struck m e o ver the h e ad

with the c o whi de the end o f which struck m e o ver
,

my righ t ey e sinking dee p into the fl esh leaving a

, ,

s car w hich I carry to thi s day B e fore I vi site d

.

L e wi s he had rec e ived fi fty la sh es M r B ro ad: . .

well gave him fi fty lash es m ore after I came o u t ,

as I w a s afterward s info rm e d by Le w i s him se lf .

T he nex t day w e p ro c ee de d to N e w O rle ans and ,

u t the gang in the s a me ne gro p en whi ch w e oc

‘

p
-

c up ie d b e fo re In a sho rt tim e the plante rs c ame

.

fl o c king to the p en to purcha se slave s B e fore .

the slav e s w ere e xhibi te d for s al e they w ere ,

d resse d and driven o ut i nto the yard So me were .

s et to dancin g s o m e to j umping som e to si nging

, , ,

and s o m e to playi ng card s Thi s w a s do ne to

.

ma k e them appear cheerful and happy My b usi .

 LIFE or WILLIAM w . RO WN
B . 45

nes s w as to se e tha t th e y were plac ed in tho se

s i tua ti ons b e fore the a rrival o f the p u rcha sers and ,

I have o ften set them to dancing when th eir che e ks

w ere w et wi th te ars As slaves were in go o d d e
.

mand at tha t tim e th e y w ere all so o n di sp o se d o f

, ,

and w e ag a in set o u t fo r S t L o u i s . .

O u o ur a rrival M r W alker p urcha sed a farm

,
.

fiv e or six m iles fro m the ci ty He had no fam ily .

,

b u t made a h o usek eep er o f o ne o f his fem al e

slaves . Po or Cynthia ! I knew her w e ll She w a s .

a qu adro on and o ne o f the most b eautiful w o m en

,

I e v er sa w She w a s a native o f S t Lo ui s a nd
. .
,

b o re an i rrepro achable charac ter for virtue and p ro

p r ie ty o f c o nd u
.c t M r W alk er .b o u gh t he r fo r the

N ew Orl e ans m ark et and too k her do wn w i th him

,

o n o ne o f the trip s tha t I mad e wi th him Ne v e r .

shall I fo r ge t the circ um stanc es o f tha t v o yage On

the fi rst nigh t tha t w e were o n b o ar d the ste a m

b o at he dire cte d m e to p ut her into a state ro o m he

,
-

had pro vide d fo r her apart fro m the o th er sl a ve s

,
.

I h ad seen to o m uch o f the wo rkings o f slav ery no :

to kno w w ha t thi s m e ant I a ccordin gly w a tch e d
.

him into the s ta te ro om and li stene d to he ar w h a t

-

pa sse d b etween th em I he ard him m a ke his b a se

.

o ffers, and her rej ec t th em He to ld her tha t if she

.
 NA RRATIVE OF T HE

wo uld accept his vile p re p o s al s he would take her ,

back w i th him to S t Lo ui s and e stablish her a s

.
,

his h o use ke e per o n his farm B ut if she persi ste d

.

in rej e c tin g them he w o uld sell her a s a fiel d hand

,

o n the worst planta ti o n o n the river Ne i ther .

thre ats no r brib e s prevail e d, h o we ver and he ,

r e ti re d di s app o inte d o f his pre y

,
.

T he ne x t m o rni ng p o o r Cynthia to ld m e what

had pa ssed and be w ailed her sad fate wi th fl ood s
,

o f te ar s .I c o mfo rte d and encou rage d her all I

c o uld b ut I fo re s aw b ut to o we ll wha t the resul t
-

m ust b e W itho ut entering into any further p ar

.

tic ul ar s s uffi ce it to say tha t W al k er p erfo rme d his

,

part o f the c ontrac t at that tim e He to o k her .

back to S t Louis establi shed her as his mistress

.
,

and h o us ek eep er a t his fa rm and b e fo re I l eft he

, ,

had tw o children by her B ut m ark the end ! .

,

Sinc e I have b een at the North I have beencredi ,

bly informed that W alker has been married and , ,

a s a p re vi o us m e a sure so ld p o o r Cynthia and her

,

fo ur chil dr en (she having had tw o m o re since I

came aw ay) i nto ho pele ss b ondage !
H e soo n c ommenc e d purcha sing to make up the
third g ang .We to ok ste am b o at and went to ,

J efi erso n Ci ty a tow n on the M i ssouri river H ere

’

.
,
 LIFE or WILLIAM W . B RO WN . 47

we landed ,
and to o k st age fo r the interio r o f the

state . He b o u gh t a numb er o f sl av es a s he passed

the different farms and v illages A fter . getting
tw enty—tw o o r tw enty—th re e m en and w o m e n w e ,

arrive d at S t Charle s a V illage o n the bank s o f

.
,

the M i sso ur i H ere he purchase d a w o m an w ho

.

had a child in her arm s app earing to b e fo ur o r ,

fi v e week s o l d .

We had been tr avelling by land fo r so me days ,

a nd w ere in h o p es to have fo und a b o at a t thi s

plac e fo r S t L o ui s b ut we re disapp o inte d As no

.
,
.

b o at w a s expecte d fo r so me days w e s tarted for ,

S r L o u i s by land M r W alke r had p u rcha sed tw o

. . .

h orses He ro de o ne and I the o ther T he slave s

.
,
.

w ere chaine d to ge ther and w e too k u p o ur line ,

o f mar ch M r W alk e r taki ng the l e ad a nd I b ring

,
.
,

ing up the re ar T h o u gh the d istanc e w a s no t

.

more than tw e nty m ile s w e did no t re ach it the ,

fi rst day T he ro ad w a s w o rse than any tha

. t I

h ave ever trave lle d .

So o n after w e le ft S t Ch arle s the yo ung child gre w .

ve ry c ro ss and ke p t up a no i se d uring the gre a ter

,

part o f the d ay M r W alker c o m pl aine d o f its

. .

c ryi n g se ver al ti m es a nd to ld the m o th er to s t0

p ,

the child s d (1 no i se o r he w o u ld T he w o man

’
.
,
 LIFE or WILLIAM w . B RO WN . 49

trie d to k eep c hl ld
fro m crying, b ut co uld net
the .

We p ut up a t night with an acquai ntance o f M r .

W alker, and in the m orning j ust a s w e w ere ab o ut ,

to s tar t, the child agam c ommenc e d c ry ing .

W alker stepp e d up to he r, and to ld her to give the

child to him T he m o ther tremblingly o beye d
. .

H e to o k the child by o ne arm , a s y o u wo uld a ca t

b y the l e g wal ked into the ho u se and s aid to the
, , ,

lady ,

“
M adam I will mak e y ou a present o f this
,
'

l ittle nl gger ; it keep s such a no i se that I can t b e ar ’

”
it
.

T hank y ou , sir, s aid the lady .

T he mo ther a s soon a s she saw tha t her child

'
,

w a s to b e l e ft, r an up to M r W alker and falling ,

.
,

u p o n her k ne e s b e gge d h1 m to l et her have her

, .

child ; she clung aro und his legs and c rie d Oh , , ,

my child ! my child ! ma ster d o l et me hav e m y ,

child ! o h d o , d o d o ! I will sto p its crying if y o u

, ,

w ill o nl y l e t m e hav e it again W h en I saw thi s .

w o man crying fo r her child so pi teo usly a shud ,

d er é a feeling akin to horro r — sh o t thro u gh my

frame I have o ften sinc e in im a gination he ard
'

her c rying fo r her chil d

5
BO RRATIVE
NA or T HE

N o ne b ut th o se w ho have b een in a slave sta te ,

a nd w ho have seen the A m erican slave trade r e u

-

gaged in his nefario u s traffic c an e stimate the suf

, (

ferings the ir vic tim s under go I f the re is o ne fe at

.

u re o f A merican slave ry m ore abo minable tha n

ano ther it is that which s aric tio ns the buying and

'

s e lling o f h uman b e ing s T he A frican s lav e trade

.
-

w a s ab o li sh e d by the A merican C o ngre s s some

.

t w enty ye ars sinc e ; and no w , by the law s o f the

c o untry if an A merican is fo und engage d in the

,

A frican slav e trade he is c onsidere d a pira te ; and

-
,

if fo und guil ty o f such , the p enalty wo uld b e

de ath .

Al tho ugh the A frican slave trader has be en -

b randed as a pi rate m en are engage d in the traffic

,

in s laves in thi s c o untry w ho o ccupy high p osi

,

ti o ns in so cie ty and h o ld o ffic e s o f h o nor in the

,

c o uncil s o f the nati o n ; and no t a few have made

th ei r fo r tunes by thi s b usine ss .

A fter the wo man s child had b een gl ven away

’
,

M r W alker c o mmande d her to return into the

.

r ank s wi th the o th er slav es Wo m en w ho had

.

children were no t chaine d b u t tho se that had

,

no ne w ere . As soo n as her child w a s di sp o se d o f

she w a s ch aine d in the gang .

T he fo ll o wi ng so ng I have o ften h ea rd the slav es

 LIFE OF WILLIAM W . B ROWN .

s ing, when ab out to b e carried to the far sou

said to hav e b een c o mp o sed by a slave .

1
S ee these poor soul s from Africa
Transp o rted to Am erica ;
We are stol en and sol d to Georgia
,

Will yo u go al o ng With me 2?
We are stol en and sol d to Ge orgia
,

C ome sound jb
the u il es

S ee wives and husband s sol d ap art,

T heir chil d ren s screams will brea

’
k my heart
T here s a b etter d ay a co m ing
’

W ill you go al o ng w ith m e

T here ’
s a better d ay a coming ,

Go s ound the j ub il ee !

O , g racious Lo rd ! w hen shall i t b e ,

That w e p o or soul s shall all b e free 22
Lord , break them sl avery
p o w ers
Wil l you go al ong w ith m e P
’
.

k
L ord , brea them sl avery powers,
Go sound j
the ub il ee

Dear Lord , d ear Lo rd , when sl avery ’ll c ease,

Then w e po or soul s will have o ur pe ace
There s a’
better d ay a com ing
Will yo u g o al o ng with m e
T here s a b etter d ay a coming ,
’

Go sound the u j bil ee

We arrive d a t M r W alker s farm

final l y .
’
.

had a h o use b uil t during o ur ab senc e to pu t slave s

ih .I t w as a ki nd o f dom e stic jail T he s lav es .

w e re p ut in the jail a t nigh t, a nd w ork e d o n the

fa rm duri ng the day T hey w ere kep t h ere until

.
 NA RR ATIVE O F T HE

the gang c o mple ted wh en w e again starte d

w as ,

for Ne w O rl e ans o n b oa rd the ste amb o at No rth

“

, ,

A m erica, Cap t A lexander Sco tt We had a large

. .

nu m b e r o f slave s m thi s gang O ne by the name .

,

o f J o e M r W alke r w a s traini ng u t t ak my
,
.
p o e

plac e a s my time w as ne arly o u t and glad Was I

, ,
.

W e made o ur fi rst s to p a t Vick sb urg wh ere w e

‘

r e m a ine d o ne w ee k and so ld s ever al slav e s .

M r W alk er tho u gh no t a g oo d master had no t

.
, ,

fl o gged a slave s inc e I had b e en wi th him th o ugh ,

he ha d thre a te ne d m e T he slaves w ere kep t in

.

the p en a nd he alway s p u t up a t the b est ho tel and

,
f
,

k e pt his W i ne s in his ro o m for the acc o mmo dati o n

,

o f th o se w ho call e d to ne go tia te wi th hi m for the

p u r cha se o f slave s O ne day whil e w e w ere at

.
,

Vick sbu rg se ve r al gentlem en cam e to see him fo r

,

th a t p u rp o se a nd a s u s u al the wine w a s call e d fo r

,
.

I to o k the tra y and starte d aro und with it and hav ,

ing accidenta lly fi l l e d s o m e o f the gla s ses too full ,

the gentl e m e n s pill e d the w i ne o n th eir cl o the s a s

th e y w ent to dr ink M r W alker ap olo gize d to

. .

th e m fo r m y care l essne ss b ut l o o k e d a t m e as ,

th o u gh he w o uld se e m e again o n thi s subj e c t .

:
"

A fter the gentl emen had le ft the ro o m he a sked ,

me wh at I m e ant by my carel essness and said th at ,

 LIFE OF WI LLIAM W . B RO W N

he wo uld a ttend to m e mo rning he

. T he next
gave m e a no te to carry to the jailer and a do llar
'

in m oney to give to him I suspe c te d tha t all w a s

.

no t ri ght so I went down ne ar the landing w here

, ,

I m et with a s ailor and w alking up to him a sk e d

, , ,

h1 m if he w o uld b e s o kind a s to re ad the no te fo r

me . He re ad it o ver and then lo o k e d a t m e
,
I .

a ske d him to tell m e what w a s in it Said he .

,

T hey are go ing to giv e y o u h e ll .

”
W hy 2 s aid I .

He s aid T hi s is a no te to have y o u whipp ed

, ,

and s ay s tha t y o u have a d o lla r to pay for it

”
.

He hande d m e back the no te a nd o ff I started

‘

.
,

I knew no t wha t to d o b ut w a s determined no t to

,

b e whipp e d I went Up to the jail to o k a loo k a t

.
—

it and walke d o ff again

,
As M r W alker w a s . .

acqu ainte d with the jailer I fe are d tha t I sho uld ,

b e fo und o ut if I did no t go , and b e tre a te d in co n -

s equenc e o f it s till w orse .

W hile I w as medita ting o n the subj ec t I s a w a ,

co lore d m an ab out my size walk up and the ,

th o u gh t struck m e in a m o ment to send him wi th

my no te I walked up to him and a sked him

.
,

w ho he b el o nge d to He s aid he w as a free m an

.
,

and had b een in the ci ty b ut a sh ort time I to ld .

as
 NARRATIV E O F T HE

I had a into the jail and get a trunk

no te to g o ,

to carr y to o ne o f the ste amb o a ts ; b u t w a s s o

b usily engage d that I co uld no t d o it altho u gh I ,

had a do llar to pay for it He a sked m e if I wo uld

.

no t giv e him the j ob I hand ed him the no te and

.

the d o ll ar and o ff he s tar te d for the jail

, .

I watch e d to see that he went in and as soo n as ,

I sa w the do or clo se b ehind him I walke d aro und

,

the c o rner and to o k my statio n intendi ng to see

, ,

ho w m y fri end l o o ke d wh en he came o ut I had .

be en there b u t a sh ort tinie when a co lo red m an

,

came around the c orner, and said to ano ther

co l ored m an with who m he w a s acquainted
“
T h e y a re giving a nigger scissors in the jail .

”
W hat for ? said the o th er The m an c on .

tinne d ,

“
A nigger came into the jail , and a ske d fo r the
jail er T he jailer came o ut, and he hande d him a
.

no te and said he wante d to get a trunk

,
The .

jailer to ld him to go with him, and he woul d give

him the trunk S o he to o k him into the roo m and
.
,

to ld the ni gger to gi ve up the d o llar He said a .

m an had given him the do llar to pay fo r getting

the trunk But that l ie w oul d not answer
. Se .
 LIFE or WILLIAM w . B ROWN . 55

th e y made him strip himself and then they tie d ,

”
him do wn a nd are no w whipping him
,
.

I sto o d by all the while li stening to the ir talk ,

a nd so o n fo und o u t tha t the p erso n all u ded to

w a s my cu sto me r I w ent into the stree t o pp o si te

.

t he jail a nd c o nc e al e d my se lf in such a manner

,

tha t I c o ul d no t b e s e en by any o ne co ming o ut I .

had b een there b ut a sh o rt time wh en the yo ung

m an made his appe arance and l o o k e d a ro und fo r
,

me . I , uno b se rve d cam e fo r th fro m my hiding

,

place behind a pile o f brick and he pretty soon

, ,

saw m e and came u p to m e c o mplaining bi tterly

, ,

s ayi ng that I had playe d a trick u p on him I de .

nied a ny kno w l e dge o f what the no te c o ntaine d ,

m e in b stanc e what I he ard the m an tell w ho

su

had c o me o ut o f the j ail .

”
Y es e y whippe d m e and too k
s ai
,d he, th
my dollar, and gave m e thi s no te ”
.

He s ho we d m e the no te which the jailer had

iv en him te llin g him to giv e it to his ma ster I
g ,
.

to ld him I would give him fi fty cents fo r it tha t

b eing all the mo ney I had He gave it to m e and
.

to o k his m o ne y He had rec eive d twenty lashes

.

o n his bare back , with the ne gro whip -

.
 NA RRATIVE O F THE

I too k the no te a d for the hotel where I

and st rte

had l eft M r W alker Upon re aching the ho tel I

. .
,

h ande d it to a stranger who m I had no t see n

b efo re and requeste d him to re ad it to m e As
,
.

ne a r a s I c a n re c o lle c t it w as a s fo llo w s :
,

D EAR S IR y u —B
di c ti n I hav e giv n
y o r re o ,
e

yo ur b oy twenty lashe s He is a very saucy b oy;

.

and trie d to mak e m e b e lie ve tha t he did no t

b elong to y o u and I p ut it o n to him well fo r lying

,

to me .

I main
re

”
Y o ur o b edi ent servant .

It is true tha t in mo st o f the slave—ho lding ci ties ,

w h e n a gentlem an wi sh es his s ervants whipp ed ,

he can send him to the jail and have it do ne Be .

fo re I went in where M t W alker w as I w e t my p

,

chee ks a little as th ou gh I had been crying He

,
.

l oo ked at m e and inquire d what w as the matter

,
.

I to ld him that I had never had such a whipping

i n my life a nd hand e d him the no te
, He l o o k e d
.

at it and lau gh e d ; And so y o u to ld him that

”
y ou did no t b e l o ng to m e ? Y e s, s ir s aid I ,
.

I did no t kno w that th ere w as any harm in

 LIFE OF W ILLIAM W . B ROWN .

”
that . He to ld m e I must b ehave myself if I d ,

no t want to b e whipp e d again .

T his i ncident sho w s ho w it is tha t slavery mak e s

its vic tims lyi ng a nd m e an ; fo r which V ic es it
afterwards re pro ache s th em , and use s them a s
ar guments to pro ve that they deserve no b etter
fate Had I entertaine d the s ame vie w s o f right
.

a nd w ro ng which I no w d o ,
I am sure I sh o uld
ne ver hav e p rac ti se d the de c e p ti o n up on that p o o r

fe llo w which I did I kno w o f no ac t c o mmi tted

.

by m e while in slavery which I have re grette d

m o re than tha t ; a nd I he artily de sire tha t it may
b e a t so me time o r o th er in my p o w er to make him
amends for his V i carl ous sufferi ngs in my b ehalf .
 NA RR ATIVE O F T HE

C HAPT E R VI.

IN a fe w days ached N e w Orleans and

we re

m
,

arriving there in the night rem a ,

until

m o rning W hile at N e w O rl e ans thi s time I saw

.
,

a slave killed ; a n acc o unt o f w hich has b een p ub

l ishe d by Theo do re D W e ld in his b o o k e nti tle d
.
,

”
Slavery a s it is T he ci rc um stanc es w ere a s
.

fo llo ws In the e vening b etween seven and e ight

.
,

o cl o ck , a slav e cam e running do wn the l evee fo l

’
,

l o w ed by several m en and b o ys ? The .

w ere crying o u t Sto p that nigger ! sto p tha t nig

,

g er w h i l e the p o o r pa n ti n g s lav e ,
in alm o s t
“
bre athl e ss acc ents w a s repe ating I did no t s teal
, ,

”
the m e at — I did no t s te al the me at T he po o r .

m an a t la s t too k re fu ge in the river T he w hi te s .

w ho were in p ursu i t o f him run o n b o ard o f o ne ,

o f the b o a ts to see if th e y c o ul d di sc o v e r hi m .

T h e y final l y e spied him under the b o w o f the

s te am b o a t T rento n T he y got a pike p o le and
.
-

ti ied to drive him fro m his hidi ng place W hen

‘

th e y w o uld strik e at him he w o uld div e under

 LIFE or W ILLIA M w . B RO WN . 59

the water T he water w as so c old that it soon

.
,

b ecame e vident tha t he must c o me o ut o r be

d ro wne d .

W hile the y w ere trying to drive him fro m under

the b o w o f the b o at o r dro wn him he w o uld in
'

“
bro ken and 1 m pl oring acc ents say , I did no t ste al
the m e at ; I did no t s te al the me a t M y ma ster .

lives up the river I want to see my ma ster I

. .

did no t ste al the me at Do l et m e go ho me to .

”
ma ster A fter p unching hi m , and striking him
.

o ver the h e ad fo r so m e time he at la st sunk in the ,

water to ri se no m o re alive
,
.

O n the e nd o f the pike p ol e wi th which they-

were striking him w as a ho o k ;which cau ght in his

cl o thing and th ey hauled him up o n the b o w of
,

the b o at So me said he w as de ad ; others said he

.

“
w as p l a ying p os sum while o thers kicked him
to mak e him ge t up ; b ut it w a s o f no use — he w a s
‘

d e ad
.

As soo n as they b ecam e satisfied o f thi s, th ey

c o mmenced le aving o ne after ano th er One o f the
,
.

hands o n the bo at informe d the cap tain that they

had ki lle d the m an and that the dead bo dy wa s
,

lying o n the de ck T he cap tain came o n deck

.
,

“
and said to tho se w ho w ere remaining , Y o u have
60 NARRATIVE or T HE

”
kille d thi s nigger ; no w take him o ff o f my bo at .

T he cap tain s name w as Har t

’
T he de ad b o dy
.

w as dragge d o n sh o re and l e ft th ere I went o n

.

bo ard of the b o at where o ur gang o f slave s were ,

and d uring the who l e nigh t my mi nd w a s o cc upie d

w i th what I had se en E arly in the morning I

.

w ent o n sh ore to see if the d e ad b o dy remaine d

th ere I fo un d it in the s ame p osi tion that it w as

“

le ft the night b efore I watch e d to s ee wha t the y

.

w o uld d o with it I t w a s l eft th ere until b etw e en

.

e igh t a nd nine o cl o ck , wh en a cart, which take s

’

up the tra sh o ut o f the streets came al o ng and the

, ,

b o dy w as thro wn in, and in a fe w minutes more

w a s c o vere d o ver wi th dirt which th ey were re

m o ving fro m the stree ts D uring the wh o le tim e I

.
,

did no t see more than six o r se ven p ersons aro un d

it w ho fro m thei r manner, evidently re garde d it
, ,

a s no unc o mm o n o cc urrenc e .

During o ur stay in the city I m et wi th a yo ung

whi te m an with wh o m I w as W ell acquainte d in
S t L o ui s
.
He had b een so ld into s lavery under
.
,

the fo llo wing circ umstanc e s His father w as a

.

d mnkard , and v ery p oo r, wi th a fami ly o f fi v e o r

s1 x children T he father di ed, and left the m o ther
.

to tak e care o f and pro vide fo r the c hila as bes t

 LIFE OF W ILLIA M w . B ROWN . 61

she might T he e ldest w a s a b oy name d B urrill

.
, ,

abo ut thirte en ye a rs o f a ge w ho did cho res in a,

s to re k e p t by M r R il e y
. to a ssi st his m o th er in
,

pro curing a living fo r the fam ily After w orki ng .

w i th him tw o y e ars M r R il e y to o k him to N e w

,
.

'

Orle ans to wai t o n him while in that ci ty o n a

vi sit and when he returned to S t Lou i s he to ld
,
.
,

the m o th er o f the b o y that he had di e d with the

y ell o w fever No thing m ore w as h eard fro m him

.
,

no o ne supp osi ng him to b e aliv e I w a s m uch .

a sto ni sh e d when B urrill to ld m e his story T ho u gh .

I sym pathize d with him I c o uld no t a ssi st him .

We w ere b o th slave s He w as p o o r uneduca ted

.
‘

, ,

and w i th o ut frie nd s ; and if livin g is I p re sum e

, , ,

s till h e ld a s a slave .

A fter selling o ut thi s cargo o f h uman fl esh w e ,

r e turne d to S t L o ui s a nd m y tim e w a s up w i th
.
,

M r W alk ers I had se rve d him o ne year and it

.
,

w a s the l o ngest ye ar I e ver lived .

6
 NARRATIVE DE T HE

CHAPT E R VI I .

I W AS sent h o me, and glad enough to le ave

w as

the service o f o ne w ho w a s tearing the hu sband fro m

the wife the child fro m the m o th er and the sister

, ,

fro m the brother — b u t a trial more severe and

h ea rt rendi ng than a ny which I had y e t m e t with
-

awai te d m e M y de ar si ster had b een so l d to a

. z ,
-

m an w ho w as go ing to N atche z , and w as lying in

j ail awaiting the ho ur o f his departure She had .

e xp resse d he r d ete rm m a tio n to d ie r ath er than g o

,

to the far so uth and she w a s p ut in j ail for s afe

,

k eeping I went to the jail the s ame day that I

.

arrive d, b ut as the jailer w as no t in I co uld no t see

her .

I went h o me my m aster, in the c ountry and

to ,

the fi rst day after my return he cam e where 1 w a s

a t w o rk and sp o k e to m e v ery p o litely

, I kne w .

from his appe arance that som ething w a s the m at

te r
. A fter talking to m e ab o u t my several j o ur
ney s to N e w O rle ans w ith M r W alker he to ld m e
.
,

that he w a s hard pre sse d fo r mo ne y and as he r

,
 LIFE OF WILLIAM w . B ROWN . 63

had ld my mo ther and all her children e xc ep t

so

m e he th o u gh t it w o ul d b e b ette r to sell m e than

,

any o th e r o ne , and tha t a s I had b een u se d to liv

’

ing in the ci ty, he th o u gh t it pro bable tha t I w o uld

prefer i t to a c o untry li fe I rai se d up my h e ad and
. .
,

loo ke d him full in the face W hen m y e yes caught .

his he immedi a tely l oo ke d to the grou nd A fter a .

short pau se I s aid

, ,

M a ster m o th er has o ften to ld m e tha t y o u

,

are a ne ar rela tiv e o f mine and I hav e o fte n h e ar d ,

y o u ad m i t the fac t ; a n d afte r y o u hav e hi re d m e

o u t a nd r ec eive d as I o nc e h e ar d y o u s ay , ni ne
, ,

h undre d dollars for m y servic es — after re ce ivi ng

thi s lar ge sum w ill y o u sell m e to b e carri e d to
,

”
Ne w Orl e ans o r so me o th e r plac e ?

“ ” “
No s aid he ,
,
I d o no t intend to sell y o u to
a ne gro trader If I had wi she d to have do ne tha t
.
.

I mi ght have so ld yo u to M r W alker fo r a lar ge .

s um b ut I w o uld no t se ll y o u to a ne gro trad e r

,
.

Y o u may go to the ci ty and fi nd y o u a go o d m a s ,

”
ter .

”
Bu t, aid I I canno t fin d a goo d m a ster in
“

s ,

”
the w h o l e ci ty o f S t L o u i s . .

”
W hy ? sa id he .
 NARRATIVE O F T HE

B ecause th ere a re no go o d m a sters in the

'

”
state .

”
Do y o u no t call me
a go o d ma ster ?

”
I f y o u we re y o u w o u ld no t se ll m e .

No w I will give y o u o ne w ee k to find a master

”
in a nd sure ly y o u c an d o it in tha t time
,
.

T he pric e se t by my e vange lical ma ster upo n

my so ul and b o dy w a s the trifl ing sum o f fi ve
hundre d do llars I trie d to enter into so me ar
.
‘

rangem ent by which I m igh t p u rcha s e m y free

d o m ; b u t he w o uld enter i nto no su ch a rr ange

m ent .

I se t o u t fo r the
ci ty w i th the understanding that
I w a s to re turn in a w eek w i th s om e o ne to b e c ome

m y ne w m a ster S o o n after re aching the ci ty I

.
,

w ent to the j ail to le arn if I c o uld o nce m o re see

,

my siste r b ut c o uld no t gain adm i ssio n I the n .

w ent to m o th er and l e arne d fro m her tha t the

,

o w ner o f my si ster inte nde d to star t fo r N a tche z

in a fe w day s .

I we nt to the j a il aga in the ne x t day and M r ,

.

S im o nds the k ee p er allo we d m e to se e m y s i s te r

, ,
I

to r the la st tim e I canno t give a j u st de scrip tio n

.

o f the s c ene a t tha t p ar ti ng inter vi e w Ne ve r .

,

nev er c an b e era se d fro m my he art the o cc urre nc es

 LIF E OF WILLIAM w . B RO WN . 65

of ha t day !
t W h en I d the roo m where she
e ntere

w as she w a s se a te d in o ne c o rner, alo ne

,
T here .

w ere fo ur o th er w o men in the s am ero o m , b el onging

to the same m an He had p urcha se d th em he

.
,

sa id fo r his o w n u se S he w as se ate d wi th her

‘

.
,

face to wards the door where I entered , ye t she did

no t l o o k up until I walke d u p to her As s o o n a s .

she o b serv e d m e she s prung up th re w her arms ,

aro und my neck , le ane d her he ad up on my bre a st ,

and wi th o ut u ttering a w o rd , b urst into te ars

,
As .

soo n a s she re c o v ere d h erse l f suffi c ientl y to Sp e ak ,

she advi se d m e to tak e m o ther a nd try to ge t o ut ,

o f slav ery S he s aid th ere w a s no h om

. e fo r he r

s elf tha t she m u st live and d ie a slav e A fter

‘

g w m g her s o m e advic e a n d taki n g ,

f ro m my fi n g e r

a r ing and placing i t u p o n hers I bade her fare

-

w ell fo re ver, a nd re turned to my m o th e r , and th e n

an d th ere made up my m ind to l e ave fo r Canada

as so on a s po s sibl e .

I had b een in the city ne a rl y tw o days and a s I ,

Was to b e ab sent only a wee k I tho u gh t b est to ,

g e t o n my j o u rn e y a s s oo n as p o ss ibl e I n c o n .

versing wi th mo th er I fo und her unw illing to

-

m ake the a ttem p t to re ach a land o f lib e rty b ut ,

she c o unse ll ed m e to t my lib e rty if I c o u l d

ge .

as
66 , NARRAT IVE O F THE

She s aid , as all her

children w ere in slavery she ,

d id no t wi sh to l e ave th em I co uld no t b e ar the

.

idea o f le aving her a m o ng tho se pirates wh en ,

th ere w a s a p ro sp e c t o f b ein g able to get away

fro m them A fter much p ersuasio n I succ eede d in

.

inducing her to m ake the a ttemp t to get aw ay .

The tim e fi x ed for o ur depar ture w a s the ne xt

,

night . I had with m e a li ttle m o ney that I had

r e c e i ved,
fro m tim e to time fro m gentle men fo r ,

whom I had do ne errand s I to o k my scanty .

m e ans and p urcha se d so m e drie d b ee f c rackers ,

:

and cheese which I carr i e d to m o th er w ho had

, ,

pro vide d herself with a bag to carry it ih I o cca .

/
l h
s io na l y t o u gh t o f my o l d ma s te r a nd o f my m isi
,

s i o n to the ci ty to find a new o ne I w aite d with .

the m o st i ntense anxi e ty fo r the appo inte d time

to l e a ve the land o f slav ery , in se arch o f a land

o f liberty .

T he tim e at length arr ived , and w e left the ci ty

j ust a s the cl ock stru ck nine We procee ded to the .

u pp er par t o f the ci ty wh ere I had be e n tw o o r

,

th ree time s dur ing the day and sel ec te d a ski ff to,

carry u s acro ss the river T he b o at w as no t mi ne

.
,

he r did I kno w to who m it did b el o ng ; nei th er

d id I care T he b o at w as fa stened wi th a smal l
.
 LIFE or WILLIAM w . B ROW N . 67

p o le which , with the aid o f a rail I soo n loo sened

, ,

fro m its mo orings A fter hunting ro und and find

.

ing a b o ar d to u se a s an o ar I turne d to the city

,
-

a nd bid ding it a lo ng fare w e ll p ush e d o ff my b o a t

,
.

T he c urrent running v ery s wift w e had no t ,

re ache d the middl e o f the stre am b efo re w e we re

direc tly O ppo site the city .

We were so on upo n the Il lino i s sh ore and le ap , ,

ing fro m the b o at turne d it a d rift and the la st I

, ,

saw o f it it w as go ing do wn the riv er a t goo d

s p ee d. We too k the main r o ad to A l to n, a nd

pa sse d t hro ugh j ust a t daylight when w e made ,

for the w o o d s wh ere w e rem aine d during the day

,
.

O ur re a son fo r g o w g m to the wo o d s w as that w e ,

e x pe c te d tha t M r M ansfi el d (the m an w ho o w ne d

'

my mo ther) wo uld start in pursuit o f her as so on ; ‘

He al so j
'

a s he di sc o vere d tha t s he w as m l ssm g

’

. .

k new that I had been in the city lo o king for a new

ma ster and w e thou gh t probably he w ould go o ut
,

to my ma ster s to se e if he co uld fi nd my m o th er
’
,

a nd in so d o ing Dr Y o ung migh t b e l ed to su s

,
.

p e c t th at I had g o ne to Canada to fi nd a p ur

chaser .

We remaine d in the w o ods during the day and ,

a s so o n as d a rkne ss o vershado w e d the e arth , w e

g
 NARRATIVE OF T HE

d again o n o u r glo omy way, having no guide

s ta r te

b u t the N OR T H S TAR We c ontinued to trave l by

.

nigh t a nd se cre te o urselves in the woo d s by day ;

,

a nd e very nigh t b e fo re e mer gin g fro m o ur hid ing

,

pl a c e w e would anxio usly loo k fo r o ur friend and

,

l a der the N OR T H S TAR And in the langua ge of

e — .

Pierp ont w e migh t have e xclaim ed ,

S tar o f the N o rth ! w hil e bl azing d ay

Po urs ro und m e i ts full tid e o f l ig ht,

A nd hi d es thy p al e b ut fa ithfii l ray,

1 , to o , l ie bi d , and l o ng for ni g ht .

For nig ht I d are no t w al k at no on ,

N or d are I trus t the fai thl ess m o on,

N or faithl ess m an, w hose b urning l us t
‘

F o r gol d ha th riveted m y c hain

No o ther l e ad e r c an I trust
B ut thee, o f e v en the s tarry tra in ;
Fo r, al l the ho st aro und t hee b urning;
Like faithl es s m an, keep turning , turning .

I n the d ark top o f so uthern p ines

I ne stl ed , w hen the d ri ver s ho rn
’

C all ed fi el d , in l e ng thening line s ,

to the
M y fel l o w s , at the brea o f m o rn k .

And the re I l ay, til l thy swee t face

L oo ked i n upo n m y ‘
hid ing pl ace , ’

S tar o f the N orth !

Thy l ight, that no p oor sl ave d eceiveth,
Shall set m e free
”
.
 LIFE OF W ILLIAM w . BRO IIN .

C HAPT ER VI I I .

As w e travelle d to wa rds a l and lib erty m yof ,

he ar t wo uld at times le ap fo r j oy At o ther tim e s

.
,

b eing a s I w as, almo st co ns tantly o n my feet I

, ,

felt as tho ugh I co uld trave l no further B u t

“

w h en I th o ugh t o f s lavery with its de mo cr atic

,

w hip s — its rep ublican chains — its e vange lical

blo o d ho unds, and its religio us slave ho lders
- -

w h en I tho u gh t o f all thi s pa raph ernalia o f A m e r

ican demo cracy and relig1 o n b ehind m e, and the

pro spect o f liberty b efo re me I w a s enco urage d
'

,
—to

press fo rward, my he art w as strength ened and I ,

fo r go t that I w as tired o r hungry .

O u the eighth day o f o ur j o urney w e had a ve r y

,

he avy rain, and in a few hours after it c o mme nce d

w e had no t a d ry thre ad up on o ur b o dies T hi s
“

m ade o ur j ourney still mo re unple a s ant O n the .

tenth day , w e fo und o urselves entire ly de sti tute o f

pro vi sions, and ho w to ob tain any w e c ould no t

tell. We fi nall y reso lved to sto p at some farm ,

ho use and try to get so mething to eat We had

,
.
 NARRATIVE OF T HE

no soo ner determine d to d o thi s than w e went to a,

house and aske d them for so me fo o d We were

,
.

tre ate d wi th gre at kindness and th e y no t o nly

,

gave u s so m ething to e at b ut gave u s pro vi sio ns to

,

carry w ith us T he y advi sed us to travel b y day

.

and l ie by at nigh t F indi ng o urse lve s ab o ut one

.

h undred and fi fty mile s fro m S t L o u i s w e c on .

,

cl ude d that it w o uld b e safe to trave l by dayli gh t ,

a nd d id no t l e ave the h o u se until the ne x t m o rning .

W e travelled o n that day thro u gh a thickly settled

c o untry, and thro u gh o ne small village T ho ugh .

w e w ere fl e e ing fro m a land o f opp ressio n o ur ,

h e arts w ere still th ere M y de ar si ster and tw o

. .

be lo ve d bro thers w ere b ehind u s and the idea o f ,

giving them up and le aving them fo re ver made us

, ,

fe el s ad . B ut w i th all thi s de pressi o n o f h e art the ,

‘

th o u gh t tha t I sh o uld o ne day b e free and call m y ,

’

b od y my o w n b uoy ed m e up and m ad e m y heart

'

, , l

l e ap for j oy. I had j ust b ee n telling my mo ther

ho w I should try to get emplo ym ent a s soon a s w e
r e ach e d Canada and ho w I intende d to purcha se
,

u s a li ttle farm and ho w I w oul d e arn m

,
o ne y

e no u gh to b uy s i ster and b ro thers and ho w happy ,

w e w o u ld b e in o ur o w n FREE H O M E — When thr ee ‘

 LIFE or WILLIAM w . B ROW N .

m en came up on ho rseback ,
and d
o r e re d us to

sto p .

I turne d to the o ne w ho
app e are d to b e the
principal m an and a sked him w hat he wante d
,
.

He s aid he had a warrant to tak e us u p T he .

th ree i mm edia te ly di sm o unte d a nd o ne too k fr o m,

hi s p o cke t a handbill adverti sing us a s runaways

, ,

and o ffering a re w ar d o f tw o h undre d d o lla rs for

o ur app reh ensi on and d e livery in the ci ty o f S t .

L o ui s T he adver ti sement had b een pu t o ut by

.

I saac M ansfi el d and Jo hn Y o ung .

W hil e the y w ere re ad in g the adverti sement

mo ther lo o k e d m e in the fac e and b urst into te a rs
,
.

A c o ld chill ran o ver m e and such a sens atio n I

,

ne v er e xp eri enc e d b efore , a nd I h0pe ne v e r to

again T h ey to o k o ut a rop e a nd tied m e and

.
,

w e w ere tak en back ab ou t s ix mil e s to the h o u se ,

o f the i ndividu al w ho app e are d to b e the le ad er .

W e re ache d there ab out seven o clo ck in the e ven ’

ing had supp er and were separ a te d for the nigh t

, ,
.

Tw o m en remaine d in the ro o m during the night .

B e fore the fam ily retire d to re s t, the y w ere all

calle d to ge ther to attend p T he m an w ho
b ut a fe w h o urs (1 my hands to

gether w i th a stro ng co rd , re ad a chapter from the

 LIFE or W ILLIAM w . B ROW N . 73

Bible and then o ffere d up prayer j ust a s thou gh

, ,

G o d had s anc ti o ned the ac t he had j ust c o mmi tte d

u p o n a p o o r panting , fu gi tive slav e
,
.

T he ne x t mo rning a black smith cam e in and ,

p u t a pai r o f ha nd c ufi s o n m e a nd w e s ta ,
rte d o n

ou r j o urne y back to the la nd o f w hip s chains and ,

Bibles Mo the r w as no t tie d b u t w as clo se ly

.
,

watche d a t nigh t We w ere carrie d back in a

.

wagon and after fo ur days trav el , w e came in

,
’

sigh t o f S t L o ul s
. I canno t de scrib e my fee lings
.

up o n appro achi ng the ci ty .

A s w e w e re c rossin g the ferr y M r W iggins the ,

.
,

o wner o f the ferry cam e u

p ,
to m e ,
a nd in qu i re d
wha t I had b een do ing that I w as in chains He .

had no t he ard that I had run away In a fe w

'

m inu tes w e w ere on the M i sso uri side and w e re .

taken direc tly to the jail O u the w . ay thi th e r I ,

.

sa w se v eral o f my fri end s w ho gave m e a no d o f

,

rec o gni ti o n a s I pa sse d th e m A fter re aching the

.

jail w e were lo cke d u p in different apartments

,
.

7
 NARRATIVE OF T HE

CHAPT E R IX .

I HAD b een in jail b ut a sho rt time when I heard

that my ma ster w as sick and no thing b ro u gh t ,

m ore j o y to m y h e ar t than tha t inte l l igenc e I .

praye d fervently fo r him — no t for hi s re co very b ut ,

fo r his d e a th I kne w he would b e e xa sperated a t

.

ha vi ng to pay for my apprehensmn and knowing ,

his crue l ty I fe are d him

,
W hile in jail I le arned
.
,

that m y si ste r E li zab eth w ho w a s l n p rl son when

“

w e l e ft the ci ty had b een carrie d o f]? fo ur day s

'

be fo re o ur arrival .

I had b een in jail b u t a fe w ho urs wh en th ree

ne gro tr ade rs l e arning that I w a s se c ure d th us fo r
-
,

runni ng aw ay came to my pri so n ho use and

,
-

lo o ke d at m e e xpecting tha t I would b e o ffered for

,

s al e .M r M ansfi el d , the m an w ho o w ne d mo ther

.
,

c am e into the jail a s soo n as M r Jo ne s the m an .

,

w ho arre ste d us info rm ed him that he had b rou gh t

,

her back .He to ld her tha t he w oul d no t whip ,

her b ut w o u ld sell he r to a ne gr o tr ader o r tak e

,
-
,

her to N e w O rle ans him self A fter b e ing in jail .

 LIFE OF W ILLI AM w . RO W N
B . 75

abo ut week ma ster sent a m an to take m e

o ne ,

o u t o f jail and send m e h o m e

,
I w as taken o ut .

a nd ca rri e d h o m e , and the o l d m an w as w e ll

e no u gh to sit u p He had m e b rou ght into the

.

'

ro o m where he w as and as I entere d he a sk e d m e

, ,
r

w here I had b een z I to ld him I had ac te d acc o rd

’
.

ing to his o r ders He had to ld m e to l o o k fo r a

.

m a ster and I had b ee n to l oo k fo r o ne

,
He an .

s w ered tha t he did no t te ll m e to t Ca n ada to

g o o

l oo k for a ma ster I to ld him that a s I had served

.

him faithfully and had b een the m e ans o f putting

,

a num ber o f hundre d s o f do llars into his p o cket I ,

tho ugh t I had a righ t to my li b erty He s aid he .

had pro mi se d my father that I sh o uld no t b e so ld

to supply the N e w O rl e ans mark et o r he w o uld ,
,

sell m e to a ne gro tr ader -

.

I w a s ordere d to go into the fi el d to w o rk and ,

w a s cl o se ly wa tch e d by the o verseer during the

day and lo cke d up at nigh t T he o ve rseer gave
, .

m e a se v ere w hippi ng o n the se c o nd day tha t

‘

I w as in the fi el d I had b een at h om e b ut a sho rt

.

ti m e wh en ma ster w a s able to srid e to the cit y ;

,
"
and o n his re turn he info rme d m e that he had so ld
m e to Samue l W illi a m erchant tail o r ,
I knew .

M r W illi I had liv e d wi th him three o r four

. .
 NARRATIVE O F T HE

month s some ye ars b efo re w he n he hired me o f ,

m y m a ster .

M r W illi w as no t c onsidered by his servants as

.

a v e ry bad m an no r w a s he the b es t o f ma s te rs
,
I .

w ent to my new h o me and fo u nd my ne w m is

,

tre s s v ery glad to see m e Mr W illi o wne d tw o

. .

se r va n ts b e fo re he p urcha se d m e — Ro bert a nd
Charlo tte Ro bert w as an e xcellent white wa she r
.
-
,

a nd hire d his ti m e fro m his ma ste r, payi ng him

o ne do llar r day b e sides takin g ca re o f him se l f

p e ,
.

H e w a s k no wn in the city by the nam e o f

B ob M usic Charlo tte w a s an o ld wo man w ho
.
,

a ttend e d to the c ooking wa shing 650 M r W illi

, ,
. .

/
w a s no t a w e al thy m an and did no t fee l abl e to
,

k eep many servants a ro und his ho u se ; so he so o n

d e cide d to hire m e o ut and a s I had been acc us
,

to m ed to servic e in ste amb o ats he gav e m e the ,

p rivile ge o f fi nd ing such emplo yment .

I soon secure d a situation o n b o ard the ste am e r

O tto Cap t J B Hil l , which s aile d fro m S t Lo ui s
,
. . .

to Indepe ndenc e M i ssouri ,

M y former m aster Dr
.
,
.

Y o ung di d no t l e t Mr W illi k no w tha t I had r un

,
.

away o r he woul d no t have permi tte d m e to go o n

,

b oard a ste amb o at The b o at w as not quite re ady

.

to c o mm enc e running , and th erefore I had to t e -

 "
0

LIFE OF W ILLIAM w . B ROW N . 7:

mai n wi th Mr W illi But during thi s time I had

. .
,

to under go a trial for which I w as entire ly unp re

pare d M y mo ther w ho had b een in j

.
,
ail sinc e he r ’

re turn until the p resent time w a s no w ab o ut b e ing,

carried to N e w Orle ans to d ie o n a co tton su gar, o r

, ,

n ce planta tio n !

I had been severa l times to t he jail b ut c o uld ,

o b tain no intervie w with h er I a sc ertaine d .

,

h o wever the time the b o at in which she w a s to

,

em bark wo uld s ail and as I had no t seen m o the r

,

si nc e her b e ing thro wn i nto p r i so n I fe l t a nxi o us ,

fo r the h o u r o f s ailing to c o me At la s t the day .

,

arrive d wh en I w as to see her for the fi rst tim e q

"

after o ur painful separatio n and for a ught tha t , ,

I knew fo r the la st tim e in this fw o rl d !

,

At ab o ut ten o cl o ck in the m orning I w ent o n

’

b oa rd o f the b o a t and fo und her there in c ompany

,

wi th fi fty o r six ty o ther sl aves She w as chained .

to ano th er w o man O n se eing m e she imme diate ly

.
,
.

dro ppe d her he ad upon her h e aving b o so m S he .

m o ve d no t nei th er did she weep ; He r e mo tio ns

,

w ere to o d e ep fo r tears I appro ach ed threw m y

.
,

a rm s a ro und he r ne ck , ki ssed her and fe ll u p o n ,

m y knee s b e gging her fo rgive ne ss for I tho u gh t

.
,

myself to blam e for her sad c ondi tion for if I had .

7*
 NARRATIVE O F T HE

no t persuade d her to acco m pany m e, she would

no t th en hav e be en in chains .

S he finall y r aise d her h e ad loo ked m e in the ,

fac e (and such a loo k none b ut an angel c an give

,

a nd s aid
“
M y d ea r s on y ou a r e not to bla m e for
, ,

m y being her e . Y o u ha ve d o ne nothing m or e nOr

l es s tha n y our d uty . Do no t, I p r ay you, weep f or

me , I ca nno t l as t l o ng up o n a cotton p l a nta tio n .

I f eel tha t m y hea venly M a s ter w ill s o on ca l l me

hom e, a nd then I s hal l be out o f the hand s f
o the

s l a ve- ho l d ers

I c o uld b e armore — m y he art struggl ed to

no

free itself fro m the human fo rm In a mo ment .

she s aw M r M ans fi el d c o ming to ward tha t pa r t o f

.

the b o a t and she w hi sp ere d into my ear

,
“
My ,

chil d , w e m us t s oo n p a r t to m eet no m o r e this s id e

o
f the g r a ve . Y ou ha ve ever s a id tha t yo u w ould

n ot d ie a s l a ve ; tha t y o u w ould be a f r eem a n . N ow

tr y to g et y our l iber ty ! You will s oo n ha ve no
”
o ne to l ook a
fter but y o ur s el !
f a nd j u st a s she

w hi sp ere d the la st sente nc e into my ear M ansfiel d ,

“
cam e up to m e and with an o a th s aid , Le ave
, ,

here thi s instant ; y o u have been the me ans o f m y

l osing o ne h undre d do llars to get thi s w ench
”—
back a t the same time kicking m e wi th a h e avy
 LIFE or WILLIAM w . B ROWN . 79

pair o f boo ts As I left her, she gave o ne shriek ,

.

“
s aying G o d b e wi th y o u
,
I t w a s the la st tim e
tha t I saw her and the la st w o rd I h e ard her
,

u tter .

I walke d on s ho re . T he bell w a s to lling . T he

bo at w a s about to start I sto o d with a h e avy .

h e art wai ting to see her le ave the wharf As I

,
.

th o u gh t o f my m o th er I c o uld b ut fee l that I had

,

l ost

the gl o ry of my l ife ,
M y bl es sing and
my prid e !
I half forg ot the nam e o f s l ave ,
W hen she was b y m y sid e ”
.

T hel o ve o f lib erty that

had been b urm ng in my
bo so m had w ell nigh gone o ut I felt as tho ugh I
-
.

w as re ady to d ie T he b o a t m o v e d gently fro m

.

the wharf and while she glide d do wn the r iv er I

, ,

re alize d that my m o the r w a s i ndee d

G o ne g one s ol d and go ne ,

To k
the r ice s w amp , d an and l o ne

A fte r b o at w as o u t o f sigh t I returne d h o m e

the ;

b u t m y tho u ghts w ere so ab sorb e d in what I ha d

wi tnessed tha t I knew no t wh at I w a s ab o ut half
,

o f thetime Nigh t came b ut it bro ugh t no sl e ep

.
,

to my e y es .
80 NARRATIVE or T HE

In a fe w days the b o at u p o n which I w a s to

,

w o rk b e ing re ady I w ent o n b o ard to c o mmenc e

,

T hi s e m pl o yment sui ted m e be tter than livin g in

the ci ty a nd I rem aine d until the cl o se o f navi
,

g a tio n ; th o u gh it p r o v e d an y thin g b u t pl e a s a nt .

T he cap tain w as a drunk en p ro fligate h ar d , ,

he arte d cre ature no t kno w ing ho w to tre at him se lf

-

, ,

o r a ny o the r p e rso n .

T he b o a t o n its s e c o nd trip b ro u gh t d o wn M r
, ,
.

W alk er the m an o f w h o m I have sp o k en in a p re

,

v io us chap ter a s hi rin g my tim e

,
H e had be tw ee n .

o ne a nd tw o h un dre d slaves chaine d and m ana ,

cl ed Amo ng them w a s a m an that fo rmerly b e

.

l o nge d to m y o l d master s b ro ther, A aro n Y o un g

’
.

His nam e w a s So l om o n He w as a p re acher and

.
,

belonge d to the s am e church wi th hi s m aster I .

w a s glad to s ee the o l d m a n He w e p t like a

‘

child w hen he to ld m e ho w he had b een so ld fro m

his w ife and children .

T he b o at carried do wn while I remaine d o n ,

b o ard fo ur o r fi ve gangs o f slave s M i sso ur i

,
.
,

th o u gh a c o m par a tiv ely ne w s ta te is ve ry m u ch ,

e ng a ge d in r ai s ing s lav e s to s upply the s o u th e rn

m ar k e t . In a fo rm er chap ter I h a ve menti o ne d ,

.

tha t I Was o nc e in the empl o y o f a slave trader or -

,
 LIFE OF WILLIAM W . B RO WN . 81

d riv e r, calle d at the south Fo r fe ar tha t

he is
‘

as

so m e ma y think tha t I have mi sre presente d a

- .

s lave drive r I will h ere give an e xtra c t fro m a

’
‘ '

-
,

pape r publi she d in a slave ho lding state, T enne ssee -

,

”
c alled the M illennial T rum peter .

“ \
D ro ves o f ne gro es chaine d to gether in do zens ,
.

a nd s c ore s and ha nd c uffe d hav e b e en d riv e n

,
-
,

th ro u gh o ur c o untry in numb e rs far surpa ssi ng

an p e vi u y a n d t h vil lav d ive r s and

y r o s e r a e s e e s e r -
,

de alers a re swarming lik e b uzzards aro und a c ar

n on . T h ro ugh thi s c o unty y o u canno t pa ss a fe w ,

m il e s in the gre a t ro ad s wi tho u t havi ng e very fee l

. -

in
g o f h u ma n i ty i n su l te d a nd lac e r a te d by thi s .

s ec tac l e no r c an i t c t n
p y o u g o n o a ny o u n y o r a y
~

ne ighb o rh o o d sca rc ely wi th o ut see ing or h e a ri ng

, ,
:

o f so me of th e se d es pi ca bl e c re a ture s call e d negro ,

drivers .

Who is a negro driver ? O ne w ho se e ye s -

d w e ll w ith d elight o n lacerate d bo dies o f h elpl e ss

m en w o m e n a nd children ; wh o se s o u l fe el s dia
,

b o lic al rap ture s a t the chains and hand c ufi s and

'
-
, ,

c a rt whip s
-
for inflic ting torture s o n w ee ping
,
)

mo thers to rn fro m h e lpless babe s and o n husba nd s ,

a nd wive s torn a s und er fo re v er

D ark and re vol ti ng as is the pic ture here drawn,

 NARR A TIVE O F THE

it is fro m the pen o f o ne livin g in the midst o f

s lave r y B ut th o u gh the se m en may cant ab o ut
.

ne gro drive rs and te ll w ha t despicable c re ature s

-
,

th e y a re w ho is it I a sk tha t suppli es the m wi th

, , ,

the h uman be ing s tha t the a re te aring a sunder ?

y
I a nswe r as far as I have any kno wled ge o f the
,

s ta te w h e re I came fro m , tha t tho se w h o r a ise

s l av e s fo r the m ark e t a re to b e fo und amo ng all

cl a sse s fro m T ho ma s H B ento n do wn to the l ow

,
.

e s t po litical dem ago gu e w ho may b e able to p uf

'

chase a w o m an fo r the purpo se o f raising sto ck ,

a nd fro m the do c to r o fd ivini ty do wn to the m o s t

h um bl e lay mem b er in the ch urch .

I t w a s no t unco m mo n in S t Lo uis to p ass b y .

a n a uc ti on s tand a nd b e h o ld a w o m an u po n the
-
,

a uc tio n block and he ar the seller c ryi ng o ut

-
, ,
“
H ow rnuc h is of er ed for this woma n S he 28 a

g oo d k
co
o g,
o o d w as h er ,
a
g o od o bed ient s erva nt .

S he ha s g ot r el ig io n W hy sh o uld thi s m an
i
'
te ll thepurcha sers tha t she has I an li n l
g o
'

r e .

s w e r b e c a u s e in M i s so ur i a nd a s far as I have
, ,

a ny kno w le dge o f s lav e ry in the o th er s ta te s the ,

re ligi o u s te achi ng c o nsi s ts in te aching the slave

that he m ust ne ve r s trike a w hi te m an ; tha t G od

m ad e him fo r a sl ave ; and that, wh en whipp ed ,
 LIFE or WILLIAM W . B ROWN . 83

he must faul t — for the Bible says He

no t fi nd ,

tha t kno we th his ma ster s w ill and do e th it no t

’
,

shall b e b e a ten wi th ma ny s trip e s And slave

h o lders find such r eligio n very pro fi tab l e to them .

A fter le aving the steamer O tto , I re side d a t

Ho me in M r W illi s family a nd again be gan to
’
“

.
, ,

lay my plans fo r making my e scape fro m slavery

“

T he anxiety to b e a freeman wo uld no t l e t m e res t

day o r night I wo uld think o f the no rthe rn citie s
.

tha t I had h e ard so m uch a b o ut ; o f Canada -

,

w he re s o many o f my a cqu ai nta nc es had fo und a

r efuge I would dr eam a t nigh t that I w a s in

.

Canada, a freeman, and o n waking in the m orning ,

w eep to fi nd m y self so s adly mi stak en .

I w oul d thin k o f V icto ria s d o main

’
,

And in a m oment I see m ed to b e there !

But the fear o f being ta ken again ,

S oo n hurried m e back to d esp air .

”

M r W illi better than D r Y o ung e ver

tre ate d me
'

. .

had ; b ut i nste ad o f making m e co ntente d a nd

h appy it o nly rendere d m e the m ore mi serable fo r
, ,

it e nable d m e b etter to app recia te lib erty Mr ”

. .

W illi w as a m an w ho lo ve d m one y as mo st m en
d o and wi th out l o o king fo r a n o pportunity to s el l
,

m e , he fo und one m the o ffer o f Cap tain E no ch

84 NARRATIVE OF T HE

P ri c e , ste ambo a t wne r a nd c ommi ssion m et;

‘

3 . o

tw o h undred more than M r W ill i had paid Hé . .

th e re fo re th o u gh t be s t to acc e pt the o ffer I w as .

wante d fo r a carriage driver and M rs Pric e wa s ,

ve ry m uch ple a sed wi th the capta in s b a rgain; ’

His fa m ily c o nsi ste d o f hi m s elf w ife , o ne c hild ; ,

a nd th ree s e rv a nts b e sides m y s e lf one m a n a nd

; ,

tw o w o m en ,

M rs . very pro u d o f her s ervants

Pric e w as ,

a l w ay s ke e pin g th e m w el l d re ss e d a nd as s o o n a s ,

I had b e en purch a sed she re so lve d to h a ve a ne w,

carri a ge And so o n o ne w a s pro cure d and al l

.
,

p rep ara tio ns w ere m ade for a turn o ut in gra nd -

s tyl e I b e ing the d rive r

,
.

O ne o f the fe m ale s e rvants w as a girl so m e

eig h teen o r tw e nty ye a rs o f a ge na m ed M aria ,
.

M rs Pn ce w as v ery so o n d e term ine d to h ave us

.

u ni te d if she co uld so arrange m a tters

,
S he .

w o u ld o fte n u rge u p o n m e the ne c e ssi ty o f h a ving

a w ife s aying that it wo uld b e so ple a sant for m e

2

to ta k e o ne in the s am e fa mi ly ! B u t ge ttin g m ar
r i e d w hil e in slave ry w a s the la s t o f m y th o u gh ts ;
, ,

and had I be en e v er so i nclined I sh o uld no t have ,

 LIFE OF WI LLIAM w . B RO W N . 85

married Ma ria a s my love had alre ady go ne in

,
:

ano ther qu arter M rs Price s oo n fo und out fthat

. .

her e fforts a t thi s m a tch m aking b e tw een Mari a s

and m y se lf w o u ld no t p ro v e suc c es sfuL S he al so

’

di sc o vered (or thou ght s he hadfithat I w a s ra ther =

a hd f
’

p r ti al t
‘

o a g ir l n a me d E liz a w w as o w n e d by ,
f
,

Dr Mj. lls , T hi s ind uc ed her at o nce to e nde av or

the p urcha se of E liza so gre at w as her d e si re to
, .

g e t m e a wif e !
B e fo re making the attem p t ho we ver she dee m e d , ,

it b est to talk to m e a li ttle up o n the s ubj e ct o f

lo ve c o urtship and marriage Acc o rdingly o ne
, ,
'

.
,

af t e rn oo n s h l
e ca l d m e i nto he r o o m
e r — te lli ng m e

to take a chai r and s it do w n I did so thinking it .

,

r a th er strange for ser va nts a re no t v ery o fte n a sk e d

,

thu s to sit do w n in the s ame ro o m wi th the ma ster

o r m i stress S he said tha t she had fo und o ut that

‘

I did no t care eno u gh ab o ut M aria to marry her I .

to ld her that w as true S he th en a ske d m e if

.

the re w a s no t a girl in the ci ty tha t I l o v e d W e ll .

,

no w thi s w as c o min g into to o cl o se qu a rters w i th

,

me Pe o pl e generally don t like to tell the ir lo v e

, ,
’

s tori es to e veryb o dy tha t may think fi t to a sk

ab o ut them and it w a s so with m e But afte r

,
.
,

bl ushi ng a while and reco veri ng my self I to ld her ,

8
 NA RRAT IVE O F T HE

tha t I did not want a wife . k d m e if

S he then as e

I did no t think something o f Eliza I to ld her tha t

.

I di d She then said that if I wishe d to marry

.

E liza she would purchase her if she co uld

,
.

I gave b ut little enc o uragement to thi s pr0p o si

ti o n as I w a s d e termine d to make ano th e r trial t o
,

e t my lib erty, a nd I knew th a t if I sh o ul d hav e a

g
w ife I sh o uld no t b e willing to l e ave he r b ehind ;
,
'

and if I sho uld a tte mp t to b ring her wi th m e the ,

chance s w o uld b e d ifficul t fo r succ ess Ho wever .

,

E liza w as p urcha sed and b ro u ght into the family

,
.
 LIFE OF WILLIAM W . ROWN
B .

C H AP T E R X .

B UT the more I thought o f the trap laid by M rs .

Price to make m e satisfied with my new ho m e by ,

ge tting m e a wife the more I de termined never to

,

m arry any wo man o n e arth until I sho uld get my

liberty But this sec ret I w as co m pelled to kee p
.

to my self which place d m e in a very c ritical po si

,

tio n
. I must keep upo n goo d term s with M rs .

Pric e and E liza I there fore p ro mise d M rs Price

. .

tha t I wo uld marry E l iza ; b ut s aid tha t I w a s no t

then re ady And I had to k ee p upo n go o d te rm s

.

wi th E liza for fe ar that M rs Pric e w o uld fi nd o ut

,
.

tha t I did no t inte nd to ge t marrie d .

I h ave he re sp o ken o f marriage a nd it is very ,

c ommon amo ng slaves themselves to talk o f it .

And it is c o mmon fo r slave s to b e marri ed ; o r a t

le ast to have the marriage ceremo ny pe rfo rm ed .

But there is no such thing as slaves b e in g lawfully

m arried T here ha s never ye t a ca se oc c urre d
.

where a slave has been trie d fo r bigamy T he .

m an may have a s many wo men a s he w i shes ,

 ‘

NARR A TIVE O F T HE

and the wo men as many m en ; and the law

‘

tak es no c o gni zanc e o f such acts am ong slav e s .

And in fac t so m e ma s ters w h en the y have so l d ,

the h usb and fro m the wife c o mpe l her to ta ke! ,

a no th er .

T here live d o ppo site C ap tam Price s Do c to r

’ '

F arra r w ell kno wn in S t Lo ui s H e sold 1 a m an

,
. .

nam e d Ben to o ne o f the trade rs

,
He a l so o w ne d .

Ben s w ife and in a fe w day s he c o mp ell e d Sally

’
,

( t ha t w a s her n am e
) to m ar r y P e te r a no th e r m a n ,

be lo nging to him I a sk ed Sally w hy she m ar

. t

”
r i e d Pe ter so so o n afte r Ben w as so ld S he said ; .

”
because master m ade her d o it .

M r Jo hn Calvert who res ided he ar o ur

'

.
,

had a wo man name d L avinia S he f w as q ui te .

yo ung and a m an to w ho m she w a s abo ut to b e

,
.

m arri e d w a s so ld and carri e d into the co untry

,

ne a r S t Charl e s . ab o ut tw enty miles from S t

,
~
.
\

L o ui s . M r Calvert w ante d her to get a hu sband

.
,

b u t she had reso lve d no t to m arry any o th e r m a n ,

a nd she r e fu se d M r Calvert w hippe d he r in such

. .

a m anner th a t it w a s tho u gh t she wo uld d ie .

o i
S fifé o f the ci tiz ens had him a rreste d b u t it w a s
‘
i
,

soonh ush e d up And th at w as the l ast o f it T he

'

. .
 LIFE OF W ILLIAM
'

w . ROWN
B . 89

wo man did no t d ie b ut it w oul d have been the

'

s ame if she had .

Captain Price p urchase d m e in the month o f

Oc to ber and I r emained w ith him until Dec em be r
, ,

w h en the family made a v o yage to N e w O rl e a ns ,

in a b o at o wned by him self and name d the

' '

”
“
C hester I serve d o n b o ard a s o ne o f the
'

ste wa rd s ; Ou a rriving at N ew O rle ans ab o ut the ,

midd le o f the month , the b o at to o k in freigh t fo r ‘

Cincinnati ; and it w a s d ecid ed that the family

'

sh o uld go up the rive r in he r, and wha t w as o f

mo re interest to m e I w a s to acc o mpany them ,

.

T he l o ng l o o k ed for o pp o rtuni ty to mak e my ,

e scap e fro m sl a v e ry w as ne ar a t hand .

Cap tain Price had som e fe ars as to the p ro priety

of taking me nea r a free sta te o r a plac e wh ere it
_
,

waS l ikel y I c o uld run aw a y wi th a pro sp ec t o f

'

liberty He a sked me if I had e ver been in a free

,

” “
s ta te
“
Oh ye s said I I have b een in Ohio ;
. ;
, ,

my m aster carri e d m e i nto tha t sta te o nc e b ut I

‘

”
ne ve r li k ed a free state .

I t w a s so o n decide d tha t it wo uld b e safe to take

m e with th em ; and wha t made it m ore s afe E liz a ,

Was o u the b o a t with us , and M rs Price to try

'
.
,
.

m e a sk e d if I th o ugh t a s much as e ver o f E liza

,
.

8a
 NARRATIVE O F T H;

I to ld her tha t ve ry d e ar to m e indeed!

E liza w as

and tha t no thing b ut d e a th sh o uld part u s I t w as .

the s am e a s if w e were marri ed Thi s had the .

de sired e ffe c t T he b o a t le ft Ne w Orle ans and

.
,

pro cee de d up the river .

I had a t di fferent time s ob taine d little s um s of

”
mo ney , which I had reserv ed for a rainy d ay
- .

I pro cure d so me co tto n clo th and made m e a bag ,

to carry p ro vi sio ns in T he trials o f the pa st we re

.

all lo st in ho p es for the future T he lo ve o f liberty; .

'

tha t had b e en b urning in my b o so m for y e ars and ,

had b een well nigh e x ting ui shed w a s no w res us

-
,
~

c itated .At nigh t when all aro und w as pe ace ful

, ,

I wo uld walk the decks m edita ting up o n my happyj ,

p ro spects .

I sh o u ld have sta ted that, b efore le aving S t ,

.

Lo u is, I w ent to an o l d m an nam e d F ra nk , a

slav e o w ne d by a M r S ar ee T hi s l d m n
, p o a. .

w a s v ery di s tingui sh e d (no t o nly amo ng the slave

p o pulatio n b ut also the w hi tes) as a fo rtune te ller

,
-
.

H e w as abo ut se venty ye ars o f a ge so me thing ,

o ver six fe e t high a nd ve ry slender Inde ed he

“

.
, ,

w a s s o smal l a ro un d his b o d y tha t it l oo ke d a s

'

tho u gh it w a s no t stro ng eno u gh to h o ld up his

he ad .
 LIFE or W ILLIAM w RO W N
“

. B . 91

Uncle F rank a v ery gre at favo rite wi th

w as

the y o ung ladies w ho w o ul d go to him in gre a t

‘

num b ers to ge t th e ir fo rtunes to ld And it w as :

ge nerally b e lie ved tha t he c o uld re all y p ene tra te

into the m ysterie s o f futuri ty W hether true o r .

no t he had the na m e a nd tha t is ab o ut half o f

, ,

wha t o ne need s in thi s gullible age I found U ncle .

F rank se a te d in the chimne y c o rner a b o ut te n ,

As s o o n a s I entered the o l d
’
o cl o ck a t nigh t .
,

m an l eft his se a t I watche d his m o vement a s

.

w ell a s I c o uld by the di m light o f the fi re He .

~

s o o n l it a la m p and c o ming u l k e d m e full in

, p o o ,

the fac e s aying

,
W ell m y son y o u have c o me to
, , ,

” ”
g e t u n cl e to te ll y o u r fo rtune hav e y o u ? Y ,
e s ,

s aid I . B ut ho w the o ld m an sh o u ld k no w w ha t
I came for I c o uld no t tell H o wever I paid the
,
.
,

fe e o f twe nty fi v e c ents and he c o mm enc e d by

-
,

loo king into a go urd fil l e d wi th wa ter W h e the r

,
.

the o ld m a n w as a p ro ph e t o r the so n o f a p ro ph e t ,

I canno t say ; b ut th ere is one thing c ertai n m any ,

o f his p re dic ti o ns w e re v e rl fi e d .

f I am no b e li e v er in soo th s aying
;y et I a m s o m e

time s a t a l o ss to kno w ho w Uncl e F r ank c o uld

te ll s o acc ur a te l y w ha t w ould o cc ur in the future

'

Am ong the many things he told w as o ne which

 NARRATIVE OF T HE

w as eno u gh to p ay m e for a ll the tro uble o f hunt

in g h im up . I t w as tha t I -
s ho uld be f
r ee l w He
furth er said tha t m trying to get my liberty I
,

w o uld mee t wi th m any se v ere trial s I tho u gh t .

to my se lf any fo o l c o uld te ll m e tha t

T he firs t plac e in w hich w e lande d in a fre e

s ta te w as Cai ro a sm all village a t the m o u th o f

the Ohi o r iv er We remaine d here b ut a fe w

.

h o u rs when w e p ro ce ede d to Lo ui sville After

,
.

unl o adi ng s o m e o f the ca r go the b o a t s tar te d o n ,

he r upward trip T he ne x t day w a s the fi rs t of

.

J anu a ry I h a d l oo ke d fo rward to N e w Y ear s

.
’

day a s the c o mmencement o f a new era in the

,

hi sto ry o f my life I had de cided Up o n le aving the

.

p ec uliar insti tuti on that day .

During the la st nigh t tha t I se rve d in slav er y I

did no t clo se my e yes a single mom ent W hen .

no t thi nki ng o f the fu ture my mind d w el t o n the ,

pa st T he lo ve o f a de ar mo ther a d ea r si ste r
.
, ,

a nd th ree d e a r b ro th ers t livi ng ca u d m t

, y
e s e e o ,

sh e d many te ars I f I c ould o nly have b een

.

a ssure d o f the ir b e ing d e ad, I sho uld h ave fe lt

s a tisfi e d b u t I imagi n e d I s a w my d e a r m o th e r
;
”

in the c o tto n fi el d , fo llo we d b y a m ercile ss ta sk

- s
,

ma ster and no one to sp eak a co nso ling w ord to

,
-
 LIFE or W ILLIAM w . ROW N
B . 93

he r ' I behe ld my de ar si ster hands o f

in the
a slave d rive r, and co mpelle d to submi t to his
-

c ruel ty ! b ut o ne place d in such a s i tu a ti o n

c an fo r a m o m ent imagine the i ntense ago ny to

which these refl ec tio ns subj ec te d m e .

 NARRATIVE OF T HE

C HAPT ER XI
'

AT la st the time for ac tio n arrive d T he bo at

’

lande d at a p o int w hich appe are d to m e the plac e

o f a ll o th ers to sta rt fro m I fo und that it wo uld
.

b e i m p o ss ible to carry a ny thing wi th m e b ut

w hat w a s up o n m y pe rso n I had so me pro vi
.

s i o ns and a s in gl e s ui t o f cl o th es ab o u t half w o rn
,
.
,

W hen the b o at w a s di sch a rging her cargo and ,

?
the pa sse nge rs e ngage carrying the ir baggage o n

a nd o ff sh o re I i m p ro ve d the o pp ortuni ty to c o n ?
“

v ey myse lf wi th m y littl e e ffe c ts o n land T aking .

u p a trunk I w en ,
t up the wharf and w a s so o n ,

o u t o f the c ro wd I made di re ctly for the w o od s

.
,

w h ere I r emain e d until nigh t kno wing w e ll tha t I

,

c o ul d no t tr avel , e ven in the s tate o f Ohio , d uring

-

the day wi th o ut d anger o f b e ing a rre ste d

,
.

I had lo ng s ince made up m y mind that I w o uld

no t tru s t m y se lf in the hand s o f a ny m an w hi te o r ,

c o l o re d
. T he slav e is b ro u gh t u p to l o o k u p on
ev er y w hi te m an a s a n e ne m y to him a nd his

r ac e a nd tw enty—o ne y e ars in s lav ery had taugh t

;
 LIFE OF WILLIAM W . B RO WN .

me nthat th ere
’

were traito rs, e ven amo ng co lo re d

peo ple A fter dark , I e merge d fro m the w oo ds
.

into a narro w pa th which l ed m e into the main

,

trave ll e d ro ad Bu t I kne w no t which way to go

. .

I d id no t kno w no rth fro m south , e ast fro m w e st .

I loo ke d in vain for the No rth Star ; a h e avy

'

clo ud hid it fro m my vie w I walke d u p and .

do w n the ro ad until ne ar midnight, when the

clo uds di sapp eare d and I w elc omed the sight o f
,

/
m y fr i end — truly the s lave s fri end — the No rth ’

S tarA
As s o o n as I sa w it, I kne w m y c o urse, and

be fo re trave ll ed twenty o r tw enty fi v e

daylight I '

m ile s . I t be ing in the wi nte r I suffe re d inte nsely

,

fro m the c o ld ; b e ing wi th o ut a n o verc o a t and my ,

other clo th es r a th er thin fo r the s e a so n I w as .

pro vide d wi th a tinder b o x , so that I co uld mak e

-

u p a fi re w h en nec e ssa ry And b ut fo r thi s I

’

.
,

sh o uld c e r tainly have fro zen to d e a th ; fo r I w a s

determ ined no t to go to any h o use fo r shel ter I

‘

k ne w o f a m an be lo nging to G en A shly o f S t
'

. .
,

Lo ui s w ho had run away ne a r Cincinnati o n the

, ,

w a y to W a shingto n b ut had b een cau gh t a nd c ar

,

r ie d b ack i nto s lavery ; and I fe l t tha t a si m ilar

96 NARRATIVE OF T HE

fate awaite d m e shoul d I ,

b y any o ne
b e s ee n -

‘
.

trave ll e d a t nigh t and lay by d uring the day

,

O n the fo urth day m y p ro w swns gave b ug and

th en w ha t to d o I c o uld no t tell Have so m ething
.

to e a t I m ust b ut ho w to ge t i t w as the ques ti o n !

O n the fi rst nigh t after m y fo o d w a s go ne I w e nt

‘

to a barn o n the r o ad side a nd th ere fo und so m e

-

ears o f c o m I too k ten o r tw e lve o f them and

.
,

kep t o n m y j o urne y D uring the ne x t day while

.
,

in the wo o ds I ro a ste d m y co rn and fe a ste d u po n

'

it thanking G o d tha t I w as so w e ll p ro vide d fo r

,
.

M y e scap e to a land o f free do m no w app e are d

c ertain and the pro spec ts o f the future o ccupied a
,
”
gre at part o f my tho ughts What sho uld b e m y .

o cc upa ti o n w a s a subj e c t o f m uch anxie ty to m e ;

,

a nd the ne x t thi n g w ha t sh o u ld b e my nam e ? I

have b e fore s ta te d tha t m y o l d ma ster ,

had no children o f his o w n b u t had wi th him a ,

ne ph e w the so n o f his b ro th er Be njamin Y o ung

, ,
.

W h en thi s b o y w as bro u gh t to Dr Y o ung his .

,

nam e b e ing W illiam the s am e a s mi ne my m o the r

, ,

w a s ord e re d to change m ine to so me thi ng e l se .

Thi s ,
a t the t im e I t h o u gh
,
t to b e o ne o f the m o s t

c ruel ac ts that c o u ld b e c o m mitte d up o n m y rights ;

a nd I re c e ive d se ve r al v er y s e ve re whipping s fo r
 LIFE OF WILLIAM w . B ROWN . 97

telling p e o ple t hat m y name w as W ill iam after ,

o rde rs were give n to cha nge it T ho ugh yo ung I

“

.
,

w a s o l d e no ugh to place a high appre cia tio n upo n

my name It w a s de cided ho wever, to call m e

.
,

”
Sandford and thi s name I w a s kno wn b y no t
, ,

on ly up o n my ma ster s planta tio n b ut up to the

’
,

time that I made my esca p e I w as s o ld u nder

.

the nam e o f Sandfo rd .

B ut a s so on a s the s ubj ec t came to my mind I ,

re so lve d o n ado p tin g my o l d nam e o f W illiam and

,

l e t Sand fo rd go by the b o ard fo r I al w ay s ha te d

,

it N o t be ca use th ere w as any thin g p ec uliar in

.

the name ; b ut b e ca u se it had b ee n fo rc e d upo n

me , I t is so m e time s c o mm o n a t the s o uth fo r , ,

s lav e s to take the name o f the ir ma ste rs So m e .

‘

have a l e gitim a te righ t to d o so B ut I al w ays .

d e teste d the ide a o f b e ing call e d by the name o f

e i th e r o f my ma ste rs And a s for m y fath er I
.

w o uld r ath e r have ado p te d the name o f F riday ,

a nd b een k no wn a s the s ervant o f s o me R o binso n

Cruso e than to h a ve tak en his name S o I w as

,
.

no t o nly h untin g fo r m y lib er ty b u t al so h unting ,

fo r a nam e ; th o u gh I re garde d the latter as o f li ttle

c o nse quence if I c o uld b ut gain the fo rmer T rav
,
.

e lli ng al o ng the r o ad I w o uld so m e ti m e s s pe ak to

, ,

9
 N ARRATIVE O F T HE

my se lf,
‘

so un ding my name o ver by way o f get ,

tin g u se d to it, b e fo re I sh o uld arrive am o ng civil

ize d hum an beings O n the fi fth o r six day it

.
,

r ai ne d v ery fa st and fro ze ab o ut as fa s t a s it fe ll

, ,

s o tha t my clo the s w ere o ne glare o f ic e I trav .

el l ed o n a t nigh t until I be came so chi ll e d and

!
be numbe d the wind blo wing into my face that
— —

I fo un d it imp o ssible to go any furth er a nd acc o rd ,

ingl y too k sh e l te r in a barn wh ere I w a s o bliged

,

to w alk ab o ut to k e e p fro m fre ezing .

I have e ver l o o k e d up on that night as the mo st

e ve ntful par t o f m y es cape fro m slav ery No thing .

b u t the p ro vi d enc e o f G o d and that o l d ba rn

, ,

s a v e d m e fr o m fre ezing to d e ath ; I rece iv ed a ~

v er y sev ere co ld w hich settled u p o n m y l ungs

, ,

and fro m tim e to time my fee t had b een fro st

bitten so that it w as w i th di fficul ty I c ould walk

,
.

In thi s s i tu a ti o n I trave lle d tw o days when I ,

fo und that I m u st see k shelter so mewhere or d ie ,

.

T he th o u gh t o f d e a th w as no thing frigh tful to

m e c o m pa re d wi th tha t o f b e ing cau ght and again
, ,

c arri e d back i nto slavery N o thin g b u t the p ro s

.

p e e t o f e nj o ying lib erty co uld have i nduce d m e to

unde rgo such tri a l s fo r ,

Be hind I l eft the w hi p s and c ha ins ,

Befo re me Were sweet Freed o m s pl ains I”

’
 LIFE OF WILLIAM w . B RO W N . 99

T his, d this alone cheere d m e

an ,
ward B ut on .

I a t la st reso lved to seek pro tec tion fro m the in

cl em ency o f the w e ather and there fore I sec ure d
,

m yself b ehind so m e l o gs a nd b ru sh intend ing to l fl

w ait th ere until s o m e o ne sho u ld pa ss b y ; fo r I

tho ugh t it p robabl e that I migh t see s o me c o lo re d

person o r, if no t so me o ne w ho w as no t a slave
, ,

ho lder ; for I had an ide a that I sho ul d kno w a

s lave h o ld er a s far as I c o uld s ee him .

T he fi rst person tha t pa sse d w a s a m an in a

bu ggy wagon H e l o o ke d too gentee l fo r m e to hail
-
.

him Very so o n ano ther passe d by o n horseback

. .

I a ttemp ted to sp e ak to him , b ut fe ar m ade m y

vo ice fail m e As he pa ssed I le ft m y hiding
.
,

place and w as appro aching the ro ad w hen I oh

, ,

se rve d an o l d m an walki ng to wa rds m e l e adi ng a ,

w hi te h o rse He had on a bro ad—brimme d hat and

.

a very long c o at and w as e vidently walking fo r

,

e x erci se As so o n a s I saw him and o b serve d his

.
,

d re ss I th o u ght to m yself
,
Y o u are the m an th a t
,

I have b ee n lo o king fo r N or w as I m i staken .

He w a s the v ery m an !
O n app ro aching m e he a ske d m e ,
if I w as no t ,

”
a slave I lo o ke d at him so me time and then
.
,

a ske d him if he kne w o f any o ne w ho wo uld

 NAR RATIVE OF T HE

h e lp m e a s I w a s s ick H e a nsw ered tha t he

.

wo u ld ; b u t again as ke d i f I w a s no t a slave I .

to ld him I Wa s .He th en s aid that I w a s in a

very pro sl a very neighb o rho o d and if I wo u ld
-
,

w ai t u ntil he we nt h o me he w o uld ge t a c o v e re d
,

w ago n fo r m e . I p rom ised to remain He m o unt .

!

e d his ho rs e and w as s oo n o ut o f s igh t

,
.

A fte r he w as go ne I m e d itate d wheth er to w a i t

,

o r no t ; b e i ng a pp re h e nsiv e tha t he had go ne for

so m e o ne to a rr e st m e B ut I fi nal l y c o nclud ed to
.

re m a i n u ntil he s h o u l d re turn ; rem o vi ng so m e

fe w ro d s to w atch his mo vem ents A fter a sus . .

~

p ense o f an ho u r and a half o r m ore , he returne d

/
wi th a tw o—ho rse c o vere d w agon such a s are ,

u s u a lly s e en u nder the sh e d o f a ! u ak er me e ti ng

h o use o n S und a ys and T hursd ays ; for the o l d

m an pro ve d to b e a ! u aker o f the G e orge F o x
s ta m p .

H e to o k m e to his h o u se b ut it w a s s om e time
,

b e fo re I c o u ld b e induc e d to e nter it ; no t u ntil the

o l d lady c a m e o u t did I v enture i nto the h o u se
,
I .

th o u gh t I s a w s o m e thi ng in the o l d lady s c a p th a t

’

to ld m e I w a s no t o nly sa fe b u t w elc o m e in he r
, ,

hou se . I w a s no t h o w e v e r p re pare d to rece ive

, ,

the ir h o spi tali ti e s T he o nly fau l t I fo und w i th

.
 LIFE OF WILLIAM w . B ROW N . 1 01

th e m w as th e i r being ki nd I had ne ve r had a

to o .

whi te man to tre at m e as an equal and the ide a o f ,

a w hi te l ady waiting o n m e a t the tabl e w as still

w o rse ! T ho ugh the table w as lo ade d with the
goo d things o f thi s life I co uld no t ea t I tho u gh t
,
.

if I c o uld o nly b e allo we d the privile ge o f e a ting in

the kitche n I sh o uld b e m o re tha n s atisfie d

F i nding that I c o uld no t eat the o l d l ady w ho

, ,

w as a made m e a c up o f c o m
“ ”
po sitio n o r numb er s ix ; b ut it w as so stro ng
,

”
and ho t tha t I calle d it
,
“
num ber s even ! How
e ve r I soo n fo und myself a t h o me in thi s fa m ily
,

O u different o cca sio ns, whe n telling th e se fac ts I ,

have bee n a ske d ho w I felt upon fi ndi ng myself

re garde d a s a m an by a whi te f amily ; especially
j ust having run away fro m o ne I canno t say .

that I hav e e ver answere d the que stio n y e t .

T he fac t that I w as in all p ro babili ty a fre em an ,

s o unde d in my e a rs like a charm I am sa tisfi ed .

tha t no ne b ut a s lave c o uld plac e such a n app re

cia tio n u p o n lib erty a s I did a t th a t ti m e I .

w ante d to see m o ther a nd s i s te r that I m ight te ll

,

“ '”
them I w as free I wante d to see m y fe llo w
s e s in S t L o u i s and l e t th em k no w tha t the
\ lav
.
,

chai ns were no lo nger upon my limb s I w ante d .

9 *
 NARRATIVE O F T HE

Captain Price a nd l et him le arn fro m my

’

to s ee ,

o w n lip s tha t I w a s no m ore a chattel b u t a m an ! ,

I w as anxi o us to o , thus to info rm M rs Price that

,
.

s he m us t get a no ther c o achman And I w anted to.

s ee Eliza m o re than I did e ither M r o r M rs . .

Price !
T he fac t that I w as a fr man e e — c ould walk ,

talk e a t a nd s l eep , a s a m an and no o ne to sta nd

, ,

o v er m e wi th the bl oo d cl o tte d c o w hide — all thi s

- -

m a d e m e feel that I w a s no t myself .

T he kind fri end that had taken m e in w as

name d W e ll s B ro wn He w as a devo te d friend
‘

o f the slav e ; b ut w as very o l d and no t in the

“

, ,

e nj o yment o f go o d h e al th After b e ing by the fi re

.

a whil e I fo und tha t my fe e t h ad b een v e ry m uch

,

fro zen I w as seized with a fe ver which thre a t

.
,

e ned to c o nfine m e to my b ed But my T homp.

soh ian fri end s so o n rai se d m e tre a ting m e a s ,

kindl y a s if I had b een o ne o f their o w n children .

I remaine d wi th th em twelve o r fi fteen days ,

during w hich time they mad e m e some clo thing ,

a nd the o l d gentl eman p urchas e d m e a pai r o f

boo ts .

I fo und that I w a s ab o ut fi fty or six ty mile s

‘

fro m D ayton in the Sta te o f Ohio and between

, ,
 LIFE or WILLIAM w . B RO WN . 1 03

o ne and tw o hundred mile s fro m Cleaveland o n ,

‘

L ake E rie a place I w as de siro us o f reaching o n

,

my way to Canada T his I k no w w il l so un d

.

s trangely to the e a rs o f pe o pl e in fore ign la nd s b ut ,

it is ne verth eless true An A merican ci tizen w a s

.

fl eeing fro m a demo cra tic rep ublican Chri stia n

, ,

go ve rnment to re ceive pro tec tio n under the m on

,

archy o f G re at Bri tain While the people o f the

.

Unite d States b o ast o f their freedom the y a t the ,

s ame time k ee p th ree milli o ns o f the ir o w n ci tiz ens

in chains ; and w hile I am se a te d here in s ight o f

B unker Hill Mo nument w riting this narrative I
, ,

e m a slav e and no law , no t e ven in M as sac hu

,
e

se tts can pro te c t m e fro m the hand s o f t

,
he slave

Be fo re le aving thi s goo d ! uak er friend he ih ,

quired what my name w as besides W illiam I .

”
to ld him tha t I had no o ther name We ll said .
,

he ,
thee must have ano th er name Since thee .

has go t o ut o f slavery, th ee has bec o me a m an,

a nd m en always have tw o nam e s .

I told him that he w as the fi rst m an to e x tend

the h an d o f friendship to m e and I w o uld give ,

him the privile ge of naming m e .

” “
“
If I name thee , s aid he I shall call th ee
,
’

W ell s B ro wn after myself

,
.
 NARRATIVE OF T HE

”
Bu t, aid I , I am not w il ling to lo se my
s
“

name o f W illiam As it w a s taken fro m m e o nce

.

against my w i11, I am no t willing to par t wi th it

-

again upo n any teM s .

” “
T h en s aid he
,
I will call thee W illiam,

”
W e ll s B ro wn .

S o b e it s aid I ; and I have b een kno wn by

”
,

that nam e e ver sinc e I l e ft the h o u se o f my fi rst

whi te fri end , Well s B ro w n .

A fte r giving m e s om e li ttl e change I again ,

sta rte d for Canada I n fo ur days I re ach e d a p ub

.

lic ho use and w ent in to warm myse lf I there

,
.

l e arne d that some fugi tive slaves had j ust pa ssed

th ro ugh the place T he m en in the b ar ro o ni
.
-

w ere tal king ab o u t it a nd I th o u gh t tha t it mus t,

h ave been myself the y re ferre d to and I w as the re ,

fo re afraid to s tart fe aring they w o uld s eize m e

,

b ut I fin al l y m ustere d c o urage eno u gh and to o k ,

m y l e av e As soo n a s I w a s o u t o f sigh t I w e nt
'

.
,

into the w o o ds and remaine d there until night

,
,

w h en I again r e gaine d the ro ad and trave ll e d o n ,

until ne x t day .

N o t having ha d any foo d fo r ne arly tw o days I ,

w as fai nt wi th h unger a nd w as in a dil emma ,

w ha t to d o as the li ttle ca sh supplie d m e by m y

,
 LIF E OF W ILLIAM w . B RO W N . 1 055

ado pte d fath er, and which had co ntributed to my

c o m fo rt ,
w as no w all gone I h owever co ncluded
.

to go to a farm house -
,
and a sk fo r s o m e thm g to

eat . O n a ppro ac hm g the door o f the fi rst o ne p re

sent ni g i tself I kno cked and w a s so on m e t by a

, ,

Tha n w ho a s ke d m e w ha t I wa nted I to ld him .

tha t I w o uld like so me thing to e a t He a ske d m e .

w h e re I w a s fro m and whe re I w a s go i ng ,

I .

r e plie d tha t I had c o me s o me w a

y a nd w a s
v

go ing to Cle aveland .

A fte r hesitating a mo ment o r tw o he to ld m e ,

tha t he c o uld give m e no thing to e at adding , ,

that if I wo uld w o rk I c o u ld ge t s o m ethin g to ,

”
eat .

Ife l t bad being thu s refuse d so mething to su s

,

tain nature b ut did no t dare tell him tha t I w as

,

a slave .

Ju st a s I w as l e aving the doo r wi th a he avy ,

he art a w o man w ho p ro ve d to b e the w ife o f thi s

, ,

gentleman came to the do or a nd a sked her hus

, ,

band w hat I wante d He did no t seem incline d .

to i nform he r S he th e refore a ske d m e h ers e l f I

. .

to ld her that I had a sk e d fo r so m e thing to e at .

A fter a fe w o th er que stions she to ld m e to c o m e ,

in and tha t she w o uld give m e so m e thih

, g to eat .
1 06 NARRATIVE or E
TH

I walk e d up to the do or ,
b ut the husband
re maine d in the pa ssage ,
a s if unw illing to l e t m e

enter .

S hea sked him tw o o r th ree times to ge t o ut o f

the way and l et m e ih
,
But a s he did no t m o ve
.
,

!
"

s he p ush e d him o n o ne s ide b iddi ng m e walk in ,

I w as never befo re s o glad to s ee a wo man push a

man a side ! E ver since that act I have bee n in ,

favor o f w o man s righ ts ’

A fter giving m e as much fo o d as I co uld e a t

she p re se nt d m e w i th ten c ents
e all th e m o ne y ,

th en a t her di sp os al acco mpanie d wi th a no te to a

,

fri end a few mil es further o n the ro ad T hanki ng

,
.

thi s a nge l o f m ercy fro m a n o verfl o w ing h ear t I ,

p ushe d o n my w ay and in three days arrived a t

,

Cle aveland Ohi o ,

.

B eing an entire stranger in thi s place it w as ,

d ifficul t fo r m e to find where to s t0p I had n o .

m o ne y , and the lake b eing fro z en I s aw tha t I ,

m ust rem ain until the O pening o f the navigation ,

o r go to Canada by way o f B u ffalo But b el ie v .

ing my se lf to b e s o m ewhat o ut o f danger I sec ured ,

an engagement a t the M ansi on H o u se a s a ta ble ,

w aiter in paym e nt fo r m y b o ard

, T he pro prieto r .
,

ho w e ver w ho se name w as E M Se gur in a sho rt

,
. .
,
 LIFE OF WILLIAM W . B ROWN .

time hire d m e fo r twelve do llars a mo nth ; o n

,

which terms I remaine d until spring when I fo und ,

go o d emplo ym ent o n b o ard a lake ste amb o at a .

I p urchase d so me b o o k s and a t lei sure mo ments

,

pe ruse d them w i th c o nsiderable advantage to m y

s e lf
. W hile a t Cle ave land I sa w , fo r the fi rst
,

time ,
a n a nti slav e ry ne w spap er
-
It w as the .

”
“
G enius of Univer s a l E m a nc ip a tio n publishe d ,

by B enjamin Lundy ; and tho ugh I had no ho me ,

I sub scrib e d for the paper I t w as my gre a t .

desire b eing o ut o f slavery my self, to d o w hat I

,

c o uld fo r the emancip atio n o f my brethren y et in

chains and while o n L ake Erie I found m any
, ,

o pp o r tuni ti e s o f
“
helping their cause along .

I t is w ell k now n that a gre at numb er o f fugi

tiy e s mak e th eir e scape to Canada b y w ay o f ,

Cleaveland ; and w hile o n the lakes I always m ade ,

arrangement to carry them o n the b o at to B uffa lo

or D e tro i t and thu s ef
, fe ct their escape to the
”
pro mised land The friends o f the slave kno w
.
,

ing that I w ould transpo rt the m wi tho ut char ge ,

never faile d to have a de l e ga tio n wh en the bo a t

a rrived a t Cl e avel and I have so me tim es had

.

fo ur o r fi ve o n bo ard a t o ne time
“

In the ye ar 1 842 I c o nveyed , fro m the hr st o f

,

M ay to the first o f D ecemb er six ty nine fugi tives

V -
,
 N ARRATIVE "
0 1 TH
4
E

L ak e Canada In 1 843 I visi ted

E ri e to ;
,

M a lden in U ppe r Canada and c o unte d seventeen

, ,

in tha t sm all V illage wh o m I had a ssi ste d in re ach

,
l

ing Canada So on after c o m ing no rth I sub scr ib ed

.
'

fo r the L ib e rato r e di te d by tha t champio n o f fre e

,

d o m W illiam L l o yd G a rri s o n
,
I had he a rd .

no thi ng o f the anti s lav e ry m o ve ment w hile in

-

s lav ery and a s soo n a s I fo und tha t my e nslave d

,

c o untrymen had friend s w ho were lab o ring fo r

th ei r lib erati on I fe l t anxio us to j o i n th e m a nd
, ,

give w ha t aid I co uld to the cause .

I e arly embrace d the temp erance ca use a nd ,

fo und that a temperanc e re fo rma tio n w a s need e d

amo ng m y c o lo re d b rethren In c o mpany w iIh a .

few friend s I c o mmence d a temp eranc e reform a tio n

,

a mo ng the c o l o re d p e o pl e in the ci ty o f B u f
fal o ,

and lab o re d th re e ye a rs in which ti m e a soc i e ty

,

w as b uil t up numbe ri ng o v e r fi v e h und re d o ut o f

,

a po pulati o n o f less than seven hund red .

I n the autumn, 1 843 impre sse d wi th the i m p or

,

tance o f s pre adi ng anti slavery truth , a s a me ans

-

to bri ng abo ut the ab o li tion o f slav ery I c o m ,

m enc ed lec turi ng a s an agent o f the we ste rn N e w

Y ork A nti—Slav e ry So ci e ty and have e ver s inc e ,

d ev o ted my time to the ca use o f my enslaved

co untrymen .
 L IFE OF W ILLIAM w . B RO W N . 1 09

CHA P T E R XII .

DURING the a utumn o f 1 83 6 a slaveho ld er by,

the nam e o f Bac on T a te fro m the S ta te o f T e n

,

ne ssee cam e to the nor th in se arch o f fu gi tive s

,

fro m slavery O n his arrival a t B uffalo he h e ar d

.

o f tw o o f the m o s t valu abl e o f the sl a ve s th a t he

w a s in p ursui t o f T h e y w ere residing in S t

. .

’
Ca tharine s in Upp er Canada so m e tw enty fi ve
, ,
-

mil e s fro m B uffalo A fte r h e ari ng tha t the y w e re

.

in Canada o ne w o uld have supp o se d that T ate

,

w o uld have given u p all h o p e o f ge tting them . ,

B ut no t so Bac o n T a te w a s a m a n w ho had l o n g
.

be en engage d in the s lave trade and p re vi o us to

-
,

th at had b ee n e m pl o ye d a s a ne g ro drive r In -
.

the se tw o s i tua ti o ns he had gai ne d the na m e o f

”
b e ing the most c o m ple te ne gro bre ake r in that -

part o f T ennesse e w he re he reside d He w as a s .

u nfe e li ng a nd a s d e v o id o f p ri ncipl e as a m a n

c o uld p o ssi b ly b e T hi s m ad e him the perso n

.
,

abo ve all o thers to b e sel e c te d to b e p u t o n the

,

tra ck o f the fu gi tive sl a ve He had no t o nly bee n

.

10
 NARRATIVE O F T HE

c o mm i ssi one d to catch S tanfo rd and his wife the ,

tw o val uabl e slave s al re ady all ude d to , b ut he had

the nam es o f so m e tw e nty o th ers .

M any slaves had made thei r escap e fro m the

vici ni ty o f N a shvill e
,
and the slaveh o ld ers w ere

anxio us to have some caught that they might ,

mak e an e xample o f them And T a te , anxi ous to

.

su stain his high rep uta ti o n a s a ne gro ca tch e r l e ft

-
,

no sto ne unturne d to carry o ut his nefario us o h

j
ec ts .

S tanford and his littl e family were as happily

s i tu a te d a s fu gi tive s c an b e w ho make the i r
,

e scap e to Canada in the c o ld s e a so n o f the ye ar .

T a te o n his arrival a t B uffal o to o k l o dging s a t/

, ,

the E agle T av ern the b e st h o use a t that time in

,

the ci ty .And h ere he b e gan to lay his plans to

ca tch and carry back into slavery tho se m en and
w o men w ho had undergo ne so much to get th e ir
free do m He so on be came acquainted wi th a m
.
-
e

ligate c o lore d w o man, w ho w a s a servant in the

h o tel and w ho w as as unprincipl e d a s him se lf
,
.

’
T hi s w o man w a s sent to S t C a thari ne s to sp y o ut
.
,

the si tu ati on o f S tanfor d s family Under the p re

’
.

tenc e o f w i shing to ge t bo ard in the family and ,

a t the sa me tim e o f
’
-
‘

fering to pay a week s b o ard

 LIFE or W ILLIAM w . B RO W N . 111

in advance she w as taken in A fter remaining

'

.
,

w i th th e m th re e o r fo ur day s the sp y re turne d ,

to B uffal o a nd
,
info rmed T ate how the y we re
s i tu a te d . By the liberal use o f mo ne y T a te so o n ,

fo und th ose w ho were willing to d o his bidding .

A carriage w as hire d and fo ur m en e m plo ye d to

,
’
g o w i th it to S t Ca tha
. r ine s a nd to s ec ur e
,
th e i r

victims during the nigh t .

T he carriage , w i th the kidnappers c ro sse d the ,

Niagara river a t Black R o ck o n Sa turday e v e ,

ning abo ut se v en o cl o ck and w e nt o n its w a y

’
, ,

to w a rd s S t Catha ri ne s ; no o ne s usp e c ti ng in the

’
.

le as t tha t the y were after fugitive slave s Ab o u t .

twe lv e o clo ck tha t nigh t th ey a ttac ked S tanfo rd s

i
’ ’

d w elling by b re aking in the do or T hey fo und .

the family a sl e ep a nd o f c o urse m e t wi th no o h

,

s tacl e w ha te ve r in tyi ng gagging and fo rci ng

, ,

them i nto the carriage .

T he family had o ne child abo ut six w ee ks o l d

'

T h a t w a s ke p t a t its m o the r s bre a st to k ee p it ’

,

u l e t T he c a rr iag e r e c ro ssed the r iver, a t the

q
-
.

s am e plac e the nex t m orni ng a t s unri se

,
a nd p ro ,

c e e d e d to B uf fa l o wh e re it re m ai ne d a sh ort time
, ,

a nd after changi ng h o rse s a nd l e avi ng so m e o f i ts

c o m pany it pro c e ed e d o n its j o urne y T he c ar

,
.
 NARRATIV E O F T HE

ria ge being clo sely c o vere d no o ne had made the

‘

le a st disco very a s to its c o ntents B ut s o me time .

d uring the m orning a m an w ho w a s neighb o r t o

, ,

Stanfo rd and w ho reside d b u t a sho rt d i stance

,

fro m him came o n a n errand ; a nd fi nd ing the

,
“

h o use deserted and see i ng the m o st o f the fam ily s

,
’

cl o the s lying o n the fl o o r a nd see ing h ere a nd

,

the re stai ns o f bl o o d so o n g a ve the al a rm a nd the

, ,

ne ighb ors s tar te d in e ve ry d i re c ti o n to s e e if the y

,

co uld fi nd the kidnappers O ne m an go t o n the .

trac k o f the carriage a nd fo llo w e d it to the fe rry

,

a t Bl a ck Ro ck whe re he h e ard tha t it had c ro s se d

,

s o m e thre e h o u rs b e fo re He w e nt o n to B u ffa lo
.
,
A

a nd gave the ala r m to the c o l o re d p e o pl e o f tha t

plac e T he c o lo re d pe o pl e o f B uffal o are no te d

.

for th e ir p ro m p tne ss in givi ng a id to the fu gi tive

slav e .T he a l a rm w a s give n j us t a s the b e ll s w ere
ringi ng fo r ch urc h I w a s in c o m pany w i th fi ve
.

o r six o the r s w h en I h e ard tha t a b ro th e r s lave

,

w i th his fam ily had b ee n se iz e d a nd d ra gge d

fro m his hom e during the nigh t pre vio us W e .

s tar te d o n a run fo r the liv er y stabl e w h e re w e -

,

fo und a s m any m o re o f our o w n c o lo r trying to

hi re h o rse s to go in se arch o f the fu gi tives T he re .

w e re tw o ro ad s w hich the kidnapp e rs c o uld ta ke ,

and w e w ere a t so m e l o ss to kno w which to tak e

 LIFE or W ILLIA M w . B ROWN . 1 13

urse lves But w e d e term m ed to b e the

'

o . soo n ou

ri gh t track and so divide d o ur c o mpany

, o ne ,

half taking the ro ad to E ri e , the o ther taking the

ro ad l e adi ng to Hambur gh I w as am ong tho se .

w ho to o k the la tte r .

We travelled o n a t a rapid rate until w e came

”

within ha lf a mile o f Hamburgh C orners when w e

‘

m e t a m an o n the side o f the ro ad o n foo t w ho

,
,

m ade s igns to u s to sto p We hal te d for a m o .

ment w hen he inform e d u s that the carriage tha t

,

w e w ere in p ursui t o f w as a t the p ublic ho use a nd ,

tha t he w as th en in se a rch o f so m e o f his neigh

b ors to a ssemb le and to demand o f the kidnapp ers

,

the authori ty by which th ey w ere taki ng th ese

p eo pl e i nt o slavery .

We p ro c e ede d to the tavern wh ere w e fo und the ,

carria ge standing in fro nt o f the do o r wi th a pair ,

o f fre sh h o rses re ady to p ro c ee d o n th e i r j o u rne y .

T he kidnapp ers s ee ing u s c o ming to o k th ei r V ic

, ,

ti m s i nto a ro o m and l o ck e d the d o o r and fa s tene d

,

do w n the wi ndo ws W e all d i smo unted fa stene d.

,

o ur ho rse s a nd entere d the h o u se

,
W e fo und fo ur .

o r hy e p erso ns in the b ar roo m , w ho s e e m e d to -

rej o ic e a s w e e ntere d .

O ne o f o ur c o m pany de mande d the o p ening o f

1 0*
 NARR ATIVE O F T HE

the door, while o th ers went o ut and surrounde d

the h o use T he kidnappers sta tio ne d o ne o f the ir
.

numb er at the do o r and a no th er at the w m d o w ,

.

T h e y refuse d to l et us e nte r the roo m and the ,

ta y e m k eep er ,
-
w ho w a s m o re favorab l e to us ”

tha n w e had anticipate d , s aid to a s B oy s g e t , ,

i nto the roo m in any way tha t y o u c an ; the ho use

is mine and I give y o u the l iberty to bre ak in
,
”
thro u gh the doo r o r wi ndo w T hi s w a s all tha t
.

w e w anted and w e w ere soo n mak ing p re parations

,

to e nter the ro o m a t all hazard s T h o se wi th in .

Ba d w a rne d us tha t if w e sh o u ld a ttemp t to e nter , ,

”
th e y w o uld s h o o t the fi rs t o ne O ne o f o ur c o m .

pany; w ho had o btaine d a c ro w b ar, went to the -

w i ndo w , a nd succ ee de d in ge tti ng it under the é

s a sh and soo n w e had the wi nd o w u
, p, and th e

kidnappers to gether wi th the i r vic tims, in full

,
:

vie w .

O ne o f the kidnapp ers while w e w ere rai si ng ,

the w i ndo w k e p t crying a t the to p o f his v o i e

, c ,
“ ’ ’
I ll sh o o t I ll sho o t ! b ut no o ne see m e d to
,

mind him As so o n as th e y saw that w e w ere

.

d e term ine d to re sc ue the s laves a t all hazards the y ,

gave up o ne o f their number telling us tha t w e

,

”
m ight c ome ia .
 LIFE or WILLIA M w . B ROWN . 1 15

The door w a s thro wn Open, and w e entere d and ,

th ere fo und S tanford se ate d in o ne c orner o f the

roo m , wi th his hands ti e d b ehind him , and his

clo thing, what little he had o u , m uch s taine d wi th

bloo d Ne ar him w as his wife , w i th her child b ut
f
.
,

afew week s o l d in her arms Neith er o f the m

,
.

had any thing o n e xcep t their night cl o thes T he y -

.

had b o th b een gagge d to k eep th e m fro m alarm ;

,

ih g the p eo ple a nd had b een m uch b e aten a nd

,

bruised wh en fi rst a ttacke d by the kidnappers .

T hei r c o untenance s fligh te d up the m o m ent w e

entere d the ro o m .

T he mo st o f th o se w ho made up o ur c ompany
w ere persons w ho had made th e ir e scap e fro m
sl av e ry and w ho k ne w its h o rro rs fro m p erso nal
,

e xperi ence a nd w ho had l e ft ne a r a nd d e a r re la

,

tive s b ehind the m And w e k ne w ho w to

. fee l
fo r tho se in b o nds a s b o und wi th th em
”
.

The wo man w ho had b e traye d the m a nd w ho ,

w as in the ho u se a t the tim e the y w e re take n had ,

been p ersu ade d by T a te to go o n w i th him to T e n

ne ssee .S he had acc o m panie d the m fro m Cana d a ,

and w e fo und her in the s a m e ro o m w i th S tanfo r d

a nd his wife As so o n a s she fo und tha t w e Were

.

abo ut to enter the ro o m, she ran u nder the b ed .

 NARRATIVE OF T HE

We k ne w no thing o f her be ing in the r oo m until

S tanfo rd p o inte d to the b ed and s aid Under the re ,

”
is o ur b e tra y er. She w a s s o o n hau le d o ut, a nd
i t w a s a s m uch a s so me o f us c o uld d o to keep the
o th e rs fro m ly nchi ng her u p on the s p o t T he c urse s .

c a m e thick and fa st fro m a maj o ri ty o f the c o in

p any B ut no thing attrac te d m y a ttentio n a t the

.

ti m e m ore than the l o o k o f M rs S ta nfo rd a t the

.

b e tr ayer as she sat b efore her S he did no t s a y a

,
.

W o rd to her b u t her c o untenanc e to ld the fe elings

,

o f he r inm o s t s o u l a nd w e c o uld b ut thi nk that

,
)

had she spo ken to her she w o u ld have s ai d M ay

, , .

the w o rld d eny th ee a sh e l te r e a r th a h o m e t he

dus t a grave ! the sun his light ! a nd He ave n her

G od
T he betra yer b e gge d u s to l e t her go I w as .

s o m e w ha t di sp o se d to c o m ply wi th he r re qu es t ,

b u t I fo und m any to o pp o se m e ; in fac t I w as e n ,

tire l y al o ne
. M y m ai n re a so n fo r wi shing to l et
he r e s cap e w a s tha t I w a s afrai d that he r l i fe
w o u ld b e in danger I k ne w tha t if she w a s ta ke n
.
,

back to B uffalo o r Ca nada she w o uld fall into the

,

hands o f an e xci te d p eo ple the mo st o f w ho m had

,

a he m se l v e s b e e n slave s And th ey b e i ng c o mpar

.
,

a tiv e l y igno ra nt o f the l a w s w o u ld b e like ly to

,

ta ke the l aw into th e ir o w n hands .

 LIFE W ILLIAM w RO W N 117
‘

OF . B .

Ho wever, t he wom an w as allo wed to e scape

no t ,

b ut w a s put i nto the coa ch , to geth er wi th S tanfo rd

a nd his wife d d ’
; a n after a n h o u r a n a half s d riv e ,

w e fo und o urse lve s in the ci ty o f B uffalo T he .

e xci te m e nt which the ala rm had c re a te d in the

m o rning had b ro k en up the mee ting s o f the c o l

o re d p eo ple for tha t day ; and o n o u r a rrival in the

city w e w ere m e t by so me fo rty o r fi fty co lo re d

p ersons T he kidnappers had no t been inac tive ;
.

'

for o n o ur arrival in the ci ty w e le a rne d tha t the

, ,

m an w ho had charge o f the carriage a nd fugi ti ve s

wh en w e caught up wi th them returne d tothe ci ty ,

immediately after giving the slaves up to us and ,

had info rmed T ate w ho had remaine d b ehind o f

, ,

what had o ccurre d T a te immediately em plo ye d

.

the sh eriff and his p o sse to re tak e the slav es S o

-
.
,

o n o ur a rrival in B uffalo w e fo und tha t the mai n

,

ba ttl e had y et to b e fo ugh t S tanfo rd and his .

w ife and child w ere s oo n p rovide d wi th clo thi ng

and s o m e re freshment whil e w e w ere p re pa ri ng

,

o ur se lv es wi th cl ub s pi sto l s, knive s and o ther

, ,

we ap ons o f d efenc e Ne ws so o n c o me to u s that

.

the sh eriff wi th his under o ffic ers to ge th er with

, ,

so me six ty o r se v enty m en w ho w ere a t w o rk o n the

canal w ere on the ro ad b etween B uffal o and Bl acl ;

,
 NARR ATIVE OF T HE

Ro ck , and that th ey intended to re take the slaves -

when w e sho ul d a ttem pt to take them to the ferry

’

to c o nve y th e m to Canada T hi s ne w s w as any.

:

thing b ut ple a s ant to u s b ut w e p repa re d fo r the

,

w orst .

We returne d to the ci ty ab o ut tw o o clo ck in the ’

afternoo n and ab o ut fo ur w e starte d for Black

,

R o ck ferry which is ab o ut th re e m il es b elo w Buf

,

fal o
. We had in o ur c o mpany so me fi fty o r more
abl e b o di ed reso lute m en,w ho w ere d eterm ine d to
'

-
,

s tand b y the s laves and w ho had re so lve d b efo re

, ,

th e y l eft the ci ty that if the sh eri ff and his m en

,
"
to o k the slave s, th e y sh o uld fi rst pa ss o ver the ir
‘

d e ad b o dies .

W e starte d and whe n abo ut a mile belo wthe

,

ci ty the sh eriff a nd his m en came up on u s and

, ,

s urro unde d us The slav es w ere in a carn age

.
,

a nd the h o rses w e re so o n sto pp e d and w e fou n d it

‘

a dvi sa bl e to tak e th e m o ut o f the carriage a n dwe ‘

did so T he sheri ff came forward and r e ad so m e

.
,
”
thing p urp o rti ng to b e a R io t Ac t and at the ,

s ame tim e called up o n all g o o d ci tizens to aid him

‘

”
in keepi ng the p e ace T hi s w a s a trick o f his
.
,

t o ge t p oss essio n o f the s lav es H is m en rushed

’

up on us w i th th ei r cl ub s and sto nes and a general ,

 LIFE or WILLIA M W . B RO WN . 1 19

fi ght ensued . O ur
c ompany had surrounde d the
s l ave s, and had succ e e de d in k e eping the sh eriff

and his m en o ff We fo u gh t and at the same

.
,

time k ep t p ushi ng o n to ward s the fe rr y .

In the mid st o f the fi ght a li ttle whi te m an made

,

hi s app e aranc e among u s and p ro ve d to b e a val

,

u ab l e fri end His name w as Pepp er ; a nd he

.

p ro ved hi mself a p epp er to the sheriff and his p o sse

that day . He w as a lawye r ; and as the o ffic e rs
w o uld arrest any o f o ur c o mpan y he w o uld s te p ,

up and a sk the o ffi cer if he had a warrant to

t a ke tha t m an a nd a s no ne o f th em had w ar

r ants ,
and c o uld no t a nswer a ffirm a tiv el y he ,

w o uld say to the c o l ore d m an “

He has no righ t to
,
”
tak e y o u k no ck him do wn T he c o mmand w as
.

no so one r given than the m an w o uld fall I f the .

on e w ho had b e en arreste d w as no t abl e to k no ck

him d o w n, so me w ho w ere clo se b y and w ho w ere ,

arm e d w i th a cl ub o r o ther w e ap on, Wo uld c o m e

,

to his a ssi stanc e .

A fter it b ecame generally kno wn in o ur c o mpa

”
ny tha t the little m an w a s a lawyer, he had a
tremendo us influence with th em Y o u co uld h e ar .

“
the m cry o ut o cca sio nally , T ha t s righ t kno ck ’
,

him d own ; the l ittle man to ld y ou to d o it and he ,

 NARRATIVE O F T HE

is a lawyer ; he kno ws all abo ut the law ; that s f

righ t hit him again ! he is a whi te man, a nd he

,

”
has d o ne o ur c o lo r eno u gh .

Such is b ut a p o or repre senta tio n of wha t w as

s aid by th o se w ho w ere e ngage d in the fi ht A f
g .

ter a hard fo u gh t ba ttl e , o f ne arly tw o h o urs We

-
,

arrive d a t the fe rr y the slave s still in o ur p o sses

,
;

si o n O u a rriving a t the fe rry, w e fo und tha t so me

.

o f the sh eri ff s gang ha d tak e n p o s se ssi on o f the

’

ferry b o a t H e re ano ther b a ttle w a s to b e fo ught

-
.
,

b efore the slave s c o uld re ach Canada ; T he b o at -

w as fa stene d a t e ach end by a chain, and i n t he

sc ufil e fo r the asc endency o ne pa rty too k cha rge ,

o f o ne e nd o f the b o a t, whil e the o th er too k the

«

o th e r end T he black s were c o mmandi ng the fe r

.

r ym an to carry th em o v e r whil e the whi te s w e re

,

c o mm anding him no t to W hile e ach party w as .

‘
c o ntending fo r po we r, the slave s were pushe d o u
bo ard and the bo at sh o ve d fro m the wha rf M a
,
“

ny o f the black s j um pe d o n b o a rd o f the b o a t ,

while the whi tes j um p ed o n sho re A nd the swift .

c urrent o f the Niagara so o n carrie d the m o ff am id ,

the sh o uts o f the black s, a nd the o a th s and im p re

fi a tio ns o f the w hi tes We o n sh o re swung o ur

.

hats and gave three cheers, j ust as a reinforcement

 LIFE or WILLIAM w . B RO W N . 12 1

came to the whi tes Se eing the o dds entirely

.

against US in numb ers and having gaine d the ,

g re a t vic to ry w e gave u
, p wi th o u t r es i s ta nc e a n d ,

s uf fe re d o urse lves to b e arre s te d by the sh eri ff s

’

po sse H o wever, w e all rem aine d o n the sh o re

.

iintil the fe rry b o a t had l and e d o n the Canada s id e

-
.

As the b o at lande d S tanfo r d l e ap e d o n shore a nd

, ,

ro ll e d o verin the s a nd and e ve n r ubb e d it into his

,

hai r.

I did no t acc o m pany the b o a t o ve r b ut th o se ,

w ho did i nfo rme d u s that M rs S ta nford as she .

,

s tepp e d o n the sh o re wi th her child in her a r m s

, ,

e xclai m ed ,
“
I thank G o d tha t I am again in C a n
ada We re turne d to the city and some fo rty ,

o f o ur c o m pany w ere l o dge d in jail to awai t th e i r ,

trial the ne x t m orning .

And no w I will re turn to the b e tr ayer O n o ur .

re turn to B uffal o she w as given o ver to a c o m m i t

,

te e o f wo m en w ho p ut her in a roo m and p ut a

, ,

gu ar d o ve r he r T a te w ho had b een v er y ac tive

.
,

fro m the time that he he ard tha t w e had recapture d

the ca rriage wi th the slave s w a s s till in the ci ty ,
.

H e w a s no t wi th the slav e s wh en we ca ugh t up

wi th them at Hamb urgh no r w as he to b e fo und ,

in the fi ght . He sent his hirelings w hile he re ,

1]
 NARRATIVE O F T HE

mai ne d at the ho te l d rinking champagne As soo n .

a s he fo und the slave s w ere o ut o f his re ach , he

then made an o ffe r o f fi fty do llars to any p erson

w ho w o uld hnd the b etr ayer He p retende d that

.

he wi shed to s ave her fro m the i ndi gnation o f the

c o lo re d p eo ple But the fac t is he had pro mi se d
.
,

he r that if she w o uld acc o mpany him to the so uth ,

tha t he w o uld p ut her in a s i tuatio n wh e re she

w o uld b e a lady Po o r wo man ! She w as fo o li sh

.

e no u gh to b e lie ve him ; and n o w tha t the pe o pl e

had lo st all sympa thy fo r her o n acc o unt o f her ,

trai toro us a c t he s till th ou gh t that, by pretending

,

to b e her fri end he c o uld i nduce her to go to the

,

s o uth tha t he migh t se ll he r B ut th ose w ho had '

.
,

her in charge w ere determine d tha t she sho uld

b e puni she d fo r b eing engage d in thi s villano us
tra nsac ti o n .

Se veral mee tings were held to de termine wha t

sh o ul d b e d o ne wi th her
r S om e w ere in favo r o f
.

hanging her o thers for b urning her, b ut a maj

, o r»

ty w ere for takin g her to the Niagara river tying ,

a fi fty six p o und w eigh t to her a nd th ro wing her

-
,

in. T here s ee me d to b e no way in which she

c o uld b e reache d by the civil l aw She w as kep t .

iii c o nfinem ent thre e days b e ing remo v ed to differ

,

e nt plac e s e ach ni gh t .
 LIFE 0F ,
W ILLIAM w . B ROWN . 123

So were the V l eW S o f th o se w ho had

co nfl ic ting

her i n charge, tha t the y c ould no t de cide up o n

what sh o uld b e d o ne with herf Ho w e yer there ,

se e me d to b e s uch a va st maj o ri ty in favor o f

thro w i ng he r into the N ia gara rive r tha t s o m e

.
,

To f us, w ho w ere o pp o se d to taking life succ ee de d

’

i n having her given o ver to ano ther c o mm ittee w ho , ,

after reprimanding her, l e t her go .

T a te , in the m e an time hearm g tha t the c o l o re d

,

p eo ple had reso lve d to take venge ance o n him ,

tho u gh t it b e s t to le av e the ci ty O u M o nday a t

.
,
’
t en o cl o ck w e were all carri e d b e fo re J u stice
,

G ro sve no r ; and o f the forty w ho had b e en co m

m itte d the e vening b e fo re twe nty—hy e w e re h eld
,
—

to bail to a ns we r to a high er c o urt W h en the .

trial s ca m e o n w e w ere fi ne d mo re o r l e ss, fro m fi v e

,

to fi fty do llars e ach .

D uring the fi ght no o ne w as kill e d, th o ugh there

w ere many bro ken no ses and black e yes ; o ne
yo ung m an w ho w as attache d to a th e a trical
,

c orp s w as so badly i nj ure d in the c ond ic t that he

,

di ed some three mo nths afte r .

T hus ended o ne o f the m o st fe arful fi ghts for

h um an freedo m that I e ver wi tnesse d T he re ad .

'
e r w ill o b serv e tha t thi s c o nfl ic t too k plac e o n the
 NARRATIVE O F T HE

Sabba th and that tho se w ho w e re fo remo st in

,

ge tti ng it up w ere o fficers o f j ustice T he ple a

.

o f the sh e ri ff and his p o sse w a s, tha t w e w ere

bre aking the Sabbath by a ssembling in such large

numb ers to pro te c t a b ro th er slave and his wife

a nd child fro m b e ing dragge d back i nto slav ery ,

which is far w orse than dea th i tsel f .

 From the Liberty Bell o f 1 848
.

T H E AM E R I CAN S L AV E — T RA DE
“

WILLI AM W E LLS RO W N
'

BY B .

O F the m any fe a tures which American slavery

p resents the m o st c ruel is that o f the slave trade
,
-
.

A trafii c in the b o di e s and so ul s o f na tive b o rn -

America ns is carrie d o n in the slave h o lding -

s ta te s to a n e x tent li ttl e d re am e d o f by the gre a t

ma ss o f the p eo ple m the no n slave h olding states

- -
.

T he p reci se numb er o f slav es carri e d fro m the

slav e r ai sing to the slav e c o nsumi ng sta te s w e have
- -

no m e ans o f kno wing But it m ust b e very gre a t

.
,

as fo rty th o u s and w ere so ld and ca rri e d o u t o f the

Sa t te o f Vi ginia in one s ingl e ye ar

r !

T his heart rending a nd c ruel tra ffic is no t c o n

-

fi ned to a ny pa rtic ular cla ss o f p erso ns N 0 p erson . .

fo rfeits his o r her charac ter o r standing in so cie ty

by be ing engage d in rai sing and selling slave s to
s upply the c o tto n su gar ,
and r ic e pl anta
,
ti o ns o f

the so uth F e w p ersons w ho have vi si te d the

.

11*
 NA RRATIVE O F THE

slave s tates have no t on thei r return, to ld of the , ,

gangs o f slaves the y had seen on the ir way to the

s o uthern marke t T hi s trade presents som e o f the
.

m o st revo l ting and atro cio us sc enes whic h c an b e

imagined Slave—pri sons, slave auctions, hand
.
-

eufi s whip s chai ns bl o o dh o unds and o th er instru l

’
“

i
, , , ,

m ents o f cruel ty are part o f the furni ture which

,

be longs to the A merican slave tr ade It is eno ugh -

.

to make h umani ty bl ee d at every p ore, to see th e se

im plements o f to rture .

Kno wn to G o d o nly is the amo unt o f human

agony a nd suffe ring w hich send s its cry fro m these

s lave pri sons u nh e a rd o r unh ee de d by m an up to

/
-
, ,

H is ear ; m o th ers weeping for thei r children

bre aking the nigh t—silence with the shriek s o f their
b re aking h e ar ts W e wish no human b eing to.

e xperienc e em o ti o ns o f nee dl ess pain, b ut w e d (t

‘ 1
‘

wish that ev ery m an wo man, and chil d in New

'
'

E ngland c o uld visit a southern s lave p rison and

,
-

auctio n stand -
.

I shall ne ver forget a scene which to o k place in

the c i ty o f S t Loui s , whil e I w as in slavery
. ‘
A .

m an a nd his wife b o th s lav es w e re bro u gh t fro m

, ,

the c o untry to the ci ty for s al e T h ey we re taken ,

.

to the ro om s o f Aus r m 65 S AVA GE , a uc tio neers

 W
LIFE oF W ILLAIM w . R
B O WN . 12 1

Several lav e specula to rs w ho are always to b e

s -

found at auc tions where slaves are to b e so ld

w ere pre sent T he m an w as fi rst put up and so ld
”

.
,

to the high e s t bidder T he wife w as ne x t o rdere d

.

to a sc e nd the platform I w as present

. She .

sl o w ly o b e y e d the o rd er T he auctio neer c o m

.

m e nc ed and s oo n se ver al hundre d do llars w ere

,

b id
. M y e ye s w e re i ntensely fi x ed o n the fac e o f
the w o man wh o se ch ee k s w ere w e t w i th te a rs
,
.

B ut a c o nvers a tio n b e tw een the slave and his ne w

ma ster a ttrac te d my a ttentio n I drew ne ar them .

to li s ten .T he slave w as b e gging his ne w ma ster

“
to p urcha se his wife Said he M a ster if y o u
.
, ,

will only b uy F anny, I kno w y o u w ill get the

w orth o f yo ur mo ne y She is a go o d co o k a go o d
.
,

wa she r, and her last mistress like d her v ery much .

”
I f y o u will o nly b uy her ho w happy I shall b e .

T he ne w ma ster repli e d that he did no t want he r

b ut if she so ld ch e ap he w o uld purcha se her .

w a tch e d the c o untena nc e o f the m an while the

different pe rso ns w ere bidding on his w ife W h e n .

his new ma ste r bid o n his wife y o u c o uld see the

-

sm il e u p o n his c o untena nc e a nd the te ars s t0 p

~

b ut a s so o n a s a no ther w o uld bid y o u c o u ld se e ,

the co untenanc e change and the te ars s tart afresh .

128 N A RRATIVE OF T HE

Fro m this change

.
, of c o untenance
c o uld see o ne

the w orkings o f the inm o st so ul B ut thi s su s .

p ense d id no t la st lo ng the w i fe w a s struck o ff to

the highest bidder , w ho pro ve d no t to b e the o wner

o f her h u sband As so on a s they b ecame aware

.
,

tha t th e y w e re to b e separ ate d they b o th b urst ,

into te ars ; and a s she descende d fro m the auctio n

s tand the hu sba nd w alkin g u to her a nd taki ng
, p ,

her by the ha nd s aid We ll F anny w e are to

, , , ,

par t fore ve r o n e arth ; y o u have b een a go o d w ife

,
‘

to m e I did a ll tha t I c o uld to ge t my new

.

m a ster to b u y y o u ; b ut he did no t want y o u and ,

a ll I have to s ay is I h0 e u w ill tr to m ee t
p y o y
,

m e in he aven I shall try to m eet y o u there

.
” .

T he w ife m ade no re ply b u t he r so b s a nd c ri es ,

to ld to o w e ll her o w n fee li ng s
, ,
I sa w the c o nu r .

tenanc es o f a num b er o f w hi te s w ho w ere piesent ,

and wh o se e ye s w e re dim w i th te ars a t h e aring

the m an b id his w ife fare w e ll .

S uch are b ut c o m m on o ccurrenc es in the s lave

s tates . At th e se a uc ti o n stands b o ne s m us cles -
, , ,

s inew s blo o d and nerves o f h um an be ings are

, , ,

so ld w i th a s m u ch i ndi fferenc e a s a farmer in

t he no r th s e ll s a h orse o r sh e ep And thi s gre a t .

Ame rican na tio n is a t the p resent time engaged , ,

 LIFE or WIL LIAM w . B RO WN . 1 29

in the lave—trade I have befo re m e no w the

s .

”
W ashing to n UNI O N the o rgan o f the go vern
"

m ent in which I find an adver ti sement of s e veral

,

s lav es to b e so ld fo r the b ene fi t o f the g o v ernm ent .

T he y will in all h uman pro babili ty, find h o me s

,

a m o ng the rice swamp s o f G eorgia o r the ca ne

-
,

b rake s o f M i ssi ssippi .

W i th e ve ry d isp ositio n o n the part o f tho se w ho

a re e ngage d in i t to v e il t he truth certain fac ts ,

have fro m tim e to time tra nspired , sufficient to

, ,

s h o w if no t the full am o unt o f the e vil , a t l e a st

,

tha t it is o ne o f p ro di gi ous magni tude And wha t .

is m ore to b e wo nd ere d a t, is the fac t tha t the

gre atest slave ma rke t is to b e found at the capital
-

o f the c o untry ! T he A merica n s lave trader -

“ ”
marches by the capitol with his co tfi e gang -
,

the stars a nd stripe s w avi ng o v er th ei r h e ad s ,

a nd the c o nsti tut i o n o f the Unite d S ta tes in his

po c k e t !
T he A l e xand ri a G az e tte s p e aking o f the s lave
,

trade a t the capi tal s ay s ,

Here y o u may beh o ld
,

fathers and b ro thers leaving behind them the

de are st o bj ects o f affe c tion and mo ving s lo wly ,

a l o ng in the m ute ago ny o f despai r ; th ere the ,

o u ng m o th er so bb i ng o v e r the i nfa nt wh o se inno

y ,
s
 NARRATIVE OF T HE

c ent smile seems b ut to increase her mi sery F ro .

s o m e y o u will h e a r the b ur st o f bi tte r lam enta ti o n

w hil e fro m o th ers , the l o u d hy steric lau gh b re ak

fo rth deno ting still deeper agony Such is b ut

,
.

”
faint pic ture o f the Americ an slave trade -
.

B os to n, M as s a chus etts .

FL IG H T O F T H E BO NDM AN .

DE D I C A T E D TO W I LLI A M w . BR OWN ,
And sung by the H utchinsons .

BY E LI A S s w r n.

F a o m the crac k of the rifle and haying of hound ,

Ta kes the p p anting bo nd m an his fl ight ;

oor

H is co uch thro ugh the d ay is the col d d am p ground ,

But northward he runs thro ugh the ni ght .

0 , Go d speedfl ight o f the d eso l ate sl ave ,

the
L e t his heart never yiel d to d e sp air ;
h
T r
e e is ro o m 1nong o ur hills fo r the true and the
’
brave ,

L et his l ungs breathe o ur free northern air !

0 s w ee t to the sto rm - d riven sail o r the l ight,

S treaming far ’
o er the d ar k sw elli ng wave
But s weeter b y far ’m ong the l ights o f the night,
I s the s tar o f the no rth to the sl ave .

C o l d and bl eak are o ur mo untains and chill ing o ur w ind s ,

But w arm as the s o ft s o uthern gal es

Be the hand s and the hearts which the hunte d o ne hud s ,
’
M ong o ur hil l s and o ur o wn wi nter val e s .

Then l i s t to the
’
p l aint o f the he art bro
-
ken thr all ,
k
Y e b l o o d ho und s , g o bac to yo ur l air
-

M ay a free no rthe rn s o il so o n g ive fre ed o m to a ll ,

Who shel l breathe in its pure mountain air .

 LIFE or WILLIA M W . B ROWN . 131

F REE DOM S ’
S TAR .

R esp ectf ull y D ed icated to Wil l iam Well s B r own, as a testimo ny f

o
r eg ar d f or his u ncomp r om isi ng ad voca cy of the ca us e of his
ens la ved br o ther s a nd s isters , by D B H A R R IS
. . .

As I strayed fro m my co t at the cl o se o f the d ay,

I turned my fond ga ze to the s ky ;
I behel d all the s tars as so s w eetl y they l ay ,
And b ut o ne fixed m y heart o r m y e ye .

S hine o u, nort ern star , tho u rt beautiful and bri ght

h ’

T o the sl ave o n his j our ney a far ;

Fo r he sp eed s fro m his foe s in th d arkness o f night,
y’
G uid ed o n b y thy l ight, fre ed om s s tar .

O n thee he d ep end s when he thread s the d ar w o od s, k

E re the bl o odhound s have hunted him bac ; k
T ho u l ead est hi m o n o ver m o untains and fl ood s ,
With thy beam s shining full o n his trac k .

Unw el com e to him is the bright o rb o f d ay ,

As it glid es o er the earth and the se a

’

k k
H e see s then to hid e l i e a wil d beast o f prey,
But w ith hope, rests his heart upo n thee .

M ay never a cl o ud o vershad o w thy face ,

Whil e the sl ave hi es before his pursuer
Gl eam ste adil y o n to the end o f his r ace ,

T ill his bod y and so ul are secure .

 L AM EN T OF T HE F UGITIVE S L AV E .

L AM EN T O F T HE FUG ITIV E S L AV E .

M y chil d We m ust part, to m ee t no mo re this s id e o f the g rav e

s o on Y ou
‘

.
,

hav e e ver sa id t hat y o u w o ul d no t d ie a s l a ve ; t hat y o u w o ul d be a. fre e m a n

No w try to get yo ur l ibe rt y W W BR OWN S N AR R ATI VE
.

-
’
. . .

I ’
ve w and e red o ut beneath the m o o nl it he aven,
Lo st m o ther !
l o ve d amh l ear,
T o eve ry be am a m a g ic po w er s e em s gi ve n
T o bring thy sp irit near
F o r tho ug h the laree ze o f free d o m fans m y bro w ,
M y s oul s til l turns to thee ! o h, w here art tho u
W here mothe r 2? I am w eary thin ing
a rt tho u , k
A he ritage o f p ai n and w o e
W as thine , — b e ne ath i t art thou sl o wl y s inking ,
O r has t tho u p e r ishe d l o ng ago 2?
A nd d o th thy s p iri t m id the uive ring l e a ves a
’
q bo ve ine ,
H o ver , d e ar m o ther, to g uard and l o ve m e 2?

I m urm u r at m y l o t in the w hi te m an s d w ell ing ’

The m o the r the re i s fo und ;

O r he m ay tell w here s p ring bud s fi rs t are sw e ll ing -

Abo ve her l o w l y m o und ;

B ut tho u, l o s t m o the r, ey e ry trace o f thee
In the vas t sepul chre o f S l a ve ry 1

L ong y ears have fl ed , s inc e s ad , faint hearted ,

-

I F ree d o m s s ho re ,
s to o d o n
’

k
And ne w , d e ar mo the r , fro m thee I w as p arte d ,
T o m e et thee ne ve r m o re
nd d e em e d the tyrant s c ha in w ith the e were e tte r b
’

Than s trang er hearts a nd l im s wi tho ut a fe tter b .

Y et bl ess ings o n thy Ro m an m o ther spirit -

C
I fo rg et it , then,
o ul d
The p arting s ce ne , and s truggl e no t to inherit
’
b
A fre em an s irth r ig ht o nc e again 2 -

b
O no l e w o rd s O ho l y l o ve , Which gave
T hee streng th to utter them , a p o or, hea rt ro -
b ken sl ave !
Be m e , m o ther, b e thy s p irit near m e ,
ne ar
Wh e reve r tho u m y s t b e
a
’

k b
I n hour s l i e thi s end near that I m ay hear the e ,
k
And no w tha t tho u art free ;
S umm o ned at l e ngth fro m o nd ag e , to il and p ain, b
G
T o o d s fre e w o rl d . a w o rl d W itho ut a chain
’
 AP P E N DI X .

IN giving a history of my fering s

o w n s uf in sl avery , as w el l

i
as the s uffer ng s o f o thers w ith w hich
. I w as acq uainte d , or

w hich cam e und er m y im me di ate o b servation , I have spo ke n

harshl y o f sl ave hold e rs , in c hurch a nd s tate .

N or em I incl ined to ap o l o gize for a nything w hich I have

said . T here are e xceptio ns am ong sl aveho l d ers , as w el l as

am o n
g o the r sinners ; and the fact that a sl avehol d e r feed s his
sl ave s be tter , cl o the s them bette r , than ano ther , d oes no t al ter

the cas e ; he is a sl ave ho l d er . I do no t ask the sla veho l d er to

feed , cl othe , o r to treat hi s v ic tim be tte r as a sl ave . I am no t

w aging a w arfare ag ains t the coll ateral e vil s , or w hat a re s om e

tim es call e d b
the a uses , o f sl avery . I w age a w ar ag ainst

sl avery itse l f, b e cause l ofty po si

it takes m an d o w n from the

tio n w hich G o d intend e d he sho ul d occ up y , and pl aces him

upo n a l evel w ith the b e as ts o f the field It d ecrees that the .

sl ave shal l no t w orship Go d accord ing to the d ic tates of his

o w n c o nsc ience ; it d enies him the w ord of G o d ; it m ak es him
a c hattel , and se l l sfi in the m arket to the highes t bid d er ; it
Idt
’
he shal l r pro tect the w ife of his bo s om ;
it takes fro m him e very right w hi ch Go d g ave him C l o th .

ing and foo d are as no thing comp ared w ith l erty

i
W hat b .

I for cl o thing foo d , w hil e I am the sl ave o f ano the r ?

“

c are or

Y o u m ay take m e and p ut cl oth upo n m y b ack , b oo ts upo n my

fee t, a hat upo n m y head , and c ram a bee f ste ak d o w n m y -

thro at , and all o f this will no t s atisfy me as l o ng as I kno w

that yo u have the po w er to tear me fro m my d eares t rel ative s .

12
 APPENDIX .

f the sl avehold er is to give the sl ave his lib erty It .

I ask for the sl ave A nd that the Am erican sl ave

.

w ill e v entuall y g et his fr eed o m , no o ne c an d o u t b . Yo u c anno t

k eep the hum an mind fo rever l oc ked up in d arkness . Ar

l ig ht, a sp ark fro m fr ee d o m ’
s al tar ,
inherent right, the id ea of

e ach, all , w ill b ec o m e fix e d in the so ul ; and that m o m ent his

l imb s s w ell b ey o nd the m eas ure o f his chains , that m ome nt

‘l

he is fr ee ; the n it is that the s l ave d ie s to b ec om e a fr ee man;

then it is fel t that o ne ho ur o f virtuo us lib erty is w o rth an e te r
mity of b o nd age ; then it is , in the m adness and fury o f his bl ood ,
x
that the e cited so ul e cl aims , x
“
From life w ithout freed o m, who wo uld no t fl y ;
oh !

Fo r one d ay o f freed o m , o h ! w ho woul d not d ie

T he in S o utham pto n, Virgi nia, in 1 83 1 ,

rising of the sl ave s

has no t bee n fo rgo tten b y the Am erican p eo pl e N at T ur ner , .

a sl ave for life , a Bap tis t m inister , — entertai ned the id ea tha
t
-

Mo ses , w ho se d uty it w as to l ead his pe ople

'

he w as another

o ut o f b ond age . His s o ul w as fir ed with the l o ve o f libe rty ,

a nd he d ecl ared to his fell o w -
sl ave s that the time had arrive d ,

and that T he y w ho w o ul d b e free , themsel ve s m ust s trike

the bl ow .
”
He kne w that it w o ul d b e libe rty dr d eath ”

w ith his littl e b and of b ering less than three hun

i , num

/
p atr o ts

i d ) He
t re c o mm enc ed the s truggl e fo r lib erty ; he knew his

ca use w as j ust and he l oved l ib erty more than he feared

,

d eath . He did not wish to take the lives of the whi te s ; he

o nl y d em and ed that himself and brethren mi ght b e free . T he
b urning
‘

sl avehol d ers fo und that men w hos e so ul s w ere fo r lib

erty , ho w ever sm al l their numbe rs , c o ul d no t
b e p ut d o wn at
their
p l e as ur e ; that so m e thing m ore than w ate r w as w anted to

exting uish the flam e The y trembl ed . at the id ea o f m ee ting

then in Ope n co m b at , w hose b acks the y had l acerate d , w hose
w ives and d aughte rs the y had torn from the ir b o so ms , w hose
hearts w ere bl eed ing from the w o und s inflicted b y them .
 APPENDI X . 135

T he y appe al ed to the United S tates g o vernment fo r assistance .

A co m p any o f United S tates tr 0 0p s w as s ent into V irginia to

d o wn men w hos e w as , that they w anted to b e
'

p ut o nl y o fie nce

free . Y es ! no r thern m en, m e n b orn and bro ught up in the

free s tates , at the d em and o f sl avery , m arched to its re sc ue .

T he y in re d uc ing the p o or sl ave ag ain to his chains ;

s ucce e d e d

b ut the y did no t succee d in cr ushing his s pirit .

"
N o t the co mb ined p o w ers o f the Am erican U nio n, no t the
s l aveho l d ers , w ith all the ir no rthern al lie s , can e xtinguish that
b urning d esire of freed om in the sl ave ’
s s o ul ! N o rthern m e n
m ay s tand b y as the bod y g uard o f sl avehol d ers
-
T he y m ay .

s ucceed for the time be in

g in ke eping the sl ave in his chains ;
b ut unl ess the s l aveho l d ers libe rate their vic tims , an d that, to o ,

e m o d ern Hannib al w il l make his app earanc e in

s p ee dil y , som

the so uthern sta tes , w ho Wi l l tro ubl e the sl ave ho l d ers as the

nobl e C arthag inian did the R o m ans . A bo l itio nists d eprec ate
the shed d ing of b l o od ; they have w arned the sl aveho l d ers
ag ain and a ain.
g Y et they w ill not give heed , b ut stil l pers ist
in robbing the sl ave o f lib erty .

But for the fear o f northern b ayo nets , pl ed g e d for the m as

’
te r s pro tectio n, the sl aves w o uld l ong since have w r ung a .

pe aceful emancip atio n fro m the fears o f their o ppresso rs , o r

se al ed their o w n red e m ption in l ood
”
b
T o the shame o f the .

northern p eo pl e , the sl aveho ld ers co nfess that to them the y are

ind ebted for a perm anent safe g uard against ins urrec tio n
-

that a m il l io n o f their sl ave s s tand re ad y to s trike for l ibe rty

at the first tap o f the d rum and b ut for the aid of the
no rth the y w o ul d be too w e ak to keep them in their chains . I
ask in the o f the sl ave s
’
l anguage poe t ,

What ! shal l ye guard y our ne ighbo r st ill ,

W hil e w om an shrieks beneath his ro d ,

And whil e he trampl es d o wn at will
T he im age o f a comm on Go d 1!
Shal l watch and ward be ’round him s et,

0 1 northern nerve and bayonet

 136 1 APPENDIX .

\ J has quieted the o rth

T he c ountenance o f the e
p po l e at the n

the fears o f the sl aveho ld ers , e speciall y the co untenance w hich

the y receive fro m no rthern churc he s But for the co unts .

nance o f the northern church, the so uther n co nsc ie nc e wo uld

have l ong sinc e a wakened

its g uil t : and the im pio us sight
to

o f a churc h m ad e up o f sl avehol d ers , and call e d the church o f

C hrist, be e n sc o uted from the w orl d

”
S o says a d istinguished .

w rite r .

S l aveho ld ers hid e them sel ves b ehind the c hurch . A more
p r aying , pre ac hi n g p s al m sm g m g p e o pl e canno t b e fo und than
-
,

the sl ave hol d ers at the so uth . T he rel igi on o f the so uth is

fi
rc e

o
g
u
e d to

m en B ut
d
w
ay , to pro ve that sl avehol d ers are g oo d ,

ith a
e very

ll their e te nsio ns a nd a l l the a id

p i s .
p r ,

w hich they g et fro m the northern c hurc h, they canno t s uc ceed

in d e ceiving the Christian p or tio n o f the w o rl d T heir c hil d .

ro bbing , m an stealing , w o m an w hipping ,

- -
chain- forging , m ar
riag e -
d esno ying ,
‘
sl ave- m anufac turin
g , m a n s l a in
y g r e lig io n,
-

w ill not b e receive d as g enuine ; and the p e o pl e o f the free

s tates canno t e xpect to l iv e in union w ith sl ave hol d ers , w itho ut
”
b eco ming contaminated w ith sl avery . T he y ar e l o oke d up o n

as o ne eo
p p l e ; the y ar e o ne p pl e
e o ; the p eo pl e in the free and

sl ave s tates form the Am erican U nion .

”
S lavery is a

national institution . T he natio n lice nses men to traffic in the

b odi es and s o ul s o f m en ; it supplies them w ith pu lic b b uil d ings
at the c apital o f the co untry to keep their victims ih . For a

p al tr y sumit gives the auctio ne er a license to sell American

m e n, w o m en, and chil d ren, upo n the auctio n s tand T he
’

-
.

A m erican sl ave tr ad er , w ith the

-
c o nstitutio n in his hat and hi s
l ic ens e in his p ocket, m arche s his tEan
g g o f c ha in e d m en an d
w o m en und er the very e aves o f the natio n s c ap ito l A nd this ,
’
.

to o , in a c o untr y p ro fes sing to b e the freest natio n in the w o rl d .

They profess to b e d em o crats , r ep u bl icans , and to b el ieve in

the natural e quality o f m en ; that the y are all cre ate d w ith
c ertain inal ienabl e rights , amo n
g w hic h are l ife , l i erty , b and
 APPEN otx . 137

the p ursuit o f happiness They c all themse l ves a Christian

natio n ; the y rob thre e mil lio ns o f their c o untr m en o f their
y
libe rties , and then tal k o f their i
p y , their d emocracy ,
et and

b
the ir l o ve o f li erty ; and , in the l ang uag e of S haks pe are , say ,

And thus I c l o the m y nak ed villany ,

And see m a saint when m os t I p l ay the d e vil .
”

T he peo pl e o f the Unite d S tate s , w ith al l their high p r o fe s

sio ns , are fo rging chai ns for unbo rn mill io ns , in the ir w ars fo r

sl avery . W ith al l their d em ocrac y , there is no t a fo ot o f l and

”
over w hich the s tars and strip e s fly , upo n w hich the A m er
ican sl ave can stand and c l aim p ro te c ti o n . W herever the

United S tate s c o nstitutio n has j urisd iction , and the Am eric an

flag is see n fl i
y gn , the yp o int o ut the s l ave as a c hatte l , a thing ,

a p iece o f pr o p erty B ut I thank G o d the re is o ne

. sp o t in
Am erica up on w hich the sl av e c an s tand and be a m an . No
m atter w hether the cl aim ant be a U nite d
S tates p re sid ent , o r
a d oc to r of d ivinity ; no m atte r with w hat s ol emnities s o m e
A merican co urtm ay have pronounced him a sl ave ; the m om e nt
”
he m akes his esc ap e from und er the stars and strip es , and

se ts fo ot up on the s oil o f C AN A A , D the al tar and the g od k

s in

to g ether in the d ust ; his so ul w al ks abro ad in her o wn m aj

es ty ; his b o d y sw ell s be yo nd the m e asur e o f his c hains , that

b urst from around him ; and he stand s red eem ed , reg enerated ,
and d is enthrall e d , b y the irres istibl e g enius o f univers al e m an
”
cip ati o n .

Bo t sl avery must and will b e b anished from the Unite d

S tates so il :

Let tyrants scorn, whil e tyrants dare,

T he shriek s and writhings o f d es pair ;
The end Will co m e, it will not wait,
Bo nds , y ok es , and s courges have their d ate ;
S l avery itself m ust pass aw ay ,
”
And b e a tal e of y este rday .
 APPEN DIX .

I will no w sto p , and l et the sl avehol d e rs sp eak fot

’

themsel ves I shal l here present so m e evid ences o f the tre at

.

m e nt w hich sl aves rece ive fr om the ir m as te rs ; after w hich I

w ill pr es ent a fe w of the sl ave -
l aw s . A nd it has bee n said ,

and I b elie ve tr ul y , that no p eo pl e w ere e ver fo und to be

be tter than their l aw s A nd .
, as an Am erican sl ave , — as o ne

w ho is id entified w ith the sl av e s o f the so uth b y the sc ars

which I carry o n m y back —

id entifi ed w ith them b y the
, as one

tend eres t t19 § p f nature, —as o ne w ho se highest asp irations are

/
1 to serve the c ause o f tr uth and fre ed o m , — I b e g o f the read e r

no t to l ay this b o o k d o w n until he or she has re ad e very p ag e

it co ntains . I as k fo r my o w n s ake , b ut fo r the

it no t s ake o f

three m illio ns w ho canno t sp eak fo r them sel ves .

From the Livingston County (Al abama) W hig of N c v . 1 6 , 1 845 .

N E G RO D o e s . T he und ersigned having b ought the entire

p ac k o f N e gr o Do gs , (o f the Hays Al l e n stoc k , ) he no w

p ro p os es to c atch r unaw ay N eg ro es His charg e w ill be three

’
.

d oll ars pe r d ay fo r hunting , and fiftee n d o l l ar s for c atc hing a

r unaw ay . H e re s id e s thr e e and a hal f mil e s no rth o f L iving
the l o w er Jo nes Bl ufi ro ad
'
’
s to n, ne ar .

W I LL I AM G AM BRE L .

N o v 6 1 845
.
, .

T he Vfil ming to n ! N or th C ar olina] A d v ertiser of Jul y 1 3 ,

1 83 8 , c o ntains the fol l o w ing ad vertis em ent

R anaw ay , m y N e gr o m an R ic hard A re w ard . . of $ 25

w ill b e p aid fo r his apprehens io n, DE AD o r A LIV E . S atis
fac to ry pro of w il l o nl y b e re quir e d o f his b eing kill ed . He has
w ith him , in al l pr o bability , his w ife E liza , w ho ra n a way f o m r

Col T ho mps o n ,
. no w a res id ent o f A l a am a , a out the time b b he
c o mm e nce d his j o urney to that s tate .

D H RHODE S
. . .
 A PP E N D I X . 139

T he S t Lo uis G azette
. says

A w e al thy m an here had a bo y nam e d R euben, al m os t

w hite , w ho m he c aused to be brand ed in the face w ith the

w o rd s A sl ave for life .
’

From the N 0 S tand ard , Jul y 28, 1 838

. . .

T W E N T Y DO LLA R S R E W A R D — R anaw ay fro m the . s ub

b
sc ri er , a ne gro w o m an and tw o c hil d re n ; the w o m an is tal l
and bl ack and a few days befor e she went of I BU R N T H E R
,

ON T H E L E FT S I DE OF H ER FAC E : I T R I E D T O M AKE T H E
L E TT ER M, and she kep t a cl o th over her head and face , a nd a

fly bonnet over her head , so as to co ver the bur n her c hil dren

a re b o th bo ys the ol d es t is in his seve nth year ; he is a m a

,

Za tto and has bl ue e yes ; the yo ung es t is a bl ack and is in his ,

fi fth y ear .
'

M I C AJA H R ICKS , N ash Co unty .

O ne o f my neighbo rs sol d to a sp ecul ato r a negro bo y , b

a o ut

1 4 ye ar s ol d . It w as more than his p oor m o ther co ul d be ar .

H er re aso n fle d , and she becam e p erfe ct maniac, and had to

a

b e kept in c l o se c o nfinem ent . S he w oul d oc c asionall y g et o ut

and r un off to the neighb ors . Ou o ne o f the s e oc c asio ns she

c am e to my ho us e . W ith te ars rolling d o w n her c hee ks ,

her fram e shaking w ith ag o ny , she w o ul d c ry o ut, Do n t

’
and
‘

you hear him — they ar e whipp ing him now , and ! w is cal l ing
for me ! T his neig hb or o f mine , w ho tore the b o y aw ay
fro m his p oo r m o ther , and thus br oke her hear t, w as a me mber
cf the P r esbyter ia n chur c — Reo Francis Hawl ey , B ap tist .

minister , Co lebro ok, Ct .

A co l o red m an in the c ity o f St . Lo uis w as taken by a

m ob , and burnt al ive at the stake . A bystand er gives the fol

l ow ing ac co unt o f the sc ene

Afte r the fl am es had s urro und e d their p rey , a nd w hen his

cl o thes w ere in a bl aze
him , his eyes b urnt o ut o f his
all o ver .

head , and his mo uth seeming l y p arched to a cind er , some one

 A PP E N D I X .

in the cro wd , more co mpas sio nate than the rest , p ropo se d to

p ut an e nd to his misery b y shooting him , When it w as repl ie d ,

that it w o ul d b e of no use , since he w as al read y o ut of his .
—

p in
a . No s aid the w retch, I em no t , I am suf
fering as muc h
as ever , —s ho ot me , s ho ot me .
’
No, no ,
’
s aid o ne o f the

fiend s , w ho w as s tanding b
a o ut the s acrifice the y w ere ro ast

ing , he shall not b e sho t ; I w o ul d soo ner sl acken the fire , if

that w o ul d increase his mis ery and the m an w ho said this
” — Al ton Tele r a h
ficer
w as , w e und erstand , an of q ustice .
g p .

W e have be en informed that the sl ave W ill iam ,

w ho m ur
d ered his maste r (Huskey ) so m e w eeks sinc e , w as taken b y a

p arty a fe w d ays s inc e fro m the S her i]? o f Hot S pring , and
bur ned al ive y e s , tie d up to the limb o f a tre e and a fire b uil t
u nd er him , and c o nsum ed in a sl o w ling eri ng to rture
” —
Ar .

kansas Gazette, Oct 2 9 , 1 83 6 . .

The N atchez Fr ee Tr ader , l 6 th June , 1 842 , gives a horribl e

/
acco unt o f the e xec ution o f the ne ro Jo se h o n the sth o f that
g p
m o nth fo r m urd er .

The body ,
”
says that p ap er , w as tak en and c haine d to

a tree imm ed iatel y o n the bank of the Mississ ippi , on w hat is

ca ll ed Unio n Po int . T he torches w ere l ighted and pl aced in
the p il e He w atche d unmo ved the c url ing fl am e
. as it gr e w ,

until it b eg an to e ntw ine its el f aro und and fee d up o n his bo d y ;

then he sen t forth crie s p ainful to the e ar , be g ging
o f ag o ny

so m e o ne to bl o w his brains o ut ; at the s ame tim e sur gi ng

w ith al m o st s uperhum an s treng th, until the stapl e w ith w hic h

the chain w as faste ned to the tr ee , no t be ing w ell se cured ,

d rew o ut , and he l e ap ed fro m the b urning p il e . At that

m o m ent the sharp ring o f s everal rifles w as he ard , and the

b od y o f the negr o fell a c o rp se to the gro und He w as picke d

.

up b y tw o o r three , and ag ain thro w n into the fire and co n ~

”
s ume d .
 A PP E N D I X . 1 41

A N O T H E R N ne no BU RNED —W e l earnfrom the cl erk o f

‘

the Highl and er, that, w hil e w o o d ing

‘

a short distance bel o w the

mo uth o f Red river , they w ere invited to stag a shor t tim e and

s ee a o ther ne r o bur ne — N ew Or leans B ull etin

p g .

We c an assure the Bo sto nians , o ne and all , w ho have em

b arked in the nefario us schem e b

o f a ol ishing sl avery at the

s o uth, that l ashe s w il l here afte r b e sp ared the b acks of the ir

e miss aries . Let the m Lo uisiana ; the y
send o ut their m en to
w il l neverreturn to tel l the ir s uffering s, b ut they shall e x piate
the crime o f interfering in o ur d o m estic institutions b y b eing

B U RN E D AT THE sr Axn .
” i— N ew Orl eans True Amer ica n .

The cry of the w ho l e s o uth sho ul d be d eath, instant d e ath,

b
to the a ol itio nist, w herever he is c aught.
” -
Aug usta ( Geo )
Chr o nicl e .

d ecl are thro ugh the p ublic j ournal s o f o ur c o untry ,

Let us

that the question o f sl avery is no t and shal l no t b e op en fo r dis .

c ussio
'

n that the system is too d e ep rooted amo ng us , and

‘

m ust main forever ; that the yery moment y i ind i

“

re an pr vate

l ecture u o n its evil s and

'

vid ual attempts to imm o ral ity ,

"

u p s

and the nece ssity o f p utting means in Operatio n t o s ecure us

fro m them , in the s am e m oment his to ng ue s hall b e c ut o ut
”
and c ast upon the d unghil l . Co lumbia (S C ) . . Tel escop e .

From the S t Louis . R publ i

e c an .

o nFrid ay l as t the c oroner held an in ue st at the ho us e of

‘

q
Jud ge Dunic a , a few mil es s o uth o f the city , over the bo d y of

a ne ro
g
, b 8 years of age b el onging to Mr Co rd ell ;
girl , a out ,
.

T he bo d y e xhibited evid ence o f the m ost cruel w hipping and

b eating w e have ever heard o f T he fles h on the b ack and .

l imb s w as b e aten to a j ell y — o ne sho uld er b o ne w as l aid b are -

—there w e re s everal c uts a are ntl fro m a c l ub on the

pp y , ,

head - and aro und the ne c k w as the ind e ntatio n o f a c o rd , by

which it is s up
p ose d she had been confi ned to a tree . S he had
1 42 A PP EN DIX .

bee n hired by a m an by the nam e o f Tanner residing , in the

neighb o rho o d and w as sent hom e in this co nditio n
, . A fter
c o ming hom e , her constant reques t, until her d e ath, w as for
bread ,
b y w hic h it w oul d s eem that she had b een starved as .

w ell as unm ercifull y w hipp ed . The j ury retum w a verdict

that she c am e to her d eath b y the bl o w s inflicted by so me per

s o ns unkno w n w hil st she w as in the e m pl oy o f Mr T anner

. .

Mrs T anner has

. b een tried and acquitted .

A co rresp ond ent o f the N Y Heral d writes fr o m S t Lo uis ,

. .

Oc t 1 9
. :
‘
I yesterd ay visited the cell o fCo rnelia, the sl ave charg ed
w ith b eing the acco mplice o f Mrs Ann T anner (r ecentl y
.

acqui tte d ) in the m urd er of a littl e negro gir l , b y W hipp ing and
s tar vatio n. S he
her p articip ancy , b ut says she w as
ad mits

c o m p ell ed to take the p art she d id in the affair On o ne occa .

s io n she says the chil d w as tied to a tree from M o nd ay m om

ing till Frid ay xpo sed
b y d ay to the scorching rays o f
night, e ,

the s un, and b y ni ght to the sting ing o f myriad s o f m usqfiitoe s ;

a nd that d uring all this tim e the chil d had nothing to e at, b ut

w as w hipp e d d ail y . The chil d to l d the s ame s tory to Dr,

M cDo w ell .
”

From the Carroll County M iss issippian, M ay 4th, 1 844 .

C omm itted to j ail

in this pl ac e , o n the 2 9 th of April l ast, a
r unaw ay sl ave nam e d Creesy , and says she b el o ng s to illiam W
B arro w , o f C arr oll co unty , Mississippi S aid w o man is s to ut .

buil t, five feet fo ur inches hi gh, and appears to b e abo ut

t w e nty y e ars o f ag e ; s he has a b and o f iro n o n e ach ank l e , and
a trace chain aro und her nec k , fastened w ith a c o mm o n p ad

l o ck .

J N . S P EN CE R , Jail er
M ay 1 5 , 1 844 .

T he S avannah . Ga Rep ublic an of the 1 3 th of M arch,

 A PP E N D I X 1 43
‘

1 845 , c o ntains an ad vertise m ent, o ne item of which is as fol

l ow s

O
“
Al so , at the same tim e and pl ace , the fo ll o wing neg ro

sl aves , to Charl es , Pegg y , Anto nnett, Davy , S ep tem ber ,

w it :

M aria , Jenny , and Isaac — l evied o n as the p ro perty o f Henry

T Hall , to satis fy a m ortg ag e 11 fia iss ued o ut o f McInto sh
. . .

S upe rio r C o urt, in fairo r o f the bo ard o f d irec to rs o f the Theo

log ical S eminary f the
o Synod o f S outh Ca r o l ina and Geor g ia ,
3 . s aid He nry T Hall . C o nditio ns , cash .

C O N E AL , Deputy S heriff,
.
’
M . c .

In the M aco n (Geo rg ia) T el egraph, ”

M ay 2 8, is the fo l
l ow ing
A bo ut the firs t o f March l as t, the ne gro m an RAN S O M l eft
m e , w itho ut the l e ast pro voc ation w hatever I w ill g ive a .

1; 2 0 d ol l ars fo r said negro , if take n DE AD or A L I V E ,

r e w ard o f $

and if kill ed in any attem p t an ad vance o f 5 w ill be p aid .

B R Y AN T JO H N S ON .

Craw ford Co .
,
Ga .

From the Apal ac hico l a Gaze tte, M ay 9 .

O N E H U N D RE D AN D FIFT Y DO LLA R S R E W A RD . R anaw ay

fro m m y pl antatio n on the 6 th inst .
, three ne gr o m en, al l of

d ark co m pl e xio n .

B ILL is b
a o ut fi ve fe et four inches high, ag ed ab o ut
tw e nty - six , a scar o n his upp er l ip , al so o ne on his shoul d er ,

and has b een bad ly cut on his ar m ; sp e aks quick and b roke m
and a v eno m o us l ook .

DAN I EL is b
a o ut the sam e height, c hunky and w el l s et,

b ro ad , fi at m o uth, w ith pl e asing co unten

aance , r ather inclined

to s ho w his te e th w hen talking , no p artic ul ar m arks re c ol

l e c te d , a b
g e d a o u t tw e nty
-
three .

N O A H is ab o ut s ix fe et three or fo ur inche s high, tw enty

e ig ht ears o l d W ith r ather a d o w n, im pud e nt l oo k , ins ol ent in
y ,

his d isco urse , with a l arg e mark on hi s breast , a g oo d ma ny

1 44 A PP EN DIX .

l ar g e scars , cause d b y the w hip , on his b ack has been shot in f

the back of his a rm w ith sm al l sho t . T he abo ve rew ard w ill b e ,

paid to any o ne w ho will KIL L the three , or fifty for e ither o ne ,

o r tw enty d ol l ars apiece for them d el ivered to m e at m y pl an

tatio n al ive , o n Chattahoo chie , E arl y c ounty .

J MCDON AL D
. .

From the Al ab amaB eacon, June 1 4, 1 845 .

R anaw ay , o n the 1 5th o f M ay , fr om m e , a negro w o man

nam ed Fanny . S aid w om an is tw enty ye ars o l d ; is rathe r
ta ll , can re ad and w rite , and so fo rg e p asses for herself . C ar
r ied aw ay w ith her a p air o f e ar rings , a B ibl e w ith
-
a red

co ve r , isy p i
ver
o us S he ra
p y s a g r
. eat d eal ,
a nd w as , as s u p
p ose d , c ontente d and happy S he is as w hite as m o st w hite
.

w o m en, w ith s traig ht light hair , and bl ue e yes , and can pass
hersel f for a w hi te w om an I w ill give five hund red d oll ars
.

for her apprehensio n and d elive ry to m e S he is very inte lli .

~

g e nt . JOHN B AL C H .

T uscal oo sa , M ay , 2 9 , 1 845 .

Fro m the N . 0 Co mm ercial Bul l etin, Sept 3 0

. . .

T E N DO LLA R S R E W A R D — Ranaw ay fr om the . b b

s u scri ers ,

on the 1 5 th o f l as t month, the neg ro man Charl es , ab o ut 45

y ears o f age , 5 fee t 6 inches high ; r ed co m pl e xion has had ,

the upp er l id of his r ig ht eye to m, and a scar on his for ehead

s pe aks E nglis h o nl y , and s tutters w hen s

p oken to he had on

w hen he l eft, a n i r on co l l ar , the p r on

gs o f which he br o ke o f
befor e absco nd in
g . T he b
a o ve r e w ard w ill be p aid for the
arre st o f s aid sl ave . W . E . R . M URPH Y ,
1 3 2 Old R aisin .

From the N 0 Bee, O ct 5 . . . .

Ranaw ay from the re sid ence o f M essrs . F B unco m

. Co .
,

the ne gro Franc o is , ag e d from 2 5 to 3 0 years , b

a o ut 5 fee t 1
inch in he ig ht ; the upp er fr ont teeth ar e m issing he had
ehai n: o n both of his l eg s , dressed w ith a kind of bl o use mad e of
 A PP ENDIX . 1 45

s ackcl oth A propo rtio nate rew ard w il l be g ive n to w hoever

:
-

w ill bring him b ack to the b akery , N o 74 , Bo ur b o n s tr eet

”
. .

Fro m the N O Picay une

. . o f S und ay , De c 1 7
. _ .

C O CK — B enefi t f Fire Comp any N o 1 , q ayette.

'
-
Pr r '
. o .

A c ock—fight
w il l take pl ac e o n S und ay , the 1 7 th inst , at .

the w ell kno w n ho use o f the s ub s crib er

-
A s the e ntire pro .

ce ed s are fo r the b e nefit o f the fire c o m p any , a ful l attend ance

is resp e c tfull
y s o lic ited . A DA M I S R A N G .

”
Cor ner f
o Josep hine and Tchoup itol as str eets , q ayette .

From the N O Picayune . . .

U
T R KE Y S H OO T IN G — T his d ay , Dec 1 7 , from 1 0 o cl o ck ,
.
’
.

M , until 6 o cl o ck , P M , and the fo ll o w ing S und ays , at

’
A . . . .

M Do no ughvill e ,
’
o pp o site the S ec o nd M unic ip ality Ferry .
”

T he x
ne t is an ad vertis ement fro m the N ew Orl eans Bee , an

e quall y p o p ul ar p aper .

A B ULL F I G H T , b etw een a ferocious b ull and a num er o f b

d o gs , w ill take pl ace o n S und ay ne xt, at 421 o cl ock , P ’
. M .
, on

the o ther s id e o f the river , at Al giers , o pp o site C anal str ee t .

A fter the bull

fig ht, a fight w il l take pl ac e b e tw e en a b e ar and
s om e d o s
g T h e w ho l e to.c o nc l ud e b y a c o m b at b e tw een an

ass and se veral d o s

g .

Am ateurs bringing d o g s to particip ate in the fight w ill b e

“

ad mitte d
g ratis . Ad mittance — Bo xes , 50 cts Pit, 3 0 c ts . .

T he spe ctacl e w il l be rep e ate d every S und ay , w e athe r p erm it

ting . PE PE LLULLA .

The fo l l owing is fro m the Christian Ind ex, p ubli she d at Pe n

fi el d , G a
“
E xe cur o ns ' ’
S ALE —
. Wil l be sol d at the l ate re sid ence of Jes .

se Pe rk ins, d e cease d , l ate of Greene co unty ,

on Wed nesd ay, the
l st of M arch x
fol l owing pro perty , v 1 z
ne t. the

All en, abo ut 3 0 y ears o l d ; C l aib orn, 25 5 Dic k , 2 5 ; And erso n,

 A PP ENDIX .

2 0 ; Asa, 1 5 ; Israel , 1 4 ; H arrison, 1 3 ; N athan, 1 3 ; Sirena, 1 4 ;

Ad al ine , 1 2 a nd Wesl ey , 10 .

“
Al so , s to c k o f ho gs , s to c k o f c attl e, horses, co rn, fo d d er and

o ats, pl antatio n tool s, &c .

“
Al l so l d as the pro pe rty of the s aid Je sse Pe rkins, d ece ase d ,
u nd e r his l as t wil l , in o rd e r to m ak e a divisio n am o ng the l ega
te es o f sai d estate . Term s on d ay of sal e .

VINCE N T S ANFOR D,
Ex ’
rs f
’

N I CHOL AS PE RKIN S,
Jan .

The sal e o f a o ut o ne b hund re d and sixty negroe s , 44 m ul es

and horse s, 2 50 o r 3 00 p o r k ho gs stock ho gs c attl e c orn fo d d er
, , , , ,

o ats,
p l antation to ol s , c o o k ing utensil s & c & c w il l co m m ence
, .
, .
,

on Frid ay, the l 0th o f Dece mber, a t the pl antatio n o f Jo hn Jo ne s

d ec e a se d , ne ar Wars aw , S um te r c o unty .

The sal e w il l b e c o ntinue d on M o nd ay, 1 3 th o f Dece m ber, at

the l ate resid enc e o f Jo hn Jo ne s , d e cease d , in Greene c ounty

s ay one hund r ed and fourteen or fifteen neg roes, 3 3 m ul e s and ho rses ,

k x
7 yo e o f o en, p or ho g s, stoc k
ho g s, cattl e , ro ad w a go n, o x k -

w a go n, horse carts, c art wheel s, c o tton gins, co rn, fo dd e r, o ats,

- - -

pl anta tion tool s, 65 0 .

T he te r m s o f s al e , tw el ve m o nths cre dit . N o te s w ith tw o ap

interest to b e a dd ed fro m All s um s un

p ro ve d securitie s s al e .

/
d er $ 2 0, c ash . WIL LI AM JON E S , JR
JO HN P E V AN S , .

Bum ( Aha ) Whig .

$ 1 00 RE W A R D — Will b e given for the apprehension o f m y

ne gr o ( 1) E d m und Kenney He has straig ht ha ir and 60 11 1 .
,

p l exio n so n ear l y W H ITE , tha t it i s b el iev e d a s tr a ng er w o u l d

s up p o se ther e was 71 0 Afri can bl oo d i n him H e w a s w ith m y .

b o y Dic k a sho rt tim e sinc e in N o rfol k and ofi ered him for sal e , ,

a nd w as apprehend e d , b ut e sc a pe d und e r p re te nce of being 3.

WHITE M AN . AN DE R S O N BO W L E S .
”

x R ichmond Whig , 6th Jan , 1 83 6 .

$ 5 0 R E W AR D wi l l b e giv en fo r the apprehe nsio n and d el ive ry

to m e o f the fo l l o w ing sl aves : S am uel , and Jud y his wife, wi th
 A PP EN DIX . 1 47

their fo ur chil d ren, b el o ng ing to the e state o f S ac er k Dubb e rl y ,

d eceased .

1 w il l g ive ten d oll ars fo r the apprehensio n o f William Dub

berl y, a sl ave be l o ngin g to the estate Will iam i s ab out nine .

te e n years o l d , ! UI TE WH ITE , a nd w oul d no t re ad il

y b e m is
k
ta en fo r a sl ave . JO HN T L AN E ”
. .

N ewham Sp ectator, 1 3 th M an ia, 1 83 7 .

R e w a an — R an aw ay fro m the sub sc rib e r, a brig ht

.

m ul atto m an sl ave, na m e d S a m L ig ht sand y hair, bl ue ey es, .

rud d y comp l exion — is so W H ITE a s e a sil y to p ass fo r a free

W H ITE M AN . E DW IN PE C K .

M obil e, April 2 2 , 1 83 7 .

$ 50 R E W A R D I w ill g ive the ab o ve re w ard o f fifty d o L

.
—
l ars fo r the appre hensio n and se curing in any j ail , s o that I g e t
him a g ain, o r d el ivering to m e in Da ndr id g e, E T enne sse e , m y .

m ul atto b o y nam e d Pre sto ii , abo ut tw e nty ye ars o l d It is s up .

po se d he Wil l try to pass a s a fr ee WH ITE M AN .

O ct 1 2 ,
. JO HN R O PE R .

R AN A W A Y fro m the s ubscribe r, w o r ing o n the pl antatio n k

of Co l o nel H k
Tin e r, a b ri ght m ul atto b o y na m e d Al fre d
‘

. Al .

fre d is ab o ut e ighte en ye a rs o f a g e , p re tty wel l gr o w n, has bl ue

eyes, lig ht fi a x en hair, skin d is osed to fr eckl e
p H e w il l try to p a ss .

a s FRE E BO R N . S G S E W AR . . T T .

Gre ene C
ounty, Al ab am a .

T
N O ICE The s ub scrib e r , l iving o n
. arro w ay L a e , o n C k .

C
Ho e s Bayo u, in arro l l Parish, si teen m il es o n the ro a d l e ad
’
x
ing fro m Bayo u M aso n to L ak e Prov id enc e , is rea d y wi th a p e e k
o f d o g s to hunt runa w ay ne g ro es a t a ny tim e T hese d o g s a re .

k
w e l l trained , a nd a re no wn thr o ugho ut the pa ri sh L e tters ad .

d re s sed to m e at Pro vi d ence wil l sec ure im m e di ate a ttentio n .

M y term s are fi ve d o l l ars pe r d a y fo r huntin g the trail s , w he th

e r the ne gro i s cau ght o r no t W here a tw el ve ho ur s trail is
.
’

k
s ho w n a nd the ne g ro no t ta e n, no c ha r g e is m a d e For ta ing . k
a ne gro , twe nty hy e d o l l ars, a nd no c ha rg e m a d e fo r hunting
-
.

JA ME S W . HA LL .

The a bove a d v e rtisem ent we c ut fro m the M ad ison Journal ,

pu bl ished in Richm o nd , L a .
, N o v 2 6, 1 847
. .
1 48 A PPE NDIX .

The foll o w ing a d verti em ent s is fro m the Charl eston S C , Co u

. . o

t ier, of Feb 1 2 , 1 83 5
.

FIE LD NE G R O E S
By Tho mas . ad sd en O n Tuesd ay, the G .

1 7 th i nst Wil l b e s o l d , at the no rth o f the E x chang e, at te ti

.

o cl o ck , A M a p rim e g ang o f ten neg roes, ac custo m e d to the

’
. .

c ul ture o f co tto n and p ro visio ns , b el o nging t o the Ind e pend e nt

Church, in C hrist s Church Parish ”

’
. Feb 6th . .

In 1 83 3 , the Rev Dr Furm an, . . of North C arolina ,

ad dr e sse d

a l engthy co mm unic atio n to the Governor o f that S tate e xpress , ,

m g the se ntim ents o f the B ap tist church and cl e rg y o n the sub

j
ect o f sl av ery . This brief e xtract co ntains the e sse nce o f the

w hol e The right o f hol ding sl aves is c l earl y e stabl ishe d in

the Ho l y Scrip tures, bo th b y precep t and exam pl e .
”

N o t l o ng a fte r, Dr Furm an died

. . His l e g al repre sentative

thus a d v ertis e s hi s p roperty :

N OTICE . February next, w il l b e p ut

O u the hrst M o nd ay of

up at p ublic auction, before the co urt house, the fol l owing p rop erty,
b el onging to the estate of the l ate R ev Dr FUR M AN , viz : r . .
-

A pl antatio n o r tract o f l and o n and i n the Wataree S w am p .

A tra ct o f the hr st quality of fi ne l and , on the w a ters o f Bl ac k

R i ver . A l ot of l and in the to wn C am d e n
of . A L i fixa ny of

a m iscell ane ous character, Chi e fly THE OLOGI CAL

-

. T WE N TY - E
S V EN

N e e no s s , s o m e of them ve ry prim e Two m ul es,

. o ne horse , an d
”
an ol d w a g on .

E XTRACTS FR OM T HE AME RICAN S LA VE

CODE .

T he foll owing are m o stl y b

a rid g ed s el ectio ns fro m the s tat

utes of the sl ave s tates and of the Unite d S tate s . They give
 APPE N D IX . 1 49

b ut a faint view o f the cruel o ppression to w hi ch the sl av e s are

su bj ect , b ut a s tro ng dne e noug h, it is tho ught , to fill every

ho nest he art w i th a d ee p a bhorrence of the atro cio us s ystem .

Most o f the important provisio ns here cited , though pl ac e d

”

und er the name o f onl y o ne state , prevail in ne arl y all the

states , w ith slig ht variatio ns in l ang uag e , and so m e d iversity in
the p e nal tie s . T he e xtracts have b een m ad e in p art fro m
S tro ud ’
s S ke tch o f the S l ave Law s , but chie fly fro m autho rized
e d itions o f the statute b ooks referred to , fo und in the Phil ad e l
hi L w Library As the co m pil er has had
‘

p a a . no t ac c e ss to

m any of the l ater e nac tm ents o f the s everal s tates , ne arl y alI

he has c ite d are ac ts o f an earlier d ate than that o f the pre sent
anti—sl av ery m ovement, so that their s everity c anno t b e asc rib e d

to its influence .

T he cardinal p rinc ipl e o f sl avery , that the sl ave is no t to b e

ranked am o ng sentient being s , b ut am ong thing s —1 is -
an articl e

o f pro p erty , a chattel perso nal

— o btains as und o u bted l aw in
al l the sl ave states * — S tr o ud ’s Sketch 22
, p
. . .

T he d o mi nion o f the mas ter is as unl imited as is that w hich

is tol erated b y the l aw s o f any civil ized co untry in re l ation to
b rute animal s — to quad rup eds ; to use the w ord s o f the civi .

l aw —I h 2 4
. . .

S l ave s c anno t even co ntract m atrimo ny xf— Ih 6 1 . .

LO UI S I AN A . A sl ave is o ne w ho is in the p o w er of his

m aster , to w hom he b el ongs . The m aster m ay sel l him , d is
po se his p erso n, his
of ind ustry and his l ab o r he can d o
nothing , p o sse ss no thing , nor acquire anything , but w hat m ust
b el ong to his master — Civil Code, Art 3 5 . . .

* 1n acco rd ance with this doetrine, an act of M aryl and, 1 79 8, enume rates

am o ng articl es o f p ro p erty ,
“
s l a ves ,wo r king beasts , a nima l s o f a ny kind ,
” —
s to ck, f u r ni tu re, p l a te, a nd so f o r th . I6 2 3 . .

TA sl ave is no t ad m o nished for incontinence, punished for ad ul tery , no r

p ro secuted for b igam y . Atto rney G ener a l of M a r yl a nd , M d . R ep . Vol I .

56 1 .
1 50 A PP E N D IX .

S l aves are inc apabl e of inheriting or transmitting pro perty.

Civil Co de , A rt 9 45 ;
-
. al so Ar t 1 75 ,
. and Code of P r actice,
A rt 1 03
. .

M ar tin ’
s Dig est, Act of June 7 , 1 806 . S l ave s shal l al ways
i

be repute d and c o nsid ered real e state ; shal l be as s uc h s ub

ject to b e m o rtg ag ed , accord ing to the rul es pre scri ed by l aw , b

and the shall b e se ized and s ol d as re al e state —4Vo l I
y . . .
, p .

612 .

B ig . S tat S ec 1 3 — N o
. . o w ner o f sl ave s shal l hire his
s l ave s to them s el ves , und er a p enal ty o f tw enty
-
five d oll ars for
Vo l I
'

e ach o fi ence . -
. .
, p . 1 02 .

S ec 1 5 — N o sl ave
. . c an p o ssess anything in his o wn right,
d isp o se o f his o w n ind ustry , w itho ut the co n;
or o f the pro d uce
s e nt o f his m aster .
-
p . 1 03 .

S e c .1 6 f N o sl ave c an b e p arty in a civil suit, o r w itness

.

in a civil o r c rim inal matter , ag ains t any white p erso n p 1 03 . . .

S ee a lso Civil Co de, Art 1 1 7 , p 2 8 . . .

S ec 1 8 .
— A slave s s ub ordinatio n to his m as ter is suscep ti
’
.

bl e o f no r e strictio n, (e xcept in w hat incites to crime , ) and he

o w es to him _
and all his famil y , resp ec t W itho ut b o unds , and

b
a s ol ute o b edienc e .
p . 1 03 .

S ec 2 5 — E very sl ave fo und

. . on ho rs eb ack . Witho ut a writ
te n p ermis sio n from hi s m as ter , shall re ceive twenty -
hy e
l ashes — p 1 05
. . .

S ec 3 2 — A ny freehold er m ay seize and correct any sl ave

‘

. .

fo und ab sent fro m hi s usual pl ace o f work o r resid ence , w ith

o ut s o m e w hite p erso n, and if the sl ave r e sist o r try to esca e , p
he m ay us e arm s , and if the sl ave
"
assaul t and
’

strike him , he
my kil l the sl
a
p 1 09 ave . —
’

. .

S ec . 3 5 — It is l aw ful to fire
. upon runaw ay negro es w ho
are arm e d , and ne on tho se w ho ; w hen p ursued , refuse to s ur ~

r end er . — p 1 09 . .

The l egal m eaning of as saul t is to jer to d o personal

'

a viol ence.
 A PP E N D IX . 1 51

S ec 3 8 — N o
. . m ay b uy , s ell , o r e xchange any kind
sl ave

of g oods, or hol d any b o at , o r b ring up for his o w n use any

ho rs e s o r cattl e , und er a p enal ty o f forfeiting the w hol e — p . .

1 10 .

S e c 7 — S l aves
. . or free c o l o re d p erso ns are p unishe d w ith

d eath fo r w il full y b urning or d e stroyi ng any stack o f pro d uc e o r

an y b uil ding p 1 15
.
-
. .

S ec . 1 5 — T he p unishm e nt o f a sl ave fo r striking a w hite

.

shall b e fo r the first a nd s ec o nd c henee s at the d isere

'

p erso n,
tio n o f the co urt ,
*
b ut no t e xtend ing to life or lim b , and for the
third o f
fence d eath b ut for grievo usl y w o unding or m util ating
a w hite p erso n, d eath for the fir s t o ffence ; pro vid ed , if the
bl o w or w o und is g iven in d efe nce o f the perso n o r p r op er ty of
his m aster , o r the p ers on having charg e o f him , he is e ntire l y

justified .

A ct of Feb 2 2 , 1 824 , S ee 2 — A s l ave for wil full y s triking

. . .

his m aste r o r mis tress , o r the child o f either , o r his w hi te o vers

s eer , s o as to cause a bruise or shedd ing of b l o od , shal l be p un
ished with d eath — p 1 2 5 . . .

Act of M ar ch 6 , 1 8 1 9 — A ny p erson . c utting or breaking

any iro n chain o r co ll ar used to prevent the e sc ape o f sl ave s ,
s hall b e fine d no t l e ss than tw o hund red d o ll ars , no r m ore
than o ne tho us and d o ll ars , and be imii riso ned no t m or e
than tw o e a
y rs no r l ess than six m onths — p . . 64 o f the

sess io n .

L aw of Ja nuary 8 , 1 81 3 , S ee 7 1 — All sl ave s s entenced to . .

d e ath o r p erp etual im prisonm ent, in virtue o f e xisting l aw s ,

" '

s hal l b e p aid fo r o ut o f the p ublic treas ury , p rovid e d the s um

p ai d shall no t e ce ed x 3 3 00 for e ach sl ave .

L aw of M ar ch 1 6 , 1 83 0, S ec 9 3 — T he state tre asurer shal l . .

ay the o wners the val ue o f all sl aves w ho se p unishment has

p

j
'

A co urt for the trial of sl aves co ns ists of o ne us tice o f the peace, and three
free hol d ers , and the j
us tice and o ne free hold e r, i . e .
,
o ne ha lf the c ou rt , ma y
s amnet, thoug h two m e jo r a cquitta l M a m n s Dig I 646
' ’
’
the other .
-
,
. .
 A PP E N D I X .

b een ho mm uted fro m that of d eath to that of impriso nment for

life , &c .

If any sl ave shall happ en to b e sl ain for re fusing to s urrend er

him or herself, co ntrary to l aw , or in unl awful l y re sistin

g any

o fiicer o r o ther er s o n w ho s hall ap prehe nd , o r end eavor to

p ,

appre he nd ,
s uc h sl av e o r sl ave s , &c .
, s uch o fiiee r or o ther

s on so kil l ing such s la ve as afor esaid , m aking resi stance,

“

p er

shal l be , and he is b y this act, ind em nifi ed , fro m any pros

ec utio n for such kil ling afo resaid , &c —M ar land L aws , act
.
y
of 1 7 5 1 , chap §9 .

A nd b y the neg ro act o f 1 740, of S o uth Carolina , it is

'

d ecl ared
If any sl ave , w ho s hall be o ut o f the ho use l i ?
'

or p antat on
w here s uc h sl ave shall live , or shall he u ual l y e mpl o ye d , o r
s
w itho ut s om e w hite p erso n in co m p any With s uch sl ave , s hall

f to und erg o the e aminatio n of x h

“

r e us e to s ubm it an w ite p er
y
s o n, it shall b e l awful for s uch w hite p erso n to pursue , appre
hend , and m o d eratel y co rrec t s uch sl ave and if s uc h sl ave
"
; ?

s hall assaul t and s trike w hi te p ers o n, s uch sl ave may b e

such

lawful ly kil led ” — 2 B r evar d s D ig est, 2 3 1

’
.

M I S S I S S IPPI Chap t 9 2 , S ec 1 1 0 — Penal ty for any

. . . .

sl ave o r fr eep ers on e xercising the functio ns o f a min

col ore d

ister o f the g o sp el , thir ty—nine l ashes ; b ut any m aste r m ay per

mit hi s sl ave to p reach o n his o w n p remise s , no sl aves b ut his
o w n b eing perm itted to assem bl e — Di es t of S tat , p 7 70
g . . . .

A ct of June 1 8, 1 82 2 , S ee 2 1 — N o ne gro o r m ul atto can . .

be a w itness in any case , e xcept ag ainst neg roe s or m ul attoe s .

— 7
49 N ew Cod e, 3 7 2
p . .
-
.

S ec . 25 . Any m aster l ice nsing his sl ave to g o at l arge

and trad e as a fre em an, shall forfeit fifty d oll ars to the s tate for
the lit erary fund .

T enal ty for te aching a sl ave to re ad , impris onm e nt o ne ye ar .

Fo r using l anguag e having a tend ency to pro m o te dis co ntent

am ong fr ee col ore d l insub ord ination am ong sl aves
‘

o
p p e,
e or
,
 A PP E N D I X . 1 53

im priso nm ent at har d l abor , no t l ess tha n thre e , nor m ore than
tw enty o ne s

years , or DE h T H , at the d iscretio n o f the co urt .

L M Child s Ap peal , p 7 0
’
~ . .
. .

S ec 2 6 — It is l awful for any perso n, and the d uty o f eve ry

. .

herifl , d eputy sherifl , coro ner and co nstabl e to apprehend any

' '
-

sl aveg o ing at l arg e , or hired o ut b y him , or herself, and ta e k

him o r her b efore a j ustice o f the p e ac e , w ho shal l im p ose a

pe nal ty o f not l e ss than tw enty d o ll ars , nor m ore than fifty d o l

l ars , on the ow ner , w ho has p ermitted s uch sl av e to do so»
‘

S ec 3 2 . . Any ne gro or m ul atto , for using b

a usiv e l an
g uag e , o r lifting his hand in o pp ositio n to a ny w hite perso n,

( xcept
e in se lf- d efenc e ag ainst a w anton ass aul t, ) sha ll , on

p r oo f of the of
fence by o ath o f s uc h pers o n, rece ive s uch

p unishment as a j ustice o f the p eace not e xce ed ing m ay o rd er ,

thi rty nine l as he s
-
.

S ec 4 1 — Fo rbid s the hol d ing o f c attl e , sheep or ho gs b y

.

sl av es , ev en w ith consent o f the m as ter , und er e nal t o f fo

p y r .

feiture , half to the co unty , and half to the info r mer .

S ec 42 — Fo rbid s a sl ave kee ping a d o g , und er a penal ty

.

o f tw enty five s trip es ; and re quires any m as ter w ho p erm its it

-

to p ay a fine of hy e d oll ars , and make g o o d all d am ag es d o ne

by s uch d og .

S ec . 43 Forbid s sl aves c ul tivating c otto n for their ow n

use , and im po s es a fine of fifty d oll ars o n the m aster o r ov er

se erw ho perm its it .

Revised Co d e E very negro or m ul atto fo und in the state ,

.

b
not a l e to sho w him sel f e ntitl e d to fre e d om , m ay b e so l d as a

sl ave . p 3 89
-
The o w ner o f any pl antation, o n w hich a
. .

sl ave c om es w itho ut w ritten l e ave fro m his m aste r , and no t o n

l awful business , m ay inflict ten l as hes for every s uc h o ffenc e .

p 3
. 7 1 .

A LABAM A — Aiken s Dig est

’
. . T it S l aves ,
. S ec 3 1
. .

Fo r attemp ting to teach any free col ored pe rso n, o r sl ave ,

to
1 54 A PP EN D IX .

s
p el l , r e ad o r wr ite , a hue o f no t l e ss than tw o hund red and

fi fty d o l l ars , no r m o re than hy e hund re d d o l l ars — p 3 9 7 . .

S ec 3 5 . and 36 . Any free co l or e d

perso n fo und w ith sl aves
in a kitc he n, o utho us e o r ne gro quarter , w itho ut a written p er
m is sio n fro m the m as ter o r o vers eer o f s aid sl av es , and any

sl ave fo und w itho ut s uch p er m issio n w ith a fre e ne g ro o n his

m i e s , shal l rec eive fifte en l as hes for the first ofi e nc e , and
r
r e s
p
thirty nine -
fo r b
e ach s u s e que nt o ffe nce to b e inflic te d b y m as
ter , o v erse er , o r m e m b e r o f any p atro l c om p a hyp 3 97
.
— . .

Toulm in ’
s D ig est .
— N o sl ave c an be e m anc ip ate d b ut b y a

sp ecial ac t o f the Le g isl ature p 62 3 . . .

A c t Jah . 1 st , 1 82 3 — A uthoriz es an a g ent to be app ointe d

b y the g o v e rno r o f the state , to s el l for the benefi t of the state

all p erso ns o f co l o r b roug ht into the Uriited S tates and w ithin

the j urisd ic tio n of A l ab am a , co ntrary to the l aws of co ng ress

p r o hibitin
g the sl ave tr ad e
p 643 .
-
.

G E O RG I A — P r ince s D ig est Ac t Dec; 1 9 , 1 8 1 8

’
. Pen . .

al ty fo r any free p erso n o f co l o r (e x c e pt r e g ul arl y articl ed Seaz /

'

m en) co ming into the s tate , a fi ne o f o ne hundre d d o l l ars , and

on fail ure o f p aym ent to be s o l d as a sl ave — 46 5

.
p . .

Pe nal ty fo r p erm itting a sl ave to l ab o r o r d o b usine ss fo r .

hi ms e l f, e xc ep t o n his m as ter s p remis es , thirty d o l lars p er

’

w ee k p 45 7
. . .

No sl ave c an be a p arty to a ny s uit ag ainst a w hite m an,

e xc ep t o n cl aim o f his fre e d o m , a nd ever
y co l or ed p er s o n is p r e
s um ed to be a sl ave, unl ess he ca n p r o ve him seiffree p 4 46 . . .

A c t Dec . 13 , 1 7 9 2 — Fo rbid s the asse m bl ing o f neg ro es

und er /re te nc e o f divine w o rship , c o ntrary to the t reg ul ating

p ”
ac

p atro l s , p 3 42 .T his . act p r o vid es that any j ustice of the

p e ac e m ay dis p ers e any as s e m bl y o f sl aves w hich m ay e nd an

g er the p eac e ; and e very sl ave fo und at s uc h m eeting s hal l

rece iv e , w itho ut tr ial , tw e nty fiv e s tri e s —
p p 447
-
. . .

A ny p erso n w ho s ee s mo re than seven men sl aves w itho ut

 A PP E ND I X . 1 55

any w hite p ers o n, in a high road , m ay w hip each sl ave twenty

l ashes . p 454 . .

A ny sl ave w ho harb ors a runaw ay , m ay suffer p unishm ent

to any ex tent, no t a ffecting l ife o r l imb p 452 .
-
. .

S O U T H C A RO LI N A — B r evar d s D ig est — S l aves shal l

’ ‘

'

. .

b e d ee me d s o l d , take n, reputed , and adj ud g e d in l aw to b e

”
chattel s p er so nal in the hand s of their o w ners and p o s s e sso rs ,

and x
their e ec utors , ad m inistrato rs , and ass ig ns , to a ll intents ,
co nstructi o ns and p urp oses whatever V o l ii , p 2 2 9
'

. . . . .

A c t o f 1 740, in the pre amb l e , s tate s that m any o w ners of

s l ave s and o thers that have the m anag eme nt of them do co n

fi ne the mso cl o sely to har d l abor , that they have no t su fi ci ent

”
t ime f o r natur al r est, and e nac ts that no s l av e shal l be c om

p ell ed l ab or m o re than fifteen ho urs in the tw e nty fo ur , fro m

'

to -

M arch 2 5th to S e p t 2 5th, . or f

our teen in the tw enty- four fo r the

r e st o f the ye ar . Pe nal ty from to £2 0 .

- Vo l ii .
p 243 .
, . .

sl ave
! Y et , in s everal of the ~
s tate s , the tim e o f w ork fo r
~

cr imina l s w ho se p unishm ent is hard l a o r , is eig ht ho urs a d ay

-

b
for three m o nths ; nine ho urs for tw o m onths , and ten for the
“

r est o f the e
y ra .
]
A sl ave e nd e avo ring to entice ano ther sl ave to run aw ay , if
‘

pro visio n b e prep ared for the p urpo se o f aid ing or abe tting such
-

fer d eath —p p 2 3 3 and 2 44

e nd e avor , shall s uf . . .

Penal ty for cr uell y scalding o r burning a sl ave , c utting o ut

his to ng ue , p utting o ut his e ye , o r d ep riving him o f any l im
'

b ,

a hue of £ 1 00 . For b eating w ith a hor se w hip ,

-
c o w - skin ,

s witc h o r s m all stic k , or p utting iro ns o n, or impriso ning

‘

al ty o r r o hibitio n —
l
s ave , no p en p p 2 41 . . .

A ny p erso n w ho , having l aw ful authority d o so , shal l

'

no t to
b eat a sl ave , so as to d isabl e him fro m wor king , shal l p ay
fifte e n d ay to the o wner , fo r the sl ave l o s t time ,
’
s hil li ng s a s

and the c harg e o f his c ure .

-
pp 2 3 1 . and 232 .

A sl ave cl aim ing his free d o m m ay s ue fo r it b y s o m e friend

w ho W il l ac t as g uardian, b ut if the ac tion b e j ud ged gro und ,
1 56 A PP E N DIX .

l e ss , s aid g uard ian shall a

p y d ouble costs o f suit, and h
suc

d am ag es to the o w ner as the c o urt m ay d ecid e .

-
p 2 60
. .

A ny as se m bl y o f sl aves or free col ored in a secret or

”

perso ns ,—

c o nfi he d pl ac e , fo r m ental instruction, (even if w hite persons

ar e p rese nt , is an un l awful m e e ting , and m ag istrate s m us t d is

pe rse it, breaking d oors if ne cessa

ry , and m ay inflict twenty
la shes up o n each sl ave o r col o re d p e rs o n p rese nt.
pp . 2 54
and 2 55 .

M e etings for r eligio us w orship , before s unrise , or afte r 9

l
o cl ock , P . M .
, unl ess a m aj ority are w hite p erso ns , are fo rbid
d en and magi strates are re quire d to dispe rs e them — p 2 6 1 . .

A sl ave w ho l ets l o o se any b o at fro m the pl ac e w here the

fi thirty :
'

o w ner has fastene d it, for the first o ence sha ll r eceive

the seco nd sha l l have one ear out ofi .

’
nine lashes , and f or p .

James Dig est Penal ty for kil li ng a sl ave , o n sudd en heat

’
.

of p assio n , o r by und ue corr ection, a fine of 5 00 and impris

o nm ent no t o ver s ix m o nths — p 3 9 2 . . .

N O RTH CA R O LIN A — Haywood s M anual

’
. .
—Ac t of
”

"

1 7 9 8, S ee . 3 , e nac ts , that the kill ing of a sl ave shall be

p unishe d like that o f a free m an ex cep t in the case o f a sl ave

fi
'

o ut la wed , o r a sl ave o ering r es ist his m as ter , orx a sl ave

*
-
to
d ying m o d er ateco rrection — p 5 3 0
under . . .

Act o f 1 79 9 Any sl ave s e t free , e xcept for m eritorio us

.

s ervice s , to be j
ad ud g e d o f b y the c o unty co urt, m ay b e se ized

by any freeho l d er , co mmitted to j ail , a nd sold to the hig hest bid

d er sl p 52 5 . .

Patr o l s are no t liabl e to the m aste r fo r p unishing his sl ave ,

unl ess their co nd uct cl e arl y sho w s malice ag ainst the mas ter .

— Hawk’s Re s , vo l i ,
p p 41 8 . . . .

g A sl ave may b e o ut l awed when he runs away , conceal s himself, and , to sus
-

tain l ife , k ill s a hog , o r any animal of the cattle k ind — H ay wo od s M a nua l ,
’
.

p 52 1
. .

f In South Carol ina, a ny person m ay seize such freed man and k eep him as

his p roperty .
 A PP E N D I X . 1 57

TE NNE S S EE . Stat L aw , Chap 5 7 , S ec 1 — Penal ty

. . . .

on m aster fo r hiring to any sl ave his own tim e , a fine o f no t

l ess than o ne d o ll ar no r m ore than tw o d o l l ars a d ay , half to

the inform er —
.
p.

C hap 2 , S ec. . 1 02 — N o. s l ave can be em ancipated b ut on

co nditio n o f imm ed iatel y rem o ving fr om the state , and the p e r

s on em ancipating shall g ive b ond in a sum e qual to the sl ave

’
, s

v al ue , have him r e m o ve d . —
to p 2 79 . .

L aws of 1 81 3 . Chap . 3 5 — Ih the

. trial o f sl aves , the
s heriff c ho oses the co urt, w hich m ust co nsist o f three j ustices
and tw el ve s laveho ld er s to serve as urors j .

A RK A N S A S — Rev . . S tat .
, S ec . 4, r e quires the p atro l
to visit all pl aces suspe cted o f unl awful assem bl ag es o f sl ave s
and s ec . 5 provid es that any sl ave fo und at s uch asse m bl y , or
s tro lling b
a o ut w itho ut ap ass , shal l r eceive any num be r of

l ashes , at the discretio n o f the p atrol , no t exceeding t we nty .

p 6 04
. .

MI S S OURI . L aws , I Any m aster m ay commit to j ail ,

.

there to rem ain, at his p l easure , any sl ave w ho r efuse s to o bey

him his —
or overseer . p 3 09 . .

W hether a sl ave cl aiming freed om m ay e ven com menc e a

s uit for it, m ay d epend on the d ec isio n o f a sing l e j ud g e :

Str oud ’
s Sketch, p 7 8, note w hich. r efers to Miss o uri l aw s ,
I .
, 404 .

KENT U CKY — Dig . o f Stat .

, Act Feb 8, 1 7 9 8, S ee 5. . .

N 0 col ored p erson may keep o r carry g un, po w d er , sho t, cl ub or

o ther weap o n, o n p enal ty o f thir t nine l as hes , and fo rfe iting the
y
-

w eapon, w hich any pe rso n is authorized to take .

V I RG I N I A . Rev Cod e
. . Any e m ancip ated sl ave remain
ing in the s tate m o re than a y e ar , m ay b e s ol d b y the o ver
s eers o f the oo r, for the benefit o f the l iterar y f und — Vo l
p .

i .
, p 43 6
. .

Any sl ave or free c ol o re d p erson fo und at any s c ho ol for

teaching read ing o r writing , by d ay or night, m ay b e whipp e d ,
14
1 58 A PP E N D IX .

at the d iscretio n o f a j ustice , x

no t e c eed ing tw enty l ashes .
‘

p 42 4
. .

S upp l . Rev . Co d e . A ny w hite p erso n asse mb ing w ith l

sl aves , for the p urp o se o f te aching them to r e ad or write , shall

be fined , not l ess than 1 0 d o l l ars , nor m ore than 1 00 d oll aI S ; ,

or w ith free c o l ore d p ers ons , shall b e fined no t m ore than fifty
d oll ars , and im priso ned no tm ore than tw o mo nths — p 245 2 . .

B y the revis ed co d e , sevent o ne o f

y f-
e nc e s are p unished w ith

d eath w hen c o mmitte d b y sl aves , and by no thi ng m o re than

1 m p r1 so nm ent w hen b y the w hite s — S tr oud ’s S ketch 1 07
.
, p . .

R ev . Cod e .
— Ih the trial of sl ave s the c o ur t c o nsists o f five
,

j ustices w itho ut j ur ies , eve n in c apital cas es p 42 0 .

— I .
, . .

M A RY L A N D . S tat L aw , S ec 8
. Any sl ave , fo r rain;
. .

bl ing in the night , or ridi ng hors es b y d ay w itho ut l e ave , o r run

ning aw ay , m ay b e p unishe d by w hipping , cro pping , or brand

ing in the check , or o therwi se , no t re nd ering him unfit fo r

l ab or — p 2 3 7
. . .

A ny sl ave c o nvicted o f p etty tre as o n, m ur d er , o r wilfu

l b n
’

ur - r

ing of d well ing houses , m ay b e s entence d to have the rig ht hand

cut o , to be han ed in the usua l manner , the head sever ed fr om
f g
thebo dy , the bo dy d ivided into four quar ters , and the head ; and
quar ter s set u
p i n the m o s t p ublic
p l ace in the co untr
y where

—
s uch f act w as co m mitted ! p . 1 90 .

A ct 1 7 1 7 , Chap 1 3 , S ec 5 — Pro vid e s that

. .
_
any fre ecol o red
p ers o n m arrying a sl ave , b eco m es a s l ave for l ife , e xcept mu
l attoes b orn o f w hite w o m en .

DE LAW A RE .
— L aw s . M ore than s ix m en sl ave s ,

m ee ting to g ether , no t b el o nging to o ne m as ter , unl ess o n l aw .

ful b usine s s o f the ir o w ners , m ay b e w hipp e d to the e xte nt o f

tw enty o ne -
l ashe s e ach .
p 1 04
U NI T E D S TA T E S .
— Co nstitution — T he . c hie f p ro
sl av ery p ro visions o f the c o nstitutio n, as is g ene r all y kno w n ,
are , l st, that by vir tue o f w hich the sl ave s tate s are re pre s e nted
 A PP E N DI X . 1 59

in c o ngre ss for three fifths -

of the ir sl aves 2 nd , that re

qui ri ng the giving up o f any r unaw ay sl ave s to their m asters

3 rd , that pl e d g ing the physical forc e o f the w ho l e co untr y to

s uppre s s insurrectio ns , i . e .
, atte m pts to g ain fre e d om by s uch

m e ans as the fram ers o f the instrum e nt them sel ves use d .

Ac t of Feb . 12 , 1 7 9 3 — Pro vid e s that any m aster or his

"
ag e nt m ay s eize any p erso n w ho m he c l aim s as a fug itive
from s er vic e ,
”
and take him before a j ud ge o f the U S . . c o ur t,

or m ag istrate o f the city o r c o unty '

w here he is taken , and the

m ag istrate , p roo f, in s upp or t o f the cl aim , to his s atisfac

on .

tio n , m ust g ive the cl aim ant a cer tificate autho rizing the
re m o val o f s uc h fug itive to the s tate he fle d fro m q ‘

DIS T RICT O F C O LUM BIA .

-
T he ac t of co ngre s s

inco rpo rating W ashingto n city , g ives the c o rp o ratio n p o w e r to

p re s cri e b the term s and c o nd itio ns o n whic h fre e ne g ro e s and

m ul attoes m ay re sid e in the city . City L aw s , 6 and 11 . By

this autho rity , the city in 1 82 7 e nac te d that any free co l o re d

re sid e , sho ul d
i h i f
p ers o n c o m ing there to g ve t e m ay o r sat s ac

tory e v id enc e o f? his free d o m , and e nter into b o nd w ith tw o

freeho l d s ure tie s , in the sum of five hund re d d ol lars , fo r his

g o o d c o nd uc t, to be r ene w e d e ac h ye ar for three y e ars ; o r fail

ing to do so , m ust l eave the c ity , o r b e c o m m itte d to the w o rk
ho use , for no t m ore than o ne y e ar ,
and if he s till re fus e to o
g ,
m ay b e ag ain co m mitte d fo r the sam e p e rio d , and
‘

so ou .

I I) . 198 .

C o l o red pers ons resid ing 1 n the c ity , w ho c anno t p ro ve the ir

titl e to fr e e d o m , s hall b e im pris o ned as ab sco nd ing sl av e s .

B y the o p eratio n o fthis p ro vis io n, twel ve sl avehol d ing s tates, whose white
-

p o p ul ation o nl y equal s that o f N ew Y ork and O hio , send to c o ngre ss 2 4 sena

t o rs and 1 02 rep re s entatives , Whil e these two states onl y s end 4 s enators and 59
re p res e ntatives .

1 T hus it may b e s een that a m a n m ay b e d o om e d to sl avery by an autho rity

no t c o nsid ered s ufli c ient to s e ttl e a cl aim o f twenty d o l l a rs .

1 60 A PP E ND I X .

C ol ored perso ns fo und witho ut free p apers may be arreste d

as r unaw ay sl aves , and after tw o m o nths notice , if no cl aim
’

m ust b e ad vertised ten d ays , and s old to p ay their

'

ant appe ars ,

j ail S tr oud , 85 , no te .

T he city o f W ashington grants a license to trade in sl aves ,

for p rofit, as ag ent, o r otherw ise , for fo ur hundred d ol l ars .

— City L aws , p 2 49 . .

R ead er , y o u uphol d the se l aw s while you d o nothing for their

r ep eal Y o u ca n do m uch
. Y o u can take and read the anti
.

s l avery j o urnal s T hey w ill gi ve yo u an imp artial histo ry o f

.

the cause , and arg um ents w ith w hich to c o nvert its enemi es .

You c an c ountenance and aid tho se w ho are l ab oring for i ts

pro m otio n . Y ou c an petitio n against sl avery ; yo u c an r efuse
'

to v o te for s l aveho ld ers o r p ro -

sl avery m en, co nstitutio ns and

c o m p acts ; c an a stain b
fro m pro d ucts o f sl ave l ab or ; and can
u s e y o ur social infl uence to spread rig ht princ ipl es and aw ake n

a right fe el ing Be as e ar nest fo rfree d om as its foes are fo r

.

/
sl avery , and y o u c an dif fuse an anti sl avery se ntim e nt thr o ug h -

y o ur w hol e ne igh b o rho o d , and m e rit 9‘

the b l es sing o f the m
”
that are read y to p eris h .

T he fo l l o wing is fro m the old col o nial l aw o f North Carolina

N o tice o f the co mm itme nt o f runaw ays —T vizq 1 74 1 , c 2 4 , -
.

”
! 29 . An ac t co nc erning s ervants and sl aves .

Co py o f no tice c o ntaining a full d e scriptio n o f such runaway

and his c l o thing .
— T he s herif
f is to c ause a co p y o f s uc h

no tic e to be s ent to the cl e rk o r read e r o f each c hurch o r

c hapel w ithin his c o unty , w ho ar e hereby require d to m ake

The p risons of the d ist rict, buil t with the money of the nation ,
are used a!

store houses
-
o f the sl avehol d er s
’
human m erc hand ize . From the state ment o f
the k eep er of a j
ail at Washingto n , it in fi ve years, up ward s o f
appears that

4 50 c ol ored persons were co mm itte d t o the nat io nal p riso n in that city , for s afe

k e ep ing, i e , until they coul d be d is po s ed

. . of in the c ours e of the s l a ve tr a d e

b es id es y 3 00 who had b een taken up

nearl as runaway s.
”
M i ner ’
s S p ecc
i n 11 R ep , 1 82 9 ,
.
 A PP E N D I X . 1 61

p ublication thereof by setting up the same in so m e o p en and

c o nve nie nt pl ac e , ne ar the s aid c hurch or c hap e l , o n every

L ord ’
s d ay , d uring the sp ace of tw o m o nths fro m the d ate
thereo f .

1 74 1 , c. 2 4, $45 . W hich
procl am atio n shal l b e pub
lishe d o n a S abb ath d ay at the d o or o f e very church o r o hap el ,
o r , for w ant o f s uch, at the pl ac e w her e di vine se rvic e s hall b e

p erfo rm ed in the said c o unty , b y the p arish cl erk o r re ad er , im

md ie atel y after divine s er vice ; and if any sl ave or sl aves ,

ag ains t w ho m procl am atio n hath b een thus iss ued , s tay o ut and

do not imm e d iatel y r eturn ho m e , it shall b e l aw ful for any p erson

or p erso ns w hats oe ver to kill and d e str o y s uc h sl ave or s l aves

by s uch w ay or m eans as he or she shall think fit, w itho ut

”
accus atio n o r impe achm ent o f any crime fo r the s am e .

AN AC T I N R E LA T I N O TO F REE N E G ROE S AN D M UL ATT OE S .

Be it enacte d b y the General As s embl y of the S tate o f M is

s o uri, as fo ll o w s

N 0 p ers o n shall keep or teach any scho ol for the ih

1 .

s truc tion o f negr o es o r m ul atto es , in r e ading o r writing , in this

s tate .

2 . N0 m eeting o r ass em b l ag e o f ne g ro es o r m ul atto es , for

the p urp o s e o f rh l ig io us w o rship o r pre aching , shal l b e hel d o r
p erm itte d , w he r e th e se rvices ar e p erform e d o r c o nd uc te d b y
ne gr o e s , unl e ss so m e s heriff, c o ns ta bl em ar shal , p ol ic e o fficer ,
,

or j ustice o f the p e ac e , shall be p r e s e nt d ur in

g a l l th e tim e o f
s uch as sem bl ag e , in o rd er to p revent all s ed itio us sp ee ches , and

d is o rd erl y ahd unl a wful c o nd uct o f e ve ry k ind .

! All mee ting s o f ne gro e s o r m ul atto es , for the p urpo ses

3 .

m entio ne d in the pre c ed ing s ectio ns , shal l b e c o ns id ere d un

l aw ful assem bl ies , and shal l b e s uppre ssed b y s heriffs , c o ns ta
bl es , and o ther publ ic o fficers .

If any p erso n shal l vio l ate the p rovisions o f this act, he

5 .

shal l , for every s uch o ffence , b e indicted and un ishe d b y fi ne

p
1 4*
 A PP E N D IX .

no t e xceed ing five hund red d o l l ars , or by b o th hh s and impris

o nm ent .

A p pro ved , February 1 6 , 1 847 .

M E N T AL I N ST R U C T I O N P RO H I BIT E D .

S o uth C ar ol ina m ay l ay c l aim to the e arlie st m o vem ent in

l e g isl atio n o n this subj e c t In 1 740, w hil e yet a pro vince , s he
.

e nac te d this l aw
W here as ,
the having o f sl aves taught to write , or s uffe r
ing them to b e e m pl oye d in w r iting , m ay b e atte nd e d with
reat inc o nve nie nce s , B e it e nac te d , T hat al l and e ve r e n
g yp rso

a nd p ers o ns w hats oever , w ho s hal l here afte r teach, or c ause

a ny s l ave o r sl aves to b e taught to w r ite , or shall us e o r e m pl o
y
any sl av e as a sc rib e in any m anner o f w riting w hats o eve r ,

hereafter taught to w rite , ev ery s uch p e rs o n o r p e rs o ns shall ,

'

for every s uch o fi enc e , forfeit the s um o f o ne hund re d p o und s

c urrent m oney .
”—
2 B r evar d
’
s D ig est, 2 43 .

S im il ar in G eorgia, by act of 1 77 0, e xcept as to the p enal ty ,

w hich is tw e nty p o und s s terling — P r ince s Dig est, 455
’
.

In the sam e s tate the foll o w ing ad ditio nal r e s traints w ere en

ac te d in 1 800 :
T hat a ss em blies o f sl av e s , re e ne g ro e s , m ul attoes and

m es tizo s , w hether c o m p o s e d o f al l or any o f s uc h de scriptio n

of p erso ns , o r o f all o r any o f the s am e and of a p ro p ortio n o f
w hite p erso ns , m e t to g ether fo r the p ur p o se o f mental ins truo

tio n in a confi ne d o r s ecret p l ac e ,

& c & c . .
, is (are ) d e cl ared to
be an unl aw ful m eeting ; and m ag is trate s , & c & c . .
, ar e here
by re quired , &c .
, to e nter into s uch c o nfi ne d p l ac e s , &c & c .

to b reak d o ors , & c .

, if re s is te d , a nd to d isp ers e s uc h s l aves ,

fre e & c & c ; and the o ffi cers d isp ersing such unl aw
ne gr o es , . .

ful as s em blie s may infl ict s uch corp or a l p unishment, not emceed
ing twenty lashes , up o n such s l aves , fr ee neg r o es , dra , as they ,

m ay j ud g e necessar y , f or D E T ERR IN G THE M FR O M T HE L IK E

UN LA W FUL A S S E M BL A GE IN F U T U RE .
— B revar d s D ig est, 2 54
 T E S T I M O N I AL S .

T O T HE FR I E N D S O F F R E E D O M A N D E M A N CI
P A T I O N I N E UR O P E .

B o sto n, J u ly 1 7, 1 849 .

I n co nse quence o f the d ep ar tur e fo r E ngl and o f their este em ed

friend and fai thful co - l a bo u r er in the c au se o f the A m er i c an

sl av e , Willi am W . B r o w n , the B o ar d of M anag ers of the M as
sac hu setts A nti Sl av er y S o cie ty w o ul d
-
co m m end him to the
c onfid ence , r e sp ec t, e steem , and ho sp i tal ity of the friend s of

em ancip atio n w her ev er he m ay tr avel

1 . B e cau se he i s a fugitiv e sl av e fr o m the A m er ic an ho u se
of b o nd ag e , an d on w hi ch g av e hi m b ir th c an fi nd no
the so il

sp o t o n w hich he can stand i n safety fr o m hi s p u r su er s , p ro

t e cte d b y l aw .

2 . B ec au se he i s a m an, and no t a chattel and w hil e as the

l atter he m ay at any tim e b e sol d at p ubl ic v end u e u nd er the
A m er ican star sp ang l ed anner ,
-
w e r ej o ice to b
n o w tha t he k
w il l b e r eco gni sed and p r o tected as the fo r m er un d er the fl ag
of E ng l and .

3 . B ecause fo r s everal y ear s p a st. he ha s n o b l y c o nse cr ated

his tim e an d tal ents, a t g r eat p er so nal hazar d , and u nd er the

m o st a d ver se c ircum sta nce s , to the u nc o m p r o m i sing ad vo c a cy

of the c au se o f his e nsl ave d co untr y m en .

4 . B ec ause he E ng l a nd fo r the p ur p o se o f incr easing ,

v i sits

c o n so l id ating , and d ir e cting B r itish hu m an ity and p iety ag ainst

that horr ibl e sy st em o f sl av ery in A m er ic a , b y w hich thr e e
mill io ns o f hum an b eing s b y cr eation the chil d ren o f G o d a re
, ,

r ank ed w ith fo ur fo oted b eas ts and tr ea ted a s m ark etab l e c o m

-
,

m o d ities .
 T E STI M O N I A L S

5 . B ecause he has l o ng b een in their em p l oym ent as a l ec

turing ag ent has l ab o ur ed to great
in M assachu setts, and

a ccep tance and w ith g r e at su c cess ; and fr o m the ac quaintance

thu s fo r m e d , they ar e enabl ed to c ertify that he has invariabl y

c o nd uc te dhim sel f w i th g r eat c ir c um sp ec ti on, and w o n fo r
hi m sel f the sy m p athy , re sp ec t, and friend ship o f a v ery l arge
q
c ir cl e o f ac uaintanc e .

I n b ehalf o f the Boar d o f M an ag ers,

W M LL O Y D G A RR I S ON
.
,

R O B E R T F W A LL CU T
.
,

S A M UE L M A Y , J UN .

B osto n, J u ly 1 8, 1 849 .

To - d ay y ou l eav e the l an d o f y our na tivi ty , in

w hich y ou have b een r e ar ed an d tr e ated a s a sl av e— a chattel ]
,

p e r so nal — a m ar k etabl e com m o dity — tho ug h it cl aim s 156 b e a

r ep u bl ican an d Chr istian l an d , the fr ee st o f the fr ee , the m os t

p i ou s of the p io u s _ fo r the sho r es of E ur op e ; o n to u ching
k
w hi ch, y our shac l es w ill instantl y fal l , y o ur lim bs exp and
m,
,

y o u r sp ir i t e ul t in axso l b
ute p er so nal fr ee d o m , as a an and

no thin g l ess than a m an . S ince y o ur e sc ap e fr om b o nd ag e , a

few y e asrs sinc e , y o u hav e no bl y d ev o ted y o ur self to the cause

of the thr ee mi ll i o n s o f our c o untry m en w ho ar e y et cl anking
t heir chains in ho p el ess b ond ag e—
p l e adi ng their c aus e el o
qu entl y and effectiv el y , b y d ay and b y nig ht, in season and
o u t o f s eason , b efor e the p e o p l e o f the F r ee S tates (fal s el y s o

c al l ed ) of A m eri c a, at m uch p er sonal haz ar d o f b eing seized

and hurr ied b ac k to sl av ery . k
N ot to fo rsa e that cause , b ut
stil l m or e p o w er ful l y to aid it , by enli sting the sy m p a thi es,

and co nsol i d ating the fe eli ng s and o p ini o ns o f the fr iend s of

fre ed om and univ er sal em ancip atio n in the ol d w or l d in its

fav o ur an d ag ains t the a tro cio us sl ave sy s te m , do yo u b id
 T E ST I M O N I A L S .

farew ell to the l and of to d ay G o d — the Go d

whip s and chains -
.

o f the o p p r e ssed , the p o or , the need , the d efenc el ess— b e w ith

y
y o u , to g uid e , str engthen, aid and b l ess y o u ab u nd antl y ! T hr ee
m illi o ns o f sl av es ar e y o ur c o nstituents, and y o u are their l eg i
tim ate and faithful r ep r esentativ e . W ith a m o ther , sister , and
thr ee br others y et p ining in hop el ess ser vitud e , wi th the m ar ks
of the sl av ed riv er s
’
l ashy ou canno t b ut r e
up on y o ur bo d y ,
“

m em b er them that ar e in b ond s as b ound with them S p ea k in

”
.

t r um p et to ne s to E ur op e, and c all up on the friend s o f l ib er ty ,

”
e quali ty , and fr ater ni ty ther e, to c ry , S ham e u p on r ec r eant

a nd ap o state A m er ica, w hi ch fl o u r ishes the D ecl aLaLio n of

I nd ep end enc e in o ne hand , an d the w hip\

of the neg r o o v er se er
”
in the o ther 1 Chal l eng e all that i s fr ee , all that i s hu m ane ,
all that i s p io u s,
d
a cr o ss the A tl antic , to r aise a united te sti
m o ny a g ainst A m er ican sl aveho l d er s and their b
a ettor s , as the
e nem ies o f Go d and the hum an r ac e ! S o shall that c r y and

that te stim o ny cau se the knees o f the o p p r essor to sm ite to g e

ther , the B astil e o f sl av ery to tr em bl e to its fo und atio n; an d

the he arts of the A m eric an a b olitionists to b e fill ed w ith j

oy

and insp ir e d afr esh ! T ell E ur o p e tha t o ur w atchw o r d i s ,

‘

”
I mm edi ate, unc o n d itio nal em an cip atio n fo r the sl ave — and

the m o tto w e hav e p l ac ed o n o ur anti- sl av ery b anner i s, N0

Unio n
”
w ith Sl av ehol d er s, r eli g i o u sl y o r p ol itical l y l
Y o u hav e sec ur ed the r esp ec t, co nfi d enc e , and e steem of

tho u sand s of the b est p o rtio n ofthe Am er ic an p eo p l e ; and

m ay y o u co ntinue faithful to the end , neither c orr up ted b y
-

p r ai se , no r c a st d o wn b y o pp ositio n, no r intim i d ated b y any

e arthl y p ow er !
A c c ep t the assurances of m y w ar m p er sonal reg ar d , and

b eli ev e m e to b e ,

Y o ur faithful co - l ab our er and unwear ie d ad v o cate of the b est

o f cau ses,

WM LL OY D . GA R R I S O N ,
Presid ent of the Am erican Anti sl avery S ociety
-
.

WM W . . B R O WN .
 T E ST I M O N I A L S .

RE SO L UTI O N S CO L OR E D C IT I Z E NS OF
o n T HE
B O S T O N A D O PTE D A T T HE F A R E WE LL M E E T
,

I N G F O R W ILLI A M WE L L S B R OWN , J ul y 1 6 , 1 849 .

At a v ery l ar g e M eeting , hel d und er the au sp i ces o f the

C ol or ed Citizens of B o sto n, at the Washi ng to nian H al l , o n

M o nd ay ev enin g , J ul y l 6th, 1 849 , a S il v er Pitcher w a s p re =

s ente d to W M LL O Y D
. G A R R I S O N , in g rateful tes tim ony o f his
u nd evi ating d ev o ti o n to the c ause o f u ni v er sal em a ncip ati o n .

A F ar ew ell w as then tend er e d o ur bro ther W il l iam W el l s

,

B ro w n, w hi ch w as r e sp o n d ed
hi s p ar t in an el o u ent
to on q
a nd affecting m ann er The fo ll ow ing R esol u tio ns w ere ad o pt ed
.

u n anim o u sl y b y the M ee ting

R eso l ve d , — That w e b id our br o ther Wil li am W el l s

, B ro wn,
G od sp eed in hi s m issio n to E ur op e, and c o mm en d him to
the ho sp ital ity and encour a g em ent o f al l tru e fr iend s o f
hu m ani ty .

R eso l ved , — That w e for war d b y hi m o ur r en ew ed pro te st

a g ain st the A m eri ca n Co l o niz atio n S o c i ety ; and inv ok e

fo r hi m a c andi d hear ing b efo r e the B r itish p u bli c in r epl y ,

to the ef
fo rtsp u t fo rth ther e b y R ev M r M ill er , . . o r a ny

o ther a g ent o f s ai d so ciety .

R eso l ve d , .- T ha t the vi ew s entertained by W I LL I A M L L O YD

GA R R I S O N of the A m er ican C ol o ni z ation S o ciety m eets
the entir e ap p r o b ation and hearty c o ncurrence of the
Co l o r ed Citizens o f B o sto n .

J O HN T . H I L T O N , P r esid ent .

I S A A C H S N O WD E N ,
S ecr e ta r zes
.

W M T R AY M O N D,
~

_
.
. ,
 O PI N IO N S O F T H E A M E R I C AN PR E SS .

N A RR A T I V E T H E L I FE or WI L L I A fi WE LLS
or B R OW N ,
A,
F U G I T I V E SL A V E WRIT TEN BY HIM SE LF
, We . - have re

c eiv e d a c o py of the a b ov e b o o k , an d hav e r ead it . W el l s

B r o w n, the Chr istian p hil anthro p ist, w ho fe d , c l o thed , and
o ther w i se a ssiste d thi s p anting fug itive, and to who m this
l ittl e b oo k i s d edicated , i s tr u l y a hap p y m an . T hi s act

of hum anity , tho ug h am o ng p er hap s the hu n d r ed s in his

l ife of a sim il ar char ac ter , an d i n d efi an c e o f the l aw s o

l em nl y m ad e, w il l , w e d o ub t no t, r ed o un d ev en to his e ver l asting

hap piness T he tho ug hts and fe el ing s w hich n atu r al l y ar ise
. ,

fr o m the p erusal o f thi s littl e narr ativ e , m ak e al l qu estio ns o f :

p ar ty and sectar ian r iv al ry ap p ear utterl y insig nifi c ant We .

w o ul d that a c op y o f thi s b o o co ul d b e p l ac ed inev ery scho o l

k
l ibr ary in M a ssachu setts We hop e
. and b el iev e that i t w ill be
W id el y cir cul ated — B o s to n Whi
.
g .

N A RR A T I V E T H E L I FE o r W M W B R O W N A F UG I
or . .
,

T I V E SL A V E W R I T T E N B Y H I M S E L F — This is the titl e o f a

, .
”

b oo k that has j ust m ad e its ap p earanc e an d a c opy o f w hich ,

i s u p o n o ur t abl e T he au thor i s w el l k no w n in this co m

.

m u nity as an a bl e ad v o c ate o f hi s e nsl ave d co un try m en and ,

his nar rativ e Wil l w e d o u b t no t g e t an e x tensiv e cir cul atio n

, , .

W e hav e r ead the nar r ativ e , and c o n sid er it a fair hist o ry of

’
the au tho r s l ife an d o f sl av er y at the S o uth . It is an inter
e sting nar r ativ e , and sho u l d be r e ad by e v er y p er so n i n the
c o u ntry . We com m en d i t to the p u bl ic , and v entur e the

a ssert io n, that no o ne k
w ho ta es it up an d r ead s a c hap ter w il l
l ay it d o wn u ntil he has fi nished i t — N ew B e dfo r d B ul l e tin
. .

W I LL I A M W . BR O W N ON S L AV E R Y . T his tal ente d

A m er ican sl av e has d el iv er ed thr ee l ec tur es in this to w n, .
-
to
c row d ed and v ery attentiv e aud i ences . We d id no t attend the
 O P I N I O N S O F T H E P R E SS .

lectur es b ut a f r iend inform ed u s that

, they evinced m uch
a bility and though r a ther sp i cy fo r the
, tend er e ar s o f tho se
w ho d esp ise a m an on a c co unt o f the c o l or o f hi s s kin , they
w er e no t as m u ch so a s m i ght to hav e b een exp ected fr o m o ne
w ho has hi m self fel t the s co u r g e of i nv o l u ntary servi tu d e ; no t
asmu ch so as mi g ht have b een e xp ecte d fro m o ne who i s
hunted as a fug itive sl av e fr om o ne end o f thi s no tabl e l a nd
of the fr ee
”
to the o ther . We hav e r e ad M r B r o wn s N arr a
.
’

tiv e with g r eat inter e st, and foun d i t a thri ll i ng tal e . We

w o ul d r eco mm end i t to al l w ho feel any inter est in the cau se

of the A m eri can sl av e s— it w il l qui ck en their d ev o tio n to the

c ause . We w oul d a d vis e the i nd iffer ent to r ead i t— it wi ll
to uch them with sy m p athy for the op p r essed b ond m an .

La wrence Cour ier .