history

NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE

OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS AN

AMERICAN SLAVE. WRITTEN BY HIMSELF.

Table of Contents NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS AN AMERICAN SLAVE. WRITTEN BY HIMSELF. Table of Contents

PREFACE LETTER FROM WENDELL PHILLIPS, ESQ.

BOSTON, APRIL 22, 1845.

FREDERICK DOUGLASS.

CHAPTER I CHAPTER II CHAPTER III CHAPTER IV CHAPTER V CHAPTER VI CHAPTER VII CHAPTER VIII CHAPTER IX CHAPTER X CHAPTER XI APPENDIX

PREFACE

In the month of August, 1841, I attended an anti-slavery convention in Nantucket, at which it becomes my happiness to turn out to be acquainted with Frederick Douglass, the author of the subsequent Narrative. He become a stranger to nearly each member of that frame; but, having lately made his escape from the southern prison-residence of bondage, and feeling his curiosity excited to check the concepts and measures of the abolitionists,—of whom he had heard a truly vague description while he turned into a slave,—he turned into prompted to give his attendance, on the occasion alluded to, although at that point a resident in New Bedford.

Fortunate, most lucky prevalence!—fortunate for the hundreds of thousands of his manacled brethren, yet panting for deliverance from their awful thralldom!—lucky for the purpose of negro emancipation, and of time- honored liberty!—fortunate for the land of his birth, which he has already carried out a lot to shop and bless!— fortunate for a massive circle of pals and pals, whose sympathy and affection he has strongly secured by using the various sufferings he has continued, with the aid of his virtuous tendencies of individual, by way of his ever- abiding remembrance of individuals who are in bonds, as being bound with them!—fortunate for the multitudes, in various elements of our republic, whose minds he has enlightened close to slavery, and who have been melted to tears with the aid of his pathos, or roused to virtuous indignation via his stirring eloquence towards the enslavers of fellows!—lucky for himself, because it at once introduced him into the sector of public usefulness, "gave the world guarantee of a MAN," quickened the sound asleep energies of his soul, and consecrated him to the terrific paintings of breaking the rod of the oppressor, and letting the oppressed cross free!

I shall in no way neglect his first speech at the conference—the extremely good emotion it excited in my very own mind—the effective impact it created upon a crowded auditory, absolutely taken by means of wonder—the applause which observed from the beginning to the stop of his felicitous feedback. I think I in no way hated slavery so intensely as at that moment; simply, my belief of the giant outrage that is inflicted with the aid of it, at the godlike nature of its victims, changed into rendered far greater clear than ever. There stood one, in physical percentage and stature commanding and precise—in mind richly endowed—in herbal eloquence a prodigy—in soul obviously "created but a little decrease than the angels"—but a slave, ay, a fugitive slave,—trembling for his protection, hardly ever daring to trust that at the American soil, a single white individual could be discovered who could befriend him at all hazards, for the affection of God and humanity! Capable of high attainments as an highbrow and ethical being—wanting not anything but a relatively small quantity of cultivation to make him an ornament to society and a blessing to his race—via the law of the land, by means of the voice of the humans, by using the phrases of the slave code, he became handiest a bit of belongings, a beast of burden, a chattel personal, although!

A beloved pal from New Bedford prevailed on Mr. Douglass to address the conference: He came ahead to the platform with a hesitancy and embarrassment, necessarily the attendants of sensitive thoughts in such a singular role. After apologizing for his lack of knowledge, and reminding the target audience that slavery became a poor school for the human intellect and heart, he proceeded to narrate some of the information in his personal records as a slave, and within the course of his speech gave utterance to many noble thoughts and interesting reflections. As quickly as he had taken his seat, filled with desire and admiration, I rose, and declared that Patrick Henry, of innovative reputation, by no means made a speech more eloquent inside the motive of liberty, than the only we had simply listened to from the lips of that hunted fugitive. So I believed at that time—such is my perception now. I reminded the target audience of the peril which surrounded this self-emancipated young man at the North, —even in Massachusetts, at the soil of the Pilgrim Fathers, a few of the descendants of progressive sires; and I appealed to them, whether they would ever allow him to be carried lower back into slavery,—law or no law,

constitution or no charter. The reaction became unanimous and in thunder-tones—"NO!" "Will you succor and shield him as a brother-guy—a resident of the old Bay State?" "YES!" shouted the entire mass, with an energy so startling, that the ruthless tyrants south of Mason and Dixon's line may almost have heard the strong burst of feeling, and identified it because the pledge of an invincible dedication, at the part of people who gave it, in no way to betray him that wanders, however to cover the outcast, and firmly to abide the effects.

It changed into straight away deeply inspired upon my mind, that, if Mr. Douglass may be persuaded to consecrate his time and talents to the promoting of the anti-slavery organisation, a effective impetus could accept to it, and a beautiful blow on the identical time inflicted on northern prejudice towards a coloured complexion. I therefore endeavored to instil hope and braveness into his mind, just so he may dare to interact in a vocation so anomalous and liable for a person in his situation; and I turned into seconded on this effort with the aid of warmhearted buddies, specially via the past due General Agent of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society, Mr. John A. Collins, whose judgment in this example totally coincided with my own. At first, he may want to give no encouragement; with unfeigned diffidence, he expressed his conviction that he become now not adequate to the overall performance of so first rate a assignment; the course marked out become wholly an untrodden one; he changed into really nervous that he need to do more damage than precise. After a good deal deliberation, but, he consented to make a tribulation; and ever due to the fact that duration, he has acted as a lecturing agent, below the auspices both of the American or the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society. In labors he has been maximum abundant; and his success in preventing prejudice, in gaining proselytes, in agitating the general public thoughts, has a long way handed the most sanguine expectations that have been raised on the commencement of his superb career. He has borne himself with gentleness and meekness, but with true manliness of character. As a public speaker, he excels in pathos, wit, comparison, imitation, power of reasoning, and fluency of language. There is in him that union of head and heart, that is necessary to an enlightenment of the heads and a triumphing of the hearts of others. May his strength stay equal to his day! May he preserve to "develop in grace, and inside the know-how of God," that he may be an increasing number of serviceable within the purpose of bleeding humanity, whether at domestic or abroad!

It is truely a completely first-rate fact, that one of the most efficient advocates of the slave population, now earlier than the general public, is a fugitive slave, in the man or woman of Frederick Douglass; and that the free coloured populace of the United States are as ably represented by one among their personal number, in the individual of Charles Lenox Remond, whose eloquent appeals have extorted the best applause of multitudes on both aspects of the Atlantic. Let the calumniators of the coloured race despise themselves for their baseness and illiberality of spirit, and henceforth end to talk of the natural inferiority of folks who require nothing but time and possibility to achieve to the best factor of human excellence.

It may also, perhaps, be pretty wondered, whether another portion of the population of the earth should have persisted the privations, sufferings and horrors of slavery, without having end up greater degraded inside the scale of humanity than the slaves of African descent. Nothing has been left undone to cripple their intellects, darken their minds, debase their moral nature, obliterate all lines of their dating to mankind; and yet how splendidly they have got sustained the strong load of a maximum frightful bondage, underneath which they have been groaning for hundreds of years! To illustrate the effect of slavery at the white guy,—to reveal that he has no powers of staying power, in this kind of condition, superior to the ones of his black brother,—Daniel O'connell, the prominent recommend of typical emancipation, and the mightiest champion of prostrate but now not conquered Ireland, relates the following anecdote in a speech brought by using him in the Conciliation Hall, Dublin, before the Loyal National Repeal Association, March 31, 1845. "No count," said Mr. O'connell, "below what specious term it can conceal itself, slavery is still hideous. It has a natural, an inevitable tendency to brutalize each noble college of guy. An American sailor, who changed into cast away at the shore of Africa, where he changed into saved in slavery for 3 years, turned into, on the expiration of that period, discovered to be imbruted and stultified—he had misplaced all reasoning strength; and having forgotten his native language, may want to simplest utter some savage gibberish between Arabic and English, which no person should

apprehend, and which even he himself found problem in announcing. So plenty for the humanizing influence of The Domestic Institution!" Admitting this to were an exquisite case of intellectual deterioration, it proves as a minimum that the white slave can sink as low inside the scale of humanity because the black one.

Mr. Douglass has very well selected to jot down his own Narrative, in his own fashion, and according to the pleasant of his ability, as opposed to to hire some one else. It is, therefore, completely his very own production; and, thinking about how lengthy and dark become the profession he had to run as a slave,—how few had been his possibilities to enhance his thoughts given that he broke his iron fetters,—it's miles, in my judgment, pretty creditable to his head and coronary heart. He who can peruse it without a tearful eye, a heaving breast, an troubled spirit,—without being full of an unutterable abhorrence of slavery and all its abettors, and animated with a determination to seek the immediately overthrow of that execrable machine,—without trembling for the fate of this usa in the arms of a righteous God, who is ever on the side of the oppressed, and whose arm isn't always shortened that it can not save,—should have a flinty heart, and be certified to behave the part of a trafficker "in slaves and the souls of fellows." I am confident that it is essentially genuine in all its statements; that nothing has been set down in malice, not anything exaggerated, nothing drawn from the imagination; that it comes brief of the fact, in preference to overstates a single truth in regard to slavery as it's miles. The enjoy of Frederick Douglass, as a slave, changed into now not a peculiar one; his lot turned into no longer especially a hard one; his case can be seemed as a totally truthful specimen of the remedy of slaves in Maryland, wherein State it's far conceded that they may be higher fed and less cruelly treated than in Georgia, Alabama, or Louisiana. Many have suffered incomparably more, even as only a few at the plantations have suffered less, than himself. Yet how deplorable become his scenario! What horrible chastisements have been inflicted upon his man or woman! What nonetheless more surprising outrages had been perpetrated upon his mind! With all his noble powers and elegant aspirations, how like a brute changed into he treated, even by using the ones professing to have the equal mind in them that become in Christ Jesus! To what dreadful liabilities became he always subjected! How destitute of friendly recommend and useful resource, even in his greatest extremities! How heavy become the nighttime of woe which shrouded in blackness the final ray of wish, and crammed the destiny with terror and gloom! What longings after freedom took possession of his breast, and how his misery augmented, in percentage as he grew reflective and clever,—for this reason demonstrating that a satisfied slave is an extinct guy! How he notion, reasoned, felt, below the lash of the driving force, with the chains upon his limbs! What perils he encountered in his endeavors to get away from his horrible doom! And the way signal had been his deliverance and renovation in the midst of a state of pitiless enemies!

This Narrative contains many affecting incidents, many passages of fantastic eloquence and electricity; however I think the most thrilling one in all all of them is the outline Douglass gives of his feelings, as he stood soliloquizing respecting his fate, and the probabilities of his someday being a freeman, at the banks of the Chesapeake Bay—viewing the receding vessels as they flew with their white wings earlier than the breeze, and apostrophizing them as lively by the residing spirit of freedom. Who can examine that passage, and be insensible to its pathos and sublimity? Compressed into it is a whole Alexandrian library of concept, feeling, and sentiment —all which could, all that need be entreated, within the shape of expostulation, entreaty, rebuke, towards that crime of crimes,—making guy the assets of his fellow-man! O, how accursed is that machine, which entombs the godlike thoughts of man, defaces the divine photograph, reduces individuals who by introduction were crowned with glory and honor to a level with 4-footed beasts, and exalts the provider in human flesh notably that is referred to as God! Why have to its life be extended one hour? Is it not evil, most effective evil, and that continually? What does its presence mean however the absence of all worry of God, all regard for guy, at the a part of the human beings of the United States? Heaven velocity its everlasting overthrow!

So profoundly ignorant of the nature of slavery are many individuals, that they are stubbornly incredulous every time they study or listen to any recital of the cruelties which can be each day inflicted on its victims. They do now not deny that the slaves are held as property; but that terrible truth seems to deliver to their minds no idea of injustice, exposure to outrage, or savage barbarity. Tell them of merciless scourgings, of mutilations and

brandings, of scenes of pollution and blood, of the banishment of all light and know-how, and that they have an effect on to be greatly angry at such good sized exaggerations, such wholesale misstatements, such abominable libels at the man or woman of the southern planters! As if some of these direful outrages were now not the natural outcomes of slavery! As if it had been much less merciless to reduce a human being to the circumstance of a factor, than to provide him a extreme flagellation, or to deprive him of important food and clothing! As if whips, chains, thumb-screws, paddles, bloodhounds, overseers, drivers, patrols, had been now not all integral to hold the slaves down, and to present safety to their ruthless oppressors! As if, while the marriage institution is abolished, concubinage, adultery, and incest, have to now not always abound; while all of the rights of humanity are annihilated, any barrier stays to guard the sufferer from the fury of the spoiler; whilst absolute strength is assumed over lifestyles and liberty, it's going to now not be wielded with detrimental sway! Skeptics of this person abound in society. In a few few times, their incredulity arises from a need of reflection; but, commonly, it shows a hatred of the light, a choice to protect slavery from the attacks of its foes, a contempt of the coloured race, whether bond or loose. Such will attempt to discredit the surprising tales of slaveholding cruelty which can be recorded in this straightforward Narrative; but they'll exertions in vain. Mr. Douglass has frankly disclosed the area of his birth, the names of people who claimed possession in his frame and soul, and the names also of folks that committed the crimes which he has alleged towards them. His statements, consequently, may without difficulty be disproved, if they may be unfaithful.

In the course of his Narrative, he relates instances of murderous cruelty,—in one in all which a planter intentionally shot a slave belonging to a neighboring plantation, who had accidentally gotten within his lordly area looking for fish; and within the different, an overseer blew out the brains of a slave who had fled to a stream of water to escape a bloody scourging. Mr. Douglass states that during neither of these instances changed into any aspect carried out through way of legal arrest or judicial research. The Baltimore American, of March 17, 1845, relates a comparable case of atrocity, perpetrated with comparable impunity—as follows:—"Shooting a slave.—We learn, upon the authority of a letter from Charles county, Maryland, acquired by using a gentleman of this town, that a young man, named Matthews, a nephew of General Matthews, and whose father, it's far believed, holds an workplace at Washington, killed one of the slaves upon his father's farm by way of shooting him. The letter states that young Matthews have been left in rate of the farm; that he gave an order to the servant, which became disobeyed, when he proceeded to the house, obtained a gun, and, returning, shot the servant. He right away, the letter continues, fled to his father's residence, where he nonetheless stays unmolested."—Let it in no way be forgotten, that no slaveholder or overseer may be convicted of any outrage perpetrated on the individual of a slave, however diabolical it can be, at the testimony of coloured witnesses, whether or not bond or unfastened. By the slave code, they are adjudged to be as incompetent to testify towards a white man, as though they had been certainly a part of the brute introduction. Hence, there may be no legal safety in fact, whatever there may be in shape, for the slave population; and any amount of cruelty can be inflicted on them with impunity. Is it feasible for the human thoughts to conceive of a greater horrible country of society?

The impact of a non secular profession on the behavior of southern masters is vividly described inside the following Narrative, and proven to be any issue but salutary. In the character of the case, it must be inside the maximum diploma pernicious. The testimony of Mr. Douglass, on this point, is continued by means of a cloud of witnesses, whose veracity is unimpeachable. "A slaveholder's career of Christianity is a palpable imposture. He is a felon of the best grade. He is a person-stealer. It is of no importance what you placed inside the other scale."

Reader! Are you with the man-stealers in sympathy and motive, or at the side of their down-trodden sufferers? If with the previous, then are you the foe of God and man. If with the latter, what are you prepared to do and dare of their behalf? Be trustworthy, be vigilant, be untiring to your efforts to break each yoke, and allow the oppressed pass loose. Come what may also—cost what it is able to—inscribe on the banner that you unfurl to the breeze, as your religious and political motto—"NO COMPROMISE WITH SLAVERY! NO UNION WITH SLAVEHOLDERS!"

WM. LLOYD GARRISON BOSTON, May 1, 1845.

LETTER FROM WENDELL PHILLIPS, ESQ.

BOSTON, APRIL 22, 1845.

My Dear Friend: You recall the antique fantasy of "The Man and the Lion," where the lion complained that he have to no longer

be so misrepresented "whilst the lions wrote history." I am happy the time has come while the "lions write records." We have been left lengthy sufficient to collect

the character of slavery from the involuntary evidence of the masters. One may, indeed, rest sufficiently glad with what, it's miles evident, must be, in popular, the effects of one of these relation, with out searching for farther to discover whether or not they have accompanied in each example. Indeed, folks that stare on the half of-% of corn every week, and like to count the lashes at the slave's again, are seldom the "stuff" out of which reformers and abolitionists are to be made. I remember the fact that, in 1838, many were awaiting the results of the West India test, earlier than they may come into our ranks. Those "effects" have come lengthy ago; but, unluckily! Few of that wide variety have include them, as converts. A guy must be disposed to decide of emancipation by way of other checks than whether or not it has extended the produce of sugar,—and to hate slavery for other motives than as it starves men and whips girls,—earlier than he is ready to lay the first stone of his anti-slavery lifestyles.

I was happy to examine, to your story, how early the most unnoticed of God's youngsters waken to a sense of their rights, and of the injustice carried out them. Experience is a eager instructor; and lengthy before you had mastered your A B C, or knew wherein the "white sails" of the Chesapeake had been bound, you began, I see, to gauge the wretchedness of the slave, not by his starvation and want, no longer with the aid of his lashes and toil, but by the cruel and blighting demise which gathers over his soul.

In reference to this, there is one circumstance which makes your recollections above all treasured, and renders your early perception the more outstanding. You come from that part of the u . S . A . Where we're told slavery appears with its fairest features. Let us listen, then, what it is at its excellent estate—gaze on its bright facet, if it has one; and then creativeness may assignment her powers to add darkish lines to the image, as she travels southward to that (for the coloured guy) Valley of the Shadow of Death, where the Mississippi sweeps alongside.

Again, we've got recognized you lengthy, and may positioned the most entire self belief in your reality, candor, and sincerity. Every one that has heard you communicate has felt, and, I am confident, every one who reads your e book will feel, persuaded which you deliver them a fair specimen of the complete truth. No one- sided portrait,—no wholesale complaints,—however strict justice carried out, on every occasion individual kindliness has neutralized, for a moment, the deadly device with which it turned into unusually allied. You have been with us, too, some years, and might pretty examine the twilight of rights, which your race experience at the North, with that "noon of night time" underneath which they hard work south of Mason and Dixon's line. Tell us whether, after all, the half of-free coloured man of Massachusetts is worse off than the pampered slave of the rice swamps!

In analyzing your life, nobody can say that we've unfairly picked out a few uncommon specimens of cruelty. We recognise that the sour drops, which even you have drained from the cup, are no incidental aggravations, no person ills, however which includes must mingle usually and always within the lot of every slave. They are the vital elements, now not the occasional effects, of the system.

After all, I shall read your book with trembling for you. Some years in the past, while you have been beginning to inform me your real call and birthplace, you can remember I stopped you, and favored to stay blind to all. With the exception of a vague description, so I persevered, until the alternative day, while you read me your memoirs. I hardly ever knew, on the time, whether or not to thank you or now not for the sight of them, after

I reflected that it changed into nonetheless dangerous, in Massachusetts, for sincere guys to tell their names! They say the fathers, in 1776, signed the Declaration of Independence with the halter about their necks. You, too, put up your announcement of freedom with hazard compassing you round. In all the extensive lands which the Constitution of america overshadows, there's no unmarried spot,—but narrow or desolate,—wherein a fugitive slave can plant himself and say, "I am safe." The complete armory of Northern Law has no protect for you. I am free to say that, for your place, I must throw the MS. Into the fireplace.

You, possibly, can also tell your story in safety, endeared as you are to such a lot of heat hearts via rare items, and a still rarer devotion of them to the carrier of others. But it will likely be owing handiest on your labors, and the fearless efforts of folks that, trampling the laws and Constitution of the u . S . Underneath their feet, are determined that they'll "cover the outcast," and that their hearths shall be, spite of the regulation, an asylum for the oppressed, if, some time or different, the humblest can also stand in our streets, and undergo witness in protection against the cruelties of which he has been the sufferer.

Yet it is sad to assume, that those very throbbing hearts which welcome your tale, and shape your first-class protect in telling it, are all beating opposite to the "statute in such case made and supplied." Go on, my pricey friend, until you, and people who, such as you, were stored, so as via fireplace, from the dark prison-residence, shall stereotype these unfastened, illegal pulses into statutes; and New England, cutting free from a blood- stained Union, shall glory in being the residence of safe haven for the oppressed,—until we now not merely "conceal the outcast," or make a benefit of status idly via while he is hunted in our midst; but, consecrating anew the soil of the Pilgrims as an asylum for the oppressed, proclaim our welcome to the slave so loudly, that the tones shall reach every hut within the Carolinas, and make the damaged-hearted bondman leap up on the thought of old Massachusetts.

God speed the day! Till then, and ever, Yours without a doubt, WENDELL PHILLIPS

FREDERICK DOUGLASS. Frederick Douglass was born in slavery as Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey close to Easton in Talbot

County, Maryland. He turned into not certain of the precise 12 months of his birth, but he knew that it was 1817 or 1818. As a younger boy he become despatched to Baltimore, to be a residence servant, in which he discovered to study and write, with the assistance of his grasp's wife. In 1838 he escaped from slavery and went to New York City, where he married Anna Murray, a unfastened coloured lady whom he had met in Baltimore. Soon thereafter he changed his name to Frederick Douglass. In 1841 he addressed a convention of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society in Nantucket and so substantially inspired the organization that they at once employed him as an agent. He changed into such an impressive orator that numerous men and women doubted if he had ever been a slave, so he wrote Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass. During the Civil War he assisted in the recruiting of coloured men for the 54th and 55th Massachusetts Regiments and always argued for the emancipation of slaves. After the conflict he changed into lively in securing and defensive the rights of the freemen. In his later years, at one of a kind instances, he turned into secretary of the Santo Domingo Commission, marshall and recorder of deeds of the District of Columbia, and United States Minister to Haiti. His other autobiographical works are My Bondage And My Freedom and Life And Times Of Frederick Douglass, published in 1855 and 1881 respectively. He died in 1895.

CHAPTER I

I become born in Tuckahoe, near Hillsborough, and approximately twelve miles from Easton, in Talbot county, Maryland. I haven't any correct information of my age, by no means having seen any true report containing it. By a ways the bigger part of the slaves understand as little of their a while as horses know of theirs, and it's miles the wish of most masters inside my knowledge to maintain their slaves as a result ignorant. I do no longer recall to have ever met a slave who may want to inform of his birthday. They seldom come closer to it than planting-time, harvest-time, cherry-time, spring-time, or fall-time. A want of statistics regarding my own changed into a supply of unhappiness to me even during youth. The white youngsters may want to inform their a while. I could not tell why I must be disadvantaged of the identical privilege. I was now not allowed to make any inquiries of my master concerning it. He deemed all such inquiries on the a part of a slave fallacious and impertinent, and evidence of a restless spirit. The nearest estimate I can deliver makes me now among twenty-seven and twenty-eight years of age. I come to this, from hearing my grasp say, some time at some stage in 1835, I become about seventeen years vintage.

My mother changed into named Harriet Bailey. She become the daughter of Isaac and Betsey Bailey, each colored, and pretty darkish. My mom turned into of a darker complexion than both my grandmother or grandfather.

My father turned into a white man. He turned into admitted to be such by way of all I ever heard talk of my parentage. The opinion became also whispered that my master changed into my father; but of the correctness of this opinion, I realize not anything; the method of knowing became withheld from me. My mom and I had been separated when I become however an infant—before I knew her as my mom. It is a commonplace custom, inside the a part of Maryland from which I ran away, to component youngsters from their moms at a completely early age. Frequently, before the kid has reached its twelfth month, its mother is taken from it, and employed out on some farm a giant distance off, and the child is placed underneath the care of an antique lady, too old for area labor. For what this separation is done, I do not know, unless it be to hinder the improvement of the kid's affection towards its mother, and to blunt and break the herbal affection of the mom for the kid. This is the inevitable end result.

I by no means noticed my mom, to know her as such, greater than 4 or 5 instances in my lifestyles; and every of these times was very short in period, and at night. She turned into employed via a Mr. Stewart, who lived approximately twelve miles from my domestic. She made her journeys to peer me inside the night time, travelling the whole distance strolling, after the performance of her day's paintings. She changed into a area hand, and a whipping is the penalty of no longer being within the area at sunrise, except a slave has unique permission from his or her master to the contrary—a permission which they seldom get, and one which offers to him that gives it the proud name of being a kind grasp. I do not recollect of ever seeing my mom by the light of day. She was with me within the night. She could lie down with me, and get me to sleep, but long before I waked she was long gone. Very little communication ever occurred among us. Death soon ended what little we may want to have whilst she lived, and with it her hardships and struggling. She died after I was approximately seven years old, on one of my grasp's farms, close to Lee's Mill. I turned into no longer allowed to be present throughout her contamination, at her death, or burial. She turned into long gone lengthy before I knew any element approximately it. Never having loved, to any considerable volume, her soothing presence, her soft and watchful care, I received the tidings of her loss of life with much the same feelings I ought to have probable felt at the demise of a stranger.

Called therefore suddenly away, she left me without the slightest intimation of who my father turned into. The whisper that my master changed into my father, may also or might not be genuine; and, genuine or false, it is of but little outcome to my reason while the truth remains, in all its obvious odiousness, that slaveholders have ordained, and through regulation established, that the kids of slave women shall in all cases comply with the

situation of their mothers; and that is performed too obviously to administer to their very own lusts, and make a gratification in their wicked desires profitable in addition to enjoyable; for by means of this cunning arrangement, the slaveholder, in instances not some, sustains to his slaves the double relation of grasp and father.

I know of such instances; and it's far worth of observation that such slaves forever suffer extra hardships, and have greater to contend with, than others. They are, within the first place, a steady offence to their mistress. She is ever disposed to discover fault with them; they could seldom do any aspect to delight her; she is in no way higher pleased than when she sees them below the lash, especially while she suspects her husband of displaying to his mulatto youngsters favors which he withholds from his black slaves. The master is frequently forced to promote this elegance of his slaves, out of deference to the emotions of his white wife; and, cruel because the deed might also strike any person to be, for a man to promote his own youngsters to human flesh-mongers, it's far regularly the dictate of humanity for him to do so; for, until he does this, he ought to not only whip them himself, but have to stand by and spot one white son tie up his brother, of however few shades darker complexion than himself, and ply the gory lash to his bare returned; and if he lisp one word of disapproval, it's far set all the way down to his parental partiality, and handiest makes a bad count number worse, both for himself and the slave whom he might defend and protect.

Every year brings with it multitudes of this magnificence of slaves. It become possible in effect of a knowledge of this reality, that one terrific statesman of the south expected the downfall of slavery via the inevitable legal guidelines of populace. Whether this prophecy is ever fulfilled or no longer, it's miles despite the fact that plain that a very exceptional-looking class of humans are bobbing up at the south, and are actually held in slavery, from the ones initially added to this country from Africa; and if their growth do no different excellent, it's going to do away the pressure of the argument, that God cursed Ham, and therefore American slavery is right. If the lineal descendants of Ham are alone to be scripturally enslaved, it's far certain that slavery on the south ought to soon grow to be unscriptural; for hundreds are ushered into the sector, annually, who, like myself, owe their existence to white fathers, and people fathers maximum often their very own masters.

I actually have had two masters. My first grasp's name was Anthony. I do no longer remember his first name. He became generally referred to as Captain Anthony—a title which, I presume, he received by way of crusing a craft at the Chesapeake Bay. He become now not taken into consideration a wealthy slaveholder. He owned two or 3 farms, and about thirty slaves. His farms and slaves had been under the care of an overseer. The overseer's call become Plummer. Mr. Plummer become a depressing drunkard, a profane swearer, and a savage monster. He always went armed with a cowskin and a heavy cudgel. I actually have recognized him to reduce and lower the girls's heads so horribly, that even master might be enraged at his cruelty, and might threaten to whip him if he did now not mind himself. Master, however, become now not a humane slaveholder. It required notable barbarity on the part of an overseer to have an effect on him. He become a cruel man, hardened via a protracted lifestyles of slaveholding. He might at instances seem to take extremely good satisfaction in whipping a slave. I have regularly been awakened on the dawn of day via the maximum heart-rending shrieks of an own aunt of mine, whom he used to tie up to a joist, and whip upon her bare again till she turned into literally protected with blood. No phrases, no tears, no prayers, from his gory victim, appeared to move his iron coronary heart from its bloody purpose. The louder she screamed, the harder he whipped; and wherein the blood ran fastest, there he whipped longest. He would whip her to make her scream, and whip her to make her hush; and now not till triumph over with the aid of fatigue, might he stop to swing the blood-clotted cowskin. I take into account the primary time I ever witnessed this horrible exhibition. I become pretty a child, however I well recollect it. I in no way shall neglect it whilst I consider any component. It turned into the first of an extended series of such outrages, of which I turned into doomed to be a witness and a player. It struck me with awful pressure. It was the blood-stained gate, the doorway to the hell of slavery, through which I become about to skip. It was a most terrible spectacle. I desire I could commit to paper the emotions with which I beheld it.

This prevalence passed off very quickly once I went to stay with my antique grasp, and under the subsequent

circumstances. Aunt Hester went out one night,—wherein or for what I do now not know,—and took place to be absent whilst my master favored her presence. He had ordered her now not to exit evenings, and warned her that she have to by no means let him catch her in company with a younger man, who turned into paying attention to her belonging to Colonel Lloyd. The younger guy's call become Ned Roberts, commonly known as Lloyd's Ned. Why master turned into so cautious of her, can be thoroughly left to conjecture. She was a lady of noble form, and of swish proportions, having only a few equals, and less superiors, in private look, the various coloured or white ladies of our neighborhood.

Aunt Hester had now not only disobeyed his orders in going out, but were discovered in organization with Lloyd's Ned; which condition, I discovered, from what he said whilst whipping her, changed into the chief offence. Had he been a man of pure morals himself, he could have been concept interested by protecting the innocence of my aunt; but those who knew him will not suspect him of this kind of distinctive feature. Before he began whipping Aunt Hester, he took her into the kitchen, and stripped her from neck to waist, leaving her neck, shoulders, and again, totally bare. He then told her to cross her palms, calling her on the equal time a d——d b —-h. After crossing her fingers, he tied them with a robust rope, and led her to a stool below a big hook within the joist, installed for the purpose. He made her get upon the stool, and tied her arms to the hook. She now stood truthful for his infernal cause. Her palms had been stretched up at their complete period, so that she stood upon the ends of her feet. He then said to her, "Now, you d——d b—-h, I'll examine you the way to disobey my orders!" and after rolling up his sleeves, he commenced to lay at the heavy cowskin, and soon the nice and cozy, crimson blood (amid heart-rending shrieks from her, and horrid oaths from him) came dripping to the floor. I become so terrified and horror-bothered at the sight, that I hid myself in a closet, and dared now not project out till lengthy after the bloody transaction became over. I expected it'd be my flip subsequent. It became all new to me. I had in no way visible any thing adore it before. I had continually lived with my grandmother on the outskirts of the plantation, in which she become placed to raise the children of the younger ladies. I had therefore been, till now, out of the manner of the bloody scenes that regularly befell at the plantation.

CHAPTER II

My master's family consisted of sons, Andrew and Richard; one daughter, Lucretia, and her husband, Captain Thomas Auld. They lived in a single residence, upon the house plantation of Colonel Edward Lloyd. My master turned into Colonel Lloyd's clerk and superintendent. He turned into what might be known as the overseer of the overseers. I spent years of childhood on this plantation in my antique master's circle of relatives. It turned into right here that I witnessed the bloody transaction recorded in the first bankruptcy; and as I received my first impressions of slavery in this plantation, I will give some description of it, and of slavery because it there existed. The plantation is ready twelve miles north of Easton, in Talbot county, and is situated at the border of Miles River. The major products raised upon it were tobacco, corn, and wheat. These were raised in awesome abundance; in order that, with the products of this and the opposite farms belonging to him, he changed into able to keep in nearly regular employment a huge sloop, in carrying them to market at Baltimore. This sloop became named Sally Lloyd, in honor of one of the colonel's daughters. My master's son-in-law, Captain Auld, was master of the vessel; she was in any other case manned via the colonel's very own slaves. Their names had been Peter, Isaac, Rich, and Jake. These had been esteemed very rather by the alternative slaves, and seemed upon because the privileged ones of the plantation; for it changed into no small affair, within the eyes of the slaves, to be allowed to look Baltimore.

Colonel Lloyd stored from 3 to four hundred slaves on his home plantation, and owned a large range extra on the neighboring farms belonging to him. The names of the farms nearest to the house plantation had been Wye Town and New Design. "Wye Town" become beneath the overseership of a man named Noah Willis. New Design changed into below the overseership of a Mr. Townsend. The overseers of those, and all the rest of the farms, numbering over twenty, acquired advice and direction from the managers of the home plantation. This turned into the fantastic commercial enterprise area. It was the seat of presidency for the entire twenty farms. All disputes most of the overseers had been settled here. If a slave changed into convicted of any excessive misdemeanor, became unmanageable, or evinced a dedication to run away, he become brought without delay here, severely whipped, put on board the sloop, carried to Baltimore, and offered to Austin Woolfolk, or a few other slave-trader, as a warning to the slaves ultimate.

Here, too, the slaves of all of the other farms obtained their month-to-month allowance of meals, and their yearly apparel. The men and women slaves received, as their month-to-month allowance of meals, 8 kilos of beef, or its equal in fish, and one bushel of corn meal. Their every year apparel consisted of coarse linen shirts, one pair of linen trousers, like the shirts, one jacket, one pair of trousers for iciness, product of coarse negro cloth, one pair of stockings, and one pair of shoes; the complete of which couldn't have fee greater than seven bucks. The allowance of the slave youngsters was given to their moms, or the antique ladies having the care of them. The children not able to paintings inside the area had neither shoes, stockings, jackets, nor trousers, given to them; their garb consisted of two coarse linen shirts in line with year. When those failed them, they went bare till the following allowance-day. Children from seven to ten years antique, of both sexes, almost naked, is probably seen in any respect seasons of the 12 months.

There have been no beds given the slaves, unless one coarse blanket be taken into consideration such, and none however the women and men had these. This, but, isn't considered a totally super privation. They discover much less problem from the need of beds, than from the want of time to sleep; for when their day's work in the discipline is completed, the most of them having their washing, mending, and cooking to do, and having few or none of the normal centers for doing either of those, very lots of their drowsing hours are fed on in making ready for the sector the coming day; and whilst this is carried out, old and young, male and girl, married and single, drop down side by using side, on one not unusual mattress,—the cold, damp floor,—each masking himself or herself with their depressing blankets; and here they sleep until they may be summoned to the field by means of the driving force's horn. At the sound of this, all need to upward thrust, and be off to the sphere. There must be

no halting; every one have to be at his or her put up; and woe betides them who pay attention not this morning summons to the sector; for if they may be no longer awoke by way of the sense of hearing, they're via the sense of feeling: no age nor intercourse unearths any prefer. Mr. Severe, the overseer, used to stand by the door of the zone, armed with a huge hickory stick and heavy cowskin, ready to whip anyone who was so unfortunate as not to hear, or, from some other cause, was prevented from being prepared to begin for the sphere on the sound of the horn.

Mr. Severe become rightly named: he become a cruel guy. I actually have seen him whip a female, causing the blood to run 1/2 an hour on the time; and this, too, in the midst of her crying kids, pleading for their mother's launch. He appeared to take delight in manifesting his fiendish barbarity. Added to his cruelty, he turned into a profane swearer. It was enough to chill the blood and stiffen the hair of an ordinary guy to listen him speak. Scarce a sentence escaped him however that changed into started out or concluded with the aid of some horrid oath. The area became the region to witness his cruelty and profanity. His presence made it each the sector of blood and of blasphemy. From the growing till the going down of the solar, he turned into cursing, raving, reducing, and slashing most of the slaves of the sector, inside the maximum frightful manner. His career changed into brief. He died very soon when I went to Colonel Lloyd's; and he died as he lived, uttering, with his death groans, sour curses and horrid oaths. His demise was regarded by way of the slaves as the result of a merciful providence.

Mr. Severe's location changed into crammed by a Mr. Hopkins. He became a very one of a kind guy. He was much less cruel, less profane, and made less noise, than Mr. Severe. His direction become characterised by no extremely good demonstrations of cruelty. He whipped, but regarded to take no delight in it. He became known as by using the slaves an amazing overseer.

The home plantation of Colonel Lloyd wore the arrival of a country village. All the mechanical operations for all the farms were carried out right here. The shoemaking and mending, the blacksmithing, cartwrighting, coopering, weaving, and grain-grinding, had been all executed by means of the slaves on the home plantation. The complete area wore a enterprise-like issue very not like the neighboring farms. The wide variety of houses, too, conspired to present it gain over the neighboring farms. It changed into referred to as by the slaves the Great House Farm. Few privileges have been esteemed higher, by way of the slaves of the out-farms, than that of being decided on to do errands on the Great House Farm. It turned into associated of their minds with greatness. A representative could not be prouder of his election to a seat inside the American Congress, than a slave on one of the out-farms would be of his election to do errands on the Great House Farm. They regarded it as proof of tremendous confidence reposed in them via their overseers; and it changed into on this account, in addition to a constant desire to be out of the field from beneath the driver's lash, that they esteemed it a excessive privilege, one worth careful dwelling for. He changed into referred to as the best and maximum trusty fellow, who had this honor conferred upon him the most regularly. The competition for this workplace sought as diligently to please their overseers, because the workplace-seekers in the political events are searching for to delight and mislead the human beings. The identical developments of character might be seen in Colonel Lloyd's slaves, as are visible within the slaves of the political events.

The slaves selected to go to the Great House Farm, for the month-to-month allowance for themselves and their fellow-slaves, had been certainly enthusiastic. While on their manner, they would make the dense vintage woods, for miles around, reverberate with their wild songs, revealing right now the highest joy and the private sadness. They could compose and sing as they went along, consulting neither time nor track. The thought that came up, came out—if no longer in the phrase, within the sound;—and as regularly inside the one as inside the different. They might now and again sing the most pathetic sentiment inside the maximum rapturous tone, and the most rapturous sentiment within the maximum pathetic tone. Into all of their songs they could manage to weave some thing of the Great House Farm. Especially could they try this, when leaving domestic. They would then sing maximum exultingly the following phrases:—

"I am going away to the Great House Farm!

O, yea! O, yea! O!" This they might sing, as a refrain, to words which to many would seem unmeaning jargon, but which, although,

were complete of meaning to themselves. I have once in a while notion that the mere listening to of those songs would do more to affect some minds with the terrible character of slavery, than the studying of whole volumes of philosophy at the situation may want to do.

I did now not, while a slave, recognize the deep which means of those impolite and seemingly incoherent songs. I turned into myself within the circle; in order that I neither saw nor heard as those without might see and listen. They informed a story of woe which changed into then altogether beyond my feeble comprehension; they have been tones loud, lengthy, and deep; they breathed the prayer and complaint of souls boiling over with the bitterest pain. Every tone changed into a testimony against slavery, and a prayer to God for deliverance from chains. The hearing of these wild notes usually depressed my spirit, and crammed me with ineffable sadness. I even have regularly located myself in tears at the same time as hearing them. The mere recurrence to the ones songs, even now, afflicts me; and even as I am writing those traces, an expression of feeling has already observed its way down my cheek. To those songs I trace my first glimmering idea of the dehumanizing man or woman of slavery. I can by no means put off that theory. Those songs nonetheless comply with me, to deepen my hatred of slavery, and quicken my sympathies for my brethren in bonds. If any person wishes to be inspired with the soul-killing results of slavery, permit him visit Colonel Lloyd's plantation, and, on allowance-day, location himself inside the deep pine woods, and there let him, in silence, examine the sounds that shall bypass through the chambers of his soul,—and if he is not accordingly inspired, it'll simplest be due to the fact "there may be no flesh in his obdurate heart."

I actually have frequently been utterly astonished, considering that I came to the north, to locate humans who ought to talk of the making a song, amongst slaves, as proof of their contentment and happiness. It is impossible to conceive of a more mistake. Slaves sing maximum when they are most sad. The songs of the slave constitute the sorrows of his heart; and he's relieved with the aid of them, only as an aching heart is relieved by its tears. At least, such is my enjoy. I actually have often sung to drown my sorrow, however seldom to specific my happiness. Crying for pleasure, and singing for pleasure, have been alike uncommon to me whilst in the jaws of slavery. The making a song of a person solid away upon a desolate island is probably as correctly taken into consideration as proof of contentment and happiness, as the singing of a slave; the songs of the one and of the opposite are prompted by the same emotion.

CHAPTER III

Colonel Lloyd stored a massive and finely cultivated garden, which afforded almost consistent employment for 4 men, except the leader gardener, (Mr. M'Durmond.) This lawn was probably the greatest attraction of the place. During the summer time months, people got here from some distance and near—from Baltimore, Easton, and Annapolis—to see it. It abounded in fruits of almost every description, from the hardy apple of the north to the sensitive orange of the south. This garden changed into now not the least supply of problem on the plantation. Its top notch fruit changed into pretty a temptation to the hungry swarms of boys, in addition to the older slaves, belonging to the colonel, few of whom had the virtue or the vice to face up to it. Scarcely a day handed, at some stage in the summer season, however that a few slave had to take the lash for stealing fruit. The colonel had to hotel to all varieties of stratagems to preserve his slaves out of the garden. The closing and maximum a success one was that of tarring his fence all around; and then, if a slave become stuck with any tar upon his character, it changed into deemed enough proof that he had both been into the garden, or had attempted to get in. In either case, he became critically whipped by using the leader gardener. This plan labored properly; the slaves have become as afraid of tar as of the lash. They seemed to recognize the impossibility of touching tar with out being defiled.

The colonel also kept a remarkable using equipage. His stable and carriage-residence offered the arrival of some of our big city livery institutions. His horses were of the greatest shape and noblest blood. His carriage- residence contained three outstanding coaches, 3 or 4 gigs, except dearborns and barouches of the most stylish fashion.

This established order changed into underneath the care of two slaves—antique Barney and young Barney— father and son. To attend to this established order was their sole paintings. But it changed into in no way an easy employment; for in nothing was Colonel Lloyd more unique than inside the control of his horses. The slightest inattention to these changed into unpardonable, and became visited upon the ones, beneath whose care they had been positioned, with the severest punishment; no excuse could protect them, if the colonel simplest suspected any need of attention to his horses—a supposition which he often indulged, and one that, of direction, made the office of old and young Barney a completely attempting one. They by no means knew after they were safe from punishment. They were frequently whipped whilst least deserving, and escaped whipping when maximum deserving it. Every aspect depended upon the seems of the horses, and the state of Colonel Lloyd's personal mind when his horses had been delivered to him for use. If a horse did not circulate fast enough, or maintain his head high sufficient, it changed into thanks to some fault of his keepers. It became painful to stand near the solid- door, and listen the diverse complaints against the keepers whilst a horse was taken out to be used. "This horse has no longer had proper interest. He has now not been sufficiently rubbed and curried, or he has not been well fed; his food turned into too moist or too dry; he got it too soon or too past due; he changed into too warm or too cold; he had an excessive amount of hay, and not enough of grain; or he had an excessive amount of grain, and not sufficient of hay; rather than vintage Barney's attending to the pony, he had very improperly left it to his son." To some of these proceedings, regardless of how unjust, the slave need to solution by no means a phrase. Colonel Lloyd couldn't brook any contradiction from a slave. When he spoke, a slave need to stand, pay attention, and tremble; and such was literally the case. I have seen Colonel Lloyd make antique Barney, a man among fifty and sixty years of age, uncover his bald head, kneel down upon the bloodless, damp floor, and receive upon his bare and toil-worn shoulders extra than thirty lashes at the time. Colonel Lloyd had three sons —Edward, Murray, and Daniel,—and three sons-in-law, Mr. Winder, Mr. Nicholson, and Mr. Lowndes. All of these lived at the Great House Farm, and loved the posh of whipping the servants when they thrilled, from antique Barney right down to William Wilkes, the educate-driver. I even have visible Winder make one of the

house-servants stand off from him a appropriate distance to be touched with the end of his whip, and at every stroke raise brilliant ridges upon his lower back.

To describe the wealth of Colonel Lloyd might be almost same to describing the riches of Job. He kept from ten to 15 house-servants. He became stated to personal one thousand slaves, and I suppose this estimate pretty within the fact. Colonel Lloyd owned so many who he did no longer recognize them while he saw them; nor did all of the slaves of the out-farms recognize him. It is reported of him, that, at the same time as riding alongside the road sooner or later, he met a colored man, and addressed him in the usual way of talking to colored humans on the general public highways of the south: "Well, boy, whom do you belong to?" "To Colonel Lloyd," replied the slave. "Well, does the colonel treat you nicely?" "No, sir," turned into the equipped respond. "What, does he work you too hard?" "Yes, sir." "Well, do not he provide you with enough to devour?" "Yes, sir, he offers me enough, consisting of it's miles."

The colonel, after ascertaining wherein the slave belonged, rode on; the person also went on about his commercial enterprise, now not dreaming that he were speaking with his master. He idea, stated, and heard not anything more of the matter, till two or 3 weeks afterwards. The terrible guy was then knowledgeable with the aid of his overseer that, for having found fault with his master, he changed into now to be offered to a Georgia trader. He was straight away chained and handcuffed; and thus, without a moment's caution, he turned into snatched away, and for all time sundered, from his circle of relatives and pals, by a hand extra unrelenting than dying. This is the penalty of telling the truth, of telling the easy reality, in solution to a series of plain questions.

It is in part in consequence of such records, that slaves, when inquired of as to their situation and the man or woman of their masters, nearly universally say they're contented, and that their masters are kind. The slaveholders have been recognized to send in spies among their slaves, to check their views and emotions in regard to their circumstance. The frequency of this has had the impact to establish a few of the slaves the maxim, that a nonetheless tongue makes a wise head. They suppress the reality as opposed to take the consequences of telling it, and in so doing show themselves a part of the human family. If they have any issue to mention in their masters, it's miles typically of their masters' favor, mainly whilst talking to an untried man. I had been often requested, whilst a slave, if I had a type master, and do no longer keep in mind ever to have given a terrible answer; nor did I, in pursuing this course, don't forget myself as uttering what became genuinely false; for I usually measured the kindness of my grasp by using the usual of kindness set up amongst slaveholders around us. Moreover, slaves are like different people, and imbibe prejudices pretty common to others. They think their personal better than that of others. Many, underneath the impact of this prejudice, think their own masters are better than the masters of different slaves; and this, too, in a few cases, whilst the very reverse is genuine. Indeed, it isn't unusual for slaves even to fall out and quarrel among themselves about the relative goodness in their masters, every contending for the advanced goodness of his own over that of the others. At the very equal time, they collectively execrate their masters when regarded one after the other. It changed into so on our plantation. When Colonel Lloyd's slaves met the slaves of Jacob Jepson, they seldom parted without a quarrel approximately their masters; Colonel Lloyd's slaves contending that he become the richest, and Mr. Jepson's slaves that he became the best, and most of a man. Colonel Lloyd's slaves might boast his capacity to buy and sell Jacob Jepson. Mr. Jepson's slaves would boast his capability to whip Colonel Lloyd. These quarrels would almost usually result in a fight among the parties, and people that whipped have been alleged to have received the factor at difficulty. They seemed to assume that the greatness in their masters turned into transferable to themselves. It was considered as being terrible enough to be a slave; but to be a negative man's slave turned into deemed a shame indeed!

CHAPTER IV

Mr. Hopkins remained however a short time in the workplace of overseer. Why his profession become so brief, I do no longer understand, but suppose he lacked the important severity to suit Colonel Lloyd. Mr. Hopkins changed into succeeded with the aid of Mr. Austin Gore, a man owning, in an eminent degree, all those traits of individual integral to what's referred to as a great overseer. Mr. Gore had served Colonel Lloyd, in the potential of overseer, upon one of the out-farms, and had proven himself worth of the excessive station of overseer upon the house or Great House Farm.

Mr. Gore turned into proud, ambitious, and persevering. He become suave, merciless, and stubborn. He became just the person for such an area, and it was just the location for such a man. It afforded scope for the overall exercising of all his powers, and he regarded to be flawlessly at domestic in it. He became one among those who may want to torture the slightest look, phrase, or gesture, on the a part of the slave, into impudence, and would deal with it for this reason. There should be no answering returned to him; no rationalization changed into allowed a slave, displaying himself to had been wrongfully accused. Mr. Gore acted absolutely up to the maxim laid down by slaveholders,—"It is higher that a dozen slaves should go through beneath the lash, than that the overseer need to be convicted, within the presence of the slaves, of having been at fault." No count how innocent a slave is probably—it availed him nothing, whilst accused by means of Mr. Gore of any misdemeanor. To be accused turned into to be convicted, and to be convicted was to be punished; the only constantly following the opposite with immutable reality. To escape punishment become to break out accusation; and few slaves had the fortune to do either, beneath the overseership of Mr. Gore. He become simply proud enough to demand the maximum debasing homage of the slave, and pretty servile enough to crouch, himself, at the ft of the grasp. He become bold enough to be contented with nothing quick of the very best rank of overseers, and persevering sufficient to attain the height of his ambition. He was merciless sufficient to inflict the severest punishment, clever enough to descend to the bottom trickery, and stubborn sufficient to be insensible to the voice of a reproving conscience. He was, of all of the overseers, the most dreaded via the slaves. His presence turned into painful; his eye flashed confusion; and infrequently changed into his sharp, shrill voice heard, without generating horror and trembling in their ranks.

Mr. Gore was a grave man, and, although a young man, he indulged in no jokes, said no funny phrases, seldom smiled. His phrases were in perfect retaining together with his looks, and his seems were in best keeping with his words. Overseers will from time to time take pleasure in a witty word, in spite of the slaves; no longer so with Mr. Gore. He spoke but to command, and commanded but to be obeyed; he dealt sparingly along with his phrases, and bountifully along with his whip, by no means the use of the previous where the latter could answer as well. When he whipped, he appeared to do so from a experience of obligation, and feared no effects. He did nothing reluctantly, irrespective of how disagreeable; usually at his post, never inconsistent. He in no way promised but to fulfil. He become, in a word, a man of the most inflexible firmness and stone-like coolness.

His savage barbarity turned into equalled best through the consummate coolness with which he committed the grossest and maximum savage deeds upon the slaves under his charge. Mr. Gore once undertook to whip one in all Colonel Lloyd's slaves, by the name of Demby. He had given Demby however few stripes, when, to get rid of the scourging, he ran and plunged himself right into a creek, and stood there on the intensity of his shoulders, refusing to pop out. Mr. Gore advised him that he could supply him 3 calls, and that, if he did not come out on the 0.33 name, he would shoot him. The first call was given. Demby made no reaction, but stood his floor. The second and 0.33 calls had been given with the identical result. Mr. Gore then, without consultation or deliberation with any one, no longer even giving Demby an additional name, raised his musket to his face, taking lethal intention at his status victim, and in an instant bad Demby become no greater. His mangled frame sank out

of sight, and blood and brains marked the water wherein he had stood. A thrill of horror flashed through every soul upon the plantation, excepting Mr. Gore. He on my own seemed

cool and collected. He was requested via Colonel Lloyd and my old grasp, why he resorted to this notable expedient. His respond became, (in addition to I can bear in mind,) that Demby had grow to be unmanageable. He was placing a risky instance to the other slaves,—one which, if suffered to skip with out a few such demonstration on his element, might in the end lead to the entire subversion of all rule and order upon the plantation. He argued that if one slave refused to be corrected, and escaped along with his existence, the opposite slaves might soon replica the instance; the end result of which might be, the liberty of the slaves, and the enslavement of the whites. Mr. Gore's defence became quality. He turned into endured in his station as overseer upon the house plantation. His reputation as an overseer went abroad. His horrid crime was now not even submitted to judicial research. It turned into committed in the presence of slaves, and they of route should neither institute a suit, nor testify in opposition to him; and for this reason the guilty culprit of one of the bloodiest and most foul murders is going unwhipped of justice, and uncensured by way of the community in which he lives. Mr. Gore lived in St. Michael's, Talbot county, Maryland, when I left there; and if he's nonetheless alive, he very probably lives there now; and in that case, he is now, as he turned into then, as relatively esteemed and as tons respected as though his guilty soul had not been stained with his brother's blood.

I communicate advisedly once I say this,—that killing a slave, or any coloured individual, in Talbot county, Maryland, is not dealt with as a criminal offense, both by the courts or the network. Mr. Thomas Lanman, of St. Michael's, killed slaves, one in all whom he killed with a hatchet, through knocking his brains out. He used to boast of the commission of the awful and bloody deed. I have heard him do so laughingly, saying, amongst other things, that he was the best benefactor of his united states of america in the organization, and that when others might do as a great deal as he had performed, we need to be relieved of "the d——d niggers."

The wife of Mr. Giles Hicks, dwelling but a quick distance from in which I used to live, murdered my wife's cousin, a young lady between fifteen and 16 years of age, mangling her man or woman inside the maximum horrible manner, breaking her nostril and breastbone with a stick, so that the bad girl expired in some hours afterward. She changed into at once buried, however had now not been in her untimely grave however a few hours earlier than she turned into taken up and examined by means of the coroner, who decided that she had come to her dying by using excessive beating. The offence for which this woman became as a result murdered changed into this:—She have been set that night time to thoughts Mrs. Hicks's infant, and for the duration of the night she fell asleep, and the child cried. She, having misplaced her rest for numerous nights preceding, did not listen the crying. They were both in the room with Mrs. Hicks. Mrs. Hicks, finding the woman slow to move, jumped from her bed, seized an okaystick of wood by means of the hearth, and with it broke the female's nostril and breastbone, and hence ended her life. I will now not say that this most horrid murder produced no sensation in the community. It did produce sensation, but no longer sufficient to carry the murderess to punishment. There was a warrant issued for her arrest, however it turned into never served. Thus she escaped now not most effective punishment, but even the ache of being arraigned before a court for her horrid crime.

Whilst I am detailing bloody deeds which passed off all through my live on Colonel Lloyd's plantation, I will briefly narrate another, which occurred approximately the same time because the murder of Demby by Mr. Gore.

Colonel Lloyd's slaves have been within the habit of spending part of their nights and Sundays in fishing for oysters, and in this way made up the deficiency of their scanty allowance. An antique man belonging to Colonel Lloyd, even as accordingly engaged, happened to get past the boundaries of Colonel Lloyd's, and on the premises of Mr. Beal Bondly. At this trespass, Mr. Bondly took offence, and along with his musket came down to the shore, and blew its deadly contents into the bad old man.

Mr. Bondly got here over to look Colonel Lloyd day after today, whether or not to pay him for his belongings, or to justify himself in what he had carried out, I recognize no longer. At any charge, this whole fiendish transaction became soon hushed up. There became little or no said approximately it in any respect, and nothing achieved. It was a not unusual saying, even among little white boys, that it become really worth a 1/2-cent to kill

a "nigger," and a half of-cent to bury one.

CHAPTER V

As to my personal remedy while I lived on Colonel Lloyd's plantation, it turned into very just like that of the alternative slave kids. I turned into now not vintage enough to work in the discipline, and there being little else than field work to do, I had a fantastic deal of enjoyment time. The most I had to do changed into to pressure up the cows at night, maintain the fowls out of the garden, hold the the front backyard smooth, and run of errands for my antique grasp's daughter, Mrs. Lucretia Auld. The most of my leisure time I spent in supporting Master Daniel Lloyd in finding his birds, after he had shot them. My reference to Master Daniel was of some gain to me. He became quite attached to me, and was a sort of protector of me. He might no longer permit the older boys to impose upon me, and could divide his desserts with me.

I changed into seldom whipped by using my vintage master, and suffered little from any factor else than starvation and cold. I suffered an awful lot from starvation, however an awful lot greater from cold. In most up to date summer time and coldest winter, I changed into stored almost naked—no shoes, no stockings, no jacket, no trousers, nothing on but a rough tow linen blouse, accomplishing most effective to my knees. I had no bed. I should have perished with cold, however that, the coldest nights, I used to steal a bag which become used for wearing corn to the mill. I might crawl into this bag, and there sleep at the bloodless, damp, clay floor, with my head in and feet out. My feet have been so cracked with the frost, that the pen with which I am writing might be laid inside the gashes.

We have been not often allowanced. Our meals become coarse corn meal boiled. This become referred to as mush. It became positioned right into a large timber tray or trough, and set down upon the ground. The kids had been then referred to as, like so many pigs, and like such a lot of pigs they might come and consume the mush; some with oyster-shells, others with pieces of shingle, a few with naked arms, and none with spoons. He that ate fastest got most; he that turned into strongest secured the nice location; and few left the trough satisfied.

I turned into probably between seven and eight years vintage once I left Colonel Lloyd's plantation. I left it with joy. I shall in no way overlook the ecstasy with which I obtained the intelligence that my vintage master (Anthony) had decided to allow me go to Baltimore, to stay with Mr. Hugh Auld, brother to my vintage grasp's son-in-law, Captain Thomas Auld. I acquired this information about 3 days before my departure. They have been 3 of the happiest days I ever loved. I spent the maximum part of these types of three days inside the creek, washing off the plantation scurf, and preparing myself for my departure.

The delight of appearance which this would imply become not my own. I spent the time in washing, not so much because I needed to, but because Mrs. Lucretia had told me I should get all the lifeless skin off my ft and knees before I ought to go to Baltimore; for the human beings in Baltimore have been very cleanly, and might snicker at me if I looked grimy. Besides, she become going to present me a pair of trousers, which I ought to now not placed on until I got all the dirt off me. The concept of owning a couple of trousers changed into remarkable certainly! It turned into almost a sufficient purpose, not best to make me take off what would be called through pig-drovers the mange, however the pores and skin itself. I went at it in suitable earnest, working for the primary time with the hope of reward.

The ties that mostly bind youngsters to their homes have been all suspended in my case. I found no excessive trial in my departure. My home became charmless; it became no longer home to me; on parting from it, I could not experience that I changed into leaving any factor which I may want to have enjoyed through staying. My mother become dead, my grandmother lived some distance off, in order that I seldom saw her. I had two sisters and one brother, that lived within the identical residence with me; but the early separation folks from our mother had nicely nigh blotted the reality of our dating from our memories. I looked for domestic some other place, and

turned into assured of locating none which I ought to get pleasure from less than the only which I was leaving. If, but, I observed in my new home hassle, hunger, whipping, and nakedness, I had the comfort that I must now not have escaped anyone of them by means of staying. Having already had greater than a taste of them in the residence of my old master, and having continued them there, I very evidently inferred my ability to bear them some place else, and especially at Baltimore; for I had something of the feeling about Baltimore that is expressed inside the proverb, that "being hanged in England is ideal to death a herbal dying in Ireland." I had the most powerful desire to peer Baltimore. Cousin Tom, though now not fluent in speech, had stimulated me with that choice via his eloquent description of the vicinity. I may want to by no means factor out any factor on the Great House, regardless of how lovely or powerful, but that he had seen some thing at Baltimore far exceeding, both in beauty and power, the object which I mentioned to him. Even the Great House itself, with all its pictures, turned into some distance not as good as many buildings in Baltimore. So robust turned into my desire, that I notion a gratification of it might fully make amends for something lack of comforts I need to maintain by means of the change. I left without a remorse, and with the highest hopes of destiny happiness.

We sailed out of Miles River for Baltimore on a Saturday morning. I don't forget simplest the day of the week, for at that point I had no knowledge of the times of the month, nor the months of the yr. On placing sail, I walked aft, and gave to Colonel Lloyd's plantation what I hoped would be the last look. I then placed myself within the bows of the sloop, and there spent the the rest of the day in looking ahead, thrilling myself in what changed into inside the distance as opposed to in matters near via or in the back of.

In the afternoon of that day, we reached Annapolis, the capital of the State. We stopped but some moments, so that I had no time to go on shore. It changed into the first large city that I had ever visible, and although it might appearance small as compared with a number of our New England factory villages, I idea it a high-quality area for its size—extra imposing even than the Great House Farm!

We arrived at Baltimore early on Sunday morning, touchdown at Smith's Wharf, now not a long way from Bowley's Wharf. We had on board the sloop a massive flock of sheep; and after helping in using them to the slaughterhouse of Mr. Curtis on Louden Slater's Hill, I turned into performed through Rich, one of the fingers belonging on board of the sloop, to my new home in Alliciana Street, close to Mr. Gardner's deliver-yard, on Fells Point.

Mr. And Mrs. Auld have been each at domestic, and met me on the door with their little son Thomas, to take care of whom I have been given. And here I saw what I had never seen before; it turned into a white face beaming with the most kindly feelings; it changed into the face of my new mistress, Sophia Auld. I want I may want to describe the rapture that flashed through my soul as I beheld it. It turned into a new and strange sight to me, brightening up my pathway with the mild of happiness. Little Thomas turned into informed, there was his Freddy,—and I turned into informed to attend to little Thomas; and for this reason I entered upon the duties of my new domestic with the maximum cheering prospect in advance.

I appearance upon my departure from Colonel Lloyd's plantation as one of the maximum interesting events of my life. It is feasible, or even quite probably, that but for the mere situation of being removed from that plantation to Baltimore, I need to ought to-day, rather than being right here seated by means of my personal table, within the leisure of freedom and the happiness of home, writing this Narrative, been confined inside the galling chains of slavery. Going to live at Baltimore laid the inspiration, and opened the gateway, to all my next prosperity. I have ever regarded it as the first plain manifestation of that type providence which has ever on account that attended me, and marked my life with such a lot of favors. I regarded the selection of myself as being incredibly awesome. There were some of slave youngsters that would were sent from the plantation to Baltimore. There were those younger, those older, and those of the same age. I become selected from amongst all of them, and was the first, final, and handiest choice.

I can be deemed superstitious, and even egotistical, in regarding this occasion as a unique interposition of divine Providence in my favor. But I need to be false to the earliest sentiments of my soul, if I suppressed the opinion. I choose to be true to myself, even on the risk of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be fake,

and incur my personal abhorrence. From my earliest recollection, I date the enjoyment of a deep conviction that slavery could now not usually be capable of hold me within its foul embody; and inside the darkest hours of my career in slavery, this residing word of religion and spirit of hope departed no longer from me, but remained like ministering angels to cheer me through the gloom. This precise spirit turned into from God, and to him I provide thanksgiving and reward.

CHAPTER VI

My new mistress proved to be all she appeared when I first met her at the door,—a girl of the kindest coronary heart and finest emotions. She had never had a slave below her control previously to myself, and prior to her marriage she were based upon her own enterprise for a dwelling. She turned into by alternate a weaver; and with the aid of regular software to her enterprise, she have been in an awesome diploma preserved from the blighting and dehumanizing consequences of slavery. I was fully astonished at her goodness. I scarcely knew the way to behave towards her. She become completely in contrast to another white female I had ever visible. I couldn't technique her as I became conversant in method different white women. My early guidance was all out of area. The crouching servility, commonly so appropriate a fine in a slave, did not solution whilst manifested towards her. Her want changed into no longer gained by means of it; she appeared to be disturbed via it. She did not deem it impudent or unmannerly for a slave to appearance her in the face. The meanest slave became positioned completely relaxed in her presence, and none left without feeling higher for having seen her. Her face became made from heavenly smiles, and her voice of tranquil music.

But, unluckily! This type coronary heart had however a quick time to remain such. The deadly poison of irresponsible energy became already in her palms, and soon commenced its infernal paintings. That pleased eye, beneath the have an impact on of slavery, quickly became pink with rage; that voice, made all of sweet accord, modified to one in every of harsh and horrid discord; and that angelic face gave place to that of a demon.

Very soon when I went to stay with Mr. And Mrs. Auld, she very kindly started to teach me the A, B, C. After I had discovered this, she assisted me in studying to spell words of three or 4 letters. Just at this point of my progress, Mr. Auld found out what become occurring, and right away forbade Mrs. Auld to educate me in addition, telling her, amongst different matters, that it turned into unlawful, in addition to hazardous, to train a slave to study. To use his very own words, further, he stated, "If you supply a nigger an inch, he'll take an ell. A nigger ought to recognise nothing however to obey his master—to do as he is informed to do. Learning could break the first-rate nigger within the international. Now," stated he, "if you teach that nigger (speaking of myself) a way to study, there could be no retaining him. It would forever unfit him to be a slave. He could right away emerge as unmanageable, and of no fee to his master. As to himself, it may do him no exact, however a excellent deal of harm. It could make him discontented and sad." These words sank deep into my coronary heart, stirred up sentiments within that lay napping, and referred to as into life a wholly new educate of concept. It turned into a new and unique revelation, explaining darkish and mysterious matters, with which my youthful understanding had struggled, but struggled in useless. I now understood what had been to me a most confusing difficulty—to wit, the white guy's power to enslave the black guy. It changed into a grand success, and I prized it exceptionally. From that moment, I understood the pathway from slavery to freedom. It was just what I wanted, and I were given it at a time when I the least predicted it. Whilst I turned into saddened by means of the notion of losing the useful resource of my type mistress, I became gladdened via the valuable coaching which, by using the merest accident, I had gained from my master. Though conscious of the problem of mastering with out a teacher, I set out with high hope, and a fixed cause, at something price of trouble, to learn how to examine. The very decided manner with which he spoke, and strove to affect his spouse with the evil consequences of giving me coaching, served to persuade me that he was deeply practical of the truths he changed into uttering. It gave me the quality guarantee that I would possibly rely with the maximum self assurance at the outcomes which, he stated, could waft from teaching me to read. What he most dreaded, that I maximum desired. What he maximum loved, that I maximum hated. That which to him was a incredible evil, to be cautiously kept away from, became to me a awesome excellent, to be diligently sought; and the argument which he so warmly advised, against my

learning to read, simplest served to encourage me with a desire and resolution to research. In learning to read, I owe nearly as much to the bitter competition of my master, as to the kindly aid of my mistress. I well known the benefit of each.

I had resided however a brief time in Baltimore earlier than I determined a marked distinction, inside the treatment of slaves, from that which I had witnessed within the united states. A city slave is nearly a freeman, compared with a slave at the plantation. He is plenty better fed and clothed, and enjoys privileges altogether unknown to the slave at the plantation. There is a vestige of decency, a feel of shame, that does a good deal to scale down and take a look at the ones outbreaks of atrocious cruelty so usually enacted upon the plantation. He is a desperate slaveholder, who will surprise the humanity of his non-slaveholding buddies with the cries of his lacerated slave. Few are inclined to incur the odium attaching to the reputation of being a merciless master; and specifically matters, they would now not be called not giving a slave sufficient to devour. Every city slaveholder is anxious to have it known of him, that he feeds his slaves nicely; and it's miles because of them to say, that most of them do provide their slaves sufficient to eat. There are, however, some painful exceptions to this rule. Directly contrary to us, on Philpot Street, lived Mr. Thomas Hamilton. He owned slaves. Their names had been Henrietta and Mary. Henrietta turned into approximately twenty-years of age, Mary changed into about fourteen; and of all of the mangled and emaciated creatures I ever looked upon, these had been the maximum so. His heart ought to be tougher than stone, that could look upon these unmoved. The head, neck, and shoulders of Mary were literally reduce to portions. I have regularly felt her head, and determined it almost included with festering sores, caused by the lash of her merciless mistress. I do no longer know that her master ever whipped her, but I were a watch-witness to the cruelty of Mrs. Hamilton. I was once in Mr. Hamilton's house nearly every day. Mrs. Hamilton used to sit in a massive chair in the middle of the room, with a heavy cowskin continually by her aspect, and scarce an hour passed all through the day however became marked with the aid of the blood of any such slaves. The ladies seldom surpassed her without her announcing, "Move quicker, you black gip!" on the identical time giving them a blow with the cowskin over the top or shoulders, regularly drawing the blood. She could then say, "Take that, you black gip!" persevering with, "If you don't pass quicker, I'll pass you!" Added to the merciless lashings to which those slaves had been subjected, they had been saved nearly half of-starved. They seldom knew what it become to eat a full meal. I actually have visible Mary contending with the pigs for the offal thrown into the road. So a lot changed into Mary kicked and reduce to portions, that she changed into oftener called "pecked" than with the aid of her name.

CHAPTER VII

I lived in Master Hugh's family approximately seven years. During this time, I succeeded in mastering to examine and write. In conducting this, I became pressured to resort to various stratagems. I had no ordinary instructor. My mistress, who had kindly started to teach me, had, in compliance with the recommendation and route of her husband, no longer most effective ceased to coach, however had set her face in opposition to my being told by any one else. It is due, but, to my mistress to say of her, that she did not adopt this path of treatment right now. She at first lacked the depravity fundamental to shutting me up in mental darkness. It changed into as a minimum essential for her to have a few schooling inside the exercise of irresponsible strength, to make her same to the task of treating me as though I have been a brute.

My mistress turned into, as I actually have said, a kind and gentle-hearted female; and within the simplicity of her soul she commenced, when I first went to stay together with her, to treat me as she intended one person should treat some other. In getting into upon the duties of a slaveholder, she did not appear to perceive that I sustained to her the relation of an insignificant chattel, and that for her to treat me as a human being was no longer simplest incorrect, but dangerously so. Slavery proved as injurious to her as it did to me. When I went there, she become a pious, warm, and tender-hearted female. There became no sorrow or struggling for which she had no longer a tear. She had bread for the hungry, clothes for the naked, and luxury for every mourner that got here inside her attain. Slavery soon proved its capacity to divest her of these heavenly features. Under its have an effect on, the smooth heart have become stone, and the lamblike disposition gave manner to certainly one of tiger-like fierceness. The first step in her downward route changed into in her ceasing to educate me. She now commenced to preparation her husband's precepts. She finally have become even extra violent in her competition than her husband himself. She become no longer happy with surely doing as well as he had commanded; she regarded disturbing to do better. Nothing regarded to make her greater indignant than to look me with a newspaper. She seemed to assume that here lay the risk. I actually have had her rush at me with a face made all up of fury, and take hold of from me a newspaper, in a manner that absolutely discovered her apprehension. She become an apt woman; and a touch enjoy quickly validated, to her pleasure, that training and slavery have been incompatible with each different.

From this time I turned into maximum narrowly watched. If I turned into in a separate room any enormous duration of time, I was sure to be suspected of getting a e-book, and become without delay referred to as to give an account of myself. All this, but, was too late. The first step were taken. Mistress, in teaching me the alphabet, had given me the inch, and no precaution should prevent me from taking the ell.

The plan which I followed, and the only through which I turned into most successful, turned into that of making pals of all of the little white boys whom I met in the street. As lots of these as I ought to, I converted into instructors. With their kindly useful resource, acquired at specific times and in special places, I in the end succeeded in learning to examine. When I became sent of errands, I continually took my ebook with me, and through going one a part of my errand speedy, I found time to get a lesson before my return. I used also to hold bread with me, sufficient of which changed into continually within the house, and to which I became continually welcome; for I changed into a whole lot higher off on this regard than a few of the negative white children in our community. This bread I used to bestow upon the hungry little urchins, who, in return, would provide me that extra treasured bread of know-how. I am strongly tempted to offer the names of or three of those little boys, as a testimonial of the gratitude and affection I bear them; however prudence forbids;—now not that it'd injure me, however it'd embarrass them; for it's far nearly an unpardonable offence to train slaves to examine in this Christian u . S . A .. It is sufficient to mention of the expensive little fellows, that they lived on Philpot Street, very near Durgin and Bailey's shipyard. I used to talk this depend of slavery over with them. I would from time

to time say to them, I needed I may be as loose as they could be after they were given to be guys. "You might be loose as soon as you're twenty-one, but I am a slave for existence! Have not I as properly a proper to be unfastened as you have?" These phrases used to trouble them; they might explicit for me the liveliest sympathy, and console me with the wish that some thing could occur via which I is probably free.

I became now about twelve years vintage, and the thought of being a slave for existence started to bear heavily upon my coronary heart. Just approximately this time, I were given keep of a book entitled "The Columbian Orator." Every possibility I got, I used to read this ebook. Among a whole lot of different thrilling count, I observed in it a dialogue among a master and his slave. The slave turned into represented as having run away from his master 3 instances. The speak represented the communique which happened between them, while the slave changed into retaken the 1/3 time. In this communicate, the whole argument in behalf of slavery become brought ahead by the grasp, all of which became disposed of by way of the slave. The slave became made to mention a few very clever as well as awesome matters in respond to his master—things which had the desired though unexpected impact; for the communication resulted within the voluntary emancipation of the slave on the part of the master.

In the equal e-book, I met with certainly one of Sheridan's robust speeches on and in behalf of Catholic emancipation. These have been preference documents to me. I examine them again and again again with unabated interest. They gave tongue to exciting mind of my own soul, which had frequently flashed thru my mind, and died away for need of utterance. The moral which I gained from the dialogue became the electricity of truth over the conscience of even a slaveholder. What I got from Sheridan changed into a ambitious denunciation of slavery, and a effective vindication of human rights. The studying of these documents enabled me to utter my thoughts, and to meet the arguments brought ahead to preserve slavery; but while they relieved me of one issue, they introduced on some other even extra painful than the one of which I become relieved. The greater I study, the more I turned into brought about abhor and detest my enslavers. I ought to regard them in no other light than a band of successful robbers, who had left their houses, and long past to Africa, and stolen us from our homes, and in a peculiar land reduced us to slavery. I loathed them as being the meanest in addition to the most wicked of fellows. As I read and contemplated the concern, behold! That very discontentment which Master Hugh had anticipated could follow my gaining knowledge of to read had already come, to torment and sting my soul to unutterable affliction. As I writhed beneath it, I would at times experience that studying to examine were a curse as opposed to a blessing. It had given me a view of my wretched condition, without the treatment. It opened my eyes to the terrible pit, but to no ladder upon which to get out. In moments of affliction, I envied my fellow- slaves for their stupidity. I have frequently needed myself a beast. I desired the condition of the meanest reptile to my own. Any aspect, regardless of what, to dispose of wondering! It changed into this everlasting considering my situation that tormented me. There became no disposing of it. It changed into pressed upon me by using each object within sight or hearing, animate or inanimate. The silver trump of freedom had roused my soul to eternal wakefulness. Freedom now regarded, to disappear no more all the time. It become heard in every sound, and visible in every thing. It was ever gift to torment me with a feel of my wretched circumstance. I saw not anything without seeing it, I heard not anything without hearing it, and felt not anything with out feeling it. It appeared from every superstar, it smiled in every calm, breathed in every wind, and moved in each hurricane.

I regularly determined myself regretting my own existence, and wishing myself lifeless; and however for the wish of being loose, I don't have any doubt but that I should have killed myself, or performed some thing for which I need to were killed. While on this state of thoughts, I changed into keen to hear any individual speak of slavery. I was a geared up listener. Every little at the same time as, I may want to listen some thing approximately the abolitionists. It become some time before I determined what the phrase supposed. It was continually utilized in such connections as to make it an thrilling word to me. If a slave ran away and succeeded in getting clear, or if a slave killed his master, set fireplace to a barn, or did any factor very incorrect inside the thoughts of a slaveholder, it turned into spoken of because the fruit of abolition. Hearing the phrase in this connection very regularly, I set about mastering what it meant. The dictionary afforded me very little help. I

located it become "the act of abolishing;" however then I did now not understand what turned into to be abolished. Here I turned into puzzled. I did no longer dare to ask any one about its meaning, for I turned into glad that it become something they wanted me to realize very little approximately. After a patient waiting, I got certainly one of our town papers, containing an account of the wide variety of petitions from the north, praying for the abolition of slavery inside the District of Columbia, and of the slave trade between the States. From this time I understood the words abolition and abolitionist, and continually drew near while that word changed into spoken, expecting to pay attention some thing of importance to myself and fellow-slaves. The light broke in upon me by stages. I went at some point down on the wharf of Mr. Waters; and seeing two Irishmen unloading a scow of stone, I went, unasked, and helped them. When we had completed, one of them got here to me and asked me if I have been a slave. I informed him I became. He asked, "Are ye a slave for lifestyles?" I advised him that I became. The properly Irishman appeared to be deeply laid low with the assertion. He stated to the alternative that it changed into a pity so best a bit fellow as myself must be a slave for lifestyles. He said it was a disgrace to hold me. They both cautioned me to run away to the north; that I must locate buddies there, and that I must be free. I pretended now not to be interested by what they said, and handled them as though I did no longer recognize them; for I feared they might be treacherous. White men have been acknowledged to encourage slaves to get away, after which, to get the reward, trap them and go back them to their masters. I was afraid that these seemingly true men might use me so; but I although remembered their advice, and from that point I resolved to run away. I looked forward to a time at which it might be secure for me to break out. I become too young to consider doing so without delay; except, I wanted to learn how to write, as I might have event to write my personal skip. I consoled myself with the hope that I should at some point find a precise hazard. Meanwhile, I could discover ways to write.

The concept as to how I would possibly learn to write became suggested to me through being in Durgin and Bailey's ship-backyard, and frequently seeing the ship carpenters, after hewing, and getting a bit of timber ready for use, write at the wood the call of that part of the ship for which it was supposed. When a piece of wooden was intended for the larboard aspect, it would be marked for that reason—"L." When a piece became for the starboard side, it'd be marked for that reason—"S." A piece for the larboard side forward, would be marked for this reason—"L. F." When a piece was for starboard side forward, it might be marked for that reason—"S. F." For larboard aft, it might be marked for this reason—"L. A." For starboard aft, it might be marked as a result —"S. A." I quickly found out the names of these letters, and for what they have been intended while positioned upon a chunk of wooden inside the deliver-yard. I right now started out copying them, and in a brief time became capable of make the 4 letters named. After that, after I met with any boy who I knew should write, I might tell him I could write in addition to he. The subsequent word could be, "I don't agree with you. Let me see you attempt it." I might then make the letters which I were so fortunate as to examine, and ask him to beat that. In this manner I got a terrific many training in writing, which it's miles quite feasible I must never have gotten in another way. During this time, my reproduction-e book was the board fence, brick wall, and pavement; my pen and ink became a lump of chalk. With these, I learned in particular a way to write. I then started out and persisted copying the Italics in Webster's Spelling Book, until I could make them all with out searching on the book. By this time, my little Master Thomas had long past to high school, and discovered a way to write, and had written over a number of reproduction-books. These have been brought home, and shown to some of our near associates, and then laid aside. My mistress used to visit magnificence meeting on the Wilk Street meetinghouse each Monday afternoon, and leave me to take care of the residence. When left thus, I used to spend the time in writing in the spaces left in Master Thomas's replica-ebook, copying what he had written. I continued to do this until I ought to write a hand very similar to that of Master Thomas. Thus, after an extended, tedious attempt for years, I eventually succeeded in mastering a way to write.

CHAPTER VIII

In a completely short time after I went to stay at Baltimore, my old grasp's youngest son Richard died; and in about three years and 6 months after his demise, my antique grasp, Captain Anthony, died, leaving best his son, Andrew, and daughter, Lucretia, to proportion his estate. He died whilst on a go to to peer his daughter at Hillsborough. Cut off therefore , he left no will as to the disposal of his assets. It became consequently essential to have a valuation of the belongings, that it is probably equally divided among Mrs. Lucretia and Master Andrew. I changed into right away sent for, to be valued with the opposite property. Here again my feelings rose up in detestation of slavery. I had now a new concept of my degraded circumstance. Prior to this, I had emerge as, if now not insensible to my lot, as a minimum in part so. I left Baltimore with a younger coronary heart overborne with disappointment, and a soul complete of apprehension. I took passage with Captain Rowe, inside the schooner Wild Cat, and, after a sail of about twenty-4 hours, I found myself close to the location of my delivery. I had now been absent from it almost, if no longer pretty, five years. I, however, remembered the vicinity very well. I became best approximately five years antique once I left it, to go and live with my vintage master on Colonel Lloyd's plantation; so that I become now between ten and 11 years antique. We have been all ranked together at the valuation. Men and girls, young and old, married and unmarried, have been ranked with horses, sheep, and swine. There were horses and men, livestock and ladies, pigs and kids, all conserving the identical rank in the scale of being, and were all subjected to the equal slender examination. Silvery-headed age and sprightly youth, maids and matrons, needed to go through the identical indelicate inspection. At this second, I noticed greater definitely than ever the brutalizing results of slavery upon each slave and slaveholder. After the valuation, then came the department. I haven't any language to express the excessive pleasure and deep tension which have been felt amongst us negative slaves at some point of this time. Our fate for lifestyles became now to be decided. We had no greater voice in that choice than the brutes among whom we have been ranked. A single phrase from the white guys became sufficient—in opposition to all our wishes, prayers, and entreaties—to sunder all the time the dearest buddies, dearest kindred, and strongest ties recognised to humans. In addition to the pain of separation, there has been the horrid dread of falling into the palms of Master Andrew. He changed into regarded to us all as being a maximum cruel wretch,—a not unusual drunkard, who had, with the aid of his reckless mismanagement and profligate dissipation, already wasted a massive part of his father's assets. We all felt that we would as nicely be sold without delay to the Georgia traders, as to skip into his palms; for we knew that that would be our inevitable situation,—a circumstance held by using us all within the utmost horror and dread. I suffered greater tension than most of my fellow-slaves. I had recognised what it become to be kindly dealt with; they'd acknowledged nothing of the type. They had seen little or not anything of the world. They were in very deed men and women of sorrow, and familiar with grief. Their backs had been made acquainted with the bloody lash, in order that they had end up callous; mine became but gentle; for at the same time as at Baltimore I were given few whippings, and few slaves may want to boast of a kinder grasp and mistress than myself; and the notion of passing out of their arms into the ones of Master Andrew—a person who, however a few days before, to provide me a pattern of his bloody disposition, took my little brother by way of the throat, threw him at the floor, and with the heel of his boot stamped upon his head till the blood gushed from his nose and ears—turned into well calculated to make me annoying as to my destiny. After he had devoted this savage outrage upon my brother, he grew to become to me, and said that turned into the way he supposed to serve me one in every of these days,—that means, I think, when I came into his ownership. Thanks to a kind Providence, I fell to the part of Mrs. Lucretia, and became despatched immediately returned to Baltimore, to live once more inside the circle of relatives of Master Hugh. Their joy at my return equalled their sorrow at my departure. It turned into a glad day to me. I had escaped a worse than lion's jaws. I was absent

from Baltimore, for the cause of valuation and division, pretty much one month, and it regarded to have been six. Very quickly after my go back to Baltimore, my mistress, Lucretia, died, leaving her husband and one baby, Amanda; and in a completely quick time after her demise, Master Andrew died. Now all the assets of my vintage master, slaves covered, was within the palms of strangers,—strangers who had had not anything to do with gathering it. Not a slave turned into left loose. All remained slaves, from the youngest to the oldest. If any one issue in my enjoy, more than another, served to deepen my conviction of the infernal man or woman of slavery, and to fill me with unutterable loathing of slaveholders, it was their base ingratitude to my bad old grandmother. She had served my antique master faithfully from youth to old age. She had been the supply of all his wealth; she had peopled his plantation with slaves; she had emerge as a superb grandmother in his provider. She had rocked him in infancy, attended him in youth, served him through existence, and at his loss of life wiped from his icy forehead the cold demise-sweat, and closed his eyes forever. She became nevertheless left a slave —a slave for existence—a slave within the palms of strangers; and of their palms she saw her youngsters, her grandchildren, and her exquisite-grandchildren, divided, like so many sheep, without being gratified with the small privilege of a single phrase, as to their or her own destiny. And, to cap the climax in their base ingratitude and fiendish barbarity, my grandmother, who changed into now very old, having outlived my vintage grasp and all his children, having visible the beginning and cease of they all, and her present proprietors locating she became of however little cost, her body already racked with the trials of antique age, and entire helplessness rapid stealing over her once active limbs, they took her to the woods, constructed her a touch hut, put up a touch dust-chimney, and then made her welcome to the privilege of supporting herself there in ideal loneliness; for this reason surely turning her out to die! If my negative antique grandmother now lives, she lives to suffer in utter loneliness; she lives to recall and mourn over the loss of youngsters, the lack of grandchildren, and the lack of awesome-grandchildren. They are, within the language of the slave's poet, Whittier,— "Gone, long gone, bought and gone

To the rice swamp dank and lone, Where the slave-whip ceaseless swings, Where the noisome insect stings, Where the fever-demon strews Poison with the falling dews, Where the sickly sunbeams glare Through the hot and misty air:— Gone, long past, offered and long past To the rice swamp dank and lone, From Virginia hills and waters— Woe is me, my stolen daughters!"

The hearth is desolate. The kids, the unconscious youngsters, who as soon as sang and danced in her presence, are long past. She gropes her manner, in the darkness of age, for a drink of water. Instead of the voices of her youngsters, she hears by means of day the moans of the dove, and through night the screams of the hideous owl. All is gloom. The grave is at the door. And now, whilst weighed down by means of the trials and aches of old age, when the pinnacle inclines to the feet, when the start and ending of human life meet, and helpless infancy and painful vintage age integrate collectively—right now, this maximum requisite time, the time for the exercising of that tenderness and affection which children only can workout towards a declining determine—my poor vintage grandmother, the committed mother of twelve children, is left all by myself, in yonder little hut, before a few dim embers. She stands—she sits—she staggers—she falls—she groans—she dies—and there are none of her kids or grandchildren present, to wipe from her wrinkled brow the bloodless sweat of dying, or to vicinity beneath the sod her fallen remains. Will not a righteous God go to for this stuff? In about years after the demise of Mrs. Lucretia, Master Thomas married his second spouse. Her call became Rowena Hamilton. She became the eldest daughter of Mr. William Hamilton. Master now lived in St. Michael's.

Not lengthy after his marriage, a misunderstanding occurred among himself and Master Hugh; and as a means of punishing his brother, he took me from him to stay with himself at St. Michael's. Here I underwent any other maximum painful separation. It, however, changed into not so extreme as the only I dreaded at the division of belongings; for, for the duration of this interval, a first rate alternate had taken region in Master Hugh and his as soon as kind and affectionate wife. The influence of brandy upon him, and of slavery upon her, had effected a disastrous alternate inside the characters of both; so that, as some distance as they have been worried, I notion I had little to lose through the trade. But it turned into no longer to them that I was attached. It become to the ones little Baltimore boys that I felt the strongest attachment. I had obtained many top training from them, and changed into nonetheless receiving them, and the thought of leaving them become painful certainly. I was leaving, too, without the wish of ever being allowed to return. Master Thomas had said he might by no means allow me go back once more. The barrier betwixt himself and brother he taken into consideration impassable. I then needed to regret that I did now not at the least make the attempt to carry out my decision to run away; for the probabilities of achievement are tenfold extra from the city than from the country. I sailed from Baltimore for St. Michael's within the sloop Amanda, Captain Edward Dodson. On my passage, I paid precise attention to the course which the steamboats took to go to Philadelphia. I determined, instead of taking place, on achieving North Point they went up the bay, in a north-easterly direction. I deemed this know- how of the maximum significance. My willpower to run away turned into once more revived. I resolved to attend simplest as long as the supplying of a good possibility. When that got here, I turned into decided to be off.

CHAPTER IX

I have now reached a length of my existence after I can give dates. I left Baltimore, and went to live with Master Thomas Auld, at St. Michael's, in March, 1832. It was now extra than seven years seeing that I lived with him inside the own family of my vintage grasp, on Colonel Lloyd's plantation. We of course have been now almost whole strangers to every different. He became to me a brand new grasp, and I to him a new slave. I changed into blind to his mood and disposition; he become similarly so of mine. A very short time, however, added us into complete acquaintance with every other. I became made familiar along with his spouse no longer less than with himself. They have been properly matched, being equally imply and cruel. I became now, for the primary time at some point of a area of more than seven years, made to sense the painful gnawings of starvation—a some thing which I had not skilled earlier than because I left Colonel Lloyd's plantation. It went difficult sufficient with me then, when I should appearance returned to no period at which I had loved a sufficiency. It changed into tenfold more difficult after dwelling in Master Hugh's circle of relatives, where I had constantly had enough to devour, and of that which became top. I have stated Master Thomas turned into an average man. He was so. Not to provide a slave sufficient to eat, is regarded as the maximum aggravated improvement of meanness even amongst slaveholders. The rule is, no matter how coarse the meals, most effective let there be sufficient of it. This is the idea; and within the part of Maryland from which I got here, it's far the overall exercise,—even though there are numerous exceptions. Master Thomas gave us enough of neither coarse nor satisfactory food. There had been 4 slaves people within the kitchen—my sister Eliza, my aunt Priscilla, Henny, and myself; and we have been allowed less than a half of of a bushel of corn-meal per week, and very little else, either in the shape of meat or vegetables. It changed into now not sufficient for us to subsist upon. We had been consequently reduced to the wretched necessity of residing on the fee of our friends. This we did by begging and stealing, whichever got here reachable in the time of want, the only being considered as valid as the alternative. A outstanding many times have we negative creatures been nearly perishing with starvation, while meals in abundance lay mouldering inside the safe and smoke-residence, and our pious mistress changed into aware of the truth; and yet that mistress and her husband could kneel every morning, and pray that God might bless them in basket and store! Bad as all slaveholders are, we seldom meet one destitute of each element of person commanding recognize. My master was considered one of this rare sort. I do no longer recognize of one single noble act ever completed with the aid of him. The main trait in his person was meanness; and if there were every other detail in his nature, it changed into made concern to this. He became imply; and, like maximum other mean guys, he lacked the ability to conceal his meanness. Captain Auld became now not born a slaveholder. He were a terrible guy, grasp best of a Bay craft. He came into possession of all his slaves by using marriage; and of all guys, adopted slaveholders are the worst. He was cruel, however cowardly. He commanded with out firmness. In the enforcement of his regulations, he turned into at instances rigid, and at instances lax. At instances, he spoke to his slaves with the firmness of Napoleon and the fury of a demon; at other instances, he would possibly nicely be incorrect for an inquirer who had lost his manner. He did nothing of himself. He might have handed for a lion, however for his ears. In all things noble which he attempted, his very own meanness shone most conspicuous. His airs, phrases, and actions, were the airs, words, and actions of born slaveholders, and, being assumed, were awkward enough. He changed into no longer even a good imitator. He possessed all the disposition to deceive, but desired the strength. Having no resources within himself, he became forced to be the copyist of many, and

being such, he was all the time the sufferer of inconsistency; and of effect he turned into an item of contempt, and turned into held as such even by using his slaves. The luxury of having slaves of his very own to attend upon him changed into something new and unprepared for. He changed into a slaveholder without the potential to keep slaves. He discovered himself incapable of managing his slaves both by using force, fear, or fraud. We seldom referred to as him "master;" we usually referred to as him "Captain Auld," and have been hardly disposed to title him in any respect. I doubt now not that our behavior had a whole lot to do with making him seem awkward, and of consequence fretful. Our want of reverence for him need to have puzzled him significantly. He wanted to have us name him master, however lacked the firmness vital to command us to achieve this. His wife used to insist upon our calling him so, however to no motive. In August, 1832, my master attended a Methodist camp- meeting held inside the Bay-facet, Talbot county, and there experienced religion. I indulged a faint hope that his conversion could lead him to emancipate his slaves, and that, if he did not do this, it might, at any rate, make him more type and humane. I become upset in each those respects. It neither made him to be humane to his slaves, nor to emancipate them. If it had any impact on his person, it made him extra merciless and hateful in all his ways; for I accept as true with him to had been a much worse man after his conversion than before. Prior to his conversion, he relied upon his own depravity to guard and preserve him in his savage barbarity; however after his conversion, he located non secular sanction and assist for his slaveholding cruelty. He made the greatest pretensions to piety. His residence turned into the house of prayer. He prayed morning, noon, and night. He very quickly outstanding himself amongst his brethren, and turned into soon made a category-leader and exhorter. His pastime in revivals became fantastic, and he proved himself an tool in the arms of the church in converting many souls. His residence became the preachers' domestic. They used to take super delight in coming there to place up; for while he starved us, he filled them. We have had three or four preachers there at a time. The names of those who used to come back maximum frequently whilst I lived there, have been Mr. Storks, Mr. Ewery, Mr. Humphry, and Mr. Hickey. I even have additionally visible Mr. George Cookman at our house. We slaves loved Mr. Cookman. We believed him to be a terrific man. We idea him instrumental in getting Mr. Samuel Harrison, a completely wealthy slaveholder, to emancipate his slaves; and by means of a few way were given the impression that he changed into laboring to effect the emancipation of all the slaves. When he changed into at our house, we had been certain to be called in to prayers. When the others have been there, we were from time to time referred to as in and occasionally no longer. Mr. Cookman took greater notice people than both of the other ministers. He could not come amongst us with out betraying his sympathy for us, and, stupid as we were, we had the sagacity to look it. While I lived with my grasp in St. Michael's, there was a white young man, a Mr. Wilson, who proposed to hold a Sabbath school for the preparation of such slaves as is probably disposed to learn how to examine the New Testament. We met but three times, whilst Mr. West and Mr. Fairbanks, both magnificence-leaders, with many others, got here upon us with sticks and different missiles, drove us off, and forbade us to fulfill once more. Thus ended our little Sabbath school within the pious city of St. Michael's. I even have stated my master discovered spiritual sanction for his cruelty. As an instance, I will nation considered one of many statistics going to show the price. I have seen him tie up a lame young girl, and whip her with a heavy cowskin upon her naked shoulders, causing the warm crimson blood to drip; and, in justification of the bloody deed, he might quote this passage of Scripture—"He that knoweth his master's will, and doeth it not, will be overwhelmed with many stripes." Master could maintain this lacerated young woman tied up in this horrid state of affairs 4 or five hours at a time. I even have regarded him to tie her up early within the morning, and whip her earlier than breakfast; leave her, visit his keep, return at dinner, and whip her once more, reducing her within the locations already made raw with his cruel lash. The mystery of grasp's cruelty towards "Henny" is found inside the truth of her being nearly helpless. When pretty a toddler, she fell into the fire, and burned herself horribly. Her hands were so burnt that she by no means got using them. She ought to do very little but endure heavy burdens. She turned into to master a bill of price; and as he become a median guy, she became a steady offence to him. He seemed desirous of getting

the terrible woman out of lifestyles. He gave her away as soon as to his sister; but, being a bad gift, she become no longer disposed to maintain her. Finally, my benevolent grasp, to use his own words, "set her adrift to take care of herself." Here changed into a currently-transformed man, protecting on upon the mom, and at the equal time turning out her helpless infant, to starve and die! Master Thomas become one of the many pious slaveholders who hold slaves for the very charitable reason of taking care of them. My master and myself had quite a number of variations. He discovered me improper to his motive. My metropolis existence, he said, had had a completely pernicious impact upon me. It had nearly ruined me for every good motive, and equipped me for each thing which changed into horrific. One of my finest faults was that of letting his horse run away, and cross all the way down to his father-inlaw's farm, which became about five miles from St. Michael's. I would then should move after it. My reason for this kind of carelessness, or carefulness, turned into, that I should usually get some thing to consume after I went there. Master William Hamilton, my grasp's father-in-law, always gave his slaves enough to consume. I by no means left there hungry, no matter how superb the want of my speedy return. Master Thomas at period said he could stand it now not. I had lived with him 9 months, during which era he had given me some of intense whippings, all to no exact cause. He resolved to place me out, as he stated, to be damaged; and, for this reason, he let me for twelve months to a person named Edward Covey. Mr. Covey turned into a terrible man, a farm-renter. He rented the location upon which he lived, as additionally the hands with which he tilled it. Mr. Covey had acquired a totally high recognition for breaking young slaves, and this reputation was of gigantic fee to him. It enabled him to get his farm tilled with a lot less rate to himself than he should have had it completed without any such recognition. Some slaveholders thought it no longer a whole lot loss to allow Mr. Covey to have their slaves twelve months, for the sake of the schooling to which they had been subjected, with none other reimbursement. He could hire younger assist with first-rate ease, in result of this recognition. Added to the herbal precise qualities of Mr. Covey, he changed into a professor of religion—a pious soul—a member and a class-chief in the Methodist church. All of this delivered weight to his popularity as a "nigger-breaker." I become privy to all of the information, having been made acquainted with them by a young man who had lived there. I however made the change gladly; for I became positive of having sufficient to devour, which isn't always the smallest attention to a hungry man.

CHAPTER X

I had left Master Thomas's residence, and went to stay with Mr. Covey, at the 1st of January, 1833. I turned into now, for the primary time in my life, a discipline hand. In my new employment, I found myself even extra awkward than a rustic boy appeared to be in a huge town. I were at my new domestic however one week earlier than Mr. Covey gave me a completely excessive whipping, cutting my returned, inflicting the blood to run, and elevating ridges on my flesh as large as my little finger. The info of this affair are as follows: Mr. Covey sent me, very early inside the morning of considered one of our coldest days in the month of January, to the woods, to get a load of wood. He gave me a crew of unbroken oxen. He told me which changed into the in-hand ox, and which the off-hand one. He then tied the stop of a big rope across the horns of the in-hand ox, and gave me the other stop of it, and told me, if the oxen began to run, that I should hold on upon the rope. I had by no means pushed oxen earlier than, and of course I became very awkward. I, but, succeeded in getting to the brink of the woods with little trouble; but I had got a totally few rods into the woods, while the oxen took fright, and started complete tilt, carrying the cart towards timber, and over stumps, within the maximum frightful way. I anticipated each second that my brains might be dashed out against the bushes. After jogging thus for a giant distance, they subsequently disappointed the cart, dashing it with extremely good force in opposition to a tree, and threw themselves right into a dense thicket. How I escaped loss of life, I do not understand. There I changed into, completely by myself, in a thick timber, in a place new to me. My cart became upset and shattered, my oxen have been entangled most of the young bushes, and there was none to assist me. After an extended spell of attempt, I succeeded in getting my cart righted, my oxen disentangled, and once more yoked to the cart. I now proceeded with my group to the region wherein I had, the day before, been cutting wooden, and loaded my cart quite heavily, thinking on this manner to tame my oxen. I then proceeded on my way domestic. I had now ate up one 1/2 of the day. I got out of the woods competently, and now felt out of hazard. I stopped my oxen to open the woods gate; and simply as I did so, earlier than I ought to get maintain of my ox-rope, the oxen again started, rushed through the gate, catching it among the wheel and the body of the cart, tearing it to pieces, and coming inside a few inches of crushing me against the gate-submit. Thus twice, in one brief day, I escaped dying via the merest threat. On my return, I instructed Mr. Covey what had happened, and how it occurred. He ordered me to return to the woods once more at once. I did so, and he observed on after me. Just as I were given into the woods, he got here up and instructed me to stop my cart, and that he could teach me how to trifle away my time, and break gates. He then went to a massive gum-tree, and together with his axe reduce 3 large switches, and, after trimming them up neatly along with his pocketknife, he ordered me to take off my clothes. I made him no solution, but stood with my garments on. He repeated his order. I still made him no answer, nor did I move to strip myself. Upon this he rushed at me with the fierceness of a tiger, tore off my clothes, and lashed me until he had worn out his switches, slicing me so savagely as to leave the marks visible for a long term after. This whipping was the primary of various similar to it, and for similar offences. I lived with Mr. Covey twelve months. During the first six months, of that 12 months, scarce per week passed without his whipping me. I became seldom free from a sore lower back. My awkwardness turned into nearly constantly his excuse for whipping me. We have been labored fully up to the point of persistence. Long before day we were up, our horses fed, and through the primary approach of day we were off to the field with our hoes and ploughing groups. Mr. Covey gave us sufficient to devour, however scarce time to devour it. We were regularly less than 5 mins taking our food. We have been often in the field from the primary technique of day till its final lingering ray had left us; and at saving-fodder time, nighttime regularly stuck us in the discipline binding blades. Covey could be out with us. The manner he used to face it, became this. He might spend the maximum of his afternoons in mattress. He would then come out fresh within the evening, geared up to urge us on along with his phrases, instance, and frequently with the whip. Mr. Covey turned into one of the few slaveholders who ought to

and did paintings with his hands. He was a hard-running guy. He knew through himself just what a person or a boy may want to do. There turned into no deceiving him. His work went on in his absence nearly in addition to in his presence; and he had the faculty of making us feel that he become ever present with us. This he did by means of unexpected us. He seldom approached the spot wherein we were at work brazenly, if he may want to do it secretly. He always aimed toward taking us by using marvel. Such changed into his foxy, that we used to call him, among ourselves, "the snake." When we were at work inside the cornfield, he might once in a while move slowly on his hands and knees to avoid detection, and all of sudden he would upward thrust almost in our midst, and scream out, "Ha, ha! Come, come! Dash on, sprint on!" This being his mode of assault, it changed into never secure to prevent a single minute. His comings have been like a thief inside the night time. He appeared to us as being ever at hand. He turned into beneath each tree, in the back of every stump, in every bush, and at each window, at the plantation. He could on occasion mount his horse, as though certain to St. Michael's, a distance of 7 miles, and in half an hour afterwards you will see him coiled up within the corner of the timber-fence, watching each motion of the slaves. He could, for this cause, go away his horse tied up inside the woods. Again, he would from time to time walk up to us, and deliver us orders as although he was upon the factor of beginning on a long adventure, turn his returned upon us, and make as although he changed into going to the house to get geared up; and, earlier than he would get 1/2 way thither, he might turn brief and crawl into a fence-corner, or behind some tree, and there watch us until the taking place of the sun. Mr. Covey's uniqueness consisted in his strength to deceive. His life changed into devoted to making plans and perpetrating the grossest deceptions. Every aspect he possessed inside the shape of getting to know or religion, he made comply with his disposition to deceive. He regarded to think himself identical to deceiving the Almighty. He could make a short prayer within the morning, and a protracted prayer at night time; and, extraordinary as it may appear, few guys might at instances appear more devotional than he. The sports of his circle of relatives devotions had been continually started with singing; and, as he was a completely bad singer himself, the duty of raising the hymn commonly came upon me. He might study his hymn, and nod at me to commence. I might at times accomplish that; at others, I might no longer. My non-compliance could nearly continually produce a great deal confusion. To show himself unbiased of me, he might start and stagger via together with his hymn in the maximum discordant manner. In this country of mind, he prayed with extra than normal spirit. Poor man! Such become his disposition, and success at deceiving, I do verily accept as true with that he from time to time deceived himself into the solemn belief, that he turned into a sincere worshipper of the most high God; and this, too, at a time when he may be stated to had been guilty of compelling his female slave to dedicate the sin of adultery. The facts in the case are those: Mr. Covey was a negative guy; he changed into just commencing in existence; he become only capable to buy one slave; and, surprising as is the fact, he sold her, as he said, for a breeder. This lady was named Caroline. Mr. Covey bought her from Mr. Thomas Lowe, approximately six miles from St. Michael's. She became a massive, able-bodied girl, approximately twenty years old. She had already given start to at least one infant, which proved her to be just what he desired. After shopping for her, he employed a married man of Mr. Samuel Harrison, to stay with him three hundred and sixty five days; and him he used to fasten up together with her each night! The result was, that, at the cease of the 12 months, the miserable woman gave delivery to twins. At this result Mr. Covey seemed to be relatively thrilled, both with the man and the wretched woman. Such became his joy, and that of his spouse, that nothing they may do for Caroline during her confinement become too desirable, or too hard, to be executed. The youngsters have been regarded as being pretty an addition to his wealth. If at someone time of my existence greater than any other, I became made to drink the bitterest dregs of slavery, that point become at some stage in the first six months of my live with Mr. Covey. We were worked in all weathers. It become never too warm or too bloodless; it can never rain, blow, hail, or snow, too hard for us to work inside the area. Work, paintings, work, became scarcely more the order of the day than of the night. The longest days had been too brief for him, and the shortest nights too long for him. I become quite unmanageable after I first went there, however a few months of this field tamed me. Mr. Covey succeeded in breaking me. I

changed into broken in frame, soul, and spirit. My herbal elasticity changed into beaten, my mind languished, the disposition to study departed, the pleased spark that lingered about my eye died; the darkish night time of slavery closed in upon me; and behold a person transformed into a brute! Sunday become my best amusement time. I spent this in a type of beast-like stupor, between sleep and wake, beneath some massive tree. At times I could rise up, a flash of active freedom could dart thru my soul, followed with a faint beam of desire, that flickered for a second, after which vanished. I sank down again, mourning over my wretched circumstance. I become every so often brought about to take my lifestyles, and that of Covey, however was prevented by way of a combination of hope and worry. My sufferings on this plantation seem now like a dream as opposed to a stern truth. Our residence stood within a few rods of the Chesapeake Bay, whose huge bosom become ever white with sails from each quarter of the liveable globe. Those lovely vessels, robed in purest white, so delightful to the eye of freemen, had been to me so many shrouded ghosts, to terrify and torment me with mind of my wretched condition. I actually have frequently, in the deep stillness of a summer season's Sabbath, stood all on my own upon the lofty banks of that noble bay, and traced, with saddened coronary heart and tearful eye, the endless wide variety of sails moving off to the strong ocean. The sight of those usually affected me powerfully. My mind would compel utterance; and there, with out a target market however the Almighty, I would pour out my soul's criticism, in my impolite way, with an apostrophe to the shifting multitude of ships:— "You are loosed from your moorings, and are free; I am fast in my chains, and am a slave! You pass merrily before the mild gale, and I sadly earlier than the bloody whip! You are freedom's rapid-winged angels, that fly round the sector; I am restrained in bands of iron! O that I were free! O, that I have been on certainly one of your gallant decks, and beneath your protecting wing! Alas! Betwixt me and also you, the turbid waters roll. Go on, pass on. O that I can also pass! Could I but swim! If I may want to fly! O, why become I born a person, of whom to make a brute! The happy ship is gone; she hides within the dim distance. I am left in the freshest hell of never- ending slavery. O God, store me! God, deliver me! Let me be free! Is there any God? Why am I a slave? I will run away. I will no longer stand it. Get caught, or get clean, I'll attempt it. I had as nicely die with ague as the fever. I even have handiest one existence to lose. I had as well be killed going for walks as die status. Only think about it; one hundred miles immediately north, and I am free! Try it? Yes! God assisting me, I will. It can not be that I shall stay and die a slave. I will take to the water. This very bay shall yet undergo me into freedom. The steamboats recommended in a north-east direction from North Point. I will do the identical; and when I get to the pinnacle of the bay, I will flip my canoe adrift, and walk directly thru Delaware into Pennsylvania. When I get there, I shall now not be required to have a pass; I can tour without being disturbed. Let but the first possibility offer, and, come what is going to, I am off. Meanwhile, I will try to undergo up underneath the yoke. I am no longer the best slave within the international. Why must I worry? I can endure as a lot as any of them. Besides, I am but a boy, and all boys are bound to a few one. It can be that my misery in slavery will simplest increase my happiness once I get unfastened. There is a better day coming." Thus I used to assume, and hence I used to speak to myself; goaded almost to madness at one moment, and at the next reconciling myself to my wretched lot. I have already intimated that my circumstance turned into tons worse, at some stage in the primary six months of my stay at Mr. Covey's, than in the final six. The instances main to the trade in Mr. Covey's direction towards me shape an epoch in my humble history. You have visible how a man become made a slave; you shall see how a slave became made a person. On one of the freshest days of the month of August, 1833, Bill Smith, William Hughes, a slave named Eli, and myself, had been engaged in fanning wheat. Hughes changed into clearing the fanned wheat from before the fan. Eli was turning, Smith changed into feeding, and I was wearing wheat to the fan. The paintings turned into simple, requiring power instead of intellect; but, to 1 absolutely unused to such paintings, it came very hard. About 3 o'clock of that day, I broke down; my energy failed me; I turned into seized with a violent aching of the pinnacle, attended with intense dizziness; I trembled in each limb. Finding what was coming, I nerved myself up, feeling it would never do to stop work. I stood as long as I may want to stagger to

the hopper with grain. When I ought to stand not, I fell, and felt as though held down by way of a huge weight. The fan of course stopped; every one had his own work to do; and no person should do the work of the other, and feature his very own go on on the equal time. Mr. Covey turned into at the residence, approximately a hundred yards from the treading-backyard where we had been fanning. On hearing the fan forestall, he left immediately, and came to the spot in which we have been. He unexpectedly inquired what the matter changed into. Bill spoke back that I turned into unwell, and there has been no person to bring wheat to the fan. I had by way of this time crawled away beneath the side of the submit and rail-fence via which the yard became enclosed, hoping to locate alleviation by means of getting out of the solar. He then asked in which I became. He changed into told with the aid of one of the arms. He got here to the spot, and, after looking at me awhile, requested me what changed into the problem. I advised him as well as I ought to, for I scarce had electricity to speak. He then gave me a savage kick within the facet, and advised me to stand up. I tried to achieve this, but fell back in the attempt. He gave me any other kick, and again instructed me to upward thrust. I again attempted, and succeeded in gaining my feet; but, stooping to get the bathtub with which I changed into feeding the fan, I once more staggered and fell. While down in this case, Mr. Covey took up the hickory slat with which Hughes were putting off the half of-bushel degree, and with it gave me a heavy blow upon the pinnacle, making a massive wound, and the blood ran freely; and with this once more told me to get up. I made no attempt to conform, having now made up my thoughts to allow him do his worst. In a brief time after receiving this blow, my head grew higher. Mr. Covey had now left me to my fate. At this second I resolved, for the first time, to visit my grasp, input a complaint, and ask his protection. In order to do this, I ought to that afternoon walk seven miles; and this, under the situations, become really a intense task. I changed into distinctly feeble; made in order lots by means of the kicks and blows which I received, as through the intense healthy of sickness to which I have been subjected. I, however, watched my danger, at the same time as Covey turned into looking in an contrary course, and started for St. Michael's. I succeeded in getting a giant distance on my way to the woods, while Covey discovered me, and called after me to come again, threatening what he would do if I did no longer come. I unnoticed both his calls and his threats, and made my manner to the woods as speedy as my feeble country could permit; and questioning I might be overhauled via him if I stored the street, I walked thru the woods, preserving far enough from the road to keep away from detection, and close to enough to save you dropping my manner. I had now not long gone a long way before my little electricity once more failed me. I should go no farther. I fell down, and lay for a vast time. The blood became but oozing from the wound on my head. For a time I notion I ought to bleed to demise; and think now that I need to have achieved so, but that the blood so matted my hair as to stop the wound. After lying there approximately three quarters of an hour, I nerved myself up once more, and began on my manner, through bogs and briers, barefooted and bareheaded, tearing my toes once in a while at nearly every step; and after a journey of approximately seven miles, occupying a few 5 hours to carry out it, I arrived at master's save. I then supplied an look sufficient to affect any but a heart of iron. From the crown of my head to my ft, I become blanketed with blood. My hair become all clotted with dust and blood; my shirt turned into stiff with blood. I assume I gave the impression of a man who had escaped a den of untamed beasts, and barely escaped them. In this state I appeared before my grasp, humbly entreating him to interpose his authority for my safety. I told him all of the occasions in addition to I ought to, and it seemed, as I spoke, at instances to affect him. He would then stroll the floor, and are searching for to justify Covey through announcing he predicted I deserved it. He requested me what I desired. I advised him, to allow me get a new domestic; that as positive as I lived with Mr. Covey once more, I must stay with but to die with him; that Covey could actually kill me; he was in a fair way for it. Master Thomas ridiculed the idea that there was any threat of Mr. Covey's killing me, and said that he knew Mr. Covey; that he turned into a very good guy, and that he couldn't think about taking me from him; that, should he achieve this, he might lose the whole yr's wages; that I belonged to Mr. Covey for 365 days, and that I must pass returned to him, come what may; and that I must not problem him with any extra stories, or that he would himself get hold of me. After threatening me hence, he gave me a completely big dose of salts, telling me that I might continue to be in St. Michael's that night time, (it being

quite overdue,) but that I ought to be off again to Mr. Covey's early in the morning; and that if I did no longer, he might get keep of me, which meant that he could whip me. I remained all night time, and, in keeping with his orders, I started out off to Covey's within the morning, (Saturday morning,) wearied in frame and damaged in spirit. I were given no supper that night time, or breakfast that morning. I reached Covey's about 9 o'clock; and simply as I turned into getting over the fence that divided Mrs. Kemp's fields from ours, out ran Covey together with his cowskin, to provide me some other whipping. Before he could attain me, I succeeded in getting to the cornfield; and as the corn become very excessive, it afforded me the manner of hiding. He regarded very angry, and searched for me a long term. My behavior was altogether unaccountable. He subsequently gave up the chase, thinking, I think, that I must come home for some thing to eat; he might deliver himself no similarly trouble in seeking out me. I spent that day basically inside the woods, having the alternative before me,—to go domestic and be whipped to loss of life, or live inside the woods and be starved to death. That night time, I fell in with Sandy Jenkins, a slave with whom I became relatively acquainted. Sandy had a unfastened wife who lived about 4 miles from Mr. Covey's; and it being Saturday, he become on his manner to look her. I instructed him my instances, and he very kindly invited me to head domestic with him. I went domestic with him, and talked this entire count number over, and were given his advice as to what path it changed into great for me to pursue. I located Sandy an antique adviser. He advised me, with outstanding solemnity, I should pass lower back to Covey; however that before I went, I need to go along with him into some other part of the woods, wherein there has been a sure root, which, if I would take a number of it with me, wearing it constantly on my proper aspect, might render it impossible for Mr. Covey, or another white guy, to whip me. He stated he had carried it for years; and seeing that he had achieved so, he had by no means acquired a blow, and in no way predicted to whilst he carried it. I at first rejected the idea, that the simple sporting of a root in my pocket would have such a impact as he had stated, and became not disposed to take it; however Sandy inspired the need with much earnestness, telling me it is able to do no damage, if it did no proper. To please him, I at length took the foundation, and, consistent with his direction, carried it upon my right facet. This become Sunday morning. I straight away began for domestic; and upon getting into the yard gate, out got here Mr. Covey on his way to meeting. He spoke to me very kindly, bade me force the pigs from lots close to with the aid of, and surpassed on in the direction of the church. Now, this singular behavior of Mr. Covey really made me begin to think that there has been something within the root which Sandy had given me; and had it been on another day than Sunday, I should have attributed the conduct to no other reason than the affect of that root; and as it was, I become half of willing to suppose the basis to be some thing extra than I in the beginning had taken it to be. All went properly till Monday morning. On this morning, the virtue of the root became completely examined. Long earlier than daylight hours, I changed into referred to as to head and rub, curry, and feed, the horses. I obeyed, and became happy to obey. But even as accordingly engaged, at the same time as within the act of throwing down some blades from the loft, Mr. Covey entered the solid with an extended rope; and simply as I become 1/2 out of the loft, he stuck keep of my legs, and turned into about tying me. As quickly as I located what he became as much as, I gave a sudden spring, and as I did so, he maintaining to my legs, I was delivered sprawling on the strong ground. Mr. Covey regarded now to think he had me, and will do what he pleased; however at this second— from whence came the spirit I don't know—I resolved to fight; and, suiting my motion to the resolution, I seized Covey hard with the aid of the throat; and as I did so, I rose. He hung on to me, and I to him. My resistance changed into so absolutely sudden that Covey regarded taken all aback. He trembled like a leaf. This gave me warranty, and I held him uneasy, inflicting the blood to run where I touched him with the ends of my fingers. Mr. Covey soon referred to as out to Hughes for help. Hughes came, and, while Covey held me, attempted to tie my proper hand. While he became within the act of doing so, I watched my chance, and gave him a heavy kick close beneath the ribs. This kick pretty sickened Hughes, so that he left me in the palms of Mr. Covey. This kick had the impact of now not handiest weakening Hughes, however Covey also. When he saw Hughes bending over with pain, his courage quailed. He asked me if I meant to persist in my resistance. I told him I did, come what might; that he had used me like a brute for six months, and that I turned into decided for use so not. With that, he

strove to tug me to a stick that was lying just out of the solid door. He supposed to knock me down. But simply as he become leaning over to get the stick, I seized him with both palms by way of his collar, and brought him by means of a surprising grab to the floor. By this time, Bill got here. Covey called upon him for help. Bill desired to recognize what he should do. Covey stated, "Take preserve of him, take keep of him!" Bill said his master hired him out to work, and now not to assist to whip me; so he left Covey and myself to combat our very own battle out. We have been at it for almost two hours. Covey at period let me go, puffing and blowing at a super rate, saying that if I had not resisted, he would no longer have whipped me half of so much. The reality changed into, that he had no longer whipped me at all. I considered him as getting absolutely the worst stop of the good buy; for he had drawn no blood from me, but I had from him. The complete six months afterwards, that I spent with Mr. Covey, he never laid the burden of his finger upon me in anger. He would on occasion say, he didn't want to get preserve of me again. "No," thought I, "you need now not; for you will come off worse than you did before." This warfare with Mr. Covey changed into the turning-point in my career as a slave. It rekindled the few expiring embers of freedom, and revived inside me a sense of my personal manhood. It recalled the departed self-self assurance, and inspired me again with a dedication to be loose. The gratification afforded via the triumph changed into a complete reimbursement for something else might follow, even death itself. He best can understand the deep delight which I experienced, who has himself repelled by means of force the bloody arm of slavery. I felt as I in no way felt earlier than. It become a glorious resurrection, from the tomb of slavery, to the heaven of freedom. My lengthy-beaten spirit rose, cowardice departed, ambitious defiance took its area; and I now resolved that, but lengthy I might continue to be a slave in form, the day had surpassed for all time once I will be a slave in truth. I did not hesitate to allow or not it's acknowledged of me, that the white guy who expected to reach whipping, should also achieve killing me. From this time I turned into in no way again what might be called pretty whipped, though I remained a slave four years afterwards. I had several fights, however become in no way whipped. It was for a long time a rely of wonder to me why Mr. Covey did no longer right away have me taken by the constable to the whipping-put up, and there frequently whipped for the crime of raising my hand in opposition to a white guy in defence of myself. And the simplest rationalization I can now think of does no longer completely satisfy me; however such as it's miles, I will supply it. Mr. Covey loved the maximum unbounded reputation for being a tremendous overseer and negro-breaker. It become of vast importance to him. That reputation changed into at stake; and had he despatched me—a boy about 16 years antique—to the general public whipping-put up, his recognition could had been misplaced; so, to keep his recognition, he suffered me to move unpunished. My time period of real provider to Mr. Edward Covey ended on Christmas day, 1833. The days between Christmas and New Year's day are allowed as vacations; and, consequently, we were now not required to perform any hard work, more than to feed and contend with the inventory. This time we seemed as our personal, through the grace of our masters; and we therefore used or abused it almost as we thrilled. Those folks who had households at a distance, were normally allowed to spend the entire six days of their society. This time, but, turned into spent in various ways. The staid, sober, questioning and industrious ones of our wide variety would appoint themselves in making corn-brooms, mats, horse-collars, and baskets; and another class folks could spend the time in looking opossums, hares, and coons. But by means of a long way the larger part engaged in such sports and merriments as playing ball, wrestling, running foot-races, fiddling, dancing, and drinking whisky; and this latter mode of spending the time was via a long way the maximum agreeable to the feelings of our masters. A slave who would work at some stage in the vacations was taken into consideration by way of our masters as scarcely deserving them. He turned into appeared as one that rejected the desire of his master. It became deemed a disgrace now not to get drunk at Christmas; and he become regarded as lazy indeed, who had no longer furnished himself with the necessary means, throughout the 12 months, to get whisky sufficient to closing him via Christmas. From what I know of the effect of these holidays upon the slave, I trust them to be a few of the most effective

method in the palms of the slaveholder in maintaining down the spirit of rebel. Were the slaveholders without delay to abandon this exercise, I have not the slightest doubt it would result in an immediate rise up most of the slaves. These vacations function conductors, or safety-valves, to carry off the rebellious spirit of enslaved humanity. But for those, the slave could be forced as much as the wildest desperation; and woe betide the slaveholder, the day he ventures to do away with or prevent the operation of these conductors! I warn him that, in such an event, a spirit will go forth in their midst, more to be dreaded than the most appalling earthquake. The vacations are component and parcel of the gross fraud, wrong, and inhumanity of slavery. They are professedly a custom hooked up by using the benevolence of the slaveholders; but I adopt to say, it's far the end result of selfishness, and one of the grossest frauds committed upon the down-trodden slave. They do now not supply the slaves this time due to the fact they would no longer like to have their work throughout its continuance, but because they know it might be hazardous to deprive them of it. This could be visible by the fact, that the slaveholders want to have their slaves spend those days simply in any such manner as to cause them to as glad of their ending as of their beginning. Their object seems to be, to disgust their slaves with freedom, by way of plunging them into the bottom depths of dissipation. For instance, the slaveholders now not simplest want to see the slave drink of his personal accord, however will undertake various plans to make him inebriated. One plan is, to make bets on their slaves, as to who can drink the maximum whisky with out getting inebriated; and on this manner they achieve getting whole multitudes to drink to extra. Thus, while the slave asks for virtuous freedom, the foxy slaveholder, understanding his lack of knowledge, cheats him with a dose of vicious dissipation, artfully labelled with the name of liberty. The maximum folks used to drink it down, and the end result turned into just what might be meant; many of us have been caused think that there has been little to choose between liberty and slavery. We felt, and very properly too, that we had almost as well be slaves to guy as to rum. So, while the holidays ended, we staggered up from the dirt of our wallowing, took an extended breath, and marched to the sector,—feeling, upon the entire, as a substitute glad to head, from what our master had deceived us right into a perception become freedom, back to the arms of slavery. I actually have stated that this mode of remedy is a part of the entire gadget of fraud and inhumanity of slavery. It is so. The mode right here followed to disgust the slave with freedom, through permitting him to peer most effective the abuse of it, is executed in other matters. For instance, a slave loves molasses; he steals some. His grasp, in lots of cases, is going off to town, and buys a large quantity; he returns, takes his whip, and commands the slave to consume the molasses, till the negative fellow is made sick on the very point out of it. The identical mode is sometimes adopted to make the slaves chorus from inquiring for extra food than their regular allowance. A slave runs through his allowance, and applies for greater. His grasp is enraged at him; however, not willing to ship him off without meals, offers him more than is important, and compels him to consume it within a given time. Then, if he complains that he can't consume it, he is said to be happy neither full nor fasting, and is whipped for being hard to thrill! I even have an abundance of such illustrations of the equal precept, drawn from my personal remark, however think the instances I actually have noted sufficient. The exercise is a totally not unusual one. On the primary of January, 1834, I left Mr. Covey, and went to live with Mr. William Freeland, who lived about 3 miles from St. Michael's. I soon located Mr. Freeland a totally one of a kind man from Mr. Covey. Though no longer rich, he became what might be referred to as an knowledgeable southern gentleman. Mr. Covey, as I have shown, become a properly-trained negro-breaker and slave-motive force. The former (slaveholder even though he become) seemed to own some regard for honor, some reverence for justice, and a few appreciate for humanity. The latter seemed absolutely insensible to all such sentiments. Mr. Freeland had the various faults peculiar to slaveholders, along with being very passionate and fretful; but I should do him the justice to say, that he changed into exceptionally unfastened from those degrading vices to which Mr. Covey turned into continuously addicted. The one become open and frank, and we constantly knew where to find him. The other was a maximum artful deceiver, and might be understood handiest by using along with had been skilful sufficient to come across his cunningly-devised frauds. Another gain I received in my new grasp turned into, he made no

pretensions to, or profession of, faith; and this, in my view, changed into certainly a wonderful gain. I assert most unhesitatingly, that the faith of the south is an insignificant masking for the most horrid crimes,—a justifier of the maximum appalling barbarity,—a sanctifier of the maximum hateful frauds,—and a darkish safe haven underneath, which the darkest, foulest, grossest, and maximum infernal deeds of slaveholders find the strongest safety. Were I to be once more decreased to the chains of slavery, subsequent to that enslavement, I ought to regard being the slave of a spiritual master the finest calamity that could befall me. For of all slaveholders with whom I have ever met, spiritual slaveholders are the worst. I actually have ever observed them the meanest and basest, the maximum merciless and cowardly, of all others. It changed into my sad lot not only to belong to a non secular slaveholder, however to live in a network of such religionists. Very close to Mr. Freeland lived the Rev. Daniel Weeden, and inside the same community lived the Rev. Rigby Hopkins. These have been individuals and ministers in the Reformed Methodist Church. Mr. Weeden owned, among others, a woman slave, whose name I have forgotten. This girl's again, for weeks, was saved actually raw, made so by using the lash of this cruel, spiritual wretch. He used to lease fingers. His maxim became, Behave nicely or behave unwell, it's miles the duty of a master now and again to whip a slave, to remind him of his grasp's authority. Such become his concept, and such his practice. Mr. Hopkins changed into even worse than Mr. Weeden. His leader boast changed into his capacity to manage slaves. The strange feature of his government was that of whipping slaves earlier of deserving it. He continually controlled to have one or greater of his slaves to whip every Monday morning. He did this to alarm their fears, and strike terror into folks who escaped. His plan become to whip for the smallest offences, to prevent the commission of huge ones. Mr. Hopkins could constantly locate a few excuse for whipping a slave. It could astonish one, unaccustomed to a slaveholding existence, to see with what high-quality ease a slaveholder can discover matters, of which to make occasion to whip a slave. A mere look, word, or movement,—a mistake, accident, or need of electricity,—are all topics for which a slave may be whipped at any time. Does a slave appearance disenchanted? It is said, he has the satan in him, and it ought to be whipped out. Does he communicate loudly when spoken to by way of his grasp? Then he's getting excessive-minded, and need to be taken down a button-hollow lower. Does he forget to tug off his hat on the technique of a white person? Then he's wanting in reverence, and need to be whipped for it. Does he ever mission to vindicate his behavior, whilst censured for it? Then he is guilty of impudence,—one of the greatest crimes of which a slave may be guilty. Does he ever project to suggest a one-of-a-kind mode of doing things from that talked about by means of his grasp? He is indeed presumptuous, and getting above himself; and nothing much less than a flogging will do for him. Does he, while ploughing, spoil a plough,—or, while hoeing, damage a hoe? It is thanks to his carelessness, and for it a slave have to continually be whipped. Mr. Hopkins may want to always locate some thing of this type to justify the use of the lash, and he seldom did not include such possibilities. There changed into not a man in the whole county, with whom the slaves who had the getting their personal domestic, would now not prefer to live, in preference to with this Rev. Mr. Hopkins. And but there has been not a person any in which round, who made higher professions of faith, or was extra lively in revivals,—extra conscious of the elegance, love-dinner party, prayer and preaching conferences, or greater devotional in his own family,—that prayed in advance, later, louder, and longer,—than this equal reverend slave-driving force, Rigby Hopkins. But to return to Mr. Freeland, and to my experience whilst in his employment. He, like Mr. Covey, gave us enough to eat; but, in contrast to Mr. Covey, he additionally gave us sufficient time to take our food. He worked us difficult, however continually among sunrise and sundown. He required a good deal of work to be accomplished, but gave us desirable tools with which to work. His farm changed into massive, however he hired hands enough to work it, and effectively, in comparison with many of his pals. My treatment, whilst in his employment, was heavenly, as compared with what I skilled on the fingers of Mr. Edward Covey. Mr. Freeland was himself the owner of however two slaves. Their names were Henry Harris and John Harris. The relaxation of his arms he employed. These consisted of myself, Sandy Jenkins,* and Handy Caldwell. *This is the equal guy who gave me the roots to prevent my

being whipped with the aid of Mr. Covey. He become "a clever soul." We used frequently to speak about the combat with Covey, and as regularly as we did so, he could claim my success because the end result of the roots which he gave me. This superstition may be very not unusual some of the more ignorant slaves. A slave seldom dies but that his loss of life is attributed to trickery.

Henry and John were pretty smart, and in a very little whilst when I went there, I succeeded in creating in them a robust desire to learn how to read. This choice soon sprang up inside the others also. They very soon mustered up a few old spelling-books, and nothing would do but that I have to hold a Sabbath college. I agreed to achieve this, and thus committed my Sundays to teaching these my cherished fellow-slaves the way to study. Neither of them knew his letters once I went there. Some of the slaves of the neighboring farms observed what become going on, and additionally availed themselves of this little possibility to learn to study. It was understood, amongst all who got here, that there must be as little show approximately it as feasible. It become necessary to preserve our spiritual masters at St. Michael's unacquainted with the fact, that, in place of spending the Sabbath in wrestling, boxing, and drinking whisky, we had been trying to learn how to study the desire of God; for they had a whole lot alternatively see us engaged in those degrading sports, than to see us behaving like highbrow, moral, and responsible beings. My blood boils as I consider the bloody way in which Messrs. Wright Fairbanks and Garrison West, both class-leaders, in connection with many others, rushed in upon us with sticks and stones, and broke up our virtuous little Sabbath school, at St. Michael's—all calling themselves Christians! Humble followers of the Lord Jesus Christ! But I am once more digressing. I held my Sabbath college at the residence of a unfastened colored man, whose call I deem it imprudent to say; for ought to it be recognized, it might embarrass him substantially, even though the crime of conserving the faculty turned into dedicated ten years in the past. I had at one time over forty students, and those of the right sort, ardently desiring to study. They were of every age, though more often than not ladies and men. I appearance lower back to those Sundays with an amount of delight now not to be expressed. They have been first-rate days to my soul. The work of educating my dear fellow-slaves turned into the sweetest engagement with which I changed into ever blessed. We loved each other, and to go away them at the close of the Sabbath turned into a extreme pass indeed. When I think that those precious souls are to-day close up within the prison-residence of slavery, my emotions conquer me, and I am nearly prepared to ask, "Does a righteous God govern the universe? And for what does he hold the thunders in his proper hand, if now not to smite the oppressor, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the spoiler?" These expensive souls came now not to Sabbath school because it was famous to accomplish that, nor did I educate them because it changed into legitimate to be as a consequence engaged. Every second they spent in that faculty, they were at risk of be taken up, and given thirty-9 lashes. They got here due to the fact they needed to examine. Their minds have been starved via their cruel masters. They have been shut up in intellectual darkness. I taught them, as it changed into the delight of my soul to be doing some thing that looked like bettering the situation of my race. I kept up my faculty almost the entire year I lived with Mr. Freeland; and, beside my Sabbath college, I committed 3 evenings inside the week, in the course of the winter, to teaching the slaves at domestic. And I have the happiness to recognize, that several of folks that came to Sabbath college learned the way to examine; and that one, at the least, is now loose via my agency. The 12 months befell smoothly. It appeared simplest about half of so long as the 12 months which preceded it. I went thru it with out receiving a single blow. I will provide Mr. Freeland the credit score of being the nice grasp I ever had, until I have become my very own grasp. For the benefit with which I handed the year, I changed into, but, somewhat indebted to the society of my fellow-slaves. They have been noble souls; they now not simplest possessed loving hearts, but courageous ones. We had been linked and interlinked with each other. I cherished them with a love stronger than any element I even have experienced for the reason that. It is every now and then said that we slaves do not love and divulge heart's contents to every other. In solution to this statement, I can say, I never loved any or confided in any humans greater than my fellow-slaves, and particularly those with whom I

lived at Mr. Freeland's. I accept as true with we might have died for each other. We by no means undertook to do any thing, of any significance, with out a mutual consultation. We by no means moved one at a time. We were one; and as much so via our tempers and inclinations, as with the aid of the mutual hardships to which we have been necessarily subjected by using our condition as slaves. At the close of the yr 1834, Mr. Freeland once more hired me of my grasp, for the 12 months 1835. But, via this time, I started out to want to live upon unfastened land as well as with Freeland; and I was now not content, consequently, to stay with him or every other slaveholder. I started, with the commencement of the 12 months, to prepare myself for a very last warfare, which ought to determine my fate one manner or the opposite. My tendency turned into upward. I became rapid coming near manhood, and 12 months after year had passed, and I become still a slave. These thoughts roused me—I ought to do some thing. I consequently resolved that 1835 need to now not skip without witnessing an strive, on my component, to relaxed my liberty. But I turned into not willing to cherish this determination by myself. My fellow-slaves had been dear to me. I changed into stressful to have them participate with me in this, my lifestyles-giving determination. I therefore, though with incredible prudence, started early to envision their views and emotions in regard to their condition, and to imbue their minds with mind of freedom. I bent myself to devising ways and means for our escape, and meanwhile strove, on all fitting activities, to electrify them with the gross fraud and inhumanity of slavery. I went first to Henry, next to John, then to the others. I found, in them all, heat hearts and noble spirits. They have been geared up to hear, and prepared to act whilst a possible plan need to be proposed. This become what I desired. I talked to them of our need of manhood, if we submitted to our enslavement with out at least one noble attempt to be free. We met regularly, and consulted regularly, and informed our hopes and fears, recounted the problems, actual and imagined, which we need to be referred to as on to fulfill. At times we were nearly disposed to give up, and try to content material ourselves with our wretched lot; at others, we had been company and unbending in our willpower to go. Whenever we recommended any plan, there was shrinking—the percentages had been nervous. Our route became beset with the greatest obstacles; and if we succeeded in gaining the give up of it, our right to be loose was yet questionable—we have been yet susceptible to be again to bondage. We could see no spot, this side of the sea, wherein we can be free. We knew not anything about Canada. Our understanding of the north did no longer amplify farther than New York; and to go there, and be for all time pressured with the frightful liability of being again to slavery—with the knowledge of being dealt with tenfold worse than before—the notion was clearly a horrible one, and one which it changed into now not easy to conquer. The case now and again stood as a consequence: At every gate thru which we had been to skip, we saw a watchman—at every ferry a guard—on each bridge a sentinel—and in each wooden a patrol. We were hemmed in upon each facet. Here have been the difficulties, actual or imagined—the best to be sought, and the evil to be kept away from. On the one hand, there stood slavery, a stern fact, obvious frightfully upon us,—its gowns already crimsoned with the blood of tens of millions, or even now feasting itself greedily upon our personal flesh. On the other hand, away again within the dim distance, under the flickering mild of the north star, at the back of some craggy hill or snow-covered mountain, stood a doubtful freedom—1/2 frozen—beckoning us to come back and share its hospitality. This in itself was once in a while sufficient to stagger us; but while we permitted ourselves to survey the road, we were frequently appalled. Upon both side we noticed grim dying, assuming the maximum horrid shapes. Now it changed into hunger, causing us to eat our very own flesh;—now we had been contending with the waves, and had been drowned;—now we were overtaken, and torn to portions via the fangs of the terrible bloodhound. We have been stung via scorpions, chased by wild beasts, bitten by means of snakes, and eventually, after having almost reached the favored spot,—after swimming rivers, encountering wild beasts, slumbering in the woods, suffering starvation and nakedness,—we had been overtaken via our pursuers, and, in our resistance, we had been shot useless upon the spot! I say, this photograph occasionally appalled us, and made us "as an alternative bear those ills we had,

Than fly to others, that we knew not of." In coming to a set determination to run away, we did more than Patrick Henry, when he resolved upon liberty or

loss of life. With us it changed into a dubious liberty at maximum, and almost sure loss of life if we failed. For my element, I must decide on dying to hopeless bondage. Sandy, one of our variety, gave up the notion, but nonetheless advocated us. Our business enterprise then consisted of Henry Harris, John Harris, Henry Bailey, Charles Roberts, and myself. Henry Bailey turned into my uncle, and belonged to my master. Charles married my aunt: he belonged to my grasp's father-in-law, Mr. William Hamilton. The plan we eventually concluded upon become, to get a massive canoe belonging to Mr. Hamilton, and upon the Saturday night time previous to Easter holidays, paddle without delay up the Chesapeake Bay. On our arrival at the top of the bay, a distance of seventy or 80 miles from wherein we lived, it was our cause to show our canoe adrift, and comply with the steering of the north megastar until we were given beyond the bounds of Maryland. Our cause for taking the water path was, that we had been much less at risk of be suspected as runaways; we hoped to be regarded as fishermen; whereas, if we must take the land route, we ought to be subjected to interruptions of just about each kind. Any one having a white face, and being so disposed, could prevent us, and challenge us to exam. The week before our intended begin, I wrote several protections, one for every folks. As nicely as I can recall, they were inside the following phrases, to wit:— "This is to certify that I, the undersigned, have given the bearer, my

servant, full liberty to visit Baltimore, and spend the Easter vacations. Written with mine personal hand, &c., 1835.

"WILLIAM HAMILTON,

"Near St. Michael's, in Talbot county, Maryland." We were no longer going to Baltimore; however, in going up the bay, we went closer to Baltimore, and those protections were best intended to shield us even as on the bay. As the time drew near for our departure, our tension became more and more intense. It turned into truly a remember of lifestyles and loss of life with us. The energy of our willpower became about to be completely examined. At this time, I become very energetic in explaining each problem, disposing of every doubt, dispelling every worry, and inspiring all with the firmness quintessential to success in our venture; assuring them that half was received the immediately we made the move; we had talked lengthy sufficient; we have been now equipped to transport; if no longer now, we by no means should be; and if we did now not intend to transport now, we had as well fold our fingers, sit down down, and well known ourselves healthy only to be slaves. This, none folks have been organized to renowned. Every guy stood firm; and at our final meeting, we pledged ourselves afresh, inside the maximum solemn way, that, at the time appointed, we might without a doubt start in pursuit of freedom. This changed into inside the center of the week, on the give up of which we have been to be off. We went, as normal, to our several fields of labor, but with bosoms highly agitated with thoughts of our truely risky task. We tried to conceal our emotions as plenty as possible; and I think we succeeded very well. After a painful waiting, the Saturday morning, whose night time turned into to witness our departure, came. I hailed it with pleasure, convey what of sadness it'd. Friday night time changed into a sleepless one for me. I probably felt extra irritating than the rest, because I became, via not unusual consent, at the pinnacle of the entire affair. The obligation of fulfillment or failure lay closely upon me. The glory of the one, and the confusion of the alternative, were alike mine. The first two hours of that morning were together with I by no means experienced earlier than, and desire in no way to once more. Early inside the morning, we went, as common, to the sector. We have been spreading manure; and unexpectedly, even as hence engaged, I became beaten with an

indescribable feeling, inside the fulness of which I turned to Sandy, who was close to by, and stated, "We are betrayed!" "Well," said he, "that concept has this moment struck me." We stated no more. I turned into by no means greater sure of any aspect. The horn was blown as typical, and we went up from the field to the residence for breakfast. I went for the shape, greater than for want of any factor to eat that morning. Just as I were given to the residence, in looking out on the lane gate, I saw 4 white guys, with two colored guys. The white men had been on horseback, and the coloured ones have been taking walks in the back of, as if tied. I watched them some moments till they were given up to our lane gate. Here they halted, and tied the colored guys to the gate-put up. I turned into no longer but certain as to what the matter changed into. In a few moments, in rode Mr. Hamilton, with a pace betokening notable exhilaration. He came to the door, and inquired if Master William become in. He become told he was on the barn. Mr. Hamilton, with out dismounting, rode as much as the barn with awesome velocity. In a few moments, he and Mr. Freeland back to the house. By this time, the three constables rode up, and in super haste dismounted, tied their horses, and met Master William and Mr. Hamilton getting back from the barn; and after speaking awhile, they all walked up to the kitchen door. There turned into no person in the kitchen however myself and John. Henry and Sandy had been up at the barn. Mr. Freeland positioned his head in on the door, and referred to as me by way of call, announcing, there had been a few gents at the door who needed to peer me. I stepped to the door, and inquired what they desired. They at once seized me, and, with out giving me any satisfaction, tied me—lashing my arms carefully collectively. I insisted upon understanding what the matter changed into. They at duration stated, that they'd discovered I have been in a "scrape," and that I became to be tested before my master; and if their information proved false, I should no longer be harm. In some moments, they succeeded in tying John. They then grew to become to Henry, who had by means of this time again, and commanded him to go his hands. "I won't!" stated Henry, in a firm tone, indicating his readiness to fulfill the outcomes of his refusal. "Won't you?" said Tom Graham, the constable. "No, I may not!" said Henry, in a nonetheless stronger tone. With this, of the constables pulled out their shining pistols, and swore, by using their Creator, that they could make him go his hands or kill him. Each cocked his pistol, and, with fingers at the cause, walked up to Henry, announcing, on the same time, if he did no longer cross his arms, they could blow his damned coronary heart out. "Shoot me, shoot me!" said Henry; "you can't kill me but once. Shoot, shoot,—and be damned! I may not be tied!" This he said in a tone of loud defiance; and on the equal time, with a motion as short as lightning, he with one single stroke dashed the pistols from the hand of every constable. As he did this, all hands fell upon him, and, after beating him a while, they in the end overpowered him, and were given him tied. During the scuffle, I managed, I recognise now not how, to get my skip out, and, with out being observed, put it into the fire. We were all now tied; and simply as we have been to leave for Easton jail, Betsy Freeland, mother of William Freeland, came to the door along with her hands complete of biscuits, and divided them among Henry and John. She then added herself of a speech, to the following impact:—addressing herself to me, she stated, "You devil! You yellow satan! It became you that positioned it into the heads of Henry and John to run away. But for you, you long-legged mulatto devil! Henry nor John could never have concept of this type of component." I made no reply, and turned into right now hurried off closer to St. Michael's. Just a moment preceding to the scuffle with Henry, Mr. Hamilton advised the propriety of creating a look for the protections which he had understood Frederick had written for himself and the rest. But, just in the meanwhile he became approximately wearing his suggestion into effect, his resource was needed in assisting to tie Henry; and the pleasure attending the scuffle caused them both to neglect, or to deem it risky, under the occasions, to look. So we have been no longer yet convicted of the goal to run away. When we got approximately half of manner to St. Michael's, whilst the constables having us in rate had been searching in advance, Henry inquired of me what he should do along with his bypass. I informed him to devour it together with his biscuit, and personal not anything; and we surpassed the word around, "Own nothing;" and "Own nothing!" stated we all. Our self assurance in every different became unshaken. We had been resolved to be triumphant or fail collectively, after the calamity had befallen us as plenty as before. We had been now

organized for any issue. We were to be dragged that morning fifteen miles behind horses, and then to be located within the Easton prison. When we reached St. Michael's, we underwent a type of examination. We all denied that we ever intended to run away. We did this greater to convey out the evidence in opposition to us, than from any desire of getting clear of being sold; for, as I even have said, we had been prepared for that. The reality became, we cared but little wherein we went, so we went together. Our finest problem changed into approximately separation. We dreaded that extra than any issue this facet of loss of life. We found the proof against us to be the testimony of one character; our master might now not inform who it turned into; however we got here to a unanimous selection amongst ourselves as to who their informant become. We had been despatched off to the prison at Easton. When we got there, we had been introduced as much as the sheriff, Mr. Joseph Graham, and through him placed in prison. Henry, John, and myself, had been placed in a single room collectively—Charles, and Henry Bailey, in another. Their object in keeping apart us became to avert concert. We were in jail scarcely twenty minutes, while a swarm of slave investors, and retailers for slave traders, flocked into jail to take a look at us, and to check if we were on the market. Such a fixed of beings I in no way saw before! I felt myself surrounded with the aid of such a lot of fiends from perdition. A band of pirates never seemed extra like their father, the satan. They laughed and grinned over us, pronouncing, "Ah, my boys! We've got you, haven't we?" And after taunting us in diverse approaches, they one after the other went into an examination folks, with intent to check our fee. They might impudently ask us if we would not want to have them for our masters. We could lead them to no solution, and go away them to find out as nice they may. Then they might curse and swear at us, telling us that they could take the devil out folks in a very little whilst, if we had been simplest of their palms. While in jail, we found ourselves in plenty greater comfortable quarters than we expected when we went there. We did no longer get a whole lot to devour, nor that which turned into excellent; but we had a very good easy room, from the home windows of which we ought to see what become happening in the road, which become very much higher than though we had been positioned in one of the dark, damp cells. Upon the whole, we were given alongside thoroughly, thus far because the prison and its keeper had been worried. Immediately after the vacations had been over, contrary to all our expectancies, Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Freeland came as much as Easton, and took Charles, the two Henrys, and John, out of prison, and carried them domestic, leaving me alone. I regarded this separation as a very last one. It caused me more pain than any issue else inside the whole transaction. I become geared up for any aspect in preference to separation. I intended that that they had consulted together, and had decided that, as I become the complete cause of the purpose of the others to run away, it became tough to make the innocent suffer with the responsible; and that they had, therefore, concluded to take the others home, and promote me, as a caution to the others that remained. It is due to the noble Henry to say, he appeared nearly as reluctant at leaving the jail as at leaving domestic to come back to the prison. But we knew we must, in all possibility, be separated, if we had been sold; and on the grounds that he turned into of their fingers, he concluded to head peaceably home. I turned into now left to my destiny. I changed into all alone, and within the walls of a stone prison. But a few days earlier than, and I was full of desire. I anticipated to have been secure in a land of freedom; however now I became blanketed with gloom, sunk all the way down to the maximum depression. I concept the opportunity of freedom became gone. I turned into stored in this way about one week, at the give up of which, Captain Auld, my master, to my marvel and utter astonishment, got here up, and took me out, with the intention of sending me, with a gentleman of his acquaintance, into Alabama. But, from a few motive or other, he did now not send me to Alabama, however concluded to ship me lower back to Baltimore, to live again along with his brother Hugh, and to examine a alternate. Thus, after a scarcity of three years and one month, I became all over again accredited to return to my vintage home at Baltimore. My grasp sent me away, because there existed in opposition to me a very exquisite prejudice in the network, and he feared I is probably killed. In a few weeks after I went to Baltimore, Master Hugh employed me to Mr. William Gardner, an extensive

deliver-builder, on Fell's Point. I became put there to discover ways to calk. It, but, proved a very detrimental area for the accomplishment of this item. Mr. Gardner changed into engaged that spring in constructing two big man-of-war brigs, professedly for the Mexican authorities. The vessels were to be released within the July of that yr, and in failure thereof, Mr. Gardner became to lose a significant sum; so that when I entered, all became hurry. There was no time to analyze any aspect. Every guy needed to do this which he knew a way to do. In coming into the shipyard, my orders from Mr. Gardner had been, to do regardless of the carpenters commanded me to do. This was putting me on the beck and call of approximately seventy-5 men. I become to treat these kinds of as masters. Their word become to be my law. My state of affairs changed into a most attempting one. At times I wished a dozen pair of arms. I was called a dozen methods inside the space of a unmarried minute. Three or 4 voices could strike my ear on the equal moment. It was—"Fred., come assist me to cant this wood right here."—"Fred., come carry this wood yonder."—"Fred., convey that curler here."—"Fred., go get a clean can of water."—"Fred., come assist noticed off the quit of this wood."—"Fred., cross brief, and get the crowbar."—"Fred., hold at the stop of q4."—"Fred., go to the blacksmith's shop, and get a brand new punch."—"Hurra, Fred! Run and convey me a chilly chisel."—"I say, Fred., undergo a hand, and arise a hearth as short as lightning under that steam-container."—"Halloo, nigger! Come, turn this grindstone."—"Come, come! Pass, move! And bowse this wooden ahead."—"I say, darky, blast your eyes, why do not you warmness up a few pitch?"—"Halloo! Halloo! Halloo!" (Three voices at the same time.) "Come right here!—Go there!—Hold on wherein you are! Damn you, if you pass, I'll knock your brains out!" This became my faculty for eight months; and I might have remained there longer, but for a most horrid combat I had with 4 of the white apprentices, in which my left eye become almost knocked out, and I turned into horribly mangled in other respects. The information in the case were these: Until a very little whilst after I went there, white and black ship-carpenters labored side by using side, and no person regarded to look any impropriety in it. All arms seemed to be very well happy. Many of the black carpenters were freemen. Things appeared to be taking place thoroughly. All straight away, the white carpenters knocked off, and said they would now not work with loose coloured workmen. Their cause for this, as alleged, become, that if loose colored carpenters have been encouraged, they would quickly take the change into their personal palms, and poor white men might be thrown out of employment. They therefore felt called upon without delay to put a forestall to it. And, taking advantage of Mr. Gardner's requirements, they broke off, swearing they would work not, except he would discharge his black carpenters. Now, although this did no longer extend to me in shape, it did attain me in fact. My fellow-apprentices very quickly commenced to experience it degrading to them to work with me. They started out to position on airs, and communicate approximately the "niggers" taking the usa, saying all of us ought to be killed; and, being encouraged via the journeymen, they started out making my situation as tough as they might, through hectoring me round, and sometimes placing me. I, of route, stored the vow I made after the fight with Mr. Covey, and struck back again, regardless of results; and at the same time as I saved them from combining, I succeeded very well; for I should whip the complete of them, taking them separately. They, however, at duration blended, and got here upon me, armed with sticks, stones, and heavy handspikes. One came in front with a 1/2 brick. There changed into one at each facet of me, and one behind me. While I become getting to the ones in the front, and on both aspect, the one in the back of ran up with the handspike, and struck me a heavy blow upon the head. It stunned me. I fell, and with this all of them ran upon me, and fell to beating me with their fists. I let them lay on for some time, collecting energy. In an instantaneous, I gave a unexpected surge, and rose to my arms and knees. Just as I did that, certainly one of their range gave me, together with his heavy boot, a effective kick inside the left eye. My eyeball regarded to have burst. When they saw my eye closed, and badly swollen, they left me. With this I seized the handspike, and for a time pursued them. But here the carpenters interfered, and I notion I would possibly as well provide it up. It was not possible to face my hand in opposition to such a lot of. All this occurred in sight of now not less than fifty white deliver-carpenters, and no longer one interposed a friendly word; but a few cried, "Kill the damned nigger! Kill him! Kill him! He struck a white individual." I discovered my only chance for existence turned into in flight. I succeeded in getting away with out

an extra blow, and barely so; for to strike a white guy is death by Lynch law,—and that turned into the regulation in Mr. Gardner's ship-backyard; nor is there a good deal of every other out of Mr. Gardner's deliver-yard. I went at once home, and instructed the story of my wrongs to Master Hugh; and I am satisfied to mention of him, irreligious as he become, his behavior became heavenly, in comparison with that of his brother Thomas underneath similar circumstances. He listened attentively to my narration of the circumstances leading to the savage outrage, and gave many proofs of his robust indignation at it. The heart of my as soon as overkind mistress was again melted into pity. My puffed-out eye and blood-included face moved her to tears. She took a chair by using me, washed the blood from my face, and, with a mother's tenderness, certain up my head, masking the wounded eye with a lean piece of sparkling red meat. It changed into nearly reimbursement for my struggling to witness, yet again, a manifestation of kindness from this, my as soon as affectionate old mistress. Master Hugh become very a lot enraged. He gave expression to his emotions by means of pouring out curses upon the heads of those who did the deed. As soon as I were given a little the better of my bruises, he took me with him to Esquire Watson's, on Bond Street, to peer what might be carried out approximately the matter. Mr. Watson inquired who noticed the assault committed. Master Hugh told him it was accomplished in Mr. Gardner's deliver-backyard at noon, in which there had been a large organisation of fellows at paintings. "As to that," he stated, "the deed was achieved, and there was no doubt as to who did it." His solution changed into, he could do nothing inside the case, except some white man would come forward and testify. He ought to difficulty no warrant on my phrase. If I were killed in the presence of 1000 colored humans, their testimony mixed would have been inadequate to have arrested one of the murderers. Master Hugh, for as soon as, became compelled to say this kingdom of factors was too awful. Of course, it become not possible to get any white guy to volunteer his testimony in my behalf, and towards the white young guys. Even those who may also have sympathized with me had been now not prepared to do this. It required a diploma of braveness unknown to them to achieve this; for just at that point, the slightest manifestation of humanity toward a coloured character became denounced as abolitionism, and that name subjected its bearer to frightful liabilities. The watchwords of the bloody-minded in that location, and in those days, have been, "Damn the abolitionists!" and "Damn the niggers!" There turned into nothing executed, and in all likelihood not anything might have been executed if I were killed. Such changed into, and such remains, the kingdom of factors in the Christian town of Baltimore. Master Hugh, locating he ought to get no redress, refused to permit me pass back again to Mr. Gardner. He saved me himself, and his wife dressed my wound till I become once more restored to fitness. He then took me into the deliver-backyard of which he become foreman, inside the employment of Mr. Walter Price. There I was immediately set to calking, and really soon discovered the artwork of using my mallet and irons. In the route of 12 months from the time I left Mr. Gardner's, I was able to command the very best wages given to the most skilled calkers. I became now of some importance to my grasp. I changed into bringing him from six to seven dollars in step with week. I sometimes added him 9 dollars in step with week: my wages have been a dollar and a 1/2 an afternoon. After getting to know a way to calk, I sought my personal employment, made my own contracts, and gathered the cash which I earned. My pathway became much greater clean than earlier than; my situation became now much extra cozy. When I ought to get no calking to do, I did nothing. During those amusement instances, the ones antique notions approximately freedom could thieve over me once more. When in Mr. Gardner's employment, I became stored in this type of perpetual whirl of exhilaration, I ought to think about not anything, scarcely, however my existence; and in contemplating my life, I almost forgot my liberty. I actually have discovered this in my revel in of slavery,—that each time my situation become stepped forward, rather than its increasing my contentment, it most effective expanded my choice to be unfastened, and set me to deliberating plans to advantage my freedom. I actually have discovered that, to make a happy slave, it's miles vital to make a inconsiderate one. It is necessary to darken his moral and mental imaginative and prescient, and, as a long way as viable, to annihilate the power of purpose. He need to be capable of come across no inconsistencies in slavery; he must be made to sense that slavery is right; and he may be introduced to that best whilst he ceases to be a man.

I became now getting, as I have stated, one dollar and fifty cents in step with day. I gotten smaller for it; I earned it; it become paid to me; it turned into rightfully my very own; yet, upon every returning Saturday night, I turned into compelled to supply every cent of that money to Master Hugh. And why? Not because he earned it,—no longer due to the fact he had any hand in incomes it,—not due to the fact I owed it to him,—nor because he possessed the slightest shadow of a proper to it; however completely because he had the power to compel me to present it up. The proper of the awful-visaged pirate upon the excessive seas is precisely the identical.

CHAPTER XI

I now come to that part of my lifestyles during which I deliberate, and subsequently succeeded in making, my escape from slavery. But before narrating any of the abnormal circumstances, I deem it right to make acknowledged my purpose now not to nation all the information linked with the transaction. My motives for pursuing this path may be understood from the subsequent: First, have been I to provide a minute statement of all of the information, it is not most effective possible, but quite probably, that others could thereby be involved in the most embarrassing problems. Secondly, this sort of announcement would maximum undoubtedly induce greater vigilance at the part of slaveholders than has existed heretofore amongst them; which might, of path, be the approach of guarding a door whereby a few pricey brother bondman would possibly break out his galling chains. I deeply regret the need that impels me to suppress any factor of significance related with my enjoy in slavery. It might find the money for me superb pleasure certainly, as well as materially upload to the hobby of my narrative, have been I at liberty to gratify a curiosity, which I recognise exists within the minds of many, by way of an accurate assertion of all the statistics referring to my most lucky escape. But I should deprive myself of this satisfaction, and the curious of the gratification which one of these statement might manage to pay for. I might allow myself to go through below the best imputations which evil-minded guys may advocate, rather than exculpate myself, and thereby run the chance of closing the slightest road through which a brother slave may clean himself of the chains and fetters of slavery. I even have never accepted of the very public manner in which a number of our western friends have conducted what they name the underground railroad, however which I suppose, via their open declarations, has been made maximum emphatically the upper-ground railroad. I honor those excellent ladies and men for his or her noble bold, and applaud them for willingly subjecting themselves to bloody persecution, through overtly avowing their participation in the break out of slaves. I, however, can see little or no right because of one of these route, either to themselves or the slaves escaping; at the same time as, upon the opposite hand, I see and experience confident that those open declarations are a high-quality evil to the slaves ultimate, who're in search of to break out. They do nothing toward enlightening the slave, even as they do an awful lot towards enlightening the master. They stimulate him to extra watchfulness, and decorate his power to seize his slave. We owe something to the slave south of the line as well as to the ones north of it; and in assisting the latter on their way to freedom, we ought to be careful to do not anything which could be in all likelihood to hinder the previous from escaping from slavery. I could preserve the cruel slaveholder profoundly ignorant of the means of flight followed with the aid of the slave. I would go away him to imagine himself surrounded by myriads of invisible tormentors, ever ready to grab from his infernal hold close his trembling prey. Let him be left to sense his way in the darkish; permit darkness commensurate with his crime hover over him; and allow him sense that at every step he is taking, in pursuit of the flying bondman, he is walking the frightful threat of having his warm brains dashed out by way of an invisible organisation. Let us render the tyrant no resource; allow us to no longer hold the mild through which he can trace the footprints of our flying brother. But sufficient of this. I will now proceed to the declaration of these statistics, linked with my break out, for which I am on my own accountable, and for which nobody can be made to suffer however myself. In the early a part of the 12 months 1838, I have become quite stressed. I ought to see no reason why I need to, on the end of each week, pour the praise of my toil into the handbag of my grasp. When I carried to him my weekly wages, he would, after counting the money, look me within the face with a robber-like fierceness, and ask, "Is this all?" He become glad with nothing less than the ultimate cent. He would, but, after I made him six dollars, occasionally supply me six cents, to inspire me. It had the opposite impact. I regarded it as a sort of admission of my right to the whole. The fact that he gave me any a part of my wages became proof, to my

thoughts, that he believed me entitled to the complete of them. I always felt worse for having obtained any factor; for I feared that the giving me a few cents would ease his moral sense, and make him sense himself to be a pretty honorable sort of robber. My discontent grew upon me. I became ever on the appearance-out for way of break out; and, finding no direct approach, I decided to try to hire my time, with a view of having money with which to make my get away. In the spring of 1838, when Master Thomas got here to Baltimore to purchase his spring items, I got an opportunity, and applied to him to permit me to rent my time. He unhesitatingly refused my request, and told me this turned into another stratagem via which to get away. He informed me I could cross nowhere but that he should get me; and that, within the occasion of my jogging away, he should spare no pains in his efforts to trap me. He exhorted me to content myself, and be obedient. He instructed me, if I could be happy, I need to lay out no plans for the future. He stated, if I behaved myself well, he might deal with me. Indeed, he advised me to complete thoughtlessness of the destiny, and taught me to depend entirely upon him for happiness. He appeared to peer absolutely the urgent necessity of setting aside my intellectual nature, to be able to contentment in slavery. But in spite of him, and even no matter myself, I continued to suppose, and to think about the injustice of my enslavement, and the method of get away. About two months after this, I implemented to Master Hugh for the privilege of hiring my time. He became not acquainted with the fact that I had implemented to Master Thomas, and had been refused. He too, at the beginning, appeared disposed to refuse; however, after a few reflection, he granted me the privilege, and proposed the subsequent terms: I was to be allowed all my time, make all contracts with the ones for whom I labored, and discover my very own employment; and, in go back for this liberty, I became to pay him three bucks on the stop of each week; locate myself in calking tools, and in board and garb. My board was greenbacks and a half of in step with week. This, with the wear and tear and tear of apparel and calking tools, made my regular expenses about six greenbacks in step with week. This amount I became forced to make up, or relinquish the privilege of hiring my time. Rain or shine, work or no work, on the quit of each week the cash should be drawing close, or I should give up my privilege. This arrangement, it will likely be perceived, was decidedly in my grasp's prefer. It relieved him of all need of looking after me. His money turned into sure. He obtained all the benefits of slaveholding without its evils; whilst I continued all of the evils of a slave, and suffered all the care and anxiety of a freeman. I determined it a hard good deal. But, difficult as it was, I thought it better than the vintage mode of getting alongside. It turned into a step toward freedom to be allowed to undergo the obligations of a freeman, and I changed into decided to preserve on upon it. I bent myself to the paintings of making a living. I changed into ready to paintings at night time in addition to day, and by the maximum untiring perseverance and industry, I made enough to satisfy my costs, and lay up a little cash each week. I went on thus from May until August. Master Hugh then refused to allow me to rent my time longer. The ground for his refusal became a failure on my part, one Saturday night time, to pay him for my week's time. This failure became occasioned by my attending a camp assembly approximately ten miles from Baltimore. During the week, I had entered into an engagement with some of young buddies to start from Baltimore to the camp floor early Saturday nighttime; and being detained by my business enterprise, I become unable to get right down to Master Hugh's with out disappointing the organization. I knew that Master Hugh become in no special need of the cash that night. I consequently decided to visit camp assembly, and upon my go back pay him the 3 bucks. I staid at the camp meeting one day longer than I meant when I left. But as soon as I back, I referred to as upon him to pay him what he taken into consideration his due. I located him very angry; he may want to scarce restrain his wrath. He said he had a excellent mind to present me a intense whipping. He needed to realize how I dared go out of the town with out asking his permission. I informed him I hired my time and whilst I paid him the fee which he requested for it, I did no longer know that I turned into sure to ask him whilst and in which I ought to cross. This reply troubled him; and, after reflecting a few moments, he became to me, and said I have to hire my time not; that the subsequent element he need to know of, I would be jogging away. Upon the same plea, he advised me to carry my gear and apparel home forthwith. I did so; but in preference to searching for paintings, as I had been conversant in do previously to hiring my time, I spent the entire week without the performance of a single stroke

of labor. I did this in retaliation. Saturday night time, he called upon me as common for my week's wages. I told him I had no wages; I had carried out no work that week. Here we have been upon the point of coming to blows. He raved, and swore his determination to get preserve of me. I did now not allow myself a unmarried word; but changed into resolved, if he laid the burden of his hand upon me, it ought to be blow for blow. He did now not strike me, but informed me that he would find me in consistent employment in destiny. I idea the problem over during tomorrow, Sunday, and finally resolved upon the 0.33 day of September, as the day upon which I could make a 2d try to at ease my freedom. I now had three weeks at some point of which to prepare for my journey. Early on Monday morning, earlier than Master Hugh had time to make any engagement for me, I went out and were given employment of Mr. Butler, at his ship-backyard close to the drawbridge, upon what is called the City Block, accordingly making it useless for him to are looking for employment for me. At the give up of the week, I delivered him between eight and nine greenbacks. He regarded very well pleased, and asked why I did no longer do the identical the week earlier than. He little knew what my plans were. My object in operating step by step became to eliminate any suspicion he may entertain of my cause to run away; and in this I succeeded admirably. I think he notion I was by no means higher glad with my situation than on the very time all through which I was making plans my escape. The second week exceeded, and once more I carried him my complete wages; and so properly thrilled become he, that he gave me twenty-5 cents, (quite a massive sum for a slaveholder to give a slave,) and bade me to make a very good use of it. I instructed him I might. Things went on without very smoothly indeed, but inside there has been hassle. It is impossible for me to describe my feelings because the time of my contemplated begin drew near. I had some of warmhearted friends in Baltimore,—buddies that I cherished nearly as I did my life,—and the idea of being separated from them forever became painful past expression. It is my opinion that heaps would break out from slavery, who now continue to be, however for the robust cords of affection that bind them to their friends. The thought of leaving my buddies become decidedly the maximum painful idea with which I needed to contend. The love of them become my gentle point, and shook my selection more than all things else. Besides the pain of separation, the dread and apprehension of a failure exceeded what I had experienced at my first try. The appalling defeat I then sustained back to torment me. I felt assured that, if I failed on this try, my case would be a hopeless one—it would seal my destiny as a slave all the time. I could not wish to get off with any element much less than the severest punishment, and being positioned beyond the approach of get away. It required no very bright imagination to depict the maximum frightful scenes through which I need to have to pass, in case I failed. The wretchedness of slavery, and the blessedness of freedom, have been perpetually before me. It became lifestyles and dying with me. But I remained firm, and, in line with my decision, at the 1/3 day of September, 1838, I left my chains, and succeeded in achieving New York without the slightest interruption of any kind. How I did so,— what way I adopted,—what course I travelled, and via what mode of conveyance,—I should leave unexplained, for the motives before noted. I have been often asked how I felt after I determined myself in a unfastened State. I have by no means been able to answer the question with any pride to myself. It turned into a moment of the very best excitement I ever experienced. I think I felt as one might also consider the unarmed mariner to feel whilst he is rescued through a pleasant man-of-war from the pursuit of a pirate. In writing to a dear pal, immediately after my arrival at New York, I stated I felt like one who had escaped a den of hungry lions. This state of thoughts, however, very soon subsided; and I became again seized with a feeling of super lack of confidence and loneliness. I changed into yet at risk of be taken again, and subjected to all of the tortures of slavery. This in itself turned into sufficient to damp the ardor of my enthusiasm. But the loneliness overcame me. There I become inside the midst of hundreds, and but a super stranger; with out domestic and without friends, in the midst of thousands of my very own brethren—kids of a not unusual Father, and but I dared no longer to unfold to someone of them my unhappy condition. I become afraid to speak to anyone for fear of speaking to the wrong one, and thereby falling into the fingers of money-loving kidnappers, whose commercial enterprise it changed into to lie in await the panting fugitive, as the ferocious beasts of the woodland lie in anticipate their prey. The motto which I followed once I

commenced from slavery became this—"Trust no man!" I saw in each white guy an enemy, and in nearly each coloured man cause for mistrust. It became a maximum painful situation; and, to apprehend it, one must wishes experience it, or imagine himself in similar situations. Let him be a fugitive slave in a abnormal land—a land given as much as be the searching-floor for slaveholders—whose population are legalized kidnappers—in which he's every second subjected to the horrible legal responsibility of being seized upon by means of his fellowmen, as the hideous crocodile seizes upon his prey!—I say, allow him location himself in my scenario— without domestic or pals—with out money or credit score—looking shelter, and no person to present it— wanting bread, and no cash to shop for it,—and on the equal time allow him experience that he is pursued with the aid of cruel guys-hunters, and in total darkness as to what to do, in which to go, or in which to live,— flawlessly helpless each as to the method of defence and means of escape,—inside the midst of lots, yet struggling the terrible gnawings of hunger,—inside the midst of homes, but having no domestic,—amongst fellowmen, but feeling as though within the midst of untamed beasts, whose greediness to swallow up the trembling and 1/2-famished fugitive is simplest equalled with the aid of that with which the monsters of the deep swallow up the helpless fish upon which they subsist,—I say, allow him be positioned in this most attempting scenario,—the scenario in which I was positioned,—then, and not until then, will he absolutely respect the hardships of, and recognize a way to sympathize with, the toil-worn and whip-scarred fugitive slave. Thank Heaven, I remained however a brief time on this distressed scenario. I became relieved from it by means of the humane hand of Mr. David Ruggles, whose vigilance, kindness, and perseverance, I shall never neglect. I am satisfied of an opportunity to explicit, as some distance as phrases can, the affection and gratitude I endure him. Mr. Ruggles is now with blindness, and is himself in want of the identical type workplaces which he became once so forward inside the overall performance of towards others. I had been in New York but some days, while Mr. Ruggles sought me out, and really kindly took me to his boarding-house on the nook of Church and Lespenard Streets. Mr. Ruggles became then very deeply engaged inside the memorable Darg case, in addition to attending to a number of other fugitive slaves, devising ways and approach for his or her successful get away; and, even though watched and hemmed in on nearly each side, he seemed to be greater than a in shape for his enemies. Very quickly once I went to Mr. Ruggles, he wanted to understand of me where I wanted to go; as he deemed it dangerous for me to remain in New York. I advised him I become a calker, and should like to head where I may want to get paintings. I thought of going to Canada; but he determined in opposition to it, and in prefer of my going to New Bedford, wondering I must be able to get work there at my change. At this time, Anna,* my intended spouse, came on; for I wrote to her right now after my arrival at New York, (however my homeless, houseless, and helpless situation,) informing her of my successful flight, and wishing her to come on forthwith. In a few days after her arrival, Mr. Ruggles referred to as within the Rev. J. W. C. Pennington, who, inside the presence of Mr. Ruggles, Mrs. Michaels, and two or three others, accomplished the marriage ceremony, and gave us a certificates, of which the following is an precise copy:— "This might also certify, that I joined collectively in holy matrimony Frederick Johnson** and Anna Murray, as man and wife, within the presence of Mr. David Ruggles and Mrs. Michaels.

"JAMES W. C. PENNINGTON "New York, Sept. 15, 1838"

*She changed into unfastened.

**I had changed my name from Frederick Bailey to that of

Johnson. Upon receiving this certificate, and a 5-dollar invoice from Mr. Ruggles, I shouldered one part of our bags, and Anna took up the opposite, and we set out forthwith to take passage on board of the steamboat John W. Richmond for Newport, on our manner to New Bedford. Mr. Ruggles gave me a letter to a Mr. Shaw in Newport, and instructed me, in case my money did not serve me to New Bedford, to prevent in Newport and acquire in addition help; but upon our arrival at Newport, we have been so tense to get to a place of safety, that, however we lacked the essential cash to pay our fare, we decided to take seats in the stage, and promise to pay whilst we were given to New Bedford. We have been encouraged to do that through two superb gentlemen, citizens of New Bedford, whose names I later on ascertained to be Joseph Ricketson and William C. Taber. They seemed at once to understand our circumstances, and gave us such assurance in their friendliness as placed us fully secure of their presence. It became precise certainly to fulfill with such buddies, at this type of time. Upon accomplishing New Bedford, we had been directed to the house of Mr. Nathan Johnson, with the aid of whom we have been kindly acquired, and hospitably supplied for. Both Mr. And Mrs. Johnson took a deep and active interest in our welfare. They proved themselves quite worthy of the name of abolitionists. When the degree-driver determined us unable to pay our fare, he hung on upon our baggage as security for the debt. I had but to mention the reality to Mr. Johnson, and he forthwith superior the cash. We now began to feel a diploma of safety, and to prepare ourselves for the obligations and obligations of a lifestyles of freedom. On the morning after our arrival at New Bedford, even as at the breakfast-table, the query arose as to what name I ought to be called by way of. The call given me through my mom become, "Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey." I, but, had disbursed with the two middle names lengthy before I left Maryland so that I turned into normally recognized by means of the name of "Frederick Bailey." I began from Baltimore bearing the name of "Stanley." When I got to New York, I once more changed my name to "Frederick Johnson," and idea that might be the closing trade. But after I got to New Bedford, I determined it important once more to alternate my call. The motive of this necessity was, that there were so many Johnsons in New Bedford, it turned into already pretty difficult to distinguish among them. I gave Mr. Johnson the privilege of selecting me a name, but told him he should no longer take from me the name of "Frederick." I must preserve on to that, to maintain a experience of my identification. Mr. Johnson had simply been reading the "Lady of the Lake," and at once counseled that my call be "Douglass." From that time till now I had been known as "Frederick Douglass;" and as I am greater widely known through that call than by both of the others, I shall continue to use it as my very own. I was pretty disenchanted at the general look of factors in New Bedford. The impact which I had acquired respecting the person and circumstance of the human beings of the north, I discovered to be singularly misguided. I had very surprisingly meant, while in slavery, that few of the comforts, and scarcely any of the luxuries, of existence have been loved on the north, as compared with what were enjoyed by using the slaveholders of the south. I probable came to this conclusion from the fact that northern human beings owned no slaves. I meant that they were approximately upon a degree with the non-slaveholding populace of the south. I knew they had been incredibly bad, and I had been acquainted with regard their poverty as the vital result of their being non-slaveholders. I had somehow imbibed the opinion that, in the absence of slaves, there can be no wealth, and very little refinement. And upon coming to the north, I predicted to satisfy with a hard, difficult- surpassed, and uncultivated populace, residing inside the maximum Spartan-like simplicity, understanding nothing of the benefit, luxury, pomp, and grandeur of southern slaveholders. Such being my conjectures, anybody acquainted with the arrival of New Bedford may additionally very quite simply infer how palpably I have to have seen my mistake. In the afternoon of the day after I reached New Bedford, I visited the wharves, to take a view of the transport. Here I found myself surrounded with the most powerful proofs of wealth. Lying on the wharves, and riding inside the stream, I saw many ships of the greatest model, in the first-class order, and of the most important size. Upon the right and left, I was walled in by granite warehouses of the widest dimensions, stowed to their utmost

ability with the necessaries and comforts of existence. Added to this, almost all and sundry appeared to be at paintings, but noiselessly so, as compared with what I had been aware of in Baltimore. There were no loud songs heard from those engaged in loading and unloading ships. I heard no deep oaths or horrid curses on the laborer. I saw no whipping of fellows; however all seemed to go easily on. Every guy seemed to understand his work, and went at it with a sober, but joyful earnestness, which betokened the deep hobby which he felt in what he became doing, in addition to a sense of his very own dignity as a person. To me this regarded notably ordinary. From the wharves I strolled round and over the metropolis, observing with surprise and admiration on the terrific church buildings, beautiful dwellings, and finely-cultivated gardens; evincing an amount of wealth, consolation, flavor, and refinement, including I had never seen in any a part of slaveholding Maryland. Every issue appeared clean, new, and beautiful. I saw few or no dilapidated houses, with poverty-bothered inmates; no half-naked children and barefooted ladies, which include I had been accustomed to see in Hillsborough, Easton, St. Michael's, and Baltimore. The humans regarded extra capable, more potent, healthier, and happier, than those of Maryland. I was for once made happy with the aid of a view of intense wealth, without being saddened by using seeing intense poverty. But the most astounding in addition to the maximum interesting component to me became the condition of the colored human beings, a top notch many of whom, like myself, had escaped thither as a refuge from the hunters of guys. I found many, who had not been seven years out of their chains, residing in finer homes, and obviously playing more of the comforts of existence, than the common of slaveholders in Maryland. I will venture to say, that my pal Mr. Nathan Johnson (of whom I can say with a grateful heart, "I became hungry, and he gave me meat; I was thirsty, and he gave me drink; I changed into a stranger, and he took me in") lived in a neater house; dined at a better table; took, paid for, and study, extra newspapers; better understood the moral, religious, and political person of the country,—than 9 tenths of the slaveholders in Talbot county Maryland. Yet Mr. Johnson was a running guy. His hands were hardened by using toil, and now not his on my own, but those additionally of Mrs. Johnson. I observed the colored humans much greater lively than I had supposed they would be. I determined among them a dedication to protect every other from the blood-thirsty kidnapper, in any respect hazards. Soon after my arrival, I became instructed of a circumstance which illustrated their spirit. A coloured guy and a fugitive slave were on unfriendly terms. The former was heard to threaten the latter with informing his master of his whereabouts. Straightway a meeting become called a few of the colored human beings, underneath the stereotyped be aware, "Business of significance!" The betrayer turned into invited to attend. The humans got here at the appointed hour, and prepared the meeting via appointing a totally non secular antique gentleman as president, who, I accept as true with, made a prayer, after which he addressed the meeting as follows: "Friends, we have were given him here, and I could propose which you young guys just take him outside the door, and kill him!" With this, a number of them bolted at him; however they have been intercepted with the aid of some extra timid than themselves, and the betrayer escaped their vengeance, and has no longer been seen in New Bedford since. I accept as true with there were no extra such threats, and have to there be hereafter, I doubt now not that loss of life will be the result. I found employment, the third day after my arrival, in stowing a sloop with a load of oil. It become new, dirty, and difficult paintings for me; but I went at it with a satisfied coronary heart and a inclined hand. I turned into now my own master. It changed into a satisfied moment, the rapture of which may be understood most effective via those who've been slaves. It turned into the primary work, the praise of which became to be absolutely my personal. There turned into no Master Hugh status prepared, the instant I earned the cash, to rob me of it. I worked that day with a delight I had in no way before skilled. I was at work for myself and newly-married wife. It become to me the beginning-factor of a brand new lifestyles. When I were given via with that task, I went in pursuit of a activity of calking; however such changed into the strength of prejudice towards shade, the various white calkers, that they refused to work with me, and of path I should get no employment.* * I am instructed that colored persons can now get employment at

calking in New Bedford—a end result of anti-slavery effort.

Finding my change of no instantaneous advantage, I threw off my calking habiliments, and organized myself to do any type of work I ought to get to do. Mr. Johnson kindly let me have his wood-horse and saw, and I very quickly discovered myself a plenty of work. There turned into no paintings too tough—none too dirty. I became prepared to saw timber, shovel coal, bring timber, sweep the chimney, or roll oil casks,—all of which I did for almost 3 years in New Bedford, before I have become acknowledged to the anti-slavery international. In approximately four months when I went to New Bedford, there came a young guy to me, and inquired if I did not want to take the "Liberator." I told him I did; but, simply having made my get away from slavery, I remarked that I became unable to pay for it then. I, however, finally became a subscriber to it. The paper came, and I read it from week to week with such feelings as it'd be quite idle for me to attempt to describe. The paper have become my meat and my drink. My soul changed into set all on hearth. Its sympathy for my brethren in bonds— its scathing denunciations of slaveholders—its trustworthy exposures of slavery—and its powerful assaults upon the upholders of the institution—despatched a thrill of pleasure thru my soul, along with I had in no way felt earlier than! I had now not lengthy been a reader of the "Liberator," earlier than I were given a quite correct concept of the concepts, measures and spirit of the anti-slavery reform. I took right keep of the motive. I ought to do however little; however what I ought to, I did with a blissful heart, and in no way felt happier than while in an anti- slavery assembly. I seldom had tons to say at the conferences, because what I desired to say become stated so much better by using others. But, at the same time as attending an anti-slavery convention at Nantucket, at the 11th of August, 1841, I felt strongly moved to talk, and was at the same time an awful lot entreated to achieve this with the aid of Mr. William C. Coffin, a gentleman who had heard me communicate in the colored humans's assembly at New Bedford. It changed into a extreme cross, and I took it up reluctantly. The reality was, I felt myself a slave, and the concept of speaking to white people weighed me down. I spoke however some moments, when I felt a diploma of freedom, and said what I preferred with large ease. From that point until now, I were engaged in pleading the cause of my brethren—with what success, and with what devotion, I depart those acquainted with my labors to decide.

APPENDIX

I find, due to the fact that reading over the foregoing Narrative, that I have, in numerous times, spoken in any such tone and manner, respecting faith, as can also in all likelihood lead those unacquainted with my spiritual views to assume me an opponent of all religion. To dispose of the liability of such misapprehension, I deem it right to append the following brief rationalization. What I even have stated respecting and towards faith, I suggest strictly to use to the slaveholding religion of this land, and with no viable reference to Christianity right; for, between the Christianity of this land, and the Christianity of Christ, I apprehend the widest feasible difference—so huge, that to get hold of the one as desirable, natural, and holy, is of necessity to reject the alternative as terrible, corrupt, and wicked. To be the friend of the one, is of necessity to be the enemy of the alternative. I love the pure, peaceful, and unbiased Christianity of Christ: I therefore hate the corrupt, slaveholding, women-whipping, cradle-plundering, partial and hypocritical Christianity of this land. Indeed, I can see no cause, but the most deceitful one, for calling the religion of this land Christianity. I look upon it because the climax of all misnomers, the boldest of all frauds, and the grossest of all libels. Never become there a clearer case of "stealing the livery of the courtroom of heaven to serve the devil in." I am full of unutterable loathing once I ponder the religious pomp and show, collectively with the horrible inconsistencies, which each in which surround me. We have guys-stealers for ministers, girls-whippers for missionaries, and cradle- plunderers for church individuals. The man who wields the blood-clotted cowskin during the week fills the pulpit on Sunday, and claims to be a minister of the meek and lowly Jesus. The man who robs me of my earnings at the cease of every week meets me as a category-leader on Sunday morning, to expose me the manner of life, and the direction of salvation. He who sells my sister, for functions of prostitution, stands forth as the pious advocate of purity. He who announces it a non secular obligation to examine the Bible denies me the right of learning to examine the call of the God who made me. He who's the religious advise of marriage robs complete thousands and thousands of its sacred have an effect on, and leaves them to the ravages of wholesale pollution. The heat defender of the sacredness of the family relation is the identical that scatters complete households,— sundering husbands and other halves, parents and children, sisters and brothers,—leaving the hut vacant, and the fireplace desolate. We see the thief preaching towards robbery, and the adulterer towards adultery. We have men offered to construct churches, ladies bought to guide the gospel, and babes sold to purchase Bibles for the Poor Heathen! All For The Glory Of God And The Good Of Souls! The slave auctioneer's bell and the church-going bell chime in with every different, and the sour cries of the coronary heart-damaged slave are drowned within the religious shouts of his pious grasp. Revivals of religion and revivals in the slave-change go hand in hand collectively. The slave jail and the church stand close to each other. The clanking of fetters and the rattling of chains within the prison, and the pious psalm and solemn prayer inside the church, can be heard on the identical time. The sellers in the our bodies and souls of guys erect their stand in the presence of the pulpit, and that they together help every other. The provider offers his blood-stained gold to support the pulpit, and the pulpit, in go back, covers his infernal enterprise with the garb of Christianity. Here we've faith and theft the allies of each different—devils dressed in angels' robes, and hell imparting the semblance of paradise. "Just God! And those are they,

Who minister at thine altar, God of right! Men who their hands, with prayer and blessing, lay On Israel's ark of light.

"What! Hold forth, and kidnap guys?

Give thanks, and rob thy personal stricken terrible? Talk of thy wonderful liberty, and then Bolt hard the captive's door?

"What! Servants of thy very own Merciful Son, who came to are searching for and save The homeless and the outcast, fettering down The tasked and plundered slave!

"Pilate and Herod pals! Chief priests and rulers, as of antique, combine! Just God and holy! Is that church which lends Strength to the spoiler thine?"

The Christianity of America is a Christianity, of whose votaries it is able to be as absolutely stated, because it changed into of the historical scribes and Pharisees, "They bind heavy burdens, and grievous to be borne, and lay them on guys's shoulders, but they themselves will no longer flow them with one among their hands. All their works they do for to be visible of men.—They love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the leader seats inside the synagogues, . . . . . . And to be referred to as of guys, Rabbi, Rabbi.—But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye close up the kingdom of heaven in opposition to men; for ye neither cross in yourselves, neither go through ye them which can be coming into to go in. Ye eat widows' houses, and for a pretence make lengthy prayers; therefore ye shall receive the more damnation. Ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and while he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.—Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye pay tithe of mint, and anise, and cumin, and feature disregarded the weightier subjects of the regulation, judgment, mercy, and religion; these ought ye to have achieved, and no longer to leave the alternative undone. Ye blind courses! Which pressure at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye make easy the outdoor of the cup and of the platter; but within, they are full of extortion and extra.—Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed seem beautiful outward, but are within complete of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye additionally outwardly appear righteous unto guys, but within ye are complete of hypocrisy and iniquity." Dark and horrible as is that this image, I hold it to be strictly genuine of the overpowering mass of professed Christians in America. They stress at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Could any factor be extra real of our church buildings? They might be taken aback on the proposition of fellowshipping a sheep-stealer; and at the same time they hug to their communion a person-stealer, and emblem me with being an infidel, if I discover fault with them for it. They attend with Pharisaical strictness to the outward styles of faith, and on the identical time neglect the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and religion. They are usually geared up to sacrifice, but seldom to show mercy. They are they who are represented as professing to like God whom they've now not visible, at the same time as they hate their brother whom they've seen. They love the heathen on the other side of the globe. They can pray for him, pay money to have the Bible put into his hand, and missionaries to teach him; whilst they despise and definitely forget the heathen at their own doors. Such is, very in short, my view of the religion of this land; and to keep away from any false impression, developing out of the usage of general terms, I mean by way of the faith of this land, that that's revealed in the phrases, deeds, and moves, of these our bodies, north and south, calling themselves Christian churches, and but in union with slaveholders. It is towards faith, as supplied through those our bodies, that I even have felt it my duty to testify. I conclude these feedback via copying the subsequent portrait of the faith of the south, (that is, by using

communion and fellowship, the religion of the north,) which I soberly confirm is "proper to the lifestyles," and with out cartoon or the slightest exaggeration. It is stated to have been drawn, several years before the prevailing anti-slavery agitation commenced, via a northern Methodist preacher, who, even as dwelling on the south, had an possibility to see slaveholding morals, manners, and piety, along with his own eyes. "Shall I now not visit for this stuff? Saith the Lord. Shall no longer my soul be avenged on any such country as this?"

A PARODY "Come, saints and sinners, listen me inform How pious clergymen whip Jack and Nell, And women purchase and children promote, And hold forth all sinners down to hell, And sing of heavenly union.

"They'll bleat and baa, dona like goats, Gorge down black sheep, and pressure at motes, Array their backs in great black coats, Then seize their negroes with the aid of their throats, And choke, for heavenly union.

"They'll church you in case you sip a dram, And damn you if you thieve a lamb; Yet rob vintage Tony, Doll, and Sam, Of human rights, and bread and ham; Kidnapper's heavenly union.

"They'll loudly talk of Christ's praise, And bind his image with a wire, And scold, and swing the lash abhorred, And promote their brother in the Lord To handcuffed heavenly union.

"They'll read and sing a sacred track, And make a prayer both loud and lengthy, And train the right and do the incorrect, Hailing the brother, sister throng, With phrases of heavenly union.

"We surprise how such saints can sing, Or praise the Lord upon the wing,

Who roar, and scold, and whip, and sting, And to their slaves and mammon hang, In responsible moral sense union.

"They'll boost tobacco, corn, and rye, And force, and thieve, and cheat, and lie, And lay up treasures in the sky, By making transfer and cowskin fly, In wish of heavenly union.

"They'll crack old Tony at the cranium, And pontificate and roar like Bashan bull, Or braying ass, of mischief full, Then capture antique Jacob with the aid of the wool, And pull for heavenly union.

"A roaring, ranting, glossy guy-thief, Who lived on mutton, veal, and beef, Yet in no way might have the funds for alleviation To needy, sable sons of grief, Was big with heavenly union.

"'Love no longer the arena,' the preacher stated, And winked his eye, and shook his head; He seized on Tom, and Dick, and Ned, Cut brief their meat, and clothes, and bread, Yet still cherished heavenly union.

"Another preacher whining spoke Of One whose coronary heart for sinners broke: He tied vintage Nanny to an oak, And drew the blood at every stroke, And prayed for heavenly union.

"Two others oped their iron jaws, And waved their children-stealing paws; There sat their children in gewgaws; By stinting negroes' backs and maws, They stored up heavenly union.

"All desirable from Jack any other takes, And entertains their flirts and rakes, Who get dressed as smooth as glossy snakes, And cram their mouths with sweetened desserts; And this is going down for union."

Sincerely and earnestly hoping that this little e book might also do something towards throwing mild on the American slave gadget, and hastening the satisfied day of deliverance to the tens of millions of my brethren in bonds—faithfully depending upon the energy of truth, love, and justice, for achievement in my humble efforts— and solemnly pledging my self anew to the sacred reason,—I subscribe myself, FREDERICK DOUGLASS. LYNN, Mass., April 28, 1845. THE END.