,,the ,,life ,,and ,,sufferings ,,of    
,,leonard ,,black1 ,a ,,fugitive ,,from 
,,slavery4    ,,written ,,by ,,himself4 
,,new ,,bedford3 ,,press ,,of ,,benjamin
 ,,lindsey4 #ahdg4          ,,notice4   
,doubts having been expressed upon      
sundry matters connected with the       
following little narrative1 ,mr4 ,black 
has requested me to say a few  words    
concerning its authorship and claims to 
belief4    ,the book was written        
substantially by ,mr4 ,black himself1   
but1 in  consequence of his deficiency  
of education--growing out of the  fact  
that his childhood and youth were spent 
in slavery--it needed  considerable     
correction to fit it for the press4     
,this work was  kindly performed1       
gratuitously1 by a friend of the author1
 who was1  however1 very careful to     
preserve the narrative as nearly        
unchanged  as possible--confining       
himself mostly to punctuating1          
correcting the  orthography1 striking   
out unnecessary words and sentences1 c4 

c4    ,i am well acquainted with ,mr4   
,black1 and have the fullest confidence 
in the truth of his narrative1 as has   
the friend who assisted him in          
preparing it for the press1 and1 indeed1
 every one who knows him4    ,a4 ,m4    
,,macy4    ,nantucket1 ,october #cjth1  
#ahdg4          ,,introduction4      ,in
 putting this little volume before the  
public1 it is well1 perhaps1  that ,i   
should speak of my motive4    ,born and 
reared in slavery1 ,i was1 of course1   
deprived of education2  and believing   
that ,i can be of service to the public 
in the ministry1  ,i have published this
 account of my life and sufferings1 with
 the hope  that ,i might realize a      
sufficient sum from its sale1 to enable 
me to  procure a greater degree of      
education1 thereby increasing my        
usefulness  as a preacher4    ,with this
 simple statement ,i present myself to  
the humane1 in the hope  that ,i may not
 appeal in vain4    ,,leonard ,,black4  
,april1 #ahdg4          ,,life ,,and    

,,sufferings    ,,of    ,,leonard       
,,black4          ,,chapter ,i4      ,it
 is my object to give to the reader a   
plain1 simple narrative of the  more    
interesting portion of my life1 while in
 slavery4    ,i was born in ,annarundel 
,county1 ,state of ,maryland1 about     
sixty miles  below ,baltimore1 and lived
 a slave more than twenty years4 ,my old
  master was a physician1 but ,i think  
it prudent to withhold his name4  ,no   
one1 who has always enjoyed the right of
 liberty1 can realize the  horrors of   
slavery4 ,to be at the will of another1 
to be owned like  a cow or horse1 and   
liable at any moment to be sold to the  
highest  bidder1 to be transported to a 
distant part of the country1 leaving    
the dearest relatives behind2 to be1 in 
fine1 ground down mentally and          
physically by the untold curses of      
slavery1 may be a very pretty thing  to 
the masters of the 8peculiar            
institution10 but it is death to the    
slaves4    ,after more than twenty years

 of bondage1 ,god delivered me from it1 
with  a strong hand and an outstretched 
arm1 as he did ,israel of old4    ,as   
near as ,i can remember1 my mother and  
sister were sold and taken  to ,new     
,orleans1 leaving four brothers and     
myself behind4 ,we were all  placed out4
 ,at six years of age ,i was placed with
 a ,mr4 ,bradford1  separated from my   
father1 mother and family4 ,but the eye 
of ,god was  upon me1 and blessed me4   
,my master was a carpenter1 and much    
from  home--,mrs4 ,bradford beat me so  
much that her husband sent me to his    
father's4 ,mrs4 ,bradford ordered me one
 day to take a bushel of corn  up       
stairs2 but ,i was unable to do it1 upon
 which she knocked me  down with the    
johnny-cake board1 cutting my head so   
badly that it  bled more than a quart4  
,it was then that ,i thought of my      
mother4 ,my  little friends--who have   
your liberty1 and the protecting hand of
  parents--these are some of the fruits 
of slavery2 let your hearts warm  with  

gratitude to the great ,giver of all    
good1 for the blessings you  enjoy4     
,mrs4 ,bradford had a son about ten     
years old2 she used to make  him beat me
 and spit in my face4 ,here ,i was1 a   
poor slave boy1 without  father or      
mother to take my part4    ,at the end  
of two years1 ,mrs4 ,bradford beat me so
 much1 that her  husband1 fearing she   
would kill me1 placed me at his         
father's1 where ,i  remained until the  
death of the old gentleman4 ,but old    
,mr4 ,bradford was  worse than ,mrs4    
,bradford6 ,he had been a professor of  
religion1 a class  leader in the        
,methodist ,church1 but at this time he 
was a backslider2  yea1 a wanderer from 
,god1 and as cold as though he had never
 been  warmed by the vivifying power of 
the religion of ,jesus ,christ4    ,i   
lived in this family seven and a half   
years1 and when ,i left ,i was  thirteen
 years old4 ,during this time ,i had no 
hat1 no pantaloons1 but  one pair of    
shoes1 and wore a lindsey slip only4 ,i 

was not allowed  to sit down while ,i   
ate my meals4 ,for my breakfast ,i had a
 pint of  pot liquor1 half a herring1   
and a little piece of bread4 ,whether   
this  would stay the cravings of a young
 appetite or not1 there was no more  to 
be had4 ,for my dinner ,i had a pint of 
pot liquor1 and the skin off  of the    
pork4 ,i must say as the colored people 
say at the south1 when  singing to cheer
 their hearts while under the burning   
sun1 and the  crack of the whip1        
remembering what is placed before them  
every day for  food--8,my old master is 
a hard-hearted man2 he eats the meat1   
and gives  poor nigger bones40 ,at night
 ,i had a bit of bread for my supper1   
and  a piece of carpet for my bed1      
spread down on the hearth1 winter and   
summer4 ,in the winter1 when the fire   
got low1 ,i used to burn my feet by     
getting them into the embers4    ,my    
work1 in the winter time1 was to fetch  
wood from the swamp up to the  house4   
,being without shoes or hat1 and thinly 

clad1 ,i used to go into  the house to  
warm myself4 ,when in the house for this
 purpose1 at one  time1 old ,mr4        
,bradford followed me in1 and said3 8,if
 you want to be  warmed1 ,i'll warm     
you40 ,he took the tongs1 heated them in
 the fire1 and  branded my legs2 and the
 scars are there to this day4 ,i could  
not sit  down in consequence of the     
wound4 ,he whipped me also1 and used to 
put  my head under the fence4           
,christians6 ,i beseech you1 do not     
become backsliders2 especially          
slave-holding ,christians6 for the      
terrible effects of backsliding1        
slave-holding ,christianity are awfully 
developed in my history6    ,shortly    
after this1 the death of this man       
delivered me from his hands4  ,i        
rejoiced4 ,god only knows whether he    
went to perdition4 ,with all my  heart  
,i have forgiven him4 ,i expect to meet 
him at the bar of ,god with  the scars  
and the tongs4 ,farewell1 ,mr4          
,bradford6 ,but this is not all4  ,he   

left all his property to his daughter   
,elizabeth2 and her brother  ,nathan1 a 
tax-gatherer1 was overseer of the farm  
for her4 ,one year  after her father's  
death1 ,elizabeth got married to ,wm4   
,gardener1 a  gentleman from ,baltimore1
 a member of the ,methodist ,church4 ,i 
then  thought ,i should have a good     
master4 ,but oh1 my soul6 it was worse  
and  worse6 ,all is not gold that       
shines1 nor silver that glitters4 ,he   
had  not been married a great while     
before my heart beat and my feet burned4
  ,he was a collier1 engaged in burning 
charcoal1 and used to draw it to  the   
village landing1 and sometimes to       
,baltimore4    ,one day he left me      
twenty-five bushels of coal to draw4 ,by
 being  broken of my rest the night     
previous1 engaged in watching the coal  
pit1  ,i was tired and sleepy4 ,when ,i 
had drawn all the coal out1 supposing   
,i had put the fire out1 ,i laid down to
 rest my weary limbs4 ,the coal  burned 
up4 ,mr4 ,gardner came into the woods   

where ,i lay asleep1 hallooed  and      
scared me up2 he struck me with the     
shovel1 and cut my head so that  ,i knew
 nothing for two days4 ,i was so weak   
from the loss of blood1 that  he was    
compelled to carry me home on his       
shoulders1 covering himself  with blood4
 ,his wife was very much alarmed4 ,we   
were about a mile from  home1 and he    
told me not to speak of it4    ,at      
another time1 he cut my head with a hoe 
handle1 so that altogether  ,i was sick 
for a long time4 ,mr4 ,gardner had a    
very quick temper1 and  would strike me 
with anything he happened to have in his
 hand1 reckless  of consequences4       
,one day1 ,eliza 7a slave girl of his17 
and myself1 went into the  water-melon  
patch1 procured a melon and ate it4 ,we 
were compelled to  this by the          
promptings of hunger1 for the living had
 not altered since  the death of ,mr4   
,bradford4 ,eliza was about eighteen    
years of age4  ,for that offence1 our   
cruel master stripped us and tied us    

both up  together1 and whipped us till  
the blood ran down on the ground in a   
puddle4    ,when ,i was sick1 he used to
 send me into the place where they      
smoked  meat1 for fear ,i should vomit  
on the floor4 ,on ,wednesdays1 there    
were  meetings in the meeting-house1 and
 ,mr4 ,gardner used to make me stay     
away from the house1 for the minister   
would come home with him1 and he  was   
fearful ,i should tell him of his cruel 
treatment4 ,he did not say as  ,hagar of
 old--8,thou1 ,god1 seest me40    ,one  
day he sent me to drive the horse from  
the peach tree4 ,the horse  kicked me in
 the head1 and ,i was laid up six       
months4 ,my head was  sewed up2 and ,i  
also received a great many knocks in the
 side1 from  the effects of which ,i    
have not yet recovered6 ,on one         
occasion1 he  struck me in the mouth    
with an iron-toothed rake1 which knocked
 out  one of my front teeth4 ,all this  
time1 my more fortunate reader1 ,i was  
a poor slave boy1 with no one to pity   

me1 with no parents to take my  part4 ,i
 had no father2 no mother6 ,but ,god    
pitied me4 ,the eye of the  all-merciful
 ,god1 without whose notice not a       
sparrow falls to the  ground1 was upon  
me4 ,he it was that bore my feeble      
spirit up1 when my  lacerated and       
quivering frame was writhing under the  
,god-defying curse  of slavery4         
,,chapter ,,ii4      ,in the midst of   
all this trouble and gloom1 my heart was
 made glad by  learning that my old     
master had come to take me home1 at the 
expiration  of thirteen years4 ,mr4     
,gardner and my old master had a long   
talk about  me1 for ,i was a miserable  
looking object with burnt feet4 ,i bade 
,mr4  ,gardner good bye1 and expect to  
meet him at the judgment seat1 when     
slave and master appear before the great
 ,judge of all1 with equal  rights4     
,my old master took me to ,baltimore1   
where we arrived in two days4 ,he  asked
 me if ,i wanted a hat4 ,i had never had
 one1 and received one which  cost      

twenty-five cents as joyfully as though 
it had cost eight dollars4  ,we were    
then twenty-two miles from home4 ,the   
old man asked me if ,i ever  drank      
brandy4 ,i said no4 ,he said it was a   
good thing1 and when ,i saw  him drunk1 
,i might get so too4 ,but ,i could not  
get spirit if ,i wanted  it ever so     
much1 though ,i saw him drink many      
glasses1 and have known  him to have a  
barrel of whiskey at one time4    ,we   
left ,baltimore1 and arrived at our     
home4 ,when ,i saw my four  brothers1   
who had been so long separated from me1 
,i felt as ,i think  ,joseph felt when  
he saw his brethren1 though ,i knew     
nothing of the  history of ,joseph at   
that time4 ,surely ,i was glad to see my
 brothers1  but yet ,i was a            
slave--being with them did not make mo a
 free man4 ,i  was yet bowed down and   
crushed by the cruel spirit of slavery4 
,they were about to run away at the time
 of my arrival2 but ,i knew  nothing of 
it4 ,six months1 or about that time     

after1 ,i joined them4  ,three of my    
oldest brothers went away1 leaving one  
of my brothers and  myself behind4 ,this
 brother is still a slave4 ,i heard from
 him in  #ahdf4 ,we were left behind    
because we were not able to travel4     
,they  left ten years before ,i did1 but
 in relation to those ten years ,i will 
remain silent4 ,i was the youngest of   
the five brothers4 ,my old master  had a
 very bad wife1 and she made him much   
worse than he would have  been without  
her4 ,she made him beat me without      
cause1 and when it  answered no purpose4
 ,during those awful ten years we had   
not enough  to eat1 and were beaten     
shamefully4 ,most of the time we had    
bean soup  for breakfast1 dinner and    
supper--a pint at each meal4 ,when we   
had  potatoes1 we were without bread4   
,such was our fare2 and whether hungry  
or satisfied1 we had no addition to it4 
,we were poor slaves2 and the  great    
object in feeding slaves is doubtless   
the same as it is with  cattle and      

horses1 to keep them in good working    
order1 or saleable  condition4 ,of      
course1 if the health of the slave is   
not permanently  injured1 the nearer to 
the starvation point the master can keep
 the  slave1 the more it is for his     
interest2 and who1 that casts his eye   
back through the dark1 bloody track of  
slavery1 does not perceive that  the    
masters have acted up to their interest8
 ,we sometimes had cider2  occasionally 
some meat and milk1 as it might happen4 
,we remembered what our brothers told   
us--when we were able to run  away1 to  
try it on some favorable ,sunday4 ,the  
old man would let us go  to meeting on  
,sunday at the village1 but if we were  
not at home by  sundown1 the cowhide    
paid the debt4 ,we were slaves yet1 and 
the old man  grew poorer and poorer the 
older he grew1 and withal cross1 much to
 our  discomfort4 ,he had a wife like   
king ,herod1 and like ,ahab1 for we read
  that ,beelzebub stirred up ,ahab to   
work evil in the sight of the ,lord4    

,finally the old lady teased her husband
 to put my brother ,nick out2 and  he   
let him out for ten dollars a month4 ,i 
was at home with two women  and a boy to
 carry on the farm1 and we saw hard     
times4 ,the old man had  a son1 a       
preacher4 ,at times he came home1 but he
 could not help our  case4 ,i was       
anxious to learn to read4 ,my master had
 two sons who went  to school1 and four 
unmarried daughters4 ,one ,sunday a     
gentleman came to  our house2 ,i held   
his horse1 and he gave me a sixpenny    
bit1 with which  ,i bought a book1 and  
tried to learn to read4 ,i had it but a 
week1 when  the old man saw it in my    
bosom1 and made inquiry as to what it   
was4 ,he  said1 8,you son of a b--h1 if 
,i ever know you to have a book again1  
,i  will whip you half to death40 ,he   
took the book from me1 and burnt it6    
,what could ,i do8 ,i was a slave2 and  
the mind which ,god had given me1  in   
common with my brethren with white skins
 to be enlightened1 must  be kept       

darkened1 and remain in ignorance1 to   
suit the policy of the  8peculiar       
institution40    ,i omitted to mention  
that ,mr4 ,buk came to see ,miss ,jane1 
one of the  unmarried daughters1 at the 
time he gave me the piece of money4 ,the
  same attraction drew him there again1 
and he then gave me eleven pence1  with 
which ,i purchased a larger book1       
thirsting for that knowledge  which was 
denied me2 but ,i had not had this book 
over a week before my  master found it  
out2 and he then made me sick of books  
by beating me  like a dog4 ,he whipped  
me so very severely that he overcame my 
thirst  for knowledge1 and ,i           
relinquished its pursuit until after ,i 
absconded4  ,he took my book from me1   
and gave it to his son--so it seems the 
white  man's son must have the means of 
education1 even if stolen from the      
slave4 ,i could do nothing2 but the     
all-merciful ,father1 who regards  ,,man
 as ,,man1 whatever may be the injustice
 and oppression to which he  is         

subjected1 watched over and guided me   
with his parental eye through  all the  
soul-sickening1 heart-rending trials of 
a gloomy bondage4 ,i can  prove by the  
scriptures that slave-holders are worse 
than the devil1  for it is written in   
,st4 ,james1 8,resist the devil1 and he 
will flee  from you20 but if you        
undertake to resist the slave-holder1 he
 will  hold you the tighter4    ,i knew 
a man who thought it too cruel to whip  
his slaves1 but he  stripped them naked1
 tied them to a board1 7one end of which
 was on the  fence1 the other on the    
ground17 and then drew a cat by her tail
 down  their backs4 ,of course the claws
 of the cat sunk deeply into the flesh1 
for at such a time a cat will resist    
this retrograde movement to the  extent 
of her strength4 ,then he would ask the 
poor slave if it hurt4  ,the reply was1 
8,oh6 pray1 master1 oh6 pray1 master1   
don't40    ,when in slavery ,i          
experienced a hope in ,christ1 from the 
#hth verse of  the #bc;d chapter of     

,matthew1,a 8,give us of your oil1 for  
our lamps have  gone out40 ,it was one  
year before ,i had evidence that my     
heart was  changed4 ,this was in the    
year #ahcf4 ,i was awakened by the ,holy
 ,spirit  of ,god1 by its divine        
influence operating on my mind1 and the 
words1  8,give me of your oil10 rang in 
my ears continually2 but ,i strove hard 
against the spirit1 to shake off these  
feelings1 yet at the end of  this year  
,i was brought to submit to the will of 
,god4 ,i beheld myself  a justly        
condemned sinner before ,god4 ,i felt   
bound to give myself up  to ,him2 and   
obtained a pardon for my sins--and      
to-day ,i am struggling  to make my     
peace1 my calling and election sure4    
,the word of that poor  unreleased slave
 has proved unto me the power and wisdom
 of ,god1 and  to-day ,i am trying to   
preach ,christ to the inhabitants of    
,nantucket4    ,,footnote3    ,a ,i     
experienced a hope under a slave man4   
,,chapter ,,iii4      ,my brother       

,nicholas said1 that our brothers       
recommended to him and  myself to run   
away when we were old enough4 ,we used  
to talk this over4  ,when ,god had      
opened my eyes1 ,i grew very uneasy     
reflecting upon the  condition of my    
brothers1 who were enjoying their       
liberty in a land of  freedom4 ,i wanted
 also to be free4 ,i resolved to be     
free4 ,i made up my  mind to run away in
 the year #ahcg4 ,when ,i ran away1 my  
brother ,nicholas  was not at home2 but 
,i was determined to go4 ,i was so      
intimate with a  man named ,henry1 one  
of my acquaintances1 that ,i told him ,i
 was about  to run away4 ,he said he    
would run with me--but he proved a      
,judas1 and  betrayed me4 ,we were to   
start on ,monday night4 ,at this time we
 lived  at the village4 ,the pasture in 
which our horses were kept was half a   
mile from the village4 ,henry told me he
 would meet me there at half  past      
seven4 ,i tied up all my clothes in a   
bundle1 expecting to start4  ,i waited  

till after eight o'clock for ,henry1 but
 he did not come4 ,i  started to go back
 after him1 when1 behold6 ,i saw my old 
master1 his  two sons1 and many other   
people looking for me4 ,the moon shone  
very  bright--the old man was           
bare-headed2 his head was very white2   
his  spectacles were put back upon his  
head1 and ,i could see them glisten  by 
the light of the moon4 ,the only reason 
the old man did not see me  was because 
he was near-sighted1 and forgot to pull 
his spectacles down  over his eyes4 ,his
 two sons were standing in the road     
where ,i was to  run1 and five or six   
other persons on the watch for me2 and  
my heart  was in my mouth4 ,said ,i1    
8,oh6 ,lord1 what shall ,i do60 ,i      
dropped down  on my hands and feet1 and 
ran half a mile through the grass4 ,i   
left my  bundle of clothing and three   
dollars in money which ,i had been      
working  for1 for some time4 ,all the   
money ,i had with me was #ge cents2 that
 a  ,quaker gentleman gave me that      

afternoon4 ,i had told this gentleman   
that  ,i was going to run away that     
night1 and he told me which way to start
  to get clear4 ,i started for ,boston4 
,i travelled all that night4 ,the  next 
morning ,i came out in a road opposite a
 tavern1 where two roads  crossed1 and  
,i knew not which to take4 ,i took the  
east4 ,i was #ce miles  from home4 ,the 
tavern keeper was standing at the door4 
,it was about  sunrise4 ,he told me ,i  
had the wrong road4 ,i came back to him1
 supposing  ,i had met with a friend4   
,said he1 8,do you want some breakfast80
 8,yes1  sir1 if you please10 ,i        
replied4 8,come in1 and sit down1 and   
you shall  have some10 he continued4    
8,no1 sir10 said ,i1 8,i thank you2 ,i  
will sit  upon the steps40 8,no10 said  
the ,georgia man1 8come in2 we will have
  breakfast pretty soon1 and we will all
 sit down together40 8,no1 sir1  ,i     
thank you1 ,i would as soon sit here20  
for ,i thought he was most too  kind to 
be honest2 the ,quaker man having told  

me to avoid ,georgia men4  ,when he     
found ,i would not come in1 he took hold
 of my collar1 but ,i  threw him down1  
for ,i was resolved to whip the devil   
out of the way1  if possible4 ,after he 
was down1 ,i ran for my life4 ,there was
 a colored  man bringing a pail of      
water4 ,he cried out to him to stop me2 
but ,i  told the colored man if he      
attempted to trouble me ,i would knock  
him  down4 ,i jumped over a fence1 and  
the ,georgia man after me2 but ,i saw   
no more of the colored man4 ,the white  
man struck me in the side with a  stone1
 and run me about a mile4 ,i recovered  
from the blow of the stone1  so that ,i 
could run a little faster4 ,god gave me 
strength to fight for  my life4 ,the    
white man fought me1 and ,i fought him  
with any thing that  came handy1 with   
fists and with stones4 ,i told him he   
might kill me or  ,i would kill him4    
,finally1 ,i whipped him4 ,there was a  
,dutchman and his  two sons sawing plank
 in a grist mill4 ,he said1 8,glory in  

your spunk1  my man20 and when ,i had   
whipped the man he started back after   
dogs  and hounds4 ,said the ,dutchman1  
8,run for your life1 for there are two  
,georgia men in my house40 ,i knew them 
well2 they were acquaintances of  my    
master's4 ,their names were ,joshua and 
,nathan ,retlidge1 traders4    ,when ,i 
heard the dogs and hounds coming after  
me1 ,i said1 8,my ,god6 what  shall ,i  
do60 for ,i knew they would put them on 
my track4 ,i was about  to give up1 and 
wished ,i had never started4 ,however1  
,i climbed up a  tree1 and in the       
providence of ,god1 the hounds scared up
 a rabbit4 ,at  the howling of the dogs1
 ,i trembled like a leaf1 and knew not  
what  to do4 ,the hounds drew nearer and
 nearer2 the rabbit came under the  tree
 where ,i was1 and1 through the will of 
an over-ruling ,providence1  they all   
passed by1 and ,i was safely delivered  
out of their hands4 ,it  was about eight
 o'clock in the morning when ,i climbed 
the tree4 ,i was  hungry and wet with   

dew4 ,i staid in the tree till about    
five o'clock  in the afternoon4 ,they   
hunted the woods pretty well1 but they  
did not  find me4 ,my words are         
inadequate to express my joyful feelings
 at my  deliverance4 ,god alone could   
know my feelings4    ,i then started for
 ,boston4 ,then1 as now1 ,god alone was 
my only hope4  ,i travelled a number of 
days without eating any thing1 under    
great  anxiety to see ,boston4 ,one     
morning ,i met a colored man named      
,george4 ,he  was running away1 and had 
got lost4 ,he was from ,richmond1       
,virginia4 ,he  asked my name4 ,i told  
him2 and we travelled a number of days  
together4  ,we called into a shop where 
we thought no one would harm us1 and got
  something to eat4 ,thus1 under the    
guidance of ,providence1 we proceeded   
along4 ,we came to a farmer's house1 and
 we let ourselves out each to  a farmer 
for #ac a month1 our object being to get
 money to defray our  expenses4         
,george grew uneasy4 ,he staid only two 

weeks--was fearful his master  would    
overtake him4 ,he started for ,new      
,york1 but reached only as far as       
,brunswick1 #af miles from where he     
started1 and1 as ,i heard1 was taken    
up1 put in jail1 and carried back4    ,i
 began to grow uneasy4 ,one morning ,i  
asked the farmer for whom ,i  worked for
 #d4 ,he gave me that sum4 ,we went to  
breakfast4 ,i ate  quickly1 and cleared4
 ,i have not seen him since4 ,i crossed 
the fields1  missed the bridge1 and came
 to a creek1 over which ,i had to swim4 
,i  came out into the road4 ,a man in a 
gig overtook me and inquired who ,i     
was1 and where ,i was going4 ,i told him
 to ,new ,brunswick4 ,he inquired  who  
,i knew4 ,i named the individual ,i had 
lived with4 ,he went to his  house1 and 
,i took to the woods1 and did not come  
out again until ,i  reached ,new        
,brunswick4 ,i got there about dusk--saw
 a colored man with a  pail1 and        
inquired of him the way to ,new ,york4  
8,stand here10 said he1  8until ,i come 

back40 ,but it is a hard thing to catch 
a weasel asleep4  ,so when he was out of
 sight1 ,i vanished also4 ,i went to the
 car bridge2  the man would not let me  
go across4 ,i went under the bridge and 
staid  there till the cars arrived2 and 
when the gate opened ,i passed1 and     
bade ,new ,brunswick good bye4    ,i    
then proceeded on to ,new ,york4 ,i     
travelled until one o'clock in the      
morning1 though it was cold and frosty4 
,while lying asleep1 there  came a drove
 of hogs4 ,in hunting for acorns1 they  
turned me over4 ,i  was alarmed1        
supposing my pursuers had overtaken me4 
,i jumped up and  started again1 chilled
 with cold1 travelled two hours1 and lay
 down by  the side of a hay-stack4    ,i
 arose about day-break4 ,the next place 
,i reached was ,elizabethtown4  ,in     
going through this town1 a man accosted 
me1 saying1 8,i think ,i  know your     
countenance40 8,no10 said ,i1 8,i know  
nothing about you40 ,he  inquired whence
 ,i came1 and whither ,i was going2 and 

,i told him ,i was  from home and for   
,new ,york4 ,i left him1 and made my way
 for ,newark4  ,when ,i got there ,i was
 very hungry1 for ,i had eaten nothing  
since ,i  left the farm-house4 ,i went  
into a bake-shop1 and bought eleven     
pence  worth of bread4 ,the loaf was a  
pretty large one1 and ,i commenced      
eating1 but soon felt sick1 laid down in
 the swamp1 rested1 and started  again4 
,i met some ,irishmen who were working  
on the rail road1 and ,i thought  every 
moment ,i should be killed4 ,one of them
 asked me where ,i was  going1 for what 
purpose1 and when ,i should return4 ,i  
told him ,i was  going to ,new ,york to 
buy some things1 and should return the  
same  afternoon or next morning4 ,he    
inquired whether ,i should return by    
the same route1 and ,i replied 8,yes40  
,he said 8,very well10 to which ,i      
responded4 ,i looked so bad ,i suppose  
he thought strange1 for ,i had on  the  
same clothes ,i started with4 ,i        
proceeded on1 came to the ferry1  and   

crossed over to ,new ,york4 ,near the   
ferry there was a stable1 and a  man    
sitting by it4 ,we bade each other good 
morning1 and ,i inquired the  road to   
,canada4 ,he told me ,i must go to ,new 
,york in order to get to  ,canada4 8,why
 do you wish to go to ,canada80 said he4
 ,i told him ,i had  relations there4 ,i
 did not then know whether my brother   
who ran away  before me was in ,boston  
or ,canada4 ,discovering he had a       
disposition  to question me1 ,i said1   
8,i guessed ,i would go to ,new ,york1  
get some  clothes1 and go back home40   
,he wished me to come into the stable1  
and  sit down while he went to the house
 to get a coat1 which he offered to     
sell me4 ,i declined his offer1 and told
 him ,i would as soon stand4 ,he        
started off1 whether in pursuit of the  
coat or somebody to detain me1 ,i  do   
not know1 for ,i left immediately4 ,i   
paid the ferryman a five-penny  bit1 and
 crossed to ,new ,york4 ,no questions   
were put to me on board the  ferry-boat4

          ,,chapter ,,iv4      ,when ,i 
landed1 ,i inquired of a boy whether    
there was any boat that  run to the     
,state of ,boston4 ,i was so ignorant ,i
 knew not whether  ,boston was a ,state 
or city4 ,in fact1 ,i scarcely knew     
there was such a  place4 ,slavery is as 
ill adapted for obtaining this kind of  
knowledge  as all other kinds4 ,he      
informed me the boat went to            
,providence1 and  showed me the way to  
the boat4 ,i purchased a bosom and      
dickey1 went on  board of the boat1 and 
stowed myself away among the bales of   
cotton1  where ,i remained until we were
 a considerable distance from ,new      
,york4  ,i then felt like a ,,free      
,,man1 and walked the deck with the rest
 of  the passengers4 ,i had but little  
money1 and wanted to save it2 so ,i     
inquired of the engineer if ,i could    
work my passage to ,providence4 ,he     
said 8,yes10 and set me to work4 ,i     
worked out the first watch of the       
night1 and he then told me ,i might go  

to sleep4 ,i laid down on the  cotton4  
,the man came round and demanded my     
ticket4 ,i told him ,i had  none1 that  
,i had been working half of the night4  
,said he1 8,that ,i know  nothing about4
 ,you must go to the office and settle  
your fare40 ,he said  the fare was #c1  
and he could give me no ticket4 ,i      
thought hard of it1  but it was of no   
use to have any further conversation4   
,i got to ,providence on ,sunday        
morning4 ,my money was all gone4 ,there 
,i  was1 without friends1 victuals or   
money4 ,i inquired of a man if there    
was such a place as ,boston1 and how far
 it was4 ,he said #dj miles4 ,i         
started1 and took the rail road4 ,i     
walked all day ,sunday1 and about  nine 
o'clock came to a farmer's house4 ,i    
knocked at the door2 a lady  came1 and  
inquired what ,i wanted4 ,i asked her if
 she would please give  me something to 
eat1 for ,i was very hungry4 ,she       
invited me in2 she  went to the pump1   
got a cup of water1 and gave me a crust 

of brown  bread1 from which the inside  
had been taken4 ,as she gave it to me in
  the name of a disciple1 she shall     
receive a disciple's reward4 ,by this   
time1 the old gentleman came in4 8,how  
do you do1 my man80 said he4  8,how do  
you do1 sir80 said ,i4 ,he inquired of  
me where ,i was from1 when  ,i left1 and
 where ,i was going2 and ,i gave him the
 information4 ,after  sitting awhile1 he
 inquired if ,i would like to lie down4 
,i told him ,i  was very tired1 and he  
took me to the barn and gave me liberty 
to rest  there for the night4 ,i said   
nothing1 but went in4 ,i was afraid of  
him2  for he had on a blue frock1 and1  
never having seen any one with such a   
frock on1 ,i supposed he was a ,turk4   
,about #c o'clock next morning ,i got   
up and started for ,boston1 being afraid
 to stay there any longer4    ,i reached
 ,boston at noon on ,monday1 and        
inquired for my brothers2 but  nobody   
knew anything about them4 ,finally1 ,i  
met with a colored lady  by the name of 

,sarah ,taylor1 the wife of ,john ,r4   
,taylor4 ,i asked her  if she knew any  
thing about my brothers4 ,she said a    
,george ,black had  passed through      
,boston1 and lived in ,portland4 ,she   
said1 8,come home with  me1 for ,i      
perceive you have been a slave40 ,i went
 and boarded with her  for #c a week4 ,i
 got a gentleman to write to ,portland  
to ,mr4 ,george  ,black1 the man ,i     
thought was my brother4 ,he supposed ,i 
was one of his  brothers1 he having     
three brothers in the ,west ,indies4 ,he
 invited me  to come to ,portland1 and  
offered to pay my fare4 ,i was very     
ragged and  dirty4 ,mrs4 ,taylor wrapped
 me up in ,mr4 ,taylor's cloak1 and sent
 me to  ,portland4 ,mr4 ,black sent down
 his man to the steamboat to get my     
trunk2  but instead of having a trunk1  
,i had scarcely any clothes to my back4 
,when ,i saw ,mr4 ,black1 and found he  
was not my brother1 ,i was very sad2    
and he was disappointed4 ,he said he    
knew nothing of my brothers--had  never 

seen them4 ,he talked with me much about
 slavery1 and ,i unfolded  to him my    
history1 and that of others4 ,mr4 ,black
 was very kind to me1  indeed1 and did  
all in his power to render me happy4    
,mrs4 ,black1 his  wife1 was more than a
 mother to me1 and the whole family were
 very  kind to me4 ,i married ,mr4      
,black's daughter4 ,i could not go to   
church  the first ,sunday after my      
arrival1 for ,i was ragged and dirty4   
,the  following week1 ,mrs4 ,black and  
her daughter made me some clothes4 ,i   
had been there but a short time when    
,mr4 ,black sent me to school4 ,i  went 
to school that winter1 and learned very 
fast4 ,mr4 ,black charged me  nothing   
for my board that winter4 ,when near    
spring1 ,mr4 ,black sent me  up to      
,bridgetown1 #cd miles from ,portland1  
to live with ,major ,purley1 a  farmer4 
,mr4 ,purley gave me #aj a month1 and   
was anxious for me to go  to school2 but
 ,i told him no4 ,i owed ,mr4 ,black1   
and wanted to get some  clothes1 and    

could not spare the time4    ,at length 
,george ,ropes wrote me from ,portland1 
to come and live with  him4 ,i went     
there1 and boarded with ,mr4 ,black4 ,i 
was engineer for ,mr4  ,ropes in the    
steam factory1 and lived with him one   
season2 and when the  ,rev4 ,mr4 ,black 
removed to ,boston to be settled over   
the ,belknap-street  ,church1 ,i        
accompanied him4 ,the reason why ,i     
removed to ,boston with ,mr4  ,black1   
was because ,i had fallen in love with  
his daughter4 ,i trust  this reason will
 be deemed ample by all those who have  
experienced  the tender workings of this
 mysterious passion4 ,only a few months 
after my return to ,boston1 ,i married  
,mr4 ,black's daughter1 though  young   
and poor2 and ,i am still poor4 ,i had  
four children1 one of whom  is deceased4
 ,i lived at service in ,boston4        
,sometimes ,i worked on the  wharves4   
,but ,i was in an unsettled state1 being
 under the impression  that ,i should   
preach the ,gospel4 ,i firstly derived  

these impressions  in ,boston1 and they 
have not left me4 ,i was baptized before
 ,i left  ,portland1 by the ,rev4 ,mr4  
,burroughs1 who is now in his grave4 ,i 
joined  the ,belknap street ,church     
while ,mr4 ,black was pastor4 ,i lived  
there  five years3 then ,i found ,boston
 was not the place for me1 for its      
vanities and maxims were not suited to  
my disposition4 ,i prepared to  live in 
the country1 for ,i had a desire to be  
diligent in business1  fervent in       
spirit1 serving the ,lord4 ,i began to  
think of perishing  souls1 and the cause
 of ,god laid near my heart4 ,i felt    
that ,god had a  claim upon me1 that ,i 
was not my own master2 but ,i struggled 
against  these impressions1 for ,i was  
inadequate1 unlearned and unprepared4 ,i
  could say as said ,jeremiah1 8,behold1
 ,i cannot speak1 for ,i am a child2    
but the ,lord said unto me1 ,say not    
thou art a child1 for thou shalt go  to 
all to whom ,i shall send thee1 and     
whatever ,i command thee1 thou  shalt   

do20 ,jer4 i3#f-g4 ,and ,i said as      
,moses did1 8,i am slow of speech  and  
of a slow tongue20 ,exod4 iv3#aj4 ,my   
call was now unto the sons of  men4 ,the
 time had arrived for me to leave       
,boston4          ,,chapter ,v4      ,i 
left my family in ,boston1 and went to  
,providence1 ,r4 ,i41 to live with      
,president ,wayland4 ,while living with 
,dr4 ,wayland1 ,i tried to improve  my  
mind1 and it gives me pleasure to state1
 that that gentleman did  all in his    
power to assist me4 ,i connected myself 
with the ,rev4 ,mr4  ,ashur's ,church in
 ,providence1 and had a bible class1    
being as active  as possible in the     
,sabbath ,school4 ,after being connected
 with ,brother  ,ashur's ,church a short
 time1 he invited me to officiate for   
him one  ,sunday morning1 as he knew ,i 
was accustomed to exhort when in        
,boston4    ,i left ,dr4 ,wayland and   
went to work with ,mr4 ,andrew1 a stone 
mason1  and continued to work for him   
while he had employment for me4 ,in this

  time1 ,i had moved my family from     
,boston to ,providence4 ,finally1 ,i    
told  the brethren and pastor of the    
church that ,god had called me to the   
work of the ministry4 ,they agreed to   
give me a hearing4 ,they did so1  and   
appointed a committee to see me2 and the
 result was1 the brethren  thought ,i   
was not called to preach--8that ,brother
 ,black had better wait  awhile longer40
 ,dr4 ,wayland thought ,i had not       
learning enough to preach4    ,i know   
that ,i am of a slow tongue1 and        
unlearned2 but what says the  prophet   
,zachariah8 8,not by might1 nor by      
power1 but by my spirit1 saith  the     
,lord of hosts4 ,who art thou1 ,o great 
mountain8 before ,zerubbabel  thou shalt
 become a plain2 and he shall bring     
forth the head stone  thereof with      
shoutings1 crying1 ,grace1 grace unto   
it20 iv3#f1 #g4    ,at length ,i got    
discouraged1 let myself out to ,mr4     
,foster in  ,providence1 and run in his 
canal boat from ,providence to          

,woonsocket4  ,the few books ,i had ,i  
carried to auction1 and almost gave up  
in  despair2 for some of the brethren   
were looking upon me with a frown  and  
dark looks4 ,i knew ,i was a poor       
unlearned fugitive4 ,i had given  up the
 idea of preaching1 nor did ,i wish to  
hear about it1 and was  sorry ,i        
mentioned it to the brethren or any one 
else4 ,so ,i went to the  canal boat1   
working for #ab a month1 having a family
 to support4 ,but  oh6 ,lord6 my trouble
 had not come4 ,mr4 ,foster was a kind  
man4 ,i had  worked on the canal about  
three weeks1 when ,i met with a sad     
accident4  ,we arrived at ,woonsocket   
one night with a load of coal2 it began 
to  rain1 and rained all the next day4  
,the captain said we must get up at  #b 
o'clock the next morning1 and carry the 
boat up through the lock1  for the      
current ran so hard when the factory    
started1 it was difficult  getting up4  
,the coal was going to ,waterford1 one  
mile from ,woonsocket4  ,when ,i mounted

 the horse to return1 it being very     
dark1 and raining  very hard1 the horse 
started before ,i was fairly upon his   
back2 his  hind legs gave way1 he fell  
backwards on me1 and broke my leg4      
,while  ,i was struggling with the horse
 upon me1 words came unto me like       
these--8,this is for your disobedience40
 ,my companions were a little way       
behind1 and they heard me haloo4 ,the   
horse in struggling to get clear1  cut  
my face with his foot4 ,i was hurt so   
badly that my wife had to feed  me with 
a tea-spoon4 ,the men came up and got   
the horse off of me1 and  ,i was not    
aware my leg was broken until ,i started
 to run4 ,it was about  four o'clock in 
the morning4 ,they laid me on the horse1
 and carried me  back to the tavern2 but
 oh6 the pain1 the misery ,i was in4 ,it
 rained  hard1 and they were all asleep 
at the tavern2 so that ,i remained      
exposed to the rain some time4 ,they    
sent for the doctor immediately1  but he
 did not arrive until nine o'clock1 and 

then set my leg4 ,the  owner of the     
tavern sent me home in a carriage1 a    
distance of nineteen  miles1 where we   
arrived at sundown4    ,my folks thought
 ,i was dead4 ,the moment the carriage  
drew up to the  door1 they took me out1 
carried me into the house1 and laid me  
on a bed4    ,my distress of body was   
very great1 and the anguish of my mind  
was  extreme--for ,i had but little     
victuals in the house1 was without      
money1 and there was about to be an     
increase in my family4 ,my wife was     
unwell1 and ,i was laid prostrate on the
 bed4 ,then the saying of the  apostle  
,paul came fresh to my mind--8,in every 
thing give thanks1 for  this is the will
 of ,god in ,christ ,jesus concerning   
you20 ,thes4 v3#ah4  ,at first1 ,i could
 see no place where ,i could give       
thanks4 ,the streams  of livelihood were
 dried up1 and the hand of ,providence  
was closed1 it  seemed to me4 ,i had no 
income save my daily labor4 ,i was a    
stranger in  that community1 but in     

reflecting on ,him whose kindness       
tempers the  wind to the shorn lamb1 ,i 
had reason to be thankful2 first1 that  
both  legs were not broken2 second1 that
 my arms were whole2 and last and       
greatest1 that ,god had spared my life  
to see my family once more4    ,not many
 days after1 the hand of ,providence was
 directed to my house4  ,unexpected     
stores were opened to my relief4        
,president ,wayland and other           
benevolent individuals1 ladies and      
gentlemen1 remembered me in their       
kindness4 ,while ,i was confined to my  
couch1 the scenes of by-gone  ages      
passed in review4 ,i remembered the vow 
,i had made to ,god4 ,my  eyes gushed   
out with tears4 ,i could say then as did
 ,david of old--8,i  found trouble and  
sorrow2 then called ,i upon the name of 
the ,lord40 ,i  found the ,lord my      
refuge and strength1 a present help in  
trouble4 ,i  said it was better to have 
a broken leg in a land of freedom1 than 
to  have sound limbs under the curse of 

slavery4 ,while ,i was musing one       
night1 and meditating upon ,god and his 
providence1 ,i closed my eyes1  and     
whether asleep or awake ,i know not1 but
 ,i viewed a rod at the foot  of my bed1
 about four feet high4 ,it was wrapped  
in black and red1 and  a smaller rod was
 lying in the bed with me4 ,the large   
rod reflected  on the small rod1 and the
 words of ,john 7iii3#ad17 came to      
me--8,and as  ,moses lifted up the      
serpent in the wilderness1 the son of   
man must be  lifted up40 ,then ,i       
remembered the words of the ,lord1 and  
promised ,him  at that hour if he would 
raise me up again1 ,i would obey ,his   
call4 ,in  the course of a few months   
,god raised me up1 and ,i was willing to
 obey  ,him1 took my life in my hand1   
and went out into the wide world as a   
lamb in the midst of the wilderness4 ,i 
trusted that ,god would be with  me2    
,his rod and ,his staff would encompass 
me4    ,when ,i started1 ,i left a wife 
and two children4 ,i left them in the   

care of ,god4 ,i went a little ways down
 east1 and was gone seven weeks4        
,wherever ,i went1 the brethren received
 me gladly4 ,i returned1 but  remained  
at home but little while1 and as ,i had 
never seen ,new ,bedford1  ,i left what 
little means ,i had with my family1 and 
started for that  town4 ,when ,i got    
there ,i knew not where to go1 for ,i   
was a stranger4  ,i inquired for the    
,rev4 ,mr4 ,allen1 the ,baptist         
minister1 and also for  the ,rev4 ,mr4  
,jackson4 ,i stayed at ,new ,bedford a  
few days2 and as ,i had  heard much said
 of ,nantucket1 ,i wanted to go there4  
,i told ,mr4 ,jackson  ,i wanted to go  
to ,nantucket1 but had no money4 ,he    
said1 8,you should  not have left home  
without money40 8,no1 sir10 said ,i1    
8but ,i had none  to fetch40 ,but two   
wrongs will not make one right4 ,mr4    
,jackson gave me  half a dollar1 and ,i 
obtained some more money among the      
brethren and  sisters1 and took the     
steamboat for ,nantucket4 ,i had yet no 

license to  preach4 ,i had a letter of  
recommendation from the pastor of the   
church  to which ,i belonged1 not only  
as a brother1 but as a beloved brother4 
,when ,i arrived at ,nantucket1 ,i      
inquired for ,deacon ,berry1 of the     
,york  street1 ,baptist ,church1 and    
handed him my letter of recommendation4 
,they had no preacher4 ,when ,i went to 
the church on ,sabbath morning1  the    
house was open for preaching4 ,the fame 
went abroad that a strange  minister    
from ,providence had arrived4 ,i        
preached for them that ,sabbath  to the 
best of my ability4 ,i was but a child  
in the ,gospel4    ,it was my intention 
to leave for ,providence on the         
following ,tuesday2  but the brethren   
prevailed on me to stay longer1 and ,i  
remained several  weeks4 ,the brethren  
gave me a call1 and being young1 ,i     
accepted it4 ,i  went out to beg money  
to repair their house of worship1 and   
afterwards  left for ,providence4       
,,chapter ,,vi4      ,i will now say    

something of slavery4 ,i shall say      
nothing but what ,i  know to be true4   
,slavery is a cruel system4 ,the effects
 of it are  scattered abroad throughout 
the land4 ,it is the reigning evil of   
the  country2 yea1 the mother of all    
evil4 ,why is it the mother of all evil8
  ,i answer in the language of ,holy    
,writ1 which saith1 8,do unto all men   
as you would have them do unto you40 ,it
 is not done4 ,again3 8,love thy        
neighbor as thyself4 ,this is the law   
and the prophets40 ,it is not done4     
,reader1--where is the slaveholder who  
would wish his slaves to do to  him as  
he does to them8 ,there are none4       
,hence1 then1 the enormity of  the evil4
    ,dear reader3 understand one thing4 
,the slaves are taught ignorance  as we 
teach our children knowledge4 ,they are 
kept in darkness1 and  are borne down   
under a cruel1 cruel oppression6 ,all   
human rights are  denied them as        
citizens6 ,they are not recognized as   
men6 ,my old master  frequently said1   

8he did not believe a d----d nigger had 
any soul60  ,they are made to undergo   
everything as a beast4 ,having a full1  
perfect1  undeniable right to stand out 
before ,god as ,,men1 the cruel1        
,god-defying  white man1 without        
semblance of right1 with no pretence but
 might1 has  prostituted them to the    
base purpose of his cupidity1 and his   
baser  beastly passions1 reducing them  
to mere things1 mere chattels1 to be    
bought and sold like hogs and sheep6    
,born1 like the white man1 to an        
individual responsibility to the ,father
 of mercies1 the treatment of  the white
 man to the poor ,african1 unmixed with 
mercy1 has curtained  his mind to all   
knowledge1 aye1 even to the knowledge of
 the ,god of  heaven and earth1 and thus
 removed from him the accountability6   
,but1 where does this terrible          
accountability rest8 ,let the hardened  
slave-tyrant1 when he stands quivering  
before the ,almighty bar of             
retribution1 answer this question6 ,well

 might ,thomas ,jefferson remark1  when 
his deep1 penetrating mind was          
reflecting upon the stupendous  wrongs  
of slavery1 8,i tremble for my country1 
when ,i remember that ,god  is just1 and
 that his justice cannot slumber        
forever80 ,i appeal1 then1  to every    
rational1 intelligent mind1 if slavery  
be not an abomination  in the sight of  
the ,lord4    ,it has been said that    
slaves have no intellect4 ,i deny it4   
,god has  given them minds capable of   
cultivation4 ,uncultivated ground will  
not  bring forth fruit4 ,all the slave  
requires is cultivation1 for he is      
possessed of all the qualities of the   
white man4    ,reader3 we have heard of 
the wisdom of ,king ,solomon1 son of    
,david1 the  grandson of ancient ,jesse4
 ,the ,queen of ,basheba has declared   
that half  had never been told her4     
,history informs us that ,solomon was as
 black  as black satin1 with handsome   
features and smooth skin4    ,i could   
refer to many of the colored race whose 

mental endowments are  superior to many 
of those arrogant white men who abhor a 
colored man  and pretend to be his      
superior in knowledge4    ,the language 
of ,jesus ,christ to his apostles should
 teach us not to  despise the           
workmanship of ,god4 8,he that despiseth
 you1 despiseth me40  ,do men1 ,i ask1  
realize the awful evil of slavery8 ,are 
they aware of  its terrible calamities8 
,has it not become so familiar1 from its
 long  existence1 as almost to reconcile
 the tender conscience to its infamous  
enormities8 ,it must be so4 ,there is no
 other mode of accounting for the  fact1
 that men1 good christians in other     
respects1 quietly hold slaves  at the   
south1 while their equally guilty       
brethren of the north assent  to it1 and
 participate in its profits4    ,should 
we not remember them that are in bondage
 as bound with them8 ,say  not only     
slaves be obedient to your masters      
according to the flesh1 but  also say1  
masters1 render unto your servants that 

which is right2 and  if that principle  
were carried out1 slavery would be      
abolished4    ,how do the masters teach 
the slaves ignorance8 ,having been a    
slave1  ,i answer the question4 ,when   
the master asks the slave1 ,tom1 ,harry1
  ,dick or ,bill1 8,do you love your    
master80 he answers1 8,yes1 massa1 ,i   
lub you40 8,come here and get a dram2   
drink us a treat1 you son of a  b444h40 
,why does the slave say 8,yes1 sir80    
,because he is afraid to say  any thing 
else4 ,he is crushed under the iron heel
 of the slave-tyrant6    ,the time is   
coming when the wrongs of the slave will
 be redressed4  ,yes1 the time is coming
 when their blood will cry unto the     
,lord for  deliverance4    ,it is very  
customary to magnify the evils of       
emancipation4 ,it is said  by very many 
persons that the slaves1 if liberated1  
would become an  idle1 vagabond set4    
,this remark1 doubtless1 is sometimes   
made in  sincerity2 but no doubt it is  
frequently used as a sort of salve to   

quiet the conscience for inaction4 ,it  
is most unquestionably true that  here  
and there a case would exist of         
improvidence1 just as they exist  among 
the white population2 but such cases    
would form the exception1  not the rule4
 ,persons who indulge in such remarks   
seem entirely  unacquainted with the    
views and feelings of slaves1 and to    
suppose that  they are utterly incapable
 of appreciating1 even to a small       
extent1  the blessings and enjoyments of
 freedom4 ,but this is a mistake1 and   
operates powerfully on some minds to    
prevent wholesome action in favor  of   
the liberation of the slave4 ,it is to  
be hoped that all true men  and women   
who are held back from engaging in the  
cause of the slave  by this             
consideration1 will take pains to       
examine the subject with  care1 ere they
 yield to this pernicious opinion4 ,as  
to those who have  better knowledge1 and
 make use of this assumed fact as a     
scape-goat for  their lethargy1 not     

having independence enough to confess   
the truth1  ,i commend them1 together   
with their meanness1 to such particles  
of  conscience as are yet left unscathed
 by the searing iron of hypocrisy4      
,it is further averred1 both honestly   
and for selfish purposes1 as in  the    
case just stated1 that the slaves1 if   
liberated1 would rush for  the north1   
overwhelming the workingmen in this     
region with misery and  despair4 ,this  
,i know to be untrue1 both from         
observation and my own  experience4 ,the
 climate of the balmy south is much     
better adapted to  the nature of the    
colored man1 than the more rigorous one 
of greater  northern latitude4 ,it is   
not the south we abhor4 ,it is slavery  
we  abhor4 ,god has made the south and  
blessed it4 ,man1 in his selfishness1   
has cursed it4 ,remove slavery1 and we  
join hearts and hands with the  south4  
,give us equal rights4 ,give us justice4
 ,make us ,,men4 ,give us pay  for our  
toil1 and we will work at the south4    

,it is a matter of astonishment that    
slavery has so long existed1  and yet   
that its enormities have taken so little
 hold on a people  professing to be     
,christians4 ,in a country whose        
inhabitants dipped  their hands in blood
 to establish ,,freedom1 there are over 
two and a  half millions of human       
beings1 entitled to all the rights of   
white  men1 held in absolute bondage4   
,are the people of this nation aware of 
this fact8 ,thousands of times has this 
awful truth been reiterated in  the ears
 of ,american ,christians1 and yet from 
the profound indifference  which yet    
generally exists on the subject1 we are 
led to ask1 ,do the  people of this     
nation realize the fact8 ,more than any 
other nation  on earth we boast of our  
liberty1 our refinement1 our advancement
  in the arts and sciences1 our         
railroads1 our various facilities for   
intercommunication1 and all the outward 
appliances to render life  comfortable4 
,we have seized upon the very lightning 

of ,heaven1 and  commanded it to bear   
our messages from one distant point to  
another  without the intervention of    
time1 literally annihilating all space3 
and we not only boast of these things1  
but we aver in the face of the          
abhorrent fact of slavery1 that we are  
the most virtuous nation on  earth6 ,to 
the enormity of slavery we are1 indeed1 
spiritually dead4  ,were slavery about  
to commence1 were we to summon the      
voters of this  nation to the polls to  
decide whether two and a half millions  
of human  beings should be subjected to 
this bondage1 what think you1 reader1   
would be the result8 ,can there be a man
 found who would vote for the  measure1 
unless indeed the love of money had so  
blunted all humanity as  to render his  
better feelings entirely inactive8      
,it is in vain for apologists of slavery
 to defend it by such arguments  as     
this3 ,they will tell you that the      
slaves of the south are better  fed and 
clothed than the colored people of the  

north4 ,the fact is not  admitted4 ,but1
 suppose it were a fact4 ,is man to be  
considered as a  mere ox1 to be bowed up
 and stall fed8 ,is he a mere victuals  
grinder  and clothes horse8 ,or1 has he 
a higher nature8 ,has he not a mind     
capable of rising higher and higher in  
all that is expansive1 pure and  holy8  
,has he not within him a spark of pure  
,divinity1 which1 when he is  surrounded
 with high and ennobling influences1 is 
fanned into a light  so bright as to    
lead us to respond to the glorious      
truth1 ,man is indeed  made in the image
 of his ,god8    ,do you talk of selling
 a man8 ,you might as well talk of      
selling  immortality or sunshine6 ,you  
might as well talk of your right to     
monopolise the atmosphere1 to determine 
how much air a man should  breathe1 and 
to retail it out to him by the jaw-full6
    ,again1 it is said the slave has a  
maintenance guaranteed to him in old    
age1 and is thus rendered free from     
those corroding cares in reference  to  

his support which wear upon the poor    
free man4 ,is this provision of  so high
 a consequence that men voluntarily     
submit to slavery8 ,are the  masters    
willing to exchange the advantages      
derived from the unrequited  labor of   
the slave for a freedom from this       
guarantee8 ,the slave-holders  of the   
south cannot make us believe they are so
 verdant as thus to  have mistaken their
 interest4 ,away1 then1 with the        
argument that a  ,god-created ,,man     
should be made a man-created thing6     
,american fathers1 let me ask you1 are  
the advantages of slavery  sufficient to
 induce you to submit to the terrible   
wrong of being  separated from your     
wives and children1 and sold to a       
distant owner8  ,american mothers1 do   
you desire that your husbands should be 
torn  from the hearth-stone1 and sold   
from your presence forever8 ,do you wish
  your children snatched from your      
cradles1 knocked off at auction to  the 
highest bidder1 to go away from you     

forever8 ,if not1 then let your         
apologies for slavery cease4    ,reader1
 ,i take my leave of you1 with the fond 
hope1 that the  recuperative moral      
energies both of the north and the south
 will soon  herald the dawn of that     
glorious day when the sweat and blood of
 the  unfortunate ,african shall no     
longer be struck into coin for the use  
of  the cruel1 unrelenting white man4   
,,errata4--,on page #ac1 second line    
from the bottom1 for 8writing0 read     
writhing4          ,,the ,,travelling   
,,pilgrim4         ,i have no friends1  
no helper nigh1       ,but ,he who heard
 the raven's cry2       ,my father's    
house ,i've bid adieu1       ,and on my 
journey ,i pursue4         ,my sister   
wonders where ,i am1       ,but ,i shall
 not return again2       ,my sisters1   
brothers1 think it strange       ,that  
,i should leave my nearest friends4     
,but my kind friends ,i now must leave1 
,and on my journey ,i proceed1       ,to
 attend an appointment ,i have made1    

,to find a place to lay my head4        
,and if poor sinners did but know       
,how much for them ,i undergo1          
,they would not treat me with contempt1 
,nor curse me when ,i say 8repent40     
,but ,o6 the trials of my heart1        
,through rain1 through snow1 ,i have to 
go1       ,and when ,i'm called to leave
 this flesh1       ,i trust with ,jesus 
,christ to rest4