,illustration3 ,,daguerreotyped ,,by ,,root4--,,engraved ,,by ,,sartain4 ,margaret ,douglass ,,educational ,,laws ,,of ,,virginia4 ,,the ,,personal ,,narrative ,,of ,mrs4 ,margaret ,douglass1 ,a ,,southern ,,woman1 ,,who ,,was ,,imprisoned ,,for ,,one ,,month ,,in ,,the ,,common ,,jail ,,of ,,norfolk1 ,,under ,,the ,,laws ,,of ,,virginia1 ,,for ,,the ,,crime ,,of ,,teaching ,,free ,,colored ,,children ,,to ,,read4 8,search the ,scriptures60 8,how can one read unless he be taught80 ,,holy ,,bible4 ,,boston3 ,,published ,,by ,,john ,p4 ,,jewett ,,co4 ,,cleveland1 ,,ohio3 ,,jewett1 ,,proctor ,,worthington4 #ahed4 ,entered according to ,act of ,congress1 in the year #ahed1 by ,,margaret ,,douglass1 in the ,clerk's ,office of the ,district ,court of the ,united ,states for the ,eastern ,district of ,pennsylvania4 ,,narrative c4 ,i am perfectly aware that the public cannot be interested in my personal history previous to the occurrences which this narrative is designed to lay before them1 nor am ,i vain enough to suppose that there would be any thing in it worth relating4 ,it will1 however1 be seen necessary that ,i should state who and what ,i was1 and under what circumstances ,i found myself suddenly placed1 by the authorities of the city of ,norfolk1 in a position of such unenviable notoriety4 ,this position was not one of my own seeking1 nor was ,i the agent or representative of any association4 ,i was not a 8,northern emissary10 engaged in undermining the institutions of the ,south1 and recklessly defying her laws1 but only a weak and helpless woman1 endeavoring to do what ,i deemed my duty to ,god and to humanity4 ,in order to relate the circumstances as they occurred1 so that they may be fully understood1 my narrative must necessarily assume a personal character1 for it was ,i1 and ,i alone1 who was contending for a heaven-born principle against not only the authorities of ,norfolk1 but against the united strength of the whole ,state of ,virginia4 ,the entire population of the commonwealth that claims to be the first and noblest in the land were the plaintiffs in this case1 ,i1 alone1 the defendant4 ,my story therefore must not be called egotistical4 ,it is necessary also that ,i refer to myself1 in order to do away with any impression that ,i was or am an ,abolitionist1 as that term is usually understood at the ,south1 for ,i am aware that a strong effort will be made to induce this belief on the part of the community1 in order to weaken the effect which ,i hope my book is destined to produce4 ,i deem it proper1 then1 to state at the outset that such is not the case1 and that ,i was not contending against any of the ,southern institutions1 but only against a particular law of the ,state of ,virginia1 and of1 as ,i believe1 some of the neighboring ,states4 ,against the operations of this law1 a large portion of even the inhabitants of ,virginia are beginning to rebel1 as contrary1 not only to good morals1 but to the spirit of our country's institutions4 ,this law1 although connected with slavery as a ,southern institution1 has not necessarily anything to do with the abstract question of slavery itself4 ,it is one that might exist in a free ,state1 though1 happily it does not4 ,it is a law whose influence is felt1 not only among the slave population of ,virginia1 but which extends even to the whites themselves4 ,by a recent statement made to the ,legislature of ,virginia1 the number of grown up white men and women in the ,state is estimated at nine hundred thousand1 and of this number there are no-less than eighty thousand who can neither read nor write4 ,the law1 in concise terms1 prohibits the instruction of all colored persons1 by means of books or printed papers1 but it does not prevent the giving of verbal or oral instruction even to slaves4 ,in some of the ,southern ,states a similar law exists in reference only to the slave population1 but ,i was not aware until my arrest1 that the law of ,virginia was more stringent1 and included in its operation the free colored people as well as the slaves4 ,had ,i known this1 and had ,i not the constant example before me of those whom ,i supposed were well informed as to this matter1 ,i should not have dared to set myself up in opposition to the laws of a ,state of which ,i was a resident4 ,i repeat1 therefore1 most emphatically1 that ,i was not an ,abolitionist1 and that no person or persons had anything to do with the course ,i pursued1 in even the most indirect manner4 ,i am a ,southern woman1 by birth1 education1 and principles4 ,i have been a slaveholder myself1 and1 if circumstances rendered it necessary or practicable1 ,i might be such again4 ,with the abstract question of slavery ,i have nothing to do in this book4 ,i write it as a ,southern woman to the people of the ,south4 ,i am and always have been one of them1 and still possess the same attachment for them and their institutions1 that was first instilled into me in my childhood1 and which has grown stronger during my whole life among them4 ,i was born in the city of ,washington1 but removed at a very early age to ,charleston1 ,south ,carolina2 where ,i was subsequently married1 and resided1 until the year #ahde1 when the painful associations connected with the death of my only son induced me to remove to ,norfolk1 ,virginia1 where ,i led a quiet and unobtrusive life1 with my only daughter1 until the month of ,december1 #ahec4 ,having been thrown upon my own resources1 and possessed of a too independent spirit to be a burden to those who might have assisted me1 ,i supported myself and child by the labor of my hands2 my business being that of vest-making4 ,being a superior workwoman1 ,i always had an abundance of the best work to do2 but it was necessary for me to labor incessantly1 in order to maintain myself and daughter respectably4 ,being blessed with good health1 ,i was enabled to do this4 ,we lived alone1 in a retired part of the city1 and our circle of acquaintances1 from choice1 not from necessity1 was rather limited4 ,our habits were industrious1 frugal and retiring4 ,we were respected1 and led lives that were irreproachable1 as was abundantly conceded by even the ,judge before whom ,i was tried4 ,our only association with society was that into which we were led by the exercise of our feelings of humanity2 it being our natural disposition to share the little goods we possessed with those who were in want or affliction of any sort4 ,we now enjoy the happy satisfaction of knowing that we have left behind us1 many grateful hearts1 in those whose distress we have relieved1 or with whose sorrows we have sympathized4 ,this brief history of myself and my antecedents1 seemed necessary1 in order to show who and what ,i was1 and to effectually put down the assertions of some of the ,southern editors1 that ,i was an ,abolitionist in disguise1 or1 at least1 was acting at the instigation of those who are enemies to the ,south and her institutions4 ,i shall now proceed to relate1 as succinctly as possible1 the history of my personal contest with the great and dignified ,state of ,virginia1 as represented in the persons of a few men in power in the honorable city of ,norfolk4 ,being perfectly satisfied with my daughter's society1 ,i craved no other1 and endeavored to practice the precepts which ,i wished to instil into her mind1 and1 as she grew older1 we went on hand in hand in our little benevolent duties1 making allowances for the faults of others1 practicing mercy and charity to all who came in our way1 both black and white2 and1 as ,i am a strong advocate for the religious instruction of the whole human family1 it fell to our lot to become the religious and moral instructors of a few little colored free children4 ,there is a well known barber living in the city of ,norfolk1 a genteel and respectable colored man1 much respected in that community4 ,having some business with him1 ,i one day called at his shop1 into which he politely invited me4 ,casting my eyes around1 they fell upon two little colored boys1 with spelling books in their hands1 which they appeared to be very attentively engaged in studying4 ,i inquired if they were his children1 and if they went to school4 ,his reply was1 that they were his1 but that they did not go to school1 though he was very anxious to have them learn4 ,i then inquired if there were no day schools for free colored children4 ,he smiled1 and said1 ,no1 madam2 and he believed that there was no one who took interest enough in little colored children to keep a day school for them4 ,i replied1 that this was a pity1 but that there was certainly a large ,sunday school connected with ,christ's ,church1 to which he might send his children4 ,his answer was1 that his children did attend that school1 but that they did not learn much2 as they had no one to assist them in their lessons during the week2 that he kept them at their books1 whenever they had any spare time1 and that they would occasionally pick up a little instruction from those who visited his shop4 ,i inquired if he had any education himself4 ,he said no1 but that he indeed felt the want of it1 and was very thankful to any one who would take the trouble to instruct his children4 ,i then found that he had five children1 three of whom were little girls1 and that they were all very anxious to learn4 ,without further consideration or hesitation1 ,i then offered to allow my daughter to teach his little boys1 stating that she would do so with great pleasure4 ,i told him to send them every day to my house1 and that it need not detain them long from his business4 ,he thanked me very kindly1 and said that he would send them1 although their time was very valuable to him1 as they were obliged to wait upon the gentlemen who visited his shop4 ,his eagerness for the instruction of his children deeply interested me1 and1 on my return home1 ,i related the circumstance to my daughter1 who readily assented to my proposal4 ,having no further business with this man1 ,i saw no more of him1 and had nearly forgotten the occurrence1 until he called at my house with his little girls4 ,i received him politely1 and spoke kindly to his children1 who were neatly dressed1 and very respectful1 and appeared unusually intelligent4 ,their father then said1 8,mrs4 ,douglass1 ,i have told my little girls of your kind offer to instruct their brothers1 and they are also very anxious to learn1 and ,i wish to know if you would not prefer to have these two eldest1 thinking that the boys might give your daughter too much trouble40 ,i replied that it would be no trouble1 but a pleasure to us1 and that he might send both the boys and girls regularly every day1 and that we would do all we could for their religious and moral instruction4 ,i then inquired if they had any books4 ,he replied1 only such as had been given them at ,christ ,church ,sunday school4 8,very well10 said ,i1 8give them those books1 and send them to-morrow40 ,i felt certain that there could be nothing wrong in doing during the week what was done on ,sunday by the teachers in that school1 who were members of some of the first families in ,norfolk1 nor in using the very books that were given to the children there taught4 ,i was particular also to ascertain that both himself and family were free1 as ,i knew that the laws of the ,southern states did not permit the slaves to be educated1 although at the same time1 all the churches in ,norfolk were actually instructing from books both slave and free colored children1 and had done so for years without molestation4 ,on the day following the two little girls made their appearance alone1 their father being unable to spare their brothers from his business4 ,my daughter received her little scholars kindly1 and endeavored to make them feel as comfortably as strange children can feel in a strange house4 ,at this time ,i lived in a neat little house1 containing four rooms1 situated in a quiet and respectable neighbourhood1 with everything genteel and comfortable around us1 gathered together by our own industry4 ,in this house ,i had lived nearly four years4 ,it was alone1 and ,i had engaged it before it was finished1 thinking it would form a quiet and retired home for myself and daughter4 ,whether it proved to be such or not1 my readers will see4 ,nearly the whole block was built up with small tenements1 and ,i soon found that my neighbors were not of the most refined class1 and would prove no associates for us4 ,i therefore determined to live very secluded1 and be seldom seen or heard4 ,still1 ,i endeavored to be kind and obliging to all who stood in need of my sympathies1 and made it my business1 if any of them were sick or in trouble1 to administer to their wants by sending nourishment1 or1 if necessary1 by calling to see them in person2 still receiving none as visitors at my house2 for they were a class of people with little or no education1 and1 of course1 refinement they knew nothing of4 ,they did not appreciate my character and habits1 and could not understand my retired way of living1 and at times we were greatly annoyed by them4 ,this ,i could not at first understand1 as ,i knew ,i did not merit any unkindness from them1 but ,i endeavored to bear my persecutions with patience1 and continued to live in my own solitary way1 my daughter attending to our little domestic affairs1 and ,i steadily employed with my needle4 ,the two little girls continued to come every day1 and were well behaved and very obedient4 ,they soon became indeed1 a source of pleasure to us4 ,they were very attentive to their studies1 and with my daughter's unremitting attention1 they made rapid progress4 ,they were with us nearly a month1 when my daughter remarked to me1 that she would be very sorry to part with them1 as they learned very fast1 and every day required more of her attention1 and she feared that they would interfere with her other duties4 ,now1 up to this time1 ,i had not anticipated receiving any compensation for the tuition of those children1 nor had ,i dreamed of establishing a regular school4 ,what ,i had done had been merely from the impulses of common humanity1 without a thought of reward4 ,i casually asked my daughter which she would prefer1 to teach those children1 or assist me in sewing2 and if she would be willing to take charge of a small class of free colored children4 ,she replied that she was fond of children1 and would be glad to teach them if she could establish a class4 8,very well10 ,i said1 8you shall do so3 we will open a school on the first of next month1 7which was ,june1 #aheb17 for free colored children40 ,i thereupon sent word to ,mr4 ,robinson1 the father of the two little girls1 notifying him of our intention1 and stating that he might send us all the scholars that he could1 and that the price of tuition would be three dollars per quarter4 ,we were at once overrun with applications1 and our little school was soon formed and well regulated1 the children punctual in their attendance1 and under good discipline4 ,my daughter paid strict attention to them1 and they made rapid progress in their studies4 ,our school numbered twenty-five pupils1 of both sexes1 and continued in prosperous existence about eleven months4 ,we made no secret of the matter1 and never intended to do so1 nor could we1 had we desired to ever so much4 ,my readers will therefore perceive1 that the formation of our little school arose from a circumstance entirely accidental1 ,i having at first offered simply to teach two or three colored children their ,sunday school lessons2 they being members of ,christ's ,church ,sunday school2 and from the very books given to them by the ladies and gentlemen engaged in that school4 ,finding those children obedient and well behaved1 as well as anxious to be taught1 ,i became deeply interested in their welfare1 and continued from time to time to receive all who offered themselves as pupils4 ,living a life so retired1 ,i needed an occupation involving some care1 and was glad to be engaged in a duty so benevolent4 ,we attended strictly to their moral and religious instruction1 and1 when they were sick1 we promptly visited them1 and administered to their wants1 and1 ,i am indeed happy to say1 although ,i was afterwards cruelly cast into prison and otherwise unjustly dealt with1 ,i have the satisfaction of knowing that ,i suffered in a good and righteous cause4 ,i was totally ignorant of any existing law prohibiting the instruction of free colored children1 but1 at the same time1 ,i was careful to have no slaves among our scholars4 ,every thing passed on quietly for several months1 in the ordinary routine of a child's school1 with nothing to interest my readers particularly1 unless it be one incident which will never be forgotten by us1 viz3 the death of one of our little scholars1 the circumstances of which ,i will here take the liberty to relate4 ,she was about fourteen years of age1 and1 while at school1 she was mild1 humble and obedient1 and studied very hard4 ,her form was slender and her constitution very delicate4 ,i frequently thought that her close application to her books would injure her health1 though she seemed predestined to an early grave4 ,she was at length taken seriously ill1 and we visited her as frequently as our engagements would permit4 ,will my readers go with me into a tottering negro hovel1 situated in the very heart of the city of ,norfolk8 ,it is a miserable apology for a human habitation1 containing but two apartments1 one above the other4 ,on one side of the first1 or ground floor1 is a wretched bed1 supported by some boards and broken chairs1 and on it lies one of ,mrs4 ,douglass's sable scholars1 her young life fast ebbing away under the ravages of a rapid consumption4 ,her mother1 poor woman1 is little better off1 and her hollow cough tells too truly that her own days are numbered4 ,with a constitution naturally delicate1 and almost worn out by constant watching1 she is unable to earn anything to add to her little stores1 or even to obtain the slightest necessary nourishment for her dying child4 ,here is a scene of suffering1 and no one to administer to the wants of the dying or the living4 ,common humanity calls loudly for the exercise of simple charity1 but the cry is unheard4 ,quietly and alone1 my daughter and myself sat up1 night after night1 with the suffering child1 and endeavored to smooth her pathway to the grave4 ,she seemed far more happy and contented when we were beside her1 and we therefore gave to her all the time we could possibly spare4 ,on the night that she died we sat with her until a late hour1 and1 as we were leaving her1 she said1 in broken accents2--8,i thank you1 ,mrs4 ,douglass and ,miss ,rosa1 for all you have done for me3 you have taught me to pray and to read my ,bible1 but ,i shall never read it again2 you must pray for me before you go40 ,we did so1 and left her in a quiet slumber1 from which she awoke only1 as we trust1 in heaven4 ,we took charge of the funeral arrangements1 had her poor corpse neatly attired for its last repose1 and saw that every thing was done decently and in order4 ,six of her school mates1 selected previously by herself1 dressed in white1 acted as pall bearers at the funeral1 and were followed by the rest of the school1 ,i in a close carriage bringing up the rear of the procession4 ,yes1 ,i followed to the grave the remains of a poor little negro child1 and as this was a stretch of humanity that the good people of ,norfolk could neither appreciate nor understand1 ,i suppose ,i may trace to it the beginning of their future persecutions1 which resulted finally in the descent upon my establishment by the officers of the law4 ,the descent was made on my school on the #ith day of ,may1 #ahec1 between eight and nine o'clock in the morning1 when the children had nearly all assembled4 ,no note of warning had been given of this movement1 and it was as unexpected as the sudden upheavings of an earthquake4 ,our school-room was situated in the second story back room4 ,my daughter had but a few moments before taken her seat at her humble pine table1 and was surrounded by her little sable scholars4 ,sable1 did ,i say8 ,no1 not all2 for in many cases the difference could scarcely be perceived between them and white children4 ,yes1 ,mrs4 ,douglass 8condescended0 to teach free black men's children1 and free white men's children--some of the latter being1 very probably1 among her real persecutors6 ,it was a horrible crime1 was it not8 ,all was going on as peaceably as usual1 and ,i had taken my seat to commence my daily toil1 when a loud knock was made at my front door4 ,i answered it myself1 when the face of an officer presented itself1 who inquired who lived up stairs4 ,i replied that ,i alone occupied the house4 ,he then asked if ,mrs4 ,douglass lived there4 ,i told him that ,i was ,mrs4 ,douglass4 ,he said1 8,you keep a school40 8,yes1 sir10 was my reply4 8,a school for colored children80 ,i answered1 8yes40 8,i must see those children10 said he4 ,i then demanded what business he had with them1 or with anything in my house4 ,he replied1 that he had been sent by the ,mayor4 8,very good1 sir10 said ,i1 8walk in1 and you shall see them20 and1 without giving my daughter or the children any notice1 ,i invited him up stairs into the school-room4 ,never will ,i forget the frightened state of those children1 and the countenance of their young teacher4 ,my daughter sat paralyzed1 covering her face with her hands2 and it was some time before ,i could restore order in the room4 ,some were crying1 some exclaiming 8,oh my6 oh my60 and some clinging around me in their terror2 but1 during the excitement1 ,i never lost my presence of mind4 ,as soon as ,i had restored quiet in the room1 ,i inquired of ,mr4 ,cherry1 the ,city ,constable1 what he wanted with those children4 ,he replied1 that he must take them before the ,mayor4 8,very well1 sir10 said ,i1 8my daughter and myself will accompany them40 ,to my astonishment1 he went to the head of the stairs and gave a loud rap with his club1 when another officer made his appearance1 entering from my back door4 ,for the moment ,i thought that my house was surrounded with officers1 who perhaps fancied that they had found a nest of thieves4 ,they then noted down the names of all the children1 as well as those of their parents4 ,when they had finished1 ,i politely informed ,mr4 ,cherry that they were all free children1 and all1 or nearly all1 members of the ,christ's ,church ,sunday-school4 8,it makes no difference1 madam10 he replied1 8it is a violation of the law to teach any person of color to read or write1 slave or free1 and an act punishable by imprisonment in the penitentiary40 8,very well10 ,i replied1 8if they send me to the penitentiary1 it will be in a good cause1 and not a disgraceful one40 ,even this information1 which was the most profound news to me1 did not unnerve me at all3 for ,i remembered that our ,saviour was persecuted for doing good1 and why should not ,i be4 ,this thought strengthened me to bear my own persecutions for ten long months afterwards4 ,the officers having left the school room1 ,i politely escorted them down stairs1 proffering them seats until ,i made some alterations in my dress before ,i accompanied them to the ,mayor's office4 ,i immediately returned to the school room1 and found the children in a dreadful state of excitement4 ,i must here inform my readers that all persons of color in the ,southern1 or ,slave ,states1 have a dreadful horror of constables1 for it is these officers to whom is entrusted the execution of their punishment for all offences4 ,after ,i had again brought the children to order1 ,i was ready to accompany the officers4 ,i arranged the children in couples and gave them up to the officers1 and we all started for the ,mayor's office1 my daughter and myself walking at a little distance in the rear4 ,will my readers please imagine1 for an instant1 a crowd of little children1 walking two and two1 preceded and followed by two stout men1 each with a great club in his hands8 ,it reminded me of a flock of little lambs going to the slaughter4 ,we soon reached the ,mayor's ,court1 and were seated until his honor was ready for an examination4 ,many spectators were present to witness the wonderful sight of a sudden descent upon a negro school4 ,i had a casual acquaintance with his honor1 ,mayor ,stubbs1 as ,i had been before reported to him for an act of humanity to a helpless and worthy little woman and her two infant children4 ,i had been made acquainted with her sufferings and miserable situation1 and1 from time to time1 for two years1 ,i had bestowed upon her many acts of kindness and sympathy1 as cordially as though she had been my own sister4 ,she had a drunken and worthless husband1 who1 when in a state of inebriation1 was very violent and brutal to her1 and who would often leave her for weeks at a time1 without a cent1 and almost in a state of starvation4 ,at those emergencies she would subsist solely on what she received from my bounty4 ,finally1 her young child1 about one year old1 was taken very ill4 ,she was a kind and affectionate mother1 and grieved much for her little boy4 ,i endeavored to obtain assistance for her in the humane and benevolent city of ,norfolk1 but in vain4 ,i alone clung to her to the last4 ,she resided at some distance from my house4 ,her child lay for some weeks in a very critical condition1 and ,i could not do as much for her as ,i desired to do4 ,at this time her husband was away on one of his drunken carousals in the city1 and not even the sufferings of his dying child could soften his brutal heart4 ,i finally concluded to take her and her children into my own house1 and made the proposition to her1 which she received with much gratitude1 and readily assented to4 ,by my advice she soon had her little chattels gathered together and sent them to an auctioneer4 ,the room was soon emptied1 and1 with her two sick children1 she hastened to my house1 where1 with our united attentions1 we succeeded in raising the little sufferer to health4 ,the facts in this case having been reported to ,mayor ,stubbs1 he called in person to see me1 and proved himself to be a good man1 as he afterwards was a merciful judge4 ,i relate this little circumstance merely to show my first acquaintance with this gentleman4 ,it was about a year after this occurrence when ,i entered his court-room with my little school1 in obedience to his somewhat pressing invitation1 and attended by his two officers as a guard of honor4 ,i felt certain that he was a man who desired peace in his community1 as well as one disposed to temper justice with mercy to all4 ,in about fifteen minutes we were called before him1 and the children arranged on one side of the room4 ,he greeted me very cordially with a 8,good morning1 ,mrs4 ,douglass40 ,i politely returned his salutation1 when he remarked that ,i had quite a large family4 ,i said yes1 and that they were all very good children4 8,but1 are you aware10 he inquired1 8that it is a violation of the law of this ,state to instruct colored children to read80 ,i replied1 that ,i had not been aware of the existing law until that morning2 that these were all free children1 and that every one before him was a member of the ,christ's ,church ,sunday-school2 that this school was held at the lecture-room on ,freemason street1 where primers and other books were given to them to learn to read2 and that1 if ,i had violated the law1 they had been doing so for years4 ,the ,mayor replied that such facts had never been reported to him1 or he should have been obliged to do his duty in the matter4 ,a gentleman1 who was present1 voluntarily asserted that there was a large ,sunday-school kept there for colored children1 and that he thought a violation of the law was such as much in one place as another4 ,his ,honor then took up the statutes of ,virginia1 and read the law on the subject1 which announced the maximum penalty attached to its violation to be a fine of one hundred dollars and imprisonment for six months4 ,he also remarked that he was very sorry the matter had occurred1 but that he must do his duty in the premises4 ,i replied1 that ,i expected him to do his duty2 but that with a clear conscience ,i could bear imprisonment1 or anything else4 ,i asked him if anything would be done with the children4 ,he said1 8,nothing10 and gave immediate orders for their dismissal1 when they fled like so many little birds let loose from a cage4 ,i could not refrain from tears as ,i looked after them as they left the room1 and hastened from what was to them a place of exceeding terror4 ,i was rejoiced that no harm would fall upon them1 and felt that ,i could bear anything rather than that they should suffer in any way4 ,i then inquired if anything would be done with their parents1 and was answered1 8,nothing40 ,i then asked his ,honor if he could allow the whole responsibility of the matter to rest upon myself2 that my daughter was not yet of age1 and that ,i was alone responsible for any act of hers1 as well as my own4 ,he inquired if ,i had any friends who would become security for my appearance before the ,supreme ,court4 8,friends60 ,i replied 8,i am my own best friend1 and my daughter's only one40 ,i told him to do his duty1 and put me in prison at once1 if he chose1 for ,i would ask no favors at the hands of any man4 ,on receiving this reply1 he reflected for a moment and then said1 8,i think that ,i am allowed some discretion in this matter4 ,you say1 ,mrs4 ,douglass1 that you were not aware of the existing law80 ,i replied that ,i was not1 and that ,i was not disposed to violate the laws of any people or place where ,i might reside4 ,he then1 being perfectly satisfied with my good intentions1 frank acknowledgment1 and ignorance of the law1 dismissed the matter2 for which ,i tendered him my thanks1 and left the court room4 ,imagine my surprise1 when ,i reached the steps of the courthouse1 to find a crowd of colored men1 women1 and children1 the parents and relatives of friends of our little scholars1 waiting to learn the decision of the ,mayor4 ,they greeted myself and daughter with many blessings1 and said that if we had anything to pay they had the money ready for us4 ,i replied that such was not the case1 and that there had been no harm done2 and after warmly thanking them for their kindness and sympathy1 we looked around for our little scholars1 gathered as many of them as we could together1 and took them back to the school-room1 where we gave each of them their books and slates1 and1 with wounded hearts1 took leave of them1 one by one4 ,it was a sad parting1 and we grieved to think that they must henceforth grow up in darkness and ignorance4 ,for several days it was as much as we could do to receive the visits of the parents and friends of those children1 many of whom we had never seen before4 ,they lamented over the breaking up of our little school1 and many shed tears freely4 ,they showered their blessings upon us1 and prayed for our welfare1 and were evidently truly grateful for all we had done for their children4 ,it is generally thought in the ,southern ,states that the negroes are ungrateful1 but ,i1 for one1 have never found them so4 ,from the day that ,i first interested myself in these unfortunate people1 to the day ,i left the city of ,norfolk1 they literally showered upon us their grateful blessings4 ,in my opinion1 those who call the ,southern negroes ungrateful1 are only those who never do anything to call forth that emotion4 ,i believe the oppressed to be more susceptible of gratitude than any other class4 ,i have ever found them so4 ,may ,i ask what gratitude do they owe to those who will degrade them8 ,what gratitude does that child owe to his own father1 who coldly sells him as his slave8 ,let us first practice justice and mercy ourselves1 and then ask for the gratitude of our slaves4 ,my scholars having been dismissed1 and the school given up1 in obedience to the requirements of the law1 ,i felt perfectly satisfied that the matter had there ended4 ,i had promised my daughter1 some months before1 a visit to ,new ,york1 during the intended vacation of our school1 but the authorities did not allow us the pleasure of thus indulging our scholars1 having given them an earlier and much longer vacation than we ever dreamed of4 ,my daughter left ,norfolk on the #bith day of ,june1 for the city of ,new ,york1 intending to return about the first of ,september4 ,in her absence ,i was left entirely alone1 without even a servant1 and so remained for about six months1 seldom going out1 and receiving but few visitors1 aside from my little scholars who would occasionally come to see me1 and bring some little token of their continued affection4 ,they all knew that ,i was very fond of flowers1 and it was seldom that my table did not contain bouquets from their hands4 ,indeed1 they kept me supplied with flowers during the whole summer4 ,i still continued to visit them whenever they were sick1 for ,i knew that no authorities could prevent this4 ,both ,i and my friends supposed that the matter was forever ended1 until the #acth day of ,july1 when1 to my utter astonishment1 ,i was served with a legal paper1 of which the following is a correct copy3-- 8,,the ,,commonwealth ,,of ,,virginia ,to the ,sergeant of the ,city of ,norfolk3 ,you are hereby commanded to summon ,margaret ,douglass1 and ,rosa ,douglass1 to appear before the ,judge of our ,circuit ,court of the ,city of ,norfolk1 at the ,court ,house of our said ,city1 on the first day of the next ,november ,term1 to answer a presentment of the ,grand ,jury made against them in the said ,court1 on the #b;d day of ,june1 #ahec1 for this1 that the said ,margaret ,douglass1 and ,rosa ,douglass1 and each of them1 did1 on the #ith day of ,may1 #ahec1 at the ,city of ,norfolk1 unlawfully assemble with divers negroes1 for the purpose of instructing them to read and to write1 and did instruct them to read and to write1 contrary to the ,act of the ,general ,assembly1 in such case made and provided1 and against the peace and dignity of the ,commonwealth of ,virginia4 ,witness1 ,john ,williams1 ,clerk of our said ,court1 at the ,court ,house1 this #acth day of ,july1 #ahec1 in the #ghth year of the ,commonwealth4 7,signed17 ,,jno4 ,,williams1 ,c4 ,c4 ,a ,copy1 7,signed17 ,,jno4 ,,williams1 ,c4 ,c4 ,this document needs but little comment4 ,i merely ask1 was not the cause a great one that enabled a poor weak woman thus to disturb 8the peace and dignity of the ,commonwealth of ,virginia10 and that1 too1 8in the #ghth year0 of its existence8 ,were not the subject too serious1 one might venture to laugh at the idea of the fearful perils to which that dignified and aristocratic ,state was subjected1 by the fact that a few little negro boys and girls had learned that famous sentence 8,in ,adam's fall we sinned all40 ,let the fact be recorded1 and go down to posterity among the noble archives of that noble ,state1 that her existence was jeopardized in the year #ahec1 by the shocking occurrence of some of its inhabitants learning 8to read and to write40 ,shades of ,henry ,clay1 of ,thomas ,jefferson1 of ,john ,randolph1 and of all the dead worthies of ,virginia1 behold a specimen of enlightened progression that is something more than an abstraction6 ,after receiving this paper1 the effect of which ,i well understood1 my mind was heavily taxed as to what course ,i should pursue in the matter4 ,owing to my retired way of living and my constant employment1 ,i had but little time to spare from my daily avocations1 but a vast amount of time for reflection4 ,my pecuniary means being limited1 and having but little affection for lawyers1 ,i determined to rely upon the justice of my cause1 and plead my own case4 ,therefore1 for four months ,i was engaged in hard study1 hard labor1 and hard living1 my mind being as fully occupied as my hands4 ,i determined to converse with no one1 and when the matter would be occasionally brought up by others1 ,i would have as little to say as possible1 and few knew the course of action that ,i intended to pursue4 ,in the first place1 ,i had no quarrel with the people of ,virginia1 and did not wish to have1 and ,i determined to enter into no conflict with them4 ,i also felt certain that1 if ,i employed counsel1 many good men and women of ,norfolk1 who had done all that ,i had1 would be brought into the same difficulty4 ,leaving self entirely out of the question1 ,i determined not to do anything to place those engaged in ,christ's ,church ,sunday-school in the same difficulty with myself1 for ,i heartily approved of what they were and had been doing4 ,i also believed that1 if ,i kept quiet1 the matter would still amount to nothing4 ,i could not believe that men who boasted of their talents and benevolence could be so blinded by their attachment to their peculiar institution as to farther irritate a matter that would1 from beginning to end1 prove disgraceful to them and to their ,state4 ,i therefore took a firm stand1 and was determined to maintain the principle for which ,i was doomed to suffer2 for1 as ,i have said before1 ,i am a strong advocate for the religious and moral instruction of the ,southern slaves4 ,i was determined to express my views freely1 should my case ever be brought before the court4 ,during the whole of this prosecution1 ,i did nothing1 either by word or action1 to irritate the people of ,norfolk1 and1 though ,i might have replied to the paragraphs against me inserted in their newspapers1 ,i did not do so2 and1 though extremely mortifying to my feelings to have my name brought so freely into the public prints1 still ,i was silent1 and bore my persecutions with patience4 ,although ,i corresponded regularly with my daughter every week1 ,i did not make known to her the condition of affairs1 desiring not to mar her happiness with our northern friends1 until the first of ,september1 when ,i directed her to remain in ,new ,york1 until ,i should call her home4 ,thus my readers will see that my daughter did not 8run away0 from the authorities of ,norfolk1 and the assertions to that effect in their papers were utterly false4 ,she left ,norfolk before the summons was served1 and remained there at my instance1 in ignorance of what was going on at home4 ,norfolk was our adopted home1 and we never had the slightest idea of running away from it4 ,no1 indeed3 we would not so far forget our native dignity1 as to have it said that a ,south ,carolinian ran from a ,virginian4 ,as it has since been proven1 the authorities and people of ,norfolk would have been very glad if we had taken this course1 in order that they might at once have been relieved from the odium of pursuing the prosecution1 and at the same time been enabled to brand us as fugitives from justice4 ,the ,richmond ,examiner has recently said that my prison doors were open at my bidding4 ,it is very true that they were1 but for what purpose1 and how would my flight have been regarded8 ,believing that my lonely situation naturally called loudly for friends1 ,i thought that in that city of churches1 some one1 at least among the religious part of the community1 would come forward and offer me sympathy and advice without being solicited therefor2 but will my readers believe me when ,i say1 that not one solitary individual thus manifested the least interest in the matter8 ,i determined1 therefore1 to ask nothing at the hands of a ,virginian1 for ,i had never done so during the eight years that ,i had resided among them1 and ,i can truly say that ,i owe the people of ,norfolk nothing3 no1 not even for the exercise of common humanity4 ,as the time drew near when ,i would be called upon by the attorney of the commonwealth to appear for trial1 ,i felt myself thoroughly prepared to meet the worst1 and on the first day of the ,november ,term1 ,i voluntarily stood before him in his office1 and had a brief conversation with him1 in which ,i informed him1 that ,i was ready to meet the case1 and that he would oblige me by bringing it on as soon as possible1 as my mind was heavily taxed1 and ,i had little time to lose4 ,he promised to do so1 and inquired who was my counsel4 ,i told him that ,i was my own counsellor1 and should employ no other4 ,it was my first interview with this gentleman1 and ,i was much pleased with his manner and conversation4 ,he remarked that he should be placed in a rather disagreeable position1 by having to plead against a lady4 ,i replied1 that ,i wished to be friendly with him1 and hoped that he would not think me unreasonable3 that ,i expected him to do his duty1 and that ,i should certainly endeavor to do mine4 ,i believe that the matter gave him some uneasiness1 when he found that ,i was determined to plead my own case1 and1 after explaining a few points to him1 he remarked that the matter had entirely slipped his memory1 and that he had not before thought seriously about it4 ,he promised to send for me whenever ,i was wanted1 and soon after did so2 but1 another case not being concluded1 ,i was compelled to await still another day4 ,the day of trial came at last1 and ,i proceeded to the ,court ,house1 unattended by any one1 and1 seating myself in the jury room1 patiently awaited the summons to appear before the ,court4 ,i had provided myself with a neat and becoming dress1 in a description of which my lady readers may be interested4 ,it was made of black velvet1 fitting closely and neatly to my form1 with rich flowing lace sleeves1 white kid gloves1 and a plain straw bonnet1 neatly trimmed with white4 ,i had in my hand the copy of the summons1 and a small red pocket ,bible1 which my daughter used when she visited the sick children4 ,i had written nothing that ,i expected to say1 preferring to depend on my own energies in whatever emergencies ,i might be placed4 ,being fully acquainted with the rules of courtesy1 and the respect due from a lady to every true gentleman1 as well as that required by an honorable ,court1 ,i determined not to do the slightest violence to the feelings of any one present1 but to proffer all due consideration to the ,court and counsellors1 and ,i certainly expected the same in return4 ,in my determination to plead my own case1 ,i did not desire to step out of the natural sphere of my sex1 or to force myself into the position of a counsellor1 but ,i was the party most deeply interested2 had given the matter all due reflection1 and was best acquainted with its merits2 had gathered together every fragment and woven them into one web1 and it pleased me to unravel it myself2 for ,i was prosecuted for violating a law that ,i knew nothing about4 ,certainly no favors had been shown to me because ,i was a woman1 and therefore ,i believed that ,i possessed the right to defend myself in my own way4 ,as ,i sat in the jury-room1 waiting to be called1 that body were receiving their charge from the judge in some petty case tried the day before4 ,when they entered1 ,i was invited into the court-room4 ,the ,prosecuting ,attorney of the ,commonwealth received me at the door1 and we passed in together1 ,i taking my seat at the counsellor's table1 directly facing his ,honor the learned ,judge4 ,i entered the room with a firm step1 walked proudly through the dark cloud of heads that ,i saw around me1 and when ,i took my seat ,i was perfectly calm and collected4 ,it was some time before the court was fairly organized2 for everybody present seemed to be confused1 except myself4 ,finally1 the jury were sworn1 and the witnesses for the ,commonwealth called4 ,mr4 ,cherry1 the ,city ,constable1 who made the original arrest1 was sworn1 and examined by the ,prosecuting ,attorney2 and1 as he testified merely to the facts as they really were1 and knew nothing farther1 ,i did not cross-examine him4 ,the same may be said of officer ,cox1 his assistant at the time of the descent upon the school1 who was next called2 and also of his ,honor1 ,mayor ,stubbs1 neither of whom were questioned by me4 ,the next witness called for the prosecution was ,mr4 ,c4 ,c4 ,melson1 the agent of my landlord1 who1 although unexpectedly called upon1 walked firmly to the witness stand1 placed his hands behind him1 fixed his eyes steadily upon the jury1 and answered every question with a degree of promptness that did him credit4 ,he testified merely that he was acquainted with me1 and was the agent and collector of rents for ,mr4 ,taylor1 my landlord2 that he rented me the house1 but not for the purpose of keeping a negro school1 and that he did not know that one was kept there2 that ,i engaged the house when the foundation was laid1 and had lived in it ever since4 ,on being asked if he ever saw any colored children entering it1 he replied that he never watched his tenants' houses to see who went in or out4 ,there was no necessity for cross-examining ,mr4 ,melson2 and as sufficient facts were deemed proven1 and not denied by me1 to substantiate the alleged violation of the letter of the law1 the case for the prosecution here rested4 ,i then informed the ,prosecuting ,attorney that ,i wished1 before examining my witnesses1 to make a statement to the court in reference to my daughter's absence2 and1 permission being granted1 ,i then addressed his ,honor and the jury2 8,i beg leave to inform your honor1 and you1 gentlemen of the jury1 that my daughter1 whose name is joined with mine in this prosecution1 is at present in the city of ,new ,york1 and was there at the time the summons was issued and served upon me3 but1 if she were in ,norfolk at this time1 ,i do not know that you have any business whatever with her4 ,she is under age1 and has been brought up in strict obedience to me in all things4 ,i am alone responsible for any act of hers1 as well as for my own4 ,i am here to answer to any charge that may be brought against me4 ,i have been notified to present myself this day before this court to answer to the charge of having been engaged in teaching colored children to read and to write1 and ,i am informed that in so doing ,i have been acting against the peace and dignity of the ,commonwealth4 ,this charge1 gentlemen1 ,i do not like1 but we shall see who it is that destroys our peace and insults our dignity40 ,the ,prosecuting ,attorney here touched me on the arm1 thinking that ,i was about to discuss the merits of the case before the testimony was closed4 ,this somewhat disconcerted me1 but ,i took my seat and soon regained my calmness1 and proceeded to call my witnesses4 ,i had but three1 ,mr4 ,walter ,taylor1 ,mr4 ,sharp1 a lawyer1 and ,mr4 ,john ,williams1 also a lawyer and the ,clerk of the ,court in which ,i was being tried4 ,all these gentlemen were members of ,christ's ,church1 and1 together with their wives and daughters1 were teachers and instructors of negroes in the ,sunday-school held habitually in the lecture room of that ,church4 ,mr4 ,williams had penned with his own hands the summons that had brought me then before the court1 while his own daughter1 ,miss ,eliza ,williams was then teaching in that ,sunday-school the same children that were in our school1 and from the same books that they used with us4 ,among others who were also engaged in teaching in that ,sunday-school1 and from the same books that we used1 ,i may mention ,mrs4 ,dixon1 ,mrs4 ,southgate1 ,mrs4 ,pinkum1 ,miss ,martha ,taylor1 ,miss ,jane ,watson1 ,miss ,henrietta ,hunter1 the ,hon4 ,tazewell ,taylor1 and even some members of the family of ,judge ,baker who presided on the ,bench at my trial1 and finally fixed and passed my sentence4 ,in giving the names of these persons1 ,i am not actuated by any malicious feelings towards them1 for ,i most heartily approve of all that they have done in the matter of instructing the colored people of ,norfolk1 but ,i do it merely to show the injustice to which ,i was subjected1 while these individuals1 representing the aristocracy of that town1 and who had done all1 and more than ,i had done1 and because they were such aristocracy1 were not only allowed to escape the punishment attached to the offence of which we were equally guilty1 but also to aid in the prosecution against me1 and even sit in judgment upon me4 ,the deductions from these simple facts are so clear and simple that ,i need not direct the attention of my readers to them more particularly4 ,the excitement in the ,court room1 when the names of my three witnesses were called1 was most intense1 and when it subsided1 ,mr4 ,taylor was put upon the stand1 and testified as follows3-- ,question4 ,was you a teacher in the ,christ ,church ,sunday-school8 ,answer4 ,for the white children ,i was1 and the school was held in the church4 ,q4 ,did you never visit the lecture room8 ,a4 ,i had nothing to do with the school that was kept there4 ,q4 ,did you never distribute books to the negro children of that school8 ,a4 ,i attended the library of the school for white children4 ,q4 ,did you not instruct colored children to read from those books8 ,a4 ,i did not4 ,mr4 ,taylor was not cross-examined by the ,prosecuting ,attorney1 and ,i allowed him to take his seat1 and called ,mr4 ,john ,williams1 ,attorney1 and ,clerk of the ,court4 ,this gentleman took the stand with a pallid countenance1 and quivering lip1 evidently extremely troubled by the position in which he found himself placed4 ,my benevolent feelings would not allow him to convict himself or his amiable daughter1 and ,i therefore asked him a few unimportant questions1 and dismissed him4 ,i then called ,lawyer ,sharp1 who testified as follows3-- ,q4 ,were you a teacher in the school for colored children1 held in ,christ's ,church ,lecture room8 ,a4 ,no1 madam4 ,q4 ,did you not attend the ,sabbath-school held there for the instruction of negro children8 ,a4 ,i went there1 occasionally1 and lectured to them4 ,q4 ,did you not distribute books among them8 ,a4 ,the ladies had all to do with that6 ,q4 ,when you visited that school1 did you not instruct them yourself8 ,to this question he replied very sharply1--thus evincing his name to be indicative of his character and disposition1--that they did not teach them to read and write1 and that he did not know that the law prohibited religious and moral instruction to negroes4 ,i answered1 8,if you1 sir1 who are engaged in the practice of the law1 did not know it1 how could it be expected that ,i should80 8,madam80 said he1 as though he did not understand me4 ,i repeated the question1 and he then addressed the ,judge1 and asked permission to say what he had to communicate directly to the jury4 ,i made no objection1 and he proceeded to state as follows3-- ,that certain negroes applied to ,rev4 ,mr4 ,cummings1 the ,pastor of ,christ's ,church1 for religious instruction1 and were allowed to meet for that purpose in the lecture room of the church4 ,he 7,sharp7 occasionally visited the school and lectured to them4 ,he found that some of them could read very well1 but that when they came to the hard words1 he allowed them to skip over them6 ,this was sufficient for my purposes4 ,this witness1 having at first denied that the members of that school were taught to read1 when the question was pressed home1 endeavored to escape the perils of his position by saying that the ladies had all to do with that6 ,oh1 brave ,mr4 ,sharp6 ,you will henceforth be remembered in ,norfolk as having crept under the ladies' aprons in order to shelter yourself from the eye of the insulted law4 ,but1 even after this1 he admitted that the scholars were in possession of books1 for he1 himself1 examined them1 and found that some of them could read very well4 ,he could not be mistaken about this1 because he allowed them to skip over the hard words4 ,this was his own language1 and ,i here leave him where he left himself4 ,these books were1 in many instances1 the identical copies used in my school1 and my only object in introducing this testimony was to show the jury that ,i had been doing only what was habitually done in this school1 and that if ,i was guilty of a violation of the law1 ,i had abundant precedents among the aristocracy of the city4 ,this having been shown conclusively by the unwilling witness1 ,sharp1 my case is ended4 ,the ,prosecuting ,attorney1 who treated me with the utmost respect and deference throughout the whole proceedings1 gallantly waived his right to address the jury first1 and ,i proceeded with my closing speech as follows3-- 8,,gentlemen ,,of ,,the ,,jury3 8,i now deem it right and proper that you should know something of ,mrs4 ,douglass1 who stands before you charged with violating your laws4 ,i do not plead guilty to this charge1 for1 in my opinion1 to be a violator of any law or laws1 the individual must know that they are such1 which ,i did not1 and had abundant precedents among those who should have known it1 if they were such1 for what ,i did4 ,i am a ,southern woman by birth1 education1 and feeling4 ,i have been a slaveholder myself1 and ,i would be again1 if ,i felt so disposed4 ,i am a native of and have always resided in a ,southern slave ,state4 ,the house of my childhood is as dear to me as my life1 and ,i am as deeply interested in the welfare of ,virginia1 and of the whole united ,southern slave ,states1 as ,i am in the ,state of ,south ,carolina2 yes1 and a great deal more so than very many who call themselves men4 ,i am no abolitionist1 neither am ,i a fanatic1 and ,i am by education as strongly opposed as you are to the interference of ,northern anti-slavery men with our institutions1 although ,i believe that their principles are based on a religious foundation4 ,i deem it the duty of every ,southerner1 morally and religiously1 to instruct his slaves1 that they may know their duties to their masters1 and to their common ,god4 ,let the masters first do their duty to them1 for they are still our slaves and servants1 whether bond or free1 and can be nothing else in our community4 ,let us not quarrel with our neighbors1 but rather look around us and see what we have ourselves to do that we have left undone so long4 ,i am a strong advocate for the religious and moral instruction of the whole human family4 ,i have always instructed my own slaves1 and will continue to do so as long as ,i remain in a slave ,state4 ,still1 ,i am not disposed to violate the laws of any people or place where ,i may chance to reside4 ,i cannot believe for a moment that this prosecution is a mere matter of dollars and cents1 or that there is not one truly good and noble hearted man among you4 ,oh no2 this ,i cannot and will not believe4 ,then let it be the welfare of your people and your country that you seek1 and ,i am with you1 heart and soul4 ,this is a matter that calls for the consideration of every true and noble heart--the common welfare of our people4 ,so far as my knowledge of human nature extends1 the man who is born a coward1 nursed in the lap of ignorance1 and brought up a coward1 naturally dies a coward4 ,the application of this ,i leave to yourselves4 8,the children whom ,i had for instruction were members of ,christ's ,church ,sunday-school4 ,my own little servant was handed a primer by one of the teachers of that school1 with the instruction that he must study his book1 and attend the ,sunday-school4 ,he was made ready by myself or daughter1 and sent every afternoon with his book1 to that school4 ,this was done for two years before ,i interested myself in these children in the form of a regular day-school4 ,i believe it is not expected that ladies will come to the ,court ,house to learn the laws1 rules1 and regulations of a city in which they may happen to reside4 ,in my opinion1 whatever the religious portion of the community is engaged in doing1 whether in city1 town1 or country1 is generally considered as lawful and proper4 ,we took care of those children1 visited them when sick1 and ministered to their wants1 and it was a pleasure for us to do so4 ,was there any thing wrong in this8 8,let us look into the situation of our colored population in city of ,norfolk1 for they are not dumb brutes4 ,if they were1 they would be more carefully considered1 and their welfare better provided for4 ,for instance1 two or three of these people are not allowed to assemble together by themselves1 whether in sickness or in health4 ,there is no provision made for them1 whatever the circumstances may be1 and such meetings are pronounced unlawful and treasonable4 ,think you1 gentlemen1 that there is not misery and distress among these people8 ,yes1 indeed1 misery enough1 and frequently starvation4 ,even those that are called free are heavily taxed1 and their privileges greatly limited2 and when they are sick1 or in want1 on whom does the duty devolve to seek them out and administer to their necessities8 ,does it fall upon you1 gentlemen8 ,oh no1 it is not expected that gentlemen will take the trouble to seek out a negro hut for the purpose of alleviating the wretchedness he may find within it4 ,why then persecute your benevolent ladies for doing that which you yourselves have so long neglected8 ,shall we treat our slaves with less compassion than we do the cattle in our fields8 8,in my opinion1 we have nothing to fear from the true blooded negro4 ,it is the half-breed1 or those with more or less white blood in their veins1 whom ,i have always found presumptuous1 treacherous and revengeful4 ,and do you blame them for this8 ,how can you8 ,ask yourselves the cause4 ,ask how that white blood got beneath those tawny skins1 and let nature herself account for the exhibition of these instincts4 ,blame the authors of this devilish mischief1 but not the innocent victims of it4 8,as for myself1 ,i shall keep on with my good work2 not1 however1 by continuing to violate what ,i now know to be your laws1 but by endeavoring to teach the colored race humility and a prayerful spirit1 how to bear their sufferings as our ,saviour bore his for us all4 ,i will teach them their duty to their superiors1 how to live1 and how to die4 ,and now1 if ignorance of your peculiar laws is not a sufficient excuse for my violation of the letter of them1 surely my good intentions1 and the abundant examples set before me by your most worthy and pious citizens1 ought to convince you that ,i was actuated by no improper motives1 and had no ulterior designs against the peace and dignity of your ,commonwealth4 ,but1 if otherwise1 there are your laws3 enforce them to the letter4 ,you may send me1 if you so decide1 to that cold and gloomy prison4 ,i can be as happy there as ,i am in my quiet little home2 and1 in the pursuit of knowledge1 and with the resources of a well-stored mind1 ,i shall be1 gentlemen1 a sufficient companion for myself4 ,of one consolation you cannot deprive me3 ,i go not as a convicted felon1 for ,i have violated no tittle of any one of the laws that are embodied in the ,divine ,decalogue2 ,i shall be only a single sufferer under the operation of one of the most inhuman and unjust laws that ever disgraced the statute book of a civilized community40 ,i here closed my remarks1 after saying that if any counsellor present was disposed to speak in my behalf1 he should receive my grateful thanks2 but1 no one responding1 ,i passed into the jury-room1 to await the result4 ,i was informed that the ,prosecuting ,attorney made but a few remarks1 not urging a conviction very strongly1 but1 of course1 as in duty bound1 correctly stating the law1 in the case1 to the jury4 ,a number of gentlemen present came to me and tendered their congratulations on my address to the jury4 ,i had spoken in a loud and distinct voice1 duly emphasizing my words that they might have their full effect4 ,i had spoken for nearly three-quarters of an hour1 and felt somewhat exhausted1 but by no means unnerved4 ,it was not long before ,i was informed that the jury were not likely to agree immediately upon a verdict1 and ,i therefore returned home4 ,they had some difficulty in coming to a unanimous verdict1 and it was not until the morning of the third day that they rendered one of ,guilty1 but fixing the fine at one dollar1 instead of one hundred4 ,this verdict was to have been expected4 ,there was no denial that the law1 as it stood1 had been disobeyed by me1 and a verdict of guilty on the charge1 as preferred1 was therefore inevitable4 ,the jury had it in their power to reduce the fine to a mere nominal sum1 which they did1 also fully believing that the judge would exercise the same discretion1 and entirely remit the imprisonment attached to the offence4 ,this was also the universal belief as well as general desire on the part of the community4 ,i was not sent for on the rendition of the verdict2 and1 the court1 having to adjourn1 my sentence in form was deferred until the #ajth day of ,january1 #ahed4 ,in order that the fidelity of my narrative may be attested by the evidence of the ,virginians themselves1 ,i will here insert an article that appeared in the ,petersburg ,daily ,express1 dated ,november #cjth1 #ahec1 and which was made up chiefly from the ,norfolk ,daily ,news4 ,it was headed 8,her ,own ,lawyer10 and ,i give it verbatim3-- 8,quite a novel and highly interesting case has recently been tried before ,judge ,baker at ,norfolk ,city4 ,a ,mrs4 ,margaret ,douglass1 formerly of ,charleston1 ,s4 ,c41 was arraigned one day last week1 on a charge of teaching negro children to read and write1 contrary to the statute in such cases made and provided1 and against the peace and dignity of the ,commonwealth4 8,by some means or other1 as we learn from the #8,daily ,news1' a report had been previously circulated that the lady had determined not to employ the services of counsel1 but to rely solely upon her own legal abilities in conducting her defence4 ,this1 as a matter of course1 filled the court-room with persons anxious to witness the novel spectacle1 and when she entered the court-room and took her seat among the lawyers1 a most profound sensation was created4 8,the jury had no sooner been empanneled1 than the lady1 without waiting for the examination of witnesses1 or the opening remarks of the ,attorney for the ,commonwealth1 proceeded in a clear and melodious voice1 to the consideration of the charges set forth in the indictment4 8,the surprise of the whole legal fraternity was so great1 at this sudden revolution in the time honored practice of the ,courts1 that she had progressed considerably into the merits of the case1 before his ,honor recovered himself sufficiently to inform her1 that it would be more regular to suspend her remarks until after the examination of witnesses was concluded4 ,the lady readily assented to the proposition of his ,honor1 and the witnesses for the ,commonwealth were called to the stand4 ,by their testimony1 it appeared that1 some months ago1 information reached his ,honor1 the ,mayor1 ,simon ,s4 ,stubbs1 ,esq41 of a school for the education of blacks1 being in successful operation in the city of ,norfolk1 under the superintendence of ,mrs4 ,douglass4 ,a warrant was immediately issued1 with directions to the officers to bring all parties concerned before him1 in order that the matter might be investigated4 ,upon repairing to the residence of ,mrs4 ,douglass1 the officers found some eighteen or twenty youthful descendents of ,ham engaged in literary pursuits1 all of whom1 with their teachers1 ,mrs4 ,douglass and her daughter1 were taken into custody1 and carried to the ,mayor's office4 ,after a full investigation of the matter1 his ,honor decided to dismiss the complaint in order that a ,grand ,jury might have an opportunity of giving it consideration4 ,at the meeting of the ,grand ,jury a true bill was found against ,mrs4 ,douglass and her daughter1 but the latter having previously gone to ,new ,york1 process could not be served upon her4 ,on the part of the defence1 the lady examined several prominent and respectable gentlemen1 members of the ,church1 for the purpose of showing that the practice of teaching blacks had been sanctified by the customs of the members of the different churches in the city in having ,sunday-schools exclusively for that purpose4 ,it did not appear from the evidence of any of the gentlemen called upon by ,mrs4 ,douglass1 that they had actually seen negroes taught from books in any of the ,sunday-schools of the ,city1 but the fact1 as stated by them1 that nearly all of the negroes attending the ,sunday-schools could read1 gave rise to a violent suspicion that many of the ladies and gentlemen of our city1 moving in the higher circles of society1 had been guilty of as flagrant a violation of the law1 as could be imputed to ,mrs4 ,douglass and her daughter4 8,at the conclusion of the evidence1 the attorney for the ,commonwealth kindly gave way for ,mrs4 ,douglass to continue her appeal to the ,jury1 which was done on the part of that lady1 in a manner that would have reflected credit on ,miss ,lucy ,stone1 or any other member of the #8strong minded' sisterhood4 ,she disdained to deny the charge preferred against her1 or to shirk the responsibility in any way whatever1 but gloried in the philanthropic duties in which she had been engaged4 ,she denied1 however1 any knowledge of the existing laws upon the subject1 and confidently expected that the jury would not pronounce her guilty1 for having committed no other offence than that of being betrayed into error--if such it was--by what she had deemed distinguished precedents4 ,having concluded her address she retired from the court1 and the case was briefly concluded by the ,attorney for the ,commonwealth4 8,the jury1 being unable to agree upon a verdict the first day of the trial1 were adjourned over until next morning1 when they found the defendant guilty1 and fined her one dollar4 8,the ,beacon says1 the ,judge in passing sentence1 according to the statute1 will condemn her to imprisonment for not less than six months40 ,during the interval that occurred between my conviction and the sentence of the ,court1 ,i obtained permission from the ,court and ,sheriff to visit ,new ,york1 where ,i remained two weeks1 and then returned with my daughter4 ,this being so contrary to the expectations and wishes of the authorities and other public men of ,norfolk1 who were extremely anxious that ,i should never return1 in order that1 by branding me as a fugitive from justice1 they might escape the disgrace and odium already attached to their proceedings1 and thus get cleverly out of the difficulty2 they were exceedingly incensed1 and commenced a series of persecutions in the shape of personal attacks in some of the ,norfolk papers1 particularly the ,courier and the ,argus4 ,the editor of the ,courier1 ,w4 ,wallace ,davis1 was the ringleader in this movement1 and was frequently in the habit of disgracing himself and his paper1 and insulting the better class of the community1 by indulging in such diatribes as no gentleman would ever suffer himself to be guilty of4 ,it would seem as though the justice of ,heaven had speedily overtaken him with its retributions1 for it is but a few weeks ago that he died suddenly1 as it is said from the effects of some great mental suffering1 and it is not ungenerous to suppose that the stings of conscience1 when he reflected upon his inhuman course towards me1 became severer than he could endure4 ,i leave him with his ,god4 ,to show that such were the wishes of the authorities and others1 ,i quote the following passage from the ,norfolk ,argus1 under date of ,february #ith1 #ahed4 ,i quote the whole of the article here1 though portions of it have reference to what occurred subsequently1 as ,i may have1 occasion to refer to the other passages4 ,it is headed 8,commonwealth vs4 ,mrs4 ,douglass10 and reads as follows3 8,we publish to-day the judgment of ,hon4 ,judge ,baker in the case of ,mrs4 ,douglass1 which has much excited our citizens4 ,the first time within the passage of the act forbidding the teaching of slaves or free colored persons to read or write1 has a case of this description come under the jurisdiction of our ,court1 and it was singular that this case should be a woman4 ,the jury found a verdict of guilty1 and the law had to be sustained4 ,sympathy was aroused for ,mrs4 ,douglass4 ,it was revolting to the citizens to have a woman imprisoned in our jail1 and every inducement was offered ,mrs4 ,douglass to escape the punishment4 ,the ,court was obliged to adjourn its judgment over1 and although a capias was awarded1 yet it was the hope and wish of every one that she would leave the city4 ,but no2 #8a martyr' she #8would be to the cause of benevolence2' and to cap the climax1 she brought her daughter1 a maiden of some seventeen summers1 who had obeyed the injunctions of her mother1 as a child should1 to try the stern realities of the laws1 and1 to use her own language in defending her cause1 #8to glory in works of benevolence and charity to a race down-trodden4' ,then sympathy departed1 and in the breast of every one rose a righteous indignation towards a person who would throw contempt in the face of our laws1 and brave the imprisonment for #8the cause of humanity4' 8,the decision of ,judge ,baker is cogent and pungent1 and will be read with interest4 ,the laws must be upheld4 ,it is not for the ,judge to set upon the constitutionality or justice of the law2 it is for him a sacred duty to impose the punishment meted out in the code4 ,virginia must keep in restraint the wire-workings of abolition sentiments4 ,we have in this town suffered much from the aggression of ,northern foes1 and a strong cordon must encircle our domestic institutions4 ,we must preserve from discord and angry passions our firesides and homesteads4 ,we must preserve inviolate the majesty of laws necessary for the protection of our rights2 and there is no one of intelligence and foresight who will pronounce the judgment unrighteous4 8,mrs4 ,douglass's time will run out this week1 and we have heard it stated from good authority1 that her imprisonment will be a pecuniary reward to her4 ,we hope that our citizens will prevent by all possible means any attempt to aid this woman1 but let her depart hence with only one wish1 that her presence will never be intruded upon us again4 ,let her seek her associates at the ,north1 and with them commingle1 but let us put a check to such mischievous views as fell from her lips last ,november1 sentiments unworthy a resident of the ,state1 and in direct rebellion against our ,constitution40 ,my readers will perceive two important concessions in this article2 first1 that mine was the first case that had ever been tried under that peculiar act since its passage1 and that public sympathy was strongly excited in my favor3 and secondly1 that it was the hope and wish of every one that ,i should leave the city1 and thus enable them to escape from the dilemma in which they were placed4 ,now1 ,i submit to my readers whether it was not asking a little too much of me1 that ,i should voluntarily allow myself to be branded as an escaped fugitive1 and subject myself to be advertised as such in every newspaper in the country1 have a price set upon my head1 and be hourly liable to arrest by any officer1 who thought it worth the trouble1 wherever ,i might be4 ,no1 ,i was no coward2 and1 rather than place myself in such a position as that1 ,i would have suffered my right hand to be cut off4 ,it must be said1 however1 that neither ,i1 nor any one else1 ever supposed for a moment1 that ,i should receive any further punishment for my offence than the infliction of the nominal fine already fixed by the verdict of the jury4 ,justice did not require it1 nor the cause of morality4 ,my character was such that there was no cause to fear that ,i should break my pledge1 and attempt to renew my school2 and common gallantry alone should have led any gentleman1 much more a dignified ,judge1 in whose sole discretion the matter rested1 to have dealt with a woman as leniently as the strict letter of the law would allow4 ,i rested in perfect security until the #ajth day of ,january1 #ahed1 when ,i was called before the ,court1 and received from ,judge ,baker1 not only an unnecessarily long and discourteous reprimand1 but a sentence to an imprisonment of one month in the city jail6 ,so astounded were the whole community at the shameless impudence of such a sentence1 from a ,judge whose own family had been engaged in the very same acts for which ,i was punished1 that a number of the most respectable members of the ,norfolk bar requested a copy of ,judge ,baker's decision for publication1 which correspondence1 with the decision as then published1 ,i here give entire3-- ,,commonwealth vs4 ,,margaret ,,douglass4 ,,hon4 ,,richard ,h4 ,,baker3 ,dear ,sir--,the undersigned1 members of the ,norfolk ,bar1 earnestly ask at your hands a copy of the judgment this day pronounced in the case of ,commonwealth vs4 ,douglass1 for publication4 ,,tazewell ,,taylor1 ,m4 ,,cooke1 ,h4 ,,woodis1 ,,wm4 ,g4 ,,dunbar1 ,,simon ,s4 ,,stubbs1 ,,wm4 ,t4 ,,hendren1 ,,jno4 ,s4 ,,lovett1 ,p4 ,p4 ,,mayo4 ,jan4 #ajth1 #ahed4 8,,decision4 ,upon an indictment previously found against you1 for assembling with negroes to instruct them to read or write1 and for associating with them in an unlawful assembly1 you were found guilty1 and a mere nominal fine imposed1 on the last day of this ,court held in the month of ,november4 ,at the time the jury came in and rendered their verdict you were not in ,court1 and the ,court being about to adjourn for the purpose of attending to other official duties in a distant part of the ,state1 it was necessary and proper1 under the law1 to award a capias against you1 returnable to the present adjourned term1 so that the judgment and sentence of the law may be fulfilled4 ,the ,court is not called on to vindicate the policy of the law in question1 for so long as it remains upon the statute book1 and unrepealed1 public and private justice and morality require that it should be respected and sustained4 ,there are persons1 ,i believe1 in our community1 opposed to the policy of the law in question4 ,they profess to believe that universal intellectual culture is necessary to religious instruction and education1 and that such culture is suitable to a state of slavery2 and there can be no misapprehension as to your opinions on this subject1 judging from the indiscreet freedom with which you spoke of your regard for the colored race in general4 ,such opinions in the present state of our society ,i regard as manifestly mischievous4 ,it is not true that our slaves cannot be taught religious and moral duty1 without being able to read the ,bible and use the pen4 ,intellectual and religious instruction often go hand in hand1 but the latter may well exist without the former2 and the truth of this is abundantly vindicated by the well-known fact that in many parts of our own ,commonwealth1 as in other parts of the country in which among the whites one-fourth or more are entirely without a knowledge of letters1 respect for the law1 and for moral and religious conduct and behaviour1 are justly and properly appreciated and practised4 8,a valuable report or document recently published in the city of ,new ,york1 by the ,southern ,aid ,society1 sets forth many valuable and important truths upon the condition of the ,southern slaves1 and the utility of moral and religious instruction1 apart from a knowledge of books4 ,i recommend the careful perusal of it to all whose opinions concur with your own4 ,it shows that a system of catechetical instruction1 with a clear and simple exposition of ,scripture1 has been employed with gratifying success2 that the slave population of the ,south are peculiarly susceptible of good religious influences4 ,their mere residence among a ,christian people has wrought a great and happy change in their condition3 they have been raised from the night of heathenism to the light of ,christianity1 and thousands of them have been brought to a saving knowledge of the ,gospel4 8,of the one hundred millions of the negro race1 there cannot be found another so large a body as the three millions of slaves in the ,united ,states1 at once so intelligent1 so inclined to the ,gospel1 and so blessed by the elevating influence of civilization and ,christianity4 ,occasional instances of cruelty and oppression1 it is true1 may sometimes occur1 and probably will ever continue to take place under any system of laws3 but this is not confined to wrongs committed upon the negro2 wrongs are committed and cruelly practised in a like degree by the lawless white man upon his own color2 and while the negroes of our town and ,state are known to be surrounded by most of the substantial comforts of life1 and invited both by precept and example to participate in proper1 moral and religious duties1 it argues1 it seems to me1 a sickly sensibility towards them to say their persons1 and feelings1 and interests are not sufficiently respected by our laws1 which1 in effect1 tend to nullify the act of our ,legislature passed for the security and protection of their masters4 8,the law under which you have been tried and found guilty is not to be found among the original enactments of our ,legislature4 ,the first legislative provision upon this subject was introduced in the year #ahca1 immediately succeeding the bloody scenes of the memorable ,southampton insurrection2 and that law being found not sufficiently penal to check the wrongs complained of1 was re-enacted with additional penalties in the year #ahdh1 which last mentioned act1 after several years trial and experience1 has been re-affirmed by adoption1 and incorporated into our present code4 ,after these several and repeated recognitions of the wisdom and propriety of the said act1 it may well be said that bold and open opposition to it is a matter not to be slightly regarded1 especially as we have reason to believe that every ,southern slave ,state in our country1 as a measure of self-preservation and protection1 has deemed it wise and just to adopt laws with similar provisions4 8,there might have been no occasion for such enactments in ,virginia1 or elsewhere1 on the subject of negro education1 but as a matter of self-defence against the schemes of ,northern incendiaries1 and the outcry against holding our slaves in bondage4 ,many now living well remember how1 and when1 and why the anti-slavery fury began1 and by what means its manifestations were made public4 ,our mails were clogged with abolition pamphlets and inflammatory documents1 to be distributed among our ,southern negroes to induce them to cut our throats4 ,sometimes1 it may be1 these libelous documents were distributed by ,northern citizens professing ,southern feelings1 and at other times by ,southern people professing ,northern feelings4 ,these1 however1 were not the only means resorted to by the ,northern fanatics to stir up insubordination among our slaves4 ,they scattered far and near pocket handkerchiefs1 and other similar articles1 with frightful engravings1 and printed over with anti-slavery nonsense1 with the view to work upon the feeling and ignorance of our negroes1 who otherwise would have remained comfortable and happy4 ,under such circumstances there was but one measure of protection for the ,south1 and that was adopted4 8,teaching the negroes to read and write is made penal by the laws of our ,state4 ,the act imposes a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars1 to be ascertained by the jury1 and imprisonment not exceeding six months1 to be fixed and ascertained by the ,court4 ,and now1 since the jury in your case has in my opinion properly settled the question of guilt1 it devolves on me1 under the law1 to ascertain and decide upon the quantum of imprisonment under the circumstances of your trial and ,i exceedingly regret1 that in being called on for the first time to act under the law in question1 it becomes my duty to impose the required punishment upon a female1 apparently of fair and respectable standing in the community4 ,the only mitigating circumstance in your case1 if in truth there be any1 according to my best reason and understanding of it1 is that to which ,i have just refered1 namely1 you being a female4 ,under the circumstances of this case1 if you were of a different sex1 ,i should regard the full punishment of six months imprisonment as eminently just and proper4 ,had you taken the advice of your friends and of the ,court1 and had employed council to defend you1 your case no doubt1 would have been presented in a far more favorable light both to the ,court and to the jury4 ,the opinions you advanced1 and the pertinacity and zeal you manifested in behalf of the negroes1 while they indicated perfect candor and sincerity on your part1 satisfied the ,court1 and must have satisfied all who heard you1 that the act complained of was the settled and deliberate purpose of your mind1 regardless of consequences1 however dangerous to our peace4 8,in conformity with these views1 ,i am impelled by a feeling of common honesty1 to say that this is not a case in which a mere formal judgment should be announced as the opinion of the ,court4 ,something more substantial under the circumstances of this case1 ,i think1 is demanded and required4 ,the discretionary power to imprison for the term of six months or less1 in good sense and sound morality1 does not authorise a mere minimum punishment1 such as imprisonment for a day or week1 in a case in which the question of guilt is free from doubt1 and there are many facts and circumstances of aggravation4 ,a judgment of that sort1 therefore1 in this case1 would doubtless be regarded by all true advocates of justice and law as mere mockery4 ,it would be no terror to those who acknowledge no rule of action but their own evil will and pleasure1 but would rather invite to still bolder incendiary movements4 ,for these reasons1 as an example to all others in like cases disposed to offend1 and in vindication of the policy and justness of our laws1 which every individual should be taught to respect1 the judgment of the ,court is1 in addition to the proper fine and costs1 that you be imprisoned for the period of one month in the jail of this city40 ,it is hardly necessary for me to dwell upon my feelings when ,i received this unexpected sentence4 ,they were of course more interesting to me than to my readers4 ,my narrative of the history of the case here properly terminates1 it being only necessary for me to state that ,i was immediately incarcerated1 and spent the month within the walls of a prison1 one week of which was passed in sickness4 ,i received every allowable attention from the jailor and his amiable wife1 and even remained with them a day or two after my sentence expired4 ,all social ties that bound me to the people of ,virginia were sundered by this act2 ,i was free from any obligation due to their laws1 and felt that ,i could be of no farther service to any one1 whether white or colored4 ,i therefore gathered together my little household goods1 and1 in the month of ,february last1 removed with my daughter to the ,city of ,philadelphia1 where we are now quietly residing1 happy in the consciousness that it is here no crime to teach a poor little child1 of any color1 to read the ,word of ,god4 ,my readers will naturally expect from me sundry reflections in connection with my personal narrative4 ,the subject itself naturally induces them1 and ,i should be untrue to myself if ,i1 a ,southern woman1 did not address the ,southern people in terms which the occasion and circumstances justify4 ,my remarks will be desultory and disconnected1 as ,i am merely to record such thoughts as have occurred to me not only during the time that has passed since my conviction1 but which had been previously forced upon me by carefully examining the condition of the ,southern people in all their relations4 ,many laws in ,virginia1 as elsewhere1 have become dead-letters4 ,even in ,norfolk itself1 as well as generally throughout the ,state1 the particular law infringed unknowingly by me1 had long been held as such1 and was violated daily and hourly by those who were regarded as leaders in society1 in morals and in religion4 ,but the opportunity was so good a one to make me a victim1 a sacrifice in expiation of all past offences and offenders1 that it could not be overlooked4 ,caught and bound1 ,i was laid upon the altar of the law1 but did not experience the good fortune of ,isaac4 ,there was the fire and the wood--heartless judge and quibbling lawyers1 and ,i was immolated4 ,was not such justice chivalrous8 ,were not such lawyers magnanimous8 ,here is presented a somewhat singular state of things to exist in a ,state professing to be the most gallant and dignified of the whole ,confederacy4 ,a large number of negroes1 amounting in value to between fifty and one hundred thousand dollars1 have1 within a short time1 made their escape from ,norfolk to a ,northern port4 ,this is a grievously sore evil1 and decidedly practical loss4 ,but what is the plan pursued8 ,why1 after failing to secure a portion of them1 all further efforts to obtain them are given up1 and pure listlessness and indifference take the place of an active interest in favor of recovering or protecting their property4 ,a meeting1 advertised to call together slave-owners to suggest some plan of redress1 meets with but a meagre and partial response1 and the matter ends by permitting the whole outrage and grievance to die away among the idlest trifles of the day4 ,on the other hand1 a lady is caught1 detected1 entrapped1 following in the wake of others1 teaching a few free negroes to spell and read their ,sunday lessons1 and upon proof thereof1 is put into a felon's prison1 and the ignominy1 disgrace1 and infamy even of a base criminal are said to be hers1 by the bench and the press4 ,if ,northern vessels bear away the slaves of ,norfolk1 the height of revenge and recrimination seem to be found in venting upon a ,southern lady's head the vindictiveness of individuals and the violence of the law4 ,if ,northern marshals refuse to perform their duties as slave-catchers under the ,fugitive law1 the whole matter1 after a little feeling1 is allowed to be forgotten2 but1 let a ,southern lady presume to obey some of the gentlest and purest instincts of her nature and the teachings of charity1 by instructing a few free black urchins of both sexes to read their ,bibles1 and the penalties of the law are visited upon her head1 without any compunctions of conscience1 any attention to the monitions of gallantry1 or any regard to the restraints of a refined delicacy4 ,alas6 for the boasted honor and honesty of the old ,virginia nobility6 ,here is a view of the case that may not be unworthy of attention3 ,it is the energy of the white man that has made this country what it is1 and his alone that will make it what it is to be4 ,to the sinew1 the nerve1 the strong arm1 the moral and physical courage1 and the genius of the ,anglo-,saxon race1 is the world indebted for the grand spectacle we now present as a great1 happy and prosperous people2 and to the same ennobling elements and excellencies in the composition of the white man will the vast republican empire1 now spreading its arms over the whole earth1 be indebted for its existence and perpetuation4 ,holding this view1 it cannot be then said that ,i was educating negroes as rivals or competitors of my brothers and sisters of a superior race4 ,holding to this opinion1 with a tenacity that is as inseparable from my judgment as is color from the ,ethiopian1--knowing1 as ,i do1 from all history as well as all cotemporary observation and record1 that the ,caucasian race are the 8most godlike10 and the authors of all in the arts and sciences that contributes most to man's more refined tastes1 pleasures1 and ambition4 ,i am sure that ,i could not1 ,south nor ,north1 attempt to change the 8,ethiopian's skin0 in the vain endeavor to make him an equal--socially1 politically1 or even morally--with my own race4 ,no such thing1 however1 was charged upon me4 ,my offence consisted in teaching a few poor colored children1 free by the laws of their own ,state1 to read the ,bible1 the very book on which the institutions of our land are based4 ,common charity1 then1 would have attributed to me only a feeling of sympathy for a lower order of society2 common charity1 as had been the case before1 in ,virginia1 would have looked with a lenient eye upon what the want of all charity construed into a crime6 ,i feel impelled here to review briefly the decision of ,judge ,baker1 in my case1 and to make such remarks upon it as may seem pertinent4 ,it will be seen that the letter requesting a copy of the decision for publication is signed by a number of the most respectable citizens of ,norfolk1 and an attempt has been made to identify them as entertaining the same opinions1 and possessing the same want of sympathy1 as the ,judge himself4 ,i am happy1 however1 to inform my readers that such is not the case4 ,they1 in common with the rest of the sensible portion of the community1 were astounded by the decision1 and merely desired to have on record the exact language and sentiments of this strange dispenser of justice1 in order that they might know henceforth in what light to regard him4 ,that he insulted the good sense and generous nature of the community in which he lived by so cowardly and unmanly a decision1 and especially by his needless and uncalled for tirade addressed to me on passing sentence1 he now well knows4 ,the community have already placed the proper estimate upon him1 and he is writhing under the double infliction of their contempt1 and the stings of his own conscience4 ,i have already stated the sudden and mysterious death of ,mr4 ,davis1 one of my bitterest persecutors1 and am also informed that ,judge ,baker1 since the rendering of his decision in my case1 8has never been of exactly as equable and pleasant a frame of mind1 but much more morose1 snarlish1 and nervous40 ,poor man6 ,he certainly has sufficient cause to be so4 ,the ,judge admits in his decision1 that there are persons in that community opposed to the policy of the law in question1 and who believe that universal intellectual culture is necessary to religious instruction and education1 and that such culture is suitable to a state of slavery4 ,he1 however1 embraces the opportunity to state that he regards such opinions as 8manifestly mischievous40 ,hear1 oh ,earth6 ,a ,judge1 in the most enlightened country in the world1 and in the nineteenth century1 believes that the intellectual culture of human beings is a crime6 ,he professes to hold the ,bible to be the word of ,god1 and the very bulwark of our institutions--from it he derives the right to hold a portion of human beings in bondage--in it he sees the ,divine command to every human soul to 8search the ,scriptures10 and yet says that a certain portion of the world must not obey this command1 and that it is a crime to teach them to do so6 ,admirable logic6 ,oh1 most righteous ,judge6 ,his real character may be better seen revealed in a subsequent sentence1 wherein he argues that there is more respect for the law and for moral and religious conduct and behavior in those sections of ,virginia1 where even among the whites one-fourth or more are entirely without a knowledge of letters4 ,why1 this man's avowed principles would do away with education of any kind for any class of people6 ,he would see his own ,state1 proud and haughty ,virginia1 return to a state of barbarism1 and completely shrouded in a pall of mental darkness6 ,this is the inevitable conclusion from his own words4 ,is ,norfolk1 that little corner of the great ,commonwealth1 so far behind the age as to desire a state of things so earnestly deprecated in other sections of the ,state8 ,or is this sapient ,judge alone the entertainer of such sentiments8 ,does he not know that the people throughout the old ,commonwealth have become alarmed at their rapid degradation1 and are petitioning their ,legislature to devise measures to stop the downward tendency to utter ignorance8 ,has he never seen this short but momentous sentence1 originally published in the ,richmond ,whig of ,april #c;d1 #ahed1 viz3 8,every decade exhibits a rapid and fearful increase of this mass of ignorance4 ,in #ahdj1 the number of the unlettered in ,virginia amounted to sixty thousand4 ,in #ahej1 it exceeded eighty thousand4 ,at this rate1 it will not require many centuries to extinguish all knowledge of letters in the ,state40 ,here is a fact that every ,virginian should ponder well4 ,there is no doubt as to the data1 and less as to the result1 unless something is done at once to stay this doward current4 ,let them study the real cause of this state of things1 and not attribute it to any but the right one4 ,is the way to remove the evil properly commenced by imprisoning a woman for teaching a few little children to read8 ,again ,i say1 oh1 most righteous ,judge6 ,but the hardihood of ,judge ,baker was evinced in his using the language quoted1 when he knew that his most intimate friends1 and even members of his own family had been and were engaged in doing with impunity what in me was a crime4 ,how he can reconcile his treatment of me with his conscience1 when he remembers this fact1 is best known to himself4 ,probably his usual admirable logic will help him out of the dilemma4 ,i am sure ,i cannot4 ,the learned ,judge grows remarkably religious as he proceeds4 ,he admits that 8the slave population of the ,south are peculiarly susceptible of good religious influences40 ,he even dares to say that 8their mere residence among a ,christian people has wrought a great and happy change in their condition3 they have been raised from the night of ,heathenism to the light of ,christianity1 and thousands of them have been brought to a saving knowledge of the ,gospel4 ,of the one hundred millions of the negro race1 there cannot be found another so large a body as the three millions of slaves in the ,united ,states1 at once so intelligent1 so inclined to the ,gospel1 and so blest by the elevating influences of civilization and ,christianity40 ,allow me1 oh wonderful judge6 to ask you one simple question1 which ,i much fear even your logic will be puzzled to answer4 ,if such be the character and condition of the slave population1 and the more1 7as by your own showing17 they become acquainted with the principles of the ,gospel1 the more they conform to them1 how is it that you regard as a crime1 the giving them the instruction necessary to accomplish this purpose8 ,which horn of this dilemma will your ,honor choose to be impaled upon8 ,sorry am ,i to be compelled to contradict a professed gentleman1 but your ,honor knew that you were telling an untruth when you uttered that sentence1 and you knew also the cause of the misery and degradation among ,southern slaves1 producing as it does a state of things which may well lead you to fear to have them instructed in any thing4 ,i know that cause1 also1 and ,i am going to tell it boldly to my ,southern brothers and sisters before ,i close my present labor4 ,you are pleased to term the exercise of the commonest dictates of humanity in me a 8sickly sensibility0 towards the colored race4 ,be it so4 ,but ,i require the aid of no physician to heal me1 and rather1 would to ,god that my disease were contagious1 and that ,i could therewith infect the entire ,south4 ,a little portion of the virus might perhaps not be unavailable even in your veins4 ,if it be a 8sickly sensibility0 to yearn to impart to immortal souls1 that instruction necessary to guide them through life and upwards towards heaven1 ,i confess that ,i am guilty4 ,this is the head and front of my offending--no less--no more4 ,the decision admits that the enactment under which ,i suffered was not to be found in the original code of ,virginia1 but the result of the experience and wisdom of the later inhabitants of that ,state4 ,certainly1 the framers of the original laws of the old ,commonwealth were men of too much sense and foresight1 too ,christian1 too civilized1 too human1 to incorporate such a disgraceful law into their rules of government4 ,that task was left to their degenerate sons of the present decade1 and even then it could not be accomplished until eighty thousand of them had returned into that mental obscurity that characterized the dark ages4 ,the law1 on its very face1 indicates that it was not the offspring of men of intelligence or common prudence4 ,any law declaring that any portion of human beings shall be denied the benefits of education1 must spring from ignorance and error1 and must inevitably lead to the same results universally4 ,the defender of such a law voluntarily classes himself with those who made it1 and those against whom it especially operates4 ,such a man is the ,honorable ,richard ,h4 ,baker4 ,the next paragraph of this venerable decision is so strangely constructed that ,i hardly know what to say of it4 ,the ,judge literally foams at the mouth and presents sad symptoms of hydrophobia4 ,the expressions 8,northern incendiaries10 8anti-slavery fury10 8inflammatory documents10 8cut-throats10 8,northern fanatics10 8anti-slavery nonsense10 c41 make up the entire paragraph4 ,his ,honor grows pale over a poor little inoffensive piece of muslin1 with a picture upon it which he denominates 8frightful40 ,he succeeds in working himself into a perfect fury1 and about what8 ,with nothing that ,i can see with which ,i1 or the question before him1 had anything to do4 ,i was not a ,northern incendiary or fanatic1 nor did ,i distribute any inflammatory documents or anti-slavery nonsense4 ,i was a ,southern woman1 in every sense of the word1 and he knew it4 ,i used no books1 except the ,bible1 or those which illustrated it1 and he knew this also4 ,the only escape for his honor is that he denounces the ,bible as an inflammatory or incendiary document1 and as such must not be taught to the slaves4 ,the ,judge next regrets that ,i am a woman1 for the modicum of gentlemanly honor and dignity which he has left1 prevents him from exercising the full bent of his inclinations1 and inflicting upon me the full penalty of the violated law4 ,it is a pity he remembered that ,i was of the weaker sex1 and ,i feel that ,i have no thanks to offer him for his proposed lenity1 for1 under the circumstances of the case1 an imprisonment for six months would have been no severer than the one for thirty days4 ,he admits that the jury had the power to regulate the amount of the fine1 but claims that it was his prerogative to name the term of my imprisonment4 ,the jury1 it will be seen1 made the fine merely nominal1 thus attesting in the most emphatic manner their appreciation of the merits of the case4 ,there was not a man on that jury who was not fully as capable of judging of right and wrong1 as was he who occupied the bench4 ,and yet he1 this one man1 had the hardihood to set his judgment over theirs1 and virtually insult the whole twelve1 by inflicting a punishment so severe that it was no charity to me not to have exercised his power to the fullest extent4 ,he admits that ,i was of fair and respectable standing in the community1 and knew from the evidence1 as well as from his own knowledge1 that ,i had abundant precedents for what ,i had done1 and that1 knowing the law1 ,i had no intention of again violating it2 also1 that the feeling of the entire community was in my favor1 and yet he wantonly1 needlessly1 and inhumanly exercised the authority with which he was clothed1 in order to make an example of me1 when ,i1 by my forbearance1 had refused to place scores of respectable ladies and gentlemen of ,norfolk1 and some of them members of his own family1 in the unpleasant position which ,i then occupied4 ,he even twitted me because ,i had not deemed it proper to employ counsel to defend me1 intimating that my case would have been presented in a more favorable light to the ,court and jury thereby4 ,this shows the very blackness of his malice1 for the jury did all they could1 and ,i do not entertain the least feeling of anger towards one of them4 ,they could not do otherwise than find me guilty of a violation of the law1 as it stood1 but they did all in their power to render its penalty nominal1 by imposing upon me the lowest fine it recognized4 ,it was the ,judge himself who insulted the jury by virtually telling them their judgment was erroneous1 and then he turns to me and says my case might have been more favorably presented if ,i had employed counsel6 ,the conclusion is obvious1 that he was actuated1 not by a desire to uphold the law and administer justice1 but by some motive alike discreditable to him as a ,judge and a man4 ,with this conclusion1 ,i leave him to settle with his own conscience4 ,i have no disposition to call him hard names4 ,he has done me all the injury he could1 and though ,i may forgive him1 ,i am satisfied that he never can forgive himself1 or escape from the doom to which he has already been sentenced by every sensible and right thinking person in the community4 ,honorable ,richard ,h4 ,baker1 ,judge of the ,circuit ,court of the ,city of ,norfolk1 ,i bid you an affectionate farewell4 ,i will here give to my readers a verbatim copy of the law under which ,i was prosecuted and convicted4 ,it is copied from the code of ,virginia1 passed by the ,general ,assembly of the ,commonwealth of ,virginia1 in the month of ,august1 #ahdi1 and will be found on page #gdg1 chapter #aih4 ,it reads as follows3-- 8,section #ca4 ,every assemblage of negroes for the purpose of religious worship1 when such worship is conducted by a negro1 and every assemblage of negroes for the purpose of instruction in reading or writing1 or in the night-time for any purpose1 shall be an unlawful assembly3 any ,justice may issue his warrant to any officer1 or other person1 requiring him to enter any place where such assemblage may be1 and seize any negro therein2 and he1 or any other ,justice1 may order such negro to be punished with stripes4 8,sec4 #cb4 ,if a white person assemble with negroes for the purpose of instructing them to read or write1 or if he associate with them in an unlawful assembly1 he shall be confined in jail not exceeding six months1 and fined not exceeding one hundred dollars2 and any ,justice may require him to enter into a recognizance1 with sufficient security1 to appear before the ,circuit1 ,county1 or ,corporation ,court1 where the offence was committed1 at its next term1 to answer therefor2 and in the meantime1 to keep the peace and be of good behavior40 ,it will be seen from this1 that in the enlightened ,state of ,virginia1 it is a crime for one portion of human beings to worship their ,maker6 ,comment is unnecessary4 ,those men1 whose moral sense was so blunted1 so destroyed1 that they could pass such a law as that1 could not be expected to find much difficulty in enacting one subjecting to fine and imprisonment any one who taught negro children their letters4 ,the old law1 for which this is a substitute1 was exceedingly explicit in this respect1 but had become a dead letter4 ,the new one is very loose in its language4 ,it will be seen that the expressions 8he0 and 8him0 are used1 allowing the ,judge and jury the opportunity of a strict construction of the law1 in case a lady should be concerned4 ,since my trial and conviction1 ,i have been advised by one of the most eminent counsel in ,virginia1 that the ,norfolk ,court exceeded its powers1 and violated the law by not construing the act literally in my case4 ,it is possible that ,i may yet hold all the parties concerned responsible for their unlawful course4 ,at any rate1 it utterly demolishes the nice theory of ,judge ,baker1 that he was bound to sustain the law1 and leaves him without an excuse for his unnecessary severity towards me4 ,i now approach a subject vitally connected with the interests of the ,south and the welfare of humanity4 ,in doing so1 ,i have no rancor or malice to serve1 but boldly speak my mind1 and tell my ,southern sisters a truth which1 however they may have learned it by sad experience1 has probably never been thus presented to them before4 ,in this truth is to be found the grand secret of the opposition to the instruction of the colored race4 ,it therefore becomes important in connection with my narrative4 ,in this truth also lies the grand secret of the discontent and rebellion among the slaves4 ,knowing this1 it is easy to perceive why such strenuous efforts are made to keep the colored population in darkness and ignorance4 ,as it is1 nature herself often rebels against what instinct teaches even the most degraded negro to be inhuman and devilish1 and if to this were added the light of intelligence afforded by even the commonest instruction1 wo to the darling system of this offspring of the institution of slavery4 ,this subject demands the attention1 not only of the religious population1 but of statesmen and law-makers4 ,it is the one great evil hanging over the ,southern slave ,states1 destroying domestic happiness and the peace of thousands4 ,it is summed up in the single word--amalgamation4 ,this1 and this only1 causes the vast extent of ignorance1 degradation1 and crime that lies like a black cloud over the whole ,south4 ,and the practice is more general than even ,southerners are willing to allow4 ,while even the ,northern libertine usually revolts from the intimate society of those in whose veins courses a drop of black blood1 the ,southern gentleman takes them to his very bosom and revels in their fancied charms1 until satiety disgusts him1 when he deliberately sells them into lower degradation as he would a disabled horse4 ,it is impossible to deny that this unnatural custom prevails to a fearful extent throughout the ,south4 ,the testimony is of too positive and personal a character to be overcome4 ,neither is it to be found only in the lower order of the white population4 ,it pervades the entire society4 ,its followers are to be found among all ranks1 occupations1 and professions4 ,the white mothers and daughters of the ,south have suffered under it for years--have seen their dearest affections trampled upon--their hopes of domestic happiness destroyed1 and their future lives embittered even to agony1 by those who should be all in all to them as husband1 sons and brothers4 ,i cannot use too strong language in reference to this subject1 for ,i know that it will meet with a heartfelt response from every ,southern woman4 ,i would deal delicately with them if ,i could1 but they know the fact1 and their hearts bleed under its knowledge1 however they may have attempted to conceal their discoveries4 ,southern wives know that their husbands come to them reeking with pollution from the arms of their tawny mistresses4 ,father and son seek the same sources of excitement1 and alike gratify their inhuman propensities1 scarcely blushing when detected1 and recklessly defying every command of ,god and every tie of morality and human affection4 ,they have not even the paltry excuse that ordinary liberties sometimes make1 that their love is real1 though illicit--the whole practice is plainly1 unequivocally1 shamelessly beastly4 ,is there any wonder then that people addicted to these habits are rapidly returning to a state of semi-barbarism8 ,is it to be supposed that the ordinary teachings of nature do not tell the sable sons and daughters of the ,south that this custom is inhuman and ungodly8 ,is not chastity a natural instinct1 even among the worst savage nations of the earth8 ,will not the natural impulses rebel against what becomes with them a matter of force8 ,the female slave1 however fair she may have become1 by the various comminglings of her progenitors1 or whatever her mental and moral acquirements1 knows that she is a slave1 and as such1 powerless beneath the whims or fancies of her master4 ,if he casts upon her a desiring eye1 she knows that she must submit4 ,there is no way of escape1 and her only thought is1 that the more gracefully she yields the stronger and longer hold she may1 perchance1 retain upon the brutal appetite of her master4 ,still1 she feels her degradation1 and so do others with whom she is connected4 ,she has parents1 brothers and sisters1 a lover perhaps1 all of whom suffer through and with her1 and in whose hearts spring up roots of bitterness which are destined to grow into trees whose branches will sooner or later overshadow the whole land4 ,how important1 then1 for these ,southern sultans1 that the objects of their criminal passions should be kept in utter ignorance and degradation4 ,they must not read the ,bible because that teaches them of the sin of their masters4 ,they must not worship ,god1 for the effect thereof would be to imbue them with a deeper horror of this great wickedness4 ,they must not learn to read and write1 for every mental and moral improvement only tends to bring out and improve those feelings and emotions that already repel this gross system of sensuality and licentiousness4 ,were the negroes instructed in their duties to themselves and to each other1 their obligations to their masters and their ,god1 and were these instructions exemplified by the consistent lives of their masters1 with the natural religious tendencies of the negro race1 the ,south would become the very garden of the ,lord4 ,instead of becoming discontented and rebellious1 the very reverse would be the case4 ,there would be no fear of insurrections1 for there would be no inducement4 ,but when a man1 black though he be1 knows that1 at any moment1 he is compelled to hand over his wife1 his sister1 or his daughter1 to the loathsome embraces of the man whose chains he wears1 how can it be expected that he will submit without the feelings of hatred and revenge taking possession of his heart8 ,i have no desire to pursue this subject farther1 at present4 ,i give it1 as the cause of the discontent and rebellion among the ,southern slaves1 and also as the cause of the creation of that disgraceful law1 which now stands like a great black blot on the code of ,virginia1 and under whose unjust application ,i have been made to suffer4 ,the subject is one that will not be suffered to rest1 for ,i know my ,southern sisters well enough to believe that they will not much longer rest tamely under the influences of this damning curse4 ,i have told them plainly of the evil--the remedy is in their own hands4 ,transcriber's ,notes ,page #f3 8and1 and1 as she grew older10 changed to 8and1 as she grew older10 ,page #h3 8and that that they were0 changed to 8and that they were0 ,page #aa3 8promtly visited them0 changed to 8promptly visited them0 ,page #de3 8in our commmunity0 changed to 8in our community0 ,page #dg3 8both by precept an example0 changed to 8both by precept and example0 ,page #fb3 8the act literaly0 changed to 8the act literally0