The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-27 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OP THE BUN.

SlR,—Will you allow me, through the columns of your
paper, to make an appeal to the many readers of " Uncle
Tom's Cabin ?" There are thousands, even of those
who disapprove the purpose and challenge the fairness of
that great American novel, who have had their sympa-
thies called forth in behalf of the race it advocates.
In the Southern States of America such sympathies
find ready vent—in England, and at the North oppor-
tunities are more rare of legitimate action. I have been
passing part of the summer in Clerke county, Virginia,
where two cases affecting persons I have known for
years have greatly excited my sympathy ; and I now
venture to make my most earnest appeal to persons
richer than myself to assist me in the attempt to give
them freedom, home, and happiness.
The more pressing case is that of a man named
John Gordon, a very light mulatto, a blacksmith
and paper-hanger by trade, whom I have known
since 1842, and who bears the highest character
amongst the gentlemen who employ him. He was born
the slave of Mrs. Hawes, of Rappahannock county, and
received his freedom at her death, when all her negroes
were emancipated, and provision made for their trans-
port to Africa. John Gordon, who had recently mar-
ried a slave woman, to whom he was much attached,
preferred to remain in Virginia. He has continued to
reside there fifteen years as a free negro, - but, under
the laws recently passed by the Convention, he has
been summoned before the County Court, and warned
that he must quit the State within two months, or re-
turn into slavery. It is easy calmly to read or state
these facts, but it was not easy to listen to them calmly
when the poor fellow came up to speak to me. He had
an idea that all persons in free countries would pity him
—that "Miss Lizzie from England and the North"
could do something to assist him in the pur-
chase of his wife, and at least some of his eight
children, so that they might leave the State
together. Was there nothing I could do ? he asked—
Was there nothing he could do to prevent his being sepa-
rated for ever from his family, leaving his wife andchildren to the uncertain chances of slavery ? "Oh ! I
would do anything to save them," he said, with a
pathos that deeply touched me ; " anything on earth but
go back and IA a slave again, Miss Lizzie. I could not
bear to tell him that I had no power effectually to
assist him—that I could give him only my own few dol-
lars and my sympathy. I did what any one, I think,
would have done in my place. I promised, however
painful it might be to me, to ask assistance—that I
would lay his case before my friends when I came north,
and see what could be done for him. The gentleman
who owns the family also urged me to interest myself in
the case. He is a person of great benevolence, and the
heir-at-law of Mrs. Hawes. Instead of opposing the eman-
cipation of her negroes he took the most lively interest
in their welfare, superintended their embarkation, and
continues to receive the most grateful letters from
Liberia. But he is far from rich ; and, though he assures
me that to secure the freedom of Evelina and her chil-
dren (he bought them originally at John Gordon's earnest
request to prevent them being sold south, and the con-
sequent separation of the family), he will gladly sell
them for less than half their market value. The state of
his affairs is such that he would not be justified in giving
them their freedom. My other case is that of a woman, now
about 30 years of age, who was the beloved and devoted
attendant of one of my nearest relations. It was her
mistress's most earnest wish, upon her deathbed, to give
Sarah the freedom she had long sighed for, and after
many difficulties, owing to the arrangement of the pro-
perty, the family was enabled to give her her free pa-
pers. But by the same law which operates so harshly
against John Gordon, she is compelled to leave the state
within the year, or to return into slavery. She has a
husband, to whom she is devotedly attached. Conjugal
affection is (not unnaturally) rare amongst negroes, but
this is an attachment which I have never seen surpassed
in any condition, and she cannot bear to leave him.
He is a slave, of excellent character, trusted and
esteemed through all the neighbourhood—but, un-
fortunately, though hired by the family to whom
Sarah belonged, and living for the past ten years under
the same roof with his wife, he belongs to another mas-
ter. This gentleman is willing to sell him to his wife
for a sum very much less than his real value. They
have southern friends willing to do all in their power
to promote their object, and, were they free, have
been offered employment and the highest wages
in Baltimore. About 6501. are necessary to
accomplish both these objects. Their cause seems to
have been committed to my hands, and I earnestly pray
that, though I cannot present the case in such a way as
to infuse my own feelings of compassion into the breasts
of others, that some of those to whom I thus appeal may
be willing to assist me in an object, which must com-
mend itself to every breast that estimates the value of
family affection.
Any sums will be gratefully received if remitted to
Messrs. Coutts and Co., Strand ; or, to Messrs. Smith
and Elder, 65, Cornhill.—l have the honour to remain,
sir, yours faithfully,
MARY ELIZ. WORMS LEY.
Newport, R. 1., July 13, 1853.

ATTEMPTED VIOLATION.—George Bell, aged 50, a
coachman in the service of Mrs. Starkie, a lady residing
at Charlton-house, near Cheltenham, was brought be-
re the magistrates of that town on Monday, charged
with attempting to commit a rape on the person of his
daughter, Elizabeth Bell, aged 16. It appeared from
the evidence that, on Saturday afternoon, the prisoner
and his daughter went to look at an empty cottage in
Rosehill-street, Charlton Kings, which the former pro-
pose*d taking, and while going over the premises, the
prisoner made a violent attempt upon the virtue f his
daughter. She resisted to the utmost of her power, and
managed to foil her assailant in his abominable designs.
Mr. A. W. Gabb, surgeon, deposed that he had examined
the girl's person, and was of opinion that an attempt at
violation had been made. The prisoner was committed
for trial at the assizes, to be held next week at Glou-
cester. It transpired that the prisoner made a similar
attempt on his daughter about two years since.