The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-08-03
From the Emancipator.
Fruits of Abolition Labors.


The following communication from Mr. Wattles
to Mr. Weld, will be read with much pleasure
three accounts. |. 1t presentsa noble specimen of
humanity and love of justice among our southern
brethren. 2. 1t proves that the influence of anti
slavery principles is not confined to the North
Yet the knowledge of this case will, doubtless, be
confined to the antslavery circles, and our colon
izatoniss will ask at the next anniversary, as in
nocently as at the last, Where are the fruits Of
abolition We have yet to hear of the first slave
emancipated through their influence" g. As
Americans we rejoice to find way in which our
country can be saved FROM the present calamtous
drain of SeyciceaJle men, escaping to the dominion
off foregnpower. Should any other Shareholders
wish to address Mr. Waules, his Post Office is
New Bremen, Mercer Co., Ohio.
WooDWLLE, June 80, 1889
Dear Brother Weld, Every now and then an
incident occurs which almost instinctiyely causes
me to say, viii write that to Weld. And is not
till after a calculating thought that | conclude not
to write. If the following letter is not worth pc
rusing, then nothing has come under my observa-
ton which is. should like to know thy opinion
of such things.
LIvoNlA, IN, 23d, March, 1889
<" Dear Sr-Havng lately seen letter from
you in the Emancpator, respecting school ofco-
ored people which you are experimenting in their
settlement near New Bremen Mercer Co, Ohio,
we take the liberty of addressing to you the fol-
lowing inquiries
"lst. Can colored people, going into that col
ony, purchase lands either improved, or unm
proved and if so, at what prices generally2
"2d. Could they receive profitable employment
as aborers in general and as mechanics in partic-
ular?
"3d. What would their board and tuition cost
them when at school and could they have an OPP
porunty Of dischargng any part of it by labor dur
ing the intervals of school
"4th, land much the most importantly Is there
any possible way for colored people who 60 TO
Ohio either as bond or free, to get leave to re-
main without giving security for their good beha-
viour?
ANY other information you may deem interest,"
ing will be thankfully received. Between US, we
/ have about twenty slaves which we wish to liber-
ate and place in one of the free states Theyare
in Tennessee, where there is no possibility of lib
Grating slaves We have understood that if a
person takes slave to Ohio for the purpose of lib
Grating him, he must give security for the slaves
good conduct before he can have leave to remain;
and that if free black goes TO that State, lie will
be driven from it unless he give the security above
named.
" As we are not citizens Of that State, and have
no property there we could not assume that re-
w w
a further inquiry. Were we to take our people
to you in the character of slaves, and then return
home without offering to liberate them, would the
laws grant them liberty and a home there, as we
presume it does in the case OF slaves who take
refuge IN that State and are not pursued nor claim
| ed by their masters And were we TO take this
course, would it subject either ofus, or our colored
people 10 any penalty according to the laws of
Ohio?
g We wish to have very particular information
on this last point because, some years ago one Of
US took our coored people to Illinois, and instead
Of being permitted to liberae them, was obliged
to remove them at great expense and trouble; and
,caS near being fined t1eelge hundred dollars be-
sides, By the free people Of Illinois,
" Our people consist of two men and one wo-
man advanced in life, two young men and two
young women and twelve Or fourteen boys and
girls, Of all ages under nineteen. Their charac-
ter is generally good, some Of Them are protesting
Christians Those over twenty years can all read
little except one. Those under that age we have
not had the opportunity to instruct. One of the
young men can work at the house-corpenter bus
mess
From the spirit of your communication in the
Emancipator. we hope noapology is necessary from
us for troubling you on this occasion, strangers as
we are.
" we ask you TO write as soon as possible. we
have to go to Tennessee early in May, for the
purpose of attending to our people
With much respect, &c,
BENZ. KNOX,
RoBr. s. HALL"
To this letter | wrote favorable answer, and
to day had the happiness of receiving into my
house these twenty-one emancjpated slaves. Rob
ert S. Hall owned the most of them, and has left
them, better of than his own family is. He has
spent large sum Of money in travelling with
them from N. Carolina to Illinois, aud Missouri,
Tennessee and Ohio. He has been bafAed in ev-
cry attempt to emancipate them but the last
He hired them out in Upton Co., Tenn, and
supposed they would have about 5000 due them
this spring, which would be sufficient to move
them up here and purchase them some land. But
the hard times in Tennessee prevented his collect
ing any thing and for fear be should die and they
remain in slavery, he resolved to spend what little