The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1844-08-21


bv some Of my southern acqaaintance.as
10 the extent Of my connection with
slavery. ut the time Proposed 10 remove
from Alabama. They have represented
me as holding slaves TO some considerable
extent. and as selling ali or nearly all OF
them, IN order TO avoid loss in my CONVEX
sion to aboiiionism.-These mlsstate-
ments have doubtless been often made
inconsiderately and igaorunlly by those
who would do more to injure the cause OF
emancipation than they would TO inJure
nc. Yet in few instances. if my inior-
nation be correct, they have been made
bv persons who knowledge of my circum>
stances at that time, takes away every
excuse which charity can plead for them
On the ground Of ignorance.
At his time, the autumn of 1889, held as
slaves. the woman and child above mention
ed. and five honse servants. | was then and
had been for more than year before, the ad-
vocate ofthe American Colonization SOCIETY,"
do moi remember that my views as 10 the
ri ght of The slave to his liberty, anc the duty
of the master TO emancipate, were much IN
advance of those usually entertained by colo
nizarionists. Certain it is, looked forward
10 no time, ! anticipated no circumstances
which would ever bring me to consider ihem
AS now do. had then no expectation that
| should at any period OF my life deserve the
name of an abolitionist. or draw on me per-
secutions OF sufficient rigor to Danish me from
Kentucky, where was born-persecutions,
from which the constitutional 9gls OF the
FREE State of Ohio. has not availed to defend
me.
Before breaking up my establishment IN
Alabama. proposed TO the woman, TO send
her and her child TO Liberia, after she had by
the service she had already performed, and
by her future hire, returned me the price
had paid for her. She objected utterly to
going to Liberia. then proposed 10 bring
her with me to Kentucky, where, after being
remunerated by her services for the sum |
had paid for her, would manumit her and
her child, without any condition Of removal
in the mean time, giving 10 the child such
education as | conll under existing clrcum-
stances. To this she, so far as herself was
concerned, 10 my great surprise, objected
urging that she was an entire stranger III
Kentucky, and that she did not wish to leave
the acouaintance she had made since her res
ilence in Alabama. --.
Believing her conduct to be altogether in
iudicious, said 10 her that whilst tett no de-
sire to compel her 10 either Of the courses
had proposed, could not permit her to make
: for the child the election ef remaining behind.
So far from being displeased with ihis, she
expressed her. full concurrence saying she
kneir her child acosld be ieeH tdkca care Of,
and srery prouisi0R made for her that could Be
crpscis3. She preferred being sold TO being
hied-on account Of the better treatment
she would receive from amsterdam hirer.
: permitted her 10 select her own MASTER
\ and, in order that she might have no difficulty
in inducing such an one as she might select,
To purchase her, put her price at eighty live
dollars less than had given for her aud her
child. The advance on the price Of negroes
at this time would have enabled me to have
sold her alone at public sale for from seventy
five to one hundred dollars more than the sun
| asked. The gentleman whom she selected
and Of whose character for humanity TO In:
slaves had received, on inquiry, Satisfactory
, assurances-purchased her without hesita
ton. Twas not informed of the reasons o
her conduct-so singular as itappeared TO M
Till she had rejected both my propositions
, lending TO her ultimate manumssion. wa:
afterwards tod by my overseer, who wa
warmly attached 10 NY interests, and who
believe. thought I was already somewha
fanatical in my desire to oblige~ihe woman
who wanted me to sell her, believing tGat Il
took her to Kentucky, would finally eE!an-
cipate hcr-that her conduct proceeded from
= an attachment she had formed for negro
man, who, he supposed, had persuaded hei
to object to every proposition which contem
plated her removal from that part of the coun
try. The little girl, her child, brought will
me, together with the domestic servants al
ready mentioned, to Kentucky. in 1888.
had already lost much of my frs
confidence in the efficacy of colonization
principles for the determination ofslayer,
among US. assisted, in December, / s
80, in The organization at Lexington, o
I gradual emancipation society, thinking
i its principles were somewhat stronger thai
those of colonization. and would be NOR
eGectual. | entered on this scheme will
: u.dor, and became lis active advocate
4 4 short trial of it soon convinced me o
its ineflicacy 10 move the hearts Of men
: During this winter and the ensuing spring
: my mind was deeply interested in th'
!, whole subject of slavery. read almos
: every work could lay my hands on ;
: talked much of in public and in private
: In the month of May, 1894, became 81
r fully convinced of the right of my slaves
10 their freedom. and of my duty as I
S Christian TO give it to them, that | pre-
e pared, as well rs now remember, on th'
o first day of June, deed of emancipation
8 for the six had brought with me frou
/ Alabama. ard had i; daily entered OIL
d rc, cri in the Office Of the Couaty Cour
d Of the county in which lived. They a.
< remained with Tue, receiving such wage
i with the exception Of The little girl-a
: WIRE cas-: liGr, in Inc 60 ntry.
L In Ihe previous month of January Q
) Tcbuary, young negro man, held BY III
d la!e Judge Boyle, of Ktn'uckey, earnesli,
e solicited me TO buy him, lest at the 81!
It of the estate lie might be sod to som
y person Of whose character and temper Ia
y knew nothing. At fist | objected, o.
E the ground that intended never agar
p 10 purchase slave, 10 be held in the abso