Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1846-04-24
JOHN

The subjoined narrative Of one who was a
thing in republican, but who is a man in mo-
narchical America lis one of the many ~revela-
lions which come to US from the " Cities of
Refuge" which lie beyond the northern boun-
dairy Of this slavery-stricken land. The wri-
ter spent a considerable time with the Cana
dian colonists.
The following account is taken from the
lips of one " who knows what sore " oppres-
slons "mean, for he has felt the same."-
John Little, now at a place called the
"Queen's Bush,' in Canada West, saws he
was raised in North Carolina, thence sold 10
Mississippi, where he remained, till leave
was given to the overseer to give him 200
blows with the paddle. Said he, al could
stand it no longer and run away, my wife ac-
companying me,-was four months on the
way, during which time | never entered a
white mans house, was afraid of every
thing white under heaven. The first CONVEX
sation had with a white man was in the
Stale Of illinois. | would not have met that
one, had it not been unavoidable he howev-
er proved a friend, and told me ! had gone
100 miles out of my way. He kindly offer
ed me any refreshments no had, for he was
on a hunting excursion, and which from fear
l refused, although nearly famished. My
last masters name was Garret. He would
hear neither praying nor singing. and woull
burn every book that met his eve. have
received three hundred lashes upon nv
naked person, about my back and thighs, and
then had salt and pepper applied to prevent
modification. l have been shot at fifteen
times, seven shooting at once, and have now
an ounce ball in my thigh and buck shot w.
ing around it, have had my back and thighs
pounded all to a jelly, with that t~orturing ma
chine, the paddle; and, in consequence of it,
running sores for three months. / have worn
the irons, and had my feet thrust in the stocks
every night for six months, for fear / should
run away, in which position | was obliged to
lay on my back, not being able 10 turn entirely
upon one side or the other. | was released
each morning, after having spent a painful,
wearisome night, unrefreshed, 10 be driven
again to the cotton field, yet was not so bad
ly treated as many others. / have known
eight hundred lashes to be given TO one indi-
vidual without taking life, but they often die.
| learned after l left that my master made
great exertions to get me, not SO much on ac-
count of the $500 he paid for me, as to make
me a public example, or rather to satiate his
blood thirsty vengeance" But said | to Mr..
Llhltg yOuI HidotCi hOulu UOt buICIy lluS
wantonly destroy so much property ! "Poh,"
said he, what do they care for one man, when
they will often gamble away $40 or IL, 900
in enc night. One thousand dollars was of.
fered for me where l was willing to live, and
begged that l might be sold. Said Garret,
if he offer $1,000 l will ask $4,000, and il he
offers $4,000, | will knock him down let
him mind his own business, this is my mig
rer, and III do what ] am a mind to with
him. When slaves are sold, they are cast
into prison at every stopping place on their
Journey. Some enter, detected and heart
broken, cursing the day of their birth, some
singing and dancing" And how often have
we been compelled to listen to the fimsy ar
guments that they are contented, cheerful and
happy. But" said he, "these outward
acts, SO diverse, are the results Of the same
cause, and arc not evidences of happiness,
but, on the contrary, of the deepest misery;
and this is done 10 shake off trouble. The
whip used on the cotton and rice plantations
is a short, heavy stock, long lash, heavily
loaded at the end, beyond which, and form
ing the extreme end, is a silk cracker; every
blow of it lays the flesh open like a ~carver's
knife, and often causes death. After thus
inhumanly tutchering, the perpetrators are
sometimes haunted night and day. They
will keep a candle burning all night. John
Little is not a christian, and the so(test name
he could apply to GaTret was that derii ;
nor meihinks did he speak wide of the truth
The Sabbath, he further remarks, is a day o
general settling up of accounts they coulc
not get time on week days 10 go through tn
long list of defaults, and thus the ar is river
with shTieks of tortured innocence, on Cod
sacred day of rest! What is this, but doini