Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-02-26
From he Tin. HernLd.
True Stories.

held IN the Sixth Presbyterian Church by Henry
Bib, and J. Il, colored men from Canada. !
The former is fugitive from slavery, the latter
is thought to be one.
Henry Bib, is highly intelligent mad ltto
and said to be all excellent speaker He was
held as a slave among the Cherokees, escaped
from bondage several years ago, and has been
living in Canada As the Cherokees are a for
eign nation, and no treaty stipulation for the sur
render of fugitves exists, he is a free man, and
not subject to reclamation.
His history is a sad one He has young
wife and child now in slavery. During the
last eight years, he has made several attempts to
secure their freedom but without success. His
recent visit to this place was made with view
to this object. lie had not seen his companion
for five years, and came here all buoyant with
the hope of recovering her. He went down to
Madison, and there learned to his unspeakable
misery, that his wife and child had been bought
two years ago by Frenchman, somewhere in
Mississippi and that she whom he had lohdly
hoped to rescue from chains, and install as the
free mistress Of his Canada home, had been for
ced down to the EXTREMIST point of degradation
to which woman can be Aeduced. 49,
Hope fled forever-he gave his cause up into
the hands of the Judge of all the Earth, and is
about to return to the cold regions ofthe North,
a heart-broken man.
This is an illustration of the Divine Institu-
ton Of Slavery.
The case of H. is another Illustration We
wondered at the hardihood of the man in speak
ing publicly in Cincinnati, when he declared HIM
self a fugitive from slavery in Kentucky "Bet-
ter not attempt such a thing" we said--"there
are hounds here that will scent you out" He
laughed increduIously, and innocently exclaimed,
"what do they want with poor old man like
me? Chains could not hold me-"
Subsequently, we learned from him the secret
of his security He was a slave once in Mary
land, but had been permitted by his master to
purchase his freedom. Just before this, his wife
and children had been carried to Kentucky by
his masters SON His freedom purchased, his
first desire was to re- join his family. The mas,
ter envc'oped the free papers with great care,
sealed them up, and gave them to II. cautohing
him to let no one see them, or they might be sto-
len, and to give them to the young master 80
soon as he reached his place, so that they might
be well taken care Of AT the same time he ad-
dressed letter by mail to his son, which, H was
told, would give information of his coming
The newly made freeman went on his way re-
joicing, reached Kentucky in due time, and first
sought out the cabin of his wife Good bless
you" said he, chow pretty they did look"
The greetings over, the wife told him he was
expected-the young master had received a let
ter, telling him he must take the free papers and
keep them nobody would know anything about
Iit-and H. could be sold below, This had leak.
ed out through the little girls CT the family whc
had heard their parents talking over the con
tents of the letter, and with the thoughtlessness
of childhood had told what they heard, 10 VIZ
children Of H. ~
He at once resolved on his course. ThG~frce
papers were secretly buried near the cabin; II
appeared before the young master, in apparently
desperate condition, crying out that he hac4os
or that somebody had stolen his freedom papers
So well did he play his part, that the deception
was complete, and the stakeholder thinking al
right, thenccforth treated him as a slave
But, he was too smewd fellow to be kept il
Kentucky; trading expedition to the South wa:
got up: and II-takcn along. He made him
! self extremely seryiceabIe to the young master
who by the time they reached New Orleans, fell
; almost reluctant to part with him, But, the
thing must be done-H. could not be trustee
=. Ina I,st iho bnC, ~,
day when they were to sell me-" said he, 'thC
u Lord tapped young massa on the head with the
fever and then nobody could nurse him but ne ,
j This was his salvation. CLONE" was the Word
and H-was required necessarily as the nf.se
Passage was taken on board steamboat, and in
due time they all reached home safely Before
starting the poor fellow had dug up his free pa.
pcrs, and secrcted them on his person, in the
hope that some time or other the "Lord might
give him a chance to use them" On his re-
turn he buried them again, resolving, however
to escape the first opportunity that might offer.
The time soon came. Every thing was got
ready. He had to navigate with a wife and loul
children, bat he was vigorous and courageous
lie had bag sung at his back into which he
tumbed the little one He took one by the
hand; the mother helped the third; while the
fourth was old enough to "hoe his own row.
On dark night they sailed forth-the free pa
pers not being forgotten-tbe Ohio was not far
distant-a boat had been prepared-the river
was crossed-and, after walking all night, they
found themselves just before break of day at
New Albany
OF the amusing tact he displayed in obtain
ing passage aboard a steamb Dat, his perils when
they stopped at Louisville, and his adventures
up to Cincinnati, we have no room to speak,
i But Cincinnati was reached the State soon ira
versed Canada was gained; and there for the
last fifteen years, he has been living comfortably
on little property, earned by his industry,
His free papers give conclusive evidence of
being genuine. In rescuing his family he CON-
miued penitentary ofence-but is there even