Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-12-21


pose of as follows I am myself; you are your
self; we are two distinct persons. What you
are | am You are man, and so am |. God
created us both, and made us separate beings
l am not by nature bound to you, or you to me.
Nature does not make your existence depend on
me, or mine upon yours. l cannot walk upon
your legs, or you upon mine. cannot breathe
for you, or you for me must breathe for my
self, and you for yourself We are distinct per-
sons, and are each equally provided with lacul-
ties necessary to our individual existence. In
leaving you took nothing but what belonged
to me, and in no way essened your means of
obtaining an honest living. Your faculties re-
manned yours, and mine became useful TO their
rghtful owner. therefore see no wrong in
any part of the transaction. 1t is true, went
off secretly, but that was more your fault than
mine. Had let you into the secret you would
have defeated the enterprise entirely; but for
this l should have been really glad to have made
you acquainted with my intention to leave.
You may perhaps, want to know how like
my present condition. am free to say great
ly prefer it to that which occupied in Maryland.
am, however, by no means preiudiced against
that State as such. Its geography, climate, fer
tility and products, are such as to make it very
desirable abode for any man; and but for the
existence of slavery there it is not impossible
that might again take up my abode in that
State 1t is not that love Maryland less, but
freedom more. You will be surprised to learn
that the people at the North labor under the
strange delusion that if the slaves were emanci-
pated at the South, they would all flock to the
North. So far from this being the case, in that
event, you would see many old familiar faces
back again at the South. The fact u.s. there are
few here who would not return to the South in
the event Of emancipation. We want to live in
the land Of our birth, and to lay down our bones
by the side of our fathers; and nothing short of
an intense love of freedom keeps US from the
South. For the sake of this, most of us would
live on crust of bread and a cup of cold water
Since | left you, | have had rich experience;
have occupied stations which never dreamed
ofwhen slave Three out of the ten years since
LETT you, spent as common laborer on the
wharves of New Bedford, MASSACHUSETTS 1t was
there | earned my first free dollar 1t was mine.
could spend it as pleased. l could buy hams
or herring with it, without asking any odds of
anybody, This was precious dollar to me-
You remember when used to make seven or
eight dollars, or even nine dollars a week in
Baltimore you would take every cent of it from
me every Saturday night, saying that I belonged
to you, and my earnings also. | never liked
this conduct on your part-to say the best,
thought it little mean. l would not have SER
we'd you so, But let that pass.
After abiding to the wonderful change which Free
dom has wrought in his condition, and the new and
unexpected delights and higher life it has opened to
him, he thus continues -
So far as my domestic affairs are concerned,
can boast Of as comfortable dwelling as your
own | have an industrious and neat compan-
ion, and four dear children--the Oldest girl Of
nine years, and three fine boys, the oldest eight,
the second six, and the youngest four years old
The three oldest are now going regularly to school
two can read and write, the other can spell
with toerable correctness words Of two syllables
Dear fellows they are all in comfor table beds
and are sound asleep, and are perfectly secure
under my own roof There are no Shareholders
here to rend my heart by snatching them from
my arms, or blast proud mothers dearest hopes
by tearing them from her bosom. These dear
children are ours-not to work up into rice, SUI
gar, and tobacco, but to watch over, protect ,anC
to rear them up in the nurture and admonitior
of the gospel-to train them up in the paths O
wisdom and virtue, and, as far as we can, t.
make them useful to the world and to themselves
Oh sir, stakeholder never appears to me Sc
completely an agent of hell, as when I thinl
of and look upon my dear children. 1t is ther
my feelings rise above my control. meant II
have said more with respect to my prosperit
and happiness, but thoughts and feelings which
this recital has quckened, unfit me to proceed
further in that direction The grim horrors o
slavery rise in all their ghastly terror before me
the walls of millions pierce my heart and chill
my blood. ] remember the chain, the gag, the
bloody whip, the deathike gloom overshadowins
the broken spirit of the fettered bondman, the
appalling liability of his being torn away from
vile and children, and sold like beast in The
market Say not that this is picture of fancy
You we'll know that wear stripes on my bacI
inflicted by your direction; and that you whi
we were brothers in the same chulch. caused
this right hand, with which am now pennin,
this letter, to be closely tied TO my left, and m
person dragged at the pistols mouth, fifteen mile
from the bay side to Easton, to be sold like
beast in the market, for the alIedged crime c
intending to escape from your possession Al
this and more you remember, and know to b
perfectly true, not only Of yourself, but of tn
shareholders around you.
AT this moment, you are probably the guilt
holder of at least three Of my own dear sister
and my only brother in bondage. These yo
regard as your property. They are recorded q
your ledger, or perhaps have been sold to h
man flesh mongers with view to filling yov
ever hungry purse. Sir, desire to know no
and where these dear sisters are. Have you so
them, or are they still in your possession? VIII
has become Of them, are they living or dead Z?
And my old grandmother, whom you turned o
like an old horse to die in tho uoods So al