Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1849-04-27
Abolition Of Slavery in Massachusetts,.

The last communication from o Sex
ton of the old School," in the Boston
Transcript, contains some interesting
particulars Of slavery and its abolition in
Massachusetts. We make the following
extracts:
" In answer TO the question, how sla.
very had been abolished in Massachu.
sets 7 DR.. Belknap answered "by public
opinion" He considers that slavery
came to an end, in our Commonwealth,
in 1888. After 1881, there were GER
iainly very few, who had the brass to
offer negroes for sale openly, in the
newspapers of Boston. Public opinion,
a. d. 8o!knnp SAYS, was accomplishing
this work.
"He says-'T The present constitution
of Massachusetts was established in 1890.
The first article Of the declaration of
rights assert that all men are born free
and egual." This was inserted, not
merely as a moral or political truth, but
with a particular view to establish the
Liberation Of the negroes on a general
principle, and so it was understood by
The people at large; but some doubted
whether this were sufficient. Many of
the blacks taking advantage Of The public
opinion, and ofthis general assertion, in
the bill OF rights, asked their freedom and
obtained it. Others took it without leave.
Some Of the aged and inhrm thought il
most prudent TO continue in The families,
where they had been we'll used, and ex-
perience has proved that they acted right.
In 1881, at the court in Worcester coun-
~, an indictment was found against a
white man for assaulling, beating and i'm
prisoning a black. He was tried at the
Supreme Judicial Court in 1888. His
defence was that the black was his slave,
and that the beating, &C., was the neces-
sary restraint and correction of the mas
ter. This was answered by citing the
aforesaid clause in the declaration of
rights. The Judge and Jury were Of
opinion that he had no right TO beat or
imprison the negro. He was found gull
ty and fined forty shillings. This deci-
sion was a mortal wound 10 Slavery in
Massachusetts,
"The prohibition Of the traffic in 1888,
grew out of public indignation, produced
by the act of one Avery, from Connect.
cut, who decoyed three black men on
board of his vessel under pretence oil
employing them and while they were
at work below, proceeded TO sea, having
previously cleared for Marlinico. The
knowledge of this outrage produced a
great sensation. Gov. Hancock. and NJ.
L'Eiombe, the French Consul, wrote in
favor Of the kidnapped negroes, 10 all the
West India Islands. Apetilion was pre-.
scented to the Legislature from the mem.
bers Of the association of the Boston
Clergy, another from the blacks, and one,
at that very time from the Quakers, was
lying on The table for an act against
equiping and insuring vessels, engaged
in the traffic, and against kid~nappers.-
Such &C, was passed March &c, 1888.
"The poor negroes, carried off by that
arch villain, Avery. were offered for sale
in the island Of ST. Bartholomew. They
told their story publicly-magna est yer
uas-lhe Governor heard and believed
1.-THE sale was forbidden. An inhabit
ant of the island-a Mr.. Atherton o
blessed memory-became their proiec
tor, aid gave bonds for their good beha
vior for six months. Letters confirming
their story arrived. They were sen, or
their way home rejoicing, and arrived il
Boston on the following 29th day of July
4" 1t appears by a census, taken by or
der of Government in the last month o
1854, and the first month of 1855, tina
there was then in the Provinces Of Mas
sachusetts Bay 2717 negro slaves of AM
oger sixteen years Of age. OF these
9S9 belonged TO Boston. This table ma.
be found in M. II. c. XIII, 95.