Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-03-16
lO6
An Illustration Of the Mild Slavery a
Washington.
Correspondence Of The True Democrat.
WASHINGTON, Feb, 2S, 1850,

Correspondence Of The True Democrat.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2S, 1850.
A worthy neiglIbor has in his employ an
elderly colored woman, who belonged TO one
of the cbiVnlrous" sons OF Virginia, now u
clerk in one OF the Departments. Owner
and slave arc members of the Methodist
Church. This woman is the motlier Of
thirteen children, and ono after another has
been torn from her aud taken 10 the far
South The last one--a young daughter
upon whom the mother doated--liyed With
her muster aud mistress, but vas treated as
no humane persons would treat brute
Slavery "bos no heart; it cannot fell
Often did her slmieks aud lamentations, as
her brutlsh master applied the CORY lash TO
her naked person, arouse and disturb the
heighbors. This monster, or rather this
Methodist clerk, would often tic her up by
her hands, and apply the lash to her bare
buck until his victim seemed unconscious OF
its sting, or of the presence OF the hardened
ruffiain who guttcd his hellish feelings up
On her. Such was her treatment, aud so
hard her lot, that she begged OF friends TO
buy her, to save her from her toInentors.-
But heavy price was demanded, aud seeing
that all hope of salvation here was at on
end, the girl fed to one Of the slave pens,
and compelled her cruel tyrant 10 sell her TO
the traders. She preferred the cotton fields
of Georgia TO the mild slavery of Washing
ton City. Her father, with all her brothers
and SISTERS, had been taken TO the Southern
market before her, aud the mother in her
old age was left alone. Having raised
large family for her brother and sister IN the
church, who had realized good profits by
their sale, aud thereby furnished them means
10 aid the missionary in the conversion of the
heathen, or in promoting the "pedce of our
own Zion," she desired TO go to the grave
free woman. She had worn herself out in
their service, her husband and children were
no more, all the tenderest ties of earth had
been snapped osuDder by tho cruel hand of
nvnrice, and she begged, as last request,
her freedom. But no! this "chipalrous !"
Virginian-this brother in the church.
could not afford to give away so much prop
afy. lie would, however, sell her to her
self cheap; he would take, in consideration
of her good behavior, t,co hundred and my
doLidTSi With the advice of her friends, a
paper was drawn up, and the old lady raised
snall sum, Which, added TO her earnings,
loft but fifty dollars the masters due. She
desired time to earn this, and time was
gIanted, on condition chat her master had
four dollars per month extra. Nothing dis
NOWdStu, tOhNN Oht pNe
she was at last Frustrated by sickness, and,
while burning with n severe fever, the mas
ter and mistress were appriscd Of her situa-
ton, but they visited her not, nor did they
minister in the least degree to he wants.
Verify, "inasmuch as ye did itnot TO one of
the least of these, ye did il not TO me-" Re
covered, at length, she resumed her task, but
while eagerly and faithfully engaged i'll its
performance, she was seized by the consta-
bic and taken to Virginia and placed under
an overseer as " field hqnd" in the service
of relation of her master. Hope then
died within her, but that Eye which never
kleeps had seen her deep Affections, and her
prayers for liberty were heard. The cruelty
Of ler oppressoT became swift witness
against him, The head of his Bureau was q
Northern man, not uniricndly to the slave,
and foe to tyranny aud injustice. The re-
knorseless, sin-hardened wretch was waited
upon by a friend of mine and told distinct
ly that no could make his choice, either 10
recall the old woman and give her free pa
pers, or let her remuin, and lose his Office
lie saw the danger of decupitation, and, by
the force of circumstances, was compelled
10 do right.
This in the mid slavery of the District, TO
tnlk of which, or create agitation about il,
is, according to WINTHROP, mischievous,
and productive of no goods brushing in
where angels fear to tread"
Yours, CATO.