Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1850-10-03
Sam. A. E1iot,s Life of Fugitive slave.

Josiah Henson, presently Of Dawn Mills, Canada, /
was born in Maryland 17S9, and was held a slave.
The cruelty, Injustice brutality and utter hearteszness
Of his enslavers, converted him from Of the most
willing to one Of the most dissatisfied Of bonden and
eventually compelled him seek refuge, with his wife
and family, in Canada. The energy and talents Of Mr.
Henson soon raised him to be leader amongst the ne
groes in Canada; and he became an active agent in the
establishment of the Dawn Mil Colony. which is the
property Of fugitive negroes, and the refuge OF slaves
from the United States.
The friends Of the f4gtirs in New England, believed
that account of the life of Mr.. Henson would be use
full to the interests Of the colony and accordingly that
life was written-Mr Henson supplied the facts SAM
A. ELIOT, Of Boston, who voted for the Fugitive
Slave Bill, supplied the autobiography, synta, rhetoric
deductions and reflections
Here Is the description Of the sale Of Mr.. Henson's
mother, brothers and sisters his father had been pre-
viousy Alabama, and was never heard Of again
by his family.
"My brothers and sisters were bid off one by one,
while my mother, holding my hand, looked on in an
agony Of grief the of which but i'll understood
at first, but which dawned my mind, with dreadful
cearness the sale proceeded. Ny mother was then
sePaf@sa from me. and put up in her turn; she was
bought and then was offered to the assembled nur
ehasers.''
His mother pushed to her masters feet, while the
sale Of her boy proceeding, and besousht him to
buy him,
she tell at his feet and clung to his knees enreat-
ing him. IN tones that mother only could command
10 puy her baby as well herself and spare to her
OF her little ones at least VIII it, can it be believed
that this man, thus appealed to- capable not mere
y OF turning deaf her duplication, but Of dis
engaging himself from her with such .iole, bosus nm,
kicks TO reduce her the necessity of reranp ant If hi
reaeh.''
Men Of Massachusetts! Samuel A. Eliot Of Bos,or
has voted that his friend, Mr. Henson, shall be sen
back to brute like this If he ever ventures AGAIN
set foot in New England.
In the 4sth page of Mr. Henson's Life, Samuel
Eliot makes the poor fugitive negro say, in relation
his escape to Canada
81 felt that should be safer under an entirely
jurisdiction. The slave States had their eissaries
the Others, and found that might fall into thei
hands, and need stronger protection than might be al
forded me by public opinion in the Northern States"
NOW be 1t recolected that this is the rhetoric am
iogic not OF an illiterate slave, but of Samuel A. Eliot
IN the name OF fugitive slave and then be recolect
ed that when the public opinion Of the North was TO
strong for all the purposes of slavery, Samuel A. Elo
voted to suppress that public opinion, and all the mani
fesations of it, with fine and imprisonment He pitie
and befriended Josiah Henson. He has harbored am
shaken hands with him; and now he votes him shack
les and letters, if ever he dares to approach his doc
again.
Does Samuel A. Eliot think it a virtue to obey hi
law that he has voted for? Then he thinks II Writ,
to betray his friends and deny the purest instincts
human nature. Friendship and love are higher virtue
than conformity to slave statutes, although recrean
coward may believe otherwise Think Of Mr.. He,
sons historian and sympathiser, voting for his retur
to chains and slavery. Alas Samuel A. Eliot. tber
are no limits to the abomnabe nature Of your treason
and the depth of your aposacy Did it ever occur f.
ms Damon, this Orestes; rather this member of thu
family oil Inkle, when he wrote the life of this f,gv
slave that he wovd sanction and approve this mos
diabolical OF laws, the Fugitive Slave Bill?