The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-08-14

In opposition 10 the laws OF your country
Ny countryp said George, with strong and
bitter emphasis; "what country have but the
graye-sBd wish 10 God that was laid there ~
"Why George, no-no-it won't do-this way
Of talking Is NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. George
you've got n hard master-in fact he is-weli-
he conducts himself reprehensibly-I can't pre-
| tend to defend him. But you know how the an
eel commanded Hagar to return TO her mistress
and submit herself under her hand and the
Apostle sent back 0nesimus to his mastern
''Dop't quote Bible at me that way, Mr. Will
son." said George, with flashing eye, don't
for my wife Is Christian, and | mean TO be, If
ever get TO where can but to quote Bible TO
fellow in my circumstances is enough to make
him give il up altogether. appeal to God Al
mighty I'm willing 10 20 with the case to Him,
and ask Him IL ! do wrong to seek my freedom"
"These feelings are quite natural George
sad the good-uatured man, blowing his nose
6 Yes, they're natural but il is my duty not to
encourage em in yen. Yes, my boy, Pm sorry
for you now; It's a bad case, very bad-but the
Apostle says, 'let every one abide in the condi-
tiun IN which he is called We must all submit
TO the indications Of Providence, George-don't
| you seeg
George stood with his head drawn back, his
arms folded tightly over his broad breast, and a
bitter smile curling his lips
WOuucT, MT w llbou, IL buo
come and take you a prisoner away from your
wife and children, and want to keep you all your
life hoeing corn for them, if you'd think it your
duty TO abide in the condition in which you were
called rather think that you'd think the FIRST
stray horse you could find an indication Of PrOvi-
dence-shouldnt your
The little old gentleman stared with both eyes
at this illustration Of the case but, though not
much Of a reasOner he had the sense in which
some lcgicians on this particular subject excel
that ofsaying nothing where nothing could be said
SO, as he stood carefully stroking his umbrella,
and folding and patting down all the creases in
it, he proceeded on with his exhortations in a
stf&aar way. lFr 81 L. &
"You see, George, you know, now, always
have stood your friend, and whatever pve said
Y So - SsSfv goSS q "a S.;sl sss,sssfsw :
you're running an awful risk-yOu can't hope 10
carry il outfit you're taken it will be worse with
you than ever-theyl only abuse you, and half
kill you, and sell You down riverN
"Mr Wilson, know all this" said George.
| do ron a risk, butn-he threw open his over
coat and showed two pistols and bowie knife
There ~ he said, " Pm ready for eml Down
South never null 90. No II it comes to that,
can earn myself at least six feet Of free soil
the first and last shall ever own in Kentucky"
why, George, this state Of mind is awful it's
geJtiDR really ueSperatt, beOTRe- tm OohO0IHVu'
Going 10 break the laws of your oountryp
any country again! Mr. Wilson, yOn have a
country; but what country have l. or any one
| like me, born Of slave mOthers2 What laws are
there for us? We don't make them-we don't
consent 10 them-we have nothing to do with
them--all they do for us is 10 crush us, and keep
us down. Haven't heard your fourth of July
speeches Don't you tell us all once q year that
Governments derive their just power from the
consent of the governed Can't a fellow think
that hears such things7 Can't he put this and
that together, and see what it comes to 7"
Mr.. Wilson's mind was one of those that may
not unaptly be represented by bale Of cotton
downy, soft, beuevolently fuzzy and confused. He
really ptied George with nll his heart, and had
a sort of dim and cloudy perception of the style of
feeling that agitated him, but he deemed it his
duty to 20 on talking good to him with infinite
pertnaoity.
George, this Is bad | must tell you, you
know, as a friend, you'd better not be meddling
with such notions they are bad, George, very
bad, for boys in your oondition-very !" and Mr..
| Wilson sat down to q table, and began nervously
chewing the handle Of his umbrella
"See here now, MIR Wilson, said George
coming up aud sitting himself down determinate-
| ly in front Of him 4" look at me now Don't sit
before yon every way just as much q man as you
are7 Look at my fsce-look at my hands-look
at my body" and the young man drew himself up
proudly 'why am I not a man ms much as body
Well Mr.. Wilson, hear what ! can tell you
I had father-one Of your Kentucky gentle
| men-who didn't think enough Of me to keep me
from being sold with his dogs and horses to salts
fy the estate when he died. | saw my mother
put up at sheriff's SALE with her seven children.
They were sold before her eyes, one by one, all
to different masters; and ] was the youngest.
She came and kneeled down before old mass'r,
and begged him to buy her, with me, that she
might have at least one child with her, and he
kicked her away with his heavy boot. ! saw him
do 1t and the last that heard was her means
and screams, when | was tied TO his horses neck
to be carried off TO his place.
@Well, then %
envy master trnded with one Of the men, and
bought my oldest sister. She was a pious, good
girl-a member Of the Baptist church-and as
handsome as my poor mother had been. At first
was glad she WAS bought, for had one friend
near me; but-she was well brought up, and had
good manners was soon sorry for IT, Sir
have stood at the door and heard her whipped,
when 10 seemed as IL every blow cut into my
naked heart, and couldn't do anything to help
her; and she was whipped, sir, for vomiting to
live decent and Christian life such as your
laws give no slave girl right to live and Mt last
| saw her chained with traders gang to be sent
TO market in 0rleans-sent there for nothing else
hut that - and that's the last ! know Of her.
Well, grew up-long years and years--no IA
Their, no mother, no sister, not living soul that
cared Tor me more than d0g-nothiug but whip
ping, scolding starving Why, sir, pve been so
hungry that pve been glad 10 take the bones they
threw to their dogs; and yet when ] was little
fellow, and laid awake whole nights and cried, IL
wasn't the hunger, Il wasn't the whipping, | cried
a. "a Nd
terS-it was because hadn't friend 10 love me
on earth never knew what peace or comfort was
never had kind word spoken 10 me till came
TO work In your factory. Mr.. Wilson, you treat
ed me well you encouraged me 10 do we'll and 10
learn 10 read and write and 10 try 10 make some
thing Of myself and God knows how grateful |
am for IT, Then sir, | found my wife you've
seen her You know how beautiful she is. When
| I found she loved me, when ! married her, ]
scarcely could believe was alive, was no happy
| and, sir she is as good as she Is beautiful. But
now what7 Why, now comes my master-takes
me right away from my work and my friends and
all like, and grinds me down Into the very dirt
And wby7 Because, hs says, forgot who ]
was--he says, 10 teach me that am only mig
ger After ALL and last OF all, he comes between
me and my wife, aud says shall give her up, and
live with another woman. And all this your laws
| give him power 10 do in spite Of God OF man
Mr.. Wilson, look at IL. There isn't one Of all
these things, that have broken the hearts Of my
mother and my sister, and my wife and myself, but
your laws allow and give every man power to do In
Kentucky, and none can say 10 him nay! Do
you call these the laws Of my country Sir
haven't any country, any more than ! have any
father. But Pm going TO have one don't want
anything Of your country except TO be let alone
to 90 peaoeably out Of and when get to Can.
| ada, where the laws will own me and protect me
that shall be my country, and its laws will obey
Bat II any man tries TO stop me, let him take care
for am desperate. ri fight for my liberty u
the last breath | breathe You say your fathers
ala II IL was right for them, II 10 right 70,
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