The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-04-01

ped the congratulations of the throng; you
all remember our good old Uncle Tom I! -
George here gave short narration of the
scene of his DEATH and of his loving farewell
to all on the place, and added
at was on his grave my friends, that re-
solved, before God, that would never own an
other slave, while it was possible to free him;
that nobody, through me, should ever run the
risk of being parted from home and friends
and dying on a lonely plantation, as he d>N
So when you rejoice in your freedom, think
that you owe it to that good old soul, and pay
it back in kindness to his wife and children.
Think of your freedom. every time you see
| UNCLE TOMS CABIN; and let it he n memo
rial to put you all in mind to follow in his
steps, and be as honest and faithful, and
| Christian, ~ he was
CHAPTER XLIV.-Coneiuding Remarks.
The writer has often been inquired of, by
correspondents from different parts of the
country whether this narrative is true one I;
and to these inquiries she will give one general
answer.
The separate incidents that compose the
narrative are, to very great extent authen-
tic, occurring many of them either under her
own observation or that of her personal friends.
She or her friends have observed characters
| the counterpart of almost all that are here in
troduced; and many Of the sayings are word
| for word as heard herself or reported to her
The personal appearance of Eliza, the char
acter ascribed to her, are sketches drawn from
life. The incorruptible fidelity, piety, and
honesty. of Uncle Tom, had more than one
development to her personal knowledge Some
of the most deeply tragic and romantic, some
of the most terrible incidents, have also their
parallel in reality. The incident of the moth
er's crossing the Ohio river on the ice is a we'll
known fact The story Of 81 old Prue," in the
second volume, was an incident that fell under
the personal observation of brother of the
writer, then collecting clerk to a large mercan-
tile house, in New Orleans. From the same
source was derived the character of the planter
Legree. Of him her brother thus wrote, speak
ing of visiting his plantation, on collecting
tour; He actually made me feel of his fist
which was like blacksmith's hammer or
nodule of iron telling me that it was cal
loused with knocking down niggers.' When
left the plantation, drew a long breath, and
felt as if had escaped from an ogre's dem
That the tragical fate of Tom, also, has too
many times had its parallel, there are living
witnesses, all over our land, to testify Let il
be remembered, that in all Southern States il
is principle of Jurisprudence that no person
of colOred lineage can testify in suit against
white, and it will be easy to see that such
a case may occur, wherever there is q man
whose passions outweigh his interests, and a
slave who has manhood or principle enough to
resist his will. There is, actually nothing to
protect the slaves life, but the character of the
master. Facts too shocking to be eontempla-
ted occasionally force their way to the public
ear, and the comment that one often hears
made on them. is more shocking than the thing
itself 1t is said, 'Very likely such cases may
now and then occur but they are no sample Of
general practice If the lawso New England
were 80 arranged that master could nOw and
| then torture an apprentice to DEATH without
possibility of being brought to justice, would it
be received with equal cOmposurel Would it
be said "These cases are rare, and no samples
of general practice This injustice is an
inherent one in the slave system-it cannot
exist without it.
The public and shameless sale of beautiful
mulatto and quadroon girls has acquired
nOtoriety from the incidents following the
capture of the Pearl We extract the follow
ing from the speech of Hon. Horace Mann one
of the legal counsel for the defendants in that
case. He says " In that company Of seventy
six persons, who attempted, in l84S, to escape
from the District of Columbia in the schooner
Pearl, and whose officers ] assisted in defend
ing, there were several young and healthy
girls, who had those peculiar attractions OF
form and feature which cOnnOsseurs prize 10
highly Elizabeth Russell was one of them
She Immediately fell into the saye-trader's
fangs. and was doomed for the New Orleans
market. The hearts Of those that saw her
were touched with pity for her fate They
offered eighteen hundred dollars TO redeem her
and some there were who offered TO give that
would not have much left after the gift but
the fend of slavc-trader was inexorable She
was despatched to New Orleans; but when
about half way there, God had mercy on her.
and sm0te her with death. There were two
girls named Edmundson in the same company.
| When about to be sent to the same market an
older sister went to the shambles. to plead
with the wretch who owned them, for the love
| of God. to spare his victims He bantered her,
telling what fine dresses and fine furniture
| they would have Yes she said, that may
do very well in this life, but what will become
of them in the next' They two were sent 10
New Orleans, but were afterwards redeemed,
Mt an enormous ransom. and brought back"
| Is il not plain from this that the histories of
Emmeline and Classy may have many counter
parts
Justice. too. obliges the author to state that
the fairness of mind and generosity attributed
TO St Clare are not without parallel as the
following anecdote will show. A few years
since. Young Southern gentleman was in
| Cincinnati. with a favorite servant who had
been his personal attendant from boy. The
Young man took advantage OF thus opportunity
to secure his own freedom, and fled to the pro-
lection of a Quaker, who was quite noted in
affairs Of this kind The owner was exceed
inply indignant He had always treated the
slave with such indulgence, and his confidence
in his affection was such, that he believed he
must have been praetced upon to induce hun
10 revolt from him lie visited the Quaker, in
high anger but being possessed OF uncommon
! candor and fairness was soon quoted by ms
ARGUMENTS and representations. Ii was side
Of the subject which he never had heard
never had thought on; and he immediately
told the Quaker that, if his slave would, TO ms
own face say that it was his desire TO be free,
he would liberate him An interview was
forthwith procured, and Nathan was asked by
his Young master whether he had ever had
any reason to complain Of his treatment In
any respect .,.u
aNo. mass'r," said Nathan; you've always
been good to me-
"Well, then, why do you want to leave
me in :,
Mass'r may die, and then who would get
me- I'D rather be free man
After some deliberation, the young master