The Ohio star. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1830-1854, 1853-11-30
A Scene il, Boston.

"A scene 1n Boston,
colored girl eighteen years of age, a few
years ago. escaped from Slavery al thg South.
Through scenes of adventure and peril slmest
more strange than fiction can create, she found
her way to Boston. She obtained employment,
secured friends. and became consistent MEM
Der of Q methodist church. She became inter-
es'ed in very worthy young man; Of her own
complexion, who was a member of the same
church. They were soon married. Theit
home, though humble, was the abode oft piety
and contentment. industrious, temperate and
frugal, all their wants were supplied. Seven
years passed away. They had two little boys,'
one six and the other four years ofage These
children, the sons OF free father but of moth.
er who had been q slave, by the laws Of our
Southern States, were doomed to their mothers
fate. These Boston boys, born beneath the
shadow OF Fanueil Hall, the sons efa free citi-
zen of Boston, and educated in the Boston free
school, were by the compromises of the Consilu-
lion. admit ed to be slaves. the property of
South Carolinan planter. The Boston futlier
had no right to his own sons. The law, how
ever, had long been considered dead letter.
The Christian mother, as she morning and even
ing bowed with her children in prayers felt that
they we're safe from the slave hunter, surround
ed as they were, by the churches, the schools
and the free institutions of Massachusetts.
The Fugitive Slave Law was enacted. II re-
vved the hopes of the save-owners. # young,
healthy, energetic mother, with two fine boys.
was rich prize. She would make an excellent
breeder. Good men began to say, 1--WE must
enforce this law; it is one of the compromises
of The Cont tuton." Christian ministers began
10 preach, '.rhe voice oflaw is the voice of God.
There is no higher rule Of duty. We must
send bacd the fugitive and her children; even
though take our sister from the sacramentaF
table OF common Savior.
The poor woman was panic stricken. Her
friends gathered around her and trembled for
her. Her husband was absent from home,
seaman on board one of our Liverpool packets.
She was afrfi1 10 go out of doors, lest some
one from the South should zee her, one day she
was going TO the grocery for some provisions,
her quick and anxious eye caught glimpse of
man proving around, whom she immediately
recognized as from the vicinity of her old home
Of slavery. Almost fain,ing with terror she
haStened home, and taking her two children BY
the hand fed 10 the house of friend. She and
her trembling children were hid in the garret.
In less than one hour after her escape, ths
officer, with writ, came for her arrest.
1t was dark and stormy day. The rain; ffeeZ.
ing it fellswepi in floods through the streets of
Boston. Night came, cold, black aud tempestu-
GUS. At midnight her friends took her in hack;
and conveyed her with her children, to the house
Of her pastor. A prayer-meeting had been dp.
appointed there, al that hour, in behalf of their
suffering sisters. A small group Of stricken
hearts were there assembled. They kueeled
in prayer. The poor mother, thus hunted from
her own. her husband far away, in bitterness
of her anguish. as though her hear, would
break. Her little children trembling before
doom, the enormity of which they were incaE-
able of uPpreciating. cried loudly and uncon.
trollably. The humble minister caught the con.
tagion. His voice became inarticula;e through
emotion. Bowing his head he ceased TO pray.
and ie'ded himself TO the sobbings of sympathy
and gr.ef. The foods of anguish were anloos-
ed. Groaung and lamentations filled the room.
M one could pray. Before the Lord they
could only weep. Other fugitlves were there3
trembling in view of q doom more dreadful 10
| them than dealh.
After an hour Of weeping, for the voice of
prayer had passed away in subllmity of utter
able auguish, they took this Christian mother
and her children, in hack, and conveyed them
10 one of the Curard steamers, which FORUM
| ately waste sail for Halifaxj the next day. They
took them in the gloom of midnight, through
lhetempest swept the streets, lest the slaye-hunt-
sr should meet them. Her brethren and sisters
of the church raised little money from their
scan'y means to pay her passage. and TO save
her, for few days, from starving, after her
| first al rival II the cold land Of strangers. Her
husband SOM returned to Boston to find his
home desoa,e. his wife and his children exiles
in a foreign land. These facts need no word
painting. | think that this narrative may be
relied upon rs accurate. | recsived the facts
from The lips Of one, as member Of the church
who was present ut that midnight '.weeping
meeting," before the Lord, such is slavery in
Boston, III Tho year 1852. Shade of Calhounl
| Has the Noria nothing 10 DO with slavsryl
JOHN s: c. ABBoTT:
Brunswiek, NE. Jan, 1852.
|
INFASTs in HEAvEN.-Beautiful is an infant
whatever way we pcture IL ta our.aI,.s, Tsasu-