Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-06-10
PROPERTY STEALING ITSELF.

The Richmond Wal Enquirer thus alludcs to the
increasing insecurity Of human "propert5" Of fir-
ginia Shareholders.
ESCAPE OF SLAvEs.-The Norfolk Beacon of Wed.
nesday announces the escape Of FIVE more slaves to
the North, the property of William w. Hall Sig
dya has the following on the same subject; "The
practice Of stealing slave property is daily in
creasing. 1t is now almost daily occurrence for
negroes to escape TO the North On Tuesday three
more, the property Of Messrs. Camp, Dalrymple
and Crowder editor Of the Argus, made their es.
cape"
This mental and moral bewiljermont which 50
confounds all distinctions Of right and wrong, and
the significance Of the most common words is both
ludicrous and pitiable. Were ever good and evil,
light and darkness, truth and falsehood honesty
aud fraud more shockingy reverstd7
The Virginia slaycbreeder who scizes the new
born babe, born in his own house and dooms il from
its birth TO n life Of slavery, may be n very honest
citizen and worthy Christian but the plundered
slave who after years Of suffering, cScares from
his plundercrs to freedom, has stolen himself and
every humane or generous man who responds to
the fugitive's appeal for sympathy and help in his
! Eight for freedom, is also thief. Monstrous as
are these perversions Of and TRUTH they are
but the natural fruit Of system which, barren Of
all good, is fertile only in mOnttrostics. Deeply
they may grieve, they cannot surprise intelligent
and thoughtful men, for they have long since
learned to expect evil and only evil from slavery.
They know it is the parent Of all vices and crimes
that IT nourishes and aggrayates all bad passions
that it can live only in an atmosphere Of falsehood
: and in the darkness Of Ignorance.
This migratory epidemic, which is carrying of
so many of the slaves Of Virginia, is by no mean,
confined to the border States The afliction j,
sorely felt, even in the far South, where slavery
holds undisputed sway and where escape from is
power, except through Deaths dark gate, seems
altogether hopeless. fetters and dungeons over.
seers and watchmen, bloodhohnds and professional
slave hunters, and the terrors of punishment in
cted on the recaptured fugitive, all insufficient
TO deter men, Kidnapped and enslaved from at
tempting to regain tlieir liberty An illustration
of this truth lies before us in half column of ad-
vertscments clipped from the New Orleans Plea
yne of April 20th, which contains elepen advertise
ments Of runaway slaves all offering rewards from
twenty-five to two hundred dollars each for their
apprehension.
The descriptions Of these runaways are interest
ing as an index to their character and capacity to
provide for themselves "Joe, griff, 90 years of
age, is spare, trim and genteel in appearance has
been employed ON the up-river boats as steward
and cook" Joe had evidently improved his stew
ardship to good purpose. Austin, 81 years old,
: is good cook barber, and carriage driyer quite
sprghty and has good address," lie was sup
posed to have been lost on steamer that was
burned, hut is now believed to have escaped under
cover Of that disaster two hundred dollars is off
fered for his capture" lie will surely strike on
his feet in the leap he has taken "Branford is
n light colored, fine looking boy of 2l years"
Harrison, aged % years, has dark complexion,
has scar high up ON his forehead, is very polite
in his address, is very good carpenter and plays
the violin, and hundred dollars is offered for him
; he will hardly "starvo" in Canada. William
grhi so years old six feet high, very straight and
slender, speaks French and English is n carpenter
J by trade and Methodist preacher"
! Edmund light grif - years old, speaks frtncl
\ and English, is cook" "William, 25 years old
u nnnrlv white hlua cvce li0ht hair slendar bu;l
:, and straight, good house servant" &C., &c.
~ ~ These will serve as specimens Of the appearance
C occupations and ability Of these sefemancipate
= men. For men with such recommendations ther
! is no lack of honorable and eompensating employ
= = ment, MS frecmen, beyond the reach of the slave
:. hunters lash. Though all these escapes are I
!, the mlliors enslaved but as drop from the sea
i they show an increasing intelligence. entcrprs
- and freedom of spirit among the colored popula
y ton, and this is hopeful omen.-Pa. freeman.