Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-05-21
VOL. 2.---NO. DO.

taIlS IN our country, pRttcd and true, no strong
hold of satan could long endure their attacks,
and even the sorceress Of slavery would quick
ly fall at their rcbutc. But it is not time of
fault finding; it is time to be up and doing
O that my voice could be heard upon every
hearth stone, to entreat the people to take
bold stand on the side of liberty; and to plead
with them by all the blessings which they en-
ioy and by every winning tenderness which
meets responsive throb in the human heart,
to lend us helping hand; to devote their
prayers, their vetcs and their spmpathies to
our success; and also to fit out their sons and
their daughters. and send them here quickly,
to aid us in planting the standard of peace,
upon the battle ground of freedom. You,
brother, are qualified TO speak and to be heard.
o speak out in this sacred cause anG rouse up
the people from their apathy for ravens are
dcvouring the sacrifice and why viii they
sleep?
Perhaps You may think that my feelings car
ry me away. Well they have carried me to
Kansas. Now suppose that yours should bring
you here too, as doubtless they will do, by and
by. Why, you would conc right on to Coun-
ell city, to see John and learn how Christiani
I ~
place you see gathering in the distance, and
wonder what it can be, whether it is camp
meeting, or what. Then you meet some wild
desperate looking men, and inquire the cause
! Of the assemblage- ssWal, they're going to
hang two or three Id abolitionists,' says
one of them. y conyulsive shuddcr almost
takes your breath, and for momeut you can
not stir nor speak. The earth seems TO roll
! away from beneath your feet, and heaven to
! open wide. But partly recovering, you inquire
further, sis it lynching affair ?'' go no, it
! is accordin' to law; they're hangin' 'em ac-
! cordin' to law" ssWhat have they done s''
ssWal, one of 'em printed stuff in his paper a
gin holdin' niggerS; and another one is
! preacher, and preached sarmon agin it; and
/ t'other one helped niger to git off, Not
/ at all relieved by the idea of hanging aboli-
tionists according to law, you hurry on. The
citizens are gathered in clusters hero and
there, in apparent anxiety. You perceive that
they mostly eastern men, and wonder how
they can submit to such atrocity but ap
preaching the scaliold, you find it guarded by
a band of soldicry. The off-scouring of earth,
drunken and depraved, are cursing and jeering
around. Then the prisoners come forward
The first is determined, resolute and rather
reckless looking man, this is the printer. The
next is an inofIcnsiye grey headed man; this
| is the preacher. The last one is-Jchn. In
the impulse Of the moment, You forget where
! You arc and you rush forward but a bayonet
stops you. You apply to the sheriff and OBJ
tain permission to speak with the prisoner
! In your agony you almost upbraid him. s.Why
are you here ?-why didn't you keep out Of
this trouble ?'' ssWait BROTHER" says he s.let
me tell you my story. short timc ago,
victim came TO my cabin and begged loaf
/ of bread. spoke TO him rather sharply, and
! asked him where he had come from, that he
should be around begging bread. He sigh
cd as if in despair. You must be run-a-
way MASTER he asked, 'are you Chris
tiau ?, At this, the devil tempted me TO an
swcr no, for L knew the embarrassment under
which an affirmative answer would place me.
/ But could not, and so l answered that hop
&C. sThcn,' said he, syou could not give
up brother into this miserable servitude-'-
The law requires me to do it. But the law of
God, he responded, his face frightening as he
! spoke, says: .Thou shalt not return servant
unto his master which hath escaped from his
master unto thee THAT was the Jewish law.
The new Testament says, Servants obey your
masters Yes but ii also says, If they per-
sccutc You in one city fee into another sAh
but We must be subject to the powers that be-
.O,' he replied, 'the apostle adds: For he is
the minister to thee for good. When he be-
comes an agent of evil, how can We then sub:
nit to him in all things, seeing we must trans
grcss the direct commands OF God to do SO
| fell into the hands of a hard master, who
sold my wife and children, and ordered me to
live with another slave woman. This l could
not do, neither according to my religion, nor
my inclinations. So when he hogged me to
force me into submission, ran away; and now
he is after me with the hounds. Please give
me loaf Of bread, and PAIR of old shoes
which will put on after | have gone a little
: wav to confuse the dogs could not refuse,
but gave him what he wanted. Then the
hounds came right to my place, and when his
master inquired around, he ascertained that
one of the neighbors had seen me give him
something. This was enough" The Sheriff
now breaks of -your interview and orders the
prisoners to ascend the scaffold. With sick
ming horror in your heart, you turn and hurry
away from that cxecrablc scene. You can hard
" 10 forward, and you dare not look back
Everything seems floating around You. The
whole earth seems quakeiug aud about TO break
in pieces, ond you wonder why it don't Al
, fer awhile Your mind becomes somewhat com
: posed, and looking up to heaven, you resolve
3 that you will go back and cry out against this
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