Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-04-19
from the London (Ensl ntislavery Reporter.
MANUMISSION OF A SLAVE IN ENGLANI

We beg to call the attention of the friends Of
the Anti-Savcry cause in the United States to the
statement submitted below, and to request them to
use their best efforts TO procure the insertion of
this notice in many of the American abolitionist
and other journals as possible. Our object in
making this request is to place record the fact
Of the subject of this notice having been manu-
mited by his late master, that should the young
man return to America, and unhappily loose his
free papers, and in consequence be subject to in
convenience or be in danger Of his personal liberty,
there may be some readily accessible proof Of his
having been legally emancipated.
We cannot perhaps, do better than first give
his own account of himself as handed to i'm
mediatey after he bad obtained possession of his
free papers 1t is as follows:
L. A. CuAMERovzow, ESQ,
'7REsrEcTED SIR,-You wish me to put down in
writing n few incidents of my experience of
Slavery during the time | was in bonGoge. | have
nothing of anv Importance to communicate in that
respect 1t was my good fortune to have humane
master who treated me kindly and being house
servant or rather slave, saw nothing of planta-
ton life; Sut what did witness OF the accursed
system gave me a dread and adherence Of the
state was placed in. Sir, you are too familiar
with the crueties and barbarihes committed on
slaves for me to say any thing on them here
81 was born a slave. Ny father, Obt Bailey,
owned by one Richardson, consequently | became
the propeaty of my mothers owner. ! was raised
/ in Caroline county, State of Maryland, and Ie-
mained in Slavery until became man grown.
am now about twenty eight years of age. My
slaves name was PuiLIP BAILEY my freeman's
name is JAMES Francis THOMAS. On Saturday
night when | was from home my master was
taken suddenly and seriously i'll, and, after inger
ing n short time in severe pain death put an enc
to his suferings. lie was kind-hearted master
to me, and dreaded change to q new master
so determined to attempt my escape at whatever
cost it mis- ght be- for was convinced that nothing
could be worse, come what might after the kind
ness Ihad received from my deceased master.
felt that nothing could place me in o position 0
a more horrible chsracter than to be in the powe
of a cruel task-master. l had already witnessed
this in the Of many Of my poor iellow-save
changing masters. ! therefore started OF on,
Saturday night in April 1913. 1t was about tel
o'clock, and took the liberty to borrow my lat
masters horse, to facilitate my fight. may hert
remark that my good friend who conveyed me ou
of reach got safe back to his stabng again.
have travelled many thousands OF miles since an(
should it ever be my lot to fall across the path o
that Lorse, guess | would most cheerfuly give
him feed of corn for having been the first means
of enabling me to land on the shores of Ole
England. About three O'Clock in the morning
arrived at village called, believe, Smyrna, abou
forty-fve miles from Denton, the place where wa!
ed about till six o'clock, when | walked quietly or
board a small steamboat bound for Philadelphi;
which reached the next day, without molestatioT
from any one. remained there two or three days
when / received information from the Under
ground Railway officials that my young master wal
in pursuit of me, and making dilgent search aitc
me. Acting upon their advice, dressed mysel
in woman's clothing, and took passage on board {
steamer for New York, where arrived in safety
remained in that city for considerable time, anC
was fortunate enough to fall into good employment
and should have done we'll there but for that dis
grace to America tae passing OF that abomnablt
; Fugitive Slave Law, which compelled me onc
again to resume my fight flOm the slavchunters
This time made for the home of the slave and th
land of the free which | was successful in reach
ling-glorous Old England. Since then | hav
travelled the world over, and by the blessing o
God saved up money enough to purchase my free
, dom. When get back to America ] can set tn
Shareholders at defiance, for l hold in my righ
, hand my papers Of freedom, which | have pur
, chased by the sweat Of my brow. Thanks be t
, Almighty God ,,o,,. u,,,o,,,.,
We have thought it best to give the above mar
ratiye as we received it from the writer. He pre-
cured employment as ships steward, and having
saved E40, placed the amount at our command re
duestng us to negotiate for his freedom. Throeg
the instrumentality of Mr.. Lewis Tappan, OF NeN
= York, a oropositon was addressed to Mr.. Eugen
X. Richardson, the late owner Of Philip Bailey
> who at length consented to make out his forme
slaves manumiseion-paSers, in consideration OF II
= ceiyinr the said sum of Forty Pounds. We appen
a COPY of this curious instrument, which to man
of our readers will probably be quite novelt.
= We would call their attention to It's cautious phri
seolory, and to the vague ard epecious manner !
which the stakeholder refers to the divers goo
causes and considerations Thich moved him
release Philip from Slavery. Not word Is sal