Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-05-21
VOL. 2.--NO. 40.

hold Of satan could long endure their attacks,
and even the sorceress of slavery would quick
| " fall at their rebuke. But it is not time Of
ult-findfng it is a time to be up and doing.
O that my voice could be heard upon every
hearth stone, to entreat the people to take a
bold stand on the side of liberty; and to plead
with them by all the blessings which they en-
joy, and by every winning tenderness which
meets a responsive throb in the human heart,
to lend us a helping hand; to devote their
prayers, their vetcs and their spmpa;hies 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 and rouse up
the people from their apathy for ravens are
devouring the sacrifice and Why will they
sleep7
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 come right on to Coun-
Gil city, to see John and learn how Christiani-
| ty prospered here. But as you approach the
place you a 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 assemblagc. ssWal, they're going to
hang two OF three id abolitionists," says
one of them. a convulsive shudder almost
takes your breath, and for a moment 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 lynehing affair 2' go no, Ii
is accordin' to law; they're hangin' 'em ac-
cordin' to law" s.What have they done 2"
'Wal, one of 'em printed stuff in his paper a.
gin holdin' niggers; and another one is a
preacher, and preached sarmon agin it; and
t'other one helped a nigger to git off," Not
at all relieved by the idea of hanging aboli-
tionists according to law, you hurry on. The
| citizens ace gathered in clusters here and
there, in apparent anxiety. You perceive that
/ they are mostly eastern men, and wonder how
they can submit to such atrocity but on ap-
preaching the scaffold, you find it guarded by
a band of soldiery. The off-scouring of earth,
drunken and depraved, 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 inoffensive grey headed man; this
is the preacher. The last one is-John In
the impulse Of the moment, you forget where
You are and you rush forward but bayonet
stops you. You apply to the sheriff and OBJ
tain permission TO speak with the prisoner
In your agony you almost upbraid him. owhy
are you here ?-why didn't you keep out of
! this trouble p" s'Wait brother" SAYS no "let
me tell you my story. A short time ago,
victim came to my cabin and begged a 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
ed as if in despair You must be a run-a-
way Master he asked, sars you a Chris-
tian 2, At this, the devil tempted me TO an
swer no, for knew the embarrassment under
which affirmative answer would place me-
But could not, and so answered that hop
&c | was. 'Then, said he, syou could not give
up brother into this miserable servitude'-
The law requires me to do it. sBut the law of
God he responded, his face Frightening as he
spoke, says: sThou shalt not return a 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 it also says, If they per
secutc you in one city Zee into another eAh
but We must be subject to the powers that be-
co. 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
gress the direct commands of God to do so
fell into the hands of a hard master, who
sold my wife and children, aud ordered me to
live with another slave woman. This could
not do, neither according to my religion, nor
my inclinations. So when he fogged me TO
force me into submission, ran away ; and now
he is after with the hounds Please give
me a loaf of bread, and a PAIR of old shoes
which will put on after have gone little
way, 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 enough" The Sheriff
now breaks off your interview and order, the
prisoners to ascend the scaffold. With sick
ming horror in your heart, you turn and hurry
away from that execrable scene You can hard
ly go forward, and you dare not look back
Everything seems floating around you. The
whole earth seems quakeing and about to break
IN pieces, ond you wonder why it don't. AT
ter awhile your mind becomes somewhat com
posed, and looking up to heaven, you resolve
that you will go backand cry out againss this