New-York daily tribune., 1858-11-02
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
A STORY OF THE UNDERGROUND RAu.
ROAD.

fbpaD
To the Edi,o, S The y. y. T'isvne.
SlE: Take away from History It's long rrsy
names, Of dates, and of places, aud il woui " ~
shorn of interest as to read like fabulous e,a
While the historian aboriously searches out, and e,
fully set. up in their appropriate place the~ ilssr.
posts in the career Of individuals aud nations ah,
to me a. carefully to conceal them from observstr.
While be may immortalze names that are na, Ian
compelled to glorify those only which are tctteus
The dictates of humane necessity force ON iu.s .
fase position. But upon the great controlling qaeston
Of fact We occupy common ground. He precsos mar
be greater but his facts cannot be- stronger lie dsas
with the dead past; chronicle the living, breathing
present. If my story, then, be lacking in everything
deemed essential to legitimate history do not cad
aside as unworthy of belief BE generous too in yor
estimate Of its mesgerness knowing the con.,rss
under which il is written But the fact. as stated, nc
only without embellshment, bnt u some care. prunsi
of fncidentr, sometimes romantic sometimes shocking,
lest their singuary might lead To dangerous denia.
cations, literally true.
Some monshs ago, il matters rot how many, lsrs
was living somewhere in Virginia negro voaal
some fifty years of age, named Katy. She hal been
married accoring to the religious code OF the SOgh
by a ceremony which pledged the twain to eid O4r
during their lives, urless otherwise unavob,sby
separated" Katy was a virtuous woman, sni ~
long ~ her husband lived faithful to her msuA
vow, Notwithstanding that temptations to violIs
il, held ont by her master any times set b.
fore her. These temptations increneiD iercenesa
time rolled on until resistance implicated her unhappy
husband. lie goaded to msiuess by the tasnt'
and hes, aud threns OF his licentOus master. Bui
resistance seemed hopeless Punishment he knew
would follow, yet he did resist, and forbid hs covsHy
owner t0 touch his wife. The wretch struck hn p9
cha,tel with q club ond the chattel instantly iete
him to the earth. Preventing the rape Of 5ws,
according to the plantation decalogue, ws "i'0-
leuce." but the mos. swfnl retrbu;op maa 64Ov
this energetic assertion Of bis manhood. lie Tn
taken in front Of bis own cabin there bis hsas ni
feet were tied to four stakes driven into the g'sA
for the purpose, aud his naked body e1posed TO TO
lash. Fast and heavy the bloody thongs descenaei
with remorseless energy upon his quisering back
His wife and two children. shriekng with horefipm
the spectacle Of husband aud father tortuvdfDa'
barbarorsly at his own door, fed weeping non 'a'
cabin. But tie plantation despOt drove then -
and compelled them to remain within hearing iDe''
they listened to the Wild shrsks Of an swial ss'"'
they were poverless to mitigate, until nature s'''
way. Tie strong man was crushed shneks cav
way 10 groaBs-bis body ceased to qu''e'-'' "pr
haf was nothing but mass Of beedisg ra~ness' cue
into awful slashes. and most horrible to ook a. h'
hand. and feet were looseneJ, but he made no "
the poor creature lad been beaten insep@Vr ~
vss flung, ike a dead hog, into bis Ire eso,..'
bed. TO couch, only the dirt floor to lie on' '",s
without physician, medicine, or rurse, DC T.
alone with his wife. But nursing, or nedians'"
sicisn availed nothing now. lie died os'"'
break-literally whipped to death. feoogn 'D
years and years ago, yet Katy even no" "sep 49,.
child when repeating the detail. oi THIS hsh'&" -,
rage. The poor lacers;ed body was taken ~
buried Ike dog. Nothing WAS said on 'e
ton or in tie neighborhood about hi, inierns. 1"
none but blacks had witnessed it, and they sss ~
remorrrate II the Deigbboripg PlsStsr' hesrd .
they prndcutly made no inquiry Negroes were ".
leut, Gud must be punished, and q hke aceias"
possibly occur with them, when tney should ne'S
same forbearsnce they pow prac'eed. 80
Til. murder left Kstys widow with two eaDn'-,
bo,h girls. If ter and twelve years Old. Ii sss JAZZ
No IL her a de,srrnins resolution to break sssS "
be free. and hereupOn the latent energy Of hsf Hsr.
came into powerful action. She knew that mooe} =,
ipdispeusabls, so she worked, and toied between
ths, her vJtuous resi tsnce can-ei her mater
creese in severity, sld by tIaficking with the
around &C IN ulef 81 a email sam. But i teok 's'-y
year to GO so During this lorg night OF o"nA,
she bal no human sympathy bat her own nh<NA.., 80.
determination to b. free. Mesnwhile her t~o 81.
grown large enough to be prohnlbis ss ofeeasif
been marricd to fellow slaves % the SANE p'sh'S y,
Each had rov three children. Kay "a" WIZ IA
there rev impedinents to Liberty sprosns " a,' ss
her, bot without The power to p'evenI IL -, "a
tta- she could easiy provide for her own 81 'a1 ,,r
fight, but was resolved 10 leave neiiHef o''' a.
erandclild in soudage. She saw too. that tDes -
cumbranees were iDcresrng in shnber, m@
master was becoming embansssed IN ia' A' sin.
and ,ha, s.mc of them mast be sod % NII .sr. bs
II might be her own oh.pring who woa'a ,ws
,,Len While they were united therefore 'nss
,,r ,hsm 70 Az. The fight agreed upon, prepA''