Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-02-16
The Underground Railroad.

The underground Railroad, as is we'll known,
Is the phrase popularly used to designate the
secret means Of conveyance by which Northern
abolitionists transport slaves from the South,
sometimes into the Northern States, but more
commonly into Canada. 1t is said to have re-
ceived ts name from the exclamation of a
Kentucky slave owner, who, having lost all
track Of an escaped slave on the other side of
the Ohio, said with an oath: "The abolition
lists must have q railway under the ground by
which they run off niggers." The Rev. w.
M. Mitchell, of Toronto, has published in En-
gland a book on this subject: the book itself
we have not seen, ,but we CLEAN few facts from
one oftwo notices Of it.5No 91i 90 'cG3
q Mr.. Mitchell Ia anative of North Carolina.
HE father was negro, and his mother an In
dian woman. He was thus born free, and al
ways remained free. He was apprenticed to o
planter, and spent twelve years among the
slaves Of plantation, during the last Eve years
as their manager and driver. His convictions
against slavery having grown very strong, he
became one OF the most active helpers Of es-
capped slaves across the United States. This
was his employment from l643to 1856. Since
then he has resided In Canada, devoting himself
to the spiritual and temporal interest Of the
fugitives. af hl0c 1s.
If Mr.. Mitchelps statistics be correct, no less
than twelve. hundred slaves are annually con-
yeyed into Canada; though we cannot but be
incredulous as to the amount. They are taken
from one friend to another, and only by night,
until the borders Of Canada are reached. Six
TO twelve miles are the ordinary journey of
a single night. Ofcourse, such system must
embrace great many persons, and have amor
eanization not unlike that Of postal depart
inent; and we cannot wonder atithe amount Of
irritation and exasperationl 1t has produced at
the South, and that it forms an important item
in the list of grievances which the South records
arainst the North. u lHa 99d2gd NV
In Canada it is estimated that there are ncv
forty Ave thousand fugitive slaves from the
United States. The negroes AREA gregFieous
race, and they are disposed to settlein villages
ana towns, and to cling together. They are
said TO be better farmers than the Irish, or even
| the Canadian French. The thousand fugitive
slayes in Toronto wash linen, make shirts, are
blacksmith, bricklayers, carpenters sshoemak-
| ara. painters, &c. There are ak colored groc
| ers n the town, and there is one colored physil
clan, One fugitive slave is worth % hundred
thousand dollars. But the Headquarters Of the
negro race in Canada is Chatham, on the
T6ames. OF its population Of six thousand
| tvo thousand are e6lofedgs OF the material
urosperity, as well as Of the moral worth of tht
negro race In Canada, we have conflicting ac-
couunts; naturally enough, as each mans repor
4 is colored by his prepossessions.l An accurat,
4 and unbiased statement Of their moral, social
material, and sanitary condition would be o
/ considerable value. We should be surprised u
learn that this trouical race thf0ve well in th,
1 rirotous climate Of Canada II "a
No wise and rejecting man can approve Of tn
underground railroad; and yet, rs 60 many me-
\ detiye their motives solely from their sentiment
IL IL easy to see that 1t lsuot likely to STOP
4 lessen It's operations. II Is we'll for the mis-
taken men as the South, who are advocatin
1dIauhiop, 70 reflect what hesesult Will be II tb