Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1863-01-01

with its silvery hue | viewed with
interest the stars as they appeared, one
after another, in the firmament Ii was
then and there that.I studied nature in
its lonely grandeur, and saw in it the
goodness of God, and felt that He who
created so much beauty, and permitted
the fowls of the air and the beasts of the
field to roam at large and be free, never
intended that man should be the slave
Of his 1ellow-man | resolved that |
would be bondman no longer; and,
taking for my guide the north star, l
started for Canada, the nesro's land Of
liberty For many weeks [ travelled
by night, and lay by during the day.
O, how often, while hid away in the
forest, waiting for nightfall, have |
thought Of the beautiful lines | once
heard a stranger recite:
%, hail Columbia happy lard
The cradle land Of liberty
Where none but negroes bear the brand,
Or feel the lash ol slavery.
And drown "l}gitt0nia rules the waves =
Strike up the song that men can feel
Colnnbia rules four millions slaves
At last [ arrived at a depot Of the
underground Railroad, took the crPress
rajR, and here | am.
, sYou are welcome, said Colonel Rice,
as he rose from hiss chair, walked to the
window and looked cut, as if apprchen-
sive that the fugitiye'a pursuers were
near by. ~You are welcome, . continued
he; "and I viii aid you on your way to
Canada, for you are not safe here.
HAre you not afraid Of breaking the
laws by assisting this man to escape?'
remarked Squire Loomis.
II care not for laws when they stand
in the way of humanity" replied the
colonel.
"If you aid him in reaching Canada,
and we should ever have a war with
England, may be he'll take up arms
and fight against his own country, = said
the squire.
The fugitive eycl the aw-abiding man
attentivcly for moment, and then ex-
claimed, s'Take up arms against my
country. What country, sir, have !?
The Supreme Court of The United States,
and the laws Of The South, doom me to
be the slave Of another There is not a
foot Of soil over which the stars oad
stripes wave, where I can stand and be
prGtectel by law I I'Eo seen my mother
sold ia the cattle market. looked
upon my brothers as they were driven
in chains by the slave speoulator. The
heavy negro whip has been applied to nay
own shoulders until its Biting lash sunk
deep into my quiycring flesh Still, sir,
youcall this ny country. True, true, |
was born in this land My grandfather
fought in the revolutionary war; my own
Fl ther was in the war Of 1912. Still, sir,
[ am slave, a chattel, a thing, q piece
Of property. I've been sold in the mar
kct with horses aad swine; the initials
Of MY masters name arc branded deep
in this arm. Still, sir, you call this my
country. And, now that | am making
nv escape, YOU feel afraid, If | reach
Canada, and there should be war with
ENGLAND, that I will take up arms against
my own country. Sir, have no country
but the grave and III seek freedom
there before I will be taken back to slave
ry. There is no justice for me at the
son+b ovorv rioht of nv race is tram
peeled in the dust, until humanity bleeds
at every pore. I am bound for Canada,
and woe to him that shall attempt to
arrest me. IF it comes to the worst, |
will die fighting for freedom.
III honor you for your courage, ex-
claimed Squire Loomis, as he spang from
his seat. and walked rapidly to and fro
through the ROOM "Iti too bad, con-
tinucd he, ''that such men should be
enslayed in land whose Declaration Of
INDEPENDENCE proclaims all men to be
free and equal. | will aid you IN any
thinc that / can. What is your name y
II have no name" said the fugitive.
II once had name, 1t was William,
but nv masters nephew came to live
with him. and as | was a house servant,
and the young master and I would, At
times, Get confused in the same name,
orders we're given for me to change
mine From that moment, | resolved
that, as slavery had robbed me Of my
.Hbety and my name, I would not attempt
to have another till | was free. So, sir.
for once you have a man standing before
YOU without name.
Cane Race, Dee. 27. The Asia from
Liverpool, 18th, via Queenstown, 18th
nassed Saturday night. The Persia had