Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1873-09-06
THE BLOOD OF HARRY LEE.

THE BLOOD OF HARRY LEE.
Mrs. Stowe made her reputation from
the great mine of romantic truth which
surrounds so many of the colored race.
The future novelist will draw upon the
simple annals of the once down trodden
but now emancipated people, as the his
torians of the Pentateuch have drawn
upon the exodus from bondage of the
Children of Israel. .shmo4
Year after year Robert Jackson has
been second waiter at the Grand Union,
of Saratoga; but the careless crowds
that frequent that mammoth hosterly
have not known that through his veins
courses the proudest Virginia blood.
His grandfather was General Harry
Lee, of Revolutionary light-horse caval-
ry fame, and his mother slave woman
named Jenny, maid of Mrs. Lee. Soon
after the birth of William jackson, the
walters father, Jenny was sold to Col.
Stewart, of Frederick county, Maryland,
The boy William showed extraordinary
intelligence, and became pet of his
master, and on the death of Col. Stew
art found himself free by clause in the
will. William went Immediately. to
Washington where he had been many
times with his master. There he met
John. Mclean, Post Master General un-
der Andrew Jackson, a friend of his old
master.
Judge Mclean appointed him mes
senger in the Post Office Department at
salary of 5000 per anum.
| While messenger in the Postoffice
Department, William jackson met a
beautiful, long haired octoroom, the
slave of old Judge John Stewart, of
Baltimore The slave girls name was
Rachel, and she came to attend Miss
Stewart, one of the fashionable bellies, at
President Van Buren's reception. =
William lost his heart with the dusky
maid, and soon went to Baltimore to get
Judge Stewart, who owned her, TO con-
sent to their marriage.
s'No sir, said the Judge Indignantly,
"Rachel is slave, and she must marry
a slave. If she marries free nigger she
will be running away herself and be-
sides, don't know when / may want to
sell her to New Orleans traders"
"Then can never marry her?"
"Never, until somebody buys her from
me-" replied the Judge.
Rachel was sent to the Friedrich coun-
ty farm, and thither William went in
the night to hold consultation with
her. First it was resolved to ruin away.
But there was no chance of success. The
Fugitive Slave Law was in effect, passes
were required by the slaves on planta-
tion, and to run away was surely to be
caught, returned, and then dreadful
whipping followed. l ~ .u
"Oh what can we do?" sobbed Rachel
81 know replied William; 81 will
buy you myself" ..... ,,..,..,... --.f.
''But you have no money" IN.
'sI can work and earn it," replied the
!, determined lover. ,.-...g.',...
"How much will you take for Rachel?'
he asked of Judge Stewart, the next
day. .-...-........... -. ,,,.r,,.
awen, a thousand dollars will bu.
her." replied the hard hearted Judge.
William, went to wor k-every cen
wasisayed, he even going onItoot int
Frederick county by night to see Rach
el where they held solemn consultations
and hoped only for the time when h'
could buy her and own her and mak'
her his wife, +. a. s.. sL1t
+ Two years rolled around, and nin'
hundred dollars gladdened the sight o
Mr.. Jackson. Christmas came.
: ;ttWhat shall / give you, for Christina
, this year, William, asked the good ole
. Postmaster, General Of fShis trusty mes
senger. ..,.'F'