Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-04-04

Fred. Douglass lectured before large
and intelligent audience in the Philadel-
phia, a,Academy ofAIusic on Monday evening,
on . "reminiscences of Slavery and Anti
Slavery, and for the first time in public
related thestory of.his escape from bondage,
as follows;
g | was owned in Talbot county. on the
eastern shore of Maryland, in 1885, and a
few years after that time made my escape.
| had been sent up to Baltimore by my mas
ter to a brother of his f,f safe keeping, but
| it was a strange movemC to send me sixty
miles nearer my liberty. When | deter
mined on escaping, looked about for the
proper means to accomplish my purpose.
At that time great vigilance was exercised
| by the authorities. Everybody was strictly
watched, and if slave were found outside
| the limits of his masters plantation, he
would be liable to show by what right he
was out of place. ] was put to work in Il
| ship yard. and commenced to learn the bus
| iness of shIp-carpentering and caulking
| Here had frequent intercourse with sail
ors, and in them thought discovered a
feeling of sympathy and kindness. Al
though the difficulties and obstacles against
escape were apparently insurmOuntable, |
conceived an idea that | could secure my re-
lease by dressing in sailors clothing and
making surreptitious retreat. But | had no
papers by which | could pass from place 20
place. Fortunately lmet with a man named
Stanley, who lived in Baltimore, and who
was free. lie resembled me in stature, and
from him | obtained q suit of sailors
clothes, and his protection papers, and in
this apparel, provided with the necessary
fata | ft,S = Il
liberty. got Isaac Rhodes to take my bun
die, and by arrangement, after the train
started he threw it in, and | ran
after and jumped on the car. If compelled
to buy ticket it would have been necessa-
ry to undergo the most rigid examination,
and all descriptions in the papers must cor
respond exactly with the marks on my per-
son. Accordingly the scheme was carried
out, and soon arrived at Wilmington.
Here ! met Frederick Stein, for whom had
worked, but was 50 perfectly disguised
that he did not know me. In few mo-
ments the train from Philadelphia, bound
south, arrived, land on this was Capt. Ne
GOwan, of the revenue cutter at Baltimore,
whom had known intimately, and who
had also been acquainted with me, bat he,
toe, failed to recognize me.
" When the conductor came through the
train he rudely called on all the passengers
for tickets. but when he came to me, instead
of speaking in an arrogant manner, told me
kindly that he supposed | had my free pa
pers. ! responded in the negative, but his
surprise was great and his Indignation not
apparent, when | told him that my only
pass was an American Eagle. Looking
upon it. he stated that | was all right, and
with this assurance | came through TO Phil
adelphia, and proceeded to New York.
got there at o'clock and strayed about and
slept in the streets until morning. ! did
not know that had friend there, but on
the next morning ! met Isaac Dixon, at
whose house had lived m Baltimore, and
he referred me 10 David Ruggle-. philan-
thropic and generous minded citizen. While
in the city. where | remained several days.
! visited the Iombs. and there | saw Isaac
Hopper. who. for the great offence of assist
ing Tom, well known character, in max
ing his escape. was undergoing trial.
Mr. Douglass said he had kept this story
secret until tins time. because the conductor
who allowed him to pass from Baltimore to
Philadelphia would have been responsible
10 his master for the pecuniary extent of
loss sustained, and because he did not want
Shareholders to know that slaves had any
methods Of escape. His freedom. he said,
was honorably purchased by British gold.
$50 having been paid for him by a friend
of his in England, and the negotiations
having been conducted hy Hon. Nm. Mere
dith of Philadelphia. who Is at present the
presiding officer Of the Convention flor the
Revision of the State Constitution, which is
now in session