Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1877-09-26
LEW COFFIN, THE ABoLirloNisr.
How He Came to be Interested in the I'm.
der ground Railway.
From the Cincinnati Commercial

From the CINCINNATI commercial.
Coffin was great as an abolitionist and
prominent as manager of the underground
railway, by which slaves passed from the
south through Ohio to Canada. In his
book he says:
date my conversion to abolitionism from
an incident which occurred when l was
about7 years old. 1t made deep and
lasting impression on my mind, and created
that horror of the cruelties of slavery which
has been the motive of 90 many actions of
my life. AT the time of which speak Vir-
ginia and Maryland were the principal
slave-rearing states, and to great extent
supplied the southern market. Free ne
groes in Pennsylvania were frequently kid
mapped or decoyed into these states, then
hurried away to Georgia, Alabama or
Louisiana, and sold. The gangs were hand
cuffed and chained together, and driven by
q man on horseback, who fourished long
whip, such as is used in driving cattle, and
goaded the reluctant and weary when their
feet Jagged on the long journey. One day
was BY the roadside where my father was
chopping wood, when / saw such gang
approaching along the new Salisbury road.
The coff1e Of slaves came first, chained in
couples on each side of long chain which
extended between them; the driver was
some distance behind, with the wagon Of
supplies. Ny father addressed the slaves
pleasantly, and then asked: "Well, boys
Why do they chain you?" One Of the men,
whose countenance betrayed unusual intelli-
gence, and whose expression denoted the
deepest sadness, replied: "They have taken
us away from our wives and children, and
they chain US lest We should make our es-
nd hAa % r. lSah
sympathy and interest were aroused, and
turned to my father and asked many ques-
tions concerning them, why they were taken
away from their families, etc. In simple
words suited to my comprehension, my
father explained to me the meaning Of
slavery. and, - I listened, the thought
arose in my mind. "How terribly We
should feel If father were taken away from
u.s."
This was the first awakening of that sym
pathy with the oppressed, which, together
with strong hatred of oppression, and in
justice in every form, were the motives that
influenced my whole afterlife. Another
incident of my boyhood is indelibly en-
graved on my mind. l accompanied my
father one spring to the famous shad fishery
ut the narrows Of the Yadkin river, q spot
Of wild and romantic scenery, where the
stream breaks through spur in the noun
tains and goes foaming and dashing down
its rocky bed in q succession of rapids.
Every spring, when the shad ascended the
river, many people resorted to the place to
obtain fish. They brought with them q
variety of merchandise, saddlery, crockery
ware, etc, and remained in camp some time,
buying and selling. The fishery was owned
by two brothers named Crump. They we're
siaveholders, and sometimes allowed their
slaves the privilege of fishing after night,
and disposing of the fish thus obtained, on
their own account. A slave who had availed
himself Of this privilege, disposed Of the
fish he caught to my father. Next morning
he came to the place where-we were prepar
ing breakfast, and entered into conversation
with my father, speaking of the fish he hae
sold him, and asking if he would take more
on the same terms. Noticing this, ane
thinking it piece Of presuming familiarit,
and impertinence on the part of the negro
Young man, nephew of the Crumps, seize<
. faegot from the fire and struck the negro
furious blow acroN the head, barring tn.
skull, covering his back and breast viii
blood. and his head with fire, swearing .
the same time that he would allow no sucl
i,npudence from niggen. Ny father pro
tested against the act, and | was 20 deepl!
moved dat left my breakfast untasted, ana
going OF By myself gave veet 70 my feeling
IL sobs and team.