The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1882-09-13
For THE REcoRi
AN OLD RECOLLECTION.

MR.. EDITOR Upon the downward
slope of life, the mind is prone to go back
to old recollections, and recalling the
events of the past, compare them men
tally with the incidents Of the present. "A
question which was asked me the other
day, brought to my mind remembrance
of by-gone days which may be curious
enough to be told in print. The question
asked me was this When did the
Legislature of New Jersey abolish slavery
in this State ~ My answer was, Neger
Slavery had a legal existence In New
Jersey until the emancipation proclama-
ton of President Lincoln. The law pass
ed by the Legislature, which dealt with
the question, and which finally ranked
New Jersey among the Free States, was
not one of abolition, but of gradual eman-
cipation. The gist of it was, that all
children born of slave parents after a
certain date fixed in the Act, were to be-
come free upon arriving at certain age,
but all born before the date fixed, remain
ed slaves for life. Thus sharp distinct
ion was drawn il many family Of color
ed children. The younger portion could
lock forward with hope, IN anticipation
of their freedom, from which their elder
brothers and sisters were entirely cut Off.
The incident which j spoke of occurred
in consequence of this feature of the law.
When was small boy, George Nixon,
whom ali Of our older citizens will reeo-
lect, was married man living in Gordon's
!. Alley. just opposite where the new Cath
George had received his freedom under
this law, but he had sister two years
older than himself the fatal dividing
line z cut between the two, and she re-
NAMED slave without hope of redemp-
tion. once heard Fred Douglass say
that when he was slavehe made many q
prayer for liberty, but the only one that
ever seemed TO be answered was the one
he finally made with his legs. George
Nixon's sister at last made one of the
same sort, and suddenly appeared at
Georges house. OF course he allowed
the hungry and weary woman to enter,
and Of course he gave her something to
eat and allowed her to rest. Christian
people, how could he have done otherwise
with his own sister2 How long she re-
manned with him, know not, probably
not more than a single night, for in those
days runaways had to move lively. Her
master was after her Immediately and her
brothers. house was the very first place
where they would naturally look for her.
But she slipped over the river in time and
found a safe refuge amongst the anti
slavery Quakers in Bucks county Now,
what had George Nixon done? He had
In charity given meals victua)s and
perhaps nights lodging 10 ms oaon
sister. Could there be anything in this
obedience to the Scriptural injunction,
which could possibly be made crime by
the laws of supposed-to-be Christian
community? But George Nixon was at
once arrested for har6oring q runaway
slaoe, aud threatened with fine and inn
prisonment, The penalty being very
severe one. Fortunately for George, he
found friend, one who, though not an
abolitonist in the then understood mean
ing of the term, had the courage to set
the preiudices of the time at defiance /;
bail was entered for George, he was saved
from going to Jail, and the case was man.
aged so successfully that the prosecution
was dropped.
But think Of 1t in the light Of the pres
ent day. That not in some far off bar
barian country, or in some long past and
ferocious age-but right here in Lambert.
vile, within the recollection of many of
our citizens, man could be heavily pun
ished by the law for bestowing meal of
vietuals upon his own sister Talk about
the good old times! Thank God, their
beastly and brutal laws are ended with
them. x.