The state journal. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1883-1885, 1884-01-05
THE UNDERGROUND RAIL
ROAD.
"Reminiscences Of an Old Com
duCt0P.
A ~
CHAPTER /.
SLAVERY FROM THE DEGINNING TO 1715

q,
or of hose within Nations, TO determine
the direction OF their growth. must neccs-
sar. 2 confne himself TO comparatively
fer Of the most prominent facts bearing
upon his thcm2, Tor several obyi0us rea-
sons, only .wo uf witch need be noticed
here.
First: Il Only Of those larger
facts that arc p. o. Tie general public
knowledge, and which grow out Of innu-
merable le 5ser iacls that any one man
can possible acquire knowledge.
Second: Even were ii possible that the
historian could penetrate the privaces of
the social lives Of all the people, and trace
the influence Of every circumstance in
shaping habit Of tin lght and cultiyating
individual opinion, 3 must discard the
myriad detail from anifest impossibility
of embodying the in one life's work.
Yet it is out Of Ties nnumerables aller
circumstances that all the great facts
which make history grow
The great facts Of the nineteenth cen
fury, or at least Of the first three quar-.
tiers Of it,. have been The growth, tempo
rary domination, ard final overthrow of
negro slavery. Brilliant writers have
already tOld the story, others are still en-
gagged upon it, and it constitutes as sub
lime tragedy as human devotion has
ever enacted. But the minor facts, the
unconsidered small influences that grad
ually developed the differences that pro-
duced the crisis are unknown except to
those who acted in and were part ofthem;
and these will live not in majestic tones
in public libraries, but in the small vol
umes of "reminiscences, preserved in the
book cases of friends and neighb0rs
ArOunu the domestic liresidcs, while
the actors in the scenes live, and while
their children remember the tragic days,
the tales of the painting fugitive follow
ing the north star, with dogs Of slavery,
biped or quadrupcd, baying on his track,
will be told, and listened to with absorb.
ingi ntCr ST; and the hearers heart, catch.
ing fire from the hot indignation OF the
old man as he recalls the scenes Of cru
city that reused his pity and impclled MIN
to dare social OstraciSm and civil penalty
in obedience 10 the call of his madhood to
aid the fugitive, will feel the fire that
reused the North 10 say, "Thus far shalt
thou 60 and no farther Y and present The
bodies of its sons an impenetrable wall to
hurl back the arrogant crime.
So shall the spirit that saved the Nation
with a noble self-sacriicc live. So shall
the people who are to follow as custOdians
of the freedom we have Vindicated live in
the truth our tragedy fOstcred and not
lose its insniration.
1t is thoughts like these, together with
the suggestions of friends who have been
interested in theincidents have seen and
l, =, 4l,,t 1,1
these incidents TO paper, that thew might
possibly help to illustrate the meaning of
the tremendous trial through which our
country passed, impress more WILDLY
unon those who read Them the eternal
truth that there is no safety for people
but in the practice of Justice, and that
acquiescence in wrong to others because
it brings profit, is st0ringup wrath against
the day of wrath which will surely burst
upon them when the measure of their sin
is full.
To get even TN apDroXimately clear
idea Of the story have To tell, it is neccs-
sary to go back, beyond the first opera
tions of the UNDERGROUND railroad. and
trace briefly the origin of negro slavery
on this continent. and Observcthe chances
in its character Mt the several periods
At the time OF the discovery OF Amer
lea the Christian nations were little if any
in advance of the AIahomcdan peoples;
as, the Moors of Spain and Northern AZ
RIGA, the Saracens Of Syria and the Otto
man occupants of The site of the ancient
Greek Empire, who indeed for more than
one hundred wears gave to Europe what
civilization she received. often threatened
the conquest OF chris.endom, and even
did much 10 shape and direct the civil
polity Of the Church, which during that
time gave all the law Of culture, and Dri-
vate and public moralily.as wellas ccClcs-
iastical direction 70 line nations.
Therefore there was no authority to
teach the wrong Of the enslavement Of
man to his fellows, and in communities
in which the prisoner was at the disposal
of mis- captor, to abide his will as to life or
death, Imprisonment or service, in which
the poor were serfs. under the irrespOnsi.
BILE authority of their lords throughout
all European countries; there was no
question raised anywhere as to the right.
civil or religious, Of The the muster to
control and dictate law to the slave.
Nearly or quiteanhundred wears passed
before the English colonies inAmelica had
grown to Importance in population, and
during this time the Spanish colonies in
Mexico made much the largest figure.
The mines Of Mexico, and the sugar
plantations of the West India Islands,
were sources Of enormous wealth, and
those Spanish colonies grew rapidly in
population and influence. The Indians
Of the Islands, who were cnslaved, soon
died off under the lash and hard labor Of
their servitude, and negroes began to be
stolen from the African coast and i'm
ported to take their places.
Theprotits of this trade were very large
and tempting, and as the trade was free
to all who had the courage and enterprise
to engage in it, it was very soon an import
ant branch of the shipping trade Of our
northern maritime settlements, and Bos-