The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-01-29
ANrE-wAR MEMORIES.
Parker PlIIsbury Talks Once More
About the Days OF slavery.

The veteran lecturer Parker Pillsbury de-
lighted an audience that assembled In
Browns block last night with his "Ante War
Memories" In the first part Of his lecture
Mr. Pillsbury recalled the method he once
adopted In the presence Of popular audiences
Of bringing home to them the curse Of slay-
cry, for he used to analyze that curse and de-
scribe 1t as the result of a system Of robbery.
piracy. adultery. murder and trade, to say
nothing of 1t as a system Of cruelty. torture.
starvation and wIetchedness. Nobody could
understand what slavery was without com
pretending the moral evils 1t inflicted upon
the country. Mr.. Pillsbury gave some
characteristic examples Of life In slavery, re-
lating many interesting stories. He exhibit
ed printed placard which he had received
in the '40's, and had found ii to correspond
with an advertisement read by him at the
time In the New Orleans Pcayune. The
document ran as follows: "Raffie. Mr.
Joseph Jennings respectfully informs his
friends and the public that, at the request o
many acqnalntances, he has been Induced to
purchase the celebrated dark bay horse
Stark. aged years, trotter, and warranted
sound, with new light trotting buggy and
harness; also the dark muiatto girl Sarah.
aged about 70 years, general house servant,
valued at $500. guaranteed. They will be
raffied for. Total value, $500; 1900 chances
at 81 each"
Slavery, said the lecturer, was all this. and
something more. 1t murdered men. One
advertisement read: Twenty dollars re-
14tn inst, a negro girl Her name is Molly.
She Is Is or IL years OF age. She is slim
made Lately branded on the left cheek
with red hot iron with the letter r ['run-
away'1. A piece has been taken Off her left
ear, ..and the same letter Is branded on the
inside of both her legs"
l read you those things, observed Mr. Pills
bury, to show you that the dead you honor
on Decoration Day did not die for nothing.
Here is another: $500 reward. Ran away
from the subscriber, certain negro man
named Ben. known by the name Of Ben Fox !;
also another negro named Rigdon, who ran
away on the Sth Of the present month. l
will give reward Of 500 for each of the
above negroes, to be delivered to me, or II
confined In the gaol Of Jones county, or
for the killing Of them so that / may see
them"
The slave States imprisoned and fined and
lashed TO the very death persons guilty of
teaching their slaves to read. Would you,
hounds hunting you? Yet such things have
happened right here In our New England
States to the shame Of those States. AS for
me, do not know what in the wise councils
OF TINS universe, am alive Tor II IL De not TO
try and expose some Of these 0utrages.
Mr.. Pillsbury told the story Of the under
ground railroad, and how many slaves es-
capped thereby in safety into Canada. They
were glad enough, guided by the north star
for that was the guide Of many Of them-to
fly by night, escaping from the bloody beak
and talons Of the American eagle to the pro-
tecting paw and talons Of the British lion.
One came from Charleston TO Philadelphia in
q dry goods box girl named Betsy Blake
ley also travelled 10 Boston In box In the
dead Of winter. but her feet were frozen, and
she was cripple for the rest Of her life. This
girl was carried forward to the platform at a
Wendell Phillips and Frederika Brewer were
present. Wendell Phillips told her story,
and at its close Frederika Brewer. who had
received beautiful bouquet Of flowers dur
ing the evening. walked across the platform
and handed the bouquet to her dusky sister.
Ever since that day Wendell Phillips had
been famous as an orator.