The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1892-02-17

ered nand, grasped mine, anu sald,
promise that"
Home again now; it was getting dark.
The day after, i was in my 81 at IN the
house al IL noon. | wrote brief sub
scriplion paper, and started through
The house, and then into the sena
chamber. and before / seated myself
again had nearly the desired amount in
h md. A humber of Shareholders gave
me a Gve-dollar subscription, thoueb
they believed her better off in her pres
ent condition. One of them, looking
up at me, said, "Why, Traflon, you're
ioo.! This woman Is b tier off where
she is, and she's worth fifteen hundred
dollars. Come, I'll give you a thou.
sand for her. Give me bill of sale"
Pm not in that business" / said /;
" besides, if you think the condition SO
desirable, her place will be vacant to-
morrow, and you can have it,"
He gave me the five dollars.
After breakfast the next morning, |
drove to the old mans cottage and told
him the money was ready for the girl 8
freedom. He st emed pleased aud said,
" Well, | will give yoa a bill of sale,
and you can emaucipate her."
"No, sir" l replied. mot for all
the gold coined in the world would |
take bill of sale of human being.
Suppose l should drop dead on leaving
you, and in my pocket should be found
such a paper. A fine figure / should
cut in the eyes OF the community! No,
sir, put on your coat, get into my car
riage, and go the notary and have her
emancipation papers prepared in due
form and put on record, and the money
shall be paid"
This was done. And the following
is an exact copy of the receipt he gave
me-
Washington city, Aug. 7th 1856.
Reed this 7th day of August 1856, of
Mark traitor of the State of Massachusetts
three hundred and fifty dollars in full for
the purchase of the freedom of my negro
woman named Eliza Brown. aged about %
years, who has been by me this day manu-.
mtted by deed for that purpose.
LEMUBL SHAW.
L then drove him home, and after
ward TO the house where was the now
FIR, e woman, Eliza Brown. The lady
received me with smile, asking, =" Is
she saved?"
Cal her in, please" was my reply.
She came in, trembling with anxiety.
L drew the documt nj from my pocket,
and handing it to her, said, " Eliza
Brown, you are free wOmanl'
l cannot describe that scene: the
reader must imagine it. That express
sion that burst from her trembling lips,
80 my God! Can it be truc?' The tears
coursng down her cheeks, and the tears
Of her employer, will live in my men,
orv to my last hour.
But let the reader for moment fancy
The scene: A woman differing from the
mistress of the .lansion in which she is
a servant only 10 her complexion-she
is black but comely and yet she
can hardly claim womanhood, for BY
the laws of this Christian country she
is only thing, chattel, a piece of
property owned by citizen Of the
United States, liable to sale and trans
fer like that donkey drawing its load up
the street yonder. Such is this person
we are dealing with. Yet she thinks,
she reasons, she recalls the past, and
anticipates the future; she hopes and
fears, has joys and sorrows, as real as
her white sisters. Aud yet she is moth
ing among the people around her but a
Thing. Look at her ON the morning of
our call. She is busy about her house
hold duties and her daily unremu.
nerated task. But look, listenl She
pauses a moment to wipe the tears drop
ping from her eyes. Hear her cry, so
Lord what shall | do?" Well may her
poor heart sink in despair, for only yes
terday a slave-trader, ehoul, had
called to see her, and she was told that
he had seen her owner and was in nego-
tiation for her purchase for the New
Orleans market. She was born and
reared in Washington; it is her home:
and now before her is plantation life
and the drivers whip. Where is God?
Where is justice with hot thunderbolts?
Wait little, o sufferers! the thunder
of Sumter will soon break his long 81
lence!
Thus she was when we were ushered i'm
on that morning. She is summoned; her
heart sinks as she anticipates the call OF
the slave-trader, and with faltering steps
and eyes d and swollen with weeping
she enters the room, and with a start
gaz' on me. Can one realize the eX-
t mt and suddenness of that transition?
me III moment passes from chattel
to full womanhood. For the first time
she is endowed with personality; she
can say, EGO sum -; she can use
words until that moment strange to her
lips-me, my, mine. A human, re-
sponsihle being is created. She can
say" VolO," and carry it out in free
action. What changed Does the
reader wonder that we all-servant.
mistress and messenger-shed tears of
joy and sympathy?
In the fall she came to work in my
family, as our help had left. AS the
new year approached, she asked my
wife permission 10 lave freedom
party, which of course was readily
granted. We had a large basement
kitchen, with an equally ample room
adjoining. When The evening arrived,
both rooms were filed; part of the
company were free people, the rest
slaves. In he midst of the jollity, Eliza
came up and requested myself and wife
to 90 down and be introduced to the
distinguished visitors. So we marched
down, and the happy mistress of cere-
monies in a short snpech nresentad no