Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-24
WHEN THERE WERE SLAVES
Features of the Institution Prior to Emanci-
patton.
The Law Was More severe ON Free
Negroes Than Were the People
of Warrington.

"Ninety-nine hundredths of the people of
Washington have no just idea Of what
slavery was in the District of Columbia, -
said an old resident the other day.
They think" he continued, that there
were slave pens OH every square and auc-
ton blocks in full sight all over town.
They see in their minds the horrid whip
ping post on ground where now are marble
palaces or bronze figures of war heroes.
And the vivid picture Of the slave gang,
with clanking chains, shutting and weary
ilmps. downcast eyes. and the pitiful hope
iessness OF the bondman on his way to the
southern cane and cotton field, is readily
thrown upon the screen of imagination.
All this is wide of the truth. Slavery in the
District was quite unlike the institution
In the south.
The Situation Over-Painted.
II was the fashion forty years ago to hold
up the District as yeritable hotbed of
slave traders, slave drivers and slave own
ers. and on more than one occasion pic
lures which may have been true to nature
III other places. but were totally untrue in
this section. were widely published and the
scenes laid In this city. While IT cannot
pe denied there was some slave-holdtnp
mere, there was little or none Of the hor.
i inh. vi b;.a slavery seen. Many of our oldest
thnaDltants never saw gang in chains
driven through the Streets There were
Few Niger jails here, the principal one
Delng near and Sth streets. another on
ST. s snu avenue near 9Th. and third on
oth street opposite the Pennsylvania rail
Ioao station; but these were used more To-
- hS-slaves en- route to other fieJda
man man Tor those owned in the District That
1870 " err some sold by local slave owners
cahnoe De denied. but that there was nv
considerable dealing in human AIT q oy
a fact oii hesn Is not
frobably the observation of one NJ on-
from hnnh republicans who lived ners
ms gentleman said not long ago. ST nevar
90. out one gang of slaves and thai was
III Inc thlrties. and Of all I ever heard ~
na'lns 6een sold out of the District I
serve it," WIZ uio not de-
- was the principle. however. that
- 'vneo criticism. and had there been but
E.e, save IN the country he would have
ments '1sia'ery sent1-
-, - ne Color OF his skin. yellow chocolate mr.
pIack' Was enough to place the unfortnnaJa
WnS wore 1t In the category OF chattels
onoer the law such a person was s;rr
an animate thing Those who b.d ~ n,!.'.
eIs Tor the Host part were but little bettar
on, Tor freedom did not feed or snnn,rt
mem nor were they allowed as much priv
h hese "a, as .ne wel-behaved slave. The latter
would not knowingly allow his pronertv
10 deprecfate Consequently. II was rara IN
me oio Gays to see any evidence of want of
~ oe VI corning about slave. Some Of
,hese 1elt proud of their masters Though
II cannot be denied that the very name Of
slaVe was repugnant. and the thought Of
iLeeuom was an inspiring one Most Of
Inc Tree negroes and mulattoes found homes
uS IeHtihg houses. Some owned property
through trustees. and usually located IN
neIs hpornoods, their early settlements be-
iEs mostly in alleys. Thus 'Nigger Hills"
were located in the nefghborhood IF In.b
and n streets, 18th and NJ, Sd and T. streets
northwest, and NJ and Sd southeast and
IN other parts of the city
Free Negroes Prospered.
These free negroes engaged IN dr,,,;,s
carriages. wagons and carts whitewashipp
ana laboring work The women took in
"ashing. hired out as servants and not a
lew were hotel employees and walters
There were few quite well-to-do. holding
property under white trustee, and al
thoush the law was much against them
they succeeded and had the respect of the
vi ites. VI '"e
1T was the law that was against us -.
when the slaves felt above me and called
me poor free Niger II the law had
treated us as well as the people did we
Woui nave had no cause to complain ANY
along; and often we were not molested hv
the police when they might have RIM ne
IN With some officers. however. we had to
Keep shady, for there were cops who
would not give us the least show. As a
rule, II we did not put on too MANY airs we
got along. Then there was the privilege
the white people had of drinking at anv
tlme between O'Clock in the morning and
mldnlsnt-twenty hours out of twenty four
while we could only get LIQUOR between
sunrise and sunset OF course. 1 am sneak
ing or the ordinary times when there was
no talk of running off slaves or some zealot
three times I have known how to he nru-
dent and keep shady when the public mind
OF the whites was such that 1t would have
taken little to infiame it. Then we all had
to be cautious"
The laws the old man referred to vera
tnose OF the corporation. These required
that all free black or mulatto males over
sixteen ana females over fourteen should
prove their title to freedom to the register
OF the city and obtain a written permit To
reside here. For disorderly conduct thev
were required to give bond in $50 to keen
a ehe peace; For gambling they had to pay a
iine OF $io: For having dance, ball or
assembly" without permit a like fine was
required For being out after 10 o'clock at
night without a pass or permit from some
Jcstice or respectable citizen they were
liable to like fine and confinement tn
morning. For drunkenness or profanity
the fine was 8. For failure to give bond
or pay the fine commitment to the work.
house was prescribed. The act was made
applicable to slaves, and not exceeding
thirty-nine stripes on the bare back pre-
scribed as the punishment If a fine was not
paid.
Free negroes and mulattoes coming into
the city were required to prove their free
dem and give $500 security for good be-
havior for twelve months. No license could
be procured by a free negro or mulatto, or
for them by another. for other than driving
carts. drays, carriages or wagons; nor
could they hold secret or private meetings
after 10 o'clock at night. under a penalty
of five dollars.
A Matter of Education.
From the BOSTON Herald