Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1904-12-09
WHITE SLAVERY.
Its Horrors a Blot Upon American Colo
NAL History.

MAJ flStOrys
'"The negro slave, with his picturesque
and touching personality, is n familiar
figure" says Annie Nettleton Bourne in
"The New England Magazine "In our
pity for him we forget that when the
first cargo Of blacks reached America in
1919 n large part of the population was
formed of imported white bond servants
whose history Is in some respects more
affecting than that of the negroes.
whit bono servants were Of four
classes-convicts. indentured servants,
the victims of kidnappers and redemp-
TONERS. There is little but hardship in
the contemporary story of how they Jared
In this asylum for the oppressed of all
nations Socially and politically they had
no existence. They had no voice in the
general or local administrator of affairs
and were denied the right of suffrage. No
servant was allowed to carry arms or to
go more than two miles from home with
out a note under his masters hand. None
of these restrictions seem unsuitable as
applied to slaves, but we must bear in
mind In studying the history of white
bond servants that they included in their
class not only agricultural laborers, ar
tisans n mechanics, but also organists,
students of the apothecary's art and
choolmasters
'Emigrants of this kind came as re-
demptioners or free-willers. 1t was their
W llpA' w tblIlts Dul they are very
foolish writes Gottlieb Mittelberger (who
emigrated to Pennsylvania as a school
master), to believe that roasted pigeons
will fly into their mouths i'm America or
Pennsylvania without working for them
Redemptioners left home with the ex-
pectation of being allowed a stipulated
number of days In which to settle them
selves to the greatest advantage. They
were assured by the so-called newland-
ers, men thieves says Mittel-
BERGER, who 'inveigle people Of every
rank and profession soldiers,
scholars. artists and mechanics that II
they had no friends 1t would be easy to
find persons willing to defray the ex-
penses of the passage, this amount to be
repaid speedily from the handsome earn
ings Of the victim. The following de-
scrlption Of the sort OF fate that actually
befell them was written in Philadelphia
in 1917:
Seeing the following advertisement
in the newspapers, put in by the captain
and owners Of the vessel referred to. |
visited the ship, in company with a boot
maker of this city:
THE PASSENGERS
on board of the brig Bubona from AM
sterdam, and who are willing to engage
themselves for n limited time, to defray
the expenses OF their passage. consist OF
persons OF the following occupations. be-
sides women and children. viz, thirteen
farmers, two bakers, two butchers, eight
weavers, three taylors. one gardner,
three masons, one mill sawyer. one white
smith. two sh~oemakers. three abine
makers, one coal burner, one barber. one
carpenter, one stocking weaver.-Apply
on board OF the Bubona. opposite Cal
lowhill-st., in the river Delaware. or to
w. Odlin & Co, IS, South wharves. Oct.
2.
LAS we assembled the side of this hulk,
a most revolving scene OF want and mis-
cry presented itself. The eye ~involun-
tarily turned for some relief from the
horrible picture Of human suffering which
this living sepulchre afforded. Mr.. -
inquired II there were any shoemakers
on board. The captain advanced: his ap-
pearance bespoke his office: he Is an
American. tall, determined. and with an
eye that flashes with Algerine cruelty. He
called In the Dutch language for shoe
makers. and never can ! forget the scene
which followed. The poor fellows came
running up with unspeakable delight. no
doubt anticipating a relief from their
loathsome dungeon. Some were
without shirts. others had this article OF
dress, but OF n quality as coarse as the
worst packing cloth. ! inquired OF sew
eral II they could speak English. They
smiled, and gabbled, NO Engly. no
Engly-one Engly talk ship"