Sketches of slave life: : or, Illustrations of the 'peculiar institution

f=
en

i

WA

SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE

ILLUSTRATLO KS

£-%

‘Ee ved

#3
ale

i oe

a

Uy

OF THE
x

*

Zz
C
frames
co
—)
ie
boca
comer
op)
ZA
me,
—
—
ithe
ao
CO
Cal
i=

?

EMANCIPATED, GAVE.

a
eae

AN

e
e
ey Se
278
Overy
a:
oS +s 4
fe
ines:
> b® Ele] «
oboe i 2
Se ta eae
2 4 © Pelee
eese0e
vetecE ative
ie
erha
e oe Ale
= A
°° 3 Be
F r0% Cee
279% ees
a he
» ee
2e@ne0
oF eae
» © ©
#@eae
aeve
©
eege*
oo
es @
seee0

°
e

BOSTON
PUBLISHED FOR THE AUTHOR.

1855.

Tamar

S

1

4]
[=

District Court for the District of Mass

.

¥

—s
Ey aes
=]
8
Oo
a
=
oO
@
ao
ray
oO
3
a
oD
ro
he
fof
°
o
ar
°o
4
o
4
f=)
~~
20
A.

-

the Clerk's office of the

ccord

a
#

Entered
In

PREFACE.

In giving the following ‘‘SkeTcHEes oF SLAVE
LiFE”’ to the public, the writer hopes that, whatever
may be their literary defects, they will help to increase
the sympathy now so widely felt for the poor crushed
and perishing slaves in this land —a land most untru-
ly styled ‘‘the home of the free and the brave.’’ He
has known what it is to be a slave; and now that he
has been set free, it is the ruling desire of his heart to
do something, however feeble it may be, towards effect-
ing the emancipation of the millions of his afflicted
brethren, who are still held in the galling chains of
bondage at the South. - Remembering that he has never
had any education, except such as he has been able to
pick up for himself, the readers of this little work
(especially in view of its object) will kindly overlook
such errors of style as may be found in it.

4. PREFACE.

The writer was formerly owned as a slave by one
C. H. Epuox, of Prince George County, Virginia,
who also owned eighty others. His plantation was lo-
cated on James River, in what was called upper Bran-
don, He always seemed to have some conscientious
scruples, in regard to holding slaves, and would not
join any church, because ‘‘ he did not believe he could
be a Christian, and yet be a slaveholder.” Six years
before he died, he made his will, in which he set all his
slaves free at his death, which took place July 29,
1844. This was truly a Christian act. More than
three years passed away, however, before we obtained
our liberty, when, being compelled to leave the State of
Virginia, we came to Boston, (sixty-six in number, )
Sept. 15, 1847, where we were received with Christian
sympathy and kindness. Men, women and children,
from twelve months to seventy-five years old, constitu-
ted our happy company. Some-of these have gone the
way of all the earth: the remainder continue in Mas-
sachusetts, and are proving to the world, by their con-
duct, that slaves, when liberated, can take care of
themselves, and need no master or overseer to drive
them to their toil. All that they need is — first, free-
dom — next, encouragement and a fair reward for their
labor, and a suitable opportunity to improve them-
selves — without which, no people, black or white, can

THE EDLOE SLAVES. 5

reasonably be expected to be industrious laborers or
enlightened citizens.

May God hasten the day when not a slave shall be
found in America, to water her soil with his tears, or
stain it with his blood!

PETER RANDOLPH.
Boston, May 10, 1855.

‘NOTE TO THE PREFACE.

It was on the morning of the 15th of September,
1847, that I learned, from a constant and true friend
to the slave, — Mr. Rosert R. Crosby, — that a large
company of colored people, said to be emancipated
slaves from Virginia, were then landing from a schoon-
er at Long Wharf. I immediately went thither, and
found the report correct. The people in question were
in part upon the wharf, and some had not yet left the
vessel. I entered into conversation with several of
their number, and learned that they had been slaves in
Prince George county, Virginia, on the estate of Mr.
Carter H. Epiog, on the James River. Mr. Edloe

6 NOTE TO THE PREFACE.

died in 1844, and by will provided for the emancipation
of his slaves, and for the payment to each one of fifty
dollars, whenever they should elect to receive their
freedom and go out of the State of Virginia. With a
few of his slaves, for especial reasons, he had dealt
much more liberally. The provisions of Mr. Hdloe’s
will, it would however appear, were not carried out in
the spirit of the testator, and there is reason to believe
that the executor designedly deceived and wronged the
slaves. They were kept at work upon the estate, as
slaves, for more than three years after their master’s
death, on the pretence that there was not money suffi-
cient to pay them the sum which the will specified.
At the end of that time, in despair of obtaining their
rights under the will, the larger part of the people de-
termined to take what they could get, which was less
than fifteen dollars each, and go to a free State.
There were sixty-six of them,—of both sexes and of
all ages, from seventy-five years down to infancy,—_
who decided to go to Boston. Their passage was se-
cured in the schooner Thomas H. Thompson, Wickson,
master, by which vessel they arrived in Boston, as
stated above.

Such was the story told to me; and I may add, that
further inquiries have entirely satisfied me of its cor-
rectness. I found these emancipated people, without

THE EDLOE SLAVES. 7

exception, desirous of obtaining situations where they
might at once go to work,—none fearing but that
they could support themselves and their families, if
they could find employment. Of course, I expressed
my readiness to aid them in obtaining places, if they
wished to do so. The offer was gratefully accepted,
and without much loss of time, places were found, out
of the city, for about one half of them. The remainder
found homes and occupation in the city, or its immedi-
ate vicinity.

Hight years have now nearly elapsed, during which
time I have observed the course of these emancipated
slaves with attention and with some curiosity. I re-
garded the experiment they were making as an exceed-
ingly interesting one; such-an one as, if successful,
ought to convince even the most skeptical, of the abil-
ity of the colored man, even when reared in the igno-
rance and partial dependence which the condition of
slavery imposes, to ‘‘take care of himself.’’ For this
was not a company of slaves selected for any special
capacity, or of such as by their own skill and daring
had achieved freedom. They were the ordinary work-
ing force of one plantation, — of all ages and capacities,
and in various states of health; and might be presumed
to be a fair representation of the average condition at
least of Virginia slaves. The experiment, —if any

8 NOTE TO THE PREFACE.

choose so to regard it, — has had a fair trial, and has
resulted, I can truly say, very much to their credit.
Since the first few months after their arrival, — when,
on account of their destitution and the strangeness of
a new home, occasional help was needed by a number
of them, —the instances in which they have sought
charitable aid have been few and infrequent. Even an
aged and nearly worn-out man of their number for six
years maintained himself by his daily labor, and only
ceased to attempt it longer, when told that he must
desist by reason of infirmity of age, at upwards of four ~
score years. Generally, so far as my knowledge ex-
tends, they have secured for themselves a sufficient
though frugal living, and some of them have decidedly
prospered. And in regard to sobriety, honesty, and
general good conduct, they will not suffer by compari-
son with any like number of people in the community.

It affords-me a sincere pleasure to be able to give
this testimony in behalf of these people, our hardly-
entreated brethren. or, unusually fortunate as they
were in having a master so eccentric as to believe that
his slaves desired liberty and were entitled to it, yet
their lot in slavery left, as it ever must, on body and
mind, indelible marks of its blighting power. When
all the untoward, disheartening, soul-crushing influ-
ences of their former life are considered, it seems to me

THE EDLOE SLAVES.

9

not less surprising, than it is honorable to themselves,

that they have used their liberty so justly and so well.

I think it well to subjoin their names and ages,

from a list taken by me at the time of their arrival.

Some of them have gone ‘‘ where the wicked cease from

troubling,

Lucy Founttn, 76.
Cas. Fountin, ab’t 40.
Wm. Fountin, do.
CARTER SELDEN, 47,
wife and six children.
Levi Scort, about 75.
DANIEL

FRANK CHURCHWELL, 54.

ApAM Harrison, 55.
GEORGE Mayerson, 45,

wife and two children.
Burry Roseson,

wife and two children.

Davy Mnuap, 45.

Party Mzuap, his wife.

TORRINGTON RvUFFIN, 36,
wife and four children.

Witiiam Arcary, 32,
wife and five children.

Davy Jonzs, 40.

and the weary are at rest.’’

PEeterR RANDOLPH, 27,
wife and child.
ANTHONY RANDOLPH, 24.
RIcHARD RANDOLPH, 22.
JAMES RANDOLPH, 10.
Wyatt Les, 25,
wife and two children.
ANDREW CLARK, 23,
wife and child.
Henry Carter, and wife.
Amy Ricnarpson, 29,
two children.
JuDY GRIFFIN, 26,
two children.
Fanny Baizey, 380.
SAM. Jones, 24.
RIcHARD WHITING.
Jack Harrison, 29.
RaLpH WEBB, 24.
PETER TAYLoR, 36.

10 : NOTE TO THE PREFACE.

The unpretending work, written by one of the above
sizty-siz, (to the second edition of which this Note is
added,) is commended to the public as wholly trust-
worthy, and deserving of their favor.

SAMUEL: MAY, Jr.

Boston, August 38, 1855.

SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

THE good Anti-Slavery men have very much to contend
with, in their exertions for the cause of freedom. Many
people will not believe their statements; call them unrea-
sonable and fanatical. Some call them ignorant deceivers,
who have never been out of their own home, and yet pre-
tend to a knowledge of what is going on a thousand miles
from.them. Many call them dangerous members of socie-
ty, sowing discord and distrust where there should be nought
but peace and brotherly love. My Readers! give attention
to the simple words of one who knows what he utters is
truth; who is no stranger to the beauties of slavery or the
generosity of the slaveholder. Spend a few moments in
reading his statement in regard to the system of American
slavery. Do not scoff or doubt. He writes what he does
know, what he has seen and experienced ; for he has been,
for twenty-seven years of his life, a slave; and he here
solemnly pledges himself to rrutH. Not once has he ex-
aggerated, for he could not; the half of the woes and hor-

rors of slavery, his feeble pen could not portray.

12 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

This system is one of robbery and cruel wrong, from be-
ginning to end. It robs men and women of their liberty,
lives, property, affections, and virtue, as the following pages
will show. It is not only a source of misery to those in
bonds, but those who fasten the chains are made wretched
by it; for a state of war constantly exists between the mas-
ter and servant. The one would enforce obedience to his
every wish, however wrong and unjust; he would exact
all the earnings of the slave, to the uttermost farthing. The
latter feels the restraint and writhes under it; he sees the
injustice, and at times attempts to assert his rights; but he
must submit either to the command or the lash; obey im-
plicitly he must.

The argument so often brought forward, that it would be
for the interest of the owner to treat his slaves well, and of
course he would not injure his own interests, may do for
some, but not for the thinking and considerate. When does
the angry tyrant reflect upon what, in the end, will be the
best for him? To gratify his passion for the moment, to
wreak out his revenge upon a helpless menial, is, at the time
of excitement, his interest, and he will serve it well.

-. Many argue that the Southern masters are not to blame
for this wrong; they mherited it from their fathers, it is
said, and what can they do? Get rid of it! Would it be
sensible to suppose that generation after generation were
justifiable in becoming drunkards, because some ancestor
had been? Certainly not; any person who reasoned thus

would be considered insane. If my father stole, or mur-

THE AUTHOR’S ACCOUNT OF HIMSELF. 13

dered, would that excuse me for committing the same
crimes? No; we all know better than that.

Again, it is said, the slaveholder has bought them and
paid his money for them; perhaps his whole property is in
them; should he give them up, and beggar himself? If his
property consists in human beings, surely he should give it
up, though he starved in consequence. Of whom has he
bought them? Who can own humanity but the great Cre-
ator? As the good Vermont Judge said,—‘ Show a bill of
sale from the Almighty, and we acknowledge your claim.”

Some will say, ‘“t The slaveholder cannot live without the
negro; the climate will not permit the white man to toil
there.” Very well; admit it. Then let him grant to men
their rights; make them free citizens; pay them justly for
their honest toil, and see the consequences. All would be
happier and better. Slavery enriches not the mind, heart,
or soil where it abides; it curses and blights every thing it
comes in contact with. Away, away with, tear up by the
roots, these noxious weeds, which choke the growth of all
fair plants, and sow in their stead the beauteous flowers of
freedom, well watered by the pure waters of religion, and
what a rich harvest will be yours!

Before going into particulars relative to the horrors of sla-
very, | will give a little of my own history. I was owned,
with eighty-one others, by a man named Edloe, and among
them all, only myself could either read or write. When I
was a child, my mother used to tell me to look to Jesus, and
that He who protected the widow and fatherless would take

2

14 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

care of me also. At that time, my ideas of Jesus were the
same as those of the other slaves. I thought he would talk
with me, if I wished it, and give me what Iasked for. Being
very sickly, my greatest wish was to live with Christ in
heaven, and so I used to go into the woods and lie upon my
back, and pray that he would come and take me to himself,
— really expecting to see Him with my bodily eyes. I was
then between ten and eleven years old, and I continued to
look for Him until 1 began to feel very sorry that He would
not come and talk with me; and then I felt that I was the
worst little boy that ever lived, and that was the reason
Jesus would not talk to me. I felt so about it, I wanted to
die, and thought it would be just in God to kill me, and I
prayed that he would kill me, for I did not want to live to sin
against him any more. I felt so for many days and nights.
At last, I gave myself up to the Lord, to do what he would
with me, for I was a great sinner. I began to see the
offended justice of God. O! my readers, the anguish of
my heart! I thought the whole world was on me, and I
must die and be lost. In the midst of my troubles, I felt
that if God would have mercy on me, I should never sin
again. When I had come to this, I felt my guilt give way,
and thought that I was a new being. Now, instead of look-
ing with my real eyes to see my Savior, I felt him in me,
and I was happy. The eyes of my mind were open, and
I saw things as I never did before. With my mind’s eye, I
could see my Redeemer hanging upon the cross for me.

I wanted all the other slaves to see him thus, and feel as

THE AUTHOR’S ACCOUNT OF HIMSELF. 15

happy as I did. I used to talk to others, and tell them of
the friend they would have in Jesus, and show them by my
experience how I was brought to Christ, and felt his love
within my heart,—and love it was, in God’s adapting him-
self to my capacity.

After receiving this revelation from the Lord, I became
impressed that 1 was called of God to preach to the other
slaves. I labored under this impression for seven years, but
then I could not read the Bible, and I thought I could never
preach unless I learned to read the Bible, but I had no one
to teach me how to read. A friend showed me the letters,
and how to spell words of three letters. Then I continued,
until I got so as to read the Bible,—the great book of
God,—the source of all knowledge. It was my great
desire to read easily this book. I thought it was written by
the Almighty himself. I loved this book, and prayed over
it, and labored until [ could read it. I used to go to the
church to hear the white preacher. When I heard him
read his text, lL would read mine when I got home. This is
the way, my readers, I learned to read the Word of God
when I was a slave. Thus did I labor eleven years under
the impression that I was called to preach the gospel of
Jesus Christ, the ever-blessed God.

Then I learned to write. Here I had no teaching; but I
obtained a book with the writing alphabet in it, and copied
the letters until I could write. J had no slate, so I used to
write on the ground. All by myself I learned the art of

writing. Then I used to do my own letter-writing, and

16 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

write my own passes. When the slave wants to go from
one plantation to another, he must have a pass from the
overseer. I could do my own writing, unbeknown to the
overseer, and carry my own pass.

My oldest brother’s name was Benjamin. He was owned
by C. H. Edloe, the same person who owned me. Benja-
min was a very bright young man, and very active about
his work. He was fond of laughing and frolicking with the
young women on the plantation. This Lacy, the overseer,
did not like, and therefore was always watching Benjamin,
seeking an occasion to have him whipped. At one time, a
pig had been found dead. The little pig could not tell why
he was dead, and no one confessed a knowledge of his
death ; consequently, Lacy thought so great a calamity, so
important a death, should be revenged. He advised Edloe
to have every slave whipped. Edloe consented, expecting,
probably, to prevent, by such cruelty, any other pig from
dying a natural death. Lacy, the tender-hearted overseer,
with a heart overflowing with sorrow at the great loss and
sad bereavement of Edloe’s plantation, took his rawhide,
with a wire attached to the end of it, and gave each man
twenty lashes on the bare back. O, monster! the blood
was seen upon the side of the barn where these slaves were
whipped for days and months. The wounds of these poor
creatures prevented them from performing their daily tasks.
They were, indeed, so cut up, that pieces came out of the
backs of some of them, so that a child twelve or thirteen
years old could lay his fist in the cruel place. My brother

MY BROTHER BENJAMIN. 17

Benjamin was one of the slaves so savagely beaten. One
morning, Lacy — perhaps thinking piggy’s death not wholly
avenged — proposed again to whip my brother; but Benjamin
did not agree with him as to the necessity of such proceed-
ings, and determined not to submit; therefore, he turned his
back upon Lacy, and his face to the woods, making all pos-
sible speed towards the latter. Lacy fired upon him, but
only sent a few shot into his flesh, which did not in the least
frighten Benjamin ; it only served to make him run as fast
as if he himself had been shot from the overseer’s gun.
For seven months, he lived in the swamps of Virginia,
while every effort was made to catch him, but without suc-
cess. He once ventured on board a vessel on James River.
There he was caught, but soon made his escape again to the
swamp, where my mother and myself used to carry him
such food as we could procure to keep him alive. My poor
broken-hearted mother was always weeping and praying
about Benjamin, for the overseer had threatened that if he
ever saw him, he would shoot him, as quick as he would a
wild deer. All the other overseers had made the same
threats.

Edloe, not thinking it best to take Benjamin on to his
plantation, (provided he could catch him,) sold him to
another man, who, after he had succeeded in his sham plan
of buying my poor brother, sent for him to come out of the
swamp and go with him. Benjamin went home to his new
master, and went faithfully to work for him, — smart young
man that he was!

Q*

18 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

Sometimes, Benjamin would steal over at night to see
mother, (a distance of ten miles.) He could not come in
the day-time, because Lacy still declared he would kill him
the first time hesaw him. He did see him one Sabbath, but
having no gun or pistol with him, my brother again escaped
him, thanks to the mercies of God. Benjamin continued to
serve his new master, until he was suddenly bound and car-
ried to Petersburg, Virginia, and sold to a negro-trader, who
put him in a slave-pen, until a large number of slaves were
bought up by him, to be carried into bondage further South,
there to lead miserable lives on the cotton and sugar planta-
tions. Benjamin, my dear brother, left Petersburg, and I
have not seen him since. Thanks be unto God, prayer can
ascend, and will be listened to by Him who answereth
_ prayer! ‘To him who crieth unto Him day and night, He
will listen, and send His angel of peace to quiet his troubled
heart, with the assurance that the down-trodden shall be
lifted up, the oppressed shall be delivered from his oppres-
sor, all captives set free, and all oppressors destroyed, as in
ancient times. I know that God heard the prayers of my
praying mother, because she was a Christian, and a widow,
such as feared God and loved his commandments. She
used often to sing the following hymn :—

* Our days began with trouble here,
Our lives are but a span,

While cruel death is always near —
What a feeble thing is man !

“Then sow the.seed of grace while young,
That when you come to die,
You may sing the triumphant song,
Death ! where's thy victory?”

MY PARENTS. 19

With the above lines has my mother often soothed, for
a time, her own sorrows, when she thought of her poor son,
so far away from her, she knew not where, neither could
she know of his sufferings; and again, she would become
a prey to bitter grief. Her only hope was to meet her son
in heaven, where slaveholders could not come with their
purchase-money, where Lacy could not come with his dogs,
his guns, or his pistols, with powder or balls ; neither would
she have to steal away to see him, with a little food well
concealed. Neither will Benjamin be obliged to crouch in
the forest, hearing the midnight cry of wild beasts around
him, while he seeks repose upon the cold, bare ground.
No, she will meet him at the right hand of the Redeemer,
who will wipe the briny tears from the eyes of the. poor
slave, and feed him with the hidden treasures of His love.

MY PARENTS.

My father did not belong to Edloe, but was owned by a
Mr. George Harrison, whose plantation adjoined that of my
master. Harrison made my father a slave-driver, placing
an overseer over him. He was allowed to visit my mother
every Wednesday and every Saturday night. This was the
time usually given to the slaves to see their wives. My
father would often tell my mother how the white overseer
had made him cruelly whip his fellows, until the blood ran
down to the ground. All his days he had to follow this
dreadful employment of flogging men, women and children,

20 , SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

being placed in this helpless condition by the tyranny of his
master. I used to think very hard of my father, and that he
was a very cruel man; but when I knew that he could not
help himself, I could not but alter my views and feelings in
regard to his conduct. I was ten years old when he died.
When my father died, he left my mother with five chil-
dren. We were all young at the time, and mother had no
one to help take care of us. Her lot was very hard
indeed. She had to work all the day for her owner, and at
night for those who were dearer to her than life; for what
was allowed her by Edloe was not sufficient for our wants.
She used to geta little corn, without his knowledge, and boil
it for us to satisfy our hunger. As for clothing, Edloe
would give us a coarse suit once in three years; mother
sometimes would beg the cast-off garments from the neigh-
bors, to cover our nakedness; and when they had none to
give, she would sit and cry over us, and pray to the God of
the widow and fatherless for help and succor. At last, my
oldest brother was sold from her, and carried where she
never saw him again. She went mourning for him all
her days, like a bird robbed of her young, — like Rachel
bereft of her children, who would not be comforted, because
they were not. She departed this life on the 27th of Sep-
tember, 1847, for that world ** where the wicked cease from

troubling, and the weary are at rest.”

EDLOE’S WILL. 21

THE WILL OF C. H. EDLOE.

EDLOE made his will six years before his decease. He
said to some of his slaves, just before his death, that he had
another will, which he had given into the hands of a lawyer
in Petersburg, Va., to keep for him, but this will was never
heard from. The slaves knew about it, but their voice or
testimony was nothing; therefore, nothing could be done
about it. | .

I present that will here, together with the decree of the
Court respecting it, in order that my readers may judge for
themselves as to the intention of our master, and be con-
vinced that what I have to say in reference to the manner in
which the will was executed is perfectly just, and warranted
by the facts.

IN THE NAME OF GOD, AMEN! —I, CARTER
H. EDLOE, of the County of Prince George, being of
sound mind and disposing memory, but considering the
uncertainty of life, do make and ordain this to be my last
Will and Testament :

Ist. I desire that all debts that I may owe at the time of
my decease, shall be paid out of the money on hand or the
profits of my estate.

2d. I desire that my estate shall be kept together and
cultivated to the best advantage, until a sufficient sum can
be raised to pay my debts, should there be any deficiency
in the amount of money on hand and debts due to me, and to
raise a sufficient sum to pay for the transportation of my
Slaves to any Free State or Colony which they may prefer,
and give to each Slave Fifty Dollars on their departure, either
in money or other articles which may suit them better; but

p) ».- SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

should any of my slaves prefer going immediately, they can
do so, but they are not to be furnished with money. It is
not my wish to force them away without their consent. In
the event of any of them preferring to remain in slavery,
they must take the disposition hereinafter directed.

3d. After the provisions in the preceding clauses of my
Will have been complied with, I loan to my niece, Elizabeth
C. Orgain, my Plantation in Prince George, called Mt.
Pleasant, during her life ; but in the event of her marrying
and having children, I then give to her children, at her
death, the said land, to them and their heirs forever.

4th. I loan to my niece, Mary Orgain, my Plantation in
Prince George, called Brandon and Dandridge’s, during her
_ life; but should she marry and have children, I then give
to her children, at her death, the said lands, to them and
their heirs forever.

5th. The rest and residue of my estate, of whatever kind
soever, I desire may be divided into two equal parts, and
one part to go to each of my nieces, Elizabeth and Mary ;
and should any of my Slaves prefer remaining in slavery, |
desire they may be divided into two equal parts, and one part
go to each of my nieces, during their lives, and then to
their children, in the same manner as the landed property is ©
given, except my Household Furniture, Wines and Liquors,
all of which I give to Mary Orgain during her life, and then
to her children. Those negroes under age at my death may
have until they are twenty-one years of age to decide whether
they will go or remain; but in the event of but one of my
nieces having children, I desire that those children have the
whole of my property at the death of their aunt.

6th. I give and bequeath to my female Slave, Harriet
Barber and her children, (all of whom I bought of R. G.
Orgain, Esq.,) Eight Thousand Dollars, which sum I desire
my Executors to take from my estate, and either lay it out
in good stock, or put the money out at interest, always
taking undoubted security — the stock I should prefer — the
interest of which shall be paid to said Harriet yearly.
Should there not be a sum sufficient to pay this legacy,
either in stock or money, I direct my Executors to sell my
land in Southampton. Should that not make up the defi-

EDLOE’S WILL. 234

ciency, other land must be sold, or horses and cattle, as my
Executors may think best.

7th. It is my wish that the said Harriet and children
should remain on my estate, or in any situation which they
may prefer that the law will allow; and I direct my Execu-
tors to furnish Harriet and her children with their Free
Papers, whenever they may desire to have them, and assist
them to remove to any place they may choose to locate
themselves.

I do hereby appoint David D. Brydon, of the Town of
Petersburg, and John A. Seldon, of Charles City county, my
Executors, requiring them to give no security for the per-
formance of their duty. I do hereby revoke all former
Wills, this being my last Will. In testimony whereof, I
have hereunto subscribed my name, this 20th day of March,
One Thousand Eight Hundred and Thirty-Eight.

CARTER H. EDLOE.

At a Court of Quarterly Sessions, held for Prince George
county, at the Court House thereof, on Tuesday, the 13th
day of August, 1844:

This last Will and Testament of Carter H. Edloe, dec’d,
was presented into Court, and there being no subscribing
witnesses thereto, William C. Rawlings, P. C. Osborne, and
David Tennant, appeared in Court and made oath that they
are well acquainted with the hand-writing of the Testator,
and they verily believe the said Will to be wholly written
by the ‘Testator: And thereupon said Will is ordered to be
recorded. On the motion of John A. Seldon, an Executor
therein named, who made oath thereto, and entered into and
acknowledged a bond in the penalty of One Hundred and
Twenty Thousand Dollars, (the Testator desiring that no
security should be given upon his qualification,) conditioned
as the law directs, certificate is granted the said John A.
Seldon for obtaining a probate of the said Will in due form.

Teste, RO. GILLIAM, Clerk.

VIRGINIA — Prince George County, to wit :

I, ROBERT GILLIAM, Clerk of the Court of said
county, in the State of Virginia, do hereby certify the fore-

24 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

going to be a true copy of the last Will and Testament of
Carter H. Edloe, deceased.

In testimony whereof, I have hereto set my hand
and affixed the seal of the said Court, this thirty-
first day of August, 1847, and in the seventy-

second year of the Commonwealth.
RO. GILLIAM, Clerk.

[SEAL. ]

DECREE OF THE COURT.

VIRGINIA :

At a Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery, held
for the town of Petersburg, at the court house thereof, on
Monday, the 24th day of May, A. D. 1847:

John A. Seldon, Executor of C. H. |
Edloe, deceased, Plaintiff,
against
Mary Orgain and Elizabeth Orgain, pin sChogagm
infants, by H. B. Gaines, their
Guardian ad litem, &c., Defts.,

This cause came on this day to be further heard on the
papers formerly read, on the reports of Commissioner Ber-
nard, and of the special Commissioners appointed to consult
the slaves of C. H.\Edloe, deceased, and was argued by
counsel: On consideration whereof, the court being of opin- ~
ion that the slave Harriet and her children are entitled to no
part of the profits of the plantation, and that the several
sums charged in the account of profits as expended for
them ought not to have been so charged ; and adopting the
correction of the report in that particular, contained in the
note of the Commissioner, p. 1, doth order that the report of
Commissioner Bernard, with that correction, and the report
of the special Commissioners, be confirmed: And the court
doth further adjudge, order and decree, that the Plaintiff do,
on or before the fifteenth day of October, one thousand

-eight hundred and forty-seven, as may seem to him best,
discharge from servitude all the slaves of his Testator; that
he deliver to said slaves, individually or in families, as he may
think best, duly authenticated copies of this decree, endorsing

EDLOE’S WILL. Q5

on each copy the name or names of the person or persons
to whom it is given; that the Executor, out of the money
now in his hands and interest thereon from the thirteenth
day of March, one thousand eight hundred and forty-seven,
together with the nett proceeds of the growing crop or such
thereof as may be secured, pay to the slaves, Robert, Old
Ben and Caty, (who elect to remain in service until the full
amount of the provision intended for them shall be raised,)
each the sum of Fifty Dollars, “‘ on their departure ;”’ that
he pay to each of the slaves of the Testator who has re-
mained on the plantation, and shall so remain until the
slaves shall be liberated as herein directed, a sum sufficient
to pay for his or her transportation to such free State or
colony as they may respectively prefer, or provide and
pay for their transportation to such free State or colony
in such other manner as may to him seem best: And the
court doth order that the said Executor do immediately,
on discharging the said slaves from servitude, cause them to
be removed to the free State or colony which they may
respectively select as their future homes ; the court being of
opinion that it was not the intention of the Testator that they
should be emancipated and allowed to receive the bounty
provided for them, unless they were removed by the Execu-
tor beyond the limits of Virginia; and in ease the fund be
not sufficient to defray the whole amount of such expenses
of transportation, the same shall be divided among the
slaves, rateably, taking into consideration their ages, place
selected, &c., and that he distribute the residue, if any there
be, equally among all the said slaves, without regard to age,
and that he deliver the slaves Sylvia and Jenny, who elect
to remain slaves, to the defendants, to whom they are be-
queathed by the Will of the Testator.

And it is further ordered, that the Plaintiff settle before a
Commissioner a further account of his transactions as Exec-
utor, which account the Commissioner is directed. to. report
to the court, with any matter specially stated deemed perti-
nent by himself, or which any of the parties may require to
be so stated.

A copy — Teste, R. McMANN, S. C.
pees os 1847.

26 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

When Edloe died, he gave this will, which was the one
finally acted’ upon, into the hands of one of his slaves, not
feeling willlng to trust any one else.

The Executor of the estate was John A: Seldon, of
Charles City County. The will stated, as will be seen, that
if there should be any deficiency of money on hand, suf-
ficient must be raised to pay his debts, and transport his
slaves to a place of freedom, and pay each of them fifty
dollars. Edloe was gone, and could not act for us in per-
son, so this deed of justice was not carried out. Mr. Seldon
interpreted the will thus: We were to stay on the plantation
and work there till we had earned this money ourselves,
and then we were to be free. Meantime, he took from us
what the overseer had hitherto given us, and took our
earnings too. a

For six months, all knowledge of this will was kept from
us. Iwas the only one among the slaves who could read
and write. This I had kept secret, for fear of the conse-
quences. A. friend, who seemed very mueh interested in
our affairs, showed me a copy of this will, upon promise of
secrecy. So I read it, and remembered it all; then he
told me of a lawyer who would be a good one for us. I
communicated this good news to two of the older and more ©
experienced men of our party, and repeated to them the
substance of the will. They went to see the lawyer, and
he agreed to take the case in hand. This friend knew how
we were treated, and told us it was very unjust and wrong.

EDLOE’S WILL. °7

This lawyer’s name was James L. Scarborough, of Prince
George County, Va.

He first went to the bank of Petersburg, where Edloe’s
money was deposited, and found out that there were thirty-
two thousand dollars on hand ; so he was going at once to
get our free papers for us; but soon he came to us again,
and said the executor of the estate would give him five hun-
dred dollars te stop the suit — but he would not step it. But
this did not last leng. We soon found that Seldon got all
our money, and could give him more than we could; so he
began to put us off from one court to another, telling us
that the court did not have time to attend to us, but the next
would certainly settle the matter. We gave him all our
little earnings, which amounted to twenty-two dollars, but
he got no papers. So he kept us for two years and six
months. When we found out the deception he had prac-
tised upon us, we felt very wretched indeed— sure that we
had no friend left, and should never get our freedom, but
were cruelly robbed ef what was our own, not only by right,
but as an especial gift.

Seldon used to come and see us when the crops were to
be sold, get the money for us, (but we never saw it,) then
go away again, without the least advantage to us. At last,
we took courage, and got another man to exert himself for
us. He was not a lawyer, but a magistrate. His name
was William B. Harrison, the owner of Middle Brandon.
Though a slaveholder himself, he got our free papers,
and procured us a passage to Boston, after we had remained

28 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

three years and thirty-five days in unlawful bondage, accord-
ing to the laws of Virginia, to say nothing of a higher law.

Instead of the fifty dollars we were each to receive on
our landing, we had fourteen dollars and ninety-six cents
apiece. All our money was taken from us, because we
were black people; but glad enough were we of our
freedom.

We were told if we came to Boston, we should be killed,
or put in prison, where we should have to work under
ground, or be obliged to drag carts all round the streets ;
but we were determined to try it, live or die.

We came in 1847, and have not been eaten up yet. And
now we claim the fifty dollars, and interest, since 1844.
it was given to us by the man we served while he
was living, and no law or justice can keep it from us, ex-
cept by downright fraud. Here are old people of the party,
unable to do much for themselves, to whom this would be a
great blessing. Surely, the day is not far distant when
those base men will be shown up to the world for what
they are worth. The wrong they committed will not rest
upon those ignorant slaves, but will rebound back, covering
their white faces, but black hearts, with infamy.

SLAVES ON THE PLANTATION. 29

SLAVES ON THE PLANTATION.

THE HOURS FOR WORK.

The slave goes to his work when he sees the daybreak in
the morning, and works until dark at night. The slaves
have their food carried to them in the field ; they have one
half hour to eat it in, in the winter, and one hour in the
summer. Their time for eating is about eight in the morn-
ing, and one in the afternoon. Sometimes, they have not so
much time given to them. The overseer stands by them
until they have eaten, and then he orders them to work.

The slaves return to their huts at night, make their little
fires, and lie down until they are awakened for another day
of toil. No beds are given them to sleep on; if they have
any, they find themselves. The women and the men all
have to work on the farms together; they must fare alike
in'slavery. Husbands and wives must see all that happens
to each other, and witness the sufferings of each. They must
see their children polluted, without the power to prevent it.

HOW THE SLAVES CONTRIVE TO GET FOOD.

There are some animals in Virginia called raccoons, pos-
sums, old hares, and squirrels. The best of these is the pos-
sum, which lives in old trees and in the earth. The slave
sets his traps in the swamps, where the possum usually lives.
The traps are made by cutting down trees, and cutting them in

3 *

30 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

short pieces about five feet long ; then they raise the log on
three pieces of stick, like the figure four. These traps are
made on the Sabbath. One slave will sometimes have fif-
teen or twenty of them, and will go at night, with his torch —
of pitch-pine, and see if his traps have caught anything for
him toeat. Sometimes he finds a possum and a raccoon ;
and sometimes a squirrel and old hare. This old hare is
something like a rabbit. All of these little animals are good
food for the poor slave, and make him feel very glad that he
has them to eat. Some of the slaves hunt these animals
with dogs, trained for the purpose. They run them up the
trees in the forest, where, as they are a harmless animal,
they can be taken very easily. They do not fight very hard
when caught, but are very easily overcome ; but they area ~
very deceitful little animal. They will lie on the ground,
and make you think they are dead; but if you leave them,
they will creep off so soon, that you cannot conceive how
the little animal got away so cute. The only way they can
be kept safely is to be put in a bag, or in a basket with a
cover. The slave knows best when to hunt these creatures.
The best time is just at the rise of the tide in the rivers.
There is another method that the slave takes to get his food.
He makes what is called a fish-trap. This is made by ecut-
ting white oak wood into very small strips, which are tied
together with a great deal of ingenuity. This trap is put in
very deep water, and attended by the slaves at night, and on
the Sabbath, (this being all the time they have to attend to
their traps ;) and very glad are they of this opportunity of

SLAVES ON THE PLANTATION. 31

getting some nice fish. Oftentimes the overseer will take
what he wants for his own use, and the slaves must
submit.

There are some little fruits in Virginia, that are called
*‘ simmons ” ; they grow very plentifully, and are sweet and
good. The slaves get them in the fall of the year, then
they get a barrel and put the “simmons” into it, and put
water there too, and something else that grows on trees, that
they call ‘* locusses,”’ which are about ten inches long, and
two across. They put the “ locusses ” and “ simmons” into
the water together, and let them stand for two or three days.
Then the water is drained off, and the leaves are used as
you would use coffee. The slaves put this liquid in gourds,
and carry it to the field with them, and drink out of their
gourds while they eat their bread.

HOUSE SLAVES.

When the slave-master owns a great many slaves, ten or
a dozen are always employed to wait on himself and family.
They are not treated so cruelly as the field slaves; they
are better fed and wear better clothing, because the master
and his family always expect to have strangers visit them,
and they want their servants to look well. These slaves
eat from their master’s table, wear broadcloth and calico ;
they wear ruffled-bosomed shirts, too, —such as Doctor
Nehemiah Adams declares he saw while on his visit to the
South, where he became so much in love with the “ peculiar

32 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

institution.” These slaves, although dressed and fed better
than others, have to suffer alike with those whose outward.
condition is worse. ‘They are much to be compared to gal-
vanized watches, which shine and resemble gold, but are far
from being the true metal; so with these slaves who wait
upon their masters at table —their broadcloth and calico
look fine, but you may examine their persons, and find many
a lash upon their flesh. They are sure of their whippings,
and are sold the same as others.

Sometimes their masters change, and put them on the
farm, that the overseers may whip them. Among those
who wait upon the master, there is always one to watch
the others, and report them to him. This slave is treated
as well as his master, because it is for the master’s interest
that he does this. This slave he always. carries with him
when he visits the North; particularly such slaves as can-
not be made to leave their master, because they are their
master’s watch-dog at home. So master can trust them.
Before leaving, master always talks very kindly to them,
and promises something very great for a present, if they are
true to him until his return.

These slaves know what they must say when asked as
to. their treatment at home, and of the treatment of their fel-
lows. They leave their wives, their: mothers, brothers
and sisters, and children, toiling and being driven and
whipped by the overseer, and tortured and insulted on every
occasion.

SLAVES ON THE PLANTATION. 33

DECEPTION OF THE SLAVEHOLDER.

All the slaves, as well as their owners, are addicted to
drinking ; so when the slaveholder wants to make a show of
his niggers, (as he calls them,) he gives them rum to drink.

When the master knows a Northern man is to visit him,
he gives orders to the overseer, and the overseer orders
every slave to dress himself, and appear on the field. If
the slaves have any best, they must put it on. Perhaps a
man has worked hard, extra times all the year, and got
his wife a fourpenny gown, — she must put it on, and go to
the field to work. About the time the stranger is expected,
a jug of rum is sent to the field, and every slave has just
enough given him to make him act as if he was crazy.

When such a stranger as Rev. Dr. Adams appears with
the master, he does not see the negroes, but the rum that
is in them; and when he hears their hurrah, and sees their
Jim-Crow actions, he takes it for granted that they are as
happy as need be, and their condition could not be bettered.

The owner gives the visitor liberty to ask his “‘ niggers ”’
questions. [He will ask them if they love their master, or
wish to leave him. Poor slave will say, he would not leave
his master for the world; but O, my reader! just let the
poor slave get off, and he would be in Canada very soon,
where the slaveholder dare not venture.

The slaves do not speak for themselves. The slave-
holding master and his rum are working in their heads,
speaking for slavery; and this is the way the slaveholder
deceives his friend from the North.

34 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

FLOGGING.

For whipping the slaves in Virginia, there are no rules.
_ The slave receives from the slaveholder from fifty to five
hundred lashes. The slave-owner would think fifty stripes
an insult to the slave. If the slave is let off with fifty
lashes, he must show a very good temper. Men, women,
and children must be whipped alike on their bare backs, it
being considered an honor to whip them over their clothes.
The slaves are placed in a certain position when they are
flogged, with sufficieat management to hold them very still,
so they cannot work their hands or feet, while they are
*‘ wooding them up,” as they call it in Virginia.

Some of the slaves have to lie down on their stomachs, flat
on the ground, and bestretched out so as to keep their skin
tight for the lash, and thus lie until they receive as much as
they choose to put on; if they move, they must receive so
many lashes extra. When the slaveholder expects to give
his slave five hundred lashes, he gives him about half ata
time; then washes him down with salt and water, and then
gives him the remainder of what he is to have. At such
times, the slave-owner has his different liquors to drink,
while he is engaged in draining the blood of the slave.
So he continues to drink his rum and whip his victim.
When he does not flog his victims on the ground, they are
tied by their hands, and swung up toa great tree, just so the
end of their toes may touch the ground. In this way, they
receive what number of lashes they are destined to. The

SLAVES ON THE PLANTATION. 3D

master has straw brought, that the blood may not touch
his shoes. Ah, reader! this is true, every word of it. The
poor slave is whipped till the blood runs down to the earth,
and then he must work all day, cold or hot, from week’s
end to weck’s end. There are hundreds of slaves who
change their skins nearly as often as they have a new suit
of clothes.

FARMS ADJOINING EDLOE’S PLANTATION.

[ wILu give my readers a little knowledge concerning the
neighbors of my owner, that they may be able to judge of
Slavery by something more than the character of one slave-
holder, or his management among his slaves. |

Edloe’s farm was what was called Upper Brandon, on
James River. It consisted of about fifty-six square miles,
and was worked by eighty-one slaves. |

William B. Harrison owned Middle Brandon. His farm
was about one hundred square miles. He owned over two
hundred slaves. Of their treatment I shall speak, and also
of the numerous overseers he had employed.

George B. Harrison, the owner of my father, owned
Lower Brandon. His farm was the same in size as his bro-
ther’s, and he owned the same number of slaves.

Mr. Wm. Harrison fed his slaves what is called “regular ”

36 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

in Virginia; he was one of the best feeders on James River.
He clothed them well, too; but he was a great flogger, and
probably the greatest in the region. In his dealings with
those who were not slaves, he was upright, never deceiving,
but always doing as he agreed. If any other case than
Slavery came before him, he would make a liberal decision
in favor of right; but he would have his slaves whipped
whenever the overseer wished it. Sometimes he would go
to church and preach to his slaves. I have heard him my-
self, but, my readers, it did seem like mocking God for such
as he to stand up and preach.

The first overseer of Mr. Harrison’s that I knew was Benj.
Bishop. Under his reign, many of the slaves went into the
presence of their God, to show the bloody stripes of the
lash received from Ben. Bishop. Harrison did not care for
his slaves as the man who owned me did, but left them to
the mercy of the overseers. Go to the South, reader! there
you will see many mulattoes, the descendants of Ben. Bish-
op. He continued with Harrison several years, when, be-
ing sent down to Richmond to sell some negroes, he made
one hundred dollars more than he was to pay his employer ;
therefore, he concluded to take the business of human traffic
into his own hands, and become a “ nigger trader.” He
was not very successful in his undertaking, being too fond
of what is called * toddy ” in the Southern States. He be-
came a great drunkard and a great gambler, (vices inti-
mately connected with the ‘* peculiar institution,”) and was
obliged to give up his business.

SLAVES ON THE PLANTATION, 8 |

He was afterwards employed by Edloe, my master;

but he did not live with him long before he was discharged,
for his unmerciful treatment of the blacks.
_ Death called to him soon, and he was ushered into the
awful presence of the righteous Judge, (who listens to the
cries of the poor widows, and the orphans,) with his guilty
hands dripping with the blood of his fellow-creatures, who
had sunk groaning to the earth beneath his barbed heel of
cruel oppression.

The next man who took charge of this farm was John Q.
Adams. This man (notwithstanding his noble name) was a
disgrace to civilization ; for when he had beaten his victims
till their bodies could bear no more, he would lash the bot-
toms of their feet. My readers, this may seem incredible,
but it is truth. Harrison’s slaves trembled at the very men-
tion of his name, and the sight of him would bring wo
and terror to their very souls; the poor creatures would
wish that the earth would open and swallow them, that
they might never look upon the face of Adams again, or
hear the sound of his voice. His voice had all the fearful
sound of the roaring lion, and the hideous howl of the prowl-
ing wolf. I verily believe his organs of speech were made
of the hardest granite, fastened together with monstrous iron
bolts. As his victims were dripping with their own blood,
he would bellow forth his curses, and dare them to call on
God for help. Groanings and sorrow, pains and misery
untold, unspeakable, were the portion of the negroes upon
Harrison’s plantation.

4

38 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

Adams practised everything that was mean, cruel, devil-
ish, everything that could be thought of by demons. This con-
duct continued eleven years before I left Virginia, in 1847.
I could give a great many more truths concerning this J. Q.
Adams, that may seem too outrageous for a human being to
conceive. I would not do injustice to any one, not even a_
slave-driver, for I know I must stand at the bar of the Eter-
nal, and render an account of every word spoken in the
flesh. I know that, in order to do good, my testimony must
be the truth.

The next overseer was Harden Harrison. He owned three
slaves himself; but was very religious, and belonged to the
Presbyterian Church. He did not beat so much as Adams,
but was very strict with the slaves.. He used to say his
prayers every night, and grace before his meals. Some-
times his grace failed him, and then the poor slave must
expect something more than soft words or gentle treatment.
He never yet had grace sufficient to excuse any little fault
ina negro. He used to quote Moses’s law to whip by. His
face was very narrow and hypocritical.

He had just enough of professed religion to deceive. He ’
was one of those calculated to deceive Northern visitors,
who saw him go on with his solemn ceremonies of religion,
to make them believe that good and religious men guided
the poor ignorant blacks, and kept them from sinking entirely
into the blackness of heathenism. Then Mr. H. would
take just enough of his toddy to make him feel as good as
any body else. He lived with Mr. W. B. Harrison as long
as he wished, then left and went home to his own farm.

SLAVES ON THE PLANTATION. 39
x

The next overseer was named Edloe. He used to call
himself the “ snapping-turtle,”’ and would raw-hide the slaves
so they would be obliged to wind cotton round their persons,
to protect their wounds from their clothing. Of other things
of which he was guilty, delicacy forbids me to speak;
judge for yourselves. He continued there three years, and
was at it when I left Virginia.

One more of these men! have not mentioned, whose
name was Ladd. It should have been “ Hornet.” J cannot
speak of the actions of this man, without a shrinking from
the fact that 1 ever knew such a being. He made men and
women to growl and bark like dogs. At all hours of the
night, you might find Ladd in the woods, with his dogs,
prowling about after some skulking fugitive, and all day
driving and whipping the persecuted victims, till they were
almost driven to self-murder, which nothing but the belief
that those who take their own lives cannot be happy in
another world kept them from. The slaves used to run
away to Edloe, and get him to go and beg mercy for them,
and he weuld do so. For two years, Ladd managed in this
way ; then the great Judge called him from earth, to give
an account of his bloody deeds.

Some of my readers may ask why we were always afilict-
ed with such horrid men, as overseers, in our region, and if
there were no good ones. Ah, dear reader, do you think a
good man would take sucha position ? And what man is there
who would not become worse daily by being placed in sucha

situation, with unlimited power over hundreds of abject beings,

40 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

whom he looks upon as only a little above the brute? Ah,
ye who look coolly on in the distance, and doubt the exist-
ence of all this wretchedness, go nearer, become yourself
the property of another, and then your doubts will be re-
moved !

The first overseer I knew of on George Harrison’s planta-
tion was Charles Charbour. ‘ Devilish” is the only word
which will describe his character. My father was a colored
driver under him, and he was made to beat his fellow slaves
most unmercifully, and there was no escape, unless he
would have submitted to a worse fate, if possible, for him-
self. Charbour has been known to cut the skin with a knife
from the poor black man’s feet, that he might not run away,
or that the saying, ** I will cut every inch of your black hide
off,” might be literally fulfilled. Truly, he was one towards
whom the blood of the slave will cry, whenever he ap-
proaches those fields of labor, or wanders by the swamps,
or by the riverside. There was no peace for man, woman
or child wherever he followed.

Harrison, who owned the slaves, was a young man at this
time, and cared for nothing, so Charbour had everything his
own way. God in his mercy visited this farm with a great
calamity. The cholera came among the slaves, and carried
many to their rest. The very atmosphere, at this time,
seemed to burn with evil and wrong for the poor negroes,
so that death was their best friend. Many of my father’s
relations were owned here, and well we knew of the suffer-
ings which their owner allowed, and sought no means to

alleviate.

SLAVES ON THE PLANTATION. 41

Harrison’s conduct at last made him an object of scorn
and indignation to most of the people who knew him. One
day, he was on business at the court house, and while he
was seated among many gentlemen, who were strangers to
him, they commenced a conversation about “ young Harri-
son,” and his abominable course in regard to his people.
Very freely they discussed his character, and he had the
benefit of their opinion from their own mouths. He went
home rather humbled, and commenced the work of reform-
ation on his plantation. Charbour was forbidden to whip so
much, and the slaves were really treated better.. That sea-
son was to the slaves what the conversion of Paul was to
the church he had persecuted,—there was rest for a little
season. Shortly after this sudden change in Geo. Harrison,
he died, when the clouds of darkness again fell about those
poor negroes. His brother became the guardian of the
estate, and everything was left in the hands of overseers,
who used their power as bad men might be expected to.

Another neighbor of ours, or rather, of my master’s, was
his brother. His plantation was called Willow Hill, and was
very large. This Mr. Edloe owned two farms, (one in
Cumberland Co.,) and a great many slaves. Many of these
slaves were related to me, and those of my fellows who
came North with me. —

William Allen owned a large farm across from Lower
Brandon, in Surrey Co., called Claremont. He also owned
twelve other farms, and nine hundred and ninety-nine slaves.
He was uncle to Edloe, my owner, and was considered the

4*

42 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

richest man in Virginia, except old Bob Bolling, of Peters-
burg. He was not a good man. He was possessed of none
of the virtues, but some of the vices of King Solomon. He
was very fond of the young females, yet he was married to
no one. He was very cruel to his people, and used what is
called the bell and horns on his slaves, to keep them from
running away. He used to chain them together with a long
chain, with heavy fastenings at the end of the chain. The
bell and horns were a harness made so as to fasten on the
slave’s neck, with a band of iron that would go round the
neck, to which was attached another band that passed over
the top of the head, about three feet perpendicular, then
turned with a hook, so as to hook over the limbs of trees, if
the slave should attempt running in the swamps, out of sight
of the overseer. He always kept a good stock of them on
hand, to use as you would use bells for cows, that you might
find them easily, if they strayed.

Some of his slaves were put to death by his overseers, »
but he did not trouble himself about it—he had plenty
more. Ah, my readers! more blood has been drawn from
Allen’s slaves than he would be willing to carry upon his
shoulders for one moment.

He was very close with his slaves with regard to food
and clothes, and those who lived along the rivers used to
catch fish at stolen moments, so as to keep themselves
along, from time to time, until Allen died. When that oc-
curred, Edloe immediately went over, and freed all the poor

creatures from their harnesses, leg-irons, and handcuffs.

CABIN POINT. 43

Allen had freed his colored sons, and about eight others.
The rest of his slaves he gave to one of his nephews,
named William Allen. He gave one of his farms to be di-
vided among all his relations. Edloe was one, and he drew
eighteen of those slaves, who were all freed with myself.
The rest went to drudge with their new masters, under a

bondage worse than Egyptian.

CABIN POINT.

There was but one village near Brandon, where the large
‘farms were cultivated, and that was in Surrey County, about
seven miles from Lower Brandon. This village was called
“Cabin Point,’ and there the United States mail stopped.
Five or six stores were kept there, and it was a great place
for loafers ; for at these stores, you could buy almost every
thing, especially rum and other liquors. Saturdays and
Sundays, all the lower class of whites and free colored peo-
ple used to assemble there, to drink and gamble. No slaves
were allowed there, unless sent by their masters, with a
pass.

Cabin Point” was famous for its fighting, drunkenness,
and every kind of degradation. The whites beat the free
colored people there, and they dare not raise their hands,
lest they should be mobbed. Females were not safe there
an instant; nothing could protect them from the violence of
those drunken desperadoes. If any good man from the
North should witness one of these scenes, he would think it
indicative of any thing but civilization.

44 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

. This place is the rendezvous for all the rowdies of Prince
George and Surrey counties. There the overseers would
meet for their drunken revels, and return to the farms, to
- make the backs of the outraged negroes pay the bills for
their debauchery.

There were many wealthy men there, who owned many
human beings. The most prominent among them were Mr.
Peters, A. Sledge, Dr. Strong, and Dr. Graves. |

Dr. Graves was so cruel and wicked, he would not take
time even to whip his slaves, but would use his knife on
them. He would chain them on their backs, and give them
nothing to eat for two or three days at a time. He was
called the best physician in the place, but he was as good a
devil as I should wish to see. He was employed by all the
large farmers to attend their slaves in sickness, and was
very fond of the female slaves, to whom he was a good doc-
tor. I will not spend time to write more of him; he was
so wicked, my feelings become excited, and language fails
me in speaking of him.

Dr. Strong was a mild man,—as fine a man as I ever
knew among slaveholders. He was not cruel; he looked
upon his negroes as human beings, possessed of feelings,
and as capable of enjoyment and suffering as himself, and
he treated them kindly. He appeared to be a Christian;
but still, he held his fellow-men in bondage; he did not
allow them to act for themselves and work for themselves.
Even kind-hearted Dr. Strong could not live out the precepts
of Jesus and remain a slaveholder. He was succeeded by

OVERSEERS. 45

Dr. Gray, who, though a very strict man among his people,
was not cruel.

Mr. Peters was not as bad as many other slaveholders,
though he used to whip his slaves to keep them tame, for
fear they would run wild. Mr. Peters was a mild, whipping
slaveholder, died a slaveholder, and will receive a slavehold-
er’s reward.

Amos Sledge was very cruel and inhuman in the treat-
ment of his people. He worked them very hard, fed them
very poorly, clothed them but scantily, whipped them un-
mercifully, and allowed them no privileges. They were a
downcast, heart-broken set of people.

OVERSEERS.

The first overseer I served under was Henry Halling-
work, acruel anda bad man. He often whipped my mother
and the children, and worked the slaves almost day and
night, in all weather. The men had no comfort with their
wives, for any of the latter who pleased him, he would take
from their husbands, and use himself. If any refused his
lewd embraces, he treated them with the utmost barbarity.
At night, he watched the slaves’ huts, to find out if they
said anything against him, or had any food except what he
had allowed them; and if he discovered anything he dis-
liked, they were severely whipped. He continued this con-
duct for about three years, when Mr. Edloe discovered it,

and discharged him.

46 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

The next overseer who lived on the plantation did not
treat the people so badly as did Hallingwork, but he drove
them very hard, and watched them very closely, to see that
they took nothing but their allowance. He only lived there
two years, when he was discharged for misconduct.

The next overseer, a man named Harris, only remained
about six months ; his cruelty was so great, it came to Mr.
Edloe’s ear, and he was discharged.

_The successor of Harris was L. Hobbs. He was very
cruel to the people, especially to all women who would not
submit to him. He used to bind women hand and foot, and
whip them until the blood ran down to the earth, and then
wash them down in salt and water, and keep them tied all
day, when Edloe was not at home. He used to take my
cousin and tie her up and whip her so she could not lie
down to rest at night until her back got well. All this was
done on Edloe’s plantation, the good slaveholder who owned
me; and the other slaveholders used to say to him that he
“ spoiled his niggers ;”? — but this was the way he spoiled
them. Hobbs continued this ill-treatment for the space of
three years, then he was turned off. Thus ends the history
of Hobbs on Edloe’s plantation, with the exception of leav-
ing what are termed ‘ mulattoes” in Virginia.

The fifth overseer was B. F. Bishop. He came to the
plantation asa tyrant, and proved himself such to men, wo-
men and children. He reigned tyrannically for one year, and
did many things which decency will not permit me to speak
of. He, and all of the overseers, were in the habit of steal-

OVERSEERS. ~ 47

ing from their employer, and the colored people knew it, but
their informing Edloe would have done no good, for he
could not believe a slave. According to the laws of Vir-
ginia, the testimony of a slave against an overseer could not
be taken. This Benj. Bishop reigned ‘“¢ monarch of all he
surveyed” (doing as he chose in every thing —cruel as
cruel could be) one year, when he was discharged.

The sixth overseer was R. Lacy, a native of Charles
City, Va. He reigned seven years. I cannot describe to
my readers the malice and madness with which this being
treated Edloe’s slaves. You cannot find his parallel in his-
tory, except it be in Nero or Caligula. Indeed, he was a very
wicked man, and a great hypocrite. I cannot point to one
good deed he ever performed. He would enter the houses,
and bind men and women, and inflict torture upon them,
whether innocent or guilty. The blood of innocent slaves
is yet crying to the God of justice to avenge their sufferings,
and pour out deserved judgment upon the head of Lacy.

The seventh overseer was P. Vaughn. He was cruel,
but not so much so as some of the others had been. He
was too fond of rum and the females, so Edloe gave him
his walking ticket.

The eighth overseer was J. G. Harrison. He was with Mr.
Edloe at the time of his decease. Harrison was, like others
in his station, hard and unmerciful. He made his dogs
tear and bite my mother very badly. She died soon after,
and was freed from her tormentors, at rest from her labors,

and rejoicing in heaven.

48 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

This same Harrison shot one of Edloe’s men, because he
would not submit to the lash; but no one said anything to
Harrison about his conduct. (He did not kill the man.
Although shot, he is now living in Charlestown, Mass. His
name is Wyatt Lee. He is well known in Boston.)

FOOD AND CLOTHING.

I shall now show what the slaves have to eat and wear.
They have one pair of shoes for the year; if these are
worn out in two months, they get no more that year, but
must go barefooted the rest of the year, through cold and
heat. The shoes are very poor ones, made by one of the
slaves, and do not last more than two or three months. One
pair of stockings is allowed them for the year; when these
are gone, they have no more, although it is cold in Virginia
for five months. They have one suit of clothes for the
year. This is very poor indeed, and made by the slaves
themselves on the plantation. It will not last more than
three months, and then the poor slave gets no more from
the slaveholder, if he go naked. ‘This suit consists of one
shirt, one pair of pants, one pair of socks, one pair of
shoes, and no vest at all. The slave has a hat given him
once in two years; when this is worn out, he gets no more
from the slaveholder, but must go bareheaded till he can get
_ one somewhere else. Perhaps the slave will get him a skin
of some kind, and make him a hat.

The food of the slaves is this: Every Saturday night, they

FUNERAL CUSTOMS. 49

receive two pounds of bacon, and one peck and a half of
corn meal, to last the men through the week. The women
have one half pound of meat, and one peck of meal, and
the children one half peck each. When this is gone, they
can have no more till the end of the week. This is very
little food for the slaves. They have to beg when they
can; when they cannot, they must suffer. ‘They are not
allowed to go off the plantation ; if they do, and are caught,
they are whipped very severely, and what they have begged

is taken from them.

CUSTOMS OF THE SLAVES, WHEN ONE OF .
THEIR NUMBER DIES.

They go to the overseer, and obtain leave to sit up all
night with their dead, and sing and pray. This is a very
solemn season. First, one sings and another prays, and this
they continue every night until the dead body is buried.
One of the slaves makes the coffin, — and a very bad one it
generally is. Some wheat straw is put in the coffin, and if
they can get it, they wrap the body in a piece of white
cloth ; if they cannot get it, they put the body in the coffin
without anything around it. Then they nail up the coffin,
and put it in a cart, which is drawn by oxen or mules, and
carried to the grave. As they have no tombs, they put all
the slaves in the earth. If the slave who died was a Chris-
tian, the rest of the Christians among them feel very glad,
and thank God that brother Charles, or brother Ned, or sis-

5

50 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

ter Betsey, is at last free, and gone home to heaven,—
where bondage is never known. Some, who are left be-
hind, cry and grieve that they, too, cannot die, and throw
off their yoke of slavery, and join the company of the
brother or sister who has just gone.

When the overseer is in good humor, he will let all the
people go to look the last time upon their relative; if he is
ill-tempered, he will not let the slaves go at all; so it all
depends upon the state of mind the overseer is in, whether
the child is permitted to look upon the remains of its parent,
the husband upon his wife, the mother upon her child, or
any other dear relative. Ah, my readers! think of this,
and see the cruelty of the “ peculiar institution.” Slaves
have tender human feelings, — very warm and tender they
are; but it matters not how sorrowful and heavy a heart the
poor negro may have, he cannot see his lifeless friends
unless the slaveholder wills it.

When several of the slaves die together, the others go to
their owner, and ask him to let them have a funeral. Most
of the owners will grant their slaves this privilege. When
the owner and overseer give their consent, the slaveholder
sends a note to a white preacher; then they set the day,
and the slaves make ready for the funeral services over
their friends.

The slaves go to the woods, and make seats to sit upon,
(this is done Saturday night). When the seats are prepared,
they are left till the slaves take their seats upon them, and
sit until about ten o’clock, when the slaveholding minister
comes, and preaches about one hour anda half. Then he

FUNERAL CUSTOMS. 51

gives the negroes liberty to sing and pray, and he stands by
them. This is to keep the slaves from their master, because
they are not allowed to meet together, except a white man
be present. At the funeral, all the slaves from the adjoin-
ing plantations obtain passes from their overseers, and come ;
so this is really a great day for the poor blacks to see each
other. If their hearts are sad, they are happy to see their
friends, and they all go to some place, and their friends
receive such entertainment as it is in their power to give.
They stay together till night draws on, and then each leaves
for his home. As soon as possible after the funeral, the
slaves must go to their work. They have no person to speak
a word of comfort to them, to cheer their heavy hearts ;
but they must go on working and mourning all the day and
night. If they had some one to sympathize with them, their
burden would be lightened ; but no one cares for the tears of
the widow, the sighs of the disconsolate husband, the sob-
bing cries of the mother, whose little son or daughter has
been taken from her. No one pities the widow’s son, that
his mother (who labored all her life for the slaveholder, and
for her son, when she could get an opportunity) is gone to
the grave, leaving her only one behind, to toil on yet longer
beneath the lash of tyrant overseers, and at the mercy of
unfeeling slaveholders. Ah! my readers! even in the
grave there is more comfort to the sad ones afflicted, than in
the prison-house of hopeless slavery. Once, oh Northern
reader! visit the auction-block, and all that is human within
your soul will be aroused, and you will feel and know what

American slavery is.

52 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

SLAVES ON THE AUCTION-BLOCK.

THE auctioneer is crying the slave to the highest bidder.
** Gentlemen, here is a very fine boy for sale. He is worth
twelve hundred dollars. His name is Emanuel. He be-
longs to Dea. William Harrison, who wants to sell him
because his overseer don’t like him. How much, gentle-
men,—how much for this boy? He’s a fine, hearty
nigger. Bid up, bid up, gentlemen; he must be sold.”
Some come up to look at him, pull open his mouth to exam-
ine his teeth, and see if they are good. Poor fellow! he is
handled and examined like any piece of merchandize; but
he must bear it. Neither tongue nor hand, nor any other
member, is his own,— why should he attempt to use
another’s property?

Again the bidding goes on: “I will give one thousand
dollars for that boy.” The auctioneer says, ‘‘ Sir, he is
worth twelve hundred at the lowest. Bid up, gentlemen,
bid up; going, going—are you all done? — once, twice,
three times — all done? — Gone!”

See the slaveholder, who just bought the image of God,
come to his victim, and take possession of him. Poor
Emanuel must go away from his wife, never to see her
again. All the ties of love are severed; the declaration of
the Almighty, which said, ‘* What God hath joined together,
let not man put asunder,” is unheeded, and he must leave

all to follow his Christian master, —a member of the Epis-

SLAVES ON THE AUCTION-BLOCK. 53

eopal Churech,—a partaker, from time to time, of the Lord’s
sacrament! Such men mock religion and insult God. O
that God would rend the heavens and appear unto these
heartless men!

Next come Jenny and her five children. Her husband
was sold and gone. The oldest of her children is a girl
seventeen years old, — her name, Lucy.

Auctioneer —‘‘ Here, gentlemen, is a fine girl for sale:
how much for her? Gentlemen, she will be a fortune for
any one who buys her that wants to raise niggers. Bid up,
gentlemen, bid up! Fine girl; very hearty ; good health;
only seventeen years old; she’s worth fifteen hundred dol-
lars te any one who wants to raise niggers. Here’s her
mother; she ’s had nine children; the rest of them are sold.
How much, gentlemen,—how much? Bid up! bid up!”

Poor Lucy is sold away from all the loved ones, and goes
to receive the worst of insults from her eruel taskmaster.
Her poor mother stands by heart-broken, with tears stream-
ing down her face. O! is there a heart, not all brutish,
that can witness such a scene without falling to the earth
with shame, that the rights of his fellow-creatures are so
basely trampled upon? ‘The seller or buyer of a human
being, for purposes of slavery, is not human, and has no
right to the name.

The next “ article ’’ sold is Harry, a boy of fifteen.

Auctioneer —‘ Gentlemen, how much for this bey? _ He
is an honest boy, can be trusted with any thing you wish;
how much for him?”

5

54 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE,

Harry is sold from his mother, who is standing watching
for her turn. She began to scream out, “ O, my child! my
child!’ Here the old slaveholder said, ‘* Ah, my girl! if
you do not stop that hollering, I will give you something to
holler for.’ Poor Jenny, the mother, tried to suppress her
grief, but all in vain. Harry was gone, and the children
eried out, “Good by, Harry; good by!” ‘The broken-
hearted mother sobbed forth, “ Farewell, my boy; try te
meet me in heaven.”

The next of the children was Mary. She was put upon
the block and sold. Then the mother became so much
affected that she seemed like one crazy. So the old rough
slaveholder went to the mother, and began to lay the lash
upon her; but it mattered not to her—her little Mary was
‘gone, and now her turn had come. O, mothers, who sit in
your comfortable homes, surrounded by your happy chil-
dren, think of the poor slave mother, robbed so cruelly of
her all by a fate worse than death! O, think of her, pray
for her, toil for her, ever; teach your blooming daughters
to think with compassion of their far-off colored sisters, and
train them up anti-slavery women! 'Teach your sons the
woes and burning wrongs of slavery; make them grow up
earnest, hard-working anti-slavery men. When mothers all
do this, we may hope yet to live in a free country.

Wretched, childless, widowed Jenny was placed upon the
block for sale.

Auctioneer —“ Gentlemen, here is Jenny,—how much
for her? She can do good work. Now, gentlemen, her

SLAVES ON THE AUCTION-BLOCK. 55

master says he believes her to be a Christian, a very pious
old woman; and she will keep every thing straight around
her. You may depend on her. She will neither lie nor
steal: what she says may be believed. Just let her pray,
and she will keep right.”

Here Jesus Christ was sold to the highest bidder; sold in
Jenny to keep her honest, to bring gold to the slaveholder.
Jenny was sold away from all her little children, never to
see them again. Poor mother! who had toiled day and
night to raise her little children, feeling all a mother’s affec-
tion for them, she must see them no more in this world!
She feels like great mourning, —“ like Rachel weeping for
her children, and would not be comforted, because they
were not.”” So she commends them to the care of the God
of the widow and the fatherless, by bathing her bosom in
tears, and giving them the last affectionate embrace, with
the advice to meet her in heaven. O, the tears of the poor
slave that are in bottles, to be poured out upon this blood-
stained nation, as soon as the cup of wrath of the almighty
Avenger is full, when He shall say, “I have heard the
sroanings of my people, and I will deliver them from the
oppressor !”

Slaveholders carry the price of blood upon their backs
and in their pockets; the very bread they eat is the price of
blood; the houses they live in are bought with blood; all
the education they have is paid for by the blood and sorrows

of the poor slaves.

In parting with their friends at the auction-block, the poor

56 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

blacks have the anticipation of meeting them again in the

heavenly Canaan, and sing —

“QO, fare you well, O, fare you well!
God bless you until we meet again;
Hope to meet you in heaven, to part no more.

CHORUS — Sisters, fare you well; sisters, fare you well;
God Almighty bless you, until we meet again.”*

‘Among the slaves, there is a great amount of talent,
given by the hand of inspiration; talent, too, which, if
cultivated, would be of great benefit to the world of man-
kind. If these large minds are kept sealed up, so that they
cannot answer the end for which they were made, some-
body must answer for it on the great day of account. O
think of this, my readers! Think of that great day when
it shall be said to all the world, ‘“* Give an account of thy
stewardship!” Among the slaves may be found talents,
which, if improved, would be instrumental in carrying the
blessed Gospel of Truth to distant lands, and in bringing the
people to acknowledge the true and living God. But all
has been crushed down by a Christian world, and by the
Christian Church. With these solemn facts written against
this nation, see to it, my readers, before this iniquity over-
throw you, and it be too late to repent.

The sin of holding slaves is not only against one nation,
but against the whole world, because we are here to do one
another good, in treating each other well; and this is to be
done by having right ideas of God and his religion. But
this privilege is denied to three millions and a half of the

SLAVES ON THE AUCTION-BLOCK. 57

people of this, our own ‘free’ land. The slaveholders say
we have not a true knowledge of religion; but the great
Teacher said, when he came on his mission, ** The Spirit of
the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach
the Gospel to the poor. He hath sent me to heal the bro-
ken-hearted; to preach deliverance to the captive, and
recovering of sight to the blind; to set at liberty them that
are bruised, and to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”
This ought to be the work of the ministers and the churches.
Any thing short of this is not the true religion of Jesus.

‘This is the great commandment of the New Testament —
‘Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thy neigh-
bor as thyself.’ ‘‘ Do unto others as ye would that they
should do to you,” is the golden rule for all men to follow.
By this rule shall all men be judged. We have got to hear,
** Come, ye blessed; depart, ye cursed!”” These are my
convictions, and my belief of the religion of Jesus, the won-
derful Counsellor of the children of the created Adam, our
great progenitor.

In view of these things, I earnestly beg my readers to
renew their interest in the anti-slavery cause, never turning
a deaf ear to the pleadings of the poor slave, or to those
who speak, however feebly, for him. The Anti-Slavery
cause is the cause of ‘Humanity, the cause of RELIGION,
the cause of Gop!

58 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

CITY AND TOWN SLAVES.

THE slaves in the cities (Petersburg, Richmond and Nor-
folk, in Virginia) do not fare so hard as on the: plantations,
where they have farming work to do. Most of the town
and city slaves are hired out, to bring in money to their
owners. They often have the privilege of hiring themselves
out, by paying their owners so much, at stated times, — say
once a week, or once a month. Many of them are employed
in factories and work at trades. They do very well, for if
they are industrious, they can earn considerably more than
is exacted of them by their owners. All can dress well,
have comfortable homes, and many can read and write.
Many of them lay up money to purchase either their own
freedom or that of some dear one. These slaves are not
subjected to the lash as the poor creatures upon the planta-
tions are, for their owners would feel (as every man should
feel, in the true sense) their dignity fallen, their nobility
sullied, by raising the whip over their human property.

Slavery, as seen here by the casual observer, might be
supposed not to be so hard as one would imagine, after all
the outcry of philanthropists, who “ sit in their chimney-cor-
ners amid the Northern hills, and conjure up demoniac
shapes and fiendish spirits, bearing the name of slavehold-
ers.”” But Slavery is Slavery, wherever it is found. Dress
it up as you may, in the city or on the plantation, the hu-
man being must feel that which binds him to another’s will.

CITY AND TOWN SLAVES. 59

Be the fetters of silk, or hemp, or iron, all alike warp the
mind and goad the soul.

The city slave may escape the evil eye and cruel lash of
the overseer, but if he offend the all-important master, there
is retribution for him. ‘Hand this note to Capt. Heart,”
(of Norfolk,) or “ Capt. Thwing,” (of Petersburg,)—and
well does the shrinking slave know what is to follow.
These last-mentioned gentlemen give their time to, and im-
prove their talents by, laying the lash upon the naked backs
of men and women!

Ah, my readers! take what side you will of slavery,—
Dr. Adams’s * South side,” or the Abolitionist’s North side,
—there is but one side, and that is dark, dark. You may
think you see bright spots, but look at the surroundings of
those spots, and you will see nothing but gloom and dark-
ness. While toiling industriously, and living with a dear
family in comparative comfort and happiness, the city
slave (whose lot is thought to be so easy) suddenly finds
himself upon the auction-block, knocked down to the high-
est bidder, and carried far and forever from those dearer to
him than life; a beloved wife, and tender, helpless chil-
dren are all bereft, in a moment, of husband, father and
protector, by a fate worse. than death ;—and for what? To
sratify some spirit of revenge, or add to the weight of the
already well-filled purse of some Christian white man, who
professes ownership in his fellow-man. Wretch! you may
command, for a season, the bones and sinews of that

brother, so infinitely your superior; but, remember! that.

60 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

form is animated by a never-dying spirit ; it will not always
slumber; a God of infinite love and justice reigns over all,
and beholds your unholy, inhuman traffic! Believe you,
justice will triumph, the guilty shall not go unpunished on
the earth; the righteous are to be recompensed, much more
the wicked and the sinner.

The whipping-posts are the monuments of the religion
and greatness of the Southern cities, though none but the
basest of men officiate there; yet they think as much of
their office as a poor conceited dandy would of his, were he
raised to the Presidency of some great institution.

Yet, with the knowledge of all these wrongs constantly
thrust before the people, they wilfully shut their eyes, and
will not see; and thousands who walk these shores, free
men, support by word and deed this abominable wicked-
ness! Yes, even the ministers of our religion defend, from
those temples erected for the worship of the one living and
true God, this “ domestic institution”?! With all their offi-
cial sanctity, they enter the sacred desk, dedicated to the
service of a God of tender mercies, and consecrated to the
work of imparting to those congregated before it the teach-
ings of that pure and holy One, who preached deliverance
to the captives, and opened the eyes of the blind, who
rebuked sin wherever found,—among rulers or servants, in
the synagogues, the halls of justice, or by the public ways,
—and, instead of imitating their Divine Master, the Ameri-
can clergy uphold these crying enormities of the ‘ dear
people,” who feed and pamper their luxurious appetites,

CITY AND TOWN SLAVES. 61

and clothe them in fine linen. Ah, my readers! I was
once a slave, and was a partaker and witness of all its hor-
rors till I was twenty-seven years old. I, in my ignorance,
felt that I was called of God to preach His acceptable word
to this down-trodden race. Through His mercy, I was
made a free man, and now resolve to devote my life, my
all, to the spreading of the truth in regard to this great sin
of our nation. And O! it makes my heart ache, when I
see and hear those men, possessed, all their lives, of every
advantage, receiving their education at our seats of learning,
stand up before the people, as lights of the world, and de-
fend the slaveholder, or forever hold their peace in regard
to the plague-spot of Slavery.

What right, human or divine, can one man have to
another, who, like himself, was created in the glorious
image of our common Father and Creator? How can
such men pray, “ Our Father?” How can they talk
about the human family, and the great day of judgment
which is to come? Surely, like the false prophets of old,
they are deceiving the people.

62 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION.

Many say the negroes receive religious education — that
Sabbath worship is instituted for them as for others, and
were it not for slavery, they would die in their sins — that
really, the institution ‘of slavery is a benevolent missionary
enterprise. Yes, they are preached to, and I will give my
readers some faint glimpses of these preachers, and their
doctrines and practices. |

In Prince George County, there were two meeting-houses
intended for public worship. Both were occupied by the
Baptist denomination. These houses were built by William
and George Harrison, brothers. Mr. G. Harrison’s was
built on the line of his brother’s farm, that their slaves might
go there on the Sabbath and receive instruction, such as
slaveholding ministers would give. ‘The prominent preach-
ing to the slaves was, ‘ ‘Servants, obey your masters.’ ’’ Do
not steal or lie, for this is very wrong. Such conduct is
sinning against the Holy Ghost, and is base ingratitude to
your kind masters, who feed, clothe, and protect you.” All
Gospel, my readers! It was great policy to build a church
for the “‘ dear slave,” and allow him the wondrous privilege
of such holy instruction! Edloe’s slaves sometimes obtained
the consent of Harrison to listen to the Sabbath teachings so
generously dealt out to his servants. Shame! shame! to
take upon yourselves the name of Christ, with all that black-
ness of heart. I should think, when making such statements,

RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION. 63

the slaveholders would feel the rebuke of the Apostle, and
fall down and be carried out from the face of day, as were
Ananias and Sapphira, when they betrayed the trust com-
mitted to them, or refused to bear true testimony in regard
to that trust.

There was another church, about fourteen miles from the
one just mentioned. It was called ‘“* Brandon’s church,” and
there the white Baptists worshipped. Edloe’s slaves some-
times went there. The colored people had a very small
place allotted them to sit in, so they used to get as near the
window as they could to hear the preacher talk to his con-
gregation. But sometimes, while the preacher was exhort-
ing to obedience, some of those outside would be selling
refreshments, cake, candy, and rum, and others would be
horse-racing. This was the way, my readers, the Word of
God was delivered and received in Prince George County.
The Gospel was so mixed with Slavery, that the people
could see no beauty in it, and feel no reverence for it.

There was one Brother Shell, who used to preach. One
Sabbath, while exhorting the poor, impenitent, hard-hearted,
ungrateful slaves, so much beloved by their masters, to re-
pentance and prayerfulness, while entreating them to lead
good lives, that they might escape the wrath (of the lash) to
come, some of his crocodile tears overflowed his cheek,
which so affected his hearers, that they shouted and gave
thanks to God, that brother Shell had at length felt the spirit
of the Lord in his heart; and many went away rejoicing

that a heart of stone had become softened. But, my read-

64 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

ers, Monday morning, brother Shell was afflicted with his
old malady, hardness of heart, so that he was obliged to
catch one of the sisters by the throat, and give her a terrible
flogging.

The like of this is the preaching, and these are the men
that spread the Gospel among the slaves. Ah! such a Gos-
pel had better be buried in oblivion, for it makes more
heathens than Christians. Such preachers ought to be for-
bidden by the laws of the land ever to mock again at the
blessed religion of Jesus, which was sent as a light to the
world.

Another Sunday, when Shell was expounding, (very
much engaged was he in his own attempts to enlighten his
hearers,) there was one Jem Fulcrum became so enlightened
that he fell from his seat, quite a distance, to the floor.
Brother Shell thought he had preached unusually well so to
affect Jem; so he stopped in the midst of his sermon, and
asked, “Is that poor Jemmy? poor fellow!” But, my
readers, he did not know the secret, — brother Jem had
fallen asleep. Poor Shell did not do so much good as
he thought he had, so Monday morning he gave Jem enough
of his raw-hide spirit to last him all the week ; at least, till
the next Sabbath, when he could have an opportunity to
preach to him.

I could only think, when Shell took so much glory to
himself for the effect of his preaching upon the slaves, of
the man who owned colored Pompey. This slaveholder

was a great fighter, (as most of them are,) and had prepared

RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION. 65

himself for the contest with great care, and wished to
know how he looked; so he said, ‘ Pompey, how do I
look?” 0, massa, mighty.” ** What do you mean by
‘mighty, Pompey?” ‘Why, massa, you look noble.”
*¢ What do you mean by ‘ noble?” “* Why, sar, you look
just like one lion.” ‘ Why, Pompey, where have you
ever seen a lion?” ‘I see one down in yonder field the
other day, massa.” ‘* Pompey, you foolish fellow, that
was a jackass.” ‘* Was it, massa? Well, you look just
like him.”

This may seem very simple to my readers, but surely,
nothing more noble than a jackass, without his simplicity and —
innocence, can that man be, who will rise up as an advocate |
of this system of wrong. He who trains his dogs to hunt
foxes, and enjoys the hunt or the horse-race on the Sab-
bath, who teaches his blood-hounds to follow upon the
track of the freedom-loving negro, is not more guilty or
immoral than he who stands in a Northern pulpit, and
hunts down the flying fugitive, or urges his hearers to bind
the yoke again upon the neck of the escaped bondman.
He who will lisp one word in favor of a system which will
send blood-hounds through the forests of Virginia, the Caro-
linas, Georgia, Kentucky, and all the South, chasing human
beings, (who are seeking the inalienable rights of all men,
‘‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,”) possesses no
heart; and that minister of religion who will do it is unwor-
_thy his trust, knows not what the Gospel teaches, and had
better turn to the heathen for a religion to guide him nearer

G*

66 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

the right; for the heathen in their blindness have some
regard for the rights of others, and seldom will they invade
the honor and virtue of their neighbors, or cause them to be
torn in pieces by infuriated beasts.

Mr. James L. Goltney was a Baptist preacher, and was
employed by Mr. M. B. Harrison to give religious instruc-
tion to his slaves. He often used the common text: * Ser-
vants, obey your masters.” He would try to make it
appear that he-knew, what the slaves were thinking of, —
telling them they thought they had a right to be free, but he
could tell them better,— referring them to some passages
of Scripture. ‘It is the devil,’ he would say, “ who tells
you to try and be free.” And again he bid them be patient
at work, warning them that it would be his duty to whip
them, if they appeared dissatisfied, —all which would be
pleasing to God! “If you run away, you will be turned
out of God’s church, until you repent, return, and ask God
and your master’s pardon.” Jn this way he would continue
to preach his slaveholding gospel.

This same Goltney used to administer the Lord’s Supper
to the slaves. After such preaching, let no one say that the
slaves have the Gospel of Jesus preached to them.

One of the Baptist ministers was named B. Harrison.
He owned slaves, and was very cruel to them. He came to
an untimely end. While be was riding out one afternoon,
the report of a gun was heard, and he was found dead, —
his brains being blown out. It could never be found who
killed him, and so he went to judgment, with all his sins on
his head.

RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION. 67

Mr. L. Hanner was a Christian preacher, selecting texts
like the following: “* The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he hath anointed me to preach deliverance to the
captives, he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted.”
But Hanner was soon mobbed out of Prince George’s
County, and had to flee for his life, and all for preaching a
true Gospel to colored people.

I did not know of any other denomination where I lived
in Virginia, than the Baptists and Presbyterians. Most of
the colored people, and many of the poorer class of whites,
were Baptists.

SABBATH AND RELIGIOUS MEETINGS.

On the Sabbath, after doing their morning work, and
breakfast over, (such as it is,) that portion of the slaves who
belong to the church ask of the overseer permission to
attend meeting. If he is in the mood to grant their request,

he writes them a pass, as follows : —

, this even-

“¢ Permit the bearer to pass and repass to
ing, unmolested.”

Should a pass not be granted, the slave lies down, and
sleeps for the day —the only way to drown his sorrow
and disappointment.

Others of the slaves, who do not belong to the church,
spend their Sabbath in playing with marbles, and other
games, for each other’s food, &c.

68 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

Some occupy the time in dancing to the music of a banjo,
made out of a large gourd. This is continued till the after
part of the day, when they separate, and gather wood for
their log-cabin fires the ensuing week.

Not being allowed to hold meetings on the plantation, the
slaves assemble in the swamps, out of reach of the patrols.
They have an understanding among themselves as to the
time and place of getting together. This is often done by-
the first one arriving breaking boughs from the trees, and
bending them in the direction of the selected spot. Ar-
rangements are then made for conducting the exercises.
They first ask each other how they feel, the state of their
minds, &c. The male members then select a certain space,
in separate groups, for their division of the meeting.
Preaching in order, by the brethren; then praying and sing-
ing all round, until they generally feel quite happy. The
speaker usually commences by calling himself unworthy, and
talks very slowly, until, feeling the spirit, he grows excited,
and in a short time, there fall to the ground twenty or thirty
men and women under its influence. Enlightened people call
it excitement; but I wish the same was felt by everybody,
so far as they are sincere.

The slave forgets all his sufferings, except to remind others
of the trials during the past week, exclaiming: “ Thank
God, I shall not live here always!” Then they pass from
one to another, shaking hands, and bidding each other fare-
well, promising, should they meet no more on earth, to strive
and meet in heaven, where all is joy, happiness and liberty.

As they separate, they sing a parting hymn of praise. —

RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION. 69

Sometimes the slaves meet in an old log-cabin, when they
find it necessary to keep a watch. If discovered, they
escape, if possible; but those who are caught often get
whipped. Some are willing to be punished thus for Jesus’
sake. Most of the songs used in worship are composed by
the slaves themselves, and describe their own sufferings.
Thus:

“OQ, that I had a bosom friend,
To tell my secrets to,
One always to depend upon
In every thing I do!”
‘*How I do wander, up and down!
I seem a stranger, quite undone;

None to lend an ear to my complaint,
No one to cheer me, though I faint.”’

‘Some of the slaves sing —

‘““No more rain, no more snow,
No more cowskin on my back ;”’

then they change it by singing —
‘Glory be to God that rules on high.’’

In some places, if the slaves are caught praying to God,
they are whipped more than if they had committed a great
crime. The slaveholders will allow the slaves to dance,
but do not want them to pray to God. | Sometimes, when a
_ slave, on being whipped, calls upon God, he is forbidden to
do so, under threat of having his throat ‘cut, or brains
blown out. O, reader! this seems very hard, —that slaves
cannot call on their Maker, when the case most needs it.
Sometimes the poor slave takes courage to ask his master to
let him pray, and is driven away with the answer, that if

discovered praying, his back will pay the bill.

70 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

SEVERING OF FAMILY TIES.

ArT one time, Mr. George Harrison employed a vessel to
take some of his slaves down the river, as he wished to sell
them. The vessel came, and anchored off his farm, as an
armed fleet would go to make war upon an enemy’s country.
While this vessel was steering off the shore, the very waves
seemed to speak forth in sorrow and mourning to the dread-
ing slave. Not one word of warning was given them, until
the vessel was anchored to receive its living freight. Hus-
bands were thrust on board, leaving their wives behind ;
wives were torn from the arms which should have protected
them, and hurried into that living grave; children were torn
shrieking from their parents, never to see them more; ten-
der maidens were dragged from the manly hearts which.
loved them; the ardent lover was scoffingly compelled to
break from the entwining arms of his loved one, and bid a
final adieu to all the world held dear to his heart. O, ye
defenders of Slavery! tarry here, place yourselves here, in
the situation of these miserable beings! Pro-slavery men
and women! for one moment only, in imagination, stand’
surrounded by your loved ones, and behold them, one by
one, torn from your grasp, or you rudely and forcibly carried
from them — how, think you, you would bear it? Would
you not rejoice if one voice, even, were raised in your be-
half ? were your wife, the partner of your bosom, the mother

of your babes, thus ruthlessly snatched from you, were your

SEVERING OF FAMILY TIES. 71

beloved children stolen before your eyes, would you not °
think it sufficient cause for a nation’s wail ? Yea, and a
nation’s interference! What better are you than those
poor down-trodden children of humanity ? With them, such
scenes are constantly transpiring.

Mothers! while fondling your darling babes in your
arms, and watching, with the eye of a mother’s affection, their
little mental dawnings, do you ever think of the poor slave
mother, who, with equal affection, looks upon her offspring,
yet, with a heart full of agony, prays God to take it to him-
self, before the evil day comes, when it must be goaded and
lashed, and then forbidden every consolation of affection ?
O, think of her, pray for her, toil for her !

Fathers! you who stand before your fellow-men and
uphold this hellish institution, while your blooming daughters
are before you, look at them, and think !— in your own land
are thousands of daughters, as lovely, as much beloved, as
yours, whose parents cannot protect them, whose parents
cannot say, ‘‘ My daughter! beware of the tempter’s snare !
My daughter! fly to these arms for protection ! My daughter!
pour out your sorrows upon your mother’s bosom ; into her
listening ear tell your tale of wrongs; she will guide, she
will comfort you!” No, but they must look tamely on and
witness their degradation ; they must behold them become
the spoiler’s prey, and presume not to utter one word in
their behalf. Why? They are staves! the property of
free-born American citizens ; and why should we infringe
upon their rights? Ah, father ! could you see your daughter

72 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

‘in such a situation, and not cry aloud for vengeance? And
what better are you than the poor slave, whose only sin is,
that his skin is, perhaps, one shade darker than yours —
perhaps not even that ? |

Young man! will you defend Slavery? Will you cast
your vote for a slaveholder? Think, before you speak ;
consider well before you act. Could you have that fair
young being you one day hope to call your wife torn from
you, and publicly sold to the service of a debauchee ?
Would you think it too much to call on the laws of the land
for redress? Would you think it asking too much to call
out the whole military force of the country to the rescue ?
Ah, no! And could you restrain yourselves, and behold
the loved forms of your aged parents reeking with their own
blood, drawn forth by one who calls himself their master ?
Indeed, no! no dungeon deep and loathsome enough for
such an one; no gibbet too high to swing him on, as an
example to all of his kind. And what better are your loved
ones than those millions of colored suffering brothers and
sisters ? Ask no more, ** Why meddle with slavery ?” As
you would receive assistance, give it to others.

The vessel to which I have alluded, anchored by Harri-
son’s estate, was made ready to sail on Sunday, that all
might witness her departure. Imagination cannot conceive,
nor language describe, those parting scenes. When all
were on board, a dead silence reigned. No sound, except
the harsh voice of the captain, as he gave his orders, and
the coarse jests of the sailors, was head. Slowly the vessel.

SEVERING OF FAMILY TIES, 73

crept along the shore, like some guilty thing, trying to hide
itself from the light of day. Then pealed forth upon the

Sabbath air a cry of wo that rent the heavens, and was

registered there. ‘Good by, my husband!” “ Farewell,

my wife!” “ Good by, children! we must hope to meet in
heaven!” With shouts like these, they gazed upon each

other as long as the vessel was in sight. Then, indeed, all

was over. ‘Gone, gone, forever,” or ‘left behind,”

“going, going, farther and farther from the loved ones,”

these were the cruel reflections. Some returned to their
deserted cabins, not one loved one to meet; some fathers
drew around them their little ones, bereft of a mother’s
love ; wives sat and wept alone ; children wandered about
without parents, or any one to love them. O, men with

hearts, how can you be unconcerned and careless regarding
this curse of your country ? O, my readers, I wish you eould

enter into my feelings, or rather, that my feelings might
enter into your souls, on this subject! God, in His infinite
wisdom, created the Ethiopian race with skins of a darker.
hue than the European. He did so with an all-wise pur-
pose ; but was that purpose that they might be the subjects
of every outrage from their fellow-men, from generation to
generation? O, surely not! What crime can it be to be

born with a dark skin? Who is responsible ? The Creator

alone. But who are responsible for the crimes perpetrated

against them? ‘The slaveholder and his supporters !

This scene of the separation upon James River, where all
the tenderest ties of the human heart were sundered, was

-

74 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

but one among the very many which occur daily. Go with
the poor bereaved ones the next morning, as they rise from
their disturbed slumbers, to commence the day of toil. The
sight of the master is gall to their wounded spirits; they
look not upon the overseer except with absolute horror ;
but if they falter, they must feel the lash. Even the little
crouching, grieving children, are forbidden to weep for
their dear parents. The lash, the curse, are their only con-
solations, except when they can crawl by themselves, and
pour out their woes into the sympathising ear of Jesus, their
great Comforter.

My father was living at the time these slaves of Har-
-rison were sold. He was one of his drivers, so he was not
sold with them; but he had two brothers who were, and
with a heavy heart he had to witness their departure, with-
out daring to say his soul was his own. Monday, he must
return to his disgraceful business of whipping his fellows;
but what could he do? He must obey his master, or suffer
a worse penalty than he could inflict upon others. Some
may say, while sitting comfortably among their dear friends,
‘We would die before we would be guilty of beating, at the
command of another, our own kinsmen, perhaps our own
children.” Ah! it is easy to suppose and assert what you
would do, while you are safe; but you are not a slave!
Your feelings of generous affection may well take deep root,
shoot upward and flourish; they are never harrowed up by
the sight of tortures you are unable to prevent, never trod-

den upon and crushed into the dust. You may boast of

COLORED DRIVERS. ; ip

your manly courage and your willingness to die; it may be
the poor slave-driver would crave the privilege of dying for
his loved ones, but would it profit those left behind, so long
as the lash and a white overseer remained? No! no!
hands without a heart might use it,—there would be no
escape.

Many say the slave on the Southern plantation is the
happiest creature alive. They don’t know; they don’t lift
the cover; they don ’t see them always. I have seen many
a white man carry a smiling face to the world, when his
heart was aching and cankering in wretchedness; I have
heard a merry laugh from a maniac, whose brain had been
crazed by mental anguish, but J never supposed he was
happy ;—and I have told you, in another place, how these

slaves are prepared by rum for company and spectators.

COLORED DRIVERS.

The colored overseers are not over the slaves because
they wish it, but are so placed against their will. When
they first commence to lash the backs of their fellows, they
are like soldiers when they first go to the battle-field ; they
dread and fear the contest, until they hear the roaring of the
cannon, and smell the powder, and mark the whizzing ball ;
then they rush into the battle, forgetfui of all human sym-
pathy while in the fight. So it is with the slave-drivers.
They hear the angry tones of the slaveholder’s voice,
admonishing them that if they refuse to whip, they must

76 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

take it themselves. After receiving the instructions of their
owners, they must forget even their own wives and children,
and do all they can for “ Master.” If they do not do this,
they must receive all that would be given the others. In
this manner, their hearts and consciences are hardened,
and they become educated to whipping, and lose all human
feeling.

This is the way the slaveholders take to hide their own
wickedness. ‘They say the colored driver is more cruel
than the white overseer, and use this as an argument against
the poor colored man, to show how cruelly they would treat
each other if they had the power. Pardon me, my readers,
if I say this is an insult to God; since my own experience
teaches me better. Reader, when they say that colored
drivers are worse than white, the question may well be
asked, Why is this? Is it the fault of the colored people, or
is it the fault of the white man? Good sense answers to
every thinking mind, and says the poor negro is not the
greatest transgressor here, but the white men are the
tyrannical instigators of this wrong.

I have known many instances where slaves were put to
death by the overseers, without any notice being taken of it
by those who administer the laws. Of course, as the word
of a black man is not received against a white, nothing
could be effected, even if the murderer were arrested. I
will give a few cases that came within my own knowledge.
James Lewis was shot down by an overseer, and killed.
Dick Never was shot down by Owen Woodcock, and killed.

MENTAL CAPACITY OF THE SLAVE. 17

Ham was shot by Bishop, and killed. A woman was shot
dead by our overseer Hobbs. Wyatt Lee was shot, but not
killed. William Painting was shot.

These, my readers, are facts, which will speak for them-
selves when the great day of reckoning shall come; and
those black-hearted sinners will surely be punished, for no
sinner escapes finally. If the laws of Virginia and other
slaveholding States allow them to go unscathed, the eternal

laws of justice and right will not.

MENTAL CAPACITY OF THE SLAVE.

Muctt is said about the inability of the slaves to learn
any thing but drudgery ; that they are fit for nothing else ;
that those who have ever shown any intellectual power are
of mixed blood, not the pure African. This I deny, and
I will prove that the African is capable of the highest cul-
ture. As a people, how can they be expected to have
enlightened minds, when they are denied every privilege of
learning? ‘They never have teachers, books are not within
their reach,—surely, they would be wonderful beings, if,
amid all their hardships and privations, they should show
themselves scholars! Their ideas of God, heaven, and
religion, are very simple and childlike; but they are the
conceptions of their own uninstructed minds.

7 *

78 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

The world sees, in the person of Frepericx DovetLass,
what the son of Ethiopia may become. He had no advan-
tages in his youth, but now, before he is old, his fame as an
orator has spread over this land, extended itself across the
Atlantic, and carried him to the shores of the old world,
where his eloquence, intelligence, and worth, gained for
himself and family a name which will adorn the pages of
history long after his voice is hushed in death. Had Doug-
lass been educated in youth, there is not a statesman on this
continent who would have stood above him.

Then there is Rev. SamueL R. Warp, an unmixed Afri-
can, who has made great proficiency in learning. His
powers as a public speaker are truly captivating, and so
ably does he write and speak, that even his enemies
acknowledge him to be a man of uncommon power.

There is, also, Rev. HENry HigHLAND GARNETT, a son of
the same race. He is a scholar, a gentleman and an ora-
tor, as all who have seen and heard him admit.

These men are but few out of many, and they prove to
the world that the negro is as capable of high intellectual
culture as his Saxon brother.

It must be acknowledged by every historian, that Ethio-
pia was once the most civilized nation upon earth, and that —
the enlightened nations of the present day are indebted to
her for many of the arts of civilization. The people of
that country were the first to work in brass, iron, and other
metals, and were really the first to invent writing, for they

used hieroglyphics to express words and ideas, which no

MENTAL CAPACITY OF THE SLAVE. 719

other nation had then done. Let it not be said, then, that
the negro cannot be educated. Free the slaves, give them
équal opportunities with the whites, and I warrant you, they
will not fall short in comparison.

I do protest against this great evil of Slavery in this civil-
ized land of America, and solemnly appeal to those having
authority in behalf of three millions and a half of my suffer-
ing brethren, who are held by the galling yoke of bondage,
that this great evil may be done away, before the retribu-
tions of a God of justice overtake this blackest of sins, and
scathe the sinner root and branch.

I appeal to the Christian Church to lift up its voice, that
it may be heard from shore to shore in defence of the
oppressed.

I appeal to the men of America every where to help this
cause.

I appeal to the women of America, that they plead for
their suffering sisters, toiling and weeping under cruel task-
masters in the sunny South. :

I appeal to little children, that they remember in their
prayers those little colored brothers and sisters who are
robbed of their parents, have no homes for their weary little
frames, no affection to make life lovely to them, no one to
teach them and guide them to the Fountain of all Truth.

I appeal to high Heaven to listen to the heart-breaking
cries of the captive negro, and pray the great Jehovah to
soften the hard hearts of the many Pharaohs, that they may
let the people go free !

80 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

THE BLOOD OF THE SLAVE.

Tue blood of the slave cries unto God from the ground,
and it calls loudly for vengeance on his adversaries.

The blood of the slave cries unto God from the rice
swamps.

The blood of the slave cries unto God from the cotton
plantations. :

The blood of the slave cries unto God from the tobacco
farms.

The blood of the slave cries unto God from the sugar
fields.

The blood of the slave cries unto God from the corn
fields. ;

The blood of the slave cries unto God from the whipping-
post.

The blood of the slave cries unto God from the auction-
block. :

The blood of the slave cries unto God from the gallows.

The blood of the slave cries unto God from the hunting-
dogs that run down the poor fugitive. |

The blood of men, women and babes cries unto God from
Texas to Maine. Wherever the Fugitive Slave Law reaches,
the voice of its victims is heard.

The mighty God, the great Jehovah, speaks to the con-
sciences of men, and says, ‘‘ LET My PEOPLE GO FREE!”
And the slaveholder answers, ‘‘ Who is Jehovah, that I

THE BLOOD OF THE SLAVE. 8]

should obey him?” Then the Anti-Slavery voice is heard,
calling, “* Awake! Awake ! and cry aloud against this great
evil; lift up your voice like a trumpet, and show the people
their sins, and the nation its guilt. Pray that God may have
mercy upon us. O, forgive us this great evil, —the evil of
selling, whipping, and killing men, women and children!
O, God of justice ! give us hearts and consciences to feel the
deep sorrow of this great evil that we have so long indulged
in! Lo! we have sinned against Heaven; we have sinned
against light, — against the civilized world. We have sinned
against that declaration which our fathers put forth to the
world, ‘ All men are created equal.’ O, God! forgive us this
sreat sin! O, let this prayer be heard!”

82 SKETCHES OF SLAVE LIFE.

“WHERE IS THY BROTHER?”

BY MRS. E. L. FOLLEN. .

‘¢ What mean ye, that ye bruise and bind
My people?’’ saith the Lord ;

«¢ And starve your craving brother’s mind,
Who asks to hear my word !

What mean ye, that ye make them toil
Through long and hopeless years ;

And shed, like rain, upon your soil,
Their blood and bitter tears !

What mean ye, that ye dare to rend
The tender mother’s heart?

Brother from sister, friend from friend,
How dare ye bid them part ?

What mean ye, when God’s bounteous hand
To you so much has given,

That from the slave that tills your land,
Ye keep both earth and heaven? ”’

When, at the Judgment, God shall call,
‘¢ Where is thy brother ?’’— say!
What mean ye to the Judge of all
To answer, on that day?

PRON
hi. aM , hy:

re,

Kk