Anti-slavery bugle. [volume], August 22, 1845, Image 4

About Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861

Image provided by: Ohio History Connection, Columbus, OH

                
Poetry.
From the Boston Courier.
To THB CwitlR OV THE Coi'RIKR:
Heading lately in tho newspapers an account of the cap
ture of some fugitive slaves, within a few miles of the
I'upitol of our Hepublic, I confess my astonishment at
finding no comment made upon what seemed to mo an
-act of unparalleled inhumanity. Thirty unfortunate dis
ciple of the Declaration ol Independence pursued and
captured bysomotwo hundred armed minions of tyran
ny! Jt seems strange that a burst of indignation, from
one end of our free country to the other, did not follow so
atrocious a deed. At least.it seemed a proper occasion
for sympathy nn the part of one of our daily wipers,
which, a year or two aso, endorsed Ioid Morpeth's sen
timent, that
"Who would bo free, themselves must strike the blow."
Though such a mode of emancipation is totally abhorrent
to my feelings, and though 1 would earnestly deprecate
any attempt at insurrection on the part of our slave popu
J'ltion, yet I confess to the weakness of being so lar hu
man in mv feelings, as to sympathize deeply with these
unhappy beings, who have been thwartcu in tneir enceav
peaceful method of simply changing their geographical
position. rnder these feelings, nnd believing you to be a
man with suflicient confidence in the justness ot your own
opinions, not to fear to publish sentiments w hich may
chance to go beyond, or even directly contravene, your
own, I wrote the following
LINES,
On the certain fugitive slaves
near Washington.
Look on who will in apathy, and stifle, they who can,
The sympathies, the hopes, the words, that make man
truly man; .
Let those whose hearts are dungeoned up with inter
est or with ease, ,
Consento hear with quiet pulse of loathsome deeds like
these:
1 first drew in New England's air, and from her hardy
breast
Sucked in the tyrant-hating milk that will not let me rest;
And, if my words seem treason to the dullard and the
tame,
' 'Tisbut my Bay-State dialect ourfathers spake tho same!
Shame on the costly mockery of piling stono on stone
To those who won our liberty, the heroes dead and gone,
While we look coldly on, and see law-shielded rullians
slay
The men who fain would win their own, the heroes of
to-day!
Are v;e pledged to craven silence? O, fling it to tho wind.
The parchment wall that bars us from the least of human
kind
That makes us cringe, and temporize, and dumbly stand
at refit,
When Pity's burning fiood of words is red-hot in the
breast!
Though we break our father' promise, we have nobler
duties first;
The traitor to Humanity is the traitor most accurst;
Man is more than Constitutions; better rot beneath the
sod,
Than ho true to Church and State, while we arc doubly
false to (iod!
Wc owe allegiance to the State, but deeper, truer, more,
To the sympathies that God hath set within our spirit's
core:
Our country claims our fealty; we grant it so, but then
Beforo -Man made us citizens, great Nature made us men.
(') true to Gad teho't irue toman; wherever wrong is
done
To the humblest and weakest, 'neath the all-beholding
Sun,
That wrong is also done tous; and they are slaves most
base.
Whose love of Right is for themselves, nnd not for all
their race.
'( Iod works fiir all: Ye cannot hem the hope of being free
W'ith parallels of latitude, with mountain-range or sea.
I'ut golden pad-locks on Truth's lips, be callous as ye will,
I'romsoulto soul, o'er all the world, leups one electric
thrill.
Chain down your slaves with ignorance, ye cannot keep
apart.
With all your craft of tyranny, the human heart from
heart.
'When first the Pilgrims landed on the Bay State's iron
fihore.
The word went'forth that Slavery should one day bo no
more.
'Out from tho land Of bondage 'tis decreed our slaves
shall go,
And signs to us sre offered , as erst to Pharaoh.
If we are blind, their exodus, like Israel's of yore.
Through a Bed sea is doomed to be, whose surges are of
gore.
'Tis ours to save our brethren, with peace and love to win
llieir uarKened hearts irom error, ere tncy nardon it to
. , , ,. , . , , ,
Jtut if man before his dutv with a nstlees spirit f-tands,
Tre long the Great Avenger takes the work I from out his
nanus. J. 1C. 1..
Miscellaneous.
From the Granite Freeman.
Washington's Runaway Slave.
There is now living, in the borders of the town of
Greenland, New Hampshire, a runaway xlare of
Iien. WAsmsc.TO'i, at 'prenent supported by the conn
ty of Rockingham. Iter name, ai the lime of her
elopement, wns'Ona Marin Judge. She is nnt nhle
to give the year of her escape, but says she came
from Philadelphia, just after ihe close of Washing
ton's second term nf ihe Presidency, which nusi (is it
somewhere in tho first part of the year 17D7. Being
a waiting-maid of Mrs. Washington, she was not ex
posed lo any peculiar hardships. If asked why she
did not remain in his service, sho gives two reasons;
first, she wanted lo be free; secondly, that she under
stood that after iho decease of her master and mis
tress, she was fo become ihe properly of a grand
daughter of ibeirs, by the nnmn of Custis, nnd that
she was determined never to be her slae.
She came on board a ship commanded by Captain
John Bolles, and bound to Poiirteinouili, New Hamp
shire. In relating it, she added, "I never told his
name till after he died, a few years since, lest they
hhotild punish him Tor bringing me away." Had she
-disclosed it, he might have shared 'the fute of Jona
than IValker, in our own day.
Soma time after her arrival at Portsmouth, nhe
married a colored sailor, by ihe name nf Siainos, and
had a family of several children, but ihcy, together
wnh her busbanc, bavu all been dead fur several
years.
IVjahington mario two attempts in recover her.
iFiiat, hi- 'ent a mnn by the n'ime of Basset to jicr
made hw to return ; but slie rcsiutcd all ilia arguinciiis
j he employed for this end. He told her that they
would set her free when rhe arrived at Ml. Vernon,
to which sho replied, "I am freo now, and choose to
remain so."
Finding all attempts to scduco her to slavery again
in this manner useless, Basset was sent once more
by IVnshington, with ordets to bring her and her in-
If ant child by force The messenger, being acquaint
ed with Gov. Lnngdon, then of l'ourtsmouin, iojk up
lodgings with him, and ditc!osed to him tho object ol
his mission. The good old Governor, to his honor
be it spoken,) mnst have possessed something of the
spirit of modern Anti Slavery. He entertained Bas
set very handsomely, nnd in the meantime sent word
to Mrs. Staines to leave town before twelve o'clock
at night, which she did, retired to a place of conceal
ment, and escaped tho clutches of the oppressor.
Shortly after this, IVashington died, and, said she,
"they never troubled me any more after he was
gone.1'
Being asked how she escaped, she replied substan
tially, as follows; "Ivhilst they were packing up logo
j to irginia, I was packing to go, I did'ut know where
fori knew that if I went back to Virginia, I never
should get my liberty. I haJ friends among tho cul
ored people of Philadelphia, had mv things carried
there before hand, aud lull while they were eating
dinner."
Mrs. Staines does not know her age, but is proba
; by no, far from ejjhly gha jg a rnuall0) B0
light that she might easily pass for a while woman
small of stature, and, although disabled by two suc
cessive attacks of palsy, remarkably erect and ele
gant in her form.
The facts here relotnd, are known through this re
gion, and may bo relied on us substantially correct.
Probably Ibey were not for years given to the public,
for fear of her recapture; but this reason no longer
exists, since she is too old and intirm Id be of sulli
cieut value to repay the expense of search.
Though a house servant, she had no education, nor
any valuable religious instruction; says she never
heard Washington pray, and does not believe he was
accusion.ed to. "Mrs. Washington used to read
prayers, but I don1! call that praying.1 Since her
escnpe sho bus lo-irncd to read, trusts she bus been
made "wise unto salvation,1' and is, I think, connec
ted with a church in Pourtsmouili.
Whun asked if she is not sorry she left Washing
ton, ns she has luburud so much harder sinco than be
fore, her reply is, 4,Nu, I am free, and have, I trust,
been made a child ol God by the means."
Never shall i fjrgel the fire that kindled in her age
dimmed eye, or the smile that played upon her with
ered countenance, ns I Bpuke of that Kedeurner in
whom there is neither "bond nor free," who loves
his people to the end; and as 1 bowed with her at the
mercy seat and commended her to Him "who heareth
prayer," and who regards "the pour and needy when
they cry," I full that were it mine to choose, I would
not ex mange her possessions, "rich in faith, bus
tained, while tottering over the grave, by "a hope of
immortality," fur all the glory und renown of him
whose slave sho was. 1. II. A
S'JKathai, May, 1S-35.
Working of Slavery.
We find in the Green Mountain Freeman, a letter
from Rev. J. C. Aspenwall, who has lately visited
the settlemnnlB of the runaway slaves in Canada.
Some of his statements are curiuus enough, nnd fur
nish a most significant illustration of the workings of
the 'peculiar ineli(u:iiiii.' Among tile Canada fugi
tives is Mr. Daniel Chinn, who is both brolher-in law
and lather-in law of Hon. Richard M. Johnson of
Kentucky. Tiiut is, Colonel Johns in married Mr.
Chinn's sit-ter Julia Ann, one i his own slaves, by
whem he had two daughters that he recognized nnd
educated as his children. Mrs. Johnson died of l!ie
cholera when that diseuee first made its appearance in
tho United Slates; and respeclublo men of Kentucky
testify that Col. Johnson hus tinco lived with onu o'
Mr. Chinn'g daughters, as though she was his wifo.
This, according to common calculations, would maku
Mr Chinn father in law of the venerable ex Vice
President of our great republican nation. It appears
that Col. Johnson lock Mr. Chum's oldest son, Mar-
cellus, on his fust electioneering tour lor tho Vice
1 1 residency ; ana mat the boy let liiui nl INew lorn.
! Johnson tried in obtain information respecting the
! l , . , , r, .,, . r
w hereabouts of Lewis lappan, Lsq., who of-
icicii iu unu mill luiwaru un ijuiiuiiiuii in ii uib iiuc
papers should tirsl he tnado out and signed, i his,
the Col. refused lo do. On his second electioneering
tour, he took wnh him his body servant, '.he elder Mr.
Chinn, in whom ho placed unbuunded confidence.
But, like his son, ho too choose to be a man, and lelt
Johnson at Detroit, crossed over into Canada, and
has resided there ever since. The Col. has written
him two letters, urging him to return to his service,
one of which contained gome nuber severe threats il
he did not. 'Ludwick Daviess,' one of Johnson's
slavcholding companions, has nlso visited him at
London, and used his best endoavurs to persuade him
to return.
Much credit, says Mr. Aspenwall, has been given
to (lie Col. for his generous conduct to this family, but
this conduct in becoming the father of children by
three women, the sistersof Mr, Chum's wife, who is,
in fact, both his brother-in-law and father-in law, nnd
then selling them all, boll) the woman and his chil
dren, to James Peak, lo ho carried cfT in slavery, as
.Mr. Chinn status tiiut lie did, may not be quite so
highly i-ommendcd, though in point of morality il
w ill well compare with his other conduct.
Strenuous efforts are frequently made by masters
to recover their lost slaves, and not uufrequently uie
fugitives tempted, by the ofT-r of Ireedoin to ihoin-
selves or their relatives, lo betray their fellow fugi
tives. Mr. Aspenwall lurnish.ig one example of this.
Mr. Chinn, ihe slave uf Col. Johnson above alluded
:o, was written to by Mr. Newton Crai". the keener
of Ihe Kontucky penitentiary, and told lint if he
would betray a slave of the latter, who was supposed
to be in Canada, his son Daniel ehonld be set free,
and Col. Johnson, liis former master, would also send
him free papers for himself. The letter of Mr. Craig
is cunninglv worded, und offrrs inducements which
have had grat force with a man situated like Mr.
Chinn, but lo tiiii honor tie il recorded, tin lotuplation
was not too strong fur his manly virtue and integrity.
No selfish desire to secure the freedom of a darling
son, or to render his own situation more free from
danger, could induce him to betny a companion in
trouble. No man of sound principle can read the
letter of Craig, knowing at the same lime what an
swer was given to it by the fugitive, without feeling
contempt for the former, and admiration for the noble
conduct of the latter. The slave was certainly most
ol a man.
This system of slavery may well be called 'a pe
culiar institution,' fur in its principles and workings
it has no parallel in heaven above, nr in the earth be
neath. That will be a glorious day for our country
which shall witness its peaceful overthrow. Libera.
From the Religious Spectator.
Frederick Douglass—Horrors of Slavery
very.
We had a book put into our hands the other day,
purporting lobe the autobiography of a slave, who
had escnped from bondage, by the name of Frederick
Douglass, and we frankly acknowledge, that had it
not neon for our confiJonce in the good judgment of
the (riend from whom Iho book came, who wn knew
had little sympathy with tho class nf technical aboli
tionists, we might possibly have laid it aside, without
reading it, from perceiving thai it was published under
the patronage of several individuals, whose course on
the subject of slavery we have never regarded as
either politic or right.
On looking into ihe book, however, we have found
it lo contain one of the most remarkable and thrilling
narratives that have ever fallen under our eye; and
thniiiih there are some thing9 in it which wt regret,
particularly the strong expressions egninst professing
Christians at the South, yet we see nothing to cast
even a shade of doubl over the authenticity of the
narrative, even in respect to its minutest details. We
should, indeed, have made a single exception In this
remark that is, we should have doubted the practi
cability of such a book being produced by a poor
runaway slave, had it not been that we are assured
that his efforts as a public speaker are quite equal lo
what he has here shown himself lo he as a writer
and we have it upon gcxid authority, ihot his lectures
are characterized hy as able rensoninj, as genuine
wit, nnd as bold and stirring appeals, ns we almost
ever find in connection with the highest intellectual
culture.
Unless we greatly Biistnke,this small work to which
we ore referring is destined to exert a migu'y influ
ence in favor nf ihe great cause of Emancipation.
We ncknowiedge for ourselves, that we might have
heard the system of Slavery reasoned against ab
stractly, no matter how ably, and no matter how
long, and yet we could not have been so deeply im
pressed with it as an outrage against humanity, as we
have been by reading this simple story. It is espe
cially fitted Incorrect a too prevalent error that Sla
very in itself is not deserving of any severe reproba
tion that il is only tho abuses of the systatn with
which we have a right to find fault.
And we acknowledge ourselves to be among those
who look for its removal at no distant day. It seems
to us as clear as the shining of the sun, that there
aresigns of tho times which betoken n speedy and
miiihty revolution on this subject. The march of
public opinion is evidently in favor of emancipation
and opposition can no more arrest it than it can arrest
the motion nf the planets. There is a spirit awake
throughout nil the North, that cries out for universal
Freedom, nnd all the ogitation and opposition that we
witness at the South is but tho heaving nt the same
spirit unuer dilterent circumstances. It tells of a
terrible conflict between selfishness nnd conscience,
which will certainly terminate at last in favor of the
belter principle.
What particular mode nf abolishing slavery from
our land, Providence may ordain whether it shall
be'by bringing the South lo bow to tho high dictate i
of conscience and of duty, or by suffering the slaves
themselves lo become ininislors of vengeance toward
th?ir oppressors, or bv some other means, of which
we know nothing we pretend not to say; but the
event cf ultimate emancipation, in some way, wn con
sider as absolutely curtain; and while wo would have
all labor to bring it about, we would have ell lake
counsel of iho spirit of prudence, as well as philan
throphy, in respect to ihe channel iu which thoir la
bors shall be directed.
The Storming of Quebec.
UV J.L11IU Hi: I! R I I T.
As the conquest of Canada seems to have bcpn o
leading object in our two defensive wars with Great
Britain, we would respectfully call the attention of all
the trulv valiant, and of nil those whosn patriotism is
not "run" in a pair of bullet moulds, to the present
juncture of affairs in Quebec. We ire firmly per
suaded that that redoubtable city might ne easily
overcome, if a well arranged descent was made upon
it, without a moment's delay. And if Captain Polk
would but commission tig to fit out that great lzy le
viathan, the Ohio, which lies basking its croccodilo
haok in Boston harbor.and permit uslo man and nrm it
with such men & arms as wo wot of,wo would engage
(o reduce thnt American Gilirnlter in ten davs, with
out iho loss nf a single dron of blood. Who cares
fur Wolfe snd Montgomery t Brnve men they were,
in a certain sort of fashion; but they did "not know
nnylhing about war;" about overcoming enemies;
Ihov had not ihe gospel knack of taking a city.
Their tactics anJ tools were all shorl-sighted and
shirt bitted. The difficulty with them and all of
ibeir kind was this they could not get at the enemy.
They pushed thousands of their foes into eiernity nn
the points of thoir bayonets; llieir cannon fenced the
plains nf Abraham with windrows of dead men; but
ihey never killed an enemy. Eoeinies ar ns immor
tal as any malignant spirits, and you might as well
hope lo shoot sin stone dead, as to shoot an enemy.
There is hut one way given tinder heaven hy which
one can kill nn enemv, Bnd that is, by putting coals
of fire vpon his head; that does the business for him
ntonce. Lie in wait for him, and when you catch
hint in trouble, faint from hunger or thirst, or shiver
ing with cold, ppring upnn him like a good Simart
(an, wiili your eyes, hands, tongue, and heart lull of
good gifts. Feed him, give him drink, and warm him
with rlo hrg and oids ol kindness: and bo is done
for. You have killed an enemy and made a friend
at one shot.
Now.ns we wers sayine, we should like to be put in
command of the Ohio for thirty days. e would
trundle out all that was made of iron, except the an
chor, coble, and marlingspike we would not save a
single cutlass, though it had been domesticated to a
cheese knife. Then the wnv ws would lode dow:i
the huge vessel to the water's edge with food nnd cov
erings for human beings, should be a marvel nt tho
carrying trade. The very ballasts should be some
thing good to ent. Let's see yes we nave h : I na
ballast should be rouad clams, or the renl quahags
heavy as cast iron snd cspital for rons'ing. I hen
we would build along up, filling every square inch
with well cured provisions. We would havo a hogs
head of bacon mounted into every port bole, each of
which should discharge fifty hams a minute when the
ship was brought into action. And the staterooms
should bo filled with well made garments, and the
taul cordage, and the long tapering spars should bo
festooned with boy's jackets end trowers. Then,
when there should be no more room for another cod
fish or herring, or sprig of catnip, we would run up
the white flag of peace, and ere the mom changed, it
should wave in triumph in the harbor of Qiiebec.
We would anchor under the silent cannon of her Gib
ralter, and open our butteries upon the hungry ami
homeltss thousands begging bread (i t the h i asho
of their dwellings. We would throw as many hams
into iho city in twenty four hours, as tht-re were bomb
shells snd cannon balls thrown into Kul b the be
sieging armies. We would barncide ihe low, narrow
streets where live ihe low nnd hungry people, with
loaves of bread. We would throw up n breastwoik
clear round the market place, of barrels of (bur,
pork, end heel; nnd in the middle we would raise a
stack of salmon and codfish, as large as a Me liodist
meeting house, with a steeple to it, and a hull in
the steeple, nnd the bell should ring to nil the city
bells, and the city bells should ring lo nil the people
to come to market and buy provision?, "without mon
ey nnd without price." And white Iligs should eve
ry where wave in the breez-i, on the vanes of siee
p'es, on mast heads, on flag Btaves along tho embattled
walls, on the ends of willow sticks borne bv Ihe
romping.laughing, trooping chilJren. All the blood
colored drapery of war shoulJ oow and blush before
the stainless standard of Peace, and generations of
Anglo Sixons should remember, with mutual felicita
tions, Tub CoxauEsT of the Wuitk Klao; or
The storming of Quebes.
How to disakm an E.NK.MY Luibcr tells us of
a Duke uf Saxony, who made war unnecessarily up
on a bishop in Germany. At that period, ecclesias
tics could command military resources ns well ns hs
secular nobility. Bui the weapons of this good man
were not carnnl. The duke thought proper, in a
very artful way, to send a spy into ihe company of
the bishop, to ascertain his plan of currying on the
contest. On his return, Ihe spy was eagerly interro
gated by the duke. 'O sir,' rep'ied he, 'you may
surprise him wi'.huut fear: he is doing nothing, and
making no preparation.' 'How is thai?' aski'd lh
dLke; 'what does ho say ?' 'lie says he will feed his
flock, preac'i the word, visit the sick; and tlvit, so far
as this war, he should commit the weight nf it to God
himself.' 'Is it so?' said the duke; 'then lei the devil
wage war against him; I will not.'
Nr.w IlERALnnY. Embroider nn every military
banner 'Love your enemies.'1 Engrave nn eery
cannun 'Forgive and ye shall be forgircn Em
boss on every sword 'J)o good to thtm that hutn
you.'1 S.amp every buyonet wi h the words 'Jc
merciful as your Father in hcavi n is merciful.'' In
scribe every military hai wnh Ihe n o oi 'Bless
them that persecute you.'' Emblazon it on every
clergviiiun's vestment who hires him-self o il to sine
1 i IV the ert of war 'Ye know not what manner of
spirit ye are of; for the Son of man is not come
to dcairoy men's lives, but to save them!1 Inscribe in
large letters oer every pulpit whose occupant de
flounces Non Resistance ns mfideliiv If the blind
lead the blind, shall not both fall into U;e ditch tn
gctlici P Also Wo unto lliein that call evil go,al,
und good evil; (hat put buter for sweet, nnd swtci for
hitier.' And on the communion table nf t-very war
supporting church, Ihnl boas's of iig religion, its
sanctity, wealth and numbers, write 'Mknk Ti:kkl,
A Contrast. In one of the New Haven pnpprs
there are some detnils about the elegancies ul New
York at New Year's. The writer sa:
"Certain jewellers in Broadway retailed behind
their counter tancy goods in their line to l he amount
of live thousand and ninety dollars! So we go. This
evening, near the same store, Are seen seated iwu
wretched looking women, with emaciaied inlunts i it
their arms, begging for Lreadi"
The same writer says:
"l saw fans to day in a fancy shop valued at $0,
but another mini has Ihem as high as gSO or 100.
They are beautifully ornamented with precious slope
and oblong mirrors of the size of h dollar, nnd some
imes in addition, a minute gold pencil and ivory tab
lets on tho side of the bundle"
A Russian Count, iu Coi'ntfss, and Chiuikkn
ButtNT amvk nr thkir Sr.KKs We Imve received
Irom Southern Kussiu tho news of the liagicnl end
of Count Apraxin, well known for his divorce from
his first wife. This gentleman, who treated big serfs
with unheard of cruelty, has, together with his sec
ond wile and children, fallen a victim tu their von
genncc. Tim inlurialed people, at midnight, sur
rounded his castle, and, having gutted it of its con
tents, bound Ihu inmates and set fire to it. The Count,
who htd freed himself, attempted lo etenpe, hul was
overpowered and beaten to denlh by his savage horde.
The first wife of ihe Count Apraxin had married a
Hungarian nobleman, hut (he Pope would tint giva
his coment to this marriage, which, besides, was not
recognized by law, her first husband being still a live.
Tho catastrophe which hns taken placa has now,
however, remoiel this obstucle, und the union havin ;
been sunciioned bv the Holy See, the munie-i ha
buun rceived t ihe touit ol Vienna snd by Pniv e
Mitloriiicli. Varh pjper.