Not infrequently the many difficulties which embarrassed the efforts
of Virginia slaveholders to colonize their ex-slaves at points beyond
the state were increased by the attitude of the slaves themselves. The
experience of John Thom, of Berry Hill, Culpeper County, as related in
a letter to the author under date of July 15th, 1908, by his son
Cameron E. Thom, of Los Angeles, Cal., will serve as an illustration.
Mr. Cameron Thom is at present a man of venerable years who seems to
retain a vivid impression of the scenes incident to the attempt at
colonization made by his father in the later thirties. Mr. Thom, after
narrating that his father was a soldier in the War of 1812, where he
gained his title as commander of a Virginia regiment, and was for
thirty years a member of the State Senate, proceeds to write with
reference to his father's attitude towards slavery as follows:
"He was not satisfied with it, and was restive under it. In his
discussions of the subject he often quoted as expressive of his
views Mr. Jefferson, who declared that 'We have the wolf by the
ears, and it is as dangerous to let go as it is to hold on.' I
believe they were both gradual emancipationists. The idea of
practical and immediate emancipation through the medium of
colonization seems to have crystallized in his mind and stimulated
him to action. He sent my eldest brother, Catesby Thom, to
Pennsylvania to spy out the land and to make definite arrangements
for the location, settlement and comfort of the proposed colony.
After an absence of several weeks, he returned and reported that he
had selected an ideal location for the experiment. Every desideratum
seems to have been taken into consideration, climate, wood, water,
fertility of the soil, products, neighbors, etc.
"To carry out my father's plan, the next step was to call for
eighteen volunteers to make up the colony. Here came a great
disappointment. Of the number called for only one suitable man
responded.... The volunteer idea was abandoned and conscription was
resorted to. When the names of the eighteen chosen ones were
announced the plantation was indeed a house of mourning. Prayers,
protests and petitions came up, but were of no avail. A complete
outfit was made up of three wagons, twelve oxen, three cows, tools,
farming utensils, provisions, clothing, &c. The expedition got off
all right, my brother Catesby being chief in command, and Uncle
Billy Guinn, the only volunteer, a full second. Before the
expiration of a week from the time of departure, two of the
colonists had deserted and were back at Berry Hill, and in less than
a year nearly all the others had found their way back. My brother,
after some two months' absence, got back and reported that he would
not go through with his experience again for all the negroes in
Virginia.
"I left Virginia for the South in 1848; returning in a few weeks, I
took my final departure from the state in the early Spring of 1849
for California where I have resided ever since, never having seen my
father again. I believe he manumitted all or nearly all of the
servants by deed or will."
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Footnote 86:
See _Record of Deeds_, Vol. A., p. 230, Recorder's Office, Brown
County, Ohio.
Footnote 87:
_Sketch of Edward Coles_, Washburne, pp. 47-52.
Footnote 88:
_Abraham Lincoln, A History_, N. & H., Vol. I, p. 145.
(Note. The fine imposed upon Governor Coles was subsequently
remitted by an act of the Legislature because the law under which he
was fined had not been published at the date of his offense.)
Footnote 89:
See _Will Book No. 1_, p. 109, Clerk's Office, Pittsylvania County,
Va.
Footnote 90:
See _Public Ledger of Philadelphia_, April 14, 1827.
Footnote 91:
_Historical Collections of Ohio, History of Mercer County, Ohio_, by
Henry Howe, 1891, Vol. II, p. 505.
Footnote 92:
See _Will Book No. 11_, p. 575, Clerk's Office, Amherst County, Va.
Footnote 93:
John Warwick was the great-uncle of the Hon. John Warwick Daniel,
now (1908) and for many years past a member from Virginia in the
United States Senate.
Footnote 94:
See _Will Book A._, p. 391, in the Clerk's Office of Cabell County,
West Virginia.
Footnote 95:
See _Outlook Magazine_, N. Y., February 9th, 1903.
Footnote 96:
Under date of March 19, 1907, Mr. Barton writes the author: "My
father manumitted his slaves, or rather, certain of them, before the
war. Under the law as I remember it, it was not necessary to put on
record a deed of manumission of a slave who was sent out of the
state.... I was quite a small boy at the time, but I remember the
incident perfectly. I recall the weeping family that parted with
these servants, who were very dear to us.... Many years after that I
received a visit from one of the women who had been the assistant in
the nursery, and to whom, as a child, I remember I was very devoted.
I do not believe that two near relations could have had a more
affecting greeting. She stayed in Winchester for nearly a week,
coming to my house every day, and finally went away without bidding
us good bye, writing back from her home that she had done so because
she could not stand the parting. The other servants who went away
also kept up with our family the most affectionate relations for
many years, and the old ones, who could not get away, were supported
by my brothers and myself after the war until they died."
Footnote 97:
Mr. Seys records that his experience as a missionary in Liberia
prompted him to visit these emigrants on board ship, just
preparatory to their departure, and at the request of Mr. Herndon,
make them a short address. He then writes: "I closed my remarks and
Mr. Herndon followed me." The latter said: "I may not see you again,
I may as well say all I have to say now." And then he became so
choked for utterance, and tears fell so fast that a silence ensued
only broken by sighs and sobs of the entire party. Again he
continued:
"My heart is too full. I can hardly speak. You know how we have
lived together. Servants, hear me, we have been brothers and
sisters, we have grown up together. We have done the best for you.
For two or three years this has been contemplated and you are now on
the point of starting for the land of your ancestors. Besides your
freedom, we have spent $2,000.00 in procuring everything we could
think of to make you comfortable—clothing, bedding, implements of
husbandry, mechanics' tools, books for the children, Bibles, a
family Bible for each family, all these have been provided, and when
you have been there some few months, we will send you out another
supply of provisions and will continue to do so. And now, you three
brethren, who formed the committee appointed by the church to watch
over your brethren, a word to you. You are chosen to admonish,
guide, counsel the others, not to lord it over them, but gently and
kindly to watch over their souls; and now, may God bless you. I can
never forget you. Write to me, Washington, you can write; I have
provided you with paper. Keep a journal, put all of your names down,
even the children, and write opposite to each one everything that
happens concerning you. I shall feel much interested in hearing from
you—especially will your Miss Frances. (Here the bare mention of
their almost adored mistress started their grief afresh.) Now, as we
may never meet again, let us part with prayer, let all kneel down,
and Brother Seys will lead in prayer to Almighty God for you all."
We knelt there, and under feelings words but poorly express, engaged
in prayer as best we could amid cries and sobs and tears.