John Thompson is still here and Doing well.
It will be seen that this young Charlestonian had rather exalted notions
in his head. He was contemplating going to McGrawville College, for the
purpose of preparing himself for the lecturing field. Was it not rather
strange that he did not want to return to his "kind-hearted old
mistress?"
THOMAS HENRY, NATHAN COLLINS AND HIS WIFE MARY ELLEN.--Thomas is about
twenty-six, quite dark, rather of a raw-boned make, indicating that
times with him had been other than smooth. A certain Josiah Wilson owned
Thomas. He was a cross, rugged man, allowing not half enough to eat, and
worked his slaves late and early. Especially within the last two or
three months previous to the escape, he had been intensely savage, in
consequence of having lost, not long before, two of his servants. Ever
since that misfortune, he had frequently talked of "putting the rest in
his pocket." This distressing threat made the rest love him none the
more; but, to make assurances doubly sure, after giving them their
supper every evening, which consisted of delicious "skimmed milk, corn
cake and a herring each," he would very carefully send them up in the
loft over the kitchen, and there "lock them up," to remain until called
the next morning at three or four o'clock to go to work again. Destitute
of money, clothing, and a knowledge of the way, situated as they were
they concluded to make an effort for Canada.
NATHAN was also a fellow-servant with Thomas, and of course owned by
Wilson. Nathan's wife, however, was owned by Wilson's son, Abram. Nathan
was about twenty-five years of age, not very dark. He had a remarkably
large head on his shoulders and was the picture of determination, and
apparently was exactly the kind of a subject that might be desirable in
the British possessions, in the forest or on the farm.
His wife, Mary Ellen, is a brown-skinned, country-looking young woman,
about twenty years of age. In escaping, they had to break jail, in the
dead of night, while all were asleep in the big house; and thus they
succeeded. What Mr. Wilson did, said or thought about these "shiftless"
creatures we are not prepared to say; we may, notwithstanding,
reasonably infer that the Underground has come in for a liberal share of
his indignation and wrath. The above travelers came from near New
Market, Md. The few rags they were clad in were not really worth the
price that a woman would ask for washing them, yet they brought with
them about all they had. Thus they had to be newly rigged at the expense
of the Vigilance Committee.
_The Cambridge Democrat_, of Nov. 4, 1857, from which the advertisements
were cut, said--
"At a meeting of the people of this county, held in Cambridge,
on the 2d of November, to take into consideration the better
protection of the interests of the slave-owners; among other
things that were done, it was resolved to enforce the various
acts of Assembly * * * * relating to servants and slaves.
"The act of 1715, chap. 44, sec. 2, provides 'that from and
after the publication thereof no servant or servants whatsoever,
within this province, whether by indenture or by the custom of
the counties, or hired for wages shall travel by land or water
ten miles from the house of his, her or their master, mistress
or dame, without a note under their hands, or under the hands of
his, her or their overseer, if any be, under the penalty of
being taken for a runaway, and to suffer such penalties as
hereafter provided against runaways.' The Act of 1806, chap. 81,
sec. 5, provides, 'That any person taking up such runaway, shall
have and receive $6,' to be paid by the master or owner. It was
also determined to have put in force the act of 1825, chap. 161,
and the act of 1839, chap. 320, relative to idle, vagabond, free
negroes, providing for their sale or banishment from the State.
All persons interested, are hereby notified that the aforesaid
laws, in particular, will be enforced, and all officers failing
to enforce them will be presented to the Grand Jury, and those
who desire to avoid the penalties of the aforesaid statutes are
requested to conform to these provisions."
As to the modus operandi by which so many men, women and children were
delivered and safely forwarded to Canada, despite slave-hunters and the
fugitive slave law, the subjoined letters, from different agents and
depots, will throw important light on the question.
Men and women aided in this cause who were influenced by no oath of
secresy, who received not a farthing for their labors, who believed that
God had put it into the hearts of all mankind to love liberty, and had
commanded men to "feel for those in bonds as bound with them," "to break
every yoke and let the oppressed go free." But here are the letters,
bearing at least on some of the travelers:
WILMINGTON, 10th Mo. 31st, 1857.
ESTEEMED FRIEND WILLIAM STILL:--I write to inform thee that we
have either 17 or 27, I am not certain which, of that large Gang
of God's poor, and I hope they are safe. The man who has them in
charge informed me there were 27 safe and one boy lost during
last night, about 14 years of age, without shoes; we have felt
some anxiety about him, for fear he may be taken up and betray
the rest. I have since been informed there are but 17 so that I
cannot at present tell which is correct. I have several looking
out for the lad; they will be kept from Phila. for the present.
My principal object in writing thee at this time is to inform
thee of what one of our constables told me this morning; he told
me that a colored man in Phila. who professed to be a great
friend of the colored people was a traitor; that he had been
written to by an Abolitionist in Baltimore, to keep a look out
for those slaves that left Cambridge this night week, told him
they would be likely to pass through Wilmington on 6th day or
7th day night, and the colored man in Phila. had written to the
master of part of them telling him the above, and the master
arrived here yesterday in consequence of the information, and
told one of our constables the above; the man told the name of
the Baltimore writer, which he had forgotten, but declined
telling the name of the colored man in Phila. I hope you will be
able to find out who he is, and should I be able to learn the
name of the Baltimore friend, I will put him on his Guard,
respecting his Phila. correspondents. As ever thy friend, and
the friend of Humanity, without regard to color or clime.