It is a very short document, but it used to be very unsafe for a slave
in Richmond, or any other Southern city, to be found out in the evening
without a legal paper of this description. The penalties for being found
unprepared to face the police were fines, imprisonment and floggings.
The satisfaction it seemed always to afford these guardians of the city
to find either males or females trespassing in this particular, was
unmistakable. It gave them (the police) the opportunity to prove to
those they served (slaveholders), that they were the right men in the
right place, guarding their interests. Then again they got the fine for
pocket money, and likewise the still greater pleasure of administering
the flogging. Who would want an office, if no opportunity should turn up
whereby proof could be adduced of adequate qualifications to meet
emergencies? But Charles was too wide awake to be caught without his
pass day or night. Consequently he hung on to it, even after starting on
his voyage to Canada. He, however, willingly surrendered it to a member
of the Committee at his special request.
But in every way Charles was quite a remarkable man. It afforded the
Committee great pleasure to make his acquaintance, and much practical
and useful information was gathered from his story, which was felt to be
truthful.
The Committee feeling assured that this "chattel" must have been the
subject of much inquiry and anxiety from the nature of his former
position, as a prominent piece of property, as a member of the Baptist
church, as taking "first premiums" in making tobacco, and as a paper
carrier in the National American office, felt called upon to note fully
his movements before and after leaving Richmond.
In stature he was medium size, color quite dark, hair long and
bushy--rather of a raw-boned and rugged appearance, modest and
self-possessed; with much more intelligence than would be supposed from
first observation. On his arrival, ere he had "shaken hands with the
(British) Lion's paw," (which he was desirous of doing), or changed the
habiliments in which he escaped, having listened to the recital of his
thrilling tale, and wishing to get it word for word as it flowed
naturally from his brave lips, at a late hour of the night a member of
the Committee remarked to him, with pencil in hand, that he wanted to
take down some account of his life. "Now," said he, "we shall have to be
brief. Please answer as correctly as you can the following questions:"
"How old are you?" "Thirty-two years old the 1st day of last June."
"Were you born a slave?" "Yes." "How have you been treated?" "Badly all
the time for the last twelve years." "What do you mean by being treated
badly?" "Have been whipped, and they never give me anything; some people
give their servants at Christmas a dollar and a half and two dollars,
and some five, but my master would never give me anything." "What was
the name of your master?" "Fleming Bibbs." "Where did he live?" "In
Caroline county, fifty miles above Richmond." "What did he do?" "He was
a farmer." "Did you ever live with him?" "Never did; always hired me
out, and then I couldn't please him." "What kind of a man was he?" "A
man with a very severe temper; would drink at all times, though would do
it slyly." "Was he a member of any church?" "Baptist church--would curse
at his servants as if he wern't in any church." "Were his family members
of church, too?" "Yes." "What kind of family had he?" "His wife was a
tolerable fair woman, but his sons were dissipated, all of them
_rowdies_ and _gamblers. His sons has had children by the servants. One
of his daughters had a child by his grandson last April_. They are
traders, buy and sell."
"How many slaves did he own?" "Sam, Richmond, Henry, Dennis, Jesse,
Addison, Hilliard, Jenny, Lucius, Julia, Charlotte, Easte, Joe, Taylor,
Louisa, two more small children and Jim." Did any of them know that you
were going to leave? "No, I saw my brother Tuesday, but never told him a
word about it." "What put it into your head to leave?" "It was bad
treatment; for being put in jail for sale the 7th of last January; was
whipped in jail and after I came out the only thing they told me was
that I had been selling newspapers about the streets, and was half
free."
"Where did you live then?" "In Richmond, Va.; for twenty-two years I
have been living out." "How much did your master receive a year for your
hire?" "From sixty-five to one hundred and fifty dollars." "Did you have
to find yourself?" "The people who hired me found me. The general rule
is in Richmond, for a week's board, seventy-five cents is allowed; if he
gets any more than that he has got to find it himself." "How about
Sunday clothing?" "Find them yourself?" "How about a house to live in?"
"Have that to find yourself." "Suppose you have a wife and family." "It
makes no difference, they don't allow you anything for that at all."
"Suppose you are sick who pays your doctor's bill?" "He (master) pays
that." "How do you manage to make a little extra money?" "By getting up
before day and carrying out papers and doing other jobs, cleaning up
single men's rooms and the like of that." "What have you been employed
at in Richmond?" "Been working in tobacco factory in general; this year
I was hired at a printing-office. The National American. I carried
papers." "Had you a wife?" "I did, but her master was a very bad man and
was opposed to me, and was against my coming to his place to see my
wife, and he persuaded her to take another husband in preference to me;
being in his hands she took his advice." "How long ago was that?" "Very
near twelve months; she got married last fall." "Had you any children?"
"Yes." "How many?" "Five." "Where are they?" "Three are with Joel Luck,
her master, one with his sister Eliza, and the other belongs to Judge
Hudgins, of Bowling Green Court House." "Do you ever expect to see them
again?" "No, not till the day of the Great I am!" "Did you ever have any
chance of schooling?" "Not a day in my life." "Can you read?" "No, sir,
nor write my own name." "What do you think of Slavery any how?" "I think
it's a great curse, and I think the _Baptists_ in _Richmond_ will go to
the deepest hell, if there is any, for they are so wicked they will work
you all day and part of the night, and _wear cloaks and long faces_, and
try to get all the work out of you they can by telling you about Jesus
Christ. All the extra money you make they think you will give to hear
talk about Jesus Christ. Out of their extra money they have to pay a
white man _Five hundred dollars a year for preaching_." "What kind of
preaching does he give them?" "He tells them if they die in their sins
they will go to hell; don't tell them any thing about their elevation;
he would tell them obey their masters and mistresses, for good servants
make good masters." "Did you belong to the Baptist Church?" "Yes, Second
Baptist Church." "Did you feel that the preaching you heard was the true
Gospel?" "One part of it, and one part burnt me as bad as ever insult
did. They would tell us that we must take money out of our pockets to
send it to Africa, to enlighten the African race. I think that we were
about as blind in Richmond as the African race is in Africa. All they
want you to know, is to have sense enough to say master and mistress,
and _run_ like lightning, when they speak to you, to do exactly what
they want you to do," "When you made up your mind to escape, where did
you think you would go to?" "I made up my mind not to stop short of the
British protection; to shake hands with the _Lion's_ paw." "Were you not
afraid of being captured on the way, of being devoured by the
abolitionists, or of freezing and starving in Canada?" "Well, I had
often thought that I would be in a bad condition to come here, without
money and clothes, but I made up my mind to come, live or die." "What
are your impressions from what little you have seen of Freedom?" "I
think it is intended for all men, and all men ought to have it."
"Suppose your master was to appear before you, and offer you the
privilege of returning to Slavery or death on the spot, which would be
your choice?" "_Die right there_. I made up my mind before I started."
"Do you think that many of the slaves are anxious about their Freedom?"
"The third part of them ain't anxious about it, because the white people
have _blinded_ them, telling about the North,--they _can't live here_;
telling them that the people are worse off than they are there; they say
that the 'niggers' in the North have no houses to live in, stand about
freezing, dirty, no clothes to wear. They all would be very glad to get
their time, but want to stay where they are." Just at this point of the
interview, the hour of midnight admonished us that it was time to
retire. Accordingly, said Mr. Thompson, "I guess we had better close,"
adding, if he "could only write, he could give seven volumes!" Also,
said he, "give my best respects to Mr. W.W. Hardwicke, and Mr. Perry in
the National American office, and tell them _I wish they will pay the
two boys who carry the papers for me, for they are as ignorant of this
matter as you are_."
Charles was duly forwarded to Canada to shake hands with the Lion's paw,
and from the accounts which came from him to the Committee, he was
highly delighted. The following letter from him afforded gratifying
evidence, that he neither forgot his God nor his friends in freedom:
DETROIT, Sept. 17, 1862.
DEAR BROTHER IN CHRIST--It affords me the greatest pleasure
imaginable in the time I shall occupy in penning these few lines
to you and your dear loving wife, not because I can write them
to you myself, but for the love and regard I have for you, for I
never can forget a man who will show kindness to his neighbor
when in distress. I remember when I was in distress and out of
doors, you took me in; I was hungry, and you fed me; for these
things God will reward you, dear brother. I am getting along as
well as I can expect. Since I have been out here, I have
endeavored to make every day tell for itself, and I can say, no
doubt, what a great many men cannot say, that I have made good
use of all the time that God has given me, and not one week has
been spent in idleness. Brother William, I expect to visit you
some time next summer to sit and have a talk with you and Mrs.
Still. I hope to see that time, if it is God's will. You will
remember me, with my wife, to Mrs. Still. Give my best respects
to all inquiring friends, and believe me to be yours forever.
Well wishes both soul and body. Please write to me sometimes.