After conferring with Harry Craige, we have concluded to send
five or six of them tonight in the cars, and the balance, if
those go safe, to-morrow night, or in the steam-boat on Second
day morning, directed to the Anti-Slavery office.
There was much rejoicing over these select passengers, and very much
interesting information was elicited from them.
Peter was only twenty-one years of age, composed of equal parts of
Anglo-Saxon and Anglo-African blood--rather a model-looking "article,"
with a fair share of intelligence. As a slave, he had fared pretty
well--he had neither been abused nor stinted of food or clothing, as
many others had been. His duties had been to attend upon his master (and
reputed father), Elias Heines, Esq., a lawyer by profession in North
Carolina.
No charges whatever appear to have been made against Mr. Heines,
according to the record book; but Peter seemed filled with great delight
at the prospects ahead, as well as with the success that had attended
his efforts thus far in striking for freedom.
James was twenty-seven years of age. His experience had been quite
different from that of Peter's. The heel of a woman, by the name of Mrs.
Ann McCourt, had been on James's neck, and she had caused him to suffer
severely. As James recounted his grievances, while under the rule, he by
no means gave her a very flattering character, but, on the contrary, he
plainly stated, that she was a "desperate woman"--that he had "never
known any good of her," and that he was moved to escape to get rid of
her. In other words she had threatened to sell him; this well nigh
produced frenzy in James's mind, for too well did he remember, that he
had already been sold three times, and in different stages of his
bondage had been treated quite cruelly. In the change of masters he was
positive in saying, that he had not found a good one, and, besides, he
entertained the belief that such personages were very rare.
Those of the Committee who listened to James were not a little amazed at
his fluency, intelligence and earnestness, and acknowledged that he
dealt unusually telling blows against the Patriarchal Institution.
Matthew was twenty-three years of age, very stout--no fool--a man of
decided resolution, and of the very best black complexion produced in
the South. Matthew had a very serious bill of complaints against Samuel
Simmons, who professed to own him (Matthew), both body and mind, while
in this world at least. Among these complaints was the charge of
ill-treatment. Nevertheless Matthew's joy and pleasure were matchless
over his Underground Rail Road triumph, and the prospect of being so
soon out of the land and reach of Slavery, and in a land where he could
enjoy his freedom as others enjoyed theirs. Indeed the entire band
evinced similar feelings. Matthew left a brother in Martin county.
Further sketches of this interesting company were not entered on the
book at the time, perhaps on account of the great press of Underground
Rail Road business which engaged the attention of the acting Committee.
However, they were all duly cared for, and counselled to go to Canada,
where their rights would be protected by a strong and powerful
government, and they could enjoy all the rights of citizenship in common
with "all the world and the rest of mankind." And especially were they
advised to get education; to act as men, and remember those still in
bonds as bound with them, and that they must not forget to write back,
after their arrival in Canada, to inform their friends in Philadelphia
of their prospects, and what they thought of the "goodly land." Thus,
with the usual Underground Rail Road passports, they were again started
Canada-ward. Without difficulty of any kind they duly reached Canada,
and a portion of them wrote back as follows:
"TORONTO, C.W., Aug. 17th, 1856.
MR, STILL:--Dear Sir--These few lines may find you as they leave
us, we are well at present and arrived safe in Toronto. Give our
respects to Mrs. S.---- and daughter. Toronto is a very
extensive place. We have plenty of pork, beef and mutton. There
are five market houses and many churches. Female wages is 62-1/2
cents per day, men's wages is $1 and york shilling. We are now
boarding at Mr. George Blunt's, on Centre street, two doors from
Elm, back of Lawyer's Hall, and when you write to us, direct
your letter to the care of Mr. George Blunt, &c. (Signed), James
Monroe, Peter Heines, Henry James Morris, and Matthew Bodame."
This intelligence was very gratifying, and most assuredly added to the
pleasurable contemplation of having the privilege of holding out a
helping hand to the fleeing bondman. From James Morris, one of this
company, however, letters of a painful nature were received, touching
his wife in bonds, setting forth her "awful" situation and appealing to
the Committee to use their best endeavors to rescue her, with her child,
from Slavery. One of these letters, so full of touching sentiments of
affection and appeal on behalf of his wife, is as follows:
TORONTO, Canada West, upper, 18th day of the 9th mo., 1856.
MR. WILLIAM STILL:--Dear Sir--I hope these lines may find you
and your family as they leave me give my respects to little
Caroline and her mother.
Dear Sir, I have received two letters from my wife since I saw
you, and the second was awful. I am sorry to say she says she
has been treated awful since I left, and she told the lady she
thought she was left free and she told her she was as much slave
as ever she was that the state was not to be settled until her
death and it would be a meracle if she and her child got it then
and that her master left a great many relations and she diden no
what they would do. Mr. Still dear sir I am very sorry to hear
my wife and child are slaves if you please dear sir inform me
what to do for my dear wife and child. She said she has been
threatened to be put in jail three times since I left also she
tells me that she is washing for the captain of a vesel that use
to run to Petersburg but now he runs to Baltimore and he has
promas to take her to Delaware or New York for 50 dollars and
she had not the money, she sent to me and I sent her all I had
which was 5 dollars dear sir can you inform me what to do with a
case of this kind the captains name is Thomas.
My wife is name lucy an morris my child is name lot, if you
please dear sir answer me as soon as you can posable.
HENRY JAMES MORRIS, Toronto C.W.
Henry James Morris in care of Wm. George Blunt, Centre st., 2
doors from Elam.
This sad letter made a mournful impression, as it was not easy to see
how her deliverance was to be effected. One feature, however, about this
epistle afforded much satisfaction, namely, to know, that James did not
forget his poor wife and child, who were in the prison-house. Many
months after this first letter came to hand, Mrs. Dr. Willis, one of the
first ladies in Toronto, wrote on his behalf as follows:
TORONTO, 15th June, Monday morning, 1857.
To MR. STILL, DEAR SIR:--I write you this letter for a
respectable young man (his name is James Morris), he passed
through your hands July of last year (1856), and has just had a
letter from his wife, whom he left behind in Virginia, that she
and her child are likely to be sold. He is very anxious about
this and wishful that she could get away by some vessel or
otherwise. His wife's name is Lucy Morris; the child's name is
Lot Morris; the lady's name she lives with is a Mrs. Hine (I
hope I spell her name right, Hine), at the corner of Duke street
and Washington street, in Norfolk city, Virginia. She is hired
out to this rich old widow lady. James Morris wishes me to write
you--he has saved forty dollars, and will send it to you
whenever it is required, to bring her on to Toronto, Canada
West. It is in the bank ready upon call. Will you please, sir,
direct your letter in reply to this, to a Mrs. Ringgold, Centre
street, two doors from Elam street, Toronto, Canada West, as I
will be out of town. I write this instead of Mr. Thomas Henning,
who is just about leaving for England. Hoping you will reply
soon, I remain, sir,
Respectfully yours,