RUNAWAY SLAVES.
"It is contrary also to the will of God for servants either to run
away, or harbor a runaway"--_Rev. C. C. Jones's Teaching to Slaves._
The treatment which runaway slaves receive cannot but greatly degrade
them. Pious as well as worldly masters consider that their slaves have
no more right to run away than their horses or mules. The Christian
slaveholder orally teaches his slaves, that, by taking this step, they
sin in the sight of God; for has not Paul most emphatically condemned
the practice? So careful is he of the souls of those whom God has
committed to his charge!
We frequently find advertisements similar to this, cut from the
"American Beacon" (Norfolk, Va.), Jan. 24, 1848:--
"$50 REWARD.--Stop Ruffin and Wyatt.--These men left my house on
Saturday night, January 15, 1848, _without any provocation_. They
have uniformly maintained a good character for honesty, industry,
and sobriety,--were obedient and trustworthy servants, and _no
severity nor threats had been offered towards them_; and I very much
fear they have left for some Northern State.
* * * * *
"These slaves were originally owned in Surry, and _possibly_ may be
in the vicinity of their relatives. GEORGE N. HATCH.
"Gaysville, P.O. Prince George County, Va."
Good Mr. Bryant Johnson is very much more indignant. In the "Macon
(Georgia) Telegraph," May 28, is the following:--
"About the first of March last, the negro-man, Ransom, left me
_without the least provocation whatever_. I will give a reward of
$20 for said negro if taken, dead or alive; and, if killed in any
attempt, an advance of $5 will be paid. BRYANT JOHNSON.
"Crawford County, Georgia."
In the extremity of his wrath, he cannot think of the least provocation
whatever which he has given his slave. But we confess we are much more
touched by friend Hatch's advertisement. Simple-minded creature! He
evidently speaks more in sorrow and astonishment than in anger.
Doubtless he had uniformly fed, clothed, and housed his servants well,
and had never been severe with or threatened them. How could they desire
to leave him? They have run away without any provocation! So unnatural,
almost impossible, in the eyes of masters, is any spark of manliness in
a slave! They cannot conceive it possible for a manly love of liberty to
provoke a favored negro to run away. Still, however, even favored
servants are continually escaping from their happy state; and, by the
methods adopted to retake them, they are most efficiently taught that
they have no more rights than has a favored hound or a valued horse.
Their manliness is crushed, until at last they really feel themselves to
be little else than items of profit or loss to their owners. The old
slave who, at the point of death, was asked whether he was not sorry to
die, and who replied, "Oh! no: the loss is massa's," had very faithfully
improved the instruction imparted to his class.
If our horse is stolen from his stable, or our cow strays from her
pasture, we advertise them as "strayed or stolen." If a slave runs away,
his master advertises him, and offers a reward for his capture. If he is
found, the lucky finder deposits him in jail for safe keeping, to await
a favorable opportunity of sending him back to his master,--of course,
like Onesimus, as a brother beloved. The jailer gets his legal fees, the
finder gets his reward, the master gets his slave, and the slave most
generally receives some "moderate correction" from the cowskin or the
paddle. If he will not listen to the teaching of God's messengers to his
soul, who are continually repeating to him (Jones's "Rel. Inst." 188)
"a servant who knows his master's duty, and will not do it, must be made
to do it," how can he complain of his treatment?
So anxious are they at the South that every poor African should have a
good, kind master to attend to the wants of his soul, and support him in
old age, that, if a stray negro is taken up running at large without an
apparent owner, and for any cause he cannot legally prove his freedom,
even though he does really own himself, he is nevertheless advertised,
and sold at auction to the highest bidder, to pay the expenses
occasioned by his own capture and detention. How happy must be the
people that are in such a case! Yea, blessed is his condition whose body
is fed and whipped, whose soul is saved and darkened, by his brother
man!
The "Revised Statutes" of NORTH CAROLINA, chap. 111, sec. 11, provides
that,--
"If any negro who shall be taken up as a runaway, and brought before
any justice of the peace, will not declare the name of his or her
owner, such justice shall in such case, and he is hereby required,
by a warrant under his hand, to commit the said negro-slave to the
jail of the county wherein he or she shall be taken up; and the
sheriff or undersheriff of the county into whose custody the said
runaway shall be committed, shall forthwith cause notice in writing
of such commitment to be set up on the Court-house door of the said
county, and there continued during the space of two months; in which
notice a full description of the said runaway and his clothing shall
be particularly set down."--When the owner is supposed to be a
resident in another State, the jailer is obliged by sec. 15, "by the
first opportunity after such commitment, to send a description of
such negro or runaway, together with the account of the time of
commitment, and the county where such runaway is committed, to the
press, to be advertised in the State Gazette."--Sec. 16 provides,
that, "whenever any negro-slave shall be taken up in this State as a
runaway, and confined in any jail for the space of twelve months,
and the apprehension and confinement of said slave have been
advertised in the State Gazette at least six months, and the owner
does not apply to prove property in said time, then it shall be
lawful for the court of pleas and quarter sessions of the county in
which said runaway is confined, to command their sheriff to expose
said negro-slave to public sale for ready money, giving three
months' notice in some public newspaper in this State, at the
Court-house door, and at two other public places in the said county,
of the time and place of sale, and of the circumstances under which
the said slave is to be sold."--Sect. 17 gives the sheriff "two and
a half per centum on the amount of sale."--Sect. 18 declares that
"the bill of sale of the sheriff shall vest in the purchaser an
absolute right to the said slave." The residue of the amount of
sales, after deducting commissions and prison charges, is directed
to be paid to the county trustee for the use of the county.
Similar laws, authorizing the sale into slavery of negroes taken up as
runaway slaves, who cannot from any cause prove their freedom, are found
in Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Florida,
Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri, Arkansas, and Louisiana. A similar law
has always existed in the District of Columbia, originally enacted, and
since supported, by Northern freemen. _Our_ law, however, differs from
the others in offering to the marshal a high bribe to induce him to sell
_free_ negroes, by providing that the _proceeds of the persons sold may
remain in his own pocket_, unless after the sale the master shall be
discovered, and shall claim the balance.
Throughout all the Slave States, the law presumes every free negro to be
a slave, until he can legally prove his freedom. Consequently, every
_free_ negro, out of his own neighborhood, is presumed to be, and
treated as, a runaway slave, until he can establish his freedom. Under
laws of this kind, many free negroes are taken; and, if from want of
money or friends, or distance from home, or any other cause, they cannot
prove their freedom, as no owner can come forward and "claim property
and pay charges," they must necessarily be sold into slavery for life!
Very recently, in the columns of the "Washington Union," appeared the
following notices:--
"NOTICE.--Was committed to the jail of Washington County, D.C. on
the 5th July, 1846, as a runaway, a negro-man, who calls himself
John Crew. He is black, about 5 feet 6-1/2 inches high, and about 43
years of age. _He says he is free_, and was born in Hanover County,
Virginia, _and was set free_ by Mrs. Allen, formerly Mrs. Watson, of
said county; and that he lived with Jude & Muir, in Richmond,
Virginia; and that he obtained his free papers in Richmond in 1823,
when a Mr. Henning was clerk of the court. He has had right leg
broken, which has left a large scar on it. He has a scar on the
right side of his neck, which he says he has received since he left
Richmond.
"The owner or owners of the above-described negro-man are hereby
required to come forward, prove him, and take him away, _or he will
be sold for his prison and other expenses, as the law directs_.
ROBT. BALL, Jailer for
"Aug. 15. A. HUNTER, Marshal."
"NOTICE.--Was committed to the jail of Washington County, D.C. on
the 23d of July, 1847, as a runaway, a negro-woman, who calls
herself Ann E. Hodges. She is nearly black, about 5 feet 5-1/4
inches high, and about 22 years of age. Had on, when committed, a
slate-colored Merino dress and a brown calico sun-bonnet. _She says
she is free_, and served her time out with a Mr. Benjamin Daltry, of
Southampton, Va.; and that Messrs. Griffin & Bishop, of the same
place, know her to be free. She has two scars on the left leg, near
the knee, from the bite of a dog, one on her left wrist, and one on
the point of her breast-bone, occasioned by a burn.
"The owner or owners of the above-described negro-woman are hereby
required to come forward, prove her, and take her away, _or she will
be sold for her prison and other expenses, as the law directs._
ROBT. BALL, Jailer, for
"Aug. 23. A. HUNTER, Marshal."
Here is another instance, which happened several years since:--
"NOTICE.--Was committed to the jail of Washington County, District
of Columbia, as a runaway, a negro-woman, by the name of Polly
Leiper, and her infant child, William.... _Says she was set free_ by
John Campbell, of Richmond, Va. in 1818 or 1819. The owner of the
above-described woman and child, _if any_, are requested to come and
prove them, and take them away, or they will be _sold for their jail
fees and other expenses, as the law directs_.
TENCH RINGGOLD, Marshal.
"May 29, 1827."
Many other similar ones might be cited from papers published in the
District. The following is taken from the "Mobile (Ala.) Register" of
July 21, 1837:--
"WILL BE SOLD CHEAP FOR CASH, in front of the Court-house of Mobile
County, on the 22d day of July next, one mulatto-man, named Henry
Hale, _who says he is free_. His owner or owners, if any, having
failed to demand him, he is to be sold according to the statute in
such case made and provided, _to pay jail fees_.
WILLIAM MAGEE, Shff. M.C."
Here are two from the "Vicksburg (Miss.) Register." The first is the
notice of the committal of a negro. The second is the advertisement for
his sale:--
"SHERIFF'S SALE.--Committed to the jail of Warren County, as a
runaway, on the 23d inst. a negro-man, who calls himself John J.
Robinson; says that he is free; says that he kept a baker's shop in
Columbus, Miss. and that he peddled through the Chickasaw nation to
Pontotoc, and came to Memphis, where he sold his horse, took water,
and came to this place. The owner of said boy is requested to come
forward, prove property, pay charges, and take him away, or he will
be dealt with as the law directs.
"Dec. 24, 1835. WM. EVERETT, Jailer."
"Notice is hereby given, that the above-described boy, who calls
himself John J. Robinson, having been confined in the jail of Warren
County as a runaway for six months, and having been regularly
advertised during this period, _I shall proceed to sell said
negro-boy at public auction to the highest bidder for cash_, at the
door of the Court-house in Vicksburg, on Monday, 1st of August,
1836, _in pursuance of the statute in such case made and provided_.
"Vicksburg, July 2, 1836. E. W. MORRIS, Sheriff."
Slavery, as it exists, is not wrong, according to Bishops
Ives and Freeman; and yet, in the diocese of the former, in
the "Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer," June 27, 1838, this
advertisement appears:--
"TAKEN AND COMMITTED TO JAIL, a negro-girl, named Nancy,
who is _supposed_ to belong to Spencer P. Wright, of the State of
Georgia. She is about 30 years of age, and is a _lunatic_. The
owner is requested to come forward, prove property, pay charges,
and take her away, or _she will be sold to pay her jail fees_.
FREDERICK HOME, Jailer."
And suppose this supposition is incorrect, and that this poor woman does
not belong to Mr. Wright, but on the contrary that she is free, how then
will stand the case? A poor free woman, a lunatic, one who accordingly
cannot by any possibility prove her freedom, being arrested as a
runaway, may be sold as a slave for life, in virtue of the laws of the
Christian State of North Carolina! And no one is entitled to pronounce
such act to be wrong, unless he can produce a new revelation from
Heaven! If a slave has performed a great service to the State or his
master, as a reward he is set free; and, if the freeman, availing
himself of his privileges, goes out of his own neighborhood, the law,
with the sanction of right reverend fathers in God, consigns him to the
auction block!
But the runaway slave is not always to be taken easily. Strenuous
liberty is often preferred to slavish ease. To meet such cases, ample
provision is made, no less degrading to the slave.
If any one here at the North should advertise that he was ready to
pursue, with dogs trained for the purpose, runaway apprentices, or
prisoners who had escaped from jail, we should all shudder at the
cold-bloodedness of the proposition. Have we not, in the Old Bay State,
just solemnly enacted that not even the most hardened convicts in our
State Prison shall be whipped? How, then, can we so far forget our
common manhood as to pursue our brother with bloodhounds? The slave,
unlike the prisoner, has committed no crime. Unlike the apprentice, he
has never consented, either by himself or his parents, to be a slave. He
is held in slavery against his will, and not as the punishment for any
crime; and yet, if he ventures to take his freedom, to assert the
highest and holiest of all his rights, he is liable to be hunted with
dogs and maimed with shot! In this so-called Christian country, which is
spending its millions in regenerating the heathen, whole communities
exist which tolerate such a fiendish occupation as a slave-hunter!
Communities do we say? Has not the nation elevated to its highest post
of honor the individual who first suggested to our government the idea
of importing bloodhounds from Cuba, with which to track the Seminole
Indians, and the fugitive slaves whom they protected, and with whom they
had intermarried? How proudly did the star-spangled banner wave its
folds over the gallant men and hounds that pursued and finally conquered
the panting fugitives!
In the "Madison Journal," published at Richmond, La. Nov. 26, 1847,
appears the following:--
"NOTICE.--The subscriber, living on Carroway Lake, on Hoe's Bayou,
in Carroll Parish, sixteen miles on the road leading from Bayou
Mason to Lake Providence, _is ready with a pack of dogs to hunt
runaway negroes at any time_. These dogs are well trained, and are
known throughout the parish. Letters addressed to me at Providence
will secure immediate attention.
"My terms are $5 per day for hunting the trails, whether the negro
is caught or not. Where a twelve hours' trail is shown, and the
negro not taken, no charge is made. For taking a negro, $25, and no
charge made for hunting. JAMES W. HALL."
In the "Sumpter County Whig" (Alabama) of Nov. 6, 1845, the following is
found:--
"NEGRO DOGS.--The undersigned, having bought the entire pack of
negro dogs (of the Hay & Allen stock), _he now proposes to catch
runaway negroes_. His charges will be $3 a day for hunting, and $15
for catching a runaway. He resides three and one half miles north of
Livingston, near the lower Jones' Bluff road.
"Nov. 6, 1845. WILLIAM GAMBREL."
William W. Brown was hunted by Major Benjamin O'Fallon, who kept for his
professional purposes five or six bloodhounds ("Narrative," p. 22). Last
year, 1848, Mr. J. Ervin, a native of Fairfield District, South
Carolina, a slave-hunter by profession, was murdered by some runaway
slaves. Owners sometimes vary the monotony of a plantation life by a
private hunt on their own account. But, unless they have considerable
practice, they make a bungling piece of work of it. The true object,
both of dogs and men, is the capture of the negro, not his death. Gen.
Taylor did not wish to "worry" the Seminoles. We might cite many notices
like the following, cut from the "Raleigh (N.C.) Register," Aug. 20,
1838:--
"On Saturday night, Mr. George Holmes, of this county, and some of
his friends were in pursuit of a runaway slave (the property of Mr.
Holmes), and fell in with him in attempting to make his escape. Mr.
H. discharged a gun at his legs, for the purpose of disabling him;
but, unfortunately, the slave stumbled, and the shot struck him near
the small of the back, of which wound he died in a short time. The
slave continued to run some distance after he was shot, until
overtaken by one of the party. We are satisfied from all that we can
learn, that Mr. H. had no intention of inflicting a mortal wound."
The hunter, in the following instance, was more skilful or lucky. The
advertisement is found in the "Richmond Whig and Public Advertiser,"
Jan. 25, 1848:--
"$50 REWARD.--Ran away from the subscribers, on Sunday, the 8th
instant, a negro-man, named George. The said slave is about 21 years
of age, black, about 5 feet 6 inches high, weighs about 150 pounds,
has good teeth, and a round and likely face. He was purchased at R.
H. Dickinson & Bro.'s auction-room, on the 22d of March, last, from
Messrs. Millner & Keen, of Pittsylvania Court-house. He was
purchased by them (M. & K.) in Rickingham, N.C.; and he will in all
probability make for that place, as he ran off last April, and was
taken upon his way there, at Amelia Court-house. _The person that
took him on that occasion shot him with small shot on the legs, and
the shot-marks are very perceptible on the hind part or the calves
of his legs._ We will give $50 for the apprehension and delivery of
said boy to R. H. Dickinson & Bro. in Richmond, Va. if taken up
after this date; and, if taken up previous to this date, we will pay
$25 for his delivery here, and the expense of bringing him to this
place from where he may be taken up. KELLY, HUNDLEY, & CO.
"Richmond, Aug. 27, 1847."
The Rev. Mr. Jones would probably instruct "George," that he was shot
because he disobeyed God's commands in running away, and especially
because he "robbed God of his own" in breaking the Sabbath! But how
judicious was the man who took him up on that occasion! He only shot him
with small shot in the legs!
In the "Macon (Ga.) Telegraph," Nov. 27, 1838, we find the following
account of a runaway's den, and of the good luck of a "Mr. Adams," in
running down one of them "with his excellent dogs:"--
"A runaway's den was discovered on Sunday, near the Washington
Spring, in a little patch of woods, where it had been for several
months so artfully concealed under ground, that it was detected only
by accident, though in sight of two or three houses, and near the
road and fields where there has been constant daily passing. The
entrance was concealed by a pile of pine straw, representing a
hog-bed, which being removed, discovered a trap-door and steps that
led to a room about six feet square, comfortably ceiled with plank,
containing a small fireplace, the flue of which was ingeniously
conducted above ground and concealed by the straw. The inmates took
the alarm, and made their escape; _but Mr. Adams and his excellent
dogs being put upon the trail, soon run down and secured one of
them_, which proved to be a negro-fellow who had been out about a
year. He stated that the other occupant was a woman, who had been a
runaway a still longer time. In the den was found a quantity of
meal, bacon, corn, potatoes, &c. and various cooking utensils and
wearing apparel."
The Lord of the sabbath seems to favor the masters; for Mr. Adams's hunt
occurred on Sunday! Many other instances might be given. We adduce only
this. The "St. Francisville (La.) Chronicle" of Feb. 1, 1839, gives the
following account of a "negro-hunt" in that parish:--
"Two or three days since, a gentleman of this parish, in hunting
runaway negroes, came upon a camp of them in the swamp on Cat
Island. He succeeded in arresting two of them; but the third made
fight, and, upon being shot in the shoulder, fled to a sluice, where
the dogs succeeded in drowning him before assistance could arrive."
Does any one say these atrocities must be confined to the extreme
South, and that law or public opinion in North Carolina would forbid
them? How far otherwise is the fact! The "Revised Statutes" of North
Carolina, chap. 111, sec. 22, provide as follows:--
"Whereas, many times slaves run away and lie out, hid and lurking in
swamps, woods, and other obscure places, killing cattle and hogs,
and committing other injuries to the inhabitants of this State; in
all such cases, upon intelligence of any slave or slaves lying out
as aforesaid, any two justices of the peace for the county wherein
such slave or slaves is or are supposed to lurk or do mischief,
shall, and they are hereby empowered and required to issue
proclamation against such slave or slaves (reciting his or their
names, and the name or names of the owner or owners, if known),
thereby requiring him or them, and every of them, forthwith to
surrender him or themselves; and also to empower and require the
sheriff of the said county to take such power with him as he shall
think fit and necessary for going in search and pursuit of, and
effectually apprehending, such outlying slave or slaves; which
proclamation shall be published at the door of the Court-house, and
at such other places as said justices shall direct.[T] And if any
slave or slaves against whom proclamation hath been thus issued stay
out, and do not immediately return home, it shall be lawful for any
person or persons whatsoever to kill and destroy such slave or
slaves by such ways and means as he shall think fit, without
accusation or impeachment of any crime for the same."
This is truly a Christian law! A written proclamation to men, of whom
not one in ten thousand can read a letter of it!--and yet, after
publication of it at the door of the Court-house, and at such other
places (if any) as the justices may direct, if the slaves do not
immediatelyy return, it is lawful for any person to kill and destroy
them "by such ways or means as he shall think fit." And may not
bloodhounds be the most expeditious and fit?
Is this law a dead letter? Only fifteen days before Bishop Freeman's
sermon was delivered, and Bishop Ives enjoyed "most unfeigned pleasure"
at the thought that slavery existed as it did in North Carolina, the
following proclamation and advertisement appeared in the "Newbern (N.C.)
Spectator:"--
"STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, LENOIR COUNTY.--Whereas complaint hath
been this day made to us, two of the justices of the peace for the
said county, by William D. Cobb, of Jones county, that two
negro-slaves belonging to him, named Ben (commonly known by the name
of Ben Fox) and Rigdon, have absented themselves from their said
master's service, and are lurking about in the counties of Lenoir
and Jones, committing acts of felony; these are, in the name of the
State, to command the said slaves forthwith to surrender themselves,
and turn home to their said master. And we do hereby also require
the sheriff of said county of Lenoir to make diligent search and
pursuit after the above-mentioned slaves.... And we do hereby, by
virtue of an Act of Assembly of this State concerning servants and
slaves, intimate and declare, if the said slaves do not surrender
themselves and return home to their master immediately after the
publication of these presents, that any person may kill or destroy
said slaves by such means as he or they think fit, without
accusation or impeachment of any crime or offence for so doing, or
without incurring any penalty or forfeiture thereby.
"Given under our hands and seals, this 12th of November, 1838.
B. COLEMAN, J.P. [Seal.]
JAS. JONES, J.P. [Seal.]
"$200 REWARD.--Ran away from the subscriber, about three years ago,
a certain negro-man, named Ben, commonly known by the name of Ben
Fox, also one other negro, by the name of Rigdon, who ran away on
the 8th of this month.
"I will give the reward of $100 for each of the above negroes, to be
delivered to me, or confined in the jail of Lenoir or Jones County,
_or for the killing of them, so that I can see them_.
"Nov. 12, 1838. W. D. COBB."
In what has preceded, we have endeavored to give a faint but true
picture of slaveholding as it most generally exists. Though we have
purposely left unmentioned many wrongs, we have abundantly supported our
conclusion. If, as we have seen, every slave, as a man, has a natural,
God-given right to be left free to seek after wisdom, to strive to
become pure in heart, to cherish his affections, it is a great wrong
deliberately and carefully to close against him all the avenues to
knowledge, to refuse him even the rudiments imparted to the child that
clings to our knees, to refuse him all moral and religious instruction,
or give him such only as is calculated to make him contented with his
lot, and more profitable to his oppressors. It is a great wrong--who can
conceive a greater?--to deny to a whole race the sacredness of marriage,
the blessings of home, the joys of brother and sister, of father and
mother, and all the refining, ennobling influences of these relations.
It is a great wrong, none can conceive a greater, than to trade in the
bodies of men, to higgle in the market-place about the price of our
brother, to traffic in our sister's flesh and bones as merchandise.
Slaveholding, as it most generally exists, darkens the mind, deadens the
soul, and brutalizes the affections, of its victims. It is carefully
planned and deliberately executed murder of the soul. No human heart
exists, unwarped by self-interest, that does not respond to the poor
slave's call for help. We need no new revelation from Heaven, we need no
book to tell us, that it would be wrong for any one to darken _our_
minds, to deaden _our_ souls, to brutalize _our_ affections. No more do
we need, a new revelation from Heaven to convince us, that all men are
brethren; that the slave who toils on the Louisiana plantation is no
less our neighbor than the friend whom we have known and loved from
boyhood; and that we should love the slaves as ourselves, not with that
barren love which consists in saving their souls by imparting to them a
still more barren creed, but that love which never wearies, and which
sacrifices its own for another's good.