BRIGHTENING UP.--GRAND RESULT.
According to the intimation in the note received from Miss King dated
Feb. 11th, she met me--not however as she expected on Tuesday--but, on
Wednesday of next week in Syracuse: and at the house of a friend whose
memory we hold in the highest reverence.
The interview, as the parents and relatives of Miss King understood it,
was to be held to the intent that Miss King might then and there in
person, and by "word" more effectually than she could possibly do by
writing, absolve herself from all engagement, obligation or intention
whatsoever to marry me--now, hereafter, or evermore. This was their
construction of the matter, and it was in the light of this construction
that they essayed to grant the request--the granting of which Miss King
made the condition on which she proposed to yield up her sacred right.
That the King family--determined as they were, law or no law, justice or
no justice, Christianity or no Christianity; in short, at all events and
all hazards, to prevent our union--should have granted this interview to
Miss King convicts them of as great imbecility and folly as was their
persecution of their victim. But so it is, the innocent shall not only
not be cut down, but they who practice unrighteousness shall themselves
be overtaken.
But to the interview. I should be glad to describe my feelings on first
meeting Miss King after she had passed through that fiery furnace of
affliction. But I desist. The "engagement," I have already said,
displayed a moral heroism which no one can comprehend who has not been
in America, but the passage through was more than sublime.
She related to me the events of the two preceding weeks as she had known
them to transpire in her own family, and as she had heard of them as
transpiring in the village. I cannot write the details. It chills my
blood to think of them. The various letters published in this narrative
will suffice to give the reader some idea of things as they were; while
the hundreds of things which cannot be written and which, because of
their littleness are the more faithful exponents of meanness, must be
left to the reader to imagine as best he can. I say as best he can,
since no Englishman can imagine the thing precisely as it was.
She was reviled, upbraided, ridiculed, tormented; and by some, efforts
were made to bribe her into the selling of her conscience. What the
vilest and most vulgar prejudices could suggest were hurled at both our
devoted heads. Letters were not permitted to be received or sent without
their being first inspected by the parents. And finally she was
imprisoned after the manner set forth in the letter of Mr. Porter. So
rigid was the surveillance that her sister was also put under the same
"regimen," because her sympathies were with the persecuted and not the
persecutors.
When we met, therefore, we were not long in determining what was our
duty. And now, Reader, what would you have done? Just what we did--no
doubt. Made up your mind to have sacrificed nothing upon the altar of a
vulgar prejudice. Such was the nature of the demand--would it not have
been base to have yielded?
We concluded that now, more than ever, we would obey our heart's
convictions, though all the world should oppose us; that, come what
would, we would stand by each other, looking to Heaven to bless us, and
not to man, for either smiles or favor.
We were resolved, but there was a difficulty yet. Determined to exercise
our God-given rights, we were still overpowered by the physical force of
the whole community. An open declaration by either party of our resolve
would have been not less than consummate madness. To exercise our
rights, therefore, not as we _would_ but as we _could_, was the only
hope left us.
We resolved to marry and flee the Country. Miss King returned to Fulton;
after remaining there a week or ten days she went to Pennsylvania
_ostensibly_ to teach in a school. We corresponded by means of a third
person; and my arrangements being made, we met in New York City, on
March 30th, according to appointment; were married immediately and left
for Boston. In Boston, we remained ten days, keeping as quiet as
possible, in the family of a beloved friend, and on the 9th of April,
took passage for Liverpool.
Since our arrival in this Country, we have received several American
papers. The following Article is from one of the Western New York
papers, which is but a specimen of the articles published by all the
pro-slavery papers throughout the land on the announcement of the
marriage, shows that the flight to England completed the victory. To
have remained to be killed would have been fun to be relished. But
public sentiment abroad--ah, that is another thing, and not so pleasant
to be thought of:--
"PROF. ALLEN IS MARRIED"
"MARRIED.--In New York city, March 30th, by Rev. Thomas Henson,
Professor WILLIAM G. ALLEN, of Mc. Grawville, N. Y., and Miss
MARY E. KING, of Fulton, N. Y., daughter of Rev. Lyndon King, of
Fulton.
"We expected as much. We were liberally abused for our discountenance of
this marriage, and charged with wilfully falsifying facts, because we
insisted that this affair was in contemplation, and would yet go off.
_Prof._ Allen denied it, and others thought that they had the most
positive assurance from his statements that the amalgamation wedding was
a fiction. But now, after he and his white brethren have liberally
impugned our motives, charged falsehood upon us, and made solemn
asseverations designed to make the public believe that no such thing was
in contemplation, in two brief months, the thing is consummated, with
all the formality of a religious observance, and this unholy
amalgamation is perpetrated before high Heaven and asserted among men.
"_Prof._ ALLEN and his fair bride are now in Europe. It is
well they should emigrate, to show admiring foreigners the beauties of
American abolitionism. Let them attend the receptions of the Duchess of
Sutherland, the soirees of English agitators, and the orgies of Exeter
Hall. Let GEO. THOMPSON introduce them as the first fruits of
his _philanthropic_ labors in America. Let them travel among the
starveling English operatives, who would gladly accept slavery if
assured of a peck of corn each week; let them wander among European
serfs, whose life, labor, and virtue are the sport of despots, compared
to whom the crudest slave driver is an angel--and there proclaim their
'holy alliance.' If the victims of English and Continental tyranny do
not turn their backs, disgusted with the foul connection, their
degradation must be infinitely greater than we had supposed."
* * * * *
But to return to the story: Soon after the "interview" between Miss King
and myself, I received the following note from Mrs. Harriet Beecher
Stowe--the renowned Authoress of "Uncle Tom's Cabin." A "divine-hearted
woman," this, as Horace Mann hath rightly called her, and more precious
than rubies to me is her kind and Christian epistle:--
Andover, Massachusetts, February 21st, 1853.
"Professor Allen,--
"Dear Sir:--
"I have just read with indignation and sorrow your letter in the
Liberator (copied from the Syracuse Standard). I had hoped that the day
for such outrages had gone by. I trust that you will be enabled to
preserve a patient and forgiving spirit under this exhibition of vulgar
and unchristian prejudice. _Its day is short._
"Please accept the accompanying volume as a mark of friendly remembrance
from,--
"H. B. STOWE."
* * * * *
Just before Miss K. left Fulton for Pennsylvania, she received the
following letter from the Rev. Timothy Stowe--the gentleman to whom
reference has already been made. He is not related to Mrs. Harriet
Beecher Stowe, but is nevertheless of royal race:--
"Peterboro', New York, March 1st, 1853.
"Miss Mary E. King,--
"Dear Friend:--
"You will not be offended that I should address you by this title,
though I never saw you, to my recollection, until last July at Mc.
Grawville; I then felt an interest in your welfare--an interest which
has been deepened by your recent insults and trials. I am not one of
those who can censure you for your attachment and engagement to
Professor Allen. He is a man--a noble man--a whole man; a man, in fine,
of whom no woman need be ashamed. I am aware, you are aware, that the
world will severely condemn you; so it did Luther, when he married a
nun; it was then thought to be as great an outrage on decency, for a
minister to marry a nun, as it now is for a white young lady to marry a
colored gentleman. You have this consolation, that God does not look
upon the countenance--the color of men; that in his eye, black and white
are the same; and consequently, to marry a colored person of
intelligence and worth is no immorality, and in his eye, no impropriety.
It is probably the design of Providence in this case, to call the
attention of the public to the fresh consideration of what is implied in
the great doctrine of human brotherhood. Is it true or not, that a
colored man has all the rights of a white man? Is this a question still
mooted among Abolitionists? If so, then we may as well settle it now as
at any other time, and though the controversy may be, and must be a very
painful one to your feelings, yet, the result will be a better
understanding of the great principles of our common nature and
brotherhood. Professor Allen is with me in my study, and has detailed to
me the whole of this outrage against yourself and him, and has also made
me acquainted with your relations to each other. I extend to you my
sympathy, I proffer to you my friendship. You have not fallen in my
estimation, nor in the estimation of Mr. Smith and others in this place.
Lay not this matter to heart, be not cast down; put your trust in God,
and he will bring you out of this crucible seven times purified. He in
mercy designs to promote your spiritual growth and consolation. Keep the
Saviour in your heart. My good wife sympathises with you. We would be
glad to see you at our humble home, either before or after your
marriage. We would try to comfort you; we would bear your burdens, and
so 'fulfil the law of Christ.'
"Yours, with fraternal and Christian affection,
"TIMOTHY STOWE."
On the day after Miss King left for Pennsylvania, I received the
following note from a friend in Fulton. It is significant, and certainly
corroborative of the opinion which I have expressed of the Fulton
people--that they had determined to leave nothing undone by which to
make their tyranny complete:--
"Fulton, March 5th, 1853.
"Dear Friend:--
"Yesterday I heard from you by a friend
* * * * *
"Mary has gone to Pennsylvania.
* * * * *
"What we feared was, she would be again imprisoned, and hindered from
going to Pa. If her relatives and other friends knew of your intentions,
she would have been put under lock and key as sure as there are _mean
men_ in Fulton.
* * * * *
"Professor, they were as mad as wild asses here about that 'resolution
of Smith's,' especially King's folks.
* * * * *
I want your miniature--_must have it_. I want to show it to my friends
that they may see this man whose idle moments in the bower of love sets
half the world crazy.
* * * * *
"In friendship, yours,
"* * *"
The Resolution to which reference has been made, is as follows. It was
presented by the Hon. Gerrit Smith, Member of Congress, from New York,
at a Convention of "Liberty Party Men," held in Syracuse, about four
weeks after the mob:--
"Resolved, That the recent outrage committed upon that accomplished and
worthy man--Professor William G. Allen--and the general rejoicing
throughout the country therein, evinces that the heart of the American
people, on the subject of slavery is utterly corrupt, and almost past
cure."
Now for something spicy. The following letter was written to Elder King
by a Slaveholder of Mississippi, about five weeks after the mob. The
Elder re-mailed it to his daughter while she was in Pennsylvania. Having
become the property of the daughter, and the daughter and I now being
one, I shall take the liberty of giving this specimen of Southern
chivalry to the public. The reader shall have it without alteration:--
"Warrenton, Mississippi,
"March 5th, 1853.
"Rev. Sir:--
"You cannot judge of my surprise and indignation, on reading an
Editorial in one of my papers concerning an intending marriage of your
lovely and accomplished daughter, with a negro man; which thanks to
providence has been prevented by the excited and enraged populace of the
enterprising citizens of the good town of Fulton.
"During my sojourn in the state of New York last year, I visited for
mere curiosity the Mc. Grawville Institute in Cortland Co., which gave
me an opportunity of seeing your daughter, then a pupil of that equality
and amalgamated Institute; and I believe in all my travels north, I
never saw one more interesting and polite to those of her acquaintances.
"I have thought much about your daughter since my return home, and do
yet, notwithstanding the ignominious connection she has lately escaped
from. Your daughter--innocent, as I must in charity presume--because
deluded and deranged by the false teachings of the abolition Institute
at Mc. Grawville.
"My object in writing to you this letter is to obtain your permission to
correspond with your daughter if it should be agreeable with herself,
for I do assure you that I have no other than an honorable intention in
doing so.
"I reside in Warren County near Warrenton--am the owner of Nine Young
Negroes in agriculture, who would not exchange their bondage for a free
residence in the north. I am happy to inform you Revd. Sir that my
character is such that will bear the strictest investigation, and my
relations respectable. I am yet young having not yet obtained my 25th
year.
"Well sir, I am a stranger to both yourself and interesting family, and
as a matter of course you may desire to know something about the humble
individual who has thought proper to address you on a subject which
depends on the future happiness of your daughter. For your Reverence's
gratification you are at liberty to refer to either or all of the
following gentlemen, by letter or in person,--viz., Hon. J. E. Sharkey,
State Senator, Warren Co., P. O., Warrenton, Miss.;--Hon. A. G. Brown,
Ex-Gov., Miss., now Member of Congress, P. O., Gallatin, Miss.;--Samuel
Edwards, High Sheriff, Warren Co., P. O., Vicksburg, Miss.;--E. B.
Scarbrough Clerk, Probate Court, Warren Co., P. O., Vicksburg, Miss.;--M.
Shannon, Editor, Vicksburg, Miss., Whig;--Geo. D. Prentice, Editor,
Louisville, Ky., Journal;--and Reed, Brothers, and Co., 177, Market
Street, Philadelphia.
"Again Rev. Sir, I assure you that in writing you this letter, I only do
that which is the result of mature deliberation.
"I shall wait anxiously your reply,
"THOS. K. KNOWLAND."
"P. S.--As Messrs. Reed, Brothers, and Co., are the nearest reference to
whom I refer, I enclose you a letter from them."
* * * * *
The two letters immediately following were received by Miss K. just
before she left Pennsylvania for New York. Many other letters were also
received by both of us, which are not given in this book, but we can
assure the writers thereof that they have our hearts' gratitude:--
"Fulton, March 27th, 1853.
"My dear and brave Sister:--
"For two weeks past we have been stopping with Mr. B. Yesterday we
received four letters--two from my good brother B., and two from
Pennsylvania, yours and Jane's. Right glad were we to receive those
welcome favors--those little _epistolary_ angels, telling us of your
safety, (for safety has of late become quite a consideration) of your
affection, of your anxiety, and a hundred things more than what were
written.
"Mary, I judge from your letters and notes--from the tone of them--that
there are feelings and emotions in your heart utterly beyond the power
of words to express. You are resolved, and you are happy in your
resolve, and strong in the providential certainty of its success. Yet
you tremble for probabilities, or rather for _possibilities_.
"What feelings, dear Mary, you must have in the hour of your departure
from this country. Through the windows of imagination I can catch a
glimpse of it all. Your flight is a flight for freedom, and I can almost
call you _Eliza_. To you this land will become a land of memory. And,
oh! what memories! But we will talk of this hereafter.
"The remembrance of _friendship unbroken here_,--oh, Mary, let it not
vanish as the blue hills of your father-land will dim away in the
distance, while you glide eastward upon the 'free waters.' But let that
bright remembrance be embodied in _spirit_-form, for ever attending you,
and pointing back to those still here who hold you high in affection and
in honor.
* * * * *
"Mary, I must close. Be firm--strong--brave--unflinching--_just like_
Mary King.
"Yours in the bonds of love,
"JOHN C. PORTER."
"Fulton, March 27th, 1853.
"My dear Sister Mary:--
"Almost hourly since you left has your image been before me. And as I
seat myself to write, thoughts and emotions innumerable come crowding
for utterance. Gladly would I express them to you, dear Sister, but the
pen is far too feeble an instrument. Oh, that I could be with you in
body as in spirit. You need encouragement and strength in this hour; and
I know that you will receive them,--for you are surrounded by a few of
the truest and dearest of friends. And you know and have felt, that a
higher and stronger power than earth can uphold us in every endeavour
for the right.
* * * * *
"Mary, do you remember the time when you told me that I must love you
better than I had ever done before; for friends would forsake you, and
there would be none left to love you but P., and myself, and your
father, and Julia, and J. B., and D. S., and S. T.? Our arms were twined
around each other in close embrace. Your heart was full to overflowing,
and words gave place to tears. I shall not forget the intense anxiety I
felt for you at that moment as I tried to penetrate the future, knowing,
as I did, somewhat of the cruelty of prejudice. It seems we both had a
foreboding of something that would follow. I do not know that I wept,
but heaven witnessed and recorded the silent, sacred promise of my heart
to draw nearer and cherish you with truer fidelity as others turned
away. And so shall I always feel.
* * * * *
"Oh, Mary, how little can we imagine the sufferings of the oppressed,
while we float along on the popular current. I thank God from the depths
of my soul, that we have launched our barks upon the ocean. Frail they
are, yet, having right for our beacon, and humanity for our compass, I
know we shall not be wrecked or go down among the raging elements.
* * * * *
"Now, dear Sister, farewell, and as you depart from this boasted 'land
of liberty and equal rights,' and go among strangers, that you may,
indeed, enjoy liberty, be not despondent, but cheerful, ever remembering
the message of your angel mother.
* * * * *
Again, dear sister, farewell,--you know how much we love you, and that
our deepest sympathies are with you wherever you may be.
"Affectionately yours,
"SARAH D. PORTER."
I subjoin an extract of a letter which I received from Miss K. a few
days before our marriage:--
"Dolington, Pennsylvania
"March 21st, 1853.
"Professor Allen,--
"Dearest and best-loved Friend:--
"I have just received your letter of March 13th, and hasten to reply.
"You ask me if I can go with you in four weeks or thereabouts. In reply,
I say yes; gladly and joyfully will I hasten with you to a land where
unmolested, we can be happy in the consciousness of the love which we
cherish for each other. While so far from you, I am sad, lonely, and
unhappy; for I feel that I have no home but in the heart of him whom I
love, and no country until I reach one where the cruel and crushing hand
of Republican America can no longer tear me from you.
* * * * *
"Professor,--I sometimes tremble when I think of the strong effort that
would be put forth to keep me from you, should my brothers know our
arrangements. But my determination is taken and my decision fixed; and
should the public or my friends ever see fit to lay their commands upon
me again, they will find that although they have but a weak, defenceless
woman to contend with, still, that woman is one who will never passively
yield her rights. _They may mob me; yea, they may kill me; but they
shall never crush me._
"Heaven's blessings upon all who sympathised with us. I am not
discouraged. God will guide us and protect us.
"Ever yours,
"MARY."
'"Thou Friend, whose presence on my wintry heart
Fell like bright Spring upon some herbless plain;
How beautiful and calm and free thou wert
In thy young wisdom, when the mortal chain
Of Custom thou did'st burst and rend in twain,
And walked as free as night the clouds among."'
Some idea of the spirit of persecution by which we were pursued may be
gathered from the fact, that when the mobocrats of Fulton ascertained
that Miss King and myself were having an interview in Syracuse, they
threatened to come down and mob us, and were only deterred from so doing
by the promise of Elder King, that he would go after his daughter if she
did not return in the next train.