_Review of my narrative.--Licentiousness a prop of slavery.--A case of
mild slavery given.--Its revolting features.--Times of my purchase and
sale by professed Christians.--Concluding remarks._
I now conclude my narrative, by reviewing briefly what I have written.
This little work has been written without any personal aid or a
knowledge of the English grammer, which must in part be my apology for
many of its imperfections.
I find in several places, where I have spoken out the deep feelings of
my soul, in trying to describe the horrid treatment which I have so
often received at the hands of slaveholding professors of religion,
that I might possibly make a wrong impression on the minds of some
northern freemen, who are unacquainted theoretically or practically
with the customs and treatment of American slaveholders to their
slaves. I hope that it may not be supposed by any, that I have
exaggerated in the least, for the purpose of making out the system of
slavery worse than it really is, for, to exaggerate upon the cruelties
of this system, would be almost impossible; and to write herein the
most horrid features of it would not be in good taste for my book.
I have long thought from what has fallen under my own observation
while a slave, that the strongest reason why southerners stick with
such tenacity to their "peculiar institution," is because licentious
white men could not carry out their wicked purposes among the
defenceless colored population as they now do, without being exposed
and punished by law, if slavery was abolished. Female virtue could not
be trampled under foot with impunity, and marriage among the people of
color kept in utter obscurity.
On the other hand, lest it should be said by slaveholders and their
apologists, that I have not done them the justice to give a sketch of
the best side of slavery, if there can be any best side to it;
therefore in conclusion, they may have the benefit of the following
case, that fell under the observation of the writer. And I challenge
America to show a milder state of slavery than this. I once knew a
Methodist in the state of Ky., by the name of Young, who was the owner
of a large number of slaves, many of whom belonged to the same church
with their master. They worshipped together in the same church.
Mr. Young never was known to flog one of his slaves or sell one. He
fed and clothed them well, and never over-worked them. He allowed each
family a small house to themselves with a little garden spot, whereon
to raise their own vegetables; and a part of the day on Saturdays was
allowed them to cultivate it.
In process of time he became deeply involved in debt by endorsing
notes, and his property was all advertised to be sold by the sheriff
at public auction. It consisted in slaves, many of whom were his
brothers and sisters in the church.
On the day of sale there were slave traders and speculators on the
ground to buy. The slaves were offered on the auction block one after
another, until they were all sold before their old master's face. The
first man offered on the block was an old gray-headed slave by the
name of Richard. His wife followed him up to the block, and when they
had bid him up to seventy or eighty dollars one of the bidders asked
Mr. Young what he could do, as he looked very old and infirm? Mr.
Young replied by saying, "he is not able to accomplish much manual
labor, from his extreme age and hard labor in early life. Yet I would
rather have him than many of those who are young and vigorous; who are
able to perform twice as much labor--because I know him to be faithful
and trustworthy, a Christian in good standing in my church. I can
trust him anywhere with confidence. He has toiled many long years on
my plantation and I have always found him faithful."
This giving him a good Christian character caused them to run him up
to near two hundred dollars. His poor old companion stood by weeping
and pleading that they might not be separated. But the marriage
relation was soon dissolved by the sale, and they were separated never
to meet again.
Another man was called up whose wife followed him with her infant in
her arms, beseeching to be sold with her husband, which proved to be
all in vain. After the men were all sold they then sold the women and
children. They ordered the first woman to lay down her child and
mount the auction block; she refused to give up her little one and
clung to it as long as she could, while the cruel lash was applied to
her back for disobedience. She pleaded for mercy in the name of God.
But the child was torn from the arms of its mother amid the most
heart-rending shrieks from the mother and child on the one hand, and
bitter oaths and cruel lashes from the tyrants on the other. Finally
the poor little child was torn from the mother while she was
sacrificed to the highest bidder. In this way the sale was carried on
from beginning to end.
There was each speculator with his hand-cuffs to bind his victims
after the sale; and while they were doing their writings, the
Christian portion of the slaves asked permission to kneel in prayer on
the ground before they separated, which was granted. And while bathing
each other with tears of sorrow on the verge of their final
separation, their eloquent appeals in prayer to the Most High seemed
to cause an unpleasant sensation upon the ears of their tyrants, who
ordered them to rise and make ready their limbs for the caffles. And
as they happened not to bound at the first sound, they were soon
raised from their knees by the sound of the lash, and the rattle of
the chains, in which they were soon taken off by their respective
masters,--husbands from wives, and children from parents, never
expecting to meet until the judgment of the great day. Then Christ
shall say to the slaveholding professors of religion, "Inasmuch as ye
did it unto one of the least of these little ones, my brethren, ye did
it unto me."
Having thus tried to show the best side of slavery that I can conceive
of, the reader can exercise his own judgment in deciding whether a man
can be a Bible Christian, and yet hold his Christian brethren as
property, so that they may be sold at any time in market, as sheep or
oxen, to pay his debts.
During my life in slavery I have been sold by professors of religion
several times. In 1836 "Bro." Albert G. Sibley, of Bedford, Kentucky,
sold me for $850 to "Bro." John Sibley; and in the same year he sold
me to "Bro." Wm. Gatewood of Bedford, for $850. In 1839 "Bro."
Gatewood sold me to Madison Garrison, a slave trader, of Louisville,
Kentucky, with my wife and child--at a depreciated price because I was
a runaway. In the same year he sold me with my family to "Bro."
Whitfield, in the city of New Orleans, for $1200. In 1841 "Bro."
Whitfield sold me from my family to Thomas Wilson and Co., blacklegs.
In the same year they sold me to a "Bro." in the Indian Territory. I
think he was a member of the Presbyterian Church. F.E. Whitfield was a
deacon in regular standing in the Baptist Church. A. Sibley was a
Methodist exhorter of the M.E. Church in good standing. J. Sibley was
a class-leader in the same church; and Wm. Gatewood was also an
acceptable member of the same church.
Is this Christianity? Is it honest or right? Is it doing as we would
be done by? Is it in accordance with the principles of humanity or
justice?
I believe slaveholding to be a sin against God and man under all
circumstances. I have no sympathy with the person or persons who
tolerate and support the system willingly and knowingly, morally,
religiously or politically.
Prayerfully and earnestly relying on the power of truth, and the aid
of the divine providence, I trust that this little volume will bear
some humble part in lighting up the path of freedom and
revolutionizing public opinion upon this great subject. And I here
pledge myself, God being my helper, ever to contend for the natural
equality of the human family, without regard to color, which is but
fading _matter_, while _mind_ makes the man.
NEW YORK CITY, _May 1, 1849_.
HENRY BIBB.
INDEX.
Introduction. 1
Author's Preface. 12
Chap. I.--
Sketch of my Parentage, 15.
Early separation from my Mother, 15.
Hard Fare, 16.
First Experiments at running away, 16.
Earnest longing for Freedom, 17.
Abhorrent nature of Slavery, 18.
Chap. II.--
A fruitless effort for education, 19.
The Sabbath among Slaves, 19.
Degrading amusements, 19.
Why religion is rejected, 20.
Condition of poor white people, 20.
Superstition among slaves, 21.
Education forbidden, 25.
Chap. III.--
My Courtship and Marriage, 26.
Change of owner, 31.
My first born, 32.
Its sufferings, 32.
My wife abused, 33.
My own anguish, 33.
Chap. IV.--
My first adventure for liberty, 34.
Parting Scene, 34.
Journey up the river, 35.
Safe arrival in Cincinnati, 36.
Journey to Canada, 37.
Suffering from cold and hunger, 38.
Denied food and shelter by some, 38.
One noble exception, 38.
Subsequent success, 39.
Arrival at Perrysburgh, 39.
Obtain employment through the winter, 39.
My return to Kentucky to get my family, 40.
Chap. V--
My safe arrival at Kentucky, 41.
Surprise and delight to find my family, 41.
Plan for their escape, projected, 42.
Return to Cincinnati, 43.
My betrayal by traitors, 43.
Imprisonment in Covington, Kentucky, 45.
Return to slavery, 46.
Infamous proposal of the slave catchers, 47.
My reply, 47.
Chap. VI.--
Arrival at Louisville, Kentucky, 50.
Efforts to sell me, 50.
Fortunate escape from the man-stealers in the public street, 51.
I return to Bedford, Ky., 55.
The rescue of my family again attempted, 55.
I started alone expecting them to follow, 2.
After waiting some months I resolve to go back again to Kentucky, 57.
Chap. VII.--
My safe return to Kentucky, 58.
The perils I encountered there, 59.
Again betrayed, and taken by a mob, ironed and imprisoned, 60.
Narrow escape from death, 62.
Life in a slave prison, 63.
Chap. VIII.--
Character of my prison companions, 65.
Jail breaking contemplated, 66.
Defeat of our plan, 67.
My wife and child removed, 67.
Disgraceful proposal to her, and cruel punishment, 67.
Our departure in a coffle for New Orleans, 68.
Events of our journey, 69.
Chap. IX.--
Our arrival and examination at Vicksburg, 70.
An account of slave sales, 71.
Cruel punishment with the paddle, 71.
Attempts to sell myself by Garrison's direction, 72.
Amusing interview with a slave buyer, 73.
Deacon Whitfield's examination, 74.
He purchases the family, 75.
Character of the Deacon, 75.
Chap. X.--
Cruel treatment on Whitfield's farm, 77.
Exposure of the children, 77.
Mode of extorting extra labor, 78.
Neglect of the sick, 80.
Strange medicine used, 80.
Death of our second child, 81.
Chap. XI.--
I attend a prayer meeting, 82.
Punishment therefor threatened, 82.
I attempt to escape alone, 82.
My return to take my family, 84.
Our sufferings, 85.
Dreadful attack of wolves, 85.
Our recapture, 88.
Chap. XII.--
My sad condition before Whitfield, 89.
My terrible punishment, 89.
Incidents of a former attempt to escape, 91.
Jack at a farm house, 92.
Six pigs and a turkey, 93.
Our surprise and arrest, 94.
Chap. XIII.--
I am sold to gamblers, 96.
They try to purchase my family, 97.
Our parting scene, 98.
My good usage, 99.
I am sold to an Indian, 100.
His confidence in my integrity manifested, 100.
Chap. XIV--
Character of my Indian Master, 101.
Slavery among the Indians less cruel, 101.
Indian carousal, 102.
Enfeebled health of my Indian Master, 102.
His death, 102.
My escape, 103.
Adventure in a wigwam, 103.
Successful progress toward liberty, 104.
Chap. XV
Adventure on the Prairie, 106.
I borrow a horse without leave, 108.
Rapid traveling one whole night, 108.
Apology for using other men's horses, 109.
My manner of living on the road, 109.
Chap. XVI.
Stratagem to get on board the steamer, 111.
My Irish friends, 112.
My success in reaching the Ohio, 113.
Reflections on again seeing Kentucky, 113.
I get employment in a hotel, 113.
My fright at seeing the gambler who sold me, 114.
I leave Ohio with Mr. Smith, 115.
His letter, 115.
My education, 116.
Chap. XVII.
Letter from W.H. Gatewood, 117.
My reply, 118.
My efforts as a public lecturer, 119.
Singular incident in Steubenville, 119.
Meeting with a friend of Whitfield in Michigan, 121.
Outrage on a canal packet, 122.
Fruitless efforts to find my wife, 124.
Chap. XVIII.
My last effort to recover my family, 126.
Sad tidings of my wife, 126.
Her degradation, 126.
I am compelled to regard our relation as dissolved for ever, 127.
Chap. XIX.
Comments on S. Gatewood's letter about slaves stealing, 130.
Their conduct vindicated, 131.
Comments on W. Gatewood's letter, 132.
Chap. XX.
Review of my narrative, 134.
Licentiousness a prop of Slavery, 134.
A case of mild slavery given, 135.
Its revolting features, 135.
Times of my purchase and sale by professed Christians, 136.
Concluding remarks, 137.