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" Reform i, the wi,o.st, and ,no,f natnral Pkkvkxtim.: ,„
Revolution. ''~E,normn.

MEMOIRS

A REFORMER

(1832-1892.)

ALEXAISTDER MILTOIST ROSS

^fl'S^^.^'-^n' ^^'lf'''^'<>^ ««rf Experiences of an AbolitioLf -
(m2\ ; Gorr. Member of the British and Foriqn AnttsaTrv
offke I^V^' if-Slareri^ of France : Vic^f^J^ZP'
of the National Lthcrty League of the U. S.: Presi-
dent of the OiUario Medical Liberty League, the
Anti-Compnlsorv Vaccination League, and
the food Reform Society of Canada,
He, etc.y etc.

'•Whatsoever ye would that men, should do to you, do ye even so to

them.' - ,/r.ws.

TORONTO:

HUNTER, ROSE Sz COMPANY

189.3.

rmjt^vm'miij j .MM,.ji-!ii',iMlilli

Entere.1 accorrling to Act of the Parliament of Canada, in the year
nne thousand ei-ht hundred and ninety-three, by Alexander
Milton Ross, at the Department of Agriodture.

i3^

®o the ^etnovxi

JOHN BROWN,

The Martyr :

JOSEPH GARIBALDI,

The Liberator;

ABRAHAM LINCOLN,
Thfi Emancipator .•

LirORETTA MOTT. (IKRRIT SmiTH. VVeXDKU. P„ILUPS. Hor.CK

Grbbly, William Lyon Mackenzie,

Marshal S. Bidwbll, Russel T. Tball and

J. Emery Coderre,

Reformers,

This volume is reverently dedicated by

THK AUTHOR.

i6M-''%m»mmmmhMh^AV^^-^mpimsmmm v^

?5553PBfTrasn

PREFACE

--• • • -

These Wen,oir« are given to tl.e public in eoinpli-
"nee with tl,o repeated solicitations of frien,l« „n.l
co-laborera In tl>eir preparation I have strictly
■ oiramecl from any atten.pt at embellislunent or
mnplification, but have aimed at accuracy of state-
...cut, briefness of description, and simplicity of
style.

C^7^/

Toronto, 1893.

••««« iinpki.m'^m^iTiv-'m.'Mi.

mmmmr^m'^s^^i^'^^^l^m^^;^?^^^ '^^^^

MEMOIRS

J^ E/EFOIS.ZMIEK.

(CHAPTER I.
1849-55.

My Heritage —Karliest, Recollectifma-Firat IinprcsnionB of Hu-
ll' Slavery- F'ost Experience ot a Struggle tor Freedom —
J-eave Caj'odu— Arrival in Xew York City- Marshal S. Bid-
>vell— H« I «:e (Jreeley — William CuUen Bryant- Dr. Valentine
M'>tt- l)r. Trail — First Visit to Washington — Joshua R. (iid-
diugs — Dr. (lamaiiel Bailey — C4en. Sam. Houston — Senate and
House ot Reproseniatives — Daniel We})8ter — Jolm C Calhoun
— Henry Clay —Intemperance at the Capitol— Slave Cotlicfl -
Return to New Yoik— Tiie Death of My Mother — Visit Canada.

MY HERITAGE.

From my mother I received a hei-itage (A (|nali-
tios wliich have been ruling factors in all my labors
for the betterment of humanity — a love oi nature,
and a love of freedom. From my childhood I have
hated and rebelled against tyranny and oppression,
under whatever form they were manifested or im-
posed.

Memoirs of a Reformer.

^
#

EARLIEST RECOLLECTIONS.

My earliest recollections of a struggle against
oppression date back to the year 1838. The Ca-
nadian Government at that time was a selfish, ar-
rogant, oppressive Family Compact, that deserved
annihilation, and would have met it, had all the
Liberal leaders been animated with the zeal, energy,
courage, intelligence and consistency of William
Lyon Mackenzie, to whom Canadians of to-day are
more than to any man indebted for the rights and
liberties they now possess.

FIRST IMPRESSION OF HUMAN SLAVERY.

My first impressions of human slavery were re
ceived from my mother, to whom I am indebted for
whatever I have accomplished or attained that is
worthy and meritorious. Subsequent descriptions
of the internal working of the institution of slavery
in the slave states, were given me by fugitive slaves
in Canada.

Many of these victims of " man's cruelty to man "
bore ineffaceable evidence of brandings with red
hot irons, scourgings, and horrible mutilations, the
sight of which kindled an unquenchable flame, and
clinched my determination to do what I could
toward " letting the oppressed go free."

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Memoirs of a Reformfv.

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and

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LEAVE CANADA.

In my seventeenth year I went to the United
States to prepare for the battle of life. My first ob-
ject was to acquire a broader and fuller knowledf^e
of the workings of human slavery in the United
States. My next object was to acquire a knowledj^e
of medicine and surgery, which would enable me to
earn the means to prosecute what was even at that
early period the leading aspiration of my life — the
abolition of human slavery.

I had long before determined to cast my lot with
the despised and hated men and women, who were
sacrificing their all to obtain freedom for the poor
down-trodden slaves of the republic.

MARSHAL S. HIjnVELL.

I had often heard my mother refer in kindly
terms to Marshal S. Bidwell, as an old friend then
residing in New York. Mr. Bidwell had occupied a
prominent political position in Canada, previous to
the rebellion of 1837, but becoming involved in
opposition to the (Family Compact) Tory Govern-
ment he was forced to leave the country, and settled
in N»w York, where he attained high distinction as
a lawyer and jurist. He was noted for his high and
delicate sense of honor, as well as for intellectual
refinement aud culture. He received me in the

Memoirs of a Reformer.

kindest manner, asking many (luestions about old
friends in Canada. I became a frequent visitor at
his home, and there met many of the most worthy
citizens of New York.

Thi'ough Mr. Bidwell, I became acquainted with
Horace Greeley, William Cullen Bryant, and many
other good men and women, whose kindly sympathy
and pure lives have been a blessing to me.

DR. R. T. TRALL.

I also formed what proved a life-long friendship
with Dr. Trail the Hydropathist, who at that time
was actively disseminating his hydropathic and hy-
gienic theories. I attended his evening lectures and
subsequently graduated at his school. He was an
active, vigorous thinker and speaker : very inde-
pendent and uncompromising, and tenacious of his
opinions. His life and labors were productive of
great goo<l to humanity.

DR. VALENTINE MOTT.

I also became acquainted with Dr. Mott, who
at that time stood at the head of his profession in
America, if not in the world.

J.)r. Mott was a kind, philanthrophic man, quite
simple in his manner and unconsious of his profes-
sional distinction. He rendered me great assistance
in my studies, an«l did me many acts of true kind-

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MiiiittiifiKiBiiHHUi

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fs.

Mernolrs of (t Refornur.

ncHH at a time when I was preparing for the hattle
of life. I shall ever revere liis memory.

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FIRST VISIT TO WASHIXCiTON.

Mr. Greeley and other friends advised me to spend
the winter in Wasliington. I was made acijuainted
with Joshua R. Giddings, of the House of Ke[)resen-
tatives, General Sam. Houston, of the Senate, and Dr.
Gamaliel Bailey of the NaHoivil Era, wlio secured
me a good position in the office of the Em, where
my duties were light, affording me plenty of time
for study and observation. I was mad(^ a wi'lcouK?
visitor at the house of Dr. Bailey and his excellent
wife, and participated in the delightful intellectual
feasts that made their home the resort of tlie })est
and greatest men of that day. At the feet of
"' Gamaliel " I was happy to sit and listen to wor<ls
of wisdom. Weekly and bi-weekly informal recep-
tions were held by Mrs. Bailey, which were attend-
ed by liberals of every shade of politics and religion.
There I fre(j[uently met Joshua R. Giddings, Ben-
amin F. Wade, Salmon P. Chase, William H. Sew-
ard, Horace Mann, Henry Wilson, Robert Rantoul,
and sometimes foreign political refugees.

Congress was in session, and the city was full of
gay people. General Ta3dor was President, and the
Government was under the baneful influence of the
slave power. I spent several hours every evening

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Memoirs of a Reformer.

at tlie capitol, listening to the speeches of the great
men of that period, for there were intellectual giants
in the Senate in those days. But, although the in-
tellectual power of the Senate at that time undeni-
ably surpassed that of any other period in the his-
tory of that body, there was a cringing and bowing
down to the slave power, that in a great measure
destroyed the usefulness of these great men.

In the Senate were 1 )aniel Webster, Henry Clay,
John C Calhoun, Colonel Benton, General Sam-
Houston, Jefferson Davis, Mason of Virginia, and
Pierre Soule of Louisiana.

In the house of Representatives were Joshua R.
(biddings, Sabnon P. Chase, Thaddeus Stevens, Pres-
ton King, David Willmott (of Wilmott Proviso),
Charles Durkee, Alexander H. Stevens, Andrew
Johnson, and many other men of mark. With Mr.
Giddings and General Houston I formed friendships
that continued till their deaths.

I fre(|uently heard Webster, Clay and Calhoun
speak.

These three Senators formed a trio of intellectual
giants, but morally they were dwarfs.

Mr. Calhoun was aged and infirm ; his voice was
trenuilous, and his step feeble, he appeared despond-
ent and gloomy, and no wonder, for all liis plans
and schemes had failed. He was wasting away
with the disease that eventually terminated his life.

He was thin, pale and feeble, but his intellectual

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>tual

Memoirs of a Reformer. 7

face, and tlie peculiar light that flashed from his
eyes while speaking, made him a very striking
figure.

Daniel Webster at that time was a most majestic-
looking man, physically and intellectually,

His frame was massive and lion-like, his hea<l
large, neck full and strong, his eyes the grandest
and most expressive of intellectual power I ever
saw. His influence for good, however, was weak-
ened by political and pecuniary environments. He
had been repeatedly thwarted in his ambition for
the presidency, and the disappointment marred his
life.

Henry Clay was a ready, forcible speaker, and
very effective in debate ; his presence was magnetic^
he was tall, slender and alert. His head was large
and high, his nose prominent and inquisitive, his
eyes bright and piercing, his eyebrows overhang-
ing. Being a man of great personal magnetism, he
had many personal friends who spoke of him with
pride as " Harry of the West." Mr. Clay's great
ability and power were rendered useless for the
public good, by the evil spiiit of human slavery,
and by his ambition to become President, which
hampered and embittered his last years.

HOUSE OF KEPREHENTATIVES.

I occasionally witnessed exciting scenes in the
House. The southern members were habitually

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* Memoirs of a Reformer.

Iiau^litv and «Hctatorial in their iiiaiiner, and in their
speeches assumed a domineering tone toward north-
ern members, especially the Whigs. On one occa-
sion T witnessed a ver^^ exciting conflict Iietween
Foote of 1'ennessee, commonly called " Hangman
Foote," and Colonel Benton, nicknamed " Old Bul-
lion." They were Loth from slave states, conse-
(juently, I was neutral in my sympathy, and indif-
ferent as to the conseijuences, the contest however,
ended without bloodshed. On several occasions I
witnessed brutal attacks on northern men, and
often saw bowie-knives and pistols flourished, ac-
companied by threats of violence. It was the cus-
tom of the slave-holders to try and accomplish by
intimidation and brute force, what they could not
meet by argument. The power and influence of
the Government at that time was wielded in the
interests of human slavery.

INTEMFERAXCE AT THE CAPITAL.

The vice of intemperance was not, as now, re-
stricted to a few exceptional cases, but was fear-
fully prevalent. A glass of \n hiskey or brandy could
often be seen on the desk of a Senator during a de-
bate, and the free use, of intoxicating drinks by Sena-
tors was too common to provoke remark. It was
still more common in the House, and the scenes of
drunkenness and disorder in that body at times, es-

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Memoirs of a Reformer.

pecially during a prolonged night session, were
sometimes disgusting. On these occasions large
quantities of intoxicants were deposited in a room
connected with the House, which was thronged V)y
members at all hours of the night.

es-

SLAVE COKFLES.

From my window I frequently saw gangs of
slaves pass, generally chained together in cofHes of
ten or fifteen men and women promiscuously, and
always moving in one direction — Virginia, the chief
slave market of the south at that time. These sad
sights intensified my hatred of that vile institution,
and served to clinch my determination to " let the
oppressed go free," but I nuist bide my time. In
consequence of frequent attacks of illness, which I
attributed to the unhealthy condition of the city,
I was obliged to leave Washington and return
north. My residence in the capital had been of
great interest and value to me. The opportunities
I had enjoyed of listening to the debates in Con-
gress of the leading men of the nation, the many
friendships I had formed, and the advantages im-
proved, will never be forgotten. I returned to New
York and continued my medical studies. My ac-
quaintance with Mr. Greeley and Mr. Bryant, botli
of whom were very kind and solicitous for my
welfare, brought me in contact with good minds,
which proved a source of enjoyment and benefit.

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Memoirs of a Reformer.

To both these good men I am specially indebted for
many kindnesses. At their homes I was always
made to feel that I was a welcome guest. Mr.
Greeley was a most excellent man, gentle as a
woman, and overflowing with kindness and child-
like simplicity and innocence, one of the gentlest
men I ever met. His heart and brain were full of
human sympathy and love.

Mr. Bryant was a true and intelligent friend,
whose kindness and friendship will never be for-
gotten by me.

MY mother's illness AND DEATH.

In 1855, 1 was called to Canada by the serious
illness of my mother, who was prostrated with con-
gestion of the lungs, from which she died. Words
are inadequate to describe my feelings at this terri-
ble bereavement

She had always been my inspiration. Her as-
surance to me when I first left home in 1849, " In
spirit I shall be with you, wherever you are," was
an ever present support and rock of defence. How
could any evil come to me when one so good was
watching over — was ever with me ?

My mother had ever made the Golden Rule the
standard by which she lived. She taught me that
to live for one's own gratification and happiness was
ignoble and unworthy. That the greatest pleasures
are those which arise from devotedness to others ;

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Memoirs of a Reformer.

that no work is more excellent than helping* others
to better lives.

The noblest career, in her eyes, was that which
is given up to others' wants ; the successful was that
which is worn out in conflict with wrong ; the only
worthy ambition, to alleviate human misery, and
leave the world some better than you found it.

My mother's life was not an uneventful one.
Her father was connected with the commissariat ser-
vice of the British army in Canada in 1812. When
the war broke out between the United States and
Britain, she, then a little girl, accompanied her par-
ents to Newark, now Niagara, where the British
troops were concentrating. During the fi-eijuent
changes, defeats and victories that occurred she
shared in the sufferings and vicissitudes conse(iuent
to a war in which Indian savages bore a part.
When the town was destroyed by the enemy, she,
with her mother, found a refuge in the " burial
ground." On the return of the British forces, the
women and children were placed on board a schoon-
er and sent to Kingston. As the vessel was obliged
to keep close to the Canatlian shore, for fear of the
United States' cruisers, it was five weeks before
they reached Kingston. During the voyage there
was much suffering for lack of clothing and food,
as all they possessed had been destroyed in the fire.
My mother's sufferings from cold inspired one of the
sailors to cut the tops from his boots and make a

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Memoirff of a Re former.

pair of shoes for the protection of lier feet. Many
years after this she often spoke with feelincrs of
gratitude of the kind act of this sailor. Wliile re-
sidinjj^ with lier mother (her father had died from
woinids received from the enemy) on the Kingston
or military road, west of Kingston, their house was
broken into one night, by a band of half-drunken
Mohawk Indians, who were on the war-path. After
the Indians had eaten all the food in the liouse and
broken the fui'niture, one of the savages seized my
mother by the hair and liftirig her from the floor,
(h'ew his scalping knife to kill her, when the chief,
— Lott, by name — knocked the savage dow'i and
saved my mother's life. Years after this occurrence,
this same savage was seriously, and it was thought
at the time fatally, wounded in a fight, and my
mother hearing of it drove to the Reservation with
a physician, and provided such good treatmc^nt for
the Indian that he finally recovered. When the
cholera visited Canada, and hundreds were being
slain by it, she sacrificed herself in caring for its
victims. The draft on her vitality was so great
that she never recovered from it. My mother's dis-
position was one of exceeding kindness, patience and
devotion to duty. She was a lover of flowers and
birds, and a sincere and active friend of the poor.
The negro refugees, from the slave states, always
found a faithful friend and a sincere welcome at
her home.

ku.«Bamik!.tM

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C'HAITKR II.
1855-185G.

Visit Oerrit Smith— Charles Sumger — Lucretia Mott — Weiulell
Phillips — William Lloyd ( iarrison — .John (}. Whitticr— Become
an Active A))olitioni8t — The Outlook — Human Slavery aa it
Was — Four Millions of Slaves in Bondage — Slaves were Chattels
— Slave Sales — Runaway Slaves — Women for Sale — Commun-
ity of Property — Mules, Slaves and Cattle — Blood Hounds —
Special Laws for Recapturing Runaway Slaves — Fiendish
Brutalities Towards Slaves— Opinions of Jefferson and Ran-
dolph— " A Sabath Scene in the South "—The Clergy in the
Slave States — The National Sacrifice — Some of the Dangers
AttendingMyCrusade— Fugitive Slave Laws — My Anti -Slavery
Principles.

VISIT CiERRIT SMITH.

Leavixcj Cana«la, I made my iirst visit to Peter-
l)oro', tlie liome of that noble and sincere friend of
the poor down-trodden slave, Gerrit Smith. He
joined hands with me for the crusade against human
slavery, and ever after remained my faithful and
sincere friend. Through him, I became acquainted
with all the active abolitionists of the time, Charles
Sumner, William Lloyd Garrison, Lucretia Mott,
Lydia Maria Child, Wendell Phillips and John G.
Whittier. I had become an extreme abolitionist^
determined to do my whole duty. I knew the risk,
I knew that hatred, slander, malice, and social, relig-

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■i-.'fi-v-t:.

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MeMioirs of a Reformer.

ions and professional oHtracifim would be my portion.
I knew that no other chiss of citizenH were more
despised hy tlie ricli, the powerful and the influential,
tlian the despised abolitionists. I knew the path to
professional preferment, success and influence was
closed to me, but I felt then as I feel now, that the
title of " negro thief " so often applied to me at
that time was a prouder title than any conferred by
monarehs. I felt then, and I feel now, after the
lapse of thirty-five years, the approval of my own
conscience, which is more to me than the fickle ap-
plause and approval of men.

THE OUTF.OOK.

The outlook was dark and unpromising, but my
faith in the justice of the cause was steadfast, and
my hope in the future undinnned by the prevailing
political fogs — and treacher}'^ of politicians ami

dough-faced friends.

In thirteen great states of the republ'c human
slavery existed, and throughout these states men,
women, and children were bought and sold, just as
cattle and swine are bought and sold at the present
time. They were deprived of all human rights,
beaten, abused, outraged and killed at the will and
pleasure of their owners. Husbands were sold and
separated from their wives, and children were sold
and separated from their parents. In fact, four

Memoirs of a Reformer.

inillionH of men, women and chiMren, in tlie Hlave
states, possessed no rights that their masters were
bound to respect. Slavery was the dominant power
before which all other interests were subordinate.
The coara(;st, blackest, and most brutal tyranny
prevailed all over that vile scmth Sodom, No word
of pity or relief came to the oppressed. No one dare
utter a word aloud againsi; the institution of slavery^
except at peril of life. To teach a slave to read was
punished with death. A reign of terror prevailed.
From the sanctum of the editor, the pulpit of tiie
preacher, the desk of the teacher, the counting-house
of the merchant, not a voice was heard on behalf of
four millions of human beings held in cruel bondage,
from which there appeared at that time no hope of
relief. The poor slaves were silent and hopeless ; if
they looked for help to the so-called free states of
the republic, they were met by the command, " Ser-
vants obey your masters." If they fled from bond-
age, the Federal government stood ready to act the
part of a policeman for the slave masters, and send
the fugitive back to slavery. In a majority of the
northern states a mean, cowardly, servile spirit pre-
vailed, that bowed and cringed before the haughty
slave-masters.

All the power and influence of the national gov-
ernment, all the power and influence of the wealthy
classes, all the social and religious influence of the
clergy and professional classes, were enlisted in

T^.^mmm^i

Memoirs of a Reformer.

powitive or negative support of that sodomic insti-
tution, vvliich made merchandise of the souls and
l)odies of human beings. The press of the north
was muzzled. The religious Tract Societies, the
Bible Societies, the Missionary Societies from Ver-
mont to Texas, were silent or (juiescent in the face
of this giant wrong.

That was the condition of the American Repub-
lic in 1(S55. Its so-called banner of freedom, was a
Haunting lie, its constitution a compact with Satan,
its motto a deceitful, lying cant.

To the selfish and superficial observer of that time
it appeared as if this arrogant slave power would
last foi-ever ; entrenched in Federal and State law
sustained by the church and all the dominant and
wealthy classes of the republic, it appeared impreg-
nable and indestructable. But, wait and see what
a wonderful transformation was wrought in a fev:
shoi't years through the earnest labors of a few com-
paratively insignificant men and women " who loved
their neighbors," and obeyed the golden rule. The
members of this little band of abolitionists were at
first ridiculed and despised, and treated p.s ignorant
fanatics and cranks.

As they increased in number ar.d daring, they
were hated, persecuted, outraged, and in many cases
barbarously murdered. What crime had these men
committed ? The crime of " doir.g unto others as
they would have others do unto them," the crime

Memoirs of a Refomner.

nsti-
\ and
north
i, the
\ Ver-
le tace

Repub-
i^ was a
I Satan,

Kat time
;r wouhi
tatelaw
nant and
impvey;-
see what
in a f ev:
few coui-
who loved

•ule. The
its were at
(S ignorant

laving, tl^ey
xuany cases
tiiese men
jto others as
" the crime

of loving liberty better than slavery, the crime of
teaching that every human being born into this
world possesses an inalienable right to life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness.

HUMAN SLAVERY AS IT WAS — FOUR MILLIONS ( I'
SLAVES IN BONDAGE.

The number of slaves in the Southern States at
this period (1850) exceeded four millions, distri-
buted as follows : Alabama, 445,000; Mississippi,
486,431; South Carolina, 402,400 ; Louisiana, 341,-
720; Texas, 182.566; Virginia, 490,465; Missouri,
114,921; Arkansas, 111,115; North Carolina, 331,-
059; Tennessee, 275.719; Kentucky, 225,483;
Georgia, 462,198; Florida, 61,745; Delaware, 1,-
798 ; Maryland, 87,189 ; making a total of n)ore
than four millions of human beings held in crue)
bondage.

SLAVES WERE CHATl'ELS.

Throughout the slave states, slaves were con-
sidered chattels, and were classe«i with horses,
mules, swine, and other domestic animals. The
slave was subject to his master's disposal. He was
doomed to toil that others might reap the fruits of
his unrequited labor. He had no right in things
real or personal ; he was not ranked among senti-
ent things, but among things. His wife and his

^^•ui^^mm^mi ...

'-"^^■^imm^ •■■

Memoirs of a Reformer.

offspring belonged to liis master, to do as lie pleased
with. There was no law for the slave but his mas-
ter's whip. In Fact, the slave had no I'ight which
his master was hound to respect. He was bought,
sold and traded, the same as lands, cattle, and mules
were bought, sold and traded. That my readers
may have a clear idea of the status of the slaves, I
reprint a few advertisements clipped from southern
papers of that time : such advertisements Were
usually headed by a cut of a man or woman with
a bundle on his or her back. The extent and
cruelty of the inter-state slave trade is well illus-
trated by an extract from a report printed by the
Presbyterian Synod of Kentucky in 1851 : "These
horrid sceres (coffle gangs of slaves) are fi'e(juently
occurring in our midst. There is not a neighbor-
hood in tlie state where these heartrending scenes
are not displayed : there is not a village or road
that does not behold the sad procession of manacled
outcasts whose chains and mournful countenances
tell that t,hey are exiled by force from all that their
hearts hold dear."

Virginia, Maryland and Kentucky were the
breeding states of the south. It has Ijeen truly
said that " the best blood of Virginia runs in the
veins of her slaves." This remark was equally true
of Kentucky and Maryland.

Memoirs of <i Hetormcr.

lis laas-

bought'

id mules

r readers

slaves, 1

southern

nts ^vere

nan witU

jctent and

^veU iUus-

-ed by tbe

1. <' These
fi-eiiviently

I neighbor-
iuig scenes
^ge or road
,i' manacled
juntenances
tl that their

were, the
i l)een truly
runs in the
Uually true

SLAVE SALES.

(From N. 0. PirayiUK.)

Foster's Slave Depot.

GREAT EXCITEMENT ! !

FOUR HUNDRED SLAVES EXl'KCTKD TO ARRIVE IJV FIRST

NOVKMBER.

J My two Slave Depots are now open for the reception of
traders and purchasers. From my numerous correspond-
ents, I liave reason to believe that I sliall have from four
to five hundred slaves, for sale, betwoen this and tlie first of
November, comprised of every size, age and sex, to suit the
most critical observer. I am alsw- prepared to accommodate
Traders with comfortable lodgings and board at very reasonable
rates. My stock of Slaves is equal if not superior to any
offered in this market.

Thankful for past patronage, I earnestly solicit planters and
the citizens generally, to give me a call before purchasing else-
where.

N. B. — Slaves bought and sold on commission.

For Sale.

M Just arrived, with a choice lot of Virginia and caro-
JR^LiNA NE(!ROEs, consistiog of Plantation hands, Black-
3J&. smiths. Carpenters, Cooks, Washers, Ironers, and Seam-
stresses, and will be receiving fresh supplies during the season,
which I offer for sale, for cash or approved paper. I have re-
moved my office from Esplanade to 90 Baronne-street, between
Union and Perdido-streets, two blocks west of St. CharUs
Hotel. No brokerage paid on the sale of negroes.

JOHN B. SMITH,

90 Baroune-street,

ii 'mmm'mNH-

'•iniiiii^fH^^^^,,

Memoirs of a Reformer.

Slave Depot.

195 Gravier and 85 Dryades-streets.

TO TRADERS, PLANTERS AND MERCHANTS.

J Having opened my old stand, Dvith considerable im-
provements, and another house added, I am prepared to
accommodate for sale from 150 to 200 slaves. Also, good
accommodation for owners. A good assortment of slaves con-
stantly on hand for sale, consisting of Field Hands, Mechanics and
House Servants. Apply to C. F. HATCHER,

195 Gravier and 85 Dryades-streets.

COMMUNITY OF PROPERTY— SLAVES, MULES AND

LAKPS,.

(iV. 0. Picayune, 1859.)

Probate Sale of Negroes and Plantation

BY virtue oi an Order issued from the Seventh District Court
of East Felciana in the above entitled succession, I will sell
on the premises, on Tuesday, the 20th of December next, the
following property, belonging to said succession : —

The plantation, cultivated by the deceased as a cotton planta-
tion, situated in the parish of Avoyelles, on the Atchafalaya
River, containing about 742^ acres, together with all the improve-
ments, consisting of .300 acres of open land, overseer's house,
(quarters, cisterns, a good gin and mill — the said plantation being
composed of the tract known as the McMillan tract, and of
about 157J^ acres from the tract known as the Evans tract, bound-
ed on the east by the Atchafalaya River, north by James H.
Cason, west by J. L. Delee, and south by Turner's Bayou.

Also the following negroes :

1. ZiDE, aged about 40 years.

2. Martin, aged about 55 years.
l^. Fid, aged about 16 years.

4. WiNNEY, aged about 35 years.

5. Emeline, aged about 40 years.

6. Jane, aged about 16 years.

saaaMmtswfi

•>■!«,»' anf-*

;-,.^i.-.:..,: J»*

Memoirs of a Reformer.

kble im-
>ared to
so, good
kves con-
anics and

treets.
CS AND

trict Court
I will sell
next, the

ton planta-
chafalaya
le improve-
er'a house,
ation being
ict, and of
act, bound -
y James H.
you.

7. Alexander, aged about 45 years.

8. Gkorue, aged about 28 years.

9. Antony, aged about 26 years.

10. Harry, aged about 15 years.

11. Jane, aged about 11 years.

12. MiLLY, aged about 2.3 years ; her three children — Dolly,

4 years, Abe, 2 years, Polly, 1 month.
1.3. Zelphy, aged about 22 years, and her two children — Em-
meline, .3 years, Tom, 1 year.

14. Rhoda, aged 7 years.

15. Kli.en, aged 38 years.

16. Zach, aged 9 years.

17. Henry, aged 24 years.

Also 8 head of mules, stock ot cattle, oxen, hogs and farming
uteus-ila on said plantations.

The said property will be sold in block, or separately, to suit
purchasers.

TKR.MS OF SALE.

If sold in block, $6,000 cash ; the balance on a credit of one,
two, three and four years, the purchase price to bear 8 per cent,
interest from day of sale, and to be secured by notes, with ap-
proved personal security, and a mortgage detained on the pro-
perty.

If sold separately, the land on a credit of one, two, three and
four years, with 8 per cent, interest from day of sale, to be sec-
ured by note, with approved personal security and mortgage on
the property. .

The negroes, one-thir I cash, the balance on one or two years,
with 8 per cent, interest from the day of sale, to be secured by
note; with approved personal security and mortgage on the pro-
perty.

The mules, farming utensils, stock, etc., on a credit of twelve
months, with 8 per cent, interest from day of sale, to bo secured
by note, with approved personal security, for all sums over $KM) ;
for all sums under $100, cash.

Persons desiring to examine the plantation before the sale, can

■ ■m^arif^*

! I

i ! li

9.9

Meinoim <tf a Rcformfiv.

do so by calling on the manager of the place, or communicating
with R. J. Bowman, at Clinton, La.

Sheriffs Office, Marksville, this 2l8t day of October, A.l).
IS-)*).

L. BARBIN,
Sheriff" and ex-oiticio Public Auctioneer.

SLAVK WOMEN FOR SALE.

In the Charleston Mercury, the leading political paper of Soutii
Carolina, appeared the following advertisement :

" Xeokoes for Salk. — A girl about twenty years of age, raised
in Virginia, and her two female children, one four and the other
two years old — is remarkably strong and healthy, never having
had a day's sickness, with the exception of the amall-pox, in her
life. The cliildren are fine and healthy. She in very prolific in
her (jeneratiug quaUties, and affords a rare opporhmity to any
person vho Irishes to raise a family of healthy servants for their
oirn use. Any person wishing to purchase will please leave their
address at the Mercury office."'

Another infamous advertisement, from the Richmond, Va.,
J)p.spntch, reads as follows :

For S.MiK — An accomplished and handsome lady's maid. She
is just turned 1(J years of age, nearly white, was reared in a
genteel family in Maryland, and is now for sale, not for any
fault, ])ut simply because the owner has no further use for her."

{Ihid.)
" Xkokoks kor Salk. — A negro woman, 24 years of age, and
her two children, one 8 and th" other 3 years old. Said negroes
will be sold separately or together, aa desired.

RUNAWAY SLAVES.
{From X. Picayune, lSo7.)
One HiNDRBD Dollars Rkwaro. — Ran away from my
plantation on Tensas River, in the parish of Catahoula,
Louisiana, on the '22nd of September last, four negroes :

r<s»«^

litlWIITOW'ii!

Memoirx of a Bejoriner

licatmg
1-, A.T».

onecr.

of South

Lge, raised
the other
/er having
pox, in her
f prolific ill
nity to any
its for their
leave theiv

itnoiid, Va.,

maid. She
reared in a
not for any
use for her."

s of age, and
Said negroes

away from my
of Catahoula,
our negroes :

Bill Phi.mk, dark griff, about 2.') years old, weighs about l(t.">
pounds ; speaks slowly and stammers a littlu when confused ;
Iiair tolerably long and straight.

Richard, about 'ifi years of age, weighs 14.'» pounds, of dark
complexion ; has a large scar on the left cheek and one on the
ohin, same side of face.

Tom Sim MS, about 2.1 years old ; weighs about loO pounds ;
dark complexion ; when he left iiad a small goatee under the
chin.

Gus SIMMS, about \H years old; weighs about 120 pounds ;
dark complexion, slim, and rather delicate in appearance.

I will pay the above rewanl if the above-named slaves are
lodged in jail where I can get them, or.>!25 for either one of them.

They may iiroba.jly try to make their way to the Free States,
and may state that they belong to Sam Bnford, my overseer, or
to \V. L. Campbell, of New Orleans, from whom I bought them.

M. (IILLIS,
Of the firm of (Jillis & Ferguson

fO.NK HuNDRKi) DoLLAHS Rewakd. — Ran away from the
undersigned, on or alK)nt the 18th of July, I8i)7, a negro
man named Peyton (calls himself Peyton Randolph), aged
2<) years, five feet seven inches higVi, weighs l.")0 pounds; he is
genteel in his appearance, aiul can read and write. The above
reward will be paid to any one who will have him lodged in jail,
so that he can be recovered, or wiio will deliver him to Mr. John
Frmon, on the corner of Race and Camp streets in this city.

M. C. HALE,
Constance, near Second-street.

• TwEXTV-KiVE Dollars Reward. —Ran away from the

J^ subscriber, on the 29th of October, Missorui or Ann, a

•fSU very likely grifFe, aged I.") years, and about oA feet high ;

figure rather slender. She was barefooted, and had on a brown

calico dress. She is refined and plausible in her manner and

language, and unacquainted in the city.

L. OREENLEAF,
Cor. Annunciation and Jackson streets.

iw ■li^mm^'imm^

Memoirs of a Reformer

( From the Richmond, Va. , Whig. )

"One Hundred Dollars Reward will be given for the ap-
prehension of my negro, Edmund Kenney. He has straight
hair, and complexion so nearly white that it is believed a stranger
would suppose that there was iio African blood in him. He was
with my boy Dick a «hort time since, in Norfolk, and offered
him for sale, and was apprehended, but escaped under pretence
of being a white man."

"Two Hundred Dollar.s Reward. — Ran away from the
subscriber, last November, a white negro man, about 35 years
old, hefght about five feet eight or ten inches, blue eyes, has a
yellow woolly head, very fair skin.

"P.S. — Said man has a good-shaped foot and leg; and his
foot is very small and hollow."

Twenty Dollars Reward. — Ran away from the subscriber,
on the I4th instant, a negro girl named Molly. She is 16 or 17
years of age, slim made, IcUely branded on her left cheek, thiis,
" ^," and a piece is taken off her ear on the same side ; the same
letter is branded on the inside of both her legs.

ABNER ROSS,

Fairfield District, S.C.

' {From the Georgia Messenger. )

"Runaway. — My man George; has holes in his ears; is
marked on the back with the whip ; has been shot in the legs ;
has a scar on the forehead."

{From the Wibnington, N.C., Advertiser.)

" Ran away, my negro man Richard. A reward of twenty-
five dollars will be paid for his apprehension, dead or alive.
Satisfactory proof only will be required of his being killed.
He has with him, in all probability, his wife Eliza, who ran away
from Colonel Thompson.

Memoir's of n Rpfomier.

(From the Savannah Republican. )

*' Fifty Dollars Reward. — Ran away from the subscriber,
on the 22nd ult., my negro man Albert, who is twenty-seven
jears old, very white, so much so, that he would not be suspected of
being a iietfro. Has blue eyes, and very light hair. Wore, when
he left, a long thin beard, and rode a chestnut sorrel horse, with
about $70 belonging to himself.

" He is about five feet eight inches high, and weighs about 140
pounds. Has a very humble and meek appearance ; can neither
read nor write, and is a very kind and amiable fellow ; speaks
much like a low country negro. He has, no doubt, been led off
by some miserable wretch during my absence in New York."

A letter in a Vicksburg, Miss., paper, of June, 1857, from a
planter, contained the following passage : "I can tell you how
to break a negro of running away. When I catch a runaway
negro I tie him down and pull one of his toe nails out by the
roots, and tell him if he ever runs away again I will pull out
two of them. I never have to do it more than once. It cures
them."

BLOOD HOUNDS.

Blood Hounds were used to track runaway slaves,
especially in thick woods or in swamps, where the
poor wretches would live in caves or among the
rocks, to elude the pursuit of their cruel taskmas-
ters. Many died of exposure and starvation, rather
than return to their owners, to be whipped and
branded with red-hot irons. I clipped the follow-
ing advertisements from Southern papers :

"Blood Hounds.— The undersigned, having bought the en-
tire pack of negro dogs (o^ the Hay & Allen stock) he now pro-
poses to catch runaway negroes. His charges will be three dol-
lars a day for hunting, and fifteen dollars for catching a runaway.

2()

Mfnioirf* of a Reformer.

f;
I'

He reuideH three and one-half niilea norlh of Livingston, near

the lower Jones' Bluff Road.

"Wir-MAM Gamhrkk."

" Notice. —The subscriber, livinjj on Carroway Lake, on- Hoes'
Hayou, in Carroll parish, sixteen miles on the road leading from
Bayou Mason to Lake Providence, is ready with a pair of dogs to
hunt runaway negroes at any time. These dogs are well trained,
and are known throughout the parish. Letters addressed to nje
at Providence, will secure immediate attention. My terms are
five doUais per day for hunting the trails, whether the n^gro is
caught or not. Wiiere a twelve hours' trail is shown, and the
negro not taken, no charge is made. For taking a negro, twenty-
fi\e dollars, and no charge made for hunting.

••James W. Hall."

YALTTE OF BLOODHOUNDS.

The value ot* blootlhounds to the slave-hunters
may he inferred from the following (quotation of
prices taKen from a Columbia, S. C, paper :

"Mr. J. L. Bryan, of Moore county, sold at auction, on the
20th instant, a pack of ten bloodhounds, trained for hunting run-
away negroes, for the sum of .i?l,540. The highest price paid
for any one dog was !i?301 ; the lowest price, $75 ; average for
the ten, .1i!ir)4.'

Bloodhounds are larger and more compact than
ordinary hounds, with hair straight and sleek as
that of the finest race horse, colored between yel-
low and brown, short-eared, rather long-nosed, and
built for scenting, quick action and speed. They
can take a scent three days old and run it down-
Their speed is about equal to, and their endurance

Mfiiioirs of '< Rt'fitnner.

rtv Hoes'
ng from
f (logs to
L trained,
ed to ine
terms are
; n^gro is
, and the
,j twenty-

lunting run-
price paid
average for

ipact than
sleek as
bween yel-
noscd, and
ed. They
|n it down-
• endurance

much ^n-eater tluin, a o-ruyliound. Tlieir bark re-
st'inl)los neither that of a bulldog, cur, nor hound,
but is a yelp like awolf.s. Their bite is a wolf-like
snap, not the hohl-fast grip of a bulldog. The
"catch dog" used in slavery times on Southern
plantations in capturing runaway slaves, looked like
a cross between a Newfoundland and bull of large
and powerl'iil build.

DESCUIITION OF A NEffHO HTTNT.

Tile overseer or hunter mounts a fleet horse, holds
his "catch" dog by a chain, and turns loose the
hounds. Circling round, they strike the scent and
soon lead off, their fast receding yelps marking the
rapidity of the chase. The hor.seman follows over
fences through timber and swamp as best he can,
holding his " catcli dog in lea.sh." Hounds sighting
the negro, divide, form a semi-circle, and rapidly
draw it into a large circle around him. As the pur-
sued wretch runs, the dogs in front of him fallback,
but preserve their equi-distant place in the circle
which they are gradually clo.sing. On nearing him
they snap at his legs, but do not spring at his throat.
As the circle narrows, the hunter arrives. The
ominous .sound of the chains' rattle, like the warning
note of the serpent, strikes the negro's ears. The
" catcli dog " springs upon the exhausted runaway
and holds him, hounds are clubbed away, the fugi-
tive secured, dogs leashed, and the hunt is over.

■ rlT^'

li!

MffO/nTf* of <i. RfiftiVhifr,

• . t

ti ill

SPECIAL LAWS FOR HFX'APTURINCJ SLAVES.

Special laws existed for recapturing escaped
slaves at any cost of life to the victims, by first pro-
claiming them outlaws. The following legal instru-
ment, with its accompaniments, will suffice to show

the way :

State ok North Carolina,
Lenoiu County.

Whereas complaint hath this day been made to
us, two of the .Justices of the Peace for the said
county, 1)3'^ William I). Cobb, of Jones county,
that two negro .slaves belonging to him, named
Ben (ct)mmonly known by the name of Ben Fox),
and Rigden, 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
conmiand the said slaves forthwith to surrender
themselves and return home to their said master.
And we do hereby, by virtue of an act of the As-
sembly of this state, concerning servants and slaves,
intimate and declare if the said slaves do not sur-
render themselves and return home to their master
immediately after the publication of these presents,
that any person may kill and destroy said slaves
by such means as he or they think fit, without ac-
cusation or impeachment of any crime or offence for
so doing, without incurring any penalty or for-
feiture thereby.

Given under our hands and seals, this 12th day
of November, 1850.

B. Coleman, J.P. (seal.)
James Jones, J.P. (seal.)

iiii

Mpmoiri* af a Reformer .

The following was the law in reference to recup-
turinj^ slaves in Mississippi, Alabama, Ueoi-gia, Ar-
kansas, and Louisiana : " If any slave shall happen
to be slain for refusing to surrender him or herself,
or in resisting any person who shall endeavor to ap-
prehend such slave or slaves, such person so killing
Huch slave as aforesaid making resistance, shall be
;ind is by this Act indemnified from any prosecution
for such killing."

FIENDISH BHUTALITIES TOWAUDS SLAVES.

The newspapers of the slave states in 1855-G-7
teemed with advertisements descriptive of runaway
slaves. One had been "lacerated with a \l ip" —
another, " severely bruised " — another, '' ^reat
many scars from the lash " — another, " sever ' 'arge
scars on his back from severe whipping " — another
" had an iron collar on his neck with a prong turn-
ed down — another has a " drawing chain fastened
around his ankle " — another " was much marked
with a branding iron" — another, a negress, "had an
iron band around her neck," &c., kc. All these bru-
talities were permitted, if not authorized, by the
slave code. Then came another class, which, if not
authorized by law, were frequent and not prohibit-
ed : "Mary has a sore on her back and right arm,
caused by a rifle ball " — another, " bran<led on the
left jaw" — another, "has a soar across his breast
and each arm, made by a knife ; loves to talk of the

("T

Mciitoivx of <i Reformer.

goodness of God" — " Sam has a sword cut lately
receixed on his left arm " — Fanny has a scar on her
left eye ; a good many teeth missing ; the letter ' A '
branded with red-hot iron on her left cheek and
forehead " — another, " scarred witli the bites of
dogs." " Runaway — A negro won;an and two chil-
dren, A few days l)efore she went off I burnt her
with a hot iron on the left side of her face — 1 trie<l
to make the letter ' M.' Rachel had three toe-nails
pulled out."

I could fill many pages with sinn'Jar extracts from
advertisements in papers and from handbills, in cir-
culation in the slave states, in the oM dai-k days.
One case that came under my personal observation
in Alabama, is only a specimen of many others that
I could mention of a similar nature.

A Methodist local preacher, a slave owner, pro-
posed illicit intercourse with a } oung female slave.
She refused, he sent her to the overseer to be v\ hip-
ped, again she refused, and he sent her again to be
whipped, again she refuseil,and again was whipped.
He then ordered her to be branded on the cheek,
with a red-hot iron, then she yielded to this adul-
terous wretch, who had not overstepped the limits
of the sk've laws of Alal)ania. In fact, the pr, )r
downtrodden slaves suffered all that wanton, g- ;vi.p-
ing avarice, brutal lust, malignant spite, and insr le
anger, could inflict. Their happiness was the sjxH't
of every wliim, and the prey of every passion.

Memoirs of a Reformer.

lately
Dii her

til'' A'
k an<l
tes c)l"
o chil-
•nt her
-1 tvie«l

;ts from
I, in civ-
i-k (lays,
ervatiou
lers that

Slavery was the cause of more suffering, than has
followed from ny other cause since tlv world
hegan.

I was present at the burial of a female slave in
Mississippi, who had been whipped to death by her
master, for some trifling offence. While she was
undergoing the punishment, she gave birth to a dead
cliild, and mother and child were wrapped in ohl
linen bagging and laid in the same grave — free at
last :

OPINIONS Ol'' JEFFERSON AND RANDOLPH — ROTH

SLAVE-HOLDERS.

Thomas Jefferson, the author of the " Declaration
of Independence," made a clause to his last will, con-
ferring freedom on his own slave cfi'spring, as far
as the Slave Code of Virginia permitted him to do
it, supplying the lack of power by " humbly im-
ploring the Legislature of Virginia to confirm the
becjuests with permission to remain in the state,
where their families and connections are." Two of
his daughters hy an octoroon female slave were
taken from Virginia to New Orleans, after Jeflf'er-
son's death, and sold in the slave market at J* 1,5 00
each, to be used for unmentionable purposes. Both
these unfor*^ui,ate children of the author of the De-
claration i.L 'ndependence were quite white, their
eyes blue and their hair long, soft, and auburn in
color.

Memoir,^ of a Reformer.

Both were highly educated and accomplished. The
youngest daughter escaped from her master and
committed suicide by drowning herself to escape
the horrors of lier position.

A land of liberty for white people, for slave-
holders, was it, where Jefferson could not bequeath
liberty t^ his own children ? In Georgia, had he
lived and died there, the " attempt " would have
been an " offence " for whicli his estate would have
been suoiected to a fine of one thousand dollars, and
each of his executors, it accepting the trust, a thous-
a. d more. Iii opl^ >f lis letters Jefferson says,
" when the mer)^. e of lii . ilaves' tears, is full, when
their groans havr; involved heaven itself in darkness,
doubtless a God of justice will listen to their distress."

JOHN RANDOLPH OF ROANOKE.

John Randolph of Roanoke, one of the signers of
the Declaration of Independence, and a native of
Virginia, says : — "Avarice alone can drive, as it does
drive, this infernal traffic, bi^^} the wretched victims
of it, like so many post-hoif c^:, s. hipped to death in
a mail-coach."

" Ambition has its cover ^V^ts in the pride, pomp,
and circumstance o. gloriouf* Wir, but where are
the trophies of avarice ? The handcuff, the manacle
the blood-stained jowhidci ! What man is worse re-
ceived in society for being a hard master ? Who

bsisgsi

Memoirs of a Refivniifr.

i. The

br and

escape

' slave-
equeatli
had he
lid have
uld have
Liars, and
^ a thous-
son says,
'uU, when
. darkness,
I- distress."

signers of

native of

), as it does

led victims

[to death in

-)ride, pomp,
[ where are
Ithe manacle
1 is worse re-
Ister? Who

denies tlie right of a daughter or sister to such
monsters ? "(Speech in Congress.)

Study tliis picture. Wholesale murder, bai'barism
and cruelty. The general prevalence of these in the
highest circles, and no one regarding the perpetrators
the worse for it, or shrinking back from the closest
family affinity with the monsters !

THE CLERGY OF THE SLAVE STATES.

Every clergyman in the Slave Stales, either
openly or passively, upheld human slavery. They
maintained that slavery was a wise and benefi-
cent institution devised by God for the protection
and welfare of the negro race. These reverend
pro-slavery champions resembled the priests of
Juggernaut recommending the worship of their god
by pointing to the wretches writhing and shrieking
and expiring under his car. From a pro-slavery
pamphlet, published by the Reverend James Smiley
of the Amita Presbytery, Mississippi, I extract the
following : " If slavery be a sin, and if the buying,
selling and holding a slave be a sin, then th?ee-
fouiths of all the Episcopalians, Methodists, Bap-
tists and Presbyterians of eleven states of this
union ai-e of the devil. They not only buy and
[sell slaves, but they arrest and restore runaway
[slaves, an<l justify their conduct by the Bible."

,.«r

34 Memoirfi of a Rfforwpr.

A SABBATH SCENE IN THE SOUTH.

Scarce had the solemn Sabbath bell
Ceased quivering in the steeple ;

Scarce had the parson to the desk
Walked stately through his people,

When down the summer shaded street

A wasted female figure,
With dusky brow and naked feet,

Came rushing wild and eager.

She saw the white spire through the trees,
She heard the sweet hymn swelling ;

0, pitying Christ ! a refuge give,
That poor one in Thy dwelling.

Like a scared fawn before the hounds

Right up the aisle she glided ;
While close behind her, whip in hand,

A lank-haired hunter glided.

She raised a keen and bitter cry,
To Heaven and Eartli appealing ;

Were manhood's generous pulses dead ?
Had woman's heart no feeling ?

" Who dares profane this hour and day ? "

Cried out the angry pastor ;
" Why, bless your soul, the wench's a slave,

And I'm her lord and master !

I f

"I've law and gospel on my Ride,
And who shall dare refuse me ? "

Down came the parson, bowing low,
" My good sir, pray, excuse me !

Memoirs of a Reformer . 35

•* Of course I know your right divine,
To own, and work, and whip her ;
Quick, deacon, throw that Polyglot
Before the wench, and trip her ! "

Plump dropped the holy tome, and o'er

Its sacred pages stumbling ;
Bound hand and foot, a slave once more,

Tlie hapless wretch lay trembling.

I saw the parson tie the knot,

The while his flock addressing ;
The Scriptural claims of slavery.

With text on text impressing.

Shriek rose on shriek — the Sabbath air

Her wild cries tore asunder ;
I listened with hushed breath to hear

God answer with His thunder.

All still ! — the very altar's cloth

Had smothered down her shrieking ;
I saw her dragged alon^ the aisle.

Her shackles loudly clanking.

My brain took fire ; '• Is this ," I cried,

The end of prayer and preaching ?
Then down with pulpit ; down with priest,

And give us Nature's teaching !

Whittikr,

Ive,

THE NATIONAL SACRIFICE.

No wonder it required an army of two millionn
of men (half of whom were slain) to rid the land
of such a monstrous curse as human slavery. From
the torture dens of the outraged, bruised and

II II

Memoirs of a RaformfV.

•I

beaton Hlaves tlie prayer for justice liad reached
the " god ol* battles," arid tlie connnaTid hjid gone
I'orth to that vile South Sodom to " let the op-
pressed go free," and slavery with its whips, fet-
ters, chains, bloodhounds and red-hot branding
irons, was swept away in rivers of Idood.

SOME OK THE DANCiEHS ATTENI)1N(; MY CllUSADK.

In all the Shive States there were laws for the en-
forcement of severe penalties for interference with
the institution of slavery. Senator Preston of \'ir-
ginia declared in his place in the U. S. Senate that
" any person uttering abolition sentiments in the
Slave States would \n\ hanged.' In Louisiana the
laws read as follows: "If any [)erson shall in any
language hold any conversation tending to pro-
mote discontent among the slaves, he may be im-
prisoned from three to twenty years ; or he may
sutler death at the direction of the court." In
Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi the same laws
existe<l. In North (Wolina, the piiloi-y and vvhj[»-
])ing for the first offence, and death for the second
offence. In Vii-ginia, for the first offence, thirty-
nine lashes ; the second offence, «leath.

From (Jerrit Sniith I obtained nmch valuable
and interesting information as to the workings of
tlu! different organizations having foi- their object
the liberation from bondage of the slaves of the

tg-^sai

roue
'op-
iei-

\1)K.

ot Vir-
,te that
i in tlie
5U\a tlie
in any
to pi-o-
\)e ini-
\ic may
irt." In
Hie laws
1(1 wUip-
le secoiul
, thirty -
valual)U-
Irkin^w oi
civ oltject
Ives of tl**'

Mnnoirs of a Jicfonitcf.

South. He accoiiipMnie*! uu^ to Boston, New Yoik.
Pliiljidelplnu juul Lont^vvood, tlie lionie of Hannali
Cox, wliosc lioiise was always open to tlie pool-
slaves Hyin^ iVoni tlieir ]mrsuers, an<l whose heart
warmly svMunathised with every means Tor the
liheration ot" the oppi'essed.

J)in-in^' these visits I became ae(|n.'iinte<l with
nwmy liherty-loving men and women, whose time,
t;dents, and means werr devoted to tli" eause of
freedom. The eontfiet with sueh eai-nest minds,
ind)nt'd with an undvine- hatred aiid detestation of
that foul hlot on the eseutehon of their ecaniti'V,
seived to strenjrtlu'n my resolution and fortify me
for the lahor befoi-c me. I was initi.-ited into a
knowle<lo'e of tlie methods to circulate infoi nudion
amoni>' the slaves of the South : the routi's to he
taken, aftei- reachiufj the so-called Free St ites, and
the relief |)Osts. wheiv shelter and aid for transpor-
tation couhl he ohtained. My exc(dlent friend also
accompanied me to Ohio and Indiana, where 1 ma<le
the personal acijuaintance of friends in tiiose states
who at risk of life and property oav<> shelter to the
fuc^itives, and assisted them to reach Canada.

The Rev. (), B. Frothingham, in his life of Ceri-it
Smith, says :

"Alexaiuler M. Ross, of Canada, whose remarkable exploits
in running off slaves caused such consternation in the southern
states, was in communication with CJerrit Smith from first to
last, was aided by him in his preparation with information and

^i*€''*m;.m'mt>mt.'^,

flP'

>V>./»> >*!»~,.*^.4f.

<l!i

ili

■ i

1;
1 !■

! t

Memoirs of a Rafonner,

counsel, and had a close understanding with him in regard to his
course of procedure. Both these men made the rescue of slaves
a personal matter."

FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW.

The poor fugitive^who had run the gauntlet of
slave hunters and bloodhounds, was not safe even
after he had crossed tlie boundary line between the
Slave and the Free States, for the slave drivers of
the South and their allies, the democrats of the
North, controlled the United States Government at
that time, and*under the provisions of the iniquit-
ous " Fugitive Slave law," the North was compelled
to act as a^police officer, for the capture and return
to slavery of fugitives from the Slave States.

DIFFERENT VIEWS AMONG AllOLITIONISTS.

While there existed among all true abolitionists a
sincere desire to aid [the oppressed people of the
Slave States, there was much diversity of opinion as
to the means to be adopted for their liberation from
bondage.

Garrison, _^Whittier, Lucre tia Mott, and all the
members of the Society of Friends, were opposed to
violent measures, such as would result in bloodshed.
Their efforts were confined to the public discussion
of the wrongs of the slave, and the iniquity and in-
justice of human slavery. On the other hand, Ger-
rit Smith, Theodore Parker, Joshua R. Giddings,

''•^mmmssst.

Memoirs of a He/ormer.

'd to hlB

jf slavea

itlet of
t'e even
een the
ivers of
, of the
ment at
iniquit-
jmpelled
id return

es.

[STS.

tionists a
►le of the
opinion as
ition from

id all the
opposed to
bloodshed,
discussion
ty and in-
hand, Ger-
Giddings,

Jolm Brown, uiid iiiiuiy othorH, «M|ualIy sincere and
noble men and woiiioii, actively or pasHively aided
and abetted every effort to liberate the slaves from
their boiKla^e. It is ahnost needless for me to say
that, while I sympathized with ever^ man and
woman who desired the freedom of the slave, my
views accorded with those who believed human
slavery to be such a monstrous wrong and injustice,
that any measure, no matter how violent, was justi-
fiable in so holy a cause as the liberation of those
held in bondage.

MY ANTI-SLAVERY PRINCIPLES.

The })rinciples that animated, impelled, and con-
trolled my actions as an abolitionist, may briefly be
sunniied up as follows: —

1. That every innocent human being has an in-
alienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness.

2. That no government, nation, or individual, has
any right to deprive an innocent human being of
his or her inalienable rights.

3. That a man held against his will as a slave has
a natural right to kill every one who seeks to pre-
vent his enjoyment of liberty.

4. That it is the natural right of a slave to de-
velop this right in a practical manner, and actually
kill all those who seek to prevent his enjoyment of
liberty.

IT"

Mrniidrs of o, Uf.fornyr,

lit!

5. That the froenum lias a natural riglit to lielp
the shives to recover tlieir liberty, and in tiiat en-
terprise to (l(j for tliem all which they have a right
to do for thenjselves.

6. That it is the natural duty of a freeman to
help the slaves to the enjoynioit of this liberty, and
as a means to that end, to aid them in killing all
such as oppose their natural right to freedom.

7. That the performance of this duty is to be con-
trolled only by the freeman's power and opportun-
ity to help the slaves.

i I

(

** Remember them in bonds."

(^HAPTKH III.

Agent of the Undergrouml Railway —Into the Land of Bondage
— On (Jiiard -Seven Candidates for Freedom —Startling News
— Twelve Hundred Dollars Reward— A Poor Negro Spurns the
Reward — A Female Fugitive— Safe on the Soil of C'anada —
— Meet with John Brown — His Disappointments — "Old
Brown's Farewell" — Character of John Brown —News from
the South— Keeping Quiet— Ort" to New Orleans— At Work in
the (Julf States— Near Vicksburg— Sowing Seed at Selma —
Into the Jaws of Death — Manacled and in I'rison — A Desper-
ate Situation — Fidelity of a Slave — Released — Two Passengers
by Underground Railway— Leave for Other Fields — At Work
Near Augusta — Fidelity of the Quakers — Eleven Followers of
the North Star— Exi-iting News — In Washington — Fugitives
from Alabama.

IXDERfmoUNI) RAILWAY.

In Pliiladolplii.'i I made the necessary preparations
for my work in tlie Soutliern States. My jj^ood
friend (ierrit Smith was my faithful and principal
supporter in this my first effort to help the slaves
to freedom.

In undertakinir this mission I did not dismiise
from mvsiH' olie dan<»:ers I would most certainlv
have to encounter, and the certainty that a sjH'edy
and perhaps cruel death would be my lot, in case
my plans and pu. j t ses were discovered. And not

tii

Miin.ini's (tf 1 1 Ri'fin'incr.

only would my lite Ikj exposcil, hut tlio livoH of those
I sou^'ht to Ik'I p. My niiti-Hlav(!i'y friendH in Boston
and IMiilad('l]>liia warned me ot* the (hin<^er.s that
were in my patl» and some of them ur^ed me to
seek other and Irss (hmfjerous cliannels vvlierein to
aid tlie oppi'cssed.

I felt convinced, over, that the only ett'ectual

way to help the slaves was to aid them to «'scape
from homla^e. To accomplish that it was necessary
to ^o to them, advise them, and give them practical
assistance. For, with hut few exceptions, the slaves
were in absolute ignorance of everything Ijeycmd
the boundary of tlieir plantation or town. The cir-
culation of information among the oppressed would
also tend to excite a spirit of iiujuiry and create a
feeling of independence which ultimately might
lead to insurrection and the ilestruction of the in-
stitution of slave) I the United States. Before
leaving Fhiladelplna, it was nuitually ai-ranged be-
tween my friends and myself, in respect to confiden-
tial corres])ondence, that the term " hardware " was
to signify males and " dry goods " females. I was
to notify my friend in Philadelphia (if possible)
whenever a package of " hardware " or of " dry
goods ' was started for freedom, and he in turn
warned the friends in Ohio and Pennsylvania to be
on the lookout for runaways. My name was drop-
ped, and others assumed to meet the emergency of
the occasion. My communications with the outside

Pi !

}ffinoirs uf (I Ucfarnyr.

those
Boston
M that
me to
rein to

Vectuul
eHcape
cessary
ractical
l; Hlaves
V)eyon(l
riie cii'-
d would
create a
inijijht

i the in-
Bet'ore
nged be-
jonfiden-
Hre " was
I was
possible)
of " dry
) in turn
mia to be
vas drop-
rgency of
le outside

world were in eiplnr and con fined to one indivi(hial
with many names. Tlu'se pre('antit)ns wore deemed
absohitely nec(^sHary for my personal safety anil huc-
cesH in my iia/ardous task. My appearances and
disappiiarances were so uncertain and mysterious
that uiy northern friends were accustomed to call
me the " Man of Mystery," while in the south a
much more sulphurous title was accorded me.

INTO THE LAND OF H()NDA(JE.

Fully efjuipped, I crossed the Potomac and entered
the land of bondage. On my arrival in Richmond
I went to the house of a gentleman to whom I had
been directed and who was known at the north to
be an abolitionist.

I sj»ent a few days in quietly determining upon
the best plans to adopt.

THE WORK BEGUN.

Having finally decided upon my course, I invited
a number of the most intelligent, active, and re-
liable slaves to meet me at the house of a colored
preacher, on a Sunday evening.

TALK TO FORTY-TWO SLAVES.

On the night appointed, forty-two slaves came to
hear what prospect there was for their escape from

"Tiir- "i|-T"'Tir-rtirilli

l\fp7n<yirs of a Rcfonnfr.

I '1

U I

bonflage. T took eacli by tlu5 Iiaiid, sisUcd tlu^ir
naino, age aiul vvhotlier married or single.

I liad never b»d*ore at one time seen so many colored
men togetber, and I was struek witb their individ-
uality and general kindness an<l considci-ation for
each otlua*. 1 ex|)lain<'d to them my object and
purpose in visiting the Slave States, the various
routes from Virginia to Ohio and Pennsylvania, and
tlie names of friends in border towns who would
help them on to Canada. I refpiested them to cii'-
eulate this information discreetly among all upon
M'hom they could ivly. Thus each of my hearers
went forth an agent in the good work. 1 then told
them that if any of their number desired to make
the attem])t to gain their fVeedonj, in tin- face of all
the o1)stacle8 and dangers in their path, to come to
the same liouse on the following Sunday evening,
prepared to take the " underground railroad " to
Canada.

NINE FUrUTIVES FROM HONOAfJE.

On the evening appointed, nine stout, intelligent
j'^oung men had declared their determination to gain
their freedom or die in the attempt. 1 caiud'ully
explained to tl\em the route and the names of
friends alt)ng the border upon whom they could
rel}' for shelter and assistance. 1 never met more
apt students than these poor fellows, an«l their" yes

mmmmm

Memoir,"^ of a Reformer.

iniissa, I know it now" was assurance that tliey did.
They were only to travel by ni^ht, resting in some
secure spot during the day.

Their route was to he through Pennsylvania or
Oliio, to Krie, oi- (Jlevelan<l, on Lal\(» Ki'ie, and from
thence across the Lake to Canada. I hid them good-
hv<' with an anxious heart, For well I knew the
dajigers they would have to encounter, I learned
iiumy months after that they all had arrived safely
in Canada. Three of these brave fellows enlisted in
a colored regiment, for service in the war that gave
freedom to their race. Two of my Richmond pupils
were married men, and left behind wives and child-
ren. The wife of one made her escape, and reached
Cana<la within six months after her husband gained
his liberty.

AT WORK IN NASHVILLE.

The day following the departure of my little band
of fugitives ft'oui Richmond, T left for Nashville, in
the State of I'ennessee, which I «leci«led should be
my next Held of labor. On arriving in Nashville
1 went dii'i'ct to the r(;sidence of a Quaker lady
well-ktjown for hei- humane and charitable disposi-
tion toward the colored people. When I informed
lier of my success in Richmond, and that I intende<l
to pursue the same course in Nashville, she express-
ed great anxiety for my safety, but fin<ling that 1
was determined to make the attempt, she sent for

i! ,ir ■■

•• >-ii--nr iMrr

Memoirs of a Refomier.

i\ !il

an old free nepfro and advised nie to trust him ini-
])Heitly. This good man was nearly eighty years of
age, and had the confidence of all the colored people
for miles around Nashville. He lived a short dis-
tance outside the city li.nits. At his house he preach-
ed to such of the slaves as were disposed and could
attend every Sunday evening. I requested him to
invite as many reliable and intelligent slaves as he
could to ■ et at his house on the next Sunday
evening. v)n the evening appointed, thirteen fine
able-bodied men assembled to see and hear an abol-
itionist. Never have I met more intelligent looking
colored men than those that composed my little
audience on that occasion : their ages ranged from
eighteen to thirty. Some were very black, while
others were mulattoes, and two of them had straight
hair and were light-coloured.

ON GUARD.

My host volunteered to stand guard outside the
house to prevent interruption and to intercept any
unfriendly or evil-minded callers. I talked to my
hearers earnestly and practically, explaining the con-
dition and prospects of the colored people in Cana-
da, and the obstacles and dangers they would have
to encounter on the way to that land of refuge. No
lecturer ever had a more intensely earnest audience
ih'y.n I had that evening. I gathered the brave fel-

III I

memiismrsm

Memoirs of u Rrforinfr.

lows ai'ouiid ine so that I could look each in the
face i\,n<\ ^^'wo cinphaHis to my iiistiMictioiis. In con-
clusion J t()i<l tlu'in that I shonhl remain in Nash-
ville until after the followiuf^ Sunday cvenin^r, when
as niany as felt dis])osed to make the attempt to
miin their iVeedom would find me at the same house
at 9 p.m. I re<piested those who decided to leave
on that night to inform their old friends before the
next Fi'iday, that I might make some necessaiy
provision for their long and perilous journey

Early in the week I received wonl from five, and
by Fridjiy evening two more had decided to make
the attem|)t to obtain the precious l»oon of liberty.
At nine o'clock on the Sunday evening ap])ointed I
was promptly at the house of my friend. He again
stood miai'd. It was nearly 10 o'clock when I lieard
the signal agreed upon, " scratching upon the door,"
T unlocked the dot)r, when in step])e(l four men, fol-
lowed soon after by three others : they were all
married. I asked each if he had fuliv determined to
make the attempt, and receiving an athrmative re-
ply I again carefully explained to them the routes
to be taken, the dangers they might expect to en-
counter, and the friends upon whom they could call
for aid.

SEVEN CANDIDATES FOR FREEDOM.

At midnight I bade them good-bye and these
brave-hearted fellows with tears in their eyes and

< "

Memoirs of a Reformiev.

hearts swelling with hope, started for the land of
freedom. I advised them to travel by niglit only,
and to keep together if possible.

Next morning I called upon my Quaker friend,
ami informed lier of the result of my labors in
Nashville. She expressed her delight and satisfac-
tion. But feared for my safety if I remained in the
city after the escape of the slaves became knt)wn.

S'J'AHTLINd NEWS.

t'iji
i

As I was passing the post office a man handed
me a small printed bill which announced the escape
of thirteen slaves from Riclniiond, but nine only
were described, together with the names of their
owners. A reward of $1000 Was ottered for their
capture and return to Richmond. I now thought
it time to leave for other fields of labor.

Early next day I bade farewell to my kind
Quaker friend and started for Memphis. On my
arrival there I sought the house of an anti-slaverv
man to wliom T had been directed. He was absent
from home, but his jjood wife n^ceived me kindly
and urged me to make lier house my home during
my stay in the city. I felt, h.ovx'ever, that I had no
riglit to expose the family to ti'ouble and suspicion
in case I got into difficulty. I conseipK'ntly went
to a hotel ; V)eing tired and weary laiti down on a
couch to rest, and nuist have fallen asleep, for I was

Memoirs of a Reformer.

aroused by the shouting of a newsl>oy under my
window. The burthen of his cry was the escape of
several slaves from Nashville in one night. I raised
the window and told the boy to bring a paper to
my room. It contained the followmg item of in-
terest to me : —

"TWELVE HUNDRED DOLLARS REWARD.

" Great excitement in Nashville ; escape of seven
tirst-class slave men by the aid of an abolitionist,
w^.o has been seen in the city for several days.
Three hundred dollars reward is ottered for tlie
capture and return of each of the slaves, and twelve
hundred dollars for the apprehension of the ' ac-
cursed abolitionist.' " Then followed a description
of the slaves, and a very good description of my-
self, considering that I kept very close during my
stay in Nashville. At a glance I saw the danger
of my position, and determined to leave the hotel
at once. Returning to the house I had first visited,
I made enquiries for the residence of a colored man
upon whom my colored friend in Nashville told me
1 could rely. Having received the proper direction,
I went to his humble dwelling and was cordially
welcomed on mentioning the name of his old friend
at Nashville.

INSTITUT:

Mciuoirs of a Tx^'Jornic)'

A NOIILE MAN.

Ho was a fine-looking inan, witli lioiieHt eyes,
open countenance, ami of more tlian onlinaiy in-
telligence for on(3 of his race. I han<ie(l him the
paper and pointed to the reward foi' my appi'ehen-
sion. When he read it, he gi'asped my hand, and
said, '* Massa, I'll die for you ; what shall we do ? "

The paper which contained the exciting news
also contained the announcement that a steamer
would leave for 8t. Louis that night at nine o'clock.
It was now three. Six long hours to remain in the
very jaws of death !

I determined to leave, if possible, on that steam-
er, and asked permission to remain in his house
until the arrival of the boat. Tine noble fellow
placed his house and all he possessed at my com-
mand.

■-:,*■

A POOR NEGRO SPURNS THE REWARD.

This poor despised negro held in his hand a paper
offering a reward of $1,200 for my capture. He
was a laboring man, earning his bread by the sw^eat
of his brow, and yet I felt perfectly safe, an<l im-
plicitly truwsted this poor negro with my life. In
fact, I felt safer in his house than I should have
felt in the house of a certain vice-president of the
United States, who in more recent times sold him-

Merrunrfi of a Rpfoniyr.

eyes,

•y i"-

i\ the
vhen-
\, and
: do ? "
news
beainer
)'clock.
, in the

steam -
house
fellow

ly com-

a paper
re. He
Hi sweat
an«l ini-
lil'e. In
Id have
it of the
old him-

self for a similar amount. This poor oppressed
negro had everything to gain by surrendering me
into the hands of the slave-nuisters, and yet he
spurned the reward, and was faithful to the trust I
reposed in him. On many occasions 1 have placed
my life in the hands of colored men without the
slightest hesitation or fear of betrayal.

A FEMALE FUGITIVE.

Night was approaching and my friend suggested
the propriety of changing my dress. While engaged
making these alterations, I overheard an animated
conversation in an adjoining room between my host
and a female. The woman earnestly begged him to
ask me to take her to Canada where her husband
tiien was. The poor man told her my life was
already in great danger, and if she was seen with
me it would render my escape more difficult, but
still she continued to beg. When I had completed
my change of appearance, he came into the room
and told me that a slave woman who had lately
fled from her master on account of his cruelty to
her was in the house and wished to speak to me.
She was a light mulatto of bright, intelligent ap-
pearance. She told me of the escape of her hus-
band to Canada about two years previously and her
master's cruelty in beating her because she refused,
to marry a negro whom he had selected for her

Memoir f^ of a Ih'forntcr.

SIjo sIiowmmI iiio licr back wliich was still raw and
Kcaincd witli ^aslicK whore tlie lasli of her cruel
inasti'r's whip liad ])l()iijL»'lie(l up lier Hesli. She
earnestly l)es()u^ht iix' to take her to Canada. 1
determined to niaU»^ the atteni})t, and told my
host to dress her in male attire, that she nii^ht
accompany me in the capacity of valet. The poor
Woman was soon ready for the journey. 1 named
her " Sam," and myself Mr. Smith, of Kentucky.
At half past eight, ]).m., we left the house of my
faithful friend for the boat, " Sam " walking behind
me and carrying my valise. Through some cause
or other, the boat was detained until near eleven
o'clock. Oh what hours of misery ! Every minute
tilled with a])prehensions of disaster not only to
myself but to the poor fugitive -lepending on me.
No one not similarly placed can imagine the
anxiety and dread that tilled my n»ind during this
long delay. The moments passed so slowly that
they seemed hours. "Sam'" stood near me looking
as anxious as I felt. At length we got aboard the
boat. I secured tickets for myself and servant for
St. Louis, and when the boat left the levee I
breathed freer than I had done for several hours.
I reached St. Louis withomt the occurrence of any
incident of importance and sent a telegram to my
friend in Philadelphia to be on the lookout for
"hartlware" from Teiniessee. Resting in St. Louis
for a few hours I left for Chicago, accompanied

Memoirs of u. Reformer.

hy my happy valet wliOHt' frc<nu'nt<nu'stion, "Massa,
is we near Canada yet T' kept nie continually on
the alert to prev^ent our exposui'e.

ARRIVAL IN CHICAGO WITH A ('HA'irKh.

When we reached Chicago I took my servant to
the house of an abolitionist, where she was properly
care<l for. It was deemed prudent that she should
wear male attire until she reached Canada, for it
occasionally Ik ppened that fugitives were caught in
Detroit, and taken back to bondage after having
come in sight of the land of promise. Their prox-
imitv to a safe refuire from their taskmasters, and
from the operations of the infamous Fugitive Slave
Ijjiw, remlered them careless in their manner, and
so happy in appearance, that they were frecjuently
arrested on suspicion by the minions of the United
States Government, ever on the watch to obey the
behests of the slave power. After a few hours'
rest in Chicago, I left with ni}'^ charge for Detroit,
where I arrived in due time on the following day,
and taking a hack, drove to a friend's house in the
suburbs of the city. Here I ma<le arrangements to
be rowed across the river to C^-mada, as soon as
darkness would render the passage safe. I also
sent telegrams to friends in London, Chatham, and
Amherstburg, to ascertain the whereabouts of her

Memoirs of a Reformer.

husband, and finally heard that he was living in
London.

SAFE ON THE SOIL OF CANADA.

At night the poor fugitive and myself were taken
silently across the river that separated the land of
freedom from the land of slavery. Not a word was
spoken until we reached the soil of Canada. I then
told her that she was a free woman, that no one
could now deprive her of her right to " life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness." I conveyed her to the
house of a friend, and on the following day she went
to London, where she and her husband were re-
united after a separation of two years. Returning
to Detroit, I took the train for Cleveland. There I
received a telegram from Boston stating that Capt.
John Brown of Kansas would meet me in Cleve-
land in a day or two, and that he desired to confer
with me on a subject connected with the anti-
slavery cause.

INTERVIEW WITH JOHN BROWN.

On the evening of my third day in Cleveland,
whilst seated in my room at the hotel, a gentle tap
at my door aroused me. I said, "Come in." The door
opened, and a plain, farmer-like man, with a coun-
tenance strongly indicative of intelligence, coolness,
tenacity of purpose and honesty, entered the room.
He appeared about five feet ten inches in height.

■f

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■I
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McmoIrK of <i Rcfonner,

ot .slender but wiry and toufifh frame ; liis glance
was keen, .steady and hone.st : his step lithe and
firm. He wa.s, althoiij^li .simply and plaiidy dressed,
a man of reniarkalile Jippeai'ance. H - introduced
him.self a.s ".John l^rown, of KMnsas," and handed
me letters from friends in Boston. Captain Brown
remained with me nearly all night, ea<]ferly liston-
iiifif to a narrative of my trip throuj^h Vir^^inia and
Tenne.s.see, and in relatinj:^ incidents connected with
his labors in Kansa.s, His manner and conversation
ha<l a magnetic influence, which rendered him very
attractive an! stamped him as a man of more than
ordinary coolness, tenacity of purpose, and devotion
to what he considered right. No idle, profane, or
immodest word fell from his lips. During our in-
terview he related many incidents of his life bear-
ing up(m the sul)ject of slavery. He said he had
for many years been studying the guerilla system
of warfare adopted in the mountainous portions
of Europe, and by that .sy.stem he could, with a
small body of picked men, inaugurate and maintain
a guerilla war in the mountains of the slave states
which would cause so nmch annoyance to the
United 8tat<is Government, and create such a feel-
ing of dread and iii.security in the minds of slave-
holder.s, that they would ultimately be glad to "let
the op{)re.s.sed go free." He maintained that the
only way to successfully attack the institution of
slavery was, by conveying to the slaves such in-

''J

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MemwirH of a Rfformcr.

fornmtion uh would aid them in making their es-
cape to Canada, and by exciting in their mindn a
desire for knowledge, which would enable them to
combine in a struggle for freedom. He had little
faith in the efficacy of moral suasion with slave-
holders. He very properly placed them in the same
category with thieves and murderers.

DISAPPOINTMENT.

John Brown was now returning to the west, from
the eastern states, where he had been for several
weeks trying to collect means to carry on the
struggle for freedom in Kansas. He had met with
disappointment, and felt it most keenly. He had
sacrificed his own peace and comfort, and the peace
and comfort of his family, in obedience to his sincere
convictions of duty toward the oppressed people of
the south, while those who had the means to help
him make wt.r upon the oppressors, were lukewarm
or declined to aid him in his warfare. During our
conversation he handed me a piece of paper, on
which he had written the following, which he said
he indited with the object of having it published
before leaving Boston, but had been persuaded not
to do it : —

"OLD

rjilEWELL

"To the aouth P -ks, Bunker Hill Monu-

ments, Cha. Y Oaks and tncle Tom's Cabin.

Afemoirs of a liefitTTiicr.

"He has loft for Kansas. Has Ijccmi tryiiif^ since
he camo out of the Territory to secure an outHt, or,
in other words, the means of annin^ and tliorou^ddy
e(|ui|)pin^ his re^uhir minute men, wlio are mixed
up with tlie ]»eople of Kansas, and lie leaves the
States with a feeling of <leepest sadness, that after
exhausting his own sniall means, and, with his
family and his hrave nu'ti, suffered hun^'er, cold,
nakedness, and some of them sickness, wounds, im-
prisonment in irons with extn^ne cruel treatment,
and others death ; that after lyin^ on the gjround for
months, in the most sickly, unwholesome an«l un-
comfortable places, some of the time sick and wound-
ed, destitute of any shelter, and hunted like wolves,
sustained in part V>y Indians, that after all this, in
order to sust-iin a cause which every man in this
' glorious republic ' (0 is under e(iual moi'al ohlijva-
tions to do, and for the nef^^lect of which he will l)e
held accountable to God ; a cause in which every
man woman and child of the entire human family
has a deep, awful interest ; that when no wap^s are
asked or expected, he cannot secure amidst all the
wealth, luxury and extravagance of this ' Heav(}n
exalted people,' even the necessary supplies of the
common soldier. ' How are the mighty fallen ! ' "

To George L.Stearas of Boston, and his noble wife,
are due the honor and glory of having supplied the
financial wants of John Brown, which enabled him
to make his heroic onslaught, that kindled the flame
which devoured the institution of slavery and gave
freedom to millions of slaves.

n 5

Memoirs of a Reformer.

iS'

CHARACTER OF JOHN BROWX.

I have been in the presence of many men called
great and distinguished, but never have I met a
more remarkable man than Captain John Brown.
There was manifest in all he said and did an ab-
sorbing intensity of purpose controlled by lofty
moral principles. He was not a I'eligionist, but he
was a Christian.

JOHN HROWN's AN'CESTRY.

The following items I gathered <luring our inter-
esting interview. John Brown was born in Torring-
ton, C^onn., on the 9th of May, 1800. He was by
occupation a farmer, and the fifth by descent from
Peter Brown, one of the brave exiles, who, on the
22nd of December, 1660, knelt at Plymouth Rock
and expressed gratitude and joy for their preserva-
tion from the dangers of the deep, during their
passage from England in the Mayflower.

It was in 1839 that John Brown first concei^^ed
the idea of becoming a liberator of the southern
slaves ; he liad seen eve^y right of the colored
people in the south ruthlessly trodden under the
feet of the tyrannical Slave Power. He saw slavtsry
blighting and blasting the manhood of the nation,
and he listened to the voice of the poor that cried.
He heard Washington loudly praised, but he wiw no

Memoirs of a Reformer,

helper of the bondman. He saw the people build-
ing the sepulchres of the fathers of 76, but lynch-
ing and murdering the prophets that were sent un-
to them. He believed that " Who would be free
themselves must strike the blow." But the slaves
were scattered, closely watched, and prevented from
assembling to conspire, without arms, apparently
overpowered, at the mercy of every traitor, knowing
the white man only as their foe. Seeing everywhere
and always that the negroes, in order to arise and
strike a blow for liberty, needed a positive sign
that they had friends among the dominant race,
who sympathized with them, believed in their right
to freedom, and were ready to aid them in their at-
tempt to obtain it, John Brown determined to let
them know that they had friends, and prepared
himself to lead them to liberty.

t J

NEWS FROM THE SOUTH.

The excitement in Richmond and Nashville con-
sequent upon the escape of so many valuable slaves
extended to all the suri'ounding country. In the
reading-room of the hotel at Cleveland, Ohio, I
picke<l up a Richmond paper, which contained a leng-
tliy account of the escape of slaves from Richmond,
Nashville, and other parts of the south. The writer
stated that a general impression prevailed in that
connnunity that a regularly organized band of abo-

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Memoirs of ft, Beformer.

litioiiists existed in tlie south, which supplied the
negroes with inForniatioTi and means of escape to
Canada. Tlie authorities were urged to offer
a large i'ewar<l for the appreliension of the
" cursed negro tliieves" that infested the south, and
that an example be made of tliose wlio were caught,
that would forever deter others from interference
with their constitutional rights.

KEEP[N(i QUIET.

I concluded it was better for the cause I was try-
ing to serve that no further attempt should be
made until the present excitcnnent in the south
quieted down. So I went to Philadelphia.

During my stay in that city, I was Inisily occupied
in collecting statistics of the slave populations of
particular locations in the (Vtton States, and in con-
sulting with friends and ac(]uaintances as to tlie best
methods of circulating information among the slaves
in that region.

Any one accjuainted with the institution of
slavery as it existed in the Gulf States, will fully
appreciate the difficulties that environed such a
crusade as I now contemplated — -that of conveying
directly to the slaves a knowledge of the best routes,
the distances to be traversed, difficulties to be over-
come, and the fact that they had friends in the bor-
der states to whom they could apply for aid, and on

SLAVE AUCTIONS.

Afemoirs of o Reformer.

wlioni they could implicity rely for aid to forward
them to Canada. Of all the dangers to myself that
loomed up before my nnnd, the last and least was
the fear of betrayal by the slaves.

Once they became assured of your friendship and
your desire to help them to escape from bondage,
they would willingly suffer torture or death to save
you. Such at least has been my experience with
the negi'oes of the Slave States.

OFF TO NEW ORLEANS.

My preparati(jns being now completed, I etigaged
passage by steamer to New Orleans, on a mission
the subject and details of which had occupied my
mind exclusively for many weeks, I was accom-
])anied to the steamer by two steadfast frientls of
freedom. One of these friends, Gerrit Smith, had
been my principal supporter and active and unflinch-
ing friend from the connnencement of my career
as an abolitionist. In many parts of Ohio, Michi-
gan, Indiana and Pennsylvania, we had fast friends,
in the majority of cases, belonging to the Society of
Friends, whose doors were always open to the poor
fugitive from bondage, and whose hearts were open
to the fugitive's appeal for help. •

During my stay in New Orleans I occasionally
attended the slave auctions. The scenes 1 witnessed

Memoirs of a Reformer.

there will never be effaced from my memory. The
cries and heart-rending agonies of the poor creatures
as they were sold, and separated from parents, hus-
bands, children or wives, will never cease to ring in
my ears. i3abes were torn from the arms of their
mothers and sold, while parents were separated and
sent to distant parts of the country. Tired and
overworked women were cruelly beaten because
they refused the outrageous demands of their wicked
overseers. The brutal and obscene examinations of
female slaves by lecherous and base men, while the
poor victims dare not raise a hand to resist, was
not the worst that transpired in the slave pens.
The horrid traffic in human beings, many of them
much whiter and more intelligent than the cruel
men who bought and sold them, was, without ex-
ception, the most monstrous outrage on the rights
of human beings that could possibly be imagined.

A Christian : going, gone :
Who bids for God's own image ? — for His grace
Which that poor victim of the market place

Hath in her suffering won ?

My God ! can such things be ?
Hast Thou not said whatso'er is done
Unto Thy weakest and Thy humblest one,
* Is even done to Thee ?

In that sad victim, then,
Child of Thy pitying love, I see Thee stand —
Once more the jest-word of a mocking band,

Bouud, sold, and scourged again.

Me)yioir8 of o Reformer. 63

A Christian up for sale !
Wet with her blood your whips — o'ertask her frame,
Make her life loathsome with your wrong and shame,

Her patience shall not fail !

(lod of all right I how long
Shall priestly robbers at Thy altar stand,
Lifting in prayer to Tliee, tiie bloody hand

And haughty brow of wrong ?

Oh, from the fields of cane.
From the low rice-swamp, from the trader's cell —
From the black slave-ship's foul and loathsome hell.

And cofHe's weary chain, —

Hoarse, horrible, and strong,
Rises to Heaven that agonizing cry.
Filling the arches of the h »llow sky,

How LONo, God, how long ?

Whittier, the Quaker Poet.
AT WORK IN THE GULF STATES.

Finally my preparations were completed, and I
began my journey into the dark land. The route
decided upon was from New Orleans to Vicksburg,
and thence through the interior of Mississippi, Ala-
bama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and
Florida. I had never before visited that portion of
tlie United States, and my field of labor was conse-
([Uently surrounded by difficulties not experienced
during my visit to V^irginia and Tennesee, from the
fact that I had not a single friend in the Cotton
States on whom I could rely.

•I

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' «

64 Memoirs of a Reforrruir.

AT WORK NEAR VICKSHURG.

From Vicksburg I made frequent visits to the
surrounding plantations, seizing every favorable
opportunity to converse with the more intelligent
of the slaves. Many of these negroes had heard of
Canada from the negroes brought from Virginia
and the border Slave States, l)ut th.e impression
they had was that Canada was so far away it
would be useless to try and reach it. On these ex-
cursions I was usually accompanied by one or two
smart, intelligent slaves, to whom I felt I could en-
trust the secret of my visit. In this way I suc-
ceeded in circulating a knowledge of Canada, and
the best means of reaching that country, to all the
plantations for many miles around Vicksburg. I
was often surprised at the rapidity with which in-
formation was conveyed to the slavco of distant
plantations. Thus on every plantation I had mis-
sionaries who were secretly conveying intelligence
to the poor down-trodden slaves of that benighted
region, that in Canada there were hundreds of
negroes who had through the aid of friends along
the border escaped from slavery, and were now free
men and women. No one but a slave can fully
appreciate the true meaning of the word " freedom."
I continued my labors in the vicinity of Vicksburg
for several weeks and then went to Selma, Alabama.

Memoim of a Reformer.

(>5

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SOWINfi SEED AT SELMA.

I made this place my base for extensive incur-
sions to the surrounding country. There was not a
plantation within fifteen miles of vSelma that I did
not visit successfully,

IN A DANCiEUOUS POSITFON.

;h m-

ipleted

lal.

at Selma, I selected

aving com]

a small town in Mississippi, for my next field of
labor. I had been at work about two weeks,
when a difliculty occurred which, but for the faith-
fulness of a negro, would have ended in my death,
at the hands of an infuriated mob. During one of
my visits to a plantation I met a negro slave of
more than ordinary intelligence. His master was
a man of coarse and brutal instincts, who had
burned the initials of his name into the flesh of sev-
eral of his slaves, to render their capture more
certain in case they attempted to run away from
this merciless wretch. I saw several of the victims
of his cruelty, whose backs would forever bear the
marks of his branding iron and lash. He was a
veritable " Legree."

On one of my excursions over his plantation, I
was accompanied by the slave mentioned. During
our rambles he gave me a history of his life and suf-
ferings, and expressed an earnest desire to gain his
B

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,.1

ill

f'l

I':

1' •

4 !

Meiaoirs of a Reformer.

freedom. I felt that he coukl be relied upon, and
imparted to him the secret object of my visit to the
South. He listened with absorbing interest, whilst
I explained to him the difficulties and dangers he
would have to encounter on so long and perilous a
journey. He, however, declared his determination
to make the attempt, saying that death itself was
preferable to his present existence. On the follow-
ing <lay (Saturday) I again visited the plantation,
and selected this slave for my companion. He in-
formed me he had decided to start for Canada as
soon as he could communicate with a brother who
was a slave on a plantation a few miles distant. He
wished to take his brother with him, if possible. I
gave him instructions for his guidance after he
should cross the Ohio, and the names of friends
at Evansville, Ind., and Cleveland, Ohio, to whom
he could apply for assistance. I directed him to
travel by night only until he reached friends north
of the Ohio river.

INTO THE JAWS OF Ui.ATH.

On the following Monday evening, whilst seated
at the supper table of the hotel at which I was stop-
ping, I heard loud and excited talking in the adjoin-
ing room. In a few minutes the landlord came to

me an'd said, " Col. wishes to speak with you.

You had better go and meet him." I immediately

Memoirs of a Reformer,

rose and went into the room from whicli the loud
talking emanated. As I entered, the Colonel, in a
loud and brutal tone, said, " That's him, arrest him."
(Tpon which a man stepped up and said, " You are
my prisoner." I demanded the reason why I was
arrested, whereupon the doughty Colonel strode to-
ward me, with his fist clenched, and charged me

with being a d d abolitionist. He said he would

have my heart's blood ; that I had enticed away his
nigger " Joe," for the nigger had not been seen since
he went out with me on the previous Saturday. The
room was filled with an excited crowd of men, who
glared upon me with fierce and fiendish looks. I
tried to keep cool, but I confess I felt that my
labors w^ere ended. I knew the character of the
Colonel, and also knew that he possessed much in-
fluence with the worst class of Southerners of that
section.

MANACLED AND IN PRISON.

In the meantime the constable had produced a
pair of iron handcuffs, and fastened them around
my wrists. After the Colonel had exhausted his
supply of curses and coarse abuse upon me — for
the purpose of inciting the crowd to hang me — I
([uietly asked if they would allow me to say a few
words, at the same time making a Masonic sign of
distress in hope that there might be a Mason in the
crowd with sufficient courage to sustain my request.

til

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Mfimoirf* of <i Reformer.

I had no sooner made " the si^n of distress " than a
voice near me said, " Yes, let's hear what lie has
^ot to say. He oufjht to be allowed to speak." I
was encouraged, and very quietly said, " Cientlcmen^
I am a stranger here, without friends. I am your
prisoner in irons. The Colonel has charged me with
violating your laws, will you act the part of cowards
by allowing this man to incite you to commit a
murder ? Or will you, like brave men grant the only
request I have to make, that is, a fair trial before
your magistrates ;*" Several persons at once spoke
up in my favor.

A DESl'EKATE SITITATIOX.

A crowd of people had gathered to see an aboli-
tionist have the mockery of a trial. " Col. Legree "
was asked by the Justice to state his case, which he
did in true slave-driving style, as if determined to
force his case against me. My case seemed hopeless.
I saw no way of escape from my desperate situa-
tion. I was surrounded on every side by men
thirsting for my blood, and anxious to vindicate the
outraged laws of the State of Mississippi. At length
the Colonel finished his statement, which, reduced
to simple facts, was that I had called at his residence
on Saturday last, and re(iuested permission to roam
over his plantation, that he had given me permission,
and allowed his servant " Joe " to accompany me,
that "Joe" had not returned nor could he be found,

Moiioli'H of a He/<n iiicr.

()9

that he was sure I had aided him to escape, and de-
manded ul: the Justice that I should he punished as
a " negro thief " deserved. His remarks were loudly
a[)))lauded hy the slave-liounds that surrounded him.
The Justice turned to me, and in a loud voice said,
': Have you anything to say ?" At tliis moment a
voice outside the room sliouted, " Here's Joe, here's
Joe," and a rush was made toward the door.

FIDEF.ITV OK A SLAVE.

"Joe" was ushered into the court-room and fell
on his knees before the Colonel asking his forgive-
ness for leaving the plantation without permission.
He said he wanted to see Ids brother "powerfid bad,"
and had gone to the plantation on which his brother
was living, about eight miles distant, on Saturday
night, expecting to retuin by Sunday evening, but
having sprained his ankle he could not move until
Monday evening, when he started for liome, travel-
ling nearly all night. As soon as he reached the
Cijlonel's he was told of my arrest, and early that
morning lie had come into town to save me. The
Justice ordered the constable to release me and
expressed his regret that I had been subjected to so
nuich annoyance.

RELEASED.

The Colonel was completely chopfallen at the
turn affairs ha«l taken. I was surrounded by sev-

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III

Memoirs of ti Reformer.

erul good Masonic friends, who expresset! their grati-
fication at my release. I addressed the Colonel,
saying, that as he had put nie to much inconvenience
.md trouble, I claimed a favor of him. He asked
what it was. I b(;gged him not to punish " Joe "
for what he had done, and to allow me to present
the brave fellow with a gift as a mark of gratitude
for his fidelity to me. As these favors were asked
in the presence of the crov/d, he could not very well
refuse my recjuest. He sulkily promised that " Joe "
should not be punished, and said if I pleased I might
make him a present. I then handed " Joe " some
money, for which he looked a thousand thanks. I
was thus able to evince my gratitude for what he
had done for me, and at the same time present him
with the means to aid him in escaping from bondage.

Two years after this occurrence, while dining at
the American Hotel in Boston, I observed a colored
waiter eyeing me very closely : at length he recog-
nized me and asked if I remembered him. It wa^
" Joe," my saviour, the former slave of " Colonel Le-
gree." I grasped the noble fellow's hand, and con-
gratulated him upon his escape from bondage. In
the evening I invited him into the parlour and in-
troduced him to several anti-slavery friends, to whom
I narrated the incidents above related. " Joe " sub-
sequently gave me the following particulars of his
escape from slavery :

On the Sunday evening following my arrest and

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ac(|uittal, his brother joined him in apiece of wcmxIh
near the Colonel's plantation, where he had secreted
.sufficient food to last them several days.

TWO PASSEN(;EKS by the I NDEHOROUNl) HAIUVAY.

At midnight they started together, n»o\ ing as
rapidly as they could through the fields and woods,
keeping the north star in front of them. Whenever
it was possible, they walked in the creeks and mar-
shy grounds, to throw the slave-hunters oft' their
tracks. Thus night after night they kept on their
way weary, hungry, and sore-footed. On the morning
of the seventeenth day of their freedom, they readi-
ed the Ohio river, nearly opposite a large town; all
day they lay secreted in the bushes, at night they
crossed the river in a small boat and travelled rapid-
ly, taking a north-easterly course. After enduring
many hardships they reached Cleveland, Ohio, and
went to the house of a friend whose name I had
given "Joe." They were kindly received and supplied
with clothing and other comforts. Resting a week,
they were sent to Canada, where " Joe's " brother
still lives (1890).

LEAVE FOR OTHER FIELDS.

On the day following my release from peril I was
conveyed to luka, a station on the Charleston an<l
Memphis railroad. There I purchased a through

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ticket for Now York, which I took pains to exhibit
to the laiuUoivl of the ht)tel, so that in case I was
pursue* 1 (as I C(;rtainly would be, if "Joe " and his
brotlier succeeded in escaping), lie would state, the
fact that I had bought tickets for New York, which
woultl probably check their ])ursuit. From luka
I went to Huntsville, Alabama, where for a short
time I was busy circulatin/.( infoi-mation among the
slaves.

AT WORK FN AUCJUSTA, (JEOIUJIA.

Learning that Augusta was favorably situated
for my work, and that the slaves in that sec-
tion were sharp and intelligent, I determined to
make that city my next field of labor. Having
secured a honu; with a Quaker family, I was soon
})2tively engaged in becoming acipiainted with the
more intelligent coloi'ed people of that section.

KIDEMTY OK TIIK (H^VKEHS.

Among the religious denominations of the south,
none were more f'lithful to the jirinciples of freedom,
or to the dictates of humanity in respect to slavery,
tlian the friends called "Quakers." Wherever I
have met the niond)ers of that society, whether '"r
the north or south, they have always prove<l them-
selves friends in deed as well as in name. They
could always be implicitly trusted by the poor fugi-
tives from bondage. I know of many instances

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wliei'o at ^reat sacrifice and risk they iiavo Hliieldcd
the outcasts from their pursuers — tlie slave-hunters
and United States marshals. Hundreds of the
negroes of Canada will bear testimony to the unfail-
ing fidelity of the peaceful and worthy Quakers.

ELEVEN FOLLOWERS OF THE NOIITII STAK.

In Augusta I succeeded in equipping a ])arty of
eleven fine, active, intelligent slaves for the long,
dav'gerous aTid weary journey to the nortli. No one,
unless engaged in similar work, em a])preciate the
extreme delicacy of my position. Ther*^ was not a
day, in fact scarcely an hoiu", that I did not live in
expectation of exposui'e and death, 'i'he system of
keen and constant espionage in [)ractice throughout
the slave states, rendered it exceedingly necessary
to exercise the greatest prudence in approaching tlu;
slaves. If a stranger was seen in eonvei-sation with
a slave he l»ecame at once an object of sus[)icion. 1
found by experience that a frank, bold, and straight-
forward coui'se was the .^afest and best. \ was
greatly aide(l in my work here by a remarkably in-
telligent mulatto, the son of n U.S. Senator by a fe-
male slave. This man was chosen leader of the
band of fugitives from Augustn, and undei* his
leadership the whole party arrived safely in (^anada
in less than two months from the time they escapefl
from bondage. Two members of the party are now
living in Canada, and in good circumstances. Im-

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mediately after tin; exodus of thewe brave felloww, I
(|uietly left the scene of my labors and w(Mit to
Charleston, S.C.

EXCITING NEWS.

A few days after my arrival, one of the Charles-
ton papers contained a despatch from Augusta,
which stated that several first-class nej^i-o men lunl
disappeared from that place within a week, and that
a very general impression prevailed that abolition-
ists were at work exciting negroes to escape from
their masters. I left Charleston that evening and
went to Raleigh, N.C. While at breakfast next
morning two gentlemen seated near me entered into
conversation relative to the escape of slaves from
Augusta. One of them remarked that an English-
man who had been stopping in Ar vusta for sev-
eral weeks w^as suspected of doing the mischief, and
that it was supposed he ) id gone with the fugitives,
as he had not been seen since the slaves were miss-
ed ; but if he should be caught, no mercy would be
shown him, as it was time to make an example of
the nigger-thieves that infested the south. 1 lost
no time, obviously, and left by the first train for
Washington.

IN WASHINGTON.

During my stay in Washingtci I was the guest
of Charles Sunnier, at whose house I met many dis-

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tinguished people, who evinced a warm and appre-
ciative interest in my labors. The slave-holders at
that period held the balance of power in the United
States, a.,d the northern Democrats were used by
them to tighten the bonds that bound the colored
people of the south in the chains of slavery. The
slave-masters were not satisfied with the recognized
boundaries of their institution, and sought by every
device to obtain some porti(m of the new territories
of the south-west to which they could carry their
vile institution. Northern men of the Douglas and
Seymour stamp were willing to yield to the slavr
lords, and even sacrifice the dearest interests of their
country, providing they could a«lvance their indi-
\ idual claims to the presidency. The haughty and
outrageous demands of Davis, Mason and Toond)s
were abetted by the cowardly Democratic politi-
cians of the north. Towering above the.se contemjjt-
ible political demagogues stood Charles Sunnier, the
brave champion of freedom. No prospect of politi-
cal advancement could tempt him from the path of
duty, nor could the brutal threats and assaults of
his cowardly opponents, cause him to halt in his
warfare for the rights of man.

On my arrival in Philadelphia I laid V'efore my
anti-slavery friends a report of my work. One
venerable and talented Quaker lady, at whose house
our reunion took place, and whose name has long
been identified with the cause of human freedom,

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tendered me the congratulations of the society on
my safe return from the land of darkness and des-
pair.

FUGITIVES FKOM HUNTSVII.I;K, ALABAMA.

While in Philadelphia a telegram was received
from a friend in Evansville, Ind., informing me that
two fugitives had arrived there in a most pitiable
condition, their emaciated bodies bearing the marks
of many a bruise. I at once went to Evansville to
render them such aid as I could. They were de-
lighted to meet me again, and recalled an interview
they had with me at Huntsville, Alabama. The
poor fellows were kindly cared for, and after a I't'W
days' rest, continued their journey to Canada, pre-
pared to defend their right to own themselves
against whoever might dis})ute it. The route trav-
elled by these fugitives from Huntsville to the
Ohio river was marked with their blood. Their
escape was soon discovered and persistent efibrts
were made to cai)ture them. They were followed
for two days by bloodhounds that weie placed on
their tracks, but which tliev sueceedt'd in eludiuii'
by wading in the creeks and marshes: for forty -
eight hours the dee]^ baying of the hounds was fre-
(juently heard. They travelled by niglit only, tak-
ing the north star for their guide, and by day rested
in secluded places. Their sufferings from hunger
were very severe, which they were often obliged to

Memoirs of a Reformer.

relieve by eating frogs anrl other reptiles. Occa-
sionally, however, they succee<le(l in confiscating
poultry from the hm-houses of the slaveholders
on their route.

" In dark fen« of the Dismal Swamp,

The hunt 0(1 negro lay ;
He saw the lire of the midnight camp,
^And heard at times a horse's tramp,

And a hloodhound's distant bay.

Where will-o'-the wisps and glow-worms shine

In bulrush and in brake :
Where waving mosses shroud the pine,
And the cedar grows, and the puiscnous vine

Is spotted like the snake ;

Where hardly a human foot could pass,

Or a iuiman heart would dare.
On the ((uaking turf of the green morass.
He crouched in the rank and tangled grass.

Like a wild beast in its lair.

All things c.bove were bright and fair.

All things were glad and free ;
Lithe scuiirrels darted here and there,
And wild birds fille<l the echoing air

With songs of liberty.

On him alone was the doom of pain.

From the morning of his birth ;
On him alone the crime of Cain
Fell, like a flail on the garnered grain.

And struck him to the earth."

L()N(iKEIJiOW.

My expei'ience in the Cotton States vserved to in-
tensiiy uiy al)liorrence and hatred of slavery, and to

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nerve ine for the work I was engaged in. On several
occasions while in the slave states I attended church
service, and invariably observed tliat whenever the
subject of slavery was mentioned it was referred to
as a wise, beneficent institution, and one minister
declared that " the institution of slavery was devised
by God, for tlie especial benefit of the colored race."

" Just (iod ! — and these are they
Who minister at Thine altar, God of Right I
Men who their hands, with prayer and bleusing, lay
On Israel's Ark of light !

What ! preach and kidnap men ?
Give thanks — and rob Thy own ailiicted poor ?
Talk of Thy glorious liberty, and then

Bolt harti the captive's door V

What I servants of Thy own
Merciful Son, who came to seek and save
The homeless and the outcast, — fettering down

The tasked and plundered slave !

Pilate and Herod, friends !
Chief priests and rulers, as of old, combine !
Just God and holy ! is that church, which lends

Strength to the spoiler. Thine 'i

Paid hypocrites, who turn
.J udgment aside, and rob the Holy Book
Of those high words of truth which search and burn

In warning and rebuke :

Feed fat, ye locusts, feed !
And in your tasselled pulpits, thank the Lord
That, from the toiling bondman's utter need,

Ye pile your own full board.

Mpiiunrst of a Refom^pv.

How long, O Lord ! how long
Shall such a priesthood barter truth away,
And, in Thy name, for robbery and wrong

Afc Thy own altars pray ?

Woe to the priesthood ! woe
To tliose whoso hire is with the price of blood -
Perverting, darkening, changing as they go,

The searching truths of (iod !

Their glory and their might
Shall perish ; and tlieir names shall be
V^ile before all the people, in the light

Of a world's liberty.

Oh ! speed the moment on
When Wrong shall cease -and Liberty, and Love,
And Truth, and Right, throughout the earth be known

As in their home above.''

WiiiTTiER, the Quaker Pott.

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CHAPTER IV.

KS5})-l.S()l.

Meet with John Brown-Farewell to John Brown— John Brown
Calls a Convention at Chatham, Canada — Refugees in Canada
—At Work in Delaware -Dep»*»t of the Underground Railway
— John Brown Fieady to Move — In Richmond — John Brown's
Attack on Harper's Kerry — Blow felt throughout the Slave
States— Dough-faced Northerners — Kffects of John Brown's
Attack — John Brown a Prisoner -Bearing of John Brown —
Interview with Governor Wise — John Brown's Farewell Letter
to the Author — Execution of John Brown — Letters to the
Author from John Brown's Widow and Children — "The John
Brown Song " — John Brown's Men at Harper's Ferry — Casu-
alties of the Fight at Harper's Ferry-Copy of John Brown's
Comjuission to His Officers.

LEAVE Foil HOSTON.

From Evansville I returned to Phihulelphia, and
after a siiort stay in that city left for Boston, via
S]iringfieM.

MEET WITH AN OLD FRIEND.

At Springfield, Mass., the train stopped a few
minutes for refreshments. As I took ray seat at
tlie table, I observed an elderly gentleman looking
very earnestly at me. At length he recognized me,
and taking a seat near me said in a whisper,
"How is the hardware business T' The moment

Memoirs tff a Rcforiiifv.

he spoke I rocoj^nized Capt. Jolin Hiowii.of Kansas
He was mucli chaii|^iMl in ai)|)eaiaiire, lookid oldei"
and more careworn, but there was no clianf;«' in his
voice or eve, hotli were indicative of stren««tli, hon-
esty and tenacity ot'])urpose. L<'}nnin<;- tliat 1 was
on my way to f3oston, whitlier he was j^oing on the
followin|r day, he urged me to remain in Sprin^^^tield
over night and accompany him to Boston. In tlie
evening we retired to a private |»arlor, and he asked
me to tell him about my trij) through Mississippi
and Alabama. He listened intently to the recital of
my narrative, from the time T left New Orleans un-
til my arrest in Mississippi, with great earnestness
and without speaking, mitil I described my arrest
and imprisonment: then his countenance changed,
Jiis eyes Hashed, he paced tlu' room in silent wiath.
I never witnessed a more intense manifestation of
indignation and scorn. Coming up to me, he took my
wrists in his hands and said, " (Jod alone brought you
out of that hell : and these wrists have beiMi ironed
and you have been imprisoned for doing your duty. 1
vow that I will not rest from my lab(jr until I have
discharged my whole duty towards (Jt)d and to-
wards i!iy brother in bon<lage " When he ceased
speaking, he sat down and buried his face in his
hands, in which position he sat for some minutes as
if overcome by his feelings. At length, arousing
himself, he asked me to continue my narrative, to
which he listened patiently during its recital.

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H<' Haiti, " You linvo Inson |)t'nnitt(Ml to do ti
work that falls to the lot oi" few." Takiji^ a Hiiiall
Bililc or 'restaiiient from his pocket, he said, " 7Mie
j^ood book says, ' WhatHoever ye would that men
Hhould <lo to you, do ye even so to them ; ' it teaehen
us, further, to reniemher them in bonds as })ound
with them." He continued, "I have devoted the
last twenty years of my life to pre|)aration for the
work which 1 believe (Jod has given me to do, and
while I live, I will not cease my laVjors." He then
gave me some details of a caiupjiign which he was
then actually preparing for, and which he said had
occupied his mind for many years. He intended to
establish himself in the mountains of Virginia with
a small body of picked men. He felt confident
that the negroes woidd Hock to him in large num-
bers, and that the slave-holders would soon be glad
to let the oppressed go free : that the dread of a
negro insurrection would pioduce fear and tremb-
ling in all the slave states ; that the presence \\\ the
mountains of an armed body of liberators would
cause a general insurrection among the slaves,
which would end in their freedom. He said he had
about twenty-two Kansas men imdergoing a course
of military instruction : these men would form a
nucleus, arouml ^\ liich he would soon gather a force
sufficiently large and (effective to .strike terror
through the slave states. His [)resent difficulty
was a deficiency of ready money. He had been

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Meimtirs of a Rfforntrr.

proiiiiHod .support to lielp the cjuihc of fn'e«loin —
wliicli was not t'orthc()inin<,^ now that lie was pif-
jturin^ to curry tlie war into the South. Some oF
his friends were disinclined to aid oHensive opera-
tions. J)urin<;- this interview he informed me that
lie intended to call a convention at Chatham, (Vna-
da, for the purpose of etiectin^ an oi-^ani/ation
composed of men who weie willing to aid him in
his purpose of invadin^f the slave states. He said
he ha<l rifles and anununition sutHcient to e(|uii)
two hundred men : that he had made a contract for
a large number of pikes, with which he intended to
arm the negroes : that the object of his present trip
to the East was to raise funds to keep this contract,
and perfect his arrangements for an attack upon the
slave states. He accompanied me on the following
day to Boston. During our journey, he informed
me that he required a thousand dollars at least to
complete his preparations, and that he needed
money at once to enable him to fulfil a contract for
arms with a manufacturer in Connecticut. He also
needed money to bring his men from Iowa to
Canada. He met with but little success in Boston.
It appeared that such fiiends of the cause of free-
dom as had an inkling of his project, were not dis-
posed to advance money for warlike purposes, ex-
cept for the defence of free territory. Many of his
sincere friends feared that the pej secution of him-
self and family by the pro-slavery border ruffians

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Memoirs of a Reformer.

would provoke him to engage in some enterprise
which might result in the destruction of himself
and his followers. I am persuaded that there was
no reason for any such apprehension. I never
heard him express any feeling of personal resent-
ment towards any one, not even border ruffians.
He appeared to me to be under the influence of
broad, enlightened, and humane views, and a fixed
determination to do his duty towards the oppressed.
Next morning Capt. Brown departed from Bos-
ton. I accompanied him to the depot, and bade
him farewell.

CAPTAIN BROWN CALLS A CONVENTION.

The following invitation from Capt. Brown to at-
tend a convention " of true friends of freedom," to
be held in Chatham, Canada, I did not receive until
the 13th of May — three days after the time ap-
pointed for holding the convention :

Chatham, Canada,

May 5th, 1858.
My Dkar Friend :

I have called a quiet convention in this town of the true
friends of freedom. Your attendance is earnestly requested
on the 10th inst.

Your friend,

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Memoirs of a Rf^former.

REFUGEES IN CANADA.

During the following summer I visited Canada,
and had great pleasure in meeting many of those
who had, under my auspices, escaped from the land
of bondage. In Hamilton I was welcomed by a
man who had escaped from Augusta. The meeting
with so many of my former pupils, and the know-
ledge that they were happy, thriving, and industri-
ous, gave me great satisfaction. The trials and dan-
gers I had endured in their behalf were rendered
pleasing reminiscences.

The information obtained from these refugees re-
lative to the experiences while en route to Canada
enabled me subsequently to render valuable aid to
other fugitives from the land of bondage.

AT W^ORK IN DELAWARE.

On one occasion I visited Wilmington, Delaware,
for the purpose of liberating the young wife of
a refugee, who the year previous had made his es-
cape to Canada, from the little town of Dover. I
learned that the object of my visit was owned by a
widow lady, who had but recently purchased the
slave, paying the sum of twelve hundred dollars for
her. I also learned that the widow was disposed to
sell the girl, in fact that it w^as her intention to take
her to New Orleans in the fall, for the purpose of

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Memoi7'f^ of a Reformer.

offering her for sale in the market, where prices
ranged in proportion to the beauty and personal
charms possessed by these victims of man's inhu-
manity.

After a few hours' consideration I decided upon a
plan which ultimately interfered with the widow's
project. In the morning I called at the house of the
widow, ostensibly to purchase her slave woman. The
bell was answered by an octoroon woman, whoni
from the description I had received of her, I knew
to be the object of my visit. I enquired whether
her mistress was at home. She replied that her
mistress had gone to market, and would not be home
for an hour or two ; further, that she was the only
person in the house. I asked her name, and other
(juestions, which proved that she was Martha Ben-
nett, the wife of the Canadian refugee. I then told
her my object in calling, that I had recently seen her
husband, and that if she desired to go to him, I
would endeavor to take her to Canada. I gave her
a fev/ lines written by her husband, begging her to
come to him. She read the paper with deep feel-
ing, trembling from head to foot, the tears falling
fast upon the paper. She said, " Massa, I will do
just what you tell me. I wish I could get to Canada.
Missis is going to take me to New Orleans this fall,
and then I shall never see my husband again." I told
her to leave the house at midnight, or as soon after
as possible, prepared to accompany me ; that I would

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Memoirs of a Reformer.

> 4

have a conveyance ready not far from the house to
carry her out of the state to a place of safety ; that
she must attend to lier duties during the day as usual,
and not excite, by any unusual appearance or con-
duct, the suspicions of her mistress. I then left, and
made preparations to convey her to the house of
Hannah Cox, near Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.

DEPOT OF THE rNDEllOUOUND RAILWAY.

The house of this noble woman had for years been
one of the depots of tho " un<lerground railroad" (the
rendezvous of fugitive slaves from Maryland and
Delaware), where many poor fugitives have come
with bleeding feet and tattered garments, relying
upon the humanity of this noljle woman, who shield-
ed the outcasts from their pursuers. Hannah Cox was
a worthy member of the Society of Friends. She
possessed great sweetness of disposition, combined
with energy, courage and tried sympathies, a highly
cultivated mind and the ease and grace of a queen.
Mrs. Cox, like all other outspoken abolitionists,
was at that period outlawed from public respect,
scorned and hated by the Church and State, and
despised by the rich. There never lived a purer or
more noble woman than Hannah Cox. She out-
lived the institution of slavery, and received the
homage and respect of those who in other days
persecuted and despised her.

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Returning to the house of my friend, I obtained
a horse and small waggon, and at twelve o'clock
that night drove down the street on which the
house of the widow was situated. At last I caught
sight of the object of my search. Taking her into
the carriage, I drove rapidly away on the road to
Keruiet Sciuare, Penn. I kept the horse at a rapid
gait, until I got out of sight of Wilmington. About
four o'clock in the morning I heard the sound of a
carriage rapidly following me. Upon reaching the
top of a small hill I looked back and saw a horse
coming at full gallop — behind liim a buggy with
two men in it. I directed the girl to crouch down
in the bottom of the vehicle, I then put my horse to
its utmost speed, hoping to cross the Pennsylvania
line before my pursuers came up to me. The stifled
cries of the poor slave at my feet made me resolve
to defend her to the last extremity. I had two
good navy revolvers with me, and got them ready
for action. Looking back, I saw that my pursuers
were gaining upon me. They were not more than
two hundred j^ards distant, and I could hear shouts
for me to stop : i ii another moment I heard the re-
port of a pistol and the whizzing sound of a bullet.
I then drew my revolver and fired four times in
rapid succession at the horse of my pursuers. I
saw the animal stagger and fall to the ground.
One of my pursuers then fired several times at me
without effect. I was soon out of danger from

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Memoirs of a Reform fv.

tlieiii, aiul safe with my charge at the house of
good Hannah Cox.

I went on to Philadelphia, where I remained
until the excitement had quieted down. I then re-
turned and conveyed the poor fugitive to Clifton,
Canada : from thence she went to Chatham, where
she found her husband.

•JOHN HROWN HEADY TO MOVE.

On the 9th of October, 1859, I was somewhat sur-

pi'ised to receive the following brief letter from

Captain Brown, announcing his intention to make

an attack on the Slave States in the course of a

few weeks :

Chambersiutro, Penn.,

October 6th, 1859.
Dear Friend, — » * ,f I shall move about the last of this
month. Can you help the cause in the way promised ? Ad-
drcbs your reply to Isaac Smith, Chambersburg, Penn.

Your friend,

John Brown.

IN RICHMOND.

I had promised Captain Brown, during our in-
terview at Springfield, Mass., that when he was
ready to make his attack on the Slave States, T
would, if possible, go to Richmond, and await the
result. In case he should be successful in his
attack , I would be in a position to watch the course
of events, and enlighten the slaves as to his pur-

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poses. It mi^ht also be possible for me to aid the
cause in other respects. Accordingly, I was in
Richmond on the 15th (the day before the raid),
jirepared to remain there and await the course of
events.

CAPTAIN BROWN ATTACKS H^RPEll's FERRY.

On the morning of Monday, the 17th of Octo-
bei", wild rumours were in circulation about the
streets of Richmond, that Harper's Ferry had been
captured by a band of robbers ; and again that an
army of abolitionists under the connnand of a
desperado by the name of Smith, was murdering
tlie inhabitants of that village and carrying off' the
negroes. Throughout the da}'' groups of excited
men gathered about the newspaper offices to liear
the news from Harper's Ferry.

OFFICIAL REPORTS.

On the following morning (Tuesday) an official
report was received which stated that a large force
of abolitionists under Old Osawatomie Brown had
taken possession of the U. S. armory at the ferry,
and had entrenched themselves. An aged negro
whom I met in the street seemed completely be-
wildered with the excitement, and military prepara-
tions going on around him. As I approached him
he raised his hat and said, " Please massa, what's

Memoirs of a Reform fr.

the matter ? what's the soldiers out for ? " I told him
a band of abolitionists had seized Harper's Ferry
and liberated many of the slaves of that section :
and that they intended to free all the slaves in the
South if they could. " Can da do it, massa ? " he
asked, while his countenance brightened up. I re-
plied, perhaps so, and asked him if he would like to
be free ? He said, " O yes, massa ; I'se prayed for
dat dese forty years. My two boys are away off in
C^anada. Do you know where dat is, massa f

BLOW FELT THROUGH THE SLAVE STATES.

That John Brown had struck a blow that was
felt throughout the Slave States, was evident from
the number of telegraph despatches from the South,
offering aid to crush the invasion.

DEFEAT OF CAPTAIN KROWN.

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The people of Richmond were frantic with rage
at this daring interference with their cherished in-
stitution, which gave them the right to buy, beat,
work and sell their fellow men. Crowds of rough
excited men filled with whiskey and wickedness
stood for hours together in front of the offices of
the Dispatch and Enquirer, listening to the reports,
as they were announced from within. When the
news of Brown's defeat and capture, and the des-
truction of his little band, was read from the win-

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dow of the Dispatch office, the vast crowds set up a
demoniac yell of delight, which to me sounded like
a death knell to all my hopes for the freedom of the
enslaved. As the excitement was hourly increasing,
and threats made to search the city for abolitionists,
I felt that nothing couM be gained by remaining in
Richmond.

I left for Washington, almost crushed in spirit at
the destruction of Capt. Brown and his brave little
band. On the train were Southerners from several
of the Slave States, who boldly expressed their
views of Northern abolitionists, in the most em-
phatic slave-driving language. The excitement was
intense, every stranger, especially if he looked like
a Northerner, was closely watched, and in some
instances subjected to inquisition.

DOUGH-FACED NORTHERNERS.

The attitude of many of the leading Northern
politicians and so-called statesmen of Washington,
was simply disgusting. These weak-kneed and
craven creatures, were profuse in their apologies for
Brown's assault, and hastened to divest themselves
of what little manhood they possessed, while in the
presence of the women-whippers of the South.
" What can we do to conciliate the Slave States ?"
was the leading question of the day. Such men as
Crittenden and Douglas were ready to compromise

Memoirs of a Ueforirwr.

with the sljive-holdei*8, even at the sacrifice of their
avowed principles. Wliile Toombs, Davis, Mason, Sli-
(lell and the rest of the shive-ch'iviny crew, haugiitily
demanded furtlier fi^uarantees for the protection of
their " institution ; " and had it not been for the
stand taken by the people of the Northern States
at that time, their political leaders would have
bound the North hand and foot, to do the bidding
of the slave-holders. But, on that occasion, the
people of the North showed themselves worthy des-
cendents of their revolutionary sires.

EFFECTS OF JOHN BROWNS ATTACK.

The blow struck at Harper's Ferry, which the
democratic leaders affected to ridicule, had startled
the slave-holders from their dreams of security, and
sent fear atid tremblinj^ into every home in the
Slave States. The poor oppressed slave as he laid
down on his pallet of straw, weary from his en-
forced labors, offered up a prayer for the safety of
the grand old captain, who was a prisoner in the
hands of merciless foes, thirst:' ng for his blood.

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BRAVERY OF CAPTAIN BROWN.

How bravely John Brown bore himself in the
presence of the human wolves that surrounded him,
as he lay mangled and torn in front of the engine-
house at Harper's Ferry ! Mason, of Virginia, and

MeitLoivf* of a liefurnier.

that Nortlu'i'n renegade, Vallainligliam, iiiteirogated
the apparently tlyinf)^ man, tryinfif artfully, but in
vain, to get him to implicate leading Northern men.
In the history of modern times there isnot reeorded
another instance of such rare heroic valour as .J(jhn
Brown displayed in the presence of Ciovernor Wise,
of Virginia. How contemptible Mason, Wise, and
Vallandigham appear when compared with the
wounded old liberator, who lay weltering in his
blood, shed in behalf of the oppressed. Mason,
Wise and Vallandigham died with the stain of trea-
son on their heads.

CAPTAIN JOHN BROWN.

To superficial observers, Brown's attack on Vir-
ginia with 80 small a force, looked like the act of a
madman ; but those who knew John Brown, and

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the men under Iuh conmuind, are sati.sfied that if lie
had carried out his original phinn, and retreated
witli his force to the niountain.s, after lie had cap-
tured the arniH in the arsenal, lu; could have baffled
any force went against him. The islaves would have
flocked to his standard by thousands, and the slave-
holders would have trembled with fear for the
safety of th(3ir families.

JOHN BROWN VICTORIOUS.

John Brown in prison, surrounded by his captors,
won greater victories than if he Imm conquered the
South by force of arms. His courage, truthfulness,
humanity, and self -sacrificing d. ^ otion to tho cause
of the poor downtrodden slaves, sln,mf> 1 the cow-
ardly, weak-kneed, and truculent Northern poli-
ticians into opposition to the haughty demands of
the despots of the South. The crack of liis rifle at
Harper's Ferry suddenly confronted every man in
America, with his traditional cowardice, moral,
political, or physical. There was a moment of
timid deprecation or hasty denial : " We know not
the map ; " — the million eyes met, the explosion of
long-pent fires, the nation is rent, the lie dragged to
judgment, the laws re-constructed, and the people
of the Free States confess that John Brown, the
*' outlaw," the " lunatic," the spurned of all sections
to an ignominious death, was not prophet only, but

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the very cry that was rising in every true heart in
America.

I esteem it a great privilege to have known John
Brown, and to have had the opportunity of aiding
him in his great purpose.

AN EFFORT TO SEE JOHN BROWN.

December the 2nd, 1859, was the day appointed
for the execution of Captain Brown. I determined
to make an effort to see him once more if possible.
Taking the cars at Baltimore, on November 26th, I
went to Harper's Ferry, and applied to the military
officer in command for permission to go to Charles-
town. He enquired my object in wishing to go
there at that time, while so much excitement ex-
isted. I replied, that I had a desire to see John
Brown once more before his death. Without reply-
ing to me, he called an officer in the room and dir-
ected him to place me in close confinement until
the arrival of the train for Baltimore and then to
place me on the train, and command the conductor
to take me to Baltimore. Then, raising his voice,
he said, " Captain, if he (myself) returns to Harper's
Ferry, shoot him at once." I was placed under
guard until the train came in, when, in spite of my
protests, I was taken to Baltimore. Determined to
make one more attempt, I went to Richmond to try
and obtain permission from the Governor. After
much difficulty I obtained an

Memoirs of a Reformer.

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INTERVIEW WITH GOVERNOR WISE.

I told the Governor that I had a strong desire to
see John Brown before his execution ; that I Jiad
some acquaintance with him, and had formed a
very high estimate of him as a man. I asked him
to allow me to go to Charlestown (under surveil-
lance if he pleased), and bid the old Captain " good-
bye." The Governor made many inquiries to ascer-
tain my views of Brown, and finally asked whether
I justified his attack on Virginia. I replied, that
from childhood I had been an ardent admirer of
Washington, Jefferson and Madison, and that all
these great and good men deplored the existence of
slavery in the Republic. That my admiration and
friendship for John Brown was owing to his hold-
ing similar views and his earnest desire to abolish
the evil. The Governor looked amazed at my per-
tinacity, and for a moment made no reply. At
length he straightened himself up, and, assuming a
dignified air, said, " My family motto is, ' sapere
aude.' I am wise enough to understand your object
in wishing to go to Charlestown, and I dare you to
go. If you attempt it I will have you shot. It is
such men as you who have urged Brown to make
his crazy attack upon our constitutional rights and
privileges. You shall not leave Richmond until
after the execution of Brown. I would like to hang

a dozen of your leading abolitionists."

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GOVERNOR WISE WOULD LIKE TO BAG GIDDINGS AND
GERRIT SMITH, AND HANG THEM !

" If 1 could hag old Giddiiigs and Gerrit Smith,
I would hang them without trial."

Hic Governor l)eeame excited, and paced the
floor angrily, saying, " No, sir ! you shall not leave
Richmond. You shall go to prison, and remain there
until next Monday ; then you may go North, and
slander the State which ought to have hanged you!"
I replied, that as he refused me permission to see
Captain Brown, I would leave Virginia at once, and
thus save the State any trouble or expense on my
account. I said this very quietly, while his eyes
were riveted on me. In reply, he said, " Did I
not tell you that you should remain a prisoner here
until Monday ? " I replied, " Yes, Governor, you
did ; but I am sure the executive of this great
State is too wise to fear one unarmed man." For
a moment he tapped the table with his fingers, then
shaking his fore-finger, said : " Well, you may go,
and I would advise you to tell your Giddings,
Greeleys, Smiths and Garrisons, cowards that they
are, to lead the next raid on Virginia themselves."

Fearing that obstacles might be thrown in my
way, which would cause detention and trouble, I
requested the Governor to give me a permit to leave
the State of Virginia. Without making reply, he
picked up a blank card, and wrote as follows : —

Memoirs of a Reformer.

" The bearer is hereby ordered to leave the State
of Virginia within twenty-four hours."

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This he handed me, saying, " The sooner you go,
the better for you ; our people are greatly excited
and you may regret this visit if you stay another
hour;" ■. . ;

On returning to Philadelphia 1 wrote to Captain
Brown, bidding him a last farewell. Several days
after his execution I received from the sheriff* of
Jefferson County, Virginia, the following letter,
written by the captain the day before his execu-
tion : —

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CAPTAIN BROWN'S FAREWELL LETTER TO THE

AUTHOR.

" Jail, Charlestown, Va., December, Ist, 1859.

"My Dear Friend: — Captain Avis, my jailor, has just
handed me your most kind and affectionate letter. I am sorry
your efforts to reach this place have been unavailing, I thank
you for your faithfulness, and the assurance you give me that
my poor and deeply afflicted family will be provided for. It
takes from my mind the greatest cause of sadnesi^ I have ex-
perienced since my imprisonment. In a few hours, through in-
finite grace in ' Christ Jesus, my Lord,' I shall be in another and
better state of existence. I feel t^uite cheerful and ready to die.

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Memoirs of a Refonner.

My dear friend, do not give up your labors for the ' poor that
ory, and them that are in bonds. ' "

(Fac-simUe of the three lant liiies.)

'if^'UKXc^X^t ^ ^

EXECUTION OF JOHN BROWN.

On the morning of his execution, an ordinary
furniture waggon, containing a plain coffin, was
brought to the door of the jail, soon after which
the door opened, and John Brown appeared, fol-
lowed by Sheriff Campbell and John Avis, the
jailer. As John Brown passed out he said, " Good-
bye " to several whom he recognized, and some of
whom had done him little acts of kindness during
his imprisonment. To one of the guards he handed
a slip of paper on which he had written the follow-
ing prophetic words : —

"Charlestown Jail, December 2nd, 1869.
" I, John Brown, am now quite certain that the crimes of
this guilty land will never be washed away except with blood.
I had, as I now think, vainly flattered myself that without much
bloodshed it might be done."

These, his last written words, were sent t/O me by
John Avis, his jailor. John Brown quickly mounted

Memoirs of a Reformer.

101

the waggon, and seated himself on the coffin which
was soon to contain his lifeless remains. The pretty
story of his kissing a negro child as he was leaving
the jail, has no foundation in fact. The only re-
marks he made while being driven to the field
where the execution took place, were in reference
to the natural beauty of the surrounding country.
From the jail to the scaffold he was closely sur-
rounded by soldiers. When the procession reached
the scaffold, John Brown stepped from the waggon
and was the first to mount the steps, followed by
the sheriff and jailor. John Brown's step was firm,
his bearing solemn, cool and brave. Around him
were hundreds of Virginians in warlike array, the
forms of many men who were soon to die violent
deaths as traitors to tlieir country. Near the gal-
lows stood Stonewall Jackson in command of Iiis
cadets, with John Wilkes Booth (the assassin of
President Lincoln) as one of his volunteers. Jack-
son was killed wliile fighting against his country.
Seated on a beautiful horse was General Ashby —
he too died a violent death in the rebel ranks,
Near by stood the contemptible Jeft' Thompson,
who had brought from Missouri a rope with which
to hang John Brown. He too served and survived
the rebellion to endure poverty and contempt. Gov.
Wise, who signed John Brown's death warrant,
fought as a rebel against his country, and survived
to see a daughter of John Brown teaching tlie chiI<J-

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ren of Freedmen in his home. Nearly all the rank
and file that surrounded that scaffold died violent
deaths in the battles of the slaveholders' rebellion,
and the few who survive live to see John Brown
vindicatecj in every slave that now receives wages
for his labor.

' When John Brown ascended the gallows he stood
erect, cool and steady. He wore a broad-brimmed
felt hat. His clothing was plain and scrupulously
clean. His white beard had been cut somewhat
shorter than usually worn. His every movement
was grave, gentle and dignified. The sheriff" ap-
proached him and covered his face. When he was
placed upon the trap he said, "Be quick; do not
keep me waiting." Then began a series of fussy
movements b^'^ the military, which occupied fully
ten minutes, after which the trap fell, and the spirit
of John Brown joined his comrades in the spirit
land. There were few, we fancy, of those who that
day witnessed the death of John Brown, who im-
agined that his name would outlive the name of the
politicians and so-called statesmen of that day.
Virginia, in her pride and strength, judicially mur-
dered John Brown; but the day is not far distant
when tlie freedmen and freemen of the South will
erect a monument on the spot where he gave up his
life, a willing sacrifice for the cause of human free-
dom.

The memory of John Brown will grow brighter

w^'mmmmmmmm

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103

and brighter through all coming ages, and long
after the Southern statesmen who shouted for his
death are mouldering in the silent dust forgotten,
or unpleasantly remembered, the name of John
Brown, of Osawatomie, will be a household word
with millions yet unborn.

LETTERS TO THE AUTHOR FROM CAPTAIN JOHN
BROWN'S WIDOW AND CHILDREN.

From Mary A. Brown, Widow ofCapt. John Brown, the Martyr.

Deab Friend, — * * * My husband often spoke of you as
being one of his most faithful and sincere friends. Your tender
and kindly sympathy for his afflicted family in those terrible days
of '59 will never be forgotten by me. I send you a lock of hig
hair in remembrance of your friendship. » * *

From John Brown, Jr., Son of Gapt. John Brown, the Martyr.

My Dear Friend, — All honor to you for the courage and de-
votion to the cause of liberty which led you to peril your life
again and again for those who had no other cltim on you than
that of common humanity. You may indeed feel gratified by
the medals, diplomas of honor and royal decorations conferred
on you by the learned societies and crowned heads of Europe,
yet these are toys compared with that which entitles you to be
known as the tried and true friend oj mankind. * * *

From Owen Broivn, son oJ Capt. John Brown, the Martyr.

* * * I shall hold you in lasting remembrance for your
fidelity to father, and the cause he died in serving. You have
my earnest hopes for your success, though any one of your stamp
who will exercise such unfaltering persistance against so many
kinds of difficulties will surely succeed.

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Memoirs of a Reformer.

From Ruth Brown, Eldest Daughter of Gapt. John Brown, the

Martyr.

« # * J ^ijgh every person in our land knew how noble and
self-sacrificing you have been. * * * \ ^igh you could have
seen father when you went to Virginia. To have seen you again
would have done him more good than all the prayers of all the
pro-slavery ministers in the world.

From Annie Brown, youngest daughter of Gapt. John Brown, the

Martyr.

I wish to express my unbounded gratitude to you for placing
my father before the world in his true light. You comprehended
him, you haew him. * * *

THE JOHN BROWN SONG.

BY EDNA A. PKOCTOR.

John Brown died on the scaffold for the slave ;
Dark was the hour when we dug his hallowed grave ;
Now God avenges the life he gladly gave —
Freedom reigns to-day !

Glory, glory, hallelujah,
Glory, glory, hallelujah.
Glory, glory, hallelujah,
Freedom reigns to-day !

.John Brown sowed, and his harvesters are we ;
Honor to him who has made the bondmen free !
Loved evermore shall our noble ruler be ;
Freedom reigns to-day !

Glory, glory, hallelujah, &c.

John Brown's body lies mouldering in the grave ;
Bright o'er the sod let the starry banner wave ;
Lo ! for the millions he perilled all to save,
Freedom reigns to-day |
Glory, &c.

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John Brown's soul through the world is marching on ;
Hail to the hour when oppression shall be gone !
All men will sing in the better ages' dawn,
Freedom reigns to-day !
Glory, etc.

Johii Brown dwells where the battle strife is o'er ;
Hate cannot harm him, nor sorrow stir him more ;
Earth will remember the martyrdom he bore ;
Freedom reigns to-day !
Glory, Ac.

John Brown's body lies mouldering in the grave ;
John Brown lives in the triumphs of the brave ;
John Brown's soul not a higher joy can crave ;
Freedom reigns to-day !

Glory, glory, hallelujah !
Glory, glory, hallelujah !
Glory, glory, hallelujah !
Freedom reigns to-day !

105

JOHN

brown's men at harper's ferry.

The men that John Brown gathered about him
for his last iight with slavery were men like him-
self of heroic mould. They were young men in the
full morning of life. They were each attached to
him by the subtle magnetism that attracts the
lesser to the greater. Like John Brown, they were
earnest men, haters of tyranny and injustice, and
lovers of freedom. They were each and all God-
fearing men, of staunch moral character, temperate,
truthful, sincere and brave. No profane word or
jest was heard from their lips. In their devotion,

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107

fidelity and self-sacrifice, they resembled the " Iron-
sides " of Cromwell. Their faith and confidence in
their strong old captain was such that they woiild,
as they did; follow him without a murmur into the
very "jaws of death." It is meet, right, and just
that these heroic men should have a place in history,
by the side of their fearless old leader.

. CASUALTIES AT HARPERS FERRY. ,

Aaron D. Stevens and John H. Kagi were Capt.
Brown's right-hand men during the Kansas war for
freedom, and at Harper's Ferry, Stevens was wound-
ed, taken prisoner and executed. Kagi was driven
into the river by a score of assailants, and cowardly
murdered. Owen Brown escaped and is still living
(1892). Oliver and Watson Brown were killed in
the fight. John E. Cook escaped, was captured, and
executed. Edwin Coppic, Albert Hazlett, John
Copeland, Shields Green, and Dangerfield Newby
were taken prisoners and executed. Stuart Taylor,
William Lehman, Louis Leary, William and Dauphin
Thompson, and Jeremiah Anderson were killed in
the fight. Barclay Coppic, Frank J Merriam, Charles
Plummer Tidd, and O. P. Anderson escaped,

Names and rank oj John Broum's men at Ffarper's Ferry.

MUSTKR ROLL.

Aaron Dwight Stevens Captain

John Henry Kagi ... - "

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Owen Brown (eon of John Brown) CapUin

Oliver Brown " " "

WatBon Brown " " "

John K. Cook "

Edwin Coppio Lieutenant

Albert Hazlett "

William Lehman "

fRlVATEH.

Barclay Coppio, Stuart Taylor, Frank J. Merriman, Louis
Leary, Shields (treen, Dangerfield Newby, Jeremiah Anderson,
O. P. Anderson, John Copeland, Charles Plummer Tidd, William
Thompson (son-in-law of John Brown), Dauphin Thompson (son-
in-law of John Brown).

Captain Brown expected the slaves would flock
to his standard in hundreds in case he was success-
ful, hence the disproportionate number of commis-
sioned officers in his force. These officers had been
thoroughly drilled by Colonel Forbes, formerly an
officer of Garibaldi's army, and it was Captain
Brown's purpose to organize his colored recruits
into companies under these officers.

Never in the history of the world, did mightier
results follow the actions of a like number of men.

JOHN brown's "provisional CONSTITUTION."

On page 84 the reader will find a call from John
Brown for a convention to be held in Chatham,
Canada, in May, 1858. The convention met on the
day appointed and formed a " Provisional Constitu-
tion," and elected a president and other civil officers.

Memoirs of a Reformer.

101)

John Brown was appointed Commander-in-Chief,
John Henry Kagi, Secretary of War, and Owen
Brown, Treasurer of the military forces. This
" Provisional Constitution " was to be John Brown's
shield and authority as Commander-in-Chief, and
it was by virtue of ^lis authority that his officers
were commissioned.

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Copy of Brofon'a commiaHion to hia Officers.

Headtiuarters, War liept..

Near Harper's Ferry, Md. ,

October 15th, 1859.
Greeting :

Whereas, Owen Brown has been nomiaated a captain in the
'. tny, established under the provisional constitution.

Now, therefore, in pursuance of the authority vested in us by
said constitution, we do hereby appoint and commission the said
Owen Brown, a captain.

Given at the office of the Secretary of War, this October 15th,
1850.

J. H. Kaoi,

C<mvmande,r in- Chief.

Secretary of War.

(The original is printed except the words in italics, which are
in the writing of Kagi.)

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CHAPTER V.

1860-61. '

Number of Refugees in Canada — Negro Slave's Escape to Can-
ada — Cruelty and Injustice of the Fugitive Slave Law — Presi-
dential Election, 1860.

NUMBER OF REFUGEES IN CANADA.

I SPENT the next three months in Canada, visiting
those refugees in whom I had taken a pei^sonal in-
terest. I found six in Chatham, two in London,
four in Hamilton, two in Amherstburgh, and one in
Toronto — fifteen in all ; while several had gone from
Canada to New England. It afforded me great
satisfaction to find them sober, industrious members
of society. It has often been remarked by both
Canadians and visitors from the States, that the
negro refugees in Camada were superior specimens
of their race. The observation is true ; for none
but those possessing superior qualities could hope
to reach Canada. The difficulties and dangers of
the route, and the fact that they were often closely
pursued for weeks by human foes and by blood-
hounds, required the exercise of rare qualities of
mind and body. Their route would often lay through
dismal swamps inhabited only by wild animals and

poisonous reptiles. Sometimes the distance between

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the land of bondage and freedom was several hun-
dreds of miles, every mile of which had to be
traversed on foot. It is, indeed, surprising that so
large a number of fugitives succeeded in reaching
Canada, considering the obstacles they had to con-
tend with on their long and dangerous journey.

The number of refugee negroes in Canada at the
outbreak of the Slaveholders Rebellion, was not far
short of forty thousand. Probably more than half
of them were manumitted slaves who, in consequence
of unjust laws, were compelled to leave the States
where they were manumitted. Many of these
negroes settled in the Northern States, but the
greater portion of them came to Canada.

The following simple lines were familiar to most
of the fugitives in Canada thirty years ago : —

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THE NEGRO SLAVE'S ESCAPE TO CANADA.

" I'm on my way to Canada, that free and happy land,
Thn cruelty of slavery I can no longer stand.
My soul is grieved within me to think that I'm a slave>
And I'm resolved to strike a blow for freedom or the grave.
Farewell, farewell, old master, I'm on my way to Canada,
Where colored men are free."

" I heard old master pray last night, I heard him pray for me,
That God would come with might and power and me from
Satan free.

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So I from Satan would be free and flee the wrath to come,
But if Satan is in human form, old master's surely one.
Farewell, farewell, old master, I'm on the road to Canada,
Dear land of liberty."

** I've heard that Queen Victoria, if we would all forsake
Our native land of slavery and come across the lake.
That she was waiting on the shore with arms extended wide,
To give us all a peaceful home in Canada by her side.
Farewell, farewell, old master, that's good enough for me,
I'm on my way to Canada, dear land of liberty. "

" The hounds are baying on my track and master's close behind,
Resolved that he will take me back before I cross the line.
I no more dread the auctioneer, nor fear the master's frown,
I no more tremble when I hear the baying of the hound.
Farewell, farewell, old master, I've just arrived in Canada,
Where every man is free ; God bless Canada ! "

CRUELTY AND INJUSTICE OF THE FUGITIVE
SLAVE LAW.

When the Fugitive Slave Law was enacted in
1850, it carried terror to every person of African
blood in the Free States. Stung with hopeless
despair, more than six thousand Christian men and
women fled from their homes, and sought refuge
under the flag of Britain in Canada. In the words
of Charles Sumner : —

"The Free States became little better than a huge outlying
plantation, quivering under the lash of the overseer ; or rather
they were a diversified hunting ground for the flying bondman,
resounding always with the ' halloo ' of the huntsman. There
f*aemed to be no rest. The chase was hardly finished at Boston,

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before it broke out at Philadelphia, Syracuse or Buffalo, and
then again raged furiously over the prairies of the west. Not a
case occurred which did not shock the conscience of the country,
and sting it with anger. The records of the time attest the
accuracy of this statement."

Perhaps there is no instance in history where
human passion showed itself in grander forms of
expression, or where eloquence lent all her gifts
more completely to the demands of liberty, than the
speech of Theodore Parker (now dead and buried
in a foreign land), denouncing the capture of Thos.
Simms, at Boston, and invoking the judgment of
God and man upon the agents in this wickedness.
This great effort cannot Ije forgotten in the history
of humanity. But every case pleaded with an
eloquence of its own, until at last one of these
tragedies occurred which darken the heavens, and
cry out with a voice that will be heard. It was the
voice of a mother standing over her murdered child.
Margaret Garner had escaped from slavery with
three children, but she was overtaken at Cincin-
nati. Unwilling to see her offspring returned to
the shambles of the South, this unhappy mother,
described in the testimony as " a womanly, amiable,
affectionate mother," determined to save them in
the only way within her power. With a butcher
knife, coolly and deliberately, she took the life
of (me of the children, described as " almost white,
and a little girl of rare beauty," and attempt-

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ed, without success, to take the life of the other
two. To the preacher who interrogated her, she
exclaimed, " The child is my own, given me of God
to do the best a mother could in its behalf. I have
done the best I could ; I would have done more and
better for the rest ; I knew it was better for them
to go home to God than back to slavery." But she
was restrained in her purpose. The Fugitive Slave
Act triumphed, and after the determination of sun-
dry questions of jurisdiction, this devoted historic
mother, with the two children that remained to her,
and the dead body of the little one just emancipat-
ed, was escorted by a national guard v.!:' armed men
to the doom of slavery. But her case d'd not end
with this revolting sacrifice. So long as the human
heart is moved by human suffering, the story of
this mother will be read with alternate anger and
grief, while it is studied as a perpetual witness to
the slaveholding tyranny which then ruled the
Republic with execrable exactions, destined at last
to break out in war, as the sacrifice of Virginia by
her father is a perpetual witness to the decemviral
tyranny which ruled Rome. But liberty is always
priceless. There are other instances less known, in
which kindred wrong has been done. Every case
was a tragedy — under the forms of law. Worse
than poisoned bowl or dagger was the certificate of
a United States Commissioner — who was allowed,
without interruption, to continue his dreadful trade.

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THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 1860.

Durinfij no previous Presidential election (except
that of 1856, when Fremont and Buchanan were the
candidates), was there so much excitement on the
slavery question as that of 1860, when Lincoln
Breckenridge, Bell, and Douglas, were the candidates.

To enable my readers to form a correct opinion *
of the political position occupied by the republican
candidate toward the institution of slavery, I give
below the "Republican Platform," on which Presi-
dent Lincoln went before the people for their suff-
rages : —

REPUBLICAN NATIONAL (LINCOLN) PLATFORM.

Adoptkd at Chicago, 1860.

Resolved, — That we, the delegated representativeH of the
Republican electors of the United States, in Convention as-
sembled, in discharge of the duty we owe to our constituents and
our country, unite in the following declarations :

1. That the history of the nation, during the last four years,
has fully established the propriety and necessity of the organiza-
tion and perpetuation of the Republican party, and that the
causes which called it into existence are permanent in their
nature, and now, more than ever before, demand its peaceful
and constitutional triumph.

2. That the maintenance of the principles promulgated in the
Declaration of Independence and embodied in the Federal Con-
stitution, " That all men are created equal ; that they are en-
dowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights ; that
among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness ; that

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to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men,
deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed," is
essential to the preservation of our Republican institutions ; and
that the Federal Constitution, the Rights of the States, and the
Union of the States, must and shall be preserved.

7. That the new dogma, that the Constitution of its own
force, carries Slavery into any or all of the Territories of the
United States, is a dangerous political heresy, at variance with
the explicit provisions of that instrument itself, with contemp?
oraneous exposition, and with legislative and judicial precedent ;
ib revolutionary in its tendency, and subversive of the peace and
harmony of the country.

8. That the normal condition of all the territory of the United
States is that of freedom ; That as our Republican fathers, when
they had abolished Slavery in all our national territory, ordained
that " no person should be deprived of life, liberty, or property,
without due process of law," it becomes our duty, by legislation,
whenever such legislation is necessary, to maintain this provi-
sion of the Constitution against all attempts to violate it ; and
we deny the authority of Congress, of a territorial legislature, or
of any individuals, to give legal exiotence to Slavery in any
Territory of the United States.

9. That we brand the recent re-opening of the African slave-
trade, under the cover of our national flag, aided by perversions
of judicial power, as a crime against humanity and a burning
shame to our country and age ; and we call up>in Congress to
take prompt and efficient measures for the total and final sup-
pression of that execrable traffic.

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CHAPTER VI.

1 861-1865.

Interview with President Lincoln — Confidential Service in Can-
ada — Second Interview with the President — The President an
Abolitionist — Office Seekers — Confederates in Canada — Rebel:
Postal Service — With thcPresident— Rebel Dispatches— Rebels
in New Brunswick — Mr. Lincoln's Kindness — Hospitalities of
the White House— "Oh, why should the Spirit of Mortal be"
Proud?" — ^Leave for New Brunswick — Occupy a State-room
with a Rebel— r His Arrest— President Lincoln's Patience and
Justice — Persecution of Joshua R. Giddings — His Arrest — ■
Death of Mr. Giddings— Efforts of the Author to Awaken
Kindly Feelings Toward the United States — A Favorite Rebel
Resort — Southern Schemes — With the Army of the Potomac
— Step Towards Emancipation — The Emancipation Proclama-
tion — Ratification of the Constitutional Amendment and Pro-
clamation of Freedom — " Laus Deo " — Complimentary Letters
from President Lincoln, Governor Fenton, of New York, and
Charles Sumner — Offer of Services to Mexico — Benito Juarez
— Natural History Labors. ♦:,

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III

THE SLAVEHOLDERS REBELLION.

For many weeks after the death of Capt. Brown, I
felt that the defeat of his plans at Harper's Ferry
was a great calamity to the enslaved. I saw nothing
in store for the poor slaves but toil and bondage for
another generation. For who, at that time, foresaw
the mighty conflict that was soon to be inaugurated

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by the haughty slaveholders, by which they and
their cherished institution were to be completely
overthrown.

The brave and noble words and conduct of John
Brown, while in the hands of his murderers, shook
the institution of slavery to its very foundation. The
slaveholders fully comprehended that unless they
could obtain from the North further guarantees for
the protection of the institution of slavery — that
secession from the Free States was their only salva-
tion. Their insolent demands upon the North were
met by a quiet determination that not another foot
of the public domain should be given up to slavery.
Northern politicians had become so accustomed to
yielding obedience to the commands of the slave-
drivers, that strong efforts were made to effect a
compromise with the pro-slavery leaders in Con-
gress.

But the patience of the peace-loving people of the
Free States was at length exhausted ; they had sub-
mitted to the outrageous provisions of the Fugitive
Slave Law ; they had looked on while the champions
of freedom in Congress were insulted and assaulted
by the slave-drivers of the South ; they had borne
for years the taunts and sneers of the Southern chi-
valry ; and now they resolved to assert their just
rights and privileges as citizens of a free country.

The threats and demands of the slaveholders were
treated with the contempt they deserved.

Memoirs of a Reforiiier.

119

CONFIDENTIAL SERVICE IN CANADA.

A few months after the inauguration of President
Lincoln, I received a letter from the Hon. Charles
Sumner, requesting me to come to Washington at
my earliest convenience.

INTERVIEW WITH PRESIDENT LINCOLN.

The day after my arrival in Washington, I was
introduced to the President. Mr. Lincoln received
me very cordially, and invited me to dine with him.
Assembled at the President's table were several pro-
minent gentlemen, to whom Mr. Lincoln introduced
me as " a red-hot abolitionist from Canada." One
of the guests, a prominent member of Congress, from
Indiana (severely injured in after years by the Cre-
dit Mohilier), said in a slurring manner, " I wish the
negroes of the United States would emigrate to Can-
ada, as the Canadians are so fond of their company."
Mr. Lincoln said, "It would be better for the negroes,
that's certain." " Yes," I replied, a little warmly, " it
would be better for the negroes ; for, under our flag,
the blackest negro is entitled to, and freely accord-
ed, every right and privilege enjoyed by native
Canadians. We make no distinction in respect to
the colour of a man's skin. It is true, we live under
a monarchial form of government ; but every man
and woman, white, black or brown, have equal rights

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muhr our laws." Mr. Lincoln, in a jocular way, said
to the nu'inbur of CongrcsH, " It* you are not careful,
you will hring on a war with Canada. I think we
have a big (enough job on hand now."

The conversation then turned on the attitude of
England toward the Free States in their contest
with the slaveholders. One gentleman remarked
that he was surprised to see so many manifestations
of unfriendliness on the part of the English and
Canadian people, and asked me how I accounted for
it. I replied, " How can you expect it otherwise,
when there exists in your Northern States so much
diversity of opinion as to the justness of your cause ?
The unfriendly expressions of an English statesman,
or the avowed hostility of a few English and Cana-
dian papers, are noted by you with painful surprise,
while the treasonable utterances and acts of some of
your own political leaders and people are quite over-
looked. Besides, you cannot expc^ct the sympathy
of Canadians in your behalf, while you display such
an utter disregard for the rights and liberties of
your own citizens, as I witnessed in this city yes-
terday."

Mr. Lincoln asked to what I alluded ? I replied,
" A United States Marshal passed through Washing-
ton, yesterday, having in i; is charge a coloured man,
whom he was taking bpjk to Virginia under your
Fugitive Slave Law. The man had escaped from his
master — who is an open rebel — and fled to Wilming-

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ton, Delaware, wliei-e he wnn nrrcHted, ami taken
hack into shiveiy."

After dinner, Mr. Lincohi led nie to a window,
diHtant from the rest of the party, and said, " Mr.
Sninner sent for you at my request. We need a
faithfii' friend in Canada to look after our inter-
ests, antl keep us posted as to the schemes of the
Confederates in Canada. V'ou have heen stronffly
recommended to me for the position. Your com-
munications may be sent direct to me. '^riiink it
over to-ni^ht ; and if you can accept the mission,
come up and see me at nine o'clock to-morrow morn*
ing." When I took my leave of him, he said, " I
hope you will decide to serve us." I concluded to
accept the responsibilities of the mission, being per-
suaded to this conclusion l)y tb.e wishes of the Presi-
dent and my friend Mr. Sumner.

THE PRESIDENT AN ABOLITIONIST.

At nine o'clock next morning, I waited upon the
President, and announced my decision. He grasped
my hand in a hearty manner, and said. " Thank
you ; thank you ; I am glad of it." I said, " Mr.
Lincoln, if the purpose of j'^our Government is the
liberation from bondage of the poor slaves of the
South, I shall feel justified in accepting any posi-
tion where I could best serve you ; but when I see
so much tenderness for that vile institution and for

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the interests of slaveholders, I question whether
your efforts to crush the rebellion will meet with
the favour of Heaven." He replied, " I sincerely
wish that all men were free ; and I especially wish
for the complete abolition of slavery in this coun-
try ; but my private wishes and feelings must yield
to the duties of my position. My first duty is, to
maintain the integrity of the Union. With that
object in view, I shall endeavour to save it, either
with or without slavery. I have always been an
anti-slavery man. Away back in 1839, when I was
a member of the Legislature of Illinois, I presented
a resolution asking for the emancipation of slavery
in the District of Columbia, when, with but few ex-
ceptions, the popular mind of my State was opposed
to it. If the institution of slavery is destroyed, and
the slaves set free, as a result of this conflict which
the slaveholders have forced upon us, I shall rejoice
as heartily as you. In the meantime, help us to
circumvent the machinations of the rebel agents in
Canada. There is no doubt they will use your
country as a communicating link v/ith Europe, and
also with their friends in New York. It is quite
possible also that they may make Canada a base,
to harass and annoy our people along the frontier."
After a lergthy conversation relative to private
matters connected with my mission, I rose to leave,
when he said, " I'll walk down to ' Willard's ' with
you : the hotel is on my way to the Capitol, where
I have an engagement at noon."

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Mertioirs; of a Reforv}er.

123

OFFICE SEEKERS.

Before we reached the hotel, a man approached
the President, and thrust a letter into his hand,
at the same time applying for some office in Wis-
consin. I saw that the President was offended at
the rudeness, for he passed the letter back with-
out looking at it, saying emphatically, " No, sir ! I
am not going to open shop here." This was said in
a most emphatic manner, but accompanied by a
comical gesture, which caused tbe rejected applicant
to smile. As we continued our walk, the President
spoke of the annoyances incident to his position,
saying, " These office-seekers are a cunse to this
country. No sooner was my election certain, than
I became the prey of hundreds of hungry, persis-
tent applicants for office, whose highest ambition is
to feed at the government crib." When he bid me
good-bye, he said, " Let me hear from you once a
week at least." As he turned to leave me, a young
army officer stopped him, and made some request,
to which the President replied with a good deal of
humour : " No i can't do that. I must not inter-
fere ; they voaid scratch my eyes out, if I did. You
must ^ro to the proper departmer*^^."

As I ' stohed the President w^ -Hng his way to-
wards the Capitol, I was deeply impressed with the
dreadful responsibility that rested upon him 1 The

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Memoirfi of a Reforrtier.

hopes of iiiillions of Republicans throughout the
world were fixed upon him ; while twenty millions
of his own people looked to him for the salvation
of the Republic, and four millions of poor down-
trodden slaves in the South looked to him for free-
dom.

Mr. Lincoln was no ordina y man. Hf» had
quick and ready perception cf facts, a reterAfcive
meniory, and a logical turn of nind, whijh patient-
ly and unwaveringly followed every link in the
chain of thought on every subject which lit investi-
gated. He was honest, temperr 'ie, and forgJvir*p,
He was a good man — a man of noble and kii> -r
heart. I never heard him speak unkindly of any
man ; even the rebels received no word of anger
from him.

CONFEDERATES IN CANADA.

On my return to Montreal, I sought opportun-
ities to become acquainted with the names, habits,
and occupations of the various Confederates in
Canada. -

The principal Confederate agent in Canada at
that time was Jacob Thompson, an e!x-member of
Buchanan's administration, whose contemptible con-
duct, while a member of the Government, in warn-
ing the rebels of Charleston of the sailing of th(;
steamer " Star of the West" with provisions for the

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Memoirs of a Reformer,

125

besieged garrison at Fort Sumpter, furnishes a good
index to his character. The plots and schemes
devised by him and his subordinates to furnish the
rebels with clothing, boots and shoes, etc., via Nas-
sau, Cuba, and to keep open a channel of communi-
cation with the Confederate States, kept me con-
tinually on the qui vive to frustrate their designs.

There prevailed in Canada at this period a very
strong and active sympathy for the Confederates.
Indeed, I may say, that among the wealthy and in-
fluential classes there were few but what wished
for the success of the slaveholders, and the conse-
quent disruption of the Union. This was not from
any love for slavery, but rather a l-eflex of the
sympathy manifestsd by the higher classes in Eng-
land for the Confederacy. To overcome this pre-
judice against the Northern cause, and awaken
kindly sympathies for the people of the Free States
in the contest with slavery, was the object of my
earnest efforts. To assist me in accomplishing that
purpose, I brought before the Canadian people tlie
claims of the Sanitary Commission of the United
States Army, an organization that excited the
generous impulses of Christians of all denomina-
tions and classes.

The Montreal Daily Witness, in alluding to this
subject at the time, s lid : —

** The United States Sanitary CuninilHaion lias opened branches
in three of the European capitals, London, Paris and Berlin ;

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and from the London branch alone a large amount of pecuniary
aid has been remitted. Dr. A. M. Robs has opened another
branch in this city. We know of no agency more likely to
awaken kindly feelings here, towards the United States, than
this. Dr. Ross informs us, indeed, that this is the object of the
Commission in forming their foreign offices, which give an
opportunity of circulating information which may remove preju-
dice, and of receiving btnefits and awakening kindly sympathies
for the sick and wounded soldiers."

REBEL POSTAL SERVICE.

Toward the close of 1862, I discovered that a
regult system of postal service was in operation
betwec Confederate States and Europe, via

Detroit, aL . ' • "cal and Boston. After weeks of dili-
gent search, the detectives arrested a woman who
regularly passed between Detroit and Boston, via
Montreal and Rouse's Point, N.Y., once a fortnight.
She was despoiled of her mail, and placed in prison.
I carried the " mail" to Washington, arriving there
at midnight, and went direct to the White House
and sent my card to the President, who had retired
to bed. In a few minutes the porter returned and
requested me to accompany him to the President's
room, when the President would soon join me.
The room into which I was ushered was the same
in which I had spent several hours with the Presi-
dent on the occasion of my first interview with
him. Scattered about the floor, and lying open on
the table, were several military maps and docu-
ments indicating recent use. On the wall hung a

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127

picture of that noble friend of freedom, John
Bright, of England.

WITH PRESIDENT LINCOLN.

In a few minutes, the President came in, and wel-
comed me in the most friendly manner. I express-
ed my regret at disturbing him at such an hour.
He replied in a good-humoured manner, saying,
" No, no ; you did right ; you may waken me when-
ever you please. I have slept with one eye open
ever since I came to Washington : I never close both,
except when an office-seeker is looking for me." " I
am glad (referring to a letter 1 had sent him) you
are pleased with the Emancipation Proclamation ;
but there is work before us yet. We must make
that Proclamation effective by victories over our
enemies. It is a paper bullet after all, and of no
account, except we can sT^stain it." I expressed my
belief that the cause of the Union would pros-
per now that justice had been done to the poor
ne^ro. He replied, " I hope so ! The suffering and
misery that attends this conflict is killing me by
inches. I wish it was over ! "

•

REBEL DESPATCHES.

I then laid before the President the " rebel mail."
He carefully examined the address of each letter,
jnaking occasional remarks. At length he found

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one addressed to Franklin Pierce, ex-President of
the United States, then residing in New Hampshire,
and another to ex-Attorney General Gushing, a
resident of Massachusetts. He appeared much sur-
prised, and remarked with a sigh, but, without the
slightest tone of asperity, " I will have these letters
enclosed in official envelopes, and sent to these
parties." When he had finished examining the ad-
dresses, he tied up all those addressed to private
individuals, saying, " I won't bother with them ;
but these look like official letters : I guess I'll go
through them now." He then opened them, and
read their contents slowly and carefully.

While he was thus occupied reading the letters I
had brought him I had an excellent opportunity of
studying tuis extraordinary man. A marked change
had taken place in his countenance since my tirst in-
terview with him. He looked much older, and bore
traces of having passed through months of painful
anxiety and trouble. There was a sad, serious look
in his eyes that spoke louder than words, of disap-
pointments, trials, and discouragements he had en-
countered since the war began. The wrinkles about
the eyes and forehead were deeper ; the lips were
firmer, but indicative of kindness and forbearance.
The gi-eat struggle liad brought out the hidden
riches of his noble nature, and developed virtues
and capacities which surprised his oldest and most
intimate friends. He was simple, but astute ; he

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129

possessed the rare faculty of seeing things just as
they are: he was a just, charitable, and honest man.

It
le

MR. LINCOLN S MISSION.

If ever an individual was specially fitted and or-
dained to perform a special service, that individual
was Abraham Lincoln. No parent could evince a
warmer interest in the welfare of his family than
he did for the safety and welfare of his country.
Every faculty he possessed was devoted to the sal-
vation of the Union.

" How humble, yet how hopeful he could be ;
How in good fortune and in ill, the same ;
Nor bitter in success, nor boastful he,
Thirsty for gold, nor feverish for fame.

He went about his work, such work as few
Ever had laid on head, and heart, and hand,

As one who knows, where there's a task to do,

Man's honest will must heaven's good grace comn.and.

So he went forth to battle, on the side
That he felt clear was Liberty's and Right's,

As in his peasant boyhood he had plied

His warfare with rude nature's thwarting mights.

So he grew up a destined work to do ;

And lived to do it : four long, suffering years,
111 fate, ill feeling, ill report, lived through,

And then he heard the hisses change to cheers.

The taunts to tributes, the abuse to praise.

And took both with the same unwavering nuiod."

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130 Memoirs of a Reformer.

KEBE1.S IN NEW BRUNSWICK.

Havitig tiniHhed reading a letter, he .said, " Read
this (handing me a letter signed by the Coiife<lei*ate
Secretary of State), and tell nie what you think of
it." The letter was addressed to the rebel envoy
at the French Coui't, and stated that preparations
were being made to invade the Eastern frontier of
the United States in the vicinity of Calais, Maine.
It also expressed the opinion that an attack in .so
unexpected acjuarter would dishearten the Northern
people and encourage the Democrats to oppose the
continuation of the war.

I told the President tha^ this confirmed the truth
of information I had comnumicated to him several
weeks previously, that the rebels were preparing to
raid on some of the Eastern States from the British
Provinces. He replied, " That's so ! You had better
go down to New Brunswick, and see what the rebels
are up to. The information contained in the des-
patches I have read is of great importance. There
are two despatches which I cannot read, as they are
in cipher; but I'll find some way to get at their con-
tents."

1 then rose to go, saying that I would go to " Wil-
lard's" and have a rest. "No, no," said the Presi-
dent, " it is now three o'clock, you shall stay with
me while you are in town : I'll find you a bed,"

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131

3 "

»ea,

and leading the way he entered a bedroojii, saying,
"Take a good sleep: yon shall not be distnrbed."
Bidding me " Good night," he left, to return to his
investigation of the rebel hitteis.

HOSPITALITIES OF THE WHITE HOl'SE.

I did not awake from juy sleep until eleven
o'clock in the forenoon, soon after which Mr. Lin-
coln came into my room, and laughingly said,
" When you are ready, I'll pilot you down to break-
fast," which he did, and, seating himself at tlie
table near me, expressed his fears that trouble was
brewing on the New Brunswick border: that he
had gathered further information on that point
from the correspondence, which convinced him that
such was the case. He was here interrupt(Ml by a
servant, who handed him a card, u]X)n i-eading
which he arose, saying, " The Secretary of War has
received important tidings; I must leave you for
the present. Come to my room after breakfast,
and we'll talk over this New Brunswick affair."

On entering his room, I found him busily en-
gaged in writing, at the same time repeating in a
low voice the words of a poem, which I remembered
reading many years before. When lie stopped
writing, I askoid him who was the author of that
poem. He replied, " I do not know. I have written
the verses <lown from memory, at the request of a

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lady who is much pleased with them." He passed
the sheet, on which he had written the verses, to
me, saying, " Have you ever read them ? " I re-
])lied that I had many years previously, and that 1
should be pleased to have a copy of them in his
handwriting, when he had time and inclination for
such work. He said, " Well, you may keep that
copy, if you wish."

The following is the poem, as written down by
Mr. Lincoln : —

OH! WHY SHOULD THE SPIRIT OF MORTAL BK

PROUD?

Oh I why shuuld the spirit of mortal be proud ?
Like a swift-Heebing meteor, a fast-Hying cloud,
A flash of the lightning, a break uf the wave,
He passeth from lif<: to his rest in the grave.

'i'he leaves of tlie oak and tite willow shall fade,
Be scattered around and together be laid ;
As the youug and the old, the low and the high,
Shall crumble to dust, and together shall lie.

The infant n mother attended and loved ;
The mother that infant's atlection who proved ;
The father, that mother and infant who blest —
Each, all are away to that dwelling of rest.

The maid, on whose brow, tm whose cheek, in whose eye,
Shone l)eiuty and pleasure — her triumphs are by ;
And alike from the minds of the living erased,
Are the memories of mortals that loved her and praised.

iifimW",YK!

Sf('nnnr>i *>f <' Hrfnnti.fr. |:{.*^

The haiitl of the king timi tiin sceptre hath borne ;
The brow of the priest that the mitre hath worn ;
The eye of the sage, the heart of the brave,
Are hidden and h»st in the depths of the grave.

The peaHant, whoHe hit waH to sow and to reap,
The herdsman, who climbed with bin goats up the stee|),
The l>eggar, who wandered in search of his bread,
Have faded away like the grass which we tread.

So the multitude go«8, like the Hower or the weed,
That withers away to let otbers succeed ;
So the nniltitude comes, even those we behold,
To repeat every tale tliat has often been told.

For we are the same our fathers have been ;
We see the same sights they often have seen ;
We drink the same stream, we see the same sun,
And run the same course our fathers have run.

The thoughts we are thinking our fathers did think ;
From the death we are shrinking our fathers did shrink ;
To the life we are clinging, our fathers did cling.
But it speeds from us all like the bird on the wing.

They loved — but the story we cannot unfold ;
They scorned — but the heart of the haughty is cold ;
They grieved — but no wail from their slumbers will come ;
They joyed — but the tongue of their gladness is dumb.

They died ; ah, they died. We, things that are now,
That walk on the turf that lies over their brow,
And make in their dwelling a transient abode.
Meet the things that they met on their pil(;'rimage road.

Yea, hope and despondency, pleasure and pain,
Are mingled together in sunshine and rain ;
And the smile and the tear, and the soc ".) .i the dirge.
Still follow each other like surge upon surge.

''A

%i\

I'- .

I.'M Memoirs of n lirfitrutor.

"I'la tl)c wink of an cyo, tlxMlraiiglit of a lircalh,
From the bloHHoiii of health to the palnncHH of (luulh;
Kroin the j^ihled .siloon to th(^ bier and the Mhiouil.
Oh ! why HhouM the spirit of mortal l»e proud?

" /'/•». sf-zj^// tn Dr. /fnxs hi/

" A LINCOLN. •

LKAVK I-'OK NKW HKUNSWKK.

Tlu' i'cIm'I (l<KMiin(M)t.s coiitjiiiH'd jilmiHlant cvidciicc
tlwit the ('nnFe(l«init«'s wore oi'^niii/iiijr u bniwl in
Canada to raid u])(>ii tli(^ Unito<l Stat«'w fronticir,
an<l tlio Pi'csidoiit was anxious tliat. I sliould j^o to
Now Bninswick and, if ])ossil>lf', ascertain what
the rebels wore up to in that quartor.

I left Washinj^ton that night, and ai-iivod in Hos-
tt>n in time to take tho stoanior foi' St. John, ^M.
The boat was crowded witli ])asseiigers, and 1 had
to share my stateroom with a gentleman who no
al)oard at Portland. Tho features of my •>»
companion were dark an<l coarse; his luiir, black
an<l long. He was about six feet in height, of
tough and wiry franjo. His language and general
appearance were strikingly Southern. I selected
the top berth, and retired before him, so that I
might the more readily observe him ; for I had
strong suspicions that he was a Confederate, which
he proved to be.

Memoirs of <> HrJ'nrriirr.

IHo

OCCll'V A |{(»»M Willi A MKUKI,

al
ted

b I

lad

Wlion lit' t'litcrrd tlic stutrrooiii, lie intnHlucTd
hiniHt'lC jis tlu' owiUT of one of tho IxTths, and
said : " J am ^'lad vou ai«' not a Yankee." " How
du V'ou know :* " I asked. " Tlie clerk told nie vou
were a Canadian, and tlie ( anndians are all on our
side." I easily enn^a^e<l him in talking*: he was a
hoastFid hraj^pirt, fond of whiskey, of which he
di'ank freely. I lonai'ked that I was tired of hear-
inof threats and boasts of wliat thev, "the (\>nf(Mler-
ates were ^'oinf;' to do." 'lliis jicttled my compa-
nion, and 1m* exclaimed, "Well, sir! you'll soon hear
that we hin-f done something'. We have many
picked men in St. Andrews and St. John, New
Brunswick, and we ha\ c a ^ood supply of stores on
Grand Menan Island. J expect thirty men from
Canada next week. As soon as tliey arrive we will

prepare for an attack on Eastport : and, by ,

we intend to wipe it out. And then we will attack
Calais in the rear, an<l, if hard ])ressed, retreat into
New Brunswick."

This astounding news corroborated the informa-
tion ol)tained from the captured letters.

ARREST OF THE REBEL OFFICER.

On the arrival of the steamer at Eastport, my
new acquaintance was arrested, and I telegraphed

•;

. i

ii-

i^ 1

!i:

!
1

136

Memoirs of a RefovTin^w

to Mr. Lincoln the information obtained. A reve-
nue cutter was immediately sent to Eastport. The
Provincial authorities were warned, and prompt
steps taken to prevent any infraction of the Neu-
trality Laws on the New Brunswick V)oi*(ler.

MISSION TO RICHMON!>.

Several weeks t„fter uiy retui'u from New Bruns-
wick, I was requested by the President to come to
Washington. On reporting to him, he said, " Doc-
tor, I want you to go to Richmond, and endeavour
to obtain the consent of the confederate authorities
to treat our colored soldiers, now prisoners in their
hands, as prisoners of war subject to exchange. As
you are a Canadian, you will have more influence
than any one I can think of," adding, " Of course
you go simply as a friend of the colored race, and
entirely on your own hook. You will be carried to
the front, and turned loose to find your way to
Richmond as best you can."

BETWEEN THE TWO ARMIES.

On the following day I reached the confederate
lines. After perceiving a rebel soldier, I waved a
handkerchief and approached him. When within
several yards of him, he ordered me to halt, and
asked who I was, and where from. Having satis-
fied him, he led me to his commander, who forward-
ed me to General Lee's headquarters.

Memoirs of a Reformer.

137

INTEKVIEW WITH GKNERAL R. K. LEE.

I was taken into a larger room, where there were
many officers in uniform, some writing, others ex-
amining maps and in conversation. The officer with
me announced my name, when an elderly gentleman
approached me, saying, " I am General Lee ; I am
told you (lesire to go to Richmond. Wliat is the
business that takes you there ? " This was sjiid in
a quiet, gentlemanly manner, whicli. together with
his form and bearing, favorably impressed me. I
regretted that so noble a man should be engaged in
so unrighteous a cause. He listened respectfully to
what I had to say, and then directed an officer to
accompany me to Richmond.

INTERVIEW WITH JEFFERSON DAVIS AND SECRETARV

MEN.JAMIN.

\'i' '^

On the day following I was inti oduced to Mr. Ben-
jamin. On being brought face to face with him my
impression was, here is a smooth, oily, cunning,
treacherous and deceitful man. He asked me to be
seated and, seating himself, said, " Please state your
businesswith the Government." While 1 was talking
a door opened behind me and some person (luietlj"
entered the room and appeared to be listening to my
intercession for the colored soldiers. When I had
concluded, Mr. Benjamin said, " We cannot for one

■ !

Memoirs of o, Heforwer.

minute entertain sucli a })r()p()Hiti("»n, and Lincoln
knew it before you left Washington." At this point
a pale, thin, bilious-looking man approached me and
in a quick, nervous voice sai<l, "Tell Mr. Lincoln that
we will not accord the right of exchange to our fugi-
tive slav(is whom he has armed and sent out to as-
sasinate us. We will treat e^'ery colored soldier
W(! capture as a fugitive slave. It is useless to dis-
cuss this matter." Jefferson Davis (for it was he
who had spoken) had changed gi'eatl- \\ appear-
ance since I first saw him in l(S50. He was nuich
thinner, and ha«i a careworn look. He spoke slowly,
l>ut the tone indicated bitterness and hate towards
the North. Early next moining I was conveyed to
the outposts opposite Fcn'tress Moiu'oe, and from
thence to Washington.

RETURN TO WASHINCiTON'.

Mr. Lincoln cordially w(;lcomed me back and ex-
pressed his gratitude for my services. When I in-
formed him of the result of my mission he said,
" Well, I did not expect any other result: if that is
their determination we shall have to wait until they
become more reasonable. It's bad for our colored
boys. They must take care and not get captured."
])uring my stay in Washington I was the guest of
Mr. Lincoln and enjoyed many opportunities for
studying the character of this extraordinary man.

Memoirn of a Hefoi^in'r.

13&

Ml{. LINCOLN S PATIENCE AND .lUSTICE.

Many complaints had reached the Pi'e.sidcnt of
the disloyalty of two prominent federal officers
of the civil service in Baltimore. The President
wrote to me as follows: — " 1 am in doubt as to the
justice of the Cv)mplaints made against them. Will
you, please, satisfy y<nu-self aw to the matter, and
inform me ^ Take sufficient time to be well satis-
fied."

Both of the officials were found t(> be tiaitors,
using their official position to injure tlu^ govern-
ment that fed them. Both made their esca])e to the
confederacy, and to my chagrin the President ex-
pressed himself as (flad that he was well rid of
them.

PERSECUTION OK .JOSHIA U. (ilDDINOS.

The cruel and unnecessary arrest of the Hon.
Joshua R. (xiddings, Consul-General of the United
States, at Montreal, for the alleged connivance at
the kidnapping of (me Redpath, was incited by the
Confederate agents. Redpath had fled to Canada
to escape punishment for mui'dei" committed during
the draft riots in New York. A United States de-
tective followed Redpath to Montreal, and arrested
him. He was ironed, placed in a close carriage, and
driven to the depot, where he was guarded by an

i ■■

140

Mt'Dioim of ii Refornn'T.

If V

4 p

! ri

i 1

assiNtant, whilo tlio detective went to the United
States (consulate, and toM Mr. (iriddings that he
liad arrested a man charge<] with murder in New
York : that he had complie<i with the requirements
of the exti-adition treaty, and requested Mr. Gid-
dinga to give him a letter to (ieneral Dix, advising
compensation for the services of an assistant to
convey Redpath to New Yoik Mr. Giddings, with-
out ascertaining (for whicli he was in fault) whether
all the formalities of the extradition treaty had
been complie<l with, gave the detective a note to
(General Dix, in which he simply I'equested the
General to remunerate the detective for the service
of an assistant.

When the detective reached New York with his
prisonei*, Redpath obtained legal assistance, the
result of which was, that the (^anadian authorities
«lemande<l the return of Redpath to Canada. He
was brought back and liberated. Then the Southern
agents in Montreal took charge of this murderer,
and induced him to prosecute Mr. Giddings. This
was done to gratif}' their feelings of hatred toward
a nian who liad for thirty years fought for the
cause of human freedom.

HIM ARREST.

Mr. Giddings was arrested on Sunday evening,
while dining at the house of a friend. The arrest

Memoirs of a Reformer.

T41

was made on a day and at an hour when it was
hoped he would be unable to obtain bail, and con-
sequently would have to lie in jail over night. Two
prominent and wealthy citizens of Montreal, Har-
rison Stephens and Ira Gould, gave bonds for thirty
thousand dollars for Mr. Giddings's appearance at
the trial of the cause. Thus his enemies were baulked
in their despicable attempt to throw an innocent
old man into prison. Mr. Giddings was in poor
health at the time this outrage was perpetrated ;
and he fretted and grieved over it continually.

After the rebel agents had used Redpath for their
purpose, they cast him oft*. I concluded it was a
propitious time to rid Mr. (riddings of Redpatli and
this vindictive persecution. I found the miserable
creature, after considerable search, and prevailed
upon him to withdraw the suit. He confessed that
the Confederate agents in Montreal had instigated
him to bring the action against Mr. Giddings. The
anxiety and annoyance incident to this persecution
hastened the death of this noble old standard-bearer
of libertv.

In reference to this trouble, Mr. Giddings sent me
the following letter from his home in Ohio, wh<-'re
he had gone foi- a brief rest : —

' ■fl

'} 1

: I

)

!'■ I

Frwiii the Hon. Jotshita H. LiiddiiujH,

My very dear frieii«l, — How can 1 ever repay you for this great
ttct of friendship? That miserable m retch Redpath is not so

',>■ .

142

Memoirs of a Reformer.

much to blame as Jacob Thompson, whose wicked brain concocted
the persecution, and used Redpath as his instrument of torture.
I am in constant dread that you will be assassinated by these
rebel mercenaries, who are capable of any crime. Heaven pro-
tect you, my dear friend.

Yours devotedly.

JtT'OuW^

/l€-UJ^

Ashtabula, Ohio, April Itith, 1804.

DEATH OF MR. (UJ!l)lNOS.

s.;

I! I

He died suddenly while amusinj^ himseU' with a
game of biUiards in the St. Lawrence Hall.

The Montreal Daily Witness of that time, in
speaking of the death of Mr. ( biddings, said :

" One of the few men of any generation who are an object of
attention to millions, has just passed away from among us, full
of years and of the respect of all who appreciate unwavering
principle and courageous perseverance. Mr. (biddings was quite
convinced of his dissolution on Saturday last, when he handed
to Dr. A. M. Ross, of this city, letters addressed to several offi-
cers of the government, that to Mr. Lincoln being very affection-
ate. That evening he spoke of a presentiment that impressed
him that his death was near, and added that he had no fear of
death. During the week he received from Mr. Secretary Chase
a request that he would prepare an essay on the right of citizens
to recover from the (iov^rnment damages for property destroyed
in war. He wrote one paper taking strong grounds against the
acknowledgment of such claims. This paper he requested Dr.
Ross lo reail yesterday morning, that he might correct it, and
see that the intirmities of age were not visible in it."

Memoirs of a Reformer.

14S

EFFORTS TO AWAKEN KINDI.V KEELIN(}S IN CANADA
TOWARD THE TNITED STATES.

While engaged in circulating information as to
the objects and purposes of the TI. S. (Jovernnient
ill the conduct of the war, and to remove prejudice
and awaken kindly feelings towards the United
States, I was sulyected to the vilest abuse from con-
federate agents and their Canadian abettors. My
life was often threatened, and a newspaper publish-
ed in Montreal in the interest of the slaveholders,
persistently assailed me and incited the enemies of
freedom to acts of personal violence, 1 was usually
referred to as the "nigger thief," " damne<l Yankee,"
or other expressive names.

When the enemies of freedom had succeeded in
hounding Mr. (biddings to death, they opened their
floodgates of abuse and slander upon me. So out-
rageous did their conduct become at last, that as an
act of simple justice, the following was presented to
me by the Mayor of Montreal, signed by distin-
guished Cana<lians of different religious an<l poli-
tical creeds :

ij
M

ill

"The undersigned citi/ens of Montreal cheerfully bear testi-
mony to the honorable and upright character and gentlemanly
deportment of Dr. Alexander M. Ross, of this city."

Signed by the Honorable .1. L. Heaudry, Mayor of Montreal ;
Hon. Thomas D'Arcy Mc(Jee, M.P. ; Hon. (ieorge K. Calrtier,
Ex-Prime Minister of Canada ; Hon. Luther H. Holton, Minister

! ^t

144

Memoirs of a Reformer.

of Finance ; Hon. Charles S. Rodier, Ex-Mayor of Montreal ;
William Molson, Esq., President Molson's Bank, and Harrison
Stephens, Ira Gould and Edwin Atwater, Esqs., the most promi-
nent and wealthy' commercial men of the city.

FAVORITE REBEL RESORT.

During the Slaveholders' rebellion, the Donagana
Hotel, Montreal, was the favorite resort of rebel
eniissarries of both sexes. Here I frecjuently saw
Col. Magruder, Bennet Young, Dr. Harold, Dr. Black-
burn, Jacob Thompson, " Mrs. Williams," " Belle
Brunette," and many others of rebel proclivities.
Jacob Thompson (formerly a member of Buchanan's
cabinet) was a commissioner of the Confederacy, and
had charge of the rebel funds in Canada.

SOUTHERN SCHEiMES.

With Jacob Thompson, the rebel commissioner, I
formed an acquaintance and found him an intelli-
gent and agreeable )nan of ultra democratic views.
He frankly told me that the Confederate vscheme
was much broader and more comprehensive than
was generally known. He said, in substance, that
when their (the rebel) independence was establish-
ed, that a scheme of annexation by peaceful or
forcible means would be inaugurated, by which
Mexico and the Central and South American Re-
publics would be annexed to the Confederacy, thus
forming an immense Empire " with human slavery

IIS

Mviiwirs of a Hf-Jormcr.

I 1.5

for its base." That, finally, this ( Nuil'ederacy vvouM
become so povvei'ful as to overshadow the Free
States and compel them to unite with theii" Slave
Empire. Such was the infi^rnal scheme, as unfolded
to me by Jacob Thonjpson, who s[)oke of it as one
of the certai.ntiesof the future. What a blessing to
the world that theii- barbarous soln'me was crushed
by the armies of freedom.

WITH THE A511VIY OF THE I'OTOMAC.

On several occasions, rluring the progress of the
war, I visited the army of tlu; Potomac, and wit-
nessed reviews of tens of thousands of soldiers, I
felt that the spirit of John Brown was looking on
the mighty hosts with gratifying approval and de-
light, as the Union soldiers marched proudly in re-
view singing the John Brown song, and as regiment
after regiment caught up the inspiring words, the
air for miles around was tilled with the shout, that
" John Brown's soul through the world is marching
on," I felt that " John Brown's soul not a higher
joy could crave " than the success of the armies of
freedom in their contest with the slaveholders.

STEPS TOWARD EMANCIPATION.

The following Acts and Proclamations illustrate
the progressive steps by which, in the end, com-
plete emancipation was reached : —
J

i ■'.

UCi

Meiaoirf< of a liffornirr

Ifi

Attention in hereby called ta an Act of Congroas, untitled

, " An Act to make an additional article of war," approved March

13, 1862, and which Act is in the words and figures following : —

Be it enacted by the Stnate and Hmun- of lieprenentaiiveH of the
United StatcH oj Amrnra in Gonijrenn asnemh/fd: That hereafter
the following shall be promulgated as an additional article of
war, for the government of the army of the United States, and
shall be obeyed and observed as such :

Article. All officers or persons in the military or naval service
of the United States are prohibited from employing any of the
forces under their respective commands for the purpose of re-
turning fugitives from service of labor, who may have escaped
from any persons to whom such labor is claimed to be due, and
any officer who shall be found guilty by a court-martial of violat-
ing this article, shall be dismissed from the service.

Sec. 2. And he itjurther enacted, That this Act shall take effect
from and after its passage.

Also, to the ninth and tenth sections of an .\ct entitled, " An
Act to suppress insurrection, to punish treason and rebellion, to
seize and confiscate the property of rebels, ami for other pur-
poses," approved July 17, 1862, and which sections are in the
words and figures following :

Sec. 9. And be it Jurther enacted, That all slaves of persons who
shall hereafter be engaged in rebellion against the Government
of the United States, or who shall in any way give aid or com-
fort thereto, escaping from such persons, and taking refuge
within the lines of the army ; and all slaves captured from such
persons, or deserted by them, and coming under the control of
the Government of the United States ; and all slaves of such per-
sons found on (or being within) any place occupied by rebel
forces, and afterward occupied by the forces of the United States,
shall be deemed captives of war, and shall be forever free of their
servitude, and not again held as slaves.

Sec. 10. And be it further enacted. That no slave escaping into
any State, territory, or the District of Columbia, from any of
the States, shall be delivered up, or in any way impeded or bin-

MriiKt'lVM nf il Rrforntf't'.

147

ititled
March
ing :—
I of the
reafter
bicle of
68, and

aervice

f of the

,e of re-
escaped

lue, and

jf violat-

ake effect

led, "An
ellion, to
her pur-
^re in the

-rsons who
)vernment
or com-
ing refuge
rem Buch
control of
f such per-
4 by rebel
ted States,
ree of their

caping into
rom any of
ded or hin-

dered of hiH Ithorty, except for crime «.rituni(; offetico ugaiiiHt the
laws, unless the person claiming said fugitive shall tint make
oath that the |)erson to whom the lul)or or service of 8uch fugi-
tive is allege<l to he due, is his lawful owner, and has not been in
arms against the United SUites in the present rebellion, nor in
any way given aid and comfort thereto ; and no person engaged
in the military or naval service of the United States shall, under
any pretence whatsoever, assume to decide on the validity of the
claim of any person to the service or labor of any other person,
or surrender up any such person to the claimant, on pain of lieing
dismissed from the service.

THK KMANCIl'ATION PROCLAMATION.

liy the President of the United Slaien of America.

Whereas, on the twenty-second day of September, in the year
of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, a Pro.
clamation was issued by the President of the United States, con-
taining, among other things, the following, to wit :

'* That on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, all persons held as
slaves within any State, or designated part of a State, the people
whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall
be then, thenceforth, and forevtr free, and the Executive Gov-
ernment of the United States, including the military and naval
authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of
such persons, and M'ill do no act or acts to repress such persons,
or any of them, in any efforts they make for their actual free-
dom.

" That the Executive will, on the first day of January afore-
said, by proclamation, designate the States and parts of States,
if any, in which the people thereof respectively shall then be in
rebellion against the United States, and the fact that any State,
or the people th<./eof, shall on that day be in good faith repre-
sented in the Congress of the United States by members chosen
thereto at elections wherein a majority of the qualified voters of

ill

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I4H

Memoirs of n Hefnrtner.

'fi

itj f

such Slate shall have participated, Hhall, in the absence of strong
countervailing testimony, lie deemed conclusive evidence that
Huch State and the people thereof are not then in rebellion against
the United States."

Now, therefore, I, AimviiAiM Lincoln, PrcHident of the United
States, by virtue of the power in me vested as Conunander-in.
Cliief of the Army and Navy of the United States in time of
actual armed Rebellion against the authority and government of
the United States, and as a fit and necessary war measure for
suppressing said Rel)ellion, do, on this iirHt day of January, in
the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three,
and in accordance with my purpose so to do, publicly proclaim
for the full period of one hundred days from the day of the Hrst
above-mentioned order, and designate, as the States and part of
States wherein the people thereof respectively are this day in re-
bellion against the United States, the following, to wit : Arkan-
sas, Texas, Loitisiana (except the Parishes of St. Bernard, Pal-
((uemines, Jefferson, St. John, St. Charles, St. James, Ascension,
Assumption, Terre Bonne, Lafourche, St. Mary, St. Martin, an
Orleans, (including the City of Orleans), Mississippi, Alabama,
Florida, Georcua, South Carolina, North Carolina, and
Virginia (except the forty-eight counties designated as West
Virginia, and also the counties of Berkeley, Acconac, Northamp-
ton, Elizabeth City, York, PrincesH Ann, and Norfolk, including
the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth), ano! which excepted partg
are, for the present, left precisely as if this Proclamation had
not been issued.

And by virtue of the power, and for the purpose aforesaid, I
do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said
designated States and parts of States are and hence/or ivardnn all
BR FREE ] and that the Executive Government of the United
States, including the Military and Naval authorities thereof, will
recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons.

And I hereby enjoin upon the people so declaroH «< be free,
to abstain from all violence, unless in necp <qan' elf-a< .. , e, and
I recommend to them that in all cases lowed, thev labor

faithfully for reasonable wages.

Memoirs of a Re,fitrmer.

149

rong
that

nited
er-in-
me of
ent of
re for

ry, in
•three,
oclaim
le first
part of
y in re-

\BKAN-

:a, Pal-
jension,
bin, an

AHAMA,

>A, and

IS West
rthanip-
nclucUiig
led partg
tion had

)re8aid, 1
thin said
ird siialIj
e United
jreof, will

be free,
e, and
thev labor

And I further declare and make known that such peraonH of
suitable condition will be recei^^ed into the armed service of the
United States to garrison forti, positions, Htatioiis, and other
places, and to man veHsels of all sorts in said service.

And upon this act, sincerely believed to be an act of justice,
warranted by the Constitution, upon military necessity, I invoke
the considerate judgment of mankind and the gracious favour of
Almighty Go<l.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my name, and caused
the seal of the United States to be atiixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this first day of Janu-
ary, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
[L.S.] hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence

of the United States the eighty-seventh.

ABRAHAM MNCOLN.
By the FreHident. -VVii.mam H. Skwaku,

Sn'rttarij of State.

RATIFICATION OK THE ("ON.STITCTIONAL AMENDMENT
AND HROCLAMATION OK KKKEDOM.

On the 18th ol:' J)eceiiiber, 1(S()5, Secretary Se-
ward officially announced to the world the ^lad
tidings that the Constitutional Amendment abolish-
ed slavery and involuntary servitude thi'oughout the
United States, or anyplace subject to theii* jurisdic-
tion, as follows : —

To all to whom thf»e pnserU» man ''ovit, QrtHiiiij :

Know ye, That whereas the Congress of the United States, on
the 1st of February last, passed a resolution, which is in words
following, namely :

"A resolution submitting to the Legislatures of the several
States a proposition to- arr.^ud the Constitution of the United
States."

> I

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150

Memoirs of a Reformer.

BMolved, By the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, two-thirds of
both Houses concurring that the following article be proposed
to the Legislatures of the several States as an Amendment to the
Constitution of the United States, which, when ratified by three-
fourths of said Legislatures, shall be valid to all intents and pro-
poses as a part of said Constitution, namely :

" •♦ Article XIIL

*• 'Skction 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, ex-
cept as a punishment for crime, whereof the party shall have
been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or
any place subject to their jurisdiction.

•"Section 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this
article, by appropriate legislation.' "

A nd whereas. It appears from official documents on file of this
Department, that the Amendment to the Constitution in the
United States proposed as aforesaid, has been ratified by the
Legislatures of the States of Illinois, Rhode Island, Michigan,
Maryland, New York, West Virginia, Maine, Kansas, Massa-
chusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ohio, Missouri, Nevada, In-
diana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Vermont, Tennessee,
Arkansas, Connecticut, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Ala-
bama, Nortli Carolina, and (Georgia, in all 27 States.

And whereas, The whole number of States in the United
States is 36.

Aiid irhereas, The before specially named States, whose l^egis-
tures have ratified the said proposed Amendment, constitute
three-fourths of the whole number uf States in the United
States ;

Now, therefore, be it known that I, William H. Seward, Se-
cretary of State of the United States, by virtue and in pursuance
of the second section of the act of Congress, approved the 2()th
of April, 1818, entitled "An Act to provide for the publication
of th^ laws of the United States, and for other purposes,'' do
liereby certify that the Amendment aforsaid has become valid to
all intents and pur}M»HeH as a part of the ( 'unstitutiou of the
United States.

Memoirs of a Reformer.

151

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and
caused the seal of the Department of State to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this 18th day of Decem-
ber, in the year of our Lord 1865, and of the Independence of
the United States of America the 90th.

Wm. H. Seward, Secretary of State.

ii'-il

Thus terminated the great sti uggle between Free-
dom and Slavery in the United States.

LAUS DEO.

ON HEARINC THE BELLS R]N(} FOK THE ( 0N8T1TUTI0NAL AMEND-
MENT ABOLISHIN<i SLAVKRV IX THE TTNITEIJ STATES.

"It is done !
Clang of bell and roar of gun ;

Send the tidings up and down.
How the belfries rock and reel.
How the great guns, peal on peal.

Fling the joy from town to town !

Ring, O bells !
Every stroke exulting tells

Of the burial hour of crime.

Loud and long, that all may hear,
Ring for every listening ear

Of eternity and time !

Let us kneel :
God's own voice is in that peal,

And this spot is holy ground.
Lord forgive us I What are we,
That our eyes this glory see,

That our ears have heard the sound !

i^f

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Memoirs of a Reformer.

Loud and long,
Lift the old, exultant song ;

Sing with Miriam by the sea ;
He has cast the mighty down ;
Horse and rider sink and drown ;

He has triumphed gloriously.

Blotted out !
All within, and all about

Shall a purer life begin ;
Freer breathe the universe
As it rolls its heavy curse

On the dead and buried sin.

Ring and swing

IJells of joy I on morning's* wing
Send the song of praise abroad ;

With a sound of broken chains,

Tell the nations that He reigns
Who alone is Lonl and (iod ! "

WiiiTTiKK, fh( IJuaker Poet.

( yomplimt'iitai-y letters From Prewident Lincoln,
(iDvernor Ferton and Chai'le.s Sumner.
From President Lincoln : —

KxE< I'TivK Mansion, Washington,

March 9th, 1865.

To Dr. A. M. RoKs, Moufreal :

Dkar Doctor : — The terrible war is rapidly approaching
its end. I write now to tender you my warmest thanks for the
many valuable services you have rendered me since 1861. Your
altility, zeal and fidelity inrrits and receives my sincere grati-

Memoirs of a Heformter.

153

tude. * ♦ ♦ Accept my best wishes for your future happi-
ness and prosperity.

Vours sincerely,

^-'i^^^^t.^c^r^

From Governor Fenton : —

Executive Department,

State ok New York.

w T^ o Albany, April 11th, 1865.

My Dear Sir :

On behalf of the loyal people of this State, I thank you for
your patriotic services during the war; your active interest in
our cause, I assure you, is highly appreciated.

Yours very truly,

R. E. FENTON,
Dr. Ross, Montreal. Oomrnor.

From Senator Sumner : —

Senate Ciia.mhkr, WA!sniN<iToN,

. January SIst, iHHr,.

Ltr. A. M. Jkosh :

My Dear Friend: - * * * You deserve the thanks of
this nation for your generous an.l patriotic labors in our behalf
You have done a noble work, and 1 congratulate yoii
on your recor.l. May (iod bh.«8 you, is the prayer of your
friend, •'

(Ta

/C[yZ^^^<-^

-i\

l^:

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154

Memoirs of a Reformer.

MEXICO.

When the slaveholders' rebellion broke out the
Emperor Napoleon seized the occasion to invade
Mexico and overthrow the Republic. He took this
step, no doubt, in confident expectation that the
slaveholders would succeed in establishing an em-
pire on this continent. When, after four years of
terrible war, the U. S. Government crushed the re-
bellion and established its supremacy over the whole
country, the Mexican people made a determined
effort to drive out their oppressors. I then offered
my services as sui'geon to President Juarez, who
promptly accepted my offer as follows :

Mexican Lkoatiox, Washington, August Ist. 186r>.

Dr. Alexander M. Ross, Montreal.

Dear Sir, — I am instructed by President Juarez to accept
your services as Army Surgeon, and to convey to you Ms high
appreciation of your patriotic offer in this the darkest hour in the
history of Mexico. With sentiments of high esteem, I remain,

Vours faithfully,

M. Rf>MEItO,

Mexican Minister.

Many of my friends urged me not to risk my life
in a struggle so unequal as that between tlu; French
Empire and poor down-trodden Mexico.

Wkndbi.l PiiiLiiiHs wrote me : — " In the present condition of
iittairs in Mexico, it is time, perhaps life, thrown away to end«a-

Memoirs of a Reformer.

155

vor to aid the Republicans. Take my advice, refrain from going
— your wish to aid an oppressed race will, I am sure, find ample
and honorable field and more effectual channels in our still dis-
tracted country. Save yourself for that, there is more to be done
here than in Mexico in your day or mine, I am sure."

Horace CtRkki.ey wrote: — "Max. will root out Juarez and
the Republicans, to be rooted out himself in turn, by the next
move of revolution, and whether by the Clerical or Liberal pai ty
I cannot 'aow guess. Max. will stand as long as Napoleon sends
him troops and fools lend him money ; when these resources fail,
he goes down. It is not yet time for you to go to Mexico to help
the Republic.''

WiLMAM Crrj.EN Bryant wrote : — " I see by the Tribune
that you are going to Mexico to help the Republicans. While I
cannot bu*^ applaud your motives, I fear your life will be sacri-
ficed in the unequal struggle. The pride of Napoleon is at stake,
and the wretched demoralized Mexicans are no match for the
legions of France. I hope you will not place,your life in jeopardy
for such a worthless race as the modern Mexicans appear to be.''

In the meantime Mr. Sevvar<l, the U. S. Secretary
of State, had informed the French Uovernment that
the invasion of Mexico, and tlie establi.slnng of a
goverinnent there inimical to tlie Repul>lic, conhl
not he viewed with friendly feelinjifH hy tlie U. S.
Tlie French army returned to France, anil in a few
months the Empire of Mexico colhipsed, its Emperor,
])o()r Max. the tool of Napolcson, wan execnte<l, and
Juarez l»ecame President of tht^ Republic of Mexico.

IMJESIDKNT .IIT.\|{KZ OF .MEXKT).

Like President Lincoln, Benito Juarez was the
leader of his people in the hour of their greatest

"'WSI

1 '' ^vp

Vm'*

'*!

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156

Memoirs of a Reformer.

stress and, like him, died in the Presidential office.
In many ways this Indian of Oajaca merits all the
Horal, oratorical, and other tributes which have
just been a^ain, in annual commemoration, bestowed
at his tomb. Whether as Governor of his native
State, exile under Santa Anna's dictatorship, Minis-
ter under Alvarez, President of the Supreme Court,
the relentless opponent of Miramon and the Cleri-
cal Party, or as the unfaltering head of the republic
against French domination and Maximilian, Juarez
wa^s always of, and for, and with the people. Marks
of liis handiwork and that of his party are seen in
the famous Constitution of 1857, under which it
was f)ossible to destroy the class legislation that
had prevailed in the interest of tlie ecclesiastical
and military parties, and to give greater freedom
of speech and of the press, and greater political
equality.

XATUKAL msTOKV I.AKOHS.

When the «lreadful war was over, and tlie tiglit
for the Union ended by the downfall of the Confed-
eracy and the emancipation of the slaves, I made my
home in Toronto, and began a labor which I had
often contemphited with pleasurable feelings and
promised myself, when my labor as an abolitionist
was eompleted.

I haivt' mentioned in the first ])ages of these me-
moirs that in my boyho<jd I was extremely fond of

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Memoirs of n. Refoi^ner,

natural Iiistory studies, and imbibed a dosiiv t
lurin a labor for my owm country, wliieli had nevci-
bofoi-e been atten.ptcrl. This labor was the eollec-
tion and classification of the Flora an<I Fauna of
('anada. For several years I pursued this labor
with all my ener^ry, and with what succcvss 1 lonve
to others more competent to jud^ro, who make the
testimonial record of my natural histoiy labors.
(See Appendix).

* ii

( : ;.

i-i'f;

.' i- JUiJ ! .""SESHWHBP

CHAPTER VII.
1851 1.S.S5.

Heminisceuues : — Second Visit to Washington — Andrew John-
son in the Senate — Inauguration of President Lincoln — The
President's Prospects — Of Abrdham Lincoln, Horace (ireeley,
Lucretia Mott, the Poet Longfellow, William Lloyd (larrison,
Wendell Phillips, Joshua R. (biddings, William I^yon Mac-
kenzie, Ralpli Waldo Kmerson, R. T. Trail, J. Kmery Co-
derre, Senator Ben. Wade, Gen. (iaribald', <.en. Houston,
<ien. Walker — Inter-State Slave Trade — Republican Refugees
in New York — Gerrit Smith.

SECOND VISIT TO WASHINCJTON.

I WAS in Washington during fclie Hrst week in
March, 1S()1, and occupied a seat in the Reportei*a'
(Jallery of the Senate during the exciting debate
wliicli took phice on the niglit of the »Srd of Marcli.
A resolution which had previously passed by a two-
thirds vote was the sul)jeet of debate. The resolu-
tion read as follows : —

" That ro amendment shall be made to the Constitution
which will authorize or give Congress power to abolish or inter-
fere within any State with the domestic institutions thereof,
including that of persons held to labor or servitude by the laws
of said State."

It was quite evident that the Senate was not dis-
posed to adopt the Crittenden resolutions or any

158

Mt'iiunrti of <i Heforrrier.

ir)f)

k in
)rtei*a'
ebate

arcb.
a two-
resolu-

titution

or inter -

thereof,

the laWB

lot elis-
or any

other denying tlie right of secession. It was obvi-
ous from the speeches I heard that the utmost that
could be extoi-t<Ml from the Senators was the passage
of the above resolution, and even that appeared
doubtful. Very few SenatoiTS were willing to place
themselves on record as affirming the right of Con-
gress to interfere with slavery in the States, but
three-fourths of them were anxious to see it de-
feated, — the Republicans, because it looked like
compromise ; the Democrats, because it had q. ten-
dency to strengthen the Union sentiment in the
democratic States.

The first thing that struck me, as I took my seat
in the Reporters' Gallery, from which I had an
excellent view of all the Senators, was the great
change in the personnel of the Senate since I first
visited it, in 1850-51. On looking down upon the
group I observed several that occupied seats there
twelve years before, but the " giants " were gone —
Webster, Clay, Calhoun and Benton were no more,
and their places were occupied by a very different
type of men. The men from the North I could
easily perceive to be men of much power, stern and
inflexible in principle, — there was Sumner, Seward,
Chase, Fessenden, l)rave " Old Ben Wade," Trum-
bull and Chandler, the acknowledged leaders of the
Republican party. The men from the Slave States
were arrogant and domineering, as of old, — there
sat Mason, of Virginia, one of the most insolent

UiO

Mftnnirti of a licforinpr.

I I

and ()verl)(*arinf;f in«!ii that .slavery produce*) : Wi<^-
fall, of TexaH, a brilliant .speaker: Jefferson Davis,
(Jlingnian, of North C»irolina : Vancy, of Florida:
.fohn C. Breakenri<l^e, and other men of minor im-
portance and ability. Then there was a third or
int(!rvening party, whose mi.ssion appeared to be to
compr«)mise between the extremes. The head of
this party was Stephen Arnold l)ouglas.s, the so-
called Little Giant of Illinois. He was a man of
marked ability, a strong and forcible speakei*,
patient, firm, and untiring. Senators Crittenden,
Doolittle, and Andrew Johnson acted with, rather
than followed, ])ougla.ss.

The <lebate on the Rtivolution waxed hot and
furious, all the prominent men taking part in the
di.scu.ssion. 1'he Republican Senators, led by Sum-
ner, and the Sece.s.sionists, led by Mason, .sought to
defeat a vote by pro))osing amendments, and con-
sumed time by debat€\s and discussions.

The compromise party, led by Douglass, opposed
their tactics and .sought to bring on a vote. All
night. (March '^ and 4), and until six in the morn-
ing, the battle rage(i. Such a scene I .shall probably
never witness again. Finally, at 6 a.in., March 4th
(just six hours before the inauguration of Abraham
Lincoln), the resolution passed by 24 to 12, the
necessary two-thirds vote. All these compromises
and efforts to adjust the slavery question paved the
way for the slaveholders' rebellion, the emancipation
oi" the slaves, and the regeneration of the nation.

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Memoirs of a Rcfoimer,

161

,vis,
id a '.
iin-
•d or
i)e to
id of
e so-
an of
iaker,
mden,
ratVit'V

jt aiid
in the
! Sum-
ludit to
lid con-

Ipposed

^e. All

morn-

•obably

[rch 4th

Ibrahain

12, the

ived the
[cipation
Lation.

ANDREW JOHNSON.

It was during this visit to Washington that I
first heard Andrew Jolmson speak. Mr. Johnson
was a self-made man, a natural orator and as coui*-
ageoiis a man as ever lived. One of the Southern
Senators, during a debate on a Homestead Bill, had
the bad taste to twit Johnson of his early trade —
that of a tailor. Mr. Johnson's reply was one of the
most thrilling bursts of eloquence I ever listened to.
He said : " When, after years of painful struggles
to earn a livelihood at my hundjle trade, with the
young wife I had brought from my native place in
North Carolina, and the little family which had
grown up around us, I was enabled to purchase a
small plot of ground in Tennessee and build a cabin
upon it which I could call my own, 1 remember the
feeling of triumph and exultation with vhich we
looked upon the poor little shed, and knew that at
last we had A home of our own. And then, long
years ago, I made up my mind that, if ever I had
the power, every poor man, struggling as I was,
should be enabled to obtain a home — should have
one spot of earth, howevei' small, one cabin, how-
ever rude and scanty, which, in the light of heaven
and the face of man, he should be able to call his
own."

An ominous rustle in the galleries followed this
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162

Memoirs of a Refiyrimpr.

i !■

outburst, but subsided on a growl from Senator
Mosou. Senator Johnson continued iiiHicting a
severe rebuke on Wa insolont object of his invective,
and finally dosing witli a niagniticent ndogiuni on
the Union. On this, the pent-up feelings of the
spectators couM no longer be restraint-d. A tre-
mendous cheer arose. Senator Mason instantly
moved that the galleries be cleared. A few hisses
were heard — then a stentorian voicr shouted,
"Three cheeks fuu the Union 1" Thev were
given with a will. Not only did the men ehrer and
shout, but the '.adies screamed an<l waved their
handkerchiefs. Never since the first nieeting of the
Senate, did that body endure such an insult. For
some minutes the din was overpowering.

" The sergeant-at-ai"ms will clear the galleries ! "
commanded Senator Mason, fiercely.

It was easier said than done. There were at least
five hundred excited men in the galleries. For
some moments it was a (piestion whether tin;
Senate would clear the galleries, or the galleries the
Senate. But finallj^ the galleries were cleare<l and
the doors locked.

INAUCaiRATION OF PRESIDENT LINCOJ.N.

The inauguration of President Lincoln took place
on March 4. This was the proudest day of my life,
for on this day 1 witnessed the inauguration of an

ivtor
,jj a
b\ve,
in on

K tvc-
bantly

^' \vev«'
a tlieu-

lit. K^^l'

' "

le at least

les. ^'^>^"
.thev tlie

[lerieH tUo
>arc(l au<l

ol.N.

Itook pla^^
lof my^i^^'
ttiou oIl A"

}fem(>irf< of n Reformer.

163

honcHt man, a Hincerc Republican, a lover of free-
(lon> and a lovt^r of hin country. Through thekiml-
lU'Hs of Mr. Smnnt'r I ohtaim-il a ^^ood jx)int of
ch'vation, from which I witnesstMl tht* interesting
and on this (K'casion im]H)rtant cert'mony.

Most of the leadin*;- SeeeHsiouists had left for the
South, to l)etrin their work of destruction — supplied
with means, stolen fioui the^^eneral Government, by
the secretaries ami otfieials of the Buchanan admin-
istration.

niESIDENT LINCUIA'S I'UoSI'B'TS.

The prospect l)efore Mr. Lincoln was anything-
but e!icouraging. The Slave States were in open
i'ebellion,and the leadin«j; democrats of the Noithern
States were in open sympathy with the Southern
rebels. The small rej^idar ai'uiy of the United
States had been disperse<l to far distant territories,
and the sliips of tlie navy were sent to European
waters : the arsenals in the North were empty, and
traitors held positions \u every department of the
(iovernment. It was under these circumstances that
President Lincoln entered upon that mighty conflict
between freedom and slavery, between justice and
crime, which resulted in the triumph of liberty and
the overthrow of human slavery in the United
States.

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164

Memoirs of a R§form0r.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

Within a few weeks after the inauguratioa of
Mr. Lincoln, I was introduced to him by Cliarles
Sumner, and the opinion I formed of Mr. Lincohi at
that interview, ripened into conviction as I became
better acquainted with him, for 1 met him on several
occasions durinji^ the war,under varied circumstances,
and as I had no personal favors to ask of him, I was
in a position to study him from a favorable stand-
point. Personally and politically a more honest,
generous, straightforward man never lived ; and as
the great and terrible war raged and progressed he
grew in strength and wisdom and noble purpose,
until he at last signed the emancipation proclam-
ation, an tict of justice which should have been per-
formed three years earlier. But, if he was slow, he
acted honestly, according to liis best judgment. He
was very cautious, slow in making up his mind, but
reliable and firm when his decision was made. He
was a good judge of men, rarely mistaken in his
estimate ; being of a kind, generous nature, he was
often led to grant favi^rs to undeserving men. In
personal appearance, Mr. Lincoln was about six feet
two inches in height, tall, tiiin, rugged, angular and
awkward ; his step uiniieasure<l and unprecise ; his
feet and hands large, strong and bony : his face, long,
thin and rugged ; his head, large, and broad between

tW'

1 of
irks
In at
•awe

^♦eral
,nce8,
I was
tand-
onest,
Liid as
4ed he
I'pose,
)clain-
u per-
o\v,he
He
id, but
.. He
in hw
he waH
n. In
Isix feet
lar and
se ; his
e, long,
between

Menioirit of a Ji^forwev.

H)5

the temples: Kih eyes, liluelsh gray — heaniod with
kindness and wisdom: his lanf^nagc, well chosen
and forcible, and always accompanied by appro-
priate gesture.

HORACE (iUEEf.EV.

I was in New York shortly after tlu» presidential
contest of 1872, arid calle*! upon Mr. Greeley.
Clasping my hand in Ins, he said, patlietically, " I
am glad to see you, my dear friend, for the end is
near; I cannot stand this strain nnich longer, it is
killing m<* by inches." I was slioeked and pained
by his appearancvi, all the old-time cheerfulness was
gone, his countenance haggard an<l distressed, his
eye had a hopeless and sad look. " For twtmty
days," he said, " I have not slept: I shall never sleep
again, I pray for death." He trend^lrd like a leaf:
his beautiful hands were pressed against his dome-
like brow, j.s if he were suffering intense pain. His
skin had a pale, sickly appearance. I «lid all I could
to cheer him up, but his destiny wn« on him : he
oouid t«dk of nothing else but death, which he said
he longed for and prayed for. His pitiful condition
reminded me of his great gi'ief years before, when
in speaking of the death of his little son Pickie, he
said to me (in substance): " If I felt sure that I
should know and be with Pickie in tb other world,
I would prefer to die now, for life cannot efface the
sorrow I feel." I never shall forget the scene, the

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Memoirs of a Reformer.

most (listressinjr I over witness***!. A «i(ivfit niiml
wrecked and stranded. When 1 ))ade him ^ood-
l)ye, he said, " My ^o()d Friend, I shall nevt^r see you
aiifain in this worM : the end is n'-ar." Fron» that
horrible scene 1 retired as il' stiniTK^l l)y the ap-
proach of" some terrible calamity. In less than
three we<«ks tVom that day he died. He wns a
])recious man. VVlu'U in nfood health his face was
shining and soul -li^h ted : beaming; with kimlness
and goodwill. Fntt'lh'ctually, he w.is a i^iant, a kinjr
above ))rinces : his biviin was tine, lartre, and tire-
less. He 1ov«m1 and was lovi'ii by tlu> connnon
people; he was t)'.;'ii- IViend and counsellor. He
was one of the ablest minds, om* of the pures<^
charhe'ters, one of the luirdest work«'rs. and tlu
most widely useful man of his ofiuM-ation. Of
Horace (iree ley itniay be said. " The ('onnii)n people
heai'd him i»ladlv."

CilAin.KS srMNKIS.

From New York I journeyed to Washington, and
there met many old friends and acipiaintances of
by-f)()ne years. One of my first visits was to the
beautiful home of Charles Sunnier - theie I foinid
him, nmon^ Ins books, ]>ictui'es an<l lofty thouijhts.
much chanf(e<l in appearance since I first saw hint.
He was older, gi'ander, more stately an<l ^-racious.
His noble countenance was nmrke<l antl scarred by
many conHictK with the slave powei*. His voice

i'i: 'I a

'* fj

>l\:

MniKtirs of a ReforrnPr.

I«>7

lull. ilUn

net's ot
to the
|l ioinv.^.
lOiiijhts.

llNV lu"»-
racious.

is voice

liati tlie saiiit' ^rand toiio as of ol«l, Imt .softened
soinovvlmt l>y time. Hi.s liair was well mixed with
i^rey, and hi.s face bore the impre.ssion of internal
pain a»id snHi'riny-. He tol<l me that at times he suf-
fered the mo.st ucut<' a^ony in the re^on of his
henrt. He had manv sorrows that the world knew
iiothinfj^ of, and his heart was hravy with the tierce
sti'ife of a generation.

Mr. Sumner was a man <»r rare and extensive
culture and accom]>lishments. l»ut. hetter than all.
he was an honorjil»le man, a man of nol)le impul.ses
and lofty aims. He was an honest, consistent aiirl
virtuous .statesman, and one of the main ])illais and
.sui)])ort of the Re])uhlie during the slavehoMers'
rebellion. Mr. Lincoln honored, loved and trusted
him implicitly. The la.st <lays of Ah-. Sunnier were
i'liibittered by many troul)les. His own belove<l
State had iu<li>'<'d him unkindly, and, as he felt, un-
justly, while the coij<lu('t of President (Jrant to-
ward him was not only cruel Init l)a.se. I s])ent
.several h<Mirs in his comi)anv' on this occasion, talk-
ing over the great struggle for free«lom a,n<l the
future of the Republic, and when I left he accom-
panied me to my h<jtel and bid iik^ farewell,

MK RKTFA .MO'IT.

On my return homeward from Wa.shington, I
stopped f<jr a day in Phila<lelph«a, to visit my dear
friend, the sweet Lucretia Mott. Wending my way

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KiS

Memoirs of (i Reformer.

throu^li the (juiet city, I went, to ' Roadside." the
serene home of tliis gifted and pure woman. She
received me, as always, witli a lovinff smile and sin-
cerely kind welcome. She was nearly eighty years
old, but her face still bore the charm of delicate and
regular features. She was dressed, as usual, in a
simple dove-colored Quaker dress, with a pure
white nuislin handkerchief crossed at the neck. On
her head was a pretty little Quaker cap. She led
me to a seat in the plain but extremely neat little
sitting-room, and expressed her pleasure at meet-
ing me again. During this visit, which lasted for
two hours, she never ceased her knitting, except
for a moment, at times when deeply interested. Her
intellect was clear and her memory so retentive
that she recalled many incidents that occurred sixty
years before, and seemed never at a loss for a name
or date. She still retained her brilliancy of mind
and sympathy of nature as of old. If ever any
woman inherited the earth, it was this blessed
Quaker woman. Blessed, indeed, for the example
of her industrious life, for the influence of her
gentle teachings, for the honor that she conferred
upon all womanhood. No misrepresentation or
abuse, for she ha«l both, ever deterred her from
doing her duty. Her pure, sweet life made Lucretia
Mott queen of the realm of humanity.

Mrs. Mott was small and slight of stature ; her
forehead broad and high ; her eyes, dark blue,
beamed with kindness and goodness; her hands

Memoirs of a Reforwn\

16P

Hinall, delicate, ami finely shaped. Her home was
the abode of peace and harmony. Mrs. Mott lived
to be 87 years old, retaininpf all her faculties to the
last. She died as she had lived — in peace.

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RALPH WAIJM) P:MK|{S()X.

From my early manhood I had been a diligent
reader anrl warm admirer of Ralph Waldo Emer-
son. I had also corresponded with him for several
years, but had never met him or seen him. I had
received fre(]uent and pressing invitations to visit
him, but could iiot find time ; finally there came a
letter so urgent and pressing that I decided to
gratify my long-felt desire to meet this god-like

man.

INVITATION FROM CONCORD.

" My Dear Dr. Ross, — * * * I hope you will make your first
visit to Massachusetts and Concord, tho rather that my family
and friends are finding that I am losing my mother tongue and
have to look to them for words. Perhaps that is the reason I
have not written to the dear little (larihaldi. Let me have goo<I
news of you soon, and bring them yourself. Please let your visit
cover the last Saturday of the month, so that I may make you
ac(|uainted with some very good people in our Saturday Club,
which dines on the last Saturday of every month. With best
hope and affectionate regards. "

170

Memoirs of a Reformer.

Visri' IJAMMI WAIJJO KMKHSON'.

A few (lays uFtor tlic receipt of the above letter,
T left Canada for Coiiconl. On my ai-rival there 1
foinul Mr. Knierson at the depot, waiting to receive
nie. r recoj^nized Jiini at «jnce from a photograph 1
had seen, l»ut no ])ictin*e can give the impression of
Ins personal ])resenee. He came toward me with
his hand (^\t(Mlded, saying, "You are Dr. Ross."
The ex])ression of his countenance was so pure and
sincere, his manner so gentle and magnetic, his
every act so cordial, that I was charmecl with my
n^c<»ptioii. There was no vigorous or impulsive
hand-shaking, hut the serene light of cordiality
that (nnanated from his features as he gave me his
i>Teetini>-, and held mv hand in a warm and steady
clasp, was impressive and made mc feel at home
with him at once.

H<' was l^ill, slender, and somewhat bent with
years, his luiir grey and thin, his nose long and
])rominent. his mouth was somewhat large, his lips
closed with ;» Hrm, interested smile, his eyes were
blue, straightforward and honest, and seemed to
look at you from out another woi'ld ; his <.'ars were
large and iin)))t'ssed me as being his only coiniection
with tile woi-l<l of sensation. He walke<l with his
head bent slightly forward, and appeared to me to
be unconscious of what was passing around him.

l\fnntnrx of n Ht-fmuifr.

171

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took of Food ill ii iiM4}io<iicul iiuuiik'), as ii' iji

])liilos<)]>liif' oiM'dipiK'c to tin' ncnd of catino-. His
i'eatiirc^s wrrr Hliarnlv'cut and vorv int(!ll<'rtual : his

I « •

voice ha<l m stranw

pow

(T wljieli affected iiie nion-

tlian anv other voic<' 1 ha<l ever heard — it was a
])nrely intellectual voice, the nnisic of sjnritnal ut-
terance : it was a clear, keen, peiietratinjr, sweet
Noice, a fit medium t'oi* the utterances of his coni-
nuiudin^ mind. At tim«'s it had an impersonal
chaivicter, Jis thou<^h a spiiit was spt.'akinj^- throunh
him.

visit w'iXH on

Frid

a.n<

1 tl

le eveiiinj'' was

spent in his library, where we (or I'athei- he, foi- I
was a willing and charmed listener) talked until
nndni^ht, when I was shown to n»y l)e<lroom. the
same, 1 understood, as occupied by John Hrown,
Mr.s.Stowe, VVm. lJov<l (iarrison, 'rhoreau,ajid manv
other kindred spii-its. On the morrow (Satunlay)
we <lined at the Saturdjw (-lull, where I met Mr.
Tjonf^fellow, whom I ha<l known i>revioTisly,and who
said : " Do not fail to call upon m<' before you re-
turn home." I was introduced to many excellent
])ersons whose nallU^s I now forget. F was treated
with markt'd kindness and consideration by all, and
at the table was seated with Mr. Kmeison on ni}'
v\^rht and Mi'. Longfellow on my left.

In my cherishe<l interviews with Mr. Emerson, I
was made to realize the superiority of the spiritual
over the physical part of man. It was (;nly by

;

172

Memoirn of a ti^/ormer.

personal iiitercoui"He with him that the nin^ilar
force, sweetness, elevation, originality, and compre-
hensiveness of his nature could he appreciated.

I parte<l from him with feelings of sincere regret,
hut while I live I shall never lose the spiritual
l^>eace that emanated from the presence of this god-
like man.

DEATH OF EMERSON.

His health had been breaking <lown for a year or
more past, while his consciousness that his memory
was giving way, led him to seek seclusion. The
funeral of his old friend Longfellow, however, called
him to Cambridge, and despite the inclemency of
the day, he followed the procession to Mount Au-
burn, and stood at the verge of the grave. His
f<'ebleness attracted attention and aroused fears
that it could not be long before his last day must
also come. It has come, and the scholarship of the
world mourns the death of Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Emeraon was the supreme representation of the
highest type of manhood. Simplicity and purity
were the bases of his character and thought, his
temperance was like his religion, unconscious of
itself — natural. He was a white soul — the purest
and sweetest of our time.

VISIT THE POET LONGFELLOW.

From Concord I went to Cambridge to visit Mr.
Longfellow. I was shown into his library, a fine

M§moir$ of a Reformer.

173

large room, the floor of which was covered with a
rich Persian carpet, and the walls panelled with
dark oak. At one end of the room stood lofty
oaken iKXjk-cases, framed in drapery of crimson
cloth. Easy chairs were scattered about, f^ving the
room an air of comfort. In the centre of the room
was a large table littered with books, pamphlets, and
papers. I had time to make the above observations
when Mr. Longfellow entered and greeted me war»!.-
ly. He was a very different personage from Mr.
Emerson. He impressed me as a cultivated English
gentleman of fortune and ease. His dress was very
becoming. His hair was fine, and as white as snow.
His skin had the peculiar pallor that comes of old
age. He was active in his movements and very
talkative, making many ent^uiries about Canada.
Mr. Longfellow had a line head, the forehead was
broad, indicating intellectual power. His eyes were
beautiful. !a.rge and lustrous, from which the lire of
youth seemed not to have fled. He spoke in terms
of love of Emerson, saying: " he (Emerson) is a full
soul." Of C'harles Sumner he also spoke with re-
verent feeling, and showed me a tine bust ol' him.
When I rose to take leave, he said, " 1 must show
you the great tree," and, while he .stocHl undtTnoath
its giant arms, admiring the majestic elms oi which
he was so proud, lu- gave me a brief history of the
old mansion which he occupied, which was once the
head^iuarters of General Wasliington during the
evolutionary war.

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174 Memoirs of a Reformer.

\lsrr TIIK t^lAKKU I'OKT.

From Cuiiibrid^e 1 went to AiiK'.slniry, tlie lumie
of dear Whittier, and wuh delighted to find him in
excellent iiealth,Hnd the .same warm-hearted, sincere
ishy man aH of old. He raid he wrot«' but little now,
jis he felt the weight of his years. He seemed
|)lease(l to converse upon the Anti-slaveiy contest
and the exciting incidents of that j)erio<l. in speak-
ing of John Brown, he said, " 1 regi-et that I never
saw him. Jn my little triHe, ' .lohn Hrown of Osa-
watomie,' 1 allude to his act of kissing a negro child,
which I am told is apocry})hal, a poetical license."
In speaking of Kmerson, he said, " Of all Americans,
living or dead, he is the onlij one that will be rem-
embered one thousand vears hence. Emeraon will
take rank with I'lato and Socrates." Of Lucretia
Mott and Mr. Uarrison he spoke in terms of loving
kindness, adding, "Thee should not return home
without seeing Mj'. (Jarrison, he often speaks of thee
and thy labors in words of praise."

(AM. ri'oX W.M. IJ.OVI) (lAUKlSON.

■bi<lding the good C^uakei' farewell, 1 i('tuiri('<l to
Boston, and called upon Mr. Oarrison, whom 1 found
in poor health, but mentally he wtus as active and
industrious as ev«'r. He was a remarkable man, the
niost determined, bra\e, persistent enemy that ever

Memoirs of a Reformer.

175

HHSHulted the institution of Hiavcrv He <iifl not
pasKeHS a pnrtielc of Mie spirit of eoinpioniiHt'. He
never for one hour relaxeil liis warfan', until Ins
object was aceoniplislietl, and slavery abolished. In
speaking of the ^reat event, he said, " neither you
nor 1, nor any other abolitionist expeet(Ml to live to
see this unparalleled transformation the entire four
uiillions of slaves set free from their Innids and
I'aised to the rights of American citizenship. "

While in Boston I luul the ^ood fortune to meet
Lydia Mai'ia Child ; she was very ol«l and feeble, but
cheerful and ha])})y. Her life and labors were draw-
ing to a close, but her mind was active with the
stirring events of by-gone y»'ars, on which slu' loved
to dwell, recalling many interesting occui'rences of
anti -slavery days.

WKNDELL I'lllLMl'S.

My good frien I Wendell Phillips was absent from
the State at the time, which was a matter of dcfp
regi'et to me, as 1 longed once more to meet this
fearless and eloquent advocate of freedom.

With Mr. Phillips I had been on terms of warm
personal friendship since l<S5(i, and luel always
found him a never-failing tower of strength, cour-
age and inspiration He was a faithful friend and
wise counsellor ; a natural orator, agitator and re-
former: an honest, feai-less an<l uncompromising

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Memoirs of a Reformer.

opponent of tyranny and injustice, whereever it
existed.

" He had his faults, they said, but they were faults
Of head and not of heart — his sharp assaults,
Flung seeming heedless from his quivering bow,
And heedless striking either friend or for.
Were launched with eyes that saw not foe or friend.
But only, shining far, some goal or end,

" That, compassed once, should bring God's saving grace
To purge and purify the human race.
The measure that he meted out he took.
And blow for blow received without a look,
Without a sign of conscious hurt or hate.
To stir the tranquil calmness of his State.

" Bom on the heights and in the purple bred.
He chose to walk the lonely ways instead.
That he might lift the MTetched and defend
The rights of those who languished for a friend.
80, mary years he spent in listening
To these sad cries of wrong and suffering.

" It was not strange, perhaps, he thought the right
Could never live upon the easeful height.
Nor strange, indeed, that slow suspicion grew
Against the class whose tyrannies he knew.
But, bitter and unsparing as his speech.
He meant alone the evil deed to reach.

" No hate of persons winged his fiery shaft.
He had no hatred but for 'Cruel craft
And selfish measurements, where human Might
Bore down upon the immemorial Right.
Ev'n while he dealt his bitterest blows at power.
No bitterness that high heart could devour."

I I

Memoirs of a Reformrr

177

?ti

i)i{. ]{. r. riiALL.

Dr. Trail wiiH one of the most gifted men in Ame-
rica. He was (juite a young man when I formed
his awjuaintance. I was attracted to him by his
earnest appeals for medical reform. To him we are
indebted — more than to any other man — for our
present knowledge of hydropathy and hygienic
therapeutics. He was an able and effective writer
in the cause of medical reform. Many of his works
on hydropathy and hygiene have become class-books,
and surpass all others in clear, precise, and faithful
delineation of hygeo-therapeutics. He founded and
organized the first hygeio-therapeutic college in the
world, of which he remained the active head until his
death. His students and graduates have gone forth
as ministering angels to afflicted humanity. The pre-
sent successful College of Hygienic Physicians and
Surgeons of St. Louis is the product of his teach-
ings and labors.

DR. J. EMERY CODERRE.

My staunch and most faithful supporter and
friend, during my warfare against compulsory vac-
cination in Montreal (in 1885), was Dr. J. Emery
Coderre, Professor of the Medical Faculty of Vic-
toria University, and physician to the Hotel Dieu.
Dr. Coderre was a veteran in the cause of human
L

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178

Memoirs ^of a Reformier.

freedom. In 1837, he labored with persistent fidel-
ity under Papineau and Dr. Wolfred Nelson, against
the tyrannical government of that day. He was ar-
rested and imprisoned on a charge of high treason.
Dr. Coderre possessed a most kind and gentle dis-
position, but where the rights and liberties of man
were concerned, he was as uncompromising and de-
termined as man could be. He joined me at a time
when every man's hand in Lower Canada was against
me, when the medical profession and the clergy were
engaged in circulating the most outrageous slanders
and lies against me ; when the press, without excep-
tion, joined the doctors in pouring out vials of abuse
and hate upon me. This required a high order of
courage, backed by pure moral principles — qualities
Dr. Coderre possessed in a high degree. He was a
tower of strength to me in a trying time. A nobler
or braver man than Dr. J. Emery Coderre never
lived ; he endured persecution, injustice, ostracism,
poverty, and want, and died facing his enemies.

SENATOR BEN WADE.

My acquaintance with Benjamin F. Wade dated
from 1850-51. I first met him at the house of
Doctor Baily (called " Coventry " by the democrats
and slaveholders, because it was the resort of ultra
whigs, abolitionists and others opposed to slavery).

There have been few distinguished men who, in
all their ways, and through all their career, have

^'m^

Memoirs of a Reform n\

179

I dated
ise of
locrats
ultra
^very).
^ho, in
have

been more thorouffhlv American than Senator Wrt<le.
His sense of justice naturally made him an anti-
slavery man. He was always faithful to his liberal
principles. He was uncompronn*sinf»" in his (>])posi-
tion to slaver3^ He could not ))e intimidated or
cajoled. The slaveholders in Congress, who were
accustomed to brow beat and threaten Northern
members of weaker material, found Senator Wade
as tirm as a rock, and as brave as a lion. Had it
not been for the treachery of a Kansas Senator,
Andrew Johnson would have been deposed, and
f^enator Wade would have succeeded him as Presi-
dent of the U. S.

REPUKJ.K'AX REFUGEES, NEW VOHK, l<S.51.

The failure of their schemes had driven these
ardent republicans to take refuge in America, where
many of them were suffering extreme poverty.

General Garibaldi, late General-in-Chief of the
armies of the Roman Republic, was earning his
bread by daily labor ; Gen. Avezzani, late Rouian
Minister of War, was engaged in the cigar business ;
while a Prussian colonel was selling beer by the
glass ; a member of the French Chamber of De-
puties was a cigar vendor ; and a French general of
cavalry was trying to sell walking sticks opposite
the Astor House.

Every Sunday night, these refugees from tyranny
met together in a little restaurant, near the Battery,

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180

Menimrs of a Reformer.

kept by a late official of the Roman Government.
On some evenings there were as many as thirty
exiles of different nationalities present, but usually
not more than twelve or fifteen ; General Garibaldi
was the central figure of the group — great deference
and respect was always shown him. The principle
theme of conversation was the political condition of
Europe. At these meetings I frequently met Felix
Pyatt, Hugh Forbes, Louis Blanc, Gen. Drouet, ex-
officer of the Imperial Guard of Napoleon, and many
others of less prominence whose names I forget —
among them French Republicans, English Chartistsi
Italian Carbonari and German Conmiunists. Nearly
all of these men were occupied in daily labor of
some kind, trying to support their unhappy lives.
Their peculiar dress, manner, language, spirit and
enthusiasm was interesting to me, while their his-
tory, sufferings and loneliness enlisted my warmest
sympathy for these brave men, who had endured
80 much suffering and sacrifice in the cause of free-
dom. It was very gratifying to me, that I was pri-
vileged to enjoy their society, and to listen to their
conversations. On several occasions very exciting
scenes occurred. These men were well aware that
their steps were dogged by spies in the pay of
European governments, and strict precaution was
observed to prevent the intrusion of these servants
of despotism. On one occasion, a great uproar was
created by the discovery that a stranger was in the

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Memoirs of a Refortner,

181

room, who could not give a satisfactory account of
himself. He was finally released, upon the assur-
ance of Col. Forbes that he was all right. But the
experience of subsecjuent years has satisfied me
that Col. Forbes himself was a traitor, and the
meaTis of causing the imprisonment and death of
several of these refugees. It was he who betrayed
the confidence of John Brown to the U. S. Govern-
ment and obliged Capt. Brown to hasten his assault
on Harper's Ferry before he was quite ready.

GENERAL JOSEPH GARIHALDI.

I first met Garibaldi at the house of a mutual
friend on Staten Island, New York. He had but
recently arrived in America, from Italy. A few
months before I met him he was dictator of Rome,
with an army of 20,000 men under his command,
now, a refugee w ithout sufficient means to supply
the necessaries of life. The tyi'ant of France'
" Napoleon the Little," had cruslied the hopes of
republican Italy under the feet of the French army,
and Garibaldi, finding no safety in Europe, had
taken refuge in the United States, until another
turn in the wheel of revolution should recall him
to his beloved Italy. From early manhood I had
been an enthusiastic admirer of this heroic soldier
of freedom, and my personal intercourse with him
during several months increased my admiration and
filled me with profound respect and love for this

l^i

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) '

182

Memoirs of a Reformer.

great man, who, after many years military command
in South America and Italy, battling for freedom,
could lay down his sword and engage in the most
liumble occupation to provide for his simple wants,
in preference to dependence upon his friends, who
would have esteeiiied it a favor to have placed their
fortunes at his disposal. General Garibaldi was at
this time about forty-three years of age, of med-
ium height, large head and noV)le brow, his eyes
blueish gray, with a keen, intelligent and kindly
expression : his hair dark V»rown, whiskers inclined
to reddish, feet and hands small and well formed,
chest and shoulders V)road, indicating great strength.
He was cool, ((uiet and self-possessed in his manner,
his voice low and musical in tone, his language con-
cise and to the point. He spoke the French, Spanish
and Italian languages with ease, and English indif-
ferently. He wore dark trousers, and a red Hannel
shirt, and over this, when the weather required ad-
ditional covering, a heavy grayish white cloak
lined with red flannel. During the general's resi-
dence in Aujerica I spent many happy days in his
company, charmed by his simple, unaffected manner
and kindly disposition, as much as by his heroic
services in behalf of freedom. He finally grew
restless and dissatisfied with the narrow life he was
leading, and engaged as captain of the Italian ship
" Immaculat*^ ( /onception." Before leaving, he
changed the name to the "Commonwealth," and

Memoirs of a Reformer.

183

sailed for South American and Chinese ports. He
afterwards make several trips to New York, Phila-
delphia, Baltimore and Boston. On the occasion of
his visit to Boston in 1853, as captain of a ship, I
again met him. He had not changed much in ap-
pearance, except that his face and hands were
bronzed by exposure. He was the same mild, quiet
man, his voice as sweet and musical as when I first
knew him in 1851. During his short stay in Bos-
ton, I saw him frequently and listened to his modest
recital of incidents personal to his wonderful career.
When I clasped his hand for the last time, as he was
about sailing for Italy, he said : — " Dear Ross, if you
are ever blessed with a son, do me the favor of giv-
ing him iriy name, and may it be a good augury for
him." And when in the course of time his wish
was complied with, he sent my little boy the follow-
ing letter : —

Caprera, October 20th, 1873.

To my preciom godson Oarihatdi Ross :

My Dearest : — I think of you constantly and hope you will
grow up a brave and good man. Remember that time is money,
and to waste it is a crime. Embrace with ardor and steadfast-
ness sound and liberal principles. ♦ ♦ * •

I send you an affectionate embrace, and a father's wish for
your future happiness.

Yours devotedly for life,

III

<.IV

u km

i,li

184

Memioirs of a Refimner.

On each succeediiify birthday the general sent af-
fectionate words of congratuUition and kind wishes
for his godson. In 1874, an Italian friend wrote nie
that Garibaldi was extremely poor, in fact, often
without the necessaries of life. I at once wrote to
the general, asking him to accept sotne assistance
form me. He replied as follows :

Caprera, Ist September, 1874.
My Dear Ross : —

* * * I accept with gratitude your generous offer. I
beg you to send me a draft on a European banker. * * *
A kiss for your little son.

I am for life your devoted

In acknowledging the receipt of my draft, he
added, " A thousand thanks, my dear Ross, for this
grateful token of your continued friendship."

In view of the ingratitude and neglect which the
Italian Ministry had displayed toward this illustri-
ous man, wIkj made Italy free, and gave a kingdom
to Victor Enunanuel, I deemed it my duty to make
public the general's condition, which I did in a letter
published in the New York Tribune of October
3rd, 1874. The letter was cabled to Rome, and ap-
peared next day in all the leading newspapers of
Italy, to the utter confusion of the Italian Ministry.
Contributions for the general, from sympathizing
friends in all countries, were sent to him. The par-
liament of Italy voted him a pension of $20,000 a
year for life, and the people of Rome elected him a

Memoirs of a Reforrner.

185

member of tlic tirst parliament of iinite<l Italy tliat
sat in Rome. His heroic and persistent sti'U^^les to
free his beloved Italy from the yoke of the Foreigner
have been crowned with success, and to-day the
name of (laribaldi stands before an admirinj^ world
without a spot to dim the purity of his fame. From
Italy to Montevideo, from Montevideo to Rome,
from Rome to Sicily and Naples, and from the <lic-
tatorship of Naples to his humble home in C\iprera,
and from there to the parliament of United Italy,
in victory and defeat, (iaribaldi always displayed
the soul of the hero and patriot, never think injij of
himself, but always of tlie oppressed and down-
trodden.

The mere narrative of Garibaldi's life reads like
a mediaeval legend, or a tale of heroic times. He is
at once the Achilles and Ulysses of the Italian
national epic. Long before his name was heard of
in Europe, his exi)loits both by sea and land liad
made it a word of power in the new world. Hav-
ing become involved in revolutionary intrigues, he
quitted Europe, in 1836, for South America, only
to return after twelve years' exile, the story of
which, with its stirring adventures, both of war and
peace, is as wonderful as any subsequent portion of
his extraordinary career in Europe. He experien-
ced many vicissitudes during his exile in South
America. At one time commander-in-chief of an
army, then a guerilla chief, then captain of a war

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Mernmrs of a Reformer.

vessel, then a prisoner, then a private soldier, a
dealer in cigars and jewellery, a school teacher, a
peddler, a teacher of French, then again a connnan-
der of an army : such are a few of the changes in
his wonderful career.

"!i,

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BRIEF SKETCH (>K OAKIBALDIS fAREEH.

(Jarihaldi was Ijorn at Nice of humble parents, on
the 4th of July, 1807. At an early age he embraced
his ancestral calling of a sailor, and was for
several years engaged in the coasting trade in vari-
ous parts of the Mediterranean. At the age of
twenty-four he became acquainted with Ma/zini,
with whom he was concerned in a successful con-
spiracy against Charles Albert, the king of Sar-
dinia. Compelled to leave his country, he eventu-
ally made his way to South America, and soon
after his arrival in that country engaged in the
privateer service of the rev^olted republic of Rio
(irande against Brazil, and experienced the various
vicissitudes of victory, defeat, imprisonment, ship-
wreck, and escape in the revolutionary war. Amidst
his dangers by land and sea, he found comfort in
his marriage with a Brazilian lady named Anita, to
whom he was devotedly attached, and who fully re-
turned his affection. In battle, whether by sea or
land, Anita was at his side, aiding with sword and
gun, and dauntless courage, her lion-like husband.
In peace or war, in good or ill fortune, she was al-

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Me'inoirs o/ a Reformer.

187

ways his truest anrl licst friend. During the siege
of Rome, the fighting was continuous night and
day, she never left (iarihahli's side, and when the
fortunes of war eoiiqu'lled him to witliih-aw from
the city, dishand his aiiny, and l)ecome a fugitive
in the marshes, slie never left him, until ov«!i'eome
with fatigue and exhaustion, slie laid flown and
died. She was a heroic wife of a heroic man.

In 1847, hearing of the elevation of Pius IX. to
the Papacy, and persuaded of his liberal tendencies,
Oaribaldi ottered him his Hervic<'s, but th'^y were
not accepte*!. He then ottered his sword to I i arles
All)ert, then in the field against Austi-ia. ^vnd upon
being rejadsed by that n;'.>narch lu? upaired to
Milan, wlrv(e he was commissioned l)y the piovin-
cial (loveinment to ormiiuze Lombard volunteers
for thr war for freedom. After the ttight o'i the
Pope, Garibaldi visited Rome, where he found the
people rejoicing over the proclamations of a repub-
lic, under which he was electe<l to the* C'onstituent
Assembly. He received orders to watch with his
troops the jriovements of the King of Naples, but
was called from this duty in order to resist the
French arn»y, which was thcui proceeding to invest
the Roman territoiy. A sevei-e battle took place
on the 30th of April, in which Garilmldi, after a
hard struggle against superior discipline and num-
bers, drove the French soldiers from the field. This
victory was followed up by another over the
Neapolitan army on the 9th of May. Rome, how-

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Memoirs of a Reformer.

ever, after a terrible struggle, which raged without
intermission from the 23rd to the 28th of June, fell
into the hands of the French, and on the 2nd of
July, Garibaldi, with 5,000 of his volunteers, took
his departure, to carry on the war against the Aus-
trians and the King of Naples. But misfortunes
overpowered him. Many of his soldiers surrender-
ed to the enemy, and his faithful Anita, who had
shared all his dangers, yielded up her life a victim
to anxiety and fatigue.

Then came the episode of his life in America, on
Staten Island, and then a brief return to his old
business as a trader in Southern and Chinese seas.
Having amassed a little capital, he purchased half
of the small island of Caprera, off the coast of Sar-
dinia, where he settled down as an agriculturist, de-
termined to await events.

The opportunity came, in 1859, when he was sum-
moned by Victor Emmanuel to Turin, to concert the
plan which lie was to play against the Austrians
then threatening Sardinia. He received a commis-
sion as Lieutenant-General, and found himself at the
head of a choice band of 3,000 volunteers, with which
he left Turin, on the 20t)i of May, and carried on a
guerilla warfare, which greatly harassed the Aus-
trians. His followers soon increased to 17,000 men.
He took Varese, Camerlats, and Como, and was suc-
cessful at Bergamo, Brescia, and Rezzato.

After the hasty treaty of Villafranca, which put
an end to the war, leaving Venice in the hands of

Memoirs of a Reformer.

189

the Austrians, Garibaldi retired from his command,
and resigned his rank in the Italian army, in order
that he might be free to engage in his long-meditat-
ed expedition for the liberation of the two Sicilies
from the misrule of Francis II.

When all was ready, he embarked from Genoa for
Sicily, on the 5th May, 1860, and landed on the
10th, at Marsala, where he proclaimed himself Dic-
tator of Sicily, in the name of Victor Emmanuel,
and proceeded to take Palermo and Messina. He
then crossed the straits, landed in Calabria, and
possessed himself of Naples, which he entered on the
9th September. There he proclaimed Victor Em-
manuel King, amidst general enthusiasm and rejoic-j^^
ing. The Neapolitan army was defeated on thefe
1st of October; on the 2l8t, the people of Naples*-^
voted in favor of annexation to the Sardinian^ 1

States : on the 7th of November, Victor Emmanuel' -

. "J
entered Naples, and on the 27th, the army of Gari-.

baldi was disbanded.

Garibaldi now retired to Caprera, where he ma-
tured his plans for the ill-advised and unsuccessful
expedition against Rome, in which Victor Emmanuel
was obliged to take part against him. In 1864, he
paid a short visit to England, where he was received
with great enthusiasm, and again retired to Caprera.
He took an energetic part in the campaign of 1866,
which gave Venice to Italy, but still restless under
the exclusion of Rome from the kingdom, he began
an agitation, in 1867, for the annexation of the

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Papal States. This brought him again into col-
lision with the Italian government, und he suffered
arrest and imprisonment. He succeeded, however,
in escaping, and entered the Pontifical States at the
head of a small force. After a few unimportant
successes, he was defeate<l by the combined French
and Papal forces at Mentana, on the 4th of Novem-
ber. On the evening of the same day he was ar-
I'ested, and conducted to the fortress of Varigano,
near Spezia. Owing to a severe illness, it was
deemed expedient to transport him to Caprera.
With the exception of the brief service in France
during the Franco-German war, Garibaldi's military
career was now ended. He lived to see the desire
of his heart fulfilled, in the restoration of Rome as
the Capital of United Italy, and although he would
have preferred a republic, he gave a loyal support
to monarchy, as offering the only practicable solu-
tion of the great problem of Italian freedom and
unity.

Garibaldi's last letter to the author :

Caprera. July 29th, 1880.
Mv Dearest Ross ; —

Give a kiss for Manlio and me to my precious godson. Gari-
baldi (my son), and a loving salutation to all your family.

Yours for life.

I 1

Memoirs of a Reformer.

191

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'W-

DEATH OF GARIBALDI.

Garibaldi died at Caprera, on bhe evening of June
2nd, 1882. The window of the apartment in which
he lay was open, and just before he died a little
bird alighted on the window sill where it remained
twittering. Garibaldi saw it and exclaimed, •* How
Joyful it is." These were his last words. The fune-
ral jf Garibaldi at Caprera was not less romantic
than his chequered life. Never was hero buried
under such novel circumstances. Practical difficul-
ties, combined with the expression of Italian opinion
to prevent his body being burned as provided by
the General's will. Amid a furious storm, tlie re-
mains of the dead Liberator, borne by survivors of
the Thousand of Marsala, were consigned to a tem-
porary tomb beside the remains of his children,
Rosa and Anita. He wanted to be burned as Pom-
pey was, so he put the matter into his will to give
his purpose sacredness. " Having by testament de-
termined the burning of my body," he wrote, " I
charge my wife with the execution of this will, be-
fore giving notice to anyone whomsoever of my
death." He had even collected and cut up into con-
venient size a quantity of spicy woods, to be used
for his funeral pyre. This was poetic, but of no
avail, as the following letter from his widow ex-
plains : —

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192

Mernoirs of (t Reformer.

8ARAC0UI, Piedmont,
July 12th, 1882.

My Dear Dr. Ross.

The cruel misfortune which has deprived me of a most loving
husband and my children of a kind and affectionate father, has
crushed mc to despair. I cannot help thinking that he might
have been spared to us if he had been on the mainland where he
could have had medical skill. In his will he expressed a desire
that his remains should be burned ; dear soul, so much was he
desirous of it that he charged me, in his last testament, not to
let anyone know of his death until after his body was consumed.
His wishes were overruled, and his remains now lie near his
children, Rosa and Anita. My dear husband often spoke to me
of your long friendship for him, and charged Manlio (his young-
est son) and me never to forget your faithfulness during many
years. My daughters and Manlio join me in tender regard to
you and your little Garibaldi and all your family. * * ♦

Affectionately and devotedly,

Francesco Garibaldi.

No name in the history of modern Italy shines
with a more brilliant or purer light. The sturdy
old patriot was a hero of a noble type. No one did
more for the welfare of his country than he, and
despite the criticisms called fourth by the apparent
inconsistencies of his later life, the good he wrought
was fairly appreciated. That is not the happy lot
of some patriots. Garibaldi was earnest and sincere,
thoroughly honest and unselfish, true in his friend-
ships, and a good hater toward those who wronged
him. In parliament he was silent and obscure ; his
place was in the field leading a fight for liberty.
Garibaldi has been much condemned because he was

loving
jr, has
migVit
lere he
, desire
was he
, not to
isumed.
near his
e to me
J young-
ig many
egard to

BALDI.

shines
sturdy
one did
le, and
)parent
rought

^ppy ^^^

sincere,
friend-
ronged

ire; Hs
liberty.

he waH

Memoirs of a Reformer.

198

i 1
11

content to accept finally a monarchy for his country,
instead of a republic, but therein he showed more
political wisdom than at any other- time of his life.
A republic then was impracticable. The acceptance
of a pension by him from the King cannot be con-
sidered as a bribe, or as the wages of silence. His
native land, and, above all, Victor Emanuel, owed
him a comfortable old age. A confirmed invalid, it
is a pleasure to know that the old hero was able to
spend his last days in peace and quiet on his islan«l,
where he was most at home and happiest. Garibaldi
loved Italy above all other earthly objects ; but his
great heart throbbed in sympathy with struggles
for freedom in any part of the world. The patriot
and hero died, beloved not only by the great maas
of his own countrymen, but by lovers of freedom in
all parts of the world.

garibaldi's dream.

" One day I fell asleep in my cabin on board the
Carmen, and dreamt that I was in Nice, where all
nature bore a lovely aspect. In my dream I saw
a sad procession of women carrying a bier, and they
advanced towards me. I felt a fatal presentiment,
and struggled to approach the bier, but I could not
move, I was under the influence of nightmare ; and
when I began to move and felt beside me the cold
form of a corpse, I recognized my mother's blessed

;

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194

Memoirs of a Reformer.

face. The mournful howling of the wind and the
groans of the ship aroused me. On that day, and
at that hour, my precious mother died."

The portrait of Garibaldi's mother always liung
near his bed. It represented an old lady wrapped
in a crimson shawl, and with a mild, sweet counten-
ance. Garibaldi's veneration for his mother was
intense. If he saw anyone looking at her picture
tears would start to his eyes. He often expressed
remorse at having by his adventurous life been a
source of cruel anxiety to her. She was a woman
of remarkable goodness and inexhaustible charity.

HOW HE WON ANITA.

One evening, while his vessel lay off the coast of
Brazil, he saw a group of women and girls at work
on the shore. At first their forms passed unnoticed
before him, but by degrees, his eye, and perhaps
his heart, fixed upon one, and he stopped to con-
template her. She was a young woman, in the
bloom of health and strength. She was the ideal
woman that Garibaldi was in search of. Before he
had spoken to her, or heard her speak, he loved
her. She, also, had remarked the leonine blonde
head of the foreign sailor who watched her day
after day, and had already given her heart to him.
One evening Garibaldi resolved to delay no longer,
and went to the girl's home. At the door he met

tUe

ung

k ten-
was
eture
eased

ieii a
oman
larity.

3ast of
work
ticed
erhaps
to con-
111 the
lie ideal
■ore he
loved
blonde
ler day
to him.
longer,
he met

Memoirs of a Reformer.

195

her father, who invited him in to take a cup of
coffee ; he would have entered without invitation.
Without hesitation he said to the girl, " Maiden,
will you be mine ? " to which she replied only by a
look, which contained the promise of unutterable
love ; a few evenings after, he retuined and carried
her off, and put her on board the safe refuge of his
vessel and under the protection of his cannon and
his sailors. He swore before Heaven to make her
his wife, and they were married at Montivideo
soon after. Her name was Anita Riberas; her
father had promised her to another, for whom she
had no love. Her marriage to Garibaldi distressed
her father very much, but Anita had not broke
faith with her father's choice, as there was no en-
gagement (or marriage, as has been frecjuently
said). " If there was any wrong done, I only am
to blame," Garibaldi said.

JOSHUA R. GIDDIXGS.

Joshua B. Giddings was the " bravest of the
brave " among old time abolitionists ; neither friends
nor enemies could check his onslaught on slavery.
He was the leader in the House of a little band of
Free Soilers that formed the nucleus of the Repub-
lican party of the future.

Mr. Giddings encountered obloquy and social out-
lawry at the Capital. His position was offensive,

f fA

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Memoirs of a Reformer.

n a^

because it rebuked the ruling influence of the time.
He was treated as a pestilent fanatic, because he
upheld the ideal of the Republic, and sought to
make it real. He found solace for his social ostra-
cism in the company of a few friends, who had the
courage of their opinions and who have lived to see
their principles vindicated.

Mr. Giddings served in Congress, in all, twenty-
one years. From his first appearance in the House
he was distinguished for constant devotion to the
principles of liberty. He was so unceasing in his
opposition to slavery that he aroused the bitter
hostility of the pro-slavery party. Indeed, so in-
tensely was he feared and hated in the Slave States
that a prominent newspaper of Richmond, Va., con-
tained a conspicuous advertisement, offering ten
thousand dollars to any one who would bring the
person of Mr. Giddings alive to Richmond, or five
thousand dollars for his head. On one occasion,
while he was delivering a speech in the House that
wounded the tender feelings of the slave-holders a
southern member approached him with a terrible-
looking bowie- knife in his hand, and ordered Mr.
Giddings to cease speaking or he " would cut his
damned abolitionist heart out there and then." Mr.
Giddings gave the cowardly assassin such a look of
defiance and scorn that he turned and slunk back
to his seat utterly discomfited. When I asked the
old patriot how he felt when threatened with in-

t !

Memoirs of a Reformer.

197

ic he
it to
►stra-
(1 the

bo see

enty-
House
to the
in his
bitter
, so in-
states
a., con-

ten
ing the
or five
ccasion,
ise that
Dlders a
errible-
recl Mr.
cut his
Mr.
look of
nk back
aked the
with in-

stant death, he said, "I knew I was speaking for
liberty, and I felt that if the assassin killed me,
my speech would still go on and triumph."

Mr. Giddings was conspicuous for the courage
with which he attacked slavery, and in all discus-
sions on this subject, he took the broad ground that
slavery was a mere local institution, which the
general government could not, and ought not, to
recognize.

He stood shoulder to shoulder with John Quincy
Adams, the old man eloquent, in resenting the tyran-
nical demands of the slave-drivers.

As a public man, Mr. Giddings was pure, honor-
able, and conscientious. As a speaker, he was for-
cible, pertinacious, and courageous. In all his acts
he showed personal courage and a determination to
maintain the right at all hazards ; and during the
long struggle with slavery he never flagged in the
fight, although he was ostracised by all men, except
half-a-dozen, at the national capital, and denied the
common civility and friendship of social life, but he
fought on, and fought on, until in his last days he
saw the triumph of the principles for which he had
endured so much and labored so hard.

In personal appearance (in 1850) Mr. Giddings
was a magnificent rugged specimen of physical
strength. He was fully six feet in height, power-
fully and compactly built ; his head was large, and
covered with dark brown hair, slightly mixed with

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Memoirs oj th Rrjfyrm^'.r.

jQ^roy, and inclined to curl ; his countenance, when
denouncing the wrongs of slavery or excited by the
heat of discussion, was truly grand and lion-like,
and piesented a picture of herculean strength, back-
ed by moral power ; his eyes were blue, and ex-
pressed kindness and honesty ; his nose large and
pugiiacious ; his mouth and chin indicated firmness
and tenacity.

In the social circle he was a charming and enter-
taining companion, his disposition most kind, gentle,
and tlioughtful. Mr. Giddings was one of the most
welcome guests at the house of my good friend, Dr.
Bailey. He was fond of active out-door sports, and
exhilarating games.

In 1861, President Lincoln appointed Mr. Gid-
dings Consul -General to the British North Ameri-
can Provinces, with his official residence at Montreal.

Here our acquaintance was resumed, and soon
ripened into a warm friendship, which terminated
only with his life. For several days before his death
I was with him almost continuously, and, from his
remarks as well as his manner, I am convinced he
was impressed with tlie nearness of death. Three
days before he died he handed me a package con-
taining letters addressed to President Lincoln, Se-
cretary Chase, and Elihu B. Washburn ; he request-
ed me to deliver these letters after his death. Many
other little incidents occurred during these last
days of his life on earth which convinced me that

Memoirs oj a Uefomner.

199

he WHS preparing for Heath. The many hap])y hours
passed in the company of this noble oUl statesman
will ever remain hright spots in my memory. His
conversation during his last days evinced a spirit
full of love and charity for all mankind, and especi-
ally for those misguicied men who were fighting to
destroy republicanism on this continent, and to
erect in its place a government with human slavery
for its chief corner-stone.

Few names will rank above that of Joshua R.
Giddings, when the history of the long conHict with
slavery is written down, and justice done to those
who fought for the inalienable rights of man. He
died suddenly, while amusing himself with a game
of billiards. Only an hour prior to his death he
said to me during a conversation on national affairs,
" I have but one desire to live longer, and that is to
witness the complete triumph of the cause to which
I have given the energies of my life ; but I am
ready whenever the summons comes ; I have no fear
of death, it is only a short journey, from this life
to the next."

I ';\

"Giddings, far rougher names than thine have grown
Smoother than honey on the lips of men ;

And thou shalt aye be honorably known,
As one who bravely used the tongue and pen
As best befits a freeman."

— Bryant.

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Mf'.moirH of a Reforw/ir,

The following is .h!tibrKou DuviH* orroncous con-
ception of Mr. diildings' chaructur :

"I never saw a more remarkable man, nor one who was in-
spired by u Bpirit of more concentrated bittorneBS. He was very
old and infirm, but his hatred for the South and for slavery
glowud like the hot tiro of youth in his veins and seemed potent
enough to vivify his exhausted frame. The hoarded hate of a
lifetime gleamed in his sunken eyes, and gave feirouity to a voice
that was like the growl of a tiger about to spring upon its prey.
I used to watch him with a sort of fascinated interest which the
display of strong and sustained passion is sure to create, and I
remember iiow tlie alertness of his attitude and the suppressed
passion of his face used to suggest to me the idea of some fierce
creature crouching for a spring. To this day I believe it would
have given him pleasure to behold tlie South desolated with sword
and with famine and wiih pestilence, until neither man, woman,
nor child remained. He had poured out so much tenderness
upon the slaves, that there was not a drop of pity in his heart
for even the innocent babes of the slaveholders."

Jefferson Davis did not know Joshua R. Giddings,
or he would never have uttered such a libel against
one of the purest hearted and most atfactifJnate men
of this country. His love for children was a marked
characteristic. He was a noble, good man.

WILLIAM LYON MACKENZIE — CANADIAN PATRIOT.

My acquaintance with Mr. Mackenzie was formed
after he had returned to Canada from his exile in
the United States. Long before I met him I had
imbibed feelings of respect and admiration for his
character as a man, a patriot, and a statesman. In

•med

lie in

had

\r his

Mfmoira of <t Refimn^r.

201

U.'l<

personal >i|)|)oarancr Mr. Mackenzie was .small in
stature, and active and energetic in his movements.
His head was very lar^«' and massive: his brow
broad, h\^\\ and projecting ; his head high from the
ears to the crown, indicating firmness and self es-
teem ; Ins jaw was liroad, s(|uare an<l strong; his
nose large and impiisitive ; his eyes thoughtful, sad
but keen ; his language good and to the point ; his
face V»r(>ad, with rather prominent cheek Ixines; his
mouth strong and decisive. Like most radical re-
foi'uiei's, h(! was poor and remained poor all his life.
Mr. Mackenzie was not a magnetic man, in the
sense in w' 'ch it is applied to politicians, but he
was a very attractive man t(^ those who admired
mental and physical courage of the highest order.
He dared to look the devil of tyranny, arrogance
and selfishness stjuare in the face and smite it. He,
before and above all his adherents and followers,
had the courage of his convictions. His love for his
adopted country was sincere, and his motives un-
selfish and patriotic. For loving liberty and justice
more than selfishness and pelf, he was proclaimed
on outlaw, a price placed upon his head ; he was
hunted from place to place, as if he were a wild
beast ; he was persecuted, imprisoned and exiled, as
if he were an enemy of mankind. But, the time
is not far distant when the name of William Lyon
Mackenzie will be hailed as that of " Canada's
truest and best friend," and when that day comes,

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