Slave Life in Georgia - African American History

Slave Life in Georgia 130
recovery of John's testimonials. Finding all efforts vain, they kindly applied to
me and others for duplicates; hence this minuteness on my part--the more, that I
have since conversed with Mr. Smith at large on poor John's misfortune.
John professes to be practically acquainted with the rearing of cotton from the
seed to the bale, and I should think him, from his constitutional strength and
energy, well fitted to superintend the operative department, in the valuable
scheme of raising Free Labour Cotton, say in Natal, or Australia, or India.
JOHN RITCHIE.19, Salisbury Road, Edinburgh,
17th Nov. 1853.
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173, Irongate, Glasgow,
November 18, 1853.
The bearer, John Brown, a self-emancipated negro, called upon me on Saturday
last, 12th inst., and shewed me several testimonials of a highly satisfactory
character. He had not left my place of business above fifteen minutes, when he
returned, saying he had been jostled by a man in Argyle Street, and he
immediately discovered the loss of his pocket-book and all his certificates:
fortunately no money was stolen, however. We immediately gave notice to the
police, and got bills printed and posted, but no appearance of the missing book
and contents has yet been discovered. In these circumstances I have procured
for him one or two duplicates of his testimonials from his friends in Edinburgh,
and have much pleasure in giving my own. John Brown seems a most worthy,
honest man, and I hope he may be successful in obtaining the support requisite
to reach Natal, or some other of our colonies, where his knowledge of cotton
growing and packing may be turned to good account.
I should have stated that the time at which J. B. called on me was early in the
afternoon, I think between two and three o'clock.
JOHN SMITH,
Secretary, Glasgow New Association
for the Abolition of Slavery.
Glasgow, 18th Nov. 1853.
The bearer, John Brown, having been robbed of his pocket-book on the public
24.03.2006