UNCLE TOM'S CABIN

UNCLE TOM'S CABIN:
LIFE AMOIG THE LOWLY.
BY
HARRIET BEECHER STOWE.
TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY-FIFTH THOUSAND
BOSTON:
JOHN P. JEWETT AND COMPANY
CLEVELAND,
OHIO:
JEWETT, PROCTOR " WORTHINGTON.
1853.,

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the
year
1851, by
HARRIET BEECHER STOWE.
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Maine.
STEREOTYPED
BY
HOBART " KOBBINS,
WKW ENGLAND TYPE AND STEREOTYPE FOUNDEBY,
BOSTON.
PRINTED BY GEO. C. RAND, CORN11IIX.

PREFACE.
The scenes of tins story,as its title indicates,lie among
a race hitherto gnoredby the associ
ations of politeand refined society ; an exotic race, whose ancestors, born beneath a tropicsun,
brought with them, and perpetuatedto their descendants, a character so essentially unlike the hard
and dominant Anglo-Saxon race, as for many years to have won from it only misunderstanding
and
contempt.
But another and better day is dawning ; every
influence of literature,of poetry and of art, in
brotherhood.
our times, is becoming more and more in unison with the great master chord of Christianity,
"
good will to man."
The poet, the painter and the artist,now seek out and embellish the common and gentler
humanities of life,and, under the allurements of fiction,breathe a humanizing and subduing
influence,favorable to the development of the great principles of Christian
The hand of benevolence is everywhere stretched out, searching into abuses, righting wrongs,
alleviatingdistresses,and bringing to the knowledge and sympathies of the world the lowly,the
oppressed, and the forgotten.
I'n this generalmovement, unhappy Africa at last is remembered ; Africa, who began the race
of civilization and human
progress in the dim, gray
dawn of earlytime, but who, for centuries,
nas lain bound and bleedingat the foot of civilized and Christianized humanity,imploringcompassion
in vain.
But the heart of the dominant race, who have been her concpaerors, her hard masters, has at
length been turned towards her in mercy ; and it has been seen how far nobler it is in nations to
protect the feeble than to oppress them. Thanks be to God, the world has at last outlived the
slave-trade !
The object of these sketches is to awaken sympathy and feeling for the African race, as they
exist among
us ; to show their wrongs
and sorrows, under a system so necessarily cruel and
unjust as to defeat and do away
the good effects of all that can be attempted for them, by their
best friends,under it.
In doing this,the author can sincerelydisclaim any
invidious feelingtowards those individuals
who, often without
legal relations
any
fault of their own, are involved in the trials and embarrassments of the
of slavery.
Experience has shown her that some of the noblest of minds and hearts are often thus involved ;
and no one knows better than they do, that what
may be gathered of the evils of slavery from
sketches like these is not the half that could be told,of the unspeakablewhole.
In the northern states these representations may, perhaps, be thought caricatures ; in the
southern states are witnesses who know their fidelity. What personalknowledge the author Has
had, of the truth of incidents such as here are related,will appear
in its time.
It is a comfort to hope, as so
many
of the world's sorrows and
wrongs have, from
age to age,
been lived down, so a time shall come when sketches similar to these shall be valuable only aa
memorials of what has long ceased to be.
When an enlightened and Christianized community shall have, on the shores of Africa,laws,
language and literature, drawn from
among us, may
then the scenes of the house of bondage be to
them like the remembrance of Egypt to the Israelite,
" a motive of thankfulness to llim who
hath redeemed them !
For, while politicians contend, and men are swerved this way
and that by conflicting tides of
interest and passion țhe great cause of human libertyis in the hands of One, of whom it is said :
"
He shall not foil nor be discouraged
Till He have set judgment in the earth."
" He shall deliver the needy when he crieth,
The
poor, and him that hath no helper."
"
He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence,
And precious shall their blood be in His sight."

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TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTER
I.
In TV-rich the Reader is introduced to a Man of Humanity
Paj"
CHAPTER
II.
.
The
Mother,
CHAPTER
III.
.
The Husband and Father,
'
10
CHAPTER
IV.
.
An Evening in Uncle Tom's Cabin,
11
CHAPTER
V.
Showing the Feelings of Living Property on changing Owners,
16
CHAPTER
VI.
.
Discovery,
19
CHAPTER
VII.
The Mother's Struggle,'
22
CHAPTER
VIII.
.
Eliza's
Escape,
27
CHAPTER
IX.
.
In wiiioi it appears that a Senator is but a Man,
....
32
CHAPTER
X.
The Property is carried off,
38
CHAPTER
XI.
.
In which Property gets into an Improper State of Mind,
.
42
CHAPTER
XII.
Select Incident of Lawful Trade,
47
CHAPTER
XIII.
The Quaker Settlement,
53
CHAPTER
XIV.
.
Evangeline,
56
CHAPTER
XV.
.
Of Tom's new Master, and Various other Matters,
....
59
CHAPTER
XVI.
Tom's Mistress and her Opinions,
65
CHAPTER
XVII.
.
The Freeman's Defence,
72
CHAPTER
XVIII.
Miss Ophelia's Experiences and Opinions,
78
CHAPTER
XIX.
Miss Ophelia's Experiences and Opinions, Continued,
....
84
CHAPTER
XX.
Topsy,
91
CHAPTER
XXI.
Kentuck,
96
CHAPTER
XXII.
.
"The Grass withereth-
-the Flower fade",
98
CHAPTER
XXIII.
Henrique,
....
101
CHAPTER
XXIV.
Foreshadowings,
.
103
CHAPTER
XXV.
.
The Little Evangelist,
.
106
CHAPTER
XXVI.
Death,
107
CHAPTER
XXVII.
"Tins is the Last of Earth,
112
CHAPTER
XXVIII.
Re-union,
115
CHAPTER
XXIX.
The Unprotected,
.
120
CHAPTER
XXX.
The Slave Warehouse,
122
CHAPTER
XXXI.
The Middle Passage,
.
126
CHAPTER
XXXII.
Dark Places,
.
128
CHAPTER
XXXIII.
Cassy
131
CHAPTER
XXXIV.
.
The Quadroon's Story,
.
134
CHAPTER
XXXV.
.
The Tokens,
,
138
CHAPTER
XXXVI.
.
Emmeline and Cassy,
.
140
CHAPTER
XXXVII.
Liberty,
,
142
CHAPTER
XXXVIII.
The
Victory,
144
CHAPTER
CHAPTER
XXXIX.
.
XL.
.
The Stratagem,
The Martyr,
148
151
CHAPTER
XLI.
The Young Master,
. .
154
CHAPTER
XLTI.
An Authentic Ghost Story,
156
CHAPTER
XLIII.
.
Results,
.......
158
CHAPTER
XLIV.
.
The Liberator,
....
161
CHAPTER
XLV.
.
Concluding Remarks,
. . ,
162

"
steady,
I
"
they
"
and
money,
I
't
justa
a
UNCLE TOM'S CABIN:
OR
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY
CHAPTER I.
TK WHICH THE READER IS INTRODUCED TO A MAN
OF
HUMANITY.
Late in the afternoon of a chillyday in February,
two gentlemen were sittingalone over their
wine, in a well-furnished dining parlor, in the
in Kentucky. There were no
town of P
,
servants present, and the gentlemen, with chairs
closelyapproaching, seemed to be discussingsome
subject with great earnestness.
"Some folks don't believe there is piousniggers,
For convenience sake, we have said, hitherto, Shelby," said Haley, with a candid flourish of his
two gentlemen. One of the parties,however, hand, " but / do. I had a fellow, now,
in this yer
when critically examined, did not seem, strictlylast lot I took to Orleans
" was as good as a
speaking, to come under the species. He was a
short, thick-set man, with coarse, commonplace
features,and that swaggering air of pretension
which marks a low man who is trying to elbow"
his
way upward in the world. He was much
over-dressed, in a gaudy vest of many colors,a
blue neckerchief, bedropped gayly with yellow
spots, and arranged with a flauntingtie,quite in
keeping with the general air of the man. His
hands, large and coarse, were plentifully bedecked
with rings ;
and he wore a heavy gold watch-
fellow had," rejoined the
"
other. Why, last fall,
I let him
to
go
Cincinnati alone, to do business
for and me, bring home five hundred dollars.
dhain, with a bundle of seals of portentous size, 'Tom,' says
I to him, 'I trust you, because I
and a great varietyof colors,attached to think
it,"
you 're a Christian know
"
you
wouldn't
which, in the ardor of conversation,he was in the cheat.' Tom comes back, sure enough ; I knew
habit of nourishing and jingling with evident he would. Some low fellows,they say, said to
satisfaction. His conversation was in free and
easy
defiance of Murray's Grammar, and was
garnished at convenient intervals with various
profane expressions,which not even the desire to
be graphic in our account shall induce us to
transcribe.
His companion, Mr. Shelby, had the appearance
of a gentleman; and the arrangements of the
house, and the general air of the housekeeping,
indicated
easy, and even opulent circumstances.
As we before stated, the two were in the midst of
an earnest conversation.
" That is the way
I should arrange
the matter," too hard." The trader sighed contemplatively,
said Mr. Shelby.
and poured out some more brandy.
"I can't make trade that way positively "Well, then, Haley, how will
you
trade?"
ean't, Mr Shelby," said the other, holding up
a said Mr. Shelby, after an
uneasy
interval cf
glassof wine between his eye and the light. silence.
"
Why, the fact is,Haley, Tom is an uncommon
"Well, haven't
whole farm like a clock
'
"
You mean honest, as niggersgo," said Haley,
helping himself to a glass of brandy.
"
No ; I mean, really Țom is a good, steady,
fellow ; he is certainly worth that sum anywhere,
honest, capable, manages my
sensible, pious fellow. He got religion at a
camp-meeting, four years ago ; and I believe he
really did get it. I 've trusted him, since then,
with everything I "
have, house, horses,
let him come and
go round the country ;
and I always found him true and
in
square everything."
meetin, now, really țo hear that critter pray ;
and
he was quite gentle and quietlike. He fetched me
a good sum *oo, for I bought him cheap of a man
that was 'bLgedto sell out ; so I realized sis
hundred on him. Yes, I consider religiona valeyable
thing in a nigger, when it 's the genuine
article,and no mistake."
"Well, Tom's got the real article,if ever a
him
"
make tracks for Canada?
'
Tom, why don't you
'Ah, master trusted me, and I could n't,'
'
told me about it. I am sorry to part with
Tom, I must say.
You ought to let him cover tho
whole balance of the debt ; and you would, Haley,
if you
had
any
conscience."
"
Well, I 've got just as much conscience as
any
in business can afford to keep, little,
man
you know, to swear by, as 'twere," said the
trader, jocularly; " and, then, I 'm ready to do
anything in reason to 'bligefriends ;
but this yer,
you see, is a leetle too hard on a fellow
"
leetle
a
you boy or gal that you
"
could throw in with Tom?
"
to tell
Hum ! -none that I could well spare ;
the truth, it 's only hard necessitythat makes me

a
I
what
"
something
wants
very
UNCLE TOM'S CABIN I OR,
willing:to sell at all. I don't like parting with
any of my hands, that 's a fact."
"
Here the door opened,and a small quadroon
boy, between four and five years of age, entered
the room. There was something in his appearance
remarkably beautiful and engaging.His
black hair,fine as floss silk,hung in glossy curls
about his round, dimpledface,while a pair of
largedark eyes,
full of fire and softness,looked
out from beneath the rich,long lashes,as he
"
"
"
peeredcuriously apartment. A gay robe
"-f scarlet and yellowplaid,carefullymade and
neatlyfitted, set off to advantagethe dark and paid down for galsnot a bit handsomer."
rich styleof his beauty; and a certain comic air "I don't want to make
my
fortune on her,"
of assurance, blended with bashfulness,showed said Mr. Shelby,dryly; and,seekingto turn the
that he had been not unused to beingpettedand conversation,he uncorked a bottle of fresh wine,
noticed by his master.
and asked his companion's opinionof it.
" "
"Hulloa, Jim Crow! said Mr. Shelby,whistling,
Capital, sir, firstchop ! " said the trader ;
and snappinga bunch of raisins towards then turning, slapping his hand familiarly on
him, " pick that up, now ! "
Shelby'shoulder,lie added
The child scampered,with all his littlestrength,
"
Come, how will trade about the
afterthe prize, his master laughed.
what
you
shall I say for he?
gal?"
'11 you
take? "
"
Come here,Jim Crow," said he. The child
came
up, and the master pattedthe curlyhead,
and chucked him under the chin.
"
"
in gold."
"
Now, Jim, show
"
this gentlemanhow you
can
Ay,ay ! women alwayssay such things, cause
dance and sing." The boy commenced one of theyha'nt no sort of calculation. Just show"'em
those wild, grotesque songs common among the how many watches,feathers and trinkets, one's
negroes, in a rich, clear voice,accompanying his weight in gold would buy, and that alters the
singing with many comic evolutionsof the hands, case, /reckon."
feet,and whole body,all in perfectime to the
"
I tell this must not be spoken
music.
you,
of;I say no, and
Haley,
I mean no," said Shelby,decidedly.
" Bravo ! " said Haley,throwing him a quarter
ofsan orange.
"Well, you'l let me have the boy,though,"
"
Now, Jim, walk like old Uncle Cudjoe,when said the trader ;
"
you must own I 've come down
he has the rheumatism,"said his master.
prettyhandsomelyfor him."
Instantlythe flexiblelimbs of the child assumed
"
What on earth can you want with the child? "
the appearance of deformity and distortion,as, said Shelby.
"
with his back humpedup, and his master's stick Why, I 've got a friend that 's goinginto this
in his hand, he hobbled about the room, his
yer branch' of the business to buy up
childish face drawn into a doleful pucker,and handsome boys to raise for the market. Fancy
spitting from righ to left,in imitation of an old articles entirely sell for waiters,and so on, to
man.
Both
gentlemenlaugheduproariously.
"Now, Jim," sayi his master, " show us how
old Elder Robbins leads the psalm." The boy
drew his chubby face down to a formidable length,
and commenced toning a psalm tune through his
nose, with imperturbablegravity.
"Hurrah! bravo! what a young 'un ! " said
Haley; " that chap's a case, I '11 promise. Tell
you what," said he,suddenlyclappinghis hand
on Mr. Shelby'sshoulder, " fling in that chap,
Thera needed onlya glancefrom the child to
her,to identifyher as itsmother. There was the
saine lich,full,dark eye, with its longlashes;
the Fame ripples of silky black hair. The brown
of her cmplexiongave way on the cheek to a
peiceptioJe flush,which deepenedas she saw the
gaze of the strange man fixed upon her in bold and
undisguised admiration. Her dress Was of the
neatest possible fit,and set off to advantageher
"
finelymoulded shape; delicately formed hand
and a trim foot and ankle were items of appearance
that did not escape the quick eye of the
trader,well used to run up at a glancethe points
')fa
fine female article.
"
"Well,Eliza? " said her master,as she stopped
and looked
hesitatingly
him.
"I was loking for Harry,please, sir;" and
the boy bounded toward her,showinghis spoils,
which he had gatheredin the skirtof his robe.
and
"
Well, take him away, then,"said Mr. Shelby;
hastily she withdrew,carrying the child on
her arm.
"
By Jupiter," said
the trader,turning to him
In admiration, " there 's an article,now ! You
might make your fortune on that ar gal in Orleans,
any day. I 've seen over a thousand, in my day,
"
Mr. Haley șhe is not to be sold,"said Shelby.
' '
My wife would not part with her for her weight
rich 'uns,that can pay for handsome 'uns. It
sets off one of yer greatplaces" a real handsome
boy to open door,wait,and tend. They fetch a
good sum ; and this littledevil is such a comical,
musical concern, he 'sjustthe article."
"
I would rather not sellhim," said Mr. Shelby,
thoughtfully; "the fact is,sir,I'm a humane
man, and I hate to take the boy from his mother,
"
sir."
"0, you do?
La!
yes
of that
ar natur. I understand perfectlyỊt is mighty
and 1*11 "
settle the business will. Come, onpleasantgetting
with women, sometimes. I
now, if that an't doing the thingup about the al'ays hates those yer screechin', screamm' times.
tightest ! "
They are mighty onpleasant ; but, as I manages
At this moment, the door was pushedgentlybusiness,I generally avoids 'em,sir. Now, what
open, and a young quadroonwoman, apparentlyif you get the girl off for a day,or a week, or so ;
about twentyfive,entered the room.
then the thing's done "
quietly, all over before
she comes home. Your wife mightgether some
ear-rings, or a new gown, or some such truck,to
make up with her."
"
I'm afraid not."
"Lor bless ye, yes ! These critters an't like
white folks, you know ; theygets
over things,only
manage right. Now, theysay,"said Haley, assuming
a candid and confidential air, " that this
kind o' trade is hardening to the feelings ; but I
never found it so. Fact is,I never could do things
up the way some fellers manage the business.
I 've seen 'em as would pulla woman's child out
of her arms, and set him up to sell,and she
I screechin' like mad all the time ;
"
bad pol-

"
get
and
"
out
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY.
"
icy" damages the makes 'em article" quite unfit
on 't ; and he si iled so many for me, that I had to
forservicesometimes. I knew a real handsome break offwith him,though he was a good-hearted
gal once, in Orleans, as was entirely by fellow, and as fair a business hand as is goin'.
this sort o' handling Ṭhe fellowthat was trading
" And do you
find your ways of managingdo
for her didn't want her baby; and she was one the business better than Tom's]" said Mr.
of your real highsort,when her blood was up. I Shelby.
tell you she squeezedup her child in her "
arms, Why, yes, sir,I may say
so. You see, when
and talked,and went on real awful. It kinder I any ways can, I takes a leetle care about the
makes my blood run cold to think on't ; and when onpleasant parts, like selling young uns and that,
theycarried off the child, and locked her up, she
gals out of the way
of sight,
jestwent ravin' mad, and died in a week. Clear out of mind, you know, when it's clean
waste,sir,of a thousand dollars, justfor want of done, and can't be helpedțhey naturallygets
management," there 's where 'tis. It 's alwaysused to it. 'Tan't, you know, as if it was white
best to do the humane thing șir ; that 's been my folksțhat 's broughtup in the way of 'spectin'
experience." And the trader leaned back in his to keep their children and wives, and all that.
chair,and folded his arms, with an air of virtuous Niggers,you know, that 's fetched up properly,
decision,apparently considering himself a second ha'n't no kind of 'spectations of no kind ; so all
Wilberforce.
these thingscomes easier."
The subjectappeared to interestthe gentleman
"
I 'm afraid mine are not properlybrought
deeply; for while Mr. Shelby was thoughtfully up, then," said Mr. Shelby.
peeling
orange, Haley broke out "
afresh,with S'posenot; you Kentucky folks spileyour
becomingdiffidence, but as if actually driven by niggers. You mean well by 'em, but 'tan't no
the force of truth to say a few words more.
real kindness,arter all. Now, a nigger, you see,
"It don't look well,now, for a feller to be what 's gotto be hacked and tumbled round the
praisin' himself;but I say
itjestbecause it's the world, and sold to Tom, and Dick,and the Lord
truth. I believe I'm reckoned to bringin about knows who, 'tan't no kindness to be givin' on
tho finestdroves of niggers that is broughtin,"
at least,I 've been told so ; if I have once, I reckon
I have a hundred all in "
times," good case, fat
and likely,
man in the
and I lose as few as any
business. And I lays it all to my management,
place where some of your plantation niggers
sir ; and humanityșir, I may say, is the great would be singing and whooping like all possessed.
pillar of my management."
Every man, you know, Mr. Shelby,naturally
Mr. Shelby did not know what to say, and so thinks well of his own ways ; and I think I treat
he said, " Indeed! "
niggersjustabout as well as it's ever worth while
"
Now, I 've been laughed at for my notions, to treat 'em."
sir,and I've been talked to. They an't "
pop'lar, It 's a happything to be satisfied," said Mr.
and they an't common; but I stuck to 'em, sir; Shelby, with a slight shrug,and some perceptible
I 've stuck to 'em, and realized well on 'em ; yes, feelings of a disagreeable nature.
sir,they have paid their passage, I "
may say," Well,"said Haley, after they had both silently
and the trader laughed at his joke.
pickedtheir nuts for
"
a season, what do you
There was something piquantand original say?"
in these elucidationsof humanityțhat Mr. Shelhy
could not helplaughing in company. Perhaps
you laughtoo,dear reader ; but you know humanity
comes out in a variety of strangeforms now-adays,
and there is no end to the odd things that
humane people will say and do.
Mr. Shelby'slaughencouragedthe trader to
proceed.
"
It 's strange,now, but I never could beat this
into people'sheads. Now, there was Tom Loker,
my old partner, down in Natchez ; he was a
clever fellowȚom was, only the" very devil with
"
niggers on principle 't was, you see, for a
better hearted feller never broke bread ; 't was
his system, sir. I used to talk to Tom. '
Why,
Tom/ I used to say, ' when your galstakes on
and cry, what 's the use o' crackin on 'em over
the head, and knockin' on 'em round? It's
ridiculous,' says I, ' and don't do no sort o' good.
Why, I don't see no harm in their cryin',' says
I
'
; it 'snatur,'says I, ' and ifnatur can't blow off
one
way, it will another. Besides,Tom,'says I,
' it jestspilesyour gals; theygetsickly, and
him notions and expectations, and
bringin' on
him up too well, for the rough and tumble comes
all the harder on him arter. Now, I venture to
say, your niggers would be quitechop-fallen in a
"I '11think the matter over, and talk with my
wife,"said Mr. Shelby. " Meantime,Haley, if
you want the matter carried on in the quietway
you speakof, you 'd best not let your business in
this neighborhood be known. It will get out
among my boys, and it will not be a particularly
quietbusiness gettingaway any of my fellows,
if they know it, I '11 promiseyou."
"
01 certainly, by all means, mum ! of course.
But I '11tell you,
I 'm in a devil of a hurry,and
shall want to know, as soon as possible, what I
may dependon," said he,rising and puttingon
his overcoat.
"
Well,call up this evening, six and
seven, and you shall have my answer," said Mrand
the trader bowed himself out cf tho
Shelby,
apartment.
" I 'd like to have been able to kick the fellow
down the steps,"said he to himself,as he saw
the door fairlyclosed, " with his impudentassurance
; but ne knows how much he has me at
advantage. If anybodyhad ever said to me that
I should sell Tom down south to one of those
down in the urtmth ; and sometimes they gets rascallytraders,I should have said, ' Is thy servant
yallowgalsdo," Ugly," particular
and it 's the
a dog, that he should do this thing ? ' And
devil and all gettin' on 'em broke in. Now,' says
now it must come, for aughtI see. And Eliza's
I, ' Avhycan't you kinder coax 'em up, and speak childțoo! I know that I shall have some fuss
'em fair I Depend on it,Tom, a littlehumanity, with wife about that ; and, for that matter, about
thrown in along, goes
a heap further than all your Tom, too. So much for being in debt," heighoI
jawin'and crackin' ; and if pays better,' says I, The fellow sees his advantage, and means to
'
depend on 't.' But Tom could n't get the hang pushit."

" could
"
so
to
to
to
Perhapsthe mildest form of
UNCLE TOM S CABIN "I OR,
the systemof slavery
is to be seen in the State of Kentucky. The
generalprevalence of agricultural pursuits of a
quietand gradualnature, not requiring those
periodic seasons of hurry and pressure that are
your Harry? Do you think all the world are set
called for in the business of more southern districts,
on him as you are, you goosie ? Come, cheer up,
makes the task of the negro a more healthful
and hook my dress. There now, putmy back hair
and reasonable one ; while the master, content up in that pretty braid you learnt the other day,
with a more gradualstyle of acquisition, has not and don't go listening at doors any more."
those temptationsto hardheartedness which
"
Well,but,missis, you never would giveyour
"
always overcome frail human nature when the consent " "
"
prospect of sudden and rapidgain is weighed in "Nonsense, child! to be sure, I shouldn't.
the balance,with no heavier counterpoise than What do you
talk so for? I would as soon have
the interests of the helpless and unprotected. orie of my
own children sold. But really, Eliza,
Whoever visits some estates there,and witnessesyou
are gettingaltogether too proudof that little
the good-humoredindulgenceof some fellow. A man can't put his nose into the door,
masters and mistresses, and the affectionate loyalty
but you think he must be coming
of some slaves,might be temptedto dream
to buy him."
Reassured by her mistress'confident tone, Eliza
the oft-fabledpoeticlegendof a patriarchal institution,
proceedednimbly and adroitly with her toilet,
and all that ; but over and above the laughing at her own fears,as she proceeded.
scene there broods a portentous shadow " the Mrs. Shelbywas a woman of a highclass,both
ohadow of law. So longas the law considers all intellectually and morally. To that natural magnanimity
Jhese human beings,with beatinghearts and
and generosity of mind which one often
fivingaffections, only as so many thingsbelongingmarks as characteristicof the women of Kentucky,
to a so master," longas the failure, or misfortune,
she added high moral and religious sensibility and
or imprudence, or death of the kindest
principle, carried out with greatenergy and ability
owner, cause
may
them any day to exchange a into practical results. Her husband, who
lifeof kind protection and indulgence for one of made no professions to any particular religious
hopelessmisery and toil, long it is impossible
character,nevertheless reverenced and respected
to make anything beautiful or desirable in the consistency of hers, and stood,perhaps,
a
the best regulated administration of slavery. littlein awe of her opinion.Certain it was that
Mr. Shelby was a fair average kind of man, he gave
her unlimited scope in all her benevolent
good-natured and kindly, and disposed to easy effortsfor the comfort,instruction, and improvement
indulgence of those around him, and there had
of her servants,though he never took any
never been a lack of anything which mightcontribute
decided part in them himself. In fact,if not
to the physicalcomfort of the negroes
on
exactly a believerin the doctrine of the efficiency
hi" estate. He had,however,speculated largelyof the extra good works of saints,he really seemed
and quiteloosely; had involved himself deeply, somehow or other to fancy that his wife had piety
and his notes to a large amount had come into
"
and benevolence enoughfor two, indulgea
the hands of Haley; and this small pieceof shadowy expectation of gettinginto heaven
information is the key to the preceding conversation.
through her superabundance of qualities to which
he made no particular pretension.
Now, it so happenedthat,in approaching the The heaviest load on his mind, after his conversation
door, Eliza had caughtenoughof the conversation
with the trader,lay in the foreseen
to know that a trader was making offersto her
necessity of breaking to his wife the arrangement
master for
"
somebody.
contemplated, meeting the importunities and'
She would gladly have stoppedat the door to opposition which he knew he should have reason
listen,as she came out ; but her .mistressjustto encounter.
then calling, she was obliged to hasten away. Mrs. Shelby,beingentirely ignorant of her
Still she thoughtshe heard the trader make an husband's embarrassments,and knowingonlythe
offerfor her boy ;
she be mistaken ? Her
general kindliness of his temper, had been quite
heart swelled and throbbed,and she involuntarily sincere in the entire incredulity with which she
strainedhiin so tighthat the littlefellow looked had met Eliza's suspicions. In fact șhe dismissed
up into her face in astonishment.
the matter from her mind, without a second
"Eliza,girl,what ails you to-day?" said her thought; and beingoccupied in preparations for
mistress, Avhen Eliza had upset the wash-pitcher, an eveningvisit,it passed out of her thoughts
knocked down the work-stand,and finallywas entirely.
abstractedly offering her mistress a longnightgown
in placeof the silk dress she had ordered
her to bringfrom the wardrobe.
Eliza started. " 0, missis!" she
CHAPTER II.
said,raising
her eyes ; then,bursting tears șhe sat down
in a chair,and begansobbing.
"
"Why,Eliza,child ! what ailsyou?"said her
Eliza had been brought up by her mistress,
mistress.
from girlhood, petted and indulgedfavorite.
"
0 ! missis, missis,"said Eliza, " there 's The traveller in the south must often have
been a trader talking with master in the parlor ! remarked that peculiar air of refinement,that
I heard him."
softness of voice and manner, which seems in
"
Well, sillychild, suppose there has?"
many cases to be a particular gif to the quadroon
"0, missis,do you suppose mas'r would sell and mulatto women. These natural graces in
my Harry?" And th-j poor creature threw herself
the quadroon are often united with beautyof the
into a chair,and sobbed convulsively. most dazzlingkind,and in almost case
every with
a personalappearance prepossessing and agree-
"
Sell him ! Ni", you foolishgirl ! You know your
master never deals with those southern
traders,and never means to sell any of his ser
vants, as long as they behave well. Why, you
sillychild,who do you think would want to buy
THE
MOTHER.

_
George
""
What
""
But
a
is
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY.
able. Eliza șuch as we have described her, is
not a fancysketch,but taken from remembrance,
as we saw her, years ago,
in Kentucky. Sale
under the protecting care of her mistress,Eliza
had reached maturitywithout those temptations
which make beauty so fatal an inheritance to a
slave. She had been married to a bright and
talented young mulatto man, -who was a slave on
and bore the name of
a neighboringestate,
George Harris.
This young
man had been hired out by his
master to work in a baggingfactory,where his
adroitness and ingenuity caused him to be con-
the first hand"in the place. He had
invented a machine for the cleaning
sidered
which, considering
of the inventor,displayedquiteas much
mechanical genius as Whitney'scotton-gin.*
He was possessedof a handsome person and
pleasing manners, and was a generalfavorite in
of the hemp,
the education and circumstances
the man could not become a thing.
It was during the happyperiodof his employment
in the factory that Georgehad seen and
married his wife. During that "
period, being
the factory Ṇevertheless,as this young
man much trusted and favored "
by his employer, lie
was in the eye of the law not a man, but a thing, had free liberty to come and go at discretion.
all these superiorqualifications
were subject to The marriage was highlyapprovedcf by Mrs.
the control of a vulgar,narrow-minded,tyrannical
Shelby,who, with a littlewomanlyccmplasency
master. This same gentleman,having heard in match-making, feltpleased to unite her handsome
of the fame of George'sinventionțook a ride favorite with one of her own class who
over to the factory,
see what this intelligent
seemed in every way suited to her ; and so they
chattel had been about. He was received with were married in her mistress'greatparlor,and
great enthusiasm by the employer, who congratulated
her mistress herself adorned the bride'sbeautiful
him on possessing so valuable a slave. hair with orange-blossoms, and threw over it the
He was waited upon over the factory, shown bridal veil,which certainly could scarce have
the machineryby George,who, in highspirits, rested on a fairer head ; and there was no lack of
talked so fluently, held himself so erect,looked white gloves, and cake and of wine," admiring
so handsome and manly, that his master began guests to praisethe bride's beauty, and her mistress'
to feel an uneasy consciousness of inferiority. indulgence and liberality. For a year
or
What business had his slave to be marchingtwo Eliza saw her husband frequently, and there
round the country,inventing machines,and holding
was nothing to interrupt theirhappiness, except
up his head among gentlemen? He 'd soon the loss of two infant children, to whom she was
put a stop to it. He 'd take him back,and put passionately attached,and whom she mourned
him to hoeing and digging, and " see if he 'd with a grief so intense as to call for gentleremonstrance
step about so smart." Accordingly, the manufacturer
from
and all hands concerned were astounded
when he suddenly demanded George'swages,
and announced Ids intentionof takinghim home.
"But, Mr. Harris/'remonstrated the manufacturer,
rate
"
is n't this rather sudden?
"
if it is ?
"
n't the man mine? "
"
We would be willingșir, to increase the
of compensation."
"
No objectat all șir. I don't need to hire
any of my hands out,unless I 've a mind to."
"
But,sir,he seems peculiarly adaptedto this
business."
"Dare say he may be; never was much
away, when, as he hoped,the heat of the occasion
adapted to anything that I set him about,I '11be had passedaway, and tried every possible inducement
bound."
to lead him to restore him to his former
only think of his inventing tin'smachine," employment.
interposed one of the workmen, rather unluckily. "You needn't trouble yourself
"
0 to talk any
yes
"
! machine for savingwork, is it?
longer,"said he, doggedly; " I know my
He 'd inventthat,I '11 be bound ; det a nigger
own
business șir."
alone for that, any time. They are all labor-saving
"
I did not presume to interferewith it șir. I
machines themselves, every one of 'em. No, onlythought
he shalltramp that ! you mightthink it for your
"
interest to let your man to us on the
had stood likeone transfixed, at hearing
terms proposed."
his doom thus suddenlypronouncedby a power "0,1 understand the
that he knew matter well enough. I
was irresistible.He folded his
saw
arms, tightly pressedin his lips, but a whole volcano
your winking and whispering, the day I took,
him out of the factory ; but you don't come it over
of bitterfeelings burned in his bosom,and
me that way. It 's a freecountry șir ; the man 's
sent streams of fire throughhis veins. He
mine,and I do what I pleasewith that's
him,"
breathed short,and his large dark eyes flashed it!"
like live coals ; and he mighthave broken out And so fell George's last "
hope; nothing
* A machine of this description was reallythe invention
m *
young colo-ed man in Kentucky
dangerous ebullition,
into some
had not the Kindly
manufacturer touched him on the arm, and said,
in a low tone,
"
Give way, George; go with him foi the present.
We '11 try to helpyou, yet."
The tyrantobserved the whisper, and conjectured
over
his victim.
its import,thoughhe could notliearwhat
was said ; and he inwardlystrengthened himself
in his determination to keep the power he possessed
George was taken home, and put to the meanest
drudgery of the' farm. He had been able to
word ; but the flashing
repress every disrespectful
eye, the gloomy and troubled brow,were part of
a natural language that could not be "
repressed.
indubitable signs,which showed too plainly that
her mistress, who sought,with maternal
anxiety, to direct her naturally passionate
within the bounds of reason and religion.
feelings
After the birth of littleHarry,however, she
had gradually become tranquillized and settled ;
and every bleedingtie and throbbing nerve, once
more entwined with that littlelifeșeemed to
become sound and healthful, and Eliza was a
happy woman
up to the time that her husband
was rudely torn from his kind employer, and
brought under the iron sway of his legal owner.
The manufacturer,true to his word, visitedMi.
Harris a week or two afterGeorgehad been taken
before him but a lifeof toil and drudgery, rendered
bitter by every littlesmarting vexa-
more

"
why
"
"
for
and
for
what
"
10 UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR,
tion and indignity which
tyrannical ingenuity
"
"
"
" and
11,he is yoitr master, you know."
"
could devise.
A very humane jurist
said, The worst use
you can put a man to is to hang him. No ; there
is another use that a man can be put to that is
worse !
CHAPTER HI.
THE HUSBAND AND FATHER.
Mrs. Shelby had gone
on her visit,and Eliza
stood in the veranda,rather dejectedly looking
after the retreating carriage, when a hand was
laid on her shoulder. She turned and a bright
smile lightedup her fine eyes.
"
George, is it you? How you frightened me !
Well ; I am so glad you 's come ! Missis is gone
to spend the afternoon ; so come into my little
room, and we '11have the time all to ourselves."
Sayingthis șhe drew him into a neat little
apartmentopening on the veranda,where she
generally at her sewing, within call of her
mistress.
"
How glad I am ! don't you smile ?
and look at Harry how he grows." The boy
stood shyly regarding his father through his
curls,holdingclose to the skirts of his mother's
dress.
"
Isn't he beautiful? " said Eliza,lifting
his longcurls and kissing "I wish he 'd never been born ! " said George,
bitterly. "I wish I'd never been born myself!"
Surprised and frightened, Eliza sat down,
leaned her head on her husband's shoulder,and
burst into tears.
"
There now, Eliza,it 'stoo bad for me to make
you feel so, poor girl!" said he,fondly; "it's
too bad. 0, how I wis! wish you
never had seen me
you might have been happy ! ' '
"George! George! how can you
talk so?
What dreadful thing has happened, going to
happen? I'm sure we've been very happy, till
lately."
"
So we have,dear,"said George. Then drawing
his child on his knee, he gazedintently gloriousdark eyes, and passed his hands through
his long curls.
"
Just like you, Eliza;and you
are the handsomest
woman I ever saw, and the best one I ever
wish to see ; but,0, I wish I 'd never seen you,
nor
you me ! "
"0, George, how can you ! "
"
Yes, Eliza,it's all misery,misery,misery !
My life is bitter as wormwood; the very life is
burningout of me. I 'in a poor, miserable,forlorn
drudge; I shall onlydragyou down with me,
that 's all What's the use of our tryingto do
anything,trying to know anything,tryingto be
anythingi What 's the use of living? I wish I
was dead ! "
"
0, now, dear Georgețhat is reallywicked!
I know how you- feel about losingyour place in
the factory, you have a hard master ; but pray
be patient,and perhapssomething
"
" Patient
"
!" said he,interrupting her ; haven't a
I been patient? Did I say a word when he came
and took me
away, for no earthlyreason, from
the placewhere everybodywas kind to me ? I 'd
paidhim trulyevery cent of my
theyall say I worked well."
earnings,
Welljgit is dreMM," said Eliza; "but,
My master ! and who made him my master t
That 's what I think of
"
has he to
right
me ? I 'm a man as much as he is. I 'm a better
man than he is. I know more about business
than he does ; I am a better manager than he is ;
I can read better than he can ; I can write a
"
better hand, I've learned it all myself,
and no thanks to I 've learned it in him," spite
of him ; and now what righthas he to make a
dray-horse of "
me ? to take me from things I
can do, and do better than he can, and put me to
work that any horse can do ? He tries to do it ;
he says he '11bring me down and humble me, and
he puts me to justthe hardest, meanest and
dirtiestwork, on purpose ! "
"0, George! George! you frighten me
I never heard you talk so ; I 'in afraid you
! Why
'11 dn
something dreadful. I don't wonder at your
feelings, at all; but "
0, do be careful do,do
Harry's ! "
my sake
"
"
I have been careful, and I have been patient,
but it 's growing worse and worse ; flesh " and
blood can't bear it any longer; every chance
he can get to insult and torment me, he takes. I
thoughtI could do my work well,and keep on
quiet,and have some time to read and learn out
of work hours ; but the more he sees I can da,
the more he loads on. He says that though I
don't say anything,
the devil in
he sees I 've got
me, and he means to bring it out; and one of
these days it will come out in a way that he
won't like,or I 'in mistaken ! "
"
0 dear ! what shall we do ? " said Eliza,
mournfully.
"
It was onlyyesterday," said George, " as I
was busy loading stones into a cart, that young
Mas'r Tom stood there,slashinghis whip so near
the horse that the creature was frightened. I
asked him to stop, as pleasantas I he
could,"
just kept right on. I begged him again, and
then he turned on me, and began striking me. I
held his hand, and then he screamed arid kicked
and ran to his father,and told him that 1 was
and said he 'd
fighting him. He came in a rage,
teach me who was my master ; and he tied me to a
tree, and cut switches for young master, and told
him that he mightAvhipme till he was tired ;
and he did do it ! If I don't make him remembe:
it,some time ! " and the brow of the young
man
grew dark,and his eyes burned with an expression
that made his young wife tremble.
"
Who made
this man my master? That 's what I want to
know ! " he said.
"Well," said Eliza,mournfully,"I always
thoughtthat I must obeymy master and mistress,
or I couldn't be a Christian."
"
There is some sense in it,in your
case ; they
have broughtyou up like a child, fed you, clothed
you, indulgedyou, and taught you,
so that you
have a good education ; that is some reason why
they should claim you. But I have been kicked
and cuffed and sworn at,and at the best onlylet
alone ; and what do I owe ? I 've paid for all my
keepinga hundred times over. 1 won't bear it.
No, I won't ! " he said,clenching his hand with
fiercefrown.
Eliza trembled,and was silent. She*.had never
seen her husband in this mood before ; and her
gentlesystem of ethics seemed to bend like a
reed in the surges of such passions.
"'
You know poor little Carlo, that you gave
me," added George; " the creature has been about
all the comfort that I 've had. He has slept with

ut
but
he
a
"
why
too
he
"
God
and
nights, and followed me around days, and
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 11
toe
up and down on Mr.
kind o' looked at me as if he understood how I felt. Shelby'swalking-stick.
would have spoken
Well,the other dayI was justfeedinghim with to tell her husband her fears,but checked herself.
a few old scraps I pickedup by the kitchen "
door, "No, no, has enough to bear, poor fellow!"
and Mas'r came along, and said I was feeding him
up at his expense, and that he couldn't afford to besides,it an't true ; Missis never deceives us."
have every niggerkeeping his "
dog, and ordered So,Eliza, my girl," said the husband,mournfully,
me to tie a stone to his neck and throw him in
"bear
for I'm
'Jicpond."
"
0, George,you
"Do it! not I
"
did n't do it!"
he did. Mas'r and Tom
peltedthe poor drowningcreature with stones.
Poor thing! he looked at me so mournful,as if he
wondered why I didn't save him. I had to take
a flogging because I wouldn't do it myself. I
don't care. Mas'r will findout that I "m one that
whipping won't tame. My daywill come yet,if
he don't look out."
"
What are
you going to do? 0, George, don't
do anything wicked ; if you only trust in God,
and try to do tight, he '11deliver you."
"
I an't a Christian,
like you, Eliza ; my
heart 's
full of bitterness ; I can't trust in God. Why
does he let thingsbe so?"
"
0, George, Ave must have faith. Mistress
says that when all things go wrong to us, we
must believe that God is doing the very best."
"
That 's easy to say for peoplethat are sitting
on their sofas and riding in their carriages ; but
let 'em be where I am, I guess it would come
"
some harder. I wish I could be good; but my
heart burns,and can't be reconciled, anyhow.
You could n't,in my place, you can't now, if I
tell you all I 've got to say. You don't know the
whole yet."
"
What can be comingnow ?"
"
Well, lately Mas'r has been sayingthat he
was a fool to let me marry off the place; that he
hates Mr. Shelby and all his tribe, because they
are proud, and hold their heads up above him, and
that I 've got proudnotions from you ; and he
says he won't let me come here any more, and
that I shall take a wife and settle down on his
place. At first he only scolded and grumbled
these things; but yesterday he told me that I
should take Mina for a wife,and settle down
in a cabin with her,or he would sell me down
There is no law in tins- country for that} I can't
hold you for my wife,if he chooses to part us.
CHAPTER IY.
That 's why I wish I "d never seen you,
I
AN EVENING IN UNCLE TOll's CABIN.
wish I 'd never been born ; it would have been
better for us it would have been better The cabin of Uncle Tom was a small both," log building,
for this poor child if he had never been born. All close adjoining to " the house,"as the negr
;
tins may happen to him yet!"
par excellence designates his master's dwelling,
"
0, but master is so kind !"
fn front it had a neat garden-patch, where, every
"Yes, but who knows?
"
may
"
die and summer, strawberries,raspberries, and a vari
.
then he may be sold to nobodyknows who. What of fruits and vegetables, flourished under care!;.'
pleasureis itthat he ishandsome,and smart, and tending. The whole front of it was Covered by a
bright ? I tell you, Elizațhat a sword will piercelargescarlet bignoni and a native multiflora
throughyour soul for every good and pleasantrose, which, entwisting and interlacing, left
thingyour child is or has ; it will make him scarce a vestige of the roughlogs to be seen.
worth too much for you to keep!"
Here, also,in summer, various brilliantannuals,
The words smote heavilyon Eliza's heart ; the such as marigolds,petunias,four-o'clocks, fnu;.l
vision of the trader came before her eyes, and, as an indulgent corner in which to unfold their
if some one had struck her a deadlyblow, Sme splendors, and were the delight and prideof
turned pale and gaspedfor breath. She looked Aunt Chloe's heart.
nervouslyout on the veranda,where the boy,tired Let us enter the dwelling. The eveningmeal
of the grave conversation, had retired, and where at the house is over, and Aunt Chloe, woo
pre-
he was
going.']
"
ridingtriumphantly
she thought."No, I won't tell him;
up, now; and good-by,
Going,George ! Goingwhere ?"
"To Canada," said he,straightening himself
up ; " and when I 'm there,I '11buy you ; that 's
all the hope that 's left us. You have a kind
master,that won't refuse to sell you. I '11buy
you and the boy ;
helpingme, I will ! "
"
0, dreadful ! if you should be taken?"
"
I won't be taken,Eliza ; I '11die first! I '11
be free,or I'll die !"
"
You won't killyourself!"
" No need of that. They will kill me, fast
enough; theynever will get me down the river
alive! ' '
"0, George, for my sake, do be careful!
Don't do anythingwicked ; don't layhands on
yourself, or anybody else ! You are tempted too
"
much "
much; but don't
"
go you must
; pray God to help
but go carefully, prudently
you."
"
Well, then, Eliza,hear my plan. Mas'r
took it into his head to send me rightby here,
with a note to Mr. Symmes, that lives a mile
past. I believe he expectedI should come here
to tell you what I have. It would pleasehim,
if he thoughtitwould aggravate ' Shelby'sfolks,'
as he calls 'em. I 'm going home quiteresigned,
"
you understand, as ifall was over. I 've got some
preparations made, and
there are those that
willhelp me ; and, in the course of a week or so,
I shall be among the missing, some day. Pray
for me, Eliza;perhaps the goodLord will hear
you."
"0, pray yourself, George, and go trusting
Him ; then you won't do anything wicked."
"
"
Well, now, good-by," said George,holding
Eliza'shands, and gazing into her eyes, without
moving. They stood silent ; then there were
such
last words, and sobs,and bitter weeping,
"
"
"
river."
parting as those may make whose hope
Why you
were married to me, by the again is as the spider'sweb,
"
minister,as much as if you 'd been white and wife were parted.
man ! " said Eliza,simply.
"
Don't you know a slave can't be married ?
to meet
the husband

-each
"
a
so
no
12 UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR,
sided over
its preparation as head cook, has left
it was that she was alwaysmeditating on
stuffing and roasting țo a degree
to inferiorofficersin the kitchen the business of
clearing away and washingdishes,and come out a cloth,displaying cups and saucers of a decidedly
into her own snug territories, to "
gether ole man's brilliant pattern, with other symptoms of an
supper ; " therefore,doubt not that it is she you approaching meal. At this table was seated
3ee by the fire,presiding with anxious interest Uncle Tom, Mr. Shelby'sbest hand,who, as he
over certain frizzling items in a stew-pan, and is to be the hero of our story, we must daguerreotype
anon with grave
consideration lifting the cover
for our readers. He was a large, broadchested,powerfully-made
man, of a full glossy
of a bake-kettle, from whence steam forth indubitable
intimations of " somethingood." A black,and a face whose trulyAfrican features
round, black,shining face is hers,so glossyas to were characterized by an expression of grave
suggest the idea that she might have been and steadygoodsense, united with much kindliness
washed over with white of eggs, like one of her and benevolence. There was something
own tea rusks. Her whole plump countenance about his whole ah- self-respecting and dignified,
beams with satisfactionand contentment from yet united with a confiding and humble simplio
under her well-starched checked turban,bearingity.
on it,however, if we must confess it,a little He was very busily intent at this moment on a
of that tingeof self-consciousnesswhich becomes slatelying before him, on which he was carefully
the firstcook of the neighborhood, as Aunt Chloe and slowlyendeavoring to accomplish a copy of
was universally held and acknowledgedto be. some letters, in which operation he was overlooked
A cook she certainly was, in the very bone and by. young Mas'r George, a smart, bright
centre of her soul.* Not a chicken or turkeyor boy of thirteen, who appearedfully to realizethe
duck in the barn-yardbut looked grave when dignity of his position as instructor.
they saw her approaching, and seemed "
evidently Not that way, Uncle not that Tom," way,"
to be reflecting on their latter end ; and certain said he,briskly, as Uncle Tom laboriously brought
trussing,
that was
calculated to inspire terror in any
corn-cake,in all itsvarietiesof hoecake,dodgers,muffins,and
other species too
-living. Her
reflecting fowl
numerous to mention,was a sublime mystery to
all less practised compounders; and she would
shake her fat sides with honest prideand merriment,
as she would narrate the fruitlessefforts
that one and another of her compeers had made
to attain to her elevation.
The arrival of company at the house, the
regardingyoung Master George Avith pride.
"
in style," "The way he can write,now! and read,too'
all the energies soul ; and no sightand then to come out here evenings and read his
was more welcome to her than a pileof travelling
"
arrangingof dinners and suppers
awoke
lessons to us, it"s mightyinterestin'!"
trunks launched on the veranda, for then "But, Aunt Chloe,I'm gettingmighty hun
she foresaw fresh eflbrtsand fresh triumphs. gry," said George. "Isn't that cake in the
Just at present,however, Aunt Chloe is looking
skillet almost done ?"
into the bake-pan; in which congenial operation
we shall leave her till we finishour picturelifting
the lid and peepingin," browning beautiful
"
of the cottage.
real lovelybrown. Ah! let me alone
In one corner of it stood a bed,covered neatlyfor dat. Missis let Sallytry
with a
snowy spread; and %bythe side of it was t'other day,jes to lam her, she said.
'
0, go
a
of some considerable size. way,
piece of carpeting,
On this pieceof carpetingAunt Chloe took her
stand,as beingdecidedlyin the upper walks of
life ; and it and the bed by which it lay,and the
whole corner, in fact,were treated with distinguished
consideration,and made, so far",s possible,
sacred from the marauding inroads and
desecrationsof littlefolks. In fact,that corner baked pound-cake, of which no cityconfectioner
was the drawing-roomof the establishment. In need to have been ashamed. This being evidently
the other corner was a bed of much humbler pretensions,
the central point of the entertainment, Aunt
and evidentlydesignedfor use. The Chloe began now to bustle about earnestly in the
wall over the fireplace was adorned with some
very brilliant supper department.
scriptural prints, and a portrait of "Here you, Mose and Pete! get out de way,
(ieneral Washington,drawn and colored in a you niggers ! Get mammy
Polly,honey," away,
manner which would certainlyhave astonished '11 give her baby somefin,by and by. Now,
to meet with Mas'r George, you jesttake -offdem books,and
that hero,if ever he had happened
its like.
On a rough bench in the corner, a couple of
woolly-headedboys, with glistening black eyes
A tableșomewhat rheumatic in itslimbs,was
drawn out in front of the fire,and covered with
up the tail of his g the wrong side out ; " that
makes a
q, you see."
"La sakes,now, does it?" said Uncle Tom,
looking with a respectful, admiringair,as his
young teacher flourishingly scrawled "?'s and g-'s
innumerable for his edification ; and then,taking
the pencil in his big,heavyfingers,
patiently
re-commenced.
"How easy white folks al'us does things!"
said Aunt Chloe,pausing while she was greasing
a griddlewith a scrap of bacon on her fork,and
"
Mose done, Mas'r George," said Aunt Chloe,
to make some cake,
feelin's,
Missis,' says I ; 'it really hurts my
now, to see good vittles spile dat ar way ! Cake
ris all to one side
"
than my shoe ;
"
go way
shape at all ;
no more
and fat shiningcheeks,were busy in ' '
superintending
They wanted me to come to supper
in the
the firstwalkingoperationsof the baby, house," said George; "but I knew what waa
which, as is usuallythe case, consisted in getting
what too well for that,Avnt Chloe."
upon its feet,balancing a moment, "
and then So you
did "
you did,honey," said Aunt
"
tumblingdown, successive failure beingChloe,heaping the smoking batter-cakes on his
violently cheered,as somethingdecidedly clever. plate; " you know'd your old aunty 'd keep the
!'
'
And with this filialexpression of contemptfor
Sally's greenness, Aunt Chloe whippedthe cover
offthe bake-kettle,and disclosed to view a neatly-
set down now with my old man, and I '11take up
de sausages,
and have de firstgriddle full of cakes
on your plates in less dan no time."

" make
"
so
didn't
spile
"
sartin,"said
I
"
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY 13
best fot /ou. 0, let you
alone for dat! Go he sartin would kill her,one of these days; and
way!" And, with that,aunty gave George a
nudge with her finger, designed to be immensely goingoff into a laugh, each longer and stronger
facetious, and turned again to her griddle with than the other țill Georgereallybeganto think
great briskness.
that he was a
very dangerously wittyfellow,and
"
Now for the cake,"said Master George, when that it became him to be careful how he talked
the activity griddledepartmenthad somewhat
"
subsided ; and, with that,the youngster
flourisheda large knife over the article in question.
"La bless you,
Mas'r George!" said Aunt
Chloe,with earnestness,catching his arm, "you
wouldn't be for cuttin'it wid dat ar greatheavy
you ought to see some of Aunt Chloe's pies;
"
knife ! Smash all down all de pretty rise they're the rightsort,' says I."
of it. Here, I 've got a thin old "
knife,I keeps Pity,now, Tom could n't,"said Aunt Chloe,
sharp a
purpose. Dar now, see ! comes apart on whose benevolent heart the idea of Tom's benighted
light as a feather! Now eat away you won't
condition seemed to make a strong impression.
getanything to beat dat ar."
"Ye oughterjustask him here to dinner,
"
Tom Lincon says," said George șpeaking some o' these times, Mas'r George," she
with his mouth full, " that their Jinnyis a better
"
added ; it would look quitepretty of ye. Ye
cook than you."
know, Mas'r George,ye oughtenterfeel 'bove nobody,
" Dem Lincons an't much count, no way!"
on 'count yer privileges, 'cause all our
said Aunt Chloe,contemptuously ; " I mean set privileges is gi'n to us; we ought al'ays to
along side our folks. They 's 'spectable folks 'member that,"said Aunt Chloe,lookingquite
enough in a kinder plainway ; but, as to gettin' serious.
up anything style, they don't beginto have a "Well, I mean to ask Tom here, some day
notion on 't. Set Mas'r Lincon,now, alongside next week," said George; " and you do your
Mas'r Shelby! Good Lor ! and Missis Lincon," prettiest, Aunt Chloe,and we '11make him stare.
can she kinder sweep it into a room like my missis,
yer know ! 0, go way !
don't tell me
"
nothin' of dem Lincons!" and
kinder splendid,
Aunt Chloe tossed her head as one who hoped she
did know somethingof the world.
"Well, though, I've heard you say," said
George, " that Jinny was a prettyfair cook."
"
So I did,"said Aunt "I Chloe,"
may say
dat. Good,plain, common cookin',Jinny '11do ; sometimes,I don't know;
a good pone o' bile her taters
bread,"
far," her corn cakes isn't extra,not extra,now,
Jinny's corn cakes is n't,but then they's far,"
but, Lor, come to de higherbranches,and what
can she do ? Why, she makes sartin she
pies"
does ; but what kinder crust ? Can she make
your real fleckypaste,as melts in your mouth,
and lies all up like a puff? Now, I went over
thar when Miss Mary was gwine to be married,
says I, ' Now, Missis,do jistlook at dem beautiful
white hands o' yourn,
with long fingers, and
all a sparklingwith rings,like my
white lilies
and Jinny she jestshowed me de weddin' pies. when de dew is on 'em ; and look at my great
Jinny and I is good friends, ye know. I never black stunipin hands. Now, don't ye think dat
said nothin' ; but go long, Mas'r George! Why, de Lord must have meant me to make de pie-crust,
I shouldn't sleepa wink for a week,*4fI had a and you-tostay in de parlor?
' Dar ! I was jist
batch of pies like dem ar. Why, deywan't no
'count 'tall."
"I suppose Jinnythoughttheywere ever so
niee,"said George.
Here Aunt Chloe sighed, and rolled up her eyes
with emotion.
"
1 'm sure, Aunt Chloe,I understand ail my room door dat bery day? and didn't I see de
pie and puddingprivileges," said George. " Ask General pass
his platethree times for some more
Tom Lincon if I don't crow over him, every tune dat and, berrypie?" says he, ' You must have
I meet him."
an uncommon cook, Mrs. Shelby.' Lor! I was
Aunt Chloe sat back in her chnfir, and indulgedfitto splitmyself.
in a heartyguffaw of laughter, at
"
this witticism And de Gineral,he knows what cookin' is,"
of young Mas'r's,laughingtill the tears rolled
down her black,shiningcheeks,and varyingthe
exercise with playfully slapping and pokingMas'r
and that he
Georgey,and tellinghim to go way,
was a "
case that he was fi'
to killher,and that
between each of these sanguinarypredictions,
as funnyas he could."
"
And so 'ye telled Tom, did ye ? 0, Lor ! what
young uns will be up ter ! Ye crowed over Tom ?
wouldn't make a
0, Lor! Mas'r George, if ye
hornbuglaugh !"
"Yes," said George, " I says to him, 'Tom,
our dinners ! Yer mind dat ar great chicken pie I
made when we
guv de dinner to General Knox?
I and Missis,we come pretty near quarrelling
about dat ar crust. What does get into ladies
but, sometimes, when
a body has de heaviest kind o' 'sponsibility
em, as ye may say, and is all kinder ' seris ' and
taken up, dey takes dat ar time to be hangin'
round and kinder interferin' ! Now, Missis șhe
wanted me to do dis way, and she wanted me to
do dat way ; and, finally, I got kinder sarcy, and,
Won't we make him eat so he won't get over it
for a fortnight?"
"Yes, yes
Aunt
"
Chloe,delighted
; " '11see.
3-0U Lor ! to think of some of
so sarcy, Mas'r George."
" And what did mother say?" said George.
"
Say?" why, she kinder larfed in her eyes
dem great handsome eyes o' hern ; and, says she,
' Well, Aunt Chloe,I think you
are about in the
"
"Thought so! she? Thar she was,
showing'em, as innocent "
ye see, it 's jesthere, right on 't,' says she ; and she went offin de parlor.
Jinnydon't know. Lor,the family an't nothing ! She oughter cracked me over de head for
She can't be spectedto know ! 'Ta'nt no fault o" bein' so sarcy ; but dar 's whar 'tis "
can't do
hern. Ah, Mas'r George,you
does n't know half nothin' with ladies in de kitchen!"
"
your privileges in yer familyand bringin'up!" Well, you made out well with that dinner,--
I remember everybody said so," said George.
"Didn't I? And wan't I behind de dinin'-
said Aunt Chloe,drawing herself up
with an air.
"
Berry nice man, de Gineral ! He comes of one
of de beryfastestfamilies in Old Virginny! He
knows what's what, now, as well as I do "
de
Gineral.
Ye see, there 'spints in all pies,Mas'r

14 UNCLE TOM S CABIN I OR,
George; but ian't everybody knows wbat theyis,
or orter be. But the Gineral, he knows ; I knew
by his 'marks he made. Yes, he knows what de
"
eyes which were regardingtheir operations
hungrily from the opposite
you Pete,get into thar ; for we 's goin' to have
"
Here, you Mose, Pete," he said,breaking off the meetin'."
liberal bits and throwing it at them ; " you want "0, mother,we don't wanter. We wants to
some, don't you? Come, Aunt Chloe,bake them sit up to meetin', meetin's is so curious. We
way, under the table, when the movement became
too obstreperous; " Can't ye be decent when
white folks comes to see ye? Stop dat ar, now,
will ye.
Better mind yerselves, or I '11take ye
down a button-hole lower when Mas'r George is
gone !' '
What meaningwas couched under this terrible
oldest cheer, last week," suggested Mose.
threat,it is difficultto say ; but certain it is
"
You go long! I '11boun' you pulled'em out ;
that its awful indistinctness seemed to producesome o' ypur shines,"said Aunt Chloe.
"
Well, it '11stand,if it onlykeepsjam up agin
very little impression the young sinners
addressed.
"La, now!" said Uncle Tom, "they are so
"
Den Uncle Peter mus'n't sit in it,cause he
full of tickle,all the while,they can't behave al'ayshitches when he gets a singing. He
theirselves."
hitched prettynigh across de room, t'other
Here the boysemerged from under the table, night," said Pete.
and,with hands and faces well plastered with
"
Good Lor! get him in it,then,"said Mose,
molasses,began a vigorouskissing of the "
baby.
and den he 'd l"egin,
' Come saintsand sinners,
" Get along wid ye !" said the mother,pushinghear me tell,' and den down he'd "
go, and
away their woolly heads. "
Ye '11 all stick to Mose imitated precisely the nasal tones of the old
gether, and never getclar,if ye do dat fashion. Go man, tumbling on the floorțo illustrate the supposed
longto de spring and wash yerselves !" she said catastrophe.
secondingher exhortations by a "
slap, which re Come now, be decent,can't ye?" said Aunt
"
sounded very formidably, but which seemed only Chloe ; an't yer shamed?"
to knock out so much more laughfrom the young Mas'r George,however, joinedthe offender in
ones, as they tumbled precipitately over each the laugh,and declared decidedly that Mose was
other out of doors,where theyfairly screamed
"
a buster." So the maternal admonition seemed
with merriment.
"Did ye ever see such aggravatingyoung
uns? " said Aunt Chloe,rather complacently, as
producing an old towel,kept for such emergencies,
"
Mother's bar'ls is like dat ar widder's,Mas'r
she poureda littlewater out of the cracked teaf"ot
Georgewas reading'bout,in de goodbook," dey
on it,and beganrubbingoff the molasses never fails,"said Mose, aside to Pete.
rom the baby's face and hands "
; and, having
I 'm sure one on 'em caved in last week,''
polished
shone, she set her down in said Pete, " and let 'em all down in de middle
Tom's lap,while she busied herself in clearing de singin' ; dat ar was failin', warnt it? "
of
away supper. The babyemployedthe intervals During this aside between Mose and Pete,twoempty
an"$"
in pulling Tom's nose, scratchinghis face,and
burying her fat hands in his woollyhair,which beingsecured from rolling, by stones on each side,j
last operation seemed to afford her specialboards were laid across them, which arrangement,
content.
togetherwith the turning"down of certain tubs
"
An't she a peartyoung un ?" saidTom, holding
and pails, and the disposing chairs,
; then, at last completedthe preparation.
her from him to take a full-length view
gettingup, he set her on his broad shoulder, and
began capering and dancing wit) her, while
Mas'r Georgesnappei at her with his pockethandkerchief,
Mose and Pete,now returned
again, roared after her like bears țillAunt Chloe
declared that they " fairly
with their noise. As, accordingto her own
statement, thissurgical operationwas a matter of
took her head off'"
pintsis !"
dailyoccurrence in the cabin,the declaration no
By this time, Master Georgehad arrivedat that whit abated the merriment, till every one had
pass to which even a boy can come (underuncommon
roared and tumbled and danced themselves down
circumstances), when he reallycould not to a state of composure.
cat another morsel ; and,therefore,
was at leisure
"
Well,now, I hopesyou 're done,"said Aunt
to noticethe pile of woolly heads and glistening
Chloe,who had been busy in pulling out a rude
"
box of a trundle-bed ; and now, you Mose and
machine.
some cakes."
likes 'em."
And George and Tom moved to a comfortable
it under, and let 'em
"
La, Aunt Chloe, shove
seat in the chimney-corner, while Aunt Chloe. sit up," said Mas'r George,decisively, giving a
after bakinga goodlypileof cakes,took her baby pushto the rude
on her lap, and beganalternately filling its mouth Aunt Chloe,having thus saved appearances,
and her own, and distributing to Mose and Pete, seemed highlydelightedto push the thingunder,
who seemed rather to prefereating theirs as they saying,as she did so,
"
Well, mebbe 'twill do
rolled about on the floor under the table,tickling'em some good."
each other,and occasionally pulling the baby's
The house now resolved itselfinto a committee
toes.
of the whole, to consider the accommodations and
"
0 ! go long, will ye?" said the mother,giving
arrangements for the meeting.
now and then a kick,in a kind of general
" What we 's to do for cheers, now, Jcleelar I
don't know," said Aunt Chloe. As the meeting
had been held at Uncle Tom's, weekly,for an
indefinite length of time, without any
more
"
cheers,"there seemed some encouragement to
hope that a way would be discovered at present.
"
Old Uncle Peter sung
both de legsout of dat
de wall !" said Mose.
rather to fail of effect.
"Well, ole man," said Aunt Chloe, "you'll
have to tote in them ar har'ls."
"
Mas'r Georgeis such a beautifulreader,now,
I know he '11 stay to read for us," said Aunt
'
Chloe ; 'peais like 'twill be so much more interestin'."
Georgevery readily consented,for your boy is

"
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY.
15
alwaysreadyfor anythingthat makes him of importance.
Mas'r George,by request read the last chapters
of Revelation, often interrupted by such
The room was soon filledwith a motley assemblage,
exclamations as
Only hear
"
The sakes now !"
"
from the old gray-headedpatriarchof that!" "Jest think on't!" "Is all that a
eighty țo the young girland lad of fifteen. A comin' sure enough?"
littleharmless gossipensued on various themes, George,who was a brightboy, and well trained
such as where old Aunt Sallygot her new red in religious thingsby his mother, finding himself
head-kerchief,and how
"
Missis was a going to
an objectof generaladmiration țhrew in
giveLizzy that spotted muslin gown, when she 'd expositions of his own, from time to time,with a
"ot her new berage made up;" and how Mas 'r commendable seriousness and gravity,for which
helbywas thinking of buyinga new sorrel colt, he was admired by the
that was going to prove an addition young and blessed by the
to the glories old; and it was agreed,on all hands,that " a
of the place. A few of the worshippers belongedminister couldn't lay it off better than he did;"
to families hard by, who had gotpermission that " 'twas reely 'mazin' !"
attend,and who broughtin various choice scraps Uncle Tom was a sort of patriarch religious
of information,about the sayings and doings at matters, in the neighborhoodḢaving,naturally,
the house and on the place,which circulatedas an organization in which the morale was strongly
freely the same sort of small changedoes in predominant, together
with a greaterbreadth and
higher circles.
cultivationof mind than obtained among his companions,
After a while,the singingcommenced, to the
he was looked up to with great respect,
evident delight of ah present. Not even all the as a sort of minister among them ; and the simple,
disadvantage of nasal intonationcould prevent the hearty,sincere styleof his exhortations might
effectof the naturallyfine voices,in airs at once
"
Die on the fieldof battle,
Die on the fieldof battle,
Glory in my soul."
Another specialfavorite had oft repeatedthe
words
"
KC I 'm going to glory," won't you come along with
me ?
Don't you
see the angelsbeck'ning, and a callingme
away 1
Don't you see the goldencityand the everlasting
day 1 "
There were others,which made incessant mention
of " Jordan's banks," and " Canaan's fields,"
and the " New Jerusalem ;" for the negro mind,
impassioned and imaginative, always* attaches
of a vivid and
of bills,which, as they
itselfto hymns and expressions
were counted, he
pushed
pictorial nature ; and, as theysung, some laughed,
over to the trader,who counted them
likewise.
and some cried,and some clappedhands,or shook
"
"All fair,"said the trader ; and now for signing
hands rejoicingly with each other,as if they had
rose, and leaning on her staffșaid "
"Well, chii'en! Well, I'm mightygladto
hear ye all and see ye all once more, 'cause I
don't know when I '11be gone to glory; but I 've
done got ready,chii'en ; 'pearslike I 'd gotmy
littlebundle all tied up, and my bonnet on, jesta
waitin' for the stage to come alongand take me
home ; sometimes,in the night, I think I hear the
wheels a rattlin', and I'm lookin' out all the
time ; now, you jestbe readytoo,for I tell ye all,
chii'en,"she said,striking her staff hard on the
floor, " dat ar
glory is a mightything! It 's a
have edified even better educated persons. But
wild and spirited. The words were sometimes it was in prayer that he especially excelled.
the well-known and common hymns sung
in the Nothing could exceed the touchingsimplicity, the
churches about, and sometimes of a wilder,more child-like earnestness, of his prayer, enriched
indefinitecharacter,pickedup at camp-meetings. with the language of Scripture, which seemed so
The chorus of one of them,which ran as follows,
entirely to have wrought itself into his being, as
was
sung with greatenergy and unction : to have become a part of himself,and to drop
from his lipsunconsciously ; in the languageof a
piousold negro, he " prayedrightup." And so
often a danger that it would be lost altogether
the abundance of the responses which broke out
everywhere around him.
While this scene was passing the cabin of
the man, one quiteotherwise passedin the halls
of the master.
The trader and Mr. Shelby were seated together
in the diningroom afore-named,at a table covered
with papers and writingutensils.
these yer."
fairlygainedthe other side of the river.
Various exhortations,
relationsof experience,
followed,and intermingled with the singing.
One old gray-headedwoman, longpastwork, but
much revered as a sort of chronicle of the past,
Mr. Shelby was busy in counting, some
much did his prayer always work on the devotional
feelings of his audiencesțhat there seemed
in
bundles
Mr. Shelbyhastily drew the bills of sale towards
him, and signedthem, like a man that
hurries over some disagreeable business,and then
pushed them over with the money. Haley produced,
from a well-worn valise,a parchment,
which,after looking over it a moment, he handed
to Mr. Shelby,whe took it with a gesture of suppressed
eagerness.
"
Wal, now, the thing'sdone ' " said the trader,
gettingup.
"It's done!''''said Mr. Shelby,in a musing
tone ; and,fetching a longbreath,he repeated,
'"'"It'sdone! "
" Yer don't seem to feelmuch
pleased 'pears to me," said the trader.
"
Haley," said Mr. Shelby, " I hope you '11re
member that you promised,
"
mighty thing,chii'en,
your honor, you
you don'no nothingwouldn't sell Tom, without knowingwhat sort
about it's it," ivonderful.'" And the old creature
of hands he 's goinginto."
sat down, with streamingtears,as wholly "Why, you'vejust done it,sir,"said the
Ovi/romie, while the whole circlestruck up
trader.
0
"
Circumstances, you well know, obligedme,'
"
Canaan,brightCanaan.
I 'm bound for the land Canaan
said Shelby,haughtily.
it,

" least
"
that
I
been
I
and
sell
that
I
to
but
"
16 UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR,
"
"Wal, you know, theymay 'bligeme, too," "To that creature? Impossible! Mr. Shelby
"
said the trader. Howsomever, I '11do the very you cannot be serious."
test I can in
gettin'
Tom a good
"
berth ; as to my I 'm sorry to say that
"
treatin' on him bad, you
needn't be a grain I 've agreedto sell
Shelby.
I am," said Mr.
Tom."
"
What ! our Tom ?
good,faithful ciea-
your faithful servant from a boy!
afeard If there 's anythingthat I thank the
Lord for,it is that I 'm never
noways cruel." ture? "
which the trader had
comfort the case admitted of, he allowed the
and betook himself to
trader to depart in silence,
a solitary cigar.
CHAPTER V.
SHOWING THE FEELINGS OF LIVING PROPERTY ON
CHANGING
OWNERS.
place, if you must sellat all?"
Mr. and Mrs. Shelbyhad retiredto their
"
apartment
Because theywill bring the highestsum of
for the night.He was lounging a largeany,
's why. I could choose another,if
easy-chair,lookingover some letters that had
you say so. The fellow made me a high bid on
come in the afternoon mail,and she was standingEliza,if that would suit you any better,"said
before her mirror,brushing
out the complicated Mr. Shelby.
braids and curls in which Eliza had arrangedher
hair ; for,noticingher pale cheeks and haggard
3yes, she had excused her attendance that night, of regard to your feelings, I wouldn't
"
; so give
and ordered her to bed. The employment, naturally
me some credit."
enough,suggested her conversation with the
girl in the morning; anl,turning to her husband,
she said,carelessly, .
"
By the by,Arthur, who was that low-bred
fellow that you luggedin to our dinner-table today
poor creatures. Tom is a noble-hearted,faithful
V
fellow,if he is black. I do believe, Mr. Shelby,
"Haley is his name," said Shelby,turningthat if he were
put to it,he would laydown his
himself rather uneasilyin his chair,and
with his eyes fixed on a letter.
"
Haley ! Who is he,and what may
business here,pray?"
be his
"
Well, he 's a man that I transacted some
business with,last time I was at Natchez,"said
Mr. Shelby.
" And he presumedon it to make himself quite
at home, and call and dine here,ay?"
"
Why, I invited him ; I had some accounts
with him," said Shelby.
"
Is he a negro-trader?"
manner.
said Mrs.
Shelby, noticing
a certain embarrassment in her husband's
"
Why, my dear,what put that into your
head?" said Shelby,lookingup.
only Eliza came in here,after
"Nothing,"
dinner,in a greatworry, crying and takingon,
and "aid you were talking with a trader,and that
she heard him make an offer for her the boy"
ridiculouslittle goose !"
"She did,hey?" said Mr. Shelby,returning
to his paper, which he seemed for a few moments
quiteintent upon, not perceiving that he was
holding it bottom upwards.
" It will have to come out,"said he,mentally;
"
as well now as ever."
"Ltold Eliza,"said Mrs. Shelby, as she continued
brushingher hair, " that she was a little
fool for her pains,and that you never had anything
to do with that sort of persons. Of course,
I knew you never meant to sell any of our people,
of all
țo such a fellow."
"
Well,Emily," said her husband, " so I have
always feltand said ; but the fa,ctisthat my business
lies so that I cannot geton without. I shall
have to sell some of my hands.'2
After the expositions
0, Mr. "
Shelby! you have promisedhim hia
previously given of his humane principles, Mr. freedom,too,"
you and I have spokento him a
Shelby did not feel particularly reiissured by hundred times of it. Well,I can believeanything
these declarations ; but, as they were the best
now,
"
can believe now that you could sell lit
tie Harry,poor Eliza's only child!" said Mrs
Shelby, in a tone between grief and indignation.
"Well, since you must know all,it is so. I
have agreed to sell Tom and Harry both ; and I
don't know why I am to be rated,as if_Iwere a
monster, for doingwhat every one does
day."
every
"
But why, of all others,choose these?" said
Mrs. Shelby. "Why sell them, of all on the
"
The wretch !" said Mrs. Shelby,vehemently.
"
Well,I didn't listen to it,a moment, out
"
My dear," said Mrs. Shelby,recollecting herself,
"
forgive me. I have been hasty. I was
surprised, and entirely unprepared for this ;
but surely you will allow me to intercede for these
continuing
life for you."
what 's the
" I know it," I dare say ;
use of all this ? can't helpmyself."
"
Why not make a pecuniary sacrifice? I'm
willingto bear my part of the inconvenience. O,
Mr. Shelby, I have tried" tried most faithfully,
do my duty to
these poor, simple,dependent creatures. I have
as a Christian woman should
"
cared for them, instructed them, Avatched over
them, and known all their little cares and joys,
for years ; and how can I ever hold up my head
againamong them, if,for the sake of a little
paltrygain, we sell such a faithful,excellent,
confidingcreature as poor Tom, and tear from
him in a moment all we have taughthim to love
and value ? I have taugh them the duties of the
family, of parent and child,and husband and
wife ; and how can I bear to have this open acknowledgment
that we care for no tie,no duty,
no relation, however sacred,comparedwith money
? I have talked with Eliza about her boy"
her duty to him as a Christian mother, to watch
over him, pray for him, and bring him up in a
Christian way ; and now what can I say,
if you
tear him away, and sell him, soul and body țo a
profane, unprincipledman, just
to save a little
money ? I have told her that one soul is worth
more than all the money in the world ; and how
will she believe me when she sees us turn round
and sell her
"
child?
ruin of bodyand soul !"
him, perhaps,
to certain
"
I 'm sorry you feel so about it,Emily," indeed
I am," said Mr. Shelby; " and I respectyour
feelingsțoo, though I don't pretend to share
them to their full extent ; but I tell you now,
"
solemnly, it's of no use can't help myself.
I didn't mean to tell you this,Emily;but, in

I
I
but
fool
I
"
don't
here
"
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY.
17
"
"
"
"
"
plain-wordsțhere is no choice between selling | Why, not a cruel man, exactly, lut a man
these two and sellingeverything Ẹither they of a man alive to leather," nothingbut trade
must go, or all must. Haley has come into pos- \ and profit, cool,and unhesitating, and unrelenting,
session of a mortgage,which, if I don't clear off
as death and the grave.
He 'd sell his own
with him directly, will take everything before it. mother at a goodpercentage not wishing the
I've raked, and "scraped, and borrowed, and all! old woman
any harm, either."
but begged, and the priceof these two was!
"
And this wretch owns that good,faithful
needed to make up the balance, and I had to give j Tom, and Eliza's child!"
them up. Haley fancied the child ; he agreed to | "Well, my dear,the fact is that this goes
settlethe matter that way,
and no me
in his power,
and had to do it. If you
feel so to matters, possession
other. I was rather hard
\ of. Haley
with ; it 's a thingI hate
and
to think
take
have them sold,would it be any better to have
to-morrow. I 'm going to get out my
ail sold?"
horse bright and early, and be off. I can't see
Mrs. Shelbystood like one stricken. Finally, Tom, that 's a fact ; and you had better arrange
turning to her toilet, she rested her face in her a drive somewhere,and carry Eliza off. Let the
hands, and gave
a sort of groan.
thing be done when she is out of sight."
"This is God's curse on slavery J a bitter,
"
No, no," said Mrs. Shelby; " I '11 be in no
bitter,most accursed thing ! "
a
master and a curse to the slave ! I was a fool
curse to the
to think I could make anythingoodout of such
a deadlyevil. It is a sin to hold a slave under
laws like ours,
"
always feltit "
was,
alwaysEliza,I dare not think about it. The Lord forgive
"
thought so when I was a girl, I thought so
us ! What have we done,that this cruel
stillmore after I joined the church ; but I thoughtnecessity
should come on us?"
I could gild it "
over, thought,by kindness, There* was one listener to this conversation
and care, and instruction, I could make the condition
of mine better than freedom
"
that I
"
wish to hear Mr. B. in our church again.Min-
can*t help the evil,perhaps, can't cure
" "
"
it, any
more than we can, defend it ! it
always went againstmy common sense. And I
think you did n't think much of that sermon,
either."
"
Well," said Shelby, " I must say these ministers
sometimes
carry matters further than we
poor sinners would exactly dare to do. We men
of the world must wink prettyhard at various
things, getused to a deal that isn't the exact
when women in the drawers :
thing. But we don't quitefancy,
and ministers come out broad and square, and go
beyond us in matters of either modestyor morals,
that 's a fact. But now, my dear,I trust you see
her. But there,on the bed, lay her slumbering
boy, his long curls falling negligently around his
the necessity of the thing, and you see that I unconscious face,his rosy mouth half open, his
have done the very best that circumstances would littlefat hands thrown out over the bed-clothes,
allow."
and a smile spreadlike a sunbeam over his whole
"0 yes, yes!" said Mrs. Shelby,hurriedly face.
and abstractedly fingering her "I "Poor boy! goldwatch," poor
fellow !" said Eliza ; they
haven't any jewelryof any amount," she added, have sold you ! but your mother will savo \ou
thoughtfully; "but would not this watch do yet!"
"
something? it was an expensiveone, when it No tear dropped over that pillow; in such
was bought. If I could onlyat least save Eliza's straitsas these țhe heart has no tears to give,"
ehild,I would sacrificeanythingI have."
it drops only blood,bleeding itself away in silence.
"
I 'm sorry,very sorry,Emily,"saidMr. Shelby, She took a piece of paper and a pencil,
"
I 'm sorry this takes hold of you so ; but it will and wrote, hastily,
do no good. The fact is,Emily, the thing 's "0, Missis ! dear Missis ! don't think me ungrateful,
done ; the bills of sale are alreadysigned, and in
think hard of me, any way,
"
Haley's hands ; and you must be thankful it is I heard all you and master said to-night Ị am
no worse. That 7nan has had it in his power to going to try to save boy"
my you will not blame
ruin us and all," now he is fairly off.
me ! God blessand reward you forall your kindness
If you
knew the man as I do, you 'd think that we had
kad a narrow escape."
"Is he so hard,then?"
2
sense accomplice or helpin this cruel business.
I '11 go and see
poor old Tom, God helphim,in
his distress! They shall see, at any rate, that
their mistress can feel for and with them. As to
whom Mr. and Mrs. Shelby little suspected
Communicating with their apartmentwas a
"
was!"
largecloset,openingby a door into the outer
abolitionist,
passage. When Mrs. Shelbyhad dismissed Eliza
"
wife, Why, you
are gettingto be an
quite."
for the night, her feverish and excited mind had
"
Abolitionist! if theyknew all I know about suggestedthe idea of this closet ; and she had
slavery, theymighttalk ! We don't need them hidden herself there,and, ivith her ear pressed
to tell us ; you know I never thought that slaveryclose against the crack of the door,had lost not
slaves."
was right never own
feltwilling to a word of the conversation
you "Well, therein differfrom many
wise and When the voices died into silence șhe rose
piousmen," said Mr. Shelby. "You remember and creptstealthily away. Pale,shivering, with
Mr. B.'s sermon, the other Sunday?"
rigid features and compressedlipsșhe looked an
"
I don't want to hear such sermons ; I never entirelyaltered beingfrom the soft and timid
isterscreature she had been hitherto. She moved cautiously
along the entry,paused one moment at
her mistress' door, and laised her hands in mute
appeal to heaven,and then turned and glided
into her own room. It was a quiet, neat apartment,
on the same floorwith her mistress. There
was the pleasant,sunny window, where she had
often sat singing at her sewing; there a little
case of books,and various little fancyarticles,
rangedby them, the gifts of Christinas holidays;
there was her simplewardrobe in the closet and
was, in short,her home ;
and, on the whole,a happyone it had been to
!"
Hastilyfolding and directing
a ctewer and made up
a littlepackage
this șh" went tr
of cloth

.
"I'm
carrying
she
"
Uncle
Master
"
he
"
I
" be
" it
18 UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR,
ingfor her boy, whicn she tied with a handkerchief
firmly round her waist ; and,so fond is a
mother's remembrance,that,even in the terrors
of that hour, she did not forgetto put in the
little package one or two of his favorite toys,
reserving a gaylypaintedparrotto amuse him,
my Harry, and you, Uncle Tom, both,to a trader ;
when she should be called on to awaken him. It and that he was going off this morningon his
was some trouble to arouse the littlesleeper ; but,
after some effort, he sat up, and was playing with to-day."
nis bird,while his mother was puttingon her Tom had stood,during this speech, with his
bonnet and shawl.
" Where are you going, mother? "
said he, as
she chew near the bed,with his little coat and
came over him, he collapsed,
himself,on his old chair,
His mother drew near, and looked so earnestly his knees.
cap.
into his eyes, that he at once divined that something
unusual was the matter.
"
"
"
"Hush, Harry," she said; "mustn't speak What has he done,that Mas'r should sell him?"
loud,or theywill hear us. A wicked man was
it isn't for that
"
He has n't done anything,
coming to take little Harry away from his mother, Master don't want to sell; and Missis she's
and carry him 'way off in the dark ; but mother alwaysgood. I heard her plead and beg for us ;
won't let him 's going to put on her little but he told her 't was no use ; that lie was in this
boy's cap and coat,and run off with him, so the man's debt,and that this man had got the power
ugly man can't catch him."
over him ; and that if he did n't pay him offclear,
Saying these words, she had tied and buttoned it would end in his having to sell the placeand
on the child's simple outfit,and,takinghim in all the people, and move off Yes, I heard him
the mother wrappedthe shawl close round her
child,as, perfectly quietwith vague terror,he
clung round her neck.
can't help it. She said,herself,one soul was
Old Bruno, a greatNewfoundland,who sleptworth more than the world ; and this boy has a
at the end of the porch,rose, with a low growl, soul,and if I let him be carried off,who knows
as she came near. She gentlyspoke his name, what '11become of it? It must be right : but, if
and the animal,an old pet and playmateof hers, it an't rightțhe Lord forgive
instantly, wagging his tail,preparedto follow doing it!"
"
her,though apparentlyrevolvingmuch, in his Well, old man!" said Aunt Chloe, " why
simpledog'shead,what such an indiscreet midnight
don't you go, too? Will
you
wait to be toted
promenade might mean. Some dim ideas down river,where they kill niggerswitli hard
of imprudence or improprietyin the measure work and starving? I'da heap rather die than
seemed to embarrass him considerably ; for he go there, any day ! There 's time for ye, off
often stopped,as Eliza glidedforward,and looked with Lizy," you 've got a pa ;s to come and go
wistfully, firstat her and then at the house,and any time. Come, bustle up, and I '11 get your
then,as if reassured byreflection, he patteredalong thingstogether."
after her again. A few minutes broughtthem to Tom slowly raised his head,and loosed sorrowfully
the window of Uncle Tom's cottage, and Eliza
but quietlyaround, and said,
stoppingțappedlightly on the "
"
window-pane. No, no an't going. Let Eliza go 's
The prayer-meeting at Uncle Tom's had, in the her right! I wouldn't be the one to say no "
order of hymn-singing, been protractedto a
very
'tan't in natur for her to stay; but you heard
late hour ; and, as Uncle Tom had indulged himself
what she said ! If I must be sold or all the people
in a few lengthy solos afterwardsțhe conyequence
was, that,althoughit was now between let me be sold. I s'pose I can b'ar it as well
on the place, and everythin go to rack,why,
as
twelve and one o'clock,he and his worthyhelpmeet
any on 'em," he added,while somethinglike a
were not yetasleep.
sob and a sigh shook his broad,rough
"
Good Lord! what 's that?" said
"
Aunt Chloe,
Mas'r always found me on the spot
startingup and hastilydrawing the curtain. always will. I never have broke trust,nor
"My sakes alive, if it an't Lizy! Get on your
used wz pass
no
ways contrary to my word,and I
clothes,old man, there's old Bruno never will. It 's better for
quick!" me alone to go, than
too,a pawin' round ; what on airth ! I 'in gwine
to open the door."
And, suiting the action to the word,the door
flew open, and the lightof the tallow candle,
"
Lord bless you
"
! I
'm skeered to look at ye,
" "
Lizy ! Are ye tuck sick,or what 's come over
ye?"
runningaway
Tom and Aunt
Chloe off my child
him
"
sold
"Sold him.'?" echoed both,liftingup theit
hands in dismay.
"Yes, sold him!" said Eliza,firmly; "I
crept into the closet by Mistress' door to-night,
and I heard Master tell Missis that he had sold
horse,and that the man was to take possession
hands raised,and his eyes dilated, like a man in
a dream. Slowly and gradually, as its meaning
rather than seated
and sunk his head down
upon
' ' The good Lord have pity on us !" said Aunfc
Chloe.
"
0 ! it don't seem as if it was true !
say there was no choice between selling these two
and sellingall țhe man was drivinghim so hard.
her arms, she whispered to him to be very still ;
and,openinga door in her room which led into
the outer veranda,she glidednoiselessly out.
It was a spaikling, frosty,star-light night, and
Christian and an angel
Master said he was sorry; but 0, Missis "
you
ought to have heard her talk ! If she an't a
țhere never was one*
I 'm a wicked girl to leave her so ; but, then,I
me, fori can't help
chest convulsively.
to break up the placeand sell all. Mas'r an't to
blame,Chloe, and he '11take care of you
and the
' '
poor
Here he turned to the rough
trundle-bed full of
which Tom had hastilylighted, fell on the haggard
little woollyheads,and broke fairlydown. He
face,and dark,wild eyes of the fugitive. leaned over the back of the chair, and covered his
face with his largehands. Sobs,heavy, hoarse and
loud,shook the chair, and grea tears fell through
his fingers on the floor : just such tears șir,as you
dropped into the coffinwhere lay your first-born
son ; such tears,woman, as you shed when you
heard the criesof your dying babe. For,sir, ho

and
'
was a man,
"
you
are but another man.
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 19
And, woman, though dressed in silk and jewels, railings, each one determined to be the first one
you are but a woman, and, in life's great straits to apprizethe strange Mas'r of his illluck.
and mightygriefs, ye
feel but one sorrow !
"He'll be rael mad, I'll be bound," said
"And now," said Eliza,as she stood in the Andy.
door, " "
I saw my
husband only this afternoon, Won't he swar!" said littleblack Jake.
"
and I little knew then what was to come. They Yes,for he does swar," said woolly-headed
have pushedhim to the very last standing-place, Mandy. " I hearn him yesterday, at dinner. ]
and he told me, to-day țhat he was goingto run hearn all about it then, 'cause I got into the
away. Do try, if you can, to got word to him. closet where Missis keeps the greatjugs,and 1
Tell him how I went, and why I went ; and tell hearn every word." And Mandy, who had never
him I "ingoing to tryand find Canada. You must
"
givemj love to him, and tell him, if I never see
him again," she turned away, and stood with
her back to them for a moment, and then added,
in a husky voice, " tell him to be as good as he
can, and try and meet me in the kingdom of
heaven."
"Call Bruno in there,"she added. "Shut
the door on him, poor beast! He mustn't go
with me !"
A few lastwords and tears,a few simpleadieus
and blessings, and,clasping her wondering and
affrighted child in her arms,
away.
CHAPTER
VI.
Mr. and Mrs. Shelby,after their protracted
discussion of the nightbefore,did not readilysink
times. "Poor thing!" șhe added,to herself, say, as I said beforețhis yer 's a sing'lar report.
with a sigh.
Is it true,sir?"
Andy soon returned, "
with eyes very wide in Sir,"said Mr. Shelby, " if you wish to communicate
astonishment.
with me, you
must observe something
"
Lor, Missis ! Lizy'sdrawers is all open, and
her tilings all lying every which way ; and I believe
she "sjustdone ciai-edout !"
Yes, sir; I regre to say that the young woman,
The truth flashed upon Mr. Shelbyand his wife excitedby overhearing, or
somethingof this business,has taken her child
in the night, and made off."
"The Lord be thanked!" said Mrs. Shelby.
" I trust she is."
at the sa Jie moment. He exclaimed,
"
Then she suspectedit,and she 's off!"
"
Wife, you talk like a fool ! Really, it will
be somethingpretty awkward for me,
if she is.
Haley saw that I hesitated about sellingthis
child,and he '11think I connived at it țo get him
out of the way. It touches my honor!" And
Mr. Shelbyleft the room hastily.
There was great running and ejaculating, and
opening and shuttingof doors,and appearance
of faces in all shades of color in different places,
for about a quarter of an hour. One person
roosting, like so many crows, on the veranda
in her lifethoughtof the meaningof a word she
had heard,more than a black cat, now took airs
of superiorwisdom, and strutted about, forgetting
to state that,though actuallycoiled up
among the jugs at the time specified, she had
been fast asleepall the time.
When, at last,Haley appeared,booted and
spurred,he was saluted with the bad tidings on
every hand. The young imps on the veranda
were not disappointed in their hope of hearing
him " swar," which he did with a fluency and
fervency which delighted them all amazingly, as
she glidednoiselessly theyducked and dodged hither and thither, to be
out of the reach of his riding-whip ; and, all
whooping off together, theytumbled,in a pileof
immeasurable
giggle, on
the withered turf under
the veranda,where they kicked up their heels
and shouted to their full satisfaction.
"
If I had the littledevils!" muttered Haley,
between
his teeth.
"
But you ha'nt got'em,though !" said Andy,
to repose, and, in consequence, slept somewhat with a triumphantflourish,and making a string
later than usual,the ensuingmorning
of indescribablemouths at the unfortunate trader's
"
I wonder what keepsEliza,"said Mrs. Shelby,
back,when he was fairlybeyondhearing
aft", giving her bell "
repeatedpulls țo no I say now, Shelby țhis yer 's a most extro'rnary
business,"said Haley, as he abruptly purpose.
Mr. Shelby was standing before his dressingglass,sharpeninghis
tered the parlor. " It seems that gal 's off,with
razor ; and just then the her young un."
door opened, and a colored boy entered,with his
"
Mr. Haley, Mrs. Shelby is present," said
shaving-water.
Mr. Shelby.
"
"Andy," said his mistress,"step to Eliza's I beg pardon,ma'am," said Haley,bowing
door, and tell her I have rung for her three slightly, with a stilllowering brow ; "but stillI
of the decorum of a gentleman. Andy, take Mr.
Haley'shat and riding-whip Ṭake a seat, sir.
havingreportedto her,
"I did expect fair dealing in this matter,]
confess,"said Haley.
"
Well, sir,"said Mr. Shelby,turningsharply
round upon him, "what aih I to understand by
that remark ? If any
man calls my honor in question,
I have but one answer for him."
The trader cowered at this,and in a somewhat
lower tone said that " it was plaguyhard on a
fellowțhat had made a fairbargain, gulled
that way."
'" Mr."Haley," said Mr. Shelby, " if I did not
think you h:"d some cause for disappointment, I
only, who might have shed some light on the matter,
should not have borne from you the rude and unceremonious
was entirely silent, and that was the head
style of your entrance into my par
cook,Aunt Chloe. Silently, and with a heavy lor this morning. I say thus much, however,
cloud settled down over her once joyousface șhe since appearances call for it țhat I shall allow
proceededmaking out her breakfast biscuits, as of no insinuationscast upon me, as if I were at
if she heard and saw nothing of the excitement all partner to any unfairness in this matter.
around her.
Moreover,I shall feel bound to giveyou every
Very soon, about a dozen
young imps were assistance, in the use of horses,servants,"c, in

"
an
0,
"
as
"
never
"
so
'bout
20 UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR,
the recovery of your property.So,in short,Haley,"
said he,suddenlydroppingfrom the tone
of dignified coolness to his ordinary one of easy
frankness,
the best way for you is to keepgoodnatured
and eat some breakfast, and we will then
see what is to be done."
Mrs. Shelby now rose, and said her engagements
would prevent her beingat the breakfasttable
that morning; and, deputing a very respectable
mulatto woman to attend to the gentlemen's
coffee at the side-boardșhe left the
room.
" Old ladydon't like your humble servant,over
and above," said Haley,with an
uneasy effort to
be very familiar.
"lam not accustomed to hear my wife spoken
of with such freedom,"said Mr. Shelby,dryly.
"Beg pardon; of course, only a joke, you
know," said Haley,forcing laugh.
" Some jokesare lessagreeablethan others,"
rejoinedShelby.
"
Devilish free,now I 've signed those papers,
cuss him!" muttered Haley to himself;"quite
grand șince yesterday!"
Never did fall of any prime minister at court
occasion wider surges of sensation than the report
of Tom's fate among his compeers
on the place.
It was the topic in every mouth, everywhere ;
and nothing was done in the house or in the field,
but to discuss itsprobableresults. Eliza's flight
unprecedentedevent on the was place"
also a greataccessory in stimulating general
excitement.
Black Sam, as he was commonly called,from
his being about three shades blacker than any
other son of ebony on the place,was revolving
the matter profoundly phasesand bearings,
with a comprehensiveness of vision,and a
Btrict look-out to his own personalwell-being,
that would have done credit to any white patriot
in Washington.
" It 's an illwind dat blows dat ar
nowhar,"
a fact," said Sam, sententiously, giving an additional
hoist to his pantaloons, adroitlysubstituting
a long nail in placeof a missingsuspender-button,
with which effort of mechanical
geniushe seemed highlydelighted.
"Yes, it's an ill wind blows nowhar," he
repeated. "Now, dar, Tom's down wal,
course der's room for some nigger to be up
and why not dis nigger? dat 's de idee. Tom,
a ridin' round de boots blacked country"
pass
in his all pocket" grand as Cuffee" who but young
he ? Now, why should n't Sam ? dat 's what I
want to know."
"
Halloo Șam Sam ! Mas'r wants you to
cotch Bill and Jerry," said Andy,cutting short
Sam's soliloquy.
" ! what 's afoot un ?"
"
contempt; knowed it a heap sight
sooner than you did ; this nigger an't so green,
now ! ' '
"
Well,anyhow, Mas'r wants Bill and Jerry
gearedrightup ; and you and I 's to go with
Mas'r Haley,to look arter her."
"Good, now! dat's de time o' day!" said
Sam.
" It 's Sam dat 's called for in dese yer
times. He 's de nigger. See if I don't cotch
her,now ; Mas'r '11see what Sam can do !"
young High now,
"
Why, you don't know, I s'pose țhat Lizy's
cut stick,and clared out, with her young un!'"'
"You teach your granny!" said Sam, with
think twice ; for Missis
and she '11be in your wool."
"
High ! " said Sam,
you know dat?"
"
Heard her say so,
mornin',when I bring
She sent me to see why
dress her ; and when I
jestris up, and ses she,
and Mas'r,he seemed
' Wife, you talk like a
bringhim to ! I knows
it's allers best be,"
fence,now I tellyer."
Black Sam, upon this,scratched
pate,which,if it did not
wisdom, stillcontained
speciesmuch in demand
all complexions countries,
"
knowing
buttered;" so, stopping
he againgave a
which was his regularlyorganized
assisting his mental perplexities.
"
Der an't no sayin'
o' thing in dis yer world,"
Sam spoke like a philosopher,
if he had had a largeexperiencein
sorts of worlds,and
conclusions advisedly.
"
Now, sartin I 'd a said
scoured the varsal world
thoughtfully.
"So she would," said
see through a ladder, ye
don't want dis yer Mas'r
dat 's de go !"
"
High !" said Sam,
tonation,known onlyto among the negroes.
"
And I '11tell yer
more
specs you 'd better be
hosses," mighty sudden,
Missis 'quirin' yer,
in' longenough."
Sam, upon this,began
earnest, and after a
down gloriously towards
Jerryin a full canter, and
off before they had
brought them up alongside
a tornado. Haley'shorse,which
colt,winced,and
at his halter.
"Ho, ho!" said Sam,
his black visagelighted
gleam. " I '11fix
There was a largebeech-tree
the the
busy in soothing
of adjustingthe saddle,he
under it the sharp little
that the least weightbroughtupon
would annoy the nervous
without leavingany
wound.
"
Dar !" he said,rolling
grin; " me fix
At this moment Mrs.
place, and small,
beech-nuts lay scattered
With one of these in his
the colt ștroked and patted,and
d"tnt
openinghis
my own Lizy
telled The
rael
fool.'
well
to stand
contain
a great
among
which he
thereforehad
that
after
Andy;
black
Haley
with an
those
'n all,"said
making
too,"
to bestir
while
the house,with
adroitly
any idea bounced,and skeery,are
up with
ye agitation.On
nut,
sensibilitiesof
perceptible
'em ! ' '
Shelbyappeared
thickly
fingers,
Wbtit
self,dis
shaving-water.
did
her she
Lord
mad,
But
enough
Missis'
very
deal
and
side
grave said,at
emphasizingthis
Missis
Lizy,"added
"but
nigger? getLizy'sboy
indescribable
who have
tracks
you 've
himself
appeared,bearing
throwinghimself
horse-postlike
was
a
noAV !"
overshadowing
adroitlyslipped
in such
eyes
sharp, Sam
seemed
hei cotched,
"
eyes. How
blessed
n't come to
was off șhe
be praised;'
and says he,
Lor ! she '11
how that '11
side the
his woolly
profound
of a particular
politicians of
vulgarly de-
the bread is
pantaloons,
method of
no kind
last.
different
come to his
would a
Sam,
can't ye
Missis
;
in
heard it
Andy ; " 1
for dem
for I hearn
stood fool-
in real
Bill and
stopping, a skittish
pulledhard
ye?" and
curious,mischievous
said ho.
pretence
a manner
the saddle
the animal,
graze or
approving
on the
triangular
ground.
approached
apparently
"
Ah ! but Sam," said Andy, " you 'd better balcony,beckoning to him. Sam approached
nominated

dat
0
I
"
and
there
with as good a determinationto pay
ever suitor after a vacant placeat St. James' or
Washington.
"Why have you been loitering so, Sam? I
sent Andy to tell you to hurry."
"
Lord bless you, Missis !" said Sam, " horses
won't be kotched all in a minit ; they 'd done
clared out way down to the south pasture, and
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 21
"
"
"
"
court as did his head with a dexterous thump, and looked
about well pleased,
if to say, " Who says I
he rapped the crown on of the
"
deepestconcern, and me that has been
have n't got a hat !"
"
Well, boys,"said Haley, " look alive now;
we must lose no time."
"
Not a bit of him, Mas'r !" said Sam, putting
Haley's rein in his hand, and holding his stirrup,
while Andy was untyingthe other two horses.
the Lord knows whar !"
The instant Haley touched the saddle,the
"
Sam, how often must I tell you not to say mettlesome creature bounded from the earth with
1
Lord bless you,
and the Lord knows,' and such a sudden spring țhat threw his master sprawling,
things ! It 's wicked."
some feet off,on the soft,dry turf. Sam,
"
0, Lord bless my soul ! I done forgot, with frantic ejaculations, made a dive at the
I won't say nothingof de sort no more."
reins,but only succeeded in brushing the blazing
"
Why, Sam, you justhave said it again." palm-leaf afore-named intothe horse's eyes, which
"Did I? 0, Lord! I mean didn't go by no means tended to allaythe confusion of his
fur to say it."
nerves. So,Avithgreatvehemence,he overturned
"
You must be careful, Sam."
Sam, and, giving two or three contemptuous
"
Just let me get my breath,Missis,and I '11 snorts,flourishedhis heels vigorously in the air,
start fair. I '11be berry careful."
and was soon prancingaway
towards the lower
"
Well,Sam, you
are to go with Mr. Haley țo end of the lawn, followed by Bill and Jerry,
show him the road and helphim. Be careful of whom Andy had not failed to let loose,according
the horses,Sam ; you know Jerrywas a little to contract,speeding them offwith various direful
lame last week ; don't ride them too fast. ejaculations. And now ensued a miscellaneous
Mrs. Shelbyspokethe last words with a low scene of confusion. Sam and Andy ran and
voice,and
shouted," strongemphasis.
dogsbarked here and and
there,"
" Let dis child alone for dat !" said Sam, rolling
Mike,Mose,Mandy,Fanny, and all the smaller
up his eyes with a volume of meaning. specimens on the place,both male and female,
" Lord knows '
High! Didn't say dat!" said raced,clappedhands, whooped and shouted,with
he,suddenlycatching breath,with a ludicrous outrageousofficiousnessand untiringzeal.
flourish of apprehension, which made his mistress Haley'shorse, which was a white one, and
laugh,spite of herself. "
Yes,Missis,I '11 look very fleetand spirited, appearedto enter intothe
out for de bosses !"
spirit greatgusto; and having
"
Now, Andy," said Sam, returning to his for his coursing-ground a lawn of nearly half a
"
stand under the beech-trees, you seel wouldn't mile in extent, gentlysloping down on
be 'tall surprised gen'lman's crittur
every side
into indefinitewoodland, he appearedto take infinite
should gib a fling, by and by, when he comes to delight in seeinghow near he could allow
be a gettin' up.
You know, Andy, critturs will his pursuers to approachhim, and then,when
do such things;" and therewith Sam pokedAndy within a hand's breadth,whisk off with a start
in thesich,in a highlysuggestive manner.
and a snort, like a mischievous beast as he
"High ." said Andy, with an air of instant was, and career far down into some alleyof the
appreciation.
wood-lot. Nothingwas further from Sam's mind
"
Yes, you see, Andy, Missis wants to make than to have any one of the trooptaken until
time. ar 'sclar to der most or'nary'bserver. such season as should seem to him most befitting,
I jis make a littlefor her. Now, you see, get all
the exertions that he made were certainly
dese yer hosses loose,caperin'permiscusround most heroic. Like the sword of Coeur De Lion,
dis yer lot and doAvn to de wood dar,and I spec which always blazed in the front and thickest
Mas'r won't be offin a hurry."
of the battleȘam's palm-leafwas to be seen
Andy grinned.
everywherewhen there was the least danger that
"
Yer see," said Sam, " yer see, Andy, if any
a horse could be caught; he would bear
such thing should happen as that Mas'r Haley'sdown
fulltilt,shouting,
Now for it! cotch him !
horse should begin to act contrary, and cut up, cotch him !" in a
way that would set everything
you and I jistlets go of our'n to helphim, and to indiscriminate rout in a moment.
we'll helphim yes!" And Sam and Andy Haley ran up and down, and cursed and swore
laid their heads back on their shoulders,and and stamped miscellaneously Ṃr. Shelbyin
broKe into a low, immoderate laugh,snappingvain tried to shout directions from the balcony,
their fingers and flourishing their heels with exquisiteand
Mrs. Shelby from her chamber-window alternately
delight.
laughed and not without
wondered,"
At this instant,Haleyappeared on the veranda.
some inkling of what layat the bottom of all
Somewhat mollifiedby certain cups of very this confusion.
goodcoffee, he came out smiling and- talking At last,about twelve o'clockȘam appeared
tolerably restored humor. Sam and Andy, clawing
triumphant, mounted on Jerry, with Haley's
for certain
fragmentary palm-leaves, which horse by his side,reeking with sweat, but with
they were in the habit of considering flashing eyes and dilated nostrils, showingthat the
flew to the horse-posts, to be ready to " help spiritof freedom had not yetentirely Mas'r."
"
He 's cotched !" he exclaimed,triumphantly.
Sam's palm-leaf had been ingeniously disentangled
"
If 't hadn't been for me, theymight a bust
from all pretensions to braid,as respectstheirselves,
all on 'em ; but 1 cotched him !""
its brim ; and the slivers startingapart, and
"
You !" growledHaley, in no amiable mood.
standingupright, gave it a blazingair of freedom
"
If it had n't been for you, this never would have
and defiance,quiteequal to that of any happened."
"
Lord bless us, Mas'r,"said Sam, in a tone
Fejeechief; while the whole brim of Andy's
beingdepartedbodily,

"
how
the
22
UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR,
racin' and chasm' till the swet jestpours off
me!"
've lost me
"'
Well,well !" said Haley, " you
near three hours, with your cursed nonsense. It is impossible to conceive of a human crea
Now let 's he off,and have no more fooling." ture more whollydesolate and foriorn than Eliza;
AVhy, Mas'r," said Sam, in a
deprecating when she turned her footsteps from Uncle Tom's
"
tone, " 1 helieve you
mean to kill us all clar, cabin.
horses aud all. Here we are all justready to Her husband's suffering and dangers, and the
drop down, and the critters all in a reek of
sweat. Why, Mas'r won't think of startin'on
now tillarter dinner. Mas'r's hoss wants rubben
down ; see how he splashedhissolf ; and
Jerry limps too ; don't think Missis would be
willin' to have us start this yer way, no how.
Lord bless you, Mas'r, we can ketch up,
if Ave do
stop. Lizynever was no greatof a walker."
Mrs. Shelby,who, greatlyto her amusement,
had overheardthis conversation from the veranda,
She came forward,
now resolved to do her part.
and, courteouslyexpressing her concern
for Haley'saccident,pressedhim to stay to dinner,
saying that the cook should bringit on the
table immediately.
Thus,all thingsconsidered, Haley, with rather
an equivocal grace, proceeded to the parlor,while
Sam, rolling his eyes after him with unutterable
meaning,proceededgrayelywith the horses to
the stable-yard.
"
Did yer
see him,Andy? did "'
yer see him'!
said Sam, when he had got fairlybeyond the
shelter of the barn,and fastened the horse to a The frostyground creaked beneath her feet,
post. " 0, Lor,if it warn't as good as a meetin', and she trembled at the sound ; every quaking
now, to see him a dancin' and kickin' and swarin' leaf and fluttering shadow sent the blood backward
at us. Didn't I hear him! Swar away, ole
fellow (saysI to myself); will yer have yer hoss
now, or wait till yer cotch him ? (saysI). Lor,
Andy, I think I can see him now." And Sam
and Andy leaned up againstthe banij and
laughedto their hearts' content.
"
Yer oughterseen how mad he looked,when
I brough the hoss up. Lord,he 'd a killed me,
if he dues' to ; and there I was a standin' as
innercent and as humble."
"
Lor,I seed you," said Andy ; " an't an you
old hoss,Sam!"
trader țo-morrow if morning," you had seen
"Rather 'spectsI am," said Sam; " did yer' the man, and heard that the papers were signed
see Missis up stars at the winder ! I seed her and delivered,and you had only from twelve
laughin'."
o'clock tillmorning to make good your escape,
nothing,"
fast could you walk ? How many miles
"
I 'm sure, I was racin' so, I did n't
said Andy.
could you make in those few brief hours,with
"
Well, yer see," said Sam,proceeding gravelythe your bosom, little sleepy
to wash down
"
Haley's pony, I 'se 'quiredwhat head on your the shoulder," small,soft arms
yer may call a habit o' bobservation,Andy. It 's trustingly holdingon to your neck ?
a
very ; 'portanthabit,Andy and I 'commend For the child At slept. firstțhe novelty and
yer to be cultivatin' it,now
yer young. Hist up
that hind foot,Andy. Yer see, Andy, it's bobservation
makes all de difference in niggers.
Did n't I see which way the wind blew dis yer
mornin"? Didn't I see what Missis wanted,
though,she never let on? Dat ar 's bobservation,Andy.
I 'spects it 's what you may call a
faculty.Faculties is different in different peoples,
but cultivationof 'em goes
a greatway."
"
I guess if I hadn't helped your bobservation
yer, Andy ; and I don't feel no ways ashamed to
take idees from
you. We oughtenter overlook
nobody,Andy, cause the smartest on us gets
trippedu ") sometimes. And so, Andy, let's go
up 5o the house now. I '11 be boun' Missis '11
give us an mcommon good bite, dis yer time "
CHAPTER
Vn.
THE MOTHER S STRUGGLE.
danger of her child,all blended in her mind.
with a confused and stunningsense of the risk
she was running,in leavingthe onlyhome she
had ever known, and cutting loose from the protection
of a friend whom she loved and revered.
Then there was the partingfrom every familiar
"
object, the placewhere she had grown up, the
trees under which she had played,the groves
where she had walked many an evening in happier
days,by the side of her husband,"
young
everything, as it layin the clear,frostystarlight,
seemed to speak reproachfully to her,and ask
her whither could she go from a home like that.
But stronger than all was maternal love,
wrought into a paroxysm of frenzyby the near
approach of a fearful danger. Her boy was old
enough to have walked by her side,and, in an
indifferent case, she would only have led him by
the hand ; but now the bare thoughtof putting
him out of her arms made her shudder,'and she
strained him to her bosom with a convulsive
grasp, as she went rapidlyforward.
to her heart,and quickenedher footsteps.
She wondered within herself at the strengththat
seemed to be come upon her ; for she felt the
weight of her boy as if it had been a feather,
and every nutter of fear seemed to increase the
supernatural power that bore her on, while from
her pale lips burst forth, in frequentejaculations,
the prayer
"
to a Friend above "Lord,
help ! Lord,save me !"
If it were your Harry,mother,or your Willie,
that were going to be torn from you by a brutal
alarm kept him waking ;
but his mother so hurriedly
repressedevery breath or sound, and so
assured him that if he were onlystillshe would
certainly him, that he clungquietlyround
her neck,onlyasking, he found himself 'sinking
to sleep,
"
Mother, I don't need to keepawake, do I?"
"
No, my darling; sleep,if you want to."
"
But, mother, if I do get asleep,you won't
let him
get me?"
dis mornin', yer wouldn't have' seen your way so
smart," said Andy.
"
Andy," said Sam, " you 's a promisin' child, largedark eyes.
dei an't no manner o' doubt. I thinks lots of
"
No ! so may God helpme !" said his mother,
with a palercheek,and a brighterlight
in her
"
You 're sure, an't you, mother?"
"Yes, sure.'1'said the mother, in a voice that
startled herself; for it seemed to her to come
from a spiritwithin,that was no part of her ;
and the boy droppedhis little weary head on her
shoulder,and was soon asleep. How the touch
of those warm arms, the gentlēbreathings that

on
till
" all
fleered rather uleased than otherwise with hav-
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 23
came in her neck, seemed to add fire and spirit
somebody come to talk with ; and accepted,
to her movements ! It seemed to her as if without examination,Eliza'sstatement, that she
"
strengthpouredinto her in electric streams, was going on a little piece țo spend a week
from every gentletouch and movement of the with her friends," which she hopedin her
sleeping, confiding child. Sublime is the dominion
heart mightprove strictly true.
of the mind over the body,that,for a time, An hour before sunset, she entered the village
and
of T
can make flesh and nerve impregnable,
the sinews like steelșo that the weak becomes
80 mighty.
The boundaries of the farm, the grove, the
"you are safe! We must go on "
"
we
As she was also so white as not to be known as
of colored lineage, without a critical survey, and
her child was white also,it was much easier for
her to pass on unsuspected.
On this presumptionșhe stoppedat noon at a I 've hurried him on so !" said Eliza.
neat_farm-house,to rest herself,and buy some
"
Well, take him into this room," said the
dinner for her child and self;for,as the dangerwoman, opening into a small bed-room, where
decreased with the distancețhe supernaturalstood a comfortable bed. Eliza laid the weary
tension of the nervous
systemlessened,and she boy upon it,and held his hands in hers till he
found herself both weary and hungry.
was fast asleep. For her tiiere was no rest. As
TJ e good woman, kindly and gossiping,
string
,
by the Ohio river, weary and foot-sore,
but still strong in heart. Her first glancewas at
the river,which lay, like Jordan,between her
and the Canaan of libertyon the other side.
into the water, the ice had been lodgedand detained
wood-lot,passedby her dizzily, as she walked It was now earlyspring, and the river 'was
on; and still she went, leavingone familiar swollen and turbulent ; great cakes of floating ice
objectafter another,slackingnot,pausingnot, were swingingheavily to and fro in the turbid
till reddeningdaylight found her many
a long waters. Owing to the peculiar form of the shore
mile from all traces of any
familiar objects upon
on the Kentuckyside,the land bendingfur out
the open highway.
She had often been,with her mistressțo visit in greatquantities, and the narrow channel
some connections,in the littlevillage of T which
,
swept round the bend was full of io3,
not far from the Ohio river,and knew the road piled one cake over another, thus forminga
well. To go thitherțo across
escape the Ohio temporary barrier to the descendingice,which
river,were the firsthurried outlines of her plan lodged, and formed a great,undulatingraft,fill-
of escape ; beyond that she could onlyhope in up the whole river, and extending almost to
God.
the Kentucky shore.
When horses and vehicles began to move along Eliza stood,for a moment, contemplating this
"
the highway, with that alert perception peculiar unfavorable aspect of things, which she saw at
to a state of excitement,and which seems to be once must prevent the usual ferry-boat from running,
a sort of inspiration, she became aware that her and then turned into a small public house
headlongpace and distracted air might bring on on the bank, to make a few inquiries.
her remark and suspicion.She therefore put The hostess,who was busy, in various fizzing
the boy on the ground,and,adjusting and stewingoperations over the fire,preparatory
and bonnet,she walked on at as rapid a pace as to the eveningmeal,stopped, with a fork in her
she thought consistentwith the preservation of hand, as Eliza'ssweet and plaintive voice arrest
appearances.
In her littlebundle she had provided
ed her.
a store of cakes and apples,which she used
"
What is it?" she said.
as expedients quickening the speedof the
people
"
Is n't there any ferry or boat, that takes
child,rolling apple some yards before them, over
No,
to B
now ?" she said.
,
when the boy would run with all his might after
"
indeed !" said the woman
"
; the boats
it ; and this ruse, often repeated, carried them has stoppedrunning."
over many a half-mile.
Eliza's look of dismay and disappointment
After a while,theycame to a thick patch of struck the woman, and she said,inquiringly,
woodland,through which murmured a clear brook. May be you 're wanting to get over? anybody
"
As the child complained of hunger and thirst, sick? Ye seem mightyanxious ?"
she climbed over the fence with him,and,sitting
dangerous." "
I 've got a child that 's very
"
down l)ehind a largerock which concealed them Eliza. I never heard of it till last night, and
from the road,she gave him a breakfast out of I 've walked quite a pieceto-day, hopes to get
her little package. The boy wondered and to the ferry."
grieved that she could not eat ; and when, putting
woman,
"
AY ell, now, that 's onlucky,"said the
his arms round her neck,he tried to wedge whose motherlysympathieswere much
some of his cake into her mouth, it seemed to her aroused; "I'm re'lly for ye. Solomon
that the rising in her throat would choke her.
!" she called from the window, towards a
"
No, no, Harry darling ! mother can't eat till small back building Ạ man, in leather apron
and
very dirtyhands,appearedat the door.
" "
come to the river!" And she hurried againinto I say, Sol," said the woman, is that ar
the road,and againconstrained herself to walk man going to tote them bar'Is over to-night ?"
regularly and
"
composedlyforward.
He said he should try, if 't was any way prudent,"
She was many miles past any neighborhood said the man.
"
where she was personally known. If she should There 's a man a piece down here, that 's going
chance to meet any who knew her,she reflected over with some truck this evening, if he
that the well-known kindness of the family would durs'to ; he '11be in here to supper to-night, sc
be of itselfa blind to suspicion, as makingit an you 'd better set down and wait. That 's a
unlikely supposition that she could be a fugitive.
sweet littlefellow," added the woman, offering
him a cake.
But the child,whollyexhausted,cried with
weariness.
"
Poor fellow ! he isn't used to walking, and
a firein her bones,the thought of the pursuer
urgedher on ; and she gazed with longingeyes

"
"
" and
and
24 UNCLE TOM S CABIN
'.
OR,
on the sullen,surgingwaters that laybetween
her and liberty.
Here we must take our leave of her for the
present țo follow the course of her pursuers
promisedthat the dinner
Though Mrs. Shelby had
and all the while does they feel one don't
bit,"
should be hurried on table,yet it was soon dey drink and smoke, and take it oncommon
seen, as the thing has often been seen before, easy ? Lor, if the devil don't getthem,what 's
that it requiredmore than one to make a bargain. he goodfor?" And Aunt Chloe covered her face
So,although the order was fairlygivenout in with her checked apron,
and began to sob in good
Haley'shearing, and carried to Aunt Chloe by at earnest.
"
least half a dozen juvenile messengers, that dignitary
Pray for them that 'spitefully use
you, the
only gave certain very gruffsnorts,and good book says,"says Tom.
"
Pray for 'em !" said Aunt Chloe ; " Lor,it 's
tosses of her head, and went on with every operation
and circumstantial too tough! I can't pray
for 'em."
mamier.
in an
unusuallyleisurely
For some singular reason, an impression seemed
to reignamong the servants generally that Missis
would not be particularly disobligedby delay
; and it was wonderful what a niunber of
counter accidents occurred constantly, to retard
the course of things.One luckless wight contrived
to upset the gravy ; and then gravy
had to
be gotup de novo, with due care and "
formality, So 'd
"
I,a heap,"said Jake. Lor,shouldn't
Aunt Chloe watching and stirring with doggedwe
cotch it,Andy?"
precision, answeringshortly, to all suggestionsAndy shruggedhis shoulders,and gave an
of haste,that she " warn't a goingto have raw acquiescentwhistle.
gravy on the "
table țo helpnobody'scatchings." I'm glad Mas'r didn't go off this morning,
One tumbled down with the water,and had to go as he looked to," said Tom; " that ar hurt me
to the spring for more ; and another precipitated more than sellin'/it did. Mebbe it might have
the butter into the path of events ; and there was
into the
he will !"
Aunt Chloe, who was much revered in the
and no mistake ;
wont ther?" said Andy.
" I 'd be glad to see it, I '11be boun'," said little
Jake.
"Chil'en!" said a voice țhat made them all
start. It was Uncle Tom, who had come in,and
stood listening to the conversation at the door.
"Chil'en!" he said,"I'm afeard you
don't
know what ye 're sayin'.Forever is a dre'ful
word, chil'en ; it's awful to think on 't. You
oughtenter wish that ar to any human crittur."
"
We wouldn't to anybodybut the soul drivers,"
said Andy ; " nobody can helpwishing it
to them, they's so awful wicked."
"
Don't natur herself kinder cry out on em?"
"
said Aunt Chloe. Don't dey tear der suckin'
babyright offhis mother's breast,and sell him,
and der little children as is cryingavd holding
on by her don't dey pull'em off and
clothes,"
sells em? Don't dey tear wife and husband
apart," said Aunt Chloe, beginning to cry,
"
when it 's jesttakin' the very life on 'em?
"
" It 's natur,Chloe,and natur 's strong,"said
Tom, " but the Lord's grace
is stronger; besides,
you oughterthink what an awful state a
poor
"
crittur's soul 's in that '11 do them ar things,
you oughterthank God that you an't likehim,
Chloe. I 'm sure I 'd rather De sold țen thousand
times over, than to have all that ar
poor
crittur 's gotto answer for."
been natural for him, but 'twould have come
from time to time giggling news brought desp'thard on me, as has known him from a
kitchen that " Mas'r Haley was mighty oneasy, baby ; but I 've seen Mas'r, and I beginter feel
and that he could n't sit in his cheer no ways, but sort-o' reconciled to the Lord's will now. Mas'r
was a walkin' and stalkin'to the winders and couldn't help hisself;he did right, but I'm
through the porch."
feared things will be kinder goin' to rack, when
" Sarves him right!" said Aunt Chloe,indignantly.
I 'm gone. Mas'r can't be spected to be a pryin'
"
He '11 get wus nor one
oneasy,
of these round everywhar, as I 've done,a keepin'up all
days, if he don't mend his ways.
His master '11 the ends. The boys all means well, but they's
be sendingfor him, and then see how he '11 powerful car 'less. That ar troubles me."
look ! ' '
The bell here rang, and Tom was summoned tG
the parlor.
"
He '11 go to torment,and no mistake,"said
littleJake.
"Tom," said his master, kindly, " I want yon
He desarves it !" said Aunt Chloe,grimly; to notice that I give this gentleman bonds to forfeit
" he 'sbroke a many, many, many hearts, I tell a thousand dollars if you
are not on the spot
ye all !" she said,stopping, with a fork uplifted when he wants you ; he 's goingto-dayto look
her hands " ; it 's like what Mas'r George reads after his other business,and you
can have the
in Ravelations, souls a callin' under the altar ! day to yourself. Go anywhereyou like,boy."
"
and a callin' on the Lord for vengeance
on sich ! Thank
you, Mas'r," said Tom.
by and by the Lord he '11 hear 'em so "And mind yerself," trader,"and
don't come it over your master with any o' yer
nigger tricks ; for I '11take every cent out of him,
kitchen,was listened to with open mouth ; and, if you an't thar. If he 'd hear to me, he would n't
the dinner being now fairly sent in,the whole trust any on "
ye slippery as eels !"
kitchen was
"
at leisure to gossipwith her,and to "Mas'r," said Tom, he stood very
"
listento her remarks.
straight, "I was jisteight years
old when
" Sich '11be burnt up forever,
ole Missis put you into my arms, and you
was n't
a
year old. ' Thar,' says she, ' Tom, that *s to be
your young Mas'r; take good care on him,' says
she. And now I jistask you, Mas'r,have I ever
broke word to you, or gone contrary to you,
'specially since I was a Christian?"
Mr. Shelby was fairly overcome, and the tears
rose
to his eyes.
"My good boy," said he, "the Lord knows
you say but the truth ; and if I was able to help
it,all the world shouldn't buy you."
" And sure as I am a Christian woman," said
Mrs Shelby,"you shall be redeemed soon as
as_
I can any way bringtogethermeans. Sir,"she
said to Haley, " take good account of who you
sell him to, and let me know."
"
Lor, yes,
for that matter,"said the trader.

he's
"
it's
" whar
"
part at first,and
him he set down to a desperatelyingon second
thoughts, as
to beingunwillingimplicate
When, thereforeȘam indicated the road,Haley
said Haley,decidedly,
plungedbriskly into it,followed by Sam and
Andy.
Now, the road,in fact,was an old one, that
had formerly been a thoroughfare to the river,but
"Sartin,"said Sam, " dat 's de idee. Mas'r aoandoned for many years after the layingof the
Haleyhits de thingrightin de middle. Now, new pike. It was open for about an hour's ride
der 's two roads to de river, de dirt road and and after that it was cut across by various farms
der pike," which Mas'r mean to take V
and fences. Sam knew this fact well," perfectly
"
Andy looked up innocentlyat Sam, surprised indeed,the road had been so long closed up, that
at hearing this new geographical fact,but in-
Andy had never heard of it. He therefore rodo
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY.
"
I may bring him up in a
year, not much the
WUS3 for wear, and trade him back."
"I'll trade with you
stantl
confirmed what he said,by a vehement
reiteration.
"
then, and make it for Cause," said Sam, " I 'd rather be 'clinedto
your advantage," said Mrs. Shelby.
'magine that Lizy'd take de dirtroad,bein' it'3
" Of course,"said the trader, " all 's equal the least travelled."
with me ; li'vestrade 'em up as down, so I does a Haley,notwithstanding that he was a very old
goodbusiness. All I want is a livin', you know, bird,and naturally suspicious of
this vif*w of the
ma'am ; that 's aJl any on us wants, I s'pose."
Mr. and Mrs. Shelby both felt annoyed and
degradedby the familiar impudence of the trader,
"
and yet both saw the absolutenecessity of puttingnow!" he said,contemplatively, as he pondered
a constraint oc their feelings Ṭhe more hopelesslya
moment.
sordid and insensible he appeared țhe The pensive, reflective tone in which this was
greater became Mrs. Shelby'sdread of his succeeding
spokenappearedto amuse Andy prodigiously, and
in recapturing and Ihe drew a little behind,and shook so as
appar
of course the greater her motive for detaining ently to run a great risk of falling horse,
by every female artifice. She therefore graciously while Sam's face was immovablycomposedinto
smiled,assented, chatted familiarly, and did all the most dolefulgravity.
she could to make time pass imperceptibly.
"
Course,"said Sam, " Mas'r can do as he 'd
At two o'clockȘam and Andy broughtthe ruther ; go de straight road,if Mas'r thinks best,
horses up to the posts,apparentlygreatly refreshed
all one to us. Now, when I study'ponit,
aud invigorated by the scamper
of the I think the straight best,deridedly."
"
morning.
She would naturally go a lonesome way,"
Sam was there,new oiled from dinner,with an said Haleyțhinkingaloud,and not minding Sam's
abundance of zealous and readyofficiousness. As remark.
Haleyapproached,
was boasting, "
flourishing
sayin'," ; " galsis pecular
Dar an't no
style, Andy, of the evident and eminent success
; theynever does nothin' ye thinks they
of the operation,now that he had " farlywill ; mose gen'lly contrar. Gals is nat'lly
come to it."
made contrary; and so, if you thinks they've
"Your master I s'pose, don't keep no dogs," gone one road, it issartin you 'd better go t'other,
said Haley,thoughtfully, as he prepared to and then you
'11 be sure to find 'em. Now, my
mount.
took private'pinionis,Lizy der dirt road ; so I
"Heaps on 'em," said we
Sam, triumphantly; think 'd better take de straight " thar 's Bruno a roarer! and, besides This profoundgenericview of the female sex
that,'bout every nigger of us keeps a pup of did not seem to disposeHaleyparticularly to the
some natur or uther."
straight ; and he announced decidedly that
"
Poh !" said Haley," and he said something
6lse,too,with regard to the said dogs, at which
Sam muttered,
"
I don't see no use cussin' on 'em, no way."
"
A little pieceahead,"said Sam, givinga
wink to Andy with the eye which was on Andy's
"
But your
master don't keep no dogs (Iprettyside of the head ; and he added, gravely,
" but
much know he don't)for trackin' out niggers." I 've studded on de matter, and I 'm quiteclar
Sam knew exactly what he meant, but he kept we ought not to go dat ar way.
I nebber been
on a look of earnest and desperatesimplicity. over it,no way.
It 's despitlonesome, and we
"
Our dogs all smells round considable sharp. might lose our we 'd
way,
come to, de
I spectthey 's the kind,thoughtheyhan't never
had no practice.They 's far dogs,though, at
"
Nevertheless,"said Haley, " I shall go that
most anything, if you 'd get 'em started. Here, way."
"
Bruno," he called,whistlingto the lumbering Now I think on 't,I think I hearn 'em tell
Newfoundland,who came pitchingtumultuously that dat ar road was all fenced ip
and down by
toward them.
der creek,and thar,an't it,And}* "
"You go hang!" said Haley,getting up. Andy was n't certain ; he 'd only hearn tell'
"
Come, tumble up, now."
about that road,but never been over it. In short,
Sam tumbled up accordingly, dexterously contriving
he was strictly non-committal.
to tickle Andy as he did so, which occasioned
Haley, accustomed to strike the balance of
Andy to split out into a laugh,greatlyprobabilities
between lies of greateror lesser
to Haley'sindignation, who made a cut at him magnitudețhought that it layin favor of the
with his
riding-whip.
dirt road aforesaid. The mention of the thing
"
I 's 'stonishedat yer, Andy,"said Sam, with he thoughthe perceived was involuntary on Sam'
awful gravity. "This yer 's a seris bisness,
his confused attemptsto dissuada
Andy. Yer must n't be a makin' game. This yer
an't no way to help Mas'r."
"I shall take the straight road to the river,"
after theyhad come to the
boundaries of the estate.
" I know the way
of
all of 'em," theymakes tracks for the underground."
chaff,was rather broughtup by
case.
"
If yer warn't both on yer such cussed liars,
he should go
the other,and asked Sam when they
should come to it.
Lord
onlyknows."

so
while
this
her
save
"
they"re
do
26 UNCLE TOM 6 CABIN OR.
along-with an air of dutiful submission,only S?"m and Andy,instinctively cried out
groaning and vociferating occasionally that 'twas
up their hands, as she did it.
'"
desp'trough, and bad for Jerry's foot."
The huge green fragmentof ice on v; hich she
"Now, I jestgive yer warning,"said Haley, alightedpitchedand creaked as her weightcame
"
rueful submission,at the same time winking most
portentously to Andy, whose delightwas now
very near the explosive point.
Sam was in wonderful "
spirits, professed to
keep a very brisk look-out, at one time exclaiming
that lie
" saw a gal'sbonnet" on the top of
some distant eminence,or calling to Andy " if
that thar wasn't
'
Lizy,' down in the hollow;"
alwaysmaking these exclamations in some rough
or craggy part of the road,where the sudden
" "
"
"
quickening speed was a special inconvenience
me save me "
"
0, Mr. Symmes !
to all partiesconcerned,and thus keepingHaley do hide me !" said Eliza.
in a state of constant commotion.
"
Why, what 's this ?" said the man. "
Why,
After ridingabout an hour in this way, the if 'tan't Shelby'sgal!"
whole party made a precipitate and tumultuous "My child! boy!" he'd sold him!
descent into a barn-yardbelongingto a largeThere is his Mas'r," said she, pointingto the
farming establishment. Not a soul was in sight, Kentucky shore.
"
0, Mr. Symmes,you 've got
all the hands beingemployed in the fields ; but, a littleboy!"
as the barn stood conspicuously "
plainly So I have," said the man, as he roughly, but
square across the road, it was evident that their kindly, drew her up the steep bank. "
Besides,
journeyin that direction had reached a decided you 're a rightbrave gal. I like grit,wherever I
finale.
see it."
"
Wan't dat ar what I telled Mas'r?" said When they had gained the top cf the bank,
Sam, with an air of injuredinnocence.
"
How the man paused.
does strangegentlemanspectto know more about "I'd be glad to do something for ye," said
"
a countrydan de natives born and raised ?" he ; but then there 's nowhar I could take ye.
"You rascal!" said Haley,"you knew all The best I can do is to tell ye to go thar,"said
about this."
he, pointing to a largewhite house which stood
" Didn't I tell yer
I know^d,and yer wouldn't by itself,offthe main street of the village. " Go
believe me ? I telled Mas'r 'twas all shet up, thar; they'rekind folks. Thar 's no kind o
and fenced up, and I did n't spect we could get danger but they "11 helpyou,
up to all
through, Andy heard me."
that sort o' thing."
Eliza,earnestly.
It was too true to be disputed, the unlucky
"
The Lord bless you !" said
man had to pockethis wrath with the best grace
"No 'casion,no 'casion in the world," said
"
he was able ; and all three faced to the rightthe man. What I 've dono s of no 'count."
about, and took up their line of march for the "And, 0, surely,sir, you won't tell any
highway.
In consequence
about
of all the various delays, it was
three-quarters of an hour after Eliza had
laid her child to sleep in the village tavern that
mid lifted
"
I know yer ; yer won't get me to turn off this on it,but she staid there not a moment. With
yer road,with all yer fussin' you shet up !"
"
Mas'r will go his own way !" said Sam, with another and still another cake;
wild cries and desperate energy she leapedto
"
stumbling
" "
leaping slipping springingupwards again!
"
"
Her shoes are gone
feet
stockingscut from her
blood marked every step; but she
saw nothing,felt nothing,till dimly,as in a
dream,she saw the Ohio side,and a man lulping
her up the bank.
"
Yer a brave gal,now, whoever ar
ye !'ssaid
the man, with an oath.
Eliza
recognized the voice and face of a man
who owned a farm not far from her old home.
one !"
"
Go to thunder,gal ! What do you take a feller
for? In course not," said the man. "Come,
now, go along like a likelyșensible gal,as you
the party came riding into the same place. Eliza are. You 've arnt your liberty,and you shall
was standingby the window, lookingout in another
have it,for all me."
direction,when Sam's quick eye caught a The woman folded her child to her bosom,and
of her. Haley and Andy
flimpse
were two yardswalked firmly and swiftlyaway.
The man stood
ehind. At this crisisȘam contrived to have and looked after her.
his hat blown off,and uttered a loud and characteristic
"
Shelby,now, mebbe won't think this yer the
ejaculation, which startled her at once ; most neighborly thing in the world ; but what 's
she drew suddenly back ; the whole train swept a feller to do 1 If he catches one of my galsin
by the window,round to the front door.
the same fix,he 's welcome to pay back. Somehow
A thousand lives seemed to be concentrated in I never could see no kind o' critter a strivin'
that one moment to Eliza. Her room openedby and pantin', and trying to clar theirselves, with
a side door to the river. She caught her child,
the dogs arter 'em, and go agin 'em. Besides,I
and sprang down the stepstowards it. The trader
doa't see no kind of 'casion for me to be hunter
caught a full glimpseof her,justas she was aid catcher for other folks,neither."
disappearing down the bank ; and throwing himself
So spoke this poor, heathenish Kentuckian,
from his horse,and calling loudlyon Sam and who had not been instructed in his constitutional
Andy, he -was after her like a hound after a deer. relations,and consequentlywas betrayedinto
In that dizzy moment her feet to her scarce actingin a sort of Christianized manner, which,
seemed to touch the ground, and a moment
ened,
brought her to the water's edge. Righton behind
he would not have been left to do.
they came ; and, nerved with strength such Haley had stood a perfectly amazed spectator
as God givesonly to the desperate, with one wild of the scene, till Eliza had disappeared up the
cry and flyingleap,she vaulted sheer over the bank, when he turned a blank,inquiring on
turbid cm-rent by the shore on to the raft of ice Sain and Andy.
beyond. It was a
,
desperateleap" impossible "That ar was a tolable fair stroke cf business,"
anythingbut madness and iespair ; and Haley, said Sam.
if he had been better situated and more enlight-

LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY.
27
"
" The gsl 's got seven devils in her,I believe !" In the head and face every Drgan and lineament
biiidIlalej " How like a wildcat she jumped !" expressiveof brutal and unhesitating violence
"
Wal, now,'.' said Sam, scratchinghis head, was in a state of the highestpossibledevelopment.
" I hope jVjis'r '11'scuse us tryin' ar road. Indeed,could our readers fancy a bulldog
Don't think I feel spry enough for dat ar, no
come unto man's estate,and walkingabout
way !" and Sam a
gave hoarse chuckle.
in a hat and coat,they would have no unapt idea
" You laugh!" said the trader,with a growl. of the generalstyle and effect of his physique.
"Lord bless you, Mas'r, I couldn't help it, He was accompaniedby a travelling companion,
now," said Sam, givingway to the long pent-up in many respects an exact contrast to himself.
delight of his soul. "
She looked so curi*s,a He was short and slender,lithe and cat-like in
leapin' ice a springin' crackin'" and only his motions,and had a expression
peering, mousing
to hear her," ker plump! chunk! ker splash!
Spring! Lord! how she goes
Andy laughed
cheeks.
it!" and Sam and
till the tears rolled down their
"
1 '11make ye laugh t'other side yer mouths !" his sleek,thin,black hair was stuck eagerly
said the trader,laying forward,
about their heads with
and all his motions and evolutions expressed
his riding-whip.
a dry, cautious acuteness. The great
Both ducked,and ran shoutingup the bank, big man pouredout a bigtumbler half full of raw
and were on their horses before he was up. spirits, and gulpedit down without a word. The
"
Good-evening, Mas'r!" said Sam, with much* little man stood tip-toe, and puttinghis head
gravity. " I berry much spectMissis be anxious firstto one side and then to the other,and snuffing
'bout Jerry. Mas'r Haley won't want us no considerately in the directionsof the various
longer.Missis would n't hear of our ridin' the bottles, ordered at last a mint julep, in a thin
crittersover Lizy'sbridgeto-night;" and,with a and quivering voice,and with an air of great cir-
facetious poke into Andy'sribs,he started off,
When poured out, he took it and
followed by the latter,at full
"
speed, their looked at it with a sharp,complacentair,like a
.shouts of laughtercomingfaintly on the wind. man who thinks he has done about the right
CHAPTER
ELIZA S ESCAPE.
VIII.
Eliza made her desperate retreat across the
riverjust in the dusk of twilight Ṭhe gray mist
of evening, risingslowly from
her as she disappearedup the bank, and the
swollen current and floundering masses of ice
presented a hopeless barrier between her and her
pursuer. Haley therefore slowlyand discontentedly
quaintance, as a cat sometimes loess at a moving
returned to the littletavern,to ponderfurther dryleaf,or some other possible objc ?t of pursuit,
"
what was to be done. The woman openedto him I say, Tom, this yer 's the luckiest thing in
the door of a little parlor, covered with a ragcarpet,,
where stood a table with a very shiningmust helpme out."
the world. I 'm in a devil of a hobble,and you
black oil-cloth, sundrylank,high-backed woodchairs,with
some plasterimages in resplendent acquaintance."A bodymay be pretty
"Ugh? aw ! like enough!"grunted his complacent
colors on the mantel-shelf, above a very dimlysmokinggrate;
a longhard-wood settle extended
to be made off of 'em. What 's the blow
sure of that,when you Ye gladto see 'em ; something
its uneasy lengthby the chimney, and here now?"
Haleysat him down to meditate on the instability
"You've got a friend here?" said Haley,
of human hopesand happiness general. lookingdoubtfully at Marks; "partner,perhaps
"
What did I want with the little cuss, now," ? ' '
he said to himself, " that I should have
"
got myself
Yes,I have. Here, Marks ! here 's that ar
treed like a coon, as I am, this yer way?" feller that I was in with in Natchez."
and Haley relieved himself by repeating over
not very select litanyof imprecations
which,thoughthere was
to consider them as true,we shall,as a matter
of taste,omit.
He was startled by the loud and dissonant
voice of a man who was apparentlydismounting
about his keen black eyes,
with which every
feature of his face seemed
sharpened into sympathy
; his thin,longnose, ran out as if it was
eager to bore into the nature of things general ;
cumspecti
thing, and hit the nail on the head, and proceeded
to disposeof it in short and well-advised
sips.
"
Wal, now, who 'd a though this yer luck 'ad
come to me? Why, Loker, how are ye?" said
Haley,comingforward,and extendinghis hand
to the
bigman.
"The devil!" was the civil reply."What
the river,envelopedbroughtyou
here,Haley?"
The mousingman, who bore the name of Marks,
instantlystopped his sipping,and, poking hi
head forward,looked shrewdlyon the new ac
a
"
Shall be pleased with his acquaintan^e." said
himself, Marks, thrusting out a long țhin hand, like a
the best
"
possiblereason raven's claw. Mr. Haley,I believe?"
"The same, sir,"said Haley. "And now,
gentlemen,seein' as we 've met so happily,I
think I '11 stand up to a small matter of a treat
in this here parlor.So, now, old coon." said he
at the door. He hurried to the window.
to the man at the bar, " get us hot water, and
"
By the land ! if this yer an't the nearest,now, sugar, and cigars,and plentyof the real stuff,
to what I 've heard folks call Providence,"said ana we '11have a blow-out."
Haley. "I do b'lievethat ar's Tom Loker." Behold,then țhe candles lighted, the firestimulated
Haley hastened out. Standingby the bar,in
to the burningpointin the grate, and our
the corner of the room, was a brawrny, muscular three worthies seated round a table, well spread
man. full six feet in height,and broad in proportion.
with all the accessories to goodfellowship enumerated
He was dressed in a coat of buflidoskin,made
with the hair outward, which
before.
gave Haleybegan a pathetic recital of his peculiar
him a shaggyand fierce appearance, perfectly in troubles. Loker shut up his mouth, and listened
keepingwith the whole air of his physiognomy. to him with gruffand surlyattention. Marks,who

"
never
and
he
"
a
"
save
"
run
28 UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR,
"
"
was anxiously and with much fidgeting yer young un 's mine,and not yo.irn, and you 'vd
a tumbler of punch to his own peculiar no kind o' business with it. I 'm goingto sell
taste, occasionally looked up
from
his_employment,
it,firstchance ; mind, you don't cut up none o'
and,pokinghis sharpnose and chin almost yer shines about it,or I '11 make
ye wish ye 'd
into Haley'sface, gave the most earnest heed to never been born.' I tell ye, they sees it an't no
the whole narrative. The conclusion of it appeared
play,when I getshold. I makes 'em as whist
to amuse him extremely, for he shook his as fishes ; and if one on 'em begins and gives a
shoulders and sides in silence,and perked up his yelp,why, broughtdown his
"
and Mr. Loker
thin lips with an- air of great internal enjoyment. fistwith a thump that fullyexplained the hiatus.
"So, then, ye 'r fairly sewed up, an't ye?"
he said ;
"
he ! he ! he ! It 's neatlydone,too."
emphasis,'''' said
"
That ar 's what call
"
This yer young-un business makes lots of
ye may
Marks, pokingHaley in the,side,and goinginto
trouble in the trade,"said Haley,dolefully. another small giggle. " An't Tom peculiar "
If we could get a breed of galsthat didn't he! he! I say, Tom, I s'pectyou make 'em
care, now, for their young uns," said Marks ; understand,for all niggers' woolly.They
"tell ye,
I think 'twould be 'bout the greatestdon't never have no doubto' your meaning Țom.
mod'rn improvementI knows on," Marks j If you an't the devil,Tom, you 'shis twin brother,
patronized his jokeby a quietintroductory sniggle.
I '11 say that for ye !"
Tom received the compliment with becomuig
"
Jes so,"said Haley; " I never could n't see modesty, and beganto look as affableas was consistent,
into it ; young
uns is heapsof trouble to 'em :
as John Bunyan says, " with his doggish
one would think,now, they 'd be glad to get clar nature."
on 'em ; but theyarn't. And the more trouble a Haley,who had been imbibing very freelyof
young un is, and the more good for nothing, as
gen"lthing țhe tighter theysticks to 'em."
"Wal, Mr. Haley," said Marks, "jest pass
the hot water. Yes, sir ; you say jestwhat I
a
"
"
don't
feeland al'us have. Now, I boughta galonce,
when I was in the trade, a tight,likely re'lly is too
"
Wal, now, Tom," he said,"ye
she was, too, and quiteconsiderable smart,'" bad,as I al'ayshave told ye ; ye know, Tom, you
and she had a
young un that was mis 'able sickly ; !and I used to talk over these yer matters down in
it had a crooked back,or something or other ; and Natchez,and I used to prove to ye that we made
I jestgin 't away to a man that thoughthe 'd [full
and was as well off for this yer
take his chance raisingon 't,beingit did n't cost world,by treatin' on 'em well,besides keepin'a
nothin' ; thought, yer know, of the gal'sbetter chance for comin' in the kingdom at last,
takin' on about it," but,Lord, yer oughterseen when wust comes to wust, and thar an't nothing
how she went on. Why, re'lly, she did seem to else left to get,ye know."
me to valley the child more 'cause H toas sickly "Boh!" said Tom, '"'"don't I know?
and cross, and plagued her ; and she warn't making
"
b'lieve, neither, cried about it șhe did,and
now ;" and Tom drank half
; a glassof raw brandy.
was droll to think on 't. Lord, j "I say,"said Haley, and leaningback in his
chair and gesturing impressively, "I '11 say this
"
Wal, jestso with me," said Haley. " Last now, I al'aysmeant to drive my trade so as to
summer, down on Red river,I got a gal traded make money on 't," fustand foremost,as much as
offon me, with a likely lookin' child enough,and any man ; but, then,trade an't everything, his eyes looked as bright as yourn ; but,come to
an't everything, 'cause we 's all got souls.
look,I found him stone blind. Fact "
was
stone blind. "Wal, ye see, I thoughtthere warn't
no harm in my jestpassing him along,and not
sayin'nothin' ; and I 'd got him nicelyswapped
off for a keg o' whiskey; but come to get him
away from the gal șhe was jest like a tiger Ṣo
'twas before we started,and I hadn't gotmy
gang chained up ; so what should she do but ups
like a cat, ketches a knife from
on a cotton-bale,
one of the deck hands,and, I tell ye, she made
all flyfor a minit țill she saw 'twan't no use ;
and she jestturns round, and pitches head first,
"
went young un and all,into the river,
plump,
and never ris."
down
"' Bah !" said Tom Loker,who had listened to
these stories with
"
ill-repressed disgust, shifless,both
on ye ! my galsdon't cut no
up such
shines,I tell ye !"
"Indeed! how do you help it?" said Marks,
briskly.
"
Help it? why, I buys a gal,and if she 's got
a young un to be soli,I jestwalks up and puts
my fist to her face,and says, ' Look here,now,
if you give me one word out of your head,I '11
smash yer
"
face in. I won't hear one word
not
the beginning of a word.' I says to 'em, ' This
the staple of the evening, beganto feela sensible
elevation and enlargementof his moral faculties,
phenomenon not unusual with gentlemenof
"
make me too sick with any yer stuff,
| ach is a leetie riled^
loppedround, as if she 'd lost every friend she
had. It re'lly
there an't no end to women's notions."
money
my
a serious and reflectiveturn, under similar circumstances
stom-
I don't care, now, who hears me say and I
it,"
think a cussed sight on so I it," may
as well
come out with it. I b'lieve in religion, and one
of these days, when I 've got matters tight and
snug, I calculates to 'tend to my soul and them
ar matters ; and so what 's the use of doin' any
more wickedness than 's re'lly necessary
"
? it
don't seem to me it.'s 'tall prudent."
"
Tend to yer soul !" repeatedTom, contemptuously
; " take a brightlook-out to find a soul in
yourself any care on that score. If
you,
the devil sifts you througha hair sieve,he won't
find one."
"
AVhy,Tom, you 'recross,"said Haley; " why
can't ye take it pleasant, now, when a feller's
talking your gcod?"
Stop that ar jaw o' yourn, there,"said Tom,
"
gruffly.
I can stand most any talk o' yourn but
your pioustalk," that kills me righfup. After
all,what 'sthe odds between me and you ? 'Tan't
that you
care one bit more, or have a bit more
"
feelin', it 'sclean,sheer,dogmeanness, wanting
to cheat the devil and save
your own skin ; don't I
see throughit? And your ' gettin'religion,' as
you call it,artef all,is too p'isin mean for any
crittur ;
up a billwith the devil all youi

"
shiningboots
more
well
well
she's
"
that
"
he!
"
"
six
Dick
allwe
we
I
would
life, and then sneak out when pay time conies !
Boh!"
"Come come, gentlemen, I say; this isn't
business,'" said Marks.
"
There 's different ways, it's worth
you know, of lookingat all subjects Ṃr. Haley profits,
is a very nice man, no doubt,and has his own
conscience ; and, Tom, you
have your ways, and
very good ones, too, Tom ; but quarrelling, you
know, won't answer no kind of purpose. Let's
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 20
"
"
go to iiisiness.Now, Mr. Haley,what is if!
you wmt us to undertake to catch this yer gal?"
"The gal'sno matter of mine, Shelby's
; it's only the boy. I was a fool for buyingyou keepquiet,or, ye see, we'll have both,"
the monkey !"
what's to hinder? Han't you show'd us the
"
You 'regenerally fool!" said Tom, gruffly. game ? It 's as freeto us as you, I hope. If you
"
Come, now, Loker,none of your huffs,".said
Marks, licking lips;. " you see, Mr. Haley 's
a puttin' us in a
way of a goodjob, I reckon ; just
"
"
hold still, these yer arrangements is my forte.
This yer gal, Mr. Haley,how is she ? what is
she?"
"
Wal ! white and handsome brought
up. I'd a gin Shelbyeighthundred or a thousand,
and then made well on her."
"White and handsome "
broughtup!"
said Marks,his sharpeyes, nose and mouth, all do,I will do,"
alive with enterprise/
" Look here, now, Loker,
a beautiful opening.We '11do a business here on
"
our own account; we does the catchin' ; the
boy, of course, goes to Mr. we takes the
Haley,"
gal to Orleans to speculate on. An't it beautiful?"
"
Tom. Ye don't think I did business with you,
Tom, whose greatheavymouth had stood ajardown
in Natchez,fornothing, Haley; I 've learned
during this communication,now suddenlysnappedto hold an eel,when I catch him. You 've gotto
it together, as a bigdog closeson a piece of meat, fork over fifty dollars,flatdown,or this child don't
and seemed to be digesting the idea at his leisure. start a peg. I know yer."
"
"Ye see," said Marks to Haley,stirring his Why, when you have a job in hand that may
punch as he did so, " ye see, we has justices convenient
bring a clean profit
somewhere about a thousand
at allp'intsalongshore țhat does up any or sixteen hundred,why, Tom, you
're onreasonable,"said
littlejobsin our line quite'reasonable. Tom, he
Haley.
does the knockin' down and that ar ; and I come "Yes, and has n't we business booked for five
in all dressed up
"
everything weeks to come,
"
can do ? And suppose
firstchop, we
when the swearin' 's to be done. You leave all,and goes to bushwhacking round arter
ouglfter see, now," said Marks, in a glowof professional
yer young un, and finally does n't catch the gal,"
pride,
" how I can tone it off. One day, and galsallers is the devil to what's
catch,"
I 'm Mr. Twickem, from New Orleans ;
"
'nother then? would you pay us a cent you? I
day, I 'm justcome from my plantation
Pearl think I see you
"
a doin' it ugh ! No, no ; flap
river,where I works seven hundred niggers ; then, down your fifty Ịf we get the job. and it pays,
again, I come out a distantrelation of HenryClay, I '11hand it back ; if we dun'.t,it 's for our trouble,
or some old cock in Kentuck. Talents isdifferent, 'sfar,an't it,Marks ?"
you know. Now, "
Tom 's a roarer when there 's Certainly, certainly," said Mams, with a conciliatory
any thumping or fighting to be done ; but at
"
lying
tone ; it 's onlya retainingfee, you see,
he an't good,Tom an't,"
ye
see it don't
"
come
he! he! lawyers,you know. Wal,
natural to him ; but,Lord,if thar 's a
"
fellerin the we must all keepgood-natured, keepeasy, yer
country that can swear to anything and everything,
know. Tom '11 have the boy for yer, anywhere
and put in all the circumstances and flourishes
ye '11name ; won't ye,
Tom ?"
with a longerface,and carry 't through
better'n I can, why, I 'd like to see him, that 's
all! I b'lieve my heart,I could get along and
snake through,even if justiceswere more particular
than they is. Sometimes I rather wish
they was more particular ; 'twould be a heap more
relishin'if "
theywas, fun, yer know."
Tom Loker, who, as we have made it appear,
was a man of slow thoughts and movements, here
interrupted Marks bybringing his heavy fistdown
on the tableșo as to make all ringagain. " It 'II
do l he said.
"
Lord bless ye, Tom, ye needn't break all the
glasses ; " save your fistfor time o'
need."
"
But,gentlemen,an't I to come in for a share
of the profits ?" said Haley.
"An't it enough we catch the boy for ye?'
so"1 Loker.
"
What do ye want?"
"
Wal," said Haley, " if I givesyou the job,
"
something,
paid."
say ten per cent, on the
expenses
"
Now," said Locker,with a tremendous oath,
and striking the tablewith his heavyfist,
don't
I know you, Dan Haley? Don't you think to come
it over me ! Suppose Marks and I have taken up
the catchin' trade,just to 'commodate gentlemen
like you, and get nothin' for ourselves?" Not by
a long chalk ! wre '11have the gal out and out, and
or Shelbywants to chase us, look where the partridges
was last year ; if you find them or us,
you 're quitewelcome."
"
0, wal,certainly, jestlet it go at that,"said
Haley, alarmed ; " you Catch the boy for the job;
and was
up to yer word."
Ye know that,"said
"
Tom ; " I don't pretend
you allers did trade/arwith me, Tom,
none of your snivelling ways, but I won't lie in my
'counts with the devil himself. What I ses I 'U
you know that,Dan Haley."
"
Jes so, jesso, said so, Tom," said Haley;
" and if you
"d onlypromise to have the boyfor
me in a week, at any pointyou '11 name, that 's
allI want."
"
But itan't all I want, by a longjump," said
" If I find the young 'un,I '11bring him on to
Cincinnati,and leave him at Granny Belchei 's,
on the landing," said Loker.
Marks had got from his pocket a greasy pocketbook,
And taking a long paper from thence,he
sat down, and fixing his keen black on
eyes it,
began mumbling over its contents: "Barnes
ShelbyCounty" boyJim, three hundred dollars
"
for him, dead or alive.
"
Edwards and "
Lucy
six hundred dollars ; wench Pollyand two children
hundred for her or her head.
man and wife,
"
I 'm jesta runnin' over our business,to seo
if we can take up
this yer handily. Loker," he
said,after a pause,
"
wre must set Adams and
Springer the track of these yer ; they've been
booked some time."

" I
plainas
you
(0 UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR,
"
They '11 chargetoo much," said Tom.
" I "11 manage that ar ; they's young in the
business,and must spect to work cheap," said
Marks, as he continued to read.
"
There 's three
"
on 'em easy cases, 'cause all you 've got to do is beg to remind them, is rising to the dignityof a
to shoot 'em, or swear they is shot; they lawful and patriotic profession. If all the'broad
could n\ of course, chargemuch for that. Them land between the Mississippi and the Pacific becomes
other cases,"he said,folding the paper, " will
one great market for bodies and souls,and
bear puttin' off a spell Ṣo now let 's come to the human propertyretains the locomotive tendencies
particulars. Now, Mr. Haley,you saw this yer
of this nineteenth century țhe trader and Cct-dier
galwhen she landed]"
may yet be among
our aristocracy.
" To be sure, I see you."
" An' a man helpin' up the bank?" said While this scene was going on at the tavern,
Loker.
Sam and Andy, in a state of high felicitation,
" To he sure, I did."
pursuedtheir way home.
"Most likely," said Marks, "she's took in Sam was in the highestpossiblefeather,ami
somewhere, but where,'s the question Ṭom, expressedhis exultation by all sorts of supernatural
what do you say
1 ' '
howls and ejaculations, by divers odd motions
"
We must cross the river to-night, no mistake,"
and contortions of his whole system. Sometimes
said Tom.
"only"
"
Only
"
what?" said Tom.
"
Well, about the boat. Yer see there an't any
boat."
" I heard the woman
say there was one coming
along this evening, and that a man was going to
cross over in it. Neck or nothing,
use? you han't gotnothin' o' hers to smell on."
"
Yes, I have," said Haley,triumphantly. Sam's vein of pietywas always uncommonly
"Here's her shawl she left on the bed in her fervent in his mistress' presence ; and he made
hurry; she left her bonnet, too."
greatcapitalof scriptural figuresand
"
Come up here,Sam," said Mr.
images.
Shelby,who
"
That ar "s lucky," said Loker ; " fork over."
"
Though the dogs might damage the gal, if
they come on her unawars," said Haley.
"That ar 's a consideration,"said Marks.
"Our dogs tore a feller half to pieces,once,
down in Mobile,'fore we could get 'em off."
"
Well, ye see, for this sort that 's to be sold
for their looks,that ar won't answer, ye see,"
said Haley.
"
I do see,"said Marks.
"
Besides,if she 's
got took in, 'tan't no go, neither. Dogs is no
'count in these yer up states where these critters
gets carried ; of course, ye can't geton their track.
They onlydoes down in plantations, where
when theyruns, has to do their own running,
and don't get no help."
"
Well," said Loker,who had juststepped out
to the bar to make some inquiries,
" they say the
If any
of our refined and Christian readers ob
jectto the societyinto which this scene introduces
them, let us beg them to beginand conquer their
prejudicesin time. The catchingbusiness,W6
he would sit backward, with his face to the
horse's tail and sides,and then, with a whoop
drefful fatigued,Missis."
"
And Eliza,Sam?"
"
Wal, she "s clar 'cross Jordan. As a body
may say, in the land o' Canaan."
"
AVhy,Sam, what do you mean?" said Mrs.
Shelby,breathless,and almost faint,as the possible
we must go meaning of these words
Wal, Lord
came over her.
his with him," said Tom.'
"
Missis,the he persarves own;
" I s'poscyou 've gotgood dogs,"said Haley. Lizy"s done gone
over the river into 'Hio, as
'markably if de Lord took her over in a charrit
" First rate,"said Marks.
"
But what 's the
of fireand two hosses."
had followed on to the veranda,"and tell your
mistress what she wants. Come, come, Emily,"
said he, passing his arm round her, "you are
cold and all in a shiver ; you allow yourself to
feel too
much."
"
Feel too much ! Am not I a woman,
"
mother? Are we not both responsible to God
a
for
"
But there "s no boat about," said Marks.
" The ice is runningawfully Țom ; an't it and a somerset, come rightside up in Ins place
dangerous,?"
again,and, drawing on a grave face,beginto lecture
" Don'no that," nothing'bout only it 's got Andy in high-sounding for laughing
to be done," said Tom, decidedly.
and playing the fool. Anon, slappinghis sides
"
Dear me," said
"
Marks, fidgeting, it with his arms, he would burst forth in pealsof
"11 be
say,"he said,walking to the window, " it 's laughterțhat made the old woods ring as they
passed. With all these evolutions,he contrived
"
dark as a wolf's mouth, and, Tom
"The long and short is, you 're scared,Marks; to keep the horses up to the top of their speed,
but I can't helpthat," 've got to go. Suppose
until,between ten and eleven țheir heels resounded
you want to lie by a day or two, till the on the gravel at the end of the balcony. Mrs.
gal 's been carried on the undergroundline up Shelbyflew to the railings.
to Sandusky or so, before you start!"
"
Is that you, Sam? Where are they?"
"
Mas'r Haley 's a-restin at the tavern "
0, no ; I an"t a grainafraid,'"said Marks,
; he 's
this poor girl?My God ! laynot this sin to our
charge."
"What sin, Emily? You see yourself that
we have onlydone what we were obligedto."
"
There 's an awful feeling of guilt about it,
niggers,
though," said Mrs. Shelby. " I can't reason it
away."
"Here, Andy, you nigger, be alive!" called
Sam, under the veranda ;
" take these yer hosses
to der barn ; don't ye hear Mas'r a callin'?" and
"
man 'a come with the boat ; so, Marks Sam
"
soon appeared, palm-leaf in hand, at the parlor
That worthy caot a rueful look at the comfortable
door.
quartershe was leaving, but "
slowlyrose to Now, Sam, tell us distinctly how the matter
obey. After exchanginga few words of further was," said Mr. Shelby. " Where is Eliza if you
arrangement,Llaley, with visible reluctance, know?"
handed over the fifty dollars to "
Tom, and the Wal, Mas'r,I saw her,with my own eyes, a
worthy trio separated for the night.
crossin' on the floatin'ice. She crossed most

there's
Mas'r
"
*markably ; it was n't no lessnor a miracle ; and
I saw a man helpher up the 'Hio side,and then
Bhe was lost in the dusk."
"Sam, I think this rather apocryphal,
containing a sort of olla podridaof all
way ; anybody 's been raised as I 've been can't that had appearedon the table for two or three
helpa Seem' dat ar."
dayspast. Savory morsels of ham, goldenblocks
"
Well, Sain,"said Mrs. Shelby, " as
you ap-
of corn-cake,fragmentsof pie of every conceiva-
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 31
pear
to have a
proper sense of your errors, you
may go
and now tell Aunt Chloc she may getyou
some of that cold ham that was left of dinnertoday.
"
this
You and Andy must be hungry."
"
ice isn't so easily Missis is a heap too good for us," said Sam,
making his bow with alacrity, and departing.
It will be perceived, as has been before inti
"
miracle. Crossing floating
done," said Mr. Shelby.
"
Easy ! could n't nobodya done it,widout de
Lord. Why, now," said Sam, "'twas jist dis mated,that Master Sam had a native talent that
yer way. Mas'r Haley, and me, and Andy, we might,undoubtedly, have raised him to eminence
comes up to de little tavern by the,river,and I in political life, a talent of making capital rides a leetle ahead," (I's so zealous to be a of everything up, to be invested for
cotchhV Lizy țhat I could n't hold in,no way) ,
his own especialpraiseand glory; and having
and when I comes by the tavern winder, sure done up his piety and humility, as he trusted țo
enough there she was, right in plainsight, and the satisfactionof the parlor,he clapped his
dey diggin' behind. Wal, I loses oft' my hat, palm-leafon his head,with a sort of rakish,freeand-easyair,and
and sings out nuff to raise the dead. Course,
proceededto the dominions of
Lizy she hars,and she dodgesback,when Mas'r Aunt Chloe,with the
Haley he goes past the door ; and then,I tell ye, largely
intention of flourishing
she clared out de side door; she went down de
roosted on some rail fence,or perchedaloft in
some tree,he would sit watching the orators,
with the greatestapparentgusio, and then,de-
"
in the kitchen.
"
I "11 speechify these yer niggers," said Sam
river bank; Haley he seed her, and to himself, " now I 've got a chance. Lord, I '11
yelledout, and him, and me, and Andy, we took reel it offto make 'em stare !"
arter. Down she come to the river,and thar was
the current running ten feetwide by the shore, delights had been to ride in attendance on his
and over 'tother side ice a sawin' and jiggling master to all kinds of political gatherings, where,
up and down, kinder as 'twere a great island.
"We come right behind her,and I thought my
soul he 'd got her,sure enough," when she gin
sich a screech as I never hearn,and thar she was, scendingamong the various brethren of his own
clar over f other side the current,on the ice,and color,assembled on the same errand,he would
then on she went, a screeching and a jumpin'," edify and delighthem with the most ludicrous
the ice went crack ! c'wallop cracking ! burlesques imitations, all delivered with the
and she a houndin' like a buck ! Lord, the springmost
imperturbable solemnity ;
that ar gal 's got in her an't common, I 'in o" and though the auditors immediately about him
'pinion."
were generally his own color,it not unfrequentlyhappened
Mrs. Shelby sat that they were
while Sam perfectly silent,pale
told his story.
deeply with fringedpretty
complexion, praised,
is the poor
laughing winking
self-congratulation. In factȘam
" God be she isn't dead!" she said; listened,
great
but where child now!"
considered oratory
"
"
De Lord will pervide," Sam, rolling up
as his vocation,and never
his eyes piously. " As I 've been a sayin', dis
let slip an opportunity
providence and no mistake,as Missis has
yer 's a
allers been a instructin' on us. Thar 's allers
instruments ris up to do de Lord's will. Now,
if't had n't been for me to-day, she 'd a been
took a dozen times. Warn't it I started off de
hosses,dis yer morniiv,and kept'em chasin' till
nigh dinner time ? And did n't I car Mas'r Haley
nigh five miles out of de road,dis evening,or else
he 'd a come
up with Lizy as easy as a dog arter
a coon! These yer 's all providences."
"They are a kind of providencesthat you'll
have to be pretty sparingof,Master Sam. I
allow no such practices with gentlemenon my
place," said Mr. Shelby, with as much sternness
as he could command, under the circumstances.
Now, there is no more use in making
It must be observed that one of Sam's especial
of magnifying his office.
Now, between Sam and Aunt Chloe there had
existed,from ancient times,a sort of chronic
feud,or rather a decided coolness;but, as Sam
was meditatingsomething in the provision department,
as the necessary and obvious foundation
of his operations, he determined, on the
presentoccasionțo be eminentlyconciliatory ;
for he well knew
would
that although
" Missis' orders "
followed to the letter, yet
undoubtedly be
he should gain a considerable deal by enlisting
the spiritalso. He therefore appearedbefore
Aunt Chloe with a touehingly subdued,resigned
expression, like one who has sufferedimmeasurable
hardships in behalf1of a persecuted fellowcreature,"
enlargedupon the fact that Missis
believe be had directed him to come to Aunt Chloe foi
angry with a negro 'than with a child; both instinctively
the balance
"
"
whatever might be wanting to make up
see the true state of the case, through in his solids and fluids, and thus unequivocally
all attempts to affect the contrary; and Sam was
acknowledged her right and supremacy
in no wise disheartened by this rebuke,though in the cookingdepartment,and all thereto
he assumed an air of doleful gravity, pertaining.
with the corners of his mouth lowered in most The thing took accordingly. No poor, simplel
penitential style.
virtuous body was ever cajoledby the attentions
"
Mas'r 's quiteright, quite; it was uglyon of an electioneering politician with more ease than
no disputin'that ar ; and of
"
me, Aunt Chloe was won over by Master Sam's suavities
course Mas'r and Missis wouldn't
encourage
no
; and if he had been the prodigal son him'
such works. I 'm sensibleof dat ar ; but a poor self,he could not have been overwhelmed with
nigger like me 's 'mazin' tempted to act ugly more maternal bountifulness ; and he soon found
sometimes, when fellerswill cut up such shines himself seated,happy and glorious,
as dat ar Mas'r Haley ; he an't no gen'l'man,no tin pan,
over a large

"
hand
dat
"what's
I
"
"
they's
"
jestanythingthat
"
I'd
den,
"
I
You
" like
"
I
in
32 UNCLE TOMS CABIN : OR,
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
ble mathematical figure, -wings, gizzards, 'parisonḤere ! I 'm a tryin'to get topo' der
and drumsticks,all appeared in picturesqueconfusion
hay. Wal, I puts up my larder dis yer side
; and ,
Sam, as monarch of all he surveyed, 'tan't no go ; cause I don't try dere no
sat with his palm-leafcocked rejoicingly to one more, but puts my larder rightde contrar side,
side,and patronizing Andy at his right hand. an't I persistent ? I 'm persistent in wantin' to
4er fair sex will scuse my usin' an or'nary sort o' legislating !"
The kitchen was full of all his compeers, who getup, which ary side my larder is; don't
had hurried and crowded in,from the various see, all on yer?"
you
cabinsțo hear the termination of the day's exploits.
persistent in,
"
It 's the onlythingye ever was
Now was Sam's hour of glory. The story Lord knows!" muttered Aunt Chloe,who was
of the day was rehearsed,with all kinds of ornament
getting rather restive ; the merriment of the
and varnishing which might he necessary to eveningbeingto her somewhat after the Scripture
heighten its effect ; for Sam, like some of our comparison,
vinegarupon nitre."
fashionable dilettanti, never allowed a story to
"
Yes,indeed ! " said Sam, rising, supper
lose any of its gildingby passingthroughhis and glory,for a closingeffort. " Yes, my
hands. Roars of laughter narration, feller-citizens and ladies of de other sex general,
and were taken
up and prolongedby all the I has principles, 'm proud to 'oon 'em,
smaller fry, who were lying, in any quantity, perquisite to dese yer times,and ter all
about on the floor, or perchedin every
corner. times. I has principles, and T sticksto 'em like
In the height of the uproar and laughterȘam, forty,
I thinks is principle, I
however, preservedan immovable gravity,only goes in to 't ; would n't mind if dey burnt
from time to time rolling eyes up, and givingme
'live, walk right up to de stake,I
his auditors divers inexpressibly droll glances, would,and say, Here I comes to shed last
without departing from the sententious elevation blood fur my principles, fur my
my
country, fur der
of his oratory.
gen'l interests of s'ciety."
"Yer "
see, fellow-countrymen," said Sam, elevating
Well," said Aunt Chloe, " one o' yer principles
a turkey's leg, with
"
energy, yer see, now, will have to be to get to bed some time tonight,
what dis yer chile's up ter,for 'fendin' yer all,
and not be a keepin'everybodyup till
yer. as ; now, every
one young uns as as yer
see the don't want to be cracked had better be scase,
principle 's de same, ar 's clar. And any mighty sudden."
yes, all on
people, is For him
good tryin'
tries to getone getall;
o' our mornin' of you that
one o' these yer driversthat comes smelling "
Niggers ! all on yer," said Sam, wavinghis
arter any our people, why, he 'sgot me in his "
way ; palm-leafwith benignity, I giveyer
I'm the fellerhe 's got to set in with my blessin' ;.
,'^I 'm the go to bed now, and be goodboys."
fellerfor yer all to come to, bredren. '11stand And, with this pathetic benediction, the assembly
up for yer rights, I '11'fend 'em to the last dispersed.
breath ! ' '
"
Why, but Sam, yer telled me, only this
mornin' țhat you 'd helpthis yer Mas'r to cotch
CHAPTER IX.
Lizy; seems to me yer talk don't hangtogether,"
said Andy.
IN WHICH IT APPEARS THAT A SENATOR IS BUT A
" I tell you
MAN.
now, Andy,"said Sam, with awful
superiority, "don't yer be a talkin' 'bout what The light of the cheerful fireshone on the rug
yer don't know nothin' on ; boyslike you, Andy, carpet of a cosey parlor, and glittered on the
means well,but theycan't be spectedto collus'itate
sides of the tea-cups and well-brightened tea-pot,
the greatprinciples of action."
as Senator Bird was drawing off his boots, preparatory
Andy looked rebuked,particularly by the hard
to inserting pairof new
word collusitate, which most of the younger handsome slippers, which his wife had been
members of the seemed to consider as a working for him while on his senatorial
while Sam tour. Mrs.
company
settlerin the case, proceeded.
away
Bird,looking the very pictureof
"
Dat ar was conscience, Andy ; when T thoughtdelight,
was superintending the arrangements of
of gwinearter Lizy, I raillyspectedMas'r was the table,ever and anon minglingadmonitory
sot dat way. When I found Missis was sot the remarks to a number of frolicsome juveniles, who
contrar,dat ar was conscience more yet," cause were effervescing
all those modes of untold
fellersallersgets more by stickin' to Missis'side, gamboland mischief that have astonished mothers
"
so yer see I "s persistent either way, and sticks ever since the flood.
up to conscience,and holds on to principles. "Tom, let the door-knob there's alone," a
Yes,principles,'''' said Sam, giving an enthusiastic man! Mary! Mary! don't pull the cat's tail-,
toss to a chicken's neck. principles poor pussy ! Jim, you mustn't climb on that
good for,if we isn't persistent, I wanter know? table," no, no! don't know, my dear,
Thar,Andy, you may have dat ar 'tan't what a bone," surpriseit is to us all
,
to see you here tonight
pickedquiteclean."
!" said she,at last,when she found a
space
Sam's audience hanging on his words with open say somethingto her husband.
mouth, he
"
could not but proceed.
Yes, yes, I thought I 'd justmake a run down,
" Dis yer matter 'bout persistence, feller-niggers,"
spendthe night,and have a littlecomfort at home.
said Sam, with the air of one entering into I 'm tired to death,and my head aches !"
an abstruse subject,
'sistency
a thing Mrs. Bird cast a glanceat a camphor-bottle,
dis yer
what an't seed into very clar,by most anybody. which stood in the half-opencloset,and appeared
Now, yer see, when a feller stands up for a thingto meditate an approach to it,but her husband
one day and night, de contrar de next, folks ses interposed.
^andnat'rally enoughdeyses),Why, he an't "
persistent,
No, no, Mary, no doctoring cup of your
me dat ar bit o' corn-cake,Andy. good hot tea,and some of our good home living,
But let 's look interit. I hope the gen'lmenand is what I want. It 's a tiresome businessțhis

"
anything
as
""
Obeying
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY.
33
And the senator smiled,as if he rather liked
the idea of considering hiinseifa sacrificeto his
country.
"Well," said his wife,after the business of
the tea-tablewas
rather
,
"
"
to follow." ' "
husband,with quite a resolute air,and said,in a
getting slack,"and what determined tone,
have been the Senate? "
"
Now, John, I want to know if you
thing for "
gentlea law as that is rightand Christian !
they
Now, it
doingin
was a very
unusual
think such
littleMrs. Bird ever to her trouble head with
"
You won't shoot me, now, Mary,if I say I
what was goingon in the house of the state,very do!"
wiselyconsidering that she had enoughto do to
"
T never could have
mind her own. Mr. Bird,therefore, opened his you didn't vote
"
for it?
politician.
thoughtit of John you,
"eyes in surprise, said,
"
Even so," my
fair
"
You ought to be ashamed, John " Not very much of importance."
! Poor,
passing
homeless,houseless creatures ! It 's a shameful,
"
Well ; but is it true that they have been
a law forbidding give meat and drink to wicked,abominable law,and I '11break it,for one,
those poor colored folks that come along! I the first time I get a chance ; and I hope I shall
heard they were talking but I have a chance,I do ! Things have got to a pretty
didn't think any Christian legislature would pass, if a woman can't givea warm supper and
pass it!
a bed to poor, starvingcreatures,just because
"Why, Mary,
are
you getting to be a politician,
they are slaves,and have been abused and oppressed
all at o"ice."
all their lives, poor things !"
"No, nonsense ! I wouldn't give a "
fipfor all But, Mary,justlistento me. Your fce.ings
your politics, generally, but I think this is something
are all quiteright,my dear,and interesting, ind
downrightcruel and unchristian. I hope, I love you
for them ; but,then, dear, we mustn't
my dear,n i such law liasbeen passed."
suffer our feelings with our judgment
""Therelias been a law passedforbidding people
; you must consider it's not a mattei of
to help off the slaves that come over from privatefeeling, there are great) ublic interests
"Kentucky, my dear ; so much of that thing has involved, there is such a state of publicagitation
been dune by these reckless Abolitionists, that our risingțhat we must put aside our private
brethren in Kentucky are very strongly excited, feelings."
and it seems
necessary, and no more than Christian
"
N "w, John,I don't know anythingaboat politics,
and kind, that something should be done by hut I can read my Bible; and there I see
our state to quie the excitement."
that I must feed the hungry, clothe the naked
"And what is the,law' It don't forbid us to and comfort the ; and desolate that mean
Bible I
shelter these Creatures a
poor ni^ht,doesit,and
*
,
to give 'em somethingcomfortable to eat, and a
involve
"
But in cases where your doingso -would
few old clothes,and send them quietlyabout
a
greatpublic evil
their business .' "
"
bringsou publicevils. I
"Why, my yes, dear; that would be aidingknow it can't. It's alwayssafest,ail round,to
and abetting, you know."
Mrs. Bird was a timid,blushing little woman,
"
"
"lo as He bids us."
"
Now, listen to me, Mary, and I can state to
of about four feet in height, and with mild blue you
eyes, and peach-blowcomplexion,
a gentlest,
"
a very clear argument, to show
sweetest voice in the world ; for courage,
a m tderate-sizedcock-turkey had been known
to put her to rout at the very first gobble, and
a stout house-dog, of moderate capacity, would
bringher int "
subjeeti in merelyby a show of his
"
" "
run
iway ' Would y" u, n "w
Now, if the truth must he told,our senator had
teeth. Her husband and children were her entire the misfortune to be a man who had a particularly
world,and in these she ruled more by entreaty humane and accessible nature, and turning
and persuasi by command or argument. away anybodythat was in trouble never had been
There was
only one tiling that was capableof his forte;and what was worse fa- him in this
arousingher,and that provocation came in on the particular pinchof the argum snt was, that his
side of her unusuallygentle and sympathetic wife kn sw it,and, of course, wis makingan assiult
nature ; in the shape of crueltywould
on rather an indefensible p tint. So he had
throw her into a passin, winch was the more
"
rec nirs to the usual means of g liningtime for
alarmingand inexplicable
proportion ""
such cases made and provided ; he said ahem,"
generalsoftness
Generallythe and coughedseveral times,took out his pockethandkerchief,and
began to wipe his glasses.
most indulgent and easy t " lie entreated of all
mothers,still her boys had a very reverent remembrance
.Mrs. Bird,seeingthe defenceless condrti "n of the
of a m "st vehement chastisement she en
iiny territ s "ry,
had in in ire conscience than to
once best owed on them,because she found them push her advantage.
leaguedwith several gracelessboys of the "
neighborhood,
I should like to see
you doingthat,.) "hn 1
stoning reallv should ! Turninga woman . ut of d
"
ira in
"
I 11 tell you what," Master Bill used to say,
a snow-storm, for instance; or, be you'd
"I was scared țhat time. Mother came at me so take her up
and
nay
put her in jail,wouldn't you*
that I thought she was crazy, and I was whipped You w "uld make a greatban I it that !"'
and tumbled off to bed, without, any supper, before
"
Of c "ursj, it would be a lintul
I could very p duty,
get over wonderingwhat had come begin Mr. Bird,in a moderate t me.
about; and, after that, I heard mother crying "Duty, John! don't use that word! You
outside the do n\ which m ide me feelworse than
all the rest. 1 11 tell y "u what," he 'd "
say, we
boysnever stoned another (kitten! "
3
On the presentoccasion,Mrs. Bird rose quickly,
with very red cheeks,which quiteimproved
her generalappearance, and walked up to her
"
0, nonsense, John ! you
can talk all night,
hut you wouldn't do t. I put it to you, John,
would you now turn away a poor, shiverii.g, hungry
creature, from your door,because lit was a
know it is n t a duty" it can t be a duty! If
I files want to keep their slaves ir en running
Iaway, let 'em treat 'em well," that's my d"..""
-
' "

"
I
rightbehind
I
and
34 UNCLE TOM S CABIN .' OR,
trine. If I had slaves (as I hope I never shall A temporary bed was providedfor her on the set
have) ,
I 'd risk their wanting to run away from tie,near the fire ; and, after a short time,she fell
me, or you either,John. I tell you folksdon't into a heavyslumber, with the child,who seemed
run
away when they are happy ; and when they no less weary, soundlysleeping on her arm
do run, poor creatures ! they suffer ; for
enough with the mother resisted, with nervous anxiety țhe
cold and hunger and fear,without everybody's kindest attempts to take him from her ; and, even
turningagains them ; and, law or no law, I
never will șo helpmo God !"
"Mary! Mary! My dear,let me reason with
you."
"I hate John,"
reasoning, especially reasoning
on such subjects.There 's a
way you political
plainrightthing; and you don't believe it your-
folks have of cominground and round a
; but Mrs. Bird busied herselfwith her knitting-work,
when it comes
selves,
and Mr. Bird pretendedto
to practice.I know you the paper.
be reading
"
I wonder who and what she is!" said Mr
well enough, John. You don't believe it 's right
any more than I do ; and you would n't do it any
sooner than I."
At this criticaljuncture,old Cudjoe țhe black
man-of-all-work, put his head in at the door,and
wished " Missis would come into the kitchen;" silence over his newspaper.
and our "
senator,tolerablyrelieved, looked afterhis Well,dear !"
littlewife with a whimsical mixture of amusement
and vexation,and,seatinghimself in the armchair,
beganto read the
papers.
After a moment, his wife's voice was heard at
the door,in a quick, earnest tone," "John!
John ! I do wisii you 'd come here a moment."
He laid down his paper, and went into the
kitchen,and started,quiteamazed .at the sight
that presenteditself:" A young and slender
in sleep, her arm encircledhim with an unrelaxing
clasp,as if she could not even then be beguiled of
her vigilant hold.
Mr. and Mrs. Bird had gone back to the parlor,
where,strange as it may appear, no reference waa
made, on either side,to the preceding conversation
Bird,at last,as
he laid it down.
"
When she wakes up and feels a littlerested
we will see," said Mrs. Bird.
"
I say, wife !" said Mr. Bird,after musingin
"
She could n't wear one of your gowns, could
she,by any letting down, or such matter? She
seems to be rather larger than you are."
woman, with garments torn and frozen, with one
shoe gone, and the stocking torn away from the
my afternoon's nap ; you might as well give her
cut and bleedingfoot,was laid back in a deadly
she needs clothes."
that,"
swoon upon two chairs. There was the impress At this instant, Dinah looked in to say that the
of the despised race on her face,yet none could woman was awake, and wanted to'see Missis.
helpfeeling itsmournful andpatheticbeauty, while Mr. and Mrs. Bird went into the kitchen,followed
"
Sure,now, ifshe an't a sigh to behold !" said
old Dinah, compassionately;
"pearslike 'twas woman ! ' '
the heat that made her faint. She was tol'able A long-drawn,shivering sigh was the onlyanswer;
peart when she cum in, and asked if she could n't
but she lifted her dark eyes,
and fixed them
warm herself here a spell ; and I was justa askin' on her with such a forlorn and imploring expression,
her where she cum from, and she fainted right that the tears came into the littlewoman's
down. Never done much hard work, guess, by eyes.
the looks of her hands."
"You needn't be afraid of anything;we are
"
Poor creature !" said Mrs. Bird,compassionately,
friends here, poor woman ! Tell me where
as the woman slowly unclosed her large, came from, and what you want," said she.
you
dark eyes, and looked vacantlyat her. Suddenly
from Kentucky," said the woman.
"
I came
an expression of agony crossed her face,and she
the interrogatory.
"
When?" said Mr. Bird,takingup
sprang up, sayiug, " 0, my Harry ! Have they
gothim ?"
"
To-night."
The boy.at this,jumped from Cudjoe'sknee,
"
How did you come ?"
and, runningto her side,put up
his arms. "0,
"
I crossed on the ice."
he 's here ! he 's here !" she exclaimed.
"
Crossed on the ice !" said every
one present.
"
Yes,"said the woman, slowly, " I did. God
"
0, ma'am !" said she,wildlyțo Mrs. Bird,
''
do protect us ! don't let them gethim !" helpingme, I crossed on the ice ; for theywere
"
Nobody shall hurt you lijree, poor woman," behind me there was no
said Mrs.
"
Bird,encouragingly. You other way ! ' '
are safe ;
don't be afraid."
"
Law, Missis," said Cudjoe, " the ice is all
"
God bless you!" said the woman, coveringin broken-upblocks,a swinging and a tetering up
her face and sobbing; while the littleboy,seeingand down in the water !"
her crying, get into her lap.
know it!" saidshe,wildly ,
"
I know it was
With many gentle and womanly offices, which
"
but I did it ! I would n't have thought I could,
none knew better how to render than Mrs. Bird, did n't think I should get over, but I didn't
""he poor woman was, in time,rendered more calm. care ! I could but die,if I did n't. The Lord
A
quiteperceptible smile glimmeredon Mrs
Bird's face,as she answered, " We '11see."
Another pause, and Mr. Bird ag.m broke out,
"
I say, wife !"
"Well! What now?"
"
Why, there 's that old bonibazin cloak,that
you keep on purpose to put over me when I take
itsstonysharpness, cold,fixed,deathlyaspect, by the two eldest boys, the smaller fry
struck a solemn chill over him. He drew his having,by this time,been safelydisposedof in
breath short,and stood in silence. His Avife, and bed.
theironlycolored domestic,old Aunt- Dinah, were The woman was now sitting up
on the settle, by
busilyengagedin restorativemeasures ; while old the fire. She was lookingsteadily into the blaze,
Cudjoehad got the boy on his knee, and was busy with a calm,heart-broken expression, very different
pullingoffhis shoes and stockings, and chafing his from her former agitated wildness.
littlecold feet.
"
Did you want me?" said Mrs. Bird,in gentle
"
tones. I hope you feel better now, poor

" the
to
Mrs.
and
and
it
and
where
I
helpedme ; nobodyknows how much the Lord can
help'em, till theytry," said the woman, with a
flashing eye.
"
Were you
a slave?" said Mr. Bird.
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 35
"
Yes, sir ; I belonged to a man in Kentucky."
"
Because he ivas a kind master ; I '11 that
"
Was he unkind to you?"
of him, any way ; my mistress was
say
kind ;
'
sir he was a No, ; goodmaster."
but they couldn't help themselves. They were
'
And was
your mistress unkind to you ?" owingmoney ; and there was some
way, I can't
sir" "No, no! my
mistress was alwaysgood tell how, that a man had a hold on them, and
to me."
his will
.
"
What, could induce you to leave a goodhome,
theywere
and heard
obliged
to givehim him tellingmistress
listened,
that,and she
then,and run away, and go throughsuch dangers?"
begging and pleading for me, he told her
he couldn't help himself,and that the papers
The woman looked up at Mrs. Bird,with a keen,
then it was I took him
scrutinizing glance, and it did not escape
she was dressed in deepmourning.
her that
"
Ma'am," she said,mddenly, " have you ever
losta child?"
The questior was unexpected, and it was a
thrust on a new wound
,
for it was only a month
had been laid
since a darling child of the family
in the grave.
Mr. Bird turned around and walked to the window,
one."
and Mrs. Bird burst into tears ; but,recovering
her voiceșhe said,
"
Why do you
ask that? 1 have lost a little these words might
"
Then you will feel for me. I have lost two,
one after left 'em buried there when I
another,"
came
away ; and I had onlythis one left. I never
Iipwas all I had. Tie
slept a night without him ;
was
my
comfort and pride,day and night;and,
ma'am, theywere going to take him away from
" sellhim," me, sell him down south,ma'am,
to go all a alone," baby that had never been
away from his mother in his life! I couldn't
stand it,ma'am. I knew I never should be good
for anything, if theydid; and when I knew the
papers were signed, and he was sold, I took him
and came off in the night; and they chased me,
man that boughthim,and some of Mas'r's
folks," and theywere coming down rightbehind
me, and I heard 'em. I jumped righton to the
ice;and how I got across, I don't know," but,
first I knew, a man was helping me up the
bank."
The woman did not sob nor weep. She had
gone to a place where tears are dry; but every
one around her was, in some way characteristic
of themselves,showingsignsof heartysympathy.
The two littleboys, after a desperate rummaging
in their pockets,in search of those pockethandkerchiefs
which mothers know are never to
be found there,had thrown themselves disconsolately
his throat and wiping his spectacle-
not be expected to cry, like other mortals ; and so
he turned his back to the company, and looked
out of the window, and seemed particularly busy
in clearing
glasses,occasionally blowinghis nose in a manner
that was calculated to excite suspicion, had
any one been in a state to observe critically.
"
How came you to tell me you had a kind
master?" he suddenlyexclaimed,gulping down
very resolutely some kind of rising in his throat,
and turningsuddenlyround upon the woman.
were all drawn "
;
and left my home,and came away. I knew 't was
no use of my tryingto live,if they did it ; for't
'pearslike this child is all I have."
"
Have you no husband?"
"
Yes, but he belongsto another man. His
master is real hard to him. and Avon't let him
come to see me, hardly ever ; and he 's grown
harder and harder upon us, and he threatens to
sell him down south ;
"
him again !"
's like I '11 never see
The quiet tone in which the woman pronounced
have led a superficial observer
to think that she was entirelyapathetic; but
there was a calm, settled depth of anguishin her
large, dark eye, that spoke of somethingfar
otherwise.
"And where do you mean to go, my poor
woman?" said Mrs. Bird.
"
To Canada,if I onlyknew where that was.
Is it very
far off,is Canada?" said she,looking
up, with a simple,confiding air, to Mrs. Bird's
face.
"
Poor thing!"said Mrs. Bird,involuntarily.
"
Is 't a
very greatway offțhink?" said the
earnestly.
woman,
"Much further than you think, poor child!"
"
said Mrs. Bird ; but we will try to think what
can be done for you. Here, Dinah, make her up
a lied in your
own room, close by the kitchen,and
I '11 think what to do for her in the morning.
Meanwhile, never fear, poor
woman ; put your
trust in God ; he will protectyou."
Mrs. Bird and her husband reentered the parlor.
before the
She sat down in her little rocking-chair
fire,swayingthoughtfully to and fro.
Mr. Bird strode up and down the room, grumbling
to himself, " Pish ! pshaw.! confounded
awkward business!" At length,striding up to
his wife,he said,
" I say, wife,she '11 have to got away from
into the skirts of their mother's gown, here,this very night. That fellow will be down
where they were sobbing, and wiping their on
eyes
the scent bright and early to-morrow morning;
and noses to their hearts'
"
content ; Bird if 'twas only the woman, she could lie quiettill
had her face fairly hidden in her pocket-handkerchief;
it was over ; but that littlechap can't be kept
and old Dinah, with tears streamingstillby a troop of horse and foot,I '11 warrant
down hei black,honest face,was ejaculating, me; he '11 bringit all out,poppinghis bead out
"
Lord have mercy
on us !" with all the fervor of of some window or door. A prettykettle of fish
"
a camp-meeting ; while old Cudjoe,rubbingit would be for me, too, to be caughtwith tl.em
his eyes very hard with his cuffs,and making a both here,just now ! No ; they '11have to De got
most uncommon
variety of wry faces,occasionally offto-night."
respondedin the same key*with "
greatfervor. To-night! How is itpossible ?
"
to ?"
Our senator was a "
statesman,and of course could Well, I know pretty well where to," said the
senator, beginning to put on his boots, with a
reflectiveair ; and, stopping Avhen his leg was
half in,he embraced his knee with both hands
and seemed to go offin deep meditation.
"It's a confounded awkward, uglybusiness,
said he, at last,beginning to tug at his bootagain,"and
that "s a fact! " After on 3

"
hang
"
memorials
"
a
to
she
36 UNCLE TOMS CABIN: OR,
boot was fairly on, the senator sat with the other
in his hand,profoundlystudyingthe figure of the
car.pct. " It will have to be done,though,for
aught I see,
"
it all ! " and he drew the
other boot anxiouslyon, and looked out of the
"
window.
Now, littleMrs. Bird was a discreet woman,
a woman who never in her life said, " I told you
so!" and, on the presentoccasion,thoughpretty
well aware of the shape her husband's meditations
were taking, she very prudentlyforbore to into a bundle.
meddle with them ; onlysat very quietly in her "'Mamma," said one of the boys,gently touching
chair,and looked quiteready to hear her liege her "
arm, are
you going to giveaway t/tose
lord's intentions,when he should think proper to things V
"
utter them.
My dear bo3Ts," she said,softlyand earnestly,
"
"You see," he said,"there's my old client, if our dear,loving little Henry looks down from
Van Trompe, has come over from Kentucky, and heaven, he would be glad to have us do this. I
set all,his slaves free ; and he has boughta place could not find it in my heart to give them away
seven miles up the creek,here,back in the woods, to any common "
person anybody that was
where nobody goes, unless they go
on purpose; happy ; but 1 givethem to a mother more heartbroken
and it's a place that isn't found in a hurry.
There she 'd be safe enough ; but the plague of
the thingis,nobody could drive a carriage to-night, but inc."1
"
Why not? Cudjoeis an excellent driver."
there 's no helpfor it. Cudjoe must put in the
horses,as quietlyas may be,about twelve o'clock,
and I '11take her over ; and then,to givecolor to
the matter, he must carry
me on to the next tavern,
to take the stage for Columbus,that comes"
by about three or four, and so it will look as if I
had had the carriageonly for that. I shall get
into business brightanil earlyin the morning.
But I 'm thinking 1 shall feel rather cheap there,
after all that 's been said and dune ; but,hang
it, I can't helpit !"
his overcoat in his hand, " you must wake her up
case, John," said the wife,layingher littlewhite now ; we must be off."
"
hand on his. Could I ever have loved you, had Mrs. Bird hastily deposited the various articles
I not known you better than you know yourself!" she had collected in a small plain trunk, and
"
Your heart is better than your head, in this
And the little woman looked so handsome, with
the tears sparkling her eyes, that the senator
thought he must be a decidedly clever fellow,to
Soon, arrayed in a cloak, bonnet and shawl, that
get such a prettycreature into such a passionatehad belonged to her benefactressșhe appeared
admirathin of him ; and so, what could liedo but at the door with her child in her arms. .Mr. Bird
walk off subtly țo see about the carriage. At hurried her into the carriage,and Mrs. Bird
the door,however,he stoppeda moment, and then pressed on after her to the carriage steps. Kliza
coming back, liesaid,with some hesitation, leaned out of the carriage,and put
out her hand,
"
Mary, I don't know how you'd feel about it, hand as soft and beautiful as was given in
" of but there 's tiiatdrawer full of things
"
of
poor little Henrys." So saying, he turned
on his heel,and shut the door after him.
quickly
going to "
speak.Her lipsmoved, tried
His wife "
opened the little bed-room door adjoining
once or twice, but there was no sound, and
her room, and, taking the candle, set it
ten,
down on the top of a. bureau there ; then from a she fell back in the seat, and covered her
small recess she took a key, and put it thoughtfully
face. The door was shut,and the carriage drove
in the lock of a drawer, and made a sudden on.
pause, while two boys,who, boy-like, had followed
What a situation, now, for a patriotic senator,
close on her heels,stood looking, with that had been all the week before spurringup the
ailent,significant glances,at their mother. And
0 ! mother that reads this,has there never been
in your house a drawer,or a closetțhe opening
of which has been to you like the openingagain
of a little grave? Ah ! happy mother that you
are, if it has not been so.
Mrs. Bird slowlyopened the drawer. There
were little coats of many
a form and pattern,
ileaof aprons, and rows of small stockings ; and
even a pair of little shoes,wcrn and rubbed at
the toes, were peepingfrom the foldsof a paper
There was a toy horse and wagon, a top, ball,
a
gathered with many a tear and many
a heart-break ! She sat down by the drawer,
and, leaningher head on her hands over it,wept
till the tears fell through her fingersinto the
drawer; then suddenlyraisingher head, she began,
with nervous haste,selectingthe plainest
and most substantial articles, and
gathering them
and sorrowful than I am ; and I hopeGod
will send his blessings with them !"
There are in this world blessed souls,whose
sorrows all spring up into joysfor others ; whose
earthlyhopes, laid in the grave with many tears,
"
Ay, ay, but here it is. The creek has to be are the seed from which springhealing flowers and
crossed twice ; and the second crossing is quitebalm for the desolate and the distressed. Among
dangerous,-unless one knows it as I do. I have such was the delicate woman who sits there by
crossed it a hundred times on horseback,and the lamp,dropping slow tears,while she prepares
know exactlythe turns to take. And so, you see, the memorials of her own lost one for the outcast
wanderer.
After a while, Mrs. Bird opened a wardrobe,
and, takingfrom thence a plainșerviceabledress
or two, she sat down busilyto her work-table,
and, with needle,scissorsand thimble,at hand,
quietly commenced the letting " down" process
which her husband had recommended, and continued
busily at it till the old clock in the corner
struck twelve,and she heard the low rattling of
wheels at the door.
"
Mary," said her husband, coming in, with
lockingit,desired her husband to see it in the
carriage^and then proceededto call the woman.
full of
return. She fixed her large,dark eyes,
earnest meaning,on Mrs. Bird's face,and seemed
pointingupward,with a look never to be forgot-
legislature of his native state to pass more stringent
resolutions
harborers and abettors !
againstescapingfugitives, their
Our good senator in his native state had not
been exceeded by any of his brethren at Washington",
in the sort cl eloquence which has won
for them immortal renown ! How sublimely ha
had sat with his hands in his pockets, and scouted
all sentimental weakness of those who would

" the
or,
"
the
the
but
"
these
"
the
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY
3?
put the welfare of a few miserable fugitivesbefore
his eyes and nose quiteunceremoniously, and he
greatstate interests !
j considers himself "
fairlyextinguished; child
lie was as bold as a lion about it,and" mightily
jcries,and Cudjoeon the outsidedeliversanimated
convinced" not only himself,but everybodyaddresses to the horses,who are kicking, and
that heard liim ;
"
'thenhis idea of a fugitivefloundering,
and straining, under repeatedcracks
was only an idea of the letters that spell the
1
of the whip. Carriagespringsup, with another
"
word, at the most, the image of a little
down bounce," go the hind wheels," senator,
newspaper pictureof a man with a stick and woman and child,flyover on to the back seat,
"
bundle, with Ran away from the subscriber"
under it. The magic of the real presence,
of distress,
I his elbows encounteringher bonnet,and both her
I feet beingjammed into his hat,which flies off
imploring human eye, the frail, in the c "ncussion. After a- few moments the
trembling human hand, the despairing appealof j " slough " is passed,and the horses stop,panting
helplessagony,
he had never tried.
"
; senator finds his hat, the woman
He had never thought that a fugitivemight straightens her bonnet and hushes her child,and
be a haplessmother, a defenceless child, theybrace themselves firmlyfor what is yet uO
like that one which was now wearinghis lost comeḞor i
boy's littlewell-known cap ; and so, as our poor
a while only the continuous hump ! bump !
senator was nut stone or steel," as he was a man, intermingled, justby way of variety, with divers
and a downrightnoble-hearted one, too," he
j side plunges and compound shakes ; and they
was, as everybody must see, in a sad case for his beginto flatter themselves that theyare not so
patriotism Ạnd you need not exult over him,
good brother of the Southern States ; for we have
I badly off,after all. At last, with a square
plunge, which puts all on to their feetand then
some inklings that many of you, under similar down into their seats with incrediblequickness,
circumstances,would not do much better. We the and, after much outside
carriagestops,"
have reason to know, in Kentucky,as in Mississippi,
commotion, Cudjoe appears at the door.
"
are noble and generous hearts,to whom Please șir,it's powerful bad spot țhis yer.
never was tale of suffering told in vain. Ah, 1 don't know how we 's to getclar out. I 'm a
good In-other ! is it fair for you to expectof us thinkin' we '11have to be a gettin' rails."
services which your
i wn brave,honorable heart The senator despairingly steps out, picking
would not allow you to render,were you in our gingerly for some firm foothold ; down goes one
place ?
foot an immeasurable he triesto pullit
depth,"
Ee that as it may, if our good senator was a up, loses his balance, and tumbles over into the
political sinner,he was in a fair way to expiatemud, and is fished out, in a very despairing condition,
it by his night'spenance. There had been a long by Cudjoe.
continuous period of rainyweather,and the soft, But we forbear, out of sympathyto our readers'
rich earth of Ohio,as every one knows, is admirably
bones. Western travellers, who have beguiled
suited to the "
manufacture of mud, and the midnight hour in the interesting process of
the road was an Ohio railroad of the good old pulling down rail-fences, to pry their carriages
times.
out of mud-holes, will have a respectful and
"
And pray, what sort of a road may
that be?" mournful sympathywith our unfortunate hero.
says some eastern traveller, who has been accustomed
We beg them to drop a silenttear, and pass
on.
to connect no ideas with a railroad, but It was full late in the night when the carriage
emerged,dripping and bespattered, out of the
creek,and stood at the door of a large farmhouse.
It took no inconsiderable perseverance to arouse
made of round roughlogJ,arrangedtransversely the inmates ; but at last the respectable proprietor
side byside,and coated over in their pristine freshness
appeared, and undid the door. He was
with earth,turf,and whatsoever may
come to a great țall,bristling Orson of a fellow,full six
hand,and then the rejoicing native calleth it a feet and some inches in his stockings, and arrayed
road,and straightway essayethto ride thereupon. in a red flannel hunting-shirt. A very heavy mat
In process of time,the rains wash off all the turf of sandyhair,in a decidedly tousledcondition,and
and grass aforesaid,move the logs hither and a beard of some days'growth,gave the worthy
thither,in picturesque, positions, up, down and man an
appearance, to say the least,not particularly
crosswise,with divers chasms and ruts of black prepossessing. He stood for a few minutes
mud intervening.
holding the candle aloft, and blinkingon our
Over such a road as this our senator went travellerswith a dismal and mystified expression
stumblingalong,making moral reflections as continuously
that was trulyludicrous. It cost some effortof
as under the circumstances could be expected,
our senator to induce him to comprehend the case
carriage proceeding along much as fully; and while he is doinghis best at that,we
follows," bump ! bump ! bump ! slush ! down in shall give him a littleintroduction to our readers.
the mud
"
! senator, woman and child, reversing
Honest old John Van Trompe was once quitea
their positionso suddenlyas to come, considerable land-holder and slave-owner in the
without any very accurate adjustment,againstState of Kentucky,having "
nothing of the bear
the windows of the down-hill side. Carriageabout him but the skin,"and beinggiftedby
sticks fast,while Cudjoe on the outside is heard nature with a
great,honest,just heart, quite
making a great muster among the horses. After equalto his gigantic frame, he had been for some
various ineffectual pullingsand twitchings, just years witnessing with represseduneasiness the
as the senator is losing all patiencețhe carriageworkings of a system equally bad for oppressor
suddenlyrightsitselfwith a two front and bounce," oppressed Ạt last,one day, John's great
wheels go
down into another abyss, and senator, heart had swelled altogether too bigto wear his
woman and child,all tumble promiscuously on
to the front senator's hat is seat," jammed over
those of smoothness or speed.
Know, then, innocent eastern friendțhat in
benightedregions of the west, where the mud is
of unfathomable and sublime depth,roads are
bonds any longer; so liejust took his pocket-book
out of his dusk, and went over into Ohio, and

" and
what
and
I
UNCLE TOM S CABIN I OR,
old and have a bed got readyfor you in
"
men,
-
"
Lord
"
"
"
boughta quarter of a township of good, rich land,
"ight," he,heartily "and I'll cal. up the own sorrow, to comfort thybeloved ones ! Tom
made out free papers for all his people,
no
woman,
time."
women and children," packed them up in wagons?
senator,
"
Thank you, my goodfriend,"said the
and sent them off to settle down ; and then
"
T must be along țo take the nightstage for
honest John turned his face up the creek, and Columbus."
sat quietlydown on a snug, retired farm,to enjoy
"
Ah ! well,then,if you must, I '11 go
a piece
his conscience and his reflections.
with you, and show you a cross road that will
"
Are you the man that will shelter a poor take you there better than the road you came on.
woman and child from slave-catchers?"said the That road 's mighty bad."
senator,explicitly.
John equippedhimself,and, with a lantern
'
in
"
I rather think I am," said honest John,with hand, was soon seen guidingthe senator's carriage
some considerableemphasis.
towards a road that ran down in a hollow,
"
I thoughtso," said the senator.
back of his dwelling. When they parted țhe
"It there's anybody comes," said the good senator put into his hand said,briefly.
a ten-dollar bill.
man, stretching Ms tall,muscular form upward,
"
It 's for her," he
"'
why, here I 'm ready for him : and I 've got "Ay, ay," said John,with equalconciseness
Seven sons, each six foot high, and they'll be They shook hands, and parted.
ready for 'em. Give our respectsto 'em," said
John; "tell 'em it's no matter how soon they
call," make no kinder differenceto us," said
John,running his fingersthrough the shock of
CHAPTER X.
hair that thatched his head, and bursting out
THE PROPERTY IS CARRIED OFF.
into a greatlaugh.
Weary, jaded and spiritless, Eliza dragged Tire Februarymorninglooked gray and drizzling
herself up to the door,with her child lyingin a through the window of Uncle Tom's cabin. It
heavysleepon her arm. The rough man held looked on downcast facesțhe imagesof mournful
the candle to her face,and uttering a kind of hearts. The littletable stood out before the fire,
compassionate grunt,openedthe door of a small covered with an ironing-cloth ; a coarse but clean
bed-room adjoining to the largekitchen where shirt or two, fresh from the iron,hung on the
they were standing,
go in. back of a chair by the fire,and Aunt Chloe had
He took down a candle,and lightingit șet it another spreadout before her on the table. Carefully
upon the table,and then addressed himself to she rubbed and ironed every
fold and every
Eliza.
hem, with the most scrupulous exactness, every
"
Now, I say, gal,you need n't be a bit afeared, now and then raisingher hand to her face to
let who will come here. I 'm up to all that sort wipe off the tears that were coursing down her
o' thing," said he, pointingto two or three cheeks.
goodly rifles over the mantel-piece; "and most Tom sat by,with his Testament
open
on his
peoplethat know me know that 'twould n't be knee,and his head leaningupon his hand ; but
healthy to try to get anybody out o' my house neither spoke. It was yetearly, the children
when I 'm agin it. So now you jist go to sleep, lay all asleeptogether in their littlerude trundlebed.
now, as quietas if yer mother was a rockin'ye,"
said he,as he shut the door.
Tom, who had, to the fullțhe gentle,domestic
"
Why, this is an uncommon handsome un," heart,which, woe for them ! has been a peculiar
he said to the senator. "Ah, well; handsome characteristic of his ui?happy race, got up and
uns has the greatest cause to run, sometimes,if walked silently to look at his children.
they has any kind o' feelin', such as decent women
"
It 's the last time!" he said.
should. I know all about that."
Aunt Chloe did not answer, onlyrubbed away
The senator, in a few words,briefly explained over and over on the coarse shirt,alreadyas
Eliza'shistory.
smooth as hands could make it ; and finally "0! ou ! aw! now, I want to know?" said her iron suddenly down with a despairing
the goodman, pitifully ; " sho ! now, sho ! That 's plunge șhe sat down to the table,and " lifted up
natur now, poor crittur!hunted down,now, like a her voice and wept."
deer," hunted down,jestfor havin' natural feelin's,and
S'pose we must be "
; but resigned 0, .
doin' what no kind o' mother could help how ken I ? If I know'd anything whar you 's
a doin' ! I tell ye what, these yer things make me goin',or how 'd they sarve you ! Missis says
come the nighes to swearin',noAv, o' most anything,"
she '11 try and 'deem ye, in a year or two ; but
said honest John, as he wiped his eyes Lor ! nobody never conies up that goes down
with the back of a great,freckled,yellowhand. thar ! They kills 'em ! I 've hearn 'em tell
"I tell yer what, stranger, it was years and how dey works 'em up on dem ar plantations."
there,Chloe,that
years before I.'d jine the church,'cause the ministers
"
There '11 be the same God
round in our parts used to preachthat the there is here."
Bible went in for these ere cuttings up,
I
"
Well," said Aunt Chloe, " s'pose dere will ;
could n't be up to 'em with their Greek and but de Lord lets drefful thingshappen sometimes
Hebrew, and so I took up agin'em, Bible and I don't seem to get no comfort dat way."
all. I never jinedthe church tillI found a minister
"
I 'm in the Lord's hands," said Tom; "nothin'
that was up to 'em all in Greek and all
can go no furder than he lets it ; thar 's
that,and he said rightthe contrary; and then I one thingI can thank him for. It 's me that 's
took right hold, and jinedthe I did sold and church," goingdown, and not nur
you
the chil'en.
now, fact," said John, who had been all this Here you 're safe ; comes will come only
time uncorkingsome very frisky bottled cider, on me ; and the Lord,he '11 helpme, know
which at this juncturehe presented.
he will."
"
Ye 'd better jestput up here, now, tillday- Ah, brave, heart," mnnly smothering thine

who
it
"
now
"
mean
could be took for his debts. Ye 've arnt him all
he gets for ye, twice over. He owed ye yer
freedom,
and ought ter gin 'tto yer years ago. Mebbe
he can't help himself now, but I feelit 's wrong.
Nothing can't beat that ar out o' me. Sich a
faithful crittur as
ye 've and allers sot
been,"
his business 'fore yer
"
own
every way, and
reckoned on him more than own
yer
wife and
chil'en! Them as sells heart's love and heart's
blood țo get out thar scrapes, de Lord '11be up
to 'em ! ' '
"
Chloe ! now, if ye love me, ye won't talk so,
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 39
masters, and that theywere induced to brave the
perilsof escape, in almost every nse, by the desperate
horror witl which thev regardedbeing
"
spoke-witha thick utterance, and with a bitter sold south," a doom which was hangingeither
Choking his throat, but he spokebrave and over themselves or their husbands, their wives or
Strong.
children. This nerves the African, naturally patient,
"Let's think on our marcies !" he added, timid and unenterprising', with heroic courage,
tremulously, as if he was* quitesure he needed to and leads him to suffer hunger,cold,pain,
think on them very hard indeed.
the perilsof the wilderness, and the more dread
"
Marcies !" saidAunt Chloe penaltiesof re-capture.
"
; don't see no
marcy in 't ! 'tan't right ! tan*t rightit should The simplemorning meal now smoked on the
be so ! Mas'r never ought ter leftit so that ye
table, for Mrs. Shelbyhad excused Aunt Chloe's
attendance at the great house that morning.The
when perhapsjestthe last time we '11ever have
together ! And I '11tell ye, Chloe, it goes agin your poor daddy 's gwineto have to home !"
"
me to hear one word aginMas'r. Wan't he put 0, Chloe !" said Tom, gently.
in my arms a baby
"
!
"
's natur I should think Wal, I can't helpit," said Aunt Chloe,
a heap of him. And he couldn't be spected to hiding her face in her "
apron; I 's so tossed
think so much of poor Tom. Mas'rs is used to about, it makes me act ugly."
bavin' all these yer things done for 'em, and The boys stood quitestill, lookingfirstat their
nat'llythey don't think so much on 't. They
can't be spectedto,no way. Set him 'longside
of other Mas'rs
"
's had the treatment and
the livin" I 've had ? And he never would have
let this yer come on me, if he could have seed it
aforehand. I know he would n't."
"Wal, any way, thar 's wrong about it somewhar"
said Aunt Chloe,in whom a stubborn
sense of justice was a predominan trait ; "I
"
can't jest make out whar 't is,but thar 'a wrong
somewhar, I 'm clar o' that."
"Yer ought to look up to the Lord above
he 's above all" thar don't a
sparrow fall without
him."
negroes sold south,it must be remembered that
all the instinctiveaffectionsof that race are peculiarly
strong. Their local attachments are very
abiding.They are not naturallydaring and
enterprising, but home-loving and affectionate.
"
side,and sobbed. To think on 't ! no crittur
Add to this all the terrors with which ignorance to do for ye, sick or well ? I don't railly think I
investsthe unknown,and add to this,again țhat ought ter be goodnow ! ' '
selling to the south is set before the negro from The boys,havingeaten everything there was
childhood as the last severity of punishment. on the breakfast-table, began now to take some
The threat that terrifiesmore than whipping or thoughtof the case ; and,seeingtheirmother crying,
torture of any kind is the threat of being sent and their father lookingvery sad,began to
down river. We have ourselves heard this feeling
whimper and put their hands to their eyes. Uncle
expressedby them,and seen the unaffected Tom had the baby on his knee, and was letting her
horror with which they will sit in their 'gossiping
enjoyherself to the utmost extent, scratching his
hours,and tell frightful stories of that face and pulling his hair,and occasionally breaking
"
down river,"which to them is
out into clamorous explosions of delight, evidently
arising out of her own internal reflections.
"That undiscovered country, from whose bourn
No traveller returns."
A missionary among the fugitives in Canada
told us that many of the fugitives confessedthem-
to have escapedfrom comparatively kind
selves
"
poor soul had expendedall her little energieson
this farewell feast, had killed and dressed her
choicest chicken,and prepar'eTl her corn-cakewith
scrupulous exactness,just to her husband's taste,
and 1 "n nightout certain mysteriousjarson the
mantel-piece, some
preserves that were never produced
excepton extreme occasions.
"
Lor,Pete,"said Mose, triumphantly, "han't
we got a buster of a breakfast!" at the same
time catching
fragmentof the chicken.
Aunt Chloe gave him a sudden box on the ear.
"Thar, now! crowingover the, last breakfast
father and then at theirmother, while the baby,
climbingup her clothes,began an imperious,
commanding cry.
"Thar!" said Aunt Chloe, wiping her eyes
and takingup the baby; " now I 's done,I hope,
do eat something. Tins yer 's my nicest
chicken. Thar, boys,ye shall have some, poor
critturs! Yer mammy 's been cross to yer."
The boysneeded no second invitation, and went
in with great zeal for the eatables ; and it was
well they did so, as otherwise there would have
been very littleperformedto any purpose by the
party.
Now," said Aunt Chloe,bustling after
"It don't seem to comfort me, but I spect it breakfast, " I must put up yer
clothes. Jest
orter,"said Aunt Chloe. "But dar 's no use like as not,he '11take 'em all away.
I know thar
talkin' ; I '11jes wet up de corn-cake, and getye ways
as dirt,they is! Wal, now, yer
one good breakfast, 'cause nobodyknows when flannels for rhumatis is in this corner; so be
you '11 get another."
car'ful, 'cause there won't nobody make ye no
In order to appreciate sufferings of the more. Then here 's yer old shirts, and these
yer is new ones. I toed off these yer stockings
de ball in em to mend with.
last night, and put
But Lor! Avho '11 ever mend for ye?"
and Aunt
Chloe,againovercome, laid her head on the box
"Ay, crow away, poor- crittur !" said Aunt
"
Chloe ; ye '11have to come to it țoo ! ye '11live
to see yer husband sold,or mebbe be sold yerself ;
and these yer boys țhey 's to be sold,I s'pose.
too, jestlike as not, when they getsgood for
somethin' ; an't no use in niggers
havin notliin'!"
Here one of the boyscalledout, " Thar 's Missis
a-comin in !"

don't!"
"
and,
he
40
UNCLE TOM S CABIN I OR,
"
She can't do no good; what 's she coming
" Do'n know, ma'am ; I 've lost fine five hue
for?''said Aunt Chloe.
dred dollars from this yer place,and 1 can't
Mrs. Shelby entered. Aunt Chloe jet a chair affordto run no more risks."
for her in a manner decidedlygruff and crusty
specton him?" said
"
./hat else could she
She did not seem to notice either the action or the Aunt
while Chloe,indignantly, the two boys,
manner. She looked paleand.anxious.
who now seemed to comprehend at once their
"
Tom," she said, " "
I come to and stoppingfather s destiny, clung to her gown, sobbingand
suddenly, and
the silent
regarding group, she sat groaningvehemently.
Tom, down in the chair,and, covering her face with
" I'm sorry," said " that Mas'r George
her to handkerchief,began sob.
to be away."
happened
'i Lor, now, Missis, don't said George had gone to spend two or three days
Aunt Chloe, bursting in her turn ; and for a with a companion on a neighboring estate,and
few moments they all wept in company. And in havingdepartedearly in the morning, before
those tears they all shed togetherțhe high and Tom's misfortune had been made public, the lowly, melted away all the heart-burnings without hearingof it.
and anger
of the oppressed. 0, ye who visit
"
the Give
my love to Mas'r George," he said,
distressed,do ye know that everythingyour earnestly.
money can buy,given with a cold, averted face, Haley whipped up the horse, and, with a
is not worth on? h nest tear shed in real sympathy
?
;'
My goodfellow,"said Mrs. Shelby, " T can't
giveyou anything to do you any good. If I give
you money, it will only be taken from you.
But T tell you solemnly, and before Cod, that I
will keep trace of you, and bring you back as
soon as lean command the money;
then, trust in God !"
Here the buys called out that Mas'r Haley was
coming, and then an unceremonious kick pushed
open the door. Haley stood there in very ill
humor, havingridden hard the nightbefore,and
being not at all pacified by his ill success
his prey.
"Come," said he, "ye nigger,ye 'r ready?
Servant,ma'am !" said he,taking off his hat,as
he saw Mrs. Shelby.
till relief. Eitt his wife's
in recapturing
his own
Aunt Chloe shut and corded the box,and, getting
Tom and Haleyrattled on along the dustyroad,
up, looked gruffly on the trader,her tears whirlingpast every old familiar spot, until the
seemingsuddenlyturned to sparksof tire.
bounds of the estate were fairlypassed, and they
Tom rose up meekly, to follow his new master, found themselves out on the open pike. After
and raised up his heavy box on his shoulder. theyhad ridden about a mile, Haley suddenly
His wife took the baby in her arms to go' with
at the trader,who was coming up.
"
I does not
feel to cry 'fore dut ar old limb, no how !"
" Get in !" said Haley to Tom, as he strode^
through the crowd of servants,who looked at him
with Lowering hwws.
Tom gotin,and Haley,drawingout from under
the wagon-seat a heavy pairof shackles,made
them fast around each ankle.
A smothered groan of indignation ran through
the whole circle,and Mrs. Shelbyspoke from the
veranda,"
"
Mr. Haley, T assure you that precaution is
entirelyunnecessary."
steady,mournful look,fixed to the last on the old
place Țom was whirled away.
at this time was not at home. He
Mr. Shelby
had sold Tom under the spur of a drivingnecessity,
to get out of the power
of a man whom ke
and his first dreaded," feeling,after the consummation
of the bargain,had been that of
half-slumbering
increased the unpleasantnessof
his feelingsỊt was in vain that he said to himself
expostulations awoke his
regrets; and Tom's manly disinterestedn
that he had a right to do that everybody
it,"
did and that some did it without even
it,"
the excuse
"
of .necessity ; could not satisfy
feelings ; and that he might not witness
the unpleasantscenes of the consummation, he
had gone on a short business tour up the country,
hopingthat all would he over before he returned.
drew up at the door of a blacksmith's shop,when,
"
him to the wagon, and the childrenștillcrying, taking out with him a pair of handcuffs, he
trailed on behind.
steppedinto the shop, to have a littlealteration
Mrs. Shelby,walkingup
to the trader,detained in them.
"
him for a few moments, talking with him in an These 's a littletoo small for his build,"
earnest manner ; and while she was thus talking, said
yer
Haley,showing the fetters, pointing
the whole familypartyproceeded to a wagon, that out to Tom.
stood readyharnessed at the door. A crowd of all "Lor! now, if thar an't Shelby'sTom. He
the old and young hands on the place*stood gathered
han't sold him, now ?" said the smith.
around it,to bid farewell to their old associate.
"
Yes, he has," said Haley.
Tom had been looked up to,both as a head servant
"
Now, ye don't ! well,reely," said the smith,
and a Christian teacher,by all the place,
"
who'd a thought it ! Why, need n't go to
and there was much honest sympathy and grieffetterin' him up this yer way.
ye
He 's the faith--
about him,particularly among the women.
fulest,best crittur
"
"Why, Chloe, you bar it better 'n we do!" "Yes, yes," said Haley; "but your good fel
said one of the women", who had been weeping lers are just the crittursto want ter run of"
freely,noticingthe gloomy calmness with which Them stupidones, as doesn't care whar they go
Aunt Chloe stood by the wagon.
and shitless', drunken ones, as don't care for
"
I 's done my tears !" she said,lookingrimly
nothin',they'llstick by, and like as not be
rather pleasedto be toted round; but these yer
prime fellers,they hates it like sin. No way
but to fetter 'em ; gotlegs," they"11use 'em,"
no
mistake.'''
"
Well," said the smith, feelingamong his
tools, " them plantationsdown thar, stranger,,
an't jestthe placea Kentuck nigger wants to go
they?"
to; theydies thar tol'able fast,don't
"
Wal, yes, tol'able fast țher dying is ; what
with the 'climatingand one thingand another,
they dies so as to keep the market up pretty
brisk,''said Haley.
"
Wal, now, a feller can't helpthinkin' it 'sa

I
it
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY.
41
mightypityto have a nice,quiet,likelyfeller, good un as Tom is, go
down to be fairlyground
up on one of them ar sugar plantations."
"' Wal, he "s got a fa*r chance. I promised to
do well by him. I "11 get him in house-servant
in some good old family, and then,if he stands
the fever and 'climating, he '11have a berth good
as any niggeroughtter ask for."
"
He leaves his wife and chil'en up here,
scoldingwith energy.
"
I declare, it 's real mean ! I don't care
what theysay, any of 'em ! It 's a nasty, mean
shame ! If 1 was a man, theyshould n"t do it,"
theyshould not, so.'" said George,with a kind
of subdued howl.
"0! Mas'r George! this does me good!"
to think of it " isn't
it a shame? They never
sent for me, nor sent me any word, and, if it
hadn't been fi"rTom Lincon, I shouldn't have
heard it. I tell you* I blew 'em up well,all of
'em, at home !"
"That ar wasn't right, I'm 'feard,Mas'r
George."
"Can't help it ! I say it's a shame ! Look
here,Uncle Tom," said he,turninghis back to
the shop, and speaking in a mysterioustone,
"
I've brought you my dollar ! "
"
0 ! I could n't think o' takin' on 't,Mas'r
George, no ways in the world !" said Tom, quite
moved.
"But you shall take it!" said George; " look
here told Aunt Chloe I'd do it,and she
advised me just to make a hole in it,and put a
stringthrough, so you could hang it round your
neck, and keep it out of sight; else this mean
scamp would take it away. I tell ye, Tom, I
want to blow him up
! it would do me good !"
"
No, don't,Mas'r George,for it won't do me
any good."
and George sat very straighton his horse,and
"Well, I won't,for your sake,"said George, looked round with an air.as if he expectedthe
busilytying his dollar round Tom's neck ; " but state would be impressed with his opinion.
ihere, now, button
your coat tightover it,and
keepit,and remember, every time you see it,that
I '11 come down after you, and bringyou back.
Aunt Chloe and I have been talking about it. 1
told her not to fear ; I '11see to it,and I 11 tease
father'slifeout, if he don't do
it."
"
0 ! Mas'r George, ye mustn't talk so 'bout
yer father !"
"
Lor, Uncle Tom, I don't mean anything
bad."
"And now, Mas'r George." said Tom, "ye
must be a goodboy; mem': er now nany hearts
is sot on ye. Al'ayskeep close to yer mother.
Don't be getnn' into any cf them foolish ways
boys jias of gettin'too bigtc mind their mothers.
Tell ye what, Mas'r George,the Lord givesgood
many thingstwice over; but he don't giveye a
mother but once. Ye '11 never see sich another
live to be a hundred
woman, Mas'r George, if ye
years old. So,now, ycu hold on to her,ami grow
s'pose?".
up, and be a comfort to her,thar 's my
own good
"Yes; but he'll get another thar. Lord, boy,"
3rou will now, won't ye V
"
thar 's women enough everywhar,"said Haley. Yes,I will,Uncle Tom," said Georgeșeriously.
Tom was sittingvery mournfully on the outside
"
of the shop while this conversation was And be'careful of yer speaking, Mas'r George.
going on. Suddenly he heard the quick,short Young boys,when theycomes to your age. iswilful,
click of a horse's hoof behind him ; and, before
"
sometimes 's natur theyshould "be. But
he could fairly awake from- his surprise, young real gentlemen șuch as I hopesyou '11 be, nevei
Master Georgesprang into the wagon, threw his lets fall no words that is n't.'spectful
arms tumultuously round his neck, and was sobbing
Ye an't 'fended,Mas'r George7"
"
and
No, indeed,Uncle Tom ; you always did give
me
good advice."
"
I 's older, ye know," said Tom, strokingthe
boy'sfine,curly head with his large, stronghand,
but speaking in a voice as tender as a woman's,
"and I sees all that's bound up in you. 0,
to thar parents.
"
"
"
Mas'r George, you has everything, l'arnin',
"
said Tom. I could n't bar to go off without privileges, readin',writin',- and you '11 grow up
seein' ye
! It does me real good,ye
can't tell!" to be a great,l'arned,good man, and all the
Here Tom made some movement of his feet,and people on the placeand your father and mother '11
George's eye
fell on the fetters.
be so proud on ye ! Be a
-'What a shame!" he exclaimed,lifting
Mas'r, like yer
'his father; and be a Christian,like yer mother.
hands. "I'll knock that old fellow down 1 'Member yer Creator in the
will!"
Mas'r George."
days o' yer youth,
"
No you won't, Mas'r George; and you must "I'll be real good, Uncle Tom, I tell you,"
not talk so loud. It won't help me any, to anger said George. "I'm goingto be a first-rater;
him "
and don't you
be discouraged Ị '11 have you
"
Well, I won't,then,for your sake ; but only
back to the place,yet. As I told Aunt Chloe this
morning, I '11build your house a*ll over, and you
shall have a room for a parlor with a carpet on
it,when I 'in a man. 0, you
'11have goodtimes
yet!"
Haley now came to the door,with the handcuffs
in his hands.
"
Look here,now, Mister,"said George, with
an air of great superiority, as he got out, " I
shall let father and mother know how you treat
Uncle Tom !"
"
You 're welcome," said the trader.
"
I should tlrnk you 'd be ashamed to spend
all your litebuying men and women, and chaining
them, like cattle ! I should think you 'd feel
mean !" said George.
"
So longas your grand folks wants to buymen
and women, I 'm as good as theyis,"said Haley;
meaner sellin' on 'cm, than
" 'tan't any
'tis buyin'!"
"
I '11 never do either,when I 'm a man," said
George; " I 'm ashamedțhis day,that I 'in a
Kentuckian. I always was proud of it before ;"
"
Well, good-by, Uncle Tom ; keep a stiff upper
lip," s;iid George.
"
Good-by. Mas'r George,"said. Tom, looking
fondly and admiringly at him.
"
God Almighty
bless you ! Ah ! Kentucky han't got many like
you !" he said, in the fulness of his heart,as the
frank, boyish face was lost to his view. Away
he went, and Tom looked,till the clatter of his
horse's heels died away, the last sound or sight
of his home. But over his heart there seemed to
be a warm spot, where th vse young
hands had

ifles
these
"
a
itdon't
"
the
42 UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR,
placed that precious dollar. Tom put up his their hats,wanted to wear them, and to wear
hand, and held it close to his heart.
them just as theyhad a mind to ; there were
"
Now, I tell ye what, Tom," said Haley, as those who had them set far over back "
wide*
he came
up to the wagon,
and threw in the handcuffs,
awake men, who wanted a clear prospect; while
"
I mean to start fa'r with ye, as I gen'allycareless men, who did not know, or care, how
do with my niggers; and I '11 tell ye now, to begin
their hats sat, had them shakingabout in all directions.
with, you treat me fa'r,and I '11 treat you
The various hats,in fact,were quite a
fa'r; I an't never hard on
my niggers. Calculates
Shakspeareanstudy.
to do the best for 'em I can. Now, ye see, Divers negroes, in very free-and-easy pantaloons,
you 'd better jest settle down comfortable,and
and with no redundancyin the shirt line*,
not be tryin' no tricks ; because nigger's tricks were scuttling about, hither and thither, without
of all sorts I 'in up to, and it 's no use. If niggersbringing
to pass any very particular results, except
is quiet,and don't try to get off,theyhas expressinga genericwillingness to turn over
good times with me ; and if theydon't,why, it 's everything
creation generallyfor the benefit of
thai-fault,and not mine."
Mas'r and his guests. Add to this picturea
Tom assured Haley that he had no present intentions
jolly, crackling,rollicking fire,goingrejoicingly
of running off. In fact țhe exhortation up a greatwide chimney, outer door and
seemed rather a superfluous one to a man with a
every window being set wide open, and the calico
greatpairof iron fetterson his feet. But Mr. window-curtain floppingand snapping a good
Haley had got in the habit of commencing his stiffbreeze of damp raw and you have an
air,"
relationswith his stock with littleexhortations idea of the jollities of a Kentuckytavern.
of this nature,calculated, as he deemed, to inspire
Your Kentuckian of the presentday is a good
cheerfulness and confidence,and preven the illustration of the doctrine of transmitted instincts
necessity of any unpleasantscenes.
and peculiarities. His fathers were mighty
And here,for the present,
we take our leave
men who lived in the hunters," woods, and slept
of Tom, to pursue the fortunes of other characters
under the free, open heavens,with the stars to
in our story.
hold their candles ; and their descendant to this
dayalways acts as if the house were his camp,
wears his hat at all hours țumbles himself about,
and puts his heels on the topsof chairs or mantel-pieces,
CHAPTER XL
just as his father rolled on the green
sward,and put his upon trees and logs," keeps
IN WHICH PROPERTY GETS INTO AN IMPROPER STATK
all the windows and doors
OF MIND.
open,
winter and summer,
that he may get air enough for his great
It was late in a drizzly afternoon that a traveller
calls lungs," everybody " stranger,"with nonchalant
alighted at the door of a small countryhotel, bonhommie,and is altogether the frankest,
in the villageof N in
,
Kentucky. In the easiest,most jovial creature living.
bar-room he found assembled quite a miscellaneous
Into such an assembly of the free-and-easy our
company, whom stress of weather had driven traveller entered. He was a short țhick-set man,
to harbor, and the place presentedthe usual carefullydressed,with a round, good-natured
scenery of such reunions. Great, tall,rawboned
Kentuckians, attired in hunting-shirts, and
in his appearance. He was very careful
countenance, and somethingrather
fussy and particular
trailing their loose jointsover a vast extent of of his valiseand umbrella,bringing them in with
territory, with the easy loungepeculiar to the his own hands,and resisting, pertinaciously, all
"
race, stacked away in the corner, shotpouches,game-bags,hunting-dogs,
and littlenegroes,
them. He looked i-ound the bar-room with rather
offersfrom the various servants to relieve him of
all rolled together in the "
corners, were an anxious air,and,retreating with his valuables
the characteristic features in the picture Ạt to the warmest corner, disposedthem under his
each end of the fireplacesat a long-legged gentleman,
chair,sat down,and looked rather apprehensively
with his chair tippedback, his hat on
up at the worthywhose heels illustratedthe end
his head, and the heels of his muddy boots reposing
ol the mantel-piece, who was spitting from right
sublimely on the mantel-piece, position,
to left, with a courage and energy rather alarming
we will inform our readers,decidedly to gentlemenof weak nerves and particular
favorable to the turn of reflection incident to habits.
"
western taverns,where travellersexhibit a decided I say, stranger, how are ye?" said the aforesaid
preference for this particular mode of elevating gentleman,firing
honorary salute of tobacco-juic
their understandings.
in the directionof the new arrival.
"
Mine host,who stood behind the bar,like most Well, I reckon," was the replyof the other,
of his countrymen, was great of stature,goodnatured,and
loose-jointed, with an enormous honor.
as he dodged, with some alarm, the threatening
shock of hair on his head,and a greattall hat "
on Any news V said the respondent, takingout
the topof that.
a strip of tobacco and a largehunting-knife from
In fact,everybodyin the room bore on his head his pocket.
"
this characteristic emblem of man's sovereignty ; Not that I know of,"said the man.
whether it were felthat,palm-leaf, greasy beaver, "Chaw?" said the first speaker,handingthe
or fine new chapeau,there it reposed with true old gentleman a bit of his tobacco,with a decidedly
republican independence Ịn truth, it appeared brotherly air.
to be the characteristic mark of every individual.
"
No, thank ye
"
agree with me," said
Some wore them tippedrakishly to side"
one the little man, edging off.
these were your
men of "
hum:*,jolly,free-andeasy
dogs; some had them jammed independently away the morsel in his cwn mouth, in order
Don't,eh?" said the other,easily, and stowing
down over their noses
"
were
your hard to keep up the supply of tobacco juice,for the
characters, thoroughmen, who, when they wore generalbenefitof society.

'Boys,'says
a
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 43
The old gentlemanuniformly gave a littlestart for me some half-dozen years in my bagging factory,
whenever his long-sided brother fired in his direction
and he was my best hand,sir. He is an
; and this beingobserved by his companion, ingenious fellowțoo : he invented a machine for
he very good-naturedly turned his artillery to another
the cleaning of "
hemp really valuable affair ;
quarter, and proceeded to storm one of the it 's gone into use in several factories. His master
fire-irons with a degree of military talent fully holds the patentof it."
sufficiento take a city.
"I '11warrant ye," said the drover, " holds it
"What's that?" said the old gentleman, observing
and makes money out of it,and then turns round
and brands the boy in hisrighthand. If I had a
fair chance,I 'd mark him, I reckon șo that he 'd
some of the company formed in a group
around a largehandbill.
"
Nigger advertised!" said one of the company,
carry
briefly.
"
These knowin' boys is allers aggravatin'
Mr. Wilson, for that was the old gentleman's and
yer
sarcy," said a coarse-looking fellow,from the
name, rose up, and, after carefully adjusting other side of the room ' '
; that 's why theygets
valiseand umbrella,proceeded deliberately to take cut up and marked so. If theybehaved themselves,
out his spectacles and fix them on his nose ; and, theywouldn't."
"
this operation beingperformed, read as follows : That is to say, the Lord made 'em men, and
it 'sa hard squeeze getting 'em down into beaots,"
"Ran away from the subscriber, my mulatto boy,
George. Said George six feet in height,a very light
mulatto, brown curly hair; is very intelligent, speaks
handsomely, can read and write;will probablytry to
pass fur a white man; is deeplyscarred on his back and
shoulders; has been branded in his righthand with the
letter II.
"I will givefour hundred dollars for him alive,and the
killed."
same sum for satisfactory proofthat he has been
"
Better send orders up to the Lord,to make
veteran, who had been besieg-you a set,and leave out their souls entirely,"
The old gentleman read this advertisement
from end to end, in a low voice,as if he were
studying it.
The long-legged
ing
the tire-iron, as before related,now took down
hiscumbrous length,and rearing
walked up to the advertisement,and very delib-
spit a full discharge of tobacco-juice on it.
saiilthe drover.
aloft his tall form, Here the conversation was interrupted by the
erately
approach small one-horse to buggy the inn.
It had a genteelappearance, and a well-dressed,
"
There 's my
mind
upon
that !" said he,briefly,
gentlemanly
seat,with a colored
and sat down again.
servant driving.
"
Why, now, stranger, what's that for?" said The whole partyexamined the new comer with
mine host.
the interest with which a set of loafersin a rainy
"
I "d do it all the same to the writer of that ar
dayusually examine every new comer." He was
paper, if he was here," said the longman, coollyvery tall,with a dark,Spanishcomplexion, fin,;,
resuming his old employment of cutting tobacco. expressive black eyes, and close-curling hair,also
"
Any man that owns a boy like that,and can't of a glossyblackness. His well-formed aquiline
find any hotter way o' treating deserves to nose, straigh thin lips, and the admirable con
lose him. Such
as
papers
these is a shame to tour of his finely-formed limbs,impressedthe
with the idea of some
Kentucky; that 's my
mind rightout, if anybody
wants to know !"
"
Well, now, that's a fact,"said mine host,
as he made an entryin his book.
"
I 've got a gang of boys șir,"said the long
man, resuming his attack on the "
fire-irons, and
I
"
jesttells 'em
'
I," run, now!
dig ! put ! jestwhen ye want to ! I never shall
come to look after you ! ' That 's the way I keep
mine. Let 'em know they are free to run any
time,and it jestbreaks up their wanting to.
it one while."
said the drover,dryly.
"Brightniggersisn't no kind of vantage to
their masters," continued the other, well intrenched,
in a coarse, unconscious obtuseness,
from the contempt of his opponent ; ' ' what 's
the use o' talentsand them things, if you can't
get the use on 'em yourself?Why, all the use
they make on 't is to get round you. T 've had
one or two of these,fellers, and I jestsold 'em
down river. I knew I d got to lose 'em, first or
last,if I didn't."
whole company instantly
thing uncommon. He walked easily in among
the company, and with a nod indicated to his
waiter where to place his trunk,bowed to the
company, and,with his hat in his hand, walked
up leisurely to the bar,and gave
in his name as
Henry Butler,Oaklands,ShelbyCounty. Turning,
with an indifferentair,he sauntered up to
the advertisement, and read it over.
"
Jim," he said to his man,
"
seems to me wo
met a boysomething like this,up at Bernan'a,
More 'n all,I 've got free papers
for 'em all recorded,
didn't we?"
in case I gets keeled up any o' these "Yes, Mas'r," said Jim, "only I an't suio
times,and theyknows it ; and I tell ye, stranger, about the hand."
there an't a fellow in our partsgetsmore out of "
Well T didn't look,of course" said the
his niggers than I do. Why, my boyshave been stranger, with
to Cincinnati,
a careless yawn. Then,walking
with fivehundred dollars' worth of
colts, and brought me back the up to the landlord, he desired him to furnish hiin
money, all straight, with a privateapartment,
time and
agin. as he had scsme writing
It stands to reason theyshould. to do immediately.
Treat 'em like dogs,and you '11have dogs' works The landlord was all obsequious,and a relay
and dogs'actions. Treat 'em like men, and of about seven
negroes, old and young, male and
you'll have men's works." And the honest
were soon whizzingabout,
female,littleand big,
drover,in his warmth,endorsed this moral sentiment
like a covey of partridges, bustling, hurrying,
by firing^
a perfectfeu de joieat the fireplace.
treadingon each other's toes,and tumbling over
each other,in their zeal to get Mas'r's room
"
I think you 're altogether right,friend,"said ready,
Mi'.Wilson; while he seated himself easilyon a chair
" and this boy described here is a in the middle of the room, and entered into conversation
finefellow" no mistake ab:ut that. He worked
with the man who sat next to him.

"
that
"
Mr.
"
leavingyour
and
"
yes,
I
should
no
"
I
in
it
"
I
4.4 UNCLE TOM S CABIN I OR,
mind," and divided between his wish to
"
"
" "
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
up
Lie manufacturer,Mr. Wilson,from the time
hath it, " niudi tumbled and down in his and a bowifr
of the entrance of the stranger, had regardedhim George,and a certain confused n"
hel{.
tion of maintaining
with an air of disturhed and uneasy curiosity. law and order ; so, as he shambled about,
He seemed to himself to have met and been aconainted
he delivered himself as follows :
with him somewhere,but he could not
're'running away
"
Well, George, I s'pose
recollect. Every few moments, when the man
lawful you
master, George" (I don't
spoke, or moved, or smiled, he would start and wonder at at the it)" same time,I'm sorry,
fix his eyes on him, and then suddenlywithdraw George, decidedly think I must say
them, as the bright, eyes met his with such that. it 's George" my duty to tell you so."
"
unconcerned coolness. At last,a sudden recollection
Why are you sorry, sir?" said George,
seemed to flash upon him, for he stared at calmly.
the strangerwith such an air of blank amazement
setting yourself
"
Why, to see you, as it were,
and alarm, that he walked up to him.
in opposition to the laws of your country."
"
Mr. Wilson,I think,"said he,in a tone of "
My country !" said George, with a strong and
recognition extending his hand. "
I beg bitter emphasis; "what country have I,but the
your pardon,I didn't recollect you
before. I
grave ? I wish to God that I was laid
see you remember me, Butler,of Oaklands, there ! ' '
ShelbyCounty."
"Why, George, no won't
unscriptural.George,
do; this
yos yes, sir,"said Mr. Wilson,like way of talkingis wicked "Ye
one speaking a dream.
you 've gota hard master is" fact,he well,
Just then a negro boy entered,and announced "Leconducts himself reprehensibly can't pretend
that Mas'r's room was ready.
to defend him. But
you
know how the
"
Jim, see to the trunks,"said the gentleman, angel commanded Hagar to return to her mistress,
negligently ; then addressing himself to Mr.
and submit herself under her hand ; and the
Wilson,he added
"
I should like to have a few apostle sent back Onesimus to his master."
moments' conversation with you
on
"
business,in Don't quote Bible at me that wTay, Mr. Wilson,"
my room, if you please."
said George, with a flashing eye, "don't!
Mr. Wilson followed him, as one who walks in for my wife is a Christian, and I mean to be,if
his sleep; and theyproceeded to a largeupper ever I get to where I can ; but to quote Bible to
chamber, where a new-made fire was crackling, a fellow in my circumstances,is enough to make
and various servants flyingabout,putting finishing
him give it up altogether Ị appealto God
touches to the arrangements.
Almighty; 'm willing to go with the case to
When all was done,and the servants departed, Him, and ask Him if I do wrong to seek my freedom.
the young man deliberately locked the door,and
putting the key in his pocket,faced about,and "These feelings are quitenatural,George,"
folding his arms on his bosom, looked Mr. Wilson, said the good-natured man, blowinghis nose.
fullin the face.
"
Yes, they're natural,but it is my dutynot to
"
George !" said Mr. Wilson.
"Yes, George," said encourage 'em in you. Yes, my boy, 1 'm sorry
the man.
for now; it's a -bad case very bad; but
couldn't
young
you,
thoughtit !"
the apostlesays, ' Let every
one abide in the corv
"
I have
"
I am pretty well disguised, I fjincy," said dition in which he is called.' We must all submit
"
the young man, with a smile. A littlewalnut' to the indicationsof Providence,George,"
bark has made my yellow skin a genteelbrown, don't you see?"
and I 've dyed my
hair black ; so you see I don't George stood with his head drawn back, hi
answer to the advertisement at all."
arms folded tightly breast,and *
"0, George ! but this is a dangerousgame you bittersmile curling his lips.
are playing. I could not have advised* you to
"
I wofider,Mr. AVilson,if the Indians shouM
it."
come and take you a prisoner away from your
"
I can do it on my own responsibility," said wife and children,and want to keep you all your
George, with the same proudsmile.
life hoeing corn for them, if you 'd think it
We remark, en, passant țhat Georgewas, by your duty to abide in the condition in which you
his father's side,of white descent. His mother were called. I rather think that you 'd think the
was one of those unfortunates of her race, marked first stray horse you could find an indicationof
out by personalbeauty to be the slave of the passions
Providence n't you ?"
of her possessor, and the mother of children 'itThe* littleold gentleman stared with both eyes,
who may
never know a father. From one of the at this illustrationof the case ; but,though not
proudest families in Kentuckyhe had inherited a much of a reasoner, he had the sense in which
set of fine Europeanfeatures,and a high, indomitable
some logicians particular subjectdo not
spirit.From his mother he had received
that of excel," sayingnothing, where nothing
only a slightmulatto tinge,amply compensated could be said. So, as he stood carefully stroking
by its accompanyingrich,dark eye. A slighthis umbrella, and folding and pattingdown all
change in the tint of the skin and the color of the creases in it,he proceededon with his exhortations
his hair had metamorphosedhim into the Spanishlooking
in a generalway.
fellow he.then appeared; and as gracefulness
" You see, George, you know, now, I always
of movement and gentlemanly have stood your friend ; and whatever I 've said,
always been perfectly natural to him, he found I 've said for your good. Now, here,it seems to
no difficulty in playingthe bold part he had me, you 're runningan awful risk. You can't
adopted of a gentlemantravelling with hope to carry
it out. If you 're taken, it will be
his domestic.
worse with you than ever ; they '11 only abuso
Mr. Wilson, a good-naturedbut extremelyou, you, and sell you
down river."
fidgetyand cautious old gentleman,ambled up "Mr. Wilson,I know all this,"said George.
and down the room, appearing,as John Bunyan "I do run a risk,but
"
he threw open his
overcoat, and showed two pistols

we
sent
one
we
"
no
delivered
"
long
the
gone
"
knife There !" he said, " I 'm readyfor 'em !
Down south I never will go. No ! if it comes to
that,I can earn myself at least six feet of free
the firstand last I shall soil." ever own in Kentucky
! ' '
"
Why, George,this state of mind is awful ;
it's gettingreallydesperate, George. I'm concerned.
Going to break the laws of your country1"
"
My countryagain ! Mr. "Wilson, you have a
country ; but what country have I, or any one
like me, born of slave mothers ? "What laws are
there for us? We don't make
"
them, don't
"
consent to them. to do with
have nothing
them ; all they do for us is to crush us, and keep
us down. .Haven't I heard your Four th-of- July
speeches? Don't you tell us all,once a year,
that governments derive their just power from the
consent of the governed? Can't fellow think,
a
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 45
my wife ; you 've seen her,"
that hears such tilings? Can't lie you
put
this and how beautiful she is. When I found she loved
that together, and see what it comes to?"
me, when I married her,I scarcely could believe
Mr. Wilson's mind was one of those that may I was alive,1 was so happy; and, sir șhe is as
not unaptlybe represented by a bale of cotton," good as she is beautiful. But now what ? Why,
downy, soft,benevolently fuzzy and confused. now comes
He reallypitiedGeorge with all my master, takes me rightaway from
his heart,and my work, and
had a s "it of dim and cloudyperception my friends,and all I like,and
grinds me down into the very dirt! And why?
styleof feeling agitated ; but he deemed Because,he says, I forgot who I was ; he says,
it his duty to g " on talkingood to him with to teach me that I am only
infinitepertinacity.
nigger ! After all,
and last of all,he comes between me and
my
"
George,this is bad. I must tell you, you wife,and says I shall give her up, and livewith
know, as a friend, you 'd better not be meddling another woman. And all this your laws givehim
with such notions; theyare bad, George,very jiower to do, in spite of God or man. Mr. Wilson,
bad, for boys in your condition," very;" and look at it! There isn't one ol all these
Mr. Wilson sat down to a table,and hegan nervously
things țhat have broken the hearts of my mother
chewingthe Handle of his umbrella.
and my sister,and my wife and myself hut your
il
See here, now, Mr. Wilson,'"said George,
coming up and sittinghimself determinately down
in front of him ;
"
look at me, now. Don't I sit
before you, every way, just as much a man as
you are ' Look at my face," look at my hands,"
look at my body."and the young man drew himself
mother put up at sheriff'ssale, with her seven
children. They were sold before her eyes,
one by
one. all to different masters ; and I was the
youngest. She came and kneeled down before
old Mas'r, and begged him to buy her with me,
that she might have at least one child with her ;
and he kicked her away with his heavy hoot. I
"
"
- "
"
and despairing" gestures," was altogethertoo
much for the good-natured body to whom itwas
addressed, who had pulled out a great yellow
saw him do it ; and the last that I heard was her
moans and screams, when I was tied to his horse's silk pocket-handkerchief,
was moppingup
neck, to he carried off to his place."
his face with great energy.
"
Blast 'em all !" he
"
Well, then !"
suddenlybroke out
Have n't I always said
"
My master traded with one of the men, and
infernal old
" so
boughtmy oldestsister. She was a pious,good cusses ! I hope 1 an't swearing, now. "}A\ !
girl, a member of the and
Baptistchurch," go ahead, George, go ahead ; hut be careful, my
well
as handsome as
my poor mother had been. She boy ; don't shoot anybody,George,unless
was hioughtup, manners. At
:
reckon ; at least,I
first,1 was glad she was bought,for I had one wouldn't hit anybody,you know. Where is your
friend near me. I was soon sorry for it. Sir,I wife,George?" he added, as he nervouslyrose,
have stood at the door,and heard her whipped, and began walkingthe room.
well and had good you'd shoot, I
when it seemed as if every blow cut into my
naked heart,and 1 couldn't do anythingto help
her ; and she was whipped șir,for wanting to
live a decent Christian lifeșuch as
your laws
giveno slave girl righ a to live : and at last I
saw her chained with a trader's gang, to be sent
to market in "
Orleans there tor nothing
else but that," and that 's the last I V now of
years and years,
her. Well,I grew up,
father,no mother, no sister,not a living
soul that cared for me more than a dog : nothing
but whipping,scolding,starving. Why, sir,I 've
been so
hungry that I have been gladto take the
bones theythrew to their dogs; and yet, when I
was a littlefellow,and laid awake whole nights
and cried,it wasn't the hunger, it wasn't the
whipping, I cried for. No, sir ; it was for my
"
it mother and my sisters,
was because I had n't
a friend to love me on earth. I never knew what
peace or comfort was. I never had a kind word
spoken to me tillI came to work in your factory.
Mr. Wilson, you treated me well ; you encouraged
me to do well,and to learn to read and write,
and to try to make somethingof myself; and God
knows how gratefulI am for it. Then, sir,I
found
know
laws allow,and give every
man
powei to do,in
Kentucky, and none can say to him nay ! Do
you call these the laws of my country
'
Sir,I
have n't any country,any more than 1 hwe any
father. But 1 "m going to have one. I don't
want
anything of your country,exceptto he let
up proudly; " whv am 1 not a man, as much as
to alone,"
go peaceably out of it; and when I
anybody ! Well, Mr. "Wilson,hear what I can get to Canada, where the laws will own me and
tell you. I had a father
"
of your Kentuckyprotectme, that
" who did n't think enough of
fentlemen
shall he my country, and its laws
me to I will obey. But if
eep me from beingsold with his dogs and any man tries to stop me,
horses, let him take care, for 1 am desperate. 1 '11fight
to satisfythe estate when he died. 1 saw my for my liberty to the last breath I breathe. You
say your fathers did it ; if it was rightfor them,
it is rightfor me !"
This speech,delivered partly while sittingat
the table, and partlywalking up and down the
room,
"
with tears, and flashing eyes,
"
Gone sir, gone, with her child in her arms,
the Lord only knows where
"
; after the
north star ; and when we ever meet, or whether
we meet at all in this world, no creature can
tell."
kind
"
Is it possible!astonishing!
family?"
from such a

"
+"
but
not
can't
don't,
I
"
16 ryCLE TOM S CABIN
'" Kind families get in "
debt,and the laws of I declare, my very blood runs cold vhcn J
our countryalien- tnem to sell the child out of its think of it," your condition and your risks!"
mother's bosom to pay
its master's debts,"said said Mr. Wilson.
"
George,bitterly.
Mine has run cold a good many years, Mr.
"
Well,well,?' said the honest old man, fumbling
Wilson ; at present, it 's about up to the boiling
point," said George.
"
Well, my good sir,"continued George, after
in his pocket. " I s'pose,perhaps,I an't
following my judgment," hang it,I won't follow
my judgment!" he added,suddenly; " so here,
a few moments' silence,
" I saw you knew me 1
,
George,"and, takingout a roll of billsfrom his thoughtI 'd justhave this talk witli you, lest your
pocket-book, he offered them to George. surprised looks should bring me out. I leave early
"No, my kind, good sir!" said George, to-morrow morning,before daylight
"
you 'radone a great deal for me, and this ; by to-morrow
might night I hope to sleepsafe in Ohio. I shall travel
get y--; into trouble. I have money enough, I bydaylight, stop at the best hotels, go
hope,to take me as far as I need it." 4
with the lordsof the land. So,goodby,
sir ; if you hear that I 'm taken, you may
"
No
,
you must, George.Money is a
greathelpevery where "
; have too much, know that I 'm dead !"
if you get it honestly Ṭake do take it, George stood it," up like a rock,and put out his
do, my boy!"
hand with the air of a prince.The friendlylittle
now,
"
On condition,sirțhat I may repay it at some
future time,I will,"said Georgețakingup the
money.
" And now, George,how longare you going to
"
"
travel in this way ? longor far,I hope. It 's
well carried on, but too bold. And this black
fellow, who is he ? "
"
A true fellow,who went to Canada more than
a
year ago. He heard,after he got there,that
his master was so angry at him for goingoff that
he had whipped his poor old mother ; and he has
come all the way back to comfort her,and get a
chance to get her away."
"
Has he got her?"
"
Not yet ; he has been hangingabout the last deed of Christian kindness of you."
place,and found no chance yet. Meanwhile,he
"
Well,George."
is goingwith me as far as Ohio,to put me "
among Well, what sir,"
you said was true. I am
friends that helpedhim, and then he will come runninga dreadful risk. There isn't,on earth,a
back after her."
livingsoul to care if I die,"he added,drawinghis
"Dangerous,very dangerous!" said the old breath hard,and speaking a great effjrt,
man.
"
I shall be kicked out and buried like a dog,and
George drew himself up, and smiled disdainfully.
nobody'11 think of it a day after, only my poor
wife! Poor soul ! she '11 mourn and grieve; and
The old gentlemaneyed him from head to foot, if you 'd onlycontrive,Mr. Wilson, to send this
with a sort of innocent wonder.
"
Georgeșomethinghas brought you out wonderfully.
You hold up your head,and speak and
move like another man," said Mr. Wilson.
"Because I'm a freeman!" said George,
proudly. " Yes, sir ; I 've said Mas'r for the last
time to any man. I 'mfree ! ' '
' Take care ! You are not sure,
"
takin."
you may be
"
All men are free and equalin the grave, if it
comes to that,Mr. Wilson," said George.
" I 'm perfectly dumb-foundered with your boldness!"
said Mr. Wilson,"
"
to come righthere
to the nearest tavern !"
"
Mr. Wilson, it is so bold,and this tavern is
so near, that theywill never think of it ; theywill
look for me on ahead,and you yourselfwould n't
know me. Jim's master don't live in this country
Trust in the Lord,George. I wish in my heart
; he isn't known in these parts. Besides,he you were safe that's what I
through,though,"
is givenup ; nobody is looking after him, and do."
nobodywill take me up from the advertisement, I
"
Is there a God to trust in?" said George,in
think." such
-
a tone of bitter despairas arrested the old
"
But the mark in your hand?"
George drew off his glove,and showed a newlyhealed
scar in his hand.
"
That is a partingproofof Mr. Harris' regard,"
he said,scornfully. " A fortnight ago, he
took it into his head to giveit to me, because he
said he believedI should try to get away, one of
these days. Looks interesting, doesn't it?" he
paid,drawing his gloveon again.
to the dinner-tables
old man shook it heartily, and after a littleshower
of caution,he took his umbrella,and fumbled his
way out of the room.
George stood thoughtfully lookingat the door,
as the old man closed it. A thoughtseemed to
flash across his mind. He hastily steppedto it,
and openingit,said,
"
Mr. Wilson, one word more."
The old gentlemanentered again, and George,
as before,locked the door,and then stood for a few
moments lookingon the floor,irresolutely. At
last,raisinghis head with a suddeneffort"
'"
Mr. Wilson, you have shown yourself a Christian
in your treatment of me,
"
want to ask one
littlepin to her. She gave it to me for a Christmas
present,poor child ! Give it to her, and tell
her I loved her to the last. Will you? Will
"
you?" he added,earnestly.
"Yes, certainly poor fellow!" said the old
gentleman țakingthe pin,with wateryeyes, and
a melancholyquiverin his voice.
"
Tell her one thing,"said George; " it 's my
last wish,if she can get to Canada, to go there.
Xo matte:1 how kind her mistress is," no matter
how much she loves her home ; beg her not to go
back," for slaveryalwaysends in misery. Tell
her to bring up
our boy a free man, ami then he
won't suffer as I have. Tell her this,Mr. Wilson,
will you ?"
"
Yes, George, I'll tell her; but I trust you
won't die; take heart," you 're a brave fellow.
"
gentleman's words. 0, I 've seen thingsall my
life that have made me feel that there can't be a
God. You Christiansdon't know how these things
look to us. There 's a God for you,
but is there
"
any for us?"
my boy !" said the old
"
0, now, don't
man, almost sobbingas he spoke; " don't feel so
'
There is" there is ; clouds and darkness are around
about him, but righteousness judgment are

Agreeablyto
I
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY.
47
"
"
"
"
"
the habitation of his throne. There 's a God, aged 30 ; Ben, aged 21; Saul,aged 25 ; Albert,aged
14.
believe it George," ; trust in Him, and I 'm
Sold for the benefit of the ci editors and heirs of tha
sure
estate of Jesse
He '11 help you. Everything will be set Blutchford,Esq.
right,
Samuel Morris,
ifnot in this life,in another."
The real piety and benevolence of Thomas
the Flint,
simple
ExeciUors."
old man invested him with a temporarydignity
and authority, as lie spoke.Georgestopped his "
This yer
I must look at," said he to Tom, for
distracted walk up
and down the room, stood want of to talk to.
and then said,quietly, "Ye see, I 'm a to
thoughtfully a moment,
somebodyelse
going to getup primegang
" Thank you for sayingthat, my goodfriend ; take down with ye, Tom ; it '11 make it sociable
I '11thin*of that:'
and pleasantlike, goodcompany will, ye know.
We must drive right to Washington firstand
clapyou into
does the business."
CHAPTER XII.
Tom received this agreeableintelligence quite
SELECT INCIDENT OF LAWFUL TRADE.
meekly ; simplywondering, in his own heart,how
foremost, and then I '11 jail, many of these doomed men had wives and children,
"
In Ramah there was a voice heard," weeping, and lamentation,
and whether
and ftreat mourning ; Rachel weeping for her
theywould feel as he did
children,and
would not be comforted."
about leavingthem. It is to be confessed, too,
that the naive,offhand information that he was
Mr. Haley and Tom joggedonward in their
to be thrown into jailby
wagon, each,for a time,absorbed in his producedan
own reflections.
agreeableimpression
Now, the reflectionsof two men sitting
poor fellow who had
always pridedhimself on a strictly
side by side are a curious seated on the
thing,"
upright
same seat,havingthe same eyes, ears, hands and
Yes, Tom, we must con
fess
organs of all sorts, and it,was rather proud
havingpass before their
honesty,poor
fellow, not having
eyes the same objects, it is wonderful what very much else to be proud
a
if he had of;" belongedto,some of the higher
variety we shall finl in these same reflections!
walks of society, he,
As, for example,Mr. Haley: he thought firstof
perhaps,would never have
been reduced to such straits. However,the day
Tom's length,and breadth,and height,and what
wore on, and the eveningsaw Haleyand Tom
he would sellfor,if he was kept fat and in good
case tillhe got him comfortably
into market. He thought of
accommodated in Washington, the
how he should make out his gang ; he thought of
one in a tavern, and the other in a jail.
About eleven o'clock the next day,a mixed'
the respectivemarket value of certain supposititiousthrong
around the court-house
men and women and children who were to
compose it,and other kindred topicsof the business
; then he thoughtof himself,and how humane
he was, that whereas other men chained their
"
niggers" hand and foot both,he onlyput fetters
on the feet,and leftTom the use of his hands, as
long as he behaved well ; and he sighedto think
how ungratefulhuman nature was, so that there feature and figure.She might
was ever room to doubt whether Tom appreciated
have been sixty,
but was older than that by hard work and disease,
his mercies. He had been taken in so by " niggers"
was partially blind,and somewhat crippled
whom he had favored ; but still he was with rheumatism. By
astonished to consider how good-natured
her side stood her only
he yet remaining son, Albert,a
remained !
bright-looking littlefellow
of fourteen years. The boy
As to Tom, he was thinking over some words of
was the only
survivor of a largefamily, who had been successively
an unfashionable old book,which kept running sold away
throug his from her to
head,again and a southern market.
again, as follows :
The mother held
"
We have here no continuing city, but Ave seek
on to him with both her shaking
hands,and eyed with intense trepidation every
one to come ; wherefore God himself is not ashamed
one who walked up to examine him.
to be called our God for he hath
,
preparedfor us
"
Don't be feard,Aunt
a city." These words of an ancient Hagar,"said the oldest
volume,got of the
"
men, I spoketo Mas'r Thomas 'bout it,
up principally by " ignorantand unlearned men," and he thought
have, through all time, he mightmanage to sell you in a
kept up, somehow, a lot both together."
strange sort of power over the minds of poor, simple
"
Dey need n't callme worn out yet," said she.
fellows, like Tom. They stir up the soul from
"
lifting her shakinghands. I can cook yet,and
its depths,and rouse, as with trumpetcall,courage,
scrub,and scour,
"
'm wuth a buying, if Kdo
energy and enthusiasm,where before was. come tell 'em dat cheap;" ar,
"
you
onlythe blackness tell 'em,"
of despair.
she added, earnestly.
Mr. Haley pulledout of his pocketsundry Haley
newspapers, and beganlooking here forced his over their advertisements,
way into the group,
Avalked up to the old man, pulledhis mouth open
with absorbed interest. He was not and looked in,felt of his teeth,made him stand
a remarkablyfluent reader,and was in the habit and straightenhimself,bend his back; and
perform
of readingin a sort of recitativehalf-aloud,by
way of calling
his ears to verify
of his eyes. In this tone he slowly
following paragraph:
the deductions
recited the
"
Executor's Negroes !" order
Sale,"
of court,will be sold,on Tuesday,February 20, before
the Court-house door,in the town of Washington,Kentuckv,
the following negroes : Hagar, aged (JO ; Johr
steps," smoking,chewing,spitting, swearing,
and conversing, according to their respective
tastes and
"
turns, waitingfor the auction* to
commence. The men and women to be sold sat
in a group apart talking in a low tone to each
other. The woman who had been advertisedby
the name of Hagar was a regularAfrican in
various evolutions to show his muscles ; and
then passed on to the next,and put him through
the same trial. Walkingup last to the boy, he
hands, and
felt of his arms, straightened his
looked at his fingers,
and made him jump, to
show his agility.
"He an't gwineto be sold widout me !" said
the old woman, with passionate eagerness ; " he

"
s'posetheyfling
"
dey
her
"
not
would
"
now
"
buy
I
I
he
48
UNCLE TOM S CABIN
OR,
"
and I goes in a lot together ; I 's rail strongyet, side,as he heard the clatter of contendingbids,
Mas'r, and can do heaps o' work," heaps on it, here,now till the hammer there," fell
Mas*r."
Haley had got him. He was pushed from the
"On plantation?" Haley, with a contemptuous
block toward his new master, but stoppedone
glance. "Likely story!"and, as if moment, and looked back, when his poor old
satisiiedwith his examination,he walked out and mother,trembling every limb,held out her
looked,and stood with his hands in his pocket, shakinghands toward him.
his cigarin his mouth,and his hat cocked on one
Buy me too,Mas'r, for de dear Lord':' sake !
"
side,readyfor action.
me, shall die,if you don't !"
"
\Vh;tt think of 'em?" said a man who had "You'll die if I do,that's the kink of it,"
been following Haley'sexamination, as if to make said Haley," "no!" And he turned on his
up his own mind from it.
"
Wal," said
"
Haley șpitting, I shall put in,
I think,for the youngerlyones and the boy."
"
They want to sell the boy and the old woman
together,"said the man.
"Find it a tightpull;" why, she's an old
rack o' bones," not worth her salt."
"
You wouldn't, then?" said the man.
"
Anybody 'd be a fool 'twould. She's half
blind,crooked with rheuinaitis, and foolish to
boot."
"
Some buysup these yer old critturs, and ses
there 's a sight more wear in 'em than a' body 'd
think," said the man, reflectively.
"
No go, 'tall,"said Haley ; " wouldn't take
her for a present,
fact," I 've seen, now."
"
Wal, 'tis kinder pity,nowT, not to buy her
with her son,
" heart seems so sot on him,
her in cheap."
" Tin in that 's got money to spendthat ar
way,
it 's all well enough. I shall bid off on that ar
boy for a
"
plantation-hand ; n't liebothered
with her,no way,
if they 'd give her
to me," said Haley.
"
She '11take on desp't,"said the man.
"
Nat lly șhe will,"said the trader,coolly.
The conversation was here interrupted by a
busy hum in the audience ; and the auctioneer,a
short,bustling,importantfellow,elbowed his
way into the crowd. The old woman drew in her
breath,ami
her son.
"
"Keep
caughtinstinctively at
"Now!" said Haley,pushing his three purchases
cl "S3 to yer mammy, Albert, close, together, producing
a bundle of handr
11 put us up togedder,"she said.
cuffs,which he proceeded to put on their wrists ;
"
0, mauiuiy, 1 'in feard theywon't," said the and fastening along chain,he
boy.
drove them before him to the jaiL
"
Day must, child ; T can't live,no ways, if A few days saw Haley,with his possessions,
theydon't,"said the old creature,vehemently. safelydeposited on one of the Ohio boats. It
The stentorian tones of the auctioneer, callingwas augmented,
the commencement of his gang, to be
out t( clear the way,
now announced that the
sale was about to commence. A place was
cleared,and the biddingbegan. The different
men on the list were soon knocked off at prices
which showed a pretty brisk demand in the
mark it ; two of them fellto Haley.
"
Com ", n )w, young an," said the auctioneer, river,, was floatingayly down the stream, under
giving the b "y a t mc'i with his hammer, " be up
a brilliantsky, the stripesand stars of free
and show
your springs,n "w."
America waving and fluttering over head; the
"Put us two up togedderțogedder. do, guards crowded with well-dressed ladies and gentleinen
walkingand enjoying the delightful day.
please,M.is'r,"said the old woman, holding fast
to her All was rejoicing; all
I) "y.
full of life,buoyant and
"
lie off,"said the man, gruffly, pushing her but Haley'sgang, who were stored,with other
hands away; "you cone last. Now, darkey, freight, on the lower deck,and who, somehow,
spring:" and, with the word, he pushed the boy did not seem to appreciatetheir various privileges,
toward the bljck,while a ros3
as theysat behind hi:n, The b "y paused, and looked back ; in low tones.
deep,heavygroan in a knot,talkingto each other
but there wis n ( tiuu to stay, and, dashingthe "Boys," said Haley,coming up, briskly,
1
tears from bis l.irgj,
momjnt,
His iin3 figure,
brighteyes', he was 'up
i:ia
alert limbs,and brightface,
rais.idan inst.mt competiti "n, and half a d "zen
bids siinultan: luslynut the ear of the aucti "ii3er.
Anxious,hali'-tri.rateiied, lielooked from side to
heel.
old creature was summary.
The bidding for the poor
The man who had addressed Haley,and
who seemed not destitute of compassion, bought
to disperse.
her for a trifle, and the spectatorsbegan
The poor victims of the sale,who had been
broughtup in one placetogetherfor years, gathered
old mother, whosB
round the despairing
agony was pitiful to see.
"Couldn't dey leave me one? Mas'r allers
" said I should have one, did," she repeated
over and over, in heart-broken tones.
" Trust in the Lord,Aunt Hagar," said the old*
sorrowfully.
est of the men,
"
What good will it do?" said she, sobbing
passionately.
"Mother, don't! don't!" said the
mother,"
boy. "They say you 's got a good master."
"I don't care,
" don't care. 0, Albert!
0, my boy ! you 's my last baby-.Lord, how
ken
I?"
"
Come, take her off,can't some of yc?" said,
Haley,dryly; "don't do no good for her to go
on that ar *
way."
The old men of the company, partlyby persuasion
and partlyby force,loosed the poor creature's
last despairinghold,and, as they
led her
oil"to her new master's wagon, strove to comfort
her.
various other
merchandiseof the same kind, which" he, or his
agent, had stored for him in various pointsalong
shore.
as the boat moved on, by
The La Belle Riviere,as brave and beautiful a
boat as ever walked the waters of her namesake
hope you keep up good heart, and are cheerful.
Now, no sulks, ye see ; keep still' uj per lip,
boys; do well by me, and I 11 do well by you."
The boys addressed respondedthe invariable
"
Yes, Mas'r," for ages
the watchword of poor
Africa ; but it \s to be owned theydid not look

"
"
"
the
and
"
what
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 49
particularly
cneerftu ; they had their various little
"
I say, stranger, is that ar what that text
prejudices in favor of wives,mothers, sisters
and childrenșeen for the last time," and though
mirth,"
they that wasted them required of them
"
it was not instantlyforthcoming.
"
I 've gota wife,"spokeout the articleenumerated
as
"
John,agedthirty," and he laid his "Well, then, we'll all go ahead and buy up
chained hand on Tom's knee,"
niggers," said the man, "if that's the way of
"
and she don't
know a word about this, poor girl !"
"
Providence, won't we, Squire?" said he, turning
" Where does she live?" said Tom.
to Haley, who had been standing, his
"
In a tavern, a piece down here;" said John ;
" I wish, now, I could see her once more in this
world,"he
added.
Poor John ! It icas rather natural ; and the
tears that fell,as he spoke, came as naturallyas
if he had been a white man. Tom drew a long
breath from a sore Hart, and tried,in his poor
way, to comfort him
And over head,in the cabin șat fathers and
mothers,husbands and wives ; and merry, dancing
children moved round among them,like so
many
littlebutterflies, and everything was going
on quite easy
and comfortable.
0, mamma," said a boy, who had justcome
trader on board, won't
up from below, " there 's a
negro
and he 's broughtfour or five slaves down there."
"Poor creatures !" said the mother,in a tone
between grief and indignation.
"
What 's that?" said another lady.
"
Some poor slaves below," said the mother.
" And they've got chains on," said the boy.
"What a shame to our countrythat such
Bights are to be seen !" said another lady.
"0, there 's a great deal to be said on both
sides of the subject," said a genteelwoman, who
sat at her state-room door sewing,while her little
girland boy were playinground her. "I've
been south, and I must say I think the negroes
are better off than theywould be to be free."
" In some respects șome of them are well off,
I grant," said the ladyto whose remark she had
"
answered. The most dreadful part of slavery,
"That is a bad thing,certainly," said
to my mind, is its outrages on the fe'elings and
"
affections, the separating of families,for example."
the
both,and I 've seen enough to make any one's heart
sick. Suppose,ma'am, your two children,there,
should be taken from you, and sold?"
" We can't reason from our feelings to those
of this class ot persons,"said the other lady,
sortingout some worsteds on her lap.
"
Indeed,ma'am, you
can know nothingof
them,if you say so," answered the first lady,
warmly. " I was born and broughtup among
them. I know they do feel,just as "
keenly,
even more so, as we do."
perhaps,"
The ladysaid " Indeed!" yawned,and looked
out the cabin window,and finally repeated,for a
door.
' ' ' Cursed be Canaan ;
shall he be,' the scripture says
"
a servant of servants
means?" said a tall man, standingby.
"Undoubtedly. It pleasedProvidence,for
some inscrutable reason, to doom the race to
bondage, ages ago; and we must not set up our
opinionagainst that."
hands in his pockets,by the stove,and intently
listening to the conversation.
we must all
"
Yes," continued the tall man,
"
be resignedto the decreesof Providence
.
Niggers
must be sold,and trucked round,and kept under ;
it 's what they 's made for. 'Pears like this yer
view's quiterefreshing, an't it,stranger?"said
he
to Haley.
"I never thoughton't," said Haley. "I
couldn't have said as much, myself;I ha'nt no
laming. I to-.1ūp the trade justto make a living
; if 't an' "ight, I calculated to 'penton 't in
time, ye
know."
"Ami now you'llsave yerself the trouble,
ye?'* said the tall "
man. See what 't is,
now, to know scripture Ịf ye
'd only studied yer
Bible, like this yer good man, ye might have
know'd it before, and saved ye a heap o' trouble*.
Ye could jisthave said, ' Cussed be '
's
" his name? 't would all have come right."
And the stranger, who was no other than the
honest drover whom we introduced to our readers
in the Kentuckytavern, sat down, and began
smoking, with a curious smile on his long,dry
face.
A tall șlender young man, with a face expressive
of greatfeeling and intelligence, here broke
soever
ye would that men should do unto you, do
in,and repeated the words, " ' All things what-
"
ye even so unto them.' I suppose," he added,
' "
thai is scripture, as much as Cursed be Canaan.'
"
Wal, it seems quiteas plain a text,stranger,"
said John the drover, " to poor fellows like us,
now ;" and John smoked on like a volcano.
The
young man paused, looked as if he was
other lady,holding up
a baby'sdress she had going to say more, when suddenlythe boat
justcompleted, lookingintently its trimmings
stopped,and the company made the usual steamboat
; " but then,I fancy, it don't occur often." rush,to see where
theywere landing.
"O, it does," said the first lady,eagerly; "Both them ar chapsparsons?" said John to
"
I 'velived many years in Kentuckyand Virginiaone of the men, as they were going out.
The man nodded.
As the boat stopped, a black woman came running
wildlyup the plank, darted into the crowd,
flew up to where the slave-gang sat, and threw
her arms round that unfortunate pieceof merchandise
before enumerated, " John, aged thirty,"
and with sobs and tears bemoaned him as her
husband.
But what needs tell the storyțold too oft,"
daytold,"
every of heart-strings rent and broken,
weak broken and torn for the profit and
convenience of the strong ! It needs not to be
"
told;" every day is tellingit,--tellingit,too,
finale, the remark with which she had in the begun,"
ear of One who is not deaf,thoughhe be
"
After all,I think
they are better off than they longsilent.
would be to be free."
The young man who had spokenfor the cause
"
It 's undoubtedlythe intentionof Providence of humanity and God before stood with folded
that the African race should be servants,
arms, looking on this scene. He turned,and
kept
in a low condition," said a
grave-looking gentleman
Haley was standing at his side. "My friend,"
in black,a clergyman, by the cabin-
he said,speaking with thick utterance, " how can
you, how dare you,
on
carry
a trade like this
Look at those poor creatures ! Here I am
, rejoin

so,
that
50
UN .'LE TOM 3 CABIN : OR,
child, it's all "
"
"
ingin my heart that I am going home to my wife girlLucy and her
and child ; and the same bell which is a signalfor aught I see."
straight enough,
Hck,''said the man,.
"
making over to you the
to carry me onward towards them will part this The woman's passionateexclamations collected
poor man and his wife forever. Depend upon it, a crowd around her, and the trader briefly God will bringyou into judgmentfor this." plained to them the cause of the agitation.
The trader turned away
in silence.
Louisville,
"
He told me that I was goingdown to
" I say, now," said the drover,touching his
to hire out as a cook to the same tavern
elbow, " there 'sdifferences in parsons, an't there ? where my husband works, "s what Mas'r
'
Cussed be Canaan' don't seem to go down with told me, his own self;and I can't believe he 'd
this 'un, does it?"
lieto me," said the woman.
Haley gave
an
uneasy growl.
"
But he has sold woman, there 's
no doubt about
you,
it,"said
my
a
poor
good-natured looking
" And that ar an't the worst on 't,"said John ;
" mabbe it won't go down with the Lord,neither, man, 'who had been examiningthe papers; " he
when ye come to settle with Him, one o' these has done it,and no mistake."
dayu, as all on us must, I reckon."
"Then it's no account talking," said the
Haley walked reflectively to the other end of woman, suddenlygravingquite calm ; and,
the boat.
clasping her child tighter in her arms, she sat
down on her box, turned her back round, and
" If I make prettyhandsomelyon one or two
next gangs,"he thought, " I reckon I'll stop off gazedlistlessly into the river.
this yer; it's reallygettingdangerous." And
"
Going to take it after all ! " said the
be took out his pocket-book, and began addingtrader. "
Gal
easy,
's got grit, over his accounts, a process which many gentlemen
The woman looked calm,as the boat went on
besides Mr. Haley have found ,
a specific and a beautiful soft summer breeze passed like a
foran uneasy conscience.
compassionate spiritover her the head," gentle
The boat swept proudly away from the shore, breezețhat never inquireswhether the brow is
and all went on merrily,as before. Men talked, dusky or fair that it fans. And she saw sunshine
and loafed,and read,and smoked. Women sewed, sparkling the water, in goldenripples, and children played, and the boat passedon her heard gay voices,full of ease and pleasure țalking
way.
around her everywhere; but her heart layas
One day, when she layto for a while -at a if a greatstone had fallen on it Her babyraised
small town in Kentucky,Haley went up
into the himself up againsther,and stroked her cheeks
placeon a littlematter of business.
with his littlehands ; and, springingup and
Tom, whose fettersdid not preventhis taking down, crowing and chatting, determined
a moderate circuit, had drawn near the side of to arouse her. She strained him suddenlyand
the boat,and stood listlessly gazing over the railings.
tightly in her arms, and slowlyone tear after
After a time,he saw the trader returning, another fell on his wondering,unconscious face ;
with an alert step, in company with a colored and gradually seemed, and littleby little, woman, bearingin her arms a yCung child. She grow calmer,and busied herself with tendingand
was dressedquiterespectably, and a colored man
nursing him.
followed her,bringingalonga small trunk. The The child,a boyof ten months, was uncommonly
woman came cheerfullyonward, talking, large and strong of his age, and very vigorous
came, with the man who bore her trunk, and so in his limbs. Never,for a moment, still, he kept
passed up the plank into the boat'. The bell his mother constantly busy in holdinghim, and
rung, the steamer whizzed, the enginegroanedguarding springing activity.
and coughed, and away sweptthe boat down the
"
That 's a fine chap !" said a man, suddenly
river.
stoppingopposite
with his hands in his
Th', woman walked forward among the boxes pockets. " How old is he?"
and bales of the lower deck,and, sittingdown,
" Ten months and a half,"said the mother.
busied herself with chirrupingto her baby.
The man whistled to the boy, and offered him
Haley made a tarn or two about the boat,and part of a stick of candy, which he eagerlygrabbed
then, comingup, seated himself near her, and at,and very soon had it in a baby'sgeneralde
begansayingsomethingto her in .an indifferent pository,
wit,his mouth.
undertone.
"Rum fellow!" said the man. "Knows
Tom soon noticed a heavy cloud passing over wnat 's what !" and he whistled, and walked on.
the woman's brow ; and that she answered rapidly,
When he had got to the other side of the boat,he
and with great vehemence.
came across Haley, who was smoking on top of a
K
1 don't believe I won't believe it ! " he
it," pileof boxes.
"
heard her say. You 'rejist a foolin wi,thme." The strangerproduced
a match, and lighteda
*'"
-f you won't believe it,look here ! " said the cigar,saying, he did so,
man, drawingout a
paper ; " "
this yer 's the bill Decentish kind
of sale,and there 's your master's name to it ; there,stranger."
o' wench you've got round
and I paiddown good solid cash for it,too, I can "Why, I reckon she is tol'able fair," said
tell you, now !"
Haley,blowingthe smoke out of his mouth.
" "
I don't believe Mas'r would cheat me so ; it Takingher down south?" said the man.
3an't be true !" said the woman, with increasing Haley nodded, and smoked on.
agitation.
"
Plantation hand?" said the man.
"
Wal," said Haley, " I 'm fillin'out " You can ask any of these men here,that can
an order
read -writing. said țo a man that for a plantation, and I think I shallput her in.
was passingby,"jistread this yer, won't you? They telled me she was a good cook ; and they
This yer gal won't believe me, when I tell her can use her for that,or set her at the cottonpicking
what 'tis."
Ṣhe 's got the rightfingers for that;.I
"
Why, it 's a billof sale,signedby John Fos-
looked at 'em. Sell well, either way ;" and
Haley resumed his cigar.

"
happens
so
" and
wh're!"
"
fleshas hard as a brick ! ' '
"
Very true,but then there 's all the bother
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. .1
"
"
They won't want the young 'iuion a plantation,"
to the front rails,and,stretching far over
said the man.
strained her eyes intentlyon
them,
the movingheads on
"
I shall sell him, first chance I find,"said the shore,and the crowd pressed in between her
Haley,lighting cigar.
and the child.
Now 's your
"
S'poseyou 'd be selling tbl'able cheap,"
"
time," said Haley,takingthe
said the stranger,mounting the pile of boxes,and sleeping child up,
and handing him to the
sitting down comfortably.
stranger. " Don't wake him up, and set him to
" Don't know 'bout that,"said Haley; " he 's crying,now ; it would make a devil of a fuss with
a pretty
smart young 'un, straight, fat,strong; the gal." The man took the bundle carefully,
and was soon lost in the crowd that went up the
and expense
of raisin'."
"
Nonsense !" said Haley;
When the boat,creaking, groaning, puffing, loosed from the wharf, and was
" theyis raised as
easy as any kind of critter there is going; they beginningslowly to strain herself along, the
"
"
an't a bit more trouble than pups.
This yer
woman returned to her old seat. The trader was
chap will be runningall round in a month."
the cMld sittingthere," was
gone !
"I've got a good place for "
raisin',and I Why, why, she began, in bewildered
thoughtof takin'in a little more stock,"said the surprise.
"
man.
" One cook lost a
young 'un last week, Lucy," said the trader, " your child 's gone ;
fot drownded in a wash-tub, while she was a
you may as well know it first as last. You see,
angin' out clothes, I reckon it would be I khow'd you .couldn't take him down south;
well enough to set her to raisin"this yer." and I got a chanoe to sell him to a first-ratefamily,
Haley and the stranger smoked a while in that '11raise him better than you can."
silence,neither seemingwilling to broach the test The trader had arrived at that stageof Christian
questionol the interview. At last the man
and political perfection which has been
resumed :
recommended by some preachers and politicians
"You wouldn't think of wantin' more than of the north,lately, he had completely
ten dollars for that ar chap,seeingyou must get
him off yer hand, any how ? "
Haley shook his -head,and spitimpressively.
"
That won't do,no ways," he said,and began
his smokingagain.
"
Well,stranger, what will you take?"
" but not a cent more."
"
Now, I '11tell ye what I will do," said Haley,
spitting again, with renewed decision. " I '11
spli the difference, and say forty-five ; and that 's
the most I will do."
"
Well,agreed!"said the man, after an internal.
"
Done !" said Haley. " Where do you land ?"
"
At Louisville," said the man.
"
Louisville,"said Haley. " Very fair,we
get there about dusk. Chap will be "
asleep,
all "
fair, get him off quietly, and no screaming,
"
beautiful, I
"
quietly, I
"
like to do everything
hates all kind of agitation and fluster.
And so, after a transfer of certain bills
had passedfrom the man's pocket-bookto the
trader's,he resumed his cigar.
It was a bright, tranquilevening when the boat
stoppedat the wharf at Louisville. The woman
had been sitting with her baby in her arms, now
wrapped in a heavysleep.When she heard the
name of the place called out, she hastily laid the
child down in a littlecradle formed by the hollow
among the boxes,first carefully spreading under
it her cloak ; and then she sprung to the side of
the boat,in hopesthat, among the various hotelwaiters
who throngedthe wharf,she might see
her husband. In this hope, she pressedforward
wharf.
overcome
every humane weakness and prejudice.
His heart was exactly where yours, sir,and mine,
could be brought, with proper effort and cultivation.
The wild look of anguish and utter despair
that the woman cast on him mighthave disturbed
"
one less practised ; but he was use! to it. He
"
Well,now," said Haley, " I could raise that had seen that same look hundreds of times. lrou
ar chapmyself, or get him raised ; he 's oncommon
can
get used to such things, too, my friend ; and
likely and healthy, and he 'd fetch a hundred
it is the greatobjectof recent effortsto make our
dollars six months hence ; and, in a year
or whole northern communityused to them, for the
two, he 'd bring two hundred,if I had him in glory of the Union. So the trader onlyregarded
the rightspot; I shan't take a cent less the mortal which anguish he saw working in
nor fiftyfor him now."
those dark featuresțhose clenched hands, and
"
0, stranger! that's rediculous, altogether," suffocating breathings, as
necessary
incidents of
said the man".
the trade,and merelycalculated whether she was
"
!" a decisivenod of scream, and get up a on
head.
boat ; for,like other supportersof our
Fact said Haley,with his going to commotion the
peculiar
"
I '11givethirty for him," said the stranger, institution, he decidedly agitation.
But the woman did not scream. The shot had
passed too
for cry
or
straight and
tear.
direct through the heart,
Dizzilyshe sat down. Her slack hands fell
lifelessby her side. Her eyes looked straight
All the noise and
forward,but she saw nothing.
hum of the boat,the groaning of the machinery,
mingle dreamilyto her bewildered ear ; and the
poor, dumb-stricken heart had neither cry nor
tear to show for its utter misery. She was quite
calm.
The
trader,who, consideiing his advantages,
was almost as humane as soma of our politicians,
seemed to feel called on to administer such consolation
as the case admitted of.
"
I know this yer
comes kinder hard,at first,
i
Lucy," said he ; '" but such a smart, sensiblegal
las you are won't giveway to it. Y'ou bee it 's
necessary, and
can't be helped! '
"0! don't,Mas'r,don't!" said the woman,
with a voice liise one that is smothering.
"
You 're a smart wench,Lucy," he peisistcd ;
"
I mean to do well by ye, and get ye a nice
place down river ; and you '11 soon get another
"
husband, such a likelygal as "
you
"
0 ! Mas'r,if you onlywon't talk to me now,"
said the woman, in a voice of such quickand living
anguish that the traierfe't that there was

night
and
I
52 UNCLE TOM S CABIN
.
OR,
something at present in the case beyond his stylecounsel,did not feel called on to s'.i.tehis obsei
of operation.He gotup, and the woman turned vations and suspicions, but said he did not know
away, and buried her head in her cloak.
"
She surely could
The trader walked" gotoffin the night
up and down for a time,and at any of the landings, for I was awake, and on
occasionally stoppedand looked at her.
the look-out, wdienever the boat stopped Ị never
"
Takes it hard,rather,"he "
soliloquized, but trust these yer thingsto other folks."
quiet țho' ;"
let her sweat awhile ; she '11 come This speechwas addressed to Tom quiteconfidentially,
right,by and by !"
as if it was somethingthat would be
Tom had watched the whole transaction from specially interesting to him. Tom made no answer.
firstto last,and had a perfectunderstanding of
its results. To him, it looked like something The trader searched the boat from stem to
unutterably and cruel,because, poor, stern, among boxes,bales and barrels,around the
ignorantblack soul ! he had not learned to generalize,
machinery,by the chimneys, in vain.
and to take enlargedviews. If he had
"
Now, I Tom, be fair about thisyer,"he
say,
only been instructed by certain ministersof Christianity,
said,when, after a fruitless search, he came,
he might have thoughtbetter of it,and where Tom was standing. "You know something
seen in it an every-day
a trade which is the vital support
incidentof a lawful trade ;
of an institution
which some American divines tell us has no
evilsbut such as are inseparable from any other
relations in social and domestic life. But Tom,
as we see, being a poor, ignorantfellow,whose
reading had been confined entirely to the New
Testament,could not comfort and solace himself
with views like these. His very soul bled within
him for what seemed to him the wrongs of the
poor suffering thingthat laylike a crushed reed
on the boxes ; the feeling, living, bleeding, yet
immortal thing,which American state law coolly
classeswith the bundles,and bales,and boxes,
among which she is lying.
Tom drew near, and tried to say something;
but she onlygroaned. Honestly,and with tears
running down Ins own cheeks, he spokeof a heart
of love in the skies,of a pityingJesus,and an
eternal home ; but the ear was deaf with anguish,
hard customer, that embarrassed his property
and the palsiedheart could not feel.
operations very unfairly; and so he onlyswore
"
Night came on, calm,unmoved, and that the gal was a baggage, and that he was
gloi'ious, shining down with her innumerable and devilish unlucky, and that,if thingswent on in
solemn angel eyes, twinkling, beautiful, but silent. this way, he should not make a cent on the trip.
There was no speech nor language, no pityingIn short,he seemed to consider himself an illused
man, decidedly; but there was no helpfor
voice nor helpinghand, from that distant sky.
One after another,the voices of business or pleasure
it,as the woman had escapedinto a state which
died away ; all on the boat were
sleeping, and never loillgiveup a "
fugitive, not even at the
the ripplesat the prow were plainly heard. Tom demand of the whole gloriousUnion. The trader,
stretched himself out on a box, and there,as he thereforeșat discontentedly down, with his little
lay, he heard,ever and anon, a smothered sob or account-book,and put down the missingbody
cry from the "0! what and soul under the head of losses!
prostratecreature,"
shall I do? 0 Lord! 0 good Lord,do help "He's a shockingcreature, isn't this
he,"
me !" and so, ever and anon, until the murmur
died away in silence.
At
midnight, Tom waked,with a sudden start.
Something black passedquicklyby him to the
side of the boat,and he heard a splashin the
water. No one else saw or heard anything. He
raised his the woman's head," placewas vacant!
He got up, and soughtabout him in vain. Tift;
poor bleeding heart was still, at last,and the
riverrippled and dimpledjustas brightlyas if it
had not closed above it.
Patience ! patience ! ye whose hearts swell
by the Man of Sorrows,the Lord of Glory.
In his patient, generous bosom he bears the anguish
of a world. Bear thou,like him,in patience,
and labor in love; for sure as he is God, "the
year of his redeemed shall come."
The trader waked up bright and early,and
came out to see to his live stock. It was now
lis turn to look about in perplexity.
"
Where alive is that gal ?" he said to Tom.
Tom, who hai learned the wisdom of keeping
about it,now. Don't tell me,
"
know
you do. I saw the galstretched out here about
ten o'clock,and ag'in at twelve,and ag"in between
one and two ; and then at four she was
gone, and you was a sleepingrightthere all the
time. Now, you know can't
something,"
help it."
you
"
Well,Mas'r," said Tom, " towards
morning
something brushed by me, and I kinder half
woke ; and then I hearn a greatsplash,
and the:*
I clare woke up, and the galwas gone. That 's
all I know on 't."
The trader was not shocked nor amazed ; because,
as we said before,he was used to a great
many. thingsthat you are not used to. Even the
awful presence
of Death struck no solemn chill
upon him. He had seen death many times,"
met him in the way of trade,and gotacquainted
with "
him, he only thoughtof him as a
indignantat wrongs like these. Not one throb
of anguish,not one tear of the oppressed,is for-
trader? so unfeeling ! It 's dreadful,really !"
"0, but nobody thinks anythingof these
traders ! They are universally despised,
"
never
received into any decent society."
But who, sir,makes the trader? Who is most
to blame? The enlightened, cultivated,intelligent
man, who supports the systemof which the
trader is the inevitable result,or the poor trader
himself? You make the publicsentiment that
calls for his trade,that debauches and depraves
him, till he feels no shame in it;and in what
are you better inan he ?
Are you educated and he ignorant, you high
gottenand he low, you refined and he coarse, you
talented
and he simple?
In the day of a future Judgment țhese very
considerations may make it more tolerable for
him than for you.
In concluding these little incidentsof lawful
trade,we must beg the world not to think that
legislators are
entirely
American
destitute of
humanity, as might,perhaps,be unfairlyinferred
from the great effortsmade in our national body
traffic.
to protect and
perpetuate this species of

" the
anything
" head-aches
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY.
53
Who does not know how our greatmen are
outdoingthemselves, declaimingagains the
foreign slave-trade? There are a perfect host of
Clarksons and Wilberforces risen up among us
on that subject, most edifying to hear and behold.
Tradingnegroes from Africa, dear reader, is so
"
horrid ! It is not to be thought of ! But tradingHalliday declared it was as good as any
them from Kentucky,
that's quite another music to him, and the children all avowed that
thing ! CHAPTER XEI.
THE QUAKER SETTLEMENT.
temporal solved there,"
A quiet scene now rises before us. A large, all by one good,lovingwoman, God bless her !
roomy, neatly-painted kitchen,its yellow floor
"
And so thee still thinks of going to Canada,
glossy and smooth, and without a particle of iEliza?" she said, as she was quietlylookingover
dust ; a neat, well-blacked cooking-stove ; rows her peaches.
"
of shiningtin,suggestive of unmentionable good Yes, ma'am," said Eliza,firmly. " I must go
things to the appetite ; glossygreen wood chairs, onward. I dare not stop."
"
old and firm ; a small flag-bottomed rockingchair,
with a patch-work cushion in it,neatlyThee must think about that, my daughter."
And what '11 thee do, when thee gets there ?
contrived out of small piecesof different; colored
"
My daughter" came naturally from the lips
woollen goods, and a largersized one, motherlyof Rachel Halliday ; for hers was justthe face and
"
and old, whose wide arms breathed hospitable form that made mother" seem the most natural
invitation, seconded by the solicitation of its word in the world.
feather a real comfortable, cushions," persuasive
Eliza'shands trembled, and some tears fell on
old chair, and worth, in the way of honest, her fine work ; but she answered,firmly,
homely enjoyment, a dozen of your plush or
"
I shall do I can find. I "
hopeI
brochetelle drawing-roomgentry; and in the can find something."
chair,gentlyswaying back and "
forward,her eyes
Thee knows thee can
stayhere,as longas
bent on some fine sewing șat our old friend
and thinner than
"
she
"
Eliza. Yes, there she is,paler "0, thank you," said Eliza,"but"
in her Kentucky home, with a world of quiet pointed to "I can't Harry" sleepnights; I can't
sorrow lying under the shadow of her longeyelashes,
rest. Last night I dreamed I saw that man coming
and marking the outline of her gentleinto the yard," she said,shuddering.
mouth ! It was plainto see how old and firm "Poor child!" said Rachel,wiping her eyes;
the girlish grown under the "
disciplinebut thee must n't feel
of heavy sorrow ; and when, anon, her largeit so that never hath a
so. The Lord
fugitive been
hath ordered
stolen from
dark eye was raised to follow the gambolsof her our village Ị trust thine will not be the first."
littleHarry,who was sporting, like some tropical The door here opened, and a littleshort,round,
butterfly, hither and thither over the floorșhe pincushiony stood at the door, with a
showed a depth of firmness and steady resolve cheery,bloomingface,like a ripeapple. She was
that was never there in her earlierand happierdressed,like Rachel,in sober gray,
with the muslin
days.
folded neatly across her round,plump little
By her side sat a woman with a brigh tin pan chest.
in her lap, into which she was "
carefully sorting Ruth Stedman," said Rachel,comingjoyfully
"
some dried peaches. She mightbe fifty-five or forward ; how isthee,Ruth?" she said heartily
sixty; but hers was oneof those faces that time takingboth her hands.
seems to touch only to brighten and adorn. The
Ruth, takingoff her littledrab
"
Nicely," said
snowy lisse crape cap,
made after the strait bonnet,and dusting it with her handkerchief,displaying,
Quaker pattern, the plainwhite muslin handkerchief,
as she did so, a round little head, on
lying in placidfolds across her bosom, which the Quaker cap sat with a sort of jaunty
drab shawl and dress," showed at once air,despite all the strokingand pattingof the
the
community to which she belonged.Her face small fat hands, which were busilyapplied to arranging
was round and rosy, with a healthful downy
it. Certain stray locks of decidedly curly
softness, suggestive of a ripepeach. Her hair, hair,too,
silvered
Eartially
escaped here and there,and had to
by age, was partedsmoothlybe coaxed and cajoledinto their placeagain; and
ack from a highplacidforehead,on which time then the new comer, who might have been fiveand-twentyțurned
from the small looking-glass,
will to men, and beneath shone a largepair before which she had been making these arrangements,
had written no
inscription, exceptpeace on
good earth,
of clear,honest,loving brown eyes ; you only and looked well "
pleased, as most people
needed to look straight into them, to
!who looked at her might have forshe been," was
decidedly a wholesome,whole-hearted, chirruping
little woman, as ever gladdenedman's heart
feel that
you saw to the bottom of a heart as good and
true as ever throbbed in woman's bosom. So
much has been said and sung of beautiful young
1
having taken cold in earlylife, or from some asthmatic
affection, or perhaps from nervous derange-
[ment; but, as she gentlyswung
backward and
forward, the chair kept up a kind of subdued
"
creechyerawchy," that would have been intol-
]erable in any other chair. But old Simeon
they would n't miss of hearingmother's chair for
anything in the world. For why? for twenty
years or more, nothing but lovingwords, and
gentlemoralities,and motherlylovingkindness,
had come from that chair ;
and
heart-aches innumerable had been cured there,"
difficultiesspiritual and
thee pleases," said Rachel.
withal.
girls, why don't somebody wake up to the "
beauty Ruth, thisfriendisEliza Harris ; and this is
of old women] If any want to get up
an inspiration
the littleboy I told thee of."
under this head,we refer them to our
"
good "I am gladto see thee,Eliza, very,"said
friend Rachel Halliday, just as she sitsthere in her Ruth, if Eliza shakinghands,as were an old friend
littlerocking-chair. It had a turn for quacking'she bad long been expecting; "and this is thv
and that chair either from
I sq"3aking" had," jdearboy," broughta cake forhim," she said,

"
come
this
54 UNCLE TOM S CABIN I OR,
holdingout a littleheart to the boy,who came
up gazingthrough his curls,and acceptedit
Shyly.
"'Where 's thybaby, Ruth
?" said Rachel.
"
0, he 's coining; but thyMarycaughthim as
I came in,and ran off with him to the barn,to
show him to the children."
At this moment, the door opened,and Mary, an
honest,rosy-looking girl, with largebrown eyes,
likeher mother's,came in with the baby.
"
All ! ha !" said Rachel,coming up, and taking
the great,white, fat fellow in her arms; "howgood
he looks,and how he does grow !"'
"
To be sure, he does,"said littlebustlingRuth,
as she took the child,and begantakingoff a little
blue silkhood,and various layersand wrappers of
outer garments ; and havinggivena twitch here,
and a pullthere,and variously adjustedand arranged
him,and kissed him heartily, she set him
on the floorto collect his thoughts Ḅaby seemed
quite used to this mode of proceeding, for he put
his thumb in his mouth (as if it were quite a thing
of course), and seemed soon absorbed in his own
reflections, while the mother seated herself,and
taking out a longstockingof mixed blue and white
yarn, began to knit with briskness.
"
Mary, thee 'd better fill the kettle,hadn't
thee ?" gentlysuggested'the mother.
morning; made the bed, tidied up the house.
Leah Hills went in, this afternoon,and baked If I did n't love John and the baby, I should not
bread and piesenough to last some days,and I know how to feel for her. Come, now, do tell
engagedto go back to get her up, this evening." her," do !" and she laid her hands
into
persuasively
thy bed-room,
"
Take her
"
I will go in to-morrow, and do any cleaningon Rachel's arm.
there may be,and look over the mending," said there,and let me frythe chicken while thee does
.Rachel.
"
Ah !
it."
Rachel came out into the kitchen, where
that iswell,"saidRuth.
"
I 've heard,"
she added, " that Hannah Stanwood issick. John Eliza was sewing, and openingthe door of a small
was
up there,last night;" I must go there tomorrow."
bed-room,said,gently, "-Come in here with me,
"
John can come in here to his meals,if thee
needs to stay all day,"suggestedRachel.
sink,in a littf 3 back porch,
"Indeed!" said Rachel,lookingthoughtfully
and glancingat Eliza.
"Did thee say thy name was Harris?" said
Simeon to Eliza,as liereentered.
Rachel glancedquickly at her husband, as Eliza
"
tremulously answered
suggestingthat
advertisements out for her. '
fears, ever
"
trembling with nervous anxiety,
her boy.
"
Thank thee,Rachel ; we will see, to-morrow ;
but,here comes Simeon."
"
No, no," said little Ruth, dartingup, and
Simeon Halliday,atall,straight, muscular man, seizing "
Never thee fear; it 's good
in drab coat and pantaloons, and broad-brimmed news, Eliza, go in, go in!" And she gently
hat,now entered.
pushed her to the door, which closed after her ;
"
How is thee,Ruth?" he said,warmly, as he and then,turninground, she caught little Harry
spread his broad open hand for her littlefat palm; in her arms, and begankissing him.
thy
"
Thee '11 see father,little one. "
and how is John?"
Does thee
"
0 ! John is well,and allthe rest of our folks," know it? Thy father is coming," she said,over
said Ruth, cheerily.
and over again, as the boy looked wonderingly "
Any news, father ?" said Rachel,as she was her.
putting her biscuits into the oven.
Meanwhile, within the door,another scene was
"
Peter Stebbins told me that theyshould be going on. Rachel Hallidaydrew Eliza toward
along to-night, with
nificantly, her, and said,"The Lord hath had mercy
on
yes ;" her
uppermost,
there mi^ht be
possibly
"
Mother !" said Simeon,standing in the perch,
and callingRachel out.
"
What does thee want, father?" said Rachel,
rubbingher flouryhands, as she went into the
porch.
"
This child'shusband is in the settlement, and
will be here
to-night," said Simeon.
"
Now, thee doesn't say that, father?" said
Rachel,all her face radiant with joy.
"
It 's reallytrue. Peter was down yesterday,
with the wagon, to the other stand,anilthere ho
and one said
found an old woman and two men ;
his name was GeorgeHarris ; and, from what he
told of his history,I am certain who he is. He
is a bright,likelyfellow țoo."
"
Shall we tell her now?" said Simeon.
"Let's tell Ruth,'-'said Rachel. "Here,
Ruth
,
here
.
' '
Ruth laid down her knitting-work, and was in
the back porchin a moment.
"
"
Mary took the kettle to the well,and soon reappearing,
"
Ruth, what does thee think?" said Rachel.
placedit over the stove, where it was
company,
"
Father Eliza's husband is in the last
soon purring and steaming, a sort of censer of
and
says
will be here to-night."
hospitality and good cheer. The peaches, A burst of joy from the little Quakeress interrupted
in obedience to a few gentlewhispersfrom
the speech. She gave such a bound
Rachel, were. soon deposited, by the same hand, in from the floor,as she clapped her littlehands,
a stew-pan over the fire.
that two straycurls fell from under her Quaker
Rachel now took down a snowy moulding-board, cap, and laybrightly on her white neckerchief.
and, tying on an apron, proceededquietlyto "Hush thee, dear!" said Rachel, gently;
making up
some biscuits,firstsaying to "
Mary, hush, Ruth ! Tell us, shall we tell her
"
Mary, had n't thee better tell John to get a
"
Now ! to be sure, very minute.
now?"
Why,
chicken ready?" and Mary disappeared now, suppose 'twas my John, how should I feel?
Do tell her,right off."
Thee thyselfonlyto
"
And how is AbigailPeters ?" said Rachel,as
" uses learn how to love
she went on with her biscuits.
thyneighbor,Ruth," said Simeon,looking, "
0, she 's better,"said Ruth
"
; I was in,this a beaming face,on Ruth.
"
To be sure. Is n't it what we are made for?
my daughter;
I have news to tellthee."
The blood flushed in Eliza's paleface ; she rose,
and looked towards
friends,'''' said Simeon, sig-
as he was washing his hands at a neat
thee,daughter; thy husband hath escaped from
the house of bondage."

head
home,"
it
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY.
55
The bbod flushed to
Ehza'^cheek in a sudden ingup
the rose-leaves and trimmingUie bushes
glow, and went back to her heart with as sudden in Paradise,askingother hands than those of tho
a rush. She sat down, paleand faint.
original mother. While,therefore,John ran to
"Have courage, child," said Rachel,layingthe spring for fresh water, and Simeon the second
"
her hand on her head. He is among friends, sifted meal for corn-cakes,and Mary ground
who will bring him here to-night."
coffee,Rachel moved gently and quietlyabout,
"To-night!" Eliza repeated,"to-night!" making biscuits, cuttingup chicken,and diffusing
The words lost all meaning to her ; her head
a sort of sunny radiance over the whole proceeding
was dreamy and confused ; all was mist for a
generally Ịf there was any danger of
moment.
friction or collisionfrom the ill-regulated zeal of
so many young operators,her gentle "Come!
"
When she awoke, she found herself snuglycome !" or I wouldn't, now," was quite sufficient
tucked up
on the bod, with a blanket over her, to allay the difficulty. Bards have written
and littleRuth rubbing her hands with camphor. of the cestus of Venus,that turned the heads of
She opened her eyes in a state of dreamy, delicious
all the world in successivegenerations Ẉe :.ad
languor șuch as one has who has long been rather,for our
part,have the cestus of Rachel
bearing a heavyload, and now feels it gone, and Halliday, that keptheads from beingturned, and
would rest. The tension of the nerves, which made everything go on harmoniouslyẈe think
had never ceased a moment since the firsthour of it is more suited to our modern days,decidedly.
her flight, had givenway, and a strangefeeling While all other preparations were goingon,
of security and rest came over her ; and, as she Simeon the elder stood in his shirt-sleevesbefore a
lay,with her large,dark eyes open, she followed, littlelooking-glass in the corner, engaged in the
as in a quietdream, the motions of those about anti-patriarchal operationof shaving.Everything
her. She saw the door open into the other
went on so sociably,
quietlyșo harmoniously,
room ; saw the supper-table, with its snowy
in the great kitchen. "
seemed so
cloth ; heard the dreamy murmur of the singingpleasant to every one to do justwhat theywere
tea-kettle ; saw Ruth tripping backward and forward,
doing țhere was such an atmosphereof mutual
with platesof cake and saucers of preserves,
confidence and good fellowshipeverywhere,"
and ever and anon stopping put a cake even the knives and forks had a social clatter as
into Harry'shand, or pat his head,or twine his they went on to the table ; and the chicken and
long curls round her snowy fingersṢhe saw the ham had a cheerful and joyous fizzlein the pan,
ample,motherly form of Rachel,as she ever and as if they rather enjoyedbeingcooked than otherwise
anon came to the bed-side,and smoothed and arranged
something about the bed-clothes,and gave
a tuck here and there,by way of expressing her
good-will ; and was conscious of a kind of sunshine
beaming down upon her from her large,
clear,brown eyes. She saw Ruth's husband come
saw her in," flyup to him,and commence whispering
very earnestly, ever and anon, with im-
gesture,pointing
toward
her little finger
pressive
the room. She saw her,with the babyin her
arms, sitting down to tea ; she saw them all at
table,and littleHarry in a highchair,under the
shadow of Rachel's amplewing; there were low
murmurs of talk,gentletinkling of tea-spoons,
cup
into the
and musical clatter of cups and saucers, and all food and drink she offered.
mingled in a delightful dream of rest ; and Eliza It was the firsttime that ever Georgehad sat
slept, as she had not sleptbeforeșince the fearful
down on equalterms at any white man's table ;
midnighthour when she had taken her child and he sat down, at first, with some constraint
and fled through the frostystar-light.
and awkwardness ; but theyall exhaled and went
of this
She dreamed of a beautiful a land, off like country," fog, in the genialmoruingrays
it seemed to her,of rest,"
green shores,pleas-simple,overflowinant
islands,
beautifully glittering water; and
"
kindness.
This,indeed,was a home, a word
there,in a house which kind voices told her was that George had never yet known a meaning for ;
a home, she saw her boyplaying, a freeand happy
and a belief in God, and trust in his providence,
child. She heard her husband's- footsteps ; began
she to encircle his heart, as, with a golden
felt him
comingnearer ; his arms were around cloud" of protectionand confidence, dark,misanthropic,
her,his tears falling on her face,and she awoke ! pining,atheistic doubts,and fierce despair,
It was no dream ! The daylight had longfaded ;
The next morningwas a cheerful one at the
"
Quaker house. Mother " Avas
up betimes,and
surrounded by busy girlsand boys,whom we had
scarce time to introduce to our readers yesterday,
and who all moved obediently to Rachel's gentle
"
Thee had better," or more gentle " Hadn't thee
better?" in the work of gettingbreakfast;for a
breakfast in'the luxurious valleysof Indiana is a
thingcomplicated multiform,and,like j ick-
"
; and when Georgeand Eliza and little
Harry came out,theymet such a hearty,rejoicing
welcome,no wonder it seemed to them like a
dream.
At last they were all seated at breakfast, while
Mary stood at the ^tove,bakinggriddle-cakes,
which,as theygained the true,exact golden-brown
tintof perfection, were transferredquitehandily
to the table.
Rachel never looked so truly and benignlyhappy
as at the
.
of her table. There was so
much motherliness and full-heartedness even in
the way she passeda plate of poured cakes,or a
of coffee, that it seemed to put a spiiit
melted away before the light of a living
Gospel, breathed in livingfaces,preachedby a
thousand unconscious acts of love and goodwill,
her child laycalmlysleepingby her side ; a candle
was burningdimlyon the stand,and her
husband was sobbingby her pillow.
which, like the cup of cold water givenin the
name of a disciple, shall never lose their reward.
"
Father,what if thee should get found out
again?"said Simeon second,as he buttered his
cake.
"
I should pay my fine,"said Simeon, quietly.
"
But what if theyput thee in prison ?"
"
Could n't thee and mother manage the farm?"
said Simeon,smiling.
"
Mother can do almost everything," said the
boy. " But isn't it a shame to make such laws'1"

and
UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR,
"
Thee mustn't speakevil of thy rulers Șimeon,"
said his father,gravely. " The Lord only
gives us our worldlygoodsthat we may do justice
and mercy ; if our rulers'require
a priceof us for
it,we must deliver it up."
"Well, I hate those old slaveholders!" said
CHAPTER
EVAXGELINE.
XTV.
"A young star! which shone
O'er too sweet life" an image for such glass!
A lovelybeing,scarcelyformed or moulded ;
A rose with all its sweetest leaves yet folded."
The Mississippi ! How, as by an enchanted
wand, have its scenes been changedșince Cha-
wrote his prose-poetic description of
it,as a river of mighty, unbroken solitudes, ing
teaubriand
distant from the
statelymansions and pleasure-grounds of the
roll-
master "
; as the movingpicturepassedon,
amid undreamed wonders of vegetableand
the world bears on its bosom to the ocean the
wealth and enterprise of such another country ?
" a country whose productsembrace all between
the tropicsand the poles ! Those turbid waters,
hurrying,foamingțearingalong, an
the sea-like expanse of the river the shivery
canes, and the tall,dark cypress hung with
wreaths of dark,funereal moss, glow in the gold
en
ray, as the heavily-laden steamboat marches
onward.
Piled with cotton-bales, from
many a plantation,
the boy, who felt as unchristian as became any up over deck and sidesțillshe seems in the
modern reformer.
distance a square, massive block of gray, she
" I am surprised thee,son," said Simeon ; moves heavily onward to the nearingmart. We
"
thy mother never taught thee so. I would do must look some time among itscrowded decks
even the same for the slaveholder as for the slave, before we shall find againour humble friend Tom.
if the Lord broughthim to my door in affliction." High on the upper deck,in a little nook among
Simeon second blushed scarlet ; but his mother the everywherepredominantcotton-bales, at last
onlysmiled,and said, " Simeon is my good boy ; we
may find him.
he will grow older,by and by, and then he will Partlyfrom confidence inspiredby Mr. Shelby's
be like his father."
representations, and partlyfrom the remarkably
"
I hope,my goodsirțhat you
are not exposed inoffensiveand quietcharacter of the man, Tom
to any difficulty on our account,"said George,
had insensibly won his way far into the confidence
anxiously.
even of such a man as Haley.
"
Fear nothing,George, for therefore are we At firsthe had watched him narrowlythrough
sent into the v. v:.l.If we would not meet trouble the day, and never allowed him to sleep at night
for a good cause, we were not worthy of our unfettered ; but the uncomplainingpatienceand
name."
apparentcontentment of Tom's manner led him
"
But, for me," said George, " I could not bear to discontinue these restraints, and for some time
it."
Tom had enjoyed a sort of paroleof honor,being
"
Fear not,then,friend George; it is not for permittedto come and go freely pleased
thee,but for God and man, we do it,"said Simeon.
on the boat.
"And now thou must lie by quietly this Ever quietand obliging, and more than ready
day, and to-night, at ten o'clock,Phineas Fletcher
to lend a hand in every emergency which occurred
will carry thee onward to the next stand," among the workmen below,he had won the good
thee and the rest of thy company. The pursuers
opinionof all the hands,and spent many hours
are hard after thee ; we must not in
delay." helping them with as good heartya will as
"
If that is the case, why wait till ever he worked on a
evening'?"
Kentucky farm.
said When there
George.
seemed to be nothing forhim to do,
"
Thou art safe here by daylight, every one he would climb to a nook among the cotton-bales
in the settlement is a Friend,and all are watching.
of the upper deck,and busy himself in studying
It has been found saferto travel by night."
over his and it is there Bible," we see him now.
For a hundred or more miles above New Orleans,
the river is higherthan the surrounding
country, and rolls its tremendous volume between
The traveller
massive levees twenty feet in height.
from the deck of the steamer,as from some
floating castle top, overlooks the whole country
for miles and miles around. Tom, therefore, had
spread out full before him, in plantation aftei
plantation, a
map of the life to which he was
approaching.
He saw the distant slaves at their toil ; he saw
afar theirvillages of huts gleaming out in long
rows on
many a plantation,
his poor foolishheart would be turning backward
animal existence.
to the Kentucky farm, with its old shadowy
But. as in an hour, this river of dreams and
to the beeches," master's house,with its wide,
wild romance has emerged to a reality scarcelycool halls,and,near by, the little cabin, overgrown
lessvisionaryand splendid Ẉhat other river of
with the multiflora and bignonia. There
he seemed to see familiar faces of comrades,who
had grown up with him from infancy; he saw his
busy wife,bustling in her preparations for his
"
.
"
evening meals ; he heard the merry laughof his
apt resemblance
boysat theirplay, and the chirrup of the baby at
of that headlongtide of business which is his knee ; and then,with a start,all faded,and
pouredalong its Avave by a race more vehement he saw againthe cane-brakes and cypresses and
and energeticthan any the old world ever saw. glidingplantations, and heard again the creaking
Ah ! would that theydid not also bear along a and groaning of the machinery, all telling him
more fearful freight, the tears of the oppressed, too plainly that all that phaseof life had gone by
the sighsof the helpless, the bitter prayers of forever.
poor, ignoranthearts to an unknown God unknown,
In such a case, you write to your wife,and
unseen and silent,but who will yet send messages to your children ; but Tom could
come out of his placeto save all the poor of not the mail for him had no write," existence,
"
*Jheearth !"
and the gulfof separation was unbridgedby even
The slanting lightof the setting sun quiverson a friendly word or signal.

" for"
_
my
"
for
not
Father's
but
and
"
to
house
"
heart
are
be
"
.
spot
LIFE AMONG HE LOWLY.
57
Is itstrangețhen,that some tears fall on the Rooked at her,and by which the dullestand most
pages of his Bible,as he laysit on the cottonbale,
and, with patientfingerțhreadinghis !why". The shapeof her head and the turn of
literal were impressed, without exactlyknowing
slow way from word to word, traces out its promises?
her neck and bust were peculiarly noble, and the
Having learned late in lifeȚom was but longgolden-brownhair that floated like a cloud
a slow reader,and passedon laboriouslyfrom around it țhe deepspiritual gravityof her violet-
verse to verse. Fortunate for him was it that the
book he was intent on was one which slow reading
"
cannot injure, nay, one whose words, like
ingotsof gold șeem often to need to be weighed
glided hither and thither on the boat. Neverthejless,the
littleone was not what you would have
that the mind may take in theirpriceless
value. Let us follow him a moment, as, |called either a
grave child or a sad one. On the
each half
separately,
pointing to each word,and pronouncing
aloud,he reads,
"
Let
" "
your
In " " "
"
mansions. I
go
"
"
"
troubled.
"
"
"
"
"
many
She was always in motion,alwayswith a half
" a
prepare place!smile on her rosy mouth, flying hither and thither.
you."
with an undulating and cloud-like tread,singing
Cicero,when he buried his darlingand only to herself as she moved, as in a happy dream.
daughter, a heart as full of honest grief as
poor Tom's," perhapsno fuller, for both were
only men ; Cicero could pause over no such
sublime word^ of hope, and look to no such future
reunion ; and if he had seen them,ten to one he
would not have believed, he must fillhis head
firstwith a thousand questionsof authenticity iin white,she seemed to move like a shadow
manuscript, and correctness of translation. But,
to poor Tom, there it lay,justwhat he needed,so
evidently true and divine that the possibility of a
question never entered his simplehead. It must
be true ; for,if not true, how could he live ?
As for Tom's Bible,thoughit had no annotations
and helps in marginfrom learned commentators,
stillit had been embellished with certain
way-marks and guide-boards
tion,
of Tom's own inven-
and
and which helpedhim more than the most !him in some dreadful danger. Anon the steerslearned
expositions could have done. It had been 'man at the wheel paused and smiled, as the
his custom to get the Bible read to him by his "
picture-like head gleamedthroughthe window of
master's children, in particularby
young Master the round-house,and in a moment was
gone
in a moment seize upon
his favorite passages,
)fhis
without the labor of spelling out what lay between
kindlyrace, ever yearning toward the sin pieand
them
"
; while it lay there before childlike, watched the little creature wii'h daily
him, every passage breathing of some old home increasing interest. To him she seemed something
Bcene, and recalling some past enjoyment,his
almost divine ; and whenever her golden
Bible seemed to him all of this lifethat remained, head and deep blue eyes peered out upon him
as well as the promiseof a future one.
Among the passengers on the boat was a young
gentleman of fortune and family,resident in New
Orleans,who bore the name of St. Clare. He had
with him a daughter between five and six years
with a ladywho seemed to claim
of age,together
relationship to both,and to have the little one
especially under her chargė
|blueyes, shaded by.heavy fringes of golden
!brown," all marked her out from other children,
' and made
every one turn to look after her,as she
contrary, an airy and innocent playfulness seemed
to flicker like the shadow of summer leaves over
her childishface,and around her buoyantfigure-
Her father and female guardianwere incessantly
Jbusy in pursuitof her," but,when caught,she
melted from them again like a summer cloud ,
and
;as no word of chiding or reproofever fellon her
ear for whatever she chose to do, she pursued
her own way all over the boat. Alwaysdressed
through all sorts of places,
contracting
without
or stain ; and there was not a corner or nook,
had
not
! above or below, where those fairyfootsteps
glided, and that visionary goldenhead,with
| its deep blue eyes, fleeted along.
The fireman,as he looked up
from his sweaty
toilșometimes found those eyes lookjng wonderingly
into the ragingdepths of the furnace,and
"
fearfully
pityingly at him, as if she thought
George; and as theyread, he would designate by again. A thousand times a day roughvoices
bold,strong marks and dashes,with pen and ink, blessed her,and smiles of unwonted softnessstole
the passages which more particularly gratified his over hard faces,as she passed; and when she
ear or affected his heart. His Bible was thus trippedfearlessly over dangerousplaces,rough
marked through, from one end to the other,with sootyhands were stretched involuntarily out to
a variety of stylesand designations ; so he could save her,and smooth her path.
Tom, who had the soft,impressible nature
from behind some dusky cotton-bale,or looked
down upon him over some ridge of packages he
half believed that he saw one of the angi Is
.
steppedout of his New Testament.
Often and often she walked mournfully round
the placewhere Haley'sgang of men and women
sat in their chains. She would glidein among
them,and look at then with an air of perplexed
Tom had often caughtglimpsesof this little and sorrowful earnestness ; and sometimes she
girl, she was one of those busy,trippingwould lift their chains with her slender hands,
creatures țhat can be no more contained in one and then sighwofully, as she glided away.
place than a sunbeam or a summer breeze," nor Several times she appearedsuddenlyamong them,
was she one that,once seen, could be easily forgotten.
with her hands full of
candy,nuts, and oranges,
which she would distributejoyfully w them, and
Her form was the perfection of childishbeauty, then be gone again.
without its usual chubbiness and squareness of Tom watched the little lady a great deal,
outline. There was about it an undulating and before he ventured on
any overtures towards
aerial grace, such as one mightdream of for some acquaintanceship. He knew an abundance of
mythic and allegorical being. Her face was simple acts to propitiate
and invite the ap
remarkable less for its perfectbeautyof feature proachesof the littlepeople,and he resolved to
than for a singularand dreamyearnestness of play his partrightskilfully. He could cut cunning
expression, which made the ideal start when they littlebaskets out of cherry-stones, could

oS UNCLE TOM S CABIN \ OR,
make grotesquefaces on hickory-nuts,
oddjumpingfiguresout
of elder-pith, and he was a through the boat ; in the cabin,one and another
bustle of expectation and preparationwas spread
very Pan in the manufacture of whistles of all were gathering their thingstogether,and arranging
sizes and sorts. His pockets were full of miscellaneous
them, preparatoiy to going ashore. The
articles of attraction,which he had steward and chambermaid, and all,were busily
hoarded in days of old for his master's children, engaged in cleansing, furbishing, and arranging
and which he now produced, with commendable the splendidboat,preparatory to a grand entree.
prudence and economy, one by one, as overtures On the lower deck sat our friend Tom, with
for acquaintance and friendship.
his arms folded,and anxiously, from time to
The little one was shy,for all her busy inter-, time,turninghis eyes towards a
group on the
est in everything goingon, and it was not easy to other side of the boat.
tame her. For a while,she would perch like a There stood the fair Evangeline, a little paler
canary-birdon some box or packagenear Tom, than the daybefore,but otherwise exhibiting no
while busy in the little arts afore-named, and traces of the accident which had befallen her. A
take from him, with a kind of grave bashfulness, graceful,elegantly-formed young
man stood by
the littlearticles he offered. But at last theygot her, carelessly leaningone elbow on a bale of
on quiteconfidential terms.
cotton,while a largepocket-booklayopen before
"What's little missy's name?" said Tom, at him. It was quiteevident,at a glance țhat the
last,when he thought matters were ripe to push
such an inquiry.
"Evangeline St. Clare," said the little one,
"
thoughpapa and everybody else call me Eva.
Now, what 's your name?"
"My name's Tom: the little chil'en used to
call me Uncle Tom, way back thai- in Kentuck."
"
Then I mean to call you Uncle Tom, because,
you see, I like you," said Eva. "
So,Uncle Tom,
where are you going?"
"
I don't know, Miss Eva."
was busy among the hands.
the water. Her fatherșcarce knowingwhat he
did, was plunging in after her,but was held
back by some behind him, who saw that more
efficientaid had followed his child.
Tom Avas standingjustunder her, on the lower
The wheel had made two or three
revolutions in the water,when, by some sudden
movement, the little one suddenlylost her balance,
and fell sheer over the side of the boat into
deck,as she fell. He saw her strike the water
and sink,and was after her in a moment. A
broad-chested,strong-armed fellow,it was nothing
for him to keep afloat in the water, till,in a
moment or two, the child rose to the surface,and
he caught her in his arms, and,swimming with
her.to the boat^side,
to the grasp
of hundreds of hands, which, as if
they had all belongedto one man, were stretched
eagerly out to receive her. A few moments more,
Eva and her father were standingtogether by
the railings, to see the boat start from the land-
"
Wal," said Haley, " if I should say thirteen
ing-place. hundred dollars for that ar fellow,I shouldn't
nigger
just,as you may say, for his body,supposin
and her father bore her,dripping and senseless, he 's stupid; but come to put in his calculatin
to the ladies' cabin,where, as is usual in cases faculties,and them which I can show he has
of the kind,there ensued a
very well-meaningoncommon, why, of course, it makes him come
and kind-hearted strife among the female occupants
higher.Why, that ar fellow managedhis master's
generally, as to who should do the most
whole farm. He has a strornarytalent for
thingsto make a disturbance,and to hinder her business."
"
Bad, bad, very bad; knows altogethertoo
recovery in every way
gentlemanwas Eva"s father. There was the
same noble cast of head, the same large blue
eyes, the same golden-brownhair ; yet the expression
was wholly different. In the large,
clear blue eyes, though in form and color exactly
similarțhere was wanting that misty,dreamy
depth of expression ; all was clear,bold, and
bright, but with a lightwhollyof this Avorld :
the beautifully cut mouth had a proud and somewhat
sarcastic expression, while an air of freeand-easysuperiority
sat not ungracefully in every
" Don't know?" said Eva.
turn and movement of his fine form. He was
" No. I am going to be sold to somebody. I listening, with a good-humored,negligentair,
don't know who."
half "comic,half contemptuous, to Haley, who
"My papa
can buy you," said Eva, quickly; was
very volublyexpatiating qualityof
" and if he buys you, you will have good times.
the article for which theywere bargaining.
"
I mean to ask him to, this very day."
All the moral and Christian virtues bound in
"
Thank you, my
littlelady," said Tom.
black morocco, complete! " he said when Haley
The boat here stopped at a small landing to had finished. " Well, now, my good fellow,
take in wood, and Eva, hearingher father's voice, what 's the damage, as they say in Kentucky ; in
bounded nimblyaway. Tom rose
up,
and went short,what 's to be paidout for this business ?
forward to offerhis service in wooding, and soon How much are
you going to cheat me, now ? Out
with it!"
but justsave myself; I shouldn't now, re'ly."
"
Poor fellow !" said the young man, fixing keen,mocking, blue eye on him ; " but I suppose
you 'd let me have him for that,out of a particular
regardfor me."
"
Well, the young ladyhere seems to be sot on
him, and nat'llyenough."
"
0 ! certainly, there 's a call on your benevolence,
my friend. Now, as a matter of Christian
charity,how cheap could you afford to let him
go, to oblige a young ladythat 's particular sot
It was a sultry, close day,the next day,as the mocking smile playing about his mouth. "
Never
iteamer drew near to New Orleans. A generalwill do, in the world. Your smart fellows are
on
him?"
"
Wal, now, just think on 't," said the trader ;
"justlook at them limbs," broad-chested,strong
as a horse. Look at his head ; them high forrads
handed her up, all dripping, allaysshows calculatin niggers țhat '11 do. any
kind o' thing. I 've marked that ar. Now, a
of that ar heft and build is worth considerable,
much!" said the young man, with the same

"
such
but
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY.
59
alwaysrunningoff,stealing horses,and raising"I'm a thinkin that every
man 11,have to hang
the devil generally.I think you
'11have to take on his own hook, in them ar quarters."
offa coupleof hundred for his smartness."
' ' Rather hard on a fellow that extra on
Wal, there might be something in that ar, if religion, and can't trade with
pays
it in the state
'"
itwarnt for his character ; but I can show recommends
where he Avants it most, an't it,now?" said the
from his master and others,to prove he is
out a roll of
"
one of your real pious, the most humble, prayin,picas
crittur ye ever did see. Why, he 's
out a cash concern, he mighthave been somewhat
out of patience; as it was, he laid down a
greasy putting the tipof his fingerunder Tom's
pocket-book on the cotton-bales, and began anxiously
"
chin,said,good-humoredly, Look up, Tom, and
studying over certain papers in it,the see how you like new
your master."
young man standingby,the while,lookingdown Tom looked up. It was not in nature to look
on him with an air of careless, easy drollery. into that gay, young,
handsome face,without a
feeling pleasure; and Tom felt the tears start
"
Papa, do buy him ! it 's no matter what you
pay,]'whisperedEva, softly,gettingup on a in his eyes
as he
"
said,heartily, God bless you,
package, and putting her arm around her father's Mas'r !"
neck. "
You have money enough, I know. I
"
Well, I hope he will. What 's name ?
want him."
Tom ? Quiteas likely to do
your your askingas
"
What for, pussy ? Are you goingto use him mine, from all accounts. Can you drive horses,
for a rattle-box, or a rocking-horse, or what?" Tom ? ' '
"
I 've
"
I want to make him happy."
allays used to horses,"said Tom.
been
Mas'r Shelby raised heaps
"
An original reason, certainly."
"
on 'em."
Here the trader handed
up a certificate,
"
signed Well, I think I shall put you in cbachy, on
by Mr. Shelby,which the young
man took with condition that you
won't be drunk more than
the tips of his longfingers, and glancedover once a week, unless in cases of
carelessly.
"Tom."
emergency,
"A gentlemanlyhand," he said,"and well Tom looked surprised, rather hurt, and
spelt țoo. Well, now, but I 'in not sure, after said, " I never drink,Mas'r."
all,about this religion," said he,the old wicked
expressionreturning to his eye ; " the country is
almost ruined with pious white people : such
piouspoliticians
piousgoings on in all departmentsof
"
You liketo be a jokin,now," said the trader ;
"
but, then,there 's sense under all that ar. I
know there 's differencesin religionṢome kinds
is mis'i-able : there 's your meetin pious; there 's
your singin, roarin pious; them ar an'.t no account,
in black or "
white; these rayly is ;
and I 've seen it in niggersas often as any, your
rail softly, quiet,stiddy, honest,pious țhat the
hull world couldn't tempt 'em to do nothing that
they thinks is wrong ; and ye see in this letter
what Tom's old master
says about him."
young man, who had been making
bills while he was speaking."There, count
now become interwoven with that of higherones
"
Now," said the young man, stoopinggravelyit is necessary to
over his book of bills,
if you can assure me that
give
yeur money, old boy! " he added,as he handed
been called a preacher in them partshe came the roll to the trader.
"
from."
All right,"said Haley, his face beamingwith
"
And I mightuse him for a familychaplain, delight ; and pullingout an old inkhorn,he pro-
possibly,'* added the young man, That 's
to fillout dryly." a bill of sale,which,in a few
quitean idea. Religion is a remarkably scarce moments, he handed to the young man.
"
I wonder,now, if I was divided up and in-
ceeded
article at our house."
ventoried,"
"
You 're joking,now."
said the latter,as he ran over the
"
How do you know I am? Didn't you justpaper, how much I might bring. Say so much
warrant him for a preacher'? Has he been examined
for the shapeof my head, so much for a high
by any synod or council" Come, hand foreheadșo much for arms, and hands, and legs,
over your papers."
and then so much for education,learning, talent,
If 'thetrader had not been sure, by a certain honesty,religion ! Bless me ! there would be
good-humored twinkle in the large blue eye, that small charge on that last, I'm thinking Ḅut
all tins banter was sure, in the longrun, to turn come, Eva," he said ; and takingthe hand of hia
daughter,he stepped across the boat,and carelessly
"
I 've heard that storybeforeȚom ; but then
we '11 see. It willbe a special accommodation to
all concerned,if you don't. Never mind, my
as we have justbefore elections, boy," he added, good-humoredly, seeingTom
"
still looked grave ; I don't doubt you
mean to
church and state,that a fellow does not know do well."
,
who '11 cheat him
"
next. I don't know, either, I sartin do, Mas'r," said Tom.
about religion's beingup in the "
market,justnow.
And you shall have good times," said Eva.
I have not looked
"
in the papers latelyțo see Papa is very good to everybody, only he always
how it sells. How many hundred dollars, now, will laugh at them."
do you put on for this religion?"
for his recommendation,"
said St. Clare, laughing,ae ho
"
Papa is much obliged to you
turned on his heel and walked away.
CHAPTER
XV.
OF tom's new master, and various other mat
TERS.
Since the thread of our humble hero's lifehas
some brief introduction tc
them.
I really can buy this kind of pious,and that it Augustine St. Clare was the son of a wealthy
will be set down to my account in the book up planter of Louisiana. The family had its origin
above,as somethingbelonging to me, I wouldn't in Canada. Of two brothers, very similar in
care if I die1 go a littl extra for it. How d' ye temperament and character, one had settled on a
say?"
flourishing farm in Vermont, and the other became
"
Wal, raily, I can't do that,'said the trader. an opulentplanter in Louisiana. The mother of

" he
to
but
60 UNCLE TOM S CABIN : CR,
A"VU" me was a Huguenot French lady,whose
fanaijhad emigrated to Louisiana during the
days t. '.'its early settlement. Augustine and
"
"
another, brother were the onlychildren of their
parentii Having inherited from his mother an
too late. I believed
"
I have received yours,
exceedis. $ delicacyof constitution, he was, at the
all I heard. I was desperateỊ am married,
instance af physicians, during many years of his and all is over. Onlyforget, it is allthat
boyhoodsent to the care of his uncle in Vermont,
remains for either of us."
in order that his constitution might be And thus ended the whole romance and ideal
strength, by the cold of a more bracingclimate.
of life for AugustineSt. Clare. But the real
remained," the real, like the flat,bare, oozy tidemud,
In childhood,he was remarkable for an extreme
when the blue sparkling wave, with all its
and marked sensitiveness of character,more akin company of gliding boats and white-winged ships,
to the softness of woman than the ordinary its music of oars and chimingwaters, has gone
of his own sex. Time, however, overgrew
this softness with the
rough bark of manhood,
and but few knew how livingand fresh it still
lay at the core. His talents were of the very first
the hour that comes onlyonce ; his star rose in
the
star that rises so often in
"
horizon, that
vain,to be remembered only as a thing of dreams ; weave again into a tissue of brightness. But
and it rose for him in vain. To drop the figure, Marie St. Clare could not even see that theyhad
saw and won the love of a high-mindedand been broken. As before stated șhe consistedof
beautiful woman, in one of the northern states, a fine figure, a pairof splendideyes,
and a hundred
and theywere affianced. He returned south to thousand dollars ; and none of these items
make arrangements for their marriage,when, were precisely the ones to minister to a mind
most unexpectedly,his letterswere returned to diseased.
him by mail,with a short note from her guardian, When Augustine,pale as death,was found
Btating to him that ere this reached him the lady lying on the sofa,and pleadedsudden sick-headache
would be the wife of another. Stung to madness,
as the cause of his distresș she recommended
he vainlyhoped, as
many another has done, to to him to smell of hartshorn ; and when the paleness
fling the whole tilingfrom his heart by one desperate
and headache came on week afterweek, she
effort. Too proud to supplicate or seek only said that she never thoughtMr. St. Clare
explanation, he threw himself at once into a was sickly ; but it seems he was very
liable to
whirl of fashionable society, and in a fortnight sick-headaches, and that it was a very
unfortunate
from the time of the fatal letter was the accepted thingfor her,because he didn't enjoygoing
lover of the reigning belle of the season ; and as into company with her,and it seemed odd to go
soon as arrangements could be made, he became so much alone,when they were just married.
the husband of a fine figure, a pairof bright dark Augustinewas glad in his heart that he had
eyes, and a hundred thousand dollars ; and, of married so undiscerning a woman ; but as the
course, everybodythoughthim a happyfellow. glosses and civilities of the honeymoon wore
The married couplewere enjoyingtheir honeymoon,
away, he discovered that a beautiful young
woman,
and entertaining a brilliantcircleof friends who has lived all her lifeto be caressed and
in their splendidvilla,
waited on, mightprove quitea hard mistress in
near Lake Pontchar train,
when, one day,a letter was broughtto him in
that well-remembered writing. It was handed to
him while he was in full tide of gay and successful
conversation,in a whole room-full of company,
lie turned deadlypalewhen he saw the writing,
but still preserved his composure,
and finished
the playfulwarfare of badinage which he was at
the moment carryingon with a ladyopposite ;
and,a short time after,was missed from the circle.
In his room, alone,he openedand read the
letter,- now worse than idle and useless to be
read. It was from her,giving a longaccount of
a persecutian to which she had been exposedby
her guardian's familyțo lead her to unite herself
with their son ; and she related how, for a
long time,his lettershad ceased to arrive ; how
she had written time and again țillshe became
weary and doubtful ; how her health had failed
under her anxieties, and how, at last șhe had
discovered the whole fraud which had been practised
on them both. The letter ended with
expressionsof hope and thankfulness, and
pio
fessionsof undyingaffection,which were more
bitter than death to the unhappy young man.
He wrote to her immediately :
down, and there it lies,flat,slimy,bare," exceedingly
real.
Of course, in a novel,people's hearts break,
"
"
and theydie,and that is the end of it ; and in a
order,althoughhis mind showed a preferencestory very convenient. But in real life
alwaysfor the ideal and the aesthetic, and there we do not die when all that makes life bright
was about him that repugnance to the actual dies to us. There is a most busy and important
business of lifewhich is the common result of round of eating,drinking, dressing,walking,visiting,
this balance of the faculties. Soon after the buying,selling, talking, reading,and all
completion of his college course, his whole nature that makes up what is commonly called living,
was kindled into one intense and passionateeffervescenceyet
gone through; and this yetremained to
of romantic passion. His hour came, Augustine. Had his wife been a whole woman,
she mightyet have done something as woman
can
"
mend the broken threads of life,and
domestic life. Marie never had possessed much
capability of affection, or much sensibility, and
the littlethat she had,had been merged into a
most intense and unconscious selfishness ; a selfishness
the more hopeless, from its quietobtuseness,
its utter ignorance of any claims but aer
own. From her infancyșhe had been surrounded
with servants, who lived only to study het caprices
; the idea that they had either feeling j or
rightshad never dawned upon her,even in distant
perspective. Her father,whose onlychild
she had been, had never denied her anything
that lay within the compass of human possibility;
and when she entered life,beautiful, accomplished,
and an heiressșhe had,of course, ail the
eligibles and non-eligibles of the other sex sighing
at her feet,and she had no doubt that Augustine
was a most fortunate man in having obtained
her. It is a great mistake to suppose that a
woman with no heart will be an 'iisy creditorin
the exchangeof affection. There is not on earth

and flatteries ; and when Marie became mother
to a beautifuldaughter, he reallyfelt awakened,
for a time,to somethinglike tenderness.
St. Clare's,mother had been a woman of uncommon
elevationand purity of character,and he
He had taken her with him on a tour
his cousin,Miss
to return with him to his
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. CI
Whoever has travelled in the New England had resolved to go was fully before the public
States will remember,in some cool village, the mind, she was solemnly invited out to tea by all
largefarm-house,with its clean-swept grassy her friends and neighbors for the space of a fortnight,
yard,shaded by the dense and massive foliage of
and her prospects and plansdulycanvassed
the sugar-maple; and remember the air of order and inquiredinto. Miss Moseley,who came into
and stillness, of perpetuityand unchanging repose,
the house to help to do the dress-making, acquired
that seemed to breathe over the whole place. dailyaccessions of importancefrcm the
Nothinglost,or out of order ; not a picketloose developments with regard to Miss Ophelia's
in the fence, not a particleof litterin the turfywardrobe which she had been enabled to make.
yard, with its clumps of lilac-bushes growingup It was credibly ascertained that SquireSine! are,
under the windows. Within,he will remember as his name was commonlycontracted in the
wide,clean rooms, where
nothingever seems to neighborhood, had counted out fiftydollars,and
be doing or going to be done,where everything is given them to Miss Ophelia,and told her to buy
once and forever rigidly in place,and where all any clothes she thought best ; and that two new
household arrangements move with the punctualsilk dresses,and a bonnet, had been sent for from
exactness of the old clock in the corner. In the Boston. As to the
.propriety of this ex'raordinary
outlayțhe public mind was
family "
keeping-room," as it is termed, he will
-
divided, some
remember the staid,respectableold book-case, affirming that it was well enough,all thingsconsidered,
with its glassdoors,where Fein's History, for once in one's life,and others stoutly
Progress,
a more merciless exactor of love from others than Milton's Paradise Lost,Bunyan's Pilgrims
a thoroughly selfishwoman ; and the more unlovely
and Scott's Family Bible, stand side by
she grows,
the more jealously and scrupulously
side in decorous order, with multitudes of other
she exacts love,to the uttermost farthing. books,equallysolemn and respectableThere
When, there fon.
,
St.Clare began to drop offthose are- no servants in the house,but the ladyin the
gallantries
and small attentions which flowed at snowy cap, with the spectacles, who sits sewing
firstthroughthe habitude of courtship, he found every afternoon among her daughters, as if nothing
his sultana no way readyto resign h^r slave ;
ever had been done,or were to be done,"
there were abundance of tears, poufcngs, and she and her girls, in some fore
long-forgotten
small tempests, there were discontents,pinings, part of the day, " did up the ivnrk" and for the
upbraidings Ṣt. Clare was good-natured and rest of the time,probably, at all hours when you
self-indulgent, and sought to buy off with presents
would see them, it is " done up." The old
kitchen floor never seems stained or spotted; the
taldesțhe chairs,and the various cookingutensils,
never seem deranged or disordered ; though
three and sometimes four meals a day are got
there,though the familywashing and ironingis
gave to this child his mother's name, fondly fancying
there performed, and though poundsof butter
that she would prove a reproduction of her and cheese are in some silentand mysterious
image. The thinghad been remarked with petulant
manner there broughtinto existence.
jealousy by his wife,and she regarded her On such a farm,in such a house and family,
husband's absorbing devotion to the child with Miss Ophelia had spent a quiet existence of some
suspicion and dislike ; all that was givento her forty-five years, when her cousin invited her to
seemed so much taken from herself. From the visit his southern mansion. The eldest of a large
time of the birth of thischild,her health gradually
family șhe was stillconsidered by her father
sunk. A life of constant inaction,bodilyand mother as one of "the children,"and the
and the frictionof ceaselessennui and
mental," proposalthat she should go to Orleans was a most
discontent,united to the ordinary weakness momentous one to the familycircle. The old
which attended the period of "
maternity, in gray-headed father took down Morse's Atlas out
course of a few years changed the bloomingof the book-case,and looked out the exact latitude
young
belle into a yellow,faded,sicklywoman,
and longitude ; and read Flint'sTravels in
whose time was divided among a variety of fanciful
the South and West, to make up his own mind as
diseases, and who considered herself,in to the nature of the country.
every sense, the most ill-usedand "
suffering person
The goodmother inquired, anxiously, if Orleans
in existence.
wasn't an awful wicked place,"saying,
There was no end of her various complaints ; that " it seemed to her most equal to going to
but her principal forte appearedto lie in sickheadache,which
sometimes would confine her to heathen."
the Sandwich Islands,or anywhereamong
the
her room three days out of six. As, of course, It was known at the minister's, and at the
all familyarrangementsfell into the hands of doctor's, and at Miss Pea'body's milliner shop,
servants, St. Clare found his menage anythingthat Ophelia St. Clare was "
talking about " going
but comfortable. His onlydaughter was exceedingly
away down to Orleans with her cousin ; and
delicate, and he feared that,with no one to of course the whole village could do no less than
look after her and attend to her,he" health and help tliis very importantprocess of talkingabout
lifemightyetfall a sacrificeto her mother's inefficiency.
the matter. The minister,who inclined strongly
to abolitionistviews,Avas quitedoubtful whether
to Vermont, and had j)ersuaded
such a stepmightnot tend somewhat to encourage
Ophelia St. Clare, the southerners in holding on to theirslaves ;
southern residence ; and they are now returning while the doctor,who was a stanch colonizationist,inclined
to the opinion that Miss Ophelia
on this boat,where we have introduced them to
our readers.
ought to go, to show the Orleans peoplethat we
And now, while the distant domes and spiresdon't think hardlyof them, after all. He was of
ofNew Orleans rise to our view,there is yettime opinion,
fact,that southern
for an introduction to Miss Ophelia.
When, however, the fact that she
peopleneeded encouraging.

"
a
"
the
"
thimble,Avax,
" that
.
There
62 UNCLE TOM'S CABIN : OR,
affirming that the "
money had better have been
sent to the missionaries ; but all partiesagreed
that there had been no such parasolseen in those
parts as had been sent on from New York, and
that she had one silk dress that mightfairlybe
tnlsted to stand alone,whatever mightbe said of
its mistress. There were credible rumors, also,
of a hemstitched pjcket-handkerchief ; and report
even went so far as to state that Miss Ophelia
with lace all
around it," it was even added that it was worked
had one pocket-handkerchief
in the corners ; but this latter pointwas never
satisfactorily ascertained, and remains, in fact,
unsettled to this day.'
Miss Ophelia, as you now behold her,stands
before,, you, in a very shiningbrown linen travelling-dress,
tall, square- formed,and angular.Her
face was thin,and rather sharpin its outlines ;
thf lipscompressed,like those of a person who
is in the habit of making up her mind definitely
energetic; and, thoughshe was never much of a
talker,her words were remarkablydirect,and to and therefore it Avas that he succeeded very
the purpose, Avhen she did speak.
easilyin persuadingher that the "path of duty "
In her habits,she was a livingimpersonation lay in the direction of NeAV Orleans, and that she
of order,method, and exactness. In punctuality, must go Avith him to take care of Eva, and keep
she was as inevitable as a clock,and as inexorable
everything from goingto wreck and ruin during
as a railroad engine; and she held in most the frequentillnesses of his Avife. The idea of a
decided contempt and abomination anything of a house without anybodyto take care of it Avent to
contrarycharacter.
her heart; then she loved the lovely little girl,
The great sin of sins,in her eyes,
sum as few could helpdoing; and, thoughshe regarded
of all "
evils, was
expressedby one very common
and
"
importantword in her vocabulary
"
shiftlessness."'
Her finaleand ultimatum of contempt
consisted in a
very emphaticpronunciation of the him
"
word shiftless;" and by this she characterized
all modes
of procedure which had not a direct and
"
"
"
"
must discover by a personalacquaintance.
inevitable relation to accomplishment some
she is,sitting in her state-room,
purpose then definitely had in mind. People surrounded by a mixed multitude of littleand big
who did nothing, did not know exactlycarpet-bags,,
boxes,baskets,each containing what theywere going to do,or who did not take separateresponsibility which she is tying, bind-
the most direct way to accomplish theyset up, packing, fastening, with a face of great
their hands to, were objects of her entire .contempt,
earnestness.
contempt shown less frequently by
"
Noav, Eva, haA-e kept count of your
anything she said țhan by a kind of stonygrim-thingsness, Of course
you
you have n't," children
as if she scorned to say anything about the neA-er do : there 's the spottedcarpet-bagand
matter.
the little, blue band-box Avith your
best bonnet,
As to mental cultivation, she had a clear, 's two ; then the India rubber satchel is
strong,active mind, was well and thoroughlythree ; and my tape and needle box is four ; and
read in historyand,the older Englishclassics, my band-box,five ; and my collar-box,six ; and
and thought with greatstrengthwithin certain that little hair trunk,seven. What have you
narr.iw limits. Her theological tenets were all done Avith your sunshade ? Give it to me, and
made up, labelled in most positiveand distinct let me put a paper
round it,and tie it to
forms,and put by, like the bundles in her patch umbrella with my shade ; there,noAv.'*
my
trunk ; there were just so many of them, and
"
Why, aunty, Ave are onlygoingup home :
there were never to be any
more. So,also,were what is the use 1 ' '
her ideas with regard to most matters of practical
peoplemust take care
"
To keep it nice,child
life, such as housekeepingin all its of their
,
things, if theyever mean to have anything
branches,and the various political relations of
her native villageẠnd, underlayingall,deeper
than anythingelse,higher and broader,lay the
strongestprinciple of her conscientiousness.
being"
Nowhere is conscience so dominant and
all-absorbing as with New England
is the graniteformation,which lies deepest, and
rises out, even to the tops of the highestmountains.
women. It
path of duty,"as she commonlyphrasedit, ay
in any givendirection, and fire and water coila
not keep,her from it. She would walk straight
down into a well,or up to a loaded cannon's
mouth, if she were onlyquitesure that there the
path lay. Her standard of rightwas s" high șo
all-embracing, so minute,and making so few concessions
to human frailty, that,thoughshe strove
with heroic ardor to reach it șhe never actually
did so, and of course was burdened with a constant
and often harassing sense of "
deficiency ;
this gave a severe and somewhat gloomy cast to
character.
her
religious
But,how in the world can Miss Opheliaget
along with Augustine St. Clare," gay, easy,
"
unpunetual,unpractical, sceptical, in short,
walkingwith impudent and nonchalant freeck)in
over every one of her most cherished habits and
opinions
?
To tell the truth,then,Miss Ophelialoved
him. "When a boy, it had been hers to teach
him his catechism,mend his clothes,comb his
on all subjects; while the keen, dark eyes
had a
peculiarly searching, advised movement, and travelled
over everything, as if they were looking for hair,and bringhim
something to take care of.
up generallyin the way he
should go ; and her heart havinga warm side to
All her movements were sharp,decided,and it,Augustinehad, as he usuallydid with most
people,monopolizeda largeshare of it for himself,
Augustine as very much of a heathen, yet she
loved him, laughed at his jokes,and forbore with
his failings, to an extent AAdiich those Avho knew
thoughtperfectly incredible. But what more
or other is to be knoAvn of Miss Ophelia, our
Miss OpheliaAvas the absolute bond-slave of
fcho"ought." Once make her certain that the Ibuy some more of whatever it was."
reader
; and noAV, Eva, is your thimble put up ?"
"
Really,aunty, I don't know."
"
Well,never mind ; I '11 look your box over,
" two spools, scissors,knife,tapeneedle
; all right, put it in here. What did
you
ever do, child,when you
Avere coming on
with only your papa ? I should have thought
you 'd a lost everythingyou had."
"
Well, aunty, I did lose a greatmany ; and
then,Avhen we stoppedanywhere,papa Avould

" waiters
" there
" and
but
stilla
women
'
'
LIFE
AMONG
THE LOWLY. 63
" "
Mercy on us, child, what a way !"
shoved. Here,"he added to a driver who stood
"
It was a very easy way, aunty,"said Eva. behind him, " take these things."
" "
It 's a dreadful shiftlessone," said aunty. I '11 go and see to his putting them in,"said
"Why, aunty, what '11 you
do now?" said Miss Ophelia.
" "
Eva ; that trunk is too full to be shut down."
0 pshaw, cousin,what 's the use?" said St.
" It must shut down," said aunty, with the air Clare.
of a general, as she squeezed the "
thingsin,and Well,at any rate, I '11 carry this,and this,
sprung upon the lid "
; little gap remained and this,"said Miss Opheliașingling out three
about the mouth of the trunk.
boxes and a small carpet-bag.
"
Get up here,Eva !" said Miss Ophelia, courageously
"
My dear Miss Vermont, positively, you
' '
; what has been done can be done must n't come the Green Mountains over us that
again. This trunk has got to be shut and locked way. You must adopt at least a pieceof a southern
are no two ways about it."
principle, and not walk out under all that
And the trunk,intimidated, doubtless,by this load. They '11take you for a waiting-maid ; give
resolute statement, gave in. The hasp snappedthem to this fellow ; he '11 put them down as if
sharply in its hole,and Miss Opheliaturned the they were eggs, now."
key, and pocketed it in triumph.
Miss Ophelia looked despairingly, as her
"
Now we 're ready. Where. 's your papa
? I cousin took all her treasures from her,and rejoiced
think it time this baggagewas set out. Do look
to find herself once more in the carriage
out,Eva, and see if you
see your papa."
with them, in a state of preservation.
"
"0, yes,
he 's down the other end of the gentleman's
Where 's Tom?" said Eva.
cabin,eating an orange."
"
0, he 's on the outside,Pussy. I'm going
"He can't know, how near we are coming," to take Tom up to mother for a peace-offering, to
said aur.ty; " had n't you better run and speakmake up for that drunken fellow that upset the
to him?"
carriage."
"
Papa never is in a hurry about "
anything," 0, Tom will nake a,șplendid driver, I know,"
eaii Eva, "' "
and wo have n't come to the landing. said Eva ; he '11 never get drunk."
Do stop on the guards,aunty. Look! there's The carriagestoppedin front of an ancient
our house, up that street!"
mansion, built in that odd mixture of Spanish
The boat now began,with heavygroans, like and French style, of which there are specimens in
some vast, tired monster, to pftpare to push
some
up partsof New Orleans. It was built in tho
among the multipliedsteamers at the levee. Eva Moorish fashion, -f-a square building enclosing a
joyouslypointed out the various spires,domes, court-yard, into which the carriagedrove through
and way -marks,by which she recognized her native
an arched gateway. The court,in the inside,had
city.
evidently been arranged to gratify a picturesque
"
Yes, yes, dear ; very fine,"said Miss Ophelia. and voluptuous ideality Ẉide galleries ran all
" But mercy
on us ! the boat has stopped ! where around the four sides,whose Moorish arches,
is your father!"
slender pillars, and arabesque ornaments, carried
And now ensued the usual turmoil of landingthe mind back,as in a dream, to the reignof
runningtwenty
at "
once men
ways
oriental romance in Spain. In the middle of tha
tuggingtrunks,carpet-bags, boxes "
anxiously
court,a fountain threw high its silverywater,
calling to their children,and everybodyfalling
a never-ceasing spray into a marble
crowdingin a dense mass to the planktowards basin,fringed with a deepborder of fragrantviolets.
the landing.
The water in the fountain,pellucidas
Miss Ophelia seated herself resolutely on the crystal, was alive with myriads of goldand silver
latelyvanquishedtrunk,and marshalling all her jfishes,twinkling
and dartingthroughit like so
goods and chattels in fine military order șeemed many livingjewels. Around the fountain ran a
resolved to defend them to the last.
walk,paved with a mosaic of pebbles, laid in
"
Shall I take "
your trunk,ma'am'!" Shall I ;
various fanciful patterns; and this,again,was
take your baggage?" "Let me 'tend to your surrounded as
byturfșmooth green velvet,while
baggage,Missis!'' "Shan't I carry out these j
a carriage drive enclosed the whole. Two large
yer, Missis!" rained down upon her unheeded. orange-trees, now fragrantwith blossoms,threw
She sat with grim determination, upright j
as a a deliciousshade ; and, range 1 in a ciicle round
darning-needle stuck in a board,holdingon her | upon the turf,were marble vases 'of arabesque
bundle of umbrella and parasols, and replyingsculpture,
containing the choicest flowering plants
with a determination that was enough to strike: of the
dismay even into a hackman,wondering to Eva, ! tropics.Huge pomegranatetrees with
their glossy leaves and flame-coloredflowers,darkleaved
Arabian jessamines with their silvery
in each interval, " what upon earth her papa'
could be thinkingof; he couldn't have fallen stars,geraniums, luxuriant roses bendingbeneath
"
over, now, something must have happened;"
their heavy abundance of flowers,goldenjessamines,
just as she had begun to work' lemon-scented verbenum, all united their
herself into real distress, die came
up, with his bloom and fragrance, while here and there a mystic
usuallysarelessmotion,and giving Eva a quarter old aloe,with its strange, massive leaves,sat
of the oi mgo he was
e.iting, said,
looking like some hoary old enchanter,sittingin
"
Well,Cousin Vermont,I suppose you
are all weird grandeuramong the more perishable bloom
ready."
and fragrance around it.
"
I 've been ready,waiting, nearlyan hour," The galleries that surrounded the court wens
said Miss Ophelia; " I began to be really concerned
festooned with a curtain of some kind of Moorish
about you."
stuffțhat could be drawn down at pleasure, to
"That's a clever fellow,now," said ho. exclude the beams of the sun. On the whole,
"Well, the carriage is waiting, and the crowd; the appearance of the placewas luxurious and
are now off șc that one can walk out in a decent romantic.
and Christian manner, and not be pushed and I x\.sthe carriagedrove in,Eva seemed like a bird

64 UNCLE TOM S CABIN .' OR,
"
ready to burst from a cage, with the wild eagerness
make my head ache," said the mother,aftershe
of her delight.
had languidly kissed her.
throwingherself on her neck,and embracing her and mind you don't put on any of your airsto him.
"ver and over again.
He 's worth two such puppies as you."
"That'll take "
do," care,
"
child, don't, you Master always will have his joke," said
"
0, isn't it beautiful,lovely!my own dear, St. Clare came in,embraced his wife in true,
darling home!" she said to Miss Ophelia. orthodox,husbandlyfashion,and then presented
" Isn't it beautiful?"
to her his cousin. Marie lifted her largeeyes on
"
'Tis a prettyplace," said Miss Ophelia, her cousin with an air of some curiosity, and received
she alighted ; " thoughit looks rather old and
her with languidpolitenessẠ crowd of
heathenish to me."
servants now pressed to the entrydoor,and among
Tom got down from the carriage, and looked them a middle-aged woman, of very respectable
about with an air of calm,still enjoyment. The
negro, it must.be appearance, stood foremost, in a tremor
remembered,is an exotic of the of expectation and joy,at the door.
most gorgeous and superbcountries of the world,
!" said Eva, as she flew
"
0, there 's Mammy
and he has, deep in his heart,a passionfor all across the room ; and, throwingherself into her
that is splendid,rich,and fanciful ; a passion arms, she kissed her repeatedly.
which, rudelyindulgedby an untrained taste, This woman did not tell her that she made her
draws on them the ridiculeof the colder and more head ache,but,on the contrary șhe huggedher,
correct white race.
and laughed, criedțillher sanity thing
St. Clare,who was in his heart a poetical to be doubted of; and when released from her, Eva
smiled as Miss Ophelia made her remark flew from one to another,shakinghands and kissing,
on his premises,and,turning to Tom, who was
in a way that Miss Opheli afterwards declared
standinglookinground,his beamingblack face fairlyturned her stomach.
perfectly radiant with admiration,he said,
"Well!" said Miss Ophelia,"you southern
"
Tom, my boy,this seems to suit you." children can do somethingthat /could n't."
"
Yes,Mas'r, it looks about the
"
rightthing," What now, pray ?" said St. Clare.
said Tom.
"
Well, I want to be kind to everybody, All this passedin a moment, while trunks were would n't have anything hurt
being hustled ; but as to kissing"
"
off,hackman paid, and while a
crowd, of all ages and sizes." men, women, and
"
children," came runningthrough the galleries, to.
both above and below,to see
"
Mas'r come in.
Niggers,"saidSt.Clare, " that you 'renot up
hey?"
Yes,that 's it. How can she ?"
Foremost among
them was a highly-dressedSt. Clare laughed,as he went
young mulatto man, evidently "
very distingue Halloa,here,what 's to pay
into the passage.
Here,
personage, attired in the ultra extreme of the you Mammy, all" Jimmy,Polly,Sukey" glad to
mode, and gracefullywavinga scented cambric see Mas'r?" he said,as he went shaking hands
handkerchief in his "
hand.
from one to another. Look out for the babies !"
This personage had been exertinghimself,with he added,as he stumbled over a sooty littleurchin,
greatalacrity, in driving all the flockof domestics who was crawling upon all fours. "
If I stepupon
to the other end of the veranda.
anybody, let 'em mention it."
"
Back ! all of you. I am ashamed of you,"he There was an abundance of laughingand blessing
said,in a tone of authority. " Would you intrude Mas'r,as St. Clare distributed small piecesof
on Master's domestic relations, in the firsthour of changeamong them.
his return ?"
"
Come, now, take yourselves off,likegoodboys
All looked abashed at this elegantspeech,delivered
and girls," assemblage,
with quite an air,and stood huddled dark and light,disappearedthrougha door into a
togetherat a respectful distance, except two stout largeveranda,followed by Eva, who carried a
porters, up and beganconveying away largesatchel,which she had been filling with
the baggage.
apples,nuts, candy,ribbons,laces,and toys of
Owing to Mr. Adolph'ssystematic arrangements, every description, duringher whole homeward
when St. Clare turned round from paying the journey.
hackman,there was nobody in view but Mr. Adolph As St. Clare turned to go back,his eye fell upon
himself,conspicuous satin vest, gold guardchain,
Tom, who was standinguneasily, shifting from one
and white pants, and bowingwith inexpressible
foot to the other,while Adolph stood negligently
grace and suavity.
leaningagainstthe banisters,examiningTom
"Ah, Adolph,is it you?" said his master, throughan opera-glass, with an air that would
offering ; " how are you, boy ?" have done credit to any dandyliving.
while Adolph pouredforth,with
"
greatfluency, an Puh ! you puppy,"' said his master, striking
extemporaryspeech, which he had been preparing, down the opera-glass ; " is that the way you treat
with greatcare, for a fortnight before.
your company? Seems to me, Dolph," he added,
"
Well,well,"said St. Clare,passingon, with layinghis fingeron the elegantfigured satin vest
his usual air of "
negligent drollery, that 's very that Adolph was sporting,
seems to me that 's
well got up, Adolph. See that the baggageis my
well bestowed. I '11 come to the peoplein a minute
"
0 ! Master,this vest all stained with wine;
;" and, so saying, he led Miss Ophelia to a of course, a gentleman in Master's standingnever
largeparlorthat openedon to the veranda.
wears a vest like this. I understood I was to take
While this had been passing, Eva had flown like it. It does for a poor nigger-fellow, like me."
a bird,through the porchand parlor, to a little And Adolph tossed his head, and passedhis
boudoir openinglikewise on the veranda.
fingersthroughhis scented hair,with a grace.
A "
tall,dark-eyedșallow woman half rose from So,that 's it,is it?" said St. Clare,carelessly
a couch on which she was reclining.
goingto show this Tom to his
"
Well, here,I 'm
"
Mamma !" said Eva,in a sort of a rapture, mistress,and then you
take him to the kitchen ;

LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 65
Master
Adolph,laughing '' I ca. delighted to see
in such spirits."
"
Here, Tom," said St. Clare,beckoning.
Tom entered the room. He looker1wistfully on
the velvet carpets, and the before unimagined
"
I '11 have the first juniper-berries get
splendors statues,and curtains,
ripein our gardenby the lake broughtin for that
and, like the Queen of Sheba before Solomon, especial purpose,"said St. Clare,gravelypulling
"
there was no more spirit in him. He looked the bell as he did so; meanwhile, cousin, you
afraideven to set his feet down.
must be wanting to retire to your apartment, and
"
See here,Marie," said St. Clare to his wife, refresh yourself a little,after your journey.
"
I've boughtyou a coachman, at last țo order. Dolph." he added, " tell Mammy to come here."
I tell you he 's a regular hearse for blackness and The decent mulatto woman whom Eva had
sobriety, and will drive you like a funeral,if you
caressed so rapturouslysoon entered ; she was
want. Open your eyes, now, and look at him.
Now, dou't say I never think about you when I 'm
gone."
Marie openedher eyes, and fixedthem on Tom,
without rising.
"
I know he '11get drunk,"she said.
Raid the lady,shutting
"
Hang the woman !" said St. Clare,mentally;
but aloud he added, " Come, now, Marie,what
do you think of the likeness? Don't be nonsensical,
now."
"It's
very inconsiderate of you, St. Clare,"
Baid the lady, " to insiston my talkingand looking
at things. You know I 've been lying all day
with the sick head-ache ; and there 's been such
a tumult made ever since you came, I'm half
dead."
"
You 'resubject to the sick-headache, ma'am?"
eaid Miss Ophelia,suddenlyrisingfrom the
depths
of the largearm-chair,where she had sat
quietly,taking an inventory of the furniture, and
calculating its expense.
"
Yes,I 'rn a perfectmartyr to it," said the
lady
"No, he 's warranted a and
p?ous
sober article."
the rear
"
Juniper-berry tea is good for sick-h'ndache,"
said Miss Ophelia; "at least,Auguste, Deacon
Abraham Perry'swife,used to say so ; and she
was a great nurse."
dressed neatly, with a high red and yellow turban
on her head,the recent gift of Eva, and which
the child had been arrangingon her head.
"Mammy," said St. Clare,"I put this lady
under your care ; she is tired,and wants rest;
take her to her chamber,and be sure she is made
comfortable," and Miss Opheliadisappeared in
oi Mammy.
"
Well, I hope he may tun out well,"said the
lady; " ife's more that*I expectțhough."
"Dolph," said St. Clare,"show Tom down
stairs ; and. mind
"
yourself,'* he added ; remember
CHArTER XVT.
what I toldyou."
Adolph trippedgracefully forward,and Tom,
tom's mistress and her opinions.
'St.Clare, with lumberingtread,went after.
" And now, Marie," said " your
goldendays are dawning. Here is our practical,
"
He 's a perfectbehemoth !" said Marie.
"
Come, now, Marie," said St. Clare,seatingbusinesslike New Englandcousin,who will take
himself on a stool beside her sofa, " be gracious, the whole budgetof cares off your shoulders, and
and say somethingpretty to a fellow."
giveyou time to refresh yourself, and grow young
"
You :ve been gone a fortnight beyond the and handsome. The ceremony of delivering time," said the lady,pouting.
keyshad better come off forthwith."
the reason."
This remark was made at the breakfast- table,a
"
Well, you know I wrote you
"
Such a short,cold letter!" said the lady. few mornings after Miss Opheliahad arrived.
"
"Dear me! the mail was justgoing, and it I 'in sure she 's welcome," said Marie,leaning
had to be that or nothing."
her head languidly "
I think
" That *sjustthe way, always," said the lady; she '11 find one thing,if she does,and that is,
"
always something to make your journeyslong,
that it 'a we mistresses that are the slaves,down
and letters short."
here."
"
See here, now," he added, drawing an "0, certainly, she will discover that, and a
elegant velvet case out of his pocket, and opening
world of wholesome truths besides,no doubt,"
it, " here 's a present I got for you in New said St. Clare.
York."
"
Talk about our keepingslaves,as if we did it
It was a daguerreotype, clear and soft as an for our convenience," said Marie.
"
I 'm sure, if
engraving, representing Eva and her father sitting
we consulted that,we might let them all go at
hand in hand.
once."
Marie looked at it with a dissatisfied air. Evangeline largeșerious eyes
on her
"
What made you sit in such an awkward mother's face,with an earnest and perplexed position?" she said.
and said,simply, " What do you keep
"
Well,the position may be a matter of opinion
them for,mamma?"
know, ; but what do you think of the likeness?"
"
I don't I 'm sure, except for a plague;
" If you don't think anything of my opinion they are the plague of my
life. I believe that
one case, I suppose you wouldn't in another,"
the daguerreotype.
more of my illhealth is caused by them than by
anyone thing; and ours, I know, are the very
worst that ever anybody was plagued with."
"0, come, Marie, you 've got the blues țhis
morning,"said St. Clare. "You know "t isn't
so. There 's Mammy, the best creature "
living,
what could you do without her?"
Mammy is the best I ever knew," said Marie ;
"
"and yet Mammy, now, is selfish" dreadfully
selfish ; it 's the fault of the whole
race."
"
Selfishnessis a dreadful fault,"said St. Clare,
gravely.
"
Well, now, there 's Mammy." said Marie,"I
think it 's selfishof her to sleep so sound nights;
she knows I need littleattentions almost every
hour, when my worst turns are on, and yetshe '*
am worse, this very
so hard to wake. I absolutely
morning, for the effortsI had to make to v\raka
her lastni^ht."

" she
" silksand
so
never!
06 UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR,
"
Has n't she .sat up -with you a good many
said Eva.
"How should you know that?" said Marie,
nights,lately, mamma?"
"
And I, too," said St. Clare,takingup the
" How can you propose it?" said Marie. "
St. morning paper.
Clare, you really are inconsiderate. So nervous Eva, the beautiful Eva, had
as I am, the least breath disturbs me; and a her mother, with that expressionof deep
strange
hand about an*
me would drive me absolutely mystic earnestness which was peculiar to her
frantic. If Mammy felt the interest in me she She walked softly
ought to, she'd wake "
easier, of course, she
would. I 've heard of peoplewho had such devoted
servants,but it never was ray luck;" and
Marie
sighed.
Miss Opheliahad listened to this conversation
with an air of shrewd,observant gravity ; and
she still kept her lipstightly compressed,as
determined fully to ascertain her longitudeand
position, before she committed
herself.
"Now Mammy has a. sort of goodness," said
Marie, " she 's smooth and respectful, but she 's
selfish at heart. Now, she never will be done
fidgeting and worrying about that husband of hers.
You see,
when I was married and came to live
here,of course, I had to bring her with me, and
her husband my father couldn't spare. He was
if
a blacksmith,and, of course, very necessary ;
and I thought and said,at the time,that Mammy
and he had better giv each other up, as it was n't
likely to be convenient for them ever to live to-
again.I wish, now, I 'd insisted on it,and
married Mammy to somebody else ; but I was foolish
gether
and indulgent, and did n't want to insist. I
told Mammy, at the time țhat she mustn't ever expect
to see him more than once or twice in her life
again, for the air of father's place does n't agree
with my health,and I can't go
there ; and I advised
her to take up with somebodyelse ; but no
as
would n't. Mammy
has a kind of obstinacy
about her,in spots țha t everybodydon't see
I do."
"
Has she children?" said Miss Ophelia. Of course, there was rather a foolish silence.
"
Yes ; she has two."
Finally, got up, looked at his watch,
" I suppose she feelsthe separation from them?" and said he had an engagement down street.
"
Well,of course, I could n't bring them. They
were little dirtythings" I couldn't have them
about ; and,besides,theytook up too much of "Now, that's justlike St. Clare!" said the
her time ; but I believe that Mammy has always latter, withdrawingher handkerchief with s iinewhat
of a spirited flourish, when the criminal to
keptup a sort of sulkiness about this. She won't
man
y anybody else ; and I do believe, now, be affected by it was ho longer in sight. " He
though she knows how necessary she is to me, never realizes, never can, never will,what I suffer,
and how feeble my
health is,she would go back and have, for years. If I was one of the
to her husband to-morrow, if she onlycould. I complainingsort,or ever made any fuss about
"
do,indeed,"said Marie ; they are justso selfish,
now,
"It's
the best of them."
distressing to Eeflectupon," said St.
Clare,dryly.
Miss Ophelialooked keenly at him, and saw
the flush of mortificationand repressedvexation,
and the sarcastic curl of the lip, as liespoke.
"
Now, Mammy has always been a pet with
me," said Marie. "
I wish some of your
northern
servants could look at her closets of dresses,
muslins,and one real linen cambric,
she has hangingthere. I 've worked sometimes
whole afternoons,trimmingher caps, and getting
her ready to go to a party. As to abuse, she
don't know what it is. She never was whipped
more than once or twice in her whole life. She the
has her strong; or her tea
.rii.i/v
ougM
every day,witb
in u. 11 i-
.iijuiiiiiiuijie, lci ue sure,
sharply; " she \s been
but St.Clare will have high lifebelow-stairs, and
complaining, I suppose."
of them they every
one live justas theyplease.
"
She did n't complain; she onlytold me what The fact is,our servants are over-indulged.1
suppose it is partlyour faultthat theyare "selfish,
and act like spoiledchildren ; but 1 've talked tt
"
bad nights you 'd had, many in succession."
"
Why don't you let Jane or Rosa take her
a nightor two," said St. Clare,
Elace,
and let
jr rest ?"
St. Clare tillI am
tired."
stood 'listening
round to her mother's chait.
and put her arms round her neck.
"
Well,Eva,wfc"tiVpw7" said Marie.
"Mamma, couldn't f take care of you one
night" justone? I know I shouldn't make you
nervous, and I shouldn'tsleep. I often lie awake
-"
"
nights,thinking
"0, nonsense, chi'd" nonsense!" said Marie ;
"
you are such a strangechild !"
"But
may I, mamma? I think," she said,
timidly,
" that Mammy is n't well. She told me
her head ached all the time, lately."
"0, that's just one of Mammy's fidgets!
Mammy is justlike all the rest of them
"
makes
such a fuss about every littlehead-ache or fingerache
; it'11 never do to encourage it " I
am principled about this matter,"said she,turning
of it.
to Miss Ophelia; " you '11find the necessity
1f you encourage servants in givingway to every
littledisagreeable feeling, and complaining of
every little ailment, you '11have your nanus full.
I never complainmyself" nobodyknows what I
endure. I feel it a dutyto bear itquietly, and I do."
Miss Ophelia'sround eyes expressed an undisguised
amazement at this peroration, which
struck St. Clare as so supremely ludicrous that
he burst into a loud laugh.
"
St. Clare alwayslaughswhen I make the
illhealth,"said Marie,with
least allusion to my
the voice of a suffering martyr. " I onlyhope
the day won't come when he'll remember it!"
and Marie put her handkerchief to her eyes. *
Eva trippedaway after him, and Miss Ophelia
and Marie remained at the table alone.
my ailmentsțhere would be some reason for it.
Men do get tired,naturally,of a complaining
wife. But I 've keptthingsto myself,and borne,
and borne,till St. Clare has got in the way of
thinking I can bear anything."
Miss Ophelia did not exactly know what slue
was expected to answer to this..
While she was thinking say, Marie
graduallywiped away her tears, and smoothed
her plumage in a general way, as a dove mightbe
supposed to make toilet after a shower, and .
began a housewifely chat with Miss Ophelia, cupboards,closets,linen-presses, storerooms,
and other matters, of which the latter
"
was, by common understandingțo as.mme
direction, giving her so many cauiiom*

" it
exotic
"
anythingthat
I
'
"
in
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 67
directionsand chargesthat ahead less systematic men are constitutionally selfishand inconsiderate
and business-likethan Miss Ophelia's would have to women. That, at least,is my impression."
been utterlydizziedand confounded.
Miss Ophelia,who had not a small share of
" And now," said Marie, " I believeI 've told the genuine New Englandcaution,and a very
you everything ; so that, when my next sick turn particular horror of beingdrawn into familydifficulties,
comes on, you '11be able to go forward entirely,
now began to foresee somethingof this
"
without consulting me ; only about she kind Eva," impending; so, composingher face into a
requires watching."
grimneutrality, and drawing out of her pocket
"She seems to be a goodchild,very," said about a yard and a quarter of stocking, which she
Miss Ophelia; " I never saw a better child." keptas a specific against what Dr. Watts asserts
"Eva's peculiar," said her mother, "very. to be a personalhabit of Satan when people have
There are things about her so singular ; she idle hands, she proceeded to knit most -energetically,
isn't like me, now, a particle;" and Marie shutting her lipstogether in a way that
'sighed, as if this was a trulymelancholyconsideration.
said,as plain as words could, " You needn't try
to make me speak. I don't want anythingto do
Miss Ophelia in her own heart "
I hope with said," your affairs, factșhe looked about as
she isn't,"but had prudenc enough to keep it sympathizing as a stone lion. But Marie did n't
down.
care for that. She had got somebody to talk to,
" Eva alwayswas disposed to be with servants ; and she felt it her duty to talk, and that was
and I think that well enoughwith some children. enough; and reinforcing herself by smelling again
Now, I
,
alwaysplayed with father's little negroes at her vinaigrette, she went on.
" never did me any harm. But Eva somehow
You see, I brought my
own property and
alway seems to put herself on an equality with servants into the connection,when I married St.
every creature that comes near her. It 's a Clare,and I am legally entitled to manage them
strangethingabout the child. I never have been my own way. St. Clare had his fortune and his
able to break her of it. St. Clare, I believe, servants,and I 'm well enoughcontent he should
encourages her in it. The fact is,St. Clare indulges
manage them his way ; but St. Clare will be in-
every creature under this roof but his own
He lias wild, extravagant notions
wife."
about things,particularly about the treatment of
AgainMiss Opheliasat in blank silence.
servants. He reallydoes act as if he set his
"
Now, there 's no way with servants,"said servants before me, and before himselfțoo ; for
Marie, " but to put them down, and keep them he lets them make him all sorts of trouble,and
down. It was always natural to me, from a never lifts a finger.Now, about some things,
child. Eva is enough to "
spoila whole house-full. St. Clare is reallyfrightfulhe "
frightens me
What she will do when she comes to keep house good-natured as he looks,in general.Now, he
herself,I 'm sure I don't know. I hold to beinghas set down his foot that,come what will,there
"
kind to servants alwaysam; but you must shall not be a blow struck in this house,except
make 'ein know tlieirplace. Eva never does ; what he or I strike ; and he does it in a way
that
there 's no getting into the child'shead the first I really dare not cross him. Well, you may see
beginning of an idea what a servant's place is ! what that leads to; for St. Clare wouldn't raise
You heard her offering to take care of me nights, his hand, if every
one of thein walked over him,
"
to let Mammy sleep! That 'sjusta specimenof and I
you
see how cruel it would be to require
the way the child would be doing all the time,if me to make the exertion. Now, you know these
she was left to herself."
servants are nothing but grown-up children-"
" "
Why," said Miss Ophelia,bluntly, "I suppose
I don't know anything about it, and I thank
you think your servants are human creatures,
the Lord that I don't!" said Miss Ophelia,
and ought to have some rest when theyare shortly.
"
tired!"
Well,but you
will have to know something,
"
Certainly, of course. I 'm very particular in and know it to your cost,if you stay here. You
lettingthem have everything that comes convenient.
don't know what a provoking, stupid,careless,
doesn't put one at all unreasonable, childish, ungrateful set of wretches
out of the way, you know. Mammy can1 make theyare."
up her deep, some time or other ; there 's no difficultyabout
that. She's the sleepiest concern when she got
Marie seemed wonderfullysupported, always,
that r-fer I saw ; sewing,standing or sitting,
upon this topic; and she now
that opened her eyes, and seemed quite to forget her
creature will go to sleep,and sleepanywhere and languor.
"
everywhere. No danger but Mammy gets sleep You don't know, and you can't, the daily,
enough. But this treating servants as if they hourlytrialsthat beset a housekeeper from them,
-
were flowers,or china vases, is reallyeverywhere and every way. But it 's no use to
ridiculous," said Marie, as she plungedlanguidly complain to St. Clare. He talks the strangest
into t'.iedepths of a voluminous and pillowystuff. He says we have made them what they
lounge, and drew towards her an elegant cutglassvinaigrette.
faults are all owingto us, and that it would be
are, and ought to bear with them. He says tlieir
"
You see,"she continued,
a faint and ladylike
cruel to make the fault and punish it too. He
voice,like the last dyingbreath of an Arabian says we should n't do any better,in their place ,
jessamine, or somethingequallyethereal,"you just as if one could reason from them to us, you
see, Cousin Ophelia,I don't often speak of myself.
know."
It isn't my hcdnl
"
; 'tisn't agreeableto me. Don't you believe that the Lord made thera
In fact,I haven't strengthto do it. But there of one blood with us!" said Miss Ophelia.
are pointswhere St. Clare and I differ. St. Clare shortly.
"
never understood me, never appreciatedme. I No, indeed,not l! A prettystory țruly'
think it lies at the root of all my ill health. St. They
Clare means well,I am bound* are a degraded race."
to believe: but "Don't you think they've got immortal
terfering

" know
"
this
" of
and
nobody
"
which
63 UNCLE TOM S CABIN I OR,
"
souls V said Miss Ophelia, with increasing dignation.
"
0, well," said Marie, yawning,"that, of
com-se doubts that. But as to putting
them on
any sort of equality with us, you know
as if we could be compared,why, it 's impossible
! Now St. Clare reallyhas talked to me as
,
if keepingMammy from her husband was like
keeping me from mine. There 's no comparing
in this way. Mammy could n't have the feelings
that I should. .It's a different thingaltogether,
course, it is," and yet St. Clare pretends
not to see it. And justas if Mammy could love
her little dirtybabies as I love Eva! Yet St.
Clare once really and soberlytried to persuade
me that it was my duty,with
my weak health,
and allI suffer, to let Mammy go back, and take
somebodyelse in her place. That was a little
too much even for me to bear. I don't often show
my feelings Ị make it a principle to endure
everything
silence ; it 's a wife's hard lot,and I
bear it. But I did break out, that time ; so that
he has never alluded to the subjectsince. But I
by his looks,and littlethings that he says,
that he thinks'so as much as ever ; and it 's so
tryingșo provoking !"
Miss Ophelia looked very much as if she was
afraid she should say something ; but she rattled
of meaning in it,if Marie could onlyhave under-
away with her needles in a way that had volumes
stood
it.
"
So, you justsee," she continued, " what
"
Why, send them to the calaboose,or some
of the other placesțo be flogged. That 'sthe only
way.
If I was n't such a poor, feeble piece, I
believe I should manage with twice the energy
that St. Clare does."
"
And how does St. Clare contrive to manage?"
said Miss Ophelia. " You say he never strikes a
blow."
"
Well,men have a more commandingway,
you know ; it is easier for them ; besides,if you
ever looked full in his eye, it 's peculiar, that
"
eye, if he speaksdecidedly, there 's a kind
of flash. I'm afraid of it,myself; and the servants
know theymust mind. I could n't do as
much by a regular storm and' scolding as St.
Clare can by one turn of his eye, if once he is in
"
earnest. 0, there 's no trouble about St. Clare ; oughtto educate your slaves,and treat them like
that 's the reason he 's no more feeling for me. reasonable creatures," like immortal creatures,
But you '11find,when you come to manage, that that you 've got to stand before the bar of God
there 's no gettingalongwithout severity, they with. That "s my mind," said the goodlady,
are so bad, so deceitful, so lazy."
"
The old tune," said St. Clare,sauntering "
What an awful account these wicked creatures
good,quiteremarkablyfor me. I tryto enfjreo
your remarks,Marie,always."
"
You know you metv.nt no such thing Șt.
Clare," said Marie.
"0,1 must have been mistakențhen. Thank
you, my dear,for setting me right."
"You do reallytry to be provoking,"
Marie.
said
"
0, come, Marie,the day is growingwarm,
and I have just had a longquarrel with Dolph,
which has fatiguedme excessively ; so, pray be
agreeable,now, and let a fellow repose in the
lightof your smile."
"
What 's the matter about Dolph?" said Marie.
"
That fellow's impudence has been growing
to a poin that i s perfectly intolerable to me.
I only wish I had the undisputedmanagement of
him a while. I 'd bringhim down !"
"
What you say, my dear,is marked with your
usual acuteness and goodsense,"said St. Clare.
"
As to Dolph,the case is this : that he has so
long been engaged in imitating my graces and
perfections, that he has,at last,reallymistaken
himself for his master ; and I have been obliged
to give him a little insight into his mistake."
"
How?" said Marie.
"
Why, I was obligedto let him understand
explicitly that I preferredto keep some of my
clothes for my
own personalwearing; also,I put
his magnificence upon an allowance of colognewater,
and actually was so cruel as to restrict
him to one dozen of my cambric handkerchiefs.
particularly huffyabout it,and I
you 've got to manage. A household without any Dolph was
rule ; where servants have it all their own way,
had to talk to him like a fatherțo bring him
do what theyplease,and have what theyplease, round."
except so far as I, "
with my
feeble health,have 0 ! St. Clare,when will you learn how to
keptup government. I keep my cowhide abo'it, treat your servants ? It 's abominablețhe way
and sometimes I do lay it on ; but the exertion is you indulgėthem !" said Marie.
alwaystoo much for me. If St. Clare would
"
Why, after all,what 's the harm of the poor
onlyhave this thing done "
"
as others do clog'swantingto be like his master ? and if I
"And how's that?"
have n't brought him up any better than to find
his chief good in cologneand cambric handkerchiefs,
why shouldn't I givethem to him?"
" And why haven't you brought him up better?"
said Miss Ophelia,with blunt determination.
"Too much trouble," laziness,cousin,lazi-
ruins more souls than you
can
shake a stick at. If it weren't for laziness,I
should have been a perfectangel,myself. I 'm
inclined to think that laziness is what your old
Dr. Botherem, up in Vermont,used to call the
' essence of moral evil.' It 's an awful consideration,
certainly."
"
I think you slaveholders have an awful responsibility
upon you," said Miss Ophelia. " I
would n't have it,for a thousand worlds. You
breakingsuddenlyout with a tide of zeal that
had been gainingstrengthin her mind all the
morning.
"
0 ! come, come," said St. Clare,gettingup
will have to settle,at last,especially for being
lazy! You see, cousin,"said he, as he stretched quickly; " what do you know about us?" And
himself at full length on a loungeopposite to he sat down to the piano,and rattled a lively
Marie, " it 's whollyinexcusable in them, in the piece of music. St. Clare had a decided genius
lightof the example that Marie and I set them, for music. His touch was brilliant and firm,and
laziness."
his fingers flew over the keysijith a
"
Come, now, St.Clare, rapid and
you
are too bad !" said bird-like motion, airy,and yet
decided. He
Marie.
playedpiece after piecelike a man who is trying
"
Am I,now? Why, I thoughtI was talkingto play himself into a good humor. After push-

the
had
"
a particle, theyget
talking to them, or anything
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 69
ingthe music aside,he rose up, and said,gayly, them abused ; but you don't want to V^ve
'
anything
Well,now, cousin you 've given us a good talk, to do with them yourselves.You would
and done your duty; on the whole,I think the send them to Africa,out of your sight^d
Lett ye of you
for it. I make no manner of doubt smell,and then send a missionary or two to do
that you threw a very diamond of truth at me, up all the self-denial of elevating compendiously.
thoughyou see it hit me so directlyin the face
Isn't that it?"
that it was n't exactlyappreciated, at first."
"
Well, cousin,"said Miss Ophelia,thoughtfully,
there
"
may be truth in this."
"
For my part, I don't see any use in such sort
some
of talk," said Marie.
"
I 'in sure, if anybody
"
What would the and without
poor lowlydo,
does more for servants than we do, I 'd like to children?" said St. Clare,leaning on the railing,
know who ; and itdon't do 'em a bit not and good," watchingEva,as she trippedoff,leading Tom
worse and worse. As to with her.
"
Your littlechild is your cmlytrue
like that, I 'm sure democrat. Tom, now, is a hero to Eva ; his stories
I have talked tillI was tiredand hoarse, telling are wonders in her eyes, his songs and Methodist
them their duty, and all that ; and I 'm sure they hymns are better than an
opera, and the
"
traps and littlebits of trash in his pocket a mine
of jewels,and he the most wonderful Tom that
than so
many pigs, so it isn't of any great use ever wore a black skin. This is one of the roses
for them to go, as I see ; but they do go, and so of Eden that the Lord has droppe down expressly
they have every chance ; but,as I said before, for the poor and lowly,who get
theyare a degradedrace, and always will be,and
enoughof
any other kind."
there isn't anyhdpfor them; you can't make "It's strange,cousin,"said Miss Ophelia;
anythingof them, if you try. You "
see, Cousin one mightalmost think you
were a professor, to
Ophelia, I 've tried,and you have n't ; I was born hear you talk."
and bred among them,and I know."
"
A professor?" said St. Clare.
Miss Opheliathought she had said enough,
professor
religion."
" Yes ; a
and therefore sat silent. St. Clare whistled a
" Not at all ; not a professor, as
your townfolks
have it ; and,what is worse, I 'm afraid,
tune.
"
St. Clare,I wish you
would n't whistle,"said not a practiscr, either."
can
go to church when theylike,though they
don't understand a word of the sermon, more
Marie ;
"
it makes my
me."
head worse."
"I won't," said St. Clare. "Is there anything
else you would n't wish me to do ?"
"
I wish
you would have some kind of sympathy
for
for my trials ; you never have any feeling
"
My dear accusingangel !" said St. Clare.
-" It 's provoking to be talked to in that way."
"
Then,how will you be talked to ? F 11 talk
to order," any way you '11 mention," only to In Tom's
givesatisfaction."
was, as the world says, nothing to complainof.
A gay laughfrom the court rang through the LittleEva's fancyfor him "
instinctivegratitude
silken curtains of the veranda. St. Clare stepped and loveliness of a noble nature " led
out, and lifting up the curtain,laughed too. her to petition her father that he mightbe her
"What is it?" said Miss Ophelia,coming to
the railing.
There sat Tom, on a little mossy seat in the
of his button-holes stuck full of
eourt,every one
cape jessamines,and Eva, gayly laughing, was orders which our readers may fancywere far from
hanging a wreath of roses round his neck ; and disagreeable to him. He was kept well dressed,
then she sat down on his knee,like a chip-sparrow,
for St. Clare was fastidiously particular
stilllaughing.
on this
point.His stable services were merely a sinecure,
"0, Tom, you look so funny !"
and consisted simply in a dailycare and
Tom had a sober,benevolent smile,and seemed, inspection, and directing an uuder-servant in his
in his quiet way, to be enjoying the fun quiteas
much as his little mistress. He lifted his eyes,
when he saw his master,with a half-deprecating, when he came near her,and that he must posi-'
apologetic air.
tively not be put to
"
How can
you let her any
service that would make
?" 6aid Miss Ophelia. him unpleasatit to her,as her nervous
system was
"
Why not?" said St. Clare.
entirely inadequateto any trial of that nature ;
"
Why, I don't know, it 6eems so dreadful !" one snuff of anything disagreeable being, according
*'
You would think no harm in a child's caressing
a largedog,even if he was black ; but a
creature that can think,and reason, and feel,and
is immortal, you shudder at ; confess it,cousin.
I know the feeling among some of you northerners
well enough. Not that there is a
of
then ?"
"
What makes you talk so,
"
Nothingis easier than talking,"said St.
Clare.
"
I believe Shakspeare somebody
say, ' I could sooner show twenty what were good
to be done,than be one of the twentyto ijllow
my own showing.'Nothinglike divisionof labor.
My forte lies in talking, liesin doing."
yours, cousin,
external situation,
this time,there
especialattendant,whenever she needed the escort
of a servant,in her walks or rides ; and Tom
had generalorders to leteverything else go, and
attend to Miss Eva whenever she wanted him,"r
duties ; for Marie St. Clare declared that she
could not have any smell of the horses about him
to her account, quitesufficientto close the
scene, and put an end to all her earthlytrialsat
once. Tom, therefore, in his well-brushed broadcloth
suit șmooth
beaver,glossyboots,faultless
wristbands and collar,with his grave, good-natured
particle black face,looked respectablenough to be a
virtue in our not having it ; but custom with us Bishop of Carthage, as men of his color were, in
does what Christianity oughtto obliterates other
do,"
ages.
the feeling of personalprejudice.I have often Then, too,he was in a beautiful place, a consideration
noticed,in my travels north,how much stronger
to which his sensitive race are never
this was with you than with us. You loathe indifferent ; and he did enjoy with a quietjoy the
them as
you would a snake or a toad, yetyou are birds țhe flowers. *he fountains, the perfume, and
indignant at their wrongs. You would not have li^htand beauty of the court,the silken hang

" and
"
"
life
" and
that
70 UNCLE TOM S CABIN I OR,
iniffi and pictures,
and lustres, and "
I
statuettes,] was juststopping to giveMammy my vinai
and Riding țhat made the parlors within a kind grettețo take to church with her."
" Eva !" said "
Marie,stampingimpatient'/,
ofAladdin's palaceto him.
If ever Africa shall show an elevated ai 1 cultivated
"
your
race,
come it must, some til e, her you learn what 's proper ? Go rightand take it
turn to figure in the greatdrama of human improvement,
back, this moment !"
will awake there with a
gorgeousness
and splendor of which our cold western slowly.
Eva looked downcast and aggrieved, and turned
"
tribes faintlyhave conceived. In that far-off I say, Marie,let the child alone ; she shall
mystic land of gold, and gems, and spices,ando as she pleases,"said St. Clare.
waving palms, and wondrous flowers,and miraculous
"St. Clare,how will she ever getalongin the
fertility, will awake new forms of art,new world?" said Marie.
-tyles of splendor ; and the " "
negrorace, no longer The Lord knows," said St. Clare ; but
and trodden down, will,perhaps șhow
de'spised
forth some of the latest and most magnificent
revelations
theywill, in
of human life.
Certainly
their gentleness, their lowly docility of heart, "Well, cousin,are you ready to go to meeting'?"
their aptitude repose on a superior mind and
said Miss Ophelia,turningsquare about
rest on a higherpower, their childlike simplicity on St. Clare.
of affection,and facility forgiveness. "
I *m not going țhank you."
these they will exhibit the highestform of the
go to church,"
"
I do wish St. Clare ever would
peculiarly "
life,and, perhaps,
as God said Marie ; but he has n't a particle religion
chr.stenethwhom he loveth, he hath chosen poor about him. It reallyisn't respectable."
it," St. You ladies Africa in the furnace of affliction, to make her
"
I know said Clare.
"
go
the highest and noblest in that kingdom which to church to learn how to getalong in the wor'd,
he will set up,
when every other kingdom has I suppose, and your piety sheds respectability on
been tried,and failed ; for the firstshall be last, us. If I did go at all, I would go where Mammy
very elegantindeed. Miss Opheliastood at her
side,a perfect contrast. It was not that she had
not as handsome a silk dress and shawl,and as
fine a pocket-handkerchief; but stiffness and
squareness, and bolt-uprightness, enveloped her
with as indefinite yet appreciable a
presence as
did grace her elegantneighbor; not the grace of
"
God, however, is quiteanother thing !
"
Where 's Eva?" said Marie.
me,
now."
"
Do hear tl e darlin' talk !" said Mammy, as
Eva thrust it i ito her bosom, and, kissingher,
ran down stairsto her mother.
"
Wht.t wer3 yea steppingfori"
"
goldvinaigrette to Mammy ! When will
she '11 getalong in heaven better than you'or I."
"
0, papa, don't," said Eva,softlytouching
his elbow ;
"
it troubles mother."
.
and the last first.
goes ; there 's something to keep a fellow awake
Was this what Marie St. Clare was thinking of, there,at least."
as she stood gorgeously dressed,on the veranda,on "What! those shoutingMethodists'? Horrible
Sundaymorning,clasping diamond bracelet on !" said Marie.
her slender wrist 1 Most likely it was. Or, if it
respectable
"
Anything but the dead sea of your
was n't that,it was something else ; for Marie patronized
churches,Marie. Positively,
's too much
goodthings, and she was goingnow, in full to ask of a man. Eva, do you
like to go ? Come,
"
force, diamonds, silk,and lace,and jewels, and stay at home and playwith mo."
all,"
"
to a fashionablechurch,to be very religious. Thank you, papa ; but I rather go to
Marie always made a point to be very pious on church."
Sundays. There she stood șo slender șo "
elegant, Is n't it dreadful tiresome ?" said St. Clare.
so and airy in undulating all her motions,her
" I think ib is tiresome,some,"said Eva
"
; and
like a lace scarf enveloping her mist. She looked I am sleepyțoo, but I tiy to keep awake."
a gracefulcreature,and she felt very good and
" What do
"
Why you
you go for țhen ?"
know, papa," she said,in a whisper,
"cousin told me that God wants to have us;
you know ; and it
and he gives us everything,
is n't much to do it,if he wants us to. It isn't
so
very tiresome,after all."
"You sweet, little obligingsoul!" said St.
Clare,kissingher ; "go along, that's a good
girl, and pray
for me."
"
Certainly, I always do," said the child,as
she sprung after her mother into the carriage.
and kissed his hand
"
The child stopped on the stairs, say something
to Mammy."
St. Clare stood on the steps
And what was Eva saying to Mammy on the to her,as the carriage away ; large tears
stairs? Listen,reader,and you will hear,though were in his eyes.
Marie does not.
"0, Evangeline!rightlynamed," he said;
"
Dear Mammy, I know your head is "
aching hath not God made thee an evangel tome?"
dreadfully."
So he felt a moment ; and then he smoked a
head allers cigar, read the Picayune, forgot his littlo
" Lord*bless Miss you," Eva ! "
aches lately.You don't need
my
to worry." gospel. Was he much unlike other folks ?
"
You see,
"
Well, I 'm gladyou 're going out ; and here,"
Evangeline," mother, " it 's
the littlegirlthrew "her arms around her, alwaysright and proper to be kind to servants,
Mammy, you shall take my vinaigrette." but it is n't proper to treat them justas we would
"
" What ! your beautiful goldthingțhar,with our relations,or peoplein our own class of life.
them diamonds ! Lor,Miss, 'twould n't be proper,
Now, if Mammy was sick, you would n't want to
no ways."
put her in your own bed."
Why not 1 You need it,and I
"
don't. Mamma
I should feeljustlike it,mamma," said Eva,
"
always uses it for headache, and it '11make
"
because,then it would be handier to take care
you feel better. No, you shall take it to pleaseof her,and because, you know, my bed is better
than
hers."
Marie was in utter despair
perception evinced in this reply.
of moral
at the entirewant
"
What can I do to make this child understand
me?" she said.

" that
I
why
we
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 71
"
Nothing,"said Miss Opheliașignificantly. religion, that he 's alwaysrunning
out m. this
Eva looked sorry and disconcerted for a moment
way he 's been doing "
; but children,luckily, keep to one "Religion!" said St. Clare,in a tone that
impression long, and in a few moments she j
was made both ladies look at him. "Religion!la
merrilylaughing at various things which she saw what you hear at church religion ? Is that which
from the coach-windows,as it rattled along. can bend and turn, and descend and ascend,to fit
every crooked phraseof selfish,worldlysociety,
# * # * * #
"Well, ladies,"said St. Clare,as theywere religion religion is less scrupulous,
"
comfortably seated at the dinner-table, and what
less generous, less just, less consider;!te for
was the billof fare at church to-day?"
man, than even my
own ungodly,worldly,blinded
"
0, Dr. G preached a splendidsermon," nature ? No ! When I look for a religion, 1 must
said Marie.
"
It was just such a sermon as you
above look for something me, and not something
ought to hear ; it expressed all my
views exactly."
beneath."
"
Then don't believe that the Bible justifies
"
It must have been very improving," said St.
you
slavery?"said Miss Ophelia.
"
Clare The subject must have been an extensive
"
The Bible was my mother's
"
one."
Clare. By it she lived and bonk,"said
died,and
St.
I would
"
Well, I mean all my views about society, and be very sorry to think it did. 1 'd as soon desire
such things," said Marie. " '
The text was, He to have it proved that my mother could drink
hath made everything beautiful in its season;' brandy, chew tobacco,and swear, by way of satisfying
and he showed how all the orders and distinctions
me that I did right in doing* the same. It
in society came from God ; and that it was so would n't make me at all more satisfiedwith
appropriate, you know, and beautiful, that some these things in myself, and it would take from
should be highand some low,and that some were me the comfort of respecting her; and it reallyis
born to rule and some to serve, and all that, you
a comfort,in this world, to have anythingone
know ; and he applied it so well to all this ridiculous
can respect. In short, you see," said he, suddenly
fuss that is made about slavery,and he
proveddistinctlythat the Bible was on our side,
and supported
'd heard him."
prettygenerallyunderstood
differentthings be kept in different boxes. The
all our institutions so convincingly. whole frame-work of society, both in Europe and
I only wish
"
0, I did
you
n't
America,is made up of various thingswhich will
not stand the scrutinyof any very
ideal standard
need it,"said St.Clare. " I can
learn what does me as much good as that from of morality. It 's
the Picayune,any time,and smoke a cigar besides
; which I can't do, you know, in a
church."
"Why," said Miss Ophelia, "don't you beiievein
these views ?"
getalongwithout it,we should be beggared if
"
"
Who, ? You know I 'insuch a graceless we give it up, and, of course, we mean to hold on
dogthat these religious aspects of such subjectsto this is it," strong,clear,well-defined language
don't edify me much. If I was to say anything ; it has the respectability of truth to it ;
on this slaverymatter, I would say out, fair and and if we may judgeby țheir practice, the majority
square, ' AVe 're in for it ; we 've got 'em, and of the world will bear us out in it. But when
mean to 'em," keep it 's for our convenience and he begins to put on a longface, and snuffle,and
our interest ;' for that 's the long and short of it, quote scripture, I incline to think he is n't much
's justthe whole of what all this sanctified
better than he should be."
stuff amounts to, after all ; and I think
uncharitable," said Marie.
"
You are very
"
AYell,"said St. Clare,"suppose
that will be intelligible to everybody,everywhere."
"I do are so think,Augustine,you irreverent!"
and forever, and make the whole slave ]roperty
a
said Marie. "I think it's shocking to drug in the market, don't you
think we should
hear you
talk."
soon have another version of the scripture doctrine
"
Shocking ! it 's the truth. This religious, talk ? AVhat a floodof light would pour into the
on such "
matters, don't theycarry it a little
church,all at once, and how immediately itwould
further,and show the beauty, in its season, be discovered that everything
the Bible and
of a fellow'staking a glass too much, and sitting reason went the other way
!"
a littletoo late over his cards,and various
"
providential
AYell,at any rate," said Marie,as a\it reclined
arrangements of that sort, which are
herself on a lounge, "I'm thankful I'm
frequent
f"retty among
"
us young
men ; 'd born where slavery exists ; and I believe it 'a
ike to hear that those are rightand godly țoo."
"
right, indeed,I feel it must be; and, at any
"
AYell,"said Miss Ophelia, "do you think rate, I 'm sure I could n't get alongwithout
slaveryright or wrong?"
it."
" I 'm not goingt6 have any of your horrid
' I say, what do you think,Pussy?" siid her
New Englanddirectness, cousin,"said St. Clare, father to Eva, who came in at this moment, with
gayly. " If I answer that question, I know you '11 a flower in her hand.
be at ire with half a dozen others,each one harder
" What about, papa ?"
than tho last ; and I 'm not a going to define "
my Why, which do you like the to live
best,"
position Ị am one of the sort that lives by as they do at your uncle's, up
in Vermont, or to
throwing stones at other people'sglasshouses, have a house-fullof servants, as we do?"
"
said Marie ; you can't get any satisfaction out
of him 1 believei: 's justbecause he don't- like
resuming his gay tone, "all I want is that
that men "don't aspire after the absolute right,
but onlyto do about as well as the rest of the
world. Now, when any one speaksup, like a
"man, and says slavery is necessary
to us, we can't
that something
should bring down the priceof c" tton race
but I never mean to put up -one for them to
"
0, of course, our way is the pleasantest,
'
stone."
"That's just the way he's said Eva.
"
always talking," AVhy so?" said St. Clare,stroking her head
"
AVhy, it makes so many
more round you to
love, you know," said Eva,lookingup earnestly

"
a
" thankful
72 UNCLE TOM S CABIN I OR,
" And when we get tc Canada,' said Eliza
"
"
shan't
"-Vow, that's just like Eva," said Marie;
Bible,and learn to be a good man." master, who was going to make an example of
"just one of her odd speeches !"
" I can helpyou. I ";an do dress-making very
"Is it an odd speech,papa?" said Eva,whisperingly,
well ; and I understand fine washing and ironing ;
as she gotupon
his knee.
and between us we can find somethingto livs
"
Rather, as this world goes, Pussy," said St. on."
(Clare. " But where has my
littleEva been,all
"
Yes,Eliza șo longas we have each other and
dinner-time?"
our boy. 0 ! Eliza,if these peopleonlyknew what
"
0, I 've been up in Tom's room, hearing him a blessingit is for a man to feel that his wife and
child belongto him! I 've often wondered to see
men that could call their wives and children their
own fretting and worrying about anything else.
"Why, I feel rich and strong,though we have
nothingbut our bare hands. I feel as if I could
scarcelyask God for any more. Yes, thoughI 've
worked hard every day, tillI 'm twenty-five years
old,and have not a cent of money, nor a roof to
"
Singinglessons,hey? you are coming on." cover me, nor a spot of land to call my own, yet,
"
Yes, he sings for me, and I read to him in if theywill only let me alone now, I will be satisfied
my Bible ; and he explains what it means, you
; I will work, and send hack the
know."
money for you and my boy. As to my old master,
" On jivy word," said Marie, laughing,
that he has been paidfive times over for all lie ever
is the latest jokeof the season !"
spent for me. I don't owe him anything."
"Tom isn't a bad hand, now, at explaining
"
But yet we are not quiteout of danger,"
scripture, I '11 dare swear," said St. Clare. said Eliza ; "we are not yetin Canada."
True," said George, but it seems " Tom has a natural genius for religion Ị
" " as if I
wanted the horses out early țhis morning, and I smelt the free air,and it makes me strong."
stole up to Tom's cubiculum there,over the At this moment, voices were heard in the outer
stables,and there I heard him holding a meeting apartment, in earnest conversation,and very soon
by himself; and, in fact,I haven't heard anything
a
rap
was heard on the door. Eliza started and
quite so savory as Tom's prayer,
this some opened it.
time. He put in for me, with a zeal that was Simeon Halliday was there, and with him a
quiteapostolic."
Quaker brother,whom he introduced as Phineas
"
Perhaps he guessedyou were listening. Fletcher. Phineas was tall and lathy,red-haired,
heard of that trick before."
with an expression greatacuteness and shrewdness
"If he did, he wasn't very politic; in his face. He had not the placid,quiet,
fave the Lord his opinion of me, prettyfreely, unworldly air of Simeon Halliday ; on the contrary,
'om seemed to think there was decidedly room
a particularly wide-awake and av fait appearance,
for improvement in me, and seemed very
earnest
like a man who rather prideshimself on
that I should be converted."
knowing what he is about,and keeping a bright
"I hope you'lllay it to heart,"said Miss look-out ahead ; peculiarities which sorted rather
Ophelia.
oddly with his hroad brim and formal phraseology.
something
"
Our friend Phineas hath discovered " I suppose you
are much of the same opinion,"
said St. Clare.
"
Well,we shall see,
of importance to the interests of thee and thy
we, Eva?"
party,George,"said Simeon; " it were well for
thee to hear it."
"
That I have," said Phineas, " and it shows
CHAPTER XVII.
the use of a man's alwayssleeping with one ear
THE FREEMAN S DEFENCE.
open, in certain places, alwayssaid. Last
night I stopped at a little lone tavern, back on
There was a gentle bustle at the Quaker house, the road. Thee remembers the place,Simeon,
as the afternoon drew to a close. Rachel Halliday
where we fecld some apples, last year, to that fat
moved quietly to and fro, collecting from her woman, with the great ear-rings ẠYeh ,
I was
household stores such needments as could be tired with hard driving ; and, after my supper, I
arranged in the smallest compass, for the wanderers
stretched myself down on a pile of hags in the
who were to go forth that night.The corner, and pulled
afternoon shadows stretched eastward,
to wait till
and the
my bed was ready; and what does I do, but get
round red sun stood thoughtfully on the horizon, fast asleep!"
Simeon,
and his beams shone yellowand calm into the
"
With one ear
open, Phineas?" said
littlebed-rocm where George and his wife were quietly.
sittingḤe was sitting his childon his knee,
slept, ears and all,for an hour or two,
" No ; I
and his wife's hand in his. Both looked thoughtful
for I was pretty well tired ; but when I came to
and serious,and traces of tears were on their myself a little, I found that there were some men
cheeks.
in the room, sittinground a table,drinkingand
"Yes, Eliza,"said George, "I know all you talking; and I thought,before I made much muster,
say is true. You are a good child, great I 'd justsee what theywere up to,especially
deal better than I am ; and I will try to do as as I heard them say something about the Quakers.
you say. I '11 try to act '
worthyof a free man. 'So,' says one, theyare up in the Quaker settlement,
I '11try to feel like a Christian. God Almighty
no doubt,' says he. Then I listened
knows that I 've meant to do tried hard with both well," ears, and I found that they were talking
10 do well," when everythinghas been against about this very party. So I layand heard them
me and
,
now I '11 forgetall the past, and put lay off all their plans. This young man, they
away every hard and bitter feeling, and read my said,was to be sent back to Kentucky, to his
sing, and Aunt Dinah gave me my dinner."
"
Hearing Tom sing,hey?"
"0, yes ! he singssuch beautiful thingsabout
the New Jerusalem,and brightangels,and the
of Canaan."
land
"
I dare say ; it 's better than the opera,
is n't
it?"
"Yes, and he 's goingto teach them to me."

he
'
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY.
73
"
him,to keepallniggers from runningaway ; and Flesh and blood coull net do otherwise,iaid
his wife two of them were goingto run down to Simeon.
"
Woe uuti the world because of
New Orleans to sell,on their own account, and offences, but woe unto them hroughwhom the
theycalculated to get sixteen or eighteen hundred offence cometh."
"
dollars *br her ; and the child,they said,was
Would not even
you, sir,lo the same, in my
going to a trader, who had bought him ; and then place?"
there was the boy Jim, and his mother, they
"
I pray that
"
I be not tried,"said Simeon ; the
were to go back to their masters in Kentucky.
flesh is weak."
"
They Si'id that there were two constables,in a I think my flesh would be
tow* a littlepieceahead, who would
go
in with strong, in such a case," said
prettytole.able
Phineas,stretching
'em to get 'em taken up, and the young woman out a pair of arms like the sailsof a windmill.
was to be taken before a and one of the "I an't friend I shouldn't
jrdge; sure, George, that
fellows,who is small and- "u.ooth-spoken, was to hold a fellow for thee,if thee had
swear to her for his property, and get her delivl
to settle with him."
any accounts
ered over to him to take south. They 've got a
"
If man should ever resistevil,"said Simeon,
right notion we of the track are "
;
goingto-night then George should feel free to do it but
and they'11be down after us, six or eightstrong. the leadersof our peopletaughta more
now ;
excellent
So,now, what 's to be done?"
way ; for the wrath of man vvorketh not the
The group that stood in various attitudes,after righteousness if God ; but it goes sorelyagainst
this communication,were worthyof a painter. corruptwill of man, and none can receiveit
Halliday, who had taken her hands out
.Rachel
of a batch of biscuitțo hear the news, stood
with them upraised and floury, and with a face
of the deepest concern. Simeon looked
pro-
thoughtful-, Eliza had thrown her arms
around hei husband, and was lookingup to him.
Georgestood with clenched hands and glowing
"
And so / do," said Phineas
"
; but if we are
foundly tempted too much why, let them look out
that "s all !"
thee wasn't born a Friend,'
"
It 's quiteplain
said Simeon, smiling. " The old nature hath its
eyes, and looking as any other man might look,
whose wife was to be sold at auction,and son
sent to a trader,all under the shelter of a Christian
nation's laws.
a dead shot at a buck ; but,havingwooed a pretty
"What shall we do, George?" said Eliza, Quakeress,had been moved by the power of her
faintly.
charms to join the society his neighborhood ;
"
I know what I shall do," said George,as he and thoughhe was an honest,sober, and efficient
steppedinto the little room, and beganexaminingmember, and nothingparticular could be alleged
his pistols.
againsthim,yet the more spiritual among them
"
Ay, ay," said Phineas,noddinghis head to could not but discern an exceeding lack of savor
Simeon, " thou seest,Simeon,how it will work." in his developments.
"I see," said Simeon, sighing; "I pray it "Friend Phineas will ever have ways of his
come not to that."
t
"
I don't want to involve any
one with or for
me," said George. " If you will lend me your
vehicle and direct me, I will drive alone to the
next stand. Jim is a giant in strength, and
brave as death and despair, and so am I."
"
Ah, well,friend,"said Phineas, " but thee '11
me, pleaseto let me know."
"Phineas is a wise and skilfulman," said
Simeon. "Thee does well,George,to abide by
his judgment;and," he added, layinghis hand
kindlyon George'sshoulder,and pointing to the
pistols,
" be not over hasty with these," young
blood is hot."
stand by and see them take my wife and sellTier,
when God has givenme a pairof strongarms to
defend her? No ; God help me ! I '11 fighto the
last breath,before they shall take my wife and
son. Can you blame me!"
"
Mortal man cannot blame thee, George.
save theyto whom it is given. Let us pray .the
Lord that we be not tempted."
way in thee prettystrong as yet."
To tellthe truth Phineas had been a hearty,
two-fisted baekwoodoman
,
a vigoroushunter,and
own," said Rachel Halliday, smiling; " but we all
think that his heart is in the rightplace, after
all."
"Well," said George,"isn't it best that we
hasten our flight?"
" I gotup at four o'clock, and came on with all
speed,full two or three hours ahead of them, if
need a driver,for all that. Thee 's quitewelcome
theystart at the time theyplanned. It is n't safe
know
to do all the fighting, thee knows ; but 1 to start tilldark,at any rate ; for there arc some
a thingor two about the road,that thee evil persons in the villages ahead, that might be
doesn't."
meddle disposed with us, if theysaw our wagon,
"
But I don't want to involve you," said and that would delayus more than the waiting;
George.
but in two hours I think we may venture. I will
"
a
go over engage to come
keen expressionof face. " When thee does involvebehind
on his swift nag, and keep a brightlook-
curious and
Involve,"said Phineas,with him
out
on the road,and warn us if any company of
men come on. Michael keepsa horse that can
soon
get ahead of most other horses ; and he could
shoot ahead and let us know, if there were any
danger. I am goingout now to warn Jim and
the old woman to be in readiness, and to see about
"
"
the horse. We have a pretty fair start,and stand
"
I will attack no man," said George. " All I
ask of this countryis to be let alone,and I will
go out peaceably ; but, paused,and his George;
brow uglyscrape
darkened and his "
face worked, I 've been in with thypeople,"said Phineas,as he
'
had a sister sold in that New Orleans market. I closed the door.
know what theyare sold for ; and am I going to
He
"
Phineas is prettyshrewd,"saidSimeon.
will do the best that can be done for thee,George "
a good chance to getto the stand beforethey can
come
up with us. So,have good courage, friend
that I 've
"
All I am sorry for,"said George, " is the risk
to you."
"
Thee '11much obligeus, friend George țo say
no more about that. What we do we are conscience
bound to do; we can do no other way,

.
ana
"
and
"
Christians
why,
"
74 UNCLE TOM S CABIN I OR,
"
And now, mother,' said he, turning to Rachel, I theirend. Surely thou didstset them in slippery
''bunfythypreparations for tliese friends, for we placesțhou castedst them down to destruction
Trent unt the sanctuary of G I. Then understood Jim came out first,and carefully must not send them away fasting."
As a dream when one awaketh, so, 0 Lord,wher
And while Rachel and her children were husy thou awakest, thou shalt despisetheir image
making corn-cake,and cooking ham and chicken, Nevertheless, continually with thee ; thou
and hurryingon the el ceteras of the eveningmeal, hast holden me by my righthand. Thou shalt
George and his wife sat in their little room, with guide me by thy counsel,and afterwards receive
their arms folded about each other,in such talk as me to glory. It is goodfor me to draw near unto
husband and wife have when theyknow that a few God. I have put my trust in the Lord God."
hours may partthem forever.
The words of holytrust,breathed by the friendly
"
Eliza," said George, " peoplethat have old man, stole like sacred music over the harassed
friends,and houses, and lands,and money, and and chafed spirit George; and after he ceased,
all those things, who have he sat with a gentle and subdued expression on
nothing but each other. Till I knew you, Eliza, his fine features.
no creature ever had loved me, but my poor,
"
If this world were all,George,"said "Simeon,
heart-broken mother and sister. I saw poor Emily "thee might,indeed, ask, Where is the Lord?
that morningthe trader carried her off. She came But it is often those who have least of all in this
to the corner where I was King asleep, and said, lifewhom he chooseth for the kingdom. Put thy
'
Poor George,your last friend is going. "What trust in Him, and, no matter what befalls theo
will become of you, poor boy ?' And I gotup and here,he will make all righthereafter."
threw my arms round her,and cried and Bobbed, If these words had been spokenby some
easy.,
she cried too ; and those were the last kind
self-indulgent exhorter,from whose mouth they
words I got for ten long years ; and my heart all might have come merelyas piousand rhetorical
withered up, and ^V, as dry as ashes țill I met flourish, proper to be used to people in distress,
\
you. And your lov'ivgme, it was almost perhapstheymight not have had much effect ; but
like raising on^ from the dead ! I 've been a new coming from one who daily and calmlyrisked fine
man ever since : And now, Eliza,I '11givemy and imprisonment man,
lastdropof blood,but they shall not take you from they had a weight that could not but be felt,and
me. Whoever gets you must walk over my dead both the poor,
desolate fugitives found calmness
body."
and strengthbreathing into them from it.
"0 Lord, have mercy!" said Eiza, sobbing. And now Rachel took Eliza's hand kindly, and
"
If he will only let us get out cf this country led the way to the supper-table. they were
together, that is all we
sittingdown, a lighttap sounded at the door,
"
Is God on their side V said George,speakingless
and Ruth entered.
to his wife than pouring out his own bitter "I just ran in,"she said, "with these little
thoughts. " Does he see all theydo ? Why does stockings for the boy," three pair,nice,warm
be let such thingshappen ? And theytell us that woollen ones. It will be so cold,thee knows, in
the Bible is on their side ; certainly all the power Canada ! Does thee keep up good courage,
is. They are rich,and healthy, and happy; they Eliza !" she added, tripping round to Eliza's side
are members of churches,expectingto go to of the table,and shaking her warmly by tbo
heaven ; and theyget along so easy in the world, hand, and slipping into Harry's hnncL
and have it all their own way ; and poor, honest,
"
I brought a little parcel of these for him," she
faithful Christians,
as good or better said,tugging at her pocket to get out the package.
than they," are lying in the very
dust under
"
Children,thee knows, will always be
their feet. They buy 'em and sell 'em, and make eating."
trade of their hearts' blood,and groans and tears,
"
0, thank you ; you
are too kind,"said Fliza.
God letsthem."
"
Come, Ruth, sit down to supper," said
"
Friend George," said Simeon,from the kitchen,
Rachel.
"
I could
"
listen to this Psalm ; it may do thee good."
n't, any way.
I left John with the
George drew his seat near the door,and Eliza, baby, and some biscuits in the oven ; and I can't
wipingher tears,came forward also to listen, while stay a moment, else John will burn up all the
Simeon read as follows :
biscuits, and give the baby all the sugar in the
bowl. That 's the way he does," said the little
"
But as for me, feet were almost gone
steps had my
well-nighslipped. For I was
; my
envious
""
Quakeress,laughing. So, good-by, Eliza ;
of the foolish,when I saw the prosperity of the good-by,George; the Lord grant thee a safe
wicked. They are not in trouble like other men, journey,"and, with a few trippingsteps, Ruth
Neither are theyplagued like other men. Therefore,
was out of the apartment.
pridecom passe th them as a chain ; violence A little while after supper, a large covered
covereth them as a garment. Their eyes stand wagon
drew up before the door ; the night was
out with fatness ; theyhave more than heart could clear star-light ; and Phineas jumped 1 riskly
wish. They are corrupt, and speakwickedlyconcerning
down from his seat to arrange
his passengers.
oppression ; theyspeakloftiiy. George walked out of the door,with his child on
bis peoplereturn, and the waters of a full cup one arm and his wife on the other. His step was
are wrung out of them, and they say,
How doth firm,his face settled and resolute. Rachel and
God know ? and is there knowledgein the Most Simeon came out after them.
High'"
"You get out a moment," said Phineas to
"
Is not that the way thee feels,George?" those inside, " and let me fix the back of the
"
"
It is so, indeed," said George, as well as
wagon, there, for the women-folks and boy."
I could have written it myself."
"Here are two buffaloes" said Rachel.
"
Then, hear," said Simeon : " When I thought
be ; it's
"
Make the seats as comfortable as may
to know ^.his,it was too painfulfor me until I hard riding all night."

"
quick,boys,in
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY.
75
his old mother, who clungto his arm, and looked
anxiouslyabout, as if she expected the pursuer
among the buffalo-skins. The old woman was
next handed in and seated,and George and
Jim placedon a rough board seat front of them,
and Phineas mounted in front.
"
Farewell, my friends,"said Simeon, from
"
"
isolated ridge ov clump in a largelot, which was,,
all around it,quiteclear and smooth. This isolated
without.
"
God
pile, range of rocks, rose up
black and
heavyagains the brightening sky,and seemed
to promiseshelter and concealment. It was a
bless !" answered all from within.
And the
you
wagon druve off,rattling and jolting placewell known to Phineas, who had been
over the frozen road.
familiar with the spot in his huntingdays; and
There was no opportunity for conversation,on it was to gain this point he had been racing his
account of the roughness of the way and the.noise horses.
of the wheels. The vehiclețherefore,rumbled
"
Now for it!" said he,suddenlycheckinghis
on, throughlong,dark stretches of woodland," horses,and springing his seat to the ground.
over Avide,drearyplains, up hills,and down
"
Out with you, in a twinkling, every one, and
valleys, and on, on, on theyjogged, hour after
up into these rocks with me. Michael, thee tie
hour. The child soon fellasleep, and layheavilythy wagon, and drive ahead to Amariah's,and
get him and his boys to come back
in his mother's lap. The
poor, frightened woman at last forgother fears ; and even Eliza, and talk to these fellows."
as the nightwaned, found all her anxietiesinsufficient
In a twinklingtheywere all out of the carriage.
know the sound of his gallop;" and he rose up
and stretched his head anxiously back over the
road.
A man riding in hot haste was now dimly descried
with brandy,swearing and foaminglike so
many
wolves."
And, just as he spoke,a breeze broughtthe
faintsound
"
In with you,
of galloping
horsemen towards them.
/" said Phineas.
"If you must fight, wait tillI get you a
pieceahead." And with the word, both jumped
in, and Phineas lashed the horses to a run, tht
horseman keepingclose beside them. The wage
i
rattled,jumped, almost flew, over the frozen
ground; but
and still plainer,came tli8
plainer,
noise of pursuing horsemen behind. The women
heard it,and, lookinganxiously out, saw, far in
the rear, on the brow of a distant hill,a party of
men looming up against the red-streaked sky of
every moment,
i
"
Jim, are your pistols all in order V said
George, in a low, firm voice.
"
Yes, indeed,"said Jim.
" And you 've no doubt what you shall do, if early dawn. Another hill, and their pursuers
' '
theycome 1
had evidently caughtsight of their wagon, whose
" I rather think I have n't,"said Jim,throwingwhite cloth-covered top made it conspicuous at
open his broad chest, and taking a deep breath. some distance,and a loud yell of brutal triumph
" J"o you think I '11let them get mother again V came forward on the wind. Eliza sickened,and
During this brief colloquy, Eliza had been taking
strained her child closer to her bosom ; the old
her leave of her kind friend,Rachel, and was woman prayedand groaned,and Georgeand Jim
handed into the carriage by Simeon,and, creeping
clenched their pistolswith the grasp of despair.
into the back part with her boy, sat down The pursuers gained on them fast ; the carriage
made a sudden turn, and broughtthem near a
ledge of a steepoverhanging rock,that rose in an
to keep her eyes
from closing.Phineas
seemed, on the whole,the briskest of the company,
"
There," said Phineas,catchingup Harry,
and beguiledhis long drive with "
whistling you, each of you, see to the women ; and run,
certain very unquaker-like songs, as he went on. now, if you
ever did run !""
But about three o'clock George'sear caught There needed no exhortation. Quicker than
the hastyand decided click of a horse's hoof coining
we can say it,the whole partywere over the
behind them at some distance,and joggedfence,makingwith all speed for the rocks,while
Phineas by the -elbow. Phineas pulledup his Michael,throwinghimself from his horse,and
horses,and listened.
fastening wagon, begandriving
" "
That must be Michael,"he said ; I think I itrapidly away.
"
C'ome ahead,"said Phineas,as they reached
the rocks,and saw, in the mingledstarlight and
dawn, the traces of a rude but plainly marked
foot-pathleadingup among them ; "this is one
at the top of a distant hill.
of our old hunting-dens.Come up !"
"There he is,I do believe!" said Phineas. Phineas went before,springing ur tr.e rocks
George and Jim both sprang out of the wagon, like a goat, with the boy in his arms. Jim came
before they knew what they were doing. All second,bearinghis trembling old mother over his
stood intensely silent,with their faces turned shoulder,and George and Eliza broughtup the
towards the expectedmessenger. On he came. rear. The party of horsemen came up to the
Now he went down into a valley, where they fence,and,with mingledshouts and oaths,were
could not see him ; but they heard the sharp, dismounting țo prepare to follow them. A few
haslytramp, rising nearer and nearer ; at last moments' scramblingbrough them to the topof
they saw him emerge on the topof an eminence, the ledge: the path then passedbetween a narrow
within hail.
defile,where onlyone could walk at a time,
"
Yes, that ' s Michael!" said Phineas; and, tillsuddenlythey came to a riftor chasm more
than a yard in breadth,and beyond which laya
pileof rocks,separate from the rest of the ledge,
"
raising Ids voice, "
Hulloa,there,Michael!"
"
Phineas ! is that thee?"
theycoming?"
standing full thirty feet high, with
"
Yes ; what news
"
Right on behind,eightor ten of them,hot and perpendicular as those of a castle. Phineas
easilyleaped the chasm, and sat down the boy on
a smooth, flat platform of crispwhite moss,
covered the top of the rock.
itssides steep
that
"Over with you!" he called;"spring,now,
once, for your lives!" said he, as one after another
sprang
across. Several fragments of loose stone
formed a kind of breast-work,which sheltered
their position from the observation of those bolow.

" it
what
Eliza
7G UNCLE TOM'S CABIN : OR,
"
Well, here Ave all are," said Phineas, peepin"j;
"
over the stone breast-work to watch the
your
" assailants,
You mean to take wife to sell in New
who were corningtunmltuously up under Orleans,and put my
my
boy like a calf in a trader's
the rocks.
"
Let 'em get us, if theycan. Whoever
pen, and send Jim's old mother to the brute
comes here has to walk single filebetween that whipped and abused her before,because he
those two rocks,in fair range of your pistols, couldn't abuse her son. You Avant to send Jim
boj's,d'ye see?"
and me back to be whipped and tortured,and
"" I do see,"said George; " and now, as this grounddown under the heels of them that you
matter is ours, let us take all the risk,and do all call masters ; and your laws will bear you out in
the fighting."
more shame for it," you and them! But you
"Thee's quitewelcome to do the fighting, haven't got us. We don't own
George." said your laws; we
Phineas,chewingsome checkerberry-leaves
spoke; " but I may have the under God's sky, as
don't own your country; Ave stand here as free,
fun of lookingon, I you are ; and, by the great
suppose. But see, these fellows
God that made us, we "11 fight for our liberty are kinder debating down there,and lookingwe
die."
up, like hens when theyare going to fly up
on to George stood out in fair sight, the topof
the roost. Hadn't thee better give'em a word the rock,as he made his declarationof independence
of advice,before theycome
up, justto tell 'em ; the glow of dawn a
gave flush to hie
handsomelythey'11be shot if they do?"
swarthy cheek, and bitter indignation The party beneath,now more apparentin the spairgave fireto his dark eye ; and, as if appealing
lightof the dawn, consistedof our old acquaintances,
from man to the justiceof God, he raised his
Tom Loker and Marks, with two constables,
hand to heaven as he spoke.
and a posse consisting of such rowdies at If it had been onlya Hungarianyouth,now
the last tavern as could be engaged by a little bravelydefending
some mountain fastness the
brandy to go and help the fun of trapping a set retreat of fugitivescapingfrom Austria into
of niggers.
America, this would have been sublime heroism :
"
Well, Tom, yer
coons are farlytreed,"said but,as it was a youthof African descent,defending
one.
the retreat of fugitives throughAmerica into
Canada,of course we are too well instructedand
"
Yes, I see 'em go up righthere," said Tom ;
"
and here 's a path. I 'in for goingrightup. patriotic any heroism in it ; and if any of
They can't jump down in a hurry, and it won't our readers do, they must do it on their own
take longto ferret 'em out."
privateresponsibility. When despairing "
But, Tom, theymight fireat us from behind fugitives make their way, against all the
the rocks,"said Marks.
"
That would be ugly, search-warrants and authorities of their lawful
you know."
government țo America, press and political cabinet
"
Ugh ! said Tom, with ' " a sneer. Always ring with applauseand welcome. When
for saving your skin, Marks! No danger!niggersdespairing
fugitives do the same thing,
are too plaguyscared !"
is is it?
"
I don't know why I shouldn't save my skin," Be it as it may, it ịs certainthat the attitude,
said Marks. "It's the best I 've got; and niggerseye,
voice,manner, of the speaker, for a moment
do fightlike the devilșometimes."
struck the partybelow to silence. There is something
At this moment, Georgeappearedon the top in boldness and determination that for a
of a rock above them,and,speakingin a calm, time hushes even the rudest nature. Marks vras
clear voice,said,
the only one who remained Avholly untouched.
"
Gentlemen,who are
you, down there, and He was deliberately cockinghis pistol,and, in
what do you want?"
the momentary silence that followed George's
him.
"
We want a party of runaway niggers," said
"
Tom Loker. One GeorgeHarris,and Eliza Harris,
speech, he fired at
"
Ye see ye getjistas much for him dead as
and their son, and Jim Selden,and an old alive in Kentucky,"he said,coolly, as he wiped
woman. We 've got the officers, here, and a his pistol his coat-sleeve.
warrant to take 'em ; and we 're goingto have
"
George sprang backward, uttered a
'em, too. D'ye hear? An*t you GeorgeHarris,
the ball had shriek," passedclose to his hair,
that belongs to Mr. Harris,of Shelbycounty, had nearlygrazed the cheek of his wife,and
Kentucky?"
struck in the tree
"
It 's nothing,Eliza,"said
above.
"
I am George Harris. A Mr. Harris, of Kentucky,
George,quickly.
did call me his property. But now I 'm a
"
Thee 'd better keep out of sight, Avith thy
free man, standing on Gods free soil ; and my speechifying," said Phineas ; " they're mean
wife and my child I claim as mine. Jim and his scamps."
mother are here. We have arms to defend ourselves,
"
Noav,Jim," said George, "look that your
and we mean to do it. You can come up, pistols right, pass Avith me.
if you like ; but the first one of you that comes The firstman that shoAvs himself I fireat ; you
within the range of our bullets is a dead man, take the second, and so on. It won't do, you
and the next, and the next; and soon till the know, to Avaste two shots on one."
last. ' '
"
But what if you don't bit?'*
"0, come, come!" said a short,puffyman,
steppingforward,and blowinghis nose as he did
Young
" I shall hit,"said Geoig"#'x"olly.
"
Good ! now, there 's stuff ."n"that fellow,"
so.
muttered Phineas,betAAreen his teeth.
"
man, this an't no kind of talk at
all for you. You see, we 're officersof justice. The party below, after Marks had firedștood,
We 've got the law on our side, and the power, for a moment, rather undecided.
and so forth ; so you'd better give up peaceably,
"
I think you must have hit some on 'em,"
{row
for you '11certainly giveup, at said one of the men.
ast."
"
I heard a squeal!"
" I 'm goingright up, for one," said Tom.
"
I
never was afraid of niggers, and I an't goingto

as
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 77
be now. Who* goes after?" he said,springing "Why. not?" said Phineas; "serves him
up
the rocks.
right."
George heard the words distinctly. He drew
"
Because after death comes the judgment,"
up his pistol, examined it,pointedft towards said Eliza.
"
that pointin the defilewhere the firstman would Yes," said the old woman, who had been
appear.
groaning and praying,
her Methodist fashion,
One of the most courageous of the party followed
during all the encounter, " it's an awful case for
Tom, and, the way being thus made, the the poor crittur*ssoul."
whole partybegan pushingup
the the
"
On rock," my word,they 're leavinghim, 1 do believe,"
hindermost pushingthe front ones faster than
said Phineas.
they would have gone of themselves. On they It was true ; for after some appearance of irresoluti
came, and in a moment the burlyform of Tom
and consultation, the whole partygot
appeared in sight, almost at the verge of the on their horses and rode
away.
When "they
chasm.
were quite out of sight,Phineas beganto bestir
"
Georgefired, the shot entered his himself.
side,"
but,thoughwounded, he
"
would not retreat,but, Well, we must go down and walk a piece,"
with a yel like that of a mad bull,he was leaping
he said. "I 'told Michael to
right across the chasm into the go forward and
party. bringhelp, and be along back here with the
'"
Friend," said Phineas,suddenlystepping to
the froit, and meeting him with wagon ; but we shall have to walk a piecealong
a pushfrom his the road,I reckon, to meet them. The Lord
"
longarms, thee isn't wanted here."
grant he be along soon ! It 's early in the day ;
Down he fell into the chasm,crackling down there won't be much travel afoot yet a while ;
among trees, bushes,logs,loose stones, tillhe we an't much more than two miles from our
lay,bruised and groaning,thirtyfeet below.
The fall might have killed him, had it not been
broken and moderated by his clothes catching the branches of a large tree ; but he came down
with some more than was at
force,however,"
allagreeable or convenient.
"
Lord helpus, they are perfectdevils!" said
the retreat down the rocks with
say, fellers,"said Marks, "you jistgo
round and pickup Tom, there,while I run and
get on to my horse țo go back for that 's
help,"
you;"and, without minding the hootings and
as his
varmint?" said
"
Cuss me if I much care whether he is
dead or alive."
The men, led by the groans of Tom, scrambled
and crackled throughstumps,logs and bushes,to
where that hero laygroaning and swearing, with
alternatevehemence.
"Ye keep it agoingprettyloud,Tom," said
me.
"
Ye much hurt?"
"Don't know. Get me
up, can't ye? Blast
that infernalQuaker ! If it had n't been forhim,
I 'd a pitchedsome on 'em down here țo see how
theyliked it."
With much labor and groaning, the fallen hero
was assisted to rise ; and, with one holding him
up under each shoulder,theygot
the horses.
him as far as
"
If you could onlygetme a mile back to that
ar tavern. Give me a handkerchief or something,
to stuff into
t^isplace, and this infernal
stopping-place. If the road hadn't been sc
rough last night, we could have outrun 'em
entirely."
As the party neared the fence,theydiscovered
in the distance,alongthe road,their own
wagon
comingback,accompaniedby some men on horseback.
"
Marks,heading
"
Well, there 's Michael,and now, Stephen,
much more of a will than he had joinedthe ascent,
and Amariah," exclaimed Phineas,joyfully.
while all the party came tumblingprecipitately
"Now we arc made, safe as if we'd got
after the fat him," constable, in particular,
there."
blowing and puffing a "
very energetic Well,do stop,then," said Eliza,"and do
manner.
somethingfor that poor
man ; he 's groaning
"I
dreadfully."
"
It would be no more than Christian,"said
George; "let 's take him up and carry him on."
"And doctor him up among the Quakers!"
"
said Phineas ; prettywell, that ! Well, I
don't care if we do. Here,let's have a look at
him ;" and Phineas,who, in the course of his
hunting and backwoods life,had acquired some
rude experience
jeersof his company, Marks was as good
word, and was soon seen galloping away.
"'"Was ever such a sneaking
one of the men :
"
to come on his business,and
he clear out and leave us this yer way !"
"
Well,we must pickup that feller," said another.
wounded man, and began
of surgery, kneeled down by the
a careful examination
of his condition.
"Marks," said Tom, feebly,"is that you,
Marks?"
"No; I reckon 'tan't,friend,"said Phineas.
"
Much Marks cares for thee,if his own skin 'a
safe. He 's off,longago."
"
I believe I 'm done for,"said Tom. "The
cussed sneakingdog, to leave me to die alone !
My poor old mother alwaystold me 'twould he
so."
"
La sakes ! jist hear the poor
crittur. He 's
got a mammy, now," said the old negress. "I
can't help kinder pityin' on him."
"
Sofllyșoftly; don't thee snap and snarl,
friend,"said Phineas,as Tom winced and pushed
"
his hand away.
Thee has no chance,unless I
And Phineas busied himself
stop the bleeding."
with making some off-hand surgical arrangements
with his own pocket-handkerchief,
such as could be mustered in the company.
"
You pushed me down there,"said Tom,
stop
bleeding."
Georgelooked over the rocks,and saw them
tryingto liftthe burlyform of Tom into the saddle.
faintly.
After two or three ineffectual attempts, he
"
Well, if I had n'-i,thee would have pushed
reeled,and fellheavily uS
to the ground.
down, thee sees,"said Phineas,as he stooped "
0, I hopehe isn't killed!" said Eliza,who, apply his bandage. " There, let me fix
there,"
with all the parfy, stojd watching the proceedinc
moan well to thee ; v. ." bear
this bandage. We
no malice. Thee shall be taken to a blousė vhere

a
UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR,
they '11nurse thee first rate," as well as thy own of his master,the strengthof the parallel increased.
mother could."
Tom groaned,and shut his eyes. In men of St. Clare was indolent and carelessof money
his class,vigor and resolution are entirely Hitherto the providing marketinghad been
pnysicalmatter, and ooze out with the flowingprincipally
done by Adolph,who was, to the full,
of the b\ood; and the giganticfellow reallyas careless and extravagant as his master ; and,
looked piteous in his helplessness.
between them both,theyhad carried on the dispersing
The other party now came up. The seats
process with greatalacrity. Accustomed,
were taken out of the wagon. The buffalo-skins, for many years, to regard his master's property
doubled in fours,were spreadall alongone side, as his own care, Tom saw, with an uneasiness he
and four men, with greatdifficulty, liftedthe heavy could scarcely repress,
the wasteful expenditure
form "ifTom into it. Before he was gottenin, of the establishment ; and,in the quiet,indirect
he fainted entirely Ṭhe old negress, in the way which his class often acquire,would sometimes
abundance of her compassion șat down on the
make his own suggestions.
bottom, and took his head in her lap. Eliza, St. Clare at firstemployed him occasionally ;
George and Jim, bestowed themselves,as well as but,struck with his soundness of mind and good
they could, in the remainingspace,
and the business capacity, he confided in him more and
whole party set forward.
more, tillgradually marketing and providing
"
What do you think of him'?" said George, for the family were intrusted to him.
who sat by Phineas in front.
"
No, no, Adolph,"he said,one clay,as Adolph
was deprecatingthe passingof power out of his
hands ; " let Tom alone. You onlyunderstand
"
Well,it 's only a prettydeep flesh-wound ;
but, then,tumbling and scratchingdown that
place did n't help him much. It has bled pretty
"
freely, pretty
much dreaned him out,courage
and all," but he '11get over it, and may be learn
a thing or two by it."
"
I 'm glad to hear you say so," said George.
" It would always be a heavythought to me, if
I :d caused his death,even in a justcause."
"Yes," said Phineas,"killing is an ugly
operation, any way they '11 fix man or
it,"
beast. I 've been a greathunter, in my day,and
I tell thee I 've seen a buck that was shot- down,
and a dying,look that way on a fellerwith his
the very unbounded trust reposed in him was bond
and seal for the most scrupulous accuracy.
eye, that it reelymost made a feller feel wicked With Adolph
for killing on him ; and human creatures is a Thoughtless and self-indulgent, and unrestrained
more serious consideration yet, bein',as thy by a master who found it easier to indulge than
wife says, that the judgmentcomes to 'em after to regulate, he had fallen into an absolute confusion
death. So I don't know as our people'snotions
as to meu/n tuum with regardto himself
on these matters is too strict ; and, considerin' and his master, which sometimes troubled even
how I was raised, I fellin with them pretty considerably."
St. Clare. His own good sense taughthim that
tend. We may reckon on turninghim over to
her fir a fortnight 'or so."
A ride of about an hour more brought the
CHAPTER
XVIII.
miss Ophelia's experiences and opinions.
Our friend Tom, in his own simplemusings,
often compared his more fortunate lot, in the
bondage into which he was cast, with that of
Joseph in Egypt ; and, in fact,as time went on,
"uid ho developed more and more under the eye
what you want ; Tom understands cost and come
to ; and there may be some end to money, bye
and bye,if we don't let somebody do that."
Trusted to an unlimited extent by a careless
master, Avho handed him a bill without looking
at it,and pocketedthe change without counting
it Țom had every facility and temptation to dishonesty
; and nothing but an impregnable simplicity
of nature, strengthened by Christian faith,
could have kept him from it. But, to that nature,
the case had been different.
such a training his servants was unjust and
"
What shall you do with this poor fellow?" dangerous. A sort of chronic remorse went with
said George.
him everywhere,although"ot strongenough to
"0, carry him alongto Amariah's. There 's make any decided change in his course ; and this
old Grandmam Stephensthere," Dorcas,they very remorse reacted again into indulgence Ḥe
call her," she's most an amazin' nurse. She passed lightly the most serious faults,because
takes to nursing real natural,and an't never
he told himself that,if he had done his
better suited than when she gets a sick body to part, his dependentshad not fallen into them.
Tom regardedhis gay, airy, handsome young
master with an odd mixture of fealty,reverence,
and fatherly solicitude. That he never read the
Bible ; never went to church ; that he jestedand
made free with any and every thingthat came in
the way of his wit; that he spent his Sunday
"
"
party to a neat farm-house,where the weary
traveller?;were received to an abundant breakfast.
Tom Luker was soon carefully depositedin a much
cleaner and softer bed than he had ever been in evenings at the opera or theatre ; that he went
the habit of occupying. His wound was carefully
to wine parties, and clubs,and suppers, oftener
dressed and bandaged, and he laylanguidlythan was at all expedient, were all things that
opening and shutting his eyes on the white Tom could see as plainly as anybody, and on
window-curtains and gently-gliding figures of his which he based a convictionthat " Mas'r wasn't
eiek room, like a weary child. And here,for the a Christian ;" conviction, however, which he
present, we shall take our leave of one party.
would have been very slow to express to any one
else,but on which he founded many prayers, in
his own simplefashion,when he was by himself
in his littledormitory Ṇot that Tom had not
his own way of speaking his mind occasionally,
with somethingof the tact often observable in his
class ; as, for example,the very day after the
Sabbath we have described, St. Clare was invited
out to a convivialparty of choice spirits, and was
helpedhome, between one and two o'clock at
attained the upper
hand
night, in a condif/on when the physicalhad de-
of the intellectual
cidedly

_
for
,
,
ingsandmurmurings
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY.
79
"
Tom and Adolph assisted to get him composed have an extraordinary talent fcr command, and
for the night țhe latterin highspirits, evidently tact in educating Ṣuch are enabled,with
regarding goodjoke, and apparent
laughing
ease, and without severity, to subjec to
heartily rusticity of Tom's horror,who their will,and bring into harmonious and systematic
really simpleenough to lie awake most of order,the -arious members of their small
the rest of the night,praying for his young master.
estate, to regulate' their peculiarities, and so
balance and compensate the deficienciesof one by
"
Well,Tom, what are
you waiting for V said the excess of another,as to produce a harmonious
St. Clare,the next day, as he sat in his library, and orderlysystem.
in dressing-gown and a Shelby, whom we
just been intrusting Tom some money, ; and such our readers
various commissions. "Isn't all rightthere, may remember to have met with. If they are
Tom7" he added, as Tom stillstood waiting. not common at the South,it is because theyare
slippers Ṣt.
with
Clare had
and
Such
have alreadydescribed
housekeeper "
I 'm "fraid not, Mas'r," said Tom, with a
grave face.
St. Clare laid down his paper, and set down
his coffee-cup, and looked at Tom.
"Why, Tom, what's the case? You look as
Bolemn as a coffin."
"
1 feel very bad,Mas'r. I allays have thoughtunsystematicand
that Mas'r would be good to everybody."
'"Well,Tom, haven't I been? Come, now,
what do you want? There 's somethingyou
have n't got, I suppose, and this is the preface."
"Mas'r allaysbeen good tome. I haven't
nothing to complainof,on that head. But there
is one that Mas'r isn't good to."
"Why, Tom, what's got into you* Speak
out ; what do you
mean ?"
"
Last night,between one and two, I thought
so. I studied upon the matter then. Mas'r
"
isn't good to himself.
Tom sail this with his back to his master,and
his hand on- the door-knob. St. Clare felt his
face flush crimson,but he laughed.
n
0, that 's all,is it?" he said,gayly.
"
All ! " said Tom, turningsuddenly round and
falling "
0, my dear young Mas'r !
I'm 'fraid it will be lossofall" all" body and
soul. The good Book says, ' it biteth like a
serpent and stingethlike an adder!' my dear
Mas'r !"
Tom's voice choked,and the tears ran down his
cheeks.
"You poor, sillyfool!" said St, Clare,with
in the kitchen department,was
.filledwith wrath at what she considered an invasion
of privilege. No feudal baron in Magna
tears in his
" own eyes. Get up, Tom. I 'm not Charta times could have more thoroughly resented
worth cryingover."
some incursion of the crown.
But Tom would n't rise,and looked imploring. Dinah was a character in her own way. and it
"\Vr|| [ won't go to any
more of their cursed would be injustice to her memory
not to "give the
nonsense. Tom," said St. Clare; " on
my honor, reader a littleidea of her. She was a native and
I won't I don't know why I haven't stopped essentialcook,as much "
as AuntChloe, cooking
longago I "ve alwaysdespised it,and myselfbeingan indigenous talentof the African race
( ;
for it," so now. Tom, wipe up your eyes, and go
but Chloe was a trained and methodical one, who
about your errands. Come, come," he added, moved in an orderly domestic harness,while Dinah
"no blessings Ị'm not so wonderfully good, was a self-taught genius,and, like geniuses
'
now, he sail,as he gentlypushedTom to the in general,was positive,
and erratic,
door. "There, I'll pledgemy honor to you,
Tom, you don't see me so again,'-' he said ; and
Tom went off,wipinghis eyes, with great satisfaction.
Dinah
scorned logic and reason in every
shape,and always took refugein intuitivecertainty
"
1 11 keep my faith with him, too,"said St.
; and here she was perfectly
Clare, as he cl ised the door.
And St Clare did so,
"
gross sensualism, explanation, could ever make her believe that any
other way was better than her own, or that the
in any form,was uot the peculiartemptationof
bis nature.
But, all thistime,who
shall detail the tribulations
m .-unfold of our friend Miss Ophelia,who
had begunthe labors of a Southern
There is all the differencein the world in the !
not common in the world. They are to be found
there as often as anywhere ; and,when existing,
find in that peculiarstate of society a brilliant
opportunityto exhibit theirdomestic talent.
Such a housekeeperMarie St. Clare was not,
nor her mother before her. Indolentand childish,
improvident, it was not to be
expectedthat servants trained under her care
should not be so likewise ; and she had very
justlydescribed to Miss Opheliathe state of confusion
she would find in the family,thoughshe"
had not ascribed it to the proper cause.
The firstmorning of her regency, Miss Ophelia
was
up at four o'clock ; and havingattended to
all the adjustmentsof her own chamber,as she
had done ever since she came there,to the great
amazement of the chamber-maid,she prepared
for a vigorousonslaught on the cupboardsand
closets of the establishment of which she had the
keys.
The store-room,the linen-presses, the chinaclosetțhe
kitchen and cellarțhat day, all went
under an awful -review. Hidden things of dark-
Jness
were brought to lightto an extent that
alarmed all the principalities and powers of
kitchen and chamber,and caused many woncler-
about " dese ycr northern
ladies "
from the domestic cabinet.
Old Dinah,the head cook,and principal
rule and
I
authority
of all
opinionated
to the last degree.
Like a certain class of modern philosophers,
perfectly
impregnable.
No possibleamount of talent,or authority, jr
course she had pursued in the smallest matter
could be in the least modified. This had been a
conceded point with her old mistress,Marie 'a
housekeeper? mother; and "Miss Marie," as Dinah always
called her young mis'tress, even after her marriage,
servants of Southern establishments, accordingto \
the character and capacity of tfok found it easier to submit than contend ;
mistresses who
have brought chem
"
up.
. easier,in that she was perfectmistress of that
South us well as north there ire women who diplomatic
and so Dinah had ruled supreme. This was this
art which un'tes the utmost subserv-

"
yet,
"
mentallydetermined
"
thoughher
"
so
"
" I
I
"
80 UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR,
lence of manner with the utmost inflexibility
as Dinah in her arrangements.He might as well
to measure.
have provided them for a squirrelor a magpie.
Dinah was mistress of the whole art and mystery
The more drawers and closets there were, the more
of excuse-making,
all its branches. Indeed,
hiding-holes could Dinah make for the accommodation
it was an axiom with her that the cook can
of old rags, hair-combs,old shoes, ribbons,
do no arida wrong
cook in a Southern kitchen
cast-off artificialflowers,and other articles
,
finds abundance of heads and shoulders on which of vertu, wherein her soul delighted.
to lay off every sin and frailty, so as to maintain When Miss Ophelia entered the kitchen,Dinah
her own iminaculateness entire. If any part of did not rise,but smoked on in sublime tranquillity,
the dinner was a failure, there were fifty indisputably
regardingher movements obliquely out of the
good reasons for it ; and it was the fault corner of her eye, but apparently intent onlyon
undeniably of fifty other people, whom Dinah berated
the operationsaround her.
with unsparing zeal.
Miss Opheliacommenced openinga set of
But it was very seldom that there was any failure
drawers.
"
in Dinah's last results. Though her mode of What is this drawer for,Dinah?" she said.
doingeverything was peculiarly meanderingand
" It 's handy for most anything,Missis,"said
circuitous,and without any sort of calculationas Dinah. So it appeared to be. From the variety
to time and place,
kitchen generallyit contained,Miss Opheliapulledout firsta fine
looked as if it had been arrangedby a hurricane damask table-cloth stained with blood,having
blowingthroughit,and she had about as many evidently been used to envelopsome raw meat.
placesfor each cooking utensil as there Avere days "What's this,Dinah? You don't wrap up
in the year, if one would have paticncetomeat in your mistress'best table-cloths?"
"
wait her own good time, up would come her dinner
0 Lor,Missis,no ; the towels was all a missin',
I jestdid it. I laid out to wash that
in perfectorder,and in a style of preparation
"
with which an epicure could find no fault.
ar, that 's why I put it thar."
"
It was now the season of incipient preparation Shif 'less!" said Miss Ophelia to herself, proceeding
for dinner. Dinah, who requiredlarge intervals
to tumble over the drawer, where she
of reflectionand repose,
and was studious of found a nutmeg-grater and two or three nutmegs,
ease in all her arrangements, was seated on the a Methodist hymn-book,a coupleof soiled Madras
kitchen floor,smokinga short,stumpy pipe țo handkerchiefs, some
yarn and knitting-work, a
which she was much addicted,and which she paper of tobacco and a pipe, a few crackers,one
always kindled up, as a sort of censer, whenever or two gildedchina saucers Avith some pomade in
she felt the need of an inspiration
her arrangements.
them, one or tAvo thin old shoes,a pieceof flannel
It was Dinah's mode of invoking the carefullypinnedup enclosingsome small
domestic Muses.
Avhite onions șeveral damask table-napkins, some
Seated around her were various members of coarse crash towels,some twine and darningneedles,and
several broken papers, from which
that rising race with which a Southern household
abounds, engaged in shelling peas, peelingpotatoes,
sundrysweet herbs Avere sifting into the drawer.
"
pickingpin-feathers out of fowls,and other Where do you keep your nutmegs, Dinah?"
Dinah every
once in said Miss Ophelia, with the air of one who
preparatoryarrangements,"
a while interrupting her meditations to give a prayed for patience.
pok.e, or a rap on the head, to some of the "
young
Most anywhar, Missis ; there '" some in that
operators, with the pudding-stick that layby her cracked tea-cup,up there,and there 's some over
side. In fact,Dinah ruled over the woolly heads in that ar cupboard."
of the younger
members with a rod of iron, and "Here are some in the grater," said Miss
seemed to consider them born for no earthlypurpose
Ophelia,holding them up.
but to " save her steps,"as she phrased it.
"
Luavs, yes, I put 'em there this "
morning, I
It was the spirit of the system under which she likes to keep my thingshandy," said Dinah,
"
had grown up,
and she carried it out to its full You, Jake ! what are
you stoppingfor \ You '11
extent.
cotch it ! Be still, thar !" she added,with a dive
Miss Ophelia, after passing on her reformatoryof her stick at the criminal.
tour through all the other partsof the establishment,
"What's this?" said Miss Ophelia,holding
now entered the kitchen. Dinah had up the saucer of pomade.
"
heard,from various sources, what was goingon, Laws, it 's my har "
grease; put it thar to
and resolved to stand on defensive and conservative
have it
"
handy."
"
to
ground,
oppose Do you use your mistress' best saucers for
and ignor every new measure, without any
actual
that?"
"
and observable contest.
Law ! it was cause I was driv,and in such a
The kitchen was a
large brick-floored apartment,
hurry; Avas gwine to change it this very day."
with a great old-fashionedfireplace stretching
"
Here are two damask table-napkins."
alongone side of it," an arrangement which
" Them table-napkins I put thar, to get 'em
St. Clare had vainly tried to persuadeDm'ln to washed out, some day."
"
exchangefor the convenience of a modern cookstove.
Not she. No Puseyite, or conservative for thingsto be washed?"
Don't you have some placehere on purpose
"
of any school,was ever more inflexibly attached Well, Mas'r St. Clare got dat ar chest,he
to time-honored inconveniences than Dinah. said,for dat ; but I likes to mix up biscuitand
AVhen St. Clare had first returned from the hev my thingson it some days, and then it an't
north,impressedwith the system and order of handy a liftin' up the lid."
his uncle's kitchen arrangements, he had "
largely Why don't you mix your biscuits on the
provided his own with an array of cupboards, pastrytable
there ? ' '
,
drawers, and various apparatus țo induce "
systematic
LaAV,Missis,it gets sot so full of dishes,and
regulation, under the sanguine illusion one thing and another, der an't no room, noways
that it would hi of any possible assistance to "

"
at
and
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 81
"
But you should wash your dishes,and clear
j the illusion that she,herself,was the soul of
them away."
I order, and it was only the young uns, and the
"Wash my dishes!" said Dinah, in a high everybody house,that were the cause
key, as he r wrath beganto rise over her habitual of anything that fell short of perfection in this
respect of manner ; " what does ladies know 'bout respect. When all the tins were scoured,and
work, I want to know? When 'd Mas'r ever
get the tables scrubbed snowy white,and everything
his dinner,if I was to spend all my
time a washin'
that could offend tucked out of sightin holes and
and a puttin' up dishes 1 Miss Marie never corners, Dinah would dress herself up in a smart
telledme so, nohow."
dress,clean apron, and high, brilliantMadras
"
Well,here are these onions."
turban,and tell all marauding " young uns "
to
" "
Laws, yes!" said Dinah; thar is whar I keep out of the kitchen,for she was gwine to
put 'em now. I couldn't 'member. Them's have
particular seasons were often
yer very
an inconvenience to the whole
stew. I 'd forgottheywas in dat ar old flannel."
household ; for Dinah would contract such an
thingskept nice. Indeed,.these periodic
immoderate attachment to her scoured tin,as to
Miss Ophelia lifted out the sifting papers of insist upon it that it shouldn't be used againfor
sweet
any possible purpose, leastțillthe order of
the " clarin' up
"
herbs.
"I wish Missis wouldn't touch dem ar. I
likes to keep my thingswhere I knows whar to
'em," said Dinah, rather decidedly.
go to
"
But you don't want these holes in the papers."
systematicpattern; but her labors in all departments
that depended on the cooperationof
"Them's handy for siftin'on 't out," said servants were like those of Sisyphusor the
Dinah.
Danaides. In despair, she one dayappealedto
"
But you
see it spills all over the drawer." St. Clare.
"Laws, yes! if Missis will go a tumblin' "There is no such thing as gettinganything
things all up so, it will. Missis has spiltlots like.systemin this family !"
"
dat ar way," said Dinah,cominguneasily to the To be sure, there isn't,"said St. Clare.
" "
drawers. If Missis onlywill go up stars till Such shiftlessmanagement, such waste, such
my clarin' up time comes. I "11 have everything confusion, I never saw !"
"
right; but I can't do nothin when ladiesisround, I dare say you
did n't."
a henderin'. You, Sam, d.m't
"
you gibthe baby You would not take it so coolly, if
dat ar sugar-bowl ! I '11crack ye over, if ye don't
you were
house-keeper."
"
mind!"
My dear cousin, you may as well understand,
" I 'm goingthrough the kitchen,and goingto once for all țhat we masters are divided into two
fut everything
order,once, Dinah ; and then classes, oppressors and oppressed Ẉe who are
'11 expectyou to keepit so."
good-natured and hate severity make up our
"
Lor,now ! Miss Phelia ; dat ar an't no way minds to a good deal of inconvenience. If we
for ladiesto do. I never did see ladies doin' no will keepa shambling, loose,untaughtset in the
sich ; my old Missis nor Miss Marie never did, community,for our convenience,why, we must
and I don't see no kinder need on 't;" and Dinah take the consequence. Some rare cases I have
etalked indignantly about, while Miss Opheliaseen, of persons, who, by a peculiartact,can
"
order,"
piled and sorted dishes,emptieddozens of scattering
produceorder and system without severity ; but
bowls of sugar into one receptacle, sorted I'm not one of them, so I made up my
napkins țable-cloths and towels,for washing; mind,longago, to let thingsgo just as theydi.
washing,wiping, and arrangingwith her own I will not have the poor devils thrashed and cu
hands,and with a speed and alacrity which perfectly
to pieces, they know it," and, of course,
amazed Dinah.
theyknow the stall'is in their own hands."
"
But have no time,no place,no
"
Lor, now ! if dat ar de way
dem northern
to
ladies do,dey ant ladies,nohow," she said to all going on in this shiftless way !"
some of her satellites, when at a safe hearing distance.
"
My dear Vermont, natives the
"
I has things as straight anybody, North Pole set an
you
extravagant value
up
on
by
time !
when my clarin' up time comes ; but I don't want
period abated.
Miss Ophelia, in a few days,thoroughly
reformed every departmentof the house to a
What on earth is the use of time to a fellow who
ladiesround, a henderin',and getting my thingshas twice as much of it as he knows what to do
allwhere I can't find 'em."
with? As to order and system, where there is
To do Dinah justiceșhe had, at irregular nothingto be done but to loungeon the sofa and
periods, paroxysms of reformation and arrangement,
read,an hour sooner or later in breakfast or dinner
which she called " clarin' up times," isn't of much account. Now, there 's Dinah
when she would begin with great zeal,and turn getsyou a capitaldinner," soup, ragout,roast
every drawer and closet wrong side outward,on fowl, dessert,ice-creams and and all," she
to the flooror tables,and make the ordinary confusion
creates it all out of chaos and old nightdown
seven-fold more confounded. Then she there,in that kitchen. I think it reallysublime,
would lighther pipe, and leisurely over
go her the way she
arrangements,lookingthingsover, and discoursing
manages. But,Heaven bless us !
if we are to go down there,and view all the
upon them ; making all the young fry scour smoking and squatting about,and hurryscurrya-
of the
most vigorously on the tin things, and keepingtion
up for saveral preparatoryprocess,
we never should
hours a most energetic state of eat more ! My goodcousin,absolve yourselfrom
confusion,which she would explainto the satisfactionthat
! It 's more than a Catholic penance, and
of all inquirers, by the remark that she does no more good. You '11only lose your
was
"
a clarin'up." " She couldn't rev thingsI
own
temper, and utterly confound Dinah. Let her go
a
gwine on so as they had been,and she was her own way."
gwine to make these yer young ones "
keepbetter But,Augustine, you don't know now I found
order " for Dinah herself,somehow, indulged| things.
"
6

.
may
that
the
as
drink
"
she
82 UNCLE TOM S CABIN \ OR,
"
Don't I? Don't I Know that the rolling-pin layaside our
is under her hed, and the nutmeg-graterin her to dinner."
pocketwith her tobacco, that there are sixtylive
differentsugar-bowls, one in every hole in the
"
house, she washes dishes with a dinnernapkin
one day,and with a fragmentof an old
petticoat the next! But the upshot is,she gets
up gloriousdinners,makes superb coffee ; and
you .mist judge her as warriors and statesmen
are judged,by her success."
"
"But, the waste, expense !"
What upon earth is to make them so ?"
The woman looked at her with a sour, surly
"
Why don't you instruct?"
glance.
"Instruct! O, fiddlestick ! What
"
instructing Maybe you'll come to it,one of these yer
do you think I should do? I look like it ! As to
Marie,she has spiritenough țo be sure, to kill
off a whole plantation, if I 'd let her manage ; but
she would n't get the cheateryout of them."
"
Are there no honest ones?"
so
that the worst
But, you see, from the mother's breast the colored
child feels and sees that there are none but underhand
ways open to it. It can get along ho
other way with itsparents,itsmistress,
young
master and missie play-fellows. Cunning and
decepti jn become necessary, inevitable habits.
It isn't fair to expect anything else of him. He
ought not to be punishedfor it. As to honesty,
the Blave is kept in that dependent șemi-childish
turn out in another !"
" This is perfectly horrible '" said Miss
"
Ophelia
Ye think ye 're mighty fine with them ar, a
; " you ought to be ashamed of yourselves !" frolickin' and a tossin' your head,and $, lookin*
"
I don't know as I am. We are in prettydown on everybody!Well, never mind,"
you
goodcompany, for all that," said St. Clare," as
may live to be a poor, old,cut-up crittur,like
peoplein the broad road generally are. Look at me. Hope to the Lord ye will, I do ; then see
the high and the low,all the world over, and it 's
the same the lower class used story," up, body,
soul and spirit, for the goodof the upper.
It is
so in England; it is so everywhere ; and yet all room.
Christendom stands aghast,with virtuous indignation,
old beast !" said Adolph, who was
because we do the thing
shapefrom what theydo it."
"It is n't so in Vermont."
"
Ah, well,in New England, and in the free
states,yoc have the better of us, I grant. But
there's the bell so. cousin,let us for a while
sectional prejudic.s, and oome out
As Miss Opheliawas in the kitchen in the
latter part of the afternoon, some of the sable
children called out, "La, sakes ! thar 'a Prue
a
coming,gruntingalonglike she allers doo3." *|
A tall,bony colored woman now entered the
kitchen,bearing on her head a basket of rusks
and
hot rolls.
"
Ho, Prue ! you 've come," said Dinah.
Prue had a peculiarscowlingexpressionof
"0, well ! Lock everythingyou can, and countenance, and a sullen, grumblingvoice
keep the key. Give out by driblets, and never She set down her basket,squattedherself down,
inquire for odds and ends," it isn't best." and restingher elbows on her knees,said,
"That troubles me, Augustine. I can't help
"
0 Lord ! I wish 't I 'sdead !"
feeling as if these servants were not "
strictly Why do you wish' you were dead?" said Misa
honest. Are you sure theycan be relied on ?" Ophelia.
Augustinelaughedimmoderatelyat the grave
"
I 'd be out o' the my misery,"said woman,
and anxious face with which Miss Opheliapropounded
gruffly, without taking her eyes from the floor.
"
the question.
What need you gettingdrunk, then,and cutting
"
0, cousin,that "s too honest! if
good,"
up, Prue?" said a
that "s a thing to be expected spruce quadroonchambermaid,
! "
why, dangling, spoke,a pair of coral eardrops.
of course, they arn't. Why should they be ?
days. I 'd be glad to see you, I would ; then
you '11be gladof a drop, like me, to forget your
misery."
"Come, Prue," said Dinah, "let's look at
your rusks. Here 's Missis will pay
for them."
"
Well,now and then one, whom Nature makes Miss Ophelia took out a
impracticably simple țruthful and faithful,
couple of dozen.
"
Thar 's some tickets in that ar old cracked
possibleinfluence can't destroy it. jug on the topshelf,"said Dinah. "
You, Jake,
climb up and get itdown."
what are "Tickets," they for?" said Miss
"
Ophelia.
"
We buys ticketsof her Mas'r, and she gives
us bread for 'em."
and tickets,when
" And they counts my money
I getshome, to see if I 's got the change; and if
I han't,theyhalf kills me."
"And serves you right,"said Jane, the pert
state, that there is no making him realize the chambermaid,"if you will take their money to
rights of property, or feel that his master's goods get drunk on. That 's what she does,Missis."
are not his own, if he can
get them. For my
do, I can't live no
"
And that 's what I wiU
part, I don't jee how theycan be honest. Such other ways,
" and forgetmy misery."
a fellow as is" Tom, here, is a moral miracle!"
"
You are very wicked and very foolish,"sai1
Miss Ophelia,
to steal your master's money to
"
And what becomes of their souls ?" said Miss make yourself brute with."
Ophelia.
likely, Missis ; but I will do it,
"
It 's mighty
" That isn't my affiir,as I know of,"said St.
yes, I will. 0 Lord1!I wisb I 's dead, I do,--I
"
Clare ; I am onlydealing facts of the presentwish I's dead, and out of my misery!" and
race are pretty
old creature rose,
understood to be turned over to the her basket on her head again; but before she
evil,for our benefit, world,however it
life. The
fencrally
fact is,that the whole slowly and stiffly the and got
went out, she looked at the quadroongirl,who
stillstood playing with her ear-drops.
if ye won't drink," drink," drink," yerself
into torment; and sarve
ye right, too "
ugh!"
and,with a malignanthowl,the woman left tho
"
Disgusting
getting
in a littledifferent
his master's shavingwater.
"
If I was
her master, I 'd cut her up
worse than she is !"
get a
" Ye could n't do that ar, no ways,"said Dinah.
"
Her back 's a far sightnow,
dress together over it."
can't never
"I think such low creatures oughtnot to be

clar
" "I
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY, 33
allowed to go round to genteelfamilies,"said
Miss Jane. " What do you think,Mr. St. Clare?"
"
1 '11 carry your basket
compassionately.
a piece,"said lorn,
she said,coquettishly tossingher head at Adolph.
'"
Why should ye ?'"said the woman.
"
I don't
It must be observed that, among
other appropriations
want no help."
from his master's stock,Adolph was in
"
You seem to be sick,or in trouble,or somethin',"said
Tom.
the habit of adopting his name and address ; and
"
that the styleunder which he moved, among the I an't sick,"said the woman, shortly.
colored circles of New Orleans,was that of Mr.
" I wish," said Tom, looking at her earnestly,
fife.Clare
wish I could persuadeyou to leave off
"
I 'm .'ertainly of your opinion, Miss Benoir," drinking. Don't you know it will be the ruin of
said Adolph.
ye, body and soul?"
Benoir was the name of Marie St. Clare's family,
"I knows I'm gwine to" torment,"said the
and Jane was one of her servants.
"
"Come, out, you! I can't have you
cluttering up the "
kitchen,"said Dinah ; in my
way, fooli:*'round here."
"
Aunt Dinah 's glum, because she can't go to
the ball,"said Rosa.
"
Don't want none o' your light-colored balls,"
said Dinah ; " cuttin' round, makin' b'lieveyou's
"white folks. Arter all, you 's niggers, as
lam."
"
Aunt Dinah greases her wool stiff, every day, nothin' but crossness. She wished it was dead,
to make it liestraight," said Jane.
she said ; and she would n't let me have it o'
"And it will be wool, after all,"said Rosa, nights, cause, she said,it kept me awake, and
maliciously shaking down her long,silkycurls. made me good for nothing. Shemade me sleep
in her room ; and I had to put it away off in a
little kind o' garret, and tliar it cried itself to
"
Well, in the Lord's sight, an't wool as good
as har, any time?" said Dinah. "I'd like to
"
have Missis say which is worth the most, a
couple such as you, or one like me. Get out wid
ye, ye I won't have trumpery," ye round!"
Here the conversation was interrupted
a
"
woman, sullenly. " Ye don't need to tell me
"
Pray, Miss Benoir, may I be allowed to ask that ar. I 's,ugly," I 's wicked," I 's gwine
if those dropsare for the ball,to-morrow night! straight O, Lord ! I wish I 's thai'!"
They are certainly bewitching!"
Tom shuddered at these frightful words,spoken
"*I wonder, now, Mr. St. Clare,what the impudence
with a sullen,impassioned of you
men will come to!" said Jane, "0, Lord have mercy
on ye! poor crittur.
tossing pretty head tillthe ear-drops twinkled Han't ye
never heard of Jesus Christ?"
again. " I shan't dance with you
for a whole
" Jesus who 's he?"
Christ,"
Why, the Lord," said Tom.
evening,if you go to asking me any more questions."
"
he 's
"
I think I 've hearn tello' the Lord,and the
"
0, you couldn't be so cruel,now! I was judgmentand torment. I 've hearn o' that."
justdying to know whether you would appear. in
"
But did n't anybody ever tell you of the Lord
your pinktarletane," said Adolph.
Jesus,that loved us
poor sinners,and died for
"What is it?" said Rosa, a bright,piquantus ?"
nothin' that," said the
littlequadroon,who came skippingdown stairs
"
Don't know 'bout
at this moment.
woman ; " nobody han't never loved me, since
"
Why, Mr. St. Clare 's so impudent!" my
old man died."
Where was "
On my honor," said Adolph, " I '11 leave it
you raised?" said Tom.
"
"
to Miss Rosa, now."
Up in Kentuck. A man kept me to breed
"
I know he 's always a saucy creature,"said chil'en for market, and sold 'em as fast as they
Rosa,poising herself on one of her littlefeet, and gotbigenough; last of all,he sold me to a speculator,
lookingmaliciously at Adolph. " He 's always and my Mas'r got me o' him."
getting "
angry
with him."
What set'you way
of drinkin'?"
shet
"
0 ! ladies,ladies, you
will certainlybreak
misery. I had one child
" To get o' my
my heart,between you," said Adolph. " I shall after I come here ; and I thoughtthen I 'd have
be found dead in my bed, some morning, and one to raise,cause Mas'r was n't a speculator.
you "11have it to answer for."
It was de peartest little thing ! and Missis she
"
Do 1 ear the horrid creature talk !" said both seemed to think a heap on t, at first ; it never
ladies,h.ughingimmoderately.
cried, it was likely and fat. But Missis tuck
twofold
manner. St. Clare's voice was heard at the
sick, and I tended her ; and 1 tuck the fever, and
my milk all left me, and the child it pined to
skin and bone, and Missis woulo 't buy
milk for
it. She would n't hear to me, when I telled her
I had n't milk. She said she knowed I could feed
iton what other folks eat ; and the child kinder
pined, and cried,and cried,and cried,day and
night, and got all gone to skin and bones,and
Missis got sot agin it,and she said 'twan't
death,one night. It did ; and I tuck to drinkin',
to keep its crying out of my
ears ! I did," and
1 will drink ! I will,if I do go to torment for
it ! Mas'r says I shall go to torment, and I tell
him I 've got thar now !"
"
head of the stairs,askingAdolphif he meant to 0, ye poor crittur!" said Tom, " han't nobody
stay all nightwith his shaving water ; and Miss
never telled ye
how the Lord Jesus loved
Ophelia,coming out of the dining-room, said, ye, and died for ye ? Han't theytelled y: that
"
Jane and Rosa, what are
you wasting your he '11help ye,
and ye
can
go to heaven,and have
time for here ? Go in and attend to your muslins." rest,at last?"
Our friend Tom, who had been in the kitchen "I looks like gwineto heaven," said the woman
duringthe conversation with the old rusk-woman, ; " an't thar where white folks is gwine ?
had followed her out into the street. He saw her S'posethey 'd have me thar ? I 'd rather go to
go on, givingevery once in a while a suppressed tonnent, and get away from Mas'r and Missis.
groan. At last she set her basket down on a doorstep,
and beganarranging the old,faded shawl
which covered her shoulders
.
away.
I havd so," she said,as, with her usual groan, she
got her basket on her head,and walked sullenly

" and
you
"
these
an't
"
84 UNCLE TOM S CABIN I OR,
Tom turned,and walked sorrowfully back
the house. In the court he met littleEva," a
crown of tuberoses on her head,and her eyes
radiant with delight.
"
0, Tom ! here you are. I 'm gladI 've found
you. Papa says you may get out the ponies, take me in my
little new carriage," to
"
"
Prue to death!" said Miss Ophelia,goingon,
catching his hand. " But what 's the matter, with greatstrength detail,into the stv.-y, and
Tom ? look sober."
enlarging shockingparticulars.
I thought itwould come to that șome time,"
" "
I feel bad, Miss Eva," said Tom, sorrowfully.
"
But I '11 get the horses for you."
said St. Clare,going on with his paper.
"
Thought so ! " But do tell me, Tom, what is the matter. I
you going to do anything
saw you talking to cross old Prue."
about it?" said Miss Ophelia. "Haven't you
Tom, in simple,earnest phrase țold Eva the got any selectmen, or anybody țo interfere and
woman's history Ṣhe did not exclaim,or wonder,
look after such matters?"
or weep,
as other children do. Her cheeks "It 's commonly supposed that the property
grew pale, and a deep, earnest shadow passedinterestis a sufficient guard in thesa cases. If
over her eyes. She laid both hands on her '
peoplechoose to ruin their own possessions, I
and sighedheavily.
"
overcast ; he looked annoyed,but suddenlycalling
form of Evange-
up a gay smile,he said,
her large,mysticeyes dilated with "
horror, Come, cousin,don't stand there looking like
and every drop of blood driven from her lips and one of the Fates ; you 've only seen a
peep
jheeks.
through the curtain, a specimenof what is
"Lor bles3 us! Miss Eva's gwine to faint goingon, the world over, in some shape or other.
away ! What got us all țo let her har such If we are to be prying and spyinginto all the
talk ? Her pa '11be rail mad."
dismals of life,we should have no heart to any
" I shan't faint,Dinah," said the child,firmly; thing. 'T is like lookingtoo close into the details
of Dinah's kitchen;" and St. Clare lay
back on the sofa,and busied himself with his
'em saying that the flieshad got to her," and
she 's dead ! ' '
Dinah held up
her hands, and, turning, close by her side the spirit-like line,
" and why should n't I hear it? It an't so much
for me to hear it,as for poor Prue to suffer it."
jmt sokes ! it is n't for sweet, delicate young
{
ladies,like you,
yer storiesisn't;it's
kill 'em !'1
paper.
Miss Ophelia sat down, and pulledout her
enough to
knitting-work, and sat there grim with indignation.
Eva sighedagain, and walked up stairswith a
She knit and knit,but while she mused
slow and melancholystep.
the fireburned ;
"
at last she broke out
Miss Opheliaanxiously inquired the woman's
" I tell you, Augustine, I can't get over things
story. Dinah gave a very garrulousversion of it, so, if you can. It 's a perfect abomination for
to which Tom added the particulars which he had you to defend such a that 's system," my
drawn from her that morning.
mind!"
"An abominable business," peifectly hcrri
ble!" she exclaimed,as she entered the room
where St. Clare layreadinghis paper.
"Pray, what iniquity has turned up now?"
said he.
"
What now? why, those folks have whipped
don't know what 's to be done. It seems the
poor creature was a thief and a drunkard ; and
so there won't be much hope to getup sympathy
for her."
"
"
"
"
"
CHAPTER XIX.
perfectly outrageous, it ishorrid,Augustine
" It is
miss Ophelia's experiences and opinions, continued.
! It will certainly bringdown
upon you."
vengeance
"
My dear cousin,I didn't do it,and I can't
"
Tom, you need n't getme the horses. I don't help it ; I would, if I could. If low-minded,
want to go," she said.
brutal people will act like themselves,what ami
"
Why not, Miss Eva?"
to do? They have absolute control ; theyare irresponsib
"
These thingssink into my heart Țom," said
despots. There would be no use in
Eva,"
repeated, interfering ; there is no law that amounts to anything
"
they sink int"" my heart,"she
earnestly.
I practically, for such a case. The best we
don't want to go ;" and she turned
from Tom, and went into the house.
can do is to shut our
eyes and ears, and let it
A few daysafter,another woman came, in old alone. It 's the onlyresource left us."
Prue's place țo bring the rusks ; Miss Ophelia
your eyes and ears? How
"
How can you shut
was in the kitchen.
can you let such thingsalone?"
My dear child,what do you
"
Lor !" said Dinah, " what 's gotPrue !"
" Here
expect?
"
Prue isn't comingany more," said the woman,
is a whole class, debased,uneducated, indolent,
mysteriously.
provoking, put, without any sort of terms
" not?" " said Dinah. She an'tdead,is or conditions,entirely into the hands of such
she?"
" We does n't exactlyknow. She 's down cellar,"
who have neither consideration nor self-control,
Why
people majority in people
said the woman, glancing at Miss Ophelia. who haven't even an enlightened regard to their
After Miss Ophelia had taken the rusks,Dinah own interest, for tnat 's the case with the
followed the woman to the door.
largesthalf of mankind. Of course, in a community
"
What has gotPrue, anyhow ?" she said.
so organized, what can a man of honorable
The woman seemed desirous, yetreluctant, to and humane feelingsdo,but shut his eyes all he
speak, and answered, in a can, and harden his heart? I can't
"
Well, you
mustn't she poor wretch I see. I can't turn
low, mysterioustone.
tell nobody..Prue,
buy every
knight-errant,
got drunk agin, and theyhad her down cellar, and undertake to redress every individual case of
thar they left her all day," and I hearn
wrong in such a cityas this. The most I can do
is to try and keep out of the way of it."
St. Clare's fine countenance was for a moment

"
just
""
/
I
"
that
we
and,
"
you'll
''What
now'
'
said
with apples,' if I'm goingto make this effort.
IJow," said Augustine,drawing the basket up,
*Tl '11 begin:When, in the course of human
events, it becomes necessary for a fellow to hold
two or three dozen of Ins fellow-worms in
cap-
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 85
tivity
a decent regard to the opinionsof society
"
requires
"
I don't see that you
are growingmore serious,"
said Miss Ophelia.
"
"Wait, I'm coming on, hear. The
short of the matter is, cousin,"said he, nis
handsome face suddenlysettling into an earnest
"
and serious expression,
this abstract question
have slaves for, of slavery there can, as I think, be but one
St. Clare,lookingup.
'
At it again,hey?"
" I say it 's perfectly abominable for you to
defend such a system!" said Miss Ophelia,with
increasing warmth.
defend it, my dear lady? Who ever said I
did defend it?" said St. Clare.
"
Of course, you
defend it," you all do," all
break off."
"
Well, I have been resolving I won't, off and
on, these ten years," said St. Clare
"
; "but I
haven't, somehow, got clear. Have you got
clear of all your sins,cousin?"
"
strong, because I know how, and can do it,"
"
Cousin Augustine," Opheliașeriously,
therefore,I may steal all he has,keep it,and
and laying down her knittingwork,
I give him onlysuch and so much as suits my fancy.
suppose I deserve that you should reprove my
Whatever is too hard,too dirty, disagreeable,
ehort-comings Ị know all you say is true for me, I may set Quashy to doing. Because I
enough ; nobody else feelsthem more than I do ; don't likework,Quashyshall work. Because the
but it does seem to me, after all țhere is some
difference between me and you. It seems to me
I would cut off my right hand sooner than keep
on, from day to day,doing what I thought was
You know what a good-for-nothing, saucy boy I
always was. I love to poke you up,
's all,
to see you get earnest. I do think you
are desperately, distressingly good; it tires me
to death to think of it."
"
But this is a serious subject, my boy Auguste,"
said Miss Ophelia,layingher hand on not savage beasts, many
of us do not, and dare
"
his forehead.
not, would scorn to use the full power which
"
"
Dismallyso,"said he ; and I well,I our
savage laws put into our hands. And he whe
never want to talk seriously in hot weather. goes the furthest, and does the worst, only uses
What with mosquitosand all,a fellow can't get
within limits the power
that the law gives him."
himself up to any very sublime moral flights ; St. Clare had started up, and,as his manner
and I believe,"said St. Clare,suddenlyrousingwas when excited, was walking, with hurried
himself up, " there 's a theory,now ! I understand
steps,up and down the floor. His fine face,classic
now why northern nations are always more
as that of a Greek statue, seemed actually to
virtuous than southern "
ones, see into that burn with the fervor of his feelings Ḥis large
whole subject."
blue eyes flashed,and he gestured with an unconscious
"0, Auguste, you are a sad rattle-brain!"
eagerness. Miss Opheliahad never seen
" Am I? Well,so I am, I suppose ; but for him in this mood before,and she sat perfectly
once I will be serious, now ; but you must hand silent.
me that basket of
"
oranges;
"
you see, you'll I declare to you," said he,suddenlystopping
have to ' stay me with flagons and comfort me before his "
cousin, (it's no sort cf use to talk oi
"
' "
you Southerners. What
if you don't?"
do you
opinion. Planters, who have money to make by
it," clergymen, have "
plantersto please,
"
Are such a sweet innocent as to you
nobody in this world ever does what suppose
theydon't politicians, who want to rule it," by may warp
think is right? Don't you, or didn't you ever, and bend language and ethics to a degree that
do anything that you did not think quiteright ?" shall astonish the world at their ingenuity ; they
"If I do, I repent of it,I hope," said Miss can
press nature and the Bible,and nobody knows
Ophelia,rattlingher needles with energy.
what else,into the service;but,after all.neither
"
So do I," said St. Clare,peeling his orange ; theynor the world believe in it one particle " I 'm repenting of it all the time."
more. It comes from the devilțhat 's the short
doingit for?"
of it ; to my mind, it's a prettyrespeatable
" What do you keep on
specimenof what he can do in his own line."
" Did n't you
ever keep on doingwrong, after
you 'd repented, my goodcousin?"
Miss Opheliastopped her knitting, and looked
"
Well, only when I 've been very much tempted,"
surprised ; and St. Clare,apparentlyenjoying
said Miss Ophelia.
her astonishment,went on.
"Well, I'm very much "
tempted,"said St. You seem to wonder ; but if you will get mc
"
Clare ; that 'sjust my difficulty." fairly I '11make a clean breast of it. Thif
But I always resolve I won't,and I try to cursed business,accursed of God and man, whai
is it? Stripit of all its ornament, run it down
to the root and nucleus of the whole, and
what is it? Why, because my
brother Quashy
is ignorant and Aveak,and I am intelligent and
sun burns me, Quashy shall stay in the sun.
Quashy shall earn the money, and I will spend it.
Quashy shall lie down in every puddle țhat I
may walk over dry-shod.Quashy shall do my
will,and not his,all the daysof his mortal life,
and have such chance of gettingto heaven, at
wrong. But,then,my conduct is so inconsistent
with my profession, I don't wonder you reprove
me."
,
last,as I find convenient. This I take to be about
"
0, now, cousin," said Augustine,sitting what slavery is. I defyanybodyon earth to read
down on the floor, and layinghis head back in our slave-code, as it stands in our law-books,and
her lap, " don't take on so awfully serious ! make anythingelseof it. Talk of the abuses of
slavery ! Humbug "
! The thingitselfis the essence
of all abuse ! And the only reason why
the land don't sink under it,like Sodoin and
Gomorrah,isbecause it is used in a way infinitely
better than it is. For pity' sake,for shame's
sake,because we are men born of women, and
this subject)
to feel on
but I declare to , you there
have been times when I have thought, if the
whole country would sink,and hide all this injustice
and misery from the light, I would willingly
sink with it. When I have been travelling

" I
"
you
h
a
How
"
to
"
(beggingyour
86 UNCLE TOM S CABIN I OR,
'
up
and down on our boats, or about on my There was a morbid sensitivenessand acute
collecting tours, and reflectedthat every brutal, ness of feelingin me on all possiblesubjects, of
disgusting, nio.an, low-lived fellow I met, was which he and my father had no kind of understanding,
allowed by our laws to become absolute despot of
and with which they could have no
as many men, women and children,as he could possiblesympathy. But mother did ; and so,
cheat,steal,or gamble money enough to when I had quarrelled with Alfred,and father
buy,"
when I have seen such men in actual ownership looked sternly on me, I used to go off to mother's
of helplesschildren,of young girls and women,,
room, and sit by her. I remember just
have been ready to curse my country, to how she used to look,with her pale checks,her
curse the human race ! ' '
deep,soft,serious eyes, her white she
dress,"
"Augustine!Augustine!"said Miss Ophelia, always wore white ; and I used to think of her
"
I'm sure
you 've said enough. I never, in my
whenever I read in Revelations about the saints
life,heard anything like this,even at the North." that were arrayedin fine linen,clean and white.
"
At the North?" said St. Clare,with a sudden
of one sort and
change of expression, and
of his habitual careless tone. "Pooh! your
northern folks are cold-blooded ; you
are cool in
hill
everything ! You can't begin to curse up
and down as we can, when we get fairlyat it."
"
Well, but the questionis,"said Miss Ophelia.
"
0, yes, to be sure, the questionis," and a
deuce of a questionit is !"
came
you
in this
state of sin and misery? Well, I shall answer
in the good old words you used to teach me,
Sundays. I came so by ordinarygeneration. My
item. My father, you know, came firstfrom
New England; and he was just such another man
servants were my father's,and, what is more, my
mother's ; and now they are mine, they and their
increase, which bids fair to be a prettyconsiderable
upright,
as a father,"
your regular old "
Roman,
energetic, noble-minded,with an iron will.
Your father settled down in New Englandțo rule
over rocks and stones, and to force an existence
ihere was no trace of any human weakness or
"irror about her : and everybodythat lives to
remember her,whether bond or free șervant, ac-
relation,all say the same. Why,
cousin țhat mother has been all that has stood
quaintance,
between me and utter unbelief for years. She a man much troubled with spiritualism ; religious
was a direct embodiment and personification of sentiment he had none, beyond a veneration foi
livingfact,to be accounted
God, as decidedlythe head of the upper classes.
"
the New Testament,
for,and to be accounted for in no other
way than by its truth. 0, mother! mother!" said
his bands in a sort of trans-
he went on :
"
My brother and I were twins ; and they say,
shiftlesslaborers,who had grown up, all
you know, that twins ought to resemble each their lives,in the absence of every possible motive
other ; but we were in all pointsa contrast. lie to learn how to do anything but ' shirk,'as you
had black,fiery eyes, coal-black hair,a strong, Vermonters say, and you '11see that there might
fine Roman profile, and a rich brown complexion. naturallybe, on his plantation, a great many
I had blue eyes,
Greek goldenhair,a outline,and thingsthat looked horrible and distressing to a
faircomplexion. He was active and observing,I sensitive child,like me.
dreamy and inactive. He was to
generous his "Besides all,he had "
an overseer, a great,
friends and equals,but proud,dominant, overbearing
tall șlab-sidedțwo-fisted renegadeson of Vermont
to inferiors, and utterlyunmerciful to
who had pardon)," gone
whatever set itself up againsthim. Truthful we througha regularapprenticeship in hardness and
both were ; lie from prideand courage, I from a brutality, and taken his degreeto be admitted to
sort of abstract idealityẈe loved each other practiceṂy mother never could endure him,
about as
"
boysgenerally do, off
"
general; : was my father's pet, and I my
mother's.
She had a great deal of genius
resumingsomething another,particularly in music ; and she used to
sit at her organ, playing fine old majestic music
of the Catholic church,and singing with a voice
more like an angel than a mortal woman ; and I
would lay my head down on her lap, and cry, and
and on, and in
" "
things
dream, and feel, 0, immeasurably!
that I had no language to say !
"
In those days, this matter of slaveryhad
never been canvassed as it has now ; nobody
dreamed of any harm in it.
My father was a born aristocrat. I think,in
'
preexistent
some
state,he must have been in the
highercircles of spirits, and broughtall.his old
court pridealong with him ; for it was ingrain,
bred in the bone,though he was originally
of poor
and not in any way of noble family.My brother
was begotten in his image.
"
Now, an aristocrat,
has no human sympathies,
you know, the world over,
certain line
in
Burmah in another,and in America in another ;
beyond a
in society Ị n Englandthe line is in one place,
out of Nature ; and mine settled in Louisianațo but the aristocratof all these countries never
goes
rule over men and women, and force existence out over it. What would be hardship and distress and
of them. My mother,"said St. Clare,getting up injustice
his own class, is a cool matter of
and walking to a picture at the end of the room,
course in another one. My father's dividingline
and gazingupward with a face fervent with veneration,
was that of color. Among his equals, never was
"
she was divine! Don't look at me so! a man more justand generous ; but he considered
know what I mean ! She probablywas of the negro, through all possiblegradations of color,
mortal birth ; but,as far as ever I could observe, as an intermediate link between man and animals,
and gradedall his ideas of justiceor generosity on
this hypothesis Ị suppose, to lie sure, ifanybody
had asked him, plump and fair,whether theyhad
human immortal souls, he might have hemmed
and hawed, and said yes. But my father was not
"
Well, my father worked some five hundred
negroes ; be was an inflexible, driving,punctilious
St. Clare,clasping port business man ; everything was to move by system,
; and then suddenlycheckinghimself,he
be sustained with unfailing accuracy and
came back, and seating himself on an ottoman, precision Ṇow, if you take into account that all
this was to be worked out by a set of lazy țwaddling,
nor I ; but he obtained an entireascendencyover
my father ; and this man was the absolutedespot
of the estate.

"
a
"
will
"
justthat
"
"
nature,an idea of the dignity and worth of the gang of seven hundred,whom I could not know
meanest human soul. I have looked in her face personally, any individual interest in,
with solemn awe, when she would pointup to the bought and driven,housed,fed,worked like so
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY.
87
' I was a littlefellow then,but I had the same stars in the evening, say tc me ' See there,
1 we that I have now for all kinds of human Auguste ! the poorest, soul on our place
things,
a kind of passion for the studyof humanity,
will be living, when all these stars are
gone forever,
come in what shape it would. I was
live as longas God lives !'
found in the cabins and among the field-handsa
paintings ; one, in particular,
"
She had some fine old
greatc'eal,and, of course, was a greatfavorite; of Jesus healinga blind man. They were
and all sorts of complaiuts grievances very fine,and used to impressme strongly. ' See
breathed in my
ear ; and I told them to mother, there,Auguste,' say ; ' the blind man
and wo, between us, formed a sort of committee was a beggar,poor and loathsome ; therefore,he
for a rodress of grievances Ẉe hindered and would not heal him afaroff ! He called him to
repressed a great deal of cruelty, and congratulatedhim, puthis hands on him ! Remember this,
ourselveson doinga vast deal of good,till, as often my boy.' If I had lived to grow up
under her
happens,my zeal overacted. Stubbs complainedcare, mighthave stimulated me to I know not
to my
father that he could n"t manage the hands, what of enthusiasm. I might have been a saint,
and must resign his position.Father was a fond,
but,alas ! alas ! I went from
reformer,martyr,"
indulgent husband, but a man that never flinched her when I was onlythirteen, and I never saw her
from anythingthat he thought necessary ; and so again !"
he put down his foot,like a rock, between us and St. Clare rested his head on his hands, and did
the field-hands. lie told my mother, in languagenot speak for some minutes. After a while,ho
perfectly respectful and deferential, but quiteexplicit
looked up, and went on :
that over the house-servants she should be
poor,
mean trash this whole business
"
What
entire mistress,but that with the field-hands he of human virtue is ! A.mere matter, for the most
could allow no interference. He revered and respectedpart,
of latitude and longitude, geographical
her above all livingbeings; but he would position, acting with natural temperament. The
have said it all the same to the VirginMary herself,'
greaterpart is nothing but an accident ! Your
if she had come in the way of his system. father,for exampleșettlesin Vermont, in a town
reasoning
where all are, in fact,free and equal; becomes a-
"
I used sometimes to hear my mother
cases with him, endeavoring excite his regularchurch member and deacon,and in duo
sympathies ḷie would listen to the most pathetictime joinsan Abolitionsociety, and t!;inksus all
appeals with the most discouraging politeness and littlebetter than heathens. Yet he is,for all the
equanimity. ' It all resolvesitselfinto this,'he world,in constitutionand habit,a duplicate of
would
'
say ; must I part with Stubbs,or keep my father. I can see it leakingout in fiftydifferent
him ? Stubbs is the soul of punctuality, honesty, ways,
same strong,overbearing,
and efficiency, thoroughbusiness hand,and dominant spirit Ỵou know very well how iaipossibleit
as humane as the generalrun. We can't have
is to persuade some of the folks in your
perfection ; and if I keephim, I must sustain his village that SquireSinclair does not feel above
administration as a whole,even if there are, now them. The fact is,thoughlie has fallenon democratic
and then,things that are exceptionable. All government
times,and embraced a democratic theory,
include some necessary hardness. General
he is to the heart an aristocrat, as much as
my
rules will bear hard on particular cases.' father,who ruled over five or six hundred slaves."
This last maxim my father seemed to consider a Miss Opheliafelt rather disposedto cavil at
settlerin most allegedcases of crueltyẠfter he this picture, laying down her knitting
had said that,he commonly drew up his feet on to begin,but St. Clare stopped her.
the sofa,like a man that has disposed of a. business,
"
Now, I know word you
are going to
every
and betook himself to a or
nap, the newspaper,
say. I do not say theywere alike,in fact. One
as the case might be.
fellinto a conditionwhere everything against
the natural tendency, the other where everything
" The fact is, my lather showed the exact sort
of talent for a statesman. He could have divided acted for it ; and so one turned out a pretty
Poland as easily
or
orange,
trod on Ireland wilful,stout,overbearing democrat, and the
as quietly systematically as
any man living. other a wilful ștout old despot. If both had
At last my mother gave up, in despair Ịt never owned plantations in Louisiana,they would have
will be known, till the last account, what noble been as two old bullets cast in the same mould."
and sensitivenatures like hers have
"
felt,cast, What an undutiful are
boyyou
!*'said Miss
utterlyhelpless, into what seems to them an abyssOphelia.
of injustice and cruelty, and which seems so to
" I don't mean them any disrespect," said St.
nobodyabout them. It has been an
age of long Clare. " You know reverence is not my forte.
sorrow of such natures,in such a hell-begotten But, to go back to my history :
sort of world as ours. What remained for "
her, When father died,he left the whole property
but to train her children in her own views and to us twin boys țo be divided as we should agree.
sentiments? Well, after all you say about training,
There does not breathe on God's earth a noblersouled,more
generous fellow țhan Alfred,in all
childrenwill grow up substantially what they
are by nature, and onlythat. From the cradle, that concerns his equals; and we
got on admirably
Alfred was an aristocrat ; and as he grew up, instinctively,
with this propertyquestion, without a singleunbrotherly
feelingẈe undertook to work
all his sympathiesand all his reasonings
were in thatline,and allmother's exhortations the plantation together; and Alfred, whose outr
went to the winds. As to me, theysunk deep ward lifeand capabilities had double the strength
into me. She never contradicted, in form, anything
of mine, became an enthusiastic planter, a
that my father said,or seemed directlyto wonderfully successful one.
differfrom him ; but she impressed,burnt into my
years' trialsatisfiedmd that I could
"
But two
very soul,with all the force of her deep, earnest not be a partner in that matter. To have a great

"
no,
" and
" the
the
"
the
88 UNCLE TOM S CABIN I OR,
"
"
'
"
"
"
many horned cattleștrained up to military precision,
breedersțraders,and brokers in human bodieu
question of how littleof life's commonest
and sets the souls," thing before the eyes of the
enjoyments would keep them in workingcivilized world in a more tangibleform,though
order being constantlyrecurringproblem,
a the thing done be, after all,in its nature, the
the necessity of drivers and overseers, evernecessary
whip,first,last,and beings to the use and improvementof another,
same ; that is,appropriating one set of human
onlyargument,"
the whole thingwas insufferably disgusting without any regardto their own."
loathsome to me ; and when I thought of "
my
I never thoughtof the matter in thislight,"
mother's estimate of one
poor human soul, it said Miss Ophelia.
"
became even frightful !
Well, I 've travelled in Englandsome, and
"It's all nonsense to talk to me about slaves I 've looked over a goodmany documents as to
enjoying all this ! To this day, I have no patiencethe
state of their lower classes ; and I reallythink
with the unutterable trash that some of there is no denyingAlfred,when he says that
your patronizing have made up, as his slaves are better off than a largeclass of the
in their zeal to apologizefor our sins. We all populationof England. You see, you must not
know better. Tell me that any
man livingwants infer,from what I have told you, that Alfred is
to work all his days,from day-dawn till dark, what is called a hard master ; for he isn't. He
under the constant eye of a master, without the is despotic, ;
power of puttingforth one irresponsible volition, he would shoot a fellow down with as little remorse
on the same dreary,monotonous, unchangingtoil,
as he would shoot a buck, if he opposed
and all for two pairs of pantaloons pairhim.
But, in general, pridein
of shoes a
year, with enough food and shelter havinghis slaves comfortably fed and accommodated.
to keep him in working order ! Any man who
thinks that human beingscan, as a generalthing, "When I was with him, I insisted that he
be made about as comfortable that way
as
any should do somethingfor their instruction ; and,
other,I wish he might try it. I 'd buy the dog, to pleaseme, he did get a chaplain, and used to
and work him, with a clear conscience !"
have them catechized Sunday,though, I believe,
" I alwayshave supposed," said Miss Ophelia, in his heart țhat he thoughtit would do about
" that you, all of you, approvedof these things, as much good to set a chaplain over his dogs and
and thought them right, according to Scripture."
horses. And the fact is,that a mind stupefied
and animalized by every bad influence from the
spending the whole of every
"
Humbug ! We are not quitereduced to that hour of birth
weekday
yet. Alfred,who is as determined a despotas ever in
,
unreflecting toil,cannot be done much
walked,does not pretend to this kind of defence ; with by a few hours on Sunday. The teachers of
he stands,high and haughty, on that good Sunday-schools among the manufacturing population
old respectable ground țhe rightofthe strongest; of England, and among plantation-hands in
and he says, and I think quitesensibly, that the our country, could perhapstestify to the same
American planter is ' onlydoing, another form, result țhere and here. Yet some striking exceptions
what the Englisharistocracy and capitalists are
there are
among us, from the fact that the
doingby the lower classes ;'that is,I take it, appropriating
negro is naturally impressible to religious
them,body and bone, soul and spirit, sentiment than the white."
to their use and convenience. He defends both, "Well," said Miss Ophelia, " how came
you
I think, at least,consistently. says to giveup your plantation life?"
that there can be no high civilizationwithout
"
Well, we jogged on togethersome
enslavement of the masses, either nominal or Alfred saw plainly that I was no time, till
planter Ḥe
real. There must, he says, be a lower reformed, and
givenup to physical toil and confined to an animal
altered,and țo suit my
nature ; and a higherone therebyacquires
notions țhat I still remained unsatisfied. The
leisure and wealth for a more expanded intelligence
fact was, it was, afterall țhe thing that I hated,
class, thought it absurd, after he
improvedeverywhere
had
and improvement, and becomes the directing
using these men and women, the perpetuation
soul of the lower. So he reasons, because,as of all this ignorance, brutality vice,"
I said,he is born an aristocrat; so I don't believe,
just to make money
for me !
because I was born a democrat."
Besides, I was always interfering
the
"
" How in the world can the two things be details. Beingmyselfone of the laziest of mortals,
compared?"said Miss Ophelia. "The English I had altogether fellow-feeling for
laborer is not sold țraded,parted from his family, the lazy; and when poor, shiftless dogs put
whipped."
stones at the bottom of their cotton-baskets to
"He is as much at the will of his employer as make them weigh heavier,or filled their sacks
if he were sold to him. The slave-owner can with dirt,with cotton at the top, it seemed so
whip his refractoryslave to the death," capitalistexactly
I
can starve him to death. As to familycould n't and would n't have them flogged for it.
security,
is hard to say which is the Well, of worst,"
course, there was an end of plantation
to have one's children sold,or see them starve to discipline ; and Alf and I came to about the same
death at home."
pointthat I and
my respected did, years
"But it's no kind of apology for slaveryțo before. So he told me that I was a womanish
prove that it isn't worse than some other bad sentimentalist, and would never do for business
thing."
life ; and advised me to take the bank-stock and
"I didn't give it for one, nay, I'll say, the New Orleans familymansion, and go to writing
besides țhat ours is the more bold and palpable poetry, and let him manage
the plantation
infringement of human rights ; actually buying a So we parted, and I came here."
man
up, like a horse," looking at his teeth,
"
But why didn't you free your slaves?"
Cracking his joints,and trying his paces, and
"
Well,I was n't up to that. To hold them as
then paying down for him,- -havingspeculators, tools for money-making, I could not "
; have

up
"
"
thera to helpspendmoney, you know, did n't
look quite so uglyto me. Some of them were
old house-servants, to whom I was much attached ;
and the younger
ones were children to the old.
All were well satisfiedto be as theywere." He
paused, and walked reflectively up
and down the
room.
"There was," said St. Clare, "a time in my
lifewhen I had plans and hopesof doing something
in this world,more than to float and drift.
I had a
vague, indistinct yearningto be a sort
"
of emancipator, to free my native land from
this spot and stain. All young
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 89
men have had
"
"
guch fever fits,I sujDpose,
some time," but
then
"
"Why didn't you?" said Miss Ophelia;
the better of me, I for he grant," reallydoes
something; his life is a logical result of his
I 'm unhappy,very often. I presume,"she said,
opinions,and mine is a contemptible non
"
sequi-pensivelytur."
she had. It 's just because they are so bad.
that t 've had greatertrialsthan ever
"My dear cousin,can you be satisfiedwith There 's some of them that you cannot break in
such a
way of spendingyour probation ?" by any
kind of severityỊ remember father had
" Satisfied ! Was I not just tellingyou I a man that was so lazy he would run away just
despised it ? But, then,to come back to this to get rid of work, and lie round in the swamps,
"
point, we were on this liberation business. I stealing and doingall sorts of horrid tilings.
don't think my feelings about slavery are peculiar.
That man was caught and whipped țime and
I find many
men who, in their hearts, again, and it never did him any good; and the
think of it justas I do. The land groans under last time he crawled off,though he coul 1 n't but
it ; and,bad as it is for the slave,it is worse, if just go, and died in the swamp. Thei s was no
anything, for the master. It takes no spectaclesort of reason for it,for father's hands were
to see that a great classof vicious,improvident, always treated kindly."
degradedpeople, among us, are an evil to us, as "I broke a fellow in,once," said St. Clare,
well as to themselves. The capitalist and aristocrat
"that all the overseers and masters had tried
of Englandcannot feel that as we do, theirhands on in vain."
because they do not minglewith the class they "You!" said Marie; "well,I'd be gladto
degrade as we do. They are in our houses ; they know when you ever did anythingof the sort."
are the associatesof our
"
children, and theyform Well, he was a powerful, giganticfellow,
their minds faster than we can ; for they are a a native-born African ; and he appearedto have
race that children always will clingto and assimilate
the rude instinctof freedom in him to an uncomwith.
If Eva, now, was not more angelmon degree.He was a regularAfrican lion.
than ordinary, she would be ruined. We might
as well allow the small-pox to run among them,
and think our children would not take it,as to
let them be uninstructed and vicious,and think
our children will not be affected by that. Yet Well, one day he knocked down the overseer, and
our laws positively and utterly forbid any efficient was fairly off into the
genera?educational swamps.
I was on a visit
system, and they do it wisely, to Alf's plantation, for it was after we had dissolved
too
,
for,justbegin and thoroughly educate one partnershipẠlfred was greatlyexasperated
generation, and the whole thingwould be blown
skyhigh. If we did not give them liberty, they and laid him any wager that I could break the
would take it."
man ; and finally it was agreedthat,if I caught
"And what, do you think will be the end of him, I should have him to experiment on. So'
this?" said Miss Ophelia.
they mustered out a partyof some six or seven,
"I don't know. One thing is "
certain, that with
guns and dogs, for the hunt. People, you
there is a musteringamong the masses, the world
as much enthusiasm in
over ; and there is a dies irm comingon, sooner or
later. The same thing is working in Europe, in
England, and in this country. My mother used
to tell me of a millennium that was coming, when
Christ should reign,and all men should be free
and happy. And she taught me, when I was a
boy țo '
pray, Thy kingdom come.' Sometimes I
think all this sighing and
groaning,
and
among the dry I ones, foretellswhat she used to
tell me was coming. But who may abide the day
of his appearing?"
"
Augustine, sometimes I think you are not
far from the kingdom,"said Miss Ophelia,laying
down her knitting, and
cousin.
lookinganxiously at
her
"
Thank you for your goodopinion ; but it 's
to heaven's gate in
"
" "
up and down with me,
theory, down in earth's dust in practice.But
there's the tea-bell, do let's go, and don't
say, now, I have n't had one downrightserious
talk,for once in my life."
At table,Marie alluded to the incidentof Prue.
" I suppose you
"11 think, cousin,"she said,
" that we are all barbarians."
"you oughtnot to put your hand to the "
plough, I think that 's a barbarous thing,"said Miss
and look back."
Ophelia,
" but I don't think you are allbarbarians."
"0, well,things didn't go with me as I
"
exgected,
I got the despairof living that
to get alongwith some of these creatures.
Well, now," said Marie, " I know it 's impossible
and
olomon did. I suppose it was a
necessary incident
They are so bad theyoughtnet to live. I don't
to wisdom' in us both ; but,some how or feel a particle of sympathyfor such cases. If
other,instead of being actor and regenerator in they 'd only behave themselves,it would not
society, I became a piece of drift-wood, and have happen."
been floating and "
eddyingabout, ever since. But,mamma," said Eva, " the poor creature
Alfred scolds me every time we meet ; and he has was unhappy ; that 's what made her drink."
"0, fiddlestick! as if that were
any excuse !
They called him Scipio.Nobody could do anything
with him ; and he was sold round from
overseer to overseer, till at last Alfred bought
him, because he thought he could manage him.
; but I told him that it was his own fault.,
know, can get up just
hunting a man as a deer, if itis onlycustomary ;
in fact,I got a little"xcited myselfțhoughI had
onlyput in as a sort ot mediator, in case he was
caught.
"Well, the dogs bayed and howled, and W3
rode and scampered,and finally we started him.
He ran and bounded like a buck, and kept us
Stirling well in the rear for some time ; but at last he got

"
cause
90 UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR.
"
caughtin an impeneti ; then be neglected amid the adventures of the higher
he turned to bay, and I tell you he foughtthe born ; but,if our readers will accompany
us
up
dogsrightgallantly. right and to a littleloft over the stable,they may, perhaps,
left,and actuallykilled three of them with only learn a littleof his affairs. It was a decent room,
his naked fists,when a shot from a gun brought containing and a small,rough
There is danger that our humble friend Tom St. Clare thought,in his heart,that this was
him down, and he fell,wounded and bleeding, stand,whpre lay Tom's Bible and hymn-book ;
almost at my feet. The poor fellow looked up at and where he sits, at present,with his slate
me with manhood and despair eye. I before him, intent on somethingthat seems to
kept back the dogs and the party, as theycame cost him a great deal of anxious thought.
pressing up, and claimed him as my prisoner Ịt The fact was, that Tom's home-yearnings had
was all I could do to keep them from shootingbecome so strong,that he had beggeda sheet of
him, in the flush of success ; but I persisted writing-paper of Eva, and. mustering up all his
my b.vrgain, and Alfred sold him to me. Well,I small stock of literary attainment acquiredby
took him in hand, and in one fortnight Mas'r George'sinstructions,he conceived the
tamed down as submissive and tractable as heart bold idea of writing a letter ; and he was busy
oould desire."
now, on his slate,gettingout his first draft.
"
What in the world did you do to him?" said Tom was in a good deal of trouble,for the forms
Marie.
of some of the letters he had forgottentirely
;
"
Well, it was quite a simpleprocess. I took and of what he did remember he did not know
him to my
own room, had a goodbed made for exactlywhich to use. And while he was working,
him, dressed his wounds, and tended him myself, and breathing very hard,in his earnestness,
until he got fairly again. And, in Eva alighted,like a bird,on the round of his
of time,I had free
Erocess
papers
made out for chair behind him, and peepedover his shoulder.
im, and told him he might go
where he liked."
"
0
,
Uncle Tom ! what funny thingsyou are
" And did he go?" said Miss Ophelia. makingthere !"
"No. The foolish fellow tore the paper
in
"
I 'm tryingto write to old woman,
my poor
two, and absolutely refused to leave me. I never Miss Eva, and my little chil'en,"said Tom,
had fellow,"
a braver,better trustyand true as drawing the back of his hand over his eyes ; " but,
steel. He embraced Christianity afterwards,and somehow, I 'm feard I shan't make it out."
"
became as gentle as a child. He used to oversee
I wish I could helpyou, Tom ! I 've learnt
my place on the lake, and did it capitally, too. to Avrite some. Last year I could make all the
I lost him the first cholera season. In fact,he letters,but I 'm afraid I 've forgotten."
laid down his lifefor me. For I was sick,almost So Eva put her little golden head close to his,
to death ; and when, through the panic,everybody
and the two commenced a
grave
and anxious discussion,
else fled,Scipio worked for me like a giant,
each one oquallyearnest, and about
and actuallybrought me back into life again. equallyignorant ; and, with a deal of consulting
But, poor
fellow ! he was taken,rightafter,and and advising over every word, the composition
there was no saving him. I never felt anybody'sbegan, they both felt very sanguine, loss more."
quite like writing.
"
Eva had come gradually nearer and nearer to Yes, Uncle Tom, it reallybeginsto look
her father,as he told the story, her small lips beautiful,"said Eva, gazingdelightedly on it.
apart, her eyes wide and earnest with absorbing"How pleasedyour wife '11 be, and the poor
interest.
littlechildren ! 0, it 's a shame ever
you
had to
As he finishedșhe suddenlythrew her arms
go away
from them ! I mean to ask papa to let
around his neck, burst into tears, and sobbed you go back,some time."
'
"
convulsively.
Missis said that she would send down money
"Eva, dear child! what is the matter?" said for me, as soon as they could get it together,"
"
St. Clare,as the child's small frame trembled said Tom. I 'm 'spectin' Young
and shook with the violence of her feelings. Mas'r George, he said he 'd come for me ; and
"
This child,"he added, " ought not to hear any he gave
me this yer
dollar as a sign;" and Tom
of this kind of she 's nervous."
drew from under his clothes the precious dollar.
thing,"
"
No, papa,
I 'm not nervous,"said Eva, controlling
"0,he'll certainlycome, then!" said Eva.
herself,suddenly,with a strengthof
" I 'm so glad !"
resolution singular
such a child. "I'm not
"
And I wanted to send a letter, you know, to
nervous, but these thing sink into my heart." let 'em know whar I was, and tell poor Chloe that
"
What do you mean, Eva?"
I was well off,
she felt so diefful, poor
"
I can't tetl you, papa.
I think a greatmany soul ! ' '
thoughts. Perhaps some day I shall tell "
you." I say,
Tom!" said St. Clare's voice,coming
"Well, think dear,"
away, only don't cry in the door at this moment.
and worry your papa," said St. Clare. "Look Tom and Eva both started.
see what a beautiful here," peach I have got "What's here?" said St, Clare,comingup
for you ! "
and lookingat the slate.
Eva took it,and smiled,thoughthere was still "0, it's Tom's letter. I m helpinghim to
"
a nervous twitchingabout the corners of her write it,"said Eva ; isn't it nice
mouth.
"I wouldn't discourage you," said
"
Come, look at the gold-fish," said St. Clare, St.Clare, " but I rather thinkȚom, you 'd better
taking her hand and stepping to the veranda. get me to write your letter for you.
I '11do it.
A few moments, and merry laughswere heard when I come home from my ride."
throughthe silken curtains,as Eva and St. Clare
" It 's very importantho should write,"said
were pelting each other with roses, and chasing Eva, " because his mistress is goingto send down
each other among the alleys of the court.
money to redeem him, you know, papa ; he told
me theytold him so."

that
agreed
didn't
" I
probablyonly one of those things which goounatured
owners say to their seivants, to alleviate
their horror of beingsold,without any intention
of fulfilling the expectation thus excited. But he
did not make any audible comment it,"
upon
onlyordered Tom to get the horses out for a ride.
Tom's letter was written in due form for him
that evening, and safelylodged in the post-office.
Miss Ophelia still persevered in her labors in
the house-keeping line. It was universally
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY 91
agreed,among allthe household,from Dinah down
to the youngesturchin țhat Miss Ophelia was
decidedly
" "
curia," a term by
race
which a southern
servant implies that his or her betters don't exactly
suit them.
"
to The higher circle in the family
Adolph, Jane and
"
Rosa
no lady; ladies never keptworking
that she was
about as she
suddenly down on the carpet,
wit,
did ;
" she had no air at all ; and they were
eurprised that she should be any relation of the Miss
St. Clares. Even Marie declared that it was absolutely
with amazement.
fatiguing to see Cousin Opheliaalways St. Clare,like a mischievous fellow as he was,
so busy. And, in fact,Miss Ophelia'sindustryappeared to enjoy her astonishment ; and, ad
was so incessant as to lay some foundation for dressing the child againșaid,
"
the complaint. She sewed and stitched away, Topsy, this is your
new mistress. I am
from dayligh tilldark,with the energy of one goingto giveyou up to her ; see now that you
who is pressedon by some immediate urgency ; behave yourself."
and then,when the lightfaded,and the work was
CHAPTER
XX.
One morning, while Miss Ophelia was busy in
gjme of her domestic cares, St. Clare's voice was
her,at the foot of the stairs.
Topsy,7' he added, giving a whistle, as a man
would to call the attention of a dog, '
give us a
song, i.ow, and show us some of your dancing
The black,glassyeyes glittered with a kind of
wicked drollery, and the thing struck up, in a
clearșhrill voice,an odd negro melody,to which
she kepttime with her hands and feet,spinning
round,clappingher hands, knockingher knees
together,in a wild,fantastic sort of time,and
producing her throat all those odd guttural
sounds which distinguish the native music
of her
; and, finally, turninga summerset or two,
and giving a prolongedclosingnote, as odd and
unearthly as that of the steam-whistle, she came
and stood with her
hands folded,and a most sanctimonious expression
of meekness and solemnity over her face,
only broken by the cunningglanceswhich she
shot askance from the corners of her eyes.
Opheliastood silent,perfectly paralyzed
"
Yes,Mas'r," said Topsy, with sanctimonious
folded away, with one turn out came the everready
knitting-work, and there she was again, You 're going to be good,Topsy,you understand,"
gravity, her wicked
eyes twinkling as she spoke.
"
going on as briskly as ever. It really was a labor
said St. Clare.
"
to see her.
0 yes, Mas'r," said Topsy, with another
twinkle,her hands stilldevoutlyfolded.
"Now, Augustine, what upon earth is this
for?" said Miss Ophelia. "'Your house is so full
of these littleplaguesnow, that a body can't set
down their foot without treading on "em. I get
up in the morning, and find one asleepbehind
the door,and see one black head pokingout from
under the table,one lying on the and
door-mat,"
"
~-
"
heard,calling
"
Come down here,cousin ; I 've something to they are mopping and mowing and grinning between
show you."
all the railings, tumblingover the
"What is it?" said Miss kitchen floor! Ophelia,coming
What on earth did you want to
down with her sewingin her hand.
bringtiiis one for?"
"
I 've made a purchasefor your department, "For you to educate I tell you?
see here," said St. Clare ; and,with the word, You 're alwayspreaching about educating Ị
ha pulledalong a little negro girl, eight or thought I would make you a presentof a freshcaught
specimen, try
years age.
on
you your
She was one of the blackest of her race ; and her,and bring her up in the way she should go."
"
her round, shiningeyes, glittering as glassbeads, / don't want her,I am sure ; have more
aive of hand
moved with quickand restless glancesover everything
to do with 'em now than I want to."
in the room. Her mouth, half open with "That's you Christians,all over! you'll
astonishment at the wonders of the new Mas'r's getup a society, get some poor missionary parlor,displayed a white and brilliant set of spendall his daysamong justsuch heathen. But
teeth. Her woolly hair was braided in sundrylet me see one of you that would take one into
little tails,which stuck out in every direction. your house with you, and take the labor of their
The expressionof her face was an odd mixture of conversion on yourselves .; No ; when it comes to
shrewdness and cunning, over which was oddlythat,theyare dirty and disagreeable, and it 's too
drawn, like a kind of veil,an expression
most doleful gravityand solemnity
"
"
of the much care, and so on."
"
Ṣhe was Augustine, you
know I didn't think of it in
dressed in a singlefilthy, raggedgarment, made that light,"said Miss Ophelia,evidently softening.
of bagging; and stood with
"
her hands demurely Well, it might be a real missionary work,"
folded before her. Altogether, there was something
!said she,looking rather more favorably odd and goblin-like about her appearance, child.
1
something, Miss Opheliaafterwards said, St. Clare had touched the rightstring Ṃiss
"so heathenish," as to inspirethat goodlady Ophelia'sconscientiousness was ever on the alert.
with utter dismay; and,turning to St. "
Clare șhe But," she added, " I really didn't see the need
said,
of buying this one ; there are enough ,
now, in
your house,to take all my time and skill."
"
Well, thenjcousin,"said St. Clare,drawing
"
Augustine,what in the world have you
broughtthat thing here for!"
"
For you to educate,to be sure, and train in her aside, " I ought to beg your pardonfor my
the way she should go. I thoughtshe was rather good-for-nothing speeches. good,after
a funnyspeciis Jim Crow line. Here, all țhat there 's no sense in them. Why, the fact

so
what
92
UNCLE TOMS CABIN.' 0.
"
is, this concern belonged to a couple of drunken
creatures that keep a low restaurant that I have
to pass by every day,and I was tired of hearing
her screaming,and thein beating and swearingat
her. She looked brightand funny,too, as if
somethingmight be made of her ; I bought
her,and I '11giveher to you. Try,now, and give
her a good orthodox New Englandbringing up, and
see what it '11make of her. You know I have n't
any giftthat way ; but I 'd like you to try."
"
Well, I '11do what I can,"said Miss Ophelia
; and she approachedher new subject very
mu?h as a
person might be supposedto approach from the land of Diablerie;but Miss "Ophelia
a black spider, supposingthem to have benevolent
was not nervous, but plain and business-like, and
designstoward it.
she said,with some sternness,
"
She 's dreadfully dirty,and half
"
naked,"she You mustn't answer me in that way, child ;
said.
"
Well,take her-down stairs, and make some
of them clean and clothe her up."
Miss Opheliacarried her to the kitchen regions.
" Never was born," reiterated the creature,
more emphatically; "never had no father nor
"
Don't see what Mas'r St. Clare wants of mother, nor nothin'. I was raised by a speculator,
'nother nigger!" said Dinah,surveyingthe new
with lotsof others. Old Aunt Sue used to
"
arrival with no friendlyair. Won't have her take car on us."
round under my feet,/'know!"
The child was evidently sincere ;
"Pah!" said Rosa and Jane, with supreme breaking into a short laugh,said,
and Jane,
disgust; " let her keep out of our way ! What
"
Laws, Missis țhere 's heapsof 'em. Speculators
in the world Mas'r wanted another of these low buys 'em up cheap,when they 's little, ar.d
niggersfor,I can't see !"
gets 'em raised for market."
"
How lived with master
"
You go long! No more nigger dan you be,
you your
Miss Rosa," said Dinah,who felt this last remark
and
longhave
mistress?"
a reflection on herself. "
You seem to tink
"
Dun no, Missis."
yourself white folks. You an't nerry one, black
or less?"
"
Is it a year,
or more,
nor white. I 'd like to be one or turrer."
Miss Ophelia saw that there was nobodyin the
camp that would undertake to oversee the cleansing
and dressing of the new arrival ; and so she
was forced to do it herself, with some very ungracious
and reluctant assistance from Jane.
It is not for ears polite to hear the particulars
of the firsttoilet of a neglected, abused child. In
fact,in this world,multitudes must live and die
in a state that it would be too greata shock to
the nerves of their fellow-mortals even to hear
described. Miss Ophelia had a good,strong, a
great welts and calloused spots, ineffaceable
marks of the system under which she had grown
up thus far,her heart became pitiful within her.
"
See there !" said Jane,pointing
to the marks,
"don't that show she's a limb? We'll have
fine works with her,I reckon. I hate these nigfer
young 'uns ! so disgusting ! I wonder that
Ias'r would buy her !"
The "young un "
alluded to heard all these
comments with the subdued and doleful air which
seemed habitual to her,only scanning, with a
keen and furtiveglanceof her flickering eyes, the
ornaments who: Jane wore in her ears. When
arrayedat lasc in a suit of decent and whole
clothing, her hair croppedshort to her head,Miss
Ophelia, with some satisfaction, said she looked
more Christian-likethan she did,and in her own
mind began to mature some plansfor her instruction.
her.
Sitting down
"
How old are
you, Topsy?"
"
Dun no, Missis," said the image,with a grin
that showed
all her teeth.
"
Don't know how old yciu
are ? Did n't anybody
ever tellyou? Who was
your mother?"
"Never had none!" said the child,with another
grin.
"
Never had any mother? What do you mean ?
Where were
you
bom ?"
"
Never was born !" persisted Topsy, with
grin țhat looked so goblin-like, that, ifMiss
Ophelia had been at all nervous, she mighthave
fancied that she had got hold of some sootygnome
another
I 'm not playing with you. Tell me where you
were born, and who
were."
your
"
Dun no, Missis."
father and mother
"
"Laws, Missis, those low negroes,
can't tell ; they don't know anything about they
time,"
said Jane ;
"
they don't know what a year is ;
theydon't know their own ages."
"Have you ever heard anythingabout God,
Topsy?"
The child looked bewildered,but grirnedas
usual.
"
Do you know who made you?"
"
Nobody, as I knows on,"said the child,with
short laugh.
practical deal of resolution ; and she went through The idea appeared to amuse her considerably ;
all the disgusting details with heroic thoroughness,
for her eyes twinkled,and she added,
though, it must be confessed, with no very
"
I spect I grow'd. Don't think nobody never
graciousair," for endurance was the utmost to made me."
which her principles bringher. When
" Do you know how to sew?" said Miss Ophelia,
she saw, on the back and shoulders of the child, who thoughtshe would turn her inquiries to
something more tangible.
"
No, Missis."
"What can you do?
"
did you do for
your master and mistress?"
"
Fetch water,and wash dishes,and rub knives,
and wait on folks."
' ' Were theygood to you ?' '
"Spect they was," said the child,canning
Miss Opheliacunningly.
Miss Ophelia rose from this encouraging colloquy
; St. Clare was leaning over the back of her
chair.
"You find virgin soil there, cousin; put in
own ideas,"
you won't find many to pull
your
Miss Ophelia'sideas of education,like all her
other ideas,were very set and definite ; and of
the kind that prevailedin New England a century
ago, and which are still preserved in some very
before her,she began to questionretired and unsophisticated parts, where there
are no railroads. As nearly as could be expressed,
theycould be comprisedin very few words Tu

_
will
and
this
"
they
what
"
never
it
teach them to mind when they were spoken to ;
to teach them the catechism,sewing, and reading
; and to whip them if theytold lies. And
though, of course, in the flood of lightthat is
now pouredon education,these are left far away
in the rear, yet it is an undisputed fact that our
grandmothers raised some tolerably fair men and
women under this regime, as many of us can remember
and testify. '"Atall events,Miss Ophelia
knew of nothing else to do ; and, therefore, applied
her mind to her heathen with the best diligence
she could command.
The child was announced and considered in the
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 93
"
"
familyas Miss Ophelia'sgirl; and, as she was an"t it? How could it a
sleeve?"
looked upon
with no gracious eye
in the kitchen,
got caught in my
Miss Ophelia resolved to confine her sphere of
'
Topsy,you
operation
chiefly to her own lie, ou
naughtygirl,don't
stole that ribbon! you tellme a
chamber. With a self-sacrifice which some of
seed
"
Missis,I declar for 't,I did n't ;
our readers will appreciate, she resolved, instead it tilldis yer blessed minit."
of comfortably makingher own bed, sweeping and Topsy,"said Miss Ophelia, " don't you know
"
dusting her own chamber," which she had hitherto
it's wicked to telllies?"
done,in utter scorn of all offersof help from
"
I never tells no lies,Miss Feely." said
the chambermaid of the establishment, to condemn
with virtuous gravity ; " it 's jis the
Topsy,
truth I 've
herself to the martyrdom of instructing Topsy
been a tellin now, and an't nothin else."
to perform these operations, ah,woe the day ! Topsy, I shall have to whip you, if you wll
"
Did any of our readers ever do the same, they liesso."
will appreciate the amount of her self-sacrifice.
"
Laws. Missis,if you 's to whip all day,
Miss Opheliabegan with Topsy by takingher couldn't say
into hex chamber,the firstmorning, no other way," said Topsy,beginning
and solemnly to blubber. " I never seed dat ar,
"
must
commencinga course of instruction in the art and a got caught in my sleeve. Miss Feelymust have
mystery of bed-making.
left it on the bed,and it gotcaught in the clothes,
Behold,then,Topsy, washed- and shorn of all and so got in my sleeve."
the littlebraidedtailswherein her heart had delighted,
Miss ""Ophelia
was so indignant at the barefaced
arrayed in a clean gown, with wellstarched
apron, standingreverentlybefore Miss
"
liețhat she caugh the child and shook her.
Don't you tell me that again !"
Ophelia, with an expression of solemnitywell The shake brought the gloves on to the floor,
befitting a funeral.
"
Now, Topsy, I 'ni going to show you just
"
"
"
"
"
do
how
"There, you!" said Miss Ophelia, "will you
my bed is to be made. I am very particular tellme now you did n't steal the ribbon ?"
about my bed. You must learn exactlyhow to Topsy now confessed to the gloves, but still
do it."
persisted in denyingthe ribbon.
"Yes, ma'am," says Topsy,with a deepsigh,
"
Now% Topsy," said Miss Ophelia, " if '11
and a face of woful earnestness.
confess all about it,I won't
you
whip you this time."
"
Now, Topsy,look here ; is the hem of Thus adjured,Topsy confessed to the ribbon and
the sheet," this is the right side of the sheet, gloves, woful protestations of penitence.
and this is the wrong ; you remember?"
must have
"
Well,now, tell me. I know you
"Yes, ma'am," says Topsy,with another taken other thing since you have been in the
sigh.
house,for I let you
run about all day yesterday.
"Well, now, the under sheet you must bringNow, tell me if you took anything, I shan't
over the bolster, so, tuck it clear down whipyou."
under the mattress nice and smooth,"
"
Laws, Missis ! I took Miss Eva's red tlung
you see
?' '
so,
process, a gravity and seriousnesswith which her
instructresswas greatly edified. By au unlucky
slip,however,a fluttering fragment of the ribbon
hung out of one of her sleeves, justas she was
finishing, and caught Miss Ophelia's attention.
Instantly she pounced upon it. " What 's this1
"
You naughty, wicked child, you 've been stealing
this !"
The ribbon was pulled out of Topsy's own
sleeve,yet was she not in the least disconcerted ,
she onlylooked at it with an air of the most sur
prised and
unconscious innocence.
"
Laws ! why, that ar 's Miss Feely'sribbon,
from the other
sleeve.
she wars on her neck."
"Yes, ma'am," said Topsy,with profound "You did, ypu naughty child! "
Well,what
attention.
else?"
"
But the "
upper sheet,"said Miss Ophelia, I took Rosa's yr
"
r-rings, them red ones."
"
must be brought down in this way, and tucked
"
Go bring them to me this minute,both of
under firm and
"
smooth at the "
foot, so, the
narrow hem at the foot."
Laws, Missis can't," they burnt
"Yes, ma'am," said Topsy, as but
up !"
before;"
we will add,what Miss Ophelia did not "
see, that, Burnt up
!" a story ! Go get 'em,or
duringthe time when the good lady'sback was I '11whipyou."
turned,in the zeal of her manipulations, the Topsy, with loud protestations, and tears,and
young disciple had contrived to snatch a pair of
gloves and a ribbon,Avhich she groans, declared that she could not. "
They 's
had adroitly burnt up,
slipped "
sleeves, and stood with her hands What did you
burn 'em up for?" said Miss
dutifully folded,as before.
Ophelia.
" "
Now, Topsy, let's see
you do this,"said Cause I I 'swicked," is. I 'smightywicked,
Miss Ophelia,pulling clothes, and seatinganyhow. helpit."
herself.
Just at this moment, Eva came innocentlyinto
Topsy, with greatgravity adroitness, went the room, with the identicalcoral necklace on her
throughthe exercise completely Ophelia'sneck.
satisfaction ; smoothingthe sheets,patting out
"
Why, Eva,where did you getyour necklace ?*'
every wrinkle,and exhibiting, throughthe whole said Miss Ophelia

the
"
she
" such
94 UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR,
;
Get it? "W hy, I 've had it on all day,"said abuse is strangely incredulous of anythingsc
Eva.
heavenlyas kindness ; and Topsyonly thought
"
Did you have it on yesterday Eva's speechsomethingfunny and inexplicable,
"
Yes ; and what is funny,Aunty, I had it on
did not believe it.
I to take it off when I went to But what was to be done with Topsy? Miss
bed."
Ophelia found the case
Miss Ophelia puzzler
looked ; her rules for
perfectly bewildered ; the bringing up did n't seem to apply. She thought
more so, as Rosa, at that instant, came into the she would take time to think of it ; and,by the
room, with a basket of newly-ironed linen poisedway gainingtime,and in hopesof some indefinite
on her head,and the coral ear-drops shaking in moral virtues supposed to be inherent in
allnight. forgo
her ears !
dark closets,Miss Opheliashut Topsyup in one
" I 'm sure I can't tell
anythingwhat to do till she had arrangedher ideas further on the
with such a child .'"she said,in despair. " What subject.
in the world did you tell me "
you took those things I don't see," said Miss Ophelia to St. Clare,
"
for,Topsy?"
how I 'm going to manage that :hild,without
"
Why, Missis said I must 'fess ; and I could n't whipping her."
think of nothin else to 'fess," said
"
Topsy,rubbing heart's .vntent I '11giveyou full power
your
to do what you like "
her eyes.
to confess
"
But,of
thingsyou
course, didn't want
do," said
you "
always have to be whipped,"said
Miss Ophelia; Miss Ophelia; " I never heard of bringingthem
I
"
that 's telling a lie,justas much as the up without."
'
'
other.
"
0, well,certainly," said St. Clare " : do as
"
Laws, now, is it? " said Topsy, with an air
of innocent wonder.
"La, there an't any such thingas truth in that
limb,"said Rosa, lookingindignantly at Topsy.
her till the
"
If I was Mas'r St. Clare,I 'd whip
blood run. I I 'd let her catch it!"
would,"
and her cheek deepened
Rosa was cowed in a moment.
"
Such children are very common
"Miss Eva has got the St. Clare blood in among us,
her, and such men and women, tod. How are theyto
that's plain. She can speak,for all the world, be governed?"said St. Clare.
justlike her papa," she said,as she passedout "I'm sure it's more than I can say," said
of the room.
Eva stood looking at Topsy.
There stood the two children,representatives
of two extremes of society Ṭhe fair,high-bred
Miss Ophelia.
"Or I either,"said St. Clare. "The horrid
crueltiesand outragesthat once in a while find
their way into the papers,
cases as Prue's,
child,with her goldenhead, her deep eyes, her for what do example," they come from ? In
spiritual, noble brow, and prince-like movements; many cases, it is a
and her black,keen,subtle,cringing,
gradualhardening process on
yet acute both the owner sides," growingmore and mou
neighbor Ṭhey stood the representatives of their cruel,as the servant more and more callous.
races. The Saxon,born of ages of cultivation, Whipping and abuse are like laudanum ; you
command, education,physicaland moral eminence
have to double the dose as the sensibilitiesdecline.
; the Afiie,born of ages of oppression, I saw this very earlywhen I became an
submission,ignorance, toil,and vice!
owner ; and I resolved never to begin,because I
Something,perhaps,of such thoughtstruggled did not know when I should and I stop," resolved,
throughEva's mind. But a child's thoughts are
rather dun. undefined instincts ; and in Eva's
noble nature many such were yearning and working,
for which she had no power of utterance.
you think best. Only I '11make one suggestion :
I 've seen this child whipped with a poker,
knocked down with the shovel or tongs,whichever
came handiest,"c. ; and, seeing that she is
"
"
No, no, Rosa,"said Eva,with an
used to that styleof operation, I think your
whippings will have to be prettyenergetic, to
air of command,
make much impression."
which the child could assume at times ; "What is to be done with her,then?" said
"
you must n"t talk so, Rosa. I can't bear to hear Miss Ophelia.
it.'"
"You have started a serious question,"said
"
La sakes ! Miss Eva, you 's so good, you don't St.
"
Clare ; I wish you 'd answer it. What is
know nothinghow to get along with niggers. to be done with a human being that can be
There "s no
way but governed
to cut 'em well up, I tell ye." onlyby the that lash," fails, it "s a
very
"Rosa!" said Eva, "hush! Don't you say common state of thingsdown here !"
another word of that sort!" and the
"
eye of the I 'm sure I don't know ; I never saw such a
child flashed,
its color. child as this."
at least țo protectmy
own moral \ iture.
The consequence is, that my
serva _- act like
spoiled children ; but I think that better than for
us both to be brutalized together. You have
When Miss Opheliaexpatiated on Topsy'stalked a great deal about our responsibilities in
naughty,wicked conduct, the child looked perplexed
educating, cousin. I really wanted you to try
and sorrowful,but said,sweetly,
with one child,who is a specimenof thousands
"
Poor Topsy,why need you steai? You 're among us."
going I j be taken good care of,now. I 'm sure It is your systemmakes such children,"said
I 'd rather giveyou anything of mine, than have Miss Ophelia.
you
steal it."
I know it ; but "
theyare made, theyexist,
It was the firstword of kindness the child had and what is to be done with them?"
ever heard in her life ; and the sweet tone and Well, I can't say I thank you for the experiment.
manner struck strangelyon the wild,rude heart, But,then,as it appears to be a duty, 1
and a sparkle of something like a tear shone in shall persevere and try, and do the best I can,"
the keen,round,glittering eye ; hut it was followed
said Miss Ophelia; and Miss Ophelia,after this,
by the short laugh and habitual grin. did labor,with a commendal le degreeof zeal and
Nc
.
ear that has never heard anythingbufc energy, on her new subject Ṣhe instituted regu-

"
either
"
for
"
Miss
wouldn't
"
"
"
"
timed,also,as further to shelter the aggressor.
as
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY.
95
lar hours and employments for her,and undertook Thus, the times for revenge
on Rosr. and Jane,
to teach her to read and to sew.
the two chamber-maids,were always chosen in
In the former art, the child was quickenough. those seasons when (as not unf'requently hap-
She learned her letters as if by magic, and was
theywere in disgrace very soon able to read plainreading;but the when any complaint from them would of course
sewingwas a more difficultmatter. The creature meet with no sympathy. In short, Topsy soon
was as lithe as a cat, and as active as a
monkey, made the household understand the propriety of
and the confinement of sewingwas her abomination
letting ; and she was let alone accordingly.
; so she broke her needles țhrew them slyly
out of windows, or clown in cbinksof the walls ; Topsy was smart and energetic all manual
she tangled,broke, and dirtied her thread,or, operations, learningeverything that was taught
with a slymovement, would throw a spoolaway her with surprising quickness.With a few lessons,
altogether. as quickas
she had learned to do the proprieties of Miss
those of a practised Conjurer, and her command Ophelia's away with which even that
of her face quite as great; and though Miss particular lady could find no fault. Mortal hands
Ophelia could not helpfeeling that so many
accidents could not possiblyhappen in succession,
more accurately, sweep and dust and
yet she could arrange
not, without a watchfulness more perfectly, than Topsy, when she chose,"
which would leave her no time for anythingelse, but she didn't very often choose. If Miss Ophelia,
detect her.
Topsy was soon a noted' character in the supervision, was so sanguine as to suppose that
establishment. Her talent for every species of Topsy had at last fallen into her*
drollery, grimace, and
way, could do
mimicry, dancing, without overlooking, and so
go off anil busy herself
tumbling,climbing, singing, whistling, imitating about somethingelse,Topsy would hold a
every sound that hit her fancy, seemed inexhaustible.
perfect carnival of confusion, for some one or two
In her play-hours, she invariably had hours. Instead of making the bed, she would
every child in the establishment at her heels,
open-mouthed with admiration and wonder," butting her woolly head among the pillows, not excepting Miss Eva, who appeared to be would sometimes be grotesquely "
ited with
fascinated by her wild diablerie, as a dove is feathers stickingout in various directions ; she
sometimes charmed by a glittering serpent. Miss would climb the posts, and hang head downward
Ophelia was uneasy that Eva should fancyTopsy's from the tops; flourishthe sheets and spreadsall
society much, and imploredSt. Clare to forbid
over the apartment;
it"
up
in Miss
Ophelia's night-clothes, and enact various scenio
"
Poh ! let the child alone,"said St. Clare.
"
Topsy will do her good."
" But so depraved a child, are you not afraid
she will teach her some mischief!"
" She can't teach her mischief; she might
teach it to some children,but evil rollsoff Eva's
mind like dew off a cabbage-leaf, not a drop
on with her rehearsals before the glass in great
"
Don't be too sure,"said Miss Ophelia. " I style, Opheliahaving, with carelessness
know I 'd never let a child of mine playwith most unheard of in her,left the key for once in
her drawer.
rTw
"
Well, your children need n't," said St. "
Clare, Topsy !" she would s^y, when at the end of'
what does make
"
but mine
may ; if Eva could have been spoiled, all patience,
act so?"
you
it would have been done "
years ago."
Dunno, I Missis," spects
cause I 's so
Topsy was at first despised by wicked !"
the upper servants. They soon found reason to
"
I don't know I shall do with
anythingwhat
altertheir opinion. It was very
soon discovered you, Topsy."
that whoever cast an indignity Topsywas sure "Law, Missis, you must whip me; my old
to meet with some inconvenient accident shortlyMissis allcrswhippedme. I an^tused to.workin'
unless I getswhipped."
after ;
a pair of ear-rings or some cherished
trinketwould be "
missing, or an articleof Why, Topsy, I don't want to whip you.
dress would bo suddenlyfound utterly ruined,or You can do well,if you 've a mind to what is
,
the person would stumble accidentally into a pail the reason you won't?"
of hot water,or a libation of dirtyslop would "
unaccountably
Laws, Missis,I 's used to whippin'; i spects
delug)them from above when in full it's good for me."
and on all these occasions, when Miss galadress;" Ophelia tried the recipe, investigation was made, there was nobody found
made a terriblecommotion, s Teaming,
to stand sponsor for the indignityṪopsy was groaning and imploring,though half an hour
cited,and had up before all the domestic judicatories,
afterwards,when roosted on some projection of
time and again ; but alwayssustained her the balcony, and surrounded by a flock of admiring
examinations with most edifyinginnocence and young uns," she would express the utmost
"
gravity of appearance. Nobody in the world contempt of the whole
ever doubted who did the things; but not a scrap "Law, Miss Feelywhip! kill a
of any direct evidence could be found to establish skeeter,her whippins! Oughtersee how old
the suppositions, and Miss Opheliawas too just MrtB'r made the flesh fly; old Mas'r know'd
to feel at liberty to proceedto any lengths without
how !"
it.
Topsy alwaysmade greatcapital of her own
The mischiefs done ware always so nicelysins and enormities, evidentlyconsidering theoi
pened)
their mistress,
could not lay spread smoother, adjustpillows
after three or four days of careful and patient
amuse herself with pullingoff the pillow-cases,
performanceswith that," singing and whistling,
and makinggrimaces at herself in the lookingglass;
in short, as Miss Opheliaphrasedit,
"
raisingCain" generally.
On one occasion,Miss Ophelia found Topsy
with her very best scarlet India Canton crape
shawl wound round her head for a turban,going
somethingpeculiarly distinguishing.
Topsy invariably

everybodyis.
I
Miss
96 UNCLE TOM'S CABIN OR,
to some
"
Law, you niggers," she would say
in spiteof every
effort to the and St. want to come up here again."
premises goodness "
- of her auditors, '"does you know you 's all sinners
wicked pleasure in these mistakes,calling Tops?
? Well, you is White to him whenever he had a mind to amuse himself
folks is sinners Miss too," Feely says
so ; but I and getting her to repeat the offending passages
spectsniggers is the biggestones ; but Lor ! ye in spiteof Miss Ophelia's remonstrances.
an't any on
ye up to me. I 's so awful wicked
"
How do think I can do
there can't nobodydo nothin' with me. I used
you
the child,if you will go
on
anythingwith
so, Augustine?"she
to keep old Missis a swarin' at me half de time. would say.
I spects I 's the wickedest critter in the world ;" ."Well,it is too bad, won't again; but I
and Topsy would cut a summerset, and come up do like to hear the drull little imagestumble over
brisk and shining on to a higherperch,and evidentlythose
bigwords !"
plume herself on the distinction.
"
But confirm her in the wrong way."
you
"But I 's boun' to go to "
heaven,for all that, What 's the
though," she said,one day,afteran expose of this another to her."
odds? One word is good
kind.
"
You wanted me to her and
bring up right;
"
Why, how 's that,Tops'?"said her master, you ought to remember she is a reasonable creature,
who had been listening, quiteamused.
and be careful of your influence over her."
0, dismal ! I Topsyherself
" Miss Why, 's boun' Feely to go, any way ; so
"
so ought;
they '11 have me thar. Laws ! Miss Feely's so
says, ' I 's so wicked !' "
curous theywon't none of 'em know how to wait In very much this way Topsy'strainingproceeded,
on her."
for a year or two, Ophelia worry
Miss Opheliabusied herself very earnestly ingherself, from day to day,with her,as a kind
Sundays,teachingTopsy the catechism. Topsy of chronic plaguețo whose
had an uncommon verbal became,
memory, and committed in time,as accustomed as
with a fluency that greatlyencouragedher instructress.
persons sometimes do
to the neuralgia sick head-ache.
St. Clare took the same kind of amusement in
"
What good do you expect it is goingto do the child that a man might in the tricksof a parrot
her?" said St. Clare.
or a pointer.Topsy, whenever her sina
"
Why, it alwayshas done children good. brought her into disgrace in other
It 's what children always have to learn, quarters,
you always took refuge behind his chair ; and St.
know," said Miss Ophelia.
Clare,in one
way or other,would make peace
"
Understand it or not," said St. Clare.
for her. From him she got many a straypicayune,
"
0, children never understand it at the time ; which she out laid nuts in and candies,and
but. after they are grown up, it '11come to them." distributed, with careless generosity, to all the
"'
Mine has n't come to me yet,"said St Clare, children in the family; for Topsy,to do her justice,
prettythoroughly,when
only
is fairlyintroduced
"
though I '11bear testimonythat you put it into
was good-naturedand liberal,and
me I was a boy." spitefulin seit-defence. She
"
Ah, you were always good at learning, into our
co7ys de ballet, and will figure, Augustine. I used to have greathopes of you," to time,in her turn, with other performers.
said Miss Ophelia.
"
haven't Well, you now?" St. said Clare.
were
you
when
"
I wish were as good as
you were a you
boy,Augustine."
CHAPTER XXL
"So do I, that's a fact,cousin,"said St.
Clare. "Well, go
ahead and catechize Topsy;
may be you rllmake out somethingyet."
Our readers may not be unwillingto glanca
Topsy,who had stood like a black statue during
back, for a brief interval,at Uncle Tom's cabin,
this discussion,with hands decentlyfolded, on the Kentuckyfarm,and see what has been
now, at a signalfrom Miss Ophelia,went on : transpiring among those whom he had left behind.
" Our first parents,beingleft to the freedom
of their own will,fell from the state wherein It was late in the summer afternoon,and the
they were created."
doors and windows of the largeparlorall stood
Topsy'seyes twinkled,and she looked inquiringly.
open, to invite any straybreeze țhat might feel
in a good humor, to enter. Mr. Shelbysat in a
"
What is it,Topsy?" said Miss Ophelia. largehall opening into the room, and running
"
Please,Missis,was dat ar state Kintuck ?" throughthe whole length of the house,to a balcony
"
What state,Topsy?"
on either end. Leisurelytippedback in one
"Dat state dey fell out of. I used to hear chair,with his heels in another, he was enjoying
Mas'r tellhow we came down from Kintuck." his after-dinner cigar. Mrs. Shelbysat in the
St. Clare laughed.
door,busy about some fine sewing; she seemed
"
You '11 have to give her a meaning, or she '11 like one who had something on her mind, which
make one," said he. "There seems to be a she was seeking an opportunity to introduce.
theoryof emigrationsuggested "Do you know," she said,"that Chloe has
"
0 !
Augustine,
be still,"said Miss Ophelia; had a letter from Tom ? ' '
"
how can I do anything, if you will be laughing?"
" Ah! has she ? Tom's got some friend there,
it seems. How is the old boy ?"
"
He been boughtby a
"
Well, I won't disturb the exercisesagain, on
has fine
my honor ;" and St. Clare took his paper into should think,"said Mrs.
very
Shelby,"
family,I
"is kindly
the parlor, and sat down, tillTopsy had finished treated,and has not much to do."
her recitations. They Avere all very well,only
"
Ah ! well,1 'm glad of glad," said
that now and then she would oddlytransposeMr. Shelby,heartily. " Tom,
very
I suppose, will
some importantwords, and persistin the mistake, get reconciled to a Southern residence "
; hardly

and
" all
"
a
"
an
"
poetry
I
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY.
97
' On the contrary, he "
inquires very anxiously, I willtake music-scholars ; could getenough,
said Mrs. Shelby, " when the money
for his redemption
I know, and earn the money myself."
is to be raised."
"You wouldn't degradeyourself that way,
"I'm sure I don't know," said Mr. Shelby. Emily'? I never could consent to it."
';
Once get business runningwrong,
there does
"
Degrade! would it degrademe as much as
seem to be no end to it. It 's like jumping from to break
my faith with the helpless No, indeed
one bog to another, all through a swamp ; borrow !"
of one to pay another, and then borrow of another
"
Well, you are always heroic and transcendental,"
to pay one, these confounded notes
said Mr. Shelby^ "but I think you had
falling due before a man has time to smoke a better think before you undertake such a piece of
cigar and turn dunning letters and Quixotism."
round,"
dunning messages, scamper
and hurryscurry."
appearance of Aunt Chloe,at the end of thp
Here the conversation was interrupted by the
"
It does seem to me, my dear,that somethingveranda.
might be done to straighten Suppose
please, Missis,"said she.
"
If you
we sell off all the horses,and sell one of your
"
Well,Chloe,what is itV said her mistress,
farms,and pay up square!"
rising, going to the end of the balcony.
"0, ridiculous,Emily! You are the finest
"
If Missis would come and look at dis yer* lot
woman m Kentucky; but still you
haven't sense o' poetry."
to know that you don't understand business ; Chloe had a particular fancy for callingpoultry
women ever do, and never can."
poetry, application of language in which
"
But, at least,"said Mrs. Shelby, " could not she alwayspersisted, notwithstanding frequent
you give me some little insight into yours ; a list corrections and advisings from the young members
of all your debts,at least,and of all that is owed of the family.
to you, and let me try and see ifI can't helpyou "La sakes!" she would say, "I can't see;
to economize?"
one jisgood as turry,
good, any
"0, bother! don't plagueme, Emily!" I how;" and so poetryChloe continued to call it.
can't tell exactly. I know* somewhere about Mrs. Shelby smiled as she saw a prostratelot
what tilings are likely to be ; but there 's no of chickens and ducks, over which Chloe stood,
trimming and squaring my affairs, as Chloe trims with a
very grave face of consideration.
crust off her pies. You don't know anything "I'm a thinkin' whether Missis would be a
about business,I tellyou."
havin' a chicken pie o' dese yer."
And Mr. Shelby, knowingany other way of Really, Aunt Chloe, I don't much care "
;
"
enforcing his ideas, raised his voice, mode serve them
any way you like."
of -arguing very convenient and convincing, when Chloe stood handling
;
a gentleman is discussing of business it was quite evident that the chickens were not
with his wife.
what she was thinking of. At last,with the
Mrs. Shelby ceased talking, with somethingof short laughwith which her tribe ofte^ introduce
a sigh. The fact was, that thoughher husband a doubtful proposal, she said,
had stated she was a woman, she had a clear,energetic,
"Laws me, Missis! what should Mas'r and
practical mind, and a force of character Missis be a troublin'theirselves'bout dc money,
evew
way superior to that of her husband ; so and not a usiir what 'srightin der hands?" and
that t would not have been so
very absurd a supposition,
Chloe laughedagain.
to have allowed her
"
capableof managing,
I don't understand you, Chloe,"said Mrsas
Mr. Shelbysupposed. Her heart was Shelby,nothingdoubting, from her knowledge of
set on performing promiseto Tom and Aunt Chloe's manner, that she had heard every word
Chloe,and she sighed as discouragements thickened
of the conversation that had passedbetween her
around her.
and her husband.
Don't think contrive
"
Why, laws me, Missis !" said Chloe,laughing
"
you
we might in some way
to raise that money ? Poor Aunt Chloe ! again, " other folks hires out der niggers and
her heart is so set on it!"
makes money on 'em ! Don't keep siciia tribe
"
I 'in sorry, if it is. I think I was premature eatin''em out of house and home."
in promising Ị 'in not sure, now, but it 's the "Well, Chloe, who do you propose
that we
best way to tellChloe, and let her make up her should hire out?"
mind to it. Tom '11have another wife, in a "
year Laws !- I an't a proposin' ; onlySam
or two ; and she had better take up with somebody
he said der was one of dese yer perfeclioners, dey
else."
calls 'em, in Louisvilleșaid he wanted a good
"
Mr. Shelby, I have taughtmy peoplethat hand at cake and pastry; and said he 'd give four
their marriages are as sacred as ours. I never dollars a- week to one, he did."
could think of givingChloe such advice."
"Well, Chloe?"
"It's a pity,wife,that you have burdened "Well, laws,I 's a thmkin,Missis,it's time
them with a morality above their condition and Sally was put along to be doin' something Ṣally
prospects. I alwaysthought so."
's been under my care, now, dis some time,and
"It's only the morality of the Bible,Mr. she does most as well as me, considerin' ; and if
Shelby."
Missis would only let me go, I would help fetch
"Well, well,Emily, I don't pretend to interfere
up de money.
I an't afraid to put my cake,nippies
with your religious notions ; onlytheyseem nother,'longside no perfectioners.
"Oitremely peoplein that condition."
" Confectioner's,Chloe."
"They are, indeed,"said Mrs. Shelby, "and
odds ; words
" Law sakes,Missis ! 'tan't no
that is why, from my soul, I hate the whole is so curis,can't'never get 'em right !"
thing. I tell "
you, my dear,I cannot absolve myself
But, Chloe,do you want to leave
from the promisesI make to these helpless
getthe other
children'?"
your
them over abstractedly
"
Laws, Missis ! de boys is bigenouglto d\

" it
it's
Thoughpartedfrom
'
98 UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR,
day'sworks,deydoes well enough; and Sally, ye won't have many more suppers wid yer poo*
she 'II-take de she 's such baby," a peartyoung old aunty."
un, she won't take'nolookin'arter."
"
Louisville is a good way off."
"Law sakes ! who's afeard? "
down
CHAPTER XXII.
river șomer near ray old man, perhaps?" said
'
"THE
Chloe,speaking the last in the tone of GRASS WITnERETH THE ILOWER FADETF
a question,
and lookingat Mrs. Life
Shelby.
passes,
with us all,a day at a time ; so it
"
No, Chloe ; it 's many a hundred miles off," passed with our friend Tom, till two years were
Slid Mrs. Shelby.
gone. all Lis soul held dear
.
Chloe 's countenance fell.
and though often yearningfor what laybeyond
"
Never mind ; your going there shall bring still was he never positively and consciously miserable
you nearer, Chloe. Yes, you may go ; and your
; for,so well is the harp of human feeling
"wages shall every cent of them be laid aside for strung, that nothing but a crash that breaks every
vour husband's stringcan redemption."
whollymar its harmony ; and, on looking
As when a bright sunbeam turns a dark cloud back to seasons which iri review appear to us
to silver, so Chloe's dark face brightened immediately,
as those of deprivation and trial, we can remember
reallyshone.
that each hour, as it glided, broughtitsdiversions
"Laws! if Missis isn't too good! I was and alleviations, so that,thoughnut happywholly,
thinkingof dat ar very thing; cause I should n't we were not, either,wholly miserable.
need no clothes, nor shoes,nor I could Tom read, in his nothin'," onlyliterary cabinet,of one
save every cent. How "
many weeks is der in a
who had learned in whatsoever state ho was,
year, Missis?"
therewith to be content." It seemed to him good
"
Fifty-two,"said Mrs. and
Shelby.
reasonable doctrine,and accorded well with
"
Laws ! now, dere is ? and four dollars for the settled and thoughtfulhabit which he had
each on 'em. Why, how much 'd dat ar be?" acquiredfrom the readingof that same book.
"
Two hundred and eightdollars,"said Mrs. His letter homeward, as we related in the last
Shelby.
chapter, was in due time answered by Master
"
Why-e !'" said Chloe,with an accent of surprise
George, in a good,round, school-boyhand,that
and delight ; " and how longwould it take Tom said might be read " most acrost the room."
me to work it out, Missis?"
It contained various refreshing items of home
l*
Some four or live years, Chloe ; but,then, intelligence, with which our reader is fullyacquainted
you needn't do it "
all, I shall add something to
: stated how Aunt Chloe had been hired
it."
out to a confectionerin Louisville, where her skill
" I wouldn't hear to Missis' givin'lessons nor in the pastry line was gaining wonderful sums of
"
nothin. Mas'r 's quite right in dat ar ; money,
all of which, Tom was informed,was to be
'twould n't do, no
ways. I hope none our family
laid up to go to make up the sum of his redemption
ever be brought to dat ar, while I 's got money ; Mose and Pete were thriving, and
hands."
the baby was trotting all about the house,under
"
Don't fear,Chloe ; I '11take care of the honor the care of Sally and the familygenerally.
of the family,"said Mrs. Shelby,smiling. " But Tom's cabin was shut up fur the present; but
when do you expect to go?"
Georgeexpatiated brilliantly on ornaments and
"
Well,I want spectin'nothin' ; onlySam, he 's additions to be made to it when Turn came back.
a gwine to de riverwith some colts,and he said The rest of this letter gave a listof George's
I could go 'longwith him ; so I jesput my things school studies,each one headed by a flourishing
together Ịf Missis was willin', I 'd go with Sam capital ; and also told the names of four new colts
to-morrow morning, if Missis would write my
that appeared on the premises since Tom left ; and
pass, and write me a commendation."
stated,in the same connection țhat father and
"
Well, Chloe,I '11attend to it,if Mr. Shelbymother were well. The styleof the letter was
has no objectionsỊ must speakto him." decidedly concise and terse ; but Tom thought i*
Mrs. Sheloy went up stairs,and Aunt Chloe, the most wonderful specimen of composition that
delighted, went out to her cabin,to make her had appearedin modern times. .lie was never
preparation.
tired of lookingat it,and even held a council with
"Law sakes,Mas'r George!ye didn't know Eva on the expediency of getting it framed, to
I 's a gwine to Louisvilleto-morrow !" she said to hang up in his room. Nothing but the difficulty
George,as, entering her cabin, he found her busy of arranging it so that both sides of the page
in sortingover her baby'sclothes. " I thought would show at once stood in the way of this undertaking.
I 'djislook over sis'sthings, and get 'em straightened
up.
But I 'ingwine,Mas'r George," gwine The friendship between Tom and Eva had grown
to have four dollarsa week ; and Missis is gwine with the child'sgrowth. It would be hard to say
to lay it all up, to buy back my old man agin !" what placeshe held in the soft,impressible heart
"Whew!" said George,"here's a stroke of of her faithfulattendant. He loved her as some
business țo be sure ! How are you going ?" thing frailand earthly, yet almost worshipped her
"
To-morrow,wid Sam. And now, Mas'r George, as somethingheavenly and divine. He gazed on
i knows you '11jissit down and write to my
old her as the Italian sailor gazes
on his image of ths
man, and tellhim all about won't it," ye
?" child with a mixture of reverence and
Jesus,"
"
To be sure,"said George; " Uncle Tom '11be tenderness;and to humor her graceful fancies,and*
rightglad to hear from us. I '11 go rightin the meet those thousand simplewants which invest
house,for paper and ink ; and then, you know, childhood like a many-colored rainbow, was Tom's
Aunt Chloe, I can tell about the new colts and chief delightỊn the market, at morning,his
all."
eyes we're alwayson the flower-stallsfor rare
"
Sartin,sartin,Mas'r George; you go 'long, bouquets for her,and the choicestpeach or orange
and I '11 get ye up a bit o' chicken,or some sich ; was slipped into his pocke to giveto ht=rwhen he

they
there?"
" when
"
came oack ; and the sightthat pleased him most
was her sunny
head looking out the gate for his
distant approach, and her childish question,
"
Well,Uncle Tom, what have you got for me today
? ' '
Nor was Eva less zealous in kind offices, in
return. Though a child, she was a beautiful
reader ;
"
a fine musical ear, a quickpoeticfancy,
and an instinctive sympathy with what is grand
and noble,made her such a reader of the Bible as
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 99
Tom had never before heard. At first, she read to
please her humble friend " Where do
; but soon her own earnest
you suppose
new Jerusalem is,
nature threw out its tendrils, and wound Uncle Tom'!" said Eva.
"
itself around the majesticbook,and Eva loved it,
0, up in the clouds,Miss Eva."
because it woke in her strangeyearnings, and
"
Then I think I see it,"said Eva. " Look in
strong, dim emotions, those clouds!
such as impassioned, imaginative
look like "
greatgates of
children love to feel.
pearl;'and you
can see beyond them "
far,far
The parts that off" it 's
pleasedher most were the Revelations
allgold. Tom, singabout ' spirits
"
and the Prophecies, partswhose dim
and wondrous imagery, and fervent language, impressed
Tom sung the words of a well-known Methodist
her the more, that she questioned vainlyhymn,
"
I see a band of spiritsbright,
of their meaning;" and she and her simple
friend țhe old child and the young one, felt just
"
alike about it. All that theyknew was, that they
spoke of a glory to be revealed, a wondrous
somethingyet to come, wherein their soul rejoiced,
yet knew not why ; and thoughit be not so
eternal past,
"
in the physical, yet in moral science that which
cannot be understood is not alwaysprofitless. For
the soul awakes,a trembling stranger, between two
dim eternities, the the eternal future.
those
The light shines only on a small space
around her ; thereforeșhe needs must yearn
towards the unknown ; and the voices and shadowy
movings which come to her from out the cloudy
pillar of inspiration
in her own expecting
have each one echoes and answers
Its mystic
nature.
imagery are so many talismans and gems
inscribed
with unknown hieroglyphics ; she folds them in
her bosom, and expects to read them when she
passes beyondthe veil.
țhe whole St. Clare
At this time in our story
establishment is,for the time being,removed to
their villa on Lake Pontchartrain. The heats of
summer had driven all,who were able to leave the
sultry and unhealthycity țo seek the shores of
the lake,and itscool sea-breezes.
and Tom thought how often he ' had noticed,
St. Clare's villawas an East Indian cottage, within six months, that Eva's little hands had
surrounded by light verandas of bamboo-work, grown thinner, and her skin more transparent, and
and opening on all sides into gardens and pleasure-grounds.
her breath shorter ; and how, when she ran or
The common sitting-room opened played in the garden, as she once could for hours,
on to a largegarden,fragrant with every picturesque
she became soon so tired and languid. He had
plantand flower of the tropics, where winding
heard Miss Opheliaspeakoften of ..i cough,that
pathsran down to the very shores of the lake, all her medicaments could not cure ; and even
whose silvery sheet of water lav there,risingand now that fervent cheek and littlehandwere burning
falling
the a sunbeams," picture never for an with hectic fever ; and yet the thoughtthat
hour the same,- yetevery hour more beautiful. Eva's words suggested had never come to him till
It is now one of those intensely golden sunsets
now.
which kindle the whole horizon into one Has there ever been a child like Eva? Yes,
blaze of glory, and make the water another sky. there have been ; but their names are always on
The lake layin rosy
or goldenstreaksșave where grave-stones, and their sweet smiles,their heavenly
white-winged vessels glided hither and thither,
"
What, Miss Eva-?"
"Don't you see,
"
said the child,
pointing to the it
glassywater,which,as rose
and fell,reflected the goldenglow of the sky.
"
There 's a
' sea of glass,mingledwith fire.""
"
True enough,Miss Eva,"said Tom ;
bright.'
"
"
0, had I the wings of the morning,
I 'J flyaway to Canaan's shore ;
Brightangelsshould convey
uie home,
To the new Jerusalem."
That taste the gloriesthere :
They all are robed in spotlesswhite,
And conqueringpalms they bear."
"
Uncle Tom, I 've seen them,'''' said Eva.
and Tom
Tom had no doubt of it at all ; it did not surprise
him in the least. If Eva had told him she
had been to heaven, he would have thought it
entirely probable.
"
They come to me sometimes in my sleep,
spirits ;" and Eva'" eyes grew dreamy,and
she hummed, in a low voice,
"
They all are robed in spotlesswhite,
And conqueringpalms they bear."
"
Uncle Tom," said Eva, " I 'm going there."
"Where, Miss Eva?"
The child rose, and pointedher littlehand 'to
the sky ; the glow of eveninglit her goldun hair
and flushed cheek with a kind of unearthly
radiance, and her eyes were bent eamcstlv on the
skies.
"
I'm going'there,'''' she said, " to the spirits
bright, ; I 'in goingbefore long."
The faithful old heart felt a sudden thrust ;
eyes, their singular words andways, aro
like so "many spirits, and little golden stars among the buried treasures of yearning hearts
twinkled throughthe glow,and looked down at In how many familiesdo you hear the legend that
themselves as theytfcembled in the water.
all the goodness and graces of the living aro
Tom and Eva were seated on a little mossy seat, nothin"- to the peculiar charms of one who is ? at f
in an arbor,at the foot of the garden. It .was It is as if heaven had an especial band of angels,
Sundayevening, and Eva's Bible lay open
on her whose officeit was to sojournfor a season here,
knee. She " And I read," saw a sea of glass,
and endear to them the wayward human heart,
mingledwith fire."
that they might bear it upward with them in
"
Tom," said Eva, suddenlystopping, and their homeward flight Ẉhen you see that deep,
pointing to the lake, " there 'tis."
spiritual lightin the eye,
the little soul
reveals itselfin words sweeter and wiser than

Eva
why,.child
it
ABIN
100 UNCLE TOM b
.
.
OR,
the ordinary words of children," hope not to
retain that child ; for the seal of heaven is.on
and the light of immortalitylooks out from its
eyes.
Even so, heloved Eva ! fair star of thy dwelling
! Thou art passingaway ; but theythat love
thee dearest know it not.
between Tom and Eva was interrupted
read ? "
it
" "
her thoughts were afar.
"
Mamma," she said,suddenly, mother,
one day, " why don't we teach our servants to
The colloquy
by a hasty call from Miss "
Ophelia.
What a question, Peoplenever do."
"Eva țhe
"
dew is falling
Why don't they?" said Eva.
; you must n't be out there !"
"
Because it is no use for them to read. It
Eva and Tom hastened in.
don't help them to work any better,and
Miss Opheliawas old and skilled in the tactics
not made for anythingelse."
they are
of nursing. She was from New England, and "But theyought to read the Bible,mamma,
well the firstguileful footsteps of that soft, to learn God's will."
knew
"
insidious disease,which
sweeps away so
many 0 ! they can get that read to them all they
of the fairest and loveliest, and, before one fibre need."
of life seems
"
broken,seals them irrevocably for It seems to me, mamma, the Bible is foi
death.
every one to read themselves. Theyneed it a
She had noted the slight, dry cough,the dailygreatmany times when there is nobodyto road
brightening cheek ; nor could the lustre of the it,"
eye, and the airybuoyancy, born of "
fever,deceive Eva, you
are an odd child,"said her mother.
her.
"Miss Opheliahas taught Topsy to read,"
She tried to communicate her fears to St. Clare ; continued Eva.
but
"
he threw back her suggestionswith a restless
Yes,and
petulance, unlike his usual you see how much good it does.
careless good-Topsy is the worst creature I ever saw !"
humor.
"Don't
be croaking,
I hate it!" he
cousin,"
would say ; " don't you
see that the child is only
growing? Children
theygrow fast."
"
But she has that cough !"
alwayslose strengthwhen
"
0 ! nonsense of that cough ! "
She has taken a littlecold,perhaps."
"
Well, that was justthe way Eliza Jane was
taken,and Ellen and Maria Sanders."
"
0 ! stop these hobgoblin nurse legendsỴou
old hands get so wise, that a child cannot cough,
or sneeze, but you
see desperation and ruin at
hand. Only take care of the child,keepher from
the nightair,and don't let her play too hard,and
she '11do well enough."
So St. Clare said ; but he grew nervous and
restless. He watched Eva feverishly dayby day,
as might he told by the frequency with which he
repeated over that " the child was
"
quitewell,
that there wasn't anything in that it
cough,"
drawer,as she answered,
"
's not anything.
Well,of coiu-se, by and by,Eva, you will
was only some little stomach affection, such as
children often had. But he keptby her more
than before,took her oftener to ride with him,
brought home every few days some receipt or
"
mixture,"
strengthening
not," he said, " that
the child needed it, but then it would not do her
any harm."
If it must be toldțhe thing that struck a deeper
states, -and take all our peoplethere,and hire
pang to his heart than anythingelse was the teachers, to teach them to read and write."
dailyincreasing maturityof the child's mind and Eva was cub short by her mother's laughing.
feelings Ẉhile still retaining all a child'sfanciful
"Set
graces, yet she often up a boarding-school! Wouldn't you
dropped,unconsciously, teach them to play on the piano, and paint on
words of such a reach of thought, and strangevelvet?"
unworldlywisdom, that theyseemed to be an inspiration.
"
I 'd teach them to read their own Bible,and
At such times Șt. Clare would feel a write their own letters, and read letters that -are
sudden thrill, and clasp her in his arms, as if written to them," said Eva,steadily. " I know,
that fond claspcould save her ; and his heart mamma, it does come very hard on them, that
rose up with wild determination to keep her, they can't do these things. Tom fe-ds it,"
to let her go.
The child's whole heart and soul seemed absorbed
think it 's wrong."
in works of love and kindness. Impulsively
"
Oome, come, Eva; you
are only a child!
but there
never
than an actor of their plays, and she would sit
for half an hour at.a time,laughingat the odd
tricks of Topsy," and then a shadow \\ ould seem
to pass across her face,her eyes grew misty, and
"Here's poor Mammy!" said Eva. "She
does love the Bible so much, and wishes so she
could read ! And what will she do when I can't
read to her?"
Marie was busy,turning over the contents of a
have other things to think of,besides reading the
Bible round to servants. Not but that is very
proper ; I 've done it myself,when I had health.
But when you come to be dressing and goinginto
company, you won't have time. See here !" she
added, " these jewels I "m going to give you whea
you come out. I wore them to my firstball. I
can tell you, Eva, I made a sensation."
Eva took the jewel-case, and lifted from it o
diamond necklace, Her large,thoughtfuleyes
rested on them, but it was plain her thoughts
were
elsewhere.
"
How sober you look,child !"" said Marie.
"Are these worth a great deal of money,,
mamma?"
" To be sure, theyare. Father sent to France
for them. They are worth a small fortune."
"
I wish I had them," said Eva, " to do what
I pleased with !"
"
What would you
do with them?"
"I'd sell them, and buy a place in the free
Mammy does," a great many of them do. I
generous she had always been ; You don't know anything about these things,"
was a touching and womanly thoughtfulness said Marie; "besides,your talking makes my
about her now, that every one noticed. She still head ache "
loved to play with Topsy,and the various colored Marie always had a head-ache on hand for any
children ; but she now soemad rather a spectatorconversation that did not exactlysuit her.

not
thank
he's
a
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 101
Eva stole away ; but afterthat șhe assiduously walkingup the stepsto speak10 Eva,who stood
Save Mammy reading lessons
in her riding-dress.
"
Dear cousin,I 'm sorry this stupidfellow has
keptyou waiting," he said. "Let's sit down
here, on this seat, till theycome. What's the
CHAPTER
HENRIQUE.
XXIII.
" About this time,St. Clare's brother Alfred,
wicked ! " said the "Cruel," boy,with unaffected
with his eldest son, a boy of twelve,spent a day surprise."What do you mean, dear Eva?"
"
or two with the familyat the lake.
I don't want you to call me dear Eva, when
No sight could be more singular and beautiful you do so,''said Eva.
than that of these twin brothers. Nature,instead "Dear cousin, you don't know Dodo ; it 's the
of instituting resemblances between them, had onlyway to manage him, he 's so fullof liesand
made them opposites on every point; yet a excuses. The only way is to put him down at
"
mysterious tie seemed to unite them in a closer once, let him open his mouth ; thaf's the
friendship than ordinary.
way papa manages."
They used to "
saunter,arm in arm, up
and down But Uncle Tom said it was an accident and
the alleysand walks of the garden. Augustine, he never tells what isn't true."
with his blue eyes and goldenhair,his ethereally "He's an uncommon old niggerțhen, said
flexibleform and vivacious features ; and Alfred, Henrique. "Dodo will lie as fast a3 he can
dark-eyed, with haughty "Roman profile, firmly-speak.knit
limbs,and decided bearing. They were always
You frighten him into deceiving, if you treat
"
abusing each other's opinions and practices, him so."
"
and yet never a whit the less absorbed in each Why, Eva, you 've reallytaken such a fancy
other's society; in fact,the very contrariety to Dodo, that I shall be jealous."
"
seemed to unite them,like the attraction between But
you beat and ho didn't deserve
him,"
opposite poles of the magnet.
it."
Henrique,the eldest son of Alfred,was a noble,
"0, well,it may go for some time when he
dark-eyed,princely boy, full of vivacity and does,and don't get it. A few cuts never come
spirit ; and, from the first moment of introduction,
amiss with "
Dodo, a regularspirit, I can
seemed to be perfectlyfascinated by the tell you ; but I won't beat him againbefore you,
spirituelle graces of Ins cousin Evangeline. if it troubles you."
Eva had a little pet pony, of a snowy whiteness.
Eva was not satisfied, but found n in vain to
It was easy
as a cradle, and as gentleas tryto make her handsome cousin understand her
its littlemistress ; and this pony was now broughtfeelings.
up to the back veranda by Tom, while a little Dodo soon appeared, with the hotwes.
mulatto boy of about thirteen led along a small "Well, Dodo, you've done prettywell,thia
black Arabian, which had justbeen imported, at time,"said his young master, with a more
gracious
a greatexpense, for "
Henrique.
air. Come, now, and hold Miss Eva's
"
"That's
Henrique had a boy'spridein his new
possession
horse,while I put her on to the saddle."
; and, as he advanced and took the reins Dodo came and stood byEva's pony. His face
out of the hands of his little groom, he looked was troubled ; his eyes
looked as if he had been
carefully over him, and his brow darkened. crying.
"
What 'e this,Dodo, you littlelazydog ! you Henrique,who valued himself on his gentlemanly
haven't rubbed my
horse down, this morning."
adroitness in all matters of gallantry, soon
"Yes, Mas'r," said D )do,submissively; "he had his fair cousin in the saddle,and,gathering
got that dust on his own self."
the reins,placedthem in her hands.
"
You rascalșhut your mouth.! " said Henrique, But Eva bent to the other side of the horse,
violently raising his riding-whip. " How dare
you speak?"
the reins,
The boy was a handsome, bright-eyed mulatto,
of juatHenrique's size,and his curlinghair hung
round a high, bold forehead. He had white blood
in his veins,as could be seen by the quickflush
in his cheek,and the sparkleof his eye,
as he
eagerlytried to speak.
I '11teach you your place!"
"
Young Mas'r," said Tom, " I specs what he
was gwine to say was, that the horse would roll
when he was bringing him up from the stable ;
" he's so full of spirits, that's
the way he got
that dirt on him.;I looked to lirecleaning."
''
You hold your tongue till you 're asked to
%$"eak
'" said Henrique,turning on his heel,and
cousin'?"
matter, you look sober."
"How could you be so cruel and wicked to
poor Dodo?" said Eva.
where Dodo was standing,
said,as he relinquished
a good boy,
Dodo ;
"
you ! ' '
Dodo looked up in amazement into the- sweet
young face ; the blood rushed to his cheeks,and
the tears to his eyes.
"Here, Dodo," said his master, imperiously.
Dodo
sprang and held the horse,while his
"" "
Mas'r "
Henrique! he began. master mounted.
,
Henriquestruck him across the face with his "There's a picayune for you to buy jandy
riding-whip, and,seizing one of his arms, forced with,Dodo," said Henrique; "
go get some."
him on to his knees,and beat him tillhe was out And Henriquecantered down the walk after
of breath.
Eva. Dodo stood looking after the two children.
"There, you impudentdog! Now will you
One had given him money ; and one had given
learn not to answer back when I speak to you 1 him what he wanted far more,
"
kind word,
Take the horse back,and clean him properly. kindlyspoken. Dodo had been onlya few months
away from his mother. His master had bought
him at a slave warehouse,for his handsome face,
to be a match to the handsome pony ; and he was
now gettinghis breakingin,at the hands of his
young
master.
The scene of the beatinghad been witnessed
by the two b -othersSt. Clare,from another parot
the sarde*

you'd
his
,
102 UNCLE TOM S CABIN I Oil,
"
"
"
"
"
Augustine's cheek flushed ; but he onlyobserved, Well, I hopeI shall be dead before this millet
with his usual sarcasticcarelessness,
nium of your greasy
masses cornea on."
A.ugustine ! Why did
"
n't you ever take to the That may be," said
etump ) make a famous "
stump orator! "
Well, there 's no use talking, Augustine,
"
Greasyor not greasy,
" 1 suppose that 's what we may call republican
theywill
education,Alfred!"
when their
govern
time comes," said Augustine; " you
anc
"
Henrique is a devil of a fellow,when his theywill be justsuch rulers as
you make them.
blood 's up," said Alfred,carelessly.
The French noblesse chose to have the people
"I suppose you consider this an instructive
'
sans culottes^and they had sans culotte'' governors,
practice said Augustine,dryly.
to their hearts' content. The peopleof
"
I could n't helpit,if I didn't. Henriqueis Hayti" "
a regular little tempest; mother and I have "0, come, Augustine! as if we hadn't had
givenhim up, longago. But,then,that Dodo is enough of that abominable,contemptible Hayti !
a perfectsprite, no amount of whipping can The Haytiens were not Anglo-Saxons; if they
hurt him."
had been, there would have been another storjr.
"
And this by way of teachingHenrique the The Anglo-Saxonis the dominant race of the
firstverse of a republican's catechism, ' All men world,and is to be so."
are born free and equal!' "
"
Well, there is a pretty fair infusion of Anglo-
"
Poh !" said Alfred
"
; one of Tom Jefferson's Saxon blood among our slaves,now," said Augustine.
pieces of French sentiment and humbug. It 's
"
There are them who
perfectly ridiculous to have that goingthe rounds have
plentyamong
of the African onlyenough to givea sort of
among us, to this day."
tropical and fervor to our calculating
"
I think it is,"said St. Clare,significantly. firmness and foresight Ịf ever the San Domingo
"Because," said Alfred, " we can see plainlyhour comes, Anglo-Saxonblood will lead on the
enough that all men are npt born free,nor born day. Sons of white fathers,with all our haughty
equal; they are born anythingelse. For my feelings burningin their veins,will not always
part,I think half this republican talk sheer humbug.
be bought and sold and traded They will rise,
It is the educated, the intelligent, the and raise with them their mother's race."
wealthy țhe refined,who ought to have "
equal Stuff! " -nonsense !"
rights, and not the canaille."
"Well," said Augustine, " there goes an old
"
If you
can keep the canaille of that opinion," saying to this effect,'As it was in the days of
said Augustine. " They took their turn once, in Noah, so shall it be ; theydrank,theyplanted,
France."
they builded,and knew not till the flood came
" Of course, they must be keptdown, consistently,
and took them. ' ' '
steadily, as I should" said Alfred,setting
"
On the whole, I think Augustine, your
his foot hard down, as if he were standing on talents might do for a circuit rider,"said Alfred,
somebody.
laughing. "Never you fear for us; possession
"It makes a terrible slip when theygetup," is our nine points. VFe 've got the power.
This
said Augustine, "in St. Domingo, for instance."
subjectrace," said he, stampingfirmly, " is
down, and shall stay down ! We have energy
" Poh !" said Alfred, " we '11take care of that, enough to
in this manage our own powder."
country. We must set our face "
against Sons trained like your Henriquewill be
your
now ; must not "so cool
all this educating,elevatingtalk,that is gettingrandguardians
about the lower class be educated."
Augustine,
powder-magazines," said
and self-possessed! The
proverbsays, ' They that cannot govern themselves
"
That is pastprayingfor,"said Augustine;
cannot govern others.' "
There is trouble there,"
" educated they will be,and we have only to say
" a said Alfred,
how. Our system is educatingthem in barbarism
thoughtfully ; " there 's no doubt that our system
and brutality Ẉe are breaking all humanizing
is a difficult one to train children under. It gives
ties,and making them brute beasts ; and, too free scope to the passions, altogether, which,
if theyget the upper hand,such we shall find in our climate,are hot enough. I find trouble
them."
with Henrique. The boy is generous and warmhearted,
They never shall get the upper hand !" said
but a perfect fire-cracker when excited.
"
Alfred.
I believe I shall send him North for his education,
"
That
"
's right,"said St. Clare ; put on the where obedience is more fashionable, and
steam, fasten down the escape-valve, and sit on where he will associate more with equals and
it,and see where you '11land."
less with dependents."
"Well," said Alfred,"we ivill see. I'm Since training children is the staple work of
"
not afraid to sit on the escape-valve, as longas the human race," said Augustine, " I should
the boilers are strong, and the machinery works think it somethingof a consideration that our
well "
systemdoes not work well there."
"The nobles in Louis XVI. 's time thought
" It does not for some things," said Alfred ;
just so ; and Austria and Pius IX. think so now "
; for others,again, it does. It makes boysmanly
and, some pleasantmorning,you may all be courageous ; and the very vices of an abject
caught up to meet each other in the air,when the race tend to strengthenin them the opposite hoilersburst."
I think Henrique,now, has a keener sense
" Dies dcclarabiț " said Alfred,laughing. of the beauty of truth,from seeinglyingand
"I tell you," said Augustine, "if there is deception the universal badge of slavery."
anything that is revealed with the strength6f a
subject, certainly
"
A Christian-like view of the
divine law in our .times,it is that the masses
!" said Augustine.
are to rise,and the under class become the upper
"
It 's true,Christian-like or not ; and is about
one."
as Christian-like as most other thingsin the
"
That 's one of your red republicanhumbugs, world," said Alfred.
St. Clare.
in

"
1
but
you
Well,of
nobody
I believe we 've been round and round this old
track five hundred times,more or less. What do
you say to a game of back-gammon?"
The two brothers ran up the veranda steps, and
were soon seated at a light bamboo stand, with
the backgammon-board
were setting their men, Alfred said,
tell you, Augustine, if I thought as
1 should do something."
" I dare say you
"
would, are one of the
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 103
between them. As they
"
Well, I can't helpit,as I know of. I can't
get his mother, and I can't love him myself, nor
you do, anybodyelse,as I know of."
"
Why can't you ?" said Eva.
"Love Dodo ! Why, Eva, you would n't have
"
doing son what!"
me ! I may likehim well enough ; but
"
"Why, elevate your own servants, for a specimen,"
face your servants."
you don't
said Alfred,with a half-scornfulsmile.
"
I do, indeed."
How odd !"
" You might as well set Mount .Etna on them
"
cousin, as theycame on. one was dressed in a
with a cap of the same color.
flat,and tell them to stand up
under it,as tell
everybody
"
Don't the Bible say
we must love
me to elevate my servants under all the superincumbent
?"
mass of society upon them. One
"
man 0, the Bible ! To be sure, it says
a great
can do nothing,agains the whole action of a many such things; but, then, nobody ever
community. Education,to do anything, thinks of doingthem," you know, Eva, nobody
a state education ; or there must be enough does."
agreedin it to make a current."
Eva did not speak; her eyes were fixed and
"
You take the first throw," said Alfred ; and thoughtful, for a few moments.
the brothers were soon lost in the game, and "At any rate," she said,"dear cousin,do
heard no more till the scraping of horses' feet love poor Dodo, and be kind to him, for my
was heard under the veranda.
sake !"
"There come the children," said Augustine,
"
I could love anything, for your sake,dear
rising. " Look here, Alf ! Did you ever see cousin ; for I really think you are the loveliest
anything so beautiful ?" And, in truth,it was a creature that I ever saw !" And Henriquespoke
beautiful sight.Henrique,with his bold brow, with an earnestness that flushed his handsome
and dark,glossycurls,and face. Eva received it with glowingcheek,was
perfectsimplicity,
lauo-hino- sravlv, as he bent towards his fair without even a change of feature ; merelysaying.
"
I 'm glad you feel so, dear Henrique! I hope
blue riding-dress,
Exercise had givena brillianthue to her cheeks,
and heightened the effectof her singularly transparent
skin,and golden hair.
"
Good heavens ! what perfectly dazzling beauty!"
said Alfred. "I tell you, Auguste,won't
"
she make some hearts ache, one of these days?"
" She will,too truly, God knows I 'in afraid
so!" said St. Clare,in a tone of sudden bitterness,
as liehurried down to take her off her horse.
"Eva, darling!yon 're not much tired?" he
said,as he clasped her in his arms.
"How eould you
ride so fast,dear? "
you
know it 's bad for you."
" I felt so well, papa, and liked it so muoh, I
forgot."
St. Clare carried her in his arms into the parlor,
and laid her on the sofa.
"Henrique,you must be careful of Eva," said child's graduallydecaying health and strength,
"
he ; you must n't ride fast with her."
because she was completely absorbed in studying
"I 'iltake her under my care,"said Henrique, out two or three new forms of disease to which
seatinghimself by the sofa,and taking Eva's she believed she herself was a victim. It was the
hand.
firstprinciple of Marie's belief that nobodyever
Eva soon found herself much better. Her father was or could be so a
great sufferer as herself.
and uncle resumed their game, and the children and, therefore șhe always repelledquiteindig
were left together.
nantlyany suggestion any one around hei
" Do you know, Eva, I 'm so sorry papa is only could be sick. She was alwayssure, in such a
going to stay two days here,and then I shan't
see
you again for ever so long! If I stay with
you, I 'd try to be good,and not be cross to Dodo, she had, theywould soon know the difference.
and .so on. I don't mean to treat Dodo ill ; but, Miss Ophelia had several times tried to awakeu
were no* one creature in the worlj near
you to
love you
"
"
I? "
course not."
"
And you have taken Dodo away from all the
friends he ever had, and now he has not a creature
"
to love him; can be good that
way."
you will remember."
The dinner-bell put an end to the interview.
CHAPTER
F^-RESHADOWINGS.
Two days after this, Alfred St. Clare ant?
Augustineparted ; and Eva, who had been stim
ulated,by the society of her young cousin,to
exertions beyond her strength,began to fail rapidly.
"
No, papa," said the child; but her short, St. Clare was at last willingto call in
hard breathing alarmed her father.
medical advice," a thingfrom which he had
XXIV.
always shrunk, because it was the admission of
an unwelcome truth.
But, for a day or two, Eva was so unwell as to
be confined to the house ; and the doctor was
called.
Marie St. Clare had taken no notice of the
case, that it was nothingbut laziness,or want of
energy ; and that, if they had had the suffering
you know, I 've got such a quicktemper. I 'm her maternal fears about Eva ; but to n" avail.
not really bad to him, though. I give him a
picayune, and then ; and you see he dresses
well. I think, on the whole,Dodo 's pretty well
off"
""Would you think you were well off,if there
"
I don't see as anything ails the child," she
would say ; " she runs about,and plays."
"
But she has a cough."
"Cough! you don't need to tell me about a
cough. I've always been subjec to a cough, all
my days. When I was of Eva's age, theythought1
was in a consumptionṆight afternight,Mainmj

"
to
for
I
and
104 UNCLE TOM S CABIN I OR,
used to sit up with me. 0 ! Eva's coughis not
anything."
" But she getsweak, and is short breathed."
fou never could understand me ! "
you
now."
in this alarmingstate,
much for me, with all I was bearingbefore."
don't
case !"
"
It 's true,"said St. Clare, " that Eva is very
that I delicate," always knew ; and that she has
grown so rapidly as to exhaust her strength ; and
that her situationis critical. But justnow she
is onlyprostrated by the heat of the weather,and
by the excitement of her cousin's visit, and the
exertionsshe made. The physician says there is
which they were living had fallen,one by one,
room for hope."
into the depths of her thoughtful, pondering "
Well,of course, if you
can look on the brightShe had vague longings somethingfor them,
side, pray do ;
it 's a
mercy
if people have n't sensitive
bless and save not onlythem, but all in their
i'eelings, in this world. I am sure
"
I wish I condition, longings that contrasted sadly with
did n't feel as I do ; it onlymakes me completely the feeblenessof her littleframe.
"
wretched ! I wish I could be as easy
as the rest Uncle Tom," she said,one day, when she was
of you
! reading "
I friend," can understand why
And the " rest of them" had good reason. to Jesus wanted to die for us."
breathe the same
prayer, for Marie paraded her
Miss Eva?"
"
Why,
new misery as the reason and "
apologyfor all sorts Because I 've felt so, too."
of inflictions on
every one about her. "
"
Every What is it,Miss Eva ? don't understand."
word that was spokenby anybody,everything that
"
I can't tell you ; but,when I saw those poor
was done or was not done everywhere, was onlya creatures on the boat, you know, when you came
new proof that she was surrounded by hardhearted,
up and some had lost their mothers, and
I,"
insensible beings, who were uumindful some their husbands,and some mothers cried for
"
of her peculiar sorrows. Poor Eva heard some of their little chifdren, and when I heard about
"
these speeches; and nearlycried her little eyes out, poor 0, wasn't that dreadful! a
Prue,"
in pity for her mamma, and in sorrow that she great many other times, I 've felt that I would be
should make her so much distress.
gladto die,if my dyingcould stop all this misery.
In a week or two, there was a great_ improvement
I would die for them, Tom, if I could," said the
of one of those deceitfullulls, child,earnestly, layingher littlethin hand on
symptoms,"
by which her inexorable disease so often beguiles his.
the anxious heart,even on the verge of the grave.
Tom looked at the child with awe ; and when
Eva's step was again in the in the balconiesshe,
hearingher father's voice,glidedaway, he
garden,"
; she played and and her
laughedagain,"
father,in a transport, declared that theyshould
speaksin the soul so calmly,
so
clearly,
that
its earthlytime is short1 Is it the secret instinct
of decayingnature, or the soul's impulsivethrcb
"
"
as immortalitydraws,on ] Be it what it may, it
"
Law ! I 've had that, years and years ; it's rested in the heart of Eva, a calm,sweet,prophetic
onlya nervous affection."
certainty that Heaven was near ; calm as the light
"
But she sweats so, nights !"
of sunset,sweet as the bright stillnessof autumn,
"
AVcll,I have, these ten years. Veryoften, there her little heart reposed,only troubled by
nio-ht after night,my clothes will be wringingsorrow for those who loved her so dearly.
wet. There won't be a dry thread in my nightclothes,
For the child,though nursed so tenderly, and
and the sheets will be so that Mammy has though life was unfoldingbefore her with every
to hang them up to dry ! Eva does n't sweat anything
brightness that love and wealth could give, had no
like that !"
regretfor herself in,dying.
Miss Opheliashut her mouth for a season. But, In that book which she and her simpleold
now that Eva was fairly and visiblyprostrated, friend had read so much together, she had seen
and a doctor called,Marie,all on a sudden,took and taken to her young heart the imageof one
"
it,"she said she alwaysfeltit,
a new turn.
who
"
She knew
the littlechild ; loved and, as she gazed and
mused, He had ceased to be an image and a picture
that she was destined
;
to be the most miserable of of the distant past,and come to be a living,
mothers. Here she was, with her wretched health, all-surrounding realityḤis love enfolded her
and her onlydarling child going down to the grave
childishheart with more than mortal tenderness ;
beforeher eyes ;" and Marie routed up Mammy and it was to Him, she said,she was going,and
nights, and rumpussed and scolded,with more to his home.
energy than ever, all day, on the strengthof this But her heart yearnedwith sad tenderness for
all
new
that she
misery.
was to leave behind. Her father
"
My dear Marie,don't talk so !" said St. Clare. most, Eva, though she never distinctly
" Yo". ought not to give' up the case so, at once." thoughtso, had an instinctive perception that she
"'
You have not a mother's feelings, St. Clare !
was more in his heart than any other. She loved
her mother because she was so loving a creature,
and all the selfishnessthat she had seen in her
onlysaddened and perplexed her ; for she had a
child's implicittrust that her mother could not do
wrong. There was something about her that Eva
"
But don't talk so, as if it were a
gone
" I can't take it as indifferently
as
you can, St.
Clare. If you don't feel when your onlychild is
J do. It 's a blow too never could make out ; and she always smoothed
it over with thinking
that,after all,it was mamma,
and she loved her very dearlyindeed.
She felt,too,for those fond,faithful servants,to
whom she was as daylight and sunshine. Children
do not
usuallygeneralize ; but Eva was an
uncommonly mature child, and the thingsthat she
had witnessed of the evils of the system under
wiped his eyes many times,as he looked after
her.
" soon have her as heartyas anybody. Miss Ophelia
keep Miss Eva
" It 's jest no use tryin' to
and the physician alone felt no encouragementhere,"he said to Mammy, whom he met a moment
"
from this illusive truce. There was one other after. She 's gotthe Lord's mark in her
heart, too, that felt the same certainty, forehead."
a-as the littleheart of Eva. What is it that sometimes
"Ah, yes, yes," said Mammy, raisingher
"
hands ; I 've allers said so! She was n't never

I
I
" and
"
anythingyou
" she
"0, that's what troubles me, papa. You
want me to live so happy, and never to have any
"
never pain," sufferanything, not even hear
a sad story, when other poor creatures have noth-
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 105
ske a child that 's to there live" was allers
somethingdeepin her eyes.
I 've told Missis so,
many the time ;
ing
but pain and scvrow, al. their Ives;--it
seems selfish. I ought to know such things, I
"
it 's a eomin' true, we all sees ought to feel about them ! Such thingsalways
dear,little,blessed larab!"
sunk into it," my heart ; they went down deep; I 've
Eva came trippingup the veranda stepsto her thought and thought about t:.em. Papa, is n't
Ather. It was late in the afternoon,and the there any way to have all slaves made free1 ' '
rays of the sun formed a kind of "
glorybehind her, That 's a difficultquestion,dearest. There Ts
as she 3?"me forward in her white dress,with her
"
are
golden hair and glowingcheeks,her eyes unnaturally
brightwith the slow fever that burned in
her veins.
St. Clare had called her to show a statuette that
he had been buying for her; but her appearance,
as she came on, impressed him suddenly and
paiufully Ṭhere is a kind of beauty
yet so fragile,
Hei father folded her suddenly in his arms, and
almost forgot what he was goingto tell her.
"
Eva. dear,you are better now-a-days,
you not ?
"When you are dead, Eva!'- said St. Clare,
child,don't talk to me so!
"'
Papa ' said Eva, with sudden firmness, passionately.
0,
"" I 've haa things I wanted to say to you, a great You are ofllI have on earth."
while. I want to say them now, before I get
"
Poor old Prue's child was all that she had,
weaker."
yet she had to hear it crying, and she
St. Clare trembled as Eva seated herself in his could n't help it ! Papa, these poor creatures love
lap. She laid her head on his bosom, and said, their children as much as you do me. 0 ! do
" It *s all no use, papa, to keep it to myself
time. I feel sad for our poor people; theylove
me dearly, and theyare all good and kind to me.
I wish, papa, they were all //re."
"
Why, Eva, child,don't you think they are
sorry I ever let you
hear such stories."
no doubt that this way
is a very bad one ; a great
many people think so ; I do myself. I heartily
wish that there were not a slave in the land ;
but,then, I don't know what is to be done about
it! "
"
Papa,you are such a good man, and so noble,
and kind,and you always have a-
way of saying
so intense, things that is so pleasant,couldn't you go all
that we cannot bear to look at it. round and try to persuade pei pieto do right about
this? When I am dead, papa, then you will
think of me, and do it for my sake. I would do
it, if I could."
" "
"
" "
something for them ! There 's poor Mammy
any longer. The time is coming that I am going loves her children ; I've seen her cry when s"ie
to leave you. I am going,and never to come talked about them. And Tom loves his children;
back !" and Eva sobbed.
and it's dreadful, papa,
that such thingsare
"
0, now, my dear littleEva!" said St. Clare, happeningall the time !"
trembling he spoke, but speakingcheerfully,
Clare,soothingly
"
There,there,darling," said St.
"
you 've got nervous and low-spirited ; you
; " only don't distress yourself, mustn't indulge such gloomy thoughts Ṣee here, talk of dying, and I will do anythingyou wish."
I 've bought a statuette for you !"
"
And promiseme, dear father,that Tom shall
"
"
No, papa," said Eva, puttingitgentlyaway, have his freedom as soon as
stopped, and
"
don't deceive yourself! I am not any better, said,in a hesitating tone
I know it well," perfectly and I am going, before
"
Yes, dear, I will do
"
I am gone !"
anything in the world,
long. I am not nervous, am not lowspirited
could ask me to."
Ịf it were not for you, papa, and
my
papa," said the child,layingher burning
"
Dear
friends,I should be perfectly happy. I want to cheek againsthis, " how I wish we could go
go, long to go !"
together!"
"
Where, dearest?" said St. Clare.
"
Why, dear child, what has made your poor
littleheart so sad \ You have had everything, to
it 's so sweet and
"
To our Saviour's home ;
make you happy, that could be givenyou." peaceful there :
it is all so lovingthere !" The
" I had rather be in heaven ; though,only for child spoke unconsciously, as of a place where
my friends' sake, I would be willingto live. she had often been.
"
Don't
you want to go,
There are a
greatmany thingshere that make papa?" she said.
me sad, that seem dreadful to me ; I had rather St. Clare drew her closer to him, but was silent.
be there ; but I don't want to leave you, it
child,speaking
"
You will come to me,",said the
almost breaks my heart !"
in a voice of calm certainty, which she often
"
What makes
you sad,and seems dreadful. used unconsciously.
Eva?"
"
I shall come after you.
I shall not forget
"
0, things that are done, and done all the you."
The shadows of the solemn evening closed
much, in a moment. St. Clare saw and felt many
things, but spokenothing; and, as it grew darker,
he took his child to her bedroom : and, when she
I round them deeper and deeper, as St. Clare sat
silently holdingthe little frail form to his bosom.
He saw no more the deepeyes,
but the voice caui6
well enough off,now !,1%i
over him as a spirit voice,and, as in a sort of
"0, but, papa, if ai/ything should happen to judgmentvision,his whole past life rose in a moment
you, what would become of them ? There are very
before his eyes : his mother's
prayers and
few men like you, papa. Uncle Alfred isn't like hymns ; his own earlyyearnings and aspirings for
you, and mamma isn't ; and then, think of poor good ; and, between them and this hour, years ot
old Prue's owners ! What horrid thingspeopleworldliness and scepticism, and what man calls
do,and can do !" and Eva shuddered.
respectable living. We can think much, very
"
My dear child, you are too sensitive. I 'm
the attendants,
and ro" ked her in his arms, and sung to hei
was prepared for rest,he sent away
tillshe was
asleep.

let
106 UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR,
CHAPTER
XXV.
THE LITTLE EVANGELIST.
Ii was Sunday afternoon. St Clare was
stretched on a bamboo lounge in the veranda,solacing
himself with a cigar. Marie layreclined
open
in hi\rhand.
Miss Ophelia,who, after some rummaging, of the lovelyrule of woman ! I never saw above
.
had hunted up
a small Methodist meetingwithin a dozen women that wouldn't half kill ahorse,
does she do, but spy out where I put my key, and
has gone to my bureau,and got a bonnet-trimming,
"
ridingdistance,had gone out, with Tom as or a servant, either,if they had their own
driver,to attend it ; and Eva had accompaniedwith them ! alone a man."
way
them.
shilly-shally way of
"
There is no use in this
"
I 3ay, Augustine," said Marie after dozing a yours, St. Clare!" said Marie. "Cousin is a
while, " I must send to the city after my
old woman of sense, and she sees it now, as plain as
Doctor Posey; I 'm siu 3 I *ve got the cemplaintI do."
of the heart."
Miss Ophelia had justthe capability of indignation
"
AVell ; why need jou send for him? This
that belongsto the thorough-paced housekeeper,
and this had been prettyactivelyroused
"
Marie ; and I think I may say mine is becomingfact,many of my lady
so ! I 've been thinking of it,these two or three they should have felt just so in her circumstances
nightspast; I have such distressing pains, and
; but Marie's words went beyondher,and
such strangefeelings."
she felt less heat.
"0, Marie, you
are blue ; I don't believe it's
heart complaint."
the matter with her ; but you
never think of
me."
"
If it 'sparticularly agreeableto you
to have
heart disease,Avhy, I '11 try and maintain you
have it,"said St. Clare; "I didn't know it
was."
"
Well, I onlyhope you won't be sorry for this,
when it 's too late !" said Marie
"
; but,believe
it or not, my distress about Eva, and the exertions
I have made with that dear child,have developed
what I have longsuspected."
What the exertions were which Marie referred
to, it would have been difficultto state. St. Clare
quietlymade this commentary to himself,and
him an
account of the services theyhad heard.
They soon heard loud exclamations from Miss
call,and was sitting on his knee,giving
flesh and blood cannot endure it ' Here,I .ocked
ier up, and gave her a hymn to study; and what
and cut it all to pieces țo make dolls'
jackets! I never saw anything like it,in my
on a sofa,opposite the window openingon the life!"
veranda,closelysecluded,under an awning of
"
I told you, cousin,"said Marie, " that you 'd
transparentgauze, from the outragesof the rnosquitos,
and languidly holding her hand an elegantly
without severityỊf I had
find out that these creatures can't be broughtup,
my way, now," she
bound prayer-bookṢhe was holdingit said,lookingreproachfully at St. Clare, "I'd
because it was Sunday,and she imaginedshe had
been readingit," though, in fact șhe had been whipped ; I 'd have her whippedtillshe couldn't
onlytakinga succession of short naps, with it stand ! "
send that child out, and have her thoroughly
"
I don't doubt it,"said St. Clare. " Tell me
doctor that attends Eva seems skilful."
"
I would not trust him in a criticalcase,"said by the artifice and wastefulness of the child ; in
readers must own that
" I wouldn't have the child treated so, for the
"
world,"she said ; but,I am sure, Augustine, I
" "
I dare say you don't,"said Marie ; I was don't know what to do. I 've taughtand taught;
prepared to expectthat. You can be alarmed I've talked till I'm tired;I've whippedher,
enough, if Eva coughs,or has the least thingI 've punished her in every way I can think of,
and stillshe 'sjustAvhat she was at first."
"Come here, Tops, you monkey!" said St.
Clare,callingthe child up
Topsy came up ; her round, hard eyes glittering
and blinking with a mixture of apprehensiveness
and their usual odd drollery.
behave so ?" said St. Clare,
"
What makes you
who could not helpbeingamused with the child's
expression.
"
Spects it's my wicked heart," said Topsj,
demurely; " Miss Feely says so."
"
Don't you
see how much Miss Opheliahas
done for you ? She says she has done everythin"
she can think of."
to him.
"
went on smoking, like a hard-hearted wretch of a Lor, yes, Mas'r ! old Missis used to say so,
man as lie was, till a carriagedrove up before too. She whipped me a heap harder, and used
the veranda,and Eva and Miss Opheliaalighted. ko pullmy har,and knock my head agin the door;
Miss Ophelia marched straigh to her own but it did n't do me no good ! I ypects, if they[s
chamber, to put away her bonnet and shawl,as to pull every spear o' har out o' my head, it
was alwaysher manner, before she spoke a word would n't do no I 's so wicked ;
good,neither,"
on
any subject; while Eva came, at St. Clare's Laws ! I 's nothin but a nigger,no ways !"
"
Well, I shall have to give her up," said Miss
Ophelia; " I can't have that trouble any longer "
Well, I 'd justlike to ask one question," said
Ophelia's room, which,like the one in which theySt. Clare.
were sitting, opened on to the veranda,and violent
"What is it?"
reproof addressed to somebody.
"
What new witchcraft has Tops been brewing'!"
asked St. Clare.
"
That commotion is of home all to here, yourself,
her raising, I '11be bound !"
sending one or two poor
And, in a moment after,Miss Ophelia, in highindignation,
came dragging the culpritalong. child is about a fair sample
"Come out here, now!" she said. "I will your heathen are."
tell your master !"
'
What -s the case now?" asked Augustine.
"
Che case is that I cannot be plagued with
"
Why, if your Gospelis not strong enonigh to
save one heathen child,that you
can have at
what's the use of
missionariesoff with it
among thousands of just such ? I suppose this
of what thousands of
Miss Ophelia did not make an immediate an
swer ; and Eva,who had stood a silent spectator
of the seme thus far,made a silent sign-to Topsy
this mild an- longer It's past all bearing; to follow her. There was a little glass -room at

" she
" while
large,brightdrops
.
it
-
, lounges
"
but
LIFE AMONG .THE LOWLY'. 107
the corner of the veranda,which St. Clare used as child; " I will try, I will try; I never aid care
a sort of reading-room ; and Eva and Topsydisappeared
nothin' about it before-"
into this place.
St. Clare,at this instant,dr ppedthe curtain.
"
"What's Eva goingabout,now?'' said St. It puts me in mind of mother," liesaid to Miss
"
Clare. I mean to see."
Ophelia. " It is true what she told me ; if we
And, advancingon tiptoe, he lifted up a curtain
want to givesigh to the blind,we must be willing
that covered the glass-door, and looked in. to do as Christ call them to did," us, and
In a moment, laying his finger on his lips, he put our hands on them."'
made a silent gesture to Miss "
Opheliato come
I 've always had a prejudice againstnegroes,"
and look. There sat the two children on the said Miss Ophelia,
" and it 's a fact,I never could
floor, with their side faces towards them. Topsy, bear to have that child touch me ; but I did n't
with her usual
air of careless drollery and
unconcern
; but,opposite to her,Eva, her whole face
fervent with feeling, and tears in her largeeyes.
"
What does make so
you bad,Topsy? Why
won't you try and be good 1 Don't you love anybody,
Topsj ?n
"
Donno nothing'bout love ; I loves candy and
sich. that 's all,"said Topsy.
"
But you love your father and mother'!"
" Never had none, ye know. I telled ye that,
Miss
Eva."
"
0, I know," said Eva,sadly; " but hadn't
"
you any brother,or sister, or aunt, or "
"
No, none on never had 'em," nothing nor
nobody."
"
But,Topsy, if you 'd onlytry to be good,you
might"
"
"
Couldn't never be nothin' but a nigger, if I
was ever so good," said Topsy. " If I could be
skinned,and come white,I 'd try then."
had been used to instruct an old disciple,
"
But people can love you, if you
are black, were so," said St. Clare.
Topsy. Miss Ophelia would
good."
love you, if you were
Topsygave the short,blunt laughthat was her
common mode of expressing incredulity.
CHAPTER XXVI.
"
Don't you think so ?" said Eva.
"
No ; she can't bar me, 'cause I 'm a nigger !
'd 's soon have a toad touch her ! There
can't nobodylove niggers, and niggerscan't do
I don't care,"said Topsy,beginning to
think she knew it."
"Trust any child to find that out," said St.
"
Clare ; there's no keepingit from them. But
I believe that all the tryingin the world to
benefit a child,and all the substantial favors you
can do them,will never excite one emotion of
gratitude,
while that feelingof repugnance
remains
in the heart
;"
it's a queer kind of a fact,
so it is."
"
I don't know how I can help it,"said Miss
this
Ophelia; " they are "
disagreeable to me,
"
child in particular, how
so?"
can I help feeling
"
Eva does,it seems."
"Well, she's so loving! After all, though,
she 's no more than Christ-like,"said Miss
Ophelia; " I wish I were like her. She might
teach me a lesson."
"It would n't be the first time a little child
if it
Weep not for those whom the veil of the tomb,
In life's earlymorning, hath hid from our eyes.
"
"
"
"
nothin' !
Eva's bed-room was a spaciousapartment,
whistle.
which, like all the other rooms in the house,
"
0, Topsy,poor child,/love you !" said Eva, openedon to the broad veranda. The room communicated,
with a sudden burst of feeling, layingher
on one side,with jer father and
littlethin,white hand on Topsy 's shoulder ; "I mother's apartment;
love you, because other,with that
you have'n't had any father,or appropriated Ophelia. St. Clare had
mother, or friends; because you've been a gratified his own
eye and taste, in furnishing this
poor abused child ! I love you, and I want room
you
in a style that had a peculiarkeeping with
to be good. I am very unwell, Topsy, and I the character of her for whom it was intended.
think I shan't live a
great while ; and it reallyThe windows were hung with curtains of rosecolored
and white muslin ; the floor was spread
grieves me, to have you be so naughty. I wish
you would try to be good,for my sake ; "s with a mattingwhich had been ordered in Paris,
only a littlewhile I shall be with you."
to a patternof his own device,havinground it a
The round,keen eyes of the black child were border of rose-buds and leaves,and a centre-piece
overcast with tears ; rolled with full-blown roses. The bedstead,chairs and
heavilydown, one by one, and fell on the littlelounges,
of bamboo,wrought in peculiarly
white hand. Yes,in that moment, a
ray of real graceful arid fanciful patterns. Over the head
belief, a
ray of heavenlylove,had penetrated of the bed was an alabaster bracket,on which a
darkness of her heathen soul ! She laid her head beautiful sculptured angelstood,with drooping
down between her knees,and wept and sobbed, wings,holdingout a crown of myrtle-leaves.
the beautiful child,bending over her, From this depended, bed,light curtains
looked like the pictureof some brightangelof rose-coloredgauze, striped with silver,supplying
stooping
a sinner.
that protection from mosnuitos which is an
"Poor Topsy!" said Eva, "don't you know indispensable addition to all sleeping
that Jesus loves allalike1 He isjustas willing J aecommo-
gracefulK"amboo
to love you,
as me. He loves you justas I do,"
were amply suppliedwith cushions of
onlymore, because he is better. He will help rose-coloreddamask, while over them, depending
frou
good; and you can
go to heaven at from the hands of sculptured figures, gauze
ast,and be an angelforever, justas much as if j curtains similar to those of the bed. A light,
you were white. Only think of it,Topsy ! you fanciful bamboo table stood in the middle of tho
can be one of those spirit-, bright, Unci :
room, where a Parian vase, wrought in the shape
skiersabout. ;s about."
of a white lily, its buds,stood,over filled
0, dear Miss Eva,dear Miss Eva !" said the
Eva's books and
v/ithflowers. On this table lay

they's
what
a
"
see
"
so
"
there
don't
"
a
"
0!
0,
LOS UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR,
littletrinkets,with an elegantlȳwrought alabaster
do mischief. She Knows she mustn't pick,
wi .hag-stand, which her father had supplied-flowersto
her when he saw her trying to improveto it. But,if you fancy to have her pluckthem,
she does it; that's all theie is
herself in*writing. There was a fireplace in the so be it."
"
room, and on the marble mantel above stood a Mamma, I think Topsy is different from what
beautifullywrought statuette of Jesus receiving she used to be ; she 's trying to be a good girl."
little children,and on either side marble vases, "She'll have to try a good while before she
for which it was Tom's pride and delight to offer gets to be good!" said Marie, with a careless
bouquetsevery morning. Two or three exquisite laugh.
paintings of children, "
in various attitudes embellished
Well, you know, mamma, poor Topsy ! everything
the wall. In short,the eye
could turn has.alwaysbeen againsther."
nowhere without meetingimages of childhood, of
"
Not since she 's been here,I 'm sure. If she
beauty, and of peace. Those little eyes
never has n't been talked to,and preachedto,and every
opened,in the morninglight, without falling on earthlything done that anybody could do "
; and
something which suggested to the heart soothing she 'sjustso ugly,and always will be ; you can't
and beautifulthoughts.
make anything of the creature !" "
The deceitful strength which had buoyed Eva
"
But, mamma, it 's so different to be brought
up for a littlewhile was fast passing away ; seldom
up as I 've been, with so many friendsșo many
and more seldom her lightfootstepwas things to make me good and happy ; and to be
heard in the veranda, and oftener and oftener brought up as she 's been, all the time, till she
she was found reclined on a little loungeby the came here !
open window, "
her large,deep eyes fixed on the Most
"
likely,"said dear
Marie,yawning,"
rising and fallingwaters of the lake.
me, how hot it is !"
"
It was towards the middle of the afternoon,as Mamma, you believe,don't you, that Topsy
"
she was so reclining, her Bible half open, her could become an angel, as well as any of us, if
littletransparentfingerslyinglistlessly between she were a Christian?"
the leaves," suddenlyshe heard her mother's "Topsy! what a ridiculous idea! Nobody
voice,in sharptimes,in the veranda.
but you would ever think of it. I suppose she
"
"
What now, you baggage! new piececould,though."
"
of ruisehief! You've been pickingthe flowers, But, mamma, is n't God her Father,as much
hey ?" and Eva heard the sound of a smart slap. as ours ? Is n't Jesus her Saviour ?"
" "
Law, Missis
"
! for Miss Eva,'*' she Well, that may be. I suppose
God made
heard a voice say,
which she knew belongedto everybody," said Marie. "
Where is my smell-
Topsy.
"
Miss Eva ! A pretty excuse ! "
" You suppose It(' such a pity, swcAapity!" said
she wants your flowers, you good-for nothingnigger
Eva,looking out on the distant lake, and speaking
! Get alongoffwith you !"
half to herself.
In a moment, Eva was off from her lounge, and
"
What 's a pity?" said Marie.
La the veranda.
"Why, that any one, who could be a bright
uO, don't,mother ! I should like the flowers ; angel, and live with angels șhould go
all down,
"
do givethem to me ; I want them!"
down, down, and nobodyhelpthem ! dear !"
" "
Why, Eva, your room is full now."
Well, we can't help it ; it's no use worrying,
"
I can't have too many," said Eva. "
Topsy, Eva ! I don*t know what 's to be done ; we
do bringthem here."
ought to be thankful for our own advantages."
Topsy, who had stood sullenly, holding down
"
I hardly can be," said Eva, " I 'm so sorry
her head,now came up
and offered her flowers. to think of poor folks that have n't any !"
"
She did it with a look of hesitation and bashfuljaess,quiteunlike
the eldrich boldness and brightness
That 's odd enough," said Marie "
"
; I 'm
sure
my religion makes me thankful for my ad-
which was usual with her
" "
It 's a beautifulbouquet!" said Eva, looking Mamma," said Eva, " I want to have some
at it.
of my hair cut off, gooddeal of it."
It was rather a singular one,
" brilliant scarlet
"What for?" said Marie.
geranium, and one single white japonica, with
"
Mamma, I want to give some away to my
its glossy leaves. It was tied up with an evident friends,while I am able to give;t to them myself.
eye to the contrast of color, and t\e arrangement Won't you ask auntyto come and cut it
of every leaf had carefully been studied.
for me?"
Topsy looked,pleased,
Eva "
said," Topsy, Marie raised her voice,and called Miss Ophelia
you arrange flowers very prettily. Here," she from the other room.
said, " is this vase I have n't any
flowers for. I The child half rose from her pillowas sho
wish you 'd arrange somethingevery day for it." came in,and,'shakingdown her long goldenbrown
curls, said,rather playfully,
" Come,
" "
Well,that 's odd !" said Marie. What in
the world do you want that for? "
auntv, shear the sheep !"
"
" Never mind, mamma ; you
'd as lief as not What s that?" said St. Clare,who justthen
Topsy should do had it," you not?"
entered with some fruit he had been out to get
"
Of course, anythingyou please, dear ! Topey,
you hear your young mistress "
for her.
; that Papa, I just want auntyto cut off some of
you mind.
my
hair ;
's too much of it,and it makes
Topsy made a short courtesy, and looked down ; my head hot. Besides,I want to givesome of
and, as she turned away,
Eva saw a tear roll it away."
down her dark cheek.
Miss Opheliacame, with her scissors.
"
You see, mamma, I knew poor Topsy wanted
"
"Take care, spoilthe looks of it!"
to do something for me," said Eva to her mother.
"
0 nonsense ! it 's only because she likes to
said her father ; "cut underneath,where itwon't
show. Eva's curls are ir-" pride
"
ing-bottle?"
vantages."

.
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 109
the time I take you up to your uncle's planta-
leave you. In a few more weeks, you will see
"O, papa said Eva,sadly.
Eva, " because I love you. 1 love you all
.
and I
"
Yes, and I want them kept handsome againsthave something to say to you, which I want you
tion, always to remember I am goingto
to see cousin Henrique,"said St. Clare,in
a gay tone.
"
I shall never
go there, papa
"
; I
to a better country. 0, do believe me ! Don't
you see, papa, that I getweaker,every day?"
"
Why do you
insist that I shall believe such
a cruel thing, Eva?" said her father.
"
Only because it is true,papa : and if you will
to feelabout
Been this,long. St. Clare, you will see, after a
while,that I was right."
"
Which will afford you greatconsolation, no
doubt !" said St. Clare,in a dry, bitter tone.
Marie layback on a lounge, and covered herface
with her cambric handkerchief.
Eva's clear blue eye looked earnestly from
to the other. It was the calm,comprehending
gaze of a soul half loosed from its earthlybonds ;
it was evident she saw, felt and appreciated, the
difference between the two.
She beckoned with her hand to her father. He
came, and sat down by her.
Papa,my strength fades away every day,and
"
I know I must go.
There are some things I want
to say and that I do," ought to do ; and^you are
so unwillingto have me speaka word on this subject.
But it must come ; there 's no putting it
off. Do be willing I should speaknow !"
one
The younger and mare thoughtless ones, for the
"My child,I am willing!" said St. Clare, time completelyovercome, were sobbing,with
covering his eyes with one hand,and holding up
their heads bowed
upon their knees.
'"
Eva's hand with the other.
I know," said Eva, " you all love me."
"
Then, I want to see all our peopletogether. "Yes; 0, yes! indeed we do! Lord bless
I have some things 1 must say to them," said her!" was the involuntary answer of all.
Eva
"
Well,"said St. Clare,in a tone of dry endurance.
Miss Opheliadespatched a messenger, and
soon the whole of the servants were convened in
the room.
Eva layback on her pillows; her hair hanginggone to heaven,and that I want to see you all
loosely about her face,her crimson cheeks contrasting
there."
painfully with the intense whiteness of It is impossible to describe the scene, aa, with
her complexionand the thin contour of her limbs tears and sobs,they gatheredround the little
and features, and her large șoul-like eyes fixed creature,and took from her hands what seemed
earnestlyon every one.
to them a last mark of her love. They fell on
The servants were struck with a sudden emotion.
their knees ; theysobbed,and prayed, and kissed
The spiritual face țhe longlocks of hair the hem of her garment; and the elder ones
"mt offand lyingby her,her father'saverted face, poured forth words of endearment,mingled'in
and Marie's sobs,struck at once upon the feelings
of a sensitiveand impressible race ; and,as
they came in,they looked one on another,sighed,
me no more
"
' '
am going Here the child was interrupted by bursts of
groans, sobs and lamentations,which broke
from all present, and in which her slender voice
was lost entirely Ṣhe waited a moment, and
then,speakingin a tone that checked the sobs'
of all,she said,
believe it now, perhapsyou will get
it as I do."
St. Clare closed his lips, and stood gloomilyou about your souls Many of you, I
eying the long,beautiful curls,which, as they am afraid,are very careless. You are thinking
were separated from the child's head, were laid, only about this world. I want you to remember
one by one, in her lap. She raised them up, that there is a beautiful world,where Je3us is.
looked earnestly at them, twined them round her I am goingthere,and you can go there. It is
thin fingers, and looked,from time to time,anxiously
for you, as much as me. But, if you want to go
at her father.
there, you must not live idle,careless,thoughtless
"
It 's justwhat I 've been foreboding !" said lives. You must be Christians. You must
"
Marie ; it'sjustwhat has been preying on my remember that each one of you can become
health,from day to day,bringingme downward angels, and be angelsforever If you
to the grave, though nobodyregards it. I have want to be Christians, Jesus will helpyou. You
" If you love me, you must not interrupt me
so. Listen to what I say. I want to speak to
must pray to him ; you must read "
The child checked herself, looked
"
piteously at
them,and said,sorrowfully,
"
O, dear ! you can't read," poor souls !" and
she hid her face in the pillow and sobbed,while
many
a smothered sob from those she was addressing,
aroused
her.
who were kneeling on
the floor,
"
Never mind," she said,raising her face and
smilingbrightlythrough her tears, " I have
prayedfor you ; and I know Jesus will help you,
even if you can't read. Try all to do the best
you can ; pray every day; ask Him to help you,
and get the Bible read to you whenever you can ;
"
and I think I shall see you
all in heai
"Amen," was the murmured
response from
and some of the
the lipsof Tom and Mammy;
elder ones, who belonged to the Methodist church.
"
Yes,I know
you do ! There isn't one of you
that has n't always been very kind to me ; and I
want to giveyou somethingthat,when you look
at, you shall always remember me. I m going
to give all of you a curl of my hair; and,when
you look at it,think that I loved you and am
prayers and blessings, after the manner of theii
susceptible
race.
As each one took their gift,Miss Ophelia, who
and shook theirheads. There was a deep.silence, was apprehensive for the effectof all this,excitement
like that of a funeral.
on her little patient,signedto each one to
Eva raised herself,and looked longand earnestly
pass out of the apartment.
round at every one. All looked sad and At last,all were
gone but Tom and Mammy.
"
apprehensive.Many of the women hid their Here,Uncle Tom," said Eva, " is a beautiful
faces in their aprons.
one for you. 0,1 am so happy, Uncle Tom,
"I sent for you all, my dear friends,"said to think I shall see
you in for I'm
heaven,"

"
every
only
"I
dear,good,
no UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR,
sure I shall; and "
Mammy, kind dear aunty as as
many she wants I onlygave
Mammy!" she said fondlythrowingher arms them to our poor people myself,becaus'e you
rouna ner old nurse,
" know
you '11be there, know, papa, theymight be forgotten when i am
too."
gone, and because I hoped it might helpthem
"0, Miss Eva, don't see how I can livewithout
remember You are a Christian, are
you
ye, nohow!" said the faithful creature. not, papa ?" said Eva,doubtfully.
" "
'Pears like it 's justtakingeverything off the Why do you ask me!"
placeto oncet !" and Mammy gave,way to a "
passion
I don't know. You are so good, I don't see
of grief.
how you can help it."
Miss Opheliapushed her and Tom gently from
"
What is being a Christian, Eva?"
the apartment, and thoughtthey were all gone ;
but,as she turned,Topsy was standingthere.
"Where did you start up from?" she said,
suddenly.
"
I was here,"sard Topsy,wipingthe tears
from her eyes. "0, Miss Eva, I 've been a bad
too ?"
"
Yes, poor Topsy ! to be sure, I will. There
girl; but won't you give me one,
same attitude. When they were all gone, he sat
so still.
on
"
Papa !" said Eva,gently, layingher hand
his.
no
He gave a sudden start and shiver ; but made
answer.
" Dear papa !" said Eva.
Tom's greatestdeligh to carry
"
I cannot,"1said St. Clare,rising,
" I cannot form in his arms, resting on a pillow, now up and
have it so. The Almighty hath dealt very bitterly down her room, now out into the veranda ; and
with me !" and St. Clare pronouncedthese words
with a bitter emphasis,indeed.
"
Augustine ! has not God a right to do what
he will with his own?" said Miss Ophelia.
"Perhaps so; but that doesn't make it any
easier to bear," said he,with a dry,hard,tearless
I was wrong ; I was wicked. I will feel any
you sit up
way; do "
any way, don't distress "
yourself; nights, and Tom has onlythis one thing,and
don't sob so. I will be resigned ; I was Avicked his singing; and I know, too,he does it easier
to speak as I did."
than you
can. He carries me so strong !"
Eva soon laylike a wearied dove in her father's The desire to do somethingwas not confinedt(,
arms ; and he, bendingover her,soothed her by Tom. Evei-yservant in the establishment showed
every
tender word he could think of.
the same feeling, and in their way did what they
Marie rose and threw herself out of the apartment
could.
towards her darling
into her own, when she fell into violent
hysterics.
"You didn't giveme a curl,Eva," said her
father,smilingsadly.
"
They are all yours, papa," said she,smiling,
such,it was impossible for her to rest ; and,of
course, it was against her principles to let any
"
"yours and mamma's; and you must give one else rest. Twenty times in a night,Mammy
"
Loving Christ most of all,"said Eva.
"
Do you, Eva?"
"
Certainly I do."
"
You never saw him," said St. Clare.
"That makes no difference," said Eva. "I
believe him, and in a few days I shall see him ;"
and the young face grew fervent, radiant with joy.
St. Clare said no more. It was a feeling which
time you look at that, think that I loved he had seen before in his mother ; but no chord
you, and wanted you to be a goodgirl!"
within vibrated to it.
"
0, Miss Eva, I is tryin!" said Topsy, earrestly;
but, Lor, it 's so hard to be good ! more
Eva,afterthis,declined rapidly ; there was no
any .doubt of the event; the fondest hope
Tears like I an*t used to it,no ways !"
could not be blinded. Her beautiful room was
"
Jesus knows it,Topsy; he is sorry for you ; avowedly a sick room ; and Miss Opheliadayand
he will helpyou."
nightperformed the duties of a nurse,
"
and
Topsy, with her eyes hid in her apron, was never did her friends appreciate her value more
silentlypassed from the apartment by Miss than in that capacity Ẉith so well trained a
Ophelia; but, as she went, she hid the precioushand and eye, such perfect adroitness and practice
mrl in her bosom.
in every art which could promote neatness
All beinggone, Miss Opheliashut the door.'1and comfort,and keepout of sight every disagreeable
Jhat worthylady had wipedaway many tears of incident of
"
sickness, with such a perfect
her own, duringthe scene ; but concern for the sense of time,such a clear,untroubled head,such
consequence of such an excitement to her young exact accuracy in rememberingevery prescription
charge was uppermostin her mind.
and directionof the she doctors," was everything
St. Clare had been sitting, during the whole
time,with his hand shading his eyes,
in the
to him. They who had shruggedtheir shoulders
at her littlepeculiarities and setnesses,so unlike
the careless freedom of southern manners, acknowledged
that now she was the exact person
that was wanted.
Uncle *Tom was much in Eva's room. The
child suffered much from nervous restlessness, and
it was a relief to her to be carried ; and it was
her little frail
when the fresh sea-breezes blew from the lake,"
and the child felt freshest in the morning," he
would sometimes walk with her under the orangetrees
in the garden,or, sittingdown in some of
their old seats,sing to her their favorite old
hymns.
but his
There,Eva,"
"
manner, as he turned away.
Her father often did the same thing;
"
Pa'pa, you break my heart !'"said Eva, risingframe was slighter, and when he was weary, Eva
and throwingherself into his arms
"
; you must would say to him,
not feel so!" and the child sobbed and wept
let Tom take me. Poor fellow! it
"
0, papa,
with a violence which alarmed them all,and pleases him ; and you know it 's all he can do
turned her father'sthoughtsat once to another now, and he wants to do something!"
"
channel.
So do I,Eva !" said her father.
"
Well, papa, you
can do everything, and are
"
there,dearest ! Hush ! hush !
rverything to me. You read to me,
Poor Mammy's heart yearned
; but she found no opportunity, night or day.
as Marie declared that the state of her mind was

"
that
thar's
"
You talk like a man, St. Clare," just as if a
mother could be relieved of the care of a child in
that state ; but, then,it's all alike, no one ever
knows what I feel! I can't throw thingsoff,as
you do."
St. Clare smiled. You must excuse him, he
couldn't helpit," for St. Clare could smile yet.
For so bright and placidwas the farewell voyage
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. Ill
"
"
would be roused to rub her feet țo bathe her "Miss Eva, she talks to me. The Lord,he
uead,to find her pocket-handkerchief, to see what sends his messenger in the soul. I must be thar,
the noise was in Eva's room, to let down a curtain
Miss Feely; for when that ar blessed child goes
because it was too light, put it up into the kingdom,they'llopen the door so wide,
because it was too dark ; and,in the day-time, we '11all get a look in at the glory, Miss Feely."
"
when she longedto have some share in the nursing
Uncle Tom, did Miss Eva say she felt more
of her pet,Marie seemed unusually ingenious unwell than usual to-night?"
in keepingher busyanywhere and everywhere,all "No; but she telled me, this morning,she
Over the house,or about her own
person ; so that was comingnearer. them that tells it to
stolen intei 'iews and momentary glimpses were the child,. Miss Feely.It's the angels, it "u
'
all she could obtain.
the trumpet sound afore the break o' day,' " said
"
I feel it my duty to be particularly carefulof Tom, quoting from a favorite hymn.
myself,now," she would say, "feeble as I am, This dialoguepassedbetween Miss Opheli and
and with the whole care and nursingof that dear Tom, between ten and eleven,one evening, after
child upon. me."
her arrangementshad all been made for the
"
Indeed, my dear," said St. Clare, " I thoughtnight,when, on going to bolt her outer door,she
our cousin relieved you of that."
found Tom stretched alongby it,in the outer
dailyand almost insensibly increasing;
she was so beautiful șo loving, so trustful, so
happy, that one could not resistthe soothing influence
heart
of that air of innocence and peace which in his bosom than he had had there for weeks.
seemed to breathe around her. St. Clare found a But at "
midnight, strange,mystic hour! "
strange calm coming over him. It was not hope, when the veil between the frail presentand the
; it
was impossible ; it was not resignation
was only a calm resting the present, which
" seemed so beautiful that he wished to think of no
future. It was like that hush of spirit which
feel amid the briglt,mild woods of autumn, when
the bright hectic (lushis on the trees,and the last
lingering flowers by the brook ; and we joyin it
we
charge,and who, at the turn of the night,ha^
discerned what experienced nurses significantly
all the more because we know that soon it will all call "a change." The outer door was quicklj
pass away.
opened, and Tom, who was watching outside
The friend who knew most of Eva's own imaginings
was on the alert,in a moment.
and foreshadowings was her faithful "
bearer, Go for the doctorȚom ! lose not a moment,'"
Tom. To him she said what she would not disturb
said Miss Ophelia; and, steppingacross tin.
her fatherby saying. To him she impartedroom, she rapped at St. Clare's doo.\
those mysterious intimations which the soul "
feels, Cousin," she said, " I wish you would come."
as the cords begin to unbind,ere it leavesitsclay Those words fell on his heart like clods upon
a
forever.
coffin Why did they? He was
Tom, at last,would not sleep in his room, but
up
lay all nightin the outer veranda,readyto rouse
at every call.
"Uncle Tom, what alive have you taken to
sleepinganywhere and everywhere,like a dog,
for?" said Miss Ophelia. ''I thoughtyou was
one of the orderly sort, that liked to lie in bed in
cometh.' That 's what I 'm spectin'now,
"
every night,Miss Feely, and I couldn't sleep
out o' hearin' no ways."
'"'
Why, Uncle Tom, what makes you think so?"
veranda.
She was not nervous or impressible ; but the
solemn,heart-felt manner struck her, Eva had
"
"
"
and cheerful, that afternoon,
and had sat raised in her bed, and looked
over all her little trinkets and preciousthings,
and designated the friends to whom she would
have them given; and her manner was more animated,
of the littlespirit, by such sweet and fragrant and her voice more natural țhan they had
breezes was the small bark borne towards the known it for weeks. Her father had been in,in
heavenlyshores, that it was impossible to realize
the evening,and had said that Eva appearedmore
that it was death that was
approaching.
The like her former self than ever she had done sines
child felt no pain, onlya tranquil, soft weakness,
her sickness ; and when he kissed her for tho
and
Cousin,wa
been unusuallybright
"
"
night, he said to Miss Ophelia,
may keep her with us, afterall ; she is certainly
better ;" and he had retired with a lighter
eternal future grows thin," then came the messenger
!
There was a sound in that chamber,firstof one
who steppedquickly. It was Miss Ophelia, who
had resolved to sit up
all nightwith her little
and in the
room in an instant;and bending over Eva, who
stillslept.
What was it he saw that made his heart stand
still? Why was no word spoken between the
two? Thou canst say, who hast seen that same
that
expressionon the face dearest to th.ee ;
"
look indescribable, hopeless, unmistakablețhat
a Christian way."
says to thee that thy beloved is no longerthine.
"I do, Miss Feely,"said Tom, mysteriously. On the fiiceof the child,however,there was
"
"I do ; but now
"
"
no
ghastlyimprint, only a high and almost
"
Well, what now?"
"
sublime expression, the overshadowingpresence
" We must n't speakloud ; Mas'rSt. Clare won't
of spiritualnatures, the dawningof im-
hear on 't ; but,Miss Feely, you know there must
life in that childish soul.
be somebody watchin' for the bridegroom." They stood there so still, gazingupon her,that
"
Wha*do you mean, Tom?"
even the tickingof the watch seemed too loud
"You know it says in Scripture, 'At midnightIn a few moments, Tom returned, with the doctor.
there was a greatcry made. Behold țhe bridegroom
He entered, gave one look,and stood silent
as
the rest.
mortal
"
When did this change take place ?" said he,
in a low whisper țo Miss Ophelia.
"
About the turn of the night," was the reply

"
"Pray
0
"
it's
112 UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR,
" "
"
Marie, roused by the entance of the doctor, There she lay, robed in v-ne of the simplewhite
appeared,hurriedly, from the next room.
dresses she had been wont to wear when living ;
' '
Augustine ! Cousin ! ! what ! " she hurriedly
the rose-coloredlightthroughthe curtains cast
began.
over the icy coldness of death a warm glow. The
"Hush !" said St. Clare,hoarsely;
she is dying
heavyeyelashesdroopedsoftly pure cheek ,
! " the head
.
was turned a little to one side,as if in
Mammy heard the words, and flew to awaken natural sleep,but there was diffusedover every
the servants. The house was soon lineament of the face that
roused,"
highcelestial expression,
lights were seen, footsteps heard,anxious faces that mingling of rapture and repose, which
thronged the veranda,and looked tearfullyshowed it was no earthlyor temporarysleep,but
throughthe glass-doors ; but St. Clare heard and
said nothing, he saw onlythat look on the face
of the littlesleeper.
"
"
"
"
the long,sacred rest which " He givethto his
beloved.""
There is no death to such as thou,dear Eva!
"
0, if she would and onlywake, once speak neither darkness nor shadow of death such
; only
more !" he said ; and stoopingover her,he a spoke brightfading as when the morningstar fades
"
in her ear, Eva,darling in the goldendawn. Thine is the victory The largeblue eyes unclosed, a smile passed the battle, the crown without the conflict.
over her face ; she triedto raiseher head,and
to speak.
"
Do you know me, Eva?"
"
Dear papa," said the child,with a last
effort, throwingher arms about his neck. In a
moment theydroppedagain; and, as St. Clare
raised his head,he saw a spasm
of mortal agony
had had questionsasked,and answered them ;
pass over the "
face,' she struggled for breath, theyhad asked him when he would have the
and threw up her littlehands.
funeral,and where theyshould lay her ; and he
"0, God, this is dreadful!" he said,turninghad
answered, impatiently, that he cared not.
away in agony, and wringing Tom's hand, scarce Adolph and Rosa had arrangedthe chamber;
conscious what he was doing. "0, Tom, my volatile,fickle and childish, as theygenerally
boy, it is killing me !"
were, theywere soft-heartedand full of feeling ;
lom had his master's hands between his own ; and, while Miss Opheliapresided over the general
and,with tears streaming down his dark cheeks, detailsof order and neatness,it was their hands
looked up for help where ,he had always been
used to look.
that this maybe
Clare," "
this wringsmy heart."
cut short!" said St.
"0, bless the Lord! it's over,
over,
dear Master !" said Tom ; " look at her."
The child laypanting on her pillows,
as one
the exhausted," largeclear eyes rolled up
and
fixed. Ah, what said those eyes, that spoke so
"0, Eva,tellus what you
see ! What isit?"
said her father.
A
bright, a
"
"0! and she said,brokenly,
peace!"gave
one sigh, and passedfrom death
unto life! " '
"
Farewell,beloved child! the bright,eternal
doors have closed after thee ; we shall see thy
sweet face no more. 0, woe for them who
watched thy entrance into heaven,when they
shall wake and find only the cold, gray sky of
dailylife,and thou gone "forever ! "
CHAPTER
XXVH.
So did St. Clare think,as, with folded arms,
he stood there gazing. Ah ! who shall say what
he did think? for,from the hour that voices had
said, in the dyingchamber, " she is gone,"it had
been all a drearymist,a heavy " dimness of
anguish." He had heard voices around hm ; hB
that added those soft,poetictouches to the arrangements,
that took from the death-room the
grim and ghastly airwhich too often marks a New
Englandfuneral.
There were stillflowers on the aU
shehos,"
white,delicate and fragrant, with graceful, drooping
leaves. Eva"s littletable,covered with white,
bore on it her favorite vase, with a singlewhite
moss rose-bud in it. The foldsof the draperyțhe
much of heaven'! Earth was past, and earthlyfallof the curtains, had been arrangedand rearranged,
pain; but so solemn,so mysterious, was the by Adolph and Rosa, with that nicety of
triumphantbrightness of that facețhat itcheeked eye which characterizes their race. Even now,
even the sobs of sorrow. They pressed around while St. Clare stood there thinking,littleRosa
her,in breathlessstillness.
trippedsoftly into the chamber with a basket of
"
Eva," said St. Clare,gently.
white flowers. She stepped back when she saw
She did not hear.
St: Clare,and stoppedrespectfully ; but seeing
that he did not observe her,she came forward to
"
placethem around the dead. St. Clare saw her as
glorious passed over her face, in a dream, while she placedin the small hands a
fair love," joy,"
cape jessamine, and, with admirable taste,
disposedother flowers around the couch.
The door openedagain, and Topsy, her eyes
swelled with crying," appeared,holdingsomething
under her apron. Rosa made a quick,forbidding
gesture; but she took a stepinto the room.
"
You must go out,"saidRosa,in a sharp,positive
whisper; " you have n't any business here !"
"
0, do me let ! broughta I flower, such "
pretty one !" said Topsy,holding up a half-blown
tea rose-bud. " Do let me putjustone there J"
"
Get along !" said Rosa, more decidedly.
"Let her stay!" said St. Clare, suddenly
stampinghis foot. " She shall come."
"this is the last OF EARTH." John Q.
Rosa suddenlyretreated,and Topsy came forward
The statuettes and picturesin Eva's room were
and laid her offering at the feet of the
shrouded in white napkins,and only hushed corpse ; then suddenly, with a wild and bitter cry
breathings and muffled foot-fallswere heard there, she threw herself on the flooralongside the bed,
and the lightstole in solemnlythroughwindows and wept, and moaned aloud.
partially darkened by closed blinds.
Miss Opheliahastened into the room, and tried
The bed was draped in white; and there, to raise and silence her ; but in vain.
beneath the droopingangel-flgure, lay a little "0, Miss Eva ! 0, Miss Eva ! I wish I 's dead
"deeping form -rsleeping,
never to waken !
I do !"
too,"

"
do,"he
there
"
to
"
why
i
"
theycan't
nobodyelse
There was a piercing wildness in the cry ; the
Hood flushed into St. Clare'* white, marble-like
face,and the firsttears he had shed since Eva died
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 113
"
wonderful to think how hard-hearted and unfeeling
stood in his eyes.
he was, when he must know how she suffered."
" Get up, child,"said Miss Ophelia, softened
"
voice ; don't cry so. Miss Eva is gone
to So much are people the slaveof their eye and
heaven ; she is an angel."
ear, that many of the servants reallythoughtthat
"But I can't see her !" said Topsy. " I never Missis was the principal suffererin the case,
shallsee her!" and she sobbed again.
especially
They all stood a moment in silence.
spasms, and sent fur the doctor,and at last declared
"
She siid she loved me," said Topsy,"
herself dying; and, in the running and
"
she
did! 0,dear! 0, dear ! there an't nobodyleft scampering, bringingup hot bottles,and
now, an't !"
heating of flannels, and chafing, fussing, "That's true enough," said St. Clare; "but ensued,there was quitea diversion.
said to Miss Ophelia,
see Tom, however,had a feelingat his own heart,
if you can't
comfort the poor creature."
that drew him to his master. He followed him
"
I jist wish I hadn't never been born," said wherever he walked, wistfullyand sadly; and
Topsy. " I did n't want to be born,no ways ; and
I don't see no use on't."
Miss
Ophelia raised her gently, but firmly, and
took her from the room ; but,as she did so, some
tears fellfrom her eyes.
"
Topsy,you poor child,"she said,as she led
"
her into her room, don't giveup ! I can love In a few days the St. Clare familywere back
you, though I am not like that dear littlechild. again in the city; Augustine, with the restlessness
I hope I 've learnt something of the love of Christ of grief, longing for another scene, to change
from her. I can love you ; I do, and I '11 try to the current of his thoughts. So they left the
helpyou to grow up a good Christian girl." house and garden, with its little grave, and came
Miss Ophelia's voice was more than her words, back to New Orleans ; and St. Clare walked the
and more than that were the honest tears that fell streets busily, and strove to fill up the chasm in
down her face. From that hour,she acquiredan his heart with hurry and' bustle,and change of
influence over the mind of the destitutechild that place; and people who saw him in the street,or
she never lost.
met him at the cafe,knew of his loss onlyby the
"0, my Eva,whose littlehour on earth did so weed on his hat ; for there he was, smiling and
much of good,"thought St. what account talking, and reading the newspaper, and speculating
Clare,"
have I to give for my long years
1 ' '
on politics, and attending to business matters
There were, for a while,softwhisperings and ; and who could see that all this smiling outside
foot-falls in the chamber,as one after another stole
was but a hollow shellover a heart that was
in,to look at the dead ; and then came the littlea dark and silent sepulchre?
coffin ; and then there
" was a funeral,and carriages Mr. St. Clare is a singular man," said Marie
-
"
.
"
drove to the door,and strangers
came and were to Miss Ophelia, in a complainingtone. "
I
used to think, if there was anything the world
he did love,it was our dear little Eva ; but he
seems to
crape,
be forgetting her very easily Ị cannot
and prayers offered ; and St. Clare lived,and ever get him to talk about, her. I reallydid
walked, and moved, as one who has shed every
think he would show more feeling tear ; the last he saw only one thing țhat "Still waters run deepest, they used to tell
golden head in the coffin ; but then ha saw the me," said Miss Ophelia,oracularly.
cloth spreadover it țhe lid of the coffin cl : "0,1 don't believe in such things ; it 's all
and he walked,when he was put besidethe others, talk. If people have feeling, theywill show it.
down to a littleplace at the bottom of the garden,
help it ; but,then, it 'sa greatmisfortune
and there,by the mossy seat where she and Tom
to have feelingỊ 'd rather have been
had talked,and sung, and read so often, was the made like St. Clare. My feelings prey,upon
me
little grave. St. Clare stood beside looked so !"
it,"
vacantly down ; be saw them lower the littlecoffin
"Sure,Missis,Mas'r St. Clare is gettin' ; he heard,dimly țhe solemn words, " I am as a shader. They say
he don't never eat
"
the resurrectionand the Life ; he that believeth nothin',"said Mammy. I know he don't forget
in me, thoughhe were dead,yet shall he live ;" Miss Eva ; I know there could n't nobody,"
and, as the earth was cast in and filled up the little dear,little, blessed cretur!" she added,wiping
grave,
he could not realize that itwas his Eva that her eyes.
they were hiding from his "
sight.
Well,at all events, he has no consideration
Nor was it! not Eva,but onlythe frail seed for me," said Marie; "he hasn't spoken oneword
of that bright, immortal form with which she shall
of sympathy, and he must know how much
yet come forth, in the day of the Lord Jesus ! more a mother feels than man
any can."
And then all were
gone, and
"
the mourners went The heart knoweth itsown bitterness,"
oack to the place which should know her no more ; Miss Ophelia,gravely.
said
and Marie's room was darkened,and she
"
layon That 'sjust what I think. I know just what
the bed,sobbingand moaningin uncontrollable I fe^
seems to. Eva used to,but
grief, calling every moment for the attentions she 's gone !" and Marie lay back on her lounge,
of all her servants. Of course, theyhad no time and began to sob disconsolately.
to cry, they1 the grief grief, Marie was one of those unfortunately constituted
and she was fullyconvinced that nobodyon earth mortals,in whose eyes whatever is lost and
did,could,or would feelit as she did.
gone assumes a value which it never had in j,Q9
8
seated ; and there were white scarfs and ribbons,
and crape bands, and mourners dressed in black
and there were words read from the Bible,
"
St. Clare did not shed a tear,"she said ;
"
be
did n't sympathizewith her ; it was perfectly
as Marie began to have hysterical
when he saw him sitting, so pale and quiet, in
Eva's room, holdingbefore his eyes her little open
Bible,though seeingno letter or word of what
was in it,there was more sorrow to Tom in that
still, fixedțearless eye,
than in allMarie's moans
and lamentations.

I
'
-
114 UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR,
session. Whatever she had, she seemed to survey
onlyto pick flaws in it ; but once
there was no end to her valuation of it.
fairly away,
While this conversation was takingplace in
the par'or, another was goingon in St. Clare's
library.
Tom, who was alwaysuneasilyfollowing his
master about, had seen him go to his library,
some hours before ; and, after vainlywaiting for
him to come out, determined,at last,to make an
iiiin^ ai a little distance. Tom walked up,
and stood by the sofa. He hesitated ; and,while
he was hesitatingȘt. Clare suddenly raised
himself up. The honest face șo fullof grief, with such an imploringexpression and sympathy,struck his master. He laid his
hand on Tom's, and bowed down his forehead on
it.
"
0, Tom, my boy, the whole world is as empty
"
If Mas'r pleases,"said Tom, " Miss Eva
used to read this so beautifully. I wish Mas'r 'd
be so good as read it. Don't get no readin',
as an egg-shell !"
hardly, Miss Eva 's gone."
" I know it,Mas'r, know it,"said Tom ; The chapterwas the eleventh of John," the
St.
"
but, 0, if Mas'r could onlylookup," up where touching account of the raising -of Lazarus.
our dear Miss Eva is,"
up to the dear Lord Clare read it aloud,often pausingto wrestle down
Jesus !"
feelings by the pathosof the
"
Ah, Tom ! I do look up ; but the trouble is, story. Tom knelt before him, with claspedhands,
I don't see anything, when I do. I wish I could." and with an absorbed expression of love țrust,
Tom sighedheavily.
adoration,on his quietface.
"Tom," said his master, "this is all real to
"
It seems to be given to children,and
honest fellows,like you, to see what we
poor,
can't," you!"
I said St. Clare.
"
How comes it?"
"
I wish I had your eyes, Tom."
"
TV /u hast ' hid from the wise and prudent,
and revealed unto babes,' " murmured Tom ;
" ' even so, Father,for so it seemed good in thy
sight.'
"
"
Tom, I don't believe,
"
can't believe,
I 've got the habit of doubting," said St. Clare.
-" I want to believe this Bible," and I can't."
" Dear Mas'r, pray to the goodLord," '
Lord,
'Ibelieve,help thou my unbelief.' "
"
Who knows anythingabout anything ?' ' said
St. Clare, Lis eyes wanderingdreamily,and
speaking to himself. "
Was all that beautiful
"
love and faith onlyone of the ever-shifting phases
"ofhuman feeling, havingnothing real to rest on, \
passingaway
with the little breath ? And is
there nc more Eva," no heaven," no Christ,
nothing?"
"
0, dear Mas'r, there is! I know it; I'm
sure of it,"said Tom, fallingon his knees. " Do
do, dear Mas'r,believe it !"
"
How do you know there 's any ChristȚom ?
You never saw the Lord."
" Felt Him in ray soul,Mas'r," feel Him now !
""O,Mas'r, when I was sold away from
my
old
woman and the children,I was jesta'most broke
up. I feltas if there war n't nothin' left ; and
then the good Lord, he stood by me, and he says,
' Fear not, Tom ;'and he bringslight and joyinto
a
poor feller's makes all soul," peace ; and I 's
80 happy, and loves everybody, and
feels willin'
jes to be the Lord's,and have the Lord's will
done, and be put jestwhere the Lord wants
.to put me. I know it could n't come from me,
it comes
cause I 'e a
poor complainin' cretur
errand in. He entered softly.St. Clare lay on
his lounge, at the further end of the room. He
was lying on his face,with Eva's Bible open before
;
from the Lord ; and I know He 's willin'to do for
Mas'r.''
choking
Tom spoke with fast-running tears and
voice S* Clare leaned his head on his
shoulder,and ^vrung the hard, faithful,black
nand.
"
Tom, you
love me," he said.
"
I 's willin' to laydown A.y life this blessed
day, to see Mas'r a Christian."
"
Poor, foolish boy!" said St. Clare half raising
himself. "I'm not Avorth tne lne of on"
heart, like yours."
good, honest
"0, Mas'r, dere 's more than me loves you,
"
the blessed Lord Jesus loves you.".
"How do you know that,Tom?" said St.
Clare.
"
Feels it in my
soul. 0, Mas'r ! ' the love of
Christțhat passethknowledge.' "
"Singular!"said St. Clare,turning away,
"
that the storyof a man tjhatlived and died
eighteen years ago can affect people so
yet. But he was no man," he added, suddenly.
"
No man ever had such long and livingpower !
0, that I could believe what my mother taught
me, and pray
as I did when I was a boy !"
" I wish,to the dear Lord, Mas'r had !"
"
But, Tom, you know that I have a great deal
more knowledge than you ; what if I should tell
you that I don't believe this Bible?"
"
0, Mas'r !" said Tom, holdingup his hands
with a deprecating gesture.
"
Wouldn't it shake your faith some, Tom?"
"
Not a grain," said Tom.
"
Why, Tom, you
must know I know the
most."
"
0, Mas'r,have n't you jestread How he hides
from the wise and prudent, and reveals unto
babes? But Mas'r wasn't in earnest, for sartin,
how?" said Tom, anxiously.
"
No, Tom, I was not. I don't disbelieve, and
I think there is reason to believe ; and stillI
don't. It 's a troublesome, bad habit I 've got,
Tom."
"
If Mas'r would only pray !"
" How do you
know I don't
,
Tom ?"
"
Does Mas'r?"
"I would, Tom, if there was anybodythere
when I pray ; but it 's all speakingunto nothing,
when I do. But come, Tom, you pray, now, and
show me how."
Tom's heart was full ; he poured
it out in
prayer, like waters that have been long suppressed.
One thingwas plain enough; Tom
thought there was somebody to hear, whether
there were or not. In fact Șt. Clare felt himself
borne, on the tide of his faith and feeling,
almost to the gatesof that heaven he seemed so
vividly to conceive. It seemed to bring him
nearer
to Eva.
"Thank you, my boy,"said St. Clare,when
Tom rose. "I like to hear you, Tom; but go,
now, and leave me alone ; some other time,1 '11
talk more."
Tom
silently leftthe room.

"
he
so,
how
.
CHAPTER
XXVIIL
Week, after week glidedaway
in the St. Clare
mansion,and the waves of life settled back to
their usual flow,where that littlebark had gone
down. Fur how imperiously, how coolly, in dis-
of all one's feeling,
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY, 115
had commenced the legalformalitiesfor his enregard
"I'm goingto make a freeman
of you;
"
readyto set out for Kentuck."
wake
that shone in Tom's
does the hard,cold,
uninteresting course of dailyrealitiesmove on !
Still must we eat,and .drink,and sleep, and
"
again, stillbargain,buy,
"
questions,
sell,ask. and answer
pursue, in short,a thousand shadows,
though all interest in them be over; the
cold,mechanical habit of livingremaining, all vital interest in it liasfled.
All the interests and hopesof St. Clare's life
had
unconsciously wound themselves around this
child. It was for Eva that he had managed his
property; it was for Eva that he had planned the
disposalof his time ; and,to do this and that for
Eva," to buy,improve,alter,and arrange,
or
disposesomething for her," had been so long
his habit,that,now she was gone, there seemed
nothing to be thoughtof,and
"
a True,there was another life,
nothingto be done.
lifewhich,
once believed in,stands as a solemn,significant
figure before the otherwise unmeaningciphers of
time, changing them to orders of mysterious,
untold value. St. Clare knew this well ; and
often,in many a weary hour, he heard that slender,
childishvoice,calling him to the skies,and
saw that littlehand pointing to him the way of
life ; but a heavylethargy of sorrow layon him,
could not arise. He had one of those
natures which could better and more clearly conceive
of religious thingsfrom itsown perceptions
and instincts, than many
a matter-of-fact and
practical Christian. The gift to appreciateand
the sense to feelthe finer shades and relationsof
moral thingsoften seems an attribute of those
whose whole life shows a careless disregard of
them, i Hence Moore, Byron,'Goethe,
words more wiselydescriptive of the true
sentimentțhan another man, whose whole lifeis
governedby it. In such minds, disregard of
religionis a more fearful a more
treason,"
deadlysin.
St. Clare had never pretended to govern himself
by any religious obligation
turned from the window, and laid his hand on
"
; and a certain Tom's shoulder. Ah, Tom, you soft,sillyboy!
finenessof nature gave him such an instinctive I won't keepyou tillthat day. Go home to your
view of the extent of the requirementsof Christianity,
wife and children, and givemy love to all."
"
that he shrank,by anticipation, from what I 's faith to believe that day will come,"said
he felt would be the enactions of-his own conscience,
Tom, earnestly, and with tears in his eyes;' " the
if he once did resolve to assume them. Lord has a work for Mas'r."
was to commence the legalsteps necessary to critturs," said Tom.
Tom's emancipation, which was to be
"
perfected Good theology, Tom ; better than Dr. B.
as soon as he could get through the necessary preaches, I dare swear," said St. Clare.
formalities Ṁeantime, he attached himself to The conversation was here interrupted by the
Tom more and more, every day. In all the wide announcement of some visitors.
world,there was nothing that seemed to remind Marie St. Clare felt the loss of Eva as deeply
him so much of Eva ; and he would insist on
keeping him constantly about him, and,fastidious
and unapproachableas he was with regardto his
deeperfeelings, he almost thoughtaloud to Tom.
Nor would any one have wondered at it,who had
seen the expression of affectionand devotion with
which Tom continually followed his young master.
"
Well,Tom," said St. Clare țhe dayafterho
have your trunk packed,and get
The sudden light of joy
face as he raised his hands to heaven,his emphatic
"
Bless the Lord !" rather discomposedSt.
Clare. He did not like it that Tom should be so
readyto leave him.
"You haven't had such very bad times here,
that you need be in such a raptureȚom," he
said,dryly.
"No, no, Mas'r' 'tan't that," it's oein" a
freeman ! That 's what I 'm joyin'for."
"
Why, Tom, don't you think,for your own
've been better off than to be free?''
St. Clare,"said Tom, with
part,you
"No, indeed,Mas'r
a flash of "
energy. No, indeed !"
"
Why, Tom, you could n't possibly lave
earned,
by your work, such clothes and such living as
have givenyou."
"Knows all that, Mas'r St. Clare; Mas'r 's
"
been too gook, but,Mas'r,I 'd rather have poor
clothes,poor house, poor everything, have
'em mine, than have the best,and have 'em any
man's else, I had 50, Mas'r ; I think it 'snatur,
Mas'r."
franchisement,
" I suppose so, Tom, and you '11 be going off
and leaving me, in a month or so," he added,rather
"
discontentedly. Thoughwhy you should n't,
no mortal knows," he said,in a
gayer tone ; and,
gettingup. he beganto walk the floor.
"
Not while Mas'r is in trouble,"said Tom.
" I '11 stay with Mas'r as long as he wants me,
"
.
so as I can be any use."
"Not while I'm in troubleȚom ?" said St.
often speak Clare,lookingsadlyout of the window.
"
religiousAnd when will my. trouble be over?"
"
When Mas'r St. Clare 's a Christian,"said
Tom.
"
And you really mean to stayby tillthat day
comes?" said St. Clare,half smiling,as he
"
" For,so inconsistent is human nature, especially
"
A work, hey?" said St. Clare ; " well,
in-the idealțhat not to undertake a thingat all Tom, give me your views on what sort c" a
now,
work
seems better than to undertake and come short. it is ; let 's hear."
Still, St.
"
Clare was, in many respects, another Why, even a poor fellow like me has a work
man, He read his littleEva's Bible seriously from the Lord ; and Mas'r St. Clare,that has
and honestly ; he thought more soberly practically
larnin,and riches,and friends. much he
of his relationsto his servants," enough to
'
mightdo for the Lord !'
make him extremelydissatisfiedwith both his
"
Tom, you
seem to think the Lord needs a
past and present course ; and one thing he did, greatdeal done
soon after his return to New Orleans,and that
"
We does for the Lord when we does for his
him," said St. Clare,smiling.
as she could feel anything; and, as she was a
woman that had a groatfaculty of making everybody
unhappywhen she was. her immediate at
I

cause,
cause
don't
11C UNCLE TO: I S CABIN : OR,
Top-
tendauts had stillstronge reason to regret the
littleold "
stocking, black
loss of their young mistress,whose winningways | crape, " "
text-book, fair soft "
curl, and
and gentle intercessions had so often been a shield sy's utter distress.
to them from the tyrannical and selfish exactions i St. Clare smiled ; but there were tears m his
of her mother. Poor old Mammy, in particular, jeyes, as he said,
Avhose heart,severed from all natural domestic
ties, had consoled itself with this one beautiful
being, was almost heart-broken. She cried day
and night, and was, from excess of sorrow, less
skilfuland alert in her ministrations on her mistress
than usual,which drew down a constant
storm of invectives on her defenceless head.
Miss Opheliafeltthe loss ; but,in her good and
honest heart, it bore fruit unto everlastinglife.
She was more softened, more gentle; and,though
equallyassiduous in every duty, it was with a
chastened and quietair,as one "who communed
with her own heart not in vain. She was" more
diligent in teachingTopsy," taught her mainly
from the did not Bible,"
any longershrink from
"
Why, I gave her to you,"said Augustine.
her touch,or manifest an ill-repressed disgust, "But not
"
legally; I want her to be mine
because she felt none. She viewed her now through legally," said Miss Ophelia.
the softened medium that Eva's hand had first
"
Whew ! cousin,"said Augustine. " What
held before her eyes, and saw in her onlyan immortal
will the Abolition Society think ? They '11have
into her bosom.
creature,whom God had sent to be led by
limb ? You 've
"
"None o' your sa'ce!" said Rosa. "I saw
you hidingsomething, I know yer
tricks!" and
Rosa seized her arm. and tried to force her hand
and
into her bosom, while Topsy,enraged, kicked
foughtvaliantlyfor what she considered her
rights. The clamor and confusion of the battle
drew Miss Opheli and St. Clare both to the spot.
"
She 'sbeen stealing!" said .Rosa.
"
I han't neither !" vociferatedTopsy,sobbing by Miss Ophelia's downrightness.
with passion.
"
Why, what 's the matter?" said he. " Can't
"Give me that,whatever it is!" said Miss you take my word ? One Avould think you had
Ophelia,firmly..
taken lessons of the Jews, comingat a fellow
Topsy hesitated ; but,on a second order,pulled so !"
out of her bosom a littleparcel done up in the " I want to make sure of it,"said Miss Ophelia.
Topsy foot of one of her own old stockings.
"
You may die,or fail,and then be
Miss Opheliaturned it out. There was a small hustled offto auction,spiteof all I can
book, which had been given to Topsy by Eva,
said St. Clare,holdingup the crape.
"
" "
Cause, 'twas Miss Eva. 0,
lon't take 'em away, please!"she said; and,
"tting flat down on the floor,and putting her
ron over her head, she began to sob vehemently.
Tt was a curious mixture of the patheticand
| the "
ludicrous, the
"
Come, come,
"
cry ; you shall have
them !" and putting them together,he threw
them into her lap, and drew Miss Ophelia with
him into the parlor.
"
I reallythink you
can make something of that
concern,"he said,pointing with his thumb backward
"
over his shoulder. Any mind that is
capableof a real sorrow is capable of good. You
must try and do 'something with her."
"The child has improvedgreatly," said Miss
Ophelia. " I have greathopesof "her ; but,Augustine,"
she said,laying her hand on his arm,
"
one thing I want to ask ; whose is this child to
be ?
"
yours
or mine ?'
'
a day of fastingappointedfor this backsliding,
her to gloryand virtue. Topsy did not become at if you become a slaveholder! "
once a saint ; but the life and death of Eva did "0, nonsense ! I want her mine,that I may
work a marked changein her. The callous indifference
have a righ to take her to the free states,and
was
gone ; there was now sensibility, give her her liberty, that all I am trying to do be
hope,desire,and the striving for a strife not undone."
good,"
h-regular, interrupted, suspendedoft,but yet "0, cousin,what an awful 'doingevil that
renewed again.
goodmay come' f I can't
One day,when Topsy had been sent for encourage it."
by Miss
" I don't want you to joke,but to reason,"said
Ophelia șhe came, hastilythrustingsomethingMiss Ophelia. " There is no use in my trying t.
make this child a Christian child,unless I sav"
' ' What are you doing there , you her from all the chances and reverses of slavery ,
been stealing something, I '11be bound!" said the and,if you really willingI should have her.
imperiouslittleRosa, who had been sent to call I want you to give me a deed of gift, her,seizing her,at the same time,roughlyby the legalpaper."
arm.
"Well, well,"said St. Clare,"I will;" and
" You go 'long, !" said Topsy,pulling
he sat down, and unfolded a newspaper to read.
Ophelia.
from
"
her ; 'tan't none o' your business !"
"
But I want it done now," said Miss
" What 's your hurry ?"
"
Because now is the onlytime there ever is to
do a thingin," said Miss Ophelia. " Come,
now, here are paper, pen, and ink ; justwrite a
"
paper."
St. Clare,like most men of his class of mind,
cordially hated the present tense of action, gen-
; and, therefore,he was considerably annoyed
erally
"
Really,you
are quiteprovidentẈell, seeing
containinga single verse of Scripture arranged I 'm in the hands of a Yankee, there is nothing
for every day in the year, and in a paper the curl for it but to concede ;" and St. Clare rapidly
of hair that she had givenher on that memorable wrote off a deed of gift,which, as he was well
daywhen she had taken her last farewell.
versed in the forrns of law, he could easilydo,
St. Clare was a good deal affected at the sight and signedhis name to it in sprawlingcapitals,
of it ; the little book had been rolled in a long concludingby a tremendous flourish.
strip of black, crape, torn from the funeral weeds.
"
There, is n't that black and white,now, Miss
" What did you wrap this round the book for?" Vermont?" he said,as he handed it to her.
" Good boy," said Miss Ophelia șmiling.
"
But must it not be witnessed ?"
"
0, bother !
"
yes. ,
Here,"he said,opening
the door into Marie's apartment, " Marie,cousin
wants your autograph; justput your
here."
name down

"
come
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 117
" WTiii* 's this?" the King say said Marie,as she ran over
the paper.
"
Ridiculous ! I thoughtcousin was left hand,Depart from me, ye cursed,into everlasting
(oo pious for such horrid things," she added, as
fire : for I was an hungered, and ye gave
she carelessly wrote her name ; "hut, if she has a me no meat : I was thirsty, and me no
ye gave
fancy for that article, I am sure she 's welcome.'-' drink : I was a stranger, and ye took me not in :
"
Thei e, now, she 's yours, body and soul,"said naked,and ye clothed me not : I was sick,and in
St. Clare,handing the paper.
prison, ye visited me not. Then shall they
"
No more mine now than she was before," answer unto him,Lord,when saw we thee an hungered,
said Miss Ophelia. " Nobody but God has a right
or athirst,or a stranger, or naked, or sick,
to give her to me ; but I can protecther now." or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
"
Well, she 's yours by a fictionof law,then," Then shall he say unto them
,
Inasmuch as
ye did
saiilSt. Clare,as he turned back into the parlor, it not to one of the leastof these my brethren, ye
and sat down to his paper.
did it not to me."
Miss Ophelia, who seldom sat much in Marie's St. Clare seemed struck with this last passage,
company, followed him into the parlor, havingfor he read it the second time twice," slowly,
firstcarefully laid away the and
paper.
as if he were revolving the words in his mind.
Tom," said, folks such
"
Augustine," she said, suddenly, as she sat
" he " these that get
knitting,
you ever made any provision for hard measure seem to have been doingjustwhat I
your
in of death ?"
lives ; and
servants, case your have," livinggood,easy, respectable
not troubling to inquire how many of
"
said St. Clare,as he read on.
No,"
"
Then all your indulgence to them may prove
their brethren were hungry, or athirst, sick,or
a greatcruelty,by and by "
in prison."
St. Clare had often thought the same thing Tom did not answer.
himself ; but he answered,negligently,
St. Clare rose
up and walked thoughtfully up
"
Well,I mean to make a provision, by and by."
and down the veranda,seeming to forgeteverything
"When?" said Miss Ophelia.
in his own thoughts; so absorbed was he,
"
0, one of these days."
that'Tom had to remind him twice that the teabell
had rung, before he could gethis attention.
"
What if you should die first?"
"
Cousin,what 's the matter ?" said St. Clare, St. Clare was absent and thoughtful, all teatime.
After tea,he and Marie and Miss Ophelia
laying down his paper and looking at her. "
Do
you think I show symptoms of yellowfever or took possession parlor,almost in silence.
making post mortem arrangements
Marie on a lounge, under a
zeal?"
was soon sound
cholera,that you
are
with such
disposedherself
silken mosquitocurtain, and
" ' In the midst of lifewe are in death,' " said asleep. Miss Opheliasilently busied herself
Miss Ophelia.
with her knittingṢt. Clare sat down to the
St. Clare rose
up, and laying the paper down piano, and began playing a soft and melancholy
carelessly, walked to the door that stood open
on movement with the iEolian accompaniment Ḥe
the veranda țo put an end to a conversation that seemed in a deeprevery, and to be soliloquizing
was not agreeable to him. Mechanically, to himself by music. After a little, he opened
"
rer eated the last word again, Death ! " and one of the drawers,took out an old music-book
as he leaned agains the railings, and watched whose leaves were yello w'ith age,
and began
the sparkling water as it rose and fell in the turning it over.
fountain ; and, as in a dim and dizzyhaze, saw
"
he There," said to Miss Ophelia, " this was
flowers and trees and vases of the courts, he one of my mother's books," and here is her
repeatedagain the mysticword so common in handwriting, ana look at it. She copied
every mouth, yet of such fearful power,
and arranged this from Mozart's Requiem." Miss
" "
Death !" Strangethat there should be such Ophelia came according^.
something singoften,"
a word," he said, " and such- a thing, and we
"
It was she used to
ever forget it ; that one should be living, "
said St. Clare. I think I can hear her now."
and beautiful, full of hopes, desires and wants, He struck a few majestichords, and began
one day,and the next be gone, utterly gone, and singing that grand old Latin piece țhe " Dies
forever!"
Irae."
It was a warm, goldenevening; and, as he Tom, who was listening in the outer veranda,
walked to the other end of the veranda,he saw was drawn by the sound to the very door,where
Tom busily intent on his Bible,pointing, he stood earnestlyḤe did not understand the
did so, with his finger, to each successiveword, and words,of course ; but the music and manner of
whispering them to himself with an earnest air. singingappeared to affecthim strongly, especially
"
\Vant me to read to you, Tom?" said St. when St. Clare sang the more pathetic
Clare,seating himself carelessly by him.
parts. Tom would have sympathized "If Mas'r pleases,"said Tom, gratefully; if he had known the meaningof the beautiful
'*
Mas'r makes it so much plainer."
words :
St. Clare took the book and at the
Jesu pie
of the causa tuas vias
place, and began readingone
glanced
passages
Recordare
Quod sum
which Tom had designated by the heavy marks
Ne me perdas,iliadie
around it. It ran^as follows Quterens :
me sedistilassus
Redemisti erueeui
"
When the Son of man shall come in his
passus
glory,
Tantus labor noa sitcassus.*
and all his holyangelswith him, then shall he
sit upon the throne of "These lines have been thus rather
his glory : and before him
inadequate^
shall be gathered all nations ; and he shall translated :
separate
Think, 0 Jesus, for what
them one from another,as a shepherd
Thou,
divideth his sheep from the ei dured'st earth's spiteand treason.
goats." St. Clare
read on in an animated voicețillhe came to the
unto them on his
Nor me se, in that dread season ;
Seekingme, thy worn feet hasted,
On the cross thy soul death tasted,
Let not all these toilsbe wasted

a
cursingthe church and clergy for not being mar-
118 UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR,
St. Clare threw a deep and patheticexpression
into tho words ;
tyrs
and confessors. One can see, you know
for the shadowy veil of years very easily, how others ought to be martyrs."
"
seemed drawn and he seemed to hear
away,
his Well,are you going to do differently now?"
mother's voice leadinghis. Voice and instrument
said Miss Ophelia.
"
seemed both living, and threw out with God only knows the future,"said St. Clare.
vivid sympathythose strains which the ethereal "I am braver than I was, because I have lost
Mozart first conceived as his own dying requiem.
all ; and he who has nothingto lose can afford
"
When St. Clare had done
singing,
he sat leaning
his head upon
his hand a few moments, and
then began walkingup and down the floor.
" What a sublime conceptionis that of a last
judgment!" said he," "a righting of all the
wrongs
of ages ! solving of all moral problems,
"
"
it may appear that I can do somethingfor a whole
by an unanswerable wisdom ! It is,indeed, class ; something to save my country from the
a wonderful image."
disgrace position in which she now
" It is a fearful one to us," said Miss Ophelia. stands before all civilized nations."
Do it "
It ought to be to me, I suppose,"said St.
possible nation ever
'
Clare,stopping, thoughtfully,
I
you suppose
will voluntarily emancipate?" said Miss Ophelia.
was reading
to Tom, this afternoon,that chapterin Matthew
" I don't know," said St. Clare. "This is a
that gives an account of it,and I have been dayof greatdeeds. Heroism and disinterestedness
quite struck with it. One should have expected are risingup, here and there,in the earth.
some terrible enormities chargedto those who are The Hungarian nobles set free millions of serfs,
excluded from heaven,as the reason ; but no, an immense pecuniaryloss; and, perhaps,
they are condemned for not doingpositivegood, among us
may be found generous spirits, who do
as if that included every possible not estimate honor and justiceby dollars and
"
Perhaps," said Miss Ophelia, " it is impossible
cents."
for a person who does no good not to do
'
I hardly think so," said Miss Ophelia.
harm."
' But, we should rise to-morrow
"And what," said
suppose
St. Clare, speakingabstractedly,
and emancipate, who would
up
educate these millions,
"
but with deepfeeling, what and teach them how to use their freedom?
shall be
said of one whose own heart,whose education, They never would rise to do much among us.
and the wants of society, have called in vain to The fact is,we are too lazy and unpractical, ourselves,
some noble purpose ; who has floated on, a
ever to givethem much of an idea of that
dreamy, neutral spectator of the struggles, agonies,
industry and energy which is necessary to form
and wrongs of man, when he should have them into men. They will have to go north,where
been a worker ? ' '
labor is the fashion, the universal custom ; and
"
I should say," said Miss Ophelia, "that he tell me, now, is there enough Christian philanthropy,
oughtto repent, and begin now."
among your northern states țo bear with
"Always practical point!" said processof their education and elevation? You
St. Clare,his face breakingout into a smile. send thousands of dollars to foreign missions ;
" You never leave me any time for generalreflections,
but could you endure to have the heathen sent
cousin ; you always bring me short up
into your
towns and villages, and give your time,
agains the actual present; you have a kind of and thoughts, money, to raise them to the
eternal ?iow always in your mind."
Christian standard ? That 's what I want to
" Now is all the time I have anythingto do know. If we emancipate, you willing to educate?
How many families,in your town, would
with," said Miss Ophelia.
"Dear little Eva," poor
Clare, " she had set her littlesimple
child!" said St.
soul en a
good work for me."
It was the firsttime since Eva's death that he
had ever said as many words as these of her,and
he spok; now
very strong feeling.
evidently repressing
is,I mean that I could not be a Christian otherwise,
had intercourse
"
though I have "
certainly
Well,cousin,I know it is so," said Miss
with a greatmany enlightened and Christian "
people
Ophelia, I know it was so with me, till I
who did no such thing; and 1 confess that the saw that it was my duty to overcome it ; but I
apathy of religiouspeople on this subject, want of perception of wrongs that filledme with many good people at the north,who in this matter
trust I have overcome it ; and I know there are
horror,have engenderedin me more scepticism need only to be taught what their dutyis,to
than any other thing."
do it. It would certainlybe a greater self-denial
"
If you knew all this,"said Miss Ophelia, to receive heathen among us, than to send mis-
"
why did n't jroudo it1"
to them ; but I think we would do it."
"
"0, because I have had onlythat kind of benevolence
"You would, I know," said St. Clare. I'd
which consists in lyingon a sofa,and
all risks."
"
And what are
you goingto do?"
"
My duty, I hope,to the poor and lowly,as
fast as I find it out," said St. Clare, " beginning
with my own servants,for whom I have yet
done nothing; and, perhaps, at some future day,
take in a
negro man and woman, teach them, bear
with them, and seek to make them Christians?
How many merchants would take Adolph, if I
wanted to make him a clerk ; or mechanics, if I
wanted him taught a trade 1 If I wanted to put
Jane and Rosa to a school,how many schools
are there in the northern states that would take
almost
of the north is an oppressor
equallysevere."
like to see anythingyou wouldn't do, if you
thought it your duty!"
sionaries

" shutter.
" her
" words
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 119
from those large,melancholyblue eyes. It was
e-es had a deep, divine radiance,a golden literally prayer offeredwith strongcrying and tears.
haiO seemed around her and she vanished When Tom ceased to head," speakȘt. Clare reached
from his sight; and Tom was awakened by a loud out and took his hand, lookingearnestly at him,
knocking, and a sound of many voices at the gate. but sayingnothing. He closed his eyes, but still
He hastened to undo it ; and, with smothered retained his hold ; for,in the gates of eternity, the
voicesand heavytread,came several men, bring-
black hand and the white hold each other with an
a body,wrapped in a cloak,and lying on a equalclasp. He murmured softly to himself,at
The lightof the lamp fell full on the broken intervals,
"Well, I'm not uncommonlygood,'' said shrieks and screams ; servants rrantieally tearing
Miss Ophelia. " Others would" if they saw their hair,throwingthemselves on the ground, or
thingsas I do. I intend to takeTopsy home, runningdistractedly about,lamenting.Tom and
when I go. I suppose our-folkswill wonder, at Miss Opheliaalone seemed to have any presence
first;but I think they will he broughtto see as of mind ; for Marie was in stronghysteric convulsions.
I do. Besides,I know there are many people at
At Miss Ophelia'sdirection,one of the
the north who do exactly what you said." loungesin the parlorwas hastilyprepared, and
"
Yes, but they are a minority; and, if we the bleeding form laid upon it. St. Clase had
should begin to emancipateto any extent, we fainted,throughpain and loss of blood ; but. as
should soon hear from you."
Miss Opheliaappliedrestoratives,
revived,
Miss Ophelia did not reply. There was a opened his eyes, looked fixedly on them, looked
pause of some moments ; and St. Chive's countenance
earnestly around the room, his eyes travelling wistfully
Mf overcast by a sad,dreamy expression. over every o'ject, and finally theyrested on
"
1 don t know what makes me think of my his mother's picture.
"
mother so much to-night," he said. I have a The physician now arrived, and made his examination.
strange kind of feeling,as if she were near
It was evident,from the expression of
me. I keep thinking of thingsshe used to say. his face,that there was no hope; but he applied
Strange, what brings these past thingsso vividly
himself to dressing the wound, and he and Miss
back to us, sometimes !"
Opheli and Tom proceededcomposedly with this
St Clare walked up and down the room for work, amid the lamentations and sobs and cries
some minutes more, and then said,
of the affrighted servants,who had clustered about
"
I believeI '11 go
down street,a few moments, the doors and windows of the veranda.
and hear the news, to-night."
He took his hat,and passed out.
him ; and then his thoughtspassedon to the
beautiful Eva, whom he now thoughtof among
the angels; and he though
that that bright face and goldenhair were look-
tillhe almost fancied
ing
upon him, out of the spray of the fountain.
And, so
and dreamed he
musing, he fell asleep,
saw her comingbounding towards him,just as
she used to come, with a wreath of jessamine her hair,her cheeks bright, her eyes radiant with
delight ; but,as he looked,she seemed to rise
from the ground; her cheeks wore a palerhue,
face ; and Tom gave a wild cry of amazement and
despair, that rung
the
through all the galleries, as
men advanced, with their burden, to the open
parlor door,where Miss Ophelia stillsat Ne me illedie
perdas"
knitting.
"
Quserens rue sedistilassus."
St. Clare had turned into a cafe,to look over an
evening paper.
As he was reading, an affray It was evident that the words he had been
"
ing
arose between two gentlemenin the room, who ing that eveningwere passingthroughhis mind,
were hi th partially intoxicated. St. Clare and
of entreatyaddressed to Infinite Pity
one or two others made an effortto separatethem, His lips moved at intervals, as parts of the hymn
and St. Clare receiveda fatal stab in the side with fellbrokenlyfrom them.
a bowie-knife, which
"
he was attempting to wrest His mind iswandering." said the doctor.
from one of them.
"No! it is cominghome, at last!" said St
The housi waa full of criesand "
lamentations, Clare,energetically; at last! at last!"
"Now," said the physician, "we must turn
all these creatures out ; all depends on his being
Tom followed him to the passage,
out of the keptquiet."
court, and asked if he should attend him.
St. Clare openedhis eyes, and looked fixedly on
"
No, my boy," said St. Clare. " I shall be the distressedbeings, whom Miss Opheliand the
back in an hour."
doctor were trying to urge from the apartment.
"
Tom sat down in the veranda. It was a beautiful
Poor creatures !" he said,and an expression of
moonlightevening, and he sat watching the bitter self-reproach passed over his face. Adolph
rising and falling spray of the fountain,and listening
absolutely refused to go.
Terror had deprivedhim
to its murmur. Tom thought of his home, of all presence of mind ; he threw himself along
and that he -should soon be a free man, and able on the floor,and ilothing could persuadehim to
to return to it at will. lie thoughthow he should rise. The rest yielded to Miss Ophelia'surgent
work to buy his wife and hoys. He felt the muscles
representations, that theirmaster's safety depended
of his brawny arms with a sort of joy, as he on their stillnessand obedience.
thoughttheywould soon belong to himself, and St. Clare could say
but little ; he laywith his
bow much theycould do to work out the freedom eyes shut, but it was evident that he wrestled
of his family. Then he thoughtof his noble with bitterthoughts Ạfter a while, he laid his
young master, and, ever second to that,came the hand on Tom's, who was kneeling beside him,and
habitual prayer that he had alwaysofferedfor said, " Tom ! poor fellow !"
"
What, Mas'r?" said Tom, earnestly.
"I am dying!" said St. Clare,pressing his
hand ;
"
pray !"
"If you would like a clergyman"
"
said the
physician.
St. Clare hastilyshook his head, and said again
"
to Tom, more
"
earnestly, Prav !"
And Tom did pray, with ill his mind and
strength, for the soul that was passing. the soul
that seemed lookingso steadily and mournfully
" Recordare Jesu pio"
* * # *

"
there
men
the
120
earlydreams, which once made that cold heart
beat so warmly !
Tom's whole soul was filledwith thoughts of
eternity ; and while he ministered around the
lifeless' clay, he did not once think that the sud-
UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR,
The effort of speakingexhausted hira. The
den
stroke had left him in hopeh^sslavery Ḥ6
sinkingpaleness of death fell on him ; 4butwith felt at peace about his master ; for in that hour,
it there fell,as if shed from the wingsof some when he had poured forth his prayer into the
pityingspirit, a beautifulexpression of peace, like bosom of -his Father,he had found an answer of
that of a wearied child who sleeps.
quietnessand assurance springing up within himself.
So he lay for a few moments. They saw that
In the depths of his own affectionate
the mightyhand was on him. Just before the nature, he felt able to perceive somethingof the
spiritparted, he opened his eyes, with a sudden fulness of Divine love; for an old oracle hath
light, us of joy and "
"
recognition, and said "Mother.'" thus written, He that dwelleth in love dwelleth
in God, and God in him." Tom hoped and then he was
gone ! and
CHAPTER
THE
UNPROTECTED.
XXIX.
We hear often of the distress of the negro servants,
on the lossof a kind master ; and with good |
reason, for no creature on God's earth is left more
utterlyunprotected and desolate than the slave in j
these circumstances.
The child who has lost a father has stillthe
tyrannical
and kind one. Therefore isit that the wail over
a kind master is loud and long, as well it may be.
When St. Clare breathed his last,terror and
consternation took hold of all his household. He
had been stricken down so in a moment, in the
flower and strength of his youth! Every room Italian hand,to the master of a whipping-establishment,
and gallery of the house resounded with sobs and
to givethe bearer fifteenlashes.
shrieksof despair.
"What have you been doing?" said Misa
Marie,whose nervous systemhad been enervated Ophelia.
by a constant course of self-indulgence, had nothing "You know, Miss Feely,I've got such a bad
to support the terror of the shocksand, at the temper; it 's very bad of me. I was tryingon
time her husband breathed his last,was passingMiss Marie's dress, and she slappedmy face ;
from one fainting fitto another ; and he to whom and I spoke out before I thought, and was saucy ;
she had been joined in the mysterious tie of marriage
and she said that she 'd bringme down, and have
passed from her forever,without the possibilityme
know, once for all,that I wasn't going to be
of even a parting word.
so topping as I had been ; and she wrote this,
Miss Ophelia, with characteristic strength and and says I shall carry
it. I 'd rather she 'd kill
self-control, had remained with her kinsman to me, rightout."
the all last," eye, all ear, all attention;doing Miss Ophelia stood considering, with the paper
everything of the little that could be done,and in her hand.
joiningwith her whole soul in the tender and "You see, Miss Feely," said Rosa, "I don't
impassionedprayers which the poor slave had mind the whipping so much, if Miss Marie or you
poured forth for the soul of his dyingmaster.
was to do it ; but, to be sent to a man/and such
When they were arranging him for his last a horrid man,
"
shame of it,Miss Feely!"
rest,they found upon his bosom a small,plain Miss Opheliawell knew that it was the universal
miniature case, openingwith a spring. It was
custom to send women and young girlsto
the miniature of a noble and beautiful female whipping-houses, to the hands of the lowest of
face ; and on the reverse, under a crystal, a lock
"
men, vileenough to make this their profession,
laid them back on the lifeless
to be subjected to brutal exposure and
of dark hair. They
dust to dust,"
breast,"
poor mournful
relics of
trusted,and was at peace.
But the funeral passed, with all its pageant of
black crape, and prayers, and solemn faces ; and
back rolled the cool,muddy waves of every-day
life ; and up
came the everlasting hard inquiry of
"
AVhat is to be done next-?"
It rose to the mind of Marie,as, dressed in
"
loose morning-robes, and surrounded by anxious
servants, she sat up in a greateasy-chair, and
inspectedsamplesof crape and bombazine. It
rose to Miss Ophelia,who began to turn her
thoughts towards her northern home. It rose,
protection of friends,and of the law ; he is something,
in silent terrors, to the minds of the sen-ants,
and can do something, has acknowledgedwho well knew the unfeeling, tyrannical rights and position ; the slave has none. The law of the mistress in whose hands theywere left.
regardshim, in every respect,
rightsAll knew, very well țhat the indulgences as a bale of merchandise. The onlypossible had been accorded to them were not from their
knowledgment of any of the longings and wants mistress,but from their master ; and that,now he
of a human and immortal creature, which are was
given to him, gone,
there would be no screen between them
comes to him through the sovereignand
every tyrannous inflictionwhich a
temper
and irresponsible will of his master ; and when soured by affliction mightdevise.
that master is stricken down, nothingremains. It was about a fortnight after the funeral țhat
The number of those men who know how to use Miss Ophelia,busied one day in her apartment,
whollyirresponsible power humanely and generously
heard a gentletap at the door. She openedit,
is small. Everybodyknows this,and the and there stood Rosa,the prett young quadroon,
slave knows it best of all ; so that he feels that whom wTe have before often noticed,her hair in
there are ten chances of his finding an abusive and | disorder,and her eyes swelled with crying.
master, to one of his findinga considerate
"0, Miss Feely," she said,fallingon her
knees, and catchingthe skirt of her dress, " do,
do go to Miss Marie for me ! do plead for me !
She 's goin' to send me out to be whipped,
"
look
there !" And she handed to Miss Opheli a paper.
It was an order,written in Marie's delicate
shameful correction. She had known it before ;
but hitherto she had never realizedit țill she
saw the slender form of Rosa almost convulsed
with distress. All the honest blood of womanhood,
the strong New England blood of liberty,
flushed to her rheeks,and throbbed bitterlj in hei

" I
some
and
away
indignantheart ; but, with habitual prudence
and self-control, she mastered herself, and, crushing
tht paper firmly in her hand, she merelysaid
to Rosa
"
Sit down,child,while I go to your mistress."
her feet.
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 121
"
How do you
findyourself, to-day ?" said Miss
Ophelia.
A deep sigh, and a closing of the eyes, was the
onlyrepiy, for a moment ; and then Mario an-
"0, I don't know, cousin; I suppose
swered,
gone, he had moved about in dailydread and
I 'in as wed as I ever shall be !" and Marie wiped trembling, not knowing what might befall him
her eyes with a cambric handkerchief, brdered
with an inch deep of black.
with a short,
" I came," said Miss Ophelia, brother, it was determined to sell the place, and
dry cough șuch as commonly introduces a difficult all the servants,except her own personal property,
subject, "I came to speak with you about poor
Rosa."
and go back to her father's plantation.
Marie's eyes
were
open wide enoughnow, and
to lo
a flush rose to her sallow cheeks, as she answered,
sharply,
"
Well,what about her?"
"
She is very sorry
for her fault."
"
She is,is she ? She '11be sorrier, before I 've
lone with her ? I 've endured that child's impudence
longenough; and now I '11 bring her down,
"
'11make her lie in the dust !"
" But could not you punishher some other
way, way that would be less shameful?"
"
I mean to shame her ; that 's just what I hope of liberty, the thoughtof distant who and
want. She has all her lifepresumedon her delicacy,
children, up before his patientsoul, ad to
and her goodlooks,and her lady-like airsțill the mariner shipwrecked ahnost in portrises the
she forgets ; I '11 giveher one visionof the church-spire and lovingroofs of his
lesson that will bring her down, I fancy !"' native village, over the top of some black
"
But, cousin,consider that, if you destroyAvave onlyfor one last farewell. He drew his
delicacy and a sense of shame in a young girl, arms tightly his bosom,and choked back the
you deprave her very fast."
bitter tears,and tried to pray.
The poor old soul
"Delicacy!" said Marie, with a scornful had such a singular, unaccountable prejudice laugh, "a fine Avord for such as she! I'll favor of liberty, that it was a hard wrench for
teach her,with all her airsțhat she 's no better him ; and the more he said " Thy will be done,"
than the raggedest black wench that walks' the the worst he felt.
streets ! She "11take no more airswith me !" He sought Miss Ophelia,who, ever since Eva'"
"
You will answer to God for such cruelty death,had treated him with marked and respect
said Miss Ophelia,with energy.
fid kindness.
"
Cruelty, I 'd like to know what the cruelty "Miss Feely,"he said, " Mas'r St. Clare
is ! I wrote orders for onlyfifteenlashes,and promised me my freedom. He told me that he
told him to put them on lightly. I 'm sure there 's had begun to take it out for me ; and now, per
no crueltythere !"
haps, if Miss Feely would be good enough to
"
No cruelty!" said Miss Ophelia. " I 'insure speak about it to Missis șhe would feellike goin'
any girlmight rather be killed outright!"
on with it,as it was Mas'r St. Clare's wish."
"
It might seem so to anybodywith your feeling
"
I'll speak for you, Tom, and do my best,"
; but all these creatures get used to it ; it 's said Miss Ophelia; " but,if it depends on Mrs,
the only way theycan be keptin order. Once let St. Clare,I can't hope much for you ; nevertheless,
them feel that they are to take any airs about I will try."
delicacy,and all that,and they '11 run all over This incident occurred a few days after thai
you, just as my sonants alwayshave. I 've begun
of Rosa,while Miss Ophelia was busied in pre-
now to bringthem under ; and I '11 have
them all to know that I '11 send one out to be
whipped as soon as another,if theydon't mind
themselves!" said Marie, lookingaround her
decidedly.
Jane hung her head and cowered at this, for
she felt as if it was particularly directed to her.
Miss Ophelia sat for a moment, as if she had
swallowed some explosivemixture,and were
readyto burst. Then,recollecting
the utter useof
contention with such a nature, she
shut her lipsresolutely, gather"-' 1 herself up, and
walked out of the room.
It was hard to go back and tell Rosa that she
could do nothing for her ; and, shortlyafUsr,one
of the man-servants came to say that her mistress
had ordered him to take Rosa with him to the '
1 ' Shai aeful ! monstrous ! outrageous ' she
!'
said to hsrself, as she was crossing the parlor. whipping-house, whither she was hurried, in
She found Marie sittingup in her easy-chair, spite of her tears and entreaties.
with Mammy standingby her,combing her hair ; A few days after Țom was standingmusingby
Jane sat on the ground before her,busy in chafingthe
balconies, when he was joinedby Adolph,
who, since the death of his master, had been
entirely crest-fallen and disconsolate. Adolph
knew that he had always been an objectof dislike
to Marie ; but while his master lived he had
paidbut littleattention to it. Now that he was
next. Marie had held several consultationswith
her lawyer;aftercommunicatingwith St. Clare's
and these she intended to take with her,
" Do ye know, Tom, that we 've all got
sold?" said Adolph.
"
How did you hear that?" said Tom.
"I hid myself behind the curtainswhen Missis
was talking with the lawyer. In a few days we
shall all be sent off to auction,Tom
"
"
The Lord's will liedone !" said Tom, folding
his arms and sighingheavily.
"
We '11 never get another such a master," said
Adolph,apprehensively ; " but t 'd rather b" sold
than take my chance under Missis."
Tom turned
.
to return
; his heart was full The
north.
within
Seriouslyreflecting herself, she con
sidered that perhap she had shown too hasty a
warmth of languagein her former interview with
Marie ; and she resolved that she would now
parations
endeavor to moderate her zeal,and to be as conciliatory
as possible Ṣo the t^oodsoul gathered
herself up, and taking her knitting, resolved to go
into Marie's room, be as agreeable
as possible,
and negotiate Tom's case with all the diplomatio
skill of which she was mistress.

'
"
quiteas
"
my
" he
she
and
and
it's
one of the promise tnat he made to dear little
Eva on her death-bed, and I should not think you
"would feel at libertyto disregard it."
Mario had her face crered with her handker-
"
"
"
"
"
"
122 UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR,
She found Marie reclining
length
chief
upon
a
at this appeal, and begansobbing and us'.ij^
zounge, supporting herself on one elbow by pil-heiows,
"
smelling-bottle, great vehemence.
Jane, who had been out shopping, Everybodygoes against me !" she said. " Everybody
was
displaying before her certain samplesof thin
is so inconsiderate ! I should n't have
black stuffs.
expected that you would bringup all these remembrances
"
That will do," said Marie, selecting ;
of my troubles to me, so
only I 'm not sure about its beingproperlyinconsiderate! But nobody ever does consider,
"
mourning."
trials are so peculiar hard, that
"Laws, Missis," said Jane, volubly,"Mrs. when I had only one daughter "he should have
General Derbennon wore just this very thing, been taken ! when I had a nusband that just
after the generaldied,last summer ; it makes up exactly me, I 'm so hard to be suited !
lovely '
!'
should be taken ! And you
seem to have
"
What do you think?" said Marie to Miss so littlefeeling me, and keep bringing it up
Ophelia.
to me so carelessly, when you know how it
"
It 's a matter of custom, I suppose," said overcomes me ! I suppose you
mean well ; but
Miss Ophelia. " You can judgeabout it better it is very inconsiderate, very!" And Marie
than I."
sobbed,and gasped for breath,and called Mammy
"The fact is,"said Marie,"that I haven't to open the window, and to bringher the camphor-bottle,
a dress in the world that I can. wear ; and,as I
and to bathe her head, and unhook
am going to break up the establishment, and go her dress. And, in the generalconfusion that
off,next week, I must decide upon something." ensued,Miss Ophelia made her escape to her
"
Are you goingso soon?"
apartment.
"
Yes. St. Clare's brother has written,and he She saw, at once, that it would do no goodto
and the lawyerthink that the servants and furniture
say anything more ; for Marie had an indefinite
had better be put up at auction, and the
for ; and, after this,whenever
capacity hysteric
place leftwith our lawyer. ' '
her husband's or Eva's wishes with regard to
"
There 's one thing I wanted to speakwithyou
the servants were alluded to, she alwaysfound it
about," said Miss Ophelia."Augustineconvenient to set one in operation. Ophelia,
promised Tom his liberty, began the legaltherefore,
the next best thingshe could for
forms necessary to it. I hope you will use
your Tom, wrote a letter to Mrs. Shelby for him,
influenceto have it perfected."
stating his troubles, and urgingthem to send to
"Indeed, I shall do no such thing!" said his relief.
"
Marie,sharply. " Tom is one of the most valuable
servants on the place, it couldn't be
afforded, any way. Besides, what does he want
of
is."
liberty ? He 's a great
deal better off as he
"
But he does -desire it, very earnestly, and his
master promisedit," said Miss Ophelia.
"
I dare say lie does want it," said Marie;
they ail want it,just because they are a
CHAPTER XXX.
"
discontented set," alwayswanting what they
have n't got. Now, I "m principled against emancipating,
THE SLAVE WAREHOUSE.
A slave warehouse ! Perhaps some of my
care of a master, and he does well and is readers conjureup horrible visions of such a place.
respectable ; but set them free,and theygetlazy, They fancy some fpul, obscure den, some horrible
and won't work, and take to drinking, and
Tartarus '\informis, ingens, cui lumen ademftum.''''
in any case. Keep a negro under the
enough,
it tried, hundreds of times. It 's no favor to set
them free."
"But Tom is so steady,industrious, and
pious."
"0, you needn't tell me! I've seen a hundred
like him. He'll do very well,as long as
lie's taken care of," that 's all."
"
But, then, consider," said Miss Ophelia,
said Marie; "it
isn't one time in a hundred that a good fellow
gets a bad master ; most masters are good, for all
the talk that is made. I 've lived and grown up
here,in the South, and I never yetwas acquainted
"
Well," said Miss
"
Ophelia,energetically, I
know it was one of the last wishes of your husband
that Tom should have his liberty ; it was
The next day Tom and Adolph, and some hall
a dozen other servants,were marched down to a '
slave-warehouse, to await the convenience of the
trader, who was going to make up
a lot for auction.
go all
down to be mean, worthless fellows. I've seen But no, innocent friend ; in these days men have
learned the art of sinningexpertly and genteelly,
so as not to shock the eyes
and senses of respectable
society. Human property is high in the
markqt ; and is țhere fore, well fed,well cleaned,
tended,and looked after țhat it may
come to a
sale sleek,and strong, and shining. A slave
warehouse in New Orleans is a house externally
not much unlike many others,kept with neatness ;
"
when you set him up for sale țhe chances of and where every day you may
see arranged, under
his getting a bad master."
a sort of shed alongthe outside,rows of men and
"O, that's all humbug!" women, who stand there as a sign of the property
sold within.
Then you shall be courteously entreated to call
and examine, and shall find an abundance of
husbands,wives,brothers șisters,fathers,moth-
with a master that did n't treat his servants well,
well as is worth while. I don't feel or in lots to suit the convenience of the purchaser
any fears on that head."
;" and that soul immortal, once bought
and young children țo be " sold separately,
with blood and anguishby the Son of God, when
the earth shook, and the rocks rent, and the
graves were opened,can be sold,leased,mortgaged,
exchanged for groceries
or dry goodsțo
suit the phases of trade,or the fancy of the
purchaser.
It was a day or two after the conversation

"
is
"
tell
"
in
" it
"
kinder
we
LIFE AMONG TEE LCRtS, 123
bitween Marie and Miss Ophelia țhat "
Tom, I say, keep ff,can t you?" said Adolph,
Adolph,and about a half a dozen others of the enraged.
St. Clare estate,were turned over to the loving "Lor, now, how touchywe is " we white
kindness of Mr. Skeggs,the keeperof a depot on niggers ! ' Look at us, now !" and Sambo gave a
day.
street,to await the auction, next
Tom had with him quitea sizable trunk fullof
clothing, as had most others of them. They were
ushered, for the night, into a longroom, where
and renderingthem insensibleto their condition.
The whole objectof the training to which the
negro is put, from the time he is sold in the
"Lor, Mas *r,"Han't us,
"
's reg'larstiddy
northern market till he arrives south,is systematically
'sthese yer
new hands ; they 's real aggravating
directed towards making him callous,
pickin' at us, all time !"
unthinking,and brutal. The slave-dealercollects The keeper,at this,turned upon Tom and
his gang in Virginia or Kentucky, and drivesthem Adolph, and distributing a few kicks and cuffs
to some often a without much convenient,healthyplace," inquiry, and leavinggeneralorders
"
wateringplace, to be fattened. Here they are for all to be good boys and go to sleep, left the
fed full daily;and,because some inclineto pine, apartment.
a fiddle is keptcommonlygoing among them, and While this scene was goingon in the men's
they arc made to dance daily : and he who refuses sleeping-room, the reader may be curious to take
to be merry whose soul thoughtsof wife,or a
peep at the corresponding apartmentallotted to
child,or home, are too strong for him to be gay the women. Stretched out in various attitudes
marked as sullen and dangerous,and subjectedover
the floor,he may
see numberless sleeping
"
Law, now, boys! dis yer 's one o' yer white
"
niggers, kindo' cream color, ye know, scented !"
said he, comingup to Adolph and snuffing."0,
Lor ! he 'd do for a tobaccer-shop ; they could
keep him to scent snuff! Lor,he 'i keep a whole
"
shopagwine, he would !"
ludicrousimitationof Adolph's manner ; " here 's
de airs and graces. We 'sbeen in a goodfamily,
I specs."
"Yes," said Adolph; "I had a master that
many other men, of all ages, sizes,and shades of could have boughtyou all for old truck !"
complexion,were assembled, and from which "Laws, now, only think,"said Sambo, "the
roars of laughter and unthinking merriment were gentlemens that we is !"
"
proceeding.
I belonged to the St. Clare family,"said
"Ah, ha! that's rig! *. Go it,boys," go it!" Adolph,proudly.
said Mr. Skeggs, the keeper. " My people are
' '
Lor, you did ! Be hanged if they ar'n't
alway so merry ! Sambo, I see !" he said,speaking
lucky to
approvingly to a burly get shet of ye. Spectsthey's gwineto
negro who was performing
trade ye off with a lot o' cracked tea-potsand
tricks of low buffoonery, which occasioned sich like !" said Sambo, with a provokingrin.
the shouts which Tom had heard.
Adolph,'enraged at
As might be imaginedȚom was in no humor at his adversary, swearing and striking on every
to jointhese proceedings ; and,therefore, settingside of him. The rest laughed and shouted,and
his trunk as far as possible from the noisygroup, the uproar brough the keeperto the door.
' '
he sat down on it,and leaned his face against What now, boys1 order ! " he Order," said;
the wall.
comingin and flourishing a largewhip.
The dealers in the human article make scrupulous
All fled in different directions, exceptSambo,
and systematic effortsto promote noisy mirth who, presuming on the favor Avhich the keeper
among them, as a means of drowningreflection, had to him as a licensed wag, stood his ground,
this taunt, flew furiously
duckinghis head with a facetious grin, whenever
the master made a dive at him.
forms of every shade of complexion, from the
to all the evils which the illwill of an
utterly irresponsible and hardened man can inflict purestebony to white, and of all years, from
upon him. Briskness,alertness, and cheerfulness childhood to old age, lyingnow asleep. Here is
of appearance, especiallybefore observers,are a fine brightgirl, of ten years, whose mother was
constantly upon them,both by the hope sold out yesterday, to-nightcried herself
of therebygetting a goodmaster,and the fear of to sleep when nobody was lookingat her.
all that the driver may bring upon them,if they Here,a worn old .negress, whose thin arms and
prove unsalable.
callous fingers tellof hard toil,waiting be sold'
" What dat ar nigger doin' here ?" said Sambo, to-morrow, as a cast-offarticle,for what can be
comingup to Tom, after Mr. Skeggshad left the got for her ; and some fortyor fifty others,with
room. Sambo was a full black,of greatsize, heads variously envelopedin blankets or articles
very lively, voluble,and full of trick and grimace. of clothing, lie stretched around them. But,in
"What you doin' here?" said Sambo, coming a
corner, sittingapart from the rest, are two
up to Tom, and poking him facetiously in the females of a more interesting appearance than
side.
"
Meditatin', eh ?"
common. One of these is a respectably-dressed
"
I am to be sold at the auctionțo-morrow," mulatto woman between fortyand fifty, soft
said Tom, quietly.
eyes and a gentle and pleasingphysiognomy.
"Sold "
at auction, haw! haw! boys, an't She has on her head a high-raisedturban,made
this yer fun 1 I wish't I was gwine that ar way ! of a gay red Madras handkerchief, of the firstquality,
and her dress is neatlyfitted,and cf
ye, wouldn't I make 'em laugh! But
how is dis it," yer whole lot gwineto-morrow V goodmaterial,showingthat she has been provided
said Sambo, layinghis hand freely on Adolph'sfor with a careful hand. By her side,and nestling
shoulder.
closely to her,is a young girl of "
fifteen,
"
Please to let me alone !" said Adolph,fiercely,
her daughter. She is a quadroon,as may be seen
straightening himself up, with extreme disgust.
from her fairer complexion,thoughher likeness
to her mother is quite,discernible. Slit has the
same soft,dark eye, with longerlashes,and her
curlinghair is of a luxuriant brown. She also is
dressed with greatneatness, and her white delicate
hands
betray very littleacquaintance with
servile toil. These two are to be sold to-momw,
in the same lot with the St. Clare servants ; aul

if
124
UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR,
the gentleman to whom theybelong, and to whom
the muney for their sale is to be transmitted,
member of a Christian church in New York, who
is a
will receive the money,
and go thereafter to the
sacrament of his Lord and theirs, and think no
more of it.
These two, whom we shall call Susan and Emmeline,had
been the personalattendants of an
of the business in the way that seemed to him
the most suitable, and remit the proceeds.
The day after the letter arrived in New "
Orleans, Whoso causeth one of these little ones to
Susan and Emmeline were attached,and sent to offend,it were better for him that a mill-stone
the depot to await a generalauction on the following
were hanged about his neck, and that he were
drowned
of the sea."
morning; and as they glimmerfaintly
in the depths
upon us in the moonlight which steals through The soft,earnest,quiet moonbeam looks in,fixedly
the gratedwindow, we may listen to their conver marking the bars of the gratedwindows on
gation. Both are weeping, but each quietly, that the prostrated, sleeping forms. The mother and
the other may not hear.
daughter are wild and melancholy
singingtogethera
"Mother, justlayyour head on my lap, and dirge, common as a funeral hymn among
see if you can't sleepa little," says the girl,trying
the slaves :
to appear
calm.
"I haven't any heart to sleep,Em; I can't;
it 's the last night we may be together!"
"
0, mother, don't say so ! Perhaps we shall
"
get sold together, who knows ?"
"If't was anybody's else case, I should say
80, too, Em," said the woman; "but I'm so
feard of losin' you
that I don't see anything but
the danger."
"
Why, mother, the man said we were both
and would sellwell."
Susan remembered the man's looks and words.
libly,
With a deadly sickness at her heart, she remembered
how he had looked at Emmeline's hands,
and lifted up her curlyhair,, and pronounced her
a first-ratearticle. Susan had been trained as a
Christian,broughtup in the dailyreadingof the
Bible, and had the same horror of her child's
other Christian
being sold to a lifeof shame that any
mother might have ; but she had no hope,"
no protection.
"
Mother, I think we might do first rate, if you
could get a place as cook, and I as chamber-maid
or seamstress, in some family. I dare say we
shall. Let's both look as bright and lively as
'we can, and tell all we can do,and perhaps we
email,
" said Emmeline.
" I want you to brush your hair all back
to morrow," said Susan.
"What for, mother? I don't look near so
straight,
well, that way."
"
Yes, but you '11sell better so."
"
I don't see why !" said the child.
"
Respectable families would be more ap to
buy you, if theysaw you looked plain and decent,
as if you wasn't tryingto look handsome. I
know their ways better 'n you do," said Susan.
"
Well, mother, then I will."
amiable and piouslady of New Orleans,by whom
they had been carefully and piously instructed
and trained. They had been taugh to read and
write, diligently instructed in the truths of religion,
"And, Emmeline, if we shouldn't ever see
and their lot had been as happyan one as each other again, after "
to-morrow, I 'm sold
in their condition it was possible to be. But the way up on a plantation somewhere, and you somewhere
only son of their protectress had the else," management
always remember how you "ve been
of her property; and, by carelessness and extravagance
broughtup, and all Missis has told you ; take
involved it to a largeamount, and at last your Bible with you, and your hymn-book : and
failed. One of the largest creditors was the respectable
if you 're faithful to the Lord, he '11 be faithful
firm of B. " Co., in New York. B. " to you."
Co. wrote to their lawyerin New Orleans, who So speaks the poor soul, in sore discouragement
attached the real estate (thesetwo articles and
; for she knows that to-morrow any man,
hands formed the most valuable
however vile and brutal,however godless and
a lot of plantation
part of it) ,
and wrote word to that effect to merciless,if he only has money to pay for her,
New York. Brother B.,being, as we have said, may become owner of her daughter,body and
a Christian man, and a resident in a free state, soul ; and then,how is the child to be faithful?
felt some uneasiness on the subject. He didn't She thinks of all this,as she holds her daughter
like trading in slaves and souls of "
men, of in her arms, and wishes that she were not handsome
course, he didn't; but, then,there were thirtyand attractive. It seems almost an aggravation
thousand dollars in the case, and that was rather to her to remember how purely and piously,how
too much money to be lost for a principle ; and much above the ordinarylot șhe has been brought
so, after much considering, and asking advice up.
But she has no resort but to pray ; and many
from those that he knew would advise to suit such prayers to God have gone up
from those
him, Brother B. wrote to his lawyer to disposesame
trim,neatly-arranged, respectable slave-
"
prisons, prayers which God has not forgotten,
as a comingclay shall show ; for it is written,
""
0, where is weeping Mary 1
0, where is weeping Mary 1
'Rived in the goodlyland.
She is dead and gone to heaven ;
She is dead and gone to heaven ;
'Rived in the goodlyland."
These words, sung by voices of a peculiar and
melancholysweetness, in an air which seemed
after hfAY-
like the sighing of earthlydespair
enly hope, floated throughthe dark
with a pathetic cadence, as verse after verse was
breathed out :
"
0, where are Paul and Silas 1
0, where are Paul and Silas 1
Gone to the goodlyland.
They are dead and gone to heaven;
They are dead and gone to heaven;
'Rived in the goodlyland."
prisonr"',ra
Singon, poor souls ! The night is short,and
the morning will partyou forever !
But now it is morning, and everybody is astir ;
and the worthy Mr. Skeggs is busy and bright.
for a lot of goods is to be fitted'out for auction.
There is a brisk look-out on the toilet ; injunctions
passed around to every one to put on their
best face and be spry ; and now all are arranged

"
Tom,
great,burly,gruff
JTFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 125
in a circle for a last review,before they are |selecting, out of two hundred men, one who was
marched up to the Bourse.
| to become your absolute owner and disposer,
Mr. Skeggs, with his palmetto on and his you
cigarwould, perhaps,realize, just as Tom did, how
in his mouth, walks around to putfarewell touches
on his wares.
in beingmade over to. Tom saw abuni
dance of men,
"
How 's this V he said,stepping in front of
"
men ; little,
"
Susan and Emmeline. Where 's your curls, chirping,dried men ; long-favored, lank,hard
gcll .-''
men ; and every varietyof stubbed-looking, com-
The gir looked timidly at her mother, who, |mon placemen, who pickup their fellow-men as
with the smooth adroitness common among her
j one picks up chips,puttingthem into the fireor a
class,answers,
basket with equal unconcern, according to their
"
I was tellingher,last night țo put up
her ; convenience ; but he saw no St. Clare.
hair smooth and neat, and not haviu' it flying ; A little before the sale commenced, a short,
about in curls ; looks more respectable so."
in a checked shirt considerably
"Bother!" said the man, peremptorily, turning
to the girl; "you go rightalong,and curl
yourself real smart !"' lie added,giving a crack
to a rattan he held in his hand, " And be back in
quicktime, too!"
From
"
You go and help her,",he added, to the the moment that Tom saw him approaching, he
him,
mother.
"
Them curls may make a hundred dollars
felt an immediate and revolting horror at
difference in the sale of her."
that increased as he came near. He was evidently,
Beneath a splendiddome were men of all nations,
moving to and fro,over the marble pave.
the area, were now occupiedby brilliant and tal-
gentlemen, enthusiastically forcingup, in
On every side of the circular area were little
tribunes,or stations, for the use of speakers and
au" tioneers. Two of these, on opposite sides of
ented
English and French commingled
țhe bids of connoisseurs
in their various wares. A third one,
surrounded
on the other sideștillunoccupied, was
very foul "condition. This man proceeded to a
by a group, waiting the moment of sale to begin. very free personal examination of the lot. He
And here we may recognize the St. Clare servants,
seized Tom by the jaw, and pulled open hismouth
Adolph, and others; and there, to inspect his teeth ; made him strip up his
too, Susan and Emmeline, awaiting
their turn sleevețo show his muscle ; turned him round,
with anxious and dejected faces. Various spectators,
made him jump and spring, to show his paces.
intending to purchase,or not intending, "Where was you raised7" he added, briefly,
as the case mightbe,gathered around the group, to these investigations.
handling,examining, and commentingon their
"
In Kintuck,Mas'r,"said Tom, looking about
various pointsand faces with the same freedom
that a set of jockeysdiscuss the merits of a
horse.
"
Catch me over buyingany of St. Clare's people
! Spoiltniggers,every one. Impudent as
the devil !" said the other.
" Never fear that !" said the first. " If I get the suffering she had been goingthrough at every
'em,I '11 soon have theirairs out of them ; they'11 motion of the hideous stranger.
soon find that they 've another kind of master to The girlwas frightened, and began to cry.
deal with than Monsieur St. Clare. Ton
my "Stop that, you
minx!" said the salesman;
word, I'll buy that fellow. I like the shape of "no the sale is gcing to
whimperinghere,"
him."
"
lTou '11find it'11take all you 've got to keep
him. He 's deucedlyextravagant !"
"
Yes, but my lord will find that he can't be
extravagant with me. Just let him be sent to
the calaboose a few times,and thoroughly dressed
down! I '11 tell you if it don't bringhim to a
sense of his ways ! 0, I '11 reform him, up hill
and down," you'll see. I buy him, that's
flat!"
Tom had been standingwistfully examiningthe
multitude of faces thronging around him, for one
whom he would wish to call master. And if
you should ever be under the necessity, sir,of
j
broad,muscular oian,
: few there were that you would feelat all comfortable
open at the bosom, and pantaloons much
the worse for dirt and wear, elbowed his way
through the crowd,like one who is goingactively
into a business ; and,comingup to the group,
began to examine them systematically.
though short,of giganticstrength Ḥis
round, bullet head, large,light-gray eyes, with
their shaggy,sandyeye-brows,and stiff,winy șunburned
hair,were rather unprepossessing items,
it is to be confessed ; his large, coarse mouth was
distended with tobaccoțhe juiceof which,from
time to time,he ejectedfrom him with greatdecision
and explosive force ; his hands were immensely
large,hairy șun-burned, freckled,and
very dirty, and garnished with longnails,in a
as
if for deliverance.
"
AYhat have you done?"
"
Had care of Mas'r's farm," said Tom.
"
Halloa,Alf! what bringsyou here?*' said
"
a Likelystory !" said the other,shortly, young exquisite, slappingthe shoulder of a passedon. He paused a moment before Dolph ;
sprucely-dressed young man, who was examiningthen
spitting discharge of tobacco-juice on his
Adolph throughan eye-gh
"
Well, I was wanting a valet,and I heard
that St. Clare's lot was going. I thought I 'd
just look at his "
well-blacked boots,and giving a contemptuous
Umph, he walked on. Again he stoppedbefore
Susan and Emmeline. He put out his heavy
dirtyhand, and drew the girl towards him ,
passedit over her neck and bust, felt her arms,
looked at her teeth,and then pushed her back
against her mother,whose patient face showed
begin." And accordingly the sale begun.
Adolph was knocked off,at a good sum, to the
young gentleman who had previously stated his
intention of buying him ; and the other servants
of the St. Clare lot went to various bidders.
"
Now, up with you, boy! d'ye
the auctioneer
to Tom.
hear?" said
Tom stepped upon the block, gave
a few anxious
looks round ; all seemed mingledin a common,
indistinct "
noise, the
clatter of the salesman
crying off his qualifications in French and
Englishțhe quick fire of French and English
bids ; and almost in a moment came the final
thump of the hammer, and the clear ring on

He
the
"
just
126 UNCLE TOM S CABIN I OR,
no more. Kentucky home, with wife and chil
"
"
"
"
"
"
the last syllable of the word " dollars,'''' as the
the trees and banks were now passing, "
Yes,Mas'r." said Tom, firmly.
auctioneer announced his price,and Tom was dren, and indulgentowners ; St. Clare home,
made over. had a master !
with all its refinements and splendors; the golden
He was pushed from the block ; short, head of Eva, with its saint-like eyes ; the proud,
bullet-headed man, seizing him roughlyby the gay, handsome,seemingly-careless, yet ever-kind
shoulder, pushed him to one side,saying,in a St. Clare ; hours of ease and indulgentleisure,
harsh voice,"Stand there,you!"
all gone ! and in placethereof, what remains 1
Tom hardly realized anything; .but still the It is one of the bitterest apportionmentsof a
bidding went on, rattling,clattering, now lot of slaveryțhat the negro, sympathetic French,now English. Down
goes the hammer assimilative, after acquiring, in a refined family,
again, Susan is sold ! She goes down from the the tastes and feelings which form the atmosphere
block,stops, looks back,"
wistfully her daughter of such a place, is not the less liable to
stretchesher hands toward her. She looks with become the bond-slave of the coarsest and most
agony in the face of the man who has boughtbrutal,
as a chair or table, which once
her," a respectablemiddle-aged man, of benevolent
decorated the superbsaloon,comes, at last,battered
countenance.
and defacedțo the bar-room of some filthy
"
0, Mas'r,pleasedo buy my daughter !" tavern, or some low haunt of vulgardebauchery.
"
I 'd like to, but I 'niafraid I can't affordit !" The great difference is,that the table and chair
said the gentleman,looking, painful interest,
cannot feel,and the man can ; for even a lega'l
as the young girlmounted the block, and enactment that he shall be
"
taken, reputed,
looked around her with a frightened adjudged in law, to be a chattel personal,"
glance.
cannot blot out his soul,with its own private
The blood flushes painfully
her otherwise littleworld of memories,hopes,loves,fears,and
colorlesscheek,her eye has a feverish fire,and desires.
her mother groans to see that she looks more Mr. Simon Logree Țom's master, had purchased
beautiful than she ever saw her before. The auctioneer
slaves at one placeand another,in New
sees his advantage, expatiates volubly
Orleans,to the number of eight, and driven them,
in mingledFrench and English, and bids rise handcuffed,in couplesof two and "two, down to
in rapidsuccession.
the good steamer Pirate, which lay at the levee,
"
1 11 do anything in reason,"said the benevolent-looking
readyfor a trip up
the Red river.
gentleman,pressing and joining Having got them fairly and the boat
with the bids. In a few moments theyhave run beingoff,he came round,with that air of efficiency
beyond his purse. He is silent ; the auctioneer which ever characterized him, to take a review
grows warmer ; but bids graduallydrop off. It of them. Stoppingopposite Tom, who had
lies now between an aristocraticold citizen and been attired for sale in his best broadcloth suit,
our bullet-headedacquaintance.The citizen bids with well-starched linen and shiningboots,he
for a few turns, contemptuouslymeasuring his brieflyexpressedhimself as follows :
opponent ; but the bullet-head has the advantage
"
Stand up."
over him,both in obstinacy concealed length Tom stood up.
of purse, and the controversy ; "Take off that stock!" and as Tom, encum
the hammer falls." he has got the girl,body bered by his fetters,proceeded to do it,he as
and soul,unless God helpher !
sisted him, by pullingit,with no gentlehand,
Her master is Mr. Legree,who owns a cotton from his neck, and putting it in his pocket.
plantation
the Red river. She is pushedalong Legree now turned to Tom's trunk,which, previous
into the same lot with Tom and two other men,
to this,he had been ransacking,and, taking
and goes off,weeping as she goes.
ffoinit a pairof old pantaloons and a dilapidated
The benevolent gentlemanis sorry ; but,then, coat, which Tom had been wont to put on
the thinghappensevery day ! One sees girlsabout his stable-work,he said,liberating Tom's
and mothers crying, it can't hands from the handcuffs,
pointingto a recess
be helped,"c. ; and he walks off,with his acquisition,
in among the boxes,
in an" ther direction.
put these on."
"
You there,and
Two days after, the lawyerof the Christian Tom
go
obeyed, and
boots,"
in a few moments returned.
Legree.
firm of B. " Co.,New York, sent on their money
"
Take off your said Mr.
to them. On the reverse of that draft,so obtained,
Tom did so.
let them write these words of the great "There," said the former, throwing him a
Paymaster,to whom they shall make up their pairof coarse, stout shoes,such as were common
account in a future day : "
When he makcth inquisitionamong
the slaves, " put these on."
for blood,he forgetteth not the cry of the In Tours hurried exchange,he had not forgotten
humble!"
to transfer his cherished Bible to his pocket.
It was well he did so ; for Mr. Legree,having
CHAPTER XXXI.
refitted Tom's handcuffs,proceededdeliberately
to investigate the contents of his pockets. He?
THE MIDDLE PASSAGE.
drew out a silk handkerchief, and put it into his
own pocket. Several little trifles, which Tom
"
Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil,and canst not
look upon iniquity: wherefore
had treasured
lookest thou upon them that deal
chieflybecause they had amused
treacherously, and holiest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth
Eva, he looked upon with a contemptuous grunt,
the man that is more righteousthan he i "" Hab. 1 : 13.
and tossed them over his shoulder into the river.
On the lower part of a small,mean boat,on Tom's Methodist hymn-book,which, in his
the Red riverȚom chains sat," on his wrists, hurry,he had forgotten,he now held up and
chains on his feet,and a weightheavier than turned over.
chains layon his heart. All had faded from his
"
Humph ! pious țo be sure. So, what 's your
sky," moon and star ; all had passedby him, as
you belongto the church, eh?"
name,

" the
for
look
that
thee by my
name. Thou art mine !"
But Simon Legree heard no voice. That voice
is one he never shall hear. He onlyglared for a
were going this way and that ;
of the trunk, that was funnier than all,and
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 127
"
Well, I '11 soon have that ou*tof you.
I have and the whole gang sat with downcast,dejected
none o' yer bawling,prayingșingingniggers on faces. Meanwhile, Simon turned on his heel,
my place ; so remember. Now, mind yourself," and marched up to the bar of the boat for a dram.
he said,with a stamp and a fierce "
glanceof his That 's the way I begin vith my niggers,"
gray eye, directed at Tom, "I'm your church he said țo a gentlemanly man, who had stood by
now' You understand, you'vegot to be as I him during his speech. " It 's my systemto begin
say."
strong, justlet 'em know what to expect."
Somethingwithin the silent black man answered,
"
Indeed !" said the stranger,lookingupon
No! and, as if repeatedby an invisible him with the curiosity of a naturalist
voice,came the words of an old propheticscroll, some out-of-the-way specimen.
studying
aa Eva had often read them to him,"
"
Fear
"
Yes, indeed. I 'm none o' gentlemen
not I have redeemed thee. I have called planters, with
yer
lilyfingers, to slopround and be
and then the auction
occasion:?!!abundant witticisms.
This littleaffairbeingover, Simon sauntered up
againto his property..
"
Now, Tom, I 've relieved you of any extra
baggage,you see. Take mightygood care of
them clothes. It '11be longenough 'fore you get
more. I go in for making niggers careful ; one
suit has to do for one
year, on my place."
Simon next walked up to the placewhere Emmeline
was sitting, chained to another woman.
"
Well, my dear," he said,chucking her under
the chin, " keep up your spirits."
The involuntarylook of horror,fright and
"
aversion,with which thr girlregardedhim, did
not escape his eyes. He frowned fiercely.
"
None o' your shines,gal ! you 's got to keep
a pleasantface, when I speak to ye, d'ye
hear! And you, you old yellow poco moonshine
!" lie said,givinga shove to the mulatto
woman to whom Emmcline was chained, " don't
you carry that sort of face ! You 's got to look
chipper, [ tell ye !"
"
I say, all on ye,"he said,retreating a pace
or two back, " look at me,
" at me,
"
look
me right in the e}'c," straight ," now !" said he,
Bta nping his foot at every pause.
As by a fascination,
was now
every eye
directed
eye of Simon.
to the glaringre-mish-gray
"
Now, " said he, doublinghis greatheavy
fist int i something resembling a blacksmith's
hammer, ' d' ye see this fist? Heft it !" he said,
bringing it down on Tom's hand. "
Look at
these yer hones ! WeH, I tell ye this yer fisthas
got as hard as inn knockingdown niggers. I
never see the nigger, yet, I could n't bringdown
with one crack," said he,bringinghis fistdown
so near t " the face of Tom that he winked,and
drew back.
li
I don't keep none o' yer cussed
cheated by some old cuss of an overseer ! Just
feelof my knuckles,now ; look at my fist. Tell
ye, sir,the flesh on 't has come jestlike a stone,
on it."
"
feel moment on the downcast face of Tom, and walked practising on niggers,
off. He took Tom's -trunk,which contained a The strangerappliedhis fingers to the implement
very neat and abundant wardrobe, to the forecastle,
in question,and simplysaid,
where it was soon surrounded by various "'Tis hard enough; and, I suppose," he
hands of the boat. With much laughing, added, "
practice your heart justlike
expense of niggerswho tried to be gentlemen, it."
articles very readily were sold to one and another,
"
Why, yes, I may say so," said Simon,with
and the empty trunk finallyput up at auction. a heartylaugh.
"
I reckon there 's as littlesoft
It wae a goodjoke,they all thought,especially in me as in any
one going. Tell you, nobody
to see how Tom looked after his things,as they comes it over me ! Niggers never gets round me,
neither with squalling nor soft "
soap,
fact."
's a
"
You have a fine lot there."
"Eeal," said Simon. '-There's that Tom
theytolled me he was suthin' uncommon. I paid
a littlehigh for him,'tendin' him for a driver and
a managingchap ; onlygetthe notions out that
he 's larnt by bein' treated as niggersneyer ought
to be, he '11do prime ! The yello woman I got
took in in. I raytheiy think she's sickly, hut I
shall put her through for what she 's worth ; she
may last a year
or two. I don't go for savin'
niggers. Use up, and buy more, :s my way ;
"
makes you less trouble,and I 'm quitesure jt
comes cheaper in the end ;" and Simon sipped his
glass.
"
And how long do theygenerally
the stranger.
last?"
overseers ; "I does " dv own overseeing ; and I tell And yet your laws allow him to hold any
you things_is seen to. You 's every
one on
ye number of human beingssubjectto his absolute
got to toe the mark, I tell ye ; quick," straight. will,without even a shadow of protection ; and,
moment I speak. That 's the way to keep low as he is, you cannot
say that there are not
in with me. Ye won't find no soft spot in me, many such."
"
nowhere. So, now, mind yerselves ; for I don't Well," said the other, " there are also many
show no mercy !"
considerate and Immane men
among planters."
"
The women involuntarily drew in theirbreath, Granted,"said the young
man ; " but hi my
said
"
Well; donno ; 'cordin' as their constitution is.
Stout fellerslast six or seven
years ; trashy ones
gets worked up in two or three. I u^ed to,wheu
I fustbegun,have considerable
troublefussin' witV
doctorin'
'em and tryingto make 'em hold "
out,
on 'em up when they 's sick,and givin' on 'em
clothes and blankets,and what not, tryin' to keep
'em all sort o' decent and comfortable. Law,
'twas n't no sort o' use ; I lost money on 'em,
and 'twas heaps o' trouble. Now, you see, I
justput 'em straight through, sick or well. When
one nigger'sdead,I buy another ; and I find it
comes cheaperand easier, every way."
The stranger turned away, and suited himself
beside a gentleman, who had been listening to
the conversation with repressed uneasiness
"You must not take that fellow to be any
of Southern planters,"said he.
specimen
" I should hopenot,"said tho young gentleman,
with emphasis.
"
He is a mean, low,brutal fellow !" said the
other.

e
e!
oh!
oh
The boat moved
"Ho! ho! ho!
on, freighted with
boys,ho!
itsweight
sorrow, up the red, muddy, turbid
High high
current,
!"
e
of
throughthe abrupt țortuous windingsof the Red It was sung very boisterously, and with a
river ; and sad eyes gazedwearily on the steep forced attempt at merriment ; but no wail of
red-clay banks,as theẏ glidedby in dreary same-
despair, words of impassioned
128 UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OE,
opinion, it is ycu considerate,humane men,
ness.
that
At lastthe boat stopped at a small town,
are responsible for all the brutality and outrage and Legree,with his party,disembarked.
wrought by these -wretches ; because,if it were
not for your sanction and influence, the whole
system could not keep foot-holdfor an hour. If
there were no plantersexcept such as that CHAPTER XXXII.
one,"
said he, pointing with his finger to Legree, who
DARK ri.A( I ".
stood with his back to them, " the whole thing
would go down like a mill-stone. It is your
respectability and humanitythat licenses and
protects his brutality."
" You certainly have a highopinionof my good
nature," said the planter,smiling; "but I advise
"Well, my Mas'r was Mr. lived on
Ellis,"
Levee-street. P'raps you 've seen the house."
said Emmeline.
" Was he good to you?"
"
Mostly țillhe tuk sick. He 's lain sick,off
and on, more than six months, and been orful
oneasy. 'Pears like he warn't willin'to have nobody
rest,day nor night;and got so curous,
" Had you any friends?" said Emmeline.
"
Yes, my he 's a husband," blacksmith.
Mas'r gen'ly hired him out. They took me off
so quick. I didn't even have time to see him ;
and I 's got four children. 0, dear me!" said
the woman, covering her face with her hands.
It is a natural impulse,in every one, when
they hear a tale of distress,
to say by way of consolation. Emmeline wanted
to say something, but she could not think of anything
to say.
What was there to be said ? As
by a common consent,they both avoided,with
fear and dread,all mention of the horrible man
who was now their master.
and tender in years !
to think of something
"
The dark placesof the earth are full of the habitations ofcruelty."
Trailing wearily behind a rude wagon, and
over a ruder road,Tom and his associatesfaced
onward.
In the wagon
was seated Simon Legree; and
you not to talk quiteso loud,as there the two
are
women, still fettered together,were
people on board the boat who mightnot be stowed
quite away with some baggage in the back part
so tolerant to opinion as I am. You had better of it,and the whole company were seekingLegree'splantation,
which lay a gooddistance off.
wait tillI getup to my plantation, and there you
may abuse us all,quiteat your leisure."
It was a wild,forsaken road, now winding
The young gentleman colored and smiled,and through drearypine barrens,where the wind
the two were soon busy in a game of backgammon.
whisperedmournfully,and now over log causeways,
Meanwhile,another conversation was going through long cypress swamps, the doleful
on in the lower part of the boat,between Emnieline
and the mulatto woman with whom she with
trees rising out of the slimy,spongy ground,hung
was long wreaths of funereal black moss, while
confined. As ever was
and
natural,theywere exchanging
anon the loathsome form of the moccasin
with each other some particulars of their snake
history. might be seen sliding among broken stumps
"
Who did you belongto?" said Emmeline. and shattered branches that lay here and there,
rotting the water.
It is disconsolate enough, this riding, to the
stranger,who, with well-filled pocketand wellappointedhorse
țhreads the lonelyway on some
errand of business ; but wilder,drearierțo the
man enthralled,whom every weary step bears
further from all that man loves and prays for.
there couldn't nobodysuit him. 'Pears like he So one should have thought, that witnessed the
sunken and
justgrew crosser, every day; kep me up nights
dejectedexpression
those dark
tillI gotfarly beat out,and could n't keep awake faces ; the wistful,patient weariness with which
no longer; and cause I got to those sad
sleep, one night,
eyes rested, on objectafter objec that
Lors,ho talk so orful to me, and he tell me he 'd passed them in their sad journey.
Bell me to justthe hardest master he could find Simon rode on, ;
however, apparentlywell
and he 'd promisedme my freedom,too,when he pleased, occasionally pullingaway at a flask of
died."
spirit, which he kept in his pocket.
" I say, you ! " he said,as he turned back and
caught a glance at the dispirited faces behind
"
him. Strike up
a boys,"
song, come ! "
The men looked at each other,and the " come'''
was repeated, a smart crack of the whip,
which the driver carried in his hands. Tom began
a Methodist hymn,
"
Jerusalem,my happy home,
Name ever dear to me !
When shall my
sorrows have an end,
"
"
Thy joyswhen shall
"Shut up, you black cuss!" roarfed Legree;
"
did ye think I wanted any o' yer infernal old
"
"
"
Methodism? I say, tune uji, now, something
True,there is religious trust for even the darkest
real quick!"
rowdy,"
hour. The mulatto woman was a member of One of the other men struck up one of those
the Methodist church,and had an unenlightenedunmeaningsongs, among the slaves.
but very sincere spirit of piety. Emmeline had
" Mas'r see'd me eotch a coon,
been educated much more intelligently, taught
High, boys,high !
to read and write,and diligently instructedin the
He laughedto split, d' ye
see the moon,
Bible,by the care of a faithful and pious mistress
Ho! ho! ho! boys,ho!
; yet, would it not try the faith of the
Ho! yo! hi oh !"
firmest Christian, to find themselves abandoned,
apparently, The singerappearedto make up
God, in the grasp of ruthless
song to
his own pleasure,generallyhitting
violence? How much more must it shake rhyme,
the
without much attempt
faith of Christ's poor little ones, weak in knowledge
; and all the
party took up the chorus,at intervals,
prayer, could

"
"
a
LIFE AMONG THE IOWLY. 129
have had such a depthof woe in them as the But the placelooked desolate and uncomfortable
wild notes of the chorus. As if the poor, durah
; some windows stopped up with boardsșome
"
heart,threatened," prisoned, took refuge in witli shattered panes, and shutters hangingby a
that inarticulate sanctuaryof music, and found
"
singlehinge, all telling of coarse neglect and
there a language in which to breathe its prayer discomfort.
to God ! There was a prayer in it which Simon j Bits of board,straw, old decayedbarrels and
could not hear. He only heard the boyssingingboxes,garnished
the groundin all directions ; and
noisily, and was well pleased ; he was making three or four ferocious-looking dogs,roused by the
them '" keep up
their spirits.*'
sound of the wagon-wheels,came tearingout,and
"
Well, my
little dear,"said he, turningto were with difficulty restrained from laying hold
Emmeline, and layinghis hand on her shoulder, of Tom and his companions,by the effort of the
"
we 're almost home !"
When Legree scolded and stormed, Emmeline
"was terrified ; but when he laid his hand on her,
and spoke as he now did,she felt as if she had
rather he would strike her. The expression of his get, if ye try to run off. These yer dogshas beep
eyes made her soul sick,and her flesh creep. Involuntarilyraised
to track niggers; and they'd jestas soon
she clung closer to the mulatto woman chaw one on
ye up as eat their supper. So, mind
by her side,as if she were her mother.
yerself ! How now, Sambo !" he saidțo a ragged
"You didn't ever wear ear-rings," he said, fellow,without any brim to Ins hat,who was officious
taking hold of her small ear with his coarse fin-
gers.
"No,Mas'r! said Emmeline,trembling and
lookingdown.
"Well. I'll giveyou pair, when we get
home, if you 're a goodgirl. You need n't be
frightened
; I don't mean to make you work "
very Guess I did,did n't I?"
hard. You '11have fine times with me, and live These two colored men were the two principal
like a onlybe lady," a goodgirl."
hands on the plantation. Legree had trainedthem
Legreehad been drinking to that degreethat he in savageness and brutality as systematically as he
was incliningto be very gracious ; and it was had his bu!l-dogs ; and, by longpractice in hardness
about this time that the enclosures of the plantation
and cruelty, broughttheir whole nature to
rose to view. The estate had formerly belonged
about the same
range of capacities. It is a common
to a gentlemanof opulence and taste,who remark, and one that is thoughtto militate
had bestowed some considerableattention to the stronglyagains the character of the race, that
adornment of his grounds. Havingdied insolvent,
the negro overseer isalwaysmore tyrannical and
it had been purchased, at a bargain,by cruel than the white one. This issimplysaying
Legree, who used it,as he did everything else, that the negro
mind has been more crushed and
merely as an implementformoney-making Ṭhe debased than the white. It is no more true of
place had that ragged, forlorn appearance, which this race than of every oppressedrace, the world
is always producedby the evidence that the care over. The slave isalways a tyrant, if he can get
of the former owner has been leftto go to utter a chance to be one.
decay.
Legree, like some potentates we read of in history,
What was once a smooth-shaven lawn before governedhis plantationby a sort of resolution
the house, dotted here and there with ornamental of forces. Sambo and Quimbo cordially hated
shrubs, was now covered with frowsy tangledeach other ; the plantation hands, one and all,
grass, with horse-posts set up, here and there,in cordially hated them ; and, by playingoff one
it,where the turf was stampedaway, and the againstanother,he was prettysure, through one
ground littered with broken pails, cobs of corn, or the other of the three parties, to get informed
and other slovenly remains. Here and there,a of whatever was on foot in the place.
mildewed jessamineor honeysuckle hungraggedly Nobody can live entirely without social intercourse
from some ornamental support,which had been
; and Legreeencouraged his two black
pushed to one side by being used as a horse-post. satellitesto a kind of coarse familiarity with him;
What once was a largegardenwas now all grown familiarity, however,at any moment liable to
over with weeds,throughwhich,here and there, get one or the other of them into trouble ; for,on
gome solitary exoticreared itsforsakenhead. What the slightest provocation,,
one of them always
had been a conservatory had now no window-sashes, stood ready, at a nod, to be a minister of his vengeance
and on the moulderingshelves stood some dry,
on the other.
forsaken
flower-pots, with sticks in them,whose
dried leaves showed theyhad once been plants.
The wagon rolled up a weedy gravelwalk,
under a noble avenue of China trees,whose graceful
forms and ever-springing foliage seemed to be
" like
the onlythings there that neglectcould not daunt
or alter,
goodnessas to flourishand grow stronger amid
noble spirits, so deeplyrooted in
discouragement and decay.
." The house had been largeand handsome. It
was built in a manner common at the South ; a
wide veranda of two storiesrunninground every
part of the house,into which every outer door
opened, the lower tier
VJillars
beingsupportedby brick
raggedservants who came after them.
"
Ye see what ye 'd get !" said Legree, the dogs with grimsatisfaction, and
turning
to Tom and his companions. " Ye see what ye '"?.
in his attentions. " How have thingsbeen
going?"
"
Fust rate,Mas'r."
"
Quimbo," said Legree to another,who was
making zealous
"
demonstrations to attract his attention,
ye minded what I telled ye V
As theystood there now by Legreețheyseemed
an
apt illustrationof the fact that brutal men are
lower even than animals. Their coarse, dark,
heavy features ; their greateyes, rolling envuusly
on each other; their barbarous,guttural,halfbrute
intonation ; theirdilapidated garments fluttering
in the wind," were allin admirable keeping
with the vile and unwholesome characterof everything
about the place.
" take thesa
"
Here, you Sambo," said Legree,
yer boys down to the quarters; and here 's a gal
I 've got for ?/ow,"said he,as he separated the
mulatto woman from Emmeline,and pushedher
"
towards "
him; I promisedto Iringyou one
you know."

"
the
"
an
130 UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR,
The woman gave a sudden start,and,drawinghuman beings, of whom nothinggood was expected
back, said,suddenly,
and desired ; and who, treated "n every
"0, Mas'r ! I left my
old man in New Orleans."
way likebrutes, had sunk as nearlyto tneir level
as it was possiblefor human beingsto do. To a
late hour in the nightthe sound of'the grinding
" What of that, you ; won't you want one
here? None o' your words," go long!" said was protracted ; for the millswere few in nmnber
Legree,raising his whip.
comparedwith the grinders, and the weary and
feeble ones were driven back by the strong, and
"
Come, mistress,"he said to Emmeline, " you
go
in here with me."
came on last in their turn.
A dark,wild face was seen, for a moment, to
"
Ho yo !" said Sambo, coming to the mulatto
glance at the window of 'the house ; and, as Legree woman, and throwing down a bagof corn before
opened the door,a female voice said somethingin
"
her ; what a cuss yo
name ?"
a quick,imperative Tom, who was looking
"
Lucy," said the woman.
witlianxious interestafter Emmeline, as she went
"
Wal, Lucy,yo woman now. "b grind
in,noticed this,and heard Legreeanswer, angrily, dis yer corn, and
my
get my supper baked, ye
"
You may hold your tongue ! I '11do as I please, har ? ' '
for all you !"
"I an't your woman, and I won't be !" said
Tom heard no more ; for he was soon followingthe woman, with a sharp,sudden courage of
Sambo to the quarters. The quarters was a little despair : " you go long !"
Sambo, raising his
sort of street of rude shanties,in a row, in a part
"
I '11kick then !" said
if the plantationfar off from the house. They
yo,
foot threateningly.
had a tbrlorn,brutal,forsaken air. Tom's heart "Ye
may kill me, if ye choose," the soonci
sunk when he saw them. He had been comfortingthe better ! Wish't I was dead !" said she.
himself with the thought of a cottage,rude, indeed,
"
I Sambo, you go to spilin'the hands,
say,
but one which lie might make neat and I'll tell Mas'r o' you,"said Quimbo who was
quiet,and where he might have a shelf for his busy at the mill,from which he had viciously
driven two or three tired women, who were waiting
Bible,and a placeto be alone out of his laboring
hours. He looked into several; theywere mere
rude shells,destituteof any species of furniture,
except a heap of straw, foul with dirt,spread
confusedly over the floor, which was merelythe
bare ground țrodden hard by the tramping of
innumerable feet.
"
Which of these will be mine?" said he, to
Sambo, submissively.
"
Dunno ; ken turn in here, I 'spose," said
Sambo; " spects thar 's room for another thar ;
thar 's a pretty smart heap o' niggersto each on
em, now; sure, I dunno what I 's to do with
It was late in the evening when the weary
dawn of the day,they had been in the fields,
pressed to work under the driving lash of the
overseers
,
for it was now in the very heat and
hurryof the season, and no means wTas left untried
to press every one up to the top of their
"
capabilities. True," says the negligentlounger;
"pickingcotton isn't hard work." Isn't if!
And it isn't much inconvenience,eitherțo have
one drop of water fall on your head ; yet the
worst torture of the inquisition is producedby
drop after drop,drop after drop,fallingmoment
after moment, with monotonous succession,
the same spot; and work, in itselfnot hard,
after hour,
becomes so, by beingpressed, hour
with unvarying,unrelentingsameness, with not
to grindtheir corn.
"
And I '11 tell him ye
won't let the women
come to the mills, yo old nigger! ' said Sambo.
"
Yo jeskeep to yo
Tom was hungry with his day'sjourney,
own row."
almost faint for want of food.
and
"Thar, yo!" said Quimbo, throwingdown a
coarse bag, which contained a peck
"
thar,nigger,grab țake car on 't,"
of corn ;
you won't
get no more, dis yer week."
Tom waited till a late hour, to get a place at
the mills ; and then,moved by the utter weariness
of two women, whom he saw trying to grind their
corn there,he ground for them, put togetherthe
decayingbrands of the fire,where many had
baked cakes before them, and then went about
occupants of the shanties came flockinghome, "
men and women, in soiled and tattered garments, getting his own supper.
It was a new kind of
surly and uncomfortable, and in no mood to look work a deed of there," charityșmall as it was ;
pleasantly on new7comers. The small village but it woke an answering touch in their hearts,
was alive with no inviting sounds ; hoarse,guttural
expressionof womanly kindness came over
voices contendingat the hand-mills where their hard faces ; they mixed his cake for him,
their morsel of hard corn was yet to be groundand tended its baking; and Tom sat down by the
into meal, to fit it for the cake that was to constitute
light of the fire, and drew out his for he
Bible,"
their only supper. From the earliest had need of comfort.
"
What 's that!" said one of the women.
"
A Bible," said Tom.
"Good Lord! han't seen un since I was iu
Kentuck."
with
' ' Was you raised in Kentuck 1' ' said Tom
,
interest.
"
Yes, and well raised țoo ; never 'spected to
come to dis yer!" said the woman, sighing.
"What's dat ar book, any way!" said the
other woman.
"Why,
the Bible."
" Laws a me ! what 's dat?" said the woman.
''Do tell! you
never beam on't?" said the
"
I used to har Missis a readin'
other woman.
on 't șometimes,in Kentuck ; but, laws o' me !
even the 3onsciousness of free-willto take from its we don't har nothin' here but crackin' and
tediousness. Tom looked in vain among the gang, swarin'."
as they pouredalong, for companionable faces. "Read a piece,anyways?"
said the first
He saw onlysullen,scowling,imbruted men, and woman, curiously, seeingTom attentively
feeble,discouragedwomen, or women that were over it.
"
AOt women, strongpushingaway the weak, Tom Come unto Me, all read," ye that labor
^-the gross, unrestricted animal selfishness of and are heavyladen,and I will giveyou rest."
poring

liccL.
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 131
console the
"
"
"
yearned to
"Them's good words, enough," said the
distress-ed, was forbidden of God to
which in life so comfort and But her eye
was the most remarkable "
feature,
woman
'
'em 1' assume this ministry afterdeath ?
' ' who says
" The Loi-d,"said Tom.
" I jest wish I know'd whar to find It is a beautiful
Him," said
belief,
That ever round our head
"
the woman.
I would go ; 'pearslike I never
should get rested agin. My flesh is Are hovering,on angelwings,
fairly sore,
The spirits of the dead.
and I tremble all over, every day, and Sambo 's
allers a jawin' at me, 'cause I does n't pick faster ;
and nights it 's most midnight 'fore I can get my
supper ; and den 'pearslike I don't turn over
CHAPTER XXXHT.
and shut njy eyes, 'fore I hear de horn blow to
get up, and at it aginin de mornin'. If I knew
whar de Lor was, I 'd tell him."
oppressed, and they had
"
And behold the tears of such as were
Lor, you an't gwine to make me believe " He 's here,he 's everywhere," said Tom.
"
no comforter
pow^r, hut ; and
they had on no the side comforter." their oppressors
4 : 1.
of there was
dat
; It ar ! I know de Lord an't here," said the woman took but a short time to familiarize Tom
"
'tan't no use with talking, though. I 's jestgwine all that was to be hoped or feared in his
to camp down, and sleepwhile I ken."
new way of life. He was an expertand efficient
The women went off to their cabins,and Tom workman in whatever he undertook ; and was,
gat alone,by the smoulderingfirețhat flickered both from habit and principle, prompt and faithful.
up redlyin his face.
Quiet and peaceable in his disposition, he
The silver,fair-browed moon rose in the purplehoped,by unremittingdiligence, to avert from
sky, and looked down, calm and silent,as God himself at least a portion of the evilsof his condition.
looks on the scene of miseryand oppression,
He saw enoughof abuse and misery to
looked calmly on the lone black man, as he sat, make him sick and weary ; but he determined to
with his arms folded,and his Bible on his toil on, with religious patience, committing himself
knee.
to Him that judgethrighteously, not without
"Is God here?" Ah, how is it possible for hope that some way of escape might yet be
the untaughtheart to keep its faith,unswerving, opened to him.
in the face of dire misrule,and palpable, buked injustice 1 In that simple heart Avageda
fierce conflict : the crushing sense of wrong, the felt a secret dislike to the native him," antipathy
foreshadowing of a whole life of future misery, of bad to good. He saw, plainly, when,
the wreck of all pasthopes,mournfullytossing
as was often the case, his violence and brutality
the soul's sight, like dead corpses of wife,and fellon the helpless, Tom took notice of it ; for,so
child,and friend,risingfrom the dark wave, and subtle is the atmosphere of opinion, that it will
surgingin the face of the half-drowned mariner ! make itself felt,without words ; and the opinion
Ah, was it easy here to believe and hold fast the even of a slave may annoy a master. Tom in
greatpass-word of Christian faith țhat " God is, various ways manifested a tenderness of feeling,
and is the rewarder of them that diligently seek a commiseration for his felloAV-suflerers, strange
Kim
' 1
and '
new to them, which was watched with a
Tom rose, disconsolate, and stumbled into the jealouseye by Legree. He had purchased Tcm
iabin that had been allotted to him. The floor with a view of eventually making him a sort cf
*vas alreadystrewn with weary sleepers, and the overseer, with whom he might, at times, intrust
foul au"of the placealmost repelledhim ; but his affairs, in short absences;and,in his view,
the hr*hvynight-dews chill, and his limbs the firstșecond, and third requisite that
weary, and, wrapping about him a tattered place, was hardness. Legree made up
his hdnd,
blanket, which formed his only bed-clothing, that,as Tom was not hard to his hand, he -would
he stretched himself in the straw and fell harden him forthwith ; and some few weeks after
asleep.
Tom had been on the place, he determined to
In dreams, a gentlevoice came over his ear ; commence the process.
he was sitting mossy seat in the gardenby One morning, when the hands were mustered
Lake Pontchar train,and Eva, with her serious for the fieldȚom noticed,with surprise, a new
eyes bent downward, was readingto him from comer among them, whose excited
appearance
his
the Bible ; and he heard her read,
attention. It was a woman, tall and slenderly
"
When thou passestthrough the waters, I formed,with remarkably delicate hands and feet,
will be with thee,and the rivers theyshall not and dressed in neat and respectable garments.
overflow thee ; when thou walkest through the By the appearance of her face, she might have
firețhou shalt not be burned,neither shall the been between thirty-five and forty; and it was a
flame kindle upon thee ; for I am the Lord thy face that,once seen, could never be forgotten.
God, the Holy One of Israel,thy Saviour."
one of those that,at a glance șeem to convey to
Gradually the words seemed to melt and fade, us an idea of a wild,painful, -and romantic history.
as in a divine music ; the child raised her deep
Her forehead was high, and her eyebrows
eyes, and fixed them lovingly on him, and rays of marked with beautiful clearness. Her straight,
warmth and comfort seemed to go from them to well-formed nose, her finely-cut mouth, and the
his heart ; and,as if wafted on the music,she graceful contour of her head and neck, showed
seemed to rise on shiningwings, from which that she must once have been beautiful ; but her
flakesand spanglesof goldfelloff like stars, and face was deeply wrinkled with lines of pain, and
she was gone.
of proud and bitter endurance. Her complexion
Tom woke. Was it a dream 1 Let it pass
for was. sallow and unhealthy, cheeks thin, her
features sharp, and her whole form emaciated.
one. But who shall say that that sweet young
spirit,
Legree took silent note of Tom's availability.
He rated him as a first-classhand ; and yet he

"
an
mind
woman groaned, and half rose. "
Get up, you
beast, and work,will yer,
or I '11show yer a trick
^nore."
The woman seemed stimulated, for a few mo-
132 UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR,
so large șo heavilyblack,overshadowed by long
ments,
to an unnatural strengthand woiked with
lashes of equaldarkness, and so wildly,mournfully
desperat eagerness.
despairing.
pride and
"
See that you keep to dat ar," said the man,
"
defiance in every
line of her face,in every
curve
or yer '11wish yer 's dead to-night, I rekin !"
of the flexible lip, in every motion of her body; "That I do now!" Tom heard her say; and
but in her eye
was a deep,settlednightof anguish.
"
again he heard her say, 0, Lord, how long!
expression hopeless unchanging
0, Lord,why don't you helpus?"
as to contrast scorn
prideexpres'sed by her whole demeanor.
came forward again, and put all the cotton in his
fearfully with the and At the risk of all that he mightsufferȚom
Where she came from, or who she was, Tom sack into the woman's.
did not know. The first he did know, she was
"
0, you mustn't ! you donno what they '11do
walkingby his side, erect and proud, to ye !" said the woman.
in the dim
gray of the dawn. To the gang, however, she
was known ; for there was much looking and and he was at his placeagain. It passed in a
turningof heads,and a smothered yetapparent moment.
exultation among the miserable,ragged, half- Suddenly țhe stranger woman whom we have
"
Starved creatures by whom she was surrounded.
"
Got to come to it, at last, gradof it !" said
I'll be bound!" said another.
The woman took no notice of these taunts, but
of angry
"The Lord forbid,Missis!" said Tom, using
walked on, with the same expression instinctively to his fieldcompanion the respectful
scorn, as if she heard nothing. Tom had always form proper
to the high-bred with whom he had
lived among refinedand cultivated people, and he
felt intuitively, from her air and bearing țhat
she belonged to that class ; but how or why she
could be fallen to those degradingcircumstances,
he could not tell. The woman neither looked at
him nor spoke to him, though, all the way to the
fieldșhe keptclose at his side.
" .Tom was soon busy at his work ; but,as the
woman was at no great distance from him, he
often glanced eye to her, at her work. He
that a native adroitness and
saw, at a glance,
handiness made the task to her an easier one
than it proved to many. She pickedvery fast
and very clean, and with an air of scorn, as if she from those black eyes ; and,facingabout,with
despised both the work and the disgrace and quivering lipand dilated nostrils, she drew herself
humiliation of the circumstances in which she up, and fixed a glance, blazing with rage and
was placed.
scorn, on the driver.
In the course of the day, Tom was working "Dog!" she said, "touch me, if you
dare!
near the mulatto woman who had been bought in I 've power enough,yet, to have you torn by the
the same lot with himself. She was evidently a condition of greatsuffering, and Tom often
heard her praying, trembled,
and seemed about to fall down. Tom silently, as
he came near to her,transferredseveral handfuls
of cotton from his own sack to hers.
"
0, don't,don't!" said the woman, looking
surprised
attend to something^atthe other end
a specialspiteagains this woman ; and, flour-
and
his whip, said,in brutal,gutturaltones,
; " it '11getyou into trouble."
Just then Sambo came up.
He seemed to have
ishing
"What dis yer,
"
Luce, foolin'
a'!" and, with
the word,kickingthe woman with his heavy cowhide
shoe,he struck Tom across the face with his
whip.
Tom
silently resumed his task ; but the woman,
before at the last point of exhaustion, fainted/
"I'll bring her to!" said the driver, with a
brutal grin. "I'll give her something better
than camphire !" and,takinga pin from his coatsleeve,he
buried it to the head in her flesh. The
"I can bar it!" said Tom, " better'n you;'1
described,and who had, in the course of her
work, come near enough to hear Tom's last words,
raised her heavy black eyes, and fixed them, for a
one
"He! he! he !" said another ;
"
you '11know second,on him ; then,takinga quantity of cotton
how good it is,Misse !"
from her basket șhe placedit in his.
"You know nothing about this place,"she
" We '11 see her work !"
"
AVonder if she'll get a cuttingup, at night, said, " or you would n't have done that. When
like the rest of us?"
you 've been here a month, you '11be done helping
"
I 'd be glad to see her down for a flogging, anybody; you
'11 find it hard to take care of
your own
lived.
skin !'
'
"
The Lord never visitsthese parts,"said the
woman, bitterly, as she went nimbly forward
with her work ; and againthe scornful smile
curled her lips.
But the action of the woman had been seen by
his
the driver,across the field ; and,flourishing
whip,he came up to her.
"
What ! what !" he said to the woman, with
an air of triumph, "you a foolin'T Go along!
yerself, or yer '11
yer under me "
now,
cotch it!"
A
glancelike sheet-lightning suddenly flashed
dogs,burnt alive,cut to inches ! I 've only to say
the word !"
"
What de devil you here for,den?" said the
man, evidentlycowed, and sullenlyretreating a
step or two. "Didn't mean no harm, Jlisse
(sixssy ! ' '
"
Keep your distancețhen !" said the woman.
And, in truth,the man seemed greatly inclined to
of the field,
started offin quicktime.
The woman suddenly turned to her work, and
labored with a despatchthat was perfectly astonishing
to Tom. She seemed to work by magic.
Before the day was through,her basket was filled,
crowded down, and piled,and she had several
times put largely into Tom's. Long after dusk,
the whole weary train,with their baskets on their
heads,defiled up to the building appropriated to
the storing and weighing the cotton. Legree was
there,busilyconversing with the two drivers.
"Dat ar Tom 'sgwine to make a powerful deal o'
trouble ; kepta puttin' into Lucy's basket. "
One
o' these yer dat will get all der niggers to feelin'
'bused,if Mas'r don't watch him !" said Sambo.
"Hey-dey! The black cuss! ' said Legree

" I'll
"
a
a
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 133
"
"
"
"
"
"FU'H have to get a breakingin,won't he, lipsmoved slightly something boys?"
French. What it was, no one knew; but
Both negro :s grinned a horrid grin, at this intimation.
Legree's face became perfectly demoniacal in its
expression, as she spoke; he half raised his hand,
As she delivered it,Legree looked in her eyes you never hear,out of yer Bible, Servants,obey
'
with a sneering yetinquiring glance.
yer mastei-s ' ? An't I yer master? Did n't I pay
She fixed her black eyes steadily dawn twelve hundred dollars cash,for all there is
"
Ay, ay! let Mas'r Legreealone,for breakin' as if to strike, gesturewhich she regarded
in! De debil heself couldn't beat Mas'r at* with fierce disdain,as she turned and walked
d"it!" said Quinibo.
away.
"Wal, boys,the best way
is to givehim the "And now," said Legree, "come here, you
flogging do,tillhe gets over his notions. Break Tom. You see, I telled ye I did n't buy ye jest
him in ! ' '
for the common work ; I mean to promote ye,
"
Lord,Mas'r '11have hard work to getdat out and make a driver of ye ; and to-nightye may
o' him !"
jest as well begin to get yer hand in. Now, ye
"It'll have to come out of him, though!" jesttake this yer gal and flogher ; ye 've seen
said Legree, as he rolled his tobacco in his enoughon beg
't to know how."
mouth.
"
I Mas'r's pardon,"said Tom ; " hopes
"
Now, dar 's Lucy," the aggravatinist, ugliest
Mas'r won't set me at that. It 's what I an't
wench on de place !" pursuedSambo.
used never and can't did," do, no to,"
"Take care, Sam; I shall to think possible."
begin
way
things
what 's th"ireason for your spiteaginLucy."
"
Ye '11lam a smart pretty chance of
"
Well. Mas'r knows she 's sot herself up agin ye never did know, before I 've done with ye !"
Mas'r,and wouldn't have me, when he tolled her said Legree,takingup a cow-hide, striking
to."
Tom a heavyblow across the cheek,and following
"
I 'd a flogged her into 'fc," said Legreeșpitting,
up the infliction by a shower of blows.
"only there's such a press o' work, it "There!" he said,as he stopped to
don't seem wuth a while to upset her "
jistnow. now, will ye tell me ye can't do it?"
rest;
She 's slender ; but these yer slender gals will
"
Yes, Mas'r"
bear half killiu'to get their own way !"
to wipe the
"
Wal, Lucy was real aggravatin' "
lazy, I 'm wiilin'
said Tom,
blood țhat
to work, night
puttingup his hand,
trickled down kis face.
day,and work
sulkin'round ; wouldn't do nothin', and Tom while there 's life and breath in me ; but this yer
and,Mas'r,I
he tuck up forh?r."
thing I can't feel it righ to do ;
"
lie did,eh ! Wal, then,Tom shall have the never shall do it," never! "
pleasure flogging good practice
Tom had a remarkablysmooth, soft voice,and
for him, and he won't put it on to the gal a habitually respectful manner, that had given
like you devils,neither."
Legree an idea that he would be cowardly, and
"Ho, ho! haw! haw! haw!" laughed both easily subdued. When he spoke these last
the sooty wretches ; and the diabolical sounds words, a thrillof amazement wenttthrough every
seemed,in truth,a not unaptexpression of the one; the poor woman clasped her hands, and
fiendishcharacter which Legreegave* them.
said "0 Lord!" and
every
one involunta.-ilv
'"
Wal, but,Mas'r, Tom and Misse Cassy, and looked at each other and drew in their breath, as
dey among 'em, filled Lucy'sbasket. I ruther if to prepare for the storm that was about to
guess der weight 's in it,Mas'r !"
burst.
"/ do the teaching-.'" said Legree,emphatically.
Legreelooked stupefied confounded ; but
at last burst forth,"
Both the driversagainlaughedtheir diabolical "What! ye blasted black beast! tell me ye
laugh.
don't think it righ to do what I tell ye ! What
"
So !" he added, " Misse Cassy did her day'shave any
of you cussed cattle to do with thinking
work."
what 's right ? I '11 put a stop to it ! Why,
"
She pickslike de debil and.all his angels !" what do ye
think ye are ? May be ye think ye 'r
"She's got 'em all in her, I believe!" said a gentleman,master Tom, to be a telling your
Legree; and, growling a brutal oath,he proceeded
master what 's right, and what an't ! So you
to the weighing-room.
pretend it 's wrong to flog the gal !"
"
I think so, Mas'r," said Tom ; " the poor crittur's
sick and feeble; 'twould be downright
Slowly the weary, dispirited creatures wound
their way into the room, and,with crouching cruel,and it 's what I never will do,nor begin to.
presentedtheir baskets to be weighed. Mas'r, if you
mean to kill me, kill me ; but,as to
Legreenoted on a slate,on the side of which
my raisingmv hand aginany one here,I never
was pasteda listof names, the amount.
shall, die first!"
Tom's basket was weighed and approved;and Tom spokein a mild voice,but with a decision
he looked,with an anxious glance, for the success that could not be mistaken.
Legree
shook with
of the woman he had befriended.
anger ; his greenisheyes glaredfiercely, and his
Totteringwith weakness, she came forward, passion; but,
and delivered her basket. It was some ferocious beast,that
very
of full weight, like playsw.'th its
as Legree well perceived ; but,affecting anger, he viptimbefore he devours it,he kept back his
said,
strong impulse to proceedto immediate violence.,
"
What, you lazybeast! short again! stand and broke out in bitter raillery.
aside, you '11catch ' "
it,prettysoon !"
Well, here 's a piousdog,at last,let down
The woman
gave a groan of utter despair,and among
us sinners ! saint,a gentleman, sat down on a board. The person who had been no less,to talk to us sinners about our sins!
calledMisse Cassy now came forward,and, with Powerful holycritter, he must be ! Here, you
a haughty,negligentair,delivered her basket. rascal, you make believeto be so pious, did n't

we'll
Eccl.
filled
give
no
give
set
and
"
if
"
there
and
he
I
a
134 (JNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR,
inside yer old cussed black shell ? An't yer mine,
now, body and soul ?" he said,givingTom a violent
kick with his heavy boot ; " tell me !"
In the very depthof physicalsuffering, bowed
by brutal oppression, this questionshot a gleam
of joyand triumphthroughTom's soul. He suddenly
stretched himself up, and,lookingearnestly
to heaven, while the tears and blood that
flowed down his face mingled, he exclaimed,
"
No ! no ! no ! my
soul an't yours, Mas'r !
You have n't boughtit,"
ye can't buy it ! It 's
been bought and paid for by
keep it ! "
me !"
one that is able to
matter, no matter, you can't harm
"
I can't !" said Legree,with a sneer ; " we '11 streams of black hair fellaround her singular and
"
see, see! Here, Sambo, Quimbo, givemelancholyface.
"
this dog such a breakin' in as he won't get over, It 's no use, my poor fellow !" she broke out,
this month !"
at last, " it 's of no use, this you 've been trying;
The two giganticnegroes that now laid hold of to do. You are a brave fellow," you had the
Tom, with fiendish exultation in their faces,might righton your side ; but it 's all in vain,and out
have formed no unapt personification of powers of of the question,for you to struggle.You are in
darkness. The poor woman screamed with apprehension,
the devil's hands ;
" is the strongest, and you
and all rose, as by a generalimpulse,
while theydragged him unresisting from the
place.
CHAPTER
TnE
XXXIV.
quadroon's story.
on the
"
And behold the tears of such as are oppressed
side of their oppressors there was power. Wherefore I praised
the dead that are already dead more than the livingthat are yet
alive." 4 : 1.
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
" "
It was late at night, and Tom laygroaning and
bleedingalone, in an old forsaken room of the ginhouse,
among pieces of broken machinery,pileshell. Why should n't we go?"
heaven and earth. Everything pushing into
of damaged cotton,and other rubbish which had Tom closed his eyes, and shuddered at the dark,
there accumulated.
atheistic words.
The nightwas damp and close, and the thick
"
You see," said the
"
woman, you
don't know
air swarmed with myriadsof mosquitos,which anythingabout it ; do. I 've been on this
increased the restless torture of his wounds ; placefive years, body and soul, under this man's
whilst a burningthirst" a torture beyond all foot ; and I hate him as I do the devil ! Here
others up the uttermost measure of physical
you are, on a lone plantation, ten miles from
anguish.
any other,in the swamps ; not a white
person
"
0, good Lord ! Do look down, me the here,who could testify,
you
were burned alive,
victory ! me the victory prayed you
were scalded,cut into inch-pieces, setup
poor Tom, in his anguish.
for the dogs to tear,or hung up and whipped to
A footstep room, behind him,and death. There 's no law here,of God or man, that
the lightof a lantern flashed on his eyes.
can do you, or any one of us, the least goad; and
"Who's there'? 0, for the Lord's massy, this man,
's no earthlytilingthat he 's too
pleasegiveme some water !"
good to do. I could make any one's hair rise,and
Ihe woman for it Cassy" was she down their teeth chatter,if I should onlytellwhat I 've
her lantern,and, pouringwater from a bottle, seen and been knowing to here," and it 's no
raised his head, and gave him drink. Another use resisting! Did I want to live witli him?
and another cup
were drained,with feverish eagerness.
Was n't I a woman delicately bred ; and he "
God in heaven ! what was he, and is he? And
" "
Drink all ye want," she said ; I knew how yet, I 've lived with him, these five years, and
it would be. It is n't the first time I 've been cursed moment of my life, night and day !
every
out in the night,carrying to such as you." And now he 's gota new one, young tiling,
"
Thank
you, Missis,"said Tom, when he had onlyfifteen,and she broughtup, she says, pious
done drinking.
ly. Her good mistress taughther to read the
"
Don't call me Missis ! I 'in a miserable Bible ; and she 's brought her Bible here to
slave,like yourself, a lower one than you
can hell with her!" the woman a laughed
ever be !" said she,bitterly ; "but now," said wild and doleful laugh țhat rung,
with a
strange,
she,going to the door,and dragging a small supernatural sound,throughthe old ruined shed.
pallaise, over which she had spreadlinen cloths Tom folded his hands; all was darkness and
wet with cold water, " try, my poor fellowțo horror.
roll yourselfon to this."
"0 Jesus! Lord Jesus! have you quiteforgot
Stiffwith wounds and bruisesȚom was a long us
poor critturs?" burst forth,at last;"
tini3 in accomplishingthis movement ; but,when
"
help,Lord,I perish!"
done, he felt a sensihle relief from the cooling
application to his wounds.
The woman, whom longpracticewith the vie
tims of brutalityhad made familiarwith many
healingarts, went on to make many applications
to Tom's wounds, by means of which he was soon
somewhat relieved.
"
Now," said the woman, when she had raised
his head on a roll of damaged cotton, which
served for a pillow,
" there 's the best I can do
foryou."
Tom thanked her ; and the woman, sitting
down on the floor, drew up her knees,and embracing
them with her arms, looked fixedlybefore
her,with a bitter and painfulexpressionof countenance.
Her bonnet fell back, and long wavy
must giveup !"
Give up
physical agony wrhisperedthat, before ? Tom
! and had not human weakness and
started ; for the bitter woman, with her wild eyes
and melancholyvoiceșeemed to him an embodiment
of
with which he had been
the temptation
wrestling.
"
0 Lord ! 0 Lord !" he groaned,
" how can I
giveup?"
"
There 's no use
"
callingon the Lord, he
never hears,"said the woman, steadily ; "there
isn't any God, I believe ; or, if there is,he 's
taken sides againstus. All goes againstus,
The woman sternlycontinued :
" And what ar" these miserable low dogs you

0
that
"
and,with
and,if
"what
and
"
but
No
just
the
"
it
none!
and,
don'tlet
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 135
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
wcfrk "with, ihat you should sufferon their account?
allayspoor? and have we, on
any us, yet come
Every one of them would turn againstso low as he come ? The Lord han't "
forgot us,
you, the firsttime theygot a chance. They are I'm sartin' o' that ar'. If we suffer with him,
all of 'em as low and cruel to each other as they we shall also reignȘcripture says ; but,if we
can be ; there 's no use in your suffering to keep denyhim, he also will deny us. Didn't they
from hurtingthem."
all suffer? Lord and all his ? It tells how
"Poor critturs!" said Tom, made theywas stoned and sawn asunder,and wandered
'em cruel? I giveout, I shall get used about in sheep-skins and goat-skins, and was
to 't,and grow, littlebylittle, just like 'em !' No, destitute, afflicted, tormented. Sufferin'an't no
no, Missis! I've lost everything, wife, and reason to make us think the Lord 's turned agin
children, and home, and a kind Mas'r. he us ; but jestthe contrary, onlywe hold on to
would have set me free,if he 'd onlylived a week him,and doesn't give up to sin."
longer;I've lost everything
and
" But why does he put us where we can't help
it's clean gone, forever, and. now I can't lose but sin1" said the woman.
heaven,too ; no, I can't get to be wicked,besides
"
I think we can helpit,"said Tom.
all!"
"You'll see,"said Cassy; " what '11 you do?
" But it can't be that the Lord will laysin to To-m6rrow they '11be at you again. I know 'em ;
our account,"said the woman ; " he won't charge I 've seen all their doings; I can't bear to think
it to us, when we 'reforced to it ; he '11charge it of all they '11 bringyou to ; and they '11 make
to them that drove us to it."
you giveout, at last !" "
"Yes," said Tom, "but that won't keep us "Lord Jesus !" said Tom, " you will take care
from growing wicked. If I get to be as hardhearted
of my soul! OLord, do! me give
it won't
make much odds to me how I come so ; it 's the
Jem' so,
"
ar 's what I 'm a dreadin'."
as that ar' Sambo, and as wicked,
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
crying and prayingbefore ; and yet țhey've/been
The woman fixed a wild and startledlook on broken down, and broughtunder. There's Emmeline
șhe 's trying to hold on, and you 're trying,
Tom, as if a new thought had struck her ; and
then,heavilygroaningșaid,
what use? You must giveup,
or be
"
0 God a' mercy ! you speak the truth ! 0 killed by inches."
0 ! "
groans, she fell on the floor,
"
Well, then,I will die!" said Tom. "Spin
like one crushed and writhing extremity
out as long as theycan, they can't helpmy
of mental anguish.
dying șome time! after that,theycan't
There was a silence,a while, in which the do no more. I'm clar,I'm set! I know the
brealhing parties could be heard,when Lord '11helpme, and bring me through."
Tom faintly said,"0, please, Missis !"
The woman did not answer ; she sat with her
The woman suddenly rose up, with her face black eyes intently fixed on the floor.
composed to its usual stern,melancholyexpression.
May be it 's the way," she murmured to herself;
"
"but those that have givenup, there's no
hopefor them! We live in filth, and
"
Please,Missis,I saw 'em throw my coat in
that ar' corner, and in my coat-pocket my grow loathsomețill we loathe ourselves! And
Bible ; if Missis would pleaseget it for me." we long to die,and we don't dare to kill our
Cassy went and got it. Tom opened, at once, selves
!"
hope ! no hope ! no hope ! this
\o a heavily-marked passage, much worn, of the girlnow, as old as I was !
last scenes in the lifeof Him by whose stripes "
You see me now," she said,speaking to Tom
axe healed.
very rapidly ; " see what I am ! Well, I was
"
If Missis would only be so goodas read that broughtup in luxury; the firstI remember is,
it 's better than water."
ar","
Gassy took the book,with a dry,proudair, parlors; when I was kept dressed up like a
and looked over the passage. She then read
aloud,in a soft voice, and with a beautyof intonation
There was a gardenopeningfrom the saloon windows
that was peculiar, that touching account
of anguishand of she glory.Often,as read,her under the orange-trees, with my
brothers and
voicefaltered, and sometimes failed her altogether, sisters. I went to a convent, and there I learned
when she would stop, with an air of frigidcomposure,
music,French and embroidery, and what not ; and
tillshe had mastered herself. When she when I was fourteen,I came out to my father's
came to the touchingwords, Father,forgive
" funeral. He died very suddenly, and wnen the
them, for they know not what they do," she property came to be settled,theyfound that there
threw down the book,and, buryingher face in was scarcely enough to cover the debts ; and when
the heavymasses of her hair șhe sobbed aloud, the creditors took an inventory of the property, I
with a convulsive violence.
was set down in it. My mother was a slave
Tom was
weeping,also,and occasionally uttering
a smothered ejaculation.
to that ar' !" said
out!"
"0 dear!" said Cassy; "I've heard all this
playingabout, when I was a child, in splendid
doll, and company and visitorsused to praise me.
; and there I used to playhide-and-go-seek,
woman, and my father had alwaysmeant to set
me free ; but he had not done it,and so I was set
down in the list. I 'd alwaysknown who I was,
"
If we only could keepup
Tom ;
"
"it seemed to come so natural to him, but never thought much about it. Nobody ever
and we have to fight so hard for 't! 0 Lord, expects that a strong,healthy man is a goingto
help us ! 0 blessed Lord Jesus,do helpus !" die. My father was a well man onlyfour hours
"
Missis,"said Tom, aftera while,
"
I can see before he died ; was one of the firstcholera
that șomehow, you 're quite'bove me in everything
; but there 's one thingMissis might learn
even from poor
Tom. Ye said the Lord took sides
againstus, because he lets us be 'bused and me
strangely, but didn't know. There was a
knocked round ; but ye see what come on his own
young lawyerwho theyleft to settle the business
the blessed Lord
"
Son," of Glory, wan't he
and was about the
cases in New Orleans. The day after the funeral,
my father's wife took her children,and went up
to her father's plantation Ị thoughtthey treated
; and he came every day,

"
I
but,
and
" and
"
and
whenever
136 UNCLE TOM S CABIN I OR,
house,and spokevery politely to me. He broughtstood in the way of his marryingas he wished
with him,one day,a young man, whom I thought he sold us. He told me, one day, that he
the handsomest I had ever seen. I shall never
forget that evening. I walked with him in the
garden. I was lonesome and fullof sorrow, and
he was so kind and gentle to me ; and he told me
that he had seen me before I went to the convent,
and that he had loved me a greatwhile,and that
he would be my
friend and "
protector ; in short,
thoughhe did n't tell me, he had paidtwo thousand
dollars for me, and I was his "
property; I
became his willingly, for I loved him. Loved !"
said the woman, stopping. "0 how I did love
that man ! How I love him "
now, always
shall,while I breathe ! He was so beautiful, so
high, so noble ! He put me into a beautiful
house,with servants,horses,and carriages, and
furniture, and dresses. Everything that money
could buy, he gave me; but I didn't set any
cared for him. I
value on all I that," only
loved him better than my
God and my own soul ;
and,if I tried,I couldn't do any other way
from
what he wanted me to.
free. But he convinced me that it
"
would be impossible
I gave up, for my hands were tied, lie had
; and he told me that,if we were only
faithful to each other, it was marriage before
God. If that is true,wasn't I that man's wife 1
Was n't I faithful ? For seven
years, did n't I
studyevery look and motion,and only live and
breathe to please him 1 He had the yellowfever,
"
was only misery; and to be bound, body and
and for twentydays and nightsI watched with soul,to one I hated. I used to love to read to
him. I alone," and gave him all his medicine, Henry, to play to him, to waltz with him, and
and did everything for him ; and then he called sing to him ; but everything I did for this one
me his good angel, and said I 'd saved his life. was a perfectdrag," yet I was afraid to refuse
We had two beautiful children. The first was a anything. He was very imperious,and harsh to
boy,and we called him Henry. He was the image
the children. Elise was a timid littlething; but
of his father, he had such beautiful eyes, Henry was bold and high-spirited, like his father,
such a forehead,and his hair hung all in curls and he had never been brought under, in the
around it ; and he had all his father's spirit, least,by any one. He was alwaysfindingfault,
his talent țoo. Little Elise,he said,looked like and quarrelling with him ; and I used to live in
me. He used to tell me that I was the most dailyfear and dread. I tried to make the child
beautifulwoman in Louisiana,he was so proud respectful ; I tried to keep them apart, for I held
"ff me and the children. He used to love to have
nv" dress them up, and take them and me about
in un open carriage, and hear the remarks that
people would make on us ; and he used to fill my
ears constantlywith the fine thingsthat were
said in praise of me and the children. 0, those
were happy days ! I thought I was as happy as
but then there came evil times.
any one could be ;
had business in the country, and should be gone
two or three weeks. He spokekinder than usual,
and said he should come back ; but it did n't
deceive me. I knew that the time had come ; I
was justlike one turned into stone ; I could n't
speak,nor shed a tear. He kissed me and kissed
children, a good many times,and went out.
the
I saw him get on his horse, and I watched him
till he was quiteout of sight; and then I fell
down, and fainted.
"
Then he came, the cursed wretch! he came
to take possession.He told me that he had
boughtme and my
children ; and showed me the
papers. I cursed him before God, and told him
I 'd die sooner than live writh him.
" '
Just
' as you please,'said lie ; but if you
don't behave reasonably,I '11 sell both the children,
where you shall never see them again.' He
told me that he always had meant to have me,
from the firsttime he saw me ; and that he had
drawn Henryon, and got him in debt,on purpose
"
I wanted onlyone thing" I did want him to to make him willing to sell me. That he got him
marry me. I thought, if he loved me as he said in love with another woman ; and that I might
he did,and if I was what he seemed to think I know, after all that țhat he should not give up
was, he would be willing marry
me and set me for a few airs and tears, and thingsof that sort.
my children ;
"
I resisted his will anywhere,
he would talk about sellingthem, and he
made me as submissive as he desired. 0, what
a life it was ! to livewith my heart breaking,
day,"
every to keep on, on, on, loving, when
on to those children like death ; but it did no
good. He sold both those children. He took me to
ride,one day,and when I came home, they were
nowhere to be found ! He told me he had sold
them ; he showed me the money, the priceof their
blood. Then it seemed as if all good forsook me
I raved and cursed," cursed God and man ; and,
for a while,I believe,he reallywas afraid of me
He had a cousin come to New Orleans,who was But he didn't giveup so. He told me that my
"
his particular friend, he thoughtall the world children were sold,but whether I ever saw their
"
of him; from the first time I saw him, I faces again,depended on him ; and that,if I
could n't tell why, I dreaded him ; for I felt sure was n't quiet,they should smart for it. Well,
he was going to bringmisery on us. He gotHenry you can do anything with a woman, when you 've
to going out with him, and often he would not got her children. He made me submit ; he made
come home nightstilltwo or three o'clock. I did me be peaceable ; he flattered me with hopes
not dare say
a word ; for Henry was so highspirited,
I was afraid to. He had gothim to the thingswent on, a week or two. One day, I was
that,perhaps, he would buy them back ; and so
gaming-houses ; and he was one of the sort that, out walking,and passedby the calaboose ; I saw
when he once got a goingthere,there was no a crowd about the gate, and heard a child's voice,
holdingback. And then he introduced him to suddenly my Henry broke away from two
another lady,and I saw soon that his heart was or three men who were holdinghim, and ran,
gone from me. He never told me, but I saw it, screaming, and caught my dress. They came up
knew it,day after day, I felt my
heart to him,swearingdreadfully
-^ ; and one man, whose
breaking, but I could not say a word ! At this, face I shall never forget, told him that he would n't
the wi-etch offered to buy me and the children of get away so ; that he was goingwith him into
Genry, to clove off his gamK'ingdebts,which the calaboose,
a lesson there he 'd
and he 'd get
it

"
but
howl
not
" and
" I
"
a
"
won't
_
"
LIFE AMONG HIE LOWIA.
137
never forget. I tried to "
beg and plead, they thisday; he, at least,is out of pain. What better
onlylaughed; the poor boy screamed and looked than death could I givehim, poor child!
into my face,and held on to me, until, in tearingAfter a while, the cholera came, and Captain
him off,they tore the skirt of my
dress half Stuart died ; everybody died that wanted to live,
away ; and they carried him I," in, screaming
I,though I went down to death's door,
'
Mother ! mother ! mother !' There was one man
lived! Then I was sold,and passed from
stood there seemed to pity me. I offeredhim all hand to hand, tillI grew
faded and wrinkled,and
the money I had, if he 'd onlyinterfere. He I had a fever ; and' then this wretch bought me,
shook his'head, and said that the man said the anl brought me and here lam!"
here,"
boy had been impudent and disobedient, The woman stopped. She had hurried on
since he bought him ; that he was goingto break throug her story, with a wild,passionate him in, once for all. I turned and ran ; and
; sometimes seeming to address it to Tom,
every stepof the way, I thoughtthat I heard and sometimes speakingas in a solilocmy Ṣo
him 'scream. I got into the house ; ran, all out vehement and overpowering was the force with
of breath,to the parlor, where I found Butler. I which she spoke țhat, for a season, Tom was
told him, and begged him to go and interfere, beguiled
painof his wounds, and,
lie onlylaughed, and told me the boy had got raisinghimself on one elbow,watched her as she
his deserts. He 'd got to be broken the pacedrestlessly up and down, her longblack hair
in,"
sooner the better; 'what did I expect?' he swayingheavily about her, as she moved.
"
asked.
You tell me," she said,after a pause, "'that
" It seemed to me something in
my
head there is a a .God that looks down and see3
God,"
snapped, at that moment. I felt dizzyand furious. all these things.May be it 's so. The sistersin
I remember seeing a greatsharpbowie-knife on the convent used to tell me of a day of judgment,
the table; I remember something about catchingwhen
everything iscoming to light;
there
it,and flyingupon him ; and then all grew dark, be vengeance, then !
and I didn't know any more "
for days and "They think it's nothing, what we suffer,
days.
nothing, what our children suffer! It "s all a
"
When I came to myself, room, small matter ; yetI 've walked the streets when it
not mine. An old black woman tended seemed as if -I had miseryenough in my
one
me ; and a doctor came to see me, and there was a heart to sink the city. I 've wished the houses
greatdeal of care taken of me. After a while,I would fall on me, or the stones sink under me.
found that he had gone away, and left me at this Yes ! and,in the judgmentday, I will stand up
house to liesold ; and that *s why theytook such before God, a witness agains those that have
pains with me.
ruined me and my children,body and soul !
"
I did n't mean to get well,and hoped I
"
When I was a girl, I thought I was religious ;
shouldn't ; but,in spite of me, the feverwent off, I used to love God and prayer. Now, I 'm a lost
and I grew healthy, and finally got up. Then, soul,pursuedby devils that torment me day and
they made me dress up, everyday; and "
gentlemennight;theykeeppushingm" on and on and
used to come in and stand and smoke their cigars,
I'll do it,too, some of these days!" she said,
and look at me, and ask questions, and debate my clenching while an insane lightglanced
price. I was so gloomyand silent, that none of in her heavy black
"
eyes.
I '11send him where
them wanted me. They threatened to whip me, he belongs, short way,
one of these
too,"
if I was n't gayer, and did n't take some pains to nights, theyburn me alive for it!" A wild,
make myselfagreeable Ạt length, longlaughrang through the deserted room, and
a gentlemanamed Stuart. He seemed to have ended in a hysteric ; she threw herselfon the
some feeling for me ; he saw that something floor,in convulsivesobbings and struggles.
dreadful was on my heart,and he came to see me In a few moments, the frenzy fitseemed to pass
alone, a greatmany times,and finally persuadedoff;she rose slowly,and seemed to collect herself.
me to tellhim. He boughtme, at last, "
and promised
Can I do anything more for you, my pdor fellow?"
to do all he could to find and buy back my
she said, approaching where Tom lay;
"
children. He went to the hotel where my Henry shallI giveyou some more water '"
was ; theytold him he had been sold to a planter There wTas a graceful and compassionate
sweetness
up on Pearl river ; that was the last that I ever
in her voice and manner, as she said this,
heard. Then he found where my daughter was ; that formed a strange contrast with the former
an old woman was keepingher. He offered an wildness.
immense sum for her, but they would not sell Tom drank the water, and looked earnestly and
her. Butler found out that it was for me he pitifully into her face.
"
wanted her ; and he sent me word that I should 0, Missis,I wish you 'd go to Him that can
never have her. CaptainStuart was very
kind to giveyou livingwaters !"
"
me ; he had a splendidplantation, and took me to Go- to him! Where is he? Who is he?"
it. In the course of a year, I had a son born. said Cassy.
"
O, that child' loved it! How just like
"
Him that you read of to me, "the Lord."
my poor Henry the littlethinglooked! But I
" I used to see the picture of him, over the
had made "
up my mind, yes, I had. I would altar,when I was a girl,"said Cassy, her dark
never again let a child live to grow up ! I took eyes fixingthemselves in an expression of mournful
the little fellow in my arms, when he was two revery ; " but,he isn't here! there 's nothing
weeks old,and kissed him, and cried over him ; here,but sin,and long,long,longdespair ! 0 !"
and then I gave him laudanum,and held him close She laid her hand on her breast and drew in her
to my bosom, while he slep to death. How I breath,as if to lift a heavyweight.
mourned and cried over it ! and who ever dreamed Tom looked as if he would speakagain; but she
that it was anythingbut a mistakețhat had made cut him short,with a decided gesture.
"
me giveit the laudanum ? but it 's one of the few Don't talk, my poor fellow. Try to sleep, if
things that I 'm gladof,now. I am not sorry, to you can.' And, placing and

138 UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR,
"makingwhatever littlearrangementsfor his comfort
she could,Cassyleft the shed.
CHAPTER
THE
TOKENS.
XXXV.
"
And slight, withal,may be the tilingsthat bring
Back on the heart the weight which it would fling
Aside forever ; it may be a sound,
A (lower, the wind, the ocean, which shall "
wound,
Striking the electricchain wherewith we 're darkly bound."
Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, Can. 4.
made her a
The sitting-room of Legree'sestablishment was sort of objectof dread to Legree, who had that
a large,long'room, with a wide,ample fireplace. superstitious horror of insane
It had once been hung with a showy persons which is
and expensive
common to coarse and uninstructed minds. When
paper, which now hung mouldering țorn Legree broughtEmmeline to the house,all the
and discolored,from the damp walls. The place smoulderingembers of womanly feeling flashed
had that peculiarsickening, unwholesome smell, up in the worn heart of Cassy,and she took part
compounded of mingleddamp, dirt aud decay, with the girl; and a fierce quarrelensued between
which one often notices in close old houses. The
her and Legree. Legree,in a fury șwore
wall-paper was defaced, in spots,by slopsof beer she should be put to field service,if she would
and wine ; or garnished with chalk .memorandums,
not be peaceable.Cassy, with proudscorn, declared
she ivould go to the field. And siteworked
and long sums footed up,
as if somebody
had been practising arithmetic there. In the
fireplace stood a brazierfull of burning charcoal ;
for,though the weather was not cold țhe evenings
alwaysseemed damp and chilly in that great
room ; and Legree,moreover, wanted a place to
light his cigars, and heat his water for punch.
The ruddy glare of the charcoal displayed the
confused and unpromising aspect of the "
room,
\"tt won't be fitto wTork for a week,now,
"n ike press of the season!"
"
right
"
Yes, just like you," said a voice, behind his
ehair. It was the woman Cassy, who had stolen
upon his soliloquy.
"
Hah ! you she-devil! you 've come back,
have you
? ' '
"Yes, I have," she said,coolly;
"come to
have my
own way, too !"
"
You lie, you jade ! I '11be up to my word.
Either behave yourself, or stay down to the quarters,and
fare and work with the rest."
"
I 'd rather,ten thousand times," said the
woman,
"
live in the dirtiesthole at the quarters,
than lieunder your hoof!"
"A what?"
"But you are under my hoof, for all "
that," Something that niggersgetsfrom witches.
said he, turningupon her,with a
savage grin; Keeps 'em from feelin' when tliey 's floggedḤe
"
that 's one comfort. So, sit down here on
my
had it tied round his neck,with a black string."
knee, my dear,and hear to reason,"said he,laying
Legree, like most godless and cruel men, was
hold on her wrist.
superstitious. took the paper, and opened it
" Simon Legree țake care !" said the woman, uneasily.
with a sharp Sash of her eye, a glanceso wild There dropped out of it a silver dollar,and a
and insane in its light as to be almost appalling. long,shiningcurl of fair hair which, like
hair,"
"You're afraid of me, Simon," she said,deliberately;
a livingthing țwined itself round Legree's "and you've reason to be! But be
careful,for I 've gotthe devil in me !"
The last words she whispered in a hissing tone,
close to his ear.
"
Get out I believe, to my soul, you have !"
said Legree,puslvngh-irfrom him, and looking
uncomfortably at : er. "After all,Cassy," he
said, " why can't you be friendswith me, as
you
used to ? ' '
stopped
world of chokingfeelings, rising in
"Used to!" said she,bitterly. She
"
short, a
her heart,keep her silent.
Cassy had alwayskeptover Legreethe kind of
influence that a strong,impassionedwoman can
ever keep over the most brutal man ; but,of late,
she had grown more and more irritableand restless,
under the hideous yoke of her servitude,
and her irritability, at times, broke out into
ravinginsanity ; and this liability
there one day, as we have described, to show
perfectly she scorned the threat
how
Legree was secretly uneasy all day ; for Cassy
had an influence over him from which he could
not free himself. AY hen she presentedher basket
at the scales, he had hoped for some concession,
and addressed her in a sort of half conciliatory,
half scornful tone ; and she had answered
saddles,bridles, several sorts of harness,riding-witwhips,overcoats,and
various articlesof clothing,
the bitterest contempt.
The outrageous treatment of poor Tom had
scattered up and down the room in confused variety
roused her still more ; and she had followed Legree
; and the dogs, of whom we have before to the house,with no particular intention,
spoken, had encamped themselves among them, but to upbraidhim for his brutality.
"
to suit their own taste and convenience.
I wish,Cassy,"said Legree, " you
'd behave
Legreewas justmixinghimself a tumbler of yourselfdecently."
punch, pouringhis hot water from a cracked and "You talk about behavingdecently! And
broken-nosed pitcher,grumbling, as he did so, what have you been doing?"
you, who have n't
"
Plague on that Sambo, to kick up this ycr
even sense enough to keep from spoiling one of
cow between me and the new hands ! The fel- your best bonds,right in the most pressingseason,
justfor your devilish temper !"
"I was a fool,it's a fact, to let any such
branglecome up," said Legree; " but,when the
boy-set up his will,he had to be broke in."
"
I reckon you won't break him in !"
" AVon't I?" said Legree,rising,passionately.
"
I 'd like to know if I Avon't ! He '11be the first
niggerthat ever came it round me ! I '11 biesA
every bone in his body,but he shall giveup !"
Just then the door opened,and Sambo entered.
He came forward,bowing, and holding out something
in a
paper.
"
What 's that, you dog?" said Legree.
"
It 's a witch thing,Mas'r !"
"Damnation!" he screamed,in sudden passion,
stamping on the floor, and pullingfuriously
at the hair, as if it burned him.
"
Where did
this come from? Take it off!" burn it up!
"

was
Em
the
-
Durn it up!" he screamed, tearing
it off,and
throwing i1-into the charcoal "
What did you
bringit to ine for?"
Sambo "stood with his heavymouth wide open,
love," wrought in that demoniac heart of sin
onlyas a damning sentence,bringing with it a Ah, Legree ! that golden tress was charmed ,
fearfullookingfor of judgment and fieryindigna-each hah- had in it a spellof terror and remorse
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 139
tion.
Legree burned the hair,and burned the
letter ; and when he saw them hissingand crack
of everlasting
who was
and deep night, whose solemn stillness arraignsthe
amazement.
bad soul in forced communion with herself,he
ilish
ling in the flame,inlyshuddered as he thought
fires. He tried to drink, and revel,
and aghast with wonder ; and Cassy, and swear
away the memory ; but often,in the
preparing to leave the apartment ștopped,
looked at him in perfect
"
Don't you bring me any more of your dev-
had seen that palemother risingby his bedside,
things !" said he, shakinghis fistat Sambo, and felt the soft twiningof that hair around his
who retreated hastilytowards the door; and, fingers, till the cold sweat would roll down his
pickingup the silverdollar, he sent it smashingface,and he would spring from his bed in horror.
through the window-pane, out into the darkness. Ye who have wondered to hear, in the same evangel,
Sambo was glad to make his escape. When
that God is love,"and that God is a consuming
he was gone, Legree seemed a littleashamed of
see ye
bis fit of alarm. He sat doggedly down in his perfect love is the most fearful torture,the seal
chair,and begansullenlysipping his timiblerof
punch.
Gassyprepared herself for goingout, unob-
'byhim ; and slippedaway to minister to
poor Tom, as we have alreadyrelated.
And what was the matter with Legree ? and
what was there in a Bimplecurl of fair hair to
served
appall that brutal man, familiar Avith every form
of cruelty ? To answer this,we must carry the
reade) backwardin his history Ḥard and reprobate
as the godless man seemed now, there had
with the waters of holybaptism. In early child-
a fair-hairedwoman had led him, at the
sound of Sabbath bell țo worship and to pray. fanlight over the door ; the air was unwholesome
Far in New Englandthat mother had trained her and chilly, like that of a vault.
onlyson, with long,unwearied love,and patient Legreestopped at the foot of the stairs, and
prayers. Burn of a hard-tempered sire,on whom heard a voice singing Ịt seemed strange and
that gentle woman had wasted a world of unvalued
ghostlike in that drearyold house,perhaps because
love,Legree had followed in the stepsof his of the already tremulous state of his nerves.
father. Boisterous,unruly and tyrannical, he Hark ! what is it ?
despised all her counsel,and would none of her A wild,pathetic voice chants a hymn common
reproof;and, at an early age,
broke from her,to among the slaves :
seek his fortunesat sea. He never came home
"
0 there '11bo mourning,mourning,mourning,
but once, after;and then,his mother, with the
0 there '11be mourning,
yearning of a heart that must love something,
at the judgment-seatof Christ !"
"
been a time when he had been rocked on the
bosom of a mother, cradled with prayers and
pioushymns, -his now seared brow bedewed
hood,
and has nothing else to love,clung to him, and
"Blast the girl!" said Legree. "I'll choke
sought, with
"
passionate prayers
and
her ! ! Em !" he called,harshly: but
entreaties,
only
a mockingecho from the walls answered him.
to win him from a lifeof sin țo his soul's eternal
good.
That was Legree'sday of grace ; then good
angels called him ; then he was almost persuaded,
more brutal than ever. And, one night, when
his mother, in the last agony of her despair, Legreestopped
knelt at his feet,he spumed her from him, " to tell of it,but largedrops
threw her senseless on the floor,and, with brutal
curses, fled to his ship. The next Legree heard
of his mother was, when, one night, as he was
carousingamong drunken companions, a letter
and sentence of the direst despair?
"Blast it!" said Legree to himself,as he
sipped his liquor;"where did he getthat7 If
it did n't "
look justlike whoo ! I thought I 'd
forgo that. Curse me, if I think there 's any
such thing as -
forgetting anything,anyhow,
hang it ! I 'm lonesome ! I mean to call Em
"
She hates me monkey! I don't caxe,"
I '11make her come!"
Legree stepped out into a largeentry, which
went up stairs,by what had formerly been a
superbwinding staircase ; but the passage-way
was dirty and dreary,encumbered with boxes and
unsightly litter. The stairs,uncarpetedșeemed
windingup, in the gloom, to nobodyknew where !
The palemoonlight streamed through a shattered
The sweet voice still sang on :
"
Parents and children there shall partI
Parents and children there shall part ?
Shall part to meet no more !"
And clear and loud swelled through the empty
halls the refrain,
"0 there '11be mourning,mourning,mourning.
0 there '11be mourning, at the judgment-seatol Christ !"
Ḥe would have been ashamed
of sweat stood on his
forehead, his heart beat heavy and thick with fear ;
he even thought he saw something white rising
and glimmering in the gloom before him, and
shuddered to think what if the form of his dead
to him.
rise from
the dead!"
I b'lieve I am bewitched,
"
"
"
and mercy held him by the hand. His heart
inlyrelented, there was a conflict, but sin
got the victory, and he set all the force of his
rough nature against the convictionof his con-
He drank and swore, wilder and
science.
was put into his hand. He openedit, and a lock mother should suddenlyappear
of long,curling hair fell from it, "
and twined I know one thing," he said to himself,as he
about his fingers.The lettertold him his mother stumbled back in the sitting-room, and sat down ;
was dead, and "
that,dying,she blest and forgave I '11let that fellowalone,after this ! What did
him.
I want of bis cussed paper?
There is a dread,unhallowed necromancy of
sure enough! I 've been shivering and
evil țhat turns thing sweetest and holiest to sweating, ever since ! Where did he getthat hair ?
phantomsof horror and affright. That pale,loving
It could n't have been that ! I burnt that up, I
her mother," dyingprayers, her forgivingknow I did ! It would be a joke, if hair could

"
Legree
"
you'd
then
couldn't
" Lord
going
thingsthat
and
no
140 UNCLE TOM S CABIN I OR
for thee,and was used by a mightierpower to said Cassy. " He 's learned his trade well,
bind thy cruel hands from inflicting uttermost among the piratesin the West Indies. You
evil on the helpless !
would n't sleepmuch, if I should tell you things
"
I say,"said Legree ștamping and whistling I've seen,
"
he tells of,sometimes,
to the dogs, " wake up, some of you, and keep me for good jokes. I 've heard screams here that I
company !" but the dogsonlyopenedone eye at haven't been able to get out of my head for
him, sleepily, and closed it again.
weeks and weeks. There 's a placeAvay out
"
I '11have Sambo and Quimbo up here,to singdown
by the quarters, where you can see a black,
and dance on" of their hell dances,and keep off blasted tree,and the groundall covered with
these horrid notions,"said Legree; and,puttingblack ashes. Ask any one what was done there,
on his hat,he went on to the veranda,and blew and see if they will dare to tell you."
"
a horn,with which he commonly summoned his 0 ! what do you mean?"
two
sable drivers.
was often wont, when in a graciousI tell you, the Lord only knowTs what we may see
humor, to get these two worthies into his sittingroom,
and, after warming them up with whiskey, begun."
to-morrow, if that poor fellow holds out as he 's
amuse himself by setting them to singing, danc-
"
Horrid !" said Emmeline, every dropof blood
or fighting, as the humor took him.
receding from her cheeks. "
0, Cassy,do tell
It was between one and two o'clock at night, me what I shall do ! "
as Cassy was returningfrom her ministrations to
she said to herself.
She turned hurriedly away,
and,passing round
to a back door,glidedup stairs, and tapped at
Emmeline's
door.
CHAPTER
XXXVI.
i:\lMM.I\E AND CASSY.
Cassy entered the room, and found Emmeline
pale with fear,in the furthest corner of
"
I wish I 'd never been born !" said Emmeline,
sitting,
wringingher hands.
it. As she came in,the girl started up nervously ;
"
That 's an old wish with said me," Cassy.
but,on seeingwho it was, rushed forward,and "I've got used to wishing that. I'd die,if I
catchingher arm, said,"0, Cassy,is it you? dared to," she said,lookingout into the darkness,
I 'm so gladyou 've 3ome ! I was afraid itwas .
with that still, fixed despairwhich was the
O, you don't know what a horrid noise there has habitual expression of her face when at rest.
been, down stairs,all this evening !"
"
It would be wicked to kill one's self,"said
"
I ought to know," said Cassy,dryly. " I 've
heard
it often enough."
"0 Cassy! do tell me,
"
we get
away from this place? I don't care where,"
into the swamp among the snakes," anywhere !
Couldn't we getsomewhere away from here ?"
"
Nowhere, but into our graves,"said Cassy.
"
Did you
nver try?"
"
I 've seet enough of trying, and what comes
of it,"said Ca*sy
"
I 'd be Milling to live in the swamps, and
" What would he do?" said the girl,looking,
with breathless ii."rest,into her face.
"What would ri: he dc, you'd bet.^r ask,"
"
I won't tell you. I hate to think of it. And
"
What I 've done. Do the best you
"
can, do
poor Tom, that she heard the sound of wild what "
you must, make it up in hating and
shrieking,whooping,hallooing,and singing, cursing."
from the sitting-room, mingledwith the "
barking He wanted to make me drink some of his hateful
of dogs,and other symptoms of generaluproar. brandy," said Emmeline ; " "
and I hate it so "
She came up
on the veranda steps, and looked
"
You 'dbetter drink," said Cassy. " I hated
in. Legree and both the drivers, in a state of it,too ; and now I can't live without it. One
furious
"
intoxication, were singing,whooping, must have something ; thingsdon't look so
upsettingchairs,and making all manner of dreadful,when you take that."
ludicrous and horrid
' '
grimaces at each other.
Mother used to tell me never to touch any
She rested her small,slender hand on the window-blind,
such thing," said Emmeline.
and looked "
fixedly at them; there '"'"Mother told you!" said Cassy,with a thrilling
was a world of anguish,scorn, and fierce bitterness,
and bitter emphasis on the word mother.
in
"
her black eyes,
as she did so. Would "What use is it for mothers to say anything?
it be a sin to rid the world of such a wretch?" You are all to be bought and paidfor,and your
souls belongto whoever getsyou. That's the
"
way it goes. I say, drink brandy; drink all ycu
can, and it '11make thingscome easier."
"
0, Cassy ! do pityme !"
"
Pityyou ! don't I ? Have n't I a daughter,
knows where she is,and whose she is
"
now% the way her mother wTent,before*
her,I suppose, and that her children must go,
after her ! There 's no end to "
the curse forever
!"
Emmeline.
"
I don't know why,
"
wickeder than things
we live and do, day after day. Eut the sisters
told me things, when I was in the convent, that
make me afraidto die. If it would onlybe the
"
end of us, why, then
"
Emmeline turned away, and hid her face m
her hands.
While this conversation was passingin the
chamber,Legree,overcome with his carouse, had
sunk to sleep in the
gnaw
the bark from room below. Legreewas
trees. I an't afraid of not an habitual drunkard. His coarse, strong
snakes ! I 'd rather have one near me than nature craved, and could endure, a continual
him," said Emmeline,eagerly .
stimulationțhat would have utterlywrecked
"
There have been a good many here of your and crazed a finer one. But a deep,underlying
opinion," said Cassy; " but you could n't stay in spirit of cautiousness preventedhis often
yielding
the swamps,
be tracked by the dogs, to appetite in such measure as to lose control of
"
"
and broughtback,and then "
himself.
This night,however,in his feverish effortsto
banish from his mind those fearful elements of
woe and remorse which woke within him, he had

that
1
"
'
-
The
eh
and
"
where
"
course
the
" eh
"
"
"
"
"
"
on solemn,holyeye of light, looking
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY.
141
indulged
than common ; so that, when he and you '11 pay down your money like a lady,
had discharged his sable attendants, he fell wont you ? I think I see you doingit !"'
heavilyon a settle in the room, and was sound Legree, like many other planters, had but one
form
asleep
of to have in the heaviest ambition," crop
0 ! how dares the had soul to enter the shadowy of the season, he had several bets on this
world of sleep ? land whose dim outlines very presentseason, pendingin the next town.
lie so fearfully mysticscene of retribution!
Cassyțherefore, with woman's tact,touched the
Legree dreamed. In his heavy and onlystringthat could be made to vibrate.
"
feverish sleep, a veiled form stood beside him, Well,I '11 let him off at what he 's got,"
and laid a cold șofthand upon him. He thought said Legree; " but he shall beg my pardon, and
he knew who and shuddered,with promisebetter fashions."
Cassy.
it was, creeping
horror,though the face was veiled. Then he
thought he feltthat hair twininground his fingers ;
and then that it slid smoothly round his neck,
"
That he
"Won't,
won't do,"said
?"
draw his and then he breath ; thought voices
and tightened tightened, and he could not
in the extreme of scorn.
whisperedto him," whispersthat chilled him
"
Because
with horror. Then it seemed to him he was on and won't he 's done say
right,and
wrong."
the edge of a frightful abyss,holding on and
struggling mortal fear,while dark hands
shall say
what
what he I please, ' '
"
it,
nigger
he knows ? The crop,
Cassy came him very
him. And then rose
up that solemn veiled figure, press."
and drew aside the veil. It was his mother ; and
" But he willgiveup,
he will ; don't
"
Or, you
'11 lose your
bet on the cotton
by keeping him out of the field, just at this
stretched up,
behind
and were pulling him
laughing,
over ; and
pushed
she turned away from him, and he fell down, I know what niggers is? He '11 beglike a dog,
down, down, amid a confused noise of shrieks, this morning."
"
and groans,
and shouts of demon laughter, and He won't,Simon ; you
don't know thiskind.
Legree awoke.
You may kill him by inches, you won't get the
Calmly the rosy hue of dawn was stealing firstword of confessionout of him."
the room. The morning star stood,with its
"
We '11 see ;
down the going out
man of sin,from out the brightening sky. 0
with what freshness,what solemnity and beauty, Cassy.
is each new day born ; as if to say to insensate
man, "Behold! thou hast one more chance!
"
No, he won't," sitidCassy.
"
I 'd like to know why,Mistress,"s:..dLegree
is he ?" said Legree,
Strivefor immortal glory !" There is no speechmisgiving
which was not common with him. His
nor language where this voice is not heard ; but dreams of the pastnight,mingled with Cassy]s
the bold,bad man heard it not. He woke with prudential suggestions, considerably affectedhis
an oath and a curse. What to him was the gold mind. He resolved that nobodyshould be witness
and purple, the daily miracle of morning'! What of his encounter with Tom ; and determined,
to him the sanctityof that star which the Son of ^f he could not subdue him bybullying, to defer his
God has hallowed as his own emblem ] Brutelike,
he saw without perceiving; and, stumbling
forward,poured out a tumbler of brandy, and
drank half of it.
"I've had a h "
of a night!" he said to
Cassy, who just then entered from an opposite
door.
" You '11 get plentyof the same sort,by and
by," sail she,dryly.
"
What do you mean, you minx?"
"
You '11find out, one of these days," returned
Cassy, in the same tone. "Now, Simon, I've
one piece of advice to giveyou."
"
The devil you have !"-
"My advice is,"said Cassy șteadily, as she
began adjusting things about the room,
' ; that you let Tom alone .
' '
In the waste-room of the gin-house," said
Legree țhoughhe talked so stoutlyto Cassy,
stillsalliedforth from the house with a degree of
vengeance, to be wreaked in a more convenient
season.
"
solemn light of dawn angelicglory
looked in through the
"
of the morning-starhad rude window of the shed where Tom was lying;
and,as if descending on that star-beam, came the
solemn words,"I am the root and offspring
David,and the brightand morningstar.". The
mysterious warnings and intimationsof Cassy șo
far from discouraging his soul, in the end had
roused it as with a heavenlycall. He did not know
but that the day of his death was dawning in the
all,of which he had often pondered,
great white throne, with its ever radiantrainbow ;
the white-robed multitude,with voices as many
"
sky; and his heart throbbed with solemn throes
of joy and desire, as he though that the wondrous
the
"
What business is't of yours?"
waters; the crowns, the palms, the "
harps,
"What? To be sure, I don't know what it might all break upon his vision before that sun
ehould be. If you want to pay twelve hundred should set again. And, therefore, without^
shuddering
for a fellow,and use him rightup in the or
press
trembling, he heard the vcice of his persecutor,
of the season, just to serve your own spite,
as he drew near.
"
no business of mine. I 've dona what I could for Well, my boy," said Legree with a con
him."
temptuouskick, " how do you find yourself?
"You have? What business have you meddling
Did n'tT tell yer I could larn yer
a thingor two?
in my
matters ? ' '
How do yer like eh ? How did it," yer whaling
"None, to be sure. I've saved you some agree with yer, Tom? An't quite so crank as ye
thousands of dollars, at differentimes,by taking was last night. Ye could n't treat a poor sinner,
care of your
that 's all the thanks I hands," get. now, to a bit of a sermon, could ?"
ye,
If your crop comes shorter into market than any
Tom answered nothing.
"
of theirs, you won't lose your bet,I suppose? Get up, you beast !" said Legree,kicking him
Tompkinswon't lord it over you, I suppose, again.

"
eh,
n
the
he
would
it
"
hang
so
142 UNCLE TOM S CABIN I OR,
This was a difficultmattei for one so bruised
and faint,and, as Tom made effortsto do so, Legree
laughedbrutally.
"
What makes ye so spry, this morning Țom?
Cotched cold, may be, last night."
Tom by this time had gained his feet,and was
confronting his master with a
steady, unmoved
front.
"The devil you can!" said Legree,looking
him over.
"
I believe you have n't gotenoughyet.
Now, Tom, getrightdown on
yer knees and beg
my pardon,for yer shines last night."
Tom did not move.
"
Down, you dog !" said Legree,striking with his riding-whip.
"
Mas'r Legree," said Tom, " I can't do it. I
did onlywhat I thought was right. I shall do
just so again,if ever the time comes. I never
will do a cruel thing, come what may."
"
Yes, but ye don't know what may come, Master
you day in,dayout, hanging like a dog on your
throat," suckingyour blood, bleedingaway
your life,dropby drop. I know the man."
Tom. Ye tlunk what you 'vegotis something.
1 tell you
" 'tan'.tanything, nothing
'tall. How
would ye like to be tied to a tree,and 1 ave a slow
firelit up around "
ye? n't that be pleasant,
Tom?"
"
Mas'r," said Tom, " I know
ye can do dreadful
"
things; but, stretched himself upward
and clasped his hands," "but, after ye 've
killed the body,there an't no more ye
can
do. And 0, there's all eternity to come, after
that!"
clear and
cheerful voice,
"
Mas'r Legree,as ye boughtme, I '11 be a
true and faithfulservant to ye. I '11 giveye all Imagine a tall, dignified, spiritual woman,
the work of my hands, all my time, all my
whose clear muslin cap shades waves of silvery
strength ; but my soul I won't giveup to mortal hair,parted on a broad, clear forehead,which
man. I will hold on to the Lord, and put his overarches thoughtful gray eyes. A snowy handkerchief
commands before all, die or live ; you may be
of lisse crape is folded neatlyacross her
sureon't. Mas'r Legree, I an*t a grain afeared bosom ; her glossybrown silk dress rustles peacefully,
to die. I xl as soon die as not. Ye may whip
as she glides up and down
Loker,giving
the chamber.
me, starve me burn me, '11 onlysend me
"
The devil!" Tom a great
sooner where I want to go."
throw
says
to the bed-clothes.
"I'll make ye giveout, though, 'fore I've
"
I must requestthee,Thomas, not to use such
done !" said Legree, in a rage.
language," says Aunt Dorcas, as she quietly
"
I shall have help,"said Tom ; " you '11
J
never rearranges the bed.
do it."
"
Well, I won't, if I can help it,"
granny,
"Who the devil 's going to helpyou?" said says Tom; "but it is enoughto make a fellow
Legree,scornfully.
swear, cursedlyhot !"
Almighty," said Tom.
Dorcas removed a comforter from the bed,
"
The Lord
"
D you !" said Legree, as with one blow straightened the clothes again,and tucked them
of his fisthe felledTom to the earth.
;
A cold soft hand fell on- Legree's,at this moment.
remarking, so,
Ho it turned," was Cassy's; but the cold
softtouch recalled his dream of the nightbefore, and
"
and,flashing throughthe chambers of his brain,
swearing, What the devil,"said think upon
Tom,
thyways."
should I think
came all the fearfulimages of the night-watches, of them for? Last thingever /want to think of
with a. portion of the horror that accompanied
over, untucking
them and disarranging everything,
a manner
.
"
Will you be a fool?" said Cassy,in French. frightful to behold.
"
That fellow and
" Let him go ! Let me alone to get him fit
s'pose," gal are here, I
to be in the fieldagain. Is n't it justas I told he, sullenly, pause.
you?"
"They are so," said Dorcas.
Theysay the "
alligator, the rhinoceros, though They 'd better be off up to the lake,"said
enclosed in bullet-proof mail,have each a spot
Tom ; " the quickerthe better."
where they are vulnerable ; and fierce,reckless, Probablythey will do so,"said Aunt Dorcas,
"
unbelieving reprobates, have commonly this pointknitting
peacefully.
dread.
"
And hark ye," said Tom ; " we 've got co"-
in superstitious
Legree turned away, determined to letbrie point
go for the time.
"
Well, have it your
own way," he said,dog
gedly țo Cassy.
"
Hark, ye !" he said to Tom ; " I won't dea'
with ye now, because the business ispressing, and
I want all my hands ; but I never forget.I '11
score it againstye, and sometime I '11 have my
pay out o' yer old black mind hide," ye!"
Legreeturned,and went out.
"There you go," said Gassy,lookingdarkly
after him ;
"
your reckoning's to come, yet ! "
My poor fellow,how are you ?"
"
The Lord God hath sent his angel,and shut
the lion's mouth, for this time," said Tom.
"
For this time,to be sure,"said Cassy; " but
now you 've got his illwill upon you, to follow
CHAPTER
LIBERTY.
XXXYTL
"No matter with what solemnities he may have been
upon the altar of slavery, the moment he touches the sacred soil
of Britain țhe altar and the god sink togetherin the dust, and ha
stands redeemed, regenerated and disenthralled,by the irresistible
genius of universal "
emancipation. Curran.
A while we must leave Tom in the hands of
Eternity ! " word thrilled through the his persecutors, while we turn to pursue the fortunes
black man's soul with lightand power, a,s he
of George and his wife,whom we left in
spoke; it thrilled through the sinner's soul,too, friendly hands, in a farm-house on the road-side,
like the bite of a scorpion.Legreegnashed on Tom Loker we left groaningand touzling
a
him with his teeth,but rage kept him silent ; most immaculately clean Quaker bed,under the
"and Tom, like a man disenthralled, spoke, in a motherlysupervision of Aunt Dorcas, who found
him to the full as tractable a patient as a sick
bison.
in,till Tom looked something like a chrysalis
"
I wish, friend țhee would leave off cursing

"
electric
d
n
a
"
where
0,
don't
0,
a
shall
I
respondents in Sandusky țhat 'watch the boats
for us. I don't care if I tell,now. I hope they
will get away, justto the cursed
spiteMarks,"
puppy ! "
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. ,43
"
"
"
"
believe,"
"
"
"
"
saucy."
GeorgesuVed sadly, and made no answer. acter."
Eliza turned to the glass, and the scissors glittered
as one longlock afteranother was detached
from her head.
him !"
"
There, now, that 11do," she said,takingup
a hair-brush
"
; now for a few fancy touches."
"
There, an' t I i prettyyoung
fellow ?" she
said,turningaround to her husband,laughing and
blushing at the same time.
"You always will be pretty, do what you
will,"said George.
so sober?" said Eliza,
"
What does make
characteristic composure.
kneeling one you and layingher hand on his-
"
We are onlywithin twenty-four hours of Canada,
lain three weeks they say. Only a day and a nighton the
sick with a rheumatic lake,and then " then !
"
"
0, Eliza !" said George,drawingher towards
him ;
"
that is it ! Now
my fate is all narrowing
down to a point. To come so near, to be almost
in sight, and then lose all. I should never live
selves under it,Eliza."
more happily in trappingbears,wolves,
"
Don't fear,"said his wife,hopefully. " The
other ii_habitants of the forest, in which he good Lord would not have brought us so far, if
of the Quakers. "
he didn't mean to carry
us through. I seem to
Nice feel him with us, George."
"You are a blessed woman, Eliza!" said
George,clasping her with a convulsive grasp-
"
But, tell me! can this greatmercy be
the tallest kind o' broth for us? Will these years
and years of misery
knieknacks."
come to an end ? we be free ?"
"
I am sure of it,George,"said Eliza,looking
it was thought upward, while tears of hope and enthusiasm
shone on her long, dark lashes. "
I feel it in
was forwarded separately ; and a night or me, that God is going to bring us out
this very day."
of bondage,
into Sandusky,and lodged
"
I will believe you, Eliza,"said George,rising
roof,preparatory takingsuddenlyup.
"
I will come, let 's be
off. Well, indeed,"said he, holdingher off at
arm's length, and lookingadmiringly at her,
star of liberty fairbefore them. Liberty! you are a pretty little fellow. That crop of
"
word ! What is it? Is there anythinglittle,
short curls,is quitebecoming. Put on
rhetorical flourish ? your cap. So littleto one side. I never saw
you look quite so pretty.But, it 's almost time
for the carriage ; wonder if Mrs Smyth has
bled,and
your
braver mothers were willing
got Harry rigged ?' '
that their noblest and best should die ?
The door opened,and a respectable, middleaged
woman entered,leading littleHarry,dressed
and dear for a in girl's clothes.
"What a prettygirl he makes said Eliza,
!"
turning him round. "
We call him Harriet,
you see ; the name come nicely ?"
The child stood
gravely regarding his mother in
her new and strangeattire,observing a profound
silence, and occasionally drawingdeepsighs,and
freedom was the rightof a nation to be a peepingat her from under his dark curls.
"Does Harry know mamma?" said Eliza,
to call the wife stretching her hands toward him.
her from The child clungshylyto the woman.
and educate
try to coax him,
"
Come, Eliza,why do you
when you know that he has got to be keptaway
from you?"
"I know it's foolish,"said Eliza; "yet I
rolling and seething George'scan't bear to have him turn away from me. But
leaninghis head on come, 's my
cloak ? how is it
Here,"
men put
on cloaks,George?"
"
You must wear her so," it said husband,
attire, in which it was deemed safestshe throwingit over his shoulders.
"So, then," said Eliza,imitating motion,
"
and I must stamp, and take longsteps, and
try to look
it 's almost a
"
Don't exert yourself," said George. " There
is,now and then,a modest young
man ; and 1
pity it "s all gotto come off!" think itwould be easierfor you to act that char
"
Thomas," said Dorcas.
"
I tell you, granny,
if you bottlea fellow up
too tight, I shall split," said Tom. "
But about
the tell 'em to dress her gal," up
some way,
bo 's to alter her. Her description 's out in
Sandusky."
"
We will attend to that matter," said Dorcas,
with
As we at this place take leave of Tom Loker,
we may as well say, that,having
at the Quaker dwelling,
fever,which set in,in company with his other
afflictions.Tom arose from his bod a somewhat
gadder and wiser man ; and, in place of slavecatching,
betook himself to life in one of the new
settlements, where his talents developedthem-
and
made himself quitea name in the land. Tom
alwaysspokereverently
people,"he would say ; " wanted to convert me,
but could n't come it,exactlyḄut, tell ye what,
stranger,they do fix up a sick fellow first rate,"
no mistake. Make jis
and
As Tom had informed them that their party
would be looked for in Sandusky,
pruden to divide them. Jim,with his old mother,
two after,George and Eliza,with their child,
were driven privately
beneath a hospitable
their passage on the lake.
Their night was now far spent, and the morning
more in it than a name
"
Why, men and women of America, does your
heart's blood thrill at that word,for which your
fathers
Is there anything in it glorious and dear for a
nation țhat is not also glorious
man 1 What is freedom to a nation,but freedom
to the individuals'in it? What is freedom to
that young man, who sits there,with his arms
folded over his broad chest,the tint of African
blood in his cheek, its dark fires in his eye,
"
what is freedom to GeorgeHarris ? To your fathers,
nation. To him, it is the rightof a man to be a
man, and not a brute ; the righ
of his bosom his wife,and to protect
lawless violence ; the righ to protect
his child ; the righ to have a home of his own,
a religion of his own, a character of his own,
nnsubjectto the,will of another. All these
thoughtswere
breast,as he was pensively
his hand, watchinghis wife,as she was adapting
to her slender and prettyform the articlesof
man's
should make her escape.
"
Now for it,"said she,as she stood before the
glass, and shook down her silkyabundance of
"
black,curlyhair. I say, George,
pity, is n't it,"she said,as she held up some of
"
"
It,playfully,

comments from the passengers.
Georgehad the satisfaction, as the bell CHAPTER XXXYIII.
rang
out itsfarewellpealțo see Marks walk down the
plankto the shcre, and drew th;e victory.
a longsighof relief
when the boat had put a returnlessdistance between
"
Thanks be unto God, who giveth us the victory."
them.
Have not many of us, in the weary way
of life,
It was a superbday. The blue waves of Lake felt,in some hours,how far easier it were to die
Erie danced, rippling and sparkling,
the sunlight.
than to live1
A ftesh breeze blew from the shore,and The martyr, when faced even by a death of
the lordly Ixtat ploughed her way rightgallantly bodilyanguish and horror,finds in the very terror
onward.
of his doom a strong stimulant and tonic. There
O, what an untold world there is in one human is a vivid excitement, a thrill and fervor,which
heart ! Who thought,as George walked calmly may carry throughany crisis of suffering that is
up and down the deck of the steamer, with his the birth-hour of eternal gloryand rest.
shy companion at his side,of all that was burning
But to to wear live," on, day after day,of
in his bosom'? The mightygood that seemed mean, bitter, low, harassingservitude, every
nerve
approaching seemed too good, too fair,ever to be dampened and depressed,every power of feeling
a reality ; and he felt a jealousdread, every graduallysmothered,
mo-
"
this long and wasting
144 UNCLE TOM S CABIN I OR,
"And these gloves!mercy upon us!" said
'
Eliza ; ','why, my hands are lost in them."
"
I advise you
ment
of the day, that somethingwould rise to
snatch it from him.
to keep them on prettystrictly," But the boat swept on. Hours fleeted, and,at
said George. " Your little slender paw might last,clear and full rose the blessed Englishshores ;
bringus all out. Now, Mrs. are Smyth,you
to shores charmed by a "
mighty spell, with one
go 'under our charge,and be our aunty," you touch to dissolve every incantation of slavery, no
mind."
matter in what languagepronounced, or by what
" I 've heard," said Mrs. Smyth, " that there national power
confirmed.
have been men down, warning all the packet George and his wife stood arm in arm, as the
captainsagainst a man and woman, with a little boat neared the small town of Amherstberg, in
boy."
Canada. His breath grew thick and short ; a mist
"They have!" said George. "Well, if we gatheredbefore his eyes, he silently pressedthe
see any such people, Ave can tell them."
littlehand that laytrembling on his arm. The
A hack now drove to the door,and the friendlybell rang ; the boat "
stopped. Scarcelyseeingwhat
family who had received the fugitivescrowded he did,he looked out his baggage, and gathered
joined
candy,had cemented a
very
the part of the young gentleman.
to an indefinite amount of seed-cakes and
close attachment on
in Canada, whither they were fleeing, being for-
about crossing the lake to return thither,
had consented to appear as the aunt of little
Harry,and, in order to attach him to her,he had
been allowed to remain,the two last days, under
her solecharge; and an extra amount of petting,
around them with farewell greetings.
his little party. The little were
company landed
The disguises the party had assumed were in
accordance with the hints of Tom Loker. Mrs.
Smyth, a respectable woman from the settlement
tunately their arms, knelt down and lifted up their hearts
The hack drove to the wharf. The two young
men, as theyappeared, walked up the plank into The little party were soon guided,by Mrs
the boat,Eliza gallantly givingher arm to Mrs. Smyth, to the hospitable abode of a good mission
Smyth,and Georgeattendingto their baggage. ary, whom Christian charity has placedhere as a
George was standingat the captain's officesettling
shepherd to the outcast and.wandering, who art
for his party,when he overheard two men constantly finding an asylumon this shore.
talkingby his side.
Who can speakthe blessednessof that firstday
"
I 've watched every
one that came on board," of freedom? Is not the sense of liberty a higher
"
said one, and I know they're not on this boat." and a finer one than any of the five? To move,
The voice was that of the clerk of the boat. speak and breathe, go out and come in, un-
The speaker whom he addressed was our sometime
friend Marks, who, with that valuable perseverance
which characterized him, had come on to
he might devour.
Sandusky,seekingwhom
" You would scarcelyknow the woman from a
white one," said Marks.
" The man is a very
light mulatto ; he has a brand in one of his
hands."
"
"
"
dangers ! How impossible was it to sleep,
in the exuberant possession of such blessedness !
The hand with which George was takingthe And yet, these two had not one acre of ground,
they
ticket? and changetrembled a little, he turned not a roof that theycould call their own,
coollyuround,fixed an unconcerned glanceon the had spent their all țo the last dollar. They had
face of the speaker, and walked leisurely toward nothingmore than the birds of the air,or the
another part of the boat,where Eliza stood waiting
flowersof the field, yet theycould not sleepfor
for him.
joy. " 0, ye who take freedom from man, with
Mrs. Smyth, with littleHarry,sough the seclusion
what words shall ye answer it to God ? ' '
of the ladies'cabin,where the dark beauty
of the supposedlittlegirl drew many flattering
on the shore. They stood stilltill the^boat had
cleared ; and then,with tears and emhracingsțhe
husband and wife,with their wonderingchild in
to God !
"
'Twas somethinglike the burst from death to life,
From the grave's cerements to the robes of heaven ,
From sin's dominion,and from passion's strife,
To the pure freedom of a soul forgiven;
Where all the bonds of death and hell are riven,
on immortality,
And mortal puts
When Mercy'shand hath turned the goldenkey,
-
And Mercy's voice hath said,Rejoice,thysoul isfree."
watched, and free from danger! Who can speak
the blessings of that rest which comes down on
the freeman's pillow, under laws which insure to
him the rights that Go'd has "
givento man ? How
fair and precious to that mother was that sleeping
child's face,endeared by the memory of a thousand

" this
he
"
Legree
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY.
-.45
heart-martyrdom, this slow, dailybleedingaway
Df the inward life,dropby drop,hour after hour,
is the true searching test of what there
may be in man or woman.
When Tom stood face to face with his persecutor,
and heard his threats,and thoughtin his. looked
very soul that his hour was come, his heart swelled him.
bravelyin him, and he thoughthe could bear torture
and fire,bear anything, with the vision of
"
don"'twork, it seems ! I thought I should
Jesus and heaven but justa stepbeyond; but, get that through your wool, at last !"
when he was gone, and the present excitement The cruel taunt was more than hungerand cold
passedoff,came back the painof his bruised and and nakedness. Tom was silent.
limbs," weary
came back the sense of his utterly
"
You were a fool,"said " for I meant
Legree;
degraded,hopeless,forlorn estate ; and the day
to do well by you, when I bought you. You
passedwearilyenough.
might have been betteroffthan Sambo,or Quimlx)
Long before his wounds were healed,Legreeeither,and had easy times ; and,instead of getting
insistedthat he should be put to the regularfieldwork
cut up and thrashed,every day or two, ye
; and then came day after clayof pain and might have had liberty round,and cut up
weariness,aggravatedby every kind of injustice the other niggers ; and ye might have had,now
and indignity that the ill-willof a mean and malicious
and then,a good warming of whiskeypunch.
mind could devise. Whoever, in our circumstances,
Come, Tom, don't you think you 'clbetter be reasonable
1 heave that ar old packof trash in the
has made a trialof pain, even with
all the alleviationswhich, for us, usuallyattend
it,must know the irritationthat comes with it.
Tom no longer wondered at the habitual surliness
of his associates ; nay, he found the placid, sunny
he had been,he wouldn't have let me get you !
temper, which had been the habitude of his life, This yer religion is all a mess of lyingtrumpery,
broken in on, and sorelystrained, by the inroads Tom. I know all about it. Ye 'd better hold tc
of the same thing. He had flattered himself on me ; I 'm somebody, and can do something !"
leisureto reafthis Bible ; but there was no such
thing as leisurethere. In the heightof the season,
Legreedid not hesitateto press all his hands
through,Sundaysand week-days alike. Why
shouldn't he ?
"
made more cotton' by it,and
gainedhis wager ; and if it wore out a few more
hands,he could buy better ones. At first, Tom
used to read a verse or two of his Bible,by the
flickerof the fire,after he had returned from his
away.
When a heavyweightpresses the soul to the
dailytoil ; but,after the cruel treatment he received,
lowest levelat which endurance is possible, there
he used to come home so exhaustedțhat is an instant and desperate effort of every ical
his head swam and his eyes failed when ho tried and moral nerve to throw offthe weight; and
to read ; and he was fain to stretchhimself down, hence the heaviest anguish often precedesa return
with the others,in utter exhaustion.
tide of joy and
Is it strange that the religious peace and courage. So was itnow with Tom,
trust, The atheistic taunts of his cruel master sunk his
which had upbornehim hitherto, should giveway beforedejected
to tossingsof soul and despondent darkness? the hand of faith stillheld to the eternal rock,it
"
Th gloimiestproblemof thismysteriouslifewas
constantly before his "
eyes, souls crushed and
and God silent. Tt was
ruined,evil triumphant,
weeks and months that Tom wrestled,in his own
soul, in darkness and sorrow. He thought of
Miss Ophelia's letter to his Kentuckyfriends,
and would pray earnestly
that God would send
him deliverance. And then he would watch,day
round us in the race of life. Had ths word
lost its pcwer,
or could the failing,
sense no longer
eye and weary
answer to the touch of that
he
mightyinspiration 1 Heavilysighing, put it
in his pocket. A coarse laugh roused him ; he
was standingoppositeto
"
after day, in the vague hopeof seeingsomebodyout his hands and fell upon his knees, "when,
sent to redeem him ; and,when nobodycame, he gradually, the vision changed : the sharv:thorns
would crush back to his soul bitterthoughts, became rays of glory;and, in splendorinconceivable,
that it was vain to serve God, that God had forgotten
lie saw that same face bending compassionately
him. He sometimes saw Gassy; and
towards him, and a voice taid,"He
sometimes,when summoned to the house,caughta that overcometh shall sit down Avith me on my
glimpseof the dejectedf" "rm of Emmeline,butheld throne,even as I also overcame, and an, set down
rery littlecommunion with either ; in fact țhere with my Father on his throne."
was no time for him to commune with anybody. How longTom laythere,he knew not. When
One evening., he was sitting, in utter dejection he came to himselfțhe fire was gone out, hi3
anil prostration, by a few decayingbrands,where clothes were wet with the chill and drenching
his coarse
supper was baking.He put a few bits dews ; but the dread soul-crisiswas past,and,in
of brushwood on the fire,and strove to raise the the joy that filledhim, he no longer felt hunger,
light, and then drew his worn Bible from his cold,degradation, disappointment, WTetchedness.
pocket. There were all the marked
passages,
From his deepestsoul,he that hour loosed and
which had thrilled his soul so "
often, words" of parted from every hope in the life that now is,
patriarchs and seers, poets and sages, who from and offeredhis own will an unquestioning sacrifice
earlytime had spoken courage
"
toman, -voices to the Infinite. Tom looked up to the silent,
i'rty~u the greatcloud of witnesses who ever sur- ever-living stars," typesof the angelic hostswhs
10
up,
"
Well,old boy," he said, " you find your religion
church !"
fire,and joinmy
"The Lord forbid !" said Tom, fervently.
"
You see the Lord an't going to helpyou ; if
"
No, Mas'r," said Tom ; " I '11hold on. The
Lord may help me or not ; but I '11hold to him
and believe him to the last !"
"The more fool you!" said Legree,spitting
scornfully at him,and spurning him with his foot.
"
Never mind ; I '11 chase
you down, yet,and
bring you under," you'llsee!" and Legree
turned
phys-
soul to the lowest ebb ; and,though
Avas with a numb, despairing grasp. Tom sat,like
one stunned, at the fire. Suddenly everything
around him seemed to fade,and a vision rose before
him of one crowned with thorns, buffeted and
bleeding Ṭom gazed,in awe and wonder, at
the majesticpatienceof the face ; the deep,pathetic
eyes thrilled him to his inmost heart ; his
soul woke, as, with floodsof emotion,he-stretched'

an
art
146 UNCLE TOM S CABIN I OR,
"
"
"
"
"
ever look down on man ; and the solitudeof the we cotched Molly. I thoughtthey 'd a had hei
all stripped up afore I coidd get 'em off. She
4c him !
dat ar time car's de marks o' dat ar spree yet."
never with such feeling as now :
"
I reckon she will țo her grave,"said Legree.
"But now, Sambo, you look sharp. If the nigger
"
The earth shall be dissolved like snow,
got anything of this sort going,trip him
The sun shall cease to shine ;
up."
But God, who called rne here below,
Shall be forever mine.
"Mas'r, let me lone for dat,"said Sambo.
"
I '11tree de coon. Ho, ho,ho !"
This was spoken as Legree was getting on to
" And when this mortal lifeshall fail,
And flesh and sense shall cease,
his horse țo go to the neighboring town. That
I shall possess within the veil
night,as he was returning, he thoughthe would
A life of joy and peace.
turn his horse and ride round the quarters, see if all was safe.
**
When we 've been there ten thousand years,
Brightshininglike the sun,
We 've no less days to singGod's praise
Than when we firstbegun."
Those who have been familiar with the religious
historiesof the slave population distance from the quarters,when he heard the
relations like what we have narrated are
very voice of some one singing Ịt was not a usual
common
among them. We have heard some
sound there,and he pausedto listen. A musicaj
from their own lips, very touchingand affecting
tenor voice sang,
"When I can read my titleclear
To mansions in the skies,
theypress into their service the outward I '11bid farewell to every fear,
senses,
And wipe my weeping eyes.
and make them givetangibleshapeto the inward
imagining. Who shall measure what an all-per-
"
Should earth againstmy soul engage,
And
Spiritmay do with
hellish
these
darts be
capabilities of
hurled,
Then I can smile at Satan's
our mortality,
the ways in which He rage,
may encourage
And face a frowningworld.
the despondingsouls of the desolate'?
If the poor forgotten slave believes that Jesus
"Let cares like a wild delugecome,
hath appearedand spokento him, who shall contradict
And storms of sortow fall,
him ? Did He not say that his May I but safelyreach
mission,
my home,
in all
My God, my Heaven,
ages, was to bind my All."
up the broken-hearted,
and set at liberty them 'that are bruised ?
"So ho!" said Tsgree to himself,"he thinks
When the dim gray
of dawn woke the slumberers
so, does he ? How t hate these cursed Methodist
to go forthto the field, there was among those hymns ! Here, you nigger," he,coming suddenly
tattered and shivering wretches one who walked
with an exultant tread ; forfirmer than the ground
up this yer row, when
he trod on was his strong faith in Almighty, you ought to be in bed ? Shut yer old black gash
eternal love. Ah, Legree,try all your forces and get along in with you !"
now ! Utmost
"
agony, woe, degradation, want, Yes, Mas'r,"said Tom, with ready cheerfulness,
and loss of all thingsșhall onlyhasten on the
as he rose to
process by which he shall be go in.
made a king and a Legree was provokedbeyondmeasure by Tom's
priest unto God !
evident happiness ; and, ridingup to him,belabored
him over his head and shoulders.
"
There, you dog," he said," see if you
'11feel
one, ever-presentSaviour hallowed it as a so comfortable,"**fterthat!"
temple. Past now the bleeding of earthlyregrets
But the blows fell now only on the outer man,
; past itsfluctuationsof hope,and fear,and
desire ; the human will,bent,and bleeding, and
struggling long, was now entirely merged in the
divine. So short now seemed the remainingvoyage
of life, so near, so vivid,seemed eternal in his cabin,and he wheeled his horse suddenly
bless sdness, that life'suttermost woes fellfrom round,there passedthroughis mind one of those
him unharming.
vivid flashes that often send the lightning of conscience
All noticed the change in his appearance.
across the dark and wicked soul. He
Cheerfulness and alertness seemed to return to junderstood full Avell that it was God who was
him, and a quietnesswhich no insult or injurystandingbetween him and his victim,and lie
could ruffe seemed to possess him.
blasphemedhim. That submissive and silent
"
What the devil 's got into Tom?" Legree said man, whom taunts,nor threats, nor stripes, nor
"to Sambo.
"
A while
ago he was all down in cruelties, could disturb,roused a voice within
the mouth,and now he 's peartas a cricket." him, such as of old his Master roused in the
"
Dunno, Mas'r;gwine to run off,mebbe.'" demoniac soul,saying, " What have we to dx"
"
Like to see him trythat,*'said Legree,with with thee,thou Jesus of Nazareth? thou
a
savage grin, " wouldn't we, Sambo?"
come to torment us before the time ?"
"Guess we would! Haw! haw! ho!" said Tom's whole soul overflowed with compassion
the so otygnome, laughingobsequiously. " Lord, and sympathyfor the poor wretches by whom he
de fun ! To see him stickin' in de mud, chasm' was surrounded. To him it seemed as if his life-
and tarin'throughde bushes,dogsa holdin' on
nightrung with the triumphantwords of a hymn,
which he had sung often in happierdays, but
character. The psychologist tells us of a
state,iu which the affections and imagesof the
mind become so dominant and overpowering, that
Erom this time,an inviolable sphereof peace
encompassed the lowlyheart of the oppressed
Lord,1 laughed fitto split,
It was a superbmoonlightnight, and the shadows
of the graceful China trees lay minutely
pencilledon the turf below,and there was thai
transparentstillness in the air which it seema
almost unholy to disturb. Legreewas at a little
out upon Tom, and raising his riding-whip,
"
how dare you be gettin'
and not, as before,on the heart. Tom stood perfectly
submissive ; and yet Legreecould not hide
from himself that his power over his bond-thrall
was somehow gone. And, as Tom disappeared
sorrows were now over, and as if,out of that
strangetreasury of peace and joy, with which he

"
this
and
who
,
and
"
his
"
this
I
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 147
bad been endowed from above,he longed to pour moon fe'Jl upon Cassy'slarge,black eyes, that
out something for the reliefof their woes. It is there was a wild and peculiarglare in them,
true, opportunities were scanty; but, on the way unlike their wonted fixed despair.
to the fields, and back again, and during the "Come here, Father Tom," she said,laying
hours of labor,chances fellin his way of extending
her small hand on his wrist,and drawing him
a helping-hand to the weary,
the disheartened forward with a force as if the hand were of steel ;
and discouraged. The
"
poor, worn-down,brutalized
come I 've here," news for you."
creatures, at first, "
could scarce comprehend What, Misse Cassy?" said Tom, anxiously.
"
this ; but,when it was continued week after week, Tom, would n't you like your liberty?"
"
and month after month, it began to awaken long-
I shall have it,Misse, in God's time,"said
silent chords in their benumbed hearts. Gradually
Tom.
"
and imperceptibly the strange,silent, patient
Ay, but you may have it to-night," said
man, who was ready to bear every one's Cassy, with a flashof sudden energy. "Come on!"
stood Tom hesitated.
burden, and soughthelp from none,
"
aside for all,and came last,and took least,yet
was foremost to share his littleall with any who
who filled the baskets of the weaker ones in the
field,at the terrible risk of comingshort in his
"
"own measure, with
"
not permitit,and more than once broke up such
attempts, with oaths and brutal execrations,
so that the blessed news had to circulate from
individual to individual. Yet who can speak the
more a native element in this race than any other ;
and it has often been found among them, that a
stray seed of truth, borne on some breeze of accident
? I 'm called
into hearts the most ignorant, has sprung on ; they call me ! His time 's come, and I '11
up into fruit,whose abundance has shamed that \have his heart's blood !'"
of higherand more skilful culture.
j " No, no, no !" said Tom, holdingher small
The poor mulatto woman, whose simple faitlihad hands,which were clenched with spasmodicviolence.
been
"
well-nighcrushed and overwhelmed,by the
No, ye poor, lost soul,that ye mustn't
avalanche of cruelty and wrong which had fallen do. The dear,blessed Lord never shed no blood
upon her,felt her soul raised up by the hymns and \but his own, and that liepouredout for us when
passages of HolyWrit, which
breathed into her ear in intervals, as
this lowlymissionary we was enemies. Lord,help us to follow his steps.
they were
soul an hour of retribution, when her hand should
avenge on her oppressor all the injustice and
cruelty to which she had oeen witness,or which
sJichad in her own person suffered.
"Come!" said she,in a whisper,fixing her
black eyes on him. "Come along! He's
" "
needed," the man who, in cold nights, would asleep" sound. I put enough into his brandy to
giveup
his tattered blanket to add to the comfort keep him so. I wish I 'd had more, should n't
of some woman who shivered with sickness, have wanted you. But come, the back door is
unlocked ; there 's an axe there,
put it there
room door is open ; I '11show you 'the way.
who, though pur-sued I 'd a done it myself,onlymy
arms are so weak.
unrelenting crueltyby their common tyrant, never Come along !"
joinedin uttering a word of reviling or cursing, "Not for ten thousand worlds,Misse!" said
man, at last,began to have a strangeTom, firmly,stopping and holding her back,as
power over them ; and,when the more pressingshe was pressing forward.
season was
past, and they were allowed "
again But think of all these poor creatures," said
their Sundays for their own use, many would Cassy. " We might set them all free,and go
gathertogether to hear from him of Jesus. They somewhere in the swamps, and find an island,
would gladly have met to hear, and pray, and and live by ourselves ; I 've heard of its being
sing, some place,together; but Legree would done. Any lifeis better than this."
"No!" said Tom, firmly."No! good never
comes of wickedness. I 'd sooner chop my right
hand
off!"
"
Then /shall do it,"Naid Cassy,turning.
simplejoy with which some of those poor outcasts,
"0, Misse Cassy!" said Tom, throwing himself
to whom life was a joyless journey to a dark before her, " for the dear Lord's sake that
unknown, heard of a compassionate Redeemer
and a heavenlyhome? It is the statement of devil țhat way ! Nothingbut evilwill come of
missionaries, that,of all races of the earth,none it. The Lord has n't called us to wrath. We
have received the Gospel with such eager docility must suffer,and wait his time."
"
as the African. The principle of reliance and Wait !" said Cassy. " Have n't I waited? "
unquestioning faith,which is its foundation,is waited till my head is dizi;y and my heart sick?
died for ye, don't sell your precious soul to tho
What has he made me suffer? What has he
j
; made hundreds of poor creatures suffer? Isn't he
wringing the life-bloodout of you
love our enemies ! ' '
goingto and returningfrom work ; and even the "Love!" said Cassy, with a fierce glare;
half-crazed and wanderingmind of Cassy was I " love such enemies ! It is n't in flesh and blood."
soothed and "
calmed by his simpleand unobtrusive No, Misse, itisn't,"said Tom, lookingup ;
influences.
j " but He givesit to us, and that 's the victory.
Stung to madness and despairby the crushingWhen we can love and pray over all and throu;;:
agonies of a life,Cassyhad often resolved in her !all,the battle 's past, and the victory 's "
come,
"
.
jglory be to God!" And, with streamingeyes
and chokingvoice,the black man looked up tw
heaven.
And this,0 Africa ! latestcalled of nations
One night, after all in Tom's cabin were sunk called to the crown of thorns țhe scourge, the
in sleep,he was suddenlyaroused by seeing her bloodysweat, the cross of agony,
is to be
face at the hole between the logs' that served 'thy victory; by this shalt thou reign with
for a window. She made a silent gesturefor him
I Christ when his kingdomshall come on earth !
to come out.
The deep fervor of'Tom's feelings, the softness
Tom came out the door. It was between one of his voice,his tears,fell like dew on the wild,
and two o'clock at "
night, broad,calm, still Iunsettled spirit of the poor
woman. A softness
moonlight. Tom remarked, as the lightof the
jgathered over the birid fires of her eye ; gtw"

.
"
"
if
"
it
and
" I
" "
148 UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR,
looked down, and Tom could feel the relaxing this place. One or two immense packing-beses
muscles of her hands, as she said,
in which this furniture was brought ștood against
"Didn't I tell you that evil spirits followed the sides of the garret. There was a small window
me? 0' Father Tom, 1 can't pray,
wish I there,which let in,through its dingy,dusty
could. I never have prayed since my children panes, a scanty, uncertain lighton the tall highbacked
chairs and' dusty tables țhat had once
were sold ! What you say must he right, I know
it must ; but,when I try to pray, I can only hate seen better days. Altogether, it was a weird and
and curse. I can't pray !"
ghostlyplace; but,ghostly as it was, it wanted
"Poor soul!" said Tom, compassionately. not in legendsamong the superstitious negroes,
"
Satan desiresto have ye, and sift ye
as wheat. to increase its terrors. Some few years be fore ,_ a
negro woman, who had incurred Legree's dis-
I pray
the Lord for ye. 0 ! Misse Cassy țurn to
the dear Lord Jesus ! He came to bind up
the
"
"
broken-hearted, and
Cassy ștood silent,while large,heavy tears
droppe :"edfrom her downcast eyes.
Misse Cassy," said Tom, in ahesitating tone,
after surveying her a moment in silence," if ye
only could getaway from here, the thing was
possible, I 'd 'vise ye and Emmeline to do it ;
comfort all that mourn."
and the sound of violentblows,used to ring
through that old garret, and mingledwith waitings
that is, if ye could go without
"
blood-guiltiness,
and groans of despair Ọnce, when Legree
not otherwise."
chanced to overhear something of this kind, he
"
Would you try it with us, Father Tom ?" flew into a violent passion, and swore that the
"
No," said Tom ; " time was when I would ; next one that told stories about that garret should
but the Lord 's given me a work among
these have an opportunity of knowingwhat was there,
ver
poor souls,and 1 11 staywith 'em and bear for he woidd chain them up there for a week.
my
cross with 'em till the end. It's differentThis hint was enough to repress talking,though,
with you ; it 's a snare to you,
's more 'n you of course, it did not disturb the creditof the story
can and stand," you 'd better go, if you can."_
in the least.
"
I know no way but through the grave," said Gradually țhe staircasethat le d to_ the garret,
Cassy. " There 's no beast or bird but can find a and even the to the
passage-way staircase, were
home somewhere ; even the snakes and the alligatorsavoided
by every
one in the house, from every one
have their places to lie down and be quiet; fearingto speak of it,and the legend was gradually
but there 's no placefor us. Down in the darkest
falling into desuetude. It had suddenlyoccurred
swamps, their dogs will hunt us out, and find to Cassy to make use of the superstitious excitability,
us. Everybody and everything is "
againstus, which was so great in Legree,for the purpose
"
even the very beasts side against us, where of her liberation, and that of her fellowsufferer.
shall we
go ?"
Tom stood silent ; at lengt he said,
The sleeping-room of Cassy was directlyunder
" "
Him that saved Daniel in the den of lions, the garret. One day,without consultingLegree.
that saved the children in the fiery furnace she suddenly took it upon her,with some considerable
,
Him that walked on the sea, and bade the winds
ostentationțo change all the furniture
"
be still, He 's alive yet; and I 've faith to believe'he
can deliver you. Try it,and I '11 distance. The
and appurtenances of the room to one at some considerable
pray,
under-servants, who were
with all my might, for you."
called on to effectthis movement, were running
By what strangelaw of mind is it that an idea and bustling about with greatzeal and confusion,
longoverlooked, and trodden under foot as a useless
when Legreereturned from a ride.
stone,suddenlysparkles out in new light, as
"
Hallo ! you Cass !" said Legree, " what "s
a discovered diamond I
in the wind now?"
Cassy had often revolved, for hours, all possible "Nothing; onlyI choose to have another
or probable schemes of escape, and dismissed them room," said Cassy,doggedly.
all,as hopeless and "
impracticable ; but at this And what for,pray?" said Legree.
moment there flashed throughher mind apian șo
simple and
an
feasible in all its details, as
to awaken
was confined there for several weeks. "
What passed there we do not say ; the negroes
used to whisperdarkly to each other ; but it was
known that the body of the unfortunate creature
pleasure,
was one day taken down from there,and buried ;
and, after that,it was said that oaths and cursings,
" I choose to," said Cassy.
"
The devil you
do ! and what for?"
"
instant hope
I 'cllike to getsome sleep,now and then."
"
Father Tom, I '11 try it !" she "
said,suddenly. Sleep ! well,what hinders your sleeping?"
Amen !" said Tom ; " "
the Lord help ye !"
I could tell,I suppose, if you want to hear,"
said Cassy,dryly.
"
Speak out, you minx-!" said Legree
"
0 ! nothing. I suppose it would n't disturb
CHAPTER XXXLX.
you! Only groans,
and and
peoplescuffling,
_
rollinground on the garretfloor,half the night,
TIIK STRATAGEM,
from twelve to morning !"
"
The darkness he knoweth not at
way of the wicke;
"People up. garret!" said Legree,uneasily,
what he sturableth."
but forcing a laugh; " who are they,Cassy?"
The garret of the house that Legree occupied, Cassy raised her sharp,black eyes, and looked
like most other garrets, was a great, desolate in the face of Legree, with an expression space, dusty,hung with cobwebs, and littered went through his bones, as she said, "To be
with cast-offlumber. .The opulentfamily that sure, Simon, who are they? I'd like to have
had inhabited the house in the days of its splendor
you tell me. You don't know, I suppose !"
had imported a great deal of splendid furniture
With an oath,Legreestruck at her with his
,
some, of which they had taken away with riding-whip ; but she glided to one side, and
them, while some remained standingdesolate in passedthroughthe door,and lookingback, said,
"
mouldering, unoccupied rooms, or stored away
in If you
'11 sleep in. that room, you J11 know all

what?"
did
of
have
speak
don't
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 149
about it. Perhapsyou'd better try it!*' and laid down his paper,
and seeingan old book
tben immediately she shut and locked the door.
lying
on the table,which he had noticed Cassy
Legree blustered and swore, and threatened to reading, the first part of the evening, took it up,
break down the door ; but apparentlythought and began to turn it
.
over. It was one of those
Better of it,and walked uneasily into the sittingroom.
Cassyperceived that her shaft had struck legends,and supernaturalvisitations, which,
collectionsof stories of bloodymurders,ghostly
home ; and, from that hour, with the most exquisitecoarselygot
up and illustrated, have a strange
address,she never ceased to continue the fascination for one who once beginsto read them.
train of influences she had begun.
Legreepoohed and pished,but read,turning
In a knot-hole in the garretshe had inserted
page after page, till,finally, after reading some
the neck of an old bottle,in such a manner that way, he threw down the book,with an oath.
when there was the least wind most doleful and "You don't believe in ghosts,"3o you, Cass?"
lugubriouswailing sounds proceeded from it said he, taking the tongs and settling the fire.
which, in a "
high wiud, increased to a perfect I thought you 'd more sense than to let noises
shriek șuch as to credulous and superstitious scare you."1
"
ears mighteasily seem to be that of horror and No matter what I believe,'" said Cassy șullenly.
despair.
"
These sounds were, from time to time,heard Fellows used to tryto frighten me with their
by the servants, and revived in full force the yarns at sea," said Legree. "Never come it
memory
of the old ghostlegend. A superstitious round me that way. I 'ni too toughfor any such
creepinghorror seemed to fillthe house ; and trash țellye."
though no one dared to breathe it to Legree, he Cassy sat lookingintensely at him in the
found himself encompassedby it,as by an atmosphere.
shadowT of the corner. There was that strange
light in her eyes that alwaysimpressedLegree
No one is so thoroughly superstitious as the with uneasiness.
godless man. The Christian is composedby the
"
Them noises was nothingbut rats and the
belief of a wise,all-ruling Father,whose presence
wind," said Legree. "Rats will make a devil
fillsthe void unknown with light and order ; of a noise. I used to hear 'em sometimes down
but to the man who has dethroned God,the spirit-iland is,indeed,in the words of the Hebrew poet, sake ! ye
the hold of the ship; and Lord's
wind,"
can make anythingout o' wind."
"
a land*of darkness and the shadow of death," Cassy knew Legreewas uneasy under her eyes,
without any order,where the light is as darkness. and,therefbre, she made no answer, but sat fixing
Life and death to him are haunted grounds,filled them on him, with that strange,unearthly
with goblin forms of vague and shadowy dread. expression, as before
Legree had had the slumbering moral element "
"
Come, speakoui, woman, you think
in him roused by his encounters with "
Tom, so?" said Legree.
roused,only to be resisted by the determinate
"
Can rats walk down stairs, and come walking
force of evil ; but still there was a thrill and throughthe entry, and a
open door Avhen
commotion of the dark inner world,producedby you've locked it and set a chair againstit?"
every word,or prayer, or hymn, that reacted in said Cassy; "and come walk, walk, walking
superstitious dread. The influenceof Cassy over rightup to your bed,and put out their hand so ?"
him was of a strange and singular kind. lie was Cassykept her glittering eyes fixed on Legree,
her owner, her tyrant and tormentor. She was, as she spoke,and he stared at her like a man in
as he knew, wholly, and without any possibility the nightmarețill, when she finished by laying
of help or redress,in his hands; and yet so it her hand,icycold,on his,he sprung back,with
is,that the most brutal man cannot livein constant
associationwith a strong female influence,
and not be greatlycontrolled by it. When he
first boughther, she was, as she had said,a
woman delicately bred; and then he crushed
her,without scruple,beneath the foot of his bru-
But, as time,and debasinginfluences, and
tality.
"
But
" "
despair,hardened womanhood within "
her,and Cass,what is it,now, out !"
waked the firesof fiercerpassions, she had become
"You may sleepthere yourself,"
in a measure his mistress,and he alternately
"
if you want to know."
tyrannized over and dreaded her.
This influencehad become more harassing and "It
"
said Cassy.
decided since partialinsanity had givena strange,
"
Why, what you told of "
"
weird, unsettled cast to all her words and language._
dogged sullenness.
"
I did n't tell you anything,"
A night or two after this,Legree was sitting
in the old sitting-room, by the side of a flickering
wood firețhat threw uncertain glances round the
room. It was a stormy,windy nightșuch as
raises whole squadronsof nondescript noises in
an
oath.
"Woman! what do ycu mean? Nobody
did?" "
"
"0, no,
you really seen ? "
"
Did it come from the garret,Cassy?"
Come,
course not, "did I say they
did?" said Cassy, with a smile of chilling derision.
said Cassy,
sr.idCassywitli
Legree walked up and down the room, uneasily.
"
I '11have this yer thingexamined. I '11look
into it țhis "
very night. I '11take my
"
pistols
"
Do," said Cassy; " sleepin that room. I 'c
"
like to see
you doingit. Fire your pistols,
rickety old houses. Windows were rattling, do ! "
shutters flapping, the wind
carousing, rumbling, Legreestampedhis foot,and swore
and tumblingdown the chhnniy,and, Don't violently.
" "
every once
swear,"said Cassy; nobody knows
in a while,puffing out smoke and ashes,as if a who
legion of may be hearingyou. Hark! What was
spiritswere coming after them. Legree
that?"
had been castingup accounts and "
reading What?" said Legree,starting.
newspapers for some hours, while Cassysat in
the corner, sullenly lookinginto the fire. Legree
A heavyold Dutch clock,that stood in the corner
t-fthe toom, began, and slowlystruck twelve.
%

"
onlya
We
150 UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR,
For some reason or other,Legree neither spoke At the time when all was matured for actioil,
nov moved ; a vague horror fell on him ; while our readers may, perhaps,like to look behind the
Oassy, with a keen, sneering glitter in her eyes, scenes, and see the final coup d'etat.
stood looking at him, countingthe strokes.
It was now near
eveningḶegree had been
" Twelve o'clock ; well,now we '11 see,"said absent,on a ride to a neighboring farm. For
she,turning, and opening the door into the passage-way,
many days,Cassy had been unusuallygracious
and standingas if listening. and accommodating her humors ; and Legree
"Hark! What's that?" said she,raisingand she had been, apparently,on the best of
her finger.
terms. At present, we may behold her and
"It's onlythe wind," said Legree. "Don't Emmeline in the room of the latter,busyin sorting
you hear how cursedlyit blows?"
and arranging two small bundles.
"
Simon, come here," said Cassy, in a whisper,
layingher hand on his,and leadinghim to
the foot of the stairs: " do you
know what that
shan't go !"
But Cassy laughed wildly, and fled on. He water. Every one will run out of the' house to
heard her open the entry doors that led to the look after us, and then we '11whip in at the back
garret. A wild gust of wind sweptdown, extinguishing
door,and up
into the garret, where I 've got a
the candle he held in his hand, and with nice bed made up in one of the greatboxes. We
it the fearful,unearthlyscreams ; they seemed must stay in that garret a good while ; for,I tell
to be shrieked in his very
ear.
you, he will raise heaven and earth after us.
Legree fled frantically into the parlor, whither, He '11 muster some of those old overseers on the
in a few moments, he was followed by Cassy, other plantations, and have a greathunt; and
pale,calm, cold as an avengingspirit, they'llgo over every inch of ground in that
that same fearful light in her eye.
SAvamp.
He makes it his boast that nobody ever
" I hope you
are satisfied," said she.
got away
from him. So let him hunt at his
" Blast you,
Cass !" said Legree.
leisure."
"
Cassy, how well you have plannedit!" said
" What for?" said Cassy. "I onlywent up
and shut the doors. What 's the matter iviththat Emmeline. "Who ever would have thought of
garretȘimon,do you suppose ?" said she. it,but you?"
"
None of your business !" said Legree.
There was neither pleasure nor exultation in
"0., it an't? Well," said Cassy, "at any Cassy'seyes, despairing firmness.
"
Come," she said,reachingher hand to Emmeline.
rate,I 'm glad J don't sleepunder it."
of the wind that very
Anticipating^the rising
evening,Cassy had been up and opened the garret
window. Of course, the moment the doors
The two fugitives glidednoiselessly from the
house,and flitted, through the gathering were opened țhe wind had drafted down, and of evening,alongby the quarters. The creyeent
extinguished the light.
moon, set like a silver signet in the western sky,
This may
serve as a specimen of the game that delayed a littlethe approach of night. As Cassy
Cassyplayedwith Legree, until he would sooner expected,when quite near the verge of the
have put his head into a lion's mouth than to swamps that encircledthe plantation, they heard
have explored that garret. Meanwhile, in the a voice calling to them to stop. It was not
night,when everybodyelse was asleep,Cassy Sambo, however, but Legree,who was pursuing
slowly and carefullyaccumulated there a stock them with violent execrations. At the sound,
of provisions sufficient to afford subsistence for the feebler spirit of Emmeline gave way ; and,
some time ; she transferred,articleby article,a layinghold of Cassy'sarm, she said, " 0, Cassy,
greaterpartof her own and Emmeline's wardrobe. I 'm goingto '
faint !'
All thingsbeing arrangedțhey only waited a
"
If you do, I '11 kill you !" said Cassy, drawing
fittingopportunity put their plan in execution.
a small,glittering stiletto, flashingit
before the eyes of the girl.
By cajoling Legree, and takingadvantage of a The diversion accomplished purpose. Emmeline
good-natured interval,Cassyhad got him to take
did not faint,and succeeded in plunging,
her with him to the neighboringtown, which with Cassy, into a part of the labyrinth swamp,
was situated directly on the Red river. With a so deep and dark that it was perfectly hopeless
memory sharpened to almost preternatural clearness,
for Legree to think of following them, without
she remarked every turn in the road, and
formed a mental estimate of the time to be occupied
in traversing it.
"There",these will be large enough," said
Cassy. "Now put on your bonnet, and let's
start : it 'sjustabout the righttime."
"
is? Hark!"
"Why, theycan see us yet,"said Emmeline.
A wild shriek came pealingdoAvn the stairway.
" I mean they shall,"said Cassy, coolly.
It came from the garret. Legree's knees "Don't you know that they must have their
knocked together; grew white with fear. chase after us, at any rate? The way of the
"Hadn't you better get your pistols?" thing is to be just this : will steal out of
Cassy,with a sneer that froze Legree's blood. the back door,and run down by the quarters.
"
It 'stime this looked know. Sambo or will be sure to see us.
thing was into, you Quimbo They
I 'd like to have you go up
now ; they're at it."1 will givechase,and we will get into the swamp ;
"
I won't go !" said Legree, with an oath. then,theycan't follow us any
further till they
"
Why not? There an't any such thing as go up and give the alarm, and turn out the dogs,
ghosts,you know! Come!" and Cassy flitted and so on ; and while they are blundering round,
up the windingstairway,laughing, lookingand tumbling over each other,as theyalwaysdo,
"
on you
"I believe you
are the devil!" said Legree. runs back of the house,and
back after him. Come !"
just slipalong to the creek,that
wade along in it țill
*
Come back, you
come hag," back,Cass ! You
we get opposite the back door. That will put
the dogs all at fault ; for scent won't lie in the
assistance.
"
Well," said he,chucklingbrutally; " at any
rate,they 've got themselves into a trap now "

LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 151
"
"
"
the
the baggages!They 're safe enough.They shall When Emmeline reached the garretșhe found
after us If theydo,I '11playghost for them."
sweat for it!"
an immense box,in which some heavypiecesof
"
Hulloa,there ! Sambo ! Quimbo ! All hands !" furniture had once been brought țurned on its
CalledLegree,coming to the quarters,
the side,so that the openingfaced the wall,or rather
men and women were justreturning from work. the eaves. Cassy lita small lamp, and, creeping
in the swamps. I '11 round under the eaves, theyestablished themselves
" There 's two runaways
give five dollars to any niggeras catches 'em. in it. It
Turn out the dogs ! Turn was spreadwith a coupleof small mattresses
out Tiger, and Fury,
and some pillows; a box near by was
and the rest!"
plentifully stored with candles,provisions,
The sensation producedby this news was immediate.
all the clothing necessary to their journey, which
Many of the men sprang forward, Cassy had
the
arrangedinto bundles of an astonishingly
Officiously, to offer their services, either from
small compass.
hope of'thereward, or from that cringing subserviency
"
There," said Cassy,as she fixed the lamp
which is one of the most baleful effects into a small hook,which she had driven into the
of slavery. Some ran one way, and some another. side of the box for that
"
purpose ; this
Some were for getting flambeaux of pine-knots. our home for the present. How do you
is to be
like it?"
Some were uncouplingthe dogs, whose hoarse,
theywon't come and search the
"
Are you
sure
savage bay added not a littleto theanimation of garret ?' '
the scene.
"I'd like to see Simon Legreedoing that!"
"
Mas'r, shall we shoot 'em, if we can't cotch said Cassy. " No, indeed ; he will be too gladto
'em?" said Sambo, to whom his master broughtkeep away. As to the servantsțbey would any
out a rifle.
of them stand and be shot,soj^er than show
"
You may fire on Cass,if you
like ; it 's time their faces here."
she was
gone to the devil,where she belongs; but Somewhat reassured,Emmeli'ie settled herself
the gal,not," said Legree. " And now, boys,be back on her pillow.
spry and smart. Five dollars for him that "
gets What did you
mean. Cafisy, by sayingyou
'em ; and a glass of spirits every one of you, would killme?" she said,simply.
"
anyhow."
I meant to stopyour fainting," said Cassy,
The whole band, with the glare of "
blazing and I did do it. And- now I tell you,
Emmeline,
torches,and whoop, and shout,and savage yell, 3^ou must make up your mind not to faint,
of man and beast,proceededdown to the swamp, let what will come ; there 's no sort of need of
followed,at some distance,by every servant in it. If I had not stoppedyou, that wretch might
the house. The establishment was, of a consequence,
have had his hands on you now."
whollydeserted,when Cassyand Emmeline
Emmeline shudder id.
glidedinto it the back the way. whooping The two remained some time in silence. Cassy
and shoutsof their pursuers
were stillfilling the busied herself with a French book ; Emmeline,
air;and, lookingfrom the sitting-room windows, overcome with exh tustion,fell into a doze,and
Cassy and Emmeline could see the troop, with slept
theirflambeaux,justdispersing
by loud
themselves alongshouts and outcries, the tramp of horses' feet,and
the edge of the swamp.
the baying of dogs. She started up, with a faint
"See there!" said Emmeline, pointing to shriek.
Classy; "the hunt is begun! Look how those Only the hunt coming back," said Cassy,
"
lights dance about! Hark! the dogs! Don't coolly ; " never fear. Look out of this knot-hole.
you hear! If we were only there,our chance Don't you
see 'em all down there ? Simon has to
would n't be worth a picayune.0, for pity'sgive up, for this night.Look,how muddy his
sake,do let 's hide ourselves. Quick!"
horse is,flouncing about in the swamp : the dogs,
" There 's no occasion for hurry,"said Cassy, too,look rather crest-fallen. Ah, my good sir,
coolly ; " they are all out after the that "s
hunt,"
you '11 have to try the race
the amusement of the evening! We '11 go up the game is n't there."
again and "
again,
stairs,by and by. Meanwhile," said she,deliberately
"
0, speaka word!" said Emmeline;
don't
taking a key from the pocketof a coat "
what if they should hear you?"
that Legreehad thrown down in his hurry, " meanwhile
anything, it will make them
"
If do hear they
1 shall take somethingto pay our passage." very particular to keepaway," said Cassy. "
No
She unlocked the desk,took from it a roll of
danger; we
may make any noise we please, bills,which she counted over rapidly.
will onlyadd to the effect."
"
0, don't let s do that!" said Emmeline.
At length the stillnessof midnightsettled down
"Don't!" said Cassy;"why not? Would over the house. Legree,cursing his ill luck,and
you have us starve in the or
swamps, have that
vowingdire vengeance
on the morrow, went to
that will pay" our
way to the free states? Money bed.
will do anything,girl."And, as she spoke șhe
put the money in her bosom.
"
It would be stealing," said Emmeline,in a
distressedwhisper.
CHAPTER XL.
"
Stealing Cassy, with a scornful laugh.
THE MARTYR.
"They who steal bodyand soul needn't talk to
us. Every one of these bills is Deem not the justby Heaven forgot
stolen,
stolen
Though life its common giftsdeny,
from p ;or,starving, sweatingcreatures,who must
Though, with a crushed and bleedingheart,
go to the And spurned of
devil,at last,for his man, he
profit.Let him
goes to die !
For God hath marked each sorrowingday,
talk about stealing ! But come, we
may
as well
And numbered every bitter tear;
go up garret; I 've got a stock of candles And heaven's long years of bliss shall
there,
pay
and some books to pass away the time. You For all his children suffer here." Bryant.
may
be pretty sure they won't come theie to inquire The longest way must have its "
close,
gloomiest night will wear on to a morning. An

then
"I
152 UNCLE TOM S CABIN : ORs
eternal,inexorable lapseof moments is ever hurrying
;ling
with the negroes who held them,bayingand
the dayof the evil to an eternal night,and .barking at each other.
the night of the just to an eternal "day.We have The men were, two of them, overseers of plantations
walked with our humble friend thus far in the in the vicinity ; and others were some of
valley of slavery; first throughflowery fields of Legree'sassociates at the tavern bar of a neighboring
ease and indulgence, then throughheart-breaking city, who had come for the interest of the
separations from all that man holds dear. Again, sport. A more hard- favored set,perhaps, could
we have waited with him in a sunny island, not be imagined.Legree Avas servingbrandy,
where generous hands concealed his chains with
flowers ;
and,lastly, we have followed him when
the last ray of earthlyhope went out in night,
and seen how, in the blackness of earthlydarkness,
the firmament of the unseen has blazed with
stars of new and significant lustre.
The morning-star now stands over the topsof
the mountains,and gales and breezes, not of
earth,show that the gatesof day are unclosing. A grave sneer overcast the dark, severe
The escape of Cassyand Emmeline irritated gravity of her. face,as she listened,and heard
the before surlytemperof Legreeto the last degree
; and his fury, as was to be expected, fell
upraising of his hands, that did not escape him.
He saw that he did not jointhe muster of the
pursuers. He thought of forcing him to do it ;
but,havinghad,of old,experience bility
of his inflexi-
when commanded to take part in any deed
of inhumanity, he would not, in his hurry,stop
to enter into any conflictwith him.
Tom, therefore, remained behind,with a few
who had learned of him to pray, and offered up
prayers for the escape of the fugitives.
When Legreereturned,baffledand disappointed, be?"
all the
hatred of his soul towards
long-working
Emmeline, in her child-like simplicity, was
his slave beganto gather in a deadly and desperate
half afraid of the dirk moods of Cassy. She
form. Had not this man
"
braved him, looked perplexed, but made no answer. She only
"
steadily,powerfully, resistlessly, ever since he took her hand, with a gentle,caressing movement.
bought him? Was there not a spiritin him
which,silent as it was, burned on him like the
firesof perdition ?
he sat
" I hate him ! " said Legree, that night, as
np in his bed ; " I hate him ! And is n't he mine? "Poor Cassy!" said Emmeline, "don't feel
Can't I do what I like with him ? Who 's to so ! If the Lord givesus liberty, perhapshe 'II
hinder,I wonder?" And Legreeclenched his fist, giveyou back your daughter; at any rate, I '11
and shook it,as if he had something his hands be like a daughterto you. I know I '11never see
that he could rend in pieces.
my poor old mother again ! I shall love you,
But,then Țom was a faithful, valuable servant ; Ca.ssy, whether you love me or not !"
and,althoughLegree hated him the more for that, The gentle,child-like spirit conquered.Cassy
yet the consideration was stillsomewhat of a sat down by her,put
restraintto him.
The next morning, he determined to say nothing,
would break that fellow down, or there was
a dire inward whisper țo which his soul assented.
profusely, round among them, as also among the
negroes
who had been detailed from the various
plantations for this service ; for it was an object
to make every service of this kind, among the
negroes, as much of a holiday as possible.
Cassyplacedher ear at the knot-hole ; and,aa
the morning air blew directlytowards the house,
she could overhear a good deal of the conversation.
them divide out the ground,discuss the rival
merits of the dogs,give orders about firing, and
upon the defencelesshead of Tom. When he hurriedly
the treatment of each,in case "ofcapture.
announced the tidkigsamong
his hands, Cassy drew back ; and, claspingher hands,
there was a sudden lightin Tom's eye, a sudden looked upward, and said,"0, greatAlmighty
God ! we are all sinners ; but what have we done,
more, than all the rest of the world, that we
should be treated so ? "
There was a terrible earnestness in her face
and voice,as she spoke.
"
If it was n't for you, child,"she said,looking
at Emmeline,, " I 'd go out to them; and I'd
thank any one of them that would shoot me down ;
for what use will freedom be to me ? Can it give
me back my children, or make me what I used to
"
"
Don't !" said Cassy,trying to draw it away ;
you '11 get me to loving you ; and I never mean
to love anythingagain !' '
her arm round her neck,
stroked her soft,brown hair ; and Emmeline thei"
wondered at the beauty of her magnificent eyes,
as yet; to assemble a party, from some now soft with tears.
neighboring plantations, with dogs and guns ; to "0, Em!" said Cassy, "I've hungeredfoi
surround the swamp,
and go about the hunt systematically.
my children,and thirsted for them, and my eyes
If it succeeded, well and good; if fail with longing for them ! Here, here," she
"
not, he would summon Tom before him, and said,strikingher breast, " it 's all desolate, all
"
his teeth clenched and his blood boiled he
empty ! If God would give me back my children,
then I could pray."
"
You must trust him,Cassy," said Emmeline ;
"
he is our Father !"
"
Ye say that the interestof the master is a sufficient
" His wrath is upon us," said Cassy; " he has
safeguard for the slave. In the fury of turned away
in anger."
man's mad will,lie will wittingly, and with open "No, Cassy! He will be good to us ! Let us
eye, sell his own soul to the devil to gainhis hope in Him," said Emmeline, alwayshave
ends ; and will he be more careful of his neighbor's
had hope."
body?
# # # * #
The hunt was long,animated, and thorough,
"
Well," said țhe next day, from the
garret, as Cassy throughthe knot-hole, but unsuccessful ; and, with grave,
ironic exultation,
"
the hunt 's going to beginagaințo-day !"
Cassy looked down on Legree,as, weary
Three or four mounted horsemen were curvetting
and dispirited, he alighted from his horse.
about,on the space front of the house ; and
Quimbo," said Legree, as he stretched
"
Now,
sne or two leashes of strangedogs were strug-himself down in the sitting-room, "you jestgo

a
-
he
just"
ye
thing
"
give
"
that
"
one
one
seen
UNCLE TOM S CABIN I OH, 153
and Walk that Tom up hero, rightaway ! The time,I 've made up my mind,and co inted the cost.
old cuss is at the bottom of this yer whole matter ; You 've alwaysstood it out agin me ; now, I '11
and I '11have it cut of his old black hide,or I "
'11 conquer ye, or kill xje! or t'other. I'll
know the reason why !"
count every dropof blood there is in you, and take
Samb"" and Quimbo, both,thoughhating each 'em, one by one, till ye giveup !"
other,were joinedin one mind by a no less cordial Tom looked up to his master, and answered,
hatred of Tom. Legree had told "
them, at first, Mas'r,if you was sick,or in trouble,or dying,
that he had bought him for a generaloverseer, in and I could save ye, I 'd giveye my heart's blood ;
his absence ; and this had begun an illwill on arid,if taking every dropof blood in this poor old
their part, which had increased, in their debased body would save your precious soul,I 'd give 'em
and servile natures, as they saw him becomingfreely,
as the Lord gave his for me. 0, Mas'r !
dbnoxious to their master's displeasure. Quimbo, don't bringthis great sin on your soul ! It will
therefore,departed, with a will țo execute his hurt you more than 'twill me ! Do the worst you
orders.
man he had to deal with,and his despotic power.
But he felt strong in God to meet death, rather
than betraythe helpless.
He set his basket down by the row, and,looking
the
up said, " Into thy hands I commend my
spirit ! Thou hast redeemed me, 0 Lord God of
truth!" and then quietly yieldedhimself to
rough, brutal grasp with which Quimbo seized
him.
"
Ay, ay !" said the giant, as he dragged him
'11cotch it now ! I '11boun' Mas'r's
along; " ye
back 's up high ! No sneakingout,now ! Tell
"
ye, ye "ll getit,and no mistake ! See how ye '11
look,now, helpin' Mas'r's niggers to run away ! brother-Christian must
See what ye '11 get !"
The
savage
words none of them reached that
ear!
highervoice there was saying, "Fear
not them that killthe body,and, after that,have
no more that theycan do." Nerve and bone of
that poor man's body vibrated to those words,as
if touched by the finger of God ; and he felt the
strengthof a thousand souls in one. As lie
passedalong țhe trees and bushes, the huts of
changed an instrument of torture,degradation
and shame,into a symbolof glory,honor,and immortal
"
"
life : and where His spirit is,neither degrading
stripes, nor blood,nor insults, can make
his servitude, the whole scene of his degradation, the Christian's last struggless than glorious.
seemed to whirl by him as the landscapeby the Was he alone țhat long night,whose brave,
rushing car. His soul his home was
throbbed," lovingspirit was bearingup, in that oil shed,
in sight, and the hour of release seemed at againstbuffeting and brutal stripes\
hand.
Nay! There stood by One, by him
"Well, Tom!" said Legree,walkingup, and
"like unto the Son of Cod."
alone,"
seizing grimlyby the collar of-his coat, and The tempter stood by him, blinded too," by
speakingthrough his teeth,in a paroxysm of furious,despoticwill,"
every moment pressing
determined rage, "do you know I've made up him to shun that agony by the betrayal of the innocent.
my mind to kill you V
But the brave țrue heart was firm on
"
It 's very likely,Mas'r,"said Tom, calmly. the Eternal Rock. Like his Master, he knew
"
I have" said Legree,with a grim, terrible
calmness, " " "
done that
you '11 tell me what you know about these
yer gals !' '
Tom stood silent.
Țom, unless
"
D' ye hear?'' said Legree,stamping, with a
"
roar like that of an incensed lion. Speak !"
"
Pay away, tillhe givesup ! Give it to him !
"
I han't got nothing to tell,Mas'r," said Tom,
Legree. " I "11take
with a eLow,linn,deliberateutterance.
every drop of blood he has, unless he confesses !"
" Do you dare to tell me. ye old black Christian, Tom opened his eyes, and looked upon his mas-*
'-"
ye don't know said Legree.
ter. "Ye poor miserable critter!" he said,
Tom was silent.
"
there an't no more
ye can do ! I
Speak !" thundered Legree,striking him furiously.
with all my
soul !" and
forgiveye,
he faintedentirelyaway.
"
"
Do you know anything !"
"I believe, my soul,he 's done for,finally,"
"
I know, Mas'r ; but I can't tellanything. I said Legree,steppingforward țo look at him.
can die,! ' '
"
Yes, he is ! Well,hismouth 's shut up, at last,
Legree drew in a long breath ; and,suppressing 's one comfort !"
his rage, to ik Tom by the arm, and approaching Yes, Legree; but who shall shut up that voice
his face almost to his,said,in a terrible voice, in thy soul] that soul,past repentance,past
"Hark"', Tom ! think, 'cause I 've let you prayer, past hope, in whom the fire that nevei
of before. I don't mean what I say; but,this shall be quenched is alreadyburning"-
can, my troubles'11be over soon ; but, if ye don't
Tom heard the message with a forewarning repent,yours
won't m ver end !"
heart ; for he knew all the plan of the fugitives' Like a strange snatch of heavenlymusic,heard
escape, and the place of their present concealment
in the lull of a tempest țhisburst of feeling made
-
; knew the deadlycharacter of the a moment's blank pause. Legree stood aghast,
and looked at Tom ; and there was such a silence.
that the tick of the old clock could be heard,measuring,
with silent touch, the last moments of
mercy and probation to that hardened heart.
It was but-a moment. There was one hesitating
pause,
"
irresolute,relentingthrill,
of evif came back,with seven-fold
and the spirit
vehemence ; and Legree,foamingwith rage, smote
his victim to the ground.
Scenes of blood and cruelty are
shocking to our
ear and heart. What man has nerve to do, man
has not nerve to hear. What brother-man and
suffer, cannot lietold us,
even in our secret chamber,it so harrows up the
soul ! And yet, 0 my country ! these tilings are
done under the shadow of thylaws ! 0, Christ !
thy church aeen them,almost in silence!
But, of old, there .was One whose suffering
that,if he saved others, himself he could not save ;
npr could utmost extremitywringfrom him words,
save of prayer and holy trust.
" He 'smost gone, Mas'r," saidSambo,touched,
in spite of himself,by the patience of his victim.

Ins
in
they
I
1
154 UNCLE TOM S CABIN
'.
OR,
'
"
as if that were
"
"
.
"
Yet Tom was not. quite gone.
His wondrous
a com-
words raid pious prayers
had struck upon the
hearts of the imbruted blaeks,who had been the j Mrs. Shelby, with characteristic
instruments of crueltyupon him energy, ap
; and,the instant pliedherself to the work of straightening the en-
Legreewithdrew, they took him down, and, in 1
tangledweb of affairs : and she and Georgewere
their ignoranceșought to call him back to life, for some time occupiedwith collectingand exjaminingaccounts,
favor to him !
sellingproperty and settling
"
Sartin,we
any
's been doin' a dreffiilwicked
j debts ; for Mrs. Shelby was determined that
thing !" said Sambo ; " hopesMas'r '11have to
I everything should be brought into tangibleand
'count for it,and not we."
recognizableshape,let the consequences to her
They washed his wounds, provided a I prove what they might. In the mean time,they
rude bed,of some refuse cotton,for him to lie jreceived a letter from the lawyerto whom Miss
down on ; and one of them, stealingup to the Ophelia had referred them, sayingthat he knew
house,beggeda drink of brandy of Legree, pretending
nothingof the matter ; that the man was sold at
that he was tired,and wanted it for himself.
a publicauction,and that,beyondreceiving He brought it back,and pouredit down
money, he knew nothingof the affair.
Tom's throat.
Neither George nor Mrs. Shelby could be easy
"
0, Tom !" said Quimbo, " we 's been awful at this result;and,accordingly, some six months
wicked to ye !"
after țhe latter,havingbusiness for his mother
down the river,resolved to visit New Orleans hi
He used to be on my father's place, and I came
to see if I could n't buy him back."
Legree'sbrow grew dark, and he broke out,
"
passionately
:
buy such a fellow,"
Yes, I did
CHAPTER XLI.
and a h of a bargain I had of it,too ! TliB
THE YOUNG MASTER.
most rebellious, saucy, impudent dog ! Set
my niggers to run away; got off two gals,
2 wort.
Two days after,a young man drove a lighteighthundred or a thousand dollars apiece, lie
wagon up through the avenue of china-trees, and, owned to that,and, when I bid him tell me
throwingthe reins hastily on the horses' neck, where theywas, he up and said he knew, but he
sprang out and inquiredfor the owner of the place. would n't tell ; and stood to it,though I ga\5B
It was George Shelby; and, to show how he him the cussedest flogging I ever gave niggeryet.
came to be there,we must go back in our story.
I b'lieve he 's trying to die ; but 1 don't know as
The letter of Miss Ophelia to Mrs. Shelbyhad, he '11make it out."
by some unfortunate accident, been detained, for "Where is he?" said George,impetuously.
of the
a month or two, at some remote post-office, before
"
Let me see him !" The cheeks young
it reached its destination ; and, of course, before man were crimson,and his eyes flashedfire ; bus
it was received Țom was alreadylost to view he prudently said nothing,as yet.
among the distant "
swamps of the Red river.
Mrs. Shelby read the intelligence with the who
He 's in dat ar shed," said
stood holdingGeorge'shorse.
a little fellow,
deepestconcern ; but any
immediate action upon Legree kicked the boy, and swore at him ; but
it was an impossibility. She was then in attendance
George, without saying another word, turned and
on the sick-bed of her husband, who lay strode to the spot.
delirious in the crisisof a fever. Master George Tom had been lyingtwo dayssince the fatal
Shelby,who, in the interval,had changed from a night; not suffering, for every nerve of suffering
boy to a tall young man, was 'her constant and was blunted and destroyed.He lay,for the most
faithful assistant, and her only reliance in superintendingpart,
quietstupor; for the laws of a powerful
his father's affairs. Miss Ophelia had and well-knit frame would not at once release the
taken the precautionto send them the name of imprisonedspirit.Ey stealth., there had been
the lawyerwho did business for the St. Clares ; there,in the darkness of the night,poor desolated
and the most tint the emergency,
could be creatures,who stolefrom their scanty hours' rest,
done,was to addr^-d a letter of inquiryto him. that theymightrepay to him some of those ministrations
The sudden death of Mr. Shelby, a few days
of love in which he had always been
after,brought, of course, an so
absorbingpressure
abundant. Truly,those poor disciples of other interests,for a season.
littleto give, onlythe cup
of cold water ; but
Mr. Shelbyshowed his confidence in his wife's it was givenwitli full hearts.
ability, by appointing large
upon his
"
I forgive ye, with all my
heart !" said Tom,
faintly.
person, and push his inquiries,
hopes of discovering
"0, Tom ! do tell us who is Jesus,anyhow V
Tom's whereabouts,and restoringhim.
said Sambo ;
"
Jesus, that 's been a standin' After some months of unsuccessful search,by
by you so, all this night!""Who is he ?"
the merest accident George fell in with a man,
The word roused the failing, faintingspirit. in New Orleans,who happened to be possessed
He poured forth a few energeticsentences of that of the desired information ; and with his money
wondrous One, life,his death,his everlasting
in his pocket,our hero took steamboat for Red
presence, and power to save.
river,resolving and re-purchase his old
They wept," both the two savage men.
friend.
"
Why did n't I never hear this before ?" said He was soon introduced into the house,where
Sambo; "but I do believe! can't help it! he found Legree in the sitting-room.
Lord Jesus,have mercy on us !"
Legree received the strangerwith a kind of
" Poor critters !" said Tom, " I 'd be willingsurlyhospitality.
to b'ar all I have, if it "11onlybringye to Christ !
"
that
"
I understand," said the man,
O, Lord ! giveme these two more souls,I pray !"
you bought, in New young
Orleans,a boy named Tom.
That prayer
was answered '
estates ; and thus immediately
plicated of business was broughtuponhei
Ihands.
Tears had fallen on that honest,insensible
tears of late face," repentance, in the poor, igno-

"
'twould
follow
it
do
who
0,
who
that
itworries
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY 155
rant heathen, rrhom his dying love and patienceMas'r,and dear good Missis,and everybodyin
had awakened to repentance, and bitter prayers, the place! Ye don't know ! Tears like I loves
breathed over him to a late-found Saviour, of em all ! I loves every
cretur' everywhar ! " it'a
whom they scarce knew more than the name, but nothing but love! 0, Mas'r George, what a
whom the yearningignorant heart of man never thingit is to be a Christian !"
implores in vain.
At this moment, Legree sauntered up to the
Cassy, who had glided out of her place
and, byover-hearing, learned
of concealment,
the sacrifice
that had been made for her and Emmeline,
had been there,the nightbefore,defying the danger
of detection ; and,moved by the few last
"
"
words which the affectionatesoul had yetstrength 0, don't! ye mustn't!" said Tom,
"
to breathe,the longwinter of despair, the ice of grasping his hand ; he 's a
poor mis'able critter!
years, had givenway, and the dark,despairing it's awful to think on 't! 0, if he only could
woman had wept and prayed.
repentțhe Lord would forgive hiui now ;
When George entered the shed,he felt his head 'feared he never will !"
giddyand his heart sick.
"I hope he won't!" said George; "I never
"
"Is it possible, is it possible ?" said he, want to see him in heaven !"
kneelingdown by him. " "
Uncle Tom, my poor, Hush
,
Mas'r George ! "
me ! Don't
poor old friend!"
feel so! He an't done me no real only
harm,"
-to the ear of opened the gate of the kingdom for me ; that 's
S
Something in the voice penetrated
the dying. He moved his head gentlyșmiled, all*!"
and said,
me
V
"
Mas'r George !" said Tom, opening his eyes,
and speaking in a feeble voice ; " Mas'r George !"
He looked bewildered.
Slowlythe idea seemed
to fillhis soul ; and the
the whole
and tears
vacant eye became fixed and brightened,
face lightedup, the hard hands clasped,
ran down the cheeks.
"Bless the Lord! it it it's all I
is," is,"
wanted! They have n't forgot It warms my
soul; it does my old heart good! Now I shall
die content ! Bless the Lord,0 my soul !"
"
You shan't die ! you must n't die,nor think
y" it ! I 've come to buy you,
and take you
aonie,"said George,with impetuousvehemence.
too late. The Lord 's
"
0, Mas'r George,yer
boughtme, and is goingto take me home,
"
and I long to go. Heaven is better than Kin-
tuck."
"0, don't die ! It '11 kill me ! '11break
my heart to think what you "ve suffered, and
lying in this old shed,here ! Poor, poor fellow !"
"
Don't call me poor fellow !''said Tom, solemnly.
"I have been poor fellow; but that's all
past and gone, now. I 'in rightin the door,going
! Heaven has come!
Lord Jesus has given
wagon ; and get
George was awe-struck at the foiv,e, the vehemence,
the power, with which these broken sentences
to glory ! 0, Mas'r George
I 've got the victory !
"
the
it to me ! Glorybe to His name !"
in silence.
Tom grasped his "
hand, and Ye who did not countermand his orders,but stood,
continued,"
must n't,now, tellChloe, poor soul ! how ye found whistling, with an air of forced unconcern. He
me ;
be so drefful to her. Only tell sulkily followed them to where the wagon
stood at
her ye found me going into glory; and that I the door.
could n't stayfor no one. And tellher the Lord 's
were uttered. He sat gazing
Btood by me everywhereand al'ays, and made
every thinglight and easy. And 0, the pbor
chil'en,and the baby!"
my old heart's been
mist broke for 'cm, time and agin ! Tell 'em all
to follow me
"
mt
'
Gi-e my 'ove tc
door of the shed,looked in, with a doggedair ot
affected carelessness, and turned away.
"
The old Satan !" said George,in his indignation.
"
It 's a comfort to think the devilwill pay
him for this șome of these days!"
but I 'in
At this moment, the sudden flush of strength
which the joy
"
Jesus can make a dying-bed
of meeting his young master had
Feel soft as c'ownypillows aro."
infused into the dying man gave way. A sudden
sinking fell upon him ; he closed his eyes : and
Tears winch did hon "r to his manlyheart fell that mysterious and sublime change passed over
from the young man's as
eyes,
he bent over his his face,that told the approachof other worlds.
poor friend.
He began to draw his breath with long,deep
"
0, dear Uncle Tom! do "
wake, speak inspirations ; and his broad chest rose and fell.
once more ! Look up ! Here 's Mas'r George," heavily Ṭhe expression of his face was that of a
your own littleMas'r George. Don't you know conqueror.
shall separateus from
he fellasleep.
Georgesat fixedwith solemn awe. It seemed to
him that the placewas holy;and. as he closed the
" "
"Who
the love of Christ?" he said,in a voice that contended
with mortal weakness ; and, with a smile,
"
"
lifeless eyes, and rose up
from the dead,only one
thoughtpossessedhim, expressedby his
simpleold friend,
"
What a thing it is to be a
Christian !';
He turned : Legree was standing,sullenly, behind
him.
Something that dyingscene had checked the
natural fiercenessof youthfulpassion Ṭhe presence
of the man was simplyloathsome to George;
from him,
and liefeltonlyan impulse to get away
with as lew words as possible.
Fixinghis keen, dark eyes on Legree, lie simply
said,pointingto the dead, " You have got all you
ever can of him. What shall I pay you
for the
body ? I will take it away, and buryitdecently."
"I don't sell dead niggers," said Legree,doggedly.
"
You are welcome to buryhim where and
when you like."
"
Boys,"said George, in an authoritative tone,
to two or three negroes, who were lookingat the
body, " helpṃe lifthim up, and carry
him to my
me a spade."
One of them ran for a spade; the other two
assisted George to carry the body to the wagon.
George neither spoke to nor looked at Legree,
Georgespreadhis cloak in the wagon,
and had
the body carefully disposedof in it," moving the
seat,so as to give it room. Then he turned, fixed
his e^"s on Legree,and said,with forced composure
"
I have not, as vet. said to vou what I think

Come,
bury
f
how
this
"
" those
of
156 UNCLE TOM'S CABIN
'
OR.
"
CHAPTER XLII.
"
"
"
"
"
of this most atrocious affair ; is not the
are they that mourn, for theyshall be comforted."
and piledover with mountains of earthliness, is
time and place. But, sir,this innocent blood
shall have justice.I will proclaim this
AN AUTHENTIC GHOST STORY.
murder.
I will go to the very first magistrate, and expose For some remarkable reason, ghostlylegends
you."
"Do!" said Legree,snapping his were uncommonly rife,about this time, among
fingers, scornfully.
the servants on Legree's place.
" I VI like to see you doingit. Where It was whisperingly you goingto get witnesses ? you going footsteps,
to in the dead of night, had been heard descending
prove it? now ! "
the garretstairs,and patrolling the house, fn
George saw, at once, the force of this defiance. vain the doors of the upper entry had been
There was not a white person
on the place; and, locked ; the ghost either in all southern courts, the testimony of colored
duplicate key
in its pocket,
blood isnothing. Ke felt,
ghost'simmemorial
at that moment, as if
privilegeof comingthrough the keyhole,
he could have rent the heavens with his heart's and promenaded
indignant cry for justice;but in vain.
with a freedom that
"
After all,what a fuss,for a dead nigger !"
was alarming.
Authorities were somewhat divided as to the ouf"-
had noticed a dry,sandyknoll șhaded by a few
trees : there they made
"
Shall we take off the grave.
the cloak,Mas'r?"
The
Did
sheeteddead
squeak and gibberin the streets of Rome."
"
said the
negroes, when the grave was ready.
And, therefore, their all hittingupon this is a
"
No, no, it with him ! It 's all I can
we recommend
give you, now, poor Tom, and shall have
you
striking pneumatology,Avhich
to the attention of spiritual media generally.
/t."
Be it as it may, we have private reasons for
Theylaidhim in ; and the men shovelled away, knowing that tall
silently.
figurein a white sheet did
They banked it up, and laid green turf walk, at the most approvedghostlyhours,around
over it.
the Legreepremises, pass out the doors, glide*
"
You may go, boys,"said George,slipping about the house," disappear at intervals,ar.i,
quarter into the hand of each. They lingered reappearing, pass up the silent stair-way, into
about,however.
that fatal garret; and that,in the morning,the
"If young Mas'r would pleasebuy us "
said
entrydoors were all found shut and locked as firm
one.
as ever.
"
We 'd serve him so faithful!" said the other. Legreecould not help overhearingthis whispering
"Hard times here, Mas'r!' said the first.
; and it was all the more exciting to him,
"
Do, Mas'r,buy us, please!"
from the painsthat were taken to conceal it from
"
I can't ! can*t !" said George, with difficulty,
him. He drank more brandy than usual ; held
motioning them off; " it 's impossible !"
up his head briskly,and swore louder than eve?,
The poor fellows looked dejected, and walked off in the day-time; but he had bad dreams, and the
in silence.
visions of his head on his bed were anythingbut
"
Witness,eternal God !" said George,kneelingagreeable nightafter Tom's bodyhad been
on the grave of his poor friend ; "0, witness carried away, he rode to the next town for a carouse,
that,from this hour, I will do what one man can
and had a high one. Got home late and
to drive out this curse of slavery from my land !" tired ; locked his door țook out the key, and went
There is no monument to mark the last restingplaceof
to bed.
our friend. He needs none ! His Lord After all,let a man take what pains he may to
knows where he lies,and will raise him up, immortal,
hush it down, a human soul is an awful ghostly,
to appear with him when he shall appear unquietpossession for a bad man to have. Who
in his glory.
knows the metes and bounds of it1 Who knows
Pityhim not ! Such a lifeand death is not for all its awful perhapses, shudderingsand
pityJ Not in the richesof omnipotenceis the tremblings,which it can no more live down
chief glory of God ; but in self-denying, suffering than it can outlive its own eternity love ! And blessed are the men whom he calls to fool is he who locks his door to keep out spirits.
a
fellowship with him,bearing their cross after him who has in his own bosom a spirit he dares not
with patience.Of such it is written, " Blessed meet alone," whose voice,smothered far down,
of doom !
said Legree.
ward form of the spirit,owing
The word was as a spark to a powdermagazine.
to a custom quite
prevalentamong and, for aught we
negroes,"
Prudence was never a cardinal virtue of the Kentucky
know, among
"
whites,too," invariably shutting
boy. Georgeturned,and, with one indignant
blow,knocked Legree the flat upon his face eyes, and coveringup heads under blankets,
; and, petticoats, oe whatever else mightcome in use for a
as he stood over him, blazingwith wrath and 'defiance,
shelter,on these occasions. Of course, as
everybody
he would have formed no bad personification
knows, when the
of his great namesake bodilyeyes are thus out of
triumphing over the the lists', the spiritual eyes
dragon
are uncommonly vivacious
and perspicuous;and,therefore,there were
Some men, however,are decidedlybettered by abundance of full-length portraits of the ghost,
beingknocked down. If a man laysthem fairlyabundantly flatin the dust,they seem immediately
sworn and testified to,which,as is
to conceive often the case with portraits, agreedwith each
a respect for him ; and Legreewas one of this other in no particular, exceptthe common family
.sort. As he ruse, therefore, and brushed the dust
peculiarity of the "
ghost tribe, the wearing
Yrom his clothes,he eyed the slowly-retreating of a white sheet. The
wagon with some evident consideration poor souls were not versed
; nor did in ancient history, and did not know that Shakspeare
had authenticated this costume,by telling
he open his mouth tillit was out of sight.
Beyondthe boundaries of the plantation, Georgehow
yet like the fore warringtrumpet

a
"
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY.
157
Bat Legreelocked his door and set a chair [ The first person that struck her, after her aragainst
it ; he set a night-lamp at the head of his rival,was GeorgeShelby, who was stayingthere,
bed ; and he put his pistols there. He examined awaiting the next boat.
the catches and fasteningsof the windows, and Cassy had remarked the young
man from her
then swore he " didn't care for the devil and all !loop-hole in the garret, and seen him bear away
bis angels,"and went to sleep.
the body of Tom, and observed, with secret exultation,
Well, he slept,forhe was tired," sleptsoundly.
his rencontre with Legree. Subsequently,
But, finally, there came over his sleepa !she had gathered, from the conversationsshe had
shadow, a horror, an apprehension of something
1 overheard among the negroes, as she glidedabout
dieadful hangingover him. It was his mother's iin her ghostlydisguise, after nightfall, who he
shroud,he thought; but Cassy had it,holding Jwas, and in what relation he stood to Tom. She
up, and showingit to him. He heard a confused \therefore felt an immediate accession of confinoise
of screams and groanings ; and, with it |dence, when she found that he was, like herself,
all,he knew he was asleep, and he struggled to awaiting the next boat.
wake himself. He was half awake. He was Cassy's air and manner, address,and evident
sure something was cominginto his room. He command of money, preventedany risingdisposition
knew the door was opening, but he could not stir
to suspicion in the hotel. People never
hand or foot. At last he turned,with a start ; inquire too closelyinto those who are fair on the
the door ivas open,
and he saw a hand putting out main point, of a payingwell," thingtvhich
his light.
Cassy had foreseen when she providedherself
It was a cloudy,mistymoonlight, and there he with money.
saw it! "
something white, glidingin! He In the edgeof the evening, a boat was hearc?
heard the still rustle of its ghostlygarments. coming along, and GeorgeOTelbyhanded Cassy
It stood stillby his bed "
; cold hand touched aboard, with the politeness which comes naturally
his ; a voice said țhree times, in a low, fearful to every Kentuekian, and exerted himself to pro
whisper, " Come ! come! come!" And, while vide her with a goodstate-room.
he lay sweating with terror,he knew not when CassykepWie room and bed, on pretextof illness,
or how, the thing was gone. He sprang out of during the whole time they were on Bed
bed, and pulledat the door. It was shut and river;and was waited on, with obsequious devotion,
locked,and the man fell clown in a swoon.
by her attendant.
After this,Legreebecame a harder drinker than When they arrived at the Mississippi river,
ever before. He no longer drank cautiously, prudentlyGeorge,havinglearned
that the course of the
,*butimprudently and recklessly. strangelady was upward, like his own, proposed
There were reports around the country șoon to take a state-room for her on the same boat
afterțhat he was
"
sick and dying. Excess had with himself, good-naturedly compassionating
broughton that frightful disease that seems to her feeble health,and desirous to do what he
throw the lurid shadows of a coming retribution
back into the presentlife. None could bear the
horrors of that sick room, when he raved and
screamed, and spoke of sightswhich almost
stoppedthe blood of those who heard him ; and.
at his dyingbed,stood a stern,white,inexorable
figure, saying,
" Come ! come ! come!"
the guards, came to the table,and was remarked
By a singularcoincidence, on the very nightupon in the boat as a ladythat must have been
that this vision appeared to Legree,the housedoor
was found open in the morning, and some From the moment that George got
very handsome.
erfthe negroes had seen two white figures glidinglimpse of her face,he was troubled with one of
down the avenue towards the high-road. those fleeting and indefinitelikenesses, which
It was near sunrise when Cassyand Emmeline
bundles,she made her appearance at the
small tavern, like a ladyof consideration.
could
to assisther.
Behold,thereforețhe whole partysafely
transferred
to the good steamer Cincinnati, and sweeping
head of
up the river under a powerful
steam.
Cassy's health was much better. She sat upon
the first
almost everybody can remember, and has been,
at times, perplexed with. He could not keep
himself from looking at her, and watching her
paused,for a moment, in a littleknot of trees
near the town.
Cassy was dressed after the manner of the perpetually. At table,or sittingat her stateroom
"
Creole Spanish ladies, whollyin black. A door,still she would encounter the young
small black bonnet on her head, covered by a veil man's eyes fixed on her,and politely withdrawn,
thick with embroidery, concealed her face. It when she showed,by her countenance, that she
had been agreedthat,in their escape, she was to was sensibleof the observation.
personate the character of a Creole lady, and Cassy became uneasy.
She began to think that
Emmeline that of her servant.
he suspectedsomething; and finally resolved to
Broughtup, from earlylife,in connection with throw herself entirelyon his generosity, and
the highestsociety, the language, movements and
air of Cassy, were all in agreement with this
idea ; and she had still enoughremaining with
"
her, of a once splendidwardrobe,and sets of plantation,
a placethat he could not remember
jewels țo enable her to personate the thing to or speak of with "
patience, and, with the courageous
advantage.
disregard of consequences which is charac
She stopped in the outskirts of the town, where ter'istic of his age and state,he assured her that
she had noticed trunks for sale,and purchased a he would do all in his power to protect and
handsome one. This she requestedthe man to bring them through.
send along with her. And, accordingly, thus The next state-room to Cassy's was occupied
qscortedby a boywheeling her trunk,and Emmeline
by a French lady,named He Thoux, who was
behind her,carrying
carpet-bagand sundry
accompaniedby a fine littledaughter, a child of
intrusted him with her whole history.
George was heartilydisposedto sympathize
with any
one who had escapedfrom Legree's
some
twelve summers.
This lady,having gathered, from George's

"
158 UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR,
conversationțhat he was from Kentucky, seemed almost,as a daughter. She eould read and write
evidently disposed to cultivate his acquaintance, embroider and sew, beautifully ; and was a beauti
in which design she was seconded hy the graces ful singer."
of her littlegirl, was about as pretty a plaything
"
Was she born in your house?" said Madame
as ever diverted the weariness of a fortnight'sde
Thoux.
tripon a steamboat.
once, in one of his
"
No. Father bought her
George's chair was often placedat her stateroom
trips to New Orleans,and brought her up
as a
door ; and Cassy,as she sat upon the guards, presen to mother. She was about eightor nine
could hear their conversation.
years old,then. Father would never tellmother
Madame de Thoux was
very minute in her inquiries
what he gave for her ; but,the other day,in looking
as to Kentucky,where she said she had
over his old papers,
we came across the bill
resided in a former period of her life. Georgeof sale. He paidan extravagant sum for her,to
discoveredțo his surprise, that her former residence
be sure. I suppose
on account of her extraordinary
must have been in his own vicinity ; and beauty."
her inquiries showed a knowledgeof people and George sat with his back to Cassy,and did not
things in his regionthat was perfectly surprising see the absorbed expression of her countenance
to him.
as ho was givingthese details.
"Do you know," said Madame de Thoux to At this point in the story șhe touched his arm
him, one day, " of any man, in your neighborhood,
and, with a face perfectly white with interest
of the name of Harris ?"
said, " Do you know the names of the people h4
"
There is an old fellow, of that name, lives boughther of?"
father's place,"said George.
" A man of the name of Simmons,I think,was
not far from my
"
We never have had much intercourse with him,
though."
"He is a largeslave-owner,I believe," said
Madame de Thoux, with a manner which seemed
to betray more interest than she wa$ exactlywilling
"He
to show.
at her manner.
"Thank
God!"
"Madame!" said George,with a strong accent
of surprise.
"Yes," said Madame de Thoux, lifting her
head proudly, and "
wipingher tears ; Mr. Shelby,
GeorgeHarris is my
brother !"
"1 am perfectly astonished,"said George,
pushing back his chair a pace or two, and looking
at Madame
de Thoux.
the
principal
the transaction. At least,]
think that was the name on the bill of sale."
"
0, my God !" said Cassy,
on
the floorof the cabin.
and fell insensible
George was wide awake now, and so was Madame
de Thoux. Though neither of them could
is," said George,looking rather surprised conjecture what was the cause of Cassy's fainting,
stilltheymade all the tumult which is prop
wasta-
"Did you ever know of his "
having" perhapser in such cases ; Georgeupsetting a
pitcher, and breaking two tumblers, in the warmth
George!"
you may have heard of his a mulatto
having"
boy, named
of his humanity; and various ladies in the cabin,
"
"0, certainly,
I know him
GeorgeHarris," hearing that somebody had fainted,crowded tha
well ; he married a servant of my inoldier's, but state-room door,and kept out all the air they
has escaped,now, to Canada."
possibly could,so that,on the whole,everything
"He has?" said Madame de Thoux,quickly.
was done that could be expected.
Poor Cassy,when she recovered,turned her
face to the wall,and wept and sobbed like a.
"
"
George looked a surprisedinquiry, said
nothing.
child,
can tell what she
Madame de Thoux leaned her head on her was
perhaps,mother,you
thinking of! Perhaps you cannot, but
hand,and burst into tears.
she felt as sure, in that hour, that Clod had had
" He is my brother !" she said.
mercy
on her,and that she should see her daughter,
as she did, months when- "
afterwards,"
but we anticipate.
CHAPTER
XLII1.
" I was sold to the South when he was a boy," "The rest of our story is soon told. George
eaid she.
"
I was boughtby a good and generous
Shelby,interested, as any other young
man miglrt
man. lit took me with him to the West be, by the romance of the incident,no less than
Indies,set me free,and married me. It is but by feelings of humanity,was at the painsto send
latelythat he died ; and I was comingup to Kentucky,
to Cassythe bill of sale of Eliza,whose date and
to see if I could find and redeem my
name all corresponded with her own knowledge
brother."
of facts,and left no doubt upon her mind as to
"
I have heard him speak of a sister Emily, the identity of her child. It remained now only
that was sold South,"said George.
for her to trace out the path of the fugitives."
"
Yes, indeed ! I am the one," said Madame de
Thoux ; by the singularcoincidence of their fortunes,
tell what sort of
"
"
A very due young man," said George,"notwithstanding
proceededimmediately to Canada, and began a
the curse of slavery that lay on tour of inquiry among
the stations,where the
him. lie sustained a first-rate character,both numerous fugitives from slaveryare located. At
for intelligence and principle Ị know, you Amherstberg they found the missionary with
see," he said; "because lie married in our whom George and Eliza had taken shelter,on
family."
their first arrival in Canada ; and throughhim
" What sort of a girl?" said Madame de Thoux, were enabled to trace the familyto Montreal.
eagerly.
"
A treasure,"said
George and Eliza had now been five years free.
beautiful,intelligent,
Georgehad found constant occupation in the shoj
" a George;
amiable girl.Very pious. My mother of a worthymachinist,where he had been earr"
had broughther up,
and trained her as carefully, ing a competentsupport for his family,which,,in
Madame de Thoux and she,thus drawn together

calls
"
for
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY 159
the mean time,had been increased by the addition once, by saying."0, George,don't you know
tifanother
me? I
daughter.
'm your sisterEmily."
"
Little Harry a fine had been Cassy had seated herselfmore composedly, and
brightboy"
put to a good school,and was makingrapidproficiency
would have carried on her part very well,had
in knowledge.
not little Eliza suddenlyappearedbefore her,in
The worthypastor of the station, in Amherstberg,
where George had first landed, was so much justas her daughterwas when she saw her last.
exact shape and form, every outline and curl,
interestedin the statements of Madame de Thoux The littlethingpeeredup in her face ; and Cassy
and C issy,
that he yielded to the solicitationsof caught her up in her arms, pressedher to her
the former,to accompany
them to Montreal,in bosom, saying, what at the moment she really
"
their search, she bear Jig
all the expense of the believed,
" Darling, I 'm your mother!"
In
expedition.
fact,it was a troublesome matter to do up
The scene now changesto a small,neat tenement,
exactly in proper order ; but the goodpastor, at
in the outskirts of Montreal ; the time, last,succeeded in gettingeverybodyquiet, and
evening. A cheerfulfireblazes on the hearth ; a delivering the speechwith which he had intended
tea-table, covered with a snowy cloth ștands prepared
to open the exercises ; and in which, at last, he
for the evening meal. In one corner of the succeeded so well that his whole audience were
room was a table covered with a
green cloth, sobbing about him in a manner that ought to
where was an
open wri ting-desk, pens, paper, and satisfy any orator,ancient or modern.
over it a shelf of well-selectedbooks.
They knelt together, and the goodman prayed,
This was George'study. The same zeal for
there are some feelingso agitated and
self-improvement, which led him to steal the tumultuous,that they can find rest onlyby being
much-coveted arts of reading and writing,amid pouredinto the bosom of and
Almightylove,"
all the toilsand discouragements of his earlylife, then,risingup, the new-found family embraced
stillled him to devote all his leisure time to self each other with a holy trust in Him, who from
cultivation.
such peril and dangers, and by such unknowr
At this j resent time,he is seated at the table, ways, had broughtthem together.
making not ;s from a volume of the familylibrary The note-book of a missionary, among tho
he has been reading.
Canadian fugitives, contains truth stranger thar
"Come, George," says Eliza,"you've been fiction. How can it be otherwise, when a system
gone all day. Do put clown that book, and let "s prevails which whirls families, and scatters theii
talk,while I 'm do."
members, as the wind whirls and scatters the
gettingtea,"
And littleEliza seconds the effort,by toddlingleaves of autumn? These shores of refuge, like
up to her father,and trying to pullthe book out the eternal shore,often unite again, glad communion,
Oi his hand,and install herself on his knee as a
hearts that for longyears have mourned
substitutẹ
each other as lost. And afiecting beyondexpres
"
0, you littlewitch!" says George,yielding, sion is the earnestness with which every
new
as, in such circumstances, man always must. arrival among them is met, if,perchance, it maj
"That's right,"says Eliza,as she begins to bringtidings of mother, sister, child or wife știll
cut a loaf of bread. A little older she looks ; lost to view in the shadows of slavery.
her form a little fuller;her air more matronly Deeds of heroism are wroughthere more than
than of /ore ; but evidently contented and happy those of romance, when, defyingtorture, and
as woman need be.
braving death itselfțhe fugitive voluntarily
" B my, my boy, how did come on
you
in that threads his way back to the terrors and perils of
sum, to-day?" says George, as he laid his hand that dark land,that he maj bringout his sister,
on his son's he'ad.
or mother,or wife.
Harry has losthis long curls ; but he can never One young man, of whtm a missionaryhaa
lose those eyes and eyelashes, and that fine,bold told us, twice re-captured, and suffering shameful
brow, that flusheswith triumph,as he answers, stripes for his heroism,had escapedagain; and,
" I did it, every bit of it,myself, father ; and nobody
in a letterwhich we heard read,tells his friends
helpedme !"
that he isgoing back a third time, that he may,
" That 's right,"says his father ; " depend on at last,bringaway his sister. My good sir, ia
yourself, my son. You have a better chance than this man a hero,or a criminal ? Would not you
ever your poor father had."
do as much for your sister? And can you blamo
At this moment, there is a
rap at the door ; him?
and Eliza goes and opens it. The "
delighted But, to return to our friends, whom we left
"Why!- this "
you? up her husband; wiping their eyes, and recoveringthemselves
and the goodpastor of Amhcrstbergiswelcomed. from too greatand sudden a joy. They are now
There are two more women with him, and Eliza seated around the social board,and are getting
asks them to sitdown.
decidedlycompanionable ; only that Cassy,who
Now, if the truth must be told,the honest keepslittleEliza on her lap,occasionally squeezes
had
!)astor arranged
a little programme, accordng
to which this affairwas to developitself; her, and obstinately refuses to have her mouth
the littlethingin a manner that rather astonishes
and,on the way up, all had very cautiously and stuffed with cake to the extent the little one
prudently exhorted each other not to let "
thingsdesires,
alleging, what the child rather wonders
out, exceptaccording to previousarrangement. at, that she has got something better than cake,
What was the goodman's consternation, therefore,
and does n't want it.
justas he had motioned to the ladies to be And, indeed, in two or three days, such a
seated,and^was takingout his pocket-handkerchief
change has passed over Cassyțhat our readers
to wipehis mouth, so as to proceedto his would scarcelyknow her. The despairing, haggard
tntroducfa ry speechin goodorder,when Madame expressionof her face had givenway to one
le Thoux
upse the whole plan,by throwingher of gentle trust. She seemed to sink, at once, into
arms around George'sneck,and lotting all out at the bosom of the family,and take the littleones

" to
which
it
"
we
160 UNCLE TOM S CABIN I OR,
into her heart,as something for which it long had
waited. Indeed,her love seemed to flow more
naturally to the little Eliza than to her own
daughter; for she was the exact image and body
of the child whom she had lost. The little one
was a flowerybond between mother and daughter,
through whom grew up acquaintanceship and
affection. Eliza's steady, consistent piety, regulated
by the constant reading of the sacred word,
made her a
proper guidefor the shattered and
wearied mind of her mother. Cassyyielded, at
once, and with her whole soul,to every good
influence,
After a day or two, Madame de Thoux told her
brother more particularly of her affairs. The
death of her husband had left her an ample fortune,
which she generously offered to share with
the family. When she asked George what way
Bhe could best apply it for him, he answered,
"
Give me an education,Emily; that has always
been my
heart's desire. Then I can do all the
rest."
above all man's schemes? May he not have
On mature deliberation, itwas decided that the overruled their designs, and founded for us a
whole family should go, for some years, to France ; nation by them ?
whither theysailed, carrying Emmeline with
"
them. In these days, a nation is born in a day. A
The good looks of the latter won the affection nation starts now with all the greatproblemsof
of the firstmate of the vessel ; and,shortly after republicanlife and civilizationwTOughtout to its
entering the port șhe became his wife.
hand ;
"
George remained four years at a French university,
Let us, then,all take hold together, with all our
and, applyinghimself with an unintermitted
zeal,obtained a very thorough education. enterprise, and the whole splendidcontinent of
might, and see what we can do with this new
Political troubles in France,at last,led the Africa opens before us and our children. Our
familyagainto seek an asylumin this counti-y. nation shall roll the tide of civilizationand Christianity
and views,as an educated
George "s feelings
man, may be best expressedin a letter to one of
Ins friends.
"I feel somewhat at a loss as to my future
course. True,as you have said to me, I might
minglein the circlesof the whites
in this country,
that of my
Well, perhaps,
my shade of color is so slight, and
wife and family scarce perceptible.
on sufferance, I might. But,to tell you
the truth,I have no wish to.
"
My sympathies not for my father's race,
but for my mother's. To him 1 was no more
than a fine dog or horse : to my poor heartbroken
mother I was a child; and, though I
never saw her,afterthe cruel sale that separated
us, tillshe died,yet I know she alwaysloved me
dearly. I know it by own
my
heart. When I
think of all she suffered, of my
own earlysufferings,
of the distressesand struggles of my heroic
wife,of my sister, sold in the New Orleans slavemarket,"
though I hope to have no unchristian
sentiments,yet I may be excused for saying I
have no wish to pass for an American, or to
identify myselfwith them.
bar sinister which disgraces her among nation^.
"It is with the oppressed, enslaved African and is as trulya curse tu her as to the enslaved.
race that I cast in my
lot ; and, if I wished "
anything,
But; you
will tell me, our race have equal
I would wish myselftwo shades darker, rightsto minglein the American republic as the
rather than one lighter.
Irishman,the German, the Swede
.
Granted,they
"
The desire and yearning of my soul is for an have. We ought to be free to meet and mingle,
African nationality. I want a peoplethat shall rise by our individual worth, without any
have a tangible, separateexistence of its own; consideration of caste or color ; and they wflfo
and where am I to look for it ? Not in Hayti; deny us this rightare false to their own professed
for in Hayti theyhad nothingto start with. A principles of human equality Ẉe ought, in particular,
stream cannot rise above its fountain. The race
that formed the character of the Haytiens was a
worn-out, effeminate one ; and, of course, the subject
race will be centuries in risingto anything.
"Where, then,shall I look? On the shores
formed
" of Africa I see a republic, a
republic
of pickedmen, who, by energy and self-educating
force,have,in many cases, individually, raised
themselves above a condition of slavery Ḣaving
gone through a preparatorystage of feebleness,
this republic has,at last,become an acknowledged
nation on the face of the earth," acknowledged
by both France and England. There it is my wish
to go, and find myself a people.
"
I am aware, now, that I shall have you all
against me ; but, before you strike,hear me.
Duringmy stay in France,I have followed upj,
with intense interestțhe history of my peoplein
and became a devout and tender Christian.
America. I have noted the strugglebetween
abolitionist and colonizationist, and have received
some impressions, as a distant spectator, which
could never have occurred to me as a participator*
"
I grant that this Liberia may have subserved
all sorts of purposes, by beingplayedoff,in the
hands of our oppressors, againstus. Doubtless
the scheme may have been Used,in unjustifiable
ways, as a means of retardingour emancipation.
But the questionto me is,Is there not a God
has not to discover,but only to apply.
-alongits shores, and plantthere mighty
republics, that, growing with the rapidity of
tropical vegetation, shall be for all coming ages.
"
Do you say that I am deserting my enslaved
brethren? I think not. If I forgethem one
hour,one moment, of my lifeșo may God forget
me! But,what can I do for them, here? Can I
break their chains? No, not as an individual:
but,let me go and form part of a nation, which
shall have a voice in the councils of nations,and
then we can speak. A nation has a righ to argue,
remonstrate, implore, and presen the cause of its
"
race, an individual has not.
"If Europe ever becomes a grand council of
free itions," nations, as I trust in God it if will,"
there serfdom, and all unjust and oppressive
social inequalities, are done away ; and if
the^s,
as France and England have done, acknowdedgg
"
our position, then, in the great congress of
nations,we will make our appeal,and present
the cause of our enslaved and suffering race
it cannot be that free,enlightened
; and
America will
not then desire to wipefrom her escutcheon tha-4
to be allowed here. We have more than
have the clafm
the rights of common men ;
of an injuredrace for reparationḄut, theiiji
do not want it;I want a country, a nation, of my
own. I think that the African race lias pecuH
aritics, vet to be unfolded in the lightoiycivii

.
in
"
good
It
why
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY.
161
Izatiouand Christianity, which, if not the same the world, that she was at last recommended,
with those of the Anglo-Saxon, may prove to be, I and approved as a missionaryto one of the
morally, of even a highertype.
stations in Africa; and we have heard mat the
"To the Anglo-Saxon race has been intrusted
j same activity and ingenuity which,when a child,
the destinies of the world, during its pioneer|made her so multiform and restless in her developments,
period of struggleand conflict. To that mission
is now employed, in a safer and wholesomer
its stern,inflexible, energetic elements,were well
manner, in teaching the children of her
adapted; but, as a Christian,I look for another own
country.
era to arise. On its borders I trust we stand ; P. "
S. will be a satisfactionto some mother,
and the throes that now convulse the nations are, also,to state,that some inquiries, which were
to my hope, but the birth-pangs of an hour of set on foot by Madame de Thoux, have resulted
universal peace and brotherhood.
recently in the discovery of Cassy'
"I trust that the development son. Being
of Africa is to a
young man of energy, he had escaped șome
be essentially a Christian one. If not a dominant
years before his mother,and been received and
and commanding race; theyare, at least,an affectionate,
educated by friendsof the oppressedin the north
magnanimous, and forgiving one.
He will soon follow his familyto Africa.
Having
been called in the furnace of injustice and
oppression, theyhave need to bind closer to their
hearts that sublime doctrine of love and forgiveness,
through which alone they are to conquer,
which it is to be their mission to spreadover the
continent of Africa.
" In myself, I confess,I am feeble for this,"
full half the bloodin my veins is the hot and
hasty Saxon ; but I have an eloquentpreacher of
the Gospel ever by my side,in the person of my
beautiful wife. When I wander, her gentler
friend he had not the heart to write, lie had
tried several times,and onlysucceeded in half
spirit ever restores me, and keepsbefore my eyes chokinghimself;and invariably finished by tearing
the Christian callingand mission of our race. up the paper, wipinghis eyes, and rushing
As a Christian patriot, as a teacher of Christianity,
somewhere to getquiet.
I go to country,"
my my chosen, my glorious
There was a pleasedbustle all throughthe
"
Africa ! and to her,in my heart,I sometimes
Shelbymansion,that day, in expectationof the
apply those splendid words of arrival prophecy:
of young Mas'r George.
; Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated,so Mrs. Shelbywas seated in her comfortable
that no man went through thee ; i"will make thee parlor,where a cheerful hickoryfirewas dispelling
an eternal excellence, a joy of many generations.' the chill of the late autumn evening.A
" You will call me an enthusiast ; you will tell supper-table, glittering with plateand cut glass,
me that I have not well considered what I am was* set out, on whose arrangementsour formei
undertaking Ḅut I have considered, and counted friend,old Chloe,was presiding.
the cost. I go to Liberia, not as to an Elysium of Arrayed in a new calico dress,with clean,
romance, but as to afieldofwork. I expectto work white apron, and high,well-starched turban,her
with both to work hard hands," ; to work againstblack polishedface glowing with satisfaction, she
all sorts
of difficulties and
discouragements ; and
to work tillI die. This is what I go for ; and in
this I am quitesure I shall not be disappointed.
"
Whatever you may think of my determination,
do not divorce me from your confidence ; and
think that,in whatever I do', I act with a heart
whollygiven to my
people.
"
George Harris."
George, with his wife, children șister and
mother, embarked for Africa,some few weeks
after. If wo are not mistaken,the world will
yet hear from him there.
Of our other characters we have nothing very
particularto write, except a word relating to
"
he
s'pose?"said Chloe,stillfidgeting
Miss Opheliaand Topsy,and a farewell chapter,
which we shall dedicate to GeorgeShelby.
Miss Opheliatook Topsyhome to Vermont with
her,much to the surpriseof that grave deliberative
body whom a New Englanderecognizes under
"
Jcs like Mas'r George,
church in the place; and showed so much intelligence,
activity and zeal,and desire to do good
CHAPTER
TUE
LIBERATOR.
XLIV.
George Shelby had written to his mother
merely a line,statingthe day that she might
expect him home. Of the death scene of his eld
lingered, with needless punctiliousness, around
the arrangements of the table,merelyas an
excuse for talkinga littleto her mistress.
"Laws, now! won't it look natural to him?"
"
!"
"
she said.
"
Thar," I set his platejustwhar he
likes, round
wants de warm seat. 0, go way didn't
Sallyget out the best tea-pot, de little new one,.
by the fire. Mas'r Georgeallers
Mas'r Georgegot for Missis,Christmas? I'll
have it out ! And Missis has heard from Mas'r
George V she said,inquiringly.
"Yes, Chloe ; but only a line,just to say he
ifhe that 'sall."
could,"
would be home to-night,
"Didn't
say nothin' 'bout my old man,
with the teacups.
"No, he didn't. He did not speak of anything,
Chloe. He said he would tell all,when
he got home."
's allersso ferce
the term
"
Our folks.""Our folks,"at first, for tellin' everything hisself. I allers minded
thought it an odd and unnecessary addition to dat ar in Mas'r George. Don't see, for my part,
their well-trained domestic establishment;but, how white peoplegen'lly can bar to hev to write
bo
thoroughly Opheliain her things much as they do, writin' 's such slow,
conscientious endeavor to do her duty by her oneasy kind o' work."
dim, that the child rapidlygrew :n grace and in Shelby smiled.
favor with the family and "
neighborhood.At the I 'm a thinkin' my old man won't know de
age of womanhood, she was, by her own request, boys and de baby. Lor' ! she is de biggestgal,
baptized, and became a member of the Christian now,
is,too, and peart,Pollyis.
She 's out to the house, now, watchin' de hoecake.
I 's gotjistde very patternmy old max

dat
162 UNCLE TOM S CABIN : )R,
liked so much a bakin'. Jist .such as I gin hira
the inornin' he was took off. Lord bless us ! how
I felt,d.irat inornin' !"
Mrs.
and felt a heavyweight on
Shelbysighed,
her heart,at this allusion. She had felt uneasy,
ever since she had received her son's letter, lest
somethingshould prove to be hidden behindthe
veilof silence which he had drawn.
"
Missis has got deni bills?" said Chloe,anxiously.
"Yes, Chloe."
" 'Cause I wants to show my old man dem
'
very bills do pcrfcctioner gave me. And,' says
he, ' Chloe,I wish you 'd staylonger. ' Thank
you, Mas'r,' says I, ' I would, onlymy old man's
"
coming home, and Missis, she can't do without
me no longer.' There 's jist what I telled him.
Berry nice man, dat Mas'r Jones was."
Chloe had pertinaciously insisted that the very
bills in which her wages had been paid should
be preserved, to show
of her capability.
to her husband, in memorial
And Mrs. Shelby had readilyhappen,"
consented to humor her in the request.
"He won't know Polly,"
my old man won't.
tuck him ! She
Laws, it 's five years since they
was a couldn't but jist babyden,"
stand. Remember
how tickled he used to be, cause she
would keop a fallin' over, when she sot out to
walk. Laws a me!"
The rattling of Avheels now was heard.
"
Mas'r George !" said Aunt Chloe,starting the window.
Mrs. Shelby ran to the entrydoor,and was
folded in the arms of her son. Aunt Chloe stood
her eyes out into the darkness.
"
"
anxiouslystraining
a more touchingand heartyTe Deum neve?
"0, poor Aunt Chloe !" said George,stoppingascended to heaven,though borne on the pealof
compassionately, and taking her hard,black hand
organ, bell and cannon, than came from that
between both his; " I'd have given all my fortune
honest old heart.
to have brought him with me, but he 's gone On rising,
to a better country."
of which the burden was,
There was a passionate exclamation from Mrs.
Shelby, but Aunt Chloe said nothing.
The party entered the supper-room. The
year of jubileehas
Return, ye ransomed
come,
sinners, home."
The
" One thingmore," said George, as he stopped
the congratulations of the throng;"you all remember
"
Thar,"said she,gathering it up, and holding
our good old Uncle Tom ? ' '
it,with a tremblinghand, to her mistress, Georgehere gave
a short narration of the scene
"don't never want to see nor hear on 't
of his
again. death,and of his lovingfarewell to all on
Jist as I knew 'twould be," sold,and murdered the place,and added,
"
on dem ar' old plantations !"
It was on his grave, my friends, that I resolved,
Chloe turned,and was walkingproudlyout of
before God, that I would never own another
the room. Mrs. Shelby followed her softly, and slave,while it was possible to free him ; that nobody,
took one of her hands,drew her down into a chair, throughme, should ever run the risk of
and s it down by her.
beingparted from home and friends,and dying
"
My poor, goodChloe !" said she.
on a lonelyplantation, as he died. So, when you
Chloe leaned her head on her mistress' shoulder, rejoicein your freedom,think that you owe it to
that good old soul, and pay it back in kindness to
money, of which Chloe was so proud, was still
lying on the table.
"
"
my
and sib'ied out, "0 Missis! 'scuse me,
heart 's broke, "s all !"
"
I know it is,"' said Mrs. Shelby, as' her tears
fell fast ;
"
and I cannot heal it,but Jesus can.
He heu-leth the broken-hearted, and bindeth up
their wounds."
and all
There was a silence for some time,
wept together.At last,George șitting down
beside the mourner, took her hand, and, with
simplepathos,repeatedthe triumphant scene
her husband's death, and his last messages
of
love.
About a month after this,one morning, all the
servants of the Shelbyestate were convened
together in the great hall that ran through the
hous;, ti hear a few words from their young
"ttasfcer.
of
To the surprise of all,he appeared among therfl
with a bundle of papers in his hand,containing a
certificateof freedom to every one on the place,
which he read successively, and presented,amid
the sobs and tears and shouts of all present.
Many, however,pressedaround him,earnestly
begging him not to send them away; and,with
anxious faces,tendering back
their free papers
"
We don't want to be no freer than we are.
We 's allers had all we wanted. We don't want
to leave the ole place, and Mas'r and Missis,and
de rest !"
"My good friends,"said George, as soon as
he could get a there '11 be silence," no need for
"
you to leave me. The place wants as many
hands to work it as it did before. We need the
same about the house that we did before. But
you are now free men and free women. I shall
pay you wages for your work,such as Ave shall
agree on. The advantageis,that in case of my
getting in debt,or dying, things that might
you cannot now be taken up
and sold.
I expect to carry on the estate,and to teach you
what, perhaps, it will take you
some time to
how to learn," use the rights I give you
as free
men and women. I expect you to be good,and
willing to learn ; and I trust in God that I shall
be faithful,and willing to teach. And now, my
friends,look up, and thank God for the blessing
of freedom."
An aged, patriarchal
negro, who had grown
gray and blind on the estate,now rose, and, lifting
hand, said, " Let us givethanks
his trembling
unto the Lord!" As all kneeled by one consent,
another .struck up a Methodist hymn,
his wife and children. Think of your freedom,
every time you see Uncle Tom's Cabin ; and let
it be a memorial to put you all in mind to follow
in his steps, and be as honest and faithful and
Christian as he was."
CHAPTER
CONCLUDING
XLV.
REMARKS.
Tue writer has often been inquiredof,by correspondents
from different parts of the country,
whether this narrative is a true one ; and to
these inquiries she will give one general answer.
The separate incidents that compose the narra-

I
five are, to a
very greatextent,authentic,occurring,
many of them, either under her own observation,
or that of her personalfriends. She or
her friendshave observed characters the counterpart
of almoe* all that are here introduced ; and
are word for word as heard
many of the sayings
herself,or reportedto her.
The personalappearance of Elizațhe character
ascribed to her, are sketches drawn from life.
The
owned
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 163
to the shambles țo pleadwith the wretch who
incorruptible fidelity, piety and honesty,of them, for the love of God, to spare
his victims.
Uncle Tom, had more than one development, to
He bantered her,telling what fine dresses
her personalknowledge.Some of the most deeplyand fine
'
furniture they would have. Yes,'
tragic and romanticșome of the most terrible incidents,
she said, ' that may do very well in this life,but
have also their parallel in realityṬhe what will become of them in the next?' They
incident of the mother's crossing the Ohio river too were sent to New Orleans : but were afterwards
on the ice is a well-known fact. The story of redeemed, at an enormous ransom, and
"
old Prue" was an incident that fell under the brought back." Is it not plain,from this,that
personal observation of a brother of the writer,
then collecting-clerk to a largemercantile house
many counterparts 1
in New Orleans. From the same source was derived
Justice,too,obligesthe author to state that
her brother thus wrote, speakingof visiting St. Clare are not without a parallel, as the following
plantation
a "
collecting tour : He actually anecdote will show. A few years since,a
made me feel of his fist, which was like a blacksmith'syoung
southern gentleman was in Cincinnati,
hammer, or a nodule of iron,telling me with a favoriteservant,who had been his personal
'
that it was calloused with knocking down nig-
attendant from a boy. The young
man took
AVlien I left the plantation, I drew a long
from an
fers.'
reath,and felt as if 1 had escaped freedom,and fled to the protection of a Quaker,
ogre's den."
who was quitenoted in affairsof this kind. 'The
That the tragical fate of Tom, also,has too owner was exceedingly indignant. always
many times had its parallel, there are livingwitnesses,
treated the slave with such indulgence, and his
all over our land,to testify. it be remembered
confidence in his affectionwas such,that he believed
that in all Southern States it is a principle
he must have been practised upon to induce
of jurisprudence that no person of colored him to revoltfrom him. He visitedthe Quakerin
lineage can testify against a white, and highanger ; but,beingpossessed of uncommon
it will be easy to see that such a case may occur, candor and fairness,was soon quietedby his
wherever there is a man whose passionsoutweigharguments representations. It was a side of
his interests, and a slave who has manhood or the subjectwhich he never had never
heard,"
principleenough to resist his will. There is, had thought on ; and he immediately told the
actually,nothingto protec the slave's life,but Quaker that,if his slave would,to his own face,
the character of the master. Facts too shocking to say that it was his desire to be free,he would
be contemplatedoccasionally force their way to liberate him. An interview was forthwith pro- ,
the publicear, and the comment that one often cured,and Nathan was asked by his young master
hears made on them is more shockingthan the whether he had ever had reason
tiling any to complain
said, " Very likely of his treatment,in any respect.
may now and then occur, but they are no "
sample No, Mas'r,"said Nathan; "you've always
of generalpractice." If the laws of New England
been good to me."
were so arranged that a master could now
"
Well,then,why do you want to leave me?"
and tnen torture an apprentice to death,without a
'd
"
Mas'r
possibility of beingbrough to justice,
would itbe
received with equal composure 1 Would it be
said,"These cases are rare, and no samplesof
generalpractice"? This injustice is an inherent
one in the slave system," itcannot exist without
it.
The publicand shameless sale of beautiful
mulatto and quadroongirlshas acquireda notoriety,
from the incidentsfollowing the captureof
the Pearl. We extract the following from the
speech of Hon. Horace Mann, one of the legal
I assistedin defending, there were several
young and healthygirls,
who had those peculiar For many years
of her lifețhe author avoided
attractions of form and featurewhich connoisseurs all readingupon
or allusion to the subjectof
prize so highlyẸlizabeth Puissel was one of slavery,considering it as too painfulto be inquired
them. She itnmed Lively fell into the slave-trader's
into,and one which advancinglightand
and was doomed for the New Orleans civilizationwould
live down.
counsel for the defendants in that case. He says : nobility, generosity and humanity, which in many
"
In that company of
seventy-six persons, who cases characterizeindividuals at the South. Such
attempted, in 1848,to -escape from the District instances save us from utter despair of our kind.
of Columbia in the schooner Pearl,and whose officers
fangs,
market. The hearts of those that saw her wem
touched with pity for her fate. They offered
eighteenhundred dollars to redeem her ; and
some there were who offeredto givețhat would
not have much left after the gift; but the fiend
of a slave-traderwas inexorable. She was despatched
to New Orleans ; but,when about halfway
there,God had mercy
on her,and smote her
with death. There were two girlsnamed Edmundson
in the same company. When about to
be sent to the same market,an older sisterwent
the histories of Emmeline and Gassy may ha.ve
the character of the planterLegree. Of him the fairnessof mind and generosity his
advantageof thisopportunity to secure his own
rather he a free man."
may die,and then who get me ? "
to
deposited a sum of money
Quaker,to be
After some deliberation, the young
master re-
"
Nathan, in your place, I think I should
feel very much so, myself. You are free."
He immediately made him out free papers "
plied,
in the hands of the
judiciously used in assisting him
to start in life,and left a
very sensibleand kind
letterof advice to the young
man. That letter
was for some time in the writer's hands.
The author hopesshe has done justiceto that
But, she asks any person, who knows the world,
are such characters common, anywhere?
ceitainly
Lut,
since the legislative act of 1850, when she heard,
with perfectsurpriseand consternation. Christian
and humane peopleactuallyrecommending

" to
answer,
is
"
by
I
"
states, is this a thing for you to
protect and countenance ? And you, mothers of
"
America, you, who have learned by the cradles
if your
own children to love and feelfor all man-
164 UNCLE TOM S CABIN I OR,
the remandingescapedfugitives into slavery,
kind,
as a
the sacred love you bear your child ,
"
dutybindingon goodcitizens, when she heard, by your joy his beautiful, spotlessinfancy; by
on all hands,from kind,compassionate and estimable
the motherlypityand tenderness with which you
people, in the free states of the North, deliberations
guidehis growingyears ; by the anxietiesof "his
and discussions as to what Christianduty education ; by the prayers you breathe for his
could be on this "
head, she could onlythink, soul's eternal I beseech good,"
you, pity the
These men and Christians cannot know what mother who has all your affections, and not one
slavery is ; if they did, such a questioncould legalright to protect,guide or educate, tho
never be open for discussion. And from this child of her bosom ! By the sick hour of your
arose a desire to exhibit it in a livingdramatic child ; by those dyingeyes, which you
can never
reality Ṣhe has endeavored to show it fairly, in forget; bythose last cries,that wrung your heart
its bust and its worst phases. In its best aspect. when you could neither help nor save ; by the
she has, perhaps, been successful ; but, 0 ! who desolation of that empty cradle, that silent
shall say what yet remains untold in that "
valleynursery, that are constantly made childless by
and shadow of death that lies the other side ?
To
you, generous, noble-minded men and
own secret souls, in your own privat eonversings,
felt that there are woes and evils, in this
accursed system, far beyondwhat are here shadowed,
or can be shadowed! Can it be otherwise
? Is man ever a creature to be trusted with
whollyirresponsible power ? And does not the
slave system, by denying the slave all legal
right of testimony,
an irresponsible despot?Can
make every
individual owner
anybody fill to
make the inference what the practicalresult will
be? If there is,as we admit,a publicsentiment
among you, men of honor,justice and humanity,
sons of the free states would not have connived
at the extension of slavery, in our national body;
is there not also another kind of public sentiment the sons of the free states would not, as theydo,
among the ruffian, the brutal and debased ? And trade the souls and bodies of men as an equivalent
cannot the ruffianțhe brutal,the debased, by
to money, in their mercantile dealings.
slave law, own justas many
slaves as the best There are multitudes of slaves temporarily owned,
and purest? Are the honorable țhe just, the and sold again,by merchants in northern cities;
high-minded and compassionate, the majorityand shall the whole guiltor obloquy of slavery
anywhere in this world ?
fall onlyon the South ?
The slave-trade is now, by American law, considered
Northern men, northern mothers, northern
as piracy. But a slave-trade, as systematic
Christians,have somethingmore to do than denounce
as ever was carried on on the coast of Africa, their brethren at the South ; theyhave to
is an inevitable attendant and result of American look to the evil among themselves.
slavery Ạnd itsheart-break and its horrors, can But, what can
any
individual do? Of that
theybe told?
every individual can judge. There is one thing
The writer has givenonly a faint shadow, a that every individual can do," theycan see to it
dim picture, of the anguishand despair that are, that theyfeciright. An atmosphere of sympathetic
at this very moment, riving thousands of hearts, influence encircles every human and being;
shattering thousands of families,and driving a the man or woman who feel strongly,healthily
helpless and sensitiverace to frenzy and despair. and justly, on the great interests of humanity,is
There are those living who know the mothers a constant benefactor to the human race. See,
whom this accursed traffichas driven to the murder
then,to your sympathiesin this matter ! Are
of their children ; and themselves seekingin theyin harmony with the sympathies of Christ?
death a shelter from woes more dreaded than or are they swayed and perverted by the sophistries
death. Nothing of tragedycan be written,can
of worldlypolicy ?
be spoken,can be conceivedțhat equalsthe Christian men and women of the North ! still
frightful realityof scenes dailyand hourlyactingfurther,
"you
have another power; you
can
on our shores,beneath the shadow of American
frail! Do you believe in prayer ? or has itbecome
law, and the shadow of the cross of Christ.
an indistinct apostolic tradition ? You pray for
And now, men and women of America, is this the heathen abroad ; pray also for the heathen at
a thingto be trifled with, apologized for,and home. And pray for those distressedChristians
passedover in silence ? Farmers of Massachusetts,
of New Hampshire, of Vermont, of Con-
whose whole chance of religious improvement 13
necticut, an accident of trade and sale ; from whom any
who read this book by the blaze of your adherence to the morals of Christianity is,in
"
winter-eveningfire, strong-hearted, generous many cases, an impossibility, unless they have
Bailoi* and
of "
Maine, this a giventhem, from above,the courage and grace of
ship-owners
thing for you to countenance and encourage ?
Brave and generous men of New York, farmers
of rich and joyousOhio, and ye
of the wide prairie
beseech you, pitythose mothers
the American
slave-trade ! And say, mothers of America,,
vromen of the South," you, whose virtue, and is this a thing to be defended,sympathizedwith,
magnanimity, and purity of character,are the passedover in silence?
greaterfor the severer trial it has encountered, Do you say that the peopleof the free states
you is her appeal. Have you not, in your have nothingto do with it,and can do nothing?
Would to God this were true ! But it is not
true. The peopleof the free states have defended,
encouraged,and participated;and are
more guilty for it, before God,than the South, in
tliat they have not tho apologyof education or
custom.
If the mothers of the free states had all felt as
theyshould, in times past, the sons of the free
states would not have been the holders,and, proverbially,
the hardest masters of slaves ; the
martyrdom.
But, still more. On the shores of our fres
states are emerging the poor, shattered,broken
"
remnants of families," men and women, escaped,
by miraculous providences, the surges of
slavery, feeble in knowledge,and, in many
cases, infirm in moral constitution, from a system

" for
"
they
Furniture
Full
.
Full
Full
Three-fourths
Three-fourths
Which confounds and confuses every principle of them
Christianity and morality.They come to seek a establish this.
come to seek education,
0 Christians? Does not every American Christian
owe to the African race some effortat reparation
for the wrongs that the American nation has
broughtupon them 1 Shall the doors of churches
and school-houses be shut upon
them? Shall
states arise and shake them out ? Shall the church
of Christ hear in silence the taunt that isthrown
at them, and shrink away
from the helplesshand
LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY. 1G5
that they stretch out ; and,by her silence,en-
the crueltythat would chase them from
courage
our borders ? If it must be so, itwill be a mournful
spectacle Ịf it must be so, the country will
have reason to tremble,when itremembers that the
fate of nations is in the hands of One who is very
pitiful, and of tender compassion.
Do you say,
"We don't want them here ; let
To fill up Liberia with an ignorant, inexperienced,
for himself twice, beingonce defrauded to the
half-barbarized race, justescaped from amount of sixteen hundred dollars ; made all his
the chains of slavery,would be only to prolong, money by his own
"
efforts much of it while a
for ages,
the periodof struggleand conflictwhich slave,hiring his time of his master, and doing
attends the inception of new enterprises. Let the business for himself;a fine,gentlemanly fellow.
church of the north receive those poor sufferers
in the spiritof Christ;receive them to the educating
advantages of Christian republican
waiter ; from Kentucky; nineteen years free ; paid
societyforself and family over three thousand dollars ;
and schools,until.they have attained to somewhat worth twentythousand dollars,all his own earnings
of a moral and intellectualmaturity, and then
; deacon in the Baptistchurch.
assist them in their passages to these shores, "G. D black
. ; white-washer
where theymay put in practice the lessons they ; from Kentucky; nine years free ; paid fifteen
have learned in America.
hundred dollarsfor selfand family; recently died,
There is a body of men at the north, comparatively
agedsixty; worth six thousand dollars."
small,who have been doing this ; and,as Professor Stowe says, " With all these,except
the result țhis country has already seen examplesG ', I have been, for some years, personally
of men, formerlyslaves,who have rapidlyacquiredacquainted,
and make my statements from my own
property,reputation, and education. Talent lias knowledge."
been developed, which, consideringthe circumstances,
The writer well remembers an aged colored
is certainly remarkable ; and, for moral woman, who was employedas a washerwoman
traits of honesty,kindnessțenderness of feeling,
her father's family The daughterof this
heroic effortsand self-denials, endured for woman married a slave. She was a remarkably
the ransom of brethren and friends yet in slavery, active and capable young woman, and by her industry
have been remarkable to a degreethat, and thrift, and the most persevering selfdenial,raised
nine hundred dollars for her husband's
consideringthe influence under which they were
born,is surprising.
freedom,which she paid, as she raised it,
The writer has lived,fir many years, on the
as servants ; and, in default of any other school to
receive them, she has,in many cases, had them
instructed in a familyschool,with her own children.
She has also the testimony of missionaries,
among the fugitives in Canada, in coincidence
with her own experience ; and her deductions, for themselves comparative
with regardto the capabilities of the race, are position in the face of every disadvantageand
encouraging
the highestdegree.
discouragement. The colored man, by the law
quick ,i learn. The results of schools,founded for
bybenevolent individualsin Cincinnati, fully
refugeamong you ; they The author gives the following statement of
knowledge,Christianity.
facts,on the authorityof Professor C. E. Stowe,
What do you
owe to these poor unfortunates, then of Lane Seminary,Ohio, with regard to
The firstdesireof the emancipatedslave, generally,
of Ohio, cannot be a voter,and,tillwithin a few
is for education. There is nothing that years, was even denied the right of testimonyin
theyare not willing to giveor do to have their legalsuits with the white. Nor are these instances
children instructed ; and, so far as the writer has
confined to the State of Ohio. In all
observed herself, or taken the testimony of teachers states of the Union we see men, but yesterday
among them, theyare remarkablyintelligent and burst from the shackles of slavery,who, by a
self-educatingforce,which cannot be too much
emancipatedslaves,now resident in Cincinnati ;
given to show the capability of the race, even
without any very particular assistance or encouragement.
The initial lettersalone are given.They aro
all residents of Cincinnati.
"B maker;
.
twenty years in
the city; worth ten thousand dollars,all his own
earnings; a Baptist.
"
C
.
black ; stolenfrom Africa ; sold
in New Orleans ; been free fifteen years ; paidfor
himself six hundred dollars ; a farmer ; owns several
farms in Indiana ; Presbyterian ; probably
worth fifteen or twenty thousand dollars, allearned
by himself.
"K
.
black; dealer in real estate;
worth thirty ; about fortyyears
old ; freesix years ; paideighteen for his family; member of the Baptistchurch ;
received a legacy from his master,which he has
taken good care of, and increased.
"
"
G"
them go to Africa" 1
That the providence has provided a
refuge in Africa,is,indeed,a great and noticeable
fact ; but that is no reason why the church of
Christ should throw off that responsibility to this
outcast race which her profession of
her.
years old : worth eighteenthousand dollars : paid
"
W
.
black;coal dealer; about thirty
black ; barber and
into the hands of his master. She yet wanted a
frontier-line of slave states,and has had great hundred dollars of the price, when he died. Sao
opportunities of observation among those who formerlynever
recovered any of the money.
were slaves. They have been in her family These are but few facts, among multitudes
which might be adduced țo show the self-denial,
energy, patience and honesty,which the slave
has exhibited in a state of freedom.
And let it be remembered that these individuals
have thus braveiysucceeded in conquering
wealth and social

ut
1GG UNCLE TOM S CABIN : OR, LIFE AMONG- THE LOWLY.
Admired, have risen to highly respectable stations
instances.
and Ward, among editors, are well-known
If this persecuted race,
with
every
and disadvantage, have done thus much,
how much more they might do, if the Christian
church would act towards them in the spirit of
her Lord !
This is an age
of the world when nations are
trembling and convulsed. A mighty influence is
abroad, surging and heaving the world, as with
an earthquake. And is America safe ? Every
nation that carries in its bosom great and
in society. Pennington, among clergymen, Douglas
discouragement
unredressed
injustice has in it the elements of this
But
who
may
abide the day of his appearing
'
" for that day shall burn as an oven ;
shall
oppress
appear as a swift witness against those that
the hireling in his
wages,
the fatherless, and that turn aside the
his right ;
and
he
the widow and
stranger
and he shall break in pieces the
Are not these dread words for a nation bearing
in her bosoin so mighty an injustice? Christians!
every
Christ
time
that
you
pray
that the kingdom of
may come, can you forget that prophecy
associates, in dread fellowship, the day of ven
geance
with
A day of
the
grace
year
of his redeemed?
is yet held out to us. Both
North and South have been guilty.
before God;
in
cannot be uttered, for man's freedom and equality?
oppressor."
last
convulsion.
and the Christian church has a heavy account to
For what is this mighty influence thus rousing
answer.
Not by combining together, to protect
in all nations and languages those groanings that
0, Church of Christ, read the signs of the
times ! Is not this
kingdom
on
is
yet to come,
power
earth as it is in heaven ]
the spirit
of lira whose
and whose will to be doue
injustice and cruelty, and making a common capital
of sin, is this Union to be saved,
"
repentance, justice and
by
mercy; for, not surer is
the eternal law by which the millstone sinks in
the
ocean,
than that stronger law, by
which injustice
and cruelty shall bring on nations the
wrath of Almighty God !

A
KEY
UNCLE TOM'S CABIN
PRESENTING THE ORIGINAL
FACTS AND DOCUMENTS
UPON WHICH THE STORY IS FOUNDED.
TOGETHER
WITH
CaiToIronittbc ^iaicmcnte
VBRIFTINO
THE TRUTH OF THE WORK
BY HARRIET BEECHER STOWE,
AUTHOK OF "UNCLB TOM'S CABIN."
BOSTON:
PUBLISHED BY JOHN P. JEWETT " CO.
CLEVELAND,
OHIO:
JEWETT, PROCTOR " WORTHINGTON.
LONDON: LOW AND COMPANY.
1853.

Entered according to Act of Congress,in the year 1853, by
HARRIET BEECHER STOWE,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
STEREOTYPED
BY
HOBART " BOBBINS,
HEW ENGLAND TYPE AND STEREOTYPE FOUNDERT,
BOSTON.
Damrell " Moore, Printers,1C Devonshire* St.,Boston.

that
PREFACE.
The work which the writer here presents to the publicis one which ha3
been written with no pleasure,and with much pain.
In fictitiouswriting, it is possible to find refugefrom the hard and the
terrible,by inventing scenes and characters of a more pleasing nature. No
such resource is open in a work of fact ; and the subject of this work is one
on which the truth,if told at all,must needs be very dreadful. There is no
brightside to slavery, as such. Those scenes which are made brightby the
generosity and kindness of masters and mistresses,would be brighter stillif
the element of slaverywere withdrawn. There is nothingpicturesque or
beautiful, in the family attachment of old servants,which is not to be found
in countries where these servants are legallyfree. The tenants on an English
estate are often more fond and faithfulthan iftheywere slaves. Slavery,
therefore,
is not the element which forms the picturesque and
beautiful of
Southern life. What is peculiar to slavery, and distinguishes it from free
servitude, is evil,and onlyevil,and that continually.
In preparing this work, it has grown much beyondthe author's original
design. It has so far overrun its limits that she has been obliged to omit
one whole "
department; of the characteristicsand developments of
the colored race in various countries and circumstances. This is more
properly the subjectfor a volume ; and she hopesthat such an one will
soon be preparedby a friend to whom she has transferred her materials.
The author desires to express her thanks particularly
gentlemenwho have given her their assistance and supportin the legalpart
of the discussion. She also desires to thank those,at the North and at the
to those legal
South,who have kindlyfurnished materials for her use. Many more have
been suppliedthan could possibly be used. The book is actually selected
out of a mountain of materials.
The greatobjectof the author in writinghas been to bringthis subjectof
slavery, as a moral and religious question, before the minds
of allthose who

IV
PREFACE.
profess to be followers of Christ, in this country. A minute history has
been given of the action of the various denominations
on
this subject.
The writer has aimed, as far as possible, to
say
what is true, and only
that, without regard to the effect which it
may
have
upon any person or
party. She hopes that what she has said will be examined without bitterness?
"
in that serious and earnest spirit which is appropriate for the
examination of so very
serious a subject. It would be vain for her to
indulge the hope of being wholly free from error.
In the wide field which
she has been called to
go
over,
there is a possibility of
many
mistakes.
She
can only say
that she has used the most honest and earnest endeavors to
learn the truth.
The book is commended to the candid attention and earnest
prayers
of
all true Christians, throughout the world. May they unite their
prayers
that
Christendom
may
be delivered from
so great an
evil
as slavery !

"
thisis
PART
I
CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER
II.
At differenttimes,doubt has been expressed
whether the representations of
"
"
In the very
firstchapter of the book we
"Uncle Tom's Cabin" are a fair representation
encounter the characterof the negro-trader,
of slaveryas it at present exists. Mr. Haley. His name stands at the head
This work,more, perhaps țhan any other of this chapteras the representative of all
work of fiction that ever was written, the different characters introduced in the
has been a collection and arrangement of work which exhibit the traderțhe kidnapper,
real incidents, of actions reallyperformed,
the negro-catcher, the negro-whipper,
of words and expressions reallyand
all the other inevitable auxiliariesand
uttered, groupedtogether with reference indispensable appendages of Avhat is often
to a generalresult, in the same manner called the " divinely-instituted relation "
that the mosaic artist groups his fragmentsof slavery.The author's first personal
of various stones into one generalpicture. observationof thisclassof beingswas somewhat
His is a mosaic of gems,
a mosaic
a3 follows :
of facts.
Several years ago, while one morning
Artistically considered, it might not be employed in the duties of the nursery, a
best to point out in which quarry
and from colored woman was announced. She was
which regioneach fragment of the mosaic ushered into the nursery,
and the author
picture had its origin; and it is equallyunartisticto
thought, on first survey, that a more surly,
disentangle the glittering web of unpromising face she had never seen. The
fiction, and show out of what real warp and woman was thoroughlyblack,thick-set,
woof it is woven, and with what real coloring
dyed. But the book had a
purpose entirely
the artistic one, and
; and
therefore as a realityit may be proper
that it should be defended.
The
thatthe book is
when smiled upon,
nor utter any pleasant
writer acknowledges
remark in replyto such as were addressed
a
very inadequate representation of slavery : to her. The youngestpet of the nursery,
and it is so, necessarily, for this reason," a boy about three years old,walked up, and
that slavery, in some
of itsworkings, is too
pleasuremust draw a veil somewhere,or
theycannot succeed.
The author will now proceedalongthe
course of the story, from the first page onward,
and develop, as far as possible, the
incidents by which different parts were
suggested.
MR.
HALEY.
firmlybuilt,and with strongly-marked African
transcending
to read the expressions of
accordingly encounters, at the hands of the
public,demands not usually made on fictitious
producedby a lowering, desponding
works. It is treated as a reality, upon
"
sifted, triedand tested, as a reality
race generally, the woman did not smile
African face know what a peculiar effectis
features. Those who have been accustomed
the
expression
its dark features. It is like the
shadow of a thunder-cloud. Unlike her
laid his littlehand on her knee,and seemed
dreadful for the purposes of art. A work astonished not to meet the quicksmile which
which should represent it strictly as it is
would be a work which could not be read. the little child. The writer thoughther
And all works which ever mean to givevery cross and disagreeable, and,after a few
moments' silence,asked, with perhaps a
the negro almost alwayshas in reserve for
littleimpatience, "Do
you want anything
of me to-day? "
"
Here are some papers," said the woman,
pushing them towaids her; "perhaps
you would read them."
The first paper openedwas a letterfrom

"
no
. Accept
a
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
negro-trader in Kentucky,stating concisely
that he had waited about as long as
he could for her child ;
that he wanted to
start for the South, and must get itoff
his hands ; that,if she would send him
two hundred dollars before the end of the
week,she should have it;if not, that he
would set it up at auction,at the courthouse
a
door, on Saturday. He added,also,
the money-
for it.
that he might have got more than that for handbill immediately, so that you may
look-out. Please tell the constable
the child,but that he was willingto lether
to go
the sale of John's property; and,when
have itcheap.
is made, I will send on an order to you
"What sort of a man is this1 " said the
author to the woman, when she had done
reading the letter.
"
And how old is this child? " said the
Dunno, ma'am; great Christian,I
"
know," member of the Methodist church,
anyhow."
The expression of sullenironywith which
this was said was a thingto be remembered.
author to her.
The woman looked at the littleboy who
had been standing at her knee,with an expressive
the estate. She was poor- and friendless,
This letter strikingly
without money to maintain a suit, and the
heirs,of course, threw the child into the
hands of the trader. The necessary sum, it
may be added,was all raised in the small
beneficent
neighborhoodwhich then surrounded the
provisions of the Fugitive Slave
Lane Theological Seminary, and
Law.
the child
With regard
was redeemed.
to the Kephart named in
If the publicwould like a specimen of this letter the communityof Boston may
have a
the correspondence which passes
between
special interestto know further particulars,
these worthies,who are the principal reliance
as he was one of the dignitaries
of the community for supporting and sent from the South to assist the good citizens
extending the institutionof slavery, the following
of that placein the religious and patriotic
may be interesting as a matter of
enterprise of 1851,at the time that
literarycuriosity. It Shadrach was
was forwarded
unfortunately rescued. It
by
therefore
Mr. M. J. Thomas, of Philadelphia, to the
may
be well to introduce somewhat
National Era, and stated by him to be "a
particularly John Kephart, as sketched
copy taken verbatim from the original,
by Richard H. Dana, Jr.,one of the
found among the papers
of the person to
lawyersemployed in the defence of the perpetrators
of the rescue.
whom it was addressed, at the time of his
arrest and conviction, for passing a variety I shall never forgetJohn Caphart. I have been
of counterfeitbank-notes."
eleven years at the bar,and in that time have seen
many developmentsof vice and hardness,but I
never met with anythingso cold-blooded as the
Poohville,Montgomery Co., Md.,
March 24, 1831. testimony of that man. John Caphart is a tall,
sallow man, of about fifty, with jet-blackhair,a
Dear Sir : I arrived home in safety with Louisa,
restless,dark eye,
and an anxious,care-worn
John having been rescued from me, out of a look,which,had there been enoughof moral ele-
two-storywindow, at twelve o'clock at
night. I
offered a reward of fiftydollars, and have him here
safe in jail. The persons who took him brought
him to Fredericktownjail. I wish
you to write to
no
person in this state but myself. Kephart and
myself are determined to go the whole hog for any
negro you can find, and you must giveme the earliest
information, as soon as
you do find any. En-
you will receivea handbill, and I can make
good bargain,
closed
if you can find them. I will in
all cases, as soon as a negro
runs off șend you a
be on the
on with
Please attend to thisforme ; likewise write to me,
and inform me of any negro you think has run away,
matter where you think he has come from,
nor how and 1 will far," tryand find out his master.
Let me know where
you
think he is from,
with allparticular marks,and if I don't find his
master, Joe 's dead!
Write to mo about the crooked-fingered negro,
and let me know which hand and which finger,
color,"c; likewise any mark the fellow has who
says he gotaway from the negro-buyer, with
height and color,or any other you
think
his
has
run off.
Give my respectsto your partner, and be sure
you write to no person but myself. If any person
writes to you, you
can inform me of it,and I will
glance, and said, " She will be try to buy from them. I think we can make money,
if
three years
old this summer."
we do business together; for I have plenty
On further inquiry into the of
historyof money,
if you can find plenty of negroes. Let
me know if Daniel is stillwhere he was, and if
the woman, it appeared that she had been
set free by the will of her owners ; that
you have heard anythingof Francis since I left
you
for yourself my regardand esteem.
the child was legallyentitledto freedom,
Reuben B. Carlley.
John C. Saunders
but had been seized on by the heirs of
illustrates the
character of these fellow-patriots with
whom the greatmen of our land have been
acting conjunction, in carrying
out the

"
[Thegovernment
"
prices
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
ment in the expression, might be called melancholy.
His frame was strong, and in youth he
had evidently been powerful, bat he was not ro-
Yet there was a calm, cruel look,a power
of will and a quickness of muscular action,which
bust.
stillrender him a terror in his vocation.
In the manner of giving in his testimony was no bluster or outward show of insolence. His
of the audience
flogged, in all,women and children included?
contemptfor the humane feelings
A. [Lookingcalmlyround the room.] I don't
and community about him was too true to requireknow how many niggers you have gothere in Mas-
but I should think I had flogged as many
any assumption of that kind. He neither paradedchusetts,
nor attempted to conceal the worst features of his as
you 've gotin the state.
callingḤe treated it as a matter of business [Thesame man testifiedthat he was often employed
which he knew the community shuddered at, but
to pursue fugitive slaves. His reply to
the moral nature of which ho was utterly indifferent
the question was, " I never refuse a goodjobin
to,beyond a certain secret pleasure in thus that line."]
indirectly inflicting a littletorture on his hearers. Q. Don't theysometimes turn out bad jobs?
I am not,however, altogether clearțo do John A. Never,iff can help it.
Caphart justicețhat he is entirelyconscienceproof.
There was somethingin his anxious look you get them ?
Q. Are they not sometimes dischargedafter
which leaves one not without hope.
A. Not often. I don't know that they ever are,
At the firsttrial we did not know of his pursuits,
exceptthose Portuguese the counsel read about.
and he passedmerely a police-manof [I had found,in a Virginiareport, a case of
Norfolk,VirginiaḄut, at the second trial, some some two hundred Portuguese negroes, whom this
one in the room
gave me a hint of the occupations John Capharthad seized from a vessel,and endeavored
many of these police-men take to,which led to to
my
getcondemned as slaves,but whom
cross-examination.
the court discharged.]
From the Examination of John Caphart,in the
"
Rescue Trials,'''1-
at Boston,in June and Nov.,
1851,and October,1852.
to take up colored persons who are out after
hours in the streets'?
Why, gentlemen, he sells agony! Torture is
Answer. Yes,sir.
his stock-in-trade! He is a walkingscourge !
Q. What is done with them?
He hawks,peddles, retails, groans and tears about
and in the the streets of Norfolk !
A. We put them in the lock-up,
morningthey are broughtinto court and ordered
"
those to be punished,
that are to be
punished.
Q. What punishmentdo theyget?
A. Not exceedingthirty-nine
Q. Who givesthem these lashes ?
lashes.
A. Any of the officers. I do,sometimes.
extra for this ? How much?
Q. Are you paid
A. Fifty cents a head. It used to be sixty-two
cents. Now it is fifty.Fiftycents for each one
we arrest,and fifty more for each one we flog.
Q. Are these persons you flog men and boys
only,or are they women and girlsalso?
A. Men, women, boys and girls, just as it happens.
. . .
"
6.
interfered, and tried to prevent
any further examination ; and said, among
475.00
475.00
"
5. Emeline Pollock,
Averit, Delia
.
.
...
other thingsțhat he onlyperformed his duty
Solice-officer
as The two girls that
under the law. After a discussion,
and $625 were
bought
udge Curtis allowed it to proceed.]
shippedmy first. I have a great
many negroes
Q. Is your flogging
me, but I will not pay the
confined to these cases ?
pricestheyask,for I know theywill come down.
Do you not flogslaves at the requestof their I have no opposition,^ market. I will wait until
masters ?
I hear from you before I buy, and then I can
A. Sometimes I do. Certainly, when I am
called upon.
Q. In these cases of privateflogging, are the
negroes sent to you? Have you a placefor
flogging ?
A. No. I go round,as I am sent for.
Q. Is this partof your dutyas an officer?
A. No, sir.
Q. In these cases of privateflogging, do
you
inquireinto the circumstances, to see what the
fault has been,or ifthere is any ?
A. That 's none of my business. I do as I am
requested.The master
isresponsible.
Q. In these cases, too,I suppose you flogwomen
and girls, as well as men.
A. Women and men.
Q. Mr. Caphart, how longhave you been engaged
in this business ?
A. Ever since 1836.
Q. How
many negroes do you suppose you have
Hon. John P. Hale,associatedwith Mr.
Dana,as counsel for the defence, in the
Rescue Trials, said of him,
QuestionỊs it a part of your duty, as a policeman,
in his closing
argument :.
See also the followingcorrespondence
traders, one in North Carolina,
between two
the other in New Orleans ; with a word of
comment, by Hon. William Jay, of New
York:
Halifax, N. C, Nov. 16,1839.
Dear Sir : I have shipped in the brigAddison,
are below :
. . .
625.00
. . .
. . .
No. 1. Caroline Ennis, $650 00
"
2. SilvyHolland,
"
3. SilvyBooth, ....
487.50
475.00
"
4. Maria Pollock,
judgewhat I must pay. Goodwin will send you
the billof lading for my negroes, as he shipped
them with his own. Write often,as the- times
are critical, and it depends on the pricesyou get
to govern me in buying. Yours,"c,
G. W. Barnes.
Mr. Theophilus Freeman,"
New Orleans. "
The above was a small but choice invoice of
wives and mothers. Nine days before,namely,
7th Nov., Mr. Barnes advised Mr. Freeman of
and
havingshipped a lot of forty-three
men

the slave who cultivates it. I could pointout
and Mrs. Shelby țo show some noble instances of a picture of the
patriotic and
fairestsideof slave-life, where easy indulgence
among them. But, to return to the
resident proprietors : most of them have been
forbearance are tem-
raised on the estates ; from the older negroes
8 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
women. Mr. Freeman, informing one of his
pered
correspondents
byjustdiscipline and religious instruction,
of the state of the market, writes
skilfully and judiciously imparted.
(Sunday, 21st Sept.,1839), " I boughta boy yesterday,
The writer did not come to her taskwithout
sixteen years old,and likely,weighing
one hundred and ten pounds, at $700. I sold reading much a
upon both sides of the
likelygirl țwelve years old,at $500. I bought a question, and makinga particular effort to
man yesterday, twenty years old,six feet high,at collectall the most favorable representations
$820 ; one to-day,twenty-four years old, at $850,
of
black and sleek as a mole."
slaveryAvhich she could obtain.
.And, as the reader may have a
The writer has drawn in thiswork only-curiositone
class of the negro-traders. There are the writer will present them quite at large-
to examine some of thedocuments,
all varietiesof them, up to the greatwholesale
There is no kind of dangerto the world in
purchasers, who keep their largetrading-houses
letting the
; who very fairest sideof slaverybe
are gentlemanly in manners
seen; in factțhe horrors and barbarities
and courteous in address ; who,in many which are necessarily inherent in it are so
respects, often perform actions of real generosity
terriblethat one stands absolutely in need
; Avho consider slavery a very great of all the comfort which can be gainedfrom
evil, and hope the country will at some incidents like the subjoined, to save them
time be delivered from it, but who think from utter despair of human nature. The first
that so long as clergyman and layman șaint account isfrom Mr. J. K. Paulding's Letters
and sinner, are all agreed in the propriety on Slavery; and is a letterfrom a Virginia
and necessity of slave-holding, it is better planter, whom we should judge, from his
that the necessary
trade in the article be
style, to be a very amiable,agreeable man,
conducted by men of humanityand decency, and who probably describes very fairlythe
than by swearing, brutal men, of the Tom state of thingson his own domain.
Loker school. These men are exceedingly
they consider
sensitivewith regardto what
the injustice of the world in excluding them
from goodsociety, simply because they un-
to supplya demand in the community
dertake
which the bar,the press and the
pulpit, all pronounce to be a proper one. In
this respectșocietycertainly imitatesthe
unreasonableness
who employed a certain class of men to
prepare dead bodies for embalming, but
the operation was over,
sacrilegious libertywhich
and honorable one, like civil government
and the familystate, and likeother species of
there isno earthly
"
propertyrelation, then
reason why a man
may not as innocently
be a slave-trader as
any
trader. *
It was
CHAPTER
in.
MR. AND MRS. SHELBY.
other kind of
the design of the writer, in delineating
the domestic arrangements of Mr.
and good-natured
Dear Sir : As regardsthe first query, which
relatesto the " rightsand duties of the slave,"I
do not know how extensive a view of this branch
of the subjectis contemplated.In itssimplest
aspect, understood and acted on in Virginia, I
should say that the slave is entitledto an abundance
of goodplain food ; to coarse but comfortable
apparel; to a warm but humble dwelling; to protection
when well,and to succor when sick ; and,
of the ancient Egyptians, in return, that it is his dutyto render to his master
all the service he can consistently with perfect
health,and to behave submissivelyand honestly.
Other remarks suggestthemselves,but
they will be more appropriately introduced under
on account of different heads.
flew at them with sticksand stones the moment
the
they had 2d. " The domestic relations of master and
"
slave." These relations are much misunderstood
taken. If there is an ill-usedclassof men
by many persons
in the world,it is certainly the slave-traders
at the North, who regardthe
terms as synonymous with oppressor and op-
; for,ifthere is no harm in the institution
Nothing can be further from the fact.
of
"
slavery, if itis a
The
divinely-appointed
condition of the negroes in this state has
been greatly ameliorated. The proprietors were
formerly fewer and richer than at present. Distant
quarters were often kept up to support the
pressed.
aristocratic mansion. They were rarelyvisited
by their owners ; and heartless overseers, frequently
changed,were employed to manage them
for a share of the crop. These men scourged the
land, and sometimes the slaves. Their tenure
was but for a year, and of course theymade the
most
institutions, property
and most persons live ou or near their
estates. There are exceptions, to be sure, and
particularly among wealthy gentlemen in the
towns ; but these last are almost all enlightened
and humane, and alike liberal to the soil and to
of their brief authorityỌwing to the influence
of our
has become subdivided,
spiritedimprovement

"
They
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
9
they have received in infancynumberless acts of away slaves. I never lock the outer doors of my
kindness ; the younger
ones have not unfrequentlyhouse. It is done,but done by the servants ; and
been their playmates(not the most suitable, I I rarelybestow a thoughton the matter. I leave
admit),and much good-willis thus generated on home periodically for two months,and commit the
both sides. In addition to this,most men feel dwelling-house, plate,and other valuablesțo the
attached to their property; and this attachment servants,without even an enumeration of the
is stronger in the case of persons than of things. articles.
I know it,and feel it. It is true, there are harsh
masters ; but there are also bad husbands and
bad fathers. They are all exceptions to the rule,
not the rule itself. Shall we therefore condemn shell corn once a week for their own consumption,
in the gross
those relations, and the rights and and on a few other extraordinary occasions. The
authoritythey imply, from their occasional people, as we generally call them, are requiredto
abuse 1 I could mention
many instances of strong leave their houses at daybreak, and to work until
attachment on the part of the slave,but will only dark,with the intermission of half an hour to an
adduce one or two, of which I have been the object.
hour at breakfast, and one to two hours at dinner,
It became a questionwhether a faithful according to the season and sort of work In this
servant,bred up with me from boyhood șhould respect I suppose our negroes will bear a favorable
giveup his master or his wife and children țo comparisonwTith any laborers whatever.
whom he was affectionately attached,and most 4th. " The liberty usually allowed the "
slave,
his holidays and amusements, and the way in
attentiveand kind. The trial was a severe one,
but he determined to break those tender ties and
to his discretion,
and even stronger
case, afforded by one of his slaves. As the reward
of assiduous and delicateattention to a venerated
parent, in her last illness, I proposed to purchaseraise bees,and, in finețo earn an honest pennj
and liberate a healthy and intelligent woman, in any way which chance or their own ingenuity
about thirtyyears of age, the best nurse, and,in
allrespects, one of the best may offer. The modes specifiod are, however,
servants in the state, those most commonly resorted to,and enable provident
of which I was onlypart owner ; but she declined
servants to make from five to thirty dollars
to leave the family, and has been since rather
better than free. I shall be excused for stating a
die ; and he thoughtMr. B was better able
to bear the loss than his master. He was sent to
a medicinal spring and recovered his health,if,
indeed,he had ever lost it,of which his master
had been unapprized.It may not be amiss to
describe my deportment towards my servants,
whom I endeavor to render happywhile I make
them profitableỊ never turn a deaf ear, but publicfunerals,
listen patiently to their communications. 1 chat or to be taugh
familiarly with those who have passedservice, or formerly gave them
have not begun to render it. With the others I customary here
observe a more prudentreserve, but I encourage
all to approach me without awe. I hardly ever
go to town without havingcommissions to execute
3d "' The duration of the labor of the slave.""
The day is usuallyconsidered longenough. Employment
at nightis not exacted by me, except to
which theyusuallyspend their evenings and holidays."
remain with me. I left it entirely
are prohibited from going off the
though I would not, from considerations of estate without firstobtaining leave ; thoughthey
interest, have taken for him quadruple the price I often transgress, and with impunity,except in
should probably have obtained. Fortunately, in flagrant cases. Those who have wives on other
the sequel,I was enabled to purchase his family, plantations visitthem on certain specified nights,
with the exception of a daughter,happilysituated
and have an allowance of time for goingand returning,
; and nothingbut death shall henceforth part proportioned to the distance. My negroes
them. Were it put to the test, I am convinced
are permitted, and, indeed,encouraged, to
that many masters would receive this striking raise as
proof of devotion. A gentleman but many
ducks and chickens as they can ; a day or two cultivatevegetables
to
for their own use, and a patch
since informed me of a similar,
of corn for sale ; to exercise their trades,when
they possess one, which many do; to catch muskrats
and other animals for the fur or the flesh : to
apiece. The corn is of a differentsort from that
which I cultivate, and is all boughtby me. A
great many 'fowls are raised ; I have this year
known ten dollars worth sold by one man at one
ludicrous case I heard of some time ago
"
: A
favoriteand indulged servant requestedhis master
to sellhim to another gentleman.His master refused
time. One of the chief sources of profitis the
to do so, but told him he was at perfectfur of the muskrat ; for the purpose of catching
liberty to go to the North,if he were not alreadywhich the marshes on the estate have been parcelled
free enough. After a while he repeatedthe request
out and appropriated from time immemorial,
; and, on beingurgedto givean explanation and are held by a tenure littleshort of feesimple
Ṭhe negroes
of his singular conduct țold his master that he
are indebted to Nat Turner *
considered himself consumptive, and would soon and Tappan for a curtailment of some of their
privileges. As a sincere friend to the blacks,I
have much regretted the reckless interferenceof
these persons, on account of the restrictions it has
become, or been thought,necessary to impose.
to their fellow-
Since the exploit of the former hero, they have
been forbidden to preach,except
slaves țhe property of the same owner ; to have
unless a white person officiates ;
to read and write. Their funerals
greatsatisfaction, and it was
to furnish the relationsof the deceased
withbacon, spirit, flour, sugar and butterf
with which a grand entertainment,
their way,
was got up.
We were once much amused by a
heartyfellow requesting
for some of them ; and think theypreferto employ
his mistress to let him
me, from a beliefthat,if their money should have his funeral during his lifetime, when itwould
not quitehold out, I would add a littleto it ; and do him some good. The waggish requestwas
I not unfrequently do, in order to get a better granted; and 1 venture to say there never was a
article. The relation between myself and
my
slaves is decidedlyfriendly. I keepup prettyexact
The leader of the insurrection in lower Virginia,in
discipline, mingledwith kindness,and hardly which upwards of a hundred white
ever lose persons, piiucipall/
propertyuy thievish, or labor by I
run- were massacred in cold blocd.
women and children,

My
10 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
funeral the subject of which enjoyedit so much. for on the slightest pretexts, and frequently no
When permitted,
some of our negroes preachedpretext at all,and are never refused,except in
with greatfluency. I was present, a few years cases of misconduct. In regard to clothing : "
since,when an Episcopal minister addressed the the men and boysreceive a winter coat and trousers
people,by appointment Ọn the conclusion of an of strongclothțhree shirts, a stout pairof
excellent sermon, a negro preache rose and shoes and socks,and a pair of summer pantaloons,
thanked the gentlemankindly for his discourse, every year ; a hat about every second year, and a
but franklytold him the congregation "did not great-coat and blanket every third year. Instead
understand his lingo.'''' He then proceeded himself,
of great-coats and hats, the Avonien have large
with great vehemence and volubility, coiningcapes to protect the bust in bad weather,and
words where theyhad not been made to his hand, handkerchiefs for the head. The articlesfurnished
or rather his tongue, and impressinghis hearers,
are goodand serviceable ; and,with their
doubtless, with a decided opinionof his superiority
own acquisitions, make their appearance decent
over his white co-laborer in the fieldof and respectable. On Sunday theyare even fine.
grace. My brother and I, who own contiguous The aged and invalid are clad as regularly as the
estates, have latelyerected a
chapelon the line rest, but less substantially. Mothers receive a
between them, and have employed an acceptable little raw cotton, in proportion to the number of
minister of the Baptistpersuasion, to which the children, with the privilege of having the yarn,
negroes almost exclusively belong țo afford them when spun,
woven at my expense. I provide
religious instruction. Except as a preparatorythem with blankets. Orphans are put with careful
step to emancipation, I consider it exceedingly women, and treated with tenderness. I am
impolitic, even as regards the slaves themselves, attached to the littleslaves,and encourage familiarity
to permi them to read and write : " "Where ignorance
among them. Sometimes,when I ride
is bliss,'tisfollyto be wise." And it is near the quartersțhey come running after me with
certainlyimpolitic as regards their masters,on the most whimsical requests,and are rendered
the principle that "knowledge is power." My happy by the distributionof some littledonation
servants have not as long holidaysas those of The clothing described is that which is givento
most other persons.
I allow three days at the crop hands. Home-servants, a numerous
Christmas,and a day at each of three other periods,
class in Virginia, are of course clad in a different
besides a littletime to work theirpatches; and very superior manner. I neglectedto mention,
or, if very busy, I sometimes preferto work them
in the proper placețhat there are on each
myself. Most of the ancient pastimes have been of my plantations a kitchen,an oven, and one or
lost in this neighborhood, and religion, mock or more cooks ; and that each hand is furnished with
real,has succeeded them. The banjoțheir national
a tin bucket for his food,which is carried into the
instrument,is known but in name, or in a field by little negroes, who also supplythe laborers
few of the tunes which have survived. Some of with water.
the younger negroes sing and dance, but the 7th. " Their treatment when sick."" My negroes
evenings and holidays are usually occupied^
in
or are
go, carried, as soon as theyare attackedțo
working, in visiting, and in praying and singinga
spacious and well-ventilated hospital, near the
hymns. The primitive customs and sportsare, I mansion-house. They are there received by an
believe,better preserved further south,where attentive nurse, who has an assortment of medicine,
slaves were brought from Africa long after they additionalbed-clothing, and the command of
ceased to come here.
as much light food as she may require, either
Gth. "The provisionusuallymade for their from the table or the store-room of the proprietor.
"
food and clothing, for those who are too young Wine, sago, rice,and other littlecomforts appertaining
"
or too old to labor." men receive twelve
to such an establishment, are always
quarts of Indian meal (the abundant and universal
kepton hand. The condition of the sick is much
allowance in this state)șeven salted herrings,
better than that of the poor whites or free colored
and two poundsof smoked bacon or three people in the neighborhood.
pounds of pork, a week; "
the other hands proportionally
8th. Their rewards and "
punishments." I
less. But, generally speaking, their food occasionally bestow little gratuities for good conduct,
is issued daily,with the exception of meal,and
and particularly after harvest ; and hardly
consists of fish or bacon for breakfast, and meat, ever refuse a favor asked by those who faithfully
fresh or salted,with vegetables whenever we can perform their duty. Vicious and idle servants are
providethem, for dinner ; or, for a month or two punished with stripes, moderatelyinflicted ; to
in the spring, fresh fishcooked with a littlebacon. which,in the case of theft,is added privation of
This mode is rather more expensive to me than meat, a severe punishmento those who are never
that of more
Aveeklyrations,but comfortable to suffered to be without it on any other account.
the servants. Superannuated or invalid slaves From my limited observation,I think that servants
draw their provisions regularly
once a week ; and
to the North work much harder than our
the moment a child ceases to be nourished by its slaves. I Avas educated at a college in one of the
mother,it receives eightquartsof meal (more than free states,and, on my return to Virginia, was
it can consume), and one half-pound of lard. Besides
struck Avith the contrast. I was astonished at the
the food furnished by me, nearlyall the number of idle domestics,and actuallyworried my
servants are able to make some addition from mother, much to my contrition since,to reduce
their private stores ; and there is among the the establishment. I say to my contrition, because,
adults hardlyan instance of one so improvident after eighteenyears' residence in the good
as not to do it. He must be an unthriftyfellow, Old Dominion,I find myself surrounded by a troop
indeed,who cannot realize the wish of the famous of servants about as numerous as that against
Henry IV. in regard to the French peasantry, and Avhich I formerly so loudly exclaimed. While on
his fowl on
enjoy" Sunday. I always keep on this subjectit may not be amiss to state a case of
hand, for the use of the negroes, sugar, molasses, manumission Avhich occurred about three years
Jbc., which,though not regularly issued, are appliedsince. My nearest neighbor, a man of immense

It
that
"
or
"
for
" that
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 11
wealth, owned a favorite servant, a fine fellow, fieldto take a spellat cotton-picking. The first
with polished manners and excellent disposition, day in the fieldis their proudestday. The young
who reads and writes,and is thoroughlyversed in negroes look forward to it with as much restlessness
the dutiesof a butler and housekeeper, in the performance
and impatience as school-boys to a vacation.
of which he was trusted without limit. Black children are not put to work so young as
This man was, on the death of his master, emancipated
many children of poor parentsin the North. It
with a legacy of six thousand dollars,besidesis
often the case that the children of the domestic
about two thousand dollarsmore which he had servants become pets in the house,and the playmates
been permittedto accumulate,and had deposited of the white children of the family. No
with his master, who had givenhim credit for it. scene can be livelier or more interesting to a Northerner,
The use that this man, apparently so well qualified
than that which the negro quarters of a
for freedom,and who has had an opportunity well-regulated plantation presenton a Sabbath
of travelling and of judgingfor himself,makes of morning,just before church-hours. In every
his money and his time,is somewhat remarkable. cabin the men are shaving and dressing; the women,
In consequence of his exemplaryconduct,he has arrayed in their gay muslins,are arranging
been permitted to residein the state, and for very their frizzly in which hair," they take no little
moderate wages occupiesthe same situation he pride, investigating the condition of their children
did in the old establishment, and will probably ; the old people,neatlyclothed,are quietly
continue to occupy itas longas he lives. lie has conversingor au^jung about the doors ; and those
no children of his own, but has put a little girl, a of the v'Mj,,gerportion who are not undergoing the
relationof his,to school. Exceptin this instance, inflictionof the wash-tub are enjoying themselves
and in the purchaseof a few plainarticles of furniture,
in the shade of the trees,or around some little
his freedom and his money
seem not much pond, with as much zest as thoughslavery and
to have benefited him. A servant of mine,who freedom were
synonymous terms. When all are
is intimate with him,thinks he is not as happy as dressed,and the hour arrives for worshipțhey
he was before his liberation. Several other servants
lock up their cabins,and the whole population of
were freedat the same time,with smaller leg the littlevillageproceeds to the chapel, where
acies,but I do not know what has become of them. divine service is performed, sometimes by an
I do not regardnegro-slavery, however mitigated,
officiating clergyman, and often by the planter
as a Utopiansystem, and have not intended so himself,if a church-meniber. The whole plantation
to delineate it. But it exists,and the difficulty of is also frequently formed into a Sabbath
removingit is felt and acknowledgedby all șave class,which is instructed by the planter, or some
the fanatics,who, like " fools,rush in where member of his family; and often,such is the
angelsdare not tread." It is pleasingto know anxietyof the master that they should perfectly
that its burdens are not too heavyto be borne. understand what they are a hard matter
taught,"
That the treatment of slaves in this state is humane,
in the present state of their intellect, no
and even indulgent, may be inferredfrom the means calculated to advance their progress
are
fact of their rapidincrease and greatlongevity. I left untried. I was not longsince shown a manuscript
believe that,constitutedas theyare, morally and catechism, drawn up with greatcare and
physically, they are as happy as any peasantryjudgment by distinguished
a
planter, on a plan
in the world ; and I venture to affirm, as the result
admirablyadapted to the comprehension of the
of my reading and inquiry, that in no country
negroes.
are the laborers so liberally and invariably supplied
It is now popularto treat slaveswith kindness ;
with bread and meat as are the negro slaves and those planters who are known to.be inhumanly
of the United States. However greatthe dearth rigorous to their slaves are scarcely countenanced
of provisions, famine never reaches them.
by the more intelligent and humane portion of
P. S. "
mighthave been stated above that the community. Such instances,however, are
on this estate there are about one hundred and very rare ; but there are unprincipled men averywhere,who
will give vent to their ill feelingsand
sixty blacks. With the exceptionof infants,
there has been, in eighteenmonths, but one
bad passions, not with less good will upon the
death that I "
remember, of a man fullysixty-bacfive years of age. The bill for medical attendance,
a purchasedslave. Private chapelsare now in-
of an indented apprentice, than upon that of
from the second dayof lastNovember,comprising
upon most of the plantations of the
upwards of a
year, is less than fortydollars.
more wealthy, which are far from any church ;
Sabbath-schools are institutedfor the black children,
and Bible-classes for the parents, which are
The following accounts are taken from superintendedby the planter, a chaplain, pr some
of
"
the female members of the
Ingraham's Travels in the
family.
South-west," a
Nor are planters indifferentto the comfort of
work which seems to have been written as their gray-headed slaves. I have been much affected
much to show the beauties of slaveryas
at beholdingmany exhibitions of their
anything else. Speaking of the state of kindlyfeeling towards them. They always address
thing? on some Southern "
them in a mild and pleasantmanner, as Uncle,"
plantations, he gives
"
or
titles Aunty,"" as peculiarto the old
the following pictures, which are presented negro and negress as "
boy" and " girl " to all
without note or comment :
under fortyyears of age. Some old Africans are
allowed to spendtheir last years in their houses,
The littlecandidates for " fieldhonors" are useless
without doingany kind of labor ; these,if not too
articleson a plantationduringthe firstfive infirm,cultivate littlepatchesof ground, on which
or six years of their existence. They are then to they raise a few vegetables, vegetables grow
take theirfirstlesson in the elementary partoftheir nearly all the year round in this and
climate,"
education. When theyhave learned their manual make a little money to purchase a few extra comforts.
alphabetolerably well,they are placed in the They are also alwaysreceiving presents
troduced

although
She
12 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
from their masters and mistresses,and the negroes on
on the estate,the latter of whom are extremelydesirous
of seeing the old peoplecomfortable. A
relation of the extra comforts which some planters
allow their slaves would hardlyobtain credit at
the North. But you must recollect that Southern
planters are men, and men of feeling, generous
and high-minded, and possessing as much of
the "milk of human kindness'- as the sons of
"
colder climes they may have been
educated to regard that as rightwhich a different
education has led Northerners to consider
to
wrong.
With regardto the character of Mrs.
Shelby the writer must say a few words.
While travelling
Kentucky,a few years
since șome pious ladies ja~ "^ssed to her
the same sentiments with regaiu
-
slavery
which the reader has heard expresseu by
Mrs. Shelby.
There are
many whose natural sense of
justice cannot be made to toleratethe enormities
to be damned. Entirelyunaccustomed to
of the system, thoughthey even
hear theological speculations, the good woman
it defended by clergymen from the pulpit, answered,with some vehemence țhat " she
all that is most was sure she was not;" adding,naturally
and see it countenanced by
honorable in rank and wealth.
A piousladysaid to the author,with regard
to instructing her slaves,"I am
ashamed to teach them what is right; I
know that theyknow as well as I do that it
is wrong to hold them as slaves, and I am
ashamed to look them in the face." Pointing
the writerthe very words attributed to
Mrs
"
"Shelby : "I never thought itwas righ to
hold slaves. I alwaysthought it was
wrong when I was a girl, and I thought so
stillmore when I came to jointhe church."
An incident related by this friend of her
examination for the church shows in a
striking
to an intelligent mulatto woman who were liberated.
passedthrough the room, she continued, Mrs. Shelbyis a fair type of the very
"
Now, there 's B is
. as intelligent
best class of Southern women ; and while
and capableas any white woman I the evils of the institution are feltand deplored,
ever and knew,. as well able to have her
and while the world looks with just
liberty and take care of herself; and she indignation
the national support and
knows it isn't righ to keep her as we do. patronagewhich is given to it,and on the
and I know it too and ; yet I cannot get my
men who,knowingits nature, deliberately
husband to think as I do, or I should be make effortsto perpetuate and extend it, it
glad to set them free."
is but justice that it should bear in mind
A venerable friendof the writer,a lady the virtuesof such persons.
born and educated a slave-holder, used to Many of them, surrounded hy circumstances
manner what a difference may
often
exist between theoreticaland practical benevolence.
as far as the sphereof their own immediate
A
in America
have advocated the doctrineof disinterested
benevolence with such zeal as to make
imperative articleof belief that every
to endure everlasting
certain class of theologians
it an
to judgment țhat " His fan is in his hand,
individualough to be willing
and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and
misery, if by doing so theycould, gatherhis wheat into the garner." Out
the Ayhole, producea greateramount of
generalgood in the universe ; and the inquiry
was sometimes made of candidatesfor
they could
as a test of
church-membership whether
bring themselves to this point,
their sincerity. The clergyman who was to
examine thisladywas particularly interested
in these speculations. When he came to
inquire of her with regardto her views as
the obligations of Christianity, she in-
him decidedly that she had brought
her mind to the point of emancipating all
her slaves, of whom she had a largenumber.
The clergymanseemed rather to consider
this as an excess of zeal,and recommended
formed
that she should take time to reflect upon it.
He was, however, very urgent to know
whether,if it should appear for the greatest
good of the universeșhe would be willing
enough țhat if that had been her purpose
the church.
she need not have come to join
The goodlady,however,was admitted,and
provedher devotion to the generalgoodby
the more tangible method of setting all her
slaves at liberty, and carefullywatching
over their education and interestsafterthey
over which theycan have no control,
perplexedby domestic cares of which
AYomen in free states can have very little
conception, loaded down by duties and responsibiliti
which wear
upon the very
springs of lifeștill go
on bravely and patiently
from day to day,doing all they can
to alleviatewhat theycannot prevent,and,
power extends,rescuing those who are dependent
them from the evils of the
upon
system.
We read of Him who shallat last come

'
of the greatabyssof national sin he will
rescue
every grain of goodand honest purpose
and intention. His eyes, which are as a
flame of fire, penetrate
once thoseintricate
The
CHAPTER
GEORGE
HARRIS.
KEY TO UNCLE TOM'S CABIN. 13
IV.
characterof GeorgeHarris has been
overdrawn, as respects
and
represented as
personal
qualities generalintelligence.
It has been said,too,that so
many afflictive
incidentshappeningto a slaveare improbable,
and presenta distortedview of the
$500 REWARD.
Runaway from the subscriber, on the 25th
May, a VERY BRIGHT MULATTO BOY,
about 21 or 22 years old,named WASH.
Said boy, without
detection. Althoughhe is like a white man in
appearance, he has the disposition of a negro, and
delights
in comic songs and wittyexpressions.
He is an excellent house servant, very handy
about "
a hotel, tall,slender,and has rather a
down look, especially
and is
himĠEORGE
0. RAGLAND.
Cliattanooga, June 15,1852.
From the CapitolianVis-a-vis,
Baton Rouge,Louisiana, Nov. 1,1852 :
West
$150 REWARD.
Runaway about the 15th of Augustlast,Joe,a
yellow man; small, about 5 feet 8 or 9 inches
high, and about 20 years of age. Has a Roman
nose, was raised in New Orleans, and speaks
mazes where human judgment is lost,and
French and English.
will save and honor at last the trulygood
He was boughtlast winter
of Mr. Digges.BanksArcade,New Orleans.
and sincere, however theymay have been
involved with the evil;and such souls In
as regardto generalintelligence, the
have resistedthe greatestemptations, and reader will recollect that the writer stated
persisted in good under the most it
perplexing as a fact which she learned while on a
circumstances, are those of whom he has journeythroughKentuckyțhat a
young
written,
" And theyshallbe mine,saiththe colored man invented a machine for cleaning
Lord of Hosts,in that daywhen I make up hemp, like that alluded to in her
my jewels; and I will spare them as a man story.
sparethhis own son that servethhim." Advertisements,also,occasionally propose
for sale artisans of differentdescriptions.
Slaves are often employedas pilots
for vessels, and highly valued for theirskill
and knowledge.The following are advertisements
from recent newspapers.
From the South Carolinian (Columbia),
Dec. 4th,1852 :
VALUABLE NEGROES AT AUCTION.
BY I. " L. T. LEVIN.
WILL be sold,on MONDAY, the 6th day of December,
the following valuable NEGROES :
Andrew, 24 years of age,
a bricklayer and plasterer,
institution.
and thoroughworkman.
In regard to person, itmust be remembered
22 years of age, one of the best barbers
George,
in the State.
that the half-breedsoften inherit, to a
James, 19 years of age, an excellentpainter.
greatdegreețhe traitsof theirwhite ancestors.
These boys were raised in Columbia,and are
For this there is abundant evidenceexceptions
to most of boys,and are sold for no
in the advertisementsof the fault whatever.
papers.
The terms of sale
Witness thefollowing from
are one-half cash,the balance
iheChattanooga
(Term.)Gazette,Oct. 5th, 1852 on a credit of six months,with interest, for notes
:
payable at bank, with two or more approved
endorsers.
Purchasers to pay for necessary papers.
WILLIAM DOUGLASS.
November 27, 36.
close observation, might From the same paper, of November 18th,
pass himself for a white man, as he is very bright1852:
" has sandy hair,blue " eyes, and a fine set of
teeth. He is an excellent bricklayer ; but I have
Will be sold at privatesale,a LIKELY MAN,
no idea that he will pursue his trade,for fear of
boat hand, and good pilot; is well acquainted
with all the inlets between here and Savannah
and
Georgetown.
With regardto the incidentsof George
when Harris'
spokento, life, that he may not be supposeda
sometimes inclined to be sulky. I have no doubt purelyexceptional case, we propose to offer
but he has been decoyed off by some scoundrel,
and I will give the above reward for the some parallel facts from the livesof slaves
apprehension
of the boy and of our personal acquaintance.
thief,if delivered at Chattanooga.
Or, I will give$200 for the Lewis Clark is an
boyalone ;
acquaintance of the
or $100 ifconfinedin any jailin the United States, writer. Soon afterhis escape from slavery,
bo that I can get
he was received into the familyof a sisterin-law
of the author, and there educated.
His conduct duringthis time was such as
to win for him uncommon affectionand respect,
and the author has frequently heard

to
"
"
is
14
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
by all
him spokenof in the highes terms
who knew him.
The gentleman in whose familyhe so
long resided says of him,in a recent letter
to the writer,"I would trust him,as the
sayingis,with untold gold."
departedfrom her eyes. With the youngest child
claspedfirmly to her bosom,she spent the night
in walking the floor,comingever and anon to lift
fine-looking man, who lay sleepingtogether.Sleeping,I said.
hah- slightly wavy, Brother slept, but not I. I
and with an intelligent, agreeable saw my mother when
expression
she first came to me, and I could not sleep. The
Lewis is a quadroon, a
with Europeanfeatures,
of countenance.
The reader is now desired to compare the
now before my mind with all the
distinctnessof yesterday
following incidentsof his life,partof which
Ịn the morning I was
put into the carriage with Mrs. B. and her children,
he related personally to the author,with and my weary pilgrimageof suffering was
the incidentsof the lifeof GeorgeHarris. fairly begun.
His mother was a handsome quadroon
woman, the daughter of her master, and Mrs. Banton is a character that can only
exist where the laws of the land
givenby him in marriageto a free
clothewith
white
absolute
man, a Scotchman,with the express understanding
power the coarsest, most brutal and
that she and her children were
violent-tempered, equallywith the most
to
be free. This engagement, if made sincerely
generous and humane.
at all, was never compliedwith. His
mother had nine children, and, on the death
of her husband,came back,with all these
children, as slaves in her father'shouse.
A married daughter of the family,who
abuse she soon reduced the child to a state
back
of idiocy, and then came imperiously
to her father'sestablishment, declaring
the child was good for nothing, and
that
that
she would have another ; and, as poor Lewis'
evilstar would have it,fixedher eye upon
him.
To avoid one of her terribleoutbreaks of
temper,the familyoffered up this boy as a
sacrifice. The incident is thus
pacificatory
describedby Lewis, in a
:
offeredher Moses ;
published narrative
Everyboy was ordered in,to pass before this followed,
female sorceress, that she might were like a storm of hail upon my young
select a victim heart. " She would teach me better manners than
for her unprovokedmalice,and on whom to pour that ; she would let me know I was to be brought
the vialsof her wrath for years. I was that unlucky
up
fellow. Mr. Campbell,my grandfather,
to her hand ; she would have one slave that
knew his if I place; wanted water,
objected, because it would divide a family, and
go to the
spring,and not drink there in the house." This
* * *
but objections and
claims of every kind were sweptaway by the wild
passion and shrill-tonedvoice of Mrs. B. Me she
would have,and none else. Mr. Campbell went
out to hunt,and drive away bad thoughts; the
old ladybecame quiet,for she was sure none of
her blood run in my veins,and, if there was any
of her husband's there,it was no fault of hers.
Slave-holding women are alwaysrevengeful toward
the children of slavesthat have any of the blood
of their husbands in them. I was too young
only seven years of "
age understand what
was going on. But my poor and affectionate
mother understood and appreciated itall. When
she left the kitchen of th# mansion-house,where
she was employed as cook, and came home to her
own little cottage țhe tear of anguishwas in her
eye, and the image of sorrow upon every feature
of her face. She knew the female Nero whose
rod was now to be over me. That nightsleep
up the clothes and look at me and my poor brother,
vision of that its night" deep,ineffaceableimpression
If irresponsible power is a trial to the
virtue of the most watchful and careful,
how fast must it developcruelty in those
who are naturally violentand brutal !
This woman was united to a drunken
was the dread of the whole
husband, of a temper equallyferocious. A
household,on
account of the violenceof her temper, had recitalof all the physical torture which this
taken from the family,upon her paircontrivedto inflict on a
marriage,
haplesschild,
some of which have leftineffaceable marks
a
young girl. By the violence of her
on his person, would be too tryingto humanity,
and we gladlydraw a veil over it.
Some incidents, however, are presented
in the following extracts :
A trivialoffence was sufficientto call
very forth
a great burst of indignation from this woman of
ungovernedpassions Ịn my simplicity, I put my
lips to the same vessel, and drank out of it,from
which her children were accustomed to drink.
She expressed her utter abhorrence of such an
act by throwingmy
head violently back, and
of water. The
shower of water was followed by a heavier shower
dashinginto my
face two dippers
of kicks ; but the words, bitter and cutting, that
was new times for me ; for some daysI was completely
benumbed with my
sorrow.
******
If there be one so lost to all feeling as even to
say that the slaves do not suffer when families
are separated, let such a one go to the ragged
quiltwhich was
my couch and pillow, and stand
there night after night, for long, weary hours,
and see the bitter tears streamingdown the face
while with half-
of that more than orphanboy,
suppressedsighsand sobs he calls again and
againupon his absent mother.
"
Say,wast thou conscious of the tears I shed 1
Hovered thy spirito'er thy sorrowing son 1
Wretch even then ! life'sjourneyjustbegun."

"
a
He was employedtill late at
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 15
'
night in
spinning flax or rocking the baby,and
called at a
very early hour in the morning;
and ifhe did not start at the first summons,
a cruel chastisement was sure to follow.
He says
:
Such horror has seized me, lest I might not
hear the first shrill call,that I have often in
dreams fancied I heard that unwelcome voice,
and have leaped from my couch and walked
throughthe house and out of it before I awoke.
I have gone and called the other slaves, in my
sleep,and asked them if theydid not hear master
call. Never, while I live, will the remembrance
But ail my
severe labor,and bitter and cruel
punishments, for these ten years of captivity with
this worse than Arab family, all these were as
nothing to the him ? The master tells him that abolitionists
sufferings I experienced by being
separated from decoyslaves off into the free states to catch them
my mother, brothers and sisters ;
the same things, with them and sell them to Louisiana or Mississippi
near to ; and,if
sympathize
with me, to hear my story of he goes to Canada, the British will put him in a
sorrow, would have
mine under ground,with both eyes put
been comparatively tolerable.
out,forlife.
How
They were distant only about does he know what or whom to believe? A
thirtymiles ; and
horror of great darkness comes upon him, as he
by night,were of mother and home ;
experiencedin the morning,
and behold it was a dream,is beyondthe power
of languageto describe.
and the horror
when I awoke
After residing some
her.
time in France
and the West Indies with him, he died,
leaving her a fortune of twenty or thirty
thousand dollars. At her death she endeavored
to leave this by will to purchase the
freedom of her brothers ; but,as a slave
cannot take property, or even have it left
in trust for him,they never received any
of it,
The
incidents of the recovery of Lewis'
freedom are thus told :
I had longthought and dreamed of Liberty ; 1
of those long, bitter was now determined to make an effortto gain
nightsof fear pass from it.
my
mind.
No tongue can tell the doubt țhe perplexities, the
anxiety, which a slave feels,when makingup his
mind
upon
He adds to this words which should be
this subject. If he makes an effort,
and is not successful, he must be laughed at by
deeplyponderedby those who laythe flattering
his fellows, he will be beaten unmercifully by the
unction to their souls that the master, and then watched and used the harder for
oppressed
do not feel the sundering of itall his life.
family And then,
ties.
if he gets away, who,what will he
find 1 lie is ignorant of the world. All the white
part of mankind, that he has ever seen, are enemies
to him and all his kindred. How can he
venture where none but white faces shall greet
yet, in ten long,lonely years of childhood,I was
thinks over what may befall him. Long,very
onlypermitted to see them three times.
longtime
My mother
did I think of escaping, before 1 made
occasionally found an opportunity the effort.
to send me some token of remembrance and affection,
At length țhe reportwas started that I was to
sugar-plum or an apple; but I scarcely
ever ate them ; they were laid be sold for Louisiana. Then I thoughtit was
up, and handled
and wept over, till time
they wasted to act. My
away in mind was made up.
my
******
hand.
What
My thoughtscontinually by day,and my dreams
my feelings were when I reached the free
shore can be better imaginedthan described. I
trembled all over with deep emotion,and I could
feel my hair rise up
on my head. I was on what
was called a free soil, among
a peoplewho had
no slaves. I saw white men at work, and no
slave
Lewis had a beautiful sisterby the
smarting beneath the lash. Everything was
name
indeed new and wonderful. Not knowingwhere
of Delia,who,on the death of her grandfather,
to find a friend,and beingignorant of the country,
was sold,with all the other children unwilling to inquire, lest I should betraymy
of his mother,for the purpose of dividing ignorance, it was a whole week before I reached
Cincinnati. At one
the estate." She place
was a piousgirl,
where I put up, I had
a member
a greatmany more questionsput to me than I
Clark,a brother of Lewis, in the narrative
of his life describesthe scene where
he, with his mother,stood at the door
while this girl was brutally whippedbe-
of the Baptistchurch. She fellinto wished to answer. At another place, I was very
the hands of a brutal, drunken man, who much annoyedby the officiousnessof the landlord,
wished to make her his mistress. Milton
who made it a point to supplyevery guest with
newspapers. I took the copy handed me, and
turned it over, in a somewhat awkward manner,
I suppose. He came to me to pointout a veto,
or some other very important news. I thought it
fore best to decline his assistance, and
gave up the
it for wishing to conform to the were
paper, sayingmy eyes not in a fitcondition
principles
to read much.
of her Christianprofession. As her At another place țhe neighbors, on learning
resolution was unconcpierable, she was that a Kentuckian was at the tavern, came, in
placedin a coffleand sent down to the greatearnestness,to find out what my business
was. Kentuckians sometimes came there to kidnap
New Orleans market. Here she was sold
their citizens. They were in the habit of
to a Frenchman,named Coval. He took
watchingthem close. I at length satisfiedthem
her to Mexico,emancipatedand married by assuringthem that I was not, nor my father

16 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
before me, any slave-holderat all ; but, lest their
suspicions should be excited in another
was a slave-holder.
I added my grandfather
At daylight
we were in Canada. When I
stepped ashore here, I said,sure enough, I am
free. Good heavens ! what a sensation,when it
firstvisitsthe bosom of a full-grownman ; one
born to bondage; one who had been taught, from
earlyinfancy
life! Not tillthen did I dare to cherish,for a
țhat this was his inevitable lot for
moment, the feeling that one of the limbs of my
body was my
own. The slaves often say, when
cut in the hand or foot,"Plague on the old foot"
er
"
the old hand ! It ismaster's," let him take
care of it. Nigger don't care if he never get well."
My hands, my feet,were now
my own.
It will be recollectedthat George, in conversing
with Eliza,gives an account of a
scene in which he was violently beaten by
his master's young
son. This incident was
letterfrom John
suggestedby the following
M. Nelson to Mr. Theodore Weld, givenand must be between seventy and eightyears of
in Slavery as It Is, p. 51.
age ; she has, for the last forty years, been an
exemplaryChristian. When I was a youth I took
permitted to attend church,and called in to
familyworship;
few of them, however, availed
themselves of these privileges.
On so?ne occasions
I have seen him whip them severely,particularly
With regardto theintelligence of George,
and his teachinghimself to read and write,
were scourged more severelythan for anythingelse. there is a most interesting and aifecting
After they have been retaken I have seen them
stripped naked and suspendedby the hands,
parallel to it in the "Life of Frederick
sometimes
for the crime of trying to obtain their liberty, or for
what was called " runningaway." For thisthey
to a tree,sometimes to a post, until thentoes
barelytouched the ground,and whipped with
a cowhide untilthe blood dripped from their backs.
A
boy named Jack, particularly, I have seen
served in this way
more than once. When I was
quite a child,I recollect it grieved me very much
to see one tied up to be whipped, and I used to
intercede with tears in their behalf,and mingle
my cries with theirs,and feel almost willing to
take part of the punishment; I have been severely
Like Clark,Douglasswas the son of a
white man. He was a plantation slavein a
rebuked by my father for this kind of sympathy. proud old family. His situation, probably,
Yet, such is the hardening nature of such scenes, may be consideredas an average one ; that
that from this kind of commiseration for the sufferingis
to say, he led a life of dirt,degradation,
slave I became so blunted that I could not
discomfort of various kinds,made tolerable
only witness their stripes with composure, but
myself inflict as a
them,and that without
matter of dailyhabit, and considered
remorse.
One case I have often looked back to with sorrow as enviable in comparison with the lot of
and contrition, particularly since I have been convinced
those who suffer worse abuse. An incident
that "negroes are men." When I was
which Douglassrelates of his mother is
perhaps fourteen or fifteen years of age, I undertook
to correct a
young fellow named Ned, for touching Ḥe states that it is customary
"
some supposedoffence, I think it was leaving
at a an early age to separatemothers from
bridleout of its proper place; he,beinglargertheirchildren,
for the purpose of blunting
and stronger than myself țook hold of my
arms
direction, and held me, in order to preventmy striking him.
This I considered the height of insolence,and
cried for help, when my father and mother both
came running to my rescue. My father stripped
and tied him, and took him into the orchard,where
switches were plenty, and directed me to whip
him ; when one switch wore out, he supplied me
him a while,
with others. After I had whipped
he fell on his knees to imploreforgiveness, and I
kicked him in the face ; my
father said, " Don't
kick him, but whip him;" this I did until his
back was literally covered with welts. I know I
have repented,
for these things.
My father owned a woman (we used to call
aunt Grace); she was purchased in Old Virginia.
She has told me that her old master, in his will,
and trust I have obtained pardon
gave her her freedom,but at his death his sons
had sold her to my father : when he bought her
him,
she manifested some unwillingness to go with
when she was put in irons and taken by force.
This was before I was born ; but I remember to
have seen the irons,and was told that was what
theyhad been used for. Aunt Grace isstillliving,
Mr. Nelson removed from Virginiato
some pains
HighlandCounty,Ohio, many years since,
to learn her to read ; this is now a
greatconsolationto her. Since age and infirmity
where he is extensively known and respected.
have rendered her of littlevalue to her " owners,"
The letter is dated she is
January3d, permitted to read as much as she pleases ;
this she can do,with the aid of
1839.
glasses, in the old
familyBible,which is almost the onlybook she
has ever looked into. This,with some little
I was born and raised in Augusta County,Virginia
mending for the black children,is all she does ;
; my father was an elder in the Presbyterian she is stillheld as a slave. I well remember what
"
' '
church,and was owner of about twenty slaves ; a heart-rending scene there was in the familywhen
he was what was generally termed a "
good master."
my fathersold her husband; this was, I suppose,
His slaves were generally tolerably well fed
thirty-five years ago.
And yet my father was
and clothed,and not over- worked ; theywere sometimes
considered one of the best of masters. I know
of few who were better,but of many who were
worse.
"
Douglass," a book which can be recommended
to any one who has a curiosity to
trace the workingsof an intelligent and active
mind through all the squalidmisery,
degradation and oppression, of slavery. A
few incidentswill be given.

to
"
and deadening natural affection. When lie
was three years old his mother was sent to
work on a plantation eight or
and after that he never saw her except
in the night. After her day'stoil she
would occasionally walk over to her child,
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 17
ful understanding had struggled, but struggled in
vain. I now understood what had been to me
ten miles distant,
"
a most perplexingdifficultyto wit,the white
man's power to enslave the black man. It was a
grandachievement,and I prized it highly. From
that moment, I understood the pathwayfrom slavery
to freedom.
liedown with him in her arms, hush him to
sleep in her bosom,then rise up and walk
prevent
back againto be readyfor her fieldwork
his learning to read as she had
before been to instruct him. His course
by daylightṆow, we ask the highestborn
lady in England or America, after thishe thus describes:
who is a
The last and bitterestindignity
has been heapedon the head of the unhappy
slaves has been the denialto them of
nature,and,standing
her livingand the grave
of her dead child,
should indignantly rejectsuch a slander
urchins,who, in return, would
on
giveme that more
all motherhood.
tempted to give
Douglassthus relatesthe account of his littleboys, as a testimonial of the gratitude
learning read,afterhe had been removed affectionI bear them ; but prudence forbids ;
me,
to the situationof house-servant in Baltimore,
but it mightembarrass
them ; for itis almost an unpardonable offence to
It seems that his mistress, newlymarried isenoughto say of the dear littlefellows țhat
and unaccustomed to the management of theylived on Philpot-street, very near
slaves, was very kind to Bailey's
Durginand
him,and,
ship-yardỊ used to talk this matter of
among
other acts of kindness; commenced
slaveryoxer with them. I would sometimes say
teaching to them I wished I could be as free as they would
him to read. His master,discovering what be when theygot to be men. "
You will be free
was goingon, he as soon as
says,
you are twenty-one, but J am a slave for
life ! Have not I as good a righ to be free as
you
At once forbade Mrs. Auld to instructme further,
have V These words used to trouble them ; they
telling her, among other things, that it was would express for me the liveliest sympathy, and
unlawful,as well as unsafe,to teach a slave to console me with the hope that somethingwould
read. To use his own words,further,he said, occur by which I mightbe free.
"
If you give a nigger an inch, he will take an ell. I was now about twelve years old,and the
A niggershould know nothing but to obeyhis thought of being a slave for lifebegan to bear
"
master do as he is told to do. Learningheavily
upon my heart. Just about this time I
would spoilthe best niggerin the world. Now," gothold of a book entitled " The Columbian Orator."
said he,"if you teach that nigger(speaking of Everyopportunity I gotI used to read this
myself)how to read,there would be no keepingbook. Among much of other interesting matter,
him. It would forever unfit him to be a slave. I found in it a dialogue between a master and his
He would at once become unmanageable, and of slave. The slave was represented as having run
no value to his master. As to himself,itcould away from his master three times. The dialogue
do him no good, but a greatdeal of harm. It represented the conversation which took place between
would make him discontented and unhappy
them when the slave was retaken the third
These words sank deepinto my heart știrred up time. In this dialogue, the whole argument in
sentiments within that layslumbering, and called behalf of slavery was brought forward by the
into existence an entirely new train of thought. master, allof which was disposed of by the slave.
It was a new and specialrevelation, explaining
The slave was made to say some very smart as
dark and mysterious things, with which my youth-well as impressive thingsin replyto his master,
2
After this,
mistress was as watchful to
mother,whether this does not show that From this time I was most narrowly watched.
this poor field-laborerhad in her bosom, If I was in a separate room any considerable
beneath her dirt and rags,
a true mother's length of time,I was sure to be suspected of having
a book, and was at once called to givean account
heart1
of myself.
which
All this,however,was too late.
The first step had been taken. Mistress, in teaching
me the alphabet, had given me the inch,and no
precaution could prevent me from takingthe ell.
The planwhich I
thoseholyaffectionswhich God
adopted,
givesalike
and the one by which
I
to all. We are told, in fine phrase, by languid
was most successful, was that of making friends
of all the littlewhite boys whom I mot in the
ladiesof fashion, that "it is not to be street. As many of these as I could I converted
supposedthat those creatures have the
into teachers. With their
same
kindlyaid,obtained at
different times and in differentplaces,I
feelings that we have,"when,perhaps, the
finally succeeded
in learning to read. When I was sent of
very speakercould not endure one tithe of errands I always took
the fatigue and
my book with me, and by
suffering which the slavemother
often bears for
going one part of my errand quickly, I found time
to
her child. Every
get a lesson before my return. I used also to
carry
mother who has a mother's heartwithinher,
bread with me, enoughof which was always
in the house,and to which I was alwayswelcome ;
ough to know thatthisisblasphemyagainstfor I was much better offin this regard than many
between the cradle of of the poor white children in our neighborhood.
This bread I used to bestow upon the hungrylittle
valuable bread of knowledge. I am strongly
the names of two or three of those
and
not that itwould injure
teach
slavesto read in this Christiancountry. It

"
things
"S.
"L.
"L.
"
1 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
which had the desired though unexpected
set about learning what it meant. The dictionary
effect ; for the conversationresulted in the affordedme little or no help. I found itwas "
the
voluntaryemancipationof the slave on the part act of abolishing ;" but then I did not know what
of the master.
was to be abolished. Here I was perplexed.I
In the same book I met with one of Sheridan's did not dare to ask any
one about its meaning,
on
mightyspeeches
and in behalf of Catholic for I was satisfied that it was somethingthey
emancipation. These were choice documents to wanted me to know very
little about. After a
me. I rend them over and over again, with unabated
patientwaiting, I got one of our citypapers, containing
interest. They gave tongue to interesting an account of the number of petitions from
thoughtsof my
own soul,which had frequentlythe North praying for the abolitionof slavery in
flashed throughmy mind,and died away for want the District of Columbia,and of the slave-trade
of utterance. The moral which I gainedfrom the between the states. From this time I understood
dialogue was the power of truth over the conscience
the words abolition and abolitionist, and always
of even a slave-holder. What I got from drew near when that word was spoken,expecting
Sheridan was a bold denunciation of slavery, and to hear something of importance to myself and
a powerfulvindication of human rights. The fellow-slaves. The light broke in upou me by degrees.
readingof these documents enabled me to utter
I went one daydown on the wharf of Ma.
my thoughts, and to meet the argumentsbrought Waters ; and,seeing two Irishmen unloading a
forward to sustain slavery; but,while they relieved
scow of stone, I went, unasked,and helpedthem.
me of one difficulty, theybrought on another When we had finished, one of them came to me
even more painfulthan the one of which I was and asked me if I were a slave. I told him I was.
relieved. The more I read,the more I was led to He asked, " Are ye
a slave for life?" I told him
abhor and detest my enslavers. I could regardthat I was. The good Irishman seemed to be
them in no other ligh than a band of successful deeply affected by the statement. He said to the
robbers,who had left their homes, and gone to other that it was a pity so fine a littlefellow as myself
Africa,and stolen us from our homes, and in a should be a slave for life. He said it was a
strange land reduced us to slavery. I loathed shame to hold me. They both advised me to run
them as beingthe meanest as well as the most away to the North ; that I should find friends there,
wicked of men. As I read and contemplated the and that I should be free. I pretended not to be
subject, behold ! that very discontentment which interested in what theysaid,and treated them as
Master Hugh had predicted would follow my
if I did not understand them ; for I feared they
learning to read had alreadycome, to torment and might be treacherous. White men have been
sting my
soul to unutterable anguish. As I known to encourage slaves to escape, and then,to
writhed under it,I would at times feelthat learning
get the reward, catch them and return them to
to read had been a curse rather than a blessing.
their masters. I was afraid that these seemingly
It had given me a view of my
wretched condition
good men might use me so ; but I nevertheless
without the remedy. It openedmy eyes to remembered their advice,and from that time I resolved
the horrible pit, but to no ladder upon which to
to run away. I looked forward to a time
get out. In moments of agony
I envied my at which it would be safe for me to escape. I
fellow-slaves for their stupidityỊ have often was too young to think of doing so immediately ;
wished myself a beast. I preferred the condition besides,I wished to learn how to write,as I might
of the meanest reptile to my own. Anything,no have occasion to write my
own
pass. I consoled
matter what, to get rid of thinking! It was this myself with the hope that I shouid one day find a
everlastingthinkingof my condition that tormentedgoodchance.
Meanwhile I would learn to write.
me. There was no getting rid of it. It The idea as to how I mightlearn to write was
was pressedupon me by every objectwithin sightsuggested
to me by being in Durgin and Bailey's
or hearing,animate or inanimate. The silver ship-yard, and frequentlyseeing the shipcarpenters,
trump of freedom had roused my soul to eternal after hewing and getting a pieceof timber
wakefulness. Freedom now appeared,, to disappear
readyfor use, write on the timber the name of
no more forever. It was heard in every that part of the ship for which it was intended.
sound,and seen in every thing. It was ever present
When a pieceof timber was intended for the larboard
"
"
to torment me with a sense of my wretched
side it would be marked thus L."
condition. I saw nothingwithout seeingit,I When a piecewas for the starboard side it would
heard nothing without "
"
hearingit,and felt nothing be marked thus S. " A piecefor the larboard
without feeling it. It looked from "
every star,it side forward would be marked thus F."
smiled in every calm, breathed in every wind,and When a piecewas for starboard side forward it
"
moved in every storm.
would be marked thus F." For larboard
"
I often found myselfregretting
own existence,
aft it would be marked thus A." For
and wishingmyself dead "
; and but for the starboard aft it would be marked thus S. A."
hope of being free,I have no doubt but that I I soon learned the names of these letters,and for
should have killed myself, or done somethingfor what they were intended when placedupon
a
which I should have been killed. While in this pieceof timber in the ship-yard Ị immediately
state of mind I was
eager to hear one
any speak commenced copyingthem, and in a short time was
of slavery.I was a readylistener. Everylittle able to make the four letters named. After that,
while I could hear somethingabout the abolitionists.
when 1 met with any boy who I knew could write,
It was some time before I found what' the I would tellhim I could write as well as he. The
word meant. It was alwaysused in such connections
next word would be,'"I don't believe you. Le-t
as to make it an interesting word to me. If me see
you tryit." I would then make the letters
a slave ran away and succeeded in gettingclear, which I had been so fortunate as to learn,
or if a slave killed his master, set fireto a barn, and ask him to beat that In this wayl got a
or did anythingvery wrong in the mind of a slaveholder,
good many
lessons in writing, which it is quite
it was spokenof as the fruit of abolition. possible I should never have gotten in any other
Hearing the word in this connection very often.I way. During this time my copy-book
was the

KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 19
board fence,brick -wall and pavement; my pen
and ink was a lump of chalk. With these I
specimen.
learned mainlyhow to write. I then commenced
The writer has
and continued copyingthe Italics in Webster's
conversed, in her time,with
Spelling-book, until I could make them all without
a
very considerable number of liberated
looking on the book. By this time my
little
slaves, many of whom statedthat their own
Master Thomas had gone to school and learned individual lothad been comparatively a mild
how to write,and had written over a number of
one
copy-books.These had been broughthome, and ; but she never talked with one who
shown to some of our near neighbors, and then did not let fall, first or lastșome incident
laid aside. My mistress used to go to class-meeting
which he had observed, some scene which
at the Wilk-street meeting-house every Monday
he had witnessed, which went to show some
afternoon, and leave me to take care of the
most horrible abuse of
house. When left thus I used to spendthe time
the system; and,
in writing in the spaces
left in Master Thomas' what was most affecting about it țhe narrator
copy-book,copyingwhat he had written. I continued
consideredit so much a
often evidently
to do this until I could write a hand very matter of course as to mention it incidentally,
similar to that of Master Thomas. Thus,after a
long țedious effortfor without
years. I finally succeeded
any particular emotion.
in learning
how
to write.
These few quotedincidents will show
that the case of GeorgeHarris is by no
means so uncommon as mightbe supposed.
Let the reader peruse the account which
George Harris givesof the sale of his
mother and her children, and then read the
following account givenby the venerable
Josiah Henson,now pastor of the missionary
settlement at Dawn,in Canada.
After the death of his master, he says,
the slaves of the plantation were all put up
at auction and sold to the highest bidder.
Now, allthese incidentsthat have been
given are real incidentsof slavery,
"
related
bv those who know slaveryby the best of
alltests experience ; and theyare given
by men who have earned a characterin freedom
which makes their word as good as the
word of any man living.
The case of Lewis Clark mightbe called
a harder one than common. The case of
Douglassis probably a very fair average
It is supposedby many that the great
outcryamong those who are opposedto
slaverycomes from a morbid reading of
unauthenticated accounts gotten up in
abolition papers, "c. This idea is a very
mistaken one. The accounts which tell
againsthe slave-system are derived from
the
of the poor
continual livingtestimony
slavehimself;often from that of the fugitives
from slavery who are continually passing
through our Northern cities.
As a specimenof some of the incidents
thus developed, is giventhe following fact
of recent occurrence, related to the author
by
My a lady in Boston. This lady,who was
brothers and sisterswere bid off one by one, much in the habit of
while
visiting
my mother,holdingmy hand,looked the on in
poor, was
an
agony of sent
grief, the cause of which I but ill for, a month or two since țo see a
understood at first, but which dawned on
my mind mulatto woman who had justarrived at a
with dreadful clearnessas the sale proceeded.My colored boarding-house near by, and who
mother was then separatedfrom me, and put up
in her turn. She was
appeared
bought by to be in much dejection of mind.
a man named
Isaac R.,residing in A littleconversation showed her to be a fugitive.
MontgomeryCounty[Maryland],
and then I was offered to the assembled Her
purchasers.
history was as follows : She,
My mother, half distracted with the with her brother, were, as is oftenthe case,
partingforever from all her children,pushed both the children and slaves of their
through the master.
crowd, while the biddingfor me was
goingon, to the At his death
spotwhere R. they
was standingṢhe
were leftto his legitimate
fellat his feet,and clung to his daughteras knees,entreating
her servants, and treated with
him,in tones that a mother only could command, as much consideration as very
common kind
to buy her baby as well as herself,and spare to her of peoplemight be expected to show to those
one of her littleones at least. Will it,can it be
who were
believedțhat this man, thus
entirely and in
appealedto, was
every respect at
capablenot merely of turninga deaf ear to her
theirdisposal.
supplication, but of disengaging himself from her The wife of her brother ran away to
with such violent blows and kicks as to reduce Canada ; and as there was some talk of selling
her to the necessity of creeping out of his reach, her and her
and
child,in
minglingthe groan of bodilysuffering with
consequence of
the sob of a breaking heart ?
some embarrassment in the familyaffairs,
her brother, a
fine-spirited
young man, determined
to effecther escape, alsoțo a land
of liberty Ḥe concealed her for some time
in the back partof an obscure dwellingin
the city țillhe could find an opportunity
to send her off. While she was in this retreat,
he was
in his attentions
indefatigable
to her,frequently bringingher fruit and
flowers, and doingeverything he could to
beguilethe wearinessof her imprisonment.

" -whosenine
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
At length, the steward of a vessel, whom to the firstcirclesof Boston society ; she
he had obliged, offered to conceal him on
says that she never was more impressedby
board the ship, and givehim a chance to the personalmanners of any gentleman
escape. The noble-hearted fellow,thoughthan by those of this fugitive brother. So
temptedby an offer which would enable much did he have the air of a perfect, finished
him immediately to joinhis wifețo whom gentleman, that she feltshe could not
he was tenderlyattached, preferred to givequestion
him with regardto his escape with
this offer to his sister, and duringthe absence
the familiarity with which persons of his
of the captain of the vessel she and condition are commonlyapproached ; and it
her child were broughton board and secreted,
was not tillhe requested her to write a letter
v
for him, because he could not write
The captain, when he returned and discovered
himselfțhat she could realize that this
what had been done,was very fine specimenof manhood had been all his
angry, as the thing,if detected, would lifea slave.
have involved him in very serious difficulties.
The remainder of the history
no less
He declared, at first, that he would romantic. The lady had a friend in Montreal,
send the woman up into town to jail; but, whither George'swife had gone ; and,
by her entreatiesand those of the steward, after furnishing money
was induced to wait tillevening, to pay their expenses,
and send
she presented them with a letterto
word to her brother to come and take her this gentleman,requestingthe latter to
back. After dark the brother came on assist the young
man in finding his wife.
board,and, instead of takinghis sisterWhen they landed at Montreal,George
away, beganto appealto the humanity of stepped on shore and presentedthisletter
the captain the most movingterms. He to the first man he met, askinghim if he
told his sister'shistoryand his own, and knew to whom it was directed. The gentleman
pleadedeloquently hisdesirefor her liberty. provedto be the very person to
The captain had determined to be obdurate, whom the letter was addressed. He knew
him to her without
"
but,alas ! he was only a man. PerhapsGeorge'swife,brought he had himself a wife and child, perhapsdelayșo that,by return mail,the ladyhad
he felt that,were he in the young man's the satisfactionof learning the happy termination
case, he would do justso for his sister. Be
of the adventure.
it as it may, he was at last overcome. He This is but a specimenof historieswhich
said to the young man,
"
I must send you are continually transpiring; so
away from my ship ; I '11 put off a boat
and see you got into it,and you must row
off,and never let me see your faces again;
and if, after all,you should come back and
get on board, itwill be your fault, and not
mine."
darkness, the young
So,in the rain and
about theseslaves,which cannot lie. Those
man and his sister and child were lowered deep lines of patient sorrow upon the face ;
over the side of the vessel, and rowed away. that attitudeof crouching and humble subjection
After a while the shipweighedanchor,but
that ; sad, habitual expression telltheir
beforeshe reached Boston it was discovered hopedeferred, in the eye," would
woman were on board. story, slave never
The ladyto whom thisstorywas related It is not
that the and child ifthe spoke.
was requestedto write a letter, in certain
terms,to a
person in the citywhence the
fugitive had come, to let the brother know
of her safe arrival.
feebleand old, her hands worn to the bone
The fugitive was furnished with work, with hard,unpaidtoil,
children
by which she could support herselfand have been sold to the slave-trader, and
child, and the ladycarefully attended to her whose tenth soon isto be sold,unlessby her
wants for a few weeks.
labor as washer-woman she can raise nine
hundred dollars! Such are the kind of cases
One morningshe came in,with a good
deal of agitation, exclaiming,
" 0, ma'am, constantly comingto
he's come ! Georgeis come ! " And in a
few minutes the young
man was introduced
The ladywho gave thisrelationbelongs
that those
who speakof slaverycan say, " We speak
that which Ave do know, and testify that we
have seen."
But we shallbe told the slavesare all a
lyingrace, and thatthese are lieswhich they
tell us. There are some things, however,
long since the writer has seen
facessuch as might haunt one's dreams for
Suppose a poor, worn-out mother,sickly,
one's "
knowledge,
such are the witnesseswhich willnot letus
Doubt has been expressed whether
such

Ranaway
and
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
21
a thingas an advertisement for a man.
"
dead or alive" like the advertisement for
GeorgeHarris,was ever published in the
Southern States. The scene of the story in
which that occurs is supposedto be laid a
few years back,at the time when the black
Ṭhat at this
laws of Ohio were passed
he brings
upon the stand,were ministers, lawyers,
merchants, and men of various other callings,
newspapers.
The papers from which these facts were
and put on filein a
copied were preserved
publicplace,where they remained
for some
years,
for the information of the curious.
After Mr. Weld's book was completed, a
copy of it was sent,throughthe mail,to
often go
on doinga thingwhich is very
absurd,or even inhuman, simplybecause it
has always been done before them,and they
followgeneralcustom,without much reflection.
When their attention, however, is
called to it by a strangerwho sees the
another point of view,they become
thing from
immediately sensibleof the impropriety
of the practice, and discontinueit. The
reader will,however,be painedto notice,
when he comes to the legalpart of the book,
that even in some of the largest citiesof our
slave states this barbarity had not
discontinued,
in the year 1850.
The listof advertisementsin Mr. Weld's
book is here inserted,not to weary the
reader with its painfuldetails, but that,by
running his eye over the dates of the papers
quoted, and the places of their publication,
he may form a fair estimate of the extent to
which thisatrocity was publiclypractised :
been entirely
time such advertisementswere common in
The Wilmington(NorthCarolina)Advertiser of
the newspapers, there isabundant evidence. July 13,1838,contains,the followingadvertisement
That they are less common now, is a matter
:
of hope and
"
gratulation.
$100 -willbe paidto any person who may ap~
In the year 1839, Mr. Theodore D. prehend and safely confine in any jailin this state
Weld made a systematic attempt to collect a certain negro man, named Alfred. And the
and arrange the statisticsof slavery. A
same reward will be paid, if satisfactory evidence
is givenof his havingbeen killed. He has one or
mass of facts and statisticswas gathered, more scars on one of his hands,caused by his having
which were authenticated with the most been shot. The Citizens of Onslow.
"
unquestionable accuracy. Some of the Richlands,Onslow Co.,May 16,1838."
"
one thousand witnesses," whom
In the same column with the above,and directly
under it,is the following :
"
Ran aw at, my negro
man Richard. A reward
who were either nativesof the slave of $25 will be paid for his apprehension, DEAD
or ALIVE.
states, or had been residentsthere for Satisfactory proofwill only be required
many
of his being KILLED. He has with
years of their life. Many of these were
him, in all probability, his wife,Eliza,who ran
slave-holders. Others of the witnesses away from Col. Thompson,now a resident of Alabama,
were, or had beenșlave-drivers, or officersof
about the time he commenced his journey
to that state. Durant H. Rhodes."
coasting-vessels engagedin the slave-trade.
Another part of his evidence was gathered
In the Macon (Georgia)Telegraph, May 28,is
from publicspeeches in the
Congress, in following :
"
the state legislatures, and elsewhere. But About the 1st of March last the negro
man
the majorityof it was taken from
Ransom left me without the least
recent
provocation
whatever ; I will give a reward of twenty dollars
for said negro, if taken, dead or "
alive, if
killed in any attempt, an advance of five dollars
will be paid. Bryant Johnson.
"CraivfordCo.,Georgia.'"
See the Newbern
for the following :
(N.C.)Spectator, Jan. 5,1838,
" RANA"\YAY from the subscriber,a negro
every editor from whose paper such advertisements
man named SAMPSON. Fiftydollars reward
had been taken,and to every individual
will be givenfor the delivery of him to me, or his
confinement in any jail,so that
of whom any facts had been I get him ;
narrated,
and should he resistin beingtaken, so that violence
with the passages which concerned is necessary to arrest him, I will not hold
them marked.
any person liable for damagesshould the slave be
killed. Enoch For.
It is quitepossible that this may have
"Jones Co.,N. C."
had some influence in renderingsuch advertisements
From the Charleston
less common. Men of sense
(S.C.)Courier,Feb. 20,
1836:
"
$300 REWARD. " from the subscriber,
in November last,his two negro men,
named Billy and Pompey.
4i
Billyis 25 years old,and is known as the
patroon of my boat for many years ; in all probability
he may resist ; in that event 50 dollarswill
be paidfor his HEAD."
The
CHAPTER V.
ELIZA.
writerstated in her book that Eliza
drawn from life. The inci-
was a portrait

"
shiningboots,"
"Who
more
22
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
dent -which broughtthe originalto her punch as he did so, " ye see, we has justices convenient
notice may
be simply narrated.
at all p'intsalongshore,that does up any
While the writer was travelling
Kentucky,
littlejobsin our line quitereasonable. Tom, he
does the knockin' down, and that ar ; and I come
many years ago, she attendedchurch in all dressed up,
everything
in a small country town. While firstchop," there,her
when the swearin' 's to be done. Yo"
oughtersee me, now !" said
attentionwas calledto a beautifulquadroon
Marks, in a glow of
girl, who sat in one of the slips of the professional pride,
church,
" how I can tone it off. One
day
and appeared to have charge I 'm Mr. of Twickem, from New Orleans-;
some young 'nother day,I 'm justcome from my plantation
children. The description of Eliza Pearl may river,where I works seven hundred niggers
sufficefor a description of her. When the
; then,again, I come out a distant relation
to
author returned from church șhe
Henry Clay, or some old cock in Kentuck.
inquired Talents is
about the girl, and different, you know. Now, Tom 's a
was told that she was as
roarer when there 's any thumping or fighting to
good and amiable as she was beautiful ; that be done; but at lying he an't good,Tom an'fc;
and a member of the ye see it don't come natural to him ; but, Lord !
if thar 's a fellerin the country that can swear to
everything, and put in all the circumstance
and flourishes with a longerface,and
carry 't throughbetter 'n I can, why, I 'd like to
see him, that 's all ! I b'lieve, my heart,I could
she was a piousgirl,
church ; and,finally, that she was owned
anything
by Mr. So-and-so. The idea that this girl
and
was a slave struck a chillto her heart,and
"
3he said,earnestly, 0, I hope theytreat
her kindly."
"0, certainly," was the reply;"they
get along, and make through,even if justices
were more particularthan theyis. Sometimes I
rather wish they was more particular ; 'twould
think as much of her as of their own children."
be a heap more relishin' if "
theywas, fun,
"
I hopetheywillnever sellher,"said a
person in the In the year 1839, the writer received
company.
"Certainlythey will not; a Southern into her family, as a servant,a girl from
Kentucky. She had been the slave of one
gentleman, not longago, offeredher master
of the lowest and most brutal families, with
a thousand dollars for her ; but he told him
that she was too good to be his whom she had been
wife,and he
broughtup, in a logcabin,in
a state of half-barbarism. In
certainly should not have her for a mistress."
proceeding
to give her religious instruction, the
author heard,for the firsttime in her life,
This is all that the writer knows of that
an inquirywhich she had not supposedpossible
girl.
to be made in "
America: is
With regardto the incident of Eliza's
Jesus Christ,now, anyhow?"
crossing the river on the
"
ice, as the possibility
When the author told her the history
"
of the thinghas been disputed. the
of
writer gives the following circumstance in the love and life and death of Christ, the
girl
confirmation.
seemed whollyovercome ; tears streamed
Last spring, while the author down her cheeks;and she exclaimed,piteously,"Why
was in New
York, a Presbyterian clergyman, of Ohio,
didn't nobodynever tell me
came to her, and said, "I understand this before?"
they
"But," saidthe writer to her,"have n't
dispute that fact about the woman's crossing
the river. Now, I know allabout that,for
I got the story from the very man that
on the state of things
What knowledgethe author has had of
the facilitieswhich some justices of the
peace, under the old fugitive law of Ohio,
"
Ye see,"said Marks to Haley,stirringhis
yer know."
you
ever seen the Bible 1
"
great impression
her, and had such an
effect in improving her conduct
țhat the
"Yes, I have seen missus a-readin' on 't
helped her up the bank. I know it is sometimes ; but, law sakes ! she 's just
true, a-readin' on 't'cause she could;don'ts'pose
for she is now living in Canada."
it did her no good,
It has been objected that the representation
no way."
of the scene in which the planfor kidnapping
She said she had been to one or two campmeetings
her life, but " didn't notice very
Eliza,concocted by Haley, Marks
and Loker,at the tavern, is a gross caricature
particular."
At all events,
in Ohio.
the storycertainly made
writerhad greathopesof her.
On inquiring
were in the habit of givingto kidnapping,
into her history, it was dis-
may be inferred that, by
bycomparing the the laws of Ohio,she was
statement
in her book with some in her personal knowledge.
legally entitled to her freedom, from the
fact of her having been broughtinto the
state,and left there țemporarily, by the
consent of her mistress. These factsbeing
covered

"
he
KEY TO UNCLE TOMS CABIN. 23
VI.
properly authenticated before the proper
largefamily of children. for I think a judgmentwillcome upon
authorities, papers attesting were drawn
up, and it was now supposed
CHAPTER
UNCLE TOM.
thatall danger of pursuit was over. After The character of Uncle Tom has been
she had remained in the familyfor some objectedto as improbable; and yet the
months,word was sent,from various sources, writer has received more confirmations of
to Professor Stowe,that the girl'syoung that character, and from a greatervariety
master was over, looking for her,and that, of sources, than of any other in the book.
if care were not taken șhe would be conveyed
Many peoplehave said to her,"I knew
back into slavery.
an Uncle Tom in such and such a Southern
Professor Stowe called on the magistrate State." All the historiesof thiskind which
who had authenticated her papers, and have thus been related to her would of
inquired whether theywere not sufficiento themselves, if collected, make a small volume.
protect her. The replywas, Certainly The author will relate a few of them.
"
theyare, in law, if she could have a fair While visiting in an obscure town in
hearing; but theywillcome to your house Maine,in the family of a friend, the conversation
in the night,with an officerand a warrant ; happenedto turn upon this subject,
theywill take her before Justice D and the gentleman with whose familyshe
,
and swear to her. He 's the man that does was staying related the followingḤe said
allthis kind of business, and he '11deliver that,Avhen on a visitto his brother,in New
her up,
and there'11be an end to it." Orleans, some
years before,he found in his
Mr. Stowe then inquired what could be possession valuable negro man, of
done ; and was recommended to carry her to such remarkable probity and honestythat
some placeof security inquiry for his brother literally trusted him with all he
her was over. Accordingly, that night,a had. He had frequently seen him take out
brother of the author,with Professor Stowe, a handful of bills, without lookingat them,
performed for the fugitive that officewhich and hand them to thisservant,bidding him
the senator is represented as performing
go and providewhat was
necessary for the
Eliza. They drove about ten miles on a family, and bring him the change. He
solitary road,crossed the creek at a
very remonstrated with his brother on thisimprudence
dangerousfording, presented themselves, ; but the latter replied that he had had
at midnight, at the house of John Van such proof of thisservant's impregnable Zandt,a noble-minded Kentuckian, who had
that he felt it safe to trust
performed the good deed which the author, him to any extent.
in her story, ascribes to Van Tromp.
The history this. He
After some rappingat the door,the worthy
had belongedto a man in Baltimore,who,
owner of the mansion appeared, candle havinga generalprejudice againstall the
in hand,as has been narrated.
religious exercises of slaves,did all that he
"Are you the man that would save a could to prevent his having any
time for
poor colored girl from kidnappers-?" was the devotionalduties, strictly him
firstquestion.
to read the Bible and pray, eitherby himself,
"
Guess I am," was the promptresponse ;
or with the other servants ; and because,
"
where is she? "
likea certain man of old,named Daniel,he
"Why, she's here."
constantly disobeyedthis unchristian edict,
"
But how did you come ? "
his master inflicted upon him that punishment
"
I crossed the creek."
which a master alwayshas in his
"
Why, the Lord helped you
! " saidhe ; power to inflict, sold him into perpetual
"
I should n't dare cross it myselfin the exile from hiswife and children, down to
night. A man and his wife, and five children,
New Orleans.
were drowned there,a littlewhile The gentleman who gave the writer thisinformatio
ago."
says that,althoughnot himself a
The reader may be interestedto know religious man at the time,he was so struck
that the poor girl never was re-taken ; that with the man's pietythat he said to his
she married well in Cincinnati, is a very brother, " I hopeyou will never do anything
respectable woman, and the mother of a to deprive this man of his religious privileges,
you if you do." To thishis brother replied
that he should be very
foolishto do it șince

24 KEY TO UNCLE TOM'S CABIN.
he had made up
religion -was
his mind that the man's during a part of two days, as sumptuously as
the root of his though the owner had been present.
extraordinary
excellences.
Some time since țhere was sent to the
writer from the South,throughthe mail,a
"
littlebook,entitled, Sketches of Old Vir-
FamilyServants,"with a prefaceby
ginia
BishopMeade. The book contains an
account
servants : African
of the which has come
following
Bella,Old Milly,Blind Lucy, Aunt
under
Betty, my
own observation. The late JudgeUpshur,
Springfield Bob, Mammy Chris, Diana of Virginia, had a faithful house-servant
Washington, Aunt (by
Margaret,Rachel Parker,
his will now set free),with whom he used to
correspond on matters of business,when he was
NellyJackson,My Own Mammy, Aunt
Beck.
The following extract from BishopMeade's
preface may not be uninteresting.
following sketches were placed in my hands
Many will doubtless be surprisedto find that affirm that there is far more of kindlyand Christian
there was so much intelligence, as well as piety, in intercourse than many at a distance are apt
some of the old servants of Virginia, and that they
to believe. That there is a great and sad want of
had learned to read the Sacred Scriptures, so as to Christian instruction, notwithstanding the more
be useful in this way among their fellow-servants. recent efforts put forth to impartit,we most
It is,and alwayshas been true, in regardto the sorrowfully acknowledge.
servants of the Southern States țhat although
publicschools may have been prohibited, yet BishopMeade adds that these sketches
no
interference has been attempted,where the owners
are published with the hope that theymight
have chosen to teach their servants, or permithave
the effectof turningthe attention of
them to learn in a private way, how to read
God's word. Accordingly țhere always have ministers and heads of families more seriously
to the duty of caringfor the soulsof
been some who were thus taught. In the more
southern states the number of these has most
abounded. Of this fact I became well assured,
the Atlantic
states,with a view to the formation of auxiliary
colonization societies, and the selectionof
the first colonists for Africa. In the city of
Charleston,South Carolina,I found more intelligence
and character among the free colored population
else. The same was true
about thirtyears since,when visiting
than anywhere
of some of those in bondage. A respectable number
might be seen in certain parts of the Episcopal
owners.
When
since with a sick
travelling many years
wife,and two female relatives, from Charleston
to Virginia, at a period of the year when many of
the families from the countryresort to the town for
health,we were kindlyurgedto call at the seat
of one of the firstfamilies in South Carolina,and
that it was no uncommon thing
We understood
in South
Carolina for travellers to be thus entertained by
the servants in the absence of the owners, on receiving
letters from the same.
Instances of confidentialand affectionate relationship
between servants and their masters and
mistresses, such as are set forth in the following
Sketches,are stillto be found in all the slaveholding
states. I mention one,
absent on his circuit. I was dining at his house,
some
years since,with a number of persons,
himself
beingabsent,when the conversation turned on
the subjectof the presidential electionțhen
going on through the United States,and about
which there was an intense interest ; when his
servant informed us that he had that day received
The
with a requestthat I would examine them with a a letter from his master, then on the western
view to publication.
shore,in which he stated that the friends.of General
After readingthem I could not but think that Harrison might be relievedfrom all uneasiness,
theywould be both pleasing and
as
edifying.
the returns alreadyreceived made his
Verymany such examplesof fidelity and pietyelectionquitecertain.
might be added from the old Virginia families. Of course it is not to be supposedthat we design
These will sufficeas specimens, and will serve to to convey the 'impression that such instances
show how interesting the relationbetween master are numerous, the nature of the relationship forbidding
and servant often is.
their servants.
it ; but we do mean emphatically to
With regardto the servant of JudgeUpshur,
spokenof in this communication of
BishopMeade,his master has left,in his
lastwillțhe following remarkable trihuteto
his worth and excellenceof character :
I emancipate and set free my servant,David
Rice,and direct my executors to givehim one hundred
dollars. I recommend him in the strongest
churches which I attended using their prayerbooks,and
joining the responses of the church. any community in which he may happento live.
manner to the respect, esteem and confidence, of
Many purposes of convenience and hospitality He has been my slave for twenty-four years, during
were subserved by this encouragementof cultivation
all which time he has been trusted to every
in some of the servants,on the part of the extent, and in every respect; my confidence in
him has been unbounded ; his relationto myself
and family has alwaysbeen such as to afford him
dailyopportunities to deceive and injureus, yet
he has never been detected in any serious fault,
nor even in an unintentional breach of the decorum
of his station. His intelligence is of a high
order,his integrity above all suspicion, and his
a letter from the mistressțhen in the city,was sense of rightand propriety correct, and even
givenus, to her servant,who had chargeof the refined. I feel that he isjustly entitled to carry
house in the absence of the family. On reachingthis certificatefrom me in the new relationswhich
there and delivering the letter to a most respectable-looking
he must now form ; it is due to his longand most
female servant,who immediately read faithful services, and to the sincere and steady
it, we were kindlywelcomed,and entertained, friendship which I bear to him In the uninter-

-
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 26
"upted confidential intercourse of twenty-four another. At her funeral the ex-governor
years, I have never givenhim, nor had occasion
of the state and the professors
the college
to givehirn,one unpleasant word. I know no
officiated as
man who has fewer faults or mo/ce excellences
than he.
In the free states there have been a few
instances of such extraordinary pietyamong
negroes, that their biography and
sayings
have been collectedin religious tracts, and
for the instructionof the community.
published
doubt
One of these was, beforehis conversion, a arose in her mind whether it was not somewhat
convict in a state-prison in New York, and exaggerated Ṣome time afterwards
there received what was, perhapsțhe first she overheard some young persons conversing
instructionthat had ever been imparted
religious
together about the tract, and saying that
to him. He became so eminent an they did not think it gave exactly the right
example of "
humility, faith,and,above all, idea of Phebe. Why, isittoo highly colored
fervent love țhat his presence in the neighborhood
1 " was theinquiryof the author. " 0,
A
was esteemed a blessing to thechurch.
ladyhas describedto the writerthe manner
in which he would stand up and exhort
forthreligious
edify-weak thingsof the world to confound the
thingswhich are mighty."
In the town of Brunswick,Maine,where John Bunyan says that althoughthe valley
the writerlivedwhen writing " Uncle Tom's of humiliationbe unattractive in the eyes
Cabin," may now be seen the grave
of an aged of the men of thisworld,yet the very sweetest
colored woman, named Phebe,who was so
and misses,he would nevertheless pour
exhortationswhich were ing
to the most cultivated and refined.
eminent for her pietyand lovelinessof character,
that the writer has never heard her
God has often, indeed always,
name mentioned exceptwith that degree of
awe and respect which one would imagineclass the recipients of his grace.
due to a saint. The smallcottagewhere she remembered that Jesus Christ,
residedis stillvisitedand looked upon as a
sort of shrine, as the spotwhere old Phebe
lived and prayed. Her prayers and pious
intelligent ladiesof the placeesteemed it a
privilege to visither cottage; and when she
was old and helpless, her wants were most
tenderly provided for. When the news of
her death was
docile,child-likeand affectionate, than other
races ; and hence the divine graces
of loveand
of regret. " We have lostPhebe' s prayers," faith, when
afterwards find in their natural temperament a
spreadabroad in the place, it
excited a general and very tender sensation
was the remark frequently made
by members of the church,as theymet one
pall-bearers, and a sermon was
preachedin which the many excellencesof
her Christian character were held up
as an
exampleto the community. A small religious
tract,containing an account of her life,
was published by the American Tract Society,
preparedby a ladyof Brunswick. The
writer recollectsthat on
readingthe tract,
when she firstwent to Brunswick, a
no, no, indeed,"was the earnest response ;
"'it doesn't begin to givean idea of how
goodshe was."
in the church-meetings for prayer, when,
with streaming eyes and the deepest abasement,
the words of the apostle,
humblyaddressing them as his masters
Such instances as these serve to illustrate
"
God hath
chosen the foolishthingsof theworld to confound
the wise ; and God hath chosen the
flowers grow there. So it is with the
condition of the lowly and poor in thisworld.
shown a
particularregardforit,
in selecting that
Itisto be
when he came
to found the Christiandispensation, did not
choose hisapostles from the chief priests and
the scribes, learned in the law,and highin
exhortations were supposedto have been the the church ; nor did he choose them from
cause of the conversion of many young peoplephilosophers
and poets,whose educated and
in the place.Notwithstanding thatthe unchristian
comprehensive minds mightbe supposedbest
feeling of caste prevails as strongly able to appreciate his greatdesigns ; but he
in Maine as anywhereelsein New England, chose twelveplain, poor fishermen, who were
and the negro, commonly speaking, is an ignorant, and felt that theywere ignorant,
abjectof aversion and contempt,yet, so great and who,therefore, were willing togivethemselves
was the influenceof her pietyand loveliness up with all simplicity to his guidance.
of character, thatshe was uniformly treated What God asks of the soul more than anything
with the utmost respectand attention by all else isfaithand simplicity, the affection
classesof people.The most cultivatedand
and reliance of the littlechild. Even
these
twelve fanciedtoo much thattheywere wise,
and Jesus was obliged to set a littlechild in
the midst of them,as a more perfect teacher.
The negro race isconfessedly more simple,
congenial atmosphere.
in-breathedby the Holy Spirit,
more

that
26
KEY TO UNCLE TOMS CABIN.
A lastinstance parallel with that of Uncle was exceedingly tempted and tried,but his
Tom is to be found in the published memoirs Christian principle was invulnerable. No
of the venerable Josiah Henson,now, as we inducements could lead him to feel that it
have said,a clergyman in Canada. He was was right *fora Christian to violate a pledge
1
'raised'
'
in the Stateof Maryland Ḥis first solemnlygiven, and his influence over the
recollections were of seeinghis father mutilated
whole band was so greatthat he took them
and covered with blood,suffering the allwith him into Kentucky. Those casuists
penaltyof the law for the crime of raising among us who lately seem to think and teach
his hand against a white "
man, white that it is right for us to violate the plain
man being the overseer, who had attempted a commands of God whenever some great
brutalassault upon
his mother. This punishment
national good can be secured by it,would
made his father surly and dangerous, do well to contemplate the
and he was subsequently soldsouth, and thus ciple of this poor slave,who, without being
partedforever from his wife and children. able to read a letterof the Bible,was yet
Henson grew up in a state of heathenism, enabled to performthis most sublime act
without any religious instruction, till,in a of self-renunciationin obedience to its commands.
camp-meeting, he firstheard of Jesus Christ, Subsequently to this,his master,
and was electrifiedby the greatand thrilling
in a relenting moment, was induced by a
news that He had tasteddeath for every friendto sellhim his freedom for four hundred
man, the bond as well as the free. This dollars ; but, when the excitement of the
storyproduced an immediate conversion, such importunity had passedoff,he regretted that
as we read of in.the Acts of the Apostles, he had sufferedso valuablea piece of property
where the Ethiopian eunuch,from one interview,
to leave his hands for so slight a remuneration.
hearing the story of the cross, at once
By an unworthyartifice,
believesand is baptizedḤenson forthwith he gotpossession of his servant'sfree papers,
not onlybecame a Christian, but began to and condemned him stillto hopeless
declare the news to those about him ; and, Subsequently, his affairsbecoming stillmore
being a man of great natural force of mind involved, he sent his son down the river with
and strength of character, his earnest endeavors
a flat-boatloaded with cattleand produce for
to enlighten his fellow-heathenwere so the New Orleans market,directing him to
gradually led to assume
successfulthat he was
the stationof a negro preacher
he could not read a word of the Bible or
much
hymn-book, his laborsin thisline were
prospered Ḥe became immediately a
by the latterwith the oversight
his whole estate,which he managedwith
greatjudgment and prudence. His master
appears to have been a very ordinary man
embarrassed, he formed the design of
removing all his negroes into Kentucky, and
intrusted the operation
througha
his own
entirely to his overseer.
Henson was to take them alone,without
any other attendant, from Maryland to
Kentucky, a distance of some thousands of
miles,givingonly his promise
that he would faithfully performthisunder-
as a Christian
taking.
On the way thither theypassed
of Ohio,and there Henson
and he was strongly urgedto do it. He
inflexible priit-
therefore,
slavery.
take Henson along, and sell him after they
; and thoughhad sold the cattleand the boat. All the
depths of the negro's soul were torn up and
thrown into convulsion by thishorrible piece
of ingratitude, cruelty and injustice; and,
while outwardlycalm,he was struggling
with most bitter temptations from within,
which,as he could not read the Bible, he
could repelonlyby a recollectionof itssacred
very
valuable slave to his master, and was intrusted
of
truths,and by earnest prayer. As he neared
in every
"
respect, to have been entirely incapable
the New Orleans market,he says that these
of estimating him in any
other lightconvulsionsof soulincreased, especially when
then as exceedingly valuable property, and he met some of his old companionsfrom
to have had no other feeling excited by his Kentucky,whose despairing countenances
extraordinary faithfulnessthan the desireto and emaciated forms told of hard work and
make the most of him. When his affairsinsufficientfood,and confirmed all his worst
became
fears of the lower country. In the transports
of his despair, the temptation was
urgentlypresented
more
to him to murder his
young master and the other hand on the flatboat
in their sleep,
and make his escape.
He thus relatesthe
to seize upon
the boat,
scene where he was almost brough to the
perpetration of thisdeed :
One dark,rainynight,
portion
within a few days of
New Orleans, nay hour seemed to have come. I
was informed that he could now secure
was alone on the deck ; Mr. Axnos and the hands
freedom and that of allhis fellows. were all asleepbelow, and I creptdown noiselessly,
got hold of an axe, entered the cabin,and

K"Y TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 27
lookingby the aid of the dim ligh there for my
victims, my eye
fell upon
ada.
Here he learned to read,and,by hi3
Master Amos, who was
superior
nearest to me ; my hand slid along capacity management,
the axehandle,I
raisedit to strike the "
fatalblow, when
fugitive settlement
laidthe foundation for the
suddenlythe thought came to "
me, What ! commit
of Dawn, which is understood to be one of
murder ! and you a Christian?" I had not the most flourishing in Canada.
"
called it murder before. It was self-defence,
it was
it was
preventing murdering me , "
justifiable, it was even praiseworthy.
But
now, all at once, the truth burst upon
me that it
was a crime. I was going to kill a young man, to bring forth as much fruitto the glory of
who had done nothingto injureme, but obey commands
God, to withstand temptation as patiently,
which he could not resist ; I was about to
to return good
lose the fruit of all my effortsat self-improvement,
for evil as disinterestedly,
as
the character I had acquired,and the peace
of this poor, ignorant slave. A writer in England
mind which had never deserted me. All this has sneeringly remarked that such a
came
upon me instantly, and with a distinctness man as Uncle Tom might be imported
which made me almost think I heard it whispered
as a
missionary to teach the most cultivatedin
in my ear ; and I believeI even turned my head
to listen. I shrunk back, laid down the axe,
oreptup
on deck again, and thanked God, as I
These instancesshow that what has
have done every daysince țhat I had not committed
been said with a sneer is in truth a sober
murder.
verity
My feelings were still ;
agitated, but they and it should never be forgotten that
were
changed. I was filledwith shame and remorse for
out of this race whom man despiseth have
the design I had entertained,and with the fear that often been chosen of God true messengers of
my companionswould detect itin my face,or that his grace, and temples for the indwelling of
a carelessword would betraymy guiltythoughts. his Spirit.
I remained on deck all night,instead of rousing "
For thus saith the
one of the men to relieve me ; and nothingbrought
high and lofty
composure to my mind,but the solemn resolution One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name
I then made to resignmyself to the will of God, is Holy, I d)i;ellin the high and holy
and take with thankfulness, if I could,but with
place,
submission,at all events, whatever he might
with him also that is of a contrite
and humble
decide should be my lot. I reflectedthat if my
spirit țo revive the spiritof
lifewere reduced to a brief term I should have the humble,and to revive the heart of the
less to suffer, and that it was better to die with a contrite ones"
Christian's bope,and a quietconscience, than to The vision attributedto Uncle Tom introduces
live with the incessant recollection of a crime
that would destroythe value of life,and under quite a
the weightof a secret that would crush out the with regard to the negro race, and indicates
satisfactionthat might be expected from freedom, a peculiarity which goes far to show how
and every other blessing.
Subsequently to this,his young master was They are possessed of a nervous organization
taken violently down with the river fever, peculiarly susceptible and impressible.
and became as helpless as a child. He passionately
Their sensations and impressions are
very
entreated Henson not to desert him, vivid,and theirfancy and imagination lively.
In thisrespect the race has an orientalcharacter,
and betrays its tropical origin.Like
and not to leave him,dead or alive, tillhe had the Hebrews of old and the orientalnations
carried him back to his father.
ofthepresent, theygivevent to theiremotions
The young master was borne in the arms with the utmost vivacity of expression, and
of his faithfulservant to the steamboat, and their whole bodilysystem sympathizes with
there nursed by him with unremitting attention
the movements of theirminds. When in
during the journeyup the river ; nor distress, theyactually lift up theirvoices to
did he leavehim tillhe had placedhim in weep, and "cry with an exceedingbitter
his father's arms.
cry." When alarmed,theyare often paralyzed,
Our love for human nature would lead Us
and rendered entirely helpless. Their
to add, with sorrow, that all thisdisinterestedness
religious exercisesare all colored by this
and kindness was rewarded onlyby sensitiveand exceedingly vivacioustemperament.
empty praises, such as would be bestowed
Like oriental nations,theyincline
upon a very fine dog;and Henson indignantlymuch
to outward expressions,
resolved no longerto submit to the
and agitating movements of the
but to attend to the selling of the boat and
produce, and put him on board the steamboat,
injustice. With a degree of prudence, courage
and address,which can
scarcely find a
parallel in any history, he managed, with
his wifeand two children, to escape intoCan-
It would be well for the most cultivated
of us to ask,whether our ten talentsin the
way
of religious knowledge have enabled us
England or America the true nature of religion.
curious chapter of psychology
very different theyare from the white race.
violentgesticulations,
body. Sometimes,in theirreligious meetings,
theywill spring from
the floor many
with a violence and
times in succession,
rapiditywhich is perfectly astonishing.

23
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
"
"
They will laugh,weep, embrace each other from heart to heart without the intervention
convulsively, and sometimes become entirely of the senses, or what the Quakers call
paralyzed and cataleptic. clergymanbeing"baptizedinto the spirit"of those
from the North once remonstrated with a who are distant.
Southern clergyman for permitting such Cases of this kind are constantly recurring
extravagancesamong his flock. The reply in their histories. The
young
man
of the Southern minister was, in effect, this : whose storywas related to the Boston lady,
"
Sir,I am satisfiedthat the races are so and introduced above in the chapteron
essentially differenthattheycannot be regulated
GeorgeHarrisștatedthisincidentconcerning
by the same rules. I,at first, felt the recovery of his liberty : That,after
as
you do ; and,thoughI saw that genuinethe departure of his wife and sister, he,for
conversionsdid take place,with allthisoutward
a longtime, and very earnestly, sought some
manifestation, I was still so much opportunity of escape, but that every avenue
annoyedby it as to forbid it among my appearedto be closed to him. At length,
negroes, tillI was satisfiedthat the repression
in despair, he retreated to his room, and
of it was a serioushindrance to real threw himself upon his bed,resolving religious feeling ; and then I became certain giveup the undertaking, when,justas he
that all men cannot be regulated in their was sinkingto sleep, he was roused by a
religious by one model. I am voice saying in his ear, " Why do you sleep
assured thatconversions produced with these now 1 Rise up, if ẏou
ever mean to be
accessoriesare quiteas apt to be genuine, free!" He sprang up, went immediately
and to be as influential over the heart and out,and, in the course of two hours,discovered
life, as those produced in any other way." the means of escape which he used.
The fact is țhat the Anglo-Saxonrace A ladywhose history isknown to the writer
cool,logicaland practicalhave yet to residedfor some time on a Southern plantation,
learn the doctrine of tolerationfor the peculiarities
and was in the habitof imparting of other races ; and perhaps it was
instructionto the slaves. One day, a
with a foresight of their peculiar chai'acter, woman from a distantplantation called at
and dominant position in the earth, that God her residence, and inquired for her. The
gave the Bible to them in the fervent language
lady asked, in surprise, "How did you
and with the glowingimageryof the know about me 7" The old woman's reply
more susceptible and passionate was, that she had longbeen distressedabout
races.
her soul;but that șeveral nightsbefore,
Mesmerists have found that the negroes some one had appearedto her in a dream,
are singularly susceptible to all that class told her to go to this plantation and inquire
of influences which producecatalepsy, mesmeric
for the strangeladythere,and that she
sleep, partial clairvoyant phenomena.
would teach her the way to heaven.
Another specimen of the same kind was
The African race, in their own climate, relatedto the writerby a slave-woman who
are believersin spells, in "fetish and obi," been throughthe whole painful experience
in "the evileye," and other singular of a slave'slife. She was originally a
for which,probably, there is an originyoung
girl of pleasing exterior and
in this peculiarity of constitution. The nature,carefully reared as a seamstress
gentle
and
magicians in scriptural history Africans
nurse to the children of a family in Virginia,
; and the so-called magical arts are stilland
attached, with all the warmth of her
practised in Egypt, and other parts of susceptible nature, to these children. Although
one of the tenderestof mothers when
the writer knew her,yet she assured the
constitutionquitewriter that she had never loved a child of
differentfrom thoseof the whites. Considering
her own as she loved the dear little young
those distinctivetraits of the race, it mistress who was her particular
is no matter of surprise to find in their religious
Owing,probably,
culty
histories, when acted upon by the in the familyțhisgirl,whom we will
powerfulstimulant of the Christianreligion, callLouisa,was soldțo go
on to a Southern
very peculiarfeatures. We are not surprised
plantation. She has often describedthe
in the narrations
Africa,with a degree of skilland success
which can only be accounted for by supposing
peculiarities of nervous
to find almost constantly,
scene when she was fcrced into a carriage,
of their religious histories, accounts and saw her dear young mistress leanint
of visions, of heavenlyvoices, of mysterious from the window, stretching her arms
sympathiesand
towards her,screaming, and calling her
transmissions of knowledge
charge.
to some pecuniary diffi-

"
0,
"
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
name, with all the vehemence of childishthe New EnglandStates, at the time when
grief.She was carriedin a coffle, and sold slaverywas prevalent, was one woman,
as cook on a Southern plantation. With who,immediately on
the utmost earnestness of languageshe has of the love of Jesus Christ,exclaimed, "He
describedto the writer her utter loneliness, isthe one; thisis what I wanted."
and the distressand despairof her heart,in This languagecausingsurprise, her history
this situation, partedforever from all she was inquired into. It was briefly this :
held dear on earth,without even the possibility
While livingin her simp^ hut in Africa,
of writing lettersor sendingmessages, the kidnappers one day rushed upon her
surrounded by those who felt no kind of family, and carried her husband and children
interestin her,and forcedto a toilfor which off to the slave-ship, she escaping into
her more delicate education had entirely the woods. On returning to her desolate
unfitted her. Under these circumstances, home,she mourned with the bitternessof
she beganto believe that it was for some "Rachel weepingfor her children." For
dreadful sin she had thus been afflicted. many daysher heart was oppressed with a
heavyweight of sorrow; and,refusing all
sustenance,she wandered up and down the
"After that,I beganto feelawful wicked, desolateforest.
so wicked, you 've no idea! I felt so At lastșhe says,
a strongimpulse came
wicked that my sins seemed likea load on over her to kneel down and pour out her
sorrows into the ear of some unknown Being
whom she fanciedto be above her, in the sky.
pray in the house,and I used to go way off She did so; and,to her surprise, found
in the lotand pray. At last, one day,when an inexpressible sensation of relief. After
I was praying, the Lord he came and spokethis, it was her custom dailyto go out to
this same spot, and supplicate thisunknown
Friend. Subsequently, she was herself
taken,and broughtover to America;and,
With a face of the utmost earnestness, when the storyof Jesus and his love was
relatedto her,she immediately feltin her
soul thatthisJesus was the very friendwho
and I never, tillthe last day of my life, had spokencomfort to her
shallforgetwhat he said to me."
in the distantforestof Africa.
"What was it?" said the writer. Comparenow these experiences with the
"
He said, ' Fear not,my littleone ; thy earnest and beautiful languageof Paul :
' " "
sins are forgiven thee ; and she added to He hath made of one blood allnations of
this some verses, which the writer recognized
men, for to dwell on all the face of the
as those of a Methodist hymn. earth ; and hath determined the times before
Beingcurious to examine more closely appointedand the bounds of their
thisphenomenonțhe author said, habitation, that they should seek the
"You mean that you dreamed this, Lord,if haply theymight PEEL AFTEE
Louisa."
Him and find Him,thoughhe be not far
With an airof wounded feeling, and much from every one of us."
earnestness, she answered,
Is not this truly " feelingafter God
"0 no, Mrs. Stowe;that never was a and finding Him''''? And may we not
dream;you'llnever make me believethat." hopethat the yearning, troubled,
The thought at once arose in the writer'sheart of man, pressedby the insufferable
mind,If the Lord Jesus i3 indeed everywhere
anguishof thisshortlife,
wearied by its
present, and ifhe is as tender-heartedutter
vanity,
and compassionate
he was on earth, pleadinghand to God in vain ? Is not the
and we know he "
is, must he not sometimes
veilwhich divides us from an almighty and
longto speakto the poor, desolatemost
mercifulFather much thinnerthan we,
slave, when he knows that no voicebut His in the pride of our philosophy, are apt to
can carry comfort and healing to his soul? imagine ? and isitnot the most worthy conception
This instance of Louisa is so exactlyparallel
of Him to suppose that the more
to another case, which the author utterlyhelplessand ignoran the human
reco ved from an authentic source, that she being is that seeks His aid țhe more tender
istemptedto placethe two sideby side. and the more condescending will be His
Among the slaveswho were brought into communication with that soul ?
The course of her mind after this may be
best told in her own simplewords :
me, and I went so heavyall the day ! I
felt so wicked that I didn't feelworthyto
to me."
"The Lord spoketo you?" said the
writer ; "what do you mean, Louisa? "
she answered,"Why, ma'am, the Lord
Jesus he came and spoketo me, you know ;
being told the history
yearningspirit
helpless
never extends its ignorant,

wanting
;o KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
If a mother has among her children one whipping could not bring one more pound out of
whom sickness has made him, for he set him to
blind,
driving
or deaf,or
a team. At thisand
dumb, incapable of
other work he could
acquiringknowledge
" make a hand;" had changed
throughthe usual channels of communication,
owners three or four times. He expressedhimself
as well pleasedwith his presentsituation aa
does she not seek to reach itsdarkened he expected to be in the South, but was yearning
to return to his former associations in Kentucky.
mind by modes of communication tenderer
and more intimate than those which she
uses with the stronger and more favored
ones 1 But can the love of any
mother be
comparedwith the infinitelove of Jesus ?
Has He not describedhimself as that good
Shepherdwho leaves the whole flock of
secure and well-instructed ones, to follow
the
over the mountains of sin and ignorance
one lostsheep; and,when He hath found
it,rejoicing more over that one than over
the ninety and nine that went not astray ?
Has He not told us that each of these littlewould use the same words as then: "I
ones has a guardianangel that doth know
always thy works, and thy labor,and thy
behold the face of his Father which is in patience, and how thou canst not bear them
heaven ? And is it not comforting to us to which are evil ; and thou hast tried them
think that His love and care willbe in and proportion
are not, and hast
to the ignorance and the wants of found them liars : and hast borne, and hast
His chosen ones ?
patience, and for my
name's sake hast
*
*
labored and hast not fainted. Nevertheless,
*P?
"TV "TV TV
Since the above was preparedfor the I have somewhat againsthee,because
press the author has receivedthe thou hast
following
leftthy firstlove."
I reallythought, while error, and great logical and doctrinal correctness
reading "Uncle Tom's
Cabin," that the authoress,when describing the
; but there is a want of that spirit
character of Tom, had in her mind's eye
a slave of love,without which,in the eye of Christ,
whose acquaintance I made some years since,in the most perfect character is as deficientas
the State of Mississippi, called " Uncle Jacob." a wax flower in lifeand "
perfume.
I was staying a day or two with a planter, and in Yet this blessed principle is
the evening, when out in the not dead in
yard, I heard a wellknown
hymn
theirhearts,
and tune sung in one of the but onlysleepeth
' '
quarters,"
; and so great
and then the voice of prayer ; and 0, such isthe real and genuinegoodness, that,when
a
prayer ! what unction,"
fervor,what nay, the the true magnet of divine love is applied,
man "prayed rightup;" and when I read of
theyalwaysanswer to itstouch.
"
Uncle Tom, how nothingcould exceed the
So when the
touchingsimplicity, the childlike earnestness,of
gentleEva,who isan impersonation
his prayer,
enriched with the languageof Scripture,
in childish form of the love of
which seemed so entirely to have wroughtChrist,
solvesat
itself into his being as to have become once, by a blessed instinct,
a part of the problem which Ophelia has long been
himself,"the recollectionsof that eveningprayer
were strangelyvivid. On entering the house and unable to solve by dint of utmost hammering
referring to what I had heard, his master and
replied, vehement effort, she at once, with
"Ah, sir, if I covet anything in this world, it is a good and honest heart,perceives and acknowledges
Uncle Jacob's religionỊf there is a good man
her mistake,and is willing to
on earth,he certainly is one." He said Uncle
Jacob was a regulator on the plantation ; that learn even of a littlechild.
a
word or a look from him, addressed to Miss
younger
Ophelia, again,represents
one great
slaves,had more efficacy than a blow from the sin,of which, unconsciously, American
overseer.
Christians have allowed themselves to be
The next morningUncle Jacob informed me he
was from Kentucky,oppositeCincinnati ; that
guilty.Unconsciously it must be, for nowhere
his opportunities for
is conscience
attendingreligious worship
so predominant as
had been frequent; that at about the age of among this class, and nowhere is there a
fortyhe was sold south,was set to picking cotton ; more honest strifeto bringevery thought
could not, when doing his best,pickthe task assigned
into
him ;
captivity to the obedience of Christ.
was whipped and whipped, he could
not possibly tell how often ; was of the One of the firstand most
opinion
declaredobjects
"hat the overseer came to the conclusion that
CHAPTER
MISS
OPHELIA.
VII.
Miss Ophelia stands as the representative
of a numerous class of the very best
of Northern people;to whom, perhaps, if
our Lord should againaddress his churches
a
letter, as he did those of old time, he
which are apostles
of the gospelhas been to break down all
extract from a letterwritten
There
by a gentleman
are in this class of peopleactivity,
in Missouri to the editor of the Oberlin zeal,unflinching conscientiousness, clear in-
discriminationsbetween truth and
(Ohio)Evangelist :
tellectu

"
the
"
Not
"
forced
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CAIIN 31
those irrationalbarriers and prejudices The ladysaid it was supposedit had been
which separatethe human brotherhood into set on fire. " What could be any one's
diverse and contending clans. Paul says, motive for setting it on fire?" said the
"
In Christ Jesus there is neither Jew nor writer.
Greek,barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free." "Well,"repliedthe lady, "it was
supposed
The Jews at that time were separated from
that a colored familywas about to
the Gentiles by an insuperable wall of move into it,and it was thoughtthat the
prejudice.They could not eat and drink neighborhood would n't consent to that. So
together, nor
pray together Ḅut the apostles
it was supposed that was the reason."
most earnestly labored to show them This was said with an air of innocence
the sin of this prejudiceṢt. Paul says to and much unconcern.
the Ephesiansșpeakingof this former The writerinquired,
" Was it a family of
division,
who hath made bad character? "
"
He is our
peace,
both one, and hath broken down the middle
wall of partition between us."
It is very easy to see that althoughslavery
has been abolished in the New England
States,it has left behind it the most
baneful feature of the system" that which
gospelto the heathen,and if she had ever
makes American worse than Roman slaverythought of considering thisfamily a heathen
prejudice of caste and color. In family,would have feltthe deepest interest
the New EnglandStates the negro has been in their welfare ; because on the subject of
treated as belonging to an inferiorrace of duty to the heathen she had been frequently
beings;
to sit apartby himself in instructed from the pulpit, and had all her
the place of worship; his children excluded religious and conscientioussensibilities awake.
from the schools ; himself excluded from the Probablyshe had never listened from the
railroad-carand the omnibus, and the peculiaritiesof
his race made the subject of greattruthțhat " in Christ Jesus tb"ereis
bitter contempt and ridicule.
neither Jew nor Greek,barbarian, Scythian,
pulpit to a sermon which should exhibit the
This course of conduct has been justified bond nor free."
by saying that they are a degradedrace. Supposingour Lord was now on earth,
But how came theydegraded? Take
as he
any
was once, what course is itprobable
class of men, and shut them from the means that he would pursue with regard to thisunchristian
of education, deprivethem of hopeand self-
prejudice of color ?
respect,closeto them all avenues of honorable
ambition,and you willmake just such
a race of them as the negroes have been
anion
2: us.
that
to our Northern
account, were forbidden to send theirchildren
Christians to say that this sin has been
to the schools, and discouraged from committed ignorantly and in unbelief, and
entering the churches. The effectof this that within a few years signsof a much better
has been directly to degrade and depress spirit have begunto manifestthemselves.
the race, and then this very degradation In some places,recently, the doors of
and
school-houses have been thrown open to the
persons of dark complexion, who,on
reason
depression has been pleadedas the
for continuing this course.
long since the writer called upon a
No, not
benevolentlady, and duringthe course of
the call the conversation turned upon the
incidents of a firewhich had occurred the
night before in the neighborhoodẠ deserted
house had been burned to the ground.
particularly, that I know of,"
"
"
said the lady ; but then they are negroes,
you
know."
Now, thislady is a very piouslady.She
probably would deny herself to send the
There was a class of men in those days
by the Jews as the negroes
made of
as much despised
are by us ; and it was a complaint
Christ thathe was a friend of publicans So singular and so melancholyis the sinners. And if Christshould enter, on some
dominion of prejudice over the human mind, communion season, into a place of worship,
that professors
Christianity in our New and see the colored man sitting afar off by
EnglandStateshave often,with very serious himself,would it not be justin his spirit to
self-denialto themselves, sent the gospel to go there and sitwith him,rather than to take
heathen as dark-complexioned as the Africans,
the seats of his richer and more
prosperous
when in their very neighborhood were brethren ?
It is,however,but jus
children, and many a good Miss Ophelia
has opened her eyes
in astonishmentto find
that,while she has been devouring the
MissionaryHerald,and goingwithout butter
on
the gospel to
her bread and sugar in her tea to send
a very thriving
the Sandwich Islands, there is
colonyof heathen in her

32
KET TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
own neighborhood at home ; and, true to
her own good and honest heart,she has
resolved,not to giveup her prayers and
efforts for the heathen abroad, but to add
thereunto labors for the heathen
at home.
Our safety and hope in this matter is of slaves. The slave-holder, feeling
this : that there are multitudes in all our and acknowledging the evilsof slavery, has
churches who do most truly and sincerely come to the North, and seen evidences of
love Christ above all things, and who,justthisunkindly and unchristianstate of feeling
bo soon as a littlereflectionshallhave made towards the slave, and has thus reflected
them sensible of theirduty in this respect, within himself:
willmost earnestlyperformit.
It is true that,ifthey do so,theymay be
calledAbolitionists ; but thetrue Miss Ophelia
is not afraid of a hard name in a good
cause, and has rather learned to consider
"the reproach of Christ a greater treasure
my
than the richesof Egypt."
That there ismuch alreadyfor Christians
the moral sense of the
to do in enlightening
community on
this subject, will appear
if we
consider that even so well-educatedand gentlemanly
a man as Frederick Douglasswas
recently obliged to pass the night on the deck
of a steamer, when in delicatehealth,because
this senseless prejudicedeprived him of a
degrees
of white persons move with unquestioned
powerful ; they can control publicsen-
freedom side by side ; and Christianity requires
on
any subjec that theythink of that the negro have the same privilege.
any particular importance, and theyprofess, That the dirtiest and most uneducated
by their religion, that " if one member suffers,
foreigner
with breath redolent
all the members sufferwith it." of whiskey and clothes foul and disordered,
It is a serious question, whether such a should have an unquestioned righ to take a
marked indignity offeredto Christ and his seat next to any person in a railroad car or
ministry,
person of a colored brother, steamboat,and
decent
that the respectable,
without any remonstrance on theirpart,will and gentlemanly negro should be excluded
not lead to a generalfeeling that allthat the simplybecause he is a
negro,
cannot be considered
Bible says about the union of Christiansis otherwise than as an irrationaland
a mere hollow sound,and means nothing. unchristianthing: and any Christian who
Those who are anxious to do somethingallowssuch things done in his presence without
directly to improvethe condition of the slave, remonstrance,and the use of his Christian
by elevat- influence, will certainly be made deeply
can do it in no way so directly as
ingthe condition of the free coloredpeople
around them,and taking every painsto give
them equalrights and privileges.
This
stood in the way
unchristianprejudice has
' '
If I keep my
doubtless
of the emancipation of hundreds
slaveat the South,he is,
it is true, under the dominion of a very
severe law ; but then he enjoysthe advantage
friendship and assistance, and
of my
derives, throug his connection with me and
family, some kind of a position in the
community. As my servant he is allowed a
seat in the car and a placeat the table. But
if I emancipate and send him North,he will
encounter substantially all the disadvantages
of slavery, with no master to protect him."
This mode of reasoninghas provedan
apology to many a man for keepinghisslaves
which he confesses to be a
in a position
bad one ; and it will be at once perceived
thatșhould the position of the negro
place in the cabin ; and that that very laborious
be con
and useful minister, Dr. Pennington, spicuously our northern states,
of New York,has,duringthe last season, the effect upon the emancipation of the slave
been oftenobligedseriously to endanger his would be very great. They,then, who keep
health,by walkingto his pastorallabors, up this prejudice, may be saidto be,in a certain
over his very extended parish, under a burning
sense, slave-holders.
sun, because he could not be allowed the It is not meant by this that all distinctions
common privilege of the omnibus,which conveys
of society should be broken over, and
every classof white men, from the most that peopleshould be obliged to choose their
refinedto the lowest and most disgusting. intimate associates from a class unfitted by
Let us consider now the number of professors
educationand habits to sympathize with them.
of the religion of Christin New York. The negro should not be lifted out of his
and consider also that,by the very fact of sphere of lifebecause he is a negro, but he
theirprofession, theyconsiderDr. Pennington
should be treatedwith Christiancourtesy in
the brother of theirLord,and a member his sphere.In the railroad car, in the omnibus
with them of the bodyof Christ.
and steamboat, all ranks and
Now, these Christiansare influential, rich
and
timent

sensibleof his error when he comes at last
interview with his
to direct and personal
Lord.
There is no hope for this matter,if the
love of Christisnot strongenough, and if
it cannot be said,with regard to the two
races, (: He is our peace who hath made both be had in common. And when the white
one, and hath broken down the middle wall race shall regard their superiority over the
of partition between us."
colored one onlyas a talent intrusted for
The time is comingrapidly when the upper
the advantage of their weaker brother, then
classesin society must learn that their will the prejudice of caste melt away in the
education, wealth and refinement, are not light of Christianity.
their own ; that theyhave no righto use
them for their own selfishbenefit ; but
that theyshould hold them
Fene-
rather, as
lon expresses it,as "a ministry," KEY TO UNCLE TOM'S CABIN. 33
stewardship,
which theyhold in trust for the
benefitof theirx poorer brethren.
In some of the very highestcirclesin
England and America we beginto see illustrious
examples of the commencement of such of women not peculiar to any latitude, nor
a condition of things.
any condition of societyṢhe may be found
One of the merchant princesof Boston, in Englandor in America. In the northern
lately been celebrated in
whose funeral has
affordedin his lifea beautiful
our
city,
of this truth. His wealth was
example
the wealth
of thousands. He was the steward of the
widow and the orphan.His funds were a
Her servants never
savingsbank,wherein were laid up the resources
Strangeto tell, they are not perfect, and
of the poor ; and the mourners at she thinks it a very great shame. She is
his funeral w?re the scholarsof the schools fullyconvincedthatshe ought to have
which he had founded, the every
officersof literary moral and Christianvirtue in her kitchen
institutionswhich his munificence had endowed,
for a littleless than the ordinary wages :
the widows and orphanswhom he and when her cook leaves her,because she
and the men, finds she can getbetter wages and lesswork-
had counselled and supported,
in all ranks and conditions of life,who had
been made by his benevolence to feel that
his wealth was theirwealth. May God raise
up many
men in Boston to enter into the disinterested
spirit and laborsof Amos Lawrence !
to take up with the worst rooms in the
This is the true socialism, which comes house,with very moderate wages, and very
from thespirit of Christ, and,without breaking
indifferentfood,when they can get much
down existing orders of society, by love better elsewhere, purelyfor the sake of
makes the property and possessions of the pleasing her. She likesto gethold of foreign
higherclassthe propertyof the lower.
servants, who have not yet learned our
Men are alwaysseekingto begintheir
ways, who are used to workingfor low
reforms Avith the outward and physical. wages, and who willbe satisfiedwith almost,
Christbeginshis reforms in the heart. Men
; but she is often heard to lament
would break up all ranks of society, and
throw all property into a common stock ; but
Christ would inspire the higherclasswith
that Divine Spiritby which all the wealth
and means
are
of England,instances of the same
ariselecturersto mechanics
raggedschools ; and itis said thateven on
3
the throne of England is a woman who
weekly instructsher classof Sunday-school
scholarsfrom the childrenin the vicinity of
her countryresidence.
In this way, and not by an outward and
physical divisionof property șhall all things
CHAPTER
MARIE ST. CLARE.
VIII.
Marie St. Clare is the type of a class
free states we have many Marie St.
Clares, lessfullydeveloped.
more or
When found in a northern latitude,
forever in trouble about
she is
her domestic relations.
do anythingright.
in a neighboring family, she thinksitshockingly
selfish, unprincipled conduct. She is
of opinion thatservants ough to be perfectly
; thattheyought to be willing
anything
that theysoon
get spoiled,
"
anybodyelse, which
and want as
many privileges as
is
perfectly shocking. Marie often wishes
that she could be a slave-holder, or could
and advantages of their position live somewhere where the lower class are
used for the goodof the lower. keptdown, and made to know their place.
We see, also,in the highestaristocracy She isalwayshunting for cheapseamstresses,
tendency. and willtell you, in an under-tone, that she
Among her oldest nobility therebeginto has discovered a woman who will make linen
and patrons of shirtsbeautifully, stitch the collars and
wristbandstwice,allfor thirty-seven cents.

" then
34 KEY TO UNCLE TOMS CABIN.
"
these
"
" are
"when many seamstresses get a dollar for it ; And, if they had the power to inflictcruel
says she does it because she 's poor, and has punishments, by
no friends ; thinks you
had better be careful
sending the servant out to some place of
in your conversation, and not let her correction,would they not be temptedto
know what pricesare, or else she will get use thatliberty 1
spoiled, and go to raising her price, With regardto those degrading punishments
sewing-women
so selfish. When Marie
to which females are subjected, by
St. Clare has the misfortune to live in a free beingsent to professional whippers, or by
state țhere is no end to her troubles. Her havingsuch functionariessent for to the
cook is alwaysgoing off for better wages house, as John Capharttestifiesthat he
and more comfortable quarters; her chamber-maid,
has often been,in Baltimore, what can be
strangely enough,won't agree to said of their influence both on the superior
be chambermaid and seamstress both for and on the inferiorclass1 It is very painful
half wages, and so she deserts. Marie's indeed to contemplate thissubject Ṭhe
kitchen-cabinet, therefore, is always in a mind instinctively shrinks from it ; but still
state of revolution ; and she often declares, it is a very serious question whether it be
with affecting earnestness, that servants not our dutyto encounter this paințhat
the torment of her life. If her husband our sympathies may be quickenedinto more
endeavor to remonstrate, or suggest another active exercise. For this reason, we give
mode of treatment, he is a hard-hearted, here the testimonyof a gentlemanwhose
unfeeling man; "he doesn't love her,and accuracy will not be doubted, and who subjected
she alwaysknew he didn't;"and so he is himself to the pain of being an eyewitness
disposed to a scene of this kind in the calaboose
But,when Marie comes under a system
of laws which givesher absolute control over
seeing the execution mightpossibly
full maturity
at the South than at the North ; but law at
the South distinctly provides for and
protects
send them
the worst abuses to which that nature
is liable.
have no
and violent punishments,
and color with the sufferer.
without even the restraint which When our missionariesfirstwent to India,
produce, it was esteemed a duty among Christian
it is that the character arrives at nations to make themselves acquainted with
Ḥuman nature is no worse the crueltiesand atrocitiesof idolatrous worship,
"
her dependants, which enables her to sep-
them? at her pleasure, from their dearest
familyconnections, or to inflict upon
them the most disgraceful
in New Orleans. As the reader will
perceive from the account, it was a scene of
arate such every-dayoccurrence as not to excite
any particular remark,or any expression of
sympathyfrom those of the same condition
as a means of quickening our
zeal to
the gospel.
If it be said that we in the free states
such interest in slavery, as we do
not supportit,and have no
power to prevent
it,it is replied that slavery does exist
that house-servants are invariably pets; in the Districtof Columbia,which belongs
that young
mistresses are alwaysfond of to the whole United States; and that the
their"mammies,"and young masters alwaysfree states are, before God, guiltyof the
handsome,good-natured
indulgent. crime of continuing itthere,unless theywill
Let any
one in Old Englandor New honestly do what in them liesfor itsextermination.
It is often supposedthat domestic servitude
in slave states is a kind of paradise;
England look about among their immediate
acquaintances, and ask how many there are The subjoined account was written by the
who would use absolute despotic power amiably
benevolentDr. Howe, whose labors in behalf
in a family,especially over a class of the blindhave rendered his name dear to
degradedby servitude, ignorant, indolent, humanity, and was sent in a letter to the
deceitful, provoking, as slaves almost necessarily
Hon. Charles Sumner. If any
one think it
are, and alwaysmust be.
too painful to be perused, let him ask
Let them look into their own hearts, and himself if God will hold those guiltless who
ask themselves if they would dare to be suffer a system to continue, the detailsof
trustedwith such a power. Do they not which theycannot even read. That this
find in themselves temptations to be unjust
to those who are inferiorsand dependants ? we shall by and byproduceother witnesses
Do theynot find themselves temptedto be to show.
irritableand provoked, when the service of
I have passed ten days
their families is negligently performed?
in New Orleans,not
unprofitably, I trust,in examining the public
describes a common scene in the calaboose,

KEY TO UNCLE TOM'S CABIN. 35
"
institutions, the schools,asylums,hospitals, of the galleries ; so low can man, created in God's
prisons, "c. With the exception of the first, image, be sunk in brutality.
there is littlehope of amelioration. I know not
how much merit there may
be in their system ;
but I do know that,in the administration of the
penalcode,there are abominations which should
bring down the fate of Sodom upon the city. If
CHAPTER IX.
Howard or Mrs. Fry ever discovered so ill-administered
a den of thieves as the New Orleans
ST. CLARE.
prisonțhey never described #. In the negro's
apartmentI saw much which made me blush that
I was a white man, and which,for a moment,
stirred up
an evil spirit in my animal nature.
Enteringa largepavedcourt-yard, around which
ran galleries filledwith slaves of all ages, sexes
and colors,I heard the snap of a whip,every
stroke of which sounded like the sharpcrack of a
brother is presented.
pistol Ị turned It has been the writer's
my head, and beheld a sight
object to separate
which absolutelychilled me to the marrow of carefully, as far as possible, the system from
my bones,and gave me, for the first time in my the men. It isher sincere belief that,while
lifețhe sensation of my
hair stiffening at the the irresponsible
roots. There lay a black girl flat power of slaveryis such
upon her face, that no human
on a board,her two thumbs beingoughtever
tied,and fastened to to
possess it,
The poor creature writhed and shrieked,and,in a
voice which showed alike her fear of death and
her dreadful agony,
screamed to her master, who
law. But think you
the poor wretch had committed
a heinous offence,and had been convicted
thereof, and sentenced to the lash? Not at all.
She was broughtby her master to be whippedby
the common executioner, without trial,judge or
jury,just at his beck or nod, for some real or supposed
offence, or to gratify his own whim or malice.
And he may bring her day after day,without
cause assigned, and inflict any number of
lashes he pleasesșhort of twenty-five, provided
noticedit,and many
were entirely indifferentto
it. They went on in their childish pursuits, and
some were laughingoutright the distant parts
dark
It is with pleasure that we turn from the
picturejustpresented, to the character
of the generous and noble-hearted St. Clare,
wherein the fairestpicture of our Southern
one end,her feet tied,and drawn tightly to the probably that power was never exercised
other end,while a strappassedover the small of more leniently than in many
cases in the
her back, and, fastened around the board,compressed
Southern States. She has been astonished
her closely to it. Below the strap she
was entirely naked. By her side,and six feetoff,
stood a huge negro, with a longwhip,which he which attend the earlypossession of
applied with dreadful power and wonderful precision.
power, all the temptations which
Every stroke broughtaway a stripof
skin,which clung to the every reflecting mind must see will arise
lash,or fellquivering on
from the
the pavement,' while the blood
possession of this
followed after it.
power in various
to see how, under all the disadvantages
only he pays the fee. in
Or, if he
society, is he who, thoughhe
choose,he may be
may
have a privatewhipping-board on his own premises,
just, generous and humane,to those whom
and brutalize himself there. A shockinghe considers his equals, is entirely insensible
part of this horrid punishmentwas itspublicity, to the wants, and sufferings, and common
as I have said ; it was in a court-yardsurrounded
by galleries, which were
humanity,of those whom he considersthe
filledwith colored persons
of all sexes,
"
runaway slaves,committed for
lower orders. The sufferings of a countess
gome crime,or slaves up for sale. You would would make him weep ; the sufferings of a
naturallysuppose they crowded forward,and seamstress are quiteanother matter.
gazed,horror-stricken, at the brutal spectacle On the other hand, the democrat isoften
below ; but they did not ; many of them hardlyfound in the highestposition of life. To
arbitrary
forms țhere are often developedsuch fine
and interesting
traitsof character. To say
that these cases are common, alas! isnot in
stood at her head,"0, spare my life! don't cut
our
my soul out!" But still fell the power. Men know human nature too
horrid lash;
stillstrip after strippeeled off from the skin well to believe
;
us, if we should. But the
gash after gash was cut in her livingflesh,until more dreadful the evilto be assailed, the
it became a lividand bloody mass of raw and quiveringmore
carefulshould we be to be justin our
muscle. It was with the greatestdifficulty apprehensions, and to balance the horror
I refrained from springing upon the torturer,and
arresting his lash which certain abuses must
; but,alas ! what could I do,
necessarily excite,
but turn aside to hide my tears for the sufferer, by a considerationof those excellent
and my blushes for humanity? This was in a and redeemingtraitswhich are often found
public and regularly-organized prison; the punishmentin
individuals connected with
was one recognizedand authorized by the system.
the The twin brothers, Alfred and Augustine
St. Clare,representtwo classes of men
which are to be found in all countries.
They are the radically aristocratic and
democratic men. The aristocratby position
is not always the aristocrat by nature, and
vice versa ; but the aristocrat by nature,
whether he be in a higher or lower position
this man, superiority to his brother is a
which he can never boldlyand nakedlyas-
thing

one
36 KEY TO UNCLE TOM'S CABIN.
sert without a secret pain. In the lowest man rejectsit in speculationḤow free in practice
and humblest walk of life, he from conscientiousmotives !
acknowledges
the sacredness of a common humanity; and Would any
one believe that I am master of
however degradedby the slaves of my own purchase? I am drawn along
opinions and in by the generalinconvenience of livinghere without
stitutionsof societyany particular class them. I will not,I cannot, justify it. However
may be, there is an instinctive feeling
culpablemy conduct,I will so far pay my
devoir to virtue as to own the excellence and rectitude
of her precepts, and lament my want of
his soul which teaches him that they are
men of like passions with himself. Such
men have a penetration which at once sees
throughall the falseshows of outward custom
which make one man so dissimilarto
men and women are alike ; and there is no
rightover another order,
tears and sufferings of one are not justas
good as those of another order.
or that the
That such men are to be found at the
gives
South in the relation of slave-masters, that
a gloomyprospec to futuretimes .'
when so found theycannot and willnot be What a sorrowful thingit is that such
deluded by any of the shams and sophistry men livean inglorious life, drawn alongby
wherewith slaveryhas been defended, that the generalcurrent of society, when they
they look upon it as a relicof a barbarous oughtto be itsregenerators ! Has God endowed
age, and utterly
apologists, we can abundantly
scorn and contemn all its them with such nobleness of soul,
show. Many such clearness of perception, Br nothing 1
of the most illustriousSouthern men of the Should theyțo whom
Revolution were of this class, and
many powers
men of distinguished position of laterday
of insight and feeling, live as allthe
world live?
have entertained the same sentiments. Southern men of this class have often
Witness the following letterof Patrick risen up to reprove the men of the North,
Henry țhe sentiments of which are so much when they are drawn in to apologize for the
an echo of thoseof St. Clarethat the reader system of slavery Ṭhus, on one occasion,
of the
from one of the northern
might suppose
one to be a
copy
other :
LETTER OF PATRICK ITENRY.
introduced in the most enlightened ages. Times
that seem to have pretensions to boast of high
and refined
conformity to them.
I believe a time will come when an opportunity
will be offered to abolish this lamentable evil.
Everything we can do is to improveit,if it happens
in our day;
another, to those greatgenericapabilities,
if not, let us transmit to our
descendants,
sorrows, wants and together
weaknesses,
with wherein all
our slaves,a pity for
their unhappylot,and an abhorrence for slavery.
If we cannot reduce this wished-for reformation
to practice, let us
lenity
treat the unhappyvictims with
Ịt is the furthest advance we can make
towards justice.It is a debt we owe to the purity
of our religion, to show that it is at variance with
that law which warrants slavery.
I know not when to stop. I could say many
things on the subject,a serious view of which
he has givensuperior
a representative
states, a gentlemannow occupyingthe very
highestrank of distinctionand officialstation,
language
used in Congressthe following
such thingas making them realizethat one
order of human beingshave any prescriptive
Hanover,January\%th,1773.
:
Dear Sir : I take this opportunity to acknowledge
the receiptof Anthony Benezet's book The greatrelationof servitude,in some form or
agains the slave-trade ; I thank you for it. Is other,with greater
it not a littlesurprising
or less departurefrom the theoretic
that the professorsof equality
Christianity,
of men, is inseparable from our
whose chief excellence consists in nature. Domestic slavery is not,in my judgment,
softening the human heart,in cherishing and improving
to be set down as an immoral or irreligious relation.
its finer feelings, should encourage a
The slaves of this country are better
practiceso totallyrepugnant to the first impressions
clothed and fed than the peasantryof some of
of right and wrong? "What adds to the the most prosperous states of Europe.
wonder is țhat this abominable practice has been
He was answered by Mr. Mitchell, of
Tennessee, in these words :
"
worse fed,worse
improvementsin the arts and sciences,
morality,have brought into generaluse, and Sir,I do not go the lengthof the gentleman
guardedby many laws,a speciesof violenceand from Massachusetts,and hold that the existence
tyranny which our more rude and barbarous,but of slaveryin this country is almost a blessing.
more honest ancestors detested. Is it not amazingOn the contrary, I am firmlysettled in the opinion
that at a time when the rights of humanity are that it is a greatcurse, of the greatest that
defined and understood with precision, in a country could have been interwoven in our system. I,
above all others fond of "
liberty, that in such an Mr. Chairman,am one of those whom these poor
age and in such a country we findmen professing wretches call masters. I do not task them ; I
a religion the most mild,humane, gentle and feed and clothe them well ; but yet, alas ! theyare
generous, adopting such a principle, as repugnant slaves,and slavery is a curse in any shape. It is
to humanity as it is inconsistentwith the Bible, no doubt true that there are
persons in Europe far
and destructiveto liberty Everythinking, honest more degraded than our
"
slaves,

that
"
by
for
KEY TO UNCLE TOM'S CABIN.
37
clothed,"c. ; but, sir țhis is far from provingat Glasgow,Kentuckyțhe copy before us conveying
that negroes ought to be slaves.
The
celebratedJohn Randolph, of Roanoke,
said in Congress,
one occasion :
Sir,I envy neither the heart nor the head of
that man from the North who riseshere to defend
The book comprises the usuallyquotedfacts associated
the Scriptures, accompaniedby the opinions and
slavery on principle.
arguments of another man in relation thereto.
And this sort of thingmay go
on to the end' of
The following lines from the will of this time. It can
accomplishnothingtowards the
eccentric man show that thisclear sense of perpetuationof slavery. The book is called
"
justice, which is a gift of Bible Defence of Slavery;
superior natures,
and Origin, Fortunes,
and History, of the NegroRace." Bible defence
at last producedsome appropriate fruitsin of slavery ! There is no such thingas a Bible
practice :
defence of slavery at th" presentday. Slaveryin
the United States is a social institution, originating
J giveto my slaves their freedomțo which in the convenience and my
cupidity of our ancestors,
conscience tellsme theyare justlyentitled. It has existingby state laws and recognized to a
a long time been a matter of the deepestregre to
"
certain extent the recovery of slave property
me, that the circumstances under which I inherited
the constitution. And nobodywould
them, and the obstacles thrown in the pretendthat,if it were inexpedient and able
way by the laws of the for
land,have prevented my
any
man or,
any state to continue to hold
them in my life-time, which it is slaves,they would be bound to do so, on the
South, and which justifies slaverydirectly
from the Bible, cannot be sufficiently
regretted.
The book before us exhibits
Such men are shocked to find
greatresearch,but
is obnoxious to severe criticism, on account of its
their spiritual teachers less conscientiousgratuitous
assumptions Ṭhe writerisconstantly
than themselves ; and if the Biblical argument
assumingthis,that,and the other. In a work of
succeeds in this
bewildering them,it sort, produces
a " "
doubtless" this,and no doubt"
scepticism with the other,and
regardto the Bible
" such is our belief," with respect
to importantpremises, will not be acceptable to
itself. Professor Stowe states that,duringthe intelligent reader. Many of the positions assumed
hisresidencein Ohio,he visitedat the house
are ludicrous ; and the fancyof the writer
of a gentlemanwho had once been runs to a Virginian
exuberance in putting words and speeches
planter, and
into the mouths of the
duringthe first
ancients,predicated upon
years the brief record of Scripture history
of his life was an avowed sceptic Ḥe
Ṭhe argument
from the curse of Ham is not worth the paper
stated that his scepticismwas entirely it is written upon. It is justequivalent to that
"
referableto thisone cause, hisminister
of Blackwood's Magazine,we remember examining
had constructeda scriptural argument
in defence of slaverywhich he was unable
the assurance that it is the "fifth edition"
stereotyped."And we have no doubt it is ; and
the fiftieth edition may be published ; but it will
amount to nothing, for there is nothingin it.
with the history of
slavery as recorded in
to carry our
pages, from the pen of Rev. Josiah Priest, itourselves as our fatherAdam did. With a little
A.M.,and published by Rev. W. S. Brown, M.D., more common
sense, and much lessof the uncom-
unprofit-
emancipating
my
full intention to do in case I can
groundof a "Bible defence" of it.
accomplish
Slaveryis
it.
recorded in the Bible,and approved,with many
degradingcharacteristics. War is recorded in
The influence on such minds as these of
the Bible,and approved,under what seems to us
the extreme of
that kind of theological teaching which
cruelty Ḅut are slavery and war
prevails
to endure forever,because we find them in the
in the majorityof pulpitsat the Bible 1 Or, are they to cease at once and forever,
because the Bible inculcates peace and brotherhood?
some
years since,in referenceto the admission
of Rothschild to Parliament. The writer maintained
the religious obligation of the Christian
public to perpetuate the political disabilitiesof
the Jews,because it would be resisting the Divine
will to remove them, in view of the "curse"
which the aforesaid Christian Pharisee understood
to answer, and that his moral sense was so
shocked by the idea that the Bible defended
such an atrocious systemțhat he became an
entireunbeliever, and so continued until he
to be levelledagainst the sons of Abraham.
came under the ministration of a clergymanAdmittingthat God lias cursed both the Jewish
in Ohio,who succeeded in presenting to him race and the descendants of Ham, He is able to
the true scriptural view of the subject Ḥe
fulfilHis purpose, though the " rest of mankind"
should in all
immediately threw aside his
things
scepticism, and
act up to the benevolent precepts
of the "Divine law." Man may very
became a member of a Christianchurch.
safely cultivate the highestprinciples of the
So we hear the Baltimore Sun, a
paper
Christian dispensation, and leave God to work out
in a slave state, and no way suspected of the fulfilment of His curse.
leaning towards abolitionism, thus
According to the same book and the same
scornfully
logic,
all mankind being
disposing of the scriptural
under a "
curse,"none of us
argument : oughtto work out any alleviationfor ourselves,
and we are sinningheinously
harnessingsteam to
Messrs. Burgess,Taylor " Co.,Sun Iron Building,
the performance of manual labor,cuttingwheat by
send us a
copy of a work of imposing exterior,
McCormick*s diablerie, and laying hold of the lightning
a handsome work of nearlysix hundred
messages for us, instead of footing

'
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
mon sort,we should better understand Scripture,
the institutions under which we live țhe several
rights of our fellow-citizensin all sections of the "not
country, and the good,sound, practical, social
relations, which ought to contribute infinitely more
than theydo to the happiness of mankind.
If the reader wishes to know what kind me to preach to his slaves,but would do more.
of preaching it is that St. Clare alludes He would be
to,
willing to build me a house,furnish
me a garden,and
when he says he can learn what is ample provisionfor a
support.
quite as
Because, he would conclude, verilyțhat this
much to the purpose
from the Picayune, preacherwould be ivorth more to him than a dozen
and that such scriptural expositions of \overseers. But, suppose, then,he would tell me
their peculia relations don't edify him | that he had understood that the tendency of the
jgospelwas to abolish
much,he is referredto the slavery, and inquireof me if
following extract
from a sermon preached in New jthat was the fact. Ah ! this is the rub. He has
Orleans,by I now cornered me. What shall I say ? Shall I,
the Rev. Theophilus Clapp. Let our reader like
, a dishonest man, twist and dodge,and shift
now imagine that he sees St. Clare seatedin and turn, to evade an answer? No. I must,
the front slip, waggishlytaking notes
Kentuckian like,come
of the
out,broad,flat-footed, and
tell him that abolitionis the tendencyof
following specimenof ethicsand humanity.
the gospel.
"What am I now to calculate upon ? I have
told the man that it isthe tendencyof the gospel
Let all Christian teachers show our servants to make him so
the importance of poor as to obligehim to take hold
beingsubmissive,obedient,industrious,
of the maul and wedgehimself;he must catch,
honest and faithful to the interestsof
curry, and saddle his own horse ; he must black
their masters. Let their minds be filled with his own brogans(forhe will not be able to buy
sweet anticipations of rest eternal beyond the boots). His wife must go, herselfțo the washtub,
take hold of the scrubbing-broom, wash
grave. Let them be trained to direct their views
to that fascinating and gloriousfuturity, where the pots, and cook all that she and her railmauler
the sins,sorrows, and troubles of earth, will be will eat.
contemplated under the aspectof means indispensable
Is it to be Query." expected that
to our everlasting progress in knowledge,
a master ignorant
heretofore of the tendency of the gospel
virtue and happiness. I would say to every slave would fall so desperately in love with it,from a
in the United States, " You should realizethat a
knowledge of
wise,kind, and merciful Providence has appointed
its tendency, that he would encourage
the preaching of it among his slaves ?
for you your conditionin life ; and,all things considered,
Verily, NO.
you could not be more eligibly situated. But suppose, when he put the last questionto
The burden of your care, toilsand responsibilities,
ismuch lighter than that which God has me,
imposed
as to its tendency, I could and would,without
a twist or quibblețell him,plainly and candidly,
on
your master. The most enlightened philanthropists,
that it was a slander on the gospel to say that
with unlimited resources, could not
emancipation or abolitionwas its legitimate tendency.
placeyou in a situationmore favorable to your
I would tell him that the commandments
present and everlasting welfare than that which of some men, and not the commandments of God,
you now occupy.
You have your
troubles. So made slavery a sin. "
Smylieon Slavery, p. 71.
have all. Remember how evanescent are the
of human life."
pleasures and joys
But, as Mr. Clappwill not,perhaps, be
accepted as a representation of orthodoxy,
St. Clare would receive such expositions of
let him be supposed to listen to the following
the gospel. It is to be remarked that this
declarations of the Rev. James Smylie,
tract does not contain the opinions of one
a clergyman of greatinfluence in the Presbyterian
man only, but that it has in its appendix a
church,in a tract upon slavery,
letter from two ecclesiastical bodies of the
which he states in the introduction to have Presbyterian churchșubstantially endorsing
been written with particular reference to itssentiments.
removing the conscientious scruples of religious
any Can one wonder that a man like St.
is to make his slaves honest,trustyand faithful;
not serving " with eye service, as men pleasers,"
purloining, but showing all goodfidelity."
"
And isthis,"he would ask,"really the tendency
of the gospel?" I would answer, Yes. Then I
mightexpect that a man who had a thousand
slaves,if he believed me, would not onlypermit
One can imaginethe expression of
countenance and tone of voice with which
people in Mississippi and Louisiana,
Clare should put such questions as these ?
with regard to its propriety.
"Is what you
hear at church religion? Is
(
that which can bend and turn, and descend
If I believed,or was of opinion, that it was
the legitimatendency of the gospelto abolish
;ish,worldlysociety, religion ? Is that reli-
and ascendțo fit every crooked phaseof self-
slavery, how would I approach a man, possessing
as many
slaves as Abraham had,and tell him I
gion,which islessscrupulous,
generous,
wished to obtain his permission to preachto his less just, lessconsideratefor man, than even
slaves?
jmy own ungodly,worldly, blinded nature 1
Suppose the man to be ignorant of the gospel, |No ! When I look for a religion, I must
and that he would inquireof me what was my
object. I would look for something tell him candidly(and above me, and not someithing
beneath."
every
minister ought to be candid)that I wished to
preach the gospel, because its legitimatendency
I The character of St. Clare was drawn by

there
the writer with enthusiasm and with hope.
Will thishopenever be realized1 Will those
men at the South,to whom God has given
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 39
b,thepower to perceive and the heart to
feel the unutterable wrong and injustice of
slavery, alwaysremain silentand inactive?
What nobler ambition to a Southern man whether this awful power to bind and to
from this disc-race
to open and to shut the kingdom of
than to deliver his country
1 From the South must the deliverer
in the community, without any
which will not fade : it isprepared
arise. How long shall he delay? There
is a crown brighter than any earthly ambition
"
has ever worn, is a laurel
and waiting
eyes around the world. Let him travel for
for that hero who shallrise up
one forliberty week throughany district of country
and freethat noble and beautiful
either in the South or the North,and ask
country from the burden and disgrace himself how many
of the men whom he
atthe South,
of slavery.
CHAPTER X.
As St. Clare and the Shelbysare the
may not meddle with the body, to prescribe
representatives of one class of masters,so for itsailments, without a certificatethat he
Legreeisthe representative of another ; and, is properlyqualified. The judgemay
not
as all goodmasters are not as enlightened, decide on the laws which relateto property,
as
generous, and as considerate, as St. Clare without a long course of training, and most
and Mr. Shelby, or as carefuland successful
abundant preparation. It is only thisoffice
in religious training as Mrs. Shelby, of master, which contains the power to bind
so all bad masters do not unite the personal and to loose, and to open and shut the kingdom
uglinessțhe coarseness and profaneness, of heaven,and involves responsibility
of Legree.
for the soul as well as the body, that is
Legreeisintroduced not for the sake of thrown out to every hand,and committed
vilifying masters as a class, but forthe sakeof without inquiry to any man of any character.
bringing to the minds of honorable Southern A man may
have made all his propertyby
men, who are masters, a very important feature
piracyupon the highseas, as we have represented
in the system of slavery, upon which,
in the case of Legree, and there is
perhaps,theyhave never reflected. It is no law whatever to prevent his investing
that property in acquiring thisabsolute control
over the soulsand bodies of his fellowbeings.
To the half-maniacdrunkard țo the
the absolute power of master is granted.
In the second partof this book it will be man notorious for hardness and cruelty, to
shown that the legalpower
of the master the man sunk entirely below publicopinion,
amounts to an absolute despotism over body to the bitterinfideland blasphemer, the law
and soul ; and that there is no protection for confides this power, justas freely as to the
the slave'slife or
man on earth.
this: that no Southern law requiresany
test of character from the man to whom
limb,his familyrelations, most honorable and religious
his conscience, nay, more, his eternal interests,
And yet, men who make and uphold these
but the character of the master. laws think they are guiltless before God,
Rev. Charles C. Jones, of Georgia, in because individually theydo not perpetrate
addressing masters țellsthem that they have
the power to open the kingdomof heaven
or to shut itțo their slaves{ReligiousInstruction
To the pirateLegree the law gives a power
of the Negroes, p. 158), and a
South Carolinian,
a recent articlein Fraser's
Magazine,apparently
a
spirit, thus acknowledges
awful power :
very serious
the fact of this
' '
Yes, we would have the
whole South to feel that the sotd of the
slave is in some sense in the master's keeping,
him hereafter.1'
and to be chargedagainst
Now, it is respectfully submitted to men
of this highclass,who are the law-makers,
loose,
heaven,ought to be intrustedto every man
other qualification
than that of property to buy. Let
this gentlemanof South Carolina cast his
"
meets are fitto be trustedwith this power,
how many
are fitto be trusted with their own
souls,much less with those of others 1
Now, in all the theory of government as
it is managed in our country,just in proportion
to the extent of power is the strictness
with which qualification for the proper
exercise of it is demanded. The physician
the wrongs which theyallow others to perpetrate
!
which no man of woman born,save One,
ever was goodenoughto exercise.
Are there such men as Legree ? Let
any one go into the low districtsand dens
of New York, letthem e;o into some of the

Isham
two
40
KEY TO UNCLE TOMS CABIN.
"
"
"
"
lanes and alleys of London,and will they
was missing. About two years after,we learned
not there see many Legrees1 Nay, take that he had gone down to Natchez,and had married
the purest districtof New a
England, and let lady of some refinement and piety. I saw
people cast about in their her lettersto his sisters, who were
worthy
memory and see of the church of which I was pastor.
if there have not been men there,hard,
last lettertold of his death. He was in Jackson's""
coarse, unfeeling, brutal, who, if they had army, and fell in the famous battle of New Orleans.
possessed power of I
Legree,
am, sir, your friend,
Wm. Dickey.
would have used it in the same way ; and
that there should be Legreesin the Southern
But the reader will have too much reason
States, is onlysayingthathuman nature to know of the possibility of the existence
is the same therethat itiseverywhere. The of such men as Legree, when he comes to
only differenceis this, that in free states read the recordsof the trialsand judicial
Legree is chained and restrained by law ;
decisionsin Part II.
in the slave states,the law makes him an Let not the Southern countrybe taunted
absolute, irresponsible despot.
as the onlycountry in the world which produces
It is a shocking task to confirm by fact such men ; let us in sorrow and in
this part of the writer's story. One may humilityconcede that such men are found
well approachit in fear and trembling Ịt everywhere ; but letnot the Southern country
is so mournful to think that man, made in denythe awful chargethat she invests
the image of God, and by his human birth such men with absolute, irresponsible power
a brother of Jesus Christ,can sink so low,
over both the bodyand the soul.
can do such thingsas the very soul shudders
With regard to that atrocious system of
to contemplate, and to think that the working up the human being in a given
very man who thus sinksisour brother, is time,on which Legreeisrepresented as conducting
capable, like us, of the renewal by the Spirit hisplantation, there isunfortunately
be created in
of grace, by which he might
the image of Christ and be made equal unto
the angels. They who uphold
the laws
which grant this awful power have another under the head of Labor, p. 39,are given
heavy responsibility, of which they little several extracts from various documents țo
dream. How many soulsof masters have show that this system has been pursued on
been ruined throughit ! How has this absolute
some plantations to such an extent as to shorten
authorityprovoked and developed life,and to preventthe increase of the
wickedness which otherwise mighthave been slave population, so that,unless annually
suppressed ! How many have stumbled into renewed,itwould of itselfdie out. Of these
everlasting perdition over
goodold father visited him in the prison" two or
three times talked and prayedwith him ; I visited
him once invself. We fondlyhoped that he was
a sincere penitent. Before the day of execution
came, by some means, I never knew what, Isham
too much reason to know that it has been
practised and is stillpractised.
In Mr. Weld's book, ': Slavery as It Is,"
this stumbling-
documents we cpiote the following :
stone of IRRESPONSIBLE POWER !
The
What facts do the judicial trialsof slaveholdingstates
occasionally develop ! What
in its report,published in 1829, furnishes a
Agricultural Societyof Baton
Rouge,La.,
labored estimate of the amount of expenditure
horriblerecords defilethe pages of the lawbook,
necessarily incurred in conducting
" a well-regulated
describing unheard-of scenes of torture sugar estate." In this estimate țhe annual
net loss of
and agony, perpetrated in this nineteenth
slaves, over and above the supplyby
centuryof the Christian era, by the irresponsible
propagation, is set down at two and a half pek
cent. ! The late Hon. Josiah S. Johnson, a member
despot who owns the bodyand soul ! of Congress from Louisiana, addressed a letter
Let any
one read,if theycan, the to the
ninetythird
page of Weld's Slavery as It 1830,containing
Secretary of the United States' Treasury, in
Zs,where
a similar estimate,apparently
made with great care, and goinginto minute
the Rev. Mr. Dickeygivesan account of a
details.
trial in Kentucky for a deed Many items in this estimate differfrom
of butcherythe
preceding ; but the estimate of the annual
and blood too repulsive to humanityto be decrease of the slaves on a plantationwas the
here described. The culprit was convicted,
"
same, and a half per cent. !
In September,1834,the writer of this had an
and sentenced to death. Mr. Dickey'sinterview with James G. Birney,Esq., who then
account of the finaleis thus :
resided in Kentucky,havingremoved, with his
family,from Alabama, the year before. A few
"
The Court sat was judged to be guiltyhours before that interview,and on the morning
of a capital crime in the affairof George. He was of the same day, Mr. B. had spent a coupleof
to be hanged at Salem. The day was set. My hours with Hon. Henry Clay,at his residence,
near Lexington Ṃr. Birney remarked that Mr.
Clay had justtold him he had latelybeen led to
mistrust certain estimates as to the increase of
the slave population in the far estimates
South-west,"
which he had presented, I think,in a

declared
Hon.
" statedthe
speechbefore the Colonization Society.He now
believed that the births among the slaves in that
quarter were not equalto the deaths ; and that,of
memorandum made at the time by
ney, with which he has kindlyfurnished us.
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 41
"
"Sept.16,1834. H. Clay,in a conversation
at his own house on the subjectof slavery, the use of the whip. I was anxious to see him ;
informed me that Hon. Horsey"
Outerbridge
formerly
and trusted that some discovery had been made
a senator in Congressfrom the State of favorable to humanity. I asked him how he was
Delaware,and the owner of a sugar plantation in able to dispense with corporalpunishment. He
"
Louisiana to him that his overseer replied to me, with a very determined look, ' The
worked his hands so closelythat one of the women slaves know that the work must be done, and that
brought forth a child whilst engagedin the labors it is better to do it without punishmentthan with
of the field.
it.' In other words, the certainty and dread of
" Also that, a few years since,he was at a chastisement were so impressed on them that they
brick-yard in the environs of New Orleans, in never incurred it.
which one hundred hands
"
were employed; among
I then found that the slaves on this wellmanagedestate
decreased in number. I asked the
them were from twenty to thirtyyoung women, in
the primeof life. He was told by the proprietor cause. He replied, with perfectfrankness and
that there had not been a child born among
them
for the last two or three years, althoughthey allhad estate.' In other words, they were not equal to
husbands."
the work of the plantation, and yetwere made to
The late Mr. Samuel Blackwell,a highly-drespected citizen of JerseyCity,opposite the "
it,though with the certainty of abridging life.
city On this plantation the huts were uncommonly
of New York, and a member of the Presbyterianconvenient. There was an unusual ah- of neatness.
church,visited many of the sugar plantations in
A superficial observer would have called
Louisiana a few years since ; and having,for the slaves happy. Yet they were living under a
many years, been the owner of an extensive and
sugar severe,
were over-worked
refineryin England,and subsequently in this to a degree that shortened "
life." Channing on
country, he had not onlyevery facility afforded Slavery,page 162, firstedition.
him by the planters for personalinspection of all
of the
f)arts process of sugar-making, but received A friend of the the Rev. Mr.
writer"
rom them the mosiv unreserved communications
Barrows, now officiating as teacher of
as to their management of their slaves. Mr. B.,
after his return, frequentlymade the
Hebrew in Andover
following
Theological
statement to gentlemen of his in conversation with
"
acquaintance:
Seminary
following,
" That the plantersgenerally declared to him her :
"
That,while at New Orleans, some
that theywere obliged so to overwork their slaves, time since,he
during the was invitedby
sugar-making season (from a planter to
eightto
ten weeks), as to use them tip
in seven or
visithis estate,as he considered it to be a
eight
years. For,said they,after the process is commenced,
model one. He found good dwellings for
it must be pushed,without cessation, the slaves, abundant provision distributedto
night and day; and we cannot afford to keep a
them, all cruel punishmentsuperseded by
sufficientnumber of slaves to do the extra work at
the time of sugar-making, as we could rational and reasonable not profitably
ones, and half a day
employ them the rest of the year." every week allowed to the negroes to cultivate
Dr. Demming, a gentleman of highrespectability,
their own Provisionwas grounds.
also
residing in Ashland,Richland County,Ohio, made for their moral and religious instruction.
stated to Professor Wright,of New York city,
Mr. Barrows then asked the
"
That,duringa recent tour at the South,while
planter,
"
ascendingthe Ohio river,on the steamboat Fame,
Do you consider your estate a fairspecimen'?"
he had an opportunity of conversing with a Mr.
The gentlemanreplied, "There
Dickinson,a resident of Pittsburg, in company are two systemspursuedamong us. One
with a number of cotton-planters and slave-dealers
from Louisiana,Alabama and
is țo make all we can out of a
negro
Mississippi.
in a
Mr. Dickinson stated as a fact țhat the sugarplantersupon
the sugar-coastin Louisiana had
ascertained that,as it was usually necessary to
employ about twice the amount of labor during the
boiling
season that was requiredduringthe season
of raising,
day and night,duringthe boilingseason, accomplish
statement was substantially admitted
by the
slave-holders then on board."
The followingtestimonyof Rev. Dr. Channing,
course, the slavepopulation, independentof immigration
of Boston, who resided some time in Virginia,
from the slave-selling states,was not sustaining
shows that the over-working of slaves țo such an
itself.
extent as to abridgelife,and cause a decrease of
Among other factsstated by Mr. Claywas the population, is not confined to the far South and
following, which we
copy verbatim from the original
South-west.
Mr. Bir-
" I heard of an estate managed by an individual
who was considered as singularlysuccessful,
and who was able to govern the slaves without
pursues the opposite system. His boys are
they could,by excessive
hard worked and
driving,
scantily fed ; and I have
had them come to me, and get down on their
the whole labor ivith one set of hands. By knees to begme to buy them."
pursuing this plan,theycould afford to sacrifice a
Mr. Barrows
set of hands once in seven years ! He furtherstated
says he subsequently
that this horrible system was now practisedto a
by this plantation, and
considerable extent ! The correctness of this
ease,
'
The gang is not largeenough
subduingdiscipline,
for the
few years, and then supply his placewith
another ; and the other is țo treat him as I
do. My neighbor on the next plantation
dejected
passed
that the woe-struck,
aspect of itslaborers fullyconfirmed

doctorin'on
"
which
now
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
the account. He also says that the "And make the nightjointlaborer with the
gentleman
day ;"
who managed so benevolently told him. though, to lightenthe burden as much as possible,
the gang is divided into two watches, one
"I do not make much money out of my
slaves."
It will be easy to show that such is the
nature of slavery, and the temptations of
masters, that such well-regulated
If even the religious and benevolentmaster
feels the difficulty of unitingany great
consideration for the comfort of the slave
women, compelled day and night,
under the lash of a driver,for a period of
with prudence and economy, how readilythree months.
must the moral question by minds Possibly, ifthe gentlemanwho wrote this
of the coarse style of thoughtwhich we have account were employed, with his wife and
supposedin Legree!
family, in this "cheerful scene" of labor,
"I used to,when I fust begun,have considerable
trouble fussin' with 'em, and tryingto make
'em hold "
out, 'em up when they's
soul, forced on in the generalgang, in this
sick,and givin' on 'em clothes,and blankets,and toilwhich
what not, trying to keep 'em all sort o' decent
"
and comfortable. Law, 'twant no sort o' use ; I Does not divide the Sabbath from the week,
lost money
on 'em, and 'twas heaps o' trouble. And makes the nightjointlaborer with the day,"
Now, you see, I justput 'em straighthrough,
"
sick or well. When one nigger'sdead, I buy possibly, ifhe saw all this,he might have
another ; and I find it comes cheaperand easier another opinion of its cheerfulness ; and it
every way."
"When
has once commenced, there
cessation of labor tillit is completed.From
is no
the grinding
beginning to end a busy
work
The
negroes,
"
WTiose sore task
Does not divide the Sunday from the week,"
from eighteen to twentyhours,
and cheerful scene continues.
takingthe firstand the other the last part of the
night;and,notwithstanding this continued labor,
the negroes improvein appearance, and appear
fat and flourishingṪhey drink freely of canejuice,and
the sickly among them revive,and
"
"
"
plantations
are and must be infinitely
the
become robust and
minority,
healthy.
After the
and grinding
exceptional
finished, the
cases.
negroes have
several holidays, when theyare quite
The Rev. Charles C. Jones,a man of the
liberty dance and frolicas much as
finest feelings humanity, and for theyplease; and the
many cane-song
is improvisedby one of the
years an assiduous laborer for the benefitof gang, the rest all joining
prolongedand unin
the slave,himself the owner of a plantation,
telligible chorus breaks,night and day,
and qualified, therefore, to judge, both upon
by
ear, in notes "
most musical,most melancholy."
experience and observation, says, after speaking
of the greatimprovidence of the
The above is inserted as a
negroes,
specimen of the
engendered by slavery
facility with which the most horriblefacts
:
may be told in the genteelest phrase. In a
And, indeed,once for all,I will here say
that
work entitled "Travels in Louisiana in
the wastes of the system are so great, as well as
1802" is the
the fluctuationin prices of the staple articles for
following extract (seeWeld's
"
market, that it is difficult, nay, impossible, to indulge
Slaveryas It Is," p. 134), from which it
in largeexpenditureson plantations, and
appears that this cheerfulprocess of laboring
make them savinglyprofitable. Religious night and daylaststhree months
p. 11C.
!
Now, let any
one learn the privatehistory
of seven hundred blacks, men and
if he saw the woman that he loved,the
daughter who was dear to him as his own
might be an eminentlysalutarythingif
Added to thisțhe peculiar mode of labor every apologist for slaverywere to enjoy
on the sugar plantation is such that the
some
master,
such privilege for a season, particularly
at a certain season of the as Mr. year, must Ingrahamis careful to tell us that
over-work his slaves, unless he is itseffect
willing to
upon the general health isso excellent
incur
'
greatpecuniary loss. In that that the
very
negroes improve in appearance,
gracefully written apology for slavery, Professor
and appear
fat and flourishing, and that the
Ingraham's "Travels in the Southwest,"
sicklyamong them revive,and become
the following description of
robust and sugarmakingis
given.We quote from him in surprising fact,if working slaves night and
healthy. One would think it a
preference to any one else,because he speaksday, and giving them cane-juice to drink,
as an apologist, and describes the thingwith reallyproduce such salutaryresults, that
the grace of a Mr. the
Skimpole.
practice should not be continued the
whole year round ; though,perhaps, in this
case, the negroes would become so fat as to
be unable to labor. Possibly, it is because
this healthful process is not longer continued
thatthe agricultural societiesof Louisiana
are obliged to set down an annual loss of
slaves on
sugar plantations to the amount

'
"
women,
By
"
EEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
of two and a half per cent. This ought to hours each day, nineteen hundred poundsclean cotton.
be looked
When
into any
by philanthropists. Perhaps
of my agricultural friends beat
working them all this,in the same time,and duringsunshine,I will
nightfor six months, tryagain.
Jaues Steward."
instead of three,mightremedythe evil.
But this periodical pressure is not confined
It seems that this agriculturist professes
to the making of sugar. There is also to have accomplished alltheseextraordinary
a
press in the cotton season, as any
one can results with what he very elegantly terms
observe by reading the Southern newspapers. the "fag end" of a set of hands;and, the
At a certain season of the year, the whole more to exalt his gloryin the matter,he
interestof the community is engaged in gatheringdistinctly
informs the public that there were
in the cotton crop. Concerning this no "able-bodied" hands employed; that
Mr. Weld says ("Slaveryas It Is,"page thiswhole triumphant result was worked out
34):
of women and children, and two disabled
In the cotton and sugar regionthere is a fearful
men ; in other words,he boasts that out of
amount of desperategambling, in women and children, and the feeble and
which,
though money is the ostensible stake and forfeit, sickly, he has extracted four thousand eight
human life is the real one. The lengthto which hundred and eightypounds of clean picked
this rivalry is carried at the South and Southwest,
the multitude of planterswho engage in it,
and the recklessness of human life exhibited in
driving the murderous game to its issue,cannot
well be imaginedby one who has not lived in the
midst of it. Desire of gain is onlyone of the
motives that stimulates them ; the eclat of having
made the largestcrop with a givennumber of
hands is also a powerful stimulant ; the Southern
chronicle carefully
newsjDapers, at the crop season,
the " cotton brag," and the " crack cottonpicking,"
and " unparalleled driving," "fcc. Even
the
papers cheer
editors of professedly religious
on the me/ee,and sing the triumphsof the victor.
Among these we recollectthe celebrated Rev. J. editor,
N. .Maffit, recently of a religious paper at
Natchez,Miss.,in which he took care to assigna
prominentplace and capitalsto " the cotton
brag."
As a specimen, of recent date,of thiskind
subjoin the following from
of affair, we
FairfieldHerald^Winsboro',
4, 1852. COTTOX-PICKIXG.
the
S. C, Nov.
We find in many of our southern and western
exchangesnotices of the amount of cotton picked
by hands,and the quantityby each hand : and,
cotton in a day; and that one of these same
hands has been made to picknineteen hundred
poundsof clean cotton in a week ! and
adds,complacently, that,when any of his
agricultural friendsbeat this,in the same
time,and duringsunshine,he " will try
again."
Will any of our readers now considerthe
forcing up of the hands on Legree'splantation
an exaggeration?Yet see how complacently
this account is quotedby the
as a most praiseworthy and
laudable
thing !
""Behold the hire oe the laborers
who have reaped down your fields,
which is of you kept back by fraud,
crieth ! and the cries of them which
have reaped are entered into the
EARS OF THE LORD OF SaBAOTH."
That the representations of the style of
dwelling-house, modes of housekeeping, and,
in short țhe features of life generally, as
described on Legree'splantation, are not
wild and fabulous draftson the imagination,
"
"
as we have received a similar account, which we or exaggerated pictures exceptional cases,
have not seen excelled, so far as regardsthe quantity
there is the most abundant testimony pickedby one hand, we with pleasurefurnish
the world,
the statement, with the remark that it is
long number
from a citizen of
of this district, overseeingfor Mai.
" J years. Let the reader weighthe following
II.W. Parr.
testimony with regard to the dwellings
"Broad River,Oct. 12,1852. of the negroes, which has been for some
"Messrs. Editors: way of contributing years before the world,in the work of Mr.
something to your variety(providedit rneegs your Weld. It shows the state of
approbation), I
things this
send you the return of a day's
picking of cotton,not by pickedhands,but the respect,at least up 40 the year 1888.
fagend of a set of hands on one plantation, the
able-bodied hands havingbeen drawn out for other Mr. Stephen E. Maltby,Inspector of Provisions,
purposes. Now for the result of a day'spicking, Skaneateles, N. Y., who has lived in Alabama.
from sun-up until "
sun-down,by twenty-twohands, The huts where the slavessleptgenerally boys,and two men: " four thousand
but one apartment, and that without floor."
eight hundred and eightypoundsof clean picked Mr. GeorgeA. Avery,elder of the 4th Presbyterian
cotton, from the stalk.
Church, Rochester,N. Y.,who lived four
"The highest, fifty pounds,
by several years in
"
Virginia. Amongst all the
; the negro
lowest,one hundred and fifteen cabins which 1 saw in Virginia, I cannot callto mind
pounds. One of the number has pickedin the last one in which there was any other floor than the
seven and a half days(Sundayexcepted), eleven earth ; anything that a Northern laborer,or

"
"
" When theyreturn to their miserable huts at
night,theyfind not there the means of comfort-
44 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
mechanic,white or colored,would call a
able
bed,nor a
solitarypartition, to separatethe sexes."
William Ladd, Esq.,Minot, Maine, President
of the American Peace Society, formerly a slaveholder
in Florida in 1835.
"
"
"
in Florida. The dwellings of the slaves
were palmettohuts,built by themselves of stakes
and
and poles țhatched with the palmetto-leaf. The
door, when they had any, was generally of the
same materialsșometimes boards found on the
The Rev. C. C. Jones,to whom we have
beach. They had no floors,no separateapartments
alreadyalluded,when taking a survey of
; except the Guinea negroes
had sometimes the condition of the negroes considered as a
a small enclosure for their ' god houses.' These fieldfor missionary effort, takes into account
huts the slaves built themselves after task and on
allthe conditions of their external life. He
Sundays."
Rev. Joseph M. Sadd, pastor Presbyterian speaks of a part of Georgiawhere as much
Church, Castile, Greene Co., N. Y., who lived in attention had been paidto the comfort of the
Missouri five years previous to 1837- "
" The slaves
livegenerally in miserable negro
huts,which as in any part of the United States.
are without
He gives
floors; and have a singleapartment only, the following picture
where
:
both sexes are herded promiscuously together." Their general mode of livingis coarse and vulgar.
Mr. George W. Westgate, member of the Congregational
Many negro houses are small,low to the
church in Quincy,Illinois, who has ground, blackened with smoke, often with dirt
spent a number of in
"
years
slave states. On old floors, and the furniture of the plainest kind. On
plantations the negro quartersare of frame and some estates the houses are framed, weatherboarded,neatlywhite-washed,and
made sufficiently
clapboards, seldom affording a comfortable shelter
from wind or rain ; their size varies from eight large and comfortable in every respect.
by ten to ten by twelve feet,and six or eight feet The improvement in the size,material and finish,
high; sometimes there is a holecut for a window, of negro houses,is extending.Occasionally they
but I never saw a sash,or glass, in any. In the new
may be found constructed of tabbyor brick.
country, and in the woods, the quarters are generally
Religious Instruction of the Negroes,p. 116.
built of logs, of similar dimensions."
Mr. Cornelius Johnson, a member of a Christian Now, admitting what Mr. Jones says, to
church in Farmington,Ohio. Mr. J. lived in wit, that improvements with regardto the
"
Mississippi in
"
1837-8. Their houses were commonly
accommodation of the negroes
are continually
built of logs; sometimes theywere framed,
making
often they had no floor ; some of them have among enlightened and Christian
two
apartments,commonly but one ; each of those peopleștill, if we take into account how
apartments contained a family. Sometimes these many peoplethere are who are neither enlightened
families consisted of a man and his wife and children,
nor Christian, how unproductive
while in other instances persons of both sexes
of
were thrown together, without any regard to family any
benefit to the master all these improvement
are,
relationship."
and how entirely, therefore,
The Western Medical Reformer,in an articleon theymust be the result either of native
the Cachexia Africana,by a Kentuckyphysician, generosity or of Christian sentimentțhe
thus speaks of the huts of the slaves : " They are
crowded together in a small hut, and sometimes
having an imperfect and sometimes no floor, and
seldom raised from the ground, ill ventilated, and
rest ; but on the cold ground they must lie
without covering, and shiver while they slumber."
Philemon Bliss,Esq., Elyria,Ohio,who lived
"
The dwellings of the slaves
are usually small open loghuts, with but one apartment,
very generally icithout floors.'"
Slaveryas It Is, p. 43.
reader may fairly
are
conclude that such improvement
the exception, rather
the rule.
surrounded with filth."
A friend of the writer,travelling in Georgia
Mr. William Leftwich,a native of Virginia, but during the last month,thus writes :
has resided most of his life in Madison Co., Alabama.
"
The dwellings of the slaves are loghuts, Upon the long line of rice and cotton plantations
from ten to twelve feet square, often without extendingalongthe railroad from Savannah
windows, doors or floors ; theyhave neither chairs,
to this city țhe negro quarters contain scarcelya
table,or bedstead."
singlehut which a Northern farmer would deem fit
Reuben L. Macy, of Hudson, N. Y.
,
a member shelter for his cattle. They are all built of poles,
of the religious societyof Friends. He lived in with the ends so slightlynotched that theyare almost
"
South Carolina in 1818-19. " The houses for the
as open as children's cob-houses (whichthey
field-slaves were about fourteen feet square, built very much resemble) ,
without a singleglazed window,
in the coarsest manner, with one room, without and with only one mud chimneyto each cluster
any chimney or flooring,with a hole in the roof to of^roin four to eight cabins. And yet
our fellow-travel
letthe smoke out."
were quietlyexpatiating upon tho
Mr. Lemuel Sapington, of Lancaster,Pa.,a native
negro'sstrangeinability to endure cold weather !
"
slave-holder."
of The
Maryland,formerlya
Let thismodern picture
descriptions generallygiven of negro quarters be comparedwith
are
correct ; the quarters are without floors, and the account
not
givenby the Rev. Horace Moulton,who
spent five years in Georgiabetween
sufficient to keepoffthe inclemencyof the weather ;
they are uncomfortable both in summer and winter."
1817 and 1824,and it will be seen, in that
state at leastțhere is some resemblance between
"
Rev. John Rankin, a native of Tennessee.
than
the more remote and more recent
practice :

the
Two
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
45
The huts of the slaves are mostlyof the poorestslaveshad
nothing from their ?naste?-sbut the corn,
kind. They are not as good as those temporary
or itsequivalentin potatoes or rice ; and to this
shanties which are thrown up beside railroads. they were not permitted to come but once a day.
They are erected with posts and crotches, with The custom was to blow the horn earlyin the
but little or no frame-work about them. They morning, as a signal for the hands to rise and go
have no stoves or chimneys; some of them have to work. When commenced, theycontinue work
something like a fireplace at one end, and a board until about eleven o'clock A. M., when, at the
or two off at that side, or on the roof, to let off signal, all hands left off,and went into their huts,
the smoke. Others have nothinglike a fireplace made their fires, made their corn-meal into hominy
in them ; in these the fireis sometimes made in
or cake, ate it,and went to work again at
the middle of the hut. These buildingshave but the signal of the horn,and worked until night, or
one apartment in them ; the places where they until their tasks were done. Some cooked their
pass in and out serve both for doors and windows ; breakfast in the fieldwhile at work. Each slave
the sides and roofs are covered with coarse, and must grindhis own corn in a hand-mill after he
mode of procedure on the plantation
which he was engaged. It may be here
intimate. There is a homely matter-of-fact
distinctnessin the stylethatforbidsthe idea
of itsbeing a fancysketch ;
it was a generalcustom, wherever I have been,
for the master to give each of his slaves,male who
in
and female,one -peckof corn per week for their food.
endeavoring
This,at fifty
to promote the improvement of
cents per bushel,which was all that
the
it was worth when I was there,would amount to negroes, in his address beforethe Georgia
twelve and a half cents per week forboard per head. Presbytery,
It cost me, upon an average, when at the "
South, The quantityallowed by custom isa peck
one dollar per day for board "
; priceof fourteen
of cor n a weekP'
bushels of corn per week. This would make
my board The
equalin amount to the board
Maryland Journal and Baltimore
offorty-six
slaves! This is allthat goodor bad masters allow Advertiser,
theirslaves,round about Savannah,on the plantations.
peck of corn, or the same measure of rice, is
One peck of gourd-seed corn is to be measured
for a
out to each slave once
every week. One
man with whom I labored,however,being desirous
to get all the work out of his hands he could,
before 1 left (aboutfifty in number), boughtfor
them every week, or twice a week, a beef's head
from market. With this they made a soup in a
large iron kettle,around which the hands came at
meal-time,and dipping out the of
soup, would mix corn a day to a full-task hand,with a
it with their hominy, and eat it as though it modicum of salt ; kind masters allowed a
were a feast. This man permittedhis slaves to
peckof corn a week."
eat twice a day while I was doing a jobfor him. The law of North Carolina
He promised me a beaver hat,and as
provides
good a suit
of clothes as could be bought in the city, if I would
accomplish so much for him before 1 returned to
the North ; givingme the entire control over his
slaves. Thus you may
see the temptationsoverseers
in many instances with refuse boards. In warm has done his work at night. There is generally
weather,especially in the spring țhe slaves keep one hand-mill on
every plantation for the use of
up a smoke, or fireand smoke, all nightțo drive the slaves.
away the gnats and mosquitos, which are
very Some of the planters have no corn ; others often
troublesome in all the low country of the South ; get out. The substitutefor it is the equivalent of
so much so that the whites sleepunder frames one peck of corn, either in rice or sweet potatoes,
with nets over them, knit so fine that the mosquitos
neither of which is as good for the slaves as corn.
cannot flythrough them.
Theycomplain more of beingfaintwhen fed on
Slavery as It Is, p. 19. rice or potatoes than when fed on corn. I was
The same Mr. Moulton givesthe following
with one man a few weeks who me
gave hia
hands to do a job of work,and,to
account of the food of the slaves, and*the
save time,one
cooked for all the rest. The following course was
taken :
"
crotched sticks were driven down at
one end of the yard,and,a small polebeing laid
on the crotches,they
mentioned that at the time he was at the
swung
a large iron kettle on
the middle of the pole;
South he was engagedin certain business
then made up a fireunder
the kettle,and boiled the hominy; when ready,
relationswhich caused him frequently to the hands were called around this kettle with
visitdifferentplantations, and to have under their wooden plates and spoons. They dipped
out and ate
his control many of the slaves. His standing around the kettle, or sitting
opportunities
upon
forobservation, therefore, were quite
the ground, as best suited their convenience.
When they had potatoes,theytook them out with
theirhands,and ate them.
Slavery Is, p. 18.
Thomas Clay,Esq.,a slave-holder of
Georgia,and a most benevolent man, and
interestedhimself very successfully
1883, says
of their food,
May 30,1788, says,
"
A single
the ordinaryprovision hard-working
slave, to which a small quantity meat is
occasionally, thoughrarely, CaptainWilliam Ladd, of Minot,Maine,
formerly Florida, says,
"
The usual allowance of food was a
quart
that
the master shall give his slavea quart of
corn a day,which isle3S than a peck a week
by one quart." Haywood'sManual. 525 ;
Slavery
sometimes have,to get all the work they
as It Is, p.
29. The master,therefore,
who
ean out of the poor slaves. The above is an gave a
exception
peck a week would feel
to the general rule of feeding.For,in all that he was goingbeyondthe law, and giving
other places where I worked and visited țhe
a quart for generosity.

on
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
This condition of thingswill appear
far
more probable in the section of country
where the scene of the storyis laid. It is
in the south-western states,where no
provision
is raised on the plantations, but the
influence upon the master or overseer.
At the time Avhen it was discussed whether
By confining the slavesto the Southern States,
where crops are raised for exportation, and bread
and meat are purchased, you doom them to scarcity
and hunger. It is proposedto hem in the blacks
where they are ill fed. Slaveryas It Is, p. 28.
student,who resided near Natchez,
Miss.,in 1834-5, says
:
On almost every plantation, the hands suffer
more or less from hunger at some seasons of almost
every year. There is always a good deal ofsuffering
from hunger. On many plantations, and par-
in Louisianațhe slaves are in a condition
of almost utter famishmențduring a greatportion
of the year.
" Ibid.
Mr. Tobias Baudinot Șt. Albans,Ohio,
a member of the Methodist Church, who for
was a navigatoron the Mississippi,
some
years
says :
at a distance without touchingit, " but me prefer
ticularly muslin, if you please : muslin de fashion dis
Chrismus."
"
Very well,Jane,call to-morrow,and you shall
sunning
'
The slaves down the Mississippi are half-starved. gratuity,
The boats,when theystop at night, are constantly carpentersfor the
boarded by slaves,begging for somethingto eat.
Ibid.
On the Avhole, while itisfreely and cheerfully
do in no whit impair
admitted that many individualshave "gang" of
made most commendable advances in regard
to the provision for the physical comfort of besides children,
the slaveștillit is to be feared that the
picture of the accommodations on Legree's
plantation has as yet too many counterparts.
Lest,however,the author should be suspected
of keeping back anythingwhich
mightserve to throw lighton the subject,
she will insert in fullthe following incidents
on the other side, from the pen of the accomplished
Professor In graham.How far these
may be regardedas exceptional cases, or as
"
"
"
pictures general mode of providing
supplyfor the slaves is all purchased for slaves, may safely be left to the good
the more northern states.
sense of the reader. The professor's anecdotes
Let the reader now imaginethe various
are as follows :
temptations which might occur to retrench
"What can
the allowance of the slaves,under thesecircumstances
you do with so much tobacco'?"
; scarcity money,
financial
said a gentleman, who related the circumstance
to me, hearing a planter, whom he was visiting,
embarrassment,highprice of provisions, and give an order to his teamster to bring two
various causes of the kind,bring a greathogsheads of tobacco out to the estate from the
"
Landing."
it is a harmless
"
I purchase it for my ; negroes
the State of Missouri should be admitted as
indulgence, which it gives me pleasureto afford
them."
a slave state țhe measure, like all measures
Why are
you at the trouble and expense of
"
for the advancement of this horrible system,
havinghigh-post bedsteads for your negroes?"
was advocated on the good old pleaof humanity
said a gentlemanfrom the North, while walking
through the handsome "
quarters,"or village, to the negroes ; thus Mr. Alexander the slavesțhen in progress on a plantation Smyth, in his speechon the Natchez
slaveryquestion, addressing proprietor.
" To
Jan. 21, suspend
1820,says:
bars ' from,
not be troubled with mosquitos."
that theymay
"
Master,me would like, if you please, bit gallery front my house."
"
For what, Peter?"
"
'Cause,master,the sun too hot [an odd reason
for a negro to give] that side, and when he
rain we no able to keep de door open."
"
Well,well,when a carpentergets a littleleisure,
This is a simplerecognition of the state
of thingswe have adverted to. To the
same purport, Mr. Asa A. Stone,a theo-
you shall have one."
A few.weeks after, I was at the plantation, and
logicalridingpast quarters one Sabbath morning,
beheld Peter,his wife and children,with his old
father,all sunning themselves in the new gallery.
"
Missus, you promise me a Chrismus gif."
"Well, Jane, there is a new calicofrock for
you."
"
It werry pretty,Missus," said Jane,eying it
have a muslin."
The writer would not think of controverting
the truth of these anecdotes.
Any probable
amount of high-postbedsteads and
mosquito " bars,"of tobacco distributed as
and verandas constructed by leisurely
of fastidious
negroes, may be conceded,and they
the truth of the other
facts. When the reader remembers that the
some opulentowners amounts
to from fiveto seven hundred workinghands,
he can judge how extensively
these accommodations are likely to be
provided. Let them be safelythrown into
the account, for what they are worth.
At
all events, it is pleasing to end off so
disagreeable a chapter with some more agreeable
images. [SeeAppendix.]

"
men
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 47
CHAPTER XI.
ever
there is occasion for it;and
SELECT INCIDENTS OF LAWFUL TRADE.
In this chapterof Uncle Tom's Cabin
were recorded some of the most highlywroughtand
touching incidentsof the slave-
or provision of a Southern plantation.
raising
They
trade. It will be well to authenticate a
few of them.
One of the firstsketchespresented to view
is an account of the separation of a
decrepit negro
woman from her young son,
very old,
by a sheriff'sale. The writer is sorry
to
say that not the credit for invention
slightest
is due to her in this incident. She
found it,almost exactlyas it stands,in the
published journalof a
young Southerner,
ago than last summer, the writer was conversing
with Thomas Strother,a slave
minister of the gospel in St. Louis,for
whose emancipation she was
makingsome
effort. He incidentally mentioned to her a
relatedas a scene to which he was eye-wit-
scene which he had witnessed but a short
time before,
woman of his
ness.
The onlycircumstancewhich she has
omitted in the narrative was one of additional
and induces her to go
with him by the deceitfulassertion that she
is to be taken down the river a short distance,
to work at the same hotelwith her
husband. This was an instancewhich occurred
which showed that she had been carefully
and respectably brought up. It will be
seen, in perusingthe account, that the
incidentis somewhat alteredto suit the purpose
of the story,the woman beingthere
represented as
carryingAvithher a younoinfant.
The custom
of
unceremoniously separating
the infantfrom itsmother,when the latter
isabout to be taken from a Northern to a
Southern market,is a matter of
every-day
notoriety in the trade.- It is not
and sometimes, but always,
done oc-
when-
casionally
the mother's
than those
agoniesare no more regarded
of a cow when her calf is separatedfrom
her.
The reason of thisis țhat the care and
of childrenis no partof the intention
are a trouble ; theydetract from the value
of the mother as a field-hand,
it is more
expensiveto raise them than to buy them
readyraised ; theyare thereforeleftbehind
in the making up of a cofiie. Not longer
in which a
young
acquaintance came to him almost in a
inhumanity and
state
painfulness which he of distraction, telling him that she had been
had delineated. He represents the boy as sold
beingboughtby to a planter, who fetteredhis
go South with a trader,and leave
behind her a nursinginfant.
hands,and tied a
rope round his neck which In Lewis Clark's narrative he mentions
he attached to the neck of his horsețhus that a master in his neighborhood sold a
compelling the child to trot by his side. woman and childto a trader, with the charge
This incidentalone was suppressedby the that he should not sell the child from its
author.
mother. The man, howeverțraded off the
Another scene of fraud and cruelty, in child in the very next town,
the same chapter,
in payment
is described of
as perpetrated his tavern-bill.
by a Kentuckyslave-master, who sellsa The following testimony is from a gentleman
woman to a trader,
who writesfrom New Orleans to the
National Era.
This writer says
:
"While at Robinson,or TyrcoSprings,twenty
miles from
under the writer's
Nashville, on the borders of own observation,
Kentucky
and Tennessee,
some
years since, when my hostess said to me, one
she
day,
was goingdown "Yonder comes a
gang
the Ohio of slaves,chained." I
river. The woman was very
respectable
went to the road-side and viewed them. For the
both in appearance and dress. better
The answering my purpose of observation, I
writer recallsher imagenow with stoppedthe white man in
distinctness,
front,who was at his
attiredwith
ease in a one-horse
great neatness in wagon, and asked him if those
a white slaveswere for sale. I counted them and
wrapper, her clothing and hah- all observed
arrangedtheir position.They were divided by three onehorse
a wagons, each containing a man-merchant,
with evident care, and havingwith her
so arrangedas to command the whole
prettily-dressed boyabout seven years of
gang. Some
were unchained
age. She had also a hair ;
trunk
sixtywere chained in two companies,
of clothing, thirtyin each,the righthand of one to
"
the left hand of the other oppositeone, making
fifteeneach side of a largeox-chain țo which
every hand was fastened, and necessarily compelled
to hold up,
and women promiscuously, and
about in equalproportions, all young people.
No children here,except a few in a wagon behind,
which were the only children in the four gan^-s.
I said to a respectablemulatto woman in the
house, " Is it true that the negro-traders take
mothers from their babies?" "
Massa, it is
true ; for here, last week, such a girl[naming
her],who livesabout a mile off,was taken after
"
dinner, knew nothing of it in the "
morning,
sold,put into the gang, and her baby given away
to a neighbor.She was a stout young woman,
and brought a good price."

he
48 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
Nor is the pitiful lieto be regarded which images of fathers draggedfrom theirfamilies
says that these unhappy mothers and fathers, to be sold into slavery, and of babes torn
husbands and -wives, do not feel when the from the breasts of weepingmothers,are
most sacred ties are thus severed. Every constantly presentedbefore the minds of
the peopleas scenes of every-daylifein
day and hour bears livingwitness of the
falsehoodof this slanderțhe more falsebecauseAmerica.
The author can only say, sorrowfully,
spoken of a race peculiarly affectionate, that it isonlythe truth which is thus
and strong, vivacious and vehement,in the
expression of their feelings.
The case which the writer supposedof
the woman's throwingherselfoverboard is
not by any means a singular one. Witness differencebetween us and foreign nations is,
the following recent fact,which appearedthat we have got used to it,and theyhave
under the head of
not. The thinghas been done,and done
ANOTHER INCIDENT FOR
"
UNCLE
TOM'S CABIN."
and whilst within sight of the town, justbefore
landing, the negro caused his wife to divide their
things, as thoughresigned to the intended separation,
and then,taking a moment when his
master's back was turned,ran forward and jumped
into the river. Of course he sank,and his master
was several hundred dollars poorer than a moment
before. That was all ; at least,scarcely any one
mentioned it the next morning. I was obliged to
getmy information from the deck hands,and did
not hear a remark concerning it in the cabin. In
justice to the master, I should say, that after the
An American gentleman from Italy, complaining
of the effect of "Uncle Tom's
Cabin" on the Italian mind, states that
presented.
These thingsare, every day,part and
parcel of one of the most thrivingtrades
that is carried on in America. The only
again,day after day, and year after year,
reported and lamented over in every variety
of way; but it is going on this day with
The editorialcorrespondent of the Oneida,(N.
Y.) Telegraph,writingfrom a steamer on the
Mississippi river,gives the following sad more briskness than ever before,and such
story :
"
scenes
At
as we have described are enacted
Louisville,
as the author will prove when she
a gentleman took passage,
havingwith him a family of husband, oftener,
blacks,"
wife and children. The master was bound for comes to the chapteron the internal slavetrade.
Memphis,Tenn., at which placehe intended to
take all exceptthe man ashore. The latter was
hand-cuffed,
althoug his master said The incidentin thissame
nothing
chapterwhich
of his intention, the negro
made up his mind, from describesthe scene where the wife of the
appearances,
as well as from the remarks of those unfortunate article, catalogued as "John
around him,that he was destined for the Southern
aged 30," rushed
mdrket. We reached Memphisduring the on board the boat and
night, threw her arms around him,with moans and
lamentations, was a real incident. The
gentlemanwho related it was so stirred in
his spirit at the sightțhat he addressed the
trader in the exact words which the writer
representsthe young minister as having
used in her narrative.
My friend,how can
you, how dare you, carry
on a trade like this 1 Look at those poor
creatures
! Here I am, rejoicing in my
heart that I
occurrence he disclaimed any intention to
am
separate going home to my wife and child ; and the
them.
same bell which is the
Appearances, however, are quiteagainst
signal to carry me onward
him, if I have been rightly informed. This sad towards them will part this poor man and his
affair needs no comment. It is wife forever.
an argument,
Depend upon it, God will bring
however, that I might have used to-day, with you into judgmentfor this.
some effect, whilst talkingwith a highly-intelligent
Southerner of the evilsof slavery Ḥe had
If that gentlemanhas read the work,"
been reading Uncle Totn's Cabin,and spokeof it as perhapshe has before now,
"
has
as a novel,which,like other romances, was well
probablyrecognized his own words. One
calculated to excite the sympathies, by the recital
of heart-touching incidents which never had an existence,
affecting incident in the narrative, as it
except in the imagination of the writer." reallyoccurred,oughtto be mentioned. The
wife was passionately bemoaning her husband's
Instances have occurred where mothers,
whose children were about to be sold from from all that he held dear țo be sold to the
them,have,in their desperation, murdered hard usage of a Southern plantation. The
theirown offspring, to save them from this husband,in reply, used that very simple but
worst kind of orphanage.A case of this sublime expression which the writer has
kind has been recently triedin the United placedin the mouth of Uncle Tom, in similar
"
States,and was alluded to,a week or two circumstances : There :llbe the same
ago, by Mr. Giddings, in his speech on the God there that there is here."
floorof Congress.
One other incident mentioned in " Uncle
Tom's Cabin" may, perhaps, be as well
fate,as about to be forever separated'
verifiedin this place as in any other.
The case of old Prue was related by a

KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 49
brother and sisterof the writer,as follows:
She was the woman
giving
that it was a cruelty to tryto hold
who supplied rusks and back the poor littlesuffererfrom the refuge
other articlesof the kind at the house where of the grave ; and it was a reliefto her when
they boarded. Her manners, appearance at lastitswailings ceased,and itwent where
and character, were justas described. One the weary
are at rest. This is one of those
day another servant came in her place, cases which go to show that the interest of
bringingthe rusks. The sister of the the owner willnot alwaysinsurekind treatment
writer inquired what had become of Prue. of the slave.
the
She seemed reluctant to answer for some
time,but at last said that theyhad taken
her into the cellarand beaten her, and that
ordinarypurposes of a cellar. A cook
who
of a
very plain house and yard.
This same lady, while living in the same
place,used frequently to have her compassion
excited by hearing the wailings of a
sicklybaby in a house adjoining their own,
as also the objurgations and tyrannical abuse
of a ferocious viragoupon itsmother. She
oaice got an opportunity to speak to its
mother, who appearedheart-broken and
dejected, and inquired Avhatwas the matter
with her child. Her answer was that she
had had a fever, and that her milk was all
dried away ; and that her mistress was set
against her
child, and would not buy milk
for it She had tried to feed it on her own
and cried continually;
coarse food, but it pined
and in witnessof this she brough the
The lady took the little thing to a
hers in the house who had been recently confined,
borne all the fatigue of the nursing,
and who was suffering from a redundancy
night and by day, sustained in it by his
of milk, and beggedher to nurse it. promise that she should be rewarded for it
The miserable sightof the little, famished, by her liberty, at his death. Overcome by
she one nightfell
wasted thingaffected the mother so as to
overcome all other considerations, and she
placed it to her breast, when itrevived, and
which showed
took food with an
eagerness
how much it had suffered. But the child
was- so reduced that thisprovedonly a transient
alleviation.It was afterthis almost impossible
to get sight of the woman, and the afterțook effect. The
of
violenttemper of her mistress was such as her sentence was that her child was not to
to make it difficulto interfere in the case. be taken with her into this dreaded lot,but
The ladysecretly affordedwhat aid she could, was givento this quadroonfamilyto be
she confessed, with a sort of mis-
broughtinto a freestate.
though, as
which
writer interwove into the historyof the
There is one other incident,
oneasy. 'Pears like he war n't willin' to have
mulatto woman who was boughtby Legree
the flieshad got at her, and she was dead ! for hisplantation. The reader will remember
It is well known that there are no cellars, that,in telling her storyto Emmeline.
properly so called, in New Orleans,- the she says
:
nature of the groundbeingsuch as to forbid
digging. The slave who used the word had "My Mas'r was Mr. "
Ellis, lived on Leveestreet.
P'rapsyou've seen the house."
probably been imported from some state
"
Was he
where cellarswere in use, and applied the
good to you?" said Emmeline.
"
Mostly țill he tuk sick. He 's lain sick,off
term to the place which was used for the and on, more than six months, and been orful
nobody
lived in the writer s
rest,day
family, havinglived
nor night; and got so cur'ous,
there could n't nobodysuit him. 'Pears like he
most of her life on a plantation, alwaysapplied
just grew
crosser
every day; kep me up nights
the descriptive terms of the plantation
tillI gotfairly beat out,and couldn't keep awake
to the very limited enclosuresand retinue
no longer; and 'cause I got to sleep one night.
Lors ! he talk so orful to me, and he tellme he 'd
sellme to justthe hardest master he could find ;
and he 'd promised me my freedomțoo, when he
died."
An incidentof this sort came under the
author's observation in the following manner
: A quadroon slave family,
the will of the master, settled on Walnut
Hills,near
were
baby to her. It was emaciated to a skeleton.
friendof which at
liberated by
her residence, and theirchildren
received into her familyschool,
taught
in her house. In this family was a little
quadroonboy,four or five years
of age, with
a sad,dejected appearance, who excitedtheir
interest.
The history of this child,as narrated by
his friends, was simplythis : His mother
of her master,
had been the indefatigable nurse
during a lingering and
painful
sickness,
last terminated his life. She had
both by
exhaustion and fatigue,
and he was unable to rouse her.
asleep,
The next day, after violently upbraiding
her,'he alteredthe directionsof hiswill,and
soldher to a man who was noted in all the
region round as a cruel master, which sale,
immediately on his death,which was shortly
onlymitigation

50 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
The writer very well remembers hearingof rising above it ; feeling the black skin on
this story narrated among a group of liberated
them,like the mark of Cain,to be a signof
negroes, and their comments on it. A reprobation and infamy, and urged on by a
peculiar form of grave and solemn ironykind of secret desperation to make their
"
often characterizes the communications of calling and in sin election" " sure."
this class of people.It is a habit engendered
in slavery to comment upon proceedings
astonished and discouraged, as Miss Ophelia
of this kind in languageapparently was, in the attempt to bringup such children
respectful to the perpetrators, and which is decently and Christianly, under a state
feltto be ironyonlyby a certain peculiarity of thingswhich takes away every stimulant
difficult to describe. After the which God meant should operate healthfullv
of manner,
relation of this story, when
the writer expressed
on the human mind.
her indignation
no measured We are not now speaking of the Southern
terms, one of the oldestof the sable circle
remarked,gravely,
States;for,startling it may appear,
"
The man was a mightygreat Christian, is not yet whollyabolished in the
anyhow."
The writer warmlyexpressed
from thisview,when another of the same
the circle,but no further comments were keptequal pace with, and were often superior
made. This incidenthas often recurred to to,the white childrenwith whom they
the writer'smind,as showingthe dangerto were associated ; but that there came a time
the welfare of the master's soul from the possession
when they became indifferentto learning,
of absolute power. A man of justice and made no further progress. This was
and humanitywhen in health,is often invariably at the age when theywere old
temptedto become unjust,exacting and enough to reflect upon life, and to perceive
exorbitant, in sickness. If,in these circumstances,
that society had no placeto offerthem for
he is surrounded by inferiors, from
whom law and publicopinionhave taken
away the rights of common humanity, how
is he temptedto the exercise of the most
despotic passions, and,like this unfortunate
man, to leave the world with the weight of
these awful words upon his head: "If ye
forgive not men their trespasses, neitherwill
your Father forgive your
CHAPTER
TOPSY.
trespasses."
XII.
Topsy stands as the representative of a
in lifețo possess
largeclassof the childrenwho are growingthis or that acquirement or
up
under the institutionof "
slavery, quick, How could you
ever become a merchant,
activeșubtle and ingenious,apparently without understanding accounts 1 How
utterly devoid of principle and conscience,
keenlypenetrating, by an instinct which
languages 1 If you
could you enter the learned professions,
without understanding
existsin the childish mind,the degradation are ignorantand uninformed, you -cannot
of theircondition, and the utter hopelessness take rank as a gentleman in society."
Christianpeoplehave oftenbeen perfectly
States merely, but of the New England
slavery
freestates of lhe_North. The most unchristian
her dissent part of it țhat which givesto itall
the bitternessand all the sting, is yet, in a
circleadded,
greatmeasure, unrepealed ; itisthe practical
"Went to glory,anyhow."
denial to the negro of the rightsof
And another continued,
human brotherhood. In consequence of
"Had the greatestkind of a time when this,Topsy is a character which may be
he was a-dyin' ; said he was goin'straight found at the North as wTell as at the South.
into heaven."
In conductingthe education of negro,
And when thewriterremarked that many
mulatto and quadroonchildrențhe writer
peoplethought so who never gotthere, a singularhas
often observed this fact :
"
that,for a
smile of grimapprovalpassed round certain time,and up to a certain age, they
which anythingmore would be requisite
than the rudestand most
elementary knowledge.
Let us consider how it is with our own
children ; how few of them would ever
acquire an education fromțhe mere love of
learning.
In the process necessary to acquire a
style of hand-writing, to master
handsome
the intricaciesof any language, or to conquer
the difficultiesof mathematical
how often does the perseverance of the child
study,
flag, and need to be stimulated by his
parents and teachers by such considerations
as these : "It will be necessary for you, in
such or such a position
accomplishment.

stimulus which has prevented the negro
child from an equal advance 1
It is often objected to the negro
race that
they are frivolous and vain, passionately
fond of show, and are interested only in
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 51
Does not every one know New York
that,without
State,bringing my
mind a certain
indescribable
the stimulus which teachers and feeling
parents
of wretchedness. They used
thus continually present, multitudes of children
to say of me at Dr. Tilghman's,
" That blacksmith
Jemmy is a 'cute fellow ; stillwater runs deep."
would never gain a tolerableeducation?
But I confess that " blacksmith Jemmy" was not
And is it not the absence of all such
trifles. And who is to blame for all this1
cautious breast. I married a wife,and did not
Take away allhighaims,all noble ambition, tell her I was a fugitive Ṇone of my friends
from any class, and what is leftfor them to knew it. I knew not the means of safety, and
hence I
be interestedin but trifles'?
was constantly in fear of meeting with
some one who would betray
The presentattorney-general of Liberia,
me.
It was fully
Mr. Lewis, is a man who commands the
two yea-s before I could hold up
my head ; but stillthai Velingwas in my
mind.
highestrespect, for "talentand ability in his In 1846, after opening n r bosom as a fugitive to
position ; yet, while he was in John
America,it Hooker, Esq., I felt this much "
relief,
"
Thank God there is one brother-man in hard old
is saidthat,like many
other young colored
men, he 'was distinguished only for Connecticut that knows my
foppery
troubles."
Soon after this,when I sailed to the island of
and frivolity. What made the changein Jamaica, and on landingthere saw colored men
Lewis after he went to Liberia? Who does
not see the answer ? Does any
one wish to
know what is inscribed on the seal which
keepsthe great stone over the sepulchre of
which African mind 1 It is "
this,
"
trulysaidby poor Topsy,
A nigger ! "
was so
"
Nothing but
There never was a slave who did not feel But still there was this drawback. Somebody
it. Deep,deep down in the dark știllwaters says, " This isnothing but a nigger Now,
island."
of his soul is the conviction, heavier,bitterer
among niggers is but a niggerstill."
than all othersțhat he is not regarded as
be introduced
a man. On this pointmay
the testimony of one who has known the
wormwood and the gall of slaveryby bitter
experience Ṭhe following letter has been
old ghostentirely out of my mind. In England,
Scotland,\Vales,'France,
received from Dr. Pennington,
relation
Germany, Belgium
and Prussia,my whole power
has been concentrated
to some inquiries of the author :
on this object. " I '11be a man, and I '11
kill off this enemy which has haunted me these
( 50 Laurens-strect,
} New York,Nov. 30,1852.
Mrs. H. B. Stowe.
Esteemed Madam : I have dulyreceived your
kind letter in answer to mine of the 15th instant,
in which you state that you
" have an intense curi-
'cute enough to understand the cause of his own
wretchedness. The current of the still water
may have run deep,but it did not reach down to
that awful bed of lava.
At times I thought it occasioned by the lurking
fear of betrayal. There was no Vigilance Committee
at the there were but time," anti-slavery
men. I came North with my
counsels in my
own
in all the stationsof civilșocial,commercial life,
where I had seen white men in this country, that
feeling of wretchedness experienced a sensiblerelief,
as if some feverishsore had been just reached
by just the rightkind of balm. There was before
my eye evidence that a colored man is more than
"a nigger." I went into the House of Assembly
at Spanishtown, where fifteen out of forty-five
members wrere colored men. I went into the
courts,where I saw in the jury-boxcolored and
It is this,burnt into the soul by the
brandingiron
of cruel and unchristian scorn, white men together,
that is a sorer and deeperwound than all
Kingston;
the physical evilsof slaverytogether. So in all the counting-rooms,
colored and white lawyers
at the bar. I went into the Common Council of
there I found men of different colors.
"c. "c.
then,my old trouble came back again; " a nigger
In 1849,when I undertook my second visitto
Great Britain,I resolvedto prolong and extend my
travel and intercourse with the best class of men,
with a view to see if I could banish that troublesome
twentyyears
and more." I believe I have succeeded
in some gooddegree; at least, I have now
no more trouble on the score of equal manhood
with the whites. My European tour was certainly
useful,because there the trialwas fair and honorable.
osity
I had nothing to complain of. I got what
to know how far you
have rightly divined was due to man, and I was expectedto do what
the heart of the slave." You give me your idea was due from man to man. I soughtnot to be
"
in these words : There lies buried down in the treated as a pet. I put myself into the harness,
heart of the most seemingly careless and stupidand
wroughtmanfully in the first pulpits, and the
slave a bleedingspot, that bleeds and aches, platforms in peace congresses,conventions,anni-
though he could scarcelytellwhy ; and that this
commencements, "c. ; and in these exercises
sore spotis the degradationof his position."
that rusty old iron came out of my soul,
After escaping from the "
plantation of Dr. Tilgh-anman,
in WashingtonCounty,Md., where I was You say againyou have never seen a slave,how
went clean away."
held as a slave,and worked as a blacksmith,I ever carelessand merry-hearted, who had not this
came to the State of Pennsylvania, and, after experiencing
sore place, and that did not shrink or getangry
there some of the vicissitudes referred if a finger was laid on it. I see that you have
to in my littlepublishednarrative, I came into been a close observer of negro
nature.
versaries,

neither
52
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
So far as I understand your idea,I think you
are
perfectly correct in the impression you have
received, as explainedin your note.
0, Mrs. Stowe, slaveryis an awful system ! It
takes man as God made him ; it demolishes him,
and then mis-creates him, or perhaps I should
say mal-creates him !
Wishing you good health and good success in
your arduous work,
I am yours, respectfully,
J. W. C. Pennington.
give and go to partiesdressed and them
appearing
like white people; and theywill often alltheir wants, and then that she should leave
and her stores unlocked, and trust to theirhonor.
put up with material inconveniences,
sufferthemselves to be worked very hard,
The idea that theywere supposedcapable
if theyare humored in these respects."
of having any honor struck a new chord at
Can any one think of this without compassion
to bear with
? Poor souls ! willing
most grateful for the trust, and there was
so much for simply this slightacknowledgment
much publicspiritexcitedțhe older and
of their common humanity.To honor graver ones exertingthemselves to watch
their weddings and funerals is,in some sort, over the children, that nothingmightbe done
acknowledging that they are human, and to destroy this new-found treasure of honor.
therefore theyprize it. Hence we see the At last,howreverțhe lady discovered
reason of the passionate attachment which that some depredations had been made on
often exists in a faithful slave to a good her cake by some of the,juvenile partof the
master. It is,in fact, a transfer of his
identity to his master. A stern law and an
unchristian publicsentiment has taken away
his birthright of humanity, erasedhisname
excites. He is to the slavea delivererand
a saviour from the curse which lieson his
appealto the more generous part of the
mar-
negro character is seldom made in vain.
An acquaintance of the writer was
vied to a
gentlemanin Louisiana,
hapless race. Deprived of all legalrightsShe states that the cake stood upon
the
and privileges, all opportunity or hope of table and dried,without a morsel of itbeing
personaladvancement or honor,he transfers, touched,and that she never afterwardshad
as it were, hi3 whole existence intohis master's,
any trouble in this respect.
and appropriates hisrights, hisposition, A littletime after, a new carriage was
his honor, as his own ; and thus enjoys a bought,and one nigh the leather boot of it
kind of reflected sense of what itmight be was found to be missing. Before her husband
to be a man himself. Hence it is that the had time to take any steps on the subject,
who was
the proprietor of some
eighthundred slaves.
He, of course, had a
largetrain of servants
in his domesticestablishment. When about
to enter upon her dutiesșhe was warned
that the servants were all so thievishthat
she would be under the necessity, in common
with all other housekeepers, of keeping
everything under
lock and key. She.
however,announced her intention of training
her servants in such a manner as to
Peopleof intelligence, who have had the make this unnecessary. Her ideas were
care of slaves, have oftenmade this remark ridiculed as chimerical, but she resolved to
to the writer: " They are a singular whimsical
carry them into practice Ṭhe course she
people; you can do a greatdeal more pursuedwas as follows: She called all the
with them,byhumoring some of their prejudices,
familyservants together ; told them that it
than by bestowingon them the would be a great burden and restraint upon
most substantial favors." On inquiring
her to be obliged to keepeverything locked
what theseprejudices were, the replywould from them ; that she had heard that they
be, " They like to have their weddings elegantly
were not at allto be trusted, but that she could
celebrated, and to have a good deal not helphopingthat theywere much better
of notice taken of their funerals, and to than they had been represented. She told
that she should provideabundantly for
once in every heart. The servants appeared
she,therefore,
establishment ;
convened all
theservants, and statedthe factto them. She
remarked that it was not on account of the
value of the cake that she feltannoyed, but
from the catalogue of men, and made him that theymust be sensible that itwould not
an anomalous creature
"
man nor be pleasant for her to have it indiscriminately
brute. When a kind master recognizes his fingered and handled,and that țherefore,
humanity, and treats him as a humble companion
she should set some cake out upon a table,
and a friend, there is no end to or some convenient place, and beg that all
the devotion and gratitude which he thus those who were disposed to take itwould gp
there and helpthemselves, and allow the
rest to remain undisturbed in the closet
the servants of the family called a
convention among themselves, and instituted
an inquiryinto the offence. The boot was
found and promptlyrestored, thoughthey

"
a
One
would not reveal to their master and mistress
the "name
of the offender.
One other anecdote which this ladyrelated
illustrates that peculiar devotion of a
slave to a good master, to which allusion
has been made. Her husband met with his
death by a sudden and melancholy accident.
attendant and confidential
He had a personal
"
This remark was the last dropin the full
cup. The poor fellow fell to the ground
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 53
Of what nature are those motives
entirelyinsensible, and the family were
which have melted our hearts and renewed
obligedto spend nearlytwo hours employing
"
our wills1 Are
various means to restore his theynot
vitality.
appealsto the
most
The physicianaccounted for his situation generous
and noble instincts of our nature
?
by sayingthat there had been such a rush
Are we not told of One fairer than
the
of all the blood in the body towards the
sons of men,
"
reigning in immortal
heart țhat there was actual danger of a
rupture of that organ, literaldeath by
a broken heart.
Some thoughts may be suggested by Miss
Ophelia'sconscientious but unsuccessful
effortsin the education of Topsy.
Society has yet need of a great
deal of
enlightening as to the means of restoring
the vicious and degradedto virtue.
It has been erroneously supposedthat with
brutal and degraded natures onlycoarse and
of his own land, says, in a recent letterto
the author :
You are right about Topsy; our ragged schools
will afford you many instances of poor children,
hardened by kicks,insults and neglect,moved to
tears and docilityby the first word of kindness.
It opens
new feelings, develops, as it were, a new
nature, and bringsthe wretched outcast into the
familyof man.
Recent efforts which have been made
among unfortunate females in some of the
worst districtsof New York show the same
thing. What is it that rankles deepestin
the breast of fallen woman, that makes her
so
servant who had grown up with him hopelessand irreclaimable ? It is that
from childhood. This servant
burningconsciousness of degradation which
was so overwhelmed
with grief as to be almost stingsworse than cold
stupefied.
or hunger, and makes
her shrink from the face of the
On the day of the funeral ^ brother of his
missionary
and the
deceased master inquiredof him if he had philanthropist. They who have visited
these haunts of
performed a certain commission for his mistress.
despairand wretchedness
have learned that
The servant said that he had forgotten
they must touch gently
it. Not perceiving his the shattered
feelings at the moment,
harp of the human soul,if
the gentlemanreplied,
" I am
theywould
surprised
string it againto divine music ;
that
that you should neglect any command of they must encourage self-respect, and
your mistress*when she is in such affliction.
hope, and sense of character, or the bonds
of death can never be broken.
Let us examine the gospelof Christ,and
see on what principles its appealsare
constructed.
glory,who loved us so that he could
bear pain, and want, and shame,and death
itself,for our sake 7
When Christ speaks to the soul,does he
crush one of its nobler faculties? Does he
taunt us with our degradation, our selfishness,
our narrowness of view, and feebleness
of intellect, compared with his own?
Is it not true that he not only saves us
from our sins, but saves us in a way most
considerate, most tender,most regardful of
brutal measures could avail ; and our
yet it has feelings and sufferings ? Does not the
been found,by those who have most Bible tell
experience,
us that, in order to fulfilhis office
of
that their success with this class of
Redeemer the more perfectly, he took
society has been justin proportion to the upon him the condition of humanity, and
delicacy and kindliness with which endured the
they
pains, and wants, and temptations
of
have treated them.
a mortal existencețhat he might
Lord Shaftsbury, who has won so honorable
be to us a sympathizing, appreciating friend,
"
a fame by his benevolent interest in
touched
the
with the feelingof our infirmities,"
and
effortsmade for the degradedlower classes
cheering us gentlyon in the
hard pathof returning virtue ?
0, when shall we, who have received so
much of Jesus Christ,learn to repay it in
acts of kindness to our poor brethren ?
When shall we be Christ-like, and not manlike,
hi our effortsto reclaim the fallen and
wandering ?

54 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
The sheriff and his daughter, beingkind,humane
CHAPTER XIII.
people,inquiredof Hawkins and wife the
facts of their case ;
THE QUAKERS.
and his daughterwrote to a
ladyhere,to request me to go to Newcastle and
The writer'ssketch of the character of inquireinto the case, as her father and self really
thispeople has heen drawn from believed theywere most of them,if not all,entitled
personal
to their freedom. Next morning I went to
observation. There are severalsettlements Newcastle : had the family of
of these people colored people
in Ohio,and the manner of brought into the parlor, and the sheriffand myself
living, the tone of sentiment, and the habits came to the conclusion that the parentsand four
of life, as represented in her book, are not at youngestchildren were by law entitled to their
freedom. I prevailedon the sheriff to show me
allexaggerated.
the commitment of the magistrate, which I found
These settlements have always been was defective, and not in due form according to
refuges for the oppressedand outlawed law. I procureda copy and handed it to a lawyer.
He
slave. The character of Rachel Halliday
pronounced the commitment irregular, and
was a real one, but she has passedaway
agreedto go next morningto Newcastle and have
the whole familytaken before JudgeBooth,Chief
to her reward. Simeon Halliday, calmlyJustice of the state,by habeas corpus, when the following
risking fine and imprisonment for his love
admission was made by Samuel Hawkins
and wife
to God and man, has had in this :
country
They admitted that the two eldest boys
were held
many counterpartsamong the by
sect.
one Charles Glaudin,of Queen Anne
County,Maryland,
The writer had in mind,at the time of
as slaves ; that after the birth
of these two children, Elizabeth Turner, also of
writing, the scenes
in the trial of Thomas
Garret,of Wilmington,Delaware,for the
crime of hiring a hack to convey a mother
and four children from Newcastle jail to
Wilmington, a distance of five miles.
The writer has received the facts in this
case in a letter from John Garret himself,
from which some extracts willbe made :
( Wilmington,Delaware,
\ 1st month 18th, 1853.
My Dear Friend,
Harriet Beecher Stowe : I have this dayreceived
a request from Charles K. Whipple, of Boston,to
or
furnish thee with a statement, authentic and
circumstantial, of the trouble and losses which
have been broughtupon myself and others of my
friends from the aid we had rendered to fugitive
slaves,in order,if thought of sufficient importance,
to be published in a work thee is now preparing
for the press.
I will now endeavor to givethee a statement of
what John Hunn and myselfsuffered by aiding a
familyof slaves, a few years since. I will give
the facts as theyoccurred,and thee may condense
and publish so much as thee may think useful in
thy work, and no more :
"
In the 12th month,year 1846,a family, of Samuel Hawkins,a freeman,his wife
Emeline,and six children, who were afterwards
proved slaves,stoppedat the house of a friend
named John Hunn, near Middletown,in this state,
in the evening about sunset, to procure food and
lodging for the night. They were seen by some
pro-slavery neighbors,
of Hunn's
who soon came
with a constable,and had them taken before a
magistrate.Hunn had left the slaves in his
of Middle-
kitchen when he went to the village
town, half a mile distant. When the officer
came with a warrant for them, he met Hunn at
the kitchen door,and asked for the blacks ; Hunn,
with truth șaid he did not know where they
were. Hunn's wife,thinkingthey would be
safer,had sent them up stairs duringhis absence,
where theywere found. Hunn made no resistance,
requested
and they were taken before the magistrate, and
the court and audience.
from his officedirect to Newcastle jail,where they
arrived about one o'clock on 7th day morning.
Queen Anne, the mistress of their mother,had set
her free,and permitted her to go and livewith her
husband, near twenty miles from her residence,
after which the four youngest children were born ;
that her mistress during all that time,eleven or
twelve years, had never contributed one dollar to
theirsupport,or come to see them. After examining
His reply,in the presence
of the sheriffand my
the commitment in their case, and consulting with
my attorney țhe judge set the whole family at
liberty Ṭhe day was wet and cold ; one of the
childrențhree years old,was a cripple from white
swelling, and could not walk a step; another,eleven
months old,at the breast ; and the parentsbeing
desirous of getting to Wilmington, fivemiles distant,
I asked the judge if there would be any risk
impropriety in my hiring a conveyance for the
mother and four young children to Wilmington.
attorney,
was there would not be any. I then requested
the sheriff to a
procure hack to take them
over to Wilmington."
The whole familyescaped.John Hunn
and John Garret were broughtup
for havingpractically
of Christ which read,"I was a stranger
and ye
took me in, I was sick and in prison
and ye
came unto me." For John Hunn's
part of this crime, he was fined two thousand
to trial
fulfilledthose words
dollars, and John Garret was
five hundred
fined five thousand four hundred. Three
thousand fivehundred of this was the fine
forhiring a hack for them, and one thousand
nine hundred was assessed on him as the
value of the slaves ! Our European friends
will infer from this that it costs something
to obey Christ in America,as well as in
Europe.
After John Garret's trial was over, and
this heavyjudgment had been givenagainst
him,he calmlyrose
in the court-room, and
leave to address a few words to
Leave beinggranted, he spoke as
follows:

My
T have a few words which I wish to address to
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 55
army of abolitionists. The injuryis greatto us
the Court, jury and prosecutors, iu the several who are the immediate sufferers by your verdict ;
suitsthat have"been broughtagainst me duringbut I believethe verdicts you have givenagainst
the sittings of this court, in order to determine us within the last few days will have
the amount of penalty I must pay for doing
a powerful
effectin bringing about the abolitionof slaveryin
what my feelings promptedme to do as a lawful this country, this land of boasted freedom,where
and meritoriousact ; a simple act of humanity and not onlythe slave is fettered at the South by his
justice, as I believed, to eight of that oppressedlordlymaster, but the white man at the North is
race, the people of color,whom I found in the bound as in chains to do the bidding of his Southern
Newcastle jail,in the 12th month, 1845. I will masters.
now endeavor to state the facts of those cases, for
your considerationand reflectionafter you return
home to your families and friends. You will then
have time to ponder on what has transpired here
since the sittingof this court, and I believethat
your verdictwill then be unanimous, that the law
of the United States,as explainedby our venerable
judge, when comparedwith the act committed
by me, was cruel and oppressive,
and needs remodelling.
Here follows a very briefand clearstatement
of the facts in the case, of which the
reader is alreadyapprized.
After showingconclusively that he had
no reason to suppose the family to be slaves,
and that they had all been discharged by
the judge,he nobly adds the following
words :
Had I believed every one of them to be slaves,
I should have done the same thing. I should have it is not
customaryto be ashamed of Christ
done violence to my convictions of duty, had I
not made use of all the lawful means in my
power to liberatethose people, and assistthem to
become men and women, rather than leave them
in the condition of chattels personal.
I am called an Abolitionist ; once a name of re-
but one I have ever been proud*to be considered
worthy of beingcalled. For the last
twenty-five years I have been engagedin the
cause of this despised and much-injured race, and
proach,
consider (their cause worth sufferingfor ; but,
owing to a multiplicity of other engagements, I
could not devote so much of my time and mind to
their cause as I otherwise should have done.
The impositions and persecutions practised on
those unoffending and innocent brethren are extreme
beyond endurance. I am now placed in a
situationin which I have not so much to claim my
attentionas formerly ; and I now pledgemyself,in
In his letterto the writer John Garret
adds țhat afterthisspeech a young
man who
had served as juryman came across the room,
and taking him by the hand,said :
"
Old gentleman, I believe every statement
that you have made. I came from home
prejudiced against you, and I now acknowledge
that I have helpedto do you injustice."
Thus calmly and simply did this Quaker
according as
confess Christ before men,
it is
"
written of them of He esteemed.the
old,"
riches than all
reproach of Christ greater
the treasures of Egypt."
Christ has said, ' '
"Whosoever shall be
ashamed of me and my words,of him shall
the Son of Man be ashamed." In our days
personally, but of his words many
are
ashamed. But when theymeet Him in
judgmen theywill have cause to remember
them ; for heaven and earth shall pass away,
but His word shallnot pass away.
Another case of the same kind is of a
character.
more affecting
Richard Dillinghamwas the son of a
respectableQuaker familyin Morrow
"
"
County,Ohio. His pious mother brought
him up
in the full beliefof the doctrine of
St. John țhat the love of God and the love
of man are inseparable.
taught in such theological notions as are
the presence of this assembly, to use all lawful
implied in such passages as these: " Hereby
and honorable means to lessen the burdens of this
perceive
oppressed people, endeavor,according ability
God, because he
laid down his lifefor us
furnished, to burst their chains asunder,and set
; and we oughtalso
thern free ; not relaxing effortson my their behalf to lay down our lives for the brethren. "
while blessed with health,and a slave remains to But whoso hath this world'sgoodsand seeth
tread the soil of the state of my adoption, his brother have need and shutteth up his
Delaware.
bowels of
After mature reflection, I can assure this compassion him,how dwelleth
assembly
it is my opinion at this time that the theloveof God in him ? little verdicts
children,
you have given the prosecutors against John let us not love in word and in tongue, but
Ilunn and myself,within the past few days, will in deed and in truth."
have a tendency to raise a spiritof inquiry
throughou the In accordancewith
lengthand breadth
theseprecepts,
of the land,
respectingthis monster evil (slavery), in many
Dillingham, in found in
earlymanhood,was
minds that have not heretofore investigated the Cincinnatiteaching people, and
subject.The reports of those trialswill be published
visiting in the prisons doingwhat in him
by editors from Maine to Texas and the far
lay
West ; and what must be the effect produced ? love in deed and in truth."
It will,no doubt,add hundreds,perhaps thousands,
Some unfortunate families among the
to the presentlarge and rapidlyincreasingcolored peoplehad dear friends who were
He was diligently

oQ KEY TO UNCLE TOMS CABIN.
my
slaves in Nashville, Tennessee. Richard before my God, which is my greatest comfort and
was so interested in their story țhat when support through all my troubles and afflictions.
An
he went into Tennessee he Avas
approving conscience none can know but those
actually who
taken up and caught in the enjoyit. It nerves us in the hour of trial to
very fact of bear our sufferings with fortitude,and even with
helping certain poor peopleto escape to cheerfulness. The greatest afflictionI have is the
reflectionof
their friends.
the sorrow and anxietymy friendswill
the midst a clear conscience of poor mortals who are draggingout far more
have to endure on
He was seizedand thrown into my account. But I can assure
prison.
In the language of this world he thee,brotherțhat with the exception of this reflection,
was imprisoned
I am far, very far,from beingone of the most
as a "negro-stealer." His own miserable of men. Nay, to the contrary, account is given in the following letter
terrifiedat
to
the prospect before me, though I am
his grieved
parents :
; but all have enough to grieve
about in this unfriendly wilderness of sin and woo.
NashvilleJail,12th mo. 15th,1849. My hopesare not fixed in this world,and therefore
Dear Parents : I presume you
have heard of my
I have a source of consolationthat will never
arrest and imprisonmentin the Nashville jail, fail me, so longas I slight the offersof mercy,
under a charge of aiding in an comfort
attemptedescape
and peace, which my blessed Saviour constantly
of slaves from the cityof Nashville,on the 5th privileges me with.
inst. I was arrested by M. D. Maddox (district One source of almost constant annoyance to my
constable), by Frederick Marshal,watchman
feelings is the profanity vulgarity, and the
at the Nashville Inn, and the bridge-keeper, bad,disagreeable temper, of two or three fellowprisoners
my cell. They show me considerable
at the bridgeacross the Cumberland river. When
they arrested me, I had rode up to the bridge kindness on
and respect; but theycannot do otherwise,
horseback and paidthe toll for myselfand for the when treated with the civility and kindnes3
hack to pass over, in which three colored persons,
with which I treat them. If it be my fate to go
who were said to be slaves, were found by the to the penitentiary for eight or ten years, I can, I
men who arrested me. The driver of the hack believe, meet my doom without shedding' a tear,
(who is a free colored man of this city) and
,
the I have not yet shed a tear,thoughthere may be
persons in the hack,were also arrested ; and after many in store. My bail-bonds were set at seven
being taken to the Nashville Inn and searched,we thousand dollars. If I should be bailed out,
were all taken to jail.'My arrest took place about I should return to my trial,unless my security
eleven o'clock at were
night.
rich, and did not wish me to return ; for 1
am
In another letterhe yet,although
prisonof my
says
:
enemy, and will not flinch from what I believe to
At the bridge, " You
be
,
are just right and honorable. These are the principles
the man we wanted. We will make an example of which,in carrying out, have lodged me here ; for
you." As soon as we were safe in the bar-room of
there was a time,at my arrest țhat I mighthave,
the inn,Maddox took a candle and looked me in the
in all probability, escaped the police, but itwould
face țo see if he could
have
recognize my countenance subjectedthose who were arrested with
:
me
and lookingintently at me a few moments, he
to
said, punishment,perhaps even to death,in
"
order
Well, you
are too good-looking a man
young to
to find out who I was, and if theyhad not
be engaged in such an affairas this." The told more than
bystanders
they could have done in truth,they
asked me several questions, to which I would probably have been punished without
replied that under the present circumstances I mercy ; and I am determined no one sBall suffer
would rather be excused from
for me. I am now a prisoner, but those who were
answeringany questions
relating to my
case ; upon which
arrested with me are all at
they
liberty, desisted from further inquiry. Some threats and
without whipping. I now stand alone before the
malicious wishes were uttered against me by Commonwealth
the
of Tennessee to answer for thB
ruffian part of the affair. Tell
assembly,beingabout twentyfive
persons. I was put in a cell which had six
here.
my friends I am in the midst of consolation
persons in it,and I can assure thee that they were
very far from Richard was
beingagreeable companionsto me,
engaged to a young ladyof
althoughtheywere kind. But thou knows that I amiable disposition and fine mental endowments.
do not relish cursing and swearing, and worst of
all loathsome and obscene blasphemy; and of
such was most of the conversation of my prison
To her he thus writes:
0, dearest! Canst thou upbraidme? canst
are kind enough to me, but the jailis so constructed
thou call it crime ? wouldst thou call it crime,or
that it cannot be warmed, and we have couldst thou upbraidme, for rescuing, attempting
mates when I was firstput in here. The jailers
to either warm ourselves by walking in our cell, to rescue, thyfather,mother, or brother and
which is twelve by fifteenfeet,or by lying in bed. sister, or even friends, from a captivity among
a
I went out to my trial on the 16th of last month, cruel race of oppressors 1 0, couldst thou only see
and put it off till the next term of the court, what I have seen, and hear what I have heard,of
which will be commenced on the second of next the sad,vexatious,degrading, soul-trying
4th month. I put it off on the groundof excitement.
situation of as noble minds as ever the Anglo-
Saxon race were possessedof,mourningin vain
Dear brother,I have no hopes of getting for that universal heaven-born boon of freedom,
of beingconvicted and sentenced to the penitentiary
which an all-wise and beneficent Creator has
; but do not think that I am without comfort designed for all,thou couldst not censure, but
in my afflictions, for I assure thee that I have wouldst deeplysympathize with me ! Take all
many reflectionsthat giveme sweet consolationin these things into consideration, and the thousands
of grief. I have

" the
if
I
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
57
miserable lives than mine will be, even at ten anxious to do it. [Herehe mentions that the
years
in the penitentiary, and thou wilt not look funds held by this individual had been placedin
upon my
fate with so much horror as thou would his hands by a person who obtained them by dishonest
at firstthought.
means.] But havinglearned the above
facts,which he in confidence made known to me,
In another letterhe adds :
I declined accepting his offer,giving him my
reasons
in full. The matter rests with him, my
I have happy hours here, and I should not be
attorneys and myself.My attorneysdo not know
miserable if I could only know you
were not sor who he is,but,with his permission,
rowing for me at home. It would give me mon
informed them of the nature of the case,
satisfaction to hear that you* were not grievinjafter I came to
about me than anything else.
a conclusion upon the subject,and
had determined not to
accept
The nearer I liveto the principle
; which
of the com was approvedby them. I also had
mandment, " Love thyneighbor as thyself," an offer of
iron saws and files and other tools by which I
more enjoymentI have of this life. None can could break
know the enjoyments that flow from feelings of
jail; but I refused them also,as I do
not wish
good will towards our fellow-beings,
pursue any such underhanded course to
both friends extricatemyself from my presentdifficulties ; for
and enemies, but those who cultivate them. Even when I leave Tennessee I ever do am
in my prison-cell I may be happy, if I will. For determined to leave it a free man. Thou need not
the Christian'sconsolation cannot be shut out from fear that I shall ever stoopto dishonorable
him by enemies or iron means
gates.
to avoid my severe impendingfate. When I meet
In another letterto
thee againI want to meet thee with a clear conscience,
the ladybefore alluded
and a character unspottedby disgrace.
to he says
:
In another placehe says,
in view of his
By what I am able to learn,I believe thy nearlyapproaching
Richard" has not fallenaltogether
:
unlamented ;
"
and the satisfaction it givesme is sufficient to 0 dear parents ! The principles of love for my
make my prisonlife more pleasant and desirable fellow-beings which you have instilled into my
than even a life of liberty without the esteem and mind are some of the greatestconsolationsI have
respect of my friends. But it givesbitterness to in my imprisonment, and theygive me resignation
the cup
of my afflictionsto think that my dear to bear whatever may be inflicted upon
me without
friends and relativeshave to suffer such grief and feeling any malice or bitternesstoward my vigi-
sorrow for me.
lant prosecutors. If they show me. mercy, it will
be acceptedby me with gratitude ; but if theydo
Thoughpersecution my lot, not, I will endeavor to bear whatever they may
yet I will not allow my indignation ever to inflictwith Christian fortitude and
ripen
resignation,
into revenge
even against my bitterestenemies ;
try not to murmur at my lot ; but it is hard
for there will be a time when all thingsmust be to obey the commandment, " Love your enemies."
revealed before Him who has said " Vengeance is
mine, I will
The
repay." Yes, my heart shall ever
day of his trial at lengthcame.
glow with love for my poor fellow-mortals, who His youth, his engagingmanners, frank
are hasteningrapidly on to their final destination address, and invariable gentleness to allwho
awful tomb and the solemn judgment. approachedhim,had won
Perhaps it will givethee some consolation for
many friends, and
the trialexcited much interest.
me to tell thee that I believe there is a considerable
sympathy existing in the minds of some of
the better portion of the citizens His mother and her brother,
here,which
Williams,went
may a distance of seven hundred and
be of some benefit to me. But all that can
fifty
be
to attend
his trial. They carried with them a certificate
done in my behalf will stillleave my
case a sad
of his character,
one. Think not, however,that it is all loss up by Dr. Brisbane,
to
me, for by my calamity I have learned and numerouslysigned by his friends and acquaintances,
many good
and officially
and useful lessons,which I
countersignedby civil
hope may yet prove
both temporal and officers. This was done at the suggestionof his
spiritual blessings to me.
counsel, and exhibited by them in court. When
brough to the bar it is said that " his demeanor
"
Behind a
He
frowningprovidence
hides a smilingface."
was calm, dignified and manly." His mother sat
by
Therefore I hope thou his side. The prosecuting attorneywaived
and his
my dear distressed
plea,
parents will be somewhat ground clear for Richard's
comforted about me, for
counsel. Their defence was eloquentand
I know
pathetic.
you regard my spiritual welfare far more
After theyclosed,Richard rose, and in
than anythingelse.
a calm and dignified manner spoke extemporaneously
In his next letterto the same friend he
as follows :
the kind permission
"
By of the Court, for
says:
which I am sincerelythankful,I avail myself of
the privilege of addinga few words to the remarks
Since I wrote my last,I have had a severe already made by my counsel. And althoughI
moral conflict, in which 1 believe the rightconquered,
stand,by my
own confession, as a criminal in the
and has completely gainedthe ascendency. eyes of your violated laws,yet I feel confident
that I am addressing those who have hearts to-
The matter was this : A man with whom I have
become acquaintedsince my imprisonmentoffered
to bail me out and let me
stay away from my
trial,
feel ; and in metingout the punishment that I am
about to suffer I hope you vill be lenient,for it
is a new situation in which I am
placed Ṇever

.
58 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
before,in the whole course of my life,have I been
chargedwith a dishonest act. And from my solicitudefor your
son isnatural, and it would bo
chilclhoud kind parents, whose names I deeplygratifying
to be able to reward itbyreleasing him,
reverence, have instilled into my mind a desire to
be virtuous and honorable ; and it has ever been
my aim so to conduct myselfas to merit the confidence
and esteem of my fellow-men. But, gentlemen,
and our
peace as a people. He is doomed to the
I have violated your laws. This offence I shortestperiod known to our statute. And, at all
did commit ; and I now stand before you, to my events, I could not interferewith his case for
sorrow and regret,
as a criminal. But I was some time to come ;.andțo be frank with you, I do
prompted to it by feelings of humanity. It has not see how his time can be lessened at all. But
one with which I am charged.But, gentlemen,
the impressionis false. I alone am guilty, I
alone committed the offence,and I alone must
the prayers and blessings
mother who love their child."
and
A great deal of sensation now appearedin the
He
court-room, and most of the juryare said to have
was at first put to sawingand scrubbing
"
wept. They retired for a few moments, and rock ; but,as the delicacy of his frame
returned a verdict for three years imprisonmentunfitted him for such labors, and the spotless
in the penitentiary.
sanctity
The NashvilleDailyGazette of April13,1849,
of his life won the reverence of his
contains the following notice
jailers, he was soon promotedto be steward
:
of the prisonhospital Ịn a letter to a
"Richard
5th day of December
"
THE KIDNAPPING CASE.
Dillingham, who was arrested on the
last,having in his possession
three slaveswhom he intended to convey with him
to a free state,was arraignedyesterday and tried
in the Criminal Court. The prisoner confessed his
guilt, and made a short speechin palliation of his
'offence. He avowed that the act was undertaken
His mother,before leavingNashville,visited
the governor, and had an interview with him in
regard to pardoningher son. He gave her some
7th mO. was received,and would have been noticed
*
It.D.'s father survived him only a few months.
earlier but for my absence from homo. Your
if it were in my power. But the offence for
which he is suffering was
made out,and
clearly
its tendency here is very hurtful to our rights,
been suspected,as I was informed țhat I am
my term of officewill expiresoon, and the
leagued with governor
a fraternity who are combined for elect, Gen. William Trousdale, will take my
the purpose of committingsuch offences as the place. To him you will make any future appeal.
"
Yours,"c. N. L. Brown.''
warden.
friend he thus announces
situation :
The warden of the penitentiary, John Mcintosh,
was much prejudicedagainsthim. He
suffer the penalty.My parents,my friends, my
though
relatives, are as innocent of any participation in
the sentence was too light, and,beingof
or knowledge of a stern bearing,
my offence as the babe unborn.
Richard had not much to expect
My parents are still from his kindness. But the same
living,
* thoughadvanced in
sterling integrity
and
years, and, in the course
ingenuousness which had ever, under all cir-
of nature, a few more
years will terminate their marked his conduct,soon
earthly existence. In
wrought a
change
their old age and infirmity theywill need a
stay
in the minds of his keepers, and of his
and protection ; and if enemies generallyḤe became a favorite with
you can, consistently with
your ideas of Mcintosh,and some of the guard. Accordingto
justice, make my term of imprisonment
the rules of the prison, he was not allowed to
a short one, you will receive the lasting
gratitude of a son who reverences his parents, and
write oftener than once in three months, and what
he wrote had,of course, to be
of
inspected by the
an agedfather
cumstances
this changein his
I suppose thou art,ere this time,informed of
the change in my situation, having been
in the hospital of the penitentiary as steward.
.
I feel but poorlyqualified to fillthe situationthey
to do the best I
placed
by himself without instigation from
have assignedme, but will
any source,
try
can
and he alone
I
was responsible for the error into
enjoy the comforts of a good fire
which his education had led him.
and a warm
He had, he
room, and am allowed to sit up
said,no other motive than the good of the slaves, evenings and read,which I prize as a greatprivilege
and did not
expect to claim I have now been here nearlynine
any advantageby
freeing them. He was sentenced to three months, and
years
have twenty-seven more to stay. It
imprisonment in the seems to me a
penitentiary, the least time
long time in prospect. I tryto be
as
the law allows for the offence committed. Mr. patient as I can, but sometimes I get lowspirited
Ị throw off the thoughtsof home and
Dillinghamis a Quaker from Ohio, and has been
a teacher in that state. He belongs to friends a as much as
respectable
possible ; for,when indulged
family,and he is not without the sympathy
in, they only increase my melancholyfeelings.
of those who attended the trial. It
And what wounds
was a foolhardy
my feelingsmost is the reflection
enterprise in which he embarked, and
of what you all sufferof grief and anxiety
dearlyhas he paidfor his rashness."
for me. Cease to grieve for me, for I am unworthy
of it ; and it only causes pain for you,
without availingaughtfor me As ever,
thine in the bonds of affection, R. D.
encouragement,but thoughtshe had better postpone
He had been in prison
her petition
present. After the more than a
lapse
of severalmonths, she wrote to him about it ; but year when the cholera invaded Nashville,
he seemed to have changedhis mind, as the followingand
broke out among the inmates ; Richard
letter will show :
was
up day and nightin attendance on
"
Nashville,August 29, 1849. the sick,his disinterested and sympathetic
"
Dear Madam : Your letter of the 6th of the nature leadinghim to labors to which his
delicate constitution, impairedby confinement,
was altogether inadequate.

"
if
as
59
"
"
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
thatshe has many
"
Beside the bed where partinglifewas laid,
sons with candor enough to perceive, and
And sorrow, griefand pain,by turns dismayed,
The youthfulchampion stood : at his control courage enough to avow, the evils of her
Despairand anguishfled the tremblingsoul, "peculiarinstitutions." The manly inde-
Comfort came down the dying wretch to raise,
And his last faltering exhibited by these men, in communities
where popularsentiment rules des-
Worn with these labors, thegentle, patient
either by law or in spite of law,
lover of God and of his brother, sank at last should be duly honored. The sympathy
overwearied, and passedpeacefully away of such minds as these is a high encouragement
to a world where all are lovely and loving. to philanthropic effort.
Though his correspondence with her he The author inserts a few testimonials
most loved was interrupted, from his unwillingnessfrom
Southern men. not without some pride
to subject his letters to the surveillancein
beingthus kindlyjudgedby those who
of the warden,yet a note reached
mighthave been naturally expectedto read
her,conveyedthrough the hands of a prisoner
her book with prejudice against whose time was out. In this letter, The JeffersonInquirer,publishedat
the 'lastwhich any earthlyfriend ever received,
Jefferson City,Missouri,Oct. 23, 1852,
he says
:
contains the following communication :
I ofttimes, yea,
all times,think of thee ; I
UNCLE TOJt'S CABIN.
did not, I should cease to exist.
I have lately book,which,
"What must that systembe which makes perhaps, has gone through editions,and
more
been sold
it necessary to imprisonwith convicted
greaternumbers, than any work from
the American press,
felons a man like this,because he loves his
lengthof time.
It is a work of highliterary
"
brother man not wisely but too well finish, and its several
"
1
characters are drawn with great power and
On his death Whittier wrote the following
truthfulness,although, like the characters inmost
novels and works of fiction, in some instances too
:
highlycolored. There is no attack on slave-holders
Imit. Christ.
as such,but, on the contrary,many
of them
are represented as highlynoble, generous, humane
"
Si crucem libenter portes, te portabit."
"
The Cross,if freelyborne,shall bo
and benevolent. Nor is there any attack upon
No burthen, but support, to thee."
them as a class. It sets forth many of the evils
So,moved of old time for our sake,
of
The holy man of Kempen spake.
slavery, by law,but
without chargingthese evils on those who hold
the
Thou brave and true one, upon whom
slaves,and seems fullyto appreciate the difficulties
Was laid the Cross of Martyrdom,
in finding Its effect upon the
How didst thou, in thy faithful youth,
slave-holderis to make him a kinder and better
Bear witness to this blessed truth !
master ; to which none can object.This is said
without any intention to endorse everything Thy cross of suffering and of shame
in the book, or, indeed,in
A staffwithin thy hands became any novel,or
;
work of fiction. But,if I mistake "
not, there are
In paths,where Faith alone could see
The Master's steps,upholdingthee.
Thine was the seed-time : God alone
Beholds the end of what is sown ;
Beyond our vision,weak and dim,
The harvest -time is hid with Him.
Tet, unforgottenwhere it lies,
dialect,habits,"c, is beyond
That seed of
my comprehension,
generous sacrifice,
as she never
Though seeming on the desert
resided
cast,
appears from the
Shall rise with bloom and fruit at last.
in preface" a slave state, or
among slaves or
Amesbury,Second
J. G. Whittier. negroes. But they are certainlyadmirablydelineated.
mo. 18th,1852.
The book is highlyinteresting and amusing,
and will afford a rich treat to itsreader.
Thomas Jefferson.
CHAPTER XIV.
The opinion of the editorhimself is given
in thesewords :
THE SPIRIT OF ST. CLARE.
UNCLE TOM'S CABIN.
The general press and of the "Well,like a good portionof "the world and
community in the slave states, the rest of mankind," we have read the book of
as it Mrs. Stowe bearing the above title.
has been made known at the North,has From numerous statements, newspaper paragraphs
been loudlycondemnatory and
representations
rumors, we supposedthe book was all
that
of "Uncle
fanaticism and
Tom's Cabin." Still, it
heresy could invent,and were
therefore greatlyprejudicedagainstit. But, on
would be unjusto the character of the South
to refuseto acknowledge
pendence
potically
few,exceptingthose who are greatlyprejudiced,
that will risefrom a perusal of the book without
being a truer and better Christian,and a more
humane and benevolent man. As a slave-holder,
I do not feel the least aggrieved Ḥow Mrs.
Stowe,the authoress,has obtained her extremely
accurate knowledgeof the negroes, their character,
readingit,we cannot refrain from sayingthat it
is a work of more than ordinary moral worth,and

"
have
that
_
one view the excellences and the evilsof the sys-
GO KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
is entitledto consideration. We do not regardit
tem
as "a corruption of moral sentiment," and a
gross "libel on a portion of our people." The
authoress seems disposed to treat the subject
fairly, though, in some particulars, the scenes are The next
too highlycolored,and too stronglydrawn from
the imagination. The book, however, may lead
of
itsreaders at a distance to misapprehend some
the general and better features of " Southern life
our mind's eye, who are not free from all the ills
flesh is heir to." It has been feared that the
book would result in injuryto the slave-holding North, to read on his homeward
interests of the country; but passage to New
we apprehend no Orleans. He was entirely unacquainted with its
such thing, and hesitate not to recommend it to the
character ; he was attracted by its title, supposing
perusal of our friends and the publicgenerally. itmight
Mrs. Stowe has exhibited a knowledgeof amuse him while travelling. Through
many his family
peculiarities of Southern societywhich is really
it was shown to me, as somethingthat
I would probably like. I looked at the author's
wonderful,when we consider that she is a Northern
ladyby birth and residence.
We hope, then,before our friends form any
harsh opinionsof the merits of "Uncle Tom's
"
The remarks from persons presentwere,
Cabin," and make up any judgmentagainst that
us it was a most amusingwork,and the scenes most
for pronouncing
itsfavor (barring some objections
admirably
to it),that they will give drawn to life. I acceptedthe offerof
it a careful
perusal ; and, in so speaking, we may say that
a perusalof it,and broughtit home with me.
Although I have not read every sentence, I
we yieldto no man in his devotion to Southern
have
looked over the whole of it,and I now wish to
rights and interests.
bear my testimony to its justdelineation of the
position
The editor of the St. Louis (Missouri)
that the slave occupies.Colorings in the
work there are, but no colorings of the actual and
Batterypronounces the following judgment:
real position of the slave worse than really exist.
Whippings to death do occur ; I know it to be so.
We took up this work, a few eveningsince,
Painful separations of master and slave,under
with just such prejudices against it as we presume
many others have commenced reading it.
We have been so much in contact with ultra abolitionists,
Many families,after havingbrought up their
had so much evidence that their
on slaves to do
benevolence was much more hatred for the master everything for them,and after havingbeen indulged
than love for the slave,accompanied with a in
profound
elegances and luxuries, have exhausted
ignorance ofțhe circumstances surrounding
all their means ; and the black peopleonlybeing
both, and a most consummate, supreme disgustleft,whom they must sell, for further support.
"
for the whole negro race, we had about Runningaway, everybodyknows, is the worst
concluded that anythingbut rant and nonsense crime a slave can commit,in the eyes
of his master,
was out of the questionfrom a Northern writer except itbe a humane master ; and from such
upon the subject of slavery.
few slaves care to run away.
Mrs. Stowe, in these delineationsof life "lama among
slave-holdermyself Ị have long been
the lowly,has convinced us to the contrary. dissatisfiedwith the system ; particularly since I
She brings to the discussion of her subjecta have made the Bible my criterionfor judgingof
perfectly cool,calculating judgment, a wide, allcomprehending
intellectualvision, and a deep, slaveryis not in accordance with what God
jt. I am convinced,from what I read there
warm, sea-like woman's soul,over all of which is delights to honor in his creatures. I am altogether
flunga perfect iris-likeimagination, which makes opposedto the system; and I intend always
strongerand more beautiful,
to use whatever influence I may have againstit.
We do not wonder that the copy before us isof
the seventieth thousand. And seventy thousand
the demand, or we mistake
like fanaticism,no matter what amount of enthusiasm
vivifies every page, and runs like electricity
alongevery thread of the story. It presents at woidd unite, not to destroy the Union states, but
honestly to speakout, and speakfreely,against
of slavery, and breathes the true spirit of
Christian benevolence for the slave,and charity
for the master.
witness giveshis testimony in a
letterto the New York Evening Post:
LIGIIT IN THE SOUTH.
The subjoinedcommunication comes to us postmarked
as it is" (which,by the way, we, as an individual,
preferto Northern life) ; yet it is New Orleans,June 19,1852 :
a perfect " I have just
mirror of several classes of people " we have been reading ' UncleTom's Cabin,
in
or, Scenes in Lowly Life,'by Mrs. Harriet Beecher
Stowe. It found its way to me throughthe channel
of a
young student,who purchasedit at the
name, and said, ' 0, yes ; anythingfrom that lady
I will read ;'otherwise I should have disregarded
a work of fictionwithout such a title.
circumstances creditable to the master's feelings
of humanity, do also occur. I know that,too.
children in entire dependence
the light of her pictures
as theirshades are darker and terror-striking.
I feel very bold in speakingagainstit,though
living in the midst of it,because I am backed by
a powerfularm, that can overturn and overruLe
more will not the
supply strongest effortsthat the determined friends
the appreciation of the American peopleof the of slavery are now makingfor its continuance.
real merits of literaryproductions. Mrs. Stowe
"
I sincerelyhope that more of Mrs. Stowes
has,in " Uncle Tom's Cabin,"set up for herself may be found țo show up the reality
of slavery.
a monument more enduringthan marble. It will It needs master minds to show it as it is țhat it
stand amid the wastes of slaveryas the Memnon may rest upon its own merits.
"
stands amid the sands of the African desert,telling
Like Mrs. Stowe, I feel that,since so
many
both the white man and the negro of the approach
and good peoplețoo, at the North, have quietly
of morning. The book is not an abolitionist
consented to leave the slave to his fate,by acquiescing
work, in the offensivesense of the word. It
in and approving the late measures of government,
is,as we have intimated,free from everything
those who do feel differently should
bestirthemselves. Christian effort must do the
work ; and soon it would be done, if Christians

ecame
Ed.
that they know is wrong. They are not aware
what countenance theygiveto slave-holders to
hold on to their prey. Troubled consciences can
be easilyquietedby the sympathies of piouspeople,
particularly
come in as aids.
iswhat is wanted.
'"
You will wonder why this communication is
made to you by an unknown. It is simply made
to encourage your heart, and strengthenyour
determination to persevere, and do all you
can to
put the emancipationof the slave in progress.
Who I am you will never know ; nor do I wish
you to know, nor any
following
one else. I am a
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. Gl
"
Republican."
The
factsmake the fictionof
"Uncle Tom's Cabin" appear tame in the
comparisonṪheyare from the New York
Evangelist.
uncle tom's cabin.
Mr. Editor : I see in your paper that some persons
the statements of Mrs. Stowe. I have
denied it. One night, about the firstof September,
the boy came home earlier than usual, say
about nine o'clock. It was a wet, dismal night*;
he made a firein his cabin,went to get his supper,
when interest and inclination and found ocular demonstration of the guilt
"I
of his master. He became enraged,as I suppose
am told there is to be a replymade to
man would, seized a cut
any butcher-knife, and
' Uncle Tom's Cabin,'entitled ' Uncle Tom's his master's throatștabbed his wife in twentyseven
places,came to the village, and knocked Cabin as It Is.' I am glad of it. Investigation
at
the office-door.I told him to come in. He did
so, and asked for my employer.I called him.
The boythen told him that he had killedhis master
and his wife,and what for. My employer
locked him up, and he,a doctor and myself, went
out to the house of the old bachelor,and found
him dead, and the boy'swife nearlyso. She,
however,lived. We (my employer and myself)
returned to the village, watched the boy until
about sunrise,left him locked up, and went to
get our breakfasts, intending to take the boy to
jail(as it was
my employer's interest,if possible,
to save the boy,havingone thousand dollars at
stake in him). But, whilst we were eating, some
persons who had heard of the murder broke open
the door,took the poor fellow,put a log chain
round his neck,and started him for the woods, at
the point of the bayonet,marchingby where we
deny were eating,with a great
read her book, every word of deal it. I was born in
of noise. My employer,
hearingit,ran out, and rescued the boy.
East Tennessee,near Knoxville,and,we thought, The mob again
in an enlightened part of broke in and took the the boy,and
Union,much favored marched him, as before stated,out of town.
in our social,political and religious privileges, My employer
"c. "c. Well, then begged I think about the them not to disgrace
year 1829,or, their town in such a manner ;
perhaps,'28,a good old German Methodist but owned
to appointa
juryof twelve sober men, to decide what should be
a black man named Robin,a Methodist preacher
and the manager of farm,distillery,
not performsuch an act of crueltyas to flog the
girl for what she could not help; and for that act
of disobedience old Robin was floggedby the
good old German brother,until he could not
stand. He was carried to bed ; and, some three
weeks thereafter,
he was stillconfined to his bed from the effectsof
that flogging.
Again : in the fallof 1836 I went South,for my
health,stoppedat a villagein Mississippi, and
obtained employment in the largest house
county, as a book-keeper, with a
when my father left the state,
done. And twelve as sober men as could be found
"c, sales- (Iwas not sober)said he must be hanged. They
"
" ! then tied a rope round his neck,and set him on
odist had a son named "Willey, a schoolmate of
an old horse. He made a speech to the mob,
mine,and,as times were, a first-ratefellow. The which I,at the time,thoughtif it had come from
old man also owned a keen,bright-eyed mulatto
girl; and some senator, would have been received with
the Willey" naughtyboy ! became rounds of applause; and, withal,he was more
enamored of the poor girl. The result was soon calm than I am now, in writingthis. And, after
discovered ; and our good German Methodist told he had
his brother Robin to flog the girlfor her wickedness.
told all about the deed,and its cause, he
then kicked the horse out from under him, and
Brother Robin said he could not and would
was launched into eternityṀy employerhas
often remarked that he never saw anything more
noble,in his whole lifețhan the conduct of that
boy.
Now, Mr. Editor,I have givenyou facts,and
in the
firm from Louisville,
Ky. A man residing near the "
village a
bachelor,thirtyears of "
age embarrassed,
faithful,trusty and honest ; so much so,
that he was held up as an example. He had a wife
that he loved. His owner cast his eyes upon her,
and she became his paramour. His boy remonstrated
with his master ; told him that he tried
faithfully to performhis every duty; that he was
a good and faithful " nigger " to him ; and it was
hard,after he had toiled hard all day,and tillten
o'clock at night,for him to have his domestic
relations broken up and interfered with. The
white man denied the charge,and the wife also
can giveyou
you think is best for the cause of humanity. I
hope I have seen the evil of my former practices,
and will endeavor to reform.
Veryrespectfully,
James L. Hill.
Springfield, III.,Sept.17th,1852.
names and dates. You can do what
below,appearedin the National Era,
and executed a
pub-
mortgage to my employer
at
on a fine,likelyboy,weighingabout Washington.This is an antislaveryjournal,
but by its generous
two hundred
quick-witted,
pounds,"
active,obedient,and remarkably
tone
"The Opinionof a Southerner." given
lished
and eminent ability it commands the respect
and patronage of many readersin the
slavestates :
The
following communication comes enclosed in
an envelopefrom Louisiana. "
Era.
THE OPINION OF A SOUTHERNER.
To the Editor of the National Era :
I have justbeen reading,
the New York Observer
an article from
of the 12th of August,

was
for
to
" I
" all
final
"
just
"
sold,put
"
men
"
no
"
G2 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
the Southern Free Press,headed by an editorialone moral conflict to wage ; and it is for her to put
from the Observer, that has for its caption,
" Progress
on the most invulnerable moral panoply." He then
in the Right Quarter."
thinks the availability of slave property would
The editor of the New York Observer says that not be injuredby passing a law to prohibit the
the Southern Free Press has been an able and separation of slave families ; for he says, " Although
earnest defender of Southern institutions ; but
cases sometimes occur which we observe
that he now advocates the passage of a law to are seized by these Northern fanatics as characteristic
prohibit the separation of families, and recommends
of the system," "c. Nonsense! there
instructionto a portionof slaves that are are no "cases sometimes" occurring such
most honest and faithful. The Observer further thing ! They are every day'soccurrences, though
adds: "It was such languageas this that was there are families that form the exception,and
becoming common, before Northern fanaticism many, I would hope țhat would not do it. While
ruined the prospects of emancipation." It isnot I am writing I can call before me three men that
so ! Northern fanaticism, as he callsit,has done were brought here bynegro traders from Virginia,
everything that has been done for bettering the each having left six or seven children, with their
condition of the slave. Everyone who knows wives,from whom theyhave never heard. One
anythingof slavery for the last thirtyyears will other died here,a short time since,who left the
recollectthat about that time sincețhe condition same number in Carolina,from whom he had
of the slave in Louisiana " about Louisiana never heard.
onlydo I speak, because about Louisiana only do I spentthe summer of 1845 in Nashville. During
"
know as depressed and miserable as any the month of September, six hundred slaves
of the accounts of the abolitioniststhat ever I passedthrough that place, in four different gangs,
have seen have made it. I say abolitionists ; I for New Orleans
"
destination, probably,
mean friends and advocates of freedom,in a fair Texas. A goodlyproportion were women ; young
and honorable way. If any doubt my
assertion,
women, of course ; many mothers must have left
let them seek for information. Let them get
not only their children,but their babies. One
the black laws of Louisiana,and read them. Let gang onlyhad a few children. I made some
them get facts from individuals of veracity, on excursions to the differentwateringplacesaround
whose statements they would rely.
Nashville ; and while at Robinson,or Tyree
This wretched condition of slaves roused the Springs,twenty miles from Nashville,on the
friendsof humanity,who, like men, and Christian borders of Kentucky and Tennessee, my hostess
men, came fearlessly forward,and told truths,indignantly
said to me, one day, " Yonder comes a
gang
expressingtheir abhorrence of their of slaves,chained." I went to the road-side,
oppressors. Such measures, of course, broughtand viewed them. For the better answering my
forth strife, which caused the cries of humanitypurpose of observation, I stoppedthe white man
to sound loud-er and louder throughoutthe land. in front,who was at his ease in a one-horse wagon,
The friends of freedom gained the ascendency in and asked him if those slaves were for sale. I
the hearts of the people, and the slave-holders counted them and observed their position.They
were brough to a stand. Some, throughfear of were divided by three one-horse wagons, each
consequences, lessened their cruelties, while others containing a man- arranged merchant,so as to
were made to think țhat,perhaps, were not unwilling
command the whole gang. Some were unchained ;
to do so when it was urgedupon them. sixty were chained, in two companiesțhirty in
Cruelties were not onlyrefrained from,but the each țhe righthand of one to the left hand of the
slave's comforts were increased. A retrogradeother
opposite one, makingfifteeneach side of a
treatment now was not practicable.Fears of rebellion
largeox-chain țo which
every
hand was fastened,
kept them to it. The slave had found and necessarily compelled to hold up,
and
friends,and they were watchful. It was, however,
women promiscuously, and about in equal proportions,
soon discovered that too
many privileges,
young people. No children here,
too much leniency, and givingknowledge, would except a few in a
wagon behind,which were the
destroy the power to keep down the slave,and only children in the four gangs.
I said to a
tend to weaken, if not destroy, the system. Accordingly,
respectable mulatto woman in the house, "Is
stringent laws had to be passed,and a it true that the negro traders take mothers
penalty attached to them. No one must from teach,or their babies?" "Missis,it is true; for
cause to be taught, a slave,without incurring the here,last week, such a girl[namingher],who
penalty. The law is now in force. These necessary
livesabout a mile off,was taken after dinner,
laws, as they are called,are all put down to knew nothing of itin the morning,
into
"
the account of the friends of freedom their the gang, and her baby was givenaway to a
interference. I do suppose that theydo justlyneighbor Ṣhe was a stout young woman, and
belongto their interference ; for who that studies brought a goodprice."
the history of the world's transactionsdoes not The annexation of Texas induced the spirited
know that in all contests with power
the weak, traffic that summer. Coming down home in a
until successful, will be dealt with more rigorously
small boat,water low,a negro trader on board
? Lose not sight,however,of their former had forty-five men and women crammed into a little
condition. Law. after law has since been passedspot, some handcuffed. One respectable-looking
to draw the cord tighter around the poor slave, man had left a wife and seven children in Nashville.
and all attributed to the abolitionists. Well, Near Memphis the beat stopped at a plantation
anyhow,progress is being made. Here comes by previousarrangement țo take in thirty more.
out the Southern Press,and makes some honorable An hour's delay was the stipulated time with the
concessions. He says : " The assaults upon slavery,
captainof the boat. Thirty young
men and
made for the last twentyyears by the North, women came down the bank of the Mississippi,
have increased the evils of it."The treatment of lookingwretchedness personified from the
slaves has undoubtedlybecome a delicate and field ; in appearance dirty, disconsolate and op
difficultquestion. The South has a great and some with an old shawl under theirarm

nature if I mistake in sayingthat Mrs. Stowe has
done much to draw from him those concessions ;
and the putting forth of this "most invulnerable
moral panoply,"that has justcome into his head
as a bulwark of safetyfor slavery, owes itsimpe-
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
a few had blankets ; some had nothing at tus
all "
to her,and other like efforts. I hope the
looked as though they cared for nothing. I calculated,
giventhem,when about to leave,was in consequence
of the fears entertained that theywould ship,with a
slip one side. They all looked young
woman whose face was en-
"
distressed,
in a profusion
light brown curls,and
leaving all that was dear to them behind țo be who sat at the table with the passengers all the
put under the hammer, for the propertyof the
highestbidder. No children here ! The whole Staten Island,the captainreceived a letter, sent
while looking at them comingdown the
bank,that I could hold in a bundle all that the
whole of them had. The short notice that was
seventy-five were crammed into a little space
on
the boat,men and women all together.
I am happy to see that moralityis rearing its
head with advocates for slavery, and that a " most
invulnerable moral panoply"is thoughtto be
necessary. I hope it may not prove to be likeMr.
Clay'scompromises Ṭhe Southern Press
says :
"As for caricatures of slavery in ' Uncle Tom's
Cabin ' and the ' White Slave,'all founded in
imaginarycircumstances, "c, we consider them
highlyincendiary Ḥe who undertakes to stir up
strifebetween two individual neighbors,by de-
is justlyregarded,by
moral codes,as a criminal." Then he quotes the
ninth commandment, and adds :
" But to bear
false witness againstwhole states,and millions
of people,"c, would seem to be a crime as much
traction,
all men and all
deeper in turpitude as the mischief is greater and
the provocation less." In the firstplace,I will
very frequent.
The stirring up of strife between neighbors,
that the Southern Press complainsof,deserves
notice. Who are neighbors ? The most explicit
of " assault on slavery," such as these Northern answer to this questionwill be found in the reply
fanatics have made for the " last twentyyears." Christ made to the lawyer, when he asked it of
The number against whom she offends,in the him. Another questionwill arise,Whether,in
editor'sopinion, seems to increase the turpitudeChrist's judgment,Mrs. Stowe would be considered
of her crime. That is good reasoning! I hope
a neighbor an incendiary 1 As the Almighty
the editor will be brough to feel that wholesale
Ruler of the universe and the Maker of
wickedness is worse than single-handed,
is man has said that He has made all the nations of
infinitely harder to reach,particularly
put the Southern Press upon proofthat Mrs.
Harriet Beecher Stowe has told one falsehood. If
she has told truth,it is,indeed,a powerfulengine
if of long the earth of one blood,and man in His own image,
standing Ịt gathersboldness and strength when the black man, irrespective of his color,would
it is sanctioned by the authority of time,and seem to bo a neighbor who has fallen among
aided by his
numbers that are interestedin supporting
enemies țhat have deprived him of the fruitsof
it. Such is slavery ; and Mrs. Harriet Beecher his labor,his liberty, his rightto his wife and
Stowe deserves the gratitudeof " states and children,his right to obtain the knowledgeto
millions of people" for her talented work, in read,or to anything that earth holds dear,except
showingit up in its true light.She has advocated
such portions of food and raiment as will fithim
truth,justiceand humanity,and they will for his despoiler's purposes. Let not the apologists
back her efforts. Her work willbe read by"states
for slavery bringup the isolated cases of
and millions of people;" and when the Southern leniency, givinginstruction, and affectionateat-
Press attempts to malignher,bybringing forward
that are found among
some masters,as
her own avowal, " that the subject of slavery had specimens of slavery! It is unfair ! They form
been so painful to her,that she had abstained exceptions, and much do I respect them from conversing
itfor several ; but they
years,"and that,
Press than from her. She advocates what isright,
and has a straight road,which
"
few getloston ;"
he advocates what is wrong, and has,consequently,
to tack,concede,deny șlander,and all sorts of
things.
With all due deference to whatever of just
principles the Southern Press may have advanced a
in favor of the slave,I am a
poor judgeof human
in his opinion, "it accounts for the intensity of
the venom of her book," his reallyenvenomed
shafts will fall harmless at her feet ; for readers
will judge for themselves,and be very apt to conclude
that more venom comes from the Southern
Southern Press will not imitate the spoiledchild,
who refused to eat his pie for spite.
The " White Slave" I have not seen. I guess
itscharacter j for I made a
passage to New York,
some fourteen or fifteen years since,in a packet-
veloped
way as a white woman. When at the quarantine,
by express mail,from a
person in New Orleans,
claimingher as his slave,and threatening the captain
with the penaltyof the existing law if she
was not immediatelyreturned. The streaming
eyes of the poor, unfortunate girl told the truth,
when the captainreluctantly broke itto her. She
unhesitatingly confessed that she had run
away,
and that a friend had paid her passage. Proper
measures were taken,and she was conveyedto a
packet-ship that was at SandyHook, bound for
New Orleans.
"Uncle Tom's Cabin,"I think,is a justdelineation
of slaveryṬhe incidents are colored, but
the position that the slave is made to hold is just.
I did not read every page of it, my objectbeing to
ascertain what position the slave occupied Ị
could state a case of whippingto death that
would equalUncle Tom's ; still, such cases are
not
tachment,
are not the rules of slavery.The strife that is
beingstirred up is not to take away anything that
belongsto another," neither their silveror gold,
their fine linen or purple țheir houses or land,
their horses or cattle,or anythingthat is their
property; but to rescue a neighborfrom their unmanly
No
cupidity. A Republican.
introduction is necessary to explain
the following correspondence,
will be required
respectful
and no commendation
to secure for it
attentionfrom thinking readers :
S WashingtonCity,D. C,
} .Dec.6, 1852.
D. R. Goodloe,Esq.
Dear Sir : I understand that you
are a North
Carolinian, and have alwaysresided in the South

" and
neither
neither
64 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
you must, consequently, be acquainted with the The character of St. Clare cannot failto inspire
workings of the institutionof slavery. You have love and admiration. He is the beau ideal of a
"
doubtless also read that world-renowned book, Southern gentleman, honorable, generous
and
"
Uncle Tom's Cabin," by Mrs. Stowe. The apologists
humane, of accomplished manners, liberal education,
for slaverydeny that this book is a truthful
and easy fortune. In his treatment of his
picture of slavery.They say
that itsrepresentations
slaves, he errs on the side of lenity, rather than
are exaggerated, its scenes and incidents vigor; and is always their kind protector, from
a natural impulse of goodness,without much reflection
unfounded,and, in a word, that the whole book is
a caricature. They also deny that families are
"
separated, that children are sold from their misfortune shalldeprive them of his friendship.
parents, wives from their husbands, "c. Urfder Mr. Shelby țhe original owner of Uncie Tom,
these circumstances,I am induced to ask and who your
sellshim to a trader, from the pressure
opinion of Mrs. Stowe's book,and whether or not, of a sort of pecuniarynecessity, is by no means a
in your opinion, her statements are entitled to bad character ; his wife and son are whatever
credit. I have the honor to be,
honor and humanity could wish ; and, in a word,
the
Yours,truly,
onlywhite persons who make any considerable
A. M. Gangewer. figure in the book to a disadvantage are the villain
Legree, who is a Vermonterbybirth, and the
Washington, Dec. 8, 1852.
oily-tongued slave-traderIlaley, who has the accent
Dear Sir : Your letter of the Gth inst.
, asking
of a Northerner. It is,therefore,evident
my opinion of " Uncle Tom's Cabin," has been that Mrs. Stowe's object in writing
*"'" Uncle Tom's
received ; and there being no reason why I should Cabin" has not been to disparage Southern character.
withhold it,unless itbe the fear of publicopinion
A careful analysis of the book would authorize
(yourobjectbeing, as I understand,the "
publication
the opposite inference, that she has studied
of my reply) I
, proceed to giveit in some detail. to shield the Southern people from opprobrium,
A book of fiction, to be worth reading, must necessarily
and even to convey
an elevated idea of Southern
be filledwith rare and strikingincidents, society, at the moment of exposingthe evils of the
and the leadingcharacters must be remarkable, system of slaveryṢhe directs her batteries against
some for greatvirtues,others,perhaps,forgreat
the institution, not against individuals ; and generously
vices or follies. A narrative of the ordinaryevents
makes a renegade Yermonter stand for her
in the lives of commonplacepeoplewould be insufferably
most hideous pictureof
a brutal tyrant.
dull and insipid ; and a book made up
Invidious as the dutymay be, I cannot withhold
of such materials would be, to the elegant and my testimony to the fact that families of
graphicpictures of life and manners which we slaves are often separated Ị know not how any
have in the writingsof Sir Walter Scott and Dickens,
man can have the hardihood to denyit. The
what a surveyor's plotof a ten-acre field is thing is notorious, and is often the subjectof painful
to a paintedlandscape, which the eye is charmed remark in the Southern States. 1 have often
by a thousand varietiesof hill and dale,of heard the green
practice of separating husband and wife,
shrubbery and transparentwater, of light and parent and child,defended,apologized for,palliated
shade, at a glance. In order to determine whether
in a thousand ways, but have never heard
a novel is a fairpicture of society,it is not necessary
it denied. How could it be denied,in fact,when
to ask ifitschief personages
are to be met with probably the very circumstance which elicited the
every day ; but whether theyare characteristicof conversation was a case of cruel separation then
the times and
"
country, whether theyembody the transpiring 1 No, sir! the denial of this fact by
prevalent sentiments,virtues,vices,follies, and peculiarities,
mercenary scribblers may deceive persons at a distance,
whether the events,tragic or
but it can imposeupon
no one at the South.
otherwise, are such as may and do In all the
occasionally slave-holding states the relation of
occur.
matrimony between slaves,or between a slave
Judging " Uncle Tom's Cabin" by these principles,
and free person, is merelyvoluntaryṬhere is no
I have no hesitation in sayingthat it is a law sanctioningit,or recognizing it in any shape,
faithful portraiture of Southern lifeand institutions.
directly or indirectlyỊn a word, it is illicit, and
"
There is nothingin the book inconsistent binds no one, the slaves themselves nor
with the laws and usages of the slave-holding their masters. In separating husband and wife,
states ; the virtues,vices,and peculiar hues of or parent and childțhe trader or owner violates
character and manners, are allSouthern,and must no law of the state " statute nor common
be recognized at once by
one
every
who reads the jlaw. He buys or sells at auction or privately
book. I may
never have seen such depravity in one that which the majestyof the law has declared to
man as that exhibited in the character of Legree,
be property. The victims may writhe in agony,
thoughI have ten thousand times witnessed the various
and the tender-hearted spectatormay
look on with
shades of it in different individuals. On the gloomy sorrow and indignation, but it is to no purpose.
other hand, I have never seen so many perfections
The promptings of mercy
and justicein the
concentrated in one human beingas Mrs. Stowe has heart are only in rebellion againsthe law of the
conferred upon the daughterof a slave-holder. land.
Evangeline is an imageof beauty and goodness
The law itselfnot unfrequently performs the
which can never be effacedfrom the mind, whatever
most cruel separations of families, almost without
may be itsprejudices Ỵet her whole character
the interventionof individual agency.
This
is fragrant of the South ; her generous sympathy,
happensin the case of persons who die insolvent,
her beautyand delicacy, her or
sensibility,
who become so duringlifetime. The estate.
are all Southern. They are "
to the manor born," real and personal, must be disposed of at auction
and embodying as theydo the Southern ideal of to the highestbidder, and the executor, administrator,
beauty and loveliness, cannot be ostracized from sheriff, trustee,or other person
whose duty
Southern hearts, even by the power of the vigilance
itis to dispose of the property,although he may
committees.
possess the most humane intentions in the world.
upon what may befall them when death or

although
not
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
68
cannot preventthe final severance of the most
endearing ties of kindred. The illustration given
by Mrs. Stowe, in the sale of Uncle Tom by Mr.
Shelby, is a very
common case. Pecuniaryembarrassment
that all who are parties to the system are not
is a most fruitful source of misfortune to
necessarily culpable Ịt is a highvirtue in St.
the slave as well as the master ; and instances of Clare to purchaseUncle Tom. He is actuated by
family ties broken from this cause are of dailyno selfish or impropermotive. Moved by a desire
occurrence.
to gratify his daughter, and promptedby his own
It oftenhappens that great abuses exist in violation
humane feelings, liepurchasesa slave,in order to
of law,and
thorities rescue him from a hard fate on the plantations. If
in spiteof the efFortsofthe au-
such is the case with
to suppress them ;
drunkenness,gambling, and other vices. But here
states,
is a law common to all the slave-holding
which upholds and gives countenance to the wrongdoer,
while its blackest terrors are reserved for
those who would interpose to protectthe innocent.
It may be said that it was the dutyof St.Clare
Statesmen of elevated and honorable characters,
to emancipate Uncle Tom ; but the wealth of the
from a vague
notion of state necessity, Rothschilds would not enable a man to act out his
have defended this law in the abstract, while they benevolent instinctsat such a price. And if such
would, without hesitation, condemn every instance was his duty, is it not equallythe duty of every
of its application as unjust.
monied man in the free states to attend the New
In one respect I am glad to see it publicly Orleans slave-mart with the same benevolent purpose
denied that the familiesof slaves are separated ; in view 1 It seems to me that to purchasea
for while it argues
a disreputable want of*candor, j slave with the purpose of savinghim from a hard
it at the same time evinces a commendable sense and
of shame,and induces the hope that the I cruel fate,and without any view to emancijpation,
is itselfa goodaction. If the slaveshould
public
opinion at the South will not much longertolerate subsequently become able to redeem himself,it
this most odious,though not essential, partof the would doubtlessbe the dutyof the owner to emancipate
system of slavery.
him ; and it would be but even-handed
In this connection I will call to your recollection justiceto sec down every dollar of the slave's earnings,
a remark of the editorof the Southern Press,in above the expense of his maintenancețo his
one of the last numbers of that paper,
which acknowledges
credit,until the pricepaidfor him should be fully
the existenceof the abuse in question, restored. This is all that justicecould exact of
and recommends its correction. He says
:
the slave-holder.
"
The South has a great moral conflic to wage ; Those who have railed against
" Uncle Tom's
and it is for her to put
on the most invulnerable Cabin" as an incendiary publication have singularly
moral panoply. Hence it is her duty, as well as (supposing that they have read the book)overlooked
interest, to mitigate or remove whatever of evilthat
the moral of the hero's life. Uncle Tom is
"
results incidentally from the institution. The the most faithfulof servants. He literally obeyed
separation of husband and wife,parent and child, in all things"his " masters according to the
is one of these evils, which we know is generally flesh ; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but
avoided and repudiated there cases
"
in singleness of heart,fearingGod." If his conduct
sometimes occur which we observe are seizedby exhibits the slightestdeparture from a literal
fulfilment of this injunction of Scripture,
these Northern fanaticsas characteristicillustrations
of the system. Now we can see no great evil it is in a case which must command the approbation
or inconvenience, but much good, in the prohibition
of the most rigidcasuist ; for the injunction
by law of such occurrences. Let the husband of obedience extends,of course, onlyto lawful
and wife be sold together, and the parents and commands. It is only when the monster
minor children. Such a law would affect but Legreecommands him to inflictundeserved chastisement
slightly the generalvalue or availability of slave
upon his fellow-servants, that Uncle Tom
and would preventin some cases the vioence
done to the feelings of such connections by
of escaping into Ohio with the young
refuses obedience. He would not listen to a
proposition
ftroperty,
saleseither compulsory or voluntary. We are satisfied
woman Eliza,on the night after theywere sold
that it would be beneficialto the master and by Mr. Shelby to the trader Haley. He thought
slave to promotemarriage, and the observance of it would be bad faithto his late master,whom he
all its duties and relations."
had nursed in his arms, and mightbe the means
Much as I have differed with the editorof the of bringing him into difficulty. He offered no
Southern Press in his generalviews of publicresistance to Haley,and obeyed even Legree in
policy, I am disposed to forgive him pasterrors in
every legitimate command. But when he wasrequiredto
be the instrument of his master's
consideration of his publicacknowledgment of
this " incidentalevil,"and his frank recommendation
cruelty, he chose rather to die,with the courage
of its removal. A Southern newspaper less and resolutionof a Christian martyr, than to save
devoted than the Southern Press to the maintenance
his lifeby a guiltycompliance.Such was Uncle
of slavery would be "
seriously compromisedTom a bad examplefor the imitation of man
by such a suggestion, and its advice would be or master. I am, sir, very respectfully,
far less likely to be heeded. I think,therefore,
Your ob't serv't,
that Mr. Fisher deserves the thanks of every good
Damel R. Goodloe.
man, North and South,for thus boldlypointing out A. M. Gangewer, Esq.,
the necessity of reform.
Washington, D. C.
The picture which Mrs. Stowe has drawn of slavery
The writer has received permission to
as an institution is anythingbut favorable.
She has illustrated the frightful cruelty and publish the following extract from a letter
oppression
that must resultfrom a law which gives
5
to one class of society
almost absolute and
irresponsible
power over another. Yet the very machinery
she has employed for this purpose shows
he had not been a slave-holderbefore, it was now
his dutyto become one. This,I think,is the moral
to be drawn from the story of St. Clare ; and the
South have a righ to claim the authorityof Mrs.
Stowe
in defence of slave-holding, to this extent.
received by a ladyat the North from the

even
66
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
editor of a Southern paper.
The mind and
character of the author will speakfor themselves,
in the reading of it :
Charleston, Sunday, 25th July, 1852.
* * *
The books, I infer,are Mrs. Beecher
you may
be prepared to meet an indirect answer.
This
my own consciousness of truth would not
allow, in the present instance. The book is a
truthful picture of life,with the dark outlines
beautifullyportrayed. The life " the characteristics,
incidents, and the is life itself
dialogues"
reduced to paper.
In her appendix she rather
evades the question whether it was taken from
there are many counterparts.
,
actual scenes, but says
law to govern
the force and absolute will of the
Inthis she is correct, beyond doubt. Had master, and to reform no part is more requisite
she changed the picture of Legree, on Red river, than that which regards the slave's food and
for
raiment. A
person must live years at the South
on Island,South Carolina,she
before he can become fullyacquainted with the
could not have drawn a more admirable portrait.
feelings upon
several of the governingprinciples of
the institution. I have studied slavery, in all its
different have been throAvn in contact
phases,"
with the negro
in different parts of the world, and
made it my
aim to study his nature, so far as my
limited abilities would give me
"
light, and,
whatever my opinions have been, they were based
upon what I supposed to be honest convictions.
During the last three well
years you
know
what
have been to examine all
my opportunities
the sectional bearingsof an institution which now
holds the great and most momentous question of
our federal well-being. These opportunitiesI
have not let pass,
but have givenmyself,body and
to
"
soul,to a knowledge of its vast intricacies,
"
its constitutional compact, and its individual
hardships. Its wrongs are in the constituted
rights of the master, and the blank letter of those
laws which pretend to govern
the bondman's
rights. What legislative act, based
upon the
construction of self-protection for the
very
men
who contemplatethe laws, though their
That which is considered the popularrightsof a
people,and every tenacious prejudiceset forth to
protect its property interest,creates its own power,
againstevery weaker vessel. Laws which interfere
with this become unpopular," repugnant to
a forceable will,and a dead letter in effect. So
me
Stowe's " Uncle Tom's Cabin." The book was furnishedlong
as the voice of the governed cannot be heard,
about a fortnightago, and his wrongs are felt beyond the jurisdiction or
by ,
and
you may
be assured I read it with an attentive
domain of the law, as nine-tenths are, where is
interest.
' '
Now, what is your
"
opinionof it ? the hope of redress 1 The master is the powerful
you will ask ; and, knowing my preconceivedopinions
vessel; the negro
feels his dependence,and, fearing
upon
the question of slavery, and the embodiment
the consequences
of an appeal for his rights,
of my principles, I have so long submits to the cruelty of his master, in preference
supported, in regard to that peculiarinstitution, to the dread of something more cruel. It is in
those disputedcases of crueltywe find the wrongs
of slavery, and in those governing laws which give
power to bad Northern men to become the most
cruel task-masters. Do not judge, from my
observations,
that I am seeking consolation for the
abolitionists. Such is not my intention ; but truth
to a course which calls loudlyfor reformation constrains
me to say
that humanity calls for some
I am led to question whether she had not some many workings of slavery. A Northern man not
knowledge of this beast, as he is known to be, prominently interested in the political and social
and made the transposition for effect.
weal of the South
may live for years in it,and
My position in connection with the extreme pass from town to town in his every-daypursuits,
party, both in Georgia and South Carolina,would and yet see but the polishedside of slavery. With
constitute a restraint to the full expression of my me it has been different. Its effect upon
the
negro himself, and its effect upon
the social and
commercial well-being of Southern society,has
been laid broadlyopen
to me, and I have seen
more of its workings within the past year
than
was disclosed to me all the time before. It is
with these feelings that I am constrained to do
credit to Mrs. Stowe's book, which I consider
must have been written by one who derived the
materials from a thorough acquaintance with the
subject. The character of the slave-dealer, the
bankrupt owner in Kentucky, and the New Orleans
merchant, are simple every-day occurrences
in these parts. Editors ma}' speak of the dramatic
effect as they please;
and the occurrences of common reality would form
a picture more glaring. I could write a work,
the tale is not told them,
with date and incontrovertible facts, of abuses
which stand recorded in the knowledge of the
community in which they were transacted, that
would need no dramatic effect,and would stand
out ten-fold more horrible than anything Mrs.
Stowe has described.
intention was amelioration," could be enforced, I have read two columns in the Southern Press
when the legislated objectis held as the bond property
of Mrs. Eastman's
" Aunt Phillis'' Cabin, or
of the legislator1 The
very fact of constitutingSouthern Life as It Is," with the remarks of the
a law for the amelioration of property becomes an editor. I have no comments to make
upon it țhat
absurdity,so far as carryingit out is concerned. being done by itself. The editor might have
A law which is intended to govern,
and gives saved himself being writ down an ass by the public,
the governed no means of seeking its protection, if he had withheld his nonsense. If the two
is like the clusteringtogether of so many useless
columns are a specimenof Mrs. Eastman's book,
words for vain show. But why talk of law? I pityher attempt and her name as an author.

"
declares
PART
II
men.
as
CHAPTER I.
She has done it [hesays]by attaching to them
slaveholders, in the eyes of the world,the guilt
of the ahuses of an institution of which they are
is so devised as
absolutely guiltless Ḥer story
to presentslaveryin three dark aspects first,
:
the
cruel treatment of the slaves ; second țhe separation
offamilies;and,thirdțheir want
instruction.
To show the first,
she causes a reward to be
offered for the recovery of a
runaway slave, " dead
"
"
or alive,"when no reward with such an alternative
"
Be itfurtherenactedȚhat if or
was ever heard of,or dreamed of,south of
persons shall sell the mother of
any
any
person
slave child
Mason and Dixon's line,and it has been decided or children under the age of ten years, separate
over and over againin Southern courts that "a from said child or children, shallțhe mother
slave who is merelyflying away cannot be killed." living șell any slave child or children of ten years
She puts such languageas this into the mouth of of age, or under,separatefrom said mother,said
one of her speakers "The master who goes person or persons shall be fined not less than
furthest and does the worst only uses within one thousand nor more than two thousand dollars,
limits the power that the law gives him ;" when, and be imprisoned in the publicjailfor a period
in factțhe civilcode of the very state where it is of not less than six months nor more than one
representedthe language was uttered Louisiana year."
that
The privation religious instruction, as represented
"
The slave is entirely subjec to the will of his
by Mrs. Stowe, is utterly in fact.
master,who may correct and chastise him,though The largest in the Union consist entirely
not with unusual rigor,nor so as to maim or mutilate
of slaves. The firstAfrican church in Louisville,
him, or to expose him to the dangerof loss of which numbers fifteen hundred persons, and the
life, or to cause his death.'"
firstAfrican church in Augusta, which numbers
And provides compulsory sale
thirteen hundred, are specimens. On multitudes
"
When the master shall be convicted of cruel of the largeplantations in the different parts of
treatment of his slaves,and the judgeshall deem the South the ordinances of the gospel are as regularly
proper to pronounce, besides the penaltyestablished
maintained,by competentministers,as in
for such cases, that the slave be sold at any other communities,north or south. A larger
publicauction,in order to placehim out of the proportion population are in communion
reach of the power which the master has abused."
with some Christian church țhan of the white
"
If any person whatsoever shall wilfully population any part of the
his slave,or the slave of another person, the said
country. A very
person, beingconvicte.fithereof, shall be triedand
condemned agreeablyto the laws."
last year,
in
In the General Court of Virginia,
the case of Souther v. the Commonwealth, it was
held that the killing of a slave by his master and
owner, by wilful and excessivewhipping,is murder
in the firstdegreețhoughit may not have been
the
TnE New York Courier and Enquirer purpose of the master and owner to kill the
slave ! And it is not six months since Governor
of November 5th contained an articlewhich
has been quite valuable to the Johnston, of Virginia,pardoned a slave who
author,as killed his master, who was beatinghim with
summing up, in a clear, concise and intelligible
brutal severity.
And
form,the principal objections which yet, in the face of such laws and decisions
may be as these,Mrs. Stowe winds
urgedto Uncle Tom's Cabin. It
up a longseries of
is here quoted in cruelties upon her other black personages, by
full,as the foundation of causing her faultless hero,Tom, to be literally
the remarks in the following pages.
whipped to death in Louisiana,by his master,
The author of " Uncle Tom's Cabin,"that Legree; and these acts, which the laws make
writer criminal,and
states,has committed false-witness
punish as such, she sets forth in
the most repulsive colorsțo illustratethe institution
against thousands and millions of her fellow-
of slavery!
So, too, in reference to the separationof children
from their parents. A considerable part of
the plot is made to hinge upon the selling,
Louisiana,of the child Eliza, " eightor nine
its inventor looked in the statute-book of Louis-
language
years old,"away from her mother; when, had
iana,
she would have found the following
:
"
ofreligious Everyperson is expresslyprohibited from
sellingseparately from their mothers the children
who shall not have attained the fullage of ten
years.'''
considerable portion of every southern congrega
tion,either in city or country, is sure to consist
of blacks ; whereas,of our northern churches,not
a colored person is to be seen in one out of fifty.
The
peculiarfalsity
impossible
in makingexceptional or
of this whole book consists
cases the rep-

one
"
we
.
There
08 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
resentativesof the system. By the same process men are permitted to go about, at the South, with
which she has used,it would not be difficultto double-barrelled
guns, shootingdown runaway
frame a fatal argument agains the relationof negroes, in preferenceto apprehendingthem, we
husband and wife,or parent and child,or of guardian
can onlysay that it is as wicked and wilful as it
and ward ; for thousands of wives and children
is ridiculous. Such Thugs there may have been
and wards have been maltreated,and even as Marks and Loker,who have killed negroes in
murdered. It is wrong, unpardonably wrong, to this unprovokedmanner ; but,ifthey have escaped
impute to any
relation of life those enormities the gallows,they are probablyto be found within
which springonly out of the worst depravity the walls of our state penitentiaries, where they
human nature. A ridiculously extravagantspiritare
comfortably provided publicexpense.
of generalization pervadesthis fiction from beginning
The laws of the Southern States,Avhich are de-
to end. The Uncle Tom of the authoress is
as in all good governments,for the protection
a perfect angel, and her blacks generallyare half
of persons and property, have not been
angels; her Simon Legree is a perfectdemon, so loosely objectwhere
and her whites generally are half demons. She has person and propertyare one.
quitea peculiarspiteagains the clergy; and, of
"
The law with regard to the killing runaways
the many she introduces at differenttimes into is laid down with so much clearness and precision
the scenes, all,save an insignificant exception, by a South Carolina judgețhat we cannot forbear
are Pharisees or hypocrites Ọne who could quotinghis dictum, as directly in point. In the
know nothingof the United States and itspeople, case of Witsell v. Earnest and Parker,Colcock J.
exceptby what he might gather from this book, delivered the opinionof the court :
would judge that it was some " '
regionjuston the By the statute of 1740, any white man may
confines of the infernal world. We do not say that apprehend,and moderatelycorrect, any slave who
Mrs. Stowe was actuated by wrong motives in the may be found out of the plantation at which he is
preparation of this work, but we do say that she employed; and if the slave assaults the white
has done a
wrong which no ignorance person, he may be killed ; but a slave who is
and no penance
can expiate.
merelyflying away cannot be killed. Nor can the
defendants be justified by
A much-valued correspondent of the law, if we
author,
consider the negro
as a
writing person ; for Jan term 1S1S
Richmond,Virginia, also they were not clothed with the au- i Nott " Mcthority
language:
apprehend him Cord's S.C.
uses the following
as a felon, and without such authority vep'
I will venture this morningto make a few he could not be killed.'
suggestions which have occurred to me in regard " *
It 's commonly supposedthat the property interest
to future editions of your work, " Uncle Tom's is a sufficientguard in these cases. If peoplechoose to
Cabin,"which I desire should have allthe influence ruin their possessions, I don't know what 's to be done.
of which your genius renders it It seems
capable,not the
only
poor creature was a thief and a drunkard ;
abroad,but in the local and so there won't be much
sphereof slavery,where
hope to get up sympathy for
it has been hitherto repudiated.Possessing her.'
" '
the greatrequisitesof artisticbeauty and
It
"
isperfectlyoutrageous, itishorrid,Augustine!
It will certainlybringdown
of sympathetic affection, it may yet be vengeance upon 3Tou.'
improved
" '
in regard to accuracy of statement without being
dear cousin,I did n't do it,and I can't helpit ;
I would, if I could. If low-minded, brutal people will
at all enfeebled. For example,you
do less than act like themselves,what am I to do 1 They have absolute
justice to the formalized laws of the Southern control ; theyare irresponsible despots would be
States, while no use in
you givemore credit than is due to
interfering ; there isno law, that amounts to anything
the virtue of public or private practically
, for
sentiment in restricting
a case. The best we can do is to
shut our eyes and ears, and let it alone. It 's the only
the evil which the laws permit.
resource leftus.'
I enclose the following extracts from a southern
" In a subsequentpartof the same conversation,
paper :
St. Clare says
:
" '
I '11 manage that ar ; they's young in the business, " '
For pity'ssake, for shame's sake,because we are
and must speet to work cheap,'said Marks, as he continued
men born of
to read. ' women, and
Thar 's three on 'em easy cases, 'cause
savage beasts,many of us do
all you'vegot to do isto shoot 'em, or swear they not, and
"
dare not, would scorn to use the
is shot power
; which
theycouldn't,of course, chargemuch for that.' "
our savage laws put into our hands. And he who
goes furthestand does the worst only uses within limitsthe
"
The reader will observe that two power that the law giveshim.''
charges
agains the South are involved in this "
precious Mrs. Stowe tells us, throughSt. Clare,that
discourse ;
"
that it is the habit of Southern ' there is no law that amounts to anything ' in
masters to offera reward,with the alternative of such cases, and that he who
' dead or alive,' goes furthest in
for their fugitive ; and the severity towards his that is,to the de-
slave,"
other țhat it is usual for pursuers to shoot them.
of an eye
or a limb,or even the destruction
Indeed,we are led to infer that, as the '
shooting of life, onlyuses within limits the power
is the easier mode of obtaining it is that the law giveshim.' This is an awful and
the more frequently employed in such cases. tremendous charge,which,lightly Now, when a Southern master offers a reward for made, must subjectthe maker to a fearful
his runaway slave,it is because he has lost a certain
accountability. Let us see how the matter stands
amount of property,represented by the negro upon the statute-book of Louisiana. By referring
which he wishes to recover. What man of Vermont,
to the civilcode of that state,chapter3d,article
having an ox or an ass that had gone astray, 173, the reader will find this generaldeclaration:
would forthwith offar half the full value of the
" '
The slave is entirely subjec to the will of
animal,not for the carcass, which mightbe turned his master, who may correct and chastise him,
to some useful purpose, but forthe unavailing satisfactionthough
rigor, nor so as to maim
of itshead? Yet are the two cases exactlyor mutilate him, or to expose him to the dangerof
"parallel. W\ti" regard tc the assumption that loss oflife, or to sause his death.''
signed,
privation

"
On a subsequent page of the same
chapter, article 192,we find provision
the slave's protection against his master's cruelty,
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 69
in the statement that one of two cases,
volume and
made for
in which
a master can be compelledto sell his slave,is,
When the master shallbe convicted of cruel
" '
consent.
tue
treatment of his slave,and the judgeshall deem of the contract of hiring, had become the
proper to pronounce, besides the property
penaltyestablished of the proprietor for the time being, and his
master could no more have taken him away forci-
for such cases, that the slave shall be sold at public
bly
auction,in order to place him out of the reach of the than the owner of a house in Massachusetts
poicer which the master has abused.'
can dispossess his lessee,at
"
A code thus watchful of the negro'safety in
any moment, from
mere whim or caprice.There is no court in Kentucky
lifeand limb confinesnot its guardianship to inhibitory
where the hirer'srights,in this regard,
clauses,but proscribes extreme penalties would not be enforced.
in case of their infraction. In the Code Noir
(BlackCode) of " '
Louisiana,under head of Crimes No. Father bought her once, in one of his tripsto
and Offences,No. 55," xvi.,it is laid down, that New Orleans, and broughther up as a present to mother.
" ' If any slave be mutilated,beaten or illtreated,contrary
with a face perfectlywhite with interest, said, ' Do
meaning know the names of the peoplehe boughther of 1 '
you
of this act, when no one shall be present, in such
" " A man of the name of Simmons, I think,was the
case the owner, or other person havingthe management
principalin the transaction. At least,I think that was
of said slave thus mutilated șhall be the name in the billof sale.'
would extend our review to a most unreasonable
should we undertake to give the law,with
length,
regard to the murder of slaves,as it stands in
each of the Southern States. The crime is a rare
one, and therefore the reportershave had few
cases to record. We may refer,however, to two.
" '
Everyperson is expressly prohibitedfrom
In Fields v. the Slate ofTennessee, the plaintiff
selling separatelyfrom their mothers the children
error was indicted in the circuitcourt of Maury who shall not have attained thefull age oftenyears.''
county for the murder of a negro slave. He "And this humane provision
strengthened by
pleadednot guilty ; and at the trial was found a statute,one clause of which runs as follows:
guilty feknious slaying of the slave.
" ' Be it further enactedȚhat if any person or
From thissentence he prosecuted his writ of error,
"
persons shall sell the mother of any slave child or
which was disallowed, the court affirming the original
children under the age of ten
judgment. The years, separatefrom
opinionof the court, as givensaid child or children,or shall țhe mother living,
by Peck J.,overflows with the spirit of enlightened
sell any slave child or children often years ofage, or
humanity. He concludes thus :
under,separatefrom said mother, such person
or
" ' It is well said by one
Carolinațhat the master of the judgesof North
persons shall incur the penalty of the sixth section
has a right to exact the of this act.'
labor of his slave ; that farțhe rights of the slave "
This penalty is a fineof not less than one thou
are suspended; but this gives the master no rightsand nor more than two thousand dollars, and im
over the lifeof his slave. I add to the sayingof prisonment publicjailfor a period of not
the judge țhat law which says thou shalt not kill, less than six months nor more than one year.
protects ; and he is within Vide Acts ofLouisiana,1 Session,9th Legislature,
1 Verger's its very letter. Law, reason, Christianity,
3828,1829,No. 24,Section 16."
Term. Kep.
and common
156
humanity, all
pointbut one way.'
The author makes here a remark. Scattered
" In the General Court of Virginia, June term,
1851,in Souther v. the Commonwealth,it was held
throughall the Southern Statesare
that ' the killing of a slave by his master and
slaveholderswho are such only in name.
owner, by wilful and excessive whipping, is murder
in the firstdegree; thoughit may not have been
the purpose of the master and owner to
kill the slave.'' The writer shows, 7 Grattan's
also,an ignorance of the law of con- ep- ' '
tracts,as it affectsslaveryin the South,in making
George's master take him from the factory
againstthe proprietor's George,by vir-
" ' If any person whatsoever shall wilfully kill j She was about eight or nine years old, then. Father
would never tell mother what he
his slave,or the slave of another person, the said
gave for her ; but,tho
other day,
person, beingconvicted thereof șhall be tried
in lookingover his old papers, we came across
the billof sale. He paidan extravagant sum for her,to
and condemned agreeably to the laws.'
be sure. I suppose,
on account of her extraordinary
"
And because negro testimony is inadmissible beauty.'
"
in the courts of the state,and therefore the evidence
George sat with his back to Cassy,and did not see
of such crimes mightbe with difficulty
the absorbed expressionof her countenance, as he was
supplied,
it is further givingthese details.
providedthat,
"
At this pointin the story,she touched his arm, and,
"
deemed responsible and guilty of the said " '
0,
offence, my God ! ' said Cassy,and fellinsensible on the
floorof the cabin."
and shall be prosecutedwithout further evidence,
unless the said owner, or other person
so as aforesaid,
"
Of course Eliza turns out to be Cassy'schild,
can
prove the contraryby means of good and and we are soon entertained with the familymeeting
sufficientevidence,or can clear himself by his in Montreal,where GeorgeHarris isliving,
own oath,which said oath every court, under the fiveor six years afterthe openingof the story, in
Code Noir. cognizance of which such offence shall Crimes mid Of- have been examined and "
tried,is by
great
Now, the reader will perhapsbe surprised fences, 56, xvii. this act authorized to administer.' know that such an incident as the sale of Cassy
"
Enough has been quotedto establishthe utter
apart from Eliza, upon which the whole interest
falsity statement, made by our authoress of the foregoing hinges, could have
throughSt. Clare țhat brutal masters
'
are irresponsible
taken place in Louisiana,and that the bill of sale
despots,' at least in Louisiana. It "forEliza would not have been worth the paper it
was written on. Observe. GeorgeShelby states
that Eliza was eightor nine years old at the time
his father purchased her in New Orleans. Let ua
againlook at the statute-book of Louisiana.
"
In the Code Noir we find it set down that
They have no pleasure in the system,they
consideritone of wrong altogether,
and they

"
what
we
70
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
hold the legalrelationstill, onlybecause not
yet clear with regard to the best way of
changingit șo as to better the condition of
the statements of Judge Stroud with regard
to statute-law, and to follow them up with
some inquiry into the decisions of courts.
The result has been an increasing conviction
on
her part that the impressions firstderived
correct; and
from JudgeStroud'swork were
the author now can onlygivethe words of
St. Clare,as the best possible expression of
the sentiments and opinion which this course
of reading has awakened in her mind.
This cursed business,accursed of God and man,
is it1 Strip it of all its ornament, run it of his person, his industry and his labor ; he
down to the root and nucleus of the whole, and
can do nothing, possessnothing, nor
what is it? Why, because my brother Quashy is
ignorant and weak, and I am intelligent and
anything,
Alt-35-
his master." South Carolina says
because I know how, and can do it,"
strong,"
therefore I may steal all he has,keepit,and give
him, onlysuch and so much as suits my fancy !
disagreeable
Whatever is too hard, too dirty, too
for me, I may set Quashy to doing. Because I
don't like work, Quashy shall work. Because the
sun burns me, Quashy shall stay in the sun.
Quashy shall earn the money, and I will spend it.
* In this connection it may be well to state that the
work of Judge Stroud is now out of print,but that a work
of the same character is in course of preparationby William
I. Bowditch, Esq.,of Boston,which will bring the
subjectout, by the assistance of the latest editions of
Statutes, aud the most recent decisions of courts.
Quashy shall lie down in every puddle,that 1
may walk over dryshod. Quashy shall do my
will,and not his,all the days of his mortal life,
and have such a chance of gettingto heaven at
those held. Such are most earnest advocates
last as I find convenient. This I take to be about
for state emancipation, and are friends what slavery is. I defyanybodyon earth to read
our
of anything, written in a rightspirit, which slave-code, as it stands in our law-books,and
make
tends in that direction. From such anythingelse of it. Talk of the abuses of
the
slavery
author ever receivescriticismswith pleasure.
! Humbug ! The thingitself is the essence
of all abuse. And the only
She has endeavored to lay reason why the land
before the don't sink under it,like Sodom and Gomorrah,is
world,in the fullest manner, allthatcan be because it is used in a
way infinitely better than
objected to her it is. For
work,that both aides pity'sake,for shame's sake,because
may
we are men born of women, and
have an opportunity of impartial hearing.
not savage beasts,
many of us do not, and dare
"
not, would
When writing " Uncle Tom's Cabin," scorn to use the full power which our
thoughentirely unaware and savage laws
unexpectantput into our hands. And he who goes the furthest,
of the importance which
and does the
would be attached
worst, onlyuses within limits the
power
to itsstatements and opinions, the author of
that the law gives him !
The author stillholds to the opinion that
that work was anxious,from love of consistency,
slavery
to have some understanding of the
in itself, as legally defined in lawbooks
laws of the slave system. She had on hand
and expressed in the recordsof courts,
is the SUM AND ESSENCE OF ALL ABUSE;
for reference, while Avriting, the Code Noir
and she stillclings to the hopethat there are
of Louisiana, and a sketch of the laws relating
to slavery in the different many
men at the South infinitely better
states,by
JudgeStroud,of Philadelphia. This than their laAys ; and after the reader has
work,
professing to have been compiled with read allthe extracts which she has to make,
great for the sake of a common humanitythey
care from the latest editionsof the will
statutebooks
of the severalstatesțhe author the same. The author must state,with
hope
supposed
to be a sufficientguide for the regard
writing
to some passages which she must
quote,
of a work of fiction.* As the accuracy of
that the languageof certain enactments
was so incrediblethat she would not
those statements which relate to the slavelaws
has been particularly contested,
of any compilation
take it on the authority
a
whatever,
more especial inquiry has been made in this
but copied it with her own hand
from the latest editionof the statute-book
direction. Under the guidanceand with
the assistance of legalgentlemen of where it stood and stillstands.
high
standing, the writer has proceeded to examine
CHAPTER
II.
WHAT IS SLAVERY 1
The author willnow enter into a consideration
it stands revealed in
slave law.
What
law-books and
of slaveryas
is it,according
of legalinterpreters? "A
slave," says the law of Louisiana, "is one
to the definitionof
who is in the power of a master, to whom he
belongs Ṭhe master may sellhim, dispose
acquire
but what must belong to C;vil Code,
"
slavesshallbe deemed șoldțaken,reputed
and adjudgedin law,to be chattelspersonal
in the hands of their owners and possessors,
and their executors,administrators, and
assigns ȚO
"
ALL INTENTS, CON-
" 7
2 Brev. Dig.
STRUCTIONS AND PURPOSES WHAT- 229. Prince's
soever." The law of Georgia is Digest' 446"
similar.
Let the reader reflecton the extent of
the meaning in this last clause. Judge

,
"
thereis
they
" but
"
"
"
to
"
KEY TO UNCLE TOJi's CABIN. 71
Ruffin,pronouncing the opinion of the Supreme
Court of North Carolina, says, a slave
is "one doomed in his own person,
LUTE,
TO RENDER THE SUBMISSION OF THE
SLAVE perfect, may say, with
and his him, "I most freely confess
posterity, to live without knowledge, and
my
sense of
the harshness of this proposition ; I feel it
without the capacityto make
1
any- as deeplyas any
Wheeler's Law
, , . , .
l/j ; and, as a principle
V ^
, ,
"-.
,
of Slavery, 2-16. tlunglllS OW11, and to toil that of moral right, every person in his retirement
state v. Mann. anotuer may reap the fruits."
must repudiate it: "
they
This iswhat slaveryis, thisiswhat it is will also be obliged to add,with liim, ' :
But,
to be a slave ! The slave-code, then,of the in the actual condition of things, it MUST
Southern States, isdesigned keep millions BE so. * * This discipline belongsto
of human beings the condition of chattels the state of slavery.
* * * It is inherent
personal : to keepthem in a conditionin which
in the relationof master and slave."
the master may sell them,dispose of their And, likeJudgeRuffin,men ofhonor, men
time, person and labor ; in which theycan do of humanity, gentlest
nothing, possessnothing, acquire nothing, feelings, are obliged to interpret these severe
exceptforthebenefitof the master ; in which laws with inflexibleseverity Ịn the perpetual
theyare doomed in themselves and in their reaction of that awful forceof human
posterity to live without knowledge, passion and human will, which necessarily
the power to make anything their own. meets the compressive power of slavery,
toilthat another may reap. The laws of in that seething, boilingtide, never wholly
the slave-codeare designed to work out this repressed, which rollsitsvolcanic stream underneath
problem,consistently with the peace of the
the whole frame-work of society
community, and the safety of that superior so constituted, readyto find vent at the
race which is constantly to perpetrate this leastrent or fissure or unguardedaperture,
outrage.
a constant necessity which urges to
From thissimplestatement of what the severity
of execution.
laws of slavery are
designed to from do," a
considerationthat the class thus to be reduced,
the right of the matter to be broughtinto
and oppressed, and made the subjects
discussioninthe courts ofjustice. The slave,
of a perpetualrobbery, are men of to remain a slave,must be made sensible
like passions with our own, men originally that there is no appeal from his master."
made in the imageof God as much as ourselves,
men partakers of that same humanity
the slave population
of which Jesus Christ is the highestis most accumulated,and slave property
ideal and
"
expression, when we consider most necessary and valuable, and, of course,
that the material thus to be acted upon is the determinationto abideby the system the
that fearfully explosive element,the soul of most decidedțhere the enactments are most
man : that soul elastic, upspringing, immortal,
severe, and the interpretation of courts the
whose free will even the Omnipotencemost
inflexible.*And. when legaldecisions
of God refuses to we coerce,"
may form of a contrary character beginto be made,it
some idea of the tremendous force which is would appear that itis a symptom of leaning
necessary to keep this mightiest of elements towards emancipation. So abhorrent is the
in the state of repression which is contemplated
slave-codeto every feeling of humanity, that
in the definitionof slavery. justas soon as there is any hesitancy in the
Of course, the system necessary to consummate
community about perpetuating the institution
and perpetuate such a work, from of slavery, judgesbeginto listento the
age to age, must be a fearfully stringent voice of their more honorable nature,and by
one ; and our readerswillfind that it is so. favorableinterpretations to softenits necessary
Men who make the laws,and men who interpret
severities.
them, may be fullysensibleof their Such decisions do not commend themselves
terrible severity and inhumanity ; but,if
to the professional admirationof legal
theyare goingto preserve the THING, theygentlemen. But in the workingsof the
have no resource but to make the laws,and slavesystem, when the irresponsible power
to execute them faithfully after they are winch itguaranteescomes to be used by men
made. They may say, with the honorable
JudgeRuffin,of North Carolina, when solemnly
from the bench
foundation principle of
announcing thisgreat
slavery, that " THE
POWER OF THE MASTER MUST BE ABSO-
of law and inflexibility
So Judge Ruffin says, "We cannot allow
Accordingly, Ave find in the more
southern states, where
* We except the State of Louisiana. Owing to the
influence of the French code in that state,more really
humane provisionsprevailthere. How much these provisions
avail in pointof fact,will be shown when we come
to that part of the subject.

" , T
slavery
.
L.
72 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
of the most brutal nature, cases sometimes brief statement of the case,
as presented in
arise for trialwhere the consistent exposition
Wheeler, p. 239.
of the law involvesresults so loathsome It was an action for assault and battery
and frightful, that the judgeprefers to be committed by Dale on one Cornfute's slave.
illogical, rather than inhuman. Like a spring It was contended by Cornfute's counsel that
outgushing the desert, some noble man. it was not necessary to prove comfute".
now and then, from the fulness of his own loss of service, in order that the Aprfi
"""?"
tion for the battery of his villein,
That the slave-code is designedonlyfor the Chief Justice Raymond had decided that
securityof the master, and not with regard
to the welfareof the slave.
unless accompanied with specialdamage
a
This is impliedin the whole current of of the animal,which would impair his valuelaw-making
and law-administration, and is Chief Justice Chase decided that no redress
often asserted in distinctform,with a
precision
could be obtained in the case, because
and clearness of legal accuracy which, the value of the slave had not
hi a literary point of view,are quite admirable.
and without injuryor wrong to the master
Thus,JudgeRuffin,after stating that no action could be sustained ; and as--
considerations restricting the power of the signedthis among
other reasons for it țhat
master had often been drawn from a comparison
there was no reciprocity in the case, as the
of slavery with the relation of parent master was not liablefor assault and battery
and child, master and apprentice, tutor and committed by hisslave,neither could he gain
pupil,says distinctly :
redress for one committed upon his slave.
Let any reader noAv imagine what an
The court does not recognize their application. amount of wanton cruelty and indignity may
There is no likeness between the cases. They are
be
in opposition to each other, and there is heapedupon an impassable
a slave man or woman or
child without
gulfbetween them.
# # # #
actually impairing their power
In the one [case], the end in view isthe happinessto do serviceto the master, and he willhave
of the youth, born to equal rights with that governor,
a full sense of the cruelty of this decision.
on whom the duty devolves of training the In the same spirit it has been held in
young to usefulness, in a stationwhich he is afterwards
North Carolina that
* * * *
to assume among freemen. With
patrols(nightwatchmen)
it is far otherwise. The end
are not liableto the master
Tate v 0'Neai,
Wheeler's Law
""
j7
.. c ., . ",.
of ts t'ie
Slavery,page profitof the master, Ins secu- for inflicting punishmenton the i Hawks, 4ia!
"
246.
rity and the ol
S. Die; Ṣup.
publicsafety. slave,unless their conduct clear- 2, P. 797," 121.
lydemonstrates malice agains the master.
Not only is this principle distinctly asserted
The cool-bloodedness of some of these legal
in so
many words,but itis more distinctly
discussions is forcibly shown by two decisions
implied in multitudes of the arguings in Wheeler's Law of Slavery, p.
and reasonings which are given grounds
243,
as On the question whether the criminal offence
of legal decisions. Even such provisions as
of assault and battery can be committed on
seem to be for the benefit of the slave we
a slavețhere are two decisions of the two
often findcarefully interpreted so as to show
Statesof South and North Carolina ; and it
that it is only on account of his propertyis value to his master that he isthus protected,
difficulto say
which of these
State v. Maner,
decisions has the
and not from any consideration of humanityforcool legalinhumanity Ṭhat Law of slavery,
towards himself. Thus it has been decided
page
of South Carolina reads thus.
243"
that a master can bringno actionfor assault
JudgeO'Neill says
wheeier' s Law
an(lbattery on his :
slave,unless
of y' p'
S1-"39^ie inJury oe such as to The criminal offence of assault and batterycan
produce
a loss of service.
not, at common law, be committed upon the person
The spirit in which this question is discussed
of a slave. For notwithstanding (for some
is worthy of remark. We purposes)
give a slave is regardedby law as a person,
a yetgenerally he is a mere chattel personal, and his
iJi^JVi-
better nature, throws out a legaldecision, action should be sustained;that l nar. " Johns.
generously inconsistentwith every principle an action might be supported for Kep' *"
and precedent of slave jurisprudence, and beatingplaintiff's horse; and
we bless God for it. All we wish is that that the lord might have an ac- ner's A'br- 45i
there were more of them,for then should
which is
we hope that the day of redemption was founded on thisprinciple, that, as the villein
drawingnigh.
could not support the actionțhe injury
The reader is now preparedto enter would be without redress,unless the lord
with us on the proof of this proposition : could. On the other sideit was saidthat Lord
an assault on a horse was no cause of action,'
been impaired,

" .
'
*ee state v. But in North Carolinait appears
p.239. 2Hawk! that the case isargued stillmore
N.c.Eep.582.
elaborately.
Chief Justice Taylorthus shows that,
after allțhere are reasons why an assault
and batteryupon the slave may,
on the
KEY TO UN JL" TOM S CABIN. 73
rightof personal protection belongs to his master, for the law has made ample and summary provision
who can maintain an action of trespassfor the battery
for the punishmentof all trivialoffences committed
of his slave. There can be thereforeno offence by slaves,by carryingthem before
against the state for a mere beatingof a slave unaccompanied
a justice, ivho is authorized to
1ReT Coa
with any circumstances ofcruelty(! !), pass sentence for their beingpublicly us,.
or an
attempt to kill and murder. The peace of whipped. This provision,while it
the state is not thereby broken ; for a slave is not excludes the necessity of private vengeance, would
generallyregardedas legallycapableof being seem to forbid its legality, since it effectually protects
within the peace of the state. He is not a citizen,
all persons from the insolenceof slaves', even
and is not in that character entitled to her where their masters are unwillingto correct them
protection.
upon complaintbeingmade. The common law
has often been called into efficientoperation, for
What declarationof the utter indifference the punishment of publiccrueltyinflicted upon
of the state to the sufferings of the slave animals,for needless and wanton barbarity exercised
even
could by masters
be more elegantly cool and clear?
upon their slaves,and for
various violations of decency,morals,and comfort.
"whole,have some such generalconnection authority over him, and it will not lightly
interferewith the relation
"withthe comfort
thus established. It is
and security of the community,
a more effectual guaranteeofhis rightof
that it may be construed
property,
into a when the.slave isprotected from wanton abuse from
breach of the peace, and should be treated those icho have no power over him ; for it cannot be
as an indictableoffence.
disputed that a slave is rendered less capable of
performinghis master's service when he finds
The instinctof a slave himself may be,and generally exposedby the law to the capricious violence
is,tamed into subservience to his master's will, of every turbulent man in the community.
and from him he receives chastisement, whether it
be merited or not, with perfect submission
If this
; forhe
is not a scrupulous disclaimerof
knows the extent of the dominion assumed over
all humane intention in the decision, as far
him, and that the law ratifies the claim. But as the slave is concerned,
when the same authority is wantonlyusurpedby declaration that he is
a stranger, nature is
protected
disposed to assert her onlyout of
rights,
and to prompt the slave to a resistance, often regardto the comfort of the community,and
momentarilysuccessfulșometimes fatally his property value so.
to his master, itis difficult
The publicpeace is thus broken,as much as if a to see how such a declarationcould be made.
free man had been beaten ; for the partyof the After allthis
aggressor is always the cool-bloodedcourse of remark,
strongest, and such contests
and
There
usually terminate by overpowering the itis somewhat curious to come
slave,
upon the following
inflicting on him a severe chastisement, without
certainly most unexpected declaration,
regard to the original cause of the conflict. which occurs in the very next paragraph :
is,consequently, as much reason for making
such offencesindictableas if a white man had
been the victim. A wanton injury committed on
to the owner, awakens
a slave is a greatprovocation
his resentment,and has a directtendencyto a breach
ofthe peace, by inciting him to seek immediate vengeance.
If resented
in the heat of blood,it would
whippedhis horse out of the track,and then A
had alightedand killed B. These offences are
usuallycommitted by men of dissolute habits,
Reason and analogyseem to requirethat a human
being,althoughthe subjectof property șhould be
so far protectedas the ptiblic might be injured
throughhim.
For all purposes necessary to enforce the obedience
of the slave,and to render him useful as
property, the law secures to the master a complete
and an explicit
Mitigated as slaveryis by the humanityof our
laws,the refinement of manners, and by public
opinion, which revolts at every instance of cruelty
towards them,it would be an anomaly in the system
of police which affects them, if the offenco
stated in the verdict were not indictable.
probably extenuate a homicide to manslaughter, The reader will
upon the same principle with the case
please to notice that this
stated by
Lord Hale, that if A riding on the remarkable declarationis made of the State
road,B had
of North Carolina. We shall have occasion
again to refer to it by and by,when
hanging loose we extract from the statute-book of North
upon society, who, beingrepelled Carolina
from association with well-disposed citizens, take
some specimens of these humane
refuge in the company of colored persons and law"s.
slave*, whom theydepraveby theirexample,embolden
In the same spirit itis decided, under the
by their familiarity, and then beat,under the law of Louisianațhat if an individual injures
expectation that a slave dare not resent a bloxofrom another's slave so as to make him
a white e;*-
man. If such offences may be committed
with impunity, the public peace will not onlybe tirelyuseless, and the owner recovers from
rendered extremely insecure, but the value ofslave him the fullvalue of the slavețhe slave by
property must be much impaired,for the offenders that act becomes thenceforththe
T
,
can seldom make Jruirrlainv.
any reparationin ,
damages.
Nor propertyoi
is it necessary, in any case, that the a
person who in- Patton,Juiy
person
who has received an injury, real or imaginary, jured
from a slaveșhould carve out his own justice; effectisgivenin Wheeler's Law Rep- 61S"
him. A decision to this Mart^sLouJ.

"
"
his gun towards them as theywere run-
74 KE* TO UNCLE TOMS CABIN.
of Slavery, p. 249. A woman sued for
ning
an injury
away, to induce them to stop." One
cloneto her slave bythe slave of the defendant.
of them,being shot through the head,was
The injurȳwas such as to render thus induced to and the master of
stop,"
him entirely useless, his only eye beingput the boybrought action for trespassagainst
out. The parish court decreed that she should the firerfor killing hisslave.
recover twelve hundred dollars, that the defendantThe
decision of the inferiorcourt was as
should pay
a furthersum of twentyfive
dollars a month from
follows :
"
the time of the The court
injury; also the physician's bill,and two
hundred dollars for the sustenance of the
slave duringhis life,and that he should
remain
forever in the possession of his mistress.
The case was appealed Ṭhe judge reversed
the decision, and deliveredthe slave
into the possession of the man whose slave
had committed the outrage. In the course
of the decision, the judgeremarks,with
that calm legalexplicitness for which many
decisionsof this kind are remarkable, that
The principleof humanity, which would lead
us to suppose that the mistress,whom he had long
served,would treat her miserable blind slave with
more kindness than the defendantțo whom the
judgmentought to transfer him, cannot be taken
into considerationin deciding this case.
Jan term is28
Another case, reported in Wheel-
9 Martin La. er*s Law, pas;e 198, the author
Rep. 350. ., "i i l
Tj.
thus summarilyabridges. It is
Dorothee v. Cocpuillon el al. A young girl, Trespass for killing the plaintiff's slave. It
by willof her mistress, was to have her freedom
appearedthe slave was stealing potatoes from a
at twenty-one; and it was bank
requiredby
near the defendant's house. The defendant
the will that in the mean time she should be fired upon him with a gun loaded with buckshot,
educated in such a manner as to enable her
to earn her livingwhen free,her services
in the mean time beingbequeathedto the
daughter of the defendant. Her mother (a
free woman) entered complaint that no
was taken of the child'seducation,
she was cruelly treated. The
cannot sue for.
care
and that
jaa. term, 1827. Observe,now, the following of JudgeTaylor, of N. Carolina,
i M'Cord's Rep. case 0f Jenningsv. Fundeberg.
161. Wheeler's " "
.
Law of slavery, It seems J "
The act of 1786 (Iredell's
ennnigs bringsan acp"
201'
tion of trespassagainst Fundeberg
killing his slave. The case was
does,in the preamble,recognize thus : Fundeberg with others,being out
and that the defendant oughtnot to be
made answerable as a
* *
trespasser."
* *
"
When one islawfully interfering with the
though the killing accidental,
property of another,and accidentally de-
it,he is no trespasser, and ought
stroys
not to be answerable forthe value of the property.
In this case, the defendant was engaged
in a lawful and meritorious service,
and ifhe really firedhis gun
stated it was an allowable act."
The superior
on the ground that in dealing
person's property one
injury which
degree of circumspection.
in the manner
judgereversedthe decision,
with another
is responsible for any
he could have avoided by any
"The
was rash and incautious."
. . . .
of thisdiscussion
Does not the whole spirit
speakfor itself'?
firing
l
o
bee
i , i ,
also the very next case " Jan. T. 1827. 4
n'Cora's Rep.
158"
Wheeler's Law. Richardson v.
Dukes, p. 202.
and killed him. The jury found a verdict for
plaintiff for one dollar. Motion for a new trial.
The Court. Nott J. held,there must be a
new trial ; that the juryought to have given the
plaintiff
the value of the slave. That ifthe jury
were of opinion the slave was of bad character,
some deduction from the usual priceoughtto be
certainly entitledto
made, but the plaintiff was
prayer of the his actual damage for killing his slave. Where
petition
was that the child be declared free propertyis in question, the value of the article,
as
at twenty-one, and in the mean time hired nearly as it can be ascertained, furnishes a rule
from which they
out by the sheriff. The suit was decided
are not at liberty to depart.
" that It seems thatthe value of thisunfortunate
against the mother, on this ground,
she could not sue for her daughter in a piece of propertywas somewhat reduced
case where the daughtercould not sue for from the circumstance of his "
herself were she of age,
" the object of the
suitbeingrelief from ill-treatment during for this ; so, at least, we
the time of her slavery, which a slave from the following remark,which Wneeier'3 Law
occurs in one of the reasonings
Slavery, 2-"-
stealing potatoes."
Doubtless he had his own best reasons
should infer
Kevisal, p. 5RS)
fact țhat
many persons, by cruel treatment to their slaves,
cause them to commit crimes for Which they are
executed.
* *
The cruel treatment here alluded
to must consist in
huntingrunaway negroes, surprised them in
withholding from them the
their camp, and,as the necessariesof life;and the crimes thus resulting
reportsays, " fired
are such as are calculated to furnish them with food
and "raiment.'''

Perhaps "
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
stealing potatoes "
in this case may have been deprived of many of their rightsby
was one of the class of crimes alluded to. society, it does not follow țhat they have been
whitseii v. Again we have the deprived
following
of all their rights. In some respects,
" Earnest " Par- " slaves may be considered as chattels ;
but in others,
ker. Wheeler, Case :
they are regardedas men. The law views them
p. 202.
as capable
The defendants went to the plantation
of committing of Mrs.
crimes. This can only
be upon the principle, that they
Witsell for the purpose of hunting for are men and rational
runaway beings. The Roman law has teen much
negroes; there beingmany in the neighborhood, relied on by the counsel of the defendant. That
and the placein considerable alarm. As they law was confined
approached the house with loaded to the Roman empire,giving the
guns, a negro power of lifeand death over captives
ran from the house, in war, as
or near the house,towards a
slaves ; but it no more extended here țhan the similar
swamp, when theyfired and killedhim.
The judge charged the jury, that such circumstances
power given to parentsover the lives of their
children. Much stress has also been laid by the
might exist,by the excitement and defendant's counsel on the case cited from Taylor's
alarm of the neighborhood, as to authorize the
killing of a
negro without the sanction of Reports,decided in North Carolina ; yet, a magistrate.
in
that case, two judgesagainst one were of opinion,
that killing a slave was murder. Judge Hall,who
delivered
This decision was reversedin the Superior
the dissenting opinion the above case,
based his conclusions, as we conceive, upon erroneous
Court,in the following language:
principles, by considering the laws of Rome
By the statute of 1740, any white applicable here. His inference,
man
also
may
țhat a person
apprehend and moderately correct cannot be condemned
any slave who
capitally, because he
may be found out of the plantation at which he may be liable in a civil action,is not sustained by
reason or
is employed, and if the slave assaults the white
authority, but appears to us to be in
person, he direct
maybe killed;but a slave who is merely
opposition to both. At a
very earlyperiod
in
flyingaway cannot be killed. Nor can the defendantsVirginia,
the power of life over slaves was given
be justified by common law,if we consider by statute ; but Tucker observesțhat as soon as
tlie negro as a person ; for thesestatutes were
theywere not clothed
repealed,it was at once considered
with the authority of the law to apprehendhim by their courts that the killing of a slave
as a felon, and without such authority he could might be murder. Commonwealth v. DollyChapman
: indictment
not be killed.
formaliciously stabbing a slave,
under a statute. It has been determined in
If ice consider the negro
a
person, Virginia that slaves are persons. In the constitution
says the judge; and. from hisdecisionin the
of the United States,slaves are expressly
case, he evidently intimates that he has designated
a
as "persons." In this state
strongleaning to this the legislature have considered slaves as reasonable
opinion, thoughithas
and accountable beings; and it would be
been contested by so many eminent legala stigma upon the character of the state,and a
authorities that he puts forlh his sentiment reproachto the administration of justice, if the
life of
modestly, and in an hypothetical form. The
a slave could be taken with impunity, or if
he could be murdered in cold blood,without subjecting
reader,perhaps,will need to be informed
the offender to the highestpenalty
that the question whether known
the slave is to be to the criminal jurisprudence of the country.Has
considered a person or a human being in the slave no
any
rights, because he is deprived" of his
respect has been extensively and
freedom? He is stilla human
ablyargued
being, and possesses
on both sidesin legalcourts, and it all those rights
may be
of which he is not deprived
by
a comfort to know that the balance of legal
the positiveprovisionsof the law ; but in vain
shall we look lor any law passedby the enlightened
opinion inclinesin favor of the slave. Judge
and philanthropic legislature of this state,
Clarke,of Mississippi,
quiteclear on the giving even to the master, much less to a stranger,
point,and argues very ably and power
over the life of a slave. Such a statute
earnestly, would
though, as he be worthy
confesses, against
the age of Draco or Caligula,
very respectable
and would be condemned by the unanimous voice
legalauthorities, that the slave is a of the people of this state,where even cruelty to
"
person, that he is a reasonable creature. slaves,much [more] the takingaway of life,meets
with universal
The
whPHW reasoning occurs in the reprobationḄy the provisions of
case
p.
our law,a slave may commit murder,and be punished
ss-2. State of Mississippi v.- Jones,and
with death
^
Jum
; why, then,is it not murder to
Walker's isworthy of attentionas a literary kill a slave 1 Can a mere chattel commit murder,
Rep. S3, and be
curiosity.
subject to punishment ]
It seems that a case of murder of a slave
had been clearly made out and provedin the The rightof the master exists not byforceof the
law
lower court,and that judgmentwas arrested of nature or nations,but by virtue onlyof the
positive
and the case appealed on the groundwhether,
law of the state ; and although that gives to
the master the
in that state, murder
rightto command the services of
could be committed the slave,requiring the master to feed and clothe
on a slave. Judge Clarke thus ably and the slave from infancy till death,yet it gives the
master
earnestly argues :
no righ to take the life of the slave ; and,
if the offence be not murder,it is not a crime,
The question in this case is, whether murder and subjectsthe offenderto no punishment.
can be committed on a slave. Because individuals The takingaway
the lifeof a reasonable crea-

" the
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
ture, under the king'speace, with malice aforethought,
daughter Rachael. When daughterRachael,
express
or implied, is murder at common
therefore, marries,her husband
"
law. Is not a slave a reasonable creature? ishe
sets up a
"
claim for this
not a human being1 And the meaningof this
increase, as it is stated,
phrase,reasonable creature,is, a human being. quiteoff-handțhat the " wench had several
For the killing a lunatic,an idiot,or even a child children." Here comes a beautifully interesting
unborn, is murder,as much as the killing
a philosopher
case, quitestimulating to legal acumen.
; and has not the slave as much reason as
Inferior court decides that Samuel
a lunatic,an idiot,or an unborn child?
Thus triumphantly, in thisnineteenth century
of the Christian era and in the State
of this argument with regardto the nature
rights. Thus he says : "
Because individ-
may have been deprived of many of case. Let us hear him :
their rightsby society, it does not follow
that they have been He who is the absolute owner of
deprived of all their
a thing owns
rights."Again, he all its faculties for profit
says
of the slave: "He
or increase ; and he
is stilla human being, and possesses all may, no doubt,grant the profits or increase,as
well as the thing itself. Thus, it is every day's
those rightsof which he is not deprivedby practice to grant the future rents or profits
real
the positiveprovisionsof the law." Here estate ; and it is held that a man may grant the
wool of a flock of sheep
he admits that the provisions of law deprive
for years.
of slavery Ạccording to
think any
man might say,
that it is quite a
depriving human beings of many of their correct the maxim," onlydifficulty being
uals that it does not at all applyto the present
the judge, it is
the slave of natural rights.Againhe says :
"
The right of the master existsnot by force
of the law of nature or of nations, but by
virtueonly of the positive law of the state."
According to the decision of this judge,
therefore, slavery exists by the same right
that robbery or oppression of any
kind does,
rightof ability Ạ gang of robbers
associated into a society have rightsover
all the neighboring property that they can
acquire, of precisely the same kind.
With the same unconscious serenity of force and
the law apply that principle
JudgeStroud,in his sketch of the slavelaws,page
99,lays down for proofthe fol-
robbery which is the essence of slavery, and
show how far the master may proceed in
assertion : That the penalcodes of
appropriating another human beingas his the slave states bear much more severely on
property.
slaves than on white persons. He introduces
The question arises, May a master give a
wheeier, p. 23. woman to one person,
and her
u.aMarktbm-y!
unborn children to another one 1
Spring t. 1823. Let us hear the case argued.
3 Little's
"
Rep.
.,,,
275. The
"
unfortunate
t
mother
i . j
selected
A being,ignorant of letters,unenlightenedby
as the test point of this interesting legalreligion,
and derivingbut little instruction from
principle
comes to our view in the will of goodexample,cannot be supposedto have right
one Samuel Marksbury, under the conceptions as to the nature and extent of moral
styleor
political obligations. This remark, with but a
"
and denomination of my negro wench slightqualification, is applicable to the condition
Pen." Said Samuel states in his of the slave. It has been
willthat,
just shown that the
benefits of education are not conferred
for the goodwilland love he bears to his upon him,
own
children,he give said while his chance of acquiringa knowledgeof the
negro
wench Pen to
son Samuel,and allher future increase to
Marksbury could not have givenaway unborn
children on the strength
of the legal
maxim, " "
Nemo dat quod non habet"
of Mississippi, has it been made to "
i.
appear e., Nobody can givewhat he has not
"
that the slave is a
"
reasonable creature, a got," which certainly one should think
human being !
sensibleand satisfactory enough. The case,
What sort of system, what sort of a public
however,is appealed, and reversed in the
sentiment,was that which made this superior court; and now let us hear the
argument necessary 7
reasoning.
And let us look at some of the admissions The judgeacknowledges the force of the
"
maxim above quoted,
says,
as one would
See also p.
33. Fanny v. Bryant, 4 J. J.
reader
the same language
will proceed, he
applied with equal
will find also this
Marshall's Rep., 368. In this almost precisely
is used. If the
principle
clearness to the
hiring,selling;, morto-ao-ino; of unborn children
; and the perfect legal nonchalance of
these discussionsisonlycomparable to running
a dissecting-knife through the course
of allthe heart-strings of a livingsubject,
for the purpose
of demonstrating the laws
of nervous
contraction.
lowing
his consideration of this proposition
by the following humane and sensible remarks
:
precepts of the gospel is so remote as scarcely to
be appreciated. He may be regarded țherefore

KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 77
as almost without the capacity to comprehend The defendant, Mann, had hired a slavewoman
for a
the force of laws ; and, on this account, such as
_are designedfor his government should be recommended
year. During this time the
by their simplicity and mildness.
slave committed some slight offence, for which
His condition suggests another motive for the defendant undertook to chastise her.
tenderness on his behalf in these particulars. While in the act of doingso the slave ran
He is unable to read,and holding littleor no communication
off,whereat he shot at and wounded her. The
with those who are better informed
than himself;how is he to become acquaintedjudge in the inferiorcourt charged the jury
with the fact that a law for his observance has that if theybelieved the punishment was
been made ? To exact obedience to a law which cruel and unwarrantable, and disproportioned
has not been "
promulgated, which is unknown
to the subject of to the offence,in law the defendant was
has ever been deemed most
it,"
unjustand tyrannical. The reign of Caligula, guilty, as he had only a specialproperty
were it obnoxious to no other reproachthan this, in th e slave. The j ury finding evidence that
would never cease to be remembered with abhorrence.
the punishmenthad been cruel,unwarrantable
and disproportioned to the
The lawgivers of the
offence,
slaveholding states seem,
found verdict
in the formation of their penal codes,to have
against the defendant. But on
been uninfluenced by these claims of the slave what ground ? "
Because,according to the
upon their compassionateconsideration. The law of North Carolina,cruel,unwarrantable,
hardened convict moves their sympathy, and is
disproportionate
to be tau glit
punishment
the laws before he is expected of to
a slave from
obey them ; yet the guiltless slave is subjected to a master, is an indictableoffence1 No. They
an extensive sj-stem of cruel enactments, of decided
no agains the defendant, not because
part of which,probably, has he ever heard. the punishmentwas cruel and unwarrantable,
Parts of this systeuiapplyṭo the slave exclusively,
hut because he was not the person who
and for every infraction a large retribution
is demanded ; while,with respec to offences
for which whites as well as slaves are amenable,
punishmentsof much greaterseverity are
upon the latterthan upon
the former.
This heavycharge of Judge Stroud is
sustained by twenty pages of rights
proof,showing
of the master. The remarks of Judge
Ruffm are so
the very great disproportion between
characteristic, and so
the
strongly
number of offences made capital for express
slaves,
the conflictbetween the feelings of
and those that are so for whites. Concerning
of a
this,"we
find the following cool remark
in Wheeler's Law of Slavery, page
222, note.
Much has been said of the disparity of punishment
between the white inhabitants and the
slaves and negroes of the same state ; that slaves
are punishedwith much more severity, for the
commission of similar crimes,by white
persons,
than the latter. The charge is undoubtedlytrue
to a considerable extent. It must be remembered
that the primaryobjectof the enactment of penal
laws,is the protectionand securityof those who
make them. The slave has no
agency in making
them. He is indeed one cause of the apprehended
evilsto the other class,which those laws are expected
to remedy. That he should be held amenable
for a violationof those rules established for
the securityof the other,is the natural result of
the state in which he is placed. And the severity
of those rules will alwaysbear a relation to
that danger,real or ideal,of the other class.
It has been so
among all nations, and will
ever continue to be so, while the disparity between
bond and free remains.
had the righ to inflictit, " as he had only
a special rightofpropertyin the slave."
inflicted The defendant appealed to a highercourt,
and the decisionwTas reversed, on the ground
that the hirerhas for the time beingall the
the humane judge and the logical necessity
strict interpreter of slave-law, that we
shall quote largelyfrom it. One cannot
but admire the unflinching calmness with
of honorable
which a man, evidently possessed
and humane feelings, walks throughthe
most extreme and terrible results and conclusions,
in obedience to the laws of legal
truth. Thus he says :
A judge cannot but lament,when such cases
as the present are brought into judgment. It is
impossible that the reasons on which theygo can
be appreciated, but where institutions similar to
our own exist,and are thoroughlyunderstood.
The
own breast,between
struggle, too, in the judge's
the feelings of the man and the duty of the
magistrate,
a severe one, presentingstrong
temptation to put aside such questions, if it be
possible.It is useless,however, to complainof
thingsinherent in our political state. And it is
criminal in a court to avoid any responsibility
which the laws impose. With whatever reluctance,
therefore,it is done,the court is compelled
to express an opinionupon the extent of the dominion
of the master over the slave in North Carolina.
A
battery
striking exampleof a legal decision
on Lydia,
to this purport is a slave of Elizabeth Jones The inquiry
given in Wheeler's here is,whether a cruel and unreasonable battery
ffhe t,ute v.
Law of Slavery, page 224. The on a slave by the hirer is indictable. The judge
TeJm"i's^r'2 case, apart from legal tech- below instructed the jurythat it is. He seems to
N?rthercarouna mcanties" may be thus briefly
have put it on the ground,that the defendant had
but a
'
specialproperty.
Kep. -im. stated Our laws uniformly treat
:
the master, or other person having the possession
The indictment charges a

78 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
and command of the slave,as entitled to the same
extent of authority. The objectis the same, the
serviceofthe slave; and the same powers must he
confided. In a criminal proceeding, and, indeed,
in reference to all other persons but the general
owner, the hirer and possessor of the slave,in relation
to both rights and duties, is
,
the owner But, upon the generalquestion,
whether the owner is answerable criminaliter,
for a batteryupon
his own slave,or other
mightproperly interfere,
difficulty
exercise of authority of force,not forbidden by begin. Merelyin the
statute, the court entertains but littledoubt.
That he is so liable,has never been decided ; nor,
as far as is known, been hitherto contended.
There has been no prosecution of the sort. The that light. The truth is that we are forbidden to
established habits and uniform practice of the enter upon a train of generalreasoningon the
country, in this respect, isthe best evidence of the subject.We cannot allow
portion of power deemed the rightof the master
by the whole community to be broughtinto discussionin the courts of
requisite to the preservation of the master's dominion.
justice.The slave,to remain a slave,must be
If we thoughtdifferently, we could not made sensible that there is no appeal from his
set our notions in array agains the judgmentof master ; that his power is,in no instance, usurped,
everybodyelse,and say that this or that authoritybut is conferred by the laws of man, at least,if
may be safelyloppedoff. This has indeed been not by the law of God. The danger would be
assimilated at the bar to the other domestic relations
great,indeed,ifthe tribunals of justiceshould be
; and argumentsdrawn from the well-established
called on to graduatethe punishmentappropriate
principles, which conferand restrain the to every temper and every dereliction of menial
authorityof the parent over the child țhe tutor duty.
over the pupil țhe master over the apprentice, No man can anticipate the many and aggravated
have been pressedon us.
provocations of the master which the slave
The court does not recognize thejr application. would be constantlystimulated by his own passions,
There is no likeness between the cases. They are
or the instigation of others țo give; or
in opposition to each other,and there is an impassable
the consequentwrath of the master, prompting
gulfbetween them. The difference is him to bloody vengeance upon the turbulent
that which exists between freedom and slavery; traitor ; a vengeance generally practised with i?npunity,byreason
ofitsprivacy.The court,therefore
and a greater cannot be imagined. In the one, the
,
end in view is the happinessof the youthborn to disclaims the power
of changingthe relation in
equalrights with that governor on whom the duty which these parts of our peoplestand to each
devolves of trainingthe young to usefulness ,
in a
station which he is afterwards to assume
among
freemen. To such an end,and with such a subject,
moral aud intellectualinstruction seem the natural
means ; and, for the most part,theyare found to
suffice. Moderate force is superaddedonly to
make the others effectual. If that fail,it is better
to leave the party to his own headstrong
.
slavery exists amongst us in its presentstate,or
until it shall seem fitto the legislature to interpose
passions,
express enactments to the contrary, it will be the
and the ultimate correction of the law,than imperative duty of the judges to recognizethe full
to allow it to be immoderately by a privatedominion
ofthe owner over the slave,except where
person. With slaveryit is far otherwise. the exerciseof it is forbidden by statute.
The end is the profit
master, his security And this we do upon the groundthat this dominion
and the publicsafety;the subject, one doomed,
is essentialto the value ofslaves as
in his own
person and his posterity, to live without
to the security ofthe master and
property,
the publictranquillity,
knowledge, and without the capacity to make greatlydependentupon their subordination ;
anything his own, and to toil that another may and, in fine,as most effectually securingthe general
reap the fruits. What moral considerationsshall protection and comfort of the slaves themselves.
be addressed to such a beingțo convince him
Judgment below reversed ; and judgment
what it is impossible that the most stupid entered for the defendant.
must feel and know can never be that he
true,"
is thus to labor upon
a principle of natural
No one can read this
duty,
decision, so fine
or for the sake of his own personalhappiness and clear in expression, so dignified Such services can onlybe expected from one who solemn in its earnestness, and so dreadful
has no will of his own ; who surrenders his will
in itsresults, without feeling at once deep
in implicitobedience to that of another. Such
obedience is the consequence onlyof uncontrolled respectfor the man and horror for the system.
authority body. There is nothing else
The man, judginghim from this
which can operate to producethe effect. The short specimen, which is all the author
POWER OF THE MASTER MUST BE ABSOLUTE, TO RENDER
knows,*has one of that highorder of minds,
THE SUBMISSION OF THE SLAVE PERFECT. I most freely
which looks
confess my
sense of the harshness of this proposition.
straight through all verbiage
I feel it as deeplyas any
man can. And, and sophistry every subject
as a principle of moral right,every person
in his which itencounters. He has,too țhat noble
retirement must repudiateit. But, in the actual
condition of things, it must be so. There is no
* More recently the author has met with a passage in a
remedy. This
of North Carolina newspaper, containingsome further par-
discipline belongsto the state
slavery Ṫhey
at once the rightsof the master,
cannot be disunited without abrogating
and absolving
the slave from his subjection Ịt constitutes
the curse of slavery to both the bond and
the free portions of our population.But it is
inherent in the relation of master and slave. That
for the time being, there may be particularinstances of crueltyand
deliberate barbarity, where in conscience the law
is most
probable.The
is to determine where a court may properly
abstract, it may well
be asked which power of the master accords with
right. The answer will probablysweep away
all
of them. But we cannot look at the matter in
other.
# # # # #
I repeat, that I would gladlyhave avoided
this ungrateful question Ḅut, beingbrought to
it țhe court is compelled
to declare that while

Courier
scorn
of dissimulationțhat straightforward men
determination not to call a bad thingby
a goodname, even when most popular and
reputable and legal, which it is to be wished
frequently
could be more
seen, both in our
Northern and Southern States. There is
but one soleregret; and that is that such a
man. with such a mind,should have been
merely an
law.
expositor, and not a reformer of
CHAPTER
SOUTHER V. THE COMMONWEALTH
"
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 79
III.
NE PLUS ULTRA OF LEGAL HUMANITY.
THE
took
Mrs.
the
"
Stowe,"tc." "-Enquirer.
pains to procure a reportof the
case, designing
The case of Souther v. the Commonwealth
to publish it as an offsetto
the many barbarities which research into
has been cited by the Courier $' thisbranch of the subject obliges
favorablespeci
one to unfold.
"
Yet in the face of such laws and decisions a3 theseI
Enquireras a particularly
ticulars of the lifeof Judge Ruffin,which have provedinteresting
to her,and may also to the reader.
From the Raleigh (JV.C.)Register.
Resignation of the Chief Justice of the State of
North Carolina.
We publishbelow the letter of Chief Justice Ruffin,of
the Supreme Court,resigninghis seat on the bench.
This act takes us, and no less will it take the state,by
surprise.The publicare not prepared for it ; and we
doubt not there will scarcelybe an exceptionto the deep
and generalregret which will be felt throughou the state.
Judge Ruffin's great and unsurpassedlegallearning,his
untiringindustryțhe ease with which he mastered the
details and comprehended the whole of the most complicated
cases, were the admiration of the bar; and it has
pecuniarypointof view, sacrificed many thousands ; for
there has been no time of itin which he mightnot,with perfect
Sam, with ropes about his wrists,neck,body,
ease, have doubled,by practice, the amount of his legsand ankles țo a tree. That whilst so tied,
salary as judge.
the prisoner whippedthe slave with switches.
"
To the Honorable the General Assemblyof North Carolina, That he next beat and cobbed the slave with a
in session.
shingle, compelled two of his slaves, a man
now
desire and a woman, also to cob the deceased with the
" Gentlemen : I to retire to the walks of private
life,and therefore pray your honorable body to acceptthe
shingle Ṭhat whilst the deceased was so tiedto
resignationof my place on the bench of the Supreme the tree
Court. In prisoner did strike,knock,kick,stamp
surrenderingthis trust,I would wish to express and beat him
my gratefulsense of the confidence and honors so often
upon various parts of his head,face
and body; that he applied * *
body ;
* *
that he then washed his body
and so long bestowed on me by the General Assembly.
But I have no language to do it suitably.I am
very sensible
that they were far beyond my deserts,and that I
have made an insufficientreturn of the service. Yet I
can trulyaver that,to the best of my ability, I have ad-
the law as I understood it,and to the ends of
suppressingcrime and wrong, and upholdingvirtuețruth
and right;aimingto give confidence to honest men, and
under the slave-
of judicial proceedings
code,with the following
remark :
And yet, in the face of such laws and decisions
as these,Mrs. Stowe winds up a longseries of
cruelties upon her other black personages, by
causing her faultlesshero,Tom, to be literally
whipped
to death in Louisiana,by his roaster,Legree
; and these acts,which the laws mak criminal,
and punish as such, she sets forthin the most
repulsivecolorsțo illustratethe institution of
slavery !
By the above languagethe author was
led into the supposition that this case
had
been conducted in a manner so creditableto
the feelings of our common humanityas to
present a fairerside of criminal jurisprudence
in this respect. She accordingly
A legalgentlemanhas copiedthe
case from Grattan's Reports,and it is here
given. If the reader isastounded at it.he
cannot be more so than was the writer.
The
Souther v. The Commonwealth. 7 G rat tan,673,
1851.
killing of a slave by his master and owner, by wilful
and excessive whipping,is murder in the first degree:
thoughit may not have been the purpose and intention
of the master and owner to kill the slave.
Simeon Souther was indicted at the October
Term,1850,of the CircuitCourt for the County of
Hanover,for the murder of his own slave. The
indictment contained fifteencounts, in which the
been a common sayingof the ablest lawyersof the state, various modes of punishment and for a longtime past,that his torture bywhich
placeon the bench could be
the homicide was chargedto have been committed
suppliedby no other than himself.
were stated
He is now, as we learn,in the sixty-fifth year of his age,
singly, and in various combinations,
in fullpossession of his usual excellent health,unaffected,
The fifteenthcount unites them all: and, as the
so far as we can discover, in his natural vigorand strength, court certifiesthat the indictment was sustained
and certainlywithout any symptom of mental decay. by the evidence, the givingthe facts stated in that
Forty-five years ago he commenced the practiceof the count will show what was the chargeagainst the
law. He has been on the bench twenty-eightyears, of
prisoner, and what was the
which time he has been one of the
proofto sustain it.
Supreme Court twentythree
years. During this long publi career he has,in charged that on the 1st day of Sep-
The count
a
tember,
1849,the prisonertied his negro slave.
with warm
water,in which podsof red pepper had been put
and steeped; and he compelledhis two slaves
ministered aforesaid also to wash him with this same
preparation
of warm water and red pepper. That after
the tying,whipping,cobbing,striking, beating,
knocking,kicking, stamping,wounding,bruising,
torturincr, as
to confirm in all good citizenslove for our
country, and a
pure trust in her law and magistrates.
lacerating,burnin";,washing and
"
In my place I hope I have contributed to these ends;
and I firmlybelieve that our laws will,as heretofore, be all other blessings, I earnestlypray may be perpetuated
executed,and our peoplehappy in the administration of to the peopleof North Carolina.
justice, honest and contented,as long as "
they keep,and I have the honor to be,gentlemen,your most obliged
onlyso long as theykeep,the independent and sound judiciary
and obedient servant, Thomas Ruffin.
"
Raleigh,November now established in the constitution; which,with
10, 1852."

80 KEY TO UNCLE TOM'S CABIN.
aforesaid, the prisoner untied the deceased from chargedin the indictment. The indictment contains
the tree in such way
as to throw him with violence
fifteen counts, and sets forth a case of the
to the ground; and he then and there did most cruel and excessive whippingand torture.*
knock,kick,stamp and beat the deceased upon
his head,temples, and various parts of his body. It is believed that the records of criminal jurisprudence,
That the prisonerthen had the deceased carried
do not contain a case of more atrocious
into a shed-room of his house, and there he com- and wicked crueltythan was presentedupon the
one of his slaves,in his
Eelled
presence, to conne
the deceased's feet in stocks,by making his earnestly by his counsel that his
trial of Souther ; and yet it has been gravelyand
legs fast to a piece of timber,and to tie a rope offenceamounts to manslaughter only.
about the neck of the deceased, and fasten it to It has been contended by the counsel of the
a bed-postin the room, therebystrangling, chok-
prisoner that a man cannot be indicted and prosecuted
and suffocating the deceased. And that whilst
for the cruel and excessive whippingof his
the deceased was thus made fastin stocks as aforesaid,
own slave. That it is lawful for the master to
the prisoner kick,knock, stamp and beat chastise his slave,and that if death ensues from
him upon his head,face,breast,bellyșides,back such chastisement, unless it was intended to produce
and body; and he againcompelled his two slaves death,it is like the case of homicide which
to apply fireto the bodyof the deceased,whilst he is committed by a man in the performanceof a
was so made fast as aforesaid. And the count lawful act, which is manslaughteronly. It has
charged that from these various modes of punishment
been decided by this court in Turner's case, 5
and torture the slave Sam then and there died. Rand,that the owner of a slave,for the malicious,
It appeared that the prisoner commenced the punishment
cruel and excessive beatingof his own slave,cannot
of the deceased in the morning, and that it be indicted ; yet it by no means follows,when
was continued throughou the day : and that the such malicious, cruel and excessive beatingresults
deceased died in the presence of the prisoner, and in death,though not intended and premeditated,
one of his slaves,and one of the witnesses, that the beating is to be regardedas lawful for the
the punishment was still progressing.
purpose of reducingthe crime to manslaughter,
Field J. delivered the opinionof the court. when the whipping is inflictedfor the sole purpose
The prisonerwas indictedand convicted of murder
of chastisement. It isthepolicyofthe law,in respect
in the second degree, in the Circuit Court of to the relation of master and slave,and for the sake
Hanover, at its April term last past, and was
ofsecuringproper subordination and obedience on the
sentenced to the "penitentiary for fiveyears, the fartof the slave țo protectthe master fromprosecution
of time ascertainedby
Seriod
jury. The murer
consisted in the killing negro man-slave ishment be ?nalicious, cruel and excessive. But in so
in all such cases, even ifthe whippingand pnn-
by the name of Sam, the property of the prisoner, inflicting punishmentfor the sake of punishment,
by cruel and excessiveAvhipping and torture,inflicted
the owner of the slave acts at his peril; and if
by Souther,aided by two of his other slaves, death ensues in consequence of such punishment,
on the 1st day of September,1849. The prisonerthe relation of master and slave affords no ground
moved for a new trial, upon the groundthat the of excuse or palliation. principlesof the
offence,if any, amounted only to manslaughter. common law, in relation to homicide,applyto his
The motion for a new trialwas overruled, case without qualification or exception ; and according
bill of exceptions taken to the opinion of the court,
to those principles, the act of the prisoner,
setting forth the facts proved, or as many of in the case under consideration, amounted to murder.
them as were deemed material for the consideration
* * *
The crime of the prisoner
not
of the application for a new trial. The bill manslaughter, but murder in the firstdegree.
of exceptionstates : That the slave Sam, in the
indictment mentioned,was the slave and On the case now presented there are
property
of the prisoner Ṭhat for the purpose
of chastising
remarks to be made.
the slave for the offence of gettingdrunk, This scene of torture, it seems, occupied
and dealing as the slave confessed and allegedabout twelve hours. It occurred in the
with Henry and Stone, two of the witnesses for the
Stateof
Commonwealth, he caused him to be tied and Virginia, in the Countyof Hanover.
punished in the presence of the said witnesses, Two white men were witnessesto nearly the
with the exception slightwhipping with peach whole proceeding, and,so far as we can see,
or apple-treeswitches,before the said witnesses made no effortto
arrived at the scene after they were sent for arouse the neighborhood,
by the
prisoner(who were presentby requestfrom the defendant),
and bring in help to stop the outrage. What
and of several slaves of the prisoner, in sort of an education, what habits of thought,
the manner and by the means chargedin the indictment
does this presuppose in these men ?
; and the said slave died under and from The case was broughtto trial. It rethe
inflictionof the said punishment, presence
of the prisoner,
of his slaves,and of
* one The followingis Judge Field's statement of the punishment
of the witnesses for the Commonwealth. But itdid
:
not appear that it was the design of the The
prisoner
negro
was tied to a tree and whipped with swit.hes
to killthe said slave,unless such design be When Souther became fatiguedwith the labor of whipping,
he called upon a
negro
man of his,and made him
properlyinferable from the manner, means and cob Sam with a shingle. He also made a woman
negro of
duration of the punishment.And, on the contrary, his helpto cob him. And, after cobbingand whipping,he
it did appear that the prisoner frequently declared, appliedfireto the body of the slave. * * * * He
while the said slave then caused him to be washed down with hot water, in
was undergoingthe punishment,
which
that he believedthe said slave was
pods
feigning,
pepper had been steeped. The negro
and pretending to be suffering and injured when
was also tied to a logand to the bed-postwith ropes, which
choked him, and he was kicked and stamped by
he was not. The judge certifiesthat the slave This sort of punishmentwas continued and repeateduntil
was punished in the manner and by the imans the negro died under its infliction.

"
that
quires no
ordinary nerve to read over the
counts of this indictment. Nobody, one
would suppose,
could willingly read them
twice. One would think that it would have
American men, that this catalogue of horrors
the
"the
KEY TO UNCLE TOM'S CABIN. 81
IF any,
did not amount to a murder ! and,in
cool language of legalprecision, that
offence, amounted to manslaughter;"
and that an American jury
found that the offence was murder in the
second degree.Any one who reads the
think that, if this
in Virginia,
indictment willcertainly
be murder in the second degree,
one mightearnestly pray to be murdered
in the firstdegree țo begin with.
Had Souther walked up to the man, and
shot him throughthe head with a pistol,
before white witnesses, that would have been
murder
in thefirstdegree. As he preferred the
to spendtwelve hours in killing him
court below. Furthermore,he doubts
by
torture, under the name of whether the annals of jurisprudence furnish
" chastisement"
a case of equalatrocity, wherein certainly
that, says the verdict, is murder in the
he appears to he not far wrong : and he
second degree; " because" says
the billof
also states unequivocally the principle that
exceptions, with admirable coolness,
" itdid
killing
not appear that it toas the designof the
a slave by torture under the name
prisoner to killthe of correction is murder in the firstdegree:
slave,UNLESS SUCII DE- SIGN
BE PROPERLY INFERABLE FROM THE
MANNER, MEANS AND DURATION,
PUNISHMENT.
The
OF THE
an opinion, however, is expressed cautiously,
and with a becomingdiffidence, and is balanced
by the very striking fact,which isalso
quotedin this remarkable paper, that the
prisoner frequently declared, while the slave
was undergoing the punishment, that he believed
the slave was feigning and pretending
to be suffering, when he was not. This
view appears to have struck the court as
"
eminentlyprobable, as going a longway
to prove the propriety Souther's intentions,
making it at least extremelyprobable
that onlycorrection was intended.
It seems, also țhat Southerșo
6
farfrom
being crushed by the united opinion of the
community, found those to back him who
considered five years in the penitentiary an
unjustseverity for his crime,and hence the
laida cold hand of horror on
every heart ; billofexceptions from which we have quoted,
the communitywould have risen, and the appeal to the SuperiorCourt ; and
by an universal sentimentțo shake out hence the form in which the case stands
the man, as Paul shook the viperfrom his in law-books,
" Souther v. the Commonwealth."
hand. It seems, however țhat they were
Souther evidently considers himself
quiteself-possessed; that lawyerscalmly an ill-used man, and itisin thischaracter
sat, and examined,and cross-examined, on that he appears before the SuperiorCourt.
particulars known beforeonlyin the records As yet there has been no particular
of the Inquisition; that it was "ably and overflow of humanityin the treatment of
earnestly argued"by educated,intelligent, the case. The manner in which it has been
discussed so far reminds one of nothing so
much as of some discussionswhich the reader
may have seen quotedfrom the records of
the Inquisition, with regard to the propriety
of roasting the feetof children who have not
arrived at
view to eliciting evidence.
the age of thirteen years, with a
Let us now come to the decisionof the
SuperiorCourt,which the editor of the
Courier "fEnquirerthinks so particularly
enlightened and humane. Judge Field
thinks that the case is a very atrocious one,
and in this respecthe seems to differmaterially
from judge,jury and lawyers, of
and here too, certainly, everybodywill
think that he isalsoright; the only wonder
being that any
man could ever have been
this principle quite as
called
billevidently seems to have a leaning
to express such an opinion, judicially.
to the idea that twelve hours But
spent in beating,
he states,quite as unequivocally as
JudgeRuffin,
stamping,scalding, burning and
that awful principle of slavelaws
țhat the law cannot interferewith the
mutilating
a human being,mightpossibly
considered
as
presumption of somethingbeyond the
master for any amount of torture inflicted
on his slave which does not result in death.
limitsof lawful chastisement. So startling The decision, if it establishes anything, establishes
strongly as
itdoes the other. Let us hear the words
of the decision :
It has been decided by this court,in Turner's
case, that the owner of a slave, for the malicious,
cruel and excessive beatingofhis own slave,cannot
be indicted. ******
It is the policyofthe law,in respectto the relation
of master and slave,and for the sake of securing
proper subordination and obedience on the pariof the
slave țo protectthe master from prosecution in all
such cases, even if the whipping and punishmentbe
malicious, cruel and
-
excessive.
What follows as a corollary from
remarkable declaration is
"
this, that
this
ifthe

82 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
victim of thistwelve hours' torture had only Slavery, as defined in American law,is
possessed a little strongerconstitution, and no more capable of beingregulated
its
had not actually died under it țhere is no administration by principles of humanity,
law in Virginiaby which Souther could than the torture system of the Inquisition.
even have been indicted for misdemeanor. Everyact of humanity of every individual
If thisis not filling out the measure of the owner is an illogical result from the legal
language of St. Clare țhat "he who goes definition ; and the reason why the slavecode
of America is more atrocious than any
the furthest and does the worst only uses
within limits the power which the law givesever before exhibitedunder the sun, is that
him," how could this language be verified? the Anglo-Saxon race are a more coldly and
Which is u the worst " death outright, or strictly logical race, and have an unflinching
torture indefinitely prolonged % This decision,
courage to meet the consequences of every
in so many words,givesevery master premise which theylaydown, and to work
the power of indefinite torture,and takes out an accursed principle, with mathematical
from him only the power of terminating the accuracy, to its most accursed results.
read the decision, else
he never would have citedit. Of all who
knock at the charnel-house of legalprecedents,
calmest manner, decisions which one would
with the hope of disinterring any think might make the earth shudder,and
evidence of humanity in the slave system,
it may be said,in the awful words of the
Hebrew poet :
"
He knoweth not that the dead are there,
And that her guests are in the depthsof hell."
The upshot of this case was, that Souther, of individualbarbarity, as might be expected
instead of getting off from his five years' among impulsive and passionate people, there
imprisonment, gotsimply a judicial opinionis in their slave-code more exhibitionof
from the Superior Court that he ought to humanity. The code of the State of Louisiana
be hung; but he could not be tried over contains more really humane provisions,
a^ain,and,as we may infer from all the were there any
means of enforcing them,
facts in the case that he was a man of than that of any
other state in the Union.
tolerably resolute nerves and not very exquisite
It isbelievedthat there is no code of laws
sensibility, it is not likely that the in the world which contains such a perfect
opiniongave him any very serious uneasiness.
cabinet crystallization of every tear and
He has probably made up
his mind
to get over his five years with what grace
from humanity șo accurately, elegantly and
he may.
When he comes out, there is no scientifically arranged, as the slave-codeof
law in Virginia to prevent his buyingas America, 'itis a case of elegantsurgical
more
many negroes as he chooses, and goinginstruments for the work of dissecting the
over the same scene with any
one of them living human heart "
; every instrument
at a future time, if only he profitby the wrought with exactest temper and polish,
information which has been so explicitly and adaptedwith exquisite care, and labelled
conveyed to him in this decision, that he with the name of the nerve or arteryor muscle
must take care and stop his tortures short which itisdesigned to sever. The instruments
of the point of "
death, a matter about of the anatomist are instruments of
which, as the history of the Inquisition earthly steel and wood,designed to operate
shows,men, by careful practice, can be at most on perishable and corruptible matter;
able to judgewith considerable precision. but these are instruments of keener
Probably,also țhe next time, he will not temper, and etherealworkmanship, designed
more
be so foolish as to send out and request the in the most precise and scientific manner
attendance of two white witnesses, even
to DESTROY THE IMMORTAL SOUL, and
though theymay be so complacently interested
carefully and gradually to reduce man from
in the proceedings as to spend the the highposition of a free agent, a social,
whole
day in witnessing them
at prevention
without effort
agony by merciful death. And this is the The decisions in American law-books show
decision which the Courier "* Enquirer
judicial
nothing so much as this severe, unflinching
citesas a perfectly convincing specimen
accuracy of logic Ịt is often and evidently,
of legalhumanity. It must be hoped not because judges are inhuman or partial,
that the editor never
but because they are logical and truthful,
that theyannounce from the bench,in the
the sun turn pale.
The French and the Spanish nations are,
by constitution, more impulsive,
and
poetic,
than
logical ;
found that while there may be more
passionate
hence it will be
instances
every drop of blood which can be wrung
religious, accountable being, down
of the brute, or
to the condition
of inanimate matter.

" Cobb's
laws
CHAPTER
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 83
IV.
so
many words permit the killingof the
PROTECTIVE STATUTES.
subject in three cases, and those comprising
all the acts which would generally occur
"
Apprentices protected.
Melodrama of Prue
Outlawry." under the law
"
in the Swamp. Harry the Carpenter, a Romance of
; namely, if the slave resist,
Real Life.
ifhe be outlawed, or if he die under moderate
correction.
But the question now occurs, Are there
not protective statutesțhe avowed object of
What rule in the world will ever prove
correction immoderate,if the fact that the
which is the protection of the lifeand limb
subject
of the slave? We answer, there are ; and
dies under it is not held as proof?
How
these protective statutes are some of many such "accidents" would have
the
most remarkable pieces of to happenin Old England
legislation extant,
or New England,
That they were dictated by a spirit of
before Parliament or Legislature would hear
from such a protective
humanity,charity, which hopethall things,
law.
"
But,"some one
would lead us to hope; but
may ask, " what isthe
no
newspaper
storiesof bloody murders and outlawryspokenof in this act?" The
shocking outrages
question
convey
to the mind so dreadful is pertinent, and must be answered.
a
picture of the numbness of public sentiment
The author has copied the following from
caused by slavery as these so-called the Kevised Statutes of North Carolina,
protective
statutes. The author copies the following
chap,cxișec. 22. It may be remarked in
passing
from the statutes of North Carolina.
that the preamble to thislaw presents
rather a new view of slaveryto those who
Section3d of the act passedin 1798 runs
have formed their ideasfrom certainpictures
thus :
of blissfulcontentment and Arcadian repose,
Whereas by another Act of the Assembly,passedwhich have been much in vogue of late.
in 1774,the killing of a slave,however wanton,
cruel and deliberate, is onlypunishable in the first Whereas, many times slaves run away and lie
instance by imprisonment and payingthe value out, hid and lurkingin sivamps, woods,and otlur
thereof to the owner, which distinction ofcriminality
obscure places,killing cattle and hogs, and committing
between the murder of a while person and one
other injuriesto the inhabitants of this
who is equallya human creature,but merelyof a state ; in allsuch cases, upon intelligence of any
different complexion, is disgraceful to humanity,
slave or slaves lying out as aforesaid, any two
AND DEGRADING IN THE HIGHEST DEGREE TO TILE LAWS justices of the peace for the countywherein such
AND PRINCIPLES OF A FREE, CHRISTIAN AND ENLIGHT- ENED
slave or slaves is or are supposedto lurk or do
country, Be it enacted,"c, That if any mischief,shall,and they are herebyempowered
person shall hereafter be guilty of wilfully and and requiredto issue proclamation against such
maliciously killing a slave șuch offender shall, slave or slaves (reciting his or their names, and
upon the first conviction thereof,be adjudged
the name or names of the owner or owners, if
guilty of murder,and shall suffer the same punishment
known),therebyrequiring him or them, and every
as if he had killed a free man : Provided
always țhis act shall not extend to the and
person killing
also to empower
and requirethe sheriffof the
said county to take such power with him as he
a slaee outlawed by virtue of any Act of Assembly
of this state, or to any slave in the act of resistance
to his lawfulowner or master, or to any slave dying
under moderate correction."'
and pursuitof,and effectually apprehending, such
outlying slave or slaves; which proclamation
A law with a like proviso, except the
shallbe published at the door of the court-house,
and at such other places as said justiceshall
outlawryclause,exists in Tennessee. Sec direct. And if any slave or slaves against whom
Caruthers and Nicholson1 s Compilation. proclamation hath been thus issued stayout,and
do not immediately return home, it shall be lawful
1836, p. 676.
The
language
art. iv.șec. 12,
of the constitutionof Georgia,
is as follows :
impeachment of
Any person who shall any crime for the same.
maliciously dismember
or deprive a slave of lifeshall suffer such What
punishment
ways and means have been thought
as would be inflictedin case the like offence fit, in actual experience, for the destruction
had been committed on a free white person, and of the slave? What was done with the
on the like proof,exceptin case of insurrection
by such slave,and unless such death should negro Mcintosh,in the streets of St. Louis,
happenin by accidentin givingsuch slave moderate correction. open daylight, and endorsed at the next
Dig.1851, p. 1125.
sitting of the SupremeCourt of the state,
as transcending the sphereof law,because
"
Let now any Englishmanor New it was an act of the
Eng-
majority of her mos*
respectable citizens"?* If these things
lander imagine that such laws with regard
to apprentices had ever been proposed in
Parliament or State Legislature under the
head of protectiveacts;
"
which in
of them,forthwith to surrender him or themselves ;
shall think fitand necessary for goingin search
for any person
or
persons whatsoever to kill
and destroy such slave or slaves by such ways and
means as he shall thinkfit, without accusation or
are
done in the green tree; what will be dona
in the dry? If thesethings have once been
This man was burned alive.

"
to
84 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
occurred
"
"
done in the open streets of St.Louis,by " a worthymagistrate ridesforth in fullforce,"
majority of her most respectable citizens," man, horse,dog and gun, the very verge
what will be done in the lonelyswamps of of the swamp, and there proclaims aloud the
North Carolina,by men of the stamp of merciful mandate. Supposethat,hearing
Souther and Legree ?
the yelping of the clogs and the proclamation
This passage
of the Revised Statutesof of the sheriifmingledtogether, and the
North Carolinais more terribly suggestive shouts of Loker,Marks,Sambo and Quimho,
to the imagination than any particulars into and other such posse, black and white,as a
which the author of Uncle Tom's Cabin has sheriff can generally summon on such a
thought fitto enter. Let us suppose a little hunt țhis very ignorant and contumacious
melodrama quitepossible to have
Prue only runs deeper into the swamp, and
under tins act continues obstinately
"
of the legislature. Suppose
lyingout,"as aforesaid
some luckless Prue or Peg,as in the case we
; now she is by act of the assembly
have justquoted,in State v. Mann, gettingoutlawed,and,in the astounding words of
tired of the discipline of whipping, the act,"it shallbe lawful for any person
or
from the overseer, clears the dogsr and gets persons whatsoever to kill and destroyher,
into the swamp,
and there " lies out,"as by such ways and means as he shall think
the act above graphically says. The act fit,without accusation or impeachment of
which we are considering says that many any crime for the same." What awful pos-
slaves do this,and doubtless theyhave their
rise to the imagination the
own best reasons for it. We all know what fearfully suggestive by such .ways
fascinating placesto "lie out" in these and means as he shall think Jit ! " Such
Southern swamps
are. What with alligators
ways and means as ANY man shall think fit,
and moccasin snakes,mad and water, of any character, of any degreeof fiendish
and poisonousvines, one would be apt to barbarity Such a permission to kill even
think the situationnot particularly eligible ; a dog,by ' ' any ways and means which anybody
but still, Prue " liesout" there. Perhaps in should think fit,"never ough to stand
the nightsome husband or brother goes to on the law-books of a Christian nation ; and
see her,taking a hog, or some animal of the
yet this stands against one bearing that
plantation stock,which he has ventured his same humanity which Jesus Christ bore,
lifein killing, that she may not perishwith againstone, perhaps,who,thoughblinded,
hunger. Master overseer walks up to master darkened and ignorant, he will not be
proprietor, and reports the accident ; master ashamed to own, when he shallcome in the
proprietor mounts his horse,and assembles glory of his Father,and all his holyangels
to his aid two justices of the peace.
with him !
In the intervalsbetween drinkingbrandy That this law has not been a dead letter
and smokingcigars a proclamation is dulythere is sufficientproof. In 1836 the
drawn up. summoningthe contumacious Prue following proclamation advertisement
to surrender,and requiring sheriffof saidjappeared in the "Newbern (N.C.)Spectator:"
sibilities
county to take such power
as he shall
think fitto go in searchand pursuit of said
"
State of North Carolina,Lenoir Cotxtt.
slave ; which proclamation, for Prue's further
Whereas complaint hath been this claymade to us,
enlightenment, issolemnlypublished at
two of the justices of the peace for the said county,
the door"ofthe court-house, and " at such
by William D. Cobb,of Jones County țhat two
other negro-slaves belonging to him, named Ben
places as said justices shall direct."*
(com
monly known by the name of Ben Fox) and
Let us
Rig
suppose, now, that Prue,given over
don,have absented themselves from their said
to hardness of heart and blindness of mind ,
^^ ^.^ and are lurking
pays no attention to all these means of grace. Counties of Lenoir and Jones,committingacts of
put forth to draw her to the protective felony; these are, in the name of the state,to
c\adow of the patriarchalroof. Suppose,
command the said slaves forthwith to surrender
.urther as a final effortof long-suffering,
",. *.\.n" fi,;^
oc "
,vff".+ r.f Irvnrr mffmnr, themselves, and turn home to their said master,
""
And we do'hereb als0 require the sheriffof said
search and pursuit
after the above-mentioned slaves And
. .
* The old statute of 1741 had some features stillmore
and to leave her utterly without excuse, the Countv of Lenoir to make diligent
edifying. That providesthat said - proclamation shall we do hereby,by virtue of an act of assemblyof
be published on a Sabbath day, at the door of every ohurch I this state concerning servants and slaves,mtior
chapel,or, for want of such, at the placewhere divine mate and declare,if the said slaves do not surrenservice
shall be performed in the said county, by the der themselves and return home to their master
parishclerk or reader, immediately after divine service."
immediately
Potter's Revisal,i. ICG. What a peculiarappropriateness
after the publication of these presents,
that
there must have been in this proclamation, particularly any person may kill or destroysaid slaves
after a sermon on the love of Christ,or an expositionof by such means as he or they think fit, without
the text " thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself! accusation " or impeachment of any crime or offence

.
Finallyțhere
"
Whereas
Potter,ch.
'
hath
above negroes, to be delivered to me, or confined
in the jailof Lenoir or Jones County, or for the
killingof them,so that I can see them.
Nov. "12,1830 W. D. Cobb.
That this act was not a dead letter, also,
was plainlyimplied in the protective act
firstquoted. If slaves were not,as a matter
of any slave outlawed by any
assembly." This
KEY TO UNCLE TOM'S CABIN. 85
foT so doing, or without incurring any penalty or loud voice ; has lost one or two of his upper teeth ;
forfeiture thereby.
and has a very dark spot on his jaw, supposedto
Given under our hands and sealsțhis 12th of be "
a mark, absented himself from his master's
November, 1836. B. Coleman, J. P. [Seal.] service, and is supposed to be lurkingabout
Jas. Joxes,J. P. [Seal.] in thiscounty,committingacts of felony or other
misdeeds ; these are, therefore,in the name of the
act of the
$200 Reward. -Ran away from the subscriber,
about three years ago,
a certain negro-man,
named Ben,commonly known by the name of Ben
"
of fact,ever outlawed, why does the act formally
recognize class1 provided
"
that this act shall not extend to the killing
Harry to me at Tosnott Depot,EdgecombeCounty,
languagesufficiently indicates
or for his confinement in any jailin the state,
the existence of the custom.
Further than thisțhe statute-book of 1821
contained two acts : the firstof which provides
who
that all masters
have had slaves killedin consequence
of outlawry șhall have a claim on the
treasuryof the state for
their value,unless
cruel treatment of the slave be proved on
the part of the master : the second act extends
the benefitsof the latter provision to
all the counties in the state.*
is evidence that this act
the
of outlawrywas executed so recently as
1850," year the year in which "Uncle
Tom's Cabin " was written. See the following
from the WilmingtonJournal of December
13,1850 :
State of North Carolina,New Hanover County.
complaintupon oath hath this day
been made to us, two of the justices of the peace
for the said state and county aforesaid, by Guilford
Horn, of EdgecombeCounty, that a certain
male
by trade,about fortyyears old,fivefeetfive
inches high,or thereabouts ; yellowcomplexion;
stout built;with a scar on his leftleg(fromthe
cut of an axe); has very thick lips; eyes deep
sunk in his head ; forehead very square ; tolerably
slave belonging to him, named Harry, a carpenter
* Be it furtherenacted,That when any slave shall be
legallyoutlawed in any of the counties within mentioned,
fcke ownei" of which shall reside in one of
'
P
Rev"-
gal ch. 407 '-"!. tne saiclcounties, and the said slave shall be
'
killed in consequence of such outlawry țhe
value of such slave shall be ascertained by a jury which
shall be empanelledat the succeedingcourt of the county
where the said slave w"n killed, and a t"rtificateof such
valuation shall bo given by the clerk ol the court to the
owner of said slave,who shall be entitled to receive twothirds
of such valuation from the sheriffof the county
wherein the slave was killed. [Extended to othor counties
in 1797. "
480," 1.]now obsolete.
state
aforesaid,
to command the said.slave forthwith
to surrender himself and return home to
his said master ; and we do hereby,by virtue of
Fox ; also one other negro, by the name of the act of assemblyin such cases made and pro-
Rigdon,
who ran away on the 8th of this month.
Harry
I will give the reward of "100 for each of the
immediately after the publication of these presents.
vided,
intimate and declare that if the said slave
doth not surrender himself and return home
that any person or
persons may
kill and destroy
the said slave by such means as he or theymay
think fit,without accusation or impeachment of
any crime or offence for so doing, and without incurring
any penaltyor forfeiture thereby.
Given under our hands and seals țhis 29th day
of June,1850.
James T. Miller,J. P.
[Seal:]
W. C. Bettencourt,J. P. [Seal.]
One Hundred and Twenty-five Dollars Reward
will be paid for the deliveryof the said
so that I can get him ; or One Hundred and Fifty
Dollars will be givenfor his head.
He was latelyheard from in Newbern,where he
called himself Henry Barnes (orBurns), and will
in certain counties, be likelyto continue the same name, or assume
that of Copageor Farmer. He has a free mulatto
woman for a wife,by the name of SallyBozeman,
who has lately removed to Wilmington,and lives
in that part of the town called Texas,where he
will likelybe lurking.
Masters of vessels are particularly cautioned
againstharboring
board their vessels,as the full penalty
concealing the said negro on
of the law
will be rigorously enforced.
June 2'Jth,1850. Guilford Horn.
There is an inkling of history and romance
about the description of this same
Harry,who is thus publiclyset up
to be
killed in any way that any of the negrohunters
of the swamps may think the most
"
piquant and enlivening Ịt seems he is a
carpenter, a powerfully man, whose
thews and sinews might be a profitable
acquisition to himself. It appears also that
he has a wife, and the advertiserintimates
that possibly he may be caughtprowling
about somewhere in her vicinity. This
indicatessagacity the writer, certainly.
Married men generally have a
way of liking
the society of their wives ; and itstrikes us,
from what we know of the nature of carpenters
here in New
England țhat Harry
was not peculiar in this respect. Let us
further notice the portrait of Harry: "Eyes
deep sunk in his head "
; foreheadvery
square." This picture reminds us of what
a persecuting old ecclesiasticonce said,in
the days of the Port-Royalists, of a certain
truculentabbess,who stood obstinately to a

"
"
by
86 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
certain course, in the face of the whole
power, temporal and spiritual, of the Romish
church,in spite of fining, imprisoning, passed,
starving,whipping,beating,and other
enlightening argumentative processes, not book,and
wholly peculiar, seems, to that age.
"
You will never subdue that woman," said its most
the ecclesiastic, who was a phrenologist before
his age; "she's got a square head, pirates,
if the owner could onlyget the use of him.
His head is well enough, but he will use it
whether they have caught him yet ; or
whether the impenetrable thickets, the poisonous
to amend itsconstitution, which assembled
miasma, the deadlysnakes, and the at Raleigh,June 4th,1835. It is but justice
unwieldyalligators of the swamps, more
to say that in these proceedings,
guard the onlyfastness in Carolinawhere a state were
slave can live in freedom.
of candor,fairness and moderation,of gentlemanly
It is not', then,in mere poetic fictionthat
honor and courtesyin the treatment
the humane and graceful pen of Longfellow of opposingclaims,and Of an overruling
hassdrawn the following picture :
sense of the obligations of law and
religion, Avhich certainly have not always
been equallyconspicuous in the proceedings
*
"
In the dark fens of the Dismal Swamp
The hunted negro lay;
He saw the fire of the midnightcamp,
And heard at times the horse's tramp,
And a bloodhound'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 poisonousvine
Is spottedlike the snake;
"
Where hardlya human foot could pass,
Or a human heart would dare,"
On the quaking turf of the green
morass
H~ crouched in the rank and tangled grass,
Like a wild beast in his lair.
"
A poor old slave ! infirm and lame.
Great scars deformed his face;
On his forehead he bore the brand of shame,
And tho rags that hid his mangled frame
Were the liveryof disgrace.
"
All thingsabove were brightand fair,
All thingswere gladand free;
lithe squirrels darted here and there,
And wild birds filled the echoingair
With songs of liberty!
"
On him alone was tho doom of pain,
From the morning of his birth ;
On him alone the curse of Cain *
Jell like the flailon the garneredgrain,
And struck him to the earth."
* "
Gen. 4 : 14. And it shall eome to pass
findeth nie shall slayme."
that every one that
The civilizedworld may and willask, in
what state this law has been drawn,and
-and revised, and allowed to appear
at the presentday on the revised statute-
to be executed in the year of our
Lord 1850, as the above-cited extracts from
respectable journalshow.
as
high-minded,
enlightened, as humane, as
any men in
"
Is it
some heathen, Kurdish tribe, some nest of
some horde of barbarians, where
and I have alwaysnoticed that peoplewith destructive godsare worshipped, libations
square heads never can be turned out of to their honor pouredfrom human
their course." We think it very probableskulls '? The civilizedworld will not believe
that Harry,with his "squarehead,"isjust it, but it is actually a fact, that this
one of thissort. He isprobably one of those law has been made,and is stillkept in force,
articleswhich would be extremelyvaluable, by men in every other respectthan what
relates to their slave-code as
for himself. It is of no use to any
one but Christendom ; citizensof a state which
the wearer ; and the master seems to symbolize
glories in the blood and hereditary Christian
thisstate of things, byoffering twentyfivedollarsmore
for the head without the what sort of men the legislators of North
institutionsof Scotland. Curiosity to know
body țhan he is willing to give for head, Carolinamightbe,led the writer to examine
man and all. Poor Harry! We wonder with some attention the proceedings and debates
of the convention of that state,called
humane than the slave-hunter, have interposed
which all the differentand perhaps conflicting
their uncouth and loathsome forms to interests of the various parts of the
discussed, there was an exhibition
of deliberative bodies in such cases. It
simplygoes to show that one can judge
nothing of the religion humanity
of individuals from what seems to us objectionable
practice, they have been
educated under a system entirely incompatible
with both. Such is the very equivocal
character of what we
call virtue.
It could not be for a moment supposed
that such men as JudgeRuffm, or
many
of the gentlemenwho figure in the debates
alluded to, would ever think of availing
themselves of the savage permissions of such
a law. But what then? It follows that
the law is a direct permission, letting loose
upon the defenceless slave that classof men
who exist in every community,who have
no conscience, no honor, no who
shame,"
are too far below publicopinionto be restrained
by that,and from whom accordingly
this provision of the law takes away
the
onlyavailablerestraintof their fiendish natures.
to the
Such men are not peculiar

.
THE
What
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
87
"
South. It is unhappilytoo notorious that
they exist everywhere, in England, in
New England, and the world over ; but
they can only arrive at full maturity in
pounds, current money.
wickedness under a system where the law The language of this law, like many other
clothesthem with absolute and of these
irresponsible protective enactments,isexceedingly
suggestive ;
power.
the first suggestion that occurs
is,What sort of an institution, and what
sort of a state of society is it țhat called
CHAPTER V.
PROTECTIVE ACTS OP SOUTH CAROLINA AND
LOUISIANA.
"
IRON COLLAR OF LOU- ISIANA
AND NORTH CAROLINA.
Tennessee.
Certain
miscellaneousprotective acts
In South Carolina, the act of 1740
the wilful, deliberate murder of a
slave by disfranchisement, and by
Thus far by way of considering the pro-
acts of North Carolina,Georgia and
very fond
tective
of comparing it to the apprentice system of
England and America. Let us suppose
that in the British Parliament, or in a New
of EnglandLegislature, the following law is
proposed, under the titleof An Act for the
Protection of Apprentices, "c. "c.
various other states will now be cited,
merely as specimens of the spirit of legislation.
punished
ct
""
Stroud, p. 39. J
2Brevard'3 a tine or seven
iij
hundred
j
pounds
igest,P.24i ċurrent money) or" in default of
payment, imprisonment for seven years.
But the wilfulmurder of a slave, in the sense
contemplated in this law,is a crime which
would not often occur. The kind of murder
which was most frequent among masters or
overseers was guardedagainstby another
section of the same how act," adequately
the reader will judge for himself, from
following quotation :
the
If any person shall,on a sudden heat or passion,
or by undue correction, kill his
^?*"V2kB^'
own slave'or the slave of any other
yard's Digest, person,
he shall forfeit the sum of
241. James' three hundred and fiftypounds current
Digest,392.
^^
by putting
or small stick, or
irons on, or confining
or imprisoning such slave,
out a law worded like this'? Laws are
generally not made againstpractices that
do not exist, and exist with some degree of
frequency.
The advocates of slavery are
In case any person shall wilfully cut out the
tongue,put out the eye, or cruellyscald,burn,or
deprive any apprentice limb or member, or
of any
shall inflict any other cruel punishment, other
than by whipping or beatingwith a horse-whip,
cowskin șwitch or small stick,or byputting irons
on or confiningor imprisoning such apprentice,
every such person shall,for every such offence,
forfeit the sum of one hundred pounds, current
money.
What a sensation such a proposedlaw
would make in England may be best left
for Englishmento say ;
itwould
but in New Eng-
every such person shall,
for every such offence,forfeitthe sum of one hundred
land
simplyconstitutethe proposer
a candidate for Bedlam. Yet that such a
statute is necessary in South Carolina is
evident enough, if we reflect
that,because
it has
there is no such statute in Virginia,
been decided that a wretch who perpetrates
all these enormities on a slave cannot even
be indictedfor it,unless the slave dies.
But let us look further :
"
is to be
In 1821 the act punishing the wilful
murder of the slave onlywith fine or im-
was mainlyrepealed, and it was
prisonment the penaltywhen any of these fiendish
things are done '?
be punished
Why, the man forfeitsa hundred pounds,
current
money. Surely he ought to pay as
enacted that such crime should
by death ; but the latter section, which relates
to killing the slavein sudden heat much as
or
that for doing so very unnecessary
has been
passion, or by undue an
correction,
act, when the Legislature bountifully
altered onlyby diminishing the allows him to inflict
pecuniary
any torture which revengeful
penalty to a fine of five hundred dollars,
ingenuity could devise, by means
of
authorizing alsoimprisonment for six months.
horse-whip,cowskin, switchor small stick,
or
The next protective statute to be
putting
noticed
irons on, or confining and
is the following from the act of One would surelythink that
1740,South
here was sufficient
Carolina.
scope and varietyof
legalized means of torture to satisfy any
In case
any person .shall wilfully cut out the ordinaryappetite for vengeance. It would
tongue,put out the * * *
eye,
or cruelly scald,
appear decidedly that
Stroud, hum,
p. 40. or deprive any slave of any
more piquant
any limb, varieties of
2 Brevard's or member, or shall inflict any other
agony oughtto be an extra
Digest. 241. cruei punishment,oth^r than bywhipping
charge. The advocatesof slaveryare fond
or beating with a horse- whip,cowskin șwitch of comparing the situationof the slavewith
imprisoning

.
It
. .
Civil
"
or
either
unless
88 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CAEIN.
that of the Englishlaborer. We
vide
are not
aware that the Englishlaborer has been so for, as
unfortunate as to be protected by any enactment
is the rejection mony,
like thisșince the daysof villeinage. such an
outrage, if perpetrated most
Judge Stroud says, that the same law, deliberately in the presence of hundreds of
has been adoptedin Louisiana.
loss of
"
life, or to cause his death.
Louisiana,Article 173.
Code of
rigor? This is a
question, certainly, upon which persons in
states not so constituted can have no means
of forming an opinion.
In one of the newspaper extracts with
which we prefaced our
account,the following
protective
beingparticularly satisfactory and
We giveit,as quotedby Judge Stroud in
his Sketch, page 58,givinghis reference.
act of Louisiana is alluded to,as
authorized to Code administer." Noir. Crimes and
efficient. Offences, 56. xvii. Rev. Stat. 1852, p. 550,$ 141.
which we have quotedare not held to be
cruel treatment țhe questionis,What is
by the deeds in question,
Everything
sufficientintrepidity
desirecan be effected under the protection a falseoath !
of the law of South Carolina, which,as we
cruel treatment of a slave 1
that fiendish barbarity could
have justshown,exists also in Louisiana,
It is true the law restrainsfrom some
par-
forms of cruelty Ịf any person has
"
What was this law ever made for ? Can
any one imagine?
ticular Upon this whole subject, we may quote
the languageof Judge Stroud,who thus
a mind to scaldor burn his slave,"-and it sums
up the whole amount of the protective
seems, by the statutețhat there have been laws for the slave, in the United States of
such people, thi^o statutes merelypro-
America :
that he shalldo it in decent privacy;
the very keystoneof Southern jurisprudence
of colored testi-
substantially,
slaves, could not be provedupon the master.
is true that -" the civil code of It is to be
" 0,
Stroud's
supposedthat the fiendish
Sketch, .
p. 4i. i Mar. Louisiana thus expresses its hu- people whom such statutes have in view will
*
Digest.654,
.
, ,"
mane intentions.
generally enough of common sense not
The slave is entirely subjectto the aviIIof
to
his performit in the presence of white wit-
master, who may correct and chastise him, though since this simple act of prudence
not with unusual rigor, nor so as to maim or will render them entirely safe in doingwhatever
mutilate him, or to expose him to the danger of
theyhave a mind to. We are told,it
nesses,
The expression "unusual rigor" is sug-
again. It willafford large latitude
for a jury, hi states where slaves are in the
habit of dying under moderate correction ;
is true, as we have been reminded by our
friend in the newspaper before quoted țhat
gestive, in Louisiana the deficiency caused by the
rejection of negro
the following
testimony is suppliedby
most remarkable provision of
the Code Noir :
where outlawed slaves may be killed byany
means which any person thinks fit ; andwhere
laws have to be specifically made contrary to the true intent and meaningof this
If any slave be mutilated, beaten,or illtreated,
againstscalding, burning,cutting out the section,when no one shall be present, in such
case the owner, or other person havingthe charge
tongue,puttingout the eye, "c. What or management of said slave thus mutilated șhall
will be thought unusual
be deemed responsible and guiltyof the said
offence,and shall be prosecutedwithout further
evidence,unless the said owner, or other person
so as aforesaid, can
prove the contraryby means
of good and sufficientevidence,or can clear himself
by his own oath,which said oath every court
under the cognizance of which such offence shall
have been examined and tried is by this act
Would one have supposedthat sensible
to do these things, will he not be bad
enoughto swear
are
falsely ? As if men who
the incarnation of cruelty, as
supposed
would not have
of conscience to
people
No master shall be compelled could to sell his slave,
ever publishas a law such a
but in one of two cases, to wit : the first, when,
specimen of utter
"
legislative nonsense so
beingonlyco-proprietor of the ridiculous
slave,his on the co-proprietor
very face of it!
demands the sale,in order to make partition
The object is to bring to justicethose
of the property; second,when the master fiendish peoplewho burn,scald,mutilate,
shall be convicted of cruel treatment of his slave, "c. How isthisdone ? Why, itisenacted
AND THE JUDGE SHALL DEEM IT PROPER TO PRONOUNCE,
besides the penaltyestablished for such cases, that that the fiictof finding the slave in this condition
the slave shall be sold at publicauction,in order shall be held presumption against the
to placehim out of the reach of the power which owner or overseer, unless "
what ?
his master has Civil abused." Code,Art. 192.
Why, unless he will prove to the contrary,
The question for a juryto determine in
swear to the contrary, it is no matter
thiscase is,What is cruel treatment of a which "
will answer the purpose.
slave7 Now, ifall these barbaritieswhich The questionis,If a man is bad enough
have been sanctioned by the legislative acts
compass

that
Act
'
Upon a fairreview of what has been written on
the result is found
the subject of this proposition,
to be "
the master's power to inflict corporal
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 89
punishment to any extent,short of lifeand limb, public ever since 1839,in his work entitled
is fullysanctioned by law,in allthe slave-holding Slavery as It Is,p. 22.
any
hundred
Carolina ; that,though
deliberate and malicious murder of the slave
is now directedto be punished with death,yet, as
in the case of a white offender none except whites
can giveevidence,a conviction can seldom,if
deadness of publicsentiment on crueltyto
the slave which is an inseparable
attendant
on the system. It will be recollected that
the remarkable protective law of South
a man's doingthesethingsthere,if he has
not sense enough to do it privately, is not
more than five hundred dollars.
Now, compare thisotherstatute of Louisiana,
(Rev.Stat.,1852,p. 552,$ 151) :
If any person
or persons, "c, shall cut or break
master of
any iron chain or collar,which any
slaves should have used,in order to
Stroud,p. l.
prevent the running away
or
escape of
any such slave or slavesșuch person or persons so
offendingshall,on conviction, "c, be fined not
less than two hundred dollars, nor exceeding one '
thousand dollars ; and suffer imprisonment for a
|
S. Grimke." She is now a member of the
* The iron collarwas also in vogue in North Carolina,as
the of followingextract from the statute-book will show.
Friends,and residesin The wearers of this articleof
Bellville,
apparelcertainlyhave some
Society
New Jersey. The statement given is of a
kind that itsauthor did not mean to give,
nor wish to give, and never would have
Miss Grimke furnished to her brother-inlaw,Mr.
Weld,and has been before the
states ; that the master, in at least two states,is
expresslyprotected in using the horse-whip and
cowskin as instruments for beatinghis slave ;
could not brook the degradation
the habit of runningaway : for thisoffence she had
been
A handsome mulatto woman, about eighteen of
twenty years of age, whose independent spirit
of slavery, was in
that he may
with entire impunity, in the same
states,load his slave with irons,or subject him
to perpetualimprisonment, whenever he may repeatedly
so
sent by her master and mistress to
choose ; that,for cruellyscalding, wilfully cutting
be whippedby the keeperof the Charleston workout
the tongue,putting out an eye,
and for house. This had been done with such inhuman
other dismemberment, ifproved, a fine of one severity as to lacerate her back in a most shocking
manner ; a finger could not be laid between the
cuts. But the love of liberty was too strong to
be annihilated by torture ; and, as a last resort,
she was whipped at several different times,and
kept a close prisoner Ạ heavy iron collar, with
three longprongs projecting from it,was placed
"
ever, take place. Stroud's Sketch, p. 43.
round her neck,and a strong and sound front tooth
was extractedțo serve as a mark to describe her,
One very singular antithesisof two laws in case of escape.
Her sufferings at this time
of Louisiana will stillfurther show that were agonizing ; she could liein no position but
on her back, which was sore from scourgings,
as
I can testify from personalinspection ; and her
only place of rest was the floor,on a blanket.
poundscurrency onlyis incurred in South
in all the states the wilful,
These outrages were committed in a family where
the mistress daily read the Scriptures, and assembled
Carolina, with respec to her children for
scalding, burning,
familyworship. She
cutting out the tongue, and was accounted,and was
putting out the
really, so far as almsgiving
eye of the was concerned,a charitable woman, and
slave,has been substantially enacted
tender-hearted to the poor
in Louisiana ; and that the penalty for
; and yet this suffering
slave, who was the seamstress of the family,
was
continually
her presence, sitting in her chamber
to sew, or engaged in her other household work,
with her laceratedand bleedingback,her mutilated
mouth, and heavy iron collar,without,so
far as
appeared,exciting any feelings
of compassion.
This iron collar the author has often
heard of from sources equallyauthentic*
That one will meet with it every day in
; but
jwalkingthe streets, is not probable
that it must have been used with some
great
degree of frequency, is evident from the
term not exceeding two nor
years, less than six j fact of a law beinġthoughtnecessary to
"
months. of Assemblyof March 6, 1819. Iprotect it. But look at the penalty of the
Pamphlet,page 64.
Itwo protective laws ! The fiendish cruel-
Some Englishmen may naturallyask, I tiesdescribedin the act of S^uth Carolina
"
What is this iron collar which the Legislature
!cost the perpetratornot ynore than five
have thoughtworthy of beingprotected
[hundred
dollars, if he does them before
by a special On I thissubject white people. The act of humanitycosts
act'?"
willbe presented the testimony of an unimpeachable
witness, Miss Sarah M. Grimke, !and imprisonment from six months to two
a personal friend of the author. " '
Miss years, accordingto discretion of court !
Grimke is a daughter of the late Judge; What publicsentiment was it which made
Grimke, of the Supreme Court of South ;these laws ?
Carolina,and sisterof the lateHon. Thomas
ifrom two hundred to one thousand dollars,
I reason to complain,of the " tyranny of fashion."
"
When the keeperof the said publicjailshall,by di-
! rection of such court as aforesaid, let out any negro or
runaway to hire țo any person or persons whomsoever, the
given,had it not been made necessary to
said keeper shall,at the time of his delivery, cause an*
iron collar to be put on the neck of such negro
or runaway,
illustrate this passage in the slave-law.
Iwith the letters P. G. stamped thereon; and thereafter
;
The account occurs in a statement which
shall not be answerable for any escape ""f
; the said negro
or runaway.""Potter'sRevival,i. 162.

Separationof
See
90 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
CHAPTER
VI.
PROTECTIVE ACTS WITH REGARD TO FOOD
AND RAIMENT, LABOR, ETC.
Illustrative Drama of Tom v. Legree,under the Law of
"
South Carolina. Parent and Child.
be obliged to work onlyfour or five hours
Having finished the consideration of the longer than the convicts in the. prisonof the
laws which protectthe lifeand limb of the neighboring state ! In the Island of Jamaica,
slave țhe reader may feel a curiosity to besides many holidays which were accorded
know something of the provisions by which by law to the slave, ten hours a day was the
he isprotected in regardto food and clothing,
extent to which he was compelledby law
"
and from the exactions of excessive labor. ordinarily to work. Stroud, p.
29.
It is true, there are multitudesof men in the With regardto protective acts concerning
Northern Stateswho would say, at once, that food and clothing, Judge Stroud gives the
such enactments, on the very face of them, followingexample from the legislation of
'
be superfluous and absurd. '
What ! ' ' South Carolina. The author givesit as
are not the slaves property ?
must
"
they say,
quotedby Stroud, p. 32.
and is it likelythat any
man will impair
the market value of his own propertyby not
giving them sufficientfood or clothing, or
by overworking them'?" This process of
reasoningappears
to have been less convincing
to the legislators
than to gentlemengenerally the North ;
since,as Judge Taylorsays,
cause them to commit crimes for which
they are executed ; " and the judge further
explains this language,by saying, " The
cruel treatment here alluded to must consist
in withholding from them the necessaries of
life ;
and
such
the crimes thus resulting are
The State of South Carolina,
the act
of 1740 (seeStroud's Sketch, p. 28); had
a section with the following language
preamble :
in its
And the law goes
on to enact that the
slaveshallnot work more than fifteenhours
a day in summer, and fourteen in winter.
Judge Stroud makes it appear
that in
three of the slavestates the time allottedfor
work to convicts in prison, whose punishment
is to consist in hard labor,cannot exceed
ten hours,even in the summer months.
This was the protective act of South
Carolina,designedto reform the abusive
practices of masters who confined their
slaves so closely that theyhad not time for
natural rest ! What sort of habits of thought
do these humane provisions show,in the
makers of them ? In order to protect the
slave from what they consider undue exaction,
theyhumanelyprovidethat he shall
In case
any person, "c, who shall be the
owner, or who shall have the care, government or
charge, of any slave or slaves șhall deny,neglect
or refuse to allow,such slave or slaves,"c,
sufficient clothing,covering or food,it shall and
may he lawful for any person or persons, on behalf
of Southern States of such slave or slaves țo make complain to the
next neighboring justicein the parish where such
slave
"the act of
or slaves live,or are usuallyemployed,
* * *
and the said justice
W86 (Iredell's Revisal,
wheeier, P.
p. 588)
shall summons the party
against
22u. stale
whom such complaint shall be made, and
v. does,in the preamble,recognizeshall inquireof,hear and determine,the same
'
Sue, Cameron * "
;
,
,
,
" Norwood's the tact țhat many persons, by and, if the said justiceshall find the said complaint
c. itep.o4.
cruei treatment of
to be
their true, or that such
slaves,
person
will not exculpate
or clear himself from the charge,by his or her own
oath,which such person shall be at liberty to do in
all cases where positive proofis not givenof the
offence,such justiceshall and may make such
orders upon the same, for the relief of such slave
or slaves,as he in his discretion shall think fit ;
and shall and may set and a
impose
fine or
penalty on any person who shalloffend in the
premises, in any sum not exceedingtwenty
as are necessary to furnish them with food
and raiment."
pounds current money, for each offence." 2 Brev-
Dig. 241. Also Cobb's Dig. 827.
ard's,
A similar law obtains in Louisiana."
Rev. Stat. 1852, p. 557,$ 166.
Now, would not anybody think,from the
and
virtuous solemnity
gravity of this act,
Whereas many
owners of slaves,and others who that it was intended in some way to amount
have the care, management, and overseeingof
to
slaves,do confinethem so closely to hard something
". .
rou , ctq.
, p.
jQi)nrtjmt fay nave not $ujjicient time
to show how much itdoes amount to. Angelina
for natural rest ; "
? Let us give a little sketch,
Grimke Weld,sister to Sarah Grimke,
before quoted,gives the following account
of the situationof slaves on
plantations : *
And here let me
say,
that the treatment of
plantation slaves cannot be fullyknown, exceptby
the poor sufferersthemselves,and their drivers
and overseers. In a multitude of instances,even
the master can know very
littleof the actual condition
of his own field-slaves, and his wife and
daughtersfar less. A few facts concerning my
own family will show this. Our permanent residence
was in Charleston ; our country-seat(Bellemont)
was two hundred miles distant,in the
*
Slaveryas It Is ; Testimonyof a Thousand Witnesses.
New York, 1839. pp. 52,53.

"
tellhim
"
once
"
0
Mr.
urn,
north western part of the state,where,for some
years, our familyspent a few months annually.
Our plantation was three miles from this family
KEY TO UNCLE TOMS' CABIN. 91
Master Legreefinds himself, one
pleasant morning, walked offto some Justice
mansion. There all the field-slaveslived and Dogberry's, to answer to the charge of not
worked. Occasionally, a month,perhaps, givinghis niggersenough to eat and wear.
" some of the familywould ride over to the plantation
We willcallthe infatuatedwhite man who
; but I never visitedthe fieldswhere the slaves
has undertaken this fool'serrand Master
were at work,and knew almost nothingof their
condition ; but this I do
Shallow.
know, that the overseers
Let us
"
imaginea scene : Le-
who had charge of them were generally unprincipled
standingcarelessly with his hands in
and intemperate men. But I rejoice to his pockets, rolling a quidof tobacco in his
know that the generaltreatment of slaves in that mouth
region of country was far milder ;
than on the
JusticeDogberry, seated in all the
plantations in the lower country.
majesty of law,reinforcedby a decanter of
Throughout all the eastern and middle portionswhiskeyand some tumblers,intended to
of the state,the planters very rarelyreside permanently
assist in illuminating the intellectin such
on theirplantationsṪheyhave almost obscure cases.
invariably two residences,and spendless than
Justice
half the year
on their estates. Even while spending
a few months on them,politics, field-sports,
take a littlesomething, to beginwith. Mr.
races, speculations, journeys,visits, company, Legree șit down ; sit
"
down, Mr. a'
literary pursuits, "c, absorb so much of their what
"
's-your-name ? Shallow.
time,that they must, to a considerable extent, Mr.
take the condition of their slaves on
Legreeand Mr. Shallow each sit
trust,from
the reports of their overseers. I make this statement,
down,and take theirtumbler of whiskeyand
because these slaveholders (the wealthier water. After some littleconversation, the
class)are, I believe,almost the onlyones who
justice introducesthe business as follows :
visitthe North with their families;and Northern
"Now,
opinionsof slavery are based about thisniggerbusiness.Gentlemen,
chiefly on their testimony.
you know the act of "
"
um
where the deuce is that act? [Fumblingan
With regardto overseers, Miss Grimke's old law-book.]How plagued did you ever
testimony is further borne out by the universalhear
of that act,Shallow ? I 'm sure I 'm
acknowledgment of Southern owners. forgot all about it ;
! here 'tis. Well,
A description of thisclassof beingsig furnishedMr.
Shallowțhe act says you must make
by Mr. Wirt,in his Life of Patrick proof, you observe.
Henry,page 34. "Last and lowest,"he Mr. Shallow. [Stuttering and hesitating.]
says, [pfdifferentclassesin society]
" a Good
feculum of beings called a most see that them overseers," ar niggers are most starved?
abject, degraded, unprincipled race." Now, Only see how raggedtheyare !
suppose, while the master is in Charleston, Justice. I can't say
as I 've observed it
enjoyingliterary leisure, the slaveson some particular. Seem to be very well contented.
Bellemont or other plantation, gettingtired
of beinghungry and cold, form themselves Shallow. [Eagerly.] But justask
into a committee of the whole țo see what Pomp, or Sambo,or Dinah,or Tom !
is to be done. A broad-shouldered, courageous
Justice Dogberry.[Withdignity.] I' m
astonished at you, Mr. Shallow ! You
think of producingnegro testimony?I
longer ; and,havingby some means become hopeI know the law betterthan that! We
acquainted with this benevolent protective must have directproof, you know.
act,resolves to make an appealto the horns Shallow
of thislegislative altar. Tom talks stoutly, takes another tumbler of whiskey and water,
havingjustbeen boughton to the place, and Justice Dogberrygives a longahe-a-
and been used to better quarterselsewhere.
The women and children perhapsadmire, speaks:
but the venerable eldersof the "
plantation,
Sambo,Cudge,Pomp and old Aunt Dinah, you would n't have any objections to swarin'
he better mind himself, and keepoff;that settlesitall, you know."
clar o' dat ar. Tom, beingyoung and progressive,
As swearing iswhat Mr. Legreeis rather
does not regardthese conservativemore accustomed to do than anythingelse
maxims ; he isdetermined that,if there is
such a thing as justice to be got,he will have
gested
it. After considerable research, he finds' ; and he swears, accordingly, to any
some, white man in the neighborhood verdant
enough to enter the complaint for him.
fellow,whom we will callTom, declares
it is too bad, and he won't stand it any
sunshiny,
gree,
Dogberry. Come, gentlemen,
land ! why, don't everybody
is posed;Legreesignificantl
um. After a few moments the justice
"Well, after all,I suppose, Mr. Legree,
that could be named, a more appropriate
termination of the affaircould not be sug-
extent, and with any fulness and variety
of oath that could be desired ; and thus the

Vide
and
Observe.
The
.
"
what
92
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
"
littleaffair terminates. But it does not practically goes against separation of families?
terminate thus for Tom or Sambo,Dinah,
or
any others who have been alluded to for But let us examine a case more minutely,
authority Ẉhat will happen to them, when rememberingthe bearingon it of two
Mr. Legree comes home, had better be left great foundation principles of slave jurisprudence
,toconjecture.
: namely, that a slave cannot
It is claimed,by the author of certain bring a suit in any case, exceptin a suit
paragraphs quotedat the commencement of for personalfreedom, and this in some
Part II.,that there exist in Louisiana states must be broughtby a guardian ; and
ampleprotective acts to preventthe separation
that a slave cannot bear testimony any
of young children from their mothers. case in which whites are implicated.
This writer appears to be in the enjoyment Suppose Butler wants to sell Cassy's
of an amiable ignorance unsophisticated childof nine years. There is a statute forbidding
innocence with regardto the workings of
to sellunder ten years ;
is
human societygenerally, which is,on the Cassyto do ? She cannot bringsuit. Will
whole, rather refreshing. For, on a certain the state
"
prosecute?Supposeit does,
incident in " Uncle Tom's Cabin,"which what then ? Butler says the child is ten
represented Cassy's little daughter as having
years old ; if he pleases, he will say she is
been sold from her,he makes the following
ten and a half,or eleven. What is Cassyto
naif remark :
do ? She cannot testify ; besides, she is
Now, the reader will perhapsbe surprised utterly power. He may tellher
know that such an incident as the sale of Cassy that if she offersto stirin the affair, he will
apart from Eliza, upon which the whole interest
whipthe childwithin an inch of itslife ; and
of the foregoing narrative hinges, could have
she knows he can do it,and that there is no
may
lock her up in a dungeon,
taken place in Louisiana, and that the bill of sale
for Eliza would not have been worth the paper it
"
was written on. GeorgeShelby states
that Eliza was eightor nine years old at the time
his father purchasedher in New Orleans. Let
us againlook at the statute-book of Louisiana.
In the Code Noir we find it set down that
"
Every person is expresslyprohibited
selling
who shall not have attained the fullage of ten
from
separately from their mothers the children
years. ' '
And thishumane provision
strengthened by
a statute,one clause of which runs as follows:
"
Be it further enacted,that if any person
or
persons shall sellthe mother of any slave child or
children under the age of ten years, separatefrom
said child or children,
sell any slave c/iild or children often years ofage or
under,separatefrom said mother,such person
or
persons shall incur the penalty of the sixth section
of this act."
is a fine of not less than one
We
or shall țhe mother living,
will agree with us, that the lessthe defenders
This penalty
thousand nor more than two thousand dollars,
and imprisonment in the publicjail for a period
of not less than six months nor more than one
"
year. Acts of Louisiana,1 Session,9th
Legislature, 1828-9, No. 24, Section 16. (Rev.
Stat. 1852, p. 550," 143.)
What a charmingfreshnessof nature is
suggested by thisassertion! A thing could
not have happened in a certain state, be-
there is a law against it!
cause
help for it "
; he
do any
sell her on to a distantplantation, or
other despotic thinghe chooses,and
there isnobody to say Nay.
How much does the protective statute
amount to for Cassy? It may
be very
well as a piece of advice to the public, or
as a decorous expression of opinion; but
one might as well try to stopthe current of
the Mississippi with a bulrush as the tideof
trade in human beingswith such a regulation.
think that,by this time țhe reader
of slavery
the better.
say about
CHAPTER
protective
statutes,
Has there not been for two years a law
forbidding to succor fugitives, or to hinder of statutes are to be found on the law-books
"
their arrest ? has not this thing been of slavery, the reader will hardlybe satisfied
done thousandsof times in all the Northern without knowing what sort of trialsare held
States, and is not it more and more likely under them. We willquote one specimen of
to be done every year? What is a law, a trial, reported in the Charleston Courier
agains the whole publicsentiment of of May 6th,1847. The Charleston Courier
"
society? and willanybodyventure tosay is one of the leading papers
of South Carolina,
that the public sentiment of Louisiana and the case is reported with the ut-
VII.
THE EXECUTION OF JUSTICE.
State v. Eliza Rowand.
"
"
JEgxsof Protection " to
the Slare's Life.
"
We cannot but regardthe fact of this trialas a salutary
occurrence." "
Charleston Courier.
Having given some account of what sort

Spring
Indictment
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
most apparent innocence that therewas anything
about the trialthat could reflectin the
least on the character of the state for the The State v. Eliza "
Rowand
utmost legalimpartiality. In fact țhe
of a slave.
Charleston Courier ushers it into publicState of South Carolina,)
. flourishof Charleston
trumpets,
District, $
view with the following
as somethingwhich is forever to confound
those who
It was the trial of a lady of respectablefamily,
and the mother of a largefamily,charged with
the murder of her own or her husband's slave.
The court-house throngedwith was
spectators of
the excitingdrama, who
remained,with unabated
with force
interestand undiminished numbers, until the verdict
was rendered acquitting the prisoner Ẉe
and arms, at Charleston,in the districtof Charleston,
cannot but regardthe fact of this trial as a salutary,
and state aforesaid, in and upon
a certain
although in itselflamentable female slave of the said Robert Rowand, named
occurrence, as
Maria,
it will show to the world that,however panoplied
in the peace of God, and of the said state,
then and there being,feloniously,
in
maliciously,
station and wealth,and althoughchallenging
those sympathies which are the rightand inheritance
and of her malice afore-
wilfully,deliberately,
thought,
of the female sex, no one will be suffered, in
this community țo escape the most sifting scrutiny,
at the risk of even an ignominiousdeath,
"
who stands charged with the suspicion of murdering
a slave, to whose lifeour law now extends
protection,
the asgis of
in the same manner as it
does to that of the white man, save only in the
character of the evidence necessary forconviction or
defence Ẉhile evil-disposed at home are
persons
thus taught that theymay expectrigorous trial
and condignpunishment,when, actuated by malignant
passions,theyinvade the life of the humble
slave,the enemies of our domestic institution
abroad will find țheir calumnies to the contrary
The prisonerwas broughtto the bar and arraigned,
of the said state in such case made and
attended by her husband and mother,and provided, and agains the peace
and dignityof
humanely supported,during the tryingscene, by the same state aforesaid.
the sheriff, J. B. Irving,Esq. On her arraign And the jurorsaforesaid, upon their oaths
ment, she pleaded "Not Guilty," and for her aforesaid, do further presentțhat the said Eliza
trial,placed herself "
upon God and her country." Rowand, not having the fear of God before her
After challenging John M. Deas, James Bancroft, eyes, but being moved and seduced by the instigation
H. F. Hafbers,0. J. Beckman, E. R. Cowperthwaite,
Parker J. Holland, Moses D. Hyams, in the year of our Lord one thousand eighthundred
of the devil,on the sixth day of January,
Thomas Glaze,John Lawrence,B. Archer,J. S. and forty-seven, with force and arms, at
Addison, B. P. Colburn,B. M. Jenkins, Carl Charleston,in the district of Charleston,and
Houseman, Geo. Jackson,and JosephCoppen-state aforesaid,in and upon a certain other fe-
8. S. Wiley. 9. W. S. Chisolm. 10. T. M.
Howard. 11. John Bicklev. 12. John Y. Stock.
The
prisoner was
following is the indictment on which the
arraigned for trial :
for murder
..
t0 vcn :
At a Court of General Sessions,begun and
holden in and for the districtof Charleston,in
say
that South Carolina does not
the State of South Carolina,at Charleston,in the
protectthe lifeof the slave :
districtand state aforesaid, on Monday, the third
TIIE TRIAL FOR MURDER.
day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight
Our community was deeplyinterested and hundred and forty-seven :
excited,
yesterday, by a case of The jurors
greatimportance,
of and for the district of Charleston,
and also of entire novelty in aforesaid,
our jurisprudence.
in the State of South Carolina,aforesaid,
upon their oaths present, that Eliza Rowand,
the wife of Robert Rowand, Esq.,not having the
fear of God before her eyes, but beingmoved and
seduced by the instigation of the devil,on the Gth
day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and forty-seven,
did make an assault ; and that a certain
other slave of the said Robert Rowand, named
Richard, then and there,beingthen and there in
the presence
and by the command of the said Eliza
Rowand, with a certain piece of wood, which he
the said Richard in both his hands then and there
had and held, the said Maria did beat and strike,
in and upon the head of her the said Maria,then
and there giving to her the said Maria,by such
striking and beating, as aforesaid, with the piece
of wood aforesaid,divers mortal bruises on the
top,back, and sides of the head of her the said
Maria, of which several mortal bruises she, the
died ; and
that the said Eliza Rowand was then and there
notwithstanding, that we are resolved, in this
particular, to do the full measure of our
present,
duty and then and there feloniously, maliciously,
to
the laws of humanity. We subjoin a report of wilfully, deliberately, and of her malice
the case.
aforethought, did order,command, and require,
the said slave named Richard the murder and felony
The proceedings of the trial are thus aforesaid, in manner and form aforesaidțo
do and commit. And as the jurorsaforesaid, upon
given:
their oaths aforesaid, do say, that the said
TRIAL FOR THE MURDER OF A SLAVE.
Eliza Rowand her the said slave named Maria,
in the manner and
State v.
by the means aforesaid, feloniously,
"
Eliza Rowand. Term, May 5,
1847.
maliciously, wilfully, deliberately, and of
her malice aforethought, did kill and murder,
Tried before his Honor Judge O'Noall.
said Maria, then and there instantly
agains the form of the act of the General Assembly
male
berg țhe prisoneracceptedthe subjoinedpanel, slave of Robert Rowand, named Maria, in
who were dulysworn, and chargedwith the case : the peace of God, and of the said state țhen and
1. John L. Nowell,foreman. 2. Elias Whilden. there being,feloniously, maliciously,wilfully,
3. Jesse Coward. 4. ErEngtonWagner. 5. "m. deliberately, and of her malice aforethought, did
Whaley. 6. James Culbert. 7. 11. L. Baker.
make an assault ; and that the said Eliza Ri "\vand,
with a certain pieceof wood, which she,the
said Eliza Rowand, in both her hands then and

to
" influenced
_
94 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
her slaveman
Richard. The whole case is now presented.
In order to make the reader clearly
understand the arguments, itis to a fair
necessary
and impartial trial. By the wise
that he bear in mind that the law of and humane
1740,
principles of our law, they were
bound to hold the prisonerinnocent,and she stood
as we have before shown,punished the murder
guiltless before them, until provedguilty, by
of the slave only with fine and disfranchisement,
legal,
competent, and satisfactory evidence. Deaf
while the law of 1821 punishes
alike to the voice of sicklyhumanityand heated
it with death.
prejudice, theyshould proceed to their task with
minds perfectly equipoised and impartial ; they
On motion of Mr. Petigru țhe prisoner was should weighthe circumstances of the case with
allowed to remove from the bar, and take her a nice and careful hand ; and if,by legal evidence,
placeby her counsel ; the judgesaying he granted
circumstantial and satisfactory, although
the motion onlybecause the prisoner was
woman, but that no such privilege would
been extended by him to any man.
The
a
have
Attorney-general, Henry Bailey,Esq.,
then rose and opened the case for the state, in
substance,as follows : He said that,after months
of anxiety and expectation, the curtain had at
lengthrisen,and he and the jurywere about to
bear their partin the sad drama of real life,which
had so longengrossed the publicmind. He and
they were called to the dischargeof an important,
statute ; but the act of 1821 had placedthe killing
painful,and solemn duty. They were to of the white man and the black man on the
pass between the prisoner and the state " take same footing Ḥe here read the act of 1821, de-
an inquisition of blood ; on their decision hung
that " any person who shall wilfully, de-
the life or death,the honor or ignominy, of the
and maliciously murder a slave, shall,
prisoner ; yet he trusted he and they_
would have on conviction thereofșuffer death without beneftt
strengthand abilityto perform their duty faithfully
of clergy." The rules applicable to murder at
; and, whatever might be the resultțheir common law were generally applicable, however,
conscienceswould be consoled and quietedby that to the present case. The inquiries to be made
reflection. He bade the jury pause
and reflecton may be reduced to two: 1. Is the partycharged
the great sanctions and solemn responsibilities guilty of the fact of killing 1 This must be clearly
under which they were acting. The constitution made out by proof. If she be not guilty of killing,
of the state invested them with
power over all
that affjetod the life and was dear to the family
of the unfortunate lady on trial before them.
there had and held, her the said last-mentioned They were chargedțoo,with the sacred care of
slave named Maria did then and there strike, and the law of the land ; and to their solutionwas
beat,in and upon
the head of her the said Maria,
submitted one of the most solemn questions ever
then and there giving to her the said Maria, intrusted to the arbitrament of man. They
by such striking and beatingaforesaid, with the should pursue
a directand straight-forward course,
pieceof wood aforesaid, divers mortal bruises, on turning neither to the righthand nor to the left
the top,back, and side of the head,of her the
neitherbyprejudice against
the prisoner,
said Maria, of which said several mortal bruises
nor by a morbid sensibility in her behalf.
she the said Maria then and there instantly died. Some of them might practically and personally
And so the jurorsaforesaid,upon
their oaths be
strangers
to their presentduty; but theywere
aforesaid, do say, that the said Eliza Rowand all familiar with the laws,and must be aware of
her the said last-mentioned slave named Maria, the responsibilities of jurymen. It was scarcely
in the manner and by the means last mentioned, necessary to tell them that,if evidence fixed guilt
feloniously, maliciously, wilfully,deliberately, on thisprisoner, theyshould not hesitateto record
and of her malice aforethought, did kill and murder,
a verdictof guilty, althoughthey should write that
agains the form of the act of the General verdict in tears of blood. They should let no
Assemblyof the said state in such case made and sicklysentimentality, or morbid feeling on the
provided, and againstthe peace and dignity of subjectof capitalpunishments, deter them from
the same state aforesaid.
the discharge of their plain and obvious duty.
H. Bailey,Attorney-general. They were to administer, not to make, the law ;
they were called
As some of our readers may not have on to enforce the law,by sanctioning
been
the highestduty to God and to their country.
in the habit of endeavoring to extract
If
anything
any of them were disturbed with doubts
or
like common sense or information scruples on this point, he scarcelysupposed
they would have gone into the jury-box Ṭhe
from documents so very concisely and lu-
worded țhe author will just state
her own opinionthat the above document
is intended to chargeMrs. Eliza Rowand
with havingkilledher slaveMaria, in one
of two ways: either with beatingher on
the head with her own hands, or having the
same deed performedby proxy, by
minously law had awarded as
capitalpunishment the
meet retribution for the crime under investigation,
and they were sworn to administer that
law. It had, too, the full sanction of Holy
Writ ; we were there told that " the land cannot be
cleansed of the blood shed therein,exceptby the
blood of him that shed it." He felt assured,
then,that they would be swayedonlyby a firm
resolve to act on this occasion in obedience to the
dictatesof sound judgments and enlightened consciences.
The prisoner,however, had claims on
them, as well as the community; she was entitled
leave them
to the lips of the witnesses,unaffected
not positive, guilt be established,theyshould un-
fearlessly and faithfully, record the
result of their convictions. He would next call
their attention to certain legaldistinctions, but
would not say a word of the facts ; he would
hesitatingly,
by any previous comments of his own. The prisoner
stood indicted for the murder of a slave.
This was supposednot to be murder at common
law. At least,it was not murder by our former
there is an end of the.case. 2. The character
of that killing, or of the offence. Was it
Malice is the
done with malice aforethought?
claring
liberatel

Ho
Says
not mean hatred to any particular individual, but
is general in its import and application. But
even killing, with intention to kill,is not always
murder ; there may be justifiable and excusable
in sudden heat and passion
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 95
essentialingredient of the crime. Where killing
deponentsent Maria by Richard to Simon, to Mr.
takes place, malice is presumed, unless the Rowand's house, to be corrected ; Mr. Rowand
contraryappear ; and this must be gathered from was absent from the city; Maria died about
the attending circumstances. Malice is a technical
twelve o'clock ; Richard and Maria were on good
term, importing a different meaningfrom that terms ; deponentwas in the chamber all the while
conveyedby the same word in common parlance. that Richard and Maria were there together.
According to the learned Michael Foster, it consists
"
Eliza Rowand.
not in " malevolence to particulars," it does
homicide,and killing
pieces of wood in a box, set in the chimney ; his
is so modified to manslaughter Ỵet there may be attention was called to one piece, in particular,
"
murder when there isno ill-feeling, nay, perfecteighteeninches long țhree inches wide,and about
indifferenceto the slain," as in the case of the one and a half inch thick ; did not measure it ;
robber who slaysto conceal his crime. Malice the jury of inquestdid ; it was not a light-wood
aforethought is that depravedfeeling of the heart, knot ; thinks it was of oak ; there was some pine
which makes one regardless of social duty, and wood and some split oak. Dr. Peter Porcher was
fatallybent on mischief. It is fulfilled by that
recklessness of law and human life which is indicated
by shootinginto a crowd, and thus doing
murder on even an unknown object Ṣuch a feeling
the law regards as hateful, and visits, in its
and opened the defence before thp jury, in substance
exhibition, with
as
condign punishment,
follows :
Eractical
ecause opposedto the very existence of law and He said that the scene before them was a
very
society Ọne may do fatal mischief without this novel one ; and whether for goodor evil,he would
recklessness ; but when the act is not done,regardless
pretend to prophesy. It was the first time,
of consequences, and death ensues, it is murder
in the historyof this state țhat a ladyof good
in the eye of the law. If the facts to be character and respectable connections stood arraigned
proved in this case should not come up to these
at the bar,and had been put
on trial for
requisitions, he implored the jury to acqui the her life,on facts arising out of her domestic relations
accused,as at once due to law and to her
justice.They
own slave. It was a spectacle consoling,
should note every fact with scrutinizing eye, and
and cheering, perhaps țo those who owed
ascertain whether the fatal result proceeded from no good will to the institutionsof our country;
passiug accident or from broodingrevenge, which but calculated only to excite pain and regret
the law stampedwith the odious name of malice.
tion
He would make no further preliminary remarks,
so revolting to humanity as that crime should
CityHall. Mrs. Rowand was examined ;
and read,as follows :
her examination
was in writing;it was here produced,
Maria is
"Mrs. Eliza Rowand "
sworn.
her nurse, and had misbehaved on yesterday morning
; deponentsent Maria to Mr. Rowand's house,
to be corrected by Simon ; deponentsent Maria
from the house about seven o'cl'ock, A. M.; she
returned to her about nine o'clock ; came into her
chamber ; Simon did not come into the chamber
at any time previousto the death of Maria ; de-
malice to instigate
the deed. The policy of altering the old
law of 1740, which punished the killing of a slave
ponent with fine and political disfranchisement, was more
says Maria felldown in the chamber ; deponent
than doubtful. It was the law of our colonial
had her seated up by Richard,wTho was
then in the chamber, and deponentgave Maria
ancestors ; it conformed to their policy and was
approvedby their wisdom, aifd it continued
undisturbed by their posterity until the year
1821. It was engrafted on our policy in counteraction
deponentsays Richard did not strike Maria,nor
of the schemes and machinations, or in
did any one else strike her,in deponent's chamber. deference to the clamors,of those who funned
Richard loft the chamber immediately with deponent
plans for our improvement,although ested
; Maria was about fifty-two
in nor understandingour institutions, and
some asafoetida ; deponen then left the room ;
Richard came down and said Maria was dead ;
years of age ;
"
Sworn to before me this seventh January,1847.
"J. P. Deveaux, Coroner,D. C."
"Witness went to the chamber of prisoner, where
the'death occurred ; saw nothingparticular ; some
called to examine the body professionally, who
did so out of witness' presence.
Before this witness left the stand,B. F. Hunt,
Esq.,one of the counsel for the prisoner, rose
among ourselves. He would not state a proposi-
go unpunished; but judicial
but proceedat once to lay the facts before them,
interferencebetween
from the mouths of the witnesses.
the slave and the owner was a matter at once of
delicacy
Evidence.
and danger. It was the firsttime he had
ever stood between a slave-owner and the public
"
J. Portcous Deveaux sworn. is the coroner
prosecutor, and his of Charleston district ; held sensations were anything but
the inquest,on pleasant. This is an entirelydifferent case from
the seventh of Januarylast,on the body of the homicide between equalsin society Ṣubordination
deceased slave,Maria, the slave of Robert Rowand,
at the residence of Mrs. T. C. Bee (the there is
is indispensable where slaveryexists ; and in this
mother of the prisoner), in
no new principle involved. The same
Logan-street.The
principle prevails
body was found in an "
outbuildinga kitchen in every country; on shipboard
; and in the army
it was the body of an old and emaciated a largediscretionis always left
person,
between fifty and sixtyears of to the superior.Chargesby inferiors against
age ; it was not
their superiors
examined in his presence byphysicians
were alwaysto be viewed with
; saw some
greatcircumspection
least,and especially when
few scratches about the face ; adjournedto the
the latter are charged with crueltyor crime
againstsubordinates. In the relation of owner
and slave there is an absence of the usual motives
for murder, and strong inducements against it on
the part of the former. Life is usuallytaken from
avarice or passion. The master gains nothing,
but loses much, by the death of his slave ; and
when he takes the life of the latter deliberately,
there must be more than ordinary
not inter-

at
"
was
to
and
96 KE7 TO UNCLE TOM'S CABIN.
whose interference led to the tragedyof 1822. The hope of freedom,of change of owners, revenge,
He here adverted to the views of Chancellor Harper
are all motives with slave witnesses to maligntheir
on this subject, who, in his able and philosophical
owners ; and to credit such testimony would be to
memoir on slaveryșaid : "It is a somewhat dissolve human society. Where deliberate, wilful,
singularfactțhat when there existed in our state and malicious murder is done,whether
no law for punishing the murder of a slave, by male
other or female țhe retribution of the law is a debt to
than a pecuniaryfine țhere were, I will venture God and man ; but the juryshould beware lest it
to say, at least ten murders of freemen for one murder
of a slave. Yet it is supposed that theyare not strictly murder at common law. The act of
"
less protectedthan their masters." The change 1740 was founded on the practicalgood sense of
was made in subserviency to the opinions and our old planters,and its spiritstillprevails. The
clamor of others,who were utterlyincompetentact of 1821 is,by its terms, an act only to increase
to form an opinion on the subject; and a wise act
the punishment of persons convicted of
is seldom the result of legislation in this spirit. murdering a and this isa refinement
humanity
slave,"
From the fact I have stated,it is plaintheyneed ofdoubtfulpolicyḄut,by the act of 1821,
less protection.Juries are, therefore, less willing
the murder must be wilful,deliberate and malicious
to convict,and it may sometimes happen that
; and,when punishment due to the slave,
the guilty will escape all punishment.Securitythe master must not be held to strict account for
ia one of the compensationsof their humble position.
goingan inch beyondthe mark ; whether for doing
We challengethe comparison, that with so he shall be a felon,is a question for the juryto
us there have been fewer murders of slaves than solve. The master must of
conquer a refractory
parents,children,apprentices, and other murders,
slave ; and deliberation, so as to render clear the
cruel and unnatural,in society where slavery
existence of malice,is necessary to bring the
does not exist."
master within the provisionof the act. He bade
Such was the opinion of Chancellor Harper on the jury remember the words of Him who spake
this subject,who had "
profoundlystudied it,and as never man Let him that has spake,"
never
whose views had been extensively read on this sinned throw the firststone.'" They,as masters,
continent and in Europe. Fortunately, the jury, mightregret excesses to which theyhave themselves
he said,were of the country,accjuainted with our carried punishment. He was not at all surprised
policy and practice; composedof men too independentat
the course of the attorney-general ; it was his
and honorable to be led astrayby the wont to treat every case with perfect fairness.He
noise and clamor out of doors. All was now as (ColonelII.)agreedthat the inquiry should be "
it should "
be; least,a court of justicehad 1. Into the fact of the death.
assembled țo which his clienthad fled for refuge 2. The character or motive of the act.
and safety; itsthreshold was sacred ; no profane The examination of the prisoner showed con
clamors entered there ; but legalinvestigation clusively that the slave died a natural death,and
was had of facts,derived from the testimony of
with a lawful weapon,
in weak health,nervous,
community to shut their bosoms againstsickly made "
angry by her punishment, excited.
humanity, and their ears to imaginary tales of The story was then a
blood and horror țhe food of a depravedappetite.
plainone ; the community
had been misled by the creations of imagination,
sworn witnesses ; and this should teach the
He warned the jury that theywere to listen to no
"
testimonybut that offreewhite persons, givenon
oath in open court. They were to imagine none
that came not from them. It was for this
that they were selected, their intelligence
putting them beyondthe influence of unfounded
accusations,unsustained by legalproof;
of legendsof aggravatedcruelty,founded on the
evidence of negroes, and arising from weak and
wicked falsehoods. Were slaves permittedțo
testify against their owner, it would cut the cord
that unites them in peace and harmony, and
enable them to sacrificetheir masters to their ill
will or revenge. Whole crews had been often
leagued to chargecaptainsof vessels with foulest
murder,but judicialtrial had exposed
the falsehood.
clearly contravened by the evidence of two white
Truth has been distorted in this case, and witnesses. This is exactlywhat the prisoner has
murder manufactured out of what was nothingdone ; she has,as the law permits, by callingon
more than ordinarydomestic discipline. Chastisement
must be inflicteduntil subordination is produced
; and the extent of the punishmentis not Which, then,should
to be judged of by one's neighbors, but by himself.
The event in this case has been unfortunate and
sad ; but there was no motive for the takingof
life. There is no pecuniary interest in the owner
to destroyhis slave ; the murder of his slave
can only happen from ferocious passions of the
master, filling his own bosom with anguish and
contrition. This case has no other basis but unfounded
rumor, commonly believed,on evidence
that will not venture here,the offspring
of that passion
and depravitywhich make up falsohood.
fall upon the innocent. The offence charged was
not from personalviolence. She was chastised
or the statements of interested slaves. The negro
came into her mistress' chamber; fell on the
floor medicine
"
was given ;
she was
her ; it was supposed
asleep, but she slept the sleepof death.
To show the wisdom and policy of the old act of
1740 (thisindictment is under both acts,
" the
punishment only altered by that of 1821),he
urged that a case like this was not murder at
common law ; nor is the same evidence applicable
at common law. There, murder was presumed
from
killing; not so in the case of a slave. The
act of 1740 permits
a master, when his slave ia
killed in his presence, there beingno other white
person present, to exculpate himself by his own
oath ; and this exculpation is complete,unless
God, exculpated herself. And her oath is good,
at least againstthe slander of her own slaves.
of others,
prevail, the clamors
or the policy of the law established by our
colonial ancestors? There would not be a tittle
of positiveevidence agains the prisoner,nothing
but circumstantial evidence ; and ingeniouscombination
might be made to lead to any conclusion.
"
"
Justice was all that his client asked. She appealed
to liberaland high-minded men, she
rejoicedin the privilege doing so, accord
selves.
her that justicethey would demand for them-
Mr. Deveaux was not cross-examined.

Evidence resumed.
Dr. E. W. North sworn. "
(Cautionedby
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 97
attorney-general
to avoid hearsayevidence.)Was
the familyphysicianof Mrs. Rowand. Went on
the 6th January,at Mrs. Rowand's request țo
see her at her mother's,in Logan-street ; found
her down stairs,in sitting-room. She was in a
nervous and excited state ; had been so for a
month before ; he had attended her ; she said
nothing to witness of slave Maria ; found Maria
in a chamber, up stairs, about one o'clock, P. M. ;
to have been dead
she was dead ; she appeared
about an hour and a half; his attention was
attracted to a pieceof pinewood on a trunk or
table in the room ; ithad a large knot on one end ;
had it been used on Maria,it must have caused
considerablecontusion ; other piecesof wood were
in a box,and much smaller ones ; the corpse
was
lying one side in the chamber ; it was not laid
out ; presumedshe died there ; the marks on the
body were, to witness' view, very slight ; some
scratches about the face ; he purposelyavoided
; one largeblow could not account for it,as
the head was spherical ; no blood on the brain ;
the
making an examination ; observed
softening
the brain did not amount to much
no ;
injuries
in an
about the head ; had no conversation with Mrs.
ordinarydissectionwould have passedit
over ; anger sometimes producesapoplexy, which
the Gth the Januarylast," day before the in-
Rowand about Maria ; left the house ; it was on
quest; results in death ; blood between the scalpand the
bone of the skull ; it was
evidently a fresh extravasation
; twenty-four hours would scarcely have
made
any change; knew nothingof this negro
before; even after examination țhe cause of
death is sometimes
"
inscrutable, not usual,however.
knew the slave before,but had never
attended her.
Cross-examined." Mrs. Rowand was in feeble
health,and nervous ; the slave Maria was weak
and emaciated in sudden death of
appearance;
such a person, in such a state, from apoplexy or
action of nervous system, not unlikely ; her sudden
In "
reply. Mrs. Rowand could have raised the
pineknot,but could not have struck a blow with I
it ; such a piece of wood could have produced
(loath, but it would have left its mark ; saw the
fellowRichard ; he was quitecapable of giving
such a blow.
Dr. "
Peter Porcher. Was
called in by the coroner's
juryto examine Maria's body; found it in
the wash-kitchen ; it was the corpse of one feeble
and emaciated ; partlypreparedfor burial ; had
the clothesremoved ; the body was
lacerated with
stripes ; abrasions about face and knuckles ; skin
knocked off;passedhis hand over the head ; no
bone broken ; on request,opened her thorax,and
examined the viscera ; found them healthy; heart
unusuallyso for one of her age ; no particular
odor ; some undigested food ; no inflammation ;
removed the scalp,and found considerable extravasation
between scalp and skull ; scalpbloodshot ;
justunder the scalp, found the effectsof a single
blow,just over the right ear ; after removing the
scalp,lifted the bone ; no
rupture of any bloodvessel
; some softening
the brain in the upper
hemisphere ; there was considerable extravasation
under the scalp, the result of a successionof blows
on the topof the head ; this extravasation was
general,but that over the ear was a singlespot;
7
the butt-end of a cowhide would have sufficedfor
this purpose ; an ordinarystick,a heavyone,
would have done it ; a succession of blows on the
head,in a feeble woman, would lead to death,
when, in a strongerone, it would not ; saw no
other appearance about her person, to account for
her death,except those blows.
Cross-examined." To a patientin this woman's
condition, the blows would probablycause
death ; theywere not such as were calculated to
kill an ordinaryperson ; witness saw the body
twenty-four hours after her death ; it was winter,
and bitter cold ; no disorganization, and the examination
was thereforeto be relied on ; the blow
behind the ear might have resulted from a fall,
but not the blow on fche top of the head,unless
she fellhead foremost ; came to the conclusion of
a
; a singleblow would have shown a
distinctspot, with a gradualspreading or
succession of blows,from the extent of the extravasation
diffusion
In "
reply. Does not attributethe softening
the brain to the blows
death would not imply violence ; had ; it was
prescribed
slight, and imo-ht
have been the result
asafoetidafor Mrs. Rowand on a former
of age ; itwas some evidence
of
visit ; it is an appropriateremedy for nervous
impairment of vital powers by advancing age.
Dr. A. P.
disorders.Mrs. Rowand was not of bodilystrength
At Hayne." request of the coroner,
acted
to hankie
with
the pine knot so as
Dr. Porcher
to give ; a severe
was shown into an outhouse
blow,- Mrs. Rowand has five or six children țhe ;_ saw on the back of the corpse evidences of
elder of them largenough to have carried contusion ; arms swollen and
pieces
enlarged ; laceration
of
of the wood about the room ; there must have body; contusions on head and neck ; between
Seen a severe contusion, and much extravasation scalpand skull extravasation of
of bloodțo inferdeath from violence in this the blood,on
case ;
top of head,and behind the right ear ; a burn
on the hand
apoplexyis frequently attended with extravasation
; the brain presentedhealthyappearance
of blood ; there were two Marias in the family.
; openedthe body, and no evidences of disease
and broad and blunt instru-
in the chest or viscera ; attributed the extravasation
of blood to external injuryfrom blows,"
blows from a large ment
; attributesthe death to those blows ; supposes
they were adequateto cause death,as she
was old,weak and emaciated.
Cross-examined." Would not have caused death
in a
young and robust person.
The evidence for the prosecutionhere closed,
and no witnesses were called for the defence.
The jury were then successively addressed, ably
and eloquently, by J. L. Petigruand James S.
Rhett,Esqrs.,on behalf of the prisoner, and H.
Bailey,Esq.,on behalf of the state,and by B. F.
Hunt, Esq., in reply. Of those speeches,and
also of the judge'scharge,we have taken full
notes, but have neither time nor
them here.
His
space to insert
Honor, JudgeO'Neall,then chargedthe
juryeloquently and ablyon the facts,vindicating
the existing law, makingdeath the penaltyfor
the murder of a slave ; but,on the law,intimated
to the jurythat he held the act of 1740 so far still
in force as to admit of the prisoner's exculpation
by her own oath,unless clearly
oaths of two witnesses ; and that they were,
disprovedby the
therefore,in his opinion,bound to acquit,
"
-
althoughhe leftitto them,whollyțo say wheth-

acquaintedwith
their
"
or
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
er the prisoner
was guilty of murder, killing in What would have been said if any antislaverynewspaper
at the North had made
sudden heat and passion,
or not guilty.
The jury then retired,and, in about twenty or
thirtyminutes, returned with a verdict of such " Not
an assertion as this? Yet the Charleston
Guilty."
Courier reportsthis statement without
comment or denial. But let us hear the
There are some pointswhich appear in
of the trial,especially in the
lawyeradmits that the result of thumping
a feeble old woman on the head has,in this
justice had assembled to which his client had fled
for refuge and safety; its threshold was sacred
case, been "unfortunate and sad." The
;
no profane clamors entered there ; but old
legalinvestigation
thing had not strengthto bear it,and
was had of facts."
had no greaterregardfor the convenience
of the family,
From this itplainly
and the reputation of n the
appears that the case
institution," than to die,and so get the
was a notorious one
;
so notorious and atrocious
familyand the communitygenerally into
as to break through all the apathytrouble. It will appear from this that in
which slave-holding institutionstend to produce,
most cases where old women are thumped
and to surround the court-house with
on the head theyhave strongerconstitutions
noise and clamor.
more consideration.
From another intimation in the same
Again he says, "When punishmentis
speech, itwould appear that there was abundant
due to the slave, the master must not be
testimony of slaves to the direct fact, held to strict account for going an inch
testimonywhich left no kind of doubt on the
beyond the markP And finally, and most
popular mind. Why else does he thus
astounding of all,comes .this: "He bade
earnestly warn the jury1
the jury remember the words of him who
He warned the jury that they were to listen spake as never man '
Let
spake,"
him
to no evidence but that of free white persons,
THAT HATH NEVER SINNED THROW THE
given on oath in open court ; they were to imagine
first stone.' They, as masters, might
none that came not from them. It was for
regret
this that they were selected "
; intelligence
excesses to which they themselves
putting them beyond the influence of unfounded
might have carried punishment."
accusations,unsustained by legalproof; of What sort of an insinuation
legends
is this?
of aggravatedcruelty,founded on the evidence of Did he mean to say that almost all the jurymen
negroes, and arising from weak and wicked falsehoods..
had probably done thingsof the same
sort, and therefore could have nothingto
See also this remarkable admission :
"
say in this case 1 and did no member of the
' '
Truth had been distortedin this case, and
jury get up and resent such a charge1
murder manufactured out of what- was From all that appears, the juryacquiesced
nothing more than ordinary domestic in it as quite a matter of course ; and the
discipline." If the reader refers to the testimony,
Charleston Courier quotesit without comment,
he will find it testifiedthat the in the record of a trialwhich it says
woman appearedto be about sixtyyears "will show to the world HOW the law extends
old ; that she was much emaciated ; that the oegisof her protection alike over
there had been a successionof blows on the the white man and the humblest slave."
top of her head,and one violentone over the Lastly, notice the decisionof the judge,
ear ; and that,in the opinion of a surgeon,
which has become law in South Carolina.
these blows were sufficien to cause What pointdoes it establish? That the
death. Yet the lawyer for the defence simple oath of the master, in face of all circumstanti
coollyremarks that " murder had been
evidence to the contrary,may
manufactured out of what was ordinaryclear him,when the murder of a slaveis the
in Charleston?
lady'slawyergo stillfurther in vindication
"
this statement
of thisordinary domestic discipline : Chastisement
pleafor the defence. Particular attention
must be inflicteduntil subordination
iscalledto the following passage
:
is produced; and the extent of the punishment
is not to be judgedby one's neighbors,
"
Fortunately," said the lawyer, " the jury but
vrfre of the "
country ; our policy
by himself. The event, in this
ar"*practice ; composedof men too honorable to case, has been unfortunate and sad." The
be --*dastrayby the noise and clamor out of doors.
All was now as it should be ; at least, a court of
domestic disciplined Are we to understand
question Ạnd this trial is paradedas a
that beatingfeeble old women on the triumphantspecimen of legalimpartiality
head,in this manner, is a specimenof ordinary
and equity ! "If the lightthat is in thee
domestic discipline
be darkness, how greatis that darkness !"

'
"
notorious.
CHAPTER
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 09
VIII.
THE GOOD OLD TIMES.
The author takes no pleasure in presenting
agoniesof death,into the water ! And this deed
to her readers the shocking detailsof you dared to perpetrate in the very
harbor of
the following case. But it seems necessary |Charleston, within a few yards of the shore,unjblushingly,
the face of open day. Had your
to exhibit what were the actual workings
- murderous arm been raised againstyour equals,
of the ancient law of South Carolina, which I whom the laws of self-defenceand the more efficacious
has been characterizedas one "conformed
to the policy, and approvedby the wisdom,"
of the fathers of that state, and
the reform
of which has been called "a refinement in
humanity of doubtful policy."
It is well,also țo add the charge of
JudgeWildg,partly for its intrinsic literary
merit,and the nobleness of its sentiments,
but
because it exhibits
principally
such a contrast as could scarcely be found
elsewhere, between the judge'shigh and
indignant sense of justice, and the shameful
impotenceand imbecility of the laws under
which he acted.
The case was broughtto the author's
knowledgeby a letterfrom a gentleman of
challenged for a
and diabolicaltransaction.
You caused
parallel to thisunfeeling, bloody
your unoffending, unresisting slave
to be bound hand and foot,and, by a refinement
in cruelty,compelledhis companion,perhaps the
friend of his heart, to chop his head with an
axe, and to cast his body,yetconvulsingwith the
law of the land unite to protect,your
crimes would not have been without precedent,
and would have seemed less horrid. Your personal
risk would
at least have provedțhat though
a murderer, you
were not a coward. But you too
well knew that this unfortunate man, whom chance
had subjectedto }Tour caprice, had
not, like yourself,
chartered to him by the laws of the land the
sacred rights of nature ; and that a stern, but
necessary policy, had disarmed him of the rights
of self-defence. Too well you knew that co
you
; and that your
alone he could look for protection
arm alone could shield him from oppression, or
avenge his wrongs ; yet, that arm you cruelly
stretched out for his destruction.
The counsel,who generously volunteered his
servicesin your behalfșhocked at the enormity
of your offence,endeavored to find a refuge, as
well for his own feelings
Pennsylvania, from which the following is
heard your trial,in a derangement
of your intellect.
Several witnesses were examined to establish
an extract :
this fact ; but the resultof their testimony, it
is apprehended, littlesatisfactory
was as to his
Some time between the years 1807 and 1810, mind, as to those of the jury to whom it was
there was lyingin the harbor of Charleston a addressed. I sincerelywish this defence had
ship commanded by a man named Slater. His provedsuccessful, 2io" from any desire to save
crew were slaves : one of them committed some
you from the punishment which awaits you, and
offence,not specified in the narrative. The captain
which you
so richlymerit,but from the desire of
ordered him to be bound and laid upon the savingmy country from the foul reproachof having
deck ; and there,in the harbor of Charleston,in in its bosjni so
great a monster.
the broad day-light, compelled another slavesailorto
chop off his head. The affair was public
From the peculiar situationof this country, our
fathers fellthemselves justified in subjecting to a
A prosecutionwas commenced very slight punishment him who murders a slave.
againsthim ; the offence was provedbeyond all Whether the presentstate, of societyrequirea
doubt," perhaps,indeed,it was not continuation of this policy, so oppositeto the
denied,"
and the judge, in a most eloquentcharge apparentrights or
of humanity, it remains for a
rebuke of the defendant,expressedhis sincere subsequentlegislature to decide. Their attention
regret that he could inflictno punishment, under would ere this have been directed to this subject,
the laws of the state.
but,for the honor of human nature, such hardened
I was studying law when the case was published
sinners as yourself are rarelyfound,to disturb the
in " Hall's American Law Journal,vol.i." repose of society Ṭhe grandjury of this district,
I have not seen the book for twenty-five
or thirtydeeplyimpressed
with your daringoutrageagainst
years. I may be in error as to names, "c, but the laws both of God and man, have made a
very
while I have lifeand my
senses the facts of the strongexpression of their feelings on the subject
case cannot be to
forgotten.
the legislature ; and, from the wisdom and justice
of that body, the friends of humanity may
The following is the '-'charge" alluded confidently hope soon to see this blackest in the
to in the above letter. It was pronouncedcatalogue
of human crimes pursuedby appropriate
by the Honorable JudgeWilds,of South
punishment.
In proceeding
to
Carolina, and is pass the sentence which the
copiedfrom Hall's Law law provides for your offence, I confess I never
Journal, I. 67.
felt more forciblythe want of power to make
respected the laws of my country,whose minister
John Slater! You have been convicted by a I am. You have already violated the majestyof
juryof your country of the wilful murder of your those laws. You have profanely pleadedthe law
own slave ; and I am sorry to say, the short, under which you stand convicted, as a justification
impressive, uncontradicted testimony,
which of your crime. You have held that law in
that convictionwas founded,leaves but too little one hand, and brandished your bloodyaxe in the
room to doubt itspropriety.
other,impiouslycontending that the one gave a
The annals of human depravity mightbe safelylicenseto the unrestrained use of the other.
as for those of all who

STATE
100 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
But, thoughyou will go off unhurt in person,
port,
Esq., chief justiceof the county, with four
by the presentsentence,expect not to escape with associategentlemenjustices, composedthe court
impunity Ỵour bloody deed has set a mark upon The commonwealth was representedby its attorney,
you, which I fear the goodactions of your
future
Charles B. Harding,Esq.,and the accused
life will not efface. You will be held in abhorrence
ably and eloquently defended by Wm. C.
by an impartial world,and shunned as a
Worthingtoft and John A. Thompson, Esqs. The
monster by every
honest man. Your unoffending evidence of the prisoner's guilt was conclusive.
posterity will be visited, for your iniquity, by the A majority of the court thoughtthat he ought to
stigmaof deriving their origin from an unfeeling suffer the extreme penalty of tho law
murderer. Your days, which will be but ; but,as this
few, requireda unanimous agreement, he was sentenced
will be spent in wretchedness ; and, if your
conscience
to receive five hundred lashes,not more
be not steeled againstevery virtuous emotion,
than thirty-nine at one time. The physician of
if you be not entirely abandoned to hardness the jailwas instructed to see that theyshould not
of heart țhe mangled,mutilated corpse
of your be administered too frequently, and onlywhen,
murdered slave will ever be presentin your imagination,
his opinion, he could bear them.
obtrude itselfinto all your amusements,
and haunt you
in the hours of silenceand repose.
In another paper we are told that the
But,should you disregard the reproaches of an Free Press says :
offended world, should you hear with callous
A majorityof the court though that he ought
to sufferthe extreme penaltyof the law ''but,as
insensibility the gnawings of a guiltyconscience,
yet remember, I charge you, remember,that an
awful periodis fast approaching, and with you
is closeat hand,when you must appear before a
tribunal whose want of power
can afford you
no
and that his vengeance will not sleepforever!
The penaltythat followed this solemn
denunciation was a fine of seven hundred
in default of
pounds, current money, or,
payment,imprisonment
for seven
years.
And yet it seems that there have not
those who consider the reform
been wanting
of thislaw " a refinement
humanityof
doubtfulpolicy" ! To this sentiment, so
high an authority as that of Chancellor
the Harperisquoted,as readerwill see by
referring to the speech of Mr. Hunt,in the
last chapter.And, as is very common in
being,on the whole,a surer protectionto
the life of the slave than the new one.
From the resultsof the lasttwo trials, there
would seem to be a fairshow of plausibility
in the argument. For under the old law it
seems that Slaterhad at least to pay seven
hundred pounds,while under the new Eliza
Rowand comes off with onlythe penaltyof
"a most sifting scrutiny."
Thus, it appears, the penalty of the law
goes with the murderer of the slave.
How is it executed in the cases which
concern the lifeof the master ? Look at
thisshortnotice of a recent trialof thiskind,
which is given in the Alexandria (Va.)
Gazette,of Oct. 23, 1852, as an extract
from the Charlestown (Va.) Free Press.
TRIAL OF NEGRO HENRY.
this requireda unanimous agreemeriliyhe
was
sentenced to receivefive hundred lashes,not more
than thirty-nine at any one time. The physician
prospect of impunity; when you must raise your of the jailwas instructed to see that theyshould
bloodyhands at the bar of an impartial omniscient
not be administered too frequently,and only
Judge! Remember, I pray you,
remember,
when, in his opinion, he could bear them. This
whilst yet you have time,that God is just, may seem to be a harsh and inhuman punishment;
The trialof this slave for an attack,with intent
when
to kill,on the person of Mr. Harrison Anderson,
was commenced on Monday and concluded
on'Tuesday evening.His Honor,Braxton Daven-
but,when we take into consideration that it is in
accordance with the law of the land,and the further
fact that the insubordination among the
slaves of that state has become trulyalarming,
we cannot questionthe righteousness of the judgment.
that the master's life
Will anybodysay
is in more dangerfrom the slave than the
slave's from the master, that this disproportionat
retributionismeted out 1 Those
will do
the solemn words of an ancient
who countenance such legislation
well to ponder
book, inspiredby One who is no
respecter
persons :
When they had a cause with me,
What shall I do when God riseth up 1
And when he visiteth, what shall I answer him 1
Did not he that made me in the womb make him 1
Did not tho same God fashion us in the womb 1 "
CHAPTER
IX.
Job 31 : 13"15.
MODERATE CORRECTION AND ACCIDENTAL
The
DEATH
"
V. CASTLEMAN.
such cases, the old law is vindicated, as "
If I have refused justicoto my man-servant or maidservant,
author remarks that the record of
the following trial was read by her a little
time before writing the account of the death
of Uncle Tom. The shockingparticulars
haunted her mind and were in her thoughts
the following sentence was written :
What man has nerve to do,man has not nerve
to hear. What brother man and brother Christian

The
KEY TO UNCLE TOM'S CABIN. 101
must suffer, cannot be told us, even in our secret
chamber, it so harrows up
mediat
sent for his father,living near him, and
the soul. And yet, 0 after communicating what he had discovered,it
my country, these thingsare done under the was determined that the offenders should be punished
shadow of thy laws ! 0 Christ,thy church sees
once, and before theyshould know of the
them almost in silence!
discovery that had been made.
It is givenprecisely as preparedby Dr.
"
Lewis was punishedfirst ; and in a manner, as
G. Bailey, the was fullyshown, to precludeall risk of injuryto
very liberaland fair-minded his person, by stripes with a broad leathern strap.
editor of the National Era.
He was punishedseverely, but to an extent by no
means disproportionate to his offence ; nor was it
From the National Era, Washington, November 6, 1S51.
pretended, in any quarter, that this punishment
HOMICIDE CASE IN CLARKE COUNTY, VIRGINIA. implicated either his life or health. He confessed
Some time since țhe newspapers of Virginia
contained an account of a horrible tragedy, enacted by falsekeys,furnished by the
in Clarke County, of that state. A slave of
Colonel James Castleman, it was stated, had been
chained by the neck,and whippedto death by his
master, on the charge of stealingṬhe whole
neighborhood in which the transaction occurred
was
incised ; the Virginia papers abounded in
denum^Bpns
of
the
thejj^th
jyltice
of the cruel act ; and the people
were called upon to bear witness to
which would surely be meted out in a
slave state to the master of a slave. We did not
publishthe account. The case was horrible ; it by himself,by which the theft had been effected
"
It was further
was, we
shown,on the
were confident,exceptional ; it should
trial, that Lewis
was
not be taken as evidence of the whipped
generaltreatment
in the upper room of a warehouse,
of slaves
connected with
; we chose to delay any notice of it till
StephenCastleman's store, and
near
the
the
courts should pronounce their publicroad,where he was at work at the
judgment,and
we could announce at once the crime and its time; that after he had been
punishment,
flogged, to secure
his person, whilst they went after Reuben,he was
so that the state might stand acquitted
of the foul deed.
Those who were so shocked at the transaction
will be surprised and mortified to hear that the
actors in it have been tried and acquitted;and
when they read the following account of the trial
and verdict,publishedat the instance of the
friends of the accused,their mortification will
deepeninto bitterindignation :
the offence,and admitted that it had been effected
blacksmith,Reuben.
"
The latter servant was punishedimmediately
afterwards. It was believed that he was the
principal offender, and he was found to be more
obdurate and contumacious than Lewis had been
in reference to the offence. Thus it was proved,
both by the prosecutionand the defencețhat he
was punished with greaterseverity
part, and he producedthe falsekey,
than his ac-
It resulted in a like confession on his
one fashioned
complice.
confined by a chain around his neck, which was
attached to a joistabove his head. The length of
this chain țhe breadth and thickness of the joist,
its heightfrom the floor,and the circlet of chain
on the neck, were accurately measured ; and it
was thus shown that the chain unoccupiedby the
circletand the joistwas a foot and a half longer
than the space between the shoulders of the man
and the joistabove,or to that extent the chain
From the "Spirit of Jefferson."
hung looseabove him ; that the circlet(whichM-as
"Colonel James Castleman. "
followingfastened so as to
prevent its contraction) rested
statement, understood to have been drawn
up by
counsel șince on the shoulders and breast,the chain beingsufficiently
the trial,has been placedby the
drawn onlyto preventbeingslipped
friends of this over
gentlemanin our hands for publicationhis
head,and that there was no other placein the
:
room to which he could be fastened,exceptto one
"At the Circuit SuperiorCourt of Clarke of the joists
County,commencing above. His hands were tied in front ;
on the 13th of October, a white man, who had been at work with Lewis
Judge Samuels presiding, James Castleman and duringthe day,
his son Stephen was left with him by the Messrs.
D. Castleman were indicted Castleman,the better to insurehis detention, whilst
jointly for the murder of negro Lewis,property of they
the latter. By were absent afterReuben. It advice was provedby
of their counselțhe partiesthis man (who was
elected to be tried a witness for the prosecution)
separately, and the attorneythat Lewis asked for a box to stand on, or for
for the commonwealth directed that James Castlemansomething
that he could jump offfrom ; that after
should be tried first.
the Castlemans had left him he expresseda fear
"
It was
proved, on this- trialțhat for many that when they
months came back he would be whipped
previousto the occurrence the moneydrawer
of the tavern keptby Stephen D. Castleman, one hand loose,he would cut his throat. The
again; and said,if he had a knife,and could get
and the liquorskept in largequantities in his '
cellar, witness stated that the negro stood firm on his
had been pillaged from time to time,until the thefts feet,'that he could turn freelyin whatever direction
had attained to a considerableamount. Suspicion he wished,and that he made no complaint
had, from various causes, been directed to Lewis, of the mode of his confinement. This man stated
and another negro, named Reuben (ablacksmith), that he remained with Lewis about half an hour,
the property of James Castleman ; but by the aid and then left there to
of two of the house-servants go home.
theyhad eluded "
the After punishingReuben, the Castlemans returned
most vigilant watch.
to the warehouse,bringing him with them ;
"
On the 20th of Augustlast,in the afternoon, their objectbeing to confront the two men, in the
S. D. Castleman accidentally discovered a clue, hope that by further examination of them jointly
by means of which,and throughone of the houseservants
implicated,
detected.
he was enabled fullyto detect
all their accomplicesmight be
"
They were not absent more than half an hour.
the depredators, and to ascertain the manner When they entered the room above, Lewis was
in which the theft had been committed. He im-
found hangingby the neck,his feet thrown behind

the
" he
_
102 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
him, Iiisknees a few inches from the floor,and his on the testimony of a house-servant, the nature of
head thrown forward
"
body warm and supwhich
does not appear to have been inquired into
.ple(orrelaxed),but life was extinct.
by the court ! Not a word is said which authorizes
"
It was provedby the surgeons who made a postmortem
the belief that any careful examination
examination before the coroner's inquestwas made, as it respectstheir guilt.Lewis and
that the death was caused by strangulation by Reuben were assumed, on loose evidence, without
hanging; and other eminent surgeons were examined
deliberate investigation, to be guilty; and then,
to show, from the appearance of the brain without allowingthem to attemptto show their
and its blood-vessels after death (asexhibited at evidence,they were whipped, until a confession
the post-mortemexamination), that the subjectof guiltwas extorted by bodilypain.
could not have fainted before strangulation. Is this Virginia justice 1
"
After the evidence was finished on both sides, Lewis was punished with " a broad leathern
the jury from their box, and of their
" own motion, strap,''' was punishedseverely :" this we
without a word from counsel on either side,informed
do not need to be told. A " broad leathern strap"
the court that they had agreed upon their isAvelladaptedto severity of punishment. " Nor
verdict. The counsel assented to itsbeing thus was it pretended,"the account says, "in any
received,and a verdict of " not guilty " was immediately
quarter,that this punishmentimplicated either
rendered. The attorneyfor the commonwealth
his lifeor his health." This is false ; it was expressly
then informed the court that all the
stated in the newspaper accounts at the
evidence for the prosecutionhad been laid before time,and such was the generalimpression in the
the jury; and as no new evidence could be offered neighborhoodțhat the punishment did very severely
on the trialof Stephen D. Castleman,he submitted
implicate his life. But more of.fchis anon.
to the court the proprietyof entering a Lewis was left. A chain was fastened around
nolleprosequi Ṭhe
judgerepliedthat the case had his neck,so as not to choke him, and secured to
been fully and fairly laid before the juryupon the the joistabove,leaving a slack of about a foot and
evidence ; that the court was not only satisfied a half. Remaining in an uprightposition, he was
with the verdict,but,if any other had been rendered,
secure againststrangulation, but he could neither
it must have been set aside ; and that if no sitnor kneel ; and should he faint,he would be
further evidence was to be adduced on the trial of choked to death. The account says that they
Stephen, the attorneyfor the commonwealth fastened him thus for the
purpose of securing
would exercise a
proper discretionin entering a him. If this had been the sole object,it could
nolleprosequias to him, and the court would have been
approve
accomplishedby safer and less cruel
its being done. A nolle prosequiwas entered
methods, as
every reader must know. This mode
accordingly, and both gentlemendischarged. of securing him was intended probablyto intimidate
"
It maybe added that two dayswere consumed him, and,at the same time, afforded some
in exhibiting the evidence,and that the trial was gratification to the vindictive feeling which controlled
by a jury of Clarke County. Both the parties the actors in this foul transaction. The
had been on bail from the time of their arrest,and man whom they left to watch Lewis said that,
were continued on bail whilst the trial was depending."
after remaining there about half an hour, he went
home ; and Lewis was then alive. The Castlemans
say that,after punishingReuben, theyreturned,
Let us admit that the evidence does not prove havingbeen absent not more than half an
the legal crime of homicide : what candid man hour, and they found him hangingby the neck,
can doubt, after reading this ex parte version of it, dead. We direct attention to this partof the
that the slave died in consequence of the punishment
testimony, to show how loose the statements were
inflicted upon him ?
which went to make
up the evidence.
In criminal prosecutionsthe federal constitution
Why was Lewis chained at all,and a man left
guarantees to the accused the righ to a "
public
to watch him ? To secure him," say the Castlemans.
Is it customary to chain slaves in this
trial by an impartialjury; the rightto be
informed of the nature and cause of the accusation
manner, and set a watch over them, after severe
; to be confronted with the witnesses againstpunishment țo prevent their running away ? If
him ; to have compulsoryprocess for obtaining the punishment of Lewis had not been unusual,
witness in his favor ; and to have the assistance and if he had not been threatened with another
of counsel ; guaranteesnecessary
to secure innocence
infliction on their return, there would have been
"
againsthastyor vindictivejudgment, absolutely
no necessityfor chaining him.
necessary to preventinjustice. Grant that The testimony of the man leftto watch
they were not intended represents
forslaves ; every master of him as desperate, apparently, with painand
a slave must feel that they are still morallybinding
fright. "Lewis asked for a box to stand on:"
upon him. He is the sole judge; he alone why ? Was he not suffering from painand exhaustion,
determines the offence, the proofrequisiteto establish
and did he not wish to rest himself,
it,and the amount of the punishment. without danger of slow strangulation 1 Again :
The slave then has a peculiar claim upon him for he asked for " something he could jump off from ;"
justice Ẉhen "
chargedwith a crime, common after the Castlemans left,he expressed a fear
humanityrequiresthat he should be informed of when they came back that he would be whipped
it țhat he should be confronted with the witnesses again; and said, if he had a knife, and could get
againsthim, that he should be permitted to show one hand loose,he would cut his throat."
evidence in favor of his innocence.
The punishment that could drive him to such
But how was poor Lewis treated 1 The son of desperation must have been horrible.
Castleman said he had discovered who stole the How longthey were absent we know not, for
money ; and it was forthwith " determined that the testimony this pointis contradictory.
the offenders should be punished at once,
and before
They found him hangingby the neck, dead, " his
Ikeyshould know of the discovery that had been feet thrown behind him,his knees a few inches
made." Punished without a hearing ! Punished from the floor,and his head thrown forward,""

"
but
STATE
103
"
"
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
The account,as published by the friends of the Legreestood by him
t jus the position he would naturallyfoilinto,had accused parties, cruelty.
e sunk from exhaustion. They wish it to appear The statements made by our correspondent prove
that he hung himself. Could this be proved(we that the truth has not been fullyrevealed, and
need hardly say that it is not), it would relieve that justicehas been baffled. The result of the
but slightly the dark pictureof theirguilt. The trial shows how irresponsible is the power of a
probability is that he sank,exhausted bysuffering, master over his slave ; and that whatever security
fatigue testimony of " surgeons,"
the latter has is to be soughtin the humanity of
founded upon
a post-mortemexamination the former,not in the guaranteesof law. Against
"
of the brain and blood-vessels, that the subjectthe cruelty of an inhuman master he has really could not have fainted before strangulation," it is safeguard.
not worthy of consideration. We know something
Our conduct in relation to this case, deferring
of the fallaciesand fooleriesof such examinations.
all notice of it in our columns till a legal investigation
could be had, shows that we are not disposed
From all we can learn țhe onlyevidence relied
to be captioustowards our slave-holding
on by the prosecutionwas that white man employed
countrymen. In no unkind spirithave we examined
by the Castlemans. He was dependent this lamentable case
upon them for work. Other evidence ; but we must
might have
expose
the utter
repugnance of the slave system to the
been obtained ; why it was not is for the prosecuting
proper administration of justice.The newspapers
attorney to explain. To prove what we
say, of Virginia generally publishthe account from the
and to show that justicehas not been done in this Spiritof Jefferson, without comment. They are
horribleaffair, we publish the following communication
evidently justicewas done ;
from an old and highly-respectable citizen they doubtless will deny that the accused were
of this place, and who is very far from being an guiltyof homicide,legally ; but theywill not
Abolitionist. The slave-holderswhom he mentions
deny that theywere guilty of an atrocity which
are well known here, and would have should brand them forever, in a Christian country.
promptlyappearedin the case, had the prosecution,
which was aware of their readiness, summoned
them.
ofthe Era:
CHAPTER X.
"
To the Editor
" I see that Castleman,who lately had a trial
for whipping a slave to death,in Virginia, PRINCIPLES ESTABLISHED. V. LE- GREE
'
triumphantlyacquitted,'' as
many expected.
There are three
; A CASE NOT IN THE BOOKS.
persons in this city,with whom I
am acquainted, who staid at Castleman's the From a review of all the legalcases
same nightin which this awful tragedy was which have hitherto been
enacted.
presented, and of
They heard the dreadful lashing and the
the heart-rending screams and entreaties of the
principles establishedin the judicial
sufferer. Theyimplored the only white man they
decisions upon them,the followingfacts
could find on the premises,not engagedin the must be apparentto the reader :
bloodywork, to interpose ; but for a longtime he
First,That masters do,now and then,
refused,on the ground that he was a dependent, kill slaves
and was afraid to giveoffence ; and by the torture.
that,moreover,
theyhad been drinking, and he was in fear Second, That the fact of so killing a
for his own lifeșhould he say a word that would slave is not of itselfheld presumption of
be displeasing did,however,venture,
murder, in slave jurisprudence.
and returned and reportedthe cruel manner
in which the slaves were
Third,That the slave in the act of resistance
chained,and lashed,and
secured in a blacksmith's vice. In the to his master
morning,
may alwaysbe killed.
when theyascertained that one of the slaves was From these thingsit will be seen to follow,
dead,theywere so shocked and indignanthat that,if the facts of the death of Tom
theyrefused to eat in the house,and reproachedhad been
Castleman with his
fullyprovedby two white witnesses,
cruelty. He expressedhis
regre that the slave had in
died,and especially as
open court,Legree could not have
he had ascertained that he was innocent of the accusation
been held by any consistent interpreter of
fur which he had suffered. The idea was slave-law to be a murderer ; for Tom was
that he had fainted from exhaustion ; and,the in the act of resistance to the will of his
chain beinground his neck, he was strangled.
The persons I master.
referto are themselves
His master had laid a command
slave-holders,
their feelings were so harrowed and lacerated
on him, in the presence of other slaves.
that they could not sleep(two of them are Tom had deliberately refused to obeythe
ladies) ; and for many nightsafterwards their rest
command. The master commenced chastisement,
was disturbed,and their dreams made frightful,
by the to reduce him to obedience. And
appalling recollection.
"
These persons would have been material -witnesses,
it is evident, at the first glance țo every
and would have willingly attended on the one, that, if the law does not sustain him in
part of the prosecution. knowledgethey had
of the case was
enforcing obedience in such a case, there is
communicated to the proper
authorities,
yet their attendance was not an end of the whole slave
required.
power. No
The onlywitness was that Southern court would dare to decide that
dependentwho considered
his own lifein danger.
Legreedid wrong to continue the punishment,
"
Yours,"c, J. F."
as longas Tom continued the insubordination.
every

104 KEY TO UNCLE .TOM'S CABIN.
moment of the time,pressing him to yield,
CHAPTER XI.
and offering to let him go
as soon as he did
THE TRIUMPH OF JUSTICE OVER LAW.
yield. Tom's resistance was insurrection.
It was an examplewhich could not be Having been obligedto record so many
allowed, for a moment, on any Southern trialsin which justice has been turned away
plantation. By the express words of the backward by the hand of law,and equity
constitutionof Georgia, and by the understanding
and common humanity have been keptout
by the bolt and bar of logic, it is a reliefto
power
and usage
of all slave-lawțhe
of lifeand death is alwaysleftin the
like this.
hands of the master, in exigences
There is no principle jurisprudence
that,in giving this trial, very sorrowful,
by which a man could be pronouncedbut
inevitable, inferences will force themselves
a murderer,for acting as Legreedid,in his
upon the mind,as to that state of
circumstances. Everybodymust see that publicfeeling which allowed such outrages
such an admission would strikeat the foundations
to be perpetrated in open daylight, in the
of the slave system. To be sure, capital of North Carolina, upon a hapless
Tom was in a state of insurrection for conscience'
woman. It would seem that the public
sake. But the law does not, and were too trulyinstructed in the awful doctrine
cannot,contemplate the negro shall pronouncedby Judge Ruffin țhat
have a conscience independent of his master's.
THE POWER OF THE MASTER MUST BE
"
To allow that the negro may refuse absolute," to think of interfering while
to obeyhis master whenever he thinks that the poor creature was dragged, barefoot and
obedience would be wrong, would be to produce
bleeding, at a horse's neck,at the rate of
universal anarchy. If Tom had been five miles an hour,throughthe streets of
allowed to disobey his master in this case, Raleigh. It seems, also țhat the most
for conscience' sake, the next day Sambo horrible brutalities and enormities that
system;
resistance to "the powers that be,
which are ordained of God." He followed
a sentimental impulse of his desperately
AN INTERESTING TRIAL.
depravedheart,and neglected those "solid
teachings of the written We find in one of the Raleigh(North Carolina)
word,"which,as
papers, of June 5, 1851, a report
recently elucidated, have provedso refreshing
of an
interesting trial,at the springterm of the Su-
to eminent political men.
Court. Mima, a slave,
the mind to find one recent trial recorded,
in North Carolina,in which the nobler
This is not a case like that of Souther v. feelings of the human heart have burst over
The Commonwealth. The victim of Souther formalizedlimits, and where the
was not in a state of resistance or insurrection.
appears to have been conducted by men,
The punishment, in his case, was a who were not ashamed of possessing
their
simplevengeance for a pastoffence, and not
ical
an attemptto reduce him to subordination. agitator, a human heart. It is true
prosecution
bosoms that very dangerous and most illog-
would have had a case of conscience, and could be conceivedof were witnessed,without
Quimbo the next. Several of them might any efficient interference, by a number
very justly have thought that it was a sin of the citizens, among whom Ave see the
to work as they did. The mulatto woman name of the Hon. W. H. Hoywood, of Raleigh.
would have remembered that the command of
It is a comfort to find the attorneygeneral,
in this case, speakingas a man
God forbade her to take another husband.
Mothers mighthave considered that it was
ought to speak. Certainly there can be
more their duty to stay at home and take no occasion to wish to pervertor overstate
care of their children,when they were the dread workingsof the slave system, or
young and feeblețhan to work for Mr. to leave out the few comforting and encouraging
Legreein the cotton-field.There would features, however small the encouragement
be no end to the havoc made upon cottongrowingoperations,
were the negro allowed The case is now presented, as narrated
of them may be.
the right of maintaining his own conscience from the published reports,by Dr. Bailey,
editor of the National Era ; a man whose
on moral subjectsỊf the slave system is a
rightsystem, and ought to be maintained, candor and fairness need no indorsing, as
Mr. Legreeoughtnot to be blamed for his
conduct in this case ; for he did every line that he writes speaksfor itself.
onlywhat The reader may at firstbe surprised to
was absolutely essential to maintain the find slave testimony in the court, tillhe
and Tom died in fanaticaland foolhardy
recollectsthat it is a slave that is on trial,
the testimony of slaves beingonly null
when it concerns whites.
perior
was indicted for

Rork's corner, about half or three-quarters of a After an able chargeby Judge Ellisțhe jury
mile from the capitol ; that he reached Cooper'sretired,and, after havingremained out several
(one of the witnesses), thirteen miles from Ra-
hours, returned with a verdictof Not Guilty. Of
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 105
November, 1850. The evidence for the prosecutioleigh,
about four o'clock, P. M. : that it was raining
very hard ; deceased got off his horse țurned
it loose with prisoner tied to its neck ; witness
was Sidney, a slave-boy, twelve years went to take deceased's horse to stable ; heard
old, who testifiedthat, in the night, he and a great lamentations at the house ; hurried back :
slave-girl, named Jane,were roused from sleepsaw his littledaughterrunningthroughthe rain
by the call of their master,Smith, who had returned
; got there ;
'the murder of her master, "William Smith, of
Johnston County,on the night of the 29th of
home. They went out, and found Mima
tied to his horse's neck, with two ropes, one
round her neck, the other round her hands.
Deceased carried her into the house,jerking the
rope fastened to her neck, and tied her to a post.
on him.
It was proved on the trialthat Carroll, a white
man, living about a mile from the house of the
deceased ; and no proofwas offered to show how
Carroll came into possession of these articles.
The following portion of the testimony discloses
facts so horrible, and so disgraceful
who tolerated, in broad daylight, conduct which
w^ould have shamed the devil,that wTe copy it
just as we find it in the Raleighpaper. The
scene, remember,is the city of Raleigh.
"
The defence was then opened. James Harris,
C. W. D. Ilutchings, and Hon. W. II. Haywood,
of Raleigh; John Cooper, of Wake ; JosephHane
and others,of Johnston, were examined for the
prisoner Ṭhe substance of their testimonywas
as follows : On the forenoon of Friday,2(Jth of
from the house, much frightened
deceased was gougingprisoner the eyes, and
she making outcries ; made him stop; became
vexed,and insisted upon leaving ; did leave in a
short time,in the rain,sun about an hour high;
when he left,prisonerwas tied as she was before ;
her arms and fingers
were very much swollen ; the
rope around her wrist was small, and had sunk
He called for something to eat, threw her a piece
of bread,and, after he had done,beat her on her
naked back with a largepiece of lightwood,
deep into the flesh,almost covered with it; that
giving her many hard blows. In a short time, around the neck was large,and tied in a deceased went out of the house,for a special
slipknot
purpose,
; deceased would jerkit every
now and then ;
witness accompanyinghim with a torchlight,
when jerked, it would choke prisoner; she was
and hearing him say that he intended " to barefoot and bleeding; deceased was met some
use the prisonerup." The lightwas extinguished,
time after dark,in about six miles of home, being
and he reentered the house for the purpose
twenty-four or twenty-five from Raleigh."
of lightingit. Jane was there ; but the Why did they not strike the monster to the
prisoner had been untied, and was not there. earth,and punish him for his infernal brutality?
While lighting his torch,he heard blows outside, The attorney-general conducted the prosecution
and heard the deceased cry out, two or three times, with evident loathing.The defence argued,first,
"0, Leah ! 0, Leah !" Witness and Jane went that the evidence was insufficient to fasten the
out,saw the deceased bloodyand struggling, were crime upon the prisoner ; secondly, that șhould
frightened, ran back, and shut themselves up. the jury be satisfied beyonda rational doubt that
Leah,it seems, was mother of the prisoner, and the prisoner committed the act charged, it would
had run off two years, on account of cruel treatment
yet be onlymanslaughter.
by the deceased.
" A single blow between equals would mitigate
Smith was speechlessand unconscious tillhe a killing instanter from murder to manslaughter.
died,the followingmorning,of the wounds inflicted
It could not, in law, be anythingmore, if done
under the furor brevis of passion. But the rule
was different as between master and slave. It
was
necessary that this should be, to preserve the
deceased,and whose wife was said to be the illegitimate
subordination of the slave. The prisoner's counsel
daughter of Smith,had in his possession, then examined the authorities at length, and
the morning of the murder, the receipt given the contended that the prisoner'scase came within
deceased by sheriff High, the day before,for jailthe rule laid down in The State v. Will (1 Dev.
fees,and a note for thirty-five dollars,due deceased and Bat. 121). The rule there givenby Judge
'
from one WileyPrice,which Carroll collected a Gaston is this : If a slave,in defence of his
short time thereafter ; also the chest-keys of the life,and under circumstances strongly calculated
to excite his passions of terror and resentment,
kill his overseer or master, the homicide is,by
such circumstances, mitigated to manslaughter/
to the peopleThe crueltiesof the deceased to the prisoner
were
grievous and long-continuedṪhey would have
shocked a barbarian. The savage loves and thirsts
for blood ; but the acts of civilizedlife have not
afforded him such refinement of torture as was
here exhibited."
The
attorney-general, after discussingthe law,
appealed to the jury " not to suffer the prejudice
which the counsel for the defence had attempted
to create agains the deceased (whoseconduct, he
admitted, was disgraceful
to human nature) to influence
November last,deceased took prisoner from Raleigh
their judgments in decidingwhether the
jail țied her round the neck and wrist; act of the prisoner was criminal or not, and what
ropes were then latched to the horse's neck ; he degree of criminality attached to it. He desired
cursed the prisoner several times, got on his horse, the prisoner to have a fair and impartial trial. He
and startedoff;when he got opposite the Telegraph
wished her to receive the benefitof every rational
office, on Fayetteville-strcet, he pulled her doidit. It teas her right, however humble her condition
shoes and stockings off,cursed her again, went
; he hopedhe had not that heart,as he certainly
off m a swift trot,the prisoner runningafter him, had not the rightby virtue of his office, to ask in her
doingapparently all she could to keepup ; passed case for anythingmore than he would ask from the
round by Peck's store ; prisoner seemed very highest and proudestof the land on trialțhat the
humble and submissive ; took down the street east juryshould decide according to the evidence,and
of the capitol,goingat the rate of five miles an indicate the violated law."
hour; continued this gait until he passedO. These were honorable sentiments.

so,
106 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
course, we see not how theycould hesitate to coma
to this verdictat once.
which it could be said, " See,this was a
The correspondent who furnishes the Register
man!"
"
when
with a report of the Slaveryhas finished
case says :
"
It excited an intense interest in the community
it occurred,and,althoughit develops
in which
a series of cruelties shocking to human
nature, the resultof the trial,nevertheless, vindicates
of our laws towards
the benignity and justice
that class of our population whose condition
Northern fanaticism has so carefullyand
grosslymisrepresented, for their own
purposes of
selfishness, agitation, and crime."
We have no disposition to misrepresent the
condition of the slaves,or to disparage the laws
of North Carolina ; but we ask,with a sincere
desire to know the truth,Do the laws of North
such horrible
and would the publicsentiment of the cityof Raleigh
permit a repetition of such enormities as
were perpetratedin its streets, in the light of
day,by that miscreant 1
In conclusion, as the accounts of these might. But where under the sun did such
various trialscontain so
many shocking incidents
trials, of such cases, ever take place,
and particulars, the author desires in any nation professing to be free and
to enter a caution against certain mistaken
uses which may
be made of them,by wellintending
persons.
will perhaps recur
The crimes themselves,
which form the foundation of the trials, are
not to be consideredand spoken of as specimens
parallel
of the common working
masters,we take pleasure in saying, is
small. It is an injuryto the cause of
freedom to ground the argument against
slaveryupon the frequency
with which
such scenes as these occur. It misleads the
mind as to the real issue of the
popular
subject. To hear many men talk, one
would think that theysupposed that
negroes actually whipped
unless
or burned
alive at the rate of two or three dozen a
that dishonored body,nor anythinghj
her legitimate work upon the soul,and
trodden ōut every spark of manliness,and
honor, and self-respect, and natural affection,
and conscience, and religious sentiment,
then there is nothing left in the soul,
by which to say, " This was a man ! "
and it becomes necessary
for judgesto construct
grave legalarguments to prove that
the slave is a human being.
Such extreme cases of bodilyabuse from
the despotic power of slavery are comparatively
Carolina allow a master to practise
rare.
cruelties upon his slaves as Smith was
Perhapstheymay guiltyof,
be paralleled
by cases brough to lightin the criminal
jurisprudence of other countries. They
might,perhaps, have happenedanywhere;
at any rate, we will concede that they
Christian '} The reader of Englishhistory
to the trialsunder Judge
Jeffries, as a parallel. A moment's reflection
will convince him that there is no
between the cases. The decisions
of the slave of Jeffrieswere the decisionsof a monster,
system. They are, it is true,the logical who violently wrested law from its legitimate
and legitimate fruits of a system which
course, to gratify his own fiendish
makes every individual owner an irresponsible
nature. The decisionsof American slavelaw
have been,for the most part țhe decisions
despot. But the actual number of
them,comparedwith the whole number of of honorable and humane men, who
have wrested from their natural course the
to fulfilthe mandates
most humane feelings,
of a
cruel law.
In the case
of Jeffries, the sacred forms
of the administration of justice were violated.
In the case of the American decisions,
every
form has been maintained. Revolting
to humanity as these decisions appear,
theyare strictly logical and legal.
say, Where, ever,
in
Therefore,again,we
week, there was no harm in slaveryṪhey any nation professing to be civilized and
seem to see nothing in the system but its Christian, did such TRIALS, of such cases,
gross bodily abuses. If these are absent, take place 1 When were ever such legal
they think there isno harm in it. They do arguments made ? When, ever, such legal
not consider that the*twelve hours' torture principles judicially affirmed? Was ever
of some poor victim,bleedingaway his such a trialheld in England as that in
life,drop by drop, under the hands of a Virginia, of Souther v. The Commonavealth
'? Was it ever necessary in England
Souther,is only a symbolof that more
atrocious process by which the divine,immortal
for a judgeto declareon the bench,
soul is mangled,burned,lacerated, contrary to the opinion of a lower court,
thrown down,stampedupon, and suffocated, that the death of an apprentice, by twelve
by the fiend-like force of the tyrant Slavery.
hours' torture from his master, did amount
And as, when the torturing work was to murder in the firstdegree ? Was such a
done,and the poor soul flew up to the judgment-seat,
decision, if given,accompaniedby the
to stand there in awful witness, of the principle, that any amount
there was not a vestige of humanityleftin of torture inflictedby the master, short of
affirmatio

how
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
107
the pointof death,was not indictable?
Not beingread in Englishlaw,the writer
cannot say ; but there is strong impression
from within that such a decision as this
would have shaken the whole island of
Great Britain ; and that such a case as
Souther v. The Commonwealth would
never have been forgotten under the
sun. Yet it is probable that very
few
in the United Statesever
case, or ever would have heard of it, had it
not been quotedby the New York 'Courier
and Enquirer as an overwhelming example
of legalhumanity.
The horror of the whole matter is țhat
more than one such case should ever need
to happen in a country, in order to make
the whole communityfeel, as one man, that
such power oughtnot to be leftin the hands
of a master. How many such cases do
people wish to have "
happen? many
must happen, before they will learn that
utter despotic power is not to be trustedin
any hands? If one white man's son or
brother had been treatedin this way, under
the law of apprenticeship, the whole country
would have trembled, from Louisiana to
Maine,tillthat law had been altered. They
forget that the black man has also a father.
It is "He that sitteth upon the circleof
the heavens,who bringeththe princes to
nothing, and maketh the judges
as vanity."He hath said that " When he
maketh inquisition for blood,he forgettetii
of the earth
not the cry of the humble." That blood
which has fallen so despised to the the American
"
earth,
law. We therefore present
that blood which lawyers have a
quibbled over, description of the Roman slave-law, as
in the quiet of legalnonchalance, discussing quotedby William Jay,Esq., from Blair's
in great case whether itfell '
by murder in the Inquiry into the State ofSlavery among
"
firstor second degree, HE will the Romans"
one day
givingsuch references to
reckon for as the blood of his own child. American authorities as will enable the
He "is not slackconcerning his reader to make his
promises,
own comparison, and to
draw his own inferences.
is long-
as some men count slackness, but
suffering to usward;" but the day
I. The slave had no
is surelycoming, and the year of
protection agains the avarice,
rage, or lust of the master, ivhose authoritywas
his redeemed is in his heart.
founded in absolute property; and the bondman
ivas viewed lessas a human
Another court will sit upon thesetrials,
beingsubject to arbitrary
domi?iionțhan as an inferioranimal,dependent
when the Son of Man shall come in hisglory. whollyon the will of his owner.
It will be not alone Souther,and such as he,
that will be arraigned there ; but allthose in See law of South Carolina,
Stroud's
"
thisnation, north and south,who have abetted Sketch of the Laws of Slavery,"p. 23.
the sj-stem, and made the laws which made
Souther what he was. In that court negro
testimony will be received, if never before ;
and the
and the judges and the counsellors,
chief men, and the mightymen, marshalled
to that awful bar,will say to the mountains
and the rocks. " Fall on us and hide us
from the face of Him that sittethon
the throne,and from the wrath of the
Lamb."
The wrath of the Lamb ! Think of it!
Tbink that Jesus Christ has been present,
"
witness, a
a
such scene
persons
heard of the
with what
silentwitness through every
of torture and
"
anguish, a silent
witness in every such
court,calmlyhearing
the evidencegivenin țhe lawyerspleading,
the bills filed,and cases appealed! And
think what a heart Jesus Christ has,and
age-longpatience he has suffered!
What awful depthsare there in that word,
long-sufferixg ! and what must be that
wrath,when,after ages of endurancețhis
dread accumulation of wrong and anguish
comes
up at last to judgment!
CHAPTER
A COMPARISON OF THE ROMAN LAW OF
XL
SLAVERY WITH THE AMERICAN.
The writer has expressed the opinion
that the American law of slavery, taken
throughout, is a more severe one than that
of any other civilized nation,ancient or
modern, if we except, perhapsțhat of
the Spartans.She has not at hand the
means of comparingFrench and Spanish
slave-codes ; but,as it is a common remark
that Roman slaverywas much more severe
than any that has ever existed in America,
it will be well to compare the Roman with
Slaves shall be
deemed, sold,taken,reputed
of vengeance
and adjudged in law to be chattels per- 2 Brev" Di?
sonal in the hands of their owners and 229. Prince's
possessors, and their executors,admin- cD'g; 4^istrators
and assigns țo all '
intents, 971.
constructions, and
purposes whatever.
A slave is one who is in the
Lou- civil Code
power of a master to whom he art. 35. Stroud's
belongs. Sketch"P- 22-

108
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
Such obedience is the consequence only- A slave is one who is in the power of a masfcei
Judge Ruf- of uncontrolledauthority over the body. to whom he belongs.
to
L^eTf The master may sell him,
There is nothingelse which can
op- disposeof his person, his industry,
The State v. erate to produce the effect. The CiTi, Coc]e
power and his labor ; he can do nothing,Article 35.'
Mann. Whee- 0f the master must be absolute, to renpossess
nothing,
^iveryf 2i6.f der the submission of the slaveperfect.
nor acquireanythingStroud,p. 21
but what must belongto his master.
II. At first, the master possessed the uncontrolled
Accordingto Judge Rufiin,a slave is
power of lifeand death.
"one doomed in his own person, and his
Judge Clarke, in case of .A*a V*7 earlyV?"" " posterity, to live without knowl- wh'ier's Law
State of Miss. v. Jones. Virginia, the power of life over
Wheeler, 252. slaves was
edge,
givenby and without the capacity to ^"state I'.
statute.
make anythinghis own, and to Manntoilthat
another may reap the fruits."
III. He mighthill,mutilate or torture his slaves,
forany or no offence ; he mightforcethem to become
With reference to the
gladiators
prostitutes.
bindingpower of
engagementsbetween
The privilege of master and slavețhe
killingis now somewhat
following decisions from the United States
abridged ;
as to mutilation and torture,
Digestare in point(7,p. 449)
see the case of Souther v. The Commonwealth,
:
7 Grattan,673, quoted in All the acquisitions of the slave in possession
ChapterIII., above. Also State are the property v. Mann,
of his master, notwithstanding
in the same chapter, from Wheeler, p. 244.
IV. The temporary unions of male with them.
female
slaves were formed and dissolved at his command; A slave paid money which he had earned over
families and friends were separated when he pleased. and above his wages, for the purchaseof his
children into the hands of
See the decision of Judge Mathews in
B, and B purchased
such children with the money. Held that
the case of Girod v. Lewis,Wheeler,199 : the master of such slave was entitled to Ibld*
It is clearțhat slaves have no legalcapacity to recover the money of B.
assent to any contract. With the consent of their
VTI. The master might transfer
master, they may marry, and their moral his rightsby
power eithersale or to gift,or mightbequeaththem by will.
agree to such a contract or connection as that
of marriagecannot be doubted ; but whilst in a Slaves shall be deemed,sold,taken, reputed
state of slavery it cannot produceany civil effect, and adjudged
because slaves are deprivedof all civilrights.
in law,to be chattels Law of s. Carpersonalin
the hands of their owners olina. Cobb's
"
and
See also the chapterbelow on the possessors, and their executors, Dl"est" 971-
separation
administrators, and assigns
of families," and the filesof țo all intents,constructions,
any
and purposes whatsoever.
southern neAvspaper, jmssim.
VIII. A master selling,giving,or
V. The laws recognized no obligation
bequeathing
upon the
a slaveșometimes made it a provision that he should
owners of slaves țo famish them with food and
never be carried abroad,or that he should be manumitted
clothing, or to take care of them in sickness.
on a fixedday; or that,on the other hand,
The extent to Avhich this deficiency in he should never be emancipated, or that he should be
keptin chains for life.
the Roman law has been suppliedin the
American,by "
protective acts" has been We hardlythink that a provision that a
exhibitedabove.*
slaveshould never be emancipated, or that
VI. Slaves could have no property but he should be
by the
keptin chains for
sufferance
of their master, for whom they acquiredThT u
Ash'life, would be sustained. A proeverytiling,
and with whom theycould form no engagements
Bijire!\'tvisi"n
tnat tne s^ave sh"uld not
1S' y"' '
which could be bindingon him.
be carried out of the state,or
The following chapterwill show how far sold,and that on the happeningof either
American legislation
in advance of that event he should be free,has been sustained.
of the Romans, in that it makes it
The
a
remainder of Blair's account of Roman
penal
ofl'mce on the part of the master to permit slavery
his slave to hold property, and a crime
of masters than the state of the law itself.
on the part- of the slave to be so permitted. Surely țhe writer is not called upon to
For the exhibit in the
presentpurpose, we givean extract
society of enlightened, republican
and
from the Civil
ChristianAmerica,in the nineteenth
code of Louisiana, as quoted
by JudgeStroud :
century, a parallel to the atrocities
committed in pagan Rome, under the sceptre
of the persecuting Caesars,when the
* See also the case of State v. Abram, 10 Ala. 928. 7Z7.
"S.Dig. p. 419. "The roaster or overseer, and not the amphitheatre was the favorite resort of the
slave,is the proper judge whether the slave is too sick to
most refined of her citizens, as well as the
be able to labor. The latter cannot, therefore, resist the
order of the former to go to work." schoolof morals" for the multitude.
the promiseof his mas-
Gist ""
^j"""
ter that the slave shall have certain of ^UW""
great "
isdevoted rather to the practices

A few referencesonlywillshow, as far as
we desire to show,how much saferitis now
to trust man with absolute power over his
fellow, than it was then.
IX. While slaves turned the handmill theyicere
generallychained,and had a broad wooden collarțo
prevent them fromeating the grain. The furca,
u'hich in laterlanguagemeans a gibbet, in older
dialect, used to denote a wooden forkor collar, which
was made to bear upon their shoulders,or around
their necks,as a mark of disgrace, as much as an
burden.
uneasy
and protection of statute laws ; although the
material
is different, and the construction
doubtlessimprovedby modern
worn
X. Fetters and chains were much used forpunishment
or restraint, and were, in some instances,
by slaves duringlife,throughthe sole authority
of the master. Porters at the gales of the rich
were generallychained. Field laborers worked for
the most part in irons posterior to the first ages of
the republic.
The
Legislature
of South
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 109
For each dayemployed in hunting or
trailing, $2.50
ingenuity. For catching each ...
slave, 10.00
For going over ten miles and catching
Carolina specially
by excepting
practices,
sanctions the same
them in the "protective enactment"
which inflictsthe penaltyof one hundred
pounds " in case any person shallwilfully
cut out the tongue,"c, of a slave, " or
shall inflict any other cruel punishment,
punishmentwould be the lot
other than of
by whipping or beatingwith the recaptured runaway, every
one would
a horse-whip, cowskin, switch, or small stick, suppose, from the " "
absolute power of the
or by putting irons on, or confining or
imprisoning such slave."
XI. Some persons irwde it theirbusiness to catch
runaway slaves.
constitutedby the
That such a profession,
by Mr. MicajahRicks,in the Raleigh
highestlegislative authority in the nation, (N. C.) Standard of July18th,1838,
and rendered respectable by the commendation
shows that something of classictaste in torture
expressed or implied of statesmen and stilllingers in our degenerate days.
divines, and of newspapers political and religious,
existsin our midst,especially in Ran away, a negro woman and two children ;
a few
the freestates,is a fact which daysbefore she went off,I burnt her with
is,day by
a hot iron,on the leftside of her face. I triedto
day,makingitselftoo apparen to need testimony.
make the letterM.
The matter seems, however țo be
managedin a more perfectly open and business-like
It is charmingto notice the naif betrayal
manner in the State of Alabama
of literary pride on the part of Mr.
than elsewhere. Mr. Jay cites the following
Ricks. He did not wish that letterM to be
of what he could do in
advertisementfrom the SmnpterCounty
(Ah,.)Whig:
NEGRO
The undersigned havingboughtthe entire pack
of NegroDogs(of the Hay and Allen stock), he
now proposes to catch runaway negroes.
chargeswill be Three
and Fifteen Dollars for catching
residesthree and one half miles north of Livingston,
near the lower Jones' Bluff road.
William Gambel.
Nov.
"
6,1845. 6m.
The following is copied, verbatim et literatim,
and with the pictorial embellishments,
from The Dadeville (Ala.) Banner,
of November 10th, 1852. The
Dadeville Banner is " devoted to politics,
literature, education, agriculture, fyc."
The reader has alreadyseen, in Chapter "Cy2" The undersigned having
V., that this instrument of degradation has ="aL,lent an
pack excel-"
of Hounds,for trailing andcatching
runaway slaves,informs the public that
been in use, in our own day, in certain of
the slave states, under the express sanction his pricesin future will be as follows for such
services :
-
slaves, 20.00
If sent for țhe above prices will be exacted in
cash. The subscriber resides one mile and a
half south of Dadeville,Ala.
B. Black.
Dadeville, Sept.1,1852.
ltf
XII. The runaway, when taken,icas severely
punishedby authorityofthe master, or by thejudge,
at his desire;sometimes with crucifixion, amputation
ofafoot, or by beingsent to fightas a gladiator
ivith wild beasts ; but most frequently by being
branded on the brow with lettersindicative of his
That severe
master to inflictit. That it is inflictedin
many cases, it is equally easy
and needless
to prove. The peculiar forms of punishment
mentioned above are now'very much
out of vogue, but the following advertisement
taken as a specimen
the way of writing.The creature would
not hold still, and he fears the M may be
DOGS.
ilegible.
The above is onlyone of a longlistof
advertisements of
His
maimed, croppedand
Dollars per day for branded
hunting, negroes, in the book of Mr. Weld,
a runaway. He entitledAmerican Slavery as It Is, p. 77.

Let
"
would
.
The
110 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
XIII. Owe- masters sometimes hired torturers
lishments,
For
justification of suck practices as
Slavery as It Is, p. 77. We recallthe
reader's attention to the evidence of the
monster Kephart,givenin Part I. As to
crucifixion, we presume that there are
wretches whose religious scruples would deter
them
who
from thisparticular form of torture,
would not hesitateto inflictequal cruelties
by other means ;
as the Greek pirate,
duringa massacre in the season of Lent,was
conscience-stricken at havingtasteda dropof
blood. We presume 1
"
any one but read
again, ifhe can, the sickening detailsof that
twelve hours' torture of Souther's slave,
and say how much more merciful is American
Roman
slavery than Roman.
The last item in Blair'sdescription of
slaveryis the following :
By a decree passedby the Senate,if a master
was murdered when his slaves mightpossiblyhave
aided him, all his household within reach were held
as
implicated, and deservingof death ; and Tacitus
instance in.which a familyoffour hundred
relates an
all executed.
were
To
thisalone,of allthe atrocitiesof the
slavery of old heathen Rome, do we fail to
find a parallel in the slavery of the United
be rewarded with the inestimable giftof freedom.
* * *
Without destroying the
distinctionof
ranks,a distant prospectof freedom and honors
was presentedeven to those whom pride and prejudice
almost disdained to number among the
human species.*
The youths of promisinggenius
in the arts and sciences, and
was ascertainedby the degreeof their skill and
liberal
ox mechanical,mightbe found in the household of
an opulent senator, f
talents. Almost every profession, either
* Gibbon's " Decline and Fall,"Chap. 11. f Ibid.
following chapterwill show
and how the whole tendency
in bondage,is to take from him the consolations
of religion itself, and to degrade him
from our common humanity, and common
how
by profession, or had such persons in their estab-
"the best comfort" which Gibbon knew for
to assist them in punishingtheir slaves.
The noses and ears and teeth of slaves were
human
often adversity is taken away from the
in dangerfrom an enragedowner; and sometimes American slave ; how he is denied the commonest
the eyes of a greatoffender were put out. Crucifixion
privileges of education and mental
toas very frequently made the fateof a wretched
improvement,
slave for a trifling misconduct, or from mere
of the
caprice.
unhappysystem,under which he is
these,we referagainto that horriblelistof
maimed and mutilated men, advertisedby brotherhood with the Son of God.
slaveholdersthemselves, in Weld's American
CHAPTER
XIII.
THE MEN BETTER THAN THEIR LAWS.
Judgment is turned away backward,
And Justice standeth afar off;
For Truth is fallen in the street,
And Equitycannot enter.
Yea, Truth
faileth;
and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a
pret. Isaiah 59: 14, 15.
There is one very remarkable class of
laws yet to be considered.
So full of cruelty and of unmerciful severity
" is the slave-code, such an atrocity
is the institutionof which it is the legal
"
definition, that there are multitudes of
individuals too generous and too justto be
willing to go to the full extent of itsrestrictions
and deprivations.
A generous man, instead of regarding
the poor slave as a piece of property,dead,
and void of rights, istempted to regard him
rather as a helpless brother, or as
younger
defenceless child,
power of readingthe written Word, and to
raise up his children afterhim in the same
darkness.
Hence,
if leftto itself,
individual
a
Statesof America.
and to extend to him,
There are other respects, in which American
by his own goodrightarm, that protection
and those
legislation has reached a refinement in
rightswhich the law denies him.
tyranny of which the despots of those A religious man, who,by
early
the theoryof his
days never conceived. The following is the
belief,regards allmen as brothers, and considers
his
languageof Gibbon
Christianslave, with himself, as a
:
"
member of Jesus Christ, as of one body,
Hope, the best comfort of our imperfectcondition,
one spirit, and called in one hopeof his
was not denied to the Roman slave ; and if
"
he had any opportunity of rendering himself either calling, cannot willingly see him " doomed
useful or agreeable, he might very naturallyexpect
to live without knowledge,"without the
that the diligence and fidelity of a few years would
humanity
would,in many cases, practically
abrogate
write,
the slave-code.Individual humanity
were instructed
would teachthe slave to read and
their price
dren,
build school-houses for his chil-
and would, in very, very many cases,
enfranchisehim.
The resultof all thishas been foreseen.
It has been foreseenthat the result of edu-

,
KEY TO UNCLE TOMS CABIN. Ill
"
cation -wouldbe generalintelligence ; that enacted,in 1800, " That assembliesof slaves,
the result of intelligence would be a knowledge
free negroes, "c, * * * * for the
of personal rights ; and that an inquirypurpose of mental instruction,
a confined
into the doctrine of personalrightswould
or secret place,"c. "c, is [are] declared
be fatalto the system. It has been foreseen, to be an unlawful meeting; " and the
alsoțhat the exampleof disinterestednessofficersare requiredto enter such confined
and generosity, in emancipation, might carry places, disperse the "unlawful assemblage,"
with it a generous contagion, until it should inflicting, at theirdiscretion, "such
become universal ; that the exampleof educated
corporalpunishment,not exceeding twenty
and emancipated prove a lashes,upon such slaves, stroud'ssketch,
dangerous excitementto thosestillinbondage. negroes,"c, as they may judge ^fj*^
For this reason, the American slave-code, necessary for deterring them pp- 254-5.
which, as we have alreadyseen, embraces, from the like unlawfulassemblage in
substantially, all the barbaritiesof that of future:'
ancient Rome, has had added to it a set of The statute-bookof Virginia is adorned
laws more cruel than any which ancient and with a law similarto the one last pp'
Stl8sf,'89
heathen Rome ever knew," laws designed quoted.
to shut against the slavehis last refuge, The offenceof teaching slave to write
the humanityof his master. The master, was earlypunished, in Georgia, as in South
in ancient Rome,mightgivehis slave whatever
Carolina,by a pecuniaryfine. But the
advantages chose,or at city of Savannah seems to have found this
any time emancipatehim, and the state did penalty insufficiento protect itfrom "
great
not
interfereto prevent*
But in America the laws,throughout all
the slave states,most rigorously forbid, in
the firstplace, the education of the slave.
We do not profess to give allthese laws,but
a few striking specimensmay be presented.
slave or free,to read or write,or causes
Our authority is Judge Stroud's "Sketch such person to be so taught,is stroud.sSketch)
of the Laws of Slavery."
subjected to a fineof thirtydol- pp- 8""solars
The legislature of South Carolina,
for each offence ; and every person of
1740. enounced the following preamble :
"
color who shall keep a schoolțo teach
Stroud'ssketch, "
Whereas țhe havingof slaves
reading or writing, is subjectto a fine of
p- 88.
taughtto write,or suffering thirty dollars, or to be imprisoned ten days,
them to be employedin writing, may be attended
and whippedthirty-nine lashes."
with great inconveniences ;" and Secondly Ịn regardto religious privileges
enacted that the crime of teaching a slaveto
:
write,or of employing a slaveas a scribe,
The State of Georgiahas enacted a law,
should be punishedby protectreligious societiesin the exercise
of their religious duties." This law,
turn now to the infamous "protective" after appointing rigorouspenalties for the
statute,enacted by the same legislature, in offenceof interrupting or disturbing a congregation
a fineof one hundred "To
pounds,current money. If the reader will
the same
year, he will find that the same
penaltyhas been appointed for the cuttingfollowing
words :
out of the tongue,putting out of the eye, No congregation, or
company of
cruel scalding, "c, of any slave,as for the
out his eyes, are to be regardedas equally
reprehensible.
That there might be no doubt of the
"great and fundamental policy" of the assembly or meeting of slaves
State, and that there might be full J
au ,
security which may disturb the peace,
againsthe " great inconveniences " of
"c, of his majesty'subjects, p"m'
"
having of slaves taughtto write,"it was and permits that every slave found at such
* In and after the reignof Augustus,certain restrictive without
regulations were passed,designedto prevent an increase
of unworthy citizens by
back
emancipation.They had, however,
nothinglike the stringentforce of American laws.
inconveniences" and we learn,by a quotation
in the work of Judge Stroud from
that " the
by which any
person that teaches any person of color.
a number of " The Portfolio,"
city has passed an ordinance,
of white jjersons, concludes in the
negroes,
shall,under pretenceof divine worship, stroud, p. 92.
offenceof teaching him to write! That is assemble themselves,contraryto the Prince's Digest,
to say, that to teach him to p' "' "
write,and to act
put regulating patrols.
"
The act regulating patrols," as quoted
by the editorof Prince's Digest,empowers
every justiceof the peace
to disperse any
o J Stroud, p. 93.
irince's Digest,
a meeting shall " immediatelybe corrected,
trial, by receiving on the bare
switch,or
twenty-five stripeswith a whip,
cowski?i."

"
how,in
112
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
The history of legislation in South Carolina
is significant. An act was passed in
1800,containing the following section :
sheepor hogs. And it shall be law-
It shall not be lawful for any number of
g
slaves,free Di'
negroes,
mulattoes or mestizoes, even seizeand take
in company
with white persons, to meet away from any slave gest, 3S5. 386.
together all such
Actofl""-
goods,"c, boats,"c. "c,
an(* assemble for the
Stroud p. 93.
purpose or menand
to deliverthe same into the hands of
2 Brevard's tal instruction or religiousworship,
any justice
Dig.254,2a5.
e;tjierbefore the rising of the of the peace, nearest to the place where the
sun, or
after the going down of the same. And all seizureshall be made ;
magistrates,
and such justiceshall take
the oath of the
sheriffs, militia officers, "c. "c, are
person making
hereby
such seizure, concerning
vested with power, "c, for dispersing such
the manner thereof ; and if the said justice
assemblies, "c.
The law justquotedseems somehow to
have had a prejudicial effect upon the religious
half of the moneys arising from such sale to go to
interestsof the "
slaves, free the
negroes," state,and the other half to him or them that
sue for the same.
"c, specified in it;for țhree years afterwards,
on the petition of certain religiousThe laws in many other states are similar
"
societies, a protective act" was passed, to the above ; but the State of Georgia has
which should secure them this great religious
an additionalprovision, againstper- 2Cobb'"
privilege ; to wit țhat it should be mittingthe slave to hire himself to Dig- 284-
unlawful, before nine o'clock,
" to break another for his own benefit ; a penalty of
into a place of meeting,wherein shall be thirtydollarsis imposed for every weekly
assembled the members of any religious society
offence, on the part of the master, unless
of this state,provided a majorityof the labor be done on his own premises.
them shall be white persons,
or otherwise Savannah,Augusta, and Sunbury, are places
to disturb theirdevotion, unless such person
excepted.
shall have first obtained * * * * In Virginia,
"if the master shall permit
a warrant, "c."
his slave to hirehimself out,"the
Thirdly. It appears that many masters, slave is to be apprehended, "c., r"u ' p-
who are disposed to treat theirslaves generously,
and the master to be fined.
have allowed them to accumulate In an earlyact of the legislature of the
property țo raise domesticanimals for their orthodox and Presbyterian State of North
These laws are, in some cases, so constructed
as to make it for the interestof the
lowest and most brutal part of society that
they be enforced, by offering half the slaveto cultivatecotton for his
profits
own
B
to the
use
informer. We givethe following, as ;
or who licenses Ins slave to
specimens of slave legislation
this subject
go at large and tradeas a freeman ;
:
The law of South Carolina :
It shall not be lawful for any slave to buy,
sell,trade,"c, for any goods,"c, without a
license from the owner, "c; nor shall any slave be
permitted to keep any boat,periauger,* or canoe,
Periagua.
or raise and breed,for the benefitof such slave,
any horses,mares, cattle,sheep, or hogs, under
pain of forfeiting all the goods,"c.,and all tho
boats,periaugers, or canoes, horses, mares, cattle,
ful for any person whatsoever to 47TOUja'm^s'
shall be satisfiedthat such seizure has been
made according to law,he shall pronounce and
declare the goods so seized to be forfeited, and
order the same to be sold at publicoutcry, one
the interestsof Christiancharity,
own use, and, in the case of intelligent Carolina, itis gratifying to see how thejudicious
servants,to go at large, to hire their own
course of publicpolicyis made to
time,and to trade upon their own account. subserve
Upon all these practices the law comes
a singleingenious sentence,provision
down,with unmerciful severity. A penalty
is made for punishing the offender
is inflicted on the owner, but,with a rigoragainstsociety,
rewarding the patriotic in-
quiteaccordant with the tenor of slave-law
and feeding the poor and destitute:
the offence is considered, in law,as that of
the slave, rather than that of the All horses,cattle,hogs or sheep,that, one
master ; month after the passing of this act, shall
so that, ifthe master is generous enoughnot
former,
belong to any slave,or be of any clave 's sket^h^.
mark, in this state,shall be seized and
to regard the penaltywhich isimposedupon
sold
himself,he may be restrainedby the fear by the county wardens,and by them applied,
the one-half to
of bringing a greaterevil upon his dependent.
the support of the poor of the
county, and the other half to the informer.
In Mississippi a
dollars is
imposed upon the master who permits his
fine of fifty
. , .
-i " l x
Stroud,p. 48.
is convicted of permitting
"
or who
by the highestjudicial tribunalof
State of Mississippi, we repeat
portion of a decisionof Chief Justice
the sovereign
here a
Sharkey,which we have elsewhere given
more
in full.
his slave to keep
stock of any description."
To show how the above law has been interpreted

_.
.. ...
Independent of the principles
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 113
laid down in adjudicated
the forfeitureof two
cases, our statute-law prohibits slaves recovered by
from owning action certain kinds of property; and it
or indictment ; the
slavesin
may
be inferred that the legislature supposed questionstillremaining,
" to all
the act as far as it could be
they were extending
intents and purposes,
as much in a state
necessary to exclude them from owningany property,
of slavery as beforethey were manumitted."
as the prohibition includes that kind of
property which theywould most likely be permitted
Believersin human
to own without interruption, to wit : hogs,
progress willbe interested
horses,cattle,"c. They cannot be prohibited
to know that since the law of 1801
from holdingsuch property in consequence
of its there has been a reform introducedinto this
beingof a dangerous or offensivecharacter, but because
part of the legislation of the republic
it was deemed impolitic for of
them to hold property
Georgia.
of any description.
In 1818, a new law was passed,
which,as will be seen, contains a grand
.Itwas asserted, at the beginningof this
remedyfor the abuses of the old. In this
head țhat the permission of the master to a it is provided, with endless variety
slave to hire his own time is,by of specificatio
law, con
and synonyms, as if to " letsuspicion
sidered the offence of the slave ; the slave
double-lock the door" against any
beingsubjecto prosecution therefor, not
possible evasion, that, "All and every will,
.or
.
the following
or by parol,made and executed for the
Carolina. They are copied from the Supplement
to the U. S. Digest, p. 798 purpose of effecting, or endeavoring to effect,
: the manumission of any slave or slaves,
139. An indictment chargingthat a certain
either directly
.
indirectly, or virtually,
negro did hire her own time,
^ne'deii?^'
contraryto the form of the statute,
"c, is defective and must
because it was omitted
bo quashed, to be void." And the guiltyauthor of the outrage
charged
that she was permittedby her master to go at large against the peace of the state,contemplated
which is one essential partof the offence.
in such deed,"c. "c, " and all and
140. Under the first clauseof the thirty-first every person or persons concerned in giving
section of the 111th chapterof the Revised Statutes
or attempting
prohibiting masters from hiringto slaves their
to giveeffectthereto,
. . .
in
own time,the master is not indictable; he is only any way
or manner whatsoever, shall be
subjec to a penaltyof fortydollars. Nor is the severally liableto a penalty not
master indictableunder the second clause of that one thousand dollars."
section ; the process beingagains the slave, not
of the state.
In
':
and formthan the one
hundred dollars, to be
the master. This is evidentfrom the tenor testament and deed,whether by way oi
of some of the laws quotedand alluded to trust or otherwise, contract,
above. It willbe stillfurtherillustratedby
or agreement,
or stipulation, or other instrument in writing
decisionsof the courts of North
"c. "c, shall be, and the same are
hereby, declared to be utterlynull and
exceeding
It would be quiteanomalous in slave-law.
and contraryto the " greatand fundamental
policy" of slave states, if the negroes who.
havingthe fear of God beforetheir eyes,
by the devilșhould be
agains the "
master. lb.
142. To constitute the offence under section 32
(Uev. Stat. c. cxi." 32) it is not
necessary that
the slave should have hired his time ; it is sufficient
not
if the master permits him to go at large as but beinginstigated
a freeman.
guilty of beingthus manumitted, were suffered
This is maintaining the ground that to go unpunished ; accordingly, the law
l:
the master
" can do no wrong with greatvery properly and judiciously provides
consistency and thoroughness. But itisin that " each and every slave or slaves in
perfectkeeping, both in form and spirit, whose behalf such will or
testament,"c.
with the whole course of slave-law, which "c. "c, shall have been made,shall be
alwaysupholdsthe supremacy of themaster, liableto be arrested by war- "'
D1 "
Stroud -3
,
c -i t "
j j
Sketch,pp.
and alwaysdepresses the slave.
rant,"c. ; and, being there- 147"8. Prince'sDig.
Fourthly.Stringent laws against emancipation
46S'
of convicted,"c, shall be
exist in nearly aU the slave states. liableto be sold as a slave or slavesby public
In four of
"
the states; South Carolina, outcry; and the proceeds of such slaves
stroud,147. Prince's Georgia, Alabama, and Misi"i3.456.
James- DiS. "
shall be appropriated, "c. "c."
sissippi, emancipationCans'^.
Toulmin's Dif*. \} ' r
JudgeStroud givesthe following account
" ,
632. Miss. Rev Code, not be effected, except by a of the law of Mississippi :
special act of the legislature The emancipation must be by an instrument tfL
Georgia, the offence of setting free
any slave,or slaves, in any other manner
prescribed," was
pun-
according to the law of 1801,by
writing, a last will or deed,"c,
"
' " "
1
7 ,, ,11.
'. Stroud's
,i Sketch,149.
.
under seat,attested by at least two miss. liev. Code,386
crediblewitnesses, or
"6
acknoivledged(Act June 18,
in the court of the 1822^'
county or cor-
ishable, poration where the emancipator resides ; proof
satisfactory to thcGcneral Assemblymust be ad-

114 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
dnced that the slave has clone some meritorious act
for the benefit ofhis master, or rendered some distinguished
service to the state; ailwhich circumstances
until a
The same pre-reqitisite of " meritorious
servicesțo be adjudged of and allowed by
the county court,"is exacted by an act of
the General Assembly of North Carolina ;
and all slaves emancipatedcontraryto the
provisions of this act are to be committed to
the jailof the county, and at the next court
held for that county are to be sold to the
highest bidder.
But the law of North Carolina does not
refuse opportunity for repentance, even after
the crime has been proved : accordingly,
validity of the deed of emancipation to be
the main question in the controversy. He
and with the hopethatșmitten by remorse then argues that,althoughaccordingto
of conscience, and brough to a sense of his principles of national comity ' ' contracts
guilt before God and man,
are to be construed accordingto the laws
such person may,
if he thinks of the
proper,
country renew
or state where they are
his claim to the negro
so
emancipatedby him ; on
failureto do which, the sale is to be made by the
sheriff, and one-fifth part of the net proceedsis to
become the property of the freeholder by whom
the apprehension was made,,and the remainingpolicy of the state." What this " greatand
four-fifths are to be paid into the publictreasury.
It is proper to add that we have may be gatheredfrom the remainder of
giventhe decision, which we givein full.
York Evening Post,edited by
Cullen Bryant. They
of themselves.
are a romance
A man of the name of Elisha Brazealle,a
planterin Jefferson County,Mississippi, was at-
to maintain
this settled policy,
tackedNo owner can emancipatehis slave,but by a deed
with a loathsome disease. During his illness
we find that free
the law contends with the kind designs
negroes
are deemed offensive,
because theyare not permitted
of the master, is on record in the
to emigrateto or
remain in the state. They are allowed few privileges,
reports of legaldecisions in the State of
amd subjec to heavypenalties for offences.
Mississippi. The circumstances of the case They are Tequiredto leave the state within thirty
have been thus briefly stated in the New daysafternotice, and in the mean time give security
Mr. William
for goodbehavior ; and those of them who can
deed for her emancipation,
recorded both in the States of Ohio and Mississippi,
and made her his wife.
Mr. Brazealle returned with her to Mississippi,
and in process of time had a. son. After a
are hut pre-requisilcs and are
,
of no efficacy
special ofassemblysanctions the emancipation ; few years he sickened and died,leaving a will, in
to which may be added,as has been alreadystated, which, after reciting the deed of emancipation, he
a saving of the rightsofcreditors, and the protection
declared his intention to ratifyit,and devised all
of the widow's thirds.
his property to this lad,acknowledging in the
will to be such.
Some poor and distant relations in North Carolina,
whom he did not know, and for whom he
did not care, hearing of his death,came on to Mississippi,
and claimed the propertythus devised.
They instituted a suit for its recovery, and the
case (itis reported in Howard's Mississippi Reports,
vol. ii.,p. 837) came before Judge Sharkey,
our new consul at Havana. lie decided it,and
in that decision declared the act of emancipation
an offenceagainstrmorality, and pernicious and
detestable as an example. He set aside the will ;
gave the "propertyof Brazealle to his distant relations,
condemned Brazealle 's son, and his wife țhat
son's mother, again to bondage, and made them
the slaves of these North Carolina kinsmen, as
partof the assets of the estate.
Chief Justice Sharkey,after narrating
The sheriff is directed,five daysbefore the time
^or ^e 8a^e "^ ^ie
Stroud's Sketch
emancipated negro,
us. Haywood's' to givenotice,in writing, to the per- the circumstances of the case, declares the
Manuai,525,S26, "son Dy whom the emancipation was
S-l'J, 037 made, to the end,
made," yet these principles are not to be
followed when theylead to conclusions in
conflictwith "the great and fundamental
fundamental policy"is, in Mississippi,
examplesof the laws of states whose legislation
on this subject has been Let
most us
severe.
applythese principles to the deed of
The laws of Virginia,
emancipation
Maryland,
Ṭo give it validity would be, in
stroud, pp.
148-154. Missouri,Kentucky and Louisiana, and contraryto a positive law of the state.
are much less stringent.
The policy of a state is indicated by the general
A striking case, which shows how inexorably
course of legislation
a givensubject; and
the firstplace,a violation of the declared policy,
lawfullyremain must register and carry with
them their certificates, or they may be committed
to jail. It would also violate a positive law,
passedby the legislature, expressly
and to prevent emancipation.
or will properlyattested,or acknowledged in court,
he was faithfully nursed by a mulatto slave, and proofto the legislature that such slave haa
to whose assiduous attentions he felt that he owed performedsome meritorious act for the benefitof
his life. He was dulyimpressedby her devotion the master, or some distinguished service for the
and soon after his recovery took her to Ohio,and state ; and the deed or will can have no validity
had her educated. She was very intelligent, and until ratified by specialact of legislatureỊt is
improved her advantages so rapidly that when he believed that this law and policy are too essentially
visitedher again he determined to marry her. He important to the interests of our citizensto
axecuted a
and had it permi them to be evaded.

They
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 115
The state of the case shows conclusively that cated woman, back into the bottomless abyss
the contract had its origin in an offence againstof slavery. Had this case been chosen for
morality, pernicious and detestableas an example.
But, above all, it seems to have been planned and the theme of a novel,or a tragedyțhe
executed with a fixed design to evade the rigor of world would have cried out upon it as a
the laws of this state. The acts of the party in
As it
goingto Ohio with the slaves,and there executing
the deed,and his immediate return with them
to this state,point with unerringcertainty to his
purpose and object. The laws of this state cannot
of
by one
be thus defrauded of theiroperation
our own citizens. If we could have any doubts of this anomalous
in 1 Randolph,
about the principle, the case reported
15, would remove them.
As we think the validity
of the deed and
must
dependupon the laws of this state,it becomes gravelyponderedby those in foreign countries,
unnecessary to inquirewhether it could have any who are too apt to fastentheir condemnation
forceby the laws of Ohio. If it were even valid
and
there,it can
opprobrium rather
have no force here. The on the
consequence
is țhat the negroes,
John Monroe and his mother, person of the slave-holderthan on the horrors
are stillslaves,and a partof the estate of Elisha of the legalsystem.
In some slave
Brazealle. have not -
acquired a right to states it seems as if there was very little
their freedom under the will ; for,even if the
that the benevolent owner could do which
clause in the will were sufficientfor that purpose,
their emancipation has not been consummated should
by
permanently benefit his slave, unless
an act of the legislature.
he should seek to alter the laws. Here
John Monroe, beinga slave,cannot take the it is that the highestobligation of the
property as devisee ; and I apprehend it is equal Southern Christian lies. Nor will the
lyclear that it cannot be held in trust for him
4 Desans. Rep. 266. Independent of the world or God hold them guiltless who,with
principles
laid down in adjudicated cases, our statute tha electivefranchise in their hands,and
law prohibits slavesfrom owning certainkinds of
property; and it may be inferred that the legislature
suffer this monstrous
supposedthey were extending the act as
far as it could be necessary to exclude them from
crueltyto go on from age to age.
owningany property, as the prohibition
includes
that kind of property which they
would most
likely be permitted to own without interruption,
to wit,hogs,horses,cattle,"c. They
cannot be
prohibited from holdingsuch propertyin consequence
of its beingof offensive
a dangerousor
character,but because it was deemed impolitic
for them to hold property of any description. It
follows,therefore, that bis hsirs are entitled to
the property.
As the deed was void,and the devisee could
plot of monstrous improbability.
stands in the law-book,it is only a specimen
of that awful kind of truth,stranger
which is all the time evolving,
than fiction,
in one form or another, the workings
system.
This view of the subject is a very important
one, and ought to be earnestly
ihe full power to speak, write and discuss,
system of legalized
Having comparedthe American law with
not take under the will, ^ heirsmight,perhaps, the Roman, we will now compare it with
have had a 'remedy at lav/ ; but, as an account one other code of slave-laws, to wit,the
must be taken for the rents and profits, and for
Hebrew.
the final settlementof the estate,I see no good This
reason why theyshould be sent back to law. The comparisonis the more important,
remedy is,itoubt!ess,
more full and complete than because American slavery has been defended
it could be at law. The decree of the chancellor on the groundof God's permitting Hebrew
overrulingthe demurrer must be affirmed, and the
slavery.
remanded for further proceedings. The inquirynow arises, What kind of
The Chief Justice Sharkeywho pronounced
slavery was it that was permitted among the
this decision is stated by the Hebrews ? for in differentnations very different
Evening Post to have been a principal systems have been called by the
agent in the passage of the severe law general name of slavery.
under which this horrible inhumanity was That the patriarchal state of servitude
perpetrated.
which existedin the time of Abraham was
Nothing more forcibly shows the absolute
a very different thingfrom American slavery,
despotism of the slave-law over allthe
a few graphic incidents in the scripture
kindestfeelings and intentionsof the master,
narrative show ; for we read that when the
and the determination of courts to angels came to visit Abraham,although he
carry
these severitiesto their full lengths, had three hundred servants born in his
than this cruel deed,which precipitated a house, it is said that Abraham hasted, and
man
young
who had been educated to consider
took a calf,and killedit, and gave
it to a
himself free,a"d his mother,fin edu- young man to dress ; and that he toldSarah
CHAPTER
XIV.
THE HEBREW SLAVE-LAW COMPARED WITH
THE AMERICAN SLAVE-LAW.

Deut.
Deut.
116 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
to take three measures of meal and knead
we find the Divine Being
it intocakes ; and that,when all was done, taking the same course which wise human
he himself set it before his guests. legislators have taken.
From various other incidentswhich appear
When Lycurgus wished to banish money
in the patriarchal narrative, it would and its attendant luxuries from Sparta,he
seem that these servants bore more the relation
did not forbid it by direct statute-law, but
of the members of a Scotch clan to he instituteda currency
their feudallord than that of an American
slaveto his master ;
"
thus it seems that if
Abraham had died withoutchildren, his head
servant would have been his heir." Gen.
15 : 3.
heathen nations,
so clumsyand uncomfortable
that, as we are informed by Rollin,it
took a cart and pairof oxen to carry
home the price of a very moderate estate.
In the same manner the Divine Being
surrounded the customs of polygamy, war,
Of what species, then,was the slaveryblood-revenge
and slavery, with regulations
which God permitted among the Hebrews ? which gradually and certainly tended to
By what laws was itregulated?
abolish them entirely.
In the New Testament thewhole Hebrew No one would pretendthatthe laws which
system of administrationis spokenof as a God established in relation to polygamy,
relatively imperfect one, and as superseded citiesof refuge,"c, have any application
by the Christian "
dispensation. Heb. 8:13. to Christiannations now.
We are taugh thus to regardthe Hebrew The following summary
of some of these
system as an educational system,by which laws of the Mosaic code is givenby Dr. C.
a debased, half-civilized race, which had been E. Stowe", Professor of Biblical Literature
degradedbyslavery in itsworst form among in Andover Theological Seminary:
the Egyptians,was graduallyelevated to
1. It commanded a Hebrew, even though
refinement and humanity.
a married
man, with wife and childrenlivingțo take the
As theywent from the land of Egypt, k childlesswidow of a deceased brother,and beget
childrenwith
would appear that the her. " 25
most disgusting
: 5"10.
personal
2. The Hebrews,under certainrestrictions, were
habitsțhe most unheard-of and unnatural
allowed to make concubines, or wives for a limited
impurities, prevailed among them; time,of women taken in war.
" 21 :
"
10 19.
so that it was necessary to make laws with 3. A Hebrew who already had a wife was allowed
relation to things of which to take
Christianity has
another also,' provided he stillcontinued
his intercoursewith the first as her husband,
banished the very
name from the earth.
and "
treated her kindlyand affectionately.
Beside all this,polygamy,war and slavery,
Exodus 21 : %" 11.
were the universal custom of nations. 4. By the Mosaic law,the nearest relativeof a
It is represented in the New Testament
murdered Hebrew conld pursue and slaythe murderer,
that God,in educating this unless he co-aid
people, proceeded
escape to the cityof refuge;
and the same permissionwas givenin case of
in the same gradual manner in which a wise accidental homicide. "Num. 35 : 9 " 39.
fatherwould proceed with a family of children. 5. The Israelites we?e commanded to extermi
nate
He selecteda few of the
the Canaanites,men,
most
women and children.-
vitalpoints
Deut. 9 : 12
of evilpractice, and forbade them
; 20 : 16" lX
bypositive
statute, under
Any one,
rigorouspenalties.
or all, of the above practices, can be
justified by the Mosaic law,as well as the practice
The worship of any other god was, by of slave-holding.
Each
the Jewish of these laws, althoughki itstime it
law,constitutedhigh treason,
was
an
and rigorously punishedwith death.
ameliorating law,designed to take the place of
As the knowledgeof the true God and some barbarous abuse,and to be a connecting link
religiousby
which some
instruction could not then, higherstate of society might be
as now, be introduced,belongsconfessedly to that system
affordedbyprinting and books, one dayin the which St. Paul says made nothing perfect.
week had to be set apart for preserving
They are a part of the commandment winch he
says
the minds of the people a sense of His being,
was annulled for the weakness and unprofitableness
thereof,and which,in the time which ne
and their obligations to Him. The devoting of wrote, was waxing old,and ready to vanish away.
this dayto any other purpose was also And Christ himself punished
says, with regardto certain
with death ; and the reason is permissions
obvious,
of this system țhat they were given on
account of the
that itssacredness was the principal
" "
hardness of their hearts,'7 because
means
the attemptto enforce a more stringent
reliedon for preserving the allegiance of the
system
at that time,owing to human depravity,
nation to their king and God, and itsdesecration,
would have onlyproducedgreater abuses.
of course, led directly to hightreason
The following view of the Hebrew laws
against the head of the state.
of slavery is compiledfrom Barnes' work
With regard to many other practices which on slavery, and from Professor Stowe's
prevailed among the Jews,as among other manuscript lectures.

" Exodus
"
Deut.
"
a
"
Ex.
-'Ye
6.
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
The legislation commenced bymakingthe power entirely, and gave him his liberty.
great and common source of "
slavery kidnapping
Then,furtherthan this,if a master's conduct
capital crime.
towards a slavewas such as to induce
him to run
away, it was enjoined that nobody
should assistin retaking him, and that
found in his hand, he shallsurely be put to he should dwell wherever he
death." "Exodus 21 : 16.
The enactment is as follows: " He that
stealeth a man and sellethhim,or if he be
" "
"
chose in the
land,without molestation. Third țhe law
The sources from which slaves were to secured to the slave a
very considerable portion
be obtained were thus reduced to two : first, of time,which was to be at his own
the voluntary saleof an individualby himself,
disposalĖveryseventh year was to be at
which certainly does not come under his own disposal. Lev. 25 : 4 Every
the designation of involuntary servitude ; seventh daywas, of course, secured to him.
secondțhe appropriation of captives taken
20 : 10.
in war, and the buyingfrom the heathen. The servant had the privilege of attending
With regardto the servitude of the the three great national festivals, when
Hebrew by a voluntary himself, such all the males of the nation were
servitude, by the statute-lawof the land, appear beforeGod in Jerusalem. Ex.
came to an end once in seven
years; so that 34: 23.
the worst that could be made of it was that Each
it was a voluntary contract to labor for a
certain time.
With regard to the servants boughtof the
heathen, or of foreigners in the land țhere
was a statute by which their servitude was your God, ye, and your sons, and your
annulled once in fifty years.
daughters, and your men-servants, and your
It has been supposed, from a disconnectedmaid-servants,
and the Levite thatis within
view of one particular passage in the Mosaic your gates."
code,that God directly countenanced the Dr. Barnes estimates that the whole
treating of a slave, who was a stranger and amount of time which a servant could have
foreigner, with more rigor and severity than to himself would amount to about twentythree
years out of fifty, or nearly one-half
a Hebrew slave. That this was not the
case will appear from the following enactments,
histime.
which have express reference to
strangers :
with his master in all that concerned
his religious relations.
The stranger that dwelleth with you shall he
unto you as one horn among you, and thou shalt Now, if we recollectthat in the time of
love him as
"
thyself. Lev. 19 : 34.
Moses the God and the kingof the nation
Thou shalt neither vex a
stranger nor oppress were one and the same person, and that the
him ; for ye
were
strangers in the land of Egypt. civil, and religious relationwere one and the
22: 21.
Thou shalt not oppress a stranger, for ye know same, it will appear that the slaveand his
the heart of a
"
stranger. Exodus 23 : 9.
master stood on an equality in their civil
The Lord your God regardeth not persons. He relationwith regardto the state.
doth execute the judgmentof the fatherlessand
Thus,in Deuteronomy29,is describeda
the widow,and loveth the stranger in givinghim
solemn
food and raiment ; love ye thereforethe national convocation, which took
stranger.
10 : 17"19.
placebefore the death of Moses,when the
Judgerighteously between
man
every and his whole nation were called upon, after a
brother,and the stranger that is with him. "
solemn review of their national
Deut. 1 :
history,
16.
renew their constitutional oath of
Cursed be
allegiance
he that pervertethe judgmentof the
"
stranger. Deut.
to
27 : 19.
their supreme Magistrate and Lord.
On this occasion, Moses addressed them
thus :
"
stand this day, all of you,
before the Lord your God ; your captains of
your tribes, your elders, and
were adopted into the Jewish your officers,
state,educated with all the men of Israel, your little ones,
and instructedin the worshipof the true your wives,and thystranger that is in thy
God,and in due time emancipated. camp, from the hewer ofthywood unto the
In the firstplace, theywere protected by drawer of thywater ; that thou shouldest
law from personal violence. The lossof an enter into covenant with the Lord thyGod,
eye or a tooth,throughthe violence of'his and into his oath, which the Lord thyGod
master, took the slave out of thatmaster's maketh with thee thisday."
Instead of makingslavery an oppressive
institutionwith regardto the stranger, it was
made by God a system withinwhich heathen
117
required
of these festivals, it is computed,
took up about three weeks.
The slave alsowas to be a guest in the
familyfestivals.In Deut. 12 : 12, it is
said,"Ye shall rejoicebefore the Lord
Again țhe servant was placedon an exact
equality

Inquiry
"
Inquiry,Sec.,
"
118 KEY TO UNCLE TOMS CABIN.
How differentis this from the cool and
explicit declaration of South Carolina with
Joseph,which is held
of the American
up to so strongreprobation,
Jacob. The onlyinstance of a sale of this kind
among the patriarchs isthat act of the brothersof
mission
In allthe religious services, which,as we
have seen by the constitutionof the nation,
were civilservices, the slave and periodfixed
the master
by law when he could be free.
mingled on terms of strict There is no
arrangement
equalityṬhere
in the law of Moses by
which servants were to be taken in payment of
was none of the distinctionwhich appertains their master's debts,by which theywere to be
"
to a distinctclass or caste. There was given as pledges, by which theywere to be consigned
no
special service appointed for them at
to the keeping of others,or by which they
were to be given
unusual seasons. There away as presents. There are no
were no particular instancesoccurring
seats assignedto them,to keepup the the idea
Jewish history in which
any of these tilings were done. This law ispositive
that they were a degradedclass. There in regard to the Hebrew servant, and the
was no withholding from them the instruction
principle of the law would apply to all others.
Lev. 25
"
:
"
42.
which the word of God gave
about the
They shall not be sold as bond
men." In all these respectsthere was a marked
equalrights of mankind."
difference, and there was doubtless intended to be,
Fifthly Ịt was alwayscontemplated that between the estimate affixed to servants and to
the slave would, as a matter of course,
property.
p.
133 "
4.
choose the Jewish religion, and the service As to the practical workings of this system,
of God, and enter willingly into all the obligations
as they are developed in the incidents
and services of the Jewish polity. of sacred history, they are precisely what
Mr. Barnes citesthe words of Maimonides,
to show how this was commonly understood
laws. For instance, we find it mentioned
we should expect from such a system of
by the Hebrews. into
"
incidentally
the ninth chapterof the first
the ScripturalVieivs ofSlavery.By Albert
book of Samuel, that when Saul and his servant
Barnes, p. 132.
came to see Samuel,that Samuel,in
Whether a servant be born in the power of anticipation of hisbeing crowned kin g, made
an Israelite, or whether he be purchased from the a great feast for him ; and in verse
twentysecond
the historysays : "
heathen,the master is to bringthem both intothe
And Samuel
covenant.
took Saul and his servant, and brought
But he that is in the house is entered on the
eighthday ; and he that is bought with them into the parlor, and made them sit
money,
on the day on which his master receiveshim,
in the
unless
chiefestplace."
the slave be unwilling.For,if the master We read,also,in 2 Samuel 9 : 10, of a
receive a grown slave,and he be unwilling,his
servant of Saul who had largeestates,and
master is to bear with him, to seek to win him
over by instruction, and by love and twenty kindness,for
servants of his own.
one
year. After which,should he refuse so long, We find,in 1 Chron. 2 : 34, the following
it is forbidden to keep him longer than a year. incident related: "Now, Sheshan had
And the master must send him back to the strangers
no sons, but from whence he came.
daughtersẠnd Sheshan had
For the God of Jacob
will not acceptany other than the a servant,an
worshipof a
Egyptian, whose name was
Maimon. Hilcoth Jarha. And
willingheart." Miloth,chap,
Sheshan gave
his daughterto
i., sec. 8.
Jarha,his servant, to wife."
A sixth fundamental arrangement with Does thisresemble American slavery ?
We find,
regardto the Hebrew slave was that he
moreover, that this connection
was not consideredat
could never
alldisgraceful, for the
be sold. ConcerningthisMr.
son of this
Barnes remarks :
very daughterwas enrolled
among the valiant men of David's army.
A man, in certain circumstances,might be 1 Chron. 2 : 41.
boughtby a Hebrew ; but when once bought, that In fine,we are not surprised to discover
was an end of the matter. There is not the
slightestevidence that any Hebrew ever sold
a slave ; and any provisioncontemplating that
was unknown to the constitution of the Commonwealth.
It is said of Abraham that he had " servants
longbeforethe time of Christ. Mr. Barnes
boughtwith money ;" but there is no record
asks
of his having ever sold :
one, nor is there any
account
of its ever havingbeen done by Isaac or
regard to the position
by
"
A slave slave:"
isnot generally regarded
which theysold him to the Ishmaelites. Per-
is given in the law of Moses to buy a
as legallycapableof beingservant,but none is given to sell him again; and
*"
of slavey, within the peace of the the fact
state.
that no such permissionis givenis full
243-
He is not a citizen, and isnot in proof that it was not contemplatedẈhen he
entered into that relation,it became certain that
that character entitledto her protection."
there could be no change,unless it was voluntary
on his part(comp.Ex. 21 : 5, 6), or unless his
master gave him his freedom,until the not distant
that the institutionsof Moses in effectso
obliteratedall the characteristicsof slavery,
that it had ceased to exist among the Jews
On what evidence would a man rely to prove

Inquiry,"c,
"
-just
-10
that slavery existed at all in the land in^hetime
of the later prophetsof tliQMaccabees,or when
the Saviour i
appeared? There are abundant
proofs, as we shall see, tnat it existed in Greece
and Rome ; but what is the evidence that it existed
in Judea 1 So far as I have been able to
ascertaințhere are no declarations that it did to
be found in the canonical books of the Old Testament,
There are no allusions
or in Josephus.
to laws and customs which imply that itwas prevalent.
There are no coins or medals which suppose
it. There are no facts which do not admit
of an
easy explanation
the supposition that
had ceased. p. 226*.
slavery
"
Two objections have been urgedto the
interpretations which have been givenof two
of the enactments before quoted.
1. It is said that the enactment, " Thou
shaltnot return to his master the servant
that has escaped," "c, relatesonlyto servants
escaping from heathen masters to the
Jewish nation.
The following remarks on this passage
are from Prof. Stowe's lectures:
These words
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABltf. 119
Deuteronomy23: 15, 16.
"
make a statute which,like every other statute,
is to be strictly construed. There is read and comparedwith the fugitive
nothingin the language to limit itsmeaning
slave law alreadyadverted to. Just when
; there is nothing the connection in the men are drawn up ready for the expedition,
which it stands to limit its meaning; nor
at the moment when even the
is there anything in the history of the Mosaic
heartsof brave men are apt to fail them,"
legislation to limit the application of the officers are commanded to address the
thisstatute to the case of servants escaping soldiersthus :
from foreign masters. The assumption that
it is thus limited is whollygratuitous, and.
so far as the Bible isconcerned, unsustained
by any evidence whatever. It is said that
itwould be absurd for Moses to enact such
a law while servitude existed among the
Hebrews. It would indeed be absurd, were
it the object of the Mosaic legislation to sustain
and perpetuateslavery ; but,if it were
the object
and finally to extinguish slavery,
'ofMoses to limit and to return unto his house,lest he die in the battle,
restrain,
this statute
was admirablyadaptedto his purpose.
That it was the objectof Moses to extinguish,
and not to perpetuateșlavery, is perfectly
heart faint,as well as his heart."
clear from the whole course of his
legislation
the subject.Every slave Now, considerthat the Hebrews were exclusively
was to have all the religious privileges
an agricultural people, that warlike
and instruction to which his master's children
parties necessarily consist mainly of young
were entitled. Every seventh year men, and that by this statute every man
releasedthe Hebrew slave, and every fiftieth who had built a house which he had not
year produceduniversalemancipation. If yet lived in, and every man who had planted
a master, by an accidental or an angry a vineyard from which he had not yet
blow,deprivedthe slave of a toothțhe gathered fruit,and every
man who had engaged
slave,by that act,Avas forever free. And
a wife whom he had not yet married,
if the slave and every one who felttimid and fainthearted,
so, by the statute in question,
felt himself oppressed,he could make
his escape, and, though the master was
not forbidden to retake him if he could,
every
one was forbidden to aid his master in
doing it. This statute, in fact,made the
servitude voluntary, and that was what
Moses
intended.
Moses dealt with slaveryprecisely as
he
dealtwith polygamyand with war : without
directly prohibiting, he so restricted as
to destroy it ; instead of cutting down the
he girdledit,and leftit to die
poison-tree,
of itself.There is a statute in regardto
military expeditions precisely analogous to
this celebrated fugitiveslave*law. Had
Moses designed to perpetuate a warlike
spirit among the Hebrewsțhe statute would
have been preeminently absurd ; but. if it
was his designto crush it,and to render
foreign wars almost impossible, the statute
was exactlyadaptedto his purpose. It
rendered foreignmilitary service, in effect,
entirely voluntary, just as the fugitive law
rendered domestic servitude, in effect,
voluntary.
The law may be found at lengthin Deuteronomy
20 : 5
"
; and let it be carefully
"
What man of you is there that hath built a
new house,and hath not dedicated it 1 Let him
go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle,
and another man dedicate it.
"
And what man is he that hath planted a vineyard
and hath not yeteaten of it1 Let him also
go and return to his house,lest he die in the battle,
and another man eat of it.
"
And what man is there that hath betrothed a
wife,and hath not taken her ? Let him
go and
and another man take her."
And the officers shall speak
further unto the
"
people,and theyshall say, What man is there
that is fearful and faint-hearted? Let him
go
and return unto his house, lest his brethren's
was permitted and commanded to
home,"
go how many would there probably
be left1 Especially when the officers, in-

120 KEY TO UNCLE TOM'S CABIN.
all the
"
"
stead of exciting military ardor by inhabitantsthereof," related onlyta
shalt proclaimliberty through the land to 2. It is not guardianship.
visionsof glory and- of splendor, Hebrew slaves. This assumption is based
to repeat it over and over againentirely
on the supposition that the slave
that they would probablydie in the battle was not considered, in Hebrew law, as a
and never gethome,and hold this idea up person, as an inhabitant of the land, and a
before them as if it were the onlyidea suitable
member of the state ; but Ave have just
for their purpose, how excessively absurd
provedthat in the most solemn transaction
is the whole statute considered as a of the state the heAverof ayooc!and drawer
military law, justas absurd as the Mosaic of Avater is expresslydesignated as being
fugitive law, understood in itswidest application,
just as much an actor and participator as
is,considered as a slave laAV! his master ; and it Avould be absurd to suppose
It is clearly the object of this military that,in a statute addressed to all the
law to put an end to military expeditions ;
inhabitantsof the land,he is not included
for,with thislaw in force, expeditions
as an inhabitant.
must alwaysbe entirely expeditions.
Barnes enforces thisidea by some pages
Just as clearly object of of quotationsfrom JeAvish writers,Avhich
the fugitive slavelaw to put an end to compulsory
any
will fullysatisfy one who reads his
servitude ; for,with that law in work.
force, the servitude must, in effect, be,to a
From a review,then, of all that relates
greatextent,voluntary, and that is justto the HebreAV slave-laAV, it will appear that
what the legislator intended. There is no
it Avas a Arery Avell-consideredand wiselyadaptedsystem
possibility of limiting the law, on account
of education and gradual
of its absurdity, when understood in its emancipation. No rational man can doubt
widest sense, except by proving that the that if the same laws Avere enacted and the
Mosaic legislation was designed to same
perpetuate
practices prevailedAvith regardto
and not to limit slavery ; and this certainly
system
slavery cannot be proved,for it is of American
directly shiverymight be considered, to
contrary to the plain matter of fact. all intents and purposes, practically at an
I repeatit,then,again: there is end. If
nothing
there is any doubt of this fact,and
in the language of this statute,there is it is stillthoughtthat the permission of
nothing the connection in which it stands, shivery among the HebreAvs justifies American
there is nothing the historyof the Mosaic
slaArery, in all fairnessthe experiment
legislation
this subject, limit the of making the tAvo systems alike oughtto
application of the law to the case of servants
be tried, and Ave should then see what would
escaping from foreignmasters ; but be the result.
every consideration, from
every legitimate
source, leadsus to a conclusion directly the
opposite. Such a limitationisthe arbitrary,
unsupported voluntas pro ratione assumption
CHAPTER XV.
of the commentator, and nothingelse.
The only shadow of a philological
SLAVERY IS DESPOTISM.
argument that I can see, for limiting the It is ahvaysimportant, in discussing a
statute, isfound in the use of the words to thing, keep before our minds exactly what
thee,in the fifteenth verse. It may be said it is.
that the pronoun thee isused in a national The only means of understanding precisely
and not individual sense, implyingan escape
Avhat a civil institution is are an
from some other nation to the Hehrews.
examination of the laAvsAvhich regulate it.
But, examine the statute immediately
In diiferent ages and nations, very different
precedingthis,and observe the use things have been called by the name of
of the pronoun thee in the thirteenthverse. slavery. Patriarchal servitude Avas one
Most obviously, pronouns in these thing, servitude AAras another, Greek
statutes are used with reference to the individualsand
Roman servitudestill a third ; and these
addressed, and not in a collective institutionsdiffered very much from each
or national sense exclusively ; very rarely, other. What, then,is American slavery,
if ever,
can this sense be givento them as we have seen itexhibited by law, and by
in the way claimed by the argument referred
the decisionsof courts 1
to.
Let us beginby stating it is not.
"
2. It issaid that the proclamation, Thou 1. It is not apprenticeship.

KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
121
8. It is in no sense a systemfor the
educationof a weaker race by a stronger.
4. The happiness of the governed
itsobject.
5. The temporalimprovement
well-being of the governed isin no
sense
itsobject.
The
is in no
the eternal
sense
state,and under
object of ithas been distinctly stated of the whole United States in the District
in one
"
sentence,by Judge Ruffin, "The of Columbia,theyare committed indiscriminately
end is the profit
the master,his security, to men of any
character.
and the publicsafety."
But the worst kind of despotism has been
of saidto be that which extends alike over the
the most
the absolutism of any
liken American
slavery to it. The absolute
governments of Europe none of them pretend
to be founded on a property rightof
their thrones,and cottagersby their firesides,
the governor to the persons
and entire capabilities
alike trembled before a despotism
of the governed.
which declared itself able to bind and to
This is a form of despotism which exists loosețo open and to shut the kingdomof
onlyin some of the most savage countries heaven.
of the world ; as, for example, in Dahomey. Yet this power to controlthe conscience,
to
and all
The European absolutism or despotism, control the religious privileges,
now, does,to some extent, recognize the theopportunities which man has of acquaintanceship
happiness and welfare of the governed as
with his Maker,and of learning to
the foundation of government; and the ruler do his will,is,under the flag of every slave
isconsidered as invested with power for the state,and under the flagof the United
benefit of the people; and his righto rule States, placed in the hands of any men, of
is supposedto be in somewhat predicated any character, who can affordto pay for it.
upon the idea that he betterunderstands how
to promote the goodof the people than theythat the greatestrepublic
themselves do. No governmentin the civilized
world now presents the pure despotic system of despotismwhich can
.
"
"
"
"
sustain under her national flagthe worst
possibly
idea,as it existed in the old. daysof the exist.
Persian and Assyrian rule.
"With regardto one point to which we
The arguments which defend slavery have adverted, the power of the master to
must be substantially the same as those deprivethe slaveof a legal trialwhile accusing
which defend despotism any other kind ; him of crime, a
very striking and the objections which are to be urgedhas occurred in the District of Columbia,
against it are precisely those which can be within a
year or two. The particulars of
urgedagainstdespotism any other kind. the case, as stated,
the time,in several
The customs and practices to which itgivespapers, briefly : A gentlemanin
rise are precisely those to which despotisms Washington, our nationalcapital, an elder
in all ages have given rise.
in the Presbyterian church, held a female
Is the slave suspected of a crime ? His slave,who had,for some
years, supported master has the power to examine him by goodcharacter in a Baptist church of that
torture (seeState v. Castleman) Ḥis master
city.He accused her of an attemptto poison
has,in fact,in most cases, the power of his family, immediately placedher
lifeand death,owingto the exclusionof the in the hands of a slave-dealer, who took her
slave'sevidence. He has the power
of banishingover
and imprisoned her in the slave-pen at
the slave,at any time, and without Alexandriațo await the departure giving an account to anybodyțo an exile coffle. The poor girlhad a mother,who
as dreadful as that of Siberia, and to labors feltas any mother would naturally as severe as those of the galleysḤe has When apprized of the situation of her
alsounlimited power over the characterof daughterșhe flew to the pen, and, with
his slave. He can accuse him of any crime, tears,besought an interviewwith her only
yet withhold from him all rightof trial or child; but she was cruelly repulsed, and told
investigation, and sellhim into captivity, to be gone ! She then triedto see theelder,
with his name blackened by an unexamined
imputation.
These are all abuses for which despotic
governments are blamed. They are powers
rulers are
which good men who are despotic
beginning to disuse ; but,under the flagof
every slave-holding
the flag
Slaveryțhen,is absolutedespotism,
unmitigated form.
body and over the soul ; which can bind the
It would, however,be doinginjustice to liberty conscience, and deprive civilized country to of allright of choicein respec to the manner
in which he shalllearn the will of God,
and worship Him. In other days,kings on
It is a most awful and most solemn truth
in the world does

"
that
and
that
122 KEY TO UNCLE TOM'S CABIN.
but failed. She had the promise of money
sufficientto purchase her daughter,
'
Suppose,now, for a moment, that your daughter,
whom
but the
you love,instead of mine,was in these
hot days
owner would listento no terms of incarcerated in compromise.
a negro-pm, subjectto
i'my control,fed on the coarsest food,committed
to the entire will of a brute,denied the privilege
In her distress, the mother repaired to a i commonly allowed even to the murderer "
of
lawyerin the city, and begged him to seeingthe face of his friends? 0!
give
then, you
would feel! Feel
form to her petition in soon, then, for a
writing.Sh*estated
poor slavemother
and her child,and do for us as
you shall
to him what she wished to have said,and he wish
you had done when we shall meet before
arrangedit for her in such a form as she the Great Judge when it shall be
, your greatest
herself might have presented it in,had not joy to say, " I did let the oppressedfree."
Ellen Brown.
the benefitsof education been denied her.
The followingis the letter :
The girl,however,was sent oft'to the
Southern market.
Washington,July25, 1851.
The writer has received these incidents
Mr.
from the
Sir : I address you as a rich Christian freeman
gentleman who wrote the letter.
and father,while I am myselfbut a poor slavemother
! I come to plead with you for an onlychild was strictly legalis a point upon which we
Whether the course pursuedby the master
whom [ love,who is" a professor
the Christian
are not
religionwith yourself,and a member of a
entirely certain
Christian
; that it was a course
church ; and who, by your act of in which the law did not in fact interfere is
ownership,
now pines in her imprisonmentin a loathsome quiteplain,and it isalso very apparent that
man-warehouse, where she is held for sale ! I it was a course against which publicsentiment
conn.' to plead with you for the exercise of that did not remonstrate. The man who
blessed law, " Whatsoever ye would that men
should do unto you, do exercised this
ye even so to them."
power
was a professedly religious
With greatlabor, I have found friends who are
man, enjoying a position of* importance
willing to aid me in the purchase of my child, to in a Christianchurch ; and it does not appear,
save us from a cruel separation.You, as afathrr. from any movements in the Christian
can judge of my feelingswhen I was told that
you had decreed her banishment to distant as well
community about him, that theydid not
as to hopeless bondage !
consider his course a justifiable one.
For nearly sis years my child has done for you Yet is not this kind of power the very
the hard labor of a slave; from the age
of sixteen
to twenty-two șhe liasdone the hard work of one at which we are so shocked when we see
your it exercised
chamber, kitchen, cellar, and stables.
by foreigndespotsl
By night
and by day,your will and your commands
"
have
Do we not read with shudderingthat in
been her highestlaw; and all this has been unrequited
Russia,or in Austria,a man accused of
toil, If in all this time her scanty allowance
crime is seized upon, separatedfrom his
of tea and coflVe has been sweetened,it has
been at the cost of her
friends, allowed no
slave-mother,
opportunities of trial or
and not at
of self-defence,but hurried offto Siberia, or
yours.
You are an office-bearer in the church, and a some other dreaded exile l
man of prayer. As such, and as the absolute
Why is despotism any
worse in the governor
owner of my child, I ask candidlywhether she
of a
has enjoyed such mild and state than in a private individual ?
gentletreatment, and
There is
amiable example, as she ought to have had, a
to
great controversy now going
encourage her in her monotonous bondage' Has on in the world between the despotic and
she received at your hands, in faithful religiousthe republican principleẠll the common
instruction in the Word of God, a full and fair
arguments
compensation
used in support of slavery
for all her toil? It is not to me alone
are
that you must answer these questions Ỵou acknowledge
arguments that apply with equalstrength
the high authority of His laws who to despotic government, and there are some
preached a deliverance to the captive,and who
arguments in favor of despotic governments
commands you to "
giveto vour servant that which
that do
is justand equal." Oil entreat you, withhold
not apply to individual slavery.
There are
not, at this tryinghour, from my child that which
arguments, and quiteplausible
will cut off her last hope, and which may endangerones,
in favor of despotic government. Nobody
own
your
soul !
can deny that it possesses a certain
It has been said that you charge my daughter kind of efficiency, compactness, and promptness
with crime. Can this be reallyso? Can it be
of movement,
that you would set aside the obligations
which cannot,from the
of honor
and goodcitizenship, you would dare to sell nature of things, belong to a republic. Despotism
the guilty one away for money,
rather than bring has establishedand sustained much
her to trial,which you know she is readyto meet?
more efficient systems of police than ever a
What would you say, if you
were accused of guilt,
and refused a
republic did. The late King of Prussia,by
trial ? Is not her fair name as
precious
the
to her,in the church to which she belongs, possession of absolute despoticpower
as
yours can be to you ? was enabled to
carry out a much more effi-

he
"
The
" This,
And
power
"
This
This
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 123
cient system of popular education' than we
1victed of a brutalityat which humanity turns
ever have succeeded in carrying out in
America. He districted his kingdom in the
most thorough manner,
and obliged every
parent, whether he would or not, to have his
children thoroughly educated.
If Ave reply to all this, as we do, that the
possession of absolute power
in a man qualified
to use it right is undoubtedly calculated
for the good of the state, but that there
conscience 7
are so few men that know how to use it,
that this form of government
whole, a safe one,
argument
that
goes
is not, on the
then we have stated an
to overthrow slavery as
much as it does a despotic government ;
for
certainly the chances are much greater
finding one man. in the course of fifty years,
who is capable of wisely using this power,
than of finding thousands of men every
day in our streets, who can be trusted with
such
power.
of
It is a painful and most serious
fact, that America trusts to the hands
of the most brutal men of her country,
equally with the best, that despotic power
which she thinks an unsafe thing even in
the hands of the enlightened, educated and
cultivated Emperor of the Russias.
pale ; but, for all that, American slave-law
power,
"
power over the soul.
over the body, and
On which side, then, stands the American
nation, in the great controversy
which
now going on hetween self-government and
despotism 7 On which side does America
stand, in the great controversy for liberty of
Do foreign governments exclude their
population from the reading
is
of the Bible 7
slave of America is excluded by the
most effectual means possible. Do we say,
"
Ah ! but read the Bible our slaves,
we to
and
present the gospel orally 7 "
is
precisely what religious despotism in Italy
says.
Do we say
that Ave have
no objection
to our slaves reading the Bible, if they will
stop there ; but that with this there will come
in a flood of general intelligence, which will
upset the existing state of things 7
"
precisely what is said in Italy.
is
Do we say Ave should be Avillingthat the
slaA'e should read his Bible, but that he, in
his ignorance, will draw false and erroneous
With all our republican prejudices, we
cannot deny that Nicholas is a man of talent,
with a mind liberalized by education
; we
conclusions from it, and for that reason Ave
prefer to impart its truths to him orally 7
also, is precisely what the religious
have been informed, also, that he is a man
of serious and religiouscharacter
;
"
certainly,
despotism of Europe says.
Do we say, in our vain-glory, that despotic
will none the less trust him with this irresponsible
acting as he does in the
of all
eye
government dreads the coming in of
anything
the world, must have great restraint
upon j
calculated to elevate and educate the
him from public opinion, and a high sense of people 7 is there
" not the same dread
character. But who is the man to whom \ through all the despotic slave gOArernments
American laws intrust
powers more absolute [ of America 7
than those of Nicholas of Russia, or Ferdinand
On which side, then, does the American
of Naples 7 He
may
have been Ination a
stand, in the great, last question of
'
pirate on the high seas ; he may
be a drunk- the
age 7
ard; he may,
like Souther, have been con-j

"
from
-what
PART
III
CHAPTER I.
to New Orleans. There were remonstrances,
and there were threats ; but still, with what
DOES PUBLIC OPINION PROTECT THE SLAVE'?
passionless calmness retributivejustice held
The utter inefficiency of the law to
on
protect
its way ! Though the men who were
the slave in any respect has been shown her instruments were men of merciful and
But it is claimed that,precisely because bleedinghearts, yet theybowed in silence
the law affords the slave no protection, to her sublime will. In spiteof all that
thereforepublicopinionis the more strenuous
influence and wealth and power could do,a
in his behalf.
cultivated and intelligent man, from the first
Nothingmore frequently strikesthe eye, rank of society, suffered the same penalty
in running over judicial proceedings
the that would fall on any
other man who violated
courts of slave statesțhan announcements of the sanctity of human life.
the utter inutility of the law to rectify some Now, compare
this with a trialin a slave
glaringinjustice towards thisunhappyrace, state. In Virginia, Souther also murdered
coupledAvith congratulatory remarks on a man ; but he did not murder him by one
that beneficent state of publicsentiment merciful blow,but by twelve hours of torture
which is to supplyentirely this acknowledged
so horrible that few readers could bear even
deficiency of the law.
the description of it. It was a mode of
On this point it may, perhaps,be sufficient
death which,to use the language that Cicero
to ask the reader,whether North or in his day applied to crucifixion, "ought
South țo review in his own mind the judicial
to be forever removed from the sight,hearing,
documents which we have presented, and and from the very thoughtsof mankind."
ask himself what inference is to be drawn,
And to this horrible scene two
as to the state of publicsentiment,from white men were witn esses !
the cases there presented, the pleas Observe the mode in which these two
of lawyersțhe decisions of judgesțhe facts cases were tried, and the generalsensation
sworn to by witnesses, and the generalstyletheyproduced. Hear the lawyers, in this
and spirit of the whole proceedings. case of Souther,coollydebating whether it
In order to appreciate this more fully, let can be considered any
crime at all. Hear
us
compare a trial in a free state with a the decisionof the inferiorcourt,that it is
trialin a slave state.
murder in the second degree, and apportioning
In the free State of Massachusetts, a man
as itsreward five years
of imprisonment.
of standing, learning and highconnections, See the horrible butcher coming up
murdered another man. He did not torture to the SuperiorCourt in the attitude of an
him, but with one blow sent him in a injured man ! See the case recorded as that
moment from life. The murderer had every of Souther versus The Commonwealth,
advantageof position, of friends ; it may be and let us ask any intelligent man, North
said,indeedțhat he had the sympathyof or South,what sort of publicsentiment does
the whole United States ; yet how calmly, this show !
with what unmoved and awful composure, Does it show a belief that the negro is a
did the judicial examination proceed ! The man ') Does it not show decidedly that he is
murderer was condemned to die "
a not considered as a man 1 Consider further
sensation shook the country ! Even sovereign
the horrible principle which,reaffirmed in
states assumed the attitude of petitioners
the case, is the law of the land in Virginia,
for him.
It is the policyof the lata,in respect to
There was a voiceof entreaty, from Maine the relation of master and slave,and J or

a
when
the sake ofsecuringproper subordination
on the part of the slave,to protect the
master from prosecution in allsuch cases,
even if the whipping and punishment be
malicious,cruel and excessive!
KE5T TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 125
man would ever do ?
And, when this shockingpermission is
When the most cultivatedand intelligent brought in review at the judgment-seat of
and the awful Judgeshall say to its
men in the state formally,calmly and Christ,
without any apparentperception of sayingmakers,aiders,and
abettors, Where is thy
"
anythinginhuman,utter such an astounding brother1 all the souls that have
decisionas this,what can be thoughtof it1 called from under the altar, " How long,0
If they do not consider this cruel,what is Lord,dost thou not judge and avenge our
cruel 1 And, iftheir feelings are so blunted blood,"shallrise around the judgment-seat
as to see no cruelty in such a decision, what as a great cloud of witnesses, and the judgment
hopeis there of any protection to the slave? is set and the books are
"
opened, what
This law is a plain and distinct permis-answer will be made for such laws and de-
sion
to such wretches as Souther to inflict
slave any torture they
upon the helpless
the law to protect him in malicious, cruel
and excessive punishments.
What sort of an education isthisfor the
old State of Massachusetts sunk very low,
to have on her legalrecords direct assurances
to deeds which no decent
of protection
as these ?
Will they tellthe greatJudge that it was
may choose,without any accusation or
necessary to preserve the slave "
system,
mpeachment of crime. It distinctly tells that itcould not be preserved without them ?
Souther,and the white witnesseswho saw Will they dare look upon those eyes,
his deed, and every other low,unprincipled which are as a flame of fire, with any such
man in the court țhat it is the policy of avowal 7
Will He not answer, as with a voice of
thunders, "Ye have killed the poor and
that the Lord
cisions
needy,and ye have forgotten
intelligent and cultivatedmen of a state to was his helper "7
communicate to the lower and less-educated The deadly sin of slavery is itsdenialof
class? Suppose itto be solemnly announced humanityto man. This has been the sin
in Massachusetts, with respecto freelaborers of oppression,
or apprentices, that it is the policy of the to vilify and crush țhe imageof God, in
law,for the sake of producingsubordination, the person
of the poor and lowly,has been
to protectthe master in inflicting any punishment,
the greatsin of man since the creationof
however cruel, malicious and excessive,
the world.
ets
shortof death. We cannot imagine of ancient times pouredforth their
such a principle declared, without a rebellion
thunders. A stillstrongerwitness was
and a storm of popularexcitement to borne againstthis sin when God, in Jesus
which that of Bunker Hill was calmness Christ, took human nature, and made each
"
itself; but,supposing the State of Massachusetts
human beinga brother of the Lord. But
were so "twice dead and pluckedup the last and most sublime witness shall be
by the roots ' ' as to allow such a decision to borne when a Man shall judgethe whole
pass without comment concerning her working
earth " Man who shall acknowledge for
"
classes, suppose it did pass,
and become
His brother the meanest slave, equallywith
an active, operative reality, what kind the proudest master.
of an educationalinfluencewould it exert In most singular and affecting terms it is
in every age. To treaddown,
Againstthissin allthe proph-
upon the commonwealth '? What kind of asserted in the Bible that the Father hath
an estimate of the workingclasseswould it committed alljudgmen to the Son,because
show in the minds of those who make and he is the Son of Man. That human
execute the law ?
nature,which, in the person of the poor
What an immediate development of vil-
slave, has been despised and rejected, scoffed
shallin
these
lanyand brutality would be broughtout and scornedșcourgedand tortured,
by such a law,avowedlymade to protectthat day be glorified ; and it shall appear
men in cruelty ! Cannot men be cruel the most fearful of sins to have made
enough,without all the majestyof law light of the sacrednessof humanityas "
beingbrought into operation to sanction it, laws and institutionsof slaveryhave done.
and make itreputable The fact is.that the whole system of slave-
And suppose it were said,in vindicationlaw,and
the whole practice the slave
of such a law,"0, of course, no respectable,
system, and the publicsentiment that is
humane man would ever think of takingadvantageof
formed by it,are alike based on the greatest
it." Should we not think the of all heresies, a denial of equal
human

126
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
brotherhood. A whole race has been thrown the master cannot be made any more stringent
out of the range of human existence, their is țhat the generalsystem cannot be
immortal it j disregarded, their dignityas maintained Avithoutallowing this extent of
children of God scoffedat, their brotherhood power to the master.
with Christ treated as a fable,and all the Supposethat,havingot all the Irishmen
with in the country down into this condition,
law and publicsentiment and practice
they
regard to them such as could be justified should maintain that such was the public
only on supposition that theywere a race of sentiment of humanity writh regardto them
inferioranimals.
as abundantly to supplythe want of all
It is because the negro is considered an legalrights, and to make their condition,
inferior animal,and not worthy of any better
the whole,happier than if theywere" free.
treatment,that the system which relates Should we not say that a public sentiment
to him and the treatment which fallsto him which saw no cruelty in thus depriving a
considered humane.
of every rightdear to manhood
are
Take any class of white men, however
uneducated, and placethem under the same
system of laws,and make their civilcondition
in all respects like that of the negro,
and would it not be considered the most
outrageouscruelty ?
Supposethe slave-lawwere enacted with
regardto all the Irish in our country, and
off as the property of
theywere parcelled
any man who had money enough to buy
them. Suppose their rightto vote, their
righ to bring suit in any
case, their right
in courts of their
to bear testimony justice,
right to contract a legalmarriage țheir
righ to hold property or to make contracts
of any sort,were all by one stroke of law
writer in defence of slavery in Fraser's
Magazine justifies this depriving of
blotted out. Furthermore, suppose it was a whole class of any legalrights, byurging
forbidden to teach them to read and write, that "the good there is in human nature
and that their children to all ages were will supplythe deficienciesof human legislation."
' '
doomed
' '
to livewithout knowledge. Suppose
This remark is one most significant,
that,in judicial proceedings, it were powerful index of the state of public
solemnlydeclared, with regard to them țhat sentiment,producedeven in a generous
the mere beating of an Irishman,"apart mind, by the slave system. This writer
from any circumstances of cruelty, any thinks the good there is in human nature
attempt to kill,"
the will supply the absence of all legalrights
was no offence against
that it were declared
of
peace of the state. Suppose to thousands and millionsof human beings.
that,for the better preservation He thinks it righ to risk their bodies and
subjection among them, the law would protect
their souls on the good there is in human
the master in any kind of punishmentnature ; yet this man
very wTould not send
inflicted, even if it should appear to be a fifty-dollar billthrough the post-office, in
malicious, cruel and excessive; suppose an unsealed letter, trusting "
the good
that monsters likeSouther,in availing there is in human nature."
of this permission, should occasionallyWould this man dare to place his children
torture Irishmen to death, but stillthis circumstance
in the position slaves, and trust them to
"
the good in human nature " ?
should not be deemed of sufficient
importance to call for any restrictionon the
partof the master. Supposeit should be
coollysaid, " 0 yes, Irishmen are occasionally
tortured to death,we know ; but it is
no
to "the
good in human nature"? And if "the
goodin human nature" willnot sufficefor
him and his children, how will it sufficefor
it ; and when cases of the kind do occur, they his brotherand his brother's children? Is
are indignantly frowned upon."
his happiness of any more importance in
Supposeitshould be stated that the reason
that the law
the power of
not by any means a general occurrence ; in
fact,no men of position in society would do
restraining
whole race
could see no cruelty in anything, and
proved itself wholly unfit to judgeupon
had
the
subject?What man would not rather see
his children in the grave than see them
slaves'? What man, who, should he wake
to-morrow morningin the condition of an
American slave,would not wish himself in
the grave? And yet all the defenders4of
slaverystart from the poin that this legal
condition is not of itself a cruelty ! They
would hold it the lastexcess of cruelty with
themselves, or
any white man ;
regardto
why do theycall it no cruelty
regardto the negro?
The
at
all with
Would he buy an estate from the most
of his acquaintance, and have
legal recordof the deed,trusting
honorable man
God's sightthan his brother's happiness,
that his must be secured by legalbolts,and

his
bonds, and bars,and his brother'sleftto
"the good there is in human nature"?
Never are we so impressedwith the utter
deadness of public sentiment to protect the
slave, as when we see such opinions as these
uttered bj men of a naturally generous and
noble character.
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 127
The most striking and the most painful
examples of the perversion of publicsentiment,
with regardto the negro race, are of that inestimableworth which Mr. Jones
often given in the writings of men of humanity,
believes, does it not follow that he ought to
amiablenessand piety.
have the very best means for gettingto
That devoted laborer for the slavețhe
Rev. Charles C. Jones țhus expresses his
sense of the importance of one African
soul:
Were it now revealed to ns that the most extensive
of "instructionwhich we could
system
devise,requiring
throughages, would
mercy
one poor African,
cheerfullyenteringupon our work,with all its
costs and sacrifices.
a vast amount of labor and protracted
result in the tender to meet
of our God in the salvation of the soul of
we should feel warranted in
of the finestmind may be perverted
familiarity with such a system.
We find him constructing an
masters
appealto
to have theirslavesorally instructed
advanced years
can acquire very littlefrom
it ; and yet he decidedlyexpresses his say,
dependent upon
othersfor spiritual food as
.
a man without hands is dependentupon
others for bodily food. He recognizes fact, which show
him,
own experience must
that the slave is at alltimes liableto
pass into the hands of those who will not
take the trouble thus to feedhis soul ; nay,
around him many
havingspiritually cut off the slave'shands,
refuse to feed him. He sees that,by the
operationof this law as a matter of fact,
thousands are placedin situationswhere the
perdition of the soul is almost certain, and
yet he declaresthat he does not feelcalled
upon at allto interferewith their civilcondition
!
But,if the soul of every poor African is
heaven which it is possible to give him ?
And is not he who can read the Bible for
himself in a better conditionthan he who is
dependent upon the reading
of another? If
it be said that such teachingcannot be
afforded, because itmakes them unsafe property,
like Mr. Jones
language:
oughtnot a clergyman
thisobjection in his own
expressive
"Were itnow revealed to us that the most extensive
of instruction which wo could
system
Should not a clergyman, like Mr. Jones,
tell masters
of all thing seen
that theyshould risk the loss
and temporal, rather than
incur the hazard of bringing eternal ruin
by constant
in religion Ịn on
many passages he these souls? All
speaks
the arguments which
of oral instruction as
Mr. Jones so
confessedly an imperfect
eloquently used with masters,
species of instruction, very much inferior
to persuade them to givetheir slaves oral
to that which results from personalinstruction,
would applywith double force
readingand examination of the to
Word of show their obligation to givethe slave
God. He says, in one placețhat in order the power of reading the Bible for himself.
to do much good it must be Again,we come to hear Mr. Jones
begun telling
very
earlyin life, and intimatesthat people in masters of the power they have over the
souls of their servants, and we hear him
And,when we hear Mr. Jones say allthis,
and then consider that he must see and
know this awful powTer is often lodged in
the hands of whollyirreligious men, in the
devise,requiring a vast amount of labor and pro-
What a noble,what a sublime spirit, is throughages, would result in the tender
here breathed ! Does it not show a mind mercy of our God in the salvation of the soul of
capable of the one poor African,we should feel warranted in
very highestimpulses ? cheerfullyenteringupon
our work,with all its
And yet, ifwe look over his whole writings,
costs and sacrifices.
we shall see painfully how the moral sense
tracted
opinion that slavery is an institutionwith We
which
may,
no Christianhas cause to interfere.
according to the power lodgedin our
hands, forbidreligious meetings
The slaves,according to his own showing,
and religious in-
on our own plantations ; we
may forbid
are cut off from the best means for the salvation
our servants going to church at all,or onlyto such
of their churches as
souls,and restrictedto
we
one
may selectfor them. We may
of a
very inferiornature. literally shut
They are placed
up the kingdom of heaven againsl
men, and suffernot them that are entering
under restrictionwhich makes their to go
soulsas
struction
hands of men of the most profligate character,
we can account for his thinking such a
if we may judge from his urgentappeals. to system rightonlyby attributing it to
masters,he perceives
who,
that
blinding,deadening influence which the

"
v/hat
128 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
public sentiment of slaveryexerts even over
"
We have heard," says Europe,"that
"but what then'* " fearful
the best-constitutedminds.
millions of men are forbidden to read and
Neither Mr. Jones nor
any
other Christian
write in your country."
"
minister would feel it rightthat the We know that," says America;"but
eternal happinessof their own children what isthis outcry about ? "
should be thus placed in the power of any "We have heard," says Europe,"that
man who should have money to pay forthem. Christiangirlsare sold to shame in your
How, then, can theythink it righ that this markets ! "
power be "
givenin the case of their African That isn't quite as it should be," says
"
brother1
America ; but stillwhat isthisexcitement
Does this not show that, even in case of about ? "
the most humane and Christianpeople, "
We hear that three millions of
theoretically believe in the equality of all people can have no your
legalmarriageties,"
soulsbefore God,a constant familiarity with says Europe.
slavery works a practical infidelity on this
"
Certainly true,"returns America
point; and that theygivetheir assent to ; "but you made such an outcry, we
laws which practically declare that the salvationthought
you saw some great crueltygoing
of the servant's soul is of less consequence
on."
than the salvationof the property
"
And you profess to be a free country ! "
relation1
says indignant Europe.
"
Let us not be thoughtinvidiousor uncharitable
Certainly we are the freestand most
in saying țhat where slavery exists
enlightened country in the world," what
there are so many causes necessarily are
you talking about 7 " says America.
uniting corruptpublicsentiment with regard
"
You send your missionaries to Christianize
to the slavețhat the best-constituted us," says Turkey; "and our religion
minds cannot trust themselves in it. In the has abolishedthishorrible system."
northern and free states public sentiment "
You ! you
are all heathen over there,
has been, and is țo this day,fatally infected
business have you to talk?" answers
by the influence of a past and the proximity America.
of a present system of slavery. Hence Many peopleseem really to have thought
the injustice with which the negro in many that nothing but horrible exaggerations of
produced
of our states is treated. Hence, too, system of slavery could have
those apologies slavery, and defences the sensation which has recently been feltin
of it,which issue from Northern presses, all modern Europe. They do not know
and even Northern pulpitsỊf even at the that the thingtheyhave become accustomed
North the remains of slavery
produceto,and handled so freely in every discussion,
such balefuleffectsin corrupting public sentiment,
seems to all other nations the sum and
how much more must this be the essence of villany Ṃodern Europe,opening
case where this institutionis in fullforce! her eyes and looking legaltheory
The whole American nation is,in some of the slavesystem, on the laws and interpretations
sense, under a paralysis of public sentiment
of law which define it, says to
on this subject Ịt was said by a heathen America,in the language of the indignant
writer that the gods gave
us a fearful power Othello, If thou wilt justify a thing like
when theygave us the faculty becomingthis,
accustomed to thingsṬhis power has proved" Never pray
more ; abandon all remorse ;
a fearful one indeed in America. We have On Horror's head horrors accumulate ;
got used to thingswhich mightstirthe dead Do deeds to make heaven weep, allearth amazed ;
in their For graves.
nothing, canst thou to damnation add
When but a small portion of the
Greater than this."
things
dailydone in America has been told in England,
There is an awful state of familiarity with
and France,and Italy,and Germany, evil which the apostle being " dead in
there has been a perfect shriek and outcry trespassesand sins,"where truth has been
of horror. America alone remains cool, resisted, and evil perseveringly defended,
asks, " What is the matter ? "
and the convictionsof conscience stifled, and
Europeanswers back,"Why, we have the voice of God's Holy Spirit bidden to
heard that men are sold like cattlein your depart.There is an awful paralysis of the
country."
moral sense, when deeds unholiest and
"
Of course theyare," says America ; crimes most fearful cease
any longer to affect
the nerve. That paralysis, always a

indication of the death and dissolutionof
nations, is a
republic,
justice and
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 129
doublydangerousdiseasein a
isin intelligence, a judicious
have taught such a thing;
whose onlypower
virtue.
CHAPTER
II.
The subscriberwill sell at Auction,on the 15th
of this
influenceof slavery, she
month, at the Plantation on which
related
he
the following
resides, distant eleven miles from the Town of
incident : Lookingout of her nursery Newberry,and near the Laurens Railroad,
newspapers, he sees in every column such
notices as the following from a lateRichmo?^
Whig, and other papers.
in his interesting
work on the ReligiousInstructionof
PUBLIC OPINION FORMED BY EDUCATION.
Rev. Charles C. Jones,
Negroes,has a
passage which so LARGE SALE OF NEGROES,
peculiarly
HORSES,
MILES, CATTLE, "c.
describesthat influence of publicopinion
The
which
subscriber, under a decree
we have been
of the Circuit
endeavoring to illustrate, Superior Court for Fluvanna County,will proceed
that we
shall copy it.
prejudices in relationto
Habits of feeling and
any subject are wont to take their rise out of our
education or circumstances. Every man knows
negroes, stock,"c, of allkinds,belonging to the
their influence to be greatin shapingopinionsestate,consisting
of 175 negroes, amongst ivhom are
and conduct,and ofttimes how unwittingly they some Carpenters and "
Blacksmiths, 10 horses,
are formed ; that while we
may be unconscious 33 mules, 100 head of cattle,100
of their existence,theymay grow with sheep,200 hogs,
our growth 1500 barrels corn, oats, fodder,"c, the plantation
and strengthenwith our strength. Familiarity and shoptools of all kinds.
converts deformityinto comeliness. Hence we The Negroeswill be sold for cash ; the other
are not alwaysthe best judgesof our condition.
property
Another
may remark inconveniences,
on a credit of nine months,the purchaser
and,indeed, givingbond,with approvedsecurity.
real evils,in it,of which Ave
may be said to have
James Galt,Administrator of
been all our lives scarcely conscious. So, also, Oct. 19. William Gait,deceased
evils which, upon firstacquaintance, revolted our
whole nature,and appeared intolerable, custom From the Nashville Gazette,Nov. 23
almost makes us forget even to see. Men passing1852:
out of one state of society into another encounter
a thousand things to which theyfeel that they
can never be reconciled ; yet,shortlyafterțheir
sensibilitiesbecome
"
dulled, a
"
change passes
over them,theyscarcelyknow how. They have
accommodated themselves to their new circumstances
and relations, theyare Romans in Rome.
Let us now inquirewhat are the educational
influenceswhich bear upon the mind
educated in constant
slavesystem.
Take
familiarity with the
any child of ingenuous mind and of
generous heart,and educate him under the
influencesof slavery, and what are
which go to form his character? An anecdote
which a ladyrelatedto the writer may
be in pointin this place. In givingan account
of some of the thingswhich induced
her to remove her familyfrom under the
the thingsHogs,1200
Two Wagons,One Cart,FarmingUtensils, "c.
window one day, she saw her daughter,
22'
about three years of
Young age, seated in her little
and LikelyNegroes;
carriage, with six or eight
comprisingable-bodied young
field-hands,
negro
good cooks,
childrenharnessed into it for
house-servants, and an excellent blacksmith
horses. Two
;
"
about 1500 bushels of
or three corn, a
of the older slaves
quantity
were standing
of fodder,
hogs,mules, sheep,
around theirlittlemistress,
neat cattle,household and
and one of them,
kitchen furniture, and other "
property. Terms
putting a whipinto her hand,said,
" "made publicon
There,
day of Sale.
Misse,whip 'em well ; make 'em "
go, they 're
M. C. "
Gary.
Dec. 1.
all your
HT LaurensvilleHerald copy tilldayof sale.
niggers."
9
What a moral and religious lesson was
thisfor that young soul ! The mother was
woman, who never would herself
but the whole
influenceof slave society had burnt it into
the soul of every negro, and through them it
was communicated to the child.
As soon as a child isold enoughto read the
to sell,by publicauction,at the lateresidence of
William Gait,deceased,on Tuesday,the 30th
day of November, and Wednesday, the 1st day
of December next,beginningat 11 o'clockțhe
GREAT SALE OP NEGROES, MULES, CAT
TLE, "c.
On Tuesday,the 21st day of December next,at
the Plantation of the late N. A. McNairy, on the
Franklin Turnpike, on account of Mrs. C B.
McNairy,Executrix, we
FIFTY VALUABLE NEGROES.
will offerat Public Sale
These Negroes are goodPlantation Negroes,and
will be sold in families. Those wishing to purchase
will do well to see them before the dayof
sale.
Also, TEN FINE WORK. MuLES, TWO JACKS AND
one Jennet,Milch Cows and Calves,CattleȘtock
barrels Corn,Oats,Hay, Fodder,"e.
From
the NewberryiSe?iti?iel :
FOR
SALE.

"
is
"
"
but
130 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
From the South Carolinian Oct. 21 standingweeklyadvertisement of which this
1852:
is a
copy :
ESTATE SAL.E OF VALUABLE PROP- ERTY.
" NOTICE.
28^ The undersigned having an excel- "^~rO
The undersigned, as Administrator of the Estate J^M.-*. lent pack of Hounds, for trailing ^^^
of Col. T. Randell, deceased,will sell,on Monday,
and
catching runaway slaves,informs the public
the 20th December next, all the personalthat his prices in future will be as follows for
propertybelonging to said estate,consisting of such services:
5G Negroes, Stock, Corn, Fodder, "c. "c. The For each dayemployed in hunting or
sale will take placeat the residence of the deceased,
trailing, $2.50
on Sandy River, 10 miles "West of Chesterville.
For going over ten miles, and catching
For catching each ...
slave, 10.00
Terms of Sale : The on a
negroes
credit of 12 slaves, 20.00
months, with interest from day of sale,and two If sent for țhe above prices will be exacted in
good sureties. The other propertywill be sold cash. The subscriherresides one mile and a half
for cash. Samuel J. Randell. south of Dadeville, Ala.
B. Black,
Sept.2.
Dadeville, Sept. 1, 18f
1-tf
See,also,New Orleans Bee, Oct. 28.
After advertising the landed estate of Madeline
The reader will see, by the printer's sign
Lanoux,deceased,comes the at the
following bottom țhat it is a season advertisement,
enumeration of chattels :
and, therefore,would meet the eye
of the child week after week. The paper
Twelve slaves,men and women ; a small,quitefrom which
new schooner ; a ferrying flat-boat we have cut this contains
; some cows,
calves,heifers and sheep; a lot of household furniture
among its extracts passages from Dickens'
; the contents of a store,consisting of hardware,
Household Words, from Professor Felton's
crockery ware, groceries, drygoods, etc. articlein the Christian Examiner on the
relation of the
Now, suppose
all parentsto be as pious
sexes, and a most beautiful
"
and benevolent as Mr. Jones, a thing not
senator
at all to be hopedfor,as things are "
;
and
Soule on the legalrights of women.
suppose them to try their Let us now
very
best
ask,since this
to
paper
is devoted
to
impresson the child a conviction that all education,what sort of an educational
souls are of equal value i,nthe sight of God influence such advertisements have. And,
;
of
that the negro soul is as trulybeloved of course, such an establishment is not kept
Christ,and ransomed with his blood,as the up without patronage. Where there are
master's; and is there any such thing
negro-hunters advertising in a
paper, there
as
making him believe or are
realize it1 Will he
also negro-hunts, and there are dogs
believe that that which he sees, every week, being trained to hunt ; and all this process
"advertisedwith hogs, and horses,and fodder,
goes on be'forethe eyes
of children ; and
and cotton-seed, and
what sort of
refuse an education is it?
furniture,
The writer has receivedan account of the
"
bedsteads, tables and chairs, indeed
so divine a thing? We will suppose that way in which dogs are trained for this business.
The information has been communicated
the littlechild knows some piousslave;
to the
that he sees him at the communion-table,
gentleman who writes it by a
partaking,
a far-off, solitary manner, of negro man, who,having been always accustomed
to sec itdone,describeditwith as little
the sacramental bread and wine. He sees
his pious father and mother recognize the sense of there beinganything out of the way
slave as a Christian brother ; theytell him
in it as ifthe dogshad been trainedto catch
" raccoons. It came to the writer in a recent
that he is an heir of God, a jointheir with
letterfrom the
Jesus Christ;"and the next week he
South.
sees
him advertised in the paper, in company
with
The
way
a lot of hogs ștock and fodder. Can the
to train 'em (says the man) is to
take these yer pups, any kind o' pups willdo,"
child possibly believe in what his Christian fox-hounds,bull-dogs, most any;
take the
parents have told him,when he sees this? pups, and keep'em shut up, and don't let 'em never
We have spoken now of see a
onlythe common nigger tilltheygetbigenoughto be larned.
When the pups gitsold enough to be set on to
advertisements of the paper;
but suppose things țhen make 'em run after a nigger; and
the child to live in some districtsof the when theycotches him, give'em meat. Tell the
country, and advertisementsof a stillmore niggerto run as hard as he can, and gitup
in a
degrading character meet his tree,so as to larn the
eye.
In the
dogs to tree 'em ; then take
the shoe of a nigger,
State of Alabama,a newspaper devoted and larn 'em to find the nigger
to it belongsto ; then a
politics, literatureand education, has rag of his clothes ; and
a so on. Allers be earful to tree the nigger, and
and chivalrous appeal from the eloquent

Five
teach the dog to wait and bark under the tree
till you
come
up and givehim his meat.
See alsothe following advertisementfrom
the Ouachita
KEY TO UNCLE TOM'S CABIN. 131
Register, a newspaper dated
"Monroe,La.,Tuesdayevening,June 1,
1852."
discussed. "The slave has no more
political capacity, no more righto purchase,
NEGRO DOGS.
hold or transfer property țhan the mule in
The undersigned would respectfully inform the his plough;he is in himself but a mere
citizensof Ouachita and adjacentparishes, that
"
chattel, the subjectof absolute ownership."
he has located about 2.^miles east of John
White's,on the road leading from Monroe to Bastrop,
Supposehe sees on the statutebook
such sentences as these, from the civil
and that he has a fine pack of Dogsfor catching
negroes. Persons wishingnegroes caughtcode of Louisiana :
will do well to give him a call. He can always
be found at his stand when not engagedin hunting,
and even then information of his whereabouts
can always be had of some one on the premises.
dollars per day and found, when
Terms.
"
there is no track pointedout. When the track
is shown, twenty-five dollars will be chargedfor
catching the negro.
Monroe, Feb. 17, 1852.
M. C. Goff.
15-3m
Now, do not all the scenes likelyto be
enacted under this head form a fine education
for the childrenof a Christiannation ?
and can we wonder ifchildrenso formed see
no
? Can children realize
cruelty in slavery
that creatures who are thus hunted are
the children of one heavenlyFather with
themselves?
But suppose the boy grows up to be a proved be the murder of a slavețhe murderer
man, and attendsthe courts of justice, and uniformly escapes ; and that,though
hears intelligent, learned men declaring
the cases where the slave has fallen a victim
from the bench that " the mere beatingof a
to passionsof the white are so multiplied,
slave,unaccompanied by any circumstances yet the factof an execution for such a
of cruelty, or an attempt to kill, is no breach crime is yet almost unknown in the country'?
of the peace of the state." Supposehe hears Does not all this tend to producexactly
it decided in the same placethat no insultor that estimate of the value of negro lifeand
outrageupon any slave is considered worthyhappiness
which FredericDouglas says was
of legalredress, unless it impairs his property
expressedby a common proverbamong the
value. Supposehe hears,as he would white boyswhere he was brought up : "It's
in Virginia, that it is the policy of the law worth sixpence to kill a nigger, and sixpence
to protect the master even in more to
inflicting cruel, bury him " ?
malicious and excessive We see the
punishmentupon
publicsentiment which has
the slave. Supposea slave is murdered, been formed by this kind of education exhibited
and he hears the lawyersarguingthat it by the following paragraph from the
cannot be considered a murder, because CambridgeDemocrat, Md.,Oct. 27,1852.
the slave,in law,is not considered a human That
paper quotes the following firm the
being; and then suppose the case is Woodoille
appealed
Republican,of Mississippi. It
to a superiorcourt, and he hears seems a Mr. Joshua Johns had killeda
the judgeexpendinghis forces on a longslave,and had been sentenced thereforto
and eloquent dissertationto prove that the the penitentiary for two years The Republican
slave is a human being; at leastțhat he is
thus laments his hard lot :
as much so as a lunatic, an idiot, or an
unborn child,and that,therefore, he can be
murdered. (SeeJudge Clark's speech, on
p. 75 .) Suppose he sees that allthe admin-
This cause resulted in the conviction of Johns,
and his sentence to the
istration
penitentiary for two years.
Althoughevery of law with regardto the slave
member of the jury,together with
the bar. and the publicgenerally, signeda petition
to the governor for young Johns' pardon,yet
proceeds on the idea that he is absolutely
nothingmore than a bale of merchandise.
Supposehe hears such languageas this,
which occurs in the reasonings of the Brazealle
case, and which is a fair sampleof the
manner in which such subjects are ordinarily
and
Art. 2500. The latent defectsof slavesand animals
"
vices are divided into two classes,
vices of character.
of body
Art. 2.501. The vices of body are distinguished
into absolute and relative.
Art. 2502. The absolute vices of slaves are leprosy,
madness and epilepsy.
Art. 2503. The absolute vices of horses and
founder.
mules are short wind,glanders,
The influenceof thislanguage ismade all
the stronger on the young mind from the
factthat itis not the languageof contempt,
or of passion, but of calm,matter-of-fact,
legal statement.
What effectmust be producedon the mind
of the young
man when he conies to see
that,however atrocious and however well-
STATE V. JOSHUA JOHNS.

ut
162 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
there was no faultto find with the verdict of the
reprobation do we findapplied to it! Nothing
jury. The extreme youth of Johns, and the circumstances
more forciblecould possibly be said in relation
occurred,enlisted
in which the killing
universal sympathyin his favor. There is
to itsevilsthan
no
byquoting the language
doubt that the negro had provokedhim to the of such men as Washington,Jefferson, and
deed by the use of insolent language; but how Patrick Henry. In those daysthere were
often must it be told that words are no justification
no men of that high class of mind who
for blows ? There "
are
many persons and
we regre to say it "
who think theyhave the same
thought of such a thing as defending slavery
rightto shoot a negro, if he insults them,or even
on principle ; now there are an abundance of
runs from them,that theyhave to shoot down a dog ; the most distinguished men, North and
but there are laws for the protection of the slave
as well as the master, and the sooner the error
South,statesmen,civilians,
of letters,
even
above alluded to is removed țhe better will it be for clergymen,who in various degrees
both parties.
palliate it,apologize for or openlydefend
The unfortunate youth who has now entailed it. And what is the cause of this,except
upon himself the penalty of the law,we doubt not, that educational influences have
had no
corrupted
idea that there existed such penalty; and
even if he was aware of the publicsentiment,
fact,the repeated insults
and deprivedthem of the
and taunts of the negro go far to mitigatepower of justjudgment? The public
the crime. Johns defended was
by I. D. Gildart, opinioneven offreeAmerica,with regard
Esq., who probably did all that could have been to slavery,is behind that of all other
effected in his defence.
civilized nations.
The Democrat adds :
When the holders of slaves assert that
they are, generalthing,humanely
as a
We learn from Mr. Curry,deputysheriff, of
treated, what do they
Wilkinson County mean ? Not that they
țhat Johns has been pardoned would consider such
by the governor. We treatment humane if
are gratified to hear it.
givento themselves and
" theirchildren, no,
This error above alluded to,of thinking indeed
!"
it is humane for slaves.
it is as innocent to shoot down a negro as a They do,in effect, placethe negro below
dog, is one, we fairly admit,for which young
the range of humanity, and on a level with
Johns ought not to be very severely blamed. brutes,and then graduate all theirideas of
He has been educated in a system of thingshumanityaccordingly.
of which thisopinion isthe inevitable result; They would not needlessly kick or abuse
and he,individually, is far lessguilty for it, a dog or a negro. They may pet a dog,
than are those men who support the and
system
they often do a
negro. Men have been
of laws,and keepup the educational found who fancied havingtheir horses elegantly
influences, which lead young Southern men lodgedin marble stables, and to eat
directly to this conclusion. Johns may be, out of sculptured mangers,
but theythought
for aught we know, as generous-hearted and them horses still ; anitjwith all the indulgences
as justnaturally as any young man living ; with which good-natured masters
but the horrible systemunder which he has sometimes surround the slave,he is to them
been educated has rendered him incapable but a negro still, and not a man.
of distinguishing what either generosity or In what has been said in thischapter, and
justice is,as applied to the negro.
in what appears incidentally
all the facts
The public sentiment of the slave states cited throughout this volume țhere is abundant
isthe sentiment of men who have been thus proof that, notwithstanding there be frequent
educated,and in all that concerns the negro
and most noble instancesof generosity
it is utterly blunted and paralyzedẈhat towards the negro, and althoughthe sentiment
would seem to them injustice and horrible of honorable men and the voice of
wrong in the case of white persons, is the Christian charitydoes everywhereprotest
coolestmatter of course in relationto slaves. against what it feels to be inhumanity, yet
As this educational influence descends the popularsentiment engenderedby the
from generation to generation, the moral system must necessarily fall deplorably
sense becomes more and more blunted,and short of givinganythinglikesufficient protection
the power of discriminating rightfrom
to the rights of the slave. It will
wrong, in what relates to the subjectrace, appear in the succeeding chapters, as it must
more and more enfeebled.
alreadyhave appeared to reflecting minds,
Thus,if we read the writings of distin- that the whole course of educational influence
'
guished men who were slave-holdersabout upon the mind of the slave-master issuch as
the time of our American Revolution, what to deaden his mind to those appeals which
clear views do we find expressed of the injustice
come from the negro as a fellow-man and a
of slavery,
of brother.
what stronglanguage

Cabin
the
must
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
133
CHAPTER III.
derived from Mrs. Stowe's book,
we should regardthe families of slaves as
utterly
SEPARATION
unsettled and
OF FAMILIES
vagrant.
And again:
"
What must the difference be," said Dr. Worthington,
with "
startling energy, between Isabel and her servants !
We
To
feel confident
far it is lossof position, fortune,the fair
that,if statisticscould be
hopesof life,
perhapseven health;for she had to throw
must inevitablybreak down
lightupon this subject, we should
under the unaceustomed labor and privations she will have find that there is lessseparation of families among
to undergo. But to them itismerelya changeofmasters the negroes than occurs with almost any other
"
/
"
Yes,for the neighborswon't allow any of the families class of
to be separated."
"
Of course not. We read of such thingsin novels sometimes.
"
But I have yet to see it in real life,except in
cases, or where the slave has been guiltyof some misdemeanor,
evidently
rare
or erime,for which, in the North,he would
have been imprisoned,perhapsfor life. and Parlor,
by J. Thornton Randolph, p. 39.
*********
statements were put forth with any
"
But they 're going to sell us all to Georgia,I say.
Flow are we to escape that 1 "
"
Specdare some mistake in dat,"repliedUncle Peter,
stoutly. " I nebber knew of sieh
with
a tiug in dese
which a
parts,
'ceptwhere some niggar'd been berrybad."" Ibid.
sanguine mind often overlooks
By such graphictouches as the above
does Mr. Thornton Randolphrepresen to
us the patriarchal stability and security of
the slavepopulation in the Old Dominion.
Such a thing as a slavebeing sold out of
the state has never been heard of by Dr.
"Worthington, except in rare cases for some
erime ; and old Uncle Peter never heard of
such a thing his life.
N Are
in
theserepresentations true ?
justthose particulars in which others
The worst abuse of the system of see them to be most faulty.This solution
slavery
is its of the
outrageupon the family ; and,as the
phenomenais a natural and amiable
writer views
the subject,
more notorious and undeniable than any
other.
Yet it is upon thisysoint that the most
and earnest Wnial has been made
stringent
to the representations
of "Uncle Tom's
Cabin,"eitherindirectly, as by the romancewriter
above,or more directly in the assertions
of newspapers, both at the North and
at the South. When
feature of slavery
As the author of the article, however,is
made at the North,they
indicate, to say the in
least, very gi"eatignorance
friendship and familyconnection with
of the
othersof similar
subject ; when made at the
views,and are very apt to
fall into
South,theycertainly do
the error of
very greatinjustice
judgingothers by
to the generalcharacterof the Southerner themselves, and thinking that a thingmay
do for all the world because it operates well
a man of honor,and expresses
sentiments,
many most noble and praiseworthy
it cannot be supposedthat these
view to
misrepresent or to deceive. They are only
to be regarded as evidences of the facility
the most glaringfactsthat make against a
favoriteidea or
in
theory,
which are unfavorable
their bearings on one's own
country or family Ṭhus the citizensof
some placenotoriously unhealthy
to believe,
that there is actually
will come
less sickness
in their town than any other of its size
in the known world. Thus parents often
think their children perfectly immaculate
it is one which is one, and enables us to retain our respect for
our Southern brethren.
There
and assert,with the utmost sincerity,
is another circumstance, also, to be
taken into account, in readingsuch assertions
as these. It is evident,from the
in its
use. Such men are commonlyassociated
for truth and honesty. All sectionsof
in their immediate circle. Also it
countryhave faultspeculiar to themselves.
cannot
but be a fact that the various circumstances
pamphlet in question, that the writer is one
of the few who regard the possession of ab-
irresponsible power as the highest of
motives to moderation and temperance
solute
The fault of the South,as a generalthing,
has not been
which from
cowardlyevasion and deception.
infancyconspire to degradeand
It was with utter surprise that the author
depressthe negro in the eyes of a Southernborn
read the following sentences in an articlein man,
"
constant habitof speakinoof
Fraser's Magazine, them,
professing
and hearingthem
to
spokenof,and
come
from a South Carolinian.
seeing them advertised, as mere articlesof
property, often in connection with horses,
Mrs. Store's favoriteillistrationof the master's mules,fodder, swine,"c, as theyare almost
power to the injury of the;slave is the separationdailyin of every Southern paper,
"
tend,
families. We are told of infantsof ten months
old
being sold from the arms of their even in the best-constitutedminds
mothers,and
țo produce
of a certain
men whose habit obtusenesswith
it is to raisechildren to sell
regardto the
away from their mother as soon as theyare old interests, sufferings and affections, of such
enough to be separatedẈere our view'sof this
as do not particularly belongto
himself,

Cotton
all
134 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
which willpecularly unfithim for estimating
their condition. The author has often been
NEGROES.
singularly struckwith thisfact,in the letters
Fairfield District.
of Southern friends ; in which, upon one James E. Caldwell,
page, they will make some assertion regarding
Admr., with the Will
the condition of Southern negroes, and annexed,of Jacob Gibson,
then go on, and in other connections state
factswhich
contradict them all.
apparently
We can all be aware how this familiarity
would operatewith ourselves. Were we
called upon to state how often our neighbors'
cows were separated from
their calves, or
how often their household furniture and
other effects are scatteredand dispersed by
executor'ssales, we should be inclined to say
thatitAvas not a misfortune of very
common
COMMISSIONER'S SALE OF 12 LIKELY
NEGROES.
Fairfield
District.
R. W. Murray and
others
wife and"]
v. " In Equity.
William Wright and wife
and others. J
In pursuance of an Order of the Court of
Equitymade in the above case at JulyTerm,
1852,I will sell at publicoutcry, to the highest
bidder,before the Court House in Winnsboro,on
the firstMonday in Januarynext,
12 VERY LIKELY NEGROES,
belonging to the estate of MicajahMobley,deceased,
have a betteropportunity to supplythemselves.
late of Fairfield District.
Adams,
These Negroes consist chiefly of young boys
Executor.
and girls, and are said to be very likely.
Nov. 18 40
x3
Terms of Sale,"c.
W R. Robertson,
C.E. F.D.
ADMINISTRATOR'S
SALE.
Commissioner's Office,
Winnsboro,Nov. 30, 1852.
Dec. 2 42 x4.
ADMINISTRATOR'S
SALE.
2,000 Bushels of Corn.
Will be sold at publicoutcry țo the highest
bidder,on Tuesday țhe 21st day of December
next, at the late residence of Mrs. M. P. Rabb,
deceased,all of the personalestate of said de-
consisting in part of about
ceased,
COMMISSIONER'S SALE OP LAND AND
Jason D. Gibson
and others.
On the firstMondayin January next I will sell,
before the Court House in Columbia,50 of as
LikelyNegroes as have ever been exposedto public
sale,belongingto the estate of A. P. Vinson,de-
The Negroes have been well cared for,
and well managed in every respect.Persons wishing
to purchase will no^ptis confidently believed,
25,000 poundsof Fodder.
"
Wheat Seed.
ADMINISTRATOR'S
SALE.
Horses,Mules,Cattle,Hogs,Sheep.
There will,in all probability, be sold at the Will be sold at publicoutcry țo the highest
eame time and bidder,on
placeseveral likelyYoung Negroes. Tuesday țhe 14th day of December
The Terms of Sale "
will be sums under next, at the late residence of Robert W. Durham,
Twenty-fiveDollars,Cash. All sums of Twentyfive
Dollars and over, twelve
deceased,in FairfieldDistrict, all of the personal
estate of
months'
said deceased
credit,with
: consisting in part as follows
interest from day of Sale,secured by noto and
:
two approved sureties. William S. 50 PRIME LIKELY NEGROES.
Rabb,
Administrator. About 3,000Bushels of Corn.
Nov. 11. 39 x2 A largequantityof Fodder.
In
Equity.
highestbidder,before the Court House in Winns-
In pursuance of the order of sale made in the
above case, I will sell at publicoutcry, to the
boro,
on the first Monday in Januarynext, and
the day following, tu* following real and personal
estate of Jacob Gibsm, deceased,late of Fairfield
Districtțo wit :
The Plantation on which the testator lived at
the time of his death,containing 661 Acres,more
occurrence.
But letus open two South Carolina or less,lying on the waters of Wateree Creek,and
papers, bounded by lands of Samuel Johnston Țheodore
published in the very state where this gentleman
S. DuBose, Edward P. Mobley, and B. R. Cockrell.
is residing, and read the advertisements
This plantation will be sold in two separatetracts,
platsof which will be exhibited on the
for one week. The author has
day of
sale :
slightly abridged them.
46 PRIME LIKELY
NEGROES,
consisting of Wagoners,Blacksmiths, Cooks,House
Servants,"SfC W. R. Robertson,
C. E. F. D.
Commissioner's Office, )
Winnsboro,29th Nov. 1852. $
ESTATE SALE" FIFTY PRIME NEGROES.
BY J. Sc L. T. LEVIN.
ceased.
Will be abld on the 15th December next, at the
late residence of Samuel Moore,deceased,in York
District,all the personal property of said deceased,
consisting
a
of :
35 LIKELY NEGROES,
quantity of Cotton and Corn, Horses and Mules,
FarmingTools,Household and Kitchen Furniture,
with many other articles.
Samuel E. Moore,
Administrator.
Nov. 18
'
40 x4t.

KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 135
Wheat, Oats, Urtv Peas, Rye, Cotton Seed, The Tri-iceekly South
lished
Horses,Mules, Cattle,Hogs,Sheep.
at ColumbiaȘ. C, has this motto :
C. H. Durham,
Sep. 2 29 xl6
Nov. 23.
Administrator.
' Be just and fear not ;
'
let all the ends thou
aim'st at be thy Country's țhy God's,and
SHERIFF'S
SALE.
Truth's."
By virtue of sundryexecutions to me directed;*
In the number
I will sell at Fairfield Court House, on the first
dated December 23d,
Monday, and the "
day following,
December next, 1852,is found a Replyof the Women of
within the legal hours of sale,to the highestbidder,
Virginia England." containing
for cash,the following property. Purchasers
thissentiment :
to pay for titles:
2 Negroes,levied upon
as the propertyof Allen Believe us, we deeply,prayerfully, study God's
R. Crankfield, at the suit of Alexander Brodie,et al. holyword; we are fullypersuadedthat our institutions
2 Horses and 1 Jennet,levied upon as the property
are in accordance with it.
of Allen R. Crankfield, at the suit of Alexander
Brodie.
After which,in other columns, the
2 Mules, levied upon
as the propertyof Allen ten advertisementsfollowing :
R. Crankfield,at the suit of TemperanceE. Miller
and J. W. Miller.
SHERIFF'S SALES FOR JANUARY 2, 1853.
1 pair of Cart Wheels,levied upon
as the property
By virtue of sundrywrits of fierifaciasțo me
of Allen R. Crankfield, at the suit of Temperancedirected,will
be sold before the Court House in
E. Miller and J. W. Miller.
Columbia,within the legalhours, on the first
1 Chest of Drawers,levied upon
as the propertyMonday and Tuesdayin Januarynext,
of Allen R. Crankfield,at the suit of Temperance Seventy-four Land, more or less,in
E. Miller and J. W. Miller.
Richland District, bounded on the north and east
1 Bedstead,levied upon as the property of Allen by Lorick's, and on the south and west by Thomas
R. Crankfield,at the suit of TemperanceE. Miller Trapp.
and J. W. Miller.
Also,Ten Head of Cattle,Twenty-five Head of
1 Negro, levied upon
as the propertyof R. J. Hogs, and Two Hundred Bushels of Corn,levied
Gladney, at the suit of James Camak.
on as the property of M. A. Wilson,at the suit
1 Negro, levied upon
as the propertyof Geo. of Samuel Gardner u. M. A. Wilson.
McCormick, at the suit of W. M. Phifer.
Seven Negroes,named Grace,Frances,Edmund,
1 RidingSaddle țo be sold under an assignmentCharlotte,Emuline, Thomas and Charles,levied
of G. W. Boulware to J. B. Mickle,in the case of on as the property of Bartholomew Turnipseed,
Geo. Murphy,Jr.,v. G. W. Boulware.
at the suitof A. F. Dubard, J. S. Lever,Bank of
R. E. Ellison, the State and others,v. B. Turnipseed.
Sheriff'sOffice, ) S. F. D. 450 acres of Land,more or less,in Richland
Nov. 19 1852. f
District, bounded on the north,"c. "c.
Nov. 20 37 fxtf
LARGE SALE OF REAL AND PERSONAL
COMMISSIONER'S
SALE.
PROPERTY" ESTATE SALE.
John A. Crumpton, ~|
On Monday, "
"d others, I (7th)seventh day of February
In
next,I will sellat Auction,without Equity.
reserve, at the
Plantation,near Linden, all the Horses,Mules,
Zachariah C. Crumpton.J
Wagons,FarmingUtensils, Corn, Fodder,"c.
In pursuance
of the Decretal order made in
And on
this
the following Monday (14th) țhe fourteenth
case, I will sell at publicoutcry to the highest day of Februarynext, at the Court House,
bidder,before the Court House door in
at
Winnsboro, Linden,in Marengo County,Alabama,I will
on the first Monday in December next, three
sell at publicauction,without reserve, to the
separate tracts or parcels of land,belonging to highestbidder,
the estate of Zachariah Crumpton,deceased.
110 PRIME AND LIKELY NEGROES,
I will also sell, at the same time and place, belonging to the Estate of the late John Robinson,
or six likely Young Negroes,sold as the propertyof South Carolina.
of the said Zachariah Crumpton, deceased,by Among the Negroes are four valuable Carpenters,
virtue of the authorityaforesaid.
and a very superiorBlacksmith.
The Terms of sale are as follows,"c. "c.
"VV.R. Robetson,
NEGROES FOR SALE.
Commissioner's Office, " C. E. F. D.
Winnsboro, Nov. 8, 1852. J
By permission "Wylie, Esq.,Ordinary
Nov 11 30 x3 for Chester District,I will sell,at publicauction,
before the Court House, in Chesterville, on the
ESTATE SALE OF VALUABLE PROPERTY.
firstMonday in Februarynext,
The undersigned, as Administrator of the Estate
FORTY LIKELY NEGROES,
of Col. T. Randell,deceased,will sell,on Monday belonging to the Estate of F. W. Davie.
the 20th December next, all the personalproperty
W. D. DeSaussure,Executor.
belonging to said estate,consisting of
Dec. 23. 50 fids.
56 NEGROES,
STOCK, CORN, FODDER, ETC. ETC.
ESTATE SALE OF FURNITURE, fee, BY J.
Terms of sale,"c. "c.
" L. T. LEVIN.
Samuel J. Randell.
Carolinian,pub-
Will be sold,at our store,on Thursdayțhe 0th
day of Januarynext, all the Household and Kitch

A
136 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
en Furniture,belonging to the Estate of B. L. Parish șix miles from the Railroad,containing
McLaughlin,deceased,consisting in part of 1,500 acres, now in a high state of cultivation,
Hair Seat Chairs, Sofas and Rockers, Piano, with DwellingHouse and all necessary Out-buildings.
MahoganyDining Țea, and Card Tables ; Carpets,
Rugs, Andirons,Fenders,Shovel and Tongs,Mantel
also,
Ornaments, Clocks,Side Board, Bureaus,Mahogany
50 LikelyNegroes, with provisions, "c.
Bedsteads,Feather Beds and Mattresses, The terms will be accommodating. Persons
Wash Stands,Curtains,fine Cordial Stand,Glassware,
tlesirousto purchase can call
Crockery, and upon the subscriber
a greatvariety of articles for
familyuse.
Terms cash.
ALSO,
A Negro Man, named Leonard,belongingto
same.
Terms, "c.
ALSO,
At same time,a quantityof New Brick,belonging
Now, it is scarcely possible that a
person
to Estate of A. S. Johnstone,deceased.
who has been accustomed to see such advertisements
Dec. 21. 53 Jtds.
from boyhood, and to pass them
GREAT SALE OP NEGROES AND THE SA- LUDA
FACTORY, BY J. " L. T. LEVIN.
On Thursday,December 30,at 11 o'clock,will
be sold at the Court House in Columbia,
ONE HUNDRED VALUABLE NEGROES:
It is seldom such an opportunityoccurs as now
offers. Among them are only four beyond 45
years old,and none above 50. There are twentyfiveprime
young men, between sixteenand thirty;
fortyof the most likely young women, and as fine
a set of childrenas can be shown.' !
Terms,"c.
Dec. 18,'52.
NEGROES AT AUCTION. " BY J. " L. T. Tom" may
have been acting in his very
LEVIN.
vicinity. When Mr. Dickens drew pictures
Will be sold,on Monday, the 3d Januarynest, of the want and wretchedness of London
at the Court House, at 10 o'clock,
life,perhapsa similar incredulity
22 likely
might
negroes, the larger number of which
have been
are
young and desirable. Among them are Field
expressed within the silken curtains
Hands,Hostlers and CarriageDrivers,House Servants,
of many a brilliantparlor.They
"c, and of the following ages : Robinson had never seen such things, and they had
40, Elsey34,Yanaky 13,Sylla11,Anikee 8,Robinson
alwayslived in London. But,for all that,
6,Candy 3,Infant 9, Thomas 35, Die 38, the writings of Dickens awoke in noble and
Amey 18,Eldridge 13,Charles G, Sarah 00, Baket
aristocraticbosoms the
50, Mary 18,Betty16,Guy
sense of
12,Tilla 9, a common
Lydia24,
Rachel 4, Scipio 2.
humanity with the lowly, and led them to
The above Negroes are sold for the purpose of feel how much miserymightexist in their
making some other investment of the proceeds ;
the sale willțherefore,be positive.
"
Terms. credit of one, two,and three years,
for notes payable at either of the Banks, with two
or more approvedendorsers,with interest from
date. Purchasers to pay for papers. Dec 8 43
ly* Black River Watchman will copy the above,
and forward bill to the auctioneers for payment.
Poor littleScip!
LIKELY AND VALUABLE GIRL, AT PRI- VATE
SALE.
A likely
girl, about seventeen years old
a month or two, endeavor to keep some
(raisedin the up-country), a good Nurse and inventory of the number of human beings,
House Servant,can wash and iron,and do with
plain hearts,hopes and affections, like his
cooking,and is warranted sound and healthy. own, who are constantly subjected to all the
She may be seen at our office, where she will remain
uncertaintiesand mutations
until sold. Allen " Phillips,
of property relation.
The writer is
Dec. sure that he could not
15,'49. Auctioneers " Com. Agents.
do it longwithout a generous desire being
excited in his bosom to
PLANTATION AND NEGROES
become,not an apologist
FOR SALE.
The subscriber, having located in Columbia, for,but a reformer of țhese institutions
offers for sale his Plantation in St. Matthew's of his country.
in Columbia,or on his son at the Plantation.
Dec. 6 41. T. J. Goodwyn.
FOR
SALE.
A likely negro boy, about twenty-oneyears
old,a good wagoner and field hand. Applv at
this office. Dec. 20 52.
over with as much indifference as we pass
over advertisements of sofas and chairs for
sale,could
possibly receive the shock from
unaccustomed to
them which one wholly
such a mode of considering and disposing of
human beings would receive. They make
no impression upon him. His own family
those of his friends, are not in
servants, and
the market, and he does not realizethat any
are. Under the advertisements, a hundred
such scenes as those described in " Uncle
immediate
vicinity, of which they were
entirely unaware. Theyhave never accused
him as a libellerof his country,though he
did make manifest much of the suffering,
sorrow and abuse,which were in it. The
author
is led earnestly to entreat that the
writer of this very paper would examine
the "statistics"of the American internal
slave-trade; that he would look over the
exchange filesof some newspaper, and,for

the
small
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
137
These papers of South Carolina are not Some vulgarjestswere passedon his color,and
exceptional ones
; theymay be matched two hundred dollars
by
was bid for him ; but the audience
said
hundredsof papers from any other " that it was not enough to
state.
beginon for
such a likely young nigger." Several remarked
Let the reader now stop one minute,and that they " would not have him as a gift." Some
look over againthese two weeks' advertisements.
This is not
"
novel-writing this is
fact. See thesehuman beings tumbled people. I asked him if it was more wrong than
promiscuously
to sellblack people.
out before the publicwith
He made no reply. Before
he was sold,his mother rushed from the house
upon the portico,crying,in frantic grief,
" My
bedsteads, "c. "c; and Christian son, 0 ! my boy,they will take away my dear "
"
Here her voice was lost,as she was rudelypushed
horses,mules șecond-hand buggies, cottonseed,
ladies, in the same newspaper, saying that
they prayerfully study God's word, and
believetheir institutionshave his sanction !
Does he suppose that here, in these two
weeks țherehave been no scenes of suffering ?
Imaginethe distressof these families" the
nights of anxietyof these mothers and
children, wives and husbands,when these
sales are about to take place ! Imaginethe
multitude. The land beingsoldțhe auctioneer's
loud voice was heard, " Bringup the niggers!'''' accordance with God's word !
A shade of astonishment and affright passed over Supposeit be conceded now that "the
their faces,as they stared firstat each other,and
then at the crowd of family
purchasers,whose attention
relationisprotected, as far as possible."
was now directed to them. When the horrible The question still arises, How far
truth was revealed to their minds that they itpossible
is
? Advertisements of were
salesto the
to be sold,and nearest relationsand friendsparted number of those we have quoted,more or
forever țhe effectwas indescribably agonizing.
Women snatched up
their babes,and ran screaming
less, appear from week to week in the same
into the huts. Children hid behind the huts papers, in the same neighborhood ; and professional
and trees,and the men stood in mute despair. traders make it their business to
The auctioneer stood on the portico of the house, attend them,and buy up
and the '" men and boys" victims. Now, if
were rangingin the the inhabitantsof a
yard for inspection. It was announced that
givenneighborhood
no
warranty of soundness was given, and purchaserschargethemselveswith the care to see that
must examine for themselves. A few old men no families are separated in thiswhirl of
were sold at pricesfrom .thirteento twenty-five auctioneering,
would fancythat
dollars,and it was
they
painfulto see old men, bowed could have very littlelse to do. It is a
with years of toil and suffering, stand up to be the
jestof brutal tyrants, and to hear them tell their
diseaseand worthlessness, fearing that theywould
traders for the southern market.
nature,that the distressand
be boughtby anguish of these
A white boy, about fifteen poor, helpless creatures
years old,was placeddoes often raise
on the stand. His hair was brown and up forthem friends
straight,
among
his skin exactly the same hue as other the generous-hearted.
white Southern men often
persons,
and no discernible trace of negro features
in his countenance.
said a white niggerwas more trouble than he was
worth. One man said it was
wrong to sell ivhite
back and the door closed. The sale was not for a
moment
interrupted,
and none of the crowd appeared
to be in the leastaffected by the scene.
The poor boy,afraid to cry before so many strangers,
who showed no signs of sympathy or pity,
trembled,and wiped the tears from his cheeks
with his sleeves. He was sold for about two
hundred and fifty dollars. During the
sale țhe
quartersresounded with cries and lamentations
that made my heart ache. A woman was next
called
scenes of the
by
sales! A young lady,a friend
name. She gave
her infant one wild
embrace before
of the writer, who spent a winter in Carolina,
leaving itwith an old woman, and
hastened mechanically to obey the call ; but
described to her the sale of a woman stopped, threw her arms aloftșcreamed and was
and unable
her
to move.
children. When the littlegirl,
seven
years of age, was put on the One of my companionstouched
block,
my shoulder
and said, " Come, let us leave here ; I can bear no
she fellinto spasms with fear and excitement. more." We left the ground. The man who
She was taken off" recovered and put
drove our carriage from Petersburg had two sons
back "
spasms came back "
threetimes who^belongedto the "
estate
boys. He
obtained a
the experiment was tried,and at last the
promise that theyshould not be sold.
He was asked if they
sale of the child was deferred!
were his onlychildren ; he
answered,"All that's left of eight." Three
See also the following, from Dr. Elwood others had be^n sold to the south,and he would
never see or
Harvey,editorof a western paper, to the
hear from them again.
As Northern
Pennsylvania Freeman. Dec. people do not see such
25,1846.
things,
theyshould hear of them often enough to keep
We attended a sale of land and other them awake to the
property,
sufferings of the victims of
near Petersburg, Virginia, and
their indifference.
unexpectedlysaw
slaves sold at publicauction. The slaves were Such are the common
told theywould not be sold,and were
incidents, not the
collected
in front of the admitted
quarters,gazingoh the assembled
cruelties, of an institutionwhich
peoplehave broughtthemselves to feelisin
fact,and a most honorable one to our common
human
go to the extent of their means, and beyond
their means, to arrest the cruel operations

"
138 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
of trade,and relievecases of individualdistress.
it means negroes sold in families? What is
There are men at the South who meant by the "
invitation, Call soon ifyou
could tell,if theywould,how, when theywant to get the firstchoice " ?
have spent the lastdollarthat theythought So much for Advertisement No. 1. Let
they could afford Aveek,they on one have us now propounda few questions to the
been importunedby precisely such a case initiated on No. 2. What does Mr. Benjamin
the next, and been unable to meet it. There Littlemean by saying that he " will
are masters at the South who could tell, if
theywould,how theyhave stood and bid young negroes
as
any trader in the
against a traderțo redeem some poor slave
of their own, tillthe biddingwas perfectly of " likelyoung' negroes " ?
ruinous,and they have been obliged to give On the third advertisement we are also
up by sheer necessity. Good-natured auctioneers
desirous of some information. Messrs.
know very well how theyhave often Bolton,Dickins " Co. state that they
been entreatedto connive at keepinga poor expect to receive
fellow out of the trader'sclutches ; and how negroes in the fall.
sometimes
and sometimes they Unfortunate Messrs. Bolton,Dickins "
theysucceed,
do not.
The very struggleand effortwhich generous
Southern men make to stop the regular
course of trade onlyshows them the
hopelessness of the effort. We fully concede
that many of them do as much or more
than any of us would do under similarcircumstances
and buyup the negroes that are for sale in
know that what
; and yet they
theydo amounts, after allțo the merest
trifle.
But let us stillfurther reason
upon the
testimony of advertisements. What is to be
understood by the following, of the Memphis
Eagle and Inquirer, Saturday, Nov.
13, 1852? Under the editorialmotto,
"
unsettled and
come
their views of slavery from this book
"regard the families of slaves as utterly
Libertyand Union,now and forever,"
vagrant."
the followingillustrations :
But,beforewe recover from our astonishment
on readingthis,we take up the
NO. I.
Natchez
75 NEGROES.
(Mississippi) Courier of Nov.
20th,1852, and there read :
I have justreceived from the East 75
assorted A No. 1 negroes. Call soon, if
you want to getthe firstchoice.
Benj. Little.
500 1VEGROES WANTED.
The undersigned would respectfully state
to the
NO. II.
publicthat he has leased the stand
the Forks of the
CASH FOR NEGROES.
Road, near Natchez,for a,
term of years, and that he intends to keep
I will pay
as highcash pricesfor a few
a large
lot of NEGROES on hand during
likelyyoung negroes as any trader in this
the year. He
will sell as low or lower than
city.Also,will receiveand sell on commission
any other trader at
this placeor in New Orleans.
at Byrd Hill's,old stand,on Adams-street, He has just
Memphis.
Bexj. Little.
arrived from Virginia with a very
likely lot of Field Men and Women ; also,House
NO. HI.
Servants, three Cooks,and a Carpenter. Call and
We
for all good negroes offered. We invite
all those having negroes for sale,
will pay the highest cash price
to call on us at our Mart,
Natchez,Sept.28,1852.
oppositethe.lower
steamboat landing. We will also have a large
lot of Virginianegroes
for sale in the Fall. We Where in the world did this luckyMr.
have as safe a jailas any in the country, where Tnos. G. James get this likelyVirginia
we can keepnegroes safe for those that wish them
kept. Bolton,Dickins " Co.
Under the head of advertisementsNo. 1,
let us humbly inquirewhat " assorted A
No. 1 Negroes" means. Is it likelythat
pay as high a cash pricefor a few likely
city " ? Do familiescommonlyconsist exclusively
Co. ! Do you suppose that Virginia families
willselltheir negroes '? Have you read
Mr. J. Thornton Randolph's last novel,
and have you not learned that old Virginia
familiesnever sell to traders 1 and,more
than that țhat theyalways club together
their neighborhood, and the traders when
theyappear on the groundare hustled off
with very littleceremony? One would
reallythink that you had got your impressions
on the subject from ': Uncle Tom's
Cabin." For we are told that all who derive
NEGROES.
A fine Buggy Horse, a Saddle Horse and a
Carryall, on hand,and for sale.
Tnos. G. James.
"
assortment" ? Probably in some county
which Mr. Thornton Randolphnever visited.
And had no families been separated to form
* Article in Fraser's Magazine for October,by a South
Carolinian.

KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 139
as to the
"
"
"
the assortment ? We hear of a lot of field children, theymust be leftin the
hishumanity; and
men and women. Where are theirchildren1 slave-raising state. For,when the readyraised
We hear of a lot of house-servants, of
article is importedweekly into
"three cooks,"and "one carpenter," Natchez or New Orleans,is it likely that
"wellas a "fine buggyhorse." Had these the inhabitants will encumber themselves
unfortunate cooks and carpentersno relations
with the labor of raising No, th^je
? Did no sad natural tears stream must be divisionof labor in all well-ordered
down their dark cheeks,when theywere business. The northern slave states raise
being"assorted" for the Natchez market? the article, the southern ones consume
Does no mournful heart among them yearn it.
to the song of
The extracts have been taken from the
papers of the more southern states. If, now,
the reader has any curiosity to explorethe
"
0, carry
me back to old Virginny " 1
Stillfurther, we see in the same paper the selecting process in the northern states țhe
following :
dailyprints will further enlighten the
SLAVES! SLAVES! SLAVES!
Daily Virginian of
Mr. J. B. McLendon thus Nov. announces
19, 1852,
to the
Fresh Arrivals Weekly.
"
Havingestablished
ourselves at the Forks of the Road, Old Dominion that he has settled himself
near Natchez, for a term of years,
we have
now on hand,and intend to keepthroughou the
down to attend to the selecting process :
entire year,
a largeand well-selected stock of
1VEGROEES WAXTD.
Negroes,consisting of field-hands, house servants, The subscriber, havinglocated in Lynchburg,is
mechanics,cooks,seamstresses,washers,ironers, giving
etc.,which we can and will sell as low or lower
highest cash pricesfor negroes between
than any other house here or in New Orleans.
Persons wishing to purchasewould do well to
call on us before makingpurchaseselsewhere,as
our regulararrivalswill keep us supplied with or address him by letter.
a All communications will receive prompt
good and generalassortment. Our terms are
J. B. McLendon.
liberal. Give us a call.
nov. 5-dly.
Griffin " Pullam.
Natchez,Oct. 15,1852.-0m.
Mr. McLendon distinctly announces that
Free Trader and Concordia Intelligencer copy he is not
as above.
goingto take any children under
ten years of age, nor any grown people over
Indeed ! Messrs. Griffinand Pullam, it thirty.Likelyoung negroes
are what he
seems, are equally fortunate ! They
is after
are
: families, of course, never
separated
having fresh supplies weekly, and are going
!
to keep a large,well-selectedstock constantly
Again, in the same paper,
Mr. Seth
on hand țo wit, ' ' field-hands, houseservants,
mechanics,cooks,seamstresses, recollectionin the communitythat he also
Woodroof is desirous of keepingup the
washers,ironers, etc."
is in the market, as it would appear he has
Let us respectfully inquirewhat is the been,some time past. He, likewise, wants
process by which a trader acquires negroes between ten and thirty years
of age ;
selectedstock. He goes to Virginia to select.
He has had orders, say,
for one dozen cooks, blacksmiths, and carpenters, witness his
for half a dozen carpenters, for so hand
many
:
house-servants, "c. "c. Each one of these
NEGROES WANTED.
individuals have their own ties ; besides
beingcooks,carpenters and
The subscriber continues in market
house-servants, of both sexes, between the ages of 10 and 30
they are also fathers,mothers,husbands, years, includingMechanics șuch as Blacksmiths,
wives ; but what of that ? They must be Carpenters, and will pay the highestmarket prices
in cash. His officeis a
selected" itisan assortment thatiswanted.
newly erected brick building
on 1st or Lynchstreet,immediately in rear
The gentlemanwho has ordered a cook does
the Farmers' Bank, where he is prepared(having
not, of course, want her five children ;
and erected buildings with that view) to board negroes
the planter who has ordered a sent to
carpenterdoes Lynchburgfor sale or otherwise on as
not want the cook,his wife. A moderate terms, and keepthem as secure, as if
carpenter
they
is an expensive article, any rate,as they
in the jailof the Corporation.
aug 26. Seth Woodroof.
cost from a thousand to fifteenhundred dollars
; and a man who has to pay out this There is no manner of doubt that this
sum for him cannot always affordhimself
the luxury of indulging
the ages of 10 and 30 years. Those having
negroes for sale may find it to their interestto
call on him at the WashingtonHotel,Lynchburg,
but his views turn rather on mechanics,
forNegroes;,
Mr. Seth Woodroof is a gentleman of humanity,
and wishes to avoid the separation

male
"
she
" and
140
KEY TO UNCLE TOM'S CABIN.
of families as much as possible Ḍoubtless
he
ardently wishes that
all his blacksmiths
that Mr. McLean is advertising for her șhe
"
and carpenters would be considerate,
and never have any
children under ten years
is hushing the little thing in her bosom,and
of age ; but, ifthe thoughtless dogs have got thinking, many another mother has done,
them,what 's a humane man to do 1 He has that it is about the brighest, prettiest little
to fillout Mr. This,That, and the Other's baby that ever was born ; for,singularly
order, that's a clear case;
and therefore enough,even black mothers do fallinto this
John and Sam must take their last look delusionsometimes. No matter for allthis,
at their babies,as Uncle Tom did of his is wanted for a wet nurse ! Aunt
when he stood by the rough trundle-bed Prue can take her baby,and raise it on
WANTED.
I want to purchaseimmediately 25 likely
"
NEGROES, and between the
female,"
ages of 15 and 25 years; for which I will pay
the highestpricein cash.
Brown
A. A. McLean, General Agent, fathersand mothers feel when
nov 9
they were
CherryStreet.
' '
selected ' ' ? Emmeline was taken out of
Mr. McLean, it seems, onlywants those
one family,
between the ages of fifteenand twenty-five.
and Georgeout of another. The
judicious
This advertisement is twice repeated in the
trader has travelled through wide
in his track
same paper, from which fact we may conjecture
that the gentleman is very much in
earnest in his wants, and entertains rather
states another want.
WANTED.
I want to purchase,immediately, a Negroman,
Carpenter, and will give a goodprice.
sept 29 A. A. McLean, GerCl Agent.
confident expectations that somebodywill
be willing to sell. Furtherțhe same
gen-
scenes he has occasioned :
tleman
Orleans market,or up the Red The uncertainty of the master in this
River,or
off to some far bayou of the case is
Mississippi, edifying Ḥe knows that negroes
cannot be
never to look upon wife or child again.But, expected to have the feelings of
again, Mr. McLean in the same paper tells cultivatedpeople; yet, here is a case
Avherethe
us of another creature
want really acts unaccountably,
:
and he can't think of any
cause except that
WANTED
IMMEDIATELY.
A "Wet Nurse. Any pricewill be givenfor one
of goodcharacter,constitution,"c. Apply to
A. A. McLean, Gen I Agent.
And what is to be done with the baby of
this wet nurse ? Perhaps,at the moment
"
Mr. McLean does not advertise for his
wife and children, or where this same carpenter
is to be sent, whether to the New
"
and dropped into it great, useless tears. corn-cake, and what not. Off with her to
Nay, my friends, don't curse poor Mr. Mr. McLean !
Seth Woodroof,because he does the horrible, See,alsoțhe following advertisementof
loathsome work of tearingup the livingthe good State of Alabama,which shows
human heartțo make twine and shoe-strings how the trade is thriving there. Mr. S. N.
for you
! It 'sdisagreeable business enough, Brown, in the Advertiser and Gazette,
he willtell you, sometimes ; and,if you must Montgomery,Alabama,holds forth as follows
have him to do it for you,
treat him civilly, :
and don't pretend that you are any better
NEGROES FOR SALE.
S. N. Brown takes this method of
than he.
informing his
But the goodtrade is not confined to the
patrons, and others waiting to purchaseSlaves,
that he has now on hand, of his own selection
Old Dominion,by any means. See the following
and purchasing, likelyoung Negroes,
extract from a Tennessee paper, the consisting of Men, Boys,and Women, Field Hands,
and
Nashville Gazette,Nov. 23,1852,where superior House Servants, which he offers
and will sell as low as the times will warrant.
Mr. A. A. McLean, generalagent in this
Office on Market-street,above the Montgomery
kind of businessțhus makes known his Hall,at Lindsay's Stand,where he intends to
wants and intentions :
keep slaves for sale on his own account, and not
on commission, therefore thinks he can give
patronize Montgomery,Ala.,Sept.13,1852. twtf (j)
satisfaction to those who
Where were these boys and girls of Mr.
selected, let us ask. How did their
regions of country, leaving
wailing and anguish. A little incident,
which has recently been the rounds of the
papers, may perhapsillustratesome of the
INCIDENT OF SLAVERY.
A negro
woman belonging to Geo. M. Garrison,
of Polk Co.,killed four of her children,by cutting
their throats while they were asleep, on Thursday
night țhe 2d inst.,and then put an end to her
own existenceby cuttingher throat. Her master
knows of no cause for the horrid act,unless it be
that she heard him speak of sellingher and two
of her children,and keepingthe others.
he was goingto sellher from her children.
But, compose yourself, dear reader ; there
was no great harm done. These were all

Smylie
Let
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 141
poor people'schildren, and some of them,I table? Do you feelthat there is blood on
though not "
all,were black ; and that makes his hands, the blood of human hearts,
all the differencein the world, you know ! which he has torn asunder ? Do you shudder
But Mr. Brown is not alone in Montgomery.
when he touches the communion-bread,
Mr. J. W. Lindsey wishes to remind and when he drinks the cup which " whosoever
the people of his depot.
drinkethunworthily drinkethdamnation
to himself"? But who makes the
lOO NEGROES FOR SALE,
trader? Do
At my depot, on Commerce-street, immediately
not you ? Do you think that
between the Exchange Hotel and F. M. Gilmer, the trader'sprofession is a healthy one for
Jr.'s"Warehouse,where I will be receiving, from the soul? Do you think the scenes with
time to time,large lots of Negroesduringthe season,
which he must be familiar, and the deeds he
and will sell on as accommodatingterms as
any house in this city. I would must do,
respectfully
in order to keepup
an assortment
of
requestmy old customers and friends to call and negroes for your convenience, are such
oxamine my stock. Jno. W. Lindset.
Montgomery,Nov. 2, 1852.
Mr. Lindseyis goingto be receiving,
Or isit so
from time to time,all the season, and will important for you
to have assorted
sell as cheap as anybody; so there's no fear negroes that the traders must not only be
turned out of
of the supply's falling off. And, lo ! in the
goodsociety in this life, but
run the risk of going to hell forever,
Mechanics of all kinds. The subscribers intend
to keepconstantly
hand a large assortment of
Negroes,comprisingevery description. Persons
wishing to purchasewill find it much to their
interest to call and examine previous to buying
elsewhere. Sanders " Foster.
April13.
Messrs. Sanders " Foster are goingto
have an assortment also. All their negroes
are to be young and likely ; the trashyold
fathersand mothers are allthrown asidelike wishes to sellthiswoman
a
after one has been weeding
heap of pig-weed,
a garden.
Query : Are these Messrs. Sanders "
Foster,and J. W. Lindsey,and S. N.
Brown, and McLean, and Woodroof,and
McLendon, all members of the church,
in goodand regularstanding?Does the
questionshock you ? Why so ? Why
should theynot be ? The Rev. Dr. Smylie,
of Mississippi, in a document endorsed by
two presbyteries, says distinctly that the
Bible gives a righto buy and sellslaves.*
If the Bible guarantees this right,and
sanctions thistrade,why should itshock you
to see the slave-traderat the communion-
* "
If languagecan convey meaning
a clear and definite
at all,I know not how it can more unequivocallyor
more plainlypresent to the mind any thought or idea
than the twenty-fifth chapterof Leviticus clearlyor unequivocally
establishes the fact that slaveryor bondage
was sanctioned by God himself ; and that ' buying,selling,
holding and bequeathing
slaves,as regulations
property,are
which were established by himself." " on
Slavery.
thingsas Jesus Christ approves ? Do you
think theytend to promote his growth in
grace, and to secure his soul's salvation?
same paper, Messrs. Sanders " Foster press
theirclaimsalsoon the publicnotice. your accommodation?
But let us search the Southern papers,
NEGROES FOR SALE.
and see if we cannot find some evidence of
The undersigned have bought out the well-known
that humanitywhich avoids the separation
establishment of Eckles " Brown,where they have of
now on hand a large lot of likely young Negroes,
families, as far as possible. In the
to wit : Men, Women, Boys and Girls,good fieldhands.
Also, several good House Servants and Nov. 5,1852, see the following
Argus, publishedat Weston, Missouri,
:
I wish to sella
A NEGRO FOR SALE.
for
black girlabout 24 years old,a
good cook and washer, handywith a needle,can
spin and weave. I wish to sell her in the neighborhood
of Camden Point ; if not sold there in a
short time,I will hunt the best market ; or I will
trade her for two small ones, a boy and girl.
M. Doyal.
ConsiderateMr. Doyal ! He is opposed
to the separation of families, and,therefore,
in the neighborhood
of Camden Point,where her family
ties are," perhapsher husband and children,
her brothers,or sisters. He will not
How speedsthe blessedtrade in the State
of Maryland ?
"
us take the Baltimore
Sun of Nov. 23,1852.
Mr. J. S. Donovan thus advertisesthe
Christianpublic of the accommodations of
hisjail CASH FOR NEGROES.
The undersignedcontinues,at his old stand,
No. 13 Camden St.,to pay the highestprice for
Negroes. Persons bringingNegroesby railroad
or
separate her from her family if it is possible
to avoid it ; that is to say,
if he can get
as much for her without ; but,if he can't,
he will '"'"huntthe best market." What
more would you
have of Mr. Doyal ?
steamboat will find it very convenient to secure
the Railroad
their Negroes, as my Jail is adjoining
Depot and near the Steamboat Landings.
Negroes received for safe keeping.
J. S. Donovan.

142 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
Messrs. B. M. " W. L. Campbell, in the the subject Ọn one pointhe oughtto be
respectable old stand of Slatter, advertiseas spokento. He has not advertised that he
follows:
does not separatefamilies. It is a mere
matter of SLAVES AVANTED.
taste,to be sure ; but then some
well-disposed peoplelike to see it on a
We are at all times purchasing Slaves,paying
the highest
cash prices. Persons wishingto sell
trader'scard,thinking it has a more creditable
will please call at 242 Pratt St. (Slatter's old appearance ; and,probably, Mr. Harker,
stand). Communications attended to.
ifhe reflects a little, will put it in next time.
B. M. " W. L. Campbell. It takes up very little room, and makes a
In another column,however,Mr. John goodappearance.
Denning has his season advertisement, in We are occasionally reminded,by the
terms which border on the'sublime :
advertisementsfor runaways, to how small
an extent itis found possible to avoid the
SOOO NEGROES WANTED.
separation of families ; as in the Riclunond
I will pay
the hijrhest prices, in cash, for 5000 Whig of Nov. 5, 1852 :
Negroes, with goodtitles, slaves for life or for a
terra of years,
in large or small families, or single
negroes.
I will also $10 REWARD.
purchaseNegroesrestricted
"We are requestedby HenryP. Davis to offera
to remain in the State,that sustain good characters.
Families never separated. Persons reward of $10 for the apprehensionof a negro
having
man named Henry, who ran
Slaves for sale will pleasecall and see me, as I
away from the said
am always in the market with the cash. Communications
Davis' faTm near Petersburg, on Thursday, the
promptly attended 27 th October. Said slave came from near
to, and liheral
Lynchburg,
commissions paid,by John N. ,Va., purchasedof Cock, and has a
Denning, No. 18
wife in Halifax county, Va. He has recently
S. Frederick street,between Baltimore and Second
been employedon the South Side Railroad. He
streets,Baltimore,Maryland.Trees in front of
the house.
may
be in the neighborhood of his wife.
Pulliam " Davis,Aucls.,Richmond.
Mr. John Denning,also,is a man of humanity.
It seems to strike the advertiseras possible
He never separates families. Don't that Henry may be in the neighborhood
you
see it in his advertisement? If a man
of his wife. We should not at all wonder
offershim a wife without her husband,Mr. if he were.
John Denning won't buy her. 0, no ! His The reader,by thistime,is in possession
five thousand are allunbroken families ; he of some of those statisticsof which the
never takes any other ; and he transportsSouth Carolinianspeaks, when he says,
them whole and entire. This is a comfort
to reflect upon, certainly.
We feel confident,if statisticscould be had, to
See, also,the Democrat, published in throw light upon the subject, we should find that
Cambridge,Maryland, Dec. there is less
8, 1852. A
separation of families among the
gentlemangives this negroes
pictorial representation
than occurs with almost any other class
of persons.
of himself,with the proclamation to the
slave-holdersof Dorchester and In order to givesome littlefurther idea
adjacent
counties that he is againin the market of the extent to which this kind of
:
property
is continually changinghands șee the following
NEGROES
WANTED.
calculation, which has been made
I wish to inform the slave-holders of from sixty-four Southern newspapers,
taken
Dorchester and the adjacentcounties that I
very
am again in the Market. Persons having
much at random. The papers
were all
negroes that are slaves for life to disposepublished
in the lasttwo weeks of the month
of will find it to their interest to see me before of November,1852.
theysell,as I am determined to pay the highest The negroes
are advertisedsometimes by
prices in cash that the Southern market will justify.
name,
I can be found at A. Hall's Hotel in Eas'ton,
sometimes in definite numbers, and
where I will remain until the first day of sometimes in "lots,""assortments,"
July
and
next. Communications addressed to me at Easton,
other indefinite terms. We present the
or information givento Wm. Bell in Cambridge, result of this estimate,far as it must fall
will meet with prompt attention. from a fair representation of the facts,in a
Wm. Harker.
tabular form.
Mr. Harker is very accommodating Ḥe Here is recorded, in only eleven papers,
keeps himself informed as to the state of the the sale of eighthundred forty-nine slaves
southern market,and will give the very in two weeks in Virginia ; the state where
highestprice that itwill justifyṂoreover, Mr. J. Thornton Randolphdescribes such
he will be on hand tillJuly, and will answer an event as a separation of familiesbeing a
any lettersfrom the adjoining country on thinsthat " we read of in no velssometimes."

9tates where
published.
Virginia,
Kentucky,
Tennessee,
S. Carolina,
Georgia,
Alabama,
Mississippi,
Louisiana,
In South Carolina, where the writer in
Fraser's Magazine dates from,we have
duringthese same two weeks a sale of eight
hundred and
fifty-two recorded by one
Verily, we must applyto the newspapers
languagewhich
papers.
of his state the same
KEY TO UNCLE TOMS CABIN. 143
dozen
"uid vagrant."
The total, in sixty-four papers, in different
legislature, of
takingmeasures for gradual
states,for onlytwo weeks,is four thousand
emancipation Ṭhe State of Virginiahas
come almost
one hundred,besides equallynear, and
ninety-twolots,
Maryland
has
as theyare called.
longbeen waitingat the door. There
And now, who is he who compares the was a time when no one doubted that all
these states
hopeless,
would
returnlessseparation
soon be free states ; and
from his family, to
of the freeman,whom
of the negro
the what is now the
voluntary
reason that theyare not 1
separation
Why are thesediscussions now silenced, and
necessary businessinterest
takes for a while from the bosom of
why does thisnoble determination now
his ?
family1 Is not the lot of the
The
slave
answer is in a word. It is
the
bitterenough,without thislastof mockeries I
extension of slave territory, the opening
and
of worst of insults? Well a great southern may
slave-market, and
theysay,
the organization of a great internalslave-
in theiranguish, " Our soul is exceedingly
filledwith the scorning of them that
trade țhat has arrested the
are at
progress of
ease, and with the contempt of the proud!"
emancipation.
From the
While these states were
poor negro, exposedto bitterest
beginning to look
separation, the law jealously takes away the upon the slave as one who might possibly
THE
SLAVE-TRADE.
Slavery, being
an unnatural and unhealthful
condition of society, beinga most wasteful
and impoverishing
the soil,would
mode of cultivating
speedily run itself out in a
community, and become so unprofitable as
to fallinto disuse, were it not keptaliveby
some unnatural process.
What has that process been in America %
Why has that healing course of nature which
cured this awful wound in all the northern
states stoppedshort on Mason " Dixon's
line? In Delaware,Maryland,Virginia
and
Kentuckyșlave labor long ago impoverished
the soil almost beyond recovery,
unprofitable. In all
and became entirely
these states it is well known
on
that the question
of emancipation has been urgently presented.
It has been discussed in legislatures,
and Southern men have pouredforth
the institutionof slavery such anathemas
he applies to " Uncle Tom's Cabin :" " as
Were
onlySouthern men can pour forth. All
our views of the system of that has ever been said of it at the
slaveryto be
North
derived from
has
these
been said in
papers, we should
four-foldthunders in these
regard
the
Southern
familiesof slaves
discussions. The State of as
Kentucky
utterlyunsettled
once came within one
vote, in her
retrograde
yet become a man, while theymeditated
power of writing. For him the gulfof separation
yawns black and hopeless, with givingto him and his wife and
no
childrenthe
redeemingsigna' Ignorantof geography,
inestimable blessings of liberty, this great
he knows southern
not whither
slave-mart
he isgoing, or where
was opened. It began
he is,or how to direct a letter. To i,11 m-
bythe additionof Missouri as slaveterritory,
tents and
and
purposes, itis
the votes of two a
Northern
separation hopemen
were
less as that of
those which
death,and as final.
decided this great question.
Then,by the assent and concurrence of
Northern men, came in all the immense acquisition
of slave territory which now opens
boundless a market to tempt the avarice
CHAPTER IV.
and cupidity of the northern slave-raising
states.
This acquisition of
territory has deferred
What is it thatconstitutesthe vitalforce perhapsfor indefinite ages the emancipation
ofthe institutionof slavery in this country ? of a race. It has condemned to sorrow and

Good
"
the
Let
The
tf
144 KEY TO UNCLE TOMS CABIN.
heart-breaking separation, to groans and
wailings, hundreds of thousands of slave
families ;
suming
states. We have shown, the preceding
chapters, the kind of advertisements
ithas built, throughallthe Southern
which are usual those states ; but, as we
States, slave-warehouses, with all their wish to produceon the minds of our readers
ghastlyfurnishings of gags,
and thumbscrews,
somethingof the impression which has been
and cowhides ; it has organized producedon our own mind by their multiplicity
unnumbered slave-comes,clankingtheir and abundance we shall add a few
chains and filing throughmore here. For the Stateof Virginia șee
this land of liberty.
all the following :
This accession of slaveterritory hardened
the heart of the master..
Kanawha Republican,Oct. 20, 1852,
It changedwhat Charleston, Va. At the
"
head Liberty,
was before/in comparison, a kindlyrelation, with a banner, " Drapeau sans Tceche"
into the most horribleand inhuman of trades.
The planter whose slaves had CASH FOR NEGROES.
grown up
The subscriber wishes to
around him,and whom he had learned to
purchase a few young
NEGROES, from 12 to 25 years of age, for which
look upon almost as men and women, saw the highest market price will he paidin cash. A
on
every sable forehead now nothingbut its few lines addressed to him through the Post Office,
market value. This man was a thousand Kanawha 0. H., or a personalapplication, will
be
dollars, and this eighthundred. The black promptly attended to. Jas. L. Ficklik.
Oct. 20, 3t
'53."
babyin its mother's arms was a hundreddollar
bill,and nothingmore. All those Alexandria Gazette,Oct. 28th:
nobler traitsof mind and heart which should
CASH FOR NEGROES.
have made the slave a brother became only 1 wish to purchaseimmediately, for the South,
so many stamps on his merchandise. Is the
any number of NEGROES, from 10 to 30 years of
"
? ! that raiseshis age, for which I will pay the very highest cash
slave intelligent
pricetwo hundred dollars. Is he conscientious
and faithful1 Good ! stamp itdown
-"
in his certificate ; it'sworth two hundred
dollarsmore. Is he religious 1 Does that
Holy Spiritof God,whose name we mention
with reverence and fear,make that
despisedform His "
temple1 that also
be put down
in the estimate of his market
value,and thegift of the Holy Ghost shallbe
sold for money. Is he a minister of "
God 1
Nevertheless,
has hisprice in the market.
From the church and from the communiontable
the Christian brother and sister are
taken to make up the slave -come. And
few chapters willdisclosefactson
this subject
which ought to Avring the heart of every
Christianmother,if,indeedșhe be worthy
of that holiest name.
But we will not deal in assertionsmerely.
We have statedthe thing to be proved ;
let us
show the factswhich prove it.
The existence of this fearful trafficis
known to
many, particulars and
dreadful extent of it realized but by few.
price.All communications promptly
West End,Alexandria,Va.,Oct. 26.
"
attended to.
Joseph Bruin.
tf
Lynchburg Virginian, Nov. 18 :
NEGROES
WANTED.
The subscriber, havinglocated in Lynchburg,ia
giving the highest cash prices for negroes, between
the ages of 10 and 30 years. Those havingnegroes
for sale may find it to their interestto call on him
at the WashingtonHotel,Lynchburg, or
him by letter.
All communications
Nov. 5."
Let us enter a little more particularly on highestpricesfor all negroes intrusted to
them. The slave-exporting states are Maryland,
Virginia, Kentucky, North
and would say
Carolina,
address
will receive prompt attention.
J. B. McLendon.
"
"
"
woman, with her tenderness, her gentleness,
Rockingham Register,Nov. 13 :
her beauty, woman, to whom mixed blood
CASH FOR NEGROES.
of the black and the white have givengraces I wish to purchase a number of NEGROES of
perilous a slave, what isher accursed both sexes and all ages, for the Southern market,
for which I will
lot,in thisdreadfulcommerce ? next
pay the highest cash prices.
Letters addressed to me at Winchester,Virginia,
care. Theywill make sales of negroes
in estates,
to Commissioners,Executors and
Administrators, that
Tennessee and
theywill make their sales on
Missouri. These are slaveraising
states, and the others are slave-con-
lodgenegroes comfortablyat 25 cents per
favorable terms. They are preparedto board and
day.
dly
will be promptly attended to.
H.J. McDaniei,,Agent
Nov. "
24,184G. for Wm. Crow.
PULLIAM " DAVIS,
AUCTIONEERS FOR THE SALE OF NEGROES.
D. M. Pulliam. Hector Davis.
The subscribers continue to sell Negroes,at
their office, on Wall-street. From their experienee
in the business,they can safely insure the
their

ly
lm
NOTICE. " CASH FOR SLAVES.
Those who wish to sell slaves in Buckingham
and the adjacentcounties in Virginia, by application
to Anderson D. Abraham, Sr., or his son,
Anderson D. Abraham, Jr.,theywill find sale,at
the highestcash prices, for one hundred and fifty
to two hundred slaves. One or the other of the
above
will be found, for the next eight
parties
months,at theirresidence in the aforesaid county
and state. Address Anderson D. Abraham, Sr.,
MaysvillePost Office,White Oak Grove,Buckingham
County, Va.
Winchester
NEGROES
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 145
Republican, June 29, 1852 :
WANTED.
The subscriberhavinglocated himself in "Winchester,
Va., wishes to purchase a largenumber
of SLAVES of both sexes, for which he will give
the highestprice in cash. Persons wishing to
to. Lewis Winters.
"
Jan. 2. tf
For Tennessee
FOR
the following
SALE.
All communications addressed
prices will be paid.
to me in Baltimore will be punctually attended
2! likelyNegroes, of different ages.
Oct. 0. A. A. McLean, Gen. Agent.
I want
WANTED.
to purchase,immediately, a Negroman,
and will givea good price.
Carpenter,
Oct. 6. A. A. McLean, Gen. Agent.
dispose of Slaves will find it to their advantage
to give him a callbefore selling.
Nashville Gazette,October 22 :
All communications addressed to him at the
Taylor Hotel,Winchester,Va.,will meet with
FOR SALE.
prompt attention. Elijah McDowel, SEVERAL likelygirls from 10 to 18
Agent for B. M. " Win. years old,
L. Campbell, a woman 24, a
very valuable woman 25 years old,
Dec. "
27,1851. of Baltimore. with three very likely
children.
Williams " Glover.
Oct. 16th,1852. a. b. c.
For Maryland :
Port Tobacco Times, Oct.,'52
I want to purchase Twenty-fiveLIKELY
NEGROES, between the
SLAVES WANTED.
ages of 18 and 25 years,
male and female,for which I will pay the highest
The subscriber is permanentlylocated at Middleville,
Charles County (immediately on the Oct. 20.
CherryStreet.
pricein cash. A. A. McLean.
road from Port Tobacco to Allen's Fresh),where
he will be pleasedto buy any Slaves that are for The Memphis Daily Eagle and Enquirer
sale. The extreme value will be givenat all
times,and liberalcommissions paidfor information
:
leading to a purchase. Apply personally, or
500 NEGROES WANTED.
by letter addressed to Allen's Fresh,Charles
We will
County. John G. Campbell.
pay the highest cash pricefor all good
Middleville, April14, 1852.
negroes offered. We invite all those having
negroes for sale to callon us at our mart, opposite
Cambridge I^Vld.) Democrat,October
27,1852 :
attention.
I will be at John Bradshaw's Hotel,in Cambridge,
every Monday. Wm. Harker.
Oct. 6,1852.
"
3m
The Westminster Carroltonian, Oct.
22, 1852 :
25 NEGROES WANTED.
The undersigned wishes to purchase25 LIKELY
YOUNG NEGROES, for which the highestcash
10
WANTED.
the lower steamboat landing. We will also have
a large lot of Virginia negroes for sale in the Fall.
We have as safe a jail as any in the country,
where we can keep negroes safe for those that
NEGROES
WANTED.
wish them kept. Bolton,Dickins " Co.
I wish to inform the slave-holders of Dorchester
d"w jel3"
and the adjacent counties that I am again in
the market. Persons havingnegroes that are
slavesforlifeto dispose of will find it to their interest
LAND AND NEGROES FOR SALE.
to see me before theysell,as I am determined
A goodbargainwill be givenin about 400 acres
to pay the highestpricesin cash that the
of Land ; 200 acres are in a fine state of cultivation,
Southern market will justifyỊ can be found at fronting the Railroad about ten miles from
A. Hall's Hotel,in Easton,where I will remain Memphis. Together with 18 or 20 likely negroes,
until the firstday of Julynext. Communications consisting of men, women, boys and girls.Good
addressed to me at Easton,or information time will be
given
given on a portion of the purchase
to Wm. Bell,in Cambridge, will meet with prompt money. J. M. Provine.
Oct. 17.
" lm.
ClarksvilleChronicle, Dec. 3,1852:
NEGROES
WANTED.
We wish to hire 25 goodSteam Boat hands for
the New Orleans and Louisville trade. We will
pay very full prices for the Season,commencing
about the 15th November.
McClure " Crozier,Agents
Sept.10th,1852. "
S. B. Bellpoor.

Having
146 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
Missouri :
The Daily St. Louis Times, October
14,1852 :
REUBEN BARTLETT,
the sale of negroes
on commission,having a jail
and yardfitted up expressly for boarding them.
ISP Negroesfor sale at all times. "
3 A. B. McAfee, 93 Olive street.
ONE HUNDRED NEGROES WANTED.
Having justreturned from Kentucky, I wish to
purchase, soon as possible,
negroes,consisting
which
of men, women, boys and theynow
girls, of the Road, near Natchez (Miss.),
one hundred likely
for which I will pay at all times from fifty
to one
hundred dollars on the head more money than any
"ethertrading man in the cityof St. Louis,or the
State of Missouri. I can at all times be found at
Barnum's CityHotel,St. Louis,Mo.
jel2d"wly. John Mattingly.
From another St. Louis paper :
NEGROES
WANTED.
"We ask you,
Christian reader,we beg
you to think,what sort of scenes are going
on in Virginia under these advertisements 7
You see that they are carefully worded so as
to take only the young people; and they are
only a specimen of the standing, season
BLAKELY and McAFEE havingdissolvedcopartnership
and other states are thus announced in the
by mutual consent, the subscriber southern market.
will at all times pay the highest cash prices for
negroes of every description. Will
From the Natchez (Mississippi) Free
also attend to
advertiseme
On Chesnut, between Sixth and Seventh streets,
near the cityjail, will pay the highestprice in
which are among the most common
cash for all goodnegroes offered. There are also
things the Virginia papers.
A
other buyersto be found in the office very anxious chapter
to purchase,
who will pay
the highestpricesgiven
will open to the reader the
interiorof these slave-prisons, and show him
in cash.
Negroesboarded at the lowest rates.
something of the dailyincidents of thiskind
jy 15 "
6m.
of trade. Now let us look at the corresponding
(
succeeding
advertisements in the southern
states. The cofflesmade up in Virginia
Trader, Nov. 20 :
NEGROES FOR SALE.
The undersigned have justarrived,direct from
Richmond, Va., with a large and likely
lot of
Negroes, consistingof Field Hands, House
Servants,Seamstresses, Cooks, Washers and
Ironers,a first-rate brick mason, and other mechanics,
offerfor sale at the Forks
on the most
accommodating terms.
They will continue to receive fresh supplies
from Richmond, Va.,duringthe season, and will
be able to furnish to any order any description of
Negroessold in Richmond.
Persons wishing to purchase
give us a call before purchasing elsewhere.
nov20-6m Matthews, Branton " Co.
would do well to
I will pay at all times the highestpricein cash
To The Public.
for all good negroes
offered. I am buyingfor the
Memphis and "Louisiana NEGROES BOUGHT AND SOLD.
markets,and can afford
to pay, and will pay, as high Robert S. Adams " Moses J. Wicks have this
as any tradingman
day associated themselves under the name and
in this State. All those havingnegroes to sell
will do well to give me a call at No. style of Aoams " Wicks, for the purpose of buying
210,corner
and selling Negroes,in the city
of Sixth and Wash streets,St Louis,Mo.
of Aberdeen,
and elsewhere. They have an Agent who has
Tnos. Dickins,
been purchasingNegroesfor them in the Old
of the firm of Bolton,Dickins " Co.
States for the last two months. One of the firm,
"
ol8 6m*
Robert S. Adams, leaves this day for North Carolina
and Virginia, and will buy a largenumber of
ONE HUNDRED NEGROES WANTED.
negroes for this market. The.y will keep at their
depot
Havingjustreturned from Kentucky, I Avish to
in Aberdeen,during the coming fall and
purchase one hundred winter,a largelot of choice Negroes,
likelyNegroes,consisting
which they
of men and women, boys and will sell low for cash,or for bills on Mobile.
girls,for which I
Robert S. Adams,
will pay in cash from fifty to one hundred dollars
Moses J. Wicks.
more than any other tradingman in the cityof
Aberdeen,Miss
St. Louis or the State of Missouri. I can
May 7th, 1852.
at all
times be found at Barnum's CityHotel Șt. Louis,
Mo. John Mattingly.
slaves: slaves: slaves:
"
jel4d"wly
Fresh arrivals weekly. established
ourselves at the Forks of the Road, near Natchez,
for a term of years,
we have now on hand, and intend
B. M. LYNCH,
to keep throughout the entire year, a large
No. 104 Locust street,St. Louis, Missouri, and well-selected stock of Negroes,consisting of
Is prepared to pay the highestprices in cash for field-hands, house servants, mechanics,cooks,
good and likely negroes, or will furnish boardingseamstresses,washers, ironers, etc.,which we can
for others,in comfortable quartersand under secure
sell and will*sell as low or lower than any
other
fastenings Ḥe will also attend to the sale house here or in New Orleans.
va"\ purchase of negroes
on commission.
Persons wishing to purchasewould do well t "
5l5p"Negroes for sale at all times. "w call on us before making purchaseselsewhere,as

"
Field
_
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 147
our regular arrivalswill keep us supplied with a From another number of the Mississippi
good and general assortment. Our terms are liberal.
Free Trader is taken the following:
Give us a call.
Griffd* " Pulltjm.
Natchez,Oct. 16, 1852. 6m
The undersigned would respectfully state to tho
publicthat he has a lot of about forty-five now
NEGROES FOR SALE.
on hand,having this dayreceived a-lotof twentyfivedirectfrom
Virginia, two or three goodcooks,
I have justreturned to my stand,at the Forks
of the Road, with fifty likely young
NEGROES
a carriagedriver,a good house boy,a fiddler,a
*
for sale.
R. H. Elam. fineseamstress and a likelylot of fieldmen and
sept 22
women ; all of whom he will sell at a small profit.
He wishes to close out and go on to Virginia
NOTICE.
after a lot for thefalltrade. Call and see.
The undersigned would respectfully state to the
Thomas G. James.
publicthat he has leased the stand in the Forks
of the Road, near Natchez, for a term of years, and The*slave-raising businessof thenorthern
that lie intends to keep a large lot of NEGROES on states has been variously alluded to and recognized,
hand during the year. He will sellas low, or
both in the businessstatisticsof
lower,than any other trader at this placeor in
New Orleans.
the states, and occasionally in the speeches
He has just arrived from Virginia, with of a very patriotic men, who have justly mourned
likely lot of fieldmen and women and house servants,
over it as a degradation to their country. In
three cooks,a carpenter and a fine buggy
horse,. and a saddle-horse and carryall. Call and
see. Thos. G. James. Societyaddressed to the executive committee
of the American Anti- Slavery Society
DailyOrleanian,Oct. 19,1852 :
some inquiries on the internal American
W. F. TANXEHILL,
slave-trade.
No. 159 Gravier Street.
A laboredinvestigation was made at that
SLAVES! SLAVES! SLAVES! time țhe results of which were published in
Constantlyon hand,boughtand sold on commission,
London ; and from that volume are made the
at most reasonable prices. hands,
following extracts :
cooks,washers and ironers,and generalhouse
servants. City reference given,ifrccpiired. The VirginiaTimes (a weekly newspaper,
oct 14
publishedat Wheeling,Virginia)estimates,in
1836,the number of slaves exportedfor sale from
DEPOT D'ESCLAVES
that state alone,during " the twelve months
preceding,"
BE LA NOUVELLE-ORLEANS.
at fortythousand țhe aggregate value
No. 68,rue Baronne.
of whom is computedat twenty-four millions of
Wm. F. Tannehill " Co. ont constamment dollars.
en
mains un assortiment complet d'EscLAVES bien Allowing for Virginiaone-half of the whole ex
ohoisiaa vendre. Aussi,vente et achat d'esclaves portation duringthe periodin question,and wfc
par commission.
have the appallingsum total of eightythousand
Nous avons actuellement en mains slaves
un grand exported in a singleyear from the breeding
nombre de negres a louer states.
aux
We cannot decide with
mois,parmilesquels
certainty what
se trouvcnt des jeunesgarcons, doinestiques de proportion of the above number was furnished by
maison, cuisinieres,blanchisseuses et each of the
repasnourices,
etc.
next to Virginia in point of numbers,North Carolina
breedingstates, but Marylandranks
follows
references :
Maryland,Kentucky North Carolina,
Wright,Williams " Co. Moon, Titus " Co. then Tennessee and Delaware.
Williams,Phillips " Co. S. 0. Nelson " Co. The Natchez (Mississippi) Courier
"
says that
Moses Greenwood. E. the States of
W..Diggs.3ms
Louisiana,Mississippi, Alabama
and Arkansas,importedtwo hundred and fiftythousand
New Orleans Daily Crescent,Oct. 21, slaves from the more northern states in the
1852 : year 1836."
SLAVES.
This seems absolutely incredible, but it probably
includes all the slaves introduced
James White, No. 73 Baronne street,New Orleans,
by the immigration
will give strictattention of their to masters. The
receiving, boarding
following, from
and selling SLAVES the VirginiaTimes, confirms this
consignedto him. He
supposition.
In the same
will also buy and sellon commission. References
paragraph which is referred to under
:
the second
Messrs. Robson " Allen,McRea, Coffman'" query, it is said :
Co.,
Pregram,Bryan " Co. "
sop 23
We have heard intelligent men estimate the
number of slaves exported from Virginia, within
the last twelve months, at a hundred and twenty
NEGROES
WANTED.
thousand, each slave averagingat least six
Fifteen or twentygoodNegro Men wanted to hundred dollars, making an aggregate of seventytwo
million dollars. Of the number of slaves
go on a Plantation. The best of wages will be
given until the firstof January,1853.
exported, not more than one-third have been sold
Apply to Thomas G. Mackey ;
" Co., the others havingbeen carriedby their masters,
5 Canal street,corner of Magazine, who have removed."
eepll up stairs. Assuming one-third to be the proportion of the
1841,the Britishand ForeignAnti-Slavery

148 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
sold,there are -more than eightythousand imported
"There were nearlyseven thousand slaves
for sale into the four States of Louisiana, offered in New Orleans market,lastwinter. From
Mississippi, Alabama and Arkansas. SupposingVirginia alone six thousand were annually sent to
one-half of eightythousand to be sold into the the South, and from Virginia and North Carolina
other S. Carolina,Georgia, and there had gone to the South,in the last twenty
buyingstates,"
the territory of and Florida," we are brought to
three hundred thousand
years, slaves."
the conclusion that more than a hundred and Hon. Henry Clay,of Kentucky, in his speech
twenty thousand slaves were, for some
years previous
before the ColonizationSociety, in 1829, says
:
to the greatpecuniarypressure in 1837,exported
"It is believed that nowhere in the farming
from the to
breedingthe consuming states. portion of the United States would slave labor be
The Baltimore American givesthe followingenerally
employed, if the proprietor were not
from a Mississippi paper of 1837 :
tempted to raise slaves by the high priceof the
"
The report made by the committee of the southern markets,which keeps it up in his own."
citizens of Mobile,appointed at their meeting The New York, Journal of Commerce of October
held on the 1st instant,on the subject of the existing
12th,1835, contains a letter from a Virginian,
pecuniarypressure, states that so largewhom the editor calls " a
very good and sensible
has been the return of slave labor,that purchasesman," assertingthat twenty thousand slaves had
by Alabama of that species of property from been driven to the South from Virginia that year,
other states, since 1833, have amounted to about but little more than three-fourths of which had
ter.million dollars annually.''''
then elapsed.
"
Dealing in slaves," says the Baltimore'(Marj-Mrland)Registerof
1829,has become a large business
legislature of that state,January18,1831 (sea
Gholson, of Virginia, in his speechin the
; establishments are made in several placesRichmond Whig) , says :
in Maryland and Virginia, at which "
they are sold It has always (perhapserroneously) been
like cattle. These placesof deposit are stronglyconsidered,by steady and old-fashioned people,
built, and well suppliedwith iron thumbscrews that the owner of land had a reasonable righ to
and gags,
and ornamented with cowskins and itsannual profits ; the owner of orchards to their
other whips, oftentimes bloody."
annual fruits ; the owner of brood mares to their
Professor Dew, now President of the University product; and the owner of femaleslaves to their
of William and Mary, in Virginia, in his review increase. We have not the fine-spunintelligence
of the debate in the Virginia legislature in 1831 " nor legalacumen to discover the technical distinctions
drawn
2, says (p.120):
bygentlemen(thatis țhe distinction
" A full equivalent being leftin the placeof the between female slaves and brood mares). The
slave (thepurchase-money),
this emigration becomes
legal maxim of partus sequitur ventrem is coeval
an advantage to the state, and does not with the existence of the right of propertyitself,
check the black population as much as at first and is founded in wisdom and justiceỊt is on the
view we might imagine; because it furnishes justice and inviolability of this maxim that the
every
inducement to the master to attend to the master foregoes the service of the female slave,
negroes, to encourage breeding, and to cause the has her nursed and attended duringthe period of
greatest number possibleto be raised." Again: her gestation, and raises the helpless infant offspring.
"
Virginiais,in fact, a negro-raising state for the
The value of the propertyjustifies the expense,
other states. "
and I do not hesitate to say that in its increase
Mr. Goode,of Virginia, in his speechbefore the
consists much of our wealth."
Virginialegislature, in January,1832, said :
Can
"
The superior usefulness of the slaves in the any comment on the state of public
South will constitute an effectual demand, which sentiment producedby slaveryequal the
will remove them from our limits. We shall send
simplereading of this extract,if we remember
them from our state,because it will be our interest
that it was spoken in the Virginia
to do so. But gentlemenare alarmed lestthe markets
ofother states be closedagainst the introduction legislature? One would think the cold
of our slaves. Sir,the demand for slave labor cheek of Washingtonwould redden in its
must increase,'''' SfC
grave for shame,that his native state had
In the debates of the VirginiaConvention,in sunk so low. That there were Virginian
1?29, Judge Upshur said :
hearts to feel this disgrace evident from
" The value of slaves as an articleof property
dependsmuch on the state of the market abroad. the following replyof Mr. Faulkner to Mr.
In this view, it is the value of land abroad,and not Gholson,in the VirginiaHouse of Delegates,
of land here,which furnishes the ratio. Nothing 1832. See Richmond Whig :
is more fluctuating than the value of slaves. A
"
late law of Louisiana reduced their value twentyfive
per cent, in two hours after its passage was that the abolition of slaverywould be impolitic,
But he (Mr. Gholson)has labored to show
known. If it should be our lot, as I trust it will because your
slaves constitute the entire wealth
be,to a y"re the countryof Texas,theirprice will of the state,all the productive capacityVirginia
rise again. "
possesses ; and,sir,as thingsare, I believe he is
Hon. PhilipDoddridge, of in his
Virginia,
correct. He says
that the slaves constitutethe
speechin the VirginiaConvention, in 1829 (Debatesentire
available wealth of Eastern Virginia. Is
_
p. 89),said :
it true that for two hundred years the only increase
'
The acquisition of Texas will greatly enhance
in the wealth and resources of Virginia
tho ?alue of the property in question(Virginia has been a remnant of the natural increase of
slaves)."
this miserable race 1 Can it be that on this
Rev. Dr. Graham, of Fayetteville, North Carolina,
increase she places her sole dependence? Until I
at a Colonizationmeetingheld at that placeheard
these declarations, I had not fullyconceived
in the fallof 1837,said :
the horrible extent of this evil These gen-

KEY TO UNCLE TOM'S CABIN. 149
" rob-
other of the abominasustain.
What, sir! have you lived for two hundred
1 tions and enormities of savage tribes. Does slavery
exist in
years without personal effort any part of civilized Europe productive
1 No,
industry,
extravagance and indolenceșustained sir,in no partof it."
alone by the return from the sales of the increase
of slaves,and retainingmerely such a The calculationsin the volume from which
lands can
tlemen 6tate the fact,which the historyand !plurality of wives,petty wars for plunder,
presentaspectof the commonwealth but too well |beryand murder, or
any
number as your now impoverished
sustain as stock ?"
Mr. Thomas JeffersonRandolph in the Virginia
1841. Since that time,the area of the
legislature used the southern slave-market has been doubled,and
followinglanguage{Liberty
Bell, p.
the trade has 20):
undergone a proportional 'increase.
"
I agree with gentlemen in the necessity of
Southern papers
are fullof its advertisem
armingthe state for internal defence. I will unite
It is,in factțhe
witli them in any effort to restore confidence to
great trade
the publicmind, and to conduce to the sense of of the country. From the singleport of
the safetyof our wives and our children. Yet, Baltimore, in the lasttwo years, a thousand
sir,I must ask upon
whom is to fall the burden
of this defence? Not upon the lordly masters of
their hundred slaves,who will never turn out except
to retire with their families when danger threatens.
No, sir ; it is to fall upon the lesswealthyclassof
officer :
our citizens, chiefly upon the non-slaveholder. I
have known patrolsturned out where there was not ABSTRACT OF THE NUMBER OF VESSELS CLEARED LN
a slave-holder among them ; and this isthe practice THE DISTRICT OF BALTIMORE FOR SOUTHERN PORTS,
of the country. I have sleptin times of alarm HAVING SLAVES ON BOARD, FROM JAN. 1, 1851, TO
quiet in bed, without having a thought of care, NOVEMBER 20, 1852.
while these individuals,owning none of this property
themselves, were patrolling under a compulsory
process, for a pittance seventy-five cents
per twelve hours,the very curtilage of my house,
and guarding that propertywhich was alike dangerous
to them and myself. After all țhis isbut
an expedientẠs this population more
numerous, it becomes less productive Ỵour
guard must be increased, until finally profits
will not pay for the expense of its subjection.
Slavery has the effectof lessening free population
of a country.
'"
The gentlemanhas spoken of the increase of
the female slaves being a part of the profit. It is
admitted ; but no great evil can be averted,no
good attained,without some inconvenience. It
may be questioned how far it is desirableto foster
and encourage this branch of profit Ịt is a practice,
and an increasing practice, in parts of Virginia,
to rear slaves for market. How can an
honorable mind, a patriot, and a lover of his
country, bear to see this Ancient Dominion,rendered
illustrious by the noble devotion and patriotism
of her sons in the cause of liberty, converted
grandmenagerie, where men are to
into one
reared for the market, like oxen for the shambles'!
Is itbetter,is it not worse, than the slave-trade
;"
that trade which enlisted the labor' of the good
and wise of every creed,and every clime,to
abolish it? The trader receives the slave,a
stranger in language, aspect and manners, from
the merchant who has broughthim from the interior
The ties of father,mother, husband and
child,have all been rent in twain ; before he receives
him, his soul has become callous. But
here,sir,individualswhom the master has known
from infancy, whom he has seen sporting
the
innocent gambols of childhood,who have been
accustomed to look to him for protection, he tears
from the mother's arms, and sells into a strange
country,among strange peopleșubjec to cruel jOct. 15
taskmasters.
"
He has attempted to justify slavery
here
it exists in Africa,and has stated that it
because
exists all o"er the world. Upon the same principle,
he could justifyMahometanism, with its
we have been quoting were made in the year
thirty-three
and
slaveshave been shipped to
the southern market, as is apparent from
the
of the custom-house
following report

150 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
If we look back to the advertisements, we
shall see that the traders take onlythe
younger ones, between the ages of ten and
thirty Ḅut this is only one port, and only
one mode of exporting ; for multitudesof
them are sent in cofflesover land " vlyet
Mr. J. Thornton Randolphrepresents the
negroes of Virginia as living in increase the greater
pastoral
the master's gains, and especially
since the mixed blood demands a considerably
security, smokingtheir pipes under their higherprice than the pure black.
own vines and fig-trees, the venerable patriarch
of the flock declaring that
The
" he nebber
hab hear such a ting as a niggersold to
This system bears with extreme severity
the slave. It subjects him to a perpetual
being sold to the " soul-driver,"
upon
fear of
which to the
slave is the realizationof all conceivable woes and
horrors,more dreaded than death. An awful apprehension
of this fate haunts the poor suffererby
day and by night, from his cradle to his grave.
Suspense hangslike a thunder-cloud over his head.
He knows that there isnot a passinghour, whether
he wakes or sleeps,which may not be the
last that he shall spendwith his wife and children.
Every day or week some acquaintanceis
snatched from his side,and thus the consciousness
of his own danger is kept continually awake.
'"
Surely my turn will come next," is his harrowing
conviction ; for he knows that he was reared
for this,as the ox for the yoke,or the sheep for
the slaughter Ịn this aspectțhe slave's condition
is trulyindescribable. Suspense, even when
it relates to an event of no
greatmoment, and
" endureth but for a night," is hard to bear. But
ivhen it broods over all,absolutely
all that isdear,
shilling the present with its deepshade,and casting
its awful gloom over the future, it must break
the heart ! Such is the suspense under which
every slave in the breeding states lives.It poisons
all his littlelot of bliss. If a father,he cannot
go forth to his toil without bidding a mental farewell
to his wife and children. He cannot return,
weary and worn, from the field,with any certainty
that he shall not find his home robbed and desolate.
Nor can he seek his bed of straw and rags without
the frightful misgiving that his wife may be
torn from his arms before morning. Should a
white strangerapproachhis master's mansion, he
fears that the soul-driver has come, and awaits in
terror the overseer's mandate, " You are sold ; follow
that man." There is no beingon earth whom
the slaves of the breedingstates regardwith so
much horror as the trader. He is to them what
the prowlingkidnapperis to their less wretched
brethren in the wilds of Africa. The master knows
this,and that there is no punishmentso effectual
to secure labor,or deter from misconduct,as the
threat of beingdelivered to the soul-driver.*
* This horriblyexpressiveappellationis in common
use among the slaves of the breedingstates.
Another consequence of this systemisthe prevalence
of licentiousness. This is indeed one of the
foul features of slavery
everywhere; but it is especially
prevalentand indiscriminate where slavebreedingis
conducted as a business. It grows directly
out of the system, and is inseparable from it.
* * *
The pecuniaryinducement to generalpollution
must be very strongșince the larger the slave
remainder of the extract contains specification
too dreadfulto be quotedẈe can
Georgi all his life, unless dat nigger did only refer the reader to the volume, p. 13.
sometingvery bad."
The poets of America,true to the holy
An affecting picture of the soul of their divine art,
consequences
have shed over some
of this traffic upon both master and slave
of the horrid realitiesof this trade the
is
drawn by the committee of the volume from patheticlight of poetry. Longfellow and
which we have
Whittier have told
quoted.
us, in verses beautiful as
The writer cannot conclude this chapterstrung pearls, yet sorrowful as a mother's
better than by the languagewhich tears,
they
some of the incidentsof thisunnatural
and
have used.
ghastly traffic. For the sake of a common
humanity, let us
describesno common event.
TnE QUADROON GIRL.
The Slaver in the broad Jagoon
Lay moored with idle sail :
He waited for the risingmoon,
And for the eveninggale.
hopethat the firstextract
Under the shore his boat was tied
And all her listlesscrew
Watched the gray alligator slide
Into the stillbayou.
Odors of orange-flowers and spice
Reached them,from time to time,
Like airs that breathe from Paradise
Upon a world of crime.
The Planter,under his roof of thatch,
Smoked thoughtfullyand slow ;
The Slaver's thumb was on the latch,
He seemed in haste to go.
He said, " My shipat anchor rides
In yonder broad lagoon;
I onlywait the eveningtides,
And the risingof the moon."
Before them,with her face upraised,
In timid attitude,
Like one half curious,half amazed,
A Quadroon maiden stood.
Her eyes were large, and full of light,
Her arms and neck were bare ;
No garment she wore, save a kirtle bright.
And her own longraven hair.
And on her lipsthere playeda smile
As holy,meek, and faint,
As lightsin some cathedral aisle
The features of a saint.
"
The soilis barren țhe farm is old,"
The thoughtfulPlanter said ;
Then looked upon the Slaver's gold,
And then upon the maid.
His heart within him was at strife
With such accursed gains;
For he knew whose passionsgave her life,
Whose blood ran in her veins.

-sold
"
sold
sold
sold
sold
sold
"
sold
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 151
But the voice of nature was too weak ;
He took the glittering gold '
Then pale as death grew the maiden's cheek,
Her hands as icycold.
The Slaver led her from the door,
He led her by the hand,
To be his slave and paramour
In a strange and distant land !
THE
FAREWELL
Gone, gone, and gone,
To the rice-swampdank and lone.
Where the slave-whip ceaseless swings,
Where the noisome insect stings,
Where the fever demon strews
Poison with the fallingdews,
Where the sicklysunbeams glare
Through the hot and mistyair,"
Gone, gone,
and gone,
To the rice swamp dank and lone,
From Virginia'shillsand waters,"
Woe is me, my stolen daughters!
Gone, gone,
"
and gone,
To the rice-swampdank and lone.
There no mother's eye is near them,
There no mother's ear can hear them ;
Never, when the torturing lash
Seams their back with many a gash,
Shall a mother's kindness bless them,
Or a mother's arms earess them.
Gone, gone, "c.
Gone, gone,
"
and gone,
To the rice-swampdank and lone.
0, when weary, sad, and slow,
From the fieldsat nightthey go,
Faint with toil,and racked with pain,
To their cheerless homes again,"
There no brother's voice shall greet them,
There no father's welcome meet them.
Gone, gone, "c.
Gone, gone,
"
and gone,
To the rice-swampdank and lone.
From the tree whose shadow lay
On their childhood's placeof play ;
From the cool springwhere they drank ;
Hock, and hill,and rivulet bank ;
From the solemn house of prayer,
And the holy counsels there,"
Gone, gone, "e.
"
Gone, gone, and gone,
To the rice-swamp dank and lone ;
Toilingthroughthe weary day,
And at nightthe spoiler's prey.
0, that they had earlier died,
Sleepingcalmly,side by side,
Where the tyrant'spower is o'er,^
And the fetter gallsno more !
Gone, gone, "c.
to part with slaves exceptby emancipation
increase !
The sale of slaves to the south is carried to a
great extent. The slave-holders do not, so far as
I can learn,raise them for that special purpose.
But, here is a man with a score of slaves,located
on an exhausted plantation Ịt must furnish support
for all ; but,while theyincrease,itscapacity
of supplydecreases. The result is,he must emancipate
or sell. But he has fallen into debt,and
he sells to relievehimself from debt,and also from
an excess of mouths. Or, he requires money to
educate his children ; or, his negroes
are sold under
execution. From these and other causes, large
numbers of slaves are continually disappearing
from the state,so that the next census will undoubtedly
show a marked diminution of the slave
population.
The season for this trade isgenerally from
to April; and some estimate that the average
number of slaves passingby the southern
railroad weekly,during that periodof six months,
is at least two hundred. A slave-trader told me
that he had known one hundred in a single
pass
night. But this is only one route. Large numbers
November
are sent off westwardly, and also by sea,
coastwise. The Davises,in Petersburg, are the
greatslave-dealers. They are Jews, who came to
that placemany years ago as poor pedlers; and,
I am informed,are members of a family which
has itsrepresentatives in Philadelphia, New York,
"c. ! These men are always in the market, giving
the highestpricefor slaves. Duringthe summer
and falltheybuy them up at low pricesțrim,
shave,wash them,fatten them so that theymay
look sleek,and sell them to greatprofitỊt might
not be unprofitable to inquirehow much Northern
capital, and what firms in some of the Northern
cities,are connected with this detestable
business.
There are many plantershere who cannot he
persuadedto selltheir slaves. They have far
more than they can find work for,and could at
any time obtain a highprice for them. The temptation
is strong,for they want more money and
fewer dependants Ḅut they resist it,and nothing
can induce them to part with a singleslave,
thoughtheyknow that they would be greatly the
gainers in a pecuniarysense, were theyto sell
one-half of them. Such men are too good to be
slave-holders. Would that theymight see ittheir
duty to go one stepfurther,and become emancipators
! The majority of this class of planters
are religious men, and this is the class to which
generally are to be referred the various cases of
emancipation by will, of which from time to time
we hear accounts.
Gone, gone,
"
and gone,
To the rice-swampdank and lone.
By the holy love He beareth,
By the bruised reed He spareth,
0, may He, to whom alone
All their cruel wrongs
are known,
Stilltheir hope and refugeprove,
With a more than mother's love !
Gone, gone, "tc.
John G. Whittier.
The atrocious and sacrilegious system of
breeding human beings for sale, and trading
The followingextract from a letter of them like cattlein the market, failsto produce
Dr. Bailey,fn the Era,1847,presents a view the impression
the mind that it
of this subject more creditable to some Virginia
ought to produce,because it is lost in
families. May the number that refuse generalitirs.
CHAPTER V.
SELECT INCIDENTS OF LAWFUL TRADE, OR
FACTS STRANGER THAN FICTION.

"
beingequallycareful,however,
The
dey
all
den
" nice
I
hab
dey
we
likes
She
neber
an
152 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
It is likethe account of a greatbattle, in simplyexpressing a hope that " she won't find
which we learn, in round another here
numbers,that ten
during the next month, as she must
thousand were killed and wounded, and then be sent to her owner, in Georgia, and would
throw the paper by without be more unwillingto go." And yet, both of these
a thought. ladies are quitereligious, and highly resent
So,when we read of sixty or eighty thousand
any
insinuation that the moral character of the slaves
human beingsbeing raised yearly and is not far above that of the free negroes at the
North.
sold in the market,it passes through our With Violet'sstory, I will also enclose that of
mind,but leaves no definitetrace.
one of our waiters ; in which,I think, you will be
Sterne says that when he would realizeinterested.
the miseries of captivity, he had to turn his Violet's father and mother both died,as she
mind from the idea of hundreds of thousands says, " 'fore I had any sense," leaving eleven
languishing in dungeons, and
children " scattered. " To sabe my life,Missis,
bringbefore couldn't tell dis yer nightwhere one of dem is.
himself the picture of one poor, solitary captive
Massa lib in Charleston. My first "
husband,
pining in his cell." In like when we was
manner, we
young,
man ; he had seven
cannot give any
idea of the horribly cruel children ; den he sold off
"
to Florida hear
from him 'gain. Ole folks die. O, dat's be
and demoralizing effectof this my
trade,except boderation, when ole Missis," people be dead,den
by presenting facts in detail, each fact beingwe be scattered all 'bout. Den I sold up here "
a specimenof a class of facts.
now hab 'noder "
husband four children up
For a specimen of the public sentiment here. I lib bery easy when my young
husband
'libe" and we had children beryfast. But now
and the kind of morals and manners which dese yer ones tightfellers. Massa don't 'low us
thisbreeding and tradingsystem produces, to raise noting; no "
no no pig" goat" dog
both in slaves and in their owners, the writer no noting; won't allow us raise a bit of corn.
gives the We has to do
following extracts from a recent
jist de bestwe can. Dey don't gibus
a
letter of a friend in one of the
singlegrain
Southern
but jis two no
homespunfrocks"
coat 'tall.
States.
"
Can't go to meetin,'cause,Missis,get dis
work done "
get dinner. In summer, I goes
Dear Mrs. S :
"
sable goddesswho presides
eberySundayebening; but dese yer short days,
over our bed and wash-stand is such a
queer time done get dinner dishes washed,den time get
specimenof her race, that I would give a good supper. Gen'llygoes Baptistchurch."
deal to have you see her. Her whole appearance,
"Do
as she goes giggling and your peopleusuallygo there ?"
curtseying about, " Dere "
bees tree shares ob dem Methodist
is perfectly comical,and would lead a stranger to
gang, Baptistgang, 'Piscopal gang. Last summer,
think her reallydeficient in intellect. This is,
use to hab rightsmart* meetins in our yard,
however,by no means the case. Duringour two
Sundaynight.Massa Johnson preachto us. Den
months' acquaintance with her, we have seen he "
said couldn't hab two meetins mightgo
many indications of sterlingood sense, that to church."
would do credit to many a white
person with ten "Why?"
times her advantages.
"
Gracious knows. I lubs
She is disposed to to be very communicative go to meetin
"
"
; allers 'specially when dere 's "
good preaching
seems to feel that she has a claim upon our
sympathy,
lubs to hab "
peopletalk goodto me to hab
in the very fact that we come from the
peopleread to me, too. 'Cause don't b'long
North ; and we could undoubtedly
to
gain no little
church,no reason why I shan't."
knowledgeof the practical workings of the "
"peculiar
Does your master like to have others read to
institution," if we thoughtproper to hold
you?"
any protractedconversation with her. This,however,
"He "
won't hinder an't bound tell him
would insure a visitfrom the authorities, when folks reads to me. I hab my soul to sabe "
requesting us to leave town in the next train of he hab his soul to sabe. Our owners won't stand
cars ; so we are forced to content ourselves with few minutes and read to us tink it
gleaning
too "
great
a few items,now and then,takingcare honor 's "
beryhard on us. Brack preachers
to appear quiteindifferen to her story, and to cut sometime* talk good
it short by despatching her trifling
to us, and pray wid "
us, on some errand;
and pray a heapfor dem too.
to note
"
I jestdone hab greatquarrel wid Dinah, down
down her peculiarexpressions, as soon as she has in de kitchen. I tellsDinah, ' De way you goes
disppeared. A copy of these I have thought you on spileall de women's character.' "
say she
would like to see, especially as illustrating the didn't care, she do views of the marriage what she pleasewid herself.
institution which is a necessary
Dinah,she
result of the slipaway somehow from her firsthusband,
great human propertyrelation and hab 'noder child by Sambo (he b'long
system.
to Massa D.)
A Southern lady, who thinks " negro sentiment"
; so she and her first husband dey
fallout somehow. Dese yer men, yer know, is so
very much exaggeratedin " Uncle Tom's
queer, Missis,dey don't neber like sich tings.
Cabin,"assures us that domestic attachments cannot
"
Ye know,Missis,tingswe lub,we don't like
be very strong, where one man will have two hab anybody else hab 'em. Such a tingas dat,
or three wives and families, on as
many different Missis,tetch your heart so, ef you don't mind,
plantations. (!) And the ladyof our hotel tells us 'twill fret you almost to death. Ef my husband
of her cook havingreceived a message from her
husband,that he has another wife,and she may
*
Right smart that of" is,
get another husband,with a "
greatmany of idiom
perfectindifference ; of Anglo-Ethiopia.

he
and
0,
and
" he
de
and
we
now,
I
"
could
onlysometimes
a
hair
so
he
[Thesick
was to slip away from me, Missis,dat ar way, itud
"wake me rightup. I 'm brack,but I would n't do
so to my husband,neider. What I hide behind
de curtain now, I can't hide it behind de curtain
when I "
stand before God whole world know
it den.
"
Dinah's (second) husband say what she do
for her first husband "
notingto him;
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 153
my
"
"
dem
husband don't feel so. He say he would n't do as
Daniel do
children
wouldn't buy tingsfor de oder
as has de children might buy de
tingsfor dem. Well, so dere Dinah's
deyis."
first husband come
up wheneber he can, to see
his children," and Sambo, he come up to see his
child,and gib Dinah tingsfor it.
"You know, Missis,Massa hab no nigger but
me and one yellowgirl, when he boughtme and
"
"
"
"
"0, Missis, my husband, working now
out on de so he hab 'lowance four farm," pounds
my four children. Well,den Massa,he want me bacon and one peck of meal ebery week ; so he
to breed ; so he '
say, Violet, you must take some
stingeheself șo as to gib me four pounds bacon
nigger here in C
pay for makingmy frock." [Query. Are
" '
Den I say, No, Massa, I can't take any here.' there any husbands in refined circleswho would
Den he
'
say, You must, Violet ;' 'cause you
see do more than this 1]
he want me breed for him ; so he say plenty Once,finding busilywriting, young fellers here,but I say I can't hab any ob stood for some moments silently watching the
dem. Well, den, Missis,he go down Virginia, mysterious'motion of our pens, and then,in a
and he bring up two niggers, and dey was tone of deepestsadness,said,
pretty ole men,
'
Missis say, One of dem 's
comfort', Missis. You can
"
0 ! dat be great
'
for you, Violet ;'but I say, No, Missis, I can't write to your friends all 'bout eberyting, and so
take one of dem, 'cause I don't lub 'em, and I hab dem write to you. Our peoplecan't do 60.
"
"
can't hab one I don't lub.' Den Massa, he say,
' You must take one of dese den,efyou can't know
lub him, you must find somebodyelse you can lub.'
Den
'
I say, 0, no, Massa ! I can't do dat " can't
hab one eberyday.' Well,den, by-and-by, he buy tree more, and den Missis
'
say, Now, Violet,
ones dem is for you.' I say,
' I do'no "
maybe I can't lub one dem neider;' but she say,
'
You must hab one ob dese.' Well, so Sam and I
watchin my ways,
we lib along two year
and I watchin his ways.
" At last,one night, we was standin' by de
wood-piletogeder, de moon beryshine,and
I do'no how 't was, Missis,he answer me, he
wan't a wife,but he did n't know where he get
one. I say, plentygirls in G. He say, ' "
Yes
but maybe 1 shan't find any
I like so well as
you.' Den I say maybe he wouldn't like my
ways, 'cause I 'se an ole woman, and I hab four
children by my firsthusband ; and anybodymarry
me, must be jest kind to dem children as dey was
to me, else I couldn't lub him. Den he '
say, Ef
he had a woman
"
't had children,' mind you, he
did
'
n't say
"
me, he would be jestas kind to de
children as he* was to de moder, and dat 's 'cordin
to how she do by him.' Well, so we went on
from one ting to anoder țillat last we say we 'd
take one anoder,and so we 've libed togedereber
"
since and
I 's had four children by him
"
he neber slipaway from me, nor I from him."
"
How are you married in your yard?"
and
"
We jes takes one
"
anoder asks de white
"
folks' leave den takes one anoder. Some
folks,dey Ts married by de book ; but den,what 's
de use 1 Dere 's my fus husband, we 'se married
by de book,and he sold way off to Florida,and
I 's here. Dey wants to do what deyplease wid
us, so dey don't want us to be married. Dey
don't care what we does,so we jestmakes money
for dem.
"My fus he husband," ymng, and he bery
kind to me,
"
set up all night-
0, we got'longberywell when I had
Missis,he bei y kind indeed. He
and work, so as to make me comfortable.
him ; but he sold way off Florida,and, sence
then,Missis, / jestgone to noting. Dese yer
white peopledey hab here, dey won't 'low us
noting" notingat all
"
jestgibs us food, and
"
"
two suits a year broad stripe and a narrow
stripe ; you '11see 'em, Missis."
And we did " see 'em ;" for Violet brought us
the
"
narrow stripe," a requestthat we
Avould fitit for her. There was justenough to
cover her, but no hooks and eyes, cotton, or
even lining; these extras she must get
as she
can ; and yether master receives from our host
eight dollars per month for her services. We
asked how she got the " broad stripe" made
up.
Wheder dey be 'live or dead, we can't neber
we hears deybe dead. ' '
What more expressive comment on the
cruel laws that forbid the slave to be
taugh to write !
The historyof the serving-manis thus
given : 's father and mother belonged to somebody
in Florida. During the war, two older sisters
got on board an Englishvessel,and went to
Halifax. His mother was
very anxious to go with
them, and take the whole family; but her husband
persuaded her to wait until the next ship
sailed,when he thought he should be able to go
too. By this delayopportunity of escape was
lost,and the whole familywere soon after sold
for debt. George, one sister, and their mother,
were boughtby the same man. He says, "My
old boss cry powerful when she (themother)die ;
say he 'd rather lost two thousand dollars. She
was part Indian "
straight as
"
yourn and
she was white as dat ar pillow."Georgemarried
a woman in another yard. He gave this reason
"
forit : 'Cause,when a man sees his wife 'bused,
he can't helpfeelin'it. When he hears his wife's
'bused,'tan't like as how it is when he sees it.
Then I can fadge
in my
own yard." This wife was sold up country,
"
for her better than when she 's
but after some years became "
lame and sick
"
n't do much her massa gabeher her
time,and paidher fare to G."
"
and
infirm are alwaysprovidedfor, you know.]"
" Hadn't seen her for tree years," said George;
"
but soon as I heard of it,went rightdown,
"
hired a house, and got some one to take care
ob and used to her," go to see her ebery tree
months." He is a mechanic,and worked sometimes
all night to earn money to do this. His
month for his services,
master asks twenty dollars per
and allows him fifty cents per week for
clothes,etc. J. says, if he could onlysave, by

"
one
Orleans market. An old negro woman, more than
eighty years of age,
came screaming after them, fugitive slave, who escaped from Kentucky
"
My son, 0, my son, my son !" She seemed almost by the assistance of a young lady named
frantic, and when we had got more than a mile Delia Webster,and a man named Calvin
out in the harbor we heard her screamingyet. Fairbanks. Both were imprisoned. Lewia
When we gotintothe Gulf Stream,I came to the
men, and took offtheir handcuffs. They
Hayden has earned his own character as a
were resolute
fellows,and theytold me that I would free citizen of
see
Boston,where he can find
that theywould never live to be slaves in New an abundance of vouchers for his character.
Orleans. One of the men was a carpenter, and one
a blacksmith. We broughtthem into New Orleans,
I belongedto the Rev. Adam Runkin,a Presbyterian
and consigned them over to the agent. The
minister in Lexington,Kentucky.
agent told the captain afterwards that in fortyeight
hours after they came to New Orleans they Indian. She married my father when he was
My mother was of mixed white and
blood,"
were all dead men, having every one killed them-
working in a by. baggingfactorynear After a
"
" "
154 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
workingnights, money enough to buy himself,he
would get some one he could trust to buy him ;
"
den work hard as
selves,
as theysaid theyshould. One of them, I
know, was boughtfor a fireman on the steamer
eber, till I could buy my Post Boy,that went down to the Balize. He jumped
children, den I 'd get away from dis yer. over, and was drowned.
"Where?"
The others,
was sold to a blacksmith,and
"(J! PhiladelphiaNew York somewhere one to a carpenter. The particulars of their death
North."
I did n*t know, onlythat the agent told the captain
"
Why, you 'd freeze to death."
that theywere all dead.
"0, no, Missis ! I can bear cold. I want to go There was a plantation back
whre I can belongto mi/sclf, and do as I want to." of Charleston Ș. C, keptby a widow lady,who
owned eightynegroes. She sent to Charleston,
The
following communication has been
given to the writer by CaptainAustin
Bearse,ship-master in Boston. Mr. Bearse
is a native of Barnstable,
well known to our Boston citizensand merchants.
I am a native of the State of Massachusetts.
Between the years 1818 and 1830 I was, from time
to time, mate on board of differentvessels engaged
in the coasting trade on the coast of South Carolina.
It is well known that many New England vessels
are in the habit of spendingtheir winters on
the southern coast in pursuitof this business.
Our vessels used to run up the rivers for the rough
rice and cotton of the plantations, which we took
to Charleston.
We often carried gangs of slaves to the plantations,
as theyhad been ordered. These slaves were
slave-traders in the slavepens
in Charleston," brough there by various
causes, such as the death of owners and the division
of estates,which threw them into the market. Some
were sent as punishmentfor insubordination,
generallycollected by
them. We had on board our vessels,from
time to time,rfumbers of
"
these slaves, sometimes
portsțhoughI have not been on their plantations.
two or three,and sometimes
My opinionis that American slavery,
as highas seventy as I have
or
eighty.They were separuted from
seen it in the internal slave-trade, as I have seen
their families
it on the rice and
and connections with as littleconcern as calves and
sugar plantations, and in the city
of New Orleans,is
pigsare selected out of a lot of domestic animals.
full as bad as slavery in any
Our vessels used to lie in a placecalled Poor countryof the world, heathen or Christian. People
who
Man's Hole,not far from the city. We used to
go for visits or pleasurethroughthe
Southern States cannot
allow the relations and friends
possiblyknow those
of the slaves
things
to
come on board and stay all night with their which can be seen of slaveryby ship-masters
friends,
who run
before the vessel sailed.
up into the back plantations of countries,
In the morning it used to be my business to
pulloif the hatches and warn them that it was
time to separate; and the shrieks and heart-rending
much discussed. I saw these thingsus others did,
cries at these times were enoughto make anybody'swithout
interference. Because I no
heart ache.
longer think
itrightto see these
In the year 1828,while mate of the
things
brigMilton,
in silence, I trade no
more south of Mason " Dixon's line.
from Boston,bound to New Orleans,the following
Austin Bearse.
incident occurred,which I shallnever forget:
The traders brought on board four quadroon The
to the
men
in handcuffs, to be stowed away for the New
and bought a quadroongirl, very nearlywhite,for
her son. We carried her up. She was more
delicate than our other slaves șo that she was not
CapeCod. He is put with them, but was carried up in the cabin.
I have been on the rice-plantations
the river,
and seen the cultivation of the rice. In the fall
of the year, the plantation hands, both men and
women, work all the time above their knees in
water in the rice-ditches, pulling out the grass, to
fit the groundfor sowing the rice. Hands sold
here from the city,havingbeen bred mostly to
house-labor,find this very
severe. The plantations
are so deadlythat white peoplecannot remain on
them during the summer-time, exceptat a risk of
life. The proprietors and their families are there
onlythroughthe winter,and the slaves are left in
the summer entirely under the care of the overseers.
Such overseers as I saw were generally a
brutal,gambling,drinkingset.
I have seen slavery,
in the course of my wanderings,
in almost all the countries in the world. I
have been to Algiers, and seen slavery there. I
have seen slaveryin Smyrna,among the Turks. I
was in Smyrna when our American consul ransomed
a beautiful Greek girlin the slave-market. I saw
because the domestic establishment was too large, her come aboard the
or because persons movingto the North or West
brigSuffolk, when she came
preferred sellingtheir slaves to the trouble of carrying
I have seen slavery in the Spanishand French
on board to be sent to America for her education.
and who transport the slaves and produceof
plantations.
In my pastdays the system of slaverywas not
following
writer by Lewis Hayden. Hayden was a
account was given

" about
"
theymeant
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 155
while my father's owner moved off and took my
said in the pulpitthat there was no more harm in
father with him, which broke up the marriage. separating a family of slaves than a litterof pigs.
She was a
very handsome woman. My master I did not hear him
kepta largedairy, and she was the milk-woman. whether this is true or not.
Lexington was a small town in those days,and It may
seem
strange,
the dairy but it is was in a I had
fact,"
the town. Back of the collegemore sympathyand kind advice,in my effortsto
was the Masonic lodge. A get
man who belonged to my freedom,from gamblersand such sort of men,
the lodgesaw my mother when she was about than Christians. Some of the gamblerswere
her
very
work. He made proposalsof a base nature kind to me:
to her. When she would have nothing to say to 1 never knew a slave-traderthat did not seem
him,he told her that she need not be so independent,
to think,in his heartțhat the trade was a bad one.
fur if money could buyher he would have I knew a great many of them,such as Neal,
her. My mother told old mistress, and beggedMcAnn,
Cobb, Stone," Pulliam and Davis,"c.
that master mightnot sell her. But he did sell They were like Haley,
her.
My mother "had to
repent
a highspirit, being part when theygot through.
Indian. She would not consent to livewith this Intelligent colored people in my circleof ac-
man, as he wished ; and he sent her to prison,and
as a generalthing,felt no security
had her flogged, and punishedher in various ways, whatever for their familylies. Some, it is true",
so that at last she beganto have crazy turns. When who belongedto rich families, feltsome
I
security
read in " Uncle
,
Tom's Cabin" about Cassv, it but those of us who looked deeper, and knew how
put me in mind of my mother,and I wanted to many were not rich that tell seemed so, and saw how
Mrs. S
"
her. She tried to kill herself
fast money slipped away, were alwaysmiserable.
several times,once with a knife and once by The trader was all around,the slave-pens
hanging.She had long,straight
at
black hair,but hand,and we did not know what time
afterthis it all any of us
turned white,like an old person's. might be in it. Then there were the rice-swamps,
When she had her raving turns she always talked and the sugar and cotton plantations ; we had
about her children. The jailertold the owner had them held before us as terrors,byour masters
that if he would let her go to her children, perhaps
and mistresses, all our lives. We knew about
she would get quiet. They let her out one them all ; and when a friend was carriedoff,why,
time,and she came to the place* where we were. it was the same as
I might have been death,for we could not write
seven or eight years
or old," hear,and never expectedto see them
again.
don't know
my age exactly. I was not at home I have one child who is buried in Kentucky,
when she came. I came in and found her in one and that grave is pleasan to think of. I
of the cabins near the kitchen. 've got
She sprung and another that is sold nobodyknows where,and that
caught my arms, and seemed goingto break them, I never can bear to think of. Lewis Hayden.
and then said, " I '11 fix you so they '11never get
you I screamed,for I thought !" she was goingto The next
kill me ;
history
a long one,
they and came in and took part
me away. Theytied of it
hen,and carried her off. Sometimes,when she was
transpired in a most public manner, in
in her the
rightmind,she used to tell me
face of
what our
things
whole community.
theyhad done to her. At lasther owner sold her, The historyincludes in it the whole
for a small sum, to a man named Lackey.While account of that memorable
with
captureof the
hiui she had another husband and several
children. After a
Pearl,winch
while this
producedsuch a sensation in
husband eitherdied
or wfissold,I do not remember which. The man
Washington
the year 1848. The author,
then sold her to another
person, named Bryant. however,willpreface itwith a shorthistory
My own father'sowner now came and livedin the of a slave woman who had six children embarked
neighborhood of this man, and broughtmy mother
in that
with him. He had had another wife and
ill-fatedenterprise.
family of
children where he had been living Ḥe and my
mother came togetheragain, and finishedtheir
days together.My mother almost recovered her
mind in her last days.
CHAPTER
I never saw
VI.
anythingin Kentuckywhich made
me
suppose that ministers or professors
religion
considered it any
more
wrong to
Milly Edmondson is an
separatethe
aged woman,
families of slaves by sale than to separateany
now upwards of seventy. She has received
domestic animals.
the slave'sinheritance of entire
There may
ignorance.
be ministers and professors
religion
She cannot read
who think it a letterof
is a book,nor write
wrong, but I never met with
them. My master was a minister, and yet he
her own name ; but the writer must
say that
sold my mother,as I have related.
she was never so impressed with any presentation
When he was
going to leave Kentuckyfor Pennsylvania,
of the Christianreligion as thatwhich
he sold all my brothers and sistersat
auction. I
was made to her in the
stood by and saw them sold. When
language and appearance
I was justgoingup on to the of thiswoman
block,he swapped
duringthe few interviews
me off for a pairof carriage-horses. I looked at thatshe had with her. The circumstancesof
those horses with strangefeelings. I had indulgedthe interviewswill be detailed at length
hopes that master would take me into Pennsylvania
in
the course of
with him,and I should get the story.
free. How I
looked at those horses,and walked round them,
Millyis above the middle height,of a
and thoughtfor them I was sold !
It was
commonlyreported that my master had
say it,and so cannot sTiy
quaintance,
large, full figure.She dresses with the
greatest attention to neatness. A plain

that
was
so
156 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
Methodist cap shades her face,and the plainAve was happyenough,ifit had n't been for
white Methodist handkerchiefisfolded across
the bosom. A well-preserved stuff gown, says to him, ' There 'tis,now, Paul,our
and clean white apron, with a white pocket-troublehandkerchief pinnedto her side,completes, And every child I had,it grew worse and
is begun; this child isn't ours.'
'
the inventory of the costume in which the worse. 0, Paul,'says I, ' Avhat a thing
writer usually saw her. She is a mulatto, itisto have children that isn*t ours ! ' Paul
and must once have been a very
handsome he says to me, ' Milly, my dear,if theybe
one. Her eyes
and smile are stilluncommonly
God's children,it an't so much matter
beautiful, but there are deep-wrought whether theybe ours or no ; they may be
linesof patient sorrow and weary endurance heirs of the kingdom,Milly, for all that.'
on her face,which tell that this lovely and Well,when Paul's mistress died șhe set him
noble-heartedwoman
slave.
has been all her life a
Milly Edmondson was keptby her owners
and allowed to live with her husband,with
the express understanding
agreement
that her service and value was to consist in
breeding up her own children to be sold in
the slave-market. Her legalowner was a
maiden lady of feeble capacity, who was set
aside by the decisionof court as incompetent
to manage her affairs.
"
The estate
isto say, Milly Edmondson
"
and her children placedin the
care of a guardian. It appears that Milly's
of her,and
was a free man. A littleof her
history, as she related it to the writer, nobodyknows what I suffered ; I never see
now be givenin her own words :
a white man come on to the place that I
"
Her mistress,"she said,"was alwaysdid n't think, ' There, now, he 's coming to
kind to her ' poor thing ! ' but then she look at my children ;'and when I saw any
had n't speritever to speak for herself, and white man goingby, I 've called in "niy
her friends wouldn't let her have her own childrenand hid 'em,for fear he 'd see 'em
It always laidon my mind,"she said, and want to buy 'em. 0, ma'am, mine 's
way.
"
that I was a slave. When I wan't more been a longsorrow, a longsorrow ! I 've
than fourteen years old,Missis was doing-
borne this heavy cross a greatmany years."
some work one day that she "
thoughtshe But,"saidI, " the Lord has been with
could n't trust me with,and she says to me, you."
'
Milly, now you
see it's I that am the She answered,with very strongemphasis,
slave,and not you.' I says to her, ' Ah, Ma'am, ifthe Lord had n't held me up, I
"
Missis, I am a
poor slave,for allthat.' I 's should n't have been alive this day. 0,
sorry afterwards I said it,for I thoughtit sometimes my heart 's been so heavy,it
seemed to hurt her feelings.
seemed as if I must "\e\ and then I've
Well,after a while,when I gotengagedbeen to the throne of grace, and when I "d
"
to Paul, I loved Paul very much ; but I pouredout all my sorrows there,I came
thoughtit wan't right to bringchildren
away light, and feltthat I could live a little
into the world to be slaves, I told our longer."
folks that I was never going to marry, This language is exactlyher own. She
thoughI did love Paul. But that wan't to had often a forcibleand peculiarly beautiful
be allowed,"she said,with a mysterious manner of expressingherself,which im "
"
What do you
mean ? " said I.
"
Well,theytold me I must marry, or I
should be turned out of the church
"
was,"she added,with a significant nod.
"
"
Well,Paul and me, we was married,and
that ; but when our firstchild was born I
free,and he got him a littleplaceout about
fourteen miles from Washington ; and they
let me live out there with him,and take
home my tasks ; for theyhad that confidence
in me that theyalwaysknow'd that
what I said I'd do was as good done as if
they 'd seen itdone. I had mostlysewing;
sometimes a shirt to make in a it day," was
coarse like, you
or a know," pair of sheets,
or some such;but,whatever 't was, I always
got itdone. Then I had all my house-work
and babies to take care of; and many 's the
time,after ten o'clock. I 've took my children's
clothesand washed 'em all out and
ironed 'em late in the night,'cause I
a weak one. Milly'shusband,Paul Ed-
poor, infirm mistress was fond
that Millyexercisedover her much of that couldn't never bear to see
my
children
ascendencywhich a strong mind holds over
"
dirty, alwayswanted to see 'em sweet
mondson
and clean,and I brought 'em up and taught
'em the very best ways
I was able. But
pressedwhat
she said strongly.
Paul and MillyEdmondson were both
it devout communicants in the Methodist Episcopamony
Church at Washington, and the testi-
to their blamelessnessof lifeand tht*

KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
157
consistence of theirpietyis unanimous from on the subject of liberty, as
every
one knows
all who know them. In their simplecottage,
are constantly beingmade,on one occasion or
made respectable by neatness and another, in our national capital.
order,and hallowed by morning and evening On the 13th day of April țhe little
prayer, theytrained up their children, to schooner Pearl, commanded by Daniel
the best of their poor ability, in the nurture Drayton,came to anchor in the Potomac
and admonition of the Lord,to be sold in river,at Washington.
the slave-market. Theythoughthemselves
only too happy,as one after another arrived
at the age when theywere to be soldțhat
theywere hiredto families in theirvicinity,
and not thrown into the trader's pen to be
drafted for the dreaded southern market !
The mother,feeling, with a constant but
repressedanguish țhe weary burden of
slaverywhich layupon her,was accustomed,
as she told the writerțhus to warn her
daughters :
"
Now, girls, don't you
never come to the
sorrows that I have. Don't you
never
marry
till you get your liberty Ḍon't you marry,
to be mothers to children that arft your
own.''
As a result of thiseducation, some of her
olderdaughters, in connection with the young
men to whom they were engaged,raisedthe
sum necessary to pay for their freedom before
in
theywere married. One of these young
for her
in such feeblehealth that the
told her that she could not live
women, at the time that she paid
She answered, " If I had onlytwo hours
to live,I would pay down that money to die
free."
If thiswas setting extravagant value
on liberty, it is not for an American to
say so.
which we are propagandists.
All the sons and daughtersof thisfamilybeing so. Our example is contagiousỊn the
sectionof
were distinguished both for their physical
this greatcountry where I live,on the
and mental developments, and therefore
banks of the mightyMississippi river, we have the
true emblem of the tree of liberty Ṭhere you
were pricedexceedingly highin the market. may
see the giant cotton-wood spreadinghis
The whole family, rated bythe market
branches
prices widelyto the winds of heaven. Sometimes
which
have been paidfor certain members
children, thus
slaves in
intelligent, were all held as
the city of Washingtonțhe very
capitalwhere our national government is
conducted. Of course, the high estimate
which their own mother taughtthem to
placeupon liberty was in the way of being
constantly strengthened and
such addresses,
reinforcedby
celebrationsand
The news had justarrivedof a revolution
in France,and the establishmentof a democratic
" drums
government, and all Washington was
turningout to celebrate the triumph of
Liberty.
The trees in the avenue were fancifully
hung with many-colored lanterns,
beat,bands of music playedțhe houses of
the President and other highofficialswere
illuminated, and men, women and children,
were all turned out to see the procession,
and to joinin the shouts of liberty that rent
the air. Of course, all the slaves of the
city,lively, fancifuland sympathetic, most
excitableas they are by music and by dazzling
spectacles, were everywherelistening,
seeing, and rejoicing, in ignorantjoy. All
the heads of department, senators,representatives,
and dignitaries
procession
Avenue,and
of allkinds,marched
to an
open space
speeches, Such has been the extraordinary course
on Pennsylvania^
there delivered congratulatory
addresses on the progress
of
universal freedom. With unheard-of imprudence,
the most earnest defenders of
freedom,was
physician
many months,and advised her to keepthe slave-holding institutionspoureddown on
money, and applyit to making herselfas the listening crowd, both of black and white,
comfortable as she could.
bond and freețhe most inflammatory and
incendiary sentiments. Such,for example,
as the following language of Hon. Frederick
P. Stanton,of Tennessee :
We do not,indeed,propagate our principles with
the sword of power ; but there is one sense in
We cannot help
the current lays bare his roots, and you behold
them extendingfar around,and penetrating
of it.might be estimated as an estate of
to an immense depthin the soil. When the season
fifteen thousand dollars. They were distinguished
of maturitycomes, the air is filledwith a cotton-like
for intelligence, honesty and
substance,which floats in every direction,
faithfulness, but above all for the most
bearing on its lightwings the livingseeds of
the mighty tree. Thus the seeds of freedom have
devoted attachment to each other. These
emanated from the tree of our liberties. They fill
the air. They are wafted to every part of the
habitable globe. And eyen in the barren sands
are destined to take root. The
of tyrannythey
tree of libertywill springup everywhere, and
nations shallreclinein its shade.
Senator Foote, of Mississippi, also,used
thislanguage:
of events

158 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
in France, and in Europe, within the last two
months, that the more deliberately we survey the
scene which has been spread out before us, and
the more rigidlywe scrutinize the conduct of its
actors,the more confidentdoes our conviction become
.that the glorious loork which has been so
well begun cannot possiblyfail of completeaccomplishment;
chat the age of tyrants and
slavery is rapidlydrawing to a close ; and that
the happy period to be signalized by the universal
emancipationof man from the fellersof civil oppression,
and the recognition in all countries of the
popularsovereignty, equality,
and brotherhood, is,at this moment, visibly great principles of
Will any
one be surprised, after thisțhat
seventy-sevenof the most intelligent
to one
young
of them.
slaves,male and female,in Washingtoncity,
honestlytakingMr. Foote and his brother
senators at their word, and believing that
the age of tyrants and slavery was drawinghighthat he despaired
to a close, banded together, and made an
effortto obtain their part in this reign of
universalbrotherhood?
hood had begun, and the reign of tyrants and
The schooner Pearl was lyingin the slavery come to an end,that theywould take
harbor,and CaptainDrayton was found to to themselves and their sisters that sacred
have the heart of a man. Perhaps he. too, had gift of liberty, which all Washingtonhad
listened to the addresses on Pennsylvania been informedțwo eveningsbefore,it was
Avenue,and thought, in the innocence of the peculiar provinceof America to give to
his heartțhat a man who really did something
all nations. Their two sisters, agedsixteen
to promote universal emancipation
and fourteen, were hired out in familiesin
was no worse than the men who onlymade the city.On thisevening Samuel Edmondson
speeches about it.
called at the house where Emilylived,
At any rate,Draytonwas persuadedto and told her of the projected plan.
allow these seventy-sevenslaves to secrete "But what will mother think?" said
themselves in the hold of his vessel,and Emily.
"
among them were six children of Paul and Don't stopto think of her;she would
MillyEdmondson. The incidents of the rest rather we 'd be free than to spendtime to
of the narrative will now be givenas obtained
talk about her."
from Mary and EmilyEdmondson, "Well, then, ifMary will go, I will."
by the lady in whose familytheyhave been The girlsgive as a reason for Avishing to
placedby the writer for an education. escape, that thoughtheyhad never suffered
Some few preliminaries maybe necessary, hardships or been treated unkindly, yetthey
in order to understand the account.
knew they were liableat any time to be sold
A respectable colored man, by the name into rigorous bondage, and separated farfrom
of Daniel Bell,who had purchasedhis own allthey loved.
freedom,resided in the city of Washington. They then all went on board the Pearl,
His wife,with her eightchildren,were set
free by her master, when on his death-bed.
The heirs endeavored to break the will,on
the ground that he was not of sound mind
at the time of itspreparation. The magistrate,
however, before whom it was executed,
by his own personal knowledgeof the competence
"
to defeat their purpose ; the family, lived as free for some
years. On the
death of this magistrate, the heirs again
brought the case into court,and,as itseemed
and engagedpassage
on board the vesselof
CaptainDrayton. Many of their associates
and friends, stirred up, perhaps, by'therecent
demonstrations in favor
of liberty, begged
leave to accompany them, in their flight.
The seeds of the cotton-wood were flying
everywhere, and springing up in all hearts ;
so that,on the eventful eveningof the 15th
of April,1848,not less than seventy-seven
men, women and children, with beating
hearts,
stowed themselves
and anxious secrecy,
away
in the hold of the little schooner,
was so wicked that he
and CaptainDrayton
"
could not, for the lifeof him, say
Nay "
Richard Edmondson had longsought to
buy his liberty; had toiled for it earlyand
late ; but the price set upon him was so
of ever
earningit.
which was lying a little way off from the
place where vessels usuallyanchor. There
they found a company of slaves,seventyseven
in number.
At twelve o'clock at nightthe silent
of the littleschooner were spread, and
wings
with her weight of fear and mystery she
of the man at the time,was enabled glidedout into the stream. A fresh breeze
sprang up, and by eleven o'clock next night
theyhad sailed two hundred miles from
Washington, and began to think that liberty
was gained.They anchored in a place called
likely to be decided against the family, they Cornfield Harbor,intending to wait for daylight.
resolved to secure theirlegalrights byflight, All laid down to sleep in peaceful

"
that
"
that
^
KEY TO UNCLE TOMS CABIN. 159
security, lulled by the gentlerock of the would do the same." The man turned to a
vesseland the rippling of the waters. bystander
said, " Han't she got good
But at two o'clock at nighttheywere spunk?"
roused by terriblenoiseson deck,scuffling, But the most vehement excitement was
screaming,swearing and groaning. A againstDrayton and Sayres, the captainand
steamer had pursuedand overtaken them, mate of the vessel. Ruffians armed with
and the littleschooner was boarded by an dirk-knivesand pistols crowded around them,
infuriatedset of armed men. In a moment, with the most horridthreats. One of them
the captain, mate and allthe crew, were seized struck so near Drayton as to cut his ear,
and bound, amid oathsand dreadfulthreats. which Emily noticed as bleeding Ṃeanwhile
As they,swearing and yelling, tore open there mingled the crowd multitudes
the hatches on the defencelessprisoners below,
of the relativesof the captives,
Richard Edmondson steppedforward, on them as so
many doomed victims, bewailed
and in a calm voice said to them, " Gentlemen,
of
do yourselves no harm, for we are all the Edmondsons was so overcome when he
here." With this exception, all was still
among the slavesas despaircould make it ;
not a word was spokenin the whole company.
The men were all bound and placed
on board the steamer ; the women were leftknowing on board the schooner, to be towed after. probably
The explanation of theircapturewas this:
In the morning after they had
had listenedin the most complacent manner
to the announcement
was near hs close,
thatthe reign of slavery
in the city.The men were driven
through the streets bound with ropes, two
and two. Showers of taunts and jeersrained
upon them from all sides. One man asked
one of the girls if she " didn't feel pretty to
be caughtrunningaway," and anotherasked
her ' ' ' '
if she was n't sorry. She answered,
'No, if it was to do againto-morrow șhe
who,looking
and lamented them. A brother-in-law
saw them thathe fainted away and felldown
in the street, and was carried home insensible.
The sorrowful news spreadto the
and,
cottage of Paul and MillyEdmondson:
that all their children were now
doomed to the southern market,
theygave themselves up to sorrow. "
0 !
sailed, many what a day that was ! " said the old mother
familiesin Washingtonfound their slaves when describing that scene to the writer.
missing, and the event created as great an "
Never a morsel of anything could I put into
excitement as the emancipation of France my mouth. Paul and me we fasted and
had. two daysbefore. At that time theyprayedbefore the Lord,night and day, for
our
poor children."
The whole publicsentiment of the community
because they3 had not the
was roused to the most intense indignation
slightest idea that the language meant
It
anything
was repeatedfrom mouth to
; and they were utterly confounded by mouth that they had been kindlytreated
thispractical application of it. More than and never abused ; and what could have induced
a hundred men, mounted upon horses, determined
them to
try to get their liberty ! All
to push out intothe country, in pursuit
that Mr. Stanton had said of the insensible
of these new disciples of the doctrineof influence of American institutions, and all
universalemancipation. Here a colored man, Ins prettysimilesaboutthe cotton- wood seeds,
by the name of Judson Diggs,betrayed the seemed entirely to have escaped the memory
whole plotḤe had been provoked, because, of the community, and theycould see nothing
after havingtaken a
poor woman, with hei but the most unheard-of depravity in
luggage, down to the boatșhe was unable to the attempt of these peopleto secure freedom.
pay the twenty-five cents thathe demanded.
It was
strenuously advised by many
So he told these admirers of universal thattheir owners should not forgive them,
brotherhoodthattheyneed not rideintothe
no
mercy should be shown, but that
country, as theirslaveshad saileddown the theyshould be thrown into the hands of the
river, and were far enough off by thistime. traders, forthwith,
the southern market,
A steamer was
immediately manned by two
Siberia of the irresponsible despots
hundred armed men, and away theywent of America.
in pursuit.
When all the prisoners were lodged in
When the cortegearrivedwith the captured
jailțhe owners came to make oath to their
slavesțhere was a most furious excitement
property, and the property alsowas required
to make oath to their owners. Among them
came the married sistersof Mary and Emily,
but were not allowed to enter the prison!
The girlslooked throughthe iron grates of
the third-story windows, and saw their sisters
standingbelow in the yardweeping.
The guardianof the Edmondsons, "who
apparently
acted in the placeofthe real owner

100 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
touched with their sorrow, promisedtheir their brothersperformeda greatshare of
family and friends, who were anxious to the labor. Before theyleftțheir size and
purchasethem,ifpossible, that they should heightwere measured by their owners. At
have an opportunity the next morning. lengththey were again taken out, the
Perhaps he intended at the time to givebrothers handcuffed,
all put on board a
them one; but,as Bruin and Hill țhe steamboat,where were about fortyslaves,
keepers of the largeslave warehouse in mostlymen, and taken to Baltimore. The
Alexandria,offeredhim four thousand five voyage occupied one day and a night.
hundred dollars for the six children, they When arrived in Baltimore,they were
were irrevocably sold before the next morning.
thrown into a slave-penkeptby a partner
of Bruin and Hill. He was a man of
Bruin would listento no terms which
any of their friends could propose. The
lady with whom ,Mary had lived offered a
thousand dollars for her; but Bruin refused,
sayinghe could get double that .
sum in the New Orleans market. He
saidhe had had his eye upon
the family for
twelve years,
and had the promiseof them secured to themselves a littleinterval which
should they ever be sold.
they could employ,uninterrupted,
this
While the girlsremained in the prisonmanner. They,with four or five other
they had no beds or chairs, and onlyone women in the prison, used to meet together,
blanket each,though the nightswere chilly ; before daybreak, to spread their sorrows before
but,understanding that the rooms below, the Refugeof the afflicted ; and in these
where their brothers were confined, were
prayers the hard-hearted slave-dealerwas
stillcolder,and that no blankets were givendailyremembered. The brothers of Mary
them,theysent their own down to them.
In the morningthey were allowed to go
down into the yard for a few moments ; and
then theyused to run to the window of
their brothers' room, to bid them good-morning,
and kiss them through the grate.
At ten o'clock,Thursday night țhe
handcuffed, and,with their
brothers were
sisters, taken into carriagesby their new
OTrners, driven to Alexandria, and put into
prison and begthe trader to sellher to his
a prison called a GeorgiaPen. The girlsowners, who he thoughtwere willing to purchase
were put into a alone, largeroom in total her,ifthe price was not too high. But
darkness,without bed or blanket,where he was driven off with brutalthreats and
theyspent the night in sobs and tears, in curses. They remained in Baltimore about
utter ignorance of theirbrothers'fate. At three weeks.
eighto'clock in the morningthey were The friendsin Washington, thoug hitherto
calledto breakfast, when,to their great comfort,
unsuccessful in their efforts to redeem
theyfound their four brothers all in the family, were stillexerting themselves in
the same prison.
their behalf;and one evening a message
They remained here about four weeks, was received from them by telegraph,
beingusuallypermitted by day to stay below
stating that a person would arrive in 'the
with their brothers, and at nigh to return
morning train of cars preparedto bargain
to their own rooms. Their brothers for the family, and that a part of the money
had greatanxieties about them,fearing they was now ready. But the trader was in-
would be sold south. Samuel,in particular,
and in the morning, an hour before
felt very sadly, as he had been the the cars were to arrive,they were all
principal actor in getting them away. He put on board the brig Union, readyto sail
often said he would gladlydie for them,if for New Orleans. The messenger came,
that would save them from the fatehe feared.
He used to weep
a great deal,though he
sndeavored to restrain his tears in their
presence.
While in the slave-prison theywere
required
to wash for thirteen men, though
coarse habits,constantlyusingthe most
profanelanguage, and grossly obscene and
insulting
his remarks to women. Here
they were forbidden to pray together, as
they had previously been accustomed to do.
But,byrising very early in the morningțhey
and Emily were very gentle
their treatment
and tender in
had
of their sisters, which
an influence upon other men in their company.
At this placethey became accpaainted
with Aunt Rachel,a most godlywoman,
about middle age, who had been sold into
the prisonaway from her husband. The
poor husband used often to come to the
and brought nine hundred dollarsin money,
the gift of a grandsonof John Jacob Astor.
This was finally appropriated to the ransom
of Richard Edmondson,as his wife and
children were said to be suffering
Washington
; and the trader would not sellthe
exorable,

KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 161
gillsto them upon any consideration, nor the other women, as theyalwaysdid every
would he even sufferRichard to be broughtnice thingtheygot in such ways.
back from the brig,winch had not yet sailed. The daytheyarrived at the mouth of the
The bargainwas, however,made, and the Mississippi a terriblestorm arose, and the
money deposited in Baltimore.
waves rolledmountain high șo that,when
On thisbrigthe eleven women were put thepilot-boat approached, itwould sometimes
in one small apartment, and the thirty or seem to be entirely swallowed bythe waves,
forty men in an adjoining one. Emily was and again it would emerge, and againappear
very sea-sick most of the time,and her whollyburied. At lengththeywere
brothersfeared she would die. They used towed into and up the riverby a steamer,
to come and carry her out on deck and and there, for the first time,saw cotton
back again,buy littlecomfortsfor their sisters,
plantations, and gangs of slavesat work on
and take allpossible care of them. them.
Frequently head winds blew them back, Theyarrivedat New Orleans in thenight,
so thatthey made very slow progress; and and about ten the xt day were landedand
in theirprayer-meetings, which theyheld marched to what they calledthe show-rooms,
every night,theyused to pray that head and,goingout into the yard șaw a great
winds mightblow them to New York ; and many
men and women sitting around,with
one of the sailorsdeclared that if theysuch sad facesthatEmily soon beganto cry,
could getwithin one hundred miles of New upon which an overseer steppedup and
York, and the slaveswould stand by him, struck her on the chin, and bade her " stop
he would make way with the captain, and crying, or he would giveher something to
pilot them into New York himself. cry about." Then pointing, he told her
When theyarrived near Key West,they"there was the calaboose, where they
hoisted a signal for a pilot, the captain being
whippedthose who did not behave themselves
aware of the dangers of the place, and yet
! " As soon as he turned away,
a
not knowinghow to avoid them. As the slave- woman came and toldher to look cheerful,
pilot-boat approached, the slaves were all if she possibly could, as it would be far
fastenedbelow, and a heavycanvas thrown
over the gratedhatchwaydoor,which entirely
came to inquire what the woman had been
excluded all circulationof air,and saying to her; and when informed, encouraged
almost producedsuffocation.The captain Emily to follow the advice,and
and pilot had a long talk about the price, endeavored to profit by it himself.
and some altercationensued, the captain not That nightall the four brothershad their
beingwilling to givethe pricedemanded by hair cut closețheir mustaches shaved off,
the pilot;during which time therewas greatand their usual clothing exchanged for a
suffering below. The women became so exhausted
blue jacketand pants, all of which so
thattheywere mostlyhelpless ; and altered their appearance that at firs their
the situationof the men was not much better,
sistersdid not know them. Then,for three
thoughtheymanagedwith a stick to successivedays,theywere allobliged to stand
break some holes throughthe canvas on in an open porchfronting the street, for
theirsideșo as to let in a littleair, but a passers by to look at,except,
few only of the strongest could getthereto tiredout,she mightgo in for a littletime,
and another take her place.Whenever
enjoy it. Some of them shouted for help
as longas theirstrength would permit; and buyerscalled, theywere paradedin the auction-room
at length, after what seemed to them an
in rows, exposedto coarse jokes
almost interminableinterview, thepilotleft, and taunts. When any one took a liking
refusing to assistthem ; the canvas was removed,
to any girl in the company, he would call
and the brigobligedto turn tack, her to him,take hold of her, open her
and take another course. Then,one aftermouth, look at her teeth, and
another, as theygot airand strength, crawled person rudely,frequently
out on deck. Mary and Emilywere carried
betterfor her. One of her brothers soon
when one was
handle her
makingobscene
remarks ; and she must stand and bear it.
without resistance. Maryand Emilycomplained
out by their brothersas soon as theywere
able to do it.
to theirbrothersthattheycould not
Soon after this the stock of provisions submit to such treatment. They conversed
ran low, and the water failed, so that the about it with Wilson,a partnerof Bruin
slaveswere restrictedto a gill a day. The and Hill,who had the chargeof the slaves
sailors were allowed a
quart each,and often at thisprison Ạfter thistheywere treated
gave a pint of it to one of the Edmondsons with more decency.
For their sisters ; and theydivided itwith Another brotherof thegirls, named Ham-
11

"
it
162 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
and then had ittaken from him.
beingnow
deposited
ilton,had been a slave in or near New Orleans
The overseer who flogged her said,in their
forsixteen years,
and had j ust purchasedhearing,
that he would never floganother
his own freedom for one thousand dollars ; girl in that way
was too much for any
havingonce before earned that sum for himself,
one to bear. They suggest that perhaps
Richard
reallyfree, as the money was
in Baltimore for his ransom, found
him out the next day after their arrival at
New
Orleans, and brought him
to see his brothers and sisters. The meeting
whippedto death in the prisonwhile they
were there,thoughtheywere not in the
so sleepyas not to be able to hold up their
eyelids ; but,iftheywere caugh thus by the
overseer, theywere cruellybeaten. Mary
and Emily used to watch the little ones, and
let them sleep until they heard the overseers
coming, and then spring and rouse
them in a "moment.
One young woman, who had been sold by
the traders for the worst of purposes, was
returned, not
beingfortunate(J)enoughto
suit her purchaser ; and,as is their custom
in such cases,
"
was most cruelly flogged, so
much so that some of her fleshmortified, and
her life was despaired of. When Mary and
Emily firstarrived at New Orleans they saw
the reason why lie promisedthis was because
he was obligedto be her nurse, and
of course saw her sufferings. was from
Alexandria, but they have forgottenher
to the prisoname.
One young man and woman of their company
in the prison, who were engagedto lie
women cleaningthe streets,chained together,
some with a heavy iron ball attached
to the chain ; a form of punishmentfrequently
was overpoweringly affecting.
He had never beforeseen hissisterEmily, married,and were sold to different owners,
as he had been sold away from his parents felt so distressedat their separation that
before her birth.
they could not or did not labor well ; and
The girls'lodging-room was occupiedat the young
man was soon sent back,with
nightby about twenty or thirtywomen, who the complaint that he would not answer the
all slepton the bare floor, with onlya blanket
purpose. Of course, the money
was to be
each. After a few days,word was received
refunded, and he flogged. He was condemned
(whichwas reallyincorrecf), that
to be flogged each nightfor a week ;
half the money had been raised for the and,after about two hundred lashes by the
redemptionof Mary and Emily. After overseer, each one of the male slavesin the
this they were allowed, upon their brothers'
prisonwas required to come and layon five
earnest request, to go to their free lasheswith all hisstrength, upon penalty of
brother's house and spend their nights, beingfloggedhiinself. The young woman,
and return in the mornings, as they had too,was soon sent there, with a note from her
suffered greatly from the mosquitos and new mistress, requesting that she mightbe
other insects, and theirfeet were swollenand whippeda certain number of lashes,and
sore.
enclosing the money to pay for it;which
While at this prison, some horrible cases request was readilycomplied with.
of crueltycame 'to their knowledge, and While in New Orleans theysaw gangs of
some of them under their own observation.
Two persons, one woman and one boy,were
resorted to for household servants
same pen, or owned by the same trader, as who had displeased their mistresses.
themselves.
Hamilton Edmondson, the brother who
None of the slaves were allowed to sleephad purchasedhis own freedom,made great
in the day-time, and sometimes littlechildren effortsto get good homes for his brothers
sittingor
standing idleall day would become and sisters in New Orleans șo that they
need not be far separated from
One day, Mr. Wilson,the overseer, took
each other.
Samuel away with him in a carriage, and
returned without him. The brothers and
sisters soon found that he was sold,and
gone theyknew not whither ; but theywere
not allowed to weep, or even look sad, upon
pain of severe punishment. The next day,
however țo their greatjoy,he came to the
prisonhimself, and told them he had a good
home in the city with an Englishman,who
had paida thousand dollars for him.
After remaining about three weeks
in this
prison, the Edmondsons were told that,in
consequence of the prevalence of the yellow
and conversed with her. She was then justfever in the cityțogetherwith the fact of
beginningto sit up ; was quitesmall, and their not beingacclimated, it was deemed
very fine-looking, with beautiful straight dangerousfor them to remain there longer;
hair,which was
"
formerlylong,but had been and,besidesthis,purchasers were loth to
cut offshort by her brutal tormentors.
these circumstances.
givegoodprices under

the
Some of the slaves in the pen were already
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 163
sick ; some of them old,poor or dirty, and were the very lowestterms upon which their
for these reasons greatly exposedto sickness. keeperwould sellthe girls, as
Richard Edmondson had already been ransomed,
a faint hope that in some or
way other the
and must be sent back ; and,upon money might be raised, iftime enough were
the whole,itwas thought best to fitout and allowed. The trader declared he should
send off a gang to Baltimore, without delay.
The Edmondsons received these tidings but he would wait two weeks,and,if the
with joyfulhearts, for they had not yet friendscould raisethe money in thattime,
been undeceived with regardto the raising theymight have them.
of the money for their ransom. Their
brother who was free procuredfor them
many comforts for the voyage, such as a
mattress,blankets, sheetsand differentkinds
of food and drink ; and,accompanied to the
vesselby their friends there,theyembarked
on the brigUnion justat night, and were
towed out of the river. The brig had routine of the slave-prison. Old Paul
nearly a full cargo of cotton,molasses, sugar, walked quietly into the yard, and sat down
"c, and,of course, the space for the slaves to see the poor slaves marched around. He
was exceedingly limited. The place allotted
the females was a littleclose,filthy room,
before,and his feelings quite
perhapseight or ten feet square, filledwith overcame him. The yardwas narrow, and
cotton within two or three feet of the top of the girls, as theywalked by him,almost
the room, except the space directly under the brushinghim with their clothes, could just
hatchway door. Richard Edmondson kept hear him groaning within himself,
" 0, my
his sisters upon deck with him,thoughwithout
children, my children ! "
a shelter ; prepared their food himself, After the breakfast, which none of them
made up theirbed at nighton the topof barrels,
were able to eat,they partedwith sad
or wherever he could find a place, and hearts, the father begging the keeperto send
then sleptbytheirside. Sometimes a storm them to New Orleans, if the money could
would arise in the middle of the night,when not be raised, as perhaps theirbrothers there
he would springup and wake them,and, mightsecure for them kind masters.
gathering up
their bed and bedding, conduct Two or three weeks afterwards Bruin "
them to a littlekind of a pantry, where they Hill visitedthe-prison, dissolvedpartnership
could all three juststand țillthe storm with the trader, settled accounts, and took the
passedaway. Sometimes he contrived to Edmondsons again in their own possession.
make a temporaryshelterfor them out of
bitsof boards,or something else on deck.
After a voyage of sixteen days,they
His object was partlyto ascertainwhat
he indulged
soon send them to some other slave-market,
The nigh their father and sister spent in
the prisonwith them,he layin the room
over their heads ; and theycould hear him
groan all night, while their sister was
weeping
by their side. None of them closed
their eyes in sleep.
In the morning came
againthe wearisome
The girls were
roused about eleven o'clock
at night,after they had fallen asleep, and
told to getup directly,
and prepare forgoing
arrived at Baltimore,fullyexpecting that home. They had learned that the word of
theirdaysof slavery were numbered. Here a slave-holderisnot to be trusted, and feared
theywere conducted back to the same old
theywere goingto be sent to Richmond.
had been taken a
But they were permitted to see
had never seen his daughters in such circumstances
prison from which they Virginia, as there had been talk of it. They
few weeks before, thoughtheysupposedit were soon on their way in the cars with
would be but for an hour or two. Presently Bruin, and arrived at Washingtonat a little
Mr. Bigelow,of Washington,came for pastmidnight.
Richard. When the girls found that they Their hearts throbbed highwhen,after
were not to be set free too, their grief and theselong months of weary captivity, t\\Qj
disappointment were unspeakable Ḅut found themselves once more in the city
"
they were separated, Richard to go to where were their brothers, sisters and parents.
his home,his wife and children, and they
none
to remain in "
slave-prison. Wearisome of them, and were put into a carriage and
days and nightsagainrolled on. In the driven immediately to
morningstheywere obliged to march round Alexandria,where,about two o'clock at
the yard to the music of fiddles, banjoes, "c. ; night,they found themselvesin the same forlorn
in the day-time theywashed and ironed for old room in which they had begun their
the male slaves, sleptsome, and wept a great term of captivity !
deal. After a few weeks theirfather came This was the latterpart of August.Again
to visitthem, accompanied by theirsister. they were employed in washing,ironing and
the slave-prison at

164 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
sewingby day, and alwayslocked up by
night. Sometimes they were allowed to
sew in Bruin's house, and even to eat there.
After they had been in Alexandria two or
three weeks, their eldest married sister,
having heard from them for some time,came
to see
of their fate; and
not
subjoin : Alexandria,Va.,Sept.5, 1848.
The bearer,Paul Edmondson, is the father of
two girls, Mary Jane and Emily Catharine Ed-
These girls have been purchasedby
us, and once sent to the south ; and, upon the
positive assurance that the money for them would
be raised if they were broughtback,they were
returned. Nothing, it appears, has as yet been
done in this respectby those who promised,and
mondson. earnestness
we are on the very
eve of sendingthem south the
at the
second time ; and we are candid in very moment, too, when deliverance was
sayingthat,if
they go again, we will not regardany promisesexpected
! Bruin was not absolutely a man
made in relation to them. The father wishes to of stone, and this agonizing appealbrought
raise money to pay for them ; and intends to appeal
tears to his eyes. He gave
some
encouragement
to the liberality of the humane and the good
that,if Hill would
to aid him, and has requestedus to state in writing
consent țhey need
the conditions upon which we will sell his not be sent off with the gang. A sleepless
daughters.
nightfollowed, spent in weepingxgroaning
We expectto start our servants to the south in and prayer. Morningat lastdawned,and,
a few days; if the sum of twelve hundred ($1200)
according
dollars be raised and paid to us in fifteen to orders receivedthe daybefore,
days,or
we be assured of that sum, then we will retain theypreparedthemselves to go, and even
them for twenty-five daysmore, to givean opportunity
put on their bonnets and shawls, and stood
for
of*the other thousand and
the
the raising
fifty($1050)dollars ; otherwise we
to send them alongwith our other servants.
Bruin " Hill.
shall be compelled
Paul took his papers, and partedfrom his
off, theirsistermade them a sad farewellvisit.
They mingledtheir prayers and tears,and
the girlsmade up littletokens of remembrance
to send by her as partingiftsto
their brothers and sistersand aged father
and mother, and with a farewellsadder than
Bruin,to learn,ifpossible, somethingthat of a death-bed the sistersparted.
her surprise and joy were The eveningbeforethe cofflewas to start
drew on. Mary and Emily went to the
great to see them once more, even there.
After a few weeks theirold fathercame againhouse to bid Bruin's familygood-by.Bruin
to see them. Hopelessas the idea of their had a littledaughterwho had been a pet and
emancipation seemed,he stillclungto it. He favorite with the girls.She clunground
had had some encouragement of assistancein them,cried,and beggedthem not to
Washington, and he go.
purposedto go North Emily told her that, if she wished to have
to see ifanything could be done there ; and them stay,she must go and ask her father.
he was anxious to obtain from Bruin what Away ran the little pleader, full of her
Avere the very lowest possible terms forwhich errand ; and was so very earnest in her importunities,
that he,to pacifyher,said he
he would sellthe girls. Bruin drew up his
terms in the following document,which we would consent to theirremaining, ifhispartner,
CaptainHill,would do so. At this
time Bruin,hearingMary crying aloud in
the prison, went up
daughterssorrowfully. After thisțhe time
to the girlsdragged on in heavy suspense.
Constantly theylooked for letteror message,
and prayedto God to raisethem up
a de-
Either the
entreatiesof littleMartha or Mary'splea
liverer with Bruin had prevailed.
from some quarter. But day after Soon the gang
"
was startedon foot, men.
day and week afterweek passed, and the women and children, two and two, the men
dreaded time drew near. The preliminaries all handcuffed together, the rightwrist of
for fitting up the gang for South Carolina one to the leftwrist of the other, and a chain
commenced. Gay calico was boughtforthem passingthroughthe middle from the handcuffs
to make up into " show dresses," in which of one coupleto those of the next. The
theywere to be exhibitedon sale. They women and children walked in the same
made them up with far sadder feelings than manner throughout, handcuffed or chained.
theywould have sewed on their own shrouds. Drivers went before and at the sidețo take
Hope had almost died out of their bosoms.
A few daysbeforethe gang were to be sent
to see her. With all the
she made her last ap-
of despair,
peal
to his feelingsṢhe begged him to
dear "
littledaughter, what
make the case his own, to think of his own
if she were exposed
to be torn away from every friendon
earth, and cut offfrom allhope of redemption,
ready for the word to be given.When
very last tear of hope was shed, and they
were goingout to jointhe gang, Bruin's
heart relented. He calledthem to him, and
told them theymightremain ! 0, how glad
were theirheartsmade by this, as
now hope on a littlelonger!
theymight
up those who were sick or lame. They were
obligedto set off singing ! accompanied

with fiddlesand banjc
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 165
"
"
"
u
For theythat lowed in the same strain, the meetingbecame
carried us away captiverequiredof us a enthusiastic, and the money was raised
song, and they that wasted us requiredon the spot, and poor old Paul laid his head
of us mirth." And thisis a scene of dailythat night on a grateful pillow, not to
occurrence in a Christian country ! and sleep, but to givethanks !
Christianministers say
that the righto do Meanwhile the girls had been dragging
these things is givenby God himself ! ! on anxious days in the slave-prison. They
Meanwhile poor old Paul Edmondson went were employed in sewing for Bruin's family,
northward to supplicate aid. Any one who staying sometimes in the prison and sometimes
should have travelledin the cars at that
time might have seen a venerable-looking
black man, all whose air and attitude indicated
to
a patienthumility, and who seemed
carry a weight of overwhelming sorrow,
One who had long been acquainted
That man was Paul Edmondson.
Alone,friendless, unknown,and,worst of
all,black,he came into the greatbustling
in his trade. He is such a man as never
like would have been found in the profession
by God himself. It is a fact,with regardto
city of New York, to see if there was any this man, that he was one of the earliestsub-
one there who could give him twenty-five to the National Era, in the District
hundred dollarsto buy his daughterswith. of Columbia ; and,when a certainindividual
Can anybody realizewhat a poor man's feelings
therebrought himself into greatperilby assisting
are, who visitsa great,bustling, rich fugitive slaves, and there was no one
city, alone and unknown, for such an object?
found to go bail for him,Mr. Bruin came
The writer has now, in a letterforward
and performed this kindness.
from a slave father and husband who was While we abhor the horrible system and
visiting Portland on a similar errand, a the horrible trade with our whole soulțhere
touchingexpression of it :
is no harm,we suppose, in wishing that such
a man had a betteroccupation. Yet we cannot
I walked allday țillI was tiredand discouraged.
0 ! Mrs. S when I
,
see so many people who forbear reminding all such that,when
seem to have so many
more things than they want Ave come to giveour account at the judgment-sea
or know what to do with,and then think that I
of Christ, every
man must speak
have worked hard,tillI am pastforty, all my life, for himselfalone ; and that Christ will
and don't own even my own wife and children,it
makes me feelsick and discouraged !
not accept as an apology for sinthe word of
all the ministers and all the synodsin the
So sick at heart and discouraged felt country. He has given fair warning,"Beware
Paul Edmondson. lie went to the Anti- of falseprophets ; " and ifpeoplewill
SlaveryOffice, and made his case known. not beware of them țheir blood is upon their
The sum was such a largeone, and seemed to own heads.
many so exorbitant, that,thoughtheypitied The girls, while under Mr. Bruin's care,
the poor father, they were disheartened were treated with as much kindnessand consideration
about raising it. They wrote to Washington
as could possibly consist with the
to authenticate the particulars of the designof selling them. There is no doubt
story,
and wrote to Bruin and Hill to see that Bruin was personally friendly to them,
if there could be any reduction of price. and reallywished most earnestly that they
Meanwhile, the poor old man looked sadlymight be ransomed ; but then he did not see
from one adviser to another. He was recommended
how he was to lose two thousand five hundred
to go to the Rev. H. W. Beecher, dollars. He had just the same difficulty
and tellhis story. He inquiredhis way to
on this subject that some New York
"
his door, ascended the steps to ringthe members of churches have had,when they
door-bell, but his heart failedhim," he sat have had slaves broughtinto their hands as
down on the stepsAveeping !
security for Southern debts. He was sorry
There Mr. Beecher found him. He took for them,and wished them well, and hoped
him in,and inquired his story. There was Providence would providefor them when
to be a publicmeeting that nightțo raise theywere sold,but stillhe could not afford
money. The haplessfatherbeggedhim to
in the house.
It is to be stated here that Mr. Bruin is
a man of very differentcharacter from many
with grief. a slave-trader, had not the most respectable
and religious part of the communitydefended
the righ to buy and sell, as
being conferred
go and plead for his children. He did go,
and spoke as if he were pleading for his own in New York,we must not be surprised
father and sisters. Other clergymenfol-| there remain slave-tradersin Alexandria.
scribers
to lose his money ; and while such men remain
elders and communicants in churches
that

166 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
It is one great art of the enemy of souls the papers with greatgood will, takingout
to lead men to compound for their participation
a five-dollargoldpiece for each of the girls,
in one branch of sin by their righteous
as a partingpresent.
horror of another. The slave-trader The affairtook longer than theysupposed,
has been the general scape-goat
on -whom all and the'time seemed an
age to the poor girls,
parties have vented their indignation, while who were anxiously walkingup and down
buyingof him and selling to him.
outsidethe room, in ignorance of their fate.
There is an awful warninggivenin the Could their father have broughthe money ?
fiftiethPsalm to those who in word have Why did he tremble so? Could he have
professed religion and in deed consented to failedof the money, at last? Or could it be
iniquity, where from the judgment-seat that their dear mother was dead, for they
Christ is represented as thus addressing had heard that she was very ill!
At lengtha messenger came shouting to
'
them ' : What hast thou to do to declare my
statutes, or that thou shouldsttake my covenant
them, " You are free, you
are free! " Emily
into thymouth,seeingthou hatest instruction,
thinks she sprang nearlyto the ceiling overhead.
and castest my words behind
thee 1 When thou sawest a thief, then thou laughedand shouted aloud. Soon their
consentedst with him, and hast been partaker
father came
with adulterers."
and attempted to quiethem, and told them
One thingiscertain, that allwho do these to prepare them to go and see their mother.
must, at This they did theyknow not how,but with
things, openly or secretly, last,
make up
their account with a Judgewho considerable help from the family,who all
is no respecter of persons, and who will justseemed to rejoice in their joy. Their father
as soon condemn an elder in the church for procured a carriage to take them to the
slave-trading as a professed trader ; nay, He wharf,and,with joyoverflowing allbounds,
may
make it more tolerablefor the Sodom
"
and Gomorrah of the trade than for them,"
for it may be,ifthe traderhad the means of
grace that theyhave had țhathe would have
repentedlong ago.
But to return to our history. The girls
hand, and all were moved to tears of
sympathetic joy. Their father, with subdued
were sitting sewing near the open window tenderness, made greateffortsto soothe
of their cage, when Emily said to Mary, theirtumultuous feelings, and at lengthpartially
"
There,Mary, is that white man we have succeeded. When they arrived at
seen from the North. " They both looked,and Washington, a carriage was readyto take
in a moment more saw their own dear father. them to theirsister'shouse. People of every
They sprang and ran throughthe house and rank and description came runningtogether
the office, and into the streetșhouting as to get a sightof them. Their brothers
theyran, followed by Bruin,who said he caughtthem up in their arms, and ran
though the girls were crazy. In a moment about with them, almost frantic with joy.
they were in their father's arms, but observed
Their aged and venerated mother, raised up
that he trembled exceedingly, and from a sick bed by the stimulus of the glad
that his voice was unsteady.Theyeagerlynews, was there,weepingand giving thanks
inquired if the money was raised for their to God. Refreshments were prepared in
ransom Afraid of exciting their hopestoo their sister'shouse for all who called,and
soon, before their free papers were signed, amid greetings and rejoicings, tears and
he said he would talk with them soon, and gladness, prayers and thanksgivings, but
went into the officewith Mr. Bruin and Mr. without sleep țhe nightpassedaway, and
Chaplin. Mr. Bruin professed himselfsincerely
the morningof November 4,1848,dawned
glad, as undoubtedly he was, that theyupon them free and happy.
had brough the money ; but seemed much This last spring,duringthe month of
hurt by the manner in which he had been May, as the writer has alreadyintimated,
spoken of by the Rev. H. W. Beecher at the the aged mother of the Edmondson family
liberationmeeting in New York,thinkingcame on to New York, and the reason of
it hard that no difference should be made her comingmay be thus briefly explained.
between him
when he had She had stillone other daughter, the guide
and other traders,
shown himself so much more considerateand
humane than the greatbody of them. He,
however,counted over the money
and signed
They jumped,clapped their hands,
to them,embraced them tenderly
theybade a most affectionate farewell to
each member of the family,not even omitting
that there
Bruin himself. The " good
is in human nature " for once had the upper
and support of her feeble age, or, as she calls
her in her own expressive language,
" the
of blood in her heart." She had
lastdrop

" "
Paul
that
"
she
"
a
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
167
"
"
"
also a son, twenty-oneyears of age, still a
j One was sitting mother,holding
slave on a neighboring plantation. The infirm
her hand ; and the air of pride and filial
woman in whose name the estate was affectionwith which theypresented her was
held was supposedto be drawingnear to touching behold. After beingpresented
death,and the poor parents were distressed to the writer, she againsat down between
with the fear that, in case of thisevent,their them,took a hand of each,and looked very
two remainingchildrenwould be sold for earnestly first on one and then on the other ;
the purpose of dividing the estate, and thus and then,lookingup, said,with a smile,
thrown into the dreaded southern market. "0, thesechildren, how theydo lieround
No one can realizewhat a constant horror our hearts! "
the slave-prisons and the slave-tradersare She then explainedto the writer all her
to allthe unfortunate familiesin thevicinity sorrows and anxietiesfor the younger children.
Everything for which other parents look "Now, madam," she says, "that
on theirchildren with pleasure and prideis man that keepsthe greattrading-house
to these poor soulsa source of anxiety and Alexandria, that man" she said,with a
dismay,because it rendersthe childso much strong,indignantexpression, "has sent to
more a merchantable article.
know if there 's any
more of my childrento
It is no wonder,therefore, that the lightbe sold. That man said he wanted to see
in Paul and Milly'scottagewas overshadowed
me ! Yes,ma'am,he said he 'd givetwenty
by this terribleidea.
dollarsto see me. I would n't see him,if
The guardians of thesechildrenhad givenhe 'd giveme a hundred ! He sent for me
theirfathera written promiseto sell them to come and see him,when he had my daughters
to him for a certain sum, and by hard begging
in his prison. I would n't go to see
he had acquired hundred dollarstowards
I did n't want to him," see them there! "
the twelve hundred which were necessary.
The two daughters, Emily and Mary,
But he was now confined to his bed here became very much excited, and broke
with sickness. After pouringout earnest out in some
very natural but bitter language
prayers to the Helperof the helpless, Millyagainst
Hush,children!
says, one day she said to Paul, " I tell ye, you must forgive your enemies,"she said.
Paul. I'm goingup to New York myself, "But they're so wicked ! " said the girls.'
to see if I can't get that "
money."
Ah, children, you must hate the sin,but
says to me, ' Why,Millydear,how love the sinner." "Well," said one of
can yon? Ye an't fitto be off the bed, and the girls,
mother,if I was taken again
ye 's never in the cars in your life.' and made a slaveof,I 'd killmyself." " I
" :
Never you fear,Paul,'says I; ' I shall trust
"
not,child, that would be wicked."
go trustingin the Lord ; and the Lord, But,mother,I should ; I know I never
"
He '11take me, and He '11bringme, I could
"
bear it." Bear it, my child?" she
know.'
answered,
it's theythat bears the sorrow
"
So I went to the cars and got a white here is they that has the glories there."
man to put me aboard ; and, sure enough, There was a deep, indescribable pathosof
there I found two Bethel ministers ; and voice and manner as she said thesewords,
one set one sideo' me, and one set the other, solemnity force,and yet a sweetness,
all the way ; and theygot me my tickets, that can never be forgotten.
and looked after my things, every This poor slave-mother, whose whole life
thing for me. There did n't anythinghappen
had been one longoutrage on her holiest
to me all the way. Sometimes,when I feelings, who had been kept from the
went to set down in the sitting-rooms, people
power to read God's Word, whose whole
looked at me and moved off so scornful ! pilgrimage day of sorrow
Well, I thought, give by the injustice of a Christiannation,
you a better mind."
had yetlearned to solve the highest
Emilyand Mary,who had been at school problem of Christian ethics, and to do what
in New York State, came to the cityto so few reformers can hate the do," sin,but
meet their mother,and theybroughther love the sinner !
directly to the Rev. HenryW. Beecher's A great deal of interest was excited
house,where the writer then was.
among the ladies in Brooklynby thishistory.
The writer remembers now the scene
Several largemeetings were held in
when she firstmet this mother and daughters.
differentparlors, in which the old mother related
It must be recollectedthatthey had her history greatsimplicity and
pathos, and a subscription the re-
not seen each other before for four years. |

mother,son,
168 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
Jenny
Lind Goldschmidt.
Some of the ladies who listenedto this
demption of the remainingtwo of her
family was soon on foot. It may
be in-
to know that the subscription list
was headed by the lovelyand benevolent
Pray :ay for lor you! /" she sne said,earnestly.
teresting
can't helpit." She
"
" "
touchingstorywere so much interestedin
Mrs. Edmondson personally, theywished to The
have her daguerreotype ; both that all those friends, in different parts of
theymightbe strengthened refreshed
by the sightof her placidcountenance, and the redemption of these children,
thattheymight see the beautyof true goodness
are at last free !
beamingthere.
She accordingly went to the rooms with
them,with all the simplicity of a littlechild. to them :
"
0," said she,to one of the ladies, "you
can't think how happy it's made me to I have seen the Edmondson parents, Paul and
get his wife Milly.
here,where everybodyis so kind to me !
free Edmondsons,
daughter, the
Why, last night, when I went home, I was so after the great era of freelifecommenced,while
happy I could n't sleep. I had to go and yet the inspiration
tell my
happy I was."
A
Saviour, over and over again,how
ladyspoketo her about readingsomething.
"
Law bless you, honey ! I can't
read a letter."
"Then," said another lady, "how have
you learned so much of God, and heavenly
things?"
"
Well,'pears like a giftfrom above."
"
Can you have the Bible read to you ? "
but
"
Why, yes ; Paul, he reads a little,
then he has so much work all day, and
when he gets home at nighthe's so tired !
and his eyes
is bad. But then the Sperit
teaches us."
"
Do you go much to meeting?"
"
Not much now, we live so far. In
"
Indeed I shall,
then,raising
her finger, said,in an emphatic
tone, peculiar to the
"
old of her race, Tell
you what ! we never gets no good bread
ourselves till we beginsto ask for out
brethren."
writer takes this opportunity to inform
the country,who generously contributed for
that they
The followingextract from the letter
of a ladyin Washington may be interesting
very day
was on them, while the
mother's face was all lightand love,the father's
eyes moistened and glistening with tears, the
son calm in conscious manhood and responsibility,
the daughter(not more than fifteen years ola,
I think)smiling a delightful appreciation of joy
in the present and hope in the futurețhus suddenly
and completely unfolded.
Thus have we finishedthe account of one
of the families who were taken on board the
Pearl. We have another history
give,
to which we cannot promiseso fortunatea
termination.
Among
CHAPTER
up, bottle it up ! ' 0,1 often tell my children,
church ; but her heart yearnedafter hei
'
Bottle it up, bottleit up
! ' "
widowed mother and after freedom,and so,
When the writer came to partwith the on the fatal night when all the other poor
"
old ladyșhe said to her : Well,good-by, victims sough the Pearl țhe child Emily
my dear friend; remember and pray for
me."
VII.
those unfortunates guiltyof loving
freedom too well,was a beautiful young
winter I can't never. But, 0 ! what meetings
quadroongirl,named EmilyRussell,whose
I have had,alone in the corner,
"
my
mother is now livingin New York. The
Saviour and onlyme!" The smile with writer has seen and conversed with her. She
which these words were spoken was a thingis a piouswoman, highlyesteemed and re-
to be remembered. A littlegirl,daughter
a member of a Christian church.
of one of the ladies, made some rather By the availsof her own industry she pur-
severe remarks about somebodyin the daguerreotype
her freedom,and also redeemed from
rooms, and her mother checked bondage some of her children. Emilywas a
her.
residentof Washington, D. C.,a placewhich
The old ladylooked up, with her placidbelongs not to any state,but to the United
smile. " That puts me in mind,"she said, States ; and there, under the laws of the
"
of what I heard a preachersay once. United Statesșhe was held as a slave. She
'
My friends,' says he, ' if you
know of anything
was of a gentledisposition and amiable manners;
that will make a brother's heart glad; she had been early touched with a sense
run quick and tell it ; but if it is something
of religious things, and was on the very
that will only cause a bottle it point of unitingherself with sigh,' a Christian
spected,
chased
went also among them.
How theywere taken has already been

"
not
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 169
told.The sin of the poor girlwas inexpiable. case of the Edmondsons had calledthe attention
Because she longedfor her mother's arms of the community to this subjectṬhe
and for liberty, she could not be forgiven. enormous priceasked entirely discouraged
Nothing would do forsuch a sin, but to throw effort, and before anything of importance
her into the hands of the trader.
She also
To Mrs. Nancy Cartwright,New York.
Alexandria, Jan. 22, 1850.
dollars; and yet, judicatories in the
My Dear Mother : I take this opportunity church of Christ have said, in solemn conclave,
of writingyou a few linesțo inform you that I that American slavery as it is
am iu Bruin's Jail,and Aunt Sallyand all of her
Children, and Aunt Hagar and all her is no evil ! *
children,
and grandmother is almost crazy. My dear mother,
From the tableof the sacrament and from
will you please to come on as soon as you
the sanctuaryof the church of Christ this
can? I expect to go away very shortly.0, girlwas torn away, because her beautywas
mother ! my dear mother ! come now and see your
a salablearticlein the slave-marketin New
distressedand heart-broken daughteronce more.
Orleans !
Mother ! my dear mother ! do not forsake me, for
I feeldesolate! Please to come now.
Perhaps some Northern apologist for
Your daughter, slavery will say she was kindly treated here
Emily Russell.
handcuffed by the wrist to a chain,
"
P- S. If you do not come as far as Alexandria, and forced to walk, as articlesless choice
come to Washington,and do what you
can.
are ; that a
wagon was provided, and thatshe
That letter, blottedand tear-soiled, was
rode ; and that food abundant was givenher
broughtby this poor washerwoman to to
some eat, and that her clothing was warm and
Christianfriends in New York, and shown comfortable, and thereforeno harm was done.
to them. " What do you suppose theywill We have heard it told us, again and again,
ask for her? " was her question Ạll that that there is no harm in slavery, if one is
she had," her littlehouse,her littlefurniture,
onlywarm enough, and full-fed, and comfortable.
"
her small earnings, all these It is true that the slave-woman
poor
Nancy was willing to throw in ; but allthese has no protection from the foulestdishonor
were but as a dropto the bucket.
and the utmost insultthat can be offeredto
The firstthing to be "
done,then,was to womanhood, none whatever in law or
gospel
ascertainwhat Emily could be redeemed for; ; but șo long as she has enoughto eat and
and, as it may be an interesting item of wear, our Christianfathersand mothers tell
American trade, we givethe replyof the us it is not so bad !
tradersin full :
Poor Emily could not think so. There
was no
eye
Alexandria,Jan. 31,1850.
to pity, and none to help. The
Dear Sir : When I received
food your letterI had of her accursed lotdid not nourish her ;
not boughtthe negroes you spokeof,but since the warmest clothing could not keep the
that time I have'bought them. All I have to sav chill of slavery from her heart. In the
,
a^boutthe matter is țhat we paidvery highforthe
negroes, and cannot afford^tosell the middle of the overland passage, sick, weary,
girlEmily
for less than EIGHTEEN HUNDRED DOLLARS*. heart-broken, the child laid her down and
This may
seem a highprice to you, but,cotton being
died.By thatlonely pillow there was no mother.
very high,consequently slaves are high. We But therewas one Friend,who loveth at
have two or three offersfor Emilyfrom gentlemenalltimes,who iscloserthan a brother. Could
from the south. She is said to be the finest-looking
woman in this country. As for Hagarand her our
seven eyes be touched by the seal of faith, where
children, we will take two thousand fivehundred others see only the lonely wilderness and
dollars for them. Sally and her four children, the dyinggirl,we, perhapsșhould see one
we will take for them two thousand eighthundred clothedin celestialbeauty,waiting for that
dollars. You may
seem a littlesurprisedat the
short
differencein prices, but the differencein the negroes
agony to be over, thatHe mightredeem
makes the differencein price. AV"e expect to her from allinicpuity, and presenther faultless
start south with the negroes
on the 8th
February, before the presence
of his Grace with
and if you intend to do anything, you had better e, J"J
do it soon. Yours,respectfully,
Bruin " Hill.
This letter came to New York beforethe
was
done theyheard that the cofflehad departed,
was thrown into Bruin " Hill's jail, in
with Emily in it.
Alexandria. Her poor mother in New York Hear,0 heavens ! and giv ear, 0 earth!
received the following letterfrom her. Read Let it be known,in all the countriesof
it,Christianmother, and think what if your the earth țhat the market-priceof a
daughter had writtenitto you !
beautifulChristiangirlin America isfrom
EIGHTEEN HUNDRED to TWO THOUSAND
The words of the GeorgiaAnnual Conference : Resolved,
"
That slavery,as it exists in the United Statea,
is not a moral evil."

"
""
it
"
is
" sold
"
no
JL7U KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
Even the hard-heartedtrader was touched when he finds them selling body, blood and
with her sad fate, and we are credibly informed
bones,of his own people ? And is the
that he said he was sorry
he had Christianchurch, which justifies this enormous
taken her.
which has used the awful
system,"
Bruin " Hill wrote to New York that
the girlEmily was dead. The Quaker, selling and trading the souls of men,
thischurch the bride of Christ? Is
William Harned,went with the letter, to
break the news to her mother. Since she
had givenup all hope of redeeming her
daughter
she had been soldțhe helpless
drooped
longer lifted up her head,
any
from the dreadful doom to which
mother had
like a stricken woman. She no
interestin life.
or seemed to take
When Mr. Harned called on her, she
asked,eagerly,
"
Have you heard anything from my
name of her Redeemer to sanction the buying,
she one
with Christ, even as Christ is one
with the Father ? 0, bitter mockery !
Does this church believethat every Christian's
body is a temple of the Holy Ghost?
Or does she think those solemn words were
idle breath,when, a thousand times, every
day and week, in the midst of her,is this
temple set up and sold at auctionțo be
bought'by any
who has money to pay
godless, blasphemousman,
for it!
"
children,rather
daughter? "
As to poor Daniel Bell and his family,
Yes,I have," was the reply, " a letter whose contested claim to freedom was the
'"
from Bruin " Hill."
beginning of the whole trouble, a few members
":
And what is the news ? "
of it were redeemed, and the rest were
He thought best to give a direct answer, plunged into the abyss of slavery Ịt would
Emily is dead.''''
seem as if this event, like the sinking of a
The poor mother claspedher hands,and, ship,drew into its maelstrom the fate of
lookingupwards,said, " The Lord be
every unfortunate beingwho was in itsvi-
thanked ! He has heard my prayers
at
A poor, honest,hard-working last!"
man, of the name of Thomas Ducket,had
And, now, will it be said this is an exceptional
a wife who was on board the Pearl. Tom
case happens one time in a was supposed to know the men who countenanced
thousand? Though we know that this \% the enterprise, and his master,therefore,
the foulest of falsehoods, and that the case is determined to sell him. He brought
only a specimen of what is actingevery day him to Washington for the purpose. Some
in the American slave-trade, yet, for argument's
in Washington doubted his legalrigh to
sake,let us, for once, admit it to bring a slave from Marylandfor the purpose
be true. If only once in this nation,under of sellinghim,and commenced legal
the protection of our law,a Christian girlproceedings
to test the matter. While they
had been torn from the altar and the were pendingțhe counsel for the master
communion-table, and sold to foulestshame told the men who brought action against
and dishonor,would that have been a lighthis client that Tom was anxious to be sold ;
sin? Does not Christ say, "Inasmuch as that he preferred beingsold to the man who
ye have done it unto' one of the least of had purchased his wife and
these, ye have done it unto me
"
? 0, than to have his libertyỊt was well known
that Tom did not wish to be separated words of woe for !"
thee,America words
of woe for thee, church of Christ ! Hast his family, and the friends here,confiding in
thou trod them under foot and trampledthe representations made to them, consented
them in the dust so longthat Christ has to withdraw the proceedings.
Some time afterthis,theyreceivedletters
cinity.
forgotten ? In the day of judgment
every one of these words shall rise up, from poor Tom Ducket, dated ninetymiles
living and burning, accusingangels to above New Orleans,complainingsadlyof
witness against thee. Art thou,0 church his condition, and making piteousappeals
of Christ! prayingdaily,
to hear from them respecting his wife and
Thy kingdom
come" ? Darest thou pray, "Come, Lord children. Upon inquiry, nothing could be
Jesus,come quickly"? 0, what if He learned respecting They had been
should come ? What if the Lord,whom ye sold and gone,
and gone,
one
seek șhould suddenlycome into his teni knew whither ; and as a punishmen to
l'l If his soul stirredwithin him Tom forhis contumacy in refusing givethe
when he found within his templeof old name of the man who had projected those that changedmoney, and sold sheepexpedition
the Pearl, he was denied
and oxen and doves,what willhe say now the privilege of going off the place, and was

KEY TO UxNCLE TOM S CABIN. 171
not allowed to talk with the other servants,
his master fearinga conspiracy. In one of
his letters he
says, "I have seen more
trouble here in one day than I have in all
my life." In another, " I would be glad
to hear from her [his wife], but I should
be more glad to hear of her death than for
her to come here."
In his distress Țom wrote a letter to Mr.
Bigdow, of Washington. People who are
not in the habit of getting such documents
have no idea of them. We give a fac
simile of Tom's letter,with all its poor
spelling, all its ignorance,helplessness, and
misery.
yt
/^^^Tt^
y"^Mt^^

17* KEY TO UNCLE TOM'S CABIN.
^f^C^te-
d""?s ^""5^*--"%^j
Mr. Bigelow. Dear Sir : " I
[February IS,1852. 11 have not had one hour to go outside the place
write to let you since I have been on it. I put my trust in the
know how I am gettingalong. Hard times here. ILord to help me. I long to hear from you all.

KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
173
I written to hear from you all. Mr. Bigelow,I ment, he proceeded to New Y'ork,and,havingtaken
hope you will not forgetme. You know it was out free papers, to show that he was a citizen,he
not my fault that I am here. I hope you will went on to
Washington city, where he arrivedthe
name me to Mr. Geden, Mr. Chaplin, Mr. Bailey,
second day of April țhe same year, and put
to help me out of it. I believethat if up
theywould at Gadsby'sHotel. Soon after he arrived he felt
make the least move to it that itcould be done. unwell,and went to bed.
I long to hear from my familyhow they are getting
While suffering with severe pain șome persons
along. You will pleaseto write to me just came in,and,seeingthe condition he was in, proposed
to let me know how they are gettingalong. You
to givehim some medicine,and did so.
can write to me.
This is the lastthingof which he had any recollection,
I remain your humble servant,
until he found himself chained to the floor
Thomas Ducket. of Williams' slave-pen in this city, and handcuffed.
In the course of a few hours,James H.
You can direct your letters to Thomas Ducket,
Burch, a slave-dealer, came in,and the colored
in care of Mr. Samuel T. Harrison, Louisiana,
man asked him to take the irons off from
near Bayou Goula. For
him,and
God's sake let me hear
wanted to know
from you all. My wife and children
why theywere
are not out
put on, Burch
told him it was none of his business. The colored
of my mind day nor night.]
man said he was free,and toldwhere he was born.
CHAPTER
KIDNAPPING.
VIII.
The principle which
human being may lawfully
propertyleads directly to
beings; and that trade has, among
the temptation to
of kidnapping.
trader is generally a man of coarse
nature and low associations, hard-hearted,
women and children are all the time being
precipitated into slavery in this way.
The recent case of Northropțried in
Washington,D. C, throws lighton this
fearfulsubject Ṭhe following account is
abridged from the New York Times:
To go back a step in the narrativețhe man
wrote a letter,in June, 1841, to HenryB. Northrop,
of the State of New York,dated and postmarked
Solomon Northropis a free colored citizen of
at New Orleans,stating that he had been
the United States ; he was born in Essex county, kidnappedand was on board a vessel, but was unable
New York, about the year 1808 ; became early a to state what his destination was ; but requesting
resident of Washingtoncounty,and married there
Mr. N. to aid him in recovering his freedom,
in 1829. His father and mother resided in the if possibleṂr. N. was unable to do anything
county of Washingtonabout fifty years, tilltheir in his behalf,in consequence of not knowing
decease,and were both free. With his wife and where he had gone, and not beingable to find
children he resided at SaratogaSpringsin the any trace of him. His placeof residence remained
winter of 1841,and while there was employedby
unknown until the mpnth of September
two gentlemen to drive a team South,at the rate last,when the followingletter was received by
of a dollar a day. In fulfilment of his employ-his friends:
Burch called in a man by the name of Ebenezer
the man and laid
Rodbury,and they two stripped
him across a bench,Rodburyholding;him down
by his wrists. Burch whipped him with a paddle
until he broke that,and then with a cat-o'-
nine-tails, givinghim a hundred lashes ; and he
swore he would killhim if he ever stated to any
one that he was a free man. From that time foi?-
ward the man
says he did not communicate the
fact from fear,either that he was a free man, oi
what his name was, until the last summer. He
was kept in the slave-penabout ten days, when
he, with others,was taken out of the pen in the
night by Burch, handcuffed and shackled,and
taken down the river by a steamboat,and then to
declares that one
hold another as
the trade in human
its other horrible results,
Richmond,where ho,with forty-eight others,was
the crime
put
The
on board the brigOrleans. There Burch left
them. The brigsailed for New Orleans,and on
arriving there,before she was fastened to the
and recklessof rightor honor. He who is wharf,Theophilus Freeman,another slave-dealer,
belonging
not so is an exception, rather than a specimen.
the city of New Orleans,and who in
1833 had been a partner with Burch in the slavetrade,came
to the wharf,and received the slaves
If he has anythingood about him
when he beginsthe business, it may well be as they were landed, under his direction. This
man was
seen that he isin a fair way to lose it.
immediately taken byFreeman and shut
up
Around the trader are continually
in his pen in that city. He was taken sick
passing
with the small-poximmediatelyafter getting
and repassingmen and women who there,and was sent to a hospital, where he lay
would be worth to him thousands of dollars two or three weeks. When he had sufficiently
in recovered to
the way
"
of trade, who leave the
belongto a
hospital, Freeman declined
class whose rightsnobodyrespects, and
to sell him to any person in that vicinity, and sold
him to a Mr. Ford,who resided in
Rapides Parish,
who. if reduced to slavery, could not easilyLouisiana,where he was taken and lived more
make their word good against him. The than a
year, and worked as a carpenter,working
probability isthat hundreds of free men and with Ford at that business.
Ford became involved, and had to sell him. A
Mr. Tibaut became the purchaserḤe, in a short
time,sold him to Edwin Eppes,in BayouBeouf,
about one hundred and thirtymiles from the
mouth of Red river,where Eppes has retained
him on a cotton plantation since the year 1843.

" the
174 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
Bayou Beouf,August,1852. he absolutely set him at defiance, and refused to
Mr. William Pent.-, or Mr. Lewis Parker.
murder the girl.Eppesthen seizedthe whip,and
Gentlemen : It having been a longtime since I applied it until he was too weary to continue it.
have seen or heard from you, and not knowing Blood flowed from her neck to her feet,and
that you
are living, it is with uncertainty that I in this condition she was compelledthe next day
write to you ; but the necessity of the case must to
be my
excuse. Having been born free go into the field to work as a field-hand. She
just across bears the marks still upon her body,althoughthe
the river from you, I am certain you know me ; punishmentwas inflictedfour years ago.
and I am here now a slave. I wish you to obtain When Solomon was about to leave,under the
free papers for me, and forward them to me at care of Mr. Northropțhis girlcame from behind
Marksville, Louisiana,Parish of Avovelles,and her hut,unseen by her master, and,throwing
oblige Yours, her
Solomon Northrop. arms around the neck of Solomon,congratulated
On receiving the above letter, Mr. N.
him on his
appliedto
escape from slavery, and his return to
Governor Hunt, of New York,for such
his family;at the
authority
same time,in languageof despair,
as was
necessary for him to "
proceedto Louisiana exclaiming, But,0 God! what will become
as an
agent to procure the liberationof Solomon. of me?"
Proof of his freedom was furnished to Governor
These statements regarding the condition of
Hunt by affidavitsof several gentlemen,General Solomon while with Eppes, and the punishment
Clarke among others. Accordingly,
and brutal treatment of the colored pursuance
girls, are
of the laws of New York,Henry B. taken from Solomon himself. It has been stated
Northropwas
constitutedan agent țo take such that the nearest
steps,by procuring
plantation was distant from
that of
evidence,retainingcounsel,"c, as were
Eppes a half-mile, and of course there
necessary to secure the freedom of could be
Solomon,and
no interference on the part of neighbors
to execute all the duties of his in agency.
any punishment,however cruel,or however
well disposed to interfere theymightbe.
The result of Mr. Northrop's agency was Had not
the
Northropbeen able to
establishing of the
write, as
claim of Solomon
few of the freeblacks in the slave states
Northropto freedom,and the restoring him
are,
to his native land.
his doom mighthave been sealed for
lifein thisden of
It is a
misery.
singular coincidencethat thisman
Two cases recently tried in Baltimore also
was carriedto a plantation in the Red river
country țhat unfold factsof a similar nature.
same regionwhere the scene
The following is from
of Tom's captivity was laid;and his account
of this plantation, his mode of life THE CASE OF RACHEL PARKER AND HER SISTER.
there, and some incidentswhich he describes,
It will be remembered that more than a year
form
since
a strikingparallel to that history.
a
young colored woman, named Mary Elizabeth
Parker,was abducted from Chester
We extract them from the articleof the
county
and conveyedto Baltimore,where she was sold as
Times :
a slave,and transported to New Orleans. A few
days after,her sister,Rachel Parker, was also
The condition of this colored man during the abducted in like manner, taken to Baltimore,and
nine years that he was in the hands of Eppeswas of detained there in consequence of the interference
a character nearlyapproaching that described by of her Chester countyfriends. In the first case,
Mrs. Stowe as the condition of " Uncle Tom" Mary Elizabeth was, by an arrangement with the
while in that region. During that whole periodindividual who had her in charge,broughtback to
his hut contained neither a floor,nor a chair,nor Baltimorețo await her trial on a petition for freedom.
a bed,nor a mattress,nor anything for him to lie
So also with regardto Rachel. Both, after
upon, except a board about twelve inches wide, trial, proof in their favor being so overwhelming,
with a block of wood for his pillow, and with
"
were discharged, and are now
among
asingle'blanket to cover him, while the Avails of their friends in Chester county. In this connection
his hut did not by any means protecthim from
we give
the inclemency the narratives of both females,obtained
of the weather. He was sometimes
since their release.
compelled to performacts revolting to humanity,
and outrageousin the Rachel Parker''sNarrative.
highestdegree.
On one occasion, a colored girlbelonging to "
Eppes, I was taken from JosephC. Miller's about
about seventeen years of age, went one Sunday, twelve o'clock on Tuesday(Dec.30th,1851),by
without the permissionof her master,to the nearest
two men who came up to the house by the back
plantation, about half a mile distant, to visit door. One came in and asked Mrs. Millerwhere
another coloredgirl of her acquaintance.She returned
Jesse McCreary lived,and then seized me by the
in the course of two or three hours,and for arm, and pulledme out of the house. Mrs. Miller
that offence she was called up for punishment, called to her husband,who was in thefrontporch,
which Solomon was requiredto inflict. Eppes compelled
and he ran out and seized the man by the collar,
him to drive four stakes into the ground at and triedto stop him. The other,with an oath,
such distancesthat the hands and ankles of the girlthen told him to take his hands off,and if he
might be tied to them,as she laywith her face touched me he would killhim. He then toldMiller
upon the ground; and,havingthus fastened her that I belonged to Mr. Schoolfield, in Baltimore.
down, he compelledhim, while standingby himself,
They then hurried me to a wagon, where
to inflictone hundred lashes upon her bare there was another largeman, put me in, and drove
fleshșhe beingstripped naked. Having inflicted off.
the hundred blows Șolomon refused to proceedany
"Mr. Miller ran across the field to head the
further. Eppestriedto compelhim to go on, but wagon, and pickedup a stake to run through the

"
that
so
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 175
wheel,when one of the men pulledout a sword (I
think it was a sword,I never saw one) ,
and threatened
to cut Miller's arm off. Pollock's wagon
selves.
About a month afterwards, bacik to Baltimore. I livedwith Madame C. about
six months.
being in the way, and he refusing get out of
"
There were sixslaves came in the vessel with
the road,we turned offto the left. After we rode me to Baltimore,who belonged to Mr. D., and
away,
one of the men tore a hole in the back of were returned because they were sickly.
were coming
" A man called to see me at the jailafter I
the carriage, to look out to see if they
after us, and they said theywished they had
givenMiller and Pollock a blow.
" We stopped at a tavern near the railroad, I told the landlord (I think it was) that I was free.
I also told several persons
at the car-office ; and a
man at the car-office was talkingslave. Afterwards some gentlemencalled on me
very nice-looking
at the door,and he said he though that they had
better take me back again. One of the men did
the same evening, I was taken to jail.
" The next morning, a man with largelightcolored
whiskers took me
away by myself, and
asked me if I was not Mr. Schoolfield'sslave. I
told him I was not ; he said that I was, and that
if I did not say I was he would '
cowhide me and
salt me, and put me in a dungeon.' I told him
I was free,and that I would say nothingbut the
truth."
Mary E. Parker
'sNarrative.
"
I was taken from Matthew Donnelly's
Saturday
night(Dec.Gth,or 13th,1851);was caught
whilst out of doors șoon afterI had cleared the
o'clock,
and
was kept until Sundaynight
when I leftthere in the cars for Baltimore,and
arrived there early on Monday morning.
" At Elkton a man was brought in to see me,
by one of the men, who said that I was not his
father's slave. Afterwards,when on the way to
Baltimore in the cars, a man told me that I must
me.
"
On Monday morning,Mr. Schoolfieldcalled
at the jail in Baltimore to see me ; and on Tuesday
CHAPTER IX.
morninghe broughthis wife and severalother
ladiesto see me. I told them I did not know
theni, and then Mr. C. took me out of the SLAVES AS THEY ARE, ON TESTIMONY OP
room,
and told me who theywere, and took me back
OWNERS.
again șo that I might appear to know them. On
the nest Monday I was shippedto New Orleans. The investigation into the actual condition
"
It took about a month to getto New Orleans. of the slave population
the South
After I had been there about a week, Mr. C. sold is beset with
me to Madame C, who many difficultiesṠo
keeps many
a largeflower-garden.
She sends flowers to sell to the thingsare said
theatres,
pro and con.
"
many
sells milk in market,"c. I went out to sell said in one connection and deniedin another,
candy and flowersforher,when I lived with her.
the effectis very confusing.
One evening, when I was cominghome from the
Thus,we are told that the state of the
theatre,a watchman took me up,
and I told him
I was not a slave. He put me in the slavesis one of blissful contentment
calaboose,
; that
and next morning took me before a magistrate, theywould not take freedom as a gift;
who sent for Madame C. ,
who told him she boughtthat theirfamilyrelationsare onlynow and
me. He then sent for Mr. C, and. told him he then invaded;that theyare a stupidrace,
must account for how he gotme. Mr. C. said that
came back to Baltimore,and told me that I must
say I was Mr. Schoolfield'slave, and that ifI did
not do it he would killme the firsttime he got a
chance. He said Rachel [hersister]saidshe
came from Baltimore and was Mr. Schoolfield's
[JudgeCampbell and JudgeBell, of Philadelphia,
and William H. Norris,Esq., of Baltimore], and
I told them I was Mr. Schoolfield'sslave. "They
said they were my friends,and I must tell them
not come further than the tavern. I was taken to
Baltimore,where we arrived about seven o'clock
the truth. I then told them who I was, and all
about it.
" When I was in New Orleans Mr. C. whipped
me because I said that I was free."
Elizabeth,by her own account above,was seized
and taken from Pennsylvania, Dec. Gth or 13th,
1851,which is confirmed by other testimony.
It is conceded that such cases, when
brought into Southern courts,are
tried with great fairnessand
generally
impartiality.
The agent for Northrop'srelease testifies to
this,and ithas been generally
supper-table,about seven by two men,
admittedfact.
put into a wagon. One of them got into the
But it
wagon with isprobablyonlyone case in a hundred
me, and rode to Elkton,Md., where I
that can
at twelve o'clock, get into court "
; of the multitudes
who are drawn down in the ever-widening
maelstrom onlynow and then one ever comes
back to tellthe tale.
succeeding chapterof advertisements
The
willshow the reader how many such victims
say that I was Mr. Schoolfield' slave,or he would there may probably be.
shoot me, and pulled a 'rifle'out of his pocket
and showed it to me, and also threatened to whip
my mother and all the family were free, almost sunk to the condition of animals;
except
me. The magistrate told me to go back to Madame
that generally theyare kindlytreated."c.
C, and he told Madame C. that she must "c. "c.
not let me
go out at night; and he told Mr. C. In readingover some two hundred Southern
that he must prove how he came by me. The
magistrate afterwards called on Mrs. C, at her newspapers this fall, the author has been
house,and had a long talk with her in the
struck with the
parlor.
very graphicand circumstantial
I do not know what he said,as they were by them-
pictures, which occur in all of them,

3t.
has
176
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
describing fugitive slaves. From these de-
Capitolian Vis-a- Vis,West Baton Rouge,
one may learn a vast many things.
scriptions
Nov. 1, 1852 :
The author willhere givean assortment of
them,taken at random. It is a commentary
on the contented state of the slave
population that the writerfindstwo or three
always, and often many more, in every one
of the hundreds of Southern papers ex-
"slaves as
:
1. The color and complexionof the
majority of them.
2. That it iscustomary
eitherto describe
slavesby some scar, or to say " No sca?s
recollected."
3. The intelligence of the parties
In reading the following littlesketchesof
theyare," let the reader notice
advertised.
4. The number that say they are free
that are to be sold to pay jail-fees.
Every one of these slaveshas a "
history,
a history of woe and crime,degradation,
endurance, and wrong. Let us open the
chapter:
South-side Democrat, Oct. 28,1852.
Petcrsburgh, Virginia:
"
"
" "
REWARD.
by addressing Messrs. Armant Brothers,St. James
Twenty-fivedollars,with the payment of all
parish, Miltenberger Co.,30 Carondeletstreet."
necessary expenses, will be given for the apprehension
and delivery my
man CHARLES, if Here is a preacherwho isbranded on the
taken on the Appomattox river, or within the precincts
breast and has both toes cut off, and will
of Petcrsburgh Ḥe ran off about a week
ago, and, if he leaves the look
neighborhood, will no
yet ! There 's depravity for
doubt make for Farmville and PetersburghḤe is you!
a mulatto,rather below the medium heightand JeffersonInquirer,Nov. 27,1852 :
size,but well proportioned, and very active and
sensible. He is aged about 27 years,
has a mild,
$100 DOLLARS REWARD.
submissive look,and will,no doubt șhow the marks R ANA WAY from my plantation, in Bolivar
of a recent whipping,iftaken. He must be delivered
County,Miss.,a negro man named MAY, aged
to the care of Peebles,White, Davis " Co. 40 years, 5 feet 10 or 11 inches high,copper
R. H. DeJarnett, colored,and very straight ; his front teeth are
Oct. 25 Lunenburgh. good and stand a little open ; stout throughthe
Poor Charles! mulatto !
shoulders, and has some scars on his back that show
a mild, above the skin plain, caused by the ivhip; he frequently
submissive look,and will probablyshow hiccups when eating, if he has not got
marks of a recent whipping !
water handy ; he was pursued into Ozark County,
Mo., and there left. I will givethe above reward
Kosciusko Chronicle,Nov. 24, 1852 :
for his confinement in jail, get him.
James H. Cotjsar,
COMMITTED
Victoria, Bolivar County,Mississippi.
To the Jail of Attila County,on the 8th instant,
Nov. 13,lm.
a
negro boy,who calls his name GREEN,
and says he belongs to James Gray, of Winston Delightful master to go back to,thisman
County. Said boy is about 20 years old,yellowmust be !
complexion, round face,has a scar on his face,one The Alabama Standard has for its
on his lefthigh,and one in his lefthand,is about 5
motto :
feet6 inches high. Had on when taken up a cotton
check shirt,Linseypants, new cloth cap, and "Resistance to tyrants is obedience
was riding a large roan horse about 12 or 14 to God."
years
old and thinin order. The owner is requested Date of Nov. 29thțhis advertisement':
come forward, prove property,pay charges, and
take him
away, or he will be sold to COMMITTED
pay charges.
E. B. Sanders,Jailer A. 0. To the Jail of Choctaw County,by JudgeYoung,
of MarengoCounty, a RUNAWAY SLAVE, who
Oct. 12, 1842.
nl2tf.
$100 REWARD.
Randolph
County, on the 18th of October,a yellowbo?,
named JIM. This boy is 19 years old,a light
mulatto ivith dirtysunburnt hair, inclined to be
straight;he is just 5 feet 7 inches high,and
Runaway from the subscriber, in
amined.
slightly made. He had on when he left a black
cloth cap, black cloth pantaloons, a plaidedsack
coat,a fine shirt,and broganshoes. One hundred
dollars will be paid for the recovery of the abovodescribed
boy, if taken out of the State,or fifty
dollars if taken
Nov. 4,1852.
in the State.
Mrs.
S. P. Hall,
Huntsville,Mo.
American Baptist,Dec. 20,1852 :
TWENTY DOLLARS REWARD FOR A
following
PREACHER.
' '
The
paragraph ,
headed Twenty DoL
lars Reward," appearedin a recent number of the
New Orleans Picayune:
" Run away from the plantation of the undersigned
the negro
man Shedrick,a preacher, 5 feet
9 inches high, about 40 years old,but looking not
over 23,stampedN. E. on the breast, and having
both small toes cut off. He is of a
very dark complexion,
with eyes small but bright, and a look
quiteinsolent. He dresses good, and was arrested
as a runaway at Donaldsonville, some three years
ago. The above reward will be paid for his arrest,

"
Nov.
1U UiX^litt lUM S (JAiJIJN.
1//
callshis name BILLY, and says he belongsto the CHARLES HALL, a black,about 13 years old,
late William Johnson,and was in the employment
5 feet6 inches high; says he is free,but supposed
of John Jones,near Alexandria,La. He to be a slave.
is about 5 feet 10 inches high,black,about 40 PHILOMONIA, a mulattress, about 10 years
years old,much scarred on the face and head,and old,4 feet3 inches high; says she is free,but supposed
quiteintelligent.
to be a slave.
The owner isrequested to come forward, prove COLUMBUS, a griffe, about 21 years old,5 feet
his property, and take him from Jail,or he will 5$ inches high; says he is free,but supposed to be
be disposedof according to law.
S. S. Houston,Jailer C. C. SEYMOUR, a black,about 21 years old,5 feet
December 1,1852. 44-tf
If inch high; says he is free,but supposedto be
a slave
Query: Whether The this"quiteintelligent" owners will pleasecomplywith the law
Billyhad n't been corruptedby hearingrespecting
them. J Worrall,Warden.
New Orleans,Dec. 14,1852.
motto of the Standard ?
thisincendiary
Knoxville (Term.)Register,Nov. 3d :
LOOK OUT FOR. RUNAWAYS : I
*25 reward:
RANAWAY from the subscriber, on the RANAWAY
night
from the subscriber, living in
of the 26th July last,a negro woman named Unionville,Frederick County,Md., on Sunday
HARRIET. Said woman is about five feetfive morningțhe 17th instant, a DARK MULATTO
inches high, has prominentcheek-bones,largeGIRL, about 18 years of age, 5 feet 4 or 5 inches
mouth and good front teeth,tolerably spare built, high, looks pleasantgenerally,
about 26 years old. We think itprobableshe is
converses tolerably well,and can read. It is supposed
harbored by some
negroes not far from John Mynatt's,in
Knox County, where she and they are
likelymaking some arrangements to getto a free
state ; or she may be concealed by some
negroes
(herconnections) in Anderson County, near Clinton.
for her,if taken in the State,or Fifty Dollars if
I will givethe above reward for her taken out of the apprehension
State,and lodged in jailșo that
and confinement in any prisonin this
I get her again. G. R. Sapping ton.
dollars for her confinement
Oct. 13. "
2m.
state,or I will givefifty
in any jail out of this state șo that I get
her. H. B. GOENS,
3. 4m ClintonȚenn.
The Alexandria Gazette,November
29,1852,under the device of Libertyinches high,black complexion, loose make, smiles
"
tramplingon a tyrant,motto Sic semper
when spokento,has a mild,sweet voice,and fine
tyrannis"has the
teeth.
following :
Apply at 25 Tchoupitoulas-street,
TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS REWARD.
Ranaway from the subscriber, living in
County the
of Rappahannock, on Tuesdaylast,Daniel,
a
brightmulatto, about 5 feet 8 inches high,about
has been a
wagoner
35 years old, very intelligent,
RANAWAY from the subscriber, livingnear
for several years, and is prettywellacquaintedWhite's Store,Anson County,
from Richmond to Alexandria. on the 3d of May
He calls himself last,a bright
DANIEL TURNER; mulatto boy,named BOB. Bob is
hishaircurls,without showing
about 5 feet high,willweigh130 pounds,isabout
black blood, or wool; he has a scar on one cheek, 22 years old,and has
and his lefthand has been some beard on his upper lip.
seriously injuredbya pistolshot,and
he was shabbily dressed when last seen. causinghim to hobble in his walk ; has a
His leftlegis somewhat shorter than his right,
I will
very
givethe above reward if taken out of the broad face,and
county, and will show color like a white man.
secured in jailșo that I get him It is probablehe has gone off with some
wagoner
again, or $10 if taken in the county.
A. M. Willis.
RappahannockCo.,Ya.,Nov. 29. "
eolm.
BROUGHT TO THE FIRST DISTRICT PO- LICE
PRISON.
NANCY, a griffe, about 34 years old,5 feet1|
inch high, a scar on leftwrist;says she belongsto
Madame
Wolf.
12
"
What chance for any of these poor fellows
who say theyare free ?
$50 REWARD.
talks very quick,
she had on, when she left,a red Merino
dress,black Visette or
plaidShawl,and a purple
calicoBonnet,as those articlesare missing.
A reward of Twenty-five Dollars will be given
Kosciusko
Chronicle, Mississippi :
TWENTY DOLLARS REWARD
Will be paid for the delivery
stairs.
of the boyWALK- ER,
aged about 28 years, about 5 feet 8 or 9
ol26t.
Walker has walked off,it seems. Peace
be with him !
$25 REWARD.
or trader,or he may have free papers and be passing
as a free man. He has straighthair.
I will givea reward of TWENTY-FIVE DOL- LARS
and
to me of
for the
Another
apprehension delivery
"very intelligent," straighthaired
man. Who or for his confinement in any jail,
said boy,
was his so
father?
that I get him again. Clara Lockhart,
The Neiv Orleatis Daily Crescent,
By Adam Lockhart.
officeNo. 93 St. June
Charles-street
30,1852. 698 : 5
; Tuesday
morning,December 13,1852 :
Southern Standard,Oct. 16,1852 :
S5o
reward:::
RANAWAY, or stolen,from the subscriber,
living near Aberdeen,Miss.,a light mulatto woman,
of small size,and about 23 years old. She
has long,black,straight hair,and
she usuallykeeps

A-Cil "U UlN^Jjli IUM B UACU1,
"
zV m ,0-00 J onfer. When she left she had on either little one,
"
probably is știff and crooked. The
a white dress, or a brown calico one with white man Ned was purchasedin Richmond,of Mr. Robert
spots or figures, and took with her a red handkerchief,
Goodwin, who resides near Frederick-Hall,
and a red or pink sun-bonnet. She generallyin Louisa County, and has a wifein that vicinity.
dresses very neatly. She generallycalls herself He has been seen in the neighborhood, and is supposed
Mary Ann Paine," can read "
print, has some
to have gone
over the Mountains,and to be
freckles on her face and shoes No. now at work hands," as a free man at some of the Iron
had 4," a ring or two on her fingersṢhe is Works ; some one havinggivenhim free papers.
very intelligent, and converses well. The above The above reward will be givenfor the apprehension
reward will be givenfor her,if taken out of the of the slave Ned, and his delivery to R. H.
State,and $25 if taken within the State.
Dickinson " Bro., in Richmond, or to the undersigned,
U. McAllister.
in Halifax,Virginia, or twenty-five if confined
Memphis (weekly)Appeal will insert to the in any jail in the Commonwealth, so that I
amount of $5, and send account to this office. gethim. Jas. M. Chappell,
October 6th,1853. 20 tf.
[Firmof Chappell" Tucker.l
Aug.10." tf.
"
"
" "
Much can be seen of this Mary Ann in
this picture. The black,straighthair,
usuallykept in order, the
supposedto have
generalneatness
gone afterhis wife.
of dress, the ring or two on the
fingers, the ability read, the fact of
KentuckyWhig, Oct. 22, '52 :
beingintelligent and conversing well,are
$200 REWARD.
Richmond
29, 1852 :
FIFTY DOLLARS REWARD.
Ranaway from the subscriber,residing in the
County of Halifax,about the middle of last August,
a NegroMan, Ned, aged some thirty or forty
years, of medium height,copper color,full forehead,
and cheek bones a little prominent. No
scars
recollected, except one of his fingers
Semi-weeklyExaminer,Octobertown
of Rockbridge, on MONDAY, the 13th of
December next, according to law in such cases
made and provided, this 9th of September,1852.
s23d"w. Robert Hicks, Sh'ff.
" the
This unfortunate copper-colored articleis
all to be noticed.
Ranaway from the subscriber,near Mount
Sterling, Ky., on the night of the 20th of October,
$20 REWARD.
a
negro man named PORTER. Said boyisblack,
Runaway, on the 9th of last about 22
August,my servant
years old,very stout and active,weighs
boy HENRY : he is 14 or 15
about 165 or 170 years
pounds. He is a smart fellow,
old,a
converses
brightmulatto,has dark eyes, stoops a little, and
loell, without the negro accent ; no particular
scars stutters when confused. Had on, when
recollected. He
he went
had on a pairof coarse
away, white boots about half
pantaloons, longblue summer coat,
worn, no other clothingrecollected.
and a palm-leafhat. I will givethe above
He
reward
was raised near Sharpsburg, in Bath
if he should be taken in the State of Virginia,
county,by Harrison Caldwell,and may
be lurking
or $30 if taken in either of the in that
adjoining
neighborhood,but will probably
States,but in either case he must be so secured
endeavor to reach Ohio.
that I get him again. Edwin C.
I will
Fitzhcgh.
pay the above-mentioned reward for him,
Oct. 7.
" eotf.
if taken out of the State ; $50, if taken in any
countybordering on the Ohio river ; or $25, if
taken in this or
any adjoiningcounty,and
Poor Henry only14 or 15.
secured !" so that I can get him.
He is supposed to have ridden a yellowHorse,
COMMITTED
15 hands and one inch high, mane and tail both
To the Jail of Lowndes County,Mississippi, on yellow, five years old,and paces well.
the 9th of May, by Jno. K. Peirce, Esq.,and October 21st,1852. G. W. Proctor.
taken up as a runaway slave by William S. Cox,
"
a negro man, who says his name is ROLAND, and
No particularscars recollected " !
that he belongsto Maj. Cathey, of Marengo Co., St. Louis Times, Oct. 14, 1852 :
Ala., was sold to him by HenryWilliams,a negro
trader from North Carolina.
Said negro is about 35 years old,5 feet 6 or 8
inches high, dark Taken up and committed to Jail in the town of
complexion, weighsabout 150
Rockbridge,Ozark county,Mo., on the 31st of
pounds,middle fingeron the righthand offat the
second joint, and had August
on, when last,a runaway slave,who calls his name
committed,a black
MOSES. Had on, when taken,a brown Jeanes
silk hat,black drap d'ete dress coat, and white
pantaloons,
linseypants.
old cotton shirt,blue frock-coat, an
The owner is requested to come forward, old rag tied round his head. He is about six feet
prove
high,
property,pay charges, and take him away,
or he
dark complexion, a scar over the lefteye,
supposed
will be dealt with according to law.
to be about 27 years old. The owner is
L. H. WlLLEFORD,
June G, 1852. 19" tf. Jailer.
herebynotifiedto come forward, prove said negro,
and pay all lawful chargesincurred on his account,
or the said negro
will be sold at publicauction
for readymoney at the Court House door in the
Charleston Mercury, Oct. 15, 1852 :
FIFTY DOLLARS REWARD.
Runaway on Sunday the 6th inst., from the
South Carolina Railroad Company, their negro

Kosciusko Chronicle,Nov. 24,'52:
Frankfort
COMMITTED
KEY TO LUNULA X'UM B UAU1JN. i"y
man SAM, recently boughtby them, with others, on the 22d ult.,in the cityof Covington,Kenton
at Messrs. Cothran " Sproull's sale,at Aiken. He county, Ky., a negro man callinghimself
was raised in Cumberland County, North Carolina,
CHARLES WARFIELD, about 30 years old,but
and last broughtfrom Richmond, Va. In looks older,about 6 feet high; no particular
heighthe is 5 feet 6:^inches. Complexioncopper marks : had no free papers,
but he says he isfree,
color ; on the leftarm and rightleg somewhat and ivas born in Pennsylvania, and in Fayette
scarred. Countenance good. The above reward county. Said negro was lodgedin jail on the said
will be paid for his apprehension and lodgment in 22d ult.,and the owner or owners, if any,
are
any one of the Jails of this or any neighboring hereby notified to come forward, prove property,
State. J. D. Petsch, and pay charges,and take him away.
June 12. Sup'tTransportation.
C. W. Hull, J. K. C.
Commonwealth,
August 3, 1852. "
Gm.
COMMITTED
To the Jail of Attila County,Miss.,October To the Jail of Graves county,Ky., on the 4th
the 7th, 1852, a negro boy, who calls his name
inst.,a
HAMBLETON, and says he negro man callinghimself DAVE or
belongsto Parson DAVID. He says he isfree,but formerlybelonged
William Young, of Pontotoc County; isabout 26 to Samuel Brown, of Prince William
or 27 years old,about 5 feet8 inches high, rather
county,
Virginia Ḥe
dark complexion,
is of black color,about 5 feet 10
has two or three marks on his inches high,weighsabout 180 lbs. ; supposed to
lack,a small scar on his lefthip. Had on, when be about 45 years old ; had on brown pants and
taken up,
a pairof blue cotton
pants, white cotton
striped shirt. He had in his possessionan old
drawers,a new cotton shirt,a pair of kipboots, rifle gun,
an old pistol, and some old clothing.
an old cloth cap and wool hat. The owner is He also informs me that he has escapedfrom the
requested to come forward, prove property,pay DyersburgJail,Tennessee,where he had
charges and take him been
or
away, he will be dealt confined some eightor nine months. The owner is
with as provided in such case.
herebynotifiedto come forward, prove property,
E. B. Sanders,Jailer A. C.
pay charges, "c.
Oct. 12, 1852. n 12tf.
L. B. IIolefield, JailerG. C.
June 28, 1852. "
w6m.
October
21, 1852: COMMITTED TO JAIL,.
Charleston Mercury,Oct. 29,1852 :
S200 REWARD.
A negro boy,who calls his name ADAM, was
committed to the Muhlenburg Jail on the 24th of Ranaway from the subscriber, some time in
July, 1852. Said boy is black ; about 16 or 17 March last,his servant LYDIA, and is suspected
years old ; 5 feet 8 or 9 inches high; will of
weigh being in Charleston. I will givethe above
about 150 lbs. He has lost a part of the reward
finger
to any person who may apprehendher,
next to his littlefingeron the righthand ; also the and furnish evidence to conviction of the person
greattoe on his leftfoot. This boy says he belongs supposed to harbor her,or $50 for having her
to Wm. Mosley; that said Mosley was moving to lodgedin any Jail so that I get her. Lydia is a
Mississippi from Virginia. He further states Mulatto ivoman, twenty-five years of age, four
that he is lost,and not a runaway. His owner is feeteleven inches
high, with straightblack hair,
ivhichinclinesto
requestedto come forward, prove property,pay
curl,her front teeth defective, and
expenses, and take him away,
or he will be disposed
has been plugged; the golddistinctly seen when
of as the law directs.
talking; round face,a scar under her chin,and two
S. H. Dempsey,J. M. C. fingerson one hand stiff at thefirstjoints.
Greenville, Ky.,Oct. 20,1852.
June 16. tuths C. T. Scaife.
RUXAWAY
SLAVE.
A negro
man arrested and placedin the Barren
County Jail,Ky., on the 21st instant,calling
In the same
paper
are two more poor
who probablyhave been sold to pay
before now.
fellows,
jail-fees,
$25 REWARD.
Runaway from the subscriber, on or about the
firstof
himself HENRY, about 22 years old ; says he
May last,his
ran
negro boy GEORGE, about
away from near Florence,Alabama, and belongs to 18 years of age, about 5 feet high, ivell set,and
John Calaway. He is aboutfivefeeteightinches
speaksproperly. He formerlybelongedto Mr. J.
D. A.
high,dark,but not very black,rather thin
Murphy, living
visage,
in Blackville ; has a mother
pointednose, no scars perceivable, rather belonging
spare
to a Mr. Lorrick,living in Lexington
District. He is
built ; says he has
supposed
been runaway nearlythree
to have a pass, and is
months. The owner can
get him by
likely
applying
to be lurking about Branchville or Charleston.
and paying the reward and expenses ; if not, he
The above reward will be
will be proceededagainstaccording to law. This
paid to any one
24th of August, 1852. Samuel Adwell, Jailer.
lodgingGeorge in any Jail in the State șo that I
Aug.25, 1852. can
" 6m
get him.
J. J. Andrews, Orangeburg C. H.
Orangeburg,Aug.7, 1852. sw Sept11
NOTICE.
Committed to the Jail at Colleton Districtas a
NOTICE.
runaway, JORDAN, a
negro man about thirty
Taken up by M. H. Brand,as a
runaway slave, years of age, who says he belongsto Dobson

xm KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
Coely, of Pulaski County,Georgia.The owner
has notice to prove property and take him away.
L. W. McGants, Sheriff Colleton Dist.
Walterboro Șo. Ca.,Sept.7, 1852.
attendant expenses, will be paid on
to me, or for his apprehension
his delivery
and commitment to
any Jail from which I can get him.
A. L. Bingaman.
selectedby the Com-
TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS REWARD.
from New Orleans papers.
The above reward will be given to the person
characteristics of the slaves are interesting.
who will lodge in one of the Jails of this citythe
slave SARAH, belongingto Mr. Guisonnet,corner
St. John Baptisteand Race streets ; said slave
is aged about 28 years, 5 feet high, benevolent
face,fineteeth,and speakingFrench and English.
Captainsof vessels and steamboats are hereby
cautioned not to receive her on board,under
penalty of the law. Avet Brothers,
Corner Bienvilleand Old Levee streets.
The following are
manwealthmosHy
The
TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS REWARD
for the apprehension
and deliveryto any Jail in this cityof
the negro woman MARIAH, who ran
away from
the Phoenix House about the 15th of October last.
She is about 45 years old,5 feet 4 inches high,
stout built,speaks French and English. Was
Will be paid by the undersigned
purchased
from Chas. Deblanc.
H. Bidwell " Co., 16 Front Levee.
ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS REWARD.
We will give the above reward for the apprehension
of the lightmulatto boy SEA BO URN,
aged 20 years, about 5 feet 4 inches high; isstout,
well made, and remarkablyactive. He is somewhat
TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS REWARD.
The above reward will be paidfor the apprehension
of the mulatto boy SEVERIN, aged 25
years, 5 feet 6 or 8 inches high; most of his front
teeth are out, and the lettersC. V. are marked on
He had a boil last winter on the middle jointof
eitherofhis arms with India Ink He speaksFrench, the middle or second finger
Englishand Spanish,and was formerly of the righthand,
owned by which
Mr. Courcell, in the Third District. I will leftthe fingerstiffin that joint, more visible
pay, in opening
in addition to the above reward,$50 his hand than in shutting it. He
for such information
has a ivifeat Mr. Thomas G. MarshalVs,near
as will lead to the conviction of any Farrowsville, in FauquierCounty,and may be in
person harboringsaid slave.
that neighborhood, where he wishes to be sold,and
John Ermon,corner Camp and Race sts. where I am willingto sell him.
TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS REWARD.
or $50 iftaken in the State,and secured in like
Ran away from the Chain Gang in New Orleans, manner. W. B. Slaughter.
First Municipality, in Februarylast,a negro boy October 29,1852.
named STEPHEN. He is about 5 feet 7 inches
in height,a very lightmulatto,with blue eyes and
brownish hair,stoops a littlein the shoulders,
has
a cast-down look,and is very stronglybuilt and
muscular. He will not acknowledgehis name or
owner, is an habitual runaway, and was shot somewhere
hi the ankle ivhileendeavoringto escape from
Baton Rouge Jail. The above reward, with all
LynchburgVirginian, Nov. 6th :
TWENTY DOLLARS REWARD.
Ranaway from the subscriber on the Virginia
and Tennessee Railroad,in the
FIFTY DOLLARS REWARD.
county of Wythe,
on the 20th of June,1852,a man
negro named
Ranaway about the 25th ult.,ALLEN, a bright CHARLES, 6 feet
mulatto,aged about 22 years, 6 feet high,copper color,with several
high,very teeth out in front,about 35 years of age, rather
well dressed,has an extremely careless gait, of slow to reply, but pleasing appearance when spoken
slender build,and wore a moustache when he to. He wore, when he left,a cloth cap and left;the a
propertyof J. P. Harrison,Esq.,of this blue cloth sack coat ; he was purchasedin Tennessee,
city. The above reward will be paidfor his safe 14 months
delivery at any safe place in the city. For further
ago, by Mr. M. Connell,of Lynchburg,
and carried to that place,where he
particulars applyat 10 Bank Place.
remained until I purchasedhim 4 months ago.
It is more than probablethat he will make his way to
Tennessee, as he has a wifenow living there ; or he
may perhapsreturn to Lynchburg,and lurk about
there,as he has acquaintances there. The above
reward will be paid if he is taken in the State
"
and confined so that I get him again; or I will
pay a reward of $40,if taken out of the State and
of a circus actor, by which he may easilyconfined in Jail. George W. Kyle.
be detected, as he is alwaysshowinghis gymnastic July1. d"c2twts
qualifications. The said boyabsented himself on
the 3d inst. Besides the above reward,all reasonable
expenses will be paid.
Winchester Republican(Va.), Nov. 26 :
W. " H. Stackhouse,70 Tchoupitoulas.
ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS REWARD.
Ranaway from the subscriber, near Culpepper
Ct. House,Va., about the 1st of October,a negro
man named ALFRED, about fivefeet seven inches
in height, about twenty-five years of age, uncommonly
muscular and active,complexiondark but
not black,countenance mild and rather pleasant.
I will givethe above reward if he is taken out
of the State and secured șo that I get him again;
From the Louisville Daily Journal,
Oct. 23,1852 :
SI OO
REWARD.
Ran away from the subscriber, in this city, on
Friday,May 28th,a negro boy named WYATT.

Committed
w4t
Committed
w4t
w4t
w4t
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 181
this city. I will pay
the above reward for the
apprehension and delivery of the to me if
boy
taken out of the State, or $50 iftaken in the State.
June 2 d"wtf David W. Yandell.
$200 REWARD.
TWO NEGROES. Ranaway
from the subscriber,
living in Louisville, on the 2d, one negro man
and girl.
The man's name isMILES. He is about
5 feet 8 inches high,dark-brown color, with a
large scar upon his head,as if caused from a burn ;
age about 25 years ; and had with him two carpet
sacks,one of cloth,the other enamelled leather,
also a
pass from Louisville to Owenton, Owen
Was committed to the Jail of Shelbycounty a
and back. The county,Ky.,
girl's name is JULIA, negro boy,who says his name is GEORGE ; dark
and she is of light-brown color,short and heavy complexion, about twenty-five or thirtyears of
set,rather goodlooking, with a scar upon her forehead
age, some five feet nine or ten inches high; will
; had on a plaid silk dress when she left, and
took other clothes with her ; looks to be about 16
years of age.
The above reward will be paidfor the man, if
taken out of the State,or $100 for the girl;
$100 for the man, if taken in the State,or $50
for the girl. In either event,they are to be secured,
so I get them.
T ttt t
John W. Lynn.
oct5d"wtf
The following advertisements are
JAILER'S
NOTICE.
alldated
Was committed to the Jail of Shelbycounty,
on the 28th ult.,a negro boy, who says his name
is JOHN W. LOYD ; of a brightcomplexion, 25
years of age, will weigh about one hundred and
fiftypounds,about five feet nine or ten inches
high, three scars on his leftleg, which was caused by
.a dog-bite Ṭhe said boyJohn claims to befree. If
he has any master, he. is herebynotified to come
forward, prove property,pay charges, and take
him away,
or he will be dealt with as the law
directs. w4t
[nov3"
write some few words ; said negro has run away
heretofore,and when taken up
was in possession
Also "
at the same time a negro of a free pass. He is quick-spoken, lively, and
boy, who says his name is PATRICK, of a brightsmiles when in conversation.
complexion, about 30 years of age, will weigh I will give the above reward to any
one who
about one hundred and forty-five or_fifty pounds ; will confinesaid negro in any Jail,so that I can
about six feet high; his face is very badlyscarred, gethim. Thos R. Cheatham.
which he says
was caused by beingsalivated. nov6. " 3t
Also "
at the same time a
negro
boy, who says his name is CLAIBORNE ; dark
complexion, 22 years of age,
will weigh about
one hundred and fortypounds, about five feet
high; no scars recollected; says he belongsto Col.
Rousell,living in De Soto county, Miss. The
owner of said slave is requestedto come forward,
prove property,pay charges, and take him away,
or he will be dealt with as the law directs.
W. H. Eanes,
nov3 "
Jailer of Shelbycounty.
JAILER'S
NOTICE.
weighabout one hundred and fortypounds, no
scars, and says
he belongsto MalleyBradford,
livingin Issaqueencounty,MississippiṬhe
owner of said slave is requestedto come forward,
prove property,pay charges,and take him away,
or he will be dealt with as the law directs.
W. H. Eanes,
novlO. "
Jailer of Shelbycounty.
JAILER'S
NOTICE.
Was committed to the Jail of Shelbycounty,
ShelbyCo.,Kentucky.
on the 30th ult.,a negro woman, who says her
name is NANCY, of a brightcomplexion, some
JAILER'S NOTICE.
twenty or twenty-oneyears of age,
will weigh
about one
"Was committed to the Jail of
hundred and fortypounds,about five
Shelbycounty
a
negro woman, who says her name is JUDA feet high,no scars, and says she belongsto John
;
dark complexion ; twentyyears of age ; some five Pittman,living in Memphis,Tenn. The owner
feet high; weighs about one hundredand of said slave is
twenty
requested to come forward, prove
pounds; no scars recollected, and
says she belongsproperty,pay charges, and take her away,
or she
to James Wilson, living in Denmark, Tennessee.
will be dealt with as the law directs.
The owner of said slave is requestedto come forward,
W. H. Eanes,
"
prove property,pay charges, and take her
novlO. Jailer of Shelbycounty.
away,
or she will be dealt with as the law directs.
W. II. Eanes,
"
oct27 Jailer Shelbycounty.
Negro property is decidedly
" brisk" in
this county.
Natchez
6,1852 :
'
(Miss.) Free
25 DOLLARS REWARD.
Said boy is copper colored, 25 or 26 years old, The disease caused him to lose the bone out of
about 5 feet 11 inches higb,of largeframe, slow his nose, and his jaw-bone, also. Says he belongs
and heavygait, has very largehands and feet, to Dr. Wm. Cheathum,living in Nashville, Tenn.
email side-whiskers, a fullhead of hair which he The owner of said slave is requestedto come forward,
combs to the side,quite a pleasinglook,and is prove property,pay charges, and take him
very likely Ị recentlypurchasedWyatt from away,
or he will be dealt with as the law directs.
Mr. Garrett,of Garrett's Landing,Ky., and his
w4t
[nov3"
wife is the propertyof Thos. G. Roivland,Esq.,of
Trader,November
Ranaway from the undersigned, on the 17th
day of October,1852, a
negro man by the name
of ALLEN, about 23 years old,near 6 feet high,
of dark mulatto color,no marks, save one, and that
caused by the biteof a dog; had on, when he left,
lowell pants, and cotton shirt; reads imperfect,
can make a short calculation correctly, and can

The
"
lost
182 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
Newberry Sentinel (S.C), Nov. 17,1852 :
nightsallowed to completethe raffle. Both of
above can be seen at my store,No. 78 Commonstreet,second
door from Camp, at from 9 o'clock
NOTICE !
RANAWAY from the subscriber,on the 9th of A.M., tillhalf-past 2 P.M.
Julylast, my Boy WILLIAM, a brightmulatto, Highesthrow takes the firstchoice ; the lowest
about 20 years old,5 feet 9 or 10 inches high, of throw the remainingprize,and the fortunatewinners
slender make, quiteintelligent, speaksquickwhen
to pay TwentyDollars each,for the refreshments
spokento,and walks briskly. Said boywas brought furnished for the occasion.
from Virginia, and will probablyattempt to get back. Jan. 9. 2w.
J. Jennings.
Daily Courier (Natchez, Miss.),Nov.
20, 1852 :
TWE\TY-FIVE DOLLARS REWARD.
THE above reward will be given for office.
the apprehension
and confinement in any jail of the negro
Greensboro1 Patriot (N.C), Nov. 6 man HARDY, who :
ran
away from the subscriber,
residing on Lake St. John, near Rifle Point,Concordia
lO DOLLARS REWARD.,
parish,La.
,
on the 9th Augustlast. Hardy
is a
RANAWAY from my service,in February,
remarkablylikely negro, entirely freefrom all
marks,scars or
1851, a colored man named EDWARD WINS-
blemishes, when he lefthome ; about
six feet
LOW, low,thick-set, part Indian,and a firstrate high, of black complexion(thoughquite
fiddler. Said Winslow was sold out of Guilford light),finecountenance,unusually smooth skin,
jail, at Februarycourt,1851,for hisprisoncharges,
good head of hair,fineeyes and teeth.
Address the subscriber at Rifle
for the term of five years. It is supposedthat he
Point,Concordia
is at work on the Railroadșomewhere in Davidson
Parish,La. Robert Y. Jones.
county. The above reward will be "
Oct. 30.
paidfor his
lm.
apprehension and confinement in the jail of Guilford
What
or any of the adjoining counties șo that I an unfortunate master
"
an
get
him, or for his delivery to me in the south-east articleentirely free from " marks,scars or
corner of Guilford. My post-office is Long'sMills, blemishes " ! Such a rarityought to be
Randolph,N. C. P. C. Smith. choice!
October 27,1852. 702 " 5w.
Sava?i?iah Daily Georgian,6th Sept.,
The New Orleans True Delta, of the
11th ult.,1853, has the following editorial
ARRESTED,
notice :
ABOUT three weeks ago, under suspicious circumstance
a negro woman, who calls herself
The Great Raffle of a Trotting Horse and
PHEBE, or PHILLIS. -Sayshe isfree,
a Negro Servant. "
enterprising
and lately
and go-ahead
from Beaufort DistrictȘouth
Col. Jennings has got a raffle under Carolina. Said
way woman is about 50 years of age, stout in stature,
now, which eclipses all his previousundertakings mild-spoken,
in that line. The prizes 5 feet 4 are the celebrated inches high, and weighs
trotting
about 140 pounds. Having
horse "Star,"buggy made diligent inquiry
and harness,and a valuable
by letter, and from what I can learn,said woman
servant," negro the lattervalued at nine hundred
is a
runaway. Any person owningsaid slave can
dollars. See his advertisement in another
get her by making application to me, properly
column.
'
authenticated. Waring Russell,
The advertisementis as follows :
County Constable.
Savannah,Oct. 25, 1852. 6 oct. 26.
RAFFLE.
MR. JOSEPH JENNINGS
250 DOLLARS REWARD.
Respectfully informs his friends and the public,
that,at the request of many of his acquaintances,
RANAWAY from Sparta,Ga.,about the first
he has been induced to purchase from Mr. of last
Osborn, year my boy GEORGE. He is a good carpenter,
of Missourițhe celebrated dark bay horse about 35 "
Star,"
years
: a brightmulatto,talland
quitelikely Ḥe ivas brought about three years ago
from St. Mary's, and had, when he ran away, a
wifethere,or near there,belongingto a Mr. Holzendorff.I
think he has told me he has been about
years , generalhouse servant,valued at nine hundred
dollars,and guaranteed; will be raffledfor at 4
Macon also. He had,and perhaps still has,a
o'clock,P. M., February1st, at any hotel selected
brother in Savannah. He is very intelligent. I
by the
will
subscribers.
givethe above reward for his confinement in
The above
some
is as represented, and those jailin the persons
State șo that I can gethim. Refer,
who may wish to engage in the usual practice of for any further informationțo Rabun "
raffling will,I assure them, be perfectly satisfiedWhitehead,Savannah,Ga.
with theirdestiny in this aflair.
W. J. Sassnett.
Fifteen hundred chances,at $1 each.
Oxford,Ga.,Aug.13th,1852. tuths3m. al7.
The whole is valued at its justworth,fifteen
From
hundred dollars.
theseadvertisements, and hundreds
The rafflewill be conducted
of similar
by gentlemenselected
ones, one may learn the following
by the interestedsubscribers present. Five things:
Any information of said boy will be thankfully
received. John M. Mars.
Near Mollohon P. 0.,NewberryDist.Ș. C.
Nov. 3. 414t.
|3P"RaleighRegisterand Richmond Enquirer
will copy four times weekly,and send billsto this
age five years,square trotter,and warranted sound,
with a new lighttrottingBuggy and Harness ;
also the stout mulatto girl"Sarah,"agedabout twenty

to be so.
5. That multitudes of men claimingto
be free are constantly beingsoldintoslavery.
In respectto the complexion of these
slaves, there are some pointsworthyof consideration.
The writer adds the following
advertisements, publishedby Wm. I. Bowditch,Esq.,in
his pamphlet "
Slavery and
the Constitution."
From the Richmond (Va.)Whig:
100 DOLLARS REWARD
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 183
1. That the arguments for the RAX A WAY,
enslaving
of the negro do not applyto a largepart On the 15th of May, from me, a
negro woman,
of the actual slaves.
named Fanny. Said woman is 20 years old ; is
2. That theyare not, in rather tall
the estimation
; can read and write,and so forge
of passes
theirmasters,very stupid.
for herself. Carried away with her a pair
"
of ear-rings a Bible with
3. That theyare not remarkably contented.
,
a red cover ; is very
pious.She prays
a greatdeal, and was, as
supposed,
contented and happy. She is as white as
4. That they have no most
particular reason whitewomen,with straight, lighthair,and blue
eyes, and can pass herself for a white ivoman. I
"WILL be given for the apprehension of my negro
(?) Edmund Kenney. He has readily be takenfora slave. John J. Lane.
straighthair, March 13,1837.
and complexionso nearlyivhite that it is believeda
stranger icould suppose there teas no African blood
The next two advertisementswe cut from
in him. He was with my boy Dick a short time
since in Norfolk,and offered him for sale,and was
the New Orleans Picayune of Sept.2,
apprehended, but escapedunder pretenceof 1846:
beinga
white man .' Anderson Bowles.
JanuaryG,1836.
From the Republican Banner and Nashville
Whig of July14,1849 :
200 DOLLARS REWARD.
RANAWAY from the subscriber, on the 23d of
try
June last,a bright mulatto woman, named Julia,
to pass himselfor a ivhite man, as he is of a
very
about 25 years of age. She is of common size,
clear color, and has sandy hair. The above
reward will be paid to whoever will bringhim to
nearlywhile,and very likely.She isa good seamstress,
Madame Duplantier's plantation, Manchac, or
and can read a little. She may attempt to
"
pass for ivhite, dresses fine. She took with her
Anna, her child,8 or 9 years old,and considerably
darker than her mother She once
to a Mr. Helm, of Columbia, Tennessee.
belonged
I will givea reward of $50 for said negro and
child,if deliveredto me, or confined in any jailin
this state,so I can get them ; $100,if caught in
any other Slave state, and confined in a jailso that
I can get them ; and $200,if caught in any Free
state, and put in any good jail in Kentucky or
Tennesseeșo I can get them. A. \V. Johnson.
Nashville, July9, 1849.
The following three advertisements are
taken from Alabama papers :
Ran away from the subscriber, a brightmulatto
man-slave,named Sam. Lightșandy hair,blue
"
is eyes, ruddycomplexion,
to pass for a freewhite man. Edwin Peck.
Mobile,April22,1837.
will give$500 for her apprehensionand delivery
to me. She is very intelligent.
Tuscaloosa,May 29,1845. John Balch.
From the Newbem (N.C.)Spectator:
50 DOLLARS REWARD
"Willbe given for the apprehension and delivery
to me of the following slaves : "
Samuel, and Judy
his wife,with their four children,belonging to
the estate of Sacker Dubberly, deceased.
I will give$10 for the apprehensionof William
Dubberly, a slave belonging to the estate. William
is about 19 years old,quitewhite,and toould not
25 DOLLARS REWARD.
Ranaway from
Fergus
Duplantier, on or about the 27 th of June, 1846,a
brightmulatto, named Ned, very stout built,about
5 feet 11 inches high șpeaksEnglishand French,
about 35 years old,waddles in his walk. He may
the plantation of Madame
lodge him in some jailwhere he can be conveniently
obtained.
200 DOLLARS REWARD.
Ran away from the subscriber, lastNovember,
a white negro man, about 35 years old,height
about 5 feet8 or 10 inches, blue eyes, has a yellow
woollyhead, very fair skin.
These are
the characteristics ofthree races.
shows the Indian
The copper-colored complexion
blood. The othersare the mixed races
of negroes and whites. It is known thatthe
poor remains of Indian races have been in
many cases forced into slaveryỊt is no
RANAWAY
lesscertain that white childrenhave sometimes
From the Subscriber, working on the plantation
of Col. H. Tinker,a bright mulatto boy,named
Alfred. Alfred is about 18 years old,prettywell
Rev. GeorgeBourne, of Virginia, rian
grown, has blue eyes, lightflaxenhair șkin disposed
to freckle.He will try to thereas
pass as free-born.
earlyas 1816,givesan account of
Green County,Ala.
S. G. Stewart. a boywho was stolenfrom hisparentsat seven
years of age, immersed in a tan-vat
lOO DOLLARS REWARD.
been kidnapped and sold into slavery.
Presbyte-
minister,who wrote againstslavery
to change
his complexion, tattooedand sold,and,after
a captivity of fourteen years, succeeded in
so white as
escapingṬhe tanningprocess
very easily
isnot necessary
now, as a fair skin is no presumption
againstslavery Ṭhere is reason to think

"
ought
"
what
"
"
"
"
184 KEY TO UNCLE TOM'S CABIN.
that the grandmother poor Emily
sal
Russell
admission, more heathenish, degraded,
was a white childștolen by kidnappers. and miserable. The institutionof slavery
That kidnappers may steal and sellwhite has accomplished thedouble feat,in America,
childrenat the South now, is evident from not only of degrading and brutalizing her
theseadvertisements.
black workingclasses,but of producing,
The writer,within a week,has seen a notwithstanding
a fertilesoil and abundant
fugitive quadroonmother,who had with her room, a poor white population as degraded
two children, a boy of ten months, and a and brutal as ever existedin any of the most
girl of three years. Both were surpassingly crowded districtsof Europe.
fair, and uncommonlybeautiful. The girl The way that it is done can be made apparent
had blue eyes
and goldenhair. The mother
in a few words. 1. The distribution
and those children were about to be sold for of the land into largeplantations, and
the divisionof an estate,which was the reason the consequentsparseness of settlement,
why she fled. When the mind once becomes make any system of common-school education
familiarizedwith the process
of slavery, of impracticable. 2. The same cause
enslaving blackțhen Indianțhen mulatto,
operateswith regardto the preaching of the
then quadroon, eyes and gospel.3. The degradation of the idea of
golden hair are advertisedas properties of labor,which results inevitably negroes, protection will there be for
the workingclass,operates to a
poor white people,especially as under the greatextent in preventing respectable working
presentfugitive they can be carried men of the middling settling
away without a jury trial1
or remaining
Where carpenters,
A Governor of South Carolinaopenly declared,
blacksmithsand masons, are advertised
in 1835,that the laboring population every week with theirown tools, or in company
of any country, bleached or unbleached, with horses,hogs and other cattle,
were a dangerouselement,unless reduced there is necessarily such an estimate of the
to slaveryẈill not thisbe the result, then 1 laboring classthat intelligent, self-respecting
mechanicsșuch as abound in the freestates,
must find much that is annoying and disagreeable.
They may endure it for a time,
CHAPTER VIII.
but with much uneasiness ; and theyare glad
of the firstopportunity of emigration.
POOR WHITE TRASH/
Then,againțhe filling up of allbranches
of mechanics and agriculture with slave labor
When the public sentiment of Europenecessarily
depresses free labor. Suppose,
speaksin tones of indignation of the system now, a family of poor whites in Carolinaor
of American slavery, the common replyhas Virginia, same familyin Vermont
been, " Look at your
own lower classes." or Maine ; how differenthe influences that
The apologists of slavery pointedEngland
come over them ! In Vermont or Maine,
to her own
poor. They have spokenthe children have the means of education at
of the heathenish ignorance, vice țhe hand in publicschools,and theyhave all
darkness,of her crowded cities, nay, even around them in society avenues of success
of her agricultural districts.
that requireonlyindustry to make them
Now, in the firstplace, country where available. The boys have their choice
the population crowded,where the
among allthe differenttrades,for which the
resources of the soil are more than sufficientorganization
of free society a steady
for the inhabitants, a country of recent
origin, not burdened with the worn-out
institutions and clumsy lumber
not to be satisfied
animated by the spirit
demand. The girls,
of the land in which they are born,think
of pastages, useful labor no disgrace, and find, with true
to do only as well female ingenuity, a hundred ways
of adding
as countrieswhich have to struggle againsto the familystock. If there be one member
all these evils.
of a family in whom diviner giftsand
It is a
poor defence for America to say to higherlongings seem a call for a more finished
oldercountries,
" We are no worse than you
course of educationțhen cheerfully
are." She ought to be infinitely better. the whole family unites its productive industry
But it will appear that the institutionof to givethat one the wider education
slaveryhas produced not onlyheathenish, which his wider geniusdemands ; and thus
degraded, miserable slaves, but it produces
a classof white people who are, by univer-
have been givento the world such men as
RogerSherman and Daniel Webster.

Each
"
was
the
KEY TO UNCLE TOM'S CABIN.
185
"
But take this same familyand planthem
in South Carolinaor Virginia how different
drunk and trading with thesetwo very men,
the result! No common school opens
itsdoors to theirchildren ; the onlychurch, way of showingthem " what a niggerwould
isfifteenmilesoff,over a bad road.
This circumstance
perhaps,
get by tradingwith them."
The whole atmosphere of the country in
at once marks them out as belonging
which theyare born associatesdegradation to that band of half-contrabandtraderswho
and slaverywith usefullabor ; and the onlyspringup among the mean whites,and occasion
standardof gentility isability to livewithout owners of slavesso much inconvenience
work. What branphof useful labor opens by dealingwith their hands. Can any
a
way to its sons 1 Would he be a blacksmith
words so forcibly show what sort of white
"
1 The planters around him prefer to men these are, as the idea of their standing
buy theirblacksmiths in Virginia Ẉould in stupid, brutal curiosity, a whole day,
he be a
carpenter ?
"
planter in his as witnesses in such a hellish scene ?
neighborhood owns one or two now. And Conceive the miseryof the slavewho falls
In fact,between the freelaborof the one
North and the slave labor of the South, the night in a miserable logshanty,keptby
there is nothingfor a
poor white to do. a man of this class. All was dirt,discomfort
Without schools or churches, these miserable
and utter barbarism. The man, his
families grow up heathen on a Christian wife,and theirstock of wild,neglected children,
soil, in idleness, vice,dirt and discomfort drank whiskey, ed
of all sorts. They are the pest of the over the miserable man and woman who
neighborhood, the scoffand contempt or pitydid allthe work and bore all the caprices of
"
even of the slaves. The expressive phrase, the whole establishment. He man
so common in the mouths of the negroes, of
not long in discovering that these
"
poor white trash," says allforthisluckless slaves were in person, language, and in every
race of beingsthat can be said. From this respectșuperior to their owners ; and all
classspring a tribeof keepersof small groggeries,
and dealers, by a kind of contraband abode was owingto theirministrations.
thathe could getof comfort in thismiserable
trade,with the negroes, in the stolenproduceBefore he went away, theycontrivedto have
of plantations. Thrivingand promisinga
private interview, and begged him to buy
sons may perhapshope to grow up into them. They told him that theyhad been
negro-traders, and thence be exalted into decentlybroughtup in a respectable and
overseers of plantations. The utmost stretch refinedfamily, and that their bondagewas
of ambition is to compass money enough,by therefore the more inexpressibly
The poor creatures had waited on him with
any of a varietyof nondescript measures,
to "buy a niggeror two," and beginto
most assiduous care, tendinghis horse,
'
appear like other folks. Woe betide the brushinghis boots,and anticipating all his
unfortunate negro man or woman, carefully wants, in the hopeof inducing him to buy
raisedin some goodreligious family, when them. The clergymansaid that he never
an execution or the death of theirproprietors
so wished for money
as when he saw the
throws them into the market,and theydejected
visages with which theylistenedto
are boughtby a master and mistress of this his assurances thathe was too poor to comply
class! Oftentimes the slave is infinitely with their desires.
the superior, in every
"
respect, in person, This miserableclassof whites form,in all
manners, educationand morals ; but,for all the Southern States, a materialfor the most
horrible and ferociousof mobs. Utterly
thatțhe law guardsthe despotic authority
of the owner quiteas jealously. ignorant, and inconceivably brutal, theyare
From all that would appear, in the case like some blind,savage monster, which,
of Souther,which we have recorded, he when aroused,tramplesheedlessly over
must have been one of thisclass. We have everything
its way.
certainindications,
the evidence, that the Singular as it may appear, thoughslavery
two white witnesses, who spent the whole isthe cause of the misery and degradation of
day in gaping,unresisting survey of his this class,yet theyare the most vehement
diabolicalproceedings, were men of this and ferociousadvocatesof slavery.
The reason is this. They feel the scorn
order.
It appears that the crime alleged
againstthe poor victim was that of getting
and that theywere sent for probablyby
so coopers and masons. Would he be a intothe hands of such masters ! A clergyman,
"
shoe-maker ? The plantation shoes are made
now dead,communicated to the writer
in Lynn and Natick țowns of New England.
the followinganecdote : In travelling
of the Southern States, he put up for
loafedand predominat-
gentle-
galling.

he
The
Up
186
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
of the upper classes, and their only means ism of honorable Southern men, but which
of consolation is in having a class below they are powerless to prevent. Such was
them,whom theymay
scorn in turn. To the case when the Honorable Senator Hoar,
set the negro at liberty would deprivethem of Massachusetts, with his daughter, visited
of this last comfort ; and accordingly no the city of Charleston. The senator was
class of men advocate slaverywith such appointedby the sovereign State of Massachusetts
frantic and unreasoningviolence, or hate
to inquire into the condition of her
abolitionists with such demoniac hatred. Let free colored citizensdetained in South Carolina
the reader conceive of a mob of men as prisonsẈe cannot suppose that men of
brutaland callous as the two whitewitnesses honor and education, in South Carolina, can
of the Souther tragedy, led on by men like contemplate without chagrinthe fact that
Souther himself, and he will have some idea this honorable gentleman țhe representative
of the materials which occur in the worst of a sister state, and accompaniedby
kind of Southern mobs.
his daughter, was obliged to fleefrom South
The leaders of the communityțhose men Carolina, because theywere told that the
who play on other men with as little care constitutedauthoritieswould not be powerful
for them as a harperplays on a harp,keep enoughto protecthem from the ferocities
thisblind, furious monster of the mob, very of a mob. This is not the onlycase in which
much as an overseer keepsplantation-dogs, this mob power has escapedfrom the hands
as creatures to be set on to any man or thingof its guiders, and producedmortifying results.
whom they may
choose to have put down.
The scenes of Vicksburg, and the
These leadingmen have used the cry of succession of
"
"
"
popularwhirlwinds which at
"
abolitionism" over the mob, much as a that time flewover the south-westernstates,
huntsman uses the "set on" to his dogs. have been forcibly paintedby the author of
Whenever they have a" purpose to carry, a "
The White Slave."
man to put down,they have onlyto raise They who find these popularoutbreaks
this cry, and the monster is wide awake, useful when theyserve theirown turns are
ready to springwherever theyshall send sometimes forcibly reminded of the consequences
him.
Does a minister raisehisvoice in favorof
the slave 7 Immediately, with a whoop and
"
Of lettingrapineloose,and murder,
To go justso far,and no further ;
hurra șome editor starts the mob on
And
him,as
settingall the land on fire,
an abolitionist. Is there a man teaching To burn jwstso high,and no higher."
negroes to read 1 mob isstarted upon The statements made above can be substantiate
him
must promise to give it up, or
by various "
documents, mostly
leave the-state. Does a man at a publicby the testimony
hotel-table express his approbation of some and by extracts from their newspapers.
"
anti-slavery work? come the police, and Concerning the class of poor whites,Mr.
arrest him forseditiouslanguage ; * and on the William Gregg, of Charleston, South Carolina,
heels of the police, thronging round the in a pamphlet, called "Essays on Do-
justice's office, come the ever-ready mob,"
Industry, or an Inquiryinto the
men with clubs and bowie-knives, swearingexpediency
of establishing Cotton Manufactories
thattheywill have his heart'sblood. The in South Carolina, 1845,"says,p. 22 :
more respectable citizensin vain tryto compose
Shall
them ; it isquiteas hopeful
we
to reason
pass unnoticed the thousands of poor,
with a pack of hounds, and the onlyway is ignorant, degraded white peopleamong us, who,
in this land of plenty, live in
to smuggle the comparative nakedness
suspected
of the and starvation? Many a one is reared in
person out
state as quickly as possibleẠll these are
scenes of common occurrence at the South.
Every Southern man knows them to be so,
and theyknow,too,the reason why they are
the power of his masters, and then
results ensue most mortifying
*
The writer is describinghere a scene of recent occurrence
in a slave state, of whose particularsshe has the
best means of knowledge. The work in questionwas
"
Uncle Tom's Cabin."
to the our
patriot- legislature
electioneering campaigns can
of residentsin slave states,
mestic
"proud South Carolina,from birth to manhood, who
has never passed a month in which he has not,
some
partof the time, been stinted for meat.
Many a mother is there who will tell you that her
children are but scantily provided with bread,and
so ; but,so much do they fear the monster,
much more scantily with meat ; and,if theybe clad
thattheydare not say what with comfortable raiment,it is at
theyknow.
the expense of
This brute monster sometimes gets beyond
these scanty allowances of food. These may be
startling statements,but they are neverthelesstrue ;
and ifnot believed in Charleston țhe members of
who have traversed the state in
attest theirtruth."
The Rev. Henry Duffner,D.D., President
of LexingtonCollege, Va.,himself a

"
out
from
or,
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
slave-holder, published in 1847 an address tween fiveand twenty țhere are not quitefive at
to the people of Virginia, showingthatslavery
any school or college ; while out of twenty-five
such children in the free states,there are more
is injurious to publicwelfare, in which
than fifteenat
he shows the influenceof slavery in school or college.
producing In the slave states,of the free white population
a decreaseof the whitepopulation. He says
: that is over twenty years of age, there is almost
one-tenth part that are unable to read and write }
It appears that,in the ten years from 1830 to while in the free states there is not quiteone in
1840,Virginialost by emigration no fewer than one hundred and fifty-six who is deficien to that
three hundred and seventy-five thousand of her degree.
people; of whom East Virginia lost three hundred
In New Englandthere are but few bom therein,
and four thousand, and "West Virginiand more than twentyyears of age, who are unable
seventy-onethousand. At this rate, Virginia to read and write ; but many foreigners
supplies the West, every ten years, with a arrive there with no education,and thus swell the
populationequal in number to the population number of the illiterate, and diminish the apparent
of the State of Mississippi in 1840. * * * * * effectof her free institutions. The South has few
"
She has sent we should rather say, she has such emigrants ; the ignoranceof the Southern
driven
" her soilat least one-thirdof all the States,therefore, is to be ascribed to other causes.
emigrants who have gone from the old states to The Northern men who settle in the slave-holding
the new. More than another third have gone from states have perhapsabout the average culture of
the other old slave states. Many of these multitudes,
the North,and more than that of the South. The
who have leftthe slave states,have shunned South,therefore, gainseducationally from immigration,
the regions of slavery, and settled in the free
as the North loses.
by sad experience, that a countryof slaves was
not the country for them. It isa truth, a certain
countries of the West. These were generally in-
and enterprising white men, who found,
dustrious
truth țhat slavery drives freelaborers" farmers, will show the relativeeffectsof the respective in-
mechanics and all,and some ofthe best ofthem,too
of the North and South. In Connecticut
of the country, and fillstheir places with negroes.
there are 163,843free persons
over twenty
years of age ; in South Carolina, but 111,663.In
*****
Even the common mechanical
trades do not flourish in a slave state. Some
mechanical
operations must, indeed,be performedwho are unable to read and write,while in South
in every civilizedcountry; but the general rule in Carolina there are 20,615free white persons over
the South is,to importfrom abroad every fabricated
twentyyears of age unable to read and write. In
thing that can be carried in shipsșuch as South Carolina,out of each 626 free whites more
household furniture,boats,boards,laths,carts, than twentyyears of age' there are more than 58
ploughs, axes, and axe-helves ; besides innumerable whollyunable to read or write ; out of that number
other things, which free communities are accustomed
of such persons
in Connecticut, not quite two !
freemen come with their ships,carry
timber and pig-iron, work them up, supplytheir
own wants with a part, and then sell the rest at a Indeed,in one of the slave states this is not a
goodprofit in the Southern markets. Now, although
matter of mere inference ; for in 1837 Gov. Clarke,
mechanics,by setting up their shops in of Kentucky, declared in his message to the legislature
the South,could save allthese freights and profits, that " one-third of the adult population
yetso it isthat Northern mechanics will not settle were unable to write their names ;" yetKentucky
"
in the South, and the Southern mechanics are undersold
hasa school-fund," valued at "1,221,819,while
by theirNorthern competitors.
South Carolina has none.
One sign
In regardto education, Rev. Theodore
of this want of ability even to read, in
the slave states,is too striking to be passedby.
Parker gives the following statistics, in his The staplereadingof the least-cultivatedAmericans
" isthe one
newspapers, of the lowest forms of
literature, though one of the most powerful,read
In 1671,SirWilliam Berkely, Governor of Virginia,
even by men who read nothing else. In the slave
said, " I thank God that there are no free states there are publishedbut 377 newspapers,
schools nor printing-presses (inVirginia), and I and in the free 1135. These numbers do not express
hope we shall not have them these hundred years." the entire difference in the case ; for,as a
In 1840,in the fifteenslavestates and territories, general rule țhe circulationof the Southern newspapers
there were at the various primaryschools 201,085
is 50 to 75 per cent, less than that of the
scholars ; at the various primaryschools of the North. Suppose,however,that each Southern
free states,1,626,028. The State of Ohio alone newspaper has two-thirds the circulationof a
had,at her primaryschools,17,524more scholars Northern journal, we have then but 225 newspapers
than all the fifteenslavestates. New York alone for the slave states ! The more
"
valuablejournals
had 301,282 more.
the monthlies and quarterlies are
In the slave states thereare 1,368,325freewhite almost entirely in the free States.
childrenbetween the ages of fiveand twenty; in The number of churches,the number and character
the free states,3,536,689such children. In the of the clergy who
"
Letterson Slavery," p. 65:
slave states,at schools and colleges, there
301,172 pupils; in the free states, 2,212,444
pupils at schools or colleges Ṭhus, in the slave
Rtates. nut of tvvnntv-fivn frp" white nhildrfn be-
are
187
Among the Northern States Connecticut, and
among the Southern States South Carolina, are to
a greatdegreefree from disturbing influencesof
this character. A comparisonbetween the two
stitutions
Connecticut there are but 526 persons over twenty
to make for themselves. What is most More than the sixth partof the adult freemen of
wonderful is,that the forestsand iron mines of South Carolina are unable to read the vote which
the South supply, in greatpart țhe materials out will be deposited at the next election. It is but
of which these thingsare made. The Northern fair to infer that at least one-third of the adults
home the of South Carolina,if not of much of the South,are
unable to read and understand even a
newspaper.
published
labor for these churches,
are other measures of the intellectualand moral
condition of the people.The scientificcharacter
of the Southern clergyhas been alreadytouched
on. Let us comnare the more external facts.

" to
188 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
In 1830,South Carolina had a population of
581,185 souls;Connecticut,297,675. In 1836,
South Carolina had 364 ministers ; Connecticut,
498.
In 1834, there were in the slave states but
82,532 scholars in the Sunday-schools ; in the free
states,504,835; in the singleState of New York,
161,768.
as I am inclined to go Westward, where I can
The fact of constant emigrationfrom
enjoyreligious liberty, and have my family
slavestates is alsoshown by such in a
extracts free country. Mobocracyhas the ascendency
from papers
as the following, from the here,and there is no law. Brother Wilson had
an
Raleigh (N. C.) Register,quotedin the appointment on LibertyHill,on Sabbath,24th
inst. The mob came armed,
columns of the National Era accordingto mob
:
law,and commenced operations on the meetinghouse.
They knocked allthe
THEV WILL LEAVE NORTH CAROLINA.
weather-boarding off,
destroying doors,windows,pulpit,
Our attention was arrested, on Saturdaylast,
and benches ;
byquite a long train of and I have no idea that,if the mob was to kill a
wagons, windingthrough
Wesleyan,
our streets,which, upon inquiry, we found to belong
or one of their friends, that theywould
be hung.
to a partyemigratingfrom Wayne county, "
There is more movingthis fallto the far West
in this state,to the " far West." This is but a
repetition of many similar scenes that we and
others have witnessed duringthe past few years ;
and such spectacles will be still more frequently
witnessed,unless somethingis done to retrieve
our fallen fortunes at home.
If there be any
one "consummation devoutly
a desolate region, it may be,and finds that he can
indulgein his feelings of local attachment only at
the risk of starvation.
How are the older states of the South to keep
their population ? We say nothingof an increase
,
but how are theyto hold their own ? It is useless
to talk about strictconstruction,
Oct. 2,1851,also ịs the following article,
by itseditor :
STAND YOUR GROUND.
A citizenof Guilford county, N. C, in a letter
to the True Wesleyan,dated August20th,1851,
writers :
"
You may discontinue my paper forthe present,
than was ever known in one
year. Peopledo not
like to be made slaves,and theyare determined
to go where it is no crime to pleadthe cause of
the poor and oppressed.They have become
alarmed at seeing the laws of God trampledunder
foot with impunity, and that țoo, by legislators,
sworn officersof the
to be wished " in our policy, it is that peace,
and professors
religion.
our
young
And even ministers (socalled)
men should remain at home, and not abandon
are justifying
mobocracy. They think that such a course
theirnative state. From the earlysettlement of
North Carolinațhe great drain upon her of conduct will lead to a dissolutionof the Union,
prosperity
has been the spirit of and then every
man will have to fightin defence
emigration, which
of slavery, or be killed. This is an awful state
has so prejudicially affectedall the states of the
of things,and,if the people
South. Her sons, hitherto neglected (ifwe must
were destitute of the
Bible,and the various means of information which
say it) by an unparentalgovernment, have
wended their way, by hundreds theypossess,
upon hundreds,
there might be some hopeof reform.
But there is but littlehope,
from the land of their that fathers," land,too, under existing circumstances."
to
make it a paradise, wantingnothingbut a market,
bury their bones in the land of We hope
strangers.
the writer willreconsider his purpose.
We firmly believe that this In his section of North Carolina there are very
emigrationis caused
by the laggardpolicyof our people on the many anti-slavery men, and the majorityof the
subject
of internal improvement, for man is peoplehave not no interest in what is called slave
prone property.
by nature to desert the home of his affections.
Let them stand their ground, and
maintain the rightof free discussion. How is
the
The editorof the Era also quotesthe following
despotism of Slavery to be put down, if those
opposed
from the Greensboro (Ala.)Beacon to it abandon their rights, and fleetheir
:
country? Let them do as the idomitable Clay
does in Kentucky,
"
An unusuallylargenumber of movers have
and theywill make themselves
passedthrough this village, within the pasttwo
or three weeks. On one day of last week, upwards
The following isquoted,without comment,
of thirty wagons and other vehicles belonging
in the National Era, in 1851,from the columns
to emigrants, mostly from Georgi and South
Carolina,passedthrough on their way, most of
them bound to Texas and Arkansas."
FREEDOM OF SPEECH IN GEORGIA.
This tide of emigration does not emanate from
an overflowing populationṾery far from it.
S Warrenton (Get.),
Rather it marks an abandonment of a soil which,
} Thursday,July 10,1851.
exhausted by injudicious culture,will no longer This day the citizens of the town and county
repay the labor of tillage Ṭhe emigrant, turningmet in the court-house at eighto'clock,A. M. On
his back upon the homes of his childhood* leaves
of the AugustaRepublic(Georgia)-.
motion,Thomas F. Parsons,Esq.,was called to
the chair,and Mr. Wm. H. Pilcher requested to
act as secretary.
The objectof the meeting was stated by the
chairman,as follows :
Whereas,our community
has been thrown into
confusion by the presence among us of one
state rights, Nathan Bird Watson, who hails from New Haven
or Wilmot Provisos. Of what avail can such (Conn.),and who has been promulgating abolition
things be to a sterile desert, upon which peoplesentiments,publicly and privately, among our
"
cannot subsist?
people, sentiments at war with our institutions,
and intolerable in a slave and also
community,"
In the columns of the National Era, been detected in visiting suspicious negro houses,

"
Era
The
as we suppose for the purpose of inciting our
slaves and free negro population to
Huff, E. H. Pottle,E. A. Brinkley,John C. Jen-
George W. Dickson,A. B. Rogers, and
Description.
"
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 189
said Nathan Bird Watson
hazel eyes, black
is a man of dark complexion,
Mr. Cornutt appealedfor redress to the
hair, and wears a heavy beard ; measures five
law. The result of his
feet eleven and three-quarter inches ; has a
appeal isthus stated
quick
step, and walks with his toes inclined in the Richmond
inward,
(Va.)Times,quotedby
and a littlestooped-shouldered ; now wears
the
a
National Era :
checked coat and white pants; says he is twentythree
years of age, but will pass for twenty-five
or thirty.
On motion,the meeting was adjourned.
Thomas F. Parsons,Chairman.
William H. Pilcher,Secretary.
This may
that kind of editorialhalloo which
man
be regarded as a specimenof
to rouse and start in pursuit of a
the bloodhounds of the mob.
The
is copiedby the National
following
from the Richmond Times :
LYNCH
law.
On the 13th inst. the vigilance committee of
the county of Grayson,in this state, arrested a
The clerk of GraysonCounty Court having,on
the 1st inst. (the first day of Judge Brown's
term) tendered his resignation, and there being
no applicant for the office, and it beingpublicly
stated at the bar that no one would acceptsaid
appointment, JudgeBrown found himself unable
is
to
designed
proceed with business,and accordingly ad-
the court until the firstdayof the next
man named John Cornutt
[afriend and follower
of Bacon, the Ohio abolitionist], and, after examining
the evidence againsthim, requiredhim
committees of vigilance.
to renounce his abolitionsentiments. This Cornutt
We have a letterfrom a crediblecorrespondent
refused to do ; thereupon,
was stripped, in Carroll county,
tied to a tree,and whipped. After receiving
which givesto the aflaira still
a
more seriousaspect. Trusting
dozen stripes, he caved in,and promised, not only
that there may be
to recant,but to sell hia property in the some error about it,we have no comments to make
county until the facts are known with certainty
[consisting of land and negroes], and leave the
Ọur
state. Great
correspondent, whose letter bears date the 13th
excitement prevailedthroughout
the country, and the inst.,
WythevilleRepublicanof the says
:
20th instant states
of Graysonwere
persons.
On
that the vigilance committee
in hot pursuitof,other obnoxious
thisoutragethe WythevilleRepublican
makes the followingcomments :
Layingaside the white man, humanity to the
insurrection negro, the slave, demands that these abolitionists
and insubordination.
be dealt with summarily, and above the law.
The meetinghavingbeen organized, Wm. Gibson,
On Saturday, the 13th, we learn that the committee
Esq., offered the following resolution,which,
of vigilance of that county țo the number
after various expressions of opinion, was unanimously
of near two hundred, had before them one John
adoptedțo wit :
Cornutt,a citizen, a friend and backer of Bacon,
Resolved, That a committee of ten be appointedand
promulgator of his abolition doctrines. They
by the chairman for the purpose of making arrangements
required him to renounce abolitionism, and promise
to expel Nathan Bird Watson, an
avowed abolitionist, who has been in our villagehim, tied him to a tree,and appealedto him
for three or four weeks,by twelve o'clock this day, again to renounce, and promiseobedience to the
by the Georgia Railroad cars ; and that it shall laws. He refused. The rod was brought;one,
be the dutyof said committee to escort the said two, three,and on to twelve, on the bare back,
Watson to Camak, for the purpose of shipmen to and he cried "
out; he promised and, more, he
his native land.
said he would sell and leave.
The followinggentlemen were named as that This Mr. Cornutt owns land, negroes and
committee :
money, say fifteen to twenty thousand dollars.
William Gibson, E. Cody,J. M. Roberts,J. B. He has a wife, but no voliitechildren. He has
nings, among his negroes
some born on his farm, of
mixed blood. He is believed to be a friend of the
obedience to the laws. He refused. They stripped
Dr. R. W. Hubert.
negro, even to amalgamation. He intends to set
On motion, the chairman was added to that his negroes free,and make them his heirs. It is
committee.
hoped he will retire to Ohio, and there finishhis
It was, on motion,
operations of amalgamation and emancipation.
Resolved, That the proceedings of this meeting, The vigilance committees were after another of
with a minute description of the said Watson, be Bacon's men on Thursday; we have not heard
forwarded to the publishers of the Augusta papers,
whether they caughthim, nor what followed.
with the request that they, and all other publishers
There are not more than six of his followers that
of papers in the slave-holding states,publish
adhere ; the rest have renounced him, and are
the same for a sufficientlengthof time. much outraged at his imposition.
term.
MORE TROUBLE IN GRAYSON.
journed
of one Jonathan Roberts to any
one of the
Immediatelyupon the adjournmentof the
court, a publicmeetingof the citizens of the
county was held, when resolutions were adopted
expressive of the determination of the people to
maintain the stand recently taken ; exhorting the
committees of vigilance to increased activity in
ferreting out all persons
tinctured with abo-
in the county, and offering a reward of
one hundred dollars for the apprehension and
litionism
delivery
"
I learn,from an authentic source, that the
Circuit Court that was to sit in Graysoncounty
during last week was dissolved by violence. The
circumstances were these. After the execution
of the negroes in that county șome time ago,
who had been excited to rebellion by a certain
Methodist preacher, by the name of Bacon,of

This
_
"yu KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
to enforce their heaviest penalties against offenders.
If Mr. Matthews violatedthe law, he should
have been tried by the law ; and he would have
been, had he committed an illegal act. No
chargeof the kind is made against him.
an accomplice, he acknowledged the fact,and He was, then,the victim of Lynch law, administered
declared his intentionof persevering
the cause ;
in a
upon which he severelylynched. ruffianly manner, and without
was Cornutt provocation ; and the partiesconcerned in the
then institutedsuitagainst the parties, who afterwards
transaction, whatever their position in society,
held a meeting and passedresolutions, notifying
were guilty of conduct as cowardlyas it was
the court and lawyers not to undertake the case, brutal.
upon pain of a coat of tar and feathers. The As to the manner in which Mr. Matthews has
court,however, convened at the appointed time ; conducted himself in Kentucky we know nothing.
and, true to their promise, a band of armed men We transferto our columns the following extract
marched around the court-house, fired their guns by from an editorial in the Journal and Messengerof
platoons, and dispersed the court in confusion. There Cincinnati,a
'
urns no blood shed. county and the county of
Baptistpaper, and which,it may
be presumedșpeaksintelligently on the subject:
Wythe have held meetings and passed resolutions
"
Mr. Matthews is likewise a Baptistminister,
sustaining the movement of the citizensof whose ostensiblemission is one of love. If he has
Grayson."
violatedthat mission,or any law, he is amenable
to God and law,and not to lawless violence.
Is it any wonder that peopleemigrateHis going to Kentucky is a matter of conscience
from states where such thingsgo on 1
to him, in which he has a right to indulge.
The following accounts will show what
Many goodanti-slavery men would questionthe
wisdom of such a step. None would doubt his
ministers of the gospelwill have to encounter
right. Many, as a matter of taste and propriety,
who undertake faithfully to cannot
express
admire the way in which he is reputed
their sentiments in slave states. The first
to do his work. But theybelieve he is
is an articleby Dr. Bailey, of the Era of conscientious, and they know that ' oppression
April3, 1852 maketh even a wise man mad.' We do not
:
think,in obedience to Christ's commands, he sufficiently
counted the cost. For no one in his
LYNCHING IN KENTUCKY.
positionshould go
to Kentucky to agitate the
The American Baptist, of Utica, New York,publishes
question of slavery, unless he expects to die.
letters from the Rev. Edward Matthews, No man in this position, which Mr. Matthews occupies,
givingan account of his barbarous treatment in
can do it,without fallinga martyr. Liberty
Kentucky.
of speech and thoughtis not, cannot be, enjoyed
Mr. Matthews, it seems, is an agent of the in slave states. Slaverycould not exist for
American Free Mission Society, and, in the exercise
a moment, if it did. It is,doubtless țhe duty
of his agency, visitedthat state,and took of the Christian not to surrender his lifecheaply,
occasion to advocate from the pulpitanti-slavery for the sake of being a martyr. This would be
sentiments. Not long since, in the village of an unholy motive. It is his duty to preserve it
Richmond, Madison county, he applied to several until the last moment. So Christ enjoins. It
churches for permission to lecture on the moral is no mark of cowardice to flee. ' When they
and religious condition of the slaves,but was unsuccessful.
persecuteyou in one city, flee into another,'
February 1st,in the evening, he said the Saviour. But he did not say, Give a
preached to the colored congregation of that place, pledgethat you will not exercise your rights*.
after which he was assailed by a mob, and driven Hence, he nor his disciples never did it. But
from the town. Returning in a short time,he it 25 a question, after one has deliberated, and
lefta communication respecting the transaction conscientiously entered a community in the exercise
at the officeof the Richmond Chronicle,and again of his constitutional and religious rights^
departed; but had not gone far before he was whether he should give a pledge, under the influence
overtaken by four men, who seized him, and led
of a love of life, never to return. If he
him to an out-of-the-way place, where they con does,he has not counted the cost. A Christian
suited as to what theyshould do with him. They should be as conscientious in pledgingsolemnly
resolved to duck him, ascertaining first that he not to do what he has an undoubted rightto do,
could swim. Two of them took him and threw as he is in laboring for the emancipation of the
him into a pond, as far as theycould,and, on his slave."
rising to the surface,bade him come out. He
did so, and, on his refusing to promisenever to The
.
following isfrom the National Era,
come to Richmond,theyflung him in again. This
July10,1851.
operation was repeated four times,when he yielded. Mr. McBride wished to form a church
They next demanded of him a promisethat he
would leave Kentucky, and never return again.
of non-slaveholders.
He refused to giveit, and they threw him in the
CASE OF REV. JESSE m'bRIDE.
water six times more, when, his strength failing,
and theythreatening to whip him, he gave the This missionary, it will be remembered, was
pledgerequired,and left the state.
expelledlatelyfrom the State of North Carolina.
We do not know anything about Mr. Matthews, We givebelow his letter detailing the conduct
or his mode of promulgating his views. The laws of the mob. His letter is dated Guilford,May 6.
in Kentucky for the protection of what is called After writingthat he is suffering from temporary
"
slave property" are stringentenough,and
nobody
illness,he proceeds :
can doubt the readiness of public sentiment "
I would have keptwithin doors this day, but
which you have heard,the citizensheld a meeting,
and instituted a sort of inquisition, to find out,
if possible, who were the accomplices of said
Bacon. Suspicion
soon rested on a man by the
name of Cornutt, and, on beingcharged with being

" the
.
d
fully
for the fact that I mistrusted a mob would be out
such a hint
KEY TO UNCLE TOMS CABIN. 191
to disturb my congregation, though
had not been given me by a human being. About love for it. You must see that your course will
six o'clock thismorning I crawled into my carriage lead to perfectanarchyand confusion. The time
and drove eighteenmiles,which broughtme to may come when Jacob Hiatt may
be
my meetingplace,eight miles east of Greensboro', when his principles may be as unpopulaz
place I an
gave account of a few weeks as Jesse McBride 's are now. What then? Why,
"
since, where some seven or eightpersons gave if your course prevails, he must be lynched"
their names to go into the organization leyanMethodist church. Well, sure enough, from his own house, or his house burned over
whipped ștoned țarred and feathered,dragged
justbefore meeting time (twelveo'clock)
his head,and he perishin the ruins. The persons
that a packof rioterswere on hand, and became food for the beasts theythrew Daniel
that they had sworn I should not fulfil my
the appointment
to; same firethat was kindled for the
this day. As they had heard nothing
"
Hebrew children' consumed those who kindled
of this before țhe news came upon
some of my it ; Haman stretched the same
rope he prepared
friends like a clapof thunder from a clear sky; for Mordecai. Yours is a dangerouscourse, and
they scarcely knew what to do. I told them I
you must reap a retribution, either here or hereafter.
should go to meeting or die in the attempt,and, We Mill sing a hymn,' said I.
like '
good soldiers,' they followed. Just before
" '
O yes,' said H., ' you may sing.'
I got to the arbor, I saw a man leave the crowd
" ' The congregation pleaseassist me, as I
and approach me at the leftof my path. As I am quite unwell;' and I lined off the hymn,
Father, I stretch hands to thee,'"c, rioters
he said :
'
my
was about to pass,
" ' Mr. McBride, here 's a letterforyou.'
" '
No, you must read it now.''
"
Seeing that I did not stop, he said, ' I want to
speak to you,'beckoning with his hand, and
expecting
me to follow.
"'I will talk to you after meeting,'
pulling out my watch ; ' you
"I took the letter, put it into my pocket, and
said, ' I have not time to read it until after meeting.'
turning,
know that it is not righ to trample all law,both
human and divine, in the dust,out of professed
in the minority,
and all helping to sing. All seemed in good humor,
"
and I almost forgottheir errand. When we
closed, I said, ' Let us pray.'
" ' G d n it țhat 'snot singing said !' one
of the company, who stood back prettvwell.
"
While we invoked the divine blessing, I think
many could say, 'It is good for us to be here.'
Before I rose from my knees,after the friends
rose, I delivered an exhortation of some ten or
I urged the brethren to
said I
see I have no time fifteenminutes,in which
to "
spare
it is justtwelve.'
steadfastness, prayer, "c, some of the mob crying,
"
As I went to go in at the door of the '
stand, Lay hold of him !' ' Drag him out !' ' Stop
r
a man who had taken his seat on the step rose up, him !' "c."
placed his hand on me, and said, in a very excited "My voice beingnearly drowned by the tumult,
tone,
I left off. I was then called to have some conversation
" ' Mr. McBride,you can't go in here !'
with II.,who repeated some of the charges
"
Without offering any resistance, or saying a he preferred at "
first, said I was bringing Insurrect
on
word, I knelt down outside the stand, on the
causingdisturbance, "c. ; wishing me
ground, and prayed to my 'Father;'plead His to leave the state ; said he had some slavesf and
'
promises such;h
as, enemy comes in he himself was the most of a slave of any of them,
ke a flood,I mil rear
up
a standard against' had harder times than theyhad, and he would
him ; I am a presenthelp in trouble;' " I will like to be shut of them,and that he was my true
fight all your battlesfor you;' prayed for grace,
victory, my enemies,"c. Rose perfectly friend.
" '
As to your friendship, Mr. II.,you have act-"
Meantime my enemies cursed and swore some, but ed quitefriendly, remarkably so "
as much
most of the time theywere rather quiet. Mr. so as Judas when he kissed the Saviour. As to
Hiatt, a slave-holderand merchant from Greensboro',
your having to be so much of a slave,I am sorry
said,
for you ; you ought to be freed. As to insurrection,
"'You can't preach here to-day;
we have I am decidedly opposed to it,have no sympathy
come to preventyou. We think you
are doin"- with it whatever. As to raising disturb,
harm "
violating our laws,'"c.
ance and leaving the state, I left a littlemotherless
" ' From what authority do you thus command daughter in Ohio, over whom I wished to
and prevent me from preaching? Are you authorizedhave
an
oversight
left,I only
by the civilauthority prevent me?' expected to remain in North Carolina one year ;
" '
No, sir.'
but the peopledragged me up before the court \xnder
the charge of felony, put me in bonds, and kept
" '
Has God sent you, and does he enjoin it on
you as a duty to stopme ?'
me ; and now would you have me leave my securities
" ' I am unacquainted with Him.''
to suffer, have me lieand deceive the court V
" '
Well, ' acquaintnow thyself " '
Him, and
you will leave, your bail will not
be at peace ;' and he will giveyou
a more honorable
have to suffer ; that can, I think,be settledwithout
business than stopping men from preaching
much trouble,' said Mr H.
his gospel. The judgment-day is comingon, and
'
" '
They shall not have trouble on my account
I summon you there, to give an account of this said I.
day's conduct. And "
now, gentlemen, if I have After talkingwith Mr. H. and one or two
violated the laws of North Carolina,by them I
more on personalpiety,"c, I went to the arbor,
am willing to be judged,condemned, and punished
took my seat in the door of the stand for a minute
; to go to the whipping-post, pillory
jail ; then rose, and,afterreferring to a few texts
or even to hug the stake. But, gentlemen, yoJof Scripture, to show that all those who will live
are not generally a packof ignoramuses ; your godly shall suffer persecution, I inquired,1st,
good sense teaches you the impropriety
of your
What is persecution?2ndly,noticed the fact,
course ; you know that you are '
doingwrong ; you
shall suffer;' gave
a synopticalhistory of per-

with
that
192 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
secution. by showing that Abel was the first martyr
for the right "
the Israelites' sufferings. The
prophets were
stoned, were sawn
asunder, were
tempted, were slain with the sword, had to wander
earth,
in deserts, mountains, dens and caves of the
were
driven from their houses, given to ferociousburden
beasts, lashed to the stake, and destroyed
in different ways'. Spoke of John the Baptist;
showed how he was persecuted, and what the
charge. Christ was persecuted for doing what
John" was persecuted for not doing._ Spoke of the
sufferings of the apostles, and their final death
of Luther and his coadjutors ;
and early Methodists ;
;
of the Wesleys
of Fox and the early Quakers
of the early settlers in the colonies of the
United States. Noticed why the righteous were
persecutors
"
themselves, and how they should treat their
kindness, "c. Spoke, I
some half an hour, and dismissed. Towards
persecuted, the advantages thereof to the righteous
suppose,
the close, some of the rioters got quite angry,
and
yelled, 'Stop him!' 'Pull him out!' 'The
righteous were never persecuted for d d abolitionism,'
'"Mr.
"c. Some of them paid good attention
to what I said. And thus we spent the time from
twelve to three o'clock, and thus the meeting
passed
by.
" Brother dear, I am more and more confirmed
in the righteousness of our cause. I would rather,
much rather, die for good principles, than to have
applause and honor for propagating false theories
and abominations, You perhaps would like to
know how I feel. Happy, most of the time ; a
religion that will not stand persecution will not
;
take us to heaven. Blessed be God, that I have
not, thus far, been suffered to deny Him. Sometimes
I have thought that I was nearly home. I
generally feel a calmness of soul, but sometimes
my enjoyments are rapturous. I have had a great
of
prayer
for the dear flock
; help me pray
for them. Thank God, I have not heard of one
of them giving up or turning ; and I believe some,
if not most of them, would
than give back. I forgot to say
go
to the stake rather
I read a part of
the fifth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles to
the rioters, commencing at the 17th verse. I told
them, if their institutions were of God, I could not
harm
them
could not stop it
"
;
that if our cause was of God, they
they could kill me,
they could not kill the truth. Though I talked
plainly, I talked and felt kindly to them.
"
I have had to write in such haste, and being
fatigued and unwell, letter is disconnected.
my
I meant to give a of the letter of the
you copy
mob. Here it is :
McBride:
" '
We, the subscribers, very
but
and most respectfully
request you not to attempt to fulfil
appointment at this place. If
surely be interrupted.
'"May 6, 1851.'
[Signed by
" Some were professors of religion "
your
you do, you
will
32 persons.]
Presbyterians,
Episcopal Methodists, and Methodist Pr"testants.
One of the latter was an
' exhorter.' I
understand some of the crowd were
negro-traders.
"Farewell, J. McBride."

PART
IV.
done seems in some sort to bringthe sin
CHAPTER I.
of the omission to their door.
We have
THE INFLUENCE OP THE AMERICAN CHURCH
spokențhus far, of the clergy
ON SLAVERY.
alone;but in America,where the clergyman
is, in most denominations, elected by
TnERE is no countryin the world where the church, and supportedby its voluntary
contributions, the influenceof the church and
that of the clergyare, to a very greatextent,
where the clergy are more powerful.This identical. The clergyman is the very ideal
is the more remarkable,because in America
and expression of the church. They choose
religion is entirely divorced from the him, and retain him, because he expresses
state, and the clergy have none of those more perfectly than any other man they can
arfificial means for supporting their influence
obtaințheirideasof truth and right. The
which result from rank and wealth. clergyman is supported, in all 'cases,by his
Taken as a body of men, the American church,or else he cannot retain his position
clergy are generallypoor.
The salaries in it. The fact of his remainingthere is
givento them afford onlya bare support, generally proof of identity of opinion, since,
and yield them no means of acquiring property.
if he differed very materially from them,
Their style of living can be barelythey have the power to withdraw from him.
decent and respectable, and no more. The
the religious influence has a greater ascendency
than in America. There isno country
fact that,under these circumstances, the
American clergy are probably the most powerful
by the free consent of the understanding
bodyof men in the country, isof itself
and heart of his church,is in some
a
argument in theirfavor.
respectsgreater even than that of a papal
strongpresumptive
It certainly argues in them,as a class, priest Ṭhe priest can control onlyby a
both intellectualand moral superiority. blind spiritual authority, which, very
It is a well-known fact that the influenceoften reason demurs,while ityieldsan
of the clergy is looked upon by our statesmen
outward assent; but the successful free
as a most serious element in making minister takes captive the affectionsof the
up their political combinations ; and that heart by his affections, overrules the reasoning
that influence is so great țhat no statesman
powers by superior strength of reason,
would evqr undertake to carry a measure
and thus,availing
againstwhich all the clergy of the country reason, conscience, and the entire man, pos-
should unite. Such a degree of power,
a power, from the very freedom of the
though it be only a power of opinion, argument
organization, greater than can ever result
and example, is not without its dangers
to the purity of any bodyof men. To
by political partisans
always
be courted
a dangerousthingfor the integrity and
spirituality of men who professto be governed
by principles which are not of this
world. The possession, too, of so great a
power as we have described, involves a most In speakingțherefore, of this subject,
weightyresponsibility ; since,if the clergywe shallspeak of the church and the clergy
do possess the power to rectify any great as identical, usingthe word church in the
national immorality,
American sense of the word, for that class
the factof itsnot being
13
and choose another.
The influence of a clergymanțhus retained
from
himself of affection,
minis-
blind spiritual despotism Ịf a ter
cannot succeed in doingthis to some
sesses
goodextent in a church,he is called unsuccessful
; and he who realizesthis description
most perfectly has the highestand most
perfect kind of power, and expresses the
idea of a successfulAmerican minister.

194
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
of men,
of alldenominations,
in bodies distinct from nominal
face of the matter.
who are organized
Christians, as professing to be actually con-
by the preceptsof Christ.
What, then,is the influence of the church
on this greatquestion of slavery?
Certain thingsare evident on the very
trolled
1. It has not put an end to it.
2. It has not prevented the increase of it.
3. It has not occasioned the repeal of the
laws which forbid education to the slave.
4. It has not attemptedto have laws
passedforbidding the separation of families
and legalizing the marriage of slaves.
5. It has not stoppedthe internalslave-
What,then,have they done ?
In reply to this, it can be stated,
1. That almost every
one of the leading
pursued such a course as entirely, and
factțo free every
one of itsmembers from
participationslave-holding.
any
in
We
refer to the Quakers. The course by which
this result has been effected will be shown
by a pamphlet soon to be issued by the
poet J. G. Whittier,
protestagainst it.
some leadingecclesiasticalbodies in the
church have expressed on
sources
Those relating
are
by the Hon.
principally from a
pamphlet compiled
"
The Church the Bulwark of Slavery.''
The writer addressed a letterto Mr. Birney,
in which she inquired the sources from which
he compiled.His replywas, in substance,
especially at the present momentous crisis, would
be morallyivrong, and fraughtwith the most
as follows : That the pamphletwas compiledangerous
and pernicious consequences. The sen-
from original documents, or filesof tians
newspapers,
which had recorded these transactions
at the time of their occurrence. It was
and clergy. Mr.
the position of the American
compiled and published in England,in 1842r
with a view of leading the peoplethereto understand
church
Birney says that,although
the statements have longbeen before the
world,he has never known one of them to
be disputed;that,knowingthe extraordinary
nature of the sentiments, he took the
utmost painsto authenticate them.
We willfirstpresentthose of the Southern
States.
1. The Presbyterian Church.
HARMONY PRESBYTERY,
OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
Whereas, sundrypersons in Scotland and England,
and others in the north,east and west of
our country,
trade.
have denounced slavery as obnoxious
to the laws of God, some of whom have presented
6. It has not prevented the extension of before the General Assembly of our church,and
thissystem, with all its wrongs, over new
the Congress of the nation, memorials and petitions,
territories.
with the avowed objectof bringinginto
With regardto these assertionsit is
disgrace slave-holders, and abolishing the relation
presumed
of master and slave : And whereas, from the said
there can be no differenceof opinion. proceedings, and the statements,reasonings and
denominations have,at some time,in their
collectivecapacity, expressed decided dis-
of the system, and recommended
thatsomething should be done with a view
to itsabolition.
2. One denomination of Christians has
circumstances connected therewith,it is most
manifest that those
"
persons
know not what they
say, nor whereof theyaffirm;" and with this
ignorancediscover a spirit of self-righteousness
and exclusive sanctity, "c, therefore,
approbation 1. ResolvedȚhat,as the kingdomof our Lord
is not of this world,His church, as such, has no
righ to abolish,alter,or affect any institutionor
ordinance of men, political or civil,"c.
2. Resolved Țhat slavery has existed from the
days of those good old slave-holders and patriarchs,
in Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (who are now in the
kingdomof heaven) țo the time when the apostle
Paul sent a runaway home to his master Philemon,
and wrote a Christian and fraternal letter to this
slave-holder,which we find stillstands in the
canon of the Scriptures ; and that slavery has
existed ever since the days of the apostle,and
does now exist.
one of their'own body. 3. Resolved Țhat as the relative duties of
3. Individual members, in all denominations,
master and slave are taughtin the Scriptures, in
animated by the spirit of Christianity,
the same manner as those of parentand child,and
husband and
have in various ways entered their
wife,the existence of slaveryitself
is not opposed to the will of God ; and whosoever
has a consciencetoo tender to recognize this relation
It willbe well now to considermore definitely
as lawful is "righteousover much," is
"
and minutelythe sentiments which wise above what is written,"and has submitted
his neck to the yoke of men, sacrificed-'hisChristian
this liberty
subject
of conscience, and leaves the infallible
word of God for the fancies and doctrinesof men.
It is fairthat the writer should state the
from which the quotations are drawn.
to the action of Southern judicatories
THE CHARLESTON UNION PRESBYTERY.
It is a principle which meets the views of this
James G. Birney, and entitled
body, that slavery,as it exists among us, is a
political institution, with which ecclesiasticaljudicator
have not the smallest righ to interfere ;
and in relation to which, any such interference,
timents
which ive maintain,in common with Chris-
at the South of every denomination,are
sentiments which so fully approve themselves to
our consciences,are so identified with our solemn

a
and
convictionsof duty țhat we
under any circumstances.
Resolved Țhat
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 195
should maintain them
possessor should retain this rightat will,is no
more against the laws of societyand goodmorals,
in the opinionof thisPresbytery,
than that he should retain the personalendowments
the holding of slaves șo far from beinga sin in with which his Creator has blessed him,or
the sight of God, is nowhere condemned in his the money and lands inheritedfrom his ancestors,
holy word ; that it is in accordance with the or acquiredby his industry Ạnd neither society
example, or consistentwith the precepts, of patriarchs,
nor individuals have any more authority to demand
apostles and prophets, and that it is compatible
a relinquishment, without an equivalent, in
with the most fraternalregardto the best
good of those servants whom God may have
committed to our charge.
The
New-school Presbyterian Church
Petersburgh, Virginia, Nov. 16,1838,passed
the following :
"Whereas,the General Assemblydid,in the
"
year 1818, pass
a law which contains provisions
forslavesirreconcilablewith our civilinstitutions.
and solemnlydeclaring slavery to be sin against
God law at once offensiveand insulting to the
whole
in
peculiarly situated upon this subject,
Southern community,
because itsconstitutionand book of discipline
1. Resolved Țhat, as slave-holders, we cannot
contain the most vehement denunciations
consent longerto remain in connection with
any church where there existsa statute conferring againstslavery of which language is capable,
the rightupon slaves to arraign their masters before
and the most stringent requisitions that all
"
the judicatory of the church that,too,for members shall be disciplined for the holding
the act ofselling them without their consent firsthad of slaves
and obtained.
; and these denunciationsand requisitions
have been
2. Resolved,That,as the Great Head of the
reaffirmedby itsGeneral
church has recognized the relationof master and Conference.
slave,we conscientiously believe that slavery is It seemed to be necessary, therefore,
not a sin againstGod, as declared by the General the Southern Conference to take some notice
Assembly.
of this fact,which theydid,with great coolness
This sufficiently indicatesthe opinion of and distinctness, as follows:
the Southern Presbyterian Church. The
next extracts will refer to the opinions of
THE GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE.
BaptistChurches. In 1835 the Charleston
Resolved,unanimously,That, whereas there is
a clause in the discipline of our church which
BaptistAssociationaddressed a memorial
states that we are as much as ever convinced of
to the Legislature of South Carolina, the greatevil ot slavery; and whereas the said
which contains the following :
clause has been pervertedby some, and used in
The undersigned would further represent that
the said association does hot consider that the
Holy Scriptures have made the fact of slavery a
questionof morals at all. The Divine Author of
our holyreligion, in particular, found slavery a
part of the existing institutionsof society ; with
which,if not sinful, it was not his design
to intermeddle,
domestic institution, and one with which,as ministers
but to leave them entirely to the control of Christ,we have nothingto do,further
of men. Adoptingthis,therefore, as one of the than to ameliorate the condition of the slave,by
allowed arrangements of society, he made it the
endeavoring
province of his to impar to him and his master the
religionly to prescribe the reciprocalbenign
influences of duties the religion of Christ,and
of the relation. The question,it aiding
is believed, is purely both one of political
on their way to heaven.
economy. It
amounts, in effect, to Whether this," the operatives
On motion, it was Resolved,unanimously,
That the GeorgiaAnnual Conference regard
of a country shall be with
boughtand sold,and themselves
feelings of profoundrespect and approbationthe
become property, as in Ms state ; or whether they dignified course pursuedby
shall be hirelings, and their labor our several superintendents,
onlybecome property,
or bishops, in suppressing the attempts
as in some other that
states. In other words, have been made by
whether an employer may buy various individuals the whole time to get
of
laborers at once, of those who' and up
protractan excitement in the churches and
have a righ to dispose
country
of it,with on the subject of abolitionism.
a permanent relationof protection Resolved,furtherȚhat theyshall have our ci trdial
and zealous support
and care over them ; or whether he shall be restricted
to buy it in certain portions only,subject
in sustaining them in the
groundtheyhave taken.
to their control, and with no such permanent relation
of care and protection.The SOOTH CAROLINA
rightofmasters
CONFERENCE.
to disposeof the time oftheirslaves has been distinctlyThe Rev. W. Martin introduced resolutions
recognized bythe Creator ofallthings,who issurely
at liberty to vest the right of similarto those of
property
the over any
GeorgiaConference.
object in whomsoever he pleases Ṭhat the lawful
the one case,
than in the other.
As it is a questionpurely of political economy,
and one which in this countryis reserved to the
cognizance of the state governmentsseverally, it
is further believed, that the State of South Carolina
alone has the righ to regulatethe existence
and condition of slaveryAvithin her territorial
limits ; and we should resist to the utmost every
invasion of this right, come from Avhat quarter
and under whatever pretence it may.
The Methodist Church is,in some respects,
such a manner as to produce the impression that
the Methodist Episcopal Church believed slavery
to be a moral evil ;
"
Therefore Resolved, That it is the sense of the
Georgia Annual Conference that slavery, as ir
exists in the United States,is not a moral evil.
Resolved, That we view slaveryas a civil and

"
Can
196 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
"
The Rev. W. Capers,D.D., after expressing
The question may now arise, it must
his convictionthat "
the sentiment arise to every intelligent thinker in Chris-
of the resolutionswas universally held,not
it be possible thatAmerican
onlyby the ministersof that conference, but slavery, as definedby its laws,and the
of the whole South;"and afterstating that decisionsof itscourts,including all the horrible
the only true doctrine was, " it belongsto abuses that the laws recognize and
Caesar, and not to the church,"offeredthe sanction, is considered to be a right and
following as a substitute :
Whereas, we hold that the subject of slavery in
these United States is not one
proper for the
action of the church,but is exclusively appropriate
to the civilauthorities,
Therefore ResolvedȚhat this conference will America ?
not intermeddle with it,further than to express
our regre that it has ever been introduced,
any
form, into any one of the judicatures of the
church.
Brother Martin acceptedthe substitute.
Brother Betts asked whether the substitutewas
intended as implying that slavery,as it exists
among us, was not a moral evil? He understood it
as equivalent to such a declaration.
Brother
Capersexplainedthat his intention teas
to convey that sentiment fullyand unequivocally ;
and that he had chosen the form of the substitute
fur the purpose, not onlyof reproving some wrong
doingsat the North,but with reference also to the
General Conference. If slaverywere a moral evil
(thatis,sinful), the church would be bound to fake
cognizanceof it ; but our affirmation is,that it is
not a matter for her jurisdiction, but
appropriate to the civil government, and of course
not sinful.
and negroes, and insistedthat " without a
new revelation from heaven,no man was
authorized to pronounce slavery wrong."
The sermons were printed a pamphlet,
prefaced
the Bishopof North Carolina,
with a letterto Mr. Freeman from
declaring that
This
he had ' was before the Methodist Church
'
listenedwith most unfeigned pleasure
had
"
to his discourses, and advised their
separated on the question of slavery, as
publication, as being ' ' urgently calledfor
theysubsecpuently did, into Northern and
at
the present time."
Southern Conferences. ,BothNorthern and
"The Protestant EpiscopalSociety for Southern members voted for this resolution.
After this was
the advancement
passed, the conscience of
of Christianity (!)in South
Carolina " thought it expedien to many
Northern ministers was aroused,
republish
and
Mr.
theycalledfor a reconsideration. The Southern
Freeman's pamphletas a religious
members imperiously demanded that it
tract ! *
should remain as a
Afterwards,when the addition of the new
compromiseand test of
union. The
Stateof Texas
spirit
made it of the discussion may be
importanto organize
inferredfrom one extract.
Church
the Episcopal
was made Bishop
therețhis Mr. Freeman
of Texas.
Birney'spamphlet.
tendom,
might be made a good one,
theyjustifyit as it actually
proper institution? Do these Christians
merelyrecognize the relationof slavery, in
the abstract, as one that,under proper legislation,
or do
exists in
It is a fact that thereis a largeparty at
the South who justify not onlyslavery in
the abstract, but slavery justas it existsin
America,in whole and in part, and even its
worst abuses.
There are four legalized parts or results
of the system, which are of especial atrocity.
They are," "
1. The prohibition of the testimonyof
colored peoplein cases of trial.
2. The forbidding of education.
3. The internal slave-trade.
"
4. The consequentseparation of families.
We shall
is exclusively bringevidence to show that
every one of these practices has been either
defended on principle, or recognized without
The substitute was then
condemnation, by decisionsofjudicatories of
unanimously
churches,or by writings of influentialclergymen,
adopted.
without
In 1836;an Episcopal clergyman in North
any expression of dissent
Carolina, of the name of
beingmade to theiropinionsby the bodies
Freeman,preached,
to which
in the presence of his bishop(Rev.Levi. S.
theybelong.
In the
Ives,D.D.,a native of a free
firstplace, the exclusion of colored
state), two sermons
on the rights and dutiesof slave-holders.
testimony in the church. In 1840, the
General Conference of the Methodist
In these he
Episcopal
essayedto justifyfrom
Church
the Bible the slaveryboth of white
passedthe following resolution:
men
"That it is inexpedient and
UNJUSTIFIABLE FOR ANY PREACHER TO
PERMIT COLORED PERSONS TO GIVE TES- TIMONY
AGAINST WHITE PERSONS IN ANY
STATE WHERE THEY ARE DENIED THAT
PRIVILEGE BY LAW."
Mr. Peck,of New York,who moved the
reconsiderationof the resolution, thus
himself:
expressed'

souls,who,
if
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 197
That resolution(saidhe) was introduced under The resolutionwas thereforeleftin force,
peculiar circumstances,during considerableexcitement,
with another resolutionappended to it,expressing
and he went for it as a peace-offering to the
the undiminished regardof the
South,without sufficiently reflecting upon the precise
import of its phraseology; but,aftera little
General Conferencefor the colored population.
deliberation, he was sorry ; and he had been sorry
but once, and that was all the time ; he was convinced
It is quiteevident that it was undiminished,
that,if that resolution remain upon the
for the best of reasons. That
journal, it would be disastrous to the whole Northern
the colored
church.
population were not properlyimpressed
with thislastact of condescension,
Rev. Dr. A. J. Few, of Georgiațhe appears from the fact that "the official
mover of the original resolution, then members of the
rose.
Sharp-street and Asbury
The following are extracts from hisspeech.
Colored Methodist Church in Baltimore ' '
_
The Italicsare the writers.
protested and petitioned againsthe motion.
The following is a passage from their
Look at it! "What do you declare to us, in address :
taking this course! Why, simply, as much as to
The
say, " We cannot sustain you iu the condition
adoption of such a resolution, by our highest
"
which you cannot avoid!" We cannot sustain
ecclesiasticaljudicatory, a judicatory composed
you in the necessary conditions of of the most experienced and wisest brethren in the
slave-holding ;
one of its necessary conditions being the church,the choice selectionof twenty-eight
rejection
Annual
has Conferences," inflicted, we fear,an irreparable
of negro testimony ! If it is not sinful to hold
slaves,under all circumstances, it is
injuryupon eightythousand souls for
not sinfulto
"
whom Christ died
hold them in the onlycondition, and under the
by this act of
only
circumstances, which theycan be held. The your
rejection
body, have been strippedof the dignity: of
of negro testimony is one of the Christians, degraded in the scale of humanity, and
necessary treated as
circumstances under which
criminals, for no other reason than the
slave-holding can
exist; indeed,it is utterlyimpossible for it to
humble opinion,virtuallydeclaredțhat a mere
physicalpeculiarity, the handiwork of our allwise
and benevolent
which
Creator,is
theyare held at the
primafacieevidence
South,inasmuch as they
of
can be held under no other circumstances. * * * If
incompetency to tell the truth,or is an
you believe that slave-holding is necessarily sinful,
unerring indication of unworthiness to bear testimony
come out with the abolitionists, and honestly
against a fellow-being whose
say
white.
so. If you believe that slave-holding is * * *
necessarily
Brethren,out of the abundance of the heart we
sinful, you believewe are necessarily sinners :
and, if so, come out and honestly declare have spoken.
it,and
Our grievance is before you! If
letus leave
* * *
you. "We want to know you have any regardfor the salvation of the
distinctly,
precisely and honestly țhe positionwhich eighty thousand immortal souls committed to your
you
take. We cannot be tampered with care ; if
by you would not thrust beyondthe pa^of
you any
longer. We have had the church
enough of it. We twenty-five hundred souls in this city,
.are
who have feltdetermined
tiredof your sicklysympathies.
# * * never to leave the church
If you are
that has nourished and
not opposed to the principles which it involves,
brough them up ; if you
regardus as children of one common
unite with us, likehonest men, and
Father,and
go home, and
boldlymeet the consequences. We
can,
say again,
upon reflection, sympathize with us as members
"
of the
you are responsible for this state of things; for it
body of Christ. you would not
incur the
is you who have driven,us to the fearfulțhe tremendous
alarmingpoint
responsibility
of
where we find ourselves. *.* * You have made offending not onlyone, but many thousands of
that resolution absolutely necessary to the his
quiet
littleones," u we conjureyou to wipe from
of the South ! But you now revoke that resolution
your journalthe odious resolutionwhich is ruining
our
! And you pass the Rubicon ! Let me not be people.
exist without it ; therefore it is not sinfulto hold
slaves,in the condition and under the circumstances
misunderstood. I say, you pass
the Rubicon ! If
you revoke, you revoke the principle which that
resolution involves, and you array the whole South
"
againstyou, and toe must separate! * * * If you
The address was
accord to the principles which it involves,
presented to one of the secretaries,
arising
from the necessity of the a
case, stick by it,
delegate of the Baltimore Conference,
"
though the heavens and
perish!" But, if subsequently givenby him to the bishops.
you persist
How
on reconsideration, I ask in what many of the members of the conference saw
lightwill
your course be regardedin the South ? What it,I know not. One thingis certain,it was not
will
read to
be the conclusion, there,in reference to it?
tlieconference.
Why, that you cannot sustain us as longas we
hold slaves ! It will declare,in the face of the
With regardto the second head, of defending
"
sun, We cannot sustain you, gentlemen, while
you retain your slaves Your !" opp "sitionto the
resolution is based upon your opposition to
slavery ; you cannot, therefore,maintain your
consistency,
In the
unless you come out with the abolitionists,
year
Ohio,addressed a
and condemn us at once and forever ; or
else refuse to reconsider.
color of their skin ! Your resolutionhas, in our
skin is denominated
"A Colored Baltimorean." writingto the
editor of Z ion's Watchman, says :
the laws which prevent the slave
from beingtaughtto read and
"
write, we
have
the following instance.
1835,the ChillicothePresbytery,
Christianremonstrance
to the presbytery of Mississippi on

198 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
they
eighth
consideredit to be unchristian. The
resolutionwas as follows:
the subject of slavery, in which theyspe-
enumerated the respectsin which
cifically were
That any member of our church, who shall
advocate or speakin favor of such laws as have subjecto
been or may yet be enacted, for the purpose of the dilemma
keeping the slaves in ignorance, and preventing
them from learning to read the word of God, is
and solemnly
guilty of a greatsin,and oughtto be dealt with
for other scandalous crimes.
as
This remonstrance was answered by Rev.
ștated clerk of the Mississippi
and afterwards of the
James Smylie beingtaught to read was cruel,and would prevent
them from
Presbytery, obtaining as much knowledge of
Amity Presbytery of Louisiana,in a
the laws of Heaven as otherwise pamphlet
theymight enjoy.
of eighty-seven pages,
in which he In this sad dilemma, sitting and consulting a
defended slaverygenerally and
legislative capacity, theymust, of two evils,choose
particularly, the least. With indignant feelings towards those,
in the same manner in which all other who, under the influence of " seducingspirits,"
"
abuses have alwaysbeen defended by the had sent and were sendingamong them "doctrines
word of God. The tenth section of this
is devoted to the defence of this
pamphlet should not be taught to read, until the storm
law. He devotes seven pages of fine printshould be overblown ; hopingthat Satan's being let
to this loose
object.He says (p.63)
will be but for a little season. And
:
during
There are laws existing in both states,
and Louisiana,accompaniedwith heavy
the
penalsanctions,prohibiting teachingof the
slaves to read, and meeting the approbationof the
religiouspart of the reflecting community.
"
# # * * *
the passage
of those laws.
Mississippi
He adds știllfurther:
and
of human beingsfor the mere
The laws preventing the slaves from learning to purposes of gain.
read are a fruitful source of much ignorance and A master who has slaves transmitted to
immoralityamong the slaves. The printing, publishing,
him, or
and circulating of abolition and emancipatory
a master who buys slaves with the
principles
those states, was the cause of purpose
of retaining them on his plantation
or in his family, can be supposedto have
He then goes
on to say that the some objectin it besidesthe mere purpose
ignorance
of gain.
and vice which are the consequence of those
He may be supposed, in certain
cases,
laws do not properly belong to those who made
to have some regardto the happiness
the laws, but to those whose or well-being of the slave. The trader
emancipating
buys
doctrines rendered them necessary. Speaking
and sells for the mere purpose of
of these consequences of ignorance and gain.
Concerningthis abuse the Chillicothe
vice,he says
:
Presbytery, in the document to which we
Upon whom must theybe saddled ? If you will have alluded,passed the following resolution :
allow me to answer the question, I will answer
Resolved Țhat the buying șelling, or holding
by saying,Upon such great and goodmen as John
of a slave,for
Wesley, Jonathan Edwards, Bishop Porteus,
the sake of gain,
and scandal,requiring
Paley'Horsley, Scott,Clark,Wilberforce,Sharpe,
the cognizance
Clarkson,Fox, Johnson, Burke, and_ other
of the church.
great
and good men, who,,without examiningthe word
of God, have concluded that it is a true maxim
that slaveryis in itselfsinful.
He
then illustratesthe necessity of these
laws by the following simile. He supposes
that the doctrine had been promulgated
beginning to be pervaded bythissentiment
; and that,under all theseinfluences,
children were becomingrestlessand fractious.
He supposes that,under these circumstances,
parents meet and refer the
legislators.
of the legislators :
He thus describes
These meet, and they take the subject seriously
into consideration. Dn the one
hand, they perceivethat, if their children had .
access to these doctrines, theywere ruined forever.
To let them have access to them was unavoidable,
if theytaught them to read. To prevent their
of devils," but with achinghearts towards
their childrențhey resolved that their children
this season theywill have to teach them orally,
and therebyguardagains their beingcontaminated
by these wicked doctrines.
So much
for that law.
Now, as for the
"
internalslave-trade,
the very essence of that trade is the buying
selling
is a heinous sin
of the judicatories
In the reply from which we have already
quoted, Mr. Smyliesays (p.13) :
If the buying șelling and holdingof a slave for
the sake of gain,is,as you say,
a heinous sin and
scandal,then
verilythree-fourths of all
Episcopalians,
Presbyterians, in
Methodists,Baptists and
the eleven states of the Union, are of the devil.
that the authority of parentswas an unjust
usurpation, and that it was gettinggeneral
a
hold of society ;
that societieswere being Again:
formed for the emancipation of children from To questionwhether slave-holdersor slave-buythe
controlof their parents; that allbooks |ers are of the devil șeems to me like calling

KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 199
Again(p.21):
If language can convey
meaning at all,I know not how it can more
plainly or unequivocally presen to the mind
any
thought or idea țhan the twenty-fifth chapter of
Leviticus clearly and unequivocally
a clear and definite
viz :
then
What languagecan more explicitly show,not
that God winked at slaverymerely, but that țo
say the least,he gave a written permitto the Hebrews,
are
the best peoplein the
unanimous in the
world,to buy,
opinionthat it is better to
hold^ and bequeath, men and permitservants thus circumstanced to
women, to
take
perpetual
another
servitude? husband or
What, now, becomes of the
wife.
position
of the Chillicothe Presbytery? * * * * Is
would be so viewed. To forbidsecond
marriages,
only to strongerhardships and strongtemptation,
sentiments of Mr.
but_ to church censure, for actingin obedience to
theirmasters, who cannot be expectedto acquiesce
in a regulationat variance with justiceto the
slaves,and to the spiritof that command which
regulatesmarriage among Christians. The slaves
are not freeagents, and a dissolution by death is Iwith Mr.
questionwhether God is or is not a true witness not more entirely without their consent,and be-
that is,providedit is God's testimony, their controlțhan by such separation.
merelythe testimony Presbytery,
that
"
it isa heinous sin and scandal" to buy, sell At the Shiloh BaptistAssociation, which
and hold slaves.
met at Gourdvine, a few years sincețhe
ald,
yond
following query, says the Religious Her-
was presentedfrom Hedgmanchurch,
Is a servant, whose husband or wife has been
sold
establishes by his or her master into a distant country,
to
the fact that slav
be
erv was s inctioned by God hi permittedto marry again?
self,and that buying,selling, holding and bequeathing
The
slaves, as property,are regulations which query was referredto a committee,
we establishedby himself.
who made the following
discussion, was
adopted :
report; which,after
That,in view of the circumstances in which
servants in this country are placed țhe committee
it,indeed,a factțhat God once
gave a written The Reverend Charles C.
permission
Jones,who was
to his own dear people["ye shall buy"] to an earnest and indefatigable laborerfor the
do that which is in itselfsinful] Nay, to do that
good of the slave, and one who,it would be
which the Chillicothe "
Presbytery says is a heinous
sin and scandal
supposed, would be "
1
likely to feel strongly
this subject, if any one would,simply remarks,
in
God resolves that
estimating the moral conditionof
his own children may,
or
"
rather
the
shall, " buy, possess and hold,"bondmen
negroes,that,as husband and wife are
and bond-women,in bondage,forever Ḅut subjecto all the
the ChillicothePresbytery
vicissitudesof property,
resolvesthat "
buying, and may be separated by
selling, or holdingslaves,
divisionof estate,
for the sake of gain,is a
debts, sales or
heinous sin and scandal."
removals, "c. "c, themarriage
'relation naturally losesmuch of its sacred-
and says
We do not mean to say that Mr. Smylieness,
had the internalslave-tradedirectly
:
his
It
mind in
is a contract of
writingthese sentences ; but we do
convenience, profit or pleasure,
that
say that no slave-traderwould ask for may be entered into and dissolved at
a the will of the parties, and that without heinous
more explicit justification of his trade than sin,or injuryto the propertyinterests of any
this.
Lastly, in regardto that dissolutionof
the
In this
marriagerelation, which is sentence he
the is
necessary
expressing, as we
consequence of thiskind of suppose, the common idea of slaves and
tradețhe
masters of
following decisionshave
the nature of
been made
this
by judicatories
institution,
and not
of
his
the church.
own. We infer this from the
fact
The Savannah
that
River
he endeavors in
(Baptist) Association,
his catechism to
in 1835,in reply to the impresson the slavethe sacrednessand
question,
perpetuity
of the relation. But,when the
Whether, in a case of involuntary separation, most piousand devoted men that the South
of such a character as to precludeall prospect
of future
has,and those
intercourse, the
professing
partiesoughtto be allowed
to spend their
to marry again ?
lives for the service of the slavețhus
calmly,
answered,
and without any reprobation, contemplate
thisstate of thingsas a state with
That such a separation, among persons situated which Christianity does not call on them to
as our slaves are, is civilly a separationby death, interfere, what can be expected of the world
and theybelieve that,in the sightof God, it in general ?
in such cases, would be
It is to be
to expose the parties,"not remarked,with regardto the
Smylie' s pamphletțhat
they are endorsed in the appendixby a
document in the name of two presbyteries,
which document,thoughwith less minuteness
of investigation, takesthe same ground
Smylie.This Rev. James Smylie

200 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
was one who, in company with the Rev. The Bornean who neglects to kill his father,
and to eat him with his
John L. Montgomery, was appointed by the
dates,when he has become
synod of
old,is sorelytorturedby
Mississippi, in 1839,to write the wringings of a guilty
or
conscience,when his filialtenderness and sympathy
compile a catechism for the instructionof have gained the ascendencyover his apprehended
the negroes.
duty of killinghis parent. In like manner,
of the many
a slave-holder, whose conscience is
The former
clergyman is characterized as
"
father." His
an "aged and indefatigable
success in enlightening
very great. A largeproportion
the negroes has been
of the
negroes in his old church can recite both
Williston'sand the Westminster Catechism
wishes
Mr. Jones says, in his "History
Religious Instruction of the guided,
Negroes "
(p.
not by .theword of God, but by the doctrines
of men, is often suffering the lashes of a
83): " The Rev. James Smylieand the
when he guiltyconscience,even renders to his
Rev. C. Blair are engagedin this good slave " that which is just and equal,"according
work (ofenlightening the
to the
negroes)systematically
Scriptures, simplybecause he does not
and constantly in
emancipate
Mississippi."
his slave,irrespective of the benefit
or injury done by such an act.
very accurately." The writerreally scrupulous and conscientious slave-holder,
from the word of
that it were in her power to make
God, the glad tidings that slavery
copious
extracts from Mr. Smylie'spamphlet. A itself is not sinful. Released now from an
incubus that paralyzed his energies in discharge
greatdeal could be learnedfrom it as to what of duty towards his slaves, he goes forth cheerfully
style of mind, and habits of thought, and
to energetic action. It is not now as formerly,
when he viewed
modes of slaveryas in itselfsinful.
viewingreligious subjects, are
likely to grow up under such He can now an institution.
pray, with the hope of beingheard,
The man is undoubtedly and heartily sincere
that God will bless his exertionsto train up his
slaves "in the nurture and admonition of* the
in his opinions, and appears
to maintain
Lord :" whereas,before,he was retarded by this
them with a most abounding and triumphant
"
consideration, "If I regardiniquity my
heart,the Lord will not hear me." Instead of
joyfulness, as the very latest
improvement in theological knowledge Ẉe hanging down his head,moping and brooding over
his condition,as formerly, without action,he
of his Introduction,
raises his head, and moves on cheerfully, in the
plainpath on
of duty.
He
which is to be found
is no more temptedto look askance at the
word of God, and saying, " Hast thou found me,
on our south-westernwaters :
0 mine enemy," come to "filch from me" my
In presenting the following review to the slaves,which,
public,
"while not enriching" them, "leaves
the author was not entirely or mainlyinfluenced
me poor indeed?" Instead of viewingthe word of
by a desireor hope to correct the views of God, as formerly, come with whips and scorpions
the ChillicothePresbytery. He hoped the to chastise him into
publication
paradise, he feels that its
"
would be of essential service to ways
are ways of pleasantness,
and its paths
others,as
well as to the
peace." Distinguishing now between the real
presbytery.
word of God and what are
From his intercourse with religious societiesof
onlythe doctrines and
commandments of
all denominations,in Mississippi and Louisiana, he
men, the mystery is solved,
which was before
was aware that the abolition maxim,
insolvable,namely,
namely,that
" The statutes
slaveryis in itselfsinful, had of the Lord are
gained on and entwined
right, rejoicing the heart."
itself among the religious and conscientious
scruples of many
in the community so far If you should undertake to answer such
as not only to render them unhappy, but to draw
off the attention from the great and a man by saying that his argument proves
important
duty of a householder to his household. The too that neither Christ nor his
much,"
eye
of the mind,restingon slaveryitselfas a corrupt apostles bore any explicit testimonyagainst
fountain,from which, of necessity,nothingbut the gladiatorial shows and the sportsof the
corrupt streams could flow, was incessantly employed
in search of some plan by which, with arena, and,therefore, it would be righ to
safety, the fountain could, in some future time,be
seems to be that he would
entirelydried up ; never reflecting, or dreaming,
heartily assent to
that slavery, in itself considered,was an innoxious
it,and think,on the whole țhat itmight be a
relation,and that the whole error rested in
goodspeculation. As a further specimen of
the neglect of the relativeduties of the relation.
the
If there be a
free-and-easy facetiousness which seems
consciousness of guiltrestingon
to
the mind, it is all the same, as to the effect,
be a traitin this production, see, on p. 58.
whether the conscience is or is not right. Although
where the Latin motto Factlis descensiis
the word of God alone oughtto be the Averni sed revocare, "c, receives the following
guideof conscience, yetit is not alwaysthe case.
quitefreeand trulyWestern translation,
Hence, conscientiousscruple sometimes exist for
neglecting to do that which the word of*God
which,he good-naturedly says, is
condemns.
are tempted to present a part
simply for the light it gives us
the style of thinking
" How beautiful upon
the mountains,"in the
apprehension would be the feet
of him that would bring" to the Bornean "
the
gladtidings" that his conduct, in sparing the life
of his tender and affectionateparent, was no sin !
* * * *
Equallybeautiful and delightful,
does the reviewer trust,will it be,to an honest,
to learn,
get them up in America," the probability
given for the benefit of those who do not

understand "
Latin, "It
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 201
is easy to go to the
devil,but the devil to get back."
Some
uncharitablepeoplemight,perhaps, was offeredfor the apprehension of the same
say that the preachers of such doctrines are Arthur Tappan, or of Le Roy Sunderland,
as likelyas anybodyto have an experimentala
Methodist clergyman of New York. Of
knowledge on this point. The idea course, as none of these persons could be
of this jovial old father instructing a class seized exceptin violationof the Jaws of the
of black " Sams " "
and young Topsys "
in state where they were citizens, this was
the mysteries of.the Assembly'sCatechism offering a public reward foran act of felony.
istrulypicturesque !
That
of slavery have been
of Horace Mann the following examples are
given(p.467). In 1831 the Legislature
of Georgiaoffered fivethousand dollarsto
any one
same state,September4, 1835, it was the punishment ot any such offender in any part
formally recommended to the governor to
of theState of Mississippi where he may
be found.
offer,by proclamation, fivethousand dollars
Resolved, That the clergy of the State of Mississippi
be herebyrecommended at once to take a
reward for the apprehension of any one of stand upon this subject; and that their further
ten persons, citizens, with one exception, of silence in relation thereto,at this crisis,will,in
New York and our
Massachusetts, whose names opinion, be subject to serious censure.
were given. The Milledgeville (Ga.) The treatment to which persons were exposed,
Federal Union of February1st,1836, when taken up by any of these vigilance
contained an offer of ten thousand dollars committees, as suspected ofanti-slavery
for the arrest and kidnapping of the Rev. A. sentiments, be gathered from the following
may
A. Phelps,of New York. The committee account. The writer has a distinct
of vigilance of the parish of East Feliciana recollection of the" circumstances at the
offered, in the Louisville Journal of Oct. presenttime,as
15, 1835,fiftythousand dollars to any
person who would deliverinto theirhands
Arthur Tappan,of New York. At a public
meetingat Mount Meigs,Alabama,Aug.
13,1836,the Hon. Bedford Ginress in the
chair,a reward of fiftythousand dollars
Throughout all the Southern Statesassociations
Mr. Smylie'sopinions on the subject were formed,called committees of
amplysupported and vigilance, for the takingof measures for
carried out by leadingclergymen in every suppressing abolition opinions, and for the
denomination, Ave mightgivevolumes of punishmentby Lynch law of suspected
quotations to show.
persons. At Charleston, South Carolina, a
A second head,however,isyetto be considered,
mob of thisdescription forced open the postoffice,
and made a generalinspection, at
with regardto the influenceof the
Southern church and clergy.
theirpleasure, of itscontents ; and whatever
It is well known that the Southern politipublication
they found there which they
cal communityhave taken theirstand upon consideredto be of a dangerousand anti-
they made a publicbonfire
the position that the institutionof slaveryslaverytendency,
shall not be open to discussion. In many of, in the street. A largepublicmeeting
of the slave states stringent laws exist, subjecting
was held,a few daysafterwards, to complete
to fine and imprisonment, and even the preparation for excludinganti-slavery
death, any who speak or publishanything principles from publication, and forferreting
upon the subject, except in itsfavor. They out persons suspected of abolitionism, that
have not only done thiswith regardto citizens
they might be subjectedto Lynch law.
of slave states, but theyhave shown the Similar popularmeetings were held through
strongest disposition to do it with regard to the Southern and Western States. At one
citizensof freestates ; and when thesediscussions
of these,held in Clinton, Mississippi, in the
could not be repelled by regularlaw, yea,r 1835,the following resolutions were
theyhave encouraged the use of illegal measures.
In the published lettersand speeches ResolvedȚhat slaverythroughthe South and
West is not felt as an evil,moral or political, but
it is recognizedin reference to the actual,and not
to any Utopiancondition of our slaves,as a blessing
both to master and slave.
who would arrest and bringto trial
conviction, in Georgia, a citizenof Mas-
ResolvedȚhat it is our decided opinionthat
and
sachusetts,
any individualwho dares to circulate, with a view
named William LloydGarrison. to effectuatethe designsof the abolitionists, any
This law was approvedby W. of the
Lumpkin, incendiary tracts or newspapers
now in
a course of transmission to
Governor,Dec. 26, 1831. At a meeting
this country, is justly
worthy,
of slave-holdersheld at Sterling,
the
in the sight of God and man, of immediate
death ; and we doubt not that such would be
the victim of thisinjustice
was a member of the seminarythen under
the care of her father.
Amos Dresser,now a missionary in Jamaica,
was a theological student at Lane Seminary, near

"
The
202 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
Cincinnati. In the vacation (August 1835) he publicsentiment,by suspending their schools in
undertook to sellBibles in the State of Tennessee, which the free colored "population were taught;
with a view to raise means further to continue his and that this meeting deem it a patrioticaction,
studies. Whilst there, he fell under suspicion worthyof all praise, and proper to be imitated
of beingan abolitionist, was arrestedby the vigilanceby
other teachers of similar schools throughout
committee whilst attendinga religious the state.
meeting in the neighborhood of Nashville,the
capital of the state,and, The
after an afternoon and questionhere arises, whether their
evening'sinquisition, condemned to receivetwenty-Lord,alashes on his naked body. The sentence was executed
on their actions in a similar strain.
the day of judgment, will comment
on him, between eleven and twelve o'clock The alarm of the Virginiaslave-holders
on Saturdaynight, in the presence of most of the
was not less
committee,and of an infuriatedand blaspheming
;
nor were the clergyin the
mob. The vigilance committee (an unlawful association)
city of Richmond, the capital, less prompt
consisted of sixtypersons. Of these, than the clergy in Charleston to respond to
twenty-seven were members of churches ; one, a
"publicsentiment." Accordingly, on the
religious
teacher ; anotherțhe Elder who but a
29th of
few days before,in the Presbyterian church', J^ily, theyassembled together, and
handed Mr. Dresser the bread and wine at
the^Resolved,
unanimously,
communion of the Lord's supper.
That we earnestlydeprecatethe unwarrantable
and highlyimproperinterferenceof the people
It willreadily be seen that the principle
of
any other state with the domestic relations of
involved in such proceedings as these involves
master and slave.
more than the question of That the
slavery. exampleof our Lord Jesus Christ and
The question was, in his
"
fact,this, whether it apostles, in not interfering with the question
of slavery, but uniformlyrecognizing the relations
is so important to hold African slaves that it
of master and servant, and givingfull and affectionate
is proper to deprive free Americans of the
instructionto both,is worthyof the imitation
liberty of conscience, and liberty of of all
speech,
ministers of the gospel.
and liberty of the That we will not
press,
in order to do it. It
patronize nor receive any
pamphlet
is easy to see that very
serious changes
or newspaper of the anti-slavery societies,
and that
would be made in the government of we will discountenance the circulation
a country
of all such papers
in the community.
by the admission of tins principle; The Rev. J. C. Postell, a Methodist
because it is quiteplainthat,if all these
minister of South Carolina, concludesa
principles of our free very
governmentmay be
violentletterto the editorof Zion's Watchman,
a Methodist anti-slavery paper published
given up for one thing țhey may for
another,and that its ultimate tendency in New York,
is to destroyentirely that freedom of opinion
in the following
manner. The reader will see that this
and thoughtwhich is consideredto be
taunt is an allusion to the offer of fifty
the distinguishing excellenceof American
thousand dollars for his bodyat the South
institutions.
which we have given
question now is,Did the church join
before.
with the world in thinking the institution But, if you desire to educate the slaves, I will
tell
of slavery so important and desirable as to you how to raise the money without editing
Zion's Watchman. You and old Arthur Tappan
lead them to look with approbation upon come out to the South this winter,and they will
Lynch law,and the sacrificeof the rightsraise one hundred thousand dollars for you. New
of free inquiry '? We answer the reader by Orleans,itself, will be pledged for it. Desiring
submitting the no further
following facts and quotations.
acquaintance with you, and never expecting
to see
you but once in time or eternity, that
is at the
At the largemeeting which judgment, I subscribe myselfthe friend
we have described
of the Bible, and the opposer of abolitionists,
above, in Charleston Șouth Carolina,
J. C. Postell.
the Charleston Courier informs us
Orangeburgh, July21st,1836.
"that the clergyof all denominations attended
The Rev. Thomas S. Witherspoon, a member
in a body,lending their sanctionto
the proceedings, and addingby their of the Presbyterian Church,writing to
pres- the editor of the Emancipator,says
'
ence to the impressive character of the
:
scene." There can be no doubt that the I draw my warrant from the Scriptures of the
presence of the clergyof all denominations,
Old and New Testament, to hold the slave in
in a body, at a meetingheld for such
bondage. The principle of holdingthe heathen in
bondage
a-
purpose, was an impressive scene, truly is recognized by God. * * *
When
! the tardyprocess of the law istoo longin redressing
At this meetingit our
was Resolved,
grievances, we of the South have adopted
the summary remedy of and really
JudgeLynch"
That the thanks of this meeting are due to the I think it one of the most wholesome and salutary
reverend gentlemen of the clergy in this city, who remedies for the maladyof Northern fanaticism
have so promptlyand so effectually responded to that can be applied, and no doubt my worthy

Lastly.Abolitionists are
unaddicted to martyrdomfor opinion's sake. Let
them
if they come
among us, and theywill take good
heed to keep out of our way. There isnot one
man
among them who has any more idea of shed-
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 203
friendțhe Editor of the Emancipatorand Human,
ding
hisblood this cause than he has
Rights, would feel the better of of its making
enforcement, war on the Grand Turk.
providedhe had a Southern administrator. I go
to the Bible for my warrant in all moral matters. The Rev. Dr. Hill,of
* *
Let
Virginia, said,in
your emissaries dare venture to cross
the New School
the Potomac,and I cannot
Assembly:
promiseyou that their
fate will be less than Haman's. Then beware
The
how you goad an insulted
abolitionistshave
but made the servitude of
magnanimous people
the slave harder. If
to deeds
I could tell
ofdesperation !
you some of the
dirtytrickswhich these abolitionistshave played,
The Rev. Robert N. Anderson,also a
you
Lynched,and it served them
member of the Presbyterian Church, says, in
right.
a letterto the Sessionsof the PresbyterianThese thingssufficiently
Congregations within the bounds of the West
Hanover
Presbytery :
At the approaching stated meetingof our Pres-
I design to offera preambleand string of
resolutions on the subjectof the use of wine in
bytery,
that theycan tolerateand encourage
the Lord's Supper; and also a preambleand string acts of lawlessviolence, and risk allthe
of resolutions on the subject of the treasonable and dangersof encouraging
abominablywicked interferenceof the Northern
mob law,foritssake.
and Eastern These
fanatics with our political and civil passages and consideration sufficientl
rights, our property and our domestic show the stand which
concerns.
the Southern church
You are aware that our clergy, whether with or takes upon thissubject.
without reason, are more suspectedby the public For many
as
than the clergy of other denominations. Now,
dear Christianbrethren, I humblyexpress it as
my
earnest wish
,
that you quityourselves like men. If
there be any straygoat of a minister among you,
tainted with the blood-hound principles of abolitionism,
alwaysattend
let him be ferretedout, silenced,
the system of slavery, and
excommunicated,
which must
and leftto the publicto disposeof him
necessarily producea certain obtuseness
of the moral sens* in the mind of
in other respects.
Your affectionatebrother in the Lord, any man who is educated from childhood
Robert N. Anderson. under them.
The Rev. William S. Plummer,D.D.,of
Richmond,a member of the Old-schoolPresbyterian
Church,is another instance of the
same sort. He was absent from Richmond
at the time the clergy in that citypurged
themselves, in a body,from the charge of
beingfavorably disposedto abolition. On
his return,he lost no time in
communicating
"
the
to the " Chairman of
bowie-knifestyle;"and
the Committee of Correspondence
we must not
" his be
agreementwith hisclerical
surprised at its producing a
martial
brethren. The cast of
passagesquotedoccur in his
religious character, and ideas
letterto the chairman :
very much at variancewith the spirit of the
gospel. A religious man, born and educated
I have carefully watched this matter from
at the
its South,has allthesedifficulties to contend
earliestexistence, and everything I have seen or with,in elevating himself to the true
heard of its character,both from its patronsand spirit of the gospel.
itsenemies,has confirmed me, beyondrepentance, It
in the was said
belief,that,let the character of
by one that,afterthe Reformation,
abolitionists
be what it may in the sight of the the bestof
Judgeof
men, beingeducated under
all the earth,this is the most
a
meddlesome,impudent,
system of despotismand force, and accustomed
reckless,fierce,and wicked excitement I
and not
would not wonder. Some of them have been
show theestimate
which the Southern clergy and church have
to therelativevalue
formed and expressed as
of slavery
and the rightof freeinquiry Ịt
shows,alsoțhat theyconsiderslavery as
important
of these opinions, shocking
they may appear, some apology may be
found in that blinding power of custom and
allthosedeadlyeducationalinfluenceswhich
There isalso, in the habitsof mind formed
so
under a system which is supportedby con-
resort to force and violence, a necessary
deadening of sensibility
tinual
to the evilsof
forceand violence, as appliedto other subjects.
The whole style of civilization which
is formed under such an institutionhas been
not unaptlydenominated by a
popular writer
peculiarly
from childhoodto have force,
ever saw.
If abolitionistswill
argument,made the
set the test of
countryin a blaze,
opinion, came to
it is but fair that look
they should receive the first upon all controversies very much in a
warmingat the
"
fire.
Smithfieldlight, the question beingnot as
* * * * # #
. * to the propriety of burnirfg heretics, but as
like infidels, whollyto which partyoughtto be burned.
The
understand that
system
theywill be caught[Lynched]
of slavery is a
of society to the worst abuses of the
simpleretrogression
mkldle ages. We must not thereforebe surprised
to findthe opinions and
practices of

204 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
"
"
the middle ages,
as to civiland religious been united in ecclesiastical relationswith
toleration, prevailing.
Christiansof the northern and free states,
However much we may reprobate and deplore
meetingwith them,by theirrepresentatives
those unworthyviews of God and religion
yearly, in theirvariousecclesiastical assemblies.
which are impliedin such declarations One mighthope, in case of such a
as are here recorded, however blasphemous union țhat those debasing of Christianity,
still, itis apparent
and thatdeadnessof public sentiment,
sincerity ; and this is the most melancholy under the slave system,mighthave been
feature of the case. They are as sincere as qualified by intercoursewith Christiansin
Paul when he breathed out threatenings and free states,who,havingrown up under free
slaughter, and when he thoughtwithin himself
institutions, would naturally be supposedto
thathe ought to do many thingscontraryfeeltheutmost
abhorrenceof such sentiments.
to the name of Jesus. They are as sincere One would have supposedthat the church
as the Brahmin or Hindoo,conscientiously and clergy of the freestates would naturally
supporting a religion of cruelty and blood. have used the most strenuous endeavors, by
They are as sincere as many enlightened, all the means in their power,
to convince
scholarlikeand Christianmen in modern Europe,
theirbrethren of errors so dishonorableto
who,born and bred under systems of Christianity, and tendingto such dreadful
civiland religious despotism, and havingthem practical results. One would have supposed
entwined with all their dearest associations alsoțhat,failing to convince their brethren,
of home and country, and havingall their
to
habitsof thought and feeling biased bythem, clear themselves from all complicity with
do most conscientiously defend them.
thesesentiments, bythe most solemn,earnest
There is somethingin conscientiousconviction,
and reiteratedprotests.
even in. case of the worst kind of Let us now inquire what has,in fact,been
which is not without a certain degreethe
course of the Northern church on this
influences will deny. That there may be
ful
very sincere Christiansunder this system of relation, as much as that of parent and
religion, with all its falseprinciples and all child,husband and wife,or any other lawful
itsdisadvantageous influences, liberality must relationof society.(HarmonyPres. Ș. C.)
concede. The Church of Rome has had its 2. That it is consistent with the most
Fenelon,its Thomas a. Kempis; and the fraternal regard for the goodof the slave.
Southern Church,which has adoptedthese (Charleston Union Pres. Ș. C.)
principles, has had men who have risen 3. That masters oughtnot to be disciplined
above the level of their system. At the
for selling slaves without their consent.
time of the Reformation,and now, the (New-schoolPres. Church,Petersburg,
Church of Rome had in its bosom thousands
Va.)
of praying, devoted, humble Christians, 4. That the righ to buy,sell,and hold
which,like flowers in the clefts of rocks, men for purposes
of gain, was givenby
could be countedby no eye,
save God's alone.
expresspermission of God. (JamesSmylie
And so, amid the riftsand glaciers of this and his Presbyteries.)
horriblespiritual and temporaldespotism, we 5. That the laws which forbid the education
hope are blooming flowers of Paradise, patient,
of the slave are right, and meet the
prayerful, and self-denying Christians ; approbationof the reflecting part of the
and itis the deepestgrief, in attacking the Christiancommunity.(Ibid.)
dreadfulsystem under which theyhave been 6. That the fact of slavery is not a question
born and broughtup, that violence must be of morals at all,but is purelyone of
done to their cherishedfeelings and associations.
political economy. (Charleston Baptist Associatio
In another and betterworld,perhaps,
they may appreciate the motives of those
who do this.
But now another consideration comes to
the mind. These Southern Christianshave
and absurd theymay appear,
that theirauthors utteredthem with which were the inevitableresultof an education
theywould have feltitdue to Christianity
opinions,
of respectability. That the religion subject.
expressed by the declarationswhich we have Previous to makingthis inquiry, let us
quoted is as truly Antichrist as the religion review the declarationsthat have been made
of the Church of Rome, it ispresumedno in the Southern church, and see what principles
sensible person out of thesphereof American have been establishedby them.
1. That slaveryis an innocent and law-
7. The rightof masters to dispose of the
time of their slaves has been distinctly
recognizedby the Creator of all things.
|(Ibid.)

KEY TO UNCLE TOM'S CABIN. 205
8. That slavery, as it exists in these on itspart,refusedto receivehim back,and
United States,isnot a moral evil. (Georgia he was receivedintothe Old School Church.
Conference, Methodist.)
The Presbyterian Church
9. That,without a new revelationfrom exceeded all other churches of the United
heaven,no man is entitledto pronounce States in
are principles of very extensiveapplication, trial in the General Assembly on these
underlying the whole foundationsof religion pointswas the all-engrossing topic in the
and moralityỊf not true,theywere certainly
Presbyterian Church for some time. The
heresiesof no ordinary magnitude,
involving no ordinary results. Let us now with referenceto similaropinions.During
return to our inquiryas to the course of all this time,no notice was taken of the
the Northern church in relationto them. heresy, if such it be,that the righto buy,
CHAPTER
II.
In the first place,have any of these
opinions ever been treatedin the church as
heresies, and the teachersof them been sub-
to the censures with which it is
thought proper to visitheresy1
After a somewhat extended examination
jected
If itbe accounted for by sayingthat the
question of slavery is a question of practical
morals, and not of dogmatictheology,
we are then reminded that questions
of
morals of far lessmagnitudehave been discussed
with absorbing interest.
upon the subject, the writer has been able The Old School Presbyterian Church,in
to discover but one instance of this sort. whose communion the greaterpart of the
It may be possible that such cases have slave-holding Presbyterians of the South are
existed in other denominations, which have found,has never
escapedinquiry.
itsmembers for upholdinga system which
A clergymanin the CincinnatiN. S. Presbyterydenieslegalmarriage
to allslaves. Yet this
maintained the doctrine that slave-
its very foundation
the Cincinnati Synod. The New School
this
General Assembly,however,reversed
decisionof the presbytery, and restoredthe
standing of theclergyman Ṭhe presbytery,
has probably
Rev. Dr. L. Beecher went througha trial
its zeal for doctrinalopinions.
slaverywrong.
This church has been shaken and agitated to
10. That the separation of slavesby sale its very foundation with questions of heresy;
should be regardedas separation by death, but,exceptin this individual case, itis not
and the partiesallowed to marry again. known that any of these principles which
(ShilohBaptistAss.,and Savannah River have been assertedby Southern Presbyterian
Ass.)
bodies and individualshave ever been discussed
11. That the testimony of colored members
in its General Assemblyas matters
of the churches shall not be taken of heresy.
against white a person. (Methodist Church.) About the time that Smylie'spamphlet
In addition,it has been plainly avowed, came out, the Presbyterian Church was,
by the expressedprinciples and practice of convulsedwith the trialof the Rev. Albert
Christiansof variousdenominations, thattheyBarnes for certain alleged heresies. These
regard it rightand proper to put down all heresiesrelated to the federalheadshipof
inquiry upon this subject by Lynchlaw. Adam, the propriety of imputinghis sin to
One would have imaginedthat theseprinciples
all his posterity, and the question whether
were sufficiently extraordinary, as men have any ability of any kind to obey
coming from the professors
the religion the commandments of God.
of Christțo have excited a gooddeal of For advancing certainsentiments on these
attention in their Northern brethren. It topics, Mr. Barnes was silencedby the vote
also must be seen that,as principles, theyof the synodto which he belonged, and his
sell, and hold men for purposes of gain,
was expressly givenby God ; althoughthat
heresywas publiclypromulgated in the
same Presbyterian Church,by Mr. Smylie,
and the presbyteries with which he was connected.
feltcalled upon to discipline
church was agitated to
holdingwas justified by the Bible,and for by the discussion of a question of morals
persistence in teachingthis sentiment was which an impartial observerwould probably
suspendedby that presbytery. He appealed consider of far less magnitude,namely,
to Synod,and the decision was confirmedby whether a man might lawfully his
marry
deceased wife's sister. For the time,all
the strengthand attention of the church
seemed concentrated upon this important
subjectṬhe trialwent
from Presbytery to

206 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
Synod,and from
: and ended with deposing a
Synodto General Assembly
very respectable
minister for this crime.
they are
Rev. Robert P. Breckenridge, D.D., a
member of the Old School Assembly,has
'slave-man is the father of any childrenin
and no slave-childisthe childof
particular,
parent in particular."
any
Now, had thischurch consideredthe fact reason of this tolerance of an admitted sin,
that three million men and women were, by the anti-slavery testimony has every year
the laws of the land,obliged to livein this grown weaker and weaker. If we look over
manner, as of equallyserious consequence, the history denominations, we shall
it isevident, ingenuity, argument,
vehemence,Biblicalresearch, and untiring language with relationto slavery Ṭhis is
zeal,which theybestowed on Mr. McQueen's
the case with the Methodist and
particularly
trialțhat theycould have made a
very Presbyterian bodies,and for that reason we
strongcase with regardto thisalso. selectthesetwo as examplesṬhe Methodist
The history of the united action of denominations
Societyespecially, as organizedby John
which included churches both Wesley, was an anti-slavery society, and the
in the slaveand free states is a melancholy Book of Discipline contained the most positive
exemplification, to a reflecting mind,of that statutes againstslave-holding. The
gradualdeteriorationof the moral sense history of the successiveresolutionsof the
which resultsfrom admittingany compromise,
conferenceof this church is very striking.
however slight, with an acknowledged In 1780,before the church was regularly
sin. The best minds in the world cannot organized States, theyresolved
bear such a familiarity without injury to the as follows:
moral sense. The factsof the slavesystem
and of the slave laws,when presented The conference acknowledges that slaveryis
disinterestedjudges in contrary
Europe,have excited
God, man and nature,
and hurtful to society; contrary to the dictatesof
a universaloutburstof horror ; yet, in assemblies
conscience and true religion ; and doingwhat we
composedof the wisest and best clergymen
would not others should do unto us.
of America,these thingshave been
discussedfrom year to year, and yetbrought
In 1784,when the church was fullyorganized,
beingof sufficiently
authorize separation.
Nobodywilldoubt that, had the Southern
members taken such a stand agains the
divinity of our Lord,the divisionwould
have been immediate and unanimous;but
yet the Southern members do maintain the
righ to buy and sell,lease,hire and mortgage,
multitudesof men and women, whom,
with the same breath,theydeclared to be
members of theirchurches and true Christians.
The Bible declaresof all such that
temples of the Holy Ghost ; that
theyare members of Christ'sbody, of his
fleshand bones. Is not the doctrinethat
thus describedthe state of the slave population
men
may lawfullysell the members of
"
as to theirmarriage relations : The Christ,his body,his fleshand bones,for
system of slavery denies to a Avholeclassof purposes of gain,as really a heresyas the
human beingsthe sacredness of marriagedenial of the divinity of Christ ; and is it
and of home,compelling them to livein a not a dishonorto Him who is over all,God
state of concubinage ; for in the eye of the blessed forever, to tolerate this dreadful
law no colored slave-man isthe husband of opinion, with its more dreadful consequences,
any wife in particular, nor
any slave-woman while the smallest heresiesconcerning the
the wife of any husband in particular ; no imputation of Adam's sin are pursued with
eager vehemence? If the historyof the
action of all the bodies thus united can be
traced downwards,we shall find that,by
see that at firsttheyused very stringent
adoptedprescribing the
times at which members who were already
rules were
no resultsthathave,in the slightest degree,
lessened the evil. The reason is this. A
slave-holdershould emancipate
portionof the members of these bodies had
theirslaves.
These rules were
pledgedthemselves to sustain the system,
and peremptorily
refuseand put down all Every person concerned,who will not comply
with these rules,shall have
discussionof it ; and the other part of libertyquietlyto
the
withdraw from our societywithin the twelve
bodydid not consider this stand so taken as months following the notice beinggivenhim, as
vital consequence
to aforesaid ; otherwise the assistants shall exclude
him from the society.
succeededbythe following :
No person holdingslaves shall in future be
admitted into society, or to the Lord's Supper,
tillhe previously complywith these rules concerning
slavery.
Those who buy,sell,or give[slaves] away,
unless on
purpose to free them,shall be expelled
immediately.
In 1801 :
"We declare that we are more than ever con-

vinced of the greatevil of African slavery, which
stillexistsin these United States.
Everymember of the society who sellsa slave
shall,immediately after full proof, be excluded
from the society, "c.
The Annual Conferences are directed to draw
up addresses,for the gradualemancipation of the
slaves,to the legislature. Proper committees
shall be appointedbythe Annual Conferences,out
of our friends,for the
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 207
whose abduction the State of Alabama had
of the most respectable
conductingof the business ; and the presiding offeredfifty thousand dollars.
elders,deacons,and travelling preachers, shall In 1840,the General Conference at Baltimore
procure as many proper signatures as possible to
passedthe resolution that we have
the addresses ; and giveall the assistancein their
power, in every respect, to aid the committees,and already quoted,forbidding preachers to allow
to further the blessed undertakingḶet this be colored persons to givetestimony in their
continued from year to year, tillthe desired end churches. It has been computedthat about
be accomplished.
eighty thousand peoplewere deprived of the
In 1836 let us notice the change.The rightof testimony by thisact. This Methodist
General Conference held its annual
Church
session
subsequently broke into a Northern
in Cincinnati, and resolvedas follows:
Resolved,By the delegates of the Annual Conferences
and the Northern Conference has stillin its
in General Conference assembled,That
they are decidedly opposedto modern abolitionism,
communion slave-holding conferences and
and wholly disclaim any right,ivish, or intention,
members.
to interferein the civiland political relation Of the Northern conferences, one of the
between master and slave,as itexistsin the slaveholding
states of this Union.
largest, the Baltimore, passed the following :
These resolutions
Resolved, That this were passedby
conferencedisclaimshaving
a very
any fellowship with abolitionism. On the contrary,
largemajority Ạn address was received while it is determined to maintain itswellknown
and long-established position, by keeping
from the WesleyanMethodist Conference in
England,affectionately remonstrating
the the travelling preacherscomposingits'ownbody
subject of freefrom
slavery.The Conference refused
slavery, it is also determined not to hold
connection with
to publish it. In the any ecclesiasticalbodythat shall
pastoral address
make non-slaveholding a condition of membership
to the churches are these passages
:
in the church ; but to stand by and maintain the
discipline
It cannot be unknown to you that the as itis.
question
of slaveryin the United States,by the constitutional
The following
compact which binds extract ismade from an address
us together as a nation,
of the
is leftto be regulated by the several state legislatures
Philadelphia Annual Conference
themselves ; and therebyisputbeyondthe to the societiesunder its care, dated Wilmington
control of the generalgovernment, as well as that
Del.,April7,1847 :
of allecclesiastical bodies ; itbeingmanifest that
a deacon or elder in the church,unless he
would give a pledgeto the church that he
would refrainfrom discussing thissubject.*
ation of its character,by circulating it,recommending
it to our people, or procuring
or
deemed
by collecting or
remitting
guilty of indiscretion, and
subscribers,
moneys, shall be
dealt with accordingly.
It willbe recollectedthatZion's Watchman
was
editedby Le Roy Sunderland, for
and Southern Conference. The Southern
Conference is avowedly all pro-slavery,
in the slave-holding states themselves the entire If the planof separation gives us the pastoral
responsibility of its existence, or non-existence, care of you, itremains to inquire whether we have
rests with those state
*
legislatures.
done anything, as a conference, men, to forfeit
* * *
These facts,which are onlymentioned here as a your confidence and affection. We are not
reason for the friendly admonition which we wish advised that even in the greatexcitement which
to giveyou, constrain us, as your pastors,who are has distressed you for some months past,any one
calledto watch over
your souls as they Inust givehas impeached our moral conduct,or charged us
account, to exhort you to abstain from all abolition with unsoundness in doctrine, or corruption
movements and associations, and to refrain from tyranny in the administration of discipline. But
patronizing any of their * *
publications, "c. we learn that the simple cause of the unhappy excitement
among you is,that some
suspectus,
The subordinateconferences showed the
affectto suspectus, of beingabolitionists. Yet
same spirit.
no particular act of the conference, or
any particular
In 1836 the New York Annual Conference
member thereof, isadduced,as the groundof
resolvedthat no one
the erroneous
should be elected
and injurious suspicionẈe would
ask you, brethren,whether the conduct of our
ministryamong you for sixt years past ought
not to be sufficientto protect us from this charge.
Whether the question we have been accustomed,
In 1838 the conferenceresolved for a few :
years past, to put to candidates for
admission among us, namely, Are you an abolitionist
As the sense of thisconference, that any of its ? and,without each one answered in the
members, or probationers, who shall patronizenegative,
he was not received, oughtnot to protect
Zion's Watchman either , by writingin commend- us from the charge.Whether the action of the
last conference on this particular matter ought
This resolution is givenin Eirney'spamphlet. not to satisfy any fairand candid mind that we are

"
that
"
as
208 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
not,and do not desireto be,abolitionists. * * *
We cannot see how we can be regardedas aboli-
they shall enjoy the ordinances of the gospel;
tionists, whether they shall performthe duties and cherish
without the ministers of the Methodist
EpiscopalChurch South beingconsidered in the and children, neighborsand friends ; whether they
same light. * # * # # shall preserve their chastity and purity, or
Wishingyou all heavenlybenedictions, we are, the dictates of justiceand humanity.Such are
dear brethren,yours, in Christ Jesus,
some of the consequences
J. P. DURBIN,
J. Kennaday,
X
"
of slavery, consequences
not imaginary, but which connect themselves
with its very existence. The evils to which
Ignatius T. Cooper, V Comm the slave is alwaysexposedoften take placein
William H. Gilder,
fact,and in their very worst degree and form : and
Joseph Castle, J
where allof them do not take place,
These factssufficiently
to say that in many instances, through the influence
definethe position of the principles of humanity and religion
the
of the Methodist Church. The history
minds of masters, they do stillthe slaveis
not,"
melancholy, but instructive. The history of deprived of his natural right, degradedas a human
being,
the Presbyterian Church isalsoof interest.
and exposed to the dangerof passinginto
the hands of a master who may inflict upon him
In 1793,the following note to the eighthall the hardships and injuries which
commandment was insertedin the Book of and avarice may suggest.
Discipline, as expressing the doctrineof the
This languagewas
church upon slave-holding
:
was
1 Tim. 1 : 10. The law ismade for man-stealers.
and non-slaveholders. Certainly one
This crime among the Jews exposed the perpetrators
think the time of redemption was
of it to capitalpunishment,Exodus 21 : 15 ;
nigh. The declaration
and the apostlehere classes them with sinners of
goes on to say :
the firstrank. The word he uses, in itsoriginal It is manifestly the dutyof all Christians who
import,comprehendsall who are concerned in
enjoy
bringing the light of the presentday,when the incon-
any of the human race into slavery, or in
of slaveryboth with the dictatesof hu-
retainingthem in it. Hominum fures,qui servos
and religion has been demonstrated and
vel liberos abducunt,retinent, vendunt,vel emunt. isgenerally seen and acknowledged, to use
Stealersof men are all those who bringoffslaves earnest, unwearied endeavors to correct the errors
or freemen,and keep, sell, or buy them. To steala of former times,and as speedily as possibleto
free man, says Grotius,isthe highestkind of theft. efface this blot on our holyreligion, and to obtain
In other instances, we only steal human property;
but when we steal or retain men in slavery, we
seize those who, in common with ourselves, are
constitutedby the original grantlordsofthe earth. Here we have the Presbyterian
No rules of church
slave-holding and non-slaveholding,
discipline were enforced,
formed into one
and members whom this
great passage declared
abolition society, as
guilty of this crime remained undisturbed
in its communion,as ministersand
elders. This inconsistency was obviated in
1816
free,
by expungingthe passage from
theytenderly sympathize
the
with
Book of Discipline. In 1818 it the portionof the church and countrythat
adoptedan
expression of itsviews has had this evil entailed on slavery Ṭhis
upon them,where
document is a longone, conceived and written
as theysay " a great and the most virtuous
in a
very Christian spirit. The
partof the communityabhor slavery and
Assembly's
wish its extermination." But theyexhort
Digest says,p. 341,thatit was unanimously
them to commence
adopted.The following is
immediately the work
itstestimony as
to the nature of
ofinstructing slaves, with a
slavery :
them forfreedom ; and to letno
We consider the voluntary enslaving of one part take place than "a regardto publicwelfare
of the human race by another as a gross violation indispensably
of the most precious and sacred rights of human
nature ; as utterlyinconsistent with the law of by no other considerationsthan an honest
God, which requiresus to love our neighbor as
ourselves ; and as totallyirreconcilablewith the of the injuredparty,uninfluencedby tlie
spirit and principles of the gospelof Christ,which
expense and inconvenience which such regard
enjointhat "all thingswhatsoever ye would that
men should do to you, do even
ye
so to them." may involve." Itwarns against
" unduly
Slavery creates a paradox in the moral system"
it exhibits rational,accountable,and immortal against making it a cover for the love and
beings in such circumstances as scarcely to leave
practiceof slavery.It ends by recommending
them the power of moral action. Itexhibitsthem
that
as dependenton the will of others,whether any one who shallsell a fellowthey
shall receive religious instruction ; whether
Christianwithout his consent
they
shall know and worship the true God ; whether
the endearments of husbands and wives,parents
regard
we rejoice
inhumanity
surelydecided, and it
unanimouslyadoptedby slave-holders
might
drawing
sistency
manity
honest,
the complete abolition of slaverythroughout
Christendom and throughout the world.
Church,
virtually
we have seen the Methodist was.
The assemblythen goes on to state that
the slaves are not at presentpreparedto be
view to preparing
greaterdelay
demands." " To be governed
and impartialregard to the happiness
extending this plea of necessity"
be immediately
disciplined and suspended.

"
Brutal
If we considerthat this was unanimously
adoptedby slave-holders and all,and grant,
as we certainly do,that it was adoptedin alt
honestyand goodfaith, we shallsurely expect
something from it. We should expect
forthwith the organizing of a set of common
the
schoolsforthe slave-children ; for an efficientmore
ministration ; for an entire discontinuance
religious
of trading Christian slaves ; for
laws which make the family relationssacred.
Was any such thing done or attempted 1
Alas ! Two years afterthis came the admission
op Missouri,and the increase of demand
in the southern slave-market and the
internal slave-trade. Instead of -schoolteachers,
theyhad slave-traders ; instead of
gathering schools,theygatheredslave-cof-
Jles; instead of building school-houses, they
builtslave-pens and slave-prisons, jails, barracoons,
factories,
whatever the tradepleases
to term them ; and so went the plan of gradual
emancipation.
In 1834,sixteen years after, a committee
of the Synod of Kentucky, in which state
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 209
slaveryis generally said to exist in its
mildest form,appointed to make a report on
the condition of the slaves, gave the following
of their condition. First,as to
picture
their spiritual condition, theysay :
Hon. James Gr.Birney, for years a resident
of Kentucky, in his pamphlet, amends
the word rarelybysubstituting never.
After making all reasonable Elders,ministers,and doctors of divinity, are,
allowances,our with both hands, engaged
colored populationcan be considered, at the in most,
the practice.
but semi-heathen. As to their temporal estate One would have
stripes, and all the various kinds of personal
thoughtfactslikethese,
stated in
indignities, are not the only a
speciesof
body of Christians, were enough
cruelty which slaverylicenses. The law does not to wake the dead ; but,alas! we can become
recognize the familyrelations of the slave,and accustomed to very awful things.No action
extends to him no protection in the enjoymentof
was taken
domestic endearments. The members of a slavefamily
may be forcibly separated, so that they except to refer them to a committeețo be
upon these remonstrances,
shall never more meet until the final judgment. reported on at the next session, in 1836.
And cupidity often induces the masters to practise The moderator of the assembly in 1836
what the law allows. Brothers and sisters, parents
was a slave-holder,
and children,husbands and wives,are torn
the same who said
asunder,and permitted to see each other
to the editor of the
no more.
These acts are dailyoccurringin the midst of us. Emancipator, ' ' I draw my warrant from the
The shrieks and the agony often witnessed on Scriptures of the Old and New Testament
such occasions proclaim with a trumpet-tongue
I to h^i my siaveg m bondage. The princithe
iniquity and cruelty ot our system. The ^ r" i i r xi \. ^
"
criesof these sufferers go up to the ears of 'the\ Ple of ho dm3 "* heathen m bondageis
" Lord of Sabaoth. There is not a neighborhood(recognized by (jod. When the tardy prowhere
these heart-rending scenes are not displayed, icess of the law is too long in redressing our
There is not a village or road that does not behold I grievances, we at the South have adopted
the sad procession of manacled outcasts,whose Vi
r _ """" "c T ", T 7 ,F
chains and mournful countenances tell that they| the summary process of JudgeLynch."
are exiled by force from all that their hearts hold I Ihe majority ot the committee appointed
dear. Our church, years ago, raised itsvoice of | made a report as follows :
solemn warningagains this flagrant violation of j
"
every principle of mercy, justice, and humanity. Whereas the subjectof slaveryis inseparably
Yet we blush to announce to you and to the world Iconnected with the laws of many of the States in
that this warninghas been often disregarded, |this Union, with which it is by no means proper
even by those who hold to our communion. Cases for an ecclesiastical judicatureto interfere, and
have occurred,in our own denomination
,
where pro- involves many considerationsin regardto which
fessorsof the religionof mercy have torn the greatdiversity of opinionand intensity of feeling
mother from her children, and sent her into a merci- are known to existin the churches represented in
less and returnless exile. Yet acts of discipline this Assembly : And whereas there is greatreason
have rarelyfollowed such conduct. to believe that any action on the partof this Aa-
14
-i i
What
could show more plainly the utter inefficiency
of the past act of the Assembly,and
necessity of adoptingsome measures
efficient?In 1835,therefore,
the subject
was urged upon the General Assembly,
entreating them to carry out the principles
and designstheyhad avowed in 1818.
Mr. Stuart, of Illinois,
a speechhe
made upon the subject, said :
I hope this assemblyare preparedto come out
fullyand declare their sentiments, that slave-holding
is a most flagrant
and heinous sin. Let us
not pass it by in this indirect way, while so
many
thousands and tens of thousands of our fellowcreatures
are writhing under the lash,often
inflicted, too,by ministers and eldersof the Presbyterian
Church.
* # # # *
In thischurch a man
may take a free-born child,
forceit away from its parents țo whom God gave
it in charge,saying"Bring it up forme," and
sell it as a beast or hold it in perpetualbondage.
and not only escape corporealpunishment,but
reallybe esteemed an excellent Christian. Nay,
even
may
ministersof the gospel and doctorsof divinity
engage in this unholy traffic, and yet sustain
their high and holycalling.
# * # # *
Dr. T. S.Witherspoon,

210 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
sembly, in reference to this subject, would tend to The VirginiaTimes, in an article published
distract and divide our churches, and would
in this
probably in no wise promotethe benefit of those
very year of 1836,estimated
whose welfare is immediately contemplated in
the number of slaves
the
exportedfor sale
memorials in from that
question.
state alone,duringthe twelve
Therefore,Resolved,
months preceding, at fortythousand. The
1. That it is not expedient for the Assembly to Natchez (Miss.)Courier
take any
further order in relation to this says that in the
subject.
same
2. That as the notes which have been expunged year the Statesof Alabama,Missouri
from our publicformularies, and which some of and Arkansas,received two hundred and
the memorials referred to the committee requestfifty
thousand slaves from the more northern
to have restored, were introduced irregularly, states. If we deduct from these all who
never had the sanction of the church, and therefore
never possessedany authorityțhe General may be supposed to have emigratedwith
Assembly has no power, nor would theythink it their masters,stillwhat an immense trade
expedient, to assign them a placein the authorized is here indicated!
standards of the church.
The Rev. James H. Dickey,who moved
The minority of the committeețhe Rev. the resolutions above presented, had seen
Messrs. Dickey and Beman, reported as some sights which would naturally incline
him to wish the
follows :
Assembly to take some
action on the subject, as
appears
from the
Resolved,
1. That the buyingșelling, or holdinga human following account of a slave-coffle, from his
beingas property, is in the sight of God a heinous pen.
sin,and ought to subjectthe doer of it to the
In the summer of 1822, as I returned with my
censures of the church.
family
2. That it is the duty from of every one, and a visit to the Barrens of Kentucky, I
especially
witnessed a scene such as I never witnessed before,
of every Christian,who may be involved in
and such as I hope
this sin țo free himself from its entanglement
never to witness again.
HavingpassedthroughParis,in Bourbon county,
without delay.
Ky.,
3. That it is the duty of every one, especially
the sound of music (beyond a littlerising
ground)
of every Christian, in the meekness and attracted my attention. I looked forward,
firmness
of the gospelto plead the cause of the poor and
and saw the flag of my country waving.
Supposing
needy,by testifyingagainst the principle and
that I was about to meet a military
parade,
practice of slave-holding
I drove hastily to the side of the road;
; and to use his best endeavors
and, havinggainedthe ascent,I discovered (I suppose)
to deliver the church of God from the
evil ; and to bring about the emancipation of the
about fortyblack men all chained together
slaves in these United States,and throughout the
after the following manner : each of them was
handcuffed,and theywere arrangedin rank and
world.
file. A chain perhapsforty feet long,the size of
a fiftẖ horse-chain, was stretched between the two
The slave-holding delegates, to the number
ranks,to which short chains
of forty-eight, met apart, and were joined, which
Resolved, connected with the handcuffs. Behind them were,
I
That if the General Assemblyshall undertake suppose, about thirtywomen, in double rank,
the couplestied hand to hand. A solemn sadness
to exercise authorityon the subjectof slavery, so
as to make it an immorality,
shall in sat on every countenance, and the dismal silence
any way of this march of despair was interruptedonlyby
declare that Christians are criminal in holdingthe sound of two violins ; yes, as if to add insult
slaves țhat a declaration shall be presentedby to injury,
the Southern delegation declining theirjurisdiction
the foremost couplewere furnished with
a violin a-piece;
in the case, and our determination not to submit
the second couplewere ornamented
with cockades,while near the centre
to such decision.
waved the republicanflag, carried by a hand literally
in chains. I could not forbear exclaimingto
In view of these conflicting reportsțhe
the lordly driver who rode at his ease along-side,
follows Assemblyresolvedas :
"
Heaven will curse that man who engages in
such traffic, and the
Inasmuch as the constitutionof the Presbyterian
government that protects him
Church, in itspreliminary and fundamental in it!" I pursuedmy journey till evening,and.
principles, declares that no church put up for the
judicatories
night, when I mentioned the
oughtto pretend to make laws to bind the conscience
scene I had witnessed. "Ah!" cried my landlady,
"
that is
in virtue of their own authority ; and as
my brother !" From her I learned
that his name is Stone,of Bourbon
the urgency of the business of the
county,
Assembly,and
Kentucky,
the shortness of the time during which in
they
partnership with can
one Kinninghani, of
continue in session,render itimpossible to deliberate
Paris ; and that a few days before he had purchased
and decide judiciously on the subject a
of
negro-woman from a man in Nicholas
slavery in its relation to the church ; therefore,
county. She refused to go with him ; he attempted
ResolvedȚhat this whole subject be to compelher,but she defended herself.
indefinitely
Without further ceremony, he steppedback,and,
postponed.
by a blow on the side of her head with the butt
The amount of the slave-tradeat the of* his whip, broughther to the ground; he tied
time when the General Assembly refused her,and drove her off. I learned furtherțhat
to act upon the subject of besides
slavery at
the drove I had seen, there were about
all, thirty shut
may be inferredfrom the following items. up in the Paris prison for safe-keeping,
to be added to the company, and that they

"
a
were designedfor the Orleans market. And to
this theyare doomed for no other crime than that
of a hlack skin and curled locks. Shall I not
visitfor these things ? saith the Lord. Shall not
my soul be avengedon such a nation as this1
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
It cannot be possible that these Christian
men realized these things, or, at most, they
realizedthem justas we realizethe most tremendous
statement
that the existence of the ecclesiastical
organization is of more importance than all
the moral and socialconsiderationswhich are
American slavery.
The next
year a largenumber of petitions
truths of religion, dimly and and remonstrances were
feebly.
presented, recasting
the
Two years afterțhe General Assembly,
Assemblyto utter additional testimony
by a sudden and very unexpected
against slavery.
movement,
In
passed a vote exscinding, without trial, from reply to the petitions, the General Assembly
reaffirmedalltheirformer
the communion of the
testimonies
church,four synods,
on the
comprising the most active and decided antislaveryportions
of the church. The back,and also affirmed that the
subject of slavery for sixtyyears
reasons
previous
alleged were, doctrinaldifferencesand ecclesiastical
year's declarationmust not be understood as
practices
a
Presby-
theyexpressed it as their opinion,
words of 1818, that slavery is "
wholly
inconsistentwith
terianisra. By this act about fivehundred
ministers and sixtythousand members were
cut off from the Presbyterian Church.
That portionof the Presbyterian Church
called New
thisact unjust,
School,considering
refusedto assent to it,joinedthe exscinded
synods, and formed themselves into
upon the conceded principle that
the existence of
the New School General Assembly.In this
it,under the circumstances
in which it is found in
communion
the Southern States
onlythree slave-holding presbyteries
of the
remained. In the old there Union, is no bar to Christian communion."
were
between thirty and forty.
Some members
The course of the Old School Assembly,
protested against this action.
after the separation, in relationto the subject
(Minutes, 1846. Overture No. 17.)
of slavery, may be best Great hopes
expressedby
were at firstentertainedof the
quoting one of their resolutions, passed in New School body. As a body,it was composed
1845. Having some decided
mostlyof
anti-slavery
anti-slavery men. It had
members in its body, and in it those synodswhose anti-slavery opinions
being,moreover,
addressed on the subject of and actions had
slaveryby been,to say the least,
associated
bodies,theypresented, on
the following deliberate statement
policy.(Minutes for 1845, p. 18.)
one
this very year,
of their
Resolved,1st.That the General Assemblyof the time to cut this loathsome incumbrance
Presbyterian Church in the United States was
whollyadrift, and stand
originally organized, and has since continued the
up, in this age of "
bond of
concession and
union in the church, upon the conceded
conformity to the world,a
principle that the existenceof domestic slavery ,
under purelyprotesting church, free from all complicity'
the circumstances in which it is found in the Southern
with this most dreadful national immorality.
portionof the country, is no bar to Christian
communion.
'
2. That the petitions that ask the Assembly to
make the holding of slaves in itself a matter of
discipline do virtually requirethis judicatory
urged,by many petitions and
dissolveitself, and abandon the organization under These memorials
which,by the divine were referred to a committee
blessing, it has so long prospered.
The tendency is evidently to separate the
It isscarcely
to this very explicit
plainest possible
necessary to add a comment
declaration. It is the
disclaimer of any
against slavery ; the plainest possible
211
Northern from the Southern portionof the church,
result which every good Christian must deplore,
was now come to take decided measures
as tendingto the dissolution of the Union of
our beloved country, and which to cut
every enlightened and avow their
Christian will oppose, as bringingabout a ruinous
principles with
and unuecessary schism between brethren who
even though it should repel allsuch
maintain a common faith.
churches from their communion as were not
Yeas,Ministers and Elders,168.
prepared for immediate emancipation.
" " "
Nays, 13.
of the
involved in a full defence and practice of
retractionof that testimony; in other words,
in the
OPPOSED TO THE LAW OF GOD," and " TO-.
TALLY IRRECONCILABLE. WITH THE PRE- CEPTS
OP THE GOSPEL OF Christ; '" and
yet that they " had formed their church organization
efficientcause for their excision
from the church. It had onlythree slaveholdingpresbyteries.
The power
was allin
its own hands. Now, if ever, was their
On the first session of the General
Assembly țhis course was most vehemently
memorials.
of decided anti-slavery men. The argument
on one side was, that the time
free wholly from all pro-slavery complicity,
decision,
On the other hand țhe majority
committee were urgedby opposing considerations.
The brethren from slave states
protestmade to them representations somewhat like

212
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN,
with the party that have expelled you,
and
we do not wish to go
back to them. As to
this matter of slavery, we do not differfrom
We
you.
consider it an evil. We mourn
and lament over it. We are trying,by
gradual and peaceable means, to exclude it
from our churches. We are goingas far in
advance of the sentiment of our churches as
we consistently can. We cannot come
up to
more decided action without losing our hold
over them,and,as we think,throwing back
the cause of emancipation. If you begin in
this decided manner, we cannot hold our
churches in the union ; theywilldivide,and
go and Synodsconnected with this Assembly,that
Here was a very strong plea,made by they treat this as all other sins of greatmagnitude
good and sincere men. It was an appeal,
; and, by a diligent, kind and faithful application
to the Old School."
too, to the most generous feelings of the
heart. It was, in effect, saying,
" Brothers,we
stoodby you, and foughtyour battles, when
everything was goingagainst you ; and,now
that you
have the power in your hands,are
you goingto use it so as to cast us out 7"
These men, strong anti-slavery men as
Whereas there is in thisAssemblygreat
theywere, were affected. One member of
diverty
of opinion
the committee foresaw and fearedthe result.
as to the proper and best mode of
action on the subject of slavery; and whereas,
He felt and suggested that the course
in
proposed
such circumstances, any expressionof sentiment
conceded the whole question Ṭhe would carry with it but little weight, as it
would be
majoritythought, on the whole,that it
passedby a small majority, and must
was
best to postpone the operate
subject. to produce alienation and division ; and
The committee
whereas the Assembly of 1839, with great unanimity,
reported that the applicants, for referred this whole subjectto the lower
reasons satisfactory to themselves, had withdrawn
judicatories,
take such order as in their judgment
might
their be adapted to remove the evil "
; Re-
papers.
"
The next year, in That the Assemblydo not think it for the
1839,the subject was edification of the church for this body to take any
resumed ;
and it Avas againurgedthat the action on the subject.
Assembly should take high and decided
and unmistakable ground; and
They,however,passedthe following :
certainly, if
we consider that all this time not a single ResolvedȚhat the fashionable amusement of
church had emancipated itsslaves,and that promiscuousdancingis entirelyunscriptural,
so
and eminently and "
exclusively that of the world
these
with
Brethren,our hearts are judicious, and adaptedto remove the evil."
you. We are with you in faith,in charity,
This of 'course deterred, but did not avert,
in prayer.
We sympathized in the the main question.
injury that had been done you by excision. This brought, in 1840, a much larger
We stood by you then,and are ready to number of memorials and petitions ; and
stand by you still. We have sympathy
no very strong attempts were made by the
the power
of the institutionwas everywhere
stretching and growing and which lieth in wickedness," and so
wholly
increasing,
inconsistent
it
with the spirit of Christ, and with that
would certainly seem that something more propriety of Christian deportment and that purity
efficientwas necessary
than a generalunderstanding
of heart which his followers are bound to maintain,
as to render it not
that the church agreedwith the
onlyimproper and injurious for
professing Christians either to partakein it,o? to
testimony deliveredin 1818. It was strongly qualify their children for it,by teaching them the
represented that it was time something was art, but also to call for the faithfuland judicious
done. This year
the Assemblydecided to exercise of discipline
on the part of Church Sessions,
when
refer the subject to presbyteries, to do what
any
of the members of their churches
have been guilty.
they deemed advisable. The words employed
'"'
were these : Solemnlyreferring the whole
subject to the lower judicatories,
take
abolitioniststo obtain some decided action.
The committee this year referredto what
had been done last year,
and declared it inexpedient
to do anythingfurther. The
subject indefinitely postponed was
Ạt this
time it was resolved that the Assembly
should meet only once in three years.* Accordingly,
it did not meet till1843. In
1843, several memorials were againpresented,
and some resolutions offered to the
Assembly, of which thiswas one (Minutes of
the General Assembly for 1843, p. 15) :
Resolved Țhat we affectionately and earnestly
the Ministers,Sessions,Presbyteries
urge upon
of the means which God has giventhem,
by instruction,remonstrance, reproof and effective
discipline, seek to purify the church of this great
iniquity.
This resolution they declined. They
passed the following :
Three
uch action as in their judgment is most | judicial cases.
solved,
years after, in 1846,the General
*
The synodswere also made courts of last appeal in

Assemblypublished thefollowing
of sentiment :
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. il3
declaration
1. The system of slavery,as it exists in these
United States,viewed either in the laws of the
several states which sanetion it,or in its actual
operationand results in society,is intrinsically
unrighteous and oppressive ; and is opposedto the
prescriptions of the law of God, to the spirit and
precepts of the gospel, and to the best interests
of humanity.
2. The testimonyof the General Assembly,
from A. D. 1787 to A. D. 1818, inclusive,has
condemned it ; and it remains still the recorded
testimony of the Presbyterian Church of these
United States againstit, from which we do not
recede.
3. We cannot, therefore,withhold the expression
of our deep regret that slaveryshould be
continued and countenanced by any
of the members
of our churches ; and we do earnestly exhort
both them and the churches among whom it
exists to use all means in their power to put it
away from them. Its perpetuation among them
cannot fail to be regardedbymultitudes, influenced
by their example, as sanctioning the system portrayed
in it,and maintained by the statutes of the
several
states,wherein theydwell.
1818,it will be found to be far less outspoken
and decided in its tone,while in the
slave-holding
Nor can
any mere mitigation of its mean time
severity, slavery had become four-foldmore
promptedby the humanity and Christian feelingpowerfulỊn 1818 the Assemblystates that
of any who continue to hold their fellow-men in the most virtuous portion1 of the community
bondage, be regardedeither as a testimonyagainst in slave
the system, or as in the least degreechanging its
states abhor slavery, and wish its
extermination.
essential character.
In 1846 the Assembly
4. But, while we believe that many evils incident
states
and obligatory
to the sj'stem render it important
to bear testimonyagainstit,yet would we
not undertake to determine the degreeof moral
turpitude
church.
5. While, therefore, we feel bound to bear our
testimonyagainstslavery, and to exhort our boloved
brothren to remove it from them as speedily
as possible, by all appropriateand available
though theymay err, we ought
and brotherly love.
6. As a court of our Lord Jesus Christ,we
possess no legislative authority; and as the General*
Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, we
to exercise forbearance
possess no judiciary authority.We have no right
to institute and prescribe a test of Christian character
and church
membership,not recognized and
sanctioned in the sacred Scriptures, and in our
standards,by which we have agreedto walk. We
again until the final judgment;brothers
and sisters, parents.and children, husbands
and wives,dailytorn asunder,and
means, we do at the same time condemn ail divisive
and scbismatical measures,
permitted
tendingto destroy
to see each other no more; the
the unity and disturb the peace of our church, shrieks and agonies,proclaiming as with
and deprecate the spirit of denunciation and inflicting
trumpet-tongue the iniquity and cruelty of
severities, which would cast from the fold
those whom we are rather bound,by the system the ; the cries of the sufferers going
spiritof
the gospel, and the obligations of our
up
covenant,
to the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth ;
to instruct,to counselțo exhort,and thus to lead not a neighborhood where those heart-rend-
is the ways of God ; and towards whom, even
must
leave,therefore, this matter with the sessions,
presbyteries and the synods," judicatories
to whom pertainsthe rightof judgmentto act in
the administration of discipline, as they may
judge it to be their duty,constitutionally subject
to the General Assemblyonly in the way of general
review and
control.
When a boat is imperceptibly goingdown
stream on a gentle but strongcurrent, we
can see its passage onlyby comparing objects
with each other on
on the part of individuals involved by
it. This will doubtless be found to vary, in the
sight of God, according to the degree of light and
other circumstances pertainingto each. In view
of all the embarrassments and obstacles in the
way of emancipationinterposed by the statutes upper
of the slave-holding states,and by the social influence
"
parties, it
affecting the views and conduct of those and careful.
involved in it,we cannot pronounce a judgmentof
general and promiscuouscondemnation,implyingitself,
that destitution of Christian principleand feeling
the shore.
If this declaration of the New-school
General Assemblybe comparedwith that of
with regretthat slaveryis still continued
and countenanced by any of the
members of our churches. The testimony
of 1818 has the frank,outspokenair of a
unanimous document,where there was but
one opinionṬhat of 1846 has the guarded
air of a
compromisegroundout between the
and nether millstoneof two contending
Considering the document,however,in
it is certainly a
very goodone ; and it
whicli should exclude from the table of the
would be
Lord
a very proper expression of Christian
all who should stand in the legal relation of masters
feeling, had it related to an evil of any
to slaves,or justify in withholdingour common magnitude, and had it been uttered
ecclesiastical and Christian fellowship from them. in
We rather sympathizewith, aud would seek to any common crisis ; but let us consider
succor them in their
what was the evil
embarrassments,believing
attacked, and what was
that separationand secession among the churches the crisis. Consider the picture which the
and their members are not the methods God
KentuckySynodhad drawn of the actual
approves and sanctions for the reformation of his
state of thingsamong them :
"
meet
of
is winnowed,guarded,cautious
"
The members
slave-families separated, never
to

"
that
214 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
or road without the sad procession of manacled
countenances
from
professors
to
Sjmod
had
on
Southern
of
express
discussions
u
evil
of
the
excluding
if
a hundred
he
all
continually
church's
Christianman
stop
does
suffer
of
whole
"What
treatment
heart,I
that
them
doing?
to
ought
and
and
had
can."
ments
this
"A
dollars,
desperate
provisions;
labor,formingthe
commerce,
subsidized
Southern
heart
bitterprejudice
our
outcasts,
tell
all that
rending
sellher into
This was the been going
now, as the
paper
Christsince
regret,
as
per se,"and
men who, in
evil any
other
slave-holders
were not better
should
be peculiarly
this horrible
receive
example bear hardlyupon
a littleinjustice
injustice be
Christ's church.
church
if I am
of my
have repudiated
theyare my
as
my brethren,
All the
give force
reprove
reprovers
if I cannot
better keep
Let us consider,
and strength
very
moderate
money power
held by
men
aristocracy
cotton,
and
; the
pulpitreduced
of the common
leadingmen
mournful
by force
child,
Kentucky
scenes
going
every
church
nothingbut
metaphysical
slaverywas an
action
stopping
stop it by
church. As
slave-holder in
church,if
than that
iniquity should
of the
generous
excision will
thoughit
that I
horrible
account
embarrass the
embarrassments?
in my
if,in my
doctrine
treating
then
examplegoes
church
injustice,
;
this,I
till I
intrench-
against which
discharged.
millionsof
able and
political
foreign
class thus
; the
vassalage ; the
by a
; and
to silence or
this condition
of these
slavery, from
slave-holders.
participate
wants
power does
separatefamilies,
or do any part.
tender-hearted,
and must
system against
world ; and
better. Slaverycould
without these
men upholdthe
anti-slavery
men. That
Paul says
that are in
that this
Supposeone
sent to the
Emily and
daughter had
in a slave-coffle,
driver,like
wife died
were
another had
hair had been
with agony.
partings,
which the KentuckySynodsays
witnessed so
been seen
that they had
with their
as the heart
when he came
daughters.Suppose system
done was extendingevery
Christians
the South declaredit
the rank,and
were committed
like Aaron,were
livingand
be stayed.
"*Most humbly,most
*
Speechof
open
of
churches
the
No
in the
them disreputable
generous the more
men.
body
is the
that
bonds,as
General
of
New
Mary poor
broken-hearted,
sold
a
Supposethese
long
in these hearts
of
to
by
all
in
the dead,that
hostility."* And
things, whole
goes in support
fact of their containing
matter if theydid
abuses of the system;
to do that. The
professors
religion
or over-work their
thing,
power wants
and humane
have them,to hold
rising moral sense
pious and generous
not stand
What then 1
system, and that
upholdthese
final upshotof we must remember
bound with them.
Assemblyhad
them had had his daughters
Orleans slave-market,
; that with no nurse but
Emily Russell ; another's
when her
out of her bosom
half-crazed mother,whose
turned prematurelywhite
scenes have
among the slaves,had
ministers' families,
up to this discussion
as scarred and
poor old Paul Edmondson,
New York to beg theysaw
which all this had ; that
in every denomination
to be an
the fashion, in the
itsfavor ; and that
sent to stand between
the plaguemight
earnestly, let
W. Phillips., Boston*
now,
weight
slave-
slaves.
is
pious,
masters,
up
of
an hour
These
great
the matter.
those
Suppose
been
like
another's
passage
slave-
children
; and
of agonizing
groans,
been
and
seared
for
that the
been
professed
country,
they,
the
it in
of
not
to
not
the
the
his
at
he
whose chains and
they are exiled
heart holds dear;
the mother from
returnless exile."
language of the
years before ; and those
since,and are
advertisements of
sIioav ; and yet the
1818 had done and hold grave
to whether
censure the rash
utter despair of
way, tried to
from the
it that one
stay out of the
circumstanced,
agony and
the sanction ! Should not a
say, "If church
evil,let it come,
me ! Better
than that this
stillcredited to the
Shall I a
with
my
careful and humane
"
slaves, what
the wicked
property, and am
what am I
credit of my to the system. The
this fearful
ought to have clean
reallyget clear of
out of the church
alsoțhe awful
of the evil
resolution was
of two thousand
a small body of
; that body raised into
by special the
'
product of
basis of our whole
the commercial
press bought up
to
people chilled
againsthe black race
made up of men who had been fugitives.
appointedinstitution
of God ;
that all the wealth,and all

215
"
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
*
Minutes of the New School Assembly, p.
submitted to the Christiansof this nation, no stringent laws againstemancipation, and
and to Christians of all nations, for such an that,either in Kentucky or Virginia, the
hour and such a crisiswas this action sufficient
slave can be set free by simplygiving him a
] Did it do anything 1 Has it had pass to go across the line into the next
the leasteffectin stopping the evil? And, in state.
such a horrible time,ought not something In 1850 a proposition was presented in
to be done which willhave that effect? the Assembly,bythe Rev. H. Curtiss, of Indiana,
Let us continue the history Ịt will be
to the following effect :
"
That the enslaving
observedthat the resolution concludes by referring
of men. or holding them as property.
thesubject j udicatories. is an offence, as definedin our Book of Discipline,
The New School Presbytery Cincinnati,
ch. 1,sec. 3; and as such it callsfor
which were the professors
Lane Seminary, inquiry, correction and removal,in the manner
suspended Mr. Graham from the ministry prescribed by our rules, and should be
teaching that the Bible justified slaverytreated with :
a due regard to allthe aggravating
therebyestablishing
principle that this
or mitigating circumstances in each
was a
heresyinconsistent with Christian case." Another proposition was from an
fellowship Ṭhe Cincinnati Synod confirmed
"
elderin Pennsylvania, affirmingthat slaveholdingwas,
this decision. The General Assembly
prima facie,an offence within
reversed this decision, and restored Mr. the meaning of our Book of Discipline, and
Graham. The delegate from that presbytery
throwingupon the slave-holder the burden
told them that theywould never retrace
of showingsuch circumstances as will take
their steps, and so it proved. The away from him the guilt of the offence.'"*
CincinnatiPresbytery refused to receive him Both these propositions were rejected.
back. All honor be to them for it! Here, The following was adopted: "That slavery
at least,was a principle established, as far is fraught with many and great evils:
as the New School CincinnatiPresbytery is that theydeplore workingsof the whole
concerned, and a principle as far as the system of slavery ; that the holdingof our
General Assemblyis concerned. By this fellow-men in the conditionof slavery, except
act the General Assemblyestablishedthe in those cases where it is unavoidable from
fact that the New School Presbyterian the laws of the state țhe obligations of
Church had not decidedthe Biblicaldefence guardianship, or the demands ofhumanity,
of slavery to be a heresy.
is an offence,in the proper import of
For a man to teach that there are not that term, as used in the Book of Discipline,
three persons in the Trinity is heresy.
and should be regardedand treated in the
For a man to teach that allthese three same manner as other offences : also referring
Persons authorize a system which even Mahometan
thissubjectto sessions and presbyteries."
princes have abolished from mere
The vote stood eighty-four to sixteen,
natural shame and conscience, is no heresy! under a written protestof the minority,
The General Assemblyproceeded further who were for no action in the present
to show that it considered this doctrine no state of the country. Let the reader again
heresy, in the year 1846,by inviting the compare this action with that of 1818,and
Old School General Assemblyto the celebration
he will see that the boat is "
stilldrifting,
of the Lord's supper with them. especially as even this moderate testimony
Connected with thisAssemblywere, not onlywas not unanimous. Again,in this year of
Dr. Smylie ạnd allthose bodies who, among 1850,they avow themselves ready to meet,
them, had justified not onlyslavery in the in a spirit of fraternal kindness and Christian
abstract,but some of its worst abuses,by love,any overtures for reunion which
the word of God ; yet the New School body may be made to them by the Old School
thought these opinions no heresywhich body.
should be a bar to Christiancommunion ! In 1850 was passedthe cruel fugitive
In 1849 the General Assemblydeclared* slave law. What deeds were done then !
that there had been no information beforethe Then to our free states were transported
Assemblyto prove that the members in those scenes of fear and agony before acted
slavestates were not doingallthattheycould, only on slave soil. Churches were broken
in the providence God,to bringabout the up. TremblingChristiansfled. Husbands
possession enjoyment of liberty by the and wives were separated Ṭhen to the
enslaved. This is a remarkable declaration, poor African was fulfilledthe dread doom
if we consider that in Kentuckythere are
*
These two resolutions are given on the authorityof
Goodel's History. I do not find them in the Minutes.

"
allthe
216 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
"
denounced on the Thou oP"our United States have wanderingJew,"
strong points
shalt find no ease, neither shall the sole of of similarity. In both, at the outset, the
thy foothave rest ; but thylifeshallhang in strong influencewas anti-slavery, even
among
doubt before thee, and thou shalt fear day slave-holders. In both there was no difference
and night, and shalt have no assurance of of opinionas to the desirablenessof
thy life." Then all the world went one abolishing slaveryultimately ; both made a
way, wealth,all the power, all the concession, the smallest which could possibly
fashion. Now, if ever, was a time for Christ's be imagined; both made the concession in
church to stand up and speak for the poor. all goodfaith,contemplating the speedy removal
The General Assemblymet. She was
and extinction of the evil ; and the
earnestly memorialized to speak out. Never history of both is alike. The little point
was a more gloriousopportunity to show of concession spread, and absorbed,and acquired,
that the kingdomof Christ is not of this
tillthe United
the American church from the disgrace
itnow wears in the eyes of all nations. 0
world. A protestthen,from a bodyso numerous
and respectable, might have saved
that she had once spoken ! What said the principle ; and,as to the Episcopal Church,
Presbyterian Church 1 She said nothing-, it has never done anythingbut comply, either
and the thanks of political leaders were accorded
North or South. It differsfrom all the rest
to her. She had done all they desired.
in that it has never had any resisting element,
except now and then a protestant,
Meanwhile,under this course .of things, like William Jay, a worthy
the number of presbyteries in slave-holding
states had increased from three to twenty !
and this church has now under itscare from
" among
what concord hath Christ with Belial? The themselves as to principles and measures,
slave-system is darkness, the slave-system the extreme principles and measures of some
is Belial ! and every attempt to harmonize it causing a hurtful reaction in others. Besides
with the profession
Christianity willbe just greatplansof benevolence have
like these. Let it be here recorded, however,
occupied attention; and the result
that a small bodyof the most deter
has been that they have formed altogether
byterian inadequate conceptions of the extent to which
the cause of God on earth is imperilled by
Free PresbyterianChurch, whose terms American slavery, and of the dutyof Christians
of communion are, an entire withdrawal in such a crisis. They have never had
from slave-holding. Whether this principle such a conviction as has aroused,and called
be a correct one, or not, it is worthyof remark
mined opponents of slaveryin the Pres-
Church seceded and formed the
"
out, and
other greatcauses. Meantime,greatorganic
influencesin church and state are, much
involved in this evil who have ever succeeded
againsttheirwishes,neutralizing their influence
in freeing themselves from it.
againstslavery, sometimes even arraying
Whether church discipline and censure is it in its favor. The perfect inflexibility
an appropriate medium for correcting of the slave-system, and its absolute
immoralities and heresiesin individuals, or
not, it is enoughfor the case that this has
been the establishedopinionand practice of
action in common
the Presbyterian Church.
churches to the alternativeof either giving
If the argument of Charles Sumner be up the support of the South for that object,
contemplated, itwill be seen that the history
giving up their protestagainst slavery.
to
that it was adopted and carried out by
the Quakers."-the onlybodyof Christians
from year to year,
States and the Presbyterian Church stand
just where they do. Worse has been the
history
of the Baptist
of the Methodist Church. The history
Church shows the same
son of him who
signed the Declaration of Independence.
The slave power has been a united,consistent,
steady,uncompromisingprinciple.
fifteento twenty thousand members in slave The resisting element has been,for many
states.
years, waveringșelf-contradictory, compromising.
So much for the course of a decided antislaverybodyin
union with a few slave-holding
and ever increasing hostility to slavery in
There has been,it is true,a deep,
churches. So much for a most discreet, a decided majority of ministers and churchmembers
in free states țaken as individuals.
judicious, charitable, and brotherly attempt
to test by experience the question, What Nevertheless,
sincere opponents
communion hath light with darkness, and of slavery have been unhappily
united their energies, on this,as on
refusalto allow any
discussionof the subject,
has reduced all those who wish to have religious
with slave-holding
of this Presbyterian Church and the history This has held out a strongtemptation

"
we
" here
"
these
" in
"
quite
"
we
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
217
men who have had benevolentand laudable ety if theywill publish a tract on the sinfulness
objects carry, and who did not realizethe
of slavery, thoughsuch tract should
fullperil of the slave-system,
nor appreciate be made up solely from the writings of Jonathan
the moral power of Christianprotestagainst Edwards or Dr. Hopkins! Ask the
it. When, therefore, cases have arisen where SundaySchool Union if it will publish the
the choice lay between sacrificing what they factsabout this heathenism, as it has facts
considered the interests of a goodobject, about Burmah and Hindostan ! Will tl icy
givingup their rightof protestțhey have 0, that theywould answer Yes !
generally preferred the latter. The decision Now, it is freelyconceded that all these
has alwaysgone in this way : The slave power sad resultshave come in consequence of the
will not concede, must. The South motions and deliberationsof goodmen, who
says, " We willtake no religious book that meant well ; but ithas been well said that,
has anti-slavery principles
it." The Sunday
in ^critical times,when one
wrong step entails
School Union drops Mr. Gallaudet's the most disastrous consequences, to
History of Joseph.Why? Because they mean well is not enough.
approve of slavery? Not at all. They In the crisisof a disease, to mean well
look upon slavery with horror. What then ? and losethe patient, the height of a tempest,
in
"
The South will not read our books, if we
to mean well and wreck the ship,
do not do it. They willnot giveup, and we a great moral conflict, to mean well and lose
must. We can do more good by introducing
the battle,
are thingsto be lamented.
gospeltruth with this omission than We are wreckingthe ship, are losing
we can by using our protestantpower." the battle. There is no mistake about it.
This,probably, was thoughtand said honestly.
A littlemore sleep, more slumber,a
The argument is plausible, but the littlemore folding sleep, and
concession is none the lessreal. The slave we shallawake in the whirlsof that maelstrom
power has got the victory, got it by the which has but one passage, and that
very best of men from the very best of motives
downward.
; and, so that it has the victory, There is yet one bodyof Christianswhose
cares not how it gets it. And although it influence wre have not considered, and that a
may be said that the amount in each case of most important one,
these concessions is in itselfbut small,yet, of New Englandand of the West. From
when we come to add together all that have
she
been made from time to time by every different
cannot giveso united a testimony as Presbyterianism
denomination, and by every different
; yet Congregationalism has spoken
benevolent organization, aggregate is out on slavery.Individual bodies have
trulyappalling ; and, in consequence of all spokenvery strongly, and individual clergymen
these united,what are Ave now reduced to ? stillstronger. They have remonstrated
Here we are, in thiscrisis, in this with the General Assembly,and
nineteenth century, when all the world is theyhave very decided anti-slavery papers.
dissolving and reconstructing
principles But, considering the whole state of public
of universal "
liberty, we sentiment, considering the criticalnature of
are sending our Bibles and missionaries to the exigency, mightysweep and force of
ChristianizoMahometan lands,are upholding,
all the causes which are goingin favor of
with all our might and all our influence, slavery, has the vehemence and forceof the
a system of worn-out heathenism which even testimony Congregationalism,
as a
body,
the Bey of Tunis has repudiated !
been equal to the dreadful emergency? It
The Southern church has baptizedit in has testimonieson record, very fulland explicit,
the name of the Fatherțhe Son,and the
on the evils of slavery ; but testimonies
Holy Ghost. This worn-out, old,effete are not all that is wanted. There is
system of Roman slavery, Christianity
abundance of testimonieson record in the
once gradually certainly abolished, Presbyterian Church,for that matter,quite
has been dug up out of itsdishonored grave,
as good and quite as strong as any that have
a fewrlaws of extra cruelty, as Rome been givenby Congregationalism. There
never knew,have been added to it,and now, have been quite as many anti-slavery men
baptized and sanctioned by the whole Southern
in the New School Presbyterian Church as in
church,it is goingabroad conquering the Congregational, strong antislavery
and to conquer ! The only power leftto the
Northern church
and will they
is the protesting power ;
Church has had trialof thismatter that the
the Congregationalist
the very nature of Congregationalism,
newspapers ; and the Presbyterian

ought
which
218 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
"
"
"
posedto. It has had slave-holdersin its accordance with the directionsof Christ, " depart
own communion ; and from thistrial out of that city."
Congregationalism
has,as yet, been mostlyexempt. This resolution is a matter of hopeand
Being thus free,oughtnot the testimony gratulation in many respects. It was passed
of Congregationalism to have been more than in a very largeconvention, the largest ever
equal ? oughtit not to have done more than assembled in this country,fullyrepresenting
testify ? itnot to have fought for the the Congregationalism of the /United
question ? Like the brave three hundred in States, and the occasion of itsmeeting was
Thermopylae leftto defend the libertiesof considered, in some sort,as marking a new
Greece,when allothers had fledșhould theyera
in the progress of this denomination.
not have thrown in heart and soul,body and
spirit? Have theydone it?
It is decided in its expression, and looks to
Compare the earnestness which Congregationalism
practical action, which iswhat iswanted. It
has spentupon some other subjects
says it will support no ministersin slave
with the earnestness which has been states whose preaching does not tend to destroy
spentupon this. Dr. Taylortaugh that all slavery; and that,if theyare not allowed
sin consists in sinning, therefore that
to preachfreely on the subject, they
there could be no sin till a
person had sinned ; must
and Dr. Bushnell teaches some modifications
of the doctrineof the Trinity, nobodyseeming
sustained, maybe inferredfrom the fact
to know precisely what. The South
Carolina presbyteries teach that slavery is
approvedby God, and sanctionedby the example
of patriarchs and prophets Ṣupposing
which
these,now, to be all heresies,
them is the worst ?
"
worst
of
will bring the
practical results? And, if Congregationalism
forthin their report of March,1853. When
had fough this slaveryheresy as application was made to them,in 1850, from
some of her leaders fought Dr. Bushnell and
Dr. Taylor,would not the styleof battle
have been more earnest? Have not both
thesemen been denounced as dangerous heresiarchs,and
as preaching doctrines that tend
to infidelity? And pray where does this
other doctrine tend ? As sure as there is a
God in heaven is the certainty that,if the
Bible really did defend slavery, fifty years
hence would see every
honorable and high-
to send or retain missionariesin
minded man an infidel.
the slavestates istaken away."
Has,then, the past influenceof Congregationalism
The society furthermore instructed their
to the nature of
could not be heard on
been according
missionaries, if they
the exigency and the weight of the subject? this subject in one city or village, to
go
But the late convention of Congregational-
to another ; and theyexpress their conviction
that their missionaries have made progress
in awakeningthe consciences of the
take a stronger and more decided ground. people.They say that theydo not suffer
Here is their resolution :
do not let it
istsat Albany,including ministers both from
New England and the Western States,did
The resolution was passedunanimously.
depart.
That the groundthus taken will be efficiently
that the Home Missionary Society, which is
the organ of thisbody,as well as of the New
School Presbyterian Church,has uniformly
taken decided groundupon this subject in
their instructions to missionaries sent into
slave states. These instructions are ably set
a slave state, for missionaries who would let
slavery alone, theyreplied to them, in the
most decided language, that it could not be
done ; that,on the contraryțheymust understand
that one grandobject in sending
missionaries to slave states is,as far as possible,
to redeem society from all forms of sin ;
and that,"if utter silencerespecting slavery
is to be maintained, one of the greatest in-
the subject to sleep; that they
alone because it is a delicate subject, but
ResolvedȚhat, in the opinionof this convention,
it is the tendencyof the
theydischarge theirconsciences, whether their
gospel, wherever
it is preachedin its purity țo correct all social message be well received, or whether,as in
evils,and to destroysin in all its forms ; and that some instances, itsubjects them
it is the duty of MissionarySocieties to grant aid opprobrium, and personal danger; and that
to churches in slave-holding states in the support where their endeavors
of such ministers only as shall to do this have not
so preachthe gospel,
been
and inculcate the principles and application tolerated, theyhave,in repeated cases,
of gospeldiscipline, that, with the blessing of at greatsacrifice, resigned their position, and
God, it shall have its full effect in awakening and departed to other fields. In their report of
enlightening the moral sense in regard to slavery, this
and in bringingto pass the speedyabolition of year theyalso quotelettersfrom ministers
in
that stupendouswrong ; and that wherever a minister
slave-holding states,by which it appears
is not permitted so to preach,he should,in
secured, in the
that they have actually
ducement
to opposition,

KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 219
iace of much opposition, the rightpublicly saying, "If I am a guiltyman, I am
to preach and propagatetheir sentiments a very guilty one ; for I have helpedfour
this subject.
hundred slaves to freedom,who but for me
upon
One of these missionaries says, speakingwould have died slaves." Dr. Nelson wa3
of slavery, "We are determined to remove expelledby mobs from Missouri for the
this greatdifficulty in our way,
or die in the courageous declaration of the truth on slave
attempt. As Christians and as freemen,we soil. All these were in the ministry Ṇor
will sufferthis libelon our religion and institutions
to exist no longer."
deserted us yet. There have been those who
This isnoble ground.
have learned how joyful it is to suffershame
And, while we are recording protesting
and brave death in a good cause.
the Scotch se-
Also there have been privateChristians
and decision worthyof the children
of the old covenant,have keptthemselves
clear from the sin of slavery, and have uniformly
it. Let us remember,
power, let us not forget
ceders and covenanters,who, with a pertinacity
who have counted nothingtoo dear for this
sacred cause. Witness Richard Dillingham,
and John Garrett,and a host of others,who
took joyfully the spoiling of theirgoods.
protested against
But yet,notwithstanding thisțhe awful
also țhat the Quakers did pursue a truth remainsțhat the whole of what has
course which actually freed all their body been done bythe church has not,as yet,perceptibly
from the sin of slave-holding, thus showing abated the evil. The greatsystem
to allother denominations that what has been is strongerthan ever. It is confessedly the
done once can be done again. Also,in dominant power of the nation. The whole
all denominations, individual ministers and
Christians, in hours that have tried men's
souls,have stood up to bear their testimony.
Albert Barnes,in Philadelphia, standing the midst of a great, rich church,on the borders
of a
to complicity
many, has stood up, in calm fidelity, and
declaredthe Avholecounsel of God upon this
subject Ṅay, more : he recorded his solemn
protestțhat "no influences out of
THE CHURCH COULD SUSTAIN SLAVERY AN
HOUR. IF IT WERE NOT SUSTAINED IN IT;"
and,in the last session of the General Assembly,
which met at Washington, disregarding
he
separatethemselves from the church. We
held the Presbyterian up to the would offer no excuse for any infidelswho
strength of her past declarations, and declared
take for theirreligion mere anti-slavery zeal,
it her dutyto attemptthe entire abolition
and,under this guise,gratify a malignant
of slaverythroughout the world. So, hatred of real Christianity. But such defences
bore a noble
in darkest hour,Ḍr. Channing
testimony in Boston,for which his name
shall ever live. So,in Illinois, E. P. Lovejoy
and Edward Beecher,with their associates,
formed the IllinoisAnti-slavery Society,
amid mobs and at the hazard of their
lives ; and,a few hours after,Lovejoywas
shotdown in attempting to defend the twicedestroyedanti-slavery
press.
In the Oldschool
Presbyterian Church,William and ever provedinvincibleto infidelity is the
professed Christian! for the
onlyarmor that
Robert Breckenridge, President Young, and armor of righteousness.
others, have preached in favor of emancipationLet us see how the church organizations
in Kentucky. Le Roy Sunderland, in the work now, practically. What do Bruin "
Methodist Church,kept up his newspaper Hill,Pulliam " Davis,Bolton,Dickins "
under ban of his superiors, and with a Co., and Matthews, Bran ton " Co.,depend
bribe on his life'of fifty thousand dollars. upon to keeptheir slave-factories and slavebarracoonsfull,and
theirbusiness brisk1 Torrey,meeklypatient, died in a prison,
Is
are these all. Jesus Christ has not wholly
power of the government, and the whole power
of the wealth,and the whole power of the
fashion, and the practical organic workingsof
the largebodies of the church,are all gone
one
way. The church isfamiliarly quotedas
being on
slavestate, and with allthose temptations
the sideof slavery Ṣtatesmen on
which have silencedso both sidesof the question have laidthat down
as a settledfact. Infidelspointto it with
triumph; and
America,too, is beholding
"
anotherclassof infidels, a class that could
have grown up onlyunder such an influence.
Men, whose whole lifeisone study and practice
of benevolence, are now ranked as infidels,
because the position of church organizations
misrepresents Christianity, and they
all suggestions of policy, boldly
of slavery from the Bible as some of
the American clergyhave made are exactly
fittedto make infidelsof all honorable and
high-minded men. The infidels of olden
times were not much to be dreaded, but such
infidels as these are not to be despisedẈoe
to the church when the moral standard of
the infidelis higher than the standard of the

completeas
"
in
220 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
it to be supposed that theyare not men like
ourselves? Do theynot sometimes tremble
at the awful workings of fear,and despair,
and agony,
which they witness when theyare
tearing asunder living hearts in the depthsof
those fearful slave-prisons'? What, then,
keeps down the consciences of these traders?
It is the public sentiment of the community
where they live: and that publicsentiment is
made byministersand church-members. The
trader sees plainly enough a logical sequence
between thedeclarationsofthe church and the
practice of histrade. He sees plainly enoughof humanity, and dead both to the religion and
that, if slaveryis sanctioned by God, and it philanthropy of the gospel. But many of them
is righ to set it are
up in a new territory,
is doingjustwhat the hardest-hearted tyrants
righ to take the of the South most desire. Those tyrantswould
means to do this ; and,as
slaves do not grow on bushes not, on in any account, have them advocate or even
Texas,it is apologize for slaveryin an unqualified manner.
necessary that there should be traders to This would be bad policy with the North. I wonder
that GerrittSmith should understand
gather up cofflesand carry them out there
;"
slavery
and, as theycannot alwaystake whole families,
so much better than most of the Northern people.
How true was his remark,on
it is necessary that they should
a certain occasion,
part namely, that the South are laughingin their
them ; and, as slaves will not go by moral sleeves țo think what dupesthey make of most
suasion, it is necessary that they should be of the peopleat the North in regardto the real
forced ; and,as gentle force will not character of slavery ! Well did Mr. Smith remark
do,they
must whipand torture. Hence come
gags,
"
thumb-screws, cowhides,blood, all necessary
measures of carrying tians
carried out on its fundamental
principle, would as soon enslave any laboringwhite
man as the African. But, ifit were not for the
out what Chris-
supportof the North, thefabricof blood would fall
say God sanctions.
So goes the argument one way. Let us
now trace it back the other. The South
Carolina and
maintain
Mississippi Presbyteries
opinions which, in their legitimate results,
endorse the slave-trader. The Old
with these Presbyteries, without
School General Assemblymaintains fellowship
discipline
or
protest. The New School Assembly
signifies its willingness to reunite with
a
gross
rights, and so on. Well,now the chain
is as
.
This is the practical result of the thing.
The melancholy part of the matter is, slaves the fundamental and supreme
that while a
largebody of New School men,
and many Old School,are decidedanti-slavery
men, this denominational position carries
their influence on the other side. As goes
the General Assembly șo goes their influence.
The following affecting letteron this
subject was written by that eminentlypious
man, Dr. Nelson,whose work on Infidelity
is one of the most efficient popularappeals
that has ever
appeared:
I have resided in North Carolina more than
fortyears, and been intimately acquaintedwith
the system, and I can scarcelyeven think of its
operationswithout shedding tears. It causes me
excessive griefto think of my own
poor slaves,
for whom I have for years been tryingto iind a
free home. It strikes me with equal astonishment
and horror to hear Northern peoplemake
light of slavery.Had theyseen and known as
much of it as I,theycould not thus treat it,unless
callous to the deepestwoes and degradation
that the system,
at once. And of all the effortsof publicbodies
at the North to sustain slavery, the Connecticut
General Association has made the best one. I
have never seen anythingso well constructed in
that line as their resolutions of June, 183G. The
South certainly
could not have asked anything
more effectual. But, of all Northern periodicals,
the New York Observer must have the preference,
as an efficient support of slavery.I am not sure
but it does more than all things combined to keep
the Old, while,at the same time,it de-
the system of slavery *an
the dreadful system alive. It is just the succor
demanded by the South. Its abuse of the abolitionists
is music in Southern ears, which operates
clares as a charm. But nothingis equal to its harping
abomination,
upon the "religiousprivileges and instruction"
of the slaves of the South. And
violation of the most sacred
nothingcould
be so false and injurious(tothe cause of freedom
and religion) as the impressionit giveson that
subject. I say what I know when I speakin relation
to this matter. I have been intimately acquainted
with the religious opportunities of slaves,
need be. All parts are
in : every one standing his place, and
sayingjust what is recmired, and no more.
the constant habit of hearingthe sermons
The trader does the repulsive work, the
which are preached
Southern church defends him, the Northern
to them. And I solemnly
affirmțhat, during the forty years of my residence
and observation in this line,I never heard
church defends the South. Everyone does
as much for slavery as would be at all expe-
considering the latitude theylive in.
a singleone of these sermons but what was taken
dient,
up with the obligations and duties of slaves to
their masters. Indeed,I never heard a sermon to
slaves but what made obedience to masters by the
law of religion.
Any candid and intelligent man can decide
whether such preaching is not, as to religious
purposes, worse than none at all.
Again : it is wonderful how the credulity of the
North is subjectedto imposition in regardto the
kind treatment of slaves. For myself, I can clear
up the apparent contradictions found in writers
who have resided at or visited the South. The
"
treat
"
majority of slave-holders," say some,
their slaves with kindness." Now, this may be

"
a
they
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 221
true in certain states and districts ; setting aside and
allquestions of treatment,exceptsuch as refer to
mightitdo with free institutions'}
the body. And yet, while the " majority of slaveholders"
in a certain section may be kind,the
majority of slaves in that section will be treated lover of the "
South 1
with cruelty. This is the truth in many such with all these faultsand
cases, that while there may be thirtymen who may
have but one slave apiece, and that a house-servant,
a single man in their neighborhood may
have a hundred "
slaves, all field-hands,half-fed,
faults are no proper part of her 1 Is it true
worked excessively, and whipped most cruelly. love to a friend to accept the ravings of
This is what I have often seen. To give a case,
insanity
to show the awful influence of slaveryupon the
specimenof his mind 1
master, I will mention a Presbyterianelder,who
was esteemed one of the best men in the of
region,
sickness as a specimen of his best condition
very
kind master. I was called to his deathbed
to write his will. He had what was considered
a favoritehouse-servant,a female. After
of,the elder paused,
as if in doubt what to do with " Su." I entertained
pleasingexpectations of hearingthe word
but who can tell
my
'
'" What shall be done with Su ? I am afraid she
will never be under a master severe enough for
her." Shall.I say that both the dyingelder and
his " Su" were members of the same church,the
the emblems of a Saviour's
latter statedly receiving
dyinglove from the former !
All
this temporizing and
concession has
been excused on the plea of brotherly love.
to be so 1 If the church of Christ had begun
itright țhese so-calledfanaticswould
"
not have begun it wrong. In a deadly
What a pleafor us Northern freemen ! Do pestilence, if the rightphysicians do not
we think tl\eslave-system such a happy, prescribe, everybodywill prescribe. men,
desirablething for our brothers and sisters women and children, will prescribe," because
at the South 1 'Can we look at our common
somethingmust be done. ' If the
schools,our neat,'thriving towns and villages,
Presbyterian Church in 1818 had pursued
our dignified, intelligent, self-respecting
the course the Quakers did,there never
farmers and mechanics,all concomitants would have been any fanaticism. The Quakers
of free labor,and think slavery any blessing did allby brotherly love.
"
They melted
to our Southern brethren ? That system the chainsof Mammon only in the firesof a
which beggars all the lower class of whites, divine charity.When Christ came into
which curses the very soil,which eats up
everything beforeit,like the palmer-worm, he had done,while all the so-called better
canker and locust, which makes common classeswere non-committal or opposed, the
impossibility, and the preaching multitude cut down branches, of palm-trees
us to help the Seuth preserve it')
Consider the educational influencesunder
which such children as Eva and Henrique
must grow up there! We are speaking of
what many a Southern mother feels,of
what makes many
a Southern father'sheart'
sore. Slaveryhas been spokenof in its
influence on the familyof the slave. There
are those,who never speak, who could tell,
is fascinating even
in its faults, what
Who isthe real,who is the true and noble
who love her
incumbrances, or
theywho fix their eyes
on the bright ideal
of what she mightbe, and say that these
Is it true love to accept the disfigurement
1 Is it not truer love to say, " This
curse is no
part of our brother ; itdishonors
him ; it does him
all other things were disposed
injustice ; it misrepresents
him in the eyes of all nations. We love his
better self,and we will have no fellowship
"liberty" fall from his lips; with his betrayer Ṭhis is the part
surprise when I heard the master exclaim,
of true,
generous, Christianlove."
But willit be said. " The abolitionenterprise
was begun in a
wrong spirit, by reckless,
meddling,
supposing
Well,
impudentfanatics" ?
that this were true, how came it
Jerusalem, after all the mightyworks that
schoolsan
of the gospelalmost as much so," this system
and cried Hosanna ! There was a most
a
indecorous tumult. The very children caught
Hosannas in
if theywould,itsinfluence on the familyof
the master. It makes one's heart ache to Supposea fireburstsout in the streets of
see generation after generation of lovely, Boston,while the regularconservators of
noble children exposedto such influences. the city, who have the keysof the fireengines,
and theregulation
What a country the South mightbe, could
she developherselfwithout this curse ! If are sittingtogether in some distant part of
the Southern character, even under all these the city,consulting for the publicgood.
disadvantages, retains so much thatis noble, The cry of firereaches them,but theythink
all
blessing ! Does brotherly loverequire
the enthusiasm, and were crying
the temple. This was contradictory to
ecclesiasticalrules. It was a highly improper
The Chief Priests
state of things.
and Scribes said unto Jesus, " Master,
speakunto these that they hold their peace."
That gentleeye flashed as he answered. " I
TELL YOU,
IF THESE SHOULD HOLD THEIR
PEACE, THE VERY STOKES WOULD CRY
OUT."
of fire-companies,

a
"
that
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
it a falsealarm. The fireis no lessreal,for
all that. It burns,and rages, and roars, till
everybody in the neighborhood sees that
somethingmust be done. A few stout
leaders break open the doors of the engine-
up those blocks of stores with gunpowder!
houses,drag out the engines, and begin, Anything to stop it."
regularly or irregularly, the fire.
playingon
"
See,now, what ultra,radical measures
But the destroyer stilladvances. Messengers
theyare goingat," says
one of these spectators.
"
Bless me!" says
a decorous leader of
the body, " what horriblelanguage these
men use ! "
They show a
very bad spirit," remarks
"
another;"we can't possibly join them
such a state of things."
Here the more energetic members
in
"
"
burning,burning,burning,over
church and altar ; burningover senate-house
of the and forum ; burningup liberty, burning up
body rush out, to see if the thingbe reallyreligion
! No earthlyhands kindled that
so ; and in a few minutes come back,if possible
fire. From its sheeted flame and wreaths
more earnest than the others.
of sulphuroussmoke glares out upon thee
"
0 ! there is a fire! horrible, dreadful
the eye of that enemy who was a murderer
fh\3! The city is burning, men, women,
from the beginning Ịt isa firethat burns
children,
Come TO THE LOWEST HELL !
allburning,perishing!
out, come out ! As the Lord liveth,
is but a step between us and death ! "
there
' :
I am not going out ; everybody that goes
getscrazy,"says one.
"
I 've noticed," says another, " that as
soon as anybodygoes out to look, he gets
just so excited,
"
I won't look."
But by this time the angry firehas burned
into their very neighborhood Ṭhe red
demon glares into theirwindows. And now,
fairlyaroused,theyget up and begin to
look out.
Well țhere is a fire, and no mistake ! "
"
says one.
"
Something*ought to be done," says
another.
"
Yes," says
a third;"if it wasn't for
beingmixed up with such a crowd and rabble
of folks,I "d go out."
"Upon my word," says another, "there
are women in the ranks,carryingpails of
water ! There,one woman is goingup a
ladder to get those children out. What an
indecorum ! If they 'd manage this matter
properly, we would join them."
And now come lumbering
Charlestown the engines and
over
the steeples, and
of the church-windows.
glaredemoniacally out
"
For Heaven's sake,do something!"
"
is the cry. Pull down the bouses ! Blow
come in hot haste to the hall of these
deliberators, and,in the unselect language Brave men, who have rushed into the
of fear and terror, revile them for not coming
thickest of the fire,come out, and falldead
out.
in the street.
"They are impracticable
enthusiasts.
They have thrown their lives away in foolhardiness,"
says another.
So,church of Christ, burns that awful fire!
Evermore
Church of Christ țhere was an hour
when this firemight have been extinguished
by thee. Now, thou standest like a mighty
man
"
astonished, like
a mightyman that
cannot save. But the Hope of Israel is not
dead. The Saviour the*reof in time of
trouble is yet alive.
If every church in our land were hung
every Christian should
with "
mourning, if
"
put on sack-cloth, if "the priest should
weep between the porch and the altar,"and
say, "Spare thypeople,0 Lord,and give
not thyheritage to reproach ! "
were
not too great a mourning for such a time as
this.
0, church of Jesus ! consider what hath
been said in the midst of thee. What a
heresyhast thou tolerated in thy bosom !
Thy God the defender of slavery !
"
thy
God the patronof slave-law ! Thou hast
suffered the character of thy God to be
slandered. Thou hast sufferedfixlsewitness
againstthy Redeemer and thy Sanetifief.
The Holy Trinity of heaven has been foully
traduced in the midst of thee ; and
that God
"
over from whose throne is awful in justice has been
fire-companies. made the patron and leader of oppression.
"What impudenceof Charlestown," say
This is a sin against every
Christian on
these men, "to be sending over here, justthe globe.
as if we could not put our own fires out ! Why do we love and adore,beyond all
They have firesover there,as much as we things, our God 1 Why do we
say to him,
do."
from our inmost souls,"Whom have I in
And now the flames roar and burn,and heaven but thee,and there is none upon
shake hands across the streets. They leapearth I desire beside thee"? Is this a

awake
,
course
""
"
bought-upworship? is
hollow subserviency,
KEY TO UNCLE TOMS CABIN. 223
it a cringing and [by a
because he is great and ;
dissolves
few hours of patientshining,
the iceberg on which allthe storms of winter
rich and powerful, and we dare not do have beat in vain. 0, that so happy a
otherwise1 His eyes are a flame of fire ;
"
had been thought of and pursuedby
he reads the inmost soul,and will accept no all the other denominations ! But the day
such service. From our souls we adore and ; is past when this monstrous evil would so
love him, because he is holy and just and ! quietlyyieldto gentleand persuasive measgood,
and will not at all acqui the wicked.
We love him because he is the father of the At the time that the Quakers made their
fatherless, thejudgeof the because
widow;"
attempt, this Leviathan in the reeds and
he liftethallwho fall, and raiseth them that rushes of America was
young and callow,
are bowed down. We love Jesus Christ, because
and had not learned his strength Ṭhen
he is the Lamb without spot, the he might have been "drawn out with a
one altogether lovely Ẉe love the Holy'hook;"then they might have "made a
Comforter, because he comes to convince the 'covenant with him,and taken him for a serworld
of sin,and of righteousness, and of jvantforever;" but now Leviathan is fulljudgment.
0, holy church universal, grown. Beholdțhe hopeof him is vain,
"
throughout all countries and nations ! 0, I Shall not men be cast down even at the
ye great cloud of witnesses, of all people! sightof him? None is so fiercethat dare
and languages and tongues ! "
differing in
j stirhim up. His scales are his prideșhut
many doctrines, but united in cryingWor- up together as, with a close seal;one is so
thyi8 the Lamb that was slain, for he hath near to another that no air can come beredeemed
us from all iniquity !
"
! tween them. The flakes of his flesh are
"arise up!" be not silent! Testify against [joinedtogether.They are firm in themselves,
this heresy of the latter day,which, if it theycannot be moved. His heart is
were possible, is deceiving the very elect. as firm as a stone,yea, as hard as the nether
Your God. your glory,is slandered. Answer
mill-stone. The sword of him that layeth
mightythunderings ! Answer with the in-
multitude in heaven, who cry,
day and night, (Holy, holy,holy ! just and
true are thy ways, 0 King of saints!
with the voice of many waters and at him cannot hold. He esteemeth iron as
numerable straw, and brass as rotten wood. Arrows
cannot make him flee; sling-stones are
turned with him into stubble. He laugheth
at the shaking of a spear. Upon the earth
there is not his like : he is kingover all the
childrenof pride."
There are those who yet retain the delusion
thatșomehow or other,without any
CHAPTER III.
very particular effortor opposition, by a soft,
genteel, rather apologetic style of operation,
MARTYRDOM.
Leviathan is to be converted,baptizedand
At the time when the Methodist and Christianized.They can try it. Such a style
Presbyterian Churches passedthe anti-slavery
answers admirably as long as it is understood
resolutionswhich we have recordedțhe to mean nothing.But justthe moment
system of slavery could probablyhave been that Leviathan findstheyare in earnest,
extirpated by the church with comparatively I then they willsee the consequences. The delittletrouble.
Such was the experience of batesof allthe synodsin the United States,
the Quakers,who tried the experiment at as to whether he is an evil per se, will not
that time,and succeeded. The course theywake him. In fact,theyare rathera pleasant
pursued was the simplestpossibleṪhey humdrum. Nor will any resolutions
districtedtheir church,and appointed regular
thatthey "behold him with regret"givehim
committees,- whose business it was to go especial concern ; neither will he be much
from house to house,and urge the rules of annoyedby the expressedexpectation that
the church individually
on each slave-holder, he is to die somewhere about the millennium.
one by one. This was done in a spirit of Notwithstanding all the recommendations of
such simplicity and brotherly love that very synods and conferences Leviathan himself
few resisted the appeal. They quietly!
has but an indifferent npil
of his own
yieldedup, in obedience to theirown con- Christianity and an impressionthat he
sciences, and the influenceof theirbrethren. would not be considered' quite in
This mode of operation, thoughgentle, was with the universalreign of Christ on earth ;
as efficient as thecalm sun of summer, which but he does n't much concern himself about
keeping

2^4 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
the
prospect of givingup
the ghostat so
remote a period.
either North or South,
very
But let any one,
take the sword of the Spirit and make one
his scalesthat he shall feel,and I
pass under
then he will know what sort of a conflict
Christian had with Apollyon. Let no one,
either North or South,undertake this war- j
fare, to whom fame,or ease, or wealth,or
anything that this world has to give, are too "
dear to be sacrificed. Let no one undertake ! state,among whom was the Rev. E. Beecher,
it who is not preparedto hate his own
goodj
then President of Illinois College.This
name, and,if need be,his lifealso. For this gatheringbrough togethera large number.
reason, we will give here the example of one : When they met for discussion, the mobocrats
martyr who died for this cause ; for it has |
been well said that "the blood of the martyr ferment. The mob finally out-voted and
is the seed of the church."
dissolved the convention. It was then
The Rev. Elijah P. Lovejoywas the son
of a Maine woman, a native of that state
which,barren in all thingselse,is fruitful
in noble sentiments and heroic deeds. Of
his earlydays we
say nothing.Probably continued to printhis paper, the mob
theywere like those of other Maine boys. would destroy his expected press. In this
We take up
his historywhere we find him a state of excitement, Mr. Beecher,at the request
clergyman in St. Louis,Mo., editinga religious
of the society, preachedtwo sermons,
newspaper. Though professing not setting forth the views and course of conduct
to be a technical abolitionist, he took an open
which were contemplated in the proposed
and decided stand againstslavery. This movement. They were subsequentlyset
aroused great indignation, and calledforth forth in a publishedocument, an extract
threats of violence. Soon after,a mob,
composedof the most respectable
of the place,
individuals
burned alive a negro-man in the
streets of St. Louis,for stabbing
more merciful death were disregarded. In
his charge to the grandjury,JudgeLawless
decided that no legalredress could be had
for this outrage,because,beingthe act of an
infuriated multitude,it was above the law.
ElijahLovejoyexpressed, in determined
language,his horror of the transaction and
and bowie-knives,who swore that they
would have his heart's blood. A woman's
the aid of friends,repelled
last despair, and
the first assault ; but when the mob again
and elevate
and there set up his the publicmind on all other great moral subjects,
paper.
"
personalinfluence, publicaddress,the pulpit
The mob followed him. His press was twice and the press.
returned,he made his escape. Lovejoy came
to Alton,Illinois,
destroyed, he was dailythreatened with
assassination.
Before his press
was destroyed the third
time,a call was issued in his paper for a
convention of the enemies of slavery and
friends of freeinquiryin Illinois, forthe purpose
of considering and recommending measures
adapted to meet the existing crisis.
This call was signedby about two hundred
and fiftypersons from different partsof the
came also among them,and there was a great
resolved to form an anti-slavery society,
and to issue a declaration of sentiments,
and an address to the peopleof the state.
Threats were expressedthat,if Mr. Lovejoy
from which will givethe reader an idea of
what theywere :
the officers 1. We shall endeavor to induce all our fellowcitizens
to elevate their minds above all
who came to arrest him. This scene of selfish,
protracted
pecuniary, political, and local interests ; and,
torture lasted tillthe deed from
was completed,
a deep sense of the presence of God, to regard
and the shrieks of the victim for a solely the eternal and immutable principles of
truth,which no human legislature or popular sentiment
can alter or remove.
2. We shall endeavor to present the question
as one between this community and a subject
God,"
on which He deeplyfeels, and on which we
owe great and importantduties to Him and to our
fellow-citizens.
3. We shall endeavor,as far as possible, to
allay the violence of party strifețo remove all
of the decision. For these causes, his office
unholyexcitement,and to produce mutual confidence
was torn down and destroyedby the mob.
and kindness,and a deep interest in the
welfare
Happeningto be in St. Charles,a mob of
of all parts of our nation ; and a strong
desire
such men as onlyslaverycould raise attacked
to preserve its union and promote its highest
welfare.
the house to take his life. His Our entire reliance is upon truth and love,and
distracted wife kept guard at his door, the influences of the Holy Spirit. We desire to
struggling with men armed with bludgeonscompel no one to act againsthis judgmentor conscience
by an oppressive power
of publicsentiment
; but to arouse all men to candid thought,
and impartialinquiryin the fear of God, we do
desire.
And, to accomplishthis end,we shall use the
same means that are used to enlighten

4. We shall endeavor to producea new and
radical investigation of the principles of human
rights, and of the relationsof all justlegislation
to them,deriving our principles from the nature
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 225
manner communities where such laws exist may
relieve themselves at once, in perfectsafety and
both of the guilt and dangersof the system.
7. And, until communities can be aroused to do
their duties,we shall endeavor to illustrateand
enforce the duties of individual slave-holdersin
such communities.
with them was, that,thoughcalm and
kind,theywere felt to be in earnest ; and
at once Leviathan was wide awake.
The next practical question was, Shall the
third printing-press be defended, or shallit
also be destroyed?
There was a tremendous excitement, and a
greatpopulartumult. The timid,prudent,
and support him in his right
to publishwhatever he pleases, holdinghim Responsib
peace-loving majority, who are to be found in
onlyto the laws of the land.
every city,who care not what principles
prevail, so theypromote their own interest These resolutions,
proposed, were to be
were wavering and pusillanimous, and thus taken into considerationat a final meetinoof
the citizens, which was to bo held the
encouraged the mob. Every motive was
urgedto induce Mr. Beecher and Mr. Lovejoyto
foregothe attempt to reestablishthe That meetingwas held. Their first step
next day.
press. The former was toldthata pricehad was to depriveMr. Beecher,and all who
been set on hishead in "
Missouri, a fashionable
were not citizensof that
mode of meetingargument in the county, of the right
proslavery
partsof this country. Mr. LovejoyThe committee then reported thattheydeeply
of debating on the reportto be presented.
had been so longthreatenedwith assassination,
regretted the excited state
him was
That the free communication of opinionisone of
To views presented in this spirit and the invaluable rights of man ; and that every citizen
manner one would think there could have may freely speak,write or
print, on any subject,
been no rationalobjection. The only difficulty
beingresponsible for the abuse of the liberty.
That maintenance of these principles should be
independent of all regard to persons and sentiments
also told thatthe interestsof the college
which he was president would be sacrificed,
and that,if he chose to riskhis own safety,
he had no righto riskthoseinterests.But
Mr. Beecher and Mr. Lovejoyboth feltthat
to prevent free discussionin general, they
deemed it indispensable to the publictranquillity
the very foundationprinciple of free institutions
that Mr. Lovejoyshould not publish
had
at thistime been seriously compromised,
the country, by yielding
a
paper in that city; not wishingto reflect
all over
in the slightest degree upon Mr. Lovejoy's
up the right of freediscussionat the clamors character and motives. All that the meeting
of the mob ; thatit was a precedent of very waitedfor now was, to hear whether Mr.
wide and very dangerousapplication. Lovejoywould complywith their recommendation.
In a publicmeeting,Mr. Beecher addressed
the citizenson the rightof maintaining
read to them some of those eloquent passages
in which Dr. Channing had maintained
the same rights in very similarcircumstances
of the human mind, the relationsof man to God, in Boston. He read to them extracts from
and the revealed will of the Creator.
foreignpapers, which showed how the
5. We shall then endeavor to examine the slavelaws
of our land in the lightof these
American charactersufferedin foreign lands
principles,
and from
to prove that
the
they are essentially sinful, and
prevalence in America of Lynch
that theyare at war alike with the will of God law and mob violence. He defended the
and all the interestsof the master,the slave,and
right
of Mr. Lovejoyto printand publish
the community at large.
his
6. We
conscientiousopinions
shall then endeavor to show in what
; and. finally, he
read from some Southern journalsextracts
condemned the
in which theyhad strongly
course of the mob, and vindicated Mr.
Lovejoy's righto express his opinions. He
then proposed to them thattheyshould pass
resolutionsto the following effect :
.
That theyshould be especially maintained with
regard to unpopularsentiments, since no others
need the protectionof law.
That on these groundsalone,and without regard
to political and moral differences, we
agree
to protec the press and propertyof the editor of
the Alton Observer,
One
that the exigences
free inquiry, and of supporting hissympathyforMr. Lovejoy, characterizing
every man in the rightof publishing and him as an unfortunateindividual, hopingthat
speakinghis conscientiousopinions Ḥe theywould all considerthat he had a wife
15
of feeling ; that
theycherished strongconfidence that ^he-
re-
day and nightțhatthe argument with
something musty. Mr. Beecher was citizenswould refrain from undue excitements;
of
of the time
quired
a course of moderation and compromise;
and that,while there was no disposition
of the committee arose, and expressed

gentlemenhave,
"
so
226 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
and family to support, and trusting that I cannot make it. And the
they
reason is,that I fear
would disgrace
him as littleas possible ; but God more than I fear man. Think not that I
would lightly
that he and all his partywould see the go contrary to publicsentiment
necessity
around me. The good opinion of my fellow-men
of making a
compromise, and departing
from Alton. What followed is related
in the words of Mr. Beecher,who was present
at the meeting :
to the fact that I offered a few days since to
give up the editorship of the Observer into other
As Brother Love joy rose to reply to the speech hands. This is true ; I did so because it was
ahove mentioned,I watched his countenance with thoughtor said by some that perhapsthe paper
deepinterest,not to say anxiety Ị saw no tokens would be better patronized in other hands. They
of disturbance. With a tranquil,self-possessed declined acceptingmy offer,however, and since
air,he went up to the bar within which the chairman
then Ave have heard from the friends and supporters
sat, and, in a tone of deep țender and subdued
of the paper in all partsof the state. There
feeling, spokeas follows :
was but one sentiment among them, and this
I understand it,before this audience. I do not
stand here to argue the question
not so. There is but one party here. It is simply
a questionwhether the law shall be enforced,or
whether the mob shall be allowed,as they now
do, to continue to trample it under their feet,by
violating with impunity the rights of an innocent
individual.
I have suffered in if this be the it," compromise
intended,then do I willingly make it. My
is dear to me, and I would sacrifice anythingbut
principle to obtain their good wishes ; but when
theyask me to surrender this,theyask for more
than I can, than I dare give. Reference is made
"
I feel,Mr. Chairman, that this is the most was that the paper could be sustained in no other
solemn moment of my
life. I feel,I trust,in some hands than mine. It isalso a
very different question,
measure the responsibilities which at this hour I whether I shall voluntarily, or at the request
sustain to these, my fellow-citizens, to the church of friends,yieldup my post; or whether I shall
of which I am a minister,to my country, and to forsake it at the demand of a mob. The former I
God. And let me beg of you, before I proceedfurther,
am at all times ready to do, when circumstances
to construe nothing I shall say as beingdisrespectful
occur to require it ; as I will never putmy personal
to thisassembly. I have no such feeling : wishes or interests in competition with the cause
far from it. And if I do not act or speakaccording
of that Master whose minister I am. But the latter,
to their wishes at all times,it is because I be assured.I never will do. God, in his providence,
cannot conscientiously do it.
say all my brethren,and so I has devolved
think,"
" It is proper I should state the whole matter,as
upon me the responsibility of maintaining
my groundhere ; and, Mr. Chairman, I am determined
as presentedby
to do it. A voice comes to me from Maine,
the report of the committee. My onlywonder is from Massachusetts,from Connecticut, from Newthat
the honorable gentlemanthe chairman of that York, from Pennsylvania, yea, from Kentucky,
committee, for whose character I entertain great from Mississippi , calling upon me,
respectțhough I have not the pleasure of his personal
in the name of all that is dear in heaven or earth,
acquaintance, my onlywonder is how that to stand fast ; and,by the help of God, I will
gentlemancould have broughthimself to submit stasd. I know I am but one, and you
are many.
such a report.
My strengthwould avail but littleagainstyou all.
"
Mr. Chairman, I do not admit that it is the You can crush me, if you
will ; but I shall die at
.
"
business of this assembly to decide whether I
shall or shall hot publish a "
newspaper in this Why should I fleefrom Alton ? Is not this a
city. The as the lawyerssay,
free state ? When assailed by a mob at St. Louis,
made a wrong issue. I have the rightto do it. I I came hithet, as to the home of freedom and of
know that I have the rightfreely to speak and publish
the The mob has me and
my sentiments,subjectonlyto the laws of the why should I retreat again ? AYhere can I be safe,
land for the abuse of that right. This right was if not here? Hive not I a righ to claim the protection
laws. pursued here,
given me bymy Maker ; and is solemnlyguaranteed of the laws? What more can I have in any
to me by the constitution of these United States, other place? Sir,the very act of retreating will
and of this state. What I wish to know of you
embolden the mob to follow me wherever I go. No,
is,whether you will protectme, in the exercise sir țhere is no way to escape the mob, but to
of this right; or whether, as heretofore,I am to abandon the pathof (luty ; and that,God helping
be subjectedto personalindignity outrage. me, I will never do.
These resolutions, and the measures proposedby
" It has been said heve țhat hand is against
them, are spokenof as a compromise a compromise
every man, and every man's
my
hand against The
between two parties Ṃr. Chairman, this is
true.
my post,for I cannot and will not forsake it.
broughtforth? If in anythingI have offended
rights
been shamefully,wickedlyoutraged; against the law, I am not so popular in this community
this I know, and feel,and can never forget. But
as that it would be difficultto convict me.
I can and do freelyforgivethose who have done it. You have courts and judgesand juries ; they find
"
But if by a compromiseis meant that I should
eease from doingthat which duty requires me,
last part of the declarationis too painfully
I do indeed find almost e^-ery hand lifted against
me; but against whom in this place has my hand.
been raised ? I appeal to every individual present;
whom of you have I injured*Whose character
have I traduced ? Whose famnyhave I molested ?
Whose business have I meddled with ? If any,
"
Mr. Chairman,what have I to compromise? let him rise here and testify against No one
"
If freely forgive have so greatly answers.
me, if to pray for their "
temporaland eternal And do not your resolutions say that you find
happiness, prosperity of nothingagainstmy private personalcharacter?
your cityand state,notwithstanding all the indignitiesAnd
does any one believethat,if there was
anything
to be found,it would not be found and
nothingagainstme. And now
you come together
forthe purpose of drivingout a confessedly inno-

I
cent man, for no cause but that he dares to think
and speakas his conscience and his God dictate.
Will conduct like this stand the scrutiny of
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 227
your
country, of posterity, above all,of the judgmentday?
For remember,the Judge of that day is no fear God that I am not afraid of allwho oppose
pursuing me wherever I went. It is because I
respecter of persons. Pause, I beseech you, and me in this city.No, sir țhe contest has commenced
reflect! The presentexcitement will soon be over ;
here ; and here it must be finished. Before
the voice of conscience willat last be heard. And God and you all,I here pledgemyselfto continue
in some season of honest thought, even in this
Avorld,as you review the scenes of this hour, you
will be compelled to say, 'He was right; he was
right.'
"
But you have been exhorted to be lenient and
In person Lovejoywas wellformed,in voice
and manners refined
compassionate,and in driving me away to affix
; and the pathosof this
no
unnecessary disgraceupon me. Sir, I rejectall
such compassion.You cannot disgraceme. Scandal
melted every
one present, and produced a
and falsehood and calumny have alreadydone deep silence. It was one of those moments
their worst. My shoulders have borne the burthen
when the feelings of an audience tremble in
tillit sits easy upon them. You may hang me up,
as the mob hung up the individuals of Yicksburg ! the balance, and a grainmay inclinethem to
You may burn me at the stake,as they did Mcintosh
either side. A proposition to support him
at St. Louis ; or
you may tar and feather me, might have carried, had it been made at that
or throw me into the Mississippi, as you have often
moment. The charm was broken by another
threatened to do ; but you cannot disgraceme. I,
minister of the
and I alone,can disgrace myself; and the deepest
gospel, who rose and delivered
of all disgracewould be, at a time like thisțo
a homily on the necessity of compromise,
denymy Master by forsaking his cause. He died
for me ; and I were most unworthy to bear his
name, should I refuse,if need be, to die for him.
"
Again,you have been told that I have a family,
who are dependent on me ; and this has been
given as a reason why I'should be driven off as
gently as possible Ịt is true,Mr. Chairman, I
am a husband and a father ; and this it is that
adds the bitterestingredient to the cup of sorrow
I am called to drink. I am made to feel the wisdom
of the
'
apostle'sadvice ; It is better not to
marry.' I know, sir țhat in this contest I stake
but that of others also. I do not
expect my wife will ever recover the shock received
which she was called
not my life only,
at the awful scenes through
to pass
at St. Charles. And how was itthe other
night,on my return to my house ? I found her
driven to the garret,through fear of the mob, who
were prowling round my house. And scarcelyhad
I entered the house ere my windows were broken
in by the brickbats of the mob, and she so alarmed
that it was impossible for her to sleepor rest
that I night." am hunted as a partridge upon the
mountains ; I am pursuedas a felon throughyour
streets ; and to the guardianpower of the law I
protection againstviolence
look in vain for that
which even the vilestcriminal may claim.
to me, has come. Sir,I dare not flee away from
Alton. Should I attempt it,I should feelthat
the angelof the Lord,with his flamingsword,was
it,if need be,tilldeath. If I fall, my grave
shall be made in Alton."
last appeal, uttered in entire simplicity,
recommendingto Mr. Lovejoyespecial
attention to the example of Paul,who was
let down in a basket from a window in
Damascus ; as if Alton had been a heathen
city under a despoticgovernment ! The
charm once broken,the meeting became
tumultuous and excited, and all manner of
denunciations were rained down upon abolitionist
The
meetingpassedthe resolutions
the committee, and refused
reported by
to resolve to aid in sustaining the law against
illegal violence ; and the mob perfectly understood
that,do what theymight,they
should have no disturbance. It beingnow
understood that Mr. Lovejoywould not retreat,
it was
supposed that the crisisof the
matter would develop itselfwhen his printing-pres
came on shore.
During the following
seemed to be something
three days there
of a reaction. One
of the most influentialof the mob-leaders
"
"
was heard to say that it was of no use to
" Yet think not that I am unhappy. Think not
that I go
regre the choice that I have made. While
destroying presses, as there was
money
all around me is violence and tumult,all is peace
enough on East to bringnew ones, and that
within. An approvingconscience,and the rewarding
theymight as well let the fanaticsalone.
smile of God,is a full recompense for all This somewhat encouraged the irresolute
that I forego and all that I endure. Yes,sir,I
cityauthorities, and the friends of the press
enjoya peace which nothing can destroy Ị sleep
sweetlyand undisturbed,
thought,
except when awaked by
they could getit once landed,
the brickbats of the mob.
safe into the store of Messrs. Godfrey" Gilman,
"
No, sir,I am not unhappy. I have counted
that the crisiswould be safelypassed.
the cost,and stand preparedfreely to offer up my Theythereforesent an
express
all in captain
the service of God. Yes,sir,I am fullyto aware of all the sacrificeI make, in here
delay
pledging
landingof the boat tillthree
myselfto continue thiscontest to the last. o'clock in the
(Forgive
morning, and the leaders of
these tears had not intended to shed the mob, after watching till theywere tired,
them, and they flow not for myselfbut others.) went home ; the press was safely landed and
But I am commanded to forsakefather and mother
and wife and children for Jesus' sake ;
deposited, and all supposed that the trouble
and as his
professed disciple I stand preparedto was
do it. The safelypassed.Under this impression
time for fulfilling thispledge in my case, it Mr. Beecher leftAlton, and returned home.

228
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
We will givea few extracts from Mr.
Beecher's narrative,
not vain. Though dead he stillspeaketh; and
a united
which describe his last
world can never silencehis voice.
interviewwith Mr. Lovejoy on that night,
afterthey had landed and secured the The conclusionof the tragedyis briefly
press :
told. A volunteer company, of whom Lovejoy
Shortly after the hour fixed on for the landing was one, was formed to act under the
of the boat,Mr. Lovejoyarose, and called me to go
mayor in defenceof the law. The with him to see what was the result. next night
The moon
the mob assailedthe
had set and it was still dark,but day
building at ten o'clock.
was near ;
and here and there a light
The was store consistedof two stone
glimmeringfrom
buildings in
the window of some sick room, or of some earlyone block,with doors and windows at each
riser. The streets were empty and silent, and the
end,but no windows at the sides. The roof
sounds of our feet echoed from the walls as we
passedalong. Little did he dream, at that was of wood. Mr. Gilman,openingthe end
hour,
door of the third story,asked what they
of the contest which the next nightwould witness ;
that these same streets would echo with the
shouts of an infuriate mob, and be stained with
to give it up, and earnestly entreated
his own heart's blood.
them
We found the boat there,and the press in the
to go away without violence, assuring
warehouse ; aided in raising it to the third them that,as the
story.
propertyhad been committed
We were allrejoiced that no conflicthad ensued, to theircharge,theyshould defend it
and that the press was safe ; and all felt that the at the risk of their lives. After some ineffectua
crisis was over. We were sure that the store
attempts țhe mob shouted to set
could not be carried by storm by so few men as
had ever yet acted in a mob ; and thoughthe fireto .theroof. Mr. Lovejoy,with, some
majority
of the citizenswould not aid to defend the others, went out to defend itfrom thisattack,
press, we had no fear that theywould aid in an
attack. So deep was this feelingthat it was
that a small number was sufficientto
thought
guard the press afterward ; and it was agreedbarelystrength to return to the store,went
that the company should be divided into sections up one flight of stairs, felland expired.
of six,and take turns on successivenights. As Those within then attempted to capitulate,
they had been up all night, Mr. Lovejoyand myself
but were refusedwith curses by the mob,who
offeredto take chargeof the press
tillmorning
; and they retired.
threatenedto burn the store, and shoot them
The morning soon began to dawn ; and that as theycame out. At length the building
morning I shall never forget.Who that has stood was actually on fire,and theyfledout, fired
on the banks of the mightystream that then rolled
before me can forget the emotions of sublimity that
on as theywent by the mob. So terminated
the Alton
filledhis heart,as in imagination he has traced
tragedy.
those channels of intercourseopenedby it and its When the noble mother of Lovejoy heard
branches through the illimitableregions of this of his deathșhe said,"It is well. I had
western world? I thought of future ages,
and of ratherhe would die so than forsake hisprinciples."
the countless millions that should dwell on this
All is
mighty stream ; and that not over with America while
nothingbut the truth
would make them free. Never did I feel as then
such mothers are yet left. Was she not
the value of the rightfor which we were contending
blessedwho could giveup such a son in
thoroughly to investigate and fearlessly such a spirit ? Who was that woman whom
to proclaim that truth. O, the sublimity of God pronounced
moral power ! By it God sways the universe. By
blessed above all women ?
it he will make the nations free.
Was it not she who saw her dearest crucified?
I passedthroughthe scuttleto the roof,and ascended
So differently does God see from
to the highestpointof the wall. The sky what man sees.
and the river were beginning to glow with approaching
day, and the busy hum of business
to be heard. I looked with exultation on the
scenes below. I feltthat a bloodless battle had
been gainedfor God and for the truth ; and that
Alton was redeemed from eternalshame. And as all
around grew brighterwith approachingday, I
thoughtof that stillbrighter
stream.
Vain hopes
martyr'sgrave ! Vain,did I say?
of gloriouslight.
Brother Lovejoy, too, was happy. He did not
exult ; he was tranquiland composed, but his
countenance indicatedthe state of his mind. It was
a calm and tranquiljoy,for he trusted in God that
the point was gained: that the banner of an un-
press woidd soon wave over that mighty
fettered
! How soon to be buried in a
No : theyare
wanted. Theydemanded the press.
He refused
and was shot down by the deliberateaim of
one of the mob. After thiswound he had
CHAPTER
SERVITUDE IN THE PRIMITIVE CHURCH
sun, even now dawning
COMPARED WITH AMERICAN SLAVERY.
on the world,and soon to bathe itwith floods
IV.
1 Look now upon thispicture -and on this."
Hajilet.
It isthe standing claim ofthose professors
of religion at the South who supportslavery
thattheyare pursuingthe same course in
relationto itthat Christand hisapostles did.
Let us considerthe course of Christand his
apostles, and the nature of the kingdom

KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 229
"
a which theyfounded, and see if thisbe the
"
myth,
a strange,supernatural,
fact.
mystery,
inexplicable being, forever talking Napoleonsaid, "Alexander, Cresar, Charlemagne
parables, and sayingthingswhich they could
and myself, have ^founded empires; not understand.
but upon Avhat did we rest the creation of One thingonlythey held fastto : he was
our genius']Upon
a king,he would have a kingdom; and he
force. Jesus Christ
alone founded his empireupon love."
The desireto be above others in power,
rank and station, is one of the deepest in
human nature. If there isanythingwhich
distinguishes man from other creatures,it is
that he is par excellence an oppressive
animal. On this principle, as Napoleonthem,silent,
absfracted, speaking occasionally
observed,all empires have been founded; in broken sentences, of which theyfeared to
and the idea of founding a kingdom in "
any ask the meaning, they,behind, beguiled the
other way had not even been thoughtof time with the usual dispute of "who should
when Jesus of Nazareth appeared. be greatest."
When the serene Galilean came
up from The mother of James and John came to
the waters of Jordan,crowned and glorified him,and,breakingthe mournful train of
by the descending Spirit, and beganto preach,
very, desired a certain thing of him,"
saying,
" The kingdom of God isat hand," thather two sons mightsitat his righthand
what expectations did he excite? Men's and his left, as primeministers, in the new
heads were fullof armies to be marshalled, kingdom. With hissad,far-seeing eye still
of provinces to be conquered, of cabinets to fixed upon Gethsemane and Calvary, he said,
all these things for them,
miraculous power?
Therefore it was
was
very popular,
him.
that Jesus of Nazareth
and drew crowds after
eye on the officesand ranks which he was to
thismiraculous
thing was to be lookedfor ; that there was to
be no distinctionin his kingdom,except the
self-
assumed for the
distinctionof pain, and suffering, and
renunciation, voluntarily
good
of mankind.
confer,when,as theyexpected,
kingdomshould blaze forth.
to minister, and to givehis lifea ransom for
While his heart was struggling and laboring,
many."
and nerving itself by nights of prayer Let us now pass
on to another week in
to meet desertion, betrayal, denial,rejection, this history Ṭhe disciples have seen their
by his beloved people, and ignominious death, Lord enter triumphantly into Jerusalem,
they were forever wrangling about the officesamid the shouts of the multitude. An in-
in the new kingdom. Once and again, something his air and manner
the plainest way, he told them that no such convinces them that a great crisisisat hand.
His words seemed to them as idle tales.
In fact,theyconsideredhim as a kind of a
"
had toldthem that theyshould siton twelve
thrones,judgingthe twelve tribesof Israel.
And so, when he was goingup to Jerusalem
to die, when that anguishlong wrestled
with in the distance had come almost
faceto face, and he was walking
in front of
"
be formed,and offices to be distributed. Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able
There was no doubt at all that he could get to drink of the cup which I shall drink of,
for had he not and to be baptized with the baptismwherewith
I shallbe baptized?"
James and John were both quitecertain
that theywere able. They were willing to
figh throughanything for the kingdom's
Of these,he chose,from the very lowest sake. The ten were very indignantẈere
of life, twelve men of the best and most
walk
theynot as willing as James and John ?
honest heart which he could findțhat he And so there was a contention among them.
"
mightmake them his inseparable companions, But Jesus calledthem to him and said,
and mould them,by his sj^mpathy and friendship,
Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles
into some capacity to receive and transmit
exercise dominion over them,and their great
his ideas to mankind.
ones exercise authority upon them ; but it
But theytoo,simple-hearted and honest shallnot be so
among you.
thoughtheywere, were bewildered and bewitched"
Whosoever will be greatamong you, let
bythe common viceofmankind;and, him be your minister ; and whosoever willbe
thoughtheyloved him full wellștillhad an
"
chief among you, let him be your servant,
yea, the servant of all. For even the Son
of Man came not to be ministeredunto, but
He walks among men as a descended God.
and energetic.
Never were his words so thrilling
Never were w?ordsspoken
on earth
which so breatheand burn as these of the
last week of the lifeof Christ. All the
describab
fervor and imageryand fireof the old prophets
seemed to be raised from the dead,

"
and
230 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
ethereali zed awl transfigured in the person
ward.
of
The primitive church,as
this Jesus. They dare not ask him, but
theyare certain that the kingdommust be
coming. They feel, in the thrill of that
mightysoulțhat a greatcycleof time is
should suffer and serve the most. The
finishing, and a new era in the world's Christianchurch was an imperiwn in imperlo;
submitting outwardly to the laws of
historybeginning.Perhapsat this very
feast of the Passover is the time when the the land,but professing inwardly to be regulated
miraculous banner is to be unfurled, and the by a higher faith and a higher law.
new, immortal kingdomproclaimedȦgain They were dead to the world,and the world
the ambitious longingsarise. This new to them. Its customs were not their customs
kingdom shallhave ranks and dignities. And
who is to sustain them? While therefore
their Lord
sitslost in thought,revolving
his mind that simpleordinance of love
This time Jesus does not remonstrate.
weariness, tyrannous dominion of the stronger
He expresses no impatience, no
no disgustẈhat does he,then? Hear
what St. John says :
"Jesus knowingthat the Father had
given all thingsinto his hands, and that
he was come from God and went to God,he
riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments,
and took a towel and girded himself. servant,in like manner, was refined into a
voluntary relationbetween two equal brethren,
feet, and to in which the servant faithfully
them with the towel wherewith he was
After that,he pourethwater into a basin,
and beganto wash the disciples'
performed
wipe hisduties as to the Lord,and the master gave
girded.""After he had washed their feet him a fullcompensation for his services.
and had taken his garments and was sat No one ever doubted that such a relation
down again, he said unto them,Know
what I have done to you?
ye
Ye callme Master
and Lord : and ye say well,for so I am.
If I,then,your Lord and Master,have
organized
by them,was a brotherhoodof strictequality.
There was no more contention who should
be greatest; the onlycontention was, who
; itsrelations not their relations. All
the ordinaryrelationsof life,when they
passed into the Christian church,underwent
a quick, immortal change ;
so that the transformed
which he is about to constitute the sealing relationresembled the old and heathen
ordinanceof his kingdom, it is said again, one no more than the glorious bodywhich is
"There was a strife among them which raisedin incorruption resembles the mortal
should be accounted the greatest."
one which was sown in corruption. The
relation of marriage was changed, from a
the weakerțo an
sex over
intimate union,symbolizing
the relationof Christand the church. The
child,purified from
relationof parent and
the harsh features of heathen law,became
justimage of the love of the heavenly
Father;and the relation of master and
as this is an innocent one. It exists in all
free states. It is the relation which exists
between employer and employedgenerally,
in the various departments of life. It is
washed your feet, ye alsoought to wash one true, the master was never called upon to
another's feet ; for I have givenyou an example
perform the legalact of enfranchisement,
that ye should do as I have done to you." why ? Because the very nature of the
"Verily,verily I say unto you, the servant
kingdominto which the master and slave
is not greater than his lord,neither he had entered enfranchised him. It is nofe
that is sent greaterthan he that sent him.
necessary for a master to write a deed of enfranchisement
If ye know these things, happyare ye if ye
when he takes his slaves into
do them."
Canada,or even into New York or Pennsylvania.
Here,then,we have the king,and the
The moment the master and slave
constitutionof the kingdom. The kingon stand together on this soil, their whole relations
his knees at the feet of his servants,performing
to each other are changed. The master
the lowest menial service, with the
may remain master, and the servant a
announcement,"I have givenyou an example,
servant ; but,according to the constitution
that ye should do as I have done to of the state theyhave enteredțhe service
you."
must be a voluntary one on the partof the
And when,afterthe descentof the Holy slave,and the master must render a just
Ghost,all these immortal words of Christ, equivalentẈhen the water of baptism
which had lain buried likedead seed in the passedover the master and the slave,both
heart, were quickenedand sprang up in celestialalike
came under the great constitutional
verdure țhen these twelve became, law of Christ'sempire,which is this :
each one in his "
place,another Jesus,filled Whosoever will be
with the spirit of him who greatamong had gone heaven-
you, let
him be your minister ; and whosoever willbe
a

chief among you, let him be your servant, who
yea, the servant of all." Under such a law,
servitude was
and made honorable,
dignified
but slavery was made an impossibility.
That the church was essentially, and in its
KEY TO UNCLE TOMS CABIN. 231
of lifeand love țhat breathesin every description
who was himself a perfect realizationof this
of the Christianchurch.
beautifultheory:
"
Who is weak,and I am
To all,whether bond or free țh e apostle not weak 1 Who is offended, and I burn
addressesthese
" "
inspiring words : There is not?" To whom ye forgiveanything, I
one body,and one spirit, even as
ye are
called in one
hope of your calling; one
baptism,
one faith, one
one God and Father
of all,who is above all,and throughall,
have access,byone
and in you all." "For throug him we all
Spirit, unto the Father."
"
Now, therefore, ye are no more strangers
and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with
saints, and of the household of God,and are
forgivealso."
Lord, But still further,
the
said,I will dwell in them and walk in them."
built upon the foundationof the apostles and Nor was this sublime language in those days
prophets, Jesus Christ,himself, beingthe
chief corner-stone." "Ye are allthe children
of God,byfaithin Jesus Christ ; there
is neitherJew nor Greek țhere is neither
bond nor freețhere is neither male nor female,
for ye
are all one in ChristJesus."
fillethall in all seeks this church to
be the associate and complementof himself,
even as a wife is of the husband. This
body of believersis spokenof as a bright
and mysticalbride,in the world,but not of
own nature, such an institutionof equalityit;spotless,
divine, immortal,raised from the
brotherhood, love and liberty, as made the death of sin to newness of life, redeemed by
existence of a slave,in the characterof a the blood of her Lord, and to be presented
slave,in it,a contradictionand an impossibility,
at last unto him,a gloriouschurch,not
isevident from the generalscope and havingspot or wrinkle,or
tendency of all the any such thing.
apostolic writings, particularly
A delicate and mysteriousympathyis
those of Paul.
supposed to pervadethis church,like that
And this view is obtained, not from a dry delicateand mysterioustracery of nerves
analysis of Greek words,and dismal discussions
thatoverspreads the human body;the meanest
about the meaning of doulos,but from member cannot suffer without the whole
a fulltide of celestial, irresistible spirit, full body,quivering in pain. Thus says Paul,
were
individual Christians
reminded,in languageof awful solemnity,
"What! know ye not that your body
is the temple of the Holy Ghost,which is
in you, which ye have of God, and that ye
are not your own?" And again,"Ye are
the temple of the livingGod ;
as God hath
passed over as a mere idle piece of rhetoric,
but was the ever-presentconsciousnessof the
soul.
EveryChristian was made an objectof
sacred veneration to his brethren, as
templeof the livingGod. The soul of
"
For,as the body is one, and hath many every Christianwas hushed into awful stillness,
members,and all the members of that one and inspired to carefulness, watchful-
body,being many, are one body șo, also is and sanctity, by the consciousnessof an
Christ ; for by one Spirit are we allbaptized indwelling God. Thus Ignatius, who for
into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles,
hispreeminentpiety was called, par excellence,
whether Ave be bond or free ; and whether
by his church,"Theophorus, the Godbearer,"
when summoned beforetheEmperor
one member suffer, allthe members suffer
with it,or one member be honored, all the Trajan, used the following remarkable language
members rejoice with it."
evil
It was the theoryof this blessed and spirit
* ** * for,bearing
my heart Christ
divine unityțhat whatever gift, or superiority,
the king of heaven,I bringto nothingthe
or advantage, was possessedby one arts and devicesof the evilspirits."
member, was possessedby every member. "Who, then,is 'the God-bearer'?" asked
Thus Paul says to them, "All things are Trajan.
yours ; whether Paul,or Apollos, or Cephas, "He who carriesChrist in his heart,"
or life, or death,all are yours, and ye are was the reply. * * * *
Christ's, and Christis God's."
"Dost thou mean him whom Pontius Pilate
Having thus represented the church as crucified? "
one livingbody,inseparably united țhe "He is the one I mean,"replied Ignatius.
apostleuses a still more awful and impressive
# * *
simile. The church,he says, is "Dost thou then bear the crucified one in
one body,and that bodyis the fulnessof thyheart?" asked Trajan.
Him who fillethall in all. That is,He "Even so,"said Ignatius:"for it is
the
: " No one can callTheophorus an

232 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
written,
I will dwell in them and rest in
them.'"
the identification of Christ
So perfect was
with the individualChristian in the primitive
churchțhatit was a familiarform of ex-
to speak of an injury
pression
done to the
meanest Christian as an injury done to Christ.
"
So St. Paul says, When ye sin so against hold the temple of the Holy Ghost as his
the weak brethren, and wound their weak property, and gravelydefend his righ to
consciences, ye sin againstChrist." He sell,lease,mortgage or hire the same, at
says of himself,"I live,yet not I, but hisconvenience, as that right has been argued
Christlivethin me."
in the slave-holding pulpits of America ?
See, alsoțhe following extracts from a What would have been said at such a doctrine
letterby Cyprian,Bishop of Carthage țo announced in the Christian church ?
some poor Numidian churches,who had applied
to him to redeem some of their members
ears, and cried out, "Judas!" If he was
from slaveryamong borderingsavage
tribes. (NeanderDenkw. I. 840.)
We could view the captivity of our brethren no
otherwise than as our own, since we belongto one
body,and not onlylove,but religion, excites us to
redeem in our brethren the members of our own
body. We must, even if affectionwere not sufficient
to induce us to keep our we could not have been refuted, for it never
brethren,"
must reflect that the temples of God are in captivity,
existed. It was an unheard-of and unsup-
and these temples of God ought not,by
our neglect, long to remain in bondage.
posable work of the devil, which Paul never
* * *
Since the apostlesays " as
many of as are
you
contemplated as even possible, that one
baptized have put on Christ,"so in our captiveChristiancould claim a righto hold another
brethren we must see before us Christ,who hath Christian as merchandise,and to trade in the
ransomed us from the danger of captivity, who
hath redeemed us from the danger of death "member of the body, flesh and bones" of
;
Him who hath freed us from the abyssof Satan,
Christ. Such a horrible doctrine never polluted
and who now remains and dwells in us, to free the innocence of the Christianchurch
Him from the hands of barbarians ! With a small
even in thought.
sum of money to ransom Him who hath ransomed
The directionswhich Paul
us by his cross and blood ; and who hath givesto Christian
permitted
this to take place that our faith may be masters and servants
proved
sufficiently show
thereby!
Now, because the Greek word doidos may
mean a slave,and because it is evident that
there were men in the Christianchurch who
"
in all, was
"
law? It was not the business of the apostles
to make new dictionaries ; they did not change
words, theychangedthings Ṭhe baptized,
regenerated, new-created doidos,of one body
and one spirit with his master, made one with
his master, even as Christ is one with the
his relationto his Christian master
like that of an American slave to his
master ? Would he who regarded his weakest
brother as beingone with Christ hold
his brother as a chattel personal?Could
he hold Christ as as a chattel personal?
Could he sellChristfor money ? Could he
Every member would have stoppedhis
pronounced accursed who thought that the gift
of the Holy Ghost might be purchasedwith
money,
what would have been said of him who
held that the very temple of the HolyGhost
might be bought and sold,and Christ the
Lord become an article of merchandise?
Such an idea never was thoughtof. It
what a redeemingchange had passedover
the institution. In 1st Timothy Șt. Paul
gives the following directions,
firstto those
who have heathen masters,secondțo those
who have Christian masters. That concerning
heathen masters
is thus expressed :
"Let as many servants as are under the
were called doidoi,willanybodysay,
in the
whole face and geniusof this beautiful institution,
that these men were held actually as
slavesin the sense of Roman and American
law?
yoke count their own masters worthyof all
honor țhat the name of God and his doetrine
be not blasphemed." In the next
Of alldry,dull,hopejess, stupidities,
this is the most stupid.SupposeChristian verse the direction is givento the servants
"
masters did have servants who were called of Christian masters : They
douloi,as is plainenoughtheydid,is it not
masters, let them not despise them
evidentthat the word doidoi had become significant
because they are brethren, but rather do
of somethingvery
differentin the them service because they are faithfuland
Christianchurch from what itmeant in Roman beloved,partakers of the benefit." Notice,
that have believing
Father,a member with him of that church law ; the servant of the Christianmaster is
which is the fulness of Him who fillethall an equal, and a brother. In these circum-
now, the contrast between these directions.
The servant of the heathen master is said to
the yoke, and itis evidently implied
be under
that the servant of the Christian master was
not under the yoke. The servant of the
heathen master was under the severe Roman

he
"
alas!
in
them that which isjustand equal,as a con-
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 233
stancesțhe servant of the heathen master
siderat
is
for their service. Of the words
commanded to obeyfor the sake of recommending
"just and equal,"just"means that which
the Christian religionṬhe servant
is legally theirs, and "equal" means that
of the Christian master, on the other which isin itselfequitable, irrespective of law.
hand,is commanded not to despise his master
Now, we have the undoubted testimony
of all legalauthoritieson American slavelaw
that American
because he is hisbrother;but he isto do
him service because his master is faithful
ous
slavery does not pretend
to be founded on what isjust or equal either.
Thus Judge RufEn says: "Merelyin the
now, a clergyman,employedas a chaplain abstract it may well be asked which power
on a cotton plantation, where most of the of the master accords with right. The
members on the plantation, as we are informed
answer will probably sweep away
all of
is sometimes the case, are members them;" and this principle, so
unequivocally
asserted by Judge RuflBn, along implied
and beloved,a partaker of the same glori-
hopeswith himself. Let us suppose,
of the same Christian church as their master,
should assemble the hands around him
and
say, "Now, boys,I would not have you
despise your master because he is your
brother. It istrue you
are all one in Christ
distinctionhere;there is
Jesus;there is no
neither Jew nor Greek,neither negro nor
white man, neither bond nor free,but ye
are all brethren." all alike members of
Christ, and heirsof the same kingdom;but
you must not despiseyour master on this how ? When, to our eternal shame and
account. You must love him as a brother.' disgrace, the horrors of the fugitive
and be willing to do all you can to serve him,
because you see he is a partaker of the same
benefitwith you, and the Lord loveshim as
much as he does you." Would not such an
address create a certaindegreeof astonishment
both with master and servants; and does
not the factthatit seems absurd show that the
relationof the slave to his master in American
law is a
very different one from what it
flocksof tremblingsheep;
was in the Christian church 1 But again, and fathers were torn from theirfamilies,
let us quote another passage, which slaveowners
and mothers,with poor, helplesschildren,
are much more fond of. In Colossians
4: 22 and 5: 1," " Servants, obey, snow and ice,towards Canada ;
fled at midnight, with bleeding feet,through
"
the
in- all things, your masters,accordingto midst of these scenes, which have made
the flesh ; not with eye-service as menpleasers,
but in singleness of heart as fearing
astonishment among
America a by-word and a hissingand an
all nationsțhere were
"
God; and whatsoever ye do,do itheartily found men, Christian men, ministers of the
as unto the Lord, and not unto men, knowing
gospelof Jesus,even,
that this
that of the Lord ye shall receivethe should ever be written, who,standingin
reward of the inheritance, for ye serve the the pulpit, and by the authority
Lord Christ." "Masters,give unto servants
of Christ, justified and sanctionedthese enormities,
that which is just and equal,knowing and used thismost loving simpleheartedletterof
that ye alsohave a Master in heaven."
the martyr Paul to justify
Now, there is nothing these directionsthese unheard-of atrocities!
He who said,"Who is weak and lam
to servants which would show that
theywere
chattelservants in the sense of slave-law ;
for they will applyequallywell to
every
servant in Old Englandand New England:
but there is somethingin the directionto
"
and who sent him to the brother of his soul
masters which shows that theywere not considered
with the direction,
chattelservants by the church,becausenot
now as a slave,but above a slave,a
the master is commanded to giveunto brother beloved," thisbeautifulletter,
and taken for granted,
as we have
justseen, in all the reasonings upon slavery
and the slave-law. It would take very little
legalacumen to see that the enacting of
thesewords of Paul into a statute by any
state would be a practicalabolition of
slavery in that state.
But it is said that St. Paul sent Onesimus
back to his master. Indeed ! but
slavelaw
were being enacted in Boston,and the
very Cradle of Libertyresounded with the
groans of the slave, and men harder-hearted
than Saul of Tarsus made havoc of the
church,entering into every house,haling
men and women, committingthem to prison
; when whole churches of humble Christians
were broken up and scattered like
when husbands
not weak ? Who is offended and I burn
"
not?" who called the converted slave
his own body țhe son begotten in his bonds,
outgush of tenderness and love
"
Receive him as myself,
passingthe

234 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
loveof woman, was held up to be pawed over and a day have I been in the deep:in journeyingsoften,in
perilsof
by the pollutedhobgoblin-fingers of slavedealersand
slave-whippers as their lettrede of robbers,in perilsby mine own
countrymen,
cachet,signed and sealed in the name of in perilsby the heathen, in perilsin
Christ and his apostles, giving full authority the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils
to carry
back slaves to be tortured and
whipped, and sold into perpetualbo*ndage, in weariness and painfullness,
watchings
as were Henry Long and Thomas Sims ! often,in hunger and thirst,in fastings often,
Just as well mighta mother's letter, when, in cold and nakedness."
with prayers and tearsșhe commits her first What enumeration of the hardships of an
and only childto the cherishing love and sympathy
American slave can more than equal
of some trustedfriend,
the
be used as an inquisitor's
hardships of the greatapostle to the Gentiles
warrant for inflicting imprisonment 7 He had nothingto do with laws except
and torture upon that child. Had not every to suffer their penaltiesṪhey were
fragment of the apostle's bodylong since made and kept in operation without asking
mouldered to dust,his very bones would have
moved in their grave, in protestagainst such
slander on the Christian name and faith.
And is it come to this, 0 Jesus Christ! have
such thingsbeen done in thyname, and art
thou silentyet? Verily, thou art a God that
hidest thyself, 0 God of Israel, the Saviour !
CHAPTER V.
But why did not the apostlespreach
againstthe legalrelation of slavery, and
seek itsoverthrow in the state ? This question
is often argued as if the apostles were
in the same condition with the clergyof
Southern churches,members of republican
institutions, law-makers, and possessed
republican powers to agitate
of unjust laws.
Contraryto all this,a littlereading of
the New Testament will show us that the
apostles were
almost in the condition of outlaws,
waters,in perils
in the sea, in perils among falsebrethren :
him,and the slave did not suffer any
more
from them than he did.
It would appear
that the clergymenof the
South,when they imitate the example of
Paul,in letting entirelyalone
of the slave,have left whollyout of their
account how differentis the position of an
American clergyman, in a republican
the civilrelation
government,
where he himself helps make and sustain
the laws,from the condition of the
under a heathen despotism, with
apostle,
whose laws he could have nothingto do.
It is very proper for an outlawed slave to
address to other outlawed slaves exhortations
to submit to a
governmentwhich neither he
to alter.
nor they have any power
We read,in sermons which clergymenat
the South have addressed to slaves, exhortations
to submission,and patience, and
humility,
of all
for the repeal
would be exceedingly proper
of an apostle, where he and the slaves were
alikefellow-sufferersunder a despotism whose
but which
in their enslaved condition, which
in the mouth
laws theycould not alter,
under a severe and despotic government,
quiteanother character when addressed to
whose spirit and laws the slave
they reprobated
by the very
men who make the
as unchristian, and to which theysubmitted,
laws that enslave them.
justas theyexhorted the slave to If a man has been waylaid and robbed of
submit,as to a
necessary evil.
allhis property, it would be very becoming
Hear the apostle Paul thus and
enumerating proper
for his clergyman to endeavor to
the political privileges incident to the ministry
reconcile him to his condition, as, in some
of Christ. Some false teachers had sense, a dispensation of Providence ; but if
risen in the church at Corinth, and controverted
the man who robs him should come to him,
his teachings, asserting that and
theyhad address to him the same exhortations, he
greaterpretensions to authority in the Christian
certainly will think that that is quite another
ministry than he. St. Paul,defending phaseof the matter.
his apostolicposition, thus speaks: "Are A clergyman of high rank in the church,in
theyministers of Christ? (I speak as a a sermon to the negroes, thus addresses them :
fool) I am more ; in labors more abundant, Almighty
in stripes above God hath been pleased
measure, in prisons to make you
more slaves here,and to giveyou nothingbut labor and
frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five poverty in this world,which you
are obligedto
times received submit
I to, as it is his will that it should be so.
fortystripesave one.
Thrice was I beaten with rods,once was I
it would be,after all your labors and sufferings
stonedțhriceI suffered shipwreck, a nightthis life țo be turned into hell in the next life ;
assume
And think within yourselveswhat a terrible thing

"
to
and, after wearing out your to go into a far worse slavery when this is over,
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 235
bodies in servicehere,
and your poor souls be delivered over into the
possession of the devilțo become his slaves forever
free
in hell,without any hope of ever getting
from it. If,therefore, you would be God's freemen
in heaven, you must strive to be good and
serve him here on earth. Your bodies, you know,
are not your own : they are at the disposal of those
you belong to ; but your precioussouls are still
your own, which nothing can take from you, if it
be not your own fault. Consider well,then țhat
if you lose your souls byleadingidle,wicked lives
here, you have got nothingbf it in this world,
and you have lost your all in the next. For your
idlenessand wickedness isgenerally found out, and
your bodies suffer for it here ; and, what is far
worse, if you do not repent and amend, your
unhappy
souls will suffjr for it hereafter.
Now, this clergymanwas a man of un-
sincerity. He had read the New
doubted
Testament, and observed that St. Paul addressed
exhortationssomethinglike this to
slavesin his day.
But he entirely forgo to consider that
Paul had not the rights of a republican
CHAPTER VI.
clergyman ; that he was not a maker and sustainer
of those laws by which the slaves But it may stillbe said that the apostles
were reduced to their condition, but only mighthave commanded a
Christianmasters to
fellow-sufferer under them. A case may be performthe act of legalemancipation in all
supposed which would illustratethis principle cases. Certainly theymight, and it is cpuite
to the clergyman.Supposethat he were evident that theydid not.
travelling alongthe highway,with all his The professing primitiveChristian regarded
worldly property about him,in the shape of
and treated his slave as a brother,
"
bank-bills. An association of highwaymenbut in the eye of the law he was stillhis
seizehim,bind him to a
tree,and take away
chattel personal, a thing, and not a man.
the whole of his worldlyestate. This theyWhy did not the apostles, then ștrike at the
would have precisely the same righ to do legal relation'} Why did theynot command
that the clergyman and his brother republicans
every Christianconvert to sunder that chain
have to take all the earnings possessions
at once ? In answer, we
say that every attempt
of theirslaves. The propertywould
at reform which comes from God has.
"
to
"
belong to these highwaymenby exactly the proceededuniformly in this manner,
same kind of title, not because they have destroy spirit of an abuse first, and leave
earned it,but simplybecause they have got the form of it to drop away, of itself,
it and are able to keep it.
girdle the poisonoustree,and
The head of thisconfederation, observing leave it to take its own time for dying.
some dissatisfaction upon
the face of the This mode of dealing
clergyman, proceeds to address him a religiousadvantage,
that itis compendious and universal,
exhortation to patience and submission,
and can apply to that particular abuse in
in much the same terms as he had before
all your propertyhere țo have your poor
soul delivered over
to the possession of the
devilțo become hisproperty forever in hell,
without any hope of ever getting free from
it. Your property now is no longer your
own
; we have taken possession of it ; but
your precious soul is still your own, and
nothing can take itfrom you but your own
fault. Consider well,then țhat if you lose
your soul by rebellion and murmuring
against this dispensation of Providence, you
will getnothingby it in this world,
lose your
allin the next."
and will
Now, should this clergymansay,
as he
might very properly, to these robbers,"
::
There is no necessity for my beingpoor
in this world,if you will onlygive me back
property which you have taken from me,"
my
he is onlysayingprecisely what
to whom he has been preachingmightsay
to him and hisfellow-republicans.
the slaves
afterwards,
with abuses has this
If the apostle, in that outward
all ages,
and under all shades and modifications.
addressed to the slaves. "Almighty
and
God has been pleased to take away your entire
physical age, had merely attacked the legal
property, and to giveyou nothing but relation, and had rested the whole burden of
labor and poverty in this world,which you obligation on dissolving thatțhe corrupt and
are obliged to submit to,as it is his will that selfishprinciple mighthave run into other
it should be so. Now, think within yourselforms of oppression equallybad,and sheltered
what a terriblethingitwould be,if,having itselfunder the technicality of avoiding
lost all your worldlyproperty,you should, legalslavery.God,therefore, dealt a surer
by discontent and want of resignation, lose blow at the monster, by singling out the
also your soul ; and,havingbeen robbed of
precisespotwhere his heart beat,and saying
"
to his apostles. Strike there ! "
Instead of saying to the slave-holder,

236 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
"
"manumit your slave,"it said to him,, judgmentupon her,awardingsuch punishment
"
treat him as
your brother," and leftto the
as he thoughtproper.
slave-holder'sconscienceto say how much For unfaithfulness to her marriage-vow,
was implied in thiscommand.
or for drinkingwine,Romulus allowed her
In the directions which Paul gave about husband to put her to death.* From this
slavery, itis evidentthat he consideredthe slavery, son, the wife could never
legal relationwith the same indifferencewith be manumitted; no legal forms were provided.
which a gardener treats a piece of unsightly It was lasting
her life.
bark,which he perceives growingvigor The same spirit slavery pervaded
of a young tree is about to throw off by the relationof master and servant,
its own vitalforce. He looked upon it as giving rise to that severe code of slave-law,
a part of an old,effetesystemof heathenism,
which,with a few featuresof added cruelty,
belonging usages ChristianAmerica,in the nineteenth century,
which were waxing old and readyto vanish has reenacted.
away.
With regard, now, to all theseabuses of
There is an argument which has been proper relations, the gospelpursuedone
much employed on this subject, and which uniform course. It did not command the
is specious Ịt is this. That the apostles Christian fatherto performthe legalact of
treatedslavery of the lawful relations emancipation to his son ;
but it infused such
of life, like that of parent and child, husband
a divinespirit paternalrelation, by
and wife.
assimilating itto the relationof the heavenly
The argumentisthus stated: The apostles Fatherțhat the ChristianizedRoman would
found allthe relationsof lifemuch corrupted regard any use of his barbarous and oppressive
by various abuses.
legalpowers as entirely They did not attack the relations, but with his Christian profession. So it
reformed the abuses,and thus restoredthe ennobled the marriagerelationbycomparing
relationsto a healthystate.
it to the relationbetween Christ and his
The mistake here lies in assuming that church ; commandingthe husband to love his
slavery lawful relation. Slavery is wife,even as Christ loved the church,and
the corruption of a lawful relation. The gave himself for it. It said to him, "No
lawful relation is servitude, slavery man ever
yet hated his own flesh,but
the corruptionof servitude.
nourisheth and cherisheth it,even as the
When the apostles came, all the relations Lord the church; "so oughtevery
one to
of lifein the Roman empirewere thoroughly love his wife,even as himself." Not an
permeatedwith the principle slavery. allusion is made to the barbarous,unjust
The relationof child to parentwas slavery. power which the law gave the husband. It
The relationof wife to husband was slavery. was perfectly understood that a Christian
The relationof servant to master was slavery.
husband could not make use of itin conformity
with these directions.
The power of the father over his son, by In the same manner Christianmasters
Roman law,was very much the same with were exhorted to give 'to theirservants that
the power of the master over his slave.* which isjust and equitable; and,so far from
He could,at his pleasure, scourge,imprison, coercing their services by forcețo forbear
or put him to death. The son could possess even threatenings. Christian master
nothing but what was the propertyof his was directed to receive his Christianized
father ; and this unlimited control extended slave, " not now as a slave,but above a
throughthe whole lifetime of the father, slave, a brotherbeloved;"and,as in allthese
unless the son were formally by an other cases, nothingwas said to him about
act of manumission three times repeated, the barbarous powers which the Roman law
while the slave could be manumitted byperforming
gave him,sinceit was perfectly understood
the act onlyonce. Neither was that he could not at the same time treat him
there any law obliging the father to manumit
as a brother beloved and as a slave in the
; he could retain this power, if he sense of Roman law.
chose,duringhis whole life.
When, therefore,
question is asked,
Verysimilar was the situationof the Roman
why did not the apostles seek the abolition
wife. In case she were accused of of slavery, we answer, theydid seek it.
crime,her husband assembled a meeting of They sought it by the safest, shortest,and
her relations, and in their presence
sat in most direct course which could possibly have
been adopted.
*
See Adams' Roman Antiquities.
*
Dionys. Hal. n. 25.

"
by
"
nay,
CHAPTER
KEY TO UNCLE TOM'S CABIN. 237
VII.
But did Christianity abolishslavery as a empire. At this time, all the customs
matter of fact? We answer, itdid. of society were rude and barbarous. Though
Let us look at these acknowledged facts. Christianity,
as a system, had been nominally
At the time of the coming of Christ,slavery very extensively embraced,yet it had not,
extended over the whole civilizedworld. as in the case of itsfirstconverts,penetrated
Captives in war were uniformly made slaves, to the heart, and regenerated the whole nature.
and,as wars were of constant occurrence, Force and violence was the order of the clay,
the ranks of slavery were continually beingand the Christianity of the savage northern
reinforced ; and,as slavery was hereditary tribes, who at this time became masters of
and perpetual, there was every reason to Europe, was mingledwith the barbaritiesof
suppose that the number would have gone their ancient heathenism. To root the institution
on increasing indefinitely, had not some influence
of slavery
operated to stopit. This isone fact. required, of course, a
very different process
Let us now look at another. At the time from what would be necessary under the
of the Reformation, chattel-slavery had entirely
enlightened organization of modern times.
ceased throughout all the civilized No power but one of the peculiar kind
countries of the world ;
no particular which
edict,by no special laws of emancipation, could have effectedanything this way.
but by the steadyinfluenceof some gradual, The Christianchurch at this time,far from
unseen
power, this whole vast system had being in the outcast and outlawed state in
dissolved away, likethe snow-banks of winter.
Avhichit existedin the time of the apostles,
was now an organization of greatpower, and
These two factsbeingconceded, theinquiryof a kind of power peculiarly adaptedto that
arises, "What caused thischange? If,now, rude and uncultured age.
It laidhold of all
we find that the most powerfulorganization those elements of fear,and mystery, and
in the civilizedworld at that time did pursue
superstition, which are strongestin barbarous
a system of measures which had a direct ages, as with barbarous individuals, and
tendencyto bringabout such a result, we itvisitedthe violationsof itscommands with
shall very naturally ascribeitto that organization.
penalties the more dreaded that theyrelated
to some awful future,dimlyperceived and
The Spanishwriter,Balmes, in his work imperfectly comprehended.
entitled "
Protestantismcomparedwith Catholicity,"
In dealing with slavery, the church did
has one chapterdevoted to the not commence by a proclamation of universal
anti-slavery course of the church,in which emancipation, becauseșuch was the barbarous
he sets forth the whole system of measures
and unsettlednature of the times, so
which the church pursuedin referenceto fiercethe grasp of violence, and so many the
this subject, and quotes, in their order, all causes of discord, that she avoidedadcling to
the decreesof councils. The decreesthemselves
the confusion by infusing into it this element
are given in an appendix at length, in ;
a certaincouncil of the church
the original Latin. We cannot but sympathize
forbade,on painof ecclesiastical censure,
deeply in the noble and generous spirit
thatslaves ought immediately
in which these chapters are
enlarged and vigorous
Balmes,of the earlycourse
In contemplating the course
took in thisperiod, thingsare to be
borne in mind
the times.
respecting the character of
The process was carriedon duringthat
stormy and convulsed period of society
which succeededthe breaking up of the Roman
out of such a state of society,
the Christianchurch then possessed
thosewho preached
written, and the
to leave theirmasters.
ideas which theygive The course was commenced firstby restricting
of the magnanimous and honorable nature
the power of the master,and granting
of Christianity. They are evidently conceived
protection to the slave. The Council
by a largeand noble soul,capable of of Orleans, in 549,gave to a slavethreatened
"
understanding such views, a soul grave, with punishment the privilege of taking
earnest,deeplyreligious, thoughevidently sanctuary in a church,and forbadehis master
penetrated and imbued with the most profound
to withdraw him thence, without taking
conviction of the truth of his own a solemn oath thathe would do him no harm ;
peculiar faith.
and, if he violatedthe spirit of this oath,he
We shallgive a short abstract, from M. was to be suspendedfrom the church and
of the church. the a doom which in sacraments," thosedays
which the church was viewed with such a degree of superstitious
awe, that the most barbarous would
scai-cely dare to incur it. The custom was
afterwardsintroducedof requiring an oath

a
23* KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
on suclioccasions, not onlythat the slave It can easilybe seen what an effect was
should be free from corporeal infliction, producedwhen thepersonalsafety and family
but that he should not be punishedby an ties of the slaves were thus proclaimed
extra imposition of labor,or by any badgesacred by an authority which no man living
of disgrace Ẉhen this was complained of, dared dispute Ịt elevated the slave in the
as beingaltogether too great a concession on
eyes of his master, and awoke hopeand selfrespect
in his own bosom,and powerfully
the side of the slavețhe utmost that could
be extorted from the church,by way
of retraction,
tended to fit him for the reception of that
"
was this, that in cases of very liberty to which the church by many
avenues
heinous offencethe master should not be
was constantly seeking to conduct him.
required to make the two latter promises. Another means which the church used to
There was a certain punishment among procure emancipation was a jealouscare of
the Goths which was more dreaded than the freedom of those already free.
death. It was the shavingof the hair. This Everyone knows how in our Southern
was considered as inflicting a lasting disgrace. Statesthe boundariesof slavery are continually
If a Goth once had his hair shaved,it was increasing, forwant of some
power there
all over with him. The fifteenth canon of to perform the same kind office.The liberated
the Council of Merida,in 666,forbade ecclesiasticslave,travelling
without his papers, is continually
to inflictthispunishmentupon their
in danger of being taken up, thrown
slaves,as also all other kind of violence, intojail, and sold to pay his jail-fees. He
and ordained that if a slave committed an has no bishopto helphim out of histroubles.
offence,he should not be subject to private In no chui-ch can he take sanctuary. Hundreds
vengeance, but be delivered up to the secular and thousands of helpless men and
tribunal, and that the bishopshould use women are
every year engulfed in slavery
their power onlyto procure a moderation of in thismanner.
the sentence. This was substituting public The church,at thistime țook all enfranchised
justice for "
personal vengeance most important
slavesunder her particular protection.
step. The church further enacted, The act of enfranchisement was made a religious
by two councils, that the master who,of his service, and was solemnlyperformed
own authority, should take the lifeof his in the church ; and then the church received
slaveșhould be cut off for two years from the newly-made freeman to her protecting
the communion of the "
church, a condition, arms, and guarded his newly-accpaired rights
in the view of those times,implyingthe most by her spiritual power. The firstCouncil
awful spiritual risk,separating the man in of Orange,held in 441, ordained in its
the eye of society from allthat was sacred, seventh canon that the church should check
and teaching him to regardhimself, and by ecclesiastical censures whoever desired
othersto regardhim,as a beingloaded with to reduce to any kind of servitude slaves
the weightof a most tremendous sin. who had been emancipated within the enclosure
Besidesthe protection giventolifeand limb, of the church. A century later, the
the church threw her shield over the familysame
prohibition was repeated in the seventh
conditionof the slave. By old Roman law, canon of the fifth Council of Orleans,held
the slavecould not contract a legal, inviolable
in 549. The protection givenby the church
marriage. The church of that age to freed slaves was so manifest and known to
availed itselfof the catholicidea of the sacramental
allțhat the custom was introduced of especially
nature of marriageto conflictwith recommending them to her,either in
this heathenish doctrine. Pope Adrian I. lifetime or by will. The Council of Agde,
said, ' ' According to the words of the apostle, in Languedoc.passed a resolutioncommanding
as in Jesus Christ we oughtnot to deprive the church,in all cases of necessity, to
either slaves or freemen of the sacraments undertake the defence of those to whom
of the churchșo it is not allowed in any theirmasters had,in a lawful way, given
way to preventthe marriage of slaves ; and liberty.
if their marriageshave been contracted in Another anti-slavery measure which the
spiteof the oppositionand repugnance church pursuedwith distinguished zeal had
of their 'masters,neverthelesstheyought the same end in view, that is,the prevention
not to be dissolved.''' St. Thomas was of of the increase of slavery. It
the same opinion, for he openly maintains was the ransoming of captivesẠs at that
that,with respect to contracting marriage, time it was customary for captives in war to
"
slaves are not obligedto obeytheir masters"
be made slavesof,unless ransomed,and as,
owing to the unsettled state of society, wars

!"
thereare
frequent, slaverymight
prolonged,
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 239
wer?
have been indefinitely
church were soldfor theirransom. By the
had not the church fifthcanon of the Council of Macon, held in
made the greatest effortsin this way.
The 585, it appears that the priestsdevoted
ransoming of slaves in those days held the church property to this purpose. The Council
same place in the affectionsof piousand devoted
of Rheims,held in 625,ordersthe punishment
members of the church that the enterprise
of suspension
the bishopwho shall
of converting the heathen now does. destroythe sacred vesselsfor any other
Many of the most eminent Christians, in their MOTIVE THAN THE RANSOM OF CAPTIVES;
excess of zeal,even sold themselves into and in the twelfth canon of the Council of
captivity that theymightredeem distressed Verneuil, held in 844,we findthat the property
families.Chateaubriand describes a Christian of the church was stillused for this
priest in France who voluntarily devoted benevolent purpose.
himselfto slavery for the ransom of a Christian
When the church had thus redeemed the
soldier, and thus restoreda husband to captive, she stillcontinued him under her
hisdesolatewife,and a father to threeunfortunate
special protection, givinghim
saintship. Such was the historyof St. Lyons, held in 583,enacts thatbishops shall
Zachary, whose story drew tears from many state,in the lettersof recommendation which
eyes, and excited many heartsto imitate so
sublime a charity Ịn this theydid but
imitate the spiritof the earlyChristians ;
even went so far as to induce captives to
run
away. A council called that of St.
themselves unto bonds țhat therebytheyPatrick,held in Ireland,condemns this
might free others from them." (1stletterpractice,
and says
that the clergymanwho
to the Corinthians, " 55, or ch. XXL v. desiresto ransom captives must do so with
20.) One of the most distinguished of his own money, for to induce them to run
the Frank ish bishopswas St. Eloy. He away was to expose the clergyto be considered
was originally a goldsmithof remarkable
as robbers,which was a dishonor to
skillin his art, and by his integrity and the church. The disinterestednessof the
trustworthinesswon the particular church in thiswork appears from the fact
that,when she had employedher funds for
the ransom of captivesshe never exacted
from them any recompense,
even when they
gospel was to him the dearest interest, to had it in their power to discharge the debt.
which everything else was made subservient. In the lettersof St.Gregory, he reassures
While working at his art,he alwayshad a some persons who had been freed by the
Bible open before him. The abundant income church,and who feared that theyshould be
of his labors he devoted to religious objects called upon to refund the money which had
and deeds of charity Ẉhenever he heard been expended on them. The Pope orders
of captives, who in these days were oftenthat no one, at any time,shall venture to
dragged off in troops as slaves that were disturbthem or their heirs,because the sacred
to be sold at auction,he hastened to the
canons allow the employmentof the
spot and paiddown their price."Alas for goods of the church for the ransom of captives.
our slave-coffles
no such bishops (L.7, Ep. 14.) Stillfurther to
now ! " Sometimes, byhis means, a hundred guardagainst the increase of the number of
at once, men and women, thus obtainedtheir
libertyḤe then left it to their choice,
those who unjustlyretained
eitherto return home,or to remain with him free persons in slavery.
as free Christian brethren, or to become If there were any such laws in the Southern
monks. In the first case, he gave them States, and allwere excommunicated who
money for their journey; in the last,which are doingthisțhere would be quite a sensation,
as some recent discoverie show.
In 625,the Council of Rheims decreed
monastery."
excommunication to all those who pursue
So greatwas the zeal of the church for free persons in order to reduce them to
the ransom of unhappycaptives, that even slavery Ṭhe twenty-seventh canon of the
the ornaments and sacred vesselsof the Council of London,held 1102,forbade the
children. Such were the deeds which
secured to men in those daysthe honor of
for the apostolic Clement says, "We know
how many among ourselves have givenup
esteem
and confidence of King Clotaire I.,and
stood high in his court. Of him Neander
speaks as follows. " The cause of the
pleasedhim most, he took painsto procure
them a handsome receptioninto some
lettersof recommendation
which should render hisliberty
safe in the eyes of all men. The Council of
theygiveto redeemed slavesțhe date and
price of their ransom. The zeal for this
work was so ardent that some of the clergy
slavesțhe Council of Lyons, in 566, excommunicated

240 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
barbarous custom of tradingin men, like
it upon his master to liberatehim,sincethe
animals ; and the seventh canon of the Coun church could not permit her minister to wear
cil of Coblentz,held 922,declares that he the yoke of slavery Ịt is to be presumed
who takes away
a Christian to sell him is that the phenomenon,on page 176,of a
guiltyof homicide. A French council preacherwith both toes cut off and branded
held in Verneuil in 616,establishedthe law on the breast, advertised as a
runaway in the
that all persons who had been sold into publicpapers, was not one which could
slavery
of povertyor debt should have occurred consistently with the Christianity
receiveback their liberty by the restoration of thatperiod.
of the pricewhich had been paid. It will Under the influenceof all these regulations,
readily that thisopeneda wide field it is not surprising that there are documents
for restorationto liberty in an
age where so
cited by M. Balmes which go to show
great a Christian zeal had been awakened for the following things.Firstțhat the number
the redeeming of slaves, since it afforded opportunity
of slaves thus
for Christiansto interestthemselves there was
liberated was very great, as
in raising the necessary ransom.
Secondțhat the bishops were complained
At this time the Jews occupieda very
of as beingalways in favor of the slaves,
peculiar placeamong the nations. The spirit as carrying their protection to very great
of trade and commerce was almost entirely lengths, laboring
all ways to realize the
confined to them,and the greatproportion doctrineof man's equality; and itisaffirmed
of the Avealth was in their hands,and,of in the documents that complaint is made that
course, many slaves. The regulations which thereishardly a bishopwho cannot be charged
the church passedrelativeto the slaves of with reprehensible compliances in favor of
Jews tended stillfurtherto strengthen the slaves, and that slaves were aware of this
principles of libertyṬhey forbadeJews to spirit of protection, and were readyto throw
compel Christian slavesto do thingscontraryofftheir chains, and cast themselvesinto the
to the religion of Christ. They allowed church.
".
Christian slaves,who took refugein the It isnot necessarylongerto extend this
church,to be ransomed,by payingtheir historyỊt is as perfectly plainwhither
masters the proper price.
This producedabundant results in favor
inasmuch as theygave Christian
their possession
As the Jews were among the greates traders
of the time țhe forbidding them to keep
slaves was a
very decided steptoward general
emancipation.
Another means of lessening the ranks of
slaverywas a decree passedin a council
by Pope
at Rome, in 595,presided over
Gregory
universalcomplaint upon thishead.
the Great. This decree offered
liberty to all who desired to embrace the have soldthemselves into slavery to restore
monastic life. This decree,it issaid, led to separated families? Where are those honorable
greatscandal, as slavesfledfrom the houses complaints of the world that the church
of theirmasters in greatnumbers,and took isalwayson the side of the oppressed ?
"
refugein monasteries.
that the slaves feelthe beatings of her generous
The church alsoordained that any slave heart, and longto throw themselvesinto
who felt a calling to enter the ministry, and her arms? Love of brethren,holy charities,
appearedqualified therefor, should be allowed
love of "
Jesus, where 'are ye
"
? Are
to pursue his vocation; and enjoined ye fledforever?
such a course tends,as it is whither the
course pursuedby the American clergyat
of liberty,
the South tends. We are not surprised that
slavesthe opportunity of flyingto churches, under such a course, on the one hand țhe
and there imploringthe charityof their number of slavesdecreased, tillthere were
brethren. They also enacted that a Jew none in modern Europe. We are not surprised
who shouldperverta Christianslave should
by such a course, on the other hand,
be condemned to lose all his slaves. This that theyhave increaseduntilthereare three
was a new sanctionto the slave'sconscience, millions in America.
and a new openingforlibertyẠfter that, Alas for the poor slave! What church
theyproceeded to forbidJews to have Christian
befriendshim? In what house of prayer
slaves, and it was allowed to ransom can he take sanctuary? What holy men
those in
for twelve sous. stand forward to rebuke the wicked law that
denies him legalmarriages? What pious
bishops visit slave-cofllesto redeem men,
women and children, to liberty ? What holy
exhortations in churches to buy the freedom
of wretched captives ? When ' have church
velvetsbeen sold,and communion-cups melted
down,to liberatethe slave? Where are the
pastors, inflamedwith the love of Jesus, who

Just
" Just
Just
CHAPTER
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 241
VIII.
"
Masters,give unto your servants that which isjust
and equal."
From
it is presumedthat it -will appear
that
abolitionof slavery.
But we wish to givestillfurther consideration
to one idea which is often put forward
by those who defend American slavery Ịt
is this. That the institutionis not of itself
"
see ifit bear thischaracter.
a sinful one, and that the onlysin consists First,theycommence by declaring that
in the neglect of its relative duties. All their brothershall no longer be considered
that is necessary, theysay, is to regulateas a
person, but deemed,sold țaken,and
the institutionby the precepts of the gospel. reputed, as a chattelpersonal. This
They admit that no
slavery is defensibleand equal ! "
which is not so regulated.
of
that American
its
If,therefore, it shall appear
slave-law cannot be regulatedby the
precepts of the gospel,
as will entirely
without such alterations
do away the whole
"
system, then it will appear that it is an
unchristian institution, against every
Christian is bound to remonstrate, and from
which he should entirely withdraw.
The Roman slave-codewas a code made by
heathen, by a race, too,proverbially stern
and unfeelingỊt was made in the darkest
ages of the world,before the lightof the
gospel had dawned. Christianity gradually
but certainly
later, a
company of men,
go to the continent of Africa;there
they kindle wars, sow strifes, set
agains tribeswith demoniac violence, burn
villages,
scenes kidnapand carry off,from time to
and in the midst of these diabolical
latedby the principles which Christand his
apostles have laiddown for the government
of those who assume the relationof masters.
The New Testament sums up these principles
in a single sentence : "Masters,give unto
-whathas been saidin the lastchapter,
your servants that which is just and equal."
But,forasmuch as there is alway some
the Christian church "f America by no confusion of mind in regardto what isjust
means occupies that position, with regard to and equalin our neighbor's affairs, our Lord
slavery, that the apostles did,or that the has given this direction, by which we may
church of the earlier ages did.
arrive at infalliblecertainty. "All things
However theymay choose to interpret the whatsoever ye would that men should do to
language of the apostles, the fact still remains
you, do ye
even so to them."
undeniable, that the church organization
It is,therefore, evident thatif Christian
which grew up immediately after these legislators are about to form a Christian system
instructions did intend and did effect the of servitude, theymust base it on these
two laws,one of which is a particular specification
under
the other.
Let us now examine some of the particulars
of the code which they have formed,and
is"just
This being the fundamental principle
the system țhe following are specified as
consequences :
1. That he shall have no righ to hold
property of any kind, under any circumstances.
and equal !
2. That he shall have no
power
to contract
" in any "ourt where any white person
time,hundreds and thousands of miserable isconcerned." Just and equal!
captives. Such of thoseas do not die of terror,
That the owner of a servant, for " malicious,
grief,suffocation, ship-fever, and other cruel, and excessivebeating slave,
horrors, are, from time to time,landed on cannot be indicted. and equal !
the shores of America. Here
theyare. It is further decided, that by no indirect
And now a set of Christianlegislators meet mode of suit,through guardian,
a shall a
together
construct a system and laws of slave obtain redressfor ill-treatment. (Dorothea
servitude, with regardto these unfortunates, v. Coquillon et al,9 Martin La. Rep.
which ishereafterto be considered as a Christian
850.)" Just and equal !
institution.
5. It is decided that the slave shall not
Of course, in order to have any validtitleonly no legalredress for injuries to such a
name, the institutionmust be regu- by hi3 master, but shallhave no
16
a
legalmarriage, or claim any woman
for his wife." Just and equal!
in particular
3. That he shall have no righ to his
children, eitherto protect,restrain, guide or
educate." Just and equal !
4. That the power of his master over
him shall be absolute, without any possibility
abolishedit. Some centuries of appeal or redress in consequence of
from Christian nations,
any injury whatever.
To secure this, theyenact thathe shallnot
tribesbe able to enter suit in any court for any
cause.
"
and equal !
That he shallnot be allowed to bear testimony

"
Just
242
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
dress for thoseinflictedby any other person,
unless the injuryimpair his property value.
and equal !
Under thishead it is distinctly
as follows :
"
There can be no offence againsthe
of a
circumstances
or an intent to kill and murder.
The peace of the state isnot thereby broken."
peace of the state,by the mere beating
slave,unaccompanied by any
of cruelty,
(State Maner, v. 2 Hill'sRep.S. Just 0.)"
and equal !
If a slave strikea white,he is to be condemned
to death; but if a master killhis slave
takes it out
asserted
bytorture, no white witnesses beingpresent,
he may
clear himself by his own oath. If any
man or woman runs
away from
"
(Louisiana.) Just and equal !
this state of things,
The law decrees fine and imprisonment to
of
the person who shallreleasethe servant of the peace may delare them outlawed,and
another from the torture of the iron collar.
(Louisiana. and equal !
"
) Just
It decrees a much smaller fine,without
imprisonment, to the man who shall torture
him with red-hot irons,cut out his tongue,
"
"
put out his eyes, and scald or maim him.
(Ibid.) Just and equal !
defended by Christian ministersas an eminently
It decrees the same punishmento him benign institution.
"whoteaches him to write as to him who puts In this manner Christianlegislators have
out his eyes. Just and equal!
expressed their understanding of the text,
As it might be expected that onlyvery "Masters,give unto your servants that
ignorant and brutal people could be kept in which is just and equal."and of the text.
a condition like this,especially in a country
ye would that men
"
All things whatsoever
where every book and every newspaper
are
full of dissertationson
theytherefore enact
the rights of man,
laws that neither he nor
his children, to
to read and write." Just and equal !
receiving on the bare back twenty-five stripes
with a whip șwitch or cowskin." (Law of
Georgia, Prince's 447.)"
Digest,p. Just
and equal!
And yet. Christian republicans, who,with
Thoughthe servant is thus kept in ignorance,
full power to repeal this law,are dailysustaining
neverthelessin his ignorance he is it țalk about there beingno harm
punishedmore severely for the same crimes in slavery, if theyregulateit according to
than "
freemen. Just and equal!
the apostle's directions,and give unto their
of protecting him from over-work, servants that which is just and equal. Do
By way
theyenact that he shallnot labor more than
fivehours longerthan convictsat hard labor
in a
penitentiary !
of rules as
They also enact that the,master or overseer,
If any master,compassionating thiscondition
of the slave,desires to better it țhe law
of his power, by the following
decisions:
1. That allhis earningsshallbelongto
his master, notwithstanding his
promise to
master's
the contrary; thus making them
liable for his master's debts." Just and
equal !
2. That if his master allow him to keep
cattlefor his own use, itshall be lawful for
any man to take them away, and enjoyhalf
the profits
of the seizure." Just and equal !
3. If his master sets him free,he shall
be taken up
and sold "
again. Just
not the slave șhall decide when he is proper exposition of what he meant
too sick to Just and work." equal !
and equal7
and equal !
and,after proclamation
made,does not return,any two justices
givepermission to any person in the community
to killthem by any ways
or means
and equal !
"
theythink fit. Just
Such are the laws of that system of slavery
which has been made up by Christianmasters
late in the Christian era, and is now
should do to yon io ye
even so to them."
It certain]v presentsthe most extraordinary
view= 0f justice and equity, and is the
all generations, shall learn most remarkable exposition of the principle
of doingto others as we would others should
And as, if allowed to meet for religious do to us, that it has ever been the good
worship,theymightconcert some planof fortune of the civilizedworld to observe.
escape or redress,they enact that " no congregationThis
being the institution, let any
one conjecture
of negroes, under pretenceof divine
what itsabuses must be ; for we are
worship, shall assemble themselves ; and that gravelytold,by learned clergymen, that they
every slave found at such meeting shall do not feelcalled upon to interferewith the
be immediately corrected, without trial,by system, but onlywith itsabuses. We should
like to know what abuse could be specified
that isnot provided for and expressly protected
by slave-law.
theythink that,ifthe Christianizedmasters
of Rome and Corinth had made such a set
this for the government of their
slaves, Paul would have acceptedit as a
by just

KEY TO UNCLE TOM'S CABIN.
243
But the Presbyteries of South
say, and allthe other religious bodies at
Carolina
the
South say, that the church of our Lord
to interferewith
Jesus Christ has no righ
civilinstitutions. What is this church of
our Lord Jesus Christțhat theyspeak of? these ministers and church-members, in common
Is it not a collectionof republican men, who with those who are not so, theyare every
have constitutional power to alterthese laws,
to the slave that which
and whose duty itisto alter them,and who are
disobeying the apostle's
tilltheydo alter them 1
directions every day
Everyminister at
the South is a voter as much as he is a
minister; every church-member is a voter as
much as he is a church-member ; and ministers
and church-members are
among the
masters who are keepingup this system of
atrocity, when they have full republican power No man would wish to leave his own
to alter it;and yet they talk about givingfamily of children as slaves under the care
their servants that which is just and equal ! of the kindest master that ever breathed;
If they are going to givetheir servants that and what he would not wish to have done to
which is just and equal, let them give them his own children,he oughtnot to do to
back their manhood ; they are law-makers, other people's children.
and can do it. Let them giveto the slave But,itwill be said that it isnot becoming
the right to hold property, the rightto for the Christianchurch to enter into political
form legalmarriage, the rightto read the matters. Again, we ask, what is the
word of God, and to have such education
as will fullydevelophis intellectual and of republican citizens,
moral nature; the right of free religious his rights and dutiesas a legalvoter'?
opinion and worship; let them givehim the Now, suppose a law were passed which
righ to bring suit and to bear testimony; depreciated
give him the righ to have some vote in cents in the pound,
the government by which
his interests are
controlled. This will be something more
dollars a
barrel for pork,givetheir slaves
and intimates
three or four pounds a week ;
that, if that will not convince people that
they are doing what is just and equal, he
does not know what will.
Mr.
these unjustlaws every day,by their silent
C. C. Jones,after stating
various permission of them.
placesthat he has no intention ever to interfere
The kingdomof our Lord Jesus Christ is
with the civil condition of the slave, not of this world, say the South Carolina
teaches the negroes, in his catechism, that
Presbyteries ; therefore,
church has no
the master givesto his servant that which righ
isjust to interferewith any civil institution ;
and equal,when he provides for them but yet all the clergyof Charleston could
good houses,good clothing, food,nursing, attend in a body to give sanction to the pro-
and religious instruction.
of
This isjust the greatVigilanceCommittee.
like a man who has stolen an
Theycould not properly exert the leastinfluence
estate which belongs to a family of orphans. againstslavery, because it is a civil
Out of itsmunificent revenues, he gives the institution, but they could givethe whole
orphanscomfortable food,clothing, "c, weight of their influence in favor of it.
while he retains the rest for his own use, Is it not making the kingdomof our Lord
declaring that he is thus rendering to them Jesus Christquite as much of this world țo
that which isjustand equal.
patronize the oppressor, as to patronize the
If the laws which regulateslavery were slave ?
made by a despotic sovereign,
whose
movements the masters could have no control,
this mode
be called
of proceeding might
just and equal;but,as theyare made and
kept in operationby these Christian masters,
one of them refusing
isjust and equal șo long as they do not
seek the repeal of these laws ; and,if they
cannot get them repealed, it is their duty to
take the slave out from under them,since
theyare constructed with such fatalingenuity
as
all that the master
utterly to nullify
tries to do for their elevationand permanent
benefit.
Christian church ? Is it not an association
each one of whom has
the value of cotton or
sugar three
would thesemen consider
the fact that theyare church-members as
like giving him that which any reason why theyshould not agitate for
is ;'just and the repeal of such law? Certainly not.
equal.
:'
Such a law would be brittle as the spider's
Mr. Srnylie, of Mississippi, says that the web ; it would be swept
planters of Louisiana and away before it was
Mississippi, when well made. Every law to which the majority
they are giving from twenty to twenty-five of the community does not assent is,
in this country,immediately torn
Why, then, does this monstrous system
stand from age to age?
down.
Because the community
consent to it. They reznact
ceedings

244 KEY TO UNCLE TOMS CABIN.
as the writer has been able to trace out what
CHAPTER IX.
IS THE SYSTEM OF KELIGION WHICH IS
TAUGHT THE SLAVE THE GOSPEL ?
extent of the enactment of slave-law, is recognized
The ladiesof England, in theirletterto
and sustained by the tremendous
the ladiesof America,spokein particular of authority of God himself. He is told that
the denialof the gospelto the slave. This his master isGod's overseer ; that he owes
has been indignantly resentedin this him
country, a blind,unconditional, unlimitedsubmission
; that he must not allow himself to
grumble,or fret,or murmur, at anything
in his conduct ; and,in case he does so, that
Whoever reads Mr. Charles C. Jones' his murmuring is not againsthis master,
book on the r'eligious instructionof the negroes
but againstGod. He is taughtthat it is
will have no doubt of the following God's will that he should have nothingbut
facts :
labor and poverty in this world ; and that,
.1. That from year to year, since the introduction
if he fretsand grumblesat this,he willget
of the negroes into this country, nothingby it in this life, and be sent to hell
various piousand benevolent individualsforeverin the next.
have made effortsfor their spiritual welfare. of hell, with its torments, its worms ever
2. That these effortshave increased, from feeding and never dying, are held up before
year to him
year.
; and he is told that thiseternity of torture
3. That the most extensiveand important will be the result of insubordination
one came into beingabout the time that here. It is no wonder that a slave-holder
Mr. Jones' book was written,in the year
once saidto Dr. Brisbane,of Cincinnati, that
1842, and extended to some degreethroughreligion
had been worth more to him,on his
the United States. The fairestdevelopment plantation, than a wagon-load of cowskins.
of it was probably in the State of Georgia, Furthermore,
slave is taughtthat to
the sphere of Mr. Jones' immediate labor, endeavor to evade his master by running
where the most gratifying results were witnessed,
away, or to shelter or harbor a slave who
and much very amiable and commendable
has run away,
are sins which will expose
Christian feelingelicited on the him to the wrath of that omniscient Being,
partof masters.
whose eyes are in every place.
4. From time to time,there have been As the slaveis a movable and merchantable
prepared, for the use of the slave,catechisms, being,liable, as Mr. Jones calmlyremarks,
hymns, short sermons, "c. "c, designed
to " allthe vicissitudesof property,"
to be read to them by their masters, or
this system of instruction, one would think,
taugh them orally.
would be in something of a dilemma,when it
5. It will' appear to any
one who reads comes to inculcatethe Christianduties of the
Mr. Jones' book that,though written by a familystate.
man who believed the system of slavery When Mr. Jones takes a
survey
of the
sanctionedby God, it manifests a spirit of field, previousto commencing his system of
sincere and earnest benevolence, and of devotednessto
the cause he has undertaken, every rational person must have foreseen,
operations, he tells us, what we
suppose
which cannot be too highlyappreciated. that he finds among the negroes
an utter
It is a very painful and unpleasant task demoralization upon this subject ; that polygamy
to express any qualification or dissentwith
is commonlypractised, and that the
regardto effortswhich have been undertaken marriage-covenant has become a mere temporary
in a goodspirit, and which have produced, union of interest, profitor pleasure,
in many respects,goodresults ; but,in the formed without reflection, and dissolved
reading of Mr. Jones' book, in the studyof his without the slightest idea of guilt.
catechism, and of various other catechisms That this state of things is the necessary
and sermons which givean idea of the religious
and legitimate resultof the system of laws
instruction of the slavesțhe writer which these Christian men have made and
has often been painfully impressed with the are stillkeepingup over their slaves, any
idea that,however imbued and mingledwith sensible person will perceive ; and any one
good,it is not the true and pure gospelwould think it an indispensable step to any
system which is given to the slave. As far svstem of religiousinstructionhere țhat the
and it has been claimed that the slaves do
have the gospelcommunicated to them very
extensively.
is communicated to him,it amounts in substance
to this ; that his master's authority
over him,and property in him, to the full
Most vivid descriptions

"
what,
extremes
negro should be placed in a situationwhere
he can form a legalmarrii
here to it after it is formed
But Mr. Jones and his coadjutors commenced
by declaring that it was not their
interfere,
the slightest degree,
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 245
intention to
power of reading;
with the legalposition of the slave.
We should have thoughtțhen,that it
would not have been possible, ifthese masters
intended to keeptheir slavesin the condition
liableto a constant dis-
slaveis made to repeatorally that one man
can be the husband of but one woman, and
if,during her lifetime,
God willpunishhim forever in hell.
in Mr. Jones' catechism, by
master is thrown into the market for the
divisionof the estate,like many cases we may
read of in the Georgiapapers every week.
to instruct parents to bringup theirchildren
in the nurture and admonition of the
beingtaugh to read. Searching the Scriptures,
slaves are told, means comingto people
who are willing to read to them. Yes,but
if there bo no one willing to do this,what
then? Any one whom this catechism has
thus instructedis sold off to a plantation
Red river,likethat where Northroplived;
no Bible goes with him ; his Christian instructor
in theircare not to interferewith
his civilcondition, have
deprived him
his oral instructionis but as a faded
dream. Let any
of us ask for what sum
we would be deprived of all power
readingthe Bible for ourselves, and
entirely dependent on
of ever
own, and be readyto sacrificehimself to
of the
and in this land of darkness
"
"
made
of chattelspersonal,
ruption
the reading of others,
of familytiesțhat theycould have especially if we were liable to fall into
the heart to teach them the strict morality such hands as slaves are, and then let us
of the gospelwith regard to the marriagedetermine whether a system of religious instructio
relation.
which beginsby declaring that it
But so it is,however. If we examine has no intention to interferewith this cruel
Mr. Jones' catechism, we shall find that the legaldeprivation, is the gospel !
The poor slave,darkened,blinded, perplexed
on
every hand,bythe influenceswhich
he marries another, the legalsystem has spread under his feet.
is,furthermore, strictly instructed in a perfect
Suppose conscientious a woman, instructed system of morality.He must not
the death of her even covet anything that is his master's; he
must not murmur or be discontented; he
must consider his master's interests as his
She is torn from her husband and children, them;and this he must do,as he istold, not
and sold at the other end of the Union, onlyto the good and gentle, but also to the
never to meet them again,and the new master
froward. He must forgive all injuries, and
commands her to take another husband ; do exactlyright under all perplexities ;
now, is this woman to do? If she thus is the obligation on his partexpounded
take the husband,according to her catechism to him,while his master's reciprocal obligations
she commits adultery, and exposes herself to
mean onlyto give him good houses,
everlasting fire ; if she does not take him, clothes, food,"c. "c, leaving every master
she disobeys her master, who, she has been to determine for himself what isgood in relation
t?.ught. is God's overseer;
and she isexposed to these matters.
to everlasting fire on that account, and certainly
No wonder,when such a system of utter
she is exposedto horrible tortures injustice is justified to the negro by allthe
here.
awful sanctions of religion, that now and
Notv, we ask,if the teachingthat has then a strong soul rises up against it. We
involved this poor soul in such a labyrinth have known under a black skinshrewd minds,
of horrors can be called the gospel ? unconquerable spirits, whose indignant sense
Is it the "
gospel, is itgladtidings in any
ofjustice no such representations could blind.
sense of the words ?
That Mr. Jones has met such isevident ;
In the same manner, this catechism goes for,speakingof the trialsof a missionary
on
them,he says (p.127):
among
the "
Again, in the Tenth Annual Report of
Lord,that they should
He discovers
guide,counsel, restrain
Deism,Scepticism, Universalism.
As alreadystatedțhe various
and govern them.
perversions of the
Again țhese teachers tellthem that gospel,
they
and all the strongobjectionsagains the
truth of God," objections which he may, perhaps,
should search the Scriptures most earnestly, have considered peculiaronly to the cultivated
diligently and continually, at the same time minds, the ripescholarship and profoundintelligence,
of criticsand
declaring that it is not their intention philosophers !
"
here
to
meet on the natural and common groundof a
interfere with the laws which forbid their darkened understanding
a hardened heart.
Associationfor the Religious Instruction
of the Negroes in LibertyCounty,
Georgia," he says:

-
A.
A.
A.
246
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
Allow me to relate a fact which occurred in the the styleof instruction, we will givesome
spring of this year, illustrativeof the character
extracts from various sermons and discourses.
and knowledge of the negroes at this time. I was
preaching to a largecongregation
the In the
Epistle
firstplace, to show how explicitly
to Philemon ; and when I insisted upon fidelity religious teachers disclaim any intention of
and obedience as Christianvirtuesin servants,and, interfering
the legal relation (seeMr.
the authority of Paul, condemned the practice Jones' work, p. 157):
upon
of runningaway, one-half of my
audience deliberately
walked off with themselves,and those that
By law or custom, they are excluded from the
remained looked anythingbut satisfied,either advantages of education
with the preacheror his doctrine. After dismission,
; and, by consequence,
from the readingof the word of God ; and this
there was no small stir among them : some immense mass of immortal beings is thrown, for
solemnly declared that there was no such epistle religious instruction, upon oral communications
in the Bible ; others, " that it was not the gospel;"
entirely Ạnd upon whom ? Upon their owners.
others, " that I preached to pleasemasters ;" And their owners, especially of late years, claim
others, " that they did not care if they ever to be the exclusive guardians of their religious instruction,
"
heard me preachagain." pp. 24,25.
and the almoners of divine mercy towards
them, thus assumingthe responsibility of
Lundy Lane,an intelligent fugitive who their entire Christianization!
has published his memoirs, says
that on one All approachesto them from abroad are rigidly
occasion tliey(theslaves) were greatly delighted
guardedagainst, and no ministers are allowed to
break to them the bread of
with a certain preacher, untilhe told
life,except such as
have commended themselves to the affection and confidence
them that God had ordained and created
of their owners. I do not condemn this
them expressly to make slaves of. He says course of self-preservation
the part of our citizens
that after that they all left him, and went
; I merelymention it to show their entire
away, because theythought, with the Jews, dependence upon ourselves.
"
This is a hard saying; who can hear it'?" In answeringobjections of masters to allowing
In these remarks on the perversion of the
the religious instruction of the negroes,
gospel as presented to the slave,we do not
he supposes the following objection,
mean to implythat much that is excellentand gives the following answer :
and valuable is not taughthim. We mean
simplyto assert that,in so far as the system
taughtjustifies the slave-system, so far
necessarily it vitiatesthe fundamental ideas
of justice and morality;and,so far as the
obligations of the gospel are inculcated on
the slave in their purity,theybring him
to
be justified and
tolerated, because
undertaken in the most amiable spiritby
amiable men. Our admiration of some of
the laborers who have conducted this system
is very great; so also is our admiration of
many of the Jesuit missionaries who have
spreadthe Roman Catholic religion among
our aboriginal tribes. Devotion and disinterestedness
could be carried no further than
some of both these classesof men have carried
them.
Q. After the Judgment is over, into what place
But,while our respect for these goodmen do the righteous
A. Into heaven.
go?"
must not seduce us as Protestants into an Q. What kind of a placeis heaven? " A
admiration of the system which
most glorious
theytaught,
and happy place.
#
* # * #
so our esteem for our Southern brethren
Q. Shall the righteous
must not lead us to admit that in heaven have any
a system more hunger, or thirst, or nakedness,or heat,or
which fullyjustifies the worst kind of spiritualcold?
Shall they have any
more sin,or sorrow,
and or
temporaldespotism can properly crying, or pain, or death "
? No.
represent the gospelof him who Q.
came to
Repeat " And God shall wipe away all
tears from their
"
eyes. "And God shall wipe
preachdeliverance to the captives,
To prove
that we have not misrepresented
If we suffer our negroes to be instructedțhe
tendency will be to change the civilrelations of
societyas now constituted.
To which let it be repliedțhat Ave separate
entirely their religious and their civil condition,
and contend that the one may be attended to
without interfering with the other. Our principle
is
necessarily in conflictwith the authority of
that laid down by the holy and just One :
"
Render unto Ctesar the things which are Ca3sar's,
the system. As we have said before,it is and unto God the things which are God's." And
an attempt to harmonize light with Christ and his
darkness,
apostles are our example. Did they
deem it
and Christ with Belial. Nor is such an attempt
proper
and consistent with the good order
of societyto preach the gospelto the servants ?
They did. In discharge of this duty, did they interfere
with their civilcondition ? Theydid not.
With regardto the description of heaven
and the torments of hell țhe following is
from Mr. Jones' catechism, pp. 83, 91, 92 :
Q. Are there two placesonlyspokenof in the
Bible to which the souls of men go
after death 1 "
A. Only two.
Q. Which are they?" A. Heaven and hell.
* # # # #
away all tears from their eyes,
and there shall
be no more 'death,neither sorrow nor crying;

"
A.
" A.
A.
A.
A.
.4.
A.
A.
A.
A.
A. Yes.
"
A.
Q. To what place
go, more than to all other places?
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 247
should we wish and striveto
Heaven.
# # # # #
Q. Into what placeare the wicked to be cast ?
Into hell.
Q. Repeat "The wicked shall be turned." "
"
A. The wicked shall be turned into hell,and
all the nations that forgetGod."
"
Q. What kind of a placeis hell?
placeof dreadful torments.
"
Q. What does it burn with?
fire.
A
Everlasting
"
"
"
Q. What will the torments of hell make the
It is a fire which
wicked do ? Weep and wail and gnash their
teeth.
Q. What did the rich man beg for when he
was tormented in the flame? A dropof
cold water to cool his tongue.
Q. Will ti'iewicked have any goodthing in it never
goes out, " their worm dieth not :" their
hell ? the least comfort ? the least relief from tor- j punishmentis spoken of as a worm always feeding
ment? No.
upon but never consuming them ; it never
ever come out of hell? can
never.
Q. Will they
"
No,
Q. Can any go from heaven to hell,or from
hell to heaven "
? No.
Q. What is fixed between heaven and hell? "
"
"
"
A. A greatgulf.
Q. What is the punishmentof the wicked in
hell called ? -4. Everlasting punishment.
Q. Will this punishment make them better ?
A. No.
Q, Repeat " It is a fearful thing." .4. "It
is a fearful thingto fall into the hands of the
living God."
Q. What is God said to be to the wicked ?
A. A consumingfire.
Q. What place should we striveto escape from
above all others ? "
Hell.
The Rev. Alex. Glennie,rector of Allsaints
parish,Waccamaw,South Carolina,
them ; or when
tellingthem lies and deceiving
you prove stubborn and sullen,and will not do
has for several years been in the habit of the work you
are set about without stripes and
preaching with express reference to slaves. vexation ; you do not consider,I say, that what
In 1844 he published in Charleston faults
a selection
are guiltyof towards your masters and
you
mistresses are
of these sermons, under the title of
faults done against God himself, who
hath
"
Sermons preached on Plantations to Congregations
set your masters and mistresses over you in
his own stead,and expects that you will do for
of Negroes." This book contains
twenty-six sermons, and in twenty-two of
them there is eithera more or lessextended
a shepher divideth his sheep from the goats;
and he shall set the sheepon the righthand, but
the goats on the left." That, my brethren, will be
an awful time,when this separation
shall be going
on ; when the holyangels,at the command of the
greatJudge, shall be gatheringtogetherall the
obedient followersof Christ,and be settingthem
neither shall there be any
more pain; for the on the right hand of the Judgment-seat, and shall
former thingsare passedaway."
placeall the remainder on the left. Remember
Q. Will heaven be their everlasting home ?
"
that each of you must be present; remember that
A. Yes.
the Great Judge can make no mistake ; and that
Q. And shall the righteous grow in knowledgeyou shall be placed on one side or on the other,ac-
"
and holiness and happinessfor ever and ever?
cording
as in this world you have believedin and
obeyedhim or not. How full of joyand thanksgiving
will you be,if you shall find yourselfplaced
on the righthand ! but how full of misery and
despair, if the left shall be appointed as your
*
portion !
* * *
But what shall he say to the wicked on the left
hand? To them he shall
"
say, Depart from me,
ye cursed,into everlasting tire,preparedfor the
devil and his angels."He will tell them to depart
; they did not, while here,seek him by repentance
and faith;theydid not obeyhim, and
now he will drive them from him. He will call
them cursed.
(Sermon 1, p. 42.) The death which is the
Q. Who are cast into hell besideswicked men ?
The devil and his angels.
wages of sin is this everlasting fire prepared
for the devil and his angels.
shall last forever ; and the deviland his angels,
and all peoplewho will not love and serve
God, shall there be punishedforever. The Bible
says, "The smoke of their torment ascendeth
up for ever and ever." The fireis not quenched,
stop.
Concerning the absolute authority of the
master, take the following extract from Bishop
Mead's sermon. (Brooke's Slavery, pp. 30,
31,32.)
Havingthus shown
you the chief duties you
owe to your great Master in heaven,I now come
to laybefore you the duties you owe to your masters
and mistresses here upon earth ; and for this
you have one general rule that you oughtalways
to carry in your minds, and that is,to do all service
for them as if you did it for God himself.
Poor creatures ! you littleconsider,when you are
idle and neglectful of your masters'
business,when
you steal and waste and hurt any of their substance,
when you are saucy and impudent, when you are
them justas you would do for Him. And, pray,
do not think that I want to deceive you when I
tell you that your masters and mistresses are God's
account, or a reference to eternal misery in orersecrs; and that, if you are faulty towards
them, God himself will punishyou severely for it
hell as a motive to duty. He thus describes in the next world, unless you repent of it,and
the day of judgment(Sermon15, p. 90) : striveto make amends by your faithfulness and
diligence for the time to come ; for God himself
When all peopleshallbe gatheredbefore him, hath declared the same.
"
he shall separate them, one from another,as Now, from this generalrule," namely,that
you are to do all service for your masters and
mistresses as if you did it for God there
himself,"
arise several other rules of duty towards your
masters and mistresses, which I shall endeavor to
lay out
and
in order before you.
And, in the firstplace, you
are to be obedient
subject to your masters in all things
v

248 KEY TO UNCLE TOMS CABIN.
And Christian ministers are commanded to "
and to please them well in all things,not
answering them gainsaying." again,or You see
how strictly God requires this of you, that whatever
hort servants to be obedient unto their own masters,
your masters and mistresses order you to do, you
must set about it immediately, and faithfully perform
and
grumbling,
take care to please them well in all things. And
for your encouragement he tells you that he will
it,without any disputing or
reward you for it in heaven ; because,while you
are honestlyand faithfully doingyour master's
business here,you are servingyour Lord and
Master in heaven. You see also that you are not
to take any exceptions to the behavior of your
masters and mistresses ; and that you are to be BishopMeade,as quotedby Brooke, pp.
subject and obedient,not only to such as are good, 34,35,
and gentle,
thus expatiates
and to slaves on the advantages
mild,towards you, but also to
of their condition. One would
such as
may be froward,peevish,and hard. For
you are not at liberty to choose your own masters ; reallythink, from reading this account,that
but into whatever hands God hath been pleasedevery one ought to make haste and get
to
put you, you must do your duty, and God will
reward you for it.
# # # # #
You are to be faithful and honest to your masters
and mistresses,not purloiningor wastingtheir
goodsor substance, but showing all good fidelity in
all things Do not your masters, under
God,providefor you? And how shall theybe
able to do this țo feed and to clothe you, unless
that
you take honest care of everything belongsivillof God, who hath by his "providencemade you
to them ? Remember that God requiresthisof you ; servants,because,no doubt,he knew that condition
and,if you are not afraidof suffering for ithere,
would be bestfor you in thisworld,and help you the
you cannot escape the vengeance of Almighty God, better towards heaven,ifyou would but do your
who willjudgebetween you and your masters, and dutyin it. So that any discontent at your not
make you pay severely in the next world for all the
injustice you do them here. And though you could
manage
so cunninglyas to escape the eyes and
hands of man, yet think what a dreadful thingit
is to fall into the hands of the livingGod, who is
able to cast both soul and body into hell !
You are to serve
your masters with cheerfulness,
reverence, and humility.You arc to do your masters'
service with good will,doingit as the will of
God. from the heart,without any sauciness or answering
again. How many of you do thingsquite
otherwise,and, instead of goingabout your work
with a good will and a good heart,disputeand
grumble,give saucy answers, and behave in a
surlymanner ! There is something becoming
keepsthem from us, it is the greatestmercy and
and engaging a modest,cheerful,good-naturedkindness he could show us.
behaviorțhat a littlework done in that manner You may perhapsfancythat,if you had riches
seems better done,and gives far more satisfaction, and freedom, you could do your duty to God and
than a great deal more, that must be done with an with greaterpleasurethan you can now.
fretting, vexation,and the lash alwaysheld over But, pra}?, consider that,if you can but save
your
you. It also gainsthe goodwilland love of those souls,through the mercy of God, you will have
you belongto,and makes your own life pass with
A very awful query here occurs to the
mind. If the poor, ignorantslave,who
wastes his master's temporalgoodsto answer
some of his own
presentpurposes, be exposed
to thisheavyretribution, what will become
of those educated men, who,for their temporal
convenience, make and hold in force
laws which rob generation aftergeneration
of men, not only of their dailyearnings, but
of all their rights and
beings?
The Rev. Mr. Glennie,
privileges as immortal
in one
of his sermons,
as quotedby Mr. Bowditch, p. 137,
assures his hearersthat none of them will
be able to say, in the dayof judgment, " I
had no way of hearingabout my God and
Saviour."
himself sold into slavery, as the nearest
road to heaven.
Take care that you do not fretor murmur, grumble
or repineat your condition ; for thisivillnot only
make your life uneasy, but ivillgreatlyoffendAlmighty
God. Consider that it is not yourselves,
it is not the peoplethat you belongto, it is not
the men that have brought you to it,but it is the
beingfree,or rich,or great, as you see some
others,is quarrelling with your heavenlyMaster,
and finding fault with God himself,who hath
made you what you are, and hath promisedyou
as largea share in the kingdomof heaven as the
greatest man alive, if you will but behave yourself
aright, and do the business he hath set you about
in this world honestly and cheerfully Ṛiches
and power have provedthe ruin of many an unhappy
soul,by drawing away the heart and affections
from God, and fixingthem on mean and
sinful enjoyments; so that, when God, who knows
our hearts better than we know them ourselves, sees
that they would be hurtful to us, and therefore
spent your time to the best of purposes in this
more ease and pleasure Ḅesides, you are to world ; and he that at last can get to heaven has
consider that this grumblingand ill-willdo not performeda noble journey, let the road be ever so
affect your masters and mistresses only. They ugged and difficult. Besides, you reallyhave a
have ways and means in their hands of forcingreatadvantageover most white people,who have
not onlythe care of their daily labor upon their
you to do your work,whether you
are willing or
not. But
your murmuring and grumbling is hands,but the care of looking forward and providing
againstGod,ivho hath placed you in that service, necessaries for to-morrow and next day,
who willpunish you severelyin the next world for and of clothingand bringingup their children,
despising his commands.
and of getting food and raiment for as many of
you as belongto their families,which often puts
them to great difficulties,
and distracts their
minds so as to break their rest,and take off their
thoughtsfrom the affairsof another world. Whereas,
you are quiteeased from all these cares, and
have nothingbut your daily
and, when that is done,take your needful rest.
labor to look after,

Neither is it necessary for you to think of laying
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 249
AlmightyGod hath been pleasedto make
up anythingagainstold age,
as white you
peopleare slaveshere,and to
obliged
to do ; for the laws of the giveyou nothingbut labor and
countryhave poverty in this world,which you
providedthat you shall not be turned off when
are obligedto
submit to,as it ishis will that it should be so.
you are past labor,but shall be maintained,while And think within yourselves, what a terrible
you live,by those
thing
you belongto,whether you
are itwould be,after all
able your labors and
to work
sufferings
or not.
this lifețo be turned into hell in the next"life,
and,afterwearing
BishopMeade furtherconsolesslavesthus
out your bodies in servicehere,
to go into a far worse
for
slavery when this is over|
certain incidentsof theirlot,for which and your poor souls be delivered over into the
thej maj think theyhave more reason to possessionof the devilțo become his slaves forever
find faultthan for in
most others. The reader hell,without any hopeof ever
getting free
from it !
must admit that he takes
If,therefore,
a
very philosophical
you would be God's freemen
in heaven, you must strive to be
view of the good,
subject.
and
serve him here on earth. Your bodies, you know,
There is only one circumstance are not your which own ; they are at the disposal of those
may appear
you belong
grievous, that I shall to ; but your preciousouls are still
now take noticeof,and
your
that
own, which
is correction.
nothing can take from you, if it
be
Now, when correction is given not your own
you, you either
fault. Consider well,then,that
if
deserve you lose your souls
it,or you do
by leadingidle,wicked lives
not deserve it. But, whether here, you
you reallydeserve it or not, it is have got nothingby
your duty,and
it in this world,
and you have lost
AlmightyGod requires, that your all in the next. For
you bear your
itpatientlyidleness and wickedness
You
may perhapsthink that this is hard doctrine
is generally found "out,
; but if and your bodies sufferforit here
you consider ; and,what is far
itright, you must needs
think
worse, if
otherwise of it. you do not repent and amend, your unhappy
Suppose,then,that you
souls will sufferfor
deserve
ithereafter.
correction ; you cannot but say that i'tis
justand right you should meet with it.
Suppose Mr. Jones,in that partof the work
you do not, or at least where
you do not deserve so much, he is
or
obviating the
so severe a correction, for the
objections of masters to
fault you have
committed ; you perhapshave the Christianinstructionof
escaped a great
theirslaves, supposes
many more, and at last paid for all. Or, the master to
suppose
objectthus :
you are quiteinnocent of what is laid to your You teach
charge,and sufferwrongfullyin
them
that
that
particular
" God is no
respecter of
thing; is it not possible you may have done some
persons;"that "He hath made of one blood,all
other bad thingwhich was
nations of men never discovered, and
;" " Thou shalt love thyneighbor
that as
AlmightyGod, who saw you
thyself; "All
doingit,would
thingswhatsoever ye would
not let that you escape without men should do
punishment,one time
to you, do ye even so to them ;"
-or another 1 And what
oughtyou not, in such use, let me
a
ask,would case,
theymake of these
to givegloryto him, and
sentences
be thankful
from the
that he
gospel ?
would rather punish you in this life for your Mr. Jones
wickednessțhan destroyyour souls for it in the
says
:
next life! But, suppose
even this was not the
case
(a case hardly to be Let itbe replied,
imagined) and that that the effecturged in the
, you
have by no means, known
objectionmight result from imperfectand
or unknown, deserved
injudicious
the correction you suffered ; there is this religious instruction ; indeed,religious instruction
great
comfort in it,that,if you bear it may
patiently, and
be communicated wilh the express
leave your cause in the
design,
hands of God, he will on the part of the instructor, to
reward
produce
you for it in the effectreferred to,instances of which have occurred.
heaven,and the punishment
you suffer unjustly here shall turn to your exceeding
But who will
greatgloryhereafter.
say that neglectof dutyand insubordinat
are the legitimateeffectsof the
That BishopMeade has gospel,purely
no highopinion
and sincerely impartedto servants?
lias it not in all
of the present comfortsof ages been viewed as the
a lifeof
greatest
slavery,
may be civilizerof the human race ?
fairly inferred from the following
remarks which he makes to slaves How Mr.
:
Jones would interpret the golden
rule to the
Your own
slave, so as to justifythe slavesystem,we
cannot
poor circumstancesin this lifeouo-ht
to put you particularly
possibly tell. We
upon this,and can,
takingcare
of your souls ; for you cannot have the however,givea
pleasures
specimen of the manner in
and enjoymentsof thislife like rich free which
people,
it has been interpreted
Bishop
who have estates and money to
lay out as they Meade's sermons,
think fit. If p. 116.
others will run
(Brooke's
the hazard of their
souls, they
Slavery,
have a chance "c, of gettingwealth and
pp. 32,83.)
power, of heapingup riches,and enjoyingall the
"
All thingswhatsoever
ease, luxuryand pleasure, their ye would that men
hearts should lon"- should do unto
after. But
you, do ye even so unto them ;"
you can have none of these things; that is,do by
so that,if you sell all mankind justas you would desire
your souls,for the sake of theyshould do
what
by you,
poor matters you can get in if you were in their
this world,
you have place, made a very foolish and they in yours.
bargaini
Now, to suitthisrule to your particular circumstances,
This informationis certainly
suppose you
very explicit
were masters and mistresses,
and to the point. He continues :
and had servants under you ; would you not desire
that your servants should do theirbusiness faith-

250 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
fullyand honestly,as well when your
hack was church do with her catechumens and communicants
turned as while were
you lookingover them?
? Read the advertisements of
Would you not expect that they should take
Southern
said to them ? that they
newspapers, and see. In every
notice of what you
should behave themselves with respect towards
you and yours, and be as careful of everything
belonging to you
as you would be yourselves?
You are servants : do, therefore,as you would
wish to be done by, and you will be both good every
servants to your masters, and good servants to
God, who requires this of you, and will reward
you well for it,if you do it for the sake of con-
in obedience to his commands.
science,
The reverend teachers of such expositions
the slave-prisons
ofscripture do greatinjustice to the natural
extent
sense of theirsable catechumens,iftheysuppose
them incapable of detecting such veryshallow
sophistry, and of proving conclusively
hands as freely
that " it is a poor
rule that won't
"
"
work both ways." Some shrewd old patriarch,
of the stamp of those who rose up and
went out at the exposition of the Epistle Philemon,and who show such gi^eat acuteness
the vicissitudesof
in bringingup objections agains the
truth of God, such as would be thought peculiar
to cultivatedminds,mightperhaps,
if he dared,replyto such an exposition of
scripture in this way : Supposeyou were a
"
slave, could not have a cent of your
own
earnings duringyour whole life, could have
no legalrightto your wife and children,
could never send your children to school, chiefly speak,
and had, as
you have told us, nothing but
labor and poverty in this life, how would
you like it? Would you not wish your
Christian master to set you free from this
condition?" We submit itto ABOLITION OF SLAVERY THROUGHOUT
every
is no respecter of persons, whether this interpretation
America and throughout Christendom.
To this noble course the united voice of
one who
of Sambo's is not as good as
the bishop's Ạnd if not,why not? Christiansin all other countries is urgently
To us, with our feelings and associations. calling the American ohurch. Expressions
such discourses as these of Bishop Meade of this feeling have come from Christians of
appear
hard-hearted and unfeeling to the all denominations in England,in Scotland,
lastdegree. We should,however,do great in Ireland,in France, in Switzerland, in
injustice to the character of the man, if we Germany, in Persia,in the Sandwich Islands,
supposed that theyprove
him to have been
such. They merelygo to show how perfectlyone
spiritṬhey have loved and honored
use
may familiarize amiable and estimable
this American church. They have rejoiced
men with a system of oppression, in the brightness of her rising. Pier prosperity
tilltheyshall have lost all consciousnessof
the wrong
which it involves.
That BishopMeade's reasonings did not
thoroughly convince himself is evident from
the fact that, afterall his representations of
the superior advantages slavery as a means
of religious improvement, did,at last,
emancipate his own slaves.
But,in addition to what has been said,
thiswhole system of religious instructionis
darkened by one hideous shadow," the
slave-trade. What does the Southern
city in the slave-raising states behold the
depots,kept constantly
full of assorted
! In
slave-coffles 1 Who preaches the gospel in
negroes from the ages of ten to thirty
slave-consuming state see the re-
whither these poor wrecks
and remnants of families are constantly
borne ! Who preaches the gospelto the
ceiving-houses
'? If we consider the tremendous
"
of this internal trade, if
we read papers
with columns of auction
advertisements of human beings, changing
as if they were dollar-bills
instead of human
realizehow
utterly
instructionmust
"
creatures, we shall then
allthose influencesof religious
be nullifiedby leaving
the subjects of them exposed " to all
property."
CHAPTER X.
WHAT 18 TO BE DONE ?
The thing to be done,of which I shall
is that the whole 'American
church,of alldenominations, should unitedly
come up, not in form, but in fact,to
the noble purpose avowed by the Presbyterian
Assembly of 1818, to seek the entire
and in China. All seem to be animated by
and success have been to them as their
own, and they have had hopesthat God
meant to confer inestimable blessings
her upon allnations. The American church
through
of birds and
sounds
songs
voicesof cheerful industry, and
of gladness, contentment and peace.
But, lo ! in this beautiful orb is seen a
disastrous spot
of dim eclipse,
wideningshadow threatens a
has been to them like the rising of a glorious
sun, sheddinghealing from his wings, dis-
mists and fogs, and bringing
persing
gradually
whose
totaldark-

"
because
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
251
so much at stake in our prosperity and
? We have sent out our missionaries Pariahs,with which no other classwill associate,
to all quarters of the globe; but how shall eat or drink. Our missionariestellthe
theytell their heathen converts the thingsconverted Hindoo that thisprejudice
un-
that are done in Christianized America 1
; for God hath made of one blood
How shall our missionaries in Mahometan
and
tolerate barbaritieswhich they have
1
missionary
ness. Can we -wonder that the voice of remonstrance
abolishthat which is
"
the most sinful, the
comes to us from those who have
success
repudiated
to read our books,and get a full knowledgeof all
that isgoing on in our country. Many of them
are very inquisitive
now, and often ask me questions
that I find it very difficultto answer.
No, there is no resource. The church
of the United Statesisshut up, in the providence
of God, to one work. She can
never fulfilher mission tillthis is done. So
long as she neglects this,it willliein the
unchristian prejudice of caste.
In Hindostan there is a class called the
christian
allwho dwell on the face of the earth,,
countries hold up their heads,and proclaim allmankind are brethren in Christ. With
the superiority of our religion, when we what face shall they tellthis to the Hindoo,
if he is able to reply, "In your
own Christian
countrythere is a
the Karens,in Asia,
You do not yourselves
classof Pariahs who
things
A
among
are treated no better than we treat ours.
writes back that his course is much embarrassed
believe the
by a suspicion that is afloat among you teach us."
the Karens that the Americans intend to Let us look at the treatment of the free
stealand sellthem. He says : jnegro at the North. In the Statesof Indiana
and Illinoisthe most
I droad the time when these Karens will be able
oppressive and
unrighteous
laws have been passed with regard
to him. No law of any
slave state could be
more cruel in its spiritthan that recently
passed in Illinois, by which every free negro
coming into the state is taken up and sold
for a certaintime,and then, if he do not
leave the state,is sold again.
With what face can we exhort our Southern
brethrento emancipate theirslaves,if we
way of everything else which she attemptsdo not set the whole moral power of the
to do.
church at the North against such abuses as
She must undertake itfor another reason, this7 Is this course justified by saying that
she alone can performthe work the negro is vicious and idle? This is adding
peaceably Ịf this fearful problemisleftto insult to injury.
take itscourse as a mere political question, What is it these Christianstates do 1 To
to be ground out between the upper and a great extent they exclude the colored
'nether millstones of political parties, then population from their schools ; they discourage
what will avert agitation, angry collisions, them from attending their churches
and the desperate rending the Union? No, by invidious distinctions ; as a generalfact,
there is no safety but in makingit a religious
they exclude them from their shops,where
enterprise, and pursuingit in a theymight learn useful arts and trades ;
Christianspirit, and by religious means. theycrowd them out of the better callings
If it now be asked what means shall the where theymight earn an honorable livelihood
church employ, we answer, this evil must
; and,having thus discouraged every
be abolished by the same means which the elevated aspiration, and reduced them to
apostles firstused for the spread of Christianity,
almost inevitableignorance, idleness and
and the extermination of all the vice,they fill up the measure of iniquity by
socialevils which then filleda world lyingmaking cruel laws to expelthem from their
in wickedness. Hear the apostle enumerate
states țhus heapingup wrath against theday
them: "By pureness, by knowledge, of wrath.
BY LONG-SUFFERING, BY THE HOLY GlIOST, If we say
that every Christian at the
BY LOVE UNFEIGNED, BY THE ARMOR OF South who does not use his utmost influence
RIGHTEOUSNESS ON THE RIGHT HAND AND against their iniquitous slave-lawsis guilty,
ON THE LEFT."
as a republican citizen, of sustaining those
We will briefly consider each of these laws, it is no less true that every
Christian
means.
at the North who does not do what in him
First,"by Pureness." Christiansin the lies to procure the repealof such laws in
Northern free states must endeavor to purifythe free states is), so far,gui'1 ]y fortheirexistence.
themselves and the country from various Of late years
we have had abundant
malignant results of the system of slavery ; quotations from the Old Testament
and,in particular, theymust endeavor to to justify all manner of oppression Ạ

252 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
Hindoo,who knew nothing of this generous
and beautiful book,except from such pamphletspeople
in your vicinityẠre there children
as Mr. Smylie's, mightpossibly think excluded from schools by unchristian prejudice
it was a treatiseon piracy, and a general justification'?
Seek to combat that prejudiceby
of robbery. But let us quote from fair arguments,presentedin a rightspirit.
it the directions which God givesfor the If you cannot succeedțhen endeavor to provide
treatment of the stranger: "If a stranger for the education of these children in
sojourn with you in your land, ye shall not seme other manner. As far as in you lies,
vex him. But the strangerthat dwelleth endeavor to secure for them,in every walk
among you shallbe as one born among you ;
of lifețhe ordinaryprivileges of American
thou shalt love him as thyself." How much citizens. If they are excluded from the
more does this apply when the stranger has omnibus and railroad-carin the placewhere
been broughtinto our land by the injustice
those who
and cruelty of our fathers!
We are happy to say, however,that the
number of states in which such oppressive
legislation exists is small.
of encouragement and
hopethat the unphi-receiving
colored apprentices.
excuse themselves for excludingthe
colored apprenticeby saying that if they
losophical and
is materially
It is also matter
unchristian prejudice of caste
doingwhat liesin your
power for the colored
you reside,endeavor to persuade
have the control of these matters to pursue
a more justand reasonable course. Those
Christians who are heads of mechanical
establishmentscan do much for the cause by
Many masters
"
givingway, in many parts of
our country, before a kinder and more Christian
receive him all their other hands will desert
spirit.
them. To this it is replied, theydo
Many of our schools and colleges are the thingin a Christian temper and for a
willing to receive the colored applicant Christian purpose, the probability is that,if
equalterms with the white. Some of the their hands desert at first, theywill return
Northern free states accord to the colored to them at last, all of them,at least, whom
free man fullpolitical equality privileges. they would care to retain.
Some of the colored people, under this encouragement,
A respectable dressmaker in one of our
have,in many parts of our towns has,as a matter of principle, taken
country, become rich and intelligent. A coloredgirls for apprentices, thus furnishing
very fair proportion of educated men is them with a respectable means of livelihood.
risingamong them. There are among
them Christian mechanics, in all the walks of life,
respectable editors,eloquent orators, and are earnestly requested to consider this subject,
laborious and well-instructedclergymen. It and see if,by offering their hand
tp
givesus pleasureto say that among
intelligent
raise this poor peopleto respectability and
and Christian peoplethese men are knowledge and competence,the)'- may not be
treated with the consideration theydeserve : performinga service which the Lord will
and,iftheymeet with insultand ill-treatment, acceptas done unto himself.
it is commonlyfrom the less-educatedclass, Another thing which is earnestly who,being less enlightened, are alwayslonger
to Christians is the raising and
under the influence of prejudiceẠt a recent
comforting poor churches of colored
ordination at one of the largest and people, who have been discouraged, dismembered
most respectable churches in New York, the and disheartened, by the operation of
moderator of the presbytery was a black the fugitive slave law.
man, who began life as a slave ; and it was In the cityof Boston is a church,which,
undoubtedly a source of gratification to all even now, is struggling with debt and
his Christianbrethren to see him presiding embarrassment, caused by beingobligedto
this capacity Ḥe put the questions buyits own deaconsțo shieldthem from the
candidate in the German language, the terrors of that law.
church being in part composedof Germans. Lastly, Christians at the North,we need
Our Christian friends in Europe may, at not say, should abstain from all trading in
least, infer from this that,if we have had our slaves,whether direct or indirect,whether
faults in times past,we have,some of us. by partner-ship with Southern houses or by
seen and are endeavoring to correct them. receiving immortal beings as security for
To bringthis head at once to a practical debt. It is not necessary to expand this
conclusionțhe writer will say to every individual
point. It speaksfor itself.
Christian,who wishes to do something
By all these means the Christian church
for the abolitionof slavery, beginby at the North must secure for itselfpurity

"
from all complicity
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN. 253
with the sin of
slavery.
and prejudices
and from the unchristian customs
which have resulted from it.
The second means to he used for the abolition
us or not.
Every Christian ought seriously to
examine
the extent to which our national
government is pledgedand used for the
support of slavery Ḥe
forth unto those which are before"? Let
not the believers of immediate abolition
callthose who
believe in gradualemancipation
time-serversand traitors ; and let not
of slavery "Knowledge."
Every Christian oughtthoroughly, carefully
the upholders of gradualemancipation call
the advocates of immediate abolitionfanatics
and prayerfully, to examine this system and incendiaries.Surelysome more brotherly
of slavery Ḥe should regardit as one
upon way of convincing good men can be
which he is bound to have rightviews and found,than by standingafar off on some
rightopinions, and to exert a right
informing
influence Ebal and Gerizim,and cursingeach other.
and concentrating a powerful public The truth spokenin love will alwaysgo
sentiment, of allothers the most efficacious further then the truth spokenin wrath ; and,
remedy. Many people are deterred from after all.the greatobject is to persuade our
examiningthe statistics on this subject, becauseSouthern
brethren to admit the idea of any
theydo not like the men who have emancipation at all. When we have, succeeded
collectedthem. They say theydo not like in persuading them that anything
abolitionists, and thereforetheywill not attend
is necessary to be done,then will be the
to those facts and figures theytime for bringing up the question whether
have accumulated. This,certainly,
not the object shall be accomplished by an
wise or reasonable. In all other subjects
or a gradual process. Meanwhile,
which deeply affectour interests, we think it let our motto be, " Whereto we have already
best to take informationwhere we can get it, attained, let us walk by the same rule,let
whether we likethe persons who giveit to us mind the same things
man be
Let us not reject the good there
should thoroughly is in any, because of some remaining defects.
look into the statistics of slavery in the District
We come now to the considerationof a
of Columbia, and,above all"intothe statistics
power without which all others must fail,
of that awful system of "
legalized the Holy Ghost."
piracy and oppression by which hundreds The solemn creed of
every Christian
and thousands are yearlytorn from home church,whether Roman, Greek, Episcopal
and friends, and all that heart holds dear, or Protestant, says, " I believe in the Holy
and carried to be sold like beasts in the Ghost." But how often do Christians,
markets of the South. The smoke from this in all these denominations, live and act.
bottomless abyss of injustice puts out the and even conduct theirreligious affairs, as if
light of our Sabbath suns in the eyes of all they had " never so much as heard whether
nations. Its awful groans and wailings there be any HolyGhost." If we trust to
drown the voice of our psalmsand religious our own reasonings, our own misguided passions,
melodies. All nationsknow thesethingsof and our own blind self-will, to effect
us, and shall we not know them of ourselves? the reform of abuses,we shall utterly fail.
Shall we not have courage, shall we not There is a power, silent, convincing, irresistible,
have patience, to investigate thoroughly our
which moves over the dark and
own bad case, and gain perfectknowledge
a troubled heart of man, as of old it moved
of the lengthand breadth of the evil we seek over the dark and troubled waters of Chaos,
to remedy'?
bringing light out
The third means for the abolitionof slavery
of confusion.
is "Long-suffering."
Is it not evident
Of thisquality
to there has every been some lack enlarged views of human society
in the attemptsthat have hithertobeen made. but
The friends of the cause have not had
immediate
; and if any
otherwiseminded,God shall reveal even this
unto him." "Let us receive even him that
is weak in the faith, but not
to doubtful disputations
of darkness, and order out
one who takes
that a
gentle
irresistibleinfluence is pervadingthe
human race, promptingroaningsand longings
patience with each other,and have not been and dim aspirations for some coming
able to treat each other'sopinions
era
with forbearance.
of good? Worldlymen read the signs of the
There have been many painful times,and call this power the Spiritof the
things the past history of this subject ;
but should not the church acknowledge
Age,"
but is itnot time when all the friendsof the it as the spirit of God ?
slaveshould adoptthe motto, " forgetting Let it not be forgotten, howeverțhat the
the thingsthat are behind,and reaching giftof his most powerfulregenerating influ-

254 KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
ence, at the openingof the Christian dispensation,
with whose principles we are obliged to conflict.
was conditionedon prayer. The
If theysay all manner of evilagainst
mighty movement that began on the day of us, we must reflectthat Ave expose them to
Pentecost was precededby united,fervent, greattemptation to do so when we assailinstitutio
persevering prayer.
A similar spirit of
to which they are bound by a
prayer must precedethecoining of the divine thousand tiesof interest and early association,
Spirit, to effecta revolution so greatas that and to whose evils habit has made
at which we aim. The most powerful instrumentality
them in a
great degreeinsensible. The
which God has delegated to apostle givesus thisdirectionin cases where
man, and around which cluster all his glorious
we are called upon to deal with offending
promises,
prayer. All pastprejudices brethren, " Consider thyself, lestthou also
and animositieson this subject must be laid be tempted." We may applythis to our
aside, and the whole church unite as one own case, and consider that if we had been
man in earnest, fervent prayer. Have we exposed to the temptations which surround
forgotten the promise of the Holy Ghost? our friends at the South,and received the
Have we forgotten that He was to abide with same education,we might have felt and
us forever '? Have we forgotten that it is thought and acted as they do. But,while Ave
He who is to convince the world of sin,of cherish all these considerations, Ave must
righteousness and of judgment? 0, divine also remember that itis no love to the South
and Holy Comforter ! Thou promise of the to countenance and defend a pernicious system
Father ! Thou onlypowerful to enlighten, ; a system which is as injurious to the
convince and renew ! Return,we beseech master as to the slave;a system which turns
thee,and visitthisvine and thisvineyard of fruitfulfields to deserts ; a system ruinous
thyplanting ! With thee nothingisimpossible
to education, to morals, and to religion and
; and what we, in our weakness, can social progress ;
a system of which many of
scarcely conceive, thou canst accomplish ! the most intelligent and Araluable men at the
Another means for the abolitionof slaverySouth are Aveary,
and from which they desire
is ':
Love unfeigned."
to escape, and by emigration are yearly
In all moral conflicts, that party who can escaping. Neither must Ave concede the
preserve, throughevery degree of opposition rights of the slave ; for he is also our brother,
and persecution, a divine,unprovokable spirit and there is a reason Avhy Ave should speak
of love,must finally conquer. Such are the for him which does not exist in the case of
immutable laws of the moral world. Anger, his master. He is poor, uneducated and
wrath,selfishnessand jealousy, have all a ignorant, and cannot speakfor himself. We
certain degreeof vitality. They often produce
must,therefore, Avith greaterjealousy, guard
more show,more noise and temporary his rights Ẉhatever else Ave compromise,
results, than love. Still, all these passions Ave must not compromise the rights of the
have,in themselves, the seeds of weakness. helpless, nor the eternalprinciples of rectitude
Love,and love only, is immortal ; and when and morality.
all the grosser passions of the soul have We must never concede that it is an
spent themselves by their own force, love honorable thing to depriveworking men of
looks forthlike the unchanging star, with a their wages, though, like many
other abuses,
lighthat never dies.
it is customary, reputable, and popular, and
In undertaking this work, we must love though amiable men, under the influence
both the slave-holderand the slave. We of old prejudices, still continue to do it.
must never forget that both are our brethren. Never,not even for a moment, should Ave
We must expect to be misrepresented, to be admit the though that an heir of God and a
slandered,
to be hated. How can we joint heir of Jesus Christ may lawfully be
attack so powerfulan interest without it? sold upon the auction-block, thoughit be a
We must be satisfiedsimply with the pleasure common custom. We must repudiate, with
of being true friends, while Ave are treatedas determined severity, the blasphemous doctrine
bitterenemies.
of propertyin human beings.
This holycontroversymust be one of Some have supposed it an absurd refinement
principle, and not of sectional bitterness. to talk about separating principles and
We must not sufferit to degenerate, in our persons, or to admit that he Avho upholds a
hands,into a violent prejudice against the bad system can be a good man. All experience
South ; and,to this end,we must keep continually
proves the contrary. Systems most
before our minds the more amiable unjust and despotic have been defended
featuresand attractive qualities of those by men personally just and humane. It is

"
were
"
-then
itsday
a melancholyconsideration, but no
that there is almost no absurdity and no
that has not, at some period
"world'shistory, had the advantage
goodman's virtues in itssupport.
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
lesstrue, pointedout a more arduous conflict. The
injustice
very heart shrinksto think what the faithful
of the Christian must endure who assailsthisinstitution
of some
It is a part of our trialin this imperfect
evil systemsonlysupportedby
life ;
the evil, our moral discipline would be much
less severe than it is,and our course in
attacking error
far plainer.
On the whole,we cannot but think that
there was much Christian wisdom in the
remark, winch we have before quoted,of a
poor old slave-woman, whose whole life had
been darkened by this system, that we must
"
hate the sin,but love the sinner."
The last means for the abolitionof slavery
will ask no man whether he was of this or
We do not ask it. Ourselves weak,irresolute
that party; but he certainly will ask him and worldly, shall we ask you to do
whether he gave his vote in the fear of God, what perhapswe ourselves should not dare?
and for the advancement of the kingdomof But we will beseech Him to speakto you,
righteousness.
who dared and endured more than this for
It is often objected that slavery is a distant
your sake,and who can strengthen you to
sin,with which we have nothing to do. If dare and endure for His. He can raise you
any clergymanwishes to test this fact,let above all temporary and worldlyconsiderations.
him once plainly and faithfully preachupon
He can inspire you with that love to
it. He willprobably then findthat the roots himself which will make you willingto
of the poison-tree have run under the very leave father and mother,and wife and child,
hearth-stone of New Englandfamilies,
yea, to giveup life itself, for his sake. And
that in his very congregation are those in if he ever brings you to that placewhere
complicity with this sin.
you and this world take a final farewell of
It is no child's playto attack an institution
each other,where you make up your mind
which has absorbed into itself so much solemnly to giveall up for his cause, where
of the political power and wealth of this neither lifenor death,nor thingspresent nor
nation,and theywho try it will soon find things to come, can move you from this purpose,
thattheywrestle "not with fleshand blood."
will you know a joywhich is
No armor will do for this warfare but the above all other joy,a peace constant and
"
armor
as the eternal God from whom
of righteousness."
To our brethren in the South God has
255
on its own ground ; but it must be
done. How was it at the North ? There
was a universal effortto put down the discussion
of it here by mob law. Printingpresses
were broken,houses torn down,
propertydestroyedḄrave men, however,
stood firm ; martyr blood Avas shed for the
rightof free opinion and speech; and so the
rightof discussion was established. Nobody
triesthat sort of "
argument now, is
past. In Kentucky,also,theytried to stop
the discussionby similar means. Mob violence
destroyed a printing-press, and threatened
the lives of individuals. But there
is the " Armor of Righteousness on the rightwere brave men there,who feared not violence
hand and on the left."
or threats of death ; and emancipation
By thiswe mean an earnest application is now open for discussionin Kentucky.
of all straight-forward, honorable and justThe fact is. the South must discuss the
measures, for the removal of the system of matter of slavery Ṣhe cannot shut it out,
slaveryẸvery man. in his place, should remonstrate
unless she lays an embarg on the literature
against it. All its sophistical of the whole civilized world. If it be,
arguments should be answered,its biblical indeed,divine and God-appointed, why does
defences unmasked by correct reasoning and she so tremble to have it touched ? If it be
interpretation. Every mother should teach of God,all the freeinquiryin the world cannot
the evil of it to her children. Every clergyman
overthrow it. Discussion must and will
should fully and continually warn his come. It onlyrequires courageous
men to
church againstany complicity with such a lead the way.
sin. It is said that this would be introducing
Brethren in theSouth țhere are many of
politics into the pulpit Ịt is answered, you who are trulyconvinced that slaveryis
that since people will have to give an account a sin,a tremendous wrong; but,if you confess
of their political actions in the day of judgment,
your sentiments, and endeavor to propagate
it seems proper that the minister your opinions,
should instruct them somewhat as to their affliction, and even death,await you. How
political responsibilities. In that day Christ can we ask you, then,to come forward?
you think that persecution,
unchanging
itsprings.

'"if
256
KEY TO UNCLE TOM S CABIN.
Dear brethren, is this system to go
on
forever in your
land 1 Can
you
think
these
slave-laws anything but an
abomination to a
just God1? Can
think this internal
you
slave-trade to be anything but an
abomination
in his sight?
Look, beseech
into
we you,
those awful
slave-prisons which are
in
cities. Do
your
the
and
groans
prayers
which go
from
up
those dreary mansions promise well for the
prosperity of our country?
Look, we
beseech
you,
at the mournful
march of the slave-coffles ; follow the bloody
coast.
course of the slave-ships on
your
What, suppose you,
does the Lamb of God
think of all these things? He whose heart
was so tender that he wept, at the grave
of
Lazarus, over a sorrow that he was so soon
of
men, heavy with oppression,acquainted
to turn into what does he think of
with grief,with all the
joy," power
of
this constant, heart-breaking,yearly-repeated wealth and fashion, of political and worldly influence,
anguish? What does he think of Christian
arrayed against their cause,
Christian,
"
wives forced from their husbands, and husbands
can
you acknowledge Christ in them!
from their wives ? What does he If
you turn indifferent from this
away
think of Christian daughters, whom his
thou forbear to deliver them
"
cause,
church first educates, indoctrinates and baptizes,
that are drawn unto death, and those that
and then leaves to be sold as merchandise?
be ready to be slain; if thou sayest, BV
on his part, while you
for him ? Have
ever wished
could
you you
have watched with him in that bitter conflict
at Gethsemane. when even his chosen slept?
Have
you
ever wished that
you
could
stood by him when all forsook him and fled,"
have
"
that
you
could have owned when Peter denied,
that
you
could have honored him
when buffeted and spit upon
? Would
you
think it too much honor, could
you,
like Mary,
have followed him to the cross,
and stood
a patient sharer of that despised,unpitied
agony
? That
you cannot do. That hour
is over. Christ, now,
is exalted, crowned,
"
glorified, all
men speak well of him; rich
churches rise to him, and costly sacrifice goes
up
to him. What chance have
the multitude, to prove your love, to
"
you,
among
show
that you
would stand by him discrowned,
dishonored, tempted, betrayed, and
Can
you
suffering?
show it in any
but way by espousing
the cause of his suffering poor? Is
there a people among you despised and rejected
hold, we knew it not, doth not he that pondereth
the heart consider it, and he that
Think
such
Paul
you
prayers
as poor
Edmondson's, such death-bed scenes as Emily keepeth the soul, doth he not know it,shall
Russell's, are
witnessed without emotion by he not render to man
every according to his
that
generous Saviour, who regards what is works?"
done to his meanest servant as
done to himself?
In the last judgment will He not say to
"I have been in the
"
slave-prison, in
"
you,
Did it never seem to you,
0 Christian ! the slave-coffle. I have been sold in your
when you
have read the sufferings of Jesus, markets ;
I have toiled for naught in your
that
you
would gladly have suffered with fields; I have been smitten on
the mouth
him ? Does it never seem almost
ungenerous in
your
courts of justice ;
I have been
to accept eternal life as
the price of such anguish
denied a hearing in own
my church, and
ye
bear no cross cared not for it. Ye went, one to his farm,
and another to his merchandise." And if
' '
ye
"
shall answer, When, Lord?" He shall
say
unto you,
have done
Inasmuch as ye
it to the least of these, my brethren, ye
have
done it unto me."

never
APPENDIX.
"
"
FACT VS. FIGURES; OR, THE NINE ARAB
the
have teen
turned into
BROTHERS.
light and joy and thanksgiving ; here
she has them, in round figures ; she onlyneeds to
BEING A NEW ARABIAN NIGHT'S ENTERTAINMENT. put on her spectacles look. " Here, ma!am, you
have it," says the illustrator ; "look on this side
It is a favorite maxim that '"'"figures cannot lie.'''' of the column : here are three hundred million
We are loth to assailthe time-honored reputation of heathen," don't spare the figures, down in
for veracity this ancient and most respectableAfrica,sunk in heathenism heard the
innocence
each other
race. There may have been days of pastoral sound of the gospel" actuallyeating
and primitivesimplicity, when they did alive. Now, turn to this side of the column, and
not lie. When Abraham sat contemplatively in here they all are, over in America, clothed and in
his tent-door, with nothing to do, all the longday, their rightmind, goingto church with their masters,
but compose psalms and piousmeditations, it is and finding the hymns in their own hymnbooks.
Now, ma'am, can
likely that he had implicit faith in this maxim,
you
and never thoughtof questioning the statistical results of the slave-trade?"
tables of Eliezer of Damascus, with regardto the But Mrs. Partington has heard somethingabout
number of camels, asses, sheep,oxen and goats, that middle passage which she thought was
"
which illustratedthe prairie where he was for the horrid.
"By no means, my
dear madam," says the
illustrator,whiskingover his
"
papers. I have
recent
that all in figures,
of
average
deaths in the first
ages, that this arose from no native innocence
cargoes, 25 cent.," per largeaverage, certainly ;
of disposition, but simplyfrom want of theydid n't manage
the business exactlyright;
occasion and opportunity. In those days,they but then the rate of increase in a Christian country
were
young and green, and had not learned what averages twenty-five per cent, over what it
theycould do. The firstinventor, ton,
making a numeration table,with the artless primeval
if these had been left in Africa,theywould
machine of his toes and fingers,had,like have been all heathen ; by gettingthem over
other greatinventors, very littleidea of what he here,you
have just as
many, and all Christians
was doing, and what would be the mightyuses of to boot. Because, you see, the excess of increase
these very simple characters,when men
got to balances the percentage of loss,and we make no
having republicangovernments, and elections, deduction for interest in those cases."
and discussions of all sorts of unheard-of questionsin
Now, as Mrs. Partingtondoes not know with
politics morals,and to electioneering very great clearness what "percentage" and.
among these poor simple Arab herdsmen, the nine
digits, for their votes on all these complicated No wonder that figures have had their heads affected by the unknown, she is all the mose-
time beingencamped. Alas for those good old
days ! Figures did not lie then,we freely admit ;
but we are sadlyafraid,from their behavior in
turned ! Such unprecedented power and popularitimpressed
with this reasoning,
that account; ;
is enough to turn any head. We are sorry to being one of the simple,old-fashioned people,
speak ill of them ; but really we must say, that, who have not yet gotten over the impression,
like many of our political men, they have been that " figurescannot lie."
"
found on all sides of every subjectto an extent Well, now, really," says she, " strangewhat,
that is really very confusingỌf course, there is these figures will do ! I always thought the
problembeing,on which side,and where. Is any
great measure to be carried, now-a-days \ Of The fact is,that these nomadic Arabs,the digits,
course, the statistics, cut and dried, in regular are making a
very unfair use, among us, of
columns, on both sides of the question,contradict
the familyreputation gottenup during the palmy
each other point-blank as two oppositecannons
days of their innocence,when they. were a breezy,
; and each party marshals behind them, firing contemplatively unsophisticated race of shepherds,
them off with infinitealacrity, but with no particular
and, to use an American elegance of expression,
effect,exceptthe bewilderment of the few
had not yet " cut their eye-teeth."All
old-fashioned people,who, like Mr. Pickwick at that remains of their Oriental origin in this country
the review,stand on the middle ground.
seems to be a characteristicturn for romancing.
If that most respectable female person, Mrs. Not an addition of slave territory has been made
Partington,-who, like most unsophisticatedold to the United States,wherein these same Arab
ladies,is a most vehement and uncompromising
brothers have not, with grave faces,been brought
abolitionist, could onlyhear the statisticsthat are in as witnesses țo swear, by the honor of the family,
to be shown up in favor of slavery, she would take that it was absolutely essential, for the best
off her spectacles and wipe her eyes in piousjoy, interest of the Afrioan race, that there should be
and think that the millennium,and nothingless, more slavery and more slave territory. To besure,
it was for the pecuniarygainof the Amer-^
had come
upon earth. Such statistics theyare,
about the woe, and want, and agony,
and heathenish ican race, but that was not the
point insisted on.
darkness of Africa,which,by that eminent foreign0 no ! we are always very gladwhen our inter-
missionaryoperation,
slave-trade,
doubt the beneficial
would have been in Africa. Now, Mrs. Parting-
"average" mean, and as mental philosophers;
have demonstrated that we are alwayspowerfully,
no doubt of their veracitysomewhere; the only slave-trade was monstrous wicked. But it really,
seems to be quitea missionary work."

"
ayes
_
258 APPENDIX.
est coincideswith that of the African race ; but discovered,as he intended and would pledgehimself
the extension of slaveryis not to be considered in to show. He said they referred to the number of
thatlightprincipally ; it is entirely a system of insane,blind, "c, among the colored population.
Christian education,and evangelization of This had been made the
one
subject of a pamphleton the
annexation of
race by another. Left
Texas,
to himself,Quashy and of goes
a speechby a gentleman
right back into heathenism. His very body deteriorates
from Mississippi (Mr. Hammett), which had been refuted
; he becomes idiotic, insane,deaf,dumb,
on this floor. The United States were at this
everything that can be time
thoughtof. " Is
placed in a condition very littleshort of war with
blind," Great Britain,as well as Mexico, on the foundation
this an actual fact?" asks some incredulous Congress
man, as innocent as Mrs. Partington. "0
of these very errors. It was important țherefore,
that the true state of facts should be made to appear.
yes ! for "only look ; here are the statistics.Just The Speakerremarked that whether errors existed
see ; here in the town of Kittery, in Maine, are or not would be matter of investigationỊn the
twenty-seven insane and idiotic black people, and opinion of the chair, there was no error of the journal,
down here in the town of DitteryȘouth Carolina, because it contained onlya faithful transcript of
not a single one. Some simple-minded Kitterythe communication made by the Secretaryof State.
man, who overhears this conversation in the Mr. Adams persisted in his motion. It was (he
lobby,perhapsopens his eyes, and reflects with said) the most extraordinarycommunication ever
wonder that he never knew that there
made from the State Department. He would pledge
were so
many
black peoplein the town. But the Congress
himself to produce documents to prove that gross
errors did exist. He would produce
man shows it to him in the census, and he
such proofas no
man would be able to contradict.
concludes to look for them when he goes home, as The House refused to amend the journal.
"
figurescannot lie."
"
House of Representatives. May 16,1844. Mr.
On the census of 1840 conclusionsinnumerable Adams wished to present a memorial from certain
as to the capacity of the colored race to subsistin citizens in relationto errors which theysay have been
freedom have been based. It has been the very committed in compilingand printing the last census
beetle,sledge-hammer and broad-axe ; and when of the United States.
all other means foil țhe objector,with a triumphantObjectionbeing
made, he moved to suspend the
flourish, exclaims, " There,sir,what do rules' for the purpose of offering the resolution, and
you think of the census of 1840 1 You see, sir, moving to refer it to a committee of five members.
the thing's been tried,and it's no go." We The yeas and nays were ordered,and, beingtaken,
poor common folks cannot tellwhat to think. the rules were not suspended, 96, nays
"
49,
less
Some of us suppose
that wo know that there than two-thirds votingin the affirmative.
were
"
House of Representatives. Dec. 10, 1844. Mr.
more insane and idiotic and variously dilapidated
Adams
negroes reported in certain etates than their
presented a petition from the American Statistical
Society, in relation to certain errors in the last
.entire negro populationḄut, of course, as it's
or sixth census.
down in the census, and as "figuresnever lie,"
we must believeour own eyes. We Mr. Adams said a petition
this subjectat the last
can onlysay session was referred to a select committee, and he
what some people have thought.
hoped this petition would take the same direction.
That most inconvenient and pertinacious man, He moved the appointment of a select committee of
John QuincyAdams, made a gooddeal of trouble nine members, and that the memorial be printed.
in Congressabout this same matter. At no less The speakerannounced that a majority had decided
than five different times did this in very persistent
favor of a select committee. The motion to print
old gentleman rise in Congress, with the statement
was laid on the table.
that the returns of the been House of Representatives. Dec. 13, 1844. " The
census^had
notoriously and grossly falsifiedin this followingis the Select Committee appointed,
respect;
on the
and that he was prepared, if leave motion of Mr. Adams, to consider the petition were given,
from
to present before the House the most the American StatisticalSocietyin relation to the
complete,
errors in the sixth census: Messrs. Adams, Rhett,
direct,and overwhelming evidence to this effect,
Rayner, Stiles,Maclay, Brengle,Foster,Sheppard,
The followingis an account of Mr. Adams' endeavors
Cary,and Caleb B. Smith.
on this subject,collected from the Congressional
Globe, and'Niks' s Register :
This was the end of the affairin Congress Ṭhe
falsereturns stand to this day in the statistical
TWENTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES. tablesof the census, to convince all cavillersof the
unfitness of
House of Representatives. February 26, 1844.
the negro
for freedom. That the
reader
-Mr. Adams, on leave,offered the followingresolution
may know what kind of evidence Mr. Adams
:
Resolved, That the Secretary of State be directedft"
inform this House whether any gross errors have American Almanac for 1845, p.
we append, as a specimen,
an extract from the
156.
ibeen discovered in the "Sixth Census, or Enumeration
The "American StatisticalAssociation," established
of the Inhabitants of the United States,as corrected
at the Department of State in 1841," and, if
in Boston,Mass., sent a memorial to Congress
-so, how these errors originated, what they are, and during the pastwinter,drawn up by Messrs. William
what, if any, measures have been taken to rectifyBrigham, Edward Jarvis, and J. W. Thornton, in
which, though they"confined their investigations to
them.
"
House of Representatives. May 6,1844. The
the reportsrespecting education and nosology,"they
journalhaving been read, Mr. Adams moved a correction
exposedan extraordinary mass of errors in the census.
We can find room
of the same by strikingout from the onlyfor a few extracts from
communication
of the Secretaryof State (in answer to this memorial.
a
* * * *****
resolution of this House inquiringwhether any gross
"
errors had been discovered in the printing of the Sixth The most glaring and remarkable errors are found
Census),as copiedupon the journalțhe followingin the statements respecting
words : " That no such errors had been discovered." of insanity, blindness,deafness and dumbness, among
Mr. Adams accompaniedhis motion with some remarks.
the peopleof this nation.
It coaM not possibly(Mr. Adams said) "
be a The undersigned have comparedthese statements
" cerrect represeutation, as very gross errors had been with information obtained from other more reliable
had with which to sustain his allegations,
nosology țhe prevalence

"
*
"
or,
probableamount.
"
Accordingto the census, there were in Massa-
APPENDIX. 259
sources, and have found them widelyvarying from
the truth ; and, more than all,they have compared
the statements in one
chusett
six hundred and twenty-sevenlunatics and
idiots supported at publiccharge; accordingto the
part of the census with those in returns of the overseers of the poor, there were eight
another part, and have found most extraordinaryhundred and twenty-seven of this class of paupers.
discrepancesṬhey have also examined the original "The superintendents poor of the State of
manuscriptcopy of the census, depositedby the marshal
New York report one thousand and fifty-eight pauper
of the District of Massachusetts in the clerk's lunatics within that state ; the census reportsonly
office in Boston, and have compared this with the
printededition of both Blair and Rives,and Thomas
Allen,and found here,too, a variance of statements.
"
Your memorialists are aware that some of these
errors in respect to Massachusetts, and perhaps also
in respect to other states, were committed by the
marshals. Mr. William H. Williams, deputy marshal,
states that there were one hundred and thirty-Pennsylvaniathree colored pauper lunatics in the familyof Samuel Your memorialists deem it needless to go and also in some counties in Virginia.
" further
"
Mr. Benali Blood,deputymarshal, states,on one
page, that there were fourteen colored pauper lunatics
therein reported.
and two colored lunatics,who were supported at private
"
In view of these facts țhe undersigned, in behalf
charge,in the familyof Charles E. Parker, in the of said Association,conceive that such documents
town of Pepperell; while on another page he states oughtnot to have the sanction of Congress,nor ought
that there are no colored persons in the familyof said they to be regardedas containingtrue statements
Parker. Mr. William M. Packson states,on one page,
relative to the condition of the peopleand the re-
that there are in the familyof Jacob Cushman, in the
one edition has given twenty, and the other twentyseven,
self-supporting lunatics,in towns in which,
accordingto privateinquiry,none are to be found.
According to the original and manuscriptcopy
of the
census, there were in Massachusetts ten deaf and
dumb and eightblind colored persons ; whereas the
printed editions of the same document multiply them
into seventeen of the former and
twenty-twoof the
latter class of unfortunates.
"
The printedcopy
were in the towns of Hingham
of the census declares that there
and Scituate nineteen
colored persons who were deaf and dumb, blind,or
insane. On the other hand, the undesignedare informed,
by the overseers of the poor and the assessors,
who have cognizance of every pauper and tax-payer
in the town, that in the last twelve years no such
diseased persons have lived in the town of Scituate ;
and they have equallycertain proof that none such
neither found nor made record of such
have lived in Hingham. Moreover, the deputymarshals
persons.
"
The undersignedhave carefullycompared the
number of colored insane and idiots,and of the deaf
and dumb and blind,with the whole number of the
colored population, as
the census, in every city,town, and county
stated in the printededition of
of the
United States ; and have found the extraordinary contradictions
'and improbabilities that are shown in the
following tables.
"
The errors of the census are as certain,if not as
manifest,in regardto the insanityamong the whites,
as among the colored people. Wherever your memorialists
have been able to compare the census with the
results of the investigations of the state governments,
of individuals, or societies, theyhave found that the
national enumeration has fallen far short of the more
seven hundred and thirty-nine.
"The government of New Jerseyreports seven
hundred and one in that state ; the census discovers
only four hundred and forty-two.
"The Medical Societyof Connecticut discovered
twice as many lunatics a3 the census within that
state. A similar discrepancywas found in Eastern
B. Woodward, in the town of Worcester ; but on into detail in this matter. Sufficeit to say, that these
another page he states that there are no colored persons
are but specimensof the errors that are to be found in
in said Woodward's family.
the ' sixth census' in regardto nosologyand education,
and theysuspectalso in regardto other matters
"
of the United States. They believe it would
town of Plympton, four pauper colored lunatics, and have been far better to have had no census at all
one colored blind person ; while on another page he than such an one as has been published ; and they
states that there are no colored persons in the family respectfully requestyour honorable body to take such
of said Cushman.
order thereon,and to adoptsuch measures for the
"
But, on comparingthe manuscriptcopy
of the correction of the same,
if the same cannot be
census at Boston with the printededitionof Blair and corrected,for discardingand disowningthe same, as
Rives, the undersigned are convinced that a large the good of the country shall require, and as justice
portion of the errors were made by the printers, and humanityshall demand.
that hardly any of the errors of the originaldocument
tables for onlythree of the
"
We have room for the
are left out. The original document finds the states." [We will caution the reader not to skip this
colored insane in twenty-ninetowns, while the printedstatistical table,as he probably never saw one like it
edition of Blair and Rives placesthem in thirty-five before.]
towns, and each makes them more than ten-fold greater
MAINE.
than the state returns in regardto the paupers. And
36 of these under 10 years of age.
Everyfable,allegory and romance, must have
its moral. The moral of this ought to be deeply
considered by the American people.
In order to gaincapital
territory,
for the extension of slave
sources
the most importantstatisticaldocument of
the United States has been boldly, grossly, and perseveringly
falsified , stands falsified to thisday.
Query : If state documents are falsifiedin support
of slavery,what confidence can be placed in
any
?
representations that are made
upon
the subject

" Dr.
" Various
"
Extract
" Instance
"
Instance
Story
" Dr.
Involve
" True
Haley
Eliza
St.
Old
Marie
Writer's
Lewis
Uncle
Instance
Degrading
Account
Letter
Invoice
Judge
John
Judge
Advertisements
Decision
Mrs.
The
History
No
"
Letter
" Mr.
Decision
Causes
"
Sellingof
"
Professor
Legree
Topsy
Spirit
Extract
Select
Parting
Parting
Action
Case
Extracts
Testimonyas
Dr.
Henry
Imprisonment
Decision
Case
Case
Extracts
Story
"
Decisions
Rev.
INDEX
PART I.
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
" "
" "
"
" " "
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
" "
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
" Amos
"
"
"
"
" "
"
"
"
CHAPTER I. " Introduction p. 5
defence of
"
slavery. Baltimore Sun on
Biblical defence of
CHAPTER II. 5
slavery. Specimen of proslaverypreaching.
Author's experience. Trader's letter. Kephart's
examination. of human
CHAPTER X. 39
beings.
classes of traders.
No test of character required in a master. Mr.
Dickey'saccount in "Slaveryas It Is." "Working
CHAPTER III. "Me. and Mrs. Shelby 8
up slaves." from Mr. Weld's
Account of a well-regulatedplantation. Extract book. Agricultural society's testimony.
from Ingraham.
James G. Birney's do. Clay's do.
CHAPTER IV." George Harris 13
Samuel Blackwell's. Demming's. Dr.
"
Channing's. Rev. Mr. Barrows'. C. C.
Advertisements. Clark. Banton.
Jones'. of severe labor on
Storyof Lewis' sister. sugar plantations.
Mr. Nelson's story."
Ingraham's testimony."
Frederick Josiah Henson's account
Douglas."
Periodical pressure of labor in the cotton season.
of the sale of his mother and her children. Recent
of a cotton-driver,publishedin the
incident in Boston. for
FairfieldHerald. to slave-dwellings.
dead or alive.
Stephen E. Mr. George
Maltby."
CHAPTER V. "
21 Avery." William Ladd, Esq." Rev. Joseph M.
Author's experience. Historyof a slave-girl Sadd, Mr. Esq." George W. Rev.
Westgate."
C. C. Jones. from recent letter from
her escape.
a friend travelling the South. with
CHAPTER VI." Uncle Tom 23 relation to the food of the slaves. Professor
Similar case. Ingraham'sanecdotes.
Virginiafamily servant.
BishopMeade's remarks. Upshur's servant.
CHAPTER XI. Incidents
in Brunswick, Me. of
of Lawful
Trade 47
Josiah Henson. Tom's vision. " Similar
facts. of a Boston Instance of the Separation mother from her son authenticated.
lady."
the
Southern lady on a plantation. Story of woman to the trader
an
authenticated.
African woman. of old Jacob.
the infant from the
mother verified." Suicide of slaves from grief
CHAPTER VII." Miss Ophelia 30 authenticated. of "John aged 30"
Prejudiceof color in a benevolent lady. from his wife authenticated. of old Prue
Pennington." Influence of this upon slaveholders.
in New Orleans authenticated. of the
Christian socialism. mulatto woman authenticated.
Lawrence.
CHAPTER XII. " 50
CHAPTER VIII. St. Clare 33
Effect of the principle of caste upon children. "
The Northern Marie St. Clare. Southern
Letter from Dr. Pennington." Instance of the
Marie St. Clare. punishment of females.
Southern lady." Storyof the devoted slave.
Howe's account.
CHAPTER XHL" The Quakers 5"i
CHAPTER IX. Clare 35
Trial of Garret and Hunn. " of
Alfred and Augustine St. Clare representatives of Richard Dillingham." Poetryof Whittier.
two classesof men. of Patrick Henry.
Southern men reproving Northern men. Mr. CHAPTER XIV. of St. Clare 59
Mitchell,of Tennessee. Randolph of Roanoke.
Containing various testimony from Southern papers
of a scepticmade by the Bibli-
and men in favor of Uncle Tom's Cabin.
PART
II.
CHAPTER I
dress
p. 67
for personalinjurythat does not produce
Accusations of the New York Courier and
loss of service. " of Cornfute v. Dale. "
Enquirer.
from a letter from Decision with
a gentleman
regard to patrols.
of
in Richmond, Va., containingvarious criticisms North and South Carolina with respectto the assault
on slave-law.
and
"
examination and batteryof slaves. in
" Louisiana,
general
conclusion.
by which, if a person injuresa slave,he
may, by paying a certain price, become his
CHAPTER II. "What is Slavery? 70
owner. in
"
Louisiana, Berard v. Berard,
establishingthe principlethat by no
Definitions from civil code of Louisiana. " From
laws of South Carolina. " of Judge mode of suit, direct or indirect,can a slave obtain
tRuffin.
"
absolute Do not
redress
"
for ill-treatment. of Jennings
despotism."
admit of humane decisions." Designedonly for
v. Fundeburg. for
"
killingnegroes. "
the security of the master, with no regardfor the Also Richardson v. Dukes for the same.
"
Recognition
welfare of the slave. Ruffin. "
"
re-
of the factthat many persons, by withhold-

Testimony
" Points
"
Is
Principlesestablished
Select
Protective
Does
Public
The
The
American
Souther
Affectingincidents.
Sanction
The
Humane
Case
Harry
Course
Summary
The
An
Course
Liberty
Final
" The
" Convention.
" Influence
E.
Solomon
Materials
Redeemed
Poor
Moderate
Principles
Protective
Slavery
The
Slaves
The
A
State
Kidnapping
Servitude
The
The
" The
John
Justice
Parallel
He
Home
The
Separation
N.
Practical
Fierce
Death.
Causes
Daniel
At
.
ing from slaves proper food and raiment,cause
them to commit crimes for which they are executed.
INDEX. 261
"
"
" 92
. .
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
" " Writer's
"
the negro
a
person in any sense ?
Illustrative drama of Tom v. Legree,under the
Judge Clark's argument to prove that he is a human
law of South Carolina.
Decision that a woman being." may be given and child.
of parent
to one person, and her unborn children to another.
Disproportioned punishmentof the slave compared
CHAPTER VII. Execution of Justice.
with the master. of State v. Mann, State v. Eliza Rowand. "JEgis of protection"
showing that the owner or hirer of a slave cannot
to the slave's life.
be punished for inflicting cruel, unwarrantable
and disproportioned punishments. Judge Ruffin's
CHAPTER IX. Correction and Accidental
CHAPTER VIII. Good Old Times 99
speech.
Death. v. Castleman. .100
. .
CHAPTER III. v. The Commonwealth,
State
THE NE PLUS ULTRA OF LEGAL HUMANITY.
...
79 CHAPTER X. established.
Writer's attention called to this case by Courier
v. Legree; a Case not in the Books 103
and Enquirer. Case presented.
CHAPTER XI.
Triumph of Justice over
remarks. in this case. Law
104
CHAPTER V. "
and Louisiana. "
Acts of South Carolina
Iron Collar of Louisiana
and North Carolina 87
CHAPTER VI.
"
Acts with regard to
Food and Raiment, Labor, etc 90
"
.107
. .
"
"
"
.110
CHAPTER IV. "Protective Statutes 83 CHAPTER XII. Comparison of the Roman
Outlawry." Apprenticesprotected.
Melodrama
Law of Slavery with the American.
of Prue in the swamp. the carpenter, CHAPTER XIII. Men better THAN THEIR
a romance of real life.
Laws
. . .
CHAPTER XIV.
"
Hebrew Slave-law
PARED WITH THE AMERICAN SlAVE-LAW.
. .
CHAPTER XV. "
is Despotism.
. .
COM-
,
115
.120
PART
III.
CHAPTER I. "
Public Opinion protect the
Slave? p. 124
CHAPTER H.
"
"
Earlytraining.
Opinion formed by Education
129
"
The spirit of the press."
CHAPTER in. "Separation of Families.
.
The facts in the case.
"
exigencesof trade.
CHAPTER IV. "
.
.133
dealers. "
The
Slave-trade 143
What sustains The facts slavery?" again,and
the comments of Southern "
men. poetry of
the slave-trade.
CHAPTER V. " Incidents of Lawful Trade;
or, Facts stranger than Fiction 151
slave.
CHAPTER VI.
"
Old "
Milly
"
equality. The
"
slave-ship. Capture
Edmondson Family.
. . .
155
and her household. and
schooner Pearl. "
American
of fugitives.
to New Orleans
" "
Captivesimprisoned. Voyage
and return.
"
"
"
Indignation.
"
What domestic sensibilities " Violet and George
"
had. of a sea-captain, and of a fu-
CHAPTER X. "
gitive
redemption.
CHAPTER "VTI." Emily Russell.
.
" Not Price of her redemption.
168
raised.
" Sent
the
"
South. "
by death.
"
and Poor Tom Ducket. family."
of his letter.
CHAPTER VIII. "
to
Bell
Facsimile
173
" "
" "
Causes which lead to kidnapping free negroes and
whites. Northrop kidnapped. Carried
to Red river. to Uncle Tom.
Rachel Parker and sister.
CHAPTER IX. " as they are, on Testimony
of Owners 175
" "
"
Color and complexion. Scars.
"
Intelligence.
Sale of those claimingto be free.
by advertisements. "
Inferences.
Illustrated
White Trash 184
Slaverydegrades the poor whites. "
process.
"
and
for mobs. " for slavery.
on education. Emigration
from slave states. B. Watson advertised
""
of slavery
"
for a hunt. "
" defence in law.
Matthews
"
lynched. Case
Cornutt No
lynched."
Rev. E.
prostrate."
of Jesse McBride.
PART
IV.
" "
"
"
"
"
CHAPTER I." Influence of the American Church
School body." Results. "
on Slavery p. 193 Albany convention.
Power of the clergy." The church, what ? Influence.
protestingpower. workings
self-evident. of ecclesiastical
of the generalsystem. Pleas for inaction. "
bodies. of American slavery, Appealto the church.
as it is,by Southern bodies. of results.
CHAPTER III." Martyrdom 223
CHAPTER n. "
Church and Slavery.
205
"
"
"
Trials for heresy.' Course as to slaveryheresies."
Course of the Methodist Church. of the
PresbyterianChurch,before the division. Course
of the Old School body." Course of the New
"
Congregationalism.
MissionarySociety.
Power of Leviathan. "
cares more for deeds than
words. "
P. Lovejoyat St. Louis. "
Alton.
"
"
Speech. Mob.
"
"
CHAPTER IV. " in the Primitive
Church compared with American Slavery. 228
Fundamental
principles of the kingdom of Christ.

"
Relations
"
Case
"
Preaching
Abolition
Course
Apostolic
Redemption
Specimens
"
Is
Closing
Justice
Various
What
Necessary
Contrast
Feelings
. . . .
262 INDEX.
to slavery.
"
directions.
CHAPTER VIII.
"
and Equity versus
of Onesimus.
Slavery 241
Regulation of slavery impossible.
"
of its
Teachings and Condition of the
Apostles 234
Apostles and primitive Christians not law-makers.
principles and provisions with justice and equity.
CHAPTER
IX.
the System of Religion which
is taught the Slave the Gospel ? 244
of modern law-makers.
Points to be conceded.
"
is taught ? Principles
"
CHAPTER VI.
"
Apostolic Teaching on Emancipation
235
system. "
and discussion.
"
results of the
of teaching and criticisms.
CHAPTER X." What is to be done?
250
CHAPTER VII.
"
of Slaveey by Christianity
237
Work of the church in America.
"
of
Christians in all other countries.
"
Eradication
State of society.
"
of councils.
"
Influence
of caste, and repeal of sinful laws against free
of bishops for freedom.
"
of
captives.
colored people.
"
duties and measures
"
Contrast.
as to slavery. "
appeal.
ERRATUM.
Page 42, second column, after twenty-fifth line from top, insert :
an "At the rolling of
interval of from two to three months,
sugars, they (the slaves in Louisiana) work
night and day. Abridged of their sleep, they scarcely retire to rest during the whole period."
both

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