UNCLE TOM'S CABIN

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