UNCLE TOM'S CABIN

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