The Underground Railroad
on the 8th of June, 1857. I made fair promises wishing to travel, and
they placed all confidence in me. I was to carry the slaves back from
Virginia.
"They came as far as Baltimore, and they began to talk of coming farther
North, to Philadelphia. They talked very good to me, and told me that if
they brought me with them to a free State that I must not leave them;
talked a good deal about giving me my freedom, as had been promised
before starting, etc. I let on to them that I had no wish to go North;
that Baltimore was as far North as I wished to see, and that I had
rather be going home than going North. I told them that I was tired of
this country. In speaking of coming North, they made mention of the
Alleghany mountains. I told them that I would like to see that, but
nothing more. They hated the North, and I made believe that I did too.
Mistress said, that if I behaved myself I could go with them to France,
when they went again, after they returned home--as they intended to go
again.
"So they decided to take me with them to Philadelphia, for a short
visit, before going into Virginia to buy up their drove of slaves for
Louisiana. My heart leaped for joy when I found we were going to a free
State; but I did not let my owners know my feelings.
"We reached Philadelphia and went to the Girard Hotel, and there I made
up my mind that they should go back without me. I saw a colored man who
talked with me, and told me about the Committee. He brought me to the
anti-slavery office," etc., etc., etc.
The Committee told Jim that he could go free immediately, without saying
a word to anybody, as the simple fact of his master's bringing him into
the State was sufficient to establish his freedom before the Courts. At
the same time the Committee assured him if he were willing to have his
master arrested and brought before one of the Judges of the city to show
cause why he held him a slave in Pennsylvania, contrary to the laws of
the State, that he should lack neither friends nor money to aid him in
the matter; and, moreover, his freedom would be publicly proclaimed.
Jim thought well of both ways, but preferred not to meet his
"kind-hearted" master and mistress in Court, as he was not quite sure
that he would have the courage to face them and stand by his charges.
This was not strange. Indeed not only slaves cowed before the eye of
slave-holders. Did not even Northern men, superior in education and
wealth, fear to say their souls were their own in the same presence?
Jim, therefore, concluded to throw himself upon the protection of the
Committee and take an Underground Rail Road ticket, and thereby spare
himself and his master and mistress the disagreeableness of meeting
under such strange circumstances. The Committee arranged matters for him
to the satisfaction of all concerned, and gave him a passport for her
British majesty's possession, Canada.
The unvarnished facts, as they were then recorded substantially from the
lips of Jim, and as they are here reproduced, comprise only a very
meagre part of his sadly interesting story. At the time Jim left his
master and mistress so unceremoniously in Philadelphia, some excitement
existed at the attempt of his master to recover him through the Police
of Philadelphia, under the charge that he (Jim) had been stealing, as
may be seen from the following letter which appeared in the "National
Anti-Slavery Standard:"
ANOTHER SLAVE HUNT IN PHILADELPHIA.
_Philadelphia, Monday, July_ 27, 1857.
Yesterday afternoon a rumor was afloat that a negro man named
Jim, who had accompanied his master (Mr. Charles Parlange), from
New Orleans to this city, had left his master for the purpose of
tasting the sweets of freedom. It was alleged by Mr. Parlange
that the said "Jim" had taken with him two tin boxes, one of
which contained money. Mr. Parlange went, on his way to New
York, _viâ_ the Camden and Amboy Railroad, and upon his arrival
at the Walnut street wharf, with two ladies, "Jim" was missing.
Mr. Parlange immediately made application to a Mr. Wallace, who
is a Police officer stationed at the Walnut street depot. Mr.
Wallace got into a carriage with Mr. Parlange and the two
ladies, and, as Mr. Wallace stated, drove back to the Girard
House, where "Jim" had not been heard of since he had left for
the Walnut street wharf.
A story was then set afloat to the effect, that a negro of
certain, but very particular description (such as a Louisiana
nigger-driver only can give), had stolen two boxes as stated
above. A notice signed "Clarke," was received at the Police
Telegraph Office by the operator (David Wunderly) containing a
full description of Jim, also offering a reward of $100 for his
capture. This notice was telegraphed to all the wards in every
section. This morning Mr. Wunderly found fault with the
reporters using the information, and, in presence of some four
or five persons, said the notice signed "Clarke," was a private
paper, and no reporter had a right to look at it; at the same
time asserting, that if he knew where the nigger was he would
give him up, as $100 did not come along every day. The
policeman, Wallace, expressed the utmost fear lest the name of
Mr. Parlange should transpire, and stated, that he was an
intimate friend of his. It does not seem that the matter was
communicated to the wards by any official authority whatever,
and who the "Clarke" is, whose name was signed to the notice,
has not yet transpired. Some of the papers noticed it briefly
this morning, which has set several of the officers on their
tips. There is little doubt, that "Jim" has merely exercised his
own judgment about remaining with his master any longer, and
took this opportunity to betake himself to freedom. It is
assumed, that he was to precede his master to Walnut street
wharf with the baggage; but, singular enough to say, no
complaint has been made about the baggage being missed, simply
the two tin boxes, and particularly the one containing money.
This is, doubtless, a ruse to engage the services of the
Philadelphia police in the interesting game of nigger hunting.
Mr. Parlange, if he is sojourning in your city, will doubtless
be glad to learn that the matter of his man "Jim" and the two
tin boxes has received ample publicity. W.H.
Rev. Hiram Wilson, the Underground Rail Road agent at St. Catharines,
C.W., duly announced his safe arrival as follows:
BUFFALO, Aug. 12th, 1857.
MY DEAR FRIEND--WM. STILL:--I take the liberty to inform you,
that I had the pleasure of seeing a man of sable brand at my
house in St. C. yesterday, by name of James Connor, lately from
New Orleans, more recently from the city of Brotherly love,
where he took French leave of his French master. He desired me
to inform you of his safe arrival in the glorious land of
Freedom, and to send his kind regards to you and to Mr.
Williamson; also to another person, (the name I have forgotten).
Poor Malinda Smith, with her two little girls and young babe is
with us doing well.
Affectionately yours, HIRAM WILSON.
* * * * *
ARRIVAL FROM WASHINGTON, D.C.
HARRISON CARY.
The passenger bearing this name who applied to the Committee for
assistance, was a mulatto of medium size, with a prepossessing
countenance, and a very smart talker. With only a moderate education he
might have raised himself to the "top round of the ladder," as a
representative of the down-trodden slave. Seeking, as usual, to learn
his history, the subjoined questions and answers were the result of the
interview:
Q. "How old are you?"
A. "Twenty-eight years of age this coming March."
Q. "To whom did you belong?"
A. "Mrs. Jane E. Ashley."
Q. "What kind of a woman was she?"
A. "She was a very clever woman; never said anything out of the
way."
Q. "How many servants had she?"
A. "She had no other servants."
Q. "Did you live with her?"
A. "No. I hired my time for twenty-two dollars a month."
Q. "How could you make so much money?"
A. "I was a bricklayer by trade, and ranked among the first in
the city."
As Harrison talked so intelligently, the member of the Committee who was
examining him, was anxious to know how he came to be so knowing, the
fact that he could read being very evident.
Harrison proceeded to explain how he was led to acquire the art both of
reading and writing: "Slaves caught out of an evening without passes
from their master or mistress, were invariably arrested, and if they
were unable to raise money to buy themselves off, they were taken and
locked up in a place known as the 'cage,' and in the morning the owner
was notified, and after paying the fine the unfortunate prisoner had to
go to meet his fate at the hands of his owner."
Often he or she found himself or herself sentenced to take thirty-nine
or more lashes before atonement could be made for the violated law, and
the fine sustained by the enraged owner.
Harrison having strong aversion to both of the "wholesome regulations"
of the peculiar institution above alluded to, saw that the only remedy
that he could avail himself of was to learn to write his own passes. In
possessing himself of this prize he knew that the law against slaves
being taught, would have to be broken, nevertheless he was so anxious to
succeed, that he was determined to run the risk. Consequently he grasped
the boon with but very little difficulty or assistance. Valuing his
prize highly, he improved more and more until he could write his own
passes satisfactorily. The "cage" he denounced as a perfect "hog hole,"
and added, "it was more than I could bear."
He also spoke with equal warmth on the pass custom, "the idea of working
hard all day and then being obliged to have a pass," etc.,--his feelings
sternly revolted against. Yet he uttered not a disrespectful word
against the individual to whom he belonged. Once he had been sold, but
for what was not noted on the record book.
His mother had been sold several times. His brother, William Henry Gary,
escaped from Washington, D.C., when quite a youth. What became of him it
was not for Harrison to tell, but he supposed that he had made his way
to a free State, or Canada, and he hoped to find him. He had no
knowledge of any other relatives.
In further conversation with him, relative to his being a single man, he
said, that he had resolved not to entangle himself with a family until
he had obtained his freedom.
He had found it pretty hard to meet his monthly hire, consequently he
was on the look-out to better his condition as soon as a favorable
opportunity might offer. Harrison's mistress had a son named John James
Ashley, who was then a minor. On arriving at majority, according to the
will of this lad's father, he was to have possession of Harrison as his
portion. Harrison had no idea of having to work for his support--he
thought that, if John could not take care of himself when he grew up to
be a man, there was a place for all such in the poor-house.
Harrison was also moved by another consideration. His mistress' sister
had been trying to influence the mistress to sell him; thus considering
himself in danger, he made up his mind that the time had come for him to
change his habitation, so he resolved to try his fortune on the
Underground Rail Road.
* * * * *
ARRIVAL FROM VIRGINIA, 1857.
JOE ELLIS.
The subject of this sketch was one of two hundred slaves, owned by