The Underground Railroad
copy the beautiful and just tribute to her memory, written by Oliver
Johnson, editor of the "National Anti-slavery Standard," and published
in the columns thereof, as follows:
DEATH OF A NOBLE WOMAN.
[From the "National Anti-Slavery Standard."]
Just as our paper is going to press, there comes to us
intelligence of the death of our beloved and revered friend,
Esther Moore, widow of the late Dr. Robert Moore, of
Philadelphia. She expired on Tuesday morning, November 21st,
1854, of gout of the heart, after a short, but painful illness,
in the eightieth year of her age.
The writer of this first became acquainted with her in 1836,
and, at various times since then, has met her at Anti-slavery
meetings, or in familiar intercourse at her own house. Her most
remarkable traits of character were an intense hatred of
oppression in all its forms, a corresponding love for the
oppressed, an untiring devotion to their welfare, and a courage
that never quailed before any obstacles, however formidable. Her
zeal in behalf of the Anti-slavery cause, and especially in
behalf of the fugitive, a zeal that absorbed all the powers of
her noble nature, was a perpetual rebuke to the comparative
coldness and indifference of those around her. We well remember
how her soul was fired with a righteous indignation when upwards
of thirty innocent persons, most of them colored people, were
thrown into prison at Philadelphia, upon a charge of treason,
for their alleged participation in the tragedy at Christiana.
Day after day did she visit the prisoners in their cells, to
minister to their wants, and cheer them in their sorrow; and
during the progress of Hanway's trial, her constant presence in
the court-room, and her frequent interviews with the District
Attorney, attested her deep anxiety as to the result of the
impending struggle. When we last saw her, about a month since,
she was engaged in collecting a large sum of money to ransom a
family of slaves, whose peculiar condition had enlisted her
deepest sympathy. Notwithstanding her age and infirmities, she
had enlisted in this work with a zeal which, even in a younger
person, would have been remarkable. For many days, perhaps for
many weeks, she went from door to door, asking for the means
whereby to secure the freedom and the happiness of an enslaved
and plundered household.
As a member of the Society of Friends, she lamented the guilty
supineness of that body, in regard to the question of Slavery,
and often, in its meetings, as well as in private intercourse,
felt herself constrained to utter the language of expostulation
and rebuke. In this, as in other relations of life, she was
obedient to the revelation of God in her own soul, and a worthy
example of fidelity to her convictions of duty. Her step-son, J.
Wilson Moore, in a letter to us announcing her decease, says:
Among the last injunctions she gave, was, "Write to Oliver
Johnson, and tell him I die firm in the faith! MIND THE SLAVE!"
She had enjoyed excellent health the last few years, and
continued actively engaged in works of benevolence. During the
last few weeks, she had devoted much time and labor to the
collection of funds for the liberation of ten slaves in North
Carolina, who had been promised their freedom at a comparatively
small amount. Notwithstanding her great bodily suffering, her
mind was clear to the last, expressing her full assurance of
Divine approbation in the course she had taken.
This is all that we can now say of the life of our revered and
never-to-be-forgotten friend. Perhaps some one who knew her more
intimately than we did, and who is better acquainted with the
history of her life and labors, will furnish us with a more
complete sketch. If so, we shall publish it with great
satisfaction.
Happy! ay, happy! let her ashes rest; Her heart was honest, and
she did her best; In storm and darkness, evil and dismay, The
star of duty was her guiding ray.
Her injunction to "MIND THE SLAVE," comes to us as the dying admonition
of one, whose life was a beautiful exemplification of the duty and the
privilege thus enjoined. It imposes, indeed, no new obligation; but
coming from such a source, it will linger in our memory while life and
its scenes shall last, inspiring in us, we hope, a purer and a more
ardent devotion to the cause of freedom and humanity. And may we not
hope that others also, will catch a new inspiration from the dying
message of our departed friend: "MIND THE SLAVE!"
ABIGAIL GOODWIN.
Contemporary with Esther Moore, and likewise an intimate personal friend
of hers, Abigail Goodwin, of Salem, N.J., was one of the rare, true
friends to the Underground Rail Road, whose labors entitle her name to
be mentioned in terms of very high praise.
A.W.M. a most worthy lady, in a letter to a friend, refers to her in the
following language:
"From my long residence under the same roof, I learned to know well her
uncommon self-sacrifice of character, and to be willing and glad,
whenever in my power, to honor her memory. But, yet I should not know
what further to say about her than to give a very few words of testimony
to her life of ceaseless and active benevolence, especially toward the
colored people.
"Her life outwardly was wholly uneventful; as she lived out her whole
life of seventy-three years in the neighborhood of her birth-place."
With regard to her portrait, which was solicited for this volume, the
same lady thus writes: "No friend of hers would for a moment think of
permitting that miserable caricature, the only picture existing meant to
represent her, to be given to the public. I cannot even bear to give a
place in my little album to so mournful and ridiculous a
misrepresentation of her in face."
* * * * *
"You wonder why her sister, E., my loved and faithful friend, seems to
be so much less known among anti-slavery people than Abbie? One reason
is, that although dear Betsy's interest in the subject was quite equal
in _earnestness_, it was not quite so absorbingly _exclusive_. Betsy
economized greatly in order to give to the cause, but Abby denied
herself even _necessary apparel_, and Betsy has often said that few
beggars came to our doors whose garments were so worn, forlorn, and
patched-up as Abby's. Giving to the colored people was a perfect
_passion_ with her; consequently she was known as a larger giver than
Betsy.
"Another and greater reason why she was more known abroad than her
sister E., was that she wrote with facility, and corresponded at
intervals with many on these matters, Mr. McKim and others, and for many
years."
* * * * *
Abigail was emphatically of the type of the poor widow, who cast in all
her living. She worked for the slave as a mother would work for her
children. Her highest happiness aad pleasure in life seemed to be
derived from rendering acts of kindness to the oppressed. Letters of
sympathy accompanied with bags of stockings, clothing, and donations of
money were not unfrequent from her.
New Jersey contained a few well-tried friends, both within and without
the Society of Friends, to which Miss Goodwin belonged; but among them
all none was found to manifest, at least in the Underground Rail Road of
Philadelphia, such an abiding interest as a co-worker in the cause, as
did Abigail Goodwin.
The sympathy which characterized her actions is clearly evinced in her
own words, as contained in the appended extracts from her letter, as
follows:
"DEAR FRIEND:--I sent E.M. (Esther Moore) forty-one dollars more
by half than I expected to when I set about it. I expect that
abolitionists there are all opposed to buying slaves, and will
not give anything. I don't like buying them, or giving money to
slave-holders either; but this seems to be a peculiar case, can
be had so cheap, and so many young ones that would be separated
from their parents; slavery is peculiarly hard for children,
that cannot do anything to protect themselves, nor can their
parents, and the old too, it is hard for them; but it is a
terrible thing altogether. The case of the fugitive thee
mentioned was indeed truly affecting; it makes one ashamed as
well as sad to read such things, that human beings, or any other
beings should be so treated. I cannot but hope and believe that
slavery will ere long cease. I have a strong impression that the
colored people and the women are to have a day of prosperity and
triumph over their oppressors. We must patiently wait and
quietly hope; but not keep too much 'in the quiet.' Shall have
to work our deliverance from bondage. 'Who would be free,
themselves must strike the blow.'
"I regret very much that I have not more clothing to send than
the stockings. I have not had time since I thought of it, to
make anything; am ashamed that I was so inconsiderate of the
poor runaways. I will go to work as soon as I have earned money
to buy materials; have managed so as to spend my little annual
allowance in nine months, and shall not be able to give you any
money for some months, but if more stockings are wanted let me
know, our benevolent society have plenty on hand; and I have
some credit if not money; they will trust me till I have; they
furnish work for poor women and sell it. I get them for fifty
cents a pair.
"My sister says Lucretia (Mott) told her that there was not much
clothing in the trunk, only a few old things. I think she told
me there was nothing in it, she meant, I suppose, of any
consequence. * * *
"I should like to know if the fugitives are mostly large. I have
an idea they are generally small in stature; that slavery stunts
the body as well as mind. I want to know in regard to the
clothes that I intend making; it's best to have them fit as well
as can be. I shall work pretty much for women. I hope and expect
there are many friends of the cause who furnish clothing in the
city. They ought to be fitted out for Canada with strong, warm
clothing in cold weather, and their sad fate alleviated as much
as can be."
* * * * *
The forty-one dollars, referred to in the above letter, and sent to
"E.M." was to go especially towards buying an interesting family of ten
slaves, who were owned in North Carolina by a slave-holder, whose rare
liberality was signalized by offering to take $1,000 for the lot, young
and old. In this exceptional case, while opposed to buying slaves, in
common with abolitionists generally, she was too tender-hearted to
resist the temptation so long as "they could be bought so cheap."
To rid men of their yoke was her chief desire. Such was her habit of
making the sad lot of a slave a personal matter; that let her view him,
in any light whatever, whether in relation to young ones that would be
separated from their parents, or with regard to the old, the life of a
slave was "peculiarly hard," "a terrible thing" in her judgment.
The longer she lived, and the more faithfully she labored for the
slave's deliverance, the more firmly she became rooted in the
soul-encouraging idea, that "Slavery will ere long cease." Whilst the
great masses were either blind, or indifferent, she was nerved by this
faith to bear cheerfully all the sacrifices she was called on to make.
From another letter we copy as follows:
JANUARY 25th, 1855.