collected articles-第1节

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Collected　Articles　of　Frederick　Douglass


by　Frederick　Douglass




In　the　first　narrative　of　my　experience　in　slavery；　written　nearly

forty　years　ago；　and　in　various　writings　since；　I　have　given

the　public　what　I　considered　very　good　reasons　for　withholding

the　manner　of　my　escape。　　In　substance　these　reasons　were；　first；

that　such　publication　at　any　time　during　the　existence　of　slavery

might　be　used　by　the　master　against　the　slave；　and　prevent

the　future　escape　of　any　who　might　adopt　the　same　means　that　I　did。

The　second　reason　was；　if　possible；　still　more　binding　to　silence：

the　publication　of　details　would　certainly　have　put　in　peril

the　persons　and　property　of　those　who　assisted。　　Murder　itself　was

not　more　sternly　and　certainly　punished　in　the　State　of　Maryland

than　that　of　aiding　and　abetting　the　escape　of　a　slave。

Many　colored　men；　for　no　other　crime　than　that　of　giving　aid　to

a　fugitive　slave；　have；　like　Charles　T。　Torrey；　perished　in　prison。

The　abolition　of　slavery　in　my　native　State　and　throughout　the　country；

and　the　lapse　of　time；　render　the　caution　hitherto　observed

no　longer　necessary。　　But　even　since　the　abolition　of　slavery；

I　have　sometimes　thought　it　well　enough　to　baffle　curiosity

by　saying　that　while　slavery　existed　there　were　good　reasons

for　not　telling　the　manner　of　my　escape；　and　since　slavery

had　ceased　to　exist；　there　was　no　reason　for　telling　it。

I　shall　now；　however；　cease　to　avail　myself　of　this　formula；　and；

as　far　as　I　can；　endeavor　to　satisfy　this　very　natural　curiosity。

I　should；　perhaps；　have　yielded　to　that　feeling　sooner；　had　there　been

anything　very　heroic　or　thrilling　in　the　incidents　connected　with

my　escape；　for　I　am　sorry　to　say　I　have　nothing　of　that　sort　to

tell；　and　yet　the　courage　that　could　risk　betrayal　and　the　bravery

which　was　ready　to　encounter　death；　if　need　be；　in　pursuit　of

freedom；　were　essential　features　in　the　undertaking。　　My　success

was　due　to　address　rather　than　courage；　to　good　luck　rather　than

bravery。　　My　means　of　escape　were　provided　for　me　by　the　very　men

who　were　making　laws　to　hold　and　bind　me　more　securely　in　slavery。



It　was　the　custom　in　the　State　of　Maryland　to　require　the　free

colored　people　to　have　what　were　called　free　papers。

These　instruments　they　were　required　to　renew　very　often；

and　by　charging　a　fee　for　this　writing；　considerable　sums　from

time　to　time　were　collected　by　the　State。　　In　these　papers　the　name；

age；　color；　height；　and　form　of　the　freeman　were　described；

together　with　any　scars　or　other　marks　upon　his　person　which

could　assist　in　his　identification。　　This　device　in　some　measure

defeated　itselfsince　more　than　one　man　could　be　found　to　answer

the　same　general　description。　　Hence　many　slaves　could　escape

by　personating　the　owner　of　one　set　of　papers；　and　this　was　often　done

as　follows：　　A　slave；　nearly　or　sufficiently　answering　the　description

set　forth　in　the　papers；　would　borrow　or　hire　them　till　by　means　of　them

he　could　escape　to　a　free　State；　and　then；　by　mail　or　otherwise；

would　return　them　to　the　owner。　　The　operation　was　a　hazardous　one　for

the　lender　as　well　as　for　the　borrower。　　A　failure　on　the　part　of

the　fugitive　to　send　back　the　papers　would　imperil　his　benefactor；

and　the　discovery　of　the　papers　in　possession　of　the　wrong　man

would　imperil　both　the　fugitive　and　his　friend。　　It　was；　therefore；

an　act　of　supreme　trust　on　the　part　of　a　freeman　of　color　thus　to

put　in　jeopardy　his　own　liberty　that　another　might　be　free。　　It　was；

however；　not　unfrequently　bravely　done；　and　was　seldom　discovered。

I　was　not　so　fortunate　as　to　resemble　any　of　my　free　acquaintances

sufficiently　to　answer　the　description　of　their　papers。

But　I　had　a　frienda　sailorwho　owned　a　sailor's　protection；

which　answered　somewhat　the　purpose　of　free　papersdescribing　his　person；

and　certifying　to　the　fact　that　he　was　a　free　American　sailor。

The　instrument　had　at　its　head　the　American　eagle；　which　gave

it　the　appearance　at　once　of　an　authorized　document。

This　protection；　when　in　my　hands；　did　not　describe

its　bearer　very　accurately。　　Indeed；　it　called　for　a　man

much　darker　than　myself；　and　close　examination　of　it　would

have　caused　my　arrest　at　the　start。



In　order　to　avoid　this　fatal　scrutiny　on　the　part　of　railroad

officials；　I　arranged　with　Isaac　Rolls；　a　Baltimore　hackman；

to　bring　my　baggage　to　the　Philadelphia　train　just　on　the　moment

of　starting；　and　jumped　upon　the　car　myself　when　the　train　was　in　motion。

Had　I　gone　into　the　station　and　offered　to　purchase　a　ticket；

I　should　have　been　instantly　and　carefully　examined；　and　undoubtedly　arrested。

In　choosing　this　plan　I　considered　the　jostle　of　the　train；　and　the　natural

haste　of　the　conductor；　in　a　train　crowded　with　passengers；　and　relied　upon

my　skill　and　address　in　playing　the　sailor；　as　described　in　my　protection；

to　do　the　rest。　　One　element　in　my　favor　was　the　kind　feeling　which　prevailed

in　Baltimore　and　other　sea…ports　at　the　time；　toward　〃those　who　go　down

to　the　sea　in　ships。〃　　〃Free　trade　and　sailors'　rights〃　just　then　expressed

the　sentiment　of　the　country。　　In　my　clothing　I　was　rigged　out　in　sailor　style。

I　had　on　a　red　shirt　and　a　tarpaulin　hat；　and　a　black　cravat　tied

in　sailor　fashion　carelessly　and　loosely　about　my　neck。　　My　knowledge

of　ships　and　sailor's　talk　came　much　to　my　assistance；　for　I　knew　a　ship

from　stem　to　stern；　and　from　keelson　to　cross…trees；　and　could　talk　sailor

like　an　〃old　salt。〃　　I　was　well　on　the　way　to　Havre　de　Grace　before

the　conductor　came　into　the　negro　car　to　collect　tickets　and　examine

the　papers　of　his　black　passengers。　　This　was　a　critical　moment　in　the　drama。

My　whole　future　depended　upon　the　decision　of　this　conductor。

Agitated　though　I　was　while　this　ceremony　was　proceeding；　still；

externally；　at　least；　I　was　apparently　calm　and　self…possessed。

He　went　on　with　his　dutyexamining　several　colored　passengers

before　reaching　me。　He　was　somewhat　harsh　in　tome　and　peremptory

in　manner　until　he　reached　me；　when；　strange　enough；　and　to　my　surprise

and　relief；　his　whole　manner　changed。　　Seeing　that　I　did　not　readily

produce　my　free　papers；　as　the　other　colored　persons　in　the　car　had　done；

he　said　to　me；　in　friendly　contrast　with　his　bearing　toward　the　others：



〃I　suppose　you　have　your　free　papers？〃



To　which　I　answered：



〃No　sir；　I　never　carry　my　free　papers　to　sea　with　me。〃



〃But　you　have　something　to　show　that　you　are　a　freeman；　haven't　you？〃



〃Yes；　sir；〃　I　answered；　〃I　have　a　paper　with　the　American　Eagle　on　it；

and　that　will　carry　me　around　the　world。〃



With　this　I　drew　from　my　deep　sailor's　pocket　my　seaman's　protection；

as　before　described。　　The　merest　glance　at　the　paper　satisfied　him；

and　he　took　my　fare　and　went　on　about　his　business。　　This　moment

of　time　was　one　of　the　most　anxious　I　ever　experienced。

Had　the　conductor　looked　closely　at　the　paper；　he　could　not

have　failed　to　discover　that　it　called　for　a　very　different…looking

person　from　myself；　and　in　that　case　it　would　have　been　his　duty

to　arrest　me　on　the　instant；　and　send　me　back　to　Baltimore

from　the　first　station。　　When　he　left　me　with　the　assurance

that　I　was　all　right；　though　much　relieved；　I　realized　that

I　was　still　in　great　danger：　I　was　still　in　Maryland；

and　subject　to　arrest　at　any　moment。　　I　saw　on　the　train

several　persons　who　would　have　known　me　in　any　other　clothes；

and　I　feared　they　might　recognize　me；　even　in　my　sailor　〃rig；〃

and　report　me　to　the　conductor；　who　would　then　subject　me

to　a　closer　examination；　which　I　knew　well　would　be　fatal　to　me。



Though　I　was　not　a　murderer　fleeing　from　justice；　I　felt　perhaps

quite　as　miserable　as　such　a　criminal。　　The　train　was　moving

at　a　very　high　rate　of　speed　for　that　epoch　of　railroad　travel；

but　to　my　anxious　mind　it　was　moving　far　too　slowly。　　Minutes　were　hours；

and　hours　were　days　during　this　part　of　my　flight。　　After　Maryland；

I　was　to　pass　through　Delawareanother　slave　State；　where　slave…catchers

generally　awaited　their　prey；　for　it　was　not　in　the　interior　of　the　State；

but　on　its　borders；　that　these　human　hounds　were　most　vigilant　and　active。

The　border　lines　between　slavery　and　freedom　were　the　dangerous　ones

for　the　fugitives。　　The　heart　of　no　fox　or　deer；　with　hungry　hounds

on　his　trail　in　full　chase；　could　have　beaten　more　anxiously　or　noisily

than　did　mine　from　the　time　I　left　Baltimore　till　I　reached　Philadelphia。

The　passage　of　the　Susquehanna　River　at　Havre　de　Grace　was　at　that　time

made　by　ferry…boat；　on　board　of　which　I　met　a　young　colored　man　by　the　name

of　Nichols；　who　came　very　near　betraying　me。　　He　was　a　〃hand〃　on　the　boat；

but；　instead　of　minding　his　business；　he　insisted　upon　knowing　me；

and　asking　me　dangerous　questions　as　to　where　I　was　going；

when　I　was　coming　back；　etc。　　I　got　away　from　my　old　and　inconvenient

acquaintance　as　soon　as　I　could　decently　do　so；　and　went　to　another　part

of　the