running a thousand miles for freedom-第13节

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〃My　dear　Mr　Estlin；

〃I　trust　that　in　God's　good　providence　this　letter　will　be　handed　to　you　in　safety　by　our　good　friends；　William　and　Ellen　Craft。　　They　have　lived　amongst　us　about　two　years；　and　have　proved　themselves　worthy；　in　all　respects；　of　our　confidence　and　regard。　The　laws　of　this　republican　and　Christian　land　（tell　it　not　in　Moscow；　nor　in　Constantinople）　regard　them　only　as　slaveschattels　personal　property。　　But　they　nobly　vindicated　their　title　and　right　to　freedom；　two　years　since；　by　win…　ning　their　way　to　it；　at　least；　so　they　thought。　But　now；　the　slave　power；　with　the　aid　of　Daniel　Webster　and　a　band　of　lesser　traitors；　has　enacted　a　law；　which　puts　their　dearly…bought　liberties　in　the　most　imminent　peril；　holds　out　a　strong　temp…　tation　to　every　mercenary　and　unprincipled　ruffian　to　become　their　kidnapper；　and　has　stimulated　the　slaveholders　generally　to　such　desperate　acts　for　the　recovery　of　their　fugitive　property；　as　have　never　before　been　enacted　in　the　history　of　this　government。

〃Within　a　fortnight；　two　fellows　from　Macon；　Georgia；　have　been　in　Boston　for　the　purpose　of　arresting　our　friends　William　and　Ellen。　　A　writ　was　served　against　them　from　the　United　States　District　Court；　but　it　was　not　served　by　the　United　States　Marshal；　why　not；　is　not　certainly　known：　perhaps　through　fear；　for　a　general　feeling　of　indig…　nation；　and　a　cool　determination　not　to　allow　this　young　couple　to　be　taken　from　Boston　into　slavery；　was　aroused；　and　pervaded　the　city。　　It　is　under…　stood　that　one　of　the　judges　told　the　Marshal　that　he　would　not　be　authorised　in　breaking　the　door　of　Craft's　house。　　Craft　kept　himself　close　within　the　house；　armed　himself；　and　awaited　with　remarkable　composure　the　event。　　Ellen；　in　the　meantime；　had　been　taken　to　a　retired　place　out　of　the　city。　　The　Vigilance　Committee　（appointed　at　a　late　meeting　in　Fanueil　Hall）　enlarged　their　numbers；　held　an　almost　permanent　session；　and　appointed　various　sub…　committees　to　act　in　different　ways。　　One　of　these　committees　called　repeatedly　on　Messrs。　Hughes　and　Knight；　the　slave…catchers；　and　requested　and　advised　them　to　leave　the　city。　　At　first　they　peremptorily　refused　to　do　so；　''till　they　got　hold　of　the　niggers。'　　On　complaint　of　different　persons；　these　two　fellows　were　several　times　arrested；　car…　ried　before　one　of　our　county　courts；　and　held　to　bail　on　charges　of　'conspiracy　to　kidnap；'　and　of　'defamation；'　in　calling　William　and　Ellen　'SLAVES。'　At　length；　they　became　so　alarmed；　that　they　left　the　city　by　an　indirect　route；　evading　the　vigilance　of　many　persons　who　were　on　the　look…out　for　them。　　Hughes；　at　one　time；　was　near　losing　his　life　at　the　hands　of　an　infuriated　coloured　man。　While　these　men　remained　in　the　city；　a　prominent　whig　gentleman　sent　word　to　William　Craft；　that　if　he　would　submit　peaceably　to　an　arrest；　he　and　his　wife　should　be　bought　from　their　owners；　cost　what　it　might。　　Craft　replied；　in　effect；　that　he　was　in　a　measure　the　representative　of　all　the　other　fugitives　in　Boston；　some　200　or　300　in　number；　that；　if　he　gave　up；　they　would　all　be　at　the　mercy　of　the　slave…catchers；　and　must　fly　from　the　city　at　any　sacrifice；　and　that；　if　his　freedom　could　be　bought　for　two　cents；　he　would　not　consent　to　com…　promise　the　matter　in　such　a　way。　　This　event　has　stirred　up　the　slave　spirit　of　the　country；　south　and　north；　the　United　States　government　is　determined　to　try　its　hand　in　enforcing　the　Fugitive　Slave　law；　and　William　and　Ellen　Craft　would　be　prominent　objects　of　the　slaveholders'　vengeance。　　Under　these　circumstances；　it　is　the　almost　unanimous　opinion　of　their　best　friends；　that　they　should　quit　America　as　speedily　as　possible；　and　seek　an　asylum　in　England！　　Oh！　shame；　shame　upon　us；　that　Americans；　whose　fathers　fought　against　Great　Bri…　tain；　in　order　to　be　FREE；　should　have　to　acknow…　ledge　this　disgraceful　fact！　　God　gave　us　a　fair　and　goodly　heritage　in　this　land；　but　man　has　cursed　it　with　his　devices　and　crimes　against　human　souls　and　human　rights。　　Is　America　the　'land　of　the　free；　and　the　home　of　the　brave？'　　God　knows　it　is　not；　and　we　know　it　too。　　A　brave　young　man　and　a　virtuous　young　woman　must　fly　the　American　shores；　and　seek；　under　the　shadow　of　the　British　throne；　the　enjoyment　of　'life；　liberty；　and　the　pur…　suit　of　happiness。'

〃But　I　must　pursue　my　plain；　sad　story。　　All　day　long；　I　have　been　busy　planning　a　safe　way　for　William　and　Ellen　to　leave　Boston。　　We　dare　not　allow　them　to　go　on　board　a　vessel；　even　in　the　port　of　Boston；　for　the　writ　is　yet　in　the　Marshal's　hands；　and　he　MAY　be　waiting　an　opportunity　to　serve　it；　so　I　am　expecting　to　accompany　them　to…morrow　to　Portland；　Maine；　which　is　beyond　the　reach　of　the　Marshal's　authority；　and　there　I　hope　to　see　them　on　board　a　British　steamer。

〃This　letter　is　written　to　introduce　them　to　you。　I　know　your　infirm　health；　but　I　am　sure；　if　you　were　stretched　on　your　bed　in　your　last　illness；　and　could　lift　your　hand　at　all；　you　would　extend　it　to　welcome　these　poor　hunted　fellow…creatures。　　Hence…　forth；　England　is　their　nation　and　their　home。　　It　is　with　real　regret　for　our　personal　loss　in　their　de…　parture；　as　well　as　burning　shame　for　the　land　that　is　not　worthy　of　them；　that　we　send　them　away；　or　rather　allow　them　to　go。　　But；　with　all　the　resolute　courage　they　have　shown　in　a　most　trying　hour；　they　themselves　see　it　is　the　part　of　a　foolhardy　rashness　to　attempt　to　stay　here　longer。

〃I　must　close；　and　with　many　renewed　thanks　for　all　your　kind　words　and　deeds　towards　us；

〃I　am；　very　respectfully　yours；

〃SAMUEL　MAY；　JUN。〃



Our　old　masters；　having　heard　how　their　agents　were　treated　at　Boston；　wrote　to　Mr。　Filmore；　who　was　then　President　of　the　States；　to　know　what　he　could　do　to　have　us　sent　back　to　slavery。　　Mr。　Filmore　said　that　we　should　be　returned。　　He　gave　instructions　for　military　force　to　be　sent　to　Boston　to　assist　the　officers　in　making　the　arrest。　　There…　fore　we；　as　well　as　our　friends　（among　whom　was　George　Thompson；　Esq。；　late　M。P。　for　the　Tower　Hamletsthe　slave's　long…tried；　self…sacrificing　friend；　and　eloquent　advocate）　thought　it　best；　at　any　sacrifice；　to　leave　the　mock…free　Republic；　and　come　to　a　country　where　we　and　our　dear　little　ones　can　be　truly　free。〃No　one　daring　to　molest　or　make　us　afraid。〃　　But；　as　the　officers　were　watching　every　vessel　that　left　the　port　to　prevent　us　from　escaping；　we　had　to　take　the　expensive　and　tedious　overland　route　to　Halifax。

We　shall　always　cherish　the　deepest　feelings　of　gratitude　to　the　Vigilance　Committee　of　Boston　（upon　which　were　many　of　the　leading　abolitionists）；　and　also　to　our　numerous　friends；　for　the　very　kind　and　noble　manner　in　which　they　assisted　us　to　preserve　our　liberties　and　to　escape　from　Boston；　as　it　were　like　Lot　from　Sodom；　to　a　place　of　refuge；　and　finally　to　this　truly　free　and　glorious　country；　where　no　tyrant；　let　his　power　be　ever　so　absolute　over　his　poor　trembling　victims　at　home；　dare　come　and　lay　violent　hands　upon　us　or　upon　our　dear　little　boys　（who　had　the　good　fortune　to　be　born　upon　British　soil）；　and　reduce　us　to　the　legal　level　of　the　beast　that　perisheth。　　Oh！　may　God　bless　the　thousands　of　unflinching；　disin…　terested　abolitionists　of　America；　who　are　labouring　through　evil　as　well　as　through　good　report；　to　cleanse　their　country's　escutcheon　from　the　foul　and　destructive　blot　of　slavery；　and　to　restore　to　every　bondman　his　God…given　rights；　and　may　God　ever　smile　upon　England　and　upon　England's　good；　much…beloved；　and　deservedly…honoured　Queen；　for　the　generous　protection　that　is　given　to　unfortunate　refugees　of　every　rank；　and　of　every　colour　and　clime。

On　the　passing　of　the　Fugitive　Slave　Bill；　the　following　learned　doctors；　as　well　as　a　host　of　lesser　traitors；　came　out　strongly　in　its　defence。

The　Rev。　Dr。　Gardiner　Spring；　an　eminent　Presbyterian　Clergyman　of　New　York；　well　known　in　this　country　by　his　religious　publications；　declared　from　the　pulpit　that；　〃if　by　one　prayer　he　could　liberate　every　slave　in　the　world　he　would　not　dare　to　offer　it。〃

The　Rev。　Dr。　Joel　Parker；　of　Philadelphia；　in　the　course　of　a　discussion　on　the　nature　of　Slavery；　says；　〃What；　then；　are　the　evils　inseparable　from　slavery？　　There　is　not　one　that　is　not　equally　inseparable　from　depraved　human　nature　in　other　lawful　relations。〃

The　Rev。　Moses　Stuart；　D。D。；　（late　Professor　in　the　Theological　College　of　Andover）；　in　his　vindi…　cation　of　this　Bill；　reminds　his　readers　that　〃many　Southern　slaveholders　are　true　CHRISTIANS。〃　　That　〃sending　back　a　fugitive　to　them　is　not　like　restor…　ing　one　to　an　idolatrous　people。〃　　That　〃though　we　may　PITY　the　fugitive；　yet　the　Mosaic　Law　does　not　authorize　the　rejection　of　the　claims　of　the　slaveholders　to　their　stolen　or　strayed　PROPERTY。〃

The　Rev。　Dr。　Spencer；　of　Brooklyn；　New　York；　has　come　forward　in　support　of　the　〃Fugitive　Slave　Bill；〃　by　publishing　a　sermon　entitled　the　〃Religious　Duty　of　Obedience　to　the　Laws；〃　which　has　elicited　the　highest　encomiums　from　Dr。　Samuel　H。　Cox；　the　Presbyterian　minister　of　Brooklyn　（notorious　both　in　this　country　and　America　for　his　sympathy　with　the　slaveholder）。

The　Rev。　W。　M。　Rogers；　an　orthodox　minister　of　Boston；　delivered　a　sermon　in　which　he