running a thousand miles for freedom-第16章

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one　for　many。〃

In　fact；　so　eager　were　they　to　prostrate　them…　selves　before　the　great　idol　of　slavery；　and；　like　Balaam；　to　curse　instead　of　blessing　the　people　whom　God　had　brought　out　of　bondage；　that　they　in　bring　up　obsolete　passages　from　the　Old　Tes…　tament　to　justify　their　downward　course；　overlooked；　or　would　not　see；　the　following　verses；　which　show　very　clearly；　according　to　the　Doctor's　own　text…　book；　that　the　slaves　have　a　right　to　run　away；　and　that　it　is　unscriptural　for　any　one　to　send　them　back。

In　the　23rd　chapter　of　Deuteronomy；　15th　and　16th　verses；　it　is　thus　written：〃Thou　shalt　not　deliver　unto　his　master　the　servant　which　is　es…　caped　from　his　master　unto　thee。　　He　shall　dwell　with　thee；　even　among　you；　in　that　place　which　he　shall　choose　in　one　of　thy　gates；　where　it　liketh　him　best：　thou　shalt　not　oppress　him。〃

〃Hide　the　outcast。　　Bewray　not　him　that　wan…　dereth。　　Let　mine　outcasts　dwell　with　thee。　　Be　thou　a　covert　to　them　from　the　face　of　the　spoiler。〃　（Isa。　xvi。　3；　4。）

The　great　majority　of　the　American　ministers　are　not　content　with　uttering　sentences　similar　to　the　above；　or　remaining　wholly　indifferent　to　the　cries　of　the　poor　bondman；　but　they　do　all　they　can　to　blast　the　reputation；　and　to　muzzle　the　mouths；　of　the　few　good　men　who　dare　to　beseech　the　God　of　mercy　〃to　loose　the　bonds　of　wickedness；　to　undo　the　heavy　burdens；　and　let　the　oppressed　go　free。〃　These　reverend　gentlemen　pour　a　terrible　cannon…　ade　upon　〃Jonah；〃　for　refusing　to　carry　God's　message　against　Nineveh；　and　tell　us　about　the　whale　in　which　he　was　entombed；　while　they　utterly　overlook　the　existence　of　the　whales　which　trouble　their　republican　waters；　and　know　not　that　they　themselves　are　the　〃Jonahs〃　who　threaten　to　sink　their　ship　of　state；　by　steering　in　an　unrighteous　direction。　　We　are　told　that　the　whale　vomited　up　the　runaway　prophet。　　This　would　not　have　seemed　so　strange；　had　it　been　one　of　the　above　lukewarm　Doctors　of　Divinity　whom　he　had　swallowed；　for　even　a　whale　might　find　such　a　morsel　difficult　of　digestion。


〃I　venerate　the　man　whose　heart　is　warm；　　Whose　hands　are　pure；　whose　doctrines　and　whose　life　　Coincident；　exhibit　lucid　proof　　That　he　is　honest　in　the　sacred　cause。〃


〃But　grace　abused　brings　forth　the　foulest　deeds；　　As　richest　soil　the　most　luxuriant　weeds。〃



I　must　now　leave　the　reverend　gentlemen　in　the　hands　of　Him　who　knows　best　how　to　deal　with　a　recreant　ministry。

I　do　not　wish　it　to　be　understood　that　all　the　ministers　of　the　States　are　of　the　Balaam　stamp。　There　are　those　who　are　as　uncompromising　with　slaveholders　as　Moses　was　with　Pharaoh；　and；　like　Daniel；　will　never　bow　down　before　the　great　false　God　that　has　been　set　up。

On　arriving　at　Portland；　we　found　that　the　steamer　we　intended　to　take　had　run　into　a　schooner　the　previous　night；　and　was　lying　up　for　repairs；　so　we　had　to　wait　there；　in　fearful　suspense；　for　two　or　three　days。　　During　this　time；　we　had　the　honour　of　being　the　guest　of　the　late　and　much　lamented　Daniel　Oliver；　Esq。；　one　of　the　best　and　most　hospi…　table　men　in　the　State。　　By　simply　fulfilling　the　Scripture　injunction；　to　take　in　the　stranger；　&c。；　he　ran　the　risk　of　incurring　a　penalty　of　2；000　dollars；　and　twelve　months'　imprisonment。

But　neither　the　Fugitive　Slave　Law；　nor　any　other　Satanic　enactment；　can　ever　drive　the　spirit　of　liberty　and　humanity　out　of　such　noble　and　gene…　rous…hearted　men。

May　God　ever　bless　his　dear　widow；　and　eventu…　ally　unite　them　in　His　courts　above！

We　finally　got　off　to　St。　John's；　New　Brunswick；　where　we　had　to　wait　two　days　for　the　steamer　that　conveyed　us　to　Windsor；　Nova　Scotia。

On　going　into　a　hotel　at　St。　John's；　we　met　the　butler　in　the　hall；　to　whom　I　said；　〃We　wish　to　stop　here　to…night。〃　　He　turned　round；　scratching　his　head；　evidently　much　put　about。　　But　think…　ing　that　my　wife　was　white；　he　replied；　〃We　have　plenty　of　room　for　the　lady；　but　I　don't　know　about　yourself；　we　never　take　in　coloured　folks。〃　　〃Oh；　don't　trouble　about　me；〃　I　said；　〃if　you　have　room　for　the　lady；　that　will　do；　so　please　have　the　luggage　taken　to　a　bed…room。〃　　Which　was　immediately　done；　and　my　wife　went　upstairs　into　the　apartment。

After　taking　a　little　walk　in　the　town；　I　returned；　and　asked　to　see　the　〃lady。〃　　On　being　conducted　to　the　little　sitting…room；　where　she　then　was；　I　entered　without　knocking；　much　to　the　surprise　of　the　whole　house。　　The　〃lady〃　then　rang　the　bell；　and　ordered　dinner　for　two。　　〃Dinner　for　two；　mum！〃　exclaimed　the　waiter；　as　he　backed　out　of　the　door。　　〃Yes；　for　two；〃　said　my　wife。　　In　a　little　while　the　stout；　red…nosed　butler；　whom　we　first　met；　knocked　at　the　door。　　I　called　out；　〃Come　in。〃　　On　entering；　he　rolled　his　whisky　eyes　at　me；　and　then　at　my　wife；　and　said；　in　a　very　solemn　tone；　〃Did　you　order　dinner　for　two；　mum？〃　〃Yes；　for　two；〃　my　wife　again　replied。　　This　confused　the　chubby　butler　more　than　ever；　and；　as　the　landlord　was　not　in　the　house；　he　seemed　at　a　loss　what　to　do。

When　dinner　was　ready；　the　maid　came　in　and　said；　〃Please；　mum；　the　Missis　wishes　to　know　whether　you　will　have　dinner　up　now；　or　wait　till　your　friend　arrives？〃　　〃I　will　have　it　up　at　once；　if　you　please。〃　　〃Thank　you；　mum；〃　continued　the　maid；　and　out　she　glided。

After　a　good　deal　of　giggling　in　the　passage；　some　one　said；　〃You　are　in　for　it；　butler；　after　all；　so　you　had　better　make　the　best　of　a　bad　job。〃　　But　before　dinner　was　sent　up；　the　landlord　returned；　and　having　heard　from　the　steward　of　the　steamer　by　which　we　came　that　we　were　bound　for　England；　the　proprietor's　native　country；　he　treated　us　in　the　most　respectful　manner。

At　the　above　house；　the　boots　（whose　name　I　for…　get）　was　a　fugitive　slave；　a　very　intelligent　and　active　man；　about　forty…five　years　of　age。　　Soon　after　his　marriage；　while　in　slavery；　his　bride　was　sold　away　from　him；　and　he　could　never　learn　where　the　poor　creature　dwelt。　　So　after　remaining　single　for　many　years；　both　before　and　after　his　escape；　and　never　ex…　pecting　to　see　again；　nor　even　to　hear　from；　his　long…　lost　partner；　he　finally　married　a　woman　at　St。　John's。　But；　poor　fellow；　as　he　was　passing　down　the　street　one　day；　he　met　a　woman；　at　the　first　glance　they　nearly　recognized　each　other；　they　both　turned　round　and　stared；　and　unconsciously　advanced；　till　she　screamed　and　flew　into　his　arms。　　Her　first　words　were；　〃Dear；　are　you　married？〃　　On　his　answering　in　the　affirmative；　she　shrank　from　his　embrace；　hung　her　head；　and　wept。　　A　person　who　witnessed　this　meeting　told　me　it　was　most　affecting。

This　couple　knew　nothing　of　each　other's　escape　or　whereabouts。　　The　woman　had　escaped　a　few　years　before　to　the　free　States；　by　secreting　herself　in　the　hold　of　a　vessel；　but　as　they　tried　to　get　her　back　to　bondage；　she　fled　to　New　Brunswick　for　that　protection　which　her　native　country　was　too　mean　to　afford。

The　man　at　once　took　his　old　wife　to　see　his　new　one；　who　was　also　a　fugitive　slave；　and　as　they　all　knew　the　workings　of　the　infamous　system　of　slavery；　the　could　（as　no　one　else　can；）　sympathise　with　each　other's　misfortune。

According　to　the　rules　of　slavery；　the　man　and　his　first　wife　were　already　divorced；　but　not　morally；　and　therefore　it　was　arranged　between　the　three　that　he　should　live　only　with　the　lastly　married　wife；　and　allow　the　other　one　so　much　a　week；　as　long　as　she　requested　his　assistance。

After　staying　at　St。　John's　two　days；　the　steamer　arrived；　which　took　us　to　Windsor；　where　we　found　a　coach　bound　for　Halifax。　　Prejudice　against　colour　forced　me　on　the　top　in　the　rain。　　On　arriving　within　about　seven　miles　of　the　town；　the　coach　broke　down　and　was　upset。　　I　fell　upon　the　big　crotchety　driver；　whose　head　stuck　in　the　mud；　and　as　he　〃always　objected　to　niggers　riding　inside　with　white　folks；〃　I　was　not　particularly　sorry　to　see　him　deeper　in　the　mire　than　myself。　　All　of　us　were　scratched　and　bruised　more　or　less。　　After　the　passengers　had　crawled　out　as　best　they　could；　we　all　set　off；　and　paddled　through　the　deep　mud　and　cold　and　rain；　to　Halifax。

On　leaving　Boston；　it　was　our　intention　to　reach　Halifax　at　least　two　or　three　days　before　the　steamer　from　Boston　touched　there；　en　route　for　Liverpool；　but；　havin