Litchfield county, who resided a number of years | deliberate murder; and the cry "throw him overboard," was it seems, "responded to from every quarter of the deck!"

in South Carolina, gives the following testimony:

66

Rev. JAMES A. THOME, of Augusta, Ky., son of Arthur Thome, Esq, till recently a slaveholder, published five years since the following description of a scene witnessed by him in New Or.

leans:

A man by the name of Waters was killed by his slaves, in Newberry District. Three of them were tried before the court, and ordered to be burnt. I was but a few miles distant at the time, and conversed with those who saw the execution. The slaves were tied to a stake, and pitch pine "In December of 1833, I. landed at New Or wood piled around them, to which the fire was It was after night, communicated. Thousands were collected to leans, in the steamer W— witness this barbarous transaction. Other execu. dark and rainy. The passengers were called out tions of this kind took place in various parts of of the cabin, from the enjoyment of a fire, which the state, during my residence in it, from 1818 to the cold, damp atmosphere rendered very comfort1824. About three or four years ago, a young able, by a sudden shout of, catch him-catch negro was burnt in Abbeville District, for an at-him-catch the negro.' The cry was answered by a hundred voices Catch him-kill him,' and tempt at rape." a rush from every direction toward our boat, inIn the fall of 1837, there was a rumor of a pro-dicated that the object of pursuit was near. jected insurrection on the Red River, in Louisia- next moment we heard a man plunge into the A crowd gathered na. The citizens forthwith seized and hanged river, a few paces above us. Nine Slaves, and three free COLORED MEN, WITH- upon the shore, with lamps and stones, and clubs, still crying, 'catch him-kill him-catch himOUT TRIAL. A few months previous to that transshoot him.' action, a slave was seized in a similar manner and publicly burned to death, in Arkansas. In July, 1835, the citizens of Madison county, Mis. sissippi, were alarmed by rumors of an insurrec. tion arrested five slaves and publicly executed

them without trial.

The

"I soon discovered the poor man. He had taken refuge under the prow of another boat, and was standing in the water up to his waist. The angry vociferation of his pursuers, did not intimidate him. He defied them all. Don't you dare to come near me, or I will sink you in the river.' He was armed with despair. For a The Missouri Republican, April 30, 1838, gives moment the mob was palsied by the energy the particulars of the deliberate murder of a negro of his threatenings. They were afraid man named Tom, a cook on board the steamboat go to him with a skiff, but a number of them Pawnee, on her passage up from New Orleans to went on to the boat and tried to seize him. They St. Louis. Some of the facts stated by the Re-threw a noose rope down repeatedly, that they publican are the following:

"On Friday night, about 10 o'clock, a deaf and dumb German girl was found in the storeroom with Tom. The door was locked, and at first Tom denied she was there. The girl's father came. Tom unlocked the door, and the girl was found secreted in the room behind a barrel. The next morning some four or five of the deck passengers spoke to the captain about it. This was about breakfast time. Immediately after he left the deck, a number of the deck passengers rushed upon the negro, bound his arms behind his back and carried him forward to the bow of the boat. A voice cried out throw him overboard,' and was responded to from every quarter of the deck-and in an instant he was plunged into the river. The whole scene of tying him and throwing him overboard scarcely occupied ten minutes, and was so precipitate that the officers were unable to interfere in time to save him.

"There were between two hundred and fifty and three hundred passengers on board."

to

might pull him up by the neck! but he planted his hand firmly against the boat and dashed the rope away with his arms. One of them took a long bar of wood, and leaning over the prow, endeavored to strike him on the head. The blow must have shattered the skull, but it did not reach low enough. The monster raised up the heavy club again and said, 'Come out now, you old ras. cal, or die. Strike,' said the negro; strike— shiver my brains now; I want to die; and down went the club again, without striking. This was repeated several times. The mob, seeing their efforts fruitless, became more enraged and threatened to stone him, if he did not surrender himself into their hands. He again defied them, and declared that he would drown himself in the river, before they should have him. They then resorted to persuasion, and promised they would not hurt him. I'll die first;' was his only reply. Even the furious mob was awed, and for a while stood dumb.

"After standing in the cold water for an hour, the miserable being began to fail. We observed him gradually sinking-his voice grew weak and The whole process of seizing Tom, dragging tremulous-yet he continued to curse! In the him upon deck, binding his arms behind his back, midst of his oaths he uttered broken sentencesforcing him to the bow of the boat, and throwing I did'nt steal the meat—I did'nt steal—my master lives-master-master lives up the river-(his him overboard, occupied, the editor informs us, voice began to gurgle in his throat, and he was sc about TEN MINUTES, and of the two hundred and chilled that his teeth chattered audibly)—I did'nt fifty or three hundred deck passengers, with perhaps steal-I did'nt steal-my-my master-my--as many cabin passengers, it does not appear that I want to see my master-I didn't-no-my mas a single individual raised a finger to prevent this-you want-you want to kill me--I didn't steal

the'-His last words could just be heard as he | fortunate,' and the whole of the editorial corps, sunk under the water. instead of branding him as a barbarous wretch for During this indescribable scene, not one of the shooting at his slave, whatever part he aimed at, hundred that stood around made any effort to save the man until he was apparently drowned. He was then dragged out and stretched on the bow of the boat, and soon sufficient means were used for his recovery. The brutal captain ordered him to be taken off his boat-declaring, with an oath, that he would throw him into the river again, if he was not immediately removed. I withdrew, sick and horrified with this appalling exhibition

join with the oldest editor in North Carolina, in complacently exonerating Mr. Holmes by saying, "We are satisfied that Mr. H. had no intention of inflicting a mortal wound." And so 'public opinion' wraps it up!

The Franklin (La.) Republican, August 19, 1837, has the following:

"NEGROES TAKEN.-Four gentlemen of this vicinity, went out yesterday for the purpose of finding the camp of some noted runaways, supposed to be near this place; the camp was discovered about 11 o'clock, the negroes four in number, three men and one woman, finding they were discovered, tried to make their escape through the cane; two of them were fired on, one of which made his escape; the other one fell after running a short distance, his wounds are not supposed to be dangerous; the other man was taken

without any hurt; the woman also made her es

keen-scented, 'excellent' men-hunters, and though the poor fugitive in his frenzied rush for liberty, strained every muscle, yet they gained

upon him, and after dashing through fens, brier. beds, and the tangled undergrowth till faint and torn, he sinks, and the blood-hounds are upon him. What blood-vessels the poor struggler burst in his desperate push for life-how much he was bruised and lacerated in his plunge through the forest, or how much the dogs tore him, the Macon editor has not chronicled-they are matters of no moment-but his heart is touched with the merits

of Mr. Adams' 'EXCELLENT DOGS,' that 'soon run down and secured' a guiltless and trembling hu.

man creature!

The Georgia Constitutionalist, of Jan. 1837, contains the following letter from the coroner of Barnwell District, South Carolina, dated Aiken, S. C. Dec. 20, 1836.

"To the Editor of the Constitutionalist :

·

"The dogs succeeded in drowning him"! Poor fellow! He tried hard for his life, plunged into "I have just returned from an inquest I held the sluice, and, with a bullet in his shoulder, and over the body of a negro man, a runaway, that the blood hounds unfleshing his bones, he bore up was shot near the South Edisto, in this District, for a moment with feeble stroke as best he might, (Barnwell,) on Saturday last. He came to his but 'public opinion,' succeeded in drowning death by his own recklessness. He refused to be him,' and the same public opinion,' calls the taken alive-and said that other attempts to take him had been made, and he was determined that man who fired and crippled him, and cheered on he would not be taken. He was at first, (when the dogs, a gentleman,' and the editor who celethose in pursuit of him found it absolutely neces-brates the exploit is a ‘gentleman' also!" sary,) shot at with small shot, with the intention of merely crippling him. He was shot at several times, and at last he was so disabled as to be compelled to surrender. He kept in the run of a creek in a very dense swamp all the time that the neighbors were in pursuit of him. As soon as the negro was taken, the best medical aid was procured, but he died on the same evening. One of the witnesses at the Inquisition, stated that the negro boy said he was from Mississippi, and be. longed to so many persons, that he did not know who his master was, but again he said his master's name was Brown. He said his name was

A large number of extracts similar to the above, might here be inserted from Southern newspapers in our possession, but the foregoing are more than sufficient for our purpose, and we bring to a close the testimony on this point, with the following. Extract of a letter, from the Rev. Samuel J. May, of South Scituate, Mass. dated Dec. 20, 1838.

in the Oasis, of a slave in Georgia, who having You doubtless recollect the narrative given ranaway from his master, (accounted a very Sam, and when asked by another witness, who hospitable and even humane gentleman,) was his master was, he muttered something like Au-hunted by his master and his retainers with gusta or Augustine. The boy was apparently above thirty-five or forty years of age, about six feet high, slightly yellow in the face, very long beard or whiskers, and very stout built, and a stern countenance; and appeared to have been a runaway for a long time.

WILLIAM H. PRITCHARD, "Coroner (Ex-officio,) Barnwell Dist. S. C. The Norfolk (Va.) Herald, of Feb. 1837, has the following:

"Three negroes in a ship's yawl, came on shore yesterday evening, near New Point Comfort, and were soon after apprehended and lodged in jail. Their story is, that they belonged to a brig from New York bound to Havana, which was cast away to the southward of Cape Henry, some day last week; that the brig was called the Maria, Captain Whittemore. I have no doubt they are deserters from some vessel in the bay, as 'their statements are very confused and inconsistent. One of these fellows is a mulatto, and calls

into a tree by the hounds, was shot down by his horses, dogs, and rifles, and having been driven and some others equally shocking, connected more cruel pursuers. All the facts there given, with the same case, were first communicated to me in 1833, by Mr. W. Russell, a highly respectable teacher of youth in Boston. He is doubtless ready to vouch for them. The same gentleman informed me that he was keeping school on or near the plantation of the monster who perpetrated the above outrage upon humanity, ihat he was even invited by him to join in the hunt, and when he expressed abhorrence at the thought, the planter holding up the rifle which he had in his hand said with an oath, damn that rascal, this is the third time he has runaway, and he shall never run again. I'd rather put a ball into his side, than into the best buck in the land.""

in whose family he resided at the time as an in- | away, was caught, and punished with one hunstructor; he says of him-He was "an opulent dred lashes! This happened about Christmas; planter, in whose family the evils of slaveholding and during the cold weather at that time. he were palliated by every expedient that a humane and generous disposition could suggest. He was a man of noble and elevated character, and distinguished for his generosity, and kindness of heart."

The following was written by a sister-in-law of Gerrit Smith, Esq., Peterboro. She is married to the son of a North Carolinian.

"In North Carolina, some years ago, several slaves were arrested for committing serious crimes and depredations, in the neighborhood of Wilmington, among other things, burning houses, and, in one or more instances, murder.

It happened that the wife of one of these slaves resided in one of the most respectable families in W. in the capacity of nurse. Mr. J. the first lawyer in the place, came into the room, where the lady of the house was sitting, with the nurse, who held a child in her arms, and, addressing the nurse, said, Hannah! would you know your husband if you should see him ?-Oh, yes, sir, she replied-when HE DREW FROM BENEATH HIS CLOAK THE HEAD OF THE SLAVE, at the sight of which the poor woman immediately fainted. The heads of the others were placed upon poles, in some part of the town, afterwards known as Negro Head Point.'"

We have just received the above testimony, enclosed in a letter from Mr Smith, in which he says, "that the fact stated by my sister-in-law, actually occurred, there can be no doubt."

The following extract from the Diary of the Rev. ELIAS CORNELIUS, we insert here, having neglected to do it under a preceding head, to which it more appropriately belongs.

was confined in the Cane-house, with a scanty portion of clothing, and without fire. In this situation his foot had frozen, and mortified, and having been removed from place to place, he was yesterday brought here by order of his new master, who was an American. I had no time resolved to return in a few hours and pray with to protract my conversation with him then, but him. * *

"Having returned home, I again visited the hospital at half past eleven o'clock, and concluded first of all [he was to preach at 12,] to pray with ment in which he lay, and observed an old man the poor lacerated negro. I entered the apartsitting upon a couch; but, without saying any. thing went up to the bed-side of the negro, who appeared to be asleep. I spoke to him, but he gave no answer. I spoke again, and moved his head, still he said nothing. My apprehensions were immediately excited, and I felt for his pulse, but it was gone. Said I to the old man, surely this negro is dead.' No,' he answered, he has fallen asleep, for he had a very restless season last night.' I again examined and called the old gentleman to the bed, and alas, it was found true, that he was dead. Not an eye had witnessed his last struggle, and I was the first, as it should happen, to discover the fact. I called several men into the room, and without ceremony they wrapped him in a sheet, and carried him to the dead-house as it is called."-Edwards' Life of Rev. Elias Cornelius, pp. 101, 2, 3. THE PROTECTION EXTENDED BY PUBLIC OPINION,'

TO THE HEALTH OF THE SLAVES.

This may be judged of from the fact that it is per. fectly notorious among slaveholders, both North and South, that of the tens of thousands of slaves sold annually in the northern slave states to be die under the severe process of acclimation, all transported to the south, large numbers of them suffer more or less, and multitudes much, in their health and strength, during their first years in

the far south and south west. That such is the who advertise for sale or hire in Louisiana, case is sufficiently proved by the care taken by all Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, &c. &c. to inform the reader, that their slaves are Creoles,' "New Orleans, Sabbath, February 15, 1818. 'southern born,' country born,' &c. or if they are Early this morning accompanied A. H. Esq. to the hospital, with the view of making arrange- from the north, that they are acclimated,' and the ments to preach to such of the sick as could un-importance attached to their acclimation, is shown derstand English. The first room we entered in the fact, that it is generally distinguished from presented a scene of human misery, such as I the rest of the advertisements either by italics or had never before witnessed. A poor negro man was lying upon a couch, apparently in great distress; a more miserable object can hardly be conceived. His face was much disfigured, an

CAPITALS. Almost every newspaper published in the states far south contains advertisments like the following.

From the "Vicksburg (Mi.) Register," Dec. 27, 1838.

"I OFFER my plantation for sale. Also seventy-five acclimated Negroes. O. B. COBB."

From the" Southerner," June 7, 1837. "I WILL sell my Old-River plantation near Co* See pp. 37-39.

lumbia in Arkansas ;-also ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY ACCLIMATED SLAVES. BENJ. HUGHES."

Port Gibson, Jan. 14, 1837.

March 22.

From the "Mobile Register," July 21. 1837. "WILL BE SOLD CHEAP FOR CASH, in front of the Court House of Mobile County, on the 22d day of July next, one mulatto man named HENRY HALL, WHO SAYS HE IS FREE;

From the "Planters' (La.) Intelligencer," his owner or owners, if any, having failed to de mand him, he is to be sold according to the statute in such cases made and provided, to pay Jail fees. WM. MAGEE, Sh'ff M. C."

Probate sale-Will be offered for sale at
Public Auction, to the highest bidder, ONE

HUNDRED AND THIRTY acclimated slaves.”
G. W. KEETON.

From the "New Orleans Bee," Feb. 9, 1838. "VALUABLE ACCLIMATED NEGROES."

"WILL be sold on Saturday, 10th inst. at 12 o'clock, at the city exchange, St. Louis street." Then follows a description of the slaves, closing with the same assertion, which forms the cap. tion of the advertisement "ALL ACCLIMATED."

General Felix Houston, of Natchez, advertises in the "Natchez Courier," April 6, 1838," Thirty five very fine acclimated Negroes."

Without inserting more advertisements, suffice it to say, that when slaves are advertised for sale or hire, in the lower southern country, if they are natives, or have lived in that region long enough to become acclimated, it is invariably

stated.

But we are not left to conjecture the amount of suffering experienced by slaves from the north in undergoing the severe process of seasoning' to the climate, or acclimation. A writer in the New Orleans Argus, September, 1830, in an arti. cle on the culture of the sugar cane, says: loss by death in bringing slaves from a northern climate, which our planters are under the necessity of doing, is not less than TWENTY-FIVE PER CENT.'

The

Nothwithstanding the immense amount of suffering endured in the process of acclimation, and the fearful waste of life, and the notoriety of this fact, still the public opinion' of Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Kentucky, Missouri, &c. annually DRIVES to the far south, thousands of their slaves to undergo these sufferings, and the public opinion,' of the far south buys them, and forces the helpless victims to endure them.

THE PROTECTION,' VOUCHSAFED BY PUBLIC OPIN-
ION,' TO LIBERTY.

This is shown by hundreds of advertisements in southern papers, like the following:

From the "Grand Gulf (Miss.) Advertiser," Dec. 7, 1838.

"COMMITTED to the jail of Chickasaw Co. Edmund, Martha, John and Louisa; the man 50, the woman 35, John 3 years old, and Lousia 14 coyed to this state." months. They say they are FREE and were de

The "Southern Argus," of July 25, 1837, contains the following.

"RANAWAY from my plantation, a negro boy named William. Said boy was taken up by Thomas Walton, and says he was free, and that his parents live near Shawneetown, Illinois, and that he was taken from that place in July 1836; says his father's name is William, and his mother's Sally Brown, and that they moved from Frede. ricksburg, Virginia. I will give twenty dollars to any person who will deliver said boy to me or Col. Byrn, Columbus. SAMUEL H. BYRN."

The first of the following advertisements was a standing one, in the " Vicksburg Register," from Dec. 1835 till Aug. 1836. The second advertises the same FREE man for sale.

"SHERIFF'S SALE."

" COMMITTED, to the jail of Warren county, as a Runaway, on the 23d inst. a Negro man, who calls himself John J. Robinson; says that he is free, says that he kept a baker's shop in Columbus, Miss. and that he peddled through the Chickasaw nation to Pontotoc, and came to Memphis, where he sold his horse, took water, and came to this place. The owner of said boy is requested to come forward, prove property, pay charges, and take him away, or he will be dealt with as the law directs. WM. EVERETT, Jailer.

Dec. 24, 1835."

"NOTICE is hereby given, that the above described boy, who calls himself John J. Robinson, having been confined in the Jail of Warren county as a Runaway, for six months-and hav. ing been regularly advertised during this period, I shall proceed to sell said Negro boy at public door of the Court House in Vicksburg, on Monauction, to the highest bidder for cash, at the day, 1st day of August, 1836, in pursuance of the statute in such cases made and provided.