the narrative of the life-第3章

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starves　men　and　whips　women；before　he　is　ready

to　lay　the　first　stone　of　his　anti…slavery　life。

　

　　I　was　glad　to　learn；　in　your　story；　how　early　the

most　neglected　of　God's　children　waken　to　a　sense

of　their　rights；　and　of　the　injustice　done　them。　　Ex…

perience　is　a　keen　teacher；　and　long　before　you　had

mastered　your　A　B　C；　or　knew　where　the　〃white

sails〃　of　the　Chesapeake　were　bound；　you　began；　I

see；　to　gauge　the　wretchedness　of　the　slave；　not　by

his　hunger　and　want；　not　by　his　lashes　and　toil；　but

by　the　cruel　and　blighting　death　which　gathers　over

his　soul。

　

　　In　connection　with　this；　there　is　one　circumstance

which　makes　your　recollections　peculiarly　valuable；

and　renders　your　early　insight　the　more　remarkable。

You　come　from　that　part　of　the　country　where　we

are　told　slavery　appears　with　its　fairest　features。　　Let

us　hear；　then；　what　it　is　at　its　best　estategaze　on

its　bright　side；　if　it　has　one；　and　then　imagination

may　task　her　powers　to　add　dark　lines　to　the　picture；

as　she　travels　southward　to　that　（for　the　colored

man）　Valley　of　the　Shadow　of　Death；　where　the

Mississippi　sweeps　along。

　

　　Again；　we　have　known　you　long；　and　can　put　the

most　entire　confidence　in　your　truth；　candor；　and

sincerity。　　Every　one　who　has　heard　you　speak　has

felt；　and；　I　am　confident；　every　one　who　reads　your

book　will　feel；　persuaded　that　you　give　them　a　fair

specimen　of　the　whole　truth。　　No　one…sided　portrait；

no　wholesale　complaints；but　strict　justice　done；

whenever　individual　kindliness　has　neutralized；　for

a　moment；　the　deadly　system　with　which　it　was

strangely　allied。　　You　have　been　with　us；　too；　some

years；　and　can　fairly　compare　the　twilight　of　rights；

which　your　race　enjoy　at　the　North；　with　that　〃noon

of　night〃　under　which　they　labor　south　of　Mason

and　Dixon's　line。　　Tell　us　whether；　after　all；　the　half…

free　colored　man　of　Massachusetts　is　worse　off　than

the　pampered　slave　of　the　rice　swamps！

　

　　In　reading　your　life；　no　one　can　say　that　we　have

unfairly　picked　out　some　rare　specimens　of　cruelty。

We　know　that　the　bitter　drops；　which　even　you　have

drained　from　the　cup；　are　no　incidental　aggravations；

no　individual　ills；　but　such　as　must　mingle　always

and　necessarily　in　the　lot　of　every　slave。　　They　are　the

essential　ingredients；　not　the　occasional　results；　of

the　system。

　

　　After　all；　I　shall　read　your　book　with　trembling

for　you。　　Some　years　ago；　when　you　were　beginning

to　tell　me　your　real　name　and　birthplace；　you　may

remember　I　stopped　you；　and　preferred　to　remain

ignorant　of　all。　　With　the　exception　of　a　vague　de…

scription；　so　I　continued；　till　the　other　day；　when

you　read　me　your　memoirs。　　I　hardly　knew；　at　the

time；　whether　to　thank　you　or　not　for　the　sight　of

them；　when　I　reflected　that　it　was　still　dangerous；

in　Massachusetts；　for　honest　men　to　tell　their　names！

They　say　the　fathers；　in　1776；　signed　the　Declaration

of　Independence　with　the　halter　about　their　necks。

You；　too；　publish　your　declaration　of　freedom　with

danger　compassing　you　around。　　In　all　the　broad　lands

which　the　Constitution　of　the　United　States　over…

shadows；　there　is　no　single　spot；however　narrow　or

desolate；where　a　fugitive　slave　can　plant　himself

and　say；　〃I　am　safe。〃　　The　whole　armory　of　North…

ern　Law　has　no　shield　for　you。　　I　am　free　to　say　that；

in　your　place；　I　should　throw　the　MS。　into　the　fire。

　

　　You；　perhaps；　may　tell　your　story　in　safety；　en…

deared　as　you　are　to　so　many　warm　hearts　by　rare

gifts；　and　a　still　rarer　devotion　of　them　to　the　service

of　others。　　But　it　will　be　owing　only　to　your　labors；

and　the　fearless　efforts　of　those　who；　trampling　the

laws　and　Constitution　of　the　country　under　their

feet；　are　determined　that　they　will　〃hide　the　out…

cast；〃　and　that　their　hearths　shall　be；　spite　of　the

law；　an　asylum　for　the　oppressed；　if；　some　time　or

other；　the　humblest　may　stand　in　our　streets；　and

bear　witness　in　safety　against　the　cruelties　of　which

he　has　been　the　victim。

　

　　Yet　it　is　sad　to　think；　that　these　very　throbbing

hearts　which　welcome　your　story；　and　form　your　best

safeguard　in　telling　it；　are　all　beating　contrary　to　the

〃statute　in　such　case　made　and　provided。〃　　Go　on；

my　dear　friend；　till　you；　and　those　who；　like　you；

have　been　saved；　so　as　by　fire；　from　the　dark　prison…

house；　shall　stereotype　these　free；　illegal　pulses　into

statutes；　and　New　England；　cutting　loose　from　a

blood…stained　Union；　shall　glory　in　being　the　house

of　refuge　for　the　oppressed；till　we　no　longer　merely

〃~hide~　the　outcast；〃　or　make　a　merit　of　standing　idly

by　while　he　is　hunted　in　our　midst；　but；　consecrat…

ing　anew　the　soil　of　the　Pilgrims　as　an　asylum　for　the

oppressed；　proclaim　our　WELCOME　to　the　slave　so

loudly；　that　the　tones　shall　reach　every　hut　in　the

Carolinas；　and　make　the　broken…hearted　bondman

leap　up　at　the　thought　of　old　Massachusetts。

　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　God　speed　the　day！

　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　~Till　then；　and　ever；~

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　~Yours　truly；~

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　~WENDELL　PHILLIPS~

　

　　FREDERICK　DOUGLASS。

　

　

　　Frederick　Douglass　was　born　in　slavery　as　Fred…

erick　Augustus　Washington　Bailey　near　Easton　in

Talbot　County；　Maryland。　　He　was　not　sure　of　the

exact　year　of　his　birth；　but　he　knew　that　it　was　1817

or　1818。　　As　a　young　boy　he　was　sent　to　Baltimore；

to　be　a　house　servant；　where　he　learned　to　read　and

write；　with　the　assistance　of　his　master's　wife。　　In

1838　he　escaped　from　slavery　and　went　to　New　York

City；　where　he　married　Anna　Murray；　a　free　colored

woman　whom　he　had　met　in　Baltimore。　　Soon　there…

after　he　changed　his　name　to　Frederick　Douglass。

In　1841　he　addressed　a　convention　of　the　Massa…

chusetts　Anti…Slavery　Society　in　Nantucket　and　so

greatly　impressed　the　group　that　they　immediately

employed　him　as　an　agent。　　He　was　such　an　impres…

sive　orator　that　numerous　persons　doubted　if　he　had

ever　been　a　slave；　so　he　wrote　NARRATIVE　OF　THE　LIFE

OF　FREDERICK　DOUGLASS。　　During　the　Civil　War　he　as…

sisted　in　the　recruiting　of　colored　men　for　the　54th

and　55th　Massachusetts　Regiments　and　consistently

argued　for　the　emancipation　of　slaves。　　After　the　war

he　was　active　in　securing　and　protecting　the　rights

of　the　freemen。　　In　his　later　years；　at　different　times；

he　was　secretary　of　the　Santo　Domingo　Commission；

marshall　and　recorder　of　deeds　of　the　District　of

Columbia；　and　United　States　Minister　to　Haiti。　　His

other　autobiographical　works　are　MY　BONDAGE　AND

MY　FREEDOM　and　LIFE　AND　TIMES　OF　FREDERICK

DOUGLASS；　published　in　1855　and　1881　respectively。

He　died　in　1895。

　

　

　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　I

　

　

　　I　was　born　in　Tuckahoe；　near　Hillsborough；　and

about　twelve　miles　from　Easton；　in　Talbot　county；

Maryland。　　I　have　no　accurate　knowledge　of　my　age；

never　having　seen　any　authentic　record　containing　it。

By　far　the　larger　part　of　the　slaves　know　as　little　of

their　ages　as　horses　know　of　theirs；　and　it　is　the　wish

of　most　masters　within　my　knowledge　to　keep　their

slaves　thus　ignorant。　　I　do　not　remember　to　have　ever

met　a　slave　who　could　tell　of　his　birthday。　　They

seldom　come　nearer　to　it　than　planting…time；　harvest…

time；　cherry…time；　spring…time；　or　fall…time。　　A　want

of　information　concerning　my　own　was　a　source　of

unhappiness　to　me　even　during　childhood。　　The　white

children　could　tell　their　ages。　　I　could　not　tell　why　I

ought　to　be　deprived　of　the　same　privilege。　　I　was

not　allowed　to　make　any　inquiries　of　my　master　con…

cerning　it。　　He　deemed　all　such　inquiries　on　the　part

of　a　slave　improper　and　impertinent；　and　evidence

of　a　restless　spirit。　　The　nearest　estimate　I　can　give

makes　me　now　between　twenty…seven　and　twenty…

eight　years　of　age。　　I　come　to　this；　from　hearing　my

master　say；　some　time　during　1835；　I　was　about

seventeen　years　old。

　

　　My　mother　was　named　Harriet　Bailey。　　She　was

the　daughter　of　Isaac　and　Betsey　Bailey；　both　col…

ored；　and　quite　dark。　　My　mother　was　of　a　darker

complexion　than　either　my　grandmother　or　grand…

father。

　

　　My　father　was　a　white　man。　　He　was　admitted　to

be　such　by　all　I　ever　heard　speak　of　my　parentage。

The　opinion　was　also　whispered　that　my　master　was

my　father；　but　of　the　correctness　of　this　opinion；　I

know　nothing；　the　means　of　knowing　was　withheld

from　me。　　My　mother　and　I　were　separated　when　I

was　but　an　infantbefore　I　knew　her　as　my　mother。

It　is　a　common　custom；　in　the　part　of　Maryland

from　which　I　ran　away；　to　part　children　from　their

mothers　at　a　very　early　age。　　Frequently；　before　the

child　has　reached　its　twelfth　month；　its　mother　is

taken　from　it；　and　hired　out　on　some　farm　a　con…

siderable　distance　off；　and　the　child　is　placed　under

the　care　of　an　old　woman；　too　old　for　field　labor。

For　what　this　separation　is　done；　I　do　not　know；

unless　it　be　to　hinder　the　development　of　the　child's

affection　toward　its　mother；　and　to　blunt　and　destroy

the　natural　affection　of　the　mother　for　the　child。

This　is　the　inevitable　result。

　

　　I　never　saw　my　mother；　to　know　her　as　such；　more

than　four　or　five　times　in　my　life；　and　each　of　these

times　was　very　short　in　duration；　and　at　night。　　She

was　hired　by　a　Mr。　Stewart；　who　lived　about　twelve

miles　from　my　home。　　She　made　her　journeys　to　see

me　in　the　night；　travelling　the　whole　distance　on

foot；　after　the　performance　of　her　day's　work。　　She

was　a　field　hand；　and　a　whipping　is　the　penalty　of

not　being　in　the　field　at　sunrise；　unless　a　slave　has

special　permission　from　his　or　her　master　to　the　con…

trarya　permission　which　they　seldom　get；　and　one

that　gives　to　him　that　gives　it　the　proud　name　of

being　a　kind　master。　　I　do　not　recollect　of　ever　seeing

my　mother　by　the　light　of　day。　　She　was　with　me　in

the　night。　　She　would　lie　down　with　me；　and　get　me

to　sleep；　but　long　before　I　waked　she　was　gone。　　Very

little　communication　ever　took　place　between　us。

Death　soon　ended　what　little　we　could　have　while

she　lived；　and　with　it　her　hardships　and　suffering。

She　died　when　I　was　about　seven　years　old；　on　one

of　my　master's　farms；　near　Lee's　Mill。　　I　was　not　al…

lowed　to　be　present　during　her　illness；　at　her　death；

or　burial。　　She　was　gone　long　before　I　knew　any　thing

about　it。　　Never　having　enjoyed；　to　any　considerable

extent；　her　soothing　presence；　her　tender　and　watch…

ful　care；　I　received　the　tidings　of　her　death　with

much　the　same　emotions　I　should　have　probably

felt　at　the　death　of　a　stranger。

　

　　Called　thus　suddenly　away；　she　left　me　without

the　slightest　intimation　of　who　my　father　was。　　The

whisper　that　my　master　was　my　father；　may　or　may

not　be　true；　and；　true　or　false；　it　is　of　but　little　con…

sequence　to　my　purpose　whilst　the　fact　remains；

in　all　its　glaring　odiousness；　that　slaveholders　have

ordained；　and　by　law　established；　that　the　children