The Underground Railroad eBook

William Still
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 1,446 pages of information about The Underground Railroad.

The Underground Railroad eBook

William Still
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 1,446 pages of information about The Underground Railroad.

To rid men of their yoke was her chief desire.  Such was her habit of making the sad lot of a slave a personal matter; that let her view him, in any light whatever, whether in relation to young ones that would be separated from their parents, or with regard to the old, the life of a slave was “peculiarly hard,” “a terrible thing” in her judgment.

The longer she lived, and the more faithfully she labored for the slave’s deliverance, the more firmly she became rooted in the soul-encouraging idea, that “Slavery will ere long cease.”  Whilst the great masses were either blind, or indifferent, she was nerved by this faith to bear cheerfully all the sacrifices she was called on to make.  From another letter we copy as follows: 

    JANUARY 25th, 1855.

DEAR FRIEND:—­The enclosed ten dollars I have made, earned in two weeks, and of course it belongs to the slave.  It may go for the fugitives, or Carolina slaves, whichever needs it most.  I am sorry the fugitives’ treasury is not better supplied, if money could flow into it as it does into the Tract Fund; but that is not to be expected.
Thy answer in regard to impostors is quite satisfactory.  No doubt you take great pains to arrive at the truth, but cannot at all times avoid being imposed on.  Will that little boy of seven years have to travel on foot to Canada?  There will be no safety for him here.  I hope his father will get off.  John Hill writes very well, considering his few advantages.  If plenty of good schools could be established in Canada for the benefit of fugitives, many bright scholars and useful citizens would be added to society.  I hope these will be in process of time.
It takes the most energetic and intelligent to make their way out of bondage from the most Southern States.  It is rather a wonder to me that so many can escape, the masters are so continually watching them.  The poor man that secreted himself so long, must, indeed, have suffered dreadfully, and been exceedingly resolute to brave dangers so long.

It was so characteristic of her to take an interest in everything that pertained to the Underground Rail Road, that even the deliverance of a little nameless boy was not beneath her notice.  To her mind, his freedom was just as dear to him as if he had been the son of the President of the United States.

How they got on in Canada, and the question of education, were matters that concerned her deeply; hence, occasional letters received from Canada, evincing marked progress, such as the hero John H. Hill was in the habit of writing, always gave her much pleasure to peruse.

In the Wheeler slave-case, in which Passmore Williamson and others were engaged, her interest was very great.  From a letter dated Salem, September 9, 1855, we quote the subjoined extract: 

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The Underground Railroad from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.