Collected Articles.docx

Collected Articles.docx

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CollectedArticles

CollectedArticlesofFrederickDouglassbyFrederickDouglassInthefirstnarrativeofmyexperienceinslavery,writtennearlyfortyyearsago,andinvariouswritingssince,IhavegiventhepublicwhatIconsideredverygoodreasonsforwithholdingthemannerofmyescape.Insubstancethesereasonswere,first,thatsuchpublicationatanytimeduringtheexistenceofslaverymightbeusedbythemasteragainsttheslave,andpreventthefutureescapeofanywhomightadoptthesamemeansthatIdid.

Thesecondreasonwas,ifpossible,stillmorebindingtosilence:

thepublicationofdetailswouldcertainlyhaveputinperilthepersonsandpropertyofthosewhoassisted.MurderitselfwasnotmoresternlyandcertainlypunishedintheStateofMarylandthanthatofaidingandabettingtheescapeofaslave.

Manycoloredmen,fornoothercrimethanthatofgivingaidtoafugitiveslave,have,likeCharlesT.Torrey,perishedinprison.

TheabolitionofslaveryinmynativeStateandthroughoutthecountry,andthelapseoftime,renderthecautionhithertoobservednolongernecessary.Butevensincetheabolitionofslavery,Ihavesometimesthoughtitwellenoughtobafflecuriositybysayingthatwhileslaveryexistedthereweregoodreasonsfornottellingthemannerofmyescape,andsinceslaveryhadceasedtoexist,therewasnoreasonfortellingit.

Ishallnow,however,ceasetoavailmyselfofthisformula,and,asfarasIcan,endeavortosatisfythisverynaturalcuriosity.

Ishould,perhaps,haveyieldedtothatfeelingsooner,hadtherebeenanythingveryheroicorthrillingintheincidentsconnectedwithmyescape,forIamsorrytosayIhavenothingofthatsorttotell;andyetthecouragethatcouldriskbetrayalandthebraverywhichwasreadytoencounterdeath,ifneedbe,inpursuitoffreedom,wereessentialfeaturesintheundertaking.Mysuccesswasduetoaddressratherthancourage,togoodluckratherthanbravery.Mymeansofescapewereprovidedformebytheverymenwhoweremakinglawstoholdandbindmemoresecurelyinslavery.

ItwasthecustomintheStateofMarylandtorequirethefreecoloredpeopletohavewhatwerecalledfreepapers.

Theseinstrumentstheywererequiredtorenewveryoften,andbychargingafeeforthiswriting,considerablesumsfromtimetotimewerecollectedbytheState.Inthesepapersthename,age,color,height,andformofthefreemanweredescribed,togetherwithanyscarsorothermarksuponhispersonwhichcouldassistinhisidentification.Thisdeviceinsomemeasuredefeateditself--sincemorethanonemancouldbefoundtoanswerthesamegeneraldescription.Hencemanyslavescouldescapebypersonatingtheownerofonesetofpapers;andthiswasoftendoneasfollows:

Aslave,nearlyorsufficientlyansweringthedescriptionsetforthinthepapers,wouldborroworhirethemtillbymeansofthemhecouldescapetoafreeState,andthen,bymailorotherwise,wouldreturnthemtotheowner.Theoperationwasahazardousoneforthelenderaswellasfortheborrower.Afailureonthepartofthefugitivetosendbackthepaperswouldimperilhisbenefactor,andthediscoveryofthepapersinpossessionofthewrongmanwouldimperilboththefugitiveandhisfriend.Itwas,therefore,anactofsupremetrustonthepartofafreemanofcolorthustoputinjeopardyhisownlibertythatanothermightbefree.Itwas,however,notunfrequentlybravelydone,andwasseldomdiscovered.

Iwasnotsofortunateastoresembleanyofmyfreeacquaintancessufficientlytoanswerthedescriptionoftheirpapers.

ButIhadafriend--asailor--whoownedasailor'sprotection,whichansweredsomewhatthepurposeoffreepapers--describinghisperson,andcertifyingtothefactthathewasafreeAmericansailor.

TheinstrumenthadatitsheadtheAmericaneagle,whichgaveittheappearanceatonceofanauthorizeddocument.

Thisprotection,wheninmyhands,didnotdescribeitsbearerveryaccurately.Indeed,itcalledforamanmuchdarkerthanmyself,andcloseexaminationofitwouldhavecausedmyarrestatthestart.

Inordertoavoidthisfatalscrutinyonthepartofrailroadofficials,IarrangedwithIsaacRolls,aBaltimorehackman,tobringmybaggagetothePhiladelphiatrainjustonthemomentofstarting,andjumpeduponthecarmyselfwhenthetrainwasinmotion.

HadIgoneintothestationandofferedtopurchaseaticket,Ishouldhavebeeninstantlyandcarefullyexamined,andundoubtedlyarrested.

InchoosingthisplanIconsideredthejostleofthetrain,andthenaturalhasteoftheconductor,inatraincrowdedwithpassengers,andrelieduponmyskillandaddressinplayingthesailor,asdescribedinmyprotection,todotherest.OneelementinmyfavorwasthekindfeelingwhichprevailedinBaltimoreandothersea-portsatthetime,toward"thosewhogodowntotheseainships.""Freetradeandsailors'rights"justthenexpressedthesentimentofthecountry.InmyclothingIwasriggedoutinsailorstyle.

Ihadonaredshirtandatarpaulinhat,andablackcravattiedinsailorfashioncarelesslyandlooselyaboutmyneck.Myknowledgeofshipsandsailor'stalkcamemuchtomyassistance,forIknewashipfromstemtostern,andfromkeelsontocross-trees,andcouldtalksailorlikean"oldsalt."IwaswellonthewaytoHavredeGracebeforetheconductorcameintothenegrocartocollectticketsandexaminethepapersofhisblackpassengers.Thiswasacriticalmomentinthedrama.

Mywholefuturedependeduponthedecisionofthisconductor.

AgitatedthoughIwaswhilethisceremonywasproceeding,still,externally,atleast,Iwasapparentlycalmandself-possessed.

Hewentonwithhisduty--examiningseveralcoloredpassengersbeforereachingme.Hewassomewhatharshintomeandperemptoryinmanneruntilhereachedme,when,strangeenough,andtomysurpriseandrelief,hiswholemannerchanged.SeeingthatIdidnotreadilyproducemyfreepapers,astheothercoloredpersonsinthecarhaddone,hesaidtome,infriendlycontrastwithhisbearingtowardtheothers:

"Isupposeyouhaveyourfreepapers?

"

TowhichIanswered:

"Nosir;Inevercarrymyfreepaperstoseawithme."

"Butyouhavesomethingtoshowthatyouareafreeman,haven'tyou?

"

"Yes,sir,"Ianswered;"IhaveapaperwiththeAmericanEagleonit,andthatwillcarrymearoundtheworld."

WiththisIdrewfrommydeepsailor'spocketmyseaman'sprotection,asbeforedescribed.Themerestglanceatthepapersatisfiedhim,andhetookmyfareandwentonabouthisbusiness.ThismomentoftimewasoneofthemostanxiousIeverexperienced.

Hadtheconductorlookedcloselyatthepaper,hecouldnothavefailedtodiscoverthatitcalledforaverydifferent-lookingpersonfrommyself,andinthatcaseitwouldhavebeenhisdutytoarrestmeontheinstant,andsendmebacktoBaltimorefromthefirststation.WhenheleftmewiththeassurancethatIwasallright,thoughmuchrelieved,IrealizedthatIwasstillingreatdanger:

IwasstillinMaryland,andsubjecttoarrestatanymoment.Isawonthetrainseveralpersonswhowouldhaveknownmeinanyotherclothes,andIfearedtheymightrecognizeme,eveninmysailor"rig,"

andreportmetotheconductor,whowouldthensubjectmetoacloserexamination,whichIknewwellwouldbefataltome.

ThoughIwasnotamurdererfleeingfromjustice,Ifeltperhapsquiteasmiserableassuchacriminal.Thetrainwasmovingataveryhighrateofspeedforthatepochofrailroadtravel,buttomyanxiousminditwasmovingfartooslowly.Minuteswerehours,andhoursweredaysduringthispartofmyflight.AfterMaryland,IwastopassthroughDelaware--anotherslaveState,whereslave-catchersgenerallyawaitedtheirprey,foritwasnotintheinterioroftheState,butonitsborders,thatthesehumanhoundsweremostvigilantandactive.

Theborderlinesbetweenslaveryandfreedomwerethedangerousonesforthefugitives.Theheartofnofoxordeer,withhungryhoundsonhistrailinfullchase,couldhavebeatenmoreanxiouslyornoisilythandidminefromthetimeIleftBaltimoretillIreachedPhiladelphia.

ThepassageoftheSusquehannaRiveratHavredeGracewasatthattimemadebyferry-boat,onboardofwhichImetayoungcoloredmanbythenameofNichols,whocameverynearbetrayingme.Hewasa"hand"ontheboat,but,insteadofmindinghisbusiness,heinsisteduponknowingme,andaskingmedangerousquestionsastowhereIwasgoing,whenIwascomingback,etc.IgotawayfrommyoldandinconvenientacquaintanceassoonasIcoulddecentlydoso,andwenttoanotherpartoftheboat.Onceacrosstheriver,Iencounteredanewdanger.

Onlyafewdaysbefore,Ihadbeenatworkonarevenuecutter,inMr.Price'sship-yardinBaltimore,underthecareofCaptainMcGowan.

Onthemeetingatthispointofthetwotrains,theonegoingsouthstoppedonthetrackjustoppositetotheonegoingnorth,anditsohappenedthatthisCaptainMcGowansatatawindowwherehecouldseemeverydistinctly,andwouldcertainlyhaverecognizedmehadhelookedatmebutforasecond.Fortunately,inthehurryofthemoment,hedidnotseeme;andthetrainssoonpassedeachotherontheirrespectiveways.Butthiswasnotmyonlyhair-

breadthescape.AGermanblacksmithwhomIknewwellwasonthetrainwithme,andlookedatmeveryintently,asifhethoughthehadseenmesomewherebeforeinhistravels.Ireallybelieveheknewme,buthadnohearttobetrayme.Atanyrate,hesawmeescapingandheldhispeace.

Thelastpointofimminentdanger,andtheoneIdreadedmost,wasWilmington.Hereweleftthetrainandtookthesteam-boatforPhiladelphia.Inmakingthechangehere