The Kidnapped And The Ransomed Part 37

"Please get from him his history, and his object, and direct him what to do. His integrity may be relied on.

"Affectionately, "

JOSEPH PARRISH.".

"The above letter is from Dr. Joseph Parrish, a distinguished physician of New Jersey, and well known by his profession in Boston.

" JOHN P. ROBINSON."Boston, January 3,1853."

A day or two later, the following notice appeared in one of the morning papers, which has been copied in the papers of almost every New England town which Peter afterwards visited: "Boston, January 3,1853.

"The bearer, Peter Still, was kidnapped in early childhood, on the borders of Delaware river, in New Jersey, and carried thence to Kentucky, and subsequently to Alabama. After being held in slavery more than forty years, he succeeded in purchasing his freedom; and being obliged, consequently, by the laws of Alabama, to leave that State, he came North to Philadelphia, where, by a strange coincidence, he became acquainted with his brother and family, from which he had been so long severed. He has left a wife and three children in Alabama, whom he naturally and ardently desires to bring into freedom, and have with him at the North. For this purpose he now appeals to the sympathy of the benevolent for such pecuniary aid as they may be disposed to give him.

"We, the undersigned, have carefully examined his letters and papers, and have obtained knowledge of him. From this examination, we are satisfied that his story is true in all its particulars; that he is himself a worthy and virtuous man, whose extraordinary history gives him a strong and peculiar claim upon the public sympathy and aid.

"Any contributions for the object above named may be forwarded to any of us.

"S. K. LOTHROP,.

"ELLIS GRAY LORING,.

"EPHRAIM PEABODY,.

"WM. J. BOWDITCH,.

"J. I. BOWDITCH,.

"JOHN P. ROBINSON,.

"THOS. STARR KING.".

In Boston and neighboring towns he remained till the last of March, when, having deposited four hundred and sixty dollars in the hands of Ellis Gray Loring, Esq., who kindly acted as his treasurer, he received numerous letters of recommendation from gentlemen of distinction here, and went to Portland, Me. The following will serve to ill.u.s.trate the spirit cherished by these n.o.ble sons of New England towards the dark-hued victim of oppression.

Among his papers are many others which breathe the same tender sympathy, the same warm human love.

"Boston, March 28th, 1853.

"I desire to certify that I am acquainted with Mr. Peter Still, have examined all his papers, and am entirely satisfied with the truthfulness of his story and the worthiness of his claims upon the sympathy and beneficence of the community. It does not seem possible that any further commendation of a Christian brother's appeal to the charity of men should be needed than the fact that he desires to be the owner of his own wife and family. So far as any words of mine can help him, I most cordially recommend him to the favorable consideration of the humane.

"T. S. KING.".

At Portland Peter's subscription list was headed by Hon. Neal Dow; and during the eight days he spent in that city, he received one hundred dollars. Thence he proceeded to Brunswick, Bath, Saco, Biddeford; Portsmouth, N. H.; Hampton, Newburyport and Garretson Station; and on his return to Boston, about the last of May, he deposited four hundred and ninety dollars in the hands of Mr. Loring; making in all nine hundred and fifty dollars which he had received during the five months he had spent in New England.

He now decided to return to New Jersey and to visit Philadelphia for the purpose of further conference with his friends. As he pa.s.sed through New York, on his way thither he presented a letter to Thomas Foulcke of that city, from Dr. Parrish of Burlington, and though he staid but a short time, a few friends there presented him seventy-five dollars.

At Burlington he allowed himself a few days rest. He had been absent seven months, and had visited more than twenty different towns. His mind had been constantly excited--the theme of his discourse wherever he went, was the liberation of his family. He had no doubts concerning the result. When asked what he would do with the money he had gained, if after all, he failed to accomplish his object, his reply was, "'Pears like the Lord wont let me fail." Such was his simple, earnest faith, and to this his actions corresponded. His dress was neat, but strictly economical, and though he was not mean, yet every dollar he received was precious.

Notwithstanding his success thus far, his friends in New Jersey and Philadelphia had no confidence in his being able to raise the whole sum demanded by the tyrant; and Mr. Dillwyn Smith, of Burlington, who from the first, had taken much interest in his case, wrote for him to his former mistress, Mrs. Hogun, of Alabama, to solicit her influence with Mr. McKiernan, in the hope of procuring some abatement of the price.

For two weeks Peter waited there for an answer to this letter, but none arriving, be grew impatient to proceed with his great work; and once more bidding adieu to his kind friends, who had, during his stay, presented him forty-five dollars, he left them and went again to Brooklyn.

There he spent the fourth of July with his brother John, and then he went to Syracuse, where, in a few days, he received one hundred and twenty-five dollars. Thence he went to Peterboro', and spent a night at the home of Gerritt Smith. He had frequently heard, since he had been free, of the great wealth of this distinguished friend of Man, and he had expected to find him inhabiting a princely dwelling, abounding in all the luxuries that gold can buy. But to his astonishment, his residence was a plain and quiet home, and his manners and style of living entirely free from pomp and ostentation. Mr. Smith gave him the following letter, together with a generous sum for the furtherance of his all-engrossing object.

"I am, and have long been deeply interested in the case of the bearer, Peter Still. I hope he may meet with generous friends wherever he shall go.

"GERRITT SMITH."Peterboro, July 27, 1853."

Peter now returned to Boston, arriving there the last of July, and on the third of August, he was in New Bedford. Here he remained till the twelfth, when he returned to Boston with one hundred and fifteen dollars, which he deposited in the hands of Mr. Loring.

Next he visited Lowell, whence he returned on the second of September, with one hundred and eighty-five dollars. This also he placed in the care of his kind treasurer. Somerville gave him thirty-six dollars, Cambridge nineteen, and next he found himself at Worcester, where soon after his arrival the following notice appeared in the "Spy." " Worcester, September 8, 1853.

"We would take this method of commending to the attention of all Christians and friends of humanity, the bearer, Peter Still. We heard his story, and examined his letters of introduction when he first came to Boston, in December last, and are satisfied of his worthiness to be encouraged and helped as he needs. He has been welcomed to many hearts in New England, and he will be to many more. All ye who can, give him aid and comfort.

"J. G. ADAMS.

"A. HILL.

"EDWARD E. HALE.".

In Worcester he remained about two weeks, and then once more returned to Boston with one hundred and seventy-five dollars.

Next he journeyed southward; visited Plymouth, Kingston, and Fall River, and in every town found friends ready and willing to aid him in his work. From Fall River, Rev. Asa Bronson commended him in the following letter to Providence, to which place he immediately repaired: "To the disciples of Christ and the friends of humanity in Providence, R. I.

"I have carefully examined the various letters and doc.u.ments of Peter Still, and I fully believe that he is ent.i.tled to the entire confidence, cordial sympathy, and generous aid of the Christian public. We have a.s.sisted him in Fall River and vicinity to the amount of about $200.

"Help him if you can. 'He that hath pity on the poor, lendeth to the Lord.'

"With due respect, "Yours, "ASA BRONSON."Fall River, October 26th 1853."

In Providence, Peter remained during the month of November, and on looking at his book, in which were registered the gifts he there received, we find that one hundred and forty separate individuals contributed to his aid. Besides what he then personally received, collections were taken up for him in four churches in the city on the seventh of November. In Worcester, one hundred and fifty-four individuals contributed, and when we consider that to most of these persons, he of course repeated a sketch of his history, we cannot but wonder that his energies flagged not. We must, at least, admire his industry.

He received in Providence two hundred and fifty dollars; and then after making a short visit at Woburn, he returned to Boston, having gathered during the ten weeks he had been absent, six hundred and thirty dollars. Here he remained, visiting occasionally at Roxbury, Charlestown, Cambridge, and other neighboring towns, until about the middle of January, when, placing in the hands of his treasurer two hundred dollars more, which he had gathered since his return from Providence, he started homeward.

On the twentieth of January, we again find him in New York. He brought from a kind friend in Salem the following letter, which he immediately presented: "Salem, First Month 12th, 1854.

"MY DEAR FRIEND: I take the liberty of giving the bearer, Peter Still, a letter to thee. He is the colored man, whose story I partly related to thee in Boston.

"I think there is that in his story that verifies the proverb, that 'truth is stranger than fiction.'

"I do not doubt the truthfulness of Peter, and he can tell thee his own story, which unfolds a phase in the history of slavery strongly ill.u.s.trative of its evils, its oppressions, its injustice, and its opposition to all that is good, and kind, and Christian.

"I have ventured to tell Peter that I think he will find sympathizing friends in New York, and among them the kind friend I now address.

"Thy sincere friend, "STEPHEN A. CHASE.

"ROBERT J. MURRAY.".

This kind friend was right. Peter found sympathizing friends in New York, and before the middle of February he had received in that city and Brooklyn $1,146 45.

He then went on to Burlington, and in that city and its neighborhood, he remained until May. His heart now beat high with the hope of a speedy reunion with his loved ones; and even those among his friends who, at first had been furthest from uttering words of vain encouragement, now cheered him on. They looked upon him with wonder. All unlettered as he was--but four years out of slavery--they could hardly credit his strange success, while hearing from his own lips the story of his travels.

Peter was not spoiled by his good fortune, and never presumed upon the indulgence of his benefactors. Everywhere his manners were the same--modest and respectful, yet full of earnest dignity--the result of virtuous self-respect. "In every place I go,"

said he, "I aim to a.s.sociate with the best people. I never knowed nothing gained by going into low company." And he was right. The best men in every place he visited opened wide their doors at his coming; and at their tables, notwithstanding the prejudice--once well-nigh universal--against color, he was a welcome guest.

Early in May, he again departed on his travels; and earnestly did he hope that this tour would be the last, before he should be ready to start in another direction-- to meet those for whose ransom he had become a wanderer.

He went directly to New York, where he received the following letter from the senior editor of the Tribune, which he hastened to deliver in Albany.

"New York, May 10, 1854.

"MY OLD FRIEND: Peter Still, who will hand you this, was born free in New Jersey; kidnapped thence when six years old, with his brother, two years older, and sold into slavery; served forty years in Alabama; finally bought himself free, leaving his wife and three children in the hands of the scoundrels who had robbed him of forty years' work; and he is now begging money to buy them out of bondage. His chivalrous robber only asks him $5000 for his own wife and children. It is robbery to pay it, but inhumanity to refuse; and, as the time has not yet arrived for paying such villains with lead and steel, rather than gold, I wish you could help him raise a part of the money among those you know.