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have conducted what they call the underground railroad, but which I think, by their open
declarations, has been made most emphatically the upperground railroad. I honor those
good men and women for their noble daring, and applaud them for willingly subjecting
themselves to bloody persecution, by openly avowing their participation in the escape of
slaves. I, however, can see very little good resulting from such a course, either to
themselves or the slaves escaping; while, upon the other hand, I see and feel assured that
those open declarations are a positive evil to the slaves remaining, who are seeking to
escape. They do nothing towards enlightening the slave, whilst they do much towards
enlightening the master. They stimulate him to greater watchfulness, and enhance his
power to capture his slave. We owe something to the slave south of the line as well as to
those north of it; and in aiding the latter on their way to freedom, we should be careful to
do nothing which would be likely to hinder the former from escaping from slavery. I
would keep the merciless slaveholder profoundly ignorant of the means of flight adopted
by the slave. I would leave him to imagine himself surrounded by myriads of invisible
tormentors, ever ready to snatch from his infernal grasp his trembling prey. Let him be
left to feel his way in the dark; let darkness commensurate with his crime hover over him;
and let him feel that at every step he takes, in pursuit of the flying bondman, he is running
the frightful risk of having his hot brains dashed out by an invisible agency. Let us render
the tyrant no aid; let us not hold the light by which he can trace the footprints of our
flying brother. But enough of this. I will now proceed to the statement of those facts,
connected with my escape, for which I am alone responsible, and for which no one can be
made to suffer but myself.
In the early part of the year 1838, I became quite restless. I could see no reason why I
should, at the end of each week, pour the reward of my toil into the purse of my master.
When I carried to him my weekly wages, he would, after counting the money, look me in
the face with a robber-like fierceness, and ask, "Is this all?" He was satisfied with nothing
less than the last cent. He would, however, when I made him six dollars, sometimes give
me six cents, to encourage me. It had the opposite effect. I regarded it as a sort of
admission of my right to the whole. The fact that he gave me any part of my wages was
proof, to my mind, that he believed me entitled to the whole of them. I always felt worse
for having received any thing; for I feared that the giving me a few cents would ease his
conscience, and make him feel himself to be a pretty honorable sort of robber. My
discontent grew upon me. I was ever on the look-out for means of escape; and, finding no
direct means, I determined to try to hire my time, with a view of getting money with
which to make my escape. In the spring of 1838, when Master Thomas came to
Baltimore to purchase his spring goods, I got an opportunity, and applied to him to allow
me to hire my time. He unhesitatingly refused my request, and told me this was another
stratagem by which to escape. He told me I could go nowhere but that he could get me;
and that, in the event of my running away, he should spare no pains in his efforts to catch
me. He exhorted me to content myself, and be obedient. He told me, if I would be happy,
I must lay out no plans for the future. He said, if I behaved myself properly, he would
take care of me. Indeed, he advised me to complete thoughtlessness of the future, and
taught me to depend solely upon him for happiness. He seemed to see fully the pressing
necessity of setting aside my intellectual nature, in order to contentment in slavery. But in
spite of him, and even in spite of myself, I continued to think, and to think about the
injustice of my enslavement, and the means of escape.
About two months after this, I applied to Master Hugh for the privilege of hiring my
time. He was not acquainted with the fact that I had applied to Master Thomas, and had
been refused. He too, at first, seemed disposed to refuse; but, after some reflection, he
granted me the privilege, and proposed the following terms: I was to be allowed all my
time, make all contracts with those for whom I worked, and find my own employment;
and, in return for this liberty, I was to pay him three dollars at the end of each week; find
myself in calking tools, and in board and clothing. My board was two dollars and a half
per week. This, with the wear and tear of clothing and calking tools, made my regular
expenses about six dollars per week. This amount I was compelled to make up, or
relinquish the privilege of hiring my time. Rain or shine, work or no work, at the end of
each week the money must be forthcoming, or I must give up my privilege. This
arrangement, it will be perceived, was decidedly in my master's favor. It relieved him of
all need of looking after me. His money was sure. He received all the benefits of
slaveholding without its evils; while I endured all the evils of a slave, and suffered all the
care and anxiety of a freeman. I found it a hard bargain. But, hard as it was, I thought it
better than the old mode of getting along. It was a step towards freedom to be allowed to
bear the responsibilities of a freeman, and I was determined to hold on upon it. I bent
myself to the work of making money. I was ready to work at night as well as day, and by
the most untiring perseverance and industry, I made enough to meet my expenses, and lay
up a little money every week.
I went on thus from May till August. Master Hugh then refused to allow me to hire my
time longer. The ground for his refusal was a failure on my part, one Saturday night, to
pay him for my week's time. This failure was occasioned by my attending a camp
meeting about ten miles from Baltimore. During the week, I had entered into an
engagement with a number of young friends to start from Baltimore to the camp ground
early Saturday evening; and being detained by my employer, I was unable to get down to
Master Hugh's without disappointing the company. I knew that Master Hugh was in no
special need of the money that night. I therefore decided to go to camp meeting, and upon
my return pay him the three dollars. I staid at the camp meeting one day longer than I
intended when I left. But as soon as I returned, I called upon him to pay him what he
considered his due. I found him very angry; he could scarce restrain his wrath. He said he
had a great mind to give me a severe whipping. He wished to know how I dared go out of
the city without asking his permission. I told him I hired my time and while I paid him
the price which he asked for it, I did not know that I was bound to ask him when and
where I should go. This reply troubled him; and, after reflecting a few moments, he
turned to me, and said I should hire my time no longer; that the next thing he should
know of, I would be running away. Upon the same plea, he told me to bring my tools and
clothing home forthwith. I did so; but instead of seeking work, as I had been accustomed
to do previously to hiring my time, I spent the whole week without the performance of a
single stroke of work. I did this in retaliation. Saturday night, he called upon me as usual
for my week's wages. I told him I had no wages; I had done no work that week. Here we
were upon the point of coming to blows. He raved, and swore his determination to get
hold of me. I did not allow myself a single word; but was resolved, if he laid the weight
of his hand upon me, it should be blow for blow. He did not strike me, but told me that he
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