new Police rules with reference to Slaves and free colored people,"
all of which, the "humane Slave-holders" of that "liberal State,"
regarded as highly essential both for the "protection and safety of
Master and Slave." But the stupid-headed Moses was not pleased with
these arrangements. In common with many of the Slaves, he smarted
severely under his heavy oppression, and felt that it was similar to an
old rule, which had been once tried under Pharaoh--namely, when the
children of Israel were required to "make bricks without straw." But
Moses was not a fit subject to submit to be ruled so inhumanly.
Despite the beautiful sermons he had often listened to in favor of
Slavery, and the many wise laws, above alluded to, he could not
reconcile himself to his condition. The laws and preaching were alike as
"sounding brass, and tinkling cymbals" to him. He made up his mind,
therefore, that he must try a free country; that his manhood required
him to make the effort at once, even at the risk of life. Father and
husband, as he was, and loving his wife, Grace, and son, Alphonso,
tenderly as he did, he nevertheless felt himself to be in chains, and
that he could do but little for them by remaining. He conceived that, if
he could succeed in gaining his freedom, he might possibly aid them away
also. With this hope in him, he contrived to secure a private passage on
the steamship City of Richmond, and in this way reached Philadelphia,
but not without suffering fearfully the entire journey through, owing to
the narrowness of the space into which he was obliged to be stowed in
order to get away.
Moses was a man of medium size, quite dark, and gave promise of being
capable of taking care of himself in freedom. He had seen much of the
cruelties of Slavery inflicted upon others in various forms, which he
related in a way to make one shudder; but these incidents were not
recorded in the book at the time.
SARAH SMITH, alias MILDRETH PAGE, and her daughter, nine years of age.
Sarah and her child were held to service by the Rev. A.D. Pollock, a
resident of Wilmington, Del. Until about nine months before she escaped
from the Reverend gentleman, she was owned by Mrs. Elizabeth Lee of
Fauquier Co., Va., who had moved with Sarah to Wilmington. How Mr.
Pollock came by Sarah is not stated on the records; perhaps by marriage;
be that as it may, it was owing to ill treatment from her mistress that
Sarah "took out" with her child. Sarah was
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