e advertisements of runaway
negroes, which we can find in some old newspapers. It seems very strange
to see in a Boston paper of one hundred years ago a picture of a black
man running away with a bag over his shoulder, and under the picture the
statement of the reward which would be given for his capture; and in
the New Jersey papers there were frequent advertisements of runaway
slaves and of negroes for sale. One of these, published in Burlington
two years after the Colony had declared itself free and independent,
reads as follows:--

"TO BE SOLD--For no fault--but a saucy tongue for which he is now
in Burlington jail--A negro man about 39 years of age. He is a
compleat farmer, honest and sober. For further particulars enquire
of the subscriber in Evesham, Burlington Co. Feb. 4, 1778."

When Washington was in Morristown in 1777, one of his aids wrote a
letter to a friend in Elizabethtown, which states,--

The General will esteem it as a singular favor if you can apprehend
a mulatto girl, servant and slave of Mrs. Washington, who eloped
from this place yesterday, with what design cannot be conjectured,
though as she may intend to the enemy and pass your way I trouble
you with the description: her name is Charlotte but in all
probability will change it, yet may be discovered by question. She
is light complected, about thirteen years of age, pert, dressed in
brown cloth wescoat and petticoat. Your falling upon some method of
recovering her should she be near you will accommodate Mrs.
Washington and lay her under great obligations to you being the
only female servant she brought from home and intending to be off
to-day had she not been missing. A gentle reward will be given to
any soldier or other who shall take her up.

I am with respect your most obedient servant

---- ----

After a time, negro slaves became so plentiful in New Jersey, that laws
were passed restricting their importation, and a considerable tax was
laid upon each African brought into the country.

But the negroes were not the only slaves in New Jersey during those
early days. Here, as well as in many of the other Colonies, was a class
of white people, generally from England, who were called
"redemptioners." These were poor people, although often persons of
fairly good station and education, who desired to emigrate to America,
but who could not afford to