rains, and he has only hands. I'll give you a case
in point: At Wilmington, N. C., some years ago, there lived a negro by
the name of Jack Campbell. He was a slave, and was employed, before the
river was deepened so as to admit of the passage of large vessels up to
the town, in lightering cargoes to the wharves. He hired his time of his
master, and carried on business on his own account. Every one knew him,
and his character for honesty, sobriety, and punctuality stood so high
that his word was considered among merchants as good as that of the
first business-men of the place. Well, Jack's wife and children were
free, and he finally took it into his head to be free himself. He
arranged with his master to purchase himself within a specified time, at
eight hundred dollars, and he was to deposit his earnings in the hands
of a certain merchant till they reached the required sum. He went on,
and in three years had accumulated nearly seven hundred dollars, when
his owner failed in business. As the slave has no right of property,
Jack's earnings belonged by law to his master, and they were attached by
the Northern creditors (mark that, _by Northern creditors_), and taken
to pay the master's debts. Jack, too, was sold. His new owner also
consented to his buying himself, at about the price previously agreed
on. Nothing discouraged, he went to work again. Night and day he toiled,
and it surprised every one to see so much energy and firmness of
purpose in a negro. At last, after four more years of labor, he
accomplished his purpose, and received his free-papers. He had worked
seven years--as long as Jacob toiled for Rachel--for his freedom, and
like the old patriarch he found himself cheated at last. I was present
when he received his papers from his owner--a Mr. William H. Lippitt,
who still resides at Wilmington--and I shall never forget the ecstasy of
joy which he showed on the occasion. He sung and danced, and laughed,
and wept, till my conscience smote me for holding my own niggers, when
freedom might give them so much happiness. Well, he went off that day
and treated some friends, and for three days afterward lay in the
gutter, the entreaties of his wife and children having no effect on him.
He swore he was free, and would do as he 'd---- pleased.' He had
previously been a class-leader in the church, but after getting his
freedom he forsook his previous associates, and spent his Sundays and
evenings in a bar-room. He neglected