A Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin: Presenting the original facts and documents upon which the story is founded. Together with corroborative statements verifying the truth of the work.Stowe, Harriet Beecher
History
A Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin: Presenting the original facts and documents upon which the story is founded. Together with corroborative statements verifying the truth of the work.
Stowe, Harriet Beecher
Enslaved persons -- United States -- Social conditions; Literature and society -- United States -- History -- 19th century; Political fiction -- Sources; Stowe, Harriet Beecher, 1811-1896. Uncle Tom's cabin -- Sources; Uncle Tom (Fictitious character)
On inquiring into her history, it was discovered that, by the laws of
Ohio, she was legally entitled to her freedom, from the fact of her
having been brought into the state, and left there, temporarily, by the
consent of her mistress. These facts being properly authenticated before
the proper authorities, papers attesting her freedom were drawn up, and
it was now supposed that all danger of pursuit was over. After she had
remained in the family for some months, word was sent, from various
sources, to Professor Stowe, that the girl’s young master was over,
looking for her, and that, if care were not taken, she would be conveyed
back into slavery.
Professor Stowe called on the magistrate who had authenticated her
papers, and inquired whether they were not sufficient to protect her.
The reply was, “Certainly they are, in law, if she could have a fair
hearing; but they will come to your house in the night, with an officer
and a warrant; they will take her before Justice D——, and swear to her.
He’s the man that does all this kind of business, and, he’ll deliver her
up, and there’ll be an end to it.”
Mr. Stowe then inquired what could be done; and was recommended to carry
her to some place of security till the inquiry for her was over.
Accordingly, that night, a brother of the author, with Professor Stowe,
performed for the fugitive that office which the senator is represented
as performing for Eliza. They drove about ten miles on a solitary road,
crossed the creek at a very dangerous fording, and presented themselves,
at midnight, at the house of John Van Zandt, a noble-minded Kentuckian,
who had performed the good deed which the author, in her story, ascribes
to Van Tromp.
After some rapping at the door, the worthy owner of the mansion
appeared, candle in hand, as has been narrated.
“Are you the man that would save a poor colored girl from kidnappers?”
was the first question.
“Guess I am,” was the prompt response; “where is she?”
“Why, she’s here.”
“But how did you come?”
“I crossed the creek.”
“Why, the Lord helped you!” said he; “I shouldn’t dare cross it myself
in the night. A man and his wife, and five children, were drowned there,
a little while ago.”
The reader may be interested to know that the poor girl never was
retaken; that she married well in Cincinnati, is a very respectable
woman, and the mother of a large family of children.
CHAPTER VI.
UNCLE TOM.
The character of Uncle Tom has been objected to as improbable; and yet
the writer has received more confirmations of that character, and from a
greater variety of sources, than of any other in the book.
Many people have said to her, “I knew an Uncle Tom in such and such a
Southern State.” All the histories of this kind which have thus been
related to her would of themselves, if collected, make a small volume.
The author will relate a few of them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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