Narrative of the Life of Moses Grandy, Late a Slave in the United States of AmericaGrandy, Moses
History
Narrative of the Life of Moses Grandy, Late a Slave in the United States of America
Grandy, Moses
Slavery -- North Carolina
During the struggles which have procured for us this justice from our
fellow-citizens, we have been in the habit of looking in public places
for some well-known abolitionists, and, if none that we knew were
there, we addressed any person dressed as a Quaker; these classes
always took our part against ill usage, and we have to thank them for
many a contest in our behalf.
We were greatly delighted by the zealous efforts and powerful
eloquence in our cause of Mr. George Thompson, who came from our
English friends to aid our suffering brethren. He was hated and mobbed
by bad men amongst the whites; they put his life in great danger, and
threatened destruction to all who sheltered him. We prayed for him,
and did all we could to defend him. The Lord preserved him, and
thankful were we when he escaped from our country with his life. At
that time, and ever since, we have had a host of American friends, who
have labored for the cause night and day; they have nobly stood up for
the rights and honor of the colored man; but they did so at first in
the midst of scorn and danger. Now, thank God, the case is very
different. William Lloyd Garrison, who was hunted for his life by a
mob in the streets of New York, has lately been chairman of a large
meeting in favor of abolition, held in Faneuil Hall, the celebrated
public hall of Boston, called the 'Cradle of Liberty.'
I am glad to say also that numbers of my colored brethren now escape
from slavery; some by purchasing their freedom, others by quitting,
through many dangers and hardships, the land of bondage. The latter
suffer many privations in their attempts to reach the free states.
They hide themselves, during the day, in the woods and swamps; at
night, they travel, crossing rivers by swimming or by boats they may
chance to meet with, and passing over hills and meadows which they do
not know: in these dangerous journeys they are guided by the
north-star, for they only know that the land of freedom is in the
north. They subsist only on such wild fruit as they can gather, and as
they are often very long on their way, they reach the free states
almost like skeletons. On their arrival they have no friends but such
as pity those who have been in bondage, the number of whom, I am happy
to say, is increasing; but if they can meet with a man in a
broad-brimmed hat and Quaker coat, they speak to him without
fear--relying on him as a friend. At each place the escaped slave
inquires for an abolitionist or a Quaker, and these friends of the
colored man help them on their journey northwards, until they are out
of the reach of danger.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account