“In the course of my journey through this State I visited the county
of Halifax, where I met with a little persecution on my former visit.
I am now informed that soon after I left the county on my former tour
a bill was presented against me as a seditious person before the grand
jury, and was found by the jury, and ninety persons had engaged to
pursue me and bring me back again. Another bill was also presented
in one of the neighboring counties, but was thrown out. Many of the
people, I find, imagined that I would not venture amongst them again.
However, when I came they all received me with perfect peace and
quietness. Indeed, I now acknowledge that however just my sentiments
may be concerning slavery, it was ill-judged of me to deliver them from
the pulpit. Many of the inhabitants at Richmond, I was informed, said
that I would not dare to venture into that town. But they did not
know me, for I am a plain, blunt man, that goes directly on. However,
instead of opposition, the Governor of the State, who resides there,
ordered the Capitol to be opened to me, and a very respectable and very
attentive congregation I was favored with.” On the way from Richmond to
Alexandria there was a plot laid for Dr. Coke by a company of agreeable
men at one of the inns. “In the first dish of tea there was a little
rum; in the second a little more, but the third was so strong that on
our complaining of a conspiracy, it seemed as if the rum had sprung
into our tea of itself, for both company and waiters solemnly protested
they were innocent. On the last day of April Mr. Asbury and I arrived
at Baltimore.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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