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ade them co-workers with the South in a system of slave hunting, and in part to the greater ease of communication now afforded between the two sections. The kn

ttitude of the North toward fugitives, it is necessary to examine some of the different methods used by the fugitives in their flight. Perhaps a better point of view than that of the outside observer will be gained by placing ourselves in the position of the

s for

r position, it often rose solely from the upspringing in their hearts of that love of freedom natural to all men. It is probable that in the greater number of cases this was the motive at the root of the matter. A fugitive, on being questioned at an Underground Railroad station as to his reasons for escape, repl

emeditated act, was the cruel treatment received from their masters. An owner upon one of the Southern plantatio

its darkest side. Such was the horror with which the slave regarded this change, that the threat of it was constantly used by owners as one of the surest means of reducing their

be sent South with a slave trader then in the vicinity. Filled with terror at the prospect, they preferred the danger of death in the swamps to the certainty

eir departure; but when, as constantly happened, the sale and separation of the members scattered families far and wide, with no hope of

, incident to the time and country, which made successful flight particularly difficult. First, the slave was a negro; and in the South, where the presumption was

tion, unless in livery or provided with a pass, could be whipped and sent back to his master.222 It was also lawful for any white man to seize and

s he was born free, and bound out to Mr. Beale, near Murfreesboro, Hartford Co., N. C., and is now twenty-one years of age. Owner is requested to

Shell,

, N. C., Jun

rks that "the security of the whites is not so much dependent upon patrols, as on the constant

thern people, or had heard of Canada only as a cold, barren, uninviting country, where the negro must perish. To those who had neither the courage nor the knowledge requisite for a long j

ant, had been so concealed by a pile of straw, that for many months it had remained unnoticed. When discovered, on opening a trap-door, steps were seen leading down into a roo

e often find advertisements of the time, mentioning such places as the probable refuge of runaways. The Savannah Georgian of 1839 off

return for work, from the poor whites and the negroes who had homes on the borders of the swamp. It was this practice of remaining out near home which, under easy masters, brought about the habitual runaways,-men who were constantly escaping, and after a little time returning, often of their own accord.227 One of his masters said of William Bro

to the

graphy and relative distances, that the best and quickest way northward could seldom be chosen. They knew nothing of the facilities for communication possessed by their masters through newspapers and telegraph,

is a record of a man who had "taken a whole year in coming from Alabama to Cincinnati. He had travelled only in the night, hiding in the woods

e. Once on board a craft bound to a Northern port, the fugitive was almost certain of reaching that destination, and, once arrived, could hope for protection from the Northern friends of whom vague rumors had penetrated the South. New laws, therefore, bore more and more heavily upon captains who should be found guilty of harboring a slave, and many case

ection papers, and to show them whenever necessary to disarm suspicion. As the descriptions could seldom be made to agree, both giver and receiver were placed in situations of the great

disguised

sed of a considerable sum of money once determined upon a plan, startling in its simplicity and success. They hired a good travelling coach and horses. They then bribed a

ey lived in Macon, Georgia, and were generally well treated. But Ellen had been compelled to go North with her mistress, and

overy. In the train she was terrified to see a gentleman who had known her from childhood. He even sat down by her, and spoke, but to her great relief, he saw in her only a young invalid going North for his health. From Savannah they took a steamer to Charleston. There they had some difficulty in passing inspection, but their most dangerous stopping place was Baltimore, where every white man with a slav

d to their income by sewing. They lived thus quietly until the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law in 1850. From that time, to remain even in Boston was hazardous. Soon after, there appeared one day in William's shop a man who had worked with him

pirit. When he found Mr. Loring was not at home he would not remain, saying, "I am subjectin

for fear of a mob. Handbills, calling attention to them, were placed everywhere, and cries of "Slave hunters! there go the slave hunters!" were heard on all sides. At last,

rground

epended solely upon their own exertions. From the beginning of the antislavery agitation, about 1830, and especially near 1850, a mysterious organization made it a business to receive, forward, conceal, and

, by their injustice roused people to action in behalf of the free blacks; and, their sympathies once enlisted for the colored race, it was but a step to the aid of the fugitive negroes.236 From this time, as the number of runaways increased, new agencies were constantly being establis

towns in Pennsylvania, they said, in bewilderment, "There must be an Underground Railroad somewhere," and

ns "Unde

South, money was usually the motive, and for its sake the managers of the Railroad could usually get some one to aid

. For women, the large veiled bonnet and plain attire of the Quakeress proved one of the best costumes. The men received a slip of paper, with a word or two which would be recognized at t

rouse some member of the family, and the fugitive would be taken to the barn, or some place of concealment.241 Often, too, these houses were not me

eat courage and coolness.243 So successful were the conductors in this respect, however, that a discouraged slave h

s. The hunt was thus delayed as long as possible, so that the fugitive might be helped away. In one case, while the slave's master was thus entertained upon the front piazza, the mistress of the house quietly conveyed the hunt

l made her escape from slavery alone and unassisted. After several years of work in the North, she determined to go back for her family. This trip was safely accomplished, a

d got them ready to start. She satisfied herself that they had enough courage and firmness to run the risks. For if

s prepared where she could be sure that they could be protected and taken care of, if she had the money to pay for that protection. When she was at the North, she tried to raise funds until she got a certain a

s no one seeing a company of negroes going in this direction would for an instant suppose them to be fugitiv

e. He was a Delaware Quaker, who, it is said, helped twenty-nine hundred slaves in escaping. The Governor was required to employ the best legal skill to prosecute him on the charge of aiding runaways.248 He was afterward tried and fined a sum which consumed his entire property. As this was paid, the officer who received it said that he hoped the remembrance of this punishment would prevent any further trouble. Mr. Garrett, un

ident. It was said that two marketwomen in Baltimore were their best helpers. They had come into possession of a number of passpo

it. In the Liberator of 1843, a notice is found cautioning people against exposing in any way the methods used by fugitives in escaping, as it only helped the pursuers in the next

him, she found he had carefully pulled down all the shades at the windows. She told him that there was no danger of his being seen from the street. "Perhaps not, Missi

at efforts of the Abolitionists were centred on this form of assistance. Of such importance did it become, that at the beginning of the Civi

rs arose among the slaves who refused to endure the yoke, they would go North. Had they r