Charter Oak, 1840-01

              CHARTER OAK.
VOL. II. F A E E P R I N C I P L E S — F R E E MEN —
J a n u a r y , ] PUBLISHED BY THE CONNECTICUT
F R E E S P E E C H — A N D A F R E E P R E S S. NO. 9.
ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETY. HARTFORD.
THS CttARtER OAK is published on the third
Wednesday of each month, at No. 7, Asylum st.,
Hartford, at the following prices, to be paid in all
cases in advance:
1 copy, . . . 50 cents per annum.
20 copics, . . . 5 dollars «• ••
50 copies, . . . 10 dollars •• "
100 copies, . . . 17 dollars" ••
To single subscribers, who take their papers at
the Office, twenty-five cents.
All orders and communications for the OAK,
should be addressed to S . S . COWLES, Hartford.
Connecticut Antl-!tlavcr]r Societjr
of immediate and efficient action by friends of the
cause throughout the State to sustain its operations
by their free-will oflTerings was clearly demonstra*
ted.
On motion, Mr. Rust of Middletown, was ap.
pointed to circulate a subscription at this time for
aid in behalf of the Conn. A. S. Society.
The following resolutions were adopted i
Resolved, That slavery is a complication of the
foulest crimes,—such as robbery, adultery, and
murder,—and that the practice of slaveholding
does no more palliate this sin than the practice of
stealing, swearing, lying, and house burning, palli-ates
v^-onnecticut Anti-!«iavcr]soc i e i j r* th, os.e sins, and to practice this sin, ought to be
This Society met, according to adjournment, in ''"'y. dtsquahfication for the office of
anford, January 8 , 1 8 4 0 , a t ^ n o'clock. A . M . , ^ "L^.! Hartford
at Oilman's Hall.'
The President called the Society to order, and
prayer was offered by ReVj Mr. Brewer, of Weth-erafield.
The reading of the minutes of the Society dur-ing
its sessions on the IHlh and 19th days of Do-cember
ultimo being called for, they were read by
the Secretary and accepted.
The preamble and resolution on the subject of
abolition political organization, which were under
consideration by the Society at its previous meeting,
with the amendment proposed thereto, were called
up, and the subject discussed until the hour of ad-journment,
when it was referred to a select com-mittee
of one from each county represented.
Adjourned to meet at two o'clock, P. M.
2 o'clock, P. M. Met according to adjournment.
Prayer by Rev. R. S. Rust.
William Coe of Windham Co. and Elisha
Stearns of Tolland Co. were added to the Business
Committee.
Christian church, as that of the other sins above
enumerated.
Resolved, That associated action is a powerful
instrumentality for effecting moral reformation, as
evinced by all experience, and approved by com.
mon sense.
At half past one o'clock, P. M., the Society vo.
ted to adjourn, ofter prayer, sine die.
Closed with prayer by Rev. I. N. Sprague.
More than one hundred delegates, from various
parts of the Slate, were enrolled by the Commit,
tee appointed for that purpose. None of the gen-tlemen
invited by the Committee of Arrangements
from neighboring States were present. Remarks
were made, during the discussion of the severol
resolutions before the Society, by Messrs. Tyler
and Collins of Hartford, Benson of Brooklyn, Wil.
Hams and H. Cowles of Farmington, Pearl of
Hampton, Copeland and Hawes of Hartford, Coe
of Brooklyn, M'Kee of Manchester, Scranton of
Burlington, A. Hawley of Farmington, Stearns of
Tolland, Lyman of Middletown, Williams of Hart-umph
of principle over the prejudices of education
and habit long continued—over the spirit of ava.
rice and oppression. One of the largest estates
here is owned by a member of one of our churchca
a man who is spoken of in very high terms, and
styled '< one of the best of men." He cultivates,
I am informed, not less than eight hundred acres
of land, and has on his plantation fifty negroes of
all ages. To keep these attached to their home
and employment, an overseer is paid a salary of
ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS, besides having his table
furnished. Perchance, Mr. Editor, some of your
' ' "V" ' '"'.'""Vi northern laborers who receive so large a share of
" DEAR BROTHER, - ! attended an Ant.-SIavery .^e slaveholder's sympathy for their hird lot in con.
meetmgat Farmington yesterday, and witnessed trast with the happy condition of his slaves, per.
such a novel spectacle that I cannot forbear to at- ,, i ^ ,hey would deem it a privilege to be
of But „„„ ' 'u .-ui.-uJ.
that the document had been received, he was ca|l>
ed up before the assembly, when Dr. Hawes, in
his forcible manner, briefly related the narrative of
his escape and subsequent good behaviour and re-demption,
and delivered to him the papers, duly
attested, which declared him to be FREE. It was
a very impressive transaction, as was indicated by
the sobs and sighs from all parts of the house.
But few eyes remained teariess.
The following, in allusion to the same transaction,
is from the pen of an aged writer in the Connecti-cut
Observer, dated, Bristol, Dec. 26, 1839
Letters from persons invited by Committee of wmiamsoinaru
Arrangements to be present on this occasion, were H^'chjciss of Prospect Terry of Plymouth
read by the Secretary. Sprague of Hartford, Hudson and Gillette of
The following resolution, reported by the Busi-ness
Committee, was adopted unanimously.
Resolved, That the same spirit which disfran-chises
eight thousand of our fellow citizens in this
State, ostensibly on account of color, but in fact be-cause
they belong to a proscribed and deeply injur-ed
race, would, not only as now, make them politi-cally
slaves, but under favoring circumstances,
dwm them to the horrors of personal slavery.
I TJie select committe£ nppointed at UM eloas of
the morning session reported, and the discussion
of the subject of abolition political organization oc-cupied
the attention of the Society the remainder
of the afternoon.
Adjourned to half past six o'clock, P. M.
o'clock, P. M. Met according to adjourn-ment.
Prayer by Rev. Erastus Scranton. ,
The discussion of the subject before the Society
at the close of the afternoon session was continued
through the evening, and resulted in the adoption
of the two following resolutions; the first unani-mously,
the second witA but one dissenting vote.
Resolved, That we recognize it to be the duty
of all abolitionists who exercise the elective fran-chise,
to carry their principles to the polls, and vote
for such men, and such only, as are in favor of im-partial
justice.
Resolved, That we earnestly deprecate the or
ganization of an anti-slavery political party as un.
wise, inexpedient, and wholly unnecessary for the
success of the anti-slavery enterprise, and, if sane,
tioned by any considerable portion of the abolition,
ists, will, ia our opinion, retard, if not destroy, the
present anti.slavery operations.
Adjourned to January 9th, nine o'clock, A. M.
Jan. 9th, 9 o'clock, A. M. Met according to
adjournment.
Prayer by Rev. Mr. Williams, of Hartford.
Minutes of yesterday read by the Secretary, and
accepted.
The following resolution, offered by Mr. Sprague
of Hartford, was unanimously adopted :
Resolved, That it be a rule of this Society, that
no man shall speak more than twice on the same
subject, until all others in the meeting have had an
opportunity to express their sentiments on the sub.
ject under debate.
The following resolution from the Business Com.
mittee was adopted:
Resolved, That the hand of Providence is dis.
tlnctly to be seen and devoutly to be acknowledged
in guiding to our shores the Africans of the Ami.
stad, Jingua and his companions, whom avarice
had torn from their homes and country; inasmuch
as the sympathy of the public mind awakened in
their behalf wUI naturally lead the people of the
United States to a sense of the injustice of slavery
which holds three millions of our countrymen con.
stantly liable to be torn from their homes and
friends to gratify the cupidity of despotic and irre.
sponsible power.
Some statements were made by the chairman of
the Business Committee relative to the condition of
the funds of the Society, in which the imporumee
tempt to give you some description ot it. but my
attempt cannot give you any adequate idea of the
transaction, for it was no less than the making of a
Man !—Do not be surprised, for it was not by
" the breath of the Almighty," for although he was
animated by a living soul, he was declared by the
operator, the venerable Dr. Hawes, to be only a
thing. Yet by the application of the instrument,
which was a small piece of paper, he was soon de-clared
to be a MAN ! I—which was reiterated with
full confidence in its truth by one of the most dis.
connected with such an establishment, if it were
but as »• a servant to wash the feet of my lord."
If so, I have no doubt Mr. • , would be willing
to employ them upon the same terms as his present
laborers; for I am told he has more land to culri.
vate. However that may be, one of his men a few
days since thought differently, and attempted to es.
cape from the service of his kind master. Wheth.
er stimulated by the great prosperity of his master
to try his own fortune, or, thinking that he had
uu connuence m us iruin oy one oi me mosi ms- contributed long enough to Ms wealth, he imagined
tinguished characters m the Hall, while the gushing ^^a, he might appropriate the avails of his labor
tears of the numerous assembly proclaimed the hereafter to himself; whether from a mere innate
thrilling effect which the scene produced upon all
their minds.
"At this interesting period of the meeting the au-dience
united with Dr. Hawes, who led them in an
appropriate prayer, rendered the more affecting by
his own deep emotions, fervently commending the
new made man to the protection and blessing of
that GOD, who at first MADE him, and who had
love of liberty, or because, as slaveholders say, he
had become " too lazy to work" [without pay,] I
am unable to say : but, ungrateful man! he actu-ally
ran awoy. He was, however, immediately
pursued by men, (shall I call them ?) employed for
the purpose, attended by fourteen trained hounds!
When the dogs were nearly upon him, he climbed
a tree for safety: from this retreat he was beaten
of
Bloomfield, Brewer and Strong of Wethersfield,
Canfield of Hartford, H. C. Wright and Miss A.
Kelley of Massachusetts.
The harmonious action of the Society on all the
resolutions passed at this session wiU, it is believed,
encourage .the true friends of the slave, and give a
new impulse to the cause of immediate emancipa-tion
throughout our land.
S. S. COWLES, Secretary.
now \>y his providence introduced him to the privi- ^own and consigned to the fury of the dogs. Sev.
lege of civil hberty. l^arnestly beseeching o u r h e a . | , , , i ^^ succeeded in miking his escape and
venly Father to send deliverance to all who re-.,ij^^ing a tree for security f r o t S dogs; but i a s
mam m such bondage as this young man had es- ^^^^ time beaten from hi^ refuge. AS^ the
caped.
" Words cannot express the emotions which this
scene produced in the mind, while contrasting the
blessings of civil, social, and religious hberty which
we enjoy, with the horrid impiety, as well as cruel-ty,
of that system which robs our brethren of all
their rights and privileges, crushes their immortal
minds, and makes God's image merchandise. R."
The place for holding the next meeting of the
fiict had continued long, all possibility of escaping
being cut off, the poor, exhausted, despairing man,
lacerated and bleeding, surrendered to his pursu-ers.
It is said there is honor among thieves. It
is said there is a code of honor respected even
amid the cruel and bloody conflicts of war. No
sooner had their suffering victim, whose condition
might have drawn tears from a savage, resj^ed
For t t e charter Oak.
Hartford County Society.
This Society held its annual meeting at Far.
mington, Dec. 25, 1839. Dr. Hawes of this city.
Dr. Osgood of Springfield, and Rev. H. C. Wright
of Boston, were present, and addressed the Society
The following persons were elected officers of
the Society for the present year,viz., Horace Cowles,
President; Joel Hawes, F. H. Case, Isaac Bots-ford,
Erastus Scranton, Jairus Burt, Warren G.
Jones, E. W. Andrews, P. Canfield, Vice Presi.
dents; Samuel Deming of Farmington, Seereta.
ry: Daniel Burgess of Hartford, IVeasurer;
Horace Cowles, Silas Andrus, A. F. WiUiams,
S. Deming, S. S. Cowles, Executive Committee.
The Society adopted the following resolutions:—
Whereas we have been accustomed to regard,
and we do still regard, the abolition of slavery, as
a moral and religious enterprise, and therefore to
consider the American Anti-Slavery Society and
its auxiliaries jusdy entitled to take rank withoth.
er benevolent societies, and, like them, to depend
for success upon a faithful and persevering incul.
cation of the truth, and its application, by divine
influence, to the hearts and consciences of men :
Resolved, That we deprecate any attempt which
has been made or shall be made, to reduce a socie.
ty, formed with the view of uniting the more fa.
vored portion of the human family in an enterprise
of expansive benevolence, to the narrow limits of
a reli^ous sect, or a political party.
Resolved, That slavery under all circumstances
is sin, and therefore Christians are bound to use
all proper measures to overthrow it. [Advocated
by Drs. Osgood and Hawes, and others.]
Resolved, That immediate emancipation is the
right of the slave, the duty of the master, and is
perfectly safe.
Resolved, That the system of slavery in the
South, derives much of its support from the people
of the North, and is indebted for this support main
ly to the selfishness which prevails among certain
classes in the non-slaveholding states.
During the meeting in the ^ternoon a deeply in
teresting scene was witnessed. A deed of eman.
cipation from a slaveholder at the South had that
day been received, through the mail, by a gende.
man in town, conferring entire freedom upon a
young man who two years since escaped from the
fangs of slavery, and had within that time earned
a sum sufficient to purchase his Hberty, which sum,
through the negociation of two friends, had been
sent to the one claiming property in his bones and
sinews. He was providentially at F. at the time
of this meeting. Without being made acquainted
SocwtA ««• W c A . Ex. Csmmtttaa to d ^ r - blood-rt.Jrsty hounds, trtined-fo their work aud fu-mine
rious for their prey, were let loose upon him, and
Hartford, Jan. 1840.
For tbe Charter Oak.
** Slavery as it !•.»
The following testimony is from the same source
as that published in the Oak for September last.
Perfect reliance may be placed on the statements
contained in it, as the author is well known in this
vicinity.
, —. Oct. 1,1839.
MR. EDITOR,—In a former communication I at.
tempted to give you a brief account of the slave's
physical condition, in a community professedly
Christian, and under circumstances acknowledged
to be peculiarly favorable.
In reference to the system of discipline pursued
here toward the slave, I expressed the belief that
instances of severe corporeal punishment were un.
common; and stated that I had heard of no instances
of extreme cruelty. Since that article was written,
the following facu have come to my knowledge,
which honesty obliges me to communicate. Wheth.
er they come under the denominauon of •• severe
punishment," or of " extreme cruelty," I submit to
your judgment. The circumstances are briefly
thus:
The negroes on a plantation in the neighborhood
were assaHed by the overseer in a ferocious man-ner,
with a drawn knife in hand. Supposing, as I
heard the owner of the estate assert, that they
were to be killed on the spot, one of them (not fa.
miliar probably with a practical illustration of the
peaceful doctrine of non-resistance,} seized a board,
and acted on the defensive. The men overpow.
ered their assailant, and the overseer was distress-ingly
beaten and bruised. The owner represented
the man as headstrong and violent, and fully justi-fied
the negroes in what they did; but he had been
detained there a whole day for the purpose of hav.
ing them whipped, lest they should pursue a simi-lar
course again when assaulted with murderous
weapons! This is the gentleman's own statement
of the affair.
The other case is somewhat different, and would
never have come to my knowledge, but for a peni-as
my informant stated, almost literally tore him in
pieces!
This is no exaggerated story; but, as you per.
ceive, a simple relation of facts. The gentleman
who related them to me is a cahn, deliberate man,
and, in relating the circumstances, gave no other
sign of emotion than the deep solemnity of his
manner, the suppressed voice, and quivering lip.
My informant remarked that he thought some
would disapprove of such proceedinp, but he had
heard no expression of indignation, and presumed
little would be thought of it by the inhabitants gen.
erally. Notwithstanding, you will bear in mind
that we live in a Christian community, and "our
slaves are very kindly treated!"
A gentleman told me last winter that a letter had
been received from Lewis Tappan, inquiring if ne.
^oes were ever hunted here by dogs. I am not
informed what answer his letter received, or wheth.
er any; but it may not be amiss to inform Mr. T.
that we have one gentleman (!) who keeps fifty
dogs trained to the service, and a man whose busi.
ness it is to attend them on pursuit. They are
termed by way of distinction, nigger dogs!"
But the whole canine race resemble their masters
in enmity to the poor slave. They never allow
him to pass, even in the street, unmolested. To
this they all are educated; and every family keeps
so many of these animals, that the devoted negro,
hunted and harrassed on every hand, suffers not a
little from this source in his ordinary avocations.
Notwithstanding the "kind treatment" which
our negroes receive here, I am told that they are
very much in the habit of leaving their pleasant
homes, preferring even such accommodation as the
deep recesses of the woods can afford them. So
general is the belief that there are always some of
them secreted there, that children and females,
young and old, are in constant fear of them, and
never venture, walking or riding, excepting the
shortest distance, from home unattended. It is
truly surprising to observe their excessive timidity
—an evidence to themselves of the wickedness of
their system, if they would heed it. " The righu
eous are bold as a lion."
tcBtslaveholder who has within the last few weeks What think, youx, rM •r . Editro r, li n v.i ew of the ab<\ve
come w the decision to break the last fetter of bis facts, have the sufferings of the slave been exag.
slaves. He has already matured bis plans, and
will not rest until they are accomplished; "anx-ious,"
as he says, " to wash his hands of the pollu-tion
and guilt of slavery." You may hear of him
anon. In the mean time, we may well " thank
God aod take courage," in view of this new tri-gerated
by abolitionists ? If such things occur in
a Christian community, in the families of the pro.
fessed disciples of the benevolent Jesus, what may
we expect among those, who, from their own con.
fession, " fear not God nor regard man ?"
Since the above was written, our neighborhood