NARRATIVE OF MADISON JEFFERSON TWENTY-TWO YEARS A SLAVE IN NEW VIRGINIA. U. S. A.
THE subject of the following narrative called at the office of the British and Foreign Anti-slavery Society, on Tuesday the 30th ult., and stated that he was an escaped slave from the United States, and had come over from Canada with a gentleman now residing at Petersfield, from whom he brought a reference, and by whom this statement has been subsequently confirmed. He gives the following touching account of his individual sufferings in slavery, as well as many collateral facts exhibiting the atrocious character of the system in general.
Madison Jefferson was raised in New Virginia, on the R. Ohio, about seven miles from Parkersburgh, on the estate of a man named George Neal, a planter, cultivating tobacco, Indian corn, and hemp, and possessing two other farms, on which there were about 250 slaves. He was one of sixteen children, twelve of whom were still in slavery, viz., nine sisters and three brothers, one brother and two sisters having deceased some years. The account he gives of the death of his brother is simple and affecting; he was employed as a swineherd, and one day during a heavy thunderstorm, he took shelter under a tree, a branch of which, riven by the lightning, struck his head; from that day "he took sick," but no one cared for his complaints. Driven forth daily to his appointed tasks, at length he died—another victim offered up to the insatiable Moloch of avarice, whose blood crieth out even from the ground against his oppressors.
How pleasing in general are the reminiscences of the days of our youth, how wont are we, who have been brought up under the kind and watchful eye of a parent, to exclaim, with reference to that sunny period, "they were the happiest hours of my existence;" it is not so, however, with the little slave, Madison's earliest recollections are embittered by the harsh treatment he received from his mistress when a house boy, in which occupation he continued from the time he was four years old until about sixteen—at first, he was employed in taking care of the young children of the women engaged in the field or otherwise; afterwards in cleaning shoes, knives, carrying wood, and various household duties. The systematic discipline of the children is commenced before they can walk, "they are whipped for crying," says Madison, "to make them subdue." He has frequently been beaten by his mistress, because the shoes or knives were not cleaned to her satisfaction, been struck with the tongs and shovel, had his hair pulled out by the roots, his ears pinched till they bled, and been made to sit in a corner and to eat dry bread, till almost choked, with various other petty tortures—amongst others, he mentions that the children were sometimes obliged to get a basin of water and scrub each others faces with a corn cob (the cone of the Indian corn after the grain has been removed, which is very rough) till they bled under the infliction. His mother, from Madison's account, appears to have been a pious woman, she attended a baptist chapel whenever she could get permission, and taught her children to pray to Him who is a "strength to the needy in his distress." Several of the slaves on the estate were in the habit of attending places of worship, and were members of churches; they had a place appropriated for them behind the door, not being allowed to sit with the whites. Both Madison's master and his son were members of the methodist church? Indeed, he adds, that "all the methodists, even the preachers, are slave-holders, and think no harm of it."
When he was about sixteen years of age, still being employed about the house, he attempted to escape to Canada, and had travelled between three or four days, having reached Zeinsville in Ohio, when arriving at a creek, he was unable to proceed; some persons coming down in a boat offered to convey him over, but instead of doing no they carried him to Parkersburgh, lodged him in gaol, and obtained a reward for his capture. On this occasion, he received thirty-nine lashes and was put in chains for a week, being employed in working in the garden and chopping wood during the day, and at night was chained to a block in a room by himself. About this time, one of his sisters was sold off to the south: many tears were shed by the mother, and by the whole family, but they were obliged to conceal their grief from their oppressors, who, to use Madison's own words, "if they caught them crying would tell them that they would give them something to cry for." This fear of separation was constantly hanging over families, "we have a dread constantly on our minds," says M. J., "for we don't know how long master may keep us, nor into whose hands we may fall." The dearest ties of kindred are totally disregarded, he has frequently known men sold in one direction, and their wives in another; their social affections and sympathies forming no part in the cold and mercenary calculations of the slave-holder; indeed, these separations, by a refinement of cruelty, are frequently made for punishment.
(To be continued in our next.)