The Liberator

SLAVERY RECORD.

From the Genius of Universal Emancipation.

SLAVERY IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

The following paragraph is extracted from a letter received from Washington. Had the Hon. John Quincy Adams been present and witnessed the scene here described, would he still have refused to 'advocate' the abolition of that horrible system which is productive of such outrageous, demoniac practices? Would the Hon. Philip Doddridge have suffered his name to be attached to a 'Congressional Report,' upon that system, which virtually sanctions these horrors, and disgraces the nation? Charity whispers: They are ignorant of all this.

Some of our citizens went almost crazy, during the period of the Southampton Insurrection. We had Patrols out, armed with two pieces of cannon, guns, pistols, swords, daggers, clubs and whiskey! Many outrages were committed. Colored people, coming to town, with market-carts, before day, were cruelly beaten, dragged to lock-up houses, by lawless ruffians, and the carts robbed of apples, peaches, chickens, &c. &c., and often the colored people had to hold up the drunken wretches who conveyed them to prison! One colored man (a hack-driver,) whose wife was in a state of confinement, attempted to go to Georgetown for the mid-wife. He was attacked by the Patrol, knocked to the ground, and inhumanly beaten. He begged permission, on his knees, to go on his errand, or return to his wife. The drunken savages would let him do neither, but dragged him to prison;—and in the morning HIS WIFE WAS FOUND DEAD!!!

Was ever such diabolical conduct practised in a truly Christian country? Will the American people long permit the enactment of such deeds of refined cruelty on the soil dedicated to FREE-DOM—the 'District,' consecrated as a NATIONAL DOMAIN—where the principles of JUSTICE, LIBERTY, and EQUAL RIGHTS. are avowedly and professedly maintained? Forbid it Heaven! This state of things cannot, will not, last.