James Redpath, The Roving Editor: or, Talks with Slaves in the Southern States.

“--------; but he hires me out.”

“ Have you ever been North?”

“ No, sir, I never was.”

“You would like to go there and be free, I suppose?”

He gave me a penetrating look before replying. I seem to have stood the test; for he prefaced his reply by a remark which three others have made, after closely inspecting my physiognomy:

“ I know you're honest, sir. I'll say to you what I wouldn't say to plenty who'd ask me, as you've done. Yes, sir; I would like to go North. What man of color would not?”

“ I've often been told,” I remarked, “by the slave-holders' friends in the North, that you colored people are perfectly satisfied, and rather prefer slavery, indeed. Is that so? I always thought the colored people loved slavery ”--a pantomimic gesture concluded the sentence.

“Yes, massa,” said the slave, “I knows what you mean. They does love it. Over the left.”

“Are the majority of colored people of your acquaintance satisfied or dissatisfied with slavery?”

“I know hundreds and hundreds,” he replied, “and almost all of them are as dissatisfied as they kin be.”

“ Are one-third satisfied, do you think?”

“No, sir. Not more than one-tenth. As few as has good masters doesn't think about freedom so much; but if they could get the offer, all of them would be free.”

“ Are you a married man?”

“Yes, sir,” said the slave.

“ Were you married by a clergyman?”