Page:The Under-Ground Railroad.djvu/178

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158

"God forbid!" They will run away more and more, in spite of all the Fugitive Slave Laws that the American government may pass.

I have elsewhere confined my remarks to the better class of the coloured population, in order to show their capabilities to self-government and civilised progress.

We will now speak more especially of the mass and their condition. On their arrival in Canada they are in a perfect state of destitution, among strangers, and in a strange country; you who are accustomed to travel, even with means to supply your various necessities, know how you feel when on your first journey, and arrived the first time in a strange country and among strangers, every face on which your eye falls is to you strange. Then arises in the mind a kind of a lonely feeling, and a desire to be at home; but alas, it is far, far away. You are by these past reflections prepared, at least in some degree, to sympathise with those who have fled from taskmasters,—cruel drivers—the bloody lash—the clanking of handcuffs—and above all, the unrighteous laws that sanction these evil practices. They have sought and happily found a home sacred to freedom. In many instance they find themselves surrounded by many sympathising friends. Friends—they are well worthy of the name; many of whom have drank deep of oppres-