and "if apprehended, not being sufficiently known, nor able to give a good account of themselves," the magistrates might deal with them as with runaways, and sell them temporarily, to pay their fines. Our Fugitive Slave Bill of 1850, in like manner, knows nothing of color; and its provisions are more stringent and humiliating than the old law of Maryland! The reader is referred to Jay's View, pp. 83-87, for a number of advertisements of runaway slaves, in which they are described as being white. As for example— "$100 REWARD.—The above reward will be paid for the apprehension of my man William. He is a very bright mulatto, straight yellowish hair. I have no doubt he will change his name, and try to pass himself for a white man, which he may be able to do, unless to a close observer.-T. S. PITCHARD." “$100 REWARD.-Ran away from James Hyhart, Paris, Ky., &c., the mulatto boy Norton, &c. Would be taken for a white boy, if not closely examined. His hair is black and straight, &c."-New-Orleans Free American, 11th Aug. 1836. Anderson Bowles advertises, in the Richmond Whig, 6th Jan. 1836, his "negro !" who has "straight hair," and is "nearly white;" so that "a stranger" would suppose there was "no African blood in him." "He was with my boy Dick a short time since at Norfolk, and offered to sell him, but escaped, under pretense of being a WHITE MAN." In the Newbern Spectator, 13th March, 1837, John T. Lane advertises "William, about 19 years old, quite white, and would not readily be taken for a slave." Edwin Peck, Mobile, April 22, 1837, offers $100 reward for a slave named Sam, "light sandy hair, blue eyes, ruddy complexion; is so white as very easily to pass for a white man." In the New-Orleans Bee of June 22, 1831, P. Balie advertises as a runaway, "Maria, with a clear white complexion." "Mr. Paxton, a Virginia writer, tells us in his work on Slavery, that 'the best blood of Virginia runs in the veins of slaves."" (Jay's View, p. 85.) "Dr. Torrey, in his work on Domestic Slavery in the United States, p. 14," relates, that "not far from Fredericktown there was a slave estate, on which there were several white females, of as fair and elegant appearance as white ladies in general, held in legal bondage as slaves." (Ib., pp. 85-6.) "White lady fugitives" have been hunted in the State of New-York, and have taken refuge in Canada. (Vide Utica "Friend of Man," and the Syracuse papers.) "A Missouri paper, reporting the trial of a slave boy, says, 'All the physiological marks of distinction which characterize the African descent had disappeared.'" (Jay's View, p. 86.) Mr. Niles, in his Register, tells us that John C. Calhoun related a similar instance. (Ib., pp.86-7.) "Mary Gillmore, of Philadelphia, claimed as a runaway slave in 1835, was proved to be the child of Irish parents, and had not a single drop of African blood in her veins." (Ib., p. 86.) |