A
NARRATIVE
OF SOME REMARKABLE INCIDENTS,
In the Life of
SOLOMON BAYLEY,
FORMERLY
A SLAVE,
IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE, NORTH AMERICA;
WRITTEN BY HIMSELF,
AND PUBLISHED FOR HIS BENEFIT;
TO WHICH ARE PREFIXED, A FEW REMARKS BY
ROBERT HURNARD.
“Persecuted but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.”—II. Cor.iv. 9.
LONDON:
PRINTED FOR
HARVEY AND DARTON, GRACECHURCH STREET;
W. BAYNES &SON, PATERNOSTER-ROW;
AND P. YOUNGMAN, WITHAM AND MALDON.
1825.
WITHAM AND MALDON:
PRINTED BY P. YOUNGMAN.
PREFACE.
In presenting the following fragments to the attention of the public,it appears necessary to state the manner in which they came into mypossession, and to give the reader a brief account of the Author,Solomon Bayley.
During the early part of my residence in America in the year 1820, Imet with the piece containing the account of his escape from slavery,with the mental and bodily trials he underwent, resulting from thatstep: being much interested in the perusal of this simple and unadornednarrative, I was induced to make some inquiry into the character andcircumstances of a man, the recital of whose sufferings and wrongs haddeeply excited my sympathy. The information which, in consequence,I obtained from many respectable inhabitants of Wilmington, whereI then resided, was in all respects gratifying, so far as relatedto his character; and was, besides, such as to induce a hope thathis situation in life was about to become comparatively easy andindependent.
I learned that at one period of his life he had been instructed in thebusiness of a cooper, and for some time had wrought at that trade;but feeling some scruples in his mind with regard to following anoccupation which he believed had a tendency, though a remote one, topromote the sale and consumption of ardent spirits, he conscientiouslyforsook that employment, under the persuasion that the frequentand indiscriminate use of distilled spirituous liquors, had provedas injurious to the moral and religious growth of society, as itwas admitted to be subversive of health, and the bane of domestichappiness. He then engaged himself as a labourer in husbandry; andwhile deriving his support from this employment, he one day happened tomeet with the Governor of the State of Delaware; and believing it to behis duty to speak to him on the great responsibility of the station inwhich he was placed, and on the importance of a faithful occupation ofthe talents committed to his charge, the worthy Governor was so wellpleased with his communication, that he shortly after promoted Solomonto the oversight of one of his farms, admitting him as a joint sharerwith himself in the profits. This mode of farming, which requires[Pg v]great confidence on one side, and skill and industry on the other, isnot uncommon in America; the landlord usually finding all the necessaryimplements and stocking the farm, and the tenant, the requisite labourto manage the concern. But I subsequently learned tha