Skip to main content

Vive la Republic to Frederick Douglass, May 9, 1853

D6421

NEW YORK, May 9th, 1853.

FREDERICK DOUGLASS, ESQ: DEAR SIR:—The inclosed paragraph I clipped from a Wil-
mington (N. C.) paper whilst at that place
a few days since. Any commentary on it is
unnecessary. It speaks for itself. I know
all the parties except the two poor runaways.
There appears to be no evidence of their
having committed any crime; their only mis-
fortune is, if any, being born of a different
hue to the sanguinary heraldry of the law.
No doubt they will be taken shortly, and
probably much mutilated, as there are worth-
less vagabonds in the community of Wil-
mington to commit any act to obtain the al-
mighty dollar.

VIVE LA REPUBLIC.

$225 REWARD.

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA,

NEW HANOVER COUNTY.

WHEREAS, complaint upon oath hath
this day been made to us, two of the
Justices of the Peace for the State and coun-
ty aforesaid, by Benjamin Hallet, of the
said County, that two certain male slaves be-
longing to him, named LOTT, aged about
twenty-two years, five feet four or five inches
high, and black, formerly belonging to Lott
Williams, of Onslow county; and BOB, aged
about sixteen years, five feet high and black;
have absented themselves from their said
master's service, and supposed to be lurking
about this county, committing acts of felony
and other misdeeds: These are therefore in
the name of the State, aforesaid, to com-
mand the said slaves forthwith to return
home to their masters; and we do hereby, by
virtue of the Act of the General Assembly in
such cases made and provided, intimate and
declare, that if the said LOTT and BOB, do
not return home and surrender themselves
immediately after the publication of these
presence, that any person may kill and de-
stroy the said slaves by such means as he or
they may think fit, without accusation or im-
peachment of any crime or offence for so
doing, and without incurring any penalty or
forfeiture thereby.

Given under our hands and seals, this 28th
day of February, 1853.

W. N. PEDEN, J. P., [Seal]

W. C. BETTENCOURT, J. P., [Seal]

Creator

Vive le Republic

Date

1853-05-09

Description

Vive la Republic to Frederick Douglass. PLSr: Frederick DouglassP, 13 May 1853. Provides a Wilmington, North Carolina, newspaper clipping, offering a reward for the return of two runaway slaves.

Publisher

This document was calendared in the published volume and has not been published in full before.

Collection

Frederick Douglass' Paper

Type

Letters

Publication Status

Unpublished

Source

Frederick Douglass' Paper