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Via The London News and The National Era

The Transport of the Africans to the French West Indies

The great irregularity of the West African mail steamers has of late interrupted the current of the history of the notorious Regis contract for supplying the French West Indies with purchased Africans. The last arrivals, however, put us in possession of some additional facts quite conclusive as to the character of this traffic.

Subsequently to the news that the Portuguese authorities had refused to allow the French purchase of negroes within the limits of the province of Angola, our readers may recollect that advices from the West Indies announced the arrival in the French Antilles of one of M. Regis’s ships with a cargo of 800 Africans, 100 of whom lost their lives in an attempt to land them. But hitherto there has been nothing positively known as to where this unhappy batch of negroes was obtained. (more…)

The following item appeared in The Liberator a month after Reverend Hayne’s death in 1833.

This eminent servant of God, died in Granville, N.Y. on the 28th of September, aged 80 years. He was born in Hartford, Conn. and brought up in a pious family in Granville, in this State. He was there converted and when he was about 27 years old, he began the work of the ministry. He preached five years in Granville, Mass.– about three years in Torringford, Conn.– nearly or quite thirty years in Rutland, Vt.– about three years in Manchester, Vt. and eleven years in the place where he died.

We shall never forget the man who is the subject of this notice. We have seen him in the pulpit and at his own house and amidst his family. and we can truly say he seemed ever like a man of God. There was something peculiarly touching in the manner in which he invited sinners to the only refuge. He was original in his ideas– gentle in his reproofs and powerful in his rebukes. His talent at satire was prodigious, and when he found it necessary to employ it, his opponents would shrink away before him and leave him master of the field. His discourse on universal salvation preached immediately after the conclusion of a sermon by Hosea Ballou, in his own pulpit, is a wonderful illustration of this remark.

(more…)

This call for stories and experiences by Christian churchgoers appeared in several issues of The Liberator while Isaac Knapp gathered material for his book.

Knapp’s completed book, based on his call for words on the topic, was titled  The ‘Negro Pew’: Being an Inquiry Concerning the Propriety of Distinctions in the House of God, on Account of Color and was published in Boston later in 1837.

The Negro Pew

It is intended, as soon as practicable, to publish a work with the above title, designed to show that the practice of making invidious distinctions in the House of God, is inconsistent with the Nature and Principles of the Gospel of Christ; injurious to the feelings, interests, and Souls of those who are affected by it; a reflection upon the Character of Christianity, and calculated to promote Infidelity: with answers to the common objections against breaking down these distinctions.

The Author, wishing to illustrate the subject with facts, would request his colored brethren to communicate such facts respecting their treatment in this respect, as they may have in their possession.

Address Isaac Knapp, at the Anti-Slavery Office, 46 Washington-street. All communications should be accompanied with responsible names, who can testify to every particular as stated.

Background Notes

The 1740s Great Awakening resulted in a great number of black converts, most of whom were slaves. The informal services of the Baptists and Methodists attracted the most blacks. Many black Christians moved towards Methodism because of its early antislavery position. By 1786, blacks made up about 10 percent of the Methodist church in the United States.

Isaac Knapp's The Negro Pew

Although whites and blacks often worshiped together in the 18th century, blacks church attendees enjoyed no real freedom or equality–in the North or South. Most churches used a segregated seating system with the seating for blacks called the “Negro Pew” or the “African Corner“.

Such discrimination motivated blacks, where possible, to organize their own churches, though white leaders actively opposed that. On the eve of the American Revolution, the first black congregations appeared.

Isaac Knapp was an abolitionist publisher. When he was still a young printer he partnered with William Lloyd Garrison to found “The Liberator.”

Knapp became a publisher specializing in works on abolitionism and feminism. He published the Grimke sisters and several slave narratives. He was also one of the founders of the New England Anti-Slavery Society.

Source

Collection: The Liberator
Publication: The Liberator
Date: January 2, 1837
Title: The ‘Negro Pew’
Location: Boston, Massachusetts

This month we have given all of our subscribers access to a new ebook - Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman by Sarah H. Bradford.  New subscribers, including personal subscribers, will also have access to this title.

This book about the life and accomplishments of Harriett Tubman was compiled while she was still alive and helped to raise money to help her live out her life after the end of the Civil War.

Like all of our full text materials this has been digitized and double-keyed to ensure 99%+ accuracy – far beyond that of a typical automated Optical  Character Recognition scan.

The introduction below was included in the original edition that we have provided for our subscribers.

Introduction

The following little story was written by Mrs. Sarah H. Bradford, of Geneva, with the single object of furnishing some help to the subject of the memoir. Harriet Tubman’s services and sufferings during the rebellion, which are acknowledged in the letters of Gen. Saxton, and others, it was thought by many, would justify the bestowment of a pension by the Government. But the difficulties in the way of procuring such relief, suggested other methods, and finally the present one.

The narrative was prepared on the eve of the author’s departure for Europe, where she still remains. It makes no claim whatever to literary merit. Her hope was merely that the considerably numerous public already in part acquainted with Harriet’s story, would furnish purchasers enough to secure a little fund for the relief of this remarkable woman. Outside that circle she did not suppose the memoir was likely to meet with much if any sale.

Harriet Tubman

In furtherance of the same benevolent scheme, and in order to secure the whole avails of the work for Harriet’s benefit, a subscription has been raised more than sufficient to defray the entire cost of publication. This has been effected by the generous exertions of Wm. G. Wise, Esq., of this city. The whole amount was contributed by citizens of Auburn, with the exception of two liberal subscriptions by Gerrit Smith, Esq., and Mr. Wendell Phillips.

Mr. Wise has also consented, at Mrs. Bradford’s request, to act as trustee for Harriet; and will receive, invest, and apply, for her benefit, whatever may accrue from the sale of this book.

The spirited wood-cut likeness of Harriet, in her costume as scout, was furnished by the kindness of Mr. J. C. Darby, of this city. S. M. H.

AUBURN, Dec. 1, 1868.

In the spirit of the season, we are gifting our customers with an important additional historical eBook. “Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman” was written by Sarah H. Bradford and published by W.J. Moses, Printer of Auburn, New York in 1869.

Harriet Tubman was born Araminta Harriet Ross to slave parents in 1820. She married around 1844 and changed her name to Harriet Tubman. In 1849, she escaped from her owners, was captured but quickly escaped again, making it to Philadelphia where she found work. She went on to become a leading abolitionist.

Harriet Tubman

By 1860, she had made over a dozen trips back to the south, making use of the Underground Railroad to bring over 70 slaves to freedom. She became friends with John Brown, conferring with him about his plans for Harpers Ferry.

Frederick Douglas wrote of her: “Excepting John Brown–of sacred memory–I know of no one who has willingly encountered more perils and hardships to serve our enslaved people than you have.”. During the Civil War, she worked as a cook, nurse and spy. She died in 1913 in Auburn, New York.

“Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman” is now accessible as part of your collections from Accessible Archives.

If you have not yet become a personal subscriber it is not too late.  New personal subscribers will also be given access to this volume.  Subscribe now for yourself or as a gift.

Happy Holidays to you and yours from Accessible Archives!