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| CHARLES THOMPSON. 147 still greater pleasure of administering the flogging. Who would want an office, if no opportunity should turn up whereby proof could be adduced of adequate qualifications to meet emergencies? But Charles was too wide awake to be caught without his pass day or night. Consequently he hung on to it, even after starting on his voyage to Canada. He, however, willingly surrendered it to a member of the Committee at his special request. But in every way Charles was quite a remarkable man. It afforded the Committee great pleasure to make his acquaintance, and much practical and useful information was gathered from his story, which was felt to be truthful. The Committee feeling assured that this " chattel" must have been the subject of much inquiry and anxiety from the nature of his former position, as a prominent piece of property, as a member of the Baptist church, as taking "first premiums", in making tobacco, and as a paper carrier in the National American office, felt called upon to note fully his movements before and after leaving Richmond. In stature he was medium size, color quite dark, hair long and bushy— rather of a raw-boned and rugged appearance, modest and self-possessed; with much more intelligence than would be supposed from first observation. On his arrival, ere he had " shaken hands with the (British) Lion's paw," (which he was desirous of doing), or changed the 'habiliments in which he escaped, having listened to the recital of his thrilling tale, and wishing to get it word for word as it flowed naturally from his brave lips, at a late hour of the night a member of the Committee remarked to him, with pencil in hand, that he wanted to take down some account of his life. " Now," said he, " we shall have to be brief. Please answer as correctly as you can the following questions :" " How old are you ?" " Thirty-two years old the 1st day of last June." "Were you born a slave?" " Yes." "How have you been treated?" " Badly all the time for the last twelve years." " What do you mean by being treated badly ?" " Have been whipped, and they never give me anything ; some people give their servants at Christmas a dollar and a half and two dollars, and some five, but my master would never give rue anything." " What was the name of your master ?" " Fleming Bibbs." " Where did he live?" " In Caroline county, fifty miles above Richmond." " What did he do ?" " He was a farmer." " Did you ever live with him ?" " Never did; always hired me out, and then I couldn't please him." " What kind of a man was he ?" " A man with a very severe temper ; would drink at all times, though would do it slyly." " Was he a member of any church ?" "Baptist church—would curse at his servants as if he wern't in any church." "Were his family members of church, too?" " Yes." " What kind of family had he?" "His wife was a tolerable fair woman, but his sons were dissipated, all of them rowdies and gamblers. ŁKs sons has had children by the servants. One of his daughters had a child by his grandson fatt April. They are traders, bay and sell." |