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| CHARLES THOMPSON. 149 thing about their elevation; he would tell them to obey their masters and mistresses, for good servants make good masters." "Did you belong to the Baptist Church?" "Yes, Second Baptist Church." "Did you feel that the preaching you heard was the true Gospel?" "One part of it and one part burnt me as bad as ever insult did. They would tell us that we must take money out of our pockets to send it to Africa, to enlighten the African race. I think that we were about as blind in Richmond as the African race is in Africa. All they want you to know, is to have sense enough to say master and mistress, and run like lightning, when they speak to you, to do exactly what they want you to do." "When you made up your mind to escape, where did you think you would go to ?" " I made up my mind not to stop short of the British protection ; to shake hands with the Lion's paw." "Were you not afraid of being captured on the way, of being devoured by the abolitionists, or of freezing and starving in Canada ?" " Well, I had often thought that I would be in a bad condition to come here, without money and clothes, but I made up my mind to come, live or die." " What are your impressions from what little you have seen of Freedom?" "I think it is intended for all men, arid all men ought to have it." " Suppose your master was to appear before you, and offer you the privilege of returning to Slavery or death on the spot, which would be your choice?" "Die rigkt there. I made up my mind before I started." " Do you think that many of the slaves are anxious about their Freedom ?" " The third part of them ain't anxious about it, because the white people have blinded them, telling about the North,—they can't live here; telling them that the people are worse off than they are there; they say that the ' niggers' in the North have no houses to live in, stand about freezing, dirty, no clothes to wear. They all would be very glad to get their time, but want to stay where they are." Just at this point of the interview, the hour of midnight admonished us that it was time to retire. Accordingly, said Mr. Thompson, " I guess we had better close," adding, if he "could only write, he could give seven volumes!" Also, said he, "give my best respects to Mr. W. W. Hardwicke, and Mr. Perry in the National American office, and tell them 7 wish tltey will pay the two boys who carry the papers for me, for they are as ignorant of this matter as you are." Charles was duly forwarded to Canada to shake hands with the Lion's paw, and from the accounts which came from him to the Committee, he was highly delighted. The following letter from him afforded gratifying evi-' dence, that he neither forgot his God nor his friends in freedom: DETROIT, Sept. 17, 1862. DEAR BROTHER IN CHRIST :—It affords me the greatest pleasure imaginable in the time I shall occupy in penning these few lines to you and your dear loving wife; not because I can write them to you myself, but for the love and regard I have for you, for I |