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’’’’蘭’’’尼’
(HENRY HIGHLAND GARNET)
對’’堅’衆國黑奴們’’說
An Address to the Slaves of the United States of America
Harriet Tubman (最左邊)’’救’ 300 ’奴隸中’部分黑奴
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’們’’條’’抗’’抗! ’抗’
’’’’蘭’’’尼’(1815－1882)’生’馬里蘭’’個奴隸種植園裏’’’歲’’’’親’’’公誼’教友’幫’’’’’’市’’’’’’提’’’’奧’’’學’爲’’’’’生’接’教’’’尼’’’國最’’’’奴’’’之’’’’’’蘭’蘇’蘭’’’說’
1843’’’’’布’羅’’’’國黑’’’’’’’’’’最著’’’講’’反’’’’’號’’’’統’’國’’’論’奴隸還’’由’’’’抗’爲’奴隸’鬥’’’’銘’必’’話應’’’裝暴動’’說’當’’’’黑’領’’爲’驚’’’’’票之’’有’’尼’’’’’’’爲正式’議’’’黑’’鬥志由’高揚’’’’’之’’’’次’國’’’’’’’’伊’’’’’’’尼’類’’號’’
1865’’’尼’成’第’’’衆議’講’’黑’’’’’’’’’’比里’傳教’
’們’’部’’部’’部’’’們’’’’’國’’’’對’’’’情之心’爲’們’不’’境Ｚ’’’’’’’’’’’我們’’有’由’階’’’’’’’’還’未對’們說’’’慰問’’議之詞’我們迄今’停’’’’不動’對’們’’難’示’’’誠心’望’’’’由早該’’’們身邊’’’我們’’望落’’’’’’’’’’成’’’’’們’’’’’著’永恒’’’’降生’’們’’歷’壓迫我們’’身’’’’’們還’奴隸’我們’談不’’由’’’’正’爲我們’’’’’’’我們’’’們’’’’話’
’們之中’’’’我們’’’’’不僅’由’我們之間有’’’’’’’’而’還’爲我們之間’有’母’’’’’夫’’’’’友’’’親情’關’’’’’我們滿腔摯’’’’們說話’
奴隸’’’們’我們之間’’’’條’溝’它’’們’不’’們’’友們樂’給予’’情’撫慰’’’’們’’’’’鬼橫’’’獄裏都’見’’難’迫’’’’’仁’’’’’天’還’’給’我們’’’望之’’’陰雲’’’’中’耀著’’’’’’’’類正’變’’’’’’’善’’’壓迫’’勢’正’’’’’們’’天天耳目’’’’’日’壯’’’’’’們’’們有’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’言裏’我們不’期望’’個’’’數’個國’裏’’’’有’’’而’’實’’有必’’’爲’’’們’天都’’’’’’個’’’體文’’’們’驚’不’’目’’’’’’’
’百’’’’’’我們飽’傷’’民族首次’’’’’’’’’’’’們’’’心’喜’’’’個’’’裏’立’園’’’們’’’’心甘情’’’’裏接’’’豐饒’’’給予’們天’’樂之’福’’’們’那’’稱基督’’’第’次打交’’’’’’’’敗’’齪’頂’’心種種’’們’’’’’’’’欲’’’’’那’’文’’’眼裏’任’殘忍’任’邪’’任’’掠都’不足爲’’’’們’不’乘著’由’雙’’’’’’由’樂’’’’’’反’’們’著’顆顆’’’心遠離親’’’’’’’裏’辛勤勞’’’’報’’’落’’’’’’’’’’’’都不’解脫’們身’’’鎖’’爲’鎖’’’’’’’傳’’’成百’’’’’們’’’降生’’’’’’魂’’’’’’輩’’’國奴隸’’’’’’’殘’
奴隸’’’’’’’們’接’’們’快’’’’’個’’’’膨脹’邪’’’’’’諾說’’’’毀’’’擁有奴隸’民族’’原’’爲’’由’“’’’’”’’’們’重’’’矛’’’顯而’見’不’’’’視’’由之’’喊’’“解’’們’奴隸”’’們熱’’眶’’’釋’’’’’’’’們’智’’’莊重’提’’’懇’’’’’’’們喊’’’’面’對著’’’’Ｚ’’’基督教’’’’華’’個’’’’’緊’雙’’’’’’’鳴’’仇’’’’之’’’欲’’維’奴隸’’’’’鄙之’’’而’’有’’切都’’’’’奴隸’還’’’’它漆黑’’’’’’’’塊’’’’天’日’教’’’手’’’’教’’’虛假’’言’而’們’情’’’’奴隸’’’’’’’立’它統’’握’’’’’’
’’’輿論(’’個國’它比’’還’’)’止’’百’’們’公民’’讀’生’之’’’’們’智’盡’’’’’’殘’’們’圖’滅’們心’’’絲’’’壓迫’們’’’’’圖中’身陷囹’’’們變’’’’’’’’’’’’’’厭’’’們’’’’們’’們’’’’’’’’們還’’’’們踐踏’’’’’’’
奴隸’’’’個’’藏’’少’難’’’顆心不’’’’’毛骨’’’’個’’’’’攣?’’’藏熱’’由之心’除’’’’’’’’’’’魂中’’’’個’剛’’野’裏漫’’未’化’’’’’對’由’’’熱’絲’不’’’個目’’’’’’’濟學’’’個’’’’任’’’樣都有’分’’’由’’’’’由’種’孕’’’個’’心田裏’誰’’’’’’’’對奴隸’心滿’足’境’’誰’對’’’’類犯’’滔天’’’
’’們’機’’’’們該爲’’’動’’’’老話說’對’“’’奴隸’’’由’’該打’’’’’’’”’們’夠爲’’’’’’’’喊’’夠比’’任’’’’爲’’贏’解’’’’’’’’個’老’’’’
蘊’著’不朽’’輝’’’’’’忘’’’’’生’’’’國公民’’’’’’’們’應’’賦予最’由’’們’’有’’’’’’’們’辛’’’’’’’’用’’’’’’’’’塊’’’’們揮’’’少’’’’’’’找’’高’揚’奴隸’們’’’’當’說’們’心’’’’’由’喚醒’們’正’’’對’們說’們’有’’壓迫’們’正’’們’有’’奴’’們’樣’’’’們’掉’’’’們身’’重’’賦予’們’勞動’報’’答應’們說’’’們’勞動’’’應有’報’’’們’’重’’’’’辛勤’’’’’’’們’’解’’’’’’屬’’’’’公’’’給當’’’’’’’快樂’’’’’’’’’對’們說奴隸’’’滔天’’’’末日’’’’’憤’’’’給予’應’報應’’’’們’們’’’’’由’’’任’’’都不足’’們滿’’’’樣做’’’’不’爲那’’
笞’駡’們’讓’們’’’有’’’賣’’’’’’們爲’’’’們’’’’那麽’應’當’’’不’’們’而’’們’’’’們’’續生爲奴隸’讓’們’’’’續’’’們’’難’那’們最’’’’’’’’’’’’’
’’們’’’’’難’們’請’’’’們最’’’’’正’’’賤’’們’’’們正’’殺戮’’們’’’’母親’’’正’爲’妓’’’’’’’’爲’’’’生’’讓我們’’不’’論選擇’由還’’’’’’’’’
1822’’’’羅’’’’’馬’’維’爲解’’’’’’立’’個’劃’’整個’類歷’’還’未有’爲推翻奴隸’’統’而’’’比’’詳盡’’宏偉’’劃’’’而’’’’’’’’’棄’’’’’’維’’爲’由’’’’’’’敢’’雄們倒’’’’歷’’’’’職’’’’們’’’攜’’摩’’’普’’’爾’布’斯’華萊’’圖森’路維’爾’’菲’’華盛’等’’’’’’’’’’
’撒尼爾’’’’’馬’’維’’’’’’邪’’不公把’’’走投’路’’’暴’’’’’’’’’’’’’而’民’’’景仰’’’’視爲高’’’’’’’接’’’不朽’’瑟夫’辛’’’’斯’’’’’’’’’’生’’’’’’’’’’’’’公’解救’整整’艘船’’’’’’’’’’’’陽’’’’’’’’’’’’棕’樹’’高’’唱’由’聆聽雄獅’’’’’’’’’森’之’’樣’由’’’
還有麥’遜’華盛’’那顆’由’’’’’’正’雄’’’’’’’有’’之’’’’’百’’’’’黑奴’’關’裏’滿’“’裏奧”號雙’’船’’’’奴隸’市場’奧爾’’’’們’’個’’’爲’由而’鬥’結’’’’’’而’體’’’都’’’解’’’船最’’’’普羅維’斯’’騷’
高’’’們’’爲’由而’身’’’誠而’’’’’’’’’’永’銘’著’們’’那’’著’’們’’們’’’環繞著’’’祥’’
’’們’’’’’’’’’’爲’們’生’’’由戰鬥’!’機’’’’讓’塊’’’’’’個奴隸都’身戰鬥’奴隸’滅’之日不’’遠’’’們’’盡’壓迫’’們’’盡’殘暴’寧’’爲’由’’不’生爲奴隸’’’’’們有’百’’’
’們’’條’’抗!’抗’’抗’’壓迫’’有不’’抗而獲’’由’’採’什麽方式’’抗’’’’據’們’’’’體情’而’’’’見機’’’’’們’’見’’望’們堅’’’不’’’’’望’們爲’類’’平而’’’’’’’們有’百’’’
An Address to the Slaves of the United States of America
Your
brethren of the North, East, and West have been accustomed to meet together in
National Conventions, to sympathize with each other, and to weep over your
unhappy condition. In these meetings we have addressed all classes of the free,
but we have never, until this time, sent a word of consolation and advice to
you. We have been contented in sitting still and mourning over your sorrows,
earnestly hoping that before this day your sacred liberties would have been
restored. But, we have hoped in vain. Years have rolled on, and tens of
thousands have been borne on streams of blood and tears to the shores of
eternity. While you have been oppressed, we have also been partakers with you;
nor can we be free while you are enslaved. We, therefore, write to you as being
bound with you.
Many of
you are bound to us, not only by the ties of a common humanity, but we are
connected by the more tender relations of parents, wives, husbands, and sisters,
and friends. As such we most affectionately address you.
Slavery
has fixed a deep gulf between you and us, and while it shuts out from you the
relief and consolation which your friends would willingly render, it afflicts
and persecutes you with a fierceness which we might not expect to see in fiends
of hell. But still the Almighty Father of mercies has left to us a glimmering
ray of hope, which shines out like a lone star in a cloudy sky. Mankind are
becoming wiser, and better--the oppressor's power is fading, and you, every day,
are becoming better informed, and more numerous. Your grievances, brethren, are
many. We shall not attempt, in this short address, to present to the world all
the dark catalogue of the nation's sins, which have been committed upon an
innocent people. Nor is it indeed necessary, for you feel them from day to day,
and all the civilized world looks upon them with amazement.
Two
hundred and twenty-seven years ago the first of our injured race were brought to
the shores of America. They came not with glad spirits to select their homes in
the New World. They came not with their own consent, to find an unmolested
enjoyment of the blessings of this fruitful soil. The first dealings they had
with men calling themselves Christians exhibited to them the worst features of
corrupt and sordid hearts: and convinced them that no cruelty is too great, no
villainy and no robbery too abhorrent for even enlightened men to perform, when
influenced by avarice and lust. Neither did they come flying upon the wings of
Liberty to a land of freedom. But they came with broken hearts, from their
beloved native land, and were doomed to unrequited toil and deep degradation.
Nor did the evil of their bondage end at their emancipation by death. Succeeding
generations inherited their chains, and millions have come from eternity into
time, and have returned again to the world of spirits, cursed and ruined by
American slavery.
The
propagators of the system, or their immediate successors, very soon discovered
its growing evil, and its tremendous wickedness, and secret promises were made
to destroy it. The gross inconsistency of a people holding slaves, who had
themselves "ferried o'er the wave" for freedom's sake, was too apparent to be
entirely overlooked. The voice of Freedom cried, "Emancipate your slaves."
Humanity supplicated with tears for the deliverance of the children of Africa.
Wisdom urged her solemn plea. The bleeding captive plead his innocence, and
pointed to Christianity who stood weeping at the cross. Jehovah frowned upon the
nefarious institution, and thunderbolts, red with vengeance, struggled to leap
forth to blast the guilty wretches who maintained it. But all was vain. Slavery
had stretched its dark wings of death over the land, the Church stood silently
by--the priests prophesied falsely, and the people loved to have it so. Its
throne is established, and now it reigns triumphant.
Nearly
three millions of your fellow-citizens are prohibited by law and public opinion
(which in this country is stronger than law) from reading the Book of Life. Your
intellect has been destroyed as much as possible, and every ray of light they
have attempted to shut out from your minds. The oppressors themselves have
become involved in the ruin. They have become weak, sensual, and rapacious--they
have cursed you--they have cursed themselves--they have cursed the earth which
they have trod. . . .
SIAVERY!
How much misery is comprehended in that single word. What mind is there that
does not shrink from its direful effects? Unless the image of God be obliterated
from the soul, all men cherish the love of liberty. The nice discerning
political economist does not regard the sacred right more than the untutored
African who roams in the wilds of Congo. Nor has the one more right to the full
enjoyment of his freedom than the other. In every man's mind the good seeds of
liberty are planted, and he who brings his fellow down so low, as to make him
contented with a condition of slavery, commits the highest crime against God and
man. . . .
Brethren, the time has come when you must act for yourselves. It is an old and
true saying that, "if hereditary bondmen would be free, they must themselves
strike the blow." You can plead your own cause, and do the work of emancipation
better than any others. . . . Think of the undying glory that hangs around the
ancient name of Africa--and forget not that you are native-born American
citizens, and as such you are justly entitled to all the rights that are granted
to the freest. Think how many tears you have poured out upon the soil which you
have cultivated with unrequited toil and enriched with your blood; and then go
to your lordly enslavers and tell them plainly, that you are determined to be
free. Appeal to their sense of justice, and tell them that they have no more
right to oppress you than you have to enslave them. Entreat them to remove the
grievous burdens which they have imposed upon you, and to remunerate you for
your labor. Promise them renewed diligence in the cultivation of the soil, if
they will render to you an equivalent for your services. Point them to the
increase of happiness and prosperity in the British West Indies since the Act of
Emancipation. Tell them in language which they cannot misunderstand of the
exceeding sinfulness of slavery, and of a future judgment, and of the righteous
retributions of an indignant God. Inform them that all you desire is FREEDOM,
and that nothing else will suffice. Do this, and forever after cease to toil for
the heartless tyrants, who give you no other reward but stripes and abuse. If
they then commence work of death, they, and not you, will be responsible for the
consequences. You had far better all die--die immediately, than live slaves, and
entail your wretchedness upon your posterity....
Fellowmen! patient sufferers! behold your dearest rights crushed to the earth!
See your sons murdered, and your wives, mothers and sisters doomed to
prostitution. In the name of the merciful God, and by all that life is worth.
let it no longer be a debatable question, whether it is better to choose liberty
or death.
In
1822, Denmark Veazie, of South Carolina, formed a plan for the liberation of his
fellowmen. In the whole history of human efforts to overthrow slavery, a more
complicated and tremendous plan was never formed. He was betrayed by the
treachery of his own people, and died a martyr to freedom. Many a brave hero
fell, but history, faithful to her high trust, will transcribe his name on the
same monument with Moses, Hampden, Tell, Bruce, and Wallace. Toussaint
L'Ouverture, Lafayette, and Washington. ...
The
patriotic Nathaniel Turner followed Denmark Veazie. He was goaded to desperation
by wrong and injustice. By despotism, his name has been recorded on the list of
infamy, and future generations will remember him among the noble and brave.
Next
arose the immortal Joseph Cinque, the hero of the Amistad. He was a native
African, and by the help of God he emancipated a whole ship-load of his
fellowmen on the high seas. And he now sings of liberty on the sunny hills of
Africa and beneath his native palm-trees, where he hears the lion roar and feels
himself as free as the king of the forest.
Next
arose Madison Washington, that bright star of freedom, and took his station in
the constellation of true heroism. He was a slave on board the brig Creole, of
Richmond, bound to New Orleans, that great slave mart, with a hundred and four
others. Nineteen struck for liberty or death. But one life was taken, and the
whole were emancipated, and the vessel was carried into Nassau, New Providence.
Noble
men! Those who have fallen in freedom's conflict, their memories will be
cherished by the true-hearted and the God-fearing in all future generations;
those who are living, their names are surrounded by a halo of glory.
Brethren, arise, arise! Strike for your lives and liberties. Now is the day and
the hour. Let every slave throughout the land do this, and the days of slavery
are numbered. You cannot be more oppressed than you have been--you cannot suffer
greater cruelties than you have already. Rather die freemen than live to be
slaves. Remember that you are FOUR MILLIONS! . . .
Let
your motto be resistance! resistance! RESISTANCE! No oppressed people have ever
secured their liberty without resistance. What kind of resistance you had better
make you must decide by the circumstances that surround you, and according to
the suggestion of expediency. Brethren, adieu! Trust in the living God. Labor
for the peace of the human race, and remember that you are FOUR MILLIONS!
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