I very soon discovered, too, that slavery was, in some{128} sort, under consideration, whenever the abolitionists were alluded to.

This made the term a very interesting one to me.

If a slave, for instance, had made good his escape from slavery, it was generally alleged, that he had been persuaded and assisted by the abolitionists.

If, also, a slave killed his master--as was sometimes the case--or struck down his overseer, or set fire to his master's dwelling, or committed any violence or crime, out of the common way, it was certain to be said, that such a crime was the legitimate fruits of the abolition movement.

Hearing such charges often repeated, I, naturally enough, received the impression that abolition--whatever else it might be--could not be unfriendly to the slave, nor very friendly to the slaveholder.