June 7, 1861---"Slavery must die!"

JUNE 7, 1861:   

 J.M. Ashely, an abolitionist member of the House of Representatives, took the time to interview a number of liberated slaves (“Contrabands”) and wrote the following letter to the Toledo Blade:

"This little incident tells me more plainly than ever, that what I said last Winter in the House is true, when I declare that 'the logic of events told me unmistakably that Slavery must die.’

If I had time and you the space, I would give in their own words the material portions of the answers of the most intelligent slaves. There is one thing certain, every slave in the United States understands this rebellion, its causes and consequences, far better than I supposed. I asked one old man, who said he was a Methodist class leader, to tell me frankly whether this matter was well understood by all the slaves, and he answered me that it was, and that he had 'prayed for it many long years.' He said that their masters had all talked about it, and he added, 'Lor' bless you honey, we don' give it up last September dat the North's too much for us,' meaning, of course, 'that Mr. LINCOLN's election was conceded even there by the slave masters, and was understood and hoped for by all the slaves. I asked the same man how many more would probably come into the fort. He said 'a good many, and if we's not sent back, you'll see 'em 'for to-morrow night.'

I asked why so, and he said 'Dey'll understan' if we's not sent back, dat we's among our friends, for if de slaveholder see us we gets sent right back.' And sure enough, on Monday, about forty or fifty more, of all ages, colors and sexes, came into camp, and the guard was bound to arrest them…And thus is being developed a practical plan which I believe, under Providence, will result in universal emancipation, for the people of this nation will never consent that those slaves, who refuse to fight against us and escape to our camps and aid us all they can, shall be given up now to their assumed owners, or at the conclusion of the war, that they shall again be returned to Slavery. The man or party who will do this thing is already condemned to a political death, and will be execrated, as he ought to be, by posterity."