THE title I have given my black heroine, in this second edition of
her story, viz.: THE MOSES OF HER PEOPLE, may seem a little
ambitious, considering that this Moses was a woman, and that she
succeeded in piloting only three or four hundred slaves from the
land of bondage to the land of freedom. But I only give her here
the name by which she was familiarly known, both at the North and
the South, during the years of terror of the Fugitive Slave Law,
and during our last Civil War, in both of which she took so
prominent a part. And though the results of her unexampled heroism
were not to free a whole nation of bond-men and bond-women, yet
this object was as much the desire of her heart, as it was of that
of the great leader of Israel. Her cry to the slave-holders, was
ever like his to Pharaoh, "Let my people go " and not even he
imperiled life and limb more willingly, than did our courageous and
self-sacrificing friend. Her name deserves to be handed down to
posterity, side by side with the names of Jeanne D'Arc, Grace
Darling, and Florence Nightingale, for not one of these women,
noble and brave as they were, has shown more courage, and power of
endurance, in facing danger and death to relieve human suffering,
than this poor black woman, whose story I am endeavoring in a most
imperfect way to give you. Would that Mrs. Stowe had carried out
the plan she once projected, of being the historian of our sable
friend; by her graphic pen, the incidents of such a life might have
been wrought up into a tale of thrilling interest, equaling, if not
exceeding her world renowned "Uncle Tom's Cabin." The work fell to
humbler hands, and the first edition of this story, under the title
of "Harriet Tubman," was written in the greatest possible haste,
while the writer was preparing for a voyage to Europe. There was
pressing need for this book, to save the poor woman's little home
from being sold under a mortgage, and letters and facts were penned
down rapidly, as they came in. The book has now been in part
re-written and the letters and testimonials placed in an appendix.
For the satisfaction of the incredulous (and there will naturally
be many such, when so strange a tale is repeated to them), I will
here state that so far as it has been possible, I have received
corroboration of every incident related to me by my heroic friend.
I did this for the satisfaction of others, not for my own. No one
can hear Harriet talk, and not believe every word she says. As Mr.
Sanborn says of her, "she is too real a person, not to be true."
Many incidents quite as wonderful as those related in the story, I
have rejected, because I had no way in finding the persons who
could speak to their truth. This woman was the friend of William H.
Seward, of Gerritt Smith, of Wendell Phillips, of William Lloyd
Garrison, and of many other distinguished philanthropists before
the War, as of very many officers of the Union Army during the
conflict.
General
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