ABSTRACT
DEATH PREFERRED TO SLAVERY—Anthony Salaignac removed from St. Domingo, in the West Indies, to the State of New Jersey, and took with him several slaves, and among the number ROMAINE, the subject of the following notice. After remaining in that State some years, he concluded to send Romaine, and his wife and child, back to the West Indies; and as Romaine manifested great reluctance to return there, he confined him in prison some time previous to that fixed upon for sending him. After he had been a few days in confinement, a man was engaged to take him, with his wife and child, in a carriage, to Newcastle, in the State of Delaware, from whence they were to be shipped to the West Indies. They left Trenton late in the evening of 11th mo. 3d, 1802, and arrived in Philadelphia, at the inn kept by P. Howell, in Second street, between Mulberry and Sassafras, about 4 o’clock the next morning, in custody of a Frenchman, and John Musgrave, a constable of the city of Trenton, who had undertaken to see the colored people delivered at Newcastle. They appeared to be in great haste, having travelled all night. While at the inn, several persons remarked that Romaine and his wife appeared very much dejected. When breakfast was offered them, they declined eating, and the wife rose from the table, and making an excuse to go out, soon disappeared. Search was immediately instituted, but without effect. At length, Romaine was ordered to get into the carriage, and he proceeded as far as the step at the front door, where he saw the carriage door open to receive him. The constable was on one side of him, and the Frenchman on the other. Here he paused, and looking around him, asked, “Must I go?” The reply was, Yes, “And alone!” Yes, you must. At that instant, he took a pruning knife that he had in his pocket, and 60stepping on to the foot-way, drew it across his throat with such force as to sever the jugular vein. He fell upon the pavement, and, in a very little time, was a corpse.
