ABSTRACT
A man who lived in East New Jersey, went to the city of Philadelphia, in the year 1809, and took with him a young man about eighteen years old, a slave, to wait upon him. He remained in that city four or five months, when the slave called upon me, and asked me if he was not free. I informed him that he was not; that the law allowed his master to keep him there any time short of six months; but if he retained him longer term in the State of Pennsylvania, he would then be free. His master it seems was not aware of this fact until that time had expired; when he was apprised of it, he became alarmed lest he might lose his property. To avoid this, he engaged a constable, who came with a carriage to the door of the house where the parties lodged, in Walnut, a few doors east of Second-street. The coachman left his carriage in the street, and accompanied the constable into the house. The boy had just been in the cellar for an armload of wood; and upon entering the parlor, saw the officer and the coachman ready to seize him, and take him away. The officer told the boy to put down his wood and go with him. The lad was frightened and immediately threw the wood against the shins of the officer, and ran down cellar, slamming the door to with much violence. As soon as the officer recovered himself, he went in search of the boy, but he had gone out at the front door, and went directly to my house. When he got there, his black, wooly head was covered with snow; and had it not been for the distress and alarm depicted in his countenance, his appearance was enough to excite a smile. I endeavored to console him, by telling him that he was now out of danger; that he was free, and I would protect him. After some time he became composed, and when relating the circumstance of throwing the wood against the officer laughed heartily.
