12 Years A Slave. Solomon Northup

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       Solomon Northup

      12 Years A Slave

      Published by

      Books

      - Advanced Digital Solutions & High-Quality eBook Formatting -

       [email protected]

      2020 OK Publishing

      EAN 4064066394424

       EDITOR'S PREFACE

       CHAPTER I

       CHAPTER II

       CHAPTER III

       CHAPTER IV

       CHAPTER V

       CHAPTER VI

       CHAPTER VII

       CHAPTER VIII

       CHAPTER IX

       CHAPTER X

       CHAPTER XI

       CHAPTER XII

       CHAPTER XIII

       CHAPTER XIV

       CHAPTER XV

       CHAPTER XVI

       CHAPTER XVII

       CHAPTER XVIII

       CHAPTER XIX

       CHAPTER XX

       CHAPTER XXI

       CHAPTER XXII

       APPENDIX

      "Such dupes are men to custom, and so prone

       To reverence what is ancient, and can plead

       A course of long observance for its use,

       That even servitude, the worst of ills,

       Because delivered down from sire to son,

       Is kept and guarded as a sacred thing.

       But is it fit, or can it bear the shock

       Of rational discussion, that a man

       Compounded and made up, like other men,

       Of elements tumultuous, in whom lust

       And folly in as ample measure meet,

       As in the bosom of the slave he rules,

       Should be a despot absolute, and boast

       Himself the only freeman of his land?"

      Cowper

      EDITOR'S PREFACE

       Table of Contents

      When the editor commenced the preparation of the following narrative, he did not suppose it would reach the size of this volume. In order, however, to present all the facts which have been communicated to him, it has seemed necessary to extend it to its present length.

      Many of the statements contained in the following pages are corroborated by abundant evidence—others rest entirely upon Solomon's assertion. That he has adhered strictly to the truth, the editor, at least, who has had an opportunity of detecting any contradiction or discrepancy in his statements, is well satisfied. He has invariably repeated the same story without deviating in the slightest particular, and has also carefully perused the manuscript, dictating an alteration wherever the most trivial inaccuracy has appeared.

      It was Solomon's fortune, during his captivity, to be owned by several masters. The treatment he received while at the "Pine Woods" shows that among slaveholders there are men of humanity as well as of cruelty. Some of them are spoken of with emotions of gratitude—others in a spirit of bitterness. It is believed that the following account of his experience on Bayou Bœuf presents a correct picture of Slavery in all its lights and shadows, as it now exists in that locality. Unbiased, as he conceives, by any prepossessions or prejudices, the only object of the editor has been to give a faithful history of Solomon Northup's life, as he received it from his lips.

      In the accomplishment of that object, he trusts he has succeeded, notwithstanding the numerous faults of style and of expression it may be found to contain.

      DAVID WILSON.

      Whitehall, N. Y., May, 1853.

      CHAPTER I

       Table of Contents

      INTRODUCTORY—ANCESTRY—THE NORTHUP

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