travelling through that state, I distributed most of my temperance almanacs and other papers above mentioned, including a few tracts on slavery, given to those who were willing to receive them. I gave none of these to any person of colour, bond or free, nor had I any intention of doing so.

"Near Gallatin, in Sumner county, Tennessee, I sold a copy of Rankin's Letters on Slavery. I arrived at Nashville, on Saturday the 18th of July, and took lodgings at the Nashville Inn. The young man who accompanied me, in bringing into the house my books from the box of the barouche, omitted the Anti-slavery tracts and other pamphlets. Their being overlooked did not occupy the attention of either of us, and on Monday morning the barouche was taken to the shop of Mr. Stout to be repaired. In the course of the day Mr. Stout remarked to his workmen, as he afterward informed me, that perhaps, as I came from Cincinnatti, I was an abolitionist. On this, one of them commenced rummaging my carriage. In the box he found, among the other pamphlets, a February number of the Anti-slavery Record, with a cut representing a drove of slaves chained, the two foremost having violins, on which they were playing-the American flag waving in the centre, whilst the slave driver, with his whip, was urging on the rear. This added considerably to the general excitement, which I afterward learned, was prevailing in relation to slavery and in a short time it was noised about that I had been 'circulating incendiary periodicals among the free coloured people, and trying to ex

cite the slaves to insurrection.'

So soon as the re

port came to my knowledge, I went to Mr. Stout, and explained to him how it was that the pamphlets had been left in the barouche. I then took into my custody the remainder of them, and locked them up in my trunk. Mr. Stout, on this occasion, told me that the scene represented in the cut was one of by no means unfrequent occurrence-that it was accurate in all its parts, and that he had witnessed it again and again. Mr. Stout is himself a slaveholder, though, as he says, opposed to slavery in principle-a member, if not an elder, in the Presbyterian church, and one of the committee of vigilance which afterward sat in judgment upon me.

"The excitement continued to increase, and it was soon added to the report, that I had been posting up handbills about the city, inviting an insurrection of the slaves. Knowing all the charges to be falsefeeling unconscious of any evil intention, and therefore fearless of danger, I continued the sale of my Bible in and around the city, till Saturday, the 18th day of the month, when, as I was preparing to leave town to attend a camp-meeting, held some eight or ten miles distant, a Mr. Estell, formerly an auctioneer and vender of slaves, at public outcry, in Alabama, met me at the door and demanded 'those abolition documents' I had in my possession. I replied, he should have them, and proceeded to get them for him. When he made the demand he was under the influence of very highly excited feelings -his whole frame indicating agitation, even to trembling. On presenting the pamphlets, I re

quested him to read before he condemned them. This seemed greatly to inflame his rage.

"I then proceeded to the camp-ground, where, about two hours after my arrival, I was was taken in charge by Mr. Braughton, the principal city officer. I take pleasure here, in stating of Mr. B., that, allowing his conduct to be strictly official, he exhibited to me, throughout the whole of this melancholy affair, the kindest and most delicate deportment. I immediately accompanied him to town, where, on arriving at my boarding-house, I found the mayor, Mr. John P. Erwin, waiting for us. He remarked, he was afraid I had got myself into difficulty, and wished me to appear before the Committee of Vigilance. To this I replied, it would give me pleasure to do so, as I wished it understood just what I had done, and what I had not done. He then asked me if I had any witness I wished to have called. My reply was, I knew not what need I had of witnesses, till I had heard the charge brought against me that I supposed it would be necessary to prove me guilty of some misdemeanor, and not that it should be upon me to prove that I had broken no law. To his demand, if I was ready for trial, I answered, I wished it to take place immediately, as I was anxious to return to the camp-ground.

"We repaired to the court-room, which was at once crowded full to overflowing. The roll of the committee (60 in number). was called, and the names of the absentees proclaimed.

"The meeting being called to order, the mayor stated, that he had caused me to be arrested, and

brought before the committee, in consequence of the excitement produced by the periodicals known to have been in my possession; and that he had also taken into his charge my trunk, which he had delayed opening until my return. The trunk was then produced before the committee, and a motion. made and carried, that I should be interrogated as to its contents before opening it. On being interrogated accordingly, I replied, as the trunk was before them, I preferred they should make the examination for themselves. It was then resolved, (the whole house voting) that my trunk should be examined. The officer first laid before the committee a pile of clothing, which was examined very closely-then followed my books, among which was found, one copy of the 'Oasis,' one of 'Rankin's Letters on Slavery,' and one of Bourne's Picture of Slavery in the United States." These, I informed the committee, I had put in my trunk for my own perusal, as I wished to compare what had been written with the result of my own observation while in the slave states, and that no individual had seen them besides myself. A careful inspection was made of the books also. Then was presented my business and private letters, which were read with eagerness, and much interest. Extracts were read aloud.

66

Among them was one from a letter received from a very aged and venerable lady, running thus:"Preached a stream of abolition two hundred and fifty miles long,' in travelling from Cincinnatti to Cleaveland. Great importance was attached to this.

Another spoke of the 'inconsistency of celebrating the 4th of July, while so many among us were literally in bondage." Another, from a letter of Mr. Ensign, (a gentleman well known to entertain no very favourable sentiments for abolitionism) which, after urging me to diligence in the sale of my Bibles, (obtained from him) jestingly concluded, 'Now don't spend more than half your time among the niggers." This was cheered by the crowd. The last was from the letter of a friend of mine, a minister of the gospel, who remarked that on visiting his friends at the east, abolition had been the principal topic of conversation that day, and he had preached on slavery at night!

"Great stress was laid on these extracts, and I was questioned very minutely, as to the authors of the letters. They laboured much to prove I was sent out by some society, and that I was, under the guise of a religious mission, performing the odious office of an insurrectionary agent.

"My journal was next brought in review, but as it had been kept in pencil mark, the memoranda short and hastily written, it served them very little purpose. It was laid down again by the Mayor who had attempted to read it aloud with this remark-'It is evidently very hostile to slavery.'

"A witness was now called forward by whom it was proved, that an Anti-slavery periodical of some kind had been left by some individual on the counter of the Nashville Inn. That it was left with a copy of the Cottage Bible, at the time I arrived. On being questioned by me, it turned out to be a