We arrived at Peterboro’ early the following morning, where I remained till the sixteenth, at the house of Gerrit Smith.  He was once a zealous supporter of the Colonization Society, but when convinced of the evil character and tendency of that scheme, he withdrew from it, and became a warm and able advocate of the immediate abolition of slavery.  He is one of the few Americans who have inherited large property from their parents, and he has contributed to this cause with princely munificence.  Gerrit Smith and Arthur Tappan have, each on one or more occasions given single donations of ten thousand dollars (upwards of two thousand pounds sterling) to promote anti-slavery objects.  His wife, Ann Carroll Smith, who is a native of Maryland, and his daughter, an only child, share in my valued friend’s ardent sympathy for the sufferings of the slave.  During my stay, he received a letter from Samuel Worthington, of Mississippi, who held in slavery Harriet Russell.  Harriet was formerly the slave of Ann Carroll Smith, having been given to her when they were both children.  Ann C. Smith was but twelve years old when, with her father’s family, she removed from Maryland to New York.  Harriet was left in Maryland.  Shortly after Ann C. Smith’s marriage, and when she was about eighteen years of age, her brother, James Fitzhugh, of Maryland, wrote to ask her to give Harriet to him, stating that she was, or was about to be, married to his slave, Samuel Russell.  She consented:  and her brother soon after emigrated to Kentucky, taking Samuel and Harriet with him.  After this Samuel and Harriet were repeatedly sold.

Some years ago, Gerrit and Ann C. Smith having become deeply impressed with the great sin of slavery, were anxious to learn what had become of Harriet.  But they did not succeed in ascertaining her residence, until the letter received during my visit informed them of it, and which also stated that Harriet and her husband were living, and that they had several children.  The price put upon the family was four thousand dollars.

James C. Fuller having kindly offered to go into Kentucky, where Samuel Worthington then resided, to negotiate with him for the purchase of the family, G. Smith gladly accepted the offer of one so well qualified for this undertaking.  James C. Fuller succeeded in purchasing the family for three thousand five hundred dollars, exclusive of his travelling expenses, and those of the slave family, which amounted to about two hundred and eighty dollars.  He has published a very interesting account of his journey, in a letter addressed to myself, from which some extracts are given in the Appendix.[A] Eighteen months ago, G. and A.C.  Smith united with other children of her father, the late Col.  Fitzhugh, in purchasing, at the cost of four thousand dollars, the liberty of ten slaves, who, or their parents, were among the slaves of Colonel Fitzhugh when he left Maryland.  I have recently learned that they are negotiating