MOSES WINES.  Portsmouth, Va., lost one of her most substantial laborers in the person of Moses, and Madam Abigail Wheeler, a very “likely article” of merchandise.  “No complaint” as to “ill treatment” was made by Moses against “Miss Abigail.”  The truth was, he admitted, that he had been used in a “mild way.”  With some degree of pride, he stated that he “had never been flogged.”  But, for the “last fifteen years, he had been favored with the exalted privilege of ‘hiring’ his time at the ‘reasonable’ sum of $12 per month.”  As he stood pledged to have this amount always ready, “whether sick or well,” at the end of the month, his mistress “never neglected to be in readiness to receive it” to the last cent.  In this way Moses was taught to be exceedingly punctual.  Who would not commend such a mistress for the punctuality, if nothing more?  But as smoothly as matters seemed to be going along, the mischievous idea crept into Moses’ head, that he ought to have some of the money claimed by his “kind” mistress, and at the same time, the thought would often forcibly press upon his mind that he might any day be sold.  In addition to this unpleasant prospect, Virginia had just about that time passed a law “prohibiting Slaves from hiring their time”—­also, a number of “new Police rules with reference to Slaves and free colored people,” all of which, the “humane Slave-holders” of that “liberal State,” regarded as highly essential both for the “protection and safety of Master and Slave.”  But the stupid-headed Moses was not pleased with these arrangements.  In common with many of the Slaves, he smarted severely under his heavy oppression, and felt that it was similar to an old rule, which had been once tried under Pharaoh—­namely, when the children of Israel were required to “make bricks without straw.”  But Moses was not a fit subject to submit to be ruled so inhumanly.

Despite the beautiful sermons he had often listened to in favor of Slavery, and the many wise laws, above alluded to, he could not reconcile himself to his condition.  The laws and preaching were alike as “sounding brass, and tinkling cymbals” to him.  He made up his mind, therefore, that he must try a free country; that his manhood required him to make the effort at once, even at the risk of life.  Father and husband, as he was, and loving his wife, Grace, and son, Alphonso, tenderly as he did, he nevertheless felt himself to be in chains, and that he could do but little for them by remaining.  He conceived that, if he could succeed in gaining his freedom, he might possibly aid them away also.  With this hope in him, he contrived to secure a private passage on the steamship City of Richmond, and in this way reached Philadelphia, but not without suffering fearfully the entire journey through, owing to the narrowness of the space into which he was obliged to be stowed in order to get away.

Moses was a man of medium size, quite dark, and gave promise of being capable of taking care of himself in freedom.  He had seen much of the cruelties of Slavery inflicted upon others in various forms, which he related in a way to make one shudder; but these incidents were not recorded in the book at the time.