A Narrative of the Adventures and Escape of Moses Roper, from American Slavery

INTRODUCTION.

[Page 7] INTRODUCTION. THE determination of laying this little narrative before the public did not arise from any desire to make myself conspicuous, but with the view of exposing the cruel system of slavery, as will here be laid before my readers; from the urgent calls of nearly all the friends to whom I had related any part of the story, and also from the recommendation of anti-slavery meetings , which I have attended, through the suggestion of many warm friends of the cause of the oppressed. The general narrative, I am aware, may seem to many of my readers, and especially to those who have not been before put in possession of the actual features of this accursed system, somewhat at variance with the dictates of humanity. But the facts related here do not come before the reader unsubstantiated by collateral evidence, nor highly colored to the disadvantage of cruel taskmasters. My readers may be put in possession of facts respecting this system which equal in cruelty my own narrative, on an authority which may be investigated with the greatest satisfaction. Besides [Page 8] which, this little book will not be confined to a small circle of my own friends in London , or even in England. The slave-holder, the colonizationist, and even Mr. Gooch himself, will be able to obtain this document, and be at liberty to draw from it whatever they are honestly able, in order to set me down as the tool of a party. Yea, even friend Breckenridge, a gentleman known at Glasgow, will be able to possess this, and to draw from it all the forcible arguments on his own side, which in his wisdom, honesty, and candor he may be able to adduce. The earnest wish to lay this narrative before my friends as an impartial statement of facts, has led me to develope some part of my conduct which I now deeply deplore. The ignorance in which the poor slaves are kept by their masters, precludes almost the possibility of their being alive to any moral duties. With these remarks, I leave the statement before the public. May this little volume be the instrument of opening the eyes of the ignorant to this  13 system; of convincing the wicked, cruel, and hardened slave holder; and of befriending generally the cause of oppressed humanity. MOSES ROPER. LONDON, June 28, 1837. ...